Rihanna headlined Rock in Rio on September 26, 2015, and delivered exactly what 85,000 people in Rio de Janeiro came for. Moving through “Rockstar 101,” “Only Girl (In The World),” “We Found Love,” “Diamonds” and “Umbrella” with the kind of ease that only comes from total command of a stage, she held one of the world’s biggest festival crowds from start to finish.
DJ Premier and The Alchemist Drop New Single “For The Gig” and Bring Their Show to LA on May 9
Two of hip-hop’s most legendary producers are back in each other’s orbit and making it count. DJ Premier and The Alchemist have released “For The Gig,” a new single and video produced by Alchemist, out now on all streaming platforms. The track arrives fresh off the heels of their “He’s The Preemo, I’m The Chemist” European Tour, which gave UK fans a live experience that set a high bar for what this pairing can deliver on stage.
The duo also announced a Los Angeles show on May 9 at The Novo, and tickets are available now. For anyone who missed the European run, this is the opportunity. Premier and Alchemist together in a room is exactly as good as it sounds, and “For The Gig” makes a strong case for what to expect when the lights go down.
Black Music Action Coalition and Live Nation Open Applications for Third Year of BMAC LIVE Accelerator
The Black Music Action Coalition and Live Nation are opening the doors again. Applications are now open for the third year of the BMAC LIVE Accelerator Program, a fully funded, week-long immersive experience designed to put emerging music business professionals directly inside the live entertainment industry. Twenty participants will be selected for the 2026 cohort, which runs July 13 to 17 in Los Angeles. Applications close May 15, with selected participants notified by June 18.
Powered by Live Nation’s School of Live, the program covers the full live entertainment ecosystem, from show production and artist relations to talent booking, marketing, ticketing and budgeting. It’s hands-on, direct and built to translate into real careers. Upon completion, participants can apply for paid, part-time internship positions at Live Nation, available exclusively to BMAC LIVE alumni.
In two years, the program has already supported 40 emerging professionals. “In just one week, BMAC and Live Nation demonstrated how intentional they are about impacting the lives and careers of emerging industry professionals,” said 2025 alum Kayla Clarke. That track record is the strongest argument for what year three can deliver.
“In just two years, BMAC LIVE has created meaningful access for 40 aspiring professionals, opening doors, building confidence, and helping participants see a future for themselves in this industry,” said BMAC Co-founder, President and CEO Willie “Prophet” Stiggers. Omar Al-joulani, President of Touring at Live Nation, echoed that: “BMAC LIVE is about more than exposure, it’s about opportunity.”
The accelerator sits within BMAC’s broader push for equity and access across the music industry, which includes Music Maker Grants in partnership with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Victoria Monét and the Luther Vandross Foundation, Music Business Accelerator Programs at HBCUs Tennessee State University and Clark Atlanta, and community support initiatives including the Gunna x BMAC 30349 Program in South Fulton, Georgia. Applications are open now at bmacoalition.org/bmaclivenation.
Cook Allender’s Debut Album ‘Music Your Parents Hate’ Arrives May 15 with Anthem “Free”
Cook Allender has been building toward this. The New Orleans-born, Nashville-based rock artist releases his debut album ‘Music Your Parents Hate’ on May 15 via VibraHive Records, and the lead single “Free,” out now, sets the tone immediately. Driving guitars, anthemic energy and a chorus that delivers its thesis without flinching: “It’s my life to choose, it’s my soul to lose.” It’s a rock track built for volume and it earns every decibel. Listen here.
“This song is about throwing off the shackles,” says Allender. “No rules, no lanes, no stop signs, just water and wind.” The track closes the album, and that placement is deliberate. “That’s why it ends the record. It’s the feeling I want people left with.” For a debut full-length, that kind of architectural thinking signals an artist who has been doing this longer than the release date suggests.
Allender’s path to this record is anything but linear. Raised in New Orleans, he started writing original music at seven years old, then spent years moving through careers in finance, the military and the film industry before music pulled him back completely. That experience runs through ‘Music Your Parents Hate,’ a record that nods to Led Zeppelin, Stone Temple Pilots and Foo Fighters without borrowing from any of them. Loud, melodic and built for momentum.
As a writer, producer and visual director, Allender controls every dimension of his output, bringing a cinematic edge to guitar-forward rock that feels both immediate and expansive. With a second album already underway and a portion of proceeds going to no-kill animal shelters including Wags and Walks in Nashville, this is an artist operating with full conviction from day one.
How to Stop Dressing Like Everyone Else
By Mitch Rice
Most people don’t set out to dress like everyone else. It just kind of happens. You shop at the same stores, you see the same trends on social media, and over time, your wardrobe starts to look like a cookie-cutter version of whatever everyone around you is wearing. Truthfully, there’s nothing wrong with trends, but if nothing in your closet actually feels like you, that’s a sign it’s time to be more intentional.
Developing a style that’s genuinely yours takes some self-awareness and a little experimentation. It starts with a few honest questions and some willingness to make different choices than you normally would.
Figure Out What You Actually Like
The first step is separating what you actually like from what you’ve been conditioned to think you should like. These two things get conflated constantly, especially when you spend any time on social media where trends move fast.
A useful exercise is to look back at outfits you’ve worn and actually felt good in. We’re not talking about just outfits that got compliments, but ones where you put them on and felt like yourself. What did those outfits have in common? What fabrics, colors, and details showed up? That overlap is the beginning of your actual style.
It also helps to pay attention to what catches your eye when you’re not shopping. What really grabs your imagination when you see other people’s outfits? These small reactions are basically data points that tell you what resonates with your style.
Stop Buying Things Just Because They’re Trending
This is one of the most straightforward ways to start breaking out of the cycle of dressing like everyone else. It also happens to be one of the hardest, because the entire retail and social media ecosystem is designed to make trending items feel super important.
Before buying something, run it through a few litmus tests:
- Ask yourself whether you’d still want it in a year
- Ask whether it goes with anything else you already own
- Ask whether you like it or whether you just saw it everywhere
Slowing down the buying process naturally filters out a lot of trend-driven purchases that you don’t actually want to wear. Things that are actually your style will still find a way to cut through the noise, and you’ll end up wearing what’s best for you.
Look for Pieces That Are Harder to Find
Part of why so many wardrobes look similar is that most people shop in the same places. When the same big box retailers are everyone’s starting point, the range of what ends up in people’s closets gets much smaller.
Exploring different sources opens up different options. For example, vintage and thrift stores carry pieces that aren’t available anywhere else and often have more character than anything on a fast fashion rack. Then there are independent brands and smaller online shops that tend to take more creative risks than major retailers (and thus end up with much more unique designs).
This is where places like The Mad Hatter Co. really thrive. Their hats and apparel are built around personality and self-expression rather than just chasing whatever’s mainstream at the moment. If you’re looking for a piece that says something specific about who you are rather than just reflecting what’s currently popular, that’s exactly the kind of brand worth adding to your rotation.
Experiment Without Overcommitting
Building a more personal style involves some experimentation, and experimentation means occasionally wearing something that doesn’t quite land. That’s fine, as it’s all part of the process.
The practical way to experiment without a lot of risk is to introduce new elements gradually rather than reinventing your entire wardrobe at once. Small “experiments” give you real information about what works for you without requiring you to bet your whole wardrobe on a look you’re not sure about yet.
Thrift stores and vintage shops are great places for this kind of low-stakes experimentation. You can usually find things for just a few bucks, which makes it easier to take chances on pieces that you aren’t totally sure about.
A few tips that make thrift shopping more rewarding:
- Go in without a strict agenda. Unlike regular retail shopping, where you’re looking for something specific, thrift stores reward an open mind. You’re probably going to find something you didn’t know you wanted.
- Take your time and actually look through the racks. Good pieces get buried between things, and the people who find the best stuff are usually the ones who slow down and methodically go through items on the rack.
- Check the condition carefully before buying. Good thrift finds are only good if they’re actually wearable. Check for things like stains, broken zippers, and missing buttons before committing.
Commit to Consistency
The difference between someone whose style feels like their own and someone who looks like they’re still figuring it out is usually consistency. A personal style is ultimately a set of small choices that add up to something recognizable over time.
Once you start identifying what you actually like and making more intentional choices, resist the urge to abandon it every time a new trend appears. Your style will evolve naturally.
Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.
The Calling Announce New Single “DUST” and Rescheduled Tour Dates for Their “Before The World Turns To Dust Tour”
The Calling are back and moving fast. The rock hitmakers have announced “DUST,” a new single arriving this July via TLG|ROCK, distributed by Virgin Music Group, and have rescheduled select dates on their “Before The World Turns To Dust Tour” to align with the release. After a 20-year hiatus, Alex Band, guitarist Daniel Damico and Grammy-nominated bassist Dom Liberati are firing on all cylinders, and this run makes that clear.
The tour announcement comes alongside a significant milestone. The Calling are celebrating the 25th anniversary of “Wherever You Will Go,” one of the defining radio rock singles of the early 2000s, along with the multi-platinum debut album ‘Camino Palmero,’ a record that sold more than 10 million copies worldwide and went Platinum in the U.S. and more than 50 countries. Seven number one singles worldwide came out of that run. Twenty-five years later, those songs still hold up.
“With our record label pushing back the release of our new single ‘Dust’, we have decided it’s best to move some of our US tour dates to coincide with that release,” says Alex Band. “We’re looking so forward to celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the release of ‘Wherever You Will Go’ and sharing our new music with you all live on tour soon.” The decision to sync the dates with the single reflects a band that knows how to build toward a moment.
The rescheduled tour run kicks off August 26 in Woodstock, NY at the Bearsville Theater and moves through the Northeast, Southeast and beyond, including a stop at the New York State Fair on August 27, a Fort Lauderdale date at The Parker on September 10 and a Philadelphia appearance at World Cafe Live on September 20. The run wraps October 1 in Redding, CA.
“Before The World Turns To Dust Tour” Dates:
August 26 – Woodstock, NY – Bearsville Theater
August 27 – Syracuse, NY – New York State Fair, Chevy Court
August 28 – Warrendale, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille
August 29 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theatre
September 5 – Lurin, Peru – Lurin Live (Vivo x El Rock)
September 10 – Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Parker
September 11 – Orlando, FL – Hard Rock Live Orlando
September 12 – Jacksonville, FL – FIVE
September 18 – Norwalk, CT – District Music Hall
September 19 – West Springfield, MA – Court of Honor Stage (The Big E)
September 20 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live, Music Hall
October 1 – Redding, CA – Redding Civic
Kalsey Kulyk Pours Her Heart Into Motherhood Ode “Little Boy” and Announces Headline Dates
Kalsey Kulyk just released her most personal song yet. “Little Boy,” out now via Universal Music Canada, is a heart-wrenching ode to motherhood built from the kind of feeling that doesn’t need embellishment. The lyric video, assembled from Kulyk’s own home footage, makes it impossible to look away. Timed perfectly ahead of Mother’s Day, this one lands exactly where it’s meant to.
“I read a quote once that said ‘There are few things in life so beautiful they hurt, one is the love of a mother,’ and that’s really what my new song ‘Little Boy’ is about,” says Kulyk. “How lucky we are to witness it, but how fast it slips through our fingers. This song is for all the parents out there who have ever loved their ‘little boy’ and wished that time could move slower.” That clarity of purpose comes through in every moment of the recording.
“Little Boy” follows ‘Her Rodeo,’ the empowering EP Kulyk released in March. The standout track “Cut Him Loose,” an upbeat anthem about leaving a problematic man behind, is currently climbing into the Top 50 at Canadian Country Radio. Rollicking guitar riffs, a driving drum beat and Kulyk’s signature vocals make it one of her most immediate recordings to date.
The Saskatchewan-bred singer has been stacking momentum all year. She hit the stage in Hamilton for the official 2026 JUNO Kickoff Concert, and earlier this year performed at the Country Music Alberta Awards, where she picked up three nominations including Fans’ Choice and Horizon Female Artist of the Year. The recognition reflects a career that has been building deliberately and with real staying power.
Kulyk’s path to this moment is worth knowing. Diagnosed with cancer in high school, she didn’t slow down. That experience deepened her songwriting and sharpened her resolve, and she’s been in remission for 15 years. In 2017, she won both the CCMA Discovery Artist program and Anthem Entertainment’s On The Spot contest on the same day, which opened doors to Nashville collaborations with Liz Rose (Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood) and Phil Barton (Lee Brice, Eli Young Band).
Her 2019 self-titled debut reached No. 2 on the Canadian iTunes Country Chart and earned a CCMA Roots Album of the Year nomination. Her 2023 single “Love Me Like an Outlaw” climbed to No. 18 on the Canadian country charts in 2024, surpassing two million Spotify streams, with V13 Media calling it “an unequivocal testament to Kulyk’s brilliance.” The trajectory has been consistent and it’s accelerating.
This summer delivers her biggest live calendar yet. Kulyk headlines The Drake in Toronto on June 24 and London Music Hall in London on June 25 before launching into a festival run that includes Calgary Stampede on July 11, LASSO Montreal on August 16 and the inaugural Boots and Hearts West Festival in Edmonton on August 28. For an artist who has earned every inch of this moment, the stage is ready.
2026 Live Dates:
June 24 – Toronto, ON – The Drake (Headline)
June 25 – London, ON – London Music Hall (Headline)
June 27 – Humboldt, SK – Living Skies Music Festival at Centennial Park
July 10 – Lachute, QC – Expo Lachute Fair
July 11 – Calgary, AB – Calgary Stampede at Nashville North
July 12 – Craven, SK – Country Thunder
August 16 – Montreal, QC – LASSO
August 28 – Edmonton, AB – Boots and Hearts West at Fan Park @ Ice District
August 29 – Lucknow, ON – Lucknow’s Music In The Fields
Gerry Dee Brings Mr. D Reunion Live to the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino This September
Gerry Dee is bringing Mr. D Reunion Live to the OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino on Saturday, September 26, 2026, and it’s the kind of night that CBC fans have been waiting for. The show reunites the cast of Mr. D, the beloved eight-season comedy series that followed the misadventures of Gerry Duncan, an underqualified high school teacher inspired by Dee’s own real-life classroom years before comedy took over. Tickets go on sale May 8 at 10:00 a.m. through ticketmaster.ca.
Rock and Roll Legend Dion Hits the Road This Summer for First Tour in Over Four Years
Dion is heading back out on the road. For the first time in more than four years, the rock and roll legend has announced a string of Northeast dates kicking off in June, with a second run following in September. It’s a return that his audience has been waiting on, and the settings he’s chosen make it worth the wait.
The June run opens June 5 at Monmouth University’s Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, where Dion joins a stacked lineup for Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us, a celebration of America’s 250th birthday featuring Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Rosanne Cash, Kenny Chesney, Gary Clark Jr., Dropkick Murphys, Mavis Staples, Jackson Browne, Trombone Shorty, Public Enemy, Stevie Van Zandt and more.
On June 11, Dion returns to his native New York for a special solo acoustic performance at the Sheen Center for Thought and Culture on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, a setting that deliberately echoes his involvement in the 1960s folk movement. The performance will be filmed for a future project. Full band dates follow at the Keswick Theatre in Glenside, PA on June 18 and Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair on Long Island on June 20.
The September leg picks up September 10 in Morristown, NJ at the Mayo Performing Arts Center, continues with an outdoor show at the Mohegan Sun Patio Stage in Uncasville, CT on September 12, then moves to the Capitol Theatre in Portchester, NY on September 17 and closes September 19 at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island.
“I’ve had a lot of irons in the fire over the past few years with the book, the musical and the albums I’ve recorded so I hadn’t been able to focus on getting out there and performing for the many friends who have waited so patiently,” says Dion. “Now, I’m looking forward to getting back out there and rocking out for the people. See you soon.”
Tour Dates:
June 5 – Monmouth, NJ – Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music (Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us)
June 11 – New York, NY – Sheen Center for Thought and Culture (solo acoustic)
June 18 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
June 20 – Westbury, NY – Flagstar at Westbury Music Fair
September 10 – Morristown, NJ – Mayo Performing Arts Center
September 12 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Patio Stage
September 17 – Portchester, NY – Capitol Theatre
September 19 – Staten Island, NY – St. George Theatre
Video: Toro y Moi Delivered a Sun-Drenched Set at the 2022 Pitchfork Music Festival
Chaz Bear brought Toro y Moi to Chicago’s Union Park for the 2022 Pitchfork Music Festival, and this livestreamed set captures exactly why he’s one of the most compelling live acts in indie music. Touring behind ‘Mahal,’ Bear and his band move through the album’s psychedelic funk and groove-heavy textures with ease, pulling in catalog cuts like “Ordinary Pleasure” and “Déjà Vu” alongside newer material to keep the set in constant motion.