Tag: music

Academics for All: Rockwell excels in music, computer science | Local News

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SHERIDAN — Academics for All honored Kyle Rockwell, son of Lisa Rockwell, as a Summit Award finalist this week.

Rockwell is a National Merit semifinalist and a member of the National Honor Society, the 2022 state champion We The People team and both the Sheridan High School and Sheridan College bands. He has maintained an impressive 4.0 GPA while managing a rigorous course load featuring numerous Advanced Placement classes including calculus, psychology, U.S. history and government, two computer science classes and physics. Rockwell also has completed college level courses in calculus, statistics and computer science.

“Being at SHS has helped me learn the value of good friends and surrounding yourself with good people. It makes life much more enjoyable,” Rockwell said. 

Rockwell named Chad Rose, SHS band director, as an outstanding educator. 

“Mr. Rose has been an amazing teacher and guide over these three years as my band director, teaching us to be responsible adults,” Rockwell said. “He’s done exciting things in our band program, like starting up a brand new marching band this year — a huge investment of time and money.” 

Rose also spoke highly of Rockwell.

“Kyle has established himself as the premiere scholastic clarinet player in Wyoming over the last two years,” Rose said. “His playing is incredibly creative, sensitive, and precise. It has paid off for him, as he has been selected to the All-State Band twice and the All-Northwest band as well.”

Rockwell has enjoyed an outstanding musical career.

“Playing clarinet and alto sax in various high school and college groups is my favorite activity,” Rockwell said. “Music is a great emotional outlet; you can really express feelings and thoughts through music.”

He has excelled in symphonic band on clarinet, sitting second and then first chair in the All-State Band and even making All Nationals in 2022. He was also the head drum major for the first marching band SHS has had in decades. The brand new marching band competed at the state competition in Casper this fall, earning a superior rating — the highest rating — under Rockwell’s leadership.

“The most impressive thing about Kyle is his ability to lead and connect with people,” Rose said of Rockwell. “He is always a joy to be around. He is a leader in the most positive way. Kyle’s impact on this band program will be felt for years to come.” 

In his limited spare time, Rockwell enjoys reading books like the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and short stories from the likes of Stephen King and Franz Kafka. 

“I really like world building in literature. Each book of the ‘Lord of the Rings’ series is a window into a vast and expansive world that Tolkien built through his writing. ‘The Jaunt’ by Stephen King is similar; it has a very fascinating concept of teleportation, and builds upon it realistically, using it to drive the plot of the story,” Rockwell said.

Rockwell said Jennifer Reed, English teacher at SHS, has also made a positive influence on his career and been a valuable mentor.

“Kyle Rockwell is a multi-talented creative phenom,” Reed said. “On top of his keen understanding of literature, he always has something fun to add making the class even more enjoyable. He often added musical accompaniments when we read and performed plays. Kyle is a joy to have in class and I am excited to see his contributions in the future.”

While music has been a large part of Rockwell’s life, he also has developed a passion for technology and computer science.

“Programming is about the fun of problem solving. It’s cool to have something you need done, spend some time writing code to do it, and then it just works,” Rockwell said. “It’s really rewarding, the process is fun and the end result is very satisfying.” 

Rockwell has aspirations to attend either Michigan State University or the University of Michigan to obtain a degree in computer science, focusing on programming and software development. He also plans to participate in as many music ensembles and the marching band as he is able.

New Music Friday offers fresh R&B, rock and pop tracks for the weekend | Lifestyles

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Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and New Music Friday has something for everyone, regardless of relationship status. This week’s new music playlist features some standout songs for those still riding the high of the season of love and some grittier options for listeners just looking for good, solid tunes.

Prolific indie pop singer Lana del Rey released “A&W,” one of her best songs in years. The seven-minute track produced by Jack Antonoff is the second single from her eighth album “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd,” which comes out March 24.

Sticking to her typical musical sound and style, the first half of the song is a somber ballad full of melancholy lyrics and self-reflection. With whispery vocals and elegant harmonies, the song feels ethereal, nostalgic and gritty as she sings about missing her childhood and her experiences being an “American whore.”

However, halfway through, the song shifts from its cinematic, glamorous old-Hollywood feel and transforms into a rap track. With a catchy trap beat, distorted instrumentals, and even some strings in the background, “A&W” takes on a whole new life, and it is a delight to experience.

Unpredictable, experimental, and strong in every genre that she leans into, “A&W” already stands out from del Rey’s discography.

R&B singer Omar Apollo shared his first release of 2023, a sultry, vibey song called “3 Boys.” Apollo’s vocals are irresistible in this song as he croons about feeling tethered to one person, to the point at which no one else compares romantically. Apollo’s harmonies are gorgeous and full of emotion as he delivers heart-wrenching lyrics over a soundscape of groovy, gentle guitar.

Indie singer-songwriter beabadoobee released “Glue Song,” a sweet love song perfect for the season of love. With a simple melody of guitar, piano, strings and even a sprinkling of saxophone, the song is romantic, idyllic and delightfully candid about love. Beabadoobee, whose full name is Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus, opens the song singing, “I’ve never known someone like you / Tangled in love stuck by you / From the glue” before going on to sing about feeling romantically stuck to someone.

Laus’ unique vocals make this song so special, and it is a sweet, simple addition to this week’s New Music Friday playlist.

For rock fans looking for new tunes, Irish rock band Inhaler released its newest album today, “Cuts & Bruises.” The opener “Just to Keep You Satisfied” is quite simply indie rock perfection. With a catchy melody, anthemic guitar that drives the chorus, and lead singer Elijah Hewson’s vocals strong and gravelly, this track is definitely worth checking out.

Although the lyrics are not particularly revolutionary, “Just to Keep You Satisfied” is a fun and captivating listen for jamming in the car this weekend.

Actress and musician Janelle Monae released “Float,” a collaboration with Nigerian musician Seun Kuti & the Egypt 80. The song opens with harmonies between Monae and Kuti before exploding into brassy instrumentals that make the song upbeat and triumphant. 

Monae’s vocals shine on the chorus, but her rapping in the verses showcases the range of her talent. The track features lyrics about personal growth, letting things go, and having a good time. Monae delivers one of the of the best lines in the song with perfect confidence and ease, rapping, “I’m countin’ my blessings, we ain’t stressin’, just look at this glow /I got that magic, I’m really prepared for whatever, whenever so who want the smoke?”

Fans of all genres will find something new to enjoy from this week’s New Music Friday playlist.

BRIT awards: Harry Styles triumphs with most wins

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LONDON, Feb 11 (Reuters) – Harry Styles was the big winner at the BRIT awards, Britain’s pop music honours, on Saturday, winning all four categories he had been nominated in, a week after his triumph at the Grammys.

Styles took home the coveted album of the year for “Harry’s House”, song of the year for his synth pop hit “As It Was”, best pop/R&B act and artist of the year, one of two gender-neutral categories introduced last year after BRIT awards organisers got rid of female and male distinctions.

The contenders for that prize were all men, which had irked many in the industry and on social media.

“I’m really, really grateful for this and I’m very aware of my privilege up here tonight,” Styles said in his acceptance speech, dedicating the artist of the year award to a list of female singers.

Styles, who rose to fame on talent show “The X Factor” as a member of boy band One Direction, last week won two Grammy awards, including album of the year.

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“This night has been really special to me … Thank you so much for the welcome home,” Styles said on Saturday after his final win, for best album.

“I’m so, so proud to be a British artist out there in the world. I’m so proud to be here tonight celebrating British artists and British music.”

A statement on the BRIT Awards’ website said the gender-neutral categories had been introduced so artists were judged “solely on the quality and popularity of their work, rather than on who they are, or how they choose to identify.”

But it added that organisers “acknowledge and share in the disappointment” of no women making the list. “A key factor is that, unfortunately, there were relatively few commercially successful releases by women in 2022 compared to those by men.”

“Of the 71 eligible artists on the longlist, only 12 (17%) are women. We recognise this points to wider issues around the representation of women in music that must also be addressed.”

Singer Rina Sawayama welcomed the change to gender-neutral categories but said the list of nominees should be longer.

“If you have more nominees then you’re going to see a cross section of what has happened throughout the year and who has made an impact,” she told Reuters on the red carpet.

Indie rockers Wet Leg won group of the year and best new artist. Music star Beyonce was named international artist of the year and her hit “Break My Soul” won international song of the year.

For a factbox of winners, click read more

Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian in London; Additional reporting by Hanna Rantala in London; Editing by Ben Dangerfield, Matthew Lewis and Daniel Wallis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Harini Rini Raghavan: My music is a medium for me to share my culture with others | Tamil Movie News

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Chennai-born, New York-based singer-violinist Harini Rini Raghavan has been wowing audiences with her version of Indian electronica even as she rubs shoulders with the best musical talents at the Berklee College of Music. Rini is now all set to showcase her musical abilities across India as she gets ready for her Rini Live/India tour. The musician shares with us her experience of being an ambassador of Indian music in the Western world…
Excited about your India tour?
Very much! It’s been almost five years since our last tour, and we’ve had a lot of new music and fans since then. We can’t wait to meet everyone and connect with them.

Have you visited Chennai before? Any fave spots?
Yes, my hometown is Chennai, and I’m here quite often. My band’s drummer visited Chennai on their last tour, but the other members are newer; it’s their first time in Chennai. A favourite destination would be Besant Nagar Beach and Eden Restaurant.
When and how did your fusion music act start?
I created this project when I graduated from Berklee in 2015. I wanted to always create a project with people bringing in their own styles in an aesthetic way. I met so many amazing foreigners who were interested in playing Indian music or contemporary Indian music. So, it felt natural to seek them out, create a composition that’s Indian (classical/folk) at its core, and then have enough space for them to explore their own styles within this framework. I also feel that over the years this has become a medium for me to share my culture with people from other cultures. When we are on tours, we talk about our food, our upbringing, and our culture.

How is it to work with an international lineup of musicians to get your desired sound?
My education at Berklee helped me learn to communicate with international musicians through sheet music and see Indian music through the grammar of Western music. This made it very easy to chart out my compositions and then explain to the band how I envisioned the song. A sheet of music and a MIDI demo are what I start with to get across the song form and the nuances of the ragas of the composition. I think without this, it can be a cumbersome process to work together with musicians from different musical idioms.

Can you share the experience of being part of the voting process for the Grammys?
Being a voting member really makes me feel like I have the power to be a part of recognising and honouring music made by artists from around the world. I feel like I bring representation to the Recording Academy with my identity and the music I play, making it a more diverse space. I really enjoyed listening to all the submissions in my favourite categories.

How is Indian music received in the West? Do you think Indian acts can crack the code of international stardom like BTS?
It’s amazing! So many Indian and Indian American musicians are doing great work presenting both Indian classical and contemporary music to western audiences — bands like NY-based Red Baraat, and Brooklyn Raga Massive have built up a huge community of non-Indian people who appreciate Indian music. Indian acts can definitely get audiences on the international stage. For fame, though, I think it’s different. The music needs to be more pop (like BTS), and I think some film songs (the equivalent of Western pop) have had that reach on social platforms, like Kolaveri or Naattu Naattu.

You’ve toured many places and collaborated with many fine artists. What is next?
Shakthisree Gopalan and I just presented a show in NYC that was a combination of indie fusion, Tamil and Malayalam songs. We plan to take that on the road soon. I hope to play in Canada later in the year and do a bunch of other cities in the US with my band. Record some new Blue Carpet sessions with international artistes.

You need to hear crushed, the LA duo reimagining lush 90s dream-pop

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Ahead of the release of their debut EP extra life, the duo discuss inspirations, secret enemies and their worst nightmares

crushed, in all the best ways, sound like your favourite song from a mid-90’s coming-of-age movie – something that makes complete sense when lead singer Bre Morell explains the band’s initial inspirations. “We said we should make a band that sounds like Natalie Imbruglia’s ‘Torn’,” she says over Zoom. The band’s new EP extra life (out February 10) serves as a fitting tribute to some of the finest pop tunes of the 1990s: lead single and standout track “waterlily” merges a trip-hop drum loop, aqueous guitar lines reminiscent of the Cocteau Twins, and chord progressions straight out of Loveless by My Bloody Valentine. The rest of extra life showcases a knack for crafting transcendent, melancholy alt-pop layered against lush soundscapes. 

The duo came together in what turned out to be a “full circle moment”, according to vocalist Shaun Durkan. Having both been fans of each other’s work in previous bands [Soft Kill and Temple of Angels], Durkan got in touch with Morell to collaborate. “The thing that really stood out to me was her voice,” he tells Dazed. “I had a lot of song ideas, and things that I couldn’t do with the other bands that I was in, so I reached out.” We caught up with the band to talk about their inspirations, secret enemies and favourite artists.

Hey! I thought extra life was so great – how did you guys find the process of writing and recording your debut EP?

Bre Morell: What’s funny about these songs is that when Shaun and I wrote and recorded most of them, we hadn’t even met in person before. It came together with him in Portland and me being in LA. We had already written a handful of songs before we even met, we were just literally just talking online. We were just sending stuff back and forth, which was new for both of us.

What inspired the album, outside of musical sources?

Shaun Durkan: There are a lot of samples on the EP – we both play a lot of video games and so that informed a lot of it. We were absolutely obsessed with playing Elden Ring at the time we were writing and recording this – we probably talked 90 per cent about Elden Ring and then 10 per cent about the music when we were making the EP.

Bre Morell: Stardew Valley is another game that we started talking about before we even started writing music, we both really love that game. We included samples from both of those games in the songs, too. 

How would you describe your sound?

Shaun Durkan: It’s hard to say because I think a lot of the music has this atmosphere that can be dark but romantic. It also has an optimistic and hopeful spirit to a lot of it.

Bre Morell: The meme Shaun made [see below] was perfect, that’s our answer. My two huge genres are Britpop and trip-hop. I feel like crushed intersects both things pretty well – it’s the lighter, fun poppier side of trip-hop like Sneaker Pimps, who I love a lot. I’ve always wanted to do a project like that, and I feel like we’re able to lean into that a bit here.

What adjective would you least like to be described as?

Bre Morell: The first thing that comes to my head is shoegaze. Also boring, I wouldn’t want to be called boring.

Shaun Durkan Retro.

Who is your nemesis?

Shaun Durkan: I can’t name them but I think I have one enemy; I made my first enemy this year. It’s an interesting and weird experience. Maybe I’ve been other people’s enemies and I just didn’t know it, but this is a very almost comic book-level rival. I can’t reveal the name.

Bre Morell: It would be sick if we did – they know who they are. They’re definitely gonna see this and read it.

If you could only listen to one musician for the rest of your life who would it be?

Shaun Durkan: First thing that comes to mind is My Bloody Valentine or also Kevin Shields’ soundtrack work – basically anything that Kevin Shields makes. 

Bre Morell: The person who comes to mind for me is the person with the shortest discography: Jeff Buckley. I’ve pretty much been listening to Grace on repeat for 15 years. If I went for a longer discography, I feel almost the same way about Radiohead. If I wanted to be a little bit smarter, I might choose Radiohead but I could go either way. I could listen to Grace for the rest of my life and nothing else and I’d be perfectly happy.

What’s your weirdest internet obsession?

Bre Morell: I could just spend forever looking at stupid stuff on eBay that I’ll never buy, particularly Parappa the Rapper merchandise from the 90s that’s only available in Japan. I have a whole folder of saved shit that I’ll never buy, but I just enjoy looking at it.

Shaun Durkan: It’s usually just whatever video game I’m playing, I’m looking up whatever I can find about it on Reddit. 

You encounter a hostile alien race and sound is their only mechanism for communication. What song would you play to them to inspire them to spare you and the rest of the human race?

Bre Morell: I don’t want to seem like I’m trying to be weird, but Shaun can vouch because I make everyone listen to this shit: it’s the Bulgarian Women’s State choir, the song is “Kalimankou Denkou”. It sounds like a good song to play for an alien. If you listen to it, I don’t know if you know it, but it’s such an incredibly beautiful song. Please listen to it, it’s so crazy. You’ll understand when you hear it – you’ll be like yeah, aliens would probably dig this.

Shaun Durkan: Aliens would love “Barely Breathing” by Duncan Sheik, it would soothe them!

extra life is out February 10 

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Country Riser Taylor Sanders Releases Official Music Video F…

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(MENAFN- GetNews)

With the success of her latest single,“Firecracker,” Taylor Sanders is putting the lyrics into a visual with the release of the official music video. Described as a“powerhouse anthem is an attention grabber from the jump (The Nash News),” the singer-songwriter has been riding the success of this single.

Watch“Firecracker” here .

The single was written by Taylor Sanders, Terran“T-RAN” Gilbert, Maria Ann Abraham and Scott Anthony Cash Callaway.

Ahead of the impact of country radio today,“Firecracker” has been aired on radio stations all across the world including Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the United Kingdom.

In addition to her sassy twang, spunky vibe, and bouncy beat, she combines her unique southern fashion with her dance-driven stage shows. She gained recognition for her covers of well-known artists’ songs, including“Jolene” by Dolly Parton and“Walkin’ After Midnight” by Patsy Cline.

You can learn more about Taylor Sanders by visiting taylorsandersworld.com .

Video Link:

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11 Black artists to support this Bandcamp Friday

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Nearly three years after the global pandemic led to independent artists going virtual to monetize their music, Bandcamp Fridays are still going strong. For Black artists, the community-based move on the music discovery platform — which finds 100 percent of sales going directly to artists once a month — is appreciated, allowing them to focus on other aspects of marketing their catalogs, from visuals to touring.

Furthering their impact in music, Black artists on Bandcamp are proudly representing their culture across a kaleidoscopic range of genres. So to kick off Black History Month — and in anticipation of the next Bandcamp Friday on February 3rd — AltPress is rounding up a handful of Black artists from a variety of genres, from punk to hip-hop, whose music is a must-listen and very much worth supporting. (And for even more recommendations and ways to support Black artists this month and always, be sure to check out Black Artist Database, a community-based platform that launched in 2020 in response to racial injustices, police brutality, and music business inequities that similarly provides access to consumer-to-artist support.)

Big Joanie

After spending 10 years as a punk-rock trio, British group Big Joanie comes to the States this year for their first-ever North American tour. Members Stephanie Phillips, Chardine Taylor-Stone and Estella Adeyeri, Big Joanie – also founders of UK punk festival Decolonise Fest – rage with leonine spunk. Infusing ‘90s riot grrrl with feminist, post-punk sensibilities, the group has been a Bandcamp favorite, recently garnering acclaim for their long-awaited sophomore album Back Home.

Cities Aviv

Memphis-bred rapper-producer Cities Aviv has been a frontman of the lo-fi and underground rap movement over the last decade, connecting with avid listeners through complex bars and deep ‘70s soul and jazz samples. Now residing in Queens, New York, Aviv, legal name Gavin Mays, released dual projects MAN PLAYS THE HORN and Working Title For The Album Secret Waters in 2022, where he lyrically grapples with the social media age, inauthentic rappers and other topics that he conjures through his stream-of-consciousness flow.

Dreamer Isioma

Nonbinary bedroom pop-oriented singer-songwriter Dreamer Isioma traverses through outer worlds in their explorative discography. A product of the early aughts, the Chicago-based artist imbues themselves in lush and ambient soundscapes, their artistry rapt with dreamy vocals and spirited charm. Prior to dropping alternative-rock-tinged single “Fuck Tha World,” Isioma released sophomore album Goodnight Dreamer in 2022, giving context to the 20-something’s wanderlust imagination.

Dua Saleh

Minnesota artist and Sex Education actor Dua Saleh pushes the boundaries of pop music with their bona fide valor. Last year, the nonbinary Sudanese-American re-released their 2021 EP CROSSOVER, featuring three additional tracks that meld futurism, electro-pop, and experimental ambition. On Bandcamp and other music platforms, the artist has become highly-praised for their dance floor appeal, leading a movement of contemporary Black artists in pop.

Fly Anakin

Virginia rhymesayer Fly Anakin bares his soul even more with each passing musical project. The 28-year-old boasts a full Bandcamp catalog as a masterclass in soul-centric hip-hop, including efforts with fellow rapper Pink Siifu and Mutant Academy co-members ohbliv, TUAMIE, and Koncept Jack$on. Last March, Anakin delivered his critically-acclaimed autobiographical debut studio album Frank, preceding his suggestive forthcoming LP Skinemaxxx (Side A), which arrives in April.

GrandAce

Cincinnati-raised rapper, vocalist, and producer GrandAce is a manifestation of internet culture. Keeping fans and Bandcamp subscribers (cleverly called “the Grandcouncil”) updated through candid vlogs and occasional merch, the artist, legal name Jody Jones II, releases a constant stream of music, including last year’s planetary oasis EP Orbit City. Over the last eight years, GrandAce has been a testament to artist progression through his resounding delight in creating music.

Jean Grae

Veteran lyricist and producer Jean Grae evokes truth in her pen. Wife of fellow emcee and producer Quelle Chris, the artist formerly known as What? What? has been a hip-hop mainstay since the ‘90s, both in her origins of Brooklyn and the independent music scene. To conclude 2022, Grae released spoken word album You F​*​*​king Got This Sh​!​t: Affirmations For The Modern Persons, her soothing tone imparting humorous anecdotes on self-worth, patriarchal oppression and setting boundaries.

MIKE

Brooklyn wordsmith MIKE sells back-to-back albums like hotcakes. The 24-year-old rapper born Michael Bonema has evolved in pensive bars since his teenage years of releasing early projects MAY GOD BLESS YOUR HUSTLE and BY THE WATER. Now a spearhead for the free annual Broolyn music festival Young World, the hip-hop savant dropped his latest album Beware of the Monkey in December, reintroducing dancehall legend Sister Nancy (“Stop Worry!”) and his DIY creativity.

Psalm One

Quick-witted in her lyricism, Chicago-raised emcee Psalm One, aka Hologram Kizzie, brings the heat. Legal name Cristalle Bowen, the rapper (also one-half of BIG $ILKY with partner Angel Davanport) had two triumphs last year — releasing memoir Her Word Is Bond followed by LP Bigg Perrm. An independent artist who’s openly navigated music industry woes, Psalm One remains an essential in Midwest hip-hop.

SAULT

Since 2019, clandestine recording sessions with producer Inflo have assembled R&B, funk, and neo-soul collective Sault. While the members are unknown, the band has been celebrated for lyrically tackling racial tensions, political unrest, spirituality, and holism. Last year, a set of six EPs arrived from the UK group; AIIR, 10, 11, UNTITLED (God), Earth, and Today & Tomorrow.

Sunny War

Nashville-born blues, folk, and punk musician Sunny War is a modern troubadour. The singer-songwriter and guitarist’s rich timbre is a tribute to Black music revolutionaries, notably Nina Simone, who Sunny pays homage to on “Like Nina,” off her 2021 album Simple Syrup. Prepping forthcoming album Anarchist Gospel for March, which has been described as a “powerful statement of survival,” Sunny also hits the road for a nationwide tour beginning this month.



Harry Styles Enrages Fans After Changing ‘As It Was’ Lyrics: Pop Star Not Coming Back to the UK?

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Harry Styles is still traveling around the world for his “Love On Tour” series of concerts and he recently made a big change in one of his songs that left fans enraged as they wanted to “humble” him to look back where he came from; what happened?

Last year, as the lead single of his record-breaking album “Harry’s House,” the former One Direction singer released “As It Was” and during the bridge part, the original lyrics read, “Leave America, two kids follow her.”

Since then, many fans from the United Kingdom have been using the line to remind the musician that he spends a lot of time in the United States compared to his home country.

BuzzFeed News reported that concertgoers during his tour in the UK screamed the lyrics hard to send him the message. During those moments, Styles can be seen smiling and laughing as his fans shout the line in unison.

More recently, the Grammy Award-winning artist resumed his scheduled concerts in Los Angeles, California, after spending a holiday break.

At his second Kia Forum show, fans are debating if they heard him quietly say “I’m staying” after the line, but the following day, Styles made it clear that he is indeed staying after changing the lyrics to “never leave America.”

READ ALSO: Phil Collins New Album, Tour 2023: Genesis Vocalist Returning Onstage After Celebrating 72nd Birthday?

Following this, many fans jokingly shared their responses on Twitter, saying they felt “betrayed” over the singer’s decision.

“never leave america harry styles?? because you can stay there and we eat all the cheese bread stirring our tail without you ok. feeling betrayed,” one wrote, translated to English.

“i can’t tell if uk harry styles fans are actually mad that he changed “leave her America” to “never leave America” or if they’re just really good at pretending to be mad,” one joked.

“harry styles needs to be humbled after saying never during the leave america part last night,” one expressed.

As of this writing, Harry Styles has yet to confirm whether he’ll stay in the United States for good. Although he has several properties in the UK, as noted by Capital FM, he also reportedly owns an apartment in the Tribeca neighborhood in New York City.

His property features three bedrooms and three bathrooms which cost him a whopping $8.7 million.

READ MORE: Ashton Kutcher Wants To Apologize To Harry Styles For an Embarrassing Reason: ‘I Feel Like A Jerk’

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Opera by Haitian-Canadian composer to premiere during Black History Month: Collaboration between David Bontemps and the OCM | Arts

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When 44-year-old Haitian-Canadian composer David Bontemps was told in the summer of 2020 that the Orchestre classique de Montréal (OCM), then led by the late Boris Brott, wanted to produce his first chamber opera, La Flambeau, he was more than thankful.  That the work will premiere next Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Salle Pierre Mercure during Black History Month is an added bonus.

“I feel very privileged and humbled to just have my opera produced, because there are so many composers that have written major works that never had the chance to be presented to the public,” said Bontemps. “The opportunity to have it first presented in the city where I live is a big honour.”

Born in Port-au-Prince, Bontemps moved to Montreal in 2002, where he was quickly recognized by his peers. He has since written and recorded several albums and has received working grants from the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec and the Canada Council for the Arts

His opera is based on the 2014 award-winning play of the same name by his friend, Faubert Bolivar. The two former Port-au-Prince schoolmates have known each other for years and continued to follow each other’s careers as they took different paths, Bolivar as a teacher, writer, poet and dramaturge and Bontemps as a pianist and composer. 




Cameroonian-born soprano Suzanne Taffot, Canadian mezzo soprano Catherine Daniel, and Jamaican Canadian tenor Paul Williamson.



“He sent me his book in 2014 and when I read it I knew I had to write an opera based on it, but I never had the time or the opportunity. It was only in 2020, during the first pandemic lockdown, that I found the time and I wrote it in five weeks,” Bontemps explained during our recent interview.

Steeped in Haitian lore and West African mythology, La Flambeau is a critique of misogyny, corruption and the abuse of power. It tells the story of a dysfunctional couple, Monsieur (a narcissistic, ambitious and idealistic intellectual), Madame (who talks to her dead parents), and their working-class housekeeper, Mademoiselle. Violating his own principles, Monsieur rapes Mademoiselle. After a surreal trial, the corrupt elitist, who cloaks himself in virtue to subjugate the disadvantaged, confesses, and is subjected to a form of mob justice and turned into a zombie in service to his community.

Bontemps says he loves the story because it touches many aspects of pluralism, including language (Haiti’s divide between French and Creole speakers), class, education, as well as justice and belief systems — Western Christianity vs. the demonized West African-inspired Voodoo that some still manage to maintain and preserve. “But mainly, it’s about respecting everyone and observing that a society that is without respect and love is just a crazy, crazy place — a real dystopia.”

Like the play, Bontemps says his musical compositions both blend and contrast European classical music with Afro-Caribbean as well as traditional African rhythms, melodies and harmonies.




American bass Brandon Coleman, Montreal actress and director Mariah Inger, and Maestro Alain Trudel.



His 80-minute opera — sung in French, with short passages in Haitian Creole — is scored for four singers, a string orchestra and maracas. Conducted by Maestro Alain Trudel, the cast features Cameroonian-born soprano Suzanne Taffot, Canadian mezzo soprano Catherine Daniel, Jamaican Canadian tenor Paul Williamson, and American bass Brandon Coleman, with stage direction by Montreal actress and director Mariah Inger.

Maestro Brott, who at age 78 was killed on April 5, 2022, in a hit-and-run in Hamilton, Ontario, left his mark on the final product. “We had the chance to have a workshop in September 2021 with him, so the score has a lot of his recommendations and his influence is there somewhere. Unfortunately, he won’t conduct it although he said he really liked the music,” said Bontemps, adding, “But I’m very lucky to have Alain Trudel, a long-time friend of Boris.”

Salle Pierre Mercure in L’Université du Québec à Montréal is located at 300 de Maisonneuve Blvd. E. For tickets and information, visit orchestra.ca.

Rick Astley: I wasn’t cut out to be a pop star | Entertainment

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Rick Astley says he “wasn’t born” to be a pop star.

The 56-year-old singer shot to fame in the late 1980s when he signed a deal with industry giants Stock Aitken Waterman – which saw him become labelmates with the likes of Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, and Sonia – and sold more than 12 million records worldwide with hits such as ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ and ‘Together Forever’ but decided to quit the industry altogether in the 1990s because he “didn’t want to do any of it” anymore.

“He said: “I don’t think being a pop star is a very natural thing for anybody but some people, some people manage to do it and some people are born to do it perhaps. I don’t think I was really. I had developed a fear of flying, I didn’t want to go and promote records. I didn’t want to do any of it, really. “

The ‘Take Me To Your Heart’ singer – who went on to have daughter Emilie with then-partner Lene Bausager but eventually returned to showbusiness in the early 2000s and remains active in music today – went on to add that he was “super lucky” to have made a lot of money during his heyday which at the time enabled him to walk away after from the top.

Speaking on Channel 5 documentary ‘Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop Music’, he added: “I was super lucky that I had a massive amount of success in a very short period of time, somebody gave me a truckload of money for it and I could say ‘Okay, I’m done!'”