F2 Logistics came out of a two-year hiatus to crown itself the first ever PNVF Champions League women’s champion with a 25-20, 25-20, 25-22 victory over Chery Tiggo Thursday at Aquamarine Recreation Center in Lipa City. The Cargo Movers didn’t give up a single set throughout six matches in this tournament held under bio-contained system. […]
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Jurgen Klopp saluted Liverpool’s understudies after they dented Porto’s bid to qualify for the Champions League last 16 as Thiago Alcantara’s first goal since May inspired a 2-0 win on Wednesday. Klopp’s side had already booked its place in the knockout stages as Group B winners, but it did not rest on its laurels at […]
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South Korea’s National Assembly, the East Asian country’s legislature, is reportedly divided over possibly exempting K-pop boyband BTS from mandatory military service.
READ MORE: Tomorrow X Together: “We tell stories of our generation, a generation at the crux of growth”
This is according to a new report from Yonhap News Agency, which quoted remarks from Boo Seung-chan, the spokesperson for Korea’s defense ministry, who noted that the military is considering “situational variables” over the so-called BTS Law.
The BTS Law bill, if passed, would allow the septet to continue their work as K-pop idols for 34 months under an alternative program, in place of them undergoing the regular 18 to 22 months of mandatory military service served by South Korean males, per The Korea Herald.
“Regarding the revision bill, the defense ministry cannot help but consider situational variables. The one that we face at this very moment is the situation caused by the shrinking population,” Boo said during a press briefing, via Yonhap News Agency.
“Secondly, there is also a need for social consensus. In other words, this is about a fair military service,” he added, stressing the need to be “prudent” about the situation.
In its reports, Yonhap and The Korea Herald noted that a subcommittee of the National Assembly’s defense committee had “failed to make any progress” during discussions earlier today. The latter outlet also described the debate over the pros and cons of the law as “intense”.
In other BTS news, member V is set to contribute a song to the soundtrack of upcoming K-drama Our Beloved Summer. The as-yet-unnamed track will be produced by music director Nam Hye-seung, who has previously worked on the original soundtracks of hits such as Goblin (2016), It’s Okay To Not Be Okay (2020) and Crash Landing On You (2019).
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The Youth Music organisation has launched a new £1.7million post-pandemic Recharge Fund to “equalise music access” after COVID.
Supported by the People’s Postcode Lottery, the fund will see up to £30,000 per year awarded to successful applicants across the UK.
Around 40 music organisations will be supported by the fund, which was created in response to a survey held by Youth Music last year, which showed that 60 per cent of creative organisations across the UK needed help with funding in order to operate.
A statement about the new fund said it can be used for communications and marketing, training, digital development, salaries, freelance fees and more. All the details on the scheme can be found here.
Applications are open for the scheme from today (November 23) and close on January 14. Successful applicants will be contacted on March 25 next year.
Discussing the scheme, Youth Music CEO Matt Griffiths said: “Music has the power to transform lives for young people, especially those facing barriers because of who they are, where they’re from or what they’re going through. With young people nationwide being deeply impacted by the effects of the pandemic, equalising access to music is more important than ever.
“However, our research shows that opportunities for young people decreased during the pandemic, with 63% of music organisations from our national network reporting that they’ve had fewer resources at the same time as demand for services is increasing.
“This financial boost will ensure that grassroots music projects, and the people leading them, can bounce back better than before. Which means more young people can make, learn and earn in music over the next few years, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.”
Last year, Youth Music announced details of a new £2million fund to promote diversity and inclusion in the music industry.
The charity, which invests in music projects to support young people, announced plans for its new Incubation Fund in a newly published report.
Across two years, the Incubator Fund will be backed by the People’s Postcode Lottery, will offer grants of up to £30,000 to music industry employers to support the careers of people aged 18-25.
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Queen‘s Brian May has criticised the BRIT Awards‘ decision to scrap their traditional gendered system for awards categories, calling it emblematic of a “frightening” trend.
This week, the BRITs announced details of their 2022 ceremony, including the news that Artist of the Year and International Artist of the Year awards are replacing the traditional Male and Female categories from previous years.
Back in 2019, it was reported that the BRITs were planning to scrap their gender categories in a bid to include non-binary artists. The awards ceremony, which occurs every February, was reportedly keen to “evolve” and axe the categories in a bid to change with the music industry.
The BRIT Awards then responded after non-binary singer Sam Smith spoke out about their plans to keep gender-based categories for the 2021 ceremony.
Speaking to The Mirror at ITV’s Palooza event in London this week (November 23), May criticised the move, saying: “It’s a decision that has been made without enough thought. A lot of things work quite well and can be left alone.
“I get so sick of people trying to change things without thinking of the long-term consequences,” he added. “Some of these things are an improvement, some of them are not.”
The Queen guitarist went on to say he believes there is an “atmosphere of fear everywhere because people are afraid to say how they really think,” adding: “I think so many people are feeling, ‘Hang on, this isn’t quite right’. But they don’t dare say anything. Eventually there will be some kind of explosion.”
Queen’s original line-up. CREDIT: Snowdon Copyright Queen Productions Ltd
Elsewhere in the interview, May referenced his Queen bandmate Freddie Mercury, saying he believes the singer would have found the culture he speaks of “difficult”.
“For instance, Freddie came from Zanzibar, he wasn’t British, he wasn’t white as such – nobody cares, nobody ever, ever discussed it,” May said.
“He was a musician, he was our friend, he was our brother. We didn’t have to stop and think: ‘Ooh, now, should we work with him? Is he the right colour? Is he the right sexual proclivity?’ None of that happened, and now I find it frightening that you have to be so calculating about everything.”
May added that he believes that Queen would not have been considered diverse enough nowadays to win their four BRIT Awards, saying: “We would be forced to have people of different colours and different sexes and we would have to have a trans [person]. You know life doesn’t have to be like that. We can be separate and different.”
Speaking of the change, BRIT Chair Tom March commented: “It is important that The BRITs continue to evolve and aim to be as inclusive as possible. It feels completely the right time to celebrate the achievements of artists for the music that they create, and the work that they do, irrespective of gender.
“I’m really excited to launch four new genre awards, which create even more opportunities for artists to be acknowledged for the brilliant music they create and produce, and give music fans the chance to get involved and vote to support their artists and help them to win a BRIT.”
Elsewhere, Brian May made a surprise appearance during Queen bandmate Roger Taylor‘s show in London last month (October 22).
The guitarist took the stage at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire, where Taylor wrapped up a 14-date UK headline tour. Taylor was out on the road in support of his sixth solo album, ‘Outsider’, which arrived on October 1.
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The China Association Of Performing Arts has released a list of 88 celebrities, including streamers and influencers, that have been blacklisted.
READ MORE: China to ban music that “insults or defames others” in karaoke venues
On November 23, the performing arts body shared that it had banned several celebrities for “illegal and unethical behaviour”. According to an official notice uploaded by the association, the blacklist was created to “strengthen industry self-discipline.”
The notice also mentions the need to prevent “celebrities who violated the law or ethical standards from rebranding themselves on other platforms” and to “purify the environment of the online entertainment industry,” per RADII.
This list includes singer Kris Wu, who was previously a member of South Korean boyband EXO. The Chinese-Canadian singer was accused of date rape and preying on underage girls after his rumoured 19-year-old ex-girlfriend, Du Meizhu, made public allegations of sexual assault crimes committed against her by Wu.
Wu was formally arrested in August after The Chaoyang District People’s Procuratorate in Beijing issued an official statement noting that his arrest had been approved after “investigation in accordance with the law” was made.
Another notable entry is actress Zheng Shuang, who has been embroiled in controversy since the beginning of the year. She had come under fire in January after her former husband, producer Zhang Heng, alleged that she had abandoned their two children who were born to surrogates in the US following their split.
According to South China Morning Post, Zheng was later accused of tax evasion and “greed” by her ex-husband, who also revealed that the actress had negotiated outrageous fees for her appearances on television shows.
Meanwhile, actor-singer Zhang Zhehan, who was forced out of the entertainment industry after sharing pictures of himself posing next to a shrine in Japan which honours major Japanese war criminals. All of Zhang’s profiles and work were removed across video and music platforms following the controversy, as reported by Global Times.
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The actors playing The Beatles in the forthcoming Midas Man film have been announced.
As revealed earlier this week, the biopic of the Fab Four’s manager Brian Epstein will see Jay Leno take on the role of late TV host Ed Sullivan (The Ed Sullivan Show).
READ MORE: The Beatles’ split 50 years on: the best songs from the solo careers
Now, as Deadline reports, Jonah Lees (The Letter For The King) is set to portray John Lennon while musician Blake Richardson (from the band New Hope Club) will appear as Paul McCartney.
Leo Harvey-Elledge – who played Liam Gallagher in this year’s Alan McGee biopic, Creation Stories – has been lined up to portray George Harrison, with Campbell Wallace appearing as Ringo Starr. Elsewhere, Peaky Blinders‘ Adam Lawrence will play original Beatles drummer Pete Best.
You can see the first-look official image of The Beatles in Midas Man here.
Director Sara Sugarman said of the new castings: “The actors playing the Beatles are an extraordinary group they ooze that very visceral feeling of the ’60s, are charming, playful, and so authentic and I have no doubt that Jay Leno will capture the essence of Ed Sullivan perfectly.
A portrait of the man who discovered and managed The Beatles, Brian Epstein. CREDIT: Bettmann
“His own experience as an American television host will bring forward a natural, and accurate portrayal and add an incredible element of modern showbiz to the story.”
It was previously confirmed that The Queen’s Gambit’s Jacob Fortune-Lloyd will portray Brian Epstein, the Liverpudlian record shop manager who is credited with signing The Beatles.
Production on Midas Man recently shut down mid-shoot, as former director Jonas Akerlund was said to be “taking a break” from the project and “unlikely to return”.
“Until some matters become clearer, we are not able to add any further comment to this statement,” a quote from the production read. “In the meantime, we can confirm that filming of Midas Man will continue in London in November before breaking for Christmas. Filming will restart in early January in Los Angeles.”
It has since been confirmed that Vinyl director Sugarman would be taking over from Akerlund. As Deadline report, production on the film is set to move to the US in early 2022.
A release date for Midas Man is yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, today (November 25) sees the arrival of Peter Jackson’s new documentary The Beatles: Get Back – check out NME‘s five-star review here.
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MANILA, Philippines–PetroGazz made up for its heart-breaking defeat the previous match by beating Tuguegarao Perlas, 25-11, 26-24, 19-25, 25-20, and grabbing third place in the PNVF Champions League women’s championships at Aquamarine Recreation Center in Lipa City. The Angels thus took the podium in the only two tournaments held this year amid the pandemic including […]
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MANILA, Philippines—Magnolia exchanged speed for size after it traded away Justin Melton and Kyle Pascual to Terrafirma for center James Laput. Melton, who earned the nickname Quickmelt for his athleticism and pace, had played his entire PBA career with the Hotshots after the team selected him 13th overall in the 2013 Draft. The 5-foot-9 guard […]
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EVERGLOW have release a teaser for the music video of their upcoming single ‘Pirate’.
READ MORE: EVERGLOW reflect on their new single ‘First’, the importance of self-love and why they look up to IU
Yesterday (November 24), the K-pop girl group released a 15-second teaser clip for the music video of ‘Pirate’, the lead single off their forthcoming mini-album ‘Return of The Girl’. The project is set to drop on December 1 at 6PM KST.
The captivating visual sees each member of EVERGLOW gearing up for battle as they wield weapons such as bows and swords, while leader Sihyeon waves a flag bearing their official logo. It ends with the girl group riding motorcycles, soundtracked by an intense, EDM-driven beat.
In addition, the group have also released the official tracklist of the forthcoming record. ‘Return Of The Girl’ is set to include a total of five tracks, including the lead single ‘Pirate’, as well as the songs ‘Back Together’, ‘Don’t Speak’, ‘Nighty Night’ and ‘Company’.
EVERGLOW
3RD MINI ALBUM
[RETURN OF THE GIRL]
TRACK LIST
1. Back Together
2. 𝑷𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 (*Title)
3. Don’t Speak
4. Nighty Night
5. Company #EVERGLOW #에버글로우 #COMEBACK #RETURN_OF_THE_GIRL pic.twitter.com/J6TU02Ndyd
— EVERGLOW OFFICIAL (@EVERGLOW_STAFF) November 21, 2021
Yuehua Entertainment first announced the girl group’s return with a “coming soon” poster earlier this month. ‘Return of The Girl’ will be the group’s second official release of 2021, after their May single album ‘Last Melody’, which featured the lead single ‘First’.
Back in August, EVERGLOW had also released the special single ‘Promise’ for UNICEF’s Promise Campaign. The song was accompanied by a choreography clip, which featured the members performing the track on an open field.
Back in July, EVERGLOW made an appearance on Seventeen Magazine’s ‘8 Bit Melody Challenge’ series where they took on hits by various popular artists. Throughout the video, the girl group member sang a number of hit songs, including Lady Gaga‘s ‘Poker Face’, Britney Spears‘ ‘Baby One More Time’ and Dua Lipa‘s ‘Break My Heart’.
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Elton John has added two special hometown shows at Watford FC’s stadium Vicarage Road to his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.
John has a long-standing relationship with the football club, becoming their chairman in 1976 and remaining to this day as an Honorary Life-President. One of the stands at Vicarage Road is named the Sir Elton John Stand.
READ MORE: Elton John: “I’m not interested in the past – not even Elton John’s past”
After playing gigs at the stadium in 1974, 2005 and 2010, John will return on June 3 and 4 next year for his last shows at the ground.
“I simply had to play Vicarage Road a final time as part of my Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour,” John said in a statement. “My relationship with the club, with the fans, the players and the staff over the years have meant the world to me. Through the good times and the bad, Watford have been a huge part of my life.
“I love the club so dearly, and have had some of the best days of my life in those stands – these shows are going to be so incredibly emotional, and to spend them surrounded by my fellow Watford fans will be wonderful. We’ve been on quite the journey together. Come on you ‘Orns!”
See full details below. Tickets go on sale on Thursday December 2 at 10am here.
I’m so excited to finally announce that as part of the #EltonFarewellTour, I will be returning to perform at the home of @WatfordFC, Vicarage Road, for two nights: Sun 3 & Mon 4 July 2022
Tickets go on public sale on Thu 2 December. Link in bio. pic.twitter.com/jv46NIW3dt
— Elton John (@eltonofficial) November 25, 2021
Beginning next May, John will bring his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour to stadiums and outdoor venues across the UK and Europe, ending with the two new Watford shows and including a massive London show as part of BST Hyde Park.
A set of already-rescheduled UK arena farewell shows had been set to take place from the end of September through to December this year, with UK dates including gigs in London, Manchester and Birmingham.
John then confirmed in September that he was forced to reschedule his remaining 2021 tour dates to 2023, after he “fell awkwardly on a hard surface and have been in considerable pain and discomfort in my hip ever since”.
See Elton John’s 2022 UK/EU stadium dates and 2023 rescheduled arena dates below. North American dates run through the second half of 2022. 2023 will then begin with shows in Australia and New Zealand.
Elton John performs on stage during Global Citizen Live. CREDIT: Marc Piasecki/Getty Images
MAY 2022
27 – Frankfurt , Deutsche Bank Park
30 – Leipzig, Red Bull Arena
JUNE 2022
1 – Bern, Stadion Wankdorf
4 – Milan, San Siro Stadium
7 – Horsens, CASA Arena
9 – Arnhem, GelreDome
11 – Paris, La Defense Arena
12 – Paris, La Defense Arena
15 – Norwich, Carrow Road Stadium
17 – Liverpool, Anfield Stadium
19 – Sunderland, Stadium Of Light
22 – Bristol, Ashton Gate Stadium
24 – London, BST Hyde Park
29 – Swansea, Swansea.com Stadium
JULY 2022
1 – Cork, Parc Ui Chaoimh
3 – Watford, Vicarage Road Stadium
4 – Watford, Vicarage Road Stadium
APRIL 2023
2 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Sunday 14 November 2021)
4 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Tuesday 2 November 2021)
5 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Wednesday 3 November 2021)
8 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Friday 12 November 2021)
9 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Sunday 7 November 2021)
12 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Wednesday 17 November 2021)
13 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Wednesday 10 November 2021)
16 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Tuesday 9 November 2021)
17 – The O2, London (rescheduled from Tuesday 16 November 2021)
19 – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham (rescheduled from Sunday 21 November 2021)
22 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool (rescheduled from Saturday 27 November 2021)
23 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool (rescheduled from Sunday 28 November 2021)
MAY 2023
31 – AO Arena, Manchester (rescheduled from Wednesday 1 December 2021)
JUNE 2023
2 – AO Arena, Manchester (rescheduled from Friday 19 November 2021)
3 – AO Arena, Manchester (rescheduled from Sunday 30 October 2021)
6 – First Direct Arena, Leeds (rescheduled from Friday 5 November 2021)
10 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham (rescheduled from Tuesday 23 November 2021)
11 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham (rescheduled from Wednesday 24 November 2021)
13 – P&J Live, Aberdeen (rescheduled from Thursday 9 December 2021)
15 – P&J Live, Aberdeen (rescheduled from Friday 10 December 2021)
17 – The SSE Hydro, Glasgow (rescheduled from Monday 13 December 2021)
18 – The SSE Hydro, Glasgow (rescheduled from Tuesday 14 December 2021)
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Ailee has unveiled her cover of K-pop boyband EXO’s breakthrough 2013 single ‘Growl’.
READ MORE: IU’s ‘Strawberry Moon’ is a sublime offering by one of K-pop’s reigning queens
Earlier today (November 25), the Korean-American vocalist made an appearance on the South Korean YouTube channel It’s Live, where she performed a rock-tinged cover of ‘Growl’ accompanied by a live band. It’s her second stint on the channel this month, following her performance of new single ‘Don’t Teach Me’.
“A black shadow awakens in me / Fireworks erupt in my eyes that see you / Everyone get away from her side / Because I’m getting a bit more ferocious / I growl, growl, growl,” Ailee sings.
Last month, Ailee released her long-awaited third studio album ‘Amy’, which featured the single ‘Don’t Teach Me’. The record also included tracks from her May mini-album ‘Lovin’’, such as ‘Make You Your mind’ and ‘Spring Flowers’.
‘Amy’ also marked Ailee’s first-ever release under THE L1VE, which was founded by VIXX’s Ravi. The singer had become the first artist to sign with the label back in July, with MAMAMOO’s Wheein following soon after.
Earlier this year, Ailee appeared on an episode of Canadian-born singer Henry Lau’s YouTube show Henry More Henry. During the episode, the duo hosted a rooftop mini-concert, where they performed covers of Justin Bieber’s ‘Peaches’ and Adele’s 2011 hit ‘Rolling In The Deep’.
In other K-pop news South Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM has unveiled the full line-up of performers for the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards, featuring top artists like Tomorrow X Together (TXT), aespa, NCT 127 and NCT Dream.
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