I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post includes blurbs on John Legend, Olivia Newton-John, Joy Oladokun, Ringo Starr, Glass Animals, and Conan Gray.
- Multi-platinum, 12-time Grammy Award-winner John Legend has partnered with YouTube sensation and early childhood educator Ms. Rachel for a special collaboration on his latest single, “L-O-V-E,” from his new album My Favorite Dream, out now via Republic Records: Kids & Family. The original version of the bright, up-tempo anthem, which features backing vocals from Legend’s wife, Chrissy Teigen, and their two oldest children, Luna and Miles Stephens, has been reimagined with Ms. Rachel’s signature blend of wonder and learning, perfectly complementing Legend’s soulful vocals in this heartwarming rendition celebrating love, joy, and connection. Watch the video HERE. Stream/download My Favorite Dream HERE. "L-O-V-E" is one of my favorite tracks on this album because it’s about celebrating our shared humanity, and I wanted to share that message with someone who brings joy and learning to so many families," says Legend. "Ms. Rachel is a superstar in our home. My babies are thrilled to see me performing with her. It was an honor to sing with someone whose work has meant so much to my own children and millions of families around the world."
- The angelic voice of Olivia Newton-John is the gift that keeps giving. This holiday season is sure to be filled with joy, love, and light with the release of “Angels in the Snow,” a new album featuring reimagined Christmas recordings by the four-time GRAMMY®-winner. The new collection will be released on vinyl, CD, and to all streaming services on November 22, 2024, on Green Hill Productions (part of Sun Label Group), a subsidiary of Primary Wave. Through the years, the late singer recorded numerous classic and contemporary holiday songs for various projects. This album features some of Olivia’s favorites that have been reimagined with new audio and arrangements to bring joy and her unique voice to your holidays. In addition, it features an updated version of “O Come All Ye Faithful” featuring Jane Lynch, and additional duets with dear friends, John Travolta (“White Christmas”) and Michael McDonald (“All Through the Night”). The new single, “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” ft. Jane Lynch is out today. (Stream the single and pre-order the album HERE).
- Acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer and performer Joy Oladokun’s anticipated new studio album, Observations From a Crowded Room, is out now via Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records. Stream/purchase HERE. In conjunction with the release, the official video for “Am I?” is also out now. Watch/share HERE. Written, produced and largely performed by Oladokun alone, the album marks a personal and creative turning point for the Nashville-based artist and was crafted during a period of intense introspection and questioning. The 15-track collection—comprised of 12 songs and 3 spoken interludes—finds Oladokun reflecting on her place in the world, both as a person and an artist, while blending her pop-folk roots with electronic and psychedelic elements. Ahead of the release, album tracks “I’D MISS THE BIRDS,” “NO COUNTRY,” “QUESTIONS, CHAOS & FAITH” and “DRUGS” have received widespread critical attention from The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Billboard. Stereogum, Consequence, Brooklyn Vegan, Atwood Magazine, OUT Magazine and more.
- Ahead of the European and U.K. run of their “Tour Of Earth,” GRAMMY® and BRIT-nominated band Glass Animals stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! to perform an electrifying rendition of their single “A Tear in Space (Airlock)” from their critically acclaimed fourth studio album I Love You So F***ing Much—watch HERE. Last night, the Diamond-selling band hit the stage in Paris as they continued their global headline tour following the recently wrapped North American leg, where they sold out arenas and amphitheaters across the country including New York’s Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles’ Kia Forum. Last week, Glass Animals returned to BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge to perform their single “Show Pony” and a cover of Djo’s “End Of Beginning.” The band was also featured on SPIN’s October Digital Cover, where they talked about defying all odds and braving the storm to become one of the biggest bands in the world. Last month, they shared the otherworldly music video for “Show Pony”—watch HERE. The cinematic video, directed by Eoin Glaister, is a sci-fi tale of love, friendship, and heartbreak, which thematically sits at the heart of I Love You So F***ing Much.
- Ringo Starr will release a brand-new country music album, Look Up, produced and co-written by T Bone Burnett, on January 10, 2025. This stunning collection features 11 original songs, recorded this year in Nashville and Los Angeles. The track “Time On My Hands” is available to stream today. PRE-ORDER LOOK UP | HERE. LISTEN TO “TIME ON MY HANDS” | HERE. Nine of the 11 songs on Look Up were written or co-written by Burnett, one by Billy Swan and the other co-written by Starr and Bruce Sugar. Starr sang and played drums on all the songs and co-wrote the album’s closer, “Thankful,” featuring Alison Krauss. Burnett enlisted some of Nashville’s finest and hottest talent for the record, including Billy Strings, Larkin Poe, Lucius, Molly Tuttle and the aforementioned Krauss. The album’s debut track, “Time On My Hands,” written by Paul Kennerly, Daniel Tashian (who is a co-producer on the album along with Sugar) and Burnett, is out today.
- platinum-selling singer, songwriter, and pop king Conan Gray shares a new single entitled “Holidays” out now. Tonight, Conan headlines a sold-out Kia Forum in Los Angeles as part of his sold-out global Found Heaven On Tour. Listen to “Holidays” HERE via Republic Records. "Truthfully “Holidays” is a song about friendship.” Conan Gray comments on the new single, “The holidays have always been a bittersweet time for me, for so many reasons. Something about the air, the sappy music, the families, and all the expectations. But most of all, it’s witnessing the passage of time. Catching up with old friends and realizing that you might just be “catching up” forever now. That you’ll never be 17 again, living in the same town, waiting for winter break to end."
