Tag Archives: Grace Jones

Kid Cudi to Perform at Pharrell’s Something in the Water Festival

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There’s something in the water for Kid Cudi…

The 39-year-old half-Mexican American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer will take part in Pharrell’s Something in the Water festival.

Kid CudiSponsored by AirBnB and Walmart, the three-day soiree taking place in Virginia Beach, Va., between April 28 and April 30.

Other artists set to participate include Lil Wayne, The Clipse, Summer Walker, Grace Jones, Lil Uzi Vert, Kehlani and more.

Last year, the festival took place in Washington, D.C., after Pharrell voiced his disappointment in his hometown’s handling of his cousin’s death the year before. His letter, written in October 2021, discussed the decision to move the festival due to what he called a “toxic” environment.

“I was disappointed with how the local municipal government handled the loss of my cousin’s life,” he told Billboard ahead of last year’s festival. “It is one thing for the officer to make a mistake, but it is another to follow up the way they did. I did not feel there was enough love, respect and reverence for his life. Him being a fellow Virginian, his life and the loss of his life should have been treated like anybody else’s. When we start seeing situations handled differently, not only with African Americans but with minorities in general handled differently, then coming back is something we can think about doing again.”

Along with a bevy of performances, Pharrell’s team-up with Walmart will look to impact communities in Virginia. “Strengthening local communities is core to Walmart’s DNA,” said Cedric Clark, executive vice president of store operations for Walmart U.S., in a press release. “By investing in our associates and in the communities we serve, we help build a foundation where people can live their full potential every day. We’re excited to team up with Something in the Water, returning to a special place to Walmart, Virginia’s Hampton Roads, to help celebrate and empower this community we’re so proud to be a part of.”

Fans will see a mixed bag of talent, including revered legacy acts such as Wu-Tang Clan, Mumford & Sons and SWV, to burgeoning stars including Kid Laroi, Lil Durk and Latto.

Pabllo Vittar to Perform at NYC Pride’s Pride Island Music Festival

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Pabllo Vittaris ready to take a bite out of the Big Apple…

NYC Pride announced that the 24-year-old Brazilian singer and songwriter, whose real name is Phabullo Rodrigues da Silva, will be part of this year’s Pride Island music festival.

Pabllo Vittar

Vittar joins a lineup that includes iconic dance-club singer Grace Jones, who will serve as Saturday’s headliner, and R&B superstar Teyana Taylor. 

“We’re thrilled to be able to create this multi-day experience, which speaks to an inclusive set of Pride- goers, during one of the biggest Pride events in the world,” NYC Pride’s managing director Chris Frederick said in a statement. “With the iconic Grace Jones headlining on Saturday and the incredible list of curated talent, this musical experience is definitely not to be missed.”

Jones, Taylor and Vittar are not the only reasons this year’s New York festivities will be larger than ever. Along with commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots, New York will be hosting the first ever WorldPrideevent on U.S. soil, bringing even more celebrants than ever to the Big Apple.

“I couldn’t be more excited to perform in front of my LGBTQIA+friends and the community that’s supported me for so many years during WorldPride 2019,” Jones said in a statement. “Saturday’s Pride Island lineup will be a celebration of everything that the community stands for and will go down in illustrious history.”

The Saturday lineup will also include pop singer Amara La Negra and DJ Johnny Dynell. 

The announcement for the festival’s Sunday lineup has yet to be announced. 

NYC Pride Island will take place from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, June 30 at Pier 97in New York City.

Almodóvar Shares “I’m So Excited” Trailer at London Tribute

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Pedro Almodóvar is being heralded for his “heart as big as the Grand Canyon”…

The 63-year-old Spanish filmmaker was honored at an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences retrospective of Almodóvar’s work in London, which was attended by celebrities like Grace Jones, Kristen Scott Thomas and Miranda Richardson.

Pedro Almodovar

During the high-profile event, Almodóvar brother Agustin, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Stephen Frears and Sally Potter were among the people offering their tributes to the Oscar-winning filmmaker.

Quentin Tarantino even participated in special pre-recorded video to thank  Almodóvar  for having a “a filmography to beat.” Meanwhile, Frears enthused about Almodóvar’s ability to make everything seem natural.

“He creates a coherent world in which all of the elements fit,” he said. “It comes out of his imagination complete. I met him in New York when I was with My Beautiful Laundrette. I felt like an impostor; here was the transgressive real thing. Mine was a charade.”

A humbled Almodóvar admitted to being embarrassed by all the kind words.

“Tonight I know more about myself than ever,” he joked. “I’ve always strived to try and make life more livable with my films. It’s the homework of any kind of artistic expression. That was the lesson I learned from my mother.”

He even revealed that he’d tried and failed to nab the rights to books like The Hours, Silence of the Lambs, The Human Stain and The Reader, any of which would have been his first foray into English-language film. It’s a bridge he says he’ll likely not attempt to cross again.

“But you have to respect destiny. Perhaps I was not the one to make the movies that I now admire so much.”

And as a delight to the audience, Almodóvar shared a clip from his new film I’m So Excited, which Sony Pictures Classics will release next year. The film, which was originally titled Los Amantes Pasajeros, is the famed director’s return to comedy after a number of dramas like The Skin I Live In and Habla con ella.

The film’s all-star cast includes Javier Cámara, Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas, Raul Arévalo, Carlos Areces, Antonio de la Torre, Hugo Silva, Willy Toledo, Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Blanca Suárez, José Luis Torrijo, José María Yazpik and Laya Martí, with special collaborations from Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Paz Vega.