Melanie Martinez Among Headlining Acts for This Year’s Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago

Melanie Martinez is headed to the Windy City

The 28-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American singer and former The Voice contestant will be among the headlining acts at this summer’s Lollapalooza festival in Chicago.

Melanie MartinezMartinez is among a roster of headlining acts for the August 1-4 music event that includes SZATyler, The Creator, blink-182The Killers, Future X Metro Boomin, Hozier, Stray Kids and Skrillex.  

Among the 170 acts that will perform on eight stages includes Deftones, Tate McRae, Laufey with the Chicago Philharmonic, Reneé Rapp, Lizzy McAlpine, Zedd, Fisher, Zeds Dead, Dominic Fike, Labrinth, Pierce the Veil, Victoria Monét, Sexyy Red, Teddy Swims, Faye Webster, Benson Boone, Jungle, Two Door Cinema Club, Killer Mike, Ive, Vince Staples, Kesha, Galantis, Kevin Abstract, Ethel Cain, Chappell Roan, Megan Mornoey, Teezo Touchdown and many more.

Fans can sign up now for the 2024 presale, which will kick off on Thursday (March 21) from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm ET; the presale is the only way to guarantee the lowest price on 4-day general admission, GA+, VIP and Platinum tickets. Ticket prices will increase at 1:00 pm ET when the public onsale begins; click here for ticketing information. One-day tickets and the lineup-by-day rundown will be available at a later date.

Last summer’s event featured headlining sets from Billie Eilish, Lana Del Rey, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kendrick Lamar, Odesza, Karol G, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and The 1975.

The four-day extravaganza that sets up in Grant Park in downtown Chicago draws more than 400,000 fans to the massive party near Lake Michigan.

Jhené Aiko to Perform at CNN’s “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom” Concert

Jhené Aiko is helping celebrate Juneteenth

The 34-year-old part-Spanish and Dominican American Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter will perform as part of CNN’s first-ever Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom programming, featuring a Hollywood Bowl concert with a lineup of artists.

Jhene AikoThe goal of the program: to inform and educate viewers on the meaning of the new federal holiday.

CNN obtained the rights to the event, from Live Nation Urban and Jesse Collins Entertainment, and the lineup includes Chaka Khan, Khalid, Yolanda Adams, Anthony Hamilton, Billy Porter, Debbie Allen Dance Academy, Earth, Wind & Fire, Killer Mike, Lucky Daye, Mary Mary, Aiko, Ne-Yo, Michelle Williams, Mickey Guyton, Robert Glasper and The Roots, among others.

Former First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver taped remarks.

Johnita P. Due, senior vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for CNN Worldwide, said in an interview this week that event  “is really one of the most meaningful things that I have been involved in” at the network.

“The thing that makes it special, of course, is that it was only a year ago that the federal government made Juneteenth a national holiday,” she said. “So how many times in history will we have that opportunity to really shape for the country, and for the world, how a holiday is celebrated, and the meaning of a holiday and the importance of a holiday.”

This is the 157th anniversary of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. June 19, 1865 was the date that federal troops arrived in Galveston, TX and informed citizens that slavery had been abolished in the state. The anniversary was commemorated the following year with prayers and singing, and it endured as an annual tradition.

“We really feel that with this event, we are able to not only commemorate the holiday, but we’re able to educate people around the meaning behind it, and also to uplift and inspire people to continue to make a difference and continue in the pursuit if freedom for all,” Due said.

The event also will include The Re-Collective Orchestra, a 68-piece all Black symphony orchestra that will be the first time that an all-Black symphony has performed at the bowl. Adam Blackstone and Questlove will serve as the evening’s musical directors.

Earlier in the evening, Don Lemon will anchor a pre-show highlighting African American advocates and creators.

On Thursday, CNN Business hosted a streamed conversation on advancing Black leadership, with correspondent Stephanie Elam sitting down with Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO Rosalind Brewer. Also appearing were Operations Hope Founder and CEO John Hope Bryant and Collab Capital co-founder Barry Givens.

Due said that CNN staff had been brainstorming ideas for coverage of Juneteenth, and went on a tour with curators at the National Museum of African American History and Culture before they connected with Live Nation Urban. She said that artists will give music and spoken word performances that share their experiences of Black America. Interstitial packages will be woven in with the live performances.

The goal also was to have a diversity of music genres, including rap, R&B, country, soul, hip hop and gospel. Viewers also will be directed to ways they can get engaged in organizations and volunteer activities.

Due said that they “want people to be uplifted and we want people to be motivated.”

“We want people to walk away with a renewed commitment to make a difference in society as it relates to racial and social justice and equity,” she said.

Selena Gomez Teams Up with Plus1 to Launch Black Equality Fund

Selena Gomez is fighting for racial equalityin a big way…

The 27-year-old Mexican American singer/actress has partnered with PLUS1 to launch the Black Equality Fund, to “drive money and awareness to those who are at the forefront of the movement fighting for change.” 

Selena Gomez

Joining with the non-profit that has been helping artists raise funds for causes close to their hearts since 2014, Gomez tweeted that “it’s all of our responsibility to fight for equality & justice for the Black community. Silence isn’t an option, let’s all join this fight for equality.”

All donations raised as part of the effort will go to 10 organizations: TGI Justice ProjectBlack Futures Lab, Fair CountAfrican American Policy ForumBLDPWRColor of ChangeKnow Your Rights Camp, BU Center for Antiracist Research,Equal Justice Initiative and the Movement for Black Lives.

Black Lives Matter,” Gomez writes on the Black Equality Fund’s site. “Everyone needs to have their voices heard and we can do that by VOTING, as well as lending our time, effort and (if able) donations to fight for equality, equity and justice for the black community and other marginalized communities. Join me!

Last Thursday, Gomez — who is preparing to release a remix of Trevor Daniel‘s “Past Life” on Friday (June 26) — expressed gratitude to the Black leaders who took over her Instagram page for the past two weeks. 

“I want to thank all of the amazing people that took the time to speak to us directly,” Gomez began her note, which included photos of the dozen individuals. “I am blown away with your knowledge, eagerness to teach and commitment to ensuring Black voices are not silenced. Educating ourselves is the first step if we hope to make any progress in bringing an end to systemic racism.”

Earlier this month, amid nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd, Gomez handed over her Instagram account to leaders in the Black community including rapper Killer Mike, Black Lives Matter co-founder Alicia Garza, activist Ruby Bridges, and former Georgia gubernatorial nominee Stacey Abrams.