Posts made in January 2023

Melody Prime Video

Warner Music Entertainment (WME), Warner Chappell Music (WCM), Warner Music Latina (WML) and Trinity Entertainment today unveiled the Prime Video launch date for Melody, a new thirteen-episode musical series starring Warner Music Latina artists Yas Gagliardi (lead actress) as Melody and Sarah Lenore (co-star and co-creator) as Layla.

A cross-collaboration between Warner Music Group’s WME, WCM, and WML, along with Trinity Entertainment USA, Melody will premiere on February 22 on Prime Video in the United States and Latin America.

Marking WME’s first Spanish language TV series, Melody features original music created and produced by WCM’s renowned music producer Jose Luis Pagan, whose work has been nominated for and awarded multiple Grammys and Latin Grammys (Chayanne, Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Il Volo, Thalia, Alejandra Guzman, Diego Torres, Gigi D’Alessio, and many others). In each episode, original songs will be performed by Gagliardi, Lenore, and the supporting cast, while being released and promoted by Warner Music Latina.

Melody, sponsored by Gibson Guitar Brands and shot in both Miami and Buenos Aires, is a coming-of-age, young adult dramedy inspired by the real-life stories of Gagliardi and Lenore as emerging, successful recording artists. It explores love and romance, but also addresses the relevant subjects of bullying, social justice, equality, the pressure to fit in, and complicated family situations. Music is the protagonist and the axis of the story, which exalts human values and the most sublime of emotions, love, dreams, and unforgettable friendships.

Charles Cohen, President, Warner Music Entertainment, said: “At WME, we embrace opportunities that bring WMG artists and creatives together to forge captivating stories for audiences across the globe. Melody is a compelling, family-friendly, musically driven series that taps into the explosive Spanish language market, while transcending cultures with its universal messages. We’re incredibly excited to partner with our colleagues at Warner Chappell and Warner Music Latina, along with Trinity Entertainment, as we premiere Melody on Prime Video.”

Gustavo Menéndez, President, U.S. Latin & Latin America, WCM, said: “Melody is an incredibly inspiring story that will capture fans all around the world with its unforgettable original music. Yas and Sarah are born stars, and the combination of their talent and charisma with Jose Luis’ impeccable writing makes this a truly phenomenal project.”

Alejandro Duque, President, Warner Music Latin America, said: “We’ve loved Melody from the moment Jose Luis first brought it to the table. It’s a refreshing and heartwarming story where Yas and Sarah, along with the rest of the cast, will connect with the audience through their voices and memorable songs. We are very excited to be a part of Melody in this partnership with Warner Chappell and Warner Music Entertainment.”

At the upcoming Content Americas in Miami on January 24th, WME and Trinity Entertainment USA will present a unique Melody showcase, including a live music set featuring Gagliardi and Lenore, plus a listening session and luncheon. The event will also premiere the characters’ Melody and Layla’s never-before-seen first single and music video, “Ready Now.”

Melody is a presentation of Warner Music Entertainment and Warner Chappell Music, in association with Warner Music Latina and Trinity Entertainment. The series was created by Jose Luis Pagan who serves as showrunner and executive producer, alongside co-creator Sarah Lenore and general producers Gustavo Barone and Luciano Foppoli.

About Warner Music Entertainment

Warner Music Entertainment (WME), the television, film, and theatre division of Warner Music Group (WMG), is passionately devoted to music-driven storytelling through the creation, development, and acquisition of compelling original visual content. Since its inception in 2017, WME has produced a variety of acclaimed long-form television series, films, and documentaries, including David Byrne’s 6x Emmy-nominated HBO special, American Utopia; National Geographic’s 3x Emmy-nominated Genius: Aretha; the 3x Emmy-nominated Epix two-part docuseries, Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time; and many others. With deep connections across the entertainment industry, WME also partners with leading production companies, such as Imagine Entertainment, Lightbox, and SK Global, to co-produce, co-develop, and co-finance various film and television projects, both long and short form.

About Warner Chappell Music

Warner Chappell Music, the global music publishing company of Warner Music Group, is home to a wide array of legendary songwriters and a rich catalog of contemporary hits and influential standards. With offices in more than 20 countries, Warner Chappell provides deep expertise across a range of creative services and the most innovative opportunities for songwriters and copyright holders. Warner Chappell, which has a history dating back more than 200 years, currently publishes and administers music from A-Lin, Angèle, Anderson .Paak, Apache 207, Ava Max, Aya Nakamura, Bruno Mars, Capital Bra, Celeste, Chris Jeday, CJ, Cole Porter, Dan + Shay, Dave, David Bowie, Duran Duran, El Guincho, Fraser T. Smith, Gamble and Huff, Gene Autry Music Group catalog, George Gershwin, George Michael, Grateful Dead, Jasmine Sokko, Jesse & Joy, Justin Tranter, Kacey Musgraves, Katy Perry, Kevin Yi, Kool & the Gang, Led Zeppelin, Lin Xi, Lizzo, Madonna, MNEK, Oscar Holter, Pablo Alborán, Pop Smoke, Quincy Jones, Rauw Alejandro, RAYE, Saweetie, Stormzy, Summer Walker, Ta-You Lo, Thomas Rhett, and Tones and I, among many others. Follow Warner Chappell Music on Twitter and Facebook.

About Warner Music Latina

Established in 1987, Warner Music Latina is the Latin division of Warner Music Group, based in Miami, Florida. Warner Music Latina seeks to provide best in class service to its artist roster and continue pushing the Latin culture forward, while breaking international barriers with its expertise to develop artists locally and in the global market. Among the extensive star-studded and up-and-coming artists on the roster are: Adri, Anitta, Blessd, Danny Ocean, DannyLux, Elena Rose, Fufu, Izaak, Jesse & Joy, Jesus Mendoza, Junior H, Justin Quiles, Keityn, Kidd Keo, Las Villa, Laura Strada, Le Coco, Lenny Tavarez, LIT Killah, Llane, Los Aptos, Maldy, Maria Becerra, Micro TDH, Myke Towers, Natanael Cano, Ovy On The Drums, Paulo Londra, Pesado, Sofia Delfino, Sofia Reyes, Rosaly Rubio, The Change, Tiago PZK, Zion & Lennox, among many others.

About Trinity Entertainment

Trinity Entertainment is a content production company for television and cinema. We take our work and to the main audiovisual platforms and broadcasters. Our services are designed to accompany our partners from creative management to the production, implementation, and postproduction of new original content. We work with passion and professionalism, combining great directors and new talents with a first-class production team, to bring memorable stories to the screen that connect with audiences around the world. www.trinitydp.com

A Globe-trotting Brand: The Hard Rock Cafe

With its long-standing association with American rock ‘n’ roll, something that finally coalesced into a guitar-shaped hotel and casino in South Florida, the Hard Rock Cafe is one of the most recognizable chains in the world. However, the fifty-year-old company is actually a British export, having been founded in London way back in 1971. Is it still the icon today that it claims to be though?

Memorabilia

As brands become more corporate, they have a tendency to shed their early fans in favor of a more mainstream audience. The Hard Rock is a perfect example. Now with a huge range of restaurants, hotels, casinos, and even stadia to its name, its modern visage is almost impossible to compare to its earliest ventures, i.e. the cafe in Mayfair, London, that puts rock memorabilia on the walls.

Of course, for the people who still regularly call it home, none of that matters. The Hard Rock will likely always be considered an icon of the music world, even if investor meetings get in the way of open mic nights. Its fame around the world does vary just like any other franchise (it’s conspicuously absent from parts of Australia and Canada, for instance) but a growing online brand is maintaining its global relevance.

Cyberspace

On that note, the Hard Rock Cafe seems to be moving into the online casino industry, without shedding any of its prior interests in hospitality. The company already has 11 brick-and-mortar casinos, including one that opened in 2021 in Gary, Indiana, and another on the Las Vegas Strip, but it has been able to operate in cyberspace since 2018 when the Hard Rock casino started serving New Jersey.

Competition for customers in this space is fierce, especially in the United States, where the casino industry is still rather new. In an effort to get ahead of its rivals, the Hard Rock has started offering welcome bonuses to new players, which currently include no deposit spins and a $1,000 deposit match. In their post on the topic, the BonusFinder website indicates that this is fairly standard practice for US websites. Sites such as this provide all the necessary information for consumers to make informed decisions about the best option for them on the market.

Canada

With world domination seemingly complete, where does the Hard Rock go from here? As mentioned, there are still some gaps in its global coverage but the first steps toward fixing that are underway. By 2025, there should be a new Hard Rock in Canada, in London, Ontario. The franchise has previously had ten different establishments north of the border, all of which are now closed.

The Hard Rock also has plans to create around eight more hotels, casinos, and restaurants before the middle of this decade. This will include bases in smaller regions such as Serbia, Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname, which will end up with two Hard Rock Cafes sometime in 2023. There are also plans for a Rockford, Illinois arm of the brand to accompany the Hard Rock in Chicago.

Overall, while the Hard Rock Cafe might be about as indie as McDonald’s in 2023, it’s still one of the most popular alternative hotel chains in the world.

LV Ski Collection

Louis Vuitton’s latest reprieve from the monotony of winter: the iconic LV Ski Collection, offering another year of beloved, seasonal essentials. Versatility, sophistication, and graphic impact define this array of active wear.

Designed for style as well as performance, this complete wardrobe transposes the traveling spirit of the Maison to alpine destinations where snowy days and nights are spent both outdoors and in. The collection puts an elevated spin on active wear, whether a Monogram fleece, quilted jackets or sporty knits.

In an exciting step towards a more sustainable future, the Maison uses a distinct recycled nylon fabric, ECONYL®, composed of waste nylon that would otherwise pollute the planet.

Louis Vuitton aka LV SKI COLLECTION via 360 MAGAZINE.

Protected: Wakizashi Sword

GOT the beat

K-Pop supergroup GOT the beat – featuring BoA, Girls’ Generation’s TAEYEON and HYOYEON, Red Velvet’s SEULGI and WENDY, and aespa’s KARINA and WINTER – release their debut mini album, Stamp On It, today via SM Entertainment [AVAILABLE HERE]. Watch the music video for their new single “Stamp On It” HERE.

“Stamp On It” is an impressive dance song with a catchy piano melody and punchy 808 bass beats, with lyrics about reaching the top of a fierce stage competition with energetic vocals imprinting GOT the beat’s one-of-a-kind identity. The music video shows scenes resembling blockbuster movies, while presenting the members’ mesmerizing and refreshing vocals. The six track EP also includes “Goddess Level,” a self-empowering track about having faith in oneself, “Alter Ego,” which tackles the seriousness of environmental concerns, “Rose,” which likens beauty to sharp thorns on a rose, “Outlaw,” with brave and confident lyrics, and “MALA,” which expresses a cool attitude of living carefree and in the moment.

GOT the beat is the first unit of the new project Girls On Top (GOT), which will feature various units of combinations of female artists from SM created around specific themes and genres. They first unveiled the new single “Stamp On It” at this year’s online concert, ‘2023 SMTOWN LIVE : SMCU PALACE@KWANGYA,’ which was broadcast globally for free on New Year’s Eve December 31, 2022 at 8 pm PT/11 pm ET via SM’s YouTube, Beyond LIVE, and more official platforms. Check out their performance of the single HERE.

GOT the beat officially debuted at last year’s New Year’s Eve concert, at ‘SMTOWN LIVE 2022 : SMCU EXPRESS@KWANGYA,’ with their first single “Step Back.” Billboard featured the unit in their annual ‘Women In Music’ issue in 2022, writing, “You don’t need to be a K-pop scholar to recognize GOT the beat’s blinding star power.”

Follow Girls On Top:

Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | YouTube | Facebook

Dolce&Gabbana FW

The new Dolce&Gabbana Fall/Winter 23/24 Men’s fashion show explores The Essence of Dolce&Gabbana.

What exemplifies this essence are the purity of the volumes, the tailored cut, the innovative proportions, the selection of Italian fabrics and silks, and the craftsmanship of the “fatto a mano” (the handmade), through which the values of Italy’s cultural heritage can be recognized.

A considerable exaggeration in the silhouettes and lines articulate the synthesis of perfect cut.

Superstructures of girdles/corsets and bands/sashes that emphasize the waist revive elements of the FW 1999/00 collection, along with the micro-shirts and the double waist trousers.

Black is the absolute protagonist: it represents reservedness, elegance, rigor and seduction. Expressed in various materials, it reveals to the touch and to the eye its own characteristic light and sensuality.

Black always provokes profoundly unique experiences and sensations, even as it is lit up by embroidered crystals in the same color that recall the wet volcanic rock of Etna and Stromboli.

This is the unique essence of Dolce&Gabbana.

Front row guests included Machine Gun Kelly, Blanco, Tony Effe, Twins Hadban, Abdulla Al Abdulla, Mariano Di Vaio, Palayo Diaz.

Dolce&Gabbana Fall Winter 2023 2024 men's via 360 MAGAZINE. — Dolce&Gabbana Fall Winter 2023 2024 men’s via 360 MAGAZINE.

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Six Tips for Tackling Debt in the New Year

The new year brings new opportunities to reflect on your achievements and set new goals to crush throughout the coming months. Financial resolutions are among the most common goals people set for themselves. Many Americans are acquiring more debt than ever and struggling to keep up with their bills.

Whether you want to tackle residual debt or recover from overspending during the holiday season, check out these six tips to help.

Create a Budget
Creating a budget will help you allocate where your funds go and get a handle on working towards any goals you may have for the new year. A budget gives you a realistic visualization of how much money you make, where it goes and what’s left over after you pay your monthly bills. This visualization lets you plan costs like grocery shopping and other living expenses or extras like special family activities.

First, you’ll want to calculate how much money you bring home each month after taxes. Then, list your fixed and variable expenses and how much they cost each month. Review your monthly expenses compared to your net income and see if you need to make any adjustments. The more money you have after paying your bills, the more you should save. Budgets can help you save, pay off debt and help you track your spending.

Lower Your Yearly Taxes
Did you know there are ways to reduce your yearly taxes? Lowering your taxes can save you money and help you pay down other debts. Some ways to lower your annual tax rates include opening a health savings account, contributing to a retirement account or deducting home office expenses from your taxes if you work from home. If you aren’t offered a 401k through your workplace, you can opt for an IRA instead.

Making charitable donations throughout the year can also reduce your taxes. If you are fself-employed, you could qualify for the home office tax deduction or other special deductions, like continuing education or phone or Internet bills. Rather than opting for standard deductions when doing your taxes, you’ll need to itemize your returns. Ensure that you keep records of everything you’ll need for tax time.

Track Your Spending
Try to avoid acquiring more debt than you already have. While this can prove challenging, there are ways to limit and track your spending to maximize your funds. First, analyze your spending habits and look for ways to cut back. Many people use impulse spending as a coping mechanism and stress reliever, so identifying your weaknesses can help you limit your spending. Emotional spending is dangerous when you are on a limited budget and can substantially increase your debts.

To avoid buying things you don’t need in stressful times, feel your emotions rather than avoid them. Hold yourself accountable — you can use a spreadsheet to track your spending, write in a journal or use an app on your phone. Knowing where your money is going can tell you where you need to make adjustments.

Set Up Automatic Payments
Setting up automatic payments can help you track your expenses and stay on top of your bills. You can set up automatic payments that align with your monthly income, like scheduling bills immediately after payday. Your fixed expenses should be withdrawn from your bank account automatically to ensure you are paying them monthly.

Mortgage payments, insurance, property tax–all constant bills should directly come out of your account each month. Late fees on monthly bills are generally high, so automatic payments can eliminate the possibility of missing payments. You can also use your budget to make extra payments on your debt.

Lower Your Interest Rates
High-interest debt is expensive, so pay that down first. Since interest makes everything more expensive, you should consider calling your lender or credit card issuer to ask for a lower interest rate. Success rates are high for people who have done this, so it doesn’t hurt to ask.

You can also lower your interest rates with a balance transfer credit card or a personal loan since their rates are lower than most credit cards. Be careful with getting a loan to pay another loan since that can cause additional debt. Pay close attention to interest rates, hidden fees and potential drawbacks of cards and loans.

Consolidate Your Debt
Another option for tackling your debt in the new year is consolidating it all into one payment plan. You could qualify for a line of credit from your bank with a low-interest rate if you have a good credit score. One good loan with a low-interest rate can pay off all of your debt and leave you with one big monthly payment, which is much easier to manage than multiple payments.

You can reduce your balances and save money if you qualify for a low enough interest rate. Paying down debt can significantly improve your credit score, making it easier to get approved for debt consolidation. A secured credit card can help improve and build your credit over time. Financial advisors are always available to hire if you need more guidance on tackling your debt.

Get a Side Hustle
Side hustles are an excellent way to generate extra income to help you tackle debt. Due to inflation, side gigs are popping up everywhere right now — you are not alone. Making some cash on the side can give you more funds to allocate where you need them and give you peace of mind that you can pay your bills.

You can maximize your free time with fun hobbies that can turn a profit, like making jewelry or designing digital downloads you can sell online on sites like Etsy. There are also many other options available, like driving for a delivery service or exploring freelance opportunities. If you have free time to earn some extra cash, you can take advantage of your skills that are monetizable and help pay down debts.

TAEYANG × JIMIN

Global superstars TAEYANG (of BIGBANG fame) and Jimin of BTS come together for one of the most anticipated and unexpected K-Pop releases of the 2020s. Listen to “VIBE (feat. Jimin of BTS)” HERE via THEBLACKLABEL/Interscope Records.

The magnitude of the collaboration cannot be understated. Not only is it a cross-generational release uniting superstars of different eras, it also connects two artists from the biggest boy bands of all time. If anyone can live up to that hype, it’s TAEYANG. The BIGBANG legend and lead singer has inspired generations of K-Pop artists.

It’s impossible to talk about K-Pop’s global ascent without discussing BIGBANG, one of the most influential and decorated acts in the late 2000s and 2010s. They were the first to gain global recognition, performing at stadiums worldwide for millions of fans in record-breaking numbers and have influenced countless acts in the genre for their various musical styles and self-production. Dubbed the “Kings of K-Pop,” BIGBANG is one of the best-selling boy bands of all time, winning over 100 awards, being on the New York Times “Best Concerts List”, and winning “Best Worldwide Act” at the MTV Europe Awards.

In addition to making history with the band, TAEYANG is also an accomplished solo artist, releasing four massively successful albums including two that have gone #1 on Billboard’s World Albums chart with a string of hits including “Eyes, Nose, Lips” which won “Song of the Year” on all the major Korean award shows.

As both TAEYANG and Jimin are vocalists with outstanding dancing ability, their collaboration is effortlessly smooth and flawless. TAEYANG and Jimin both partook in the song composition along with TEDDY, a long-time collaborator and Producer for TAEYANG and BIGBANG. TEDDY is also the Founder of THEBLACKLABEL. Also participating is an established lineup of Songwriters and Producers in Kush, Vince, and 24 from THEBLACKLABEL.

The track is accompanied by a suitably dazzling visual, which showcases the duo’s slick dance moves and undeniable charisma. Watch it HERE.

With “VIBE”, TAEYANG and Jimin add another undeniable anthem to their already glittering discographies while celebrating this unprecedented moment in K-Pop history.

Maroon 5 World Tour

MAROON 5 GO DIAMOND AGAIN WITH “GIRLS LIKE YOU” FEATURING CARDI B

Three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning diamond-selling band Maroon 5 just earned a Diamond certification from the RIAA for their 2018 mega-smash “Girls Like You” [feat. Cardi B]. This marks the group’s second diamond record this year following the certification of “Moves Like Jagger” [feat. Christina Aguilera] over the summer. “Girls Like You” has generated over 1.3 billion Spotify streams in addition to 3.2 billion YouTube views on the Official Music Video and 655 million YouTube views on Volume 2, bringing the cumulative views to just shy of 4 billion.

In 2021 Maroon 5 made their triumphant return to the road in the U.S., performing 30 dates in front of over 450,000 fans this summer. In the new year they’ll continue their tour Internationally, the first dates to be announced are ten shows across Latin America. The guys will touch down in Dominican Republic (x2 shows), Puerto Rico, Mexico (x2 shows), Brazil (x2 shows), Argentina, Paraguay, and Costa Rica. This will be the first international run in support of the band’s new album JORDI (222/ Interscope). Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.

JORDI features the band’s latest smash “Beautiful Mistakes” [feat. Megan Thee Stallion], which recently captured #1 at Hot AC, marking their 15th career #1 and extending their record for “most #1 entries by any artist at the format.” It also notably stands out as three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s first #1 at Hot AC. JORDI (released June 2021) picked up a Gold Certification from the RIAA within a month of release. It also features the band’s last #1 pop single “Memories” which has also surpassed 1 billion Spotify streams and amassed over 775 million YouTube views. Maroon 5 reaches an audience of 45 million-plus monthly Spotify listeners.

Click HERE to listen to JORDI.

To date, the universally renowned Los Angeles band has achieved three GRAMMY® Awards, over 80 million in album sales, 450 million singles worldwide, and earned gold and platinum certifications in more than 35 countries. Maroon 5’s album, Red Pill Blues (222/Interscope) released in 2017, featured the global hit single “Girls Like You,” feat. Cardi B, which reached #1 at Top 40, #1 at Adult Pop, #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven consecutive weeks. The track notably became the most-watched video on VEVO in 2018 and in 2019 received Billboard Music Awards for Top Hot 100 Song, Top Selling Song, Top Radio Song, and Billboard’s Top Collaboration.

Entering their 2022 World Tour, they will have performed over 750 shows and sold north of 7.5 million tickets worldwide since their formation.

Tour Dates

Tiago PZK – BEMASTE

BEMASTE available HERE.

Watch preview HERE.

Hot on the heels of a whirlwind year replete with sold-out concerts, smash singles and prestigious industry awards – not to mention a hit debut album – the amazingly versatile, pop/urban artist, Tiago PZK kicks off 2023 with a New Year’s surprise – an aching, slow-burning ode to his girlfriend titled “Bemaste.” (The song title is a combination of Tiago PZK’s name and the name of his girlfriend, Belén Negri).

Written by Tiago PZK, “Bemaste” will be available Thursday (January 12) on all digital platforms and also will be included on his upcoming album “Portales Deluxe,” the follow-up to his much-acclaimed maiden effort, “Portales,” that will contain five new tracks, as well as live versions of two of Tiago PZK’s hits.

Produced by the talented “Portales” studio duo Zecca and Evlay, “Bemaste” also features a moving, black-and-white video directed by Anestesia Audiovisual that finds Tiago PZK lost in thought about his special someone who sees him as more than just a famous face in the crowd.

Tiago PZK recently introduced “Bemaste” as a surprise number to an excited audience attending yet another sellout concert in Monterrey, Mexico, that capped off a resoundingly successful 37-date run that took

Tiago PZK to 11 countries in three different continents. His busy concert slate highlighted an incredible year during which he won two HEAT Latin Music Awards and one Los40 Music Awards, while attracting one billion views from around the world to his diverse array of fan favorites, ranging from infectious duet tracks cut with urban mega stars, Ozuna, Yandel, Trueno, and Myke Towers to a wrenching, urban/pop confessional with superstar singer, TINI (“El Último Beso”) to a smooth R&B tune (“Hablando De Love”).

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Photo Credit: Mariana Pacho Lopez // Courtesy: Warner Music Latina)