How Justin Bieber inspired this teen pop star to reach for the top

When Justin Bieber was breaking out of YouTube into the airwaves, little did he know he was going to inspire the next generation of pop stars. One of them comes from a small town, Olanaska in Wisconsin. At 19, Carlie Hanson is living her childhood dream—but not quite, for now. She just had done solo shows in Paris, Amsterdam, and Berlin before arriving in London, where she’d take a call from the other side of the world at 9:30 am.

“That was just like nothing I'd ever experienced before,” she told ABS-CBN News, no hint of weariness in her voice. Her voice perked up as she shared how one fan got up on a friend’s shoulders at her show. “I never thought I would have a concert like that. I usually I'm the one going to the concert, you know, and watching the artist, but it was my concert… my fans.”

But things are still getting more and more "surreal." Hanson is set to perform for a Filipino audience for the first time at Nickelodeon’s SlimeFest —its first-ever in Asia— on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Grounds.

“I'm excited to see the culture of the Philippines and just like what the people are like and how it differs from the US. It's gonna be life-changing… I never thought I would be going over there this early on in my life,” she said.

Three years ago, Hanson was working as a cashier at McDonald’s in her hometown. She was 16 when she caught the eye of producers after she posted a cover of "Pillowtalk" by Zayn Malik on Instagram to get a chance to watch his concert. It was her breakthrough.

Her first single "Why Did You Lie?" was then released in 2017. Her second single "Only One" climbed the Spotify Viral Charts straight to Taylor Swift’s favorite playlist. A thumbs up from Swift is already good enough, but getting two feels like a stamp of approval—it should be. When Hanson released "Back in My Arms" in April this year, Swift then added it to her “songs I’m loving right now” playlist.

Last June, Hanson finally released her debut EP titled "Junk" and embarked on her very own "The WYA Tour" after hitting the road with Troye Sivan and Yungblud. In between cities, she's focusing her energy on making new music and exploring genres.

“I'm definitely experimenting lately. I've been listening to a lot more alternative music,” Hanson said, elaborating that she’s mixing rap and alternative rock with hints of Travis Scott and The 1975 for her new music.

In a span of three years, Hanson has made a strong case for herself. But for a girl with a big vision, she still has a long way to go and a list to tick off like bringing her family with her in Los Angeles where she’s based.

"I hope to get to a point where I can have my mom and my sisters, my whole family move out to California and just be with me more often," she mused.

Of course, she also dreams of collaborating with her music influences like Post Malone and Bieber ("Before my life is over!") Then, sell out a show at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“When I was younger and obsessed with Justin Bieber, I watched his documentary and he sold out Madison Square Garden. When I was little, I was like that's exactly what I want to do. That's what I want to do. I've just grown up and that still is my dream,” she said.

At 19, Hanson has learned that she can’t have it all in an instant. She knows the value of patience and hard work to make those dreams come true.

"It's gonna be a slow rise to the top for sure. Like right now, I wouldn't even say I'm close to making it to where I want to be and it's going to take time,” she said.

“If you really, really love what you do, you have to just make sacrifices and you just have to keep practicing and getting better at what it is that you want to do and what you want to achieve... If I wasn't posting covers all the time and I wouldn't have posted the one cover that helped me get found. I don't even know if I would be talking to you on the phone right now," Hanson added.

Sure, it’s a slow rise to the top. And this pop gem is on her way.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Justin Bieber says fame opened door to using ‘heavy drugs’

Justin Bieber was discovered at age 13. Within a couple of years, he was a pop superstar and had begun amassing millions of dollars and fans. That kind of fame at such a young age was perilous and led him to make “terrible decisions,” he said Monday in a lengthy and personal Instagram note posted to his 118 million followers.

“I started doing pretty heavy drugs at 19 and abused all of my relationships,” Bieber, now 25, wrote. “I became resentful, disrespectful to women, and angry. I became distant to everyone who loved me, and I was hiding behind, a shell of the person that I had become. I felt like I could never turn it around.”

Bieber went on to say that he was raised in an unstable home and that being overwhelmed with praise so young not only gave him an inflated sense of self but also robbed him of the ability to learn basic life skills.

“Have u noticed the statistics of child stars and the outcome of their life?” he wrote. “There is an insane pressure and responsibility” put on these children, whose “brain, emotions, frontal lobes (decision making) aren’t developed yet.”

“Humility comes with age,” he added.


Bieber has credited his marriage last year to model Hailey Baldwin (now Hailey Bieber), 22, with helping him gain perspective, and he did so again Monday, calling their union “an amazing, crazy, new responsibility.” (Bieber dated actress and singer Selena Gomez on and off for years, starting around 2011 through early 2018.)

The post was probably in part a follow-up to a video Bieber posted on Instagram last week of an emotional performance he gave at his Los Angeles church. “God is pulling me through a hard season,” he wrote in that post. “Having trust in Jesus at your worst times is the absolute hardest.”

“Jesus loves you,” he wrote Monday.

Bieber has not performed much this year or put out much music since his fraught last tour for his fourth studio album, “Purpose” (2015). In the summer of 2017, he canceled its final 14 shows. “I got really depressed on tour,” he told Vogue this year. “I’m still processing so much stuff that I haven’t talked about. I was lonely.”

Bieber has dealt with legal and other issues over the years. In 2014, he was arrested on charges of driving under the influence and with an expired driver’s license, and resisting arrest without violence. Police said that he had admitted to having beer, marijuana and prescription drugs in his system. He was able to avoid jail time. Around that time, videos emerged of him using racist language, which Bieber apologized for.

He isn’t the only child celebrity turned adult superstar to use social media recently to talk about dealing with the spotlight.

Last month, on Twitter, Miley Cyrus, 26, defended herself against rumors that she had cheated on Liam Hemsworth, the actor who filed for divorce from Cyrus in August. While doing so, she said that after years in the public eye, she had nothing left to hide. “It is no secret that I was into partying in my teens and early 20s,” she wrote. “My biggest song to date is about dancing on molly and snorting lines in the bathroom.

“At this point, I had to make a healthy decision for myself to leave a previous life behind,” she went on. “I am the healthiest and happiest I have been in a long time.”


2019 The New York Times Company

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'Our cats are chuffed': Ed Sheeran announces engagement

Ed Sheeran is engaged.

The British singer and songwriter shared the happy news with his fans on Instagram Saturday night (Manila time), posting a sweet photo of him kissing his girlfriend, Cherry Seaborn.

"Got myself a fiancé just before new year. We are very happy and in love," he wrote as the caption, before joking: "And our cats are chuffed as well."

Sheeran and Seaborn began dating in 2015, although several reports have pointed out that they first met when they were still in school.

Sheeran, best known for "Shape of You," "Perfect," and many more hits, is set to perform in Manila April 8.

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Justin Timberlake gets 'personal' in first album in five years

Pop superstar Justin Timberlake on Tuesday announced his first album in nearly 5 years, promising more "personal" songwriting inspired by his home and family.

The 36-year-old singer and actor said that "Man in the Woods," his fifth solo studio album, will come out on February 2 -- two days before he headlines entertainment during the Super Bowl, generally the most watched television event of the year in the United States.

Timberlake unveiled the album with a short video on social media that, true to the album's title, shows him walking reflectively in scenes of nature from a snowy forest to a sunny corn field.

"This album is really inspired by my son, my wife, my family, but -- more so than any other album I've ever written -- where I'm from," Timberlake says in the video.

"And it's personal."

Timberlake, who had a son in 2015 with his wife, actress Jessica Biel, grew up near Memphis, Tennessee, one of the capitals of blues and soul music as well as rural-rooted country.

The video features snippets of acoustic guitar, hinting perhaps at a more somber sound for the album, but closes with Timberlake in the studio with all-star pop producer Pharrell Williams.

Timberlake, one of the top-selling artists of the 21st century both as a solo artist and with boy band NSYNC, rose to fame with an electronic pop sound before finding a new voice by bringing in R&B, notably on his 2006 album "FutureSex/LoveSounds."

He last released full albums in 2013, putting out "The 20/20 Experience" and "The 20/20 Experience -- 2 of 2" in quick succession.

Even without albums, Timberlake has kept putting out music, scoring a mega-hit in 2016 with "Can't Stop the Feeling!" a giddy summer song that appeared in the animated film "Trolls."

But Timberlake has focused increasingly on acting rather than music in the past several years, most recently starring as a bookish and seductive lifeguard in Woody Allen's "Wonder Wheel."

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No signs of trauma, suicide in Prince death: police

CHANHASSEN, United States – There was no evidence of trauma on Prince's body when he was found unresponsive in an elevator at his huge compound or any indication the late music icon committed suicide, US authorities said Friday.

Stunned fans massed outside the superstar's Paisley Park studio complex on the outskirts of Minneapolis are looking to an autopsy carried out earlier in the day to resolve the mystery around the sudden loss of their idol.

But medical officials cautioned it could be weeks before they can conclusively say what killed the enigmatic award-winning musician, whose death at age 57 plunged the entertainment world into grief.

Prince was found dead on Thursday, a week after he was hospitalized for flu-like symptoms that he later downplayed. There have been reports the incident may have been triggered by an overdose of an opioid-based painkiller.

"We have no reason to believe at this point that this was a suicide," Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson told a packed news conference.

"But again, this is early on in the investigation and we're continuing to investigate," he said. A search warrant for Prince's vast studio complex will be filed in the coming days, but authorities stressed this was standard procedure.

The sheriff said there were "no obvious signs of trauma" on Prince's body, noting: "A sign of trauma would be some sign of violence that had happened, there was no sign of that at all."

Olson said Prince was alone at the premises when he died and refused to comment on reports of painkiller use.

Prince -- a Grammy and Oscar winner who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 -- was last seen alive on Wednesday evening by staff at the compound, but his body was only discovered the following morning.

The local medical examiner's office says preliminary autopsy results will take days and the results of a full toxicology scan could take weeks.

Asked if Prince's body showed signs of drugs or a drug overdose, the medical examiner's spokeswoman Martha Weaver said: "There's no information at this time in regard to exactly what you’re talking about, as part of the investigation."

- Heartbreak –

Grieving fans around the world took to wearing purple -- Prince's signature color -- in his honor.

Those milling about outside his studio complex to pay their respects placed flowers and handwritten messages at the scene, which has become a place of pilgrimage.

In turn, Prince's staff delivered 50 boxes of pizza to fans.

Many in Minneapolis said how proud they were of the city's native son, and how saddened they were by the thought he died alone, as well as by the suggestion his death could be linked to an overdose of painkillers.

"It breaks my heart," said Cindy Legg, a 41-year-old nurse. "Hopefully it was just God needed him in heaven."

Entertainment website TMZ, citing unnamed sources, reported that Prince was treated last week for an overdose of Percocet after a show in Atlanta, when his private jet made an unscheduled landing in Moline, Illinois.

"Multiple sources in Moline tell us Prince was rushed to a hospital and doctors gave him a 'save shot'... typically administered to counteract the effects of an opiate," TMZ said. AFP could not immediately verify the report.

- Carnival-like –

Small in stature but an electrifying live performer, Prince became an international sensation in the 1980s, fusing rock and R&B into a highly danceable funk mix.

The sudden loss of the "Purple Rain" legend, who was acclaimed for his instrumental wizardry and soaring falsetto, prompted an outpouring of tributes -- and spontaneous celebrations.

In New York, director Spike Lee led a Prince sing-along at a packed block party in Brooklyn while in Minneapolis, where a bridge was lit up in purple in Prince's memory, the atmosphere was carnival-like with fans bursting into song.

"You know, he was the greatest artist of all time. There will never be another one like him," said Antonio Harper, one of thousands who partied through the night in Prince's hometown in a bittersweet farewell.

"I cried, I cried a few times all night," said Melody Johnson, part of the crowd at the First Avenue club, where Prince shot "Purple Rain," the rock musical featuring songs from the album of the same name.

"Queen of Soul" Aretha Franklin was one of many in the entertainment industry to honor the singer, describing him as "an original and a one of a kind."

Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger called Prince "one of the most unique and talented artists of the last 30 years."

- On the turntable -
Prince -- whose huge catalogue of hits includes "1999," "Cream" and "Kiss" -- was prolific in his output, recently releasing albums through streaming site Tidal, and had taken to scheduling shows at the last minute to avoid scalpers.

President Barack Obama, who invited Prince to play a private White House show last year, let slip that he played some of his records Friday morning at the US ambassador's residence in London, where he is staying.

"It happens there's a turntable and so this morning, we played 'Purple Rain' and 'Delirious' just to get warmed up before we left the house," Obama told a joint press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron.

"He was a great performer. And creative and original and full of energy. And so it's a remarkable loss."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

U.S. singer Prince found dead at home: reports

U.S. pop star Prince, 57, was found unresponsive on Thursday at his Minnesota home and was later declared dead, U.S. media reports said.

A local sheriff's office official would not confirm the identity of a dead person found at Prince's property, and Reuters was not able to confirm the report.

Celebrity website TMZ, citing sources close to the star, was first to report Prince's death at the property in Paisley Park, Minnesota. The Associated Press later cited his publicist as confirming the report.

Representatives for the singer did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. The local medical examiner declined to comment.

Prince an innovative singer and songwriter whose music combined jazz, funk and disco is best known for hit songs like "Purple Rain," "Kiss" and "Raspberry Beret."

He first found fame in the late 1970s and over the next three decades became known as one of the most inventive and eccentric forces in American pop music.

Prince, an intensely private person, won multiple Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.

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Prince hospitalized after mid-air health scare: reports

LOS ANGELES, United States - Pop icon Prince was treated in hospital on Friday after a bout of flu worsened in mid-air, prompting his private jet to make an unscheduled landing, reports said.

The 57-year-old, one of the most influential but elusive figures in music, had been fighting the flu and had cancelled two shows last week, entertainment news website TMZ and American weekly magazine People reported, both citing a representative.

He insisted on performing in Atlanta on Thursday despite being unwell, and began to deteriorate shortly after boarding a plane, forcing the aircraft to land in Moline, Illinois, in the early hours of the morning, TMZ said.

AFP contacted Prince's publicist, who declined to provide details of the incident.

A few hours after the scare, the artist's official Twitter account posted the enigmatic message "I am #transformed," before linking to favorable reviews of the Atlanta show and tweeting that he was listening to "Controversy," the title track to his 1981 album.

Fans flooded his Instagram page to wish him a speedy recovery.

"I don't know you personally... but I hope you're okay. I have lots of love for you, like if you were part of my family," one fan said.

Prince became an international sensation in the 1980s, when he popularized the Minneapolis sound of danceable funk. His 1984 album "Purple Rain" is often described as one of the greatest of all time.

The artist, who was born as Prince Nelson, continues to live in the outskirts of Minneapolis, where he throws parties and preserves master vaults at his Paisley Park studio.

Best known as a guitarist, singer and dancer, Prince has recently been on a tour in which he performs alone with a piano, after saying he wanted a new artistic challenge.

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Amy Winehouse to be honoured with hometown statue

LONDON - The late singer Amy Winehouse will be honored with a lifesize statue in her old London neighborhood on what would have been her 31st birthday, her family said Thursday.

The bronze of the "Back to Black" singer, complete with her famous beehive hairdo, will go on display September 14 at Camden's Stable Markets.

"Now Amy will oversee the comings and goings of her hometown forever," her father Mitch Winehouse said.

The six-time Grammy award winner died nearby at her Camden home in 2011, aged 27, after years of drug and alcohol abuse.

The statue, designed by artist Scott Eaton, is the result of a collaboration between the Amy Winehouse Foundation, set up by her family to help young people with problems including addiction, and camdenmarket.com.

"Amy was in love with Camden and it is the place her fans from all over the world associate her with," Mitch Winehouse said.

"The family have always been keen to have a memorial for her in the place she loved the most, which will provide fans a place to visit and attract people to the area."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Bald 'Voice PH' hopeful endorses hair product

MANILA – Abby Asistio stood out during the first season of “The Voice of the Philippines” not only because of her talent, but also for embracing her baldness.

The singer-songwriter, who auditioned for the TV talent search, is suffering from a condition called alopecia areata, which is characterized by hair loss on some or all areas of the body.

A year after coming up with an awareness campaign for alopecia areta, Asistio has taken the next step by expressing her support for a topical scalp lotion which is marketed as “nature’s answer to hair loss.”

“I am honored to be chosen as brand ambassador to Novuhair. This new platform will help me continue my advocacy to share my music and life story,” she said.

“The strands of my hair are thicker and healthier looking,” added Asistio, who has used the product for five months.

Asistio recently released her debut, self-penned single titled “Beautiful,” which was arranged by Jay Durias of South Border.

She plans to continue her campaign to spread the word about alopecia areata and boost the confidence of other people who are diagnosed with the said condition.

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Adam Levine named People's sexiest man alive

NEW YORK -- Singer Adam Levine, the frontman of the Grammy Award-winning rock group Maroon 5 and a judge on the hit NBC singing show "The Voice," was named People magazine's sexiest man alive, the magazine announced on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old singer-songwriter, who is engaged to Victoria's Secrets model Behati Prinsloo, told People magazine he was taken aback by the announcement.

"As a musician, you have fantasies that you want to win Grammys, but I didn't really think that this was on the table," Levine said.

"I was just amazed and stunned and it almost seemed like they were kidding, but they weren't, so that's cool."

Levine joins an illustrious list of prior winners of the award including Channing Tatum, Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Ryan Reynolds, George Clooney and Matt Damon.

The singer branched into acting last year with his debut role on the television series "American Horror Story." He also appears in the 2013 film "Can A Song Save Your Life?" with Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo. The movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

"This is just a really interesting time where everything seems to be heading in a certain direction," he said. "And I'm not taking any of it for granted."

Levine and Maroon 5 launched their fourth studio album "Overexposed" last year, which received mixed reviews from critics. The group shot to fame in 2002 with their debut album, "Songs About Jane."

The group's hit singles include "This Love," "She Will be Loved" and "Moves Like Jagger," which features Christina Aguilera.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Meet Wynn, ABS-CBN's newest recording artist

MANILA, Philippines -- After debuting in a big way via this year's Himig Handog competition, singer-songwriter Wynn Andrada is now officially a Kapamilya recording artist.


The 18-year-old is set to release his first solo album under Star Records, after recently formalizing the deal with Kapamilya executives, including Star Creatives head Malou Santos, Star Records head Roxy Liquigan and Star Songs head Marivic Benedicto.

"Napaka-overwhelming po ng pagkakataong ito at hindi ko sasayangin ang tiwala ng Star Records," he said.

Andrada was among the 12 finalists in the songwriting competition Himig Handog P-Pop Love Songs held last February.

Inspired by his own story of unrequited love, Andrada composed "Tamang Panahon," which he himself performed during the finals of Himig Handog.


The love song, Star Records announced Wednesday, will be included in Andrada's upcoming album.

Aside from "Tamang Panahon," Andrada said his album will feature original compositions, "mostly mga love songs."

Now hard at work on his debut record, the acoustic singer said he draws inspiration "from my personal experiences, from my crushes or sometimes from my friends' stories."

Aside from Andrada, another Himig Handog finalist scored a deal with Star Records recently. Marian Aunor, whose also performed her own composition "If You Ever Change Your Mind," will also release her debut album under the Kapamilya record label.

Wynn Andrada

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'I am Filipino,' Bruno Mars says on 'SNL'

MANILA, Philippines - "I am Filipino," international singer-songwriter Bruno Mars declared on Saturday Night Live (SNL) last month.

Mars, who is Peter Gene Hernandez in real life, said "I am Filipino", in one number at SNL where he served as both host and musical guest, an Associated Press report said. The singer was born in Hawaii to a Filipino mother and Puerto Rican father.

In the AP report, Mars said he had so much fun doing the SNL show and would be glad to do it again.

The report also added that Mars' October 20 appearance gave the NBC variety show the second-best ratings this season.

In the show, Mars showcased his singing and acting talents in the comedy skits where he impersonated other musicians like Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry and Steven Tyler.

Last April, the Grammy winner visited the Philippines for a successful two-day concert in Manila and Cebu.

Among his many hits songs are "Just The Way You Are," "Grenade," "Marry You" and "Nothin' On You."
Mars will release his upcoming album, "Unorthodox Jukebox", next month.

source: abs-cbnnews.com