Cardi B to Perform from Miami During “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” Program

Cardi B is preparing for a rockin’ New Year’s Eve.

Only five days before it airs, has added the 31-year-old half-Dominican American Grammy-winning rap superstar and hip-hop legend LL Cool J to its lineup.

Cardi BThe “Up” singer will appear poolside from Fontainebleau Miami Beach, while her “WAP” collaborator Megan Thee Stallion was previously on the bill.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn-raised rap icon LL Cool J will perform in Times Square just before midnight.

New Year’s Rockin’ Eve is also introducing a new vertical of comedic show segments with Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, Matt Friend, Ms. Pat and Sebastian Maniscalco adding commentary on the past year.

Ryan Seacrest returns as host of the ABC and Dick Clark Productions live show with co-host Rita Ora leading the festivities from New York’s Times Square with artists Megan Thee Stallion, Jelly Roll, Sabrina Carpenter and Tyla.

Jeannie Mai will lead the Hollywood festivities, with Aqua, Doechii, Ellie Goulding, Green Day, Janelle Monáe, Loud Luxury x Two Friends with Bebe Rexha, Ludacris, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Paul Russell, Reneé Rapp with Coco Jones and Thirty Seconds to Mars to perform in California.

New Year’s Rockin’ Eve will once again feature a Spanish language countdown with Dayanara Torres returning as co-host from Puerto Rico’s Convention Center.

Jared Leto’s Thirty Seconds to Mars to Perform During “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024”

Jared Leto will be rockin’ into the New Year…

The 51-year-old part-Spanish American actor/singer’s rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars has been announced as part of the lineup for Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024.

Jared Leto, Shannon Leto, Thirty Seconds to MarsLeto and his brother Shannon’s Thirty Seconds to Mars joins a lineup that includes Aqua, Doechii, Ellie Goulding, Green Day, Janelle Monáe, Loud Luxury x Two Friends with Bebe Rexha, Ludacris, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Paul Russell and Reneé Rapp with Coco Jones.

Jeannie Mai and Rita Ora join Seacrest as new co-hosts for the upcoming 52nd edition of the venerable holiday telecast. While Mai will emcee the Hollywood party in the Pacific Time zone, Ora will be live in Times Square.

Ringing in the new year at midnight in the Atlantic Time zone (11pm ET), New Year’s Rockin’ Eve will once again feature a Spanish language countdown with Dayanara Torres returning as co-host from Puerto Rico’s Convention Center.

Eliminated from the lineup is the Central Time zone countdown from New Orleans, which had been part of the show since 2017. (Last year, Rockin’ Eve also added a Disneyland location to kick off Disney’s 100th anniversary celebration, which is not coming back.)

The changes come in Rockin’ Eve’s first year under new ownership at DCP, which was acquired in January by Penske Media Eldridge. The annual program was recently renewed through January 1, 2029.

The No. 1 New Year’s Eve special for over 30 years, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2023 drew 13.8 million total viewers and averaged 4.1/29 among adults 18-49 last year. It peaked at 17.9 million viewers and a 5.3 18-49 rating in the midnight quarter-hour.

Airing December 31, live on ABC at 8:00 PM EST, Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2024 will feature more than 5 1⁄2 hours of music performances, guests and a look at New Year’s celebrations around the globe.

Mariah Carey to Receive The Music Icon Award at This Year’s theGrio Awards

Mariah Carey is set to earn another honor…

The 54-year-old half-Venezuelan American Grammy-winning singer will be among the honorees during this year’s Byron Allen Presents theGrio Awards special.

Mariah CareyThe awards show celebrates excellence in film, music, comedy, television, sports, philanthropy, business, fashion, social justice, environmental justice, education, and the cultural icons and innovators whose contributions positively impact America. The television special pays tribute to and amplifies the history makers, change agents and artists who define and influence our world, according to organizers.

Carey, who holds the record for the most Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles by a solo artist with 19, will be honored with The Music Icon Award.

Co-hosted by The Talk‘s Sheryl Underwood and comedian Roy Wood Jr., theGrio Awards will air on Saturday, November 25 from 8:00 – 10:00 pm on CBS and will stream live on Paramount+.

Other honorees include Denzel Washington (The Film Icon award), Eddie Murphy (The Icon award), Don Cheadle (Environmental Champion Icon award) and Misty Copeland (The Trailblazer Icon award).

The special also features musical performances by Boyz II Men, Jennifer Hudson, Coco Jones, Patti LaBelle and Smokey Robinson. Greg Phillinganes serves as musical director, and DJ Kiss is the D.J.

“I created ‘theGrio Awards’ to celebrate and amplify African-American excellence and the incredible champions from other communities who truly support us,” said Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “As a child, strong, positive African-American icons such as Berry Gordy, Jr., Rosa Parks, Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King, Jr. helped me see myself differently, and changed the trajectory of my life. Celebrating and amplifying iconic individuals is something we can never do enough of, especially for our children.”

Byron Allen Presents theGrio Awards is co-produced by Allen Media Group and Backhand Productions.

Fabolous to Perform at Atlanta’s ONE Musicfest 2023 This October

Fabolous is ready to become ONE with Atlanta…

The 45-year-old Afro-Dominican American rapper will perform at this year’s ONE Musicfest 2023.

FabolousThe festival, presented in partnership with Live Nation Urban, will take place October 28-29 at Piedmont Park in Atlanta.

Fabolous is part of a lineup that includes El Debarge, Jadakiss, Bryson Tiller and The-Dream.

Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Brent Faiyaz and Megan Thee Stallion will headline the festival.

Among the additional performers who will be featured during the two-day concert are Tems, Kodak Black, Coi Leray, Coco Jones, and Jozzy along with surprise special guests.

There will also be a special salute to the 50th  anniversary of hip-hop. Helming that celebration will be Nelly, KRS-One, Killer Mike, 8Ball & MJG, DJ Quik, DJ Drama,

In a release announcing the lineup, ONE Musicfest founder J. Carter said, “We are beyond excited about the 14th annual ONE Musicfest. To have the opportunity to host Kendrick Lamar, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Brent Faiyaz, and other iconic artists in the middle of Piedmont Park is a dream come true, especially on the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. It doesn’t get any better than this. It will be a premium experience for the artists, the attendees, and our partners. We look forward to our new home in Piedmont Park and delivering an elevated experience to our many fans.”

ONE Musicfest tickets are available here; for additional details, visit ONE Musicfest’s website.  

Kehlani to Co-Headline This Year’s ‘Sol Blume’ R&B Festival

Kehlani is in full blume

The 27-year-old part-Mexican American singer-songwriter will co-headline this year’s Sol Blume, the Bay Area-based R&B festival.

KehlaniKehlani’s co-headliner will be Brent Faiyaz.

The fourth annual festival will take place at Discovery Park in Sacramento, Calif., on Saturday, April 29, and Sunday, April 30, and brings together emerging and established R&B, hip-hop and soul acts, including Ella MaiIsaiah RashadJoey Bada$$Mariah the ScientistMerebaJessie ReyezPink Sweat$ChlöePinkPantheressMuni LongArin RayFLOCoco JonesNaoJacqueesMahaliaMarc E. Bassy, Alex Isley, Fana Hues, Thuy, Rini, Destin Conrad and Samaria.

Teyana Taylor is slated as Sol Blume’s very special guest, with the bill detailing “one night only performing ‘The Last Rose Petal 2′” following the artist’s two-part farewell tour by the same name.

Bay Area native Kehlani recently sold out the nearby Oracle Arena in Oakland last fall during her tour in support of her third studio album, Blue Water Road

Sol Blume marks both headliners’ return to Sacramento in five-plus years.

Tickets will go on sale for the general public on Monday, January 30, at 10:00 am PT on Sol Blume’s official website.

General admission tickets for the two-day festival cost $200 (not including fees), while VIP tickets cost $400 (not including fees).

Jhené Aiko Appears on Def Jam Recordings’ New Holiday Album “Def The Halls”

Jhené Aiko is deffing the halls

Def Jam Recordings and 4th & Broadway have released a new compilation album featuring the 34-year-old part-Dominican American singer and others singing traditional Christmas songs and original holiday tracks.

Jhené AikoTitled Def The Halls, the holiday album also features Coco Jones, Alessia Cara and others,

The album follows the 2019 EP A Def Jam Christmas, which first featured Cara’s “Make It To Christmas.” That song also appears on this new release, alongside August 08’s reworking of “Silent Night” and Aiko’s 2013 ballad “Wrap Me Up.”

Other notables include Jones’ new “Silver Bells” and North Carolina’s Mikhala Jené, who gives an R&B twist to two modern holiday classics: “This Christmas” (from Donny Hathaway) and “Please Come Home For Christmas” (from Charles Brown). Los Angeles duo Calabasas pay homage to the beloved ’80s duo, Wham! with their rendition of “Last Christmas.”

The original Christmas tunes “BBC” by DaniLeigh, and “Underneath The Mistletoe” by August 08 are both collaborations with rising star Kendra Jae. Another duet brings together 4th & Broadway’s Kidd Kenn and Pap Chanel on “Naughty.”

Def the Halls is rounded out by the originals “Trinket” by UK artist Debbie, “Christmas” by global Latin-pop star Trinidad Cardona, “Cold With You” by young Anaheim rapper OHNO, “Everyday” from Kennedy Stephens, “Snowed In” by newly-signed St. Louis artist Bry Bee, and “A Hoe’s Christmas” by Broadway actress Jai’Len Josey.

“Def The Halls” tracklist:
Mikhala Jene – Please Come Home For Christmas
Alessia Cara – Make It To Christmas
Trinidad Cardona – Christmas With You
August 08, Kendra Jae – Underneath The Mistletoe
Debbie – Trinket
Calabasas – Last Christmas
DaniLeigh – BBC (ft. Kendra Jae)
Jhené Aiko – Wrap Me Up
Coco Jones – Silver Bells
OHNO – Cold With You
Kennedy Stephens – Everyday
Mikhala Jene – This Christmas
Kidd Kenn, Pap Chanel – Naughty
Jai’Len Josey – A Hoe’s Christmas

Carmela Zumbado to Star in the Indie Holiday Rom-Com “White Elephant”

Carmela Zumbado isn’t avoiding the Elephant in the room…

The 29-year-old Latina actress recently wrapped production on veteran producer Corey Moss’ indie holiday romantic comedy White Elephant.

Carmela Zumbado

The movie marks Moss’s directorial debut and follows eight friends who convene for their annual gift exchange and secrets are revealed that thrust the game into chaos and push relationships to the brink.

Zumbado stars alongside Devin Druid, Matthew Hancock, Lana McKissack, CoCo Jones, Paul Karmiryan, Nathan Moore and Avery Norris.

Zumbado most recently starred on season two of Netflix’s You. Her other credits include television appearances on Rosewood, The Magicians, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and  a starring role in the film The Wall of Mexico.

Sanchez to Present at the Radio Disney Music Awards

Jessica Sanchez has a date with Radio Disney

The 17-year-old half-Mexican American singer, who will be appearing on Fox’s Glee next month, will serve as a presenter at this year’s Radio Disney Music Awards.

Jessica Sanchez

The American Idol runner-up, who recently released the first single from her debut album, will make her appearance on the awards show being held on April 27 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.

But Sanchez isn’t the only Latina set to present an award…

Selena Gomez, who performed her new single “Come and Get It” at this weekend’s MTV Movie Awards, will serve as a presenter and performer at the Radio Disney Music Awards. Gomez is also a two-time nominee.

Other presenters include Bella Thorne, Bridgit Mendler, Denise Richards, R&B singer Jason Derulo, NASCAR Daytona 500 champion Trevor Bayne and Zendaya.

Along with Gomez, Cher Lloyd, Mendler, Cody Simpson, Mindless Behavior, Austin Mahone and Coco Jones are also scheduled to perform.

Gomez to Perform at the Radio Disney Music Awards

Former Disney Channel star Selena Gomez is heading home

The 20-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer, who will be releasing new music in March, will be headlining the Radio Disney Music Awards at L.A. Live’s Nokia Theatre on Saturday, April 27.

Selena Gomez

Gomez, who will be shedding her Disney image in Spring Breakers in the coming weeks, tops the list of young performers that includes Bridgit Mendler, Cody Simpson, YouTube sensation Austin Mahone, Cher Lloyd and Coco Jones, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Fans will have the chance to vote for their favorites in categories like Ultimate Breakout Star: Biggest Viral Artist; XOXO: Best Crush Song; and So FANtastic: Fiercest Fans, among others. The Radio Disney Music Awards will also recognize five kids from the U.S. with the Heroes for Change award, recognizing their efforts to make a difference in their communities.

The Radio Disney Music Awards celebrate the most popular recording artists among kids and tweens. The awards show will be available across multiple platforms, including Vevo, Disney Channel, Radio Disney, and the RadioDisney.com and Disney.com websites.

Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.