Muse Storytelling Developing Documentary About Iconic Brazilian Artist Romero Britto

Romero Britto’s life story is getting the Hollywood treatment…

Muse Storytelling is currently in production on a documentary about the 59-year-old Brazilian artist, painter, serigrapher and sculptor, one of the most popular artists in the world and the founder of the Happy Art Movement.

Romero BrittoPatrick Moreau is directing The Britto Doc, which will examine a creative force who grew up in poverty in Brazil and rose to extraordinary heights as the originator of an iconic visual style that has been embraced on a global scale.

He is considered “the most collected and licensed artist in history,” according to a release about the project, with signature designs that have appeared on everything from housewares to clothing, automobiles, Disney characters, Barbie dolls, and even pet collars and doggy bowls, in addition to his original fine art and sculpture.

“Featuring unprecedented access to Romero Britto’s life and artistic process,” the release noted, “the documentary will include interviews with operatic tenor and world-renowned classical music sensation Andrea Bocelli with his wife Veronica Berti, celebrated fashion designer Domenico Dolce, Grammy winners and legendary musicians Gloria Estefan and Emilio Estefan, Grammy winner DJ Khaled, and famed actor and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, amongst other notable figures in the art world and beyond.”

Romero has been based in South Florida for many years, and his artwork has become a fixture of the landscape there, brightening rail stations, corporate offices and residential buildings. “The work virtually explodes with warmth, optimism and love,” the New York Times wrote in a 2007 piece, “Matisse channeling Picasso by way of Hello Kitty.”

“Over the past forty years, I’ve had the honor of bringing people joy through my artwork and portrayals of pop culture icons, royals, world leaders and so many incredible people,” the artist said in a statement. “It is the beautiful people, fascinating places and bountiful memories that have inspired me, and in turn, inspired The Happy Art Movement. I am excited to share my story so that people can get to know what lies beneath the bright colors and sparkles.”

The film is executive produced by Lucas L. C. Vidal, Caitlin Miranda and Grant Peelle. Production is expected to wrap late this year.

“It is not often that Artists are recognized and chronicled as the thought leaders they are, while building their legacy,” said director Patrick Moreau. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to highlight Romero’s impact through the voices of other leaders of our generation and hear his story – straight from him.”

Muse Storytelling Inc. is an Emmy Award-winning “collective of storytellers who believe that one must guide the heart to move the mind – and it’s through emotionally moving narratives that they look to drive action and change,” according to the company. “The Muse team believes that when they share the real experience of another person in just the right way, they’re able to transport the audience into their shoes, into their world, and in so doing, shift their perspective.”

Rosalia to Become First Artist Featured on FC Barcelona’s Men’s & Women’s Team Home Kits

Rosalia is picking sides

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the 30-year-old Spanish singer and songwriter’s Motomami, the Grammy-winning album’s logo will be emblazoned on FC Barcelona’s jerseys for their El Clásico match against Real Madrid.

Rosalia, FC Barcelona JerseyRosalia becomes the first artist to be featured on both the men’s and women’s teams home kits as part of Barcelona’s partnership with Spotify.

The limited-edition shirt with the Motomami logo will also be available for fans to purchase.

Rosalia, FC Barcelona JerseyRosalía follows Drake who, in October, had his OVO brand owl logo placed on the front of the FC Barcelona men’s jerseys for the match after becoming the first artist to surpass 50 billion streams on Spotify.

“We’re honored to give up our space on the FC Barcelona shirt to celebrate Rosalía – the most streamed Spanish artist on Spotify in 2022,” Marc Hazan, vice president of partnerships, Spotify said in a statement. “It’s a chance to continue the celebration of our unique partnership with FC Barcelona and continue to bring the worlds of football and music together.”

FC Barcelona Rosalia JerseyIn 2022, Rosalía was the most-streamed Spanish artist in the world on Spotify, with streams of her tracks growing by more than 110% year over year, and she was also the most-streamed female artist in Barcelona, according to the company.

Juli Guiu, vice president of marketing, FC Barcelona, added: “Seeing such a renowned artist as Rosalía on the beloved Barça jersey is a wonderful surprise for our fans around the world. Music and football form a special partnership with a long future ahead of them and we are happy to add another chapter to the story alongside the world’s most popular music streaming platform, Spotify.”

FC Barcelona Rosalia JerseyBarcelona’s El Clásico match will take place on March 19. The women’s team will then also wear the Motomami jerseys at their match on March 25.

Both team’s players will also be curating the El Clásico Matchday playlists featuring the top songs to motivate the players in the build up to the matches, which will, of course, include their favorite Rosalía songs.

Rosalía’s Motomami peaked at No. 3 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums chart. It won the Latin Grammy for album of the year. Most recently, Rosalía confirmed a joint three-song project with boyfriend and fellow artist Rauw Alejandro titled RR, set for release on March 24.

Rita Moreno to Take Part in This Year’s Sundance Film Festival Semi-Virtual Edition

Rita Moreno is ready to rock Sundance…

The 2021 Sundance Film Festival has announced a schedule of the talks and events to be presented on the Sundance platform, with the 89-year-old Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer set to participate.

Rita Moreno

The festival, which runs from January 28 to February 3, opted for a semi-virtual option in lieu of its traditional exhibition in Park City, UT. Among the guests taking part in this year’s virtual “Cinema Cafe” talks are Moreno, Questlove, Robin Wright and others.

Moreno will be joined by beloved Sesame Street alum Sonia Manzano for a little café talk on Saturday, January 30 from 10:30-11:15 am.

The EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscars & Tony Awards) winner will also take part in the Conjuring the Collective: Womxn at Sundance Speakeasy later that night, from 8:00 – 9:00 pm.

The virtual speakeasy will feature performances from an array of talented women from the Festival and beyond, honoring a multiplicity of perspectives through our myths and stories, dance, art, music, and culture.

In addition to Moreno, guests include poet Apiorkor, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison (Ailey), actor Marlee Matlin and director Siân Heder.

The following is the roster of scheduled events. All talks and events are free to view, and all times are U.S. Mountain time.

2021 Sundance Film
Festival Opening Night Welcome
Thursday, January 28,
5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

The Sundance Dailies
#SundanceDailies
Friday, January 29–Tuesday, February 2,
9:00 a.m.–9:30 a.m.

2021 Cinema Café guests:

Shaka King & Ahmir
“Questlove” Thompson
Friday, January 29, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Sonia Manzano & Rita Moreno
Saturday, January 30, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Rebecca Hall & Robin Wright
Sunday, January 31, 10:30-11:15 a.m.

Tyson Brown, Patti Harrison & Emilia Jones
Monday, February 1, 10:30-11:15am

The Big Conversation
#SundanceBigConversation
Friday, January 29-Monday, February 1,
1-2 p.m., individual slots TBA
The Big Conversation tackles science, art, culture, and the movements that are fueling the imaginations of today’s independent artists. A compelling selection of speakers discuss topics centered on the themes of this year’s program and explore broader trends in art and culture around the world. In considering how
artists — through their practice and their work — make meaning of the world, we’re reminded that it’s the big conversation that connects us to the big ideas. The topics are “Barbed Wire Kisses Redux,” “Come Together” and “The Past In the Present: A Personal Journey through Race, History and Filmmaking.”

Power of Story
Timing TBA
The Sundance Film Festival’s Power of Story looks to deepen public engagement with storytelling, delve into cinema culture, and celebrate artists whose work propels the form and reinvents storytelling as we know it.

Power of Story: Speculative Fiction Is the Place
Black speculative fiction and historiography, Afrofuturism, and utopian/dystopian visions speak to an enduring, evolving, and vibrant storytelling sensibility.

Conjuring the Collective: Womxn at Sundance Speakeasy
Saturday, January 30, 8-9 p.m.
A virtual speakeasy featuring performances from an array of talented women from the Festival and beyond, honoring a multiplicity of perspectives through our myths and stories, dance, art, music, and culture. Guests include: poet Apiorkor, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Artistic Director Emerita Judith Jamison (Ailey), actor Marlee Matlin and director Siân Heder (CODA), actor Rita Moreno (Rita Moreno: Just A Girl Who Decided to Go For It), actor SOKO (Mayday, The Blazing World), and more TBA.

Awards Night
Tuesday, February 2, 6 p.m.
Free and open to all, the event will be live-streamed on our online screening platform.

It’s a Wrap
Wednesday, February 3, 9-9:30 a.m.
Festival director Tabitha Jackson leads a ceremonial end to this all-new Sundance experience by bringing audiences together for one last moment together in the virtual space.

Carey Releases Her 12th Fragrance: Mariah Carey Dreams

Mariah Carey is sharing her dreams with the world…

The 42-year-old half Afro-Venezuelan singer and American Idol judge has announced plans to release her next fragrance, which is described as “a sensual floral gourmand that delicately weaves together notes, each one symbolic of Mariah’s lifelong journey.”

Mariah Carey Dreams

Named Mariah Carey Dreams, the Grammy-winning singer’s twelfth fragrance will be available exclusively at Kohl’s stores this April.

The fragrance has notes of salted caramel, star anise, bergamot, toasted almonds, honeysuckle, freesia, lily of the valley, patchouli, Tonka bean and Madagascar vanilla.

“The different scents derive … from childhood to performing on the world’s stage, to being in love, to feeling loved,” said Carey.

If you can’t wait to get the fragrance, Mariah Carey Dreams is available on Kohls.com now.

Maxwell to Embark on Special Tour

He’s released four acclaimed albums in his career… And, now Maxwell will sing every track from those albums during a six-day tour this summer…

For two nights in three cities (Los Angeles, Atlanta and New Jersey), the 38-year-old half-Puerto Rican R&B singer will perform his four albums in full, including his Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite, Embrya, Now and BLACKsummers’night.

Maxwell

Maxwell, a two-time Grammy winner, will perform his first two albums on the first night in each city and his other two albums on the second night.

Check out the tour dates below:

6/20 – Los Angeles, CA, Staples Center (Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite and Embrya)

6/21 – Los Angeles, CA, Staples Center (Now and BLACKsummers’night)

7/27 – Atlanta, GA, Phillips Arena (Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite and Embrya)

7/28 – Atlanta, GA, Phillips Arena (Now and BLACKsummers’night)

8/03 – Newark, NJ, Prudential Center (Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite and Embrya)

8/04 – Newark, NJ, Prudential Center (Now and BLACKsummers’night)

Anthony Receives ASCAP’s Founders Award

He’s the top selling tropical salsa artist of all time… And, now Marc Anthony is being celebrated for his songwriting talents…

The 43-year-old Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, a two-time Grammy award winner, received ASCAP’s Founders Award at the 20th annual ASCAP Latin Music Awards.

Marc Anthony & David Beckham

Anthony received the award from ASCAP president and chairman Paul Williams and soccer star David Beckham during a music-filled night that honored the songwriters and publishers of ASCAP’s most performed Latin music songs in 2011.

“When I left home today I felt handsome, and then they stand me next to this,” Anthony said with a laugh when he picked up his award, pointing to Beckham, a good friend. “This award goes to my team,” he added on a more serious note. “I’m not an island. It’s all about the love of music and the fight for music.”

The evening included performances of Anthony’s songs by Victor Manuelle, Pia Toscano, La Mafia and Natalia Jimenez.

Past recipients of the Founders Award include Rod Stewart, Annie Lenox, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Ruben Blades.

Described as a “renaissance man,” Anthony also shared the best pop song award with Cuban American rap superstar Pitbull for their collaboration, “Rain Over Me.”

The Songwriter of the Year award was given jointly to Claudia Brant and Anthony “Romeo” Santos. Meanwhile, the Latin song of the year award went to “Di Que Regresarás,” written by Carlos M. Ferraresi Ferra“, and recorded by regional Mexican band La Original Banda El Limón.

Awards were also presented in the Pop, Tropical, Regional Mexican, Urban and Television categories.

Kid Cudi Featured on The Hunger Games Soundtrack

Kid Cudi may soon experience the same movie soundtrack success as Bruno Mars, who performed the lead single from the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 soundtrack.

The 28-year-old part-Mexican American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor appears on the just-released soundtrack for the highly anticipated The Hunger Games.

Kid Cudi

Cudi, whose real name is Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, performs The Ruler And The Killer.” The original track finds the Grammy-winning singer still in WZRD mode, with heavy drums and buzz-saw guitars propping up his pained groans and lurching hooks.

“I could not have done it with out my producing partners on the project for the film, The legendary and Godly T Bone Burnett and Greg Wells!” Cudi wrote on his Twitter page about his experience working on “The Ruler And The Killer.”

Produced by T-Bone Burnett, The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 is a collection of folk-leaning music from a hodgepodge of top-line artists. Along with Cudi, the 16-song soundtrack features Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars, Arcade Fire, Maroon 5, Miranda Lambert featuring Pistol Annies and Birdy.

Here’s a look at the full track list:

1. Arcade Fire, “Abraham’s Daughter”
2. The Secret Sisters, “Tomorrow Will Be Kinder”
3. Neko Case, “Nothing To Remember”
4. Taylor Swift featuring The Civil Wars, “Safe & Sound”
5. Kid Cudi, “The Ruler And The Killer”
6. Punch Brothers, “Dark Days”
7. The Decemberists, “One Engine”
8. The Carolina Chocolate Drops, “Daughter’s Lament”
9. The Civil Wars, “Kingdom Come”
10. Glen Hansard, “Take The Heartland”
11. Maroon 5 featuring Rozzi Crane, “Come Away To The Water”
12. Miranda Lambert featuring Pistol Annies, “Run Daddy Run”
13. Jayme Dee, “Rules”
14. Taylor Swift, “Eyes Open”
15. The Low Anthem, “Lover Is Childlike”
16. Birdy, “Just A Game”

Mars Becomes the Tenth Man to Grace Playboy’s Cover

Bruno Mars is livin’ it up at the ten spot; and he’s got plenty of reason to celebrate…

The 26-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer/songwriter joins an elite group of men as only the tenth male to grace the cover of Playboy.

Bruno Mars Playboy Cover

Mars is featured in the men’s magazine’s April Sex and Music issue, out March 16. He appears on the cover alongside Raquel Pomplun, as well as in a fashion pictorial and interview inside. In his feature, Mars models spring designs by Marc Jacobs, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana and more.

“Growing up in the showbiz world, I looked up to those guys: Frank Sinatra and of course Elvis Presley,” the Grammy-winning singer told Playboy of his idols. “My dad was into the 1950s doo-wop era. If you look at those groups, or at James Brown, Jackie Wilson and the Temptations in the 1960s, you’ll see you had to be sharp onstage.”

Bruno_Mars_Playboy

Mars displays his signature style and dresses sharply for his photo spread while donning his own personal Armani suit on the cover.

Surprisingly, the “Grenade” singer chose Jimi Hendrix, not Sinatra or Presley, as the musician he would most like to work with if given the opportunity.

“I think he’s the greatest guitar player in the world, and I would want to see him do his thing in person,” Mars said. “He’s the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place.”

As a Playboy cover star, Mars follows in the footsteps of several Hollywood icons. Peter Sellers was the first Y-chromosome to appear on the cover back in April 1967, followed by Burt Reynolds (October 1979), Steve Martin (January 1980), Donald Trump (March 1990), Dan Aykroyd (August 1993), Jerry Seinfeld (October 1993), Leslie Nielson (February 1996), Gene Simmons (March 1999) and Seth Rogen (April 2009).

Cristian Castro Rocks Out for Pepsi…

He may be a Grammy-nominated pop sensation, but don’t let Mexican singer Cristian Castro‘s well-groomed looks fool you. He’s a bit of a rockero at heart.

Castro is starring in a heavy metal inspired commercial for Pepsi in Argentina to promote the company’s “one, two, three, four, five” campaign.

Shot in Buenos Aires and airing in the region, the ad starts off with a heavy metal band strumming their guitars on the stage and leaping into the audience.

When one of the longhaired, tattooed members of the band takes a break open a Pepsi, Castro—looking all dapper in a white tuxedo—appears and starts crooning one of his classic pop hits. He then morphs into a black leather-clad rocker with punk hair.

“It’s a campaign that strengthens the ties between Pepsi and music, showing a completely surprising and fun side of a mega star like Cristian Castro,” says Lopez Marti, Pepsi’s marketing manager for the Southern Cone.

The campaign coincides with the upcoming release of Castro’s new album, “Mi amigo el Príncipe,” due out on November 1. It’s the follow-up to “Viva el Príncipe” an homage to Mexican singer José José, where Castro sings accompanied by a full orchestra.

But this isn’t Castro’s first “full metal jacket” experience. Last month, he created a hilarious video with mun2 that featured his secret life as a “Metalero.”