Posts tagged with "North america"

BENEE TOUR

New Zealand alternative pop star BENEE reveals a string of headline tour dates across North America this September and October, in addition to her recently-announced performances at this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival on October 7^th and 14^th. The new tour dates include San Luis Obispo, CA on September 26^th, San Diego, CA on September 27^th, Santa Cruz, CA on September 29^th, Sacramento, CA on September 30^th, Pomona, CA on October 1^st, Mexico City, MX on October 9^th, and Dallas, TX on October 11^th—see the full list of tour dates below. Tickets are on sale this week HERE.

These live shows follow BENEE’s recent headline world tour that took her to sold out venues across North America, Europe, and the UK earlier this spring and summer, as well as summer festival performances at The Governor’s Ball Music Festival and Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Earlier this spring, BENEE dropped her latest EP Lychee to widespread critical acclaim, with UPROXX declaring, “Her music demands to be put on repeat,” and Ones To Watch proclaiming, “Lychee has introduced us to a new era of BENEE, and we are entirely here for it.” BENEE set the stage for the EP with the singles “Doesn’t Matter” and “Beach Boy.” To bring the Lychee EP to life, she worked with collaborators on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. In California, she found herself working on songs with Greg Kurstin, Kenny Beats, and Rostam. Working back home in New Zealand, she completed more tracks with her regular collaborator Josh Fountain. As a whole, Lychee showcases BENEE’s evolution as an eloquent and artful voice for Gen-Z — pushing boundaries and fearless enough not to compromise her creativity or spirit.

BENEE’s dreamy alt-pop mixes her deeply heartfelt reflections on life in suburban Auckland, New Zealand with offbeat and often whimsical lyrical twists, all produced with a technicolor ear for cooked beats and unpredictable hooks. The 22-year-old broke through in 2020 with “Supalonely,” her global hit with 4 billion streams, and her follow-up Hey u x debut album was a vibrant musical world with guests ranging from Grimes and Lily Allen to Gus Dapperton and Muroki (another New Zealand teen BENEE has since signed to her own label, Olive). It was listed as one of Billboard’s “25 Best Pop Albums of 2020,” noting that BENEE “contemplates the woes of Gen Z with a keen ear for choruses and arrangements that oscillate between indie rock and hyperpop.” Stereogum praised its “quirky but impeccably produced pop music” and Vogue called it “13 tracks of heavenly indie-alt-pop.”

BENEE 2022 FALL TOUR DATES
September 26^th                       Fremont Theater                     San Luis Obispo, CA
September 27^th                       Observatory North Park          San Diego, CA
September 29^th                       Catalyst                                   Santa Cruz, CA
September 30^th                       Ace Of Spades                       Sacramento, CA
October 1^st                              Fox Theater                            Pomona, CA
October 7^th                              Austin City Limits                    Austin, TX
October 9^th                              Lunario                                    Mexico City, MX
October 11^th                            Trees                                       Dallas, TX
October 14^th                            Austin City Limits                    Austin, TX

ABOUT BENEE
BENEE is the dreamy voice of a disaffected generation who broke through in 2020 with “Supalonely,” her irresistible, four billion streaming alt-pop banger that practically defined the pandemic experience. Twenty-two-year-old Stella Bennett mixes her deeply heartfelt reflections on life in suburban Auckland, New Zealand with offbeat and often whimsical lyrical notions, all produced with a technicolor ear for cooked beats and unpredictable hooks. A fervent online following were drawn to BENEE’s two intriguing EP releases, FIRE ON MARZZ and STELLA & STEVE, before her guest-packed, yet highly personal, Hey u x album was released at the tail end of 2020. The album was a vibrant musical world with guests ranging from Grimes and Lily Allen to Gus Dapperton and Muroki (another New Zealand teen BENEE has since signed to her own label, Olive). It was listed as one of Billboard’s “25 Best Pop Albums of 2020,” noting that BENEE “contemplates the woes of Gen Z with a keen ear for choruses and arrangements that oscillate between indie rock and hyperpop.” Stereogum praised its “quirky but impeccably produced pop music” and Vogue called it “13 tracks of heavenly indie-alt-pop.” Platinum Awards piled up around the globe, and she performed “Supalonely” — live from New Zealand — on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Ellen, and Late Night with Seth Meyers and recorded a heartfelt live version of album opener “Happen To Me” for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. A year on, BENEE returns with her 2022 Lychee EP, with her song “Doesn’t Matter” revealing the singer’s journey through the emotional clatter of 2021. Following the EP release, BENEE toured across North America, Europe, and the UK on her headline world tour, and now she’ll be returning to North America for select dates this fall. Expect the world to be ready and waiting for her.

BENEE:INSTAGRAM | TWITTER| TIKTOK | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE

DURAN DURAN – ALL OF YOU

With their highly anticipated North American tour starting next month, on July 14, Duran Duran have announced the limited 12” vinyl release of ‘ALL OF YOU’ (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK), out October 14^th and available to pre-order HERE via Phantasy Sound.

Having co-produced Duran Duran’s acclaimed fifteenth studio album, ‘FUTURE PAST’, Erol Alkan returns to deliver a very special Extended Rework. Paying tribute to the band’s pioneering ‘Night Version’ remixes that tipped their earliest material towards the dance floor, this grandiose reimagining equally recalls Alkan’s beloved reworks from over the years.

Recorded with founding members Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Roger Taylor, ‘ALL OF YOU’ also features lead guitar from Graham Coxon and backing vocals by Barli. Blessed with the raw material, Alkan distills each element into a glorious disco odyssey totaling nearly ten minutes, an epic but sensual dance floor trip that already ranks amongst his finest work.

Phantasy is proud to release ‘ALL OF YOU’ (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK)’ (backed with an instrumental version) on a limited run of 12” vinyl, with an exclusive red vinyl edition of only 300, available only at Rough Trade stores.

Pre-order ‘ALL OF YOU (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK)’ on 12” vinyl HERE.

Originally debuted by Erol Alkan in Ibiza at the band’s three night ‘Duran Duran: Touch The Sunrise’ immersive weekend experience that lifted the curtain on the island’s summer season, the extended rework is a hypnotic, expansive ode to the FUTURE PAST album highlight. Duran Duran‘s instantly recognizable sound is complemented with new accents and flourishes – John Taylor‘s head-nodding bass line entwines with Graham Coxon‘s guitar lead, both shot through with instant hooks and punctuated by Nick Rhodes’ cinematic keys.

The extended rework arrives as Duran Duran look ahead to their long-awaited North American headlining tour this summer, celebrating the band’s spectacular four-decade career and in continued support of their critically acclaimed 15^th studio album, FUTURE PAST.

Starting August 19, the 14-date tour will see the multi-platinum, award-winning legends play iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Wynn Las Vegas, and The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, amongst others. Tickets for the band’s North American tour are on sale now. Please visit http://duranduran.com/tour/ for details and to purchase tickets.

Joining as special guests for all shows except Las Vegas (which is billed as ‘an evening with’) and Los Angeles will be Nile Rodgers & CHIC.

In other exciting news, the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame announced that Duran Duran will be inducted this fall, joining a long list of ground-breaking global icons before them. The 37th Annual Ceremony is set to take place November 5th at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

With a career that has seen more than 100 million record sales worldwide, 21 UK Top 20 tunes and 18 American hit singles, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction truly cements the multi-GRAMMY, BRIT Award and Ivor Novello winners as one of the most successful and influential bands of all time.

Duran Duran’s current album, ‘FUTURE PAST’ is available digitally as well as in a variety of physical formats: standard CD, cassette, a limited edition deluxe hardback book CD featuring three additional tracks, and colored vinyl here. It is also available in immersive Sony 360 Reality Audio on Amazon Music HD, TIDAL HiFi, and Deezer HiFi.

Enlisting the help of some of the most exciting names of the last 50 years, with ‘FUTURE PAST,’ Duran Duran have delivered another incredible genre-spanning piece of work that once again sets them apart from the pack. Working alongside DJ / producer Erol Alkan and pioneering Italian composer / producer Giorgio Moroder, who added his magic to create two instant future classics (‘BEAUTIFUL LIES,’ ‘TONIGHT UNITED’), as well as some of the most unexpected and inspiring names in pop – including Swedish hitmaker, Tove Lo on ‘GIVE IT ALL UP,’ ‘Queen of Drill’ Ivorian Doll on ‘HAMMERHEAD’ and Japan’s CHAI on ‘MORE JOY!’. In addition, Blur’s Graham Coxon co-wrote and lends his guitar to several tracks on the record and David Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson adds an exquisite sonic layer to album closer ‘FALLING’. The record, which was recorded across studios in London and LA over lockdown, also features long-time collaborator Mark Ronson who co-wrote and played on ‘WING,’ and was mixed by Mark ‘Spike’ Stent.

PRE-ORDER ‘ALL OF YOU (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK)’ ON 12” VINYL HERE.

LISTEN TO ‘ALL OF YOU’ (EROL ALKAN EXTENDED REWORK) HERE.

FUTURE PAST’ (DELUXE) IS AVAILABLE HERE.

SG LEWIS’ 2022 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Following the release of his new double A-Side single, ‘Missing You’ / ‘Something About Your Love’, London-based singer-songwriter, producer and DJ, SG Lewis, has announced a new run of North American Tour dates. The 20-date tour will kick off October 6 in Boston, making stops in Brooklyn, Washington DC, Toronto, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, Seattle and more, before concluding in Portland, OR on November 12.

Speaking about getting back out on the road, SG Lewis reveals, “After years of tentative touring and cautious planning, I’m unbelievably excited to finally announce my first full US tour since 2019. I’m buzzing to be playing in some cities I’ve wanted to visit for so long, and so excited to bring you a completely new live show.“

The local presale begins tomorrow, Wednesday July 13th at 10 AM, through Thursday July 14th at 10 PM local time, followed by an exclusive Spotify Presale on Thursday, 10 AM – 10 PM local time. Tickets go on sale to the general public starting Friday, July 15th at 10 AM local time. For a full list of upcoming live dates and to purchase tickets, please visit www.sglewismusic.com.

These headlining dates will follow his previously announced live shows this summer, including his return to the beloved Palm Springs pool party festival Splash House on Saturday, August 13, and festival performances at Life Is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas (TICKETS) on Friday, September 16 and the Portola Festival in San Francisco (TICKETS) on Sunday September 25.

Last week, SG Lewis returned with two brand new singles: the nocturnal dancefloor-filler ‘Missing You‘ and the italo-influenced anthem ‘Something About Your Love.’ Right out of the gate, ‘Missing You,’ which The FADER hailed as an “80s synth-rave carried on the back of a snappy Linn drum-sprinkled beat that would make Starboy-era The Weeknd salivate,” reaches for dancefloor glory with its shimmering synths and neon bass line, nodding to eighties new wave with a chantable chorus, “I’m not missing you like I’m supposed to.” On the flip side, ‘Something About Your Love‘ fuses a funk-inflected bass line and tambourine with a luminous refrain. The release was celebrated by Dancing Astronaut, who said “Altogether, Missing You / Something About Your Love affirms SG Lewis‘ status as a musical auteur with a knack for merging the sounds of earlier decades with today’s sonics in an ever novel, dance floor-facing fashion.” Both tracks are available to buy/stream as a double A-side single today via Astralwerks.

Listen to ‘Missing You / Something About Your Love’ HERE.

Ushering in a brand-new chapter, the 70s and 80s have provided a rich seam of inspiration for contemporary artists like SG Lewis (real name Sam Lewis) and nowhere is this more potent than today’s releases. ‘Missing You‘ illuminates Lewis‘ unmatched ability to take underground club music somewhere fresh and towards a new generation and reaches for dancefloor glory with its shimmering synths and neon bass line, nodding to eighties new wave in timeless pop ecstasy. On the other end of the spectrum, the Daft Punk inspired ‘Something About Your Love‘ showcases 70s-era drums, a funk-inflected bass hook, disco-styled groove, and a luminous refrain. Both tracks are classic but deeply contemporary cuts with one suited to the adrenaline rush of your wildest night out, and the other to the blissful ride home at sunrise. This duality is a theme that permeates SG Lewis‘ new era.

Speaking about ‘Missing You,‘ SG Lewis reveals, “Conceptually, it felt like the perfect introduction. It’s a story about temptation and dwindling fear. Your eyes are wandering.” On ‘Something About Your Love,’ SG adds “It’s no secret I’m a massive Daft Punk fan. It’s the closest thing I’ve ever made to a tribute to them. I was listening to Discovery a lot, and there’s a specific technique to it. I chopped up the sample of these seventies keys and drums. It came together easily. Lyrically, It’s a pure confession of admiration for someone. It’s the perfect contrast to ‘Missing You’.“

The new tracks follow on from Sam’s debut record times, released during lockdown last year, which found one of modern pop’s secret weapons stepping out front and center, taking listeners on a voyage through soaring electronic dance and kaleidoscopic future disco with a blockbuster collection of guests. Features included Robyn and Channel Tres on ‘Impact‘ (“a house track so physical your feet may begin to move involuntarily,” according to NPR), Nile Rodgers on ‘One More‘ and Lucky Daye on fan favorite ‘Feed The Fire.’ The album received widespread critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork (who hailed it as “a pristine album”), NPR, Billboard, NME, GQ and much more, with LP highlight track ‘Chemicals‘ amassing over 55 million Spotify streams and counting, catapulting SG Lewis‘ total stream count to over 1.4 billion.

SG Lewis has cemented his status as one music’s most sought-after producers and has collaborated with the likes of Elton John, Dua Lipa, Clairo, Tove Lo, Khalid, Aluna, Victoria Monet, Raye, Ray BLK, The Neptunes/N.E.R.D’s Chad Hugo, Gerd Janson, Conducta + many more. Louis Vuitton also launched their pre-Fall campaign with Soulwax’s remix of ‘Impact’ earlier this month and Sam is well regarded in fashion circles, attending, and performing an array of parties across his illustrious career. Behind the scenes, he also produced Dave’s seminal breakout track 100’M’s’ and co-wrote ‘Hallucinate‘ for Dua Lipa‘s record-smashing number one album, Future Nostalgia. Sam has sold out headline shows across the US, Asia, Australia, and Europe as well as multiple festival appearances including prime-time slots at Coachella and Glastonbury – his raucous live shows not only make him one of London’s hottest talents, but also a formidable artist capable of making a splash on both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

A LEGOLAND® VACATION

Mrs. Nanjad got a well-deserved teaching break from, of all people, a student, and some LEGO® Bricks. Daniel Carrera, the recent winner of the Mini Master Model Builder competition at LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester and a 5th-grade student at P.S. 090 Horace Mann in Queens, gave a mini LEGO building lesson about how to create graduation-themed LEGO® models.

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester donated hundreds of LEGO® bricks to help Carrera teach the class of 25 about building special items for their 5th-grade graduation. They created a name badge, apple, pencil, and notebook as part of the special fun session, giving Mrs. Nanjad a well-deserved break to enjoy seeing one of her students become a budding LEGO® builder. On top of it all, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester surprised each student with the new Summer Play Pass so they can keep building, creating, and playing for the rest of the year at the attraction. The summer play pass will launch this weekend for the general public to purchase. $39.99 for admission Sunday – Friday until Dec 31, 2022.

Daniel is also competing to become the North American Mini-Master Model Builder. New Yorkers looking to support their local Mini-Master Model Builder can vote to start tomorrow at 9:00 AM, Jun 22, through Monday, Jun 27, at noon at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester’s Facebook page. The votes will be combined with Master Model Builders at all LEGOLAND Discovery Centers to decide the winner. Daniel thanks you for your support and hopes the first-ever North American Mini-Master Model Builder will reside in New York.

Vinay Shahani

Vice President – Head of Marketing at Lexus, Toyota Motor North America

*Listen to Vinay Shahani’s full conversation with Vaughn Lowery on the 360 MAG Podcast HERE.

As a crowded child growing up in and around Detroit, Vinay Shahani was exposed to the motor industry at a very young age. He started working at the Ford Motor Company when his father (of Sindhi descent) emigrated from India to the United States in the 1960s. Vinay became a car lover under the influence of his father: “He was in the car business, and I was also in the car business because I was his son, and I loved that.” Once he moved to Michigan, Vinay earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Stanford University. Currently, Vinay lives in the Dallas area.

Vinay is Vice President of Marketing for Lexus, a Japanese high-end car brand created by Toyota Inc., a position he has held since January 2021. He is responsible for Lexus’ marketing activities, including advertising campaigns, media and digital, product marketing and lifecycle management, auto shows, incentive and experiential marketing, and motorsports. He creates a “speak up” environment to make the opinions of all members of his team visible (agency partners and internal staff). Identifying social and commercial values helps expand the brand to various groups of consumers who may not align with the preferences of the Asian population, such as Walton Isaacson (black, Hispanic, and LGBTIQ community) and the IW group.

In addition, he oversees motorsports, engagement marketing, car shows, and other consumer events throughout the United States. Vasser Sullivan is a race team, with worldwide competitors such as Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi, that Lexus empowers with some of the best drivers – “We definitely want to win, and we have a winning team.” Meanwhile, Lexus also helps improve consumers’ skills in car track by providing the opportunity to study professionally at Performance Driving School.

Since the brand is determined to treat consumers as valued guests, one of Vinay’s top initiatives iis Lexus Hospitality, as it is inspired by the Japanese spirit of hospitality and is committed to providing excellence in customer service.

Another dimension within the marketing field is monitoring and analyzing the results after experimenting with the Lexus IS 500 model and the Lexus RC F Track Edition.

Under the massive influence of the metaverse today, Vinay mentions that Lexus is creating its own Mark Netscape plus Upstream to figure out what the role of Lexus is as a brand in the metaverse. In addition, they are in talks with global partners like Lexus International to find out what is being sought out in Japan while identifying markets in the US, Canada, and Great Britain. Based on the diverse target audience of Lexus in the United States, Vinay seeks to use digital media and the National Brand Day to show brand culture and emotion, even

creating a TikTok account to get closer to younger audiences.

As a high environment-friendly brand, by 2035, Vinay plans for Lexus to be a ‘global 100% battery electric’ vehicle brand to reduce fossil fuel consumption and emissions. With these measures, it’s great to see the carbon footprint will be reduced thanks to the company’s shift.

Finally, Vinay adds that “it is important that we know who we are as a brand from a strategic perspective.” With this, they are trying to add attractive and technological accessories to their vehicles that give the driver great confidence in the handling and control of their car. “Maintaining a love for performance cars gets your heart rate up, it excites you, and that’s something we definitely want to associate with different brands.”

Article:

Andrea Esteban, Vaughn Lowery, Krishan Narsinghani, Armon Hayes

Resources:

Lexus & Toyota Motor North America

Links to the 2023 product announcements: Toyota New Product Showcase and

Lexus New Product Showcase

RZ images can be found within the 2023 Lexus RZ album on this page.

Link to each brand’s Livestream press conference:

Toyota | Lexus

Link to Toyota Connected ‘Cabin Awareness’ Concept press release

Links to the final PDFs of the speaker support slides for each presentation:

Toyota , Lexus × Sequoia First Drive

Follow Vinay Shahani: Instagram | LinkedIn

Michaels × Project Sunshine

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The Michaels Companies, Inc. and Project Sunshine are partnering this holiday season to bring joy to pediatric patients and their families with a new Under the Sea Craft Kit for kids to use during their hospital stay. Project Sunshine, which provides support for families facing medical challenges and healing through the power of play, worked with Michaels, the largest arts and crafts retailer in North America, to create more than 30,000 Craft Kits. The Craft Kits will be sent to hospitals across the country for young patients facing illness or other medical challenges. The rollout begins at Children’s Health in Dallas in December and will continue across the U.S. and Canada next year.

The Michaels and Project Sunshine Under the Sea Craft Kits are individualized packets of materials to inspire play and engagement, spark joy and provide therapeutic value to the physical and emotional healing process. Delivered in an illustrated seascape canvas bag that patients can paint and customize, each Craft Kit comes with a submarine notebook for self-expression, a velvet cat-mermaid ornament, a wooden shark and seashell windchime, a yarn fish stitch kit, markers and a paint set.

To kick off this initiative, Michaels CEO Ashley Buchanan and Project Sunshine Executive Director Whitney Namm Pollack visited Children’s Health in Dallas, Texas on Thursday, December 16, 2021, to deliver these new Craft Kits to the hospital. Additionally, Children’s Health Child Life Specialists decorated a patient playroom to bring more joy to families at the hospital during the holiday season.

“As a father of three, I feel for the families going through long-term hospital stays,” said Ashley Buchanan, CEO, The Michaels Companies. “Together, with Project Sunshine, we are happy to inspire creativity and provide a bit of entertainment to these children and their families, one Craft Kit at a time.”

“The Project Sunshine and Michaels partnership ensures that 30,000 hospitalized children across the United States will experience play and joy through this new Craft Kit. The power of creativity that Michaels provides is a healthy distraction and supports healing at a much-needed time,” said Whitney Namm Pollack, Executive Director of Project Sunshine.

In this first year of partnership, Michaels Team Members and customers raised $120,000 to support Project Sunshine during the month of July 2021 with a point-of-sale donation option at retail locations across the country. Michaels and Project Sunshine will continue this partnership in 2022.

About The Michaels Companies, Inc.

The Michaels Companies, Inc. is the largest specialty retailer in North America providing the best assortment of curated arts and crafts componentry. We operate 1,275 stores in 49 states and Canada and online HERE and HERE. In addition, The Michaels Companies, Inc. owns Artistree, a manufacturer of custom and specialty framing merchandise. Our company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

About Project Sunshine

Project Sunshine is a global network of volunteers that brings the healing power of playing together to support children with medical challenges. Project Sunshine partners with 450+ hospital partners and 20,000+ Project Sunshine volunteers to support pediatric patients and their families. To learn more about Project Sunshine, click HERE.

Benee – New World Tour

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Today, New Zealand’s platinum sensation BENEE announces her first foray out into the world since the pandemic struck with her 2022 headline world tour. The North American leg kicks off on May 31^st in Montreal and makes stops in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and more—see the full list of dates below and HERE The 21-year-old artist broke through with “Supalonely,” her global hit with nearly 4 billion streams, and like many artists has had to wait for a chance to tour outside of her home country again. Next year’s tour will be BENEE’s first time playing shows in North America since 2019.

Tickets will go on sale this week, beginning with a fan pre-sale tomorrow, November 16^th at 9AM local time, Spotify pre-sale on Wednesday, November 17^th at 9AM local time, promoter pre-sale on Thursday, November 18^th at 9AM local time, and general on-sale on Friday, November 19^th at 9AM local time.

“I am beyond excited to announce that my WORLD TOUR KICKS OFF next year!!!!!!!!!,” says BENEE. “It’s been such a long time coming & we’ve lived through a lot in these weird times but shows starting up again has rly got everyone sosososodo happyyy!!!! I can’t wait to get back out there & meet all of u and play a bunch of new musiiiiiicccc!!”

“I AM SO READY TO TOUR!!,” she exclaims. “Doing shows with my band is the best thing and I have missed it so badly this year. Waiting, rescheduling, waiting again has been incredibly difficult.”

BENEE recently made a momentous return with her new single “Doesn’t Matter,” her first new music since 2020’s debut album Hey u x. The song is a deeply revealing track that reflects the singer’s journey through the emotional clatter of 2021. The track is off to a flying start, streaming over 1 million times in its first week and receiving praise from the likes of Billboard, Entertainment Tonight, Ones To Watch, PAPER Magazine, Stereogum, UPROXX, V Magazine, and many more.

BENEE’s dreamy alt-pop mixes her deeply heartfelt reflections on life in suburban Auckland, New Zealand with offbeat and often whimsical lyrical encounters with zombies and snails, all produced with a technicolor ear for cooked beats and unpredictable hooks. Hey u x is a vibrant musical world with guests ranging from Grimes and Lily Allen to Gus Dapperton and Muroki (another New Zealand teen BENEE has since signed to her own label, Olive). It was listed as one of Billboard’s “25 Best Pop Albums of 2020,” noting that BENEE “contemplates the woes of Gen Z with a keen ear for choruses and arrangements that oscillate between indie rock and hyperpop.” Stereogum praised its “quirky but impeccably produced pop music” and Vogue called it “13 tracks of heavenly indie-alt-pop.”

A forthcoming EP release leads into plans for 2022 with the thing that excites BENEE the most—a hefty touring schedule that will bring her live show to adoring fans around the world at last.

BENEE 2022 WORLD TOUR

NORTH AMERICA – with special guest Dreamer Boy

May 31            Montreal, QC              Corona Theatre
June 1             Toronto, ON                Phoenix Concert Theatre
June 3            Minneapolis, MN         First Avenue
June 4             Chicago, IL                 Vic Theatre
June 6             Detroit, MI                   St. Andrew’s Hall
June 7             Columbus, OH            Newport Music Hall
June 8             Washington, DC         9:30 Club
June 14           Boston, MA                 House of Blues
June 15           Philadelphia, PA         Theatre of Living Arts
June 17           Atlanta, GA                 Variety Playhouse
June 21           Englewood, CO          Gothic Theatre
June 22           Salt Lake City, UT      The Depot
June 24           Seattle, WA                 The Showbox
June 25           Portland, OR               Crystal Ballroom
June 26           Vancouver, BC           Vogue Theatre
June 28           San Francisco, CA     The Warfield Theatre
June 30           Los Angeles, CA         The Novo

Bugatti Ending Chiron Production

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With global demand for the Bugatti Chiron surging in Q3 2021, production of the limited run of 500 has now entered its final phase. Fewer than 40 Chiron models remain available to order, in a Chiron Pur Sport or Super Sport model, rounding off a remarkable era of Bugatti’s history

The Bugatti Chiron quickly established itself as the new benchmark of the hyper sports car market. As the fastest and most powerful production vehicle in the marque’s 112-year history, the Chiron pushed the boundaries of automotive design, technology, engineering and manufacturing.

Four years since the very first of 500 bespoke units left the Atelier in Molsheim, the Chiron now enters its final production phase in Pur Sport and Super Sport form only, with less than 40 build slots left to be allocated. The final units of the Chiron and Chiron Sport are already being handcrafted, or scheduled to be built at Bugatti’s Molsheim Atelier, making way for the final encore of the Chiron era.

Since its highly anticipated reveal at the Geneva International Motorshow in 2016, the global success of Bugatti’s most recent hyper sports car platform has been unprecedented. 18 months after its initial announcement, 300 of the limited 500 series run of the Chiron had been sold. This sales momentum has continued throughout the years and into 2021, despite global challenges such as COVID-19. The United States is Chiron’s strongest market, contributing significantly to a record-breaking quarter in Q3, which welcomed Chiron sales that doubled year-on-year and even tripled in some regions.

With the revival of in-person events such as Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and a range of exclusive customer and media drive events, the Chiron continues to help drive Bugatti’s momentum, attracting universal acclaim, as the model becomes an increasingly rare proposition.

Hendrik Malinowski, Director of Sales and Operations, comments: “Our discerning customer base across the world consists of true Bugatti connoisseurs. They are hard-working, self-made individuals who regard owning one or multiple Bugatti masterpieces as the realization of a dream. They understand the devotion behind the pioneering design and engineering of each Chiron model. Their appreciation for the provenance and performance of our hyper sports cars comes from a genuine passion for the brand.

“With the Chiron Pur Sport and Super Sport, we are offering customers the culmination of years of continual development of the Chiron platform. This spectrum of performance, whether it be hitting the apex on-track, or cruising on Autobahns in total luxury, takes the Chiron to an entirely new level. Now with so few build slots remaining, the purity of the W16 recipe is being honored in style.”

Hitting the ground running

Throughout its lifetime, the Chiron has collected a multitude of accolades for its design and performance capabilities, solidifying its position in automotive history as one of the all-time greats. With a peak power output of 1,500 PS-a record for a series-production vehicle-1,600 newton meters and a host of surplus technological innovations, the Chiron redefined the pinnacle of automotive engineering in the 2010s. Sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.4 seconds, 200 km/h is reached in 6.1 seconds, with the 300 km/h mark achieved in 13.1 seconds.

The Chiron wasted no time in securing its first production car record in 2017, setting a new 0-400-0 km/h world record in a mere 41.96 seconds – the fastest time ever reached and officially measured at the time. Continuing a run of unrelenting success, just two years later, the Chiron reached speeds once thought to be unreachable by a road car. A near production prototype derivative of the hyper sports car surpassed the magic 300 mph limit with a speed of 304.773 mph (490.484 km/h)-a world record that stunned the automotive world and secured the Chiron’s status as an unquestionable automotive legend.

Building on a winning formula

Joining the Chiron family in 2020, the Chiron Pur Sport built upon the exceptional Chiron foundation to offer customers a truly uncompromising hyper sports car that is optimized for dynamic agility and downforce. With an entirely new aerodynamic, transmission and weight configuration, the Chiron Pur Sport effortlessly delivers the pin-sharp handling of a thoroughbred, hitting apexes in its stride. A 50-kilogram weight reduction and firmer suspension, combined with a 1.90 meter rear wing and close-ratio transmission mean the Chiron Pur Sport radiates connection and feel between driver and road surface.

2021 saw the unveiling of Bugatti’s latest masterpiece–the Chiron Super Sport–which alongside the Pur Sport will make up the final 40 units of Bugatti’s 500-strong Chiron production run. As the quintessence of luxury and speed, the Chiron Super Sport has been designed to embrace supreme longitudinal speed without compromising luxury and comfort.

As such, the Chiron Super Sport is regarded as the ultimate Grand Tourisme, capable of crossing continents in a heartbeat. Defined by its longtail design, the Super Sport achieves extreme levels of aerodynamic efficiency, enabling the hyper sports car to reach speeds of up to 440 km/h. With an upgraded version of the renowned Bugatti 8.0-liter W16 engine, the Super Sport outputs 1,600PS – increasing power by 100PS over the base Chiron.

SEC Network – TrueSouth

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TrueSouth Presented by YellaWood floats into Lake Village, Ark. The series, now in its fourth season on SEC Network, revolves around two food stories told from one place, which TrueSouth sets in conversation to make larger points about Southern beliefs and identities. New in season four is a special fifth episode that runs the length of the Mississippi River.

Episode Summary
TrueSouth focuses on the great state of Arkansas, and on the river that defines its eastern flank. Sometimes when the Mississippi River changes course, it leaves behind an old bend in the main channel called an oxbow. Lake Chicot, home to Lake Village, Ark., is the largest oxbow in North America.

Here, we explore how that river has shaped place and people. At Cowboy’s Steakhouse, Santa Lee, the first-born son of Chinese immigrants, cooks prime ribeyes in the rear of a chain pizza restaurant. At Rhoda’s Famous Hot Tamales and Pies, Rhoda Adams and her daughter Dorothy Adams Mitchell bake half-pecan and half-sweet potato pies worth a three-hour drive.

In Lake Village, we celebrate family legacies with a daughter who looks after her mother. And a son who, like his father, works to make his children proud. Local music is always foundational to our shows. This time out we crowd-sourced a number of songs from viewers. Listen out for Arkansans Greg Spradlin from Pangburn and Adam Faucett from Benton.

Season Summary
Season four of TrueSouth began in Scott, La., the buckle on the Boudin Belt that stretches across Cajun Country. After Lake Village, Ark. comes Mobile Bay, Ala., for flounder breakfasts and beach bar burgers. Episode four lands TrueSouth in St. Louis, Mo., a city that straddles the South and the Midwest, built on immigrants and sandwiches. New this season is a fifth episode, focused this time on a run along the big river to Doe’s Eat Place in Greenville, Miss.

About TrueSouth
TrueSouth is a limited series on Southern food and culture, airing monthly on SEC Network. Four-time James Beard Award winner John T. Edge writes and hosts the show, which is executive produced by two-time New York Times best-selling author, ESPN senior writer Wright Thompson, and produced by Bluefoot Entertainment.

The series, now in its fourth season, revolves around two food stories told from one place, which TrueSouth sets in conversation to make larger points about Southern beliefs and identities. This season’s featured places are Scott, La., Lake Village, Ark., Mobile Bay, Ala., St. Louis, Mo., and Greenville, Miss. Seasons 1-3 of TrueSouth are available in their entirety on ESPN+.

Music plays an integral role in TrueSouth’s storytelling via on-screen performances and on-screen credits. TrueSouth playlist on Spotify shares the full soundtrack and score of every season of TrueSouth.

X Ambassadors Release New Song – Adrenaline

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Multi-platinum-selling rock band X Ambassadors share a new song called “Adrenaline.” Released via KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records, “Adrenaline” follows last month’s release of “Okay” and the June release of their darkly cinematic track “My Own Monster” whose black-and-white visual finds Harris performing a choreographed routine with his own shadow. All three songs will be featured on the band’s third studio album The Beautiful Liar which is set for release on September 24th. Fans who pre-order the album will receive “Adrenaline,” “Okay” and “My Own Monster” instantly. Watch the pseudo video for “Adrenaline” here.

In the making of the ineffably catchy “Adrenaline” the band set their sights on redefining the parameters of the prototypical arena-rock anthem. “In the past we’ve done songs like ‘Jungle,’ which is a very aggro rock song where I’m shouting the whole time,” says lead singer Sam Nelson Harris, referring to their platinu X Ambassadors Release New Song “Adrenaline” Todaym-certified 2015 hit. “With ‘Adrenaline’ I wanted to see if we could make something that felt just as anthemic, but where I’m whispering for most of the song.”

Tickets are on sale now for the band’s The Beautiful Liar tour which kicks off October 15th in San Diego, CA at HOB, and will hit North America this fall with dates planned for Europe in early 2022. Scarypoolparty and Taylor Janzen will open the show on all North American dates. See below for a complete list of dates and to purchase tickets visit X Ambassadors.

2021
*Scarypoolparty direct support, Taylor Janzen will open the show.
October 15 San Diego, CA – HOB
October 16 Phoenix AZ – Marquee
October 18 Tulsa, OK – Cain’s
October 19 Austin, TX – Emo’s
October 22 Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl
October 23 Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom
October 25 Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
October 27 New York, NY – Webster Hall
October 28 Boston, MA – Big Night Live
October 29 Philadelphia, PA – TLA
October 30 Washington, DC – Lincoln Theater
November 1 Toronto, ONT – Danforth
November 2 Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s
November 4 Chicago, IL – Vic
November 5 Indianapolis, IN – Deluxe
November 6 Milwaukee, WI – Rave
November 8 Kansas City, MO – Truman
November 9 Minneapolis, MN – Varsity
November 11 Denver, CO – Ogden
November 12 Salt Lake City, UT – The Depot
November 13 Boise, ID – Revolution Concert House
November 15 Seattle, WA – Showbox
November 16 Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
November 17 Portland, OR – Roseland
November 19 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
November 20 Los Angeles, CA – Belasco

2022
February 22 London, UK – eARTH
February 23 Manchester, UK – Club Academy
March 7 Krakow, POL – Klub Studio
March 9 Gdansk, POL – B90
March 10 Vilnius, LITH – Loftas
March 11 Riga, LAT – Palladium
March 15 Kiev, UKR – Caribbean
March 17 Moscow, RUSS – Izvestia Hall
March 18 St Petersburg, RUSS – Morze

“Adrenaline,” “Okay” and “My Own Monster” mark the start of a compelling new lyrical direction for X Ambassadors and is the first new music from the band since their hyper-creative multi-part project (Eg). A three-song effort released in early 2021, (Eg) found the band collaborating with a series of similarly forward-thinking artists, including Earl St. Clair, Terrell Hines, and Jensen McRae.

About X Ambassadors
X Ambassadors made their full-length debut with VHS, a 2015 release that saw the band transition from Ithaca alt-rockers and Brooklyn-indie-scene outsiders to Billboard stalwarts. Now certified platinum, VHS provided an intimate look at Sam Nelson Harris and his brother Casey Harris’s youth, delivering the genre-defying hits “Unsteady” and “Renegades” and leading to a three-year global touring odyssey as well as a string of high-profile festival performances. VHS was followed by X Ambassadors’ 2019 sophomore album ORION, which they supported with an extensive headline tour of the U.S. A project inspired by ’60s and ’70s soul and R&B, the band’s Belong EP arrived in March 2020.

X Ambassadors – The Beautiful Liar eAlbum Pre-Order