Entertainment
Taylor Swift Is Finally Heading Back To The CMAs After A Decade Away
Taylor Swift doesn’t usually confirm her awards-show plans ahead of time, but “I Knew It, I Knew You” apparently changed the math. Minutes after the Country Music Association announced her nomination for single of the year, Swift posted to her Instagram Stories in all caps: “LOOKS LIKE I HAVEN’T YEE’D MY LAST HAW. THANK YOU CMA!!!! See you there Nov. 18.” A cowboy-hat emoji sealed the deal — a nod to Jessie, the yodeling cowgirl she voices in “Toy Story 5,” whose closing song is the one earning her the nomination.
It’s been ten years since Swift last showed up to a CMA Awards ceremony at all. Back in 2016, she slipped in as a surprise presenter to hand Garth Brooks his entertainer of the year trophy, and that was it — no performance, no speech, just a quick cameo before disappearing back into pop territory. Before that, her last time on the CMA stage was 2013, trading verses with Vince Gill on a stripped-down “Red.”
“I Knew It, I Knew You” has been climbing steadily since it landed, and just three days before the nomination, Billboard and Luminate confirmed it hit No. 1 on the country airplay chart. That’s a real number, not a nostalgia lap — proof that Swift’s country instincts, dormant since “Red” gave way to “1989” eleven years ago, still translate. Whether she’ll actually perform it on the telecast is the one thing she’s keeping to herself.
The timing lines up with what could be a stacked awards run — the song is also expected to turn up in Grammy and Oscar conversations before the season’s out. And Swifties, never ones to leave a theory unturned, are already circling the calendar for a possible “Taylor’s Version” of her 2006 debut, given the album turns 20 this year. Nothing’s confirmed there. But for one night in November, at least, the cowgirl boots are back on.
Celebrity
Meek Mill Draws Mixed Reactions With Drill Take on Nico & Vinz’s “Am I Wrong”
Meek Mill has released a couple of songs that leaked online recently, giving fans a proper way to hear the tracks after they popped up over the weekend. “Philly Heathens” has been praised for its attention to street culture and youth affected by violence, but his other new album, “Am I Wrong,” has received a much more divided response.
“Philly Heathens” has been praised for its lyrics about street culture and the young people who get caught up in violence. “Am I Wrong,” however, takes a vastly different approach, remixing the song of the same name by Nico & Vinz as a drill centric interpolation.
“Am I Wrong” is now 12 years old, and its connection to the EDM sound of the time makes it especially recognizable to those who grew up with it. So Meek’s take is built on a familiar musical reference, but the response has been far from universally complimentary. A lot of the criticism has been directed at the hook. The production has also been called dated, but the track was leaked, which may explain its sound. But the strongest reactions have focused on Meek’s chorus vocals.
Read More: Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”
Some of the responses have been good, though. Some listeners felt the track was a throwback to the blog era, while others thought the criticism targeted almost entirely the hook, not the song as a whole. One Reddit commenter wrote that the track was good, but the chorus was bad, suggesting that Meek’s performance on the rest of the song was better than the reception to the hook may suggest.
The different reactions demonstrate the contrast between Meek’s two new leaks. “Philly Heathens” has resonated with audiences for its subject matter, while “Am I Wrong” has sparked discussion due to its interpolation and vocal approach.
Both songs are now officially available on YouTube so that fans can decide for themselves. The response to “Am I Wrong” shows how difficult it is to reinterpret a well known song, especially when a recognizable hook becomes the centerpiece of the new version
Celebrity
Drake Joins Karol G in Houston for First Live Performance of “Ahi”
Drake made a surprise appearance in Houston this weekend, joining Karol G on stage for the first-ever live performance of their collaboration, “Ahi.”
The surprise appearance took place during Karol G’s show in Houston, where Drake jumped out from the bottom of the stage to perform the song with her. “Ahi” is the latest from Karol G’s project No Me Arrepiento de Sentir Tanto, and the Houston show marked the first time the pair had performed the collaboration together on stage.
Drake made his entrance to a loud reception from the crowd. The rapper popped out from under the stage, bowed to Karol G, hugged her, and launched into their collaboration. With “Ahi,” the performance was not over. Drake stayed on stage and carried on with the set, performing “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” and giving the Houston crowd a long set from the Canadian rapper.
The collaboration also sparked speculation about Drake’s upcoming music. A rumor started that Karol G was one of the collaborators on the project, along with Molly Santana and Future, days before ICEMAN is expected to drop. Future and Molly Santana were among the names on the rumored list, and Future ended up on “Run To Atlanta.”
Read More: Cardi B and Kehlani’s “Safe” Takes Best HipHop at the VMAs
Drake’s Houston appearance comes as he continues to promote music outside the traditional album release cycle. He released FOMO, a visual YouTube project featuring visuals for several songs from Habibti and Maid Of Honor nearly two weeks ago. The project also featured a couple of unreleased songs, including new material with Yeat and new unreleased music with Don Toliver.
Drake and Don Toliver have also dropped a remix of Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas.” The remix has recently sparked speculation about the artists after re uploaded visuals allegedly erased all footage of Langley.
But the Houston show shifted the focus back to Drake and Karol G. The surprise appearance turned the stop into the first live showcase of “Ahi” for the audience, while Drake’s renditions of “Janice STFU” and “One Dance” extended his surprise time onstage. It also gave fans their first chance to see the two artists perform their collaboration together, adding a live chapter to the release of “Ahi. “
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