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Miley Cyrus donates $500k to Hurricane Harvey relief

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Miley Cyrus is donating $500k to the Hurricane Harvey relief. Here’s the scoop:

Recently Miley Cyrus appeared on Ellen’s show to announce her $500k donation. This video was posted on August 30. Today, this video peaked at #10 on YouTube Trending.

Miley Cyrus wore a sleeveless Elvis Presley shirt with a glittery purple skirt. Ellen praised Cyrus’s gesture of generosity after announcing her $500,000 donation. Cyrus began to cry while announcing that she would donate this money to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Moved, Cyrus expressed the importance of acting with kindness and understanding.

“I’m really happy to help in any way that I can and I hope that people understand and can put themselves in those people’s shoes and just know what it feels like to have everything taken away from you,” Cyrus stated.

Miley Cyrus is also scheduled to be on Ellen in September. She shared this tweet:

Miley Cyrus is donating $500,000 through the Happy Hippie Foundation. She joins Beyoncé, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Sandra Bullock in the list of celebrities who have donated to Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Also, Google announced that they raised $2 million towards helping the victims. Click here to make a donation.

2017 GRAMMYs: Here’s the scoop

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Written by Giavanna Foster

The Grammys is one of the most popular music shows seen around the world. It honors the achievements of recording artists from all genres. The first Grammy Awards ceremony took place on May 4, 1959. This year marks the 59th annual celebration of music’s biggest night. Here’s the scoop:

This year’s Grammys nominees list is filled with standouts who accomplished success in the music industry. With Lemonade, Beyoncé leads with 9 nominations. Rihanna, Drake, and Kanye West received 8 nominations apiece. Beyoncé’s “Formation” and Rihanna’s “Work” (featuring Drake) received nominations for record of the year. Drake’s “Hotline Bling” skyrocketed in popularity, and it now has over 1 billion YouTube views.

With Coloring Book, Chance the Rapper received 7 nominations. Coloring Book is the first streaming album to earn a top 10 Billboard 200 debut. “Juke Jam”, track 9, features Justin Bieber and Towkio. This tune creates nostalgia from an innocent relationship that didn’t last. Chance, Drake and Kanye received nominations in the best rap album category. Chance is nominated for the best new artist category. He joins recording artists Anderson .Paak, Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, and the Chainsmokers.

On January 25, the Recording Academy tweeted to announce that Bruno Mars will be performing at the Grammys. “🎶 Pop pop, it’s show time 🎶 Four-time GRAMMY winner and current nominee @BrunoMars returns to the stage Feb. 12 🎉,” they tweeted. See the tweet below:

Bruno Mars, Adele, John Legend, Metallica, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban will be performing at this year’s Grammys telecast. This year marks Adele’s fourth Grammys performance and Mars’ second performance. Mars is nominated as a producer for his work on Adele’s 25, which is also nominated. Bruno Mars and Adele co-wrote “All I Ask”.

With Storyteller, Carrie Underwood achieved multiple number-one single debuts. Storyteller has been certified platinum by the RIAA. Underwood is a seven-time Grammy winner with fifteen total nominations.

“Church Bells” and “Heartbeat” are Underwood’s back-to-back hits. Both landed the number one position on Billboard’s Country Airplay charts. Carrie Underwood’s “Church Bells” is nominated for best country solo performance. It is the third track of Storyteller. To see Underwood’s performance of “Church Bells”, watch the following video:

Keith Urban’s Ripcord achieved impressive feats. Urban’s latest album scored two nominations. “Blue Ain’t Your Color”, track 7 of Ripcord, earned a nomination for the best country solo performance category. Ripcord also received a best country album nomination. It debuted at the number one position on Billboard’s country albums charts.

Urban also performed “Blue Ain’t Your Color” live at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Here is a video of Urban’s performance:

This month, Keith Urban was interviewed by Billboard magazine. Billboard asked him what winning a Grammy would mean to him, as an artist. “It’s a euphoric feeling for me as an artist, to know how many records are made and how many records get narrowed down into that nomination category,” Urban says. “In a lot of ways, really, the first award is that nomination.” Earning recognition from the Grammys is a true honor. Urban is a four-time Grammy winner with eighteen total nominations.

The Recording Academy tweeted to announce that Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood will be singing a duet at the Grammys. “Current nominees & will perform together on Music’s Biggest Night Feb. 12 🎶 ,” they tweeted.

John Legend played the role of Keith in La La Land. Legend’s song choice will be a surprise, as he will either perform “Love Me Now” or a song from La La Land. Below, John Legend sings “Start a Fire” in the official La La Land trailer:

The Grammy Awards will be hosted in Los Angeles’ Staples Center by James Corden. Tune in to CBS at 8 p.m. EST on February 12 to watch this year’s live telecast. If you’re in Hollywood, then the GRAMMYs will start at 5 p.m. PST. Find your time zone here.

Follow US to stay updated and vote in our latest polls.

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Interested in more @GRAMMYs news? See the following links:

2017 Grammys | Full list of nominees

Marie Claire | 2017 Grammys Performers

Billboard | Bruno Mars to perform at 2017 Grammys

ETOnline.com | Beyonce, Adele, Justin Bieber and More Land Nominations

The Boot | Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott on Grammy Nom

Grace VanderWaal featured on Tonight Show, Teen Vogue, and Ellen

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Written by Giavanna Foster

Grace VanderWaal is now a viral sensation after winning season 11 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Recently, Grace has made several television appearances. She is featured on the Tonight Show, Teen Vogue, and Ellen.

Grace VanderWaal performed “I Don’t Know My Name” on Ellen. Grace first performed this song on NBC’s America’s Got Talent. Her first performance now has over 39 million YouTube views. “I Don’t Know My Name” is easy going and universally relatable. This tune is about the journey of self-exploration and finding yourself. The YouTube clip of Grace performing on Ellen now has over 3 million views. Click the picture below to watch Grace perform on Ellen:

Grace VanderWaal appeared on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. VanderWaal performed “Clay”, a catchy anti-bullying song. “Clay” is a true power anthem because Grace sings confidently that she will not change anything about herself for anyone. Also, Fallon announced that VanderWaal signed a new record deal with Sony Music’s Columbia Records. Grace joins Adele, Paul McCartney, and Beyoncé, who are also signed with this record label. This accomplishment is only the beginning of Grace’s very successful career.

After Grace signed with Columbia Records, she received more well-deserved support. Teen Vogue features A-list celebrities like Selena Gomez, Emma Watson, Taylor Swift, and Alexa Chung. Teen Vogue sent this congratulatory tweet directly to Grace VanderWaal:

Teen Vogue also interviewed Grace VanderWaal, a down-to-earth and relatable girl. In the interview, Grace and her sister eat pop rocks together. Last year, Grace was inspired to pick up the ukulele. Grace’s music is inspired by people she’s read about, seen in movies, or met in person. Also, Grace received lots of fan mail and drawings. Grace loves to binge-watch Netflix in her leisure time with her dog (pronounced coo-row).

With over 247k Twitter followers and a record deal, Grace VanderWaal is a force to be reckoned with. Grace holds the record as one of the youngest winners of NBC’s America’s Got Talent. VanderWaal proves that authenticity, hard work, and faith are the three main ingredients towards success. For more updates, follow Grace VanderWaal on Twitter here.

 

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2016 Summer Olympics throwback

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Written by Giavanna Foster

The 2016 Summer Olympics took place in Rio de Janeiro. This year’s Games were filled with a display of hard work, friendships amongst competitors, and outstanding commitments to athleticism.  All of the athletes are winners because they received well-deserved recognition for their commitment to athletic excellence. America, Great Britain, and China received the most medals. Each country earned over 65 honorary medals, which is an impressive nationwide total. If you were to add up the medals won from all three countries, it would equal 258 medals. Here’s the medal count chart for America, China, and Great Britain:

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Great Britain placed in the top 3 with 67 medals. Andy Murray is a tennis standout because he earned his second consecutive singles gold medal after defeating Juan Martin del Potro. With his two-peat, Murray achieved an unprecedented Olympics record. Murray emerged from this year’s Games as a tennis legend in the making. A very humbled Murray felt emotionally overwhelmed and ecstatic after his victory. Click here to read more information about his impressive achievement.

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From Great Britain, Lynsey Sharp is a track-and-field standout. As a sophomore athlete, Sharp is a good sport and she exemplifies the meaning of hard work and persistence. Sharp is Europe’s 2012 champion as well as a 2012 London Olympics participant. Also, Sharp earned a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. This year, Sharp placed in the top 6 for the track and field category. The top 3 winners of the 800 meter run were South Africa’s Caster Semenya, Burundi’s Francine Niyonsaba, and Kenya’s Margaret Wambui. To look at the complete score list, click here.

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Britain’s Lynsey Sharp applauds during the athletics event at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016. / AFP / OLIVIER MORIN (Photo credit should read OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images)

China placed in the top 3 with 70 medals. Weightlifter Deng Wei and diver He Zi achieved impressive feats. Deng Wei shined brightly in the weightlifting category. Deng Wei set two world records in 63 kg finals for clean and jerk (147 kg) as well as the total earned medals (262 kg). Wei has gained international fame as a Chinese weightlifter. She has also earned gold medals in Turkey, the United States, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. Wei’s record is impressive and it proves that hard work and faith will catapult you to unlimited success.

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               Day 4, Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Riocentro – Pavilion 2.                   August 9, 2016. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

He Zi emerged as a true champion and bride-to-be at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Zi earned a silver medal in the women’s 3-meter springboard diving competition. After the medal ceremony, Chinese diver Qin Kai surprised her with a golden wedding proposal. For Zi, this year’s ceremony is unforgettable because it celebrates her commitments to hard work and pure love. For more information, please click here.

Clavados - Ceremonia de premiación de trampolín femenino desde 3 mts

America placed in the top 3 with 121 medals. Five exceptional girls stood out in the gymnastics category and they are well-known as the final five: Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, Aly Raisman and Gabby Douglas. Raisman and Douglas are sophomore athletes, as they previously competed in the 2012 Olympics. Also, Kocian won the 2015 uneven bars world championship. The Final Five are outstanding and they were featured on television after their golden win at the Olympics.

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The Final Five will be featured on the 2016 National Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions. The tour begins September 15 and ends November 13. This year’s Kellogg’s Tour of Gymnastics Champions is produced by USA Gymnastics in partnership with AEG Facilities. The Kellogg Company is primarily sponsoring it. GK Elite, Hershey’s, Hilton, International Gymnastics Camp and Procter and Gamble have also partnered as sponsors for this year’s Tour. To read more about the tour, please click here.

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The Final Five have appeared on television since their big win. They presented the best female video award to Beyoncé at this year’s VMAs. The Final Five are featured on ABC, Access Hollywood and Jimmy Fallon. Also, Laurie Hernandez is competing in season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. Amber Rose and Jake T. Austin are also dancing for the Mirror Ball. Dancing with the Stars airs Mondays on ABC at 8|7 c. Read more about this season’s cast here.

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In addition, Simone Biles appeared on the Ellen show twice. On Biles’ second television appearance, Biles sat down with Ellen to discuss her big win. If you missed it, then click here to watch the YouTube clip. Biles announced on the Ellen show that she will be releasing Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, A Life in Balance. This autobiographical novel is inspired by her life story and victories, including 14 gold medals. Courage to Soar will be released worldwide on November 15. If you would like to pre-order Biles’ novel on Amazon, please click here.

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This year’s Games celebrated the rewards of exceptional athletic commitment. Every athlete’s life story is inspirational because it proves that honorary recognition can be earned for doing what you love with tenacious hard work and faith. The next Summer Olympics will take place in 2020.

The 2020 Games will launch in Tokyo from July 24 to August 9. It will feature thirty-three sports: baseball, softball, skateboarding, karate, judo, and more. See the official YouTube video announcement posted by NBC Sports here.

 

Rihanna receives Vanguard Award and 2016 MTV Video Music Awards recap

Posted on by artsnla

Written by Giavanna Foster

The 2016 VMAs took place on August 28 at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, New York. This star-studded event featured the latest trending videos and fan favorites. The list of presenters included Jimmy Fallon, Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, Aly Raisman, Fifth Harmony, Drake, and Kim Kardashian. Here is the recap:

Rihanna shined bright like a diamond at the VMAs, as she was one of the biggest winners of the evening. She opened and closed the show with a 4-part set that featured a shuffled selection of her hit songs. This list includes “Only Girl (In the World)”, “We Found Love”, and “Diamonds”. Mary J. Blige introduced Rihanna’s closing number,”Love On The Brain”. (Rihanna also performed this soulful tune at the Billboard Music Awards.)

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Also, Rihanna is this year’s Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award recipient. With over 64 million Twitter followers, Rihanna has made her mark in the industry as an international icon that impacts music, pop culture, fashion, film, and philanthropy. She is also the best-selling digital artist. Watch her MTV Vanguard Award speech below:

At 28, Rihanna joins the prestigious list of Vanguard Award recipients that include Justin Timberlake, Madonna, and Britney Spears. Drake presented the Vanguard Award to Rihanna. Drake also delivered a heartfelt and respectful speech. In the speech, he said that Rihanna is “a living, breathing legend”.

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Beyoncé was another big winner at the VMAs. This year Beyoncé won 8 VMA awards and she was nominated for 11 categories. “Formation” received 6 awards that include Best Direction and Best Pop Video. It also won the Video of the Year award, which Jimmy Fallon presented to Beyoncé. “Hold Up” received the Best Female Video award. Simone Biles, Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, and Aly Raisman presented this VMA award.

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Adele received 8 nominations at this year’s VMAs along with well-deserved recognition on YouTube. Adele’s “Hello” received 7 nominations that include Best Editing, Best Female Video, Cinematography, and Visual Effects. “Hello” has achieved the rare milestone of being featured in the top 10 most viewed YouTube videos of all time. Right now “Hello” stands strong at #6 with 1.7 billion views on YouTube. “Hello” reached 1 billion views on YouTube in 87 days, breaking Psy’s record.

The Chainsmokers and Halsey delivered an intimate performance of “Closer”. Their show featured strategic blue lighting, keyboard players, raw vocals, and lots of confetti at the end. “Closer” debuted at #1 on the iTunes singles chart. It joined Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, and others in the top 10 iTunes charts.

Then Kim Kardashian announced Britney Spears and G-Eazy‘s entrance to the VMAs stage. They performed “Me, Myself & I” and “Make Me…”, which is from her new album Glory. This performance featured structured choreography and colorful lighting.

Britney thanked her fans by sending a sincere tweet after the show. “Tonight was unforgettable 💫 Thank you and thank you to my amazing fans!”, Spears tweeted.8 31 2016 DNCE Best New Artist.jpg

Fifth Harmony presented the Best New Artist award to DNCE. Then Joe Jonas spoke on behalf of the group. Jonas mentioned the power of creating and evolving as an artist in his speech. The experience of winning Best New Artist was surreal for the group, as they later expressed gratitude towards their fans with this tweet. DNCE’s win proves that tenacity and hard work pays off in the long run. Success is always possible when you make a daily commitment to your dream goals. Don’t stop believing.