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 tomake a donation.
Over 800 million people use Apple’s iTunes app to listen to and download music. On December 5, iTunes featured new artists who inspired fans around the world and earned a place in the top 10 charts. The genres range from hip-hop to pop. Here are the Music Monday picks of December 5, 2016.
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The first iTunes pick is Grace VanderWaal, who rose to fame after winning this year’s season of America’s Got Talent. VanderWaal received support from A-listers like Taylor Swift, Lady GaGa, and more. After winning NBC’s America’s Got Talent, VanderWaal appeared on NBC’s Ellen show and achieved an impressive EP debut on iTunes. Perfectly Imperfect, which debuted on December 2, is at #6 on the top 10 iTunes album charts. It features “I Don’t Know My Name”, which Grace sang confidently at the AGT auditions. Also, Grace VanderWaal’s iTunes ad is featured next to Bob Dylan’s iTunes ad. Both albums feature raw acoustics and relatable music.
The second iTunes pick is The Hamilton Mixtape. This cover album is inspired by the smash-hit musical, Hamilton. The Hamilton Mixtape is at #1 on iTunes album charts. It is inspired by songs from Hamilton, the musical, which focuses on the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton. It features collaborations with a long list of celebrities that include Sia, Alicia Keys, Usher, Kelly Clarkson, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots. This album captures the moving spirit of the play with creative storytelling.
The third iTunes pick is Pentatonix, a Grammy-winning American a cappella group. Pentatonix received two Grammy awards for Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella. Pentatonix is a very popular acapella group, as 12 million people have subscribed to their YouTube channel. Also, their YouTube channel has over 1.9 billion total views. Pentatonix recently collaborated with Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus live on NBC’s The Voice. Their newest album, A Pentatonix Christmas, is #2 in the iTunes albums charts. Pentatonix reached the #1 spot in the iTunes video charts with the music video for “Hallelujah”, which is featured as a single on this album.
The fourth, and last, iTunes pick is Moana (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Deluxe Edition]. This album, inspired by the film Moana, was released to iTunes on November 18. Hawaiian actress and rising starAuli’i Cravalho stars as the heroine Moana. Nicole Scherzinger plays Moana’s mom, Sina Waialiki. Auli’i Cravalho is also a featured guest on Teen Vogue. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stars as Maui, the legendary shapeshifting demigod. The soundtrack album features Alessia Cara, Auli’i Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more. This album is uplifting because of its upbeat music and Disney-themed storytelling. Both the album and movie prove that anything is possible with hard work and faith.
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Canadian singer-songwriterShawn Mendes is experiencing major success with Illuminate, released on September 23. The success of the record has led to opportunities to appear on America’s top shows. Mendes recently made appearances on Ellen, the Tonight Show, and Ryan Seacrest.
Shawn Mendes appeared on Ellen to talk about his new album and concert tour. Ellen announced that Mendes sold out his Madison Square Garden tour in 5 minutes. Ellen congratulated Shawn live while talking about his self-growth as a recording artist. The YouTube clip of Shawn’s Ellen appearance now has over 1.4 million views on YouTube.
Later, Ellen tweeted about Shawn’s live TV appearance:
Jimmy Fallon stated that Mendes is “one of the hottest names in pop music”. Then, Shawn Mendes delivered an effortless performance of “Treat You Better” with the Roots on The Tonight Show. This song raises awareness about domestic violence while shining a light on opportunities for help and guidance. The YouTube clip of Mendes’ “Treat You Better” performance clip now has over 1 million views.
When Mendes made his live appearance with Ryan Seacrest, he shared that he grew from touring with Taylor Swift as the opening act. Swift is a powerful influence towards Mendes’ career. Mendes says that touring with her was more of an experience and less of a show because he had the opportunity to share real, live music with the audience. Mendes said that hard work always shapes an artist’s success. Mendes then mentioned Swift as an example; she became one of the best-selling artists in the world.
Click on the tweet below to listen to Shawn’s interview with Ryan Seacrest:
According to the latest news, Illuminate is #1 on the iTunes albums chart. Two of Mendes’ songs from the album are also in the top 20 on the iTunes pop songs chart. “Treat You Better” earned the #6 slot and “Mercy” earned the #20 slot. “Treat You Better” also peaked at the #6 slot. Billboard predicts that Illuminate will be Mendes’ second album to hit #1 on the Billboard 100 charts. Shawn Mendes is a force to be reckoned with. He attracts millions of followers on social media with his authenticity, drive, and focus.
Shawn Mendes has a message for his fans. Click the picture below to hear it.
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 Twitterhere.
On September 14, America’s Got Talent received the highest Nielsen ratings of the season. Fourteen million people viewed AGT’s season 11 finale on NBC. The AGT finale took place at the Dolby Theatre. In the end, America picked Grace VanderWaal as the winner.
Grace received $1 million dollars and the headlining slot at Vegas’ Planet Hollywood. The Clairvoyants were this season’s runner-ups. Grace VanderWaal cried tears of joy after winning America’s Got Talent. Howie Mandel said that Grace is “a shooting star” and that she’s “special”. Simon Cowell, Howie Mandel, and Heidi Klum are seen celebrating with VanderWaal here:
Since day one, Grace VanderWaal attracted NBC viewers because of her innate ability to bring people together with her voice and ukelele. Grace’s AGT audition is unforgettable, as she sang her original tune “I Don’t Know My Name”. This easy going song is about the journey of self-exploration and finding yourself. Grace’s confidence shined through when she sang and played her ukelele. During Grace’s AGT audition, Simon Cowell stated that she is “the next Taylor Swift”. Grace VanderWaal is a genuine, relatable artist. Her music resonates well with people of all ages and attracts fans around the world. Now, Grace’s audition has over 50 million views on YouTube. Click the picture below to see her audition:
Grace VanderWaal received unwavering support from a long list of celebrities that include Ellen and Taylor Swift. See the link at the end of my article to read all of the supportive tweets. A good sport, Taylor Swift expressed her support towards Grace with a gift. The “Blank Space” singer sent Grace a large bouquet of flowers. Grace felt honored, as she posted this to Twitter:
Ellen DeGeneres also reached out to Grace VanderWaal. On September 15, Ellen went to Twitter to congratulate Grace on her AGT win. Ellen also announced that Grace will soon appear on season 14 of her show. See the tweet below:
You are so amazing, @GraceVanderWaal. America picked right. See you next week on my show. #AGT
With over 247k Twitter followers, Grace VanderWaal is a true rising star. Her story proves that success is attainable with practice, hard work, and faith. Grace VanderWaal will appear on the Ellen show this week.See this article for ARTSNLA’s coverage.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 clickhere.
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.
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.
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 Sportshere.
