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Adrianna Velazquez

Adrianna is a 20-year-old college student attending Wayne State University majoring in Public Relations and minoring in Journalism. With a passion for music and photography she spends most of her time at concerts photographing and interviewing musicians. She also enjoys baseball and coffee, lots of it!

Chicago Goes Country With Lake Shake Music Festival

This year Chicago will see its first ever country music festival and the party couldn’t be bigger.

For the first time ever, the Windy City will see its first country music festival spanning over three days this summer.

The event will take place at FirstMerit Bank Pavillion at Northerly Island with the fun kicking off on June 19 running through June 21.

The line up for the three-day festival is impressive and country lovers near and far can find a reason among this talent-filled roster to travel to the Windy City to get in on all the fun.

Dierks Bentley, country duo Florida Georgia Line and Brad Paisley are slated to headline the festival.

Other noteworthy acts include Thomas Rhett, Frankie Ballard, Randy Houser, Maddie & Tae, Justin Moore, Joe Nichols and Kip Moore among others.

Tickets for Chicago’s three-day country music festival are on sale now. Single day passes for the event are not available. Three-day passes can be purchased here.

For more information regarding the festival and for a full list of performers click here.

McDonald's To Pay SXSW Performers

After indie-band ExCops caused controversy, McDonald’s agrees to pay SXSW performers.

On Monday, Brooklyn-based indie band ExCops cause strife on social media and among music fans after blasting McDonald’s for asking them to play at SXSW for free after the band had been offered money to play from smaller brands.

McDonald’s immediately defended their stance by noting that they were simply following “standard protocol” for the festival and that the “additional exposure” for the group would be beneficial to their career.

After much rage over social media from music fans, the fast food chain claims there was a misunderstanding regarding the festival’s standards and have announced that they will be compensating the 20 bands performing at the McCafe showcase. Details regarding what kind of monetary compensation they will offer remain unknown.

“We are excited to expand our support of music at our SXSW activation where the lineup features a great assortment of more than 20 bands, honoring the spirit of the festival. To further support these artists, all bands performing at our showcase will be compensated,” a McDonald’s spokesperson clarified.

ExCops, the band that started the movement, released a statement via Facebook noting that they were relieved their letter made a difference. The indie band was never confirmed to perform at the showcase and it has been clarified that they will not be playing for McDonald’s but are glad to hear that those acts who are will now be compensated for their time and talents.

SXSW Festival runs from March 13-22. For more information regarding the festival click here.

Song Review: "I Really Like You" by Carly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen released comeback single, “I Really Like You.”

Carly Rae Jepsen soared the charts with her 2012 hit, “Call Me Maybe.” The song received rave reviews, was played on radio airwaves nationwide and to put it simply: was a catchy pop song we’ll never forget.

Many of us thought that Jepsen was a one hit wonder but she proved her proper place in the music industry with her sophomore album, Kiss released later that same year.

It’s been awhile since we’ve heard from the songstress signed to Interscope/School Boy Records. That all changed quickly with Jepsen’s comeback single, “I Really Like You.”

With 80’s influence, “I Really Like You” is a catchy pop love song fueled by synths that amplify her vocals.

“I Really Like You” is a flirty tune repeating the core of the chorus—”I really, really, really, really, really, really like you.” It tells the tale of liking a guy and wanting to get a little too close too soon.

“Late night watching television/But how’d we get in this position? … So honey, hold my hand, you like making me wait for it/I feel like I could die walking up to the room,” Jepsen sings. Later adding, “Yeah, we could stay alone, you and me and this temptation/Sipping on your lips, hanging on by a thread, baby.”

It’s clear that pure-pop is where Jepsen feels most comfortable and it’s assumed that “I Really Like You” will see its proper place on the charts.

It’s also been confirmed that the music video will be nothing short of epic with guest appearances from Tom Hanks and Justin Bieber. Many critics say the video will go viral. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. For now, listen to the audio of “I Really Like You” here.

Luke Bryan Closes Out Spring Break Tradition

Luke Bryan closes out his annual tradition at Spinnaker Beach Club in Panama City.

After more than half a decade, Luke Bryan’s spring break concert and album series has come to a bittersweet end.

Bryan wrapped up his seven-year-long annual concert series at Spinnaker Beach Club in Panama City on March 12 with more than 200,000 fans in attendance.

Eager to get close to see the CMA Entertainer of the Year close out his final spring break trek, fans began lining up as early as 1 a.m., slept in their cars and even on the steps of the entry of the beach club.

The spring break shows started off as a spring break show with a newcomer on stage whose energy and charisma quickly became an annual tradition, eventually taking what started off as a thousand or so fans into more than 200,000 that traveled from near and far just to witness the spring break madness themselves.

The concert series not only became an annual tradition for Bryan, but it also led a slew of EPs released exclusively in retrospect to the concert series.

This year marked the final concert series and final EP that put the annual event under wraps. The final album to release from the series is Bryan’s Spring Break…Checkin’ Out record which dropped March 10. The record features five new songs as well as six tracks from 2014’s EP.

The shows kicked off with a hype performance of his hit song, “That’s My Kind of Night” and the event closed out on day two with a final performance of “Country Girl (Shake It For Me),” in which Bryan brought out his wife Caroline and mother towards the end of the performance as they sang and danced along.

Bryan also performed a special song titled “Spring Breakdown,” a heartfelt song that tells the tale of the spring break ventures he’s experience over the years, from drinking beer to watching the audience of fans before him grow from a thousand to a couple hundred thousand.

Although this is the end of the spring break tradition, Bryan will be embarking on his cross country Kickin’ The Dust Up tour set to take off on May 8 in Grand Forks, North Dakota and runs through the end of October. Accompanying him on tour will be Dustin Lynch and Randy Houser with Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett being added to select shows as special guests.

Check out his closing video for the spring break tradition featuring his song, “Spring Breakdown” below.

 

American Idol Boils Down To Top 12

Top 12 Idol contestants revealed on Wednesday night’s broadcast.

Following Wednesday night’s broadcast, American Idol is down to the top 12 contestants as revealed on tonight’s show.

The first contestant to secure a spot moving forward was the impressive Sarina-Joi Crowe who was faced with the task of impressing judges with her audition song, OneRepublic’s “Til The Love Runs Out” which clearly showcased her vocal range.

The second spot went to Rayvon Owen who performed pop queen Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake.” Though his performance was a little rough throughout, judges suggested that the ending was saving.

Daniel Seavey took the third spot with a bitter performance of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up” which judges Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban suggest wasn’t suiting for the 15-year-old who they suggest would have performed better with the “right song choice.”

Maddie Walker secured the fourth spot with a mediocre performance of Gwen Sebastian’s “Suitcase.”

The fifth spot went to Tyanna Jones who performed Little Mix’s “Wings,” captivating the judges and audience before her with her energetic stage presence.

Nick Fradini took the sixth spot with a standard performance of “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. It’s hard to say that talent has led Fradini this far considering his mediocre performances, but at least he’s nice to look at.

The seventh spot was nabbed by Jax who delivered a beautiful rendition of The Beatles’ “I Want To Hold Your Hand” as she sat behind the keys of a piano and delivered equally beautiful vocals as she did a stripped down performance.

Qaasim secured the eighth spot with a rather exciting performance of Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” which featured engaging choreography and impressive vocals that shined just as bright as his stellar stage presence.

It comes with no surprise that fan-favorite Clark Beckham found himself among the top 12 contestants to advance. His breathtaking performance of James Brown’s “A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” won over the judges and nearly all of America for that matter. The odds are ever in Beckham’s favor for winning it all.

Coming in the tenth slot tonight was Joey Cook, perhaps the most original contestant left on the show. Cook performed an impressive rendition of  “King of Spain” by Tallest Man On Earth.

Taking the eleventh slot was Quentin Alexander who delivered an emotionally triggering performance of “Royals” by Lorde which earned him praise from J.Lo while Harry noted that his emotion throughout his delivery made it clear Quentin is in touch with his artistry.

And finally, clenching the final spot tonight was Adanna Duru with her performance of “You and I” by Lady Gaga. Harry suggested she was out of tune and needs to find a way to channel her musical energy into her vocals.

That wraps up the night on Idol. Tomorrow the contestants return for yet another round of eliminations narrowing it down to the top 11.

American Idol airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Waka Flocka Flame Cancels Show At University of Oklahoma Following Racist Chant

Waka Flocka Flame takes a stand against racist behavior.

Waka Flocka Flame has no tolerance for racism and has cancelled his upcoming show at the University of Oklahoma following recent news of campus fraternity members on video singing a racist song.

The video which surfaced on Sunday shows members of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity singing a song that carelessly used the N-word to described the African-American community, in which members said would never be allowed in the fraternity.

“You can hang him from a tree, but he can never sign with me,” they sang.

Rapper Waka Flocka Flame who had a show scheduled at the university took it upon himself to cancel the show after commenting on the inappropriate behavior of fraternity members who took part in the video that surfaced.

Waka Flocka took to Instagram where he shared his disappointment in a statement that read, “When I first started doing shows it was all hood spots and all black people. Then I had some mainstream success and did some EDM and it was all white people at my shows for a while. Now it’s white, black and brown people at my shows. All races partying having a good time and enjoying themselves together peacefully. That’s what Waka Flocka is all about. For that reason I must say I am disgusted and disappointed in the actions of the SAE fraternity at University of Oklahoma and I will be cancelling my scheduled performance for them next month. Racism is something I will not tolerate. -WFF”

The University of Oklahoma chapter of the fraternity was immediately placed on “cease and desist” following the incident while the investigation continues.

Wake appeared on CNN where he spoke with Brianna Keller regarding the incident and his show cancellation. Watch the video here.

Advocacy Groups Prevail: Burger King Drops Fountain Drinks From Kids' Meals

Burger King is offering healthier alternatives by dropping fountain drinks from kids’ meals.

Burger King is hoping on the bandwagon to healthier eating habits following recent moves by McDonald’s and Wendy’s and pressure from advocacy groups.

We have removed fountain drinks from our kids’ menu boards and they are no longer merchandised as part of kids’ meals,” the company said in an emailed statement to NBC.

Although fountain drinks will not be on the menu boards under kids meals, the company says new drink options can be substituted for a fountain drink upon customer request.

Instead of a fountain drink to accommodate the kids meals, Burger King will now offer 100% apple juice, fat-free milk and low fat chocolate milk as alternatives.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of children ages 6–11 years in the U.S. who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents ages 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period.

According to Director of Nutrition Policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, Margo Wootan, the change to menus across the three major fast food chains will have a positive impact on lifestyle habits formed as children.

“It will help children eat better now, as soda is the leading source of calories in children’s diets,” said Wootan.

RECAP: Bates Motel Season Premiere

Bates Motel is back and things are creepier than ever.

Bates Motel is back and its creepier than ever before.

Back for a third season, the series returned March 9 on A&E and debuted with an inappropriate scene where Norman and his mother Norma are seen spooning in bed.

Dylan spotted the two after searching for Norman and seeing that his bed was made. Dylan later confronted Norma about the incident, pointing out that the situation was inappropriate and that it should not continued. With that, Norma agreed and then sent Norman back to his bed the following night.

Its the end of summer vacation for Norman Bates, 18, who is entering his senior year of high school. Not wanting to go to school, Norma forces him against his will by pulling him out of the car at one point after Norman refuses to leave the car parked out front.

His time back in the classroom didn’t last long. While at lunch Norman began hallucinating. He saw his teacher, Miss Watson sitting next to him, welcoming him back to school and telling him about the new book they would be reading this school year. Norman ended up running out of school after Miss Watson became decorated with a cut throat and blood seeping through her hands.

After returning home, Norma suggest that Norman try homeschooling so that he doesn’t have to face the difficulties of going back to school. Emma is saddened by the news and also decides to try homeschooling with Norman after informing him that her lung capacity has diminished.

Following the news, Norman suggests its time they date. Emma agrees but shortly after Norman is captivated by a new Bates Motel guest who is in town on business. Norman is caught peering into the bathroom window late one night as she undresses and showers. He’s caught by Norma who drags him back into the house and confronts him for his inappropriate behavior.

Shortly after, Norma let Norman back into her bed for what she said was one night, considering she was saddened over the loss of her mother and needed him to comfort her.

On the other side of town, Dylan gets followed in the middle of the night, pulls over and demands the driver exit the van. It’s Caleb, his dad/uncle. While Caleb attempts to make small talk with Dylan, insisting he’s the only family he has left after his mother’s passing, Dylan makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with Caleb, demanding him to leave town. However, after turning to head out Caleb doesn’t get far. Dylan finds Caleb on the side of the road the following morning with a broken down van. After driving him into town to get the necessary parts to fix the van, Dylan demands for Caleb to leave.

Additionally, Dylan declines a position offered to him by Romero to run the town’s marijuana industry. Instead, Dylan suggests that he would rather be involved in the industry legally by growing the drug to help those in need and making just enough to get by.

The season premiere finishes off with Norman and Emma sitting in the office talking when the new guest enters asking where a specific venue is located in town. Norman, immediately captivated by her beauty stands up and offers to drive her into town and walk back since he had to run errands anyway. He gets in the car and heads into town but when he returns he returns with the car, but no guest, implying that Norman’s psychotic killer persona is back.

Iggy Azalea's The Great Escape Tour Postponed

After her recent absence from social media, Azalea’s reps have confirmed tour postponement.

Amidst rumors that Iggy Azalea was refusing to work with management and engage in promotion for The Great Escape tour, it was announced on March 10 that the tour has been postponed.

Azalea who has been absent from social media in recent weeks made no comment about the rumors, but her management took over her Twitter to share the news with a tweet that read: “Iggz HQ: The tour getting pushed back only means that it’ll be way more amazing than it would’ve been in April. Good things take time.”

Opening acts Nick Jonas and Tinashe have both dropped from the tour, likely due to scheduling conflicts. Replacements for the tour have not yet been announced.

The tour which was slated to kick off on April 14 in Fresno has been postponed to this fall with the first show date kicking off on Sept. 18 in San Diego.

According to her label, Def Jam Records, the tour postponement comes as a result of “tour production delays.”

“To accommodate for creative team availability and tour production plans, it was determined that the tour will not be ready this Spring. It is extremely important to Iggy that she delivers the show she envisaged to share with her fans and that requires more time in development,” Def Jam noted in a recent statement.

Tickets for the originally scheduled tour dates will be honored on their city’s rescheduled fall date.

For rescheduled dates on The Great Escape tour click here.

You should also read: We experienced Zedd’s True Colors Tour

Kendrick Lamar Confirms New Album and March Release Date

Critically acclaimed rapper, Kendrick Lamar confirms new album rumors.

Critically acclaimed rapper Kendrick Lamar has finally confirmed rumors of a new album on the horizon.

The rapper who began to earn recognition through his self-released projects such as 2010’s Overly Dedicated and 2011’s Section.80 has confirmed that his sophomore project is set to release on March 23.

The album is a follow up to Lamar’s label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city which garnered Top 40 hits “Swimming Pools (Drank),” “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe,” and “Poetic Justice.” The album debuted at No.2 on Billboard 200 chart and later became certified platinum by the RIAA.

His latest project, which doesn’t have a title and remains listed on iTunes as [Untitled] will contain 16 new fiery tracks, including his new single “The Blacker the Berry.”

The album features only a black square as its cover and only one track title is visible, that being Lamar’s latest single, “The Blacker the Berry” with all other 15 tracks listed in numerical order as “Track 1,” “Track 2,” etc.

The album is currently available for pre-order via iTunes here.