World News
Coco Lee, ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ and ‘Mulan’ Singer, Dies at 48
Hong Kong-born singer and actress CoCo Lee, whose decades-long career included dozens of successful albums, movies and television shows, died Wednesday, her sisters announced on social media.
Her sisters Carol and Nancy said she had been suffering from depression for “a few years” and attempted to take her life on Sunday. She was hospitalized but could not be revived from a coma and died on Wednesday. She was 48 years old.
In their statement, the sisters wrote that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Lee’s singing career, during which she “won countless international acclaims with top selling songs and has left audience w an astounding impression of her excellent live performances.”
“CoCo is also known to have worked tirelessly to open up a new world for Chinese singers in the international music scene, and she went all out to shine for the Chinese. We are proud of her!” they wrote.
The post asked for privacy as the family grieves, adding: “Although CoCo stays in the world for not long a time, her rays of light will last forever!”
Lee was born in Hong Kong and raised in the United States. During one visit back to Hong Kong after high school, she won first place in a singing contest, which kick-started her music career. She found success in Asia throughout the 1990s, with millions of album sales, and music released in English, Mandarin and Cantonese.
Her R&B sounds infused with hip hop also made her popular in the US, and she gained enough prominence that she was hired to voice Disney heroine Fa Mulan in the Mandarin version of “Mulan,” released in 1998.
But it was the 2000 hit film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” that propelled her to global fame. Lee sang the romantic ballad “A Love Before Time” in the martial arts adventure movie, which went on to sweep awards shows in the US and introduced American audiences to now-household names like actress Michelle Yeoh.
Lee famously performed “A Love Before Time” at the 2001 Oscars awards ceremony, in a telecast viewed by tens of millions.
In more recent years, she appeared on Chinese singing competition television shows including “Infinity and Beyond” and “Singer.”
Lee’s last Instagram post, dated December 31, 2022, acknowledged it had been an “incredibly difficult year,” but urged her followers to stay positive and spread love. “You are not alone, no matter how hard life gets, I’m with (you),” she wrote.
The announcement of her death sparked shock and grief online, with that final Instagram post flooded with condolence messages, including from other Hong Kong artists. The topic also trended on Chinese social media platform Weibo, gaining nearly 1.4 billion views.
It raised discussion around mental health and depression, with many pointing to Lee’s cheerful, bubbly public image, and urging people to support each other with kindness and sensitivity. Others praised Lee for breaking boundaries as an Asian American and providing young Chinese women a role model on the world stage.
“When I was little and saw her on the stage, I thought, ‘Oh, so Chinese women can be like this – powerful, bright, bold,’” one Weibo user wrote.
World News
Ice Spice returns with “Gimmie A Light”
Today, GRAMMY® Award-nominated global superstar Ice Spice returns with “Gimmie A Light” — the first official single from her forthcoming debut album Y2K. Set for release via 10K Projects/Capitol Records, the massively anticipated Y2K is due out later this year. Go here to stream/download “Gimmie A Light,” and check out the video here.
Produced by Ice Spice’s longtime collaborator RiotUSA — who also handled production on career-defining hits like her gold-certified breakout single “Munch (Feelin U)” — “Gimmie A Light” centers on a sample from dancehall legend Sean Paul’s 2002 single “Gimme the Light.” With all the effortless star power that made her an icon soon after emerging from New York drill scene, the Bronx Baddie unleashes a two-minute anthem spotlighting her whip-smart bars, rapid-fire delivery, and potent vocal command. Slick and self-possessed, the result is a high-energy track stacked with bouncy beats and irresistible hooks.
For the video to “Gimmie A Light,” Ice Spice once again joined forces with fellow New York City natives George and Frederick Buford, aka The Evil Twins — the fast-rising filmmaking duo behind the visuals for past hits like “Deli” and “Boy’s a liar Pt. 2” (her platinum-certified, chart-topping 2023 collaboration with PinkPantheress). Equal parts fantasy and hyperreality, “Gimmie A Light” places Ice Spice in a dizzying sequence of high-glamour scenarios: sipping Patrón El Alto on the dancefloor with a shiny piece of bling bearing her own likeness; posing with fat stacks of cash in her J’adore Dior baby tee; twerking in the back of a hot-pink Range Rover, surrounded by stuffed animals as the smoke-filled SUV speeds through the streets of her hometown.
Last month at Coachella, Ice Spice thrilled the crowd with a sneak-peak performance of “Gimmie A Light.” Her debut at the famed festival instantly drew raves from the likes of UPROXX, who proclaimed that Ice Spice “will almost certainly headline Coachella in the near future if her trajectory continues.”
Due out later this year, Y2K has been hailed as one of the most highly anticipated albums of 2024. With its title nodding to her birthday (January 1, 2000), Ice Spice’s full-length debut will also include her recent smash single “Think U The Shit (Fart).” The album arrives on the heels of her widely acclaimed debut EP Like..? — a 2023 release that landed on best-of-the-year lists from Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and more and featured hits like “Munch (Feelin U)” and the platinum-selling “In Ha Mood” and “Princess Diana.”
World News
Dennis Bergkamp: 55 Years of Football Brilliance
Dennis Bergkamp, the legendary Dutch footballer, celebrated his 55th birthday today amidst a global outpouring of love and admiration from fans, clubs, and football personalities.
🇳🇱🥳 Happy Birthday to Dennis Bergkamp! What a magnificent player. pic.twitter.com/NVB7bsrBGT
— CentreGoals. (@centregoals) May 10, 2024
Known for his exceptional skill and contributions to both Ajax and Arsenal, Bergkamp’s birthday has become a worldwide celebration of his illustrious career, highlighting his impact on the sport and his enduring legacy.
From Ajax to Arsenal, Bergkamp’s artistry on the pitch has left an indelible mark, with fans and experts alike hailing him as one of the greatest players in football history.
There will never be another Dennis Bergkamp 👑🇳🇱pic.twitter.com/qoxxC4ya2O
— Gunners (@Gunnersc0m) May 10, 2024
As the tributes pour in, it’s clear that Bergkamp’s influence extends far beyond the trophies and accolades, cementing his place in the hearts of football fans worldwide.
Happy birthday, Dennis Bergkamp, and here’s to many more years of celebrating your remarkable contribution to the beautiful game
Watch
Charli XCX Releases ‘360’ Video Featuring All-Star Cast
Charli XCX today releases ‘360’ – the fourth track taken from her highly anticipated forthcoming new album ‘BRAT’.
You can listen HERE and watch the Aidan Zamiri-directed video HERE.
The blockbuster video stars an impressive all-star cast of friends and collaborators including Julia Fox, Chloë Sevigny, Gabbriette, Alex Consani, Rachel Sennott, Emma Chamberlain, A. G. Cook, Hari Nef, Isamaya Ffrench, Matisse Andrews, Quenlin Blackwell, Sakura Bready, Chloe Cherry, Greer Cohen, Anna Collins, Blizzy McGuire, Tess McMillan, Salem Mitchell, Peri Rosenzweig, Richie Shazam and Niki Takesh.
‘BRAT’, Charli’s eagerly awaited sixth studio album, will be released on Friday 7th June and promises to be an exhilarating club record built around high art references and social commentary. The album includes the hit single ‘Von dutch’ – the brash and synth heavy first taste of the record – alongside recent releases ‘Club classics’ and ‘B2b’.
You can pre-order ‘BRAT’ HERE and pre-save ‘BRAT’ HERE.
In support of ‘BRAT’, Charli will be embarking on her biggest ever headline shows in arenas throughout the UK in November and December. Charli is also teaming up with longtime collaborator Troye Sivan for their highly anticipated co-headline US arena tour ‘Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present: Sweat’, including a newly announced second show at The Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Tickets can be found HERE.
Charli threw a momentous Boiler Room in New York’s Brooklyn in February to launch the ‘BRAT’ campaign with A. G. Cook, George Daniel, Finn Keane and Doss. The show broke the record for the most ever RSVPs to a Boiler Room event, with over 40k people registering to attend. Featuring special guest appearances from the likes of Addison Rae and Julia Fox, the show has easily become one of the viral moments of the year. You can watch the full stream of ‘Boiler Room & Charli XCX Presents: PARTYGIRL’ HERE.
Alongside her new album, Charli has been working on multiple film & TV projects following the breakout success of her Barbie soundtrack contribution ‘Speed Drive’ last year. She is co-executive producing the score for the A24 film ‘Mother Mary’ with Jack Antonoff and also producing original music for Benito Skinner’s series ‘Overcompensating’ on Prime Video. In addition, Charli will star in the Daniel Goldhaberremake of 1978 cult horror film ‘Faces of Death’.
Avant-pop and electronic superstar Charli XCX has become an iconic figure in the arts, having helped expand the landscape of popular music over the last decade by seamlessly traversing the underground and mainstream with her artistic output. Over the course of a trailblazing career, the multi-hyphenate creative has earned critical acclaim for her innovative style and entrepreneurial spirit and seen her forward-thinking approach reshape pop culture in the process.
Her lasting impact was cemented last year when Charli was honoured with the Visionary Award at the annual Ivor Novellos in London, while she also received the Powerhouse Award at Billboard’s Women In Music ceremony in March and the ASCAP Global Impact Award earlier this week.
Charli XCX assets can be found here.
‘BRAT’ Tracklist:
1. 360
2. Club classics
3. Sympathy is a knife
4. I might say something stupid
5. Talk talk
6. Von dutch
7. Everything is romantic
8. Rewind
9. So I
10. Girl, so confusing
11. Apple
12. B2b
13. Mean girls
14. I think about it all the time
15. 365
Charli XCX 2024 Tour Dates:
Sat 01/06/24 – Barcelona, Spain – Primavera (Live) – Sold Out
Fri 07/06/24 – London, UK – Outernet (PARTYGIRL DJ Set) – Sold Out
Tue 11/06/24 – New York, NY – Knockdown Center (Live) – Sold Out
Wed 12/06/24 – Chicago, IL – Radius (Live) – Sold Out
Sat 15/06/24 – Los Angeles, CA – Shrine (Live) – Sold Out
Wed 19/06/24 – Mexico City, Mexico – Club Loo Loo (PARTYGIRL DJ Set) – Sold Out
Fri 21/06/24 – Sao Paulo, Brazil – Club Zig (PARTYGIRL DJ Set) – Sold Out
Fri 28/05/24 – Somerset, UK – Glastonbury Festival (PARTYGIRL DJ Set) – Sold Out
Sat 14/09/24 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
Mon 16/09/24 – Montreal, QC – Place Bell
Wed 18/09/24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
Fri 20/09/24 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Mon 23/09/24 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Wed 25/09/24 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
Thu 26/09/24 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
Sat 28/09/24 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Mon 30/09/24 – Chicago, IL – United Center
Wed 02/10/24 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
Thu 03/10/24 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Sat 05/10/24 – Miami, FL – Kaseya Center
Sun 06/10/24 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center
Wed 09/10/24 – Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
Fri 11/10/24 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
Sun 13/10/24 – Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
Tue 15/10/24 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Wed 16/10/24 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Fri 18/10/24 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena
Sun 20/10/24 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Tue 22/10/24 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
Wed 23/10/24 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
Wed 27/11/24 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Arena
Thu 28/11/24 – London, UK – The O2
Fri 29/11/24 – Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena
Mon 02/12/24 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro Arena
World News
Miss USA Noelia Voigt resigns title on mental health grounds
World News
TikTok sues the US Government to stop a potential ban
TikTok is suing the U.S. government to stop enforcement of a bill passed last month that seeks to force the app’s Chinese owner to sell the app or have it banned. (more…)
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