“Happy Birthday To You” is now in public domain!

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you!…you know the rest…

…I am happy to say is now officially in public domain!

What is all the hubbub about?! Well, let me tell yah! Have you ever noticed when you’re in a restaurant and the servers bring a free dessert to the table for someone’s birthday and everyone sings a song? Of course you have! But what you may not have noticed is that the song is not the normal one you see above, it’s a special version that the restaurant made up to sing so that they won’t be sued for copyright infringement!

“Happy Birthday to You” was written in 1893 by Patty Hill and Mildred Hill. It is known to be the most recognized song in the English language! Pretty cool, huh?

Sisters, Sisters!!

What’s not pretty cool is that the song has been on lockdown in restaurants for celebration and I’m sure many movies have had to pay thousands of dollars to be able to sing it in them! All for a song that’s 4 sentences long?!

I’m sure you would be just as pleased as I am to know that yesterday in federal court, the judge ruled that Warner/Chappell Music does not own the rights to the song…effectively putting it into public domain!

#PublicDomain

So yeah! The birthday song that was once sooooooo expensive to use is now 100% free for the public to use! How sweet is that?!

In Judge King’s decision he said: “Because Summy Co. never acquired the rights to the Happy Birthday lyrics, Defendants, as Summy Co.’s purported successors-in-interest, do not own a valid copyright in the Happy Birthday lyrics.”

So because the lyrics were determined to not be protected by copyright, the song is now fair game! Apparently the copyright only applied to various piano arrangements.

Poor poor Warner/Chappell is now out the $2 million a year in licensing fees that they used to collect for the song, although I think they’ll still be just fine without it.

The HBD song lawsuit was filed in 2013 when the music company sued a musician who recorded the song during an event in San Francisco! Nothing would make me more regretful to celebrate a birthday for somebody than to be sued for it after the fact! Poor guy!

Public domain for “Happy Birthday to You”?! This seems like a dream to me, but I’m so glad that the most recognized song in the English language can be celebrated by all, anytime, anywhere!

Happy Birthday to you & Happy Birthday to me!

Kesha’s career may be over!

Don’t stop, Make it pop, DJ blow my speakers up! Tik Tok…

…everyone knows Kesha but did you know her career could be over?!

I was just reading through music news yesterday afternoon and what caught my attention the most was a legal update from Kesha (used to be Ke$ha but she’s dropped the “$”).

I know what you may be thinking…Legal update?! Yep! You heard me right! Kesha has been in a rather heated lawsuit with her producer, Dr. Luke, since last October! Nearly a year of legal proceedings and no resolution has come of it yet!

I used to side with Team Kesha, but now I’m not so sure. It’s her word versus his so I’m honestly not sure of whom to trust.

Team Luke or Team Kesha?

The lawsuit is…long story short…claiming that Dr. Luke drugged, raped, and mentally abused Kesha on multiple occasions so she is asking to get out of her record contract with Luke’s label Kemosabe Records, a Sony Music affiliate.

Problem is, Dr. Luke claims hogwash to every one of her allegations and wants her to hold to his many times renegotiated record deal that holds Kesha to release 6 albums! Well, she’s only released 2 so far!

2010’s Animal & 2012’s Warrior

I can’t believe that Kesha hasn’t released an album in almost 3 years! That’s crazy!! I’ve been a fan of her since the beginning when I first heard “Tik Tok”, I’ve seen her front row twice, and met her once! I was an “animal” HAHA Just like Lady Gaga has her Little Monsters, Demi Lovato has her Lovatics, and Justin Bieber has his Beliebers…Kesha has her Animals.

The reason why everyone was whispering yesterday about her career might be ruined, kaput, and effectively over is that unless Kesha gets an injunction (via Google: a judicial order that restrains a person from beginning or continuing an action threatening or invading the legal right of another, or that compels a person to carry out a certain act, e.g., to make restitution to an injured party) she won’t have creative control over her career and the alleged abuse with Dr. Luke will have to continue for 4 more albums until she can be set free from the contract!

Famous celebrity attorney (representing Kesha), Mark Geragos said: “Until this Court rules on the declaratory judgment claim, Kesha is at an impasse. She cannot work with music producers, publishers, or record labels to release new music. With no new music to perform, Kesha cannot tour. Off the radio and stage and out of the spotlight, Kesha cannot sell merchandise, receive sponsorships, or get media attention. Her brand value has fallen, and unless the Court issues this injunction, Kesha will suffer irreparable harm, plummeting her career past the point of no return.”

Remember he represented Chris Brown?

The former President and CEO of Universal Music Group Distribution, Jim Urie said: “No mainstream distribution company will invest the money necessary to distribute songs for an artist who has fallen from the public eye, as is happening to Kesha at this very moment. Accordingly, if Kesha cannot immediately resume recording and having her music promoted, marketed, and distributed by a major label, her career is effectively over.”

According to the dismissal motion for Miss Kesha Sebert: “This admission — that Sebert never spoke of or reported the alleged misconduct — is fatal to each and every one of her claims against Sony and Kemosabe Records. In short, Sebert cannot have it both ways: She cannot claim that Gottwald (Dr. Luke) intimidated her into silence, then — as an apparent afterthought — seek to hold Sony and Kemosabe Records liable for failing to act on conduct that she did not report.”

I’ll be honest, I don’t think it’s looking too good for Kesha and for that I’m very sad. Now granted, if the abuse is legitimate, she shouldn’t have to succumb to it for 4 more albums BUT she didn’t report it at the time and I know the statute of limitations states that you have 3 years to sue someone from the time the abuse happened, BUT she said nothing to the label about his conduct which really hurts her case.

Artists and bands have tried to weasel their way out of recording contracts for years, and Kesha’s lawsuit doesn’t stand strong enough to prove that she’s not doing the same.

I hope there will be an answer soon and a decision made. Like my mom always used to say, “The truth will set you free”…but the longer you sit with a lie, the more lies you have to tell until you’re so tangled in a web and are trying to convince anyone that you’re not lying. It’s like the little boy who cried wolf. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Kesha and still love her as a person and a recording artist, but this kind of conduct is inexcusable.

Let’s hope for a decision soon and may it be fair under the law!

Axwell & Ingrosso split with longtime manager!

Y’all know I love EDM and I’m saddened to say that…

…Axwell & Ingrosso have split up with their manager!

Managers are like the babysitters for artists and bands. They have to oversee the daily activities and keep their clients in line…so to speak.

Amy Thomson was and still is one of the most powerful female managers in the music business, but now 2 of her biggest DJs have left her for a new manager.

#AmyThomson

Amy famously managed Swedish House Mafia which was the trio of DJs featuring Axwell, Ingrosso, and Steve Angello. They broke up in 2013 and Steve Angello went solo on the EDM circuit. Axwell and Ingrosso decided to make music together as a duo and they did under Thomson’s management.

The guys left Amy’s ATM Artists for Ash Pournouri’s At Night Management…one of EDM’s well known managers whose roster includes: Avicii, Cazzette, iSHi, and Otto Knows.

According to Ash: “The guys are close friends of mine, so we just started talking recently, but nothing is agreed, and I would help them regardless of who they continue their journey with. I have tremendous respect for what Amy has accomplished with them.”

#AshPournouri

Amy has remained quiet about their departure until now that she has made a public statement to the press regarding it. See the full statement here: [billboard.com/amy-thomson-responds].

According to Amy their is no bad blood and the guys are like family to her. She said, “To wake up to headlines about them leaving, about sources saying I was flying to other countries to beg for my job, is so alien to me, because none of us will ever leave each other. We are possibly the closest friends anyone could ever have. They’re like family to me. We have simply evolved. We have grown and we have respected each other’s needs and journeys.”

I personally think that a 12 year friendship should have held this business relationship together, so it is said to see them go. I have to believe that it’s for the best since they do have a good rapport with eachother.

I wish Axwell & Ingrosso the best and Amy Thomson is still a force to be reckoned with!

Where did Katy Perry go?!

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve heard anything about Katy Perry…

…so where in the world did she go?!

Well, as well as we both know, Katy’s last hurrah was at the Super Bowl on February 1st when she performed the famous Half-Time show!

Memorable to say the least, KP put on a stellar performance with all her hits and special guests Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott! She created a social media frenzy of gifs, memes, and tweets! It was a grand ol’ time!

Don’t forget Left Shark! (on her left)

Well here we are 7 months later without a peep from her! It’s crazy to go so long without hearing from one of the most successful pop stars of my time! I’m worried about her! HAHA Where in the heck is she hiding?!

Katy has just reported to HollywoodLife.com that she’s worn out and that’s the reason why she hasn’t been around recently.

Miss Perry said: “I’m still on tour so when I get off tour is when I will start to refocus. I have been on the road for almost a year and I am tired. I have done enough! I have done one-hundred-and-forty-one shows and I have ten more shows in South America so that is what I am looking forward to right now.”

That’s a lot of shows!

KP started her Prismatic World Tour in May 2014 and has been on the road ever since…I didn’t know that! HAHA Apparently when an artist goes off the grid in social media and in the charts, I wonder where they are.

So let’s not forget that Katy has been on a World Tour still, even after her Super Bowl performance which by the way had the most viewers in history at 121 million!

Katy is looking to release new music here after she takes a break when her tour is finally over, but she’s not looking to rush into it. It’s been a rumor that she wants to steal her thunder back from Taylor Swift and become the #1 popstar again!

I absolutely love Katy, but frankly I’m waiting for Rihanna to release a new album before Katy does! I miss Rihanna so much! Come back RiRi! LOL

I’m waiting!!!

At least I’ve gotten some clarity on Katy Perry! That was really bugging me I tell yah! Everyone deserves a brain break sometimes and time to rest!

Take your time Katy! Your KatyCats will be ready when you are 😀

 

OMI’s ‘Cheerleader’ is the official song of the summer!

I know summer is over, but did you know that OMI’s song…

…”Cheerleader” has just been ranked as 2015’s song of the summer?!

This song definitely had what it takes to be a “song of the summer”! It’s relaxing, beachy, chill, catchy, and all-around fun!

Omar Pasley (OMI) is a 29 year old singer from Clarendon, Jamaica who really came out of left field for me and for the music industry. I had never heard of him before this song, but I really like him! He’s a cool dude and his song has caught fire on the mainstream music charts!

“Cheerleader” was released 10 months ago, but it was only around summertime that it became huge and it was played ALL the time!

Take a listen to that song here to celebrate:

#Cheerleader

Billboard coined his song as the song of the summer for 2015 yesterday and it sure was a close race! Also up for song of the summer was Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood”, Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen”, Maroon 5’s “Sugar”, Major Lazer & DJ Snake ft. MØ’s “Lean On”,  Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars’s “Uptown Funk!”, Silento’s “Watch Me” Skrillex & Diplo feat. Justin Bieber’s “Where Are U Now”, Walk the Moon’s “Shut Up and Dance”, and The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face”.

In my opinion, the song of the summer is “Lean On” because Major Lazer & DJ Snake created a funky beat and MØ sang the heck out of it! That song is hands down my favorite song of the summer with a close second to “Bad Blood”.

Major Lazer is MAJOR! 😀

I think The Weeknd’s song “Can’t Feel My Face” is too late to the poll since it just came out a few weeks ago and “Uptown Funk!” is too old to be considered the song of the summer! Great songs, oh yeah, but not the song of the summer.

German producer Felix Jaehn turned “Cheerleader” into the danceable version we all know and love today! Shoutout to Felix for putting it down!!

According to OMI: “Every artist from Jamaica wants to thrive in the U.S. There are so many great songs that deserve the recognition that ‘Cheerleader’ has had. I’m just grateful.”

Gratefulness is what I like to hear! I really hope that OMI is able to capitalize on his success and come back with an even better song soon!

Congratulations OMI on your big win & thanks for giving us the song of the summer!

Kip Moore opens skate parks for a charitable cause!

I love to hear when people with so much give to those with so little…

…and today, country singer Kip Moore joins them with his efforts!

Welcome back to me and to you from your 4-day non-laboring weekend! I hope everyone reading this got to have the day off yesterday and enjoy time with their family and friends! I’m glad to be back and glad to have you back 😀

Lately, I’ve been interested in charity and how many different ways there are to give back. So many different initiatives, companies, people, causes, and ways to give to just about anything you can imagine!

Well, our country music superhero from Tifton, Georgia is on the move and is putting his nose to the grindstone on a project that is near and dear to his heart.

That project involves opening skate parks to help fund the Comeback Kid Skatepark Project, which is an intiative from his Kip’s Kids Fund.

I love this logo 😀

I know what you’re thinking…What do skateparks do?! Well, actually, they help a great deal in urban areas! Off the top of my head, it will reduce inner-city crimes by a landslide as Kip is providing a safe place for high school age kids to go.

Let Kip tell you what he thinks: “Skating is such a brotherhood community. In a lot of these areas, these kids are dealing with all kinds of different problems. This is a safe place for them to go. And it’s a place where they can be turned on to a new sport that might give them some hope, something to be proud of. I am in a position now to make some things happen and that’s what I want to do in these communities.”

I love this intiative SO MUCH!

Skating is such a wonderful sport and it encourages kids to hang out and to have a common bond. I love skate life and I can see how this project will help out urban communities! I’m happy that Kip knows how important it is to help give kids something they can be proud of and something that will keep them from negative peer pressure on the streets.

Kip opened the first Comeback Kid Skatepark in Annapolis, Maryland and the second in San Marcos, Texas…AND he’s got two more parks that are set to be opened in Nashville and Boston!

The project was named after his song “Comeback Kid” on his new album Wild Ones

#ComebackKid

Looking forward to the future, Kip said: “I see it hopefully being a nationwide thing. Hopefully we can expand this thing and turn it into a million different projects, not just skating, but all kinds of things in the inner cities.”

I’m loving Kip Moore for doing this and I can’t wait to go to the park in Nashville! I’ll have to get me a new board and go there once it opens! 😀

Thank you Kip for caring for the kids out there! You’re gnarly, dude!

Let’s talk about Justin Bieber, shall we?

Over the course of the past few days, I’ve had Bieber on the brain…

…so I’d like to talk to y’all about him & his comeback!

Justin, Justin, JUSTIN! Bieber is back with a vengeance and he’s being noticed by the entire music industry! He’s not Taylor Swift-famous, although nobody else really is at this point, but he’s making waves nonetheless.

I’m sorry guys for another few days in between blog posts!! I’ve just honestly been busy getting back on the horse…the healthy one that is…so that I can continue to lose weight and feel great. Little did I know that proper sleep, meal prep, and weaning myself off coffee little by little would be part of it! HAHA 😀 September 1st was meant to be the grand transition, but it didn’t feel right since I had nothing prepared and ready to go. I started yesterday (Sept 2nd) officially so I’m rolling into a new schedule here, so thanks for bearing with me!

Anywho! Justin Bieber has been hyping up the release of his new single “What Do You Mean?” for 30 days with an impressive Instagram campaign with his closest and most famous friends…

Luke Bryan, Ellen, & Britney Spears to name a few!

Bieber had the crew all rooting for him and last Friday, the single was released and much to nobody’s surprise…I love it! It’s a very simple song, but it has Biebz back in his Jack Ü vibe from his last song to hit airwaves “Where Are Ü Now” featuring the DJ team Skrillex & Diplo (known at Jack Ü).

Both songs are simple, yet elegant. I love the new, chill vibe that Justin has for us and hint hint…all his fans do too! I’m even alleging that the Biebz has made more fans due to his chill pill music! It’s gotta be true!

And let’s not forget the songs from the very beginning of JB’s cool-down…

“Hard 2 Face Reality” feat. Poo Bear & “Home To Mama” w/Cody Simpson!

These songs to me are spectacular because they showcase that at the end of the day, Justin Bieber is a songwriter and sometimes all the haters forget that!

The latest news to hit Biebertown is that JB cried at the VMAs after he performed for the first time on the show in 5 years! He performed a medley of “Where Are Ü Now” and his latest jam “What Do You Mean?”.

Check out that epic performance here:

#WhatDoYouMean

I really do think that he’s being sincere and it’s not for the ratings! He’s a sensitive guy and he was really overcome by the love and support he’s had during his comeback. I’m sure the road has been exciting for him as all these high profile celebrities are trying to convince us all to stop picking on him! I like where this is going! HAHA 😀

I’m really excited for Justin’s new album and he has just confirmed to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that it will be coming out on November 13th!!!

Bieber is back & I’m happy to see him reach his full potential!