Music
Canada chants ‘Artcell, Artcell!’ as beloved band celebrates 25 years
On May 5, Toronto’s Hamilton saw what was the largest audience for a band in decades. To everyone’s surprise, it was not a North American band, but a Bangladeshi one, celebrating 25 years of their glorious music on tour.
‘Dilaram’ singer Hamida Banu’s hope for a home remains unfulfilled
Nine months ago, the Sunamganj deputy commissioner promised the homeless Hamida Banu a shelter project house in Sunamganj. However, despite their assurance, the 48-year-old folk musician still finds herself without a place to call home as the uncertainty of whether she will ever receive it looms over her like an empty roof.
Asif Akbar makes an appearance on BBC’s ‘Nadia Ali Show’
Bangladeshi musician Asif Akbar recently attended an event hosted by the international media giant BBC in the UK. He engaged in a lively conversation on “The Nadia Ali Show” at the BBC's London headquarters.
Monali Thakur's mother passes away
Confirming the news, Monali Thakur shared on social media, "The chains have broken... the suffering has finally ended." This loss comes nearly three years after the death of their father, singer and actor Shakti Thakur, during the Covid pandemic.
Elita Karim makes OTT debut
Earlier, the first look of FS Nayeem in the "Kaalpurush" teaser surprised the audience, as he underwent a massive transformation, gaining 30 kgs for his role.
From Ghazals to global fame: Pankaj Udhas’ soulful serenade
The man behind the song, Pankaj Udhas, brought Ghazal to the masses, popularising it and making it accessible to the multitude not only in his country India but also across the globe with his calm and controlled voice that won everybody’s hearts.
Delving deep into ‘MaLoMa’ and its topsy turvy world
As I write this, “MaLoMa”, a musical tale of extraordinary lives led by everyday people, is trending number 1 on YouTube Bangladesh & 38 on global YouTube. This song, as a whole, is many stories woven together as one, belonging to people from all walks of life. The stories touch hearts and inspire music lovers to ponder upon life in general. As Arif Dewan and Shagor Dewan sing their hearts out about how mistaken they were about life being a bed of roses, the chaotic city around them comes to life.
Oni Hasan to host guitar clinic with Ershad Zaman, Mizan Rahman in Dhaka
Guitarist Oni Hasan returned to the Dhaka stage after nearly a decade. Earlier on Friday, he rocked the audience at the "Rock and Rhythm 4.0: Resurrection of Black" concert in the capital. Now, the prodigal musician is set to share his musical journey at “Guitar Clinic with Oni Hasan”.
Runa Laila to pay tribute to mothers on Mother's Day with new song
What's more noteworthy is that this iconic artiste has lent her voice to the song alongside young musician Khairul Wasi, a collaboration not commonly seen.
Taylor Swift's new album dominates US sales and Billboard charts
Pop megastar Taylor Swift sold 2.61 million album and streaming units of "The Tortured Poets Department" (TTPD) during its first week of release in the US, Billboard reported on Sunday, calling it "a gigantic debut at No 1" on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
BTS’ agency reminds of ‘zero-tolerance policy’ against rumour-mongers
BigHit Music, the management company for BTS, has updated fans regarding legal actions against infringements on the group's rights. Through a statement on Weverse, the agency expressed concern over the increased intensity of efforts to tarnish and slander the artistes in recent weeks. Additionally, it highlighted the excessive nature of malicious attempts to defame, humiliate, spread rumors, and disseminate groundless information about the artistes.
Tahsan, Farin’s ‘Ronge Ronge’ tops YouTube trends in Bangladesh
The song "Ronge Ronge Rongin Hobo" received initial acclaim at the magazine event. Although Tahsan Khan is a seasoned musician, Tasnia Farin especially captivated the audience with her exceptional vocal talent — despite not being a professional singer.
Asif Akbar shares experience of recording in AR Rahman’s studio
Popular musician Asif Akbar recently shared his delightful experience of recording a song at the studio of Oscar-winning composer AR Rahman. Taking to his Facebook account today, he expressed his excitement to fans while also voicing his disappointment with the current state of the audio industry in our country.
Eminem teases new album ‘The Death of Slim Shady’
Titled “The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace)”, the rapper's camp confirmed the album's title late Thursday (April 25) to the Detroit Free Press. A playful 30-second ad aired on the NFL Network, hinting at the arrival of Eminem's 12th studio album this summer, marking his first release since 2020.
Kanye West faces new lawsuit alleging racial discrimination and harassment
Filed on Friday (April 26) in Los Angeles, the lawsuit details Provo’s experiences working for Kanye from August 2021. He alleges that Black employees were treated less favourably than their non-Black counterparts and were paid less without justification.
Guitar played by John Lennon and George Harrison on ‘Help!’ to be auctioned
A rare piece of Beatles history is set to hit the auction block, as a 12-string guitar once wielded by John Lennon and George Harrison during the recording of the iconic album "Help!" goes up for sale. The acoustic Framus “Hootenanny” guitar, believed to have been lost for nearly six decades, will be auctioned by Julien’s Auctions, based in California.
Taylor Swift beats Beatles in race to 12th UK number one album
Taylor Swift topped the British music charts last Friday with "The Tortured Poets Department" (TTPD), outselling the rest of the top ten combined and beating the Beatles for the record of the fastest artiste to rack up 12 UK number-one albums.
Weaving ‘Tati’ as a musical, visual treat
It has been a couple of weeks at least since the Bangla New Year celebrations, which we lovingly refer to as Noboborsho. However, Coke Studio Bangla’s “Tati” is still dominating playlists. ‘Taanti’, or in this case “Tati”, refers to the craftsperson or the creator of fabrics, who works with the material called taant – depicting motifs, colourful borders, and softness to touch. Especially in this heat, a taant saree or a fatua is always a welcome addition to an average Bangladeshi wardrobe, allowing one to breathe easy and at the same time, look trendy.
