Music Biz Headlines, Sept. 23, 2019

By FYI Staff

Lights talks deadmau5 tour, remix set, digital age of music

Canadian singer-songwriter Lights chatted with Digital Journal about touring with deadmau5, her remix set and being an artist in this digital age of music. She will be featured in deadmau5's set on his North American cubeV3 tour this fall, providing guest vocals and opening with a special remix set on select dates. –  Markos Papadatos

Tafelmusik strays from its lane, dips into different era

Tafelmusik music director Elisa Citterio is daring to be different by opening her second season with the period-performance orchestra with a program of Romantic-era music for strings at Koerner Hall. But the verdict on whether the dare is inspired or not depends on one’s perspective. – John Terauds, Toronto Star

Avril Lavigne is all grown up. Can you handle that?

Avril Lavigne has been famous for half her life, a fact that doesn’t strike her as strange, because she doesn’t know anything different. – Allison Stewart, Chicago Tribune

Creative theft, poor payouts from streaming services chipping away at artistic middle class

The experience of musicians and creative professionals like Mike Plume are common. The growing impact of internet streaming and ease of creative theft is making entry into the creative middle class harder than ever. – Andrea Yu, Globe and Mail

Devarrow contemplates adulthood versus #adulting 

The indie-folk singer-songwriter’s second album contemplates balance, community and phone addiction. – Jonathan Briggins, The Coast

Toronto musicians mourn La Hacienda, rockers’ favourite eatery and home to countless memories

Another day, another vital piece of Toronto’s proud musical past on the “soon to be extinct” list. And this one’s not even a live venue. La Hacienda, the endearingly crusty resto-bar at 640 Queen St. W. will shut its doors for good when its lease comes up at the end of September. – Ben Rayner, Toronto Star

Céline Dion begs Drake not to get her face tattooed on his body, invites him over for dinner instead

The rapper previously said he wanted to showcase his love for the “My Heart Will Go On” hitmaker by getting some new ink. However, while speaking with iHeartRadio Canada, Dion said straight down the camera: “Please Drake, I love you very much,” then told him not to go through with the tat.– Becca Longmire, ET Canada

Celine Dion is (w)rapped up in a lot of rap nonsense right now

Not only has she had to ask Drake not to tattoo her face on him, she’s the subject of a meme from Tekashi 6ix9ine’s gang revelations. –Grazia Daily

Céline Dion talks courage, life after René Angélil and her new outlook

Céline Dion has been reinventing herself ever since she got her first taste of stardom in Quebec at age 12. Here she speaks to Tom Power of q. – CBC

10 new albums to hear from Toronto musicians this fall

Robotic funk, lo-fi bedroom pop, an experimental electronic ode to the first Black female pilot – let these fill your ears this season. – Richard Trapunski, NOW 

Troubadour Festival delights fans, musicians alike with 'chill' atmosphere

'I’ve played a lot of shows in Toronto and that can be the arms crossed, blank-stare capital of Canada,' says Andrew Hyatt. 'But here, folks are laid back in their chair, bobbing away and singing along, it was very chill.'  – Barrie Today

International

Spotify: ‘Owning’ discovery of music will lead to improved gross margin

Spotify wants to “own music discovery”. That ambitious mission statement was revealed Paul Vogel, Spotify’s Vice President and Head of Financial Planning & Analysis, Treasury and Investor Relations, during a wide-ranging Q&A at the Goldman Sachs 28th Annual Communacopia Conference in New York. – Murray Stassen,  MBW

As Madame X, Madonna is her most authentic onstage self in years

 “Freedom is the theme of this show,” Madonna told an enthralled, intimate crowd at the Thursday (Sept. 19) night show of her Madame X Tour at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. “And the theme of my life, for that matter.” – Joe Lynch, Billboard

See Miley Cyrus cover Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin at iHeartRadio Fest

In addition to performing “Comfortably Numb” and “Black Dog,” singer also debuts live “Don’t Call Me Angel.”  – Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone

6ix9ine testifies that Cardi B and Jim Jones are gang members

The rapper and controversy magnet Tekashi 6ix9ine identified Cardi B and Jim Jones as members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, the set 6ix9ine himself was affiliated with before flipping. – Chris DeVille, Stereogum 

‘Almost Famous’ musical resurrects ‘70s rock — and revises a problematic Penny Lane

Cameron Crowe has adapted his Oscar-winning, semi-autobiographical, screenplay into the show’s book and lyrics. – Ashley Lee, LA Times

Rock star Patti Smith making Paris swoon

She is working toward a third act as a novelist, and her new book, “Year of the Monkey,” blends fact and fiction. – NY Times

Tanya Tucker’s AmericanaFest 2019 Q&A: 5 things we learned about the legend

Tanya Tucker deservingly got her flowers now during the 20th annual AmericanaFest, which ran Sept. 10-15 in Nashville. The legendary performer served as a guest of honour at multiple events, including a live Q&A at the Country Music Hall of Fame, hosted by fellow rebel Elizabeth Cook. –The Boot

Harry Styles gave Liam Gallagher £3,000 worth of the rock star's favourite fish as a gift

The 25-year-old singer and Liam, 47, are good pals, and as a mark of his affection, Harry treated the former Oasis frontman to more seabass than he could dream of. – Music News

Taylor Swift cancels performance at Australia’s Melbourne Cup under pressure from animal rights activists

The superstar has cancelled her planned performance at one of Australia’s leading sports events under pressure from animal rights activists. The singer was set to play two tracks from her new album ‘Lover’ at the Melbourne Cup on November 5. –  Nick Reilly, NME

The Area 51 event shows that marketers can make a killing on the absurd

The supposed raid of Area 51 comes after months of publicity. All hype aside, one thing is for certain: It's bound to be a disappointment for anyone hoping for definitive proof of the existence of aliens. or some brands, though, this was the perfect marketing opportunity. – Allen Kim, CNN 

JTBC apologizes for not distributing “Sugar Man” music royalties for hit MeloMance song

JTBC has apologized and assured proper compensation for MeloMance for their work on Sugar Man 2. The Record Label Industry Association Of Korea revealed that Sugar Man 2 had not distributed royalties worth 1 billion won (approximately $840,200) to indie duo MeloMance for hit song You. – M. Dang soompi

1 on 1 with the king of financial country music

Merle Hazard, the biggest name in country music about financial markets, debuted in New York on Thursday night, performing for a packed house at WNYC's Jerome L. Greene Performance Space.The legendary crooner behind hits like How Long (Will Interest Rates Stay Low) and Inflation or Deflation is unquestionably the economics world's biggest country music superstar. – Dion Rabouin, Axios

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon has a music label called Payback Records

The CEO of Goldman Sachs known as DJ D-Sol on the electronic dance circuit, launched a record label last year.The CEO has a “vision for building a socially-conscious music business focused on one of America’s most serious public health crisis: the addiction epidemic,” according to Payback Records. – Hugh Son, CNBC

Thom Yorke opens up about pain of ex-partner’s death

The Radiohead singer talks on Desert island Discs about the strain on his family after Rachel Owen died. – Aamna Mohdin, The Guardian