Puerto Rican Singer Jhay Cortez and Actress Mia Khalifa Are Officially Dating - BONUS - New Music Friday

Mia Khalifa needs no introduction. Everybody knows her from her fine list of critically acclaimed films. She's taken a step back to reassess her career, but she's still a legend. 

Jhay Cortez? You may be wondering who the fuck is this guy and how is he soaking the stick in one of the most sought-after "actresses" in the game?

(sidebar - Javy Baez is a HUGE Jhay Cortez guy)

He's a singer, originally from Puerto Rico but who grew up in New Jersey.

He began writing and composing music at the age of 15. He went on to write a series of songs for Tito El Bambino, with one of them being featured on the Latin Grammy-winning album, Invencible.

In 2013, he began to sing for Latin pop group Stereo 4. Three years later, he made his debut as a solo artist.

By 2019, Cortez's music started to take off. His first album, Famouz, debuted on the Billboard 200 list and was certified triple platinum.

The following year, he released a song with popular artist Bad Bunny. 

The song hit the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 list, and the two later performed it at the Grammys last night.

Which is where these two made it official official. Strutting down the red carpet hand in hand.

They even played how well do you know each other.

People - Khalifa's new romance comes about after the adult performer split from ex-husband Robert Sandberg. Khalifa and Sandberg — who got engaged in 2019, announced their separation in joint Instagram statements in July.

"We can confidently say we gave it our all in making our marriage work but after almost a year of therapy and efforts, we are walking away knowing we have a friend in each other, and that we truly tried," the former couple wrote at the time.

I'm as shocked as you are that their marriage didn't work out. But here's hoping this new romance does for these two crazy kids.

Good luck Mia -

Here's everything that happened in music this week -

POP

- Adele dropped 30 last night. My full review can be found here. 

- Netflix’s Don’t Look Up already has a stacked cast, including Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Jonah Hill, Leonardo DiCaprio and more. Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi also have roles in the film — set to release Dec. 10 — and they lent their musical talents to the movie’s soundtrack too, collaborating on the song “Just Look Up,”

- The Taylor’s Version of Red is the gift that keeps on giving. Taylor Swift has dropped the live acoustic version of “All Too Well” that appears on the just-released Red (Taylor’s Version) album. The recording is taken from last week’s premiere of the epic Sadie Sink/Dylan O’Brien video for the single at the AMC 13 Lincoln Square in Manhattan; Swift wrote and directed the short film.

In a tweet, Swift said that the live version marked the first-ever performance of the song, tracked in front of an audience of 400 fans.

- Kacey Musgraves serves a hearty helping of Coldplay’s 2005 hit “Fix You” in Chipotle’s new short film supporting farmers.

- New Forster The People - “Downtown”

- New Blu DeTiger, “Blondes”

- New Peach Pit, “Look Out!”

- New MØ, “Brad Pitt”

HIP HOP

- Drake and Kanye have buried the hatchet. Finally.

- Freddie Gibbs and Jadakiss have shared “Black Illuminati,” their first song together in nearly a decade. The single is out now via Warner Records.

“Black Illuminati” celebrates the rappers’ growing success with healthy skepticism — having money is great, but it’s become all the more clear these days that the hip-hop game comes with certain dangers. 

- On Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 17), rapper and music executive Young Dolph was killed in a shooting outside a store in Memphis.

According to FOX13 Memphis, the shooting took place outside Makeda’s Cookies, where police located Dolph and pronounced him dead on the scene. He was 36. 

- Cardi B has a thing or 10 on her mind on the grinding new single “Bet It” from the soundtrack to the new Halle Berry MMA flick Bruised. The rapper executive produced the landmark album featuring all-female rappers alongside the actress — who also makes her directorial debut with the film — taking listeners on a steely eyed trip through her rise to global superstardom over a chilled-out beat, subtle strings and a prominent Spanish-language sample.

- Earl Sweatshirt has returned with “2010,” his first solo release of 2021. It was produced by the reclusive rapper’s frequent collaborator Black Noi$e and arrives with an accompanying music video.

EDM

- We interviewed R3hab live at Tao Chicago this week on Barstool Backstage. If you missed it get your shit together and watch now.

He just dropped his newest single - 

On it, he teams up with the GRAMMY-nominated Lukas Graham for his newest single "Most People," which shows the veteran DJ, producer, and label head showcasing his softer sonic side. R3HAB detours from his signature sonic lane to explore a fresh fusion of electronic dance sounds with country and folk vibes, opening with lilting guitar instrumentals that let singer Lukas Forchhammer's soulful voice shine through. With lyrics about not giving up on love during tough times and an uplifting chorus of organic melodies, "Most People" is a heartfelt song guaranteed to hit you in the feels and remember all of the good times through the bad. The track follows R3HAB's recent releases "Sad Boy" with Jonas Blue, Ava Max, Kylie Cantrall, and "Runaway" with Sigala and JP Cooper. Lukas Graham made serious waves with their 2016 hit "7 Years" - which went multi-platinum and earned them three GRAMMY nominations - and never looked back. Lukas continues to weave the stories of his life into songs like "Most People."

- 100 gecs are back with the new song “mememe,” out now via Big Beat Records.

The single offers the first look at Dylan Brady and Laura Les’ follow up to 1000 gecs, their 2019 hodgepodge debut that blew up on TikTok and brought hyperpop (and Brady’s coveted producer’s touch) to a greater audience. In the grand (albeit short) tradition of the duo, “mememe” blows out pop melodies, as heavy bass and guitar crunch meld with autotuned vocals and glitchy production.

- New Tiesto and Ava Max!

- Alesso went into Insomniac’s 2019 iteration of Countdown NYE with not one, but two IDs sitting in his back pocket, dropping the curtain on both the finalized product of “One Last Time” with DubVision and an early configuration of what would eventually evolve into the sole purpose of this entire article. “Somebody To Use”—which was actually the driving force behind the creation of Dancing Astronaut‘s most-sought-after 2021 releases—spanned four different production stages as it walked down the long and winding road to November 19, warranting a global reintroduction amidst Alesso’s historic finale at Ultra Taiwan exactly one year ago and entering the ultimate form—receiving its electric pre-drop stabs—we have in our possession today during EDC Las Vegas’ 25th anniversary. And when “Somebody To Use” was surprisingly absent from the PROGRESSO VOL. 2 tracklist this past summer, the only rational conclusion that could be reached was that Alesso understandably decided that it required a standalone delivery.

- With “Moonlight,” Smoko Ono says he “wanted to create a song that makes you feel like you’re in another world.” Couple smoky, futuristic sonics with the heady skill of SG Lewis and R&B singer Rich, and the Windy City producer can consider “Moonlight” an aesthetic bullseye hit.

- After dominating 2019 with “GRiZtronics,” GRiZ and Subtronics have returned with their follow-up, “Another Level.” The single sees the pair of producers head to Subtronics’ Cyclops Recordings for the wonky single, which maintains the high energy of their initial outing.

“Another Level” is GRiZ’s first release since his seventh studio album, Rainbow Brain. Although “Another Level” takes a step back from his last psychedelic endeavor, his unique funk-oriented style makes itself known in this latest release.

- Fedde Le Grand’s newest release, a joint single with Robert Falcon, fluidly embodies this sentiment. Titled “Heaven,” the release builds a bridge between Cutting Crew’s infamous “(I Just) Died in Your Arms” and the modern dance floor, signing off on Sofia Quinn’s re-imagined vocals with moody synth undertones and a vibrant slap-house groove.

- When REZZ first teased the release of Spiral earlier this year, fans were already desperate to get their hands on the record. Led by the single “Chemical Bond,” which saw the prolific producer team up with Deathpact, the first single made the statement that Spiral would deliver everything fans wanted and then some.

After a rollout punctuated by “Chemical Bond” and “Let Me In” featuring fkynsyd, REZZ’s third release sees her not only expand on the dark synths that launched her musical career, but also introduce a smoother overall approach to production. “Levitate,” for instance, differs from a regular REZZ track in that it features a slightly more soothing tone while maintaining the hypnotic power of REZZ’s regular tracks.

- Blasterjaxx unveiled “The Crown,” their third clubs-tomping single in just as many weeks. The tune-a-week trend is set to continue up until December 3, when the Dutch duo is set to unveil its much-anticipated Mystica Chapter II EP.

- Coming off of their most recent release, “Drive” alongside Tilian and BEAUZ, Adventure Club have returned for their final pre-album single, “Never Surrender” with Codeko and Sarah De Warren. The duo’s sophomore album, Love // Chaos, is slated to hit streaming platforms near the end of the year.

Hinging on the trials and tribulations that go hand-in-hand with post-relationship heartbreak, “Never Surrender” fuses Adventure Club and Codeko’s pristine production capabilities with Sarah De Warren’s grounded lyricism and vocals. Melancholy meets melodic on a nostalgic entity laced electric guitar and crisp snares. Fall into the evocative soundscape that is “Never Surrender” below.

- Everything Vintage Culture touches seems to turn to gold lately, including his new collaboration with James Hype, “You Give Me A Feeling.” The alluring club track combines slinky rhythms, beefy basslines, and smooth vocal hooks for a first-time tech-house meet-up involving Vintage Culture and Hype.

Although “You Give Me A Feeling” marks their first match-up, when looking at each artist’s style, it’s no wonder that “You Give Me A Feeling” feels like a collaboration long overdue. Hype is known for his energetic house sets while Vintage Culture has exploded onto the tech-house scene, and the combination makes for an irresistible final product. 

- Nora En Pure has had quite the year performing around the world, dropping exceptional singles and EPs over the course of the tour. Dispatched by (surprise!) Enormous Tunes, “Luscious Rain” is a head-nodding triumph, and the title fits the bill in the midst of the not-so-sunny season.

Her fifth one-off single of 2021, “Luscious Rain” arrives on the heels of En Pure’s deep-house take on Tove Lo’s “Cool Girl.” The latter remix landed in between “Life On Hold” and “Tantrum,” which, as En Pure exclusively told Dancing Astronaut in an on-site interview at DAY.MVS, was supposed to arrive as a dual-track EP. In the end, Nora En Pure sought to showcase the songs’ unique differences by releasing them individually.

- Party Favor‘s latest single “Whenever You’re Around” precedes his upcoming album, to be released via Ultra Music. In August, he released the record’s lead single, and already, both “Save Me” and “Whenever You’re Around” highlight the versatility that Party Favor is sure to bring on his forthcoming record. Stream the latest slice of pre-LP sound below.

- Chicago's Whethan has released “2MUCH,” a new single with Jasiah and KA$HDAMI. With skittering trap beats, “2 MUCH” follows Whethan’s “Thank You Right.” His 2020 record, Fantasy, reached a top-five spot on Dancing Astronaut‘s 20 Top Electronic Albums of 2020 list. With yet another release under his belt, Whethan continues to provide fans with the grooving tunes they’ve come to expect from him.

ROCK 

- Eddie Vedder has set a release date for his third solo album: Earthling will be out February 22nd via Seattle Surf/Republic Records. To coincide with today’s announcement, the Pearl Jam frontman has shared a new single called “The Haves.”

- Aerosmith have dug up a rare 1971 recording, which the legendary band is releasing on Record Store Day Black Friday on November 26th. The previously unreleased seven-song rehearsal tape, will be issued on vinyl and cassette under the title Aerosmith – 1971: The Road Starts Hear, with the collection’s “Movin’ Out”

The recording offers an extraordinary glimpse into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band’s early years, having been recorded just a year after they formed, and two years before the release of their 1973 self-titled debut album.

According to a press release, “The landmark early recording was made with Joe Perry’s Wollensak reel-to-reel tape machine in 1971 by Mark Lehman, who owned the infamous van and became Aerosmith’s one man road crew, either in the band’s Boston rehearsal room in front of a few select friends, or at a rehearsal the band did during a soundcheck for an early show.”

- Tom Morello has announced another guest-heavy new album, The Atlas Underground Flood, arriving December 3rd. He also shared three new tracks.

The LP serves as the sister piece to The Atlas Underground Fire, which the Rage Against the Machine guitarist released just last month. Once again, Morello has enlisted a bevy of famous musical colleagues to contribute, including Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, Rush’s Alex Lifeson, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Nathaniel Rateliff, Ben Harper, and more.

- Bleachers released a new EP on Thursday (Nov. 4) titled Live at Electric Lady — a collection of songs from the Jack Antonoff-fronted band that features live takes of their Billboard 200-charting album Take the Sadness Out of Saturday Night, recorded at the historic Electric Lady Studios in New York City.

The new EP features a total of eight songs, including “Chinatown” featuring Bruce Springsteen and “What’d I Do With All This Faith?” featuring St. Vincent. In addition to the features, Bleachers open the EP with a cover of “Drive,” The Cars’ signature song taken from their 1984 album, Heartbreak City.

- Foo Fighters are back with another video — and it’s an unsettling one. The veteran rockers released the accompanying visual for their new single “Love Dies Young” on Thursday (Nov. 18), from the band’s 10th studio album Medicine at Midnight.

- Metallica announced the line-up for their upcoming takeover of their San Francisco hometown as part of the long-running hard rock group’s celebration of four decades of metal fury. “Our 40th Anniversary celebration is just a month away, and we’re getting ready to take over the city of San Francisco!” they tweeted on Wednesday (Nov. 17). “From awesome live music and Blackened Whiskey tastings to a ’Tallica film-fest and three Ross Halfin events.”

- Foster the People is fresh off the release of their 10th anniversary reissue of their debut album, Torches, but the band has more material in store for their fans. While discussing the anniversary project in an interview with Billboard, frontman Mark Foster shed some light on future music from the band and revealed that more than one album is in the process of being made.

- It’s been four years since Jack White released a full-length album, his last being Boarding House Reach in 2018. But on Thursday (Nov. 11), the rocker announced he’s making up for that gap with two upcoming albums both arriving next year on his Third Man Records.

Fear of the Dawn is out April 8, followed by Entering Heaven Alive on July 22.

COUNTRY

- If you're a fan of Garth Brooks, you probably know that the country superstar loves to change things up when it comes to his live shows. Fans in attendance at Brooks' Nov. 18 show at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry House were treated to an especially rare treat.

During his more intimate sets, Brooks sometimes opts to expand out of his own songbook and perform a few tracks from artists who inspired him personally. During this show, he took a moment to tip his hat to Randy Travis by performing an acoustic cover of Travis' 2002 hit "Three Wooden Crosses." Watch a short clip of Brooks' performance, shot by a fan in attendance, below.

- "Fancy Like" singer Walker Hayes will release a new studio album early in 2022. The 13-track Country Stuff the Album album will build off an EP of the same name, released in June.

Five of the six titles from that EP appear on the tracklist for Country Stuff the Album, available Jan. 21 on Monument Records. Among them are collaborations with Jake Owen, Lori McKenna and Carly Pearce. Among the new recordings is a remake of his most personal song, "Craig," this time with MercyMe joining him. "Craig" details his struggles as a broke husband and father and how a man named Craig gave him a ride (literally) at his lowest point.

- Sam Morrow brings a soulful blend of country, funk, blues and rock in his latest single "This Town." The brand-new song is premiering exclusively with The Boot; press play below to listen.

The Texas singer-songwriter's rich vocals sit atop an irresistibly groovy live percussion loop, building into a groovy, atmospheric soundscape. The track builds off of the innovative sound featured on his 2020 record Gettin' By on Gettin' Down, a collaborative project with accomplished drummer Matt Tecu.

- Tami Neilson brings her own soulful style to "River," the achingly beautiful classic from Joni Mitchell. Just in time for the holidays, the New Zealand-based singer-songwriter's cover features sparse instrumentation, which allows Neilson's smooth, emotive vocals to take the spotlight.

https://youtu.be/eNHpzxKDb3g

- Nashville-based singer-songwriter Ryan Culwell longs for a fresh start in his powerful new single "Let's Go Crazy," premiering exclusively on The Boot.

The expertly-penned track finds the Texas native examining the world through the eyes of a protective parent and worried husband, ready to risk it all to give his loved ones a simpler and more content life.

- North Carolina-based quintet Sarah Shook & The Disarmers are sharing a new single "Talkin' to Myself" from their upcoming third studio album.

- The latest single from Greensky Bluegrass serves as a moving tribute to love, life and those who stand by our side through it all. "Grow Together," which is premiering exclusively today at The Boot, came together organically after vocalist and mandolinist Paul Hoffman found himself entering an exciting new phase of his life.

- Billy Strings is set to continue his extensive headlining tour in 2022. After selling out almost every scheduled concert date in November and December, the 29-year-old Grammy Award winner is set to visit even more cities next year.

The acclaimed guitarist and singer-songwriter will kick things off on Feb. 3 in Port Chester, N.Y. with four nights scheduled at The Capitol Theatre before heading to North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Arizona. In March, he'll perform three consecutive concerts in Madison, Wisc. before heading to Ohio for stops in Cleveland and Cincinnati.

- New Rocko Wheeler - "Take Shelter"

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