Twin Cities hip-hop artist Dua Saleh has released an innovative video for their new single “pretty kitten.” In collaboration with a design team assembled by Minneapolis agency Zeus Jones, Saleh crowdsourced vertical videos to create what they call “the first ever fan-contributed music video entirely made of Instagram face filters.” Speaking recently with Andrea Swensson […]

Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul mayor Melvin Carter have both declared today, Dec. 12, to be Blenders Day, according to a press release from the band. Minnesota governor Tim Walz and North Dakota governor Douglas Burgam have also issued “certificates of congratulations” in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Minneapolis-based vocal group […]

The Library of Congress announced today that it’s added Purple Rain, the 1984 film that defined the most iconic of Prince’s many images and launched him into the stratosphere of superstardom, to the National Film Registry. 25 films are selected annually for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” important. This year’s selections also include the Loretta […]

In the closing weeks of a year that saw her land a record-setting number one single with “Truth Hurts” and lead the Grammy nominations, Lizzo has earned yet another well-earned honor: Time magazine has named her Entertainer of the Year for 2019. “With the Internet a scary toilet, measles somehow making a comeback, and everyone […]

“2019 is all about the experiences,” read a e-mail I recently received from a publicist. “Consumers are shifting their gift lists from products to experiences/memories that will last a lifetime. This year, you can get your loved one a personalized shout out from a favorite musician.” The publicist was writing about Cameo, a service that sells […]

Lizzo, a Detroit-born artist who rose to prominence during her years in Minneapolis; and Bon Iver, the band of nearby Eau Claire’s Justin Vernon, were among the big honorees when this year’s Grammy nominations were announced. As had been widely expected, Lizzo was nominated for Best New Artist; her hit “Truth Hurts,” though, also landed […]

Wee Willie Walker, one of the earliest and greatest soul singers to emerge from the Twin Cities scene, has died at age 77. Walker’s wife Judy confirmed the sad news in an e-mail; a cause of death was not immediately available. Update 12/22: Judy Walker has announced that a celebration of Willie Walker’s life will […]

The Current learned Saturday that Terry Katzman, a longtime fixture in the Minnesota music scene, has died. For decades, Katzman has been a champion of bands like Hüsker Dü, the Suburbs, the Replacements and many others. Notably, in January 1982, Katzman was on hand to record a performance by the Replacements at a rent party […]

Ed Ackerson, the prolific and iconoclastic rocker whose Flowers Studio was a go-to hub for generations of Minnesota artists, died yesterday after being diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. His wife, Ashley Ackerson, wrote, “He was peaceful and at home with his family and friends. He left this world smiling.” She continued, “Ed never looked […]