Latest news with #KingofHearts
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jelly Roll & Brandon Lake's ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah' Collab Certified Platinum
CCM singer Brandon Lake recently surprised his 'Hard Fought Hallelujah' collaborator Jelly Roll with some stellar news about their hit collab. In a video he shared on Instagram on June 20, Lake surprised Jelly Roll with a plaque commemorating that 'Hard Fought Hallelujah' had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), for sales of at least one million units. More from Billboard Bunnie XO Shares She & Jelly Roll Had a 'Huge Win' in Their IVF Journey: 'Praise Jesus' Nicole Scherzinger Gives Surprise 'Buttons' Performance at Broadway Bares Live Aid to Be Re-Broadcast for 40th Anniversary on U.K. Radio The song, which is featured on Lake's June 13-released album King of Hearts, was certified Platinum before the album was even released. In the video, Jelly Roll says, 'We were just talking about this like six months ago,' and later adding, 'This might be my favorite plaque I've ever had.' Their collaborative version of 'Hard Fought Hallelujah' cracked the top 40 on Billboard's all-genre Hot 100, while also reaching the top 15 on the Hot Country Songs chart. 'I released [the solo version of] this song, and then I felt like, 'This is too special to not share this song with somebody,'' Lake recently told Billboard of bringing in Jelly Roll to record the song with him. 'Thinking about the lyrics, I was like, 'Man, I think Jelly Roll would resonate with the story of this song.' I've been so inspired by his story, the things he's overcome. I remember seeing him sing 'Believe' with Brooks & Dunn [at the 2024 CMA Awards], and I just bawled my eyes out. It gave me all the faith to reach out. The craziest part of that is he had already heard the song on TikTok and loved it. 'We hopped on the phone, and we didn't talk music for the first hour. We just instantly became like brothers and talked about life, parenting, touring, family. It was a real friendship off the bat. There's a reason why he is on top of the world right now, and it's not just because his songs are amazing — it's because he's amazing,' Lake added. See the video below: Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Some Federal Agencies Are Actually Getting More Efficient
With the Department of Government Efficiency aiming to reduce the size and scope of the federal bureaucracy, the Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has not been immune. The agency recently reported a 13 percent reduction in its workforce since last year. While much of this appears to have come in the form of "voluntary resignations," it's clear that many of DOGE's policies are directly targeted at encouraging such attrition. The TTB is the primary federal regulatory body responsible for alcohol. The bulk of alcohol regulation has taken place at the state and local level since the end of Prohibition, but the feds have kept their hands in the pie through this agency, which oversees myriad tax issues, trade practice rules, and a label approval regime that determines what illustrations you're allowed to see on your favorite beer can. Under the TTB's pre-approval process, the agency has to sign off on the labels that attach to alcohol bottles and cans before those products hit the market. This contrasts with the Food and Drug Administration's system for food labels on non-alcoholic items, which polices label infractions only after products go on sale. Speaking remotely to a recent Napa Valley wine conference, TTB spokesperson Janelle Christian said that the average processing time for label approval has increased in recent months. While she attributed this to the aforementioned staff reductions, she also provided a great real-world example of necessity becoming the mother of invention: The TTB is exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to help with the label review and approval process. The possibility that AI could enhance food labeling compliance has been touted for several years now, so this is an idea that the TTB should have pursued long ago. But before the staff reductions, it does not appear to have been on the agency's radar. Downsizing is clearly forcing agencies to think more creatively and to explore new ideas for increasing efficiency and cutting costs. (Christian's remarks via laptop to the wine conference are another example of that: TTB officials used to attend that conference in person.) The TTB's labeling regime has not only suffered from long processing times in the past. It is also a case study in the inanity of bureaucracy. The agency's labeling rules prohibit "health-related statements," which it has construed to be comically broad. The agency once rejected a label for King of Hearts beer because the picture—a playing card with a heart—was deemed to imply a health benefit. St. Paula's Liquid Wisdom got in trouble because "wisdom" supposedly implied a medical claim. That mentality is still alive and well at the TTB labeling office. In those same remarks to the Napa Valley conference, Christian declared that the two most common wine label violations the agency sees involve rosé and orange wine. "Rosé is a color. It does need to say 'rosé wine,'" she said. "'Orange wine' is a fruit wine under TTB regulations. You aren't allowed to call it 'orange wine' on your label. You can call it 'orange-tinted Pinot Gris' or an 'amber-colored' or an 'orange-hued wine.'" Something is wrong when the federal government has grown large enough to police the naming protocols of orange-tinted Pinot Grigio. If downsizing is what it takes to pull Washington back from that sort of micromanagement, we need more of it. The post Some Federal Agencies Are Actually Getting More Efficient appeared first on
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charleston musician Brandon Lake announced 48-city arena tour, with a final stop on Daniel Island in 2026
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston's own Brandon Lake announced Friday a 48-city arena tour with stops planned in three of South Carolina's largest cities. Lake, who also this week revealed details about his latest album, King of Hearts, will kick off his largest tour ever on Oct. 2 in Sunrise, Florida. He will make regional stops in Orlando, Atlanta, Raleigh, and Charlotte, with plans to perform in his home state on Oct. 19 in Columbia and in Greenville on April 23, 2026. The tour will wrap up with a performance at Credit One Stadium in Charleston on May 1, 2026. The five-time Grammy Award winner last performed at the Daniel Island stadium in May 2024 to wrap up his 'Tear the Roof Off' tour. The event was sold out. Tickets are not yet on sale; however, you can sign up on the artist's website to receive early access. Lake will perform on an episode of 'American Idol' in celebration of his tour and album announcement. That episode is set to air on April 20. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
