Page 29 - ATD 27OCT,2015

PEOPLE & ARTS A29
In this July 24, 2015 file photo, Andy Grammer performs on
NBC’s “Today” show at Rockefeller Center in New York.
Andy Grammer to sing
national anthem at
World Series Game 1 interview.
NEW YORK (AP) — Pop
singer-songwriter Andy
Grammer will perform the
national anthem at Game
1 of the World Series on
Tuesday. Major League
Baseball announced Mon-
day that the “Honey, I’m
Good” singer will perform
before the New York Mets
take on the Kansas City
Royals at Kauffman Stadi-
um in Kansas City, Missouri.
The game will air live at 8:07
Adele producer: Keeping mum about ‘Hello’ was hard MESFIN FEKADU
AP Music Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Getting
into the studio and writing a
potential hit song for Adele
sounds hard enough. Now
add keeping mum about
the track for a year.
That’s the challenge Greg
Kurstin faced after produc-
ing and co-writing “Hello”
last year.
“I’m not going to lie; it’s not
easy to hold that informa-
tion in for that long. It’s kind Grammy Award for album
of like I was holding this big
secret for so long, but I stuck
with it,” the Grammy- and
Golden Globe-nominated
songwriter-producer, said
in an interview with The As-
sociated Press.
“It wasn’t easy. You kind
of want to shout it out, run
around in the streets yell-
ing to random strangers
what you’ve just done,” he
Melissa Benoist joins Superman
family as ‘Supergirl’ on CBS
ALICIA RANCILIO
Associated Press
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP)
Associated Press — Melissa Benoist, star of
CBS’ new series “Supergirl,”
wasn’t a comic-book geek
or fan girl when she was
growing up.
“My favorite superhero was
Michael Keaton as ‘Bat-
man,’” she said in a recent
She also wasn’t athletic or
EST on Fox. sporty.
Grammer’s pop smash, “I’m not coordinated in
“Honey, I’m Good,” be- that way. ... I would have
came a multiplatinum hit moments where I felt confi-
this year and peaked at dent and where I felt strong
No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and brave and like I could
chart. He is currently com- do anything. But then, like
peting on ABC’s “Dancing everyone else, I have re-
With the Stars.” ally, really awkward, hor-
Grammer will re-release his ribly awkward, moments,”
2014 sophomore album, Benoist said.
“Magazines or Novels,” She stars as Superman’s
on Nov. 20 with four new caped cousin, Kara Zor-El,
tracks.q known as Kara Danvers, in
the new “Supergirl” series,
which premieres Monday
night (8:30 p.m. EDT).
The audition process was
a long one, but Benoist,
27, best known for her role
as Marley Rose on “Glee,”
was a standout.
“We were like, ‘We have
to get a diamond ring for
that girl,’ but then we still
needed to date the na-
added. In this April 16, 2013 file photo
“Hello” was released Friday provided by ASCAP, produc-
and it topped the iTunes er and songwriter Greg Kurst-
singles chart in 85 countries. in arrives at the 30th Annual
The music video broke the ASCAP Pop Music Awards, at
Vevo record for most views Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los
in a day with 27.7 million. Angeles.
“Hello” is Adele’s first single
since releasing 2011’s earth Associated Press was her follow-up to “21.”
shattering “21,” her sopho-
more album that sold more out. On “25,” which Adele
than 11 million units in the will release on Nov. 20,
United States and won the
of the year, among other
accolades.
“I’m still in shock honestly.
...I was just pretty blown
away,” Kurstin said of the
insta-success of “Hello.”
Kurstin, who has worked
with Pink, Lily Allen, Katy
Perry and Taylor Swift, said
he and Adele were sup-
posed to work on music for
“21,” but that it didn’t pan
Tuesday 27 October 2015
In this Aug. 10, 2015 file photo, Melissa Benoist from “Supergirl”,
poses for a portrait during the CBS 2015 Television Critics Asso-
ciation Summer Press Tour in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Associated Press
tion,” said executive pro- oist. “From there it was kind
ducer Ali Adler. “We had of that’s where the journey
to see maybe a thousand started.”
more women, and we nev- In this version of “Super-
er stopped being in love girl,” Kara doesn’t arrive on
with Melissa.” Earth until she is 13, so she
Benoist recalled learning remembers planet Krypton.
about the part and realiz- Viewers will see flashbacks
ing that it was special. of Kara’s mother, Alura,
“The second that I saw in played by Laura Benanti.
my email inbox the title Kara has known all along
‘Supergirl,’ I just knew auto- that she has superpowers,
matically that it was some- but she’s been afraid to
thing important and it was use them. Now, 10 years
something exciting and later, she’s ready to em-
rare and that I wanted to brace her abilities and help
be a part of it,” said Ben- fight crime.
he also contributes to the course blows your mind.”
tracks “Water Under the Kurstin’s writing and pro-
Bridge” and “Million Years duction credits include pop
Ago.” smashes like Sia’s “Chan-
Kurstin said he was putting delier,” Kelly Clarkson’s
some pressure on himself “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill
before meeting with pow- You)” and Ellie Goulding’s
erhouse singer since this “Burn.” He is one-half of the
indie duo The Bird and the
But that changed once he Bee, who released its fourth
set foot in the studio, and album this year.
they started working on Kurstin is also working with
songs last year, including another Grammy album
“Hello.” of the year winner: He pro-
“She’s just so wonderful to duced Beck’s new single,
be around. She is funny “Dreams,” and is produc-
and she’s just so down-to- ing other tracks on the rock
earth. ...You can imme- singer’s follow-up to 2014’s
diately relate to her and “Morning Phase,” which
connect with her,” Kurstin won the top Grammy ear-
said of Adele. “I really felt lier this year.
very comfortable around “I used to play in his band
her because she makes actually,” said Kurstin, who
you feel that way. She’s added that is the first time
just cool, and then she gets he’s officially writing and
on the microphone and of producing for Beck.q