Sam Smith, Madonna tease new single ‘Vulgar’

Sam Smith and Madonna have teamed up for a new single.

The two announced their upcoming collaboration, titled “Vulgar,” on social media, adding a picture of corsets and their initials, “SM.” “VULGAR…………. new song out Friday June 9th @samsmith,” Madonna captioned it.

In May, Smith had teased that there would be a collaboration with the “Like a Prayer” singer, teasing a song the duo made at a concert, but then Smith was forced to abruptly end the show because of vocal issues.

Smith previously has covered Madonna’s 1994 single, “Human Nature,” on tour.

Madonna also introduced Kim Petras and Smith for their performance of “Unholy” at the 2023 Grammys. “Vulgar” is scheduled for release Friday.

Taylor Swift delivers Pride speech to concert fans

Taylor Swift kicked off her first of three shows in Chicago on Friday, delivering a special speech for her LGBTQ fans.

In a touching show of allyship and support for the “incredible individuals who are living authentically and beautifully,” the pop superstar who’s currently in the middle of her sold-out “The Eras” Tour took some time to celebrate Pride Month, telling LGBTQ Swifties that “this is a safe space for you.”

“First things first, happy Pride Month, everyone,” the singer said, referring to her LGBTQ fans as “the most stunning, beautiful, brilliant crowds of people who are living their authentic lives.”

“One of the things that makes me feel so prideful is getting to be with you, and watching you interact with each other, and being so loving, and so thoughtful and so caring,” she told thousands of fans amid thunderous applause.

“There’s such solidarity, such support of one another and such encouraging, beautiful acceptance and peace and safety,” she added. “I wish every place was safe and beautiful for people in the LGBTQ community.”

Feds look to garnish R. Kelly’s music royalties

The federal government is looking to garnish R. Kelly’s royalty checks to pay restitution to the disgraced R&B superstar’s sex trafficking victims.

In a pair of filings Thursday, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn gave notice to Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Publishing Inc. that R. Kelly hasn’t paid the roughly $500,000 he owes the court and his victims.

Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison in June 2022 on sex trafficking and racketeering charges in Brooklyn Federal Court for a 25-year scheme that saw him sexually abuse and psychologically torture young women and men.

— News service reports