Capitol RecordsWhen Katy Perry released her latest album 143, she faced criticism from fans who were dismayed that she'd reunited with producer Dr. Luke for the project -- but now it appears she wasn't entirely to blame for that.The issue was that, while Dr. Luke co-wrote and produced many of Katy's biggest hits in the past, he'd also been accused of sexually and emotionally abusing Kesha, leading to lawsuits, countersuits and a prolonged legal battle.  But now, it appears that perhaps Katy shouldn't have taken the blame for that.In an interview with The Manager's Playbook, Chris Anokute, the A&R executive who's worked with Katy for years, including on 143, acknowledged, "This past record we put out wasn't a commercial success," but then said, "I think there was some backlash for her reuniting with Dr. Luke which was my desire, and my recommendation for her to go back in the studio with Luke, 'cause Luke is a dear friend.""And all the stuff he was accused of is actually not true, so I just thought it was a good idea to reunite them after 10 years of working together and every single he's ever done for her was #1," Anokute explained. "And the press just didn't react favorably and they basically just tried to assassinate him and her."Last year, Katy was asked on the Call Her Daddy podcast why she chose to work with Dr. Luke. She said, "I understand that it started a lot of conversations, and he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with. But the reality is, it comes from me.”She added, "The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life ... and he was one of the people to help facilitate all that."Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Courtesy Julien's AuctionsDuring her epic Living Proof: The Farewell Tour in 2002, Cher performed her song "If I Could Turn Back Time" in a costume designed by the legendary Bob Mackie, based on the extremely revealing outfit she wore in the song's video. Well, that tour outfit just sold at auction for over $162,000.The ensemble, which features a rhinestone-studded leather motorcycle jacket over a spandex and mesh catsuit, was sold during Juliens Auctions' Bold Luxury: The Limelight Edit sale. It had previously been sold at auction in 2006, and this time around the estimated selling price had been between $60,000 and $80,000.Even Mackie's sketch of the outfit was a big seller, bringing in $22,750.The outfit was also witness to a big pop cultural moment: The woman who previously owned the outfit lent it back to Cher in 2010 so she could wear it to that year's MTV VMAs. That was when she presented Lady Gaga — who was wearing her infamous meat dress, with a matching hat and bag — with an award. Gaga said during her acceptance speech, "I never thought I'd be asking Cher to hold my meat purse."That Farewell Tour didn't take, by the way: Cher hit the road again in 2014 for her Dressed to Kill Tour and then once again in 2018 for her Here We Go Again Tour.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty ImagesEd Sheeran is opening his pop-up experience, The Old Phone Pub, in Ipswich, Massachusetts, on Friday. In honor of the occasion, he appeared on a local TV station to deliver the weather forecast for the town, which is the sister city of his hometown of Ipswich, England.Standing in front of one of those computerized weather maps, Ed told viewers that they can expect a mix of sun and clouds, breezy with mild temperatures of 55 degrees. "Not quite T-shirt weather but sweater weather if you own one of those," he said. "Which I'm sure you do, 'cause we're in Massachusetts."He said there's a chance of showers into the evening, and Saturday and Sunday it will be 38 degrees with showers. After giving the weather for the next seven days, he thanked the station for having him and exited to applause.But it's not just Ipswich that's getting some love from Ed: He's teasing that something special involving his new single "Azizam" is coming to "a city near you" on Saturday. The cities range from New York and Venice, California, to Dublin, Rio de Janeiro, Delhi, Sydney, Paris and Berlin. You can sign up for texts about the event via a link shared by @edhq."Azizam" will officially be released April 4. It's from his forthcoming album, Play.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Larry Busacca/Getty ImagesYolanda Saldivar, the woman who murdered singer Selena Quintanilla in 1995, has been denied parole by the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole.Saldivar was convinced and sentenced to life in prison in 1995. She was required to serve 30 years before becoming eligible for parole. Her official eligibility date was March 30, but the Board's decision was announced Thursday. The next review is set for 2030.In its decision, the Board stated that the nature of Saldivar's offense indicated "a conscious disregard for the lives, safety, or property of others." The Board therefore ruled that Saldivar "poses a continuing threat to public safety."Days before the murder, Saldivar, the former president of Selena's fan club, had been fired by the singer and her husband over allegations that she was stealing money from them. Known as the Queen of Tejano Music, Selena was 23 years old when she was killed. Her posthumous crossover album, Dreaming of You, was the first album by a Latin artist to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200.Selena's life inspired the 1997 movie Selena, starring Jennifer Lopez, as well as a 2020 Netflix series. Selena Gomez was named after her.In a statement on the singer's official Instagram, Selena's family said they were grateful for the Board's decision, saying that it "reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the beautiful life that was taken from us and from millions of fans around the world far too soon.""Selena’s legacy is one of love, music, and inspiration," the statement continued. "She lived with joy, gave selflessly, and continues to uplift generations with her voice and her spirit. ... [W]e remain committed to preserving her memory and ensuring that her story is honored with the dignity and respect it deserves."The message also thanked Selena's fans "their unwavering support throughout the years."Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Legacy RecordingsWhen it first came out in January 2015, Meghan Trainor's debut album, TITLE, had a mere 11 songs on it. But the new 10th anniversary edition, out now, includes a whopping 28 tracks.Of those songs, two are new: A remastered version of "All About That Bass" and a version of "Better When I'm Dancin'" that Meghan's brother Justin produced for her recent Timeless Tour.The rest of the added tracks are all the ones that have been released on the various deluxe, special and Japanese editions of the record over the past 10 years, plus live versions of songs recorded in London for Spotify. Those live tracks include "Lips Are Movin'," "Title," "All About That Bass," and covers of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" and Sam Smith's "Stay With Me."The anniversary version of the album is also available as a collector's edition, pressed on translucent pink vinyl. It comes with a sticker sheet of doodles drawn by Meghan's kids and a 12-page signed booklet, all inside a rainbow holographic jacket.On Saturday, Meghan will receive the Hitmaker Award at Billboard’s Women in Music ceremony.Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.