Names and faces
■ British actor Idris Elba, who battled the coronavirus this year, has lent his voice to a new song about black men and mental health that will benefit pandemic relief efforts. Elba is featured on the song “Kings” by Kosine, a singer-songwriter-producer best known for crafting hits for Big Sean, Nicki Minaj and Rihanna. Kosine, whose real name is Marcos Palacios, is one-half of the production duo Da Internz. Elba delivers a spoken word performance on “Kings,” which was released Friday. “This song looks at mental health, mental enrichment. We should stay away from conspiracies as they are a collision of fear and ignorance, two factors that erode our mental health,” Elba wrote on his Instagram page about “Kings.” The Golden Globe-winning actor has dipped his toe in music multiple times: He has released several EPs, performed as a DJ and co-produced a song on Jay-Z’s 2007 album, American Gangster. Elba also appeared on Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ sophomore album This Unruly Mess I’ve Made, while audio from an Elba interview is featured on Taylor Swift’s “London Boy,” a song from her latest album Lover. Kosine, who worked on songs for Nas, Ella Mai, John Legend and Ludacris, said a portion of the proceeds from “Kings” will benefit the MusiCares Covid-19 Relief Fund. “As a musician, I’m doing my part to provide audio healing and to keep the mental health of the masses top of mind,” Kosine said in a statement. “In times like these we find out together who we are and who we aren’t. I want all of my brothers to know that they are KINGS contrary to the false narrative of traditional mass media. It is my hope that the princes of today grow in this knowledge and lead us into a future honoring the sacrifices of their ancestors.”
■ After scrapping the original release date for her new album because of the spreading coronavirus, Lady Gaga has announced that her sixth studio release will be released May 29. Gaga announced the news Wednesday. Chromatica was originally supposed to be released April 10. The album includes collaborations with Ariana Grande, Elton John and Blackpink, and features the single “Stupid Love,” which peaked at No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Several artists have postponed albums because of the coronavirus pandemic, including Luke Bryan, Dixie Chicks, Alanis Morissette, HAIM and Kehlani. Hundreds of live tours have also been canceled or postponed. Gaga’s last fulllength studio album was 2016’s Joanne. In 2018 she released the soundtrack for A Star Is Born, which won her four Grammy Awards as well as an Oscar for the hit song “Shallow.” Gaga’s hits include “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “Bad Romance,” “Born This Way” and “Million Reasons.”