Bing Crosby Dreaming of a BTS Christmas

BTS superstar V (far left) will duet with legendary crooner Crosby on the festive favorite. Jung Yeon-je / AFP
BTS superstar V (far left) will duet with legendary crooner Crosby on the festive favorite. Jung Yeon-je / AFP
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Bing Crosby Dreaming of a BTS Christmas

BTS superstar V (far left) will duet with legendary crooner Crosby on the festive favorite. Jung Yeon-je / AFP
BTS superstar V (far left) will duet with legendary crooner Crosby on the festive favorite. Jung Yeon-je / AFP

BTS member V and Bing Crosby sing together in an "era-bending" new version of the late US crooner's classic "White Christmas" set for release Friday -- thanks to the power of technology, South Korean media reported.
The song blends Crosby's voice with K-pop megastar V's vocals and a new instrumental arrangement, making it sound as if the two recorded together, the reports said, citing the K-Pop star's agency HYBE.
Vocals from Crosby were extracted from the 1950s recording of the Ivring Berlin-penned Christmas favorite, the best-selling physical single of all time according to Guinness World Records, AFP said.
V, whose real name is Kim Tae-hyung and who was born 18 years after Crosby died in 1977, recorded in 2022 a cover of the US singer and actor's "It's Been a Long, Long Time", the reports said.
"I was so happy and grateful to sing alongside the voice of my hero," said V, who is currently performing compulsory military service.
"Crosby is my favorite jazz artist, and I hope you enjoy the song, which I sang with deep admiration for him as a fan," the 28-year-old said.
The song was due to be released at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT) along with a video.



Brazilian Judge Orders Adele Song Removed over Plagiarism Claim

British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
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Brazilian Judge Orders Adele Song Removed over Plagiarism Claim

British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)
British singer Adele poses on the red carpet upon her arrival for the BRIT Awards 2022 in London on February 8, 2022. (AFP)

A judge in Rio de Janeiro has ordered the global removal of a 2015 song by British singer Adele due to a plagiarism claim by a Brazilian musician, which Universal Music is fighting on appeal. The ruling, made public on Monday, came in a case filed this year by Toninho Geraes, whose compositions were made famous by some of Brazil's most acclaimed samba singers.

Geraes accused Adele of copying his song "Mulheres", a national hit since the 1990s. His lawyers uploaded to YouTube a comparison of that song and Adele's "Million Years Ago".

"The ruling shows that the Brazilian justice system is strong and that injuries to Brazilian artists won't be ignored," said Fredimio Biasotto Trotta, a lawyer for Geraes.

The decision orders Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Music to immediately cease "using, reproducing, editing, distributing, or commercializing" the song by any means on streaming or sharing platforms, without Geraes' consent. It set a fine of 50,000 reais ($8,080.94) if the companies fail to comply with the order.

The Berne Convention, an international treaty, orders other signatory countries, including the US, to comply with legal decisions regarding copyright, Trotta said.

Geraes' lawyers are now notifying streaming services, such as Spotify and Deezer, to withdraw the song in Brazil and globally. On Wednesday morning, the song was still widely available.

Universal appealed the decision on Tuesday, arguing there was no plagiarism, only an "accidental melodic similarity" due to the use of "musical clichés."

Both Adele and Geraes have contracts with Universal, but the Brazilian musician has been trying to terminate his contract with the company due to his plagiarism claim, his lawyer said.

"I felt very disrespected," Geraes told Reuters. He is asking the courts for compensation of more than $150,000. Lawyers representing Universal Music declined to comment, and Sony Music did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Geraes learned of the similarities between the two songs after a friend, who is also a composer, heard Adele's "Million Years Ago" at a party in 2021.