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Rihanna reportedly declined the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show in support of Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback known for kneeling during "The Star-Spangled Banner." According to outlets including Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, and Us Weekly, who broke the news of Gaga and JT's respective Super Bowl gigs, the Barbadian star is not interested in working with an organization that she perceives to have treated others unfairly. "The offer and exposure would have been great for Rihanna as she's planning a new album and tour," a source told Entertainment Weekly, "but she stuck to what's right in her eyes." Maroon 5 are widely reported to have accepted the gig in her stead.

In 2016, Kaepernick told NFL Media, "I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color." The QB is suing the NFL for "colluding to keep him unsigned" due to his personal politics. (Rolling Stone)

Today's new releases

Elle King: Shake the Spirit

You might remember Elle King from her crossover hit "Ex's & Oh's," a dominating heart-pounder soaked in tambourine and overdrive. For this year's Shake The Spirit, King again brings the sauce. From dancey rebuke "Shame" to break-up lament "Good Thing Gone," King shows off her attitude, emotional range, and pop/blues/outlaw country chops.

Greta Van Fleet: Anthem of the Peaceful Army

There's a reason Greta Van Fleet are high on any new rock releases playlist. They stick to the classic sounds of Led Zeppelin and Rush, offering crunchy, rousing jams such as "Brave New World" and "Lover, Leaver." While you listen to Anthem of the Peaceful Army, listen for epic word-pictures like "wonderlands of ice and snow" ("Age Of Man"), "a Hollywood of hell" ("When The Curtain Falls"), and the very title of "Mountain Of The Sun."

Empress Of: Us

Empress Of, the artist known for her 2015 album Me and collaborations with Blood Orange (that's her voice on "Best To You"), has released a lovely new album called Us. While Me emanated shards and electronic fuzz, Us sounds clear and bright — an intentional move on the latinoamericana's part. "I wanted to write about friendship," she told Pitchfork this week. "When you're with the right people, you can get through anything."

Khalid: Suncity

Ever since his 2016 single "Location," Khalid has enjoyed a portion of fame and industry recognition (in fact, he's fresh off a Favorite Male Artist for Soul/R&B AMA win). Today, he's back with an EP called Suncity. Although there are several U.S. towns with the name Sun City — including one in Khalid's own Texas — he seems to be singing about a figurative place, a "ciudad de sol" where he left his heart ("donde dejé mi corazón").

Also: Empress Of is back! She features on Suncity's title track, a reggaetón lilter Pitchfork called Khalid's "most successful branching-out moment" in their 6.2 Suncity review.

Brandi Carlile: "Party Of One (feat. Sam Smith)"

Does Brandi Carlile just sit down and wonder, "How can I make even more people cry with my music"? If so, she had a heck of a lightbulb when she and her team decided Sam Smith should feature on one of her songs. "Party Of One," original sung by Carlile as final track on Carlile's 2018 LP By The Way, I Forgive You, becomes a duet featuring Carlile's alto and Smith's soprano. The duo recorded the song with producer Dave Cobb in Los Angeles, and they'll donate part of the proceeds to non-profit organization Children in Conflict.

Songs sampled in podcast
Jahzzar: "Comedie" (CC BY 4.0)
Elle King: "Shame"
Greta Van Fleet: "When The Curtain Falls"
Empress Of: "Trust Me Baby"
Khalid: "Vertigo"
Brandi Carlile: "Party Of One (feat. Sam Smith)"