Usher promises an ‘awesome’ new album

Plus: Les Ambassadeurs to bring the party to Abu Dhabi; Jon Batiste named Colbert Late Show bandleader; Boman Irani having a blast on Dilwale set; Chris Pratt talks about shedding weight.

Usher performs at the Mawazine Festival. AP Photo / Abdeljalil Bounhar

Usher says his upcoming album “is going to be awesome”. Speaking before his Mawazine Festival performance in Morocco on Friday, he said his delayed eighth album – with no release date set yet – will focus on the personal issues he tackled over the past three years. “In terms of which artists will be featuring, I can’t tell you right now who they will be,” he said. “My music is somewhat of a diary and it gives me the opportunity some of the emotional things I had to deal with – from the hard times to the great and fun times – as I am getting a little older.” Check out our interview with the R&B star soon in Arts&Life. – Saeed Saeed

Les Ambassadeurs to bring the party to Abu Dhabi

The Malian big band Les Ambassadeurs are looking forward to their UAE debut in November. Speaking from Morocco's Mawazine Festival where they are headlining this year, their pianist Cheick Tidiane Seck said the acclaimed act are best appreciated live. "Wherever we go it is always one big party," he said. "We can't wait to come over to you in Abu Dhabi so we can all sing and dance together." Led by the singer Salif Keita, the band will perform a free show in the capital at the New York University Abu Dhabi as part of the university's inaugural performing arts season. For more details, visit www.nyuad-artscenter.org. – Saeed Saeed

Jon Batiste named Colbert Late Show bandleader

Stephen Colbert is ready to strike up the band with the musician Jon Batiste as his Late Show bandleader. Batiste is a singer and educator from New Orleans who has toured globally with his band, Stay Human, and studied at the Juilliard School, where he received his undergraduate and master's degrees. Colbert, who used to host The Colbert Report on Comedy Central, is stepping into CBS's late-night slot previously occupied by David Letterman. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which has also launched a website and podcast on iTunes, starts on September 8. – AP

Boman Irani having a blast on Dilwale set

The actor Boman Irani is having a great time at the shoot of Rohit Shetty’s Dilwale, which brings back Bollywood’s beloved on-screen pair of Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. In an appearance at Anupam Kher’s acting academy, Actor Prepares, Boman shared his experience from the shoot and said: “We’re having a blast on the sets of Rohit Shetty’s Dilwale with Shah Rukh Khan. As for teaming up again with Khan, after Don and Happy New Year, Irani said: “There is double enjoyment in every film with Shah Rukh.” Dilwale has made headlines since Shetty managed the casting coup of reuniting the evergreen couple of Khan and Kajol in the film, after their previous outing together in 2010’s My Name Is Khan. – Ians

Chris Pratt talks about shedding weight

The Hollywood star Chris Pratt is speaking out about the effect of his weight gain for the character he played in the TV sitcom Parks and Recreation. Pratt, who starred as Andy Dwyer on the show, reached 136 kilograms in 2013. At the time, he thought his popularity was linked to his rotund appearance. “I saw myself in an episode, and in a matter of two moments very close together, I thought: ‘Oh my God, I’m getting fat.’ And then almost immediately I did something else and I thought: ‘Holy crap, I’ve never seen myself funnier.’ And I put the two together,” he told Men’s Health magazine. However, the 35-year-old became convinced he needed to shed his excess weight for good after seeing himself as a Navy Seal in the 2012 action thriller Zero Dark Thirty. “I’d gone back and forth ... and right after walking out I was like: ‘I’m going to get in shape and I’m never going to be fat again,’” he said. – Ians