Madonna [ tickets ], in an interview with ABC-TV's "20/20" that will air on Friday night (6/18), says that she has adopted the Hebrew name "Esther."

The 45-year-old pop star--who was born Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone and raised Catholic--has chosen the name for herself as a follower of the Jewish discipline Kabbalah.

"I was named after my mother," Madonna said in interview excerpts that ABC released in advance of the broadcast. "My mother died when she was very young, of cancer, and ... I wanted to attach myself to another name. This is in no way a negation of who my mother is. ... I wanted to attach myself to the energy of a different name."

The merger of major music labels Sony Music and Bertelsmann AG's BMG has received the go-ahead from the European Union's antitrust chief, and is expected to gain approval from the full European Commission in July.

If completed, the deal would leave four companies with about 80 percent of the world's music market.

Oklahoma-bred singer/songwriter James Talley has issued a new live set titled "Journey," which features some of the best-known songs from his 30-plus-year career and five new songs.

The cult country artist recorded the set in Italy with a backing band of Dave Pomeroy (bass), Mike Noble (guitar) and Greg Thomas (drums).

Bowling for Soup [ tickets ] issues a new album titled "A Hangover You Don't Deserve" on Sept. 14. The group will also appear on select Vans Warped Tour dates.