Author: djfrosty
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LISA has been hitting the ground running ever since BLACKPINK went on hiatus more than a year ago, allowing all four girls to pursue their own solo projects. For the 27-year-old singer-rapper, that’s meant releasing a string of singles, polishing up a debut album, delivering show-stopping performances and making her acting debut in Mike White’s White Lotus.
But one of those feathers in her cap stands out from the rest, LISA revealed in a new cover story interview with V magazine. “I’m proud of every single thing,” she told the publication. “But if I really, really have to pick a favorite, I would say the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.”
LISA was one of a few A-list artists who performed on the catwalk in October as part of an all-women lineup rounded out by Cher and Tyla. The New York City showcase marked the highly anticipated return of the lingerie brand’s annual televised fashion show after six years.
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The interview comes just over a month ahead of the K-pop star’s upcoming debut album, Alter Ego, which will drop Feb. 28. LISA has steadily been getting fans ready for the project by releasing singles “Rockstar,” “New Woman” featuring Rosalia and “Moonlit Floor,” the first of which reached No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The musician has also been gearing up for the release of White Lotus‘ third season, in which she stars as an employee of the show’s fictional hotel chain location in Thailand. Little else is known about her character, but while speaking to V, LISA said that she was “all over the place” when figuring out how to navigate acting for the first time.
“This was my first acting gig, so when I started, I had to prepare so many things,” she told the publication. “It’s a whole new world to me … But on the first day of the shoot, everybody was so supportive.”
“Thai people are proud,” she added of the third season’s location. “I love Thai culture. Some people already know how incredible it is, but I feel like [this show] is a chance to let the world know more about Thailand and its beauty.”
See LISA on the cover of V below.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Ferg, formerly known as A$AP Ferg, emerged and rose to stardom as a member of the sprawling A$AP Mob collective that boasted well over a dozen members at its heights. Largely inactive for a few years, Ferg shared an update about A$AP Mob in a new interview with veteran journalist, Touré.
Ferg sat down for an interview with the Touré Show and shared his views of where the A$AP Mob exists today, his hand in creating the collective, and where his career is heading now that he’s largely on his own.
“I don’t think there is A$AP [Mob] anymore,” Ferg began, answering Touré’s inquiry on the status of the collective. “It’s not a Cozy Tape out, not a new one, there’s not a office, it’s not a record label, A$AP Worldwide is not a record label. I think it’s a thing of the past.”
He continued, “I think people hold on to the legacy that we created and those things but when you think about A$AP, I think, from the music point, you think about me and Rocky who did the music and all of that. Of course, it was built on the back of Bari and Yams and all of that but we’re the faces. So I feel like if we not making no music, and not putting out no new timestamps, then there’s no A$AP.”
Ferg continued by saying that he’s solely focused on his own movement but doesn’t have any issues with A$AP Rocky or any past members of the crew, and instead is focusing on his musical direction and his latest album, Darold.
The A$AP Mob’s last release, Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy, was released in 2017 on Polo Grounds/RCA and later was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Check out the interview in full below.
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Photo: Getty
HipHopWired Featured Video
Ferg, formerly known as A$AP Ferg, emerged and rose to stardom as a member of the sprawling A$AP Mob collective that boasted well over a dozen members at its heights. Largely inactive for a few years, Ferg shared an update about A$AP Mob in a new interview with veteran journalist, Touré.
Ferg sat down for an interview with the Touré Show and shared his views of where the A$AP Mob exists today, his hand in creating the collective, and where his career is heading now that he’s largely on his own.
“I don’t think there is A$AP [Mob] anymore,” Ferg began, answering Touré’s inquiry on the status of the collective. “It’s not a Cozy Tape out, not a new one, there’s not a office, it’s not a record label, A$AP Worldwide is not a record label. I think it’s a thing of the past.”
He continued, “I think people hold on to the legacy that we created and those things but when you think about A$AP, I think, from the music point, you think about me and Rocky who did the music and all of that. Of course, it was built on the back of Bari and Yams and all of that but we’re the faces. So I feel like if we not making no music, and not putting out no new timestamps, then there’s no A$AP.”
Ferg continued by saying that he’s solely focused on his own movement but doesn’t have any issues with A$AP Rocky or any past members of the crew, and instead is focusing on his musical direction and his latest album, Darold.
The A$AP Mob’s last release, Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy, was released in 2017 on Polo Grounds/RCA and later was certified Gold by the RIAA.
Check out the interview in full below.
—
Photo: Getty
Metalcore band Ice Nine Kills has stepped up to offer relief for some of the people who’ve been impacted by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. The Boston-bred group announced over the weekend the launch of a fundraiser they’ve dubbed “Heed the Call For California,” with 100% of the proceeds going to the California Fire Foundation […]
Bad Bunny announced on Monday (Jan. 13) that his 21-date residency at the iconic Coliseo de Puerto Rico is set to kick off July 11.
The Puerto Rican hitmaker shared with his millions of followers on social media that while he does plan to unveil dates for shows in countries such as Mexico, Brazil and Spain later this year, for now, “I’m in Puerto Rico, I’m home, having fun and, to be honest, I don’t want to leave,” he says in the video.
“Thanks to music and the love you give me through my music, I’ve had the privilege of traveling to sing in different places of the world. I appreciate and love to do it,” Bad Bunny explains. “There are places I for sure will return to like Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia. And some I’ve never been to but would like to visit, like Brazil and Japan. And there are places I haven’t been to in a long time, like Italy, London, Spain, I know, and I promise before the year ends, I’ll tell you the date and time I will be visiting.”
As he walks down a hallway passing by posters of all his previous tours, including El Último Tour del Mundo and World’s Hottest Tour, Bad Bunny (real name Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio) unveils a new poster that announces his No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency at El Choli. Set to kick off July 11, the 21-date stint will launch with the first nine shows exclusively reserved for Puerto Rico residents, with in-person presale staring Wednesday, Jan. 15. He’ll wrap the ambitious residency on Aug. 24.
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Bad Bunny’s residency announcement follows the release of Debí Tirar Más Fotos, his latest album released Jan. 5. The set debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, securing Bad Bunny his seventh top 10-charting set. Meanwhile, the LP opens at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Streaming Albums chart (dated Jan. 18), the largest streaming week for a Latin title in over a year.
Debí is Bad Bunny’s sixth studio album, and it’s a celebration of Puerto Rico and the sonic heritage that has soundtracked the island for generations, including plena and jíbara. The 17-track album includes collaborative efforts with Chuwi, Dei V, Omar Courtz, Pleneros de la Cresta and RaiNao — all Puerto Rican acts.
See the complete list of dates to Bad Bunny’s No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency at Coliseo de Puerto Rico here.
Ahead of his ¡Ay Mamá! Tour, Mexican music hitmaker Tito Double P has unveiled additional dates to his first-ever U.S. trek, set to kick off March 5 in Atlanta. The Live Nation-produced stint – with a handful of dates helmed by Bobby Dee Presents – now includes stops in Virginia, New York, New Jersey […]
The 2025 Grammys are still set for Feb. 2 at Crypto.com Arena, the Recording Academy announced on Monday (Jan. 13). There was some question whether the show would go on as scheduled, given the wildfires that have devastated many neighborhoods in the greater Los Angeles area in the past week.
Other Grammy Week events, such as the MusiCares Person of the Year event and the Recording Academy’s Special Merit Awards, are up in the air at this point.
In a statement, Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO Harvey Mason Jr. addressed the trauma that has befallen the region since the first fires broke out on Tuesday Jan. 7, whipped by ferocious Santa Ana winds. “Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. This city is our home, and we mourn the loss of life and destruction that have come to it in recent days.
“In close coordination with local authorities to ensure public safety and responsible use of area resources, the 67th Grammy Awards telecast on CBS on Feb. 2 will proceed as planned. This year’s show, however, will carry a renewed sense of purpose: raising additional funds to support wildfire relief efforts and honoring the bravery and dedication of first responders who risk their lives to protect ours.”
Those local authorities reportedly include the office of Mayor Karen Bass, public safety agencies and fire marshals. “In challenging times, music has the power to heal, comfort, and unite like nothing else,” Mason added. “The Grammys will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles.”
The show will be produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy for the fifth consecutive year. Ben Winston, Raj Kapoor and Jesse Collins are executive producers. The show will be broadcast live on CBS from 8 to 11:30 p.m. ET/5 to 8:30 p.m. PT, and will be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
Winston, Kapoor and Collins will have the very difficult task of somehow combining an awards show, which is a joyous celebration of achievement, with something far more serious and sobering.
Not everyone thinks it can, or should, be done. A major ancillary Grammy event, the Milk & Honey party, was canceled on Jan. 12 with a pointed message on founder Lucas Keller’s Instagram Story. “I regret that we will be canceling our annual award season pre-Grammy event in partnership with Reservoir and others. … It would be tone deaf to celebrate and I hope all other companies will follow suit,” he wrote. “Don’t come to town for the Grammy’s and take up hotels that people need desperately. Release your hotel blocks or donate them. In the meantime, if you can, please give money to MusiCares at this link to support wildlife relief. Everything counts.”
The Recording Academy and MusiCares launched the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort last week with an initial $1 million donation to support music creatives and professionals. “Thanks to additional contributions, we have already distributed over $2 million in emergency aid to those most in need – and we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing ongoing assistance,” Mason and Hurt said in their statement. This is the third time in the last five years that the Grammy telecast has been impacted by outside events. The 2021 and 2022 shows were both postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 show was bumped from Jan. 31 to March 14. The 2022 ceremony was pushed all the way from Jan. 31 to April 3, and its location was moved to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, due to scheduling conflicts with the Crypto.com Arena.
The Recording Academy has yet to announce the host of this year’s Grammys. The announcement was expected last week, but has been delayed to avoid stepping on the main news about whether the show was going to proceed or not. The announcement is expected soon.
Beyoncé is the top nominee for the 67th annual Grammy Awards with 11 nods, followed by Charli XCX and Post Malone with eight nods each, and Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar with seven nods each. Final-round voting closed on Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. PT.
These managers on the rise have helped the biggest breakout artists, songwriters and producers of the past year navigate major wins and milestones, from opening for superstars and selling out headlining arena shows to earning Grammy nods and topping the charts — with some even making history. Introducing: Billboard‘s 2025 class of Managers to Watch.
Abas Pauti, Jared Cotter
Ages: 27, 43Companies: American Dogwood, RangeKey clients: Shaboozey, Paul Russell
“It wasn’t until I met Shaboozey where the thought of artist management became a serious career aspiration for me,” says Pauti, noting that the chart-topping artist gave him “confidence” to succeed in the role. As for Cotter, after entering the industry as a songwriter, he soon became “disenchanted, but still wanted to be a champion for artists.” Together, Pauti and Cotter have helped Shaboozey and Russell deliver breakout hits with the former’s record-tying 19-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” and the latter’s viral hit “Lil Boo Thang.” Pauti says, “To know I played a role in helping both my clients get their records heard and loved from people across the globe will always be my greatest success.”
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Abas Pauti, Shaboozey and Jared Cotter
Allan Pimenta
Alex Lunt
Age: 31Company: Type A ManagementKey clients: Dasha, Beauty School Dropout, Dalton Davis, Anthony Ortiz
Since starting his management career a decade ago, Lunt has learned that “it is crucial to surround yourself with knowledgeable colleagues you can trust.” Last year, that approach paid off with country newcomer Dasha, who celebrated a trio of firsts: debuting on the Hot 100 with her viral hit “Austin,” performing at the CMT Awards in April 2024 and to a packed stadium at CMA Fest in June. Lunt says, “The best feeling has not been any accolade, but celebrating the success with a group of incredibly talented and passionate people.”
Alex Lunt and Dasha
Courtesy Alex Lunt
Amy Davidson
Age: 30Company: Volara ManagementKey clients: Sabrina Carpenter, Marina Diamandis, RIAH
Davidson has worked alongside Volara founder Janelle Lopez Genzink from day one, but, as Davidson says, the past 12 months in particular “have been nothing short of a fever dream as we’ve effectively checked off almost every item on our collective bucket lists.” Such items included Sabrina Carpenter scoring her first Hot 100 chart-topper with “Please Please Please” (while “Taste” and “Espresso” hit Nos. 2 and 3, respectively) and first Billboard 200 No. 1 album, Short n’ Sweet; an arena tour; a Saturday Night Live performance; and six Grammy nominations. Plus, Volara celebrated signing Marina Diamandis to its roster. “Effective management starts at the core of why you are there in the first place: to listen and respond to an artist’s needs,” Davidson says. “Understanding that an artist is a person with life happening outside of work is key for me.”
Janelle Lopez Genzink, Sabrina Carpenter and Amy Davidson
Christopher Polk for Variety
Christina Li, Michael Lewis
Ages: 29, 29Company: Nonstop ManagementKey clients: JKash, Michael Pollack, Ali Tamposi, Jake Torrey
Li says working as an assistant to hit-maker JKash “was a crash course in the music industry,” while Lewis feels “incredibly fortunate to call [him] a mentor.” The two also count Nonstop founder Jaime Zeluck Hindlin and president Bianca Minniti-Bean for being instrumental in their careers so far, guiding them through a major 2024 that kicked off with Michael Pollack winning his first Grammy: record of the year, for co-writing Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers.” Other highlights included Pollack and Ali Tamposi co-writing two original songs with Maren Morris for animated film The Wild Robot and Jake Torrey co-writing Marshmello and Kane Brown’s “Miles on It,” which made history as the first single to enter the top five on both Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (No. 1) and Hot Country Songs (No. 4).
From left: Christina Li, Michael Pollack and Mikey Lewis.
Jaynie Karp
Christopher Milano
Age: n/aCompany: The Vision ManagementKey clients: 4Batz, Bear Bailey, Guwop Reign
Milano “learned the ups and downs” of music management after meeting Akon and his brother Bu Thiam through the Bay Area’s “underground scene.” So when he met R&B singer 4Batz in 2023, he says, “opportunity met preparation.” In 2024, the pair celebrated a breakout year as the artist debuted across several Billboard charts — including the Hot 100, Hot R&B Songs and Rhythmic Airplay — with “Act ii: date @ 8,” which featured Drake on the remix. “We preach artist development at The Vision, and young artists who blow up fast don’t usually understand that process,” Milano says. “So it’s important to not only sign talented artists, but someone who’s willing to listen and wants to learn.”
Christopher Milano and 4Batz
Maurice Tyrone Holloway
Haley Evans
Age: 27Company: Mega HouseKey clients Peter Fenn, Casey Smith, Caroline Pennell, Mon Rovîa
While attending the University of California, Los Angeles, Evans spent Friday nights working at Ricky Reed’s Nice Life studio. “[I] became incredibly inspired by the way Ricky built intricate worlds with the artists he worked with while simultaneously building his own businesses,” Evans says. She continued to “learn from the best,” including Mega House co-founders David Silberstein and Jeremy Levin, who hired her in 2020. In March 2024, Evans was promoted to president as her client Peter Fenn celebrated the success of Myles Smith’s “Stargazing,” which hit No. 1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart in December. “With new artists breaking online every day, the biggest challenge for songwriter-producer managers is helping guide clients to choose the right projects to focus their time and energy on,” she says. “Other than that, it’s getting our clients fairly compensated for their work — songwriters especially.”
Haley Evans and Peter Fenn
Olivia McDowell
Hayley Corbett
Age: 28Company: Punchbowl EntertainmentKey clients: Megan Moroney, Kristian Bush
At 15, Corbett started working with the Grammy Foundation as a volunteer, “networking as much as possible in New York and L.A., which is where I first became aware of artist management as a career,” she says. That commitment more than prepared her for Megan Moroney’s takeoff, which in 2024 included opening stadiums for Kenny Chesney and winning the Academy of Country Music Award for best new female artist of the year and the Country Music Association Award for new artist of the year. “One key to managing effectively is being intuitive to your clients’ needs, wants and dreams while being able to implement strategy that allows for continued growth,” Corbett says. “The biggest challenge for managers is avoiding burnout and oversaturation.”
Megan Moroney and Hayley Corbett
Mason Goodson
Holt Harmon, Parker Cohen
Ages: 31, 30Company: MetatoneKey clients: John Summit, Layton Giordani, Max Styler, Ranger Trucco
After a couple of years working in the label sector of the industry, Harmon was craving a longer-term partnership with artists. Similarly, Cohen “hit a ceiling of my own” on the events side of the business. “I wanted to work on building projects from the ground up,” he says. “Artist management quickly became the no-brainer to satisfy those needs.” They accomplished that goal with the success of John Summit, from releasing his debut album, Comfort in Chaos (which peaked at No. 2 on Top Dance/Electronic Albums), to his sold-out performances at New York’s Madison Square Garden and the Kia Forum in L.A. “One of the most valuable things we’ve learned along the way is that we are not the artist,” Harmon says. “It is not our project or vision, ultimately, and instead of trying to make it ours, we’ve placed our focus into being the best catalysts possible for them.”
From left: Holt Harmon, John Summit and Parker Cohen.
Ethan Garland
Jacob Epstein
Age: 34Company: Lighthouse Management & MediaKey clients: H.E.R., Towa Bird, Petra Collins
From a young age, Epstein was “obsessed” with both music and film — his management roster also includes Paul Rudd — yet as he puts it, “I knew I didn’t want to be the star. I wanted to be the engine and person breaking down the doors for those artists and guiding and architecting those creative decisions.” Today, he says even the smallest wins make him as proud as his artists’ biggest moments, which most recently include rocker Towa Bird capping off 2024 by opening at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum for Billie Eilish. “Only do this job if you truly are passionate about art and culture,” he cautions. “It’s too difficult if that love for it isn’t there.”
Jacob Epstein and Towa Bird
Alex Fleck
Jeff Burns
Age: 35Company: Reynolds MGMTKey client: Benson Boone
For Burns, the best part of Benson Boone’s breakout year has been “watching [him] love his career… He’s funnier, can sing and backflip better, is nicer and more humble than everyone — he has it all.” Such assets have helped Boone score a No. 2 hit on the Hot 100 with “Beautiful Things” and a Grammy nod for best new artist. For Burns, it’s all about not getting lost in the “million little things” and focusing on what matters most: “making the best music, marketing it better than anyone else, doing the best shows and staying happy and healthy.”
Jeff Burns and Benson Boone
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
Justin Greenberg, Joe Izzi
Ages: 32, 38Company: Ocean AvenueKey client: Addison Rae
Three years ago, Greenberg and Izzi, along with their partner and Ocean Avenue co-founder, Sharon Jackson, left WME for management, launching with a roster that includes multihyphenate Addison Rae. Her 2024 single “Diet Pepsi” marked her major-label debut on Columbia and became her first Hot 100 entry; earlier in the year, Rae teamed with Charli xcx on a remix of “Von Dutch.” Greenberg and Izzi believe having “a deep understanding of your artists’ vision” is key to cutting through. “It’s not about us — we’re just here to make it happen.”
Lucas Barbosa
Age: 30Company: Habibi ManagementKey clients: Grupo Frontera, Mora, Tommy Torres
As a 17-year-old in Colombia, Barbosa helped an artist friend with “various tasks” before becoming his full-time manager; later, he launched his own company dedicated to producers and songwriters, who scored placements with Eladio Carrión, Maluma and Anitta. “That gave me the opportunity to expand my network,” Barbosa says. Now he’s helping his artists expand their fan bases, including Grupo Frontera, which toured arenas across the United States and Mexico last year. “We’ve taken the time as a company to build [our artists] from the ground up, ensuring that every step of the way is intentional and aligned with their artistic vision,” Barbosa says.
Lucas Barbosa (middle) with Alberto Acosta (left) and Juan Javier Cantú of Grupo Frontera.
Phraa
Luke Conway
Age: 29Company: Trade Secrets MGMTKey clients: Teddy Swims, Lø Spirit, Father of Peace
“I’ve always wanted to be involved in music one way or another,” says Conway, who spent high school in the metal and rock scenes, making merchandise for bands, directing music videos and planning DIY tours. His first management gig helped him “self-educate on every aspect of this business,” which today has helped him guide Teddy Swims through his breakout year. After “Lose Control” topped the Hot 100 in March 2024, the smash hit finished at No. 1 on Billboard’s year-end Hot 100 Songs chart. Conway says, “This year has been a nonstop roller coaster, but everyone on the team has stepped up and delivered at a superstar level.”
Teddy Swims and Luke Conway
Bryce Hall
Mariana López Crespo
Age: 27Company: 1k DojoKey clients: Young Miko, Mauro
“To be honest, I never imagined I’d be involved as a manager in the music industry,” López Crespo says. “The opportunity came from acknowledging the potential around me and gaining confidence to develop it.” That combination has led to a major year for urbano star Young Miko, who started 2024 with her now-Grammy-nominated debut album, att. (which debuted at No. 9 on Top Latin Albums, her first entry on any Billboard albums chart), and in the spring made her Coachella debut following a sold-out U.S. tour. “However,” López Crespo says, “being able to build a solid team around creatives in Puerto Rico and providing them the resources to keep developing on a bigger scale has been the biggest blessing and main reason to keep working toward success.”
Young Miko and Mariana López Crespo
Christopher Polk for Variety
Max Gredinger
Age: 33Company: Foundations Artist ManagementKey clients: Laufey, mxmtoon, rainbolt, Ricky Montgomery
Inspired by managers Scooter Braun and Dan Weisman, Gredinger started managing acts as a high school student “and never stopped,” he says. In 2023, he was named partner at Foundations, and the following year, he and Laufey experienced a string of wins — he’s most proud, however, of her August performance at The Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, which was released as a concert film in IMAX theaters worldwide. “Her ambition and goal of bringing classical and jazz music into the mainstream, and seeing that manifest in front of 17,000 people in her adopted home market and then in theaters, was unforgettable,” he says.
Laufey and Max Gredinger
Junia Lin
Maytav Koter
Age: 32Company: Good CompanyKey clients: Hayley Gene Penner, Buddy Ross, Andrew Sarlo, Spencer Stewart
After starting her career in publishing working for Justin Shukat at Primary Wave, Koter “discovered my passion for the songwriting community.” In 2019, she launched her own company “rooted in empathy and a long-term approach… I set out to create a family.” Last year, she joined client Buddy Ross at the Ivor Novello Awards, where he was nominated for his work on Fred again.. and Brian Eno’s track “Enough.” “I am deeply invested in [my clients’] lives beyond their careers,” Koter says, “which allows for more trust and transparency in our business relationship.”
From left: Spencer Stewart, Buddy Ross, Hayley Gene Penner (in front), Maytav Koter, Andrew Sarlo and Mona Khoshoi.
Kendra Hope
Nick Bobetsky
Age: 44Company: State of the ArtKey clients: LP, Livingston, Em Beihold, Debbii Dawson (Previously: Chappell Roan)
Bobetsky enjoyed a front-row seat for former client Chappell Roan’s rise, which he calls “a huge success not just because of the size it grew to, but because of how we did it differently with strategy that isn’t customary to the mainstream music business. It also helped that she’s a one-of-a-kind, generational artist.” After releasing her debut, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, in 2023, the album grew into a Billboard 200 top 10 mainstay while 2024 single “Good Luck, Babe!” became her biggest hit, climbing to No. 4 on the Hot 100 and scoring two of her six Grammy nods, for record and song of the year. Meanwhile, Dawson scored a breakout hit with “Turn the TV On” and opened on tour for Orville Peck. As Bobetsky says, “Patience is key to getting it right on an artist’s own terms.”
Debbii Dawson (left) and Nick Bobetsky
Ruby Anton
Sam French
Age: 34Company: Mixed ManagementKey clients: Ian, Jasper Harris, bülow, Henry Kwapis
While working in publishing at APG, French “fell in love with the process of connecting writers and producers with artists and having a front-row seat to watching big records come together.” In 2022, he became a partner at Mixed and has since watched that play out time and time again. In 2024, songwriter-producer Jasper Harris worked on Camila Cabello’s C,XOXO, Charli xcx’s brat and more. Meanwhile, newcomer rapper Ian’s “Magic Johnson,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100, was among the U.S. Top 10 TikTok Songs of 2024. “There’s a lot of noise right now, and it’s very loud,” French says. “Focus on what you can control and what you believe in.”
Sarah (Muise) Scardilli
Age: 35Company: Muise ManagementKey clients: Shygirl, COBRAH
While studying international business, Scardilli says she “spent 75% of my time partying across the U.K. and making friends with DJs and promoters.” After college, she landed a job with a Bristol, England-based management firm as its first full-time employee: “I was given responsibilities very early on — jetted to Ibiza two days after my first day at work, and the rest is history.” She formed Muise Management in 2019 and watched her artists reach new heights last year, as Shygirl was an opener on Charli xcx and Troye Sivan’s Sweat Tour and COBRAH’s “Brand New Bitch” scored a key synch in Kinds of Kindness. Scardilli describes the latter as “a powerful moment where underground club culture met mainstream audiences.”
Sarah (Muise) Scardilli with Shygirl (left) and COBRAH (right).
Courtesy Shygirl; Axel Ahlgren
Stephen Timothy Nana
Age: 37Company: n/aKey client: Asake
While Asake’s third album, Lungu Boy, spawned the chart-topping “Active,” featuring Travis Scott (which topped Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs), Nana considers Asake’s arena tour, which included stops at London’s O2 Arena and New York’s Madison Square Garden, their biggest success of 2024. “Not because of output, but because of the work ethic and ability of Asake to stay focused, determined and disciplined,” Nana says. “It’s not every day you get creatives who have achieved so much and still be human.”
This story appears in the Jan. 11, 2025, issue of Billboard.
JISOO of BLACKPINK is about to make Valentine’s Day even sweeter for BLINKs. On Monday (Jan. 13), the K-pop star shared a cryptic teaser video on her socials hinting that a mystery project is arriving this February, with many fans believing it’s a sign that she’s gearing up to make a solo musical comeback.
In the six-second clip, the needle of what appears to be a lie detector is sent into overdrive while scratching frantic wavelength patterns onto graph paper.
“FEBRUARY 14,” reads the end screen.
Trending on Billboard
In her caption, JISOO simply added, “2025.02.14 COMING SOON.”
Billboard has reached out to BLACKPINK’s team for comment.
Though the singer-actress didn’t specify what she has in store for fans next month, most BLINKs have taken the teaser to mean that JISOO is joining her BLACKPINK bandmates LISA, JENNIE and ROSÉ in embarking on a solo era amid the girl group’s ongoing hiatus. JISOO first made her solo debut in 2023, releasing singles “FLOWER” and “All Eyes on Me.”
“SOMETHING IS UP,” one person excitedly tweeted. “JISOO SOLO FEB14”
“I’M BACK AND DEFINITELY SEATED,” wrote another fan, adding the hashtag, “#JISOOSoloComeback”
The ladies of BLACKPINK last dropped an album in September 2022, with Born Pink debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. After embarking on a world tour in support of the LP, the bandmates dispersed to focus on solo projects, with ROSÉ and LISA both turning in albums and JENNIE dropping a single titled “Mantra” in October.
Meanwhile, JISOO has been focusing on acting, starring in the upcoming series Newtopia alongside Park Jeong-min. BLACKPINK is expected to reunite at some point in 2025, but for now, the four stars are cheering each other on as they grow independently. “Everyone took their own journey [during] this time, and I’m excited to share that with the girls,” JENNIE told Billboard in her recent cover story, while LISA said in her November cover story, “We know each other so well and know how much energy we have to put into every single project … This is what we all wanted to do, so I just wanted to say that I really do love [the other girls’] songs.”
And in the comments of JISOO’s new trailer, ROSÉ showed her excitement for her bandmate’s next move. “wait whaat in the…..😱😱😱😭❤️❤️❤️,” the “APT” singer wrote on Instagram.
See JISOO’s teaser below.
Usher is celebrating his decades-long career with a new audio journey, Billboard can exclusively announce.
The superstar is joining Audible‘s popular Words + Music series, with The Last Showman, in which Usher looks back at his 30 years in music, as well as the inspiration, heartache and growth that led to his beloved fourth studio album, 2004’s Confessions. He’ll also delve into some of the set’s iconic tracks including “Confessions,” “Confessions Part II,” “Bad Girl,” “Burn” and more.
Usher
Audible
“With the recent 20th anniversary of Confessions, creating The Last Showman has been an incredible opportunity to reflect on the most pivotal moments of my career with fresh eyes and deep appreciation,” Usher said in a press statement. “This project isn’t just about telling my story; it’s about sharing the raw, unfiltered truth behind the music that’s connected with generations of listeners, as well as the power of vulnerability in art.”
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The set will debut exclusively via Audible on Feb. 6. For a limited time, eligible Amazon customers can join Audible for only 99 cents per month for the first three months. The membership includes one free bestseller or new release each month and access to thousands of audiobooks, podcasts and Audible. The membership will renew at $14.95/month after the promo ends.
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Usher joins a string of other stars who have contributed to the Words + Music series, including John Legend, Beck, Pete Townshend, Snoop Dogg, James Taylor, St. Vincent, Billie Joe Armstrong, Tom Morello, Sheryl Crow, Carlos Santana, Mariah Carey, Sting and many more.