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Alok to Launch COP30 Countdown With Free Stadium Show in Brazil’s Amazon Jungle

Brazilian superstar Alok is gearing up to launch the official one-year countdown to COP30 on Saturday (Nov. 23). Located in the fringes of the Amazon jungle in Belém, Pará, Brazil, at the 55,000-capacity Mangueirão Olympic Stadium, the free event is a celebration of the forthcoming international climate summit and also part of Alok’s Áurea Tour.

During the event, the Brazilian bass DJ will host six indigenous ethnic groups that are part of his United Nations-supported Future Is Ancestral project. The stage itself will be a technological marvel, featuring a pyramid-like structure with over 100 tons of equipment, a 360-degree rotating platform rising as high as a ten-story building, and more than 2,000 LED panels.

Alok was recently nominated twice at the Latin Grammys in the new category of best Latin electronic music performance for two tracks: “Drum Machine” with Pickle and “Pedju Kunumigwe” with Guarani Nhandewa. On Friday (Nov. 15), he released his latest track, “Looking For Love” with Anitta.

As Alok continues to foster cultural celebration through his music and influence, his commitment to ensuring justice has also been noteworthy.

In a legal dispute in June, São Paulo’s civil court system ruled in favor of Alok against Kevin Daniel Brauer de Oliveira, affirming the DJ as the creator and holder of adaptive rights to the song “nananana Un Ratito,” which subsequently extends to “Un Ratito” with Luis Fonsi, Lunay, Lenny Tavárez, and Juliette, according to court documents. The judgment obliges Brauer de Oliveira to pay Alok $20,000 Brazilian reals ($3,475.78) in compensation for “moral damages.”

The legal outcome is the culmination of several conflicts between Alok and the Brauer brothers — Kevin and Sean — who formerly collaborated with Alok as part of the duo Sevenn. Over the years, their partnership helped escalate Brazilian bass music onto the world stage, but that partnership eventually soured. As articulated in a 2022 Billboard article, the Brauer brothers had accused Alok of exploiting their work — including their contributions to at least 14 tracks — without appropriate credit or compensation.

“I have always had full confidence in the justice system. My work is transparent and everything is clarified and proven,” Alok said in a statement regarding the court ruling. “I will take this opportunity to donate the compensation from this case to the victims in Rio Grande do Sul. This is the best way to respond to the wrong they tried to do, by doing good for those who need it most at this moment. I hope the compensation also serves as a lesson to deter malicious people from defaming others’ honor with the simple sense of impunity.”

‘Wicked’ Sing-Alongs to Hit Theaters This Christmas

Another green, not-so-wicked musical icon is coming to steal Christmas back from the Grinch — but she prefers a broomstick over a sleigh.

As reported by Variety on Monday (Nov. 18), fans will have the ability to belt out “Defying Gravity,” “The Wizard & I” and more tunes from Wicked‘s soundtrack alongside the Witch of the West herself starting Dec. 25, when sing-along versions of the Jon M. Chu-directed flick are slated to hit roughly 1,000 theaters across North America. Exact locations and showtimes have yet to be finalized.

The interactive screenings — which model similar sing-alongs hosted for movie musicals such as The Greatest Showman — will arrive just over a month after Wicked initially premieres in theaters Nov. 22 after more than three years in the making. That’s just Part 1, though; a second Wicked film is also in the works for a November 2025 release.

Both projects star Cynthia Erivo as the greenified Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, with Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Peter Dinklage and Marissa Bode rounding out the cast. The films — which are inspired by the Broadway musical and Gregory Maguire novel of the same name — started production in 2021 and feature live onscreen vocal takes of Stephen Schwartz’s famous score, including “Popular,” “What Is This Feeling?” and “Dancing Through Life.”

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Leading up to Wicked‘s premiere, the cast has been busy attending various premieres all over the world: Sydney, Los Angeles, New York City, Mexico City and, most recently, London. The project has also had one of the most active press cycles in recent history, with behind-the-scenes footage, lyric videos, numerous interviews, a new Xfinity commercial and more all rolling out in the past week alone. Wicked has also partnered this year with everything from the 2024 Olympics to the “Yes, And?” singer’s R.E.M. Beauty line, Mattel and Crocs.

Premiere week also featured a Tonight Show appearance from Grande, who recalled to host Jimmy Fallon, “When they called me to tell me I had the part, I had one heart attack. That was the first one. And then they told me I was going to be playing opposite Cynthia Erivo, that was the second heart attack. And then I died and I’m dead. And I’m dead here. And I’m still dead.”

Elton John Announces Candle Collection ‘Just in Time for the Festive Season’

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Elton John is ready to light up the holidays with a new candle collab in partnership with Slatkin + Co.

“My love for candles transpired from my admiration of Slatkin + Co candles created by my dear friend Harry Slatkin,” the music legend said in a statement on Monday (Nov. 18). “Candles have become a key ingredient in my home decor, especially during the holiday season, and I am deeply honored to be releasing my own collection just in time for the festive season. Each item in my collection narrates a story that deeply connects with my personal holiday experiences. They bring back cherished moments filled with cozy fragrances and twinkling lights. I hope my line of Slatkin + Co candles will create that same feeling of excitement and gratitude and infuse warmth into countless other homes, much like it has with my own.”

“I’ve known Elton John for 25 years, and our friendship blossomed from his deep appreciation for my Slatkin + Co. scented candles. That enduring bond and shared passion have lasted through the years,” said Harry Slatkin, founder and CEO of Slatkin + Co. “Collaborating with Elton to create these incredible scents that mirror his lifestyle and homes worldwide makes this collection truly unique. I hope everyone who experiences these scents feels as special as a rock star!”

The “Candle in the Wind” singer’s 10-piece collection features candles, diffusers and accessories, including the Woodside Estate Candle Luminary, Woodside Ceramic Filled Christmas Tree Candle, 12 Days of Woodside Candle Advent Calendar, Special Edition Luxe 80 oz. Candle and English Jelly Jar Candle Gift Set. The collection is priced from $48-$110, but it’ll be on sale for up to 20% off during QVC’s Black Friday sale.

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“This collaboration merges design, style, and seasonal appeal, with products that are sure to create a truly memorable holiday season,” added Kristen Stevens, vice president, general merchandise manager of home merchandising, QVC. “We are thrilled to be the exclusive retailer that brought together two creative visionaries in their respective fields to develop a collection that offers an intimate look into Elton’s passion for fragrance.”

The Elton John x Slatkin Co home fragrance collection will be available exclusively at QVC starting on Saturday, Nov. 23.

MGK to Join Gwen Stefani’s ‘The Voice’ Team as Playoff Advisor

It’s the team-up of platinum blonds!

MGK will be heading to The Voice on Tuesday (Nov. 19) to join Gwen Stefani as the coach’s playoff advisor for her team, according to People. He previously took the stage on the singing competition show in 2017 alongside X Ambassadors and Bebe Rexha, and the group performed their collaboration “Home.”

“He has such an identity as far as self-style and the way he puts himself out there with his artistry and creativity. He’s bold,” Stefani told the publication of with the “Bloody Valentine” rocker. “He sees things from a fresh perspective.”

MGK added that he was “so eager” to work with Stefani in “any capacity,” noting of The Voice, “Dream chasing is so cool. This is a great platform for people to come and present their talent and, if anything, if they don’t walk away with the win, they still walk away with knowledge which is also a win.”

He continued, “I still feel like so much of a student, so it’s hard to be in this role, but hopefully I added something.”

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Stefani has three contestants advancing to the playoffs, including 25-year-old Gabrielle Zabosky, 31-year-old Jake Tankersley and 21-year-old Jose Luis.

Watch a first look of MGK on The Voice below. Catch the full episode on Tuesday (Nov. 19) at 9 p.m. ET, before it’s available to stream on Peacock the next day.

Gracie Abrams Earns First Streaming Songs No. 1 With ‘That’s So True’

Gracie Abrams tops Billboard’s Streaming Songs chart for the first time, as “That’s So True” rules the Nov. 23-dated list.

“That’s So True” lifts 4-1 in its fourth week on the chart (following its Oct. 18 release) with 23.5 million official U.S. streams earned in the week ending Nov. 14, a gain of 25%, according to Luminate. (The Nov. 23-dated Streaming Songs chart will publish on Billboard‘s website on Nov. 19.)

Abrams earns her first Streaming Songs ruler a month after snagging her first top 10; “I Love You, I’m Sorry” reached No. 10 on the Oct. 26-dated ranking and has peaked so far at No. 9 (Nov. 2).

She first made the survey in June with the one-week appearance of “Close to You” at No. 45.

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Abrams is the second woman to earn her first No. 1 on Streaming Songs as a lead artist in 2024, following Sabrina Carpenter, who boasts two rulers in “Please Please Please” and “Taste” this year.

Concurrently, “That’s So True” leaps 13-6 on the multimetric Billboard Hot 100 as the chart’s greatest gainer in streaming, earning Abrams her first top 10.

“That’s So True” is featured on the deluxe edition of The Secret of Us, Abrams’ second studio album (the standard version was released June 21, followed by the deluxe on Oct. 18). The set debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 dated July 6 and appears at No. 4 on the latest survey via 53,000 equivalent album units earned; it’s accumulated 669,000 units to date.

Eminem Unleashes ‘Street Fighter’-Themed ‘Fuel’ Video With J.I.D

It’s not Ryu or Chun-Li, but Slim Shady.

Eminem returned Monday (Nov. 19) to deliver the Street Fighter-themed “Fuel” lyric video featuring J.I.D. The animated clip follows both artists on their journey through the game, as J.I.D takes the baton and heads to an arcade to hop on the sticks.

Em joins the party for a match-up of two versions of himself, with Eminem versus Slim Shady, which plays off the themes of his The Death of Slim Shady album that arrived in July.

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Fans lent their stamps of approval to the Mr. Porter-produced track in Em’s YouTube comments section. “I really appreciate everything Eminem drops we only get one of him,” one person wrote.

Another fan gushed: “Top 5 from the album, Eminem and jid went crazy!”

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The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce) was released in July and served as Eminem’s first LP since 2020’s Music to Be Murdered By. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 281,000 equivalent album units earned in the U.S. in the week ending July 18, according to Luminate.

“Fuel” ended up reaching No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100, and a Shady Edition of the track was later remixed featuring Westside Boogie and GRIP.

Earlier in November, Eminem was announced as a nominee for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Just six out of the 26 nominees will be inducted at a June 2025 ceremony in NYC. Janet Jackson and N.W.A are also among the nominees.

In other Em and “Lose Yourself” news, a superfan went viral for using lyrics from the 2002 8 Mile hit as part of her weddingvows earlier this year.

Rizza-Belen Diaz quoted lyrics to her husband Josh Dodson: “If you had one shot or one opportunity,” she began. “To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment/ Would you capture it or just let it slip?” Diaz then put her own twist on the bars: “It looks like you captured it/ And here I am, palms are sweaty/ Knees weak, arms are heavy/ No vomit on my dress/ But I do love your mom’s spaghetti.”

Diddy Accuser Lawyer Faces Extortion Lawsuit From Unnamed Celebrity Over Threats to Sue

An unnamed “celebrity” has filed a civil extortion lawsuit against Tony Buzbee, a Texas attorney who reps more than 100 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ alleged abuse victims — claiming the lawyer is threatening to file a lawsuit containing “wildly false horrific allegations” if the anonymous bigwig doesn’t pay up.

In a lawsuit filed Monday (Nov. 18) in Los Angeles, lawyers for a “high-profile” public figure identified only as “John Doe” claim that Buzbee is “shamelessly attempting to extort exorbitant sums from him” by threatening to “unleash entirely fabricated and malicious allegations of sexual assault.”

“This is textbook extortion,” writes the celebrity’s attorneys, who hail from the prominent law firm Quinn Emanuel. “Buzbee pretends to be speaking truth to power, but that is far from the truth.”

Buzbee allegedly contacted the man earlier this month with “vile” false claims: That he had “raped multiple minors, both male and female, who had been drugged at parties hosted by Combs.” If the celebrity did not agree to a “confidential mediation,” Buzbee allegedly warned he would “take a different course.”

“Plaintiff presently faces a gun to his head,” the lawsuit reads. “Either repeatedly pay an exorbitant sum of money … or else face the threat of an untold number of civil suits and financial and personal ruin.”

In a statement to Billboard on Monday, Buzbee said he and his firm “won’t allow the powerful and their high-dollar lawyers intimidate or silence sexual survivors” and warned that a lawsuit against the unnamed plaintiff was looming.

“It is obvious that the frivolous lawsuit filed against my firm is an aggressive attempt to intimidate or silence me and ultimately my clients,” Buzbee wrote. “That effort is a gross miscalculation. I am a US Marine. I won’t be silenced or intimidated. Neither will my clients. Since our professional efforts at resolution obviously have failed, we will instead disclose the demand letters we sent at the time we filed suit.”

Combs has faced a flood of abuse accusations over the past year, starting with civil lawsuits and followed by a bombshell federal indictment in September, in which prosecutors allege he ran a sprawling criminal operation for years aimed at satisfying his need for “sexual gratification.”

Weeks after the indictment, Buzbee joined the fray by holding a press conference in which he claimed to represent 120 individuals who had been victimized by Combs and threatened a flood of litigation. He has since filed more than a dozen such lawsuits, all on behalf of unnamed Doe plaintiffs.

At the time, Buzbee explicitly warned that he would name others: “We will expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors.” And later, in an interview with TMZ, he said several such celebrities had settled on private terms to remain anonymous.

In Monday’s complaint, the unnamed celebrity said those efforts represented a “shakedown” and a “cynical extortion scheme” — one in which Buzbee “capitalizes on the bravery of those victims who came forward” against Combs to win unearned settlements from “innocent celebrities, politicians, and business people.”

“Defendants devised a scheme to obtain payments through the use of coercive threats from anyone with any ties to Combs — no matter how remote,” lawyers for the unnamed plaintiff write. “Defendants claim to be investigating the facts, but the reality is they are finding deep pockets and trying to smear all of them with the same brush.”

The unusual episode — a mysterious celebrity plaintiff claiming they’re being extorted with baseless abuse allegations — echoes a similar incident last month involving Garth Brooks. In that case, Brooks filed an anonymous lawsuit as “John Doe” seeking a federal court order to block the publication of the allegations. But the accuser eventually filed their abuse lawsuit against Brooks in a separate court weeks later.

Beyoncé Set to Perform Halftime Show for Ravens Vs. Texans Game | Billboard News

Beyoncé is set for a halftime performance during the NFL’s Christmas Day game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens streaming on Netflix. Keep watching for more details!

Tetris Kelly:
Beyoncé is back on the field and it has the Hive shook. Your Christmas just got a lot more entertaining. Netflix just announced that Beyoncé herself will take the field as the halftime performer during NFL Christmas Game Day as the Houston Texans host the Baltimore Ravens, streaming live on Dec. 25. No stranger to halftime, she hit the Super Bowl field in 2013 and circled back again in 2016 with Bruno Mars and Coldplay. Fans are already speculating if this will bring on a tour announcement for Cowboy Carter, or maybe some long awaited visuals. Either way, we are seated. Let us know your thoughts on the Netflix stream in the comments.

A Carrie Underwood Concert Film Is Coming to Hulu in 2025

Carrie Underwood is celebrating her Las Vegas residency in a big way.

The Grammy-winning superstar’s Carrie Underwood: Reflection concert film will be arriving to Hulu in January, giving fans the best seat in the house as they experience the singer’s popular show at Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas. The residency concert showcases Underwood’s catalog of hits, featuring a 100-minute setlist of tracks including “Cowboy Cassanova,” “Something in the Water” and “All-American Girl.”

The more than three-year residency will come to an end on April 12. Underwood launched the residency in December 2021 and has since become the Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas’ first and longest-running headliner.

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“I have absolutely loved performing in Las Vegas over the past three years,” Underwood previously said in a statement upon announcing the final show. “I am so proud of the Reflection production, which is truly one of my favorite shows to perform. It’s been so special to reflect on the greatest hits that have defined my career so far and to get to share them with the fans that come to Vegas from all over the world.”

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Carrie Underwood: Reflection is executive produced by Gary Goetzman and Tom Hanks for Playtone, along with Underwood and Ann Edelblute. It is co-executive produced by Frank Garritano and directed by Beth McCarthy-Miller.

André 3000 Revealed ‘New Blue Sun’ Doesn’t Count Toward Solo Deal

André 3000‘s revealed an interesting tidbit about his instrumental album New Blue Sun.

During a recent appearance the Toure Show podcast, the Atlanta rapper said his debut solo album doesn’t count towards his current deal with Epic because it’s not a rap project. “They congratulated on the process, they congratulated on what the work was, but contractually — it’s very interesting — my label will not count this album against my contract,” he disclosed.

After Toure asked him to clarify whether the album counts towards an Outkast deal, André answered, “This is as a solo artist,” confirming that he also has a solo record deal aside from his group deal with Big Boi.

André went on to say that his attorney explained it for him, saying that his contract contained a legal stipulation that prevented him from releasing “just anything” in order to fulfill the terms of his contract. “It’s something where it says, ‘The next recording has to be 90 percent like the recording before.’ You see what I’m saying? It stops you from turning in 10 tracks of hand-clapping and saying, ‘This is my album,’” he explained.

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The OutKast rapper when on to reiterate that Epic CEO Sylvia Rhone and her team have been “so supportive” of New Blue Sun, and added that he has very little interest in “getting out” of his Epic deal. “It’s not like I’m trying to get out, like, ‘Let’s hurry up and get out.’ And then, ‘Oh, I’m about to put out this rap album,’” he explained. “Nah, I don’t have a rap album, none of that kinda sh—t, so I’m not stressed about it … I wish it would count. It’s interesting news that artists should hear: that this new album is not counting.”

Billboard reached out to representatives for Epic Records and André 3000 for comment

New Blue Sun broke a record for the longest song to hit the Hot 100 chart and is aptly titled, “I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a ‘Rap’ Album But This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time.” The album was also recently nominated for album of the year at the upcoming Grammys.