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17 Sep 2024

Ángela Aguilar Celebrates Her 10-Year Solo Career With Exhibit of Her Mexican Dresses: Watch

As she celebrates the first decade of her career as a soloist, Ángela Aguilar has chosen to honor Mexico by showcasing a collection of striking traditional dresses she has worn throughout the years.

The regional Mexican singer, who on Tuesday (Sep. 17) received a nomination to the Latin Grammy Awards in the album of the year category for her set Bolero, kicked off in recent days an exhibit at the Mexican Consulate in Houston, which specially arranged an area for visitors to enjoy the collection titled “Ángela Aguilar: 10 Years Singing and Dressing Mexico.”

The show is free and open to the public indefinitely, from Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (local time). It includes 25 outfits, including the one she wore in the music video for “Solamente Una Vez,” a song included in her newly nominated album.

Other dresses that have marked important moments in Aguilar’s career — from her beginnings singing “La Chancla” to a recent one with rebozos used at an awards ceremony — are part of this interactive experience, which includes QR codes on each piece to share information about the moment they were used.

Not to be missed is the short red dress she wore in the video for “Dime Cómo Quieres” alongside her now-husband, regional Mexican star Christian Nodal. Another notable piece is a tehuana from the state of Chiapas, hand-embroidered by artisans, which she wore for the cover of her album Primero Soy Mexicana.

Ángela Aguilar, who is the daughter of Mexican music icon Pepe Aguilar and granddaughter of the legendary Antonio Aguilar and Flor Silvestre, made her onstage debut at only 3, while she and her family accompanied her father on tour. Five years later, she released her first album at the age of 8 — a joint album with her brother Leonardo titled Nueva Tradición that was powered by banda, mariachi and norteño sounds.

Her solo debut was in 2014 with the Christmas album Navidad con Ángela Aguilar, which was followed by Primero Soy Mexicana (2018), Baila Esta Cumbia (2020), Que No Se Apague La Música (2020), Mexicana Enamorada (2021) and Bolero ( 2024).

Visitors to her fashion exhibit in Houston will also see the tricolor dress, in honor of the Mexican flag, included on her family’s Jaripeo Sin Fronteras Tour, as well as the princess cut dress that the singer wore in front of Queen Sofia of Spain, which also showcased her Mexican roots.

Designers who have worked for Aguilar and contributed to this unique collection include Nelly de Anda, Iann Dey, Diego Medel, Enrique Samartin, Felipe Alvarado, Anayeli García Cruz and Felipe Botello, among others.

The Mexican consulate in Houston is located at 3200 Rogerdale Rd. in Houston, Texas. Watch the video with part of Ángela Aguilar’s dresses collection above.

Billboard Latin Music Week is returning to Miami Beach on Oct. 14-18, with confirmed superstars including Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz and Peso Pluma, among many others. For tickets and more details, visit Billboardlatinmusicweek.com.

17 Sep 2024

How a Former Music Row Employee Is Using His Skills to Build Future Generations

Years after Dave Petrelli worked in the Nashville music business, he experienced a moment in the city’s Shelby Park that eclipsed any expectations he had had for his career.

A former peermusic creative assistant and Nashville Songwriters Association International director of events, Petrelli purposely segued into music education, and one step in the journey included teaching general education to fourth graders. Drawing on his innate skills, he frequently rewrote existing songs to teach students, and when a full solar eclipse occurred in the city in 2017, Petrelli prepared his classes by reworking the Bonnie Tyler/Celine Dion hit “Total Eclipse of the Heart” as “Total Eclipse of the Sun.”

When the big day arrived, Petrelli and his wife, songwriter Victoria Banks (“Come On Over,” “Saints & Angels”), joined thousands in the park to watch the afternoon sky turn dark. Around a dozen kids saw “Mr. Petrelli” and ran to him to sing “Total Eclipse of the Sun.”

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“I didn’t even expect this to be a moment,” he says now, “and it was a moment.”

Petrelli is one of 30 instructors from eight states who will have another personal moment tonight (Sept. 17) when the Country Music Association recognizes them as CMA Music Teachers of Excellence at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. CMA has turned music education into a mission, funneling revenue from the annual CMA Fest into programs that are vital to the development of future generations.

The program is so appreciated that the teacher awards will be attended by as many artists as instructors, including Walker Hayes, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Terri Clark and Gretchen Wilson.

The teaching jobs may not be as glamorous as the touring gigs those artists pursue, but they’re “way more important,” CMA senior vp of industry relations Tiffany Kerns says. “We have the best gigs in the world, don’t get me wrong. But by far, what they do is way more impressive. And I mean, talk about having deep impact in communities.”

That impact is far-reaching. Music develops collaboration skills, learning to play an instrument builds discipline, and studying music rewires the brain, strengthening the connectivity between different cortexes and providing more paths for thoughts to follow. Schools with music education, according to Kerns, have lower rates of absenteeism. And since music teachers typically spend more one-on-one time with individual students as they learn their instruments, they are often the instructors whom students feel most comfortable with in revealing hunger or mental health issues.

In Petrelli’s case, students likely relate to him in part because he’s one of them in spirit. Growing up in Connecticut, his mother — who taught Spanish — died when he was 10, and he had to take care of himself sooner than his peers. 

“I grew up too fast, and because of that, there’s still a lot of kid in me,” he says. 

Petrelli leaned toward music early, and after graduating from Boston College, he taught the subject at a private Catholic elementary school for a year. He subsequently earned a songwriting degree at the Berklee College of Music, then moved to Nashville and worked his way into the music community. Once they got married, he and Banks decided at least one of them should have a job with greater security, and he shifted into education.

The “Total Eclipse of the Sun” moment grew out of his approach, which mixes music with other parts of the school’s curriculum. A few years ago, when Lockeland Elementary was operating under the schoolwide theme “Lockeland is out of this world,” he would have classes explore the details in songs with galactic lyrics — such as David Bowie‘s “Space Oddity,” Europe‘s”The Final Countdown” or Elton John‘s “Rocket Man” — to better understand space and enhance the school experience.

“What I have found is that that gets the kids really, really, really interested in what they’re going to learn today,” Petrelli says. “My lesson springboards off that.”

Other courses, such as math or science, have more cut-and-dried material — two plus two will always equal four — and Kerns suggests that those classes feel more “black and white” to students.

“When you walk into that music room, I really believe that Dave’s students immediately feel and see color,” she says. “There is something that is so vibrant about his personality and the way that he teaches, and that’s a gift.”

The CMA doesn’t restrict its Teachers of Excellence awards to instructors who use country music in their classes. Pop, jazz, R&B and mariachi have all been used extensively by various honorees, though Petrelli does, in fact, incorporate country in his work, with songs by Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings and Shania Twain among the material he has used.

“The storytelling aspect is huge,” he says.

While teaching music may not be as glamorous as the careers of the artists that Petrelli’s classes draw from, it still scratches his own artistic itch.

“I teach six classes a day, and it’s six one-hour performances,” he says. “It is a song-and-dance show for one hour, six times in a row. I’ve worked physically demanding jobs, mentally demanding jobs. I have never been as exhausted at the end of a day as when I come home from a particularly hard day of teaching.”

It’s usually a thankless job, though the Teachers of Excellence event extends a bit of appreciation. And the students do provide feedback, whether they know it or not, at moments like the 2017 eclipse. At times like that, Petrelli is reminded that the job really is an opportunity to inspire the next generation, even if it looks a little different than what he originally envisioned.

“I always dreamed of girls screaming my name,” Petrelli says. “I didn’t think they’d be 9 years old and waving in their car, [yelling], ‘Mr. Petrelli!’”

Subscribe to Billboard Country Update, the industry’s must-have source for news, charts, analysis and features. Sign up for free delivery every weekend.

17 Sep 2024

Deftones Announce North American Arena Tour Dates for 2025

While often underappreciated commercially and critically during their turn-of-the-century peak, Sacramento alt-metal band Deftones has enjoyed an extended revival of interest in recent years, consistently ranking as one of the top-performing bands on streaming and hosting the Dia de los Deftones single-day festival every year since 2020.

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Now, the band is embarking on its first headline tour since 2022, and they’re visiting arenas across North America. Deftones will kick off the untitled 2025 trek at Portland’s Moda Center on Feb. 25, and then will hit legendary venues such as the Kia Forum in Los Angeles and Madison Square Garden in New York over the following month and a half, before wrapping at Boston’s TD Garden in April.

Guests on the tour will be Texas prog-metal veterans The Mars Volta and Boston nu-gazers Fleshwater. Tickets go on sale Friday (Sept. 20) at 10 a.m. local time, and will of course be followed with this year’s Dia de los Deftones festival in November, featuring such other acts as IDLES, Health and Sunny Day Real Estate (performing the entirety of its iconic 1994 debut album Diary).

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Watch a very Deftones trailer for the upcoming tour and see a full list of dates below:



2025 TOUR DATES:

2/25 Portland, OR – Moda Center
2/27 Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
3/1 Sacramento, CA – Golden 1 Center
3/4 San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
3/6 Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
3/8 Las Vegas, NV MGM – Grand Garden Arena
3/9 Phoenix, AZ – Footprint Center
3/12 Austin, TX – Moody Center
3/13 San Antonio, TX – Frost Bank Center
3/15 Dallas, TX – American Airlines Center
3/16 Houston, TX – Toyota Center
3/18 Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
3/20 Orlando, FL – Kia Center
3/22 Sunrise, FL – Amerant Bank Arena
3/24 Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center
3/26 Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
3/28 Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3/29 Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
3/31 Chicago, IL – United Center
4/1 Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
4/3 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
4/4 Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
4/6 Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
4/8 Boston, MA – TD Garden

17 Sep 2024

Eve Reflects on Jay-Z Telling Her Women Rappers ‘Don’t Really Do That Well’ Commercially Ahead of Debut Album

Eve was intent on proving the doubters wrong with her Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady debut album back in September 1999. As told in her new Who’s That Girl? memoir, which was released on Tuesday (Sept. 17), Eve recalled a phone call from Jay-Z where he tried to temper the Ruff Ryders rapper’s expectations when it came to her debut LP’s commercial performance.

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Jay allegedly told Eve that female rappers “don’t really do that well” on the day her ’99 project arrived. However, Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady went on to top the Billboard 200 with more than 200,000 total album units sold in the first week. With assists from Swizz Beatz, DMX, Missy Elliott, The Lox, Faith Evans, Beanie Sigel and more, Let There Be Eve has sold more than two million copies to date.

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Eve appeared on The Breakfast Club on Tuesday (Sept. 17) in support of her memoir, and she provided context on the phone call with Hov, which was not intended to come off as malicious at all, but put a battery in her back.

“That was one of those things we were like, ‘Do we put that in?’ Because you know how people get,” she explained. “It was nothing bad about that. It was one of those things where it was a very amazing phone call that I needed.”

Even continued: “That was one of those I always felt like I was the underdog anyway. He wasn’t saying it out of malice or mean. It was facts, really. But I was like, eh, OK, let me see. I’ma show you. It’s all good. And it went on to be fine. Like I say in the book, we all have that person.”

Billboard has reached out to Jay-Z for comment.

Throughout the book, Eve disclosed she had to deal with plenty of doubters when it came to executives who continually disrespected her. “The audacity that these men had,” she wrote in the book. “Now I have age and experience on my side, nobody’s coming at me like that.”

Let There Be Eve…Ruff Ryders’ First Lady spawned a pair of hits with the Swizz Beatz-produced “Gotta Man,” which reached No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the “What Ya’ll Want (Remix)” featuring Dru Hill’s Nokio, which was added as a bonus track and topped the Hot Rap Songs chart.

Watch her interview with The Breakfast Club below:

17 Sep 2024

TikTok Billboard Top 50 Rewind: ‘Million Dollar Baby’ & More Took No. 1 | Billboard News

It’s been a year filled with fun dances, viral hits and more on the TikTok Billboard Top 50. To celebrate, we’re taking you through the top trending songs in the past year. Keep watching to see if your favorite is on the list!

Narrator:
The Tiktok Billboard Top 50 has hit the one-year mark, and we’re looking back at the top performers and trends on the chart in its first year. Tommy Richman ruled the chart with “Million Dollar Baby,” claiming the No. 1 spot for a total of 10 weeks. Of course, dance trends help drive songs up the chart like “Apple,” “Mamushi” and “Tell Ur Girlfriend,” which topped the chart for three weeks. Emotional tracks like “My Love Mine All Mine” and “Someday I’ll Get It” topped the chart for several weeks.

The Tiktok Billboard Top 50 showed how unsigned and relatively unknown artists can rise to the top. Famous Sally & YB held the top spot for two weeks, and the chart has shown how older tracks can find new life on the platform. 1959’s “Misty” and 1978’s “What You Won’t Do For Love” soared to No. 1 many decades after their release.

What’s been your favorite track or trend on the TikTok Billboard Top 50? Let us know in the comments and come back every Thursday for the latest chart.

17 Sep 2024

Afrobeats Producer Thisizlondon Signs With LVRN

Afrobeats producer Thisizlondon has signed with Love Renaissance (LVRN), Billboard can exclusively announce on Tuesday (Sept. 17).

Thisizlondon, formerly known as LONDON (real name Michael Hunter), has produced some of the biggest Afrobeats records in recent history, from Ayra Starr‘s “Bloody Samaritan” to Rema‘s Billboard Hot 100 No. 3 smash “Calm Down.” He’s also contributed to Wizkid‘s Made in Lagos and Tiwa Savage‘s Celia albums in 2020, the former of which earned a Grammy nomination for best global music album in 2022. The 24-year-old producer released his debut single, the Starr- and 6LACK-featuring “PINACOLADA,” as a lead artist in August, which was featured in Billboard‘s Afrobeats Fresh Picks column last month along with his “W” collaboration with Olamide and Alpha P.

“I’m thrilled to join the LVRN family and begin this new chapter. I’ve always admired their global impact and the way they approach music,” he tells Billboard in a statement.

Thisizlondon is currently working on his debut project under LVRN, which has been supporting a number of African artists, DJs and producers over the years. The company has also signed South African amapiano DJ duo TxC and Ghanaian fashion entrepreneur crew Free the Youth to the label, and represents Spinall and TxC on the management side.

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“We’re excited to welcome ThisizLondon to the family. He’s one of the most talented producers to emerge from the continent, and I’ve been a fan for a while,” added Tunde Balogun, CEO/co-founder of LVRN. “My team and I are eager to support him on his musical journey.”

17 Sep 2024

Billie Eilish & Finneas Endorse Kamala Harris, Slam Project 2025: ‘Vote Like Your Life Depends On It’

This year, Billie Eilish and Finneas are voting the color of the final track on their May album, Hit Me Hard and Soft: blue. In honor of National Voter Registration Day, the sister-brother musical duo endorsed Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign and urged fans to get to the polls this November to help stop what they called an “extremist” agenda from Republicans.

In a clip posted to Eilish’s social media accounts Tuesday (Sept. 17), the 22-year-old pop star and her collaborator look into the camera while addressing fans directly. “We are voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz because they are fighting to protect our reproductive freedom, our planet and our democracy,” the “Bad Guy” singer says.

“We can’t let extremists control our lives, our freedoms and our future,” Finneas continues. “The only way to stop them and the dangerous Project 2025 agenda is to vote and elect Kamala Harris.”

The pair also shared a link where fans can check their registration status ahead of election day on Nov. 5. “Vote like your life depends on it,” Eilish adds in the clip. “Because it does.”

With their endorsement, the two-time Oscar winners join a long list of A-list musicians championing the Harris-Walz cause this year. Megan Thee Stallion, Ariana Grande, John Legend, Lizzo, Quavo, Lil Jon, Bon Iver, Barbra Streisand, Katy Perry and many more have all previously lent their support to the VP, while Taylor Swift finally broke her silence on the election Sept. 10 by sharing her highly anticipated endorsement of Harris just moments after the presidential debate concluded.

“I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them,” the “Anti-Hero” singer wrote in a message signed “Childless Cat Lady.” “I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”

Eilish has long used her voice to speak out about political issues she’s passionate about, most notably sustainability. She’s also encouraged fans to hit the polls on numerous occasions, creating her own voting initiative in 2020 and partnering with HeadCount ahead of the 2022 midterms.

In 2020, the “Lunch” artist performed and slammed Trump in a speech at the Democratic National Convention. Two years later, she and her family paid President Joe Biden a visit at the White House.

Watch Eilish and Finneas endorse Kamala Harris below.

17 Sep 2024

The 10 Best Moments of Linkin Park’s Triumphant NYC Performance

Linkin Park did not pause very often in Brooklyn on Tuesday night (Sept. 16). The band’s second full concert (following Wednesday’s show at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles) since unexpectedly returning earlier this month did not include drawn-out speeches, prolonged stage banter between members, a ton of reflection on their seven-year break or many words about what returning to the stage signifies. Instead, Linkin Park performed at Barclays Center like they had been shot out of a cannon — flying through 27 songs in two hours, hopscotching through big hits and beloved deep cuts across their many eras, playing breathlessly and making the most of a spotlight that they probably never thought they’d have again. And the fans, who had been waiting for just as long, gulped up every moment.

Following Chester Bennington’s tragic passing in 2017, Linkin Park’s future as a live act remained cloudy. After this month’s announcement of a surprise comeback, featuring new members Emily Armstrong and Colin Brittain, upcoming album From Zero and six tune-up arena dates to precede an expected 2025 tour, the prospect of Linkin Park’s live return remained tantalizing if still a bit of a question mark, considering how irreplaceable Bennington remains as a vocal force and stage presence (and how Armstrong’s new role as co-vocalist has already been met with some controversy). 

Yet Mike Shinoda has already told Linkin Park’s new audiences that they would be playing the role of Chester at their shows, and indeed, all of the songs that Bennington helped make famous rang out through shared vocals on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Armstrong proved that, while it will naturally take time to develop stage chemistry with her new band mates, she already seems remarkably comfortable taking on the heaviest and most delicate moments of the band’s discography. And Shinoda, bassist Dave Farrell and DJ/turntablist Joseph Hahn (along with drummer Brittain and touring guitarist Alex Feder) sounded and looked reinvigorated while swaggering together onstage, diving back into their rich catalog while mining the opportunities of a new era and extra time. 

Casual fans of the band will have lots to latch onto as they make their way around the world once again; longtime supporters should feel relieved that this new iteration of Linkin Park is already functioning at a high level a few shows in, taking the stage as a single unit and leaving it triumphantly.

Here were the 10 best moments of Linkin Park’s Brooklyn performance, in chronological order.

17 Sep 2024

Billboard Italia Women in Music Debuts in Milan: See the Photos

Milan reconfirmed itself as Italy’s capital of music by hosting the first Italian (and European) edition of Billboard Women In Music, the award ceremony that celebrates the most influential women in the music industry.

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Kickstarting Fashion Week, the event took place Monday (Sept. 16) at Teatro Manzoni, with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan and Camera della Moda, the association of Italian fashion brands.

Opened by a video message from the mayor Giuseppe Sala, the show was hosted by two protagonists of Italian cinema and TV, Cristiana Capotondi and Maurizio Lastrico. With their sympathy and energy, the two hosts introduced the honorees and the special guests who took the stage.

In addition to the awards, the first edition of Billboard Italia Women in Music also saw special performances by Gaia (Hitmaker of the Year, who sang her summer hit, “Sesso e Samba”), emerging talent Bu Cuaron, Federica Abbate (Songwriter of the Year, who sang a medley of some of the biggest hits she wrote for others) and Ariete.

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At the end of the show, Rinascente, Italy’s top luxury store and one of the main partners of Billboard Italia Women In Music, welcomed guests to a spectacular party on the rooftop of the iconic store in Piazza Duomo, where the music continued with DJ sets by Anfisa Letyago (DJ of the Year) and Margherita Grechi and live performances by Alexia and Gaia, who sang “Sesso e Samba” again but this time with the surprise participation of Tony Effe.

Billboard Italy WIM

Bu Cuarons on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.

Elena Di Vincenzo

In addition to Rinascente itself, the sponsors were Rabanne and Bellissima, which presented the “Stylist of the Year” award.

Radio 105 was the official radio station of Billboard Italia Women in Music and presented the “Hitmaker of The Year” award, in addition to animating both the event at Teatro Manzoni and the aftershow with its speakers and DJs.

Billboard Italia Women in Music was created with the support of the collecting society SIAE (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori) and produced in collaboration with Vivo Concerti, with direction by Gianlorenzo Mortgat. Ticketmaster Italia was the ticketing partner of the event.

Below is the complete list of honorees, with the official reasons for their respective awards.

ANNA, Woman of the Year
Her new album, Vera Baddie, broke several records, some unbeaten for almost 20 years, occupying the first place in the Italian chart for nine consecutive weeks. Since 2020, she has been breaking down the gender gap in Italian rap like never before.

Laura Pausini, Icon
She’s the artist who, more than anyone else, in her 30-year career, has held the flag of Italian music high in the world. A globally recognized talent, Pausini is an artist who, despite having achieved all possible goals, never stops putting herself on the line.

Elodie, Performer of the Year
Her tour in the arenas was explosive and entirely sold out, with a live show that was a manifesto of freedom. With two dates in the stadiums already scheduled for next summer in Milan and Naples, she will be the third Italian female artist to take the stage of San Siro Stadium and the first woman to perform at the Maradona Stadium.

Billboard Italy WIM

Gaia on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.

Elena Di Vincenzo

Gaia, Hitmaker of the Year by Radio 105
An artistic vision that leaves nothing to chance and steals nothing from her naturalness. Gaia is synonymous with freedom of expression, in music but not only. This summer she was an absolute protagonist with “Sesso e Samba” feat. Tony Effe. That refrain is exactly what we can’t get out of our heads.

Rose Villain, Impact Award
From her debut album Radio Gotham onwards, she has established herself on the Italian charts. Rose Villain has never stopped expressing her opinions, from the topic of environmental sustainability to that of the inequality of treatment between men and women in music and all other professional sectors.

Billboard Italy WIM

BigMama on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.

Camilla Pisoni

BigMama, Breakthrough
With an explosive participation in the Sanremo Festival, where she honored women with a performance in which the key words were “sisterhood” and “female power,” Italy was able to get to know her music and her personality better. BigMama is the most disruptive revelation of 2024.

Clara, Rising Star
A rising star of Italian music, she introduced us to her talent as a singer and as an actress, obtaining impressive results in a very short time, from the success of the TV series Mare Fuori to her participation in the Sanremo Festival. For this reason, Clara is the Rising Star at Billboard Italia Women in Music.

Billboard Italy WIM

Federica Abbate on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.

Camilla Pisoni

Federica Abbate, Songwriter of the Year
How many hits of the last few years in Italy bear her signature? Many. Federica Abbate is a singer-songwriter who a year ago published her first album of unreleased songs, Canzoni per gli Altri. From pop to rap, everything her pen touches turns to gold. Or rather platinum, and in one case, even diamond.

Anfisa Letyago, DJ of the Year
A true pride of the Italian electronic scene, Anfisa Letyago has climbed to the top of the international dance scene with her engaging DJ sets and her sophisticated productions. Now she is touring the world but her heart stays in Naples, a city that never ceases to give her ideas and inspiration.

Marta Salogni, Producer of the Year
She’s the producer and sound engineer who makes Italy proud on a global level. Björk, Depeche Mode, Animal Collective and Bon Iver are just some of the artists who have had the pleasure of having her in the control room. For this reason, Marta Salogni is Producer of the Year of Billboard Italia Women in Music.

Marta Donà, Manager of the Year
From the courageous choice to start a managerial career on her own, very young, in 2012, to the most recent milestone of Angelina Mango’s victory at the Sanremo Festival, from the strength of her all-female team to the passion she puts in her work: this is why Marta Donà is Manager of the Year of Billboard Italia Women in Music.

Sara Potente, A&R of the Year
She discovered new talents of Italian music and with determination worked alongside them until she achieved the success she deserved. Now she is the director of Numero Uno, the historic label (part of Sony Music Italy) that was founded by legendary Lucio Battisti and songwriter Mogol.

Ramona Tabita, Stylist of the Year by Bellissima
She takes care of the image of some of the most important protagonists of the Italian music scene and beyond. She is a creative consultant for several brands. She is undoubtedly the name that best embodies the connection between music and fashion, and that is why Ramona Tabita is Stylist of the Year by Bellissima.

17 Sep 2024

Signed: Olivia Marsh Joins New Warner Music Korea Label; Big Loud Signs Hailey Benedict

Warner Music Korea introduced MPLIFY, a new label designed to support Korean artists with global reach, focusing on English-language music to connect with international audiences. Samuel Ku, an executive producer at WMK, has been tasked with leading the label. The first artist signed to MPLIFY is Olivia Marsh, a Korean-Australian singer-songwriter who is set to release her debut single on all major digital platforms in October. Olivia’s sound blends pop and R&B, influenced by a wide range of artists including ABBA, John Denver, Tame Impala, and Vera Blue. A graduate of the University of Melbourne in Interactive Composition, she has worked with K-pop producers and songwriters to refine her craft. “I am delighted to sign with MPLIFY and to work with such a warm, passionate and innovative team,” Marsh said. –Marc Schneider

Big Loud Records and its Canada-based, Dallas Smith-founded imprint Local Hay Records have signed country artist Hailey Benedict. Benedict has also inked a global publishing deal with Big Loud Publishing/Local Hay. This summer, Benedict performed on the main stage at Alberta’s Big Valley Jamboree, and she’s nominated at the Canadian Country Music Awards for breakthrough artist or group of the year. –Jessica Nicholson

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Anniegee Marketing launched its artist management division, Anniegee Management, and inked a co-management deal with MUN Entertainment for Juliana Velasquez’s career development in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Founded by seasoned music industry professional Annie Gonzalez after working as senior director, global marketing at Sony Music Entertainment for over 20 years, Anniegee Marketing and Communications has developed communication strategies in the U.S. for global stars including Shakira, Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Fernández, and many more. Through its new deal with rising Colombian artist Juliana, Anniegee now branches out into artist management, while still offering its marketing and PR consulting services. In her new role, Annie Gonzalez will co-manage Juliana alongside current manager Juancho Muñoz of MUN Entertainment. –Sigal Ratner-Arias

LA-based producer and songwriter Stryv (Hamid Bashir) signed with WME across all areas. Known for his work with artists like Kanye West, Ty Dolla $ign, Jason Derulo, Galantis, and Rita Ora, Stryv recently launched his own artist project. His debut single, “Move,” a collaboration with Adam Port, gained attention after being teased at Keinemusik shows worldwide. Since its official release in June, “Move” has earned over 200 million streams on Spotify, topped the Beatport Top 100 chart, and positioned Stryv as one of the platform’s fastest-growing artists. A follow-up single is set for release later this year. Stryv also forms half of the DJ duo ORSO, alongside Twitch co-founder Justin Kan, further expanding his influence in the electronic music scene. –M.S.

Boutique music publishing company MV2 Entertainment and independent label New Lost City Records have signed singer-songwriter True Youngblood, a Georgia native and Belmont University student, who just released his debut single, “If I Were a Cowboy.” Youngblood joins MV2’s roster of writers, which includes Josh Thompson (“Wasted on You,” “Drowns The Whiskey”), Forrest Finn, Grant Vogel, Johnny McGuire and Blake Henderson. The New Lost City roster includes Youngblood, Henderson and McGuire. –J.N.

Universal Music Group partnered with acclaimed Indian composer and three-time Grammy winner Ricky Kej to launch Vedam Records, a new label dedicating to bringing authentic wellness music from India to a global audience. In his first collaboration with Vedam, Kej has released Break Of Dawn, his latest studio album. “Vedam Records presents an opportunity to compose music that is therapeutic and necessary – now, more than ever,” Kej said. -M.S.