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05 Aug 2024

Chlöe Reveals Release Date for Sophomore Album ‘Trouble in Paradise’

“A storm is coming” this summer: Chlöe revealed on Monday (Aug. 5) that her second studio album, Trouble in Paradise, will be released on Friday, Aug. 9, via Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records.

The 26-year-old singer-songwriter-producer-actress shared the news alongside a picture of her wading in midnight blue water while wearing a neon green dress on her socials. She captioned the pre-save announcement with, “a storm is coming.”

“Oh snap !!!!!” Tinashe commented on Chlöe’s Trouble in Paradise announcement on Instagram.

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“It’s what a summer fling feels and tastes like,” Chlöe told Billboard on the red carpet of the 2024 BET Awards. She also revealed the inspiration behind the LP’s production: “I have been obsessed with the Caribbean, so definitely Afrobeats-inspired, island vibes. That’s what I’ve been inspired by, so you’ll definitely hear some little nuances of that in there.”

Chlöe released two singles, “FYS” and “Boy Bye,” earlier this year, and she hopped on the remixes of Nigerian singer-songwriter Qing Madi’s “Vision” and Tinashe‘s Rhythmic Airplay No. 7 hit “Nasty.”

In her Nylon cover story from June, she revealed her sister Halle, Anderson .Paak and Jeremih will be featured on her forthcoming project.

Trouble in Paradise arrives more than a year after her solo debut studio album, In Pieces. The 14-track LP includes collaborations with Chris Brown (“How Does It Feel”), Missy Elliott (“Told Ya”) and Future (“Cheatback”). The set reached No. 119 on the Billboard 200 and No. 17 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

See Chlöe’s Trouble in Paradise album announcement below.

05 Aug 2024

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Moses Sumney, FLO, Kitschkrieg & More

The Olympics are still in full swing, so, naturally, Snoop Dogg and Beyoncé continue to be central figures at this year’s Games.

Between cheering on a horse named Gin & Juice alongside longtime collaborator and friend Martha Stewart and starting an impromptu dance party with Simone Biles, Snoop Dogg would take home the gold medal if there was an Olympic event for best celebrity personality. After introducing Team USA with “Ya Ya,” Queen Bey used another Cowboy Carter track — the Willie Jones-assisted “Just for Fun” — for a special commercial commemorating Simone Biles. The Beyoncé-women’s gymnastics crossover didn’t stop there; all three women who made the podium in the floor excise final used Beyoncé tracks in their routines. Gold medalist Rebecca Andrade (Brazil) tumbled to “End of Time,” silver medalist Biles (USA) included “Delresto (Echoes)” in her mix, and bronze medalist Jordan Chiles (USA) soared to a medley of “Black Parade,” “My House,” “Cuff It,” “Energy” and Destiny’s Child’s “Lose My Breath.”

In non-Olympics news, Kanye “Ye” West and Ty Dolla $ign finally unveiled Vultures 2, Drake and Partynextdoor announced a new joint album due this fall and The LOX delivered an instant classic Tiny Desk performance.

With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from FLO’s latest banger to Moses Sumney’s new heartbreaking ballad. Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

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Freshest Find: Moses Sumney, “Love’s Refrain”

Ominous choral coos, haunting snaps and a range-traversing vocal performance are the grounding elements of “Love’s Refrain,” the stunning closer to Moses Sumney’s new Sophcore EP. “I lied/ I’m in love all the time/ I fetch for the kiss of death, unrequited,” he opens the first verse, carefully setting up a gut-wrenching story of unrequited, love compounded with this confines of heteronormative friendships and the fluidity of platonic and romantic relationships. A master of chilly, introspective electronic R&B, Sumney’s voice is particularly soulful here; his yearning holds centuries’ worth of literary longing.

Mudbaby Ru, “40 Mo’ Reasons”

Following the viral success of his brash “40 Sum Reasons” single, Mudbaby Ru spins the block to double down with the charismatic “40 Mo’ Reasons.” Hailing from Arkansas, Ru narrates vivid street tales while comparing himself to legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick and bragging about sleeping with an opp’s baby momma while dancing on his grave. A hilarious exchange with Siri adds a comedic touch to the track’s outro. It’s about that time for Mudbaby’s major label debut album.

FLO, “Check”

FLO has garnered a lot of love for their references to Y2K pop&B, but they keep those allusions to the visuals for their latest single, “Check.” Accompanied by a music video that pays homage to Beyoncé’s “Check on It,” the U.K. girl group lay their pristine harmonies over a skittering backbeat just short of Miami bass. In essence, it’s FLO meets PinkPantheress… so don’t be surprised if you come across a remix featuring the chart-topping artist ahead of the trio’s appearances on Kehlani’s upcoming Crash World Tour.

Sugarhill Ddot & PnB Rock, “Lamborghini Dreams”

PnB Rock was tragically murdered on the West Coast in September 2022, and nearly two years later, his first posthumous guest verse lands on Sugarhill Ddot’s 2 Sides of the Story debut album. Rock’s croon opens the lucid “Lamborghini Dreams,” where he eerily touches on death. “Almost died behind the whip, I had to slow down,” he sings. The Harlem native colors outside the lines of his melodic drill world and name-drops Soulja Boy and Doja Cat in the same bar. Ddot is the first artist signed to the revamped Priority Records and hopes to make a statement in the drill lane with his new debut LP, featuring Hunxho, Skilla Baby and more big guests. 

JPEGMAFIA, “I’ll Be Right There”

Introduced by a warped sample of Jade’s career-defining hit “Don’t Walk Away,” JPEGMAFIA fires off several warning shots to his haters with his latest single, “I’ll Be Right There.” The pitched-up harmonies give the illusion of a sinister gospel choir, which plays well with the snarl Peggy employs in his verses. Steady percussion and shimmering strings round out the soundscape, over which he spits, “Y’all keep on thinkin’ I’m playin’ the hand I was dealt/ Yeah, until the same hand get a grip on that bitch/ Y’all want none of them problems/ Y’all want none them issues.” Several modes removed from the rave-provoking feel of his previous I Lay Down My Life For You singles, “I’ll Be Right There” slyly flips classic new jack swing romance into a bone-chilling warning straight from the roots of gangsta rap.

Kitschkrieg Feat. Future, Mariah The Scientist & Fridayy, “Slow Down”

Oktoberfest meets Magic City. German production trio Kitschkrieg invites a star-studded guest crew to invade the dancefloor on the woozy “Slow Down.” Future, Mariah The Scientist and Fridayy join forces to make up a melodic rap-R&B cocktail. Pluto’s star shines the brightest as his syrupy flow has become bulletproof while spanning different genres. He paints a raunchy picture while opening up about some of his wild escapades — blowing six figures on women, getting fellatio on FaceTime and sipping lean out of his Grammy trophy. Look for more genre-blending collabs on Kitschkrieg’s forthcoming German Engineering Zwei album, which arrives on Nov. 15.

05 Aug 2024

Here Are Some of the Best Photos From Lollapalooza 2024

Lollapalooza 2024 has quickly become one of the most-anticipated festivals of each summer, bringing together some of music’s biggest stars to take over Chicago’s Grant Park.

This year’s stellar lineup featured headliners like SZA, Megan Thee Stallion, Hozier, Blink-182 and Stray Kids, who made an explosive Lolla debut. Attendees were also able to check out a new and improved main stage that ditched diesel gas for a hybrid battery powered design.

On day one, Meg closed out the show with a twerk-filled headlining set, complete with tracks like “Hiss,” “Thot S—,” “Megan Piano,” “WAP,” “Wanna Be,” “Mamushi” and more. She also shared her support for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. “Let me pop my s**t real quick, because [people] were fake mad that I was popping it for Kamala,” Megan said to the crowd, referring to her performance at the VP’s Atlanta rally. “I don’t think they heard what she said. Kamala said she wants a ceasefire. Kamala said she supports women’s rights. And she said she’s tired of those high-ass gas prices … It’s ‘Hotties for Harris,’ goddammit!”

Day two featured a massive performance from Stray Kids, who just released their album ATE. The group performed songs like their new single “Chk Chk Boom,” as well as fan favorites like “TOPLINE,” “Lonely St.” and “DOMINO,”

Notably, Chappell Roan’s Lolla set was the biggest crowd for a daytime set. She performed hits like “Femininomenon,”  “Naked in Manhattan” and “Red Wine Supernova,” as well as “Good Luck, Babe!”

See below for some of the best photos from this past weekend’s Lollapalooza festival.

05 Aug 2024

50 Cent’s ‘Many Men’ Soundtracks Donald Trump’s Entrance on Adin Ross’ Stream

Election season is in full swing with just over three months (92 days, but who’s counting?) until Election Day. Donald Trump appeared on internet personality Adin Ross’ Kick stream on Monday (Aug. 5), where he entered the building to 50 Cent’s “Many Men” as his soundtrack of choice.

The Get Rich or Die Tryin’ anthem has become a rallying cry of sorts for Trump in the wake of last month’s assassination attempt. Trump steps into the venue to the menacing track co-produced by Eminem, and greets the supporters in attendance — most of whom are rocking red Make America Great Again caps and holding pro-Donald Trump signs.

Of course, 50 references himself being shot on “Many Men” and the G-Unit boss himself leaned into all the viral memes, which resulted in a boost to the 2003 album on the charts.

“How is this real life?” a fan asked on X.

In the streaming week following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania (July 12-July 18), “Many Men” registered 6.4 million official U.S. streams in the tracking week, which is 224% higher than the 2 million total streams in the prior frame.

During the stream, Ross had Trump comment on various political leaders and pop-culture figures including Ye (formerly Kanye West) and Young Thug.

“He’s a very complicated,” Trump said of West. “Let’s say complicated because he is. He’s a really nice guy, but he can get some people into trouble. And he can get some other people. He’s got a good heart — he does, he does, but he’s complicated.”

Trump and West have plenty of history dating back to DT sending well wishes to Ye and Kim Kardashian when the couple tied the knot in 2014. West said he would’ve voted for Trump in 2016, and paid 45 a visit at the White House in October 2018. The Graduation rapper rocked a MAGA hat on Saturday Night Live in 2018, and then went on to face-off with Trump and Joe Biden in a failed 2020 presidential election bid.

The twice-impeached former president even gave his thoughts on Young Thug’s much-delayed YSL RICO trial and called for the incarcerated rapper to be “treated fairly” by the Georgia legal system. “I hear Young Thug — I heard the name, I heard it from other people where they say he’s being treated unfairly. He’s gotta be treated fairly,” he demanded on Ross’ stream.

Thug — born Jeffery Williams — has been behind bars since May 2022 and there is no end date in sight for the YSL trial. According to NBC News, it’s the longest trial so far in Georgia’s history.

05 Aug 2024

Crocs Introduces the High Shine Loafers: Shop This Must-Have Style Now

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Crocs are a celebrity favorite, worn by stars such as Saweetie and Lil Nas X, proving they never go out of style. If you are looking to add some variation to your Crocs collection while also taking your fashion game to the next level, you might want to consider adding these Stomp High Shine Loafers to your cart. These stylish and comfortable shoes are great for any occasion, whether you’re gearing up for back-to-school season, heading to a semi-casual workday, or simply enjoying a weekend outing.

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These slip-on loafers, make it easy to put on and take off. The brand describes the loafers as shiny, lightweight and flexible. If that’s not enough, you can also customize them with Jibbitz™ charms and make them your own.

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For those looking to add a pair of sleek and comfortable shoes, you can find these slip-on loafers at Zappos, Crocs and PacSun.

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Crocs

Crocs Stomp High Shine Loafer

These versatile loafers can be worn with casual outfits such as jeans and a T-shirt for a laid-back look. You can even dress them up to your liking. One Crocs customer described them as “stylish” and “fashionable.”

Another Crocs customer described them as “very comfortable” and “very durable.”

For those looking to add a variety of styles to your collection, you might want to add these Croc Stomp Slingback Platform Clogs. Originally priced at $69.99, you now take advantage of the limited-time sale and snag them for just $49.99. With its lightweight, spongy and odor-resistant features, you’ll be able to take these shoes wherever you go.

For more product recommendations, check out these Mega Crush Crocs, alternative Crocs to add to your collection, and these jelly shoes and platform boots.

05 Aug 2024

Soundcore’s New A20 Earbuds Promise to Help You Sleep Better With Noise-Canceling Features & Built-In White Noise

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Getting a good night’s sleep is the difference between having an alert or sluggish day, but more than a third of adults in America are getting less than the recommended amount of sleep each night, according to the National Council on Aging. Your sleeping environment plays a major role in how well you sleep — from your mattress, bedding and pillows to even the sounds around you. Anker is promising to help you sleep better, though, with a unique pair of sleep earbuds that’ll block out noise or provide white noise, depending on your needs.

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Whether you’re a light sleeper or city dweller, Anker’s Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds have reviewers blown away by how it’s “revolutionized” their sleep routines. Rather than squish and twist foam earplugs into your ears, the Soundcore version brings a modernized twist featuring noise-canceling technology and Bluetooth capabilities. More than 9,000 have been purchased on Amazon this month (so far) with reviewers praising its battery life, which they claim lasts “the entire night.”

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Keep reading to learn more.

model wearing soundcore earbuds, soundcore earbuds in beige

Amazon

Soundcore Sleep A20

Some of the most notable features of these luxurious sleep earbuds include a four-point noise masking system with twin-seal ear tips to help block out distracting sounds. While they don’t include active noise cancelling technology, they do come with stronger passive noise blocking, sound masking and smart volume control.

If you require some noise before falling asleep, you can connect the device to Bluetooth and create your own playlist of sleep sounds or music. The earbuds also come with their own white noise through the accompanying app. Side sleepers can also rest easy, as the design was made with a flat back and soft material for all-night comfort. One Amazon reviewer even raved how “they’re so comfortable that I often forget I’m wearing them.”

The battery can last up to 14 hours on a full charge, giving you enough juice to last you a full night of sleep and then some. When you wake up, you can check out the app to give you personalized sleep metrics, including whether or not you changed positions throughout the night.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best comforters for hot sleepers, wearable blankets and dorm essentials.

05 Aug 2024

Jimin’s ‘Who’ Rules Billboard Global Charts for Second Week

Jimin’s “Who” spends a second week at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, a week after it launched at the surveys’ summits. Jimin became the second member of BTS to have topped the tallies apart from the cornerstone Korean pop group, following Jung Kook. Plus, BTS became the first group with multiple members that have led both rankings.

Also this week, Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” and Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” both ascend to the Global 200’s top 10.

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The Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

Jimin’s “Who,” released July 19, crowns the Global 200 for a second week, with 93.4 million streams (up 4%) and 64,000 sold (down 51%) worldwide July 26-Aug. 1.

Billie Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” rises 3-2 for a new Global 200 high; Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” dips 2-3, following three nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning in June; Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” steadies itself at No. 4, after reaching No. 3; and Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” keeps at No. 5, after two nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 starting in May.

Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” climbs 12-9 on the Global 200. Released in June, the song, Karol G’s sixth top 10 on the chart, drew 68.8 million streams (up 2%) and sold 2,000 (up 11%) worldwide in the week ending Aug. 1.

Plus, Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” becomes her first Global 200 top 10, lifting 11-10. The stand-alone single, which debuted in April on the U.S.-based Billboard Hot 100 and Global 200, totaled 49.2 million streams and 5,000 sales worldwide in the latest tracking week.

Jimin’s “Who” concurrently leads Global Excl. U.S. for a second week, with 75 million streams (down 1%) and 15,000 sold (down 80%) outside the U.S. July 26-Aug. 1.

Eilish’s “Birds of a Feather” rebounds to its No. 2 Global Excl. U.S. high, from No. 3; Carpenter’s “Espresso” descends 2-3, following eight nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 beginning in May; Karol G’s “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” jumps 7-4, surpassing its prior No. 5 best; and FloyyMenor and Cris Mj’s “Gata Only” repeats at No. 5, after reaching No. 3.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Aug. 10, 2024) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow, Aug. 6. For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

05 Aug 2024

John Denver Back in Hot 100’s Top 40 as a Writer Thanks to MGK & Jelly Roll’s ‘Lonely Road’

Late folk-country icon John Denver returns to the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart (dated Aug. 10) as a writer via MGK — who formerly went by Machine Gun Kelly — and Jelly Roll’s new single, “Lonely Road.”

The track, released July 26, launches at No. 33 on the Hot 100 with 10.5 million official streams, 646,000 in radio airplay audience and 12,000 sold in the United States in the week ending Aug. 1, according to Luminate.

Referring to himself and Jelly Roll as KellyRoll, MGK revealed that they worked on “Lonely Road” for “2 years [in] 8 different studios [and] 4 different countries [and] changed the key 4 times.”

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The song, MGK’s fourth top 40 Hot 100 hit and Jelly Roll’s seventh, reimagines Denver’s breakthrough anthem “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” which journeyed to No. 2 on the Hot 100 in 1971. The singer-songwriter tallied 14 top 40 hits through 1982, when “Shanghai Breezes” reached No. 31. He logged four No. 1s, among seven top 10s.

Denver, who died in 1997, appears in the Hot 100’s top 40 as a writer for a second time in the past decade – with both via reworkings of “Take Me Home, Country Roads.” In October 2016, “Forever Country,” by Artists of Then, Now & Forever, hit No. 21. The song, released in celebration of 50 years of the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, is a medley of three favorites: “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” and Willie Nelson’s “On the Road Again.” The all-star track also spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

“Lonely Road” concurrently debuts at No. 13 on Hot Country Songs.

Denver’s enduring original “Take Me Home, Country Roads” has drawn 931 million official on-demand streams in the U.S. to date. It has also totaled 230 million in radio reach and sold 1.8 million downloads.

Further modernizing its profile, Lana Del Rey’s cover hit No. 23 on Hot Rock & Alternative Songs this past December.

Bill Danoff and Taffy Nivert (who were then married) co-wrote the song from its start and finished penning it with Denver. Since 2014, it has served as an official state song of West Virginia, while Denver’s version was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry in 2023.

Springfield, Mass., native Danoff recalled in 2018 to Billboard that, after he began studying at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., he had “one year where I did a lot of road trips. I just was fascinated by the countryside … barns … stuff I had only seen in pictures. I’d suddenly become a real nature fan. That’s where all that ‘country roads’ stuff came from.”

05 Aug 2024

Melissa Etheridge on Why Her Concert at a Women’s Prison Was So Unique

“This is a setlist that I have never done anywhere,” Melissa Etheridge tells Billboard’s Behind the Setlist podcast of the performance captured in her new live album, I’m Not Broken: Live from Topeka Correction Facility. 

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“Unexpected Rain” is “a deep track on a deep album, The Awakening,” she says. “I rarely do ‘Unexpected Rain.’ I rarely do ‘The Shadow of a Black Crow,’ which is about addiction. I rarely do ‘Into the Dark.’ I rarely do ‘Love Will Live.’ They were very, very specific to what I wanted to speak about.” 

It was a unique concert in more ways than one.

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Etheridge’s performance before 2,500 inmates at the women’s prison in Topeka, Kan., was recorded for two-part docuseries I’m Not Broken for the streaming platform Paramount+. The two-time Grammy winner says she had wanted to perform at a prison for decades. Etheridge grew up in Leavenworth, Kans., within eyeshot of the prison where country great Johnny Cash performed in 1970. The 7-year-old Etheridge couldn’t hear the performance from outside the prison walls, but was struck by accounts of the show. “We just had the newspaper article, and at that point I read it, and was like, ‘Wow, prisons must be a place of great entertainment, and someday I’m gonna grow up and play a prison.’”

The idea came up again when she switched management a decade ago. About five years ago, her management team began reaching out to the penitentiary to see if a performance would be feasible. Once the idea was approved and Etheridge was given a green light by Paramount, she brought on board a production company, Shark Pig. 

The Topeka concert included many deep cuts because the filmmakers asked Etheridge to choose songs based on themes — such as trauma, motherhood, hope, redemption and consequence — that the series would address. At the concert, Etheridge introduced each song by talking about the specific themes.  

The often racuous show included many of Etheridge’s better known songs, too. The show opens with “American Girl,” a non-single track from her 1993 album Yes, I Am. The set closed with her biggest hits: “Come to My Window” and “I’m The Only One” from Yes, I Am, and “Bring Me Some Water” and “Like the Way I Do” from her 1988 debut.

I’m Not Broken also captures Etheridge’s process for writing a song specifically for the concert. “A Burning Woman” was informed by her correspondence and conversation with five of the inmates. The women opened up about their circumstances, how they ended up in prison and their lives during incarceration.

“We sat down in the prison library, and we all spoke,” Etheridge recalls, “and just hearing their stories, laughing, talking, crying, whatever you know we did, was so powerful to me that it couldn’t help but humanize them, because they are human.”

Listen to the entire interview with Melissa Etheridge in the embedded Spotify player below, or go to Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeart or Everand. 

05 Aug 2024

Charli XCX’s Birthday Bash: See Who Celebrated the Pop Star | Billboard News

Charli XCX marked her 32nd birthday with some famous friends. Keep watching to see who and how she was celebrated!

Tetris Kelly:
Brat summer continues as Charli XCX celebrates her birthday with her new collaborator and some other music friends. We have the details.

Charli and Billie just dropped the “Guess” remix that has everybody talking. And the conversation got even louder as the duo partied in L.A. to celebrate Charli’s 32nd birthday. Billie took to IG to share several videos of the stars at the intimate bash that also included musicians like Lorde, Tove Lo and Nelly Furtado in attendance. Charli’s Brat Tour is scheduled to kick off Sept. 14, as the new “Guess” remix is aiming for the top spot on the U.K. Singles Chart.