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Daryl Hall Talks Solo Project ‘D,’ Dave Stewart, and John Oates Split

As he prepares to release his new album, D, Daryl Hall is well aware of how long of a gap there’s been — 11 years, in fact, since Laughing Down Crying.

“It has been a long time,” Hall, who released a compilation, Before After, in 2022, acknowledged to Billboard shortly before starting his current tour with Elvis Costello. “I couldn’t believe how long ago (Laughing Down Crying) was. I dunno — time flies. I’ve been busy with various things and trying to do what I was doing, and the years just flew by.”

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The nine-track D — which drops Friday, June 21 — itself has been “a long time coming” as well. Hall began working on it a year and a half ago on Harbor Island with co-producer and longtime friend Dave Stewart of Eurythmics fame. There was no sense of urgency in the process, either, according to Hall.

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“We took breaks from it and all that,” Hall explained. “I’d go down there; I have a house in the Bahamas and so does Dave, around the corner. It was really just the two of us, with an engineer (Jesse Samier). We pretty much worked in one-month increments; we’d do a month, then I went away — I was on the road for a year — then I’d come back and we’d do another month and then it was just kind of tying things together, which we did fairly recently.

“I think in some respects it was better to take breaks, ’cause every time we’d jump back into it it’d be fresh. It was all very spontaneous, very happy, not a lot of thought, really. It was just ‘Don’t think, just do,’ and (D) is what came out of it.”

While Hall, Stewart and Samier played nearly all the instruments on D, they would “just bring somebody in” for other parts, including backing vocalists, while Darrell Freeman was tapped to send synthesizer parts from Atlanta and longtime Hall & Oates saxophonist Charlie DeChant contributed to “Why Do You Want to Do That (To My Head).” Hall says the relaxed island environment gave the songs a particular kind of vibe, easy to hear in the soul-flacked “Too Much Information,” “Can’t Say No to You,” “Walking In Between Raindrops,” “Break It Down to the Real Thing” and “Not the Way I Thought it Was,” the D track most likely to be associated with Hall & Oates.

That tone counters what Hall calls a “very personal” album — and one that, with its lyrical reflections on relationships, mortality and world order, is not always as breezy and smooth as the music.

“The album is a complete thought,” said Hall, “and we organized the songs to go through a journey with it. We hit sort of a bottom place with ‘I’d Rather Be a Fool’ — that song is totally autobiographical — and then start coming back up again to the new, better world. We didn’t write the songs with that in mind, but when we realized what we had we put it together into a story, in a progression.”

The D title, meanwhile, pulls from Hall’s nickname. “My friends call me D, so I said, ‘OK, why not? I’ll call it my nickname.”

For Hall, D also represents something of a new era. While he and John Oates toured together through 2022, their schism as a duo became public in recent years — and particularly last fall, when Hall filed suit against Oates over issues related to the latter’s plan to see his share of Hall & Oates‘ publishing to Primary Wave Music. Both have said they’re unlikely to ever reunite and are going about their businesses as full-time solo artists.

“John and I did not have a creative relationship for decades; the last song I write with John was in 2000 and that was with somebody else,” Hall says. “We toured and we toured and we toured, and it was very restrictive to me, and to John. The real truth of it all is John just said one day he didn’t want to do it anymore. I said ‘OK,’ but the problem is (Oates) didn’t make the parting and breakup easy, and that’s where the difficulties lay and still lay, and that’s all it is.

“I always say I’ve been a solo artist my whole life, I was just working with John, mostly.”

Being on his own full-time now is liberating, according to Hall. “That’s exactly how I’m looking at it,” he acknowledged. “I can’t speak for John ’cause I haven’t spoken to him in a long, long time, but I think that’s how he feels, too. And good on both of us. I can still play all the songs that I wrote over the years, under my own name as well as under the Hall & Oates name. It frees me, really. It frees me up.”

He’s ready to continue on that path, too. With D coming out Hall is already making plans for its follow-up, starting on his next trip to Harbor Island in January. In the meantime he’s happy to be on the road with Costello, for whom he provided a guest vocal on the 1984 single “The Only Flame in Town.”

“I think it’s a great combination,” Hall says. “It’s a lot of good music, a lot of good songs. I met Elvis around the same time as (Stewart), actually — early ’80s or something. We have mutual friends and we’ve traveled in and out of the same circles over the years. He’s a complicated guy musically and personally, but in the most interesting of ways.”

Hall is also continuing to renovate homes — he’s working on one now, in fact — and he’s moving forward with his acclaimed performance series Live From Daryl’s House after re-launching it last year as a web series on YouTube. “We’re talking about, instead of doing whole seasons just maybe doing two (episodes) at a time and putting them out,” Hall says. “So every once in awhile we’ll throw a couple out there; that way it doesn’t take too much time out of other things I’m doing, ’cause it really does take time. So that’s the plan; I don’t know who (the next episodes) will be yet, but it’ll probably be just a couple of new things coming out.”

Feid Opens 2024 Copa América With His Hit ‘Luna’

In front of thousands of spectators, the Copa América 2024 opened Thursday (June 20) a few minutes before 8 pm ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The opening ceremony was led by the Colombian artist Feid. Dressed in black and wearing his distinctive glasses, Ferxxo emerged from one end of the field accompanied by a group of dancers and musicians, some playing drums, all dressed in green and black, as the stadium lit up green.

During his nearly four-minute performance, Feid performed one of his recent hits, “Luna,” while his companions waved flags and performed freestyle tricks with soccer balls. Next, a team of dancers dressed in the colors of the American flag, along with Capitan, the official mascot of the tournament, entered the field to officially start the football festival. A hologram of the cup appeared on stage, adding a touch of modernity to the event.

At the end of the show, the flags of the teams that were to face each other were displayed: Argentina and Canada. In addition, Sergio “El Kun” Agüero, previous champion with the Argentine team, entered carrying the Conmebol Copa América, symbolizing the start of the competition.

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On June 18, Feid officially announced to his fans through a video on his social media that he would perform at the opening ceremony of the CONMEBOL Copa América USA 2024. “Hey mor! We will experience an unforgettable opening party. The continent will vibrate! ”he wrote in the publication.

Recently, the Colombian artist scored his first solo top 10 on the Hot Latin Songs chart dated June 22, and his fifth overall, with “Sorry 4 That Much,” which debuted at No. 4. “Luna” by Feid alongside ATL Jacob, reached the top of the Latin Pop Airplay chart dated May 4.

In this edition, the South American men’s soccer tournament adopted a new format with the participation of 16 teams, instead of the usual 12. Ten teams representing the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) and six from the North American, Central American and Caribbean Football Confederation (Concacaf) will compete for the 2024 Copa América title.

The United States is hosting the tournament for the second time. The competition will be played in 14 venues across the country, including cities such as Las Vegas, Kansas City and Los Angeles. The tournament will culminate on July 14 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL, where the two best teams will face off for the title in the 48th edition of the championship. Here is the complete match schedule.

The Copa América, known as “the oldest continental tournament in the world,” can be seen in the United States in Spanish through Univision, TUDN, and UniMás, in addition to the streaming services Fubo TV and TUDN. To find out how to watch the CONMEBOL Copa América USA 2024 matches from Latin America and Spain, click here.

T-Pain & More Celebrate Juneteenth at the Hollywood Bowl

A little over halfway through the Juneteenth celebration at the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday night (June 19), an emotional T-Pain thanked the audience for being there.

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“We rehearsed once,” prefaced the artist, who did double duty as headline performer and the concert’s co-curator. “This is nuts that this is going so well, right? This is the dream of so many people and for y’all to make this happen … this is far beyond anything. I’ll be so pissed off if I wake up right now.”

Indeed, the evening did go well, as a very appreciative Bowl audience — in keeping with the cultural significance of the Juneteenth holiday — was treated to the many facets of Black music by both established and emerging artists. Segueing from gospel to R&B, hip-hop and points in-between, the two-and-a-half-hour show under the stars was packed with memorable moments, beginning with Mary Mary’s Tina Campbell delivering a riveting performance of the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” 

Setting the Tone: Hosting something of this magnitude isn’t for the faint of heart. But comedian Affion Crockett proved he was up to the challenge as the crowd laughed right along. Skillfully keeping things moving throughout the evening, he set the tone early on with his opening comments, humorously acknowledging the makeup of the audience. “We love the bougies; I see the tablecloths and champagne [on the tables in the Bowl’s front rows]. “And at the top,” referencing those seated way further back, “you’re the ones that matter. You’re the ones whose bosses wouldn’t give you the day off. And I didn’t know I’d see so many white people in the audience. We’ve got company — and they come in peace.”

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Sisters with Voices: In addition to Campbell (who roused the audience with her latest, “Pray for Me”), Ledisi and Lalah Hathaway also showed out. Ledisi’s full-bodied voice and colorful riffs on her Grammy-winning song “Anything for You” commanded the audience’s attention. And after putting her own distinctive stamp on the Anita Baker signature song “Angel,” Hathaway and her sonorous vocals segued into father Donny’s 1973 classic anthem “Someday We’ll All Be Free” — a fitting exclamation point for the Juneteenth holiday celebration. Providing instrumental accompaniment throughout the evening was the Color of Noize Orchestra led by conductor Derrick Hodge. 

Ones to Watch: Among the rising stars and newcomers also making their presence felt was D Smoke, who fired up the audience with tracks such as “No Commas,” “Black Habits” and “Common Sense” (even subbing for his brother SIR’s part on the song). Emerging female duo Flyana Boss also left a strong impression with their spirited performance of “You Wish” as did energetic Bay Area rapper LaRussell, who had the audience up on their feet after he jumped off stage and proceeded to walk up and down several aisles to high-five fans. 

Blasts from the Past: Rounding out the evening were performances by fan faves from the ‘90s into the 2000s. David Banner, wearing shades and sporting a white goatee, rocked the venue with “Get Like Me.” Jordin Sparks stunningly reprised her hit “No Air,” while Lloyd pumped up the proceedings with his “Get It Shawty.” Then Tevin Campbell sparked a  singalong to his enduring hit “Can We Talk.”

The Man of the Hour: T-Pain made his first appearance onstage after Ledisi’s performance. Wearing a raspberry-colored suit, the Grammy winner launched into a passionate interpretation of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” After wrapping the song to vigorous applause, he said, “This evening is special for me, for all of us and the culture. We’ve got to show respect for everything that came before us.” And that’s how the rest of the evening progressed: with T-Pain striding back onstage between performances by the other acts on the bill. And each time he did, he had the audience cheering, dancing and rapping/singing along to everything from “I’m Sprung,” “Up Down” and “Freeze” to “Buy U a Drank,” his rendition of Cee-Lo’s “Crazy” and Chris Brown’s “Kiss Kiss” on which he was featured. 

Becoming emotional after Banner saluted him, T-Pain said in part to even more cheers, “In 2018, I decided I didn’t want a manager anymore, I didn’t want a label anymore. I’m doing everything independent. The only time I’ve seen this place [Hollywood Bowl} is in Tom & Jerry cartoons. So to be an independent artist and putting on a show like this is the wildest dream. So my No. 1 rule for everyone is believe in yourself; believe in that crazy thing. The only people that end up changing the world are the people crazy enough to think that they can.”

Miley Cyrus Signs With CAA

Miley Cyrus has signed with CAA, re-joining the agency more than four years after moving to WME, it was announced Thursday (June 20).

The signing comes roughly a year and a half after Cyrus enjoyed her biggest hit to date, “Flowers,” which spent eight weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. In February, the song also netted Cyrus two Grammys: record of the year and best pop solo performance. Earlier this year, she dueted with Beyoncé on the Cowboy Carter track “II MOST WANTED.”

Cyrus has been a household name for nearly two decades, ever since breaking through as the star of Hannah Montana, the Disney Channel sitcom that skyrocketed her to fame as both an actress and a singer. As Hannah Montana, she racked up 20 Billboard Hot 100 hits, including one top 10 (“He Could Be The One”), and scored three No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 (Hannah MontanaHannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana: The Movie).

After Hannah Montana concluded in 2011, Cyrus enjoyed success under her own name, notching 61 entries on the Hot 100, including 13 top 10 hits and two that topped the chart: “Flowers” and 2013’s “Wrecking Ball.” She also scored two more No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200: 2008’s Breakout and 2013’s Bangerz.

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In recent years, Cyrus appeared on a 2019 episode of Netflix’s Black Mirror and brought Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party to NBC in 2022 with executive producer Lorne Michaels, hosting the show alongside her godmother, Dolly Parton.

Cyrus’ philanthropic endeavors include the launch of her Happy Hippie Foundation, which has raised millions to support youth suffering from homelessness, especially those identifying as LGBTQ+. This year, she announced the launch of the Miley Cyrus Foundation, an extension of her philanthropic work that focuses on supporting mothers.

Cyrus continues to be represented by Crush Management and attorney Bill Sobel at Laird and Sobel. 

Travis Scott Arrested for Disorderly Intoxication & Trespassing | Billboard News

Travis Scott was arrested for disorderly intoxication and trespassing, he has since been released, keep watching to learn the details.

Tetris Kelly:

Travis Scott has been arrested in Miami for disorderly intoxication and trespassing, but is responding in the most Travis way. We have the details. The “SICKO MODE” rapper was arrested in the early morning hours of June 20TH, though he has since been released after posting bond. Miami Dade County Jail records show that Scott was arrested for trespassing property after a warning. According to the affidavit obtained by CNN, Travis allegedly got into a dispute with the crew while on a charter boat. Police who were wearing body cameras saw the rapper yell at the crew on the yacht and were able to sense a strong smell of alcohol on his breath. After being asked to leave, he returned shortly after and allegedly yelled at the crew again despite police telling him not to approach the boat, which led to his arrest. CNN quoted the affidavit saying the defendant later admitted that he had been drinking alcohol and stated it’s Miami. Travis has shared his mugshot on socials with a pair of white headphones and brown shades. Billboard has reached out to the rappers attorney and reps as well as Miami Dade police for comment.

Karol G Immerses in Merengue With ‘Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido’: Stream It Now

Karol G has surprised fans with a new single called “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” (translated to: “If I Had Known You Before”), out Thursday (June 20).

Kicking off the summer season, the Colombian superstar has immersed in the merengue genre for her new track. “What would it have been like if I had met you before? Most probably you’d be dancing this song with me,” says part of the lyric.

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In the music video, she switched her baby pink locks for a new blonde look, and is performing the party-starting bop at a tiki bar.

On the eve of the song’s release, Karol performed it for the first time in London, later explaining on her Instagram that the tribute to the merengue genre is because she owes a lot to The Dominican Republic. “I worked on part of ‘Mañana Sera Bonito’ there, and when I need to disconnect from the world and connect with myself I also go there,” she wrote. “Its culture, its music, its colors, the hospitality, the energy… everything feels very authentic and special there. Its people have embraced me in a way that fills my heart and inspires me all the time.”

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“Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido”—which is released in the midst of the European leg of the Mañana Será Bonito Tour—further demonstrates Karol’s ability to experiment outside of the reggaetón realm. Prior to her merengue tune, she’s tapped into bachata (“El Barco”), corrido tumbado (“200 Copas”), cumbia (“Mi Ex Tenía Razón”), and even dropped a salsa version of “Amargura” at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music gala, where she was this year’s Woman of the Year.

The vibrant “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido” marks Karol’s second single of the year following the Tiësto-assisted “Contigo,” which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart dated March 2; reached No. 27 on the Latin Airplay chart dated June 1; and debuted at No. 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in March, becoming Karol’s 30th entry on the all-genre chart.

Watch the new music video below:



Peso Pluma Unleashes Dual ‘Éxodo’: Stream It Now

Peso Pluma unleashed his highly anticipated new album, Éxodo, on Thursday (June 20). The two-disc set — with one disc powered by his signature corridos and the other packed with hard-hitting trap and hip-hop songs — showcases the Mexican star’s duality and versatility.

The LP follows Peso’s massive 2023, which included the release of his history-making Génesis. The album debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the highest ranking for a Mexican music album on the tally. Earlier this year, it won the Grammy for best música mexicana album (including tejano).

Éxodo is a testament to Peso Pluma’s commitment to continue globalizing regional Mexican music and, at the same time, introduce himself to a new audience collaborating with artists such as Cardi B (“Put Em in the Fridge”), Quavo (“Pa No Pensar”) and Rich the Kid (“Gimme a Second”). In these trap and hip-hop songs, part of the second disc, he shows off his slick rapping skills.

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For those OG Peso fans, who fell in love with his music thanks to his corridos like “El Belicón” and “PRC,” are in for a treat. In disc one, Peso delivers back-to-back songs powered by his signature sound that thrives on horn instruments. His collabs there include Ivan Cornejo (“Reloj”), Neton Vega (“La Patrulla”) and Luis R Conriquez (“Sr. Smith”).

Peso Pluma, Billboard‘s 2023 Rookie of the Year, catapulted to stardom last year placing more than 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 in a span of months. The hitmaker is currently on his Éxodo Tour, produced by Live Nation, which includes upcoming stops in Miami, Dallas, Nashville and Atlanta.

Stream Éxodo below:

Millyz “Chosen,” Ne-Yo “2 Million Secrets” & More | Daily Visuals 6.20.24

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Peso Pluma’s ‘Éxodo’: All 24 Songs Ranked

The two-disc set showcases the Mexican star’s versatility.

Peso Pluma was suddenly everywhere last year thanks to his distinctive sound, powered by charchetas, trombones and — perhaps his most important instrument — his nasally and raspy vocals. In a matter of months, the Mexican-born corridos singer became one of the biggest artists in Latin music and, undoubtedly, the leader of regional Mexican music’s new generation of hitmakers.

After placing a handful of tracks on the Billboard Hot 100 — he officially sparked the corridos revival, propelling it towards mainstream territories — Peso kept the momentum going with his Grammy-winning Génesis, which made history when it debuted and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, the highest ranking for a Mexican music album on the tally. 

While Génesis served almost as an introduction to Peso Pluma — although he had already released two previous albums — Éxodo has a different purpose. It can almost be looked at as Peso’s mission statement as he continues to explore the type of artist he wants to be. With this dual, two-disc album — one side corridos and the other trap, hip-hop — Peso breaks from being boxed in the regional Mexican space and becomes more of a difficult-to-define artist, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

The versatility that Peso showcases in Éxodo only opens doors for the 25-year-old superstar who, even without having to record outside of regional Mexican, had already gained major mainstream attention. Now, as he raps in English and Spanish — alongside English-language hitmakers like Cardi B, Quavo and Rich the Kid — Peso solidifies his commitment to becoming truly a global artist.

Below, Billboard ranks all 24 songs from Éxodo, in descending order.

Rema Returns With New ‘Benin Boys’ Banger: Stream It Now

After scoring one of the biggest Afrobeats crossover hits in U.S. history with his Selena Gomez-assisted “Calm Down,” Nigerian superstar Rema is gearing up to enter a new era.

On Thursday (June 20), the Billboard Music Award winner unleashed his first musical release of the year — a new collaboration with Shallipopi titled “Benin Boys.”

Across heavy drums and stirring background strings, Rema and Shallipopi trade verses that flex their “big money” and exalt their status as two of the world’s hottest young stars. The new collaboration arrives alongside a DK-helmed music video that finds the two stars decked out in their freshest fits in a series of scenes, including a neon-drenched night club, a private jet and on top of what appears to be a church.

On Tuesday (June 18), Rema earned a pair of ASCAP London Music Awards: song of the year and top streaming song, both for “Calm Down.” Last year, “Calm Down” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent a record-setting 58 weeks atop U.S. Afrobeats Songs. The infectious Afrobeats track also reached No. 1 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart, making history for a song by an African lead artist. “Calm Down” served as the second single from Rave & Roses, Rema’s debut studio album, which reached No. 81 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on World Albums.

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Outside of a few solo tracks on the deluxe version of Rave & Roses, including “Charm” and “Reason You,” Rema’s recent releases have largely been collaborative. Among those collaborations are tracks with Feid (“Bubalu”), Ice Spice (“Pretty Girl”) and, of course, the “Soweto” remix (with Victony, Tempoe and Don Toliver), which reached No. 65 on the Hot 100. Fans last heard Rema on his own tracks via last October’s Ravage EP, which include the fan-favorite “DND.”

“Benin Boys” marks the first official release for Rema as a newly-minted Interscope Records artist through the label’s UMG-assisted partnership with Mavin Global.

Stream “Benin Boys” now.