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02 May 2024

Why Are Taylor Swift Eras Tour Tickets So Much Cheaper in Europe?

Taylor Swift is returning to the road to complete the final leg of her Eras Tour for fans eager to hear the singer-songwriter perform new tracks like “Fortnight,” “Down Bad” and “Florida!!!” from her new album, The Tortured Poets Department.

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But those fans may be in for some sticker shock. Prices to see Swift at one of her final nine shows in the United States have increased following the release of the album April 19, with the average get-in-the-door price — the lowest price available — hovering around $2,600 per ticket, according to data from TicketIQ. That means it would cost a couple more than $5,000 just to be in the same building as Swift in Miami (Oct 18-20), New Orleans (Oct 25-27) and Indianapolis (Nov. 1-3) this fall.

In Europe, however — where Swift starts a 51-show run on May 9 with a kickoff date at Paris’ La Defense Arena — tickets cost only a fraction of that. Right now, the get-in-the door price to see the opening of the European leg of the Eras Tour is $340 a ticket — 87% cheaper than the average price in the United States.

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That means a fan in Miami could fly to Paris for about $900 a person (according to prices generated on kayak.com), spend two nights at a four-star hotel at $250 a night and purchase a $340 concert ticket for a grand total of $1,740 — which is still $760 less than the cheapest tickets currently available for her Miami shows.

Tickets to see Swift in Stockholm (May 17-19) are even cheaper, at $312 for the cheapest tickets, while tickets for her show in Portugal (May 24-25) start at $336 and in Spain (May 29-30) start at $324. Prices do start to climb in the United Kingdom, with the get-in-the-door price hovering around £540 (about $674 USD) for Swift’s Liverpool shows (June 13-15). Prices to see Swift at Wembley Stadium (June 21-23) hover around £720 ($900).

The reason for the huge difference in price, experts say, is due in part to longstanding consumer skepticism about resale tickets in most of Europe. That’s coupled with a much more aggressive regulatory environment where artists and consumers are empowered to report and remove illegal ticket listings, and where prices are kept low thanks to laws limiting how high tickets can be marked up over face value.

The European approach is significantly different from that of the United States, where ticket resale is not regulated and deceptive marketing practices, including the use of deceptive websites and speculative ticket listings, continue unabated despite widespread outcry from consumers. And federal officials don’t regularly enforce the few ticketing laws that do exist. It took five years after the BOTS Act — banning automated programs that jump the queue and buy up tickets — was passed for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to bring a case against brokers for violating the bill.

Sam Shemtob, managing director for ticket resale advocacy group Face-value European Alliance for Ticketing (FEAT), points to Europe as a model for how governments can be more vigilant about regulating resale markets. In countries like France, Germany and the Netherlands, ticket resellers face limits on how much tickets can be marked up on secondary sites — typically 20% over face value. Other countries like the United Kingdom allow resale but restrict who is allowed to post tickets for resale and give artists and event promoters the right to take some resale ticket listings down.

Adopting European-style regulations in the United States by restricting ticket markups to 20% above face value would transform the concert business overnight and likely drive prices down dramatically on the secondary market. Markup caps would also likely make programs like Ticketmaster’s platinum ticket pricing (which charges high markups for a small percentage of tickets to offset the resale market) obsolete and significantly reduce the number of ticket brokers and bad actors using bots to disrupt ticket sales and illegally buy up tickets.

A federal cap on ticket markups would also significantly disrupt the secondary ticketing market and push many brokers out of business, which might create unintended consequences for sports teams that are much more willing to sell season tickets to brokers and depend on resellers for distribution. It’s also unclear if Americans would even accept a regulatory framework capping how much tickets could be marked up. Lawmakers in New York, Utah, Colorado, Connecticut and Virginia have all passed laws in the last decade making it illegal to restrict how and where ticket brokers resell tickets. While U.S. consumers often complain about the excesses of ticket resale and like the idea of using technology to keep tickets out of the hands of scalpers, they also dislike the restrictions that come with non-transferable tickets and tend to loudly oppose policies that create inconveniences.

Shemtob notes that Europe’s ticketing rules aren’t just about protecting price, but are also designed to empower citizens to take action.

On Jan. 1, 2025, Europe’s Digital Services Act (DSA) will go into effect, creating a uniform set of guidelines for online ticket resale requiring resellers to disclose their names and contact details to potential ticket buyers. The DSA also mandates that resale platforms track takedowns of public ticket listings (to help provide a record of the deceptive activity taking place) and ban deceptive marketing practices.

While many of the DSA’s reforms mirror U.S. efforts to clean up ticketing, Shemtob says a provision in the DSA bill that makes it simple to flag, report and take down ticket listings that violate the rules is a game-changer for consumer advocates. The law creates “a clear process for removing illegal ticket listings as and when they appear,” he said in a statement provided to Billboard, putting in place “the groundwork for a fairer, more transparent ticket-buying experience for consumers.”

Besides keeping prices in Europe low, the legislation has also led to a surprising boom in tourism from U.S. fans traveling to the continent to pursue cheaper Eras Tour tickets: A spokesperson for StubHub told Billboard that 68% of ticket purchases for Swift’s 51-show run in Europe have come from U.S. buyers.

02 May 2024

TNT’s ‘Inside the NBA’ Kept Playing Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Euphoria’

The producers over at TNT’s Inside the NBA must be from L.A., because they keep playing West Coast diss tracks. During the Wednesday (May 1) broadcast, Kendrick Lamar‘s Drake diss song “Euphoria” can be heard playing faintly in the background as Shaq, Kenny, Chuck and Ernie were getting ready for halftime of the Clippers and Mavericks playoff game.

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Commentator Kenny Smith can be seen shaking his head in disbelief as he asks why the producers were picking sides. “We in the middle of the rap beef, man,” he says. “Come on, man. We gon’ play one side, you gotta play the other now.”

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Shaq, on the other hand, was into it and shouted out DJ Denzel for the song choice. Meanwhile, Charles Barkley was disgusted by the whole notion of rap beef, as he shook his head and said, “Grown a– men.” Ernie Johnson was none the wiser.

This wasn’t the first time producers on the show appeared to side with Kendrick. A few weeks back, they also played the Billboard Hot 100-topping Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick record “Like That.” They played that song again Wednesday night and added the instrumental for Ice Cube’s “No Vaseline” for good measure.

One of the show’s producers took to X to answer a question from Spotify’s Carl Chery about who’s choosing the music over there and said, “I’m not no snitch but we talk it out in our group first.”

We would love to be able to listen in on one of those meetings. Trolling rap fans is only one of the reasons why Inside the NBA is one of sports television’s crown jewels.

02 May 2024

Girl in Red Says Taylor Swift’s Approval Has Given Her Confidence After Eras Tour

It’s hard not to feel confident when Taylor Swift is in your corner. After opening for the pop star for a chunk of the Eras Tour last year, Girl in Red says she feels more sure of her abilities than ever, and that’s largely thanks to the “Anti-Hero” singer’s support.

One of Elle‘s three rising music stars of 2024 alongside Tate McRae and Tyla, the Norwegian musician born Marie Ulven opened up about her growth as an artist and performer in a video posted Wednesday (May 1). “The biggest obstacle has been, historically, my anxiety,” she told the publication. “Because of that, I was like, ‘I can never be on a stage again.’”

Flash forward to summer 2023, and suddenly, the “We Fell in Love in October” singer was playing stadiums on a nightly basis, getting crowds across the United States warmed up for the three-hour-plus main event. “After touring with Taylor, she would introduce the openers and then she’d be like, ‘Give it up for Girl in Red, who crushed it!’” Ulven recalled. “So I was like, ‘You know what? I think I know what I’m doing.’”

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Ulven is fresh off the release of her sophomore album I’m Doing It Again Baby!, which debuted at No. 183 on the Billboard 200. It features the single “You Need Me Now?” featuring fellow Eras Tour opener Sabrina Carpenter.

In a March interview with Billboard, Ulven revealed that Swift’s dedication to songwriting and touring heavily inspired her while making Doing It Again. “My new thing is I’ll ask myself, ‘What would Taylor do?,’ because I’m so inspired by her work ethic,” she said. “‘We’re not complaining, we’re just getting sh-t done.’”

Watch Girl in Red, Tate McRae and Tyla speak as Elle‘s rising music stars below.

02 May 2024

Bhavi, Seven Kayne, Milo J, Tiago PZK, Khea & Neo Pistea Top Argentina Hot 100 With ‘Bésame (Remix)’

Bhavi, Seven Kayne, Milo J, Tiago PZK, Khea and Neo Pistea lead this week’s Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart (dated May 4), as “Bésame (Remix)” lands at No. 1 in its second week. It’s the first win for Bhavi, Seven Kayne and Neo Pistea.

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“Bésame (Remix)” climbs seven rankings, from No. 8 to No. 1 in its second week, the second-largest trek in 2024, following “Una Foto” by Mesita, Nicki Nicole, Tiago PZK and Emilia, which journeyed from No. 30 to No. 1 (list dated Jan. 30) in its 18th week. The latter holds at No. 2 for a sixth non-consecutive week.. Further, “Bésame” unseats Tini’s “Pa” from the summit, and sends it to No. 11, after one week in charge.

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While the top 10 remains nearly the same as the week prior, Taylor Swift’s new No. 1 album, The Tortured Poets Department, contributes significant activity below the top 20, with 10 simultaneous songs on the tally. “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone, leads the new recruits, joining at No. 22 as the Hot Shot Debut of the week.

Here’s a recap of Swift’s 10 concurrent entries on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100:

No. 22: “Fortnight,” featuring Post Malone
No. 52: “So Long, London”
No. 56: “Down Bad”
No. 58: “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”
No. 60: “The Tortured Poets Department”
No. 64: “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”
No. 80: “But Daddy I Love Him”
No. 85: “Who’s Afraid Of Little Old Me?”
No. 91: “Florida!!!,” featuring Florence + The Machine
No. 96: “Guilty As Sin?”

The Greatest Gainer of the week goes to Young Miko and Feid’s “Offline,” which climbs 56 spots, from No. 91 to No. 35.

Elsewhere, Nigerian singer-songwriter, Oyinkansola Sarah Aderibigbe, better known for her stage name Ayra Starr, claims her first entry on the tally with her Rvssian and Rauw Alejandro collab “Santa” which opens at No. 81.

Two other collabs debut this week: Camilo and Carin Leon’s “Una Vida Pasada” at No. 90, while “Quítenme el Teléfono” by The Academy: Segunda Misión, Sech, Lenny Tavarez, Justin Quiles, Dalex, Dimelo Flow, featuring Yandel and Jay Wheeler, starts at No. 100.

02 May 2024

Universal Music Group Revenues Up 6% to $2.8B on Subscription Growth, As Execs Talk TikTok Deal

Helped by paid music subscriptions and a strong performance from its music publishing division, Universal Music Group generated revenue of 2.59 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in the first quarter of 2024, a 5.8% increase (7.9% at constant currency) over the prior-year quarter, the company announced Thursday (May 2). 

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Notably, UMG’s margins improved from a year earlier. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) improved 13.2% to 591 million euros ($640 million). As a percent of revenue, adjusted EBITDA margin was 22.8%, up 1.5 percentage points from 21.3% from the first quarter of 2023.

CFO Boyd Muir attributed the margin improvement to revenue growth and a change in product mix — namely, less physical sales — but during Thursday’s earnings call he cautioned “not to read too much into any one quarter” and urged investors to look at trends over longer periods.

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The quarterly earnings release arrived a day after UMG announced a new licensing deal with TikTok. Analysts probed for insights into the economics of the agreement and possible impacts to UMG’s financial statements. Executives declined to provide details about the deal but insisted it provides fair value relative to other short-form video platforms.

Michael Nash, UMG’s executive vp/chief digital officer, said the new TikTok deal is “a substantial improvement” from the previous one and the revenue “does markedly improve for our last deal.” Some of the deal’s value is difficult to quantify, however. Nash added the new agreement contains “aspects of economic value” — such as ad credits, data and marketing programs — that won’t show up in future financial statements. 

Each of the company’s divisions — recorded music, music publishing and merchandise — showed improvements in the first quarter. “This broad-based growth continues to underpin our confidence about the longer-term health of our business,” said Muir. 

Subscription services were a main driving force in UMG’s quarter. Recorded-music subscription revenue grew 10.7% to 1.12 billion euros ($1.2 billion) and accounted for 43.3% of total company revenue, up from 41.4% in the fourth quarter of 2023. Recent price increases by Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music weren’t the only — or the primary — factor. “Subscriber growth is the biggest driver of the year-over-year growth rates we see at UMG,” said Muir. 

Total streaming revenue grew at a slower rate, however, gaining 8.9% to 343 million euros ($371 million). Speaking about ad-supported streaming, Muir said he is “encouraged” by improvements but “cautious” about growth “until we see a consistent broad-based improvement across all partners and across all geographies and probably over a more consistent, longer-term timeframe.” 

Total recorded-music revenues grew just 3.4% to 1.99 billion euros ($2.15 billion). Top sellers in the quarter came from Taylor Swift, Noah Kahan, Morgan Wallen, Ariana Grande and Olivia Rodrigo. Physical revenue in the recorded-music segment dropped 18.5% to 255 million euros ($276 million). (Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Society, which sold 859,000 vinyl copies in its first week of release, will impact UMG’s second quarter results.) Muir explained the decrease in physical sales stemmed from particular strong physical sales in Japan in the prior-year quarter. Licensing and other revenue fell 1.8% to 222 million euros ($240 million). 

Music publishing revenue jumped 16.7% to 496 million euros ($537 million) thanks to digital revenue’s 22.9% increase to 284 million euros ($307 million). Performance revenue’s 26.7% increase to 114 million euros ($123 million) more than compensated for synch revenue’s decline of 10.1% to 62 million euros ($67 million) 

Merchandising revenue grew 6.5% (7.5% at constant currency) to 114 million euros ($123 million). Touring merchandise sales increased while direct-to-consumer sales and retail sales declined. 

The company remains on track to realize 75 million euros ($80 million) in cost savings in 2024, said Muir. In February, the company announced a plan to save $270 million annually through organization redesign and layoffs. As part of the redesign, UMG created label operations on the coasts under the leadership of two top executives. On the East Coast, Republic Corps is led by Republic Records co-founder Monte Lipman. On the West Coast, Interscope Capital Labels Group is helmed by John Janick, previously the chairman/CEO of Interscope Geffen A&M. 

02 May 2024

Duane Eddy’s Biggest Billboard Hits

Guitarist Duane Eddy made his impact on the first Billboard Hot 100, dated Aug. 4, 1958, and led a Billboard ranking as recently as March – marking his first-ever No. 1 – reflecting the widespread legacy of the rockabilly legend.

As previously reported, Eddy died, at age 86, Tuesday (April 30) of cancer in Franklin, Tenn., according to his wife, Deed Abbate. He is survived by his wife and four children.

“Duane inspired a generation of guitarists the world over with his unmistakable signature ‘Twang’ sound,” a representative for Eddy told Variety. “He was the first rock and roll guitar god, a truly humble and incredible human being. He will be sorely missed.”

Born in Corning, N.Y., notched 27 hits on the Hot 100, including three top 10s: “Rebel-‘Rouser,” which reached No. 6 in 1958; “Forty Miles of Bad Road” (No. 9, 1959); and “Because They’re Young” (No. 4, 1960). He also logged 10 albums on the Billboard 200 during his lifetime, including two top 10s: Have ‘Twangy’ Guitar Will Travel (No. 5, 1959) and $1,000,000 Worth of Twang (No. 10, 1961).

One of Eddy’s signature songs, “Peter Gunn,” charted in two forms on the Hot 100: his original hit No. 27 in 1960 and an update, by the Art of Noise featuring Eddy, reached No. 50 in 1986.

Eddy was the last living member among the artists in the top 10 on the inaugural Hot 100, when “Rebel-‘Rouser” ranked at its No. 6 high. He was joined in the top 10 that week by acts including Ricky Nelson, Bobby Darin, Elvis Presley, the Coasters and Peggy Lee.

This spring, Eddy earned his first No. 1 on any Billboard chart at last, as one of the 66 artists credited on Mark Knopfler’s Guitar Heroes’ “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero).” The track, whose proceeds benefit Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America, debuted at No. 1 on Digital Song Sales (dated March 30), as well as in the top 20 on the Official UK Singles chart.

Eddy’s following included late Billboard chart historian Joel Whitburn, who told Billboard in 2016 about his enduring fandom for “the three Es” – Eddy, Elvis and the Everly Brothers.

Below, browse Eddy’s 10 biggest career hits on the Hot 100.

Duane Eddy’s Biggest Billboard Hits chart is based on actual performance on the weekly Hot 100 chart from its Aug. 4, 1958, inception, through May 4, 2024. Songs are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at No. 100 earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted to account for different chart turnover rates over various periods.

02 May 2024

20 Questions With Ramón Ayala: ‘We Don’t Know When the End Will Be’

Ramón Ayala is one of the most iconic figures of Norteño music. He rose to fame in the ’60s as part of the duo Los Relámpagos del Norte, alongside Cornelio Reyna, and for more than half a century he has maintained a successful career with his band Ramón Ayala y sus Bravos del Norte.

So when he announced in February his El Principio De Un Final Tour, many were surprised by that title (Spanish for “The Beginning of an End”). At Coachella, Peso Pluma included him in a tribute to greats of Mexican culture on the screen at the back of the stage, while he performed his hit “Lady Gaga”.

But is Ramón Ayala retiring or not?

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“Of course not,” says the “King of the Accordion” to Billboard Español. “I am now in perfect condition. If I don’t play and tour, I don’t feel happy and fulfilled. I have been a musician all my life.”

Ayala’s history with music began when he was just five years old and he accompanied his father playing the accordion to bring money home in his native Monterrey, Nuevo León, cradle of one of the three strands on which regional Mexican music is based: norteño, mariachi and banda sinaloense.

Throughout his long-lasting career, he has recorded over 100 albums, two of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Regional Mexican Albums chart: Arriba El Norte (1991) and Antología De Un Rey (2004). He’s also placed 12 songs on Hot Latin Songs, including “Del Otro Lado del Portón”, at No. 12, and “Quémame los Ojos”, at No. 19. And he’s received two Grammy Awards and two Latin Grammys, among other accolades.

On March 9, he began his 50-concert tour in Los Angeles, which includes stops in Atlanta, El Paso, Chicago, Las Vegas, and other U.S. cities. He will soon announce dates in Mexico, in cities like Hermosillo, Tijuana, Ensenada, Culiacán, Mexico City and Monterrey, “where they will pay me a tribute in the Macroplaza,” he says of the latter.

Also in March, he released the corrido “El Retén,” the first single from an upcoming 15-track album.

In an interview with Billboard Español, Ayala answers 20 questions about his life and career, his last moments with Cornelio Reyna and how much he still has left to do.

1. How do you manage to still get up with such great enthusiasm 61 years after starting your career?

Knowing that there’s a large audience that follows us both in Mexico and in the United States, that fills our concerts and is awaiting our new music, motivates me.

2. When you started in music, did you dream of getting to where you are now?

I have been a musician since I was five years old. At that age, I already played the accordion and worked with my dad in a band in Monterrey — I dreamed of continuing doing what I did and nothing else.

3. Do you remember the first professional recording you made?

Yes, it was in 1963, a song called “Ya No Llores,” and it was such a hit that it opened the doors to Ramón Ayala and Cornelio Reyna, my dear compadre. We were Los Relámpagos del Norte. That’s how we would be until 1971.

4. Los Relámpagos del Norte have remained an inspiration. What does it mean to you to have laid the groundwork for so many generations?

Cornelio and I met when we were 14, so we were like brothers. That made us bond and better transmit our music to the audience.

5. Do you have a special memory or anecdote with Cornelio Reyna?

When we started out, Cornelio was the one who made the contracts. Once, he promised [we would play] three events in one night. We arrived to the first, we did not make it to the second, and we arrived to the third one when people were already leaving. People recognized us and threw stones at our trucks. At that moment we decided that someone should represent us, and a friend offered to do it, Servando Cano.

6. Servando Cano, who would become one of the most important representatives of regional Mexican music…

That’s right. He worked as a cashier at the National Bank of Mexico in Reynosa, Tamaulipas. He offered to be our manager and we accepted. We went to Mexico to sign the contract so that everything was well done and legally.

7. With so many hits, is there a song that’s particularly meaningful to you?

There is one that I have a special affection for, “Mi Golondrina,” because it was one of the first that I recorded. But “Rinconcito en el Cielo” is very important in my career.

8. Why did Cornelio Reyna and Ramón Ayala separate? Was there any problem between you?

There was no problem, we always got along well. What happened is that he wanted to try his luck in Mexico singing mariachi and acting in movies.

9. Did you get a chance to reunite with Reyna before his passing in 1997?

In 1995, he returned to the U.S. and asked me to do a tour as Los Relámpagos del Norte. What I proposed was to go on stage first with Los Bravos del Norte, and halfway through the show, both of us [would come out] as Los Relámpagos. We were able to do two tours like that, but he was already very sick. He returned to Mexico and died there.

10. You went through some difficult moments in your career, didn’t you?

Yes, there have been some difficult moments, but fortunately there have been more good times and successes.

11. The name of the tour “El Principio De Un Final” caused a stir. Is this a farewell for Ramón Ayala?

We just named the 2024 tour that way; we don’t know when the end will be. I feel very good, so unless God has planned something else, we will continue.

12. Have you thought about retiring to be a full-time grandpa?

No, not at all. I do spend a lot of time with my children and grandchildren, though. For example, before starting this tour, I was teaching the kids how to bottle feed the newborn goats on my ranch. But being a grandpa is only for moments.

13. During the COVID pandemic, your brother José Luis, the drummer of the band, died. That double loss must have been hard for you.

It was something very hard for me. It was the beginning of the pandemic, there were no vaccines and my little brother left. After that, I spoke with his son, José Luis Ayala Jr., who is a very good musician and is already very well integrated with us.

14. Do the other members of the band contribute ideas?

No, no. I tell them how I want things to be done and heard. We have worked very well this way; the proof is the response from the fans after so many years.

15. How is Ramón Ayala’s life in the U.S.?

I have been living in the Texas Valley for over 60 years. From Brownsville to Laredo, most of the population is Mexican, so we live and eat our carne asada as in our homeland, in addition to speaking a lot of Spanish.

16. How will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo?

Working, fortunately. We will perform at the County Fair in Pomona, California. It is a very important event with more than 100 years of tradition.

17. Do you have any collaborative album planned?

Yes, we are going to record several of our hits with other artists. I already participated in an album celebrating Leo Dan’s career and I once did a duet with Lupillo Rivera accompanied by a sinaloense band. I also want to give you a heads up that another album is coming with Los Rieleros del Norte that is already recorded.

18. As an icon of Norteño music, what’s your opinion of the new generation of artists who are following this path?

I really like seeing how some of them have a lot of respect for Norteño music and the accordion — they play it excellently, like Edén Muñoz or Alfredo Olivas.

19. Any dream duet that didn’t get to happen?

I always dreamed of doing a duet with Pedro Infante, and I achieved it by participating in a tribute album. He was no longer with us physically, but his voice was.

20. Is there anything in your life and your career that you regret?

I regret nothing. Thanks to God I have reached the point where I am surrounded by fans, friends and family.

02 May 2024

Skilla Baby Has All of the Co-Signs & Now It’s His Time to Deliver: ‘I’m Separating Myself’

“I get love in Detroit like Skilla Baby.” Those eight words rapped by Jack Harlow on his chart-topping anthem “Lovin On Me” changed Skilla Baby’s life forever.

Millions of radio spins and six non-consecutive weeks atop the Hot 100 later, the rapper born Trevon Gardner admits he didn’t see the “biggest alley-oop” ever coming from Harlow last November, but now it’s his turn to make the extra exposure count with a momentous slam dunk.

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“I don’t know what inspired that [shout-out], but I thanked him so many times. The momentum I got from that, you would have to be there in real time to feel it,” he tells Billboard. “Certain people see me and familiarize my name with that song.”

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The Detroit native, who signed to Geffen in 2022, is slightly under the weather during his April visit to the Billboard office, after running around the Big Apple indulging in all that New York City has to offer.

Rocking a Gucci puffer jacket and sweatpants, he’s quick to champion NYC as his favorite place to visit. This busy trip was headlined by seeing Ryan Garcia’s boxing upset over Devin Haney, hitting up The Bronx for a Yankees game and throwing ones at the famed Starlets gentlemen’s club in Queens.

Even though he enjoyed his time, it was still a business trip with Skilla Baby delivering his 19-track The Coldest project via Geffen Records last week (April 26).

The 25-year-old invites a phalanx of collaborators to complete the effort, with appearances from upcoming tourmate Rob49, DaBaby, Moneybagg Yo, Flo Milli and Polo G among others. “I think this project is unboxing me. I’m separating myself,” he proclaims with his shiny grills peering through. “I think this project represents diversity. That’s why there’s so many different vibes.”

When it comes to his peers making records geared more toward women, Skilla Baby believes he changed the rap game in that regard, with uplifting tracks like “Bae” or his smooth assist on Yung Miami’s “CFWM.”

“I think I changed rap, for real, for the younger artists,” he contests. “I feel like more people catered toward girls this year. I feel like I’m one of the people that started that way. If I stopped doing music today, I’m satisfied with that. I feel like I cemented myself in the rap game.”

The burgeoning rapper is profound in conversation with Billboard while dishing on The Coldest, his appreciation for 50 Cent, growing up with New York Jets star Sauce Gardner (no relation) and more below.

What does this project represent for you? It feels like a pivotal time in your career to make that leap after putting in work the last few years. 

I just want people to [feel] multi-cultured when they listen to me. I think that’s what it represents. 

Is it tough to invite new fans in while catering to your old audience?

Definitely. Like I said, they’ll try to put you in a box. They’ll call you a girl rapper, or [say] “all he rap about is beefing.” I want people to see I’m witty and I try new things. I feel like I’m one of the most talented up-and-coming artists coming out. I think my pen crazy. I might have one of the best pens. 

How would you define success for The Coldest?

Stats for sure. I like to see my success in real-time. I like to see people in the club playing it. People outside in their cars playing it. That’s how I define success. We get caught up in streams, but people forge their streams. Me, I want to sell 10,000 copies first week. That would be good for me. That’s what I’m shooting for. I just want to see it being played in real-time. People f–king with me. A lot of people that sell the most, I don’t be seeing people play them.

You had a quote when you announced The Coldest: “The pressure of being a new artist, being successful, staying disciplined and still clocking in the studio is very strenuous.” Can you expand on that?

It’s just a lot of pressure. They try to put you in a box. Last year, I was known for being a girl-friendly artist. I’m glad I was – I love females. But people notice that most of the girl songs, they featuring me. These [are] not songs I put out, other than “Bae.” I love being that for the women.

But the strenuous part is staying focused. Staying away from distractions is the hardest part of being a new artist. All of these vices. I could be in the club, I could be with different females every day. Still having time to be around my family is strenuous, but it’s clocking into work is the hardest decision to make when you don’t have to. Still being creative. I think I’m one of the most creative people around. I want people to know that with this project – that’s why we didn’t rush to put this out.

How tough is it to stay disciplined? What are your vices?

My vices are spending money. I lose track of time. I don’t do drugs or drink. My vices be staying out late. I’m not good with time. My time management is off. I work too much. I never turn down work. I make myself too busy. I don’t have a personal life, for real. 

What’s been different about being on a major label?

I love being on a major label. You got that machine behind you, but I’m so used to being self-sufficient. Dropping when I want to drop. I’m used to doing things myself. Everybody in a label got an opinion. When you on a major, you got to sell what sells. It’s not what you personally want to do. It’s what works for the team. Business is business – I understand it. 

What did you think about Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” shout-out to you?

I didn’t expect it. It was like the biggest alley-oop ever. People don’t even know it’s me [while they’re] singing it. Do y’all even wonder who Skilla Baby is? It’s crazy. That was a crazy gesture. I know him. He came to Detroit before he blew up. We’re downtown walking and talking. I knew he was a cool guy. For him to say that out of nowhere, I don’t know what inspired that, but I thanked him so many times.

Let’s talk about “Free Big Meech.” What does he represent in Detroit and his legacy?

I think Big Meech is one of the biggest hustlers and gangsters in the world. You gotta understand the impact he had on us. In Detroit, we got a thing — like, we ain’t telling or doing no flaw stuff. There ain’t too many Detroit guys you gon’ meet that got flaws on their record. Big Meech, he like the model gangster to us. A lot of people look up to him in Detroit. It’s so many Big Meechs in Detroit. There’s so many Big Meechs coming up. He just was his own guy.

I think everybody in Detroit like that. We don’t have one guy that runs Detroit. Nobody runs Detroit. Big Meech don’t, I don’t run Detroit. Everyone got their own section. Every neighborhood got a Big Meech. Everybody got that mentality. 

So more people relate to Big Meech’s story, rather than Eminem’s?

For sure. We didn’t look up to rappers. We looked up to street guys. Street guys were our role models. We ain’t want to be like no rapper. We just know how that feel. Until Tee Grizzley came out, we didn’t know how it would feel to be successful from a street point-of-view.

On “Trapped” you said, “Every time I leave the house, I feel like somebody’s trying to kill me.” Do you feel a sense of paranoia?

I don’t think it’s paranoia. I think it’s just growing with success. When you’re more successful, more eyes, more pressure, more envy, more jealousy. You could feel it. It’s not even a sense of paranoia, it’s just reality. I move better, but I still move like I think I’m regular. People around me just remind me.

That’s why you gotta have good people around. They’re reminding you that you’re coming up in the world and you’re successful and making more money. These are the things that come with success. I could be an Apple tech and move up. It’s just depends on what world you’re in that people know what you got going on.

There’s no way to prepare for that. Do you still live out in Detroit?

I’m based in Michigan, but I got vacation houses in different places. I got a house in Arizona. 

You getting a spot out here [in New York City]?

Probably not. I don’t want to move nowhere I have fun at. I just feel like home should be home. When I’m at home, I don’t want to go outside. I wanna be home. I wanna do homey things. I don’t want to go home and be able to leave the house to go to the club. That’s not really my thing anyway. When I’m home, I don’t want people to know where I’m at. 

“Project X” with DaBaby, is that inspired by the movie?

Yeah, I think that’s gonna be one of the biggest songs on the project. DaBaby taught me a lot when I did a record and video with him. He’s just so creative and hands-on. He’s so focused. He takes his craft very seriously. He taught me music etiquette. It’s a certain way you treat your creativity. It’s not a price you put on it. I feel like your creative is worth an unlimited amount of money. Whatever you feel it’s worth is what it’s worth. He treats the smallest things like they’re big. He’s such a genuine guy. He’s unapologetically himself. 

“As an artist, I’m known as the girl’s guy, but I never forget I come from the streets.” Is it tough to balance that in your artistry?

Definitely. At a label, until you drop a project, you can’t drop multiple songs. You get caught up doing what works. They put you in that direction. Then other people in the industry want you on their songs. Then these songs coming out on their songs. They just want you to go on that trajectory, and that’s how it works. Outsiders don’t really understand that’s how it works. It’s a process. That’s why I’m so glad to drop my project — so I can show people what direction I want to go in. 

Did you know “Bae” was gonna be a hit for you?

I thought it was gonna be a hit when I first made it. I sent it to my label president, “This is the one.” When it first came out, it wasn’t doing so well. It hit a TikTok wave. I gauged my songs off real-time reactions. I was playing it around girls and they kept telling me to send it to them. Without me asking them, I’m just playing it. I started posting the girls on my Story and they kept posting it.

Are you related to Sauce Gardner?

Nah, but we grew up around each other. We played for the same PAL team. If you ask Sauce, he’ll tell you I used to be real good at football. I played quarterback. Sauce was a corner. He played corner and [wide] receiver or running back on offense. He always been good. Sauce was always poppin. He always talked crazy, and that was naturally him, but that’s a Detroit thing. We talk. He like me, he’ll be in the club and just chill. His footwork crazy. He got the length. He like Darrelle Revis. 

It was a fun season for the Detroit Lions this year.

That was tough because we been waiting on that my whole life. Think about this: The Pistons went like 0-24 to start the season. The Lions were 0-16 [in 2008]. That’s so disappointing. Real sports fans, that’s all we got. The Tigers and Red Wings were successful for a minute though. We had the Lions and the Pistons. If we had Sauce Gardner, we would’ve gone to the Super Bowl. Our corners were terrible. This was the first year we dominated our division. 

At least you got ‘04 with the Pistons.

I was only six years old. We took pride in that though. We were underdogs of the league. We wasn’t really talented. I think Larry Brown locked us in for real. He did that with Iverson and them [on the Sixers] too. [Iverson] is undersized and so good. That was my original favorite player until Kobe [Bryant]. 

What do you think about the rap civil war breaking out?

I think it’s good for iron sharpening iron. I don’t know them, so I don’t have no opinion on why they beefing or care about them beefing. I think it’s good for rap. On the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, our numbers were so low as far as selling music that I know we needed this. I do appreciate on the 50th anniversary that it was girls that was really taking over. 

I loved seeing your appreciation for pop music too. I saw you jamming to Miley Cyrus, Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5 and some T-Pain.

Oh yeah, I be on that. I think people think I just listen to rap all day and I really don’t. I be listening to Halsey and Chainsmokers. One of my favorite songs by them is “Closer.” That’s a banger. I listen to Ed Sheeran, Maroon 5, T-Pain. I be on some s–t. 

I was really into pop before 50 Cent came in and took it over for me. 

I was hanging with 50 Cent this weekend. I was in Shreveport. I had a show in Grambling State University, but I stayed in Shreveport. 50’s security had noticed me and they called me. “You here? I’m downstairs come with me.” We all just hanging out and he’s showing me his new property.

He’s a really smart guy. If I was gonna look up to anyone [it’s him]. 50 might be 50 years old but he just did 103 dates. I don’t know nobody else that’s doing that. Sold most of them out across the globe. It’s different. He told me, “You just gotta keep hustling.” That’s one of my favorite people. He’s so genuine. He saw all my friends and don’t know them from a can of paint and he was giving them money in the strip club for them to throw ones. He treats the janitor like the CEO. I like his mentality. 

I always see you eating green Skittles before shows.

It’s just good luck to me. I can’t explain it. I collect them. It’s just something I wanted to be superstitious. When I see the green Skittles, it gets me going.

What are your other goals for this year outside music?

I been buying property. I’m probably 10 properties in in Detroit. I’m fixing them up and renting them out. I’m not really selling them. I don’t have a need for money. I’m also trying to buy this hotel, God willingly, in Detroit. I’m with some investors about this hotel downtown off the river.

What do you think about the Detroit rap scene bubbling up these last few years?

It’s refreshing. For the longest time, they put everybody in a box, saying, “This is Detroit rap.” But there are so many sounds coming out of Detroit right now. From Babytron to Veeze to Babyface Ray to me to [42] Dugg to Sada Baby to Tee Grizzley. You got Eminem, you got Big Sean. Everything coming out is dope. 

I got put on to a lot of those guys through Lil Yachty’s Michigan Boy Boat tape in 2021.

Yachty got backlash for working with Detroit artists so much, but I think it was really cool for him to shine a light on urban underground guys that might have never got that. I’ve been taking a page out of his book and writing for people. His pen is so underrated. 

Who do you want to work with?

I want to work with Ye. I want to work with Lil Wayne. I want to work with Fabolous. My dream collab that will never happen is Anita Baker. 

How did she become your favorite artist? Did your parents put you on?

Yeah, I just grew up in the house listening to that kinda stuff. It’s hard to clear samples. To me, Anita’s the biggest in the world. I don’t even like to touch their music. I’ll never do Anita, Michael [Jackson]. It ain’t even a hassle I’ma go through to get this cleared. It’s me paying respect to them. I don’t feel like I’d take music to the next level. It might be a little bop — but unless you make it better, I don’t think you should touch it. You can’t really make Michael Jackson’s music better.

You hosted a gun buyback in Detroit? How did that go?

It was successful. We got 300 guns off the street. I think the underrated part of the gun buyback was that it was a job fair and we expunged a lot of people’s records. That was important to me, because I’m a felon, and to help people change their life and the trajectory of their future — people judge you, and it’s hard to be successful when you’re a felon. 

I like this quote you had: “Fame is a drug and I’ve seen people overdose on it.” How do you keep it in moderation?

I try to be as normal as possible. Do normal stuff and normal things I want to do, whether it’s going to the gym to work out and hooping, going to Dave & Buster’s, hanging with friends. I try to do normal things so I won’t be caught up in fame and music.

02 May 2024

Dua Lipa’s Radical Chart Achievements | Billboard Explains

With Dua Lipa’s new album Radical Optimism coming out this Friday, we take a look back at her chart accomplishments, including debuting on the Billboard Hot 100 and breaking records with songs such as “Levitating.”

Dua Lipa:
Throughout the whole record, there’s this idea of chaos happening around, and me trying to push through it in a way that feels authentic and honest.

Narrator:
Dua Lipa is gearing up to release her new album, Radical Optimism, so we’re taking a look back at her chart accomplishments. This is Billboard Explains: Dua Lipa’s Radical Charter Achievements.

Dua Lipa made her Billboard Hot 100 debut with “Blow Your Mind (Mwah).” The song peaked at No. 72 in November 2016. Since then, she’s racked up 23 career entries on the Hot 100, including five top 10s; “New Rules,” that reached No. 6; “Don’t Start Now” peaked at No. 2 and “Levitating,” which also hit No. 2, just to name a few.

“Levitating” was a massive success for Dua on the charts. Not only was it the year-end No. 1 Hot 100 Song of 2021, it holds the record as the longest charting song among women in the Billboard Hot 100 history, with 77 weeks total. It also holds the record for the most weeks spent in the top 10 of the Hot 100 in history among women, with 41 weeks.

Over on the Pop Airplay chart, Dua holds 23 career entries with five No. 1 songs, including “Break My Heart” and “Dance the Night.”

Plus, she has three charting albums on the Billboard 200 including one top 10 with Future Nostalgia, that peaked at No. 3.

We’ll have to wait and see where Radical Optimism takes Dua next on the Billboard charts.

02 May 2024

Billboard Explains: Dua Lipa’s Radical Chart Achievements

From her evergreen “New Rules” to her endlessly danceable Barbie soundtrack smash, Dua Lipa has been the ultimate dancefloor soundtrack for nearly seven years and counting. With three Grammy wins from 10 career nominations and on-screen roles in both Barbie and Argylle under her belt, the pop princess is racking up impressive achievements and accolades across the entertainment scene.

Ahead of the release of her third studio album, Radical Optimism, Billboard explains the resounding chart success of the British dance-pop powerhouse.

Dua Lipa first debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 2016 with “Blow Your Mind (Mwah),” a track from her eponymous debut studio album that reached No. 72 on Billboard’s primary all-genre singles chart. That album also housed the singles “IDGAF” and “New Rules,” the latter of which became Lipa’s first Hot 100 top 10 hit, peaking at No. 6. Lipa has since collected 23 career Hot 100 entries, including top 10 hits such as “Don’t Start Now” (No. 2), “Levitating” (No. 2) and “Cold Heart (PNAU Remix)” (No. 7, with Elton John).

Trending on Billboard

“Levitating,” which earned a remix with Hot 100-topping rapper DaBaby, ranked at No. 1 on the 2023 Year-End Hot 100. The irresistible nu-disco banger also stands as the longest charting song among women in Hot 100 history, with 77 total weeks. “Levitating” also boasts the most weeks in the Hot 100’s top 10 for a song by a woman (41 weeks).

Lipa’s success extends to the Pop Airplay chart, where she has notched 23 career entries. Five of those hits reached the ranking’s apex, including 2020’s “Break My Heart” (one week) and 2023’s “Dance the Night” (two weeks).

Over on the Billboard 200, both of Lipa’s studio LPs have reached the chart: 2017’s Dua Lipa (No. 27) and 2020’s Future Nostalgia (No. 3). She also reached No. 28 with Club Future Nostalgia, a remix album she released alongside The Blessed Madonna.

With Radical Optimism — which features the singles “Houdini,” “Training Season” and “Illusion” — on the way, Dua Lipa could very well add a slew of new Billboard chart achievements to her arsenal.

After the video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about Peso Pluma and the Mexican music boom, the role record labels play, origins of hip-hop, how Beyoncé arrived at Renaissance, the evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and more.