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01 Apr 2024

Taylor Swift Wins Artist of the Year at 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards

Taylor Swift took home the artist of the year, pop artist of the year and favorite tour style at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday night (April 1), and while the 34-year-old superstar was not at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre in person, she gave a heartfelt virtual acceptance speech.

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“It’s completely up to you to choose how you spend your time, what concerts you want to go to, what music you want to make the soundtrack to your life,” Swift said in a video played during the ceremony. “To anyone who has included me in those choices, I’m so, so, so thankful for that. We have so many exciting things ahead of us. I’m continuing on with the tour and most importantly I have a brand new album called The Tortured Poets Department, which comes out on April 19.”

She concluded, “Thank you for voting for me for this incredible honor, artist of the year. I’m so blown away, I’m so thankful and I just can’t wait to keep having fun with you guys because we have a lot of exciting things coming up.”

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The Tortured Poets Department will be Swift’s first album of new material since October 2022’s Midnights, which won album of the year and best pop vocal album at the 2024 Grammys. She also put out (Taylor’s Version) re-recordings of Speak Now and 1989 in 2023, as she embarked on her career-spanning Eras Tour.

The singer has already announced the track list, as well as three variants of the 16-track album, each featuring a different bonus track: “The Manuscript,” “The Bolter” and “The Albatross.” The Tortured Poets Department tracklist features two major collaborations: Post Malone, whose name is billed on track one, “Fortnight,” as well as Florence + The Machine on track eight, “Florida!!!”

01 Apr 2024

Jelly Roll & Lainey Wilson Get a Standing Ovation After Singing ‘Save Me’ at the iHeartRadio Music Awards

At the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday (April 1) night, Jelly Roll took the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles to church.

After an introduction from his old touring pals Shinedown, Jelly Roll hit the stage, surrounded by hundreds of glowing votive candles on a stage that resembled a prism-like church. Looking briefly teary-eyed, the country hitmaker began singing “Save Me,” his Lainey Wilson duet, which topped the Billboard Country Airplay chart late last year.

As he walked toward the audience, Jelly Roll seemed to gain strength as he watched people in the front row sing along and wave their arms. Soon, Lainey Wilson – rocking black leather bellbottoms and a feathery jacket – joined him onstage. Her vocal performance was every bit as impassioned and masterfully controlled as his, and the two were clearly having a blast sharing the stage together. By the end, Jelly Roll was beaming, and both exploded into good-natured laughter as the song wrapped.

Accepting the awards for best new artist (pop) and best new artist (country), Jelly Roll kept the church vibes going with a fiery speech about his life and what it meant for him to win these awards on such a big stage.

“My mama always told me I had a face for radio, baby!” he said, laughing. “I never would have dreamed I would be one of the voices coming through your radio…. You don’t know what it means to a kid like me. What does it mean when a guy like me has the opportunity to be the new pop artist of the year?” he asked, referring to his turbulent youth, which found him spending 12 years in and out of incarceration. “It means that God will always use the least likely messenger with the biggest message, every single time,” he said. “I love you, Jesus, and I love you, Bunnie, my wife.”

01 Apr 2024

JoJo Siwa Brings Serves Rock & Roll at 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards With Kiss-Inspired Outfit

JoJo Siwa turned heads on the iHeartRadio Music Awards red carpet on Monday night (April 1), pulling up to Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre in a sparkling glam rock outfit seemingly inspired by Kiss.

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The 20-year-old rocked a sparkling mesh and bedazzled unitard, complete with a braided mohawk hairstyle and star-shaped paint around her eyes in the style of the legendary “Rock And Roll All Nite” band. See her look here.

Siwa is gearing up to release a sassy single titled “Karma” on April 5. Karma’s a b—-, I should’ve known better/ If I had a wish I would’ve never F’d around/ When I saw the pics of you and her I felt thе knife twist/ Karma’s a b—- / And she’s with you right now,” she declares in the chorus, which she’s been teasing on TikTok over the past several weeks. “I think people forget that my whole life has been criticized and judged and watched. It’s not easy. It’s very tough. I’ve had a lot of people say really cruel things to me, but I have a really good bubble of people,” she told Extra on the red carpet of the criticism surrounding the song.

The dancer and online star has also returned to the judging panel of So You Think You Can Dance, joining previously announced judges Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the 18th season. Siwa replaced Nigel Lythroe, who stepped away from the show earlier this month amid a lawsuit by Paula Abdul accusing him of sexual assault. 

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JoJo Siwa

JoJo Siwa at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards held at the Dolby Theatre on April 1, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Gilbert Flores

01 Apr 2024

Nicki Minaj Partners With LØCI For Capsule Sneaker Collection

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Nicki Minaj Presents: Pink Friday 2 World Tour - New York

Nicki Minaj continues to bless The Barbz. She has announced a forthcoming capsule sneaker collection with LØCI.

HipHopDX is reporting that the “Everybody” performer is taking her talents back to the footwear category. On Saturday, March 30, she took to social media to make the announcement.

The Instagram post featured a video teasing the drop where a pink low top can be seen busting through a stone enclosure.

“4/12 = 11 new pairs of my OWN sneaker. 11 completely different designs for you to choose from. An absolute dream come true. I can’t WAIT for you guys to see my 1st collection!!!! Link in bio to SIGN UP NOW!!!!!” Minaj wrote. “Thank you to my team for helping me make this dream come to fruition. This isn’t a sponsorship. I’m an owner & partner & we will be showing you the first complete collection on 4/12. Love you BARBZ. THANK YOU.” she added.

Earlier today (April 1) she posted an additional video that gave her fans a better look at the forthcoming drop. The shoe appears to have an all leather build with a rubber midsole and outsole. On the tongue we get a branded label featuring an image of Nicki Minaj. We also got an on foot photo where she is sporting a pink and white colorway which leads us to believe each pair will come with two sets of laces. “Another sneak peak of my very own sneakers. GAGGGGGGG. 11 diff colors AND designs for my 1st collection coming on #PinkFriday 4/12.” she wrote on the IG post.

You can sign up for the Nicki Minaj LØCI sneaker drop here.

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Photo: Kevin Mazur / Getty

01 Apr 2024

Justin Timberlake Kicks Off 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards With ‘Selfish’ & ‘No Angels’ Performance

Justin Timberlake’s Everything I Thought It Was era is fully upon us, and the superstar celebrated his freshly released sixth studio album by opening the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre on Monday night (April 1).

Starting off sitting on a metal barrel alongside one of his band members, JT delivered a heartwarming performance of his EITIW lead single, “Selfish,” playing the acoustic guitar as he sang the romantic lyrics in a stripped-back rendition of the track.

It was then time to kick it up a notch, with the full band stepping into full gear and Timberlake taking center stage to perform the sultry “No Angels” against a wild, wild west background full of cacti, a sunset and saloon props.

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Timberlake’s “Selfish” debuted at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning Timberlake his highest debut in six years on the tally. EITIW also includes a long-awaited reunion from *NSYNC, called “Paradise,” and the full band performed the track onstage at Timberlake’s one-night-only concert at The Wiltern in Los Angeles last month.

Green Day, TLC, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Tate McRae and the evening’s host Ludacris are all also set to perform at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, which celebrates the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout the year. Beyoncé will be honored with the Innovator Award at the ceremony, while Cher will receive the Icon Award. Green Day and TLC will also receive the iHeartRadio Landmark Awards.

Check back to Billboard.com throughout the night for our ongoing iHeartRadio Music Awards coverage.

01 Apr 2024

iHeartRadio Music Awards 2024: Best Photos From the Red Carpet

The iHeartRadio Music Awards took over the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Monday (April 1), with Ludacris returning to host the awards show for the third time.

“To me, iHeart is all about energy, love and they wanna see their favorite artists. I’m also — humbly speaking — performing as well,” Luda told Billboard ahead of his hosting gig. “So, it’s all about the energy in the building. We gotta keep that as high as possible.”

Before the show kicked off, performers, presenters and attendees hit the red carpet. JoJo Siwa rocked an eye-popping outfit that brought to mind KISS, Peso Pluma sported a sleek black leather jacket, while Lainey Wilson’s feathery, dark country-western look made a big statement.

Elsewhere on the red carpet, Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie XO had cameras snapping, as did Tate McRae, Doechii (in furry boots), Chinese singer Liu Yuxin, Brent Faiyaz, Lance Bass, Jared Leto, Green Day and more.

The show opened with Justin Timberlake on an acoustic guitar, strumming “Selfish,” the lead single from his latest album, Everything I Thought It Was. He transitioned to the high-energy “No Angels,” with the former boy bander showing off some of the signature moves that made him *NSYNC’s breakout star.

The 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards will see Beyoncé receive the iHeart innovator award; Bey, of course, is hot off the release of her latest album, Cowboy Carter, which has fans and critics raving as it breaks Spotify records.

See pics from the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards red carpet below.

01 Apr 2024

B.G. Could End Up Back In Jail For Violating His Probation

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B.G. aka Christopher Noel Dorsey

It hasn’t even been a year since OG Hot Boy, B.G., was released from prison after serving 11 years.  However, the Ca$h Money rapper is facing the possibility of being thrown back in the bing for allegedly violating his probation.

According to the Guardian, B.G. might’ve run afoul of the law as he performed alongside other entertainers on stage without the permission of authorities. Huh?!? They can’t be serious. Apparently that “erroneous” act of defiance is enough to land BG back in the clink as a judge is weighing whether or not to punish the “Bling Bling” rapper for violating his probation.

Part of B.G.’s probation is that he “obtain prior written approval … before entering self-employment” and refrain from associating with anyone who has prior felony convictions. Being that he performed alongside the likes of Lil Boosie and Gucci Mane (y’all know their history) without getting approval first, a federal probation officer wrote him up and Baby Gangsta now finds himself at the mercy of the court.

The Guardian reports:

Dorsey’s probation officer described asking the musician about his employment choices as well as telling him that he needed to find other work. According to the officer, Dorsey’s response was: “I’m a rapper. That [is] my profession.”

The officer applied for a warrant to arrest Dorsey on 21 March, saying he had violated multiple conditions of his supervised release. US district judge Susie Morgan of New Orleans, where Dorsey had been prosecuted when first imprisoned, signed off on it a day later, according to records.

Dorsey was arrested in Las Vegas and appeared in a federal courthouse there on Wednesday. After being ordered released on his own recognizance, he was told to appear in federal court in New Orleans as required while officials deliberate whether or not to revoke his supervised release and reincarcerate him. Subsequent court dates were not immediately available.

B.G.’s PO is out here hating big time. Just sayin’.

Hopefully, B.G. isn’t punished for being a rap artist in a music game where many of his peers have had their run-ins with the law as he’s only performing alongside them and not participating in some street ish.

What do y’all think of B.G.’s situation? Fair or nah? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Photo: @new_bghollyhood / Instagram

01 Apr 2024

Best Moments From Baila Conmigo Fest: Sergio Vargas, Proyecto Uno, Ilegales & More

Miami experienced a full night of Merengue classics and Vallenato on Saturday (March 30) with Baila Conmigo Fest, an event organized by CMN where more than 8,000 people of all ages came together at the Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key, Fla.

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Baila Conmigo Fest’s diverse lineup included several merengue legends, such as Sergio Vargas, Proyecto Uno, Ilegales, Kinito Méndez, Eddy Herrera, Rikarena, Fulanito, Diveana, Puerto Rican Power and the legendary Colombian vallenato group Binomio de Oro.

Manuel Correa, executive of CMN and festival director, expressed his excitement about the accomplishment of holding the festival in Miami. He mentioned that it was a significant challenge, but CMN was confident that the music and artists would find a place in people’s hearts, knowing that fans were waiting for the perfect moment to reconnect. See below some highlights from the festival.

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The Golden Age of Merengue

Latin pride was celebrated on a nostalgic night filled with hits from the 80s, 90s and the 2000s, connecting several Latin American countries.

Kinito Méndez’s set wouldn’t have been complete without him singing “Cachamba” and “El Baile del Sua Sua,” one of the great classics. Eddy Herrera sang “Pégame Tu Vicio,” “Tu Eres Ajena” and “Carolina,” which were some of the favorites of the night and Sergio Vargas gave an impeccable voice performance navigating between classics such as “La Ventanita,” “Vete y Dile” and more.

Ilegales and Proyecto Uno Take Fans on a Nostalgic Trip

As part of their sets, both tropical groups delivered merengue-packed performances, adding a fusion of metal sound with electric guitars to their hits “La Morena” and “Taqui, Taqui.” 

The incredible night was closed by Proyecto Uno, who wrapped the show with a bang. They had a giant inflatable shark on stage and fresh guitar arrangements for their songs “Está Pegao,” “El Tiburón” and the sweet classic “25 hrs,” among others. To everyone’s surprise, singer-songwriter Mark “The Mad Stuntman” also appeared as a special guest and performed “Latinos” alongside Proyecto Uno. He also performed his smash hit “I Like to Move It.”

Punctuality and Impeccable Event Logistics

Last but not least, the event logistics were exceptional, ensuring a seamless and energetic experience for all attendees to enjoy music in a family-friendly environment.

01 Apr 2024

Lawyer for Lizzo’s Dancers Calls Out Singer Following ‘I Quit’ Post, Says It’s an ‘Outburst Seeking Attention’

Just days after Lizzo shared an emotional “I quit” statement to Instagram, Los Angeles-based attorney Ron Zambrano, who is representing the dancers that are suing the “About Damn Time” singer for harassment, has shared a scolding statement in response.

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“It’s a joke that Lizzo would say she is being bullied by the internet when she should instead be taking an honest look at herself,” he wrote in the statement obtained by Billboard. “Her latest post is just another outburst seeking attention and trying to deflect from her own failings as she continues to blame everyone else for the predicament she is in. Lizzo’s legal and public relations strategy is a failure, so she is desperately trying to play the victim. She has thrown these childish tantrums before. No one actually believes she is quitting music. But she should quit sexually harassing, shaming and bullying her employees and finally accept responsibility for her actions.”

Zambrano’s statement continued, “She can make all of this go away simply by seizing the opportunity here to set an example, own up to her mistakes, pay what’s due to those she’s wronged and work on becoming a better person. Celebrity toxicity is poisoning the entertainment industry with Diddy and Dan Schneider being the latest examples, and Lizzo’s conduct will not be tolerated, either. There is no more safe place in society for this sort of behavior as the entire industry is in for a reckoning for permitting such vile treatment of employees in the workplace.”

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Billboard has reached out for Lizzo’s team for a response to Zambrano’s statement.

On Friday afternoon (March 29), Lizzo took to Instagram to express frustration over public criticism toward her. “I’m getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the Internet,” she wrote against an orange and yellow background. “All I want is to make music and make people happy and help the world be a little better than how I found it. But I’m starting to feel like the world doesn’t want me in it.”

The singer continued, She continued, “I’m constantly up against lies being told about me for clout & views… being the butt of the joke every single time because of how I look… my character being picked apart by people who don’t know me and disrespecting my name. I didn’t sign up for this s— — I QUIT [peace out emoji].”

Lizzo has been under scrutiny over the past year, as she’s been involved in a harassment lawsuit brought by three of the “Special” singer’s former dancers in August 2023. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles by dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, accuses Lizzo (real name Melissa Jefferson) and her Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. of a wide range of legal wrongdoing and included dozens of pages of detailed allegations. Lizzo denied the claims in a response shared to Twitter, calling them “false allegations” and “sensationalized stories.”

01 Apr 2024

Herbie Hancock, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling & More to Celebrate 2024 International Jazz Day

Legendary jazz pianist Herbie Hancock will lead a U.S. contingent of fellow jazz stars — including Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kurt Elling, Marcus Miller and Shemekia Copeland — heading to Tangier, Morocco, to celebrate International Jazz Day 2024 (April 30). This marks the first time the event will take place on the African continent.

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In a release announcing the annual celebration’s programming and performer lineup, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay stated, “The designation of Tangier marks the first time a city on the African continent will host International Jazz Day, the world’s largest and most significant celebration of jazz.”

Presented in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of Morocco and the city of Tangier, the four-day celebration (April 27-30) will follow tradition and culminate with the All-Star Global Concert. The concert will be led by Hancock, who’s also UNESCO’s goodwill ambassador, and music director John Beasley. 

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Taking place at the new Palace of Arts and Culture, the All-Star Global Concert will feature the aforementioned U.S. artists joining a lineup that includes Claudia Acuña (Chile), Ambrose Akinmusire (USA), Richard Bona (Cameroon), Moreira Chonguiça (Mozambique), Antonio Faraò (Italy), Melody Gardot and Jazzmeia Horn (both USA), JK Kim (Republic of Korea), Magnus Lindgren (Sweden), Romero Lubambo (Brazil), Yasushi Nakamura (Japan) and Tarek Yamani (Lebanon), among others. The concert will be broadcast via YouTube, Facebook, the United Nations and UNESCO to viewers in more than 190 countries.

A series of educational programs, highlighted by a presentation spotlighting the significance of Morocco’s Gnawa music and its connection with jazz, will round out the earlier portion of the four-day event preceding the global concert. Tangier’s rich jazz legacy includes such notables as jazz master Randy Weston, who lived in Tangier for many years and collaborated with Gnawa master Abdellah El Gourd to explore the roots of jazz and African music. Weston also subsequently founded the African Jazz Festival in the ‘70s. Josephine Baker, Ornette Coleman, Herbie Mann and Archie Shepp are also among the renowned jazz artists who performed and also spent time in Tangier.

International Jazz Day was established by the general conference of UNESCO in 2011. The Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz is the lead nonprofit organization that plans, promotes and produces the annual observance each year. To learn more about International Jazz Day and register for events, visit the official website.