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06 Dec 2023

SXSW Reveals Second Round of Showcasing Artists for 2024 Music Festival

South by Southwest Music Festival 2024 has revealed a second slate of artists set to perform in Austin next year. Among the highlights are Glasser, SPRINTS, GRÓA, Gruff Rhys, Ho99o9, Holly Macve, Kikuo, LAIR, Pink Pablo, PVA, Pylon Reenactment Society and Ralphie Choo, all of whom will showcase their talents during the six-day festival.

Next year’s SXSW Music Festival will take place from March 11-16 throughout the Austin area. Other emerging acts announced on Wednesday (Dec. 6) include RUBIO, Sinkane, Sofia Kourtesis, Sycco, Tamera, TENGGER, 250, Alexander Biggs, Enola Gay, DICE, HALLEY, HIEN, Skateland, Yo Diablo, Water Damage, TENGGER, Sui Zhen and RUBIO. The festival has created playlists on Spotify and YouTube featuring the music of the showcasing artists.

The list of showcase partners for the 38th annual SXSW has also grown, with labels like New West Records and Bayonet Records, as well as promoter High Road Touring and agency Mint Talent Group, being announced. Elsewhere, newly announced presenters include Adult Decisions, All The Vibes, ATC Live, Atomic Music Group, Breakout West, CareFreeBlackGirl, Chicken Ranch Records, City Slang, Dear Life Records, Dedstrange, Don Giovanni Records, Everything R&B, Father/Daughter Records, Fierce Panda, FOCUS Wales, Island Wave, Italians Do It Better, Gorilla vs. Bear, Jazz Re:Freshed, The Line of Best Fit, The Loyalty Firm, M for Montreal, Music from Ireland, Now Wave, Pop Montreal, Reeperbahn Festival, The Smoke Out, Space Agency, The Spanish Wave, Synásthesie Festival, Taiwan Beats, Tokyo Calling, Traffic Music and Wide Days Scotland.

Founded in 1987 in Austin, SXSW has grown to encompass tech, film and TV, music, education and culture. The entirety of the 2024 conference and festival will run from March 8-16.

In April 2021, it was announced that SXSW signed a “lifeline” deal with P-MRC, a joint venture between Penske Media Corporation and MRC, making P-MRC a stakeholder and long-term partner with the Austin festival. P-MRC is the parent company of Billboard.

See below for the full list of showcasing artists announced on Wednesday.

250 (Seoul SOUTH KOREA)
Afternoon Bike Ride (Montreal CANADA)
Akira Galaxy (Los Angeles CA)
Ako（a子） (Himeji City JAPAN)
Alexander Biggs (Melbourne AUSTRALIA)
Alex Nicol (Montreal CANADA)
Amis du Teche (Breaux Bridge LA)
Angelo Moore and the Brand New Step (Austin TX)
Anna Smyrk (Melbourne AUSTRALIA)
Anna Vaverková (Prague CZECHIA)
Another Sky (London UK-ENGLAND)
Arches (Hong Kong HONG KONG)
Askew (London UK-ENGLAND)
Axel Flóvent (Reykjavik ICELAND)
Äyanna (London UK-ENGLAND)
The Ayoub Sisters (London UK-ENGLAND)
Bad Bad Hats (Minneapolis MN)
The Beatbox Collective (London UK-ENGLAND)
beccs (Warehan MA)
Bee Bee Sea (Castel Goffredo ITALY)
Being Dead (Austin TX)
Benjamin Walker (Chile MEXICO)
Bess Atwell (Brighton UK-ENGLAND)
Bleach Lab (London UK-ENGLAND)
BLK JKS (Johannesburg SOUTH AFRICA)
Bloomsday (Brooklyn NY)
Blue Lake (Copenhagen DENMARK)
Boy With Apple (Gothenburg SWEDEN)
BROTHER DEGE (Lafayette LA)
Buffalo Nichols (Milwaukee WI)
Caleb Landry Jones (Garland TX)
Camidoh (Accra GHANA)
Carla Geneve (Perth AUSTRALIA)
Certainly So (Nashville TN)
Cha’keeta B (Austin TX)
Chalk (Belfast UK-N. IRELAND)
Chartreuse (The Black Country UK-ENGLAND)
Chelsea Carmichael (London UK-ENGLAND)
Chiaki Mayumura (Setagya JAPAN)
Chief Cleopatra (Austin TX)
China Bears (Bridgwater UK-ENGLAND)
Chxrry22 (Toronto CANADA)
CLT DRP (Brighton UK-ENGLAND)
Conchur White (Portadown UK-N. IRELAND)
CURRLS (Brighton UK-ENGLAND)
Danny Bonilla (Dallas TX)
Dasom Baek (Seoul SOUTH KOREA)
Daydream Twins (Austin TX)
Dead Tooth (Brooklyn NY)
Delights (Manchester UK-ENGLAND)
DICE (Perth AUSTRALIA)
Dirt Buyer (Brooklyn NY)
Discovery Zone (New York NY)
Divorce (Nottingham UK-ENGLAND)
Dobrawa Czocher (Warsaw POLAND)
DOMICO (Tokyo JAPAN)
Do Nothing (Nottingham UK-ENGLAND)
Dream Nails (London UK-ENGLAND)
Dumb Buoys Fishing Club (London UK-ENGLAND)
dust (Newcastle AUSTRALIA)
Earth Tongue (Wellington NEW ZEALAND)
Eleni Drake (London UK-ENGLAND)
Elisapie (Salluit CANADA)
Elle Shimada (Melbourne AUSTRALIA)
Ellie Bleach (London UK-ENGLAND)
Emily Barker (Perth AUSTRALIA)
Emily Frembgen (Brooklyn NY)
Emma Aibara (Yokohama JAPAN)
Enola Gay (Belfast UK-N. IRELAND)
Etta Bond (London UK-ENGLAND)
fantasy of a broken heart (Brooklyn NY)
Fat Dog (London UK-ENGLAND)
FAZI 法兹 (Xi’an CHINA)
Field Guide (Winnipeg CANADA)
Folk Bitch Trio (Melbourne AUSTRALIA)
FONTINE (Winnipeg CANADA)
Forest Claudette (Melbourne AUSTRALIA)
Friedberg (Berlin GERMANY)
Fust (Durham NC)
Gavin James (Dublin IRELAND)
Glasser (New York NY)
Glixen (Phoenix AZ)
Good Looks (Austin TX)
Grandbrothers (Berlin GERMANY)
GRÓA (Reykjavik ICELAND)
Gruff Rhys (Cardiff UK-WALES)
Gurriers (Dublin IRELAND)
HALLEY (Waseda JAPAN)
Harvest Thieves (Austin TX)
Hause Plants (Lisbon PORTUGAL)
The HawtThorns (Nashville TN)
HIEN (Budapest HUNGARY)
HighSchool (Melbourne AUSTRALIA)
Hinako Omori (London UK-ENGLAND)
HMS Morris (Cardiff UK-WALES)
Ho99o9 (Newark NJ)
Holly Macve (Brighton UK-ENGLAND)
Hooks & The Huckleberries (Albuquerque NM)
Hour (Philadelphia PA)
The Howdies (Athens GA)
Humour (Glasgow UK-SCOTLAND)
HYPNOSIS THERAPY (Seoul SOUTH KOREA)
IFE (New Orleans LA)
Iona Zajac (Glasgow UK-SCOTLAND)
Iris Jean (Alkmaar NETHERLANDS)
Izo FitzRoy (London UK-ENGLAND)
Jack Barksdale (Fort Worth TX)
Jack Harris (Cleveland OH)
JADA (London UK-ENGLAND)
Jad Fair and the Placebos (Manor TX)
Jaimee Harris (Nashville TN)
JÁNA (Stockholm SWEDEN)
Jazz re:freshed DJs (London UK-ENGLAND)
Jeannel (Berlin GERMANY)
Jeshi (London UK-ENGLAND)
JFDR (Reykjavík ICELAND)
JM Stevens (Austin TX)
Jon Muq (Austin TX)
Jon Vinyl (Toronto CANADA)
Juani Mustard (Viña Del Mar CHILE)
JUANPALITOSCHINOS (Mexico City MEXICO)
Justin Webb (Nashville TN)
Kali Claire (London UK-ENGLAND)
Ken Yates (London CANADA)
Kikuo (Tokyo JAPAN)
Kroi (Tokyo JAPAN)
LAIR (Jatiwangi INDONESIA)
Laney Tripp (New Smyrna Beach CA)
Larry Seaman (Austin TX)
Laura-Mary Carter (Brighton UK-ENGLAND)
Laura Misch (London UK-ENGLAND)
Lauren Housley & The Northern Cowboys (Sheffield UK-ENGLAND)
Lauren Lakis (Austin TX)
L E M F R E C K (Newport UK-WALES)
Library Card (Rotterdam NETHERLANDS)
Lindsay Beaver & Brad Stivers (Austin TX)
Lisa Morales (Austin TX)
Logan Crosby (Milledgeville GA)
Logan Halstead (Powell County KY)
Los Cogelones (Mexico MEXICO)
Lottery Winners (Leigh UK-ENGLAND)
Madam Radar (Austin TX)
Malugi (Berlin GERMANY)
Mama Terra (Glasgow UK-SCOTLAND)
The Manatees (Southampton UK-ENGLAND)
maxime. (Montreal CANADA)
May Rio (Brooklyn NY)
Meagre Martin (Berlin GERMANY)
Mia June (Perth AUSTRALIA)
Mick Flannery (Cork IRELAND)
Minas (Cardiff UK-WALES)
Miranda and the Beat (Brooklyn NY)
Miranda del Sol (New York NY)
MØAA (Seattle WA)
Moody Bank$ (Austin TX)
Nagasaki Swim (Rotterdam NETHERLANDS)
Natalie Jane Hill (Asheville NC)
Native Harrow (Brighton UK-ENGLAND)
néomí (Den Haag NETHERLANDS)
NeOne Wonderer (Wolverhampton UK-ENGLAND)
Neon Waltz (John O’groats UK-SCOTLAND)
Night Lunch (Montreal CANADA)
NOBRO (Montreal CANADA)
O. (London UK-ENGLAND)
Omni (Atlanta GA)
OSKA (Vienna AUSTRIA)
PAPISA (São Paulo BRAZIL)
Pelvis Wrestley (Austin TX)
Perennial (Amherst MA)
Pink Pablo (San Juan PUERTO RICO)
Planet Giza (Montreal CANADA)
Plastic Palms (Turin ITALY)
poolblood (Toronto CANADA)
Population II (Montreal CANADA)
Presence (Camarillo CA)
The Psychotic Monks (Saint-Ouen FRANCE)
PVA (London UK-ENGLAND)
Pylon Reenactment Society (Athens GA)
Rainbow Girls (Bodega CA)
Ralphie Choo (Madrid SPAIN)
The Rare Occasions (Los Angeles CA)
Redbud (Austin TX)
rEDOLENT (Edinburgh UK-SCOTLAND)
Robby Hecht (Nashville TN)
Rodeo Boys (Lansing MI)
Rory James (Edinburgh UK-SCOTLAND)
RUBIO (Mexico City MEXICO)
Sam Williams (Paris TN)
San Gabriel (Austin TX)
San Saba County (Austin TX)
Seafoam Walls (Miami FL)
Selfish Sons (Brisbane AUSTRALIA)
She’s In Parties (Colchester UK-ENGLAND)
Sinkane (Brooklyn NY)
Skateland (Austin TX)
SNACKTIME (Philadelphia PA)
Soda Blonde (Dublin IRELAND)
Sofia Kourtesis (Berlin GERMANY)
Sofi Paez (Berlin GERMANY)
Softee (Moorhead MN)
South Summit (Perth AUSTRALIA)
SPRINTS (Dublin IRELAND)
Stuck in the Sound (Paris FRANCE)
Styrofoam Winos (Nashville TN)
Sui Zhen (Melbourne AUSTRALIA)
The Sully Band (San Diego CA)
Sultan Stevenson (London UK-ENGLAND)
Swallow the Rat (Auckland NEW ZEALAND)
Sycco (Brisbane AUSTRALIA)
Talia Goddess (Brooklyn NY)
Tamera (London UK-ENGLAND)
Teenage Sequence (Fort-Worth TX)
Telehealth (Seattle WA)
TENGGER (Seoul SOUTH KOREA)
t e s t p r e s s (Glasgow UK-SCOTLAND)
Texas String Assembly (Austin TX)
TFD (Total Fucking Darkness) (Vancouver CANADA)
This Is Lorelei (New York NY)
THUS LOVE (Brattleboro VT)
The Tiarras (Austin TX)
Tokyo Syoki Syodo (Shimokitazawa JAPAN)
TRACY DE SA (Sevres FRANCE)
Tufan Derince (Diyarbakir TURKEY)
twst (Barry UK-WALES)
Venus Twins (Brooklyn NY)
Vera Sola (Los Angeles CA)
The Vices (Groningen NETHERLANDS)
The View (Dundee UK-SCOTLAND)
VLURE (Glasgow UK-SCOTLAND)
Vulva Voce (Manchester UK-ENGLAND)
Water Damage (Austin TX)
William The Conqueror (Newquay UK-ENGLAND)
Wyldest (London UK-ENGLAND)
The XCERTS (Aberdeen UK-SCOTLAND)
Yb. (Brisbane AUSTRALIA)
YHWH Nailgun (New York NY)
Yo Diablo (Valencia SPAIN)
Yogetsu Akasaka (Tokyo JAPAN)
YU-KA (Tokyo JAPAN)
Zheani (Brisbane AUSTRALIA)
Zoon (Winnipeg CANADA)
ZÓRA (Budapest HUNGARY)
zouz (Montréal CANADA)

06 Dec 2023

Reba McEntire Pays Tribute to Late Mother on ‘The Voice’ With Moving ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’ Performance

Reba McEntire flipped from mentor to performer on Tuesday night (Dec. 5) when she got up from her red chair and stepped into the spotlight on The Voice to sing her recent single, “Seven Minutes in Heaven.” The moving ballad recorded in tribute to McEntire’s mother, Jacqueline McEntire — who died of cancer in March 2020 at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic — was delivered on a fog-shrouded stage with a forest of digital trees projected behind the country icon as she sang the lyrics about happily eschewing celestial conversations with Johnny Cash, Elvis, JFK and St. Peter in order to get one last chat with her mom.

“If I had seven minutes in Heaven/ I know just what I’d do/ Take a walk down those golden streets
And find a quiet corner booth,” McEntire sang powerfully, backed by a band that included pedal steel, piano and a trio of violins. “I wouldn’t spend all my seconds asking God questions/ ‘Cause He knows I’d be back soon/ If I had seven minutes in Heaven/ I’d spend them all with you,” she continued in the tearjerking chorus of the song in which she wonders how the fishing is up in heaven and whether they server beer in the afterlife, because she sure will need one.

The performance ended with the projection of a beautiful black and white picture of McEntire’s mother on the screen behind her. McEntire premiered the moving video for “Seven Minutes” in October. The song is the only new track on her Dave Cobb-produced acoustic album Not That Fancy.

The performance came on a live show night when the top 9 singers advanced to the semifinals, with all three of Niall Horan’s team members — Nini Iris, Huntley and Mara Justine — advancing and four others who landed in the bottom of the rankings fighting for their TV lives. In the end, Team McEntire’s Jordan Rainer snagged the Instant Save, while Team Legend’s Azán and Team Stefani’s Tanner Massey and Kara Tenae got the boot.

Next week’s semifinals will air on NBC on Monday (Dec. 11) and Tuesday (Dec. 12)

Watch McEntire perform “Seven Minutes in Heaven” below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=Njt52K1t9iE&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

06 Dec 2023

Marc Anthony’s Maestro Cares Foundation Gala Celebrates a Decade of Charity

Just like Marc Anthony‘s “Vivir Mi Vida” celebrated one decade this year, so too, did Maestro Cares Foundation, a non-profit organization co-founded by the salsa superstar and Henry Cárdenas, CEO of CMN.

Hosted at the luxurious Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday (Dec. 5), the 10th annual Maestro Cares Foundation Gala boasted an atmosphere of opulence: fine dining, lavish gowns and dapper tuxes, and a sweeping jazz ensemble. 

The evening unfolded with a high-roller auction, featuring an autographed Bad Bunny guitar, a Luis Miguel NYE getaway concert in Cancun, Anthony’s complete line of Bulova watches and more. The highlight was Anthony’s spontaneous gesture of adding his personal wristwatch to the auction, further elevating the stakes for bidders.

Renowned Latin music icon Ana Gabriel was also in attendance, and donated a “Piece of Music History” rosa mexicano outfit from her personal collection. She even volunteered to take a picture with the highest bidder. All proceeds go toward children and communities in need across Latin America and the U.S.

As for Anthony’s highly anticipated performance, the Boricua superstar took the stage for the grand finale at about 11 p.m. ET. Accompanied by 15 musicians, the New York-bred hitmaker ran through a handful of hits, beginning with the energetic “Pa’lla Voy.” The 2021 single, a reimagining of Senegalese band Africando’s “Yay Boy,” exhilarated the crowd. 

Throughout his 40-minute set, the charismatic artist engaged the audience, expressing playful banter and blowing occasional kisses. “It’s funny how my wife asks for this song. I don’t get it. It’s an oldie,” he said before kicking off 2004’s horn-blaring “Tu Amor Me Hace Bien.” He never seemed to miss a note, his whirling wails intoxicating the crowd, leading them into a salsa dance frenzy. With so many glittering sequined gowns, the view, bedecked with a huge chandelier, sparkled. 

He surprised the elated crowed with a rendition of The Eagles’ “Hotel California,” which was delivered supremely, and featured all the electric guitar solo riffs as well. The singer closed off with none other than “Vivir Mi Vida,” the timeless salsa banger that was released in 2013. (The song made it on Billboard’s 50 Best Latin Pop Songs of the 21st Century list.) It inspired a massive singalong. “You guys made my night,” noted the performer. 

Earlier in the evening, awards were granted to the beloved Mexican comedian Eugenio Derbez with the Voice of Change; rapper and actress Queen Latifah with the Courage to Care award; and Sam Nazarian, chairman and CEO of SBE Entertainment Group, with the Corporate Social Responsibility award for the company’s philanthropic work.

The celebration continues on Wednesday (Dec. 6), as Anthony will take part in the ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the Citizen Watch America Group Multi-Brand Store on Fifth Avenue in New York. The store will display his exclusive Bulova x Marc Anthony timepiece collection and personal awards statues through the end of the month.

06 Dec 2023

5 Best Tablet Stands for Enjoying Hands-Free Entertainment

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

Tablets provide a portable and lightweight design that laptops don’t always offer, making it easy to take entertainment and work on the go. While the devices are a travel necessity, it usually requires you to hold it or put it up against a flat surface. Rather than attempt a balancing act, a tablet stand takes the hassle out of it, keeping your hands free so you can watch movies and TV shows as well as catch up on work without worrying about your tablet falling over.

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The best tablet stands will keep your device standing without having to worry about it tipping over. When it comes to aesthetics, there are a variety of styles and designs to choose from, depending on your needs. Bendable tablet stands will usually clip onto something and allow you to move it to the exact position you want, while metal or wooden stands can act as a subtle decor piece and turn your tablet into a monitor for work — plus, if you’re in school, it’s basically a dorm essential.

Whether you’re working from home, traveling or taking your tablet to class, you’ll most likely want to incorporate a tablet stand for easier use. Rather than scour the Internet yourself, we scrolled through the vast amount of options out there and rounded up a few of our favorites to make it easier for you.

Best Tablet Stands

silver metal tablet stand with wire opening

Amazon

best overall

Lamicall Tablet Stand

$15.98

$24.99

36% off

Lamicall’s tablet stand boasts affordability and sleekness at just under $20. It’s compatible with tablets and iPhones between four and 13 inches, and can support horizontal or vertical viewing. If your batter is low, there’s an opening to put your charger through without worrying about damaging it.

white bendable tablet stand

Walmart

Best adjustable tablet stand

Fleximount Clip-on Tablet Grip

Featuring an elongated neck, Fleximount’s Clip-On Grip brings ultimate adjustability to personalize depending on your activity. When you’re finished, it can fold away for easier storage. Plus, it’s universal size can fit on tablets, iPads and Kindles.

black soft tablet stand

Amazon

best tablet stand for bed

Ontel Pillow Pad Ultra Multi-Angle Soft Tablet Stand

$12.99

$19.99

35% off

Avoid having to make a blanket mountain to keep your tablet propped, and upgrade to a soft tablet stand. Just rest your tablet or phone on the small ledge and enjoy watching or reading your next book in peace. The built-in side pocket also means you can store everything from your phone to charger and more.

wooden and white tablet stand

West Elm

best wooden tablet stand

Yamazaki Plywood Tablet Stands

Keep things stylish with a wooden tablet stand from West Elm that’ll blend seamlessly into your decor. The design was created in Japan with small spaces in mind, and can rest on your side table or kitchen counter no matter what you’re doing.

silver metal tablet stand

Amazon

best tablet stand for desk

UGreen Tablet Stand

$25.49

$29.99

15% off

Complete your work-from-home setup with this metal tablet stand. It’s designed with an adjustable top to make it higher or lower, and has an opening to keep your device charged. The built-in pads will also make sure your tablet stays in place.

For more product recommendations, check our roundups of the best iPad deals, best speakers and the best portable chargers.

06 Dec 2023

Sony Releases Pulse Explore for PlayStation 5: Here’s Where to Buy the New Wireless Earbuds Online

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

A few weeks ago, Sony released the newly designed PlayStation 5 Slim and handheld PlayStation 5 Portal remote player in the lead-up to the holidays. Now the tech and entertainment company just dropped new accessories that bring PlayStation games to life.

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Priced at $199.99 at Best Buy and Amazon, the Sony Pulse Explore is a new pair of true wireless earbuds specifically designed for the PS5, PS5 Slim and PS5 Portal. These accessories offer excellent gaming audio that’s crisp, full and immersive with deep and rumbling bass, while it comes with a USB dongle that plugs directly into the back of the console to provide a low latency wireless audio connection with practically zero lag.

Meanwhile, the earbuds have a clever hidden microphone design that lets gamers chat with teammates and opponents online. They’re also compatible with Mac and PC, as well as Apple iPhone and Android mobile devices via Bluetooth.

Sony PS5 Pulse Explore: Where to Buy Online, Availability, & Pricing

Sony

Sony PS5 Pulse Explore Wireless Earbuds

In addition, Sony PS5 Pulse Explore comes with a sleek sliding USB-C charging case that serves as storage for the wireless earbuds and supplemental battery life. Although the earbuds themselves have a battery life of up to five hours per charge, their included charging case gives them an extra battery life of up to 10 hours. That’s up to 15 hours of charge in total, which is more than enough to complete games such as The Last of Us, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Stray, Ratchet & Clank, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and others.

The Sony PS5 Pulse Explore Wireless Earbuds come out on Wednesday, Dec. 6. They’re available for $199.99 at Best Buy, PlayStation Direct, Target and Amazon (you can also find them on resale sites such as StockX). In the meantime, watch a trailer for the new earbuds (and the upcoming Sony Pulse Elite gaming headset), below:


https://youtube.com/watch?v=YrbdZBm_H_o&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best over-ear headphones, wifi extenders, laptop deals and more.

06 Dec 2023

Iron Maiden Sells Out Colombia Stadium in 21 Minutes, 11 Months Before the Show

Iron Maiden‘s first show scheduled in Bogota, Colombia, in 13 years drove fans to snatch up 42,000 tickets in 21 minutes to sell out El Campín Stadium 11 months before the Nov. 24, 2024, date. It is the first show in Colombia to sell out so far in advance, according to promoter Move Concerts.

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“We all expected strong sales given the long wait since they last performed here, which was on March 20, 2011, but never in our wildest dreams did we think it would blow out in 21 minutes and smash sales records,” Alfredo Villaveces, Managing Director of Move Concerts Colombia, said in a press release. “And if we factor in the fact we went up so far ahead of the show date – something no other artist had done here – it is truly amazing.”

According to the press release, the time span clocked for tickets sold broke the sales velocity records of all previous international acts who have performed in the past in Colombia, including The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, Madonna, Ed Sheeran and The Weeknd.

But compared to all performing artists, including Latin American, Iron Maiden’s sellout pace was exceeded by Colombian superstar Karol G, who recently performed two sellout stadium shows in her hometown of Medellín as part of her Mañana Será Bonito Tour.

Formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975, the English heavy metal band is known for classics such as “The Trooper,” “Hallowed Be Thy Name” and “The Number of the Beast.” On the Billboard charts, the band has had four top 10 albums on the Billboard 200.

Iron Maiden’s 2024 Future Past World Tour will also include two shows in Chile, at the 60,000-seat Estadio Nacional in Santiago, on Nov. 27 and 28, 2024. Tickets for those dates are on sale now and, according to Move Concerts, more than 95,000 have been sold so far.

Find more info on the tour below:

06 Dec 2023

Mandopop Star Jay Chou and His Label JVR Music Join Universal Music Group

Taiwanese Mandopop singer-songwriter Jay Chou and his record label JVR Music have entered into a strategic partnership with Universal Music Greater China. Under the agreement, announced Wednesday in Beijing, UMG will market and distribute Chou’s back catalog and future projects, while also absorbing a JVR artist roster that includes Patrick Brasca and Young (Cao Yang).

Earlier this year, Chou became the first Taiwanese artist to land in the upper reaches (No. 9) of IFPI’s rankings of top global recording artists, and he straight-up topped the trade group’s Global Albums Sales chart for 2022’s Greatest Works of Art, one of 15 studio albums he’s released since making his debut in 2000.

JVR Music, which also has an artist management arm, was founded in 2007 by Chou, Vincent Fang and JR Yang. Since 2013, Chou and JVR’s entire catalog has been managed by Universal Music Publishing Group. Chou, regarded as the “King of Mandopop,” writes and produces all of his music. As an actor, he co-starred alongside Seth Rogen in the 2011 superhero film The Green Hornet and in the 2016 heist movie Now You See Me 2, among others.

JR Yang (left) shaking hands with Timothy Xu(right)

Courtesy of UMG

“It is with immense pride and excitement that we welcome Jay Chou, an icon of our times, into the Universal Music family,” said Timothy Xu, UMGC’s chairman and CEO. “This partnership is more than a milestone for us; it’s a celebration of Jay’s extraordinary artistry and global appeal. We are deeply honored to be entrusted with his musical legacy and are eager to help showcase his remarkable talent to a broader global audience.”

JVR Music co-founder and CEO JR Yang said the partnership puts them well on course to raising Mandopop’s profile globally. “Leveraging UMG’s extensive global network enables us to amplify Jay’s artistic impact and the diversity of our artist roster on a global scale,” he said. “We are excited about harnessing this alliance to transcend cultural boundaries and cement the international presence of our unique musical heritage.”

06 Dec 2023

Baby Keem Drops Cinematic Visual For “The Melodic Blue”

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Baby Keem The Melodic Blue

Source: Amazon Prime / Amazon Prime

Not too long ago Baby Keem teased a cinematic event with the release of his latest offering The Melodic Blue and the time has come for his fans to indulge in the Savannah Setten-directed visuals as they are in for quite the journey.

Premiering on Amazon Prime on December 5, the short film features three unreleased songs that fans will no doubt want to bump ASAP in “Rock Me,” “Torch”, and the James Blake-assisted “White Laces.” Taking a trip through Baby Keem’s memories of moments passed and struggles he’s dealt with throughout, the 18-minute affair is an experience one won’t soon forget as it consists of spiffy animation, seductive sequences, and overall entertaining visual concepts.

We’re not mad at all.

The short film stars Amandla Stenberg, Shakira Ja’nai Paye, Francis Lovehall, Séréna Sy and Hykeem Carter, was produced by Jamie Rabineau and Cornell Brown and executive produced by Baby Keem, Kendrick Lamar and Dave Free.

Check out the trailer for Baby Keem’s “The Melodic Blue” below and peep the entire clip here and let us know your thoughts on the joint in the comments section.



06 Dec 2023

Reggaetón con Religion: Farruko, Daddy Yankee & More Who’ve Embraced Faith

Throughout the years, a wave of Latin music artists have embraced their religious beliefs and stamped them on their music — such as Juan Luis Guerra, Yuri and Ricardo Montaner. Artists in the reggaetón and Latin hip-hop worlds have recently been following suit.

The latest artist to publicly open up about his faith is Daddy Yankee, who during his farewell concert in Puerto Rico talked about “a new chapter beginning.”

“For many years I’ve tried filling a void in my life that no one could fill,” the global Latin urban star told the packed Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot. “I tried finding a purpose — on many occasions it seemed as if I was happy, but something was missing for me to feel complete. I have to confess that those days are over, and someone was able to fill that void that I felt for a lot of time. I realized that for everyone I was someone, but I was no one without him.”

The artist born Raymon Ayala, known for spearheading the reggaetón movement with his 2004 breakthrough hit “Gasolina,” proudly expressed that God lives in him and he will live for God.

Early last year, Farruko also used his platform and preached the word of God during his Miami pit stop of his La 167 Tour, and did not perform his dance hit “Pepas” — which scored the artist his first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in 2021.

“I believed my own lie because my song was No. 1 — I didn’t know the message I was sending,” he said of the song that means “pill” in English, and narrates the story of someone who only wants to party all night long. “I’m not proud of that. Who knows how many of your kids I hurt? Now I ask you forgiveness, because love starts from within. Value life, because we do not know if we are going to save ourselves.”

In addition to Yankee and Farru, many other Latin urban stars have either opted to retire from the industry to follow their religious path, or have released music detailing their spiritual connections. Below, see some of the artists, in alphabetical order, who have embraced their faith.

06 Dec 2023

Norman Lear, Producer Of ‘Good Times’ & ‘The Jeffersons,’ Has Died

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Norman Lear photographed on the Sony Lot - 13 August 2019

Norman Lear, a screenwriter and producer behind several hit sitcoms that were huge in the 1970s, has died. Lear, who produced The Jeffersons and other beloved Black sitcoms, was involved with over 100 shows and worked as a producer well into the next century after his initial encounter with fame.

Norman Lear was born July 22, 1922, in New Haven, Conn. After a stint in the military in the 1940s, Lear got involved in entertainment by first working in public relations. Along with his cousin’s husband, comedian and writer Ed Simmons, Lear and Simmons wrote comedy sketches for the likes of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis for their comedy variety show.

In 1959, Lear created his first television show, The Deputy, with Henry Fonda. Lear then became known as a comedy writer through the 1960s. In 1971, Lear saw the debut of his show All In The Family, which went on to become a hit with critics and viewers alike. Sanford & Son was another hit that came the following year in 1972.

All In The Family spawned spinoff series too such as Maude in 1972, and The Jeffersons in 1975. The Jeffersons, which ran for 11 seasons and starred Isabel Sanford, Sherman Hemsley, and Marla Gibbs, is one of the longest-running sitcoms of all time. Good Times, starring Esther Rolle and Jon Amos, was developed by Lear in 1974 although he just served one year as its lead producer.

Lear served as the executive producer of the One Day At A Time revival in 2017 for Netflix and has a credit as an executive producer for the I Got A Monster documentary in 2023.

Lear is survived by his wife, producer Lyn Davis, six children from his three marriages, and four grandchildren.

Norman Lear was 101.

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Photo: Getty