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Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour has been making waves across the globe, selling out stadiums, smashing records, and solidifying the Colombian superstar’s legacy as one of the most powerful voices in music and culture. But behind the eye-popping performances, emotional highs and dazzling fashion, French photographer Nicolas Gerardin has been translating the energy, intimacy and humanity of it all into images that speak louder than words.Known for his work with celebrities across industries — including Lisa of BLACKPINK, Nick Jonas, Jeff Bezos, Leo Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo — the fashion and celebrity photographer brings a unique mix of precision and emotional storytelling to his photography. His collaboration with Shakira began two years ago, right around the time of her groundbreaking Bizarrap release that marked a new milestone in her career. Since then, Gerardin has become an integral part of her creative team, joining her on her current world tour, which kicked off in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Feb. 11.
“When photographing Shakira, I focus on capturing what makes her a legend — her presence, energy, and the essence that has made her an icon for decades,” Gerardin tells Billboard Español, who also shot her on recent magazine covers for GQ, Elle, and Marie Claire. “It’s about telling her story in every shot. I always aim to showcase her true essence, her artistry, and the depth of her impact.”
“She’s aware of everything, from production to lighting. She knows everything about cameras. She knows what’s best for her,” he explains, noting how her hands-on approach ensures every moving piece of her tour aligns with her meticulously curated vision.
Despite her global fame, Gerardin credits her sensitivity and emotional connection with her art as the driving force behind her appeal. “She’s very involved emotionally in everything. She always wants the best for her fans. She’s a woman full of emotion, very sensitive. She’s caring for everyone… She wants to give the best for the fans,” he shares.
His dedication to capturing Shakira’s tour goes beyond the stage or performance photography. Gerardin’s work often focuses on backstage moments, the quieter fragments of her life away from the spotlight that tell their own story. “My vision is to create an iconic image that’s going to stay forever,” he says. “It can be her putting her makeup on or her after finishing the last song exhausted.” These fragments come together to create a portrait of a woman in motion — a legend embracing transformation in real-time.
Among his favorite images he took is a high-concept promotional shoot for her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran. In one particularly striking shot, Shakira is captured arm wrestling a man. “It was an exciting challenge because I wanted to capture both her strength and the bold energy of the album while keeping the visual storytelling dynamic and impactful,” recalls the photographer.
For this shoot, Shakira granted him full creative freedom, an example of the trust and respect their working relationship has cultivated.
Despite touring with Shakira, Gerardin emphasizes that he does not define himself as a concert photographer. His background in fashion photography shapes the unique angle he brings to his work — whether backstage or during live shows. “Most global artists that work in the music industry, when they take me on tour, they don’t expect me to shoot the live show. I’m here to capture the fashion side of the tour,” he explains. With Shakira, he adds, “We just want to create history at this point.”
Check out the gallery below for an exclusive look at Gerardin’s stunning photography.
04/14/2025
XG, Ty Dolla $ign, Zedd, BigXthaplug were among those to hit the desert on Sunday (April 13).
04/14/2025
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Hot Boy summer might be canceled; Spin the Block season is now in full effect.
Chris Brown and his ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran were spotted having a friendly conversation at Coachella. The two appeared to be all smiles, chatting closely and showing no signs of tension—suggesting any bad blood between them may be a thing of the past. It looks like time really does heal all wounds.
Chris and Karrueche had a highly publicized on-and-off relationship that lasted for several years. During their time together, Tran stood by Brown through multiple controversies, including legal troubles and cheating allegations. However, the breaking point came when Karrueche found out that Chris had fathered a child, Royalty, without telling her. That revelation ultimately led to their final split, and both have since gone their separate ways.
Over the years, the two have been linked to other people. One of the most talked-about moments came when Karrueche had a brief fling with Quavo, a known rival of Chris Brown. That move made headlines and added an extra layer of drama to their already complicated history. Now, years later, it seems both Chris and Karrueche have moved on and possibly matured. Their recent Coachella interaction came off as peaceful and respectful, showing that they might have let go of the past.
Of course, the internet is already speculating whether this friendly reunion could mean the two are “spinning the block” and considering another shot at love. Whether it was just a cordial catch-up or something more, fans are definitely watching closely. Either way, it’s refreshing to see two people with such a rocky past come together and show mutual respect—at least for one night under the Coachella lights.
Katy Perry blasted off into space on Monday morning (April 14) with an all-female crew on a Blue Origin rocket. The flawless lift-off from the Jeff Bezos-owned company’s West Texas facility on a perfect blue sky day found the space tourists hurtling through the atmosphere at nearly mach 3.
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In the lead-up to the flight, CBS aired footage of the women sitting in the windows of an SUV and waving to the gathered crowds as the were driven up to the launch pad. Nearly three minutes into the flight, the crew module separated from the booster, sending the rounded cone into near space approximately 62 miles above Earth in the area called the “Kármán line,” an imaginary boundary that’s viewed as the dividing lien between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space.
The all-female flight had Perry joined by Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sanchez, as well as CBS Mornings co-anchor Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, civil rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Amanda Nguyen, producer and entrepreneur Kerianne Flynn. CBS News cameras captured the moment when the capsule separated from the booster, with King’s longtime best friend Oprah Winfrey bursting into tears of joy.
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The crew experienced about three to four minutes of weightlessness before the fliers strapped back in for their descent back to Earth. CBS aired broken audio of the crew marveling at the sight of Earth from space, as well as footage of the booster returning to Earth for a soft, perfectly upright landing.
At the eight and half minute mark the capsule’s parachutes deployed and viewers could hear screams of joy from within the nose cone as they made a soft touchdown in the desert. Within minutes, Blue Origin staffers raced to the capsule in trucks filled with the fliers’ friend and family to celebrate the trip.
Bezos opened the hatch on the capsule and greeted Sanchez with a big hug and kiss as she emerged, with Perry emerging and appearing to thrust a tiny daisy into the air before dropping to her knees to kiss the ground.
In an interview with the crew after their final training on Sunday, CBS sat down with the women and asked them to describe how they were feeling in one word. Perry chose “worthiness,” while Gayle King went with “blessed,” as well as “surrender.” She explained, “this is such an unlikely place for me to be and so in my mind I’ve said okay, I feel well-prepared for this moment after the training we’ve had for the last couple of days. But it still hasn’t eased the fear that I have.”
Asked what surprised her about the training — which she’s been doing in between rehearsals for her upcoming world tour — Perry joked “so many seatbelts!” Perry, 40, was also asked if she planned to sing in space and she said she had an idea that would not be “about me or for me. It will be for the beautiful Earth that we get to see. Because I think the perspective that we’re all gonna walk away from is like, ‘oh my gosh, we have to protect our mother. Fiercely.”
Speaking to the AP last week, Perry explained her reason for taking the trip. “I am talking to myself every day and going, ‘You’re brave, you’re bold, you are doing this for the next generation to inspire so many different people but especially young girls to go, “I’ll go to space in the future.” No limitations,’” said the singer. “I’m really excited about the engineering of it all. I’m excited to learn more about STEM and just the math about what it takes to accomplish this type of thing.”
Check out footage of the launch below.
Warner Music Group announced on Monday (April 14) that Armin Zerza will join the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective May 5, reporting to CEO Robert Kyncl. Zerza, who previously served as CFO of Activision Blizzard, brings extensive global financial, commercial and operational leadership experience.
Bryan Castellani, the current executive vp and CFO, will serve until May 5 and then act as an advisor to ensure a smooth transition.
Armin Zerza
Zerza has three decades of experience across the entertainment, technology and consumer goods sectors. At Activision Blizzard, the game publisher behind Call of Duty and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, he held roles as CFO and chief commercial officer, playing a pivotal role in the company’s acquisition by Microsoft. Before joining Activision Blizzard in August 2015, Zerza spent over 20 years at Procter & Gamble, serving in various senior leadership roles across North America, Europe and Latin America. He managed multibillion-dollar businesses such as P&G’s European Baby Care and Latin America divisions and was part of the global M&A team.
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CEO Robert Kyncl praised Zerza’s 30 years of global experience and his track record of delivering results through innovation and financial discipline, adding, “He’ll help us evolve our long-term strategy and build WMG for the lasting benefit of our artists, songwriters, investors, employees, and partners.”
“I am thrilled to join WMG, a dynamic and innovative leader in the music industry,” said Zerza. “I believe the business has tremendous potential and look forward to working closely with Robert and the talented team at WMG to help deliver its ambitious vision for innovation, growth, and long-term value creation.”
Castellani joined WMG in August 2023 after nearly 30 years at The Walt Disney Company, rising to CFO for Disney Entertainment & ESPN. Prior to that, he held such roles as evp of finance for Disney Media, where he oversaw its distribution, ad sales and networks businesses, and previously he was evp and CFO of ESPN proper. Castellani succeeded longtime CFO Eric Levin.
“It’s been a rewarding experience to contribute to the ongoing evolution of this great company,” he said. “There’s so much we achieved at a pivotal time for the industry. I thank Robert, the Board of Directors, and everyone at WMG, especially the global finance team.”
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New York rapper Ja Rule had some words for his longtime industry rival, 50 Cent, for the way the G-Unit founder mocked the death of Murder Inc. founder Irv Gotti, who passed away in February. Ja had reflected on his career and relationship with Gotti during a Hip Hop Wired exclusive discussion between the “Always On Time” rapper and New Orleans legend Juvenile.
During a recent appearance on The Breakfast Club, Ja went all the way in on 50, who posted on Instagram shortly after Gotti’s death was announced, “I’m smoking on dat Gotti pack, nah God bless him [white dove emoji] LOL.”
“I see some of the things that [50 Cent] gets involved in, feuds. ‘Grow up, my n***a.’ That’s what I be thinking to myself,” Ja told Breakfast Club hosts Charlamagne tha God, DJ Envy and Loren Lorosa.
Then he addressed Fif’s Instagram post.
“It’s goofy sh*t,” Ja said. “‘Cause I was hot. I was ready to go nuclear and sh*t … Preme said, ‘You know, Rule? Here’s what you gotta understand about who we are and what we are: We are the masters of self-defense.’ I said, ‘I love that,’ because I don’t want to start or make trouble with people, but if we gotta get into it … I’ll f**kin’ end it.
“That’s who we are as men,” he continued. “Here to protect our family, protect our home, defend our honor, our names, our reptuation. I’m not here to be a bully and bother people. That’s not what I’m here to do, but I am a master of self-defense.”
Ja, also addressed his 20-some-odd-year beef with the “In Da Club” rapper, who he claimed is largely responsible for the continuation of the rivalry, noting that he rarely even mentions 50, but will occasionally respond to his endless online “troll” behavior.
“He keeps it going,” Ja said. “I’ll go to the circus once in a while. I really like to stay clear of that sh*t …. I like to have fun sometimes. I poke jabs at him, too, but that’s all that really is. To me, it’s silly. We’re both successful Black men and I think the focus should be on continuing to make sure that we pay it forward.”
You can check out the full interview below.
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On Thursday (April 10), New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the creation of a new unit of the force. The Quality of Life unit will be tasked with handling issues such as aggressive panhandling, outdoor drug use, illegal parking, and noise complaints. The unit will begin work in the city starting Monday (April 14).“Today is about improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers in their neighborhoods, on their blocks, and at their front doors,” Tisch said at a press conference held at the 13th Precinct in Gramercy Park with Mayor Adams. The unit will service five precincts and one public housing area in the city, which includes the areas of the South Bronx, Far Rockaway, Coney Island, Union Square and East New York. Officers with the unit will be trained to receive and address 311 calls and will be aided by a new system known as Q-Stat. The Q-Stat system, modeled after the CrimeStat tracking system, will analyze the calls that come in. Monthly meetings will be held by NYPD officials to discuss their Q-Stat findings and pinpoint troubled areas in the city.“We will not tolerate an atmosphere where anything and everything goes,” Mayor Adams said during Thursday’s news conference. “We will not rest until we address the issues that have affected the lives of everyday New Yorkers.” Led by Deputy Chief William Glynn, the unit’s officers are enabled to make an arrest, simply talk with the offender, or issue a summons.The announcement did encounter some opposition, concerned that it could be a return to “broken windows” policing by the NYPD that occurred under former Mayor Rudy Giuliani. “The quality-of-life policing, one way or another, ends up targeting low-income people of color,” said Police Reform Organizing Project founder Robert Gangi in an interview with the New York Times. “This is a different policy for a different reason,” Tisch said in the conference, seeming to address potential concerns. “Today is not about crime. Today is about improving quality of life.”
https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/1910803968684380224
Sometimes you just have to go for it. And sometimes when you do that, things go horribly wrong. But, if you’re like d4vd, you can laugh at yourself and not get too hung up on the particulars. During the 20-year-old “Feel It” singer’s set at the Coachella Festival on Friday, he got super hyped and […]
Earlier this year, the Copyright Office opened a notice of inquiry (NOI) into U.S. performing rights organizations (PROs) – asking the music industry, venues and broadcasters that hold performance licenses to weigh in on whether or not they should face any new reform. Triggered by a so-called “proliferation” of new PROs in the market, and PROs alleged “lack of transparency,” it’s shaping up to be one of the most important issues facing the music publishing business this year. On Friday (April 11), the industry’s chance to submit comments came to a close. Ahead of all comments being made public, Billboard explains the origins of this inquiry and its possible implications.
How the NOI Started
On Sept. 12, 2024, Billboard broke the news that the House Judiciary Committee sent a letter to the Register of Copyrights, Shira Perlmutter, requesting the examination of “concerns” and “emerging issues” with U.S. PROs.
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The House Judiciary’s note cites two key issues: the “lack of transparency” surrounding PRO distributions and how they “currently gather information from…general licensees about public performance;” and the “proliferation” of PROs in the United States. This references the fact that, with newer entrants like Global Music Rights (GMR), PRO Music Rights (PMR) and AllTrack emerging over the last decade or so, the U.S. PRO total is up to six different options — making the licensing system more complicated and expensive for licensees. In contrast, most countries only have one PRO – while a small number have two – for writers to choose from.
Perlmutter and the Copyright Office replied to the letter by opening this inquiry in early 2025.
PRO History
The U.S. PRO system dates back to 1914 with the founding of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), which was created to help songwriters and publishers collect their earnings from public performances. This included collecting royalties from venues, restaurants, bars, college campuses and anywhere else music is played or performed in front of other people. It also included radio broadcasters. (In later years, as technology developed, performance monies also started to be collected from TV broadcasters and music streaming services.)
In 1931, the Society of European Stage Authors and Composers (SESAC) opened as a more boutique option, largely representing works published by European firms. In 1939, broadcasters in the radio business banded together in protest of some of ASCAP’s licensing practices, which they felt were unfair, to eventually form their own competing PRO, Broadcast Music Inc. (BMI).
For many years, ASCAP and BMI acted on a not-for-profit basis (BMI changed to for-profit status in 2022) and allowed any writer to join. Their open door policies meant that the two came to represent the vast majority of songwriters in the U.S., while SESAC continued as a smaller, for-profit player that allowed sign-ups by invitation only.
Alleging ASCAP and BMI were partaking in “anticompetitive business practices,” the Department of Justice (DOJ) sued ASCAP and BMI beginning in the 1930s. By 1941, the two PROs had settled their cases and entered consent decrees with the DOJ. One of the stipulations of these consent decrees said that ASCAP and BMI were subject to oversight by a “rate court” if a licensee couldn’t reach an agreement with them on an appropriate royalty. In short, ASCAP and BMI could no longer negotiate any rate they wanted to for their songwriters, which became increasingly challenging to navigate as performance licensees expanded over the years to include major tech platforms.
Royalty rates in the music publishing sector, unlike those in the recorded music business, are often overseen by government bodies in the U.S. That includes the rate court, which steps in to set performance license rates for ASCAP and BMI when they can’t agree with licensees; and the Copyright Royalty Board, which regulates the rates for all U.S. mechanical royalties. For that reason, the publishing business is particularly sensitive to talk of any additional criticism, restriction or regulation, which is a possible result of the U.S. Copyright Office’s inquiry should Congress find it appropriate to take further action afterwards.
Why the NOI Started
From the perspective of small venues around the country that have already been squeezed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. PRO system today — including having to pay up to six different PROs for music — is seen as complicated and increasingly expensive. Sources in the live industry say one of the newcomers, GMR, also charges higher prices than its competitors for its performance license. Because it was founded in 2013, long after ASCAP and BMI’s DOJ woes, and because it positioned itself as an invite-only, for-profit PRO for elite musicians like Drake, Bruce Springsteen and Billie Eilish, GMR charges a premium.
The other two newcomers, AllTrack and PMR, are less understood by some licensees. AllTrack was founded in 2017 by former SESAC board member Hayden Bower and focuses on mid-sized and/or independent talent, hoping to provide a modernized, streamlined approach to the over 100 year old PRO system of royalty collection; while PMR was founded in 2018 by serial entrepreneur Jake Noch. PMR is perhaps best known for suing “the entire music industry,” as the PRO put it, for allegedly “running an illegal cartel for the performance rights of musical works… [and entering] into an illegal agreement, combination and/or conspiracy to shut PMR out of the market and fix prices.”
The House Judiciary Committee also expressed concern that the increasing number of PROs in the U.S. “represents an ever-present danger of infringement allegations and potential litigation risk from new and unknown sources,” as it stated in its letter to Perlmutter.
Besides frustration about how many PROs there are in today’s market, the House Judiciary flags a number of areas where transparency might require improvement. “It is difficult to assess how efficiently PROs are distributing general licensing revenue based on publicly available data,” the letter reads. “[We] request that the Office examine how the various PROs currently gather information from live music venues, music services, and other general licensees about public performance; the level of information currently provided by PROs to the public; whether any gaps or discrepancies occur in royalty distribution; what technological and business practices exist or could be developed to improve the current system; the extent to which the current distribution practices are the result of existing legal and regulatory constraints; and potential recommendations for policymakers.”
Transparency issues have been flagged a number of times over the years by stakeholders who feel PROs – in the U.S. and abroad – can be unclear about how they calculate royalties, bonuses and advances distributed to talent. Some PROs, however, would likely disagree with that characterization. ASCAP, for example, is proud of its songwriter-led board of directors, which determines how it handles distributions.
What Happens Next
The comment period ended on Friday, and soon, the responses from publishers, PROs, venues, broadcasters and more will be made public. From there, the Copyright Office will review the comments, and it will eventually write up a report with its findings. There is no timeline for this report, and it should be noted that the Copyright Office does not have the remit to make any specific changes to PROs but its findings could be influential to Congress.
Doja Cat was in a generous mood this weekend, giving fans what appears to be the latest preview of her upcoming Vie album. After seemingly sharing the track list in November, when she posted and then quickly deleted a 13-song roster that included the songs “Break My Heart,” “Take Me Dancing,” “Anything,” “Ain’t News,” “Turn the Lights On,” “Slow Burn,” “Wood Holly” and “Appreciation,” Doja was at it again on Sunday (April 13).
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This time around the list included 16 songs, some of which matched the earlier roster, with no additional information on a release date or first single. “dont ask me where crack is rn,” she captioned the weekend post, which did not include one of the songs on the earlier roster, “Crack.” While “Turn the Lights On” matched the earlier run-down, other songs appear to have dropped off, including “Break My Heart,” “Take Me Dancing,” “Anything,” “Aint News,” “Slow Burn,” “Wood Holly,” “Did I Lie” and “Appreciation.”
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The new apparent track list includes: “Turn the Lights On,” “Slide,” “One More Time,” “Make It Up,” “Lipstain,” “Kink,” “Jealous Type,” “I Like You,” “Happy,” “Gorgeous,” “Couples Therapy,” “Come Back,” “Cards,” “Amen,” “All Mine” and “Acts of Service.”
Fans recorded an Instagram live over the weekend in which Doja previewed the bouncy “Jealous Type,” a Janet Jackson-like pop funk jam. “Boy, let me know if this is careless/ I could be torn between two roads that I just can’t decide/ Which one is leading me to hell or paradise?/ Baby, I can’t hurt you, sure, but I’m the jealous type/ I’m the jealous type,” Doja sings in a breathy register on the song.
Back in March, Doja also previewed the slow-burn jams “Acts of Service” and “Lipstain.”
Doja Cat’s last album, 2023’s Scarlet, was the follow-up to 2021’s hit-packed Planet Her. Scarlet reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and hit No. 2 on the Top Rap Albums chart. She also dropped Scarlet 2 CLAUDE deluxe edition in May and earlier this year teamed up with BLACKPINK’s LISA and RAYE on “Born Again” and Jack Harlow on his song “Just Us.”