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09 Jul 2023

Harry Styles Hit in the Face by Flying Object at Concert in Vienna

Harry Styles was struck in the face by an unknown object during his concert in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday (July 8).

As seen in a fan-captured video, the 29-year-old British pop star struts down the stage at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadion when a mysterious object pelts him near the eye. The “As It Was” singer then winces in pain as he bends over, covers his eye and continues walking off stage.

The former One Direction member, who is close to wrapping his epic Love on Tour outing, had not commented about the incident on social media at press time.

This isn’t the first time Styles has been hit by objects during his shows. Last year, the crooner had to take a brief pause in Chicago after getting struck in the groin by something thrown by a fan. He’s also had Skittles and chicken nuggets hurled at him while performing.

Styles is the latest victim of a dangerous trend in which artists are being struck by random items at concerts. Bebe Rexha, Lil Nas X and Kelsea Ballerini are among the slew of artists who have recently had their shows interrupted by the launching of various objects, including a phone, sex toy and bracelet, respectively.

Ava Max was also slapped by a fan who rushed the stage, and another concertgoer threw their mother’s ashes onto the stage during P!nk’s performance at BST Hyde Park in London on June 25.

Adele even addressed the concerning trend during one of her recent Las Vegas residency shows. “Have you noticed how people are, like, forgetting f—ing show etiquette at the moment, people are throwing s— on stage? Have you seen that?” she’s heard saying in a clip on social media.

Watch Styles get struck in the face at his Vienna concert on Twitter below.

09 Jul 2023

Hillary Scott From Lady A Reveals Her Favorite Nashville Slang | Billboard Country Live

Hillary Scott from Lady A reveals her favorite Nashville slang at Billboard’s Country Live event.

Hillary Scott
Hey, I’m Hillary Scott. And here is some of my favorite Nashville slang, and they might be East Texas because that’s where my mom is from, but I’m born and raised in Nashville. So I’ll say that they’re Nashville.

“Six one way, half a dozen the other” — which means it’s kind of the same thing. Just two ways to say it.

And then I mean “bless your heart,” of course.

And there’s just the very original, not by anyone other than Minnie Pearl I believe, which was “y’all come back now, ya hear?”

09 Jul 2023

Peter Nero, Grammy-Winning Pianist & Ex-Conductor of Philly Pops, Dies at 89

Peter Nero, a Grammy-winning pianist who interpreted pop songs through classical and jazz forms and served as the Philly Pops’ conductor for more than three decades, has died. Nero was 89.

Nero died Thursday (July 6) at Home Care Assisted Living Facility in Eustis, Fla., according to his daughter, Beverly Nero, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Services will be private.

Nero colored his renditions of pop songs — from Cole Porter and George Gershwin to the Beatles and Bob Dylan — with classical, swing, Broadway, blues and jazz melodies. He often called his sound “undefinable” and was not offended when others called it “middle of the road.” (He once told a newspaper, “Middle of the road and doing great business.”)

Recruited by Philadelphia concert promoter Moe Septee, Nero started the Philly Pops orchestra in 1979, the year Arthur Fiedler died. Fiedler is credited with virtually inventing the modern version of the pops orchestra in Boston, and Nero hoped to rival it in popularity.

“I’d like to beat the pants off them,” Nero said at the time.

Nero’s orchestra wasn’t as prominent as Boston’s, but it did tout routine sellouts in Philadelphia, no doubt helped by Nero’s lively playing style and warm stage presence.

In his work as both performer and conductor, Nero returned frequently to Broadway tunes, Hollywood themes and Gershwin, the subject of the Philly Pops’ first concert. But he also dipped into Motown’s catalog and farther afield to bands such as Procol Harum and an album devoted to disco and ’70s love songs.

In 1975, he lamented to The Washington Post: “I find it impossible to use a lot of the new material that’s coming out. There is some rock material in my repertoire … but a lot of rock groups are selling a sound, not music. You take the tune apart and there’s nothing there to work with.”

He led the Philly Pops until 2013, exiting his leadership role when the orchestra said it could no longer afford him.

By his own admission, Nero struggled early in his career — under the name Bernie Nerow — during stints in New York and Las Vegas. But he found his stride in his late 20s playing in New York’s club circuit.

He was signed to RCA by Stan Greeson, who saw a potential star and had him change his name to Peter Nero. A steady stream of early 1960s club shows led to regular radio and TV appearances and two dozen RCA albums over the span of a decade.

Nero earned Grammy Awards in 1961 for best new artist and in 1962 for best performance by an orchestra or instrumentalist for his record “The Colorful Peter Nero.”

A 1963 album, Hail the Conquering Nero, peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard pop album chart. It included versions of “My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean” and “Mack the Knife.”

He also charted with a version of “Theme from ‘The Summer of ’42,’” a song written by Michel Legrand for the 1971 movie. Nero’s version hit No. 21 on the Billboard pop singles chart.

Nero also wrote the score for the 1963 Jane Fonda film Sunday in New York and made an appearance in the movie.

Born Bernard Nierow in 1934, Nero was raised in Brooklyn. He started taking piano lessons at age 7 and, by age 11, he was said to have been able to play Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D Major from memory. He later won a scholarship to take classes at Juilliard, won several talent contests and graduated from Brooklyn College.

When headlining, Nero disliked having a set list and would pick songs on the spot. The idea of mixing styles and genres carried over to the Philly Pops.

“My programs for the Philly Pops may open with ‘Die Meistersinger,’ then ‘Chariots of Fire,’ then Enesco’s Rumanian Rhapsodies, then a television theme,” Nero told The New York Times in 1982. “I keep going back and forth, and the audience bought it from the beginning.”

08 Jul 2023

This $30 Smart Water Bottle Lights Up When It’s Time For You to Take a Drink

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.

You already know about the benefits of drinking water, with most experts recommending at least eight glasses of water a day to help you stay hydrated. But it can be difficult to remember to drink water, let alone track how much you’re actually drinking. That’s why we’re big fans of the Hidrate Smart Water Bottle.

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Available for just $30 on Amazon, the Hidrate Spark TAP Smart Water Bottle uses a clever LED base that lights up to remind you to drink up. Pair your phone to the bottle’s NFC Smart Tag and start tracking how much water you’ve had, using the handy Hidrate app. You can set a personal goal for how much water you want to drink and the bottle will light up to remind you to keep drinking until you hit it.

hidrate smart water bottle

Amazon

Hidrate Spark TAP Smart Water Bottle

$29.99

The daily recommended water intake is 6-8, eight-ounce glasses of water, and the Hidrate Spark is great for tracking consumption. It lights up 12 times a day when it’s time to drink water, though you can also turn off the automatic alerts. The smart water bottle holds up to 20 ounces of liquid; a built-in smart sensor will track how many ounces of water you’ve consumed, and send the alerts to your phone.

We like the vacuum-insulated, stainless steel design of this water bottle, which helps to keep drinks cold for up to 24 hours. The lid features a built-in straw for easy sipping.

Users say the bottle is great for everyday use, whether at the gym, on a hike, or for a commute. Available on Amazon for $29.99, this is one of the best prices we’ve seen online for a smart water bottle. See full details here.

08 Jul 2023

Carly Pearce Plays Fishing for Answers | Billboard Country Live

Carly Pearce plays Fishing for Answers at Billboard’s Country Live event.

Carly Pearce:
Hi, I’m Carly Pearce and I’m going fishing for answers with Billboard.

What is your favorite album or country album of the year so far? I think Nate Smith’s record is really, really good front to back.

Who was your musical inspiration growing up? All the ladies of the 90s, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, Lee Ann Womack, and I’m a huge Alison Krauss fan, Loretta, Dolly.

What is the most country thing you’ve ever done? Got married and divorced in one year.

Recording or touring? I like both. I think the recording process is really fun because you get to be so musical but there’s really nothing like getting to see the songs that you write come to life on the road and you get to have summer camp with your band. It’s super fun.

Best concert you’ve ever attended? Either. Alison Krauss and Union Station or Keith Urban open for The Chicks.

What’s your secret talent? Can’t really show you in here but I have the most double jointed arms that you could ever see. Hopefully you can see it, judging by the other people in this room. You can see it

08 Jul 2023

Here’s the Tracklist to Coolio’s Posthumous Album ‘Long Live Coolio’

Coolio‘s posthumous album includes guest appearances from Naughty By Nature‘s Treach, Da Lench Mob’s J-Dee, and Ras Kass on a project that was not intended to be the rapper’s last.

Titled Long Live Coolio, the forthcoming LP is a celebration of the Grammy award-winning MC, best known for his ’90s classics “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage.” His representatives on Friday (July 7) exclusively shared with The Associated Press the 11-song track list and who will be heard on the album when it is released later this year.

“A Star Is Born”, the latest track from the release — a collaboration between Naughty By Nature’s Treach, MC Shan, and Coolio’s long time producer/collaborator DJ Wino — premiered on Friday, a track that doubles as a history lesson in Coolio’s path to superstardom. The video was filmed in Las Vegas.

“When I heard Coolio’s verse, I’m like, ‘Yo, it feels like the homie is still here,” Treach said, showing off a large portrait tattoo of his labelmate Coolio on his chest. “How do we want people to think of him? We just want them to always think of him. That’s what it’s about — keeping your homies’ names in the streets. Tupac just got a star in Hollywood. We don’t just say it when our brothers are here. We say it until we meet up with them again.”

“Went from Old Man to Boo Daddy to Coolio,” Coolio raps in “A Star is Born.” “At the age of 18 I hit the studio KDAY I’m on radio.”

“Coolio told his story in the second verse,” said DJ Wino. “This song was not meant to be posthumous.”

Coolio died in September 2022 from the effects of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office determined, ruling it an accidental death. In March 2023, Coolio’s estate announced that the hip-hop legend had been working on an album in the days leading up to his death.

DJ Wino says about 75% of the album was completed prior to Coolio’s death. “He laid it out there for us,” he said of finishing Long Live Coolio. “It was up to us to come through, and like good little foot soldiers we followed up.”

Coolio won a Grammy for best solo rap performance for “Gangsta’s Paradise,” the 1995 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film Dangerous Minds that sampled Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Pastime Paradise” and was played constantly on MTV. The song hit one billion views on YouTube in 2022.

The rapper had subsequent hits with “Fantastic Voyage” in 1994, “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” in 1996 and 1997’s “C U When U Get There.” His career album sales totaled 4.8 million, with 978 million on-demand streams of his songs, according to Luminate. He was nominated for six Grammys overall.

Here’s the tracklist to Coolio’s Long Live Coolio:

“Shine On Me”
“Got That”
“Notice Me” (feat. Ras Kass)
“Fast Pace” (feat. Kid Frost)
“I’m Wit That BS” (feat. J-Dee from Da Lench Mob)
“TAG You It” (feat. Too $hort)
“A Star Is Born” (feat. Treach from Naughty By Nature)
“Belly of the Beast” (feat. Cejaz Negraz)
“Snitch’N”
“Stand Up Beat It Hit It” (feat. Jay Chris)
“R Thentic” (feat. Kurupt & Chill)

08 Jul 2023

Selena Gomez Reflects on July 4th Party With ‘Kick A– Gals’ Taylor Swift and Haim

Selena Gomez is feeling re-energized after spending Independence Day with some close friends.

The Only Murders in the Building star took to Instagram on Saturday (July 8) to reflect on her uplifting 4th of July holiday weekend alongside longtime bestie Taylor Swift, the Haim sisters, and other pals.

“Sometimes you need to be around empowering, kind and kick a– gals. I needed that,” Gomez captioned the post, which included party pics with her A-list friends.

On Friday, Swift shared the same set of Polaroids from her annual patriotic celebration. In one of the pics, Tay hugs a smiling Gomez from behind, wrapping her arms around Selena’s shoulder. A second snap shows the pair preparing to share a red, white and blue Bomb Pop.

The two other photos appear to show the women singing karaoke in the kitchen and piling up for a group hug. The images also featured Este, Alana and Danielle Haim, along with Nashville stylist Ashley Avignone and Sydney Ness, who is the reported girlfriend of Swift’s brother Austin.

Swift has hosted a 4th of July blowout for years, with her crew of models, actors and singers making the trek to the singer’s Rhode Island mansion for pool parties and pics. Other guests over the years have included Ed Sheeran, Nick Jonas, Gigi Hadid, Lena Dunham, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and many others.

Earlier this summer, Gomez teased on Instagram that the follow-up to her 2020 album, Rare, is finally underway. The 30-year-old pop star shared several photos of herself working in a recording studio. “Don’t worry guys, it’s coming,” the singer-actress captioned the post. “Even from Paris.”

See Gomez’ July 4th post on Instagram below.

08 Jul 2023

Here’s Why Taylor Swift Fans Think ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ Is Being Teased in ‘I Can See You’ Video

Let the speculation begin! Taylor Swift fans believe the pop superstar is dropping some major Easter eggs about her next re-recorded album following the surprise release of her “I Can See You” music video.

During her Eras Tour concert in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday (July 7), the 33-year-old singer delighted Swifties by sharing the action-packed visual for her newly released Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) “From the Vault” track “I Can See You,” starring actors Taylor Lautner, Joey King and Presley Cash.

Written and directed by Swift, the five-minute video finds the songstress and her co-stars pulling off a heist to recover the master recording of her third album. Toward the end of the clip, as the foursome makes their escape in a white fan, they drive across a bridge with a sign that reads “1989 TV.” This has led many to believe that a re-recording of her 2014 album, 1989, could be on the horizon.

“1989 TAYLOR’S VERSION IS NEXT. Easter eggs in the ‘I Can See You’ music video confirms it,” one fan tweeted alongside screenshots from the video.

Other eagle-eyed Swifties have pointed out that the “I Can See You” video features similar imagery to various 1989 visuals, including a close-up of the singer’s bright red lips from her “Style” video and action sequences from the “Bad Blood” video.

During Friday’s show at Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Swift invited Lautner, King and Cash onstage to help introduce the “I Can See You” clip. Lautner delighted the sold-out audience by cartwheeling and backflipping onto the stage.

“WELL. SO. I’ve been counting down for months and finally the ‘I Can See You’ video is out,” Swift tweeted alongside behind-the-scenes photos the visual. “I wrote this video treatment over a year ago and really wanted to play out symbolically how it’s felt for me to have the fans helping me reclaim my music.”

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the newly released re-recording of Swift’s 2010 album, arrived on Friday (July 7). The new set features all of the original recordings, plus six “From the Vault” tracks.

See more fan reactions to Swift’s “I Can See You” on social media below.

08 Jul 2023

Taylor Swift Premieres ‘I Can See You’ Video With Taylor Lautner at Eras Tour Show in Kansas City

Taylor Swift surprised fans at her Eras Tour concert in Kansas City, Mo., on Friday (July 7) by premiering the music video for her song “I Can See You.”

The action-packed visual for the Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) track finds Swift and actors Taylor Lautner, Joey King and Presley Cash pulling off a heist of her third album. “I Can See You” appears as one of the newly released re-recorded album’s “From the Vault” songs.

During Friday’s show at Geha Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Swift invited the three actors onstage to help introduce the video. Lautner delighted the sold-out audience by cartwheeling and backflipping onto the stage.

“WELL. SO. I’ve been counting down for months and finally the ‘I Can See You’ video is out,” Swift tweeted alongside behind-the-scenes photos from her self-directed video. “I wrote this video treatment over a year ago and really wanted to play out symbolically how it’s felt for me to have the fans helping me reclaim my music.”

The singer continued, “I had my heart set on @JoeyKing, Taylor Lautner and @IAmPresleyCash starring in it. Joey and Presley had been in the video for ‘Mean’ when they were 9 and 13 and they are back and so ridiculously bad ass!! Taytay is INCREDIBLE in this (didn’t have a stunt double!) and shout out to Tay Lautner for being so awesome to hang with on set.”

Swift, who briefly dated Lautner in 2009, concluded her post by noting that she’s “always wanted to direct fight scenes/a heist storyline and had the most incredible time plotting this out.”

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the newly released re-recording of Swift’s 2010 album, also arrived on Friday (July 7). The new set features all of the original recordings, plus six “From the Vault” tracks.

Lautner shared some kind words about Swift following the debut of the video. “Taylor, I respect you so much. Not just for the singer you are, the songwriter, the performer, but for the human you are. You are gracious, humble, kind and I am honored to know you,” the actor said.

Elsewhere during Friday’s concert, Swift included a performance of “Long Live” to the Speak Now section of her show directly after “Enchanted.” She also played Speak Now song “Never Grow Up” and “From the Vault” track “When Emma Falls in Love” during the surprise songs portion of her set.

Watch the video for Swift’s “I Can See You” below.

08 Jul 2023

Camila Cabello to Receive Special Award at Premios Juventud & More Uplifting Moments in Latin Music

From career milestones and new music releases to major announcements and more, Billboard editors highlight the latest news buzz in Latin music every week. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

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A Bromance That Endures

After a nearly 10-month hiatus from social media, J Balvin is back in the game. The Colombian artist is not only making the rounds with his comeback single “En Alta” with newcomers Quevedo, Yovngchimi, and Omar Courtz—a trap song about keeping a positive mindset—but he’s also hitting the stage and reuniting with colleagues. 

This week, Balvin performed a show at Ibiza, where, to everyone’s surprise, he was joined on stage by Maluma to sing their 2019 collaborative effort “Que Pena.” “It’s been more than 10 years without sharing a stage,” Balvin expressed on Instagram. “It’s such an honor seeing the big artist you’ve become and even bigger, the person you are. And see how sexy we are, jejeje.” 

Road to Premios Juventud 

This week, Univision unveiled a new wave of performers that will take center stage at the 2023 Premios Juventud, set for July 20. Confirmed acts (so far) are: Camilo, Carin Leon, Danna Paola, Denise Rosenthal, Eslabon Armado, Farruko, Fernando Villalona, Ilegales, Jandy Ventura, Los Hermanos Rosario, Pavel Núñez, Sofia Reyes, and Toño Rosario. 

Additionally, Camila Cabello will receive the special “Agent of Change” award at the awards 20th anniversary for her commitment to the betterment of youth around the world. “I am honored and incredibly excited to receive this esteemed recognition. I can’t wait to see you all on July 20th for an unforgettable show,” she expressed in a press statement. Cabello now joins past “Agent of Change” honorees including Jesse & Joy, Maluma, Daddy Yankee, J Balvin, Kany Garcia, Jenni Rivera Foundation, Ricky Martin, Becky G, Pitbull, Juanpa Zurita, and Wisin y Yandel. 

Sebastian Yatra & Lang Lang

One of Sebastian Yatra’s dreams came true this week after the Colombian star was invited by renowned pianist Lang Lang to perform a very special rendition of the Oscar-nominated hit, “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto. “What a great privilege it was to sing beside you my friend, please keep inspiring us with your work and magic!! Next time we’ll play it in China!!” Yatra expressed on Instagram. “It was my great pleasure to perform with you and I cannot wait for our next performance together,” Lang Lang responded in the comments. The two artists performed at the National Auditorium in Madrid as part of Lang Lang’s The Disney Book in concert.

Peso Pluma’s Billboard Domination

Peso Pluma is making Billboard history with his third studio album Génesis, which skyrocketed to No. 1 (from No. 35) on the Top Latin Albums chart (dated July 8) after its first full tracking week, and also jumped 10-1 on Regional Mexican Albums. The 14-track set also reached No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200. Billboard also reported this week that 10 of the album’s songs debuted on the Hot Latin Songs chart, including “Luna,” with Junior H, leading the new arrivals at No. 5, with 13 million official on-demand streams earned in the U.S. in the week ending June 29, according to Luminate.

Young Miko Takes Over Puerto Rico

At the beginning of this week, Young Miko performed her first-ever concert in Puerto Rico with a sold-out show at the Anfiteatro Tito Puente venue. The rising Puerto Rican rapper, and Billboard’s Latin Artist on the Rise, not only performed her viral hits such as “Riri” and “Lisa,” but she also counted with the support of special guests including Yandel, Jowell & Randy, Omar Courtz, and PJ Sin Suela, to name a few. “I’m never going to get over what we lived together, Puerto Rico,” the artist expressed on Instagram. “My first concert and it was a f*****g dream.” “I can’t thank you enough for the energy and vibes you greeted me with and for kicking with me to the end without ever letting it down! […] This is just the beginning, with God ahead here we will be together until the end,” she continued. See photos of her big night below: