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If you’re already missing new episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race on your TV screen, don’t fret. The long-awaited 10th season of the franchise’s All Stars format is coming even sooner than you might think.
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On Wednesday (April 23), Paramount+ announced that RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 10 is set to debut on Friday, May 6, on the streaming service. To celebrate the show’s expansive history, the newest season of All Stars will feature a whopping 18 contestants from past seasons of the show, each vying for their spot in the Drag Race Hall of Fame.
The queens joining the new season of the franchise are Acid Betty (season eight), Aja (season nine & All Stars 3), Alyssa Hunter (season 14), Bosco (season 14), Cynthia Lee Fontaine (seasons eight and nine), Daya Betty (season 14), Deja Skye (season 14), Denali (season 13), Ginger Minj (season seven, All Stars 2 and All Stars 6), Irene the Alien (season 15), Jorgeous (season 14 and All Stars 9), Kerri Colby (season 14), Lydia B Kollins (season 17), Mistress Isabelle Brooks (season 15), Nicole Paige Brooks (season two), Olivia Lux (season 13), Phoenix (season three) and Tina Burner (season 13).
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With a massive cast of queens for All Stars 10, the show is also switching up its format for the season. Dubbed the “Tournament of All Stars,” the first three episodes of season 10 will see each of the 18 queens split up into three groups of six contestants. Performing in brackets amongst their groups for three episodes, the top three queens from each group will advance to the semifinals, where they will subsequently compete in another bracket for two episodes. The finalists from the semifinal bracket will make their way to the finale — a Lip Sync Smackdown for the Crown — where they’ll duke it out for the grand prize of $200,000.
The announcement comes on the heels of the finale for RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 on April 19, where — spoiler alert — frontrunner Onya Nurve was crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar after a hotly contested lip sync to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” against fellow finalist Jewels Sparkles.
Check out the official Meet the Queens livestream for All Stars 10 below:
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Eugene “Big U” Henley Jr., a notable music executive with ties to the late Nipsey Hussle, is in the crosshairs of federal prosecutors for his alleged role as a gang leader. According to prosecutors, Big U is seeking the assistance of President Donald Trump, whom he reportedly referred to as the “Orange Man.”
The Los Angeles Times reports that Big U, 58, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. Joel Richlin in Los Angeles in a pre-trial hearing on Tuesday (April 22) where it was ruled that the alleged Rollin 60s Crips leader will remain behind bars as he awaits trial. Richlin read off the list of charges Henley faces and considered him a flight risk and a danger to the community, thus why he will remain jailed.
Henley currently faces a 43-count indictment with charges ranging from violating RICO laws, embezzlement of charity donations, tax evasion, and the alleged murder of a rapper that was under his tutelage.
“Even in his short time in custody, he is up to his old tricks, once again trying to use some of those same celebrities for his personal gain,” the government stated in a briefing ahead of the Tuesday hearing. “He has even suggested that he can manipulate the President of the United States into intervening in the case and dropping the charges, even as he simultaneously derisively refers to the President as ‘the orange man’ while in custody. This Court should not be fooled by the good deeds defendant promises to accomplish if only he could close the detention doors behind him.”
A pretrial conference is scheduled for May 9. Big U has pleaded not guilty.
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Photo: Leon Bennett / Getty
Hanna Nicole and Ashley Grace are so in sync that they even finish each other’s sentences at times.
Collectively known as Ha*Ash, the Louisiana-born sisters’ bond has powered the duo’s career over the past 20 years, and that built-in connectedness also contributes to their unbreakable status in Latin music. On April 24, the sisters will be honored at Billboard and Telemundo’s annual Latin Women in Music event with the Unbreakable Award, celebrating both their music and their career as a remarkable sibling duo that is perhaps more relevant than ever today.
“When I hear the word unbreakable, the first thing that comes to my mind is that, although this career has been like a roller coaster, here we are doing what we love to do the most,” says Hanna, who is a year and a half older than Ashley. “It’s an honor to not only be recognized for our work after 23 years of career but to continue to live from our stories and songs. It’s a blessing.”
Speaking in perfect English and Spanish, a reflection of their bicultural upbringing — living half of the year in Mexico and the other half in the U.S. as kids — Hanna and Ashley are in the midst of their biggest tour ever, with a South American trek that included stops at Chile’s Viña del Mar Festival, in the wake of their 2024 album, Haashville.
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It’s the latest high point in a career that fueled Latin pop’s domination in the early 2000s with their country-tinged “Odio Amarte,” the first single from their self-titled debut album, and “Estés Donde Estés,” which became Ha*Ash’s first top 10 hit on Billboard‘s Latin Pop Airplay chart.
“ ’Estés’ became the theme song of a Mexican telenovela, so it got such a big push from that,” Ashley explains. “Back then, if one of your songs was picked up by a telenovela, it was like wow you made it. We never imagined this would be our breakthrough song, but it opened doors. We started performing small gigs, and after that, we kind of took off.”
But it was “Odio Amarte” that showcased Ha*Ash’s signature sound: Latin pop with a country twist. It was a style that came naturally to the Mexican-American sisters who grew up in the South listening to the likes of Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton and Garth Brooks. Hanna and Ashley — professionally trained musicians and singers — would translate those artists’ songs to Spanish so their friends in Mexico could understand what they were singing about.
“That’s who we are, a mixture of two cultures, different musical genres, that’s the consequence of where we lived and who we are,” says Hanna. But their vision of fusing pop with country was met with resistance from some label execs who argued country wasn’t popular in the Latin world. “We would get yeses from labels we were visiting but they wanted us to just do pop, and we didn’t want to record just to record, we wanted to do what felt natural to us. We said no to those labels because we weren’t in a hurry to release anything, and we wanted to be loyal to our sound.”
Ha*Ash
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Eventually, their demo ended up in the right hands at Sony Music México, with whom they signed and released their debut LP, Ha*Ash, in 2003. It was also around that time that the then teenagers signed with Ocesa Seitrack for management.
“Staying genuine to their music has been extremely relevant [to their success],” says manager Octavio Padilla of Ocesa Seitrack. “That is what has generated a true connection between Ha*Ash and their fans and that has maintained this bond for so long. If today you go to a Ha*Ash show in Chile, Argentina or anywhere in Latin America, you will be able to see that connection where all their fans feel identified and close to Hanna and Ashley.”
All told, Ha*Ash has released a total of eight albums and, over the years, the duo has accumulated a total of 16 entries on Latin Pop Airplay, four of which reached the top 10, including “El Cielo Te Mandó Para Mí” from their latest studio album, Haashville (2024), which reached a No. 7 high on Latin Pop Airplay.
Besides recording music, touring has been key to Ha*Ash’s success. “Thank God that’s been where we’ve overachieved,” says Hanna. “I wouldn’t say that we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for live shows, but our careers would be different. Today, we are very fortunate to be on tour and sell the number of tickets that we have sold but tomorrow is not guaranteed so we value the good moments.”
That grateful mentality was instilled in them as little kids. Hanna and Ashley grew up in a strict household where they were taught the value of hard work at a young age. They started performing when they were around 12 years old at state fairs, rodeos and even a stint at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, as tourism ambassadors — handpicked by the Secretary of State in Louisiana who heard them sing at church. “On the weekends, we would fly from Mexico to Louisiana to sing at all these events and we’d take our guitars, which were way bigger than us, and we’d perform and then fly back to Mexico on Sundays,” Hanna recalls of their extraordinary childhood.
Ashley chimes in, “We were home-schooled and when we weren’t touring, my dad would ask, ‘What’s your schedule? Because you’re not just going to sleep around or watch television.’ So, it was either piano or guitar class, singing class, going to the gym, doing something productive. ‘If you have an hour that I don’t see on your schedule, you’re wasting your time,’ he would tell us.”
And they wouldn’t have it any other way either. “When we signed with Sony, we were underage so my dad would go into every single meeting. He was always like, ‘One day I won’t be here, so you guys need to sit in and listen because I know I have done my job when I’m not here and you’re able to continue with your career.’ We are very grateful to my dad for that, for teaching us to work and to value.”
Reflecting on their 20 plus years in music, Hanna and Ashley are most grateful to be able to do this together.
“I just feel that we were brought up to do everything together and once we were working and traveling, although we’re surrounded by so many people, at the end of the day, it’s just us,” Hanna says. “We’ve always had each other’s backs, and we speak so openly about what works and what doesn’t because we have a bond that is like no other. We’re sisters first and then we’re partners. Sisterhood always comes first.”
The third annual Billboard Latin Women in Music special will air live at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, April 24 exclusively on Telemundo, Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.
Read Billboard’s Latin Women In Music 2025 executive list here.
UPDATE (April 23): Emmy Award-winning producers Jesse Collins and Dionne Harmon, and Emmy-nominated Jeannae Rouzan-Clay of Jesse Collins Entertainment are set to return as executive producers of the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, broadcasting live coast-to-coast from the Peacock Theater in L.A., Sunday, Sept. 14. This marks their third consecutive year as the show’s executive producers.
Collins has also served as an executive producer of the Grammy Awards for each of the last four years, working alongside Ben Winston and Raj Kapoor. He won his Primetime Emmy as an executive producer of The Pepsi Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show Starring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, which won outstanding variety special (live) three years ago. His fellow executive producers on that show were Jay-Z and Desiree Perez.
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“We’re thrilled to be partnering again with the talented team at Jesse Collins Entertainment,” Television Academy chair Cris Abrego said in a statement. “Jesse, Dionne and Jeannae are terrific collaborators who have now produced two exceptionally creative, innovative and entertaining Emmy broadcasts, and we’re excited about their approach to this year’s celebration of television.
PREVIOUSLY (April 16): Comedian Nate Bargatze is set to host the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, broadcasting live coast-to-coast from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 14 (8-11 p.m. ET/5-8 p.m. PT) on CBS, and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
With this announcement, three of the four EGOT-level awards shows will have had first-time hosts this year. Conan O’Brien hosted the Oscars for the first time on March 2. Cynthia Erivo will host the Tony Awards for the first time on June 8. The only EGOT-level show to stay with a tried-and-true host was the Grammys, which was hosted by Trevor Noah for the fifth time on Feb. 2.
“It’s a huge honor to be asked to host such an iconic awards show and I’m beyond excited to work with CBS to create a night that can be enjoyed by families around the world,” Bargatze said in a statement.
“Nate is one of the hottest comics in the business with a remarkable and hilarious brand of comedy that deeply resonates with multi-generational audiences around the globe,” said Television Academy chair Cris Abrego.
Bargatze, 46, received a Grammy nomination three years ago for best comedy album for The Greatest Average American. The comedian, author, podcaster, actor, director and producer is a Nashville native. He grossed $82.2 million and sold 1.1 million tickets in 2024, according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore, which put his tour at No. 1 for the year’s highest grossing comedy tours.
Cedric the Entertainer, star of CBS’ The Neighborhood, hosted the Primetime Emmys in 2021, the last time CBS aired the show. (The Primetime Emmys rotate among the three legacy networks and Fox.) Last year’s show, on ABC, was co-hosted by the father-and-son team of Eugene Levy and Dan Levy.
The producer of this year’s show has not yet been named. Jesse Collins Entertainment produced the last two Primetime Emmy Awards telecasts, with Alex Rudzinski on board as director for both shows.
Nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced by the Television Academy on Tuesday, July 15, streaming live at 8:30 a.m. PT on the academy’s website.
This year’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be held on Saturday, Sept. 6, and Sunday, Sept. 7. Those ceremonies will be produced by the Television Academy.
Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.
As country music prepares to take over Coachella Valley this weekend for the annual, sold-out Stagecoach Country Music Festival, more than five dozen acts spanning a wide array of sounds will perform on multiple stages April 25 to April 27 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Two-time CMA Awards entertainer of the year […]
The Weeknd grabs sole possession of the third most No. 1s on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart as his current single, “Cry for Me,” reigns on the list dated April 26. As the new champ climbs from No. 3, The Weeknd claims his 15th Rhythmic Airplay leader, breaking from his tie with Chris Brown. He now […]
IBIZA, Spain — The annual dance industry conference IMS Ibiza began today (April 23) on its namesake island, with hundreds of people from around the sector gathering for three days of discussions, presentations, panels, music and more looking at the global electronic music scene and industry from all angles.
As is tradition, the Summit began with the presentation of the annual IMS Business Report, which tracks the key trends from the global business over the last 12 months. Marking its 11th edition this year, the report was authored by MIDiA Research’s Mark Mulligan and is available here.
Mulligan also presented the report to a packed room on Wednesday afternoon, giving context to the data and illustrating that while revenues may be lagging in clubs and festivals, electronic music culture is booming both on and offline. These are 11 key findings from the 2025 report.
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1) Streaming Is Way Up in the Global South
The report finds that while streaming revenue growth slowed to 6% in 2024, subscriber growth saw huge gains, with the overall streaming sector seeing a 12% growth in its subscriber base.
Incredibly, nearly four fifths of this growth came from Global South markets, an area the UN Trade and Development organization defines as comprised of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania. Mulligan noted that Global South statistic is especially crucial given that user growth will eventually give way to global cultural growth “as these users drive the rise of large local music scenes that will increasingly export their sounds to the West.”
The reports also found that Spotify stayed in the lead in terms of DSPs, maintaining its 32% market share and registering more than a quarter of a billion subscribers globally. The report notes that “YouTube Music was the only other global DSP to also enjoy strong growth in 2024, gaining to a 10% market share.
2) Electronic Music Is a Market Leader
The report notes that electronic music has the top or second highest count of Spotify followers in nine of the genre’s top 13 markets, compared to hip-hop, Latin and rock. And while Latin and hip-hop growth may be statistically stronger, the reach of these audiences, especially Latin, varies strongly by region, versus electronic music’s more global growth.
Additionally, the world’s top four electronic music markets — Germany, Australia, the U.S. and U.K. — all gained significant listener counts in 2024, although Mexico, the U.K. and Germany saw the highest growth, respectively. (Incredibly, electronic music was up 60% in Mexico.)
Meanwhile, electronic music consumption is considered endemic in The Netherlands and Australia, where the report found that the number of monthly electronic music listeners on Spotify is higher than the total population. (This is possible because individuals can consume more than one style of electronic music on the platform.)
3) Electronic Music Fans Over-Index For Time & Money Spent
Mulligan repeatedly emphasized the crucial nature and influence of IRL scenes, which dance music excels in cultivating and which many younger people are prioritizing over online existence.
“This idea of scenes is going to become more and more important,” he said, “because superstars are getting smaller and everything is fragmenting. It’s time to look simply beyond the stream counts, beyond the social numbers to measure the cultural impact, even though that’s nearly impossible to do. But that’s probably a good thing. If it’s not measurable, it’s harder for people to go and overtly commercialize it.”
He referred to culture as “the fuel in the engine,” saying that things like revenue, stream counts and social and followings “will come as a result of the culture. So the fact that the cultural indicators are beginning to really light up in 2024 points to a really strong few years coming up.”
4) Revenues in Ibiza Were Up, But Ticket Sales Were Slightly Down
The report notes that the average number of events per venue on the island “is on a steady, albeit modest decline and ticket volumes were down in 2024, with higher average ticket prices thereason that revenues were up once again. “You keep charging people more until they can’t afford it anymore” said Mulligan, “and there will come a point when people say ‘I literally can’t afford any more for this at the moment.’” This is especially true now, he noted, in a period of global economic uncertainty.
5) Afro House Continues to Rise
Mulligan reported that Afro-house “has absolutely rocketed” in the last year, while drum & bass is also in a “real era of resurgence.” A survey of the digital sample library Loopcloud indicates a large rise in samples of African music genres, suggesting the genre will continue growing.
6) Hard World = Hard Music
The Loopcloud survey also found a rise in harder electronic genres like hardcore and hard dance, while “softer” genres like ambient and chill out are going down and losing share. This is, Mulligan posted, is “because culture reflects the world around us. It’s a crappy world out there at the moment. There’s wars and famine and inequality, and I think that’s beginning to really come through in the music that people are making and the music that people are listening to.”
7) There’s Been a 45% Growth of Electronic Music Hashtags on TikTok
Amapiano and trance saw especially big growth on the platform. “Again,” Mulligan said, “there are all of these cultural indicators that are growing more strongly than the revenue indicators are.”
8) SoundCloud Also Remains a Strong Cultural Indicator
The platform saw 100% growth in uploads of UKG (UK garage) with jungle uploads also up 45%.”These tend to the genres that tend to be owned by Gen Z and even Gen Alpha,” said Mulligan. “SoundCloud has so many of these bootleg remakes … of course [the people who make them] can never get the rights cleared and put them onto Spotify, but a lot of this culture is happening online on places like SoundCloud.”
9) Music Catalog Investors Have a Growing Interest in Dance
“Mainly what happens is old white males invest in old white males, so you still see the Bob Dylans [of the world getting invested in], but we are beginning to see more and more of other genres,” Mulligan said of investor acquisitions of artist catalogs. The report states that the share of catalog deals for electronic artists doubled between 2020 and 2024, with recent notable examples including Kevin Saunderson, Tiga and deadmau5.
10) Dance Music’s Gender Divide Persists
In terms of the number of people producing music and playing events, Mulligan reported that “this is still a heavily male world,” although there’s also been a slight increase in the representation of female artists. This determination is based on a survey of data from AlphaTheta, where the registered userbase, the report says “points to the steady rise of female DJs, many of whom will be inspired by the growing share of top DJs that are now female.”
“We are beginning to see change,” Mulligan added in his presentation. “It’s not dramatic, but it’s good and steady progress.”
11) The Global Electronic Music Industry Was Valued at $12.9 Billion in 2024
This number includes live, merchandising, sponsorships, recorded music, publishing, music hardware and software, clubs, festivals and more. The number represents a 6% growth over 2024, which Mulligan noted “might not sound huge, but remember live music revenues — festivals and clubs — which is a really big part of the revenue mix, is beginning to slow, so that sort of drags down the overall numbers. But most importantly, the culture is absolutely booming. With 0.6 billion new social followers of electronic music followers in 2024 they’re the foundation for what’s set to be a really vibrant few years.”
Noah Kahan has long joked that he’s the “Jewish Ed Sheeran.” And this week, the two singer-songwriters finally got together, playing a set of acoustic songs — including one of the British pop star’s unreleased tracks titled “Old Phone” — in a Nashville pub.
In one video posted to Instagram by the “Shape of You” singer Tuesday (April 22), he and the Vermont native sit across from each other on the intimate barroom floor of Santa’s Pub in Tennessee’s capital, both of them wielding acoustic guitars. Smiling, Sheeran and Kahan belt out the chorus to the latter’s breakthrough 2022 smash “Stick Season.”
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“I love Vermont, but it’s the season of the sticks/ And I saw your mom, she forgot that I existed,” they belt, joined by dozens of fans seated around them. “And it’s half my fault, but I just like to play the victim/ I’ll drink alcohol ’til my friends come home for Christmas.”
“Shut down @santaspub in Nashville to do dueling songs with @noahkahanmusic,” Sheeran captioned the performance. “What a night.”
According to other clips posted by guests in attendance, the pair also sang “All My Love” and “Dial Drunk” from Kahan’s Billboard 200 No. 2 album Stick Season. Sheeran also enlisted the folk singer to perform the unreleased “Old Phone,” remarking, “I recorded this song, I was like, ‘I think it kind of sounds like a Noah Kahan song … this is a like a full-circle moment for me.”
“That’s f–king mind-blowing,” Kahan quipped.
“Conversations with my dead friends/ Messages from all my exes,” Sheeran then sang on the track, which he previously performed on The Tonight Show ahead of its May 2 release, as Kahan joined him on guitar. “I kinda think that this was best left/ There, in the past, where it belongs.”
The performance marks just the latest pub pop-up the “Perfect” musician has hosted ahead of his upcoming album, Play, with Sheeran also making headlines for his surprise mini concerts at other bars in Boston and Nashville this year. On that note, Sheeran also built a fully functional bar called the Old Phone Pub in Ipswich, Mass., to promote his new song “Azizam,” which debuted at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April. Shortly afterward, he reconstructed the pop-up at Coachella, where he sang duets with Shaboozey and Alex Warren in addition to performing on the Mojave stage at the festival.
Watch Sheeran and Kahan perform “Old Phone” and “Stick Season” below.
France’s biggest pop star, now striking out on her own, continues to challenge the status quo and captivate audiences around the globe.
How do you reinvent yourself after establishing, in less than a decade, a place as one of the cornerstones of the French music scene — with over 6 billion streams and 24 diamond certifications (16 in France, 8 internationally)?
“I’ve already asked myself that question,” Aya Nakamura admits.
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“My answer is that when you’re an artist, you’re supposed to evolve. Otherwise, you stop living your music. At some point, you feel like you’re no longer truly yourself. I believe that as long as you embrace who you are, as long as you’re still living, still feeling emotions, you’ll have no problem channeling that energy back into your music… At least, when you’re passionate.”
At 29, the singer has already left an indelible mark on French pop. Her hits “Djadja” and “Pookie,” sung entirely in French, have travelled the globe — so much so that she’s become the obvious choice to represent francophone music at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games.
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“I wonder if I could have done the same thing had I been born 20 years earlier,” she reflects. “It definitely wouldn’t have been this easy… especially because there’s something new here — a Black woman wanting to sing in her own bold, unapologetic style, without waiting for anyone to open doors for her, and reaching her audience through different channels.”
Now fully independent, Aya Nakamura is turning the page and beginning a new chapter — one that kicks off with her first major signing.
The Beginnings
Born in Bamako, Mali, Aya arrived in France just a few months later. Coming from a family of griots — West African storytellers and musicians — she grew up in Aulnay-sous-Bois, in a household where music was already part of everyday life.
“It’s kind of special, because my mother was a singer and would’ve loved to have a career. Now, I’m doing it in her place — almost like a form of redemption for her. I want to go all the way, and I hope it can inspire other women to pursue their own dreams.”
Her real start came in 2014, when she posted her first track, “Karma,” on Facebook. A fan of the TV series Heroes, she took inspiration from the character Hiro Nakamura to create her stage name.
The turning point came in 2017 with her debut album Journal Intime, now certified platinum. Newly signed to Warner Music France at the time, Aya Nakamura laid the foundation for the signature sound that would come to define her. On the track “Oumou Sangaré,” she paid tribute to her Malian heritage — a connection she’s been feeling drawn to again.
“Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about doing something like that again,” she says.
Olympic Recognition
Aya Nakamura’s international breakthrough came in 2018 with the release of “Djadja.” The track topped the French charts for two consecutive weeks and quickly crossed European borders. In the Netherlands, it made history: for the first time since Édith Piaf in 1961, a French-language song by a female artist reached No. 1 on the charts.
This meteoric success was cemented with the release of her second album, Nakamura, in November 2018. Fueled by diamond-certified singles like “Copines,” “La Dot” and “Pookie,” the album became a commercial phenomenon unlike anything seen before for a francophone artist. It went diamond in France with over 500,000 copies sold, matched by another half-million internationally. Today, it holds the record as the most streamed francophone album in Spotify history, with over 2 billion streams.
Her trajectory continued with two more albums, AYA and DNK, but it reached a symbolic high point on July 26, 2024, when she performed on the Pont des Arts during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. Accompanied by musicians from the Garde Républicaine and the French Army Choir, the performance became the most-watched moment in French television history, drawing 31.4 million viewers.
“What can I say? People often call it ‘iconic.’ It took me six months to truly process what I’d done,” she admits. “In the moment, you’re just pushing forward, head down, working hard to deliver something you can be proud of. Then, when you step back and look at everything — the impact, the debates… it feels like a movie. In the end, I feel like I made it.”
In February 2025, just months after her global triumph, Aya surprised fans with “Chimiyé” — a single that marked a distinct shift in her discography. Collaborating with rapper Alpha Wann and the Don Dada team (JayJay, Selman, StillNas), she ventured into new sonic territory, blending R&B with elements of spoken word and rap.
“I gave myself the challenge of making something more rap-leaning — without actually being a rapper. That’s what pushed me out of my comfort zone,” she explains. “I like working with people who are a bit unexpected. Some of my producers don’t even usually listen to my music — and that keeps things fun. Without those collaborations, I would’ve never made tracks like ‘Djadja’ or ‘Pookie.’”
On Feb. 23, 2025, she broke yet another record: the “Djadja” video surpassed one billion views on YouTube, becoming only the fourth French-language song to reach that milestone — and the first by an African artist to do so.
Next stop, the Stade de France?
“Yes, but not just yet,” she smiles. “I still want to take my time. In France, it feels like the final step — and before I get there, I want to keep sharing other shows, other moments with my audience.”
Beyond Borders
How can one explain such a rare ability to transcend language barriers? Aya Nakamura pauses before answering.
“I didn’t realize right away that I had an international audience — it really happened gradually. People would tell me, ‘You’re being listened to all over the world,’ but it was through interactions with fans on social media and stumbling across videos that I began to understand the scale of it. I found fan accounts in Brazil, in Venezuela… I travel too, and I hear my music everywhere — in the U.S., in Thailand. But I don’t really create my music with a specific place in mind. I just try to offer something that feels real to me — and if it resonates worldwide, that’s a bonus.”
That global reach also shows in her collaborations. After teaming up with Colombian superstar Maluma for a “Djadja” remix in 2020, she joined forces with Nigerian sensation Ayra Starr for a reimagined version of her hit “Hypé” in March 2024 — a track that climbed to No. 17 on the U.K. charts, a rare feat for a song sung mostly in French.
“I think music is energy,” she says. “The songs that connect most are often the ones where I’ve poured the most of myself into them emotionally. People don’t just listen for the lyrics… It’s like when I used to listen to artists like Rihanna growing up, without understanding everything she was singing. What connects with people when they hear certain songs of mine is the energy in that moment — and also the blend of influences inside me that you can hear.”
That emotional authenticity, combined with her distinctive vocal style and a French language she molds into her own rhythm and expression, forms an instantly recognizable artistic identity.
“I don’t know if that’s what makes the songs universal,” she reflects, “but I think it’s the honesty I put into them, the constant search for something new. I’m not trying to ride the latest wave — I just want to offer something I’m 100% proud of, without making any artistic compromises. Maybe that’s why it speaks to people. I try to follow my instincts and creative desires, while keeping my standards high.”
From Music to Fashion
Aya Nakamura’s cultural influence now extends well beyond the realm of music. In February 2023, she was named global ambassador for Lancôme, marking her entry into the exclusive circle of luxury brand muses — a milestone that would open the door to a new world of opportunities.
On May 6, 2024, she received one of the most coveted invitations in fashion: the Met Gala in New York. With her appearance, she became only the sixth French musical artist to walk its legendary red carpet, following icons like Catherine Deneuve, Vanessa Paradis, Lou Doillon, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Carla Bruni.
Just weeks later, on June 23, 2024, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour personally selected her to perform her single “Fly” at the prestigious Vogue World Paris show, held in Place Vendôme. Dressed in a custom haute couture gown by Jean Paul Gaultier, Nakamura took part in a striking celebration of music and fashion.
“I really love fashion and the creative universe it represents,” she shares. “I’m enjoying getting deeper into it. I absolutely loved performing at Place Vendôme and being part of this blend of music and fashion. I felt completely at ease — and I found the entire production of the event to be incredibly high-quality.”
Independent Now
Alongside her growing institutional recognition, Aya Nakamura has taken control of her professional destiny. After overseeing her own artistic direction as early as “Djadja,” she took the defining step toward full independence by launching her own label.
“It’s a whole different thing,” she admits. “To be honest, I’ve always felt independent — especially when it comes to creative direction. I’m deeply involved in all the strategic decisions, from picking singles and setting release dates to choosing the visuals and producers I work with. Becoming independent has given me a whole new perspective on the business side. Now I can make all the decisions — and take full responsibility for them, whether they lead to success or not.”
“I’m still surrounded by a great team and I know when to let go,” she adds, “but mastering the entire process around the music, not just the creation part, is something I find truly exciting. It matters to me.”
Beyond her own career, Nakamura is also committed to supporting the next generation of artists.
“I’ve already signed someone — though no one knows yet,” she reveals with a smile. “His name is RnBoi. He’s young and just starting out, and it’s going really well. We met about six months ago, after I invited him to perform at my DVM Show. I took the leap — I think he has something special.”
Pop Star and Mother
Behind the icon is a young woman and a mother of two daughters, Aïcha and Ava, born in 2016 and 2022, respectively. Balancing an international career with motherhood is a daily challenge.
“To be totally honest, it’s a bit complicated with fame, but my balance comes from trying as much as possible to live like a normal person,” she shares. “For example, I go to the park with my kids, I cook for them — these moments are precious to me. It’s not always easy, and sometimes I try to be discreet to maintain a sense of normalcy. I’m really determined to preserve that freedom and have moments that I can live fully, away from the spotlight.”
Aya Nakamura
Billboard France
New York’s City Parks Foundation announced the lineup for its 2025 season of Capitol One City Parks Foundation SummerStage series of shows on Wednesday (April 23). The series of 70 free and benefit concerts and performances will bring music to Central Park and 13 other neighborhood parks across all five boroughs this summer, kicking off on June 4 with a New Orleans-inspired show featuring Marcus Miller, Tank and the Bangas and the Soul Rebels in association with the Blue Note Jazz Festival.
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The rest of the eclectic roster for the 39th edition of SummerStage will feature jazz, hip-hop, rock, salsa, reggae, Afrobeat, soul and pop artist, as well as DJs and contemporary dance performers from around the globe.
“I am thrilled to announce our 2025 SummerStage lineup, a stellar reflection of what makes our festival so unique and beloved,” said Heather Lubov, executive director of City Parks Foundation in a statement. “The huge variety of artists we’re presenting and the parks where we’re located reflect our city’s demographic and cultural diversity, but they also serve to unite us as neighbors and as lovers of music, regardless of our differences.”
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Among the other acts slated to take the stage are: The Roots, Soccer Mommy, Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, Rakim, Celia Cruz Centennial Celebration, Big Freedia, Camilo, Jessica Pratt, Bob Sinclair, IZA, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Awich, Frankie Negrón, La Sonora Poceña and Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues, among others.
This season’s events will take place in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, Herbert Von King Park and The Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, St. Mary’s Park and Crotona Park in the Bronx, Stapleton Waterfront Park on Staten Island, and SummerStage’s flagship venue, Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. Performances are free and open to the public, with the exception of the ticketed benefit concerts in Central Park.
Other 2025 SummerStage highlights include:
The Aussie BBQ: a June 14 celebration of sounds from Down Under featuring father-son hip-hop duo Flewnt and Inkabee, indie pop artist Gordi, singer-songwriter Grace Cummings, EDM duo PINES, garage rockers The Grogans and a special appearance from beloved children’s music group The Wiggles.
Nordic Next: a June 15 show with sounds from Nordic nations featuring singer-songwriter Jakob, Swedish indie-folk singer Sarah Klang and Danish art-pop violinist/singer Astrid Sonne.
New York Sings Yiddish: a June 30 showcase of Yiddish music and folklore with sets from multi-instrumentalist Zalman Mlotek and klezmer/jazz fusion band Frank London’s Klezmer All-Stars.
Canadian music showcase: a July 2 show featuring Toronto R&B singer Charlotte Day Wilson and folk-rock band The Weather Station.
Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC): July 9 show with Colombian Latin pop band Morat, with punk/reggaeton band Planta Industrial and a July 12 show with Colombian singer-songwriter Camilo and Colombian pop singer and 2024 Latin Grammy best new artist winner Ela Taubert.
Big Freedia: the New Orleans bounce queen will take the stage at Herbert Von King Park in Brooklyn with Black trans femme choreographer Courtney “Balenciaga” Washington.
Bastille Day Celebration: a July 13 showcase with performances from house DJ Bob Sinclair, hip-hop brother duo Big Flo & Oli, singer-songwriter Patrick Bruel and pianist/singer ESTL.
The Roots: The Philly hip-hop collective and Tonight Show house band will play Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens on July 20.
Femi Kuti: a July 27 show with the Nigerian superstar and his band, the Positive Force, along with New York rap crew dead prez — celebrating their 30th anniversary — and poet Maryam Bukar Hassan.
Frankie Negrón: Tropical/salsa star Negrón will play the Bronx’s Crotona Park on July 31.
Taiwanese Waves: an August 3 showcase celebrating indigenous Taiwanese culture with contemporary dance company Bulareyaung Dance Company, indigenous Paiwan pop star ABAO and singer-songwriter Enno Cheng.
Rakim: The legendary New York MC will take the stage at Stapleton Waterfront Park on Staten Island on August 9.
Celia Cruz Celebration: the tribute to the legendary Queen of Salsa’s centennial on August 9 will feature Cuban singer/pianist Aymée Nuviola and Afro-Cuban singer Brenda Navarrete.
La Sonora Ponceña: The Puerto Rican salsa band will play Stapleton Waterfront Park on August 10.
Soccer Mommy: indie rock band will close out the Central Park season on Sept. 16 with help from Hurray for the Riff Raff and Dummy.
The series will include celebrations of New York’s cultural communities with guest curators including MIKE’s Young World V — with July 12 sets from Roc Marciano and The Alchemist — DJ Rekha’s Basement Bhangra Beyond dance show with London-based Punjabi singer Tara Lily on July 19 and Coney Island’s NEMS’ second GORILLAFEST hip-hop show on July 26. In addition, legendary DJ Funk Flex will celebrate the sounds of hip-hop and R&B across the boroughs on Aug. 1 (the Bronx), Aug. 16 (Coney Island) and Aug. 17 (Central Park) and DJ/producer King Britt will host his Blacktronika Festival with back-to-back shows in Central Park (Aug. 16) and Marcus Garvey Park (Aug. 17).
SummerStage will put the spotlight on a number of female artists as well, with bluegrass/Americana singer Rihannon Giddens playing Central Park on June 25, Indian-American singer-songwriter Asha Puthli taking the stage on July 23 and folk singer Jessica Pratt performing on July 24.
Other artists who will perform as part of the season include: Lettuce with Styles P (June 14), Chris Tomlin (July 11), Cymande (July 23), The Originals featuring Rich Medina, Stretch Armstrong and Tony Touch (Aug. 10) and various artists at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival (Aug. 22). For the full line-up click here.
Summerstage
Courtesy Photo
