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Tate McRae made her return to Saturday Night Live on March 1, delivering a pair of standout performances from her latest album.
The 21-year-old pop star graced the stage for her second appearance on the iconic NBC sketch comedy show, captivating viewers with electrifying renditions of “Sports Car” and “Dear God.” Both tracks are from her third album, So Close to What, which was released on Feb. 21.
For her first performance of “Sports Car,” McRae stepped onto a stage filled with stacked metal chairs, surrounded by male dancers in suits who appeared to be snapping photos of her. Later in the episode, she returned to the same minimalist stage design for a slower, emotional performance of “Dear God.”
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Saturday’s episode was hosted by comedian Shane Gillis.
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McRae is fresh off the release of her latest album, So Close to What. The project features previously released viral singles like “It’s OK I’m OK” and “2 Hands,” as well as a collaboration with Flo Milli (“Bloodonmyhands”). The set also includes a track with McRae’s boyfriend, The Kid Laroi, titled “I Know Love.”
So Close to What follows her 2023 album, Think Later, which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The album was bolstered by singles like “Greedy” and “Exes.”
The Canadian-born star first appeared on SNL in November 2023, with Jason Momoa as the pre-Thanksgiving episode’s host. She performed two songs, “Greedy” and “Grave,” to promote her then-upcoming sophomore album, Think Later.
Later this month, McRae will launch a world tour in support of So Close to What. The Miss Possessive Tour will begin on March 18 in Mexico City and will see the singer touring through Europe, Canada and North America until the end of September 2025. Special guests for the tour include Zara Larsson and Benee.
Watch McRae’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
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Donald Trump’s approval rating among Black Americans has crept above 20 percent, but let’s not get carried away—it’s still far from mainstream acceptance.
In 2024, Trump secured 16 percent of the Black vote, a record for a Republican since 1976, but still trailing well behind his support from white (56 percent) and Hispanic voters (43 percent). Gains in battleground states were minor, with a 13 percent increase in Wisconsin and a 5 percent uptick in Georgia and North Carolina.
The increase in reported popularity among Black voters in Georgia and North Carolina comes as a surprise after Trump’s recent policies, especially his executive actions targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). These states have some of the largest Black populations in the country and are home to many HBCUs—institutions that have historically played a vital role in Black upward mobility.
HBCUs, a pillar of Black education, have also suffered under Trump’s policies. While he initially signed a bill providing long-term funding for HBCUs, his administration later undermined their financial stability by slashing federal grants and research funding that many of these institutions rely on. Additionally, his rollback of DEI programs has made it harder for these schools to secure federal partnerships and corporate sponsorships, further limiting resources for Black students. While Trump’s slight gains among Black men might make headlines, the bigger picture reveals a presidency that has systematically undercut institutions and programs designed to support Black communities in these key battleground states.
Polls paint a mixed picture. YouGov/Economist found 24 percent of Black voters approve of Trump, while 69 percent disapprove. McLaughlin and Associates reported 29 percent approval, and Emerson College showed 23 percent. Meanwhile, a wildly optimistic AtlasIntel poll claimed 69 percent approval—highly suspect given Trump’s history with Black communities. Immigration remains a hot-button issue, but only 30 percent of Black voters approve of Trump’s handling of it, compared to 57 percent of white voters.
Trump’s immigration policies have been particularly harsh on Black and Brown Americans, making the issue a major concern for voters of color. His administration’s strict deportation measures, asylum restrictions, and travel bans disproportionately impact Black immigrants, who often come from African and Caribbean nations. These policies have led to increased detentions and deportations of Black migrants, many of whom already face racial discrimination in the immigration system. Meanwhile, Latino communities have been at the center of Trump’s anti-immigration rhetoric, with family separations and border crackdowns creating widespread fear—it’s clear that Trump’s approach remains deeply unpopular among communities that bear the brunt of these policies.
The skepticism isn’t unfounded. Trump has a long track record of racially charged rhetoric and policies—from pushing the birther conspiracy to gutting DEI programs on day one of his presidency. His opposition to initiatives supporting Black communities hasn’t been a selling point. A 2040 Strategy Group poll found that while many Black voters feel Democrats aren’t doing enough, 68 percent want them to focus on protecting DEI from Trump’s attacks.
Yes, Trump has made slight inroads, particularly with younger Black men, but let’s be real—these are ripples, not waves. His policies continue to alienate much of the Black community, and as reality sets in, any gains could prove fleeting. Numbers don’t lie, and for most Black Americans, Trump remains as polarizing as ever.
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A group of Florida Republicans are under fire for inviting Andrew and Tristan Tate to an event while still charged with human trafficking.
Members of the Republican Party are at odds after an invitation was extended to controversial right-wing figures Andrew and Tristan Tate to speak at an event upon their arrival in the United States. The brothers were incarcerated in Romania after being arrested in 2022 on charges of human trafficking, allegedly luring women to the country to be sexually abused. The two were invited to speak to the Tampa Bay Young Republicans through a post by the group on social media, writing in a post on X, formerly Twitter: “As free speech absolutists, the Tates haven’t been formally convicted of any crimes and are welcome to speak to our group. We’re old enough to remember when a ‘Convicted Felon’ won the Presidency. #Freestate.”
https://x.com/TBYR/status/1895182356710936857
The invite was met with severe brushback from conservatives and right-wing figures calling the move “disgusting,” especially as speculation has arisen that President Donald Trump pressured the Romanian government into releasing the Tates. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis expressed his frustration at the situation. “I do know our attorney general, James Uthmeier, is looking at what state hooks and jurisdiction we may have to be able to deal with this,” he said to reporters. “But the reality is, no, Florida is not a place where you’re welcome with that type of conduct in the air. And I don’t know how it came to this. We were not involved, we were not notified—I found out through the media that this was something that was happening.”
Other right-wing figures directly addressed the Tampa Bay Young Republican’s post. Megyn Kelly responded, “You’ve lost your way, boys.” The Capital Young Republicans blasted their counterparts, writing: “We strongly condemn this deliberate erosion of conservative principles, professional conduct, and common decency.”
The Tates landed in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday night (Feb. 27). “I think my brother and I are largely misunderstood. There’s a lot of opinions about us – all the things that go around about us on the internet,” Andrew Tate said to members of the press at the airport. The Romanian anti-crime agency, DIICOT, did confirm that a request was made for their release but didn’t disclose who made it. They also stated that the Tates are expected to return to Romania as they are under “judicial control.”
Save this storySaveSave this storySaveTate McRae made her Saturday Night Live return last night. During an episode hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, the Canadian pop star performed two songs from her new album, So Close to What, “Sports Car” and “Dear God.” For the first track, she was backed by an energetic male dance troupe; the second performance was more subdued. Watch McRae on SNL below.McRae debuted on Saturday Night Live in November 2023. During an episode hosted by actor Jason Momoa, she sang two cuts from sophomore album Think Later, “Greedy” and “Grave.”The 50th season of Saturday Night Live premiered in September. Last night marked the NBC show’s first traditional episode since January (when Timothée Chalamet served as host and musical guest). In the interim, there were two major specials, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert and SNL50: The Anniversary Special.
Not everyone could go home with an iconic BRIT trophy.
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Angie Stone, an amazing singer and songwriter who established herself as a soul star in the late 1990s and early 2000s, passed away on Saturday, March 1, at the age of 63. Although most music fans are well aware of Angie Stone’s singing career, her roots in Hip-Hop run deep, and Hip-Hop Wired examines those connections.
Angie Stone was born Angela Laverne Brown on December 18, 1861, in Columbia, S.C. It was in her hometown that she was a member of The Sequence, an all-woman Hip-Hop trio consisting of Cheryl “Cheryl The Pearl” Cook, Gwendolyn “Blondie” Chisolm, and Angie “Angie B” Stone. The group came together when the three were all in high school, and they were first noticed after a Sugarhill Gang performance along with Sugar Hill Records founder and CEO, Sylvia Robinson.
The Sequence was the first female Hip-Hop trio to be signed to the famed Sugar Hill Records label and made history with their 1979 single “Funk You Up,” the second single released from the label after “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang. Stone is also credited on the pioneering Hip-Hop single, which helped usher the music to wider audiences and mainstream appeal.
The release and success of “Funk You Up” is significant as The Sequence was comprised of artists who hailed from the Southern United States, proving that Hip-Hop’s reach extended far beyond the five boroughs of New York.
Portions of “Funk You Up” have been sampled by the likes of Too, Short Boogie Down Productions, De La Soul, Ice Cube, and dozens more. Dr. Dre used sounds from the single for his 1995 single, “Keep Their Heads Ringin” as well. Although the group initially disbanded in 1985, the group made comeback songs in the modern era via a 2011 single “On Our Way To The Movies,” which did not feature Stone.
Stone worked with Hip-Hop duo Mantronix (DJ Kurtis Mantronik and MC Tee) before becoming the lead vocalist for the Vertical Hold trio, releasing a pair of albums in the early 1990s. She then joined with Gerry DeVeaux, Lenny Kravitz’s cousin, and Charlie Mole as a member of the group Devox. While the group didn’t last beyond one album, Stone’s songwriting prowess honed in her time in the previous groups led to her providing songwriting credits on D’Angelo’s Brown Sugar and Voodoo albums. Stone and D’Angelo had a son together as well.
In 2003, by now well established as an R&B vocalist and songwriter, Stone appeared on Erykah Badu’s “Love of My Life Worldwide” from the Texas singer’s Worldwide Underground album. Badu, and fellow featured acts Queen Latifah and Bahamadia all delivered bars with Stone on the anchor verse with “Funk You Up” as the backing sample.
In 2017, with the assistance of attorney Antavius Weems, The Sequence filed a Federal Copyright Infringement claim aimed at Bruno Mars, stating that his smash hit “Uptown Funk” used elements of “Funk You Up.”
Angie Stone and her contributions to music won’t be forgotten, as evidenced by the outpouring of adoration and regard from her fellow musicians and fans from around the world. Hopefully, those unaware of her strong roots in Hip-Hop culture are enlightened about her place in that great pantheon as well.
Rest powerfully in peace, Angie Stone.
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Their fans had eagerly awaited since Tuesday (Feb. 25), when the event had to be canceled due to a massive blackout in Chile, and Morat did not disappoint. In their debut at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival, the Colombian pop-rock band got the “monster” of Quinta Vergara excited with a show full of energy and heart.
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On a luminous stage, the Bogota quartet composed of Simón Vargas, Juan Pablo Isaza, Juan Pablo Villamil and Martín Vargas sounded impeccable as they performed hits like “No Se Va,” “Salir Con Vida,” “Por Si No Te Vuelvo A Ver” and “Amor Con Hielo,” which the audience sang along to from beginning to end, belting out the lyrics with emotion. It wasn’t long before they were awarded the Gaviota de Plata (Silver Seagull) award, and finally, they also took home the Gaviota de Oro (Gold Seagull), the highest honor given by the audience at the event.
“You can’t imagine know how much we dreamed of being here,” one of the members expressed just before receiving the Gaviota de Oro. “Thank you, really. We love you with all our soul.”
Morat’s setlist also included “París,” “Llamada Perdida,” “Besos En Guerra” and, for the big finale, “La Policía.”
“How wonderful Viña, how wonderful!” the band exclaimed before ending their debut performance at the Chilean festival. “You can’t imagine the dream we are fulfilling here. Thank you so much for all the support, for all the love.”
With hits including “No Se Va,” “Besos en Guerra” and “Cuando Nadie Ve,” Morat debuted in 2016 with the album Solo el Amor y Sus Efectos Secundarios, and received a Latin Grammy nomination for best new artist the same year. Morat’s fourth and latest LP, 2022’s Si Ayer Fuera Hoy, gave the band their first entry on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart, peaking at No. 18.
Later on Saturday, Sebastián Yatra returns to Quinta Vergara to close the festival. Yatra, with almost a dozen No. 1s on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart — including “Robarte un Beso” with Carlos Vives, and “Tacones Rojos” and “Un Año” with Reik, to name a few — had previously performed in Viña del Mar in 2019 with a full show, as well as the previous year during Vives’ concert, joining him on “Robarte un Beso” — something he did again on Wednesday during Vives’ performance.
The 64th edition of the Viña del Mar Festival kicked off Sunday (Feb. 23) with a riveting set by Marc Anthony. Since then, artists like Myriam Hernández, Ha*Ash, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Incubus, Duki, Eladio Carrión and Kid Voodoo have performed at the Quinta Vergara. All nights are livestreamed in the United States online at Billboard and Billboard Español.
Amidst the joy and celebration at the 2025 BRIT Awards was a poignant moment of remembrance for One Direction’s Liam Payne, who tragically passed away in October. Jack Whitehall, host of this year’s awards show, introduced the tribute to Payne on stage at The O2 Arena on Saturday (March 1). “It is now time to […]
Chappell Roan seems to have started a trend with her pointed acceptance speech at the Grammys on Feb. 2, in which she challenged labels to provide better healthcare and financial support for their new and developing artists. At the BRIT Awards on Saturday (March 1), several artists used their acceptance speeches to make points that mattered to them.
Myles Smith, whose “Stargazing” was a global hit, posed three questions, to the government, music venues and label executives. Georgia Davies of The Last Dinner Party challenged successful arenas like The O2, where the Brits were held, to do more to support small independent venues, who, she said, were dying. And Chappell Roan had still more to say about artistic freedom and queer joy in her two acceptance speeches.
Here, we look at three artists who used their acceptance speeches at the BRITs not just to recite a laundry list of thank yous, but to actually say something. These are the pertinent excerpts from their speeches.
Chappell Roan
Award: International song of the year for “Good Luck, Babe!”
“Over the years, I have written many songs. I don’t believe in bad art, but let’s just say I had to write a lot of bad songs to get to the good ones, and artists deserve that freedom to write bad songs and to explore horrible concepts and to flop — and rise and not be pressured into making music based off of what’s trending. So, we must continue to support these artists so they can find success on their own terms and have long careers. So, this is dedicated to the people who have helped me protect my bad art and lifted me up along the way.”
Award: International artist of the year
“Chappell Roan was born through experiencing queer joy. It’s so special I had to write an entire album about it. I dedicate this to trans artists, to drag queens, to fashion students, sex workers and Sinéad O’Connor. Because of all those people, they have laid the groundwork for me to be here today. I did not give up because of them and I will continue going because of them.”
Myles Smith
Award: BRITs Rising Star
“Tonight, whilst I have the attention of the nation and this award, which gives me kind of like this really cool speaking power, I want to ask three questions:
“My first is to the government. If British music is one of the most powerful cultural exports we have, why have we treated it like an afterthought for so many years? How many more venues need to close? How many more music programs need to be cut before you realize that we can’t just celebrate success, you have to protect the foundations that make it?
“My second is to the biggest venues in the country and around the world. If artists selling out your arenas and your stadiums started in grass-roots venues, what are you doing to keep them alive?
“And my third, to the industry, to the execs in the room and to the people behind-the-scenes. Are we building careers or are we just chasing moments because moments fade and careers take time. So please stick with artists past their first viral hit, please stick with artists past their first tour, because it really matters to us. And moments, they fade, but careers last forever.”
Georgia Davies of The Last Dinner Party
Award: Best new artist
“We wouldn’t be a band, and a lot of the artists here would not be bands either, without the U.K.’s incredible independent venues, and they are the lifeblood of the music industry and they are dying. And if venues like this, like The O2, like arenas, stadiums across this country contributed even a tiny bit toward these independent venues, then we would not be losing them at this alarming rate. We wouldn’t be here without them. None of this would be happening without them. So, I want to say to those artists who are playing independent venues all over the country tonight — keep going because that’s the best kind of art there is. In a time when art is under threat, that is the most important thing to keep supporting.”
2025 BRIT Awards winner Charli XCX was gorgeously draped in a Dilara Findikoglu dress, a garment of sheer layers that mostly concealed the singer’s bust, at Saturday night’s show — but the look must’ve nearly been deemed risqué by British network ITV.
“I heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples,” Charli commented at the podium on March 1 at London’s O2 Arena, while accepting the artist of the year award. “I feel like we’re in the era of free the nipple though, right?”
“Thanks for being on my side,” she added after the crowd cheered.
Styled by Chris Shoran, Charli wore look nine from Dilara Findikoglu‘s autumn/winter 2025 collection. The black dress, with a calf-skimming, pencil skirt silhouette layered over a minimalist, bikini-shaped bottom, was paired with classic pumps by Christian Louboutin.
Charli XCX attends the BRIT Awards at The O2 on March 1, 2025 in London.
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“I’ve gotta say, I feel like I’ve always been an artist but it really takes a whole team, and they’re all like sat at that table. I just want to say thank you so much to the people who helped me make this record,” said the Brat singer as she accepted her third of four award wins at the 2025 BRITs. She’d already collected the awards for song of the year and dance act.
Charli gave a special shout out her fiancé in her artist of the year speech: “George Daniel, love you, baby.” (Daniel is a notable musician and producer, and a founding member of the band The 1975. For Charli he produced “Apple” and “Club Classics” on Brat, and also worked on “I Might Say Something Stupid,” which also features Jon Hopkins and Daniel’s 1975 bandmate Matty Healy, for the companion release Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat).
George Daniel and Charli XCX post during the BRIT Awards at The O2 Arena on March 1, 2025 in London, England.
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“Thank you to all the artists out there who feel like they don’t fit in but are brave enough to try and be rejected a million times. I share this with you,” Charli said, candidly.
“Keep partying,” she told the audience. It was a pastime she was likely talking part in; host Jack Whitehall joked at the start of the ceremony that Charli had asked to not perform so she could get drunk Saturday night.
The mind behind Brat won the awards for artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year (for “Guess,” featuring Billie Eilish) and dance act at the 2025 BRITs, and the night’s honorary songwriter of the year prize also went to her. Brat executive producer A.G. Cook won producer of the year.
What should fans expect from Charli’s next album? “I’ll probably do something completely different,” she said at the BRIT Awards.
“I used to tell myself that things like this weren’t important,” Charli admitted when returning to the stage to accept the album of the year award. “This kind of recognition, awards in general, weren’t important. That was really easy for me to do because until last year I was literally never nominated for anything … Now it’s cool to not be in that position.”
“I guess this time around the culture caught up with us and wanted to be on the journey with us,” she said.