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Angélique Kidjo and JP Saxe have thrown their talents behind a special invite-only concert in New York, part of an expanding United Nations initiative to highlight climate justice and rights-based climate action.
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Kidjo, the five-time Grammy Award-winning Beninese-French singer-songwriter, and Saxe, the Grammy nominated Canadian singer and musician, both performed at a private industry event, hosted at the Recording Academy’s office with reps from UN Human Rights watching on.
The Recording Academy is the official music partner of Right Here, Right Now Music, supported by United Nations Human Rights, with both organizations coming together to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the universal declaration of human rights, created in the wake of WWII to outline universal human rights.
Guests at the intimate show also learned “alarming new facts” about the escalating human rights crisis caused by climate change, according to a joint statement.
The music-led project is just getting started. Some of the “most popular arena acts” will be encouraged to use their considerable voice to elevate climate issue for the Right Here, Right Now Mini Global Climate Concert series. As-yet unannounced major artists will be tapped to perform in “small iconic concert venues” around the world, a statement explains, while shining a light on climate issues such as floods, droughts, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, clean water, ocean acidity, deforestation, as well as food insecurity, mental health, and more.
The first international activation is set for Dec. 9 with a show at the Atlantis in Dubai during COP28, the UN’s annual global climate change conference.
Grammy-nominated Lumineers’ frontman Wesley Schultz and British singer-songwriter YOLA performed at the first U.S. event, held April 13 in Boulder, Colorado, at which the performers delivered speeches “addressing the importance of utilizing music as a tool to combat climate change,” read a joint statement issued at the time.
Berlin, London, Kigali, Seoul, and Rio de Janeiro are among the cities being considered for Right Here, Right Now Mini Global Climate Concerts next year.
Through the climate concerts, says David Clark, founder and CEO of Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance, parent organization of Right Here, Right Now Music, “we seek to reframe the climate crisis as the fundamental human rights crisis that it is and thank the Recording Academy and UN Human Rights for being such dedicated partners in this worldwide effort.”
Adds Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, “I look forward to working alongside UN Human Rights to showcase how the power of music can raise awareness and help promote change surrounding human rights issues around the world.”
Proceeds from the concert series will go to United Nations Human Rights climate justice initiatives and music industry charity MusiCares.
The Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Alliance was presented at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland and has earned support from a growing list of artists, including Jack Black, Camila Cabello, Cher, Dead & Company, Celine Dion, Michael Franti, Quincy Jones, Kesha, Cyndi Lauper, Annie Lennox, LL Cool J, Pitbull, Joss Stone, Bob Weir, and more.
Latin spirit tells only a small part of Gabriel Henrique’s unique talents. The Brazilian singer showed the full arsenal when he performed Tuesday night, Sept. 19 on America’s Got Talent, for a spot in the finals.
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Henrique earned Sofia Vergara’s Golden Buzzer earlier in the season, with a performance of Whitney Houston’s “Run to You”.
Now, with his spot in the Qualifiers round, Henrique swung for the fences with a rendition of Jacob Banks’ “Something Beautiful,” combining pitch, power and an array of high notes that climbed to whistle range, a skill that would make Mariah Carey proud.
The room delivered a standing applause, as did all four judges.
“I don’t even have anything to say. It was perfection,” Vergara later enthused. “It was just like an angel. You are definitely a star. It was beautiful.” And it was goosebumps material, she declared, showing off the effect on her arm to her fellow judges.
Simon Cowell remarked, “You could have sung something less obvious. The fact that you sung this song…you absolutely nailed it. It was way better in my opinion than your first audition.” Just “maybe” with that performance, the Brit remarked, Henrique might have booked a spot in the final.
“You have an unbelievable talent,” was Heidi Klum’s opinion. “Especially from the second part of the song, you showed what sets you apart from the other singers. I feel like you busted out some tunes that are unhuman. It was incredible what we just heard.”
Speaking last, Howie Mandel admitted his initial concerns about the song choice. Those worries quickly disappeared. “Once you hit that note, that’s what makes you stand out. That’s why people are going to remember you.”
Just two contestants can go through from tonight’s round. Now, it’s America’s turn to vote.
Speaking through an interpreter, Henrique shared a parting gift. “I like to say what I feel in my heart,” he noted. “And if it’s not with love, then it doesn’t mean anything.”
Watch below.
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Megan Thee Stallion talked to Billboard about her partnership with Cheetos, what it was like working with Cardi B again and going viral with Justin Timberlake. Music powerhouse Mýa sat down with her Billboard doppelgänger Heran Mamo and opened up about her album anniversaries, love for Jamacia and dancehall, the lessons she’s learned throughout the years and more. Christina Milian addresses Jennifer Lopez feud rumors over Jennifer’s track “Play.” And more!
Tetris Kelly:Megan Thee Stallion talks about Cardi B and Justin Timberlake. Christina Milian addresses feud rumors with Jennifer Lopez. Zach Brian collabs with Noah Kahan and Bon Iver. Mya drops by our studio and we learned five things about ITZY.
Welcome to Billboard News. I’m Tetris Kelly, it’s Tuesday, September 19th and we’re starting off today with Megan Thee Stallion, straight from the horse’s mouth.
Cheeto Commercial Extras:FU, Megan.
Megan Thee Stallion:FU!
Cheeto Commercial Extras:FU!
Megan Thee Stallion:FU, all the way!
Tetris Kelly:Megan Thee Stallion is giving out scholarships with Cheetos and she’s talking to Billboard about Cardi B and Justin Timberlake. Let’s talk about the Hotty!
Megan Thee Stallion:Welcome to Flaming Hot University, where we teach you everything about the flaming hot lifestyle.
Tetris Kelly:It’s Flaming Hot University and Megan is the official Hot Girl Dean of Admission for a partnership that gives back with scholarships, a curriculum and, of course, merch. But she talked with Billboard about so much more!
On her recent “Bongos” collaborator, Cardi B, she stated, “She literally just let me do me. This is the second time she sent me a song and I’ll be like, “friend, can I do whatever I want to do on the beat? I’m gonna put two verses on here. Alright?” She always let me do whatever I want to do creatively.” They performed the track at the VMAs, where a video went viral where it looked like Meg cussed out Justin Timberlake backstage.Watch the full video above!
Summer may be ending. But having fun while living life on your own terms is always in season for Tech N9ne. And the indie hip-hop pioneer illustrates how he does just that in the video for his latest single, “Pull Out” featuring Head Da Don.
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Sliding into a brand new red Maserati with butterfly doors, Tech N9ne and fellow passenger Head Da Don cruise around Tech’s Kansas City, Missouri stomping ground, meeting women and handing out CD-styled invitations for a fly pool party at a mansion. Along the way, the pair rap to a head-boppin’, banging beat.
On the no-holds-barred first verse, Tech totes up his creds: “They said, ‘Tech N9na washed up.’ / I gotta tell ‘em, ‘Pull out the facts’ / Lot of ‘em stuck on planet rock / like I can’t pull out some plaques / What I scripted makes me tickets / Now I pull out the stacks / Cause I brought Independence, Overland Park and every hood out for rap.”
“When I heard that beat from Goodro, then that [pull out] hook from Head Da Don, I knew immediately that the song would get us back up on radio and the charts,” Tech N9ne tells Billboard. “This is just the beginning of the fire songs coming off my Bliss LP.”
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Released in July in the midst of celebrations for hip-hop’s 50th anniversary, Bliss is the follow-up to 2021 album Asin9ne. Describing Bliss as “a mirror to society,” the project marks Tech’s 24th album via his Strange Music label — which will celebrate its own 25th anniversary in 2024.
With its forays into R&B, soul, alternative and heavy metal plus a host of guests including Joyner Lucas, Durand Bernarr, RMR and Qveen Herby, the 25-track Bliss finds the prolific Tech still in full command of his signature fast-rhyming flow and fearless genre fusion.
In addition to “Pull Out,” album highlights include “Fatha Fig Ya (Food for Thought)” featuring RMR, “W H A T (We’re Hungry and Thirsty)” featuring Kim Dracula and Hu$h and “Knock,” a master seminar in lyricism with Tech (Kansas City), Conway the Machine (Buffalo), X-Raided (Sacramento) and Joyner Lucas (Boston).
“You’ve got a quartet of MCs from different regions just crushing it,” Tech says about the track in his recent bio. “My East Coast fans are always like, ‘We want to hear you on some boom bap!’ So we got this incredible beat from Dame The Producer. ‘Knock’ is amazing for 50 years of hip-hip.”
Between operating his successful merchandise empire and teaming with Kansas City’s Boulevard Brewery for his craft beer Bou Lou, Tech N9ne will be co-headlining a North America tour with rock band — and fellow genre-busters — the Hollywood Undead this fall.
The Hollywood & N9ne trek kicks off Oct. 16 in Chesterfield, Missouri and wraps in Nashville on Nov. 19. Stops along the way include Chicago (Oct. 18), Las Vegas (Oct. 27), New York (Nov. 8) and Atlanta (Nov. 14). For more information, visit hollywoodandn9netour.com.
Marilyn Manson was sentenced to 20 hours of community service and fined by a court on Monday (Sept. 17) after pleading no contest to blowing his nose on a camerawoman at a 2019 concert in New Hampshire.The controversial artist (real name: Brian Warner) was charged with two misdemeanor counts of simple assault, relating to an incident with the videographer during a show at Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford. Manson had initially pleaded not guilty to the assault charges, but later changed his plea to no contest, the BBC reports, which means the goth-rocker was not contesting the charge but does not admit guilt.The judge required Manson to appear in court, and described the incident in question as “egregious.” Manson was fined about $1,400, with $200 suspended, and will be allowed to complete his community service in California, as requested.
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According to a police affidavit, the Associated Press reports, Manson approached videographer Susan Fountain in the stage pit, and spat a “big lougee” at her. Later, he is said to have returned, kneeling and covering one nostril before blowing the other on her arms and hands.
Manson “blows a significant amount of mucous at Fountain,” a police sergeant who reviewed concert video footage said in the report. The camera then captures Manson “point and laugh at Fountain as she gets down and walks away,” reads the affidavit.
Manson reportedly wore a black suit in court, and spoke twice to the judge: to acknowledge his name and to confirm “yes” when asked if he understood the sentence.
Fountain did not attend court, but prepared a statement. “For me, I’m a professional person and I’ve been in this industry for 30 years. I’ve worked for a lot of companies, and in all the years I’ve worked with people, I’ve never been humiliated or treated the way I was by this defendant,” it reads. “For him to spit on me and blow his nose on me was the most disgusting thing a human being has ever done.
“I understand this was not a big criminal charge to begin with, but I was hoping that the defendant would receive a sentence that would make him think twice before doing something like this again,” the statement continues.
Manson has been the subject of sexual assault and abuse allegations from multiple women, including Evan Rachel Wood, Esmé Bianco, Ashley Waters, Illma Gore and others. Despite those claims, which Manson has denied, the artist returned from a social media hiatus earlier this year to seemingly tease new music.
Manson has achieved 10 top 10 titles on the Billboard 200 chart, including No. 1s with 1998’s Mechanical Animals and 2013’s The Golden Age Of Grotesque.
See Billboard’s full timeline of Manson’s abuse allegations here.
The bad news first, Olivia Rodrigo won’t be visiting Australia later this week. The good, she’ll be back next year.
The U.S. pop phenomenon has canceled her trip Down Under at short notice, citing “unforeseen circumstances.”
The “Vampire” singer was scheduled to visit Sydney for a fan Q&A event this Friday, Sept. 22, a session that was to include “an exclusive once-in-a-lifetime Q&A,” along with chances to win a meet and greet with the artist. “I can’t wait to get down to Australia,” she enthused in a statement issued Sept. 1, announcing the promo excursion. “I’ve never been and I’m so excited to meet everyone. I’ll see you soon Livies”.
Those plans are now scrapped.
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“We regret to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances Olivia Rodrigo’s trip to Australia has been cancelled,” reads a statement from Universal Music Australia. “Unfortunately the fan Q&A event on Friday 22nd September will no longer be going ahead.”
The message contains a caveat. “Olivia is devastated that she won’t be able to make it,” the note continues, “however she’s so excited to see her Australian Livies in 2024.”
That hint at things to come is bound to keep fans on their toes. Just last week, Rodrigo announced two separate waves of dates for her Guts World Tour, which includes stops across North America, the U.K. and Continental Europe, but nothing in Australia.
Rodrigo’s popularity right now in Australia is, like elsewhere, sky-high. Her sophomore album Guts is the current No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, and all 12 tracks from it impact the national singles chart. Guts is the followup to Sour, Rodrigo’s 2021 debut which logged eight non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in Australia. All told, three of her singles have led the official ARIA Chart: “Vampire,” “Drivers Licence” and “Good 4 U.”
Proceeds from each ticket for the Guts World Tour will benefit her new Fund 4 Good initiate, which will support community non-profits that work toward girls’ education, reproductive rights and prevent gender-based violence.
Jet will soar into the ARIA Hall of Fame later this year.
The rockers cap a reunion, and the 20th anniversary of their debut album, with elevation into the Australian recorded music industry’s Hall of Fame, which will take place during the 2023 ARIA Awards, set for Nov. 15 in Sydney.
“We’re all quite chuffed and honored to be in such esteemed company,” comments frontman Nic Cester in a statement issued by ARIA. “We are humbled to receive this recognition.”
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Formed in Melbourne and led by Nic Cester (vocals/guitar) and his brother Chris Cester (vocals/drums), along with Cameron Muncey (vocals/guitar) and Mark Wilson (bass), Jet roared out the blocks with Get Born, their debut LP which dropped in 2003 — 20 years ago.
Packing a sound that fell somewhere between the steady, thump and grind of Iggy and the Stooges and the bombast of Oasis, Jet got away with the Get Born single “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” which enjoyed global exposure in an early Apple iPod campaign, and cracked the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart (peaking at No. 29).
Get Born also contained the singles “Look What You’ve Done,” “Rollover DJ “and “Get Me Outta Here.” At the 2004 ARIA Awards, the LP won six categories and it’s certified nine-times platinum in Australia, making it one of the top five highest-selling Australian rock albums of all time, the trade body reports.
Follow-up albums include Shine On (2006) and Shaka Rock (2009), all of which cracked the top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Jet was finally grounded in 2012, before briefly reforming in 2017 to play with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band on their sold-out Australian tour of that year. A handful of dates followed, including a slot at Fuji Rock festival in Japan. Then, the act announced earlier this year a reunion tour.
Those dates are slated to kick off this Friday, Sept. 22 at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre, though Chris Cester won’t be on the road due to “family reasons,” according to a statement from the band.
“Throughout their career,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd, “Jet has achieved numerous accolades and milestones including seven ARIA Awards, chart-topping albums, and sold-out tours around the world. They changed the face of Australian rock music with a culture shifting album and have been a huge influence for other musicians over their career and that truly deserves our highest honor.”
Jet ends a years-long Hall of Fame drought. Organizers had shelved the segment, arguably the most important spot in the record industry’s flagship event, when the pandemic ruined the live experience. Those barriers are no longer a concern. The last artist elevated into the ARIA Hall of Fame was the late Indigenous artist Archie Roach, in 2020.
Herd adds, “We couldn’t be happier to welcome them to the ARIA Hall of Fame as the first inductees since 2020.”
As previously reported, the 2023 ARIA Awards will take place at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion.
ARIAs will premiere live on Stan for the first time (from 5pm local time). That live stream will be followed by a free-to-air feed from commercial TV broadcaster the Nine Network (from 7.30pm local time) with performances and moments available on-demand on the @ARIA.official YouTube channel.
The 2023 edition of the ARIAs marks the fifth year in partnership with streaming giant YouTube. Nominations will be presented 10am local time on Sept. 21, and streamed live on the ARIA Awards website.
Move over Olivia Rodrigo, Busted wants its chart crown.
The British pop punk act leads the midweek U.K. chart with Greatest Hits 2.0, a 20th anniversary collection of the trio’s works, which includes a “Guest Features Edition” with cuts reworked by the likes of Jonas Brothers, All Time Low, Simple Plan, Dashboard Confessional, Hanson and You Me At Six.
With Greatest Hits 2.0, Busted, comprising Charlie Simpson, Matt Willis and James Bourne, should nab a fourth U.K. top 10 appearance, a list that includes three No. 2 peaks (Busted from 2002, A Present for Everyone from 2003 and Half Way There from 2019). The band has landed four U.K. No. 1 singles, but, until now, never topped the albums survey.
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Rodrigo’s Guts powered to No. 1 last Friday, Sept. 15 with the year’s healthiest first-week numbers, for her second leader. Guts dips to No. 2 on the chart blast.
Mitski is on track for a career-best chart spot with The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We, the American singer and songwriter’s seventh studio album. It’s set to drop in at No. 3, for what would be Mitski’s second top 10 appearance, after 2022’s Laurel Hell peaked at No. 6.
Meanwhile, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor could bag his first solo U.K. top 10 with CMF2, new at No. 4 on the chart blast. It’s the followup to 2020’s CMFT, which reached No. 11. As a member of Slipknot, Taylor has three No. 1 albums: 2001’s Iowa, 2019’s We Are Not Your Kind and 2022’s The End So Far.
Jared Leto’s Thirty Seconds to Mars is flying to a third top 10 with It’s the End of the World, the U.S. alternative rock band’s sixth studio release. It’s new at No. 5 on the Official Chart Update, and could equal or better 2013’s Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams (No. 5 peak) and 2018’s America (No. 4).
Rock And Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group the Pretenders should scoop a seventh U.K. top 10 album with Relentless, new at No. 7 on the chart blast. If it stays on target, it’ll give Chrissie Hynde and Co. their highest-charting album since 1994’s Last of the Independents, which peaked at No. 8.
Also eyeing a top 10 berth is Ash, the Northern Irish independent band whose eighth studio album Race the Night is set to start at No. 8. Race The Night could become the rockers’ sixth U.K. top 10 collection and highest-charting LP since 2004’s Meltdown went to No. 5.
Steve Hackett’s Foxtrot at Fifty + Hackett Highlights: Live in Brighton could become the guitar hero’s best U.K. chart appearance in more than 40 years. It’s on course for a top 10 debut, at No. 10, for what would be Hackett’s first top tier solo effort since 1980’s Defector peaked at No. 9.
Also impacting the midweek top 40 are LPs by Madison Beer (Silence Between Songs at No. 12), Demi Lovato (Revamped at No. 20), Sleepy Hallow (Boy Meets World at No. 29), The Bites (Squeeze at No. 30) and Sugababes (The Lost Tapes at No. 39).
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday, Sept. 22.
The numbers are in for this week’s Hot 100! Did Doja Cat hold on to No. 1? Is country music still reigning over the charts? Plus, Katy Perry sold her music catalog to Litmus for a whopping $225 million. The deal includes rights to the singer’s five chart-topping songs off ‘Teenage Dream.’ BTS’ Jung Kook […]
Litmus Music, a catalog rights company backed by private-equity giant Carlyle Group LP, said on Monday (Sept. 18) it acquired the rights to Katy Perry’s five studio albums released for Capitol Records, including her Grammy-nominated Teenage Dream.
According to sources, Litmus paid $225 million for Perry’s stake in the master recording royalties and music publishing rights to her five albums released between 2008 and 2020—One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, PRISM, Witness and Smile. Litmus declined to comment on the deal terms.
Perry’s catalog sale, finalized earlier this year, follows other 2023 music rights deals like Justin Bieber’s $200-million sale to Hipgnosis Songs Capital, demonstrating that household name artists can still command top dollar even as high interest rates moderate investors’ appetites for song rights.
From her breakout single “I Kissed A Girl” in July 2008 to the five chart-topping songs from 2010’s Teenage Dream, Perry has notched a total of nine No. 1s on the Billboard Hot 100. During a musical era that saw major hits from other female pop stars like Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and Adele, Perry remains the first woman and only second artist ever (after Michael Jackson) to send five songs from the same album to the summit of the Hot 100. Those songs are “California Gurls,” “Firework,” “E.T.,” “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” and “Teenage Dream.”
In addition to releasing 2017’s Witness and 2020’s Smile, Perry is winding down a blockbuster Las Vegas residency that she started in late 2021.
The “Roar” singer’s professional relationship with Dan McCarroll, Litmus co-founder and chief creative officer, dates back to 2010 when McCarroll was president of Capitol Records, the company said.
“Katy Perry is a creative visionary who has made a major impact across music, TV, film, and philanthropy,” McCarroll said. “I’m so honored to be partnering with her again and to help Litmus manage her incredible repertoire.”
Launched in August 2022 with a $500-million-investment from Carlyle’s Global Credit Platform, Litmus has acquired publishing and recording rights of artists from a range of genres, including Keith Urban‘s master recordings and a package of publishing and performance copyrights from super producer benny blanco.
Hank Forsyth, Litmus co-founder and chief executive officer, called Perry’s “essential” songs “part of the global cultural fabric.”
“We are so grateful to be working together again with such a trusted partner,” said Forsyth, an industry veteran previously of Warner Chappell and Blue Note.
“We believe this is a testament to the team’s ability to partner with the world’s top artists. Katy’s iconic songs have not only achieved outstanding commercial success but have significantly influenced popular culture,” said Matt Settle, managing director at Carlyle.