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Kelis, the “Milkshake” master, Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef and author is heading to the land Down Under, where she will deliver a keynote presentation for Bigsound conference.
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On Thursday, Sept. 5, the Harlem-born artist will deliver “an honest conversation on the importance of being authentic and her fearless approach to transformation,” subjects that strongly align with the Bigsound 2024 themes, organizers say. And later, on Saturday, Sept. 7, she’ll perform live and exclusively at QLD Music Trails’ Sweet Relief! Music Festival.
Twenty-five years on from the release of her 1999 debut studio album, Kaleidoscope, and 21 years on from her commercial breakout LP Tasty, Kelis has expanded her repertoire into cooking, helming several specials on Netflix and elsewhere and penning her own cookbook, “My Life on a Plate.”
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Set for Sept. 3 – 6 in Brisbane, the 2032 Olympic city, Bigsound’s conference and showcase extravaganza “lights up the heart of the Fortitude Valley each year with a flurry of music lovers, brilliant minds and world class performers,” comments Kris Stewart, CEO of QMusic and Bigsound, which is teaming up with QLD Music Trails to bring Kelis to Australia.
“It’s a pleasure to get to partner with QLD Music Trails,” adds Stewart,” to bring to the city someone who encompasses all these things and more, Kelis, for what will undoubtedly be an incredible Keynote speech and festival performance.”
Kelis has landed seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100, led by Tasty cut “Milkshake,” one of many early recordings she created with The Neptunes’ Pharrell and Chad Hugo. “Milkshake” peaked at No. 3.
Also, five Kelis albums have impacted the Billboard 200 chart, including a top 10 for 2006’s Kelis Was Here, which peaked at No. 10.
At the 2024 edition of Bigsound, Kelis joins previously announced keynote speaker Amy Taylor, singer with ARIA Award-winning punk rock act Amyl & The Sniffers, plus a lineup of international speakers including Korda Marshall (Mushroom Group), Bradly Palmer (Concord Music Publishing), Elliott Lefko (AEG / Goldenvoice).
The event is supported by the Queensland government through Tourism and Events Queensland, and is presented by Oztix and Brick Lane.
Heart’s upcoming dates in Europe have been scrapped, to enable singer Ann Wilson time to recover from a medical procedure. The Rock Hall-inducted band has wiped the European leg of their Royal Flush tour, which was scheduled to kick off June 20 and run through July 12 and include several festival spots. “We regret to […]
Álvaro Díaz bounds back onto Billboard’s Latin Rhythm Albums chart as his new album, Sayonara, debuts at No. 8 on the list dated June 1. The 20-track set, released on Universal Music Latino, becomes his first top 10 in more than seven years.
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“I’m happy and I hope this a new beginning in my career,” Díaz tells Billboard. “It’s always great to see oneself in lists such as Billboard, continuing the sound with which one started.”
Sayonara, which dropped on May 17, the first day of the tracking week, earned 7,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending May 23, according to Luminate. The album’s opening sum is mostly driven by streaming activity. The figure equals to 9.58 million on-demand official streams for the set’s songs during the tracking week.
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Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums [TEA] and streaming equivalent albums [SEA]. Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.
Díaz returns to Latin Rhythm Albums for the first time since Dec. 2016, when San Juan Grand Prix, his first chart entry there, debuted and peaked at No. 4, for one week in the top 10.
Elsewhere, the Puerto Rican claims his third entry on the overall Top Latin Albums, where Sayonara launches at No. 14. While San Juan Grand Prix concurrently earned Díaz his maiden chart performance in 2016, in between Felicilandia arrived at its No. 48 high in Nov. 2021.
Only one song preceded Sayonara, “1000Canciones” with San Senra, Díaz’s second top 10: No. 10 peak in April 2023, after “A Donde Van,” with Sebastián Yatra, took him to an equal No. 10 high in Oct. 2020.
Beyond “1000Canciones,” the set’s “Gatitas Sandungueras, Vol. 1,” with Feid, opens at No. 34 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs charts, which combines airplay, digital sales and streams. The song logged 2.3 million official U.S. streams.
Ben Platt shares the creative process behind his new album ‘HONEYMIND,’ how he’s inspired by Taylor Swift and Beyoncé’s performances, how his career and personal transitions influenced the album and more! Ben Platt: I started writing the album in the spring of 2022 in Nashville and sort of wrote this first series of songs that […]
As he prepares for the Friday (May 31) release of Honeymind — his third studio album (and first on Interscope) — and settles into his just-opened, 18-date run of concerts reopening Broadway‘s iconic Palace Theatre, singer-songwriter and actor Ben Platt recently sat down with Billboard News to discuss creating his new music, the relationships and artists inspiring him now, and his upcoming projects.
The Honeymind creation process occurred in Nashville, during what Platt calls a “point of transition personally and career-wise, reinvestigating my reasons for being an artist, relearning the importance of following passion and doing things that feel authentically fulfilling and not necessarily checking boxes.” It was also a happy time, Platt says, of settling into the comfort of his relationship with his now-fiancée, fellow actor Noah Galvin — and he found himself exploring, through songwriting, “that crossroads between what it feels like to arrive in your real relationship and have a partner who you feel really understands you holistically, and how do you need to work on yourself as a person to be ready for a relationship like that?”
His Honeymind collaborators include beloved Nashville writers Natalie Hemby and Hillary Lindsey, as well as executive producer Dave Cobb, who worked with Platt at his home studio in Savannah, Ga. Platt praises Cobb’s “barometer for honesty and authenticity … he’s very much no bulls–t. If something feels put-on, or like a bell or whistle, he has no problem being very forthright about that.”
Platt opens up as well about the singular experience of filming the very personal music video for single “Cherry on Top,” in which he enjoys a day out around Los Angeles with Galvin. “I was apprehensive at first — I love to keep some things sacred and private,” he explains. But he ultimately realized that, since song was written specifically about his experience with Galvin, “nothing felt as true as the actual relationship itself that brings that joy about.”
An unabashed fan of pop, Platt also gushes about his own favorite music right now, mentioning perennial favorites Maggie Rogers and Chappell Roan (he’s a vocal longtime fan: “I’ve known she was a superstar the whole time!”). He’s also big on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter, Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well (Musgraves made a surprise appearance at Platt’s opening night at the Palace to duet with him on her “Rainbow”), and Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine (“Ari is one of the greatest pop voices of this generation, and it’s such a sharp, delicious bubblegum album that is like, harkening back to Mariah….it’s always in my head”).
Additionally, Platt shares the inspiration he takes from seeing two of the biggest tours of the past year: Beyoncé’s Renaissance trek and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. Swift “shares her own experiences and makes us feel like we’re in her living room … in a way that feels very off the cuff but is clearly very thought out and well-crafted,” he says; Beyoncé is “an unbelievable live singer … and on top of that the level to which she exerts and gives of herself no matter what show she’s doing? You’ve never seen her half-ass a performance in her life!”
Platt will be occupied promoting Honeymind for some time — after his Palace residency, he will embark on a tour of the U.S. and Canada (with album collaborator Brandy Clark supporting) through late July. Meanwhile, he reveals to Billboard that Richard Linklater’s twenty-years-in-the-making film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s musical Merrily We Roll Along — announced in 2019, in which Platt stars alongside close friend Beanie Feldstein and Paul Mescal — is progressing.
Platt says two of “eight or nine” sequences have been filmed with, he adds with a laugh, just “another 16 or so years to go.” Linklater, he says, “puts a lot of emphasis on not looking too far ahead … it becomes too daunting, so I just treat it as this gift of getting to have little checkpoints in my life to check back in with Sondheim, with Paul, and obviously Beanie.” Platt praises Mescal, who makes his major musical onscreen debut in Merrily, as a “gorgeous, kind, amazing actor, beautiful voice — he’s the real deal.”
See what else Platt had to say in the video above.
After being compared to Britney Spears for her electric performances, Tate McRae finally got interviewed by the Princess of Pop, Britney Spears. Has Britney passed her crown along to Tate? Keep watching to find out! Tetris Kelly: Britney Spears has interviewed Tate McRae. Yeah, you heard us right. The Gen Z pop star was blessed […]
Singer-songwriter-actress Tanerélle has signed with Republic Records. In tandem with that exclusive announcement, the R&B outlier is set to release her label debut, the EP Electric Honey, this Friday (May 31). “Tanerélle is a forward-thinking artist with a well-defined vision, sonically and aesthetically,” says Ken Jarvis, Republic’s senior director of A&R. “Working with an artist who is […]
Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” (Island) simply won’t cool down in the U.K., where it’s on track for a fifth consecutive week at No. 1.
The summer hit leads an unchanged top 3 on the midweek chart, ahead of Billie Eilish’s “Lunch” (Interscope) and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (American Dogwood/Empire), respectively.
Based on sales and streaming data captured by the Official Charts Company, the highest new entry should belong to Central Cee and Lil Baby with their collaborative single “BAND4BAND”. It’s new at No. 4 on the Official Chart Update,
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Lifted from Central Cee’s forthcoming major label studio album with Columbia Records, “BAND4BAND” should become the British rapper’s eighth U.K. Top 10 hit single, and U.S. hip-hop artist Lil Baby’s fourth.
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On the outside looking into the top 10 is rising soul-pop singer Myles Smith with “Stargazing” (RCA). It’s on the rise, and is forecast to improve 14-11, for a new high.
A hatful of U.S. country stars have recently enjoyed chart success in the U.K., a period that’s been described as a renaissance for the genre in these parts. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song,” Post Malone and Morgan Wallen’s “I Had Some Help” (No. 5 midweek via Republic Records), “Dasha’s “Austin” (No. 9 midweek via Warner Records) and, of course, Beyonce’s chart-topping, country-flavored Cowboy Carter LP (Columbia/Parkwood Ent), have all rounded up top 10 spots on the U.K. charts. Zach Bryan wants in on the action. The U.S. country singer’s “Pink Skies” (Warner Records) flies in for a No. 31 start on the chart blast. It’s set to become his second U.K. Top 40 entry following his 2023 duet with Kacey Musgraves, “I Remember Everything,” which peaked at No. 14.
Finally, Teddy Swims is eyeing a top 40 with “The Door,” the followup to “Lose Control,” his breakthrough blues number. “The Door” is up 45-33 on the chart blast, and could give the U.S. singer and songwriter his second U.K. top 40 appearance. “Lose Control” peaked at No. 2 earlier this year.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published late Friday, May 31.
Twenty One Pilots could land their very first No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart, with Clancy.
The Columbus, OH duo of Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun lead the midweek chart with Clancy (via Atlantic/Fueled By Ramen), their seventh studio album. The recording will become the group’s fourth U.K. top 10, following 2015 release Blurryface (No. 5 peak), 2018’s Trench (No. 2) and 2021’s Scaled and Icy (No. 3) — and perhaps their first leader.
Joseph and Dun will support the 13-track LP with a major tour, spanning 59 dates that kick off Aug. 15 in the United States, before heading overseas for legs in Europe and Australia.
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Paul Weller, however, could spoil the Pilots’ party with 66 (Polydor). The British songsmith’s 17th studio effort is close behind at No. 2 on the Official Chart Update, and is set to become set to become his 23rd solo U.K. top 10 album, the Official Charts Company reports. The ex-The Jam and The Style Council frontman has scored six solo U.K. No. 1 albums: 1995’s Stanley Road, 2002 record Illumination, 2008’s 22 Dreams, 2012’s Sonik Kicks, 2020’s On Sunset and, most recently, 2021’s Fat Pop.
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Taylor Swift’s blockbuster The Tortured Poets Department (EMI) is expected to close out the U.K. top 3, dropping 1-3.
Sheffield, England rock act Bring Me The Horizon is forecast to bag a fifth U.K. top 10 with Post Human: NeX Gen (RCA), new at No. 5 on the chart blast, while U.S. alt-rock Wallows (Dylan Minnette, Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston) could enjoy a career-best with Model (Atlantic), their third studio record. It’s new at No. 10 on the chart update.
Meanwhile, new releases from Manchester, England-rapper Meekz (TRU at No. 12 via Meekz Music & Lifestyle); BTS star RM (Right Place, Wrong Person at No. 17 via Polydor), British breakout artist Niko B (dog eat dog food world at No. 20 via Believe Recordings), and American rock veteran Lenny Kravitz (Blue Electric Light at No. 27 via BMG) are eyeing top 40 berths.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published late Friday, May 31.
Billie Eilish crowns Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Songs charts dated June 1 with her new album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, and its lead single “Lunch.”
Hit Me Hard and Soft becomes Eilish’s first No. 1 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums, reigning as her first LP since the chart shifted in 2022 to include alternative-leaning titles outside the rock genre.
The set is also Eilish’s fourth leader on Top Alternative Albums, following Happier Than Ever (2021), When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) and Dont Smile at Me (2019, after it first appeared on the list in 2017).
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In the week ending May 23, Hit Me Hard and Soft, released May 17, earned 339,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. – Eilish’s best career week by that metric – according to Luminate. The sum includes 191,000 album sales and 146,000 streaming-equivalent units.
The 10-song collection is the first release to reach six digits in units on Top Rock & Alternative Albums since Dolly Parton’s Rockstar (128,000; Dec. 2, 2023) and the first on Top Alternative Albums since blink-182’s One More Time… (125,000; Nov. 4, 2023).
The 339,000-unit total is the highest for a title on Top Rock & Alternative Albums in a decade, since the 383,000 units amassed by Coldplay’s Ghost Stories (June 7, 2014; it’s the top count since Top Rock & Alternative Albums shifted to a consumption-based methodology in 2016).
On Top Alternative Albums, Hit Me Hard and Soft has the biggest week since the all-time leader: Taylor Swift’s Folklore (846,000; Aug. 8, 2020), with Eilish’s new LP the second-biggest in a single week since the 2016 shift to a consumption-based formula.
Concurrently, Hit Me Hard and Soft debuts at No. 2 on the all-genre Billboard 200 and crowns the Vinyl Albums chart, with 90,000 vinyl copies sold, as previously reported.
“Lunch,” the album’s lead single, bows at No. 1 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs surveys. “Lunch” is Eilish’s fourth No. 1 on the former, which became inclusive of alternative-leaning songs not categorized within the rock genre in 2020, following commands for “What Was I Made For?” in 2023, “Happier Than Ever” in 2021 and “My Future” in 2020. Of those, “Happier Than Ever” also debuted at No. 1.
On Hot Alternative Songs, which began in 2020, “Lunch” is also Eilish’s fourth leader, likewise following “What Was I Made For?,” “Happier Than Ever” and “My Future.”
“Lunch” starts with 32.8 million official U.S. streams, 20.2 million radio audience impressions and 3,000 downloads sold May 17-23.
The entirety of Hit Me Hard and Soft’s 10-song tracklist reaches Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, with eight titles debuting in the top 10 and all 10 in the top 12. Only Zach Bryan, with nine of the top 10 on the Sept. 9, 2023, tally, has claimed more in the top 10 in a single frame.
The LP’s top-charting song after “Lunch” is “Chihiro,” which bows at No. 3 with 27.2 million streams and 1,000 sold.
“Lunch” concurrently debuts at No. 17 on Pop Airplay, No. 21 on Alternative Airplay and No. 24 on Adult Pop Airplay, as well as No. 26 on the all-format Radio Songs list.
The track also arrives at No. 1 on Alternative Streaming Songs, marking Eilish’s eighth leader since the ranking began in 2020. On the all-genre Streaming Songs chart, it starts at No. 5.
All Billboard charts dated June 1 will update on Billboard.com on Wednesday, May 29, a day later than usual due to the May 26 Memorial Day holiday in the U.S.