Billboard Cover

25 Nov 2025

Romeo Santos & Prince Royce Reveal Their Best Kept Secret From Latin Music: Their Joint Album, ‘Better Late Than Never’ | Billboard Presents

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Romeo Santos and Prince Royce join forces on a joint album titled ‘Better Late Than Never,’ and Billboard has the exclusive interview where they break their silence about their secret collaboration as Batman and Robin, sharing the magic behind their new and unexpected bachata album.

Romeo Santos:

The album is titled ‘Better Late Than Never,’ which means “better late than never.” The explanation seems obvious. Many people will likely say, “Why did you take so long?” The answer is simple: better late than never. We also wanted a song that would pay tribute to the title. That’s why there’s a song that’s literally called “Better Late Than Never,” which is a little more about love, heartbreak. A man who makes the mistake of not valuing his partner and when he sees her happy with someone else, and you see that things perhaps got damaged, he recognizes that he lost his great love, but that he asks her to give him one last chance, that he’s changed now. 

Prince Royce:

He changed. 

And that it took too long for the change, but better late than never.

Prince Royce:

I think that’s a very deep, deep meaning, you know I think it’s growth, I think it’s perseverance. And to tie to everything that we were talking about. So, I think that’s a very deep concept and title in general. 

Yeah, no, I think the title couldn’t have been a better title, you know it’s like, better late than Never, you know. You have any negative thing to say about “why did we take so long?” Better late than never! You know? “Why an album?” Why not? Better late than never. 

The first song we recorded for the album, with the album in mind already, was “Mi Plan.” I think it was in St. Barts. We were there, chilling. We were actually just chilling, actually. We were like: “Let’s go record”. 

It’s like a fellas trip. 

And that’s where that idea started, already with this concept in mind that maybe a production was coming.

Keep watching for more!

05 Nov 2025

Rosalía on Recording ‘LUX’ in 13 Languages: ‘Every Word on This Album, I Fought For’ | Billboard Cover

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Rosalía sits down with Billboard’s Lyndsey Havens to discuss creating her new album ‘LUX’ and how she wrote and sang in 13 different languages. Plus, she dives into what a ‘LUX’ tour would look like and auditioning for ‘Euphoria’ season 3 and working with the cast.

Rosalía:

Every word in this album, I fought for it. It took me a year to write the lyrics for this album, and then another year to arrange the music and revisit the lyrics to refine and perfect them. It was a process that required a lot of effort, but I’m very happy with the final result and how it all came together.

Lyndsey Havens:

Let’s start with the obvious question, since we haven’t heard much about this album yet. Take me to the beginning of this journey. How and when did you get started on this? 

I don’t think it’s easy to measure when something like this happens or starts. Let’s see, the album has a lot of inspiration in the world of mysticism and spirituality. Since I was a kid, I’ve always felt I’ve always had a very personal relationship with spirituality. So I think that’s the seed. That’s the seed of all this project, and I don’t even remember when that started.

In making this album, what felt the most familiar and the most new compared to your previous album?

This album definitely has a completely different sound than any of the projects that I’ve done before. It was a challenge for me to do a more orchestral project, right, and learn how to use an orchestra, understand, you know, all the instruments, all the possibilities, and even like, learn study from amazing composers in history, and try to say, “okay, that’s what has been done. What can I do that feels personal and honest?”

Keep watching for more!

27 Oct 2025

On Tour with Rauw Alejandro | Billboard Cover

Trending on Billboard

Rauw Alejandro takes us behind the scenes with Billboard during his Cosa Nuestra tour, which includes stops in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. Learn how he prepares for his performances and connects with his fans in Latin America. What’s your favorite song from Cosa Nuestra? Leave your comments below!

Rauw Alejandro:

What’s up, Billboard? This is Rauw Alejandro, and we’re currently on the Cosa Nuestra Tour. Get ready because tonight, you’re coming with us. Tonight, it’s Santiago, Chile’s turn. It’s been a while since I came here, and I’m very happy to be back. It’s the first date of the Cosa Nuestra LATAM Tour, and I’m super excited to connect with my fans again. The show is like a theater, you know? It’s literally a Broadway musical, brought to this scale of an arena and everywhere, every corner of the world. That’s what people have been talking about—the acting, the dancing, the combination of everything Broadway represents. I think we’ve already broken records because we’re doing back-to-back performances, with multiple shows in each city: three shows, two shows, even five shows. What I look for every night, not just tonight, but every time I perform in a new city, is for the audience to have a unique experience and create a memory that they’ll cherish for their entire lives. I want them to be able to say, “I was there at the Rauw concert, and I had a phenomenal time.” Well, Billboard, we’re on our way to the stage now. The people of Chile never quit; they make themselves felt wherever they are. A big round of applause for Rauw Alejandro. See you at the next stop: Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Well, my people, we’re here in Argentina for the last date of the tour. We just came off the final show, and we’re feeling very happy. We gave it our all up there and are incredibly grateful to our audience, who received us with so much affection and great support.

Keep watching for more!

17 Jun 2025

Brandon Lake in Charleston: ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’ Success, Jelly Roll & More | Billboard Cover

Billboard cover star Brandon Lake takes us through 24 hours into his life and shows the studio where he created “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” how he was able to get Jelly Roll on the song, where he goes to ground himself and relax from touring, how he first started singing, his relationship with the local church and more!

Brandon Lake:

I think the reason why Christian music is probably more consumed now than maybe years ago is because there’s a greater level of hunger for what’s real. People are desperate for something that is going to lift their spirit, you know, and give them faith to get through another day. And I don’t know anything more true than what we’re singing about. I think touching on different genres isn’t something I intended to do, set out to do. It’s just like, I can’t help it, honestly. Growing up on Christian music, country music, fell in love with rock and roll later on in life, because I pretty much grew up, wasn’t allowed to listen to much except for Christian music and James Taylor, and then I’d come home from school and turn on CMT. And so then I grew up around country and then discovered rock and roll later. Got into metal, got into like, I had, like, a metal garage band for a little while, and I just kind of fell in love with all genres of music. And I think because I was a sponge and just trying to, like, steal and learn from all these different expressions of music, it just inevitably like that’s just who I came to be. So now, like, when I go to write a song, I think I’m less focused on, like, what does this need to sound like? And I’m just like, “What am I feeling right now?” And just- I follow the feeling. 

Keep watching for more!

12 Jun 2025

Carín León Exclusively Talks Country Music, C. Tangana & Mexican Pride | Billboard Presents

Ahead of his performance at the palenque during the San Marcos Fair, Billboard cover star Carín León reflects on his pride in being Mexican, the significance of palenques to him, and his career trajectory — starting in a band and transitioning to a solo artist.

He also discusses collaborating with C. Tangana, how “The One” with Kane Brown came to life, the country musicians he’s working with on his new album, his acceptance within the country music community, and his collaborations with Maluma, Alejandro Fernández and more.

Leila Cobo:

Carín!

Carín León:

Hi!

Welcome to my hacienda in Aguascalientes.

Thank you, thank you for the invitation. I’m so happy to be here.

Aguascalientes is — for those who don’t know — we’re here because tonight you’re going to perform at el palenque at the fair in San Marcos.

That’s right. 

So what is the San Marcos fair?

The best Mexican music and Latin music is presented, too. So, it’s a huge party that I think, as you noticed yesterday, it’s a big party. The experience is worth living once in a lifetime.

And it’s music, music, music, and more music?

Music, shots, food. A lot of Mexico in one month. Too much Mexico that can cause havoc. 

So this is an experience that is natively Mexican?

It’s the most Mexican, I think, that you can see in music, a palenque. I always tell people, “You have to see your artist at a palenque to understand what the experience is to take it all the way.” And the artists, too, appreciate the format of the palenque, we love it. The majority of my colleagues love it because you have all the people super close.

Like on top of each other.

Yes.

So, you’re there on stage, and I’m at this distance here.

Yes, easily. You can just be there with the people and drink some shots, it’s beautiful, it’s a communion of public that’s really interesting compared to shows at tours.

Completely. I’m going to show you my gardens.

It’s really beautiful, honestly. 

Right?

Keep watching for more!

09 Jun 2025

24 Hours With ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic in L.A.: Teases Broadway Musical & Why He Doesn’t Do Parodies Anymore | Billboard Cover

Billboard cover star “Weird Al” Yankovic takes us through a day in his life and shares how his versatility has allowed him to perform on iconic stages like Coachella and beyond. The legendary parody artist opens up about his chart-topping hits on the Billboard Hot 100, teases an exciting Broadway musical in development, discusses how he prepares for tours, his collaboration with Dave Way on his polkas, the creative process behind his parody of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” why he’s stepped back from creating parodies and more.

“Weird Al” Yankovic:

Hey, Billboard, how are you doing? I’m “Weird Al” Yankovic, and you’ll be spending the entire day with me, but first, let’s have lunch at Crossroads Kitchen.

Rebecca Milzoff:

We’re at Crossroads in LA. This is a place you’ve been coming to for a long time, right?

Yeah. I mean, this is my favorite upscale vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles. And I just remember when Impossible burgers weren’t a thing. There were only three restaurants in all of America that had Impossible burgers, and this was one of them. And I was very, very excited to have an Impossible burger here. And literally, within six months, they’re selling them at White Castle.

Well, it’s funny to be sitting at a vegan restaurant with the king of singing about junk food. It’s interesting that food has been such a continuous theme in your canon, as it were. Is that something that, along the way of songwriting, you realized it was just fruitful material and it always proved to be funny? Or why did you keep coming back to it as a theme? 

It’s just something that doesn’t get covered in pop music that much. I mean, most songs are about love and relationships and things like that. And nobody writes that many songs about tacos. So I just figured somebody had to, like, you know, fill that vacuum. And I just thought of it in a business way, that if I wrote a lot of songs about food, then I could write off my grocery bill on my taxes because it’s all, you know, it’s all inspiration.

Keep watching for more!

06 Jun 2025

Khalid ‘Loves Being Gay’ & Reacts to Being Outed Online | Billboard Cover

Billboard Canada cover star Khalid is getting ready to show off his more mature and authentic self on his fourth album, and he sits down to share his reaction to being outed online, who he’d love to work with in K-pop, wanting to be an inspiration to young queer boys, his growth since ‘American Teen’ and more! 

Tetris Kelly:

How are you feeling, my friend? 

Khalid:

I’m good. Thank you for having me. 

Well, we are happy to have you, but I gotta ask you right away: Tell me about your favorite Billboard moment, like a time past, present, future even that you might have charted or want to chart.

My favorite Billboard moment had to be my first ever moment on Billboard with “Location.” I mean, that song, to me, is just one of those songs that I’m grateful to even have gotten a chance to write. It’s one of those songs that kind of came to me, and so to see that success and to know that people are still bumping “Location” almost nearly 10 years later is really exciting. 

Yeah, and I mean, to have a hit like that, and then have continued to have hits, you’re a lucky man. And now you got new music coming out. So tell me about “All I Know.”

“All I Know,” Rudimental, I want to thank them for having me be a part of the song. It’s really awesome. I love EDM music, and I listen to it on my own time. So anytime that I’m able to experiment and explore with my sound and try new things, I’m always willing to, so I really love that song so much. 

When you’re working on your own new music, you’re creating an album. I mean, you’ve had different journeys in your career, where do you want to arrive now? 

Keep watching for more!

02 Jun 2025

Cynthia Erivo Gets Real About ‘Wicked: For Good,’ Coming Out & New Album ‘I Forgive You’ | Billboard Cover

Billboard cover star Cynthia Erivo is gearing up to release her new album, ‘I Forgive You.’ The actress and singer shares insights into how she created the album and discusses the differences between filming ‘Wicked’ and ‘Wicked: For Good.’ She also opens up about her queerness, the role ‘The Color Purple’ played in her journey of self-discovery, and her experiences performing on renowned stages such as Coachella and The Kennedy Center and more!

What was your favorite part of the interview? Let us know in the comments!

Stephen Daw:

Well, thanks for sitting down for this, Cynthia, I really appreciate it. I’m so excited to talk to you. First things first: Congratulations on your new album. I’ve been listening to it pretty much on repeat since they sent it to me. This is your second studio album. You put out ‘Ch. 1 Vs. 1’ back in 2021 and I know that you’ve talked a little bit about how you know you weren’t 100% satisfied with that process. Can you tell me a little bit about why that was?

Cynthia Erivo:

Well, most of it was made in the pandemic, which meant that I was apart from my producer, and though I worked with a lot of producers and a lot of writers, it was never — and they were all so lovely, and I had such a great time with each one of them — but they had different sounds, different things that they brought to it, and it didn’t feel like it was one uniform story. And it never quite felt like it was mine. This time, I felt like I could really sort of hone in on what it is that I wanted with one person, so that we could really create a sound that felt uniform to the whole thing, that felt like it was mine. I could create something that belonged to me. Yeah, that’s why it felt very, very different. 

And I know that you’ve talked in past interviews about, you know, maybe with the first album, you weren’t necessarily with the team that you’re with now, you weren’t necessarily with the right people.

Keep watching for more!

29 May 2025

Chris Stapleton Takes Josh Brolin Inside His Private World | Billboard Cover

Billboard cover star Chris Stapleton gets real in an intimate interview with Josh Brolin, in which he reflects on his musical journey about his roots and finding his voice. He dives into how he balances the demands of his professional ambitions with his personal life, the power of authenticity, and more.

Chris Stapleton:

You can stand up here and just hang out. 

Josh Brolin:

Let’s do it.

Chris Stapleton:

Yeah, let’s grab — this is where you grab a table sitting.

Josh Brolin:

I don’t know. Where do you think? Okay, I think we should start with a sit down and just talk. 

Chris Stapleton:

Sounds good. 

Josh Brolin:

Tell me what this staircase is. What’s on the other side of it? Nothing? 

Chris Stapleton:

Just like a-

Josh Brolin:

Hot water heater. 

Chris Stapleton:

It’s all right, we shored it up. 

Josh Brolin:

So perfect. 

Unknown:

Josh says- 

Josh Brolin:

That didn’t sound too good. This is a board. 

Chris Stapleton:

It’s a real one.  

Josh Brolin:

Okay, we can disco on it if we need to disco that is to cope. What’s the thing that most means something in this whole place?

Chris Stapleton:

There’s lots of things in here that mean things to me, instrument wise. There’s a guitar that I wrote most of my songs on. 

Josh Brolin:

I would love to see that. How did we get here? Why are we doing this?

Chris Stapleton:

Well, I don’t think either one of us are exactly sure. 

Josh Brolin:

Right. 

Chris Stapleton:

But I think it kind of started, you guys showed up to a show,

Josh Brolin:

Right? It was Ryman. 

Chris Stapleton:

It was the Ryman. 

Josh Brolin:

It was here. I’d never heard you before. Right? And then we went, you started playing. And a guy who grew up with, you know, I grew up at the Palomino club, listening to Mel Tillis, listening to Marty Robbins. We had, you know, Waylon Jennings over at our ranch.

Keep watching for more!

22 May 2025

Alejandro Sanz Talks About His New Album, Working With Shakira & More | Billboard Presents

Billboard cover star Alejandro Sanz is gearing up to release his first album in four years, ‘¿Y Ahora Qué?’. The Spanish singer is teaming up with Shakira once again for a new duet, “Bésame.” He shares the inspiration behind “Palmeras en el Jardín,” what it’s like to work with Shakira, his collaborations with Grupo Frontera and Manuel Turizo for his upcoming album. He also opens up about his mental health, what fans can expect from his tour, and more!

Are you excited for Alejandro Sanz’s new album? Let us know in the comments!

Leila Cobo:

Alejandro, welcome. 

Alejandro Sanz:

Thank you, like always.

Like always. Now tell me, what now?

Well look, “what now” is the first phrase that appears on the album.

Oh really?

On “Palmeras en el Jardín.” “And what now? Now what do you say.” You know how the song starts. But also, I think it’s a phrase that’s common all throughout the world because whenever you start something new, something always happens and you always have to go head on with change, you always ask yourself, “what now?” And when you go to write a new song, it’s a little bit like that. And when you are going through sentimental and emotional changes in your life, and things that really move you, you ask yourself, “what now,” right?  Fortunately or unfortunately, the world presents us with so many changes, different things that we don’t know what’s going to come after and how we are going to face those kinds of things. It seems really graphic and I like to gather phrases or words that are in common imaginations and give them a poetic feel inside of an album.    

And you do that all the time? Better said, do you do it consciously and thinking of that?

Well, I try to. 

Ok so, “Palmeras en el Jardín,” you wrote it before the rest of the album, right?

Yes, almost before the whole album.

I ask because “Palmeras en el Jardín” is a really sad song, honestly. 

Keep watching for more!