billboard news

Janelle Monáe is living it up in Europe and recreated an iconic photo of Michael Jackson, and Janet Jackson confesses she’s over interviews. Keep watching to hear what she has to say!

Janet Jackson:

And I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to be honest with you. Please stop asking me questions.

Tetris Kelly:

Janet Jackson keeps it real as Janelle Monáe recreates one of her brother’s most infamous moments. Janelle Monáe has been having a blast on tour in Europe. She recreated one of Michael Jackson’s most recognizable moments in pop culture history, in a now deleted IG post, when he held his child outside a window to share with his fans. Janelle held her robot dog off the balcony with a towel over its head even wearing a similar outfit to MJ. Meanwhile, his sister Janet says she’s not a fan of interviews during an interview. 

Dev Griffin:

People want to know, do you have a question that’s a “please stop asking me?” that you feel like maybe just comes up a little too much.

Janet Jackson: 

And I don’t mean to be rude, but I have to be honest with you. Please stop asking me questions.

Tetris Kelly: 

While talking to UK’s Heart Radio, Janet said she’s over interviews.

Janet Jackson: 

I really don’t like speaking, so I’d rather stay quiet and listen to other people talk and that’s always been me.

Tetris Kelly:

We love an honest queen!

Janet Jackson: 

Don’t ask me questions, are we finished?

Charli XCX, Tinashe and Megan Thee Stallion are all over TikTok with their latest hits. Here are all the updates you need to know.

Tetris Kelly:
From Megan’s new Hot 100 hit, Charli bringing the apples and “Nasty” getting a remix, we’re talking about three of the most viral songs you should know. Tinashe’s “Nasty” has been all over the ‘Tok and even in our studio, but now Tinashe’s highest charting solo Hot 100 hit is getting a remix with superstar Chlöe Bailey.

And not sure if you heard, but it’s a BRAT summer. And as people are loving our cover star Charli XCX’s new album, its song “Apple” has a dance that her homie Troye joined for, one of our faves KEEHO, and even John Summit joined Jake Shane.

And we all think we know Japanese now thanks to Megan Thee Stallion’s “Mamushi” with Yuki Chiba, which became his first Hot 100 song and just climbed to No. 45 on the chart.

Billboard’s Fan Army Face Off is back this year and there’s loads of fandoms that are battling it out to take the No.1 spot. Head to billboard.com to cast your vote now!

Tetris Kelly:

Drake versus Kendrick, Ice Spice versus ATEEZ, NewJeans versus Sabrina Carpenter. Billboard’s Fan Army Face Off is back and the 32 matchups in round one to see who has the ultimate fandom are already heating up! Last year’s winner, SB19 takes on SZA in round one while their rubber up, SEVENTEEN, is up against viral chart new comer, Chappell Roan. Speaking of charts, the king and queen of this year’s charts, Morgan Wallen and Taylor Swift go head to head. While BLACKPINK, who hasn’t released an album in almost two years, takes on Charli XCX who has one of the most acclaimed albums of the year. But one of the biggest battles of round one has to be Drake versus Kendrick Lamar. We’ll see if the fans can settle this beef once and for all. For the full list of matchups in round one and to cast your vote, head to Billboard.com

Ahead of Adele’s Munich residency, she dropped the bombshell that she wants to take a “big break” from music. Keep watching for the details!

Tetris Kelly:
Adele says she’s taking a break from music, but what’s next for the chart-topper? Ahead of her 10-day residency in Munich, Germany, Adele sat down with German outlet, ZDF, to talk about her upcoming shows.

During the interview, according to NME, Adele said she has no plans for new music and wants “a big break after this … to do other creative things, just for a little while.”

No word on what those other creative things may be. We know from her stint on SNL she is a comedy queen. And she didn’t specify how long “a little while” is. But we do know she returns to Las Vegas to finish out the last 10 dates of her Weekends with Adele residency spanning Oct. 25 to Nov. 23.

Griff released her debut album as a trilogy, and the final installment, ‘Vertigo,’ is out. She stops by Billboard and shares how she got inspired to release her debut album in three parts, her experience on opening for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, and how she will be opening for Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n Sweet Tour. Griff also shares how she’s preparing for her first tour and more!

Griff:

The eight year old me that listened to Taylor and like was obsessed with ‘Fearless’ is like so like dying inside that, like, the fact that that’s happening is an achievement in itself. Hey, it’s Griff and you’re watching Billboard News.

Lyndsey Havens:

Hey I’m Lyndsey for Billboard News, and we’re here with the stellar singer-songwriter Griff.

Griff:

Thanks for having me.

Lyndsey Havens:

Yeah. Thanks for being here. So you have some super exciting tour announcements. And then obviously, your debut album that we’ve all been waiting for. So it was announced that you’re opening for Sabrina Carpenter this fall. Congratulations on that one.

Griff:

Thank you.

Lyndsey Havens:

So if you can remember, how did you find out that this was happening?

Griff:

I was doing my first ever European tour. And I just finished a show and I was getting on the tour bus and my tour manager called me and I had to step off. And he was like, so, Sabrina Carpenter wants you to join her on tour, which was obviously so surreal, and it’s such an honor that she would want that to happen. I bumped into her for the first time at a Grammy party last time I was in LA. And then I saw her last time she was in the UK for a festival. So that was nice, like, fully hang out and say hi, but yea I’m so excited. 

Keep watching to learn more!

Jin shares his experience as South Korea’s representative of the 2024 Olympics, SEVENTEEN’s WOOZI has something to say about the accusations of AI use, and Jimin & Jung Kook tease their new show.

Tetris Kelly:

Ji-Kook doesn’t know if we’re ready for what we are about to see, SEVENTEEN’s WOOZI snaps back to people saying they use AI, and Jin is thankful for his Paris experience. Here’s three things you need to know in K-Pop. Though SEVENTEEN’s epic video for “MAESTRO” played with the concept of AI and technology, one of the members and songwriter of the group said ‘no’ on their songs. After a BBC story said they used artificial intelligence in the creative process, WOOZI posted to IG saying, “All of SEVENTEEN’s music is written and composed by human creators.” And their entertainment label backed him up saying, “It is not true that AI was used in SEVENTEEN’s song lyrics, and we have conveyed our position to the foreign media outlets that reported on this to correct the content.” BBC added an editor’s note. Jin of BTS was South Korea’s official representative in the Paris 2024 Olympic torch relay, the 31-year-old K-pop star was beside himself with excitement. In a statement he said: “I was able to take on the honorable role of a torchbearer thanks to the support of ARMY. I am truly grateful. I was so nervous to the point of not knowing how the time passed, but I was able to do my best thanks to the many people who loudly cheered me on.” And Jin we will always do so. Jimin & Jung Kook are coming to Disney+ in a new travel show August 9th and today they walked to ARMY about the adventurous details. We are not ready! Okay, yes we are.

After Donald Trump’s shooting at his rally in Pennsylvania, musicians have taken to social media to voice their opinion. Keep watching to see what they have to say.

Tetris Kelly:

From meme album covers, to passionate support and song dedications- after gunshots rang through Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania leaving one attendee dead and the former President’s ear injured, musicians throughout the industry are reacting. That’s 50 Cent performing “Many Men (Wish Death).” After posting that he was trending on X following the shooting with an edited version of his album ‘Get Rich or Die Tryin.’” Kid Rock took a more angry tone and they weren’t the only ones with something to say. Lil Pump posted, “we spinnin for Trump glad ur ok.” With M.I.A. saying she was looking into bulletproof hats. Several country stars have spoken on the situation live at their shows with Cody Johnson speaking on American rights. And Jason Aldean taking his song, “Try That In A Small Town,” a track many took to be a song inciting violence and dedicating it to the former President.