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It’s Friday, February 2nd, and there’s a ton of new music out. Usher teamed up with Pheelz for their new track “Ruin,” TWICE dropped a new song titled “I GOT YOU,” G(I)-DLE’s new album ‘2’ is here, Kate Hudson released her first single & more. Spotify hosted its annual Spotify Best New Artist Party last […]
Few people had a bigger 2023 than Coco Jones — and she could very well turn 2024 into an even bigger year following Sunday night’s 2024 Grammys, where she’s nominated for a whopping five Golden Gramophones.
Ahead of Music‘s Biggest Night, Billboard staff writer Kyle Denis sat down with Jones to break down her whirlwind year and her feelings going into her first Grammy Awards as a nominee. At Sunday night’s telecast, Jones is nominated for best new artist, best R&B song (“ICU”), best R&B performance (“ICU”), best traditional R&B performance (“Simple,” with Babyface) and best R&B album (What I Didn’t Tell You – Deluxe).
“The Grammys are just a very respected group of people who earned their voice and their credits and credentials,” she says. “To me, I respect everyone who is nominated and decides because I just feel like the Grammys also help up-and-coming [artists and creatives]. For them to recognize the work that I’m doing, it just feels very affirming.”
The “Caliber” singer continues, “When I first learned I was nominated, I was on the plane. I definitely was asleep. My phone was vibrating so much, I was like, ‘This turbulence is crazy!’ But what I realized was, everyone was texting me congratulations.”
Last year, Jones earned her first Billboard Hot 100 entry with “ICU” (No. 62), which earned a remix featuring Justin Timberlake and also reached the top of Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and R&B Digital Song Sales. The success of “ICU” also gave way to a deluxe version of 2022 EP, What I Didn’t Tell You, which climbed to No. 6 on Heatseekers Albums — her first appearance on the chart in exactly a decade. In addition to her own music, Jones has lent her talents to collaborations with the likes of Brent Faiyaz (“Moment of Your Life”), Lil Tjay (“Grateful”), Adekunle Gold (“Make It Easy”) and Mean Girls movie musical star Reneé Rapp (“Tummy Hurts”).
“I have to say I really loved [working with] Reneé Rapp,” Jones gushes. “I think that was just so cool because it was mixing pop and R&B, and that’s something I want to do moving forward, so I like that. To me, it was kind of like foreshadowing.”
Like Rapp, Jones is also an acclaimed multi-hyphenate. She’s currently gearing up to film the forthcoming new season of Peacock’s Bel-Air, in which she portrays the ever-fashionable Hilary Banks. “I’m excited! A lot is still up in the air, we just ended the strike and I know everybody is getting back to work,” she says. “I’m not sure what’s in store for Hilary, I definitely want it to be surprising though, I’m like ‘Let’s up the stakes!’”
After spending 2023 on a major headlining tour, racking up R&B smashes and promoting season two of Bel-Air, Jones is ready to conquer the new year with the lessons she’s learned from those experiences. “Everything’s in seasons,” she muses. “Sometimes, people come into your life for a season, sometimes you have seasons where you don’t understand what’s going on, but seasons are the weather so they must change and they must evolve and they must go to something different. Don’t try to hold on to whatever has outlasted its season.”
Coco Jones talks about receiving five Grammy nominations, what’s next for her role as Hilary Banks in the show Bel-Air, her song for The Color Purple soundtrack, how she is planning to top the success she saw with her hit song “ICU,” performing in front of her hometown Nashville, why she loves her collab with Reneé Rapp and more!
Coco Jones:I guess, look at music creation from the standpoint of “What do you want the final world to be? Where do you want the songs to live, and how do you want to feel on stage?” because you’re going to do that every day. Hey, y’all, it’s Coco Jones, and you’re watching Billboard News.
Kyle Denis:First off, happy new year! How are you feeling now that we’re officially in 2024?
Coco Jones:I’m excited. I think I learned a lot in 2023. I just had a birthday, and I’m ready for whatever challenges are up.
Kyle Denis:What do the Grammys mean to you? And how does it feel to now have “Grammy nominated” in front of your name?
Coco Jones:Grammys are just a very respected group of people who earned their voice and earned their credits and their credentials. To me, I respect everyone who is nominated and who decides, because I just feel like the Grammys also help up-and-coming artists, help up-and-coming creatives. And so for them to recognize the work that I’m doing, it just feels very affirming.
Kyle Denis:You’re up for five awards, and I want to list them out because you deserve that. You’re up for best new artist, “ICU” is up for best R&B performance and best R&B song. What I Didn’t Tell You deluxe is up for best R&B album, and “Simple” with Babyface is up for best traditional R&B performance. Congratulations.
Coco Jones:Thank you.
Kyle Denis:Wow. Where were you when you first learned about those nominations?
Coco Jones:Oh, when I first learned I was nominated, I was on the plane. And I definitely was asleep. My phone was vibrating so much. I was like, “This turbulence is crazy.” But what I realized is everyone was texting me congratulations. So as soon as I landed, I was calling everybody back.
Watch the full video above!
Grammy week is in full swing! Billboard’s Power 100 party was a celebration of some of the biggest names in music. NMPA and Billboard teamed up to honor some of this year’s most iconic songwriters. Justin Tranter stopped by Billboard News to talk about their Grammy nomination, the importance of recognizing songwriters and working with […]
Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me” continues to reign on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, while Jack Harlow’s “Lovin on Me” enters the top 10. Tetris Kelly:Flo Milli keeps a grip on TikTok as Jack Harlow slides into the top 10. Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me” spends another week at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard […]
Justin Tranter talks about receiving a Grammy nomination for his songwriting, goes in depth about the songs he’s written this past year that he submitted for his nomination, why he feels it’s important for the Grammys to recognize songwriters, what he wants to achieve with Facet label, and publishing and writing with artists such as Reneé Rapp, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus and more!
Justin Tranter:Hello, hello, hello. Check check. One two, one two. This looks fantastic. Thank you for this opportunity to just speak in front of my own beauty. Hello, I am Justin Tranter, and this is Billboard News.
Katie Bain:Hello, I’m Katie Bain for Billboard News, and I am genuinely thrilled to be here with Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter. Justin, thank you for joining us.
Justin Tranter:Thank you for having me.
Katie Bain:First of all, November. I want to know what you were doing what when you found out you were nominated for this Grammy.
Justin Tranter:I will be very honest with you. Last year was the first year the category existed, and I had my hopes way the f–k up. I did not get nominated. So this year, I kept my hopes very low. Me and my amazing publicist did no campaigning. We just … I just … I just of course submitted myself and was very proud of the songs that I submitted but just intentionally did not get my hopes up. And right before the nominations came, I went to go walk my dog, was not watching, and I really, truly thought there was was not … was not gonna get nominated. So walking my dog, and then all of a sudden, I looked down at my phone and there’s, like, 300 text messages.
Katie Bain:Yes, that’s great. Yeah, that’s actually just got goosebumps. Did you stop in your tracks?
Watch the full video above!
Women will rule the night at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music Awards presented by Marriott Bonvoy, and we have all the details, including how you can bid on a red-carpet fan experience. Tetris Kelly:NewJeans, Victoria Monét, Kylie Minogue and so many more are set to take over Billboard‘s Women in Music Awards presented by […]
Adrian Quesada and Eric Burton of the Black Pumas sat down with Hannah Karp, Billboard‘s editorial director. The duo opened up about their 2024 Grammy nomination, writing process, use of live recordings, the success of “Colors” and more!
Eric Burton:This guy, I think he just started DJing, and so it’s been cool to see, like, him picking up a bunch of, like, singles. I don’t even want to know how much money.
Adrian Quesada:Yeah, it’s an expensive rabbit hole.
Hannah Karp:Do you have a separate DJ name?
Adrian Quesada:No, no people have, like, messed with me about coming up, but I think I’m too old for a DJ name.
Eric Burton:Hey, this is Eric Burton and Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas, and this is Billboard News.
Hannah Karp:Hi, everyone. I’m Hannah Karp and I’m absolutely thrilled to be here today with this dynamic duo that has just scored their seventh Grammy nomination, Black Pumas.
Welcome to New York! What brings you here from your sunny hometown of Austin, Texas?
Adrian Quesada:We are performing at Radio City Music Hall, the iconic Radio City Music Hall, on Friday. So just thrilled to be here. It’s been a while since we played in New York, and the magnitude of playing in a place like that is kind of special.
Hannah Karp:What can fans expect at that show?
Eric Burton:The new project, a lot of the new project. They can expect a more developed and evolved unit. We’ve had a lot of fun making the music and I think that one of our strongest qualities as a band is the live performative. And I think this time in conclusion, we’ve had a lot of fun coming together to curate the show, you know, like the the second chapter of what it means to be a Black Puma and/or a part of the Pum Pack. So it’s exciting. It’s a new thing.Watch the full video above!
In an open letter, TikTok states that they have been unable to reach an agreement with UMG. The music giant says it will pull its entire music catalog from the platform on Jan. 31. Ice Spice announced that her debut album, titled ‘Y2K,’ will be out later this year. SZA has confirmed that a collaboration […]
After producing for Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Travis Scott and more for over a decade, Hit-Boy has solidified his stance as one of the best rap producers in the game.
The three-time Grammy winner is up for producer of the year, non-classical this year, and it’s the second time he’s been nominated in the category. “I didn’t have no label budget. Everything is funded by me, music by me, engineered by me, studio time by me, like literally coming out of my pocket. I feel like I already won for real,” he told Billboard News‘ Tetris Kelly. “I don’t have no big powerful manager like the rest of the producers. I’m thuggin’ this sh– by myself with a couple of my homies.”
But Hit-Boy isn’t always solo in the studio. In the last three years, Hit-Boy has executive produced six albums for Nas, with three King’s Disease and three Magic albums. Nas won his first-ever Grammy in 2021 in the best rap album category with the first King’s Disease installation.
“Nas empowers me to be the best producer I can and allows me to grow through my production process. When he comes [to] lay two, three verses and a hook, and [he’s] like, ‘Yo, do what you do.’ I’m doing breakdowns, I’m adding additional keys, I’m doing things to just keep the production interesting. And when he comes back to the studio, he like, ‘Yo! I didn’t expect this. My mind is blown. What made you think to put this sound and it matches what I’m saying?’” he says. “We got mutual, super respect. He allows me to be me and grow through this, and I allow him to be him. He’s one of the greatest, period. I just try to keep my ear open, my eyes open. That’s how you got 80 songs in three years — you got to leave ego out the room.”
The 36-year-old producer hitmaker (real name Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr.) recently worked with another superstar, Jennifer Lopez, on her first single of the year, “Can’t Get Enough.” The song, which Latto recently hopped on for the remix, arrives ahead of J.Lo’s ninth studio album This Is Me… Now, due Feb. 16 via Nuyorican Productions and BMG. And it’s not the first time Hit-Boy has ever worked with her: His first official beat placement was on Lopez’s “Forever” from her 2007 album Brave.
But the most special collaborator he’s ever worked with is his father Big Hit, who recently finished serving nine years of a 12 year-sentence after being found guilty and convicted of a hit-and-run in L.A. resulting in great bodily injury in 2014. After being released from prison, Big Hit went straight to the studio and started getting back to work. The father-son duo released Surf or Down, Vol. 2 just in time for Father’s Day last year. Then Hit-Boy executive produced his father’s highly anticipated debut album The Truth Is In My Eyes, which was released on December 16, 2023, exclusively on Big Hit’s Bandcamp. Two weeks later, at the top of this year, Hit-Boy, Big Hit and The Game joined forces on the 9-track project Paisley Dreams.
“It’s a dream come true…. Sitting and just laying in the bunker in the cell, surrounded by all the concrete and all the noise, all the bullsh–, trying to block it out, I just told myself, ‘One day, I’mma be in the mansion. I’ll focus on the vision.’ And I stayed focused,” said Big Hit. And that focus doesn’t go unnoticed by his own son. “[I’m] getting to know different parts of myself through him and seeing his work ethic. Since I was a teenager, people be like, ‘All you do is work. You locked in all the time.’ I got that hustle in my blood, you know what I mean? Seeing him record 300 songs in seven months, I’m trying to keep up with him now!” Hit-Boy added.
Watch Hit-Boy’s full Billboard News interview above.