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Sam Smith wanted to put on a very special show for fans in Manchester, U.K. on Wednesday night (May 24), promising before the gig that “we’ve got a surprise for you this evening… ‘Unholy’ won’t be the last song.” Unfortunately, things did not go as planned and the singer had to cut the gig at Manchester’s AO Arena short after just four songs.
“Dearest sailors, I don’t know what to say honestly. I fought off a virus a few weeks ago and since then we have travelled across Europe and had such incredible shows,” Smith wrote in an Instagram Story reposted by the venue about the issues that have dogged them on the tour in support of their Gloria album. “Today in soundcheck I felt fine and was so excited to give Manchester an amazing show tonight, with a special surprise at the end.”
But, Smith said, during the third song, “I noticed something wrong with my voice. I prayed it was just my voice waking up for the show but into the fourth song I could feel something was really wrong. I came off stage and have tried everything to get my voice back in gear but it won’t. I am honestly heartbroken I couldn’t finish the show tonight for you all. I love you all. I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry x.”
A fan described the night in an essay for the Manchester Evening News, writing that they expected to see what they read was an elaborate production in three acts. The set opened with “Stay With Me,” followed by “I’m Not the Only One” and “Dancing With a Stranger.”
“Throughout the songs they did, Sam looked at ease, happy, and genuinely like they were loving life,” the fan wrote. “Their vibes were rubbing off on everyone else, and the whole room felt filled with love. Everything seemed to be going perfectly. That’s why it was such a shock when there was a sudden pause in the songs, with an overhead tannoy citing ‘technical difficulties.’”
She wrote that fans were not initially sure what was happening, but after 15 minutes they were told that the house lights would be coming on, as fans began making their way to the exits. “We sat for another ten minutes, hoping for good news, but the tannoy then notified us that due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’ the show was cancelled,” she wrote.
Smith’s European tour was slated to continue on Thursday night (May 25) with a show in Glasgow at the OVO Hydro. On Thursday morning the venue announced that the gig had been canceled, along with a show in Birmingham on Saturday (May 27), with refunds for all three shows available at point of purchase. “Sam is heartbroken to have had to cancel these shows but they have been told by doctors that if they keep singing, they will do permanent damage to their voice. If they take some rest, they will be able to perform again,” read the statement. The next scheduled show on the tour is in Tel Aviv, Israel on May 31.
The bad news came just as Smith teased a mystery collaboration with Madonna earlier in the day on Wednesday. At press time no additional information had been released about what the project is.
See Smith’s statement below.
Sam is heartbroken to have had to cancel these shows but they have been told by doctors that if they keep singing, they will do permanent damage to their voice. If they take some rest, they will be able to perform again.— OVO Hydro (@OVOHydro) May 25, 2023
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You can add another notch to Kendrick Lamar’s already impressive belt. His most recent tour outing is now the highest grossing Rap tour ever.
As spotted on Hype Beast the Compton, California native has set another record within our genre. According to newly released report from the Touring Data website, The Big Steppers Tour is now the most highest earning concert series ever headlined by a rapper. This 73 show run sold 929,056 tickets and generated a whopping 110.9 million dollars. In addition the average price for a ticket throughout all the concert venues was just a bit over $100 dollars. Considering some of his peers are selling shows at $1,000 a seat; K-Dot might have just proved that keeping the price point affordable is the right way to go.
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These numbers now top Drake’s Aubrey & The Three Migos, Drake and Future’s Summer Sixteen and Jay-Z and Kanye West’s Watch The Throne. This outing was in support of Kendrick Lamar’s fifth solo album Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers which was largely hailed as a brilliant effort and marked his last recording under his Top Dawg Entertainment record label contract.
Just a few weeks ago, the Jonas Brothers announced an upcoming performance at a very special venue: Yankee Stadium. Dubbed “One Night Only,” the demand soon forced a second show, both scheduled for August.
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But tonight, the band is keeping its promise: one and only one incredible night in Los Angeles. At least, for now. Nick teased at the end of the show the band would return in September, which was met with sky-high shrieks.
For the trio’s second show on this unofficial trek, which started in London earlier this month, the brothers came out swinging — perhaps practice for playing at a baseball stadium soon, with hits old and new receiving home-fun worthy roars.
After opening with current The Album single “Waffle House,” Joe addressed the crowd through deafening screams. “We’ve only done this one other time,” he cautioned before teasing, “We’re playing a good amount of songs from the new album.” Another promise kept.
The band performed several unreleased songs off its forthcoming 12-track project, including “Summer Baby,” “Montana Sky,” “Sail Away,” “Vacation Eyes,” “Celebrate” “Little Bird” and “Walls” (the lattermost earned a live debut during the band’s recent gig on Saturday Night Live.) And while that material made up the entire first act, following a brief intermission the Jonas Brothers returned for a hits-filled second set, treating the intimate 1,600-capacity room just the same as it would – and will – a 46,000-plus person stadium.
Check out the seven best moments from the show below.
Nick’s Early (and Epic) Tease
“It’s so good to be back,” Nick told the crowd while taking in the space. “We’re playing tonight at a venue we’ve never played in. This whole mini tour is just trying to check off bucket list items.”
“It brings me back to how this whole journey for this album started about a year-and-a-half ago,” he continued. “We were home, at our respective homes [in L.A.], and Jon Bellion walked us through a few songs,” all of which, he says, centered on what matters most to the brothers right now: family, fatherhood and love.
And finally, he delivered one final message before diving into the music. “We have a very special audience here tonight,” Nick said before delivering the best tease of the night. “We’re going to play some more songs from the album and then we’re going to step offstage and let you guys have a few drinks – looks like some of you already have – then we’re going to come back and play all the f—ing hits.”
The Brothers’ “Real Sexy” Moment
“This next song is a very special one to me,” said Kevin, introducing the sultry “Vacation Eyes.” “I know what it feels like to be in love, and it feels like you’re on vacation every single day – so this one is all about that.”
“It’s about to get real sexy in here, c’mon now,” added Nick before opening the track in his forceful falsetto over a groovy bass guitar lick. And later, fans are treated to a guttural growl from Joe, making the song even more unforgettable – and securing its status as a potential fan favorite off The Album.
Addressing Uncharted Territory
Three stools are placed on stage as Nick and Kevin took their seats on either end of Joe with their guitars in tow. “Now this is the moment in the show where we talk about something we’ve never talked about in our music before,” started Nick, which was met with whispered gasps. “Fatherhood.” He then dedicated “Little Bird,” the second-to-last song on The Album to “every parent in the room… and every child in the room.”
The Mind-Blowing Harmonies
It’s no secret Kevin, Nick and Joe can sing – and sound their best when harmonizing with one another. There was no stronger proof of this than on the set’s first-half closer, “Walls.” After live-debuting the song on SNL, it sounded even stronger now. Backed by a six-person chorus, the song’s powerful ending seemed to electrify the room, feeling much like a long-loved classic – thus serving as a perfect connector between the new album and the upcoming second hits-filled half.
The Seamless Transitions
The show’s second half, of course, operated like a well-oiled machine as the brothers churned out hit after hit, oftentimes without the music ever really ending or the stage lights fully dimming. Yet one of the best transitions occurred between the band’s 2020 single “What a Man Gotta Do” and its 2007-released “That’s Just the Way We Roll.” A pivot so seamless it managed to jump entire decades.
Nick and Joe’s Sing-Off
Much to the surprise of many, Nick suddenly appeared alone on stage. He then took it by storm to deliver his stirring solo single “Close,” making a strong claim for it to be a set closer. But not if Joe has anything to say about it.
As Nick took a seat to the side of the stage, Joe came out to perform the DNCE hit “Toothbrush” (backed by DNCE bandmates and Jonas Brothers touring musicians Jack Lawless on drums and JinJoo Lee on guitar). All the while, Nick howls along to the “awhooo” filled chorus as Lee later shreds during a solo of her own.
But wait – there’s more. Nick then stands to perform “Jealous” as Joe took a seat and Kevin returned to play and sing harmonies alongside Nick. Soon enough, Joe was back on his feet so the three can close out the song together before ending the sing-off with DNCE’s defining song, “Cake By the Ocean.”
The Time-Traveling Ending
“We’re gonna take it back a few years for ya,” Joe told the crowd before the brothers dig into “Lovebug” off its 2008 album A Little Bit Longer. With a quick head nod from Joe, they then go right into “Year 3000” (from the year 2006) and “Burnin’ Up” before closing the night with “Sucker” off Happiness Begins, the band’s last studio album that marked the end of an unofficial 10-years-long hiatus.
Thankfully, with The Album around the corner, fans went home certain of more on the way – and soon.
Sam Smith‘s shows in Glasgow and Birmingham have been pushed back due to illness. The singer announced to fans on Monday (April 24) that the Birmingham show — which was originally slated for tonight (April 25) at Birmingham Resort World Arena — will be bumped to May 27; tickets for the original date will be honored at the rescheduled one.
Smith wrote to their fans about the postponements in a statement shared by Resorts World Arena in which they said, “I am so sorry to let you know that my team and I are still really not well, so unfortunately we need to reschedule our Birmingham show to the 27th May 2023.”
The statement continued, “It’s so important to me that we give you the very best version of Gloria. I don’t want you to experience it at anything less. Thank you so much for understanding, I know how excited everyone is to see the show, and I feel the same about seeing all of you.”
On Friday (April 21), Glasgow’s OVO Hydro announced the rescheduling of Smith’s planned Saturday night show at the arena, also due to an unspecified illness; that show will now take place on May 25. In a Facebook post last week Smith revealed that the Glasgow show was off after they and “a lot of my team have been hit with a virus that’s made us really unwell.” Smith has not specified what illness befell the team.
The most recent gig on Smith’s Gloria tour was in London on April 19 at The O2, where the singer took time out to pay tribute to Brianna Ghey, a 16-year-old transgender girl who was stabbed to death earlier this year in Warrington, England. Smith wore a halo-shaped headband emblazoned with Ghey’s name during the tribute. Smith’s next scheduled show is slated for Saturday (April 29) at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen.
See the statement about the Birmingham show below.
Morgan Wallen fans had already entered Vaught Hemingway Stadium on Sunday night (April 23) when they were unexpectedly informed that the country singer would not be able to perform. According to WTVA, video boards inside the Ole Miss football stadium displayed a message informing attendees that Wallen had lost his voice and would be unable to play his show.
WLBT reported that the message on screens read: “Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, Morgan has lost his voice and is unable to perform tonight. Therefore, tonight’s show has been canceled. Please make your way safely to the stadium exits. Refunds for tonight’s event will be available at point of purchase.” The news came after a number of fans had already entered the stadium, including a number who posted pictures in which they eagerly awaited Wallen taking the stage.
The surprise cancellation came one night after Wallen played a show at the same stadium on Saturday night, the first major concert in the venue’s history. It reportedly also left some attendees who sat through the opening acts feeling aggrieved, with a number venting their anger on social media. “Completely disappointed in @MorganWallen!!” wrote one. “Been sitting in this stadium for 3 hrs and he just announced the show is cancelled!!! COMPLETE BULLS–T!!!”
At press time it did not appear that Wallen had posted about the cancellation of the show on his social media accounts. The scotched gig came just days after Wallen laughed off an onstage tumble during his Thursday night gig in Louisville, KY, when fog effects clouded his view and caused him to trip and fall.
The singer made history last week when he became the first artist with three songs in the Country Airplay top 10 when “Last Night” jumped to No. 8, right in between “Though You Should Know” at No. 7 and “One Thing at a Time” at No. 9.
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One of the biggest names in the culture is going on the road. Lil Baby has announced the “It’s Only Us” tour.
As spotted on Blavity the Atlanta, Georgia native is about to bring his discography to life like never before. This week the MC revealed that he will be headlining his own tour this year. On Monday, April 10 he released a promotional trailer of him contacting his supporting cast. “It’s Only Us Tour 2023🔥🔥🔥🔥 This Fasho Gone Be A Highlight Of The Summer !! I’m Bringing @thekidlaroi @rylorodriguez @glorillapimp @glittergirlgloss @hunxho !! Tickets on sale Thursday ….. #staytuned #IOU #newmusicotw” the caption read. The concert run will feature some of the game’s most exciting new talent including GloRilla, The Kid LAROI, Rylo Rodriguez, Hunxho and more.
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Soon after the announcement his fans were to quick to point out that a tour date in Atlanta was missing. In response he took to Twitter and requested his followers vote on what he should do. “Atlanta Y’all Want A Tour Date ? Or Baby Bash Like We Been Having The Last 3 Years ???” he wrote.
The current Lil Baby “It’s Only Us” tour dates can be found below.
May 19: Metro Metro Festival — Montreal
June 10: Governors Ball Music Festival — New York, N.Y.
July 26: Toyota Center — Houston, Texas
July 28: Moody Center — Austin, Texas
July 29: American Airlines Center — Dallas, Texas
Aug. 1: Footprint Center — Phoenix, Ariz.
Aug. 2: Pechanga Arena^* — San Diego, Calif.
Aug. 4: T-Mobile Arena — Las Vegas, Nev.
Aug. 5: Crypto.com Arena^* — Los Angeles, Calif.
Aug. 6: Oakland Arena — Oakland, Calif
Aug. 9: Golden 1 Center — Sacramento, Calif.
Aug. 12: Climate Pledge Arena — Seattle, Wash.
Aug. 14: Delta Center — Salt Lake City, Utah
Aug. 15: Ball Arena — Denver, Colo.
Aug. 17: Enterprise Center^ — St. Louis, Mo.
Aug. 18: Fiserv Forum^ — Milwaukee, Wisc.
Aug. 19: Target Center^ — Minneapolis, Minn.
Aug. 23: Little Caesars Arena — Detroit, Mich.
Aug. 24: United Center — Chicago, Ill.
Aug. 26: Nationwide Arena — Columbus, Ohio
Aug. 31: Capital One Arena — Washington, D.C.
Sept. 2: TD Garden — Boston, Mass.
Sept. 3: CFG Bank Arena — Baltimore, MD
Sept. 5: PPG Paints Arena — Pittsburgh, Penn.
Sept. 6: Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis, Ind.
Sept. 7: FedExForum* — Memphis, Tenn.
Sept. 8: KFC Yum! Center — Louisville, Ky.
Sept. 9: Bridgestone Arena* — Nashville, Tenn.
Sept. 11: PNC Arena — Raleigh, N.C.
Sept. 12: Spectrum Center — Charlotte, N.C.
Sept. 15: Amalie Arena — Tampa, Fla.
Sept. 16: Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena — Jacksonville, Fla.
Sept. 19: Smoothie King Center — New Orleans, La.
Sept. 22: FLA Live Arena — Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Photo: Prince Williams
It took about one minute for R&B singer-songwriter Victoria Monét to sell out her first-ever headlining concert. In 2016, she served as one of the opening acts for tours by Fifth Harmony and Ariana Grande — the latter of whom she has written a number of hits for, including Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” — and performed her first solo festival gig at Day N Vegas just two years ago. But for about one hour at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre on Friday night (March 31) , Monét took her “motherf—in’ moment” and never let go.
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From the “Moment” the curtains pulled back on the 33-year-old performer, who appeared in a shimmering bronze and green bikini and mesh pants, she instantly blew her fans away. Monét’s windswept, wavy blond hair framed the face of a tried-and-true performer who was somehow just getting her start. The singer’s monumental show kicked off Spotify’s “R&B First Nights” campaign, which aims to amplify the genre’s rising stars by supporting their first live show across select U.S. markets. The campaign, which is financially backed by Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund, will also support U.K. R&B trio FLO‘s Atlanta show next month as part of their first North American tour. Funny enough, when Billboard asked FLO in a recent interview who they were dying to collaborate with, the girl group named Monét.
And it comes as no surprise, considering Monét bodies being a triple threat. She continuously accentuated her assets during her “Ass Like That” performance, singing about her personal fitness journey and a guy who’s absolutely enamored by her results. The subject matter hits close to home, as her partner and the father of her 2-year-old daughter Hazel, John Gaines, is a personal trainer, who fans were introduced to in the whimsical, breath-taking “Moment” music video from early 2020. Both proudly watched Monét in awe among the evening’s star-studded audience, which included Lauren Jauregui, Ambré, Muni Long, Joyce Wrice, Kelela, Ty Dolla $ign, Ravyn Lenae and more.
She not only earned respect from her industry peers and family, but also her fans, who got audibly excited at the sight of her viral dance routine to Trillville featuring Cutty Cartel’s 2004 hit “Some Cut.” The famed squeaky bed frame sounds provided a seamless transition into her 2020 Jaguar cut “Dive,” but Monét wanted to slow things down even more for “Touch Me.”
Scattering spotlights showered the now-perched singer, who basked in it — a rather rare moment for someone who has spent years behind a pen, tucked away in a studio and nowhere near a stage that would give her her own shine apart from any superstar she’s ever worked with in her storied career.
Monét made sure the crowd never forgot who she is, seducing one of her female backup dancers to flaunt her bisexual identity during “F.—” as glowing pink lights filled the 771-capacity venue with lust. She treated her day one fans with touches of nostalgia, playing songs off her 2018 albums, Life After Love, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. And for one very special fan named Aubrey, Monét brought her up on stage to personally thank her for supporting her all of these years and gifted her a signed vinyl. She later brought up her longtime photographer Alfredo Flores to capture the moment, with the entire audience unpromptedly throwing up a peace sign for the camera, potentially in reference to her upcoming Jaguar II era.
“Take your phones out and light this bi— up, cause you can’t smoke in here!” Monét yelled before diving into her latest, Lucky Daye-assisted single “Smoke.” Once it cleared, she payed homage to her first Jaguar project by giving the audience a truly groovy “Experience” with technicolor lighting that mimicked a disco ball in efforts to transport them straight to the ’70s. But she (literally) snapped everyone back into reality with the same celestial keys that played at the start of the show, but this time, for “Jaguar.” If another Austin Powers movie were to be made today, Monét made her case for why she would be his foxy sidekick (the way Beyoncé once played) with her razor sharp, yet incredibly fluid movements and overall awe-inspiring, superstar presence.
Triumphant trumpets blared for her grand finale and later replayed once Monét returned to the stage, with an adorably stunned baby Hazel in her arms, to bask in this moment just once more. “I just wanted to say thank you to my team. Thank you guys all for coming. This is a team effort. I have the name Victoria Monét, but that name is plural. It’s my team that got me here,” she said above bouts of roaring applause, with her team standing all around her, including her manager Rachelle Jean-Louis and producer D’Mile. “And thank you Spotify for believing in me to have this moment and to kick off your ‘[R&B] First Nights.’
“I wanted to make this night extra special for you guys, too. I know you guys have been waiting for Jaguar II for a really long time,” she teased. “And because you guys sold this show out in one minute, I just wanted to give you a little sneak peek.” While taking a hefty sip from a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle (if you know, you know), Monét played a snippet of a new slinky, hip-hop-leaning track that featured her signature funky trumpets signaling her victory lap.
Victoria Monét’s El Rey setlist:
“Moment”
“Big Boss (Interlude)”
“Ass Like That”
“Dive”
“Touch Me”
“F.U.C.K.”
“We Might Even Be Falling in Love (Interlude)”
“Do You Like It”
“New Love”
“Freak”
“Monopoly”
“Smoke”
“Coastin’”
“Experience”
“Jaguar”
With one of the most eclectic albums in reggaeton-pop, filled with ‘1980s and ‘1990s freestyle, house, and Miami bass, Rauw Alejandro delivered an electrifying performance at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Friday (March 24).
The concert, part of his Saturno World Tour, began with hype from the get-go. Earlier in the day, the Puerto Rican hitmaker dropped his joint EP, RR, with new fiance Rosalía. Friday’s show marked the first time fans would see another shade of the performer rock out jams from his experimental reggaeton-pop 2022 album, Saturno.
At 9:00 p.m. ET, a woman’s voice on the speakers queued the audience to prepare for take-off, and the arena began bumping ’90s golden era of dance music like “Pump Up the Jam” by Technotronic and “Rhythm Is a Passion” by SNAP! They also embraced old school reggaeton from legends like Wisin y Yandel’s “Rakatá” and Daddy Yankee’s “Machete,” including “P FNK R” by Bad Bunny — giving concert-goers a taste of the vibe of what was to come.
Alejandro’s space odyssey opened up with none other than “Saturno,” the freestyle-driven party jam that instantly invigorated the scene with acrobatic dancers flipping across the stage. Then, from the center view, all lights focused on our dance-reggaeton voyager Alejandro, as he elevated slowly to meet his thousands of screaming fans surrounding the stage.
Rocking a silver metallic trench coat and pants combo, with alien-like sunglasses that held over his head, the song transitioned to the hard-hitting “Punto 40,” where the superstar showcased moves for days, joining his dance crew with fancy footwork, bumpin’ and grinding and plenty of throwback styles. A bevy of attendees also set the intergalactic vibe, donning Matrix-like costumes, alien-antenna headbands, and some in full-blown extraterrestrial costumes. This was his eleventh gig which kicked off earlier this month in Tampa, Fla.
Amid neon pink lights decorating the stage à la Black Mirror’s San Junipero, he proceeded to belt out the sweltering, R&B-laden “Nostálgico,” which usually features Rvssian and Chris Brown. He also performed his latest cut which originally features Dominican upstart Ángel Dior. The space cadent then introduced urbano singer/rapper Chris Palace to the stage to sing the upbeat “Gatas.” The rising star sported a colorful set of hair designed like flames, and the crowd welcomed him with a roar of excitement.
“It’s my time in New York City,” he exclaimed. Meanwhile, a gigantic screen hovered over the stage showing an array of retro-styled images like planets, palm trees, and binary numbers.
Hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez, who never missed a beat, provided plenty of thrills and chills with their b-boy style moves that went perfectly with the throwback theme of the night.
Although the performer just announced his engagement with the Spanish superstar, the former reggaeton lothario still flirted with the audience, as hordes of screaming females threw their thongs and bras towards him. He picked them up and swung them around to further arouse them. Never forget “Panties y Brasieres.”
Alejandro spanned through numerous smash hits, including bangers “Te Felicito,” “Desesperados,” “Desenfocao’.” His global breakout “Todo de Ti” was remixed to a slower, more electronic-focused beat. But on “Dime Quien????” El Fókin Zorro continued to bring his insatiable vigor and howling vocals to the spotlight. The high-energy banger got every single person in attendance on their feet instantly, with a rhythm accentuated by analog synth-pop and thumping bass that harkened back to 1984’s Footloose. “Party” by Bad Bunny featuring Rauw also built for a triumphant moment, and the romantic and simmering “Museo” revealed one of the most beautiful choreography with statuesque poses — there was even a scene where the Puerto Rican and his backup dancers pulled off a seemingly impossible lean à la Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.”
The night came to an end by Alejandro teasing the arrival of another guest star, and while screaming fans shouted “Rosalía!” none other than Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa arrived. The screams got louder to deafening as the two proceeded to sing the high-energy cut “Bésalo,” which was followed by El Alfa’s own mega hit “Los Aparatos.”
“I don’t know if everyone knows but today I released an EP along with the love of my life,” he said and began to croon the words to “Beso,” taking turns with Rosalía’s which resonated from the speakers. Elated cheers filled the arena throughout the evening at Barclays.
With a wide-ranging mosaic of sounds that span across generations and sonic configurations, Rauw Alejandro is truly a musical omnivore who is unafraid to try something different, and that makes him one of the most exhilarating artists of modern Latin pop.
BLACKPINK will have some serious back-up when they take the stage at the BST Hyde Park concert series in London this summer. The official poster for the K-pop group’s headlining slot on July 2 in London revealed that they’ll share the stage with “Nonsense” singer Sabrina Carpenter, as well as South Korean indie rockers The Rose and up-and-coming English pop singers Caity Baser and Mae Stephens.
The poster for the event revealed on Thursday (March 23) promised “many more” support act to be announced.
The massive summer series has already announced a a special edition of P!nk’s Summer Carnival outing with Gwen Stefani (and more guests to be announced soon) on June 24 and 25, a June 30 show with Guns N’ Roses (and special guests to be announced), beloved British boy band Take That with The Script and Sugarbabes on July 1, Billy Joel and Daryl Hall on July 7 and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band on July 6 and 8.
BLACKPINK’s members have been making plenty of news outside the group lately, with Jisoo teasing her upcoming solo album, ME, with a second teaser in which the singer poses in a black crop top and billowing skirt and gazes intently at the camera until the title of the album and its release date pop up in red text. Earlier this week, Rosé shared some footage of her and bandmate Jennie enjoying Harry Styles’ Love n Tour stop at Seoul’s KSPO Dome and singing along to Harry’s “As It Was” before grabbing some snaps with Styles backstage after the show.
Check out the poster for BLACKPINK’s BST Hyde Park show below.
By the time SZA reached the last stop on her sensational arena tour — performing two final shows at Los Angeles’ The Forum on March 22 and 23 — most fans in attendance knew what to expect.
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Opener Omar Apollo has been consistently filling venues across the country — proving he’s the kind of act worth showing up on time for by delivering a headline-worthy show himself. Meanwhile, SZA first revealed to Billboard in her Women In Music cover story that she wanted her concert to feel like a Broadway show, saying “I am deeply excited to pop ass and cry and give theater.”
She (almost) did all three.
On Wednesday (March 22), SZA delivered one of the most compelling and detailed live shows in recent memory — and with the energy and conviction of opening night. Plus, she did so with a star-studded crowd watching, which included everyone from Justin and Hailey Bieber to Adele and Kim Kardashian (who earlier in the day revealed a new “SZA for SKIMS” campaign) and many more.
It’s hard to pinpoint what aspect of SZA’s show is most impressive, and that’s likely what makes it so strong. Throughout the near 90-minute set, the chart-topper served a series of looks with the speed of a quick-change artist (the set seemed to shift just as rapidly), performed intricate and interpretative choreography, sailed over the crowd in a lifeboat and all the while perfectly blended her two albums — CTRL and SOS — into one cohesive setlist that guided her introspective story from one act to the next.
From the moment the show began — with SZA recreating the SOS album art — it was clear that water was just as much a main character as she. As such, it became a metaphor throughout, mirroring the rocky waves that too often accompany love or one’s career (particularly in the music industry) but ultimately proving an artist like SZA can survive any storm.
After performing “Broken Clocks” from a makeshift loading dock, SZA boards a weathered boat that reads CTRL FISHING CO for “All the Stars,” her collaboration with former TDE labelmate Kendrick Lamar. It’s smooth sailing on songs like “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” but then, during the assertive “Low,” lightning breaks out as the boat begins to rock, during which SZA falls into an epic split with impressive ease.
The now iconic rescue boat — as seen on social media — is then unveiled as a lighthouse emerges from the center of the arena’s floor, becoming a beacon as SZA sails above the crowd singing “Supermodel” and “Nobody Gets Me.” She introduces the latter as a song about starting her life over, during which Kim K sings along while recording a selfie video with sister Kylie.
A new act is revealed when SZA returns to the stage, and this one takes place underwater, with a giant anchor taking the spotlight. She performs the Grammy-awarded Doja Cat hit “Kiss Me More,” on which she features, and soon after an alarm blares as a strobe flashes — leaving viewers uncertain if she’s being rescued or sinking deeper into trouble.
The next song makes it a bit more clear. The stage is reset yet again as SZA emerges with a deadly flail for “Kill Bill,” which leads into “I Hate U” and “The Weekend” (all of which Hailey Bieber passionately sings along to without missing a word).
SZA pulls off a final quick change for her one-song encore, the melodic “Good Days,” which she performs much like how she started the show, with her feet dangling over a ledge. And just like that, a screen descends that reads “The End” written in stars, followed by rolling credits that begin with, in all caps: CREATIVE DIRECTION BY SOLANA ROWE.
And as fans float to the exits, much like a director would following a screening, Solana herself appears one last time to deliver a humbled message of gratitude. “Genuinely, thank you,” she says so casually it almost goes unnoticed. “I never thought I would be here.”
From the outside looking in, though, the path here has been nothing short of a perfect storm, one that SZA survived by being in the eye of. And as her victorious headlining tour proved, no matter how much time passes, she will forever remain the center of it all.