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All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Travis Kelce walked off the field as “The Lucky One” when the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens during the […]
01/29/2024
These are Billboard’s top products across all categories from the latest Consumer Electronics Show.
01/29/2024
It’s been a few weeks since Lil Nas X made headlines for his controversial comeback single “J Christ,” and the singer is ready to talk frankly about the public’s reception of his latest track.
During his appearance on the podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the rapper explained that he felt the messaging of his song was taken out of context. “[‘J Christ’] was this thing that artistically was just supposed to be like, I’m returning … I’m back like Him, you know what I mean?” he said. “It turned into this whole thing where it was me trying to dunk on Christians or something, and that was never what it was. Never.”
Lil Nas agreed with some of the backlash, saying that the anger over a video of him eating communion wafers “looks really bad on paper,” adding that he did properly apologize for releasing that video. “This [was a] thing that I thought was just like a little jokey fun video. I also had to think about how many of my family members are Christian, like my grandmothers and stuff, and like aunties and things like that,” he said. “And I’m like, ‘Wow, do they see this as that too?’ If they do, you know, that’s really messed up. And it makes me sad.”
But the rapper said the he did not apologize for the song or the music video because he stood by his intended messaging. “That message turned around and I didn’t know how to do anything with it. It wasn’t my chaos anymore. It was the world’s and anything anybody said was true because that’s who I am as a person,” he said. “I’m this troll and I want to make these people mad. And so everybody can run with that. And there’s nothing I can do about that. I can say as many things as I want, but knowing my history, they look right, I look wrong.”
The interview comes after Lil Nas X spoke publicly about the release of “J Christ” in a video posted to his Instagram. In the original clip, the rapper explained that those online claiming that he was insulting Christianity with his song were mistaken. “I knew there would be some upset people simply because religion is a very sensitive topic for a lot of people,” he said. “But I also didn’t mean to mock — this wasn’t a f— you to the Christians. It was literally me saying I’m back like Jesus.”
Elsewhere in his interview on On Purpose, Lil Nas said that he’s now reflecting on what his future releases will look like, where his music will go in the future. “You’ve been so focused and zoned in on what you’re doing, and you push your art out into the world and it’s kind of received negatively by the majority … but then also understanding why, you know, and having to see it through,” he said. “So I guess that’s where I’m at right now and my next move, you know, the things that I’m planning on right now, I feel like somewhere in here that’s gonna be this magical moment that I can’t even take credit for.”
Check out the full episode of On Purpose featuring Lil Nas X below:
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Here’s a math problem for you: If the Super Bowl, which drew 113 million viewers last year, combines with Taylor Swift, who sold roughly 3.3 million tickets to her Eras Tour last year and over 6 million albums and whose recordings streamed on-demand 16.5 billion times in the U.S., according to Luminate, how many fans will tune in to the big game?
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Not even statisticians know, but the scenario could play out Feb. 11 if Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs win their playoff game this weekend.
Just about everything Swift goes near experiences a consumption boost, from donuts in Kansas City to hotels in Philadelphia. Her televised omnipresence at Chiefs games led to a 400% sales hike in Fanatics’ Kelce jerseys on a single day and an additional 2 million female viewers for Sunday Night Football in early October, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
So far, the NFL has proceeded cautiously with this new demographic, attempting to welcome Swifties without alienating football diehards with over-coverage. Rick Porter, who covers TV and ratings for THR, expects that strategy to continue for the big game. “They’ll probably try to keep walking that line,” he says, “and not make it the Taylor Swift Bowl.”
Should Kelce and the Chiefs (and Swift) make it to the Super Bowl, Porter predicts the hype-filled run-up week to spotlight their romance, as opposed to more conventional football drama about tight-end positioning, defensive formations or, say, Eminem. “Everything about Super Bowl week is over the top, so I’m sure on media day that everybody will get bombarded with questions about it,” he says. “It’s the line they have to walk between welcoming more people into the tent but not turning off any of the people who were there to watch and talk about the game.”
Could Super Bowl viewership increase? A Taylor Swift Effect, Porter says, could potentially bump the numbers from 115 million to 130 million — “or something ridiculous like that.” He adds, “That would be a pretty big shock, if something jumped that much from something that was already this big.” Still, unprecedented numbers are Swift’s specialty: Eras grossed more than $900 million last year, according to Billboard estimates, and is on its way to earn more than any tour ever.
JoJo Siwa is returning to the judging panel of So You Think You Can Dance, Fox announced on Friday (Jan. 26). The dancer and online star will be joining previously announced judges Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovskiy on the upcoming 18th season, which airs on March 4 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox, before streaming […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Nicole Kidman, Sarayu Blue and Ji-young Yoo star Expats, a limited series premiering on Prime Video on Friday (Jan. 26).
Created by Lulu Wang, Expats follows three American women living as expatriates in Hong Kong, China. The women cross paths after a tragedy sets off a “chain of life-altering events that leaves everyone navigating the intricate balance between blame and accountability,” per the film description.
Expats is written and directed by Wang and based on the 2016 novel, The Expatriates, by Janice Y.K. Lee. Wang also produced the series alongside Kidman, Daniele Melia, Per Saari, Theresa Park, Alice Bell and Stan Wlodkowski.
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Keep reading for details on how to watch Expats for free.
Expats: How to Stream on Prime Video
The first two episodes of Expats arrived on Prime Video on Friday. New episodes will premiere weekly.
If you’re not subscribed to Prime Video, click below to launch a 30-day free trail to stream Expats and other Prime Video exclusives free of charge for the first month.
What else can you watch on Prime Video? Stream exclusive movies and TV series such as The Underdoggs, Saltburn, Invincible, Red, White & Royal Blue, The Summer I Turned Pretty, I’m a Virgo, Citadel, Daisy Jones & The Six, The Boys, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Fleabag, The Wheel of Time and The Legend of Vox Machina.
Love sports? You can stream football, basketball, baseball, boxing and more on Prime Video. Plus, Prime Video lets you add channels like Max, Paramount+, BET+, MGM+ and Starz.
Watch the trailer for Expats below.
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Instead of taking another bite out of the Big Apple, Cardi B is replacing it with a strawberry. The Bronx bombshell and Starco Brands unleashed the limited-edition Strawberry Whipshots on Friday (Jan. 26) to spice up Valentine’s Day for the Cardi B fan in your life. After a tidal wave of requests from the Bardi […]
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Full-length mirrors have become a coveted piece of home decor as they give the illusion of a larger space (looking at you, apartment dwellers) while making it easy to quickly check if your denim dress pairs nicely with your platform boots. While most of us wish we could own the viral art-worthy Anthropologie full-length mirror, not all of us can easily afford its $500+ price tag.
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Thankfully, Walmart is serving the decor on a wallet-friendly platter with a deal that’s too good to pass up. BeautyPeak’s floor mirror is being discounted for a major 57% off, dropping the price down to $60 (reg. $140!). It’s a flash deal, though, which means the discount could end at any minute, so we don’t encourage you to sit and reflect on this one.
Reviewers can’t stop raving about the design saying it “reflects very well” and that there’s “no distortion,” earning it the label of a Walmart “Popular Pick” and over 2,000 five-star reviews.
If you live in a smaller place, you don’t have to worry about it leaving your room cluttered or hard to move around in as another verified reviewer boasts, “This is amazing for me. It’s pretty big and it doesn’t get in my way since I have a small room.”
Keep reading to shop this major full-length mirror deal.
Walmart
BeautyPeak Full Length Mirror
Get ready to sit back in satisfaction after saving 57% off BeautyPeak’s full-length mirror. It comes in two shades, black and gold, as well as three sizes to personalize to your preference. The floor mirror is also versatile, as it includes a stand to prop it up, built-in slots to hang it on your wall or just rest it on the floor.
If you’re worried about it breaking, you can rest easier as the glass was built with multiple layers to make it more shatterproof. Plus, shoppers claim you can place it anywhere saying, “It is the perfect accent piece to any room.”
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best media storage cabinets, vinyl record player accessories and the best planners.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes. Johnny Orlando turned 21 years old on Wednesday (Jan. 24), and the singer stopped by Billboard this week to talk about […]
Another week means another set of new tunes from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
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From Fletcher’s delicate new pop single to Lil Nas X’s introspective new song, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Fletcher, “Lead Me On”
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Throughout her short-but-lively career, pop singer-songwriter Fletcher has proven to be particularly adept at creating emotive pop ballads about the messiest parts of love. But with “Lead Me On,” the singer’s latest single off her forthcoming album In Search of the Antidote, Fletcher takes on new meaning. While the thrilling guitar-and-drum-led melody echoes back to songs of Fletcher’s past, the lyrics play double duty — the words let the singer fall down the rabbit hole of a new romantic interest, or they help her follow a path toward becoming a better version of herself. However you interpret the star’s new song, one thing’s for certain: it’s a bonafide banger.
Lil Nas X, “Where Do We Go Now?”
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Lil Nas X’s detractors love to claim that his songs lack substance — so the superstar decided to show them exactly what he’s capable of on “Where Do We Go Now?” The emotive soft-rock ballad, which appears in his new documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, sees Lil Nas X searching for meaning in the space he occupies — he’s already become a pop icon at age 24, so what is meant to do next? The song doesn’t provide easy answers to the star’s complex question, but it does show just how versatile Lil Nas X can be as a forward-thinking artist.
Brittany Howard, “Prove It To You”
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Brittany Howard wants you to dance — she just also wants you to think while you’re busy tearing up the dancefloor. “Prove It To You,” the latest single off the performer’s forthcoming album, breaks out from Howard’s past discograhpy, embracing pure dance aesthetics to create a deliriously fun sound. As bass bumps and synths flitter in and out of your ears, Howard’s voice reminds you that she’s also a phenomenally good songwriter: “I’ve never been good at saying what I mean/ Every time I try, it comes out incomplete,” she shares in the song’s opening lines. “Believe me, baby/ I will show you how I feel for you right now.”
Jade LeMac, “Narcissistic”
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We often get to hear songs of people figuring out their lover is toxic — but Jade LeMac is embracing her own toxicity on the thrilling “Narcissistic.” Throughout the pounding pop track, LeMac paints a picture of an imbalanced relationship where she is more than happy to play the part of the villain. With a set of moody synths permeating every inch of the song, LeMac directs the listener’s attention with a gentle touch and deliciously stern lyrics, perfectly laying out why she’s an artist to keep your eye on.
Cakes Da Killa feat. Stout, “Mind Reader”
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Leave it to an artist as multifaceted as Cakes Da Killa to give you a song that revels in its own volatility. “Mind Reader,” Cakes’ new track off his forthcoming album Black Sheep, follows the celebrated MC as he flexes his supernatural flow and reminds his listeners that he’ll “never code switch, I shape-shift, it’s drastic.” Much like his words, the song’s club production never confines itself to one space — moving between four-on-the-floor, house and even jazz as featured guest Stout croons over an ecstatic chorus, “Mind Reader” serves as yet another reminder that Cakes Da Killa is one of the best to ever do it.
Cavetown, “Let Them Know They’re on Your Mind”
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DIY artist Cavetown could have easily returned with a gorgeously-written, minimally-produced ballad, and fans would have loved it — instead, the indie star decided to give fans something unexpected. “Let Them Know They’re on Your Mind” is a chaotic little thing; a song that shifts effortlessly between Cavetown’s quieter indie sensibilities, and balls-to-the-wall pop-rock production that makes it a thrilling listen everytime you press play.
Isaac Dunbar, “Apartment A”
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There is a unique chaos that comes with attending a crowded house party in New York City — a chaos that Isaac Dunbar brilliantly bottles on “Apartment A.” The pop singer’s latest track basks in its own revelry, inviting the listener in the door for a bacchanalian celebration. Fuzzy production and relentless drums keep the song in a constant state of hyper speed, as Dunbar wails that he’s looking for “love, no ricochet.”
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6JaXyDN8L1aEuVZElWwAE4?si=ab85b8991a714491