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With every season of RuPaul’s Drag Race comes the long-awaited (for some contestants, long-feared) sewing challenge — and on season 15, the show decided to switch things up yet again.
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On last week’s episode (aired Friday, January 27), the 13 remaining queens were split into three fashion houses inspired by judges Michelle Visage, Carson Kressley and Ross Mathews, and tasked with turning unconventional home decor materials into runway-ready haute couture.
For Luxx Noir London, the challenge proved to be nothing short of triumph when she earned her first win for creating zebra-print pants and a flowing silk top. But for queens Salina EsTitties and Amethyst, their less-stellar looks landed them in the bottom two.
Facing off in a lip sync for your life to Janelle Monáe’s iconic single “Q.U.E.E.N.” in front of Monáe herself, Salina and Amethyst twerked, dipped and bounced their way through one of the most entertaining lip syncs of season 15, fighting for their right to stay. For her spot-on performance, Salina earned another week in the competition, while Amethyst was finally sent packing after her third time in the bottom.
Amethyst spoke to Billboard following her elimination about her grueling sewing challenge experience, her love of Lady Gaga, and how one piece of personal information turned into “high school” drama with the other queens while filming.
You’ve had quite the journey on Drag Race — what was it like getting to watch it unfold?
It doesn’t really feel real, if I’m being quite honest. I still get giddy over seeing myself on Drag Race — that’s actually still crazy to me. I’m still fangirl-ing a lot. I think that’ll go away soon. Otherwise, it’s been such a blast, connecting with the fans.
Were there any moments while you were filming in particular that made you go into full fangirl mode?
If the work room entrance didn’t do it for me, then I think walking the runway for the first time really did. It’s just the moment that it’s suddenly real.
Over the last few episodes, the queens have conducted a pretty thorough investigation into your prior relationship with Robin Fierce — was that a weird thing for you to deal with while filming this show?
It wasn’t weird, necessarily. Like, I didn’t mind explaining it to my sisters. I think the only super weird part to me was how much of a hot topic it was among them. Once I saw that Robin was on the show with me, my mind immediately was like, “Do we tell people? What’s the plan of attack?” So I told myself from day one that if somebody asked, I wouldn’t lie. I just never saw it getting to the point that it got to, weirdly — the whole “who broke up with who” conversation. It was just so high school to me. I didn’t mind giving my side of the story, but it was weird that this was our topic of conversation.
I gotta say, watching people try and unravel the “mystery” of your breakup despite you literally explaining that it was a mature, somewhat mutual situation is very funny to me.
Girl, it’s the gays, we just gotta make it a drama.
Before we get into this episode, I want to talk to you about the runway you served last week as Lady Gaga at the 2009 VMAs. You nailed the look — what made you choose this interpretation of the theme “Beautiful Nightmare?”
As we all know, Lady Gaga opened that performance by singing, “Amidst all of these flashing lights, I pray the fame won’t take my life.” That was the idea I wanted to run with for this, because when I saw “Beautiful Nightmare,” I thought, “Well, my beautiful nightmare is going to be watching myself look so good on TV and then having to deal with trolls online telling me I’m an early-out.”
I just think Gaga set that metaphor up so eloquently, and I’m a firm believer that if something isn’t broken, you don’t need to fix it. Or as RuPaul would say, “You ain’t gotta reinvent the wheel.” I knew, “Am I going to get read for recreating this look head-to-toe? Probably.” But I do feel like the performance of it all sold it and took it to that extra level, especially with the bleeding.
As soon as the blood came out, I said out loud, “Yep, she did that.”
Exactly! I knew people would forget the fact that I was walking down the runway in a bodysuit and thigh-highs if I could give them that gag. So I was really happy with myself.
To this day, that stands as one of the most iconic awards show performances of all time.
That’s why it was so far in the front of my brain and I was able to replicate it so quickly! Ever since I saw it in 2009, that’s just where it lives, girl. Like, pure horror, the audience was literally scared of her!
Speaking of looks, this week was our first sewing challenge of season 15. What was going through your mind when they announced the challenge, knowing that you’d already been in the bottom twice and you’re not a seamstress?
A lot of explicit language that I probably should not repeat in an interview. [Laughs.] I will say, when Ru said it was unconventional materials, my ears did perk up a little — because I feel like that’s weirdly easier? Then, I can get away with using hot glue because it’s weird objects. That just didn’t work out for me, as we can now see.
I would like to talk about that — I feel like this was a very strong showing from everyone including you, and that made it harder to single out a bottom two. There were no LaLa Ri’s on that stage.
Yeah, for sure. Ru even said while we were walking the runway, “Y’all are making this hard.” It wasn’t that I looked bad, it was just that it didn’t measure up to everybody. But that’s another reason why when they announced the sewing challenge, I was saying a lot of swear words; 11 out of the 13 of us were sewers. It was like, “Well, there’s simply no way for me [to win].” I got really in my head and I started to rethink things that I shouldn’t have been rethinking, because in a situation like that — having less than a day to put this look together — you don’t have time to sit around and stare in a mirror and rethink. You have to go.
I really want to commend you on your lip syncs this season — you’ve killed every lip sync you were in, especially this “Q.U.E.E.N.” one. What, to you, is the key to nailing a lip sync?
It’s so nerdy and boring, so be ready; I went to theatre school for acting, and my approach to lip syncs is actually how I would approach doing a monologue, or a scene. I was trained to have an action for every line, and you want every action to be different. So you’ll pick very descriptive lines of the song, and then figure out what it is that you’re going to sell with that line. That’s why I love lip syncing, because you’re telling a story through your performance of the song.
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Scouring the annual Consumer Electronics Show for the best in gear is a painstaking pursuit that takes place over four days in Las Vegas. This year marked the gathering’s first full return since 2020, and 115,000 attendees converged from all over the world at the Los Vegas Convention Center and beyond.
Top trends Billboard spotted include major advancements in wireless electronics, including televisions, useful and lightweight VR and AR applications and devices; major digital advancements from automotive manufacturers; and a whole slew of gadgets aimed at tracking, monitoring and improving health and well-being.
While it’s impossible to see it all — and even more difficult to figure out what will actually make it into consumers’ hands — this comprehensive list represents the innovations Billboard loved best, that we think, in the short term or long term, will make our work better and our lives more enjoyable.
Below, find Billboard‘s best products from CES 2023, in alphabetical order by award name.
—Additional reporting by Melissa Gill and Jen Smith
J-Hope unveiled the first look at his upcoming documentary J-Hope IN THE BOX on Thursday.
“The start of this project?” the K-pop idol asks as the 30-second clip starts. “People in the world don’t know what kind of music J-Hope of BTS makes… I come out of the box and I want to welcome the larger world.”
The documentary promises to follow the BTS rapper through the release of his debut solo album Jack in the Box, including his historic, headlining performance at Lollapalooza 2022 last August. All of his BTS bandmates make an appearance in the trailer as well, posing for a photos together as J-Hope’s single “Arson” plays over the scene.
J-Hope IN THE BOX is set to premiere on Weverse and Disney+ around the world on Feb. 17, though ARMY and other fans will be able to start pre-ordering the music film one week earlier on Feb. 10.
Upon its release last summer, the old-school hip-hop-leaning studio set — which was preceded by lead single “More” — landed at No. 5 on Billboard‘s Top Album Sales chart and also scored J-Hope a top 20 hit on the Billboard 200 at No. 17.
At the time, the rapper confessed to NME that he was “a bit worried at first, because the Jack in the Box album contains my story and what I really wanted to do…I’m very grateful and feel motivated. So, for those who supported my music, I want to try many different things with my music, and show them all going forward.”
Since then, he’s performed a medley of Jack in the Box tracks at the 2022 MAMA Awards, appeared on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve to ring in the new year and most recently sat front row with Jimin at Paris Fashion Week.
Watch the teaser for J-Hope’s IN THE BOX documentary below.
Another week, another opportunity to rock out to some of your favorite LGBTQ 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 Sam Smith’s glorious new album to PVRIS’s scintillating new single, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Sam Smith, Gloria
The old Sam Smith can’t come to the phone right now. Gloria, the long-awaited new album from the British pop phenomenon, is a full-on reinvention for Smith as they take a bold step into a new musical (and personal) era. Sure, there may be a few leftover heartbreak songs that fans have come to associate with the singer (“How to Cry,” in particular, stands out) — but the majority of Gloria revels in playing with new topics and new genres, from seductive disco anthems (“I’m Not Here to Make Friends”) to electro-pop pleas (“Lose You”) to chorales of self-worth (“Gloria”). With a bolstered sense of raw confidence, Smith sounds as though they’ve reached a new artistic breakthrough with Gloria — and we can’t wait to hear where it takes them next.
PVRIS, “Goddess”
Lynn Gunn is done waiting around for anyone’s respect — on PVRIS’s thrilling new single “Goddess,” the lead singer let’s her divine side out, excoriating the standards she’s expected to uphold. The relentless drums keep the song constantly moving, while a blown-out guitar line adds the urgency to the throbbing track. It’s Gunn’s killer voice, though, that makes “Goddess” so endlessly entertaining, as she growls out lyrics like, “I’ve been iconic since I started/ I keep climbing and clawing/ This s–t is so exhausting.”
Adam Lambert, “Getting Older” (Billie Eilish cover)
While Adam Lambert has made a habit out of covering old-school rockers and iconic divas, his latest rendition sees the American Idol alum taking on a newer sound to cover Billie Eilish’s “Getting Older.” For the majority of the track, Lambert remains largely faithful to Eilish’s original, adding in some drums and guitars for a little extra glam kick. But by the time he reaches the song’s bridge, Lambert goes all-out with his stratospheric voice, making the song sound entirely his own with some pure rock flair.
Khai Dreams, Absolute Heartbreak
To call Khai Dreams’ music “bedroom pop” feels incredibly reductive — “bedroom chaos” feels like a more appropriate descriptor. Nowhere is that more present than on Absolute Heartbreak, the rising singer-songwriter’s debut album; Dreams’ songs run the musical gamit from folksy ballads (“Panic Attack”) to pop-punk anthems (“May”), all while maintaining a cohesive identity under the banner of the LP. It may be named after romantic anguish, but make no mistake; Absolute Heartbreak will make you fall in love with Khai Dreams.
Blondshell, “Joiner”
While some other artist may write songs about aiming their romantic sights as high as humanly possible, indie up-and-comer Blondshell is perfectly content writing about a whirlwind romance founded near a dumpster. “Joiner” basks in the messy parts of romance, as Sabrina Teitelbaum knocks her distant, mesmerizing vocal performance out of the park.
Jordy, “Story of a Boy”
As interpolations and samples continue to flood our new music feeds every week, it’s nice to find one that feels like a genuine tribute to the original. Jordy’s “Story of a Boy” takes the iconic chorus of Nine Days’ 2000 hit single “Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” and retrofits it with some queer messaging. Now detailing Jordy’s long-term, constant infatuation with a guy who simply doesn’t know he exists. It’s the kind of sweet-but-sad single that Jordy has already proven to be a master of, now with a smartly-chosen nostalgic twist to get you listening ASAP.
Dakota Jones, “Sugar Pie”
Let’s get some good old-fashioned funk in here: Brooklyn-based funk four-piece Dakota Jones’ new single “Sugar Pie” sees the band hitting their stride with a deliciously smooth sound. Bringing all of the drums, organs and bass together is lead singer Tristan Carter-Jones’ sultry alto tones, crooning about “sweet songs since day one” in a way that feels timeless and up-to-date all at the same time.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
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.
Looking to make a few upgrades? Now is a great time to enhance your sound system. Whether you’re a music lover, a dedicated audiophile, gamer, movie buff, TV binger or a combination of all five, the speaker options are plentiful.
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And with retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Walmart rolling back prices due to an overstock of inventory, winter sales, the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day, you’re sure to find great deals on speakers and other electronics.
That said, having too many options can be overwhelming. When shopping for a speaker, it’s good to narrow down the style, size and price that best suits your needs. To make the search a little easier, we gathered up nine of the best speakers for music lovers to play all their favorite tunes, podcasts and more.
From portable Bluetooth speakers to wired and freestanding speaker options, see below for our picks for the best options to enhance your sound system. For more recommendations, read our roundups of the best record players, best over-ear headphones, best wired headphones and best Bluetooth earbuds.
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Amazon
JBL Flip 6 – Portable Bluetooth Speaker $129.95
If you’re looking for a smaller speaker, the JBL Flip 6 portable Bluetooth player is worth a try. Flip 6 has a two-way speaker system that is designed to deliver rich sound and optimized dual passive radiators for deep bass. Measuring nearly 8 inches long, this portable speaker is equipped with a 20-watt sound output and 12 hours of battery life. It’s also waterproof and dust-proof and comes in several colors, including red, blue and black (prices may vary depending on the color). Purchase the JBL 6 at major retailers such as Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Crutchfield and at JBL.com. If you’re in the market for something cheaper, the JBL Flip 5 is on sale for $99.95 and this Anker Soundcore Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $27.99.
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Amazon
Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth Portable Speaker $149 $
The Bose Soundlink Flex is another good choice in portable speakers. These awesome speakers are available in multiple colors, sizes, designs and prices – the cheapest of which is the Bose Soundlink Micro, currently on sale for $99. The Bose Portable Smart Speaker is $399, while the Soundlink Flex falls on the more affordable side of the price scale.
The Soundlink Flex is engineered with a custom transducer that is designed to flood the room with powerful sound. Available in black, white or blue, the speaker’s rugged exterior makes it easy to take on the go, and with up to 12 hours of battery life, you can play tons of songs before it’s time to recharge. The accompanying utility loop is perfect for hanging the speaker on a clip or carrying it around (the Bluetooth range stretches up to 30 feet). The Soundlink Flex is also IP67 certified waterproof and dust-proof.
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Amazon
Marshall – Acton II Bluetooth Speaker $225.99 $279.99
The Acton II Bluetooth speaker from Marshall combines the brand’s iconic retro design with contemporary technology. This compact speaker delivers mega-sound in a smaller package than some of the other Marshall designs. Acton II has three dedicated class D amplifiers, dual tweeters and subwoofers, Bluetooth 5.0 (up to 30 feet), a frequency range of 50-20,000 Hz and a 3.5 mm input for wired connectivity. Connecting the speaker to the Marshall App turns your phone into a control panel to adjust things like volume and playlists. The Action II is available at major retailers such as Crutchfield, Best Buy, Amazon, Urban Outfitters, Target and at Marshall.com.
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Sonos
Sonos Move
$379.05
Sonos Move lives up to the hype! With 10 hours of play time, this mobile speaker will make you want to dance for hours on end. Apart from outstanding sound quality and deep bass, the Bluetooth speaker has a built-in handle for easy mobility, which means it’s perfect for a party or other gatherings (and solo listening sessions). And its IP56 rating means that it can withstand humidity, rain, snow, dust, salt spray, UV rays, extreme heat and cold weather. The Sonos Move stands about 9.5-inches tall and weighs around six pounds. For more options from Sonos, check out the Sonos Roam and the Sonos One SL, both of which retail for less than $200.
Klipsch
Klipsch R-51M Bookshelf Speakers $349
Klipsch is another star in the realm of premium-quality sound. For music lovers who have the square footage to build a robust sound system, Klipsch offers everything from floor standing speakers to bookshelf speakers, computer speakers, home theater speakers, sound bars and subwoofers. Not sure where to start? The R-51M Bookshelf Speakers are perfect for blasting your favorite tunes. This dynamic speaker duo offers powerful sound, booming bass and award-wining acoustics courtesy of Tractrix horn technology, which mimics the sound, precision and emotion of a live concert. These 13.3-inch speakers are equipped with one-inch titanium dome tweeters, 5.25-inch copper woofers and a removable magnetic grill.
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Amazon
Sony SRS-XG500 Bluetooth Speaker
$399.99 $499.99 20% off% OFF
Sony’s SRS-XG500 Bluetooth speaker is a nice investment if you’re looking for a boombox-style design. An alternative to the JBL Boombox 2 ($499.95), the SRS-XG500 delivers amazingly crisp sound thanks to Sony’s uniquely designed X-Balance speakers that pump out thumping, room-shaking bass. The battery delivers up to 30 hours of play time to keep the party moving all night long (literally). The speaker weighs about 12 pounds, but there’s a built-in handle that makes it easy to carry around, and LED ring lighting for added flair. Sony’s SRS-XG500 speakers are IP66-certified water-and dust-resistant. And it’s on sale at Best Buy.
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Amazon
Polk Audio Signature Elite ES260 Tower Speaker $449 $549
A tower speaker that blends in, and stands out. Polk Audio’s Elite Signature ES60 provides an enveloping, true-to-life sound experience that’s especially useful for Apple Music, Tidal, Amazon Music, Spotify and other streaming platforms. The floor-standing loudspeaker provides crystal-clear, hi-resolution sound with bass so incredible you might be able to feel it.
The speaker is powered by Polk’s Patented Power Port Bass Enhancing Technology, which expands the overall bass port to provide a larger surface area for distortion-free, louder bass impact. The sleek ES60 features 1-inch High-Resolution Terylene Tweeters, 2.5-way cascading crossovers and a trio of 6.5-inch Mica-Fortified Polypropylene Woofers. Speakers in Polk Audio’s Signature Elite Series are designed with quality, timbre-matched components that let you seamlessly mix and match models to build the sound system of your dreams. This speaker is on sale at Amazon, Crutchfield and PolkAudio.com.
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Amazon
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless Music System with Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth (Midnight Grey)
$799.00
Want to splurge? The Zeppelin is a wireless smart speaker that has been modified for the streaming age by way of a built-in, upgradable platform so that the technology always stays up to date. Bowers & Wilkinson’s football-shaped speaker features five carefully positioned premium drive units, 1-inch tweeters, 3.5-inch midranges with FST (Fixed Suspension Transducers) and dedicated drivers.
The Zeppelin has a total output of 240 watts, a six-inch subwoofer and five amplification channels for all designed to give you powerful, hi-resolution stereo sound. The Alexa-equipped speaker gives users instant access to music playlists, radio podcasts and other content in up to 24-bit, high-resolution quality. Zeppelin can also stream Apple Airplay 2, Bluetooth aptX adaptive, Spotify Connect and the Bowers & Wilkson app.
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Amazon
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Level Portable Wi-Fi Multiroom Speaker, Natural Aluminum/Dark Grey
$1,599.00
If you have an even large speaker budget, Bang & Olufsen makes some of the best, higher-end, hi-fidelity speakers on the market. While the more expensive designs can cost over $10,000, the Beosound Level Portable Wifi Speaker is one of the cheapest, sleekest and most popular speakers from Bang & Olufsen. This beautiful, minimalist speaker has a five-driver setup for immersive, full-range sound that adapts to its environment. Lay it on its back, sit it up straight, or hang it on the wall for hypnotic sound experience with potent bass and unmatched sound clarity. This dynamic speaker weighs about 7 pounds (it measures 34.8 inches x 23 inches) and offers up to 16 hours of battery life. The Beosound Level Portable Wifi Speaker is available in natural dark gray, or a glitzy gold tone with light oak.
Katy Perry, Billy Porter, Kristin Chenoweth, Bernadette Peters and Jane Lynch are among the stars who are set to perform on an NBC special, Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love. The two-hour special, to be filmed at Avalon Hollywood in Los Angeles, is set to air on Wednesday, April 26 – the actual date of Carol Burnett’s 90th birthday — at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It will also stream the next day on Peacock.
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Perry has shown a flair for comedy in some of her music videos, such as “California Gurls,” that suggests Burnett’s influence. The photo here, from her Katy Perry: PLAY Las Vegas Residency, also shows Burnett’s anything-for-a-laugh ethos.
Special guests on the show include a mix of longtime colleagues such as Julie Andrews, with whom she taped three TV specials, and Vicki Lawrence and costume designer Bob Mackie from The Carol Burnett Show, and comedy stars from a younger generation, including Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig. Steve Carell and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Also set to appear on the show: Aileen Quinn, Cher, Ellen DeGeneres, Laura Dern, Lily Tomlin, Marisa Tomei, Sofia Vergara and Susan Lucci.
“I’m so excited NBC decided to throw me a birthday party and invited all of my closest friends,” Burnett said in a statement. “I can’t wait to look back at so many wonderful moments throughout my career. I feel so lucky to share this night with everyone.”
“It’s hard to imagine anyone in television more beloved than Carol Burnett,” said Jen Neal, executive vice president, live events and specials, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “To throw this wonderful birthday celebration is clearly our honor, and we can’t wait to share the love that we all have for her with all her adoring fans.”
NBC aired a similar special on the occasion of fellow comedy legend (and frequent Burnett co-star) Betty White’s 90th birthday. The show, Betty White’s 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America’s Golden Girl, received two Emmy nominations in 2012, including outstanding variety special.
The musical tributes on the special will include Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends,” dedicated to Burnett’s six-decade friendship with Andrews; “Only an Octave Apart,” which Burnett sang alongside opera star Beverly Sills on the 1976 television special Sills and Burnett at the Met; Burnett’s songs from the 1982 film Annie; and a tribute to her famous theme song, “I’m So Glad We Had This Time Together” from The Carol Burnett Show. The song, which was pitch-perfect for Burnett’s voice and persona, was written by Joe Hamilton, her ex-husband and the show’s producer.
The special will share memorable moments from Burnett’s career, including her Broadway debut in Once Upon a Mattress (her first Tony nomination), her work as a regular on The Garry Moore Show (her first Emmy Award), her hit films — The Four Seasons, A Wedding, Pete ‘n’ Tillie and Annie — and of course The Carol Burnett Show (three Emmys for outstanding comedy-variety or music series).
Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love is executive produced by Burnett; her husband, Brian Miller; Steve Sauer, Paul Miller and Baz Halpin, and Mark Bracco & Linda Gierahn of Silent House Productions.
Though Burnett made her mark in comedy, she has sung throughout her career. She put two albums on the Billboard 200 – Julie and Carol at Carnegie Hall, an album from her first TV special with fellow legend Andrews, and Carol Burnett Featuring If I Could Write a Song, a 1972 studio album. She has also been featured on other Billboard 200-charting albums, including the original cast albums to Fade Out – Fade In and Follies in Concert, and the film soundtrack to Annie.
Burnett’s many awards include six Emmys, a special (non-competitive) Tony Award in 1969 and a Grammy for the audiobook of In Such Good Company: Eleven Years of Laughter, Mayhem, and Fun in the Sandbox, which won six years ago for best spoken word album.
In 1985, she became the second woman inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame – her pal Lucille Ball was (fittingly) the first. In 2003, Burnett received the Kennedy Center Honors; in 2005, the Presidential Medal of Freedom; in 2013, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor; and in 2015, the Screen Actors Guild’s life achievement award.
In 2019, she was the first recipient of the Carol Burnett Award, honoring achievements in television, at the Golden Globes. The award has since been presented to DeGeneres, Norman Lear and Ryan Murphy.
With the long-awaited release of their fourth studio album Gloria, Sam Smith is riding a massive high. But as the singer tells it, getting to where they are now took a while.
In a new interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Smith spoke at length about their coming out as non-binary back in 2019, and how they had to manage both the private and public parts of that process in full view of the world.
“In my personal life, there’s not one negative,” they said, pointing out that both their family and romantic lives have thrived since opening up. “Since changing my pronouns, it felt like a coming home. I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school, because I would’ve identified as that in school.”
But when it came to their public life, Smith says it continues to be a struggle dealing with bigotry on a regular basis. “What people don’t realize with trans non-binary people in the U.K. is it’s happening in the street. I’m being abused in the street verbally more than I ever have,” they told Lowe. “So that was the hardest part, I think, was being at home in the U.K. and having people shouting at me in the street. Someone spat at me in the street. It’s crazy.”
Continuing, the singer shared that their experience was one of the better ones by comparison to trans and non-binary people trying to get on with life around the globe. “What I find hard about it is it’s like, if that’s happening to me and I’m famous, I’m a pop star, can you imagine what other queer kids are feeling?” they asked. “And it’s just so sad that we’re in 2023 and it’s still happening. It’s exhausting.”
But it’s not all bad. In December, Smith performed “Stay With Me” at the signing of the Respect for Marriage Act by President Joe Biden at the White House. The new law enshrined marriage equality for same-sex couples into U.S. federal law, protecting against a potential overturning of the Supreme Court’s landmark 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges that Justice Clarence Thomas recommended in June 2022.
“I was like, ‘I’m at the White House. I’m surrounded by the gays and the queers and we’re celebrating some good news.’ It’s sad, but it’s a rare thing sometimes within our community,” Smith said. “So it was really beautiful to be able to celebrate that.”
Check out Smith’s full interview with Zane Lowe above.
As the music industry evolves, so do expectations surrounding new music. With trends and listening patterns shifting at a break-neck pace, artists are expected to usher in each new project as a brand new “era,” creating a recursive loop of authenticity, followed by slight reinvention, followed by re-established authenticity.
But when Sam Smith reintroduces themselves on Gloria, the pop superstar’s long-awaited fourth studio album, it feels different. This is not a pop star merely trying to make headlines or fulfill a promise of something “new” — Gloria sounds like it’s coming from an artist who finally feels comfortable enough to take risks with their sound in the name of honesty.
For that reason, Gloria can sound a lot like whiplash. In one moment, you’re listening to a slowed-down, smooth R&B-tinged song about a selfish ex; in the next, the sonic landscape has shifted to reggae-pop, where Smith is singing frankly about sex and desire. Bouncing around from song to song with wildly different sounds, this LP refuses to be pinned down to any specific label of genre or lyrical atmosphere.
That spirit of eclecticism is not for its own sake; in creating a sound this varied, Smith is making a point. For the last decade of their career, Smith has often been perceived as the crooner-next-door: a soulful, comforting voice conveying their own heartbreak as a means of soothing their pain — and in the process, their fans’ as well.
But alongside that image has always been a sharper, more fun Smith, crafting dance-adjacent anthems of elation and anger and sex. Gloria is Smith’s proof of concept — they contain multitudes, not just the sad broken heart of the person from In the Lonely Hour.
To celebrate Gloria’s release, Billboard takes a closer look at each of the album’s 11 original tracks and ranks them (we’re not including the album’s “Hurting” or “Dorothy” interludes here — ranking two less-than-30 second tracks against the rest feels unfair). Check out our picks below:
Sam Smith fans, lift your hands in exaltation. After three long years, the singer’s fourth studio album, Gloria, finally arrived on Friday (Jan. 27).
The new LP drops after almost a year of public preparations from Smith — the album’s first single, the tender “Love Me More,” arrived in April 2022. Smith then took TikTok by storm with their viral hit single “Unholy” featuring Kim Petras, marking Smith and Petras’ first No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
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Writing about the album on their Instagram back in October 2022, Smith shared that they were “feeling overwhelmed and emotional” about finally unveiling the set. “It has been magical in every way to make this piece of music, and by giving this record to you I am giving you part of my heart and soul,” they wrote. “Gloria got me through some dark times and was a beacon for me in my life. I hope it can be that for you.”
The new album charts Smith’s journey from heartbroken crooner to joyful pop superstar, with tracks detailing their self-image (“Perfect”), sex life (“I’m Not Here to Make Friends,” “Gimme”) and finally, learning to accept and love themselves (“Gloria”). Smith is joined on the album by Petras, Ed Sheeran, Jessie Reyez and Koffee as featured artists, while long-time collaborators Jimmy Napes, Stargate and ILYA helped Smith write and produce the project.
Speaking to Billboard for the August cover story in 2022, Smith explained that they wanted Gloria to bask in “queer joy of it all,” which meant taking a risk. “Maybe the music I make in the future won’t sit as well on the radio. It takes a bit of courage to maybe try something that maybe people aren’t going to like,” they said. “But I like it, and that’s all that matters.”
Stream Gloria here:
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The first two episodes of The 1619 Project arrived on Hulu on Thursday (Jan. 26). The six-episode docuseries which is adapted from Nikole Hannah-Jones’ New York Times bestseller and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey, places the “consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative,” per the Hulu description.
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Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author, hosts the docuseries. The six episodes, titled “Democracy,” “Race,” “Music,” “Capitalism,” “Fear” and “Justice,” expand on the essays from Hannah-Jones’ best-selling book.
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‘The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story’ (Hardcover)
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Hannah-Jones and Winfrey are executive producers of The 1619 Project, along with Oscar-winning director Roger Ross Williams; Peabody Award-winner Shoshana Guy, Caitlin Roper — an editor of The 1619 Project and NYT executive producer for film and television — and Kathleen Lingo, NYT editorial director for film and television.
How to Watch The 1619 Project for Free
The 1619 Project is streaming at no extra cost for Hulu subscribers. If you’re not subscribed, now’s your chance to join for free for the first month, so you can stream The 1619 Project, Koala Man, How I Caught My Killer, The Drop, Extraordinary, season 2 of How I Met Your Father and other Hulu Originals.
Hulu is $7.99/month (or $79.99/year) for the ad-supported plan and $12.99/month to stream without commercials.
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Looking for a streaming deal? Hulu costs just $1.99/month for students and the bundle option with ESPN+ and Disney+ starts at $12.99/month.
If you’re interested in adding live television, Hulu has that too! Subscribe to Hulu + Live TV and stream over 75 local and cable channels for $74.99/month.
Watch the trailer for The 1619 Project below.