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When Cai Xukun â the 26-year-old Chinese singer-songwriter better known as KUN â began working on his smash single âAfterglow,â he wanted to capture fleeting moments of change by connecting time and space with art and fashion. âI pondered for a long time about what kind of word could represent this imagery and mood,â he says. âFinally, the word âafterglowâ came to mind. We often see this scenery during various travel moments â including while driving; it represents our feelings in that instant. I chose this theme and combined it with some of the images in my mind: models on the runway, flashing lights, shifting time and space and changing people.â
âAfterglowâ immediately connected with audiences. On its release day in early June, the song achieved a score of over 95 on the Tencent Music Uni Chart, which aggregates data from nine major platforms and over 100 radio stations. The song remained on the chart for 10 weeks and became the fastest song to receive gold certification on the Tencent chart; it also made the June edition of the Tencent Music Wave Chart, which is voted on by over 200 Chinese music industry professionals. That success has informed his selection as Chinaâs representative for Billboardâs Global No. 1s, as chosen jointly by Tencent Music Chart and Billboard China.
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KUN created âAfterglowâ with soul and rock sounds, and his integration of modern and classic production influences helped to give the song a timeless feel. And the songâs success marks the beginning of a new musical phase for KUN. âIn my upcoming works, I will include some classic or modern elements,â he says. âI hope everyone can gradually sense a recognizable style in my music.â
In fact, several new singles KUN released in 2024 represent his fresh musical explorations. For instance, âRemedyâ features clean piano sounds paired with a vintage vocal style, revealing his more minimalist side. It also reflects his listening habits: âI often enjoy classic songs, especially in quiet moments alone, listening to music and savoring that dialogue with myself,â he says.
While his previous works were warmer, KUNâs 2024 release âRIDE OR DIEâ introduces a sound thatâs new for him. âThis song serves as a signal Iâm conveying, heralding a transformation in my future musical style,â he says. âI believe it is essential to present something distinct to my audience, which has always been my aspiration. Consequently, the production process for âRIDE OR DIEâ extended over a considerable period and traversed numerous iterations, aiming to express the âstormy nightâ concept that has long resided in my heart.â
KUN photographed for the Billboard China Global No. 1s Issue.
Tianyao Wang/Billboard China
Looking ahead, KUN plans to continue to expand his online live concept Art Lab, chronicling his growth and reflecting his changes from year to year â while strengthening his connections with audiences. âI can feel their enthusiasm, and they can feel my energy,â he says of his live performances. As time progresses, KUN is learning to âenjoy the process,â he adds. âWhether you genuinely enjoy the experience or merely fulfill a task can yield entirely different results. I believe that embracing this journey is paramount.â
Now, KUN is relishing a journey of âaccumulation.â Heâs preparing for a long journey ahead and accumulating new musical energy that he plans to direct toward producing more great songs. âThis year, through the process of production and performance, I have engaged in numerous discussions and collaborations with various artists, which have profoundly influenced my personal perspectives and aesthetics,â he says. âNext year is likely to be a year where I unveil the fruits of my introspection.â
As Chinese artists increasingly gain international acclaim, KUN believes that the intersection of music across diverse cultures transcends language and geography, fostering cultural exchange. âI aspire for more individuals globally to experience music that is authentically ours as Chinese,â he says. âThis has consistently been my ambition.â
This year was largely defined by pop stars who rewrote the rules, genre outlaws who succeeded in new territory and a rap beef that gave us a unifying anthem. But throughout the year, a handful of artists were enjoying their own major milestones â ones that not only defined their year, but their career.
From award recognition to chart firsts to major synchs and more, artists including Victoria MonĂ©t, Gracie Abrams, Natasha Bedingfield, A. G. Cook, CarĂn LeĂłn, and Tems reflect on their defining moments of the year.
Gracie Abrams
Gracie Abrams
Abby Waisler
Last year, every single time I watched The Eras Tour â which was every time I opened â never once did it feel like there was going to be an end. When we were asked to come back, knowing that it would be to close it out, I immediately felt so nostalgic for the experience. Over the past few challenging, strange, scary years, Taylor has been a source of light for people who desperately needed it, and for developing artists, the tour has been an unimaginably significant springboard. For my career, itâs been undeniable. Itâs hard to make sense of streaming numbers on your phone â Iâm not someone whoâs ever really been super tapped into that data â so to track the difference in audience reception quite literally in front of my eyes on The Eras Tour has been mind-blowing. I thought I was hallucinating when I first heard [Swifties] singing my lyrics back.
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What was most exciting about my own headlining tour was that I had made [2024 second album] The Secret of Us with my live show in mind. Iâve had the most fun performing âus.â in particular because on the days Iâm not singing it with Taylor, it becomes this duet between all of us onstage and everybody in the crowd. And it was nominated for a Grammy! The whole reason Taylor and I wrote it in the first place was weâd just come off a dinner where sheâd very sweetly said we needed to celebrate my first Grammy nomination [for best new artist in 2023]. The full circle of it all is hard for me to wrap my head around.
The Secret of Us has had the most traction out of any of the projects Iâve put out before, and there are milestones that are fun to acknowledge. When âIÂ Love You, Iâm Sorryâ ended up being the song that took off the most, I felt like it was â not that we needed it â permission to allow acoustic guitar to remain the driving force behind âThatâs So True,â which came from the feeling of living with a burning, fiery rage of jealousy. Seeing the life that song is having right now is psychotic to me. The audienceâs engagement has only felt stronger as these rooms have continued to, by some miracle, expand. But what I clock as my metric for success is how it feels to create a thing and then sing it with a group of people who resonate with it. I just canât believe any of it is real.
Natasha Bedingfield
Natasha Bedingfield
Cameron Jordan
Last year, my publisher reached out and I recognized the name [in his pitch]. I was like, âAh, [filmmaker] Will Gluck! I remember him.â My song âPocketful of Sunshineâ was a big part of his [2010] movie, Easy A. He seems to use my songs in things and they resonate. So when I wrote back [about using âUnwrittenâ in his new film], I said, âA hundred percent yes.â
I went to the premiere [of Anyone but You], and the actors were like, âThey just kept making us sing your song!â I think he made them sing it in every scene. I remember my publisher being like, âTheyâre really using it a lot.â And they even came back after they edited the movie and said, âWe actually want to give you a bit more money because we ended up using the song even more.â We were really blown away by how it was used and how funny it was. Thereâs a moment where Sydney [Sweeney] is looking up at [Glen Powellâs] butt, singing, âReaching for something in the distance.â I mean, thatâs the kind of humor that I love.
People watched the movie and they left singing the song, and then they filmed themselves singing it and put that up on TikTok. And I got a call from Will saying, âBecause the song is trending on TikTok, itâs making more people go see the movie.â So it was this really amazing thing that kind of served each other.
It feels like âUnwrittenâ has been one of the songs of the year. I feel really touched by this, and I couldnât have anticipated it. Last year, I was thinking, âWe need to do something for the [20th] anniversary! Letâs celebrate. Letâs put music out.â And then this happened without me. It was outside of my control, and itâs just been wilder than I could have imagined.
I think itâs everyoneâs song, but nobody knew that until Anyone but You. Whatâs so poetic about this is that âUnwrittenâ itself is a song thatâs changing and growing, and the story about it is evolving. When I was writing it, we imagined the arenas and the stadiums and the crowd singing it. And when we were producing it, I remember being like, âHow do we pick sounds that arenât going to be dated?â âUnwrittenâ is like my baby, and I hope it keeps shape-shifting.
A. G. Cook
A.G. Cook
Henry Redcliffe
Charli and I were talking about doing remixes almost from the beginning. I was really pushing this notion that I have about music in general in the post-streaming era. I like that music doesnât have to completely end at the album release; the masters that get uploaded to streaming arenât necessarily the final version.
Whatâs been so nice about brat is that even the way it was rolled out, the Boiler Room set happening early on and so forth, itâs holistically been about there being different versions. Weâd sometimes even talk about remixes while working on the tracks themselves. There was always this notion that at some point, there would be a high-effort extension of the album. Thematically, brat is so interesting in how it is pure Charli, not using features. But obviously thereâs all that energy building up for actual collaborations to happen. We knew while making it that if we wanted to collaborate, that would go on the remix album, but weâd also give collaborators agency to make songs even more in their image.
The original tracks were operating in real time, so it was no surprise that the remix album just continued that experience [by reflecting on] those months [after bratâs release]. The confessional nature of brat also provoked a lot of the remix collaborators to match that. Especially the [âGirl, so confusingâ remix with Lorde], because it was conceived right as the album came out. That set the tone for the remixes to be actual conversations.
For [the âMean girlsâ remix with Julian Casablancas], we wanted to make sure he could really make it his own, that it wasnât just âJulianâs going to jump on for a verse.â That would have felt wrong for everyone. Charli and I wanted to demonstrate, like, âWeâre not precious. Weâre fine to dismantle it.â There are some remixes that didnât happen simply because we sent it to people and they didnât know where to start or were uncomfortable making a completely different genre. But the âMean girlsâ remix is a good example of making sure it didnât just feel like a feature, but an amalgamation that would then challenge Charli and I to also put ourselves on it.
The original songs are as clubby as DJs want to make them, or not. Thereâs so much ammo in brat, so many intriguing moments that could be looped, taken apart. Iâve already heard people do so many of their own remixes. There are funny ones where Charli is interviewed and is like, âYeah, I love dance music, but I donât really like drumânâbass.â Then thereâll be like 10 drumânâbass remixes, almost as like a âfâk you.â I think thatâs the most fun part.
CarĂn LeĂłn
Carin LeĂłn
Carlos Ruiz
Being at the Grand Ole Opry was culturally very significant. As a Latino, as a Mexican, as a fan of country music, to go to the capital of country and play inside the temple of country music meant a lot to me. I think we made our mark.
Iâve always been close to country music, listening to Johnny Cash, George Strait and the newer generation of artists who are so good and are breaking parameters and doing things differently, just as we are with Mexican music. I love what artists like Luke Combs and Post Malone are doing, but if I had to choose a single country act, it would be the great Chris Stapleton. Heâs given us a lot of love.
In fact, the last time we performed in the South, we sang âTennessee Whiskey,â and I said, âRespectfully, for me, the best country singer, technically and artistically speaking, is Chris Stapleton.â Then we realized his wife was there, and she got up and came to the stage to see us. It made me realize music really has no borders. We have a country project set for next year, mostly in English, with a lot of collaborations.
Weâve been making other inroads with country music this year, and one day my manager, Jorge JuĂĄrez, and I were on a flight and he said, âWeâve just been confirmed for the Grand Ole Opry.â As if this was normal. My first words were âYouâre kidding me!â Because I know how hard it is to play there. Many American artists never get to do it. It felt like confirming the biggest stadium ever.
It was the culmination of all those dreams I had as a kid of playing in a mythical and legendary space. Playing there allowed me to be me and to be that person that since childhood has loved country music, especially because our Mexican music is so influenced by country. I think itâs the only place where Iâve cried onstage. Itâs something money canât buy â and a memory Iâll take with me till the day I die.
Victoria Monét
Victoria Monét
Dalvin Adams
I really liked the process of getting into the Grammys. I was doing a lot of prep physically, like watching my food intake, lots of workouts. A really special moment happened where I took [my daughter] Hazel with me to a fitting with Versace. It was my daughterâs first time on a red carpet, and she [was going to] be matching with me. Versace allowed us to pick a specific brown and bring that theme of [my album] Jaguar to life.
[Winning the best new artist Grammy] was one of the biggest goals that I had for the year. You know how much it takes to get recognition in this industry or bring a vision to life and what kind of marketing it took to get there, what kind of focus and dedication and sacrifice. [But I have this] yin-yang mentality like, although this means the world to me and I appreciate it, I canât make it my be-all and end-all to determine whether or not Iâm good â because the other [nominees] were also amazing and they didnât get it, and theyâre going on with their lives and doing amazing, incredible things.
I have [my Grammys] on a banister upstairs; itâs kind of become an awards banister. There are a few plaques there and a framed tweet about the Grammys that I tweeted in 2015, almost like a manifestation. It puts a pep in your step to know that you did the right thing, but also you have so much more work to do, so just keep going and remain grounded and know that all of these things are a blessing.
You want to continue to do what you love even if the accolades donât ever come again. There were many years where I thought I was great and I didnât have those awards on my banister. It was just knowing, because of my work ethic, greatness comes that way. And when the recognition and attention come, you want to make sure that doesnât become your driving force. Those are extras, but it does feel really nice.
Tems
Tems
Adrienne Raquel
Once I have a vision, Iâm always trying to do everything to put my vision in place. But that can also sometimes turn into perfectionism, which I learned to let go of while [making my debut album, Born in the Wild]. You [have to] be as authentic as possible and allow yourself to flow in the music â letting go of anything that you think youâre supposed to do, be or show.
Iâm not thinking too much about genres or rules: âOh, you have to make Afrobeats.â My âwhyâ is different. My âwhyâ is to release my thoughts. Itâs an honor to be able to make music that you want to make and for people to be able to connect to it â and for someone to recognize that is also really great.
[At Coachella], Wizkid was around and we asked him if heâd come out [to perform âEssenceâ], and he was really down. Justin [Bieber] happened to also be around. He hit me up that morning and said heâs down to come out if I needed him. And I was like, âYes!â It was amazing. Everybody was going crazy. The crowd was screaming, the floor was shaking. It was a vibe, like a huge party.
[In November], we had just arrived at midnight in Melbourne, Australia, so I wasnât thinking too much about the Grammys. I was extremely tired, so I went to bed hoping to get a little bit of rest before my show the next day. Around 5Â a.m., my phone started vibrating on my bed. Itâs calls and people shouting, âOh, my God. Congrats!â Iâm like, âBro, whatâs going on?â Theyâre like, âBro, three Grammy nominations!â It was worth being woken up for, especially for the people that have worked on this album â not just me, but my friend and my producer [GuiltyBeatz], [and] Spax, [who] also engineered it.
There are so many people that worked sleepless nights and really did their best to help me out, and itâs beautiful to see them have the recognition. All it takes is a Grammy-nominated project that you were a part of for your life to change. Thatâs what I really care about the most.
This story appears in the Dec. 14, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Lay Bankzâs âTell Ur Girlfriendâ sounds as if someone sliced up Ginuwineâs âPonyâ and Omarionâs âIce Box,â tossed them in a blender with a four-to-the-floor kick drum, and served up the results. âIt felt like a hit to us,â says Alec Henderson, head of digital at Banksâ label, Artist Partner Group. âBut labels never really call the hits.â
In this climate, labels sometimes give up on songs that arenât immediately greeted rapturously by listeners. But APG stuck with âTell Ur Girlfriend,â running TikTok campaigns that played on the trackâs saucy lyrics: âShould tell my boyfriend what I been doinâ/ Been thinkinâ of you every time I screw him.â âWe really believed in that song,â Henderson says.Â
Their faith was rewarded when two creators developed a dance set to the track. On TikTok, where trends bloom and die out rapidly, dance trends are ancient history â they were more common back in the platformâs early days, 2019 and 2020. But the âTell Ur Girlfriendâ dance âjust went crazy,â according to Henderson. The song cracked the TikTok Billboard Top 50 chart in April. A week later, âTell Ur Girlfriend,â debuted at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated April 27), thanks to nearly 9 million official U.S. streams, according to Luminate.Â
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Lay Bankzâs hit was one of 24 songs that appeared on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 before jumping to the Hot 100 in the first 11-ish months of 2024. (âTell Ur Girlfriendâ ended up spending three weeks at No. 1 on the former chart.) Thatâs a considerable number, but still ultimately a small percentage of the platformâs biggest 2024 hits: More than 600 songs appeared on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 during this period, showing that even hard-won virality on the massively popular app does not necessarily correlate with widespread listening activity.Â
Even so, marketers say it remains an essential plank of most campaigns â sometimes the only plank. âAll roads lead back to TikTok at this point, in some capacity,â says Amy Hart, who worked at the digital marketing agency Flighthouse and the label 10k Projects before co-founding prairy, a new indie label. This remains true, she continues, even though âthe odds of actually starting something from scratch are so small.â
TikTok is usually portrayed as an initiator, the platform that kicks off the chain-reaction that later creates a hit. The potential power of this approach can be seen when looking at the songs that made the leap from the TikTok Billboard Top 50 to the Hot 100 this year: They often climbed to the upper reaches of the chart â their average peak position was No. 18 on the Hot 100 â and they spent a healthy 20 weeks on the chart. (In total, 88 songs appeared on both the TikTok Billboard Top 50 and the Hot 100, including 37 that appeared on the two rankings the same week, and 27 tracks that did a reverse crossover, showing up on the Hot 100 first and then appearing on the TikTok Billboard Top 50.)Â
Digital marketers who focus on TikTok will face additional challenges in 2025. Most important, the future of TikTok is an open question (again). Federal judges recently upheld a law requiring Bytedance to sell the app by January 19th or face a ban in the U.S., where some 170 million people use TikTok.Â
The outcome of that fight is outside of marketersâ control. But closer to home, âthe biggest thing that Iâve noticed is influencer campaigns just donât work,â Hart says.Â
In TikTokâs early days, paying a creator with a following to make a video with an artistâs song was common, relatively cheap, and occasionally effective. While itâs still common, itâs now expensive and often worthless. âIâm starting to put less and less faith in influencer marketing as a vehicle for the distribution of and marketing of music,â says Sam Alavi, who co-manages the artist bbno$. (bbno$âs âIt Boyâ hit No. 10 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 this year.)Â
Some marketers have instead looked to contest platforms, which recruit a pool of creators and offer them cash prizes to make videos with specific songs, awarding the money to the clips that get the most engagement. This ties performance to payment, in contrast to traditional influencer approach â most influencers charge a flat rate, so they get paid the same whether their video gets two views or 2 million.
The contest platforms offer âa much easier way to get a volume of sound usesâ compared to reaching out to one influencer at a time, explains Marisa Kurtz, vp of marketing at Fearless Records. âAnd the contest element does encourage creators to make thoughtful videos in the hopes of getting the most views.â
Other executives havenât seen as much success with this approach, however. âWeâve actually been working on moving away from contest-style campaigns in the last seven or eight months,â says Rafael Rocha, CEO of the marketing agency NuWave Digital. âThose are, in our view, also becoming inefficient and oversaturated.â
Another strategy that has caught on with marketers is to create and oversee their own artist fan pages, which can shotgun posts onto TikTok at a low cost. These accounts operate as if you had âa media outlet at your disposal at all times,â Laura Spinelli, digital marketing manager for Shopkeeper Management, told Billboard earlier this year. Tim Collins, co-founder of the digital marketing agency Creed Media, noted that fan pages âcan tell the story of an artist without the artist having to be the voice.â
One thing is certain: Whatever approach works now is unlikely to work in three to six months. âTik Tok is always moving and changing,â Hart says. As a result, marketers have to continuously adjust their approach.Â
âAs much as we all like to think that we can sit down at this table and be like, âThis is the thing thatâs going to go viral,ââ Alavi adds, ânone of us fâking know.â
Amirahâs story unfolds like a carefully plotted script, peppered with the unexpected moments that distinguish dreams from reality. This 18-year-old emerging artist isnât just a fresh face in music; sheâs a testament to the power of vision, resilience, and a faith grounded in the support of family. From recording her first EP while still in high school to signing with 10 Summers and Interscope, Amirahâs rise reflects an artist whoâs balancing authenticity with industry ambitionsâand doing it on her own terms.
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Amirahâs journey has been propelled forward by her dedication and the encouragement of platforms like Honda Stage, which shares her mission of uncovering stories that embody resilience, passion, and authenticity. Honda Stage champions emerging artists and brings audiences closer to the often-hidden journeys that fuel the music industry. Much like Amirah, the platform celebrates individuals who are redefining music through unique perspectives, unwavering commitment, and unfiltered creativity.
Raised in Virginia Beach, Amirah grew up in a family that knew how to cultivate dreams. âI was always about musicâI needed it,â she says, remembering the countless times she would talk to her mother about wanting to be a singer. Her grandparents championed her budding passion, capturing every recital and piano performance, and her mother taught her about the power of faith and self-belief. âMy mom would always say, âSpeak it into existence,ââ Amirah shares, her voice carrying a quiet confidence that hints at a wisdom beyond her years. And speak she didâwriting down her dreams, rehearsing the vision in her head, and setting her sights on making them real.
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It was during the lockdowns of 2020, and like many artists, Amirah was channeling her energy into creating and refining her sound, writing songs, and imagining what it would take to break into the industry. Sheâd been a devoted fan of Mustardâs work for years, studying his production style and envisioning what it would be like to work with him. But the idea of actually connecting with him seemed like a far-off fantasy, something her mom used to say to encourage her: âYou never know; one day, Mustard might come knocking!â
By 2021, Amirah was writing down all her goals, detailing her dreams, and practicing a manifestation ritual. She recalls that sheâd just written a note in her journal that year, setting an intention to be signed to a major label by the time she was 16. She was 15 when the unthinkable happenedâher phone pinged with an Instagram DM notification from none other than Mustard himself. In a message that was straightforward but powerful, he expressed his admiration for her work and wanted to talk more after seeing one of her covers online.
âI just remember staring at it, thinking, âThis has to be a joke, right?ââ she laughs now. âBut it was real. And the best part? He didnât just see the potentialâI felt like he already knew the vision I wanted for myself.â They connected almost instantly, with Mustard helping her navigate the next steps, leading to her signing with Ten Summers and Interscope.
That DM wasnât just a message; it was the manifestation of everything sheâd been working toward.
By 2021, she was signed with 10 Summers and Interscope, making her one of the latest young artists to be mentored by the celebrated producer. âIt felt like a fever dream,â she admits, still in awe of the trajectory that took her from a Virginia high school to recording studios in L.A. âI remember asking, âSo, does this mean I can release music now?â I didnât know the process, but my team walked me through every step.â
That teamâespecially her managers and Mustardâhas become an extension of her family, helping her navigate the industryâs highs and lows while supporting her growth as an artist. The creative back-and-forth with Mustard, she says, has been an anchor for her, one thatâs reinforced her dedication to the work. âSometimes I feel like my songs are corny, but heâll listen and say, âNo, you have to hear this through.ââ With Ten Summers, sheâs found a team willing to help her experiment while keeping her grounded, ensuring her artistic vision isnât compromised.
Amirah isnât an artist whoâs chasing the flash and glamour often associated with success; sheâs a self-described âearth girlâ who takes comfort in simplicity. âI donât need flashy stuff,â she says. âKnowing where I came from keeps me grounded and helps me hold onto my artistic vision.â Her home in Virginia Beach, with its coastal, laid-back vibe, serves as a touchstone that keeps her focused on authenticity rather than trends.
For Amirah, staying true to herself and finding balance in an industry driven by image and expectations isnât a battleâitâs a principle. âI donât feel pressure; I feel like weâre all just here to make dope stuff,â she explains. âItâs important to maintain who I am.â That ethos is reflected in her music, where each song offers a piece of her story, her evolution, and her soul. âMy upcoming project is vibes, vibes, vibes,â she says, eager to share the songs sheâs been recording since she was 16. âI hope people just have fun and feel connected. I want it to be a vision that everyone can understand.â
Beyond her music, Amirah is setting long-term goals that extend into acting and animated series, hoping to show her versatility as an artist with a personality that jumps off the screen. Her short-term plans, however, are all about staying in the studio, writing, and crafting music that resonates with audiences everywhere. âI want to write music thatâs played in clubs but also tells the story of who I am,â she says, already visualizing the next stage of her career.
Thereâs a boldness to Amirahâs vision, but itâs grounded in faithâa faith she says is both personal and unshakeable. Her approach to setbacks is to turn to God, her family, and sometimes, a cathartic cry. âWhen I doubt, I pray,â she reveals, a simple phrase that carries the weight of her journey thus far. Sheâs learned that the road to success isnât always easy, but sheâs not one to give up. Each step sheâs taken has reinforced her belief that with hard work, resilience, and a team who sees her potential, anything is possible.
Today, Amirahâs poised to make a name for herself in an industry thatâs often more focused on profits than passions. But with her first EP out, a loyal team at her side, and a vision for what she wants to accomplish, Amirahâs on track to defy those odds. In her own words: âI hope everyone loves it, and I hope they can feel my heart in every song.â Amirahâs journey is one to watchânot just because of her talent, but because of the unwavering authenticity she brings to every note, lyric, and performance.
Itâs peculiar to hear Jacob Slater talk so effusively about âthe quiet lifeâ when he is renowned for one of the most intense, rib-shakingly loud live sets on the indie circuit. Heâs the sort of artist, it seems, who is striving to find meaning in lifeâs simpler moments.
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âI havenât had a break in a long while,â he says, eyes narrowing as he lights a cigarette. The smoke plumes drift towards a large Bob Dylan poster spread across the ceiling. âThe sea is cold and thereâs been waves here the past few days, so itâs been good to get back out there. Iâm a little bit rusty, though, as I now spend so much time out of the water.â
The Wunderhorse frontman has been readjusting to the natural rhythms of life in his adopted locale of Newquay, Cornwall. Itâs here where the 27-year-old trained as a surf instructor a few years ago, a solo venture that helped to relight his creative fire after burning bright and crashing out in the much-hyped but short-lived London punk band Dead Pretties. Recently, he has spent his time sleeping in, listening to records, and catching up with friends over coffee. Best of all, Slater says in a blissed-out tone, there is little to no mobile phone signal. The temptation to go off-grid clearly looms large.
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Returning to the coast has become an outlet for Slaterâs newfound sense of lightness. Rarely at home, heâs spent much of 2024 insulated inside a touring bubble, playing shows across Europe with Fontaines D.C. and racking up huge British festival appearances at the likes of Reading & Leeds and TRNSMT. In August, Wunderhorseâs second LP, Midas (Communion Records), hit No.6 on the Official U.K. Charts upon release; a major feat, given that 2022 debut Cub failed to crack the Top 40.
On his birthday, Slater got a call from his manager saying they had booked a gig at Londonâs 10,000-capacity Alexandra Palace next spring. In November, the group supported Fontaines D.C. throughout Europe, and now, through December, the band are opening for Sam Fender at arenas across the U.K. and Ireland, capping off an extraordinary year.
Though often mired in themes of self-destruction and volatility, the music of Wunderhorse is uplifting, cathartic, and compassionate. The four-piece are cult stars at the threshold of mainstream crossover, a reality that they are now encountering on the road. Each night, they come eye-to -eye with a predominantly young fanbase that has recently ballooned in size as a result of âunexpectedâ TikTok popularity. âNot to sound like an old man, but I really donât know how that whole âonline thingâ works. Yet it seems to be a real beast,â says Slater, speaking over video call.
It was after a headline show at Glasgowâs Barrowlands venue last month that Slater realized the bandâs profile was changing. Combating a disrupted sleep schedule that had left him feeling like âa nocturnal creature,â he ventured out, alone, to walk off all the adrenaline he had worked up on stage. What he found was a city gradually revealing itself through characterful people, foggy images of bars shuttering up for the night, and the distant expanse of the M8 motorway.Â
Only an hour earlier, with sweat beads lining his forehead, he had been growling into the mic, stomping as each song reached its soaring climax. Video footage of the performance circulated on social media the following day, with clips of gig-goers crying and barking doing the rounds. Wunderhorse may have already inspired fan tattoos and custom trainers, but this felt like a new level of visibility altogether.
âRecently, the audience has solidified a bit more in its demographic,â Slater explains. âAt first, I didnât quite know how to take it when people were telling us that we had young fans. But I remember when I was younger, music meant so much to me. It still does, of course, but music has a particular potency when youâre a teenager. If people are connecting with us at that age, then thatâs amazing.â
Initially a one-man endeavour, the first seismic shift in Wunderhorseâs trajectory took place when Slater decided to expand the project to a full band in the early days of creating Midas. He brought Harry Tristan Fowler (guitar), Peter Woodin (bass) and Jamie Staples (drums) into the fold, having met each of them at gigs in London and their native Hertfordshire. Slater figured out early that the best way to approach music was to build his own world and invite people in; he and his bandmates soon honed their bluesy, expansive, emotionally-weathered sound after bonding over seminal records from Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.
The release of Cub, meanwhile, had left Slater feeling as though he was treading water as a lyricist. Much of the albumâs writing resonated because of its unvarnished frankness about a dark personal history, traversing selfishness (âPurpleâ), nihilism, and traumatic teenage experiences (âButterflies,â âTealâ). For its author, however â who was in recovery from addiction issues at the time â having to accept the circumstances of his previous life for what they were became too much of a mental burden to bear.
âThis is probably not the stuff youâre meant to say in interviews, but I think every artist has songs they wrote when they were younger and now struggle with,â Slater says, grinning beneath a big, raggedy scarf. âYou start to realize that, whatever you write, youâre going to have to live with it for a long time. If people are singing songs back to you and you donât like the words that youâve written, then you end up standing on stage feeling like youâve deceived yourself.â
Wunderhorse
Polocho
Slater notes how his record contract stated that Cub was meant to see him âdeliver 18 songs at a minimum.â Only 11 tracks made the final cut, and he put âany leftovers that didnât fit into the Wunderhorse worldâ onto 2023 solo LP Pinky, I Love You. Curiously, eagle-eyed fans noticed that, a few weeks back, the earliest Wunderhorse music videos had been removed from YouTube; they responded by creating a Google Drive folder with all the newly missing clips. Today, Slater admits this was his doing: âIf I had it my way, there would be no promo, thereâd be no videos. I find it all really difficult because itâs not the way that my brain works.âÂ
Releasing Midas didnât banish Slaterâs feelings of alienation towards the music industry entirely, but it did explore a more peaceful coexistence within it. It seems as though the search for salvation he sings of on âSilverâ is starting to bear fruit. Despite it all, Slater thinks that aspects of his life today would astound his younger self: he is thoughtful yet steadfast in describing how publications describing Wunderhorse as âgenerational,â only two albums in, can be disorienting for a musician still coming to terms with his changing stature.Â
âWorrying whether youâre going to become this âgrand thingâ that people are saying you are will only cause you to get in the way of yourself. Nobody even knows what such titles mean,â he says. âAny songwriter who has stood the test of time has managed to stay true to who they are. Like, did Bob Dylan wake up one day and go, âIâm gonna be generational?â No.â
Itâs clear that Slater sees a gap between his intentions and the publicâs reaction to his musical output. Heâll later mention how Midasâ âSupermanâ was âcompletely misunderstoodâ by listeners, but heâs also trying to let go of these things which are out of his control. âNobodyâs ever going to feel what you felt when you wrote the song as everyone is at the center of their own universe,â he says. âAnd thatâs part of the magic.â True self-acceptance: Slater is steadily getting there, inch-by-inch, wave-by-wave, song-by-song.
As we build toward the 2024 Billboard Music Awards on Dec. 12 and Billboardâs Year-End Charts reveal on Dec. 13, check out our editorial list of staff picks for the best K-pop songs of the year.
As more and more K-pop artists break the genre and cultural barriers that can divide listeners, the Korean music industry grew its visibility and expanded its experimental nature this past year, resulting in greater opportunities for the scene at large while gifting global audiences some undeniably special singles.
In line with trends since the start of the decade, girl groups continued to dominate the singles space as (G)I-DLE, fromis_9, aespa, NewJeans and ILLIT delivered inescapable hits, alongside beloved troupes like Red Velvet, ITZY, Dreamcatcher and Kep1er, who delivered some of the best songs of their career.
K-divas BIBI, Lee Young Ji and K-popâs standout rookie boy band TWS delivered singles that became mainstays on the charts and across social media. Elsewhere, Lim Young Woong, PENTAGONâs Hui, ATEEZ, Loossemble and ARTMS all stepped up to new moments of musical greatness with creative curveballs that defied expectations but delighted all kinds of audiences.
From the nostalgic reunion of BIGBANGâs leader G-Dragon enlisting his bandmates Taeyang and Daesung for âHome Sweet Homeâ to the rookie girl group that made Billboard Hot 100 history this year, not to mention a track that samples Afrika Bambaataa and the Afrobeat-infused flair of KISS OF LIFEâs âSticky,â this yearâs best K-pop songs boast some of the most eclectic, exciting tunes in recent history.
While the Korean music industry continues to expand its global reach, with many of its artists releasing English singles or tracks explicitly aimed at the Western pop market, this list focuses on the songs released with Korean lyrics or with core K-pop audiences in mind (as much as we loved bops from the likes of Jimin, AleXa, BABYMONSTER, the BLACKPINK members and many, many more).
With some of the best boy bands, greatest girl groups, specially selected soloists, plus one dynamic duo, dive into the complete list to experience the finest K-pop songs of 2024. And check out our list of the 25 Best K-Pop Albums of 2024, too.
Kep1er, âShooting Starâ
Idols, rookies and global stars all made our list.
Through the Honda Stage platform, which is dedicated to uncovering the stories of determined and resilient artists, Mustardâs journey shines as a prime example of both grit and boundless talent. Honda Stage celebrates the individuals who shape music through a blend of vision and hard work, bringing fans closer to the heart of what drives an artistâs unique sound and journey. With a deft hand that melds infectious grooves with nuanced melodies, Mustardâformerly known as DJ Mustardâhas cemented his status as a vital force in shaping the soundscape of hip-hop, R&B, and pop. Behind the shimmering façade of chart-topping hits lies a rich tapestry woven with experiences, inspirations, and an unyielding love for the art of sound.
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Born Dijon McFarlane in Los Angeles, Mustard discovered his musical calling at the tender age of 11âa time when many kids are still figuring out how to ride a bike or choose their favorite cartoon. âMy uncle was a DJ,â he reminisces, his eyes lighting up with nostalgia. âI always wanted to be like him.â His epiphany struck at a party where his uncle left him to spin the tracks, igniting a lifelong romance with rhythm and sound. âSince I can remember, Iâve loved music,â he declares, underscoring the deep-rooted connection he has with it.
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Mustardâs rise to prominence is not merely a story of beats and bass; it is a journey that encompasses cultural influences, personal struggles, and a relentless pursuit of artistic integrity. His distinctive soundâa blend of West Coast hip-hop infused with elements of R&B and electronic musicâhas become synonymous with a new era of music. âI donât think it was a specific genre that sparked my love for music,â he explains. âItâs about the feeling any song gives me.â This philosophical approach to music allows Mustard to traverse genres, drawing inspiration from a wide array of influences, from classic funk to contemporary trap.
His breakthrough came with the 2012 hit âRack City,â a collaboration with Tyga that catapulted both artists into the limelight. This track was not just a chart-topping sensation; it was a cultural phenomenon, marking Mustardâs arrival as a powerhouse producer. The infectious rhythm and catchy hook defined an era, paving the way for Mustardâs subsequent collaborations with a plethora of artists, including YG, Ty Dolla $ign, and Nipsey Hussle. His production credits read like a whoâs who of contemporary music, illustrating his ability to craft hits that resonate across demographics.
But Mustardâs success isnât limited to individual tracks. His albums, such as Perfect Ten, have been lauded for their cohesive sound and innovative approach. The album not only solidified his position in the industry but also showcased his versatility, blending genres and exploring new sonic territories.
In 2013, Mustard took a significant leap by establishing his own label, 10 Summers. This move was not merely a career advancement; it was a commitment to nurturing emerging talent and creating a platform where artists could thrive. âI want to create a space where artists can flourish and be authentic,â he asserts, embodying a philosophy that prioritizes artistic integrity over commercial success.
The label has been instrumental in launching the careers of several budding artists, including Ella Mai. Her hit âBooâd Upâ became a global sensation, showcasing Mustardâs keen ear for talent and sound. He describes Ella as âan artist who brings a fresh perspective,â and their collaboration is a testament to his ability to recognize and cultivate talent that resonates with audiences.
More recently, Mustard has turned his attention to Amirah, an emerging artist whose potential captivated him from the start. âWhen I first came across her, I was drawn to her voice,â he recalls, excitement evident in his tone. âBut then I saw her personality and thought, âWow, this girl is special.ââ Mustardâs instinct to reach out was immediate, fueled by a desire to collaborate and create something magical together. âI just knew if I could teach her things, we could really create something unique.â His commitment to fostering emerging talent is not just a business strategy; it is a reflection of his deep-rooted belief in the power of collaboration.
Collaboration is the lifeblood of Mustardâs creative universe. âMusic is collaborative,â he asserts, living by this philosophy. âWhen you put two great minds together, you come out with something great every time.â This is not just a platitude for him; it is a guiding principle. Each collaboration is an experiment, a blending of ideas and perspectives that often leads to unexpected brilliance.
Yet, building that synergy requires a leap of faith. âI trust me; I donât think I trust anybody besides myself,â he admits candidly. âBut I have to stand on whatever I put out.â This self-trust fuels his willingness to explore new territories, ensuring he remains open to the unexpected. âIâm always looking to try something new,â he insists, embodying the spirit of a true innovator. His willingness to embrace risk is a hallmark of his career, allowing him to evolve continuously while maintaining his signature sound.
Reflecting on his journey, Mustard offers invaluable advice to aspiring artists: âGo for whatever you believe in and donât be scared of the craziness of the industry.â His journey has taught him the importance of patience and the value of allowing others to shine. âSometimes itâs okay to let other people do their thing, and you help them without trying to take all the credit,â he emphasizes, embodying a generous spirit that is often rare in the industry.
As Mustard stands at the intersection of artistry and entrepreneurship, his legacy is still being written. He has transformed the music landscape, not just through his own creations but by lifting others as he climbs. His journey is a vibrant reminder that passion, authenticity, and collaboration can create a symphony of success.
Mustardâs influence extends beyond the studio; it permeates the very fabric of modern music culture. As he continues to innovate, pushing boundaries and defying expectations, one thing is clear: Mustardâs love for music is not just a careerâitâs an exhilarating journey, an ongoing dance of creativity that invites us all to join in. Whether through chart-topping hits, nurturing new talent, or redefining the art of collaboration, Mustard remains a beacon of creativity in an ever-evolving musical landscape, proving that true artistry knows no bounds.
About Honda Stage:
Honda Stage is a music platform that builds on the brandâs deep foundation of bringing unique experiences to fans while celebrating determined artists and their journeys of music discovery. Honda Stage offers exclusive, behind-the-scenes music content and inspirational stories from on-the-rise and fan-favorite artists, giving music fans access to the moments they love while celebrating the creativity and drive it takes to make it big.
In October 2021, when Primary Wave first acquired a stake in Bing Crosbyâs estate, the members of the new guard sat down together and came up with two objectives.
âOne is: we want to make Bing the king of Christmas and holidays, every season, every year,â senior marketing manager Jack LeVine recalls to Billboard of the late pop icon, who delivered the definitive 20th century renditions of âWhite Christmasâ and other seasonal staples. âAnd two is: just exciting, educating and engaging global and young audiences around Bing and his catalog.â
Nearly 7,000 miles away, the person who would turn out to be key to both goals was in the midst of an era-defining career explosion as part of South Korean boy band BTS, which brought renewed global attention to K-pop in 2021 with a breathtaking run of sunny dance singles â most prominently the 10-week Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper âButterâ â dazzling audiences with sleek visuals and snappy group choreography and enjoying the support of an ever-expanding, relentlessly passionate fanbase dubbed ARMY. But while the performer known as V was, to the world, one of seven young men at the helm of the yearâs most polished, cutting-edge wave of contemporary pop dominance, the artist who grew up Kim Tae-hyung was, in his personal life, a reverent fan of a much different genre: jazz.
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And his favorite performer? Bing Crosby.
You could call it kismet, then, that three years later, V can now consider his hero a duet partner, their voices coming together over generations and lifetimes on a revamped version of âWhite Christmasâ â fashioned out of an extremely rare recording found in Crosbyâs extensive personal archives, voice-isolating technology and redone instrumentals â that dropped Friday (Dec. 6). But the project is actually the result of years of Primary Wave brainstorming, coordinating and consulting with Crosbyâs daughter Mary and son Harry on how to not just preserve the iconic starâs legacy, but push it forward in a way that changes with the times.
There are many, scattered moments in the story of how the new âWhite Christmasâ came together that could be considered the starting point, from Vâs numerous posts about loving Bing over the years to Primary Waveâs discovery of the recording, a necessarily intimate 1950s radio performance that had only been released on limited physical products in the past â and could be perfect for recreating the magic of Crosby and David Bowieâs 1977 era-bridging âLittle Drummer Boyâ duet, with the help of a new modern star. But itâs the moment that those two worlds came together that proved to be the most fateful: when Primary Waveâs Sarah Nekich, digital and audience engagement, was scrolling X in her free time and came across a vlog posted by V in July 2022 in which he sang Crosbyâs âItâs Been a Long, Long Timeâ in his car. At that point, months had gone by since the estate had considered the duet idea, stalled without a clear choice as to who was fit to join the late legend on the track. But now?
âIt was just too perfect,â Nekich remembers of seeing Vâs video. âHe just had a beautiful jazz-like voice that sounds very similar to a young Bing Crosby. It was a no-brainer: These two are meant to be on a song together.â
The rest of the team â including Harry and Mary Crosby â were similarly impressed, and Primary Wave quickly reached out to Vâs camp at HYBE x Geffen, who âwere really receptive,â says Levine. The estate went to work on fleshing out a proper sketch of what the duet would actually sound like with V in the mix, tapping experienced jazz and classic pop producer Gregg Field to oversee the music, while Nekich â having already reposted Vâs cover of âItâs Been a Long, Long Timeâ on Bingâs channels, and getting rocked by a tidal wave of ARMY engagement in response â continued interacting with BTS fans on social media to maintain momentum.
âThe fact that V was such a huge fan was so heartening to us,â recalls Mary Crosby. âUntil he came along, there wasnât the right person. Because of V, Dad is going to be reaching an entirely different audience.â
The pieces were coming together, but making them connect would take more time than anticipated â especially as other projects repeatedly pushed the duet lower and lower on the to-do list. âThe challenge with Christmas is no one is thinking about it in January or February,â Levine explains, laughing.
In late 2022, however, something lit a fire under the enterprise. âThe BTS solo members announced that they were enlisting [in the South Korean military],â the executive continues. âThere was a new sense of urgency. We were racing against a deadline that we had no visibility into.â
If Field had been able to take his time constructing the song before, he definitely couldnât anymore. The producer â whoâs previously worked with John Williams and Herbie Hancock â assembled the track using all-new instrumental arrangements by Rob Mounsey, recording rhythm section backings in Los Angeles and the orchestra and choir parts in Europe. Doing everything fresh was essential to making the finished product palatable to â2024 ears,â Field says, as was the process of separating Crosbyâs vocal from the radio recording through iZotopeâs Music Rebalance technology, revitalizing it to sound âlike it was recorded yesterdayâ â sort of the musical equivalent to restoring aged paintings or worn-down buildings.
âThatâs a perfect analogy,â Field tells Billboard of the process. âItâs getting all of the years of crud away from it and exposing whatâs there.â
The last piece of the puzzle was Vâs contribution, which he recorded remotely just before shipping off in December 2023 for 18 months to complete his mandatory service. His raw talent blew Field away. Says the producer, âThe musical decisions [V] made â he understood who he was singing with.â
When the mix was finally complete early this year, all Primary Wave had to do was keep the collaboration a secret until finally announcing it in November, to the absolute delight of Vâs biggest champions. Nekich reports that Crosbyâs accounts have been absolutely flooded with heartfelt messages from ARMY ever since, with the late croonerâs following on X doubling âalmost overnightâ and his engagements skyrocketing by 300,000% within two weeks of the reveal.
Many of their comments, Nekich says, express genuine pride and happiness for V, who shared in a statement at the time of the announcement, âI feel incredibly fortunate and honored to have sung along ⊠with the voice of someone I consider an idol.â
For Mary, the project represents everything that was important to her father in his lifetime. âIf you look at what Dad did in terms of technology, bringing voice on tape ⊠he was always ahead of the game and always incredibly interested in musical experiments,â she reflects. âThis collaboration with V is kind of a continuation of that. Many people [from Bingâs era] wouldâve not been able to wrap their head around this, but I think Dad would have.â
As for whether her father, who died in 1977, wouldâve chosen to do the duet with V if he were alive today, Mary says, âDad wouldâve jumped at the chance.â
âHe tried everything and sang with everybody,â the actress adds. âThat sparked him. There are so many popular singers that list Bing Crosby as an influence, but Dad was always 100% ready to be musically influenced by someone else.â
With the track finally out in the world after three years of build-up, Primary Wave has officially made good on the goals they set at the beginning of their relationship with Crosbyâs estate. But, galvanized by the breathtaking support of ARMY and the realization that, through technology, more doors are open to them than previously imagined, the team is ready to think even bigger. Nekich hopes the duet becomes a ânew Christmas classicâ â one thatâll serve as the jumping-off point, not the end of, Crosbyâs relationship with V. And, sheâd âlove to see it go to the top of the Billboard charts this Christmas â weâre shooting for the stars.â
On that note, Levine is also adding an unofficial third objective to the bulletin board. âRespect to the queen,â he tells Billboard, âBut I hope we outperform Mariah [Carey] this year.â
Listen to Bing Crosbyâs brand-new version of âWhite Christmasâ featuring V of BTS above.
From controversial awards show performances to community-affirming song releases, the last 25 years saw LGBTQ+ music move from the fringes to the forefront of pop culture.