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Official HIGE DANdism’s “Subtitle” has tied the all-time record for most weeks at No. 1 on the latest Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Jan. 18, logging its 11th week atop the chart.
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The track has now caught up with superstar Gen Hoshino‘s “Koi” that set the 11-week record in early 2017. The tracks are also tied for most consecutive weeks at No, 1 with seven each.
Hoshino’s ubiquitous hit continues to be widely popular today, and “Subtitle” is also well on its way to becoming one of HIGE DAN’s biggest hits as well. But, as predicted last week, the track is slowing down considerably — the overall points for “Subtitle” decreased by about 10 percent this week— so we’ll see if the next tally will become a history-changing moment on the Japan charts.
The four-man band currently has three songs charting in the top 10 — “Subtitle,” “White Noise,” and the former No. 1 song “Mixed Nuts” — with “White Noise” debuting at No. 5. The track is the opener for the latest story arc of the TV anime series Tokyo Revengers and is the band’s second tie-in with the series following the long-running hit “Cry Baby” from the summer of 2021.
LIL LEAGUE from EXILE TRIBE’s debut single “Hunter” launched with 88,660 copies (No. 2 for sales) and bowed at No. 2 on the Japan Hot 100 this week. The new group, formed through the iCON Z 2022 Dreams For Children audition that was the biggest of its kind in LDH’s history, also came in at No. 1 for radio this week.
Meanwhile, “Kamisama datte kimerarenai,” the tenth single by 22/7 (Nanabunnonijyuuni), a virtual idol group produced by Yasushi Akimoto of AKB48 fame, hit No. 1 for sales with 89,460 copies sold, but couldn’t follow up in other metrics (No. 25 for radio, for example) and debuts at No. 7 on the Japan Hot 100.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, YouTube and GYAO! video views and karaoke data.
For the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Jan. 9 to 15, see here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
BRISBANE, Australia – Look Out Kid, the independent Australian artist management business, is joining forces with Monster Artist Management to form one of the market’s power centers, with a footprint on both sides of the Pacific.
The enlarged business operates as Look Out Kid, Billboard can exclusively reveal, and guides a 13-strong roster, uniting some of the top exports from Australia and New Zealand with a string of hot acts.
Through the new arrangement, Monster’s Jacob Snell and Alexandra “Apple” Bagios will join the company, and they’re bringing their roster of international clients, which includes Methyl Ethel and Hatchie (Australia); The Beths (New Zealand); plus U.S. acts Cloud Nothings, Sweeping Promises, and Palehound.
At Look Out Kid, they’ll join a stable that includes Courtney Barnett, Middle Kids, Sarah Blasko, U.S. artist Faye Webster and Canadian Beverly Glenn-Copeland.
By joining forces, the team has the opportunity to be in multiple markets at once. The move is “designed so that we can better support” the roster in their “artistic and career goals,” Nick O’Byrne, Look Out Kid’s owner/director and artist manager, tells Billboard.
“We’re trying to pull the smart management minds out of the nitty gritty, everyday stuff that takes so much time, that the artist doesn’t see, and give them more time talking to artists about music, strategy and achieving their goals, whether its financial, career, artistry.”
Snell, who serves as director of strategy and artist manager, and Bagios, as artist manager, are based in Los Angeles, and the Look Out Kid team continues to operate out of its Melbourne headquarters. Owner/director Katie Besgrove is shifting from day-to-day artist management to the general manager position.
Meanwhile, a new hire will oversee the roster’s live and touring activities for the first time, lifting the company’s headcount to seven.
Concerts specialist Emma Hawkes joins the team as touring and operations manager, a new role. Hawkes was recently production manager of Courtney Barnett‘s U.S.-based touring festival Here And There, which debuted in 2022 and returns this year.
“We love their roster, we share similar tastes and we care about the same things when it comes to the business of music,” Look Out Kid says of Monster in a statement. “It’s important to take notice when you find a kindred spirit in this crazy business so this feels like a natural step for us.”
The conversation to come together was a natural one. “We talked about it for about six months. Just trying to work out when it would work,” O’Byrne notes. “We finally got there towards the end of last year.”
Monster was established in Perth, Western Australia, in 2010. O’Byrne formed Look Out Kid in 2011 as a vehicle to manage Barnett. Using the know-how he’d accumulated as general manager of trade association Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR), and as executive programmer of the Bigsound conference and showcase event, O’Byrne’s business quietly flourished, and Barnett emerged as one of Australia’s most successful artists of her generation.
The singer-songwriter’s debut Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit peaked at No. 4 in Australia, No. 16 in the U.K. and No. 20 in the U.S., and won the Australian Music Prize, a trio of ARIAs and a nomination for best international female at the BRIT Awards. Her solo followup cracked the top 10 in the U.K, led several Billboard charts, and peaked at No. 22 on the Billboard 200. A third solo set, Things Take Time, Take Time, dropped in 2021.
Veteran J-pop singer-songwriter Chara chatted with Billboard Japan for its Women in Music interview series celebrating women in the Japanese music industry. The initiative launched this year in the same spirit of Billboard’s annual Women in Music event that launched in 2007. Billboard Japan aims to elevate women who continue to break new ground in Japan’s music business through interviews, live performances and panel discussions.
On top of her long-standing music career, Chara returned to acting this fall for the first time in 26 years in the Disney+ series Subete wasurete shimaukara (“Because I’ll Forget Everything”) starring Hiroshi Abe, and has been working more often with her two children — daughter Sumire and son Himi — who are also carving out their own paths in show business. When asked what she values as an artist and mother, she emphasized the importance of words and communication. The 54-year-old artist, whose songs depict the delicate subtleties of love, spoke about the power of words in this latest interview.
When you were little, what kind of woman did you look up to?
My earliest recollection of a grown woman would be my kindergarten teacher, and I adored my teacher who could play the piano. So I wanted a piano, but my parents didn’t get me one at that time. When I became a teenager, I remember seeing (Japanese singer-songwriter) Akiko Kosaka leading an orchestra and singing the song “Anata” (“You”) while playing a grand piano, and I thought that was cool. I guess I was impressed by a young woman leading a large group of people.
From there you also became a singer and have led bands yourself. How did you find your way there?
I never did very well in school, but I absorbed a lot from other fun things and exercised my mental muscles that way. Now there’s a term for women who record music at home, “takuroku joshi” (bedroom producer girl), and I was probably one of the first to do that. I met my band mates while playing instruments for fun and started making music. There was no music software you could get cheaply like you can now so everything was analog, and I bought equipment with loans.
I also started learning to play the piano but got tired of it along the way. Playing the practice pieces over and over was never fun and I also wasn’t interested in learning the skill to play fast. I liked music, but didn’t feel like studying it in college because I figured, “If I go to music school, I’ll have to practice like this all the time.” So I quit playing the piano and got a synthesizer and began fooling around on that instead.
Were there any indications of your signature style back in those days?
I think I was a little different everyone else from around the sixth grade. I had the sense that “my parents don’t own me” from around then. I didn’t know that studying abroad was a path that existed, and didn’t know how to get out of my small world, so I ended up at roller discos. Discos were popular when I was in high school, and I also used to cheerlead, so I liked roller discos where you could dance and listen to music while wearing roller skates. I’ve probably been influenced by the people I met at the places where I hung out.
Does that mean you didn’t have an ideal of the kind of person you wanted to be?
There were lots of people I admired. Cyndi Lauper appealed to me, both her music and the way she looks. When I was in school, fashion (in Japan) wasn’t as free as it is today, and it was rare to see a woman with her hair half buzzed or spiked up like hers. I remember being scolded for wearing an outfit that showed my belly button and large hoop earrings to driving school. Even so, I did my best to be creative.
Do the women you admire have anything in common?
I think it’s about appearing to be in a good mood. I’m sure there are times when people in a bad mood or in bad shape, but instead of giving up, they give out power that makes them appear to be in a good mood.
That sounds exactly like who you are now.
It’s not that I’ve been able to be like that since I was young. Even now, I’m not perfect at all. When I was young, I couldn’t speak up honestly because people would say I was being a smart aleck and there were lots of times I caused trouble for those around me. But especially after I had children of my own, I began to think that I have to take responsibility for my words. Words are scary because once you put them out there, you can’t take them back. I’ve experienced many failures in my life, but since having kids, I’ve come to appreciate both the scary and fun aspects of words more. Children are very observant of their surroundings. They ask lots of questions, and you have to respond to what they ask with words. But thanks to that, I’ve come to think that even ordinary words are interesting. When I was younger, I was more arrogant and didn’t want to use the same ordinary words as everyone else. I wanted to find an expression that no one else was using no matter what. But through conversations with my kids, I came to realize that wonderful words can be found anywhere. Because children start talking using really simple words.
Looking back to the days when you made your debut, if you were to give yourself some advice, what would you say?
When I made my debut, I didn’t know anything about the rules of the industry, so I held back and sort of waited to see how things would go. I figured, “I don’t know anything, so I’ll leave it up to the pros,” but there was this one time I was so unhappy with the finished product that I cried because I was shocked that it was completely different from what I’d had in mind. But maybe I didn’t communicate those feelings properly to the people around me at the time. Now I think, “Why didn’t I just try it myself?” but I feel that way now because I made mistakes and learned from them.
One thing I can say though is that it’s important to communicate properly with words. And to make sure the other person understands you. In order to make something go in the right direction, I think it’s all right for both parties to confirm what they’re thinking. And if you can’t align your viewpoints, then so be it. Because if you feel like you disagree, the other person usually feels the same way too.
What do you think is needed to make the world a place where more women can flourish?
I think maybe the world isn’t going to change much unless something happens like a woman becoming the president (of the U.S.). When I first started out, it was common for men (in Japan) to say things like, “Women should shut up” directly to us, so I suppose things have improved a bit since then. One thing we can do now is to raise boys so that a better future will come. For example, parents building a balanced relationship between each other first, since kids observe and sense the relationship between their mother and fathers at home.
You’ve raised a boy yourself. Was there anything you took care in doing or was important to you when he was little?
I’m sure there were a lot of things, but I’ve forgotten a lot of them. [Laughs] But I loved a translated picture book called The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf and used to read it to him a lot. The main character is a bull named Ferdinand who’s brought to a bull ring. He’s a gentle soul who loves flowers. His mother thinks it’s fine for him to be just the way he is, and says it’s OK if he doesn’t live like a typical fighting bull. I never thought that boys should act like boys, and my son probably sensed that I felt that way.
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Renée Geyer, the ARIA Hall of Fame-inducted singer with an abundance of jazz, blues and soul in her powerful voice, died Tuesday (Jan. 17) from complications following hip surgery. She was 69.
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Born Sept. 11, 1953, in Melbourne, Geyer “lived her life as she performed – on her own terms and to the fullest,” reads a statement from her family and issued by Mushroom Group, whose founder, the late Michael Gudinski, was a decades-long friend and supporter of the artist.
She enjoyed solo success in Australia with covers “It’s a Man’s Man’s World”, “Heading in the Right Direction” and the bouncy ’80s number “Say I Love You,” and sang until the end, performing just last month to a full house, read the statement. The late artist was looking forward to “another busy year ahead doing what she loved most – performing for her loyal fans around the country.”
Geyer got her break in the ‘70s, initially in Sydney, with a string of pop, soul and reggae releases. Later, she would relocate to Los Angeles, where she contributed to recordings for Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker, Neil Diamond, Bonnie Raitt and Chaka Kahn, before making a comeback in her homeland in the 1990s, with some help from Paul Kelly.
Australia’s music community remembers Geyer as a force of nature, and one of the finest artists produced by this country, whose recording career spanned five decades.
Matt Gudinski, CEO of Mushroom Group and son of Michael Gudinski, recounts Geyer as a “fierce, independent, strong and passionate” trailblazer for women in the music industry, while Philip Mortlock, creative director ORiGiN Music, remembers her as an “astonishing talent” with “a wicked sense of humor and intellect.”
Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett writes, “Sang with Renee at a charity show back in the day, of course she blew the roof off. One of the very best voices we ever had the privilege to hear.”
Oh dear, big loss. Condolences to family, friends, fans. Sang with Renee at a charity show back in the day, of course she blew the roof off. One of the very best voices we ever had the privilege to hear. ‘Renee Geyer dies aged 69 https://t.co/92ml2WEQwy via @ABCaustralia— Peter Garrett (@pgarrett) January 17, 2023
Geyer’s “impact as a female singer with both an uncontainable voice and personality has been immeasurable for Australian music,” comments ARIA and PPCA CEO, Annabelle Herd.
We mourn the passing of iconic Australian artist, producer and ARIA Hall of Fame inductee Renée Geyer. ARIA and PPCA CEO, Annabelle Herd, said: “Renée’s impact as a female singer with both an uncontainable voice and personality has been immeasurable for Australian music.” pic.twitter.com/AVozCmJjP0— ARIA (@ARIA_Official) January 17, 2023
Renée Geyer. A game changer. A soul diva. My sister in song. Heart felt condolences to her family and friends, and to the Australian music industry as a whole who have just lost a person who possessed one of the greatest voices I have ever heard. pic.twitter.com/MdWwHaozO2— Marcia Hines (@TheMarciaHines) January 17, 2023
Australia’s own Queen of Soul. A truly incredible singer has left us. My love to her friends, colleagues and many fans. Rest in peace Renee Geyer. pic.twitter.com/OcZXXWsMjW— paul grabowsky (@paulgrab) January 17, 2023
Composer Paul Grabowsky celebrates Geyer as “Australia’s own Queen of Soul.”
Geyer is also remembered for her rebellious nature, and for the slap she planted on interviewer Molly Meldrum while live on air on the ABC’s Countdown.
In her 2000 autobiography, Confessions of a Difficult Woman, co-written with music journalist Ed Nimmervoll, Geyer discussed her problems with substance abuse. And in its pages, she described herself as a “a white Hungarian Jew from Australia, sounding like a 65-year-old black man from Alabama.”
Geyer’ talents were unique, and celebrated, and her catalog 25 albums deep, a list she most recently added to with 2013’s Swing.
She cemented her icon status in 2005, when she was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame alongside Split Enz, Normie Rowe, Smoky Dawson, The Easybeats, Hunters & Collectors and Jimmy Barnes. Then, in 2013 she was the first woman to be inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame; and in 2018 received the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award at the Australian Women in Music Awards.
On International Women’s Day 2021, Double J celebrated 50 Game-Changing Women of Australian Music. Naturally, Geyer was on the list.
Despite her Hall of Fame recognition and several nominations, an ARIA Award eluded her.
While attending University Hospital Geelong, specialists discovered that Geyer also had inoperable lung cancer.
“She was in no pain and died peacefully amongst family and friends,” the family statement explains.
Details of her memorial will be forthcoming. In lieu of flowers, the late singer’s family asks that preferred donations be made to Support Act “as a way of giving back to an industry that loved her so much.”
We’re deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Renée Geyer, one of the most highly regarded singers in contemporary music. Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this time. In lieu of flowers, she would have preferred donations be made here – https://t.co/vz6QjLv8RM pic.twitter.com/o1O1ue3OBG— Support Act (@SupportAct) January 17, 2023
Raye had the feel-good chart story of 2023 with “Escapism,” a slow burner that finally climbed to No. 1 earlier in the month for the British singer’s first leader.
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With Lewis Capaldi’s “Pointless” pushing “Escapism” to No. 2 on the latest chart, published last Friday (Jan. 13), Raye is making another push for the summit.
“Escapism,” featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake, leads the U.K.’s First Look survey, which ranks the most popular singles after the first 48 hours in the chart cycle.
It’s not a done deal. Miley Cyrus is hot on her heels with “Flowers,” the Official Charts Company reports. It’s new at No. 2 on the chart blast.
The lead off to Cyrus’ eighth studio set Endless Summer Vacation, due out March 10, “Flowers” features production work from Tyler Johnson and Kid Harpoon.
Wherever it lands on the U.K. chart, “Flowers” should become her eighth U.K. Top 10 single, a list that she most recently added to in 2020 with Plastic Hearts tracks “Midnight Sky” (No. 5) and the Dua Lipa-assisted “Prisoner” (No. 8).
As Raye and Cyrus duke it out, Capaldi’s “Pointless” is out of the picture, certainly at this early stage. “Pointless, lifted from Capaldi’s forthcoming sophomore LP, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, is set to drop 1-11 on the weekly tally. Finally, “Creepin’” by producer Metro Boomin’ featuring The Weeknd and 21 Savage is creeping up the chart, and could finally crack the top 10. It’s at No. 10 on the First Look tally.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday.
It’s still Taylor Swift time in the U.K., where Midnights (via EMI) enters a fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1.
Swift’s 10th and latest studio album extends its lead as her longest-reigning champion on the Official U.K. Albums Chart, and it’s the longest-running No. 1 in the U.K. since Harry Styles’ Harry’s House logged six weeks atop the survey.
The best-seller at the midweek point, Midnights leads an unchanged top five ahead of SZA’s SOS (via RCA/Top Dawg) and The Weeknd’s greatest hits collection The Highlights (Republic Records/XO), respectively, while Lewis Capaldi reenters the top 10 with former No. 1 Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent (EMI).
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Divinely Uninspired lifts 16-10 on the latest survey, published Jan. 13, ahead of the release of his sophomore LP, Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent. The Scottish artist’s sophomore set is due in May and contains “Pointless,” the new No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart.
The week’s highest debut belongs to Gabrielle Aplin, whose fourth album Phosphorescent (Never Fade) starts at No. 15, for the British singer and songwriter’s third top 20 album. Aplin’s 2013 debut English Rain peaked at No. 2 and 2015’s Light Up The Dark hit No. 14.
As The 1975 kick off their tour of the U.K. and Ireland in support of their latest set Being Funny In A Foreign Language (Dirty Hit), the album leaps 31-19 on the national chart.
All five of the band’s studio albums have hit No. 1 in the U.K., including 2022’s Being Funny.
Last week, Matty Healy and Co. sent Swifties into a frenzy when TayTay joined the band at The O2 in London to perform “Anti-Hero on stage for the first time.
Finally, Detroit punk icon Iggy Pop bows at No. 33 with Every Loser (Atlantic), his 19th solo album. It’s Iggy’s fifth U.K. Top 40 title.
Following a tight chart race which saw Raye take an early lead, it’s Lewis Capaldi who takes the U.K. crown with “Pointless” (via Vertigo).
The Scottish singer songwriter bags his fourth No. 1, as “Pointless,” co-written by Ed Sheeran, finishes just 1,200 combined sales ahead of its closest competition, Raye’s independently-released hit “Escapism” (Human Re Sources), featuring 070 Shake.
“Pointless” improves 15-1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, published Jan. 13, powered by physical and digital download sales, the Official Charts Company reports, as “Escapism” dips 1-2.
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“Pointless” is the second single lifted from his upcoming second studio album Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, slated to drop in May.
“4 u.k. number 1’s!!!!. Over the moon to finally have as many number 1’s as a do STI’s,” he quips on social media.
Capaldi enjoyed a global breakthrough with 2019’s “Someone You Loved,” which logged seven weeks atop the U.K. chart. He led the chart again in 2020 with “Before You Go” for one week in 2020, and with Broken By Desire release “Forget Me,” for one week in 2022.
Completing the chart podium on the current tally is SZA’s SOS cut “Kill Bill” (via RCA/Top Dawg), up 4-3 for a new peak.
Also on the rise this week is U.S. singer Miguel, who vaults 83-14 with “Sure Thing” (Jive), his first U.K. top 20 single; Irish singer-songwriter Cian Ducrot with “I’ll Be Waiting” (Polydor) up 39-22; Lil Uzi Vert’s “Just Wanna Rock” (Atlantic) up 38-32; Tory Lanez’s “The Color Violet” (The One Umbrella) gains 41-36 and Hotel Ugly’s viral effort, “Shut Up My Moms Calling” (Hotel Ugly), which checks into the top 40, improving 47-38.
The highest new entry on the latest chart comes courtesy of producers Skrillex, Fred Again, and rapper/producer Flowdan, as their collaborative “Rumble” (Atlantic) gets to work at No. 19.
SZA cleans-up on the Australian singles chart with “Kill Bill” (via RCA/Sony), while Taylor Swift enters a 10th non-consecutive week at No. 1 on the national albums survey with Midnights (Universal).
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Swift’s 10th and latest album becomes her longest-reigning No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, eclipsing the nine-week run for 1989’s 2014. On the latest chart, published Friday, Jan. 13, 1989 dips 19-20.
“Congratulations Taylor! Ten weeks at No. 1 is a great achievement and 10 chart-topping albums in just 12 years is incredible,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd. “Australia’s love affair with Taylor and her music is not slowing down.”
Midnights manages to hold off SZA’s SOS from a first stint on the albums chart throne, as it holds at No. 2 — though the U.S. R&B star goes one better on the ARIA Singles Chart.
In a week that saw SZA drop a bloody music video for “Kill Bill,” the track lifts 2-1 on the ARIA Chart for her first leader in Australia.
Until now, SZA’s best was a No. 2 placing for “All The Stars” with Kendrick Lamar, lifted from the Black Panther soundtrack in 2018. She also featured on Doja Cat’s “Kiss Me More,” which peaked at No. 2 in 2021.
“Kill Bill” switches places with Sam Smith & Kim Petras’ “Unholy” (Capitol/Universal), which slips 1-2, just days after Smith performed an exclusive, intimate concert at the d’Arenberg Cube winery in McLaren Vale, Adelaide.
Raye’s “Escapism” (Orchard) featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake reaches a new high, up 7-4. The British singer and songwriter snagged the U.K. No. 1 this week with “Escapism,” released independently after her public split with Polydor, part of Universal Music Group.
Meanwhile, Dean Lewis’ “How Do I Say Goodbye” (Island/Universal) is the best-placed homegrown track on Australia’s official singles chart, up 26-16, just two places removed from its peak position.
Also noteworthy is Stephen Sanchez and Em Beihold’s dark horse “Until I Found You” (Universal), which races 30-12, six months after it first impacted the top 100, while Skrillex, Fred Again and Flowdan bag the week’s highest debut, as “Rumble” (Atlantic/Warner) starts at No. 35.
Shakira’s new “BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 53” alongside Argentine DJ and producer Bizarrap, is the equivalent of a sonic bomb. The 45-year-old Colombian star went to town, pulling no punches in a track that aims squarely at her ex, soccer player Gerard Piqué, who split with her for a far younger woman.
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This isn’t the first time an artist lets it all out next to Bizarrap. Last year, Puerto Rican rapper Residente made major waves with his “BZRP Music Sessions Vol. 49,” on which he lambasted the industry as a whole and J Balvin in particular.
And this isn’t the first time Shakira has taken aim at her ex either. Prior to the Bizarrap session, she released the more poignant “Monotonía” alongside Ozuna, lamenting the loss of love to “monotony.” But in the past few weeks, Shakira’s equanimity seems to have evaporated, as evidenced by a series of Instagram posts, including one that said: “There are more good than indecent people.”
Clearly, some disses at Piqué were to be expected, but there’s a lot to digest in this track, written by Shakira along with Bizarrap, Colombian songwriter Keityn and Santiago Alvarado. In line after line, Shakira spits bullets against Piqué that make one almost feel sorry for the guy. And though it’s hard to imagine Shakira being any more direct (as Spanish singer Aitana wrote on Twitter: “I’ve seen all these TikTok videos ‘analyzing’ the hints…what hints?”), there are some lines here that merit a closer view.
1. “Tanto que te las das de campeón, y cuando te necesitaba diste tu peor versión” (You go around saying you’re a champion, and when I needed you, You gave your worst version): Piqué, a former Manchester United and Barcelona soccer player, is widely considered one of the best defenders in the game’s history. He announced his retirement from soccer on Nov. 5, in the midst of his separation from Shakira.
2. “Una loba como yo no está pa’ tipos como tú, A ti te quedé grande y por eso estás con una igualita que tú“ (A she-wolf like me is not for guys like you; I’m too much for you and that’s why you’re with one just like you): The “Loba” reference harks back to Shakira’s 2009 mega-hit “She-Wolf” (loba in Spanish). The song is an ode to Shakira’s inner-she-wolf, who goes out hunting at night for real men because the one she has at home isn’t living up to expectations.
3. “Entendí que no es culpa mía quе te critiquen, Yo solo hago música, perdón que te sal-pique. Me dejaste de vecina a la suegra, Con la prensa en la puerta y la deuda en Hacienda” (I understood that it’s not my fault that they criticize you; I only make music, sorry that it splashed you. You left me my mother-in-law as my neighbor, media outlets at my door and in debt with the government): Let’s just say no translation can do justice to these lines. The word salpique, which translates to “splash” (as in, I’m sorry it splashed you) is used here as a play on Piqués name: “Sal Pique,” written as two different words, means “Get out, Piqué.” And then, of course, Shakira gets even more pointed: “You left me my mother-in-law as my neighbor, media outlets at my door and in debt with the government,” she laments, referencing her ongoing legal issues with Spain’s treasury department, for which she’s scheduled to go to trial this year.
4. “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan” (You thought you hurt me but you made me stronger; women don’t cry anymore, they cash in): Ooh. You can expect this one to become a rallying cry for spurned women everywhere for years to come.
5. “Tiene nombre de persona buena, Claramente no es como suena” (She has the name of a good person; it’s clearly not what it sounds like): Another tough translation. Piqué’s girlfriend’s name is Clara, which literally translates to “clear” — as in “clearly it’s not what it sounds like.”
6. “Yo valgo por dos de 22, Cambiaste un Ferrari por un Twingo; Cambiaste un Rolex por un Casio” (I’m worth two 22-year-olds, you traded a Ferrari for a Twingo; you traded a Rolex for a Casio): And no, Shakira definitely didn’t spare Piqué’s girlfriend Clara Chía Marti from her tirade. Shakira, 45, says she’s “worth two 22 year-olds,” but she doesn’t stop there. “You traded a Ferrari for a Twingo,” she adds, referring to the tiny, low-budget Renault model. The Rolex vs. Casio, though, we take a bit of exception to; not just because there are expensive Casios out there, but because we’re fond of the sturdy watches, which still have an element of hip.
7. “Ah, mucho gimnasio, Pero trabaja el cerebro un poquito también” (Lots of time at the gym, but your brain needs a little work too): Wait… is Shakira calling Piqué a dumb jock?
“Today, I am a singer,” Alec Su You-peng says shortly after he sits down.
After nearly three decades, Su, formerly a member of one of the earliest Chinese boy bands, is ready to make a comeback as a singer in another band this year with new music.
Such is its power — music always has a way of making enthusiasts return to it no matter how long they have been away.
Music is as vital as water
Su learned to play the keyboard at a very young age. However, when he was in middle school, his parents wanted him to excel academically and therefore made him give up his music lessons. It was also then that Su became fascinated with pop music. He followed Billboard hits introduced by radio DJs. Music gradually became the most reassuring haven and source of companionship for teenage Su. He rattled off the names of some of his favorite superstars, such as George Michael, who had a glorious singing voice, and Mariah Carey, who can sing beautiful melodies with pearl-like clarity.
“It may sound like a bit of an exaggeration, but at that time, music was like water to me. I could not live without it,” Su says. Looking at the Billboard logo during his Billboard China cover interview, Su says, “This had been a window to my life.”
Growing up in Taipei, Su was a teenage singer in Taiwanese boy band Xiao Hu Dui (also known as Little Tigers). The record company provided the band members with basic performance training before their debut. Blessed with his previous theoretical foundation and musical knowledge, Su excelled in his musical studies and gradually enhanced his songwriting skills. By the time of his solo release, he had a better opportunity to gradually showcase his creative talent. He composed songs in a variety of styles, such as “Ca Jian Er Guo” (Like ships that pass in the night), “Xun Zhao” (Seeking) and “Da Bu Liao” (Big deal). However, Su rarely brings up his original works. In his opinion, creation is highly specialized. An abundance of creative energy, continuous inspiration, and a huge time investment are all essential. He believes if he cannot even satisfy himself with the music he creates, there is no need to describe himself as a composer to the public.
Over the past 30 years, Su has dabbled in several trends, including folk music, love songs, R&B, hip-hop and electronic music. He says he would always keep up with the latest trend even though he may not be able to pull off every style. This is something that singers must try to achieve.
Su also misses the older days of music where it was simpler. “Back then, to get your song on the music charts, you only had to ensure that it sold well and did well on radio and TV,” he says. “Now the evaluation is much more complicated. Streaming data is also taken in account. In short, I feel that the value of songs hitting music charts is not quite the same now.”
Customized playlists and smart music recommendations that are popular on the Internet do not seem to reflect Su’s preferences very well. However, making playlists used to be his favorite thing. When he was in middle school, he recorded songs from the radio onto cassette tapes and then transcribed them into his exclusive collection. Only his best friends could receive such a tape on their birthdays. Su admits that now he, like most people, does not have the time or energy to select songs and make his own playlist. He has gradually become used to being “fed” by streaming media. However, no matter what stage of his career he was at, his love for music has never strayed.
Keep going, there’s always a door open for you
In the late 1980s when they rose to fame in their native Taiwan and throughout Asia, Xiao Hu Dui had an unparalleled influence that was beyond the reach of the idol bands that followed. After the band split in 1995, its three members each started a new phase in their lives.
From singer to actor, Su was rejected many times because of his baby face and idol status. He left everything behind to travel overseas for leisure and further his studies in the United Kingdom. But after returning home, his will to achieve his goals still remained strong.
Su devoted his full attention to each of his records and eventually composed classic songs such as “Bei Bao” (Backpack), “Zhen Xi” (Cherish), “Deng Dao Na Yi Tian” (Waiting for That Day) and “Wo De Hao Xin Qing” (My Good Mood). In his acting career, he has portrayed different personalities in roles such as Yong Qi (My Fair Princess), Du Fei (Romance in the Rain), Zhang Wuji (Heavenly Sword and Dragon Saber) and Bai Xiaonian (The Message). His progress is evident with each passing role.
Later in his career, Su turned to directing. He does not see The Left Ear or The Devotion of Suspect X as perfect, but the rigor and meticulousness displayed in his work makes the detail of his films worthy of attention.
Su is now working on his third film. According to the initial plan, shooting will start in October. In March, he unexpectedly received an offer to star in the show Call Me By Fire. At first, he politely declined the offer because the show’s shooting schedule conflicted with his film production schedule. However, the show’s crew was unwilling to give up on him. His film partner later learned of this situation and was willing to set up a film crew for him in Changsha, allowing him to work on the film production between his show recordings. Su agreed to join the show two days before shooting began.
Su was told that the show’s audience would determine whether celebrity contestants would stay or leave. As most of the audience was between 20 and 30 years old, they would have been familiar with his film and TV hits. But Su felt that since he was returning to the music stage, there was no reason for him to sidestep Xiao Hu Dui’s songs. “Xiao Hu Dui has a lot of hits, but I am not a great dancer,” he says, “I had to prepare for more than three months before I performed ‘Qing Ping Guo Le Yuan (Green Apple Paradise)’ on my debut as a mentor on Produce Camp 2019. So I just avoided songs that would require dancing. I thought I would never ever forget the dance using sign language for the song “Ai” (Love), but to my surprise, I had trouble remembering the details. Later, I found a sign-language video from a young girl on the Internet to refresh my sign-language skills.”
When rehearsing, Su realized he was out of practice; his moves and control over his expressions never seemed to be precise. “It was easy for me to tell the trainees how to perform while mentoring them,” he says. “But when it came to my turn to perform, I realized it was difficult to regain the skills I had back then.”
In the end, the performance of “Ai “(Love) went viral online.
When he returned to the stage, it was as if he was once again the young man who was not afraid of the arduous journey ahead. He fought hand-in-hand with his band and eventually won another opportunity to establish his boy band in a starring role. Su often considered himself a poor dancer. But with the help of his team, he started to enjoy dancing. It was more gratifying to Su than being the center of the boy band. “It was a miracle for me,” he says.
Su went from being an idol singer to a popular TV and movie actor, then a director, and now a singer again. “We should seize the present moment, and not worry about where it may lead,” he says. “You just keep moving forward, and sometimes you do not know which door will open for you.”
Catching up with everyone through new work
When Su first debuted, the route to becoming a star was monopolized by various companies. There was a high entry requirement to become a star. However, in the era of self-media, everyone has the opportunity to become famous. From his perspective, that is definitely a good thing, but it also means the superstar era is gradually fading away, as celebrities are slowly becoming less mysterious and less distant from the audience.
In the past, the young and famous Xiao Hu Dui members were adored by a large number of fans. This made the band members quite nervous, so they made a pact with their fans to place an emphasis on honor and order, hoping that everyone would focus more on their individual lives. Su, as a first-generation idol, is a bit puzzled by fandom behavior today. “As idols, we must understand our value and responsibility, then set examples for our fans, and continuously strengthen our performing skills,” he says. “The adoration of celebrities should never be quantified in monetary terms, nor should it be used as an excuse to interfere with other people’s lives. Celebrity fandom is supposed to be a positive thing. How does this become a shackle between celebrities and their fans these days?”
While the release schedule is still being finalized, fans should be able to hear two of Su’s new songs before the Lunar New Year (beginning Jan. 22).
Alec Su for Billboard China
Photo: Xiaoming; Editor: Mi; Stylist: Lindsay