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Metro Boomin stands poised in quiet confidence, silhouetted against the backdrop of the Great Pyramids of Giza. With an aura of timeless grandeur, the three pyramids echo the iconic rhythm of his “Young Metro 3x” producer tag. Framed meticulously by his photographer, Gunner Stahl, the moment is frozen in time, capturing not just an artist, but a convergence of history, culture and creativity. As the desert sun bathes the scene in a golden light, Metro Boomin’s presence among the pyramids becomes more than a photograph – it’s a testament to the enduring legacy of artistry and innovation.
In this juxtaposition of ancient wonder and contemporary music, Metro’s presence before the pyramids speaks volumes. It demonstrates hip-hop’s enduring influence and its ability to transcend time and space, from Missouri to the Middle East. Metro Boomin’s April 30 concert at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue sold out in record time, whereby Live Nation, the organizer, announced a second night in his routing through the Middle East (including a show in Abu Dhabi’s BRED Festival). The majority of the audience knew the words to at least one if not several of his songs and collaborations played during his nearly two-hour set, suggesting that Metro Boomin’s music has found a home in hearts of youth culture worldwide.
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Per Billboard Explains, Metro Boomin’s Billboard Hot 100 breakthrough as a producer came with Future’s “Honest,” which hit No. 55 in 2013. Over the next three years, he produced 23 more Hot 100 hits. He earned his first No. 1 on the Hot 100 for his work on Migos and Lil Uzi Vert’s collab “Bad and Boujee,” which topped the chart for three weeks in 2017. The episode explains that Metro boasts a remarkable tally of 16 top 10 hits on the Hot 100, including noteworthy productions like The Weeknd’s “Heartless” in 2019 and his collaborative effort with Future and Kendrick Lamar, “Like That,” which clinched the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 for three weeks this year.
His collaborations with prominent rap artists on groundbreaking albums have been stellar, with seven top 10 entries on the Billboard 200. According to Billboard Explains, notable highlights include Double or Nothing with Big Sean, which peaked at No. 6 in 2017, Savage Mode II, which ascended to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2020, and his solo project Heroes and Villains, which claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200 in 2022, maintaining a record-breaking 18-week reign atop the Top Rap Albums chart. So far in 2024, Metro’s collaborative album with Future, We Don’t Trust You, and the follow up album, We Still Don’t Trust You, both debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200.
Despite the accolades, Metro maintains a subtle balance of confidence and humility, driven by what feels like a clear sense of purpose in how he approaches making music and chart-topping hits. Throughout his two shows at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue, Metro praises his audience and carries with him a sense of wonderment at performing against the backdrop of some of the oldest structures in the world. “I’ve always wanted to see this [the pyramids] with my own eyes, but I could never even fathom doing a show and performing in front of something as crazy and legendary and history as this,” says Metro. “I’m grateful for everyone, for the whole country.”
Metro displays this love in his Cairo shows, wrapping himself in an Egyptian flag as the epic intro of “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” with Future and Chris Brown plays out in one of his closing tracks in the set. He seems completely unfazed that he is performing solo. He emcees his set, engaging frequently with the audience while delivering a mixtape of his massive body of work, masterfully scripted together in a way that tells a story of what it means for a kid from St. Louis, Miss., to end up making music that captivates the entire world.
When asked about his first hip-hop memory, and what song or album compelled him to pursue the genre artistically and professionally, Metro points back to the year 2000, with the release of Nelly’s Country Grammar. Still in kindergarten at the time, there was no going back for Metro, and with the support of his mother, Leslie Joanne Wayne, he went on to become the most sought-after hip-hop producer of his generation, and a catalyst for reviving the genre’s placement on the Billboard charts.
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As reported by Billboard, with We Still Don’t Trust You arriving atop the Billboard 200 only three weeks after We Don’t Trust You debuted at No. 1, that marks the shortest gap between new No. 1s by an artist since Future replaced himself at No. 1 in 2017 in successive weeks with his self-titled album (March 11, 2017, chart) and HNDRXX (March 18, 2017), both of which debuted at No. 1.
According to Metro Boomin, this success came as a result of what he calls “really caring,” coupled with the urgent need to continue competing with oneself, in order to do better than whatever he did last. But there was a deeper force at play beyond just his individual work ethic, which propelled his consecutive albums with Future to unprecedented heights.
In June 2023, Billboard reported that “rap had yet to produce a Billboard 200-topping album or Billboard Hot 100-topping single” that year, while industry executives grew concerned over the genre’s growth and potential stagnation. So for Metro, things got personal.
“I really took it personally, in the past couple years, seeing different outlets and people sh-tting on hip-hop, saying ‘hip-hop is dying, hip-hop is this, it’s been this long since there was a hip hop No 1…’ says Metro Boomin. “Just trying to spin that whole hip-hop is dying narrative, at the same time trying to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. I felt they were trying to wash our genre and culture away, I’m still in the game, and I take it personal. Those kind of things disturbed me, at the same time, it was the kind of fuel I needed.”
Reflecting on his roots and the impact of his work on hip-hop, Metro’s passion for the genre is radiant. This undeniable drive propels him to continuously elevate his presence on the Billboard charts and within the genre at large. With each chart-topping hit and sold-out show, Metro Boomin not only cements his own legacy but also pays homage to hip-hop while ensuring its continued relevance for generations to come. Because for Metro, hip-hop is not dead, it’s very much alive and thriving.
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
Metro Boomin for Billboard Arabia
Gunner Stahl
British rock band Elbow was never supposed to be the first act to play Co-op Live — the United Kingdom’s newest and biggest entertainment arena. That honor was originally supposed to go another Greater Manchester local, comic Peter Kay, who grew up in the nearby town of Bolton, and was slated to officially open the 23,500-capacity venue in on April 23.
But construction delays led to the cancellation of Kay’s shows and subsequent gigs for The Black Keys, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, Keane, Olivia Rodrigo, as well as a five-night run by Take That. After weeks of false starts, executives with building co-owner and developer Oak View Group — partners on the project with City Football Group (the parent company of Manchester City football club) – insist tonight’s (May 14) long-scheduled Elbow show at Co-op Live will go ahead. Across the live business, executives will be keeping a close eye on how events unfold in Manchester, where the much-hyped project is located.
Billed as a “game-changing” best-in-class new arena facility, Co-op Live has long been positioned as an important international pivot for co-owner Oak View Group, the LA-based arena development company launched by OVG chairman and CEO Tim Leiweke a decade ago. OVG has successfully designed, built and opened more than a dozen successful arenas in the U.S. including Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and UBS Arena in New York and has a full slate of arena development projects in progress in Brazil, Nigeria, Canada and Wales. The firm has also confirmed that it’s in talks to open a new arena in West London.
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Arena construction is challenging under the most ideal conditions, and delays are common, but the arena’s aggressive opening calendar, with more than a dozen concerts planned in its first month, became a liability and source of embarrassment for the company as the delays worsened.
The first signs of problems became apparent at a press launch and invite-only test concert on April 20, headlined by U.K. acts Everything Everything and Rick Astley. OVG’s Leiweke travelled to England to be at the launch, which was attended by Billboard, and told guests of his extreme pride at what OVG and its partners had built in Manchester, which he enthusiastically called “one of the greatest cities on the face of the Earth.”
Foreshadowing some of the issues that were soon to follow, Leiweke urged those present to be patient as his team hosted an audience inside Co-op Live for the first time. “It won’t be perfect,” he said. “Please bear with us as we get through the growing pains and learn tonight how to better operate this building.”
As Leiweke spoke, extensive construction work could be seen and heard taking place in the background. At the time, only the ground floor and sections of the first floor were open to visitors. In those areas, lights, cables and wires could be seen hanging loosely from fittings. Temporary wall and floor coverings were a common sight and only a small number of toilets were accessible. The cold temperature inside the building suggested either its heating system was not working or had not been switched on.
Rendering of the interior of Co-op Live in Manchester, England.
Courtesy of Oak View Group
Hours before doors opened that night, Co-op Live announced it had cancelled thousands of free tickets for the test event, provoking an angry backlash from disappointed fans on social media. Inside the venue, the show went ahead smoothy in front of several thousand people — but it was hardly the grand unveiling OVG were hoping for and was overshadowed by negative headlines.
Less than 48 hours later, Co-op Live began detailing the construction issues delaying the building’s opening, starting with power supply issues that would push back shows for Kay, the comic, and The Black Keys by one week.
That news was followed by the surprise resignation of Co-Op Live building manager Gary Roden, who came under fire from the UK based Music Venue Trust for criticizing a proposal to raise money for venue preservation by adding a surcharge to Co-op Live and other U.K. arena tickets. The next day, the rescheduled opening shows by The Black Keys and Kay were postponed for a second time.
In an interview with the Manchester Evening News, Leiweke said Brexit, Covid and a record amount of rainfall were in part to blame for the delays to the project, while a joint statement from Manchester City Council and the city’s emergency services on April 26 blamed outstanding issues should been fixed in advance of opening including “a fully tested emergency services communication system… some remaining internal security systems, and fire safety measures.”
On May 2, during a soundcheck for A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, a piece of the building’s ventilation system fell from the ceiling, shaking confidence in the building’s readiness. That led to another round of cancellations at Co-op Live, including upcoming shows by Rodrigo, Keane and Take That.
In response, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie and Take That’s teams jumped into action and moved their concerts (six in total) to Manchester’s rival arena facility, the ASM Global-operated AO Arena, who’s general manager Jen Mitchell relished the opportunity, telling Billboard, “Everyone really pulled everything out of the bag at the last minute. It’s been a lot of late-night calls and problem solving, but in the best possible way.”
Mitchell declines to discuss operations at Co-op Live but says she empathizes with the issues the venue has experienced. “Arenas are big venues and there’s always challenges around those, and opening any space comes with its own [unique] challenges,” she says.
In Roden’s absence, Co-op Live is now managed by Rebecca Kane Burton, the former GM of London’s O2 arena, which is owned and operated by AEG.
Over the past two weeks, contractors have been working overtime to fix outstanding issues to the building and get it ready for tonight, insiders tell Billboard. An inspection by Co-op Live subcontractor, SES, found that the issues with its ventilation system, which led to the pulling of A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s May 2 show, was the result of “an isolated manufacturing fault.”
Sources tell Billboard that all premium member spaces for which tickets have been sold are up and running, including the venue’s deluxe spaces, Ciroc Lounge and AMP Club. As compensation for recent disruptions, ticket holders for all postponed shows would be offered a free drink and food item of their choice when visiting the arena, Co-op Live said.
“I think the lesson to be learned in all of this, is never over promise and under deliver because it will catch you out,” says Mark Borkowski, founder of London-based communications agency Borkowski and an expert in crisis and reputation management.
“The magnifying glass is now on them but if they can get it right, and they have got to get it right, then all of this will be forgotten.” says Borkowski.
He cites the troubled birth of London’s Millennium Dome, which was subsequently redeveloped as The O2 arena, as an example of high-profile building projects that experience major teething problems before eventually turning it around.
“No project of this scale runs to plan,” adds Borkowski. “The negative headlines that surrounded the Millennium Dome totally dwarfed what’s going on in Manchester, but now [The O2] is held up as one of the best in the world. Co-op Live can use that as exemplar of what they need to do.”
Executives of Tencent Music Entertainment Group said on Monday that higher than expected subscriber growth pushed its first quarter profits up 28% to RMB1.53 billion ($212 million). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Through marketing promotions timed around the Chinese New Year holiday, TME was able to […]
The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest live broadcasts aren’t just about the competing songs. There are flashbacks to past shows, interstitial material and most important, performances by some of the host country’s most beloved artists.
One of Sweden’s brightest stars turned in a tour-de-force performance this week in the first semi-final for Eurovision 2024. Benjamin Ingrosso performed a seven-minute medley of some of his best songs, including his new single, “Look Who’s Laughing Now.”
Ingrosso has a multi-year history with Eurovision. When he was 8 years old, he competed in the Lilla Melodifestivalen for younger artists in 2006 and won. In 2017 he competed in Sweden’s national final with the song “Good Lovin’” but did not win and did not advance to Eurovision. It was a whole different story in 2018 when Ingrosso’s “Dance You Off” won Melodifestivalen and opened the door for him to compete in Eurovision that year.
Billboard met up with Ingrosso at the Malmö Arena to talk about this year’s Eurovision, his new album and what happened when he sang “Wild World” in front of Cat Stevens.
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What is it like for you coming back to Eurovision but not competing?
It’s a very nice thing to come back and not compete, because you don’t win and you don’t lose. You can just go up on stage and have fun. But for me, the biggest difference is that when I was here six years ago, I was a younger, almost a completely different artist. I was 21 and now I’m 26 and I’ve been on tour a lot and I think I have evolved as an artist. People who have not seen me since 2018 will see me as a different performer, and I do believe I’m more of a performer now. Back then I was just an artist singing a song, but now I’m an entertainer. At least, that is what I’m aiming for.
I saw your rehearsal and you’re definitely a performer.
I’ve been working hard to get where I am today. I always love to work on every little thing I do. I really want to become better. Back in 2018, I did like a music video kind of number and this is the opposite. This is more of a live pop show. I’ll be on stage with 21 people for a seven-minute medley of my recent songs.
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Describe the work you put into your performance.
Covid stopped everything from happening, but I worked a lot during the pandemic. I released a lot of music in Sweden. Since my Eurovision participation in 2018, I’ve released four studio albums and three live albums. I’ve done a TV show. I’ve done concerts and tours, so I think I’ve been evolving both as a human being and also as an artist.
What advice would you give yourself if you went back in time to when you were performing on Lilla Melodifestivalen?
I would just give him a big hug and say, “I’m proud of you.” I sent a video to my mom last night from the rehearsals and I said, “Imagine if I could go back in time and show the 8-year-old me this number, he would be so proud.” This is like a full circle moment. When I was a kid, I loved John Travolta and tonight I will be on stage in a white John Travolta suit, so I’m doing this for the little kid I was.
Tell me about your new single.
I just released “Honey Boy” last week with the Purple Disco Machine and Nile Rodgers and Shenseea and that song is one of my favorite songs ever. I wrote the chorus two years ago and we’ve been working on it for a while. I performed it last summer on my tour, so my core fans have been asking for this song for a long time. That song will be the end of the medley. I also premiere a new song tonight, “Look Who’s Laughing Now,” and that song will be out this month on May 31.
Did you write “Look Who’s Laughing Now”?
I wrote it in Los Angeles with David Stewart and Jessica Agombar. They had a number one in Billboard. We’re talking the younger David Stewart [not the Eurhythmics Dave Stewart]. They did “Dynamite” with BTS. He just finished Shakira’s new album. He’s supremely talented. We were in Westlake Studios for four days and on the fourth day, the guy that works in the studio asked if I wanted a tour of the place. I walked past Michael Jackson’s gloves and a painting. “Wait a minute. Why are there Michael Jackson pictures everywhere?” “He did Thriller here.” And I said, “And you’re telling me this now? I’ve been here for four days. This could have been inspiration!” But it turned out to be a great song that starts with a Queenish/ABBA beat. There’s some energy in that studio.
Are you working on a new album?
Yes. I’ve been on my first European tour. It is sold out, and I’ve been so blessed to be able to do a European tour for the first time in my career. And on that tour, I’ve been doing 80% new songs, teasing the next album. I did not tell anyone before, because I thought that people wouldn’t buy tickets if it was only songs that they never heard. But to be honest, I made people sing along in a weird way. Thanks to TikTok and Instagram, people could learn the songs before the show.
Any plans to do more recording in America for this upcoming album?
I might go back in September after the tour to finish a couple songs. Before Covid, I used to go to Los Angeles often. I think for the next album, I will be doing maybe 80% of the songs in Los Angeles, because I’ve been working with a lot of great songwriters and producers.
The European tour is over, so what is next?
The European tour lasted a month. The new tour is in Scandinavia and it’s on a much larger scale. We’re 12 people on stage. There are 45 people in the crew, so it’s a massive production. We’re playing Stockholm in August in a stadium, which is has a capacity of 30,000. It’s my biggest show ever in my career so far, so that’s going to be cool.
Any thoughts of trying to break into America?
100%. That’s my goal and it’s been my goal ever since I was a kid, although when I was 8 years old, I wanted to become a Broadway musical artist. I did musicals, but that changed and then when I was a teenager, I wanted to become the next David Foster and now I’m really aiming for a global tour in the future.
Marcus and Martinus from Norway are representing Sweden this year Have you given them any advice about performing on the Eurovision stage?
We talked yesterday. I was in the bathroom on the toilet and I heard the guys coming in and I said one word in Norwegian and they said, “Benjamin?” I asked how they could hear what I was saying. They replied, “We’ve been listening to ‘Honey Boy’ for 24 hours. So we recognized your voice in a second.” We talked about the fact that it’s a three-minute performance, so make sure you enjoy those three minutes because they go like this[finger snap]. I told them to have fun and enjoy it and not take it too seriously. To win Melodifestivalen is already a big achievement. It is pretty hard for a country to win Eurovision twice in a row [Sweden won in 2023 with “Tatttoo” by Loreen]. I told them that we’re all proud of them.
I was seated at a table closest to the stage at the Polar Music Prize in 2023 when Chris Blackwell was a Laureate, so I had a close-up view of you singing “Wild World.” What was it like when Cat Stevens rose out of his seat and walked on stage to embrace you?
It was insane. First of all, I had rehearsals the whole day for the tour, so I had one hour to jump into the car, put on my clothes, walk up on stage, sing the song and then all of a sudden, people were standing and I just turned around and Cat Stevens was there, right next to me, hugging me. It was a great night. The day after, I thought, “What happened yesterday? Did I hug Cat Stevens?” It was so cool. And then I performed the song on my tour and I never expected it to become such a big thing. A lot of older artists from his generation came up to me in Sweden and they were saying things like, “Well, Cat Stevens gave you a big hug. That’s impressive.”
We couldn’t tell from the floor — when he was hugging you, did he say anything in your ear?
He said nothing to me, but I saw him interviewed by the host and he said, “That guy is really talented. I really want to work with him.” Just the fact that he said that was pretty dope.
With less than four hours to go before the live grand final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, developments on the ground in Malmö, Sweden, are heating up at a fast pace. During the third dress rehearsal for the grand final, still in progress at Malmö Arena, the singer from France stopped his performance to […]
Eric Lehman from Luxembourg started out as a Eurovision fan, attending his first contest in Birmingham, England, in 1998 after Katrina & the Waves claimed victory in 1997 with “Love Shine a Light.” Eventually, Lehman became a journalist, reporting for various outlets in his home country, even though the Grand Duchy dropped out of the contest in 1994.
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Nine years later, when the song contest was held in Riga, Latvia, Lehman stayed an extra day.
“I invited a close friend of mine to come over to my hotel room to have coffee. We discussed the possible return of Luxembourg. At that point, we had not participated for 10 years. My friend said, ‘Why don’t you try to reach out to let them know what the benefits are, of coming back and participating in the Eurovision Song Contest? You are well equipped with all your Eurovision knowledge, and you have all these contacts. Why don’t you reach out and tell them if they need a head of delegation, you are the perfect choice.’ I was very reluctant because I thought I would be too young for this. He said, ‘No, just go and suggest it.’”
Fast forward to 2024. Lehman’s accreditation badge lists his name and title: head of delegation.
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There are not a lot of things fans of the Eurovision Song Contest hate about the long-running, pan-European competition – but one of them is when countries drop out. But as much as they dislike when that happens, they love it when they return.
The small European nation was there at the very beginning of Eurovision in 1956, one of seven countries in that inaugural broadcast. Luxembourg consistently returned to the contest every year through 1993, only missing 1959.
Things went south in 1994. Seven new countries were admitted, bringing the total number of entrants who wanted to take part to 32, too many for one broadcast. A relegation system was implemented and the six lowest scoring countries in the 1993 contest were out. Goodbye Belgium, Israel, Denmark, Slovenia, Turkey and Luxembourg. Italy voluntarily withdrew.
All of those nations did return, sooner or later. But not Luxembourg – until now.
Eric Lehman was 10 years old in 1988. “I watched Eurovision with my family,” he tells Billboard. “My father was working for RTL, the national broadcaster in Luxembourg, and he had worked on the 1984 contest, the last time Luxembourg hosted [after a 1983 win with “Si La Vie Est Cadeau” by Corinne Hermès]. As a kid, I was allowed to stay awake until very late in the night because the show would end at midnight CET. We were represented in 1988 by Lara Fabian, who went on to become a big star. It was the same year that Celine Dion sang for Switzerland. Lara was in the lead, so I was really enthusiastic. I thought we might win. I like geography and hearing different languages and I enjoy music and TV production, so Eurovision was giving me everything I wanted.”
In 1998, with access to the Internet to purchase a ticket, Lehman traveled to Birmingham by himself to be in the audience for the first time. “I met so many people and became a member of the local fan club and went on to be president in 2000. There are 42 branches today.”
Lehman’s next step was to cover Eurovision for Luxembourg media, including RTL, Radio Luxembourg and local newspapers. Then he became a member of various delegations over the years, including Lithuania, Turkey and France. He also returned as a journalist for Luxembourg television.
All this time, Lehman was determined to bring Luxembourg back into the Eurovision fold. “I fought very hard. I wanted to be the face of Eurovision in Luxembourg. I staged annual charity fundraisers for Televie, a TV marathon that collects funds to fight against cancer and leukemia. They were all Eurovision-themed, which is how we made Eurovision popular again at home.”
Lehman was at the contest in Turin (2022) and Liverpool (2023) and did “massive coverage” for RTL. “I started a big campaign with our previous prime minister, Xavier Bettel.” Lehman and Bettel were granted a one-hour meeting with RTL CEO Christophe Goossens.
“It took me three weeks to prepare this presentation. I got in touch with 14 heads of delegation, EBU staff and former contest producers, to find all the information we would need in order to know what it takes to join Eurovision and what the costs are.”
Lehman, who says he doesn’t even sweat at the gym, could feel drops of water running down his spine during the presentation. “I knew that this was the moment. If we didn’t convince them now, we never would. We explained what the benefits are, that Eurovision has a large audience, especially young people 15 to 29. That is very interesting for them. And it’s not about the three minutes on stage. It’s a good thing for the entire country – nation branding, creating new music, promoting and showcasing new local talents and allowing a team of singers and composers to work with foreign composers and record labels. It’s a way to expand your music industry to the rest of the world.”
Not long after, Lehman got a call from RTL asking if he would he take on the job of head of delegation for Luxembourg’s return to Eurovision.
Thus began a search for candidates to represent the country after a 31-year gap. “We proceeded to the selection process with a nationally televised contest. We received over 500 entries. From that field, we selected 70 songs to audition. And from those 70, we chose eight singers to compete in a national final.”
One of those eight performers was Tali, an Israeli-born singer who had been living in Luxembourg. She was in New York studying theater when Lehman called and asked if she would consider representing Luxembourg in Eurovision.
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And what of the friend who told Lehman he should pursue his dream all those years ago?
“Last year when I was appointed HOD, I knew I needed to find him. We had not been in touch for years because he stopped coming to Eurovision in 2007. I didn’t have his phone number or email address. I checked Facebook and other social media and couldn’t find him. Then I traveled to Malmö. I was in the lobby of the official delegation hotel on the day of the opening ceremony and I saw him after 17 years. I got up and I said, ‘Do you remember me? I’m Eric from Luxembourg.’ He immediately recognized me and we talked for a while and later at dinner I showed him my badge and said, ‘Remember what we said back then in 2003 in the hotel room?’ He started crying and I told him, ‘I was looking for you because I wanted to tell you that your idea and my dream have come true. I have become head of delegation of Luxembourg and I brought the country back.’ Can you imagine? Twenty-one years later, it happened. It’s quite a coincidence because he hadn’t attended the contest for 17 years. And just when I was thinking about him, there he was.”
Tali will sing “Fighter” for Luxembourg in the grand final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. She is fourth in the running order. Viewers in the U.S. can watch the four-hour live broadcast on Saturday, May 11 at 3 p.m. ET.
Joost Klein, the Netherlands’ representative in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, is being investigated by the European Broadcasting Union for an “incident.” No details have been made public yet, but Klein is suspended from rehearsals. It is not known if he will be able to continue in the competition.
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The EBU statement did not shine much light on the situation: “We are investigating an incident reported to us concerning the Dutch artist. He will not be rehearsing until further notice. We have no further comment at this time and will update in due course.”
The second dress rehearsal for the grand final is now underway at the Malmö Arena in Sweden. The Netherlands is in fifth position. Nothing will seem amiss in the venue. SVT, the Swedish TV broadcaster, will use Klein’s rehearsal from semi-final 2 unless the incident is cleared up in the next few minutes. The EBU is in talks with Dutch broadcaster Avrotros.
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The broadcast begins with the traditional “flag parade,” with the artists striding on the stage in performance order. Klein appeared in the ceremony in the first dress rehearsal on Friday (May 10) afternoon. When it was time for him to perform, his stage props were being set up on stage when they were suddenly removed. He was absent from the evening rehearsal flag ceremony. The voiceover announcer proclaimed, “Netherlands,” but no one appeared to show off the nation’s flag.
The dress rehearsal currently underway is an important one; the national juries are watching and will cast their votes tonight.
While details about the incident are not known, Billboard got wind of speculation that there was a backstage incident between Klein and someone working on the show — but cannot confirm anything. There was tension between Klein and Israel’s singer, Eden Golan, at a Thursday (May 9) night press conference for the 10 qualifying countries in semi-final 2. Golan was asked if her presence at the contest presented a security risk.
The moderator told Golan she need not answer, and Klein shouted out, “Why not?” Golan then voluntarily said that the EBU was committed to a safe and inclusive environment for all. The assembled press corps burst into applause.
Israel follows Netherlands in the running order, so it is likely that the two artists were in close proximity during the afternoon rehearsal.
This is a developing story.
Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden in 2012 with “Euphoria”; she competed in 2023 with “Tattoo,” and she won again — making her the only woman to claim two victories in Eurovision history. (She’s also one of two people to accomplish this: Johnny Logan won for Ireland in 1980 and 1987 and then again as a songwriter in 1992.)
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When she takes the Eurovision stage on Saturday (May 11) at the Malmö Arena in Sweden to sing a medley that includes her new single, “Forever,” she will do so as the undisputed queen of the 68-year-old contest. Expect an overwhelming ovation from the 15,000 people in the venue.
This week, Loreen announced her 2025 U.K. and European tour, kicking off in Netherlands on Feb. 15 with 20 stops across Europe before she makes her way to Birmingham, England, on March 17, followed by a headline show at London’s Eventim Apollo on 19 March before continuing onto Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow, then wrapping up in Dublin at 3Olympia Theatre on March 27.
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But first Loreen will headline Birmingham Pride 2024, the Isle of Wight Festival, Stirling Summer Sessions and Manchester Pride. She will also play major festivals in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, Romania, Switzerland, Belgium and Germany.
Billboard took the half-hour train ride from Malmö to Copenhagen to sit down with Loreen and talk about her new release, her Eurovision triumphs and her time on Sweden’s version of Idol.
Let’s start with the present day and talk about your new single, “Forever,” released today (May 10). I’ve heard it described as “spiritual pop.”
That was not me making it up. People are calling it that because I have always been speaking about the importance of sound and music and how spiritual it is and what it does to people – how it can transform a feeling. You can be in a certain state of mind when you listen to a song and all of a sudden, you’re in a different one. It’s very powerful if used the right way. I have also talked about frequencies and how I create music. I’m very much aware of these different waves and what it does, and chakras, how we open up and how we cleanse and transform energy. All music is spiritual for me. It is the common language. So yes, I do love that title, “spiritual pop.” It says a little bit about what music is. Music can cleanse and handle pain. We can use sound for a lot of things. My tribe, when they’re in sorrow, when somebody has passed away, there is a certain move and a certain sound you do. Sometimes when people cry, they have deep pain, they make a certain sound.
It seems like there is a connection between “Forever” and your Eurovision winner, “Tattoo.”
The song “Tattoo,” and the whole performance, is a representation of life. Pain, love, struggles, up-and-down life, the journey of life. Because you saw a lot of emotions there. There was masculine, there was feminine, there was vulnerability, all of that that is human. “Forever” is like the last chapter. What’s the conclusion? The conclusion is love. When you’ve seen all of that, you’ve accepted the pain. You’ve accepted everything. Love is what everything is about. Because everything is energy. That’s physics. Let’s just skip the spiritual and speak about quantum physics. Everything is everything. There is no separation. If we are waves, that means if I generate positive energy, it’s going to affect you. Love is the only thing we get to keep with us when we pass on to the next life or whatever we do.
The funny thing is that I didn’t have the song before I had the narrative. I knew that I was going to perform it [in Eurovision] and I felt in my body that this is an opportunity. This is an important moment, because 200 million people are connected to this. It’s a pretty huge gathering, so I knew exactly what I needed to say. I went into the studio with the performance in my head. All the details you’ll see on Saturday.
You have all the knowledge within you. You don’t have to go and look for it. You just have to trust it. That’s how my creative process works. I take the microphone and I just sing without any judgment and then certain sentences come out and I listen back to it.
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Was the starting point for “Forever” the melody, the lyrics or the harmonies?
I had the narrative. I knew this was going to be a declaration of love. Love is key. How is it going to be presented? It usually starts with the harmonies. It’s pretty simple; I sing by the piano. Now we have a pattern, and from there, it’s just singing. A free start from beginning to end. And everything came almost in one take. Of course, we tweaked it a little.
You’ve competed twice in Eurovision, but Saturday night you will be on that stage and no one will be voting. Will it feel different than when you were in a contest?
With “Tattoo” I managed to block out the fact that it was a competition. I worked really hard to block that out, because if I had those thoughts in my head that I was in a competition, that would totally distract and disturb my energy. So I have a way thinking, “It doesn’t exist.” I do it purposely. My team didn’t talk about the competition. I did other things. The only thing that mattered was generating my energy and sending it out. I don’t like the word pressure. I like the word important. This moment is important to me, because I understand what it can do. I have a huge respect for the fact that there are millions of people spending their valuable time watching this. What I’m going to feel is very focused and very much love, definitely. I can tell you that I practiced even more for this song then I did with “Tattoo.” You’ll see what I mean.
Compare your “Euphoria” experience with your “Tattoo” experience. With 11 years in between the two Eurovision performances, were they very different?
Extremely different. “Euphoria” was the first step for me. I mean, I hadn’t performed in front of an audience like that before. It was the first time I decided to rely on my intuition. And if you look at “Euphoria,” you’ll see sometimes I was there. People said, “Oh, Loreen is mysterious.” Yes, but I was shy. I was in and out, like you could see me, you couldn’t see me. That was a representation of where I was as a person. “Euphoria” prepared me for “Tattoo,” because 11 years later, did I trust my intuition? Completely and fully. Do I have to understand what my intuition is telling me? No. I will follow it anyway. And if you compare “Euphoria” to “Tattoo,” “Euphoria” was very mysterious. “Tattoo” was very light, very open about everything. It told the truth without being scared. It’s showing love without being scared. Those 11 years were necessary. It made a huge difference.
In 2004 you were a contestant on the first season of Idol in Sweden. Did that prepare you to be on a larger stage, like Eurovision?
Idol was very interesting for me. It was educational. Because I was a spiritual kid, I sang from a very sacred place. I didn’t think I was going to be an artist. That was not my idea. It was just a sanctuary, a safe space. Idol came with all these rules. It was an energy I wasn’t used to, but it was so important for me. They told us, “This is right. This is wrong. Stand like this.” At that time in my life, it confused me, which was a good thing. It was such an important lesson because after Idol, I knew I needed to learn all these things. I needed to learn about my voice. I needed to learn about producing. Idol shook me in a good way. I didn’t feel it then. It’s always like that, isn’t it? Without Idol, I don’t see how that process could’ve started. I was thinking, “I’m going to make it on my own. I’m going to start understanding things.” Looking back, I’d like to thank Idol for being such a big teacher for me, pushing me in the right direction. It’s good to get feedback sometimes and ask, “What am I?”
Loreen will perform on the grand final of the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest. Viewers in the U.S. can watch the four-hour live broadcast on Peacock at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 11.
Billboard Canada and SOCAN will recognize the unsung heroes behind the country’s biggest songs.
The Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award will pay tribute to the talented songwriters who create powerful music and exemplify the songwriter’s indispensable role in the music ecosystem.
This is the first award of its kind in Canada, for professional songwriters who make a major impact writing for other artists. Rarely do they get the spotlight, until now. The inaugural Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award will be presented at Billboard Canada’s Power Players event in Toronto on Sunday, June 2.
The award is presented by SOCAN, which collects and distributes royalties for musicians and rights-holders in Canada. The crucial rights organization is a champion of music industry professionals, with more than 190,000 members – songwriters, composers and music publishers – ensuring that they are properly recognized and compensated for their work.
“Fierce champions of songwriting, SOCAN is proud to present the Billboard Canada Non-Performing Songwriter Award, shining a light on the architects behind the anthems,” says Jennifer Brown, SOCAN CEO. “A first in Canada, this award celebrates the impact of professional songwriters, who, from behind the scenes, create songs that resonate internationally, and we’re thrilled to partner with Billboard to give them the recognition they so richly deserve.”
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On the nomination form, submit three songs that the nominee wrote for another performer in 2023. Songs must have been released between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2023. The three songs should represent and show their creative success during that period. There are also optional fields for number of sales, streams and spins.
Nominations for the award open today, May 7, and will close on May 17 at 11:59 PM EST.
Find more information here.
deadmau5 Will Be Inducted Into Canadian Music Week Hall of Fame in 2024
After 25 years in the music industry, deadmau5 will enter the Canadian Music Week (CMW) Hall of Fame.
He’ll be inducted on Tuesday, June 4 at the Live Music Industry Awards, which takes place at Toronto’s Westin Harbour Castle in the Frontenac Room.
Before that, though, deadmau5 will take part in a Fireside Chat at the CMW Music Summit Conference that will be hosted by Billboard. He’ll speak with Billboard Canada editor Richard Trapunski in a conversation that will delve deep into his colourful two-and-a-half-decade career on some of music’s biggest stages.
“deadmau5 is a legend,” says Andrew Valle, General Manager and Festival Director of CMW. “His unparalleled creativity has not only reshaped the sonic dance landscape but has also inspired countless artists and producers worldwide.”
Born Joel Zimmerman, deadmau5 arose at a time when electronic dance music was becoming one of the most popular genres in North America. One of the defining superstars of the late 2000s and early 2010s EDM boon, he’s headlined the biggest stages and major festivals electronic music has to offer. Recognizable for his signature LED stage helmet, also known as his mau5head, he’s become known for his big-stage spectacle and earth-shattering productions.
He remains one of electronic music’s most bankable stars. As of 2023, his catalogue has clocked more than 1.5 billion streams. In 2022, he teamed with his longtime collaborator Kaskade to form Kx5, a superduo that played a handful of festival dates. Now hitting the road with a rotating slate of famous friends, he’s embarked on his “retro5pective: 25yrs of Deadmau5” tour, which has already seen guest appearances from artists like Lights, Kiesza and Tommy Lee.
Security Guard Shot Outside Drake’s Toronto Mansion, Police Confirm
Toronto Police are investigating a shooting that took place early in the morning on May 7 outside Drake’s mansion.
According to reports from CBC and The Toronto Star, the entrance to the rapper’s house had been taped off after a reported shooting. The Star also reported police going in and out of the house as they investigate.
Toronto Police Operations posted on X that they were investigating the shooting that took place at 2:09 am at Bayview Avenue & Lawrence Avenue East, near the site of Drake’s Park Lane Circle mansion in the Bridle Path neighbourhood — one of the most expensive areas of Toronto.
According to the tweet, a man was transported to hospital with serious injuries and a suspect fled in a vehicle. The Toronto Star reports that it is unclear whether Drake was at home at the time.
Drake has been embroiled in an ongoing rap battle with Kendrick Lamar. The art for Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us features a Google Maps image of Drake’s Toronto house. The location of Drake’s estate is already well known in the city and the rapper filmed his 2020 music video for Toosie Slide inside.
The victim was identified as a “security guard” working at the residence. They were transported to the hospital and have since undergone surgery for injuries sustained during the event.
No suspects have been named, but Inspector Paul Krawczyk of the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force confirmed the shooting and says the suspect’s vehicle was captured on video by surrounding security cameras.
The following day, on May 8, there was another incident at Drake’s house when a person attempted to gain access to the property.
“The person was apprehended under the mental health act, and they were taken to receive medical attention,” Toronto Police said in a statement.
The person reportedly did not enter the house, but was immediately confronted at the gate by security and arrested by police.
Last Week In Canada: Diljit Dosanjh Makes Punjabi Music History
Italy has been in the habit of sending male singers to the Eurovision Song Contest. Perhaps it is because one of the most successful Eurovision songs of all time is Domenico Modugno’s “Nel Blu, Dipinto di Blu,” also known as “Volare,” a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958. (More recently, the co-ed, male-fronted rock band Måneskin won Eurovision for Italy in 2021, propelling them to the global stage and Billboard chart success.)
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Angelina Mango is the first female to compete for Italy since Francesca Michielin placed 16th in 2016 with “No Degree of Separation.” Mango has moved up in the bookmakers’ odds this week, with Italy now the third favorite to win the 2024 contest, behind Croatia and Switzerland. Billboard met up with her in Malmö, Sweden, host city to this year’s competition, to talk about her entry, her career and what’s next.
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What is your own personal history with Eurovision?
I always watched Eurovision with my mom when I was a child because she’s a fan. It was really [not my thing], I have to be honest. I’m not talking about taste or music. I’m talking about experience. It was a surprise when I won the Sanremo Festival and understood the possibilities to come here. [The winner of Italy’s annual Sanremo Festival has the option to represent the country at Eurovision.] I’m very young and I just started a music career, so everything is new. I’m trying to learn a lot from everything and everyone, because this is an experience that happens once in your life. I want to live it all and not forget anything.
As a child, do you remember seeing any particular Eurovision songs or artists that stood out for you?
I really loved MARO from Portugal [with “Saudade, Saudade” in 2022]. Obviously, Loreen with “Euphoria.” We would always watch the TV program and talk about music, because I lived in a house of musicians.
Your father Giuseppe, who went by Mango, had a very successful career, releasing over 20 albums in his lifetime.
My mom was also a professional musician and my brother. When I was two years old I learned how to communicate through music. Music is like a language. When I did pre-promotion for my Eurovision song “La Noia,” I heard other people sing it with different accents and it was spectacular for me, because it doesn’t matter which language you are speaking, it’s just energy. Music really unites people everywhere. Eurovision is an opportunity for people to share music. You can do it alone, but I want to share it and learn from others in different countries.
Along with Eurovision, the Sanremo Festival is one of the world’s best-known song competitions. Why did you decide to enter?
In Italy, Sanremo is like Christmas. Everyone waits for Santa. I wrote “La Noia” and then I thought this is a song that has no regrets. I can take it on the stage with everything in me. So it’s perfect for Sanremo, because Sanremo is a celebration of music and a mirror of what has happened with music in Italy. But I honestly didn’t think about winning, so that was a surprise.
The winner of Sanremo has the option to represent Italy in Eurovision. Was that a difficult choice to make?
I didn’t have to think about it a lot. For me, it was obviously a good choice.
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“La Noia” is a great pop song that sounds like a big hit. When did you write your first song?
I was five years old when I wrote my first song from the beginning to the end. The title was “I Fell in Love With Me” and I wrote it about myself, that I could be a woman without a man and without marriage. These were my thoughts at five.
Did you write the words and the music?
Yes, everything.
And you kept writing songs?
Yes. From that moment on, I couldn’t stop.
What inspired “La Noia”?
I wrote “La Noia” in the studio with Madame and Dardust [Dario Faini], a songwriter and a producer that I really love. I decided to talk about my life and my story. For me, it was very important to have a positive message. Dancing with a crown of thorns is something very important because everyone has a crown of thorns, something bad that has happened in your life, but we can always smile and we can always see positive things and this is something that I learned and I want to share with everyone, especially teenagers who listen to my music.
Is there an album on the way with “La Noia” on it?
I’m very proud of my album because I worked on it a lot. The title is Poké Melodrama. It is a reflection of my personality at this moment. It will be out May 31, and I can’t wait.
When you write songs, what comes first, the music or the lyrics?
It’s totally random. I can’t stop writing during the day. I always think about music. It’s difficult to explain. When I go to the studio, everything is ready in my mind. It’s strange, but it’s beautiful.
Aside from your parents, were there any musicians who inspired you when you growing up?
When I was six years old, I heard Woodstock for the first time and I learned about rock n’ roll. I went to see the Rolling Stones when I was 13. When I was in high school, I started listening to urban music, mostly from Italy..What have you learned about yourself from your Eurovision journey so far?
Today I’m more self-confident. I understand this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.
What can you tell me about your upcoming tour?
It’s a long tour, beginning this summer. I’ll do some festivals with my band, both in and out of Italy. In October, we will do a club tour in Italy, and in November, a club tour in Europe. That’s a big thing for me because it’s the first time I have played music with my band since I was 13 years old. We grew up together and now we are in Malmö. It’s very strange, but it’s beautiful.
Mango will perform “La Noia” in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2024, although she will not be competing on Thursday (May 9). As one of the “Big Five” countries that contribute the most to the production budget, Italy is automatically qualified for the grand final. The second semi-final will be seen in the U.S. on Peacock at 3 p.m. ET on May 9. The grand final will air on May 11 at that same time.