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Anyma has been spending a lot of time at Sphere amid his ongoing residency, but the producer’s first meeting with the venue in April of 2023 didn’t go exactly as planned.
“We had an appointment to go at 3:00,” says Anyma’s agent, CAA’s Ferry Rais-Shaghaghi. “I show up there, and he doesn’t show up. I’m calling like, ‘Dude, where are you? We have this appointment.’ He’s like, ‘I’m in a studio session, just hit me up after.’”
So, Rais-Shaghaghi stepped inside a smaller version of the Las Vegas venue erected in Burbank, Calif., that’s used as a demonstration and testing space. There, he says, his mind “was blown by the capabilities of what it could do.” He walked back outside, called Anyma, the electronic music artist born Matteo Milleri, and said, “Dude, you need to see this. This is built for you.”
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Milleri went to check it out the very next day and, after seeing Sphere’s capabilities, called Rais-Shaghaghi with a directive: “You have to get this done.”
Fifteen months later, in July 2024, Anyma was announced as the first-ever electronic headliner at Sphere, the cutting-edge venue that opened in Las Vegas in September 2023. Anyma’s show opened Dec. 27, with its first eight dates selling 137,000 tickets and grossing $21 million, according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore. The final four shows will happen Feb. 27-28 and March 1-2.
With Vegas already an established destination for dance music, there had been a lot of talk about which dance artist would be the first to play the venue.
“It’s a big approval process, and for it to be probably the hottest venue in the world, you’ve got to understand the list of people that want to go in there,” says Rais-Shaghaghi, who started working with the melodic techno artist in 2023.
Anyma had a particularly strong case for being a fit. Visuals are a crucial element at Sphere, which centers on a 160,000-square-foot LED screen that curves and towers to a height of 240 feet. Anyma had already done significant visual world-building, carving out a singular and well-established aesthetic in both his solo output and as one half of the duo Tale Of Us. (Anyma released his debut album, Genesys, in 2023 with Genesys II coming last year. Both were released on Interscope Records.) Technology has also been deeply embedded into his output, with the producer over the years releasing NFTs that debuted art from the Anyma project, with the artist and his team using this project to blur the lines between show visuals and fine art.
Incorporated during live shows, this imagery melded concepts related to futurism, transhumanism, space, life, death, rebirth, apocalypse and intimacy and set them to a style of pummeling melodic techno favored in places like Burning Man and Tulum that’s grown in global influence and mainstream popularity over the last few years.
Anyma also had a strong track record of moving hard tickets, a historically soft area for many electronic acts. Tale Of Us’ Afterlife event series, headlined by the duo and featuring a collection of support artists, has happened around the world and featured imagery on massive screens as large as 65 feet tall.
Eight Afterlife shows in Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico held between February and May 2024 sold 228,000 tickets and grossed $19 million, according to numbers reported to Billboard Boxscore. Afterlife (which is also the name of Tale Of Us’ label) also sold 37,200 tickets and grossed $4.2 million over two shows at the L.A. State Historic Park in October 2023.
“When we were starting to really push boundaries and break records with attendance and sales, it was like, ‘Where do we go next?’” says Rais-Shaghaghi. “Then I started hearing about Sphere… It’s an almost 18,000-capacity venue. Who has done that business, not only in North America, but globally?”
Anyma having done that kind of business, he continues, “Was a huge factor, because Vegas is a destination. People from all around the world are going to [Sphere]. If you’re planning to do a show there, you have to do at least six to 10 shows for the financials to make sense, and if you’re doing 10, that’s 180,000 tickets. You can’t just be like, ‘I did L.A. and New York and blew them out.’ You have to have a global business. We’ve done stuff in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, South and North America. We had that.”
In terms of why the residency ultimately landed with Anyma and not Tale Of Us, Rais-Shaghaghi says, “Anyma is really the visual component of the project, and the one that really created all the NFTs, storylines and the visual elements. The focus really became building that into, in a sense, a movie that Matteo directs and creates. It just made the most sense because of the characters, because of the storyline and obviously having a vast amount of music that he was working on and exploring a bit outside of the techno underground world.” (In regard to the future of Tale Of Us, he says “both guys are super-focused on their solo projects right now.”)
Knowing the creative universe Anyma created could be dramatically expanded at Sphere, Anyma’s team began planning and production for the show shortly after Milleri and Rais-Shaghaghi first saw the venue’s capabilities at the April 2023 meetings in Burbank. Rais-Shaghaghi says he doesn’t have an exact number for what the production cost to make, but says “it’s millions,” adding that “if anyone else wanted to create this show without having the creative genius of someone like Matteo and his incredible team and had to outsource it and build everything [from scratch], it would probably be, in my opinion, a $15 million to $20 million dollar show.”
Visuals were developed by Milleri, working in partnership with Anyma’s longtime visual creative director and lead CG artist Alessio De Vecchio and head creative Alexander Wessely, a Swedish artist whose resumé includes work on The Weeknd’s Afterhours Til Dawn Tour, multiple Swedish House Mafia videos and more.
“Matteo creates entire worlds rather than just shows, and that aligned with my own interest in dissolving the lines between the physical and the digital,” Wessely says of creating the Sphere show. “Evan Baker, Matteo’s manager, initially connected us, and once we started talking, it quickly became clear that this was going to be something different.”
Anyma
Courtesy of Anyma
In more ways than one, certainly. Sphere is a technological marvel that offers visual storytelling opportunities no other venue can. As such, it requires that much more from the creators of those visuals.
“The Sphere is a cathedral of technology, and building inside it felt like constructing a new reality from the ground up,” Wessely continues. As the project’s head creative and stage designer, as well as director of selected visual pieces, he says he had to “navigate an entirely new way of working. The 180-degree projection required rethinking everything: how we design space, how we frame motion, how we manipulate perception. It was like re-learning a language while simultaneously writing poetry in it, trying to shape something new while staying in control of the chaos.
“I’ve worked across different scales, whether in theatre or massive commercial stages, but this was something else entirely,” he continues. “The scale, the complexity, the unpredictability, it felt endless. At times, it felt like the project was pushing us as much as we were pushing it. Overwhelming in the best and worst ways. But in the end, that’s what made it so rewarding.”
The intensive production process ultimately produced a show titled Afterlife Presents Anyma: The End of Genesys, which finds Anyma playing his music in tandem with visuals centered around a storyline that Wessely says is about “the relationship between humans and technology, where one ends and the other begins.” Visuals feature two characters, a female robot and human man, who appear in intensely detailed and stunningly intricate settings that span the desert, space, a futuristic city, a forest and more, with interstitial scenes projecting images of things like thousands of blinking eyes and countless human bodies floating across the screen. Meanwhile, artists including FKA Twigs, Grimes and Ellie Goulding make memorable appearances in the imagery. The overall effect is often stunning.
As Anyma, De Vecchio and Wessely worked out the creative, Rais-Shaghaghi’s role was largely, he says, “making sure with the team that we were always going by the guidelines, restrictions and limitations with Sphere… You can’t just go and create it and be like, ‘Alright, here it is.’” Among the many tiny technical details to consider were background images “that the human eye would never catch,” says Rais-Shaghaghi, “but if they put it in the system and the system flagged that they weren’t in [the right] resolution, it becomes a giant conversation.”
With only four other acts — U2, Phish, the Eagles and Dead & Company — headlining Sphere thus far, there was only a small number of teams to reach out to for advice. “As a whole, everyone was being very helpful and open to have conversations,” says Rais-Shaghaghi, who adds that Anyma’s team can now be a resource as well. “This is a brand new, state-of-the-art venue that everyone is learning how to use in real time. I think we were one of the [teams] that’s probably created a lot of guidelines for other people to follow because of everything we experimented with and have done.”
As for Anyma, after the residency wraps in early March, he’ll play major festivals including Ultra in Miami, Tomorrowland in Belgium and Hungary’s Sziget. With his Sphere shows featuring much unreleased music and debuting a track with Ellie Goulding, it seems there’s also more coming from the artist, who Rais-Shaghaghi says is, as the Sphere show suggests, perpetually future-focused.
“The most interesting thing about him is he’s always thinking about the next thing,” Rais-Shaghaghi says of what’s next. “And obviously, this is such a high bar to set.”
After two years off, Dirtybird Campout will return this summer in partnership with NorCal’s longstanding Northern Nights festival.
The two indie festivals will unite for the new hybrid event, officially titled Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights, on July 18-20 at Cook’s Valley Campground, roughly 200 miles north of San Francisco. Launched in 2015, Dirtybird Campout is an offshoot of the Dirtybird label, the influential electronic imprint founded by producer Claude VonStroke in 2005 and acquired by indie label, distributor and publisher EMPIRE in 2022.
“As the label was undergoing a leadership change under EMPIRE, it was important for us to take a step back and plan for the next evolution of the brand and the fan experience,” Moody Jones, general manager at EMPIRE and Dirtybird tells Billboard of the festival’s off years. “We knew we had to bring it back, and we know how much the fans have missed it, so it was a matter of timing it right.”
Tickets for Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights are on sale now, with the lineup to be announced in the coming months.
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Northern Nights co-founder Andrew Borgelt says the collaboration “came together naturally” after the teams were introduced by a mutual colleague this past November. “From our very first conversation,” Borgelt continues, “it was clear that we shared a deep connection within the same music community. Throughout the process, both teams remained aligned on a shared vision — ensuring that each brand’s voice was authentically represented while seamlessly merging the essence of both festivals.”
As such, Dirtybird Campout x Northern Nights will feature signature Campout programming including camp games and activities along with Northern Nights’ standard offerings including its integration of cannabis culture. The event happens in the middle of Northern California’s so-called Emerald Triangle (the United States’ largest cannabis producing region made up of Humboldt, Mendocino and Trinity Counties) and has been a forerunner in offering legal cannabis retail and consumption areas.
Both events have historically booked indie, underground and left of center electronic music, with that vibe expected to continue in 2025.
Northern Nights
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Happening since 2013, Northern Nights takes place at Cook’s Valley Campground, which provides attendees access to the Eel River and an opportunity to party amid the redwoods. Northern Nights’ director of marketing and sales Matthew Whitlock says the new event will still provide “the signature Northern Nights experience, with the magic of the redwoods, our commitment to music, art and cannabis culture, and that intimate festival energy.
“But with Dirtybird in the mix,” he continues, “expect a whole new level of immersive fun — campout vibes, themed stages and the iconic Dirtybird Campout color games. This isn’t a takeover; it’s a collaboration of two beloved festival cultures, creating something fresh, bold, and unforgettable.”
“It’s no secret that the festival business is going through a challenging time right now, with higher tickets, rising costs and the recycled lineups contributing to subpar experiences,” Jones continues. “We only wanted to bring back Campout if we could provide the same experience in a sustainable way, without compromising on the core values we’re known for. With our Northern Nights partnership we found a way to accomplish all of that and couldn’t be happier with the synergy. Northern Nights has booked Dirtybird artists as headliners almost every year, and with our partnership, they have been one of our biggest supporters.”
Since its 2022 debut at Barclays Center, MetaMoon Music Festival has built itself up as a New York City stalwart for Asian entertainment and talent worldwide with concerts, industry panels, block parties, and more. At the top of 2025, MetaMoon is officially going global with its first overseas iteration.
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Billboard can exclusively reveal that MetaMoon in Dubai will take place this February in the United Arab Emirates’ Al Wasl Plaza – Expo City Dubai. Singer-songwriter-actor Henry Lau and Korea’s viral singer-rapper Lee Young Ji will headline the inaugural UAE fest. The festival rounds out its lineup with rising Japanese-American singer-songwriter mikah, 2024’s Red Bull Dance Your Style champion MT Pop of Vietnam, and DJ and radio veteran Poon from New York. Rapper and comedian MC Jin, who participated in the 2022 and 2023 MetaMoon events, will host the event.
Lau was last year’s MetaMoon headliner, where the former Super Junior member not only delivered his mix of pop and classical music but sat down for a career-focused fireside chat with SiriusXM’s Michael Tam as part of The Summit, which MetaMoon launched in partnership with the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment. “I’m just excited to share what I’ve learned,” the Berklee College of Music graduate told Billboard ahead of the fest. “I’ve gotten to an age where there are a lot of aspiring musicians, and I hope that my experiences can help give them a good idea of what to expect and what they need to work on in certain aspects.”
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Live Nation Middle East is promoting and producing MetaMoon in Dubai.
“Live Nation Middle East is proud to partner with MetaMoon to bring this unique celebration of Asian pop culture to Dubai,” said James Craven, President of Live Nation Middle East. “The UAE is a vibrant and diverse region and this event is a perfect reflection of the incredible cultural exchange we aim to foster through music and entertainment. We are thrilled to debut such an exceptional lineup of talent, and we look forward to creating unforgettable memories for fans in the Middle East.”
After showcasing nearly two dozen different API stars, MetaMoon founder Grace Chen sees the overseas expansion as a considerable way to help spread Asian pop culture at large.
“Our partnership with Live Nation Middle East to bring MetaMoon to Dubai signifies our commitment to introducing Asian artists and pop culture to new fans while giving existing fans a chance to see their favorite artists live,” Chen said in a statement. “We are excited to be debuting an incredible lineup of Asian talent for their first appearances ever in the region and for what will be an entertaining evening for fans.”
Citing a growing Asian diaspora in the Middle East as well as increased interest in Asian pop culture in the region, MetaMoon in Dubai says it hopes to “bring a full fan experience to audiences in the Middle East in the coming years” in a press release.
Tickets for MetaMoon in Dubai go on sale Jan. 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Dubai time exclusively through LiveNation’s Middle East site and United Arab Emirates’ Ticketmaster site.
After BABYMONSTER spent 2024 solidifying their position as one the year’s standout K-pop rookie acts, the girl group is looking to extend their reach with fans worldwide during their first-ever world tour that the septet is preparing with a dynamic production to distinguish itself from other K-pop acts and showcase what truly makes them unique.
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Hot off the group’s Billboard 200 debut with their first full-length [Drip] splashed onto the charts in November, the stars tease a “vibrant setlist” featuring never-before-performed tracks from the LP alongside individual solo stages by members RUKA, PHARITA, ASA, AHYEON, RAMI, RORA, and CHIQUITA. Accompanied by a live band, the tour will rock major arenas like Los Angeles’ Kia Forum and the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, to help cement their reputation as rising live-performance powerhouses. So far, BABYMONSTER has already wowed live audiences with standout appearances at K-pop award shows (a highlight of the year for RORA) and as special guests during dates of 2NE1‘s highly anticipated reunion tour across Asia (which “felt like a dream,” according to youngest member CHIQUITA).
Billboard caught up with the monster rookies to learn about the creative process behind their tour, the group’s favorite moments and tracks from last year, and New Year’s greetings and messages for their loyal fans — adorably known as MONSTIEZ.
Congratulations on announcing your first-ever world tour! What does it mean to you as a group that your first U.S. shows will be at iconic arenas like the Kia Forum and Prudential Center?
RUKA: We are honored and thrilled to be able to hold our first U.S. shows at such iconic arenas. We promise to deliver amazing, unforgettable performances that you’ll cherish for a lifetime, so please look forward to them!
The name is really fun, how did you decide on the name for your world tour? Is there a message you wanted to convey?
RAMI: was chosen with the idea of our first meeting with our fans in mind and the very first greeting we will share when we meet in person. We would like to extend a heartfelt first greeting through our music and performances. First meetings are always so exciting, which is why we are especially looking forward to the upcoming shows! This tour will be a chance for us to share our story with all of you and create special, unforgettable moments that will be cherished for years to come.
CHIQUITA: For the first time ever, we’re unveiling performances from our first full-length album, [DRIP], including solo stages and a vibrant setlist. We can’t wait to showcase not only the unique charms of our seven members but also the incredible synergy we share together.
The tour begins in Seoul in late January. What songs are you looking forward to performing for the most? And what should U.S. fans expect from your shows?
PHARITA: I’m so excited to perform songs we’ve never shared with our fans before! However, the song I always enjoy performing the most on stage is “BATTER UP (Remix)!”
ASA: Our U.S. fans will get to experience our vibrant performances and high-energy stages. We hope to create special moments with music and performances that showcase our unique style. Additionally, we look forward to connecting more closely with MONSTIEZ and sharing unforgettable moments together!
BABYMONSTER gained a lot of attention for the live “band” performances of your songs like “SHEESH” and “FOREVER.” I hope that means you’ll be touring with a live band in the U.S.?
AHYEON: We believe that a live band is the best way to capture the energy and atmosphere of the moment, so we’ve decided to perform every song with one! The rearrangements in each track will bring a fresh, new vibe while adding elements we hope you’ll find exciting and enjoyable.
Beyond the concerts, what are you looking forward to doing or experiencing in the LA or NY areas?
RAMI: I want to stroll, shop, and enjoy delicious food at my leisure while soaking up the sun on the streets of LA. In NY, I definitely want to visit Times Square!
Taking a step back, 2024 has been a monumental year for the group; what stands out as most memorable?
RORA: It’s definitely hard to choose just one, as there have been so many memorable moments! However, the most unforgettable moment for me was performing at the year-end annual music festival. It is both the most recent and the most memorable. It was my first time performing on such a big stage, and everything — from the newly arranged songs and choreography, to the stage and outfits — was perfect, making it such a fun performance.
One of my personal highlights was seeing BABYMONSTER perform as guests on 2NE1’s comeback concerts. What was your experience alongside such icons?
CHIQUITA: It was such an honor and felt like a dream to perform on stage at the 2NE1 concerts — seniors I’ve admired since I was young! Watching their amazing performances inspired me to improve and strive to do even better on our own stages in the future.
BABYMONSTER won several new-artist awards this year and was named K-Pop Rookie of the Month at Billboard. What do these titles mean to you and what more would you like to show moving forward?
RUKA: As we’ve been given the “Monster Rookie” title, we’ll continue to work hard, strive to show our growth, and always present new and different sides of ourselves.
The start of the year is often a time for goal setting. What dreams do you have for 2025, whether as a group or as individuals?
PHARITA: 2024 was filled with amazing opportunities and achievements. I’m so proud of all our members and I hope we continue to grow and stay healthy throughout our 2025 tour.
ASA: As a group, we hope to connect with more fans and share our music and performances with a wider audience on stages around the world. We also aim to continue challenging ourselves with new music styles and to showcase our growth. In 2025, we’ll work even harder to ensure we can share amazing moments together.
Billboard always shares its staff picks for the best songs of the year. What were each of your favorite songs from 2024?
RUKA: “Die With a Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars
PHARITA: “Good Graces” by Sabrina Carpenter
ASA: “POWER” by G-DRAGON
AHYEON: “Soft Spot” by keshi
RAMI: It would have to be “toxic till the end” by ROSÉ! It’s one of the songs I listen to every single day because I love the melody and style so much!
RORA: “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” by Billie Eilish
CHIQUITA: “BILLIONAIRE” by BABYMONSTER
Any other messages you’d like to share with international fans and Billboard readers?
AHYEON: I hope everyone stays healthy and happy in the new year. We’ll work hard to make sure 2025 is a year where we can take another step forward and show even better versions of ourselves. Thank you, and wishing you all a happy new year.
RORA: First of all, kudos to everyone for all the hard work and dedication you’ve shown throughout 2024 — you’ve all been amazing! 2024 has been especially meaningful for BABYMONSTER, as it marked the beginning of our journey. We’ve worked incredibly hard, given it our all, and gained so many valuable experiences. I’m truly grateful to everyone who has supported us, and as the years go by, we promise to become stronger and even more incredible artists. Last but not least, we’d like to express our deepest gratitude to all the Billboard readers who love and support BABYMONSTER. Thank you so much!
While her October performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall was a one-night-only affair, Dua Lipa wants to make sure that her performance doesn’t go “Houdini.” On Tuesday (Nov. 19), the pop star announced the release date for her first-ever live album, Dua Lipa Live From The Royal Albert Hall. Recorded during her Oct. 17 performance […]
David Foster spent his 75th birthday how he has undoubtedly spent many before it: working. Sunday night (Nov. 3), Foster celebrated his milestone at a sold-out Hollywood Bowl show (to be fair, his actual birthday was Nov. 1) with many of the artists who he has worked with as a songwriter, arranger or producer. According to a sign flashed on the giant screens at the Bowl, the music he has helped create has sold more than half a billion records.
From Whitney Houston and Celine Dion to Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Toni Braxton, Barbra Streisand and so many more, Foster is practically responsible for his own lush, romantic adult contemporary genre. Or as he put it, “I write songs you make babies to.”
The evening, which he said, “sort of feels like my funeral while I’m alive,” featured many of those bold-type names (sorry, no Dion or Streisand), but it was Foster’s birthday, and he could do whatever he wanted. And what he wanted to do was spend some of the first hour of the nearly three-hour show focusing on new talent (he did discover Groban when Groban was still a teenager, after all). That included Britain’s Got Talent 2024 winner Sydnie Christmas performing “My Way,” which she sang on the series’ semi-finals (the song’s writer, Paul Anka, was on the poster as a guest, but wasn’t there. Same with Kenny G), as well as an 18-year old pianist Brandon Goldberg, who performed a jazzy version of Chaka Khan’s “Through the Fire” with trumpeter Chris Botti, and Jasmine Rogers, who will play Betty Boop in Foster’s forthcoming Broadway musical, Boop!, previewing a spirited number from the show.
While those are for sure names to watch given Foster’s pedigree for working with young talent, it was the established names that provided the fireworks and really showed over and over that among all his many, many talents, first and foremost may be Foster’s gift for working with great singers.
Below are some of the highlights of the evening.
Music Hath Charms to Soothe the Savage Breast
After much fun and many late nights, the 2024 Ibiza season has come to a close. Some tracks commanded the dance floor more than others, with the 40 most-played songs over the summer at island clubbing mecca Pacha counted down below.
While the list includes a few global hits, like Tyla’s “Water,” and a few classic capital-B bangers (see: Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love”), the list is largely composed of underground dance music made by known stars and emerging producers alike.
“Pacha Ibiza has its own singular sounds, driven by the world’s best DJs, and is where music lovers first discover new artists and new, previously unheard of, tracks” Aloki Batra, FIVE Hospitality and The Pacha Group CEO, tells Billboard.
The data that created this list was collected by KUVO in partnership with DJ Monitor, which installs technology in clubs like Pacha that functions much like Shazam, identifying tracks within its library. This library is comprised of a database of nearly 80 million songs submitted to DJ Monitor by PROs, which allows DJ Monitor to create setlists with 93% accuracy, the company reports.
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FIVE Holdings acquired the Pacha Group in 2023 in a deal worth approximately $330 million. The deal encompassed the Ibiza flagship club, which opened in 1973, along with two hotel island hotel properties, Toy Room Club, which has multiple locations in Europe, India and the Middle East and WooMoon Storytellers, a party that happens primarily in Ibiza and Tulum.
2024 resident DJS at Pacha included Solomun, Marco Carola, Bedouin and many more. This year the club was also graced with the presence of stars including Katy Perry, Rita Ora, Jason Statham, Naomi Campbell, Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz and many others, the club reports.
“Pacha Ibiza believes in the universal language of music uniting a global community of music lovers for over 50 years. The central ethos of Pacha Ibiza remains the same as we move into a new chapter of our time tested values of love, joy, connection, celebration, inclusiveness and diversity. This is evident in Pacha Ibiza’s legendary Flower Power party that is reimagined for a new era in 2024 while preserving its core essence. Evolving from its roots, today’s Flower Power celebrations blend nostalgia with contemporary happy house sounds, offering an immersive experience that transcends generations.”
The Top 40 Songs Played at Pacha Ibiza in 2024
“Move” – Samm (BE)
“Pick Up the Phone” – Pawsa Feat. Nate Dogg
“Last Night” – Serite
“Nocturnal” – Joezi
“See You Sweat (Extended Mix)” – Genesi & Max Styler
“Sweet Moment” – Snirco
“Walk In Amsterdam” – Ugo Banchi
“It’s That Time (FISHER Remix)” – Marlon Hoffstadt
“Sing It Back” – Moloko
“Fuma Ernesto” – Carrera (ve)
“Love Desire” – Cassimm
“Miss You” – DJ Agos
“Umbrella” – Oppaacha
“We Are The People” – Empire Of The Sun
“Dance With Ibiza” – Ugo Banchi
“Famax” – Raffa Guido
“Freddie’s Warmup” – Vlado
“Hope” – Camelphat Feat. Max Milner
“On My Mind” – Ajna (BE)
“Pakit” – Ban Marian
“Somebody That I Used To Know” – James Cole
“Spektrum” – Camelphat
“Still Pushin’” – Youniverse
“Water” – Tyla
“At Night” – Shakedown
“If You Want My Loving” – Prospa
“Kill The Vibe” – David Guetta, Mason & Princess Superstar
“Last Night (Anyma x Layton Giordani Remix)” – Loofy
“Se Acabo” – Cid & Guz
“Shook Part 3” – Nick Morgan
“4Real” – Piem
“Asa” – Âme
“Crazy In Love” – Beyoncé
“Miriam (Extended)” – Robin M
“No Guest List San” – Pacho
“The Rhythm Of Dancing” – &lez
“Work” – Chris Lorenzo
“Black Dress (Anyma Remix)” – 070 Shake & Anyma
“Chase The 80’s” – Ugo Banchi
“House Anthem” – Clüb De Combat
The thing about Portola that’s emerged over the festival’s three years of existence is that if you’re there, you feel like you’re in on the joke. And everyone likes being in on the joke.
Through its stylish and legit funny social channels and wry on-site messaging (“we know that music feeds your soul or whatever, but please remember to eat some actual food” implored signage), the event has developed a trait that can often feel scarce at big festivals: actual personality. Portola is your dryly funny and sort of silly, but also extremely intelligent friend with low-key style and impeccable taste in music.
“This is a festival where it’s not about spectacle, it’s about vibe,” Portola founder Danny Bell told Billboard onsite at the fest.
This appealing amalgamation of traits brought roughly 45,000 attendees a day and a motherlode of artists to third edition of Portola, which took over San Francisco’s Pier 80 this past weekend, Sept 28-29. Primarily presenting the styles of electronic music commonly grouped together as indie or alt or just non-EDM, the lineup gathered some of the scene’s biggest, buzziest and most respected artists for a show that also, like in years past, featured a powdered sugar sprinkling of pop (in the form of Rebecca Black, Natasaha Bedingfield, etc.) and a bit of hip hop.
But the emphasis was dance music, with the stature the Goldenvoice-produced festival has gained over its three years of existence emphasized by the fact that people are now flying in for it from across the U.S., Australia and Europe. Rüfüs du Sol played their only set of the year, debuting new music from their comign album and playing the hits for one of the weekend’s biggest crowds. On the mainstage, Disclosure reminded everyone that they’re simply, consistently the best, playing many of their biggest songs, bringing out a brass section for the feel-good “Tondo,” closing with the classic Flume remix of “You & Me” and giving each other a big old brotherly hug at the end. Two more of the many (many) Brits on the lineup, Chase & Status played a satisfying, tough as nails set that included their new hits (“Disconnect,” “Baddadan”) and classics like their 2008 “Eastern Jam.” (“This is for my original Chase & Status fans,” the pair’s Will Kennard announced before dropping the track.)
While often overlooked on the global circuit, San Francisco has a rich and mighty electronic history, and certainly the many locals in attendance demonstrated that the Bay Area parties hard, and also well: the crowd was loose but from our vantage point never out of control, stylish in mostly non-cliché ways and generally friendly, with none of the too cool (or too self aware) atmosphere that elsewhere can, and does, stifle the dancing.
“It’s a work hard play hard town,” says Bell. “When people here come to play, they’re out just to have a good time; there’s no agenda.”
The weather was also classically San Franciscan, with each day’s morning fog burning off for sunshine daydream afternoons that maintained enough of a chill that many attendees who didn’t bring layers were spotted buying hoodies from the merch stand. The site, an actual working shipping pier, created a built-in industrial aesthetic, with the looming crane and hulking naval ship doing a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of decor. The vessel even blew its horn daily, to wide applause.
These are ten of the best things we saw over the weekend.
Jesse Ware Takes a Victory Lap
Image Credit: Courtesy of Goldenvoice
With a breakout hit across international charts this summer, KISS OF LIFE is ready to take an explosive year to the next level with their first-ever world tour.
The girl group’s forthcoming Kiss Road World Tour continues the momentum Julie, Natty, Belle and Haneul gained on the global stage with the infectious single “Sticky,” helping the K-pop act debut onto multiple Billboard charts: The Afrobeat-inspired summer single peaked at No. 7 on the South Korean Songs chart so far, entered the U.S.-based World Digital Song Sales chart at No. 10 in July, while also spending a solid six weeks on the Billboard Global 200 after hitting No. 87, and 10 weeks on the Billboard Glocal Excl. U.S. chart after a No. 47 peak.
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With promising results early just over a year into their career alongside the quartet’s international makeup and range of industry experiences, KISS OF LIFE is proving they’re more than just a rising K-pop rookie—they’re becoming a global-pop force all their own.
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“We love the song ‘Sticky,’ so it was really an honor for it to get into the charts,” says Julie, the group’s dynamic leader who was born in Hawaii, speaking to Billboard for their first-ever interview with an international outlet. “We really put a lot of effort into the choreography and also the music itself, so it’s exciting to see our hard work paying off. All of us were just hugging each other when we found out the news.”
Seattle-raised Belle, who previously worked as a songwriter for other top K-pop groups, believes their authenticity plays a massive role in why global fans connect to them: “We honestly try to be ourselves in all the music we release. By being authentic, I think our fans and listeners are able to resonate more with the excitement we feel when we sing and perform.”
Youngest member Haneul, born and raised in Korea, adds that the KIOF members’ diverse backgrounds fuel their artistry. “We just respect each other,” the 19-year-old says. “We acknowledge our differences and the path we went through to get here, so that makes us learn from each other and grow.”
The upcoming Kiss Road tour kicks off in Seoul with two concerts on Oct. 26 and 27 before coming to North America for an extensive, 18-date trek beginning in Minneapolis, Minn. on Nov. 10. “We are pretty confident in our performing ability,” teases Thailand-born Natty, whom K-pop fans have watched grow up on K-pop competition shows like Sixteen and Idol School before officially debuting onto the K-pop scene as an artist. “Fans can expect a show with high energy and we’re excited to bring our best to the stage.”
Get to know KISS OF LIFE’s Julie, Natty, Belle, and Haneul as the members share more about their process, viewpoint, world tour plans and messages to their fans affectionately known as Kissys, alongside exclusive photos below.
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I want to begin by congratulating you on earning your first Billboard chart entries with “Sticky.” What were your reactions?!
Julie: We couldn’t believe it! We love the song “Sticky” so it was really an honor for it to get into the charts. We were so happy that people were liking it as much as us and we felt so grateful! We really put a lot of effort into the choreography and also the music itself, so it’s exciting to see our hard work paying off. All of us were just hugging each other when we found out the news; as hard as we worked, we also know that we really couldn’t have done it without the support of our fans—love you, Kissys!
KISS OF LIFE
Courtesy of S2 Entertainment
KISS OF LIFE has been rising since your debut last July, but “Sticky” has been a real breakout: Top 10 in Korea, charting in the U.S., your biggest hits on Billboard‘s Global charts. What do you think are some factors that made this such a hit?
Belle: I think we honestly try to be ourselves in all the music we release. By being authentic, I think our fans and listeners are able to resonate more with the excitement we feel when we sing and perform as well. I feel like this song, in particular, really suited all the members, and you could feel that all the members were just having fun and enjoying themselves while recording and performing the song. Also, in regards to the visuals and performance, we focused on just feeling ourselves and being confident which fits well with summer. I mean, it is summer, why not have a little fun with it?!
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I also love your latest B-side, “Te Quiero,” co-written by Belle. What did you want to show with “Sticky” and “Te Quiero” that you hadn’t shown previously in KISS OF LIFE?
Natty: We wanted to show everyone our translation of summer! The cool and refreshing side as well as the hot! We just wanted to send good vibes and make sure everyone could enjoy the summer with us. Both “Sticky” and “Te Quiero” are actually our interpretations of summer: “Sticky” would be the exciting, fun aspect of summer where you enjoy yourself to the fullest; “Te Quiero” would be the cooler, more chill and relaxing version of summer that is equally enjoyable. I don’t think we had some mastermind plan of what we wanted to show with these tracks. We just genuinely wanted everyone to enjoy the music while enjoying their summer. You work hard, you play harder!
KISS OF LIFE
Courtesy of S2 Entertainment
“Te Quiero” is also significant as another English B-side track, just like “Nobody” with “Midas Touch.” Is there a more prominent reason to include these tracks, and even the English version of “Bad News,” in your larger plans as a group?
Julie: Of course! We always want to keep our international fans a big part of our music. For the Kissys all around the world, we want to continue to make music that everyone can enjoy and listen to. We are adamant in making sure our international fans know that they play a big role in our music. Again, we don’t have a master plan on how or a larger picture that we are strategizing for. We really just want everyone to feel included with our music, wherever they are and whoever they are. We just want to make music that everyone can enjoy and listen to without overcomplicating things.
Have you begun preparations and rehearsals for your Kiss Road World Tour? What are you looking forward to the most?
Haneul: We are super excited for the tour. Absolutely, can’t wait to meet our Kissys, who have been supporting us throughout our journey. We’ve been working hard with our team in designing the show so that we are able to give all of our fans an amazing experience. There’s a little bit of pressure to show our fans the best version of ourselves but we promise we won’t let you down. I think the most exciting part about touring is really feeling everyone’s positive energy!
Natty: Well, we are actually pretty confident in our performing ability so fans can expect a show with high energy. We love what we do and we are blessed with so many people supporting us while we do what we love. In return, we want to give them the best version of us, so I hope they will all look forward to it.
Something I always respected about KISS OF LIFE is that you shared yourselves via solo songs from your debut album. Will we get to see more solo stages on tour?
Belle: Don’t want to give too many spoilers so…I think we can say, “maybe?!” We’ve prepared some new stages so make sure you stay tuned for it.
KISS OF LIFE
Courtesy of S2 Entertainment
With that, KISS OF LIFE has also become known for your covers. Your Brown Eyed Girls “Sixth Sense” cover was even officially released, and you’ve done songs by 2NE1, Ciara, Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, BLACKPINK, Doja Cat, the list goes on…any special or new covers for tour?
Julie: We always sing, rap, and dance to so many different artists on a daily [basis], so hopefully, we get the opportunity to showcase it to everyone on tour. We just love all different styles and categories of music. For us right now it’s being versatile enough to explore many different types of music and to experiment with sounds so we [can] create our own specific style. There are days we focus on singing, other days we rap, and days we only dance, but we are always working to improve ourselves, so I hope we have the opportunity to showcase it for the world to see!
The four of you came from very different backgrounds and debuted as adults. Sometimes, it can be difficult for adults to pursue their dreams or even make new friends. How did you all connect and learn from each other to make KISS OF LIFE work as cohesively as it is?
Haneul: We just respect each other. We acknowledge our differences and the path we went through to get here so that makes us learn from each other and grow! A key point in any relationship is trust and respect. The respect comes from acknowledging each other’s past experiences that led them on the path for us to be here. I believe that because we are able to share our respective experiences with each other, we are able to learn from each other and grow as a group, not just individually. We all have something to learn from each other and we respect where that knowledge came from.
KISS OF LIFE
Courtesy of S2 Entertainment
Do you have any other messages for international fans waiting to meet you?
Julie: We always want to say thank you so much for sending your love and support. Although we may be far distances, our hearts are always near! We can’t wait to meet everyone in person and I hope the time comes fast. Love you guys so much and see you soon!!!
Courtesy of S2 Entertainment
In Korea’s pop culture scene, Lee Youngji is a name now synonymous with vibrant and unfiltered entertainment, best seen through her viral Nothing Much Prepared YouTube series, where she shares drinks with members of K-pop supergroups like BTS, BLACKPINK and SEVENTEEN. However, 2024 marks a significant year for the 21-year-old as she looks to return to her roots in music and spotlight her talent as a performer and musician. Even if many fans might recognize her first as the comedic force behind some of K-pop’s most unforgettable interviews, Youngji’s journey in entertainment began with music — and she’s determined to remind everyone of that on her ongoing world tour that hits the U.S. at the end of August.
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The release of her debut album, June’s 16 Fantasy, marked a bold statement of her artistic identity and the promise shown for her musical future. The lead single, “Small Girl” featuring EXO’s D.O., not only topped the charts in South Korea but also broke into the Top 40 of the Billboard Global 200. Meanwhile, b-side cuts like Lee’s “ADHD Girl,” plus her hit collaborations with top acts like Dynamicduo and BSS, all display her versatility and abilities to step up and level up for each new song release.
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“This year is really important for me musically,” Youngji reflects during an evening FaceTime call from Seoul ahead of the U.S. leg of her tour. “I’ve had a lot of collaborations and I have a variety show on my YouTube channel, so many people know me through lots of jobs…but I want to spotlight my musician mode this year.”
As she embarks on the U.S. leg of her All or Nothing World Tour, Lee Youngji is eager to connect with fans in a more intimate setting, bringing not just her music to the stage but the unique personal energy that’s made her such a breakout star among the next generation of Korean-pop entertainers.
“I tend to try to really communicate with the audience, ask them questions, just try to talk to them and I think that U. S. fans are going to like that a lot,” she says, hinting at the interactive and personal nature of her stage setup. The All or Nothing Tour is more of an invitation for fans to experience Lee Youngji in her purest form as a musician and entertainer. And while she might not be able to indulge in her famous on-camera drinking with her audience — even though she tells Billboard that she really wants to — she’s ready to bring that same spontaneous and genuine connection to every show.
Read on for more with Lee Youngji sharing about her Stateside tour, her big year in music, memories with some top K-pop stars and what’s coming next.
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Congratulations on all the recent successes, Youngji. There’s a lot to discuss, but it’s been a really important year for you as a musician. Is this why you’re going on your first U.S. tour?
Like you said, this year is really important for me musically. I’ve had a lot of collaborations, and I have a variety show on my YouTube channel, so many people know me through lots of jobs. First, they knew me as a YouTuber; then they might have known me as a celebrity friend; they knew me as all different types of things, but I want to spotlight my musician mode this year. And gratefully, “Small Girl” had a great response and boom, even in the U.S., so I thought that this was a great opportunity for me to be more confident on what I’m doing right now as a musician.
You do so much, and people know you for many different reasons, but where does music align with your overall world?
In my childhood era, I would always believe, “I think I’m gonna be a famous person, but I don’t think that I could be a musician.” But the first time people got to know me was in the survival show High School Rapper 3 [in 2019]. At that time, rap was the only thing I was competent in any type of musical talent, but I didn’t necessarily want to be only a rapper.
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Did you find your confidence to pursue music through rapping?
Yes, but I don’t think that it’s my only talent. Rapping definitely requires talent, but I don’t think that’s all I have. So, when I won the rap survival show, I was always thinking, “Oh, so is ‘rapper’ my job now?” I didn’t want to start my career as a rapper. I said, “Oh, I got [to show] more than rapping.” But it was my best talent, so I was always curious…
Is that why we only got your first album five years after High School Rapper? You share a lot of different sides and styles on the record. What’s your favorite song?
Yep, yep. And not because that song got so much fame, but I eventually really loved “Small Girl.” It’s an honest, honest, honest song; a real story about myself. I love those kinds of songs. There are some tall, tall girls…ah, how should I say this? Everyone has a part of themselves that they lack confidence in, but this song can honestly melt that complex. I thought that “Small Girl” was a song I could make for everyone to be more confident. So, I really cherish “Small Girl” as a song that I made for everyone who might have lower or might not have self-confidence.
One of my favorites is “ADHD Girl” because I actually have ADHD. What inspired this song?
Ever since childhood, I’ve been hearing a lot of people, like my teachers and my parents, saying that I have ADHD — and that was before many people became really aware of it. But I have a lot of friends around me who do have ADHD and take medication for it. It’s a song I wrote based on my experiences as well as my friends’ experiences, some of them who are really struggling with ADHD.
What is your songwriting or creative process?
Well, there is a lot of great technology and stuff for music these days, you know? But I love iPhone and iPhone memos. I’m always recording on my iPhone: a little gibberish, little unknown sounds, guides for songs. I always write keywords with my iPhone. Actually, that was the exact process for the song “Not Sorry.” When I went through the competition show, Show Me the Money, I suffered a lot from this hate train. So, I wrote on my iPhone that said, “Not sorry, not sorry at all,” and I asked my producers — Jay Park, Zion.T and Slom — I asked them, “What about this subject for the title of this song” and they were like, “Oh, that’s dope and that’s something you can do right now.” My music-making process is always, always like that. I write a title on my phone and I do a gibberish recording.
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And “Not Sorry” was a hit!
[Laughs] Yeah!
I’ve always appreciated your attitude. I’m sure it’s not easy for you, or anyone, but you have a refreshing attitude about criticism and “hate comments.” We even saw your “liking” tweets that have criticized you. How do you keep this strong mindset?
When I get hate, I try to understand them. “Why do you hate me?” “Oh, because of that point?” “Okay, I understand that — but I do not agree at all.” I can understand you, but I don’t have to agree with you. I always think about how nobody knows me better than me. So, you know when I “like” [hate comments] — I really don’t know how the internet system works — but I don’t care unless I do something that’s really a bad thing or crosses the line legally. I also reply [to] them when they send me DMs that say, “I hate you, go kill yourself” or something. I always reply to them and always like their messages because they never think that if they send me a message, I can see them; they don’t know that I can see them. So I want to let them know that I see everything.
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So, what are you preparing for the U.S. leg of your All or Nothing Tour?
I always hoped that if I had a chance, I want to meet everyone in the world and music is my chance. So, yes, I wanted to use this as my opportunity. I’ve already toured Asia, but you know what? The mood is kind of different compared to America. My performance [style] is usually to get people crazy. On this tour, I especially want to have more direct communication with the audience and to introduce who I am, that I make this kind of music, and that I introduce myself as an artist to the U.S. audiences. Compared to Asia, there’s more participation in the U.S., whereas direct communication is lower in other countries. I made a lot of changes to my songs. I’m planning to bring the audience up to the stage actually, and maybe dance or perform together; I’m trying to plan those kind of things.
Like you said, you’re not just known for music but for your personality too. Are you preparing funw ways to share that side of yourself too?
I think that my personality shows up while I’m talking with another person. So, I tend to try to really communicate with the audience, ask them questions, just try to talk to them. And I think that U. S. fans are going to like that a lot. I really want to drink with them. I mean, I really want to get drunk with them, but I can’t. [Laughs]
Maybe we can take a secret shot together since the tour’s last show is in New York…
HA ha. I hope so! [Laughs]
But I do want to highlight how, in your five years since High School Rapper, you’ve done a ton of collaborations across many genres: K-pop idols, rappers, indie musicians, R&B, older generation artists, chart-topping artists. How do you connect with so many different sounds and styles?
I’m so thankful that they always reach [out] to me and ask me to feature with them or collaborate. I’ve been really active with video and media contents in Korea for four, five years now and, thankfully, that’s shown my personality and skills in Korea and to audiences. So, I think a lot of artists feel like I’m someone who’s familiar and for them to reach out and connect with me to do other projects. But anytime when I get asked for a feature, I always think, “How can I beat them in this song? How can I do better in this song?” [Laughs] But features and collaborating really force me to go to the next level of myself.
I think that’s what Nicki Minaj said. She needs a “sparring partner” to level herself up.
She’s my goal.
Are there any last messages for fans or what to expect on the U.S. tour? And with Nothing Much Prepared‘s return, can you share some spoilers?
Well, yes, I can give you a lot of spoilers, but the first episode is with Lisa and she’s so smart, pretty, young, rich, and a hilarious person. I love her. As of mid-August, I already recorded, like, six or seven episodes so we’re going to see a lot of idols and a lot of actors.
But what else should I say? I think U.S. fans are not prepared for what’s coming to them! I want to promise to the U.S. fans that I will be working hard to be able to see them more often. I actually have a lot of songs ready to be released, and I want to watch U.S. fans react. I’ve got a long way to go. This tour is not even the first step. I have big ambitions.