Media

25 Apr 2024

Peggy Gou Talks Debut Album ‘I Hear You,’ How Her Fans Inspire Her & More | Billboard Cover

Superstar DJ Peggy Gou talks about her debut album ‘I Hear You’ coming out in June, working with artist Olafur Eliasson on the album cover, her collaboration “I Believe In Love Again” with Lenny Kravitz, how much she loves her job and traveling all over the world, how her fans inspire her and more!

Peggy Gou
Hi guys, this is Peggy Gou here. Welcome to my Billboard cover shoot. We’re in Mexico. Right now we’re doing a shoot with Billboard. And I was playing at the festival on Sunday as well.

Peggy Gou
I believe that Koreans are very hard workers. They don’t like to waste their time. And they’re very efficient. And my team always says that about me: When efficiency is a person, it will be you. I don’t like f—ing around. I don’t like wasting my time. And that comes from Korean blood. I love this job. I take my job very seriously. And one of the things that I love about my job is that I get to tour many countries every weekend. Every weekend, I feel like I’ve learned a lot from not only the tour by meeting people, by going to the country, cities. And of course, sometimes I wake up thinking, Where was I? But I’ve been doing this since, like, 2014. So I think traveling is a big part of my life now. Someone asked me recently, what is luxury to you? And my answer was sleeping in your own bed with your own pillow. So that’s the hardest part of this job. I feel like I can’t stay in one place. Just I get bored super fast. I have so much energy. So staying in one place wouldn’t suit me. Even if I wasn’t a DJ or producer, I would still be doing something that travels. I’m back in London. We are on our way to Sydney. I’m a very visual person. Doing this job, I get to see, hear a lot of things and that inspires my visuals, colors. And also I get inspired by my supporters.

Watch the full video above!

24 Apr 2024

Elliott Wilson Named Editorial Director of UPROXX, HipHopDX & Dime Magazine as Brands Come Under New Ownership

Elliott “YN” Wilson is re-entering the journalistic landscape after being named editorial director of hip-hop journalism overseeing UPROXX, HipHopDX and Dime Magazine. The news follows the announcement on Wednesday (April 24) that all three brands were acquired by media veteran Jarret Myer to form UPROXX Studios alongside Complex alum Rich Antoniello and will.i.am.

“I’m thrilled for this new chapter of my illustrious career and to work with proven winners like Jarret, Rich and will,” Wilson tells Billboard. “My focus is on elevating the three rising brands — UPROXX, HipHopDX and Dime — to greater heights and to help shape the future of media and culture. The fun begins.”

Wilson will continue holding down his role as co-host of the Rap Radar podcast with Brian “B. Dot” Miller. In the past, Wilson worked at TIDAL and also served as editor-in-chief of XXL from 1999 to 2008.

Trending on Billboard

UPROXX Studios will operate as an independent company, with Antoniello serving as partner/executive chairman and will.i.am aboard as partner/investor. The move to acquire the trio of brands along with other Warner Music Group assets comes about two months after WMG CEO Robert Kyncl announced in an internal memo obtained by Billboard that Warner was looking to find a suitor to offload HipHopDX and UPROXX after nearly six years in business together.

“We’re in an exclusive process for the potential sale of the news and entertainment websites UPROXX and HipHopDX, with more to say on that soon,” Kyncl said in February.

Will.i.am’s FYI AI technology and FYI radio will also be an integral part of UPROXX Studios’ operating systems in the ever-evolving media industry.

“Innovation is in our DNA,” will.i.am said in a statement. “Our continuous pursuit of developing new mediums and platforms will reshape the future of creative expression. We are crafting products and experiences so groundbreaking that they compel the world of media to evolve alongside us. This is our mandate as pioneers of culture.”

UPROXX Studios CEO Myer expects the company to be a pioneer in the media space with its investments in technology and forward thinking.

“We’re doubling down on growth. Expect significant investments in our brands, team, and the experiences we offer — both creators and audiences alike,” he added. “Through its partnership with FYI, UPROXX Studios embraces pioneering technology and also signals its commitment to fostering creativity and pushing the limits of digital expression.”

24 Apr 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Is Being Sued, TikTok Banned in U.S., Billie Eilish On Her Sexuality, Selena Gomez’s Date Night & More | Billboard News

It’s Wednesday, April 24th, and we have legal issues and confessions to share with you. Unfortunately for over 170 million users, TikTok is officially banned in the US unless the owners of the app can find a new owner in the next 9 months. Is Megan Thee Stallion going back to court? The singer finds herself facing a lawsuit from her cameraman claiming to be subjected to a hostile work environment. Halle Bailey opens up about the downside of motherhood, Billie Eilish shares more behind her sexuality and the influences behind her upcoming album, ‘Hit Me Hard And Soft’ and Selena Gomez heads out to date night with Benny Blanco. Dwayne Johnson confesses how at one point he wanted to be a country star, Jess Glynne dives into her creative process for her hit “Hold My Hand” and more!

Tetris Kelly:

Billie gets graphically sexual, as Selena goes on date night and Hallie opens up about postpartum. TikTokk is banned. Megan Thee Stallion is Megan Thee Sued. We find out Dwayne Johnson’s dream job and find out how a huge it was made. This is Wednesday’s Billboard News let’s jump in. Megan Thee Stallion may be heading back to court. Let’s break it down. In a complaint filed on April 23, cameraman Emilio Garcia accuses Megan Thee Stallion of subjecting him to a hostile work environment. In the lawsuit filed against Megan in rock nation. Garcia alleges that after a night out in Ibiza back in June 2022 he was in an SUV with Megan and three other women. Garicia’s lawyer, who also represents three backup dancers suing Lizzo, writes in the lawsuit obtained by Billboard: “Suddenly, Stallion and one of the other women started having sex right beside plaintiff. Plaintiff could not get out of the car as it was both moving and he was in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country.” Gracia claims this left him feeling embarrassed, mortified and offended. And he alleges the next day she “berated him,” told him “Don’t ever discuss what you saw” and made “fat shaming comments” toward him. Where does Roc Nation come into all of this? Garcia alleges Roc Nation switched him from a monthly rate to a per assignment arrangement, decrease the number of bookings with Megan and by June of 2023…

Keep watching to learn more!

24 Apr 2024

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson on His Dream to Be a Country Star | Billboard News

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson confesses how at one point he wanted to be a country star, his upcoming dream performance with Chris Janson and more!

Tetris Kelly:

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is a true country fan, but did you know he’s a country singer too? Dwayne Johnson may have appeared in Chris Janson’s music video for “Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get,” but he’s not just there for his good looks. He’s got singing chops too.

Dwayne Johnson:

I can tell you that he had surprised and blessed me with an open invitation from himself and the Opry for me to join them on the Opry stage, which I cannot wait to do. That’s a dream come true.

Tetris Kelly:

He told us how he almost became a country singer when he was evicted from Hawaii as a teenager and discovered the country scene in Nashville.

Dwayne Johnson:

I was in Piggly Wiggly singing, like not caring, and I was singing a Hank song. I’ll never forget, a woman came around and she kind of looked at me. And I thought I’d done something wrong. She goes, “Oh, I’ve just came around to see who was singing.” And she goes, “Do you sing? Do you?” And I’m 15 and I went, “No, I just love to sing. I love country.” She goes, “You should go down to [Broadway]. That’s where all the singers are.” And I went, “OK.” And that’s when I started hanging out on Broadway, trying to get a gig at these honky-tonks because I had this dream in my head that I was, or delusion, that I was a country music star.

Keep watching to learn more!

24 Apr 2024

Behind the Lyrics and Video of Jess Glynne’s ‘Hold My Hand’ I How It Went Down

Jess Glynne shares the story of how she wrote and recorded the song “Hold My Hand” with Jack from Clean Bandit on Billboard‘s How It Went Down. She shares the spontaneity of the song’s lyrics coming together, how it’s remained relevant four years after its release and more!

Jess Glynne:
Hey, I’m Jess Glynne, and this is How It Went Down from my song “Hold My Hand.”

“Hold My Hand,” I wrote in probably the end of 2014. I’ll never forget that day, actually. I was with my friend Din Din, and we were in the car driving to Kilburn in London, to go to the studio to meet Jack from Clean Bandit who I had “Rather Be” with.

I don’t know, like how it came about, but “darlin’ hold my hand” came up in the car. We were talking about what we wanted to say, I think, in the song or what we were kind of going into the session with. I think we were just having a real, like, friendship moment in the car. And by the time we got to the studio, we kind of had, like, an idea of what we wanted to say. And that was like, when you’re feeling kind of like the outcast in a room, there’s one person that you know, has always got you.

It was kind of crazy. The song came together so quickly, we kind of gave him that idea and what have you, and he just sat at the piano in the corner of the room. We were sat on this little sofa and he just started playing. Dun dun dun, dun dun dun and everything just went like that. As they say, the rest genuinely was history. It was just like the song just fell out of our kind of mouth, I guess. The lyrics were there, the message was there. And it was like a moment where we left that session knowing that we just done something really special.

And it still took a while to actually finish the record, like, after we’ve kind of started it because we went back in again to add to the chorus because it’s like we heard the heard the song, like, maybe a week or two in, and it was like something was missing. And then we kind of invited someone else in with fresh ears because sometimes it really jars you when you listen to a song loads of time.

Watch the full video above!

23 Apr 2024

Spice Girls ‘Stop’ Us In Our Tracks With Posh Birthday Reunion — But Will There Be More?

“Stop” what you’re doing right now: All five of the Spice Girls were back together Saturday night to celebrate Posh Spice’s birthday, and they even gave us a mini-performance.

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are talking all about how the legendary girl group — Victoria Beckham, Geri Halliwell-Turner, Emma Bunton, Melanie “Mel C” Chisholm and Melanie “Mel B” Brown — came back together for Posh Spice’s 50th birthday party in London. David Beckham even shot a short video of the quintet singing and dancing to “Stop,” a 1998 top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

But could there be more from the “girl power” ambassadors? Listen to our full podcast discussion below.

Trending on Billboard

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on Hozier getting his first No. 1 on the Hot 100 as “Too Sweet” rises to the top of the list and how Sabrina Carpenter visits the Hot 100’s top 10 for the first time as “Espresso” brews up a No. 7 debut. Plus, Future and Metro Boomin’s We Still Don’t Trust You bows at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, while Linkin Park’s first greatest-hits album Papercuts starts in the top 10. We also talk about just how big Taylor Swift’s new album The Tortured Poets Department is shaping up to be, as we await its expected debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 next week.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

23 Apr 2024

Chris Brown & Quavo Release Diss Tracks, Childish Gambino Teases New Music Featuring Ye & Kid Cudi, Pitbull’s New Tour & More | Billboard News

It’s Tuesday, April 23rd, and the beef and wins in hip hop just doesn’t stop. Chris Brown & Quavo have released diss tracks at each other, but it looks like Chris is unimpressed with Quavo’s comeback. If that wasn’t enough, Saweetie chimed in to diss ex- boyfriend, Quavo, too. Childish Gambino previewed some new music last night and has Ye & Kid Cudi as features on the new music. Pitbull is hitting the road again and this time he’s taking T-Pain with him on his Party After Dark Tour. Chart celebrations are making their rounds with your favorites in music including Hozier, Metro Boomin and Sabrina Carpenter. WILLOW shares 5 Things You Didn’t Know about her new single, “b i g f e e l i n g s.” The Black Keys talk to us about their new album ‘Ohio Players,’ collabing with Juicy J & More!

Tetris Kelly
Chris Brown and Quavo’s explosive feud, Quavo is in Saweetie’s dms, Childish Gambino features Ye and Kid Cudi and Pitbull and T-Pain hit the streets. We got WILLOW in the studio, watch people celebrate our charts and also chill with The Black Keys. It’s Tuesday, April 23rd, I’m Tetris and this is Billboard News. There’s a lot going on in Hip-Hop we need to get through today, plus some pretty cool guests. So let’s jump in.

Tetris Kelly
Oh snap Quavo and Chris Brown have been at each other’s necks on some diss tracks, but is Chris calling it quits. I’m breaking the whole thing down. It all started on a track “Freak” from Chris’s ’11:11 (Deluxe)’ where he brings up Quavo fcking his old btches. Referring to Kareuchi Tran someone they have both dated and ignited this entire feud. Quavo responded with “Tender.”

Tetris Kelly
Of course Quavo brought up Chris’s violence towards Rihanna, in which Chris then brought up Quavo’s violence towards ex Saweetie and alludes to sleeping with her on his response track “The Weakest Link” saying Quavo was the weakest member of Migos. Well it doesn’t stop there Quavo released a response yes calling Chris a crackhead Michael Jackson. But also using a verse from the late member Takeoff.

Watch the full video above!

23 Apr 2024

Willow Shares 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Her New Song ‘Big Feelings’ | Billboard News

Willow shares five things you didn’t know about her new single, “Big Feelings,” including the inspiration and personal connection behind it.

Willow:
Hey, this is Willow, and these are five things that you didn’t know about my new single, “Big Feelings.”

No. 1: I shot the visual at the same place that I shot “Transparent Soul,” which is actually really crazy.

No. 2: I made the song with two of my really, really good friends — beautiful musicians Zach Tenorio and Chris Greatti.

No. 3: The composition of the song took it took a good amount of time before I could get the lyrics on, before we even did any, you know, thinking about lyrics. There was mathematics. It was like that meme. You know what I’m saying, where there’s the math.

And then No. 4: The idea of “Big Feelings” — the song title — “big feelings” was in my head for, like, a week and a half. And I had had opportunities to record that song. And every time I had an opportunity, I was like, “No, it’s not the time. No, it’s not the time.”

No. 5: “Big Feelings” is my favorite song that I’ve ever recorded to this date. It’s the craziest song, the vocals, the specific, you know, the pocket that I’m in, and just the composition is, to me, it’s just one of the best compositions that I’ve I’ve ever sang on or yeah. It’s just I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it. And peace and love.

23 Apr 2024

Pop Culture Rewind: Macklemore, Ryan Lewis’ 2013 Chart Takeover With ‘Thrift Shop’ & ‘Can’t Hold Us’ | Billboard News

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis took over the Billboard charts in 2013 with their tracks “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us.” Songs from Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience were all over the charts, and P!nk and Nate Ruess topped the Billboard Hot 100 with their electric hit “Just Give Me a Reason.”

Narrator:
It was the year of boy-band reunions, unexpected Sharknado and everyone was letting it go.

But who dominated the charts in April of 2013? We take you back in today’s Pop Culture Rewind presented by Wendy’s new Orange Dreamsicle Frosty.

P!nk and Nate Ruess just gave us a reason to jam out to their hit when it topped to the Hot 100 — so did Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, not only with “Thrift Shop” at No. 2, but also “Can’t Hold Us” at No. 5.

Justin Timberlake also held two spots: No. 6 and No. 7.

But of course, it wouldn’t be an early 2010s chart if it didn’t include a little Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Pitbull or Drake.

Which of these hits made your playlist in 2013? And which of them are you still jamming out to today?

Watch the full video above!

23 Apr 2024

The Black Keys on New Album ‘Ohio Players,’ Collaborating With Juicy J & More | Billboard News

Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney reflect on their 20-year journey as The Black Keys. The duo elaborates on the various collaborations of their new album ‘Ohio Players,’ including Juicy J, Noel Gallagher from Oasis, Lil Noid and more. They also share some insight into their upcoming tour, what the fans can expect on the setlist and more!

Patrick Carney:

One night we were working here at Sunset and there’s a, there was, a very rare record that Dan wanted on eBay. 

Dan Auerbach:

I had been waiting a year and a half to get it. 

Patrick Carney:

He didn’t know that I knew that it was on eBay, and like, there was three minutes left, and it started jacking the price up. I was like watching him sweat because- 

Dan Auerbach:

He was behind me laughing. I didn’t know what he was laughing at and I was just freaking out because somebody else was bidding so heavy on this thing. I’ve been waiting like six days for this auction. 

Dan Auerbach:

Hey, I’m Dan.

Patrick Carney:

I’m Patrick, we’re The Black Keys and you’re watching Billboard News.

Lyndsey Havens:

Hey, I’m Lyndsey Havens for Billboard News. And we are here with the legendary hitmaking duo The Black Keys. What’s up, guys? 

Patrick Carney:

What’s up? How are you?

Lyndsey Havens:

Album came out just a few weeks ago, how are we feeling? 

Patrick Carney:

We’re stoked. We’re very happy with the album. We’re excited for the year ahead. 

Lyndsey Havens:

So this is your 12th album, obviously, a long road to get here. Do you have any rituals before you release an album at this point? Or does it all sort of feel the same?

Patrick Carney:

I heard that Chris Martin like … when he prepares to write, he likes to isolate himself and read all the bad reviews.

Keep watching to learn more!