Media

01 Apr 2025

Morgan Wallen Walks Off ‘SNL,’ Kenan Thompson Reacts | Billboard News

Morgan Wallen walked off the ‘SNL’ set early, which stirred memes and debates online as to why he left and around his cryptic post of “Get me to God’s Country.” ‘SNL’ cast members Kenan Thompson responded to his walk-off. Keep watching for all the updates on Morgan Wallen’s abrupt departure.

What do you think of Morgan Wallen walking off? Let us know in the comments.

Tetris Kelly:

Morgan Wallen walked off the SNL set early and then posted “Get me to God’s Country,” which started a flurry of online debate and memes. Some SNL cast members have spoken out, with Morgan finally chiming in. We have the story. Saturday Night Live’s host or musical guest usually stays on stage during the credits, but the country star abruptly left, noticeably causing some confusion. Then, after that, posting “Get me to God’s Country” had the internet and NYC in a tizzy. One user stated: “Sorry, but there’s nothing funnier than saying ‘Get me to God’s Country’ on a photo of your private jet.”

While another user zinged: “Morgan Wallen had to run off the stage at SNL to get back to ‘God’s Country,’ where you can apparently say the N-word and throw chairs off of tall buildings with absolutely no meaningful consequences,” referencing some of his past controversies. Meanwhile, some just showed their version of God’s Country, including the Empire State Building. SNL cast member Kenan Thompson has spoken up, saying: “We’re so used to everybody just turning around and high-fiving us, everybody’s saying, ‘Good job, good job, good job.’ So when there’s a departure from that, it’s like, hmm, I wonder what that’s about? Seems like a complicated individual, I guess. The ‘God’s Country’ of it all is strange because it’s like, what are you trying to say? You trying to say that we are not in God’s Country? We’re not all under God’s umbrella? That’s not necessarily my favorite.”

Keep watching for more.

01 Apr 2025

Shakira Talks Mexican Residency as Part of Her “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran” World Tour | Billboard Latin

Shakira has added more dates to her Mexican residency as part of her “Mujeres Ya No Lloran” World Tour and the Colombian singer shares what she loves about her Mexican fans, performing with Grupo Frontera and more!

Have you attended her concert? Let us know in the comments!

Natalia Cano:

Shakira, well, it’s been a series of very exciting concerts in Mexico and I think that together with Gabriel García Márquez, you are the Colombians that Mexico loves the most, that Mexico has adopted. And a very important Mexican section that you have incorporated in this part of your tour, today with Grupo Frontera. If you can tell us a little bit about having this Mexican section and with these guests tonight.

I really wanted to surprise them. The thing is that every day I strive to give them something more because the Mexican public has been so loyal, so affectionate, they have lifted me up every time I have needed it. And I wanted to surprise them with something that would touch their hearts and with Grupo Frontera, I love them, I love them, they have incredible energy, they are extraordinarily talented and I have a great time with them. Every time we did something together, well, we worked on this song or worked together on the music video, it’s always been a very human experience, they’re so genuine and I admire that a lot on the dance floor. So having them on stage today was a real treat. I got really emotional when I saw them, I wanted to hug them all. Payo has a special aura, he’s very handsome. And his voice, he doesn’t miss a note. It’s incredible to sing with him. He plays it safe. So it was an experience, it was very exciting for me, it was one of the highlights of today’s concert.

Keep watching for more!

01 Apr 2025

Megan Amic On Why Muni Long Is Billboard’s Women In Music Rising Star | Billboard Women In Music 2025

Megan Amic caught up with Billboard’s Judy Sanchez on the red carpet at the Billboard Women in Music 2025.

Judy Sanchez:

All right. Well, we’re here at Billboard’s Women in Music 2025 with Megan Amic, how are you feeling this evening, Megan? 

Megan Amic:

Feeling great. Really excited to be here. You know, this event is just such an amazing celebration of women and their stories. And I’m just so excited to be here on behalf of Honda. 

That’s awesome. And the Honda Stage is presenting the Rising Star Award to Muni Long this year. Can you tell us more about what it means for Honda to be a part of this evening and to support rising stars like Muni? 

Yeah, so Honda has been a big supporter of the music industry for over two decades. It’s a big component to our success in and also reaching out to new car buyers. What we really like about Billboard Women in Music specifically is the ability to support and showcase women of diverse talents, and so we’re just really excited to be here. We’ve been a part of the program for a few years now, and we’ve had the luxury of presenting the Rising Star Award to talent such as Chloe x Halle, to Gabby Barrett, Victoria Monét and even Doechii. And so, you know, we’re very excited this year to present to to Muni Long the 2025 Honda Rising Star Award. Muni has been just amazing to watch. She’s such a versatile talent, and she is just so inspirational, really sticking true to herself, really authentic, and that really kind of aligns with the Honda ethos.

Keep watching for more!

01 Apr 2025

Miley Cyrus Is Setting the Stage for Something Big With First Two Tastes of ‘Something Beautiful’ Album

Over her nearly two-decade career, Miley Cyrus has prepared her fans to expect the unexpected. And with her ninth studio album Something Beautiful — a self-described “one-of-a-kind pop opera” — Cyrus might be taking her most ambitious swing yet.

The May 30 release is a visual album, and Cyrus unleashed the first two songs and videos on Monday: “Prelude” and the title track. She also announced that the project’s first single, “End of the World,” will arrive on Thursday, along with a glimmering video teaser. On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are chatting all about the first two tastes of the project and what we can expect ahead of its arrival in two months.

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco team up for a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200 with their first collaborative album and how Morgan Wallen has two debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, including one in the top five. Plus, Wallen’s new “Just in Case” debuts at No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart, replacing Chappell Roan’s “The Giver” atop the list, and we’re also chatting about Wallen’s latest appearance on Saturday Night Live over the weekend, along with his unceremonious exit.

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.)

31 Mar 2025

Doechii Accepts the Woman of the Year Award | Billboard Women In Music 2025

Doechii accepts the Woman of the Year Award at Billboard Women In Music 2025.

Doechii:

Hello! Where’s the swamp? Do I have any fans in here? I cannot believe this. It was just two years ago that I stood on this very stage and accepted Billboard’s Rising Star Award. I had literally performed so hard that I danced my shoes off, and I had to hop up to this mic. And now, here I am—right back at the mic. That moment really reflects how I’ve approached my entire career: always go full out, always go hard, and always be fab. Okay? Always. So now, as I thank God and my family, I’m standing in a full-circle moment as Billboard’s Woman of the Year. But more importantly, I stand here as a fierce ally. And that word, ally, is a key reason why there is a Billboard Women in Music. At the time of the award show’s launch in 2007, women working in the music business were tired—tired of not getting their fair share of seats at the table, tired of not getting the credit they deserved, or the roses they absolutely earned for their contributions to the industry. Because y’all, stop cutting up! My point is that this event was created out of a necessity. And that word, necessity, is important. It hits me because my mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal, was a space that I created out of necessity—a necessity for a place where I could feel seen, where I could feel heard, and where I could connect with other people through shared experiences.

Keep watching for more!

31 Mar 2025

DJ Miss Milan & Jayda Love Present Doechii With the Woman of the Year Award | Billboard Women in Music 2025

DJ Miss Milan & Jayda Love present Doechii with the Woman of the Year Award at Billboard’s Women in Music.

DJ Miss Milan & Jayda Love:
What’s up ladies? I am DJ Miss Milan and I’m Jayda Love. And we are so thrilled to be here tonight to honor our girl, Doechii. Two years ago on this very stage, Doechii was honored with the Billboard Women in Music Rising Star Award. And that was just the beginning. We’re only three months into 2025, and she already earned five more Hot 100 hits. And let’s not forget about the Grammy Award for best rap album, Alligator Bites Never Heal. It’s no surprise that everyone from SZA to Janelle Monáe to tonight’s Global Force honoree Jennie has collabed with her. She brings something truly special to the mix. As her longtime engineer and collaborator I get to watch Doechii take on all her creative ideas, break them down, build them back up to make them truly hers. We do. She’s a collaborator in every sense of the word, whether it’s music, visuals, styling, performances. She’s there alongside her team as a leader and as a decision maker. That’s right. Working together on the Grammy Award winning Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape with Doechii and the rest of the team has been a phenomenal experience. It’s been an incredible ride as Doechii and myself have literally performed damn near all around the world. Okay, we got a lot more to go though. She brings out the amazing sense of honest sisterhood in everyone she works with, encouraging us all to stand out in our own ways. Although she stands dominating every scene and every stage she’s on, let’s take a look at our favorite Swamp Princess. 

31 Mar 2025

Erykah Badu Accepts the Icon Award | Billboard Women In Music 2025

Erykah Badu accepts the Group of the Year award at Billboard Women In Music 2025.

Erykah Badu:
Thank you so much. Hey. Thank you so much. Peace and love, how y’all feel. Sisters, how y’all feel? This night is for us. It’s a night to celebrate the womb of the world, the womb of life, the womb-iverse of all things. The smartest creature on planet Earth. The wisest, the most invincible, sexiest, purest, finest. The woman. Thank you so much. I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be born a woman. I’m coming. I want to thank my mother and all the mothers. Miss Tina, you said it well. All the mothers. I see Doechii’s mama out there, all the mothers. Thank you so much for giving us so much inspiration and examples of what it means to be resilient, what it means to take charge, what it means to be courageous, what it means to be authentically ourselves. And that’s all we gonna be. That’s all I want to be. I don’t really have a lot of things to say, but I want to end with this story. My daughter is out here. Her name is Puma. She’s over there. My sister Joy is out there. This is for both of y’all. But here’s my story. I was bathing my youngest daughter, Mars, and Mars was about four. And I was bathing her. And I was washing her up. You know, you teach them while you’re washing them up. And I said, “and this is the vagina.” And she said, “oh, vagina.” Yeah. I said, “yes, it’s the vagina. It’s the most important thing on the planet.” And Mars said, “Really?” Then she looked at me with those big brown eyes and she said, “where is the planet’s vagina?”

Watch the full video above!

31 Mar 2025

Erykah Badu Performs “Annie Don’t Wear No Panties” | Billboard Women In Music 2025

Erykah Badu performs “Annie Don’t Wear No Panties” at Billboard Women In Music 2025.

It was legend meeting the next generation she birthed when Ms. Erykah Badu received the Music Icon Award from R&B star Summer Walker. And it turns out that Badu was the doula who delivered Walker’s twin sons. “She’s been my fave artist since I was 12,” said Walker, who also called Badu her idol and mentor. After singling out Badu’s “fearless artistry,” Walker introduced a video that captured the influence that Badu has had on a host of established and emerging artists: “As an artist,” said Badu, “I never thought it was my job to be [limited] to any one category.”

During her warm, freewheeling acceptance speech, Badu shared a story where she explained to her daughter that the vagina was the most important thing on earth, to which her daughter asked, “Where is the earth’s vagina?” After noting that she may have paused too long between the set-up and the punchline, Badu repeated the final part of her anecdote – and on the second time around, Badu had the whole theater laughing.

31 Mar 2025

Summer Walker Presents Erykah Badu With the Icon Award | Billboard Women In Music 2025

Summer Walker presents Erykah Badu with the Icon Award at Billboard Women In Music 2025.

Summer Walker:

Hello, Billboard Women in Music! A few things have changed since I was last here in 2022, including having my twin boys. Thank you. And I’m not just bringing that up because I love being a mom—shout out to all the moms in the room. Hey! But also because tonight’s Icon Award honoree was my doula. That’s right—the spiritual, soulful, beautiful, and talented Erykah Badu helped bring my babies into this world. She’s been a mentor and a safe space for me, and honestly, this is truly a full-circle moment, considering she’s been my favorite artist since I was 12 years old.

So thank you for allowing me to present this. Ever since she burst onto the scene in 1997 with Baduizm, Erykah’s magic has captivated listeners. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, held the No. 1 spot for four weeks on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and won two Grammys, including best R&B album. Since then, she has released five studio albums, countless singles and EPs, and has toured the world. Along the way, she helped launch a unique music movement that exists somewhere between R&B, hip-hop, and soul. Some call it neo-soul; others call it neo-funk. I call it the combination of a voice and an incredible fearlessness in artistry that has influenced an entire generation of performers.

Her hit collaborations include work with The Roots, D’Angelo, Macy Gray, and Janelle Monáe. Now, let’s take a moment to honor this year’s Billboard Women in Music Icon, Erykah Badu!

31 Mar 2025

aespa Accepts the Group of the Year Award | Billboard Women In Music 2025

aespa accepts the Group of the Year award at Billboard Women In Music 2025.

aespa:

Hello, everyone. We’re aespa, and I’m Giselle. Hi, I’m Karina. Hi, I’m Winter. I’m Ningning. Wow. What an incredible honor. We are so grateful to be in this room filled with such amazing artists that truly inspire us. And, of course, thank you to Billboard for naming us Group of the Year. We want to cheer on all the women who are chasing their dreams and hope that everyone gets a chance to reach their full potential. Music really does connect all of us, and we’re so grateful to be part of this journey. We also can’t forget our MYs. Thank you, guys, so, so much. I hope you know that this award is yours. Your love and support push us to dream bigger—we love you too. We promise to continue working hard to be artists who can inspire and uplift you. Thank you so much to Billboard Women in Music and, most importantly, to our MYs—because this is just the beginning! As female artists in music, taking on new challenges is something we are truly proud of. Every performance and every song reflects our passion, and we believe we are standing here today because so many of you connected with our work. We can’t wait for the journey ahead together with you. Thank you for this incredible honor. We’ve shared so many unforgettable moments together, but I truly believe this is just the beginning. We’re just getting warmed up, and I promise we’ll be back with even more stages, more powerful performances, and new music. 

Keep watching for more!