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Wait, what was that? Lorde made an interesting revelation in her Rolling Stone cover story published Thursday (May 15), revealing that she once watched Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee‘s famous sex tape after taking psychedelics.
In the wide-reaching interview, the New Zealand singer-songwriter opened up about everything from struggling with an eating disorder to dealing with a breakup after a yearslong relationship. One of the ways she ultimately healed after those struggles was through therapeutic psychedelic trips, as referenced in her April single “What Was That,” on which she sings, “MDMA in the back garden, blow our pupils up.”
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After her second time taking the drugs for that purpose, Lorde recalled searching for the actress and the Mötley Crüe drummer’s adult film without really knowing why. But what she saw stuck with her.
“I found it to be so beautiful,” the musician told the publication. “And maybe it’s f–ked up that I watched it, but I saw two people that were so in love with each other, and there was this purity. They were jumping off this big boat … They were like children.”
The tape Lorde was referring to was filmed in 1995 on Anderson and Lee’s honeymoon, which they celebrated in Mexico after getting married just 96 hours into knowing each other. The intimate footage was later stolen and sold, embroiling the couple — who divorced in 1998 — in scandal.
Noting that she watched the entire tape, Lorde said of the exes, “They were so free.”
“And I just was like, ‘Whoa. Being this free comes with danger,’” she added.
The interview comes more than a month ahead of Lorde’s new album Virgin, which drops June 27. So far, the only taste fans have gotten of the LP has been “What Was That,” although the musician opened up more about the record — which she describes as visceral and rooted in bodily imagery — in her Rolling Stone interview.
“I think coming more into my body, I came into an understanding of the grotesque nature of it and the glory and all these things,” she explained. “[The album’s] right on the edge of gross. I often really tried to hit this kind of gnarliness or grossness. ‘You tasted my underwear.’ I’ve never heard that in a song, you know? It felt like the right way to tell this whole chapter.”
See Lorde on the cover of Rolling Stone below.
Post Malone has been tapped to headline the 2025 Cattle Baron’s Ball, the world’s largest single-night fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. According to a release, the reveal of Posty’s performance at the 52nd annual event was made on Wednesday night (May 14) during the Trailblazers and Headliner Reveal Party. This year’s Ball will take […]
What began in 2014 as a beautiful Instagram moment in the Mojave Desert with thousands of biodegradable lanterns launching in unison in the night sky will this year transform into a full-scale music festival with major acts.
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Taking place Oct. 3-5, Rise Festival will feature headliners Rüfüs du Sol on Friday, Calvin Harris on Saturday and John Mayer on Sunday. Other artists on the bill include Ben Böhmer, Coco & Breezy, Goose and LP Giobbi.
Rise Festival will happen at the Jean Dry Lake Bed about 40 minutes southwest of Las Vegas. Organizers expect around 20,000 people per day at the event, which brands itself as “the world’s largest sky lantern festival.” Ticket packages go on sale Friday (May 16) via the festival’s website.
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The independently produced and promoted festival took a break in 2024 and in 2025 hired a new CEO, David Oehm, who previously worked with Las Vegas festival Life Is Beautiful and who laid plans for a significant expansion.
Joining Oehm is Rise president and COO Ashley Goodhue-White, who was also part of Life Is Beautiful in its early years and who later left to pursue her own production company. In 2015, Rise was one of her first clients. She rejoined the festival this year after a stint with Las Vegas Grand Prix. In 2024, Rise was acquired by NobleLight Foundation, a nonprofit that supports entrepreneurs focused on positive socioeconomic and environmental change, and converted into a nonprofit charitable event meant to “bring more light into the world.”
“Each night has a unique musical point of view,” Oehm says. “We wanted to find acts aligned with our brand ethos and overall identity: joyful, elevating, cinematic, atmospheric, emotional. Our headliners and everyone else down the lineup reflect that. Every artist we’ve spoken with has been surprised by the concept — there is nothing like it — and seeing visuals where we’ve got thousands of sky lanterns [launching in unison].”
Their work assembling the lineup results in 17 artists across electronic, indie, folk and experimental genres, and a new site footprint encompassing three experiences. The Path, a desert lounge with seating meant to be a transition space, weaves within an open art gallery. It’s a space to chill, meditate and appreciate the scenery.
“Rise is not just another music festival,” says Goodhue-White. “There’s so much powerful meaning behind it, and it is a space for everyone. We want people to get out of their cars, stop scrolling on their phones and be immersed — take in the desert around them.”
The Compass hosts the sky lantern release twice per night. Here, “there are 6,500 torches, perfectly spaced, surrounded by food and beverage options,” Goodhue-White says. When festivalgoers arrive, they get a kit with a cushion, an instruction card, a pen and two lanterns. When ready, they pick out the torch they want — closer to the stage or farther away. Most people personalize their lanterns with messages. Then the staff lights the torches and everyone releases lanterns at the same time.
“After a few acts perform on The Compass stage, the lanterns are released and we refer to that as the ‘world’s largest collaborative art installation.’ People are releasing their hopes and their dreams. You sit there with thousands of other people and have a moment together,” she says.
Then, guests go from The Compass to the new Horizon Stage, where the headliners and other acts perform. Gates open daily at 3 p.m., and Rise wraps up by midnight.
“Rise has always been the largest event at the Lake Bed,” Goodhue-White says. “We work closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Metro and Clark County Fire. We partner with Leave No Trace and leave the area better than we found it every year — everything we bring, we remove.”
See the complete lineup below.
Rise Festival
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Billboard Japan’s Women in Music initiative launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work, in the same spirit as Billboard’s annual Women in Music honors since 2007. This interview series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry is one of the highlights of Japan’s WIM project.
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Rena Yamazaki chatted with writer Rio Hirai in the latest installment of the series. The former idol group member continues to express her thoughts on society and culture through her regular TOKYO FM radio show “Rena Yamazaki’s Things I Wanted to Talk to Someone About” and her writing. The 27-year-old shared her feelings about moving from being an idol performer to working in the world of journalism, the possibilities for women’s careers, and the importance of speaking out.
What changes have you felt compared to when you used to be an idol performer?
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The biggest change is that I’ve started to be involved in news programs. I appeared in a special program on the Upper House elections in the summer of 2022, just before I graduated from the group, and since then I’ve been invited to appear on shows like Sunday Japon, Wake Up, Mr. Sunday and ABEMA Prime. I was interested in politics and the economy since when I was an idol, but never had a chance to talk about them. Now I’m being asked for my opinion more and feel that’s a big change.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a radio personality?
It’s a place where I can take time to convey my thoughts in my own words. I also like how I can get close to my listeners and hear all sorts of stories through the messages I receive. Unlike TV, there’s the difficulty of trying to convey things using only your voice and words without relying on visuals, but that’s also part of the appeal.
Is there any difference in your stance towards work between your idol days and now?
When I was an idol, my stance was to do my best within the role I was given. But now, I think about the way I work and have more opportunities to express my own opinion, so I’ve become more proactive. That means I have more responsibility, but the pressure is a good stimulus.
It’s unusual for former idols to go into journalism. What do you think about the second careers of other idols?
Everyone has their own path to take after graduating from being an idol, but many of them go on to become actresses. Even when I was still in the group, I liked studying things of all genres and using words to communicate, and also had opportunities to appear on TV shows, so I wanted to continue doing work that made use of my intellectual curiosity. That’s why I chose to go into radio and writing.
How did you feel when you were first tapped to be a TV commentator?
I was surprised at first, because I never thought I’d be offered a role in a special program covering the results of the Upper House elections. My management team at the time asked me, “We’ve been offered this, what do you think?” and I thought, “It’d be a challenge worth taking on.” I asked them their decision and they said, “We think it’d be good for your career and a good learning experience,” so I was able to make up my mind to give it my best.
Were you always interested in politics and social issues?
I studied media theory and writing techniques at university, and was also interested in politics and economics. I had friends who went into journalism, and I also regularly read newspapers and online articles. But I never intended to make it my career. Once I started working in the field, though, I felt I needed to study more, so I started reading books and talking to experts.
Has anything surprised you while working in the media?
That what I say has more influence than I thought. Even casual comments can be spread on social media and misunderstood, or even lead to slander. I try to choose my words carefully more than ever before.
When celebrities speak out about politics, they’re often criticized. What do you think about that?
Well, it’s true that when I talk about politics, people sometimes say things like, “You’re a smart-aleck” or “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” But I also think that if I don’t say anything, nothing will change. In fact, it feels like when young women talk about politics, they’re met with stronger opposition than when men do so. For example, when a man in his sixties talks about the same thing, he’s seen as calm and logical, but when a woman in her twenties talks about it, she’s seen as arrogant or trying to act mature.
That’s why I think it’s important to keep speaking out. My views may not always agree with those of viewers and may say something wrong at times, but if I keep quiet, people will end up thinking that young people don’t care about politics. I want to show that there are people who do care and think about it.
In today’s age of social media, what are your thoughts on how information should be disseminated?
Anyone can freely express their opinions nowadays, but I feel that this also means people have a greater responsibility for what they say. In particular, in the world of journalism, what you say can be taken out of context and misinterpreted, so I’ve become more careful about the words I choose.
Extreme opinions tend to spread easily on social media, and it can be hard to have calm discussions. In this context, I think it’s important to make your position clear, but also to offer constructive opinions rather than fueling confrontation. That’s why I try to say “I don’t know” when I don’t understand something, and want to keep being open to listening carefully to what experts have to say.
What do you think is necessary for women’s opinions to be heard?
First of all, I think it’s important to have more opportunities to speak out. I also think that we need to create an environment where women don’t feel afraid to speak out, but rather feel that it’s natural to do so. My ideal is to have a society where people who believe women’s opinions should be equally respected become the majority.
What do you think is necessary for idols and female celebrities to have lasting careers?
I think it’s particularly true in the idol industry that it’s hard for women to have long-lasting careers. It’s easy for “youth” to become part of their value, and in some cases, the range of their activities narrows as they get older. That’s why, when I was still an idol, I wanted to find other work that I could do. That’s how I was able to take the first step into fields like radio and writing, which aren’t restricted by age. What would be ideal is an environment where it’d be easy to return after leaving once, and where women could build up their careers more freely.
What do you think is necessary to make it easier for women to play a more active role in the entertainment industry?
I think it’s important to create a better environment for mental health care. More entertainment agencies are providing access to mental health counselors now, but I feel that there’s still a lack of awareness of the importance of mental health care.
When did you first become aware of the importance of mental health care?
When I was in university. At the time, I found it hard to balance my idol activities with my studies, so I sometimes went to a mental health clinic. Many people feel uncomfortable about seeking this kind of support, but from my own experience, I think it’s necessary to protect yourself.
What would you like to try in the future? And is there anything you want to share with our readers?
I’m planning on publishing two books this year, and currently preparing for that. I also want to continue doing what I’ve been doing as long as possible. I want to tell all my listeners to take care of their bodies and minds. Ultimately, only you can protect yourself. I hope that you’ll remember to take care of yourself, with support from the people around you.
This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan
Charli xcx is a party of one in her new music video for “Party 4 U,” which finds the star revisiting a fan-favorite track from 2020 while spending a day by herself in the middle of nowhere before things get wildly out of control. In the visual released Thursday (May 15) — the five-year anniversary […]
Miley Cyrus is headed to the big screen. On Thursday (May 15), the pop star announced that the accompanying film to her upcoming visual album, Something Beautiful, is coming to theaters for one night only, releasing a new trailer featuring her boyfriend, drummer Maxx Morando. In the preview posted to Instagram, Cyrus appears in various […]
Megan Thee Stallion’s attorney, Alex Spiro, has replied to claims from Tory Lanez’s legal team regarding what they claim is new evidence in the 2020 shooting case that allegedly proves his innocence.
Spiro released a statement on Wednesday (May 14), shutting down the new claims surrounding the case.
“Tory Lanez was tried and convicted by a jury of his peers and his case was properly adjudicated through the court system,” Spiro said in a statement to XXL. “This is not a political matter — this is a case of a violent assault that was resolved in the court of law.”
The statement came in response to Unite the People’s lead consultant, Walter Roberts, who hosted a press conference on Wednesday regarding Lanez, who is listed as an advisory member on the organization’s website, and the 2020 shooting case.
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Roberts claimed that he acquired new evidence in the case proving Lanez’s innocence. He said he was approached by Bradley James, who claimed to be Megan Thee Stallion’s friend, Kelsey Harris’ bodyguard, on the night of the July 2020 shooting. Roberts added that James allegedly overheard a conversation in which Harris admitted to having the gun during the shooting, and that according to James, Lanez did not shoot anyone.
Billboard has reached out to Megan Thee Stallion’s rep and Unite the People for comment.
Lanez was convicted on three felony counts of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet following an argument outside a July 2020 party in Hollywood Hills. According to prosecutors, Megan got out of a car during an argument when Lanez shouted, “Dance, b—h!” and fired at her feet.
Lanez was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Thee Stallion was granted a restraining order against the Canadian singer in January.
Earlier this week, Lanez was attacked in prison, during which he was reportedly stabbed 14 times, and suffered from collapsed lungs. He was transported to a hospital near the California Correctional Institution, where he was serving his sentence.
A statement on his Instagram account said that Lanez was stabbed in his head, neck, back and torso, but is now breathing on his own. “Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through,” the statement said. “He also wants to thank everyone for the continued prayers and support.”
The Sweet Relief Musicians Fund launched a fundraiser on Thursday (May 15) to benefit the Music’s Mental Health Fund featuring signed memorabilia and experiences from Coldplay, R.E.M., Teddy Swims, The Mars Volta, Nickelback and more. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The Mental Health Fund, a partnership between […]
In the lead-up to her new album Virgin, Lorde has started to slowly open up about her broadening gender identity with the world. But before she was ready to do that, she confided in one of her new friends: Chappell Roan.
In a Rolling Stone cover story published Thursday (May 15), the New Zealand native revealed that she and the “Pink Pony Club” singer have gotten quite close over the past year, and that one of the things they’ve discussed is Lorde’s changing relationship with gender. When asked how she identifies now, the “Royals” artist told the publication, “[Chappell Roan] asked me this … She was like, ‘So, are you nonbinary now?’”
“I was like, ‘I’m a woman except for the days when I’m a man,’” Lorde continued. “I know that’s not a very satisfying answer, but there’s a part of me that is really resistant to boxing it up.”
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The musician also explained that she still identifies as a cisgender woman who uses “she” and “her” pronouns. But the complexities of her newfound gender fluidity informed much of the June-slated Virgin, the opening track of which Rolling Stone reveals finds her declaring, “Some days I’m a woman/ Some days I’m a man.”
Even so, Lorde added that she doesn’t think her gender expression is “radical” compared to what most transgender and nonbinary people face on a daily basis. In the United States in particular, the rights of LGBTQ people have been under constant threat for years, something Roan — a longtime advocate for the community and a queer-identifying artist herself — has spoken out about many times.
“I see these incredibly brave young people, and it’s complicated,” Lorde said. “Making the expression privately is one thing, but I want to make very clear that I’m not trying to take any space from anyone who has more on the line than me. Because I’m, comparatively, in a very safe place as a wealthy, cis, white woman.”
The star’s embrasure of her new gender expression is one of several personal transformations that has occurred since she last dropped an album, 2021’s Solar Power, four years ago. In addition to breaking up with Universal Music executive Justin Warren after about eight years together — “It was so painful, as they are, but there was real dignity to it,” she told the publication of the split — Lorde also recovered from an eating disorder, something she’s also been increasingly open about in the weeks ahead of Virgin‘s June 27 release.
“I felt so hungry and so weak,” she recalled of being obsessed with calories and protein intakes around the time Solar Power came out, specifically the day it dropped. “I was on TV [that] morning, and I didn’t eat because I wanted my tummy to be small in the dress. It was just this sucking of a life force or something.”
See Lorde on the cover of Rolling Stone below.
Chris Brown was arrested at his hotel in Manchester, U.K. on Thursday morning (May 15) over what British authorities alleged was an attack on a music producer at a London nightclub two years ago. According to The Independent, Brown, 36, was detained by Metropolitan Police at the five-star Lowry Hotel in Salford just hours after he arrived on a private jet.
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The singer was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm, with officials telling the paper, “A 36-year-old man was arrested at a hotel in Manchester shortly after 2am on Thursday, May 15 on suspicion of grievous bodily harm,” without naming Brown, per protocol. “He has been taken into custody where he remains. The arrest relates to an incident at a venue in Hanover Square on February 19, 2023. The investigation is being led by detectives from the Central West Area Basic Command Unit.”
According to the paper, producer Abraham Diaw accused Brown of smashing him over the head with a bottle and kicking him at the Tape nightclub on that night, with Diaw previously telling The Sun on Sunday that Brown “hit me over the head two or three times. My knee collapsed as well.” Diaw has also lodged a civil complaint against Brown for $16 million seeking damagers for injuries and losses as a result of the alleged incident, according to The Independent.
At press time a spokesperson for Brown had not returned a request for comment on the arrest.
Brown has a long history of arrests and allegations of violence, including his 2009 beating of then-girlfriend Rihanna, which led to him being charged with felony assault; that incident resulted in the U.K. denying Brown a visa to travel there for a short tour in 2010. In 2012 he was involved in a brawl with Drake and his entourage at a N.Y. nightclub that injured eight people, followed by an altercation with Frank Ocean over a parking space in West Hollywood in 2013.
The singer was also arrested for felony assault for punching a man outside a hotel in Washington, D.C. in 2013, which led to him being charged with a probation violation and a sentence of 131 days in lockup. He was also allegedly among the men behind an assault on a man during a basketball game at Palms Casino Resort in 2015, an incident his team denied he was involved in. In 2016, Brown was arrested at his home on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and, a year later, was court-ordered to stay 100 yards away from ex-girlfriend Karrueche Tran after she told a court he’d repeatedly threatened her. Among other similar incidents, Brown and several members of his entourage were named in a lawsuit over an alleged assault following one of the singer’s shows in Fort Worth, Texas in which Brown and several accomplices allegedly “brutally and severely beat” four men.
Brown is preparing to launch the European leg of his Breezy Bowl XX Tour, which is slated to kick off on June 8 at Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam. It was not known at press time if Brown’s arrest will hamper his ability to play a planned series of June shows in the U.K. on the tour.
At press time it was also unclear if Brown was still in custody and it did not appear as if he’d commented on the arrest on his social feeds; a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police department had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment at press time.