Music News

07 Aug 2024

Steph Curry Says He’s Still a ‘Big Drake Guy’ Despite Kendrick Lamar Rap Beef

Steph Curry is Team Drizzy.

The basketball superstar sat down with GQ recently, where he was asked about his thoughts on Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s recent rap beef, in which he was briefly mentioned on Lamar’s “Meet the Grahams.” “Ay, LeBron, keep the family away. Hey, Curry, keep the family away,” Lamar rapped on the track, before adding, “To anybody that embodies the love for the kids, keep the family away. They lookin’ at you too if you standin’ by him, keep the family away.”

“I’m a big Drake guy. I’ve been for a long time,” Curry responded to the publication. “I think obviously you know what it is for the rap industry to have that, but I still rock with Drake. Absolutely. Absolutely.”

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Previously, Steph’s wife, Ayesha, got her own line in Drake’s 2021 album, Certified Lover Boy, on the track “Race My Mind.” “How I’m supposed to wife it?/ You not Ayesha enough,” Drizzy raps on the song.

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Earlier this year, she commented on the shoutout during an episode of Watch What Happens Live. “I think I was dumbfounded,” the cookbook author told host Andy Cohen. “That’s our family, so I think I was appreciative that they respect me so much that they think I’m a great wife.”

07 Aug 2024

Chappell Roan Reacts to Kamala Harris & Tim Walz’s New Campaign Merch Looking Like Hers

If you see a camo-print baseball cap with orange lettering in the wild, it could mean one of two things: The wearer is either a Chappell Roan fan or a voter supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz’s 2024 White House bid — unless, of course, they’re both.

Shortly after the sitting VP announced that the Minnesota governor would serve as her running mate, the duo unveiled campaign merch that instantly reminded some people of an item in the “Good Luck, Babe!” artist’s store: a woodsy trucker hat with a neon orange message over the brim. Harris and Walz’s version simply reads their names, while Roan’s says “Midwest Princess,” as a reference to her Billboard 200 top 10 album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.

Upon seeing Harris’ new apparel, Roan simply tweeted Tuesday (Aug. 6): “is this real.”

The LGBTQ+ singer also retweeted someone’s joking comment, which read, “How gay do u have to be to see hunting colors and think it’s a Chappell roan thing.”

Billboard has reached out to a rep for Harris for comment.

For the record, the hat — whether or not it’s a purposeful nod to Roan — is very much real. The item is currently available for $40 on Harris’ campaign website, which reads, “You asked, we answered … The most iconic political hat in America,” digging at the red “Make America Great Again” caps worn by Republican opponent Donald Trump’s supporters. Purchasing the hat counts as a donation to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s Harris Victory Fund.

Roan’s tweet comes about a week after she took the stage at Lollapalooza, drawing an enormous crowd that a spokesperson told CNN was the biggest turnout to a daytime performance that the Chicago event has ever seen. The Missouri native has been on a roll with her headline-making festival performances this year, attracting unanticipated numbers to her sets at Coachella, Boston Calling and Gov Ball.

Speaking of her Gov Ball set, Harris and Walz may have to go the extra mile to add Roan’s endorsement to their growing list of musical supporters. The “Hot to Go” singer previously called out the Biden-Harris administration during her time on stage at the New York City festival, claiming to have turned down the White House’s request for her to perform at its Pride Month celebrations.

“We want liberty, freedom and justice for all,” she said at the time. “When you do that, that’s when I’ll come.”

See Roan’s tweet about the Harris-Walz hats below.

07 Aug 2024

Flea Recalls Wild Story About Almost Getting Into a Brawl While Naked Snowboarding With Woody Harrelson

If there’s one thing that everyone knows about the Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Flea it’s that the veteran funk-punk bass slapper is never shy about letting it all hang out. And while 61-year-old rocker doesn’t hit the stage in the all together as often as he used to back in the band’s sock-only days, while chilling with his pal actor Woody Harrelson on this week’s episode of the Woodman’s SiriusXM Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast with former Cheers co-star Ted Danson, Flea told a chillingly hilarious story about a naked adventure he had with the Triangle of Sadness star.

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Flea opened by asking Harrelson is he remembered the time the two of them went on a nude snowboarding run. “He and I snowboarded naked. I have footage of Woody Harrelson and I snowboarding stark naked down a big snowy mountain,” Flea told Danson about the trip to Utah by the two pals.

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Harrelson said the footage is “great,” with Flea noting that he was ready to post it on Instagram before Woody’s wife, Laura, “cautioned me against it.” Always a gentleman, Danson joked that it was cold, after all, so the footage might have come up short, if you know what he means. Woody added that he and Flea always have a great time and good laughs when they hang out, some of his greatest times, in fact, even though Flea balances his Zen nature with a competitive side.

That explained how a friendly buff bomb down the mountain almost ended in fisticuffs.

Flea confirmed that he is super-competitive, though he doesn’t really care if he wins or loses, before throwing friendly shade when Harrelson said he also doesn’t care whose on top when they play basketball or race on their snowboards.

“I’ve seen you sulking after losing. I remember one of the last times we went, we were racing, and we were both reckless ’cause let’s face it. We go very fast, but we’re very average snowboarders. We have to admit that we’re average,” Flea said. “Wo we’re racing and I’m like out of control rocketing down this mountain and I nearly take a lady out, but I don’t. I see her and I’m like, ‘Whoa.’ Swerve out of her way and I miss her. All’s good. We’re racing. I can’t remember who won. Probably me, probably me, and we get down there, but then the lady, we’re getting ready to get on the lift and we’re laughing and yelling at each other, and this lady comes up and she’s infuriated.”

Flea said the woman chewed him out for nearly running into her, saying he was out of control and prompting the bassist to apologize and admit she was right. “‘I’m so glad that I didn’t hit you, but I’ll be much more careful next time. Please forgive me. I’m very sorry,’” he said he told her. “As you know, I’m neighborly. I’m polite, I’m considerate.”

When Danson asked if Flea meant it, the Chili Pepper said absolutely, acknowledging that it was probably a bit scary to see a naked man ripping by her on the mountain. “I didn’t even touch her, and she was like, ‘Well, you’re an a–hole.’ Blah, blah, blah, and I was like, ‘Ma’am, I’m very sorry,’” he reiterated. But then things got weird when Flea said the woman stuck her ski pole in his face, which agitated him. That’s when Harrelson skied up and saw the tense pole dance and came to his pal’s defense.

“And then she goes, ‘Well, my husband’s gonna come down here and he is gonna show you what for,’ and then that’s when you’re like, ‘Bring the f–king husband. I want to see her bring the husband,” he said Harrelson told the woman. The pair decided to exit the tense scene and hop on the lift, but not before Harrelson, “itching for a brawl,” started yelling, “‘I’m waiting at the top of the lift. I’ll be waiting up top!’”

Harrelson, who says he’s much more chill now, told Flea at the time, “nothing could make me happier,” than if the woman’s husband joined them at the top of the mountain, acknowledging back then — they didn’t specify when this adventure happened — the time the actor used to derive great joy from “impending chaos.”

Watch Flea and Harrelson tell their naked ski skirmish story below.

07 Aug 2024

New Genesis of a Pop Icon: Ado’s Past, Present & Future Showcased at Japan’s National Stadium

On April 27 and 28, Ado performed two shows at the National Stadium, entitled [Ado SPECIAL LIVE 2024 “Heart”].

She had just finished [Wish], her first world tour, which took her to Asia, Europe, and the U.S. She carried that momentum with her into the “Heart” shows. This was the first time a female solo artist had ever performed at the National Stadium, whose extensive renovation project ended in November 2019. Tickets for the two day event sold out immediately, and 140,000 people were there to see this historic moment. On the first day of the shows, Ado made a vow.

The show began with the sound of a guitar — the bridge part of the song “KokoroToIuNaNoFukakai.” The volume gradually rose, accompanied by the audience clapping in rhythm, creating a sense of unity. The sound of a heartbeat pulsed through the stadium, followed by a dynamic opening movie, raising expectations. And then Ado herself appeared on stage, above the band, in a box-shaped cage. Her intimidating voice boomed out “What is just? What is folly? I’ll show you.” The first song, unleashing a tidal wave of excitement, was her major label debut, “Usseewa.” The heavy, almost metal-sounding instrumentation and the powerful, shouted lyrics blended to produce a new song that went far beyond the original. It was the kind of sonic world that only Ado could create. A song needs to touch your heart. That’s far more important than how intelligible its lyrics are. This was brought home by the song “Tot Musica.” Ado’s awe-inspiring voice was an embodiment of the movement of the smoke shown on the enormous center screen. The impact of her voice commanded the stadium, like venom, a work of art in itself. Although her singing frequently dipped into growling vocals, it maintained an exquisite balance, never sounding coarse. Her aesthetic sensibilities never faltered.

In contrast to the energy of these two songs, she set a more mature mood with “Lucky Bruto,” which she sang laying on her back, one leg raised high, and “Domestic De Violence,” which she performed laying down, putting on a sensuous dance. In “Aishite Aishite Aishite,” her natural expressiveness shined to its fullest. As if possessed by the song’s protagonist, she held nothing back, expressing the true tragedy of the piece. Every time her vocals seamlessly shifted from a keen voice, sharp as a blade, to a beautiful singing voice, the audience broke out in goose bumps, breath bated. The song climaxed with her shouting out the lyrics “I am so happy! AAAAHHHH!” The crowd broke out in loud exclamations of admiration as her screams paired with the frenzied, flashing lights and the visuals, which faithfully reproduced the feel of the song’s music video. It was an unforgettable moment.

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Her cage rose into the air as she sang “Kagakushu,” followed by “Motherland,” which featured expert vocalization, supported by the crowd clapping to the rhythm. In “Gira Gira,” her rhythmic steps evoked the image of tap-dancing. The cage came down to its original position and a new arrangement of “Eien No Akuruhi” began. Ado’s voice was a genuine expression of a young girl’s mind, like a princess dancing with a prince at a ball. Then the audience looked up at the night sky as one in a moment of reflection on the memories of their youth. As the ballad drew to an end with a majestic outro that was far longer than anyone had been expecting, drones took to the open sky above the National Stadium, depicting a heart, the line of a heartbeat monitor, and then Ado’s symbol, a blue rose, accompanied by fireworks. The crowd broke out in cheers.

A euphoric Ado then performed “I’m invincible,” wearing a large, billowy dress. Her performance made it evident how deep her understanding of the song was, and showed the richness of her expressive abilities. She reproduced every ounce of feeling that went into the song, down to the finest details. In “Readymade” and “Kura Kura,” the crowd sang along. This was followed by the bittersweet “Chocolat Cadabra,” where a wild spirit and dynamism intertwined. On “Value” and “Hello Signals”, her voice was relaxed and smooth, heightening expectations of what was to come. There were many moments in the show in which one felt oneself drawn in by Ado’s humanity and rich expressiveness, demonstrated not only in her almost scream-like vocals, but also in each and every movement of her vivid dancing. Sometimes powerful, sometimes delicate, her steps were always elegant.

Once freed from her cage, she sang “Ibara,” followed by “Show” and “Odo,” the frenzied peak of the night. Stepping one level lower on the stage, she swaggered from one edge of the stage to the other. Flames shot into the air, the crowd clapping in rhythm along with Ado’s flexible voice. Ado’s vitality was truly moving.

Speaking to the audience, Ado reflected on [Wish], her first world tour, how she used that experience in her “Heart” performance, and how the tour made her come to love Japan even more.

“I came to really feel how important it was for the people of the world to learn about what a wonderful country Japan is, and to learn of our culture. I want to become an even bigger global presence, and I hope people can learn about what a great country this is through me.” “I swore to myself that if I could achieve this, I’d bring joy to the people of Japan, whether it be through music or something else.” 

The title of these shows, “Heart,” represents all of the feelings people have: anger, pain, temptation, transience, sorrow, joy, reminiscence. At the same time, Ado explained, it represented the Vocaloid and utaite culture that led Ado to become a musician. “The next song is the final song. You’re ready for more? You haven’t had enough?? You want more???” With that, as silver confetti fluttered through the air, she sang “New Genesis.” The words to the song, “Let’s go to the New World,” “I’ll show you my dreams,” filled the stadium, inviting listeners to a wonderful future.

There were three special guests on the 27th. Opening DJ TeddyLoid, who worked on “Show” and “Odo,” played remixed versions of Ado songs. In the encore, “DIGNITY,” a giant blue balloon appeared on stage. Inside it were Ado and Tak Matsumoto of B’z, who helped write the song. In “missing,” Ado boarded a birdcage cart that took her around the arena, and then Ado, electrifying the audience with “Backlight” and “FREEDOM,” returned to the stage.

“Vocaloid and utaite are at the center of my heart. I hope these two wonderful cultures will grow around the world. If I can, I want to be a bridge between the two. And now is the moment when I do just that.”

Next to Ado, who had changed into elegant, flared pants, appeared the night’s final guest, Hatsune Miku. Dancing symmetrically, the two sang “Sakura Biyori to Time Machine,” a new song written by mafumafu debuting for the first time. Ado’s singing voice was tearful, like she remembering the past as she sang. It was a voice of genuine warmth.

Ado began to reflect on her own past. She used to hate herself, and couldn’t allow herself to rely on others. The only place for her in this world was social media. She wasn’t smart, she said, or skilled. She was gloomy. And yet, she had a desire for recognition and approval, stronger than anyone. She was saved from this tumult of emotion by music and singing, her great loves, so she chose to keep singing…

“Nobody knows that the future holds. That’s why I felt, so strongly, that maybe things would work out. My beloved Vocaloid and utaite cultures gave me faith in the future. Now, here I am, standing in that future I so longed for.” “I hope the song (“Sakura Biyori to Time Machine”) I sang with her (Miku), and this show this evening, can give back to the Vocaloid and utaite cultures, and help lead the way to the future. Please, don’t forget these cultures I love so much.”

The encore ended with a passionate performance of “KokoroToIuNaNoFukakai,” a song with a special significance for Ado. The lyrics “How can I decide my emotions?” had a rawness to them that made the audience’s hearts go out to her. Ado bowed deeply and left the stage and, as if in celebration of her birthday, the sky was lit ablaze with gorgeous fireworks. The magic lingered on, even after Ado’s departure. 

This was a night that embodied Ado’s past, present, and future. The most captivating part was her sincere, humble personality. Her character may be why she keeps evolving while never forgetting where she came from, as her performance made so clear. On July 10, she released her second album, Zanmu, and from July 14th she launched her first nationwide arena tour, [Ado JAPAN TOUR 2024 “Mona Lisa’s Profile”]. The passion she exudes never wanes. Her desires have grown to a global scale, as she wants to share the wonders of Japan through the cultures of Vocaloid and utaite. With Ado, we are truly seeing the new genesis of a pop icon.

This article by Mio Komachi first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Full setlist:

1. Usseewa
2. Tot Musica
3. Lucky Bruto
4. Domestic De Violence
5. Aishite Aishite Aishite
6. Kagakushu
7. Motherland
8. Gira Gira
9. Eien No Akuruhi
10. I’m invincible
11. Readymade
12. Kura Kura
13. Chocolat Cadabra
14. Value
15. Hello Signals
16. Ibara
17. Show
18. Odo
19. New Genesis

Encore
20. DIGNITY
21. missing
22. Backlight
23. FREEDOM
24. Sakura Biyori to Time Machine
25. KokoroToIuNaNoFukakai

07 Aug 2024

Snow Man’s ‘BREAKOUT’ Debuts at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100

Snow Man’s “BREAKOUT” blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Aug. 7.

The new single is being featured as the theme song for Honeko Akabane’s Bodyguards, a new movie starring Snow Man member Raul. The track launched with 1,088,373 CDs to rule sales and also hit No. 1 for radio. This is the nine-member boy band’s ninth single to top the Japan Hot 100 and the first since “Dangerholic” released last September.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” continues to hold at No. 2. This track is still going strong after 17 weeks on the chart, with video views up 135% from the previous week and the consistently climbing karaoke metric up 10% this week. The popular three-man band has 14 songs charting this week including “Lilac.” In particular, “Blue Ambiance (feat. asmi),” released in July 2022, has returned to the top 100 for the first time in three weeks, powered by karaoke.

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At No. 3 is =LOVE’s “Zettai aidoru yamenaide” (meaning “don’t ever quit being an idol”). The single was fueled by physical sales alone; it sold 260,304 copies in its first week — a career-high for the ten-member girl group — to hit No. 2 for the metric, while not ranking in any of the others that count towards the chart’s measurement.

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LIL LEAGUE from EXILE TRIBE’s “Youth Spark” bows at No. 5, selling 62,680 copies to hit No. 3 for sales, while also coming in at No. 7 for radio.

Notable chart moves outside the top 10 include YOASOBI’s “Butai ni tatte” (“standing on stage”), which jumps 43-16 on the Japan Hot 100 this week. After dropping July 26, streams for the track have increased by about 3 times and radio by about 2.5 times compared to the song’s debut week (though the track only had three days to count towards the chart week then).

Meanwhile, J-pop summer favorites have returned to the chart this week. aiko’s “Hanabi” charted for the first time in 11 months since Sept. 6 of last year after streams went up 111% and karaoke 115% from the week before, and DAOKO x Kenshi Yonezu’s “Uchiage Hanabi” also charted for the first time in a year since Aug. 16, 2023.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from July 29 to Aug. 4, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.

07 Aug 2024

‘Deadpool’ Director Calls Taylor Swift Cameo Rumors ‘Slightly Baffling’: ‘It Was Never a Conversation’

In spite of a few assurances to the contrary, rumors that Taylor Swift would appear in the latest Deadpool movie have persisted for years — all the way up until the new film premiered last month, revealing that she wasn’t involved after all. But in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly published Monday (Aug. 5), director Shawn Levy revealed that there was never any chance of the pop star joining the franchise to begin with, no matter how much fans may have hoped for it.

“It was so very loud,” Levy told the outlet of the internet buzz from Swifties hoping for a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, which hit theaters July 26. “I definitely had moments where I was worried I would disappoint people when they realized Taylor as Dazzler was not in the movie, but there’s no controlling the internet and rumors spread like wildfire.”

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Many of the rumors stemmed from the 14-time Grammy winner’s close friendships with the movie’s star, Ryan Reynolds, and his wife, actress Blake Lively. Levy is also pals with Swift, having appeared in her “All Too Well” short film in 2021, but according to him, “it was never a conversation” that the “Anti-Hero” singer might pop up in the Marvel film.  

“It was never even a seed of a discussion,” he added. “Obviously, Ryan and Blake, and myself — to a far lesser extent — have our own relationships in real life with Taylor. But yeah, those rumors were loud and slightly baffling, but nothing I said or did was going to make them quiet down until this movie came out.”

Before their hopes were shot, fans had been wanting to see Swift in a Deadpool film since as far back as 2016, when the star borrowed Reynolds’ actual superhero suit for her Halloween costume. Rumors that the crossover might actually happen only continued to fester when the Free Guy star sported a T-shirt with Swift’s cats, Meredith and Olivia, printed on it in 2018’s Deadpool 2, and again when he appeared to re-create the Evermore album in costume earlier this year.

Reynolds, however, shut down the rumors — or attempted to, at least — in a July appearance on The Tonight Show. “I wish,” he said when host Jimmy Fallon asked him point-blank whether Swift was in Deadpool & Wolverine.

“If I ever stop, she’d make a good Deadpool,” he added at the time. “She’s funny, funny, funny!”

07 Aug 2024

Snoop Dogg’s Best Moments at the 2024 Summer Olympics (So Far)

The rap legend is doing it all at the Paris Games.

Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg attends the Women’s Preliminary Phase Pool C match between Team United States and Team France on day five of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at on July 31, 2024 in Paris, France.

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Snoop Dogg has been a national treasure, delivering wall-to-wall coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris for NBC. As a special correspondent at the Olympics, Snoop has been completing various side quests throughout his time in France.

From serving as the official U.S. torchbearer, to being America’s biggest cheerleader and swimming with Michael Phelps, the West Coast rap legend has been indulging in everything the Olympics have to offer in Paris.

“This opportunity wasn’t nothing but a chance for me to show the world what it’s supposed to look like when you put the right person in the right environment,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “Sports, entertainment, the globe — this is what I do. I do it every day. I want to give a shout-out to all of the executives, because the first thing they did was tell me to be me.”

Snoop’s been going viral nearly daily on social media. Whether it’s his stylish custom American-themed outfits or him just finding something new that piques his interest at the Olympics, viewers can’t get enough of the Grammy-nominated rapper.

“I don’t have a single f–k to give about the Olympics, but I would sit through HOURS of @SnoopDogg living his best life there,” one person tweeted candidly.

Find all of Snoop Dogg’s best moments so far for the 2024 Summer Olympics below.

07 Aug 2024

Galantis Reflects on Career, Collaborations and More in Exclusive Q&A

This article was created in partnership with White Claw.

Christian Karlsson, better known as “Bloodshy,” has been producing for almost two and a half decades. What started as producing and songwriting in Sweden quickly evolved into working with high-profile pop stars around the world. After landing on Galantis as his mainstay project, Karlsson has amassed over 6.6 billion worldwide streams and a No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart with Pharmacy.
Galantis has been busy over the years since its inception, playing venues and festivals across the globe and releasing four albums— most recently, Rx in May 2024, featuring collaborations with 5 Seconds of Summer, JVKE, Little MIX, MNEK and more. Ahead of his festival appearance in Chicago, Galantis delighted fans with a performance and intimate Q&A at the White Claw Shore Club Sessions Powered by Billboard. Get a glimpse into the international producer/DJ’s life and latest album Rx below.

On his biggest hit “Runaway (U & I)”being a decade old
I still love to perform it and I still love working on it and changing it in terms of, like, doing mashups and stuff. I’m in a good position being an artist that could still change the song because in DJ culture, that’s something you’re supposed to do. So to me, I can always keep it fresh by just changing it for every night the way I want to perform it.

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On sharing his ADHD diagnosis with the world
It’s scary, you know – I never talked about it with even family before, but other people came to me and helped me out by telling their stories. I thought I owed it to whoever, even if it’s one person, you know, I owe it to tell my story.

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On why Galantis has longevity in the music industry
I think sticking to my guns, just doing music that I like, doing music that inspires me and taking risks and not listening to what anyone else is doing, you know? Not caring about if your stock is up or down, not following trends, whatever. I just go to the studio the same way I went to the studio when I was 14. It’s about that kick in the snare, and it’s about that chord, and it’s about that melody, and then that’s it.

See more from the White Claw Shore Club Sessions Powered by Billboard with Galantis here.

07 Aug 2024

Here’s Why Taylor Swift Fans Think She Just Subtly Endorsed Kamala Harris for President

As one of the most influential stars in the world, Taylor Swift has many Americans on the edges of their seats as they wait to see whether the 14-time Grammy winner will endorse Kamala Harris‘ 2024 campaign for president. 

And though she has yet to come forward with her support, some fans think Swift may have just subtly hinted that she’s on the Democratic nominee’s side. That’s because a Harris-like silhouette appears in the background of a photo the 14-time Grammy winner posted Tuesday (Aug. 6) of her Warsaw Eras Tour performances at PGE Narodowy, walking in the opposite direction upstage wearing a pantsuit and giving a presidential wave. 

Swift didn’t acknowledge the ambiguous female figure in her caption, instead simply thanking her “beautiful crowds” in Poland “for making us the first tour to play 3 nights in a row in your stadium!!” A source close to the pop superstar told The Hollywood Reporter that the shadowy figure was simply the silhouette of one of the background singers, something that appears regularly in Swift’s show.

Still, several fans took to social media to speculate that the photo was the “Anti-Hero” singer’s quiet way of giving Harris her stamp of approval.  

“Taylor Swift just low key endorsed Kamala Harris and MAGA is losing their minds,” one person wrote on X, while another fan tweeted, “It really feels like it should be a bigger deal that Taylor Swift left a shadow of Kamala on her Instagram post but I don’t really see anyone talking about it.” 

“TAYLOR!!! Tell me more about this pic on IG from Warsaw?!?!” a third person tweeted. “We all know TS is amazing with her breadcrumbs… hope the deliberate posting of this pic hints at what #SwiftiesForHarris are hoping for!” 

One fan wrote, “Taylor Swift casually dropped this photo to endorse Kamala Harris why is NO ONE talking about this ???.”  

If she did intend to back Harris with her post, Swift would be one of many musicians to join the sitting VP’s cause. Cardi B, Lizzo, John Legend, Ariana Grande and many more have also posted in support of the candidate, while Megan Thee Stallion performed at Harris’ Atlanta rally earlier this month. Quavo spoke at the same rally, and — as first reported by Billboard — Bon Iver is set to take the stage at her upcoming campaign stop in Wisconsin. 

It also wouldn’t be the first time Swift has aligned herself with Harris and the Democratic party. In 2020, the musician endorsed Joe Biden’s White House bid and revealed she’d be cheering on his then-running mate during the vice presidential debate — an event for which she showed off a tray of Biden-Harris sugar cookies. “Gonna be watching and supporting @KamalaHarris by yelling at the tv a lot,” Swift tweeted at the time. 

That said, other fans weren’t so quick to take Swift’s recent post as the “Karma” artist endorsing Harris — not yet, anyway. “It’s not a Kamala endorsement,” one person wrote on X. I promise when Taylor endorses her, the entire world will know. She won’t be subtle about it. ???” 

07 Aug 2024

Ye & Ty Dolla $ign Release ‘Vultures 2’ Deluxe With Bonus Track ‘Take Off Your Dress’

Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — and Ty Dolla $ign have released a digital deluxe edition to their evolving Vultures 2 album.

The V2 deluxe was released on Tuesday night (Aug. 6) on Yeezy’s website. It comes equipped with updated songs and a bonus track titled “Take Off Your Dress.” Featuring a Talmadge Armstrong “Please Make It Good Again” sample, the track was a Vultures session holy grail, and many fans figured there were clearance issues keeping it from making the album on streaming services.

The Yeezy team appears to have gotten over that hurdle, with the song being added as a bonus on the deluxe. New Yeezy chief of staff Eric J. Cui reportedly says the song will eventually appear on streaming platforms. Fans can purchase the deluxe with “Take Off Your Dress” on the Yeezy website for $5.

Cui confirmed to Billboard that the album will continue to be updated, with every track being remastered in the coming days. Several songs have already been sonically cleaned up, with new mixes replacing original versions on streaming services.

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This isn’t the only deluxe that will be released for Vultures 2, either. Cui says more tracks are on the way, but they’ll be unleashed packaged into separate deluxe albums.

Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department returned to the top of the latest Billboard 200, and is standing in the way of Ye earning a 12th No. 1 album. West doesn’t appear to be doing much to help his own cause in that regard, since he’s yet to publicly acknowledge or post about Vultures 2 on his social media accounts.

A rumored release date for V2 was slated for Aug. 2 when Ye and Ty kicked off the project’s rollout with the arrival of “Slide” as the lead single. Following a YouTube live stream premiere in the early hours of Saturday (Aug. 3), Vultures 2 began popping up on streaming services.

The Vultures duo is slated to bring the album to Salt Lake City on Friday (Aug. 9) for a listening experience before heading to Asia later this month.