Music News

16 Jul 2024

Ingrid Andress’ Home Run Derby Performance Has Fans Calling It the ‘Worst National Anthem of All Time’

Much like Fergie‘s unforgettable performance at the 2018 NBA All-Star game, Ingrid Andress‘ rendition of the national anthem at the Home Run Derby Monday (July 15) is going viral for all the wrong reasons.  

The four-time Grammy winner was subjected to online ridicule well before she stepped away from the microphone at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, with critics pointing to the “More Hearts Than Mine” singer’s pitchy performance immediately. Separate camera angles captured fireworks exploding over the arena as she sang, while others showed a few of the MLB pros gathered on site appearing to stifle laughter as she sang. 

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In short, it wasn’t exactly a home run. And when it came to criticizing Andress online, it didn’t take long for fans on social media to step up to the plate. “My ears are bleeding,” one viewer tweeted. “One of the worst national anthem renditions ever.” 

“It is impressive that this Ingrid Andress has missed every single note,” another person wrote. “That was painful.” 

Billboard has reached out to Andress’ reps for comment. 

The “Star-Spangled Banner” is a famously difficult tune to sing. She’s also far from the first star to face criticism for her attempt at conquering the patriotic anthem, with Andress now joining the company of Christina Aguilera, Kat DeLuna, Steven Tyler and, perhaps most notably in recent history, Fergie. (Although, some people are saying that Andress has actually dethroned the Black Eyed Peas frontwoman for “worst national anthem of all time,” as one user put it on X.) 

In any case, one commented said it best: “I hope Ingrid Andress stays off of social media for a minute,” they wrote. Keep reading to see more reactions to Andress’ performance of the National Anthem below. 

16 Jul 2024

Amber Rose Backs Donald Trump During RNC Speech: ‘This Is Where I Belong’

Amber Rose completed her 180-degree pivot in throwing her support behind Donald Trump. The 40-year-old model took the stage at the Republican National Convention on Monday night (July 15), where Rose detailed her journey to becoming a fan of the former president.

“I’m here tonight to tell you, no matter your political background, that the best chance we have to give our babies a better life is to elect Donald Trump president of the United States,” she said.

Rose alleged that the media misguided her views about Trump, and she now sees the light that this is the path toward a better America.

“[I] care about the truth, and the truth is that the media has lied to us about Donald Trump. I know this because for a long time I believed those lies,” she added.

After letting go of her fear of being judged and “attacked from the left,” Rose said she figured out being a Trump supporter and with the Republican party is where she belongs.

“I realized Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care if you’re Black, white, gay or straight. It’s all love. And that’s when it hit me: These are my people. This is where I belong,” she continued.

Rose pointed to the sky-rocketing prices and inflation rate impacting the average American. “When you go to the store to buy food for your family, you’re shocked,” she said. “When you fill up your gas tank, you’re pissed. I know I am, and when you turn on the news, you are just exhausted, inflation is out of control.”

Amber Rose believes that American families were “better” when Trump was in office for his first term. “The left told me to hate Trump and, even worse, to hate the other side — the people who support him,” she concluded. “When you cut through the lies, you realize the truth: American families were better when Donald Trump was president. We were safer, wealthier, and stronger.”

Political commentator Van Jones was impressed with Rose’s speech and believes it was the “most dangerous” of the night for Democrats.

“That was probably the most dangerous speech for the Democratic coalition,” he said on CNN. “That is a young woman of color. She is describing the experience that a lot of people have — feeling that maybe, if you’re around too many liberals, you might get criticized too much or you might not be able to speak your mind, and she spoke to it really well.”

He continued: “And she’s way more famous than any of us up here — I’m going to tell you that — way more famous. And so to the extent that these guys are trying to bust up our coalition, that was a bunker buster right there.”

Rose went public with her support of Trump in May when posting a photo to social media alongside the former president and his wife, Melania. In 2016, Rose called Trump a “f—king idiot” in an interview with The Cut.

Monday marked Trump’s first public appearance since the assassination attempt; he appeared with a bandage around his wounded ear.

The RNC continues on Tuesday night (July 16). Watch Amber Rose’s speech below.

16 Jul 2024

Adele Planning to Step Back From Music: ‘I Want a Big Break’

Adele will wrap up her Weekends With Adele residency in Las Vegas on November 23. That means her superfans have exactly 10 chances left to catch the singer’s long-running stay-put show before, as she recently revealed in an interview, she goes away for a while.

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Speaking to Germany’s ZDF, Adele, 36, dropped the bombshell, “I don’t have any plans for new music at all.” In fact, the star who said she “doesn’t like being famous,” added, “I want a big break after this and I think I want to do other creative things, just for a little while.”

Adele kicked off her Weekends run in November 2022 and plans to call the show at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace quits with her final scheduled performance on Nov. 23. Before then, she will play a series of gigs in Munich at a specially built 80,000-capacity venue on August 2, 3, 9, 10, 14, 16, 23, 24, 30 and 31.

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She said that the run of 100 live shows over the past two years have left her feeling as if her “tank is quite empty.”

After announcing the initial run of Munich shows, Adele wrote on Instagram, “So a few months ago I got a call about a summer run of shows. I’ve been content as anything with my shows in London’s Hyde Park and my residency in Vegas, so I hadn’t had any other plans. However, I was too curious to not follow up and indulge in this idea – a one off, bespoke pop-up stadium designed around whatever show I want to put on.”

The singer — who has not gone on a world tour since her 2016-2017 run in support of her 25 album — has made a habit of taking time for herself between albums and tours. Those stretches out of the public eye have increased over time, from three years between her 2008 debut, 19, and 2011’s 21, to four years until her 2015 LP 25 and six between that album and 2021’s 30.

Back in December, the mother of 11-year-old song Angelo told The Hollywood Reporter, ” I have nothing to say yet. I haven’t even thought about it… I have to wait for a feeling. If I get antsy, that’s when I know I have to go to the studio, and I am the opposite of antsy right now.” Speaking of new endeavors, in that same interview, Adele said that there was one unnamed movie she wants to do, but, “the guy whose movie it would be, he’s not mentally ready to write the script for it… I bug him every now and then about it, but he’s just not there yet. But that’s the only role I ever want. Because I think I’d nail it. I think I’d do really, really, really good at it.”

Then, in January during one of her Weekends shows, Adele told the audience “I just don’t think I’m gonna write an album for quite some time,” teasing that when she does she may be ready to hit the road properly again. At press time a spokesperson for Adele had not returned Billboard‘s request for additional comment on her future plans.

16 Jul 2024

International Jazz Day Celebration Travels to Abu Dhabi in 2025

UNESCO has announced that International Jazz Day 2025 (April 30) will be celebrated in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Tangier, Morocco served as the global host city for this year’s celebration.

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In a statement announcing next year’s locale, UNESCO director-general Audrey Azoulay said, “International Jazz Day heads to Abu Dhabi in 2025, infusing new energy and basking in the mélange of cultures. The celebration in this cosmopolitan city will embody the power of jazz to unite and delight in our shared humanity.”

Added UNESCO goodwill ambassador Herbie Hancock, “Jazz is a language of unity and a beacon of hope that continues to inspire new generations of artists from all corners of the globe. In Abu Dhabi, a renowned group of international artists will join us to share their musical vision, build bridges through the power of music and create harmony in our diverse world.”

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International Jazz Day 2025 will be presented in partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT). With a focus on the city’s Arab and Emirati musical heritage, the annual observance will introduce audiences to Arabic jazz by spotlighting the decades-long interplay between local musical traditions — through classical instruments such as the oud, qanun and ney — and jazz. In addition, educational programs and community outreach will be part of the celebration. Alongside music education program at local schools, higher-level learning institutions such as Berklee Abu Dhabi, New York University Abu Dhabi and other UAE-based universities will offer workshops and masterclasses.

“We are honored that Abu Dhabi has been selected as the global host for the 2025 edition of International Jazz Day,” stated DCT Abu Dhabi chairman HE Mohamed Al Mubarak. “This recognition underscores our city’s thriving music scene and unwavering commitment to cultural diversity and artistic excellence. As a UNESCO Creative City of Music, Abu Dhabi has long been a beacon of musical innovation, where traditional Arabian melodies blend seamlessly with global genres, creating a vibrant and unique cultural tapestry. Hosting International Jazz Day reaffirms our dedication to the arts and provides a global stage to showcase our dynamic music scene. Our city consistently celebrates and nurtures musical talent from around the world.”

16 Jul 2024

Jack Black Was ‘Blindsided’ By Trump Assassination Joke in Australia: ‘I Would Never Condone Hate Speech’

Jack Black responded to the backlash spurred by an off-color joke by his longtime Tenacious D musical partner Kyle Gass on Tuesday morning (July 16) by apologizing and announcing an indefinite hold on all future creative plans for the comedic rock duo.

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“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday,” Black wrote of the off-color joke Gass made during the duo’s show on Sunday at the ICC Sydney Theatre in Sydney, Australia. During the gig, Gass was presented with a birthday cake and said, “don’t miss Trump next time” when Black asked him to “make a wish.” The poor taste quip came less than 48 hours after a lone gunman nicked the former president’s ear in an assassination attempt that resulted in the death of an audience member at a rally in Butler, PA and serious injuries to two other attendees.

The immediate response from tour producer Frontier Touring was to postpone a planned Tuesday night (July 16) show at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre in the wake of significant backlash from conservative politicians and talking heads, including an Australian senator demanding that the pair be deported immediately.

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“I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black continued about the comment Gass said in a separate statement was improvised and inappropriate, noting that the incident has caused the Kung Fu Panda star to reconsider the group’s future endeavors. “After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”

In addition to tonight’s scotched show in Newcastle, Tenacious D’s sold out Spicy Meatball tour shows on July 18 (Brisbane), July 20 (Melbourne), July 22 (Adelaide), July 24 (Wellington) and July 26 (Auckland) have also been called off. In June, the duo announced five North American gigs booked for October in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania as part of what they were calling the Rock D Vote tour in advance of November’s presidential election; at press time it was not clear if those sold out dates have also been cancelled.

In a parallel statement, Gass also apologized for his off-color remark, writing, “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake. I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement. I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.”

Trump appeared in Milwaukee for the first night of the Republican National Convention on Monday night (July 15) with a white bandage on his right ear over the spot where the gunman’s bullet struck after announcing Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his vice presidential pick in a bid to re-take the White House.

See Black and Gass’ statements below.

16 Jul 2024

Natalie Portman Says Rihanna Helped Her Through a Rough Divorce By Paying the Highest Compliment: ‘It Was Exactly What I Needed’

Back in January, Natalie Portman had a run-in with one of her biggest icons during Paris Fashion Week when she scored a meet-cute with Rihanna. On Monday night (July 15), the actress visited The Tonight Show to describe her first meeting with the music icon and make-up mogul, calling it “an amazing experience.”

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Specifically, Portman said “I think every woman going through divorce should get to have Rihanna say to her that she’s a bad b–ch,” Portman explained of the moment caught on camera earlier this year after the two women sat front-row at the Dior Haute Couture show. “It was exactly what I needed,” said the actress, 43, who finalized her divorce from husband of 11 years Benjamin Millepied in February.

Fallon then rolled the clip or the two women meeting on the street outside the show, in which Rihanna envelops Portman in a huge hug while saying “I love you!” Rihanna then amped it up, telling Portman, “I am a f–king fan! You’re one of the hottest b–ches in Hollywood forever!” Portman could not believe her ears, responding, “Are you kidding me?… Excuse me, I’m gonna faint!”

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Not only did Rihanna rain praise down on Portman, she also noted, “Yo, I don’t get excited about anybody, but I f–king love you.” Portman appeared to get a bit choked up watching the clip again, telling Fallon, “it was a formative moment in my life.”

Portman, who lives in Paris, also gave Fallon some crucial advice for how to not look like a tourist in France for when he travels there on August 11 to co-host the closing ceremonies at this summer’s Olympic games. According to the Lady in the Lake star the following items are forbidden: no shorts, no flip-flops, no red berets.

Watch Portman talk Rihanna meeting below.

16 Jul 2024

Katy Perry Joked About the NSFW Reason She and Orlando Bloom Have Been Together So Long

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom have been singing each other’s praises since first getting together more than eight years ago. But in a recent Instagram Live chat with fans to celebrate her new single, “Woman’s World,” Perry got super candid about one of the reasons the couple have managed to stay together for so long.

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“Tell us about Orlando’s ‘magic stick,’” Perry read with a smile on her face while scrolling through fan questions during the session. Perry let out a hearty raspberry and smiled at someone off camera, appearing to be thrown by the intimate nature of the query. “Well, we’ve been together for a while,” she said while chewing gum and signing promotional items.

“So I guess he’s got the magic in him,” she finally replied, singing the last bit to the tune of B.o.B.’s 2010 hit “Magic.” Cracking herself up with the NSFW-adjacent response, Perry then got serious about Bloom, with whom she shares four-year-old daughter Daisy Dove.

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“No, it’s really his heart,” she said. “And he gave me my greatest gift ever… Daisy Dove,” she whispered.

Over the weekend, Perry appeared to respond to a wave of criticism for the “Woman’s World” video, sharing behind-the-scenes clips to explain her intentions for the visual that mixes feminist tropes and lyrics with lots of cheeky visuals. “YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! EVEN SATIRE!” Perry captioned her Instagram post.

Between criticism that Perry’s song misfired in its attempt to be a feminist anthem and her team-up with track co-producer Dr. Luke — who was accused of sexual misconduct by Kesha before the singer and producer settled a bitter, nine-year legal battle in 2023 before it went to to trial — “Woman’s World” did not appear to land the way the singer intended.

“We’re kind of just having fun being a bit sarcastic with it, it’s very slapstick, and very on the nose,” Perry says says in the first half of the video that seemed to anticipate some potential backlash. “With this set, it’s like, ‘We’re not about the male gaze but we really are about the male gaze,’ and we’re really overplaying it and on the nose because I’m about to get smashed, which is like a reset, a reset for me, and a reset for my idea of feminine divine, and it’s a whole different world we go to after this.”

“Woman’s World” is the first single from Perry’s upcoming follow-up to her Smile album from 2020, 143, which is due out on Sept. 20.

16 Jul 2024

Gretta Ray Is Recovering From Health Ordeal: ‘It’s Been a Scary Time’

Gretta Ray, the award-winning indie-pop singer and songwriter, is recovering from a serious health complaint which required a visit to the ER and a lengthy stay in hospital.

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The Australian artist touched down in London earlier in the summer, a rite of passage for so many of her compatriots and a personal mission for Ray to further her career.

After going quiet on social media, Ray reached out to alert her followers on recent events. “Hi darlings,” she writes, “I wanted to share with you that shortly after moving overseas to London last month, I was admitted to the ER and have remained in hospital for 5 weeks now.”

She continues, “it’s been a scary time, but after a lot of uncertainty, I have a plan moving forward and will soon be on the other side of all of this.” The post is accompanied with a picture taken from her hospital bed, an intravenous drip looming above.

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The road ahead is a long one. “I have a long recovery period ahead of me and for now I’m going to keep the details of my illness private,” Ray adds, “but I felt compelled to make this post to remind all of you that if you are ever feeling unsettlingly sick, in unexpected sudden pain, or you just know that something is wrong, make sure you listen to that gut feeling and get seen to as soon as you can.”

Ray’s family are now in London “taking care of me,” she writes in a followup post. “I am in good hands here in a really good hospital.”

Hailing from Melbourne, Ray’s career blossomed while she was still at school. In 2016, a teenage Ray won Triple J Unearthed and she scooped the 2016 Vanda & Young Global Songwriting Competition, which came with a A$50,000 winner’s check.

Her debut album, Begin to Look Around, dropped in 2021 and was nominated an ARIA Music Award (breakthrough artist release) and a J Award, for Australian album of the year.

In 2023 came the sophomore album Positive Spin, which was shortlisted for the Australian Music Prize, the J Award and her single “Heartbreak Baby” was nominated for song of the year at the 2024 APRA Music Awards.

16 Jul 2024

Tenacious D Concert Postponed Following Controversial Trump Comment

Tenacious D is feeling the wrath of Australia’s right-wing after Kyle Gass made an off-color joke at the expense of Donald Trump.

The comedy-rock duo of Gass and Hollywood star Jack Black are visiting Australia for the Spicy Meatball Tour, produced by Frontier Touring.

On Sunday (July 14), in footage widely shared on social media, the “Tribute” singers were on stage at the ICC Sydney, when Black and a “robot” presented Gass with a birthday cake.

In fan-filmed clips, Black can be heard saying, “Make a wish,” to which Gass responded, “Don’t miss Trump next time” as laughter filled the room.

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Gass’ ill-advised comments were made just hours after an assassination attempt on Trump at his Butler, Pa. rally, where the GOP presidential nominee was struck in the ear and an audience member was killed.

The laughter has since died-down.

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Several Australian shock-jocks and right-wing politicians didn’t see the funny side of Gass’ comments, and, on Tuesday afternoon, reps for the concert promoter announced that the sold-out concert that night at Newcastle Entertainment Centre would be postponed.

Earlier, Senator Ralph Babet, a member of the right-wing United Australia Party, took to social media on Monday to demand that Tenacious D be deported for the quip. In a statement, Babet called on Australia’s immigration minister Andrew Giles to “revoke their visas.”

Babet wrote, “Anything less than a deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and the attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump.”

Controversial broadcaster blasted the pair during his Kyle and Jackie O show, and issued a life-long ban. “That’s some serious twisted s—,” he remarked. “I never want to speak to them again.”

Tenacious D’s forthcoming Australian tour dates include Brisbane Entertainment Centre (July 18), a sold-out show at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (July 20) and a performance at Adelaide Entertainment Centre (July 22), with NZ dates to follow at Wellington’s TSB Arena (July 24) and Auckland’s Spark Arena (July 26).

“Frontier Touring regret to advise that Tenacious D’s concert tonight at Newcastle Entertainment Centre has been postponed,” reads a statement. “Ticket holders are asked to hold onto their tickets until further information is available.” A spokesperson tells Billboard there is no further comment.

16 Jul 2024

Missy Elliott’s ‘The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)’ Blasts Off as First Hip-Hop Song Beamed Into Space

In a stellar moment for music and space exploration, NASA has transmitted Missy Elliott’s iconic 1997 hit “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” to Venus, marking the first time a hip-hop song has been beamed into deep space.

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The historic transmission took place on Friday, July 12, from NASA‘s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Using the agency’s Deep Space Network, the song traveled an astronomical 158 million miles from Earth to Venus at the speed of light, taking approximately 14 minutes to reach its destination.

Elliott, clearly over the moon with this otherworldly honor, shared her excitement on social media: “YOOO this is crazy! We just went #OutOfThisWorld with NASA and sent the FIRST hip hop song into space through the Deep Space Network. My song ‘The Rain’ has officially been transmitted all the way to Venus, the planet that symbolizes strength, beauty, and empowerment. The sky is not the limit, it’s just the beginning ??”

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This cosmic milestone follows the Beatles’ “Across the Universe,” which became the first song NASA beamed into deep space in 2008.

Brittany Brown, Digital and Technology Division Director at NASA’s Office of Communications, who pitched the idea to Elliott’s team, noted the synergy between space exploration and the artist’s work: “Both space exploration and Missy Elliott’s art have been about pushing boundaries. Missy has a track record of infusing space-centric storytelling and futuristic visuals in her music videos, so the opportunity to collaborate on something out of this world is truly fitting.”

Produced by Timbaland, Missy Elliott’s “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” from her debut album Supa Dupa Fly marked her emergence as a major player in hip-hop and R&B.

It debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 129,000 copies sold in the first week released, becoming the highest debut for a female rapper at the time, and topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The track’s innovative production by Timbaland and its unique music video directed by Hype Williams left a lasting impact on the music industry, establishing Elliott as a creative force and setting the stage for her successful career.