Music News

26 Jan 2024

Teyana Taylor Praises Dionne Warwick as Woman of ‘Poise, Elegance’ While Gearing Up to Shoot Biopic

Teyana Taylor proved her acting chops in her acclaimed role as a single mother struggling to make a home for her son in the gritty 2023 drama A Thousand and One. But the “Gonna Love Me” singer/actress is out to prove she’s a true double threat with her upcoming role in the as-yet-untitled Dionne Warwick biopic.

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On Wednesday (Jan. 24), Taylor praised the “Walk on By” star by giving props to the woman who she said helped her see herself. “And just like that.. 2020MORE Blessings!,” Taylor wrote alongside rose, praying hands and heart emoji in an Instagram post that featured a screenshot of an announcement from Warwick’s son, producer Damon Elliott, confirming the movie’s green light.

“It’s official… we are funded and we have a shoot date!” Elliott wrote, seemingly certifying that the film is ready to begin shooting; at press time there was no additional information on the production.

Taylor gave the 83-year-old Warwick her flowers in the post, writing, “Ms. Dionne Warwick… A woman of great statue, poise and elegance, with a fiery spirit — Realizing I was looking at my future self. My reflection without a mirror,” adding, “Being able to learn and study from one of the greats like, @therealdionnew has allowed me to learn a lot about myself and the woman I am today. She has taught us to be proud of who you are…. —Don’t Make Me Over.”

The post ended with Taylor telling Warwick that her music and social involvement has “enhanced the culture. Your soul and artistry serves as an example of not only resilience and strength, but of faith and purpose.” Taylor included a nod to the producers behind the film and Elliott, writing, “We are so excited to make you proud!… Shout out to @iamdamonelliott it’s GO TIMEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! It’s been a long time coming!!!”

Taylor announced plans for the movie in March 2023, telling Tamron Hall that they had already begun working on the biopic. “We’re in the building process right now. I’ve always wanted to make sure like, I could lock in with any person that I would be playing, you know?,” Taylor said at the time. “How Angela [Bassett] and Tina [Turner] was, how Jamie Foxx and Ray Charles, you know what I’m saying? Like, to really get to know them and I miss when movies was like that, when you get to know them and tap in and just bond.”

She said that at that point she and Warwick were already talking to each other every day. “That’s my girl. Me, her, and her son [Elliott],” she said. “I mean, I’ve always been a firm believer in just always standing on safety. She’s had a wonderful career, you know, and I think right now it’s about making her feel as safe as possible so she can tell her story. A lot of these stories get misconstrued or extremely dramatized to an extent and that’s not where we want to go.”

The role seemed to manifest naturally back in 2020, when notoriously hilarious X poster Warwick had a meet-cute on what was then called Twitter in which Dionne tweeted at Netflix with a plea to make a movie and take her casting suggestion. “Please don’t ask who I would cast to play me as it would obviously be Teyana Taylor,” Warwick wrote at the time.

See Taylor’s post below.

26 Jan 2024

Justin Timberlake Announces North American Dates for 2024 Forget Tomorrow World Tour

Just hours after teasing his return to the stage on Thursday night’s (Jan. 25) Tonight Show, Justin Timberlake rolled out the dates for his first tour in five years. The first leg of JT’s Forget Tomorrow World Tour will include 22 North American dates, kicking off on April 29 with a show at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

The Live Nation-produced arena outing will take Timberlake from coast-to-coast, hitting Seattle, San Jose, Las Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Chicago, New York, Boston and Cleveland before winding down with a July 9 show at Rupp Arena in Lexington, KY.

The dates will support Timberlake’s upcoming sixth solo album, Everything I Thought It Was, which features his moody new R&B single, “Selfish.” The new album — Timberlake’s follow-up to his earthy 2018 Man of the Woods LP — is due out on March 15.

There is a Citi presale for the tour that kicks off in the U.s. beginning Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. local time until Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. local time here, with a Verizon presale slated through Verizon Up beginning Jan. 30 at 10 a.m. local time until Feb. 1 at 5 p.m. local time here. Tickets for the North American tour will be available beginning with a fan presale starting Jan. 29, with existing fan club members receiving a unique email code, followed by the general onsale kicking off on Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. local time here.

Check out the dates for Justin Timberlake’s 2024 North American leg of the Forget Tomorrow World Tour below.

April 29 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena

May 2 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena 

May 6 – San Jose, CA @ SAP Center at San Jose 

May 10 – Las Vegas, NV @ T-Mobile Arena* 

May 14 – San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena San Diego* 

May 17 – Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum 

May 21 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center 

May 29 – San Antonio, TX @ Frost Bank Center 

May 31 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center 

June 4 – Fort Worth, TX @ Dickies Arena 

June 6 – Tulsa, OK @ BOK Center 

June 10 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena 

June 12 – Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena 

June 14 – Tampa, FL @ Amalie Arena 

June 15 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center 

June 21 – Chicago, IL @ United Center 

June 25 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden 

June 29 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden 

July 3 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena 

July 4 – Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium 

July 7 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse* 

July 9 – Lexington, KY @ Rupp Arena

*Verizon Up Presale Not Applicable 

26 Jan 2024

Justin Timberlake Plays Greatest Hits on Classroom Instruments, Talks Getting Tackled By Travis Kelce on ‘Tonight Show’

Justin Timberlake spent four years recording upcoming Everything I Thought It Was album, so it’s no surprise that the “Selfish” singer had some energy to spare when he jumped on the couch on Thursday night’s (Jan. 25) Tonight Show. From his sprinting up to the cheap seats rumba line entrance with old pal host Jimmy Fallon, to a greatest hits run classroom instruments bit, Timberlake seemed eager to kick off his EITIW era after several years of being mostly off the radar.

Introducing JT at the top of the show, Fallon went on an extended news-inspired riff in the opening monologue ticking off just how close the pair are. “He is the Taylor to my Travis,” Fallon joked. “He’s the missing bolt to my Boeing plane… He’s the recall to my exploding Tesla… Yeah, he and I are besties. We got together like a soccer mom and a Stanley tumbler… That’s right, we’re quite a team. Think of us like Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, but with chemistry… I’m so glad he’s here. Last week when it slowed a little in New York, I looked at the grass and I saw those frosted tips and I thought, ‘I should call Justin.’”

The pair then crammed into the Tonight Show schoolroom for a round of Classroom Instruments, with the Roots gathered around as Timberlake struck a triangle to kick off a funky, unplugged version of his just-released new single, “Selfish.” They only got a verse in, though, before diving into a quick-hit run through JT’s solo catalog of hits, pivoting to a snippet of hip-swiveling “Señorita,” before jumping into “SexyBack,” “My Love,” “Suit & Tie,” “Rock Your Body,” and a raucous “Can’t Stop the Feeling.”

Timberlake, 42, made a proper entrance by roping Fallon into doing a dance up the steps into the audience and then busting some disco moves before hoofing it back down to the stage and declaring himself “exhausted.” Fallon said he’d never seen anyone work harder on anything than Timberlake did on EITIW, describing Timberlake’s work ethic in the studio, while Justin copped to how strange it was to be explaining the new album’s origin to Jimmy, with whom he said he’s already discussed it ad nauseam in private.

“I feel like we’ve already had this conversation, but we have to have it so you guys can hear the story,” Timberlake said, of the difficulty of recording during the pandemic, having his second son, Phinneas, with wife Jessica Biel, and tracking 100 songs over different runs across several years. In describing the sound, Timberlake suggested that the Tonight Show should have a spin-off called Jimmy Fallon Listens to Your Album.

Timberlake then described what a kick he got out of watching Fallon listening to the album. “What was I doing?” Fallon asked in perfect rehearsed confusion. “A lot,” Timberlake laughed, as Jimmy described himself as totally “cool” and “chillin’ out” in the studio. Justin then proceeded to jump on the couch and channel Fallon by shouting “what is this song?!” “OH! What?!,” “OH My GOD!” before busting out some goofy dance moves.

JT also revealed the upcoming Forget Tomorrow World tour, which kicks off April 29th in Vancouver, with stops in Seattle, Phoenix, Fort Worth, Raleigh, Miami and New York, with dates and venues to announced soon.

The segment ended with Fallon recalling an unlikely bunker shot he nailed while playing at Timberlake’s 8AM Golf Invitational tournament last year, where the friends were paired with Kansas City Chiefs dynamic duo Travis Kelce and QB Patrick Mahomes. Jimmy described Timberlake giving him some meticulous swing advice, before cueing up the video of Fallon sinking the shot and getting lifted up into the air by an overjoyed Kelce.

It got better, though. In an extended view of the special moment, after Timberlake sprinted around in circles, he made his way over to congratulate the two and Justin said that was nearly the end of him. “Travis Kelce almost… I saw my life flash before my eyes,” Timberlake said of his abject fear when jumping up to do a hip bump with the 250-pound NFL tight end.

“I was like, ‘he’s doing it! I have to do it!,’” Timberlake recalled thinking, forgetting that the professional baller has about 80 pounds on him. As the tape kept rolling, it showed Kelce hip-checking Timberlake flat onto his sexy back on the green.

Timberlake will be back as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live this weekend and will play a free show at 1,100-capacity Irving Plaza in New York on Jan. 31.

Watch Timberlake on The Tonight Show below.





25 Jan 2024

Lil Nas X Is Ready for Something New on Reflective ‘Where Do We Go Now’: Stream It Now

He came back like “J Christ” — now Lil Nas X wants to figure out what happens next.

On Friday (Jan. 26), the pop singer unveiled his latest song “Where Do We Go Now,” a poignant slow-jam that poses its titular question to remarkable effect. Stepping away from his signature tongue-in-cheek braggadocio, Lil Nas X spends the entirety of the soft-rock ballad looking for guidance as he tries to see a path forward in his life — both personal and professional.

“So where do we go now?/ We’ve seen everything we had to see/ We figured it out, my love/ So where are we goin’,” he sings on the emotive chorus. “So where do we go now?/ We did everything so endlessly/ And only to feel undone/ So where are we goin’?”

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The new track first appeared in the credits sequence of the singer’s new documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, sung over video clips of fans at the Long Live Montero tour as they enter and exit the show. The film, which originally debuted at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, is set for a wide release on HBO this Saturday (Jan. 27).

Long Live Montero follows Lil Nas X over the course of 60 days, as he embarks on his first-ever headlining tour. Amid clips of his high-production performances throughout the show’s run, the film examines the rapper’s lightspeed ascent to fame with “Old Town Road,” and examines how his new role as a chart-topping Black queer artist has fundamentally changed his life.

Check out Lil Nas X’s new song “Where Do We Go Now” below:



25 Jan 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Bares Her Fangs on New Single ‘Hiss’: Stream It Now

Let the snake saga continue. Just two months after launching her new era with the rock-tinged “Cobra,” Megan Thee Stallion has returned with her first solo offering of 2024: “Hiss.”

Co-produced by LilJuMadeDaBeat and Bankroll Got It, “Hiss” addresses all of the unwarranted opinions on her life and image that have hounded her for the past few years. The Stallion first teased “Hiss” on Monday (Jan. 22) with a graphic revealing the track’s title, and by Wednesday (Jan. 24), she followed up the announcement with a fiery voiceover that set the scene for what audiences should expect from the song.

“I just wanna kick this s–t off by saying, ‘F–k y’all!” she exclaims in the clip. “I ain’t gotta clear my name on a motherf–kin’ thang. [Every time] I get mentioned, one of y’all b—h a– n—as get 24 hours of attention. I’m finna get this s–t off my chest and lay it to rest, let’s go!”

“Hiss” continues the serpentine theme of Megan’s last solo release, 2023’s “Cobra.” That track served as her first independent single since leaving 1501 Certified Entertainment. The song peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became her eighth top 10 hit on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (No. 10). In the interim between “Cobra” and “Hiss,” Megan teamed up with Reneé Rapp for “Not My Fault,” the buzzy new single from the Mean Girls movie musical soundtrack. The Regina George crossover has already reached No. 22 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and spawned a viral SNL performance.

Megan Thee Stallion has earned five top 10 titles on the Billboard 200, including 2020’s Good News (No. 2) and 2022’s Traumazine (No. 4). On the Hot 100, the Grammy winner has collected three top 10 hits from 31 career entries: “34+35” (with Ariana Grande and Doja Cat, No. 2), “WAP” (with Cardi B, No. 1) and the Beyoncé-assisted “Savage” (No. 1)

Stream “Hiss” now:

25 Jan 2024

Justin Timberlake Is Ready to Kick Oscar the Grouch’s A** in New ‘SNL’ Promos

Can you tell Justin Timberlake how to get to Sesame Street?

In promos for this weekend’s Saturday Night Live, musical guest Timberlake is joined by host Dakota Johnson and SNL‘s Sarah Sherman, and the quirky castmember is lamenting her “Oscar snub.”

“Sorry, I’m just still sad about my Oscar snub,” Sherman says after seeming down.

As Johnson comforts Sherman, Timberlake wonders: “Wait, what movie were you in?”

“No, not that kind of Oscar snub,” Sherman clarifies. “I asked Oscar the Grouch out, and he said, ‘Sorry, honey: I live in the trash, I don’t date it.’”

“You know what?” Timberlake says angrily, invoking the lyrics of the PBS kids’ show’s famous theme song. “Just tell me how to get to Sesame Street and I will beat his a–!”

Elsewhere in the promos, Sherman marvels that “three of the hottest people in the world are on television right now at the same time!” Plus, Sherman promises to bring “SexyBack” — just like Timberlake famously did on his 2006 seven-week Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit — with a “sketch where our heads explode.” Johnson is onboard: “That’s hot.”

Timberlake has spent a lot of time on the Saturday Night Live stage, doing double-duty as host and musical guest three times, as well as hosting twice and performing once with *NSYNC and once on his own. He’s also earned four Emmys through his SNL work, including outstanding original music and lyrics for his “Di– in a Box” music video with Lonely Island. Timberlake’s last performance on the show was in December 2013.

JT will likely perform his just-released song “Selfish” on Saturday night, the lead single from his upcoming sixth studio album Everything I Thought It Was, but it’s unclear whether he’ll live-debut a second song from the March 15 project or play something we already know.

This will be Johnson’s second time hosting, after her February 2015 debut.

Watch the new promos below, and tune in to NBC or Peacock on Saturday at 11:30 p.m. ET/8:30 p.m. PT to catch Johnson and Timberlake’s episode.

25 Jan 2024

Colman Domingo Cast as Michael Jackson’s Father Joe Jackson in Upcoming Biopic

Colman Domingo has joined the cast of the highly anticipated Michael Jackson biopic, as he’s set to portray the King of Pop’s controversial father, Joe Jackson, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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He will be joining the “Billie Jean” singer’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, who was previously announced to portray his late uncle in the upcoming film. Nine-year-old actor Juliano Krue Valdi will portray Michael during his formative years in the Jackson 5.

“Not only am I fortunate to have a rich, complex and flawed character to portray in Joe Jackson, but I also have a front row seat for Jaafar’s incredible transformation. After seeing him in rehearsal, my mind was blown,” Domingo said in a statement to THR. “There is something divine about the way that Jaafar is channeling his late uncle. His talent and embodiment of Michael’s essence is simply on another level.”

The film will take on the musician’s life and career and will be produced by Graham King (Bohemian Rhapsody) and John Branca and John McClain, who are the co-executors of the Michael Jackson estate. Titled Michael, the forthcoming biopic will be directed by Antoine Fuqua, the filmmaker behind 2001’s Oscar-winning Training Day and 2022’s Will Smith-starring Emancipation.

Michael died on June 25, 2009 at age 50. In a career that spanned almost his entire life, the King of Pop had 13 No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. He first saw success as part of the family band the Jackson 5, and four of their songs topped the Hot 100.

The film is currently slated for release in April 2025.

25 Jan 2024

Gone But Not Forgotten: Musicians We Lost in 2024

It’s so hard to say goodbye … especially to talented creators who have contributed beautiful works of art that have made the world a brighter place. But while no one can live forever, musicians’ compositions will go on to be enjoyed by future generations.

The world of music had a rough start when on Jan. 4, David Soul — who played the blond, blue-eyed Det. Kenneth “Hutch” Hutchinson on hit 1970s buddy-cop TV series Starsky and Hutch — died at age 80. But the late star wasn’t just an actor when it came to the world of entertainment — he was also an accomplished musician, landing three songs on the Billboard Hot 100 (including 1977’s No. 1 hit “Don’t Give Up on Us”) and two albums on the Billboard 200.

Then Grammy-winning artist Jo-El Sonnier died at age 77 on Jan. 14, while on tour. He suffered cardiac arrest after a show in Texas. Just days later, the world said goodbye to Mary Weiss, the lead singer of 1960s pop girl group The Shangri-Las. She was 75. And that was just the beginning of the musicians who would go on to leave us this year.

While friends and loved ones mourn these talented artists, they will not be forgotten by their fans around the world. Below, Billboard remembers the musicians who passed away in 2024.

25 Jan 2024

21 Savage Confirms ‘American Dream’ Biopic Is a ‘Parody’

21 Savage had everyone fooled when he announced plans for his American Dream biopic starring Donald Glover earlier this month.

However, the bogus film won’t be materializing, as 21 confirmed during his Club Shay Shay interview on Wednesday that The 21 Savage Story trailer was just a “parody” and served as promotion for his new American Dream album.

“Nah, that was a parody,” he told the NFL Hall-of-Famer. While the Slaughter Gang leader agreed that his life’s story could be a captivating watch for fans, he thinks the timing isn’t just right yet.

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 “I feel like it could be one day,” 21 teased. “They would hate on it now though. Because they gon’ be like, ‘[Why] the f— 21 Savage deserves… a movie about him for? What he did?’ You know how they do.”

21 dropped the trailer for American Dream: The 21 Savage Story ahead of his American Dream album earlier in January. The biopic promised to hit theaters on July 4 and featured Savage’s life story from British immigrant to multi-platinum recording artist.

Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin was set to play a younger 21 in the movie, while Donald Glover took the reigns when Savage entered his rap career. Jabari Banks was even cast in the trailer as an emerging Metro Boomin to showcase their friendship on their rise to stardom.

While the phony biopic disappointed fans, the promotion paid off for 21 Savage: American Dream banked him another No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 with 133,000 album equivalent units earned in the first week. He also tallied 14 Billboard Hot 100 entries from the project, to make him the 16th artist ever to cross the century mark for Hot 100 placements.

Watch 21 explain that the movie was just a parody and find the American Dream trailer below.



25 Jan 2024

Sofia Richie & Music Exec Elliot Grainge Expecting First Baby

Sofia Richie announced Thursday (Jan. 25) that she’s expecting her first baby with her husband, music executive Elliot Grainge.

The news came through an interview and photo shoot with Vogue, in which the model/social media personality revealed she’s pregnant with a baby girl.

“Congratulations are in order for @sofiarichiegrainge!” reads a caption on the magazine’s Instagram account, alongside four photos of Richie proudly displaying her baby bump and one pic of the soon-to-be parents together.

In the article, Richie revealed that she took a pregnancy test before attending an Ed Sheeran concert with Grainge because “I kind of knew it was going to be a boozy night, and I was a few days late on my period, and I wanted to be generally safe.” She sent her husband to the drug store to buy three more tests to confirm after the first one came back positive.

They told all the grandparents-to-be — Richie is the daughter of Grammy-winning superstar Lionel Richie, while Grainge is the son of Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Lucian Grainge — by putting the positive tests in an Hermes box and presenting them as a “gift from Milan Fashion Week.”

“Everyone was like ‘Ooooh Hermes!’ But then they opened it and it had all three of the pregnancy tests [in it]. That’s how we told all of our parents. Watching their reaction go from like, ‘I’m about to get an expensive present’ to like ‘I’m about to get a grandchild’ was really sweet.”

Richie and Grainge were married last April in the South of France. The pair made their relationship Instagram official in April 2021 and have kept their love relatively private. Elliot Grainge is the founder and CEO of independent record label 10K Projects.

See all the photos on Vogue‘s Instagram account here.