Music News

11 Jan 2024

Finnish Music Community Challenges Israel’s Place in 2024 Eurovision Song Contest Amid Hamas War

Israel’s participation in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest has been challenged in a petition signed by more than 1,400 members of the Finnish music community calling for a band due to what signatories labelled as the nation’s “war crimes” in the midst of the now-four-month old war against Hamas militants.

According to The Guardian, the Finnish musicians have joined an earlier effort by Icelandic artists to ban Israel from this year’s competition, slated to be held in the Swedish city of Malmö in May. “It is not in accordance with our values that a country that commits war crimes and continues a military occupation is given a public stage to polish its image in the name of music,” read a petition reportedly signed by the Finnish artists, musicians and music industry professionals that also suggested the Finnish Broadcasting Company should boycott the competition and refuse to send a Finnish delegation if the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) — which runs Eurovision — doesn’t weigh in to take action.

Among the artists signing the Finnish petition were Olavi Uusivirta, Paleface and Axel Ehnström, who represented Finland at the 2011 Eurovision as Paradise Oskar. The Icelandic Association of Composers and Lyricists had previously suggested that its members not participate in the show unless Israel is banned.

The effort is similar to the one made in 2022 following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine; Russia was subsequently banned from that year’s contest, which was won by the Ukrainian rap/folk group Kalush Orchestra. At press time a spokesperson for Eurovision 2024 had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment.

Israel launched an assault on Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip and the Israeli-occupied West Bank following a surprise Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel in which more than 1,200 mostly civilian Israeli men, women and children were murdered and sexually assaulted and more than 240 people were taken hostage.

To date, the Israeli military’s response has reportedly killed more than 23,000 people in Gaza — the majority of whom the territory’s health ministry has said were women and children — in a war that Israel’s prime minister has said will not end until it has eliminated the threat from the militant group. On Thursday (Jan. 11), the UN international court of justice in the Hague heard opening arguments in a case accusing Israel of operating with “genocidal intent” in Gaza.

According to the Guardian, the EBU released a statement in December saying Eurovision “is a contest for broadcasters – not for governments – and the Israeli public broadcaster [Ken] has been participating in the contest for 50 years.” At the time, the EBU said Kan “complies with all competition rules” and would be allowed to participate in this year’s event.

According tothe BBC, local Finnish broadcaster YLE had previously sought to draw a distinction between the Russian war of aggression and Israel’s response to the Hamas attack, with YLE rep Ville Vilén recently saying that “As gruesome as it is, [Israel-Hamas] is not a war of inter-state aggression like between Russia and Ukraine.” The Finnish musician who began the petition, reportedly told local paper Hufvudstadsbladet that Israel “violates human rights” and that “we don’t think it’s okay for the country to be part of the Song Contest to polish its image.”

Israel’s place in the competition was also questioned by this year’s UK delegate, Years and Years’ Olly Alexander, who was criticized last month for signing a statement accusing Israel of genocide and referring to it as an “apartheid state.”

11 Jan 2024

Here’s Why Fans Think Taylor Swift Was Teasing ‘Reputation’ on Her Night Out With Blake Lively

Taylor Swift has a big reputation for dropping Easter eggs about her upcoming projects, even when it comes to her clothing. And after stepping out with Blake Lively in New York City Wednesday night (Jan. 10), the 34-year-old pop star has fans convinced that she’s done it again.

While attending a party at Lucali’s pizza restaurant in Brooklyn, Swift donned a velvety green dress and a pair of show-stopping Jimmy Choo heeled boots. However, it wasn’t the boots that got Swifties talking — it was what’s on them.

The brown leather thigh-highs appear to have snakes coiling around them. Yep, snakes. As in, the uncontested mascot of Swift’s entire Reputation era circa 2017.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift attends a private party at Lucalli Pizza restaurant in Brooklyn on Jan. 10, 2024 in New York City.

Robert Kamau/GC Images

The shoeware choice definitely feels intentional coming from the clue-giving mastermind, as Reputation (Taylor’s Version) is one of two albums she’s yet to re-record. Having completed 2021’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and Red (Taylor’s Version), as well as 2023’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) and 1989 (Taylor’s Version), Swift is now down to just her sixth studio album and her first, 2006’s Taylor Swift.

And based on her attire Wednesday night, Swifties definitely think that Rep is next. What’s more is that the “Anti-Hero” singer has taken to wearing green while out and about lately, even dressing in the Reputation-esque shade at the 2024 Golden Globes Sunday (Jan. 7).

“Taylor wearing three green outfits in a row and boots with snakes on them REP TV IS COMING,” one fan tweeted Thursday (Jan. 11).

“The snakes and lettering on the boots and her outfits lately have been giving “reputation tv is on its way” ??,” added another Swiftie.

See fan reactions to Swift’s possible Reputation teasers below:

11 Jan 2024

Tina Knowles Reveals Destiny’s Child Serenaded Her for 70th Birthday: ‘How Amazing Is That?!’

“Turn Up Tina” has entered the building. Tina Knowles — businesswoman, fashion designer and mother to Beyoncé and Solange — marked her milestone 70th birthday on Jan. 4, and in a new Instagram post, she detailed her celebration and revealed a special performance from none other than Destiny’s Child.

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“I have had the time of my life with all my beautiful friends from Texas and my friends from California. It’s been a spiritual weekend about the empowerment of kicka– women, just tough beautiful women filled with love,” she gushed in a video posted to her Instagram on Tuesday (Jan. 9). “I feel so loved. I had a little anxiety about turning 70, you know, but I’m so blessed to be here and I’m so blessed to have the life that I have, and the people I have around me. All the love … I just got spoiled to death this weekend! I even got serenaded by Destiny’s Child! How amazing is that?!”

Ms. Knowles spent her birthday in Malibu Beach — her “favorite place in the world” — and the occasion provided the Grammy-winning girl group another opportunity for a brief reunion. In fact, these impromptu quasi-reunions have become more frequent for Destiny’s Child over the past few months.

All five of the group’s core members — Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson — reunited for a heart-warming group picture while backstage at Queen Bey’s record-breaking Renaissance World Tour, and the photo of the gathering was shared in December. Exclusive footage of the emotional Houston-hosted reunion appeared in the “Cuff It” singer’s box office-topping Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé. Earlier this week, Beyoncé, Rowland and Williams teamed up to serenade Rowland’s husband, Tim Weatherspoon, at his 50th birthday celebration.

Destiny’s Child has earned 10 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including the chart-toppers “Say My Name” (1999), “Bills, Bills, Bills” (1999), “Independent Women, Part I” (2000) and “Bootylicious” (2001). On the Billboard 200, the beloved vocal group has notched four top 10 entries, including the No. 1 titles Survivor (2001) and #1’s (2005).

Check out Ms. Tina Knowles’ full birthday reflections below:

11 Jan 2024

Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat Blasts Lil Nas X for ‘Disrespecting’ Christianity: ‘God Is Going to Handle You’

A few things are fundamentally true about the world: The sky is blue, grass is green and Lil Nas X is an expert troll. Now, the “Call Me By Your Name” singer is catching the ire of Twitch streamer Kai Cenat over the rapper’s latest string of posts.

In a stream on Thursday, Cenat went on a screaming rant about the rapper following the artist’s latest string of promotions for his new single. “No, f–k that! Yo, Lil Nas X, you could eat my whole d–,” he yelled, cutting himself off before finishing the last word. “I hate that n—a, bro. Now that’s just popping in my head, bro … God is going to handle you in the right way. I don’t even want to talk about that yet, bro. But, look — God is going to handle you, bro.”

When a friend on the stream asked Cenat to explain what he was upset about, Cenat refused to get specific, instead saying to “go to his page, bro. He disrespected God himself … he disrespected the whole culture, mocking it, making fun.”

Billboard has reached out to Lil Nas X’s reps for comment.

Over the last week, Lil Nas X posted across his social media, promoting his new single “J CHRIST,” dedicating his new track to Jesus Christ, “THE MAN WHO HAD THE GREATEST COMEBACK OF ALL TIME.” Along with sharing teasers for the new song and video, the singer announced that he was entering his “Christian era,” joked that he’d release his gospel music independently and even shared a fake acceptance letter to conservative Christian college Liberty University, prompting the school to clarify that he had not actually been admitted.

But amid his persistent trolling, Lil Nas X also got real with his fans, explaining that the backlash to his use of religious themes throughout his music reeked of hypocrisy. When commenters lambasted the cover art of his new single — which features him being hoisted up on a black cross — as disrespectful to Christians, the rapper clapped back quickly. “the crazy thing is nowhere in the picture is a mockery of jesus,” he wrote. “Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. I’m not making fun of s–t. yall just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. stfu.”

In another post, Lil Nas addressed claims that he trolls Christians too often. “y’all judge everything at face value. i’ve never released a visual without an underlying meaning and y’all know that. but since i’m a troll y’all discount my art as just ‘pissing ppl off,’” he wrote.

In a later post, he elaborated further, saying he didn’t appreciate the comparisons he received to artists such as Madonna and Lady Gaga, who also used Christian iconography in their art. “the problem with a lot of yall gays is yall think im trying to be like gaga or madonna when in reality with all due respect idgaf what they did and im doing what i want with my career.”

11 Jan 2024

FKA Twigs Slams ‘Double Standards’ After Her Calvin Klein Ad Is Banned in the U.K.

FKA Twigs has spoken out about the U.K.’s ban on her Calvin Klein campaign. 

After the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) blocked a recent photo advertisement starring the 36-year-old singer-songwriter posing semi-nude, Twigs shared her disapproval of the decision on Instagram Wednesday (Jan. 10). “i do not see the ‘stereotypical sexual object’ that they have labelled me,” wrote the “Two Weeks” artist. “i see a beautiful strong woman of colour whose incredible body has overcome more pain than you can imagine.” 

The banning of Twigs’ campaign is juxtaposed by a recent viral ad actor Jeremy Allen White filmed for the fashion brand, in which he models a pair of Calvin Klein underwear with objectively less coverup than Twigs wore in her photoshoot. Even so, his ad remains untouched, while the British musician’s was prohibited because it “placed viewers’ focus on the model’s body rather than on the clothing being advertised,” according to the BBC. 

“in light of reviewing other campaigns past and current of this nature, i can’t help but feel there are some double standards here,” she continued in her post, sharing the now banned black-and-white photo she shot for Calvin Klein. “i am proud of my physicality and hold the art i create with my vessel to the standards of women like josephine baker, eartha kitt and grace jones who broke down barriers of what it looks like to be empowered and harness a unique embodied sensuality.”  

“thank you to ck and mert and marcus who gave me a space to express myself exactly how i wanted to – i will not have my narrative changed,” she concluded. 

It’s been about two years since fans got new music from Twigs, whose last album Caprisongs came out in January 2022 and reached No. 91 on the Billboard 200. She did, however, update fans in December on her next project, sharing a series of clips from her recent travels on Instagram and writing, “this year i have been making my album in cabs in berlin, huts in big sur, caves in ibiza, roads in hackney, i have written lyrics by lakes in prague and in the toilets of raves with a biro on the back of my hand.” 

See FKA Twigs’ post below: 

11 Jan 2024

Ariana Grande Addresses Viral Headlines in New ‘Yes, And?’ Music Video Teaser: Watch

It’s been more than three years since Ariana Grande last released a solo music video, and the drought is finally coming to an end. In an Instagram post Thursday (Jan. 11), Grande teased the imminent music video for her forthcoming comeback single, “Yes, And?” — and she’s addressing some of the viral headlines that have hounded her over the past few years.

The teaser opens with a hand holding a red card with the acronym “AG7” — the nickname of Grande’s as-yet-untitled seventh studio album — and the coordinates 41.0359° N – 71.9545° W. The coordinates lead to Montauk, N.Y., the filming location for the Jim Carrey-starring Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a possible easter egg for what the AG7 era may bring, considering Grande’s well-documented love for Carey. The other side of the card reads: “Your presence has been exclusively requested.”

The clip then shifts to different shots of “critics” entering what appears to be an office building. “Yeah, real exclusive. Typical Ari,” deadpans one critic as she waits in an elevator. “You know, I think I liked her better when her ponytail was a few centimeters higher,” another critic replies. Yet another then chimes in, “And, I mean, who cares if she’s happy? I don’t want happy. I want Ari.”

As the critics file out of the elevator — at this point, it is 11:55 a.m., according to the on-screen text — the scene cuts to two new critics conversing in a hallway. “I miss the old Ari, you know, the singer,” bemoans one lady, while an older man replies, “You don’t say. I heard she’s starting an artisanal hummus line next,” a cheeky nod to impatient fans who were frustrated with Grande’s focus on her acting career and R.E.M. Beauty makeup line during her hiatus from music.

Near the end of the teaser, two more critics are introduced, with the first exclaiming, “Oh my God! Did she really do that?” In response, another critic says, “Well, I read it on the Internet, so it must be true!” The teaser closes with a shot of a clock striking 12:00 before cutting to a black screen that reveals the music video’s official release date: Friday, Jan. 12, at 7 a.m. PT — the same day the song officially hits DSPs. In the post, Grande tagged video director Christian Breslauer, the MTV Video Music Award-nominated mind behind such clips as Lil Nas X’s “Industry Baby” and SZA’s “Kill Bill.”

On Monday (Jan. 8), Grande shared that although “Yes, And” is not the title for her forthcoming album, the single’s artwork will be double as one of the album cover variants. She first confirmed new music at the tail end of last year with a Dec. 27 Instagram post, and officially started teasing the new single on Jan. 4 with sweatshirt bearing the track’s title — a callback to her announcement for Sweetener lead single “No Tears Left to Cry” back in 2018.

Since her hiatus, Grande has add two more Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers to her tally, both of which were collaborations with The Weeknd: “Save Your Tears” and “Die for You,” which ranked at No. 7 on the 2023 Year-End Hot 100 ranking. The multi-hyphenate has been focusing on filming Wicked, in which she is set to star as Glinda the Good Witch alongside Cynthia Erivo, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Bowen Yang, Ethan Slater and more. Wicked — the first of two movie musicals — is slated to hit theaters Nov. 27, 2024.

Check out the “Yes, And?” music video teaser below:

11 Jan 2024

‘Raw, Riveting’ Posthumous Lisa Marie Presley Memoir Due Out in Fall

Random House Books announced on Thursday (Jan. 11) that it will publish and as-yet-untitled posthumous memoir from Lisa Marie Presley. According to a release, the only daughter of king of rock Elvis Presley and ex-wife Priscilla began working on her memoir before her shocking death on Jan. 12, 2023 at age 54 from natural causes due to the effects of a small bowel obstruction.

“Born to an American myth and raised in the wilds of Graceland, Lisa Marie Presley was never truly understood . . . until now,” reads the announcement. “Before her death in 2023, she’d been working on a raw, riveting, one-of-a-kind memoir for years, recording countless hours of breathtakingly vulnerable tape, which has finally been put on the page by her daughter, Riley Keough.”

At press time the book‘s title and cover image had not yet been revealed.

Presley died at a Los Angeles hospital, where she had been rushed by paramedics responding to a 911 call of a woman in cardiac arrest at her home. No indication was made public at the time of what may have caused the medical issue. An autopsy report said Presley had been complaining of stomach pain earlier in the day. She was buried at a Jan. 22 funeral at Graceland, the home where she lived with her father as a child that has become a museum, tourist attraction and shrine for Elvis fans.

Singer/songwriter Presley released three studio albums in her lifetime — To Whom It May Concern (2003), Now What (2005) and Storm & Grace (2012) — and became the sole heir of her late father’s $100 million estate after the deaths of her grandparents before selling 85 percent of her share in 2005 to CKX, run by late SFX Entertainment founder Robert F.X. Sillerman. Keough (Daisy Jones & the Six) is the sole trustee of Graceland.

See Random House’s announcement below.

11 Jan 2024

Lesley Gore’s ‘Misty’ Becomes the Oldest Song to Lead TikTok Billboard Top 50

More than 60 years after it was released, Lesley Gore’s rendition of “Misty” hits No. 1 on a Billboard chart, crowning the TikTok Billboard Top 50 dated Jan. 13.

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The TikTok Billboard Top 50 is a weekly ranking of the most popular songs on TikTok in the United States based on creations, video views and user engagement. The latest chart reflects activity from Jan. 1 to 7. Activity on TikTok is not included in Billboard charts except for the TikTok Billboard Top 50.

“Misty,” a jazz standard first penned by Erroll Garner in 1954 and recorded by Gore for her 1963 debut album I’ll Cry If I Want To, initially debuted on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 at No. 3 (Jan. 6) prior to its rise to No. 1.

As reported last week, TikTok usages of “Misty” mostly involves a trend where the user is shown without a feature (glasses, a certain hair style, etc.) and then with that feature. Though as a spin on what’s expected, the creator usually uploads a photo of them with a friend or family member with that feature (example: a friend with glasses) instead.

“Misty” has continued to jump in Billboard chart-eligible streams since its TikTok trend took off. In the latest tracking week for charts such as the Billboard Hot 100 (Dec. 29-Jan. 4), the track earned 330,000 official on-demand U.S. streams, a boost of 36%, according to Luminate.

At more than 60 years old, “Misty” is the oldest song to reign on the TikTok Billboard Top 50 since its September 2023 inception. It takes over from the previous oldest track, as “Misty” leads following a two-week rule for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which ascended to the top of the list during the holiday season amid multiple other Christmas standards’ chart appearances. Unlike the rest, Carey actually remains on the Jan. 13 survey, albeit at No. 46.

With the path cleared of holiday tunes, Nicki Minaj’s “Everybody” featuring Lil Uzi Vert rises to a new peak of No. 2, while Playboi Carti’s “Sky” makes its monthly return to the chart, this time at No. 3, due to its “wake up, it’s the first of the month” trend.

A trio of big movers reach the TikTok Billboard Top 50’s top 10 for the first time, led by Flo Milli’s “Never Lose Me,” which vaults 13-7. One of the more recent trends using the song involves showing off medals with the caption “me if having the [insert thing here] was an award,” oftentimes the “worst ex.”

Project Pat’s “Choose U” jumps onto the chart as the top debut, ranking at No. 8. Its virality coincides with a trend where creators use the phrase “you’re the kind of girl they write books about” and then show a book cover, usually played for comedic effect.

And rounding out the top 10 as another new addition to the region is Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor.” The 2001 dance track has achieved newfound success after a synch in the new film Saltburn, and the craze has crossed over to TikTok, too, with many of the top uploads referencing the movie in some way.

“Murder on the Dancefloor” reaches the Hot 100 for the first time at No. 98, garnering 3.9 million streams, up 131%.

See the full TikTok Billboard Top 50, also featuring debuts from Coldplay, Kendrick Lamar and Drake here. You can also tune in each Friday to SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio (channel 4) to hear the premiere of the chart’s top 10 countdown at 3 p.m. ET, with reruns heard throughout the week.

11 Jan 2024

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith Urges NFL Fans to ‘Show Some Respect’ for Taylor Swift at Travis Kelce’s Games

Stephen A. Smith isn’t playing when it comes to Taylor Swift. The sports analyst recently hit back at certain NFL fans who’ve complained about the pop star’s attendance at Travis Kelce‘s Kansas City Chiefs games, insisting that her presence may even have a “positive impact” on the tight end’s playing. 

“I have to take a moment to come to the defense of Taylor Swift,” a fired-up Smith said on ESPN’s First Take on Wednesday (Jan. 10). “Everybody’s sitting up there and acting like she’s some kind of impediment — excuse me, she did her job! That Eras Tour? Off the chain. Generated billions.”  

“She’s going to support her dude,” he continued. “To show up at a game and the cameras are on her — that ain’t her fault! And excuse me, by the way, she went to the games after the concerts. It’s not like she used the games to bump up the concerts. Oh no! Those kids were going to her concerts whether the NFL was promoting her or not!”  

Smith’s defense of Swift comes amid speculation that the “Anti-Hero” singer’s much-publicized visits to Arrowhead Stadium have been too distracting, be it for Kelce, his teammates or football fans. Earlier on in her relationship with Kelce, the NFL’s zoomed-in coverage of the star was a complaint among some viewers, and it was even the subject of a bombed joke from host Jo Koy at the Golden Globes Sunday (Jan. 7). 

“The big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift,” the comedian quipped as cameras cut to Swift, who reacted with a cold stare.  

It’s something that the 12-time Grammy winner herself addressed in her December Person of the Year cover story. “I’m just there to support Travis … I have no awareness of if I’m being shown too much and pissing off a few dads, Brads and Chads,” she told the publication. 

And for all intents and purposes, it seems like Smith agrees. “Taylor Swift is that girl,” he added. “Let’s show some respect. She probably is gonna have a positive impact on Travis Kelce’s performance, OK? I’m not trying to disrespect Taylor Swift.” 

See Smith defend Swift below: 

11 Jan 2024

No, Lil Nas X Was Not Actually Admitted to Liberty University to Study ‘Christian Leadership’

As Lil Nas X ascends into his Christian era, one Christian organization is making it clear that it has nothing to do with the superstar — and that’s Liberty University.

In a post to his Instagram on Tuesday (Jan. 9), the “Industry Baby” rapper claimed that he had been accepted into the Christian school founded by evangelical conservative Jerry Falwell Sr., with an emphasis in “Christian leadership and bible studies” according to a photo of an alleged acceptance letter signed by the late Falwell himself. In his caption, Lil Nas asserted the document’s authenticity, saying that “not everything is a troll.”

While that may be true, Liberty University wants you to know that the singer’s post was, in fact, a troll. In a statement shared with Billboard, a spokesperson for the university said that Lil Nas X would not be attending the school in the fall. “We can confirm that Liberty University did not issue the Montero Hill ‘acceptance letter’ posted yesterday to social media, and we have no record of Montero Hill applying to the university,” the statement read.

“Liberty University exists to glorify God by equipping men and women in higher education in fidelity to the Christian faith expressed through the Holy Scriptures,” the statement went on. “We continue to pray for America and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be proclaimed across this land. We welcome all to apply and join us at Liberty University.”

The news comes as Lil Nas X promotes his forthcoming new single “J CHRIST,” which he dedicated to the “THE MAN WHO HAD THE GREATEST COMEBACK OF ALL TIME,” Jesus Christ. In a teaser for the song’s upcoming music video, celebrity lookalikes mimicking stars such as Taylor Swift, Oprah, Barack Obama, Kanye West and Mariah Carey ascend a massive staircase into heaven.