Music News

08 Dec 2023

Beyonce Thanks Fans for ‘Outpouring of Love’ Amid ‘Renaissance’ Film Success

Beyonce is feeling all the love.

The “Alien Superstar” singer took to Instagram on Friday (Dec. 8) to share “gratitude” for the fans and team who supported her Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce concert documentary that hit theaters on Dec. 1.

“I am so deeply thankful to AMC and every team member who worked so hard on this film. I just can’t thank all of you enough for your support,” she wrote in her post, adding, “I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from my Hive. And WOW! I am so touched and encouraged by the incredible reviews!!!”

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She added, “I love seeing everyone all dressed up in their most opulent lewks in the theaters. The mutechallenges still happening, even in the theater!! Y’all are cracking me up. Please keep that energy going. I can’t wait to see what else yall do :)”

See the post here.

Prior to its Friday opening, Renaissance enjoyed star-studded premieres in Los Angeles (Nov. 25) and London (Nov. 30). The latter was attended by Taylor Swift and other celebs, including Michelle Williams, Blake Lively and will.i.am.

The concert documentary was written, executive produced and co-directed by the 32-time Grammy winner, and chronicles her record-breaking Renaissance World Tour.

The superstar singer’s Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé is likely to earn between between $22 and $24 million in its domestic debut, giving it the largest early December opening in two decades, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

08 Dec 2023

Celebrate Hanukkah With This Playlist: Songs From Haim, Remedy, Matisyahu & More

It is time for the Hanukkah spirit, and everyone knows the world needs a little bit more light in this time of darkness and war. Those at the Nova Music Festival (who have spun shows for the people lost) are still managing to play music while everything is happening to help heal. I hope this diverse array of Hanukkah bangers can help people heal. Here are 18 songs: Eight candles on each menorah plus two shamash to light them. Eighteen means chai, and that means life.

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Artikal Sound System, “Eight Days of Hannukah”

This is a holiday album that crushes a reggae Hanukkah vibe. If the whole world had a reggae twist, we’d probably get along better. Kudos to the group for singing about the “Eight Days of Hannukah” on an album of mostly Christmas songs. It usually is the eight nights that get all the shine — but don’t forget the daytime.

Matisyahu, “Happy Hanukkah”

There’s nothing like Matisyahu – a man who has been rocking sold-out Hanukkah shows for years – doing a show during Hanukkah. He recently played his song “One Day” for 300,000 people in Washington, D.C. at the March for Israel, and will be at Chelsea Music Hall on Dec. 12.

Nissim Black and Kosha Dillz, “The Hanukkah Song 2.0”

Remixing an old Adam Sandler song to make a new bop. The best part of this video is that it was recorded in Times Square on Thanksgiving and Hanukkah — Thanksgivukkah, which happened in 2013, occurs about once every gazillion years. The bop went so well that we remixed it last year with “The Hanukkah Song 3.0.”

The Maccabeats, “We’re Still Here”

Nothing fights the evils of antisemitism like a solid men’s a cappella group — and the Maccabeats have returned with another Hanukkah banger. Here is their anthem, “We’re Still Here.”

Six13, “Era-Lution of Taylor Swift (Chanukah’s Version)”

Taylor Swift has had a big year. I went to perform outside one of her concerts and nearly had to pay $100 for parking but was gifted entry thanks to my Wild ‘N Out fame. What would happen if she was covered by a Jewish a cappella group for Hanukkah? This. It features so many great rewrites — “they defiled the temple when they walked in” and “we don’t never ever ever use proper letters.” It’s so bad it’s good. I can’t stop watching it, and the outfit changes are just lovely.

Gal De Paz, “Bring Them Home”

This powerful artist is like the Amy Winehouse of Israel. Gal, lead singer of the Paz Band, has an angelic voice and cries out for women’s rights. The video places tape on her mouth while a chorus sings a powerful and anthemic “bring them home” chant. It is a solemn one. It is moving.

A$AP Rocky ft. Fat Tony, “Get Lit”

I know this isn’t the typical Hanukkah song, but maybe a Rihanukkah song? How can you not include this 2011 bop where A$AP Rocky gets lit alongside Houston’s best friend and positive rap creator, Fat Tony? “Get Lit” is how we do the candles.

Stephane Legar, “סטפן לגר – אתם בלב”

The French-Israel artist – who raps in French and Hebrew – shares his message over irresistible Afrobeats. You might be amazed by his mere existence, but you can tell by the video he is a star who deserves a spot on the menorah.

Remedy, “Never Again”

The original Jewish rapper of Wu-Tang Clan affiliation has recorded and produced many songs over the years, but the one that most resonates throughout the Jewish world is “Never Again.” One person wrote on his Instagram page, “This is the first song I listened to after October 7.” That reason deserves the shamash (lamplighter spot).

Ness & Stilla, “Harbu Darbu”

Echad shtime! Fifty years ago, Leonard Cohen came to Israel to sing on the front lines. Hanukkah is a story of Jews fighting back in a war. This is almost like a version of that in trap and drill form — a paralyzed country reacting to what life is like when everyone you know is at war. The reason? Trauma. Anger. Fear. Strength. Depression. The result? A No. 1 song in Israel and a reshare from Mia Khalifa.

Blippi and Meekah, “Snow Globe Surprise” / The Kiboomers, “I Have a Little Dreidel”



My friend Adam Swig of Value Culture showed me a children’s Hanukkah video I can’t get out of my psyche. These kids celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah in school – and this 60-minute video shows it all. The kids are having so much fun with “I Have a Little Dreidel.” Watch it above and smile.

Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah”

This legend heard about the Yom Kippur War and managed to get to Israel to sing in 1973. It inspired me on my current trip where I recently went to perform for soldiers. There wasn’t much organization when he came to sing songs in Israel, but he felt in his heart that he should come and sing. In a time of chaos, this certainly hits the holiday spirit.

Adam Sandler, “The Chanukah Song”

In celebration of Adam’s film You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, where his character’s 13-year-old daughter has a bat mitzvah, I figure he can take the 13th spot for this playlist. Adam Sandler’s song will find its way onto every Hanukkah playlist, just as socks are given as presents during gift-giving holidays. Enjoy it with your gin and tonica.

Too Short, “The Hanukkah Song”

We don’t need Kanye West when it comes to a Hanukkah rap song — we have Too Short. I met Too Short at a show and later on Wild ‘N Out. If anyone can pull off a hip-hop Hanukkah song, it’s him. “I’m frying latkes making a mess, time to make some gelt / I ate mom’s brisket, time to loosen my belt.” These are lyrics that make you feel empowered…to eat.

Haim, “Little of Your Love” / A-Wa, “Hana Mash Hu Al Yaman”



Not every song has to be an ode to the menorah on this playlist. Here we have two sets of three sisters, all with the surname Haim. One sings in English, the other in old Yemenite. They both wear great outfits and I don’t think many have discovered the Hanukkah miracle that there are now six singing Haim sisters. Watch the American ones, then travel over to the other side of the globe and watch A-WA. Shout out to my Yemenite Jewish homies celebrating Hanukkah.

Lola Marsh & RedBand, “Feel It Still”

I randomly saw Lola Marsh and tried to chase her down but then I went down a rabbit hole of her songs. I played a show with Portugal. The Man (one of my favorite bands) once and now that band is covered by Lola Marsh and RedBand. The worlds collide. “I’m a rebel just for kicks” certainly describes the Maccabees during Hanukkah.

Kosha Dillz, “Bring the Family Home”

I usually do a Hanukkah song every year but this one has been different. A war. A world of problems and sadness and anger. Instead of making my Hanukkah song for Dec. 7, I made this song on Oct. 7, so I will throw it here to light to the menorah.

Gabriella Cohen, “Dream Woman”

In times of conflict and war, they say women hold it down — and are certainly the most outspoken against hatred. Although that isn’t the topic here, this indie rock ballad has some important words.

I hope this is enough music to illuminate the darkness. If you didn’t find everything above, check out my long playlist of Jewish artists, rappers and bands. There are a “latke” songs to choose from.

Kosha Dillz is a Brooklyn-based rapper on MTV’s Wild ‘N Out and a touring performer who is also a standup comedian and filmmaker. He recently started a viral street interview series called “Bring the Family Home” on his Instagram and dropped a song called “Ceasefire.” He is currently in Israel looking for his father’s shoes that he left there and plans to bring them home. His holiday show is at TimeOut Market on Dec. 19 in Brooklyn.

08 Dec 2023

Here’s What Nicki Minaj Had to Say About Billboard’s Top ‘Pink Friday 2’ Song

In celebration of Nicki Minaj’s long awaited Pink Friday 2 release, Billboard ranked our favorite songs from the album — and surprised the rapper in the process.

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When she saw that her Lil Uzi Vert collaboration, “Everybody,” topped the list, Minaj took to Twitter to respond and share the story behind the song. “This is mad funny b/c that was the song I wrote in 5 mins one day for ‘Call Of Duty,’” she recalled. “Once I kept it for my album, I still didn’t even rlly know if it made sense on PF2. I didn’t wanna send it to Uzi b/c I thought he’d be over it. Instead he was like this hard af!”

The 22-song Pink Friday 2 is the follow-up to Minaj’s 2018 album, Queen, which peaked at No. 2 on both the all-genre Billboard 200 albums chart and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart upon its release. The upcoming album’s predecessor, 2010’s Pink Friday, topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart for six weeks and the Billboard 200 for one week.

PF2 was slated to land on November 17, but was delayed to Dec. 8 which also serves as Minaj’s 41st birthday. For her fifth studio album, Nicki made sure to reconnect with her roots. “When I look back at a lot of my music, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God, where was the me in it?’” she told Vogue last month. “So for this album, I went back to the old game plan … The idea that saying something like that could give hope to people — that optimistic outlook is something I think I got away from.”

08 Dec 2023

ONE N’ ONLY on ‘You are / Hook Up’ EP, With Songs About Straightforward Love & Desire for Personal Connection

ONE N’ ONLY, a Japanese dance and vocal unit that celebrated its fifth anniversary this year, recently released a new EP, You are / Hook Up. The EP, which came out on Dec. 6, contains eight new songs. The title song, “You are,” is the group’s first ballad. “Hook Up” is also the name of their tour of all 47 of Japan‘s prefectures, which began Oct. 13. Another song on the EP, “EVOL,” is already a mainstay of their live shows. Billboard Japan talked to them about the highlights of You are / Hook Up, the making of the EP, their impressions of EBiDAN THE LIVE UNIVERSE 2023, and more.

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You’ve recently had a rush of new releases, including this new EP, You are / Hook Up. A month ago, you began streaming a new song, “Freaking Happy.” I’m sure your schedule lately has been really hard lately as you were recording this new material.

TETTA: It was a really intense period of recording, but somehow we made it through. It was a really fulfilling time. We even recorded a music video in the midst of our 47 prefecture tour.

HAYATO: We film a lot of our music videos on location, so we go to urban ruins or overseas sites. But, looking back, even after our five-month period of continuous releases, we’ve been able to release even more.

NAOYA: We’ve been in this cycle of performing at various summer events, and then as soon as they’re finished we go in to record a new song.

HAYATO: Yeah, there’s no need to downplay it, our schedule’s been really hard. (laughs)

And in the middle of all that, you also had EBiDAN THE LIVE UNIVERSE 2023.

HAYATO: That was so fun.

TETTA: Yeah. EBiDAN LIVE really brought EBiDAN together. Until EBiDAN LIVE, each group performed their own music at their own events, so it felt like we were colleagues but, at the same time, rivals. With this event, though, we all really bonded and worked together as one.

KENSHIN: The Soiya project, which everyone in EBiDAN took part in, was another huge accomplishment for us.

EIKU: Right.  I’m sure there are people out there who learned about ONE N’ through the project and became fans. In EBiDAN LIVE, we played with label-mates, with different sets and lineups. It was a ton of fun. Yuki from Bullet Train was involved in the production, so we really got to interact a lot more. I’m looking forward to performing with everyone again!

And then you released “You are” and “Hook Up.” These are two very different types of songs.

REI: The EP shows a different side of us, coming right after “Freaking Happy.”

KENSHIN: “You are” was sung by our three vocalists (TETTA, REI, and EIKU), and it’s a song about really straightforward love. The melody, the choreography, it all conveys a different emotional feel than our past songs. It expresses its own well fleshed-out worldview, so I hope people realize that it’s a love song to our SWAGs.

It’s bound to strike an emotional chord with the audience when you perform it live.

TETTA: Right. Plus, we’ve never sung any rock ballads before, so I was really happy to be able to sing a song like this. Personally, I like rock music, and this song opened my eyes to what a surprisingly good match ONE N’s JK-POP and rock are. I think this may have opened the door to more rock-like songs in the future. It’s an extremely freeing song, and it sounds great even with some vocal arrangement twists, so I’d love to perform it live.

“Hook Up” is almost its polar opposite.

HAYATO: It’s really different from “You are.” There’s a lot of rap in “Hook Up,” but I love how these two songs showcase our strengths. We’ve always had a lot of hip-hop based songs, but this is our first time doing this much sampling, so it was really exciting. When we were planning for our tour of all 47 prefectures, we all talked about what to call the tour. We wanted for everyone to feel connected, so we went with the slang “Hook Up!” This song really matched up with that theme. Due, in part, to that, we decided on “Hook Up” as the name of the song, too, and the lyrics became all about racing across Japan. What we ended up with was a more positive-feeling song.

KENSHIN: I sing the start of the second verse, and the lyrics in my part are perfect for this 47 prefecture tour theme. I feel it even more when performing it live, and the song has a lot of interplay with the SWAGs, so it gets everyone amped up. When we perform it live, we take time before the chorus to teach the audience (the call and response), which gets people even more excited, so you can really feel the live ONE N’ experience. A lot of the shows in our 47 prefecture tour are at clubs, so the song is even more special, creating a greater sense of unity with the crowd.

Years from now, when you hear this song, they’ll remember the 47 prefecture tour.

NAOYA: Definitely!

TETTA: Really vividly.

EIKU: It’s such an exciting song. However, the choreography is pretty exhausting, even compared to our other songs, so it’s also a hard song to perform.

HAYATO: It’s so hard!!

EIKU: When we were filming the music video, the dancing took so much stamina, it was a tough shoot. But the energy that goes into our moves looks great on-screen and made for a really cool music video.

HAYATO: We filmed the video in Chigasaki, which is a center for skateboarding, basketball, graphics, and other elements of hip-hop culture. The weather forecast said it would be cloudy all day, but it ended up being sunny.

That’s because you’re stars!

TETTA: Of course!

Haha! I’m sure the music video will also have a really open feel to it.

TETTA: Our performance in the video is really fun, too. KAITA did the choreography for it. KAITA always has really powerful vibes, but this time the dance was three times more energetic than usual. The dancing is really a blast.

REI: The song has a pretty strong hip-hop feel, and it really put our abilities to the test. I love the kind of atmosphere it creates, and I’m sure that aesthetic is going to shine even more when we perform it live. I like our performance in the song even more than the other things we’ve done, so I want to do right by it.

The EP has a lot of other wonderful songs, too.

TETTA: I love the melody to “I Don’t Know.” It’s fast and the singing requires some technical skills, but the chorus uses falsetto. It has a very sophisticated feel. It’s one of my favorites. I like it so much that during show rehearsals, even though we’re not planning on performing it in the show itself, we use it for the sound check.

“I Don’t Know” was JUNE’s first song in a while, right? How did it feel taking direction from him again after all this time?

HAYATO: He has a really strong aesthetic.

KENSHIN: JUNE does the vocals in the demos he sends us, and they’re so polished you could probably release the demos as-is.

TETTA: Yeah!  So it always feels to me like we’re doing a cover version. Also, each time I hear a new song from him, I can tell that he’s expecting even more out of us, so it’s really exciting (laughs). The switch-ups in the arrangement were complex, so I struggled with them a bit, but it was really fun.

“The Light” is another cool song.

TETTA: It’s wonderful. At the same time, I feel like it ratchets up expectations for our performance.

KENSHIN: The rap in the second verse was so hard that I really struggled during the recording. It took a long time to make it truly my own. But I recorded that part over and over again, and everyone stuck there with me to the end. I could really feel everyone’s love for the group.

REI: When I heard “Nice Guy,” I was like, “Perfect.” (laughs) In a certain sense, it’s an unusual song for us, so we had to think about the best way to make it shine. We still haven’t developed the choreography for it, but our own efforts have a big impact on the quality of a song, so I want us to really think hard about this one before we perform it.

NAOYA: I particularly like “Turn it up.” It’s a very Japanese-feeling take on hip-hop, and it’s addictive. That said, it’s also a really hard song, and we had to record the rap parts several times. It’s the kind of song I hope people listen to closely.

EIKU: This was the first song I performed a spoken part on. I gave it a bit of a bad-boy feel, so keep your ears open for it.

TETTA: When I first heard it, I didn’t even think it was you, EIKU!  I thought it was HAYATO. So I guess you really look up to HAYATO…

HAYATO: Haha!

TETTA: It feels totally natural, and the transition from your lines, EIKU, to your singing, HAYATO, was really smooth.

You mean because of EIKU’s respect for HAYATO?

EIKU: Huh?! Uh, yeah! (laughs)

HAYATO: You sound like that was dragged out of you. (laughs)

I’m looking forward to hearing these songs performed live.

HAYATO: As we’re celebrating our 5th anniversary and touring all of Japan’s 47 prefectures, with this EP we’ve also fully leveraged the rap and vocal strengths we’ve been refining through the years. For now, we want to make it through the tour without any accidents or injuries and top the tour off with a successful final performance at Pacifico Yokohama, so make sure to come see us!

—This interview by Kana Yoshida first appeared on Billboard Japan

08 Dec 2023

Kim Kardashian Shares Video of North West Dancing to ‘Pink Friday 2’: ‘Biggest Nicki Minaj Fan!’

North West is one with the Barbs. The morning of Nicki Minaj‘s latest album release, Kim Kardashian shared an adorable video of her 10-year-old daughter dancing along to the new record.

In the Friday (Dec. 8) TikTok clip, North energetically dances to “Everybody,” one of 22 new tracks on Pink Friday 2. Decked out in a pink baseball cap and sunglasses, a “Barbie” T-shirt and a Nicki-esque “Barbie” jeweled necklace, she looks perfectly on theme as she improvises choreography to the song, which features a heavy sample of Junior Senior’s “Move Your Feet.”

“Pink Friday2???????,” reads the caption.

Kardashian and her eldest daughter, who share the TikTok account “KimandNorth,” also posted a photo of North posing in front of a pink Christmas tree and modeling her Barb gear. “Biggest @Nicki Minaj fan!!” the pair wrote.

The posts come as Minaj’s fifth studio album finally arrives after several delays, with the rapper changing its release date a couple times in recent months before settling on her 41st birthday. Her first LP since 2018’s Queen, Pink Friday 2 serves as a sequel to the artist’s iconic debut album and features collaborators Future (“Nicki Hendrix”), J. Cole (“Let Me Calm Down”), Lil Uzi Vert (“Everybody”) and gospel star Tasha Cobbs Leonard (“Blessings”).

North is Kardashian’s oldest child with ex-husband Kanye West, preceding siblings Saint, Psalm and Chicago. She and her mom often post silly videos together on TikTok, with North dressing up as both her famous dad and Ice Spice at different times this year. In October, the mom-daughter duo went as Cher and Dionne from Clueless for Halloween and shared their joint costume on the platform.

Watch North dance to Nicki Minaj’s new music below:

08 Dec 2023

Nicki Minaj Drops ‘Pink Friday 2’: See the Best Fan Reactions

For Barbz around the world, today is a holiday. On Friday, Dec. 8, legions of Nicki Minaj fans made their way to Gag City to celebrate the release of the rapper’s highly anticipated Pink Friday 2. With the use of AI, fans created a virtual kingdom complete with local attractions inspired by different Minaj songs and lyrics; even Sexyy Red, Tyla and Spotify made the pilgrimage to Gag City.

Pink Friday 2 is Minaj’s long-awaited fifth studio album and the sequel to Pink Friday, her Billboard 200-topping 2010 debut album. The new 22-track set features collaborations with Drake, J. Cole, Lil Wayne, Skeng, Skillibeng, Lourdiz, Tate Kobang, Lil Uzi Vert, Future and Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Several of Minaj’s recent singles also appear on the tracklist, including “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” “Last Time I Saw You,” and the Billboard Hot 100-topping “Super Freaky Girl.”

Nicki Minaj has earned 133 Hot 100 hits, three of which hit the summit. On the Billboard 200, the 2024 Grammy nominee has sent two titles to No. 1 — Pink Friday and 2012’s Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded — from six career entries, all of which hit the top 10.

Here are some of the best fan reactions to Pink Friday 2 (which coincides with Minaj’s 41st birthday!).

08 Dec 2023

Britney Spears Thanks Fans for Crowning ‘The Woman in Me’ the Best Memoir of 2023 on Goodreads: ‘This Makes Me So Happy’

Britney Spears is finishing off 2023 with one more achievement on her resumé. On Thursday (Dec. 7), the “…Baby One More Time” singer took to Twitter to reveal that her memoir, The Woman In Me, received the fan-voted honor of best memoir and autobiography by the 2023 Goodreads Choice Awards.

“Thank you for naming my memoir, THE WOMAN IN ME, the 2023 Goodreads Choice Award winner for Best Memoir & Autobiography!!! This makes me so happy!!!” she shared. For those who still have yet to complete their reading list for the year, Spears added information on how fans can get their hands on a copy, digitally or otherwise: “If you haven’t yet … grab your copy in stores or at http://britneybook.com and listen to the audio book narrated by Michelle Williams wherever audiobooks are available !!!”

Spears’ memoir, released earlier this year on Oct. 24, quickly became a best seller. In the day following its arrival, Spears stated the book was “the highest selling celebrity memoir in history” within its first day on shelves. “And it’s only day 1 !!!” she added. “Thank you to the fans who have been so supportive !!! Love you all ? !!!” At the time of Spears’ comments, the memoir was No. 1 on Amazon.com’s list of most read and sold non-fiction books, and currently maintains the top spot as of publishing time.

The memoir detailed Spears’ relationship with Justin Timberlake — she wrote that the couple had an abortion amid claims he wasn’t ready to ready for fatherhood, and said that she cheated on him after he allegedly had affairs with other women. Following the pair’s breakup — which occurred over text — the “Gimme More” singer said in the book that Timberlake sent her a framed letter.

Other bombshells from the book included insight into her 55-hour marriage to Jason Alexander (according to Spears, she was “just honestly very drunk”), her fling with Colin Farrell (“We were all over each other, grappling so passionately it was like we were in a street fight”) and some of her most iconic pop culture moments, namely the star being the mastermind behind her “…Baby One More Time” schoolgirl outfit.

See Spears’ celebratory tweet about her memoir below.

08 Dec 2023

Charlie Puth on How Joining TikTok Early Changed His Career: ‘There’s No Age Discrimination Anymore’

On Sunday, Dec. 10, TikTok will host its first live global music event, TikTok in the Mix, with a slate of star headliners — including Cardi B, Niall Horan, Anitta and Charlie Puth. 

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In addition to the performances, the sold-out one-day event will bring to life TikTok’s famous For You page with a variety of in-person activities, inspired by the platform’s most-loved trends. 

“My first thought was, ‘I’m glad that I was one of their first calls,’” says Puth, “because it’s played such a huge part in my career. I think the app has been able to explain my musical process better than anything else.”

Plus, as he says, it’s provided a perfect place to show off his humor: “I’ve been a fan of internet meme culture for a very long time,” he says. “I was the kid on EbaumsWorld.com in like, 2003.”

Puth was in fact among the first artists to embrace the platform. And now, he says he continues to reap the benefits, from fans rediscovering his older hits to feeling like he can finally bring fans inside the creation of those songs – an experience he hopes to bring to the stage this weekend.

“What I really want to showcase when I’m on the stage is the creation of music, and how you don’t need a million-dollar recording studio — you can just have your phone and record sounds,” he says. “And maybe that’s doing my usual shtick that I do on TikTok, of building layers and consequently songs coming out of that … I know that there’s gonna be a lot of aspiring musicians and kids watching, and I just wanna show them that they have it within them to make music.” (Fans at home can tune in via livestream on TikTok.)

Below, Puth reveals why he was such an early adopter of the app, whether or not he’s an avid scroller (spoiler: he gives himself a time limit) and more.

What do you remember about joining TikTok and what excited you about it?  

I  thought it was an app just for memes, like, where kids would distort the s–t out of “See You Again” and make fun of it, and I wanted to see what it was like. I saw this – it was 2019 and I think it was a Tuesday – and there was this “Lottery (Renegade)” trend going on, it’s [a song] by K Camp, the rapper. I don’t know what people were doing at the time, but I thought it would be funny to make it musical, and I guess I was one of the first artists to hop on the app train early. I was on Musical.ly before — I’m just such a fan of the internet. And I woke up and my video had, like, 20 million views. So I was like, “Okay, they obviously like me.” That’s my first memory. It was my birthday, too.

You have quite a good memory. 

If I just tie something musical to anything, I can remember where I was, what I was doing.

So between then and now, how have you seen TikTok impact your career? 

The music industry seems to be changing every month. And it is so high-paced now, it’s not as traditional as just going to a TV outlet and performing your song and being done. It’s kind of nice catching a vibe from real-life listeners and enjoyers of music. And not changing your music based around that, but just having a constant audience. Like, I love making music with people in the studio, because I feel like I’m performing for them in a way — and it kind of feels like that virtually [on TikTok]. So I think it’s enhanced my creative process.  

How does that translate when you meet your fans in person?

It’s always evident, the divide in the age group. I think those who were born in 2008 know me from the app and the app only. But those who are a little older remember when I got signed and [released] “See You Again.” I’ll take it all. I love the fact that there are people who are just discovering the song “Attention,” and those who have known it for a very long time and are hearing a different version of it. It’s kind of a musical hodgepodge.  

What are the benefits of being able to extend a song’s lifespan? 

Well, it is crazy, and it is because of this app. I remember when I first got signed, there was kind of unwritten scripture: When you turn 30 and you get older as an artist, you’re not gonna be played on top 40 radio as much. I never thought that was true — and I always thought it was kind of stupid, quite frankly. And I love radio. But I’m really glad that they’ve adapted to the times of playing artists who weren’t born in 2005. They’re playing Jelly Roll, they’re playing the “Running Up That Hill” Kate Bush song. It shows that all music can be appreciated and there’s no age discrimination anymore. So it kind of makes me relax a little bit, knowing that a song of mine that I wrote seven years ago might have a chance at showing its hand again.

Do you also use TikTok as a fan yourself? 

To each one’s own, but I never scroll to get inspiration. I think the best inspiration you can get is by going for a walk and not having your phone on. And then going to TikTok and uploading and sharing your talent with the world. That’s usually what I do. Of course, there’s Sunday nights where I don’t feel like watching the Nancy Meyers movie that my fiancée wants to watch, and I just want to watch computer videos. But I try and limit it to an hour.

08 Dec 2023

Kendall A. Minter, Veteran Entertainment Attorney, Dead at 71

Veteran entertainment attorney Kendall A. Minter, whose diverse range of past and present clients included songwriter-producers Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox and D’Mile, MC Lyte, Kirk Franklin, Lena Horne and the Backstreet Boys, has died. He passed away suddenly from medical complications on Dec. 6 in Atlanta. He was 71.

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Minter, a longtime social advocate who also represented politicians, religious leaders, churches, authors and sports figures, was also the general counsel and an officer of the Living Legends Foundation. In 2015 Minter was presented with the 32-year-old organization’s Chairman’s Award.

“Kendall and I have been friends and colleagues for more than 30 years,” said Living Legends chairman David C. Linton in a statement released by the organization. “Kendall is one of the reasons why the Living Legends Foundation has maintained and survived as one of the leading and one of the few Black music organizations. We’re still standing because of his guidance. He helped us sustain the organization through some turbulent times, especially during the transition from the old model of the recording industry to today’s model, providing us with steady and sound legal counsel. We’re forever grateful for his service and leadership, not only to the Living Legends Foundation, but to the other Black organizations that he helped build during the past 40 years as well as his commitment to a long list of Black music and entertainment executives that he mentored and counseled.”

Before his death, Minter was Of Counsel with the entertainment & sports practice group at Greenspoon Marder LLP in Stone Mountain, Georgia. At Greenspoon Marder, he represented clientele in the areas of entertainment, corporate, intellectual property, sports and new media matters.

He also led and maintained his 43-year law practice, now known as Minter & Associates, based in Atlanta. Over the course of that period, his varied clientele past and present also included Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Miriam Makeba, Peter Tosh, Musiq Soulchild, Goodie Mob, Montell Jordan, Ashanti, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Teddy Riley, Heavy D & The Boyz, radio pioneer Frankie Crocker, boxer Evander Holyfield, the Government of Jamaica and The Central Park Five, now known as The Exonerated Five, among others.

Minter also co-founded and served as the first executive director of the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association (BESLA) and was the former chairman of the Rhythm & Blues Foundation. He served as a board member as well for Sound Exchange, Georgia Music Partners and the DeKalb Entertainment Commission.

Born May 24, 1952 and raised in the Flushing section of Queens, NY, Minter earned his B.A. in political science from Cornell University in 1974 and his law degree from Cornell Law School in 1976. His first job out of law school was as association general counsel and corporate representative for broadcasting at Fairchild Industries. Over the course of his law career, Minter practiced with firms in Georgia, New York and the District of Columbia. He launched his first solo practice, the Law Firm of Kendall A. Minter, in 1980 and later opened affiliated offices in Los Angeles and London.

Minter’s other accomplishments include writing the book Understanding and Negotiating 3600 Ancillary Rights Deals: An Artist’s Guide to Negotiating 3600 Record Deals. He served as well as an adjunct professor at Georgia State University in the School of Music and the College of Law, where he taught copyright and music publishing.

Details about funeral services for Minter will be announced shortly.

08 Dec 2023

Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish & SZA Get Hyped For Ariana Grande’s New Music: ‘FINALLY’

It’s not just the general population that’s been waiting years for Ariana Grande to release new music — even some of the world’s biggest pop stars are growing impatient.

Luckily, it seems the “7 Rings” singer is finally back in the studio based on a carousel of photos and video clips she posted Thursday (Dec. 7), showing her working with producers and editing tracks on a computer. Among the many ecstatic commenters on the post were stars Selena Gomez, Billie Eilish and SZA, each of whom seem as excited as the rest of Grande’s fans for a potential new release.

“FINALLY,” wrote Gomez in all caps.

“UN MUTE PLS,” commented Eilish, referring to the soundless video clips Grande posted of her mystery project.

As far as SZA’s concerned, however, she doesn’t need to hear what Grande’s working on to know that it’s going to be good. “Oh this bout to eat,” commented the “Kill Bill” artist.

It’s been more than three years since Grande has had an LP, with the Billboard 200-topping Positions arriving in October 2020. Aside from a couple stray collaborations with The Weeknd (including two No. 1 Hot 100 hits), Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson and Jimmy Fallon — plus a tenth anniversary edition of her debut album Yours Truly — since then, the 30-year-old vocalist has primarily been taking a break from her pop star activities to focus on her R.E.M. Beauty business and filming the Wicked live action films.

And while the “POV” singer hasn’t confirmed whether an album is in the works, fans are convinced that her post is teasing an LP. The next album Grande releases will be her seventh studio record, and observers were quick to notice that the musician’s post featured seven photos/videos in addition to being shared on the seventh day of the month.

Her Wicked costar Cynthia Erivo’s comment on the post only added fuel to the fire. “Love you sweetheart, no one is ready, I’m so freaking proud of you!! This project is so freaking special!!!” wrote the singer-actress, who will play Elphaba opposite Grande’s Glinda in the musical duology.

Grande’s friend and frequent collaborator Victoria Monet also chimed in — “She’s HOME!!!????” — as well as Ty Dolla $ign, who wrote, “She backkkk.”

See Grande’s post here.