Music News

20 Nov 2023

R&B/Hip-Hop Fresh Picks of the Week: Inayah, Terrace Martin & Gallant, ScarLip, Jenn Carter & More

We are officially in awards season, folks! On Sunday night (Nov. 19), Billboard announced the winners of the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, with Beyoncé, Drake, The Weeknd, SZA, 21 Savage, Nicki Minaj and Metro Boomin reigning victorious in the rap and R&B categories. The 2023 Soul Train Music Awards were also taped last night; Keke Palmer will host the R&B-centric awards ceremony, which is set to air on Sunday, Nov. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and BET Her. SZA, Summer Walker and Usher lead the nominations with nine nods each.

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In the midst of all of the celebratory extravaganzas, New Music Friday (Nov. 17) proceeded with business as usual, dumping a plethora of new tracks to listen to over the holiday break. With Fresh Picks, Billboard aims to highlight some of the best and most interesting new sounds across R&B and hip-hop — from ScarLip’s fast-rising new hit to Inayah’s tender, Fantasia-nodding R&B jam.

Be sure to check out this week’s Fresh Picks in our Spotify playlist below.

Freshest Find: Inayah, “For The Streets”

Since its release back in 2007, Fantasia’s “When I See U” has become a certified R&B classic — the kind of song everyone covers for fun but no one would dare try to truly make their own. Enter Inayah, a rising R&B star who flips an interpolation of the song’s lyrics and instrumental into a no-holds-barred takedown of ain’t s–t men. “I had your picture on my mirror/ I took that s–t down/ Finally see that you been a clown/ Been holding us down while you f–king ’round,” she opens the song. Inayah smartly delivers each line with a sneaky wink, nodding to the sublime amalgam of the unmistakably iconic aura of Fantasia’s original and the tongue-in-cheek gems of truths sprinkled throughout her own track.

41 & Jenn Carter, “Problems”


https://youtube.com/watch?v=xHkfmujjZeE&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

One of the new tracks from 41’s “11-track EP” 41 World: Not the Album, “Problems” is a Jenn Carter solo cut that is yet another reminder that she’s one of the most captivating voices coming out of the Brooklyn drill scene right now. The Touchamill-produced tracks find her getting a bit introspective as she waxes poetic about a relationship in turmoil. Sonically in a lane most similar to the most lovelorn snap-laden ballads of A Boogie wit da Hoodie and Lil Tjay, “Problems” proves just how versatile Jenn is. “Takin’ all my еnergy, tryna’ keep you next to me / Wе been through the worst, but I know you want the best for me/ Why you keep on testing me?/ Like, you know these bitches texting me?” she spits.

Jay Rock feat. Bongo ByTheWay, “Still That Way”

It’s been five years since Redemption, but Jay Rock has been making up for the lengthy wait between studio albums with a steady stream of new music this year. His latest offering is the Bongo ByTheWay-helmed “Still That Way,” a booming anthem that treads the familiar ground of celebrating success while still maintaining the grounding and authenticity of your roots. Triumphant brass and skittering hi-hats provide most of the instrumental’s background while Jay Rock’s commanding voice supplies the momentum.

ScarLip, “Blick”

Since becoming one of this year’s biggest new stars with her rousing late-summer anthem “This Is New York.” ScarLip has maintained a consistent musical and online presence. Last week (Nov. 15), the Bronx rapper unleashed “Blick,” her catchy new single that combines the raw intensity of her DMX-nodding breakout hit with the dance-facing rhythmic qualities of Jersey club-inflected drill. Already soundtracking a TikTok dance challenge, “Blick” is looking to become a sizable hit — one that smartly reveals the different shades of her artistic ethos.

Mannywellz, “Be Alright”

Appearing on his new Mr. Oúlala EP, Mannywellz’s “Be Alright” is a no-frills guitar ballad heralding peace and security in the knowledge that everything will eventually work out as it needs to. With a sweeping melody to add some weight to the simple lyrics in the chorus (“It’s gonna be alright”), Manny relies on the warmth of his tone and the idiosyncrasies of his enunciation and phrasing to add some dynamics to the song.

Terrace Martin & Gallant, “Tandem”

In this subtly funky slow jam, Terrace and Gallant use an extended metaphor of a tandem bike to croon about how they and their respective lovers fit perfectly together. “We’re in tandem like bikes, why don’t you take a seat?/ You’ll be riding all night, I’ll be rocking in sync/ We might fuss, we may fight, never lose chemistry/ We’re in tandem like bikes, why don’t you take a seat?” Gallant sings. Terrace’s lush production, which features notes of funk and doo-wop, provides a sensual backdrop for Gallant’s come-hither coos, but it’s the restraint in his vocal performance that’s most impressive.

No Guidnce, “Long Walk”

Rising British R&B boy group No Guidnce continues their ascension with a reflective new cut titled “Long Walk.” Sitting on the opposite end of the hip-hop-inflected R&B spectrum from “Spicy,” the quarter opts for a soulful drum-heavy beat courtesy of Ben Billions and Terrence Rolle. It’s a simple story about meeting someone new for the first time, but the contrast of the chugging drums with their yearning harmonies makes for a particularly immersive listening experience.

20 Nov 2023

Travis Kelce Reveals How He First Got in Touch With Taylor Swift: ‘I Had Somebody Playing Cupid’

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are arguably the world’s most high-profile couple right now, consistently making headlines on the daily for simply holding hands or enjoying dinner together. But the exact circumstances of how their paths first crossed, other than the Chiefs star shooting his shot via a friendship bracelet, have largely remained a mystery — until now.

In a new Wall Street Journal profile on Kelce, the Kansas City tight end finally revealed what really happened after he was famously blocked from meeting the pop star at her July Eras Tour show in Kansas City. His attempts to slip her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it were also unsuccessful that night, something he later went viral for talking about on his New Heights podcast. Then, just two months later, the “Anti-Hero” singer attended her first Chiefs games at Arrowhead Stadium, and the rest was history.

But what happened in between? According to Kelce, someone in Swift’s camp brought his public crush on her to her attention. “There were definitely people she knew that knew who I was, in her corner [who said]: Yo! Did you know he was coming?” the football player told the publication. “I had somebody playing Cupid.”

Soon after, Kelce apparently received a text from Swift. “She told me exactly what was going on and how I got lucky enough to get her to reach out,” he said.

The Ohio native didn’t say who exactly put him on Swift’s radar, although he did hint that a few of the 12-time Grammy winner’s family members may have helped his case.

“She’ll probably hate me for saying this, but … when she came to Arrowhead [for her concert], they gave her the big locker room as a dressing room,” he said. “And her little cousins were taking pictures … in front of my locker.”

The pair then started talking before eventually meeting for the first time in New York. “We had already kind of been talking, so I knew we could have a nice dinner and, like, a conversation, and what goes from there will go from there,” said Kelce. “Everybody around me [was] telling me: Don’t f–k this up! And me sitting here saying, Yeah — got it.”

And while Kelce has opened up about certain elements of his relationship with Swift on New Heights or in post-game press conferences, he’s done his best to keep things as private as possible so that the “Karma” musician never starts to feel uncomfortable. “That was the biggest thing to me,” he told the publication. “Make sure I don’t say anything that would push Taylor away.”

20 Nov 2023

A$AP Rocky Can’t Concentrate During Interview When He Hears Rihanna’s Laugh

If true love is being able to hear your beloved’s signature laugh from across a crowded, noisy room, then A$AP Rocky is the love guru. During an interview over the weekend on the red carpet at the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix race, Rocky was preparing to answer a question when he heard a familiar chuckle from an undisclosed location that stopped him in his tracks.

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“I believe that…” Rocky began saying before his eyes got side and he glanced around with a look of pleasant surprise on his face. “What the f–k is that? What was that?” he asked with a smile.

The moment, of course, instantly bred a meme, with fans going hard on jokes about Rocky’s apparent delight in hearing the voice of the mother of their two children, RZA and Riot Rose. “Chile, ASAP heard Rihanna’s giggle and lost his train of thought tryna figure out who was making this woman laugh! Aww,” wrote one, while another paid tribute to Rocky’s Spidey sense.

While fans have been eagerly anticipating Rihanna’s follow-up to 201’s Anti album, according to People, during the race weekend A$AP said there is no reason for him to collaborate with Rih-Rih on a song because they’ve already made beautiful music together at home. “I think we do a real great job at collaborating [by] making children,” he said. “I think that’s our best creation so far! Nothing is better than [RZA and Riot] out there. I mean, we had a third designer come and help, a ghost designer named God, [who] shaped everything. And we had these beautiful angels, so that’s the best collaboration.”

The couple were among the bevy of stars who came out for Saturday’s first F1 race in Sin City, which included Brad Pitt, Anthony Mackie, Terry Crews, will.i.am, Steve Aoki, Rod Stewart, Shaquille O’Neal, Usain Bolt, Kylie Minogue, Lupita Nyong’o, Gordon Ramsey and many more.

Watch A$AP’s reaction and see some of the best memes below.

20 Nov 2023

Watch Every 2023 Billboard Music Awards Performance

The 2023 Billboard Music Awards took place Sunday (Nov. 19) and delivered a star-studded show with amazing sets from some of music’s biggest stars.

This year’s event — presented by Marriott Bonvoy and produced by Dick Clark Productions — offered a reimagined show that entertained fans with exclusive behind-the-scenes content and performances tailored to each artist, all of it streaming at BBMAs.watch and the Billboard and BBMAs’ social channels.

Karol G kicked off the evening with a wet and wild performance of two tracks from her hit album Manana Sera Bonito, and also surprised fans with a collaboration on Kali Uchis’ upcoming album. Other sets included Mariah Carey’s awards-show debut of her holiday classic “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Peso Pluma hitting the ring with boxing legend Mike Tyson for “Rubicon,” Stray Kids’ lighting up the stage with “S-Class” and “LALALALA,” and many more.

The big winner of the night was Morgan Wallen, who took home 11 wins and performed “’98 Braves” from the home of the Atlanta Braves — Truist Park. Taylor Swift was close behind with 10 wins, with those victories putting her in a tie with Drake for the all-time winningest artists at the BBMAs, with 39 each. Though the pop superstar didn’t perform on the show — she’s currently in South America for her Eras Tour — she did share her excitement over her BBMAs victories in a video acceptance speech.

“I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have you in my corner and caring about the music that I make,” she gushed in appreciation of her fans. “So thank you — thank you, thank you, thank you 10 million times — for this.”

Watch — or rewatch! — all of the 2023 Billboard Music Awards performances below.

20 Nov 2023

Snoop Dogg Isn’t Really Giving Up Smoking: Here’s What He’s Actually Doing

Snoop Dogg giving up the smoke is like Slick Rick hanging up his signature neck-breaking chains: ain’t gonna happen, ever. But, last week the Doggfather momentarily pulled a fast one on all of us when he seemingly declared with a straight face that he was giving up his lifelong weed habit. “I’ve decided to give up smoke,” Snoop said in a statement on his socials.

It seemed unlikely that the MC who has rarely been seen without his trusty blunt for the past three decades would so suddenly and inexplicably give up the habit that has made him the world’s most beloved stoner. So, it should also come as no surprise that there was more than met the (bloodshot) eye to his announcement.

He cleared the air on Monday morning (Nov. 20), revealing that the “smoke” part of his statement was the key in unveiling his latest endorsement deal. “Go smokeless with Snoop Dogg,” read the headline on the website for the Solo Stove firepit company. The release noted that the brand’s limited-edition collab with Snoop includes a $350 “Snoop Stove” featuring the rapper’s logo, signature and a pair of dog paws emblazoned on the side, as well as a bucket hat and sticker pack.

In an accompanying video, a solemn Snoop intoned, “I have an announcement. I’m givin’ up smoke,” as he sat among chirping crickets in the woods by himself. “I know what you’re thinkin’, ‘Snoop, smoke is kinda your whole thing!’ But I’m done with it. Done with the coughing and my clothes smelling all sticky icky. I’m going smokeless,” he added as the camera panned back to frame the rapper sitting in front of a Solo firepit. The limited edition Snoop Dogg Solo stove is on sale now here.

In a statement, Snoop said, “I love a good fire outside but the smoke was too much. Solo Stove fixed fire and took out the smoke. They changed the game and now I’m excited to spread the love and stay warm with my friends and family.”

The company said that Snoop will partner with the company on “smokeless product innovation and contribute toward designing a new signature line of Snoop Dogg x Solo Stove products.”

Solo Brands CEO John Merris added in a statement, “We’re stoked to have a product so good, it even inspired Snoop to go smokeless. As the most popular smokeless fire pit in the world, Solo Stove is all about bringing people together and creating a vibe that encourages you to sit back, relax, and enjoy your time with friends and family. Snoop, like Solo, is about good moments, and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more people to the Solo Stove family.”

Watch Snoop’s smokescreen announcement below.

20 Nov 2023

Cardi B Slams N.Y. Mayor Over Budget Cuts to Education: ‘What’s Going to Happen to My Cousins, Aunts and My Friends?’

As Americans gear up for the next year of election madness, Cardi B got a head start on endorsing a candidate for president on Sunday (Nov. 19) when she revealed who she’s planning to back in the expected second smackdown between Pres. Biden and former one-term president Donald Trump.

“I don’t give a f–k… I’m not endorsing no f–king presidents no more,” Cardi said in a heated 10-minute-long Instagram livestream rant in which she stridently expressed her views on New York Mayor Eric Adams’ announced budget cuts while slamming Biden’s support for funding the wars in Ukraine and Israel. “Joe Biden’s talking about, ‘Yeah, we can fund two wars. We can fund two wars.’ Motherf–kers talkin’ about ‘we don’t got it, but we got it. We’re the greatest nation.’ No the f–k we’re not! We’re going through some s–t right now.”

Cardi made news during the 2020 election when she interviewed then-candidate Joe Biden for Elle magazine, telling him “I just want Trump out” and endorsing the former two-time veep for president over the twice-impeached real estate mogul currently facing four indictments on 91 felony charges in cases tied to his alleged alleged election interference, retention of classified documents and financial misdeeds by his titular company.

But now as Biden tries to convince recalcitrant Republicans in the House to support his call for robust military aid for the wars in Ukraine and Israel, Cardi sounds like she’s basically done with politics and politicians.

“I’m an angry b–ch… I need y’all to spread this video, and if something happens to me, it’s because I’m speaking truth. So God forbid something happens to me, or my family or some s–t, it’s because n—as is after me because I’m speaking the truth,” Cardi said in the new clip in which she’s dressed down in a fluffy grey robe and purple hair bonnet.

“In New York, there is a $120 million budget cut that’s going to affect schools, public libraries, and the police department — y’all know I don’t give a f–k about the cops, but it is what it is,” she added. “There’s gonna be a $120 million budget cuts, with schools, with libraries and the cops… And a $5 million budget cut in sanitation. B–ch, we are gonna be drowning in f–king rats,” the Bronx-bred MC said.

Last week, embattled mayor Adams unveiled harsh budget cuts for the city’s police department and schools, with CBS News reporting that 653 schools — or 43% of the school system — will be impacted by mid-year budget cuts totaling more than $120 million. The announcement from Adams came after the mayor’s budget director said that the belt-tightening was necessary due to a $7 billion budget gap caused in part by the need to shelter asylum seekers and a reduction in federal COVID-19 relief funds.

“Where these kids gonna go. Like, I’m lucky. I’m blessed,” Cardi said. “I’m whatever the f–k, but what’s going to happen to my nieces? What’s going to happen to nephews? What’s going to happen to my cousins, my aunts, my friends that’s livin’ in the hood?… B–ch New York is already f–king super dirty.”

In addition to being incensed about the sanitation, safety and school cuts, Cardi seemed especially upset about Biden’s financial support of Israel’s retaliatory war against the terrorist Hamas group, which invaded the country and killed more than 1,200 and kidnapped over 240 citizens in its murderous Oct. 7 attack. She’s also seemingly mad about the administration’s continued financial and military aid to Ukraine’s war against invading forces from Russia.

“Y’all need to sit the f–k down with these people and find agreement. No we cannot fund these f–king wars!” Cardi said. “The world is in f–king shambles… we can’t fund these wars. We can barely f–king fund this country. Finish it! Y’all need to finish it! Stop frontin’ like you got the f–kin’ money! You don’t got no money. You don’t got no sugar for your honeys.”

Cardi warned that these kind of extreme cuts are coming to everyone’s states and that crimes will go up “through the roof,” kids won’t have places to read and streets will be filled with “rats and squirrels and raccoons” if the budget reductions go through.

Though the message from Cardi was full of dark foreboding about the future, it ended with something that sounded positive. “I’m gonna finish recording this motherf–in’ song… and I’m gonna go to bed. We don’t sleep over here, b–ch… I’m on a very tight schedule with this album. I’m almost finished, it’s almost there,” she said of her eagerly anticipated follow-up to full-length studio debut, 2018’s Invasion of Privacy.

Check out a capture of Cardi’s video below.

20 Nov 2023

Watch Taylor Swift’s Emotional Performance of ‘Bigger Than the Whole Sky’ Following Death of Fan in Brazil

Taylor Swift gave her mournful Midnights bonus track “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” its live debut Sunday (Nov. 19), seemingly paying tribute to a fan who died after attending an Eras Tour show two nights prior in Brazil.

The 33-year-old pop star started her acoustic set by playing Reputation‘s “Dancing With Our Hands Tied” on guitar before transitioning over to her piano, looking visibly emotional. As she sang the first few grief-stricken lines of the track, fans in the crowd at Rio de Janeiro’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos erupted with knowing cheers.

“Did some bird flap its wings over in Asia?/ Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?” Swift sang, remaining stoic throughout the song. “Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye/ You were bigger than the whole sky.”

Sunday night marks the first time the 12-time Grammy winner has performed “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” as a surprise song or otherwise. It came two nights after 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado passed away after attending Swift’s Friday concert in Rio, where many fans reported feeling ill due to extreme heat in the stadium. According to organizer Time4Fun’s Instagram post, paramedics took Machado to a first-aid center, then to a hospital, where she died an hour later. Saturday’s show was postponed to Monday.

Swift didn’t address the incident during Sunday’s show, although she’d previously warned fans that she would be unable to speak about Machado’s death onstage as she felt “overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it.” “I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this,” she also wrote in a statement on Instagram Stories at the time. “There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”

“I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends,” she’d added. “This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

Watch Swift’s emotional performance below:

20 Nov 2023

Dolly Parton Can’t Stop Rocking, Drops Deluxe ‘Rockstar’ Edition With Maneskin-Fueled ‘Jolene’ Cover

If you thought Dolly Parton was done rocking, you were sorely mistaken. Just days after the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer dropped her first rock album, Rockstar, the country icon dropped an expanded exclusive download version with two bonus tracks.

In addition to her take on Eddie Money’s 1977 burner “Two Tickets to Paradise,” the expanded Rockstar adds an urgent run through Dolly’s iconic “Jolene” aided by Italian rockers Måneskin. “Surprise! Did you all think I was done? I’m giving you not one but TWO more ‘Rockstar’ bonus tracks,” Parton, 77, wrote on Instagram of the tracks that are available exclusively on her official site.

The fresh tracks join the impressive roster of rock luminaries who joined Parton on her first foray into rock after more than six decades ruling the country charts. In addition to nine originals, Parton partners up on the 21 other songs with a number of their original performers, including Sting (“Every Breath You Take”), Heart’s Ann Wilson (“Magic Man”), John Fogerty (“Long As I Can See the Light”), Peter Frampton (“Baby, I Love Your Way”), Joan Jett & the Blackhearts (“I Hate Myself For Loving You”), goddaughter Miley Cyrus (“Wrecking Ball”) and Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (“Let It Be”).

Upon the album’s release, Parton wrote a thank you note to her fans for following her down her latest creative path. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of the Rockstar album and I can’t tell you how happy I am that it’s finally here to be released!” she said on Instagram. “I really had a wonderful time working with all these iconic artists on the record and all these iconic musicians. Not to mention all these great iconic songs that I think everybody will love hearing again. I just hope you enjoy my version of them!”

Listen to Parton’s new version of “Jolene” below.

20 Nov 2023

Drake Got New Face Ink Featuring a Common Hometown Arabic Slang Phrase

Drake added some more ink to his face recently, as seen in pictures over the weekend in which some Arabic script was spotted above the rapper’s right eyebrow. As spotted by HipHopDX, on Saturday (Nov. 18), photographer Brent Kore posted an image of Drizzy’s new face art on his Instagram Stories, capturing the phrase “miskeen” in an arch over Drake’s eye.

The phrase is commonly used in the large Somali community in Drake’s Toronto home town and comes from the Arabic word “miskin,” which is commonly defined as “misfortunate” or “poor”; the University of Toronto magazine gave the translation as “a pathetic person or situation.” Check out an image of the tattoo here. At press time it did not appear that Drake had posted an image of his latest ink or explained its significance.

It joins another homage on his face that the 6 God got last summer, his mother’s initials, SG (for Sandra Gale), under his left eye.

Drake’s all-time Billboard Music Awards record of 12 trophies in one night (2019) was almost broken on Sunday (Nov. 19) when Morgan Wallen pulled in 11 awards at the 2023 show. With 10 wins on Sunday, Taylor swift pulled into a tie with Drake for all-time BBMA wins at 39 each. Drake took home top rap artist for a record-extending fifth time, top rap tour for the second time, and top rap album (Her Loss) and top rap song (“Rich Flex”) for his successful collaboration with 21 Savage.

On Friday, Drake released the Scary Hours 3 EP, a six-song collection of freshly-recorded tracks tacked on to the new edition of his recent For All the Dogs album.

20 Nov 2023

Shakira Settles $15 Million Spanish Tax Fraud Case on Eve of Barcelona Trial: ‘I Need to Move Past the Stress’

Shakira agreed to a deal with Spanish authorities on Monday (Nov. 20) on the first day of a $15 million tax fraud trial in Barcelona that could have resulted in a significant prison sentence for the singer. According to the Associated Press, after maintaining her innocence for five years, the star agreed to a last-minute agreement, telling the presiding magistrate, José Manuel del Amo, that she accepted the agreement reached with prosecutors.

Shakira answered “yes” to confirm her acknowledgement of six counts of failing to pay the Spanish government 14.5 million euros (about $15.8 million) in taxes between 2012 and 2014. Under the agreement, Shakira will receive a suspended three-year sentence and pay a $7.6 million fine.

In a statement shared with Billboard, Shakira said that throughout her career she has always strived “to do what’s right and set a positive example for others. That often means taking the extra step in business and personal financial decisions to procure the absolute best counsel, including seeking the advice of the world’s preeminent tax authorities such as PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, who advised me from the start, and subsequently Ernst & Young Global Limited.”

Unfortunately, she added, despite those efforts she said Spanish tax authorities pursued a case against her, “as they have against many professional athletes and other high-profile individuals, draining those people’s energy, time, and tranquility for years at a time.”

Shakira said she was determined to defend her innocence at trial where her lawyers were confident she’d prevail, but decided to finally resolve the matter with the “best interest of my kids at heart who do not want to see their mom sacrifice her personal well-being in this fight.”

According to the AP, the trial that would have included more than 100 witnesses over the next few weeks adjourned after just eight minutes. In July, prosecutors said they would seek an eight year prison sentence and a fine of $26 million for the 46-year-old singer, with the case hinging on where Shakira lived during the period in question. Prosecutors alleged that the star spent more than half of that time in Spain and should have therefore paid takes on her worldwide income in the country despite listing the Bahamas as her official residence; tax rates are much lower in the Bahamas than in Spain.

“I need to move past the stress and emotional toll of the last several years and focus on the things I love – my kids and all the opportunities to come in my career, including my upcoming world tour and my new album, both of which I am extremely excited about,” Shakira wrote in the statement. “I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career.”

In July 2022, Shakira turned down a deal offered by prosecutors to settle the case, saying at the time that she “believes in her innocence and chooses to leave the issue in the hands of the law.” The singer’s spokespeople had previously said she already paid all that she owed plus an additional $3.2 million in interest.

Shakira’s defense team said in November 2022 that she had not spent more than 60 days a year inside Spain during the period in question; they said she would have needed to have spent half the year in Spain to be considered a fiscal resident. Her defense argued that she was away from Barcelona for long stretches due to a 2011 world tour and spent time in the U.S. when she was on The Voice.

Prosecutors disagreed, with the judge writing in 2021 that he found there was “sufficient evidence of criminality” for the case to go to trial. In a separate investigation, Spanish state prosecutors charged Shakira in September with alleged evasion of 6.7 million euros in tax on her 2018 income. Spain has cracked down on soccer stars such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo over the past decade for not paying their full taxes; both were found guilty of evasion but avoided prison time after their sentences were suspended.

Shakira (born Shakira Esabel Mebarak Ripoll) has two children with Barcelona soccer star ex Gerard Piqué; the couple lived together in Barcelona before ending their 11-year relationship last year.

At Thursday’s 2023 Latin Grammy awards, Shakira performed “Acróstico,” an emotional, open letter to her children and gave a shout-out to her fans all over the world at the awards show in Seville, Spain. “I want to share this Grammy with my colleagues with whom I have had the pleasure of working and learning,” the Colombian singer said in acceptance speech for best pop song (“Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vo. 53”).

“With my Latin audience in Spain, in Colombia, in the United States, in Latin America. The Latin public that has taken me to the highest heights, those places I dreamed of since I was a child and to whom I owe everything,” she added. “I also want to share this with my Spanish public who has been with me through thick and thin … who have never stopped giving me love and support for a single day. I will never forget that. This is for you.”