Music News

19 Sep 2023

Olivia Rodrigo Triples Up at No. 1 on Artist 100, Hot 100 & Billboard 200 Charts for First Time

Olivia Rodrigo jumps from No. 10 to No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart (dated Sept. 23), returning as the top musical act in the U.S. for a seventh total week, and for the first time since 2021, thanks to her new sophomore album, Guts.

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The set launches at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 302,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week, according to Luminate, while its lead single “Vampire” returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week on top.

This marks the first time that Rodrigo has tripled up at No. 1 on Billboard’s three premier charts. She’s the 16th artist to achieve the feat (dating to the Artist 100’s 2014 inception). Drake has scored the most such success, with 16 weeks ruling all three rankings concurrently, followed by Taylor Swift (15).

Most Weeks Ruling the Artist 100, Hot 100 & Billboard 200 Charts Simultaneously:
(As of charts dated Sept. 23, 2023)

  • 16, Drake
  • 15, Taylor Swift
  • 9, Adele
  • 5, The Weeknd
  • 4, Morgan Wallen
  • 2, Ariana Grande
  • 2, Ed Sheeran
  • 2, Harry Styles
  • 1, Beyoncé
  • 1, Justin Bieber
  • 1, Zach Bryan
  • 1, BTS
  • 1, Camila Cabello
  • 1, Future
  • 1, Kendrick Lamar
  • 1, Olivia Rodrigo

All 12 songs from Guts land in the top 40 of the latest Hot 100, led by “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?” (No. 7). Rodrigo makes history as the first artist to chart all songs from two career-opening albums in the ranking’s top 40, as all 11 tracks from 2021’s Sour likewise reached the region.

Also on the Artist 100, V re-enters at No. 3, reaching the top 10 for the first time as a solo act. The BTS member returns on the strength of his new solo EP Layover, which debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 100,000 units.

V is the seventh and final member of BTS to reach the Artist 100’s top 10 in a solo capacity, after Jimin (No. 1 peak), Agust D (aka Suga; No. 3), Jung Kook (No. 5), J-Hope, RM (both No. 6) and Jin (No. 10).

The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.

19 Sep 2023

Roger Whittaker, ‘The Last Farewell’ Singer, Dead at 87

Roger Whittaker, folk singer and expert whistler known for tracks such as “Durham Town (The Leavin’),” “New World in the Morning” and his Billboard Hot 100 top 20 track “The Last Farewell,” has died at 87. The singer died on Wednesday, Sept. 13, according to a statement on his website.

“It is with great sadness that we share that our beloved Roger Whittaker passed away on the 13th. September 2023 he left us in peace in the presence of his family. During this difficult time we would like to thank everyone for their support and compassion,” the statement, also from Sony Music, read. “Roger was an iconic artist, a wonderful husband and father. He touched so many hearts with his music during his lifetime and will always live on in our memories. The family requests privacy as we go through this time of grief and we thank you for your understanding. Roger will be greatly missed, his legacy will forever live on in our hearts and in his art.”

Roger Henry Brough Whittaker was born March 22, 1936, in Nairobi. The singer was exposed to music through his family: his grandfather frequently sang in clubs, while his father played the violin. Whittaker’s earliest recordings were released while he was an undergrad at the University College of North Wales though the campus’ newspaper, which included his songs on flexi discs.

In 1969, Whittaker released “Durham Town (The Leavin’),” with the song eventually peaking at No. 23 Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, where he placed eight additional songs, including “New World in the Morning” (No. 12), “I Don’t Believe in If Anymore” (No. 10) and “The Last Farewell,” which became Whittaker’s most successful single, topping the AC chart. It was also his first and only track to reach the Hot 100, peaking at No. 19.

After becoming fluent in German, Whittaker catered to his fanbase and spent the 1970s and onward performing in the country, in addition to releasing 25 albums in German.

During his career, he also placed six albums on the all-genre Billboard 200, including The Last Farewell and Other Hits (No. 31) and When I Need You (No. 115).

According to his website, he and wife Natalie “settled into retirement” in France in 2012.

19 Sep 2023

Rihanna & A$AP Rocky Show Off Baby Boy Riot Rose in New Photos

He’s here and he’s adorable! Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have finally unveiled the first photos of Riot Rose, their new baby boy and second child together, through a Diggzy-helmed photshoot posted to the photographer’s Instagram page.

In the image, Rihanna, decked out in a denim and navy streetwear-nodding outfit, smizes for the camera while RZA, her firstborn son with the rapper, holds on to her leg. A smiling Rocky complements her style with a pair of denim jeans and a white sleeveless tank top as he gently holds baby Riot up to the camera. “It’s a FAMILY thing ??,” photographer Diggzy captioned the post. “Welcome to the World Riot Rose ?” He also shared additional snaps of the family in his Instagram Stories.

Rihanna revealed her second pregnancy on Feb. 12 during her headlining Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show performance. The “Lift Me Up” singer confirmed that she was expecting through a British Vogue cover story featuring her family, which was released days after the performance. Rihanna’s second pregnancy was revealed mere months after she gave birth to RZA Athelston Mayers, who arrived in May 2022.

RiRi and Rocky’s new son’s name appears to be a reference to “RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n),” a 2023 Rocky track in which he raps, “Luxe balm up in my palm/ New collab’ with my baby mom.”

On Friday (Sept. 15), Rihanna launched a long-awaited Puma collaboration. Dubbed Fenty x Puma Avanti C, the new sneaker line marks the singer-actress’ first under a new partnership with Puma. The chrome-centric sneaker was made available for both children and adults.

See the first photos of baby Riot Rose on Diggzy’s Instagram account.

19 Sep 2023

‘Beckham’ Documentary Trailer Details David Beckham’s Rise to Football Fame, Love Affair With ‘Posh Spice’ Victoria

Former soccer star David Beckham was legendary for his ability to bend free kicks into the goal during a lauded two-decade career that included league titles in England, France, Spain and the U.S. But the headline-grabbing midfielder with the chiseled looks of a male model and sartorial style of a jet-setting fashionista struggled with the instant fame he achieved on the pitch, as well as the relentless scrutiny that came with his relationship with former Spice Girls member Victoria “Post Spice” Adams.

Those are among the story lines in the first trailer for the upcoming Netflix four-part documentary series, Beckham. The nearly three-minute preview that dropped on Tuesday morning (Sept. 19) opens with footage of Beckham scoring on the field before pivoting to archival tape of the London-born footballer as a child, with the Inter Miami Football Club co-owner revealing that he “never did well at school.”

The reason, of course, was because all he ever wanted to do was play football. Victoria makes the scene just 22 seconds into the preview, revealing that her manager at the time kept counseling her to keep their relationship “under wraps” during a period when she was beginning to emerge on her own after a world-beating run as part of the Spice Girls in the early and mid-1990s.

“So we would meet in car parks… and that’s not as seedy as it sounds,” she says in the promo for the series that begins airing on Oct. 4 that was directed by Oscar-winner Fisher Stevens (The Cove, Crazy Love). The couple began dating in 1997 and got engaged the following year, welcoming the first of their four children, Brooklyn, in March 1999, just four months before their wedding. After the pair became the fashion and sports worlds’ most photogenic couple, Beckham says his life became “something different,” as their faces were splashed on adverts all around the world and the media attention began to eclipse his on-field play.

“We were worried he’d lose all what he’d worked for, cause football come first and all of a sudden it wasn’t,” says his mother, Sandra West. The scrutiny and backlash was so intense that Beckham says he wasn’t eating or sleeping at the time, a troubling period that was heightened when his Manchester United coach, Alex Ferguson, hurled a boot that caused a gash over Beckham’s eye after a bitter loss to rival Arsenal in Feb. 2003.

“It’s really entertaining with the circus comes to town, right? Unless you’re in it,” Victoria says amid tape of the family driving through massive hordes of fans as Beckham relates that the couple were “drowning” from the attention. The full series promises to give fans a mixture of “never-before-seen personal archive footage from the last 40 years, candid current-day moments and interviews with the family, friends and footballing figures who have been part of his journey.”

Watch the Beckham trailer below.

19 Sep 2023

Erykah Badu & Herbie Hancock to Headline 2023 LA3C Festival

On Tuesday (Sept. 19), LA3C announced its return for year two along with music and food lineups for the three-day, all-ages festival, coming to downtown Los Angeles, Nov. 10-12.

Erykah Badu and Herbie Hancock will headline, playing intimate shows at the Orpheum Theatre and Theatre at the Ace Hotel, respectively. Flying Lotus and LA jazz legends Robert Glasper and Terrace Martin will take over the Theatre at the Ace Hotel as well, and Nick Hakim, Julie Byrne and John Carroll Kirby will take over the Palace Theatre.

Additional performers include Kamasi Washington, Marc Rebillet, Sudan Archives, Fred Armisen, Lonnie Holley, Aja Monet, Pauli the PSM, Novena Carmel, Shabazz Palaces, Yrsa Daley-Ward with The Josh Craig, Acyde, Siobhan Bell, Kilo Kish, Salami Rose Joe Louis and Def Rain, as well as pop-up performances by Feels Like Floating.

In addition to the Orpheum, Ace and Palace and surrounding lots, Los Angeles Theatre will also host performers throughout the weekend.

For more information about the festival — including more music, food and film events — visit LA3C.com. Tickets are available for purchase starting Friday (Sept. 22) at 9 a.m. PT.

Penske Media’s LA3C launched last December as a two-day festival at LA State Historic Park with performances from Maluma, Lil Baby, Snoop Dogg and Seventeen.

Penske Media Corporation is the parent company of Billboard.

19 Sep 2023

Olivia Rodrigo Reveals Her Favorite ‘Guts’ Lyric & Addresses Who ‘Lacy’ Is About

Although Guts has topped charts on both sides of the pond and launched two Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, there is still much about the album yet to be discovered — at least according to the answers Olivia Rodrigo gave during her visit to the TODAY show’s “8 Questions Before 8AM” segment on Monday (Sept. 18).

The pop star revealed that Guts‘ opener “All-American Bitch” houses her favorite lyric on the entire album. “I don’t know, the one that’s really jumping out me is — I love the line ‘I got class and integrity/ Just like a d–n Kennedy,” she said. Of course, the actual lyric replaces “d–n” with “godd–n,” but Rodrigo opted for a moment of self-censorship.

The Q&A comes about a week after the 20-year-old Grammy winner performed two Guts tracks — “Vampire” and “Get Him Back!” — for the program’s 2023 Citi Concert Series on Sept. 8. She also performed “Drivers License” and “Good 4 U” from Sour, her blockbuster debut album.

Just like the album’s pre-release singles — the Hot 100 No. 1 single “Vampire” and “Bad Idea Right?” (No. 7) — the set’s deep cuts have also been making waves among Rodrigo devotees and casual listeners alike. “Lacy,” in particular, has garnered a lot of attention due to the mysterious nature of its subject matter. During the Q&A, a visibly flustered Rodrigo answered, “All my songs are about me and about how I feel, I don’t know!” when asked who the standout track was about.

The standard edition of Guts includes 12 tracks, while each of the four limited-edition vinyl copies of the album boast one hidden bonus track. To that end, Rodrigo also teased that there may be more surprises to uncover. “There definitely are some hidden things,” she told TODAY. “I just recommend you buy Guts and see for yourself!”

Throughout the rapid-fire portion of the Q&A, the “Good 4 U” singer — who’s a self-professed Twihard — also revealed that she’s proudly Team Edward, loves to belt out Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in the car and claims “Cell Block Tango” as her favorite musical theatre song.

Watch Olivia Rodrigo’s full Q&A above.

19 Sep 2023

Eric Church, Jelly Roll & Parker McCollum to Headline WE Fest 2024

Eric Church, Jelly Roll and Parker McCollum are set to headline WE Fest when the three-day festival returns to Detroit Lakes, Minn., on Aug. 1-3, 2024.

Also on the lineup are Carly Pearce, Koe Wetzel, Elle King, Trace Adkins, Lauren Watkins, Warren Zeiders, Tanner Adell and more. Additional artists set for the July 31 pre-concert party on the Bacardi Country Club Stage and the Barn Stage have yet to be announced.

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Tickets, camping and add-on packages go on sale Wednesday, Sept. 20, at 9 a.m. at wefest.com.

Church and Jelly Roll recently teamed up during the former’s Outsiders Revival Tour concert in Phoenix, where they performed his 2011 hit “Homeboy.”

Jelly Roll recently earned his second No. 1 Country Airplay hit with “Need a Favor,” which also made history along the way, when the track became the first song ever to appear in the top 10 of both the Mainstream Rock Airplay and Country Airplay charts. Jelly Roll is one of the most nominated artists leading up to this year’s CMA Awards; the singer-songwriter-rapper scored five nominations, including nods for single of the year (“Need a Favor”) and male vocalist of the year.

Church recently served as artist-in-residence for two shows at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s CMA Theater; meanwhile the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s exhibit Eric Church: Country Heart, Restless Soul continues through June 2024.

McCollum is nominated for new artist of the year at the upcoming CMA Awards, and his current radio single, “Burn It Down,” resides at No. 41 on the Hot Country Songs chart.

See the lineup announcement below:

19 Sep 2023

Russell Brand Sex Assault Allegations Lead to Tour Postponement, Suspension of YouTube Channel Monetization

Trigger warning: This article contains descriptions of sexual violence.

The fallout from allegations of sexual assault against comedian Russell Brand continued to pile up on Monday (Sept. 18), when YouTube said that it had suspended the monetization of Brand’s account “following serious allegations against the creator,” according to the Associated Press. The move means that Brand, 48, will no longer make money from the site — where his feed has 6.6 million subscribers — in the wake of a four women accusing the stand-up-turned-social-influencer of rape, sexual assault and abuse.

In addition to losing out on money from the ads that run alongside his YouTube videos, the AP reported that one-time employer the BBC had removed some of Brand’s material from its streaming archive as a number of organizations distanced themselves from the polarizing performer, who has denied the allegations and has not been charged with any criminal offenses to date.

Brand was a host/presenter for BBC from 2006-2008 and some of the incidents he’s accused of happened during that time period, leading the BBC to say it is “urgently looking into the issues raised” by a bombshell investigative documentary published jointly last week by The Sunday Times, The Times of London and Channel 4’s Dispatches program.

In a statement, Brand denied the allegations from the unnamed women and said that all of his relationships have been consensual. “Amidst this litany of astonishing, rather baroque attacks are some very serious allegations that I absolutely refute,” he said in the statement. “These allegations pertain to the time when I was working in the mainstream, when I was in the newspapers all the time, when I was in the movies and, as I have written about extensively in my books, I was very, very promiscuous.”

The investigation included claims from one woman who alleged she’d been raped by Brand in Los Angeles in 2012, while three others accused Brand of sexual assault ,including one who said the alleged assault occurred during a relationship with him when she was 16. One of the women also said he had been physically and emotionally abusive; the allegations date from 2006-2013, with the London Metropolitan Police saying that since the allegations were publicly aired they’ve received a report of another alleged sexual assault from 2003.

Brand also suggested in his statement that the reports were part of a coordinated attack designed to discredit him because of his divisive views, which he has aired on YT in such clips as “What REALLY Started the Hawaii Fires?” and “Covid Tsar Admits Lockdowns Were NEVER About Science.” Brand has been criticized for expressing skepticism about COVID-19 vaccines and interviewing contentious podcasters, including Joe Rogan and fired Fox News commenter Tucker Carlson as part of his recent shift from routines aimed at dissecting religion, social inequity and political hypocrisy toward bits seemingly aimed at a conservative American audience.

Though Brand performed in London on Saturday, the final three dates of his current “Bipolarisation” tour has been postponed according to the promoter, even as Brand has been dropped by his talent agency and publisher, Bluebird, over the past week. NBC News also reported that Brand’s literary talent agency, Tavistock Wood, had dropped him following the Times report, which claimed that one of Brand’s accusers had made allegations to the agency in 2020 and received a “very aggressive” response from Brand’s legal team.

“Russell Brand categorically and vehemently denied the allegation made in 2020, but we now believe we were horribly misled by him,” the agency said in a statement. “TW has terminated all professional ties to Brand.” NBC also reported that the U.K. women’s charity for women in recovery, Trevi Women, had cut ties with Brand after the doc aired.

“We have ended our association with Russell Brand and the Stay Free Foundation,” the charity said in a statement, referring to Brand’s charity that supports people recovering from addiction.

One Brand’s former co-stars, Kristen Bell, appeared to have issued a warning about the comedian in a 2010 interview with the Scottish Daily Record, in which she said, “He didn’t try to mess with me on the set or get in my pants. He knew I would lop his nuts off.” Bell appeared with Brand in the 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, in which she breaks up with boyfriend Peter (Jason Segel) and begins a relationship with narcissistic, sex-addicted rocker Aldous Snow (Brand) during a trip to Hawaii.

In another interview with the Daily Mail that same year, Bell — who did not respond to the new reports of Brand’s alleged actions — said, “I made it really clear from the beginning that I would sock him in the balls if he tried anything. So he was intimidated. Noting that she “loved” working with Brand, Bell added that she was possibly “the only woman in the world who would shout that from the rooftops.”

Stories about sexual assault allegations can be traumatizing for survivors of sexual assault. If you or anyone you know needs support, you can reach out to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). The organization provides free, confidential support to sexual assault victims. Call RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) or visit the anti-sexual violence organization’s website for more information.

19 Sep 2023

Taylor Swift Urges Fans to Register to Vote: ‘I Know How Powerful’ Your Voices Are

You belong in the voting booth. That’s the message Taylor Swift sent to fans on Tuesday (Sept. 19), National Voting Day. In a message posted to her Instagram Stories, the pop superstar once again urged Swifties to register to vote if they haven’t yet.

“I’ve been so lucky to see so many of you guys at my US shows recently,” she said in her all-text message, which was written in white on a blue ombre background. “I’ve heard you raise your voices, and I know how powerful they are. Make sure you’re ready to use them in our elections this year!”

“Register to vote in less than 2 minutes at vote.org/nvrd,” the 12-time Grammy winner — who has more than 272 million Instagram followers, concluded her message.

This is far from the first time the “Cruel Summer” singer has reminded her fans of the importance of performing their civic duties. She has partnered with Vote.org — a non-partisan, non-profit organization voting registration platform — to encourage people to cast their ballots.

Swift recently urged fans in Nashville to hit the polls in July, letting her followers on social media know that she had already voted in the local election, noting on Instagram, “We have the opportunity to choose those who will represent us for the next four years.”

Andrea Hailey, the CEO of Vote.org, also urged people to register. “Today, on National Voter Registration Day, it’s vital that young voters, in particular, understand they have the power to shape their future. Eight million young people will be newly eligible voters by Election Day 2024. And, the time is now to get ready for the elections taking place this fall and next year,” she said in a statement shared with Billboard. “Several states have elections in November of this year and many other states will have primaries in the first few months of 2024. That’s why this National Voter Registration Day is so important: we’re at the starting line of the next presidential election.”

“It takes less than 30 seconds on Vote.org to check if you’re registered. Our country works best when we all show up. Let’s get ready, get set and get registered to vote,” she concluded. “Our future starts now.”

19 Sep 2023

Megan Thee Stallion Talks Cardi B Friendship, Justin Timberlake Moment & New Album: ‘I’m Finally Closing All the Old Chapters’

”Bongos,” Megan Thee Stallion’s latest collaboration with Cardi B, serves as Meg’s first musical release of the year — a slight change of pace for the artist who famously pumped out two studio albums, a compilation tape and an EP in a little over two years.

Her most recent album, August 2022’s Traumazine, followed years of intense emotional and personal turmoil, online vitriol and legal sagas for the three-time Grammy-winning rapper. On Aug. 8, Tory Lanez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting Megan in July 2020, a long-awaited conclusion to three years of court drama.

“I feel like I’m finally closing all the old chapters and now I’m starting with a blank slate,” Megan tells Billboard in a new interview. “Very fresh, very new. I think the Hotties are gonna be so excited.”

“Bongos” — a raucous Brazilian-funk-nodding sequel to 2020’s historic “WAP” that debuts at No. 14 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100— is the first section of that new chapter. Alongside the song’s release, Megan and Cardi also treated fans to an eye-popping music video — with choreography courtesy of Sean Bankhead — as well as a showstopping performance at the 2023 MTV Music Video Awards.

With more new music on the horizon and a new collaboration with Flamin’ Hot called Flamin’ Hot University (FU), Megan Thee Stallion is carefully setting the stage to take the entire world by storm — again.

Megan Thee Stallion will serve as Thee Official Hot Girl Dean of Admission for Flamin’ Hot University, which features a one-of-a-kind online curriculum centered on food, fashion and lifestyle. FU will also give students the entire catalog of Flamin’ Hot snacks in a special limited-edition package — complete with exclusive merch designed by Melody Ehsani — approved by Megan herself. Proceeds from the merch line will go toward a scholarship for deserving students at Texas Southern University, the “Thot Sh–” rapper’s alma mater, thus helping them sidestep student debt.

In a hilarious conversation with Billboard, Megan breaks down some of her Flamin’ Hot University courses, provides an update on her forthcoming new album, reflects on her friendship with Cardi B, and gives her true reaction to Justin Timberlake yelling out her trademark “real hot girl sh–” ad lib after the VMAs.

How did you come up with the curriculum for Flamin’ Hot University? What are your responsibilities as the Hot Girl Dean of Admissions?

I’m basically just the overseer of all things Hot Girl at this camp. I just wanted to have a lot of things that have something to do with things that are personal to me, how to be a Hot Girl, you know? How to make your favorite snacks at 2 a.m. I feel like every college student knows the struggle. I feel like Hot Cheetos are definitely on the menu at every campus, this is what we eat! So I just want to do things that feel real to me. 

Recently, the state of public education in the country has become increasingly muddled by some troubling political agendas. What does it mean to you to be able to give back to your HBCU during a time like this? 

I know what it’s like to be a struggling college student. I know what it feels like to be discouraged: “I give up, my classes are hard, I can’t even pay for this, etc.” But I really got through it, and I wanted to be able to give back to other students that I know feel the same way I felt. So once I was able to give it, I was like, “Yeah, lemme put my people on.”

That’s real. What’s your favorite Flamin’ Hot snack?

Everybody knows I love me a good fried pickle, so I definitely love making Hot Cheeto fried pickles. That’s my sh–! With ranch!

When you sit back and reflect on how you’ve grown “Real Hot Girl Sh—” from a catchphrase to one of the most recognizable brands in contemporary pop culture, how do you feel?

I feel surprised half the time. Like, wow, I really just be talking, and I just be living, and people are like, “Yes, I wanna do that too!” [Laughs.] I feel like it’s amazing to just authentically be myself and it, you know, translates into a brand. And it makes me feel like, “OK, you know what? I can’t be doing too bad, right?!”

When it comes to the specific Flamin’ Hot University curriculum, what can people expect to see in some of your lessons?

They can definitely expect all of my Hot Girl recipes from the things that I personally would make out of Hot Cheetos and some stuff that I didn’t even know about. Some things that I took from other people. It’s a chef, his name is Chef Scotty and he also went to TSU, and he put me on a few snacks. So I feel like he definitely gonna figure out some things to eat at 2 in the morning.

We gon’ be eating real good! 

We gon’ be eating real good! [Laughs] 

One of my favorite parts of your TikTok is how hard you go in the gym. What role has physical fitness played in your life over the past couple of years?

Physical fitness helps me with my mental. If I feel like I’m a little stressed or I’m a little whatever I’m feeling that day, I know I can go let it out in the gym and it helps me clear my mind. I love boxing. I love anything HIIT [high-intensity interval training]-wise. I love pushing myself. When I’m in the gym, I’m like, “Girl, if you can’t do two more squats, I don’t know if you’re gonna be able to handle two more comments!” 

So, I definitely go in the gym and I push myself and I motivate myself and I’m pushing my body. But, to push your body, I feel like it’s to push yourself mentally. The gym is definitely a mental thing. To get yourself out the bed in the morning or whatever part of the day, even if you don’t have time to work out in the morning, if you push yourself to finish your day and go to the gym, I feel like it’s all mental. And I feel like you feel like, “Oh my gosh, I did it,” and now you can reward yourself. Working out just feels super rewarding. I feel very accomplished after I work out. 

Congratulations on the “Bongos” release and VMAs performance! The music video is very elaborate. What was it like shooting that? 

It was so much fun! Every time me and Cardi link up, it ain’t nothing but laughs and a whole party. Both our teams absolutely love each other. Everybody hangs out on their own time anyway, so it kind of felt like we was going out every morning. Oop, Cardi had me waking up so early for these damn — lemme not even curse — Cardi had me waking up so early for these shoots!

How early y’all was up? 

Baby, I will start my glam at 3 in the morning to do my first shot at like 8 or 9, and sometimes it didn’t even happen at 8 or 9. If I’m up at 3 in the morning, I’m probably shooting at 3 p.m.! Like goddang! But it was a great time though.

Y’all built different, because 3 a.m. is crazy.  

3 a.m. is crazy! But you know you can’t pay the sun to stay out long, so you gotta get all your shots during the day.

While recording “Bongos,” did you and Cardi feel any pressure to re-create or live up to the heights of “WAP”? 

I know for myself, I don’t make music with any expectations. I don’t really care about charts and stuff like that. Obviously, everybody wanna be No. 1, everybody wants to win, everybody wants to give their fans these bragging rights. But I just make music because I love to make music, so I’m not making it like, “Oh, I gotta top this” or “Oh, we have to be better than the last time.” I’m like, “No, we’re gonna make a song because we like to make music, and it’s gonna be fun!” It doesn’t have to be the same vibe. That was already its great, own moment. It served its purpose at that time. That was two, three years ago. We two different women now! So this is different. 

I wasn’t expecting it to be anything like “WAP” because we’re not even in the same headspace. I think it was COVID. Baby, we was in the house recording! [Laughs.] Now we outside! It’s time for everybody to be in a good mood. It’s time for everybody to feel a different way. I was so excited when [Cardi] sent me this song because I had never recorded over a beat like that before. I never rapped to anything like that, and I felt like it was a challenge. I was like, “Oh, this is something new. OK, girl, you want me to go to work today, I got you!”

What is it about Cardi specifically that makes her such a good collaborator and friend? 

Speaking to the collaborator part like, she literally just let me do me. This is the second time she’s sent me a song, and I’ll be like, “Friend, can I do whatever I want to do on the beat? I’m finna put two verses on here, all right?” She always let me do whatever I want to do creatively. I just appreciate that so much because sometimes people try to give you a direction and they want you to do what they want you to do, but she’s like “Megan, what you think?” She’ll ask me what I think about this song like, “OK, how you think we could make it better? What should we do next? Just do whatever you wanna do and then we’ll piece it together.” 

I love the creative freedom that she gives me. She’s always open to whatever I’m saying or any suggestion, so I love that about her. She not scared to try nothing, and her ego ain’t big. She’s not a woman that’s scared to say “you’re right.” So, I really love that about her work-wise. 

Friendship-wise, she’s just so real. When I first met her, she was so shy! Anybody’ll probably see her online and they think her personality gonna be one way, no, it’s so opposite. But like as we got more [close as] friends — you know people start off shy and then they get like “Oh, yeah, this the real you”? — I feel like I definitely get to see the real her. She’s just so nice, and she’s really a kind person. That’s what I really like about her. And she just raw. First thing that come to that lady brain, she gon’ say it! And I like that. I respect people like that. She’s definitely a “take it how you wanna take it” type of person.

When can we expect new music from you, girl? We’re starving! 

It’s definitely coming very soon. I’m really excited about this chapter of my life because I feel like I’m finally closing all the old chapters, and now I’m starting with a blank slate. Very fresh, very new. I think Thee Hotties are gonna be so excited. I’m trying different things. I got a lot of things that I produced with Ju and with some new producers.

Oh, you got behind the boards! 

Baby, I was behind the piano! Yeah! [Laughs] It’s very exciting. I can’t wait for Thee Hotties to really get in my head with this new person I feel like I’m becoming.

What sounds are you thinking of? Is there anything you know for sure you want to address? Is there a tour on the way? What other tea can you give us! 

The tea is… everything about the music is tea! [Laughs] Just expect the unexpected. Expect a lot of rawness, a lot of realness, a lot of sh— talking. Just know I’m coming and I hope everybody ready. 

Oh, we ready! One quick question before you go: Were you expecting Justin Timberlake to say “real hot girl sh—” in that TikTok? 

Dawg! That’s why my mouth was open big! I was so excited! It’s a good feeling when you know the icons know about you. It made me feel good. I was like, “C’mon, real hot girl sh—!”