Music News

15 Aug 2023

Bad Boy Looks and Good Guy Messages: Meet Power

This article was written in partnership with Power.

If you haven’t heard of Power, you will learn about his work spanning various creative mediums like music, film, art, and more. Power is one of the latest artists aiming to take stardom beyond their home-run viral moment. 

Power is building an inclusive community of like-minded individuals who are passionate about being your best self. Power’s world leads straight into the first lesson of self-care: “self-respect.” Unlike the “be yourself” narrative we have heard for quite some time, Power is focusing on the best self; he is sober, mentally and physically fit, focused, and intuitive. He hopes that by showcasing this mentality through his music and lifestyle, he is empowering his fans to do the same.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

This is the type of fan base Power sees making a difference. He is an artist that will meditate for hours a day, and then write a head banging hip-hop song in one sitting. In Power’s debut EP, “Love & Hate,” the artist delves deep into his personal relationships and break-ups. The two track project includes “Next to Me” and “Love Crime” which both explore the contrasting themes of the EP’s title.

Power understands the importance of leveraging technology to connect with his audience. Teaming up with director Aman Bhatia, the duo has created short films that transcend traditional music videos captivating young audiences everywhere. Power is engaged with these fans online, communicating through chats and comments and fostering community.

Power is not just an artist but a purpose-driven beacon in the scene. Fundamentally inspiring a community of dedicated followers to be their best selves, this debut artist is putting his name on the map and defending his message with every ounce of scrap he’s got. Power’s message is an anomaly in a sea of popular artists who mystify fans rather than inspiring them. His forward-thinking and wellness-focused mission is a perfect match for brands who are looking to connect with fans without incurring risk.

In a world longing for authenticity and meaningful connections, brands can find in Power the talent they need to engage and uplift audiences while aligning with the growing demand for social responsibility and resilience in 2023 and beyond.

Listen to Power’s debut project HERE and stay tuned for his upcoming releases.

15 Aug 2023

Is Miley Cyrus Teasing New Music With ‘Used to Be Young’ Posters?

Is new Miley Cyrus music on the way? Signs are pointing to yes, as the “Flowers” singer took to Twitter on Tuesday (Aug. 15) to share a cryptic new teaser that points to a potential new project.

“I know I used to be crazy. I know I used to be fun. You say I used to be wild. I say I used to be young,” Cyrus captioned a video of a sun-drenched street, with a building plastered in posters of her face and song lyrics from her past eras in chronological order, including, “I hopped off the plane at LAX” from “Party in the USA,” “I can almost see it, that dream I’m dreaming” from “The Climb,” “I came in like a wrecking ball” from “Wrecking Ball,” and “I can buy myself flowers” from “Flowers” before the newest lyric addition to Cyrus’ catalog: “I used to be young.”

The Disney Channel alum also changed multiple thumbnail photos on her YouTube videos to read “USED TO BE YOUNG” in all caps.

Fans in the comments section, naturally, were excited at the idea of potential new material from Cyrus (though she has not confirmed whether the tweet means a new track is on the way). Fans hit the comments section of the posts with messages like “SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP” and “USED TO BE YOUNG is coming and we’re all so excited.”

The teaser comes months after the release of Cyrus’ eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, which arrived in March. The set, led by singles “Flowers,” “River” and “Jaded,” peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 following its release, while “Flowers” spent eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

See Cyrus’ teaser below.

15 Aug 2023

Pusha T Talks Pepsi Dig In Day, Clipse Reunion & New Album: ‘Being Recognized Is Always a Good Thing’

Pusha T is a global force. The veteran rapper is currently touring It’s Almost Dry, his acclaimed Billboard 200-topping fourth solo studio album, in venues across Europe, from Norway to the U.K. While his singular brand of coke rap has carried him to worldwide success, the heart of Pusha T’s music and aesthetic finds its anchor in the place he calls home: Virginia.

The “Neck & Wrist” rapper is headed back to the DMV on August 19 to perform for fans at the first-ever free Pepsi Dig In Day Block Party in Washington D.C. at the Sandlot Anacostia. With a focus on celebrating and spotlighting local Black-owned restaurants, Pepsi Dig In Day Block Party attendees can expect to enjoy free food, fun and music performances from a lineup of talented musicians, including Alex Vaughn, Black Alley, DJ Five9 and DJ Money.

Supporting Black businesses and Black art is nothing new for Pusha T. In February 2020, he launched his own record label, Heir Wave Media Group, focused on signing and developing artists from the Virginia area. Last year, he publicly cut ties with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music due to the “Black Skinhead” rapper’s controversial appearance on an InfoWars episode and subsequent antisemitic remarks. Currently on a 50/50 deal with Def Jam and Heir Wave Media Group for his solo musical endeavors, Pusha T remains steadfast in his prioritization and elevation of Black people and Black art as his global profile continues to soar, even in the face of recent jabs from Drake on Travis Scott’s “Meltdown.”

As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, Pusha T has enjoyed another banner year. In April, he performed a fiery 17-song set at Coachella, which followed a heated back-and-forth with “We Fly High” rapper Jim Jones regarding Push’s placement on Billboard and Vibe’s Greatest Rappers of All Time ranking. Later this month, Push is set to reunite with his brother, No Malice, for Clipse’s first New York show in over a decade. The performance, which will take place during Genius’ all-day IQ/BBQ, marks Clipse’s second reunion show of the year following their appearance at Pharrell Williams’ Something In The Water Festival earlier this year.

Billboard got a chance to catch up with Pusha-T and talk about the significance of Pepsi Dig In Day, the variety of Hip-Hop 50 celebrations, Clipse’s upcoming reunion performance, and his new album.

How’s life for you on the road right now? 

Really good! Pretty hectic, pretty tedious. This first week was about six shows in seven days, and going from Europe to the US, so this is a hell of a way to start off a tour. But that’s what we’re here for! 

Why is it important for you to be involved in an event like Pepsi Dig In Day? 

I feel like Pepsi Dig In Day speaks to bringing the community together for music and the celebration of black-owned businesses in the DMV area. The DMV has so many different places and black-owned businesses to highlight in the restaurant space. It’s just a good time. It’s a good time for everybody. 

Recently we’ve seen a lot of big pushes and initiatives in support of Black-owned businesses across the country, especially since 2020. Why did you choose to partner with Pepsi for this one, and what made you believe in this particular endeavor? 

I’m always in the area — I’ve actually moved to the area permanently [laughs] and I’m renovating a house there. For me, I feel like this particular [event] is very special, because I frequent The Sandlot, which is where it’s being held. The Sandlot, for those who don’t know — it’s a historic neighborhood in D.C., where they’ve built out this area where people just have parties and DJs, and it’s always a really good, cool time. It’s where all the cool kids, the creatives, businessmen congregate for many events that I’ve been to. Once I heard about it, it was a no-brainer for me. 

What are some of your favorite Black-owned spots in the DMV area? 

I would start with some of the first ones that ever frequented, Maketto and KitchenCray. My guy, J.R. [James Robinson] with KitchenCray, and my guy, Keem [Hughley] with Maketto and Bronze, he has two restaurants. (Ed. note: Hughley is the director of sales at Maketto, which is owned by chef Erik Bruner-Yang.) They have a whole food truck culture out there as well. Jerk@Nite is really good, and Horace and Dickies, man, the fried whiting/fried shrimp/seafood swag.

What’s your go-to meal when you’re back home, whether it’s home-cooked or a plate you can get at one of those spots? 

I’m going to have to say the jerk wings, rice and peas, and the mac and cheese. It’s a must. You can’t have it every day. It is 1000% something you should not have every day, if you’re being super health-conscious like I am at the moment [laughs], but it’s something that I have to have. 

This year, Pepsi Dig In Day happens to coincide with a bunch of Hip-Hop 50 celebrations. How have you felt about the various celebrations so far and do you think that you’ve been included and honored in the way that you deserve? 

I’ve been a part of a couple [Hip-Hop 50 celebrations], and I feel like I’ve been included. It’s been super-inclusive to all the subgenres of hip-hop, it’s been great to see. I think that, more importantly, this is a milestone for hip hop, and for people to recognize that hip-hop is really here to stay. You think about all the times that hip-hop wasn’t even included — whether it was award shows, or all of the fighting and political stress that was surrounding hip-hop at one time. To see that we’ve been here 50 years, man, it’s amazing. 

What’s it been like touring Europe during Hip-Hop 50?  

This is the second part of my Europe tour this year. I had to break it up, because I started working on music. It’s been great to be in Paris and be in London and watch the fans go crazy. The fans are super excited. For me, it’s always good, because I get to see the range of my fanbase — and it’s like, “Man, I’m seeing from 15 to 50!” That’s a blessing. It’s always been amazing to me just to be overseas across the waters and be able to touch the people that really show me support, and have shown me support for all these years. 

Clipse is coming back with their first NYC show in over a decade in a couple of weeks. Talk to me about that. Do you guys have anything special planned? How does it feel to be returning to the birthplace of hip-hop for such a momentous occasion? 

It’s really good just to be able to come to the birthplace of hip-hop and perform again. Being included in the hip-hop celebration by Genius, it’s awesome that we’re looked at and in such a regard — and I’m talking about Clipse — we’re just looked at for our lyricism, we’re being looked at for what we brought to the genre of street rap, and just being recognized is always a good thing. I mean being onstage with my brother is second to none. 

Obviously, rap is a very regional art form, and your hometown and roots have an outsized influence on your music. Now that you’re back for such an uplifting event, do you anticipate that influencing your upcoming music at all? What can you tell us about your upcoming album, which you’ve described as “a special project?” 

I personally feel like my music has always been representative of the region that I’m from, meaning that whole Virginia area and the DMV as a whole. The term “DMV” is very territorial to people. I’m from Virginia, 757 area code, which is Southeast Virginia State. You know, when they say “DMV,” it’s usually representative of Northern Virginia and D.C. proper. Me being on the outskirts and having the success that we’ve had, it’s always been like a second home to us, and we’ve always loved and supported the area in any way that we could. I love to come back and give that energy back. I think that we’ll really show the world all the aspects of the DMV. 

15 Aug 2023

Former Kanye West Associate Among Those Indicted Alongside Donald Trump in Georgia Election Case

A former associate of Kanye West and R. Kelly is listed among the 18 names in the 41-count indictment against former President Donald Trump that was unsealed in Fulton County, Ga., Monday night (Aug. 14). Trevian C. Kutti is facing three charges under the state’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) law — a statute typically associated with organized crime — wherein prosecutors claim the former president and his compatriots ran a “criminal enterprise” to keep Trump in the White House after his 2020 presidential election loss.

Kutti was associated with West for a period of time following his own failed 2020 presidential run, according to a source formerly close to West’s team.

Previously, Kutti worked with disgraced singer R. Kelly as his publicist until 2018, according to a 2020 Chicago Sun-Times article covering her work as a lobbyist to legalize marijuana in Illinois. Kelly is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Chicago after convictions on child pornography and enticement of a minor charges.

Kutti, whose unverified Instagram bio lists her as a “solutionist… equal opportunity capitalist… media manipulator,” is facing charges of conspiracy to commit solicitation of false statements and writings and influencing witnesses. She did not respond to Billboard‘s request for comment on the charges at press time.

The latest indictment against Trump includes 41 criminal charges against 18 Trump associates alleging acts aimed at trying to reverse his election loss, including Trump famously calling Georgia’s Republican secretary of state in a bid to have him “find” enough votes to help him win the pivotal state, as well as harassing an election worker with false claims of fraud and trying to persuade Georgia lawmakers to ignore the state’s citizens and appoint their own slate of pro-Trump electors. In one of the most shocking claims, the indictment says the Trump team allegedly attempted to gain access to voting machines in a rural county in order to steal data from the voting machine company.

Reuters reported that Kutti’s online biography from 2021 identified her as a member of the “Young Black Leadership Council under President Trump,” while also claiming that beginning in Sept. 2018 she was “secured as a publicist to Kanye West” and served as his “director of operations.” In Dec. 2021 a spokesperson for West said that Kutti was not “associated” with the rapper at the time she is accused of pressuring a Georgia election worker to confess to false allegations of committing voter fraud.

A spokesperson for Ye could not be reached for comment at press time.

Trump is facing 13 charges in the case, which contains the most potential legal jeopardy for the twice-impeached MAGA real estate mogul who was indicted in March in a New York case tied to hush payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels. He was indicted again in June by a federal grand jury in Miami in his classified documents case and earlier this month by special counsel Jack Smith in a federal probe into Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

While Kutti is not well-known, some more familiar names were in the Fulton County indictment, including former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump lawyer (and the mastermind of the bogus elector scheme) John Eastman, another Trump attorney, Sidney Powell, and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.

“I believe that the charges that were filed on me are for a lack of better words baloney,” Kutti reportedly said in a text to the Wall Street Journal. “I completely stand by what I said to the election worker that I was simply a crisis manager.”

Forbes reported on Tuesday that leading up to the 2020 election, Kutti worked as a campaign manager for QAnon conspiracy supporter Angela Stanton King, who lost an election for the congressional seat of late civil rights icon John Lewis.

Kutti also made headlines as the person who Reuters said was caught on video trying to convince frightened Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman — whom Trump had attacked in public and who later faced death threats — to confess to Trump’s false voter fraud allegations by saying that if she didn’t she would be hauled off to jail.

Count 30 of the indictment says that Kutti and two others, “unlawfully conspired to solicit, request, and importune Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County, Georgia, election worker, to engage in conduct constituting the felony offense of False Statements and Writings, O.C.G.A. § 16-10-20, by knowingly and willfully making a false statement and representation concerning events at State Farm Arena in the November 3, 2020, presidential election in Georgia.” It also claims that Kutti “traveled to Fulton County, Georgia, and placed a telephone call to Ruby Freeman while in Fulton County, Georgia, which were overt acts to effect the object of the conspiracy, contrary to the laws of said State, the good order, peace and dignity thereof.”

Count 31 alleges that around Jan. 4, 2021, the trio, “knowingly and unlawfully engaged in misleading conduct toward Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County, Georgia, election worker, by stating that she needed protection and by purporting to offer her help, with intent to influence her testimony in an official proceeding in Fulton County, Georgia, concerning events at State Farm Arena in the November 3, 2020, presidential election in Georgia, contrary to the laws of said State, the good order, peace and dignity thereof.”

While Trump continues to be the Republican presidential front-runner by a wide margin despite his multiple layers of legal jeopardy, CNN noted that Fulton County DA Fani Willis’ case is insulated from any potential Trump meddling if he is re-elected in 2024 because he would be unable to pardon himself or any of his allies on the state charges or dismiss Fulton County prosecutors who brought the charges.

In a predictable pattern, Trump described his latest indictment as part of a politically motivated “witch hunt” while labeling DA Willis as “racist and corrupt.” Giuliani, who famously used RICO statutes to combat organized crime in New York, called the charges “an affront to democracy.”

15 Aug 2023

Post Malone Nervously Sings ‘Sunflower,’ ‘Circles’ & More Hits for NPR’s Tiny Desk: Watch

Someone very special was posted up at NPR’s offices this week: Post Malone, making his Tiny Desk Concert debut on the heels of his new album Austin.

Posty’s voice sounded a little rough around the edges during the four-song performance, which he explained was due to the strain of his ongoing If Y’all Weren’t Here, I’d Be Crying Tour. After joking about how nervous he felt to perform on the web series, he noted: “I’m on tour, and my voice is ‘balls’ right now, so I appreciate you guys listening and putting up with that.”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The rock star kicked off his set with “Sunflower,” his 2019 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash with Swae Lee written for the Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse soundtrack. Next, with the help of a string quartet and backup singers, he transformed his 2017 single “I Fall Apart” into an emotional, folksy ballad.

“You guys f–king rock, thank you for being nice to me,” Post told the crowd halfway through the set.

The 28-year-old artist went on to sing “Circles,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in 2019, before closing out with “Enough Is Enough,” a song from his July 28 album Austin. Both songs got the rootsy, full-band acoustic treatment as well, with Post playing acoustic guitar throughout the entire concert.

“I’m sweating my a– off,” he confessed after the performance concluded. “This is like a dream for me.”

Austin debuted last week atop both the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart as well as the Top Alternative Albums chart, and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in its first week. On top of his tour schedule, Post has been hard at work promoting the record, making stops on Zane Lowe’s Apple Music 1 show and Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast.

Watch Post Malone’s Tiny Desk concert above.

15 Aug 2023

V’s ‘Love Me Again’ & ‘Rainy Days’ Top Hot Trending Songs Chart

Two new solo songs from BTS’ V top Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs chart, powered by X, dated Aug. 19.

Billboard’s Hot Trending charts, powered by X, track global music-related trends and conversations in real-time across X, viewable over either the last 24 hours or past seven days. A weekly, 20-position version of the chart, covering activity from Friday through Thursday of each week, posts alongside Billboard’s other weekly charts on Billboard.com each Tuesday, with the latest tracking period running Aug. 4-10.

V’s “Love Me Again” crowns the list. Officially released to most streaming providers on Aug. 11, the song’s music video preceded the debut by premiering on YouTube on Aug. 9.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

It’s V’s first No. 1 on the ranking, which began in 2021; he previously rose as high as No. 4 with “Christmas Tree” in 2022.

V’s “Rainy Days” bows at No. 2; it was released Aug. 11 but was teased during the Aug. 4-10 tracking period, boosting its position on Hot Trending Songs.

A third song from V, “Slow Dancing,” debuts at No. 7 thanks to buzz from the tracklist of Layover, V’s upcoming six-song release, which was announced Aug. 7. Two versions of “Slow Dancing” will be featured on Layover, a standard edition and a piano version. Layover is scheduled for release Sept. 8.

“Siren,” newcomer K-pop group RIIZE’s introduction song, debuts at No. 3 after being released Aug. 6. The seven-piece’s debut album, Get a Guitar, is out Sept. 4.

“Mi Ex Tenia Razon,” from Karol G’s newly released deluxe edition of her album Manana Sera Bonito, debuts at No. 4, while Oliver Anthony’s “Rich Men North of Richmond” premieres at No. 5 after going viral upon its upload on the YouTube channel radiowv on Aug. 8, followed by a full release for downloads and streaming Aug. 11.

Keep visiting Billboard.com for the constantly evolving Hot Trending Songs rankings, and check in each Tuesday for the latest weekly chart.

15 Aug 2023

Ciara Does a Pregnant Belly Dance to Her Chris Brown Collab ‘How We Roll’: Watch

Ciara is continuing to soak up her pregnancy bliss. On Monday (Aug. 14), the “Goodies” singer posted a video of her dancing with her full baby bump on display.

The R&B star appeared in the video — set to her and Chris Brown’s collaborative track “How We Roll” — wearing a pink and orange crochet crop top, a blue denim skirt, and layered silver and gold chains to accessorize.

“Yeah, top off, summer in the wind/ You look at me like that again, we make another kid/ You my heart, I’m your rib,” she lip-synched, stepping away from the camera to show her full body while rubbing her baby bump and swaying to the beat of the song. “If I ever had to for you, I would do a bid/ And I can tell that you’re ready/ Three, two, one, it’s goin’ down like confetti/ Pour the ten to one shots again/ If we film it on the phone, promise that we gonna trend.”

Speaking of “How We Roll” in an interview with Billboard News, CiCi said, “It is a great example of that feel good, R&B dance, rhythmic, melodic energy that you can play at a house party. It’s gonna set the house party off right. And then of course, Breezy and I coming together — this is something that we had been wanting to do for a long time. It was, I would say, an artist dream come true for the both of us and our fans have told us they wanted it for a long time, so we’re like ‘We gotta make this happen,’ and the moment and the song couldn’t be any better.”

Ciara announced her fourth pregnancy (her third with husband Russell Wilson) earlier this month with a stylish baby bump reveal on Instagram. The “1, 2 Step” singer has three children already: Nine-year-old son Future Zahir Wilburn, whom she shares with ex-fiancé Future, and daughter Sienna Princess and son Win Harrison with Wilson.

See Ciara’s belly dancing video below.

15 Aug 2023

Greta Van Fleet’s Josh Kiszka Shares How Fans Have Embraced Him Since He Came Out in June

Leading up to his decision to come out during Pride Month this year, Josh Kiszka was worried he’d have “a target on my back” once people knew he was part of the LGBTQ community. Instead, the Greta Van Fleet frontman tells Rolling Stone, fans embraced him even more passionately.

“Everything had been met with love and acceptance and humility and respect, and that was a huge wave of reassurance that things are moving in the right direction,” he reflected to the publication. “As a performer and as an entertainer, a huge weight was lifted. Because ultimately as an artist or just as a person, we all want to be understood to some degree.”

Kiszka was motivated to publicize his eight-year “loving, same-sex relationship” in a June Instagram post after Tennessee lawmakers introduced a bevy of laws targeting gay and transgender people — something he likened to “a f–king dystopian kind of reality” to Rolling Stone. A month later, at Greta Van Fleet’s kickoff show in Nashville for the band’s Starcatcher World Tour, Kiszka found himself looking into a sea of fans holding up coordinated colored paper over their cameras, collectively forming the image of a rainbow.

“The fact that that many people could communicate and coordinate to make that happen was extraordinary,” he recalled. “It was really difficult for me to keep it together.”

Following the release of their July album Starcatcher, Kiszka and bandmates Jake Kiszka, Sam Kiszka –the three are also brothers — and Danny Wagner earned their third No. 1 placement on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart. The band is currently booked to tour through September 2024, per their website, closing out with a pair of shows in Mexico City.

But wherever they are, Kiszka says fans can count on their shows being inclusive spaces for everyone. “I heard something from this girl that made me feel really great,” he added. “She said, ‘I always felt very comfortable as a member of the LGBTQIA+ communities at Greta Van Fleet shows, and this makes it even more obvious that it’s a very safe place for all people to come together and celebrate.’ That’s such a beautiful thing to hear.”

15 Aug 2023

Madonna Announces Rescheduled Celebration Tour Shows: See the New Dates

When you’re Madonna, nothing stops a celebration. After spending several days in the ICU battling a “serious bacterial infection,” Madonna was unfortunately forced to pause her career-spanning Celebration Tour. On Tuesday (Aug. 15), Live Nation announced a slew of rescheduled dates for the North American leg of the Queen of Pop’s tour.

Commemorating four decades of hit singles and pop culture-dominating albums, the North American leg of The Celebration Tour was originally scheduled to kick off on July 15 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver and conclude on Oct. 8 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with additional stops in Phoenix, Detroit, Toronto, Montreal and Atlanta in the interim. Madge was then set to head over to Europe and then back to North America for more dates.

The Celebration Tour will now officially kick off with four sold-out shows in London beginning Oct. 14, followed by shows across Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands throughout the remainder of 2023. The North American leg will commence on Dec. 13 in Brooklyn at Barclays Center, followed by shows in Boston, Seattle, Chicago, Las Vegas, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Due to scheduling conflicts, a number of previously announced shows have been canceled, including Tulsa (July 27), Nashville (Dec. 22), San Francisco (Jan. 15), Las Vegas (Jan. 18) and Phoenix (Jan. 20).

Mere weeks after Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a law restricting drag shows in Tennessee, Madonna announced plans to perform in Nashville with Bob The Drag Queen opening.

“The oppression of the LGBTQ+ is not only unacceptable and inhumane; it’s creating an unsafe environment; it makes America a dangerous place for our most vulnerable citizens, especially trans women of color,” she said. “Also, these so-called laws to protect our children are unfounded and pathetic. Anyone with half a brain knows not to f–k with a drag queen. Bob and I will see you from the stage in Nashville where we will celebrate the beauty that is the queer community.” (There is currently no word on a rescheduled Nashville date.)

Check out all of the reschedule dates for the Queen of Pop’s Celebration Tour below:

  • Dec. 13 — Brooklyn, N.Y. — Barclays Center
  • Dec. 14 — Brooklyn, N.Y. — Barclays Center
  • Dec. 16 — Brooklyn, N.Y. — Barclays Center
  • Dec. 18 — Washington, D.C. — Capital One Arena
  • Dec. 19 — Washington, D.C. — Capital One Arena
  • Jan. 8 — Boston, Mass. — TD Garden
  • Jan. 9 — Boston, Mass. — TD Garden
  • Jan. 11 — Toronto, Canada — Scotiabank Arena
  • Jan. 12 — Toronto, Canada — Scotiabank Arena
  • Jan. 15 — Detroit, Mich. — Little Caesars Arena
  • Jan. 18 — Montreal, Canada — Bell Centre
  • Jan. 20 — Montreal, Canada — Bell Centre
  • Jan. 22 — New York, N.Y. — Madison Square Garden
  • Jan. 23 — New York, N.Y. — Madison Square Garden
  • Jan. 25 — Philadelphia, Penn. — Wells Fargo Center
  • Jan. 29 — New York, N.Y. — Madison Square Garden
  • Feb. 1 — Chicago, Ill. — United Center
  • Feb. 2 — Chicago, Ill. — United Center
  • Feb. 5 — Pittsburgh, Penn. — PPG Paints Arena
  • Feb. 8 — Cleveland, Ohio — Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse
  • Feb. 13 — Saint Paul, Minn. — Xcel Energy Center
  • Feb. 17 — Seattle, Wash. — Climate Pledge Arena
  • Feb. 18 — Seattle, Wash. — Climate Pledge Arena
  • Feb. 21 — Vancouver, Canada — Rogers Arena
  • Feb. 24 — Sacramento, Calif. — Golden 1 Center
  • Feb. 27 — San Francisco, Calif. — Chase Center
  • Feb. 28 — San Francisco, Calif. — Chase Center
  • Mar. 1 — Las Vegas, Nev. — T-Mobile Arena
  • Mar. 2 — Las Vegas, Nev. — T-Mobile Arena
  • Mar. 4 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Kia Forum
  • Mar. 5 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Kia Forum
  • Mar. 7 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Kia Forum
  • Mar. 9 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Kia Forum
  • Mar. 11 — Los Angeles, Calif. — Kia Forum
  • Mar. 13 — Palm Desert, Calif. — Acrisure Arena
  • Mar. 16 — Phoenix, Ariz. — Footprint Center
  • Mar. 19 — Denver, Colo. — Ball Arena
  • Mar. 24 — Dallas, Texas— American Airlines Center
  • Mar. 25 — Dallas, Texas — American Airlines Center
  • Mar. 28 — Houston, Texas — Toyota Center
  • Mar. 29 — Houston, Texas — Toyota Center
  • Apr. 1 — Atlanta, Ga. — State Farm Arena
  • Apr. 4 — Tampa, Fla. — Amalie Arena
  • Apr. 6 — Miami, Fla. — Kaseya Center
  • Apr. 7 — Miami, Fla. — Kaseya Center
  • Apr. 14 — Austin, Texas — Moody Center
  • Apr. 15 — Austin, Texas — Moody Center
  • Apr. 20 — Mexico City — Palacio De Los Deportes
  • Apr. 21 — Mexico City — Palacio De Los Deportes
  • Apr. 23 — Mexico City — Palacio De Los Deportes
  • Apr. 24 — Mexico City — Palacio De Los Deportes

15 Aug 2023

Will Hoge Teams With Black Opry & Shoes Off Nashville To Ask ‘Can I Be Country Too?’

Will Hoge is collaborating with members of the Black Opry and with Shoes Off Nashville (which celebrates and empowers those in Nashville’s Asian Pacific Islander community) to amass an ensemble of talented, diverse musical voices, congregating to challenge stereotypes within the country music community.

“Can I Be Country Too?” a song Hoge wrote a few years ago, asks a series of straightforward questions: can a person “be country” if they also believe that Black lives matter, believe in gay marriage, vote Democrat and do not go fishing or drinking beer every weekend?

The track finds Hoge collaborating with The Kentucky Gentlemen, Carmen Dianne, Michael Allen, Cheryl Deseree and the The Country Any Way Collective. Joining them are musicians Allen Jones and Jerry Pentecost (drums), Christopher Griffiths (bass), Josh Grange (pedal steel and piano), Audley Freed (electric guitar) and Josh Mailiner (fiddle and mandolin). The choir is made up of members of The Black Opry and Shoes Off Nashville.

Hoge, a Nashville-area native, is known for writing songs including Eli Young Band’s 2012 Billboard Country Airplay chart-topper “Even If It Breaks Your Heart,” as well as the band’s song “Just Add Moonlight.” The singer-songwriter has also been outspoken in his own perspectives about society and politics throughout his career, on songs including 2012’s “Ballad of Trayvon Martin” (from his Modern American Protest Music EP), as well as “Still a Southern Man” and “Thoughts and Prayers,” both from his 2018 project My American Dream.

“I’ve always been a bit of an outsider when I’m working on the fringes of the country music world as an artist and writer, and the reasons for that sometimes are incredibly frustrating,” Hoge said in a statement. “I always felt like a lot of my core beliefs and cares were things that if maybe they weren’t allowed, they were definitely frowned upon. Over the last couple years I feel the genre, commercially at large, has really shown how small and homogenous it can be. I know how hard that is for me and I started thinking about how that must feel for so many other folks that I love and care about who are just trying to find their place.”

In that spirit of inclusion, Hoge said he aimed to be as inclusive as possible when it came to finding collaborators. “I wanted to surround myself with folks that are doing this work from the margins and feel frustrated and kind of left out. The artists that lined up to do it represent everything I’ve loved about Nashville and the music community here since I was a little kid,” he said. “It was such a tremendous joy to feel the love in the room as we tracked the song. Having all those voices and all those humans being unabashedly who they are was just tremendous. I’m flattered so many folks showed up in support.”

In a statement, Black Opry founder Holly G noted that Hoge was one of the first people to reach out and offer support when Holly G launched Black Opry. “We’ve built a friendship on learning and better understanding each other’s perspectives, and to this day, Will is the only artist who’s invited the Black Opry Revue to open for him for a show. He’s been such a great friend and supporter.”

Hoge summed up how he felt about the new project, saying “I hope that for young listeners out there, the ones that dream about carving out some kind of living in this business, and they wonder if they fit in, I hope this song is a resounding ‘Yes. You belong.’”

Hear “Can I Be Country Too?” below: