Music News

17 Jul 2023

Will.i.am Teases New Britney Spears Collaboration ‘Mind Your Business’

We’re now rocking with Will.i.am and Britney, b—-!

The Grammy-winning producer took to social media on Monday (July 17) to tease his new collaboration with Britney Spears, the electro-tinged “Mind Your Business.” The 16-second clip features Spears proclaiming over the track, “Mind your business, b—-!”

According to the post, the song is set to arrive on Tuesday (July 18). The duo previously teamed up on 2013’s “Scream & Shout.”

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The track’s title is fitting, as Spears has previously expressed frustration with documentaries about her life and 13-year conservatorship that hit streaming services without her permission. To take back her own story, the pop superstar is unveiling her long-awaited tell-all memoir, The Woman in Me, on Oct. 24. People magazine was first to report the news on the title that’s described as a “brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith and hope.”

Spears teased the memoir last April in a lengthy Instagram post in which she wrote, “Well I’m writing a book at the moment and as it’s actually healing and therapeutic … it’s also hard bringing up past events in my life … I’ve never been able to express openly !!! I can only imagine that I do sound childish but I was extremely young when those events took place … and addressing it now … I’m sure it seems irrelevant to most and I’m completely aware of that !!!”

See the “Mind Your Business” teaser and announcement below.

17 Jul 2023

North West & TLC’s Chilli Finally Meet After Viral Halloween Costume: ‘Dreams Do Come True’

North West has finally met one of her idols. On Sunday, Kim Kardashian shared a carousel of photos of her 10-year-old daughter meeting TLC‘s Chilli to her Instagram.

In the pictures, Chilli — real name: Rozonda Thomas — wears a black T-shirt and camouflage cargo pants and stoops down to North’s height to embrace her for a hug. In a second photo, the pair hold two identical dogs and flash happy smiles to the camera. “Dreams do come true @therealchilli,” Kardashian captioned the post.

Fans in the comments section remarked at how lovely it was that North and Chilli had the chance to meet, while Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner had a few words of their own. “What!!!!! And you didn’t call me to come over!!!!!” Khloe wrote, later adding, “Oh you’re in trouble.” Jenner, meanwhile, said, “This is so cute!!!”

The meeting between North and Chilli has been in the making for a while — the photo carousel also featured photos of when North and her two friends dressed up like TLC in from the group’s iconic “No Scrubs” video for Halloween last year. North was Chilli in the group.

At the time, the trio’s TLC costume got love from T-Boz and Chilli on Instagram. T-Boz shared the video of North and her friends singing along to “No Scrubs” to her page and wrote, “Ayyyyyyyeeeee. Okayyyyyy PrettyGirls … #NorthWest And Her Girls Smashed #TLC This Halloween @kimkardashian #demTLCGirls #DemTLCbabies Love The Love.” Chilli expressed a similar sentiment in her repost: “#demtlcbabies nailed it!!!,” she gushed on Instagram.

See photos from North and Chilli’s meeting below.

17 Jul 2023

Taylor Swift’s ‘Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’ Debuts at No. 1 on Top Country Albums Chart

Taylor Swift’s Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) launches at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (dated July 22), while all 22 of the re-recorded set’s songs hit Hot Country Songs, breaking her own record for the most simultaneously-charted titles on the survey among women.

Released July 7, the set, the third of Swift’s planned six re-recorded albums, arrives with 716,000 equivalent album units earned, with 507,000 in traditional album sales, in the U.S. in the week ending July 13, according to Luminate.

Both figures represent the largest week by those metrics for any album in 2023 and the best since Swift’s last studio set, Midnights, opened with 1.58 million units, of which 1.14 million were in album sales (as reflected on the Nov. 5-dated Billboard 200 chart).

Swift earns her eighth No. 1 on Top Country Albums, as well as her 12th leader on the all-genre Billboard 200; on the latter list, she surpasses Barbra Streisand for the most No. 1s among women.

Taylor Swift’s Career No. 1s on Top Country Albums:
Taylor Swift, No. 1 for 24 weeks, beginning Aug. 4, 2007
Beautiful Eyes (EP), one week, Aug. 2, 2008
Fearless, 35 weeks, beginning Nov. 29, 2008
Speak Now, 13 weeks, beginning Nov. 13, 2010
Red, 16 weeks, beginning Nov. 10, 2012
Fearless (Taylor’s Version), three weeks, beginning April 24, 2021
Red (Taylor’s Version), seven weeks, beginning Nov. 27, 2021
Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), one week to date, July 22, 2023

Swift’s cumulative weeks at No. 1 on Top Country Albums now swell to a milestone 100, the most among women (ahead of Shania Twain’s 97). Since the chart began in 1964, Swift has the fifth-most weeks at No. 1 among all acts, after Garth Brooks (173), Alabama (125), Morgan Wallen (117) and Willie Nelson (107).

Prior to the debut of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the largest week of 2023 by equivalent album units belonged to Wallen’s One Thing at a Time, which arrived with 501,000 units (March 18).

Also that week, Wallen lobbed nine tracks into the top 10 of the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart, the most for an act in a single week since the ranking became an all-encompassing genre survey in 1958.

With seven songs from Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) debuting in the top 10 of the latest Hot Country Songs chart, Swift boasts the second-most top 10s in a single frame. (She has now scored 36 career Hot Country Songs top 10s.)

“I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” flies onto Hot Country Songs the highest, at No. 3, with 24.7 million official U.S. streams, 361,000 in airplay audience and 4,000 sold.

Taylor Swift on the July 22 Hot Country Songs Chart:
Rank, Title
No. 3, “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”
No. 4, “Mine (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 5, “Back to December (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 7, “Enchanted (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 8, “Sparks Fly (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 9, “Dear John (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 10, “Better Than Revenge (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 13, “Castles Crumbling (Taylor’s Version),” feat. Hayley Williams
No. 14, “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 15, “When Emma Falls in Love (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”
No. 16, “Electric Touch (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault),” feat. Fall Out Boy
No. 17, “Mean (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 18, “Foolish One (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”
No. 20, “The Story of Us (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 21, “Timeless (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”
No. 22, “Haunted (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 24, “Long Live (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 26, “Last Kiss (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 27, “Never Grow Up (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 28, “Innocent (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 29, “Ours (Taylor’s Version)”
No. 31, “Superman (Taylor’s Version)”

Swift thus charts 22 entries simultaneously on Hot Country Songs, a new personal-best for her. She tops the 21 titles that she tallied on the Nov. 27, 2021, chart, when Red (Taylor’s Version) opened at No. 1 on Top Country Albums and the Billboard 200. (Wallen logged a record 35 tracks on the March 18 Hot Country Songs chart.)

Notably, thanks to debuts at Nos. 13 and 16, respectively, pop-rock mainstays Hayley Williams, of Paramore, and Fall Out Boy each make their first appearances on Hot Country Songs.

Concurrently, Swift adds seven top 10s on Country Streaming Songs, pushing her career total to 30. On Country Digital Song Sales, she nets three new top 10s, upping her career count to 45. Those are the most among all artists on both lists; Wallen has the second-most top 10s on Country Streaming Songs (25) and Blake Shelton is the runner-up on Country Digital Song Sales (37). (Country Digital Song Sales started in January 2010 and Country Streaming Songs began in April 2013.)

17 Jul 2023

John Legend Shares Adorable Selfie With ‘The Boys’

Saturdays are for the boys! John Legend took to Instagram on Saturday (July 15) to share a series of adorable snaps with his two sons, five-year-old Miles Theodore and one-month-old Wren Alexander.

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In the first photo, Legend is smiling into the camera with his arm wrapped around Miles, who is seen holding his newborn brother. In the other snaps, Miles is seen checking out his hair and baby Wren gives a heart-melting smirk to the camera. Check out the photos here.

In June, Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen announced they welcomed their fourth child, a baby boy, via surrogate. With the process of IVF — which the couple also employed when becoming pregnant with Miles and his older sister Luna — Teigen became pregnant with baby girl Esti, whom the couple welcomed in January.

Teigen revealed in an Instagram post that around the time she became pregnant, the couple met their surrogate, a woman named Alexandra who has since become a close friend. “Just minutes before midnight on June 19th, I got to witness the most beautiful woman, my friend, our surrogate, give birth amidst a bit of chaos, but with strength and pure joy and love,” Teigen wrote, thanking Alexandra for the “incredible gift.”

17 Jul 2023

Drake Is Teaming Up With Dave’s Hot Chicken to Give Away Tickets to It’s All a Blur Tour

Missed out on a chance to see Drake live in concert? You’re in luck, as the rapper has teamed up with Dave’s Hot Chicken — a company he also invested in — to give fans a second chance at scoring tickets to see him on tour this year.

“Drake is a global superstar, and we’re thrilled to have him as an investor,” said Bill Phelps, CEO of Dave’s Hot Chicken. “Drake invested because he loved the food and the founders’ story of starting Dave’s with $900 in a parking lot. We hope Drake fans across the country will visit us this summer and experience the taste that made him excited to invest in the brand. And, when they do, they’ll have a chance to win tickets to watch Drake in concert during his It’s All a Blur tour.”

In order to qualify for tickets, fans need to download the Dave’s Hot Chicken app and opt in to the contest, where they will be asked to choose their preferred concert location and date to receive an entry for their requested concert drawing. No purchase is necessary to enter, but fans looking to earn multiple entries can do so by making purchases at Dave’s locations while logged into the loyalty program. Each purchase equates to more entries.

Cities that will participate in the ticket giveaway include New York City (July 23), Washington, D.C. (July 28), Milwaukee (Aug. 3), Los Angeles (Aug.13, 15, 16, 21, 22), San Francisco (Aug. 18), Seattle (Aug. 25), Las Vegas (Sept. 1, 2), Glendale, Ariz. (Sept. 5), Denver (Sept. 8), Dallas (Sept. 14), Houston (Sept. 17), Charlotte, N.C. (Sept. 22), Miami (Sept. 28), Nashville (Oct. 2) and the rapper’s hometown of Toronto (Oct. 5).

The It’s All a Blur Tour is Drake’s first headlining run since the 2018 Aubrey & The Three Migos tour.

17 Jul 2023

Musicians at Wimbledon 2023

Wimbledon 2023 wrapped on Sunday (July 16), and the music stars were out in full force to enjoy thrilling matches at the world’s oldest tennis tournament. This year’s Wimbledon Championships, the 136th edition, featured some stunning victories. Twenty-year-old Carlos Alcaraz of Spain won the gentlemen’s singles title, beating renowned tennis star Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Markéta Vondroušová of the Czech Republic won the ladies’ singles title, beating Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, becoming the first unseeded female player to win the singles title.

Alcaraz and Djokovic’s nearly five-hour match was an instant classic Wimbledon moment that captivated the attention of one of the most star-studded crowds of the year. The Wimbledon audience featured royals (King Felipe VI of Spain; Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales; Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark), former champions (Andy Murray, Neal Skupski, etc.), actors (Emmy nominee Idris Elba, James Bond star Daniel Craig, Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey), musicians (Ariana Grande, Stormzy, Nick Jonas) and more.

It’s been a busy Wimbledon for tennis’ brightest stars, both on and off the court. Just four days into the tournament, Olympian Naomi Osaka welcomed her first child, a baby girl, with Grammy-nominated rap star Cordae. “Well that was a cool little intermission, now back to your regularly scheduled program,” she joked in an Instagram caption on July 13, complete with emojis of a tennis ball, a peace sign and a pair of pink hearts.

Like many tennis tournaments, the fashion was just as enrapturing as the athleticism on display. From Priyanka Chopra-Jonas’ floral-inspired Victoria Beckham dress to Issa Rae’s Barbie-evoking bubblegum pink mini dress, the stars were dressed to the nines.

See which musicians stunned at Wimbledon 2023.

17 Jul 2023

Tina Knowles-Lawson Gushes Over Blue Ivy Joining Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour: ‘She Really Worked Hard’

From show-stopping vocals to eye-popping choreography and production, Beyoncé‘s Renaissance World Tour is one of the grandest shows happening right now. In the midst of all the show’s opulent elements stands one special surprise for select dates: a dance performance by Grammy winner Blue Ivy, the eldest daughter of the superstar and husband Jay-Z, and grandma Tina Knowles-Lawson couldn’t be prouder.

“Well, this is a heels family. You’re trained early to walk in heels,” Knowles-Lawson, mother to Beyoncé and grandmother to Blue Ivy, told People. “She’s having the time of her life, and I couldn’t be more proud of her because she really worked hard.”

Blue Ivy, the second-youngest Grammy winner in history, seamlessly fit into Beyoncé’s crew of seasoned dancers, featuring ballroom powerhouse Honey Balenciaga and renowned dancer-choreography Aliya Janell.

At the tour’s Paris stop (May 26), Blue surprised the sold-out stadium with some dazzling dance moves set to a pair of her mother’s most empowering anthems: “My Power” and “Black Parade,” both from 2019’s The Lion King: The Gift (Deluxe Edition). Blue’s flawless execution of the “My Power” choreography went viral and sparked a dance trend on TikTok.

Knowles-Lawson, a credited costume designer for the Renaissance World Tour, told the publication, “She is 11 years old, and she had one week to prepare, and she’s just getting better and better. So I’m the proud grandma, always.”

Blue is the eldest Carter child; she is the big sister to 6-year-old twins Rumi and Sir Carter. According to her grandmother, the tween’s confidence has soared “to the sky” since joining the Renaissance Tour. The young dancer made her debut on the tour’s North American leg at the Philadelphia show on July 12.

Blue Ivy has earned one entry on the Billboard Hot 100: 2019’s “Brown Skin Girl” (with Beyoncé, Wizkid & SAINt JN), which won the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Music Video and peaked at No. 76.

17 Jul 2023

Elton John & Husband David Furnish Testify at Kevin Spacey’s London Sexual Assault Trial

LONDON (AP) — Kevin Spacey’s lawyers enlisted the help of an A-list star Monday in his sexual assault trial, calling on Elton John and his husband David Furnish to cast doubt on one of the Oscar winner’s accusers at the end of the defense case.

John appeared briefly in the London court by video link from Monaco after Furnish testified that Spacey did not attend an annual gala ball at their Windsor home at the time that the accuser said he was attacked in a car.

John was the final witness for the defense and was followed by character testimonials from colleagues, friends and family that had Spacey in tears in the dock when they were read aloud by his lawyer in Southwark Crown Court.

Spacey, 63, has pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges that include sexual and indecent assault counts and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

One of the alleged victims said he was driving Spacey to the White Tie & Tiara Ball in 2004 or 2005 when the actor grabbed his crotch so forcefully that he almost ran off the road.

Furnish supported Spacey’s own testimony that the only year the actor had attended the event was 2001. Furnish said he had reviewed photographs taken at the party from 2001 to 2005, and Spacey only appeared in images that one year. He said all guests were photographed each year.

John, who was wearing yellow-tinted glasses, a dark jacket and light blue open-collar shirt, said the actor attended the party once in the early 2000s and arrived after flying to England on a private jet.

17 Jul 2023

Lindsay Lohan Gives Birth to First Child With Husband Bader Shammas

Lindsay Lohan is a mom! The singer-actress has given birth to her first child with husband Bader Shammas, her rep confirms to Billboard.

The newborn is a “beautiful, healthy son named Luai,” the rep says. “The family is over the moon in love.”

The actress first announced her surprise pregnancy in March. At the time, she shared a photo of a white onesie featuring the words “coming soon,” and tagged financier Shammas in the post. “We are blessed and excited!” she captioned the post.

After announcing that the couple was expecting, the actress said in a statement to TMZ, “We are very excited for our new family member to arrive and we are looking forward to this next chapter of our lives!”

Days before giving birth, the “Rumors” singer showed off her baby bump and the little one’s nursery. In snaps in an Instagram carousel post, the star — glowing in a long, white knit dress, her hand on her bump — stands in front of a brown and white crib. The nursery walls are painted in a beachy theme, with a sailboat on the blue water, birds flying and the sun shining. “So excited to show you my nursery & the collection I designed with @nestigbaby! Everything is inspired by the beach and is so peaceful and playful ?,” she captioned her post.

Lohan and Shammas announced their engagement in November 2021, and confirmed In July 2022 that she was married. “You found me and knew that I wanted to find happiness and grace, all at the same time,” the Freaky Friday actress captioned a photo of the couple at the time. “I am stunned that you are my husband. My life and my everything. Every woman should feel like this everyday.”

17 Jul 2023

Ariana Grande’s ‘Into You’ Music Video Reaches 1 Billion YouTube Views

It’s been seven years since Ariana Grande unveiled her club-ready hit “Into You” off her 2016 album Dangerous Woman, and the enduring hit has reached a new milestone. The music video for the track crossed the one billion views mark on YouTube.

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Upon its release in 2016, “Into You” climbed to No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Over the course of her impressive career, Grande has notched a whopping 73 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart. Of those hits, 20 made the top 10 and seven topped the chart. The superstar’s first leader on the track was her 2018 breakup song, “Thank U, Next,” before snagging two more solo No. 1s with “7 Rings” and “Positions.”

She also topped the tally with a number of collaborations, including “Rain on Me” with Lady Gaga, “Stuck With U” with Justin Bieber and her two team-ups with The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears” and “Die For You.”

In other Grande news, the singer has reportedly split from husband Dalton Gomez after two years of marriage. According to TMZ, who was first to report the news, the couple has been separated since January and are planning to legally end their marriage. People also reports that the pair went their separate ways earlier this year.

Reminisce and rewatch Grande’s “Into You” music video below.