Music News

18 May 2023

Rihanna Is Serving Tropical Goddess in Throwback Maternity Shoot Photos

Rihanna’s got that pregnancy glow.

The “Love on the Brain” superstar took to Instagram on Thursday (May 18) to share a series of maternity shoot photos from her first pregnancy. “Here’s a little series I call ‘Rub on ya titties,’” she hilariously captioned the snaps, in which she looks stunning on a balcony of a tropical destination, wearing nothing but a bikini bottom and some gold body jewelry, covering her breasts with her hands and her baby bump on full display.

“In honor of my first pregnancy, embracing motherhood like a g, and the magic that this body made,” she continued in the caption. “Baby RZA… he in there not having a clue how nuts his mama is, or how obsessed he bout to make me.”

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See the pictures here.

While RiRi’s photoshoot was taken during her first pregnancy, she’s currently expecting her second child with A$AP Rocky. She revealed the exciting news during her 2023 Super Bowl halftime show performance in February, surprising fans in a curve-hugging red outfit that showed off her bump. Rihanna has yet to reveal the due date for her upcoming bundle of joy, but she is currently in her third trimester.

18 May 2023

Carin León Breaks Down 5 Essential Songs From ‘Colmillo De Leche’ Album

Carin León, the artist born Óscar Armando Díaz de León Huez, is one of the most prominent and influential figures in Regional Mexican music today, known for his rich storytelling and dazzling instrumental skills. On Thursday (May 18), the singer/songwriter releases Colmillo de Leche, an 18-track studio album titled after the Mexican analogy of a milk tooth — which for him means that sometimes we may think we are experienced in life, but unexpected events can quickly change our perspective.

Over a phone call from Los Angeles, the Mexican superstar reflected to Billboard about his new project as he prepared to announce his first U.S. arena tour, the Colmillo de Leche Tour, presented by AEG, hitting 27 arenas beginning Aug. 10 in Rosemont, Ill., and wrapping up Oct. 8 in Charlotte, N.C.

“It’s a new era for me, definitely in all aspects,” León tells Billboard. “In my way of thinking, I want to convey what I want in my music. In all the connection between what happened in my personal life and a person’s maturity, it is also noticeable and influences your music.”

The album is being released during the same week he performed for the first time at one of the most significant venues in Mexico, Mexico City’s Auditorio Nacional, fulfilling one more dream in his career.

It’s a love letter to music for which León collected compositions from other songwriters over the past two and a half years, songs that connected with him at a time when the lyrics told him more about himself. “I didn’t feel like I was in the circumstances of wanting to express myself, of being able to say what I had at that moment,” León says. “But, more than anything, these songs connected with me, and apart from the production, they told me how they wanted to dress and show themselves on this record, and I think I like to see this record that way. It’s like transforming the songs into how you want to express yourself.

Te set navigates through various rhythms, including soul, flamenco, pop and salsa, incorporating perfect Mexican regional blends made by Sonora musicians. “Ninety-five percent of the musicians on this record are Sonorans, and those who are not are people from somewhere else who live in Hermosillo,” the Sonora-born singer adds.

Below, León shares the significance of five essential tracks on Colmillo de Leche, in his own words.

“No Es Por Acá“

When I heard it, it was a song without any complexity, but it touched me a lot. We decided to do it like this style with a little sierreño blues but minimalist with some instruments. God allowed this song to be a success, and when we sing it onstage, it’s a total success.

“Ni Me Debes Ni Te Debo” (Carin León x Camilo)

The song with Camilo comes out the day the album is released. It’s a very beautiful song, and when I heard it, I was even imagining the production at the same time; I wanted to put some strings. I wanted to make a string quintet of something a little more intimate, and what Camilo did is incredible to me, and we are delighted with that song.

“De Piedra a Papel” (Carin León x Pablo Alborán)

I have been working on a song with Mr. Pablo Alborán for quite some time now. We’ve put a lot of effort into it, including the production, which involved working with a mariachi band and incorporating some interesting elements. We added a touch of flamenco and a sound reminiscent of ’90s Italian pop, similar to artists like Eros and Laura Pausini. Through this song, I aimed to showcase my musical influences and experiences.

“Vete Yendo” (Carin León x Ángela Aguilar)

It is a collaboration that we did with Ángela Aguilar, who is like the language spoken amid flamenco rumba, salsa, and Latin. And we try to do it with our regional sound, a very Mexican theme, and lyrics that resemble Spanish flamenco.

“Primera Cita“

It is a significant song, which today is giving us some exciting surprises that people are connecting a lot with this song. I had wanted to make a soul of doing this mid-century theme for a while. The guitars have all been through amplifiers with a slightly dark sound. More focused on feeling with some lyrics by Mr. Alejandro Lozano, proudly Hermosillense and who has a very northern theme.

18 May 2023

Flavor Flav Joins WGA Strike in Los Angeles, Brings Food to Protesters

Flavor Flav is fighting the power!

The rapper spent his Thursday (May 18) afternoon in Burbank, Calif., outside Warner Bros. studios, showing support for the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. In photos and videos shared to social media, the superstar kept protesters fed with a spread of pizza, burgers and fries. He also danced along to his Public Enemy protest anthem, “Fight the Power,” which was blaring through a boombox he brought with him. 

He also posed for photos with the Ted Lasso team, including Jason Sudeikis, and the Abbott Elementary team, including Quinta Brunson.

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The WGA went on strike earlier this month after failing to come to a contract agreement with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers. Members had voted in March to walk out if an agreement was not made by the time the contract expired.

“While company profits have remained high and spending on content has grown, writers are falling behind,” the WGA said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “The companies have used the transition to streaming to cut writer pay and separate writing from production, worsening working conditions for series writers at all levels. On TV staffs, more writers are working at minimum regardless of experience, often for fewer weeks, or in mini-rooms, while showrunners are left without a writing staff to complete the season. And while series budgets have soared over the past decade, median writer-producer pay has fallen.”

See some moments from Flavor Flav’s WGA support via Twitter posts below.

18 May 2023

JoJo Siwa Shares ‘Terrifying’ Footage From Armed Home Robbery: ‘Life Is SCARY’

JoJo Siwa took to social media this week to reveal that her Los Angeles-area home had been robbed in the middle of the night.

The Dance Moms alum shared the story in a series of Snapchats, which were picked up by various fan accounts on Instagram. “We were robbed last night at 2:40(ish)AM,” she wrote. “It was an armed robbery which is very scary. It was a REALLLLLY long night on the phone with my security, family, and LAPD.”

Siwa explained that everyone in her family — including her pets — were safe and accounted for and finished the post with a security-camera photo of the two masked and hooded gunmen fleeing the scene by running down the grand staircase in her foyer.

“Do me a favor and hug your people extra tight tonight,” she wrote in the last few slides. “Life is SCARY. And you never know when anything could happen…It’s terrifying.”

Per additional reporting by Entertainment Tonight, Siwa was out of town on a cruise at the time of the robbery and though she didn’t say exactly what was stolen, she said there was “lots of materialistic damage…that can all be fixed.”

Even before the break-in, Siwa has been dealing with quite a few traumas and annoyances in her personal life. Late last month, she shared the sad news with fans that her puppy Tooie had unexpectedly died after getting into a fatal accident. That loss also occurred on the heels of her public beef with conservative commentator Candice Owens, who accused the onetime Nickelodeon star of lying about her sexuality because she was “desperate for attention.”

Check out Siwa’s frightening footage from her home robbery, as shared by a fan account, below.

18 May 2023

Jimmie Allen Issues Apology to Wife Alexis Gale for ‘Humiliating Her With My Affair’

Jimmie Allen took to social media on Thursday (May 18) to issue a public apology to his estranged wife, Alexis Gale, and his family amid serious allegations against the country star.

“I wan to publicly apologize to my wife Alexis for humiliating her with my affair. I’m embarrassed that my choices have brought shame on her,” Allen wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. “That’s something that she did not deserve at all.”

The “Make Me Want To” singer also apologized to his daughters, three-year-old Naomi and one-year-old Zara, “for being a poor example of a man and a father.”

His statement continued, “I’m working on becoming a better person that my kids can be proud of. My goal is to be better than the generation before me. This business takes so much from you. It’s full of temptations that can cripple you and ruin everything you’ve built. I’m ashamed that I wasn’t strong enough to withstand them. I will no longer be a victim of my weaknesses.”

Last month, Gale and Allen revealed that they are expecting their third baby together, but also that they are breaking up. “After much thought and reflection in recent months, Lex & I have made the decision to separate,” the country star wrote. “Our number one priority is and always will be ensuring that our children are healthy, happy and loved, and we remain committed to co-parenting with love and respect for one another. In light of our growing family, we respectfully request privacy during this time.”

Shortly after, a woman on his management team filed a civil lawsuit in Tennessee federal court, in which the anonymous “Jane Doe” accused Allen of sexual assault. The accuser claimed that Allen “manipulated and used his power” over her job as a day-to-day manager in order to “sexually harass and abuse her.”

In a statement to Billboard, Allen admitted to a sexual relationship with his accuser but denied all allegations of assault. “It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever,” he said. “I acknowledge that we had a sexual relationship — one that lasted for nearly two years. During that time she never once accused me of any wrongdoing, and she spoke of our relationship and friendship as being something she wanted to continue indefinitely.”

See his newest statement below.

18 May 2023

Camila Cabello Shares Favorite Childhood Memories, ‘Authentic’ Family-Focused Olipop Campaign

For Camila Cabello, her loved ones mean everything. That’s why when she teamed up with Olipop for the soft drink company’s first-ever national campaign, her family and friends had to be included.

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“I wanted it to feel authentic and those are the people that really make me who I am,” she tells Billboard of the new ad, which follows the theme of “Real Love Makes Us.” In the 30-second Daniel Mercadante-directed clip, the “Havana” singer is seen hanging out and laughing with her parents, sister and friends. “Success is always measured by the big stuff, but we forget that it’s the little stuff that really makes us,” she is heard saying in the video, as she and her loved ones enjoy some Olipop soda at the dinner table.

The relaxed environment in the clip directly reflects some of Cabello’s favorite childhood memories, telling Billboard that her most beloved times with her family and friends are “those moments when we’re all in the kitchen and someone is cooking or making coffee, and we’re talking about nothing, but simply being around each other feels like we’re tending to something important.”

Olipop already sticks out in grocery stores due to its fun, colorful packaging, but the brand also aims to redefine soft drinks by developing a tonic that combines the classic soda taste with the benefits of plant-based fiber, prebiotics and other botanical ingredients to help balance out the body’s microbiome and promote overall well-being.

“Soda is a powerful force that has historically brought people together and fostered social cohesion, family bonding, and lifelong memories,” said Ben Goodwin, Olipop’s founder, formulator and CEO in a press statement. “But how can we still associate this nostalgic, friendly feeling most of us get with soda when we as a society have accepted the serious health consequences associated with it? Our new campaign goes back to why I created Olipop in the first place — to allow consumers to enjoy soda once again without any sacrifice on taste or health. We can hopefully inspire people to truly take the time to celebrate the real moments that make us who we are — with a soda in hand that’s actually good for you.”

And, yes, Cabello told us her favorite flavor. “It’s between Vintage Cola and Strawberry Vanilla,” she shares. “Vintage Cola is so good with tacos and pizza! Reminds me of childhood.”

Watch the full ad below.

18 May 2023

Garth Brooks Reveals He Once Showered With Steven Tyler: ‘How Many People Can Say That?’

Garth Brooks stopped by The Kelly Clarkson Show on Thursday (May 18) to spill the tea on the time he found himself in the showers with none other than Steven Tyler.

The country legend regaled host Kelly Clarkson with the story, which happened back in 2008 when he and the Aerosmith frontman performed with Billy Joel during his historic final shows at New York’s Shea Stadium.

“I showered with him,” Brooks said nonchalantly, as the American Idol winner was pointing out that he’d covered one of Aerosmith’s songs in the past. “Did you say ‘I showered with him’?” a baffled Clarkson responded once she registered what her pal had revealed.

“So we’re playin’ The Last Play at Shea, Billy Joel. They’re gettin’ ready to tear down Shea Stadium [in] New York,” Brooks continued. “And I go out there and I’m late anyway, and they have just the baseball showers. I’m in there showering, gettin’ ready for the show. And I have soap in my eyes, I look around and there’s Steven Tyler. He’s showerin’ too. [Waves] ‘Hey! How ya doin’?’

“And so it was…How many people get to say that?” the icon added, to which Clarkson hilariously rejoined, “Well, who knows? Who knows, he’s rock and roll, I don’t know! You might not be so special, Garth.”

During the chat, Brooks also declared his recent ACM Awards co-host Dolly Parton the all-time best country music has to offer, saying, “The thing is, we always talk about the GOAT. And the GOAT is always a guy. I’m not sure that the GOAT of country music isn’t a female.”

Watch Brooks dish on accidentally hitting the showers with Tyler and more below.

18 May 2023

ASCAP Summit Will Connect Aspiring Songwriters and Composers with Established Music Creators

Performance rights organization ASCAP is bringing their creator summit to Los Angeles on June 21 for a one-day live event at Avalon Hollywood.

The 2023 ASCAP Experience, which was founded 18 years ago, is set to connect aspiring songwriters and composers with hit-making names across genres including Sarah Hudson (Dua Lipa, Camila Cabello), Leon Thomas III (Ariana Grande, Rick Ross), Hitmaka (Big Sean, Nicki Minaj), Steph Jones (Selena Gomez, Kelsea Ballerini), Darrell Brown (Keith Urban, LeAnn Rimes), Neff-U (Justin Bieber, Sia) and more to be announced.

The summit will include a number of sessions across topics, from building a music career in the social media era to a live song feedback session during which guest speakers will listen to and share insights on a few songs pre-submitted by attendees, in front of a live audience. The 50th anniversary of hip-hop will also be celebrated, with a session dedicated to the global impact of the genre through a panel of “respected contributors to hip-hop’s storied history,” per a statement from ASCAP.

In previous years, panelists have included Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Justin Timberlake, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Katy Perry, Swizz Beatz, Timbaland, Questlove, Lee Ann Womack, Wyclef Jean, Jermaine Dupri and Hans Zimmer, among others.

Registration for the live experience is open now, with tickets available for ASCAP members at $35 in advance and $50 on the day of. Unaffiliated songwriters and composers who would like to attend must first join ASCAP.

On Tuesday, ASCAP hosted their 2023 ASCAP Screen Music Awards at an invitation-only party in West Hollywood, Calif. Big winners of the night included Michael Abels for Jordan Peele’s film “Nope,” Cristobal Tapia de Veer and Kim Neundorf for their work on “The White Lotus,” and Bear McCreary’s win for Video Game Score of the Year for “God of War: Ragnarok.”

18 May 2023

Was That BLACKPINK’s Jennie & V of BTS Holding Hands in Paris? Fans React

A video of what appears to be BLACKPINK‘s Jennie and BTS‘ V holding hands went viral on Wednesday (May 17), sending both BLINKs and ARMYs into a full-blown freakout across social media.

Captured by French journalist Amar Taoualit, the clip appears to show the two K-pop idols taking a nighttime stroll along the Seine in Paris — though it’s filmed from far away and you can’t distinctly see either of the the pair’s faces. Billboard reached out to reps for both Jennie and V.

Not having exact confirmation didn’t stop fans from jumping down the wormhole online, pointing out that both figures in the video are wearing the same outfits as other pictures circulating Twitter from the same evening.

“#BLACKPINK #JENNIE and #BTS #V #TAEHYUNG dating in Paris. my #TAENNIE heart is screaming,” one fan tweeted, using a portmanteau of the rappers’ names, while another joked “Twitter is burning the whole day” in the comments on Taoualit’s Instagram post.

Others weren’t so quick to assume it was, in fact, Jennie and V, writing things like, “This isn’t a cosplay right??” and “If this is a cosplay they planned really well, this is confusing. Anyways if it’s true, as a fan I will support and we all move. The hate ain’t gonna help fr.”

Last week, Jennie debuted her new capsule collection with Calvin Klein while her BLACKPINK bandmates Rosé and Lisa each recently enjoyed a glamorous night out at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet and a special event for Bvlgari in Venice, respectively

Check out fan reactions to Jennie and V’s possible Paris outing together below.

18 May 2023

Happy P Hits No. 1 on R&B Producers Chart Thanks to Miguel’s ‘Sure Thing’

Happy P (real name Nathan Perez) jumps to No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Producers chart (dated May 20), leading for the first time thanks to his production on Miguel’s “Sure Thing.”

The song — which returned to Billboard’s charts beginning in late 2022 over a decade after its initial chart run — holds at its No. 4 high on the Hot R&B Songs chart with 51.6 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 6%), 10.6 million official streams (up 1%) and 2,000 downloads sold in the United States in the May 5-11 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The track, released in 2010, resurged thanks to newfound attention on TikTok, where a sped-up version has soundtracked more than 4 million videos. While activity TikTok does not directly contribute to Billboard’s charts, many of the app’s most popular songs have seen corresponding gains on streaming services that factor into Billboard chart rankings. RCA Records also re-serviced the song to radio as its profile was renewed.

The song forged a historic comeback, breaking the record for the most weeks spent on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with a whopping 78 (through the latest, May 20-dated survey).

“Sure Thing” also rises 15-14 on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching a new best — as well as a new career high for Miguel, outpacing the No. 15 peak of Mariah Carey’s “#Beautiful,” on which he’s featured, in 2013. (“Sure Thing” originally hit No. 36 on the Hot 100 in 2011.)

Happy P is just the third creative to rule the R&B Producers chart this year so far. He succeeds Rob Bisel, who led for one week thanks to SZA’s “Kill Bill.” Before Bisel, Carter Lang reigned for the preceding 18 weeks (after two weeks at the end of 2022), also thanks to his work with SZA.

Billboard launched the Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts, as well as genre-specific rankings for country, rock & alternative, R&B/hip-hop, R&B, rap, Latin, Christian, gospel and dance/electronic, in June 2019, while alternative and hard rock joined in 2020, along with seasonal holiday rankings in 2022. The charts are based on total points accrued by a songwriter and producer, respectively, for each attributed song that appears on the Hot 100. The genre-based songwriter and producer charts follow the same methodology based on corresponding “Hot”-named genre charts. As with Billboard’s yearly recaps, multiple writers or producers split points for each song equally (and the dividing of points will lead to occasional ties on rankings).