Music News

06 Mar 2023

Blackpink’s Jisoo Confirms Solo Debut Is Right Around the Corner

After teasing her long-awaited solo music project with a mysterious pastoral image over the weekend, BLACKPINK‘s Jisoo confirmed the release date for the collection on Monday (March 6). A three-part post from the singer featured the same image of a green, grass-filled expanse with the star’s name in small white letters, followed by another with a red piece of cloth crumpled in the foreground (and the words “Coming Soon” in red) and the March 31 release date for the project.

The third panel confirms the late March release date; at press time there was no additional information on the album title, track list, first single or any potential guest vocalists.

At the start of the year, reports surfaced that Jisoo’s much-anticipated solo debut was finally in the works, making her the fourth and final member of the group to branch out with her own music. Jennie‘s “SOLO” arrived in 2018, and both Rosé’s -R- and Lisa’s Lalisa dropped in 2021.

In late February, Korean entertainment label YG Entertainment confirmed that Jisoo was preparing to release solo music in 2023.

Jisoo touched on going solo during an interview in May 2022. “I’m not sure how much I want to go solo yet,” she told Rolling Stone at the time. “The music I listen to, the music I can do, and the music I want to do — what should I choose? I love songs with lots of instruments. I love different bands and rock music. What do people want from me? There’s a chaos of conflicting questions. So I’m still tilting my head in confusion. I’m not sure what will happen with my solo plans this year.”

BLACKPINK’s second full-length studio album, Born Pink, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in October 2022. The girl group previously debuted and peaked at No. 2 in October 2020 with its debut release, The Album.

YG Entertainment announced that the project will come in “red” and “black” versions in a special commemorative box featuring a photo book, lyric sheet, random Polaroid and random “selfie card,” with pre-order slated to begin today.

See Jisoo’s album announcement and images of the project’s packaging below.

06 Mar 2023

The 2023 Latin American Music Awards Announce Date & Location

The 8th edition of the Latin American Music Awards will take place on Thursday, April 20 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, TelevisaUnivision announced Monday morning (March 6).

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For the first time since the awards debuted on October 8, 2015 on Telemundo and were hosted by Lucero, the ceremony will be broadcast live simultaneously on Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión (starting at 7 p.m. ET), after TelevisaUnivision acquired the rights from dick clark productions last September. The 2022 Latin AMAs, when Karol G made history as the first woman to win the artist of the year award, were broadcast by Telemundo, also from Las Vegas.

The list of nominees will be announced at 6 p.m. on March 13 via a one-hour special that can be seen on UNIMÁS. In true fashion, the Latin AMAs winners will be selected by fan voting.

In addition, two other specials will precede the awards gala: “Latin AMAs: VIP Pass” hosted by Clarissa Molina, which will present behind-the-scenes material, interviews, and musical performances from recent tours by Camilo, Christian Nodal, Grupo Firme, Ozuna, and TINI, and “Latin AMAs: Legacy” co-hosted by Migbelis Castellanos, Jose Figueroa, and Arana Lemus featuring Julián Gil as a special guest, which “will celebrate some of the biggest icons in Latin music and excite fans with unique content and must-see musical performances,” TelevisaUnivision said in a statement, without providing further details. The former will air at 7 p.m. ET on March 7 and the latter on April 4 at the same time.

On the day of the awards ceremony, the “Noche de Estrellas” prelude program can also be seen on Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión.

06 Mar 2023

GLAAD & Sony Music Group Team for ‘ICONS’ Interview Series With Isaac Dunbar, Iniko & MK xyz

With queer representation on the rise in the music industry, GLAAD is ready to celebrate just how far we’ve come, with some help from Sony Music Group.

On Monday (March 6), GLAAD and Sony Music Group announced their partnership on “ICONS,” a new, three-part interview series that will explore the impact of the queer community on music. Each installment will focus on a different, modern LGBTQ performer, profiling Isaac Dunbar (March 10), Iniko (April 14) and MK xyz (May 12).

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According to a statement, each interview will hone in on the “deeply personal connection that exists between queerness and craft,” while also examining the ways in which the LGBTQ community has shaped pop culture at large, and how each artist broke through in the industry. The greater goal of the new series, both organizations say, is to “advance LGBTQ representation in music and within the industry at large.”

Tony Morrison, GLAAD’s senior director of communications, said in a statement that queer artists’ impact on the music industry is “undeniable,” which is what the series aims to explore. “It’s as important to honor the trailblazing legacies of LGBTQ icons in music, as it is equally imperative that we elevate new voices in music who have unique backgrounds and stories to tell,” he said. “‘ICONS’ establishes this path forward to increase the visibility of queer artists.”

Sony evp and chief diversity & inclusion officer Tiffany R. Warren agreed, highlighting the importance of using their “powerful platform” to uplift queer voices. “We believe that by exploring the impact that LGBTQ artists and songwriters have had on music, we can foster a deeper understanding of what it takes to break through as an LGBTQ artist,” she said. “This series is a testament to our commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion while breaking barriers in the music industry.”

The first episode of “ICONS,” featuring Isaac Dunbar, will premiere on GLAAD’s YouTube page Friday, March 10.

06 Mar 2023

Justin Bieber Drops Into Don Toliver’s Rolling Loud Set Just Days After Canceling Justice World Tour

Justin Bieber was back on stage on Saturday (March 4) just days after canceling his Justice World Tour. Don Toliver posted footage of the pair sharing the stage at the star-studded 2023 Rolling Loud Festival in Los Angeles this weekend, during which Bieber joined the Houston MC for a collab on “Private Landing” from Toliver’s new Love Sick album.

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Bouncing his way down the stage in a backwards ball cap, baggy jeans and tweed jacket, Bieber looked to be in fine form and good energy more than six months after he played his last full set at Rock in Rio in Sept. 2022. “KEEP Going!!!!! KEEP Going!!!! Let’ Go Justin,” Toliver captioned the brief clip in which the pair happily trade off vocals and rhymes as they shared what appeared to be a joint.

The surprise cameo came after Bieber appeared to cancel all 80 dates on his Justice World Tour with no explanation last week; at press time no tour dates were listed on Bieber’s official site and his spokesperson had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment. Last week Ticketmaster’s site listed all the 2023 Justice dates as canceled just as Bieber was slated to pick things up again with a March 2 date in Dublin.

In June, Bieber told fans that he would take a break from the road after one month of dates because of the effects of the neurological disorder Ramsay-Hunt Syndrome, which left his face partially paralyzed. “As a result of this illness, I was not able to complete the North American leg of the Justice Tour,” he wrote in a message to fans at the time. Bieber went on to explain that after taking some time to rest and consult with his family and doctors, he went ahead with the European leg of his tour.

“After getting off stage, the exhaustion overtook me and I realized that I need to make my health the priority right now,” he explained about how he felt after completing his Rock in Rio set in September. “So I’m going to take a break from touring for the time being. I’m going to be ok, but I need time to rest and get better.”

He got back on the stage a month later, but after just six shows he said he need to take a break again. The AEG Presents-promoted Justice tour was Bieber’s first global outing since the 2016-2017 Purpose World Tour. It was unclear at press time if Bieber’s tour cancelation was related to his recovery from Ramsay-Hunt.

James Blake and Kali Uchis also joined Toliver during his set on Saturday.

Watch Bieber with Toliver below.

06 Mar 2023

1 Dead, 8 Injured During Upstate New York Concert Stampede Outside Show Featuring GloRilla

A crowd pushed toward the exits of a concert in Rochester, N.Y., amid apparent fears that shots had been fired, killing one person and injuring eight others, police said.

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Police found “no evidence to support a shooting having occurred” inside the concert late Sunday (March 5) featuring rappers GloRilla and Finesse2tymes at the Main Street Armory, Rochester police Lt. Nicholas Adams said in a statement to ABC News. A 33-year-old woman died, and two people were in critical condition, the department said.

The Associated Press sent messages early Monday (March 6) seeking information from Rochester police and other authorities.

Six additional people were dropped off by private vehicle at hospitals with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper reported.

Officers responded around 11 p.m. to initial reports of gunshots fired inside, Adams said, but later determined injuries weren’t consistent with gunshot wounds.

“The injuries appear to be as a result of a large crowd pushing towards the exits following accounts of individuals hearing what they believed to be gunshots,” Adams said. GloRilla responded to the incident after midnight in a tweet in which she wrote, “I’m just now hearing about what happened wtf,” followed by three crying emoji, adding “praying everybody is ok [four prayer hand emoji].”

See GloRilla’s tweet below.

05 Mar 2023

Harry Styles Uploads and Deletes Photo Wearing One Direction Shirt, Fans Freak Out

Harry Styles put up and promptly deleted a photo on Instagram Stories Sunday night (March 5), but it shall live forever on the internet.

A mirror selfie that was the talk of Twitter on Sunday showed the pop icon casually wearing a One Direction T-Shirt, seemingly from the group’s 2012 Up All Night Tour, to the gym. Fan accounts and pop news accounts, like @PopBase below, were quick to capture a screenshot of the prized picture.

“HE DELETED IT” was the top trend on Twitter for much of the evening, and trends like “HARRYS” and “THE SHIRT” also popped in and out of the list, with some fans speculating that perhaps he meant to share the picture only on a private account with his friends.

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One Direction — Styles, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson — went on hiatus in 2015. Styles’ former bandmate Tomlinson recently commented on the potential of a reunion someday, noting to The Times, “Getting back together at some point is hard to imagine right now. But I’d be surprised if we lived out our lives and didn’t have a moment where we had a reunion, or whatever you want to call it. I’d be up for that … I do miss the boys and I do definitely miss being one of the five, but I like doing my own thing too. It was time.”

See Styles’ One Direction shirt selfie below, as well as a sampling of fan reactions on Twitter.

05 Mar 2023

Miley Cyrus Teases Disney ‘Endless Summer Vacation’ Special With ‘The Climb’ Preview: Watch

Miley Cyrus‘ upcoming Disney+ original special will feature performances of songs from her new album, plus will see her revisiting her 2009 classic “The Climb” more than a decade after its release.

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“It’s been 14 years since The Climb was released,” Cyrus wrote on Twitter Sunday (March 5).

“In celebration watch my backyard sessions performance of this special song streaming only on @DisneyPlus March 10th at 1pm ET/10am #EndlessSummerVacation,” she teased.

Her post included a short look at the show, Endless Summer Vacation (Backyard Sessions), for which she’s serving as executive producer and will perform “The Climb,” several tracks from her Endless Summer Vacation album and a collaboration with Rufus Wainwright.

“The Climb,” which appeared on the soundtrack for the 2009 film Hannah Montana: The Movie, peaked at No. 4 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 songs chart.

See the preview of Cyrus’ Disney+ special below. A few seconds of her “The Climb” performance can be seen at the end of the clip.

05 Mar 2023

Rihanna Shares Adorable New Photos of Son Ahead of 2023 Oscars Appearance

Rihanna unveiled more personal photos of her son with A$AP Rocky — and made a joke about her upcoming Oscars performance of “Lift Me Up” while she was at it.

“my son when he found out his sibling is going to the Oscars and not him,” she joked in the caption of pictures posted on Instagram and Twitter on Sunday (March 5).

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The superstar, who revealed she’s pregnant with her second child during this year’s Super Bowl halftime show, is set to sing her Oscar-nominated ballad from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever at the Academy Awards on Sunday, March 12. Thus, Baby No. 2 will have sort of attended both the Super Bowl and the Oscars as a “special guest” before his birth.

“Lift Me Up,” co-written by Rihanna, is competing for best original song Sunday night.

RiRi first shared a photo of her firstborn, whose name has not yet been shared publicly, in February. He arrived in May 2022.

With just a week to go until awards night, see snapshots of Rihanna’s sweet child below.

05 Mar 2023

Karol G Reacts to ‘Mañana Será Bonito’ Debuting at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart

Karol G’s historic No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 albums chart with Mañana Será Bonito feels “enormous,” the Colombian star says.

Not only is the album in the top spot of the all-genre albums chart, but it’s Karol G’s first album to reach No. 1 on the chart and the first all-Spanish-language album by a female artist to land at No. 1.

“I feel so very special. More than happiness I feel special,” Karol G tells Billboard, who spoke with her as the news was reported.

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“My last album did so well and had all those big hits, like ‘Bichota,’ so the bar was high. But I didn’t want to make music because I felt pressure. I wanted to make the music I wanted to make, and the fact that I’ve hit No. 1 with an album that is so personal is enormous,” she says.

Mañana Será Bonito is also the first Latin album by a woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 since 1995. That year, Selena’s posthumously-released, partially-Spanish-language album Dreaming of You topped the chart for one week.

Karol G — who considers Selena one of her idols — reacted with excitement, noting, “I’m sharing something with Selena! That’s amazing. Imagine my year: I met Rihanna, I recorded with Shakira and now I have a No. 1 on the chart like Selena did.”

Karol G and Shakira joined forces for the first time with new single and Mañana album track “TQG,” which dropped on Feb. 24.

“And how cool is it that on International Women’s Month I get to No. 1 and the artist before me at No. 1 was SZA,” Karol G added. “And that ‘TQG’ is No. 1 [on Spotify] and all these songs by women are in the top slots. We’re living such a strong moment. Now, we’re going for more.”

— Reporting by Leila Cobo.

05 Mar 2023

Fans Choose J-Hope & J. Cole’s ‘On the Street’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music

J-Hope and J. Cole‘s collaboration “On the Street” has topped this week’s new music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (March 3) on Billboard, choosing the BTS member’s meaningful team-up with the rap star as their favorite new music release of the past week.

“On the Street” brought in 80% of the vote, beating out new music from Nicki Minaj (“Red Ruby Da Sleeze”), Morgan Wallen (One Thing at a Time), Kali Uchis (Red Moon in Venus), Marshmello and Manuel Turizo (“El Merengue”), and others.

The pair’s hip-hop collab follow J-Hope’s many accomplishments as a solo artist in 2022, including his bold Jack in the Box project and his prominent Lollapalooza set. The BTS member uses the new single to express his gratitude toward the fans who helped make it all happen. Cole effortlessly slides on the beat, charismatic and confident alongside the K-pop star as he speaks of his own unique come-up story.

“On the Street” is particularly meaningful to J-Hope. While BTS has long shared their admiration for the North Carolina-raised rapper –revealing in 2013 their reinterpreted take on J. Cole’s “Born Sinner” with “Born Singer,” which was only officially released last year on Proof — J-Hope has always shared how Cole is one of his ultimate favorite singers.

“On the Street” is J-Hope’s first new solo song since hopping on “Rush Hour” with Korean R&B singer “Crush.” J. Cole dropped a surprise song in mid-January with “Procrastination (Broke),” acting as a thank you to producer Bvtman and “every producer out there cooking up and sharing their work with the world.”

Trailing behind Hope and Cole’s track on the fan-voted poll was Minaj’s latest track “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” with nearly 12% of the vote. The new single follows her hit single “Super Freaky Girl,” which earned the Queen of Rap her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2022.

See the final results of this week’s new music release poll below.