Music News

BLACKPINK’s Jisoo Teases First Solo Music Release With Mysterious ‘Coming Soon’ Poster

BLACKPINK‘S Jisoo is gearing up for her long-awaited debut solo music project.

The K-pop star announced through social media on Sunday (March 4) that her first solo music release will arrive on March 31. The teaser included a mysterious “Coming Soon” poster featuring a bright red piece of cloth in the middle a beautiful green field.

“See you soon,” Jisoo captioned the image on Instagram. The teaser poster was also shared through BLACKPINK’s official Instagram account.

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.

“BLACKPINK’s Jisoo is currently working hard on recording her solo album,” YG said in a statement at the time, according to Smoopi. “While carrying out a busy world tour schedule since last year, she finished the album jacket photo shoot and worked on music production whenever she got the time in order to keep the promise with fans. She will greet [fans] soon with good news.”

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.

BLACKPINK announced earlier last month that the Born Pink World tour will head to Australia and Mexico. The four-piece will make its epic return to headline this year’s Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, four years after making its debut at the festival in 2019.

Check out Jisoo’s solo music announcement on Twitter below.

Kelsea Ballerini Performs Post-Divorce Songs ‘Blindsided’ & ‘Penthouse’ in Emotional ‘SNL’ Debut: Watch

Kelsea Ballerini made her Saturday Night Live debut on March 4, delivering a pair of heartbreaking songs from her new EP, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat.

For her first musical performance of the evening, the 29-year-old country singer confidently stepped onto the Studio 8H stage for an emotional delivery of “Blindsided,” a new track inspired by her recent divorce from singer-songwriter Morgan Evans.

Backed by a full band and donning a zebra patterned black jumpsuit, the three-time Grammy nominee stood amid a large white screen that featured a silhouetted dancer who appeared trapped. At the end of the song, Ballerini added a new verse that some speculate is a response her ex-husband’s post-divorce cut “Over For You.”

“Now you’re singin’ it loud on the radio like you’re the only heart that breaks/ You would’ve searched the whole world over? Yeah, sure, OK,” she sings.

Later in the show, Ballerini returned for a stunning performance of “Penthouse.” This time around, she wore a beautiful silky white gown and delivered the slow ballad in front of a large white piano.

“We played the part five nights, but we were never there on the weekends, baby,” she belted out.

Saturday’s SNL episode was hosted by Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who also made his debut on the iconic NBC sketch comedy show.

Ballerini, who announced her divorce from Evans in August 2022, addressed her marriage’s dissolution on her recent six-song EP, Rolling Up the Welcome Mat, which was released on Valentine’s Day. The project’s handful of songs are littered with details of the couple’s crumbling marriage and the emotional wreckage left in its wake. The EP was accompanied by a 20-minute short film.

Rolling Up the Welcome Mat also follows Ballerini’s 2022 album, Subject to Change, which reflects on her personal growth over the past few years.

Watch Ballerini’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes as well.

Chris Rock Slams Will Smith in Live Comedy Special for Netflix: ‘I’m Not a Victim, Baby’

It was the moment many had been waiting nearly a year for — a chance to hear just how Chris Rock would finally address Will Smith’s Oscar night smackdown of the comedian on the Academy stage with a slap that will live in infamy.

Perhaps because Rock knew much of the audience who tuned in were waiting for just that moment, he saved it toward near the end of his set Saturday night (March 4) during Netflix’s much hyped first live special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage!

But when the moment finally came, Rock didn’t hold back — taking down Smith, dragging his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, and targeting the couple’s marital issues (in which Pinkett Smith acknowledged a relationship with singer August Alsina as the couple addressed their marriage on an episode of Red Table Talk).

“Will Smith practices selective outrage,” Rock told the audience. “Outrage because everybody knows what the f— happened. Everybody that really knows, knows that I have nothing to do with that s—. I didn’t have any entanglements.”

He continued, “His wife was f—ing her son’s friend. OK, now, I normally would not talk about this s—, but for some reason, these n—-s put that s— on the internet. I have no idea why two talented people would do something that lowdown. What the f—? And we’ve all been cheated on. Everybody in here has been cheated on. None of us have ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television.”

“She hurt him way more than he hurt me. Everybody in the world called him a b—-. I tried to call the motherf—er, I tried to call that man and give him my condolences, he didn’t pick up for me.” He continued by listing all the people who called Smith a “b—-” after that interview on Red Table Talk, including Charlamagne Tha God and The View. “Everybody called him a b—-, and who did he hit? Me — a n—a he knows he could beat. That is some b—- ass shit.”

While this is not the first time Rock addressed Smith’s slap — much of Saturday’s material was present in his shows as he toured the country over the past year — they were the first comments before a wide audience as Rock headlined Netflix’s first foray into live programming, a global event that featured a pre-show and post show with guests that included Arsenio Hall, Amy Schumer, J.B. Smoove, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dana Carvey and others.

“I’m gonna try to do a show tonight without offending nobody,” Rock said, kicking off his stand-up special from Baltimore. “I’m gonna try my best because you never know who’s going to get triggered.”

He added he didn’t mind “wokeness” but isn’t a fan of the “selective outrage,” the kind of people who will listen to Michael Jackson but not R. Kelly: “same crime — one of them just got better songs.”

Among the topics Rock covered included the Capitol Riots: “White men trying to overthrow the government that they run?” Rock said. “They’re like, ‘Damn, we gotta get them out of office.’ Who? Us?”

Later, he touched on the idea that white men felt they were being edged out of power, and joked whether commercials featuring interracial couples were part of their ire.

“There’s no Black couples either,” he said. “Every commercial has a mixed-race couple,” adding that he saw a commercial the other day where a Japanese woman was married to a caterpillar.

“By the way, speaking of commercials, when did Snoop Dogg become Morgan Freeman?” Rock joked. “I saw a commercial the other day where Snoop was selling reverse mortgages.” But he made it a purpose to note that he loves Snoop Dogg. “I’m not dissing Snoop. The last thing I need is another mad rapper,” he added, to cheers from the crowd.

But of course, the rapper who was the main target of the night was Smith, though a good deal of his ire was directed toward Pinkett Smith. Rock recalled when Pinkett Smith had called for Blacks to boycott the Oscars amid the #OscarsSoWhite controversy in 2016; Rock went on to host that year’s show.

“She started this s—. She said that me, a f—ing grown ass man, should quit his job because ‘My husband didn’t get nominated for Concussion,‘ and then this n—a gives me a f—ing concussion.”

Toward the end of the special, Rock changed his tone a bit, saying, “I loved Will Smith. My whole life, I loved Will Smith. I saw him open up for Run-D.M.C. … He makes great movies. I have rooted for Will Smith my whole life,” Rock said. “And now I watch Emancipation just to see him get whooped.”

Rock used the last minute of Selective Outrage to answer the question he’s gotten a lot since the Slap: Why didn’t you do anything back? “‘Cause I got parents,” Rock said. “‘Cause I was raised. And you know what my parents taught me? Don’t fight in front of white people.”

The pre-show featured appearances from fellow comics and Rock’s friends, including Schumer and Jerry Seinfeld. The Daily Show‘s Ronny Chieng hosted the special, with Hall, Deon Cole and Leslie Jones also appearing.

Chieng kicked off the night live at Los Angeles’ Comedy Store.

“I cannot emphasize how live things are today,” The Daily Show correspondent said. “We are live from two different locations simultaneously, Los Angeles and Baltimore. Why? For absolutely no reason. This is extremely expensive and difficult and irritating.”

The comedian also poked fun at how they’re doing a live comedy show on a Saturday night, a concept that has existed for decades, aka Saturday Night Live.

Chieng then introduced Hall, who shared how Rock got him back into stand-up. Toward the end of his brief set at the Comedy Store, Hall said that he hopes everyone enjoys the night “because I know somewhere Will Smith will not.”

“Trust me. We won’t know this, but I bet you Will Smith slaps the f— out of a TV tonight,” he joked. “He gon’ knock that motherf—er off the wall.”

Matthew McConaughey, Ali Wong, Woody Harrelson, Paul McCartney, Rosie Perez, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Hart, Sarah Silverman, Ice-T, Adam Sandler and many others wished Rock luck ahead of his live event.

This article was originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.

Michael Rhodes, Esteemed Bassist and Nashville Session Musician, Dies at 69

Bassist and session musician Michael Rhodes, who was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2019, has died. He was 69.

A representative for Rhodes confirmed his death to Billboard. Rhodes passed away at his home in Nashville, Tennessee, Saturday morning (March 4). No cause of death was given at press time.

Rhodes was born in Monroe, Louisiana, in 1953. At age 11 he taught himself to play guitar, which he began playing professionally, before taking up bass.

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After stints living in Austin and Memphis, he wound up in Nashville in 1977, where he joined local rock band Nerve and Tree Publishing’s house demo band. It was there that he got what he called “a great crash course in the art of playing a song, and what was needed for a song,” he told Nashville Arts.

He went on to have a prolific career in session work, playing on award-winning songs including Shawn Colvin’s “Sunny Came Home” (1996) and Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance” (2000), and even had the honor of playing on both LeAnn Rimes’ and Trisha Yearwood’s 1997 versions of Diane Warren’s “How Do I Live.”

His incredibly long list of credits includes recordings for Willie Nelson, Etta James, Mark Knopfler, Alan Jackson, Stevie Nicks, Brian Wilson, Joss Stone, Dolly Parton, the (Dixie) Chicks, J.J. Cale, Wynonna, Merle Haggard, Randall Bramblett, Amy Grant, Hank Williams Jr, the Highwaymen, John Oates, George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Bob Seger, Dave Stewart, Keith Whitley, Joan Baez, Lionel Richie, Burt Bacharach, Aaron Neville, Johnny Cash, Lonnie Mack, India.Arie, Buddy Guy, Grace Potter, Billy Joe Shaver, Ruthie Collins, Michael McDonald, Dan Penn, Jennifer Holiday, John Fogerty, Elton John and Joan Osborne.

In recent years, he played often in Joe Bonamassa’s band.

Rhodes is survived by wife Lindsay Fairbanks Rhodes, son Jason Rhodes and daughter Melody Wind Rhodes, and Lindsay’s sons, Van and Weston Hayes, as well as grandchildren Cayman Rhodes, Cora Rhodes, Wylder Rhodes, Kingsley Rhodes, Jenna Nicole Hillman and Ryley Bruce Hillman.

Memorial arrangements will be provided at a future time.

In lieu of flowers, and in Rhodes’ spirit, his family requests that donations be made to the Music Health Alliance, which provides aid to musicians in need of healthcare and support. Checks may be sent to Music Health Alliance, 2737 Larmon Dr, Nashville, TN, 37204 or through their website, musichealthalliance.com. Rhodes’ family also encourages listening to a piece of music that matters to you; Rhodes listened to John Coltrane before he passed. “He really loved jazz and John Coltrane, all those guys,” Rhodes’ wife says. “It fed him, always.”

Here Are the Winners of the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards: Complete List

Taylor Swift & Harry Styles lead the music winners, while BTS scores favorite music group.

At Saturday’s (March 4) Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles emerged the night’s biggest music winners.

Swift was named favorite female artist and her Midnights (3am Edition) won for favorite album, while Styles was the favorite male artist and favorite global music star, while “As It Was” won favorite song. (And we can’t forget that Swift will also take a prize home to her cat Olivia Benson, who was named favorite celebrity pet.)

BTS won favorite musical group, Dove Cameron is favorite breakout artist, Bella Poarch is favorite social music star, and Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa‘s “Sweetest Pie” is favorite musical collaboration.

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But music was just the tip of the iceberg. See the full winners list below:

Music

Favorite Song

  • “About Damn Time”- Lizzo
  • “Anti-Hero”- Taylor Swift
  • WINNER: “As It Was”- Harry Styles
  • “Bejeweled”- Taylor Swift
  • “Break My Soul” – Beyoncé
  • “First Class”- Jack Harlow
  • “I Ain’t Worried”- OneRepublic
  • “Lift Me Up”- Rihanna

Favorite Album

  • Dawn FM– The Weeknd
  • GOD DID – DJ Khaled
  • Harry’s House– Harry Styles
  • WINNER: Midnights (3am Edition)- Taylor Swift
  • Renaissance– Beyoncé
  • Special – Lizzo

Favorite Female Artist

  • Adele
  • Beyoncé
  • Billie Eilish
  • Cardi B
  • Lady Gaga
  • Lizzo
  • Rihanna
  • WINNER: Taylor Swift

Favorite Male Artist

  • Bad Bunny
  • Drake
  • Ed Sheeran
  • WINNER: Harry Styles
  • Justin Bieber
  • Kendrick Lamar
  • Post Malone
  • The Weeknd

Favorite Music Group

  • 5 Seconds of Summer
  • Black Eyed Peas
  • BLACKPINK
  • WINNER: BTS
  • Imagine Dragons
  • OneRepublic
  • Panic! At the Disco
  • Paramore

Favorite Music Collaboration

  • “Bam Bam”- Camila Cabello featuring Ed Sheeran
  • “Don’t You Worry” – Black Eyed Peas, David Guetta, Shakira
  • “I Like You (A Happier Song)”- Post Malone, featuring Doja Cat
  • “Numb”- Marshmello, featuring Khalid
  • “Stay With Me”- Calvin Harris, featuring Justin Timberlake, Halsey, Pharrell
  • WINNER: “Sweetest Pie”- Megan Thee Stallion, Dua Lipa

Favorite Breakout Artist

  • Devon Cole
  • WINNER: Dove Cameron
  • GAYLE
  • Joji
  • Lauren Spencer-Smith
  • Nicky Youre

Favorite Global Music Star

  • Bad Bunny (Latin America)
  • BLACKPINK (Asia)
  • WINNER: Harry Styles (UK)
  • Rosalía (Europe)
  • Taylor Swift (North America)
  • Tones and I (Australia)
  • Wizkid (Africa)

Favorite Social Music Star

  • WINNER: Bella Poarch
  • Dixie D’Amelio
  • JoJo Siwa
  • Oliver Tree
  • Stephen Sanchez
  • That Girl Lay Lay

Film

Favorite Movie

  • Avatar: The Way of Water
  • Black Adam
  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  • Hocus Pocus 2
  • Jurassic World Dominion
  • Monster High The Movie
  • WINNER: Sonic the Hedgehog 2
  • Top Gun: Maverick

Favorite Movie Actor

  • Chris Hemsworth (Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder)
  • Chris Pratt (Owen Grady, Jurassic World: Dominion)
  • WINNER: Dwayne Johnson (Black Adam/Teth-Adam, Black Adam)
  • Jim Carrey (Dr. Robotnik, Sonic the Hedgehog 2)
  • Ryan Reynolds (Big Adam, The Adam Project)
  • Tom Cruise (Capt. Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell, Top Gun: Maverick)

Favorite Movie Actress

  • Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness)
  • Letitia Wright (Shuri, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
  • Lupita Nyong’o (Nakia, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)
  • WINNER: Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes, Enola Holmes 2)
  • Natalie Portman (Jane Foster/The Mighty Thor, Thor: Love and Thunder)
  • Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah Sanderson, Hocus Pocus 2)

Favorite Animated Movie

  • DC League of Super-Pets
  • Hotel Transylvania: Transformania
  • Lightyear
  • WINNER: Minions: The Rise of Gru
  • The Bad Guys
  • Turning Red

Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie (Male)

  • Andy Samberg (Dale, Chip N’ Dale: Rescue Rangers)
  • Andy Samberg (Jonathan, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania)
  • Chris Evans (Buzz Lightyear, Lightyear)
  • WINNER: Dwayne Johnson (Krypto, DC League of Super-Pets)
  • Kevin Hart (Ace, DC League of Super-Pets)
  • Steve Carell (Gru, Minions: The Rise of Gru)

Favorite Voice From an Animated Movie (Female)

  • Awkwafina (Tarantula, The Bad Guys)
  • Keke Palmer (Izzy Hawthorne, Lightyear)
  • Salma Hayek (Kitty Softpaws, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish)
  • Sandra Oh (Ming, Turning Red)
  • WINNER: Selena Gomez (Mavis, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania)
  • Taraji P. Henson (Belle Bottom, Minions: The Rise of Gru)

Television

Favorite Kids TV Show

  • Are You Afraid of the Dark?: Ghost Island
  • High School Musical: The Musical: The Series
  • Ms. Marvel
  • Raven’s Home
  • That Girl Lay Lay
  • WINNER: The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder
  • The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers
  • The Really Loud House

Favorite Family TV Show

  • Cobra Kai
  • iCarly
  • Obi-Wan Kenobi
  • She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
  • Stranger Things
  • WINNER: Wednesday
  • Young Rock
  • Young Sheldon

Favorite Reality Show

  • America’s Funniest Home Videos
  • America’s Got Talent
  • American Ninja Warrior
  • Floor Is Lava
  • WINNER: MasterChef Junior
  • The Masked Singer

Favorite Animated Show

  • Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous
  • Rugrats
  • WINNER: SpongeBob SquarePants
  • Teen Titans Go!
  • The Loud House
  • The Smurfs

Favorite Female TV Star (Kids)

  • Audrey Grace Marshall (Vivian Turner, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder)
  • Imogen Cohen (Zina, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder)
  • WINNER: Olivia Rodrigo (Nini, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
  • Raven-Symoné (Raven Baxter, Raven’s Home)
  • Sofia Wylie (Gina, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
  • That Girl Lay Lay (Lay Lay, That Girl Lay Lay)

Favorite Male TV Star (Kids)

  • Brady Noon (Evan Morrow, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers)
  • Israel Johnson (Noah Lambert, Bunk’d)
  • WINNER: Joshua Bassett (Ricky, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series)
  • Tyler Wladis (Roy, The Fairly OddParents: Fairly Odder)
  • Wolfgang Schaeffer (Lincoln Loud, The Really Loud House)
  • Young Dylan (Young Dylan, Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan)

Favorite Female TV Star (Family)

  • Hilary Duff (Sophie, How I Met Your Father)
  • WINNER: Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams, Wednesday)
  • Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven, Stranger Things)
  • Miranda Cosgrove (Carly Shay, iCarly)
  • Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield, Stranger Things)
  • Tracee Ellis Ross (Bow Johnson, Black-ish)

Favorite Male TV Star (Family)

  • Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair, Stranger Things)
  • Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Obi-Wan-Kenobi)
  • WINNER: Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things)
  • Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson, Stranger Things)
  • Jerry Trainor (Spencer Shay, iCarly)
  • Ralph Macchio (Daniel LaRusso, Cobra Kai)

Other Categories

Favorite Male Creator

  • Austin Creed
  • WINNER: MrBeast
  • Ninja
  • Ryan’s World
  • SeanDoesMagic
  • Unspeakable

Favorite Female Creator

  • Addison Rae
  • WINNER: Charli D’Amelio
  • Dixie D’Amelio
  • Gracie’s Corner
  • Kids Diana Show
  • Miranda Sings

Favorite Social Media Family

  • FGTeeV
  • WINNER: Ninja Kidz TV
  • Ohana Adventure Family
  • The Bucket List Family
  • The Royalty Family
  • The Williams Family

Favorite Female Sports Star

  • Candace Parker
  • Chloe Kim
  • Naomi Osaka
  • WINNER: Serena Williams
  • Simone Biles
  • Venus Williams

Favorite Male Sports Star

  • WINNER: LeBron James
  • Lionel Messi
  • Patrick Mahomes
  • Shaun White
  • Stephen Curry
  • Tom Brady

Favorite Celebrity Pet

  • Dodger Evans
  • Gino Chopra Jonas
  • Noon Coleman
  • WINNER: Olivia Benson Swift
  • Piggy Lou Bieber
  • Toulouse Grande

Favorite Book

  • Cat Kid Comic Club Book Series
  • Diary of a Wimpy Kid Book Series
  • Five Nights at Freddy’s Book Series
  • WINNER: Harry Potter Book Series
  • The Adventures of Captain Underpants Books Series
  • The Bad Guys Book Series

Favorite Video Game

  • Adopt Me!
  • Brookhaven
  • Just Dance 2023
  • Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
  • WINNER: Minecraft
  • Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Jennifer Lopez Congratulates Kim Petras on Women in Music Honor: ‘You Are the Moment’

Jennifer Lopez has nothing but praise for Kim Petras, this year’s honoree of the Chartbreaker Award at the 2023 Women in Music event.

Petras took the stage at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday (March 1) to accept the honor. On Saturday, Lopez shared a clip of Petras’ speech at the event with a message of congratulations.

“Congrats @kimpetras !!! You are the moment #WomensHistoryMonth @billboard #WomenInEntertainment,” Lopez tweeted.

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The dance-pop singer-songwriter performed “brrr” at Women in Music before accepting the Chartbreaker Award. Republic co-president Wendy Goldstein, who signed Petras in 2021, hailed the star as the first transgender woman to be honored at the Billboard Women in Music Awards.

“Growing up I would question what rooms I would be put into and what boxes I would be put into — and I’m grateful it’s this one,” Petras said onstage.

“People should be able to decide what to do with their bodies to reach true equality,” she said to applause. “It’s very important.”

See J. Lo’s tweet below.

Nicki Minaj Announces Launch of Her Own Record Label on ‘Queen Radio’

Nicki Minaj is officially launching her own record label.

The superstar rapper announced the big news during her Queen Radio show on Friday (March 3), revealing that the new label’s artist roster includes Nana Fofie, Tate Kobang, Rico Danna and London Hill.

“I have a record label now,” Minaj said, teasing that the company’s name will be revealed at a later date. “When I get behind an artist, y’all know how I do s— for people that’s not even signed to me. Imagine what I’ma do for the ones that’s signed.”

Minaj said that her longtime affiliate Patty Lauren (aka Patty Duke) will serve in an A&R role at the new label.

The Queen of Rap’s first single of 2023, “Red Ruby Da Sleeze,” dropped Friday through Young Money/Republic. It marks her first solo song since last year’s Billboard Hot 100-topping smash “Super Freaky Girl.”

On Friday’s Queen Radio show, Minaj told listeners that she was texting with Republic Records co-president Wendy Goldstein, who was encouraging her to make the label announcement during the program.

“I said, ‘Wendy, we got to do this big. I’m a female; you a female, mamma. You got to do this right. We gotta do it right. I don’t want no little itty-bitty ting ting. I want to do it right,’” the rapper said.

Minaj added that her new record label will feature a variety of musical acts. “Don’t think my label is just rap, or Black, or anything,” she said. “We got some other genres of music.”

Minaj also touched on the influential role Lil Wayne played early in her career, and how she hopes to do the same for up-and-coming artists on her label.

“When I came in this game I didn’t have no paperwork with Lil Wayne. But he had us on tour, he had us in a studio, he was getting on my mixtapes,” she said. “So I understand the importance of having somebody else doing the heavy lifting for you. I understand why people are coming out and they’re so, you know, microwaveable and they’re here today and gone tomorrow, because there’s no structure. There’s no real person that believes in them. That’s like, ‘Nah, I’m gonna make it my business to see you shine.’”

Listen to a replay of Queen Radio through Amp, and check out in-studio photos from Friday’s show on Minaj’s Instagram below.

John Mellencamp Donates Archives to Indiana University

Hoosier rocker John Mellencamp is donating an archived collection of his life and work to Indiana University, IU President Pamela Whitten announced Friday (March 3).

The collection will include original creative works, photographs, instruments and other significant memorabilia related to his music, artwork, social activism and philanthropy, Whitten said.

“His collection will be an incredible resource for arts scholars and a clear source of inspiration to our students,” Whitten said.

A sculpture honoring Mellencamp’s artistic legacy will be commissioned for the Bloomington campus, Whitten said. The sculpture will sit near the Fine Arts Plaza on the campus and symbolize the strong connection Mellencamp has to his southern Indiana roots.

David Lindley, Multi-Talented Guitarist & Notable Session Musician, Dies at 78

David Lindley, a notable Los Angeles session musician known for his work and collaborations with numerous stars during the 1970s and ’80s, died on Friday (March 3). He was 78.

The highly talented multi-instrumentalist — whose guitar and fiddle skills made him a go-to collaborator for icons like Jackson Browne, Dolly Parton, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart and others — had been ill for a number of months, according to the Los Angeles Times. A cause of death was not provided.

“The loss of David Lindley is a huge one,” Jason Isbell wrote on Twitter. “Without his influence my music would sound completely different. I was genuinely obsessed with his playing from the first time I heard it. The man was a giant.”

Graham Nash also paid tribute on Instagram to Lindley, calling him “one of the most talented musicians there has ever been.” He added, “David could play pretty much any instrument you put in front of him with incredible versatility and expression.”

Lindley was born in San Marino, Calif., on March 21, 1944. He grew up surrounded by music and began playing banjo and fiddle as a child. By his early twenties, Lindley had developed an interest in electric music and formed the psychedelic folk-rock band Kaleidoscope. The group released its debut album, Side Trips, in 1967. That same year, he worked as a session musician on Leonard Cohen’s first album, Songs of Leonard Cohen, according to the Times.

After splitting with Kaleidoscope in 1970 following the release of four albums, Lindley joined Jackson Browne’s band, establishing himself on albums like 1973’s For Everyman, 1974’s Late for the Sky and 1977’s Running on Empty. During his time with Browne, Lindley also joined studio sessions with other notable artists during the mid-’70s, including Linda Ronstadt, Warren Zevon, Crosby & Nash, Rod Stewart and Ry Cooder.

In the early 1980s, Lindley put his session work on hold and formed the group El Rayo-X, which went on to release two albums. Later that decade, he appeared on Bob Dylan’s Under the Red Sky, Iggy Pop’s Brick by Brick and John Prine’s The Missing Years. During the ’90s, Lindley collaborated on albums releases with avant-garde guitarist Henry Kaiser and Jordanian oud player Hani Naser. He reunited with Browne for a tour of Spain in 2006.

Lindley released his last solo album, Big Twang, in 2007. That same year, he and Kaiser scored Werner Herzog’s documentary Encounters at the End of the World.

See more tributes on social media to Lindley below.

Billboard Women in Music Backstage Polaroids of SZA, Rosalia, Kim Petras & More

The 2023 Billboard Women In Music Awards brought big energy to the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles on Wednesday by way of some of the most noteworthy ladies in the game.

From Billboard’s Women in Music executive of the year Sylvia Rhone to Impact Award recipient Becky G, the night brought out the best of the best, all gathered to honor one another’s achievements within the last year.

Throughout the laughter-filled evening, chart-toppers like Latto and SZA received their honors of the night – Powerhouse and Woman of the Year, respectively – while Billboard Women in Music Producer of the Year Rosalía nestled with Lana Del Rey in the audience. Breakthrough Award-winning act TWICE put on a flawless performance for screaming fans, and Latto brought out LU KALA for a sultry performance of their joint single “Lottery.”

While the night was a nonstop celebration onstage, behind the curtains also boasted some awe-inspiring moments. Billboard’s 2023 Icon Ivy Queen held tight onto Bad Bunny as the pair strutted through the backstage area following the Queen receiving her award from Benito, Olivia Rodrigo and Kim Petras fangirled over TWICE, and Doechii popped champagne before striking a pose with her mom.

To capture the memories (and the iconic looks), our honorees, host Quinta Brunson and some dynamite presenters like WondaGurl and Coi Leray struck a pose for a Polaroid camera backstage and signed their names. Check out the photos below.