Music News

04 Jan 2023

Billie Eilish Shares Gorgeous Piano Cover of Ben Folds‘ ’Still’: Watch

Based on her new TikTok, Billie Eilish is in her feels — and once you watch it, you’ll probably be too. Just two days after New Year’s, the 21-year-old pop star shared an intimate self-filmed video of herself on Tuesday (Jan. 3)covering Ben Folds’ melancholy 2006 track “Still,” accompanying herself on piano in front of a glowing Christmas tree.

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Backlit by the twinkling tree lights, you can just barely make out Eilish, covered by shadows and wearing a casual T-shirt. She recreates Folds’ swaying piano backgrounds on a keyboard and softly sings the first verse and chorus, adding her trademark, delicate runs to several of the lines.

The “Happier Than Ever” singer also wrote Folds’ lyrics in white lettering over the video: “I must give the impression that I have the answers for everything/ You were so disappointed to see me unravel so easily/ It’s only change.” Eilish simply captioned the video with the “You Don’t Know Me” singer-songwriter’s last name: “folds.”

You may recognize the ballad from DreamWorks’ 2006 animated film Over The Hedge, the soundtrack for which Folds contributed “Still” along with two other original songs, “Heist” and “Family of Me.” He then included a version of the track on his compilation album Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP later that year. 

Eilish’s quiet video comes on the heels of an exceptionally busy month for the seven-time Grammy winner. In December, she wrapped up a trio of victory lap concerts at the Kia Forum and celebrated her 21st birthday by partying with The Neighbourhood’s Jesse Rutherford, her boyfriend, and Justin and Hailey Bieber.

Watch Billie Eilish cover Ben Folds below:

04 Jan 2023

Hugh Jackman Jokingly Begs the Academy Not to ‘Validate’ Ryan Reynolds With a Best Original Song Nomination

Hugh Jackman rang in the new year on Wednesday (Jan. 4) with a very serious and important request for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences … and it has to do with Ryan Reynolds.

“Hey, everybody. It’s 2023 and I really, really wanted to send out a positive message at the beginning of the year, but, umm, recent events have made that impossible,” the actor said with mock seriousness straight to camera. “Don’t get me wrong, I loved Spirited. It’s a great movie, we had a blast, the entire family watched it. I love Will [Ferrell], I love Octavia [Spencer]. Obviously I did The Greatest Showman with Benj [Pasek] and Justin [Paul] — they’re incredible and I love their music … And ‘Good Afternoon,’ by the way, the song ‘Good Afternoon’? I laughed the entire way through, it is absolutely brilliant. However, I’ve just heard the Academy have shortlisted ‘Good Afternoon’ in the best song category.

“Now, Ryan Reynolds getting a nomination in the best song category would make the next year of my life insufferable,” The Music Man star continued. “It would … I mean, I have to spend a year with him shooting Wolverine and Deadpool and … trust me, it would be impossible. It’d be a problem. So, just to recap, love Spirited, love Will, love Octavia, love the song ‘Good Afternoon,’ love Benj and Justin. But please, please, from the bottom of my heart, do not validate Ryan Reynolds in this way. Please.”

Indeed, Jackman is set to step back into the role of Wolverine opposite Reynolds in the upcoming Deadpool 3. His character’s return was first teased in a post-credits scene in 2018’s Deadpool 2.

Other superstars on the Oscars shortlist for best original song this year include Taylor Swift (“Carolina” from Where the Crawdads Sing), Rihanna (“Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), Lady Gaga (“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick), The Weeknd (“Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” from Avatar: The Way of Water) and more.

Watch Jackman’s hilarious plea to the Academy below.

04 Jan 2023

Anitta Calls Her First Grammy Nomination the ‘Foundation’ to Introduce Her Culture

Brazilian powerhouse Anitta is among the nominees for best new artist at the 2023 Grammys, and before she walks down the red carpet in February, Billboard invited her into the studio to talk about her first Grammy nod and much more.

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Speaking with Billboard News, Anitta reveals that when she found out she was nominated, she was already in full Grammy mode, as she was hosting the Latin Grammys in Las Vegas. She also shared that the best new artist nomination is something of an irony, given that she began her career in Brazil 12 years ago.

“But here in America,” she says, “I’m just starting right now … It’s so different, it’s so hard for me to get to this other level of jumping into another market and working there that for me it is a new artist, because for me it is a new career from zero.”

She also notes that the last time a Brazilian act was nominated for best new artist was in 1964, when Astrud Gilberto earned a nod on the heels of the hit “Girl From Ipanema,” a song Anitta pays homage to on “Girl From Rio” from her 2022 LP Versions Of Me.

She continues that while it’s been challenging to get non-Brazilian audiences to get used to her native language — Portuguese — global markets are warming up to it via her work, and that’s she’s working on a funk album that will fully showcase the sounds and style of her homeland.

“For me,” she says, “I understand that this whole moment was like the construction of the foundation for me to actually introduce my culture.”

Watch the interview above, and stay tuned for part two of the conversation in the coming weeks.

04 Jan 2023

Kelly Clarkson & Justin Guarini Reminisce on ‘American Idol‘ Days: ’Nobody Knew What Was Up’

It’s been nearly 20 years since American Idol debuted, and its first winner, Kelly Clarkson, has had an impressive career in the time since. The “Since U Been Gone” singer has become a three-time Grammy winner, coach on The Voice and is now a host on her namesake talk show, on which she invited fellow season one Idol alumn Justin Guarini to reminisce about their time on the singing competition for Wednesday’s (Jan. 4) episode.

Clarkson admitted that she often does not remember moments from her time on Idol, but asked Guarini if he had any special memories of his own.

“It’s wild because we got shot out of the cannon, but I just loved being around and the fact that we were at the beginning of things, nobody knew what was up,” he reflected. “The stakes weren’t super high for us. We got to hang out so much.”

Guardini then issued actress Alexandra Daddario, who was also a guest on The Kelly Clarkson Show, a stern warning. “If you ever have the chance to see Kelly and she says, ‘Hey, do you want to play a card game?’ Don’t,” he advised the actress. “We would hang out and we would play speed because there were huge swaths of time, and I think I may have won twice in the hundreds of time that we played together.”

“I feel like I have natural caffeine in me, so it was really my game,” Clarkson mused, to which Guarini said, “It was ridiculous! I just kept coming back for more.”

Guarini’s was the runner-up in American Idol‘s first season. He has since released two studio albums, two EPs and has appeared on Broadway and television.

Watch Guarini and Clarkson reminisce on their Idol experience above.

04 Jan 2023

Taylor Swift’s Cat Olivia Benson Is Reportedly Worth $97 Million

Unless you’re part of a microscopic global percentage of ultra-wealthy people, Taylor Swift‘s cat has a lot more money than you — and it’s not even close. In a recent report by All About Cats, the 33-year-old pop star’s fan-favorite feline Olivia Benson ranked as the world’s third richest pet, with a whopping estimated net worth of $97 million.

The ranking was created based on Instagram analytics, with many of the top-earning furry friends having climbed the ranks of wealth through fame on social media. For A-list animals such as Olivia, however, involvement in outside projects was taken into account.

“Olivia has found success outside of the world of Instagram influencing,” the listing read. “The Scottish fold earned her fortune starring alongside her owner in several music videos, has crafted her own merchandise line, and has had cameos in many big-budget ads.”

Indeed, Olivia — named, of course, after Mariska Hargitay’s popular Law & Order: Special Victims Unit character — has starred alongside Swift in commercials for DirectTV, Diet Coke and AT&T, and in the music videos for “Me!” and “Blank Space.” Those who attended the “All Too Well” singer’s 1989 World Tour in 2015 may also remember that the kitty appeared alongside her big sister Meredith, Swift’s first cat, in an intermission video that played during the concert.

Meredith, however, did not make it onto All About Cats’ richest pets ranking, nor did Benjamin, Swift’s third and most recently acquired cat, who also made a cameo in the “Me!” music video.

Olivia’s net worth was topped only by a German shepherd named Gunther VI, worth an estimated $500 million, and an Instagram-famous cat named Nala, who is worth a reported $100 million. She did outrank Oprah’s five dogs, the late Karl Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette and the late Betty White’s pup Pontiac.

See a photo of Taylor Swift’s top-earning kitty, Olivia Benson, below:

04 Jan 2023

J-Hope’s ‘New Year’s Rockin‘ Eve’ Mashup of ‘Chicken Noodle Soup’ & ‘Butter’ Is Here: Watch

For the BTS ARMY members who didn’t get a chance to watch J-Hope‘s performance on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve — or just want to see it again — you’re in luck. BTS’ YouTube page shared a video of the rapper’s performance — which took place leading up to midnight on New Year’s Eve — on Wednesday (Jan. 4) for fans to enjoy.

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J-Hope appeared on stage live from New York City’s Time Square to perform a trio of hit songs from his solo discography, as well as BTS’. The rapper eased into the performance with “= (Equal Sign),” which served as a touching and hopeful wish for the year ahead. “Hate’ll paralyze your mind/ Gotta see the other side/ It costs ya nothin’ to be kind/ Not so different you and I,” he sang, later joined by a series of backup dancers for a transition into the next song.

Next up was a high-energy showcase of “Chicken Noodle Soup,” his 2019 collaboration with Becky G. Though the Spanish singer was absent for the performance, Hope entertained the crowd with the help of backup dancers and enthusiastic delivery of the lyrics, as well as the track’s signature dance moves.

Shortly after, things became festive. J-Hope and the dancers launched into choreography for a holiday-themed remix of BTS’ “Butter” with hints of jingle bells. The other BTS members were not present, but their backing vocals filled up the space before closing out the track with its signature “Hotter? Sweeter! Cooler? Butter!” and a “Happy New Year” wish for the audience.

Watch J-Hope’s performance for New Year’s Rockin’ Eve in the video above.

04 Jan 2023

Final Chapters of ‘Surviving R. Kelly’ Claim Singer Forced Aaliyah’s Family to Sign Non-Disclosure Agreement Following Annulment

The final two installments of Lifetime’s Surviving R. Kelly docuseries series ended with a pair of bombshell revelations about the imprisoned singer’s controversial marriage to a then-underage Aaliyah. The two episodes that debuted on Monday and Tuesday, focused in on Kelly’s 2022 federal trial, which included allegations that the singer and his team allegedly forced Aaliyah’s family to sign a non-disclosure agreement in the wake of the annulment of the performers’ brief marriage.

Kelly and Aaliyah were married in secret in August 1994 when the “Rock the Boat” singer was just 15, even though their marriage certificate listed her age as 18; the marriage was reportedly annulled by Aaliyah’s parents in Feb. 1995. Interviews with some of Kelly’s and Aaliyah’s entourages revealed some of the details of the NDA, which reportedly came after Aaliyah’s father was incensed by the marriage.

Longtime friend and former bodyguard Gem Pratt told the Surviving team that Aaliyah’s family signed a contract with Kelly that promised they would not press charges against him for the illegal marriage after the annulment if Kelly promised to sell them the rights to his first three albums. During last year’s federal trial a jury found Kelly guilty on three counts of child pornography and three counts of enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity; Aaliyah was referred to as Jane Doe #1 at that trial.

“Her dad [Michael Haughton] didn’t want her anywhere near him,” Pratt said in the series about wanting to put distance between Kelly, who was 27 at at the time of the marriage, and Aaliyah, whose debut album, Age Ain’t Nothing But a Number — released when she was 14 — was produced and mostly written by Kelly. The stories of Kelly and Aaliyah’s secret marriage were rumored at the time, but the final episodes of the Lifetimes series put the details of the aftermath into sharper focus.

They include allegations about members of Kelly’s inner circle allegedly looking the other way at Kelly’s abuse of women girls and young men over decades, with Pratt saying that “He [Kelly] couldn’t do this by himself… it’s clear as day there were enablers.” Variety noted that the Aaliyah NDA came up during Kelly’s 2022 New York trial, though it did not receive widespread media coverage at the time; Chicago reporter Jim DeRogatis originally broke the news of the NDA, telling the New York Times Popcast podcast in 2018 that the agreement was a “harrowing document… A non-disclosure agreement on both her part and Kelly’s, vowing not to pursue further legal claims for physical abuse. So, it wasn’t just an underage sexual relationship, he hit her, allegedly, according to that court document.”

A lawyer for Kelly had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment about the NDA at press time and Kelly has maintained his innocence and is appealing the convictions.

In Sept. 2021, Kelly was found guilty in a New York trial of nine counts, including racketeering and 14 underlying acts including sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, bribery and sex trafficking charges, as well as eight counts of violating the sex trafficking law known as the Mann Act. In June 2022, Kelly, 55, was sentenced to 30 years in prison; the singer is still facing additional sentencing in Chicago as well as pending felony sex crime charges in Minnesota.

The final chapters of producer/director Dream Hampton’s Surviving series also included new allegations of Kelly’s sexual abuse from a survivor named Ebonié Doyle, who claimed she was raped by Kelly just days after his marriage to Aaliyah. Doyle said she was 16 when Kelly’s limo pulled up on her after one of his shows, setting off a relationship that resulted in her mother kicking Doyle out of the house when she discovered it.

After moving in with Kelly, Doyle said she became subject to Kelly’s “controlling” ways, which included forcing her to sit in a specific sexual position for hours until her posture was to his liking. At the time there were whispers about the singer’s relationship with the underage Aaliyah — Doyle noticed she and the singer were similar in stature and appearance — and said at one point she found a sex tape featuring Kelly and Aaliyah. When Kelly found out that she’d seen the tape, Doyle said he pushed her down a flight of stairs.

04 Jan 2023

Zach Bryan Scores His First Hot Country Songs No. 1 With ‘Something in the Orange’

Zach Bryan notches his first No. 1 on Billboard’s streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs chart (dated Jan. 7) with “Something in the Orange.” In its 36th week on the survey, the song ascends from No. 2 with 15 million official streams (up 2%) and 4,000 downloads sold (up 11%) Dec. 23-29, according to Luminate.

“Orange” debuted on the survey dated May 7, 2022, at No. 11 and reached the top 10 in June. Being promoted to country radio by Warner Music Nashville, the song marks Bryan’s first entry on the Country Airplay chart, where it ranks at No. 31 in its 26th frame with 2.4 million in reach.

Meanwhile, Bryan’s new live album, All My Homies Hate Ticketmaster (Live From Red Rocks), arrives on Top Country Albums at No. 14. Released Dec. 25, it earned 12,000 equivalent album units through Dec. 29. The 24-song set, which includes “Orange,” was recorded at Bryan’s concert Nov. 3 at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colo.

“Seems there is a massive issue with fair ticket prices to live shows lately,” Bryan shared on social media. “I have met kids at my shows who have paid upwards of four-hundred bucks to be there and I’m done with it. I’ve decided to play a limited number of headline shows next year to which I’ve done all I can to make prices as cheap as possible and to prove to people tickets don’t have to cost $450 to see a good and honest show.”

“Orange” original parent album American Heartbreak debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums last May with 71,000 units – the biggest week tallied by a country LP in 2022. On the Jan. 7-dated list, it ranks at No. 5 (30,000 units).

Notably, Bryan wrote “Orange” solo. It’s the first Hot Country Songs No. 1 penned by a single writer since Taylor Swift’s “Love Story (Taylor’s Version),” which debuted atop the chart dated Feb. 27, 2021. Before that, Blanco Brown’s self-written “The Git Up” reigned for 12 weeks beginning in July 2019.

On Hot Country Songs, “Orange” dethrones Morgan Wallen’s “You Proof,” which dominated for 19 nonconsecutive weeks starting with its debut last May. Concurrently, “You Proof” leads Country Airplay for a record-extending 10th week.

04 Jan 2023

Taylor Swift Becomes First Act to Rule Artist 100 Chart in 8 Distinct Years

Taylor Swift extends her record run atop the Billboard Artist 100 chart, as she tallies a 59th total week at No. 1 (on the latest Jan. 7-dated list).

Swift holds as the top musical act in the U.S. thanks to the continued success of her album Midnights. The set ranks at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, with 106,000 equivalent album units earned Dec. 23-29, according to Luminate. Of its 10 weeks on the chart, five have been at No. 1.

In total, Swift places eight albums on the latest Billboard 200, the most among all acts: Midnights, Lover (No. 44), Folklore (No. 48), Red (Taylor’s Version) (No. 54), Evermore (No. 55), 1989 (No. 85), Fearless (Taylor’s Version) (No. 121) and Reputation (No. 147).

Swift also charts two songs from Midnights on the Billboard Hot 100: former six-week No. 1 “Anti-Hero,” at No. 8, and “Lavender Haze,” at No. 64 (after it debuted at its No. 2 high upon the set’s chart entrance).

Notably, Swift has now ruled Artist 100 charts dated in eight separate years: 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, becoming the first artist to achieve the feat since the survey began in 2014.

Rounding out the top five of the latest Artist 100, SZA holds at No. 2 as her new album SOS spends a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200; Morgan Wallen keeps at No. 3; Harry Styles pushes 8-4; and The Weeknd rises 7-5.

The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.

04 Jan 2023

Kelly Osbourne Welcomes First Child With Slipknot’s Sid Wilson

A new heir has been born into heavy metal royalty. In a Tuesday (Jan. 3) episode of The Talk, Sharon Osbourne excitedly announced that Kelly Osbourne, her daughter with Ozzy Osbourne, has welcomed her first child, a baby boy, with Slipknot‘s Sid Wilson.

Though Kelly hasn’t yet posted anything about her new son, Sharon confirmed on Britain’s The Talk that she and Ozzy are now grandparents to five children. The 70-year-old Extreme author also revealed that the baby is named Sidney — seemingly after his father — and said that Kelly is doing “so great, so great” as a new mom.

“I’m so proud of her,” Sharon said, noting that Kelly doesn’t want to release photos of Sidney publicly at the moment.

Kelly first announced that she and Wilson were expecting in a May Instagram post, sharing ultrasound photos and captioning the post, “I know that I have been very quiet these past few months so I thought I would share with you all as to why… I am over the moon to announce that I am going to be a Mumma.”

“To say that I am happy does not quite cut it,” she added at the time. “I am ecstatic!”

The 32-year-old “Papa Don’t Preach” singer first met Wilson in 1999, when Slipknot toured with Ozzfest, the traveling hard-rock music festival founded by her parents. It wasn’t until last February, though, that she and Wilson went Instagram official, with Kelly professing on Valentine’s Day that she was “so deeply in love” with the heavy metal DJ.

“After 23 years of friendship I can’t believe where we have ended up!” she wrote at the time, calling Wilson her “best friend” and “soulmate.”

Sharon, meanwhile, also opened up on Tuesday’s The Talk episode about her December health scare, which involved her being rushed to the hospital in Santa Paula, Calif., following a mysterious medical emergency. Nearly three weeks later, Sharon still doesn’t have many answers as to what happened, as she revealed that all she knows is that she passed out while filming a project and remained unconscious for 20 minutes.

“I wish I could [explain], but I can’t,” she said, saying that her doctors had run “every test” on her and still couldn’t determine the cause of the incident. “It was the weirdest thing.”

Watch Sharon talk about her and husband Ozzy’s new grandchild below: