Music News

26 Oct 2022

Ariana Grande Debuts Blonde Hair Ahead of Playing Glinda in ‘Wicked’ Movie: See the Photo

Ariana Grande is becoming even more “Popular” thanks to her wicked new look. In a Wednesday (Oct. 26) Instagram post, the 29-year-old musician unveiled her newly blonde hair — dyed to match the golden tresses of Wicked character Glinda, whom Grande is set to play in an upcoming film adaptation of the musical — and her friends and fans alike are freaking out about it.

In her latest IG photo, Grande poses with her eyes closed, head turned to the side to show off her brand new, soft yellow ponytail. Her eyebrows appear to be dyed to match the shade of her hair, mimicking the Good Witch of the North’s naturally blonde look.

In spite of her gravity-defyingly big reveal, however, the “Positions” singer played coy in her caption. “New earrings,” she simply wrote.

Nevertheless, people in the comments knew exactly what she was doing. “GLINDA ERA,” replied one fan.

“Good news, She’s HERE,” commented Jordan Barrow, who plays Boq in the Broadway cast of Wicked, referencing lyrics to the musical’s opening number.

Cynthia Erivo, on the other hand, played along with the pop star’s slyness. “Earrings are AMAZING!! ??,” commented the actress, who will star opposite Grande in Wicked as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. So did Jon M. Chu, the director of the musical’s film adaptation — “Earrings look great!” he quipped.

Based on the Broadway musical of the same name by Stephen Schwartz, Wicked follows two magical enemies-turned-best friends played by Grande and Erivo. The project will be split into two separate films, the first of which is slated to hit theaters in December 2024.

Check out Ariana Grande’s thrillifying new look below.

26 Oct 2022

Selena Gomez Tests Positive for COVID-19, Cancels ‘Tonight Show‘ Appearance

Selena Gomez has had to put her upcoming plans on hold. On Wednesday (Oct. 26), the singer and Rare Beauty mogul shared that her scheduled appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon has been canceled due to her testing positive for COVID-19.

“I’m not going to be on Fallon tonight. I ended up getting COVID but am resting and feeling ok,” the singer assured fans in a post to her Instagram Story, which featured a photo of her napping in a couch with her two dogs close by. “A friendly reminder COVID is still out there. Get updated on your boosters. I was actually scheduled to get mine this week. Love you all.”

Gomez has been promoting her project Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me. The documentary, which will be released via the streaming platform on Nov. 4, will see the Disney Channel alum exploring her physical and mental health issues, and her attempts to heal over the past six years.

“After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness,” a release describing the documentary reads. “This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.”

Gomez will release “My Mind & Me,” the song featured in the documentary’s official trailer, on Nov. 3 at 8 a.m. ET.

26 Oct 2022

Adele Calls Taylor Swift ‘One of the Greatest Songwriters of Our Generation’

Turns out Adele is a bonafide Swiftie! The superstar offered up her take on Taylor Swift on Tuesday (Oct. 25,) and had nothing but nice things to say.

“I haven’t,” she said when asked if she’d listened to Midnights yet during Happy Hour With Adele, a fan event celebrating the release of her new music video for “I Drink Wine.” “But the only reason is, is ’cause I’ve been in rehearsals for, like, 12 hours a f—in’ day … But I think Taylor’s one of the greatest songwriters of our generation, so I will definitely give it a listen.

“I loved the two in COVID very, very much,” the singer continued, referring to 2020 sister albums Folklore and Evermore. “And I think she’s fun as well, she makes a release fun!”

Thanks to the thoughtful strategy behind the Midnights rollout, Swift’s 10th album has already become the first album to sell more than one million copies in the U.S. in its first week since her 2017 studio set Reputation. Midnights has already posted the largest overall week, by equivalent album units, for any album since Adele’s own 25 back in 2015.

Meanwhile, Adele may very well be headed for a rematch against Beyoncé for album of the year at the upcoming 2023 Grammys after last going head to head back in 2017 with 25 and Lemonade. (At the time, Adele took home the big prize over Queen Bey’s soul-baring visual album, though she gave the fellow music icon a shoutout during her tearful acceptance speech, calling Queen Bey “the artist of [her] life.”)

Watch Adele lavish compliments on Swift below.

26 Oct 2022

Rihanna Returning With New Music on ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Soundtrack

Rihanna is officially back. Well, almost. The singer is slated to get back in our ears on Friday (Oct. 28) with the new single “Lift Me Up” from the upcoming Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The song, written by Tems, Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson, Rihanna and Panther director Ryan Coogler was recorded in five countries and produced by Göransson according to a release announcing the star’s first solo single since 2016.

Ri’s anticipated return to music was written as a tribute to late Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who died in August 2020 at age 43. The song will be released on the singer’s Westbury Road label in partnership with Roc Nation/Def Jam Recordings/Hollywood Records. A brief preview of the song appeared on RiRi’s Instagram on Wednesday (Oct. 26), with her wordless humming floating above a string section.

“After speaking with Ryan and hearing his direction for the film and the song, I wanted to write something that portrays a warm embrace from all the people that I’ve lost in my life. I tried to imagine what it would feel like if I could sing to them now and express how much I miss them,” said Tems in a statement. “Rihanna has been an inspiration to me so hearing her convey this song is a great honor.”

The rumored slot on the Wakanda soundtrack has been buzzing for weeks, with billboards hinting at RiRi’s involvement in the project via cryptic promotions on electronic billboards in New York, and, this week, a teaser post for the film in which the title resets to spotlight the “R” in “Forever” above Friday’s date.

The “Umbrella” singer hasn’t released an album since Anti dropped six years ago, and logged two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. She most recently hit the Billboard Hot 100‘s top 10 on her own with “Love on the Brain,” which reached No. 5 in March 2017. She added her most recent Hot 100 top 10 – her 31st – as featured, with Bryson Tiller, on DJ Khaled’s “Wild Thoughts,” which hit No. 2 in July 2017. In her most recent appearance on the chart, she reached No. 23 in April 2020 with “Believe It,” with PARTYNEXTDOOR.

Though she’s teased her next album several times since, no new solo music has emerged since the Anti era, as new mom RiRi has mostly focused on her Fenty Beauty brand. Her long break from live performance is slated to end on Feb. 12, 2023, when she takes the stage for the 2023 Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The sequel to 2018 global smash Black Panther stars Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Winston Duke as M’Baku and Dania Gurija as Okoye, fighting to protect their nation from interloping powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s [Boseman] death. The film, also starring Martin Freeman, Lupita Nyong’o and Tenoch Huerta Mejia, is due in theaters on Nov. 11.

The Wakanda Forever soundtrack — produced by Coogler, Göransson, Archie Davis and Dave Jordan — will be out on Nov. 4, with Göransson’s score album due out also on Nov. 11.

Check out the “Life Me Up” tease below.

26 Oct 2022

Here’s Why Fans Think Harry Styles Subtly Boycotted Adidas After Kanye West’s Hate Speech

Harry Styles set his Adidas shoes aside Monday (Oct. 24), and many of his fans think he was taking a subtle stand against the footwear brand’s connection to the artist formerly known as Kanye West.

Taking the stage at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles for his Monday night concert, Styles showed up dressed in his normal full body Gucci attire — but with one exception. Rather than sporting his usual Adidas x Gucci Gazelles — which he’s worn for every show of his Love on Tour since June, according to People — the 28-year-old pop star instead rocked a pair of red Vans.

Styles’ fans were quick to notice the change, which came amidst a surge of public demand that Adidas drop its longtime partnership with West, who now goes by Ye, following the rapper’s recent antisemitic comments. At the time of the concert, Adidas had not yet confirmed its decision to do so; however, one day later, the company announced it would be officially parting ways with Ye after years of working together on the “Donda” artist’s blockbuster Yeezy shoe line.

“Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech,” the Tuesday (Oct. 25) statement read. “Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”

Billboard has reached out to Styles’ team for comment.

The “As It Was” singer’s next concert will take place Wednesday night (Oct. 26), also at the Kia Forum, where he’s set up shop for a 15-night residency — meaning fans don’t have long to wait to see if Styles will continue wearing Vans in light of Adidas’ statement. Regardless, many have already taken his subtle Monday night fashion statement as an act of good will.

“Harry is wearing vans. good for him,” tweeted one fan the day after the concert. “I believe it’s because he’s boycotting adidas for continuing to be in partnership with kanye.”

“Thank you @harry_styles and @harry__lambert for going with Vans last night instead of @adidas,” wrote another, tagging both Styles and his stylist, Harry Lambert. “We see your decision, and it means so much to me and all your other Jewish fans, and those who stand with us against antisemitism in all its forms.”

See what fans are saying about Harry Styles’ decision to wear Vans instead of Adidas at his recent concert below:

26 Oct 2022

Foot Locker Cuts Ties With Kanye West Following His Antisemitic Comments

Foot Locker will no longer be stocking Yeezy products on its shelves. The shoe retailer announced Tuesday (Oct. 25) that it would be joining companies such as GAP, Adidas and Balenciaga in cutting ties with Kanye West in light of the rapper’s recent antisemitic comments.

A spokesperson for the footwear company told CNN that while Foot Locker will continue its partnership with Adidas — the brand that has produced Ye’s blockbuster Yeezy shoes since 2015 — it will immediately halt all sales of any products the “Donda” artist has been involved in making.

“We will not be supporting any future Yeezy product drops, and we have instructed our retail operators to pull any existing product from our shelves and digital sites,” said the spokesperson, who also noted that Foot Locker would remain “a partner with Adidas and carry a wide assortment of their collections.”

Adidas had announced earlier in the day it would be cutting ties with Ye — a move that resulted in the rapper losing his billionaire status. “Adidas does not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech,” the company said statement. “Ye’s recent comments and actions have been unacceptable, hateful and dangerous, and they violate the company’s values of diversity and inclusion, mutual respect and fairness.”

GAP, which had already ended its relationship with the rapper in September, also announced Tuesday it was immediately removing all Yeezy products, and took down YeezyGap.com, one day after he was dropped as a client form Creative Artists Agency. And on Oct. 21, he was turned away by Balenciaga, as announced via a statement given to Women’s Wear Daily by the fashion house’s parent company, Kering.

The collective demise of Ye’s partnerships follows two controversies sparked by the Grammy winner earlier this month. The first came when he premiered shirts featuring the phrase “White Lives Matter” — which the Southern Poverty Law Center explains is a racist response to the Black Lives Matter movement — at his Oct. 3 Paris Fashion Week runway show.

The second came days later, when he first started on a rampage of antisemitic rhetoric by posting on social media that he would be going “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” something that led to his Instagram and Twitter accounts being restricted. That didn’t stop him from doubling and tripling down on his hate speech, however. He would go on to appear on Chris Cuomo’s self-titled NewsNation show to heatedly debate his antisemitic views on the music industry, and later compared the Holocaust to abortion in an interview with MIT research scientist Lex Fridman.

26 Oct 2022

Billie Eilish, Doja Cat & Mickey Guyton to Appear on New Audible Original Series ‘Origins’: Exclusive

Audible is launching a new eight-part audio series called Origins that will feature a number of A-list musicians answering the question “Where are you from?” Billboard can exclusively announce. The show will feature everyone from Billie Eilish, Doja Cat and Camilo to Koffee, Mickey Guyton, King Princess, Flying Lotus and artist-rapper Tobe Nwigwe interpreting the central query, with all episodes slated to drop on Nov. 17 on Audible.

“Audible has been fortunate to work with some of the most beloved and iconic musicians of our time through our ‘Words + Music’ series – one that focuses on the work of immensely talented artists and their incredible and varied impacts musically and personally, and has struck a chord with Audible listeners,” said Rachel Ghiazza, Audible’s vp and head of U.S. content, in a statement. “As we continue to dive head first into our expanding music vertical, we are thrilled to introduce Origins, a transcendent audio experience. This series breaks down the barrier between artist and human, as we get up close and personal with these remarkable contemporary musicians and find the source of each of their creative drives.”

The show promises that each episode will bring listeners closer to “the moments that shaped some of today’s most notable artists through a mix of spoken narrative, immersive sound design, and original music performance.”

Thinking about her own origin story, Oscar-winner Eilish said in a statement, “It was so weird to me when I was first coming up and, and the thing everybody said was, like, ‘Billie Eilish’s music is so depressing and it’s so sad and it’s too dark,’ and I was like, ‘What are you talking about? Have you listened to The Beatles and ‘As My Guitar Gently Weeps,’ and ‘Yesterday’ and Lana Del Rey? Like, what the hell?’ It was so surprising to me that people thought anything I was creating was dark. I mean, it’s real.” 

Doja also said the question inspired some deep thoughts. “I’ve always tried to bring my fans into my world,” she shared. “I am more interested in being myself than what others want me to be. I want people to get a real understanding of who I am, and I think Origins will help them do that.”

Audible Original Origins

Audible Original Origins

Courtesy of Audible*

Origins follows on the heels of Audible’s acclaimed Words + Music series, which has featured deep dives with artists including Pete Townshend, Beck, John Legend, Chuck D, Eddie Vedder, Alice Cooper, Rhiannon Giddens and more.

Check out the descriptions of each episode below:

  • Billie Eilish challenges origin, resists definition, and rejects the very idea that who she was yesterday is who she has to be tomorrow.
  • Doja Cat rediscovers her origin through a process of reinvention.
  • Camilo lives and breathes origin, not only as the source of everything he has ever known, but also as his most inspiring teacher.
  • Koffee reflects on the importance of trusting instinct and her love of the island that nurtured her creativity.
  • Tobe Nwigwe, whose origins have led him far from his initial ambitions, recalls the path that led him to his true calling.
  • Flying Lotus looks at origin through the lens of loss and longing to consider if the most powerful lessons are those that encourage us to return to the simplest version of our story.
  • King Princess takes on origin in the frame of identity, a place where we are formed, informed, and then transformed.
  • Mickey Guyton, whose story is full of triumph in the face of rejection, unpacks origin with survival as her only point of reference.

26 Oct 2022

Avril Lavigne Drops Off When We Were Young Lineup, Replaced by Death Cab For Cutie

Avril Lavigne is out, Death Cab is in. Organizers of Las Vegas’ When We Were Young festival announced on Tuesday (Oct. 25) that the third day of the all-star event on Saturday (Oct. 29) has lost the “Sk8er Boi” singer due to “unforeseen circumstances” and gained Death Cab For Cutie in her stead.

“We are excited to share that Death Cab for Cutie and Underoath have been added to Sat’s lineup,” organizers tweeted. “We had the best time on Sun with @AvrilLavigne. Due to unforeseen circumstances, she is unable to join us on Oct. 29th at WWWY. We will miss you Avril!”

Saturday’s show is technically the second day of WWWY, since organizers were forced to cancel last weekend’s opening day (Oct. 22) due to concerns over high winds. The nostalgic pop-punk fest at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds was scheduled to feature a massive lineup that included Paramore, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Lavigne, AFI and Jimmy Eat World.

Following strong ticket sales for the Oct. 22 edition, promoter Live Nation added dates with the same lineup on Sunday (Oct. 23) and this Saturday. Lavigne’s Sunday set was one of the highlights of WWWY, with the singer joined by All Time Low singer/guitarist Alex Gaskarth and lead guitarist Jack Barakat on a cover of Blink-182’s “All the Small Things.”

Green Day and Blink have already been announced as headliners for the Oct. 21, 2023 edition of WWWY, alongside 30 Seconds to Mars, Good Charlotte, The Offspring, All Time Low, Something Corporate, Yellowcard, Sum 41, Simple Plan, Pierce the Veil, Thrice, Plain White Tees, The Veronicas, The Ataris and more.

See the revamped lineup for Saturday’s show below.

26 Oct 2022

Social Media Star Charli D‘Amelio Debuts New Music Video for Single ’If You Ask Me To‘: ‘Putting This Song Out Is Important to Me’

You may know her for Tik Tok videos, which have accumulated over 148 million followers and over 11 billion likes. Still, Charlie D’Amelio is heading into uncharted territory: The 18-year-old social media maven released her first single and music video, “If You Ask Me To,” on Tuesday (Oct. 25); after the song premiered on the season 2 finale of The D’Amelio Show, a Hulu docu-series following D’Amelio and her family.

The pop song was produced by Greg Keller, who also co-wrote the track with D’Amelio, Austin Saxton, Emi Seacrest and Michael Schiavo. Andrew Sandler, who has visuals for Nicki Minaj, Ariana Grande, and Machine Gun Kelly, helmed “If You Ask Me To,” which depicts teenage heartbreak and the ups and downs of being in love with someone.

D’Amelio says that the song tells a story with characters rather than a true story about herself. “I wanted to use this as a time in my life where I don’t have to talk about true experiences — so much of my life is so out there,” D’Amelio tells Billboard.

As someone who rose to stardom through her dancing, D’Amelio has always been heavily involved with music. Still, she never really got a chance to experiment with making a song or creating a video from scratch, which led the superstar down this new path. “I fell in love with the process throughout,” D’Amelio says, “Which is why putting this song out is so important to me.”

Just below, the social media star chats with Billboard about her new single, what it was like working with a team to create music, some of her favorite artists and more.

I see you worked with Greg Keller and Austin Saxton. What was that like for you?

For me, it was awesome working with them. They let me kind of put what I wanted into the song, and I got a lot of freedom from this, making it fun for me to experiment with what I liked and what I get to put out with my first song. And I think that that was something that was super fun, that they let me take the front seat. But obviously, they’re the professionals, and they know what they’re talking about. So they were there to guide me the entire time. And you know, we all pitched in to writing the song and figuring out what would be best for the music video and everything. And I was just very thankful that they gave me that freedom within the creative.

How would you describe yourself as an artist?

I think for me, I would like for this journey to be ever-changing and grow with me. You know, I wanna be able to try and experiment within styles and everything, and I feel like that’s the best part — working with the people that I work with. They’re able to give me that freedom to create whatever comes naturally to me and go from there and never have to feel like I’m stuck in a box where I have to make one type of music. And I think that’s something that really means a lot to me.

Who are some of the people you listen to growing up and even now that motivate you in music?

Sam Smith, Adele, my sister (Dixie) obviously, Billie Eilish. Growing up doing a lot of contemporary dance, a lot of those artists were artists that I danced to — that’s the type of music that drew me in, which led me to create “If You Ask Me To,” and kind of tie it all together..I wanna give it to other people, so they’re able to enjoy it as well.

You’re a famous Tik-Toker. What do you want people to know about you outside of TikTok?

I think I want people to see me for me as a person and what my character is, and what I’m made up of rather than my TikTok videos — which aren’t always spot on for who I am all the time. I think with this song and the show that my family and I have, you see a little bit more of kind of the process. I feel like people’s perceptions of me are going to change as I change and grow up, and I’m here to live my life. And however people take that, I just let them because that’s not fully up to me how other people perceive me.

You’ve accomplished a lot for someone very young. What’s next for you?

I think for me, I’m planning on figuring it out as I go. You know, that’s the most amazing part. I wanna see what I’m able to make next and where the vibe goes. And if it comes together to be an album. And if it’s a little venue that I sing at once to see how it is — I mean, I’m ready to kind of try it all, and I’d love to be able to do bigger things within music. But I wanna see what’s next for me, creation-wise.

What is the reaction you’re hoping people get after listening to the song and watching the music video?

I want people to be able to relate their own experiences into music. I think when you listen to it, I hope that you feel something and if it relates to a point in time in your life where, “oh, this is kind of similar,” use it. I love music that makes you feel, music that makes you think.

I think it’s such a powerful thing that you can use in so many ways, and I hope people enjoy it. Whatever it is to them, my connection with the song is going to be different from everyone else’s, and everyone else is just going to differ from each other. So I hope that people take from it what they need and what helps them connect with it.

26 Oct 2022

Kanye West Antisemitism Fall-Out Continues As Aaron Donald, Jaylen Brown Split With Donda Sports

The ongoing fall-out from Kanye West‘s recent spree of antisemitic statements has reached nearly every corner of the former billionaire artist’s once-sprawling empire, with the latest defections coming from his Donda Sports division. In the wake of a series of interviews in which West has doubled- and tripled-down on inflammatory, derogatory hate speech, L.A. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald tweeted on Tuesday (Oct. 25) that he was unable to continue their professional relationship.

“Our family has made the decision to part ways with Donda Sports,” read a statement from Donald and his wife, Erica Donald. “The recent comments and displays of hate and antisemitism are the exact opposite of how we choose to live our lives and raise our children. We find them to be irresponsible and go against everything we believe in as a family.”

They continued, “as parents and members of society, we felt a responsibility to send a clear message that hateful words and actions have consequences and that we must do better as human beings. We do not feel our beliefs, voices and actions belong anywhere near a space that misrepresents and oppresses people of any background, ethnicity or race.”

Boston Celtics shooting guard Brown — who earlier this week said he was sticking with Donda Sports — shifted his position on Tuesday, saying, upon reflection, he could not keep working with West (who now goes by Ye).

“In the past 24 hours, I’ve been able to reflect and better understand how my previous statements lack clarity in expressing my stance against recent insensitive public remarks and actions,” Brown tweeted in a statement. “For that, I apologize. And in this, I seek to be as clear as possible. I have always, and will always, continue to stand strongly against any antisemitism, hate speech, misrepresentation, and oppressive rhetoric of any kind.”

Brown said in light of his reflection he recognized that “there are times when my voice and my position can’t coexist in spaces that don’t correspond with my stance or my values. And, for that reason, I am terminating my association with Donda Sports.” Both men signed with West’s marketing agency Donda Sports in May of this year. And while they cut ties, the company’s president, former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown — who was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2021 after taking off his uniform and running off the field during a game — said he was staying put.

“Over the past few weeks the world’s reactionary and selective outrage at comments in the media made by my brother, Ye, have inflamed and sparked rampant conversation and reflection,” Brown tweeted on Tuesday. “I too have been able to reflect on statements that I and others in my circle have made that lack clarity in expressing my stance. The people and brands that have relentlessly profited from Black ideas and Black culture chose to distance themselves at a very specific time: a time that demonstrated their prioritization of certain groups over others.”

Brown said, for those reasons, he is standing by his “dedication to freedom of speech, thought, and opinion.” He added that as president of the company he remains “true to the mission of Donda,” as well as “dedicated to helping clarify statements taken out of proportion by the media.”

West’s recent spate of controversial statements and actions — including wearing and promoting a “White Lives Matter” shirt featuring a slogan adopted by neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups as a response to the Black Lives Matter movement and his weeks-long series of interviews in which he has made antisemitic comments — have cost the rapper dearly.

In addition to facing backlash from both fans and celebrities online, he has been dropped by many of his fashion and business partners, including The Gap, Balenciaga, Adidas, as well as getting him dropped by his agents at CAA, and seeing an already-finished documentary from MRC shelved. In addition, Forbes reported this week that the loss of the lucrative Adidas deal — valued at around $1.5 billion — would cost Ye his billionaire status, dropping his net worth to around $400 million.

See Donald, Brown and Brown’s statements below.