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Just days after announcing her debut solo album, Jennie has released the music video for her new song “Zen.”
On Friday (Jan. 24), the 29-year-old BLACKPINK star surprised fans with the visually stunning video, directed by Cho Gi-Seok. The three-and-a-half-minute clip follows Jennie as she journeys through cosmic landscapes, showcasing a range of looks that are both elegant and futuristic.
“Nobody gon’ move my soul, gon’ move my aura, my matter/ Nobody gon’ move my life, gon’ touch my goal, my matter/ Nobody gon’, all this power make them scattеr/ No, nobody gon’ touch my soul, gon’ match my flow, like damn,” Jennie sings on the track.
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Earlier this week, Jennie announced that her first solo album, Ruby, will be released on March 7. The project features an impressive roster of collaborators, including Childish Gambino, Dua Lipa, Doechii, Dominic Fike, FKJ and Kali Uchis.
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Ruby will contain 15 tracks, including her October 2024 single “Mantra,” which hit No. 2 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart and No. 3 on the Billboard Global 200.
In a recent interview with Billboard, Jennie reflected on the deeply personal journey of creating Ruby.
“It’s not nice to be someone who’s always like, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t say anything,’ ” she said of the project she began in early 2024. “I want to say I’m almost there.” Acknowledging the challenges she faced along the way, she added, “I’m just going to say, ‘I don’t do well with time.’”
But “Zen” wasn’t the only surprise Jennie dropped on Friday. She also announced that she’ll be embarking on a three-city tour to celebrate the release of Ruby. The Ruby Experience will visit Los Angeles (March 6), New York City (March 10) and Seoul (March 15).
“Intense and intimate as I like it,” Jennie captioned the announcement on Instagram.
Check out Jennie’s music video for “Zen” below on YouTube.
Chappell Roan has well and truly made her presence felt in Australia, with her sleeper hit “Good Luck, Babe!” effortlessly topping triple j’s Hottest 100 poll for 2024.
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When Roan was announced as the winning song on the evening of Saturday, Jan. 25, the 26-year-old became only the third solo female artist to top the countdown (after Billie Eilish in 2019 and Doja Cat in 2023), and achieved the feat with most votes ever cast for a song in the No. 1 spot.
The result is hardly surprising, of course. It’s become a massive hit for Roan on a global scale, earning her six nominations at this year’s Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Solo Performance, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year for the track, alongside the coveted Best New Artist trophy. Meanwhile, it peaked atop Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, and reached No. 4 on the Hot 100. In Australia, it matched that feat, and currently sits at No. 12 – one placing higher than its appearance on ARIA’s 2024 End of Year chart.
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Roan’s impressive result was followed by Australia’s own Royel Otis, who achieved the silver medal position thanks to their cover of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s “Murder on the Dancefloor”, performed as part of triple j’s own Like a Version cover series. The performance has truly helped put the Sydney duo on the map, with the track reaching No. 35 in Australia, and topping Billboard’s Alternative Airplay chart – the first Like a Version cover to do so.
Billie Eilish finished in third position with “Birds of a Feather”, taking out a new record in the process. Eilish, along with fellow pop icon Charli XCX, both managed a record-breaking eight appearances in the countdown, including their own collaboration as part of Charli XCX’s “Guess” remix at No. 6. This impressive achievement comes only one year after Australia’s G Flip broke the previous record, with their seven songs overtaking an 18-year record set by Wolfmother in 2005 and matched by Spacey Jane in 2022.
Eilish’s strong showing also sees her become the artist with the most historical appearances in the annual poll, with 25 songs since her debut in 2017. She steals the crown from Adelaide hip-hop favorites Hilltop Hoods, whose 24 all-time entries have been achieved between 2003 and 2023.
The top five was rounded out by Lola Young’s “Messy” at No. 4, and Gracie Abrams’ “That’s So True” at No. 5. Meanwhile, Billie Eilish and Charli XCX’s “Guess” at No. 6, while Dom Dolla’s “Girls”, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us”, G Flip’s Like a Version cover of Taylor Swift’s “Cruel Summer”, and Fred again.. and Baby Keem’s “leavemealone” capped off this year’s top ten.
Despite her ubiquitous appearance within the world of popular music, the perennial Swift also made her own debut appearance in the countdown this year, showing up as a featured artist on Abrams’ “Us.” at No. 71. Famously, Swift had been barred from the countdown in 2014 after a BuzzFeed-led campaign to get “Shake it Off” in the poll was supported by KFC, with triple j saying it was “not legit for other media to try and troll the poll”. The station later said “Shake it Off” would have reached No. 12 had it not been dropped, ultimately leading to unconfirmed rumors Swift had been banned from ever appearing in the countdown.
The 2024 edition of triple j’s Hottest 100 also left a sour taste in the mouth of Australian music-lovers, with the full countdown featuring the lowest number of homegrown artists in almost three decades. With only 29 Australian artists appearing across the full list of songs, it’s the worst showing for Aussies since the 1996 list. Only the debut poll in 1993 and its 1994 follow-up are worse, with 24 and 26 Australian artists, respectively.
This year’s countdown was the result of almost 2.5 million votes cast by the listeners of the station, making it an increase on last year’s 2.335 million showing, but far less than 2019’s record of 3.21 million responses.
All told, 26 artists made their triple j Hottest 100 debuts over the weekend, including Abrams, Shaboozey, Doechii, BABYMETAL, and Tommy Richman.
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BAND-MAID kicked off 2025 with a new digital single called “Zen,” released Jan. 13. The track is being featured as the opening theme song for ZENSHU, an original TV anime series produced by MAPPA. The collaboration between the all-women rock band and animation studio hailing from Japan with fans around the world is poised to gain a wide global audience suitable to celebrate the start of a new year.
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The five members of BAND-MAID chatted with Billboard Japan about the production process of the new single, the tracks on Epic Narratives, their first studio album in three and a half years, and their outlook for what is already looking to be a super-busy 2025 for the group.
“Zen,” your new single, has a different flavor from the songs on the Epic Narratives album. Did you start working on it after you finished the album?
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Miku Kobato (Guitar/Vocals): It was around the same time. We were asked to write it when we were still working on the album. KANAMI started off by coming up with a number that fit the requirements for the tie-in while also having a different feel from the album.
KANAMI (Guitar/Vocals): I was given the script for the main story and received quite specific requests regarding the music, so I simplified the image I had in mind to create the track.
MISA (Bass/Vocals): When I listened to the demo, I thought that this song had a strong melody, so I made the bass line feel solid to bring it out. I usually tend to play bass lines that move around a lot, but this time I tried to really focus on the melody and held back on being too technical.
AKANE (Drums/Percussion): I was also very aware of making a melody-oriented beat. Since many of BAND-MAID’s songs have fast BPM, this one might sound a bit mid-tempo, but I tried to avoid making it sound simply like a chilled-out mid-tempo track by adding little details, like creating beats with fills, that would become the hook. Basically, though, I wanted people to listen to the vocals throughout the song, so it’s a simple beat that supports the vocals.
It might be a little simple for BAND-MAID, but when you compare it to songs by other rock bands, it’s not laid back at all.
AKANE: Right. [Laughs] When the melody line is extended like this and the drums are keeping a simple eighth-note groove, it sounds mid-tempo when our band does it. But I didn’t want to erase its speedy feeling, so was conscious of creating a beat that wouldn’t get boring. In terms of the anime, it’s like being reincarnated in another world. I added a furious drum fill before the final chorus, and had these two themes of another world and the real world in my mind when I recorded it.
Kobato: I’ve felt that there are surprisingly few songs with a simple feel recently, so I’m thinking of playing the guitar parts in our live shows [the band calls its concerts “Okyuji,” meaning “to serve”] in a way that would complement the catchy melody, po. SAIKI sings in a way that really brings out the story, so I tried to sing the chorus in a way that would support her from behind, changing the nuances and singing with a lot of range. The chorus work is rich, so I tried to sing it with that in mind, po.
SAIKI, when you wrote the lyrics, what did you focus on in the work it accompanies?
SAIKI (Lead vocals): The title “Zen” was there from the demo stage, and the ZENSHU team were like, “Perfect, that’s great,” so we kept it. I was able to really get into the work by watching all the episodes as moving images, and picked out words from the story and incorporated them into the lyrics. ZENSHU taught me all kinds of things about being an animator, the profession of the protagonist, and thought it’d be nice to convey how creators like that feel. I think musicians and animators are the same in that we both create, so there were lots of parts I could relate to as a musician, and the lyrics in the chorus also reflect how we feel as BAND-MAID.
When (an anime) is based on a work that exists, you might already like it and be able to get into it right away, but since ZENSHU is an anime by MAPPA with an original story, I imagine it must have been difficult to grasp its worldview and reflect that in the lyrics.
SAIKI: It was. [Laughs] But I went over the plot and script and everything many times and worked on it after becoming a fan before anyone else. I felt that the song was “kayou [vintage Japanese pop music] rock.” We don’t often do songs in that style, and because of that, I figured my lyrics would reach people without sounding off, so I did pretty much what I pleased. As a vocalist, I recall recording it in a simpler way. In the first verse, I did simple chorus work, and from the second verse I tried to show off my own quirks, and added more and more harmonies to each chorus.
In terms of the performance, the descending part at the end of the chorus is memorable. What was the inspiration for that arrangement?
KANAMI: I wanted to create a kind of conclusion to the song. I also considered ending all together with the members, but since the work is about reincarnation, I wanted to include a fantasy-like image.
Your guitar solo, on the other hand, has an ascending, chaotic nuance that’s cool.
KANAMI: Thank you, I like it myself. It’s quite difficult technically, but I always want to play melodies that stick in your ears, and I think I’ve created a guitar solo that leaves a strong impression.
On the Zepp tour last year, you also performed songs off your new album Epic Narratives. How do you feel about the album now?
Kobato: After we “served” them live, we were like, “This album is really good after all,” and our masters and princesses [fans] have told us that that they felt the album was even more wonderful after hearing it live, so that made me happy, po.
SAIKI: It really struck me once again how much we love performing live, and felt that our music is something that is completed by “serving” it to the audience.
The music video for the song “Memorable” off your new album features scenery from overseas. It’s a song you feel strongly about, isn’t it?
Kobato: Yes, po. After COVID restrictions were lifted and we were finally able to go on another overseas tour, we thought it’d be a good idea to write a song about how we felt then, so KANAMI wrote the chorus during the tour. From there, we filled the song with memories of our U.S. tour, like including the English phrases we spoke on the stage and making it so that the people who came to see us at the time could envision the scenery when they listened to the song. The song turned out like that because we decided to write a straightforward ballad with a tempo we’ve never done before as BAND-MAID, po.
Lastly, please say a few words as a New Year’s greeting to your to your masters and princesses.
KANAMI: Happy New Year! I’m really looking forward to 2025, especially because we’ll be able to “serve” [play live] in lots of different places. I’ll write more songs this year and work hard so that we can entertain everyone. Thanks in advance.
SAIKI: This year we’ll be releasing not only the new single “Zen” but also an EP, and there’s more good news to come. I hope you’ll all stay healthy and look forward to it!
AKANE: Last year we were able to perform with some bands we respect, like Incubus and The Warning, and our dreams are steadily coming true. I hope we can continue to make the dreams of BAND-MAID as a whole come true again this year.
MISA: I think we’ll be able to “serve” a lot this year, so I plan on cherishing each show. I want to grow personally and grow as a group and make it a fun year.
Kobato: We’ll be “serving” in lots of different places this year, and there are also lots of things we haven’t announced yet, so I think the year will really pass faster than the last, po. I’m really excited about it, and think that 2025 will bring joy, surprise and all sorts of other feelings to our masters and princesses, so I hope you look forward to it, po. One of our strengths is that we work both in Japan and abroad, so we’d like to continue doing projects that our masters and princesses overseas can enjoy too. I’m looking forward to meeting lots of masters and princesses in 2025, po.
Anything else you want to add as a message to your masters and princesses outside of Japan?
Kobato: We’ve received lots of passionate requests from overseas for us to come and “serve” them, and we also really want to meet lots of people everywhere. We hope masters and princesses from outside Japan can come see us “serve” at Billboard Live this year, and we’ll be “serving” on many other occasions as well, so we’d love for you to plan a trip to Japan and come and see us, po!
—This interview by Takayuki Okamoto first appeared on Billboard Japan
Deadmau5 had some choice words for electronic producer 3lau, in response to social media posts from the latter artist about playing an inaugural ball for President Trump earlier this week in Washington, D.C.
On Tuesday, 3lau (pronounced “blau”) posted images and video of the event alongside an Instagram caption reading that “five days ago [President Trump’s] team reached out cause they needed a DJ for inauguration afters. Playing Starlight Ball was not on my 2025 bingo card, but I mean wow, what an honor. I was so nervous, and only got to play for 30 min but holy ****. Achievement unlocked.”
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On X (formerly Twitter), the producer shared the same images and video and wrote “Yesterday was a huge leap forward for crypto !!! It was an honor to be a small part of it DJing the @POTUS afters ;)”
Born Justin Blau, the producer has released electronic music as 3LAU since 2013. He is also a well-established tech advocate and investor. In 2021, he launched Royal, a blockchain-based platform for investing in music rights.
“The timing is crazy,” 3lau’s Instagram caption continues. “I know I’ve been quiet for a long time, mainly because 2025 is gonna be the biggest year yet – for both my music and Royal.”
The comments section of his inauguration day post — currently the only post on the 3lau grid — is a mixed bag of feedback, with Deadmau5 among the thousands of commenters on Instagram.
The Canadian producer pointedly wrote, “Here’s the best takeaway, not a single person in that entire dumb— administration has ever known who the f— you were, cared about you, or even gives the remotest sh– about you, and you certainly won’t be remembered by any of em. But everyone in this business will remember that you stood behind nazis and convicted felons who would further marginalize the very people who gave you a platform. What very little respect I had for you is gone. So glad you got some drink tickets out of the deal, enjoy them, you nepo pissbaby.”
In response, 3lau wrote Friday (Jan. 24) on X that since playing the ball, “I’ve received backlash from several prominent members of the music community. While I anticipated some pushback, the intensity of the response has been far greater than I expected.
“A matter of fact: I am a proud American,” the statement continues. “The freedoms we have in this country make it possible for me to pursue my passions—whether as a founder, a CEO, or a musician. My pride should not be used as a vessel for other people’s anger. This is exactly the behavior that has divided us. I am unwavering in my decision to focus my music and my work on things that continue to push our country forward. This might not always align with a single party, but progress comes from working together, not against each other.
“I believe firmly in both free speech and the acceleration of tech innovation. These principles have been integral to my identity. I also see crypto and blockchain technology as monumental forces essential to our future as a nation—forces that the previous administration opposed. This administration favors many aspects of the vision I hold for our future; while no one’s values will ever fully align with those of any president or party, I stand by my choice. And, for the record, I am grateful to participate in our democracy.”
Heidi Montag is thanking fans for all their support in recent weeks with a surprise musical gift. The Hills alum took to social media on Friday (Jan. 24) to announce that she released Superficial 2, the following-up to her 2010 album, Superficial. “SURPRISE! As a special thank you for all the love and support, and […]
Almost Monday is No. 1 on a Billboard chart for the first time, with “Can’t Slow Down” jumping two places to the top of the Feb. 1-dated Alternative Airplay survey. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Previously, the song became Almost Monday’s first top 10 on Alternative […]
Jewel is defending her polarizing choice to perform at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Inauguration Day ball while apologizing to those whose feelings she may have hurt in the process. In an Instagram video posted Friday (Jan. 24), the singer/songwriter explained that her appearance at the politician’s “Make America Healthy Again” event four days prior had […]
This week in dance music: We unloaded a season’s worth of data, tracking the most played artists and tracks from Hï Ibiza in 2024 and the most played artists and tracks from its sister club, Ushuaïa. We spoke with Kygo about how he once considered quitting tour but is now on his biggest run to date, and we spoke with London-based producer Nimino, Billboard‘s inaugural dance Rooke of the Month.
Over in announcement land, Anyma added an additional four shows to his Sphere run, Tomorrowland 2025 released a characteristically oversized lineup and Rüfüs du Sol announced a benefit show for Los Angeles wildfire relief happening in March in Hollywood. As a bonus, people were extremely peeved that the techno heavy Challengers soundtrack wasn’t nominated for best original score at the Oscars.
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And finally, as always, these are the best new dance tracks of the week.
Empire of the Sun feat. Lindsey Buckingham, “Somebody’s Son”
For a variety of obvious reasons, there simply isn’t enough (i.e. any) new music by Fleetwood Mac these days. Empire of the Sun give it their best shot though on “Somebody’s Son,” a collaboration with none other than Lindsey Buckingham, a longtime friend of the art electronic duo. The song gives Christine McVie vibes at their airy brightest, with the song essentially functioning as a hymn to California, a place that can certainly use some extra TLC right now. A bonus track on the new deluxe edition of Empire of the Sun’s July album, Ask That God, “Somebody’s Son” comes with a characteristically upscale psychedelic video.
Horsegiirl, v.i.p. – very important pony
Few artists have committed to a character so thoroughly as Horsegiirl, the Berlin-based producer who never removes her horse mask, gives interviews only in horse character and writes all lyrics from the equine perspective. What may sound conceptually impenetrable again proves to function not only well, but with humanity, with the release of Horsegiirl’s debut EP, v.i.p. – very important pony. Out on ThreeSixZero Recordings, the six-song project contains the previously released “eat, sleep, slay” and “take it offff” (a pick for our top 50 best dance songs of 2024.) On the newly released “material hor$e” (which is perhaps a 21st century homage to “Material Girl”), the producer posits that “maybe, there’s more to life than farming in the daily” before running down the things she enjoy (diamonds, big checks) all over a tight 94 seconds.
Shygirl feat. PinkPantheress and Isabella Lovestory “True Religion”
The considerable momentum Shygirl summoned in 2024 continues this year with “True Religion,” a bumping and darkly sensual single that comes with added firepower in the form of features from PinkPantheress and reggaeton artist Isabella Lovestory, who delivers an absolutely schorching verse. “True Religion” is from the English artist’s forthcoming project Club Shy Room 2, out Feb. 28th via Because.
Tracy Young, Niki Harris & Donna De Lory, “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life”
Madonna’s longtime backing vocalists Niki Haris and Donna De Lory, who spent 15 years on the road with Her Madgesty, link with Tracy Young, a longtime Madonna remixer, for the slinky “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life.” An update of Indeep’s 1982 dance classic, the vibe here is pure South Beach, with Young (who won a best remixed recording Grammy in 2020 for her edit of Madonna’s “Rise”) layering up rhythm guitar and loads of spicy percussion. Over all this, Niki and Donna sing about how the right song, played by the right DJ, on the right dancefloor can send all your troubles directly down the drain. (We’ll take it.) Out on Ferosh Recordings, the single also comes with a pair of extended edits.
Franc Moody, “Space Between Us”
Amalgamating, as a press release says, “elements of psychedelia, pub rock and space exploration” the latest from English duo Franc Moody is a rousing and obvious yes. The revival style jam (by the pair made up of Jon Moody and Ned Franc) is soulful and warm, giving dance vibes without veering explicitly into club territory. The single is from Franc Moody’s forthcoming Chewing the Fat, a group’s third studio album out March 7 on Night Time Stories.
Lily Allen receives plenty of DMs on social media, but one caught her eye as she revealed that Central Cee shot his shot at her recently. The “Smile” singer sat down with Miquita Oliver earlier this week for an episode of “Who’s Most Likely to” for Grazia. When asked “who’s most likely to have a […]
Travis Scott has released the visual to his “4×4” video and he’s feeling some Texas pride while representing his home state. The frenetic clip arrived on Friday (Jan. 24) just hours after his first single of 2025 hit streaming services. La Flame moves like the president as he’s escorted by the Secret Service across the […]
