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From their “POV,” Ariana Grande may as well be Santa Claus. The Manchester Foundation Trust Charity revealed on Monday (Dec. 23) that the singer-actress has donated gifts to the children across its hospital system. “We are so grateful to Ariana for thinking of our young patients this Christmas. The gifts she has donated are being […]
While some fans might be on “Fascination Street” when it comes to their favorite musicians, The Cure frontman Robert Smith understands Chappell Roan‘s frustrations with what she has described as the sometimes “predatory behavior” she has experienced.
During a recent chat with Annie Mcmanus and Nick Grimshaw of BBC podcast Sidetracked, the Grammy-nominated musician shared his thoughts on the subject, noting that the relationship between musician and fans can be a complicated one nowadays. “I think what you’re doing as an artist, you want people to feel like they’re engaging with you. But it is a modern-world phenomenon that there’s a sense of entitlement that didn’t used to be there amongst fans,” he explained. “When we started out, it was kind of enough that we did what we did, and people didn’t really expect, as a consumer, I didn’t expect something more. It was enough to kind of see Alex Harvey or to see David Bowie. I didn’t expect to, like, hang out with them or get to know them, whereas now, it seems almost like that is part of the deal.”
The rocker — whose 14th studio album Songs of a Lost World debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 after its arrival on Nov. 1 — added that The Cure also experienced unwelcome fan behavior as the group grew in popularity. “We obviously have experienced quite a lot of obsessive fan behavior down the years, and it can feel quite threatening, honestly,” he shared. “If you have people sleeping outside your front door, it can get very weird. … But when it comes to your front door and people are there and they feel like somehow the cosmos has fated and you’re dealing with people who perhaps aren’t quite you know, right all the time. So you think like, ‘How do you respond to this?’ It’s impossible, really.”
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Smith added that it can be even tougher for artists like Chappell, who saw their fame skyrocket rather than experience a gradual growth. “It is more difficult to deal with things because you’ve not grounded at a lower level,” he shared of The Cure’s own, more manageable ride. “It took us years and years and years of touring, going around the world and doing stuff, until by the time we’d started to get properly famous, I kind of knew how to respond. I’d already developed that as part of like, who I was.”
“But being famous, if you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, I can’t imagine many worse ways of living,” the musician added. “‘Cause it’s horrible being gawked at all the time and prodded and poked and people expecting more of you all the time. It’s a very strange thing.”
Over the last few months, Roan — who was named Billboard‘s Top New Artist of 2024 and is in the running for 2025’s best new artist Grammy, among other gramophones — has been outspoken about the inappropriate behavior she’s faced from fans and photographers alike, and has in turn received support from musicians including Miley Cyrus, Noah Kahan and Jewel. “I’ve been in too many nonconsensual physical and social interactions and I just need to lay it out and remind you, women don’t owe you s–t,” she wrote in an August social media post. “I chose this career path because because I love music and art and honoring my inner child, I do not accept harassment of any kind because I chose this path, nor do I deserve it.”
And in October, the “Good Luck, Babe!” singer confronted a photographer on the red carpet who had been rude to her at a previous event. “You were so disrespectful to me at the Grammys,” she said in video captured of the moment. “I remember. You were so rude to me. And I deserve an apology for that … You need to apologize to me.”
Watch Robert Smith discuss toxic fan behavior on Sidetracked below:
Taylor Swift has long been known for surprising her fans with presents, whether going on a holiday gift-buying spree back in 2015, or donating funds to their GoFundMe campaigns over the years.
On Dec. 12, when Swift visited Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Hospital, among the patients she met was a fan named Naya. During the visit, as Swift signed a copy of her Eras Tour book, Naya mentioned how much she loved Swift’s outfit, calling the plaid top and pleated skirt outfit “tea.” Swift responded by saying, “You made my day with that. Walking in, you were just so sweet, so friendly and so lovely.”
Swift remembered the exchange, and on Dec. 22, Naya posted a TikTok video showing that she received a holiday gift from the 14-time Grammy winner — a Miu Miu outfit that matched the one Billboard‘s Top Artist of 2024 wore during her visit to Children’s Mercy Hospital. Another video from Naya also showed that alongside the outfit was a note from Swift, which read in part, “I loved meeting you … when you asked where I got it, I purposely didn’t tell you because I had a plan. Picked you up a few things that I hope you’ll think are tea, ha. Merry Christmas, love Taylor.”
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Billboard has reached out to Swift’s rep for confirmation.
Naya captioned the video, “She is soo amazing im soo blessed, I love you Tay Swizzle you’re literally the Best,” along with two pink heart emojis. During Swift’s initial visit to Children’s Mercy Hospital, she also filmed a TikTok video with Naya and her cousin, with the three of them dancing to the star’s “Bad Blood.”
Swift recently wrapped her Eras Tour on Dec. 8 with a finale concert in Vancouver, B.C. The massive, two-year trek, which has become the largest-grossing tour of all time (grossing more than $2 billion), spanned 150 shows across five continents. Swift’s The Eras Tour launched in March 2023, with each 3.5-hour show including more than 40 songs and highlighting different eras in Swift’s career.
Swift also recently picked up 10 new Billboard Music Awards trophies this year, bringing her career total to 49, winning more BBMAs than any other artist in history.
Taylor Swift‘s big heart is known all too well, and she has demonstrated her kindness once again. A non-profit organization in Kansas City, Mo., revealed on Saturday (Dec. 21) that the 14-time Grammy winner recently donated $250,000 to its mission. Operation Breakthrough — which works to “provide a safe, loving and educational environment for children […]
Billie Eilish is well-prepared for the holiday season. The singer closed out her five-night run at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Saturday (Dec. 21) with a cover of the Christmas standard “O Holy Night.” “We’ve been doing a Christmas cover for every show, so we’re gonna do another one,” Eilish — dressed in […]
To borrow a query from a Jagged Edge hit: where the party at? If you’re D-Nice, it will be at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in downtown Los Angeles. That’s where he’s hosting his “Deck the Hall” holiday extravaganza — featuring D-Nice & Friends — on New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31). For this particular blowout, the classic R&B/soul, hip-hop and pop hitmakers joining him to usher out 2024 and welcome in 2025 will include: Next, Big Daddy Kane, Case, Estelle, Jon B., Tweet, Lady London, Mike Philips, Nice & Smooth and Johnny Gill.
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Explaining how the upcoming show came together, D-Nice (Derrick Jones) tells Billboard, “Sometimes the curation is extremely random. Like whatever the flow is like while I play a set, I’ll think, ‘Oh, this could be so good for a show.’ Like for instance, Johnny Gill. I can’t believe he agreed to do my show, but I’ve played his music so much during my sets. When I reached out and told him what the concept was, he just jumped right on it. The same thing with Big Daddy Kane. And I’ve never worked with Case before. We’ve been trying to figure it out and finally did for New Year’s Eve. So I’m really excited about the show.”
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But the partying doesn’t stop there. D-Nice will be setting up his first 2025 Club Quarantine Live session at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 11. That soiree’s special guests include Grammy Award winners Anthony Hamilton, Arrested Development and Big Daddy Kane, current Grammy nominee Rapsody, Tank, Goapele, Rakim and Tweet. Produced by BrandNice and co-presented by BrandNice and the Kennedy Center, the black-tie event will be hosted by multi-media personality Kenny Burns.
“I use the word excited a lot because I really feel like wow, I can’t believe this is happening,” says D-Nice, who’s also a member of the Kennedy Center Hip Hop Culture Council. “I curate all the shows myself for the flow that I want. And to be able to bring all of these different types of people and genres together keeps me extremely excited about what I’m doing.”
A self-confessed fan boy — “I just love the music and the culture” — D-Nice also spoke to Billboard about his most memorable moment from his popular Club Quarantine, launched on Instagram during the Covid-19 pandemic, the hoped-for guest artists still on his wish list and where his love of photography is taking him in 2025.
What was your most memorable moment during Club Quarantine? And also talk about how you’ve been evolving the brand since then.
The big night, March 21, 2020, will always be memorable for me. But it’s not about the amount of people that were there, the millions that were listening. I was always in the usual position of being the DJ that’s performing at someone else’s event. Like I DJ’d for Rihanna, President Obama and others before. But for me to have this virtual party, and for all of them to actually come to a virtual party that I was throwing? It was extremely special because it wasn’t them hiring me for something. It was something that I was doing. They all jumped on to support and show love to people. That moment was not only good for music, but it was also good for people’s morale. We knew we were all in this together; that we all had to be locked down together. But to see some of your favorite people and actually just say hello? Some got a response; they obviously couldn’t respond to everyone. But the feeling we all had at that time will always be the highlight for me.
As far as the evolution of the brand, there’s nothing really tangible about this. It’s a feeling. The way I play is about the music. It’s about communities, about happiness and having some fun, laughing … it’s all of those things. The fact that we can still do these shows live, that’s really what I’m recreating. All I’m doing is using the formula that I was rocking online, playing a little bit of everything. So to be able to put a show together where you can have everyone from Nice & Smooth to Lady London, who’s a new artist out right now. Or go to the Kennedy Center with Rapsody and Rakim. To be able to bridge the gap between all of these eras of music is just incredible. That’s the spirit of it all.
What artists are still on your wish list?
I’m a big fan of both Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan. If I could get them on one of my shows, that would mean everything to me.
As an ardent music fan, what musical trends do you see on the horizon; are there Afrobeats-curated events on your to-do list?
I received a call last week to do a few shows in Africa. I’ve always played Afrobeats and Afrobeat. I love Fela [Kuti] but also Burna Boy and that vibe. I love South African soulful house vibes, amapiano … all of that. In terms of trends, it’s just good to see that people aren’t sticking to just one thing. Create something and it will find an audience. Look at what’s happening with Tyla and her music. Then on the flip side, there’s Chris Brown selling out two nights in Africa. It’s beautiful to see how global our culture is.
Might a book about your DJ experiences be in the offing?
I’m working now on a photography book of images taken during the journey that I’ve been on and also a photo exhibition that I’m already putting together, a kind of touring exhibition that will be starting around June 2025. It’s all these images that I’ve shot from behind the scenes. I’ve had a camera with me ever since I was super young and making records. I wanted something tangible to show my family and my future kids, so I decided I was always going to have a camera. And I’ve literally gotten these great moments like of a young Kendrick [Lamar], of Mary J. Blige in South Africa and candid moments of her praying. Or Dave Chappelle when he returned to the scene with shows at Radio City Music Hall. I captured a beautiful silhouette of him with his signature cigarette. And I have other moments like when Tyra Banks asked me to document her throughout one day. So I want to spotlight these great images and not just the music.
What advice do you have for aspiring DJs?
Everyone has their own thing, so I think it’s extremely important to be unique. EDM DJs mainly play their own music, their own records. But when you think about someone who is actually playing someone else’s pre-recorded music, we all have the same songs. So it’s about the way you play it and the energy that you bring. What’s carried me a long way in my career is that it’s not just about the music. Sometimes you can walk into a room and see an artist, a DJ or a performer and you instantly feel comfortable because you know what that person represents. You know what that person’s energy is. I always try to tell people, especially young people, to not only just focus on the music but focus on your personality. Focus on what you’re feeling from people; focus on your showmanship.
Hailey Bieber is rocking a new ring that pays tribute to her son with husband Justin Bieber. According to US Magazine, Hailey posted a pic of her new baby bling in an Instagram Story on Saturday, revealing an image of a square-shaped lime green peridot diamond nestled next to a teardrop-shaped topaz stone on a […]
Spice Girls member Emma “Baby Spice” Bunton has unwrapped a beautiful Christmas present for fans around the world. Over the weekend, the singer debuted a new take on the group’s 1996 holiday ballad, “2 Become 1,” in which she transforms the slinky R&B original into a dramatic Technicolor ballad complete with sweeping strings.
The revamp featuring only Bunton’s vocals, finds her backed by the Budapest Scoring Orchestra, which adds an extra layer of yuletide cheer to her airy, dreamy vocals. “I need some love like I’ve never needed love before/ I had a little love, now I’m back for more/Set your spirit free/ It’s the only way to be,” Bunton sings on a warm, Olivia Newton-John-like voice on the refrain.
The video finds Bunton swooning over the Orchestra’s majestic backing, with the singer performing in the midst of the string section in a holiday-appropriate red, off-the-shoulder mini dress. On Instagram, Bunton wrote about her joy in re-imagining the beloved Spice Girls standard.
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“Earlier this year, I had the amazing opportunity to record one of my favourite Spice Girls singles, ‘2 Become 1,’ with the incredible @budapestscoring Orchestra!,” she said. “Hearing the song brought to life by such a talented orchestra gave me goosebumps — it was such a magical experience.”
In a second post with behind-the-scenes video of the shoot, Bunton added, “Spending time with and watching the @budapestscoring Orchestra perform ‘2 Become 1’ was a magical experience ✨ I literally had goosebumps the whole day! Thanks to everyone there for making it so special.”
Bunton released her fourth solo album, My Happy Place, in 2019, the same year she released the holiday single “Coming Home for Christmas,” which included her cover of Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby.” My Happy Place also featured a duet on “2 Become 1” with Robbie Williams.
Watch Bunton in the new “2 Become 1” video below.
Christmas can be both the most wonderful, and the most chaotic time of year. What with all the rushing around and the baking and the wrapping and the delayed holiday travel. Kim Kardashian hints at the sometimes overwhelming holiday hubbub experience in a new video for her cover of Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby.” Explore See […]
Dom Dolla has once again proven why he’s one of the hottest names in EDM, wrapping up a record-breaking Australian tour that saw over 170,000 tickets sold across four cities.
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The achievement makes it the largest-ever tour by an Australian electronic artist, with every show selling out almost instantly—a feat that proves his place as a trailblazer in the live music scene.
The tour spanned iconic venues and greenfield sites, with performances at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse, Sydney’s Domain, Brisbane’s Riverstage, and Perth’s Wellington Square, and fans witnessed a four-hour back-to-back set with Solomun as part of Untitled Group’s 10-year anniversary celebration.
“Today was the last show on this tour,” Dom told the 9,000 strong audience towards the end of his set in Queensland, as per The Music Network. “This tour has changed my life.”
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“It’s been an incredible journey working with Dom over the past 10+ years, and this tour is the culmination of all the hard work, passion, and dedication we’ve put into building something special together,” Nicholas Greco, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Untitled Group, shared. “Watching Dom connect with fans on such a massive scale, and seeing his music resonate with so many people across the country, is an experience I’ll never forget. This tour was a record-breaking moment not just for Dom, but for the entire Australian electronic scene.”
This monumental tour follows a remarkable year for Dom, who recently added an ARIA Award for Best Dance/Electronic Release for his infectious track, “Saving Up,” which peaked at No. 25 on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs.
The Melbourne star’s success isn’t confined to Australia. His momentum shows no signs of slowing down as he gears up for a packed 2025 schedule, starting with a headlining slot at the Palm Tree Music Festival in Aspen, CO, on Feb. 21, followed by the official afterparty later that night.
The Aussie DJ will then take the stage at Madison Square Garden in New York for two highly anticipated shows on March 7 and 8. These performances sees him join the ranks of John Summit, Black Coffee, and the trio of Skrillex, Four Tet, and Fred Again.., who have all transformed the iconic venue into major rave experiences.
