State Champ Radio Music News
Page: 649
Gracie Abrams made her first-ever appearance on Saturday Night Live.
During the Dec. 14 episode hosted by Chris Rock, the 25-year-old pop star performed two tracks from her sophomore album The Secret of Us and its deluxe edition, both released in 2024.
Setting a cozy, intimate scene with a candlelit backdrop, a crackling fireplace and soft Christmas lights, Abrams opened with “That’s So True,” a bonus track from the deluxe version. The song, which hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November, was delivered with passion as Abrams — dressed in a white shirt and matching bowtie — was accompanied by her backing band.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Later in the show, Abrams returned to perform “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” a lilting track that peaked at No. 19 on the Hot 100 in October. For the second performance, she switched to a long black gown, while her band members sported black-and-white tuxedos.
Her SNL debut caps an extraordinary year for Abrams, who wrapped up her run opening for Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour on Dec. 6. She is also nominated for best pop/duo group performance at the 2025 Grammy Awards for her collaboration with Swift on the song “Us.”
Trending on Billboard
Last week, Abrams announced a new set of North American tour dates for 2025 in support of The Secret of Us deluxe edition. The six-date tour will take her through Canada, the U.S. and Mexico starting July 24 in Boston and ending Aug. 26 in Mexico City. The dates follow her previously announced European and Asian legs in the spring of 2025.
Abrams previously toured North America this fall in support of the original The Secret of Us album, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 after its June release.
SNL is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary season, which began in September and will culminate in a special weekend and live primetime event on Feb. 16. So far this season, Charli XCX has pulled double duty as both host and musical guest, while other notable hosts like Ariana Grande, John Mulaney, and Bill Burr have shared the spotlight with musical guests including Billie Eilish, Mk.gee, Chappell Roan and Jelly Roll.
Watch Abrams’ SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
Tom DeLonge is offering his thoughts on the mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey.
On Saturday (Dec. 14), the Blink-182 guitarist and UFO aficionado shared a post on social media, proposing a theory about the mass drone sightings that have been reported across the Garden State in recent weeks.
“The drones that are being discussed, can hover for six hours, and then disappear once they are spotted,” DeLonge wrote on Instagram. “This is why it’s been hard to get facts from any US Agency. Some of them can even move into the ocean, and then back up to the air. Which is called ‘transmedium travel.’ A very hard thing to do.”
The drone sightings, which have also been reported in New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut since late November, are currently under investigation by local, state and federal authorities, who remain puzzled by the flying objects.
On Friday (Dec. 13), White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby downplayed the sightings, suggesting that people may be misidentifying manned aircraft as drones, according to the New York Post. He also assured the public that there was no cause for concern. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy reported nearly 50 sightings in the state alone just last week, NPR reports.
DeLonge, who has dedicated many years to researching and raising awareness about UFOs, compared the current sightings to mass UFO reports from the 1960s.
“There’s a strong possibility that these drones are ‘mimicking’ other aircraft,” the Blink-182 co-founder speculated, sharing a 1960s document about a military base that had “experienced a considerable number of reports of unidentified flying objects.”
He continued, “It’s all something to consider, and [although] we don’t have all the facts yet, we do know that UFOs play with ‘mimicry’ and that has been known for quite some time. Why? To get us to notice them without a major freak out? Who knows… but well, we are noticing nonetheless.”
Check out DeLonge’s full post about the East Coast drone sightings on Instagram here.
Timothée Chalamet channeled Bob Dylan‘s blonde-haired look at the New York premiere of his upcoming biopic.
During the premiere of A Complete Unknown at New York’s SVA Theater on Friday (Dec. 13), the 28-year-old actor paid tribute to the folk icon by recreating Dylan’s style from a 2003 Sundance Film Festival event.
Dressed in a light blue beanie, black leather coat, gray patterned scarf, red flannel shirt and sporting dyed blonde bangs, Chalamet’s ensemble closely mirrored a look Dylan wore to the Masked and Anonymous movie screening more than two decades ago.
A Complete Unknown, which hits theaters on Christmas Day (Dec. 25), stars Chalamet as a younger version of Dylan. The film also features Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton.
Earlier this month, Dylan himself took to X (formerly Twitter) to give the film his stamp of approval.
“There’s a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!). Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role,” the legendary musician wrote. “Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me. The film’s taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric — a book that came out in 2015. It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ’60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport. After you’ve seen the movie read the book.”
“Floored,” Chalamet tweeted in response. “I am so grateful. Thank you, Bob.”
Also starring Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz and Scoot McNairy, the biographical drama is inspired by Wald’s 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric. Director James Mangold revealed that Dylan personally provided feedback on the script.
Fans first spotted Chalamet filming in New York earlier this year. The Wonka actor has said he’s been honing his portrayal of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for years, working with a movement coach, taking a “spirit-gathering” road trip to Dylan’s early stomping grounds, and training with a harmonica coach for five years to master the singer-songwriter’s signature style.
Billie Eilish was struck in the face by an object during a recent stop on her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour.
While performing at the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Ariz., on Friday (Dec. 13), the 22-year-old pop star was struck by what appeared to be a necklace thrown by an overzealous fan. The incident occurred while Eilish was sitting cross-legged on stage, delivering an emotional rendition of the Barbie movie soundtrack ballad “What Was I Made For?”
Fan-captured footage shows Eilish flinching as the necklace strikes her face. But she handled the situation like a pro, continuing to sing the chart-topping track before tossing the piece of jewelry aside with mild frustration.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Eilish has spoken out before about fans throwing objects onstage. During the Barbie movie’s world premiere in July 2023, she acknowledged the impulse behind such actions but emphasized that it’s not acceptable.
“I’ve been getting hit on stage with things for, like, literally six years. I don’t know why this is new,” Eilish told The Hollywood Reporter. “People just get excited, and it can be dangerous.”
She explained that most of the objects thrown are smartphones, often aimed at capturing a selfie with the artist. “It’s absolutely infuriating when you’re up there. I have mixed feelings about it, because when you’re up there, it blows,” the artist said. “But you know it’s out of love, and they’re just trying to give you something. You’re in a vulnerable position, but I’ve been getting hit with stuff for years.”
Friday’s Arizona incident is part of a troubling trend of fans throwing objects at performers, which has been on the rise in recent months. Several high-profile artists — including Zach Bryan, Wiz Khalifa, Morgan Wallen and Nicki Minaj — have been struck by random objects during their shows.
In June 2023, P!nk was left shocked when a fan threw their mother’s ashes onto the stage during a performance at BST Hyde Park in London. Similarly, Cardi B had water thrown at her during a concert in August 2023, and Bebe Rexha was hit with a phone in June 2023, resulting in injury.
Harry Styles and Kid Cudi have also faced similar disruptions. Styles was hit in the eye by a Skittle during a 2022 show in Los Angeles, while Kid Cudi cut his Rolling Loud set short after fans threw bottles at him.
Meanwhile, Eilish is preparing to wrap up the North American leg of her Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour, which began in late September. After taking a break on Dec. 21 following five nights at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum, the singer will embark on a series of dates in Europe and Australia starting in February.
If you know, you know. Taylor Swift didn’t post anything on her social media accounts on Friday, Dec. 13, her 35th birthday. But her official team online, known as Taylor Nation, used its social media accounts to point fans in the direction of a new section on Swift’s website that’s dedicated to archiving material across eras.
Fans can navigate the TS Eras Archive by clicking a picture of Swift on the photo banner from the era they’d like to explore. There, they can discover behind-the-scenes clips from the music video shoots for “Anti-Hero,” “Karma,” “Fortnight” and more, all newly uploaded to YouTube as of Dec. 13. The BTS videos can also be found by going directly to Swift’s YouTube page and sorting videos by “latest.”
“I have been the architect of my own chaos that I currently live in,” a silver statue version of Swift, as seen in the video still above, quips in the “Karma” clip. “I have no idea how many hundreds of showers it’s gonna take to get this off.”
A recurring theme in these clips is that Swift’s hands-on work, personality and style as a director are highlighted. Besides being the obvious star of each of the music videos here, she also directed them. Swift counts 10 directorial credits — 9 music videos and one short (All Too Well: The Short Film) — for projects released thus far, with a plan to shift to features. In December 2022, it was announced Swift will make her debut as a feature film director with Searchlight Pictures. The as-yet-unnamed film will be based on a script that’s a Swift original.
Many (if not all?) of the behind-the-scenes videos from Friday’s drop were played at stadiums on The Eras Tour ahead of Swift taking the stage for her 3.5-hour concert. The volume and excitement there made it difficult to pay close attention to all the little details in the clips, but now they can be watched at any time, and as many times as you’d like to see them, from the comfort of home.
Swift’s massive Eras Tour wrapped in Vancouver on Dec. 8, just before she was named the big winner at the 2024 Billboard Music Awards on Dec. 12 — with 10 new wins, she’s become the most-awarded artist in the show’s history. “This is the nicest early birthday present you could have given me,” she said in her acceptance speech video, noting her fans’ support of the music is the reason for her being honored.
Billboard editors were on site at Vancouver’s BC Place to review the final weekend of The Eras Tour. Find Billboard‘s thoughts on night one, night two and night three, and relive the complete list of surprise songs Swift played throughout her Eras journey.
Watch all of Swift’s just-released behind-the-scenes clips, from the sets of “Karma,” “Fortnight,” “Bejeweled,” “Anti-Hero” and “Cardigan,” below.
“Karma” (Feat. Ice Spice) (Behind the Scenes)
“Fortnight” (Behind the Scenes With Post Malone, Ethan Hawke & Josh Charles)
“Bejeweled” (Behind the Scenes With Laura Dern)
“Bejeweled” (Behind the Scenes With Jack Antonoff, HAIM & Pat McGrath)
“Bejeweled” (Behind the Scenes With Dita Von Teese)
“Anti-Hero” (Behind the Scenes With Mike Birbiglia, John Early & Mary Elizabeth Ellis)
“Cardigan” (Behind the Scenes – Forest & Ocean)
“Anti-Hero” (Behind the Scenes with the Ghosts In the Room)
Contrary to superstition, Friday the 13th (of December) was not an unlucky day for Morat. Instead, the Colombian pop-rock band scored one of its biggest feats by celebrating the first 13 years of their musical career with a resounding, sold-out show in Mexico City. With an attendance count of 65,000 people, according to figures from promoter Ocesa, it was the first of three consecutive nights at the GNP Seguros Stadium, where Morat is closing a series of stadium shows in a dozen countries.
Moreover, the band managed to get hundreds of their Mexican fans to accept the challenge of attending the concert dressed in pajamas, seeking to break a Guinness World Record. Multicolored sleepwear made of flannel, cotton and satin was the predominant attire among attendees to adorn the beginning of the end of Un Último Sueño, Gira Los Estadios (One Last Dream, The Stadiums Tour).
Thus, it became a double celebration, with sold-out tickets for three shows in the Mexican capital for a total of about 195,000 people, Camila Fernández as a special guest, and the recognition of being the most popular Colombian pop band of the moment.
“This show is important to us for several reasons: Today, Dec. 13th, we celebrate 13 years together. 13 years ago, the question arose, ‘What if we start a band?’” said lead vocalist and guitarist Juan Pablo Isaza to the audience. “Playing now for so many people is incredible. It looks just like we imagined it.”
Just as he and his fellow band members Juan Pablo Villamil (guitar), Simón Vargas (bass), and Martín Vargas (drums) imagined it 13 years ago, the evening was a dream come true. From the start, the Bogotá quartet enchanted the audience with crowd-pleasers such as their 2016 hit “Cómo Te Atreves,” which catapulted the group to fame outside their native country. The show transformed into a retrospective journey honoring love and heartbreak, while the audience — mostly comprised of young women, teenagers, and girls — sang along at deafening volumes.
Camila Fernández — daughter of Alejandro Fernández and granddaughter of the iconic ranchera music performer Vicente Fernández — served as the guest of honor on this special night. Accompanied by traditional mariachi, she performed a very Mexicanized version of “Debí Suponerlo,” unleashing applause and cheers from the audience.
In a night of celebration, the audience sang and dedicated to Morat the classic “Mañanitas,” and the group appeared surprised and grateful for the gesture.
Of course, the climax came with “No Se Va,” their 2019 single which three years later Grupo Frontera turned into a massive hit, becoming the fifth regional Mexican song in history to enter the Billboard Hot 100, where it spent 20 weeks and reached No. 57.
Un Último Sueño, Gira Los Estadios achieved the unimaginable for Morat: filling 25 stadiums, in 15 cities across 10 countries, with an attendance total of 800,000 people.
“It’s no coincidence that we decided to close the tour here. This has been an incredible night!” expressed Martín. Morat’s show this Saturday (Dec. 14) will be broadcast live via streaming for Disney+ subscribers in Latin America. For the Sunday (Dec. 15) show, the opening act will be Venezuelan singer-songwriter Joaquina.
Charli XCX, who hosted SNL last month, has another acting credit in the pipeline. The Brat hitmaker joins the cast of the upcoming film The Gallerist, directed by Cathy Yan. Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega were previously announced as stars of the movie, which is in pre-production and expected to begin shooting at the end […]
Jay-Z’s attorneys have written a letter to a New York courthouse revealing that the rapper intends to “immediately” file a motion to strike a recent complaint accusing him of raping a teenager 24 years ago.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In the letter obtained by Billboard, the legal team cited a new NBC report on Friday night (Dec. 13), in which the accuser — identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit filed against Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter) and Diddy — recalled the “catastrophic event,” while also acknowledging a number of inconsistencies in her original account. “I have made some mistakes,” she shared, noting that while she still stands by her accusations, there are a few details that are unclear.
One of the inconsistencies is that the woman originally said her father picked her up after the assault, but he denied that. She also claimed she spoke to singer Benji Madden at the event, though he wasn’t in New York at the time of the party.
The letter from Jay-Z’s attorney took aim at Doe’s attorney Anthony Buzbee. “Given today’s relevations, Mr. Buzbee almost certainly failed to undertake a reasonable inquiry into the facts before filing the complaint,” the message reads. “He should never have brought the claims.”
The letter concludes by noting that Jay “intends to file immediately a motion to strike the first amended complaint.”
In a press statement, Jay-Z echoed the sentiments of his attorney. “Today’s investigative report proves this ‘attorney’ Buzbee filed a false complaint against me in the pursuit of money and fame. This incident didn’t happen and yet he filed it in court and doubled down in the press. True justice is coming. We fight FROM victory, not FOR victory. This was over before it began. This 1-800 lawyer doesn’t realize it yet, but, soon.”
His lawyer Alex Spiro added, “It is stunning that a lawyer would not only file such a serious complaint without proper vetting, but would make things worse by further peddling this false story in the press. We are asking the Court to dismiss this frivolous case today, and will take up the matter of additional discipline for Mr. Buzbee and all the lawyers that filed the complaint.”
Over the weekend, Jay-Z was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000 at an MTV Video Music Awards afterparty alongside Diddy. The shocking civil case was filed by an anonymous accuser and Texas attorney Tony Buzbee, whom Jay called a “deplorable human.”
The rapper also denyied all of the allegations against him when news broke. “You have made a terrible error in judgement thinking that all ‘celebrities’ are the same,” Jay-Z said. “I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the projects of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain. Only your network of conspiracy theorists … will believe the idiotic claims you have levied against me that, if not for the seriousness surrounding harm to kids, would be laughable. I look forward to showing you just how different I am.”
Jay-Z continued: “My only heartbreak is for my family. My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims, and explain the cruelty and greed of people. I mourn yet another loss of innocence.”
On Thursday (Dec. 12), Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) hosted its annual charity concert and toy drive in Watts, California, marking the 11th year of this heartwarming tradition at the Nickerson Gardens Public Housing Projects.
This event takes place in the very neighborhood where TDE founder Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith and other label members, including Grammy-winning artist Jay Rock, grew up. The evening brought together some of TDE’s biggest stars, like Kendrick Lamar, SZA, Doechii, and more, for a celebration of music, community, and giving back. With the event taking place in the heart of Watts, it also highlighted TDE’s ongoing commitment to its roots and the neighborhood that helped shape its success.
The buzz around the event was heightened by the recent success of Kendrick Lamar’s album GNX, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. As a result, this year’s concert drew thousands of fans from across Los Angeles, many of whom lined the block with unwrapped toys and donations in hand to gain admission. These contributions were collected to support families in need within the Nickerson Gardens and surrounding areas, cementing the event’s importance as a charitable staple for the local community.
With his GNX album continuing to dominate the charts, Lamar’s involvement in this year’s concert felt even more special, as it marked a moment of connection and giving back to the community.
However, the giving doesn’t stop on day one. Day two of the event, held on Friday, (Dec. 13), shifts focus to TDE’s annual Community Giveback. This part of the event includes a toy giveaway, raffles, youth sports programming, barbering services, and a family holiday photo opportunity — all free to attendees.
Here are the 7 best moments from the 11th annual TDE Christmas concert.
SiR Performs “John Redcorn” During Sunset
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre’s anticipated Missionary album was released on Friday (Dec. 13) and the West Coast icons delivered an accompanying short film to live alongside the joint LP. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The cinematic mini-movie is bookended by a pair of explosive visuals for […]
