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Barry Keoghan stars in the music video for Fontaines D.C.’s new single “Bug,” which was directed by Andrea Arnold. It follows the Irish actor’s music video debut for Sabrina Carpenter’s Billboard Hot 100-topping hit “Please Please Please” earlier this year.
The track is the fifth single to be released from Fontaines D.C.’s fourth LP, Romance, which arrived in August via XL Recordings. The accompanying clip includes footage from Arnold’s soon-to-be-released film, Bird, which also stars Franz Rogowski and the Dublin band’s own Carlos O’Connell, among others.
Speaking about the video, which has been billed as a “short form reimagination” of Bird, O’Connell said in a press release, “Andrea Arnold was kind enough to cut up a sequence to our tune ‘Bug’ featuring Barry Keoghan playing the character Bug in her new movie Bird.”
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He added: “In my eyes, the character Bug, the tattoo ‘Bug’s Life,’ Andrea’s essential and romantic worlds, and the line ‘Changed my name to “Promise you, Yea”,’ when put all together make convincing needless and conviction undeniable. Big thanks to Andrea Arnold for letting us in so close to her visionary universe. She’ll be remembered how we remember Bacon or Goya.”
Bird marks the fifth feature-length film from the Academy Award and BAFTA-winning director Arnold, whose past work includes credits on HBO’s Big Little Lies and 2016’s American Honey. The film also stars Nykiya Adams and newcomer Jason Buda, and is slated for release on Nov 8. Fontaines D.C.’s music will feature prominently in its soundtrack, alongside tracks from Coldplay, Blur and The Verve.
“I’ve loved the Fontaines since I first heard them. Some music just sits in your bones like it always belonged, like you know it already, like it’s part of you,” explained Arnold in the release. “It’s why I asked to use ‘Too Real’ and ‘A Hero’s Death’ for my Bird film. Their music felt like it belonged there, in my world.”
Upon the release of Romance, Fontaines D.C. achieved its fourth consecutive top 10 studio album on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart, while it landed at No. 97 in the U.S. – their highest entry to date on the Billboard 200. The band are currently on tour across Europe in support of the record, and will head to Japan, Australia, South America and North America in early 2025.
Speaking to Billboard earlier this year, frontman Grian Chatten discussed the creative leap the band took on Romance, which expands its sound to include elements of nu-metal, pop and string-laden ballads. “I think change was just generally a very enticing thing for us. We wanted to really indulge in something new, and we didn’t want to risk it being only a half-step,” he said. “We always think that we’re pushing the boat out, or taking some new turn, with each record. And I think probably the reality is that it was a lot less of a turn than we thought. But this time, I feel good about it being a full f–kin’ turn.”
Watch the music video for “Bug” below:
Young Thug made his first public appearance since being released from jail while hanging out with fellow Atlanta native T.I. on Monday night (Nov. 4).
Thugger and Tip appeared to be in the studio alongside T.I.’s son Domani when the “What You Know” rapper posted a clip to Instagram early Tuesday (Nov. 5) featuring a guest appearance from the freshly freed YSL honcho.
“I’m back,” Thug declared in one of his Sp5der hoodies. “I’m back, Jack. No cap in my rap. The right way!”
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T.I. added, “Ay man, no motherf–king cap in it. It’s time. Now go tell that!”
Tip revealed in his caption that he’d temporarily be putting an end to his rap retirement to hop in the booth with Thug. “Yeahhhhh YKWTFGO The Kings have Reconvened #KingJeffrey #KingSr,” he wrote. “Guess I’m officially outta retirement For tonight #Welcomehome.”
Fat Joe, E-40 and plenty more hopped into the comments section, sending their well wishes to Thugger now that he’s back home.
Young Thug — born Jeffery Williams — was released from jail on Halloween after reaching a plea when Judge Paige Reese Whitaker handed down a sentence of 15 years probation, which allowed Thugger to walk free the same day as Thursday’s hearing.
“I know you’re talented, and if you choose to continue to rap, you need to try to use your influence to let kids know that is not the way to go and that there are ways out of poverty besides hooking up with the powerful guy at the end of the street selling drugs,” Whitaker said.
Thug was imprisoned for more than 700 days since his arrest in May 2022 without bond. The YSL RICO trial is the longest criminal trial in Georgia’s history and still isn’t over — two of his co-defendants have declined plea deals, and are still facing trial.
While Thug and T.I. have teamed up in the past for anthems like “About the Money,” Thugger appears to be teasing music with another ATLien. Billboards have popped up across L.A. hinting at a Thug and Lil Baby reunion.
“Whatever Wham Says Goes,” the signs repeatedly read, as if they were written out on a chalkboard by a student in detention.
“Whatever Wham Say Goes,” refers to a June 26 tweet from Thug, which many connected to Lil Baby’s support for Thugger.
Kamala Harris took a moment Monday (Nov. 4) during one of the busiest weeks of her life to honor Quincy Jones following the 91-year-old musical legend’s death the day prior.
Sharing a photo of herself sitting with Jones on a couch at a house gathering — the duo deep in conversation with the famed producer’s arm around her shoulder — the 2024 presidential candidate wrote on Instagram, “Quincy Jones was a trailblazer.”
“As a composer, arranger, record and movie producer, he created art that brought joy to millions of people,” Harris continued. “As an activist, Quincy championed civil and human rights. As a role model, he offered inspiration and mentorship, in particular for young people of color in the music industry.”
“I was honored to call Quincy a friend, and I will always remember his generosity of spirit, his selfless support, and his deep kindness,” she added. “Doug [Emhoff] and I are praying for the Jones family and all those who loved him.”
Harris posted her tribute on the same day Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, confirmed that the 28-time Grammy winner died Sunday night (Nov. 3) surrounded by loved ones at his home in Los Angeles. “Although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him,” read a recent statement from his family, which includes daughter Rashida Jones and six other children.
“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created,” it continued. “Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s passing preceded Election Day (Nov. 5) by just two days, an event that will determine whether Harris’ whirlwind White House bid was successful. The VP is running against twice-impeached ex-POTUS Donald Trump, whom Jones once called a “crazy motherf–ker” in a 2018 interview with Vulture that has newly been making rounds online in light of the news of the musician’s death and the election.
“I used to hang out with [Trump],” Jones continued in the interview, in which he also claimed to have previously dated Ivanka Trump. “Limited mentally – a megalomaniac, narcissistic. I can’t stand him.”
Harris is just one of many public figures to honor Jones in the wake of his death, with Elton John, Dr. Dre, Jon Batiste, LL Cool J, David Guetta, Victoria Monét and many others sharing posts over the past 24 hours. “A legend, a titan, a mentor,” wrote Mariah Carey in a message on Instagram. “You’ve given the world, and me, so many life defining moments that will be forever cherished. Rest in Power, sir Quincy Jones.”
“I find myself with a heavy heart today,” added Justin Timberlake on the social media site. “We lost someone so special. But, I also consider myself so fortunate to be here while he was and to experience his essence, dedication, and mastery.”
Dick Van Dyke reached back 60 years on Monday (Nov. 4) to a time when the United States was riven by racial animus and division to remind voters that such emotions are not, and should not, be the norm. The 98-year-old Hollywood legend and Mary Poppins star posted a black-and-white video on his socials endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris a day before voters took to the polls to weigh in on the neck-and-neck race between the sitting Democrat Vice President and former command-in-chief Donald Trump.
“Fifty years ago – May 31, 1964 — I was on the podium with Dr. Martin Luther King” he said of the Religious Witness for Human Dignity event held by the late civil rights leader in front of 60,000 people at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. “I was there to read a message written by Rod Serling, the guy who wrote The Twilight Zone. I got it out the other day, and I think it means as much today, if not more, than it did then. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to read it,” Van Dyke said.
The beloved actor and singer then read a selection from Serling’s note, which was entitled “A Most Non-Political Speech,” reprising his recitation at the King event more than half a century ago. “Hatred is not the norm. Prejudice is not the norm. Suspicion, dislike, jealousy, scapegoating, none of those are the transcendent facet of the human personality. They’re diseases,” Van Dyke said. “They are the cancers of the soul. They are the infectious and contagious viruses that have been breeding humanity for years. And because they have been and because they are, is it necessary that they shall be? I think not.”
With the trademark sparkle in his eye and warmth in his voice, Van Dyke continued. “If there’s one voice left to say ‘welcome’ to a stranger, if there’s one hand outstretched to say ‘enter and share,’ if there’s one mind remaining to think a thought of warmth and friendship, then there’s a future in which we’ll find more than one hand, more than one voice and more than one mind dedicated to the cause of man’s equality. Wishful? Hopeful? Unassured? Problematical and not to be guaranteed, that’s all true.”
He added, “But again, on this spring evening of 1964, a little of man’s awareness has shown itself. A little of his essential decency, his basic goodness, his preeminent dignity, has been made a matter of record. There will be moments of violence and expressions of hatred and an ugly re-echo of intolerance, but these are the clinging vestiges of a decayed past, not the harbingers of the better, cleaner future.”
The powerful message from Van Dyke came as both Trump and Harris were delivering their final messages to supporters on Monday night (Nov. 4), both in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania. Harris was joined in Philadelphia by a galaxy of A-list stars — including Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin and The Roots — during an address where she once again vowed to fight for the future of all Americans.
“We love our country. And when you love something, you fight for it,” Harris said in an address just before midnight. “I do believe it is one of the highest forms of patriotism, of our expression of our love for our country, to then fight for its ideals and to fight to realize the promise of America… America is ready for a fresh start, ready for a new way forward, where see our fellow Americans not as an enemy, but as a neighbor.”
Also speaking in Pennsylvania, Trump — who would be the oldest person ever elected president at 78 — stuck to his foreboding, grievance-filled stump speech, vowing to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 in an effort at the mass deportation of illegal migrants he has promised on day one of his potential second administration. He also once again referred to Harris as a “radical left Marxist” and promised to “get critical race theory and transgender insanity the hell out of our schools” in the closing argument of a campaign in which he has questioned Harris’ racial identity and sought to lure Latino voters to his side despite recently featuring a comedian at his New York rally who called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” Referring to the U.S. as an “occupied country” on Monday, Trump also again falsely claimed that “a lot of bad things” happened in the 2020 election he lost to President Biden.
In his recitation, Van Dyke — who did not mention either candidate, but did encourage his fans to vote and included hashtags for Harris — added a most poignant bit from Serling. “To those who tell us that the inequality of the human animal is the necessary evil, we must respond by simply saying that first, it is evil, but not necessary. We prove it, sitting here tonight, in 1964. We prove it by affirming our faith. We prove it by having faith in our affirmations,” he said.
The reading ended with a quote from 19th century abolitionist and U.S. House Rep. Horace Mann, “‘Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.’ I’d like to paraphrase that tonight. ‘Let us be ashamed to live without that victory,’” Van Dyke said, lamenting that “a lot” has happened since then, but perhaps not as much as MLK dreamed of. “But it’s a start,” Van Dyke smiled.
Van Dyke joins a long roster of major stars who’ve supported Harris’ campaign, a list that includes: Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Eminem, Scarlett Johansson, LeBron James, George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Bad Bunny, Harrison Ford, Cher, Reese Witherspoon, Julia Roberts, Usher, Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna, Kesha, Billie Eilish, Bruce Springsteen, Sarah Jessica Parker, Charli XCX, Arnold Schwarzenegger and many more.
Pollsters have repeatedly claimed that Trump and Harris are in a neck-and-neck race, with most predicting that results will likely not be finalized when voting ends on Tuesday night (Nov. 5). If you are not sure where your polling place is, click here to find out.
Watch Van Dyke read Serling’s message below.
Guitarist, keyboardist, singer and songwriter Coy Bowles has been part of the Zac Brown Band since 2007, co-writing hits including “Colder Weather” and “Knee Deep” and earning a trio of Grammy wins along the way.
But when he’s not lighting up stages with ZBB’s signature freewheeling, jam-band vibe, Bowles is crafting music for another audience: kids.
In 2020, Bowles released his first children’s album, Music for Tiny Humans. On Friday, he released a follow-up called Up and Up, crafting the album’s 13 kid-aimed songs with collaborator Carlos Sosa, who has also toured with Zac Brown Band.
The album features songs such as “Dance, Dance, Dance,” “I’m Hungry,” “See the World in Color” and “The Clean Up Song,” the latter of which was inspired by a friend of his who was tired of hearing the same song sung over and over when it was time for kids to clean up in the classroom. At the same time, Bowles and Sosa had been speaking about the 1987 Run-D.M.C. classic “It’s Tricky,” admiring its production and how modern and catchy the song is, nearly four decades after its release. Bowles wanted to write kids’ music that sounded modern and in line sonically with some of the melodies and beats kids are hearing around them. He also wanted to shy away from what he calls “toxic positivity.”
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“These songs aren’t always just sunshine every day,” he tells Billboard. “The song ‘How Do You Feel’ is about doing tough things. It’s not toxic positivity. There’s real songs about ‘I miss my mom’ or ‘I’m pretty sad right now, but I know things will change and we all go through things.’”
The album also has plenty of moments of levity, such as “I’m Hungry,” inspired by Bowles’ daughters, Hattie and Millie.
“They would come down and listen to a song and be like, ‘Dad, I love it. I’m hungry,’” Bowles recalls. “I’d give ‘em some food, we’d work on a song more, and they’d come down later, listen to it and say, ‘Oh, it’s even better now. Dad, I’m hungry.’ Then Carlos would be like, ‘Dude, is that all they ever say?’ So we started making kids’ voices and saying, ‘I’m hungry, I’m hungry.’ And he looked at me and was like, ‘Dude, that’s really good actually.’ So he and I, being a place where there’s not a lot of rules and regulations when we’re writing this stuff and humor can be part of it, it just turned into this cool, funny song about being hungry. So the kids had a lot to do with it and influenced the direction.”
Bowles’ albums Up and Up and Music for Tiny Humans extend his creative work in writing and releasing children’s books since 2012, when he released the book Amy Giggles, Laugh Out Loud, based on the story of a friend who was bullied for her laugh as a child.
“I wrote songs my whole life. I got to a place where I was on a tour bus with 12 people and you really can’t write songs by yourself — there’s no corner to go write in,” he says. “There’s always someone around, so I just started writing anything that popped into my head. I started writing short stories and jotting down stuff that was happening with the band in a journal. It felt like it was keeping me healthy, mentally and creatively. Zac [Brown] had three kids at the time, and I showed him a few things I wrote. He said, ‘That would make a great children’s book. I have three kids and we’re reading books constantly.’”
Amy Giggles, Laugh Out Loud resonated with readers. “It started connecting with teachers because of the anti-bullying sentiment. I had no kids at the time, and I didn’t know many teachers at the time as far as early education, but I started getting Facebook posts about them having ‘Amy Giggles Day’ in their classrooms and kids dressing up like Amy Giggles. I started connecting with teachers to create content for their classrooms and it expanded from there.”
Since then, he’s released books including When You’re Feeling Sick, Will Powers: Where There’s a Will There’s a Way, and Behind the Little Red Door. Bowles has even done some public speaking to encourage teachers.
“Almost everybody who’s successful in life, they have somebody who cared about them. And some people, the only person in their life who’s sheltering them and guiding them with love is their teacher,” he says. “I think that they’re overlooked sometimes, and I want to make it my life’s purpose to shine light on teachers and let them know how important they are to our society as of now and the future.”
Bowles has always been connected to the education system — he was a guitar and vocal instructor for eight years — but over the past five years, he’s been actively providing content that parents and educators can use at home and in their classrooms, including a social-emotional learning kit with Lakeshore Learning that incorporated songs from his first children’s album.
“That’s been successful and is in a lot of classrooms, so we decided to make another with Lakeshore, and the music we were writing for Up and Up is part of that. We were talking with teachers and they said they would love to have transition songs, songs that signal different parts of the day. We have a song about washing hands, a song about leaving school to go home. But so many people who do that try to make it very on the nose, and we tried not to do that.”
He’s deepened his focus on offering music and content for kids through his company called CoyCo (Creative Opportunity Yields Creative Output), offering a range of products including worksheets, the Lakeshore Learning Kits that focus on topics including social-emotional learning, language and literacy, and his previously released books.
“My goal is to be one of the nimblest companies, hopefully creating content that’s viable for what teachers are going through,” Bowles says. “Because we self-publish, there’s not a lot of red tape. If I sit down with teachers and they are like, ‘We are seeing difficulty with mental health right now,’ a few months later I can have a book and some songs and videos ready to be played in the classroom or at home. My goal is to be a leading content creator in the education space and in the kids space.”
Steve Stoute holds his black hat to the camera, ensuring the words written on it are visible: “The future is independence,” a slogan that predicts where the music industry is headed in the coming years.
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During a Zoom call with Billboard in October, the UnitedMasters CEO looks back at launching the music distribution company in 2017. To Stoute, the word “independent” in the music business meant the major labels were a priority and everything else was a lower hierarchy. “When the internet blew up, nobody called every content creator that was making podcasts or visual stuff independent,” Stoute recalls. “They really were independent, but there was no classification.”
In Stoute’s eyes, independence was a stigma that made you feel “less than” if you didn’t sign a deal with a major label. He says the stigma needed to be broken, so independent artists could be comfortable with ownership. The stigma changed after artists didn’t need validation from a major label before growing their fanbase. “In today’s world, you find audiences first,” he says. “So really, do you need a label, or do you need a partner?
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“And that really was our goal from the beginning. It was to create partnerships, to let artists feel comfortable with being independent,” he continues, tapping the “future of independence” logo on his hat for added emphasis. “Owning their masters and everything that came with that. Running this ‘Believe’ campaign, we’re talking about very three prolific artists here who have all taken part in what we’re building. I’m just proud.”
Launched on UnitedMasters’ social channels at the end of September and rolled out in early October, the Believe campaign centered on messaging that if you believe in yourself, you can reach the heights of artists who distributed their music worldwide through UnitedMasters. Hip-hop artists Anycia and BigXThaPlug, along with post-punk indie artist Ekkstacy, were the faces of single-artist and multi-artist videos directed by Edgar Esteves. The short clips were published on Instagram and YouTube with the hashtag #BelieveWithUM, giving each artist a spotlight to detail their journey, from their early days to their ascension to star status.
The Believe campaign does more than just incentivize artists to sign up for one of UnitedMasters’ membership tiers, like the newly introduced DEBUT+ priced at $19.99 annually. Anycia, BigXThaPlug and Ekkstacy’s stories carry an emotional arc relatable to any artist in doubt, who needs a spark of inspiration. UM’s social assets set the stage: one moment, you have a bedroom view like Anycia, release a six-track EP (Bacc from the Dead) like BigXThaPlug, or perform solo shows in your garage like Ekkstacy, and then the next you’re on tour, performing in front of thousands of fans. “Believe in you. We do,” the campaign promises, directing followers to a landing page that demonstrates they believed in their artists’ music when no one else did.
Anycia, BigXThaPlug and Ekkstacy haven prove they aren’t overnight celebrities. The path to becoming a partner artist with UnitedMasters, an invite-only plan for emerging talent to get label-quality artist resources after they get upstreamed, begins with having faith in turning dreams into reality. If you choose UnitedMasters to distribute your music, they play the role of support. However, Stoute states that the difference between other distribution competitors and UnitedMasters is infrastructure, a collection of creatives, industry experts and engineers who work together to launch careers. “Whether it be Distrokid or Tunecore — part of the infrastructure is tech, part of the infrastructure is the people,” Stoute says. “When I built the company, I wanted to sit at the convergence of culture, technology, and storytelling. The technology is one thing, but you still need people first.”
He hammers this point: “Humans are for quality, machines are for scale. Don’t let the machines confuse you for quality.”
The ‘Believe’ campaign is a series of vignettes, zooming out from the artists’ concert crowds to how they fueled their visions for themselves. Anycia’s video starts in a bedroom, mirroring what the Atlanta rapper’s actual room would look like at her mother’s house throughout her life. For her, it represents nostalgia, imagery that has been depicted in her “Type Beat” video and the cover of Princess Pop That.
“I want to be the girl that you can have a conversation with and not feel judged. You can feel safe with me, which it always is. I’m trying to be everybody’s big sister, everybody’s auntie,” Anycia says. “I feel like the most comforting place for somebody to be is in a cozy bedroom.”
Before rapping, Anycia worked several jobs. Around 2022-2023, she didn’t feel confident about calling herself an artist, reflecting on a time when she was at a smoke shop and going to barber school. The work didn’t stop there for the struggling artist: She taught at a daycare and hosted at a nightclub in Atlanta. She used what spare time she had to work on music, and hit up studios that her friends had access to. After feeling stagnant, she quit both her jobs to do music full-time.
“I’m a strong believer in what is meant for me will be for me,” Anycia says. “So throughout my life, I’m not against trying. I’m a ‘You got to try it before you say you don’t like it’ type of person. I never really got a problem with cutting off things that I felt weren’t for me that I wasn’t happy doing.”
Anycia took a gamble on herself, reasoning that she was already charging people for features and beat placements. The game plan was there, she just needed to go all in. “I felt like it was going to work, because I was 100% being genuine and I was being myself.”
“So What,” built around a woozy Ciara sample and produced by Popstar Benny, started as a snippet on X with a few hundred views on YouTube. It became so popular that it got Anycia several label meetings before she settled with UnitedMasters. “They did find me pretty early in my situation — and the first thing I did when I walked up in that office was I asked everybody if they wanted a shot,” Anycia says. “I had to loosen everybody up. Pulled some reposado out of my purse and everything. I wanted to see the real everybody, and I liked it. Everybody was cool.”
BigXThaPlug’s video in the Believe campaign starts with him sitting in his living room. In it, he talks about before his album Amar – dedicated to his son – and repping all of Texas. In conversation, BigX knew rap wasn’t his dream or even what he planned to do at first. He was a rising star in football, playing any position on the offensive or defensive line in college. It took missing his son’s first birthday after going to jail that the rapper felt like he owed his child something. When he had no other options to earn money once he got out, he took heed to his friend Rosama’s advice, who suggested he should rap.
“I turned him down a couple of times,” BigX says. “He was the main person constantly in my ear about the music stuff. When it got to a point where I had nothing left and I had to do something, he came by with that something.”
While he’s had jobs before, BigX admits they never worked out. He was destined to be a CEO. “I never been the type to work for nobody. In my head, I’ve always been my own entity,” BigX says. “You always know when you’re meant to work for yourself, but you’re constantly listening to another person. I hate putting money in people’s pockets who I know don’t care about me. I wanted to do something more genuine and easily put my people on as well.”
UnitedMasters discovered BigX in 2021, when he had 500 monthly listeners on Spotify. During this time in his career, he released “Mr. Trouble” and “Big Stepper” on HalfpintFilmz’ YouTube channel. After those videos hit a million views in a short time, he started to see how his city of Dallas was reacting to him, and took Rosama’s suggestion to take rap seriously.
He remembers changing his hustle from working the street corners to being in the studio every day. “Every song that I made at that time, we made together,” BigX recalls. “‘Cause we was broke and we was paying for studio time. So two, three hours of studio time, we was paying $100 for and we would just split it. I would have the majority and Ro would be like, ‘I just want to record one song, I’ll just give you $25.’ I was like, ‘All right, bet.’”
BigX compared UnitedMasters to signing with a junior college, soaking in the knowledge they taught him about the music industry and better preparing him for the next level. Through signing with them, he benefited from the increased visibility and synch licensing deals, with his songs appearing on soundtracks for movies like Fast X and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. “I just knew I couldn’t sign with no major, that’s like going to a D1,” he says. “If I went to a major, I wouldn’t be where I am now.”
The guidance he’s received through UnitedMasters has BigX feeling like “[Heisman-winning quarterback] Cam Newton at Blinn [College],” he explains. “I could go anywhere in the world right now, and wherever I go, we’re going to go win a national championship.”
Ekkstacy’s road to fame was similar to Anycia’s and BigX’s: filled with uncertainty and sheer will to be who they wanted to be. The Vancouver, BC native used to process returns at an Amazon facility and made some of his earliest records in his dad’s garage. He started his music career as a producer for a former high school friend who was a SoundCloud rapper. But Stacy had other ambitions of becoming a singer.
“After some years of being around him and him being like, ‘C’mon man, you can sing. You can do it. Just do it. Just do it.’ I’ll always be like, ‘Dude, I don’t have anything to say. Like, what am I going to sing about? My life is fine. My life is good,’” Stacy says, calling from his tour bus. “I went through some crazy psychosis sh-t when I was 16. And really overnight I was a completely different person. So that’s when I started writing.”
Ekkstacy struck viral gold when he uploaded “I Walk This Earth All By Myself” on SoundCloud. After his manager Andrew Mishko suggested he take it down, the song blew up again when he signed with UnitedMasters in 2022. “It went up on SoundCloud a bit, then it went up on Spotify and then it went super up on TikTok, and then it went even stupider on Instagram Reels,” he says. “It blew up four times. It’s a weird song for me.”
Although he started at Distrokid, he moved to UnitedMasters because they allowed him to create on his terms. “They’ve been great. They’ve done everything a label would have done without the f–k s–t,” Stacy says. “I’ve had good freedom in just releasing whatever I want, not having someone be like, ‘Nah, this isn’t you. You need to do this.’ It’s always been like, ‘Yeah, this is what I want to do.’”
During one of Stoute’s recent interviews with The Pivot Podcast, he established how UnitedMasters is a global platform, through FloyyMenor’s unexpected chart dominance with the viral hit “Gata Only.” As a fresh artist out of the Latin urban music scene, FloyyMenor went from downloading the UnitedMasters app in Chile to surpassing over a billion streams on Spotify with his breakout smash. The 19-year-old Chilean artist was a local who performed at clubs, recognized only by his face but not his name. He signed with UnitedMasters after A&R Gerardo Mejía flew to Chile to see him perform, and saw immediately how he was able to connect with an audience.
Speaking through a Spanish translator, FloyyMenor explains how he released “Gata Only” without Cris MJ in December 2023, seeing the streams pick up on DSPs. In February, he added fellow Chilean and rising star Cris MJ on “Gata Only” after he reached out about wanting to work together. He was surprised at how it was trending on TikTok in Chile, teased through images of cars or anything that looked along the correct aesthetic when paired with “Gata Only” lyrics. It continued to pick up in countries outside of Chile like Argentina, Mexico, the U.S., China, France, and Italy.
“Gata Only” was a significant breakthrough for FloyyMenor and Cris MJ, becoming the first Chilean artists to enter the top 10 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart in 25 years. Recently, FloyyMenor made history as the youngest Chilean artist to win the Global 200 Latin Song of the Year at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards.
FloyyMenor isn’t a one-hit wonder, either: Outside of “Gata,” his August EP El Comienzo has more singles streaming in the millions, namely “Peligrosa” and “Apaga El Cel.” These achievements are reminders of how proud he is to represent Chile, breaking language barriers with his addictive songs. The wins he’s had wouldn’t be possible without UnitedMasters establishing trust with the artist, showing their commitment to his talent has only opened more doors for him.
“I’ve had friends who had other distro deals and they talk about bad experiences,” FloyyMenor says of their dynamic. “It’s been cool to have a team that’s serious about what they say and what they do. It’s like a family. I’ve been able to work on what I want and go towards my goals. I’m happy with the team that I have.”
UnitedMasters’ ‘Believe’ campaign proves that their tools and platforms have set these artists up for success. At the beginning of 2024, Ekkstacy felt insecure about releasing his third, self-titled record, but was motivated by the love of his fans every time he connected with them on tour. Now, he continues to hit the road, adding an opening slot for blink-182 to his resume and touring over the summer with $uicideboy$ on their acclaimed Grey Day Tour. He recently got a Gold certification for “I Walk This Earth All By Myself.”
Anycia’s Princess Pop That was a defining debut for her, dubbed Atlanta’s new it-girl by her fans. She’s stacked up accomplishments, like appearing on Flo Milli’s Fine Ho, Stay on “New Me,” and scoring her first hit on the Billboard radio charts – Rap Airplay (No. 25), Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (No. 24), R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (No. 40) – with “Back Outside” featuring Latto, as well as going on tour with Kehlani.
Anycia describes her stage of independence as a “tug of war” phase. She explains it as she can either go “this way or that way.”
“I put it in my head, even though s–t was already going off for me, this Kehlani tour is the start of my career. I’m the opener, I’m the rookie,” she says. “Even if people don’t know me, my goal is to make people know who I am or trying to figure out who the hell I am whenever they leavin’. I want you to have gained a new artist that you’re about to add to your playlist. I’m proving myself right now. Not only can I put out music and be cutesy on the Internet, but I’m showing you guys that I can entertain you all. So just imagine what I can do whenever a b—h got a bigger budget.”
For BigXThaPlug, his wins in 2024 are his induction into the 2024 XXL Freshman class, earning multiple gold and platinum plaques for his singles, breaking into country music with his Shaboozey collab “Drink Don’t Need No Mix,” and embarking on his Take Care Tour with Rosama and Yung Hood. He has one of the most underrated independent stories in rap right now with his latest release Take Care, notching his first top 10 at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, behind major-label artists GloRilla’s Glorious at No. 5 and Rod Wave’s Last Lap at No. 2.
“It’s a blessing to know that now I am something that people can look at,” BigX says. “I’m a guide to where people want to be in life. That’s a blessing. In my music, I am letting them know. ‘Yeah, you can be here. I ain’t going to say it is easy to do, It is possible to do. But once you get here, you are going to deal with a lot so prepare for it.’”
After hearing what these artists have had to go through to become household names, Stoute can’t stress enough how proud he is. He’s amazed at how far they’ve come, listing where they’re originally from to show you can make it anywhere. He reminisces on when UnitedMasters was the launching pad for NLE Choppa and Lil Tecca. UM has made unprecedented partnerships with Brent Faiyaz and EarthGang since then, as well as expanded into finding new African artists through Davido and Nigerian producer Sarz. The norm is perhaps finally shifting towards independence.
“The fact that we were able to touch so many artists over the years and grow is absolutely moving to me because it was something in my head that I thought I could do,” Stoute says. “Building a team and finding talented artists to not only write great songs and perform great songs but also to believe in us as a platform that could help them. That says a lot about my belief in myself.”
Beyoncé kicked off Election Day by stealing some of its thunder. The superstar unleashed her first music video in years for “Bodyguard” on Tuesday (Nov. 5), which finds her channeling a trio of Pamela Anderson’s legendary looks for “Beylloween.” The Texas-bred superstar modeled looks inspired by the actress’ character in 1996’s Barb Wire, which features […]
Rihanna has the presidential election on the brain — and she’s clapping right back at anyone who disagrees with her.
After the Fenty mogul, who was encouraging her followers to vote, joked on Instagram Monday (Nov. 4) about wanting to “sneak into the polls” to vote using her son’s American passport, some detractors took aim at Ri — who is a citizen of Barbados — in the comments. But as usual, the “Stay” singer got the last word, replying to several trolls with biting comebacks.
To someone who wrote that Ri “shouldn’t be posting [her] political opinions” and should instead “stick to music sis,” for instance, the billionaire businesswoman replied with a reference to the 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, “Where were you in Jan 6 sis? Stick to your discounted crotch. We out here fighting for its rights!”
When another person wrote that Rihanna “should be arrested” for “illegal voting,” the nine-time Grammy winner simply commented in response, “shut up Karen.”
“you’re f–ked! And so is the America you dream of,” Ri added to someone who wrote that they’d voted for Republican nominee Donald Trump as “abortions are probably nowhere near as important as y’all are making it seem.”
Rihanna’s original post came one day ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election. In it, the star — one of countless other superstar musicians — appears to be backing Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. Along with a video of herself staring out the window of a moving car, the “Diamonds” musician captioned the clip “when protecting p–sies and firing p–sies can happen all in one vote” and added the hashtags “#votecauseicant” and “#tansuitseason,” the latter of which appears to be in reference to the VP’s viral outfit at the Democratic National Convention in August.
And though Ri is proud to be from her home country in the Carribean — “I LOVE my Bajan passport! I came here to work and pay taxes! You’re welcome,” she explained in another comment — the artist is invested in the 2024 presidential race. As she alluded to in her post, Ri is mom to two American sons, 2-year-old RZA and 9-month-old Riot Rose, whom she shares with A$AP Rocky.
And to one fan who jokingly asked whether Ri had indeed made it into the polls, she replied, “not yet sis! But I’m sleeping outside to make sure the navy shows up.”
See Rihanna’s post below.
As part of his closing argument to voters on Monday (Nov. 4), former President Donald Trump took yet another shot at Beyoncé for the R&B superstar’s support of rival Kamala Harris. While the current Vice President was headlining a star-studded event in Philadelphia with the likes of Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin and hometown heroes the Roots, Trump once again hit out at a recent appearance by Queen Bey at a Harris rally in the singer’s hometown of Houston.
“Everyone’s expecting a couple of songs, and there were no songs,” Trump, 78, claimed about the Oct. 25 event where the 32-time Grammy winner appeared with her Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland to urge Texans to support the Harris/Walz ticket on election day (Nov. 5). “There was no happiness. It’s just like, ‘give me my check. I want to get out of here,’” Trump claimed about Beyoncé’s appearance.
At the rally last month, the singer joyfully voiced her backing for Harris, saying, “We are so happy to be standing here on this stage as proud, country, Texas women supporting and celebrating the one and only Vice President Kamala Harris. A woman who’s been pushing for what this country really needs right now: unity. It’s impossible not to feel the energy in this room, the positivity, the community, the humanity. We are at the precipice of an incredible shift. The brink of history.”
She added, “I’m not here as a celebrity. I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares, deeply, about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A world where we’re not divided. Our past, our present, our future merge to meet us here.”
In addition to boosting Harris in Houston, Beyoncé gave the campaign direct approval to use her 2016 song “Freedom” as its campaign song. Bey’s camp later sent a cease-and-desist to the Trump campaign for featuring “Freedom” in a social media campaign video from a spokesperson; that video was later taken down in the latest example of a musician asking Trump to stop using their music for his campaign.
On Monday in the crucial swing state of Pennsylvania, Trump also brushed off the lack of star power at his recent events in comparison to the many A-list actors and musicians who’ve lined up behind the Vice President, adding, “Just to bring it back into seriousness, we don’t need a star because we have policy.” His event was warmed up by former Democrat U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, conservative commentator Megyn Kelly — whom Trump insulted with a crude, sexist remark about menstruation after she moderated a 2015 presidential debate — and the son of late baseball legend Robert Clemente Jr.
Though he has repeatedly said celebrity support doesn’t matter, Trump’s campaign has welcomed endorsements by country singers Jason Aldean and Billy Ray Cyrus, as well as Amber Rose, former reality star Savannah Chrisley, Caitlyn Jenner, Kid Rock, Dr. Phil, Elon Musk, Azealia Banks, Kanye West, Joe Rogan and Lil Pump.
He has seemed particularly peeved by Beyoncé’s support for Harris, whose campaign has rolled up a galaxy of A-list supporters over the past few months, including Taylor Swift, Cardi B, Eminem, Scarlett Johansson, Ricky Martin, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Bad Bunny, Harrison Ford, Cher, Usher, Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna, Kesha, Billie Eilish, Bruce Springsteen, Charli XCX and many more.
A week after Beyoncé’s Houston speech, Trump took to the stage in Green Bay, WI dressed as a garbage man, where he again stressed that he didn’t need help from celebrities. “Four nights ago they got Beyoncé… uhhhh Beyoncé,” he said, pausing while audience appeared to boo the singer. “They got Beyoncé,” he repeated. “We don’t need Beyoncé, we don’t need anybody… all you got is me, and I don’t have a guitar.”
The Harris campaign never announced that Beyoncé was expected to sing in Houston and at the Green Bay event, though Trump added, “Ladies and gentlemen, they said Beyoncé’s coming to sing and she came but she didn’t sing. And then Kamala came on as Beyoncé was leaving without singing even one song and they booed the hell out of both of them”; there is no evidence to support Trump’s claim that the 30,000-plus Harris supporters booed Beyoncé’s appearance.
According to pollsters, Trump and Harris are in a neck-and-neck race, with most predicting that results may not be finalized as soon as voting ends on Tuesday night. If you are not sure where your polling place is, click here to find out.
Watch Trump’s comments about Beyoncé in Pittsburgh below.
After what has felt like the longest election season in American history, Cardi B is sweating the results already. The “Bongos” rapper took to X just after midnight on election day (Nov. 5) to share her anxiety about the too-close-to-call battle between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and twice impeached former President Donald Trump.
“I don’t know why I’m nervous for tomorrow,” tweeted Cardi, who appeared at a Harris rally last Friday in Milwaukee where she gave a passionate endorsement of the candidate vying to be the nation’s first female President while slamming convicted felon Trump’s stance on women’s rights. Cardi said in her post that she was so twisted up in knots about Tuesday’s vote that, “I feel like I’m running for president.”
Meanwhile, Rihanna — who was born in Barbados and is not a U.S. citizen eligible to vote — posted her own pointed message to fans about what’s at stake on Tuesday. “When protecting p—ies and firing p—ies can happen all in one vote #votecauseicant #TanSuitSeason,” the singer wrote alongside a pensive video of her staring out a window while wearing sunglasses. The comment appeared to be a reference to Harris’ vow to protect women’s rights to make choices about their own bodies in the wake of the repeal of Roe v Wade under Trump’s watch thanks to his appointment of three conservative Supreme Court judges.
Rihanna also had jokes, captioning her clip, “POV: me trying to sneak into the polls with my son’s passport #votecauseicant” Rihanna and partner Harlem native A$AP Rocky have two young sons together.
The stars are among the many A-listers who have lined up behind Harris in her bid to deny convicted felon Trump a second term in the former reality star’s third White House run. At the Milwaukee event, Cardi made it clear why she’s on team Harris. “I take seriously the call to show up, to speak out, and to share a message that’s been on my heart for a while now,” she said. “Like Kamala Harris, I’ve been the underdog, underestimated, and had my success belittled. Women have to work ten times harder and still face questions about how we achieved success. I can’t stand a bully, but just like Kamala, I always stand up to one.”
Harris made her closing argument in Pennsylvania on on Monday night at an event that also featured Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, Ricky Martin and the Roots on a night when music stars stumped for her in swing states across the country. At the same time, Trump made his final pitch in Michigan as well during a two-hour speech in which he called former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a “b–ch,” once again obsessed about his crowd sizes — while lying about the attendance at Harris’ rallies — as his running mate, JD Vance, referred to Harris as “trash” at an event in Atlanta.
See Cardi and Rihanna’s tweets below.
I don’t know why I’m so nervous for tomorrow… I feel like I’m running for president 😫— Cardi B (@iamcardib) November 5, 2024
