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It’s been six years since soul-pop icon Sade released her last single — and now that she’s back, she has plenty to say.
On Friday (Oct. 25), the Red Hot Organization dropped an EP titled Transa: Selects, a collection of songs off of the non-profit’s upcoming compilation album, Transa, intended to bring awareness and understanding from the public at large to the transgender community. The first song on Friday’s EP is Sade’s “Young Lion,” a tender apology to her trans son, Izaak Adu.
Over a fluid, moving string section, Sade sings directly to Izaak, expressing regret for her lack of understanding throughout his life. “You must have felt so alone/ The anguish and pain/ I should’ve known,” she sings on the powerful opening verse. “With such a heavy burden/ You had to carry all on your own/ Forgive me, son/ I should’ve known.”
While Sade lets her words speak for herself on the album, her son Izaak shared his thoughts on the touching track in an interview with Rolling Stone. “Though there was nothing I needed to forgive her for, the lyrics ‘Forgive me, son, I should have known,’ struck a chord,” he said. “My mum never tried to oppress the boy; I silently always knew I was. She always let me be me.”
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The remainder of Transa, due out on Nov. 22, features more than 100 artists creating over 3 hours of music in an eight-chapter project, all dedicated to the multifaceted trans experience in the world today. With artists including Sam Smith, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Andre 3000, Jeff Tweedy and plenty creating music for the project, Transa aims to get audiences to think critically about the way we treat transgender people in order to help create “a future oriented around values of community, collaboration, care and healing,” as Dust Reid, the album’s co-creator, said in a statement.
Listen to Sade’s “Young Lion” below:
Billie Eilish just reacted exactly how anyone would to Rihanna saying she wants to collaborate — with utter disbelief. Shortly after the Fenty Beauty said that the “Bad Guy” singer is her dream duet partner, Eilish reposted the former’s remarks on Instagram Stories Thursday (Oct. 24) and wrote, “what in the absolute f–k.” “oh my […]
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
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This week, Lady Gaga supplies an antidote for hungry fans, Halsey channels the greats and Megan Thee Stallion unveils another act. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Lady Gaga, “Disease”
Lady Gaga’s new single was produced and written with Andrew Watt, a guitar virtuoso who’s become a guru to rock veterans, as well as Cirkut, one of pop’s most prolific studio whizzes; that pedigree informs a stomping new track that balances arena heft with nimble melodies, as Gaga sings, “Screamin’ for me, baby / Like you’re gonna die / Poison on the inside, I could be your antidote tonight!” in between fluttering vocal refrains and booming percussion.
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Halsey, The Great Impersonator
Most new albums are knowingly influenced by the artists that predated their creators, but few of them are enacted as purposeful homages quite like Halsey’s The Great Impersonator, which hopscotches across personal heroes ranging from Dolly Parton to David Bowie to Britney Spears; the track list can be a guessing game of who-inspired-what, but more often, Halsey’s own songwriting and perspective power the brightest spots.
Megan Thee Stallion, Megan: Act II
Following her June album Megan with a 13-track deluxe edition, Megan Thee Stallion has given fans an embarrassment of riches to cap off a highly successful year: “Bigger in Texas” sets things off with classic trash-talking Meg and “Mamushi” receives a giddy remix featuring TWICE, but “Roc Steady,” a flip of Ciara’s “Goodies” featuring Flo Milli, is the clear highlight.
Summer Walker, “Heart of a Woman”
Even though Summer Walker’s upcoming album will be called Finally Over It, but the R&B star still isn’t on “Heart of a Woman,” a sumptuous showcase for her complex emotions as she recognizes a relationship she can’t quit: “I try to be strong,” Walker sings, “but how much can I take?”
Addison Rae, “Aquamarine”
As Addison Rae continues making the transition from TikTok superstar to aspiring music A-lister, her pop aesthetic is coming into focus, with “Aquamarine” extracting the breathy flirtations from previous single “Diet Pepsi” and applying them to a sleek, futuristic dance-pop sheen.
Kelsea Ballerini, Patterns
A meditation on personal strength and moving on from divorce, Patterns may be Kelsea Ballerini’s most moving collection of songs to date, as the country-pop star sharpens her pen while examining her regrets and hopes; the opening run of songs on Patterns, including the poignant “Sorry Mom” and rousing “Baggage,” demonstrates why Ballerini remains such a captivating presence in the genre.
Gigi Perez, “Fable”
With “Sailor Song” a viral smash and an Island Records deal in hand, Gigi Perez has quickly returned with “Fable,” an acoustic sing-along searching for answers that replicates the rawness of her breakout single and sounds like it could be another hit for the singer-songwriter.
Jin, “I’ll Be There”
Jin’s upcoming album is titled Happy, and pre-release track “I’ll Be There” certainly lives up to that adjective: here, the BTS member is all smiles while reveling in pop-rock bliss, deploying a woo-oo-oo post-chorus that lodges in your brain before your first listen is even complete.
Linkin Park, “Over Each Other”
On “The Emptiness Machine” and “Heavy is the Crown,” the first two songs released from Linkin Park’s upcoming album From Zero, Mike Shinoda is the first voice heard, a steadying force before new vocalist Emily Armstrong arrives; with “Over Each Other,” however, Armstrong delivers an impressive vocal showcase, unleashing her frustration over miscommunication as the production blinks and shudders.
Editor’s Pick: Soccer Mommy, Evergreen
On her fourth Soccer Mommy album, Sophie Allison expertly finds a middle ground between the lo-fi production of her early work and the hearty, pop-adjacent rock of her more recent output; with personal loss as a central focus, Evergreen feels like Allison’s most complete record to date, and a standout during a crowded season for indie releases.
Some people remember DMX for the late Ruff Ryder boss’ snarling, take-no-prisoners bars about the dangers of coming at him. But the MC born Earl Simmons was also memorably a deeply spiritual man whose lyrics often focused on the push-and-pull between sin and salvation.
The latter, more sacred, side of the born again rapper’s personality will be on display on the upcoming posthumous album Let Us Pray: Chapter X. The eight-track collection from Def Jam/UMe due out on Dec. 13 will combine DMX’s prayers with original music created by Grammy-winning gospel songwriter/producer Warryn Campbell (Kanye West, Alicia Keys).
“Working on Let Us Pray: Chapter X has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for me as a creative,” said Campbell in a statement. “When you hear the voice of DMX, it inspires instant creativity and what better way to showcase who X really was than through prayer. I believe I can speak for MC Lyte, Killer Mike, Snoop Dogg, LeCrae, Mary Mary, Lena Byrd Miles, and Terrace Martin when I say it was an honor and privilege to be part of this amazing work.”
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According to a release, “Campbell notably crafted new original music to accompany the signature prayers of DMX and instrumentally scored these spoken-word messages straight from the artist’s heart.” The album features a number of additional vocals from artists including rappers Snoop Dogg, Killer Mike, MC Lyte and LeCrae, MC/producer Terrace Martin, as well as gospel acts Mary Mary, Lena Byrd Miles and the RoyzNoyz Orchestra.
“Ultimately, Let Us Pray: Chapter X reflects upon the depth, emotionality, and spirituality of DMX, and it invites fans to celebrate his legacy from a new standpoint altogether,” according to a statement about the album from the ordained pastor MC who died at 50 in April 2021 of a heart attack. “Let us pray/ Father, thank you for making me righteous/ And accepted through the blood of Jesus/ Because of that, I am blessed and highly favored by you/ I am the object of your affection,” DMX intones over sweeping strings on the emotional first single “Favor.”
The collection is the follow-up to 2021’s Exodus, the first posthumous album from the late “Party Up” rapper; X’s seventh, and final album released in his lifetime, was 2012’s Undisputed.
Listen to “Favor” here and check out the full track list below:
1. “Favor” (feat. Killer Mike, Mary Mary, & RoyzNoyz Orchestra)
2. “Bear” With Me (feat. LeCrae)
3. “One Life To Do It” (feat. MC Lyte & RoyzNoyz Orchestra)
4. “Until I’m Gone” (feat. Snoop Dogg, Terrace Martin, & Lena Byrd Miles)
5. “Favor” (Instrumental)
6. “Bear With Me” (Instrumental)
7. “One Life To Do It” (Instrumental)
8. “Until I’m Gone” (Instrumental)
Nicole Scherzinger may have been one of the last people to communicate with Liam Payne before the singer’s death on Oct. 16 following a fall from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In an interview with Billboard about Scherzinger’s “one-of-a-kind” Broadway performance in Sunset Blvd., composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that Scherzinger — who met Payne when she was a judge on the English X-Factor, where One Direction were formed — had been in communication with Liam on the day of his death.
“She was still texting him that day, and [that evening] the reviewers came in [to SUNSET], she’d just heard that he died,” said Webber of the previews for the musical in which Scherzinger stars as Norma Desmond. “And the fact that she even did the show at all is extraordinary. I mean she is an amazing, amazing woman. She is without any question one of the finest performers I’ve ever worked with.”
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On Thursday (Oct. 24), Scherzinger posted a tribute to Payne on Instagram in the form of a letter to her late friend. “Dear Liam, I will forever cherish and treasure the time we shared together, from fifteen years ago when One Direction was born, right up until just a few weeks ago,” she wrote. “It was such a blessing to get to work with you recently. We shared the same love and passion for music and I will forever remember the meaningful and joyful conversations we had.”
The accompanying photo showed a smiling Payne posing with Scherzinger and former Destiny’s Child member and solo star Kelly Rowlands from the set of their Netflix series Building the Band. The music competition series — which also features host Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean — began filming this summer with the premise of talented singers tasked with forming their own bands without seeing each other first. At press time a spokesperson for the series had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on plans for airing the series in the wake of Payne’s passing.
“It’s been so hard to process that you’re no longer here, but I am grateful to have known your kind heart, sweet soul and character,” Scherzinger continued. “You brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the lives of those that truly knew you. I will ‘miss you’ my friend and carry you in my heart. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.”
In 2022, a previously unseen clip from 1D’s formation on X-Factor revealed that it was Scherzinger who was instrumental in putting solo singers Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson together as a group. “We thought of each of you as individuals, and we just feel that you’re too talented to let go of,” Scherzinger said at the time. “We think it would be a great idea to have two separate groups,” she continued as judge Simon Cowell broke the tension by announcing that the newly formed band would be going through to the next round.
The unseen portion of the video showed that Scherzinger was heavily involved in putting together the members of the group that she gushed at the time would be the “cutest boy band ever! The little girls are gonna love them!… They’re just too talented to get rid of. And they’ve got just the right look and the right charisma on stage. I think they’ll be really great in a boy band together,” she said.
At the time, Cowell predicted that confident Payne would likely the “leader” of the newly formed group. “They’re like little stars,” Scherzinger said of the five boys who had initially auditioned as solo acts; Payne had also auditioned as a solo act two years earlier in 2008. “So you can’t get rid of little stars. You put them all together,” Scherzinger said.
On Wednesday, Buenos Aires police raided the luxury hotel where Payne was staying when he died, reportedly taking away a number of items, including hard drives and CCTV footage. Payne, 31, died after falling from a third-floor balcony, with an autopsy report revealing that he died from a number of injuries, including internal and external bleeding caused by the fall. Investigators reportedly found a number of substances in his body at the time, including a recreational drug called “pink cocaine,” a mixture of substances that often contains ketamine combined with MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids and/or psychoactive substances. Full autopsy details are not expected for several more weeks.
Scherzinger is the latest star to post a tribute to Payne, following on the heels of statements from his former 1D bandmates, 5 Seconds of Summer’s Ashton Irwin, Justin Bieber and the singer’s girlfriend of two years, Kate Cassidy, among many others.
Police in Buenos Aires raided the hotel where Liam Payne was staying before his death on Oct. 16 in a fall from a balcony. According to the Associated Press, a police special investigations unit descended on the Casa Sur Hotel on Wednesday night (Oct. 23) on orders from the prosecutor’s office, reportedly seizing a number of items including computer hard drives and footage from hotel CCTV cameras.
Payne, 31, died after falling from a third-floor balcony, with an autopsy report revealing that he died from a number of injuries, including internal and external bleeding caused by the fall. The AP reported that an initial investigation suggests that the late One Direction and solo star was alone before his death and had a “breakdown” following the consumption of drugs; police reportedly found a number of substances in his body at the time, including a recreational drug called “pink cocaine,” a mixture of substances that often contains ketamine combined with MDMA, methamphetamine, cocaine, opioids and/or psychoactive substances. A handmade aluminum pipe was also found in his Argentina hotel room, according to ABC News. Full autopsy details are not expected for several more weeks.
On Oct. 16, streams and sales of both 1D and Payne’s music have surged in the U.S. and globally in the wake of the singer’s shock passing. Official on-demand U.S. streams of 1D’s five-album catalog totaled 5.9 million, a vault of 174% over 2.1 million the previous day, according to Luminate. On Oct. 17, they rose further to 22.2 million, up 278% over the day before.
In addition, globally, 1D pulled 21.3 million streams on Oct. 16, a 76% gain from 12.1 million on Oct. 15. The group’s catalog soared 298% to 84.9 million streams on Oct. 17.
In the week since Payne’s death, fans have turned the site of his passing into a makeshift shrine, laying candles, teddy bears, photos and other totems around the hotel entrance. Payne’s father, Geoff Payne, is reportedly currently in Buenos Aires helping to make arrangements for the transfer of his son’s body back to England, with officials expected to release it around Oct. 28.
Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, was the latest member of the singer’s inner circle to pay tribute to the beloved star in an Instagram post on Wednesday in which she called him her “best friend [and] the love of my life.” His romantic partner of two years, Cassidy wrote, “None of this feels real, and I can’t wrap my head around this new reality of not having you here. I’m struggling to figure out how to live in a world without you by my side. Together, we got to be kids again, always finding joy in the smallest things.”
The influencer also noted that a few weeks prior to his death Payne wrote her a note confessing his hopes to marry her within the next year. “Liam, I know we’ll be together forever, but not in the way we had planned. You’ll always be with me,” Cassidy said. “I’ve gained a guardian angel. I will love you for the rest of my life and beyond, carrying our dreams and memories with me everywhere I go.”
Billie Eilish will touch down at State Farm Arena on Nov. 3 for the second edition of her Overheated climate sustainability conference. The follow-up to last year’s debut event in London, the first U.S. version will feature an appearance from the “Birds of a Feather” singer, as well as a panel of climate activists, thought leaders, artists and others hosting discussions and offering resources to help take on the climate crisis.
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The event will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and though only 300 tickets were made available to fans, those who can’t attend can watch it from home via a livestream on YouTube from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET on the official Eilish channel.
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“I am thrilled that we can bring this unique event to Billie‘s US fans. And to people from all over who can watch the livestream,” said Eilish’s mother, Maggie Baird, in a statement. “At this time, more than ever we need everyone to be a climate activist.” Overheated is a collaboration between the singer and Support + Feed, the plant-based food initiative founded by Baird, with organizers offering plant-based meals to all attendees.
Among the panels on tap for the event are: “Environmental Justice 101,” “The stories We Tell,” “What We Eat Matters,” “Fashion Your Future,” “Climate Optimism” and “Your Vote, Your Power.” The gathering will highlight a variety of “accessible actions for audience members to take in making a positive impact on their communities and the planet,” according to a release. “This year, the event will also be highlighting the importance of political actions that champion climate solutions.”
Panelists and special guests include: Saad Amer, Corinea Austin, Maggie Baird, Xiye Bastida, Daniel Blackman, Brea Baker, Abre’ Conner, Quintin Crumpler, Jasmine Crowe-Houston, Helena Gualinga, Wawa Gatheru, Isaias Hernandez, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Jamila Norman, Samata Pattinson, Maya Penn and Angela Watts; click here to find out more about the speakers.
Check out the Overheated announcement below.
BTS fans got a jolt of fizzy energy in their ears on Friday (Oct. 25) with the release of Jin‘s pop rockin’ solo single, “I’ll Be There.” The effervescent tune with a rockabilly swing will be featured on the K-pop superstar’s upcoming debut solo album, Happy, due out on Nov. 15.
The bi-lingual tune that mixes 1960s bubblegum rock and modern dance pop — via Pharrell’s “Happy” and with a buzzy dash of early Hanson — is a joyous ode to devotion, with Jin promising on the chorus, “I swear that I will always sing for you/ Sing for you, oh-oh-oh/ I’ll be there for you.” In the video, Jin sings the tune in a parking lot under a bridge backed by a live band as skater boys and girls and other random fans pull up to check out the impromptu performance.
Dressed in jeans and a blue cardigan (over several other shirts) and rocking some stick-on jewels under his right eye, Jin strikes a series of smoldering rock star poses against the bright blue sky. According to a release, the track “conveys a sincere message, aiming to uplift those who feel downhearted and alone by delivering joy through Jin’s playful yet straightforward style.”
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Jin helped produce the track alongside American singer/songwriter MAX and in the video he channels rock star energy by doing an air guitar windmill move and striking some Elvis-adjacent poses as confetti rains down around him. By the end of the clip Jin is joyfully dancing with himself in the abandoned parking lot, kicking up his heels as the sun sets behind the bridge.
Jin’s upcoming six-track album will feature the focus track “Running Wild,” as well as “I’ll Be There,” “Another Level,” “Falling,” “Heart on the Window” (feat. WENDY)” and “I will come to you.” Jin collaborated with a number of other acts on the album, including Take That’s Gary Barlow, who co-produced and co-wrote “Running Wild.”
So far, Jin, the oldest member of BTS at 31, has released a number of solo tracks, including “Super Tuna,” “Yours,” “Abyss,” “Awake,” “Tonight,” “Epiphany” and “Moon,” as well as contributing to the soundtracks of a number of Korean TV shows and collaborating with Coldplay on his debut solo single, 2022’s “The Astronaut.” Jin was discharged from mandatory South Korean military duty in June and his solo debut comes as ARMY patiently wait for the rest of the band members to finish their required hitches in anticipation of BTS’ expected 2025 return.
Watch the “I’ll Be There” video below.
Zach Bryan has announced his debut U.K. festival headline slot at London’s Hyde Park. The show will take place on June 28, 2025 as part of BST Hyde Park, which is held annually at the central London venue.
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The headline performance for 65,000 fans will be Bryan’s first live show in the U.K. since 2023, where he played intimate venues such as London’s 890-capacity Islington Assembly Hall. Tickets for Bryan’s show go on sale at 10 a.m. GMT on Oct. 30 at the festival’s official website. Bryan will be joined by an array of special guests on the day, which will be announced soon.
Bryan follows Jeff Lynne’s ELO as a confirmed performer at 2025’s edition of BST Hyde Park. The British rock band confirmed that their show at Hyde Park next summer would be their final ever live performance. 2024’s edition included sets by SZA, Lana Del Rey and Stevie Nicks, and announcements for 2025’s other headliners are expected in the coming months.
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The country musician has had a sensational run over the past couple of years following the release of 2023’s Zach Bryan, which landed at No.1 on the Billboard 200. Its follow-up, The Great American Bar Scene, released in July 2024 featured appearances from Bruce Springsteen and John Mayer, and was his first to break into the Top 20 on the U.K.’s Official Album Charts, landing at No.16.
Earlier this week, Bryan confirmed that he had split with his girlfriend, Barstool Sports personality Brianna LaPaglia, better known as Brianna Chickenfry. “Brianna and me [sic] have broken up with each other and I respect and love her with every ounce of my heart,” he wrote in a statement on his Instagram Stories.
“She has loved me unconditionally for a very long time and for that I’ll always thank her. I have had an incredibly hard year personally and struggled through some pretty severe things. I thought it would be beneficial for both of us to go our different ways,” he added. “I am not perfect and I never will be.”
Elsewhere Snoop Dogg teased a collaboration with the singer-songwriter during an appearance on the Today show. “Zach sent me a song,” the hip-hop icon told the show’s hosts. “I gotta put a verse on it.”
Check out the Bryan announcement below.
Zach Bryan is headlining his first UK festival in London’s Hyde Park next summer! One of America’s most acclaimed singer-songwriters, #ZachBryan, is coming to American Express presents @BSTHydePark on Saturday 28 June 2025, with a full lineup to be announced 🎸🎟 American… pic.twitter.com/FuVxfSj9IH— BST Hyde Park (@BSTHydePark) October 25, 2024
Kate Bush has given a rare interview and teased the prospect of new music.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Friday morning (Oct. 25) the pop icon said that she has ideas and desires to make a start on a new album. Bush released her last studio album 50 Words For Snow in 2011 .
When asked if she was working on new material currently, Bush said: “Not at the moment, but I’ve been caught up doing a lot of archive work over the last few years, redesigning our website, putting a lyric book together.
“And I’m very keen to start working on a new album when I’ve got this finished. I’ve got lots of ideas and I’m really looking forward to getting back into that creative space, it’s been a long time.”
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When presenter Emma Barnett asked if it was a hope she’d had for a while, Bush responded: “Yes it is, really. Particularly [in] the last year, I’ve felt really ready to start doing something new.”
Bush was appearing on the program to promote a new short film that she has created called Little Shrew, which is soundtracked by her 2011 song “Snowflake.” The four-minute short film, which you can watch below, was created by Bush and an illustrator to help raise awareness and funds for the charity War Child, which supports young people caught up in conflicts.
Speaking on the film, Bush said she “started working on it a couple of years ago, it was not long after the Ukrainian war broke out, and I think it was such a shock for all of us.”
“It’s been such a long period of peace we’d all been living through. And I just felt I wanted to make a little animation that would feature, originally, a little girl. It was really the idea of children caught up in war. I wanted to draw attention to how horrific it is for children.
“And so I came up with this idea for a storyboard and felt that, actually, people would be more empathetic towards a creature rather than a human. So I came up with the idea of it being a little shrew.”
The British artist broke through in the late 1970s and her hits include “Hounds of Love,” “Babooshka” and “Wuthering Heights.” In 1980, she became the first solo female British artist to top the U.K. Albums Charts with her third album Never For Ever. Bush’s creative work in recent decades has been sporadic, and in 2014 she shocked the music world when she announced a return to the stage for a residency in London, her first live performances in decades.
In 2022, Bush’s 1985 single “Running Up That Hill” featured heavily in the fourth season of Netflix’s Stranger Things and saw a flurry of interest and streams in her back catalog. The song peaked at No .3 on the Billboard Hot 100, bettering its placement of No. 30 upon its original release, and topped the U.K. Singles Chart for three weeks to give Bush her second No. 1 single. In 2023, the song topped 1 billion streams on Spotify.
