Music News

20 Sep 2024

Zayn Shares Sweet Birthday Message for Daughter Khai: ‘I Wouldn’t Be the Man I Am Today Without You’

Zayn celebrated a special occasion on Thursday (September 19) — his daughter Khai’s fourth birthday. The “Pillowtalk” singer took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message for his baby girl.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Happy birthday to the most important person in my life, I love you more than words allow me to express, beyond proud to call you my daughter,” he wrote alongside a photo of himself holding his daughter at the beach, facing away from the camera towards the waves, as Khai puts her arm around her father’s shoulder. “grateful for every second I get to spend next to you, as you become the incredible person I know you already are. Four years ago today my life changed forever and I wouldn’t be the man I am today without you.”

Zayn shares Khai with his ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid, though the couple’s relationship ended shortly after the little one’s first birthday in October 2021.

Trending on Billboard

The former One Direction star is set to head out on his first-ever solo headlining tour this fall. The intimate 11-show outing is slated to kick off on Oct. 23 at the 8,500-capacity Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. The tour will then hit similar-sized theaters in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and New York before hopping over to the UK for a run of six gigs. The string of shows come just four months after he released his fourth studio album, Room Under the Stairs.

See his birthday post for Khai below.

20 Sep 2024

Lady Gaga Shares Cryptic Teaser Ahead of New Album: ‘I’m Ready for My Interview’

It looks like Lady Gaga has something to say ahead of her highly anticipated seventh studio album — and fans are all ears.

The pop star caught the attention of her Little Monsters with a cryptic Instagram post shared Friday (Sept. 20), giving no explanation as she shared a grainy image of white streaky text over a red background. “I’m ready for my interview,” it reads.

What does it mean? Fans have no clue. “WHATS HAPPENING OMG,” one person commented, while another follower wrote, “OH MY GOD!!! I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S ABOUT BUT I’M VERY READY TOO!!!”

Others questioned whether the message had something to do with her upcoming LP or Joker: Folie à Deux, in which she stars as Harley Quinn alongside Joaquin Phoenix. Gaga has been working on both projects over the past year, and she recently promoted the October-slated movie as well as made her red carpet debut with fiancé Michael Polansky at the Venice International Film Festival.

In a Sept. 5 interview with Vogue, the 13-time Grammy winner revealed that it was Polansky who encouraged her to get back to her dance-pop roots on her new record. “Michael is the person who told me to make a new pop record,” she recalled. “He was like, ‘Babe. I love you. You need to make pop music.’”

Trending on Billboard

She also revealed that the album is scheduled for a February release, with the first single due out in October. “There’s a lot of pain associated with this adventure,” she added in the profile. “And when I start to explore that pain it can bring out another side to my artistry. When I’m here at this studio, I’m relaxed and I am able to face my demons and what’s remarkable is … that’s the music. I’m able to hear it back.”

See Gaga’s cryptic post below.

20 Sep 2024

Nicki Minaj Apologizes for Kicking Photographer’s Camera After Mistaking Him for ‘Peeping Tom’

Nicki Minaj thought she caught a “Peeping Tom” in the act at her San Antonio tour stop on Thursday night (Sept. 19), but it happened to be one of her photographers.

Minaj posted the clip to her X account on Friday (Sept. 20) featuring her dancing onstage and then stomping on the photographer’s camera after giving the device a double-take. “Ow that’s me! No!” the crew member can be heard saying as his battered camera sinks underneath the stage.

“This is one of the craziest things we’ve ever captured. Yall plz look @ this,” Nicki captioned the clip of what she thought was a creep before finding out it was a photographer she knows by the name of Grizz.

Trending on Billboard

The Barbz leader followed up with an apology to Grizz in her Gag City Reloaded recap of the San Antonio show. “@grizzleearts the fact that I thought Grizz (one of my fave ppl in all the land) was a peeping tom & began stomping him out,” she wrote. “Grizz my apologies I love you.”

Hopefully there are no more photographer kicks and damage to Grizz’s camera the rest of the Pink Friday 2 World Tour. The lucrative trek’s second North American leg hits California for a pair of shows this weekend in Los Angeles before making stops in San Francisco and San Diego.

Shakira is another artist who, unfortunately, had to deal with a creepy fan last weekend when she noticed someone filming up her skirt while she was dancing onstage to one of her unreleased songs at Miami’s Club LIV earlier in September.

The awkward exchange was captured by fans as she can be seen adjusting her skirt after realizing what was going on. Shakira shook her index finger in disgust at the individual filming before she just left the stage altogether.

Reps for Shakira did not return Billboard‘s request for comment at the time.

20 Sep 2024

Kenny Chesney Donated More Than $1 Million to Massachusetts Charities Before His Gillette Stadium Show

Kenny Chesney is giving back.

The country icon donated more than $1 million to various causes across the state of Massachusetts before he took the stage at Gillette Stadium in August, according to local news outlet Mass Live. Per the publication, he contributed to the Boston Medical Center, Foxborough Police Department and Foxborough Fire Department, as well as nonprofits aiming to help animals in need and youth music programs.

“Kenny loves the people of who’ve been such a part of the Gillette experience over all these years,” a spokesperson told Mass Live. “As someone who likes to quietly give back, to enrich others’ lives, this is his way of spreading the love and saying thank you for everything that’s made all these stadium shows so special. To him, it’s a gift for others, not something he wants to talk about.”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Chesney performed at Gillette on Aug. 23, 24, and 25 to wrap up his Sun Goes Down Tour. The star unveiled his new album, Born, back in March. “It’s got a lot of heart, a lot of soul – and it speaks the truth about living, life and what we’re all doing here,” he said in a statement at the time of announcing the project. “It’s a lyric that throws out all the options, never tells you what to do and throws out the one existential truth no matter what you choose: ‘One thing’s for certain, we’ve all been living since the day we were born.’”

Trending on Billboard

20 Sep 2024

What’s Your Favorite New Music Release of the Week? Vote!

It’s been an exciting week for music fans, with major stars from every genre dropping tracks and albums.

To kick things off, Katy Perry returned with 143, her first album since 2020’s Smile. “I set out to create a bold, exuberant, celebratory dance-pop album with the symbolic 143 numerical expression of love as a throughline message,” Perry previously shared in a statement about 143, which is text message code for “I love you.”

Future also dropped his first solo project of the year, Mixtape Pluto. Mixtape Pluto marks the Atlanta native’s third project of 2024, following his pair of collaborative albums with Metro Boomin — We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You — which both topped the Billboard 200; the former album contained the blistering Kendrick Lamar-featuring Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Like That” track that ignited the biggest rap beef of the year between Lamar and Drake. 

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Bad Bunny unleashed “Una Velita,” where he is brutally honest about how Puerto Rico’s infrastructure, particularly its continued blackouts due to a weakened power grid, has yet to recover from the catastrophic Hurricane Maria, which resulted in thousands of deaths.

There’s so much more where that came from, and we want to know your favorite from the slew of music releases this week. Check out our Friday Music Guide here, and let us know by voting here.

Trending on Billboard

20 Sep 2024

Diddy Is ‘Strong, Healthy & Focused’ Amid ‘Procedural’ Suicide Watch, Rep Says

Sean “Diddy” Combs is not in any danger of self-harm despite being placed on a suicide watch as he awaits trial, his representatives tell Billboard.

“Mr. Combs is strong, healthy and focused on his defense,” a spokesperson for the music mogul explains. “He is committed to fighting this case and has full confidence in both his legal team and the truth.”

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The decision to put Diddy on suicide watch is “procedural with high-profile clients,” the insider told NBC News. Sources also told People that the move was a preventative measure.

Diddy was arrested Monday (Sept. 16) in New York City, and Manhattan federal prosecutors have since unveiled the substance of their case against Combs — accusing him of operating a criminal enterprise centered on his “pervasive pattern of abuse toward women.”

He was denied bail at his Sept. 17 arraignment, and is currently facing up to life in prison for three felony charges. The next step for Combs will be an initial pretrial conference next week before Judge Andrew L. Carter, Jr., the federal district judge who will oversee his trial.

In a video obtained by CNN earlier this year and dated March 5, 2016, Combs appears to shove his longtime former partner, Cassie Ventura, to the ground near an elevator bank, kick her several times while she lies on the ground and drag her down a hallway. The contents of the video mirror an assault allegation Ventura made in a now-settled lawsuit she filed against Diddy in November.

Ventura was the first to accuse Diddy of sexual assault, filing a lawsuit in November in which attorneys for Cassie claimed she “endured over a decade of his violent behavior and disturbed demands,” including repeated physical attacks and forcing her to “engage in sex acts with male sex workers” while he masturbated. According to the complaint, after she attempted to separate from him in 2018 after an on-and-off public relationship for 11 years, Combs allegedly “forced her into her home and raped her while she repeatedly said ‘no’ and tried to push him away.” The case was soon settled, but Combs was then sued by multiple other women who claimed they were sexually abused by the hip-hop mogul.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please call the confidential National Domestic Violence Hotline toll-free at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. 

20 Sep 2024

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Takes Jab at Nicky Jam & Anuel AA During Congressional Hearing: Watch

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dissed Nicky Jam and Anuel AA when the subject turned to Donald Trump at a recent congressional hearing. 

While questioning Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the far-right Center for Immigration Studies, during an Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing Thursday (Sept. 19), the Bronx representative asked him whether he remembered the Donald Trump administration’s rumored desire to “sell” the island of Puerto Rico.  

“I don’t even remember that one,” Krikorian replied, to which AOC countered, “I suppose that puts you and Nicky Jam and Anuel in the same boat.” 

Nicky Jam was born and raised in Massachusetts, but has lived in Puerto Rico most of his life; Anuel is Puerto Rican. Billboard has reached out to reps for Ocasio-Cortez, Nicky Jam and Anuel AA for comment.  

The hearing was dubbed “A Legacy of Incompetence: Consequences of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Policy Failures.” It came with 46 days left to go before the 2024 presidential election, in which both Latin music stars mentioned by AOC are championing Trump.  

Anuel formally endorsed the Republican candidate at the former president’s rally in August, appearing on stage alongside fellow reggaetón star Justin Quiles. “The best president the world has seen, this country has ever seen, his name is President Trump,” the “China” musician said at the podium. “I personally spoke with him, he wants to help Puerto Rico grow and succeed as a country. He wants to keep helping Latinos in the U.S. Let’s keep doing things the right way and let’s make America great again.” 

The following month, Jam appeared at Trump’s rally in Las Vegas, where the twice-impeached ex-POTUS mistakenly referred to the “X” singer as a “she.” “Do you know Nicky? She’s hot. Where’s Nicky?” Trump said while introducing the artist. 

Despite the faux pas, Nicky Jam gave a passionate endorsement of the billionaire upon taking the microphone. “It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. President,” he told Trump. “We need you. We need you back, right? We need you to be the president.” 

He and Anuel are two of several musicians who are backing Trump’s re-election bid this year, alongside Jason Aldean, Kid Rock, Kodak Black, Lil Pump, Sexyy Red and Billy Ray Cyrus. Democratic opponent Kamala Harris, however, also has a litany of A-list artists on her side, from Taylor Swift to Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend and more. 

Watch AOC call out Nicky Jam and Anuel AA below.

20 Sep 2024

aespa and Grimes Team-Up For Space-Age ‘Supernova’ Remix: Listen

K-pop girl group aespa blast off into space with a new Grimes-assisted remix of their hit single “Supernova.” The song from the four-woman group’s debut studio album, Armageddon – The 1st Album, gets an intergalactic brush-up as part of a six-track remix EP that dropped on Friday (Sept. 20), iScreaM Vol. 33 ” Supernova / Armageddon Remixes.

In an X post, Grimes explained why she stepped out of her typical lane for the project. “I normally don’t do remixes but I could not resist messing with this accapella even tho the original production on this song is undefeatable,” Grimes wrote. “I went back to cyber twee for this and even had @angelfir_e sit behind me and stop me every time I tried to overthink the production so… it’s very grimesy.”

She’s not kidding. While the original track from KARINA, GISELLE, WINTER AND NINGNING was a snappy, hyper dance pop banger, in Grimes’ hands it gets a firmware update with chilly, metallic beats, Grimes’ signature alien chirp sped-up vocals, celestial harmonies and new wave keyboards.

Trending on Billboard

In addition, on Instagram Grimes said sorry/not sorry for changing the song’s alluring chorus and drilling down on a lyric she was entranced by. “I know I changed the hook but I was so shook by the lyric ‘bring no light of a dying star’ that was casually in there. Felt like it needed a moment,” she wrote. Grimes also posted a series of pics with the group in which she rocks a futuristic jumpsuit and sparkly red glasses. “rip the old grimes she wud have loved dis,” she wrote alongside the snaps.

In addition to the Grimes “Supernova” remix, the EP features three new remixes of the album’s title track — by Flava D, 2Spade and Mount XLR — as well as the original versions of the title track and “Supernova.” On X, Grimes revealed that she did her own “Armageddon” remix as well, noting, “idk if they want it but I could ask. I also have a second supernova remix that’s kinda good but my baby destroyed the computer it was on so it’s unmixable.”

iScreaM Vol. 33 is part of a four-year-old series from SM’s EDM label ScreaM Records featuring remixes of songs by SM artists that has perviously featured revamps of tracks from NCT 127, SHINee, Red Velvet, Taeyeon, Girls’ Generation and others. Armageddon – The 1st Album debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart in July, marking the quartet’s fifth project to debut in the top 10 on that tally.

Listen to Grimes’ “Supernova” remix and see her statement below.

20 Sep 2024

Kamala Harris ‘Proud’ to Have Taylor Swift’s Support Despite Being ‘On Different Sides of the Super Bowl’

Taylor Swift is the celebrity endorsement of Kamala Harris‘ wildest dreams.

In a WIRED video posted 10 days after the pop star broke her silence on the 2024 presidential election, emphatically backing the Democratic politician’s campaign against Donald Trump, Harris reacted to Swift’s endorsement. “I am very proud to have the support of Taylor Swift,” she said in the autocomplete interview.

“She’s an incredible artist,” the VP continued. “I really respect the courage that she has had in her career to stand up for what she believes is right.”

There is, however, one cause on which Harris says she disagrees with the 14-time Grammy winner. “We were on different sides of the Super Bowl last year,” she said with a smile, referring to Swift’s support of boyfriend Travis Kelce’s team, the Kansas City Chiefs, who won against Harris’ home team, the San Francisco 49ers, in February. “But who’s mad at anyone for being loyal to their team?”

Swift is one of many musicians who has given Harris their seal of approval this election, with Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion and more speaking out in support of the Democratic ticket over the past few months. The “Anti-Hero” singer’s endorsement, however, has objectively been the most talked about, with her Sept. 10 post calling the former prosecutor a “steady-handed, gifted leader” earning praise from Hillary Clinton, Stevie Nicks, George Clooney and more while sparking backlash from conservatives such as Trump’s running mate JD Vance, Megyn Kelly and Lil Pump.

Trump himself weighed in shortly after Swift said her piece, telling Fox & Friends that the singer would “probably pay a price for it in the marketplace.” Later, he posted on Truth Social, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT.”

Watch Harris react to Swift’s endorsement above.

20 Sep 2024

Method Man Says Diddy’s Federal Indictment ‘Has Nothing to Do With Hip-Hop’

Diddy’s federal indictment has sent shockwaves throughout the hip-hop community. TMZ caught up with Method Man earlier this week and asked the Wu-Tang Clan rapper about Sean “Diddy” Combs’ arrest contributing to the possible downfall of hip-hop as we know it.

“How? I don’t think that it has anything to do with hip-hop as far as the culture,” he said. “What are we talking about here? [It] has nothing to do with hip-hop at all. I don’t see the correlation whatsoever.”

Meth continued to say that there are fans still bumping R. Kelly’s music following his sexual abuse cases, which saw him sentenced to 30 years behind bars in 2022.

“We’re talking about creative and music and stuff like that,” he added. “There’s people still listening to R. Kelly’s s–t. I don’t know, I can’t answer that. But I don’t think it has anything to do with hip-hop.”

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested in New York City earlier this week and hit with racketeering and sex-trafficking charges. He has been denied bail twice after a federal judge ruled that Combs could pose as a flight risk and may intimidate potential witnesses if released. Even after preparing a $50 million bail package, he will remain behind bars until trial unless ruled otherwise by the court system.

Combs could potentially face life in prison if convicted on all charges.

The Bad Boy CEO allegedly participated in sexual “freak offs” described by prosecutors as “elaborate and produced sex performances. According to the unsealed indictment, Combs allegedly used his power to “intimidate, threaten and lure female victims” and applied “force, threats of force, and coercion” to get them to take part in the freak offs.

“For decades, Sean Combs … abused, threatened and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation and conceal his conduct,” prosecutors wrote. “To do so, Combs relied on the employees, resources and the influence of his multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled.”