State Champ Radio Music
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Greeicy and Jay Wheeler’s joint effort “¿Qué Te Pasó?” has topped this week’s new music Latin poll. In a poll published on Friday (Oct. 4) — in support of the weekly New Music Latin roundup and playlist, curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — music fans voted for the Colombian pop star’s and […]
The Lonely Island returned to Saturday Night Live on Oct. 5 with a hilarious new track about consuming sushi in some unsavory places.
In the trio’s first song on the long-running show since 2018, group members Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer (minus Jorma Taccone, who is credited as a writer) reunited for a SNL Digital Short titled “Sushi Glory Hole,” in which the two sharply-dressed comedians pitch skeptical investors (played by Maya Rudolph, Bowen Yang and Kenan Thompson) on a fishy business idea: “Sushi being fed through a hole in the wall.”
Samberg and Schaffer, donning 1980s-looking business suits, then play a cassette and begin rapping about their seemingly brilliant idea, as the scene cuts to SNL cast member James Austin Johnson dropping to his knees in a bathroom stall to receive a piece of raw fish on rice through a small hole. Unconvinced on their pitch, Yang and Rudolph’s disgusted characters begin to walk out of the board room.
“Hey, where you going? Hear us out!” Samberg and Schaffer beg over and over before stepping up their game. “You forgot to eat, now you’re out and about. But you wanna be discreet, can’t be eatin’ omakase in the middle of the street. Then you open the app: SGH is all over the map,” they pair continues. “So you head to a club, hit the bathroom stall, find the sushi-size hole in the bathroom wall. Then make a wish, and prepare for some shockingly high grade fish!”
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The pitch ultimately fails and Yang’s character is seen getting into his car, only to be surprised by Samberg and Schaffer, who are waiting for him in the back seat as a creepy last-ditch effort.
Elsewhere during Saturday’s Nate Bargatze-hosted episode, Coldplay appeared as musical guest for the eighth time to perform songs from the band’s just-released 10th album, Moon Music. The Chris Martin-fronted group brought down the house with beautiful deliveries of “All My Love” and “We Pray,” the latter featuring guest appearances by Elyanna and TINI.
SNL season 50 premiered last weekend, with Jean Smart hosting and Jelly Roll as musical guest. The next show on Oct. 12 will see Ariana Grande hosting again, with Stevie Nicks returning as the musical guest for the first time since her one-and-only performance on the show in 1983.
Watch the SNL Digital Short “Sushi Glory Hole” below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
Madonna‘s younger brother, Christopher Ciccone, has died at the age of 63.
Christopher passed away after a battle with cancer on Friday (Oct. 4) in Michigan, his representative confirmed to TMZ.
The Queen of Pop has faced many deaths in her family as of late. Christopher’s passing arrives less than two weeks after the death of Madonna’s stepmother, Joan Clare Ciccone, who also had cancer. The pop superstar’s oldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, also passed away in February 2023 of respiratory failure and throat cancer. He was 66.
Madonna hadn’t publicly commented on Christopher’s passing at press time. Billboard has reached out to her reps for comment.
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Christopher — one of Madonna’s seven siblings — began his entertainment career as one of his sister’s backup dancers before moving on to direct music videos for such stars as Dolly Parton and Tony Bennett. He also served as the art director for Madonna’s 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour and was the tour director for her 1993 The Girlie Show.
Madonna and Christopher, who was also an artist and interior designer, had a falling out that was documented in his 2008 book, Life With My Sister Madonna, which reached No. 2 on the New York Times best-seller list. He claimed that the singer outed him in a 1991 interview with The Advocate, saying, “My brother Christopher’s gay, and he and I have always been the closest members of my family.”
Christopher later addressed his relationship with Madonna in a 2012 interview with The Evening Standard. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re good. We are in contact with each other, although I haven’t seen her for a long time. We’re back to being a brother and sister. I don’t work for her, and it’s better this way,” he said at the time.
“I couldn’t be more proud of her. She is a force to be reckoned with. Does she have Barbra Streisand’s voice? No,” Christopher added about his sister. “Can she dance like Martha Graham? Probably not. But the combination of her abilities has made her great, and left a huge legacy for her, and through her, for me. So yeah, God bless her.”
Christopher married British hairdresser Ray Thacker in 2016.
Coldplay brought Moon Music to Studio 8H. The Chris Martin-fronted band returned to Saturday Night Live for the eighth time as musical guest on Oct. 5 to deliver a pair of new songs from their just-released 10th album, Moon Music. With an introduction from SNL host Nate Bargatze, Coldplay opened with a beautifully raw performance […]
Miranda Lambert brought a bevvy of musical friends — including Little Big Town, Dan+Shay, Lukas Nelson and HARDY — with her for the “Music For Mutts” benefit concert, which took place Saturday (Oct. 5) at Nashville’s Ascend Amphitheater.
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Presented by Tractor Supply, the concert is Lambert’s latest effort toward supporting a cause she has long championed: lifting up shelter pets who are all-too-often forgotten, and aiding pet shelters in need of supplies.
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“I’m so happy to be here,” Lambert told the crowd early in her set. “We’re singing for the dogs — all the dogs!”
The concert helped continue the work of the MuttNation Foundation, which Lambert and her mother Bev launched 15 years ago, and has raised more than $10 million to promote adoption, support shelters, aiding with the transport of animals during natural disasters and more. Prior to the show, there was a public dog adoption event held at Ascend Park, with pet shelters taking part, including Crossroads Campus, Nashville Humane, Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary, and Wags and Walks.
The concert opened with a double-shot of Texas country, as Jake Worthington served as the opening act, followed by Miranda’s headlining set. Worthington was raised in La Porte, Texas, just over an hour away from George Jones’ hometown, and his sound is steeped in much of the same honky-tonk forged, deep Texas twang, evidenced by his effortless vocal rendering of songs such as “Next New Thing,” or the earnest balladry in “The State You Left Me In.” Of course, there were plenty of nods to sawdust floors, neon lights and the Lone Star State in songs such as “Honkytonk Crowd” and “Honkytonks in Texas.”
From there, as a glittering saddle hung from above the stage, Lambert launched her “Miranda and Friends” portion of the show with a double-barrel of high-octane songs, “Fastest Girl in Town” and “Kerosene.”
She welcomed a string of guests, as the show toggled between Lambert solo performances and collaborative efforts with her musical cohorts including Worthington, HARDY, Lukas Nelson, Ashley Monroe, Riley Green, Dan + Shay and Little Big Town.
“I work and then I get a concert,” Lambert quipped of watching her fellow musicians perform.
Calling him “country as a biscuit,” Lambert invited Worthington back to the stage. Worthington, who recently shifted from Big Loud Records to Lambert’s label imprint Big Loud Texas, joined her on the pointed ballad “Hello S—ty Day.”
Throughout the evening, she performed many fan-favorites, including “If I Was a Cowboy,” “Mama’s Broken Heart,” “Gunpowder and Lead,” “The House That Built Me” and “Automatic” (with the screens showing several of Lambert’s childhood photos while also chronicling the early days of her musical journey).
Lambert wore a spangly black and neon pink outfit, which Lambert told the crowd was hand-embroidered and, appropriately, featured images of each of her dogs on the outfit. Throughout the evening, screens behind her filled with Images of fiery running horses, cacti, and star-filled skies over desert horizons.
Lambert also offered songs from her new album Postcards From Texas, including “Alimony.” Lambert nodded to MuttNation’s work to helping dog shelters and dogs in need of aid, before introducing another song from her new album, “Dammit Randy.” “Speaking of dogs, I wrote this one for my new record about a guy named Randy. So if you’ve got a Randy in your life and you have somebody you just need to flip the bird to, this is for you.”
She welcomed Nelson to help honor the late singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson by singing a Mere Haggard classic, “Silver Wings,” with Lambert noting, “Because we know Kris loved Merle… we love you, Kris.”
Back in June, Lukas Nelson and his band The Promise of the Real announced they were going on hiatus, while many of the band members would pursue various creative endeavors. During the “Music For Mutts” show, Nelson gave a ferocious solo turn on the group’s “Find Yourself,” spearheaded by Nelson’s pulse-racing guitar riffs, and his gritty, soul-scraping voice.
From there, Lambert welcomed another guest, Riley Green. Lambert noted that after one of his recent concerts near the East Coast was nixed due to Hurricane Helene, Green called to see if he could help with the “Music For Mutts” Show. Green, who is riding high on the success of his collaboration with Ella Langley, “You Look Like You Love Me,” performed his 2019-released “I Wish Grandpas Never Died,” and the female-majority audience took notice, standing up, waving and filming the performance on their phones.
Lambert welcomed her frequent co-writer and Pistol Annies bandmate Ashley Monroe to join her for “Heart Like Mine.” Another of her frequent co-writers, Nashville songwriter luminary Natalie Hemby, joined for a songs they co-wrote, “Bluebird,” as well as a rendition of the Lambert/Jack Ingram/Jon Randal co-write “Geraldene.”
From there, Lambert welcomed Dan+Shay to the stage as they performed their hits “Tequila” and “Speechless,” spearheaded by Shay Mooney’s pitch-perfect vocal. Meanwhile, his bandmate Dan Smyers spoke of how proud they were to take part in the evening, given their shared passion for helping animals. Smyers and his wife Abby helped open a Nashville branch of the animal rescue group Wags & Walks.
One of the most impactful moments came from HARDY, who performed the exquisitely-crafted, unreleased song “Dog Years,” which is sung from the perspective of looking back on an elderly dog’s life and being thankful for the “Dog Years.” He noted that the song was one that helped him get a music publishing deal early in his career, and given how the song brought tears to some in the audience, it does make one wonder why it was never released.
The vocal power and camaraderie onstage continued to reach new heights, thanks to vocal group Little Big Town (whom Lambert previously toured with in 2022 on The Bandwagon Tour), who joined forces with Lambert to collaborate on a range of songs including Little Big Town’s “Boondocks” and “Little White Church,” as well as Lambert’s “White Liar” and “Little Red Wagon.” The evening ended with an “all-sing,” as the entire lineup returned to the stage to perform “(Drunk) And I Don’t Wanna Go Home.”
“Thank you for spending your hard-earned money on some country music and helping doggies,” Lambert said, waving to the crowd.
Taylor Swift was not at Kelce Car Jam, Travis Kelce’s event on his birthday (Saturday, Oct. 5) — but she is expected to attend his next game, the Chiefs player says.
“She will not be here. I know she’s coming in for the game,” the tight end answered when asked about his girlfriend on Saturday, according to Page Six‘s coverage of the event.
Swift, who was last spotted with Kelce the weekend of the U.S. Open (Sept. 8), wasn’t seen at the Kansas City Chiefs’ last two away games. The Chiefs are scheduled for a home game against the New Orleans Saints on Monday (Oct. 7) at Arrowhead Stadium.
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People reports Kelce was joined by parents Donna and Ed, brother Jason and sister-in-law Kylie at Kelce Car Jam. Guests included Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.
Kelce Car Jam is an annual car exhibition that helps raise money for underserved youth in the Kansas City and Cleveland areas with 87 and Running, Travis’ nonprofit organization.
On a recent episode of New Heights, the podcast he hosts with his brother Jason, Travis described the day: “This year is the second year we’ve done a car show, basically a block-party style event, that will showcase some of the city’s top automobiles from the Fuel House, a fun car club out here. And then I guess a bunch of others that are lined up. It’s gonna be fun. I should have my old school ’70 Chevelle all revved up and ready to rock and roll. But if not, I’ll bring one of the other cars that I have.”
Swift recently thanked Kelce in her video of the year acceptance speech at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, held on Sept. 11.
“This video seems very sad when you watch it, but it was actually the most fun video to make,” she said of “Fortnight.” “I would always just hear someone cheering, like, ‘Whoo!’ from across the studio — that one person was my boyfriend, Travis. Everything this man touches turns to happiness and fun and magic, so I want to thank him for adding that to our shoot.”
She’ll soon be back to The Eras Tour for its final leg, with dates in Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Toronto and Vancouver. The career-spanning show has its last performance on Dec. 8. The “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” star has kept quiet about whatever she has up her sleeve for the remainder of 2024 and early 2025.
Cue “Anytime You Need a Friend.” Mariah Carey was asked to give advice to younger artists like Chappell Roan, the “Good Luck, Babe!” singer who’s been grappling with the negative side of a sudden ascent into celebrity. The pop legend didn’t hesitate to commiserate and share what she’s learned.
Roan has been all over newsfeeds after drawing criticism for not endorsing a candidate in the 2024 election, and then canceling two festival performances in order to prioritize her health while things “have gotten overwhelming”; she also was the subject of the most talked-about SNL sketch last weekend. She continues to top charts with her The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess album.
The Associated Press turned to Carey for comment on adjusting to fame, from the perspective of someone who’s been through it.
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Carey didn’t address Roan specifically, but was kind enough to give general guidance to the new generation of pop stars in her response.
“Well, I have been through my share of dramas,” Carey said to the AP. “And it’s not fun because you grow up thinking, ‘I want to be famous.’”
She continued, “I mean, really with me, it was always, ‘I want to be a singer. I want to write songs.’”“But ‘I want to be famous’ was right there with it,” admitted Carey. “I feel like it was probably because I didn’t feel like I was good enough on my own because of the things I went through growing up. And that’s not a good way to feel, you know?”
“My advice would be try your hardest to go into this industry with a love of your talent or what’s really real for you,” said Carey.
“You know, if it’s like, ‘I want to be famous. I want to run around with those people, whoever they are, the famous people,’ then it’s probably not the best idea,” she added.
Chappell does seem to focus on her love for art and performance. But she’s made it known she finds some parts of fame unbearable, particularly the behavior of “superfans” who lack boundaries.
“I chose this career path because because I love music and art and honoring my inner child,” she said to in August. “I do not accept harassment of any kind because I chose this path, nor do I deserve it.”
She asked fans to “please stop touching me. Please stop being weird to my family and friends. Please stop assuming things about me. There is always more to the story. I am scared and tired.”
Roan returned to the road for the remainder of The Midwest Princess Tour following last weekend’s show cancelations. She’s scheduled to wrap the tour in Austin this week.
Michael Stipe and Jason Isbell joined forces to perform a pair of R.E.M. classics during a Pennsylvania campaign event supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
On Friday (Oct. 4), the singer-songwriters took the stage during a Get Out the Vote concert at Pittsburgh’s Schenley Plaza, where Stipe sang R.E.M.’s “The One I Love” and “Driver 8,” which he hadn’t performed live since 2008. The former was the iconic rock band’s first top 10 hit, reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1987.
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The singer-songwriters also teamed up for a handful of songs from Isbell’s catalog, including “Traveling Alone” and “Hope the High Road.”
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During the event, Stipe and Isbell were introduced by potential future First Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who is married to Vice President Harris. Emhoff was present to help rally voters in the battleground state for this year’s Democratic presidential ticket.
“It’s been a while since I’ve sung these songs, 16 years in fact, but I’m really happy to be here with Jason and with the soon-to-be First Gentleman ever of the United States of America,” Stipe told the crowd.
Stipe and Isbell have been vocal in their support for the VP this year, with the “Cover Me Up” singer performing at the Democratic National Convention in August. Stevie Wonder, John Legend, The Chicks, Mickey Guyton and P!nk also took the stage at the Chicago political gathering, while numerous celebrity musicians — including Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Lizzo and Cardi B — have all endorsed Harris for president in 2024.
The Get Out the Vote concert arrived on the heels of the Oct. 1 vice presidential debate between Walz and Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, which took place a few weeks after the Sept. 10 presidential debate between Harris and the former POTUS.
Both campaigns are now working to sway the minds of American voters as Election Day on Nov. 5 approaches, particularly the nation’s swing states of Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Watch Stipe and Isbell’s performances of “The One I Love” and “Driver 8” here.
Mimis Plessas, a beloved Greek composer whose music featured in scores of films, television shows and theatrical productions and who provided the soundtrack to millions of Greeks’ lives, has died just a week shy of his 100th birthday.
His death was confirmed Saturday (Oct. 5) by his wife, Loukila Carrer. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis paid tribute to Plessas, writing, “A leading composer, a great scholar and a kind man has left us.
Born in Athens on Oct. 12, 1924, Plessas began his musical journey at a young age. He became a piano soloist at state radio before entering international piano competitions while still in his 20s. His gift for composition would cement his legacy.
Plessas became a constant presence on Greek television, his mild manner and singalong melodies endearing him to generations. Often seated at the piano, accompanying renowned Greek stars, he was a fixture of musical moments and celebrations for decades, his music becoming intertwined with the nation’s cultural fabric. His 1969 composition, “O Dromos” (The Street), remains one of the highest-selling albums in Greek history.
He collaborated with a constellation of Greek music icons, including Nana Mouskouri, Vicky Leandros, Giannis Poulopoulos, Marinella, and lyricist Lefteris Papadopoulos, shaping the landscape of Greek music. His work defied genre, blending traditional Greek music forms with elements of jazz and classical, creating an easy-on-the-ear signature sound — softer than the hard jangle of many of his contemporaries.
“His ‘Road’ was rich, full of melodies that start from jazz and permeate Greek song, as well as Greek cinema,” Mitsotakis said. “Mimis Plessas was unique, just like the moments he will forever give us with his music.”
Plessas’ contributions extended beyond composing. He produced a popular radio quiz show, In 30 Seconds, and he served as a judge on numerous Greek and international music competition panels. He was also a member of prestigious artistic societies, including the Greek Society of Theatrical Authors and the Society of Greek Composers and Lyricists.
Plessas is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. Funeral arrangements were not immediately known.
From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.
Celiz Cruz’s New Exhibit
The New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream is hosting a new exhibit celebrating Cuban star Celia Cruz, known as “The Queen of Salsa.” The special exhibit will remain open until the end of November, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Cruz, who died in 2003, was inducted to the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2013 in the arts and entertainment category. The New Jersey Hall of Fame has also recognized the late artist’s contributions to culture and communities in Cuba and New Jersey with the renaming of the Forked River Service Area on the Garden State Parkway.
Eduin Caz at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Inauguration
History was made in Mexico when the country held the inauguration for the first-ever female president, Claudia Sheinbaum. There to witness this unprecedented moment was Grupo Firme’s frontman, Eduin Caz, and the group’s manager, Isael Gutiérrez. “You made history, president and friend, I know good things are coming for Mexico,” Caz posted on social media, along with photos of him and Gutiérrez at the ceremony held Oct. 2.
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Noel Schajris Opens Restaurant
Argentine singer and songwriter Noel Schajris is embarking on a new venture. The “Kilometros” singer and his wife Gwendolyn Stephenson opened a new restaurant in the Los Angeles area called Vegan Foodie Bowl. “Happy to cook not only songs in this home … the world will now enjoy what I have appreciated for years … vegan home cooking by the best in the world,” Schajris wrote on social media.
2024 Billboard Latin Music Week Full Schedule
Earlier this week, the full schedule to the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week, taking place Oct. 14-18 in Miami, was unveiled, which you can check out here.
It was also announced that Ana Mena, Belinda, Elvis Crespo, FloyyMenor, George Harris (comedian) and Tito Double P will join Young Miko for the Billboard Latin Music Week 35th anniversary show, set for Friday, Oct.18, at The Fillmore Miami Beach. This event is included for INSIDER PASS HOLDERS. Tickets are available to the public starting at $35.
Billboard Latin Music Week will coincide with the Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will air on Telemundo on Sunday, Oct. 20. Latin Music Week tickets will not include access to the awards show this year. Instead, INSIDER badge holders will receive exclusive invitations to the 35th anniversary star-studded event.
Visit BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com for the latest updates.
