Music
Page: 108

Every night on tour, Olivia Rodrigo performs for countless women and girls – but when they all funnel out of the arenas and festival grounds at the end of each of her shows, she worries constantly for their futures.
That’s why she’s spent almost her entire career advocating for reproductive rights, using her platform to speak out against oppressive policy changes and raising money through her concerts for abortion funds. And on Thursday evening (April 24) at Planned Parenthood of Greater New York’s Spring Into Action Gala in New York City, those efforts were honored by the organization with the designation of 2025’s Catalyst of Change award to the 22-year-old pop star, who asked during her speech, “When I play shows, I look out at crowds filled with young girls and the bond I feel with them is profound… I often wonder, ‘What happens to those girls when they leave those venues? What are their dreams? What kind of world are they returning to?’”
Rodrigo was one of two guests of honor at the night’s celebration at Cipriani South Street in lower Manhattan, with Amanda Zurawski — the Texas woman who sued her home state in 2023 after she nearly died due to pregnancy complications and was denied an abortion — also getting a moment of recognition as this year’s Champion of Change award winner. Past winner Laverne Cox was on hand to present Zurawski with the honor, while the “Vampire” singer’s friend and fellow activist Lily Allen (with whom she chanted “F–k you” to the Supreme Court at her Glastonbury set three years prior, shortly after Roe v. Wade was overturned), gave Rodrigo a heartfelt introduction.
Trending on Billboard
“Olivia, my love, you’re the realest,” the British singer-songwriter gushed after commending Rodrigo for not “[straying] from her values to make powerful people comfortable.” “You use your platform because you actually give a s–t about reproductive freedom and justice. And in this world, genuinely giving a s–t is revolutionary.”
After taking the stage and giving Allen a hug, Rodrigo used her speech to highlight the work of Planned Parenthood and shout out Zurawski — “You deserve this award far more than I do,” the singer said, singling out the activist in the audience — before paying tribute to Cecile Richards, the healthcare organization’s former president who died earlier this year after battling brain cancer.
“It’s a privilege to be here tonight to support an organization that, despite countless obstacles, continues to show up with compassion, hope and dignity for women,” Rodrigo told a crowd of donors and Planned Parenthood of Greater New York board members, who clung to every word. “My greatest wish is that through organizations like Planned Parenthood and the action of everyday citizens, no woman will need to sacrifice her dreams, her health or humanity because of restrictive laws or lack of resources.”
“[Richards] led at a time of relentless attacks on care and constant efforts to silence and shame women into submission,” the three-time Grammy winner added. “She reminds us that standing up for what’s right doesn’t mean we have to be fearless. We can be scared, we can be angry, we can feel hopeless. We just have to fight anyway.”
The event honoring her comes after years of Rodrigo being one of the most vocal and hands-on modern pop stars when it comes to advocating for reproductive freedom. Back in May 2022 at a Sour Tour concert in Washington, D.C., just after the overturning of Roe, she made headlines for telling her crowd, “Our bodies should never be in the hands of politicians … I hope we can raise our voices to protect our right to have a safe abortion, which is a right that so many people before us have worked so hard to get.”
On her next tour in support of 2023 Billboard 200-topping sophomore album Guts, Rodrigo launched her Fund 4 Good, which funneled proceeds from her shows on the trek to local abortion funds. Through the initiative, the Grammy winner also had local abortion funds set up tables at her venues, allowing young fans to learn about reproductive health and resources. In December, she announced that she’d donated more than $2 million in ticket sales from her 2024 Guts Tour — which continues this year with shows in Latin America and Europe as well as a run of global festival dates — to 10 organizations around the world championing girls’ education, reproductive rights and the prevention of gender-based violence.
Read Rodrigo’s full speech at the 2025 Planned Parenthood Spring Into Action Gala below.
Um, first of all, huge thank you to Lily. I absolutely adore you and I’m so grateful that you’re here tonight, thank you. And a huge thank you to Planned Parenthood of Greater New York for this incredible honor.
I feel very fortunate for so many things in my life and my career. Over the past few years, I’ve gotten to live out dreams that I had as a little girl. I’ve traveled the world, I’ve written music that inspires me, and I’ve met so many of the people I grew up worshiping, like Miss Lily, for example.
But perhaps the greatest privilege this career has given me is connection with women through my music. When I play shows, I look out at crowds filled with young girls and the bond I feel with them is profound. To be in a space where we can all feel safe to be wild, emotional and carefree is incredibly powerful, and even though we’re not speaking one on one, those moments where we sing together and lock eyes, something real forms. It feels like we’re part of each other’s lives. I often wonder, ‘What happens to those girls when they leave those venues? What are their dreams? What kind of world are they returning to?
We live in a world that politicizes our bodies and uses harmful ideologies to deny us safety and healthcare, and it breaks my heart to think that, because of oppressive laws and outdated policies, some of those girls may not get to follow their dreams the way I was able to follow mine. Just a year ago, fueled by heartbreak and anger over what was happening in the world, I launched my Fund 4 Good, a global initiative that supports local nonprofits, championing reproductive freedom, girls’ education and the prevention of gender-based violence. A portion of my tour proceeds went to the fund, and I’m proud to share that we’ve raised and donated over $2 million to organizations around the world.
I’m so, so incredibly humbled to be here amongst so many real-life heroes in the fight for freedom of choice. Amanda, wherever you are – where are you? Oh, hi Amanda! I’m absolutely floored by your story. Your ability to turn something so heartbreaking and painful into such powerful activism is so incredibly inspiring. I’m just so in awe of you. You deserve this award far more than I do, and I’m just very honored to stand with you tonight and celebrate your bravery.
I can’t express how much I admire Planned Parenthood and the life-saving work that they do. Providing affordable healthcare, cancer screenings, birth control, STD testing, and abortion care, amongst so many other things, gives women the autonomy to care for themselves and shape their futures. It’s a privilege to be here tonight to support an organization that, despite countless obstacles, continues to show up with compassion, hope and dignity for women. My greatest wish is that through organizations like Planned Parenthood and the action of everyday citizens, no woman will need to sacrifice her dreams, her health or humanity because of restrictive laws or lack of resources.
Before I go, I want to honor Cecile Richards. She led at a time of relentless attacks on care and constant efforts to silence and shame women into submission, but Cecile stood her ground, and in doing so, she stood up for millions of us. I never got the chance to meet her, but her legacy of resilience and decency continues to impact me. She reminds us that standing up for what’s right doesn’t mean we have to be fearless. We can be scared, we can be angry, we can feel hopeless. We just have to fight anyway. Thank you again, so much.
Kylie Minogue had to call off what was going to be her first-ever show in Denver, CO this week for the very best reason. The Australian dance pop legend was slated to play at Ball Arena on Tuesday (April 29), but because the hometown Denver Nuggets are still in the playoff hunt and have a […]

Jelly Roll stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday night (April 24) to talk about the hardest part of being an American Idol mentor, leaving the continent for the first time on his upcoming tour with Post Malone and why he’s on the verge of jumping out of a plane and doing other wild stunts now that he’s nearing his goal weight.
Jelly, of course, talked about his recent weigh loss, which he said he couldn’t make sound cool, since it basically involves eating a “lot of protein and vegetables” and walking. It’s clearly working, with Jelly Roll saying he’s lost “an entire Jimmy Kimmel” to date, or around 200 pounds.
That means he’s nearing the ability to do the “fun stuff” he said you can do when you are under 250 lbs. “I want to skydive, I want to ride a roller coaster, I want to ride a bull. I know it sounds crazy [but] I want to wrestle an alligator,” he said.
Trending on Billboard
And, on the night when his beloved Tennessee Titans football team made news for snagging quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, Jelly Roll admitted that his pep talk to the team before their dismal 3-13 season last year may have been a mistake. “I prayed you didn’t talk about this on TV!” Jelly laughed, swearing that he won’t go anywhere near Nissan Stadium until the team gets at least one win this year.
“Could you imagine that? I finally get to go talk to my lifelong favorite football team, Jimmy and I’m giving them what I think is the most inspirational speech of their careers,” he said. “I left there like, ‘we’re going to the playoffs, baby!’ And then we laid an absolute turd!” He also recalled being right up close to the legendary “Music City Miracle,” a vaunted Jan. 2000 moment during the Titans’ AFC Wild Card playoff game against the Bills at home when Kevin Dyson ran 75 years on a lateral to score the winning touchdown.
Well, Jelly wasn’t there there. He was locked up on the second floor of juvie across the street, where he could just make out half the field and half the scoreboard while sharing a peek through a window with a couple other guys. “I had a skybox. I was on level two. I had a bird’s eye view,” he joked.
With his felonious days long behind him, Jelly Roll crowed about his upcoming first international dates as part of Post Malone’s summer Big Ass tour. “This is a big deal… I think that y’all have already figured out that I’m a convicted felon by this conversation,” he said of the reason he’s not been able to tour in Europe before now. In fact, earlier this week, the singer was in Nashville to speak to the Tennessee Parole Board before they recommended that the state’s Governor consider pardoning Jelly (born Jason DeFord), a move that would make it easier for him to travel the world more freely.
“I got my passport last year and I was excited,” he said of his first venture out of the U.S. to play a handful of Canadian dates. “I said, ‘the United States of America has finally allowed me leave! I have redeemed myself!’ I didn’t know how many countries wasn’t gonna let me in! I had trouble getting into Mexico. It was bad. I’m not making this up!”
Jelly also talked to Kimmel about being the “internal hype man” on American Idol as a mentor to his “little Jelly Babies,” and not realizing how hard it was going to be for him when they get voted off. “I’m taking it worse than them. One of them came off last week and I’m, like, sobbing and she’s like, ‘I’m going to be okay.’ And I’m like, ‘I’m so sorry! I just really love you!’”
The singer returned later in the show to perform the country rock gospel anthem “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Christian singer Brandon Lake.
Over a month since ZZ Top announced drummer Frank Beard would be sitting out a number of tour dates over an unspecified “health issue,” it’s been confirmed that his absence will now extend to the band’s forthcoming Australian tour.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In a statement issued on Thursday (April 24), promoters Live Nation explained that Beard will not be joining his bandmates on the forthcoming trek, “as recommended by medical personnel.”
The Texas trio revealed on March 15 that Beard would be absent from the group’s current Elevation tour due to the need to undergo an unspecified health procedure. “Shelter Music Group, ZZ Top’s management, has announced the band’s drummer, Mr. Frank Beard, has temporarily stepped away from the current tour to attend a health issue requiring his focus in the near term,” a social media post from the band read.
Trending on Billboard
“Beard, along with fellow ZZ Top members Billy F Gibbons and Elwood Francis, presently on the Elevation tour since March 5, have engaged fellow Texan and longtime tech member, percussionist and drummer, John Douglas, for the interim.”
Douglas has long maintained a close relationship with both Beard and his bandmates, having previously sat in for the drummer during a Paris performance in October 2002 when he underwent an emergency appendectomy.
“Beard’s continued physical therapy has shown to be very effective in dealing with the issue that caused him to leave the recent US leg of the tour,” Live Nation’s statement continued. “While cheered by the positive news, band and management believe that his total recovery must be priority #1.
“Beard’s attending physicians have suggested more physical therapy over a longer period would potentially achieve better and longer lasting results, and this will now be his focus.”
Beard has been the drummer of ZZ Top since 1969, when he took over from co-founder Dan Mitchell. Alongside vocalist and guitarist Billy Gibbons, Mitchell and bassist Lanier Greig had founded the band that same year.
Following Grieg’s replacement by Billy Ethridge, Dusty Hill assumed the role of bassist in 1970, with their lineup remaining unchanged for 51 years until Hill’s death at 72 in 2021. Elwood Francis has since served as the group’s bassist.
The group will embark upon their first Australian tour since 2013 on Saturday, April 26th. The ten-date tour will conclude in mid-May, with a handful of New Zealand tour dates to be followed by an additional North American trek in June. The band’s 51-date trek will run through until October.
More than 52 years since the release of their last record, the surviving members of English blues-rockers Faces are in the process of preparing a new album.
Word of the forthcoming LP was shared by Faces drummer Kenney Jones in an interview with The Telegraph. The article itself notes that the band have teased an album for four years now, with Rod Stewart confirming its existence in 2021, and again claiming in 2024 that “We haven’t finished it yet, but we’ll finish it this year, I promise.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In his latest interview, Jones revealed that he and his bandmates have recorded “about 11 tracks” at RAK Studios in London. Jones also confirmed that musician and television personality Jools Holland also contributed to one track. “Not all of them are going to be right [for the album],” he noted. “But most of them are good.
Trending on Billboard
“I can’t see it coming out this year,” he added. “But I can see it coming out next year. Everyone’s doing different things. We do little snippets [of recording] here and there. Then all of a sudden, The Stones are out [on tour] again, Rod’s out again…”
First formed in 1969 as the result of a merger between members of Small Faces and the Jeff Beck Group, Faces existed for just six years before guitarist Ronnie Wood left to join the Rolling Stones, and Stewart continued his ongoing solo career.
The group would release four albums throughout their career, with 1971’s A Nod Is As Good As a Wink… to a Blind Horse becoming their most successful, hitting No. 6 on the Billboard 200. The record would spawn the single “Stay with Me,” which peaked at No. 17 on the Hot 100, and would be followed by their final studio release, Ooh La La, in 1973.
While founding bassist Ronnie Lane would pass away in 1997, keyboardist Ian McLagan would also pass in 2014. Though a series of reunions would take place in the years since their initial dissolution, Faces have been considered something of a going concern since their performance of “Stay With Me” at the 2020 Brit Awards.
Stewart is currently scheduled to perform in the Sunday evening Legends Slot at the 2025 Glastonbury Festival, with a series of Las Vegas residency dates also set to run until October.
The Super Slimey duo has reunited. Young Thug is back with his first single since being released from jail in October as the Future-assisted “Money on Money” arrived on Friday (April 25). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Money on Money” is slated to appear on Thugger’s upcoming […]
PinkPantheress was born in Bath, England, and raised in Kent, but on Friday (April 25), she came “Stateside” for her latest single. “Stateside” arrives three weeks after “Tonight,” the lead single from her upcoming mixtape, Fancy That, which is out May 9 via Parlophone and Warner Records. The club anthem, which samples Panic! At the […]
Megan Thee Stallion season has returned with plenty of time to heat up before the summer. The Houston Hottie has kicked off her next era with the arrival of “Whenever” on Friday (April 25). Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The fiery track serves as Meg’s first […]
Peter Criss, the co-founding drummer of rock veterans KISS, has announced the release of his first solo album in almost two decades.
News of Criss’ forthcoming LP was announced via a short video from fansite KissFAQ, where band historian Julian Gill shared details of the record.
“I have an announcement,” Criss tells fans in the video. “I have my new rock and roll album to [share with] you KISS Army guys coming out in the fall, and I really hope you like it, man. And I wanna say God bless to each and every one of you.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Gill then took over with the reporting, noting that the record is a “hard rock, kick-ass album” that features the production work of Barry Pointer, while Criss is joined by guitarists John 5 and Mike McLaughlin, bassists Billy Sheehan and Matthew Montgomery, and pianist Paul Shaffer. The record also features the talents of backing vocalists Dennis and Sharron Collins, and Cathryn Manning.
“I was honored to listen to this album at Peter’s studio with him last night, and it was absolutely amazing to hear this new music,” adds Gill. “It was vibrant and powerful.
Trending on Billboard
“I’m so excited for it to be released, and I think KISS fans are gonna love this album. Peter’s drum sound is absolutely massive and his vocals are powerful. Barry Pointer’s production is stunning, and Peter’s got an incredible group of musicians and background vocalists behind him.”
The as-yet-untitled studio album will be Criss’ first solo release since 2007’s One for All, which itself arrived 13 years after his previous solo release. Criss had previously touched upon a new solo album back in 2017, revealing that he had a “half-finished rock album” whose composition could be traced back to before his 2008 diagnosis with breast cancer. However, Criss explained at the time that his retirement from the touring circuit would hopefully result in its completion.
Criss initially departed KISS in 1980, having performed his last show with the band in December 1979. He would later rejoin the band in 1996 as part of their original lineup reunion, and following a brief departure in 2001, would rejoin the band until his final exit in 2004.
While former KISS members Ace Frehley and Bruce Kulick would make guest appearances with the band in their final years, Criss did not take part in any additional shows with the band following his departure, and has not performed live since his retirement from touring in June 2017.

Joe Jonas is going offline for his first solo single of the year.
Ahead of his forthcoming sophomore solo album, Music for People Who Believe in Love, the second-eldest JoBro has released his long-teased “Heart by Heart,” a booming, reflective track that blends a pop foundation with elements of ’90s country and arena rock. “Well, if he don’t ever light your spark/ Remember, I know your heart by heart,” he sings in the pre-chorus over swirling guitars and percussion, striking an impressive balance between dirty macking and heartfelt ode to the enduring power of genuine connections.
As the third offering from Music for People following 2024’s “Work It Out” and “What This Could Be,” “Heart By Heart” further solidifies Joe’s solo sound and differentiates from his work alongside his brothers and DNCE bandmates – as well as the electropop throughlines of his 2011 debut LP, Fastlife.
Accompanying the new single is a Bleeker Street Bar-set music video that finds Jonas embodying the ethos of Heineken’s new “Social Off Socials” campaign. Launched on Thursday (April 24), the new campaign seeks to remind consumers that the original social network is the bar – and that no mode of communication beats in-person connections. It’s a poignant message for a population still recovering from the psychological and emotional impact of not just the COVID-19 pandemic, but also the ever-growing pressures of existing in the digital age. Jonas also stars in the beer brand’s new video spot, which features him dramatizing his reaction to empty social media feeds before eventually stumbling on a packed bar.
Trending on Billboard
On the evening of the campaign launch, Jonas and Heineken teamed up for a special event at Bleeker Street Bar, where the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter played “Heart by Heart” for the first time in front of an audience free of phones and social media. He even captured the crowd’s real-time reactions for the track’s forthcoming music video, playing the song twice, with a passionate rendition of “What This Could Be” sandwiched in between. Jonas will unleash his full Music for People Who Believe in Love LP on May 23 via Republic Records. Alongside his solo efforts, Jonas and his brothers will release their seventh studio album, Greetings from Your Hometown, on Aug. 8 — a little over four months after the band hosted JonasCon to celebrate their 20-year anniversary.
“I chose to debut my new song offline and in-person because it felt like the perfect time to return to what music is really about: connecting with people,” Jonas said. “The crowd was so real, so present, and completely locked into the music – that is something you can’t experience by watching on social media.”
During the video shoot, Billboard got some time with Jonas himself as he opened up about recording “Heart by Heart,” his favorite poets, and resuming his solo musical journey nearly 15 years after his debut.
What was the writing process for “Heart by Heart” like?
[“Heart By Heart”] was actually pitched to me [by] Savan Kotecha. He wrote it with Lewis Capaldi, and I just loved the messaging behind it. I really felt connected to it, so we did some tweaks, and I recorded it last year around the summer or fall. We held onto the song for a while. It felt like the song I really wanted to be the next single of my album, so I’m positioning it in a way where it speaks to where I’m at in my life and the emotional side of where I’m at. I’ve teased it long enough, so I’m eager for people to hear it.
How many takes did it take for you to nail that bridge?
Savan and the whole Max Martin team are brilliant because they will be very particular about what they want, and that’s always really encouraging. They’ll hear something and be like, “Eh, the diction on this word, etc.” [The song] took a few takes, but ultimately, when you connect with anything, it falls together quite quickly. For me, I thought it was pretty natural to get into the song emotionally. The bridge [took] a few takes, but honestly, the song itself happened quite fast – all the mixing and that.
Why does this feel like the right song to launch alongside the Heineken campaign?
I think it was good timing. Heineken came with this amazing campaign of being present [and it resonated with me]. We’re all on our phones all the time, doom-scrolling; I’ll be in bed and be like, “I could be doing so many things right now.” I went to the Masters Tournament recently, and you’re not allowed to have your phone there. The anxiousness you get is crazy; I get in line to order a drink, I’m checking my pockets, and it’s like, “Wait a minute, I can just be.” It’s a nice reminder to be present. I was about to release the song, and they were about to launch the campaign, and we chose the same day.
What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned about yourself since returning to solo work?
It’s been a minute since I’ve released anything [solo]. The last album that I did by myself, I’m very proud of. There were a lot of cooks in the kitchen at that time in my life. I was surrounded by a lot of people that I just said, “Yes, and” to. Now, knowing who I am, feeling confident, and looking at my life, I’m so grateful for the friends and family I have around me. And I get to do it again 20-something years later, and find creative ways to speak to what I’ve been through. I know the difference of when it’s a [Jonas] Brothers song or a DNCE song; the music I’ve been making felt really personal. And I selfishly didn’t want to share it with other people. This needed to come from my voice in particular.
What are some of those musical elements that help you differentiate between a solo song, a JoBros song and a DNCE song?
DNCE – our drummer Jack [Lawless] is here, actually – is a funky, sexy, wild, free band, and our audience loves that. We’re a party band; a bar wouldn’t be an unfamiliar place to find us. For the [Jonas] Brothers, [we’re] the guys you know and grew up with. It’s like a warm hug; it’s emotional. But, lyrically, sometimes we can’t always speak. We have three minds going through three different things in our lives. With my solo album, I feel like this music is like my journal that I carry around all the time, and the poetry I’ve been working on.
Who are some of your favorite poets? 
I have a few! Mary Oliver is probably my favorite among many people. I love her poetry. At the beginning of my solo shows right now, I project a Mary Oliver poem [“The Journey”] about realizing the only person you can save is yourself. It’s so powerful. I’m most encouraged by her writing.
What’s your go-to bar order?
I usually go with tequila. Tequila soda with an orange wedge. I don’t know why, but I’m doing the rocks glass — it feels like it tastes different from a tall glass. I’ve also been getting into martinis.
What’s your go-to bar song?
If you’re doing karaoke, you can always do “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and everyone is thrilled. If it’s just me, I like “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. But I’ve Shazamed Brazilian and Spanish hip-hop, so it can be different for any setting.
Where’s your dream place to perform “Heart by Heart?”
A giant stadium, so hopefully this song will be popular enough by when we open the tour on Aug. 10 and people request it!