Music

07 Aug 2024

Galantis Reflects on Career, Collaborations and More in Exclusive Q&A

This article was created in partnership with White Claw.

Christian Karlsson, better known as “Bloodshy,” has been producing for almost two and a half decades. What started as producing and songwriting in Sweden quickly evolved into working with high-profile pop stars around the world. After landing on Galantis as his mainstay project, Karlsson has amassed over 6.6 billion worldwide streams and a No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart with Pharmacy.
Galantis has been busy over the years since its inception, playing venues and festivals across the globe and releasing four albums— most recently, Rx in May 2024, featuring collaborations with 5 Seconds of Summer, JVKE, Little MIX, MNEK and more. Ahead of his festival appearance in Chicago, Galantis delighted fans with a performance and intimate Q&A at the White Claw Shore Club Sessions Powered by Billboard. Get a glimpse into the international producer/DJ’s life and latest album Rx below.

On his biggest hit “Runaway (U & I)”being a decade old
I still love to perform it and I still love working on it and changing it in terms of, like, doing mashups and stuff. I’m in a good position being an artist that could still change the song because in DJ culture, that’s something you’re supposed to do. So to me, I can always keep it fresh by just changing it for every night the way I want to perform it.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

On sharing his ADHD diagnosis with the world
It’s scary, you know – I never talked about it with even family before, but other people came to me and helped me out by telling their stories. I thought I owed it to whoever, even if it’s one person, you know, I owe it to tell my story.

Trending on Billboard

On why Galantis has longevity in the music industry
I think sticking to my guns, just doing music that I like, doing music that inspires me and taking risks and not listening to what anyone else is doing, you know? Not caring about if your stock is up or down, not following trends, whatever. I just go to the studio the same way I went to the studio when I was 14. It’s about that kick in the snare, and it’s about that chord, and it’s about that melody, and then that’s it.

See more from the White Claw Shore Club Sessions Powered by Billboard with Galantis here.

07 Aug 2024

Here’s Why Taylor Swift Fans Think She Just Subtly Endorsed Kamala Harris for President

As one of the most influential stars in the world, Taylor Swift has many Americans on the edges of their seats as they wait to see whether the 14-time Grammy winner will endorse Kamala Harris‘ 2024 campaign for president. 

And though she has yet to come forward with her support, some fans think Swift may have just subtly hinted that she’s on the Democratic nominee’s side. That’s because a Harris-like silhouette appears in the background of a photo the 14-time Grammy winner posted Tuesday (Aug. 6) of her Warsaw Eras Tour performances at PGE Narodowy, walking in the opposite direction upstage wearing a pantsuit and giving a presidential wave. 

Swift didn’t acknowledge the ambiguous female figure in her caption, instead simply thanking her “beautiful crowds” in Poland “for making us the first tour to play 3 nights in a row in your stadium!!” A source close to the pop superstar told The Hollywood Reporter that the shadowy figure was simply the silhouette of one of the background singers, something that appears regularly in Swift’s show.

Still, several fans took to social media to speculate that the photo was the “Anti-Hero” singer’s quiet way of giving Harris her stamp of approval.  

“Taylor Swift just low key endorsed Kamala Harris and MAGA is losing their minds,” one person wrote on X, while another fan tweeted, “It really feels like it should be a bigger deal that Taylor Swift left a shadow of Kamala on her Instagram post but I don’t really see anyone talking about it.” 

“TAYLOR!!! Tell me more about this pic on IG from Warsaw?!?!” a third person tweeted. “We all know TS is amazing with her breadcrumbs… hope the deliberate posting of this pic hints at what #SwiftiesForHarris are hoping for!” 

One fan wrote, “Taylor Swift casually dropped this photo to endorse Kamala Harris why is NO ONE talking about this ???.”  

If she did intend to back Harris with her post, Swift would be one of many musicians to join the sitting VP’s cause. Cardi B, Lizzo, John Legend, Ariana Grande and many more have also posted in support of the candidate, while Megan Thee Stallion performed at Harris’ Atlanta rally earlier this month. Quavo spoke at the same rally, and — as first reported by Billboard — Bon Iver is set to take the stage at her upcoming campaign stop in Wisconsin. 

It also wouldn’t be the first time Swift has aligned herself with Harris and the Democratic party. In 2020, the musician endorsed Joe Biden’s White House bid and revealed she’d be cheering on his then-running mate during the vice presidential debate — an event for which she showed off a tray of Biden-Harris sugar cookies. “Gonna be watching and supporting @KamalaHarris by yelling at the tv a lot,” Swift tweeted at the time. 

That said, other fans weren’t so quick to take Swift’s recent post as the “Karma” artist endorsing Harris — not yet, anyway. “It’s not a Kamala endorsement,” one person wrote on X. I promise when Taylor endorses her, the entire world will know. She won’t be subtle about it. ???” 

07 Aug 2024

Ye & Ty Dolla $ign Release ‘Vultures 2’ Deluxe With Bonus Track ‘Take Off Your Dress’

Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — and Ty Dolla $ign have released a digital deluxe edition to their evolving Vultures 2 album.

The V2 deluxe was released on Tuesday night (Aug. 6) on Yeezy’s website. It comes equipped with updated songs and a bonus track titled “Take Off Your Dress.” Featuring a Talmadge Armstrong “Please Make It Good Again” sample, the track was a Vultures session holy grail, and many fans figured there were clearance issues keeping it from making the album on streaming services.

The Yeezy team appears to have gotten over that hurdle, with the song being added as a bonus on the deluxe. New Yeezy chief of staff Eric J. Cui reportedly says the song will eventually appear on streaming platforms. Fans can purchase the deluxe with “Take Off Your Dress” on the Yeezy website for $5.

Cui confirmed to Billboard that the album will continue to be updated, with every track being remastered in the coming days. Several songs have already been sonically cleaned up, with new mixes replacing original versions on streaming services.

Trending on Billboard

This isn’t the only deluxe that will be released for Vultures 2, either. Cui says more tracks are on the way, but they’ll be unleashed packaged into separate deluxe albums.

Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department returned to the top of the latest Billboard 200, and is standing in the way of Ye earning a 12th No. 1 album. West doesn’t appear to be doing much to help his own cause in that regard, since he’s yet to publicly acknowledge or post about Vultures 2 on his social media accounts.

A rumored release date for V2 was slated for Aug. 2 when Ye and Ty kicked off the project’s rollout with the arrival of “Slide” as the lead single. Following a YouTube live stream premiere in the early hours of Saturday (Aug. 3), Vultures 2 began popping up on streaming services.

The Vultures duo is slated to bring the album to Salt Lake City on Friday (Aug. 9) for a listening experience before heading to Asia later this month.

07 Aug 2024

Liza Minnelli Prepping Tell-All Memoir About ‘Life, Loves and Family’: ‘It’s My Own Damn Story’

Liza Minnelli is getting ready to tell her story, her way. The legendary singer and actress is preparing a memoir for the spring 2026 that the 78-year-old EGOT icon said in a statement comes after a lifetime of requests to spill the tea.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“Since I was old enough to put pencil to paper, people asked me to write books about my career … my life … my loves … my family,” said Minnelli in an announcement on Tuesday (August 6) from the book’s publisher, Grand Central Publishing. “Absolutely not! ‘Tell it when I’m gone!’ Was my philosophy. So, why did I change my mind? A sabotaged appearance at the Oscars, in front of billions of people … a film with twisted half-truths … a recent miniseries that just didn’t get it right. All made by people who didn’t know my family, and don’t really know me. Finally, I was mad as hell! Over dinner one night, I decided, it’s my own damn story … I’m gonna share it with you because of all the love you’ve given me.”

The memoir was written with contributions from two Pulitzer Prize winners, two-time George Polk Award winner Heidi Evans and veteran Los Angeles Times correspondent and arts/entertainment/politics reporter Josh Getlin, as well as Tony winner and Minnelli’s longtime friend performer and music historian Michael Feinstein.

Trending on Billboard

“I turned to my most beloved friend, Michael Feinstein and yelled: ‘Help!’ We’ve been joined at the hip for 40 years. As Ambassador of the Great American Songbook and my absolute favorite collaborator, Michael’s one of the greats, he’s razor-sharp and, and he tells the truth,” Minnelli continued. “That’s important because, as I fly towards my eighth decade of living, memories differ… This tome has a unique place in history. Most of you don’t know how far back we go. The Minnellis have been in show business for literally hundreds of years!”

The book promises to trace Minnelli’s path from her early years in the spotlight as the daughter of the beloved singer/performer Judy Garland and film director Vincent Minnelli, through her Oscar-winning rise to global fame as Sally Bowles in the 1972 movie musical Cabaret. It will also touch on Minnelli’s long career as an interpreter of the Great American Songbook, her struggle with drugs and alcohol and serious illness and a late-career resurgence as the belovedly daffy Lucille “Lucille Two” Austero on fourth season of the sitcom Arrested Development.

A description of the book from “one of the most iconic and enduring figures in entertainment history,” describes a journey from Minnelli’s early days as a teenage stage performer through her “high-octane marriages and struggles with substance abuse, this memoir offers an intimate look at the star we cherish. It reveals the raw and triumphant experiences that have solidified her status as one of the most compelling performers ever in entertainment history.”

The book, which will be published in hardcover print, e-book and audio editions in spring 2026, will pull back the curtain on what GCP senior vice president and editor-in-chief Colin Dickerman said is a fascinating life that has long transfixed Minnelli’s fervent fans. “From the moment she was born, people have been telling Liza’s story,” Dickerman said. “She is now, after a life of many dizzying triumphs and some terrifying lows, finally ready to tell it herself. Grand Central is absolutely thrilled to help bring this book into the world.”

Tony winner Feinstein’s contribution is described as highlighting Minnelli’s most significant contributions to the American Lexicon, with an audio edition that will feature bonus content with never-released autobiographical “recordings and musings” that the longtime friends have been working on for 15 years. In addition to her Grammy-winning recordings, Minnelli also made her mark in movies (New York, New York, Arthur) TV (Liza With a ‘Z’: A Concert For Television) and her legendary stage runs at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall.

“Today, after incredible events and life-threatening battles … I am truly ‘Lady Peaceful, Lady Happy,’” said Minnelli in a lyrical nod to “Maybe This Time” from Cabaret. “Thank you all for loving me so much … being concerned about me. I want you to know I’m still here, still kickin’ ass, still loving life and still creating. So, until this book arrives, know that I’m laughing, safe in every way, surrounded by loved ones, and excited to see what’s right around the curve of life. Kids, wait ’til you hear this!”

07 Aug 2024

Mary J. Blige Talks Rock Hall Induction & ‘My Life’ 30th Anniversary: ‘My Fans Have Given Me So Much’

On Tuesday morning (Aug. 7), Mary J. Blige helped renowned chocolate company Ghiradelli open its first-ever Chocolate and Ice Cream shop in New York City.

Located on the ground floor level of the Empire State Building, Blige was there to cut the ribbon for the store’s grand opening alongside Ghiradelli CEO Joel Burrows. The first 102 fans who made their way to the store received a free Hot Fudge Sundae. Blige, a chocolate enthusiast, savored the opportunity to partner with the company, noting her ultimate ice cream cone would consist of vanilla ice cream, caramel, strawberry sauce, nuts, and a little fudge.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

While yesterday was a day of indulgence for Blige, as she savored some decadent sweets, the R&B legend’s 2024 has been nothing short of a whirlwind — culminating in her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, to be officially held in October. Blige’s induction headlines a star-studded class, sharing the spotlight with the likes of Cher, The Dave Matthews Band, Ozzy Osbourne, Kool & The Gang and A Tribe Called Quest.

Trending on Billboard

“It means so much because I worked so hard,” Blige told Billboard ahead of the store opening. “My fans have given me so much, and when I say, ‘We did it,’ I mean my fans and I. We did this because, without them, there’s no me. Through all my blood, sweat, and tears, suffering, getting up, and falling down, they were there. It means a lot to accomplish something like that.”

Along with celebrating her induction, Blige also looks forward to the 30th anniversary of her seminal sophomore album My Life. Released in 1994, My Life spawned classic singles from Blige like “Be Happy,” “I’m Goin Down,” “Mary Jane,” and the title track.

“That album is so important, because it was so pivotal for when it came time for me to choose,” she says. “I was in a dark place where I didn’t wanna live, and I was begging people to love me and stay with me. Now, I’m not begging anyone to love and stay with me. I love myself. I found my real love. My true love is myself and I. That’s why when it was time for me to choose the My Life album, I chose my life. I chose my life and my fans when it was time to make that turn because I didn’t want to off myself and take half my fanbase with me. That didn’t seem right. I always had a conscious and a spiritual grounding. That’s what made me choose.”

Another milestone inching towards its 30th anniversary is Method Man and Blige’s Grammy-winning smash “I’ll Be There for You/You’re All I Need to Get By.” With a friendship spanning three decades, the two polymaths won their first Grammy together, and now co-star in the acclaimed Starz series Ghost.

“I was a full Method Man and Wu-Tang Clan fan,” Blige remembers. “So Meth did the song in the studio; I believe it was his birthday, and they were there watching me record that song. Meth was so happy. He’s such a beautiful, sweet man. I love him so much. When we did the video, the same thing happened. I had a blast. He’s a beautiful man.”

Though Blige is enjoying her memories from the past, she’ll look into the future when she brings back her Strength of a Woman celebration. This year, she got the festival to New York, her stomping grounds, and brought out 50 Cent, Jadakiss, Jill Scott, Fat Joe and more big names during Mother’s Day weekend at Barclays Center. Blige reveals this won’t be a one-time thing, as she plans to return to Mecca next year with her empowering summit.

[“New York”] was where I originally wanted Strength of a Woman to be, because this is where I’m from and we need it,” says Blige. “New York needs it. It’s home. It’s here to stay and will be here next year.”

07 Aug 2024

Forrest Frank Launches Atop Top Christian Albums With ‘Child of God’

Singer-songwriter Forrest Frank’s 20-song album Child of God arrives at the Top Christian Albums summit on the chart dated Aug. 10. The album, released on July 26, earned 22,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Aug. 1, according to Luminate. Album sales comprised 10,000 of that sum.

Houston-native Frank, who first caught traction on social media sites like TikTok, earns an impressive start. It marks the biggest week for a Christian album since the spring of 2023, when on the May 27-dated tally Lauren Daigle’s self-titled LP debuted with 25,000 units including 20,000 in sales.

Child of God is the 29-year-old Frank’s second Top Christian Albums appearance, following his four-track EP, God Is Good which debuted at its No. 5 high on April 27 with 4,000 units. All four of those tracks from the EP are also included on Frank’s new set. The lead single, “Good Day,” ranks at its No. 2 best on the streaming-, airplay and sales based Hot Christian Songs list in its 28th frame. It drew 2.5 million official U.S. streams in the latest tracking week and sold 1,000 downloads. Over on Country Airplay the song ranks at No. 8 with 4.5 million audience impressions (up 6%).

Wells Is ‘Back’ at No. 1

Tauren Wells nets his fourth chart-topper on Christian Airplay as, “Take It All Back,” featuring Davies, rises 2-1 in its 26th chart week. The single advanced by 5% to 6.6 million impressions. Wells co-authored “Take It All Back” with Daifah Davies, Ethan Hulse Tedd Tjornhom and Colby Wedgeworth.

The song marks the first No. 1 in Davies’ first chart appearance. The singer, full-name, Daifah Davies who is originally from Liberia, doubles as a member of Wells’ touring band.

As for Wells, “Take It All Back,” becomes his fourth Christian Airplay No. 1 among eight top 10s and 21 chart entries. It’s his first leader since, “Famous For (I Believe),” featuring Jenn Johnson, which led for a week in January 2021.

Jenkins Banks His Seventh No. 1

Veteran gospel artist Charles Jenkins notches his seventh No. 1 on Gospel Airplay as “God Be Praised,” featuring Elder Eric Thomas, ascends 4-1.

“God Be Praised,” which was solely penned by Jenkins, is his fourth straight leader. It follows “Never Knew Love” with his longtime backing group Fellowship Chicago and Stephanie Mills, which ruled for a week in August 2022; before that, as featured with Kenny Lewis and One Voice’s “He’s Been Good,” which also included Bridgette Hurt and Lemmie Battles. That hit reigned for a week in February 2022; and “He’ll Make it Alright,” with Fellowship Chicago, which dominated for two frames in February 2021.

As for featured vocalist Elder Eric Thomas, it’s his first leader in his first appearance. Thomas is pastor at the Greater Harvest M.B. Church in Chicago.

07 Aug 2024

ACM Honors Will Air on Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media in New Partnership

This year’s Academy of Country Music Honors will air on Dr. Phil’s new Merit Street Media in the first step of a new broader partnership between the two entities.

Airing Sept. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT, the annual ACM Honors will recognize previously announced honorees including ACM Lifting Lives Award recipient Luke Bryan, ACM Poet’s Award recipient Alan Jackson, ACM Triple Crown recipient Lainey Wilson and ACM Icon Award recipient Trisha Yearwood, as well as executives Walt Aldridge, Tony Brown and Shannon Sanders.

Hosted by multiple ACM Award winner Carly Pearce and reigning ACM song of the year winner Jordan Davis, the ceremony will take place Aug. 21 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and feature performances from Eric Church, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Tyler Hubbard, Jamey Johnson, Ashley McBryde and Keith Urban, among others. Hubbard will also present the ACM studio recording and industry awards. 

Trending on Billboard

“We’re excited to partner with Merit Street Media to bring one of my favorite nights of the year, ACM Honors, to households across North America through this growing network,” said Damon Whiteside, CEO of the Academy of Country Music, in a statement. “With so many great performances honoring some of country music’s biggest stars, we can’t wait for fans to tune in to this event on Merit Street, and in the months ahead, we plan to bring even more content focused on Country Music to the Merit Street viewers.” 

Though Whiteside declined to provide specifics, according to a press release, the two entities will explore programming opportunities around country music performances, behind-the-scenes and lifestyle moments, documentaries and more.

“For our first step into music programming, we can’t imagine a better marriage than Merit Street with ACM,” said Merit’s EVP/COO, Joel Cheatwood. “To kick this off with such an amazing celebration as ACM Honors is exactly what we aspired to deliver to viewers, and we look forward to creating additional original country music content for fans everywhere.”

Merit Street Media, which launched in April, dubs itself as a “destination for news and entertainment that respects your intelligence,” and is a partnership with Trinity Broadcasting Network. According to Merit Street Media, its programming reach extends to more than 80 million television homes through cable, satellite, streaming and free over-the-air platforms, including  DirecTV, Dish, U-Verse and Samsung TV Plus, as well as Apple TV, Android TV, Fire TV, and Roku. Also among its programming are Professional Bull Riders events, which air live. 

The previous two years, the ACM Honors — which are in their 17th year — aired on Fox.

Limited tickets for ACM Honors are available through AXS, including VIP packages which include a ticket in the VIP artist section of the Ryman, a ticket to the VIP pre-party reception, a commemorative Hatch Show Print poster, parking and drink tickets.

07 Aug 2024

Jack Black Says Tenacious D Will Return After Tour Cancellation Over Trump Shooting Joke: ‘We’ll Be Back’

Just like the phoenix, Jack Black says Tenacious D will rise again. The singer/actor hinted that the comedy rock duo he fronts with longtime partner Kyle Gass will return at some point after announcing an open-ended break and cancelling dates on an Australian tour following Gass’ controversial on-stage joke about last month’s assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump.

“We need to take a break. Everybody needs a break sometime,” Black told Variety at the red carpet premiere of the film Borderlands on Tuesday night (August 6). “And we’ll be back.”

Trending on Billboard

Black apologized and announced that the group would be taking a break after the pair were lambasted by Australia’s right-wing following the ill-timed joke from Gass. During the band’s show in Sydney on July 14, Black rolled out a birthday cake on stage for Gass and when asked to make a wish, Gass quipped, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” The comment was in reference to the assassination attempt on Trump the day before in Butler, PA, where a 20-year-old gunman opened fire on a Trump rally, grazing the one-term former president’s ear and killing a rally attendee.

Gass initially apologized in an Instagram post, saying, “I don’t condone violence of any kind” and adding that he was “incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement”; the post has since been deleted. Gass was dropped by his agent and the remainder of the group’s Australian tour — as well as a planned fall run of shows in U.S. swing states in the lead-up to November’s presidential election — was cancelled. Black also posted an apology on Instagram, writing, “I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.”

At the time of the tour cancellation, Black’s statement said that “all future creative plans are on hold.”

On Tuesday night, Black said he has spoken to Gass since the tour was called off.  “Yeah, we’re friends. That hasn’t changed. These things take time sometimes… And we’ll be back when it feels right,” he said with no indication of when the group might return to stage. Black also happened to have a bit of Tenacious D hardware with him on the carpet for the premiere of the action/sci-fi movie in which he plays a wisecracking robot named Claptrap alongside stars Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and Cate Blanchett.

Pulling out the magic guitar pick from the D’s 2006 big screen comedy, Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, Black said, “Look what I wore today: I wore the Pick of Destiny. I love Tenacious D. It’s probably my favorite job, if you can call it that. It’s a work of art, it’s my baby.” Black and Gass have been rocking fans’ socks off since 1994, releasing four albums to date.

07 Aug 2024

2024 World Soundtrack Awards Nominees in Main Music Categories: Ludwig Göransson, ‘Barbie’ & More

Ludwig Göransson, who won an Oscar in March for best original score for Oppenheimer, and Billie Eilish & Finneas, who won an Oscar for best original song for “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie, could add to their considerable award collections at the 24th World Soundtrack Awards (WSA), which will be held on Wednesday Oct. 16 in Ghent, Belgium.

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

The awards are organized by Film Fest Gent, Belgium’s biggest international film festival.

Trending on Billboard

Two other 2024 Oscar nominees for best original score, Jerskin Fendrix (Poor Things) and Laura Karpman (American Fiction), are nominated for film composer of the year. Fendrix’s entry here also includes Kinds of Kindness, director Yorgos Lanthimos’ follow-up to Poor Things. Karpman’s entry here also includes her score for the 2023 film The Marvels and her Emmy-nominated score for Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed.

Veteran composer Elliot Goldenthal is set to receive the WSA lifetime achievement award for his contribution to film and television music. Goldenthal won an Oscar for best original score in 2003 for Frida and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy the following year – outstanding music composition for a miniseries, movie or a special (dramatic underscore) for Dance in America: Lar Lubovitch’s Othello (Great Performances).

A second wave of nominations will be announced on Sept. 13. In the following weeks, the WSAcademy will cast their vote for this year’s winners.

Here’s a complete list of nominees in the top music categories.

Film composer of the year

    Jerskin Fendrix |Kinds of Kindness; Poor Things

    Ludwig Göransson |Oppenheimer

    Laura Karpman |American Fiction; The Marvels; Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

    Anthony Willis |Saltburn

    Hans Zimmer |Dune: Part Two; The Creator

Television composer of the year

    Nick Chuba, Atticus Ross, Leopold Ross | Shōgun

    Natalie Holt | Loki

    James Newton Howard | All the Light We Cannot See

    Martin Phipps | The Crown

    Carlos Rafael Rivera | Griselda; Lessons in Chemistry; Monsieur Spade

    Jeff Russo | Fargo; Ripley

Best original song

    “Dance the Night” from Barbie | written by Mark Ronson, Andrew Wyatt, Caroline Ailin, Dua Lipa | performed by: Dua Lipa

    “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie | written by Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson | performed by: Ryan Gosling

    “It Never Went Away” from American Symphony | written by Dan Wilson, Jon Batiste | performed by: Jon Batiste

    “Road to Freedom” from Rustin | written and performed by Lenny Kravitz

    “Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)” from Killers of the Flower Moon | written by Scott George | performed by Osage Tribal Singers

    “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie | written by Finneas O’Connell, Billie Eilish | performed by Billie Eilish

    “You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This” from Wonka | written by Neil Hannon, Paul King, Simon Farnaby | performed by Timothée Chalamet, The Cast of Wonka

07 Aug 2024

Blake Lively Pays Tribute to ‘Ultimate Queen’ Britney Spears With Throwback Versace Red Carpet Look: ‘Thank You For Your Example’

Blake Lively paid tribute to one of her fashion OGs on Tuesday night (August 6) at the red carpet premiere of her new film It Ends With Us when she wore a throwback dress originally modeled by Britney Spears more than 20 years ago.

“Britney, us millennials all have a story of a moment, or of years, that you made us want to shine and inspire awe, with strength and joy and immensely hard work,” Lively wrote in a Tuesday Instagram Story, which also featured a throwback snap of a smiling Britney wearing the same bejeweled green, pink and purple one-shoulder strap gown. “Thank you for your example and your contribution to women telling their stories.”

The Story — cued to Spears’ 2003 In the Zone track “Everytime” — also referred to Spears as “the ultimate queen who made us all want to sparkle and write and share our stories.” Elle noted that Lively, 36, doubled down on mimicking Brit’s look from Versace’s Oct. 1, 2002 Milan Fashion Week show by wearing her blonde hair in “soft waves” that were also similar to the singer’s look at the time.

Trending on Billboard

“It is Britney’s actual dress,” Lively told People. “It should be in the Smithsonian or the Met. But it’s on me. I feel so lucky!”

Lively ended her tribute by expressing her excitement for the singer’s upcoming biopic and “all you have to come.”

Though Spears has said she is effectively retired from the music industry as of now, last week it was reported that her 2023 memoir, The Woman in Me, will get the biopic treatment after Universal Pictures secured the rights to the best-seller, with Wicked director Jon M. Chu and Marc Platt leading the project’s development. Spears appeared to confirm the news when she wrote on X that she is working on a “secret project” with Platt.

“Excited to share with my fans that I’ve been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt. He’s always made my favorite movies … stay tuned,” Spears wrote.

Check out a video of Lively wearing the dress on the red carpet below.