Music

19 Jul 2024

Watch Taylor Swift Give ‘Hey Stephen’ a Sassy Twist at Her Eras Tour Show in Germany: ‘Nope!’

Taylor Swift gave one of her older songs a sassy twist at her Eras Tour show in Gelsenkirchen, Germany Thursday (July 18).

While performing “Hey Stephen” from 2008’s Fearless during the acoustic section, the pop star interjected a one-word update into her classic lyrics. “All those other girls, well they’re beautiful/ But would they write a song for you?” she sang as normal, before asserting her status as songwriter supreme by adding in a sardonic “Nope!” that made fans at Veltins-Arena burst into laughter.

Swift has performed the track at previous Eras Tour shows, but this time, she mashed it up with Speak Now‘s title track. “Horrified looks from everyone in the room, but I’m only looking at you,” she sang, seamlessly transitioning back and forth between songs. “Hey Stephen, I could give you 50 reasons why I should be the one you choose.”

Afterward, she moved over to her piano for an emotional combination of Folklore‘s “This Is Me Trying” and Midnights‘ “Labyrinth.” The night marked the 14-time Grammy winner’s second of three shows in Gelsenkirchen, with her third one slated for Friday (July 19). She’ll next set up shop in Hamburg and Munich.

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So far, Travis Kelce has been in the audience for all of Swift’s performances in Germany. Fans spotted him dancing along to the show and proudly filming his superstar girlfriend singing “So High School” at her opening night in Gelsenkirchen, and escorting her out from the backstage area at night two.

Watch Swift’s sassy performance of “Hey Stephen” below.

19 Jul 2024

Latin Grammys 2024 Predictions: Front-Runners for Album of the Year

In the past year, the Latin music industry transitioned from a singles-driven market to an albums-focused world, with both new and established artists crafting cohesive sets. The Latin Grammy for album of the year has historically prioritized daring concepts and artistry above popularity when deciding the winner, and while legacy acts have historically dominated the category, recent honorees such as Rosalía tend to return for encores. And Karol G’s triumph in 2023 with her commercial blockbuster, Mañana Será Bonito, may now allow for ultra-popular albums to take home the ultimate artistic prize.

Come Sept. 17, 10 nominees will be announced — here are five of the most likely.

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Young Miko, att. (The Wave Music Group)

In the world of reggaetón, Miko is an outlier: blonde, petite and openly gay. For a genre steeped in machismo, it’s a remarkable flip of the script. The album balances her party-girl persona with rap lyrics that aren’t afraid to put others in their place with effectively eloquent punches, having fun without ever becoming gratuitous. Plus, Miko has good taste on her side, tapping Jowell & Randy for an old-school reggaetón touch.

Fonseca, Tropicalia (Sony Latin)

Fonseca’s Tropicalia is a labor of love, designed to elevate the artistry of tropical music with its rich palette. The Colombian singer-songwriter introduced his new oeuvre with last year’s “Si Tu Me Quieres,” which won best tropical song at the Latin Grammys and features bachata star Juan Luis Guerra singing Fonseca’s pop-infused brand of vallenato. That accordion-tinged sound is the foundation of an album full of poignant moments, but Fonseca also expands: He collaborates with Gilberto Santa Rosa and Chucho Valdés on a beautiful Cuban bolero, with Alex Cuba on a contemporary song and with Colombian salsa stalwarts Grupo Niche on a jazz-tinged salsa, all united by his ability to make fans swoon with music designed for the dancefloor.

Kany García, García (5020 Records)

García has twice been nominated in this category, but the third time may be the charm with an album that expands and redefines the scope of the traditional Latin singer-songwriter. Her work has twice won her best singer-songwriter album, and her songsmith qualities shine again in her melodic lines and eloquent yet colloquial lyrics. Autobiographical opener “García,” for instance, is a master class in storytelling in under three minutes. But García also digresses, going with gusto into Mexican music territory with Eden Muñoz, Christian Nodal and Carín León on three riveting tracks. “We’re in constant evolution, and as an artist, I love that I can insert what I’m going through in each album I make,” she previously told Billboard.

Peso Pluma, Éxodo (Double P Records)

Peso Pluma continued his hit-making campaign with Éxodo, his second top five album on the Billboard 200. But unlike its predecessor, Génesis, which won the Grammy this year for best Regional Mexican music album, Éxodo is a double album highlighting the two sides of Peso. Side one is full of Mexican music featuring several collaborations with artists of his generation, including Junior H, Tito Double P and Luis R Conríquez; side two is devoted to urban and pop, featuring bilingual collaborations with Quavo and Rich the Kid. While exploration of many genres is a mainstay of Latin music today, it is rarely in these two directions, and much less with this success. And though Génesis is also eligible for this award given its release date, Billboard’s bet is on the newer, more adventurous Éxodo. It’s to be noted that Peso was not nominated in any category at the 2023 Latin Grammys, an omission that can be rectified this time around.

Shakira, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran (Sony Latin)

At 47 years old, Shakira refused to be quietly scorned, releasing her retribution of an album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, following a cheating scandal and public split from Gerard Piqué. Instead of wallowing on the full-length, Shakira gets even, famously proclaiming she makes her own money on “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” which won song of the year at the 2023 Latin Grammys. The album is filled with lyrics that double as social media fodder, but it’s also clever and artistic, placing a wickedly funny song like “Puntería” with Cardi B alongside such achingly vulnerable tracks as “Acróstico” and “Ultima.” Backed by an impressive array of collaborators that also includes Karol G, Rauw Alejandro and regional Mexican groups Grupo Frontera and Fuerza Regida, Shakira has managed to stay current and return to the top on her own terms. Should she win, this would be her second album of the year trophy, following her 2006 triumph with Fijación Oral, Vol. 1.

This story will appear in the July 20, 2024, issue of Billboard.

19 Jul 2024

Which Rising Stars Will Score A Best New Artist Nod at the 2024 Latin Grammys?

At the Latin Grammys, there is perhaps no category as coveted as best new artist, a launching pad for future stars through the years. There’s also no category as confounding. The first winner was Ibrahim Ferrer in 2000 at the age of 72; Joaquina won it last year at 18 years old. In 2022, Angela Alvarez, 95, split the prize with 25-year-old Silvana Estrada.

And while the award has gone to talents who are relatively unknown, as well as those who have more public-facing major-label support, the rules are clear: Contenders must release a minimum of three singles/tracks or one album during the eligibility period. An artist who has previously released more than three albums and/or more than 15 singles is not eligible. Here are five contenders with a strong shot at scoring a nomination this year.

DARUMAS

What do you get when an Argentine bassist, a Cuban singer-guitarist and a Haitian vocalist unite? DARUMAS — an all-women U.S.-based trio comprising Aldana Aguirre, Ceci León and Vedala Vilmond — defies every stereotype of what Latin girl groups sound like. The three expert musicians play a tight mix of old-school funk, R&B and Motown, with Spanish lyrics and plenty of attitude. Named for the traditional Japanese daruma doll, DARUMAS are not cutting corners when it comes to honing their sound, resulting in an act that puts musicianship at the forefront.

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Iván Cornejo

Though Cornejo and Xavi espouse a new Mexican sound, Cornejo uses traditional Mexican instrumentation as his foundation and also leans into electric guitar for some rock’n’roll angst. The result is a sound that’s weary — his biggest hit is titled “Está Dañada” (“She’s Damaged”) — but relatable. (Cornejo writes all of his material.) He has placed 15 entries on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, and his second album, Dañado, ruled Regional Mexican Albums for 37 nonconsecutive weeks. In 2022, Cornejo became the youngest act to win new artist of the year at the Billboard Latin Music Awards.

Xavi

At 20 years old, Xavi has been making noise in the new Mexican music scene since last year. In January, “La Diabla” topped Hot Latin Songs for 14 weeks, setting a record so far this year. In May, he scored another No. 1, on Regional Mexican Airplay, with “Corazón de Piedra.” Both songs were co-written by Xavi (real name: Joshua Xavier Gutiérrez), who calls his sound tumbados románticos, a hybrid of corridos tumbados with a twist of romance and heartache. His music has a young, avid fan base that straddles both sides of the border but has the potential to expand much further.

Ela Taubert

Like labelmate (and 2023 Latin Grammy best new artist winner) Joaquina, Colombian singer-songwriter Taubert is a graduate of producer Julio Reyes Copello’s Art House Academy, signaling just how seriously she takes her craft. The 23-year-old writes convincingly about love and loss with immediately relatable lyrics set to catchy, midtempo pop arrangements reminiscent of Miley Cyrus. Following the release of her debut EP last year, Taubert is slowly but steadily gaining steam, as her new single, “Cómo Pasó?,” has reached a No. 12 high on the Latin Pop Airplay chart.

Latin Mafia

Freshly signed to Rimas Entertainment (home to Bad Bunny), Latin Mafia balances fun — with its childlike single covers — and moodiness with R&B and touches of reggaetón. Made up of twin brothers Milton and Emilio de la Rosa and their older brother Mike, the trio grew organically in Mexico as a fully independent act, amassing 6 million monthly listeners on Spotify, playing Coachella and catching the ear of Rimas vp Junior Carabaño. “I can’t wait to write their next chapter together and make history,” he previously told Billboard.

This story will appear in the July 20, 2024, issue of Billboard.

19 Jul 2024

Snoop Dogg Explains Why Dr. Dre Has Always Been ‘a Big Brother’ to Him

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have long been one of hip-hop’s most prolific duo, and the West Coast icons share an unbreakable bond that goes back more than 30 years.

Out in London this week for the launch of their Gin & Juice cocktail line, Snoop and Dre stopped by Capital Xtra Friday (July 19) to put their friendship in perspective and reflect on some of the wild times in their journey.

“It taught me how to be professional, Dr. Dre has always been like a big brother to me,” Snoop gushed about his “Still D.R.E.” collaborator. “He’s taught me professionalism as far as how to separate from the hood and how to get on a business venture and look forward and not really pay attention to what’s behind you.”

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He continued: “He’s always had the attitude and the spirit of ‘I don’t care what I made, it’s all about what I’m about to make.’ And that’s a good spirit that I took from him … Just being with him, he’s like a big brother, protector. I just love being with him in the studio and real life.”

Dre also told a hilarious story about a disappointing blind double date he and Snoop went on back in the day. Blind dates were more like they sounded before the days of social media, and the Doggfather hit the jackpot.

“When we got there, this girl opened the door and she was beautiful. I thought it was mine and it wasn’t. Snoop pushed me out the way like, ‘Nah, Cuz, that’s me.’ When I turned that corner and saw mine, I was really disappointed,” Dre shared. “And we drove for like an hour in Hurricane Katrina to get there and I was extremely disappointed.”

Dre turned the negative into a positive, as the next day they hit the studio and made one of their most famed collaborations when creating “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang.” “The good part about that is when we left that situation, the next day we went to the studio and made ‘Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang,’” he said.

Dre’s first single off his iconic The Chronic album (No. 2 on our Greatest Rap Albums of All-Time list), “Nuthin’ But A ‘G’ Thang” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1993 and topped the Hot Rap Songs chart.

All these years later, Dre and Snoop are still hard at work perfecting their craft in the studio. The Hall of Fame duo is teaming up for Snoop Dogg’s next album, Missionary — a flip of Snoop’s 1993 classic debut Doggystyle — which remains without a release date.

Snoop and Dre launched their Gin & Juice — named after their 1994 collaboration — cocktails and celebrated with a performance at a party for the endeavor in London on Thursday (July 18), where they brought out Eminem as a special guest, who performed “Houdini” and took it back to “Forgot About Dre” during his mini-set.

Watch Snoop and Dre talk about their relationship with Capital Xtra below:

19 Jul 2024

Selena’s Remastered ‘Amor Prohibido’ Album: All 10 Songs Ranked

Selena’s music has endured over the years, and her ’90s classic Amor Prohibido is proof of that — with its remastered version blasting in at No. 1 on Billboard’s Vinyl Albums chart (dated July 20). 

Home to 11 tracks, including the timeless hits “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” “No Me Queda Más,” “Si Una Vez,” and the title track, Amor Prohibido was originally released March 22, 1994 under Capitol Latin/UMLE, and ultimately made history as the first Tejano album to hit No. 1 on the Top Latin Albums chart.

Now, in honor of its 30th anniversary, the history-making album was released on CD, cassette, and for the first time, vinyl. A special remastered 2024 edition, released under Universal Music Latino, is also available on all streaming platforms.  

Selling 10,000 vinyl copies in the U.S. during the July 5-11 tracking week, according to Luminate, the album scores the Latin legend her second No. 1 on the 13-year-old Vinyl Albums tally, following her No. 1-peaking Ones, which spent one week in charge in 2020.

“I’m excited about us even celebrating 30 years of this album of ours,” Suzette Quintanilla, Selena’s sister and Los Dinos drummer, previously said to Billboard. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that people would still be jamming to our music and dancing to our songs. I think my brother [A.B. Quintanilla III], Ricky Vela, and Pete Astudillo did an incredible job in writing these songs, and my brother arranging and producing them just shows a part of who we were growing up and what we listened to. It was a different [musical] vibe going on. There’s a little bit of everything mixed in that album—what we all used to listen to and it definitely comes across. It was also a time when our record company let us be us, and do what we wanted to do with our music and this album.” 

Below, Billboard ranks all 10 songs on the remastered Amor Prohibido album:

19 Jul 2024

Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Cuddle Up While Exiting the Eras Tour in Germany

From a VIP tent on the floor to seats up in the rafters, there’s no telling where Travis Kelce will watch Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour performances whenever he attends. But the second the show is over, you can pretty much count on him being one place: at his superstar girlfriend’s side, lovingly escorting her off the premises. 

Such was the case Thursday (July 18) following the pop star’s second show in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Moments after her three-hour-plus showcase concluded, fan cameras captured the Kansas City Chiefs tight end walking out of the backstage area with his arm lovingly around Swift’s shoulders, who held onto his back. The pair waved at fans gathered around with their free arms before disappearing into the hallways of Veltins-Arena. 

Before exiting with the “Anti-Hero” singer, Kelce had enjoyed the show from a high-up suite. The night prior, he had watched from a similar spot in the venue, mimicking Swift’s dance moves and proudly filming her as she sang “So High School,” the Tortured Poets Department song widely believed to be about him.  

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The New Heights host has been to more than a dozen Eras Tour concerts since he first came to one of her Kansas City shows last summer. Prior to Swift’s stops in Germany, he attended her concert in Amsterdam with Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, as well as made a surprise onstage cameo in London. 

“I’ve seen the show so many times at this point, I’ll find myself in the crowd doing the choreography,” he joked on a recent episode of his podcast. 

His appearances at the shows may become less frequent, however, as the Chiefs are set to return for training camp later this month. Swift has one more concert slotted for Gelsenkirchen before she moves on to Hamburg and Munich. After finishing her European leg at the end of the summer, she’ll return to the U.S. and Canada for one final lap before ending the Eras Tour for good in December. 

Watch the adorable moment Swift and Kelce exited the Eras Tour stage in Gelsenkirchen below. 

19 Jul 2024

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Childish Gambino, Stray Kids, Jimin and More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

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This week, Childish Gambino takes a bow, Stray Kids eat up their new material and Jimin continues to innovate. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Childish Gambino, Bando Stone and the New World 



Donald Glover will likely be present in popular culture for a long time, but his Childish Gambino alter ego takes a bow on Bando Stone and the New World, a bold, 17-song project with an ultra-hip guest list (Flo Milli, Jorja Smith, Yeat and Amaarae all stop by) and that makes sure a beloved hip-hop personality goes out with sound-bending gusto.

Stray Kids, ATE 



The K-pop group’s new mini-album continues to showcase the upward trajectory of their confidence as both hit-makers and studio technicians: the 8-song set, helmed by their in-house production team 3RACHA, brims with effortless cool, particularly on the electro-shock of “Chk Chk Boom.”

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Jimin, Muse 



Jimin may have dominated stadiums alongside his BTS brethren and scored a No. 1 solo hit last year with “Like Crazy,” but he’s not resting on his laurels, as sophomore solo project Muse offers meditations on love and creative inspiration while still serving up cross-continental potential hits like with snappy rhythmic pop track “Who.”

Various Artists, Twisters: The Album 



What’s more formidable than one Twister? Multiple Twisters — and a big-budget soundtrack to go along with the natural-disaster epic invading multiplexes this weekend, with superstars like Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Miranda Lambert headlining the country project (although Benson Boone also sneaking in, with the genre-straddling stomp-along “Death Wish Love”).

Glass Animals, I Love You So F***ing Much 



Following up a record-breaking smash like “Heat Waves” is no easy task, and on the charming new album I Love You So F***ing Much, Glass Animals shrug off chart expectations while still baking oversized hooks and harmonies into the 10 songs, particularly on the opening run of “Show Pony,” “whatthehellishappening?” and “Creatures in Heaven.”

Koe Wetzel, 9 Lives 



The country-leaning Texas singer-songwriter’s profile has been rapidly growing, and new album 9 Lives — featuring previous hits “High Road” with Jessie Murph and “Sweet Dreams,” as well as new standouts like “Hatchet” and “Depression & Obsession” — arrives at an opportune time and with a more mature version of his rootsy storytelling.

Khalid, “Ground” 



Khalid’s long-awaited third album, Sincere, gets another sumptuous jam, with “Ground” making the most of the singer-songwriter’s velvety tone and a hypnotic beat while leaning more toward traditional R&B; this is a head-knocker that you don’t want to end.

Alessia Cara, “Dead Man” 



“If you really care, then why am I feeling you slip right through my hands?” Alessia Cara asks on “Dead Man,” as the former best new artist Grammy winner kicks off a new era with some vibrant jazz-pop, complete with mournful trumpet blasts, that suits her voice and newfound perspective to a tee.

Joe Jonas, “Work It Out” 



A lifetime removed from his 2011 solo debut Fastlife, Joe Jonas sounds an refreshed on energetic new single “Work It Out” as Jonas Brothers did on their comeback single “Sucker,” addressing his issues with anxiety and intrusive thoughts over some kicky pop production for late-summer streaming.

Editor’s Pick: JADE, “Angel of My Dreams” 



“I didn’t want to do a safe first single, that was really important to me,” Jade Thirlwall of Little Mix says of her solo debut in a press release. No worries on that end: “Angel of My Dreams” is a shape-shifting, wholly thrilling first step that effervesces before collapsing then rising back up, and JADE handles all of his wild movements with veteran skill.

19 Jul 2024

‘Weird Al’ Yankovic’s ‘Polkamania!’: Inside His Studio Return & Why He Needed to Include ‘WAP’ in the Polka Medley

On Friday (July 19), the music world received something it hasn’t gotten often over the last 10 years: a new “Weird Al” Yankovic song.

“Polkamania!” is not a new parody, but a polka medley, the type of which he would often include on his full-lengths — a mash-up of pop smashes performed by Yankovic, with his accordion coursing through the different melody snippets. Since he hasn’t released an album since 2014’s Mandatory Fun, which made history as the first comedy album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, Yankovic had a decade’s worth of pop hits to select from, and created a pastiche of Hot 100 chart-toppers from across the past 10 years.

That list ranges from Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” to Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire” to the Encanto smash “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” — to, rather improbably, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP.” And the new song was also given an eye-popping music video, which sews together different styles of animation from some of Yankovic’s favorite filmmakers and collaborators.

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Yankovic — who has kept busy over the past decade by touring, releasing a handful of remixes and scattered tracks, and working on the 2022 fictionalized biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, which he co-wrote and co-produced — hopes that “Polkamania!” scratches an itch for longtime listeners, who have been waiting years for his new takes on popular music. “For some, I suppose it will be nostalgic,” the 64-year-old tells Billboard, “because it sounds very much like every other polka medley I’ve done, and they haven’t heard that in a while. And for some people, this will be a time capsule — if you’ve been out of touch and not listened to pop radio in the last 10 years, this is a good four-minute refresher course!”

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Below, Yankovic discusses his new song, his decision to move away from the album format, and the artist who immediately OK’ed his latest parody. (Note: this interview has been edited for clarity.)

When did the idea for “Polkamania!” start coming together?

A while ago, maybe even a year ago. It’s been in the back of my mind for a while — I figured that I wanted to do something to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Mandatory Fun. I wanted to come up with something new, so I’d have some new material to play next time I went out on the road. And a lot of years went by where I hadn’t done any parodies or polka medleys, and I just figured I had to kind of catch up — I had to do at least some commentary on the last decade in music. So this is my version of that.

Why was the 10th anniversary of Mandatory Fun important for you to commemorate?

Mandatory Fun is probably my last traditional “Weird Al” album. We released a double LP, the soundtrack to Weird, last year, and I’m sure there will be other projects like that. But in terms of actual “Weird Al” albums, I think that’s the last one, for a number of reasons.

But obviously I’m still trying to put out new material — it’s just that the album format for me has always felt a little restrictive, and not the best way for me to get my music out into the world. And I know that sounds a little ironic, because it’s not like I’ve exactly been prolific in terms of my recorded output in the last 10 years! But I still just feel like, I like the freedom of not having to release 12 songs all at once.

You spoke about moving away from the album model 10 years ago, when Mandatory Fun was released. Looking back on the past decade, do you feel like you made the right call?

Yeah, I think so. I don’t know if it makes sense in terms of a career or staying relevant, but those aren’t driving forces on my life — at this point in my life and career, I basically just want to do what feels right for me, what I enjoy doing. And I’ve taken a little bit of a break from recording, and have been focused on TV and film projects, and obviously a lot of touring as well. Recording is something that I would like to think will always be a part of my life and my career — it’s just that, now, I’m not beholden to a record label, I don’t owe anybody anything, and I just kind of work at my own pace.

Did “Polkamania!” come together like your previous polka medleys, in terms of the composition and squeezing the different melodies together?

Very much. I hadn’t done it in a few years, but it was kind of like riding a bike. I think this is my 13th or 14th polka medley, so it’s second nature to me. So the arrangement came together pretty quickly, once I had an approved list of songs that I could use.

Was it always going to be a smattering of different hits released over the past decade?

Yeah, that was always the idea. I think I actually even limited it to songs that had hit No. 1 on [the Billboard Hot 100], to have it narrowed down a little bit while looking at a decade’s worth of music. Then I made a little chart — like, how many weeks was this No. 1? Based on that, and based on my general feeling about how important each song was in the zeitgeist, I submitted my list to my manager, who then had the job of going out to all the artists and agents and managers and publishers and reps to see if we could actually get them cleared.

Did it take a while to get all the songs cleared, compared to previous songs or medleys?

It’s always about the same. Some people get back to your right away — I think [“Bruno” songwriter] Lin-Manuel Miranda took about 30 seconds. And some took a while, and I had to be more aggressive and track people down, see if I had any friends of friends that knew the artists, that kind of thing.

Listening to the medley for the first time and not knowing which songs are going to appear, I immediately recognized when you launched into “Shake It Off” or “Old Town Road,” but it took me a few seconds for “WAP,” and then I went, “Wait… is this…”

I have to say, that’s my favorite! Once we got the Taylor Swift song, I thought, “Okay, we’ve got a medley now” — but “WAP” was the one I was really, really hoping we would get, just because I thought that would be my personal favorite.

Who was behind the concept of the animated video?

A lot of people that I’ve worked with before, like Bill Plympton and Augenblick Studios and Ghostbot, and some people that I’ve been fans of for a long time – li-ke Cyriak, who’s a British animator who does these amazing surrealistic pieces, and Vivienne Medrano, who does Hazbin Hotel. It’s really an amazing list of talented animators, and I’m just thrilled with what they’ve come up with.

What’s it been like to prep a traditional song and video release like this again?

It’s fun! I mean, I haven’t had this kind of deadline and anxiety, everything that comes with a new release — the suspense of “How’s it going to do?,” and this kind of media blitz. We did a bit of that with the movie, but it feels a bit more personal when it’s your recorded work. So I’m very excited to be doing this project, and hopefully it’ll lead to more.

So what’s next? You’re always working on different projects…

I have five or six things that are in current stages of development, and I can’t speak of them, because some of them will probably happen and some of them probably won’t. So I’ve learned my lesson not to talk too much about things that might happen because, this town being what it is, oftentimes, things never work out. But hopefully a few things well! That’s what I’m counting on.

19 Jul 2024

Grammys 2025 Big Four Predictions: Who Could Score a Nomination?

Will Beyoncé finally win album of the year at the 2025 Grammy Awards? Queen Bey has gone 0-4 in the category (as a lead artist), which has been a source of frustration for many in the BeyHive — and also those in her inner circle. Accepting an honorary award at the 2024 ceremony, Jay-Z confronted the issue head-on. “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year, so even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work.”

Jay-Z’s remark suggests that Bey’s fate in the category will be the most-watched moment at the 67th annual Grammys, which will be presented Feb. 2 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Nominations will be announced Nov. 8. Here are Billboard’s best bets for nods in the top four categories.

It’s likely that solo women will take seven of the eight slots here. That’s comparable to the 2024 Grammys, where solo women took six of the eight slots and an all-woman group, boygenius, took a seventh. Jon Batiste was the only male artist to be nominated at this year’s ceremony. Chris Stapleton may have the best chance of repping men next year. Nominees for album and record of the year must have been released during the eligibility period (Sept. 16, 2023-Aug. 30, 2024).

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Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter

This is Bey’s eighth solo studio album and would be her fifth to be nominated in this category following I Am…Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé, Lemonade and Renaissance. She would be the first Black artist to be nominated for a country album since Ray Charles for Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (though none of the singles from that trailblazing 1962 album appeared on Hot Country Songs). Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).

Sabrina Carpenter, Short N’ Sweet

Carpenter’s sixth studio album is due Aug. 23, one week before the end of the eligibility period. The album was co-produced by Jack Antonoff and Julian Bunetta. Antonoff has received eight album of the year nods — four with Taylor Swift, two with Lana Del Rey and one each with Lorde and his own pop trio, fun. He has also won producer of the year, non-classical the last three years running.

Billie Eilish, Hit Me Hard and Soft

Eilish’s third album features 10 tracks, two songwriters (Eilish and FINNEAS), one producer (FINNEAS) and no featured artists. That may appeal to traditionalists in the Recording Academy’s voting membership who are put off by this era’s collaboration-heavy approach. Eilish won in this category five years ago for When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and was nominated three years ago for Happier Than Ever. Billboard 200 peak: No. 2.

Ariana Grande, Eternal Sunshine

This is Grande’s seventh studio album and would be her second to be nominated in this category. She was nominated five years ago for Thank U, Next. Swedish hit-makers Max Martin and ILYA, who were nominated as producers of Thank U, Next, are also among the producers of this album. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).

Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess

The singer’s debut album arrived Sept. 22, 2023, one week after the start of the eligibility period. This is vying to become the first debut album by a woman pop artist to receive an album of the year nod since Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR in 2022. Daniel Nigro, who has been nominated twice in this category for work with Rodrigo, co-produced the album with Ryan Linvill and Mike Wise. Billboard 200 peak: No. 5.

Chris Stapleton, Higher

This is Stapleton’s fifth studio album and would be his second to be nominated in the category. Traveller was nominated nine years ago. Stapleton is vying to become the first male country solo artist to land two nominations in this category. “White Horse,” the lead single from Higher, won two Grammys in February. Higher won album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards on May 16. Billboard 200 peak: No. 3.

Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department

This would be Swift’s seventh nod in the category, which would allow her to stand alone as the woman artist with the most album of the year nods. She currently shares that distinction with Barbra Streisand, with six nods each. Swift co-produced the album with Jack Antonoff, Aaron Dessner and Patrik Berger. Billboard 200 peak: No. 1 (12 weeks so far).

Tyla, Tyla

The South African singer’s “Water” won the inaugural Grammy presented for best African music performance. It was the lead single from her self-titled debut album, which was released during the current eligibility period. Tyla features guest appearances from stars such as Tems, Gunna, Becky G and Travis Scott. Tyla won two BET Awards on June 30 — best new artist and best international act. Billboard 200 peak: No. 24.

Within Reach: Zach Bryan, The Great American Bar Scene; Charli xcx, brat; Doja Cat, Scarlet; Future & Metro Boomin, We Don’t Trust You; Post Malone, F-1 Trillion (due Aug. 16); Kacey Musgraves, Deeper Well; 21 Savage, American Dream; Kali Uchis, Orquídeas; Usher, Coming Home; Lainey Wilson, Whirlwind (due Aug. 23).

Sound, Grammy First Look, Record of the Year, Sabrina Carpenter, Benson Boone, Kendrick Lamar, Hozier

From left: Sabrina Carpenter, Benson Boone, Kendrick Lamar and Hozier.

Illustration by Eleanor Shakespeare; Jo Hale/Redferns; Dennis Leupold; Timothy Norris/Getty Images; Barry McCall

Beyoncé already holds the record for most career nominations in this category. Her total of eight includes an early record with Destiny’s Child and collaborations with Jay-Z and Megan Thee Stallion. Will she extend her lead this year? And could two Black artists — Bey and Shaboozey — be nominated for country hits in the same year? Teddy Swims’ “Lose Control,” a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, was entered last year and thus is ineligible.

Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ’Em”

Two years ago, Beyoncé pulled ahead of Frank Sinatra for the most nominations in this category. This would give her a record-extending ninth nod. The big question: Will it compete for best solo performance honors in pop or country? “Texas Hold ’Em” wouldn’t be the first poker-themed hit to land a record of the year nod. Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler” was nominated at the awards in 1980. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).

Benson Boone, “Beautiful Things”

This song is constructed like Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever,” which was nominated for record and song of the year three years ago. It starts out soft and builds in intensity to a rock-inflected finish. This was Boone’s third Hot 100 entry, but his first to climb above No. 82. Hot 100 peak: No. 2.

Sabrina Carpenter, “Espresso”

Carpenter’s camp has to decide which hit to enter — “Espresso,” which topped Billboard’s staff list of The 50 Best Songs of 2024 (So Far), or “Please Please Please,” which was Carpenter’s first No. 1 on the Hot 100. The former is one of the catchiest singles of recent years; the latter, an offbeat, country-shaded follow-up. They’ll probably go with “Espresso,” but either would be a strong nominee. Hot 100 peak: No. 3.

Billie Eilish, “Lunch”

This would be Eilish’s fifth nod in this category. She won for “bad guy” and “Everything I Wanted” and was nominated for “Happier Than Ever” and “What Was I Made For?” Eilish’s brother, FINNEAS, produced all of these records. Nominations will be announced five weeks before Eilish turns 23. No one else has ever amassed five nods in this category at such a young age. Hot 100 peak: No. 5.

Ariana Grande, “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”

This record could give Grande a second nod in this category. She was nominated five years ago for the Rodgers & Hammerstein-interpolating “7 Rings.” Grande produced this track with Swedish pop masterminds Max Martin and ILYA, who were among the producers of “7 Rings.” Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (one week).

Hozier, “Too Sweet”

Hozier got some Grammy love nine years ago when his breakthrough smash, “Take Me to Church,” was nominated for song of the year. He came roaring back this year with this impeccably produced record. Hozier is vying to become the fourth Irish artist to be nominated for record of the year, following Gilbert O’Sullivan, U2 and Sinéad O’Connor. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (one week).

Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”

This scathing dis track is from Lamar’s bitter and highly public feud with Drake. This would be Lamar’s fourth nod in this category following “HUMBLE.” (2018); “All the Stars,” a collaboration with SZA (2019); and “The Heart Part 5” (2023). If this is nominated, Lamar will tie Jay-Z for the most record of the year nods by a rapper. Hot 100 peak: No. 1 (two weeks).

Chappell Roan, “Good Luck, Babe!”

This song, Roan’s first Hot 100 hit, was produced by Daniel Nigro, who has been nominated in this category for his work on two Olivia Rodrigo hits. Nigro has received eight Grammy nods, all for work with Rodrigo. He won best pop vocal album as the producer of her debut album, SOUR. Hot 100 peak: No. 10.

Within Reach: Doja Cat, “Agora Hills”; Jack Harlow, “Lovin on Me”; Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”; Muni Long, “Made for Me”; Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen, “I Had Some Help”; Tommy Richman, “Million Dollar Baby”; Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”; Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone, “Fortnight”; 21 Savage, “Redrum”; SZA, “Saturn.”

Sound, Grammy First Look, Song of the Year, FINNEAS, Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff, ILYA, Dan Nigro

From left: FINNEAS, Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff, ILYA and Dan Nigro.

Illustration by Eleanor Shakespeare; Robin L. Marshall/Getty Images; David O’Donohue; Jason Koerner/Getty Images; Anna Sky; Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage

Last year, five of the eight nominees for record of the year were also nominated for song of the year. The year before that, six of the 10 nominees for record of the year also received song of the year nods. This year, seven of the eight record of the year nominees could double up. Taylor Swift has amassed seven nominations in this category, more than any other songwriter, but she has yet to win. Will this finally be her year?

“Beautiful Things”
Songwriters: Benson Boone, Jack LaFrantz, Evan Blair

This song touches on themes that have long been attractive to Grammy voters — gratitude for life’s blessings and awareness of how quickly in life fortunes can change. Other philosophical songs that have been nominated here in recent years include “Live Like You Were Dying,” “Bless the Broken Road,” “7 Years” and “God’s Plan.” In addition to co-writing “Beautiful Things,” Blair produced Boone’s single.

“Espresso”
Songwriters: Sabrina Carpenter, Amy Allen, Julian Bunetta, Steph Jones

This confection may seem a little light for a song of the year nod, but the irresistible tune has been inescapable in recent months. Even Adele was caught up in the hooky line “I’m working late/’Cause I’m a singer,” praising the song during her Las Vegas residency. (And being light didn’t prevent Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” from winning in 2019.) Allen was nominated for the inaugural songwriter of the year, non-classical award two years ago.

“Fortnight”
Songwriters: Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Jack Antonoff

All three writers are past nominees in this category: Swift has been nominated a record seven times, Antonoff four times and Post Malone once. Alternatively, Swift could enter “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version),” which she also co-wrote with Antonoff. Both songs topped the Hot 100, for two and one weeks, respectively.

“Good Luck, Babe!”
Songwriters: Chappell Roan, Justin Tranter, Daniel Nigro

Tranter and Nigro are past nominees in this category — Tranter for co-writing Julia Michaels’ “Issues,” Nigro for co-writing Olivia Rodrigo’s “drivers license” and “Vampire.” “Good Luck, Babe!” is about a woman parting ways with a woman who is denying her true sexual orientation. The next song on the list is about a woman accepting and embracing her own.

“Lunch”
Songwriters: Billie ­Eilish, FINNEAS

The siblings have been nominated four times in this category, winning twice. If they win again, they’ll become the first three-time winners in the history of the category. They won most recently this year with “What Was I Made For?” They have another very pretty ballad (“Birds of a Feather”) that they could enter here instead, but “Lunch” feels like the more likely option.

“Not Like Us”
Songwriter: Kendrick Lamar

As with record of the year, this would be Lamar’s fourth nod in this category following “Alright” (2016), “All the Stars” (2019) and “The Heart Part 5” (2023). And, as with record of the year, if this is nominated, Lamar will tie Jay-Z for the most song of the year nods for a rapper.

“Texas Hold ’Em”
Songwriters: Beyoncé, Brian Bates, Nathan Ferraro, Raphael Saadiq, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow

This would be Beyoncé’s sixth nomination in the category. That would put her in a tie with Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie for second place on the list of all-time nominees in this category. Swift leads with seven nods. Saadiq has been nominated for best R&B song five times, winning twice, but this would be his first song of the year nod.

“We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)”
Songwriters: Ariana Grande, Max Martin, ILYA

This would be the first nomination in this category for Grande and ILYA and the fifth for Martin, following nods for Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It That Way,” Katy Perry’s “Roar” and Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space.” Martin, a Swede, and U2, from Ireland, are the only songwriters who hail from somewhere other than America or England to amass four or more nods in this category.

Within Reach: “Agora Hills” (artist: Doja Cat); “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” (Shaboozey); “Deeper Well” (Kacey Musgraves); “I Had Some Help” (Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen); “Made for Me” (Muni Long); “Obsessed” (Olivia Rodrigo); “Pink Skies” (Zach Bryan); “Redrum” (21 Savage); “Saturn” (SZA); “Too Sweet” (Hozier).

Sound, Grammy First Look, Best New Artist, Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, Sexyy Red, Teddy Swims, Megan Moroney

Clockwise from top: Chappell Roan, Shaboozey, Sexyy Red, Teddy Swims and Megan Moroney.

Illustration by Eleanor Shakespeare; Ryan Clemens; Daniel Prakopcyk; Chris Allmeid; CeCe Dawson; Aaron Marsh

According to the rules, “This category recognizes an artist whose eligibility-year release(s) achieved a breakthrough into the public consciousness.” Artists with previous Grammy nominations are generally not allowed, nor are artists who have previously been entered in the category three times (whether or not they were nominated). That latter rule disqualifies Tate McRae. The last seven winners in this category have been solo women, which tied the record established in 1997-2003. If another solo woman wins next year, a new record will be set.

Benson Boone

Boone, 22, is the youngest of this year’s likely best new artist nominees. He is vying to become the first male artist to win in this category since Chance the Rapper in 2017. Boone could also become the second winner in this category with that surname. Debby Boone won in 1978.

Sabrina Carpenter

Short N’ Sweet is Carpenter’s sixth studio album, so how can she be considered new? Prior to this eligibility year, she had never climbed higher than No. 48 on the Hot 100. The Grammys aren’t charts-based, but they do think in terms of “public consciousness” and achieving “prominence.” Carpenter, 25, is vying to become the second winner in this category with that surname. Karen and Richard Carpenter won in 1971.

Megan Moroney

Moroney, 26, was passed over for a best new artist nod two years ago, when “Tennessee Orange” became a top 30 hit on the Hot 100. But she has continued to build. Moroney was nominated for the Country Music Association’s new artist of the year prize last year and won the Academy of Country Music’s new female artist of the year honor (on her second try) in May. Her second album, Am I Okay?, arrived July 12.

Chappell Roan

Atlantic Records dropped Roan, born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, following the release of a 2017 EP, School Nights. Her smash debut album was released through Island Records last September. Roan, 26, supported Olivia Rodrigo (who won in this category in 2022) on two major tours. She also opened for Vance Joy and Ben Platt, among others, and performed at Coachella in April.

Sexyy Red

The rapper, 26, reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200 with her third mixtape, In Sexyy We Trust. The tape spawned the top 20 Hot 100 hit “Get It Sexyy.” Sexyy Red was nominated in five categories, including best new artist, at the 2024 BET Awards, but was shut out.

Shaboozey

Shaboozey, 29, is at the forefront of bringing more diversity to the world of country music. His third album, Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200. Its smash single, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” has made it to No. 1 on the Hot 100. Shaboozey is also featured on two tracks on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.

Teddy Swims

Swims’ debut studio album, I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1), reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200. “Lose Control,” the smash single from the album, topped the Hot 100. Before becoming a headliner, Swims opened for Zac Brown Band, which won in this category in 2010, and Greta Van Fleet, which was nominated in 2019. Swims, 31, is the oldest of this year’s likely best new artist nominees.

Within Reach: The Beaches; Dasha; Djo; 4Batz; Knox; October London; Tommy Richman; Nate Smith; Brittney Spencer; Tigirlily Gold

This story will appear in the July 20, 2024, issue of Billboard.

19 Jul 2024

Paul McCartney Sends Special Message to Cincinnati at Debut of ‘Liverpool Oratorio’ Opera: ‘I Love That You’re Doing It There’

While the Queen City did not get the breathlessly hoped-for drop-in from pop royalty on Thursday night (July 18) at the world premiere of the Cincinnati Opera‘s take on Sir Paul McCartney‘s Liverpool Oratorio, they did get a very special message from the night’s absent guest of honor.

“Hello, Cincinnati! Good evening. I’m so excited to hear that the Cincinnati Opera is putting on my Liverpool Oratorio,” McCartney said in a pre-taped message that played for the capacity crowd in Cincinnati Music Hall’s 2,300-capacity Springer Auditorium before the opening night of the fresh take on his first classical composition.

“This work is really special for me because it was the first large scale thing like this that I’d done, and it’s largely based on a lot of events from my childhood. The school I went to… the teacher, Miss Inkley, who was the only female teacher in a school of a thousand boys. So it’s really true, as it says in the opera, where she says, ‘Hello, boys. You can call me, ‘Sir,’” McCartney continued. “Well, as 11-year-olds, it’s a little difficult to make sense of that. But anyway, I love the piece, and I love that you’re doing it there in Cincinnati. So I hope you have a great evening. Thank you very much for putting it on. I wish I was there with you, but I can’t be there. So I’m here. So have a great one. Thank you.”

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In a Cincinnati Opera season featuring such standards as Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Giuseppe Verdi’s La Traviata, the debut of the operatic take on the composition featuring music and lyrics by McCartney and collaborator composer Carl Davis is a refreshing anomaly. McCartney’s fist classical composition had its world premiere on June 28, 1991 at the Liverpool Cathedral as a commissioned piece to celebrate the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra’s 150th anniversary.

And though the 82-year-old Beatle wasn’t on hand to see the Opera’s high-energy take on his eight-movement homage to his hometown, in the weeks leading up to the debut the city was blanketed with a blizzard of posters, social media messages and memes encouraging locals to help “Get Paul to the Hall.”

The effort was intended to spur interest $1.3 million original production that over the course of 90 minutes tells the story a “war baby” named Shanty, who, like McCartney, comes into a fiery world engulfed in the air raid blitz of WWII. At Tuesday night’s (July 16) final dress rehearsal, the cast was dialed in to the tale that mixes hope, tragedy, redemption and joy into a joyous spectacle that unfolds on a massive map of Liverpool.

At the outset, the sets designed by Leslie Travers and stage director Caroline Clegg brought home the horrors of war as characters in period dress streamed in through the aisles to take their place in a bomb shelter bisected on the floor by the map of the River Mersey. It was a poignant watery metaphor for life’s journey that Queen City residents could surely relate to thanks to the city’s place along the Ohio River.

The massive map that curled up at the top and then spilled off the stage into the orchestra pit set up the war-time birth of main character Shanty (Andrew Owens). Shuttling the corrugated metal walls to the side, the cast doubled as crew, setting up classroom desks and chairs as the wistful, melancholy score gave way to an amusing, kicky Spanish-language song from teacher Miss Inkley (Kayleigh Decker) about three rabbits in a tree.

In the Playbill, Clegg explained that the first words uttered in the performance, McCartney’s school motto (Non nobis solum, Sed toti mundo, nati. Toti mundo nat — “Not for ourselves, but for the whole world, we were born”) — and repeated throughout are a reminder of the “timeless testament to the power of music to move hearts and minds and effect change.”

Following the first movement, “War,” the second, “School,” found the restless tween Shanty skipping class to take a nap on gravestones and dream about the ghosts of his future and past. The high-kicking, balletic church dance in (“Crypt”) made way for the somber “Father,” in which Shanty laments the death of his dad.

The mood quickly lightened, though, when the cast rolled out a miniature house on wheels covered with more maps of Liverpool for the wedding of Shanty and fiancée Mary Dee (Jacqueline Echols McCarley), as the elegant soprano was serenaded by an angelic children’s choir during the pair’s nuptials. Spinning the house around to unveil its spare interior, the couple settled into their work routine, with Mary sitting high above a typing pool as she dictated orders to her twirling all-female staff.

A pregnancy and nearly fatal car crash interrupts the couple’s marital strife as the piece crashed to a celebratory, joyous ending in the thundering “Peace,” in which the stage filled with busy Liverpudlians of all stripes celebrating the birth of the couple’s child as they sang “live in peace together” in unison and the couple pledged their eternal love.

After its debut more than 30 years ago, the piece written for orchestra and vocalists has not been performed very often, but the energy and spirit of the Cincinnati Opera’s refreshing version seems destined to give the Liverpool Oratorio a second life.

Check out more photos from the Liverpool Oratorio below.