Music

05 Jun 2024

Sturgill Simpson Reveals New Album, Tour — and Name

Sturgill Simpson is back with an upcoming new album, new tour — and a new name. Simpson revealed a new persona named Johnny Blue Skies, as well as a new album, Passage Du Desir, which is due July 12 via his own independent label High Top Mountain Records.

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Johnny Blue Skies recorded and produced the project with David Ferguson at Nashville’s Clement House Recording Studio, as well as at London’s Abbey Road Studios. The upcoming project marks his first since 2021’s The Ballad of Dood and Juanita.

The eight-song project will include compositions including “Mint Tea,” “If the Sun Never Rises Again,” “Swamp of Sadness” and “Jupiter’s Faerie.”

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Simpson’s new moniker will be introduced to his audiences on his upcoming Why Not? Tour this fall, which will launch Aug. 11 with a festival slot at Outside lands in San Francisco. His band includes drummer Miles Miller, guitarist Laur Joamets, bassist Kevin Black, and keyboardist Robbie Crowell.

The tour includes shows in Nashville (Oct. 11 at Bridgestone Arena), Detroit’s Fox Theatre, The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Wash., as well as two shows at Toronto, Ontario’s Massey Hall and two shows at Chicago’s The Salt Shed.

See the track list for Passage Du Desir below, as well as the full tour dates listing:

Passage Du Desir tracklist:

  1. “Swamp of Sadness”
  2. “If the Sun Never Rises Again”
  3. “Scooter Blues”
  4. “Jupiter’s Faerie”
  5. “Who I Am”
  6. “Right Kind of Dream”
  7. “Mint Tea”
  8. “One for the Road”

Tour dates:

  • Aug. 9-11—San Francisco, CA—Outside Lands
  • Sept. 14—Los Angeles, CA—The Greek Theatre*
  • Sept. 15—Santa Barbara, CA—Santa Barbara Bowl*
  • Sept. 17—West Valley City, UT—Maverik Center*
  • Sept. 19—Bend, OR—Hayden Homes Amphitheater*
  • Sept. 20—George, WA—The Gorge Amphitheatre†
  • Sept. 22—Missoula, MT—KettleHouse Amphitheater*
  • Sept. 24—Moorhead, MN—Bluestem Center for the Arts Amphitheater*
  • Sept. 25—Minneapolis, MN—Roy Wilkins Auditorium*
  • Sept. 27—Lexington, KY—Rupp Arena*
  • Sept. 28—Detroit, MI—Fox Theatre*
  • Oct. 1—Chicago, IL—Salt Shed*
  • Oct. 2—Chicago, IL—Salt Shed*
  • Oct. 4—Brandon, MS—The Brandon Amphitheater*
  • Oct. 4-6—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival
  • Oct. 8—Oklahoma City, OK—Criterion*
  • Oct. 9—Rogers, AR—Walmart AMP*
  • Oct. 11-13—Austin, TX—Austin City Limits Music Festival
  • Oct. 15—St. Louis, MO—Fabulous Fox Theatre*
  • Oct. 18—Pittsburgh, PA—Petersen Events Center*
  • Oct. 19—Forest Hills, NY—Forest Hills Stadium
  • Oct. 21—Asheville, NC—ExploreAsheville.com Arena* 
  • Oct. 22—Cary, NC—Koka Booth Amphitheatre*
  • Oct. 24—Duluth, GA—Gas South Arena*
  • Oct. 25—Nashville, TN—Bridgestone Arena*
  • Nov. 12—Philadelphia, PA—The Met*
  • Nov. 15—Hampton, VA—Hampton Coliseum*
  • Nov. 18—Washington, DC—The Anthem*
  • Nov. 20—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall*
  • Nov. 21—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall*
  • Nov. 23—Boston, MA—MGM Music Hall at Fenway*

*“An Evening with Sturgill Simpson”

†with very special guest Lord Huron

05 Jun 2024

Radiohead Guitarist Jonny Greenwood Hits Back at Critics of Israel Concert: ‘We Are Musicians Honouring a Shared Culture’

Radiohead‘s Jonny Greenwood posted a lengthy note on Tuesday (June 4) in response to renewed criticism for his long-running collaboration with Israeli musician Dudu Tassa after the pair played a show in Israel on May 26 in the midst of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Greenwood wrote that he’s playing festivals across Europe this summer with the band Dudu Tassa and the Kuwaitis, noting that people are asking him why.

The guitarist has been collaborating with Tassa and releasing music with him since 2008, saying that he thinks an artistic collaboration that combines Arab and Jewish musicians is “worthwhile… And one that reminds everyone that the Jewish cultural roots in countries like Iraq and Yemen go back for thousands of years.”

The letter posted on X came after the pair played a show at the Barby Club in Tel Aviv last week, where they performed songs from their 2023 album Jarak Qaribak (Your Neighbor Is Your Friend), which features collaborations with artists from Beirut, Cairo and Ramallah. After the gig, the Jewish Chronicle reported that the BDS movement threatened to boycott Radiohead.

The movement, whose initial stand for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, is a Palestinian-led effort to pressure Israel to withdraw from occupied territories and offer full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens while applying pressure to end investments in Israeli businesses and encourage sanctions against the Jewish state.

The BDS movement posted a message on Twitter after the show that read: “We call for peaceful, creative pressure on @radiohead to convincingly distance itself from this blatant complicity in the crime of crimes, or face grassroots measures.”

Greenwood reacted in his letter by noting that Tassa’s grandfather was one of the most famous Iraqi composers as part of the Al Kuwaity brothers, whose songs he said are still staples on Arab radio stations. “Others choose to believe this kind of project is unjustifiable, and are urging the silencing of this — or any — artistic effort made by Israeli Jews,” Greenwood wrote.

“But I can’t join that call: the silencing of Israeli filmmakers/musicians/dancers when their work tour abroad — especially when it’s at the urging of their fellow Western film makers/musicians/artists — feels unprogressive to me. Not least because it’s these people that are invariably the most progressive members of any society,” he continued.

The Tel Aviv show came after Greenwood was spotted at a protest in Israel calling for the release of the remaining 120 hostages being held by Hamas after the militant group’s murderous surprise Oct. 7 assault on Israel in which more than 1,200 Israeli men, women and children were murdered, sexually assaulted and attacked and more than 250 hostages were taken according to Israeli authorities. Israel launched a counter-attack aimed at eradicating Hamas that has now lasted eight months and resulted in the deaths of more than 36,000 Palestinians and injuries to more than 86,000 according to Palestinian authorities, as well as the destruction of much of the infrastructure in Gaza.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Greenwood is married to Israeli artist Sharona Katan, whose family lost a nephew who was called up to military service after the war began. Three days after Hamas’ attack, Greenwood tweeted, “Condolences to the families of the innocent concert goers, children and civilians of all ages murdered, raped or abducted in these massacres. It’s impossible not to despair.”

The Post reported that during the gig Tassa said, “there are musicians here, not politicians… music has always worked wonders, may we know better days and may everyone return safely.”

Greenwood wrote that he was grateful to be working with the many musicians he’s met while working on the collaborative project, “all of whom strike me as much braver — and taking far more of a principled risk — than those who are trying to shut us down, or who are now attempting to ascribe a sinister ulterior motivation to the band’s existence. There isn’t one: we are musicians honouring a shared culture, and I’ve been involved in this for nearly 20 years now.”

President Biden has been pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire proposal to end the war that has displaced more than a million Palestinians, with the U.S. commander in chief telling Time magazine this week that there is “every reason” for people to draw the conclusion that Netanyahu is prolonging the war for his own political self-preservation as he faces calls for new elections. A number of artists have also urgently called for an immediate ceasefire, including Paramore, Dua Lipa and Renée Rapp.

Greenwood ended the note by stressing that no art is as “‘important’ as stopping all the death and suffering around us. How can it be? But doing nothing seems a worse option. And silencing Israeli artists for being born Jewish in Israel doesn’t seem like any way to reach an understanding between the two sides of this apparently endless conflict.”

He said that the latter is why he’s making music with this band, welcoming listeners to disagree with or ignore what they’re doing. “But I hope you now understand what the true motivation is, and can react to the music without suspicion or hate,” he said.

See Greenwood’s full letter below.

05 Jun 2024

Ana Bárbara Celebrates 30 Years: How La Reina Grupera Continues to Forge Paths in Mexican Music

In a world where seasons change but legends remain, Ana Bárbara has positioned herself as an unforgettable icon in regional Mexican music and Latin pop.

Celebrating three decades of a spectacular career, the artist has excelled as the defining female voice of the grupero genre, with a mix of rhythms that has captivated millions. Throughout these years, the San Luis Potosí native has not only conquered hearts — with an extensive discography that includes 11 studio albums and 18 compilations — she has also molded the regional musical style.

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From the time she debuted with an eponymous album in 1994 until she became La Reina Grupera, Altagracia Ugalde Motta (her real name) has released a succession of hits that resonate with a unique energy. Two decades ago, she delivered one of her biggest and most transcendent songs, “Lo Busqué”. “It was the first to make a crossover between pop and country,” Ana Bárbara says — and, as she can proudly claim, started a trend that now influences artists like Carín León, Chiquis and more.

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Throughout her career, she has collaborated with legendary figures such as Vicente Fernández, Bronco and Paquita la del Barrio, and has been a key player in the rise of superstars like Christian Nodal and (more recently) Majo Aguilar and Adriana Ríos. Her career not only reflects her mastery of the stage, but also of the Billboard charts. Hits such as “Me Asusta Pero Me Gusta”, “La Trampa”, “Ya No Te Creo Nada” and “No Lloraré” reached the top 10 of Hot Latin Songs, and albums like Ay Amor (1996) and Yo Soy La Mujer (2014) established her as a mainstay on Regional Mexican Albums.

Ana Bárbara will be recognized with the Music Lifetime Achievement Award at Billboard Latin Women in Music 2024. In this intimate dialogue, The Queen of Grupera opens the doors to her world, revealing more about her achievements, challenges and the passion that continues to fuel her impressive musical legacy.

This year you are marking 30 years of musical career, and you will celebrate it soon with La Reina Grupera Tour.

Cómo han pasado los años (how the years have gone by), as the song [by Rocío Dúrcal] says — and it’s been incredible. With so many things happening in life, to have life is a miracle. It’s a blessing to be celebrating with music and a tour! It’s a triple blessing. The tour is a surge of nostalgia, of history, of feelings, of ups and downs of emotions. Because in 30 years, how many stories could have been written? How many were part of my songs? I can’t express enough thanks for the gratitude that my heart feels, without a doubt.

You sing, you compose, you dance. Is there an area that you enjoy the most in what involves being the superstar Ana Barbara, whether it’s recording, composing or performing live?

They all have their magic. But the songwriting part of it is very exciting. It’s like, “Oh my God, I came up with this! Where did it come from? What part of the universe? Where was my soul?” When I start producing it, I see if I want guitar here or trumpet there. The creative process is like an adrenaline rush. Also, you know that a feeling crystallized, if you can call it that. A feeling that took shape. Just talking about it gets me excited. Right now I’m finishing [a song that I’m] crazy about and listening to it makes me thing: “How did I come up with this?” I know, it’s really cool. That’s an indescribable feeling.

I was listening to your most recent track, “Así bailé”. You have a very fun way of telling stories that make you smile.

If you listened to it and say, “I laughed, I smiled, it put on a good attitude,” then I have done my job. That song was to talk about the anecdote of when you meet someone and it doesn’t matter how old you are. You can be 17, 18, 40, 50 or 60 years old, be single and feel butterflies in your stomach again. Why not? That’s what I love about that song.

You use norteño elements like the accordion, but it also sounds a bit country. How do you approach incorporating diverse styles into your music?

That’s something organic — that word is in style. “Lo Busqué” is going to be 20 years old, and I was lucky enough to be with Carín León at StageCoach [Festival on April 27], where he mentioned to those present that for him, that song, in his reality, was the first that made a crossover between pop and country. It is a song that marked him, and it marked me too when I wrote it.

When I wrote it, I had a lot of problems with the record label — because they told me: “Your song is neither grupera, nor ranchera, nor a ballad, nor country”. And I told them, “You know why it is nothing? Because it’s everything.” They’re songs that come naturally to me. I think it’s the impact of cultures — of traveling, of listening to all kinds of music — that makes me write that way.

Thirty years ago, when you were starting your career, regional Mexican music was even more male-dominated than it is today. What was it like to stand out and make your way as a female leader in the music scene and what challenges did you have to overcome?

The first challenge? Insecurity. It’s absolutely a man’s market. I still believe that. It’s misogynistic, and I say that with the authority of years of being in this. [A record executive] said, “We have five singles [to release], and Ana’s is going to be the fifth.” The first one, almost always, or always, is very male-focused. It’s insane! They’re career challenges that deflate your spirits.

But you keep going because of “orgullo de mujer cuando está herido”(or “a woman’s pride when it’s wounded”) — my song “Loca” (2004) says. Even if they [make you] let your guard down and say, “She’s probably going to get married or have children”, or “Oh, she’s not going to have the body she once had.”

No! If you got married, you got married; if you had a child, you bless them and move on. I have been a victim of these kinds of comments that can discourage any human being, any woman. Don’t let them make you let your guard down — you keep going, you keep fighting. If it impacts you, you have to know how to channel it. I have channeled it with my songs, through dance, concerts, and it has worked very well for me.

You proved it in February during your performance at Premio Lo Nuestro, with your medley of hits, the numerous costume changes, the choreography, and then you did a split! How do you prepare for that kind of gymnastics on stage? What’s your diet and routine like?

The worst thing that can happen to an artist, in my humble opinion, is that what they need the most is discipline or the routine to get in physical condition — to get on stage, sing and dance at the same time; daily exercise. We [artists] are always flying, traveling, going up, going down, all the time, and the only thing we don’t have is a routine. However, not having a constant of waking up in the same place — within that disorder you have to have an order.

I try to do sports at least three, four times a week. I do try to do them intensely — because imagine, singing, dancing, performing and costume changing is weight on your feet, arms and legs. Besides, you can’t become a fitness [guru], because you don’t have the time. One of the limitations is to look for schedules without routine, whether it’s in the evening, another in the morning, or at the crack of dawn. Do yoga, aerobics, things that give you the physical condition for that kind of performance.

The logical thing to do when you’re not traveling, singing, promoting, taking care of your home or your family, is to rest. Well, no! In those breaks, the stress I put on my body is one that is called positive stress. Even if I’m very tired, I try to exercise to have the condition for these kinds of challenges that are award show presentations, or touring — because for each [tour] show, you need an hour and a half or two. Imagine being on stage, up there in heels at this age. [Laughs.] Yes, it’s a big challenge, queen.

You have been a judge in competitions such as La Academia and Tengo Talento, Mucho Talento. How was that experience of being on the other side of the music industry?

You can go all over the world and you will never come across a monument like a critic. It’s funny, but the critic can suddenly be cold hearted, and will only say: “Look, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta, ta”, right? I was a critic, but I have been a judge — I have also been in programs as a contestant, not only once, but many times. From that sympathy, I made my comments [as judge]. I always wanted the contestant to feel good and comfortable, and leave there having lived a nice experience. Despite how strong [it can be], I always wanted them to have a glimmer of hope. But I tried to be realistic.

Besides the tour, what else is next for Ana Bárbara?

I have other music projects with new artists. María José, a Mexican singer that I love, just recorded a song. It is a song I wrote, called “Mi Rey, Mi Santo” (My King, My Saint), and the truth is that she sings it very beautifully. She invited me to sing it with her. It’s coming out [soon] and we are very excited.

Billboard Latin Women in Music 2024 will air exclusively on Telemundo Sunday (June 9) at 9 p.m. ET, and will also be available on the Telemundo app and on Peacock.

05 Jun 2024

Cris MJ Secures His Second Top 10 on Hot Latin Songs With ‘Si No Es Contigo’

Chilean singer-songwriter Cris MJ adds a second top 10 to his Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart account, as “Si No Es Contigo” debuts at No. 3 – just two steps behind his current leader, the eight-week No. 1 “Gata Only” with FloyyMenor. The former also bows at No. 72 on the overall Billboard Hot 100, the artist’s highest debut of his so far three entries.

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Christopher Andrés Álvarez García, better known as Cris MJ, launched his Hot Latin Songs career just two years ago, through the No. 24-peaking “Una Noche En Medellín” in 2022. A remix of the song with Karol G and Ryan Castro, which charted separately, later took the Chilean to a No. 12 high in August 2023.

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“Si No Es Contigo,” Cris MJ’s latest top 10 debut hit — a rhythmic tune peppered with Middle Eastern sounds — is powered almost entirely by streaming activity, with 7.9 million official U.S. streams earned during the May 24-30 tracking week, according to Luminate.

That sum yields an equal No. 3 start on Latin Streaming Songs, for Cris MJ’s second top 10 in less than two months, following “Gata Only,” for nine weeks in charge starting with the April 13-dated list.

Expanding on the song’s solid start, “Contigo” also earns indie label Sonar its first top 10 on Hot Latin Songs. The Orchard sub-label, in partnership with Rimas Entertainment, first logged an entry on the multimetric tally through the threeway collab, “Desde Mis Ojos” — with Chris Lebron, Jay Wheeler and Sech — for a No. 43 high in 2022.

As mentioned, Cris MJ lands in the top 10 on the airplay-, streaming-, digital sales-blended Hot Latin Songs chart for a second time after logging his first leader through “Gata Only” with FloyyMenor (chart dated April 20), the second-longest leading song in 2024, after Xavi’s “La Diabla” (14-week ruler starting the Jan. 6-dated list).

Further, the 22-year-old makes his first appearance on the Billboard Artist 100 chart, debuting at No. 91. On a global scale, Cris MJ claims a new entry on both Global charts: No. 76 debut on the Billboard Global 200 with 20.9 million streams worldwide. Meanwhile, outside the U.S. he collects 13.1 million clicks for a No. 122 start on the Global Excl. U.S. ranking.

05 Jun 2024

Kim Kardashian Wears Janet Jackson’s Exact ‘If’ Music Video Outfit to Singer’s Concert

Three years after acquiring Janet Jackson‘s actual costume from the 1993 “If” music video, Kim Kardashian finally had somewhere to wear it to. 

On Tuesday (June 4), the reality star modeled the exact ribbed top and black pants worn by the “Together Again” singer in her 1993 visual to Jackson’s concert in Palm Springs, which Kardashian attended with her sister Khloe and momager, Kris Jenner. A self-proclaimed superfan, the Skims founder bought the outfit for $25,000 in an auction back in 2021.  

“Can you guys tell where I’m going tonight?” she said in a video on Instagram Stories, showing followers a close-up look at the pants. “I bet you will never guess.” 

Kardashian posted several more photos showing off the look, as well as videos of her and her sister singing along to the show. “I’m spamming tonight so unless you wanna see so much @janetjackson content I suggest you stay off my page,” she wrote. 

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The Kardashians star also shared a three-year-old screenshot of Jackson congratulating her on buying the outfit shortly after the mogul won it. “Thank u so much @kimkardashian!” the five-time Grammy winner wrote on her Story at the time. “I hope ‘IF’ gives u as much pleasure as it did me.” 

In ’93, Jackson peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “If,” which marks one of 27 top 10 hits for the Indiana native. The track’s music video finds her performing sensual group choreography in a seedy nightclub while wearing Kardashian’s future collector’s item. 

Jackson’s next show is slated for Thursday (June 6) in Chula Vista, Calif., after which she’ll make stops in Los Angeles, Anaheim, Sacramento and San Francisco. After touring through California, she’ll travel across North America before heading overseas for a European leg in September, closing Oct. 10 with a performance in Amsterdam. 

Watch Kardashian dance along to Jackson’s show while wearing the singer’s “If” outfit below. 

05 Jun 2024

Josiah Queen’s ‘The Prodigal’ Debuts at No. 1 on Top Christian Albums Chart

Josiah Queen’s launch album The Prodigal enters Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart (dated June 8) at No. 1. Released May 24, the set earned 4,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. through May 30, according to Luminate.

The LP marks the first Top Christian Albums appearance for the 21-year-old Queen, based in Tampa, Fla. He initially accumulated traction by posting videos on TikTok, where he has approximately 100,000 followers.

“It’s been surreal to see the response to The Prodigal,” Queen tells Billboard. “It’s wild to me that these songs which I wrote in my living room and bedroom have made their way to people all over the world. My hope is that the album leads people closer to God.”

Meanwhile, the set’s title track ranks at No. 7, after hitting No. 4, on the multimetric Hot Christian Songs survey. It drew 2.2 million in airplay audience and 1.8 million official U.S. streams in the tracking week.

Queen co-authored the single with Jared Marc, who also produced it. Queen co-wrote or solo-authored all 11 songs on the new album. He’s on tour and scheduled to make his first appearance at Nashville’s Grand Opry July 2.

Pastor Mike Jr. Extends Record Run

Pastor Mike Jr. adds his record-extending sixth consecutive career-opening No. 1 on Gospel Airplay with “Windows.” The song, which he wrote with Jaicko Lawrence, increased by 9% in plays during the tracking week.

The Birmingham, Ala., native previously topped Gospel Airplay as featured on Kierra Sheard’s “Miracles,” for a week last July and with his own “Impossible,” featuring James Fortune (two weeks, April 2023); “Amazing” (two weeks, May 2022); “I Got It” (four weeks, beginning in March 2021); and “Big Rock City” (10 weeks, beginning in February 2020).

Pastor Mike Jr. also ties Todd Dulaney and Jonathan McReynolds for the longest streak of Gospel Airplay No. 1s overall, regardless of career-launching runs. All three acts’ streaks are active, with Dulaney currently rising 25-24 with his newest entry, “No Weapon.”

05 Jun 2024

HunterGirl Expands on ‘American Idol’ Success, Brings Her Songwriting Skill into Focus on ‘Tennessee Girl’ EP

“Ain’t About You” singer HunterGirl had a “pinch me” moment recently as she was preparing for this week’s CMA Fest, where she’ll perform at the Chevy Vibes stage on Friday (June 7) and appear on the CMA Closeup stage on Saturday (June 8).

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“I had rehearsals with a band and I was thinking back to being 14 years old and playing shows — little Hunter would lose her mind thinking about all these cool things that are happening right now,” HunterGirl said in conversation with Billboard at the BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville offices.

Those “cool things” include not only being runner-up during the 20th season of American Idol two years ago, being announced as part of this year’s CMT’s Next Women of Country class in January and making her Grand Ole Opry debut in March, but also gearing up for the release of her major label debut EP, Tennessee Girl, out Friday (June 7) on 19 Recordings/BBRMG/BMG Nashville.

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Born Hunter Wolkonowski, HunterGirl grew up 90 minutes south of Nashville, in Winchester, Tennessee. She earned her stage name by being the only girl named Hunter in her elementary class. Inspired equally by the confessional songwriting of Dolly Parton and the fierceness of P!nk, HunterGirl made her way to Nashville soon after graduating high school, studying at nearby Middle Tennessee State University, while playing the downtown Nashville bars. She won a Nashville Songwriters Association International contest — and then came her career-expanding time on American Idol in 2022. HunterGirl grew up listening to Luke Bryan’s 2013 Crash My Party album, so her stint on American Idol nearly a decade later was full circle, with HunterGirl performing for and being mentored by Bryan himself.

“He’s always told me, ‘Just keep writing songs and always stay true to yourself,’” HunterGirl says of Bryan. “He’s just been such a champion for me since I was on the show and I’m very grateful to have him in my corner.” She will also open shows for Bryan this summer.

Her EP includes “Ain’t About You,” which made HunterGirl the first female country artist in over three decades to write her debut radio single by herself.

“Ain’t About You” – which reached No. 53 on Hot Country Songs — detailed the deflating feeling familiar to so many aspiring Nashville hitmakers who watch as friends and fellow artists reach career milestones and framed the now 26-year-old as a clear-eyed purveyor of emotional depth.

“It was the most honest and vulnerable I’d ever been in a song,” she says. “I wrote it in my bedroom and never thought anyone would hear it. That song and people’s reception to it changed my songwriting because I realized people needed to hear the not-so-pretty parts of your life, the really hard things I was scared to say. After that it made choosing [songs for] the EP so much easier, because I’m like, ‘I’m just going to be myself and hopefully, it touches somebody else out there.’”

The six-song EP weaves in what HunterGirl calls “blue jean jacket songs” and “leather jacket songs.” She explains: “The blue jean jacket songs feel like me sitting in my bedroom and talking about my story, and the leather jacket songs are the ones that make me feel like I can take on the world and feel powerful. So the EP shows different sides of my personality.”

“Bad Boy,” an up-tempo rocker with lyrics that gush over a tattooed, cigarette-smoking guitar player, is a decidedly “leather jacket song,” HunterGirl says.

“I wanted to write a song about my terrible taste in men,” says HunterGirl, who wrote the song with writer-producer Lindsay Rimes and Greg Bates. “I was out after a show and a guy pulled up on a motorcycle, and later I just started singing the lyric, ‘I got it bad for a bad boy.’ I took the idea to them and we just got in the studio and had fun.”

Billboard spoke with HunterGirl, our Country Rookie of the Month for June, about her new EP, songwriting, her passion for supporting the military and more.

“Ain’t About You” was a solo write for you. Why is songwriting such an important aspect of your artistry?

I write every single day. It’s just unloading my day in my diary or in my notes app. I feel like I need to write my songs just because I’ve gone through different circumstances, and I feel like I can talk about them with my audience. I feel like whenever I’m writing a song, it just lets me sit with everybody else and say, “Hey, this is me as a person.”

Do you have a favorite lyric on the EP?

I love the line in “Pretty Much” that says, “Who decided what pretty was?” Even as a young girl, I just worried about how I looked — “Am I wearing the right outfit?” — or when your friend takes a picture and you’re scared to look at it. I’m finally getting to a phase in my life where I’m like “I just want to be myself, say the things I want to say, and be who I want to be — and if you don’t like it, that’s okay.”

A standout on the EP is “Clockworks,” which you wrote with Rimes and JoyBeth Taylor. What do you recall about writing that song?

JoyBeth brought up the title and idea for “Clockworks,” and I thought, “Oh my gosh, that’s my grandpa.” We were just talking about all those moments I wish I could live again. I feel like things move so quickly and I forget to live in the moment sometimes. Whenever I sing that song in my set, it’s a reminder to live in the here and now. I dedicate that song to my grandpa and I just feel like everyone should take that trip, or make that call and tell people you love them while you can.

You come from a family of military veterans. How does that influence your work with military-focused organizations?

Yeah, my grandpa, my great-grandpa, six of my great-uncles, all of them. I grew up around military people. I started working with veterans when I was 17, and I started writing with organizations like Operation Song, Freedom Sings, and A Soldier’s Child. A lot of times, when we write these songs and record them, and then the families hear them, it is the first time the families are hearing about some of the things they went through.

In 2020, I started a female veterans class on Zoom, and it became a community of support. I think when veterans come home, they can feel lost, and that’s what my grandpa and others in my family have felt. Giving back to veterans is important to me, because I’ve seen how much it can change a person to write a song.

When did you first realize you had musical talent?

I started singing at three years old, singing with my grandpa in church. I wrote my first song at nine and some of my first performances were talent shows and county fairs. I played parking lots and car shows, I played them all. Even though they didn’t have any musical background [my parents?] just told me if I wanted to do this, I had to work hard. My family worked multiple jobs, so I saw how hard they worked and that was built into me as a kid.

Did you take guitar lessons or were you in bands in school?

I learned piano by ear first, then I wanted to learn bass because I wanted to be in a band and they needed a bass player, so I sang lead and played bass. Then I learned guitar so I could write on guitar. I want to get back into playing bass. My bass is still at home, and I think my mom is going to bring it up during CMA Fest.

You moved to Nashville and studied music business at Middle Tennessee State University. How do you feel like that prepared you for your career?

I feel like I learned a lot about music and who I am as a person. The songwriting program is great there, and [Grammy-nominated songwriter and MTSU associate professor] Odie Blackmon is amazing, and [MTSU dean of the College of Media and Entertainment] Beverly Keel has been such a champion for me, and for all women. I think I punched the passport for every bar on [Nashville’s Lower] Broadway, going to school while playing shows seven days a week.

I put my classes super early, at like 7 a.m., and then would go to Broadway, play eight to 12 hours, and then drive back to Murfreesboro [Tennessee] to do it all again. I don’t know what kind of coffee I was drinking back then. I remember sometimes someone would say, “Play something that you wrote.” Playing covers for eight hours, then you get to sing your own song? God bless people like that.

What was the first song you fell in love with?

I remember hearing Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors” for the first time, just sitting there watching with my dad and Pa. They loved Dolly. I remember thinking, “I hope I can write a song like that one day.” You feel every word she’s singing, and she says such complex things in the most simple way. It feels like you are talking to your best friend.

What was the first concert you went to?

I went to the Southern Ground Festival here in Nashville, with Zac Brown Band. It was so fun and I got to see Willie Nelson perform, so it was incredible.

Who would you most love to collaborate with in the future?

I would love to collaborate with Dolly or Reba McEntire at some point and on the other side of the spectrum, P!nk, definitely.

05 Jun 2024

Cyndi Lauper Gets a Hand From Cher At TCL Chinese Theatre Handprint Ceremony

Cyndi Lauper got a little help from her friends on Tuesday (June 4) during the “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” singer’s TCL Chinese Theatre hand and footprint ceremony in Los Angeles. In an Instagram Story, Lauper, 70, looked glam in an all-black outfit and a shock of white hair accented by oversized white earrings as she was flanked by pals Cher and Bebe Rexha.

The story also featured Lauper revisiting the corner of Gay St. in New York where she shot the “Girls” video for a CBS Sunday Morning segment, a pic of the three women at the ceremony and a series of snaps and videos of Lauper imprinting her hands in cement.

In a clip from the Mann’s visit, Rexha said of Lauper, “Not only was I drawn to her infectious melodies and her edgy style, but it was most importantly her unapologetic nature to be her true self. Her true, authentic self.”

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Cher recalled singing her song “If I Could Turn Back Time” with Lauper at a VH1 Divas show in 2002, saying, “I was feeling good about myself and she comes out and blows me away. And we’ve been friends ever since.” The story ended with images of Lauper on the red carpet at the L.A. VIP screening of her biopic, Let the Canary Sing, where, of course, she was fitted in an all-yellow Versace suit.

The feature-length film that debuted at last year’s Tribeca Festival in New York was directed by Emmy-winning documentarian Alison Ellwood (Laurel Canyon) and debuted on Paramount+ on Tuesday night. “Over the years I’ve been asked to do a documentary about my life and work, but it never felt like the right time,” Lauper, 70, said in a statement about the film. “Until now. When I first met Alison Ellwood, I knew right away I could trust her to tell my story honestly, which was incredibly important to me, and she succeeded in that. I’d like to thank Alison, the producers, and all of the amazing documentary participants who agreed to be interviewed!”

Earlier this week, Lauper announced her 23-city Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour. The singer’s first major run of shows in more than a decade is scheduled to kick off on Oct. 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal and run through a Dec. 5 gig at the United Center in Chicago.

Watch some other footage from the handprint ceremony and movie screening below.

@hollywoodstartours

#cyndilauper #hollywood #celebrity #hollywoodchinesetheatre #hollywoodwalkoffame

♬ original sound – HOLLYWOOD STAR TOURS

05 Jun 2024

RM’s ‘Right Place, Wrong Person’ Debuts at No. 1 on Top Rap Albums Chart

RM achieves his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Rap Albums chart as Right Place, Wrong Person starts in the summit of the list dated June 8. The project, released May 24, earned 54,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week week ending May 30, according to Luminate.

For Right Place, Wrong Person’s debut-week total, traditional album sales contribute 43,000 units, while streaming activity (SEA) provides 7,500 units, a figure that equals 10.16 million official on-demand streams of the album’s songs. Track-equivalent album (TEA) units comprise the remaining 3,500 balance.

Elsewhere, Right Place, Wrong Person opens at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard 200, where it becomes RM’s third solo entry on the chart. His Mono. mixtape peaked at No. 26 in 2018, while Indigo reached a No. 3 best in 2022. BTS, of which RM is a member, has collected 15 charting titles on the Billboard 200, including six No. 1s.

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Thanks to Right Place, Wrong Person’s strong individual track sales – the album has the most TEA units of any title on this week’s Top Rap Albums chart – six of the project’s cuts arrive on the Rap Digital Song Sales chart. Here’s a recap:

No. 2 – “Nuts” (4,000 sold)
No. 3 – “Right People, Wrong Place” (3,000)
No. 4 – “Groin” (3,000)
No. 5 – “Domodachi,” with Little Simz (3,000)
No. 6 – “Out of Love” (3,000)
No. 7 – “? (Interlude),” with DOMi & JD Beck (3,000)

Activity surrounding Right Place, Wrong Person drives RM 55-4 to a new career high on the Billboard Artist 100, which measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption – album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming – to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of the most popular artists. As RM rockets into the top five, he outdoes his prior best showing of No. 6 from December 2022, concurrent with Indigo’s peak on the Billboard 200.

05 Jun 2024

Ice Spice’s ‘Y2K’ Finally Has a Release Date: See the NYC-Themed Cover Art

Ice Spice’s Y2K debut is one of the most anticipated albums of the year, and The Bronx native has finally revealed when fans can expect the project to land in their headphones.

The 24-year-old gave the hip-hop world a jolt of energy without any coffee when she announced on Wednesday (June 5) that her debut album will be arriving on July 26.

“HIIIII >.< Y2K ☆ THE ALBUM WILL BE DROPPING JULY 26TH !!!! pre-save the link in my bio now ;**,” she captioned the post on social media.

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Paying homage to her Big Apple roots, Ice Spice also revealed the NYC-themed cover art for the project, which finds her rocking revealing jean shorts along with green boots, her hands on a concrete wall as she stands outside a subway station next to a fire hydrant. Y2K is spray painted in hot pink on a trash can.

Ice Spice has released a pair of album singles heading into Y2K this year. She kicked off 2024 with “Think U the Shit (Fart)” and the more recent Sean Paul-sampling “Gimmie a Light.”

The “Munch” rapper announced in March that she finished recording for Y2K and told Billboard around the same time that she put her all into the LP. “I think this is some of my best work,” she said while teasing that “it’s not going to be too long — it’s going to be sweet and to the point.”

Ice Spice was honored with the Hitmaker award at the 2024 Billboard Women in Music event after notching four top 10 hits on the Hot 100 in ’23. At the ceremony, she explained that fans will be getting some “bops” on her debut. “You can expect a lot of bops. I really pushed myself on this album,” she shared. “The sounds is different. It’s similar, but different.”

 Ice Spice’s first EP, Like..?, was released in January 2023. The project (which got a deluxe release in July) peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200.

Check out the Y2K cover art below and look for the album on July 26.