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Brandy earned the Vocal Bible nickname for a reason. Kehlani joined the latest episode of Big Boy’s Neighborhood where she sang the praises of Brandy, claiming that “The Boy Is Mine” singer should be on every artist’s R&B Mount Rushmore.
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Even as Kehlani has enjoyed plenty of success in her own right, the Oakland native doesn’t see Brandy as a peer since she’s one of the R&B artists who inspired her and paved the way.
“I don’t think I would ever call my greats my peers,” she said. “Would never call her a peer. We’ll always call her a mother. Would always call her in my Mount Rushmore of R&B. I think every R&B singer that you ask if you’re talking about vocal GOATs, they’re gonna say Brandy. I would never, respectfully, get into an argument about Brandy Norwood. I would never be explaining Brandy Norwood to anyone.”
Kehlani joined Brandy on stage as a surprise guest at the Los Angeles show on The Boy Is Mine Tour, where she gave Brandy her flowers, hailing her as the “greatest of all-time” and then performed her top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit “Folded.”
“I’m just glad I got to give her her flowers,” she added. “Even if they had only brought me out to give her her flowers and say what I got to say, that would’ve been just as good as being able to sing my song. I also was really grateful to be there in Monica’s presence as well, and give her her flowers privately.”
Brandy and Monica reunited for the co-headlining The Boy Is Mine Tour, which kicked off in October and has North American dates left in Detroit, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston, Tampa Bay, Miami and Jacksonville.
As for Kehlani, she’s preparing to drop off her anticipated album next spring. “I usually come in spring,” she said. “I’m a spring baby.” The 30-year-old is riding high off the success of “Folded,” which reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 and “Out the Window” (No. 63 Hot 100 peak).
Watch the full interview below. Talk about Brandy begins just shy of 27 minutes in.
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It took four years following 2021 predecessor Sitll Over It, but R&B star Summer Walker‘s Finally Over It finally arrived two Fridays ago (Nov. 14).
The third and presumed installment in Walker’s highly acclaimed Over It album series debuts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart this week, with 77,000 first-week units. The numbers mark the best debut for an album by a woman R&B artist in 2025 — defining such albums as those that are eligible for, or have charted on, Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart — but are down from Still, which entered at No. 1 with 166,000 units in 2021.
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How do those numbers compare to our expectations? And does the album itself live up to the first two parts of the trilogy? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.
1. Summer Walker’s Finally Over It debuts at No. 2 this week with 77,000 equivalent album units. Are those numbers higher, lower, or about what you expected for it?Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: This is personally right in line with what I expected, and if No. 1 wasn’t T-Swift and it wasn’t the week before Thanksgiving, this number easily could have been higher. Considering it’s been four years since Summer’s last project, and the only hit single to hype up this album was “Heart of a Woman,” which is over a year old at this point, 77,000 just gets more impressive the more you realize it highlights how devoted Summer’s fanbase is at this point.
Kyle Denis: These numbers are certainly lower than I expected. Both Over It and Still Over It opened with over 130,000 album units, so to go from that to barely surpassing 75,000 — with nearly 20 songs, multiple deluxe editions and an overall buzzier collection of guest artists — is pretty disappointing.
Gail Mitchell: Given the debut numbers for Walker’s first two albums, Over It (134,000) and Still Over It (166,000), this new number is lower than I expected. However, four years have elapsed since her last album, with Finally Over It landing in a very different economic climate. Consumers deal with higher prices for food, healthcare and other essentials. Meaning that for some, purchases of concert/festival tickets, music and other discretionary items are lower priorities right now.
Michael Saponara: I’d say that number is slightly higher than I anticipated. Even though 77,000 is less than half of what Still Over It did in 2021, we’re just in a much different climate when it comes to album sales. Couple that with an extended rollout that didn’t include a hit single leading into the project released this year, and the sum makes sense.
Andrew Unterberger: It’s a little lower. The rollout was messy and the singles were poorly timed, but I thought the continued interest in Walker and affection for the Over It series was enough to transcend the promotional miscues — especially because I think the album itself is quite strong. But a lot of artists are pulling up a little short of expectations on streaming right now, and I suppose Walker is no exception.
2. Finally Over It arrives over a year after she initially announced the album, and almost exactly four years after she released its predecessor, Still Over It. Based on the early returns, would you say the protracted rollout helped its debut performance, hurt it, or had no major impact on it?Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: I think the tour with Chris Brown definitely helped keep Summer as a part of the conversation, even though the rollout didn’t really kick into high gear until maybe a month or two ago. I think if it had been any other R&B singer, this rollout would have seriously hurt the project. If anything, these impressive first-week numbers show that Summer Walker has a real, devoted fanbase who show up for their girl even if the momentum culturally isn’t all the way there. For Summer fans, this may sound obvious, but for someone who doesn’t religiously follow her, I found it impressive and surprising how deep that support really went.
Kyle Denis: Over the past year, the Finally Over It rollout has felt very start-stop, which caused confusion and exasperation among some fans. We seemed to be headed somewhere after “Heart of a Woman” arrived in October 2024… and then it was practically radio silent until “Spend It” came around six months later. While “Spend It” came and went quickly, Summer opened select dates on Chris Brown’s Breezy Bowl XX Tour, but her sets didn’t contain any tangible messaging regarding when fans could expect her new album. In fact, the latest stage of the Finally Over It rollout began at the top of October, just a month and a half before the album hit DSPs and after a year of confusing false starts. I’m sure the clunky campaign caused some listeners to tune out or put the album on the backburner, thus hurting its debut performance.
Gail Mitchell: I don’t think the protracted rollout had a major impact on its debut. Walker still made an impressive bow at No. 2 against Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl juggernaut. So Walker still hasn’t lost her status as an R&B/pop crossover torch-bearer. Plus she’s back in the Grammy derby again with two nods (best R&B performance, best R&B song) for the album’s platinum-certified lead single, the aching “Heart of a Woman.” That’s not too shabby given the four-year break between albums.
Michael Saponara: I think the protracted rollout hurt the album a bit when it came to commercial performance. Summer had plenty of solid tracks and star-studded collaborations in the holster to raise hype and awareness surrounding the final installment of the trilogy to build her world out even further heading into Finally Over It. While “Heart of a Woman” is a Grammy-nominated single, it was still released over a year before the project ultimately arrived.
Andrew Unterberger: It probably hurt it a little, especially just in that if this album had come out in 2023, when streaming numbers across the board were still a little higher, I bet it would’ve done some brisker business there. But whether it’s about the industry, the timing or the album itself, it also feels like maybe the excitement just isn’t quite there for Finally Over It like there was for its two predecessors.
3. The new album also charts seven songs on the Hot 100 in its debut frame. Which, if any of them, seems like the likely breakout hit from the project to you? Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: I’m a little surprised by how low these songs debuted on the Hot 100, considering how impactful the album as a whole was, but the order they’re in makes sense to me. Fans were really talking about Doja and Latto’s features on “Go Girl,” so I can see that song separating from the pack in a few weeks.
Kyle Denis: I’m gonna put my money behind “No” right now. It’s right in that ‘00s R&B pocket that’s spinning out career-best chart hits for Kehlani right now, and the Beyoncé flip is clean. “FMT” has the advantage of a new music video, and while I think it’s one Summer’s best attempts at a straight-up pop ballad, I think it’ll end up more of a minor hit à la SZA’s “Nobody Gets Me” (which it bears notable sonic similarities to). I’d also keep an eye on “Baller” (the verses are hit-and-miss, but the hook is sticky) and “Go Girl” (TikTok might be clowning it, but it’s clearly also connecting with people).
Gail Mitchell: “Heart of a Woman” is a strong act to follow. However, “No” is another equally potent contender with its infectious hook and clever interpolation of Beyoncé’s 2003 song “Yes.” Through Walker’s emotive vocals, you feel the angst, frustration and heartbreak she’s endured… but also the maturity, strength and self-love she possesses now that she’s on the other side of the romance conundrum. And it’s all encapsulated in a one-word declaration: No. Honorable mention: “1-800 Heartbreak.”
Michael Saponara: I’m going with “Baby.” Chris Brown has still been able to dominate radio and I could see the apologetic track picking up steam on the airwaves and remaining in the R&B zeitgeist heading into 2026. It’s also an addictive listen and fans are already familiar with the Mariah Carey “Always Be My Baby” interpolation and sample built into “Baby,” which debuted at No. 68 on the Hot 100.
Andrew Unterberger: Yes to “No.” That’s some classic, timeless R&B right there. 4. Over It and Still Over It were two of the most acclaimed and successful R&B albums of the last decade — does Finally Over It feel like a worthy closer to the trilogy to you?Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: It’s definitely not as captivating as Over It and Still Over It were when they first came out, with the former being a certified classic at this point. Both of those albums felt fresh and unique, and I think Finally Over It instead offers more of what we’ve come to expect from Summer at this point, which is both a good and bad thing. She’s in her bag, and the highlights are high, but the album is long and grows sluggish at points. Regardless, it feels like a fitting closer, and hit me the same way The Dark Knight Rises did when it first hit theaters — I was entertained and satisfied with the conclusion, even despite its bloated runtime, but to compare it to The Dark Knight’s perfection in any way felt like a travesty.
Kyle Denis: I think I need more time with Finally Over It. I appreciate the bigger swings and more polished late ’90s/early ’00s sound, but there’s a rawness and vulnerability that’s missing for me — and those are the elements that most draw me into a Summer project. At the very least, Finally feels like a natural progression from its two predecessors.
Gail Mitchell: Yes it does, especially given the title track that helps close out disc two. “It’s over/ All the mess… all the stress,” Walker sings before pledging that “With you, love doesn’t hurt / Love is for better or worse / So I do.” Her hard-won journey/catharsis as depicted in the trilogy is finally over.
Michael Saponara: Finally Over It serves as a worthy closing chapter to the trilogy, as Summer enters her healing era from repeated heartbreak. Initially, I was skeptical coming in with four years passing since Still Over It, the lack of a 2025 hit single and the abundance of collaborators joining her, but Summer stitched it all together and remained the centrifugal force of an ambitious operation. The growth is evident as she leaned into more of a traditional R&B sound than the trap or distortion of her previous hits. The gold digger motif also spiced up her world-building. Ultimately, Summer serves up a cynical handbook on navigating love in the TikTok era.
Andrew Unterberger: I like this album a bunch. The lifts and samples are (mostly) inspired, the writing and performance is still strong, the feeling is still consistent with the first two albums. There’s a lot that’s familiar from the rest of the series, but enough new looks — the alluring two-parter “Don’t Make Me Do It”/”Tempted,” the burning Teddy Swims duet “Allegedly” — that it feels fresh, too. The only thing it doesn’t quite have is the urgency or edge of the first two, stuff like “I’ll Kill You” or “4th Baby Mama” that almost unnerved with its intensity. But let’s be honest, third installments of trilogies rarely feel as vital as the first two. 5. Now that Walker has dropped Finally, who’s the proven R&B artist with a long-awaited new project that you’re most eagerly anticipating?Mackenzie Cummings-Grady: We could go down the list considering how unbelievably high R&B is riding right now. This past year had some of the best R&B music I’ve heard in years, especially from newcomers. For now, I’m just gonna play it safe and go with Chris Brown. I don’t think the anticipation for a CB record has been this high since F.A.M.E., so I’m hoping he delivers.
Kyle Denis: Kehlani’s upcoming album isn’t necessarily long-awaited, but I think it’ll blow the roof off 2026 once it’s here. If we’re being strict about “long-awaited,” then I’ll go with Victoria Monét and Jazmine Sullivan. And of course, whenever Beyoncé returns with an R&B album, we’ll all be tuned in.
Gail Mitchell: Rumors about a new Sade album have been floating around for several years, with the latest buzz pegging 2026 for her anticipated return. Like Halley’s Comet, the mercurial singer-songwriter is known for her long hiatuses between albums — it’s now 15 years since her last project, 2010’s Soldier of Love. But there’s no doubt that the fascination and mystery about what she and her band are cooking up will be worth the wait.
Michael Saponara: Frank Ocean, ducks.
Andrew Unterberger: Come back Brent Faiyaz! “Have To” was tight.
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This past January, Alison Wonderland tweeted an earnest request:
“Since cancelling 3 shows in December I have been getting constant s–t from Twitter, Instagram and Tiktok about it and it somehow isn’t dying down. I just want to let everyone know that I had to leave Asia for emergency surgery and then the week after I had a fever of 102 + for 4 days straight and couldn’t leave my bed.
“One day I will explain why I needed surgery,” she continued, “but right now I have not even processed it myself. I am asking nicely for all you ‘plur’ ravers to just be a bit more understanding- what I am dealing with in my private life right now is painful enough and I just want to concentrate on healing and music . Love u all.”
Nearly a year later, the producer sat down with Billboard News to talk about what she was going through during that time.
Speaking in mid-October, just weeks before she gave birth to her second son, Wonderland revealed that she experienced a miscarriage in December of 2024 that forced the cancellation of said shows. She says the online backlash she subsequently received “was so horrible, to have people so unsupportive and rude. And I had said ‘Look, I’m going through a lot. It’s surgery; it’s medical; it’s an emergency, please respect my privacy.’ And to this day I’m getting bombarded about the fact that I had to cancel shows at the end of last year. But I hope that you see this, and I hope you know it’s because I had a miscarriage … That sucked, because I did not feel like a person and I just didn’t want to have to tell everyone that. I wasn’t ready to. I don’t owe them that.”
Wonderland also reveals that this was her fourth miscarriage, with these experiences inspiring her June single “Again? F–k.”
“I was so messed up,” she says of writing the track. “I was like, ‘The only way I can get through this is writing a song with a sense of humor and like, kind of being aggressive about it, because it’s like, ‘How do I move forward?’” she also revealed that “I Want to Live in a Dream” is about “trying to escape that feeling of reality” which she felt due to the miscarriage but which she’s found is something many people around her are grappling with in various contexts.
“I think a lot of people at the moment feel like they don’t fit in anywhere,” Wonderland says. “A lot of people have said that to me, a lot of big artists have said that to me, that they’re struggling, because it’s very quick quick quick quick quick right now, and I’m an album artist. I’ll always be an album artist.”
To wit, both of the aforementioned singles come from Wonderland’s fourth studio album Ghost World, out Dec. 6. The producer says that the world building and story telling inherent in the album creation process is something that’s core to her creative process.
Elsewhere in the interview Wonderland discusses a sense of not fitting in in the dance world, her plans to tour again after giving birth and much more. Watch the complete interview above.
Trending on Billboard Billboard published the October Boxscore report on Tuesday (Nov. 25), with Chris Brown repeating as the biggest touring act of the month. But while the biggest stars of rock, hip-hop and more packed stadiums, comedians were road warrioring their way to sold-out theaters and arenas. Here, we’re looking at the five biggest […]
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When Mavo celebrated his 22nd birthday at the top of this month, he had “1” “2” and “3” LED marquee numbers to symbolize another significant figure. He had occupied the top three spots of the Apple Music Nigeria Top Songs chart with “Money Constant” with DJ Maphorisa, DJ Tunez and Wizkid, “BODY (danz)” with CKay, and the “Shakabulizzy (Remix)” with Davido.
“My friends actually did that for me. My friends did a surprise party for me,” he tells Billboard while on Zoom in Cape Town, South Africa, where he reveals he’s recorded another song with Davido (their “Galorizzy” collaboration with Scotts Maphuma, Morravey, Ecool and Iphxne DJ was announced less than a week after our interview and released the following week). “Davido is my friend. After I dropped the ‘Shakabulizzy’ remix, we’ve been always talking.”
Such an auspicious musical career is quite the extracurricular for someone who’s currently studying optometry at Afe Babalola University in Ekiti State, Nigeria, where Mavo (real name Oseremen Marvin Ukanigbe) will graduate in July 2026. But outside of wanting to specialize in eye care, he’s also taken a special interest in linguistics when it comes to his music.
His self-described “Burbur music” is an experimental hybrid of Afrobeats and rap that’s riddled with his idiosyncratic slang and unfiltered storytelling. “Burbur” – meaning “something that’s crazy, something that’s busting out speakers,” he describes – is one of 80 terms that Mavo has devised for his Bizzylingua vocabulary and defined in the Bizzpedia, A Native Bur Bur Dictionary that he worked on for two years and recently published with NATIVE Mag.
The “Bizzy” prefix is Mavo’s self-appointed nickname, which personifies his hustle as an independent artist and university student. He says listening to Wizkid at a young age inspired the semantic highlight of his music. “He’d start songs by saying ‘yaga.’ This guy’s feeling fly on the song. I’m like, ‘These are things I need to think about. How can I create words that when you say them, you’d be like, ‘What’s he saying?’ But they also sound cool at the same time,” he explains.
His favorite slang is “burti,” a “term referring to a great deal of swag and motion” as defined by the Bizzypedia. Many words in the Bizzylingua are suffixed with “izzy,” as popularized by his witty street-hop “Escaladizzy” hit with WAVE$TAR that BNXN co-signed, while ZerryDL put his own spin on it. Zerry’s brother and Plutomania Records boss Shallipopi individually reached out to contribute a verse to the remix, as did Ayra Starr and Zlatan, so Mavo combined their starpower on “Escaladizzy II.”
“I knew that anything was possible,” he reflects after “Escaladizzy II.” And while the stars continue aligning for – and collaborating with – Mavo, he’s determined to end his breakout year on a high note and continue his ascent into the new year.
Billboard spoke with November’s African Rookie of the Month about juggling his optometrist career goal and A-list artist ambitions, educating his listeners on the Bizzylingua, and cooking up the viral “Your body na meat pie” lyric from “BODY.”
When did you know music was your calling?
When I was in secondary school, there was a music club. So before I went to university, I had already written songs but not so full of metaphors or any form of literature, just basic lyrics. When I went to uni, I wanted to be more imaginative and innovative in my lyrics. I always try to trigger people with what I’m saying. I don’t want to say triggering, but that’s what it does. People [ask], “Why would you say this?” And that’s what works for me: the ability to make people want to know more.
How did your upbringing in Ekpoma, Edo State impact the music you listen to and the music you make?
It was a do-it-yourself thing. You had to be independent. I was in an all-boys school. There’s no impressing any girl. Nobody’s going to do anything for you because they like you. I was growing the habit of being independent for six years while I was in school before I went to uni.
Who are some of your favorite artists whom you grew up listening to?
Wizkid, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, Burna [Boy], Lil Uzi Vert, Davido, Rema, Seyi Vibez, Omah Lay. Future and Young Thug are my greatest inspirations ever. I’ve not dropped a lot of music, so people can’t tell that, but in due time. I’ve worked on so much music. Right now, I have over 1,500 songs on my laptop.
You’ve recorded that many songs since you’ve started making music in general or just recently?
Over the past three years. I started recording commercial music when I was in 300 level optometry. When I got to 300 level, I had time to multitask by recording songs and reading my books.
As you’re recording and studying at the same time, what does your schedule look like these days?
I had to choose channeling my school energy into my music. I have some songs where I met this girl when I was coming from class, or I met this girl when I went to buy food last night and I just tell the story. What I could do during my leisure [time], when guys are going to play basketball, I just record in my room. I have my microphone and everything.
Most of my songs, like “Escaladizzy,” were recorded in my room in my hostel. I believed that me doing it in my room is actually better than me going to a bigger studio. But for “Shakabulizzy” and moving forward, I saw the importance of actually going into the studio and following proper engineering routes.
How did you learn to record music in your room?
In my 200 level, I had friends that did music as well. We bought the equipment then started recording. My friend already knew about FL Studio and he started telling me about it and setting me up. Because I was in medicine, I had to stay back in school for three months. I was practicing FL Studio every day and finally made one banger, the song was so sweet. I sent it to my manager like, “Bro, can you hear the song?” She’s like, “Yeah, this song is crazy.” I’m like, “Yeah, man, I just recorded it.” And that’s how everything started.
And what made you pursue optometry?
My mom had some issues. I don’t know what it was, but I knew it was some issues with her eye. That was when I was really small. It was really hard for me to juggle school and my mom. I already had it in mind I wanted to become a doctor but not an eye doctor in particular. I was studying medicine originally. After a while, I told my lecturers I wanted to change and study optometry.
I already knew I was going to do music. I just needed something to inspire my educational side. I didn’t want to study music. I was doing really, really well in science. And my parents didn’t really want me to do art. Funny thing is when I started studying optometry, I realized that it was so fun. It’s different from being an optician or a regular eye specialist. You have a lot of things in your hands, you are closer to the patients. You are next to the ophthalmologist. It’s a lovely opportunity to become an optometrist.
How do you envision your career path being post-grad?
It’s going to be very interesting. I’m not really a person that likes to spill tea. I have a song with Wizkid and Davido, and nobody actually knew about it until the day they were dropping. But I have a really, really big thing happening during the first quarter of next year. That’s all I can say. Serious music. What I’m going to do is going to actually blow minds by God’s grace.
Take me back through the making of “Escaladizzy.”
I wrote it when I was in school. I had classes that week and during the weekend, I had shows in Lagos. After writing the song on Thursday, I had to go to Homecoming [Festival] on Friday. I performed [it] in my set the next day, it was unreleased. [WAVE$TAR] was like, “You should come to the studio” the next day. I was like, “No problem. I’ll pull up to your studio tomorrow.”
I went to the studio, I recorded one song, then I’m like, “Yo, yo. I’m still feeling the vibes. I feel like we need to record another song.” He’s like, “Oh yeah, yeah, that’s calm. Let’s do it.” Then I recorded “Escaladizzy.” I had the beat on my phone already. I had already written my part before I came there. But we didn’t finish it. I had to finish it three weeks later when it was hitting on TikTok.
When did you know that that song was special? Were you caught by surprise by the fan reaction to the snippet you shared on TikTok?
Trust me, I have a lot of songs that I know would do a lot of things, like more than 100, but I didn’t know this one was going to do this. After I recorded “Escaladizzy,” the only way it was going to work out for me business-wise was if I made another song like “Escaladizzy.” So I went to make “Shakabulizzy.”
Between “Escaladizzy” and “Shakabulizzy,” what is the significance of your signature “izzy” suffix?
The Bizzy form of something is going to be “izzy,” so the Bizzy form of an Escalade is Escaladizzy. The Bizzy form of Shakabula is Shakabulizzy. The Bizzy form of a clock is a clockizzy. The Bizzy form of a socket is a socketizzy. It just depends on if you want to do this. I don’t use my words all the time. It’s like an alternate word if I want to joke with my friends or be funny.
How did you get Davido on the “Shakabulizzy” remix?
He just texted me on Instagram. He’s like, “Could you send me ‘Shakabulizzy’? I want to do something.” I sent it to him. And he sent it to me the next day. Then he sent me a lot of money for the video as well. He’s a really nice person.
When did you realize that you were going to have a song with Wizkid and a song with Davido come out on the same day?
I knew that a month before it happened. They came to me. DJ Tunez texted me in September saying, “Wiz and you should do a song. Can you send the chorus?” I’m like, “OK, can you send me the beat?” Then he sent it. I just did my thing.
What was your reaction to occupying Nos. 1, 2 and 3 on Apple Music Nigeria Top Songs chart with “MONEY CONSTANT,” “BODY (danz)” and the “Shakabulizzy (Remix)”?
We knew it was going to happen. My team already told me. Surprisingly, I felt like there was going to be some sort of shuffling, like it was going to come on, go off, maybe [Nos.] 1, 2 [and] 5. But the funny thing is my team already told me it was going to go [Nos.] 1, 2 and 3.
Speaking of “BODY (danz),” how did you come up with the viral lyric “Your body na meat pie?”
I initially was telling you about being more metaphorical in my music, being more literature-based, trying to make a body of work an actual art piece. Let’s just say “meat pie” is metaphorical.
Did you expect that line to get as much attention as it has?
That, I can’t say — because I’ve related the body to a lot of other foods, trust me.
One X user commended you as a “lyrical genius” and broke down the mathematical meaning behind “meat pie,” equating that to “she’s a ten.” What do you think of all the lyrical breakdowns?
I see a lot of crazy breakdowns. I didn’t even know this was happening. But it’s cool to know that if you do that, it actually works.
You performed “BODY” at a club where everyone was holding up meat pies. What was going through your head as that was happening?
[Laughs.] I was like, “Why are you guys holding up meat pies?” Yeah, I said, “Your body na meat pie.” But this doesn’t mean you guys [should] actually hold up meat pies. I think for my live show in December, I’m going to give free meat pies to everybody there.
Who would you love to collaborate with next?
SZA, Travis Scott or Drake. Future and Young Thug is going to happen, but I want to go step by step. The way original Afrobeats artists have already worked, I feel like it’s only right if I do a song with Drake or Chris Brown. My music doesn’t really go in line with Chris Brown’s music. But I love Drake so much.
What’s been the biggest “pinch me” moment of your career so far?
Wizkid calling me. Anytime Wizkid calls me, it still doesn’t feel like it’s him calling. It’s crazy. Somebody I’ve been looking up to can just call me like, “Yo, Mavo, I’m coming in December. Hold it down for me.”
You’ve had multiple causes of celebration recently, since you just turned 22. What’s at least one career goal you have for yourself in the new year?
In 2026, I’ll be a mainstream international artist, like A-list. I personally want to drop three projects next year. And I want to make sure I get the collaboration of the year award.
Chris Brown’s Breezy Bowl XX wrapped over a month ago, but is still generating new chart highlights. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, its seven shows in October grossed $46.8 million and sold 286,000 tickets, scoring yet another month at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Tours chart.
When Brown was No. 1 last month, he matched a Boxscore feat only previously achieved by Bad Bunny and Beyonce by linking two consecutive months with a reported gross of $90 million or more. Now, he joins them in another elite club, as the only acts to ever string together three consecutive months at No. 1 on Top Tours.
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In fact, Brown immediately follows Beyonce’s three-peat from May-July, capping a six-month stretch of only those two superstars atop the list. The streak ends here, as he had no concerts on the books for November.
Brown’s October routing mostly stuck to the American Southeast, selling out stadiums in Atlanta; Birmingham, Ala.; New Orleans; and Raleigh, N.C.. But his stop in Washington, D.C. was the biggest, playing to 121,000 fans over three nights (Oct. 5, 8-9), combining for $20.7 million.
Those shows at Nationals Park give Brown his first month at No. 1 on Top Boxscores. He’s the first artist in venue history to report an engagement with a gross of more than $10 million (let alone $20 million), attendance of more than 100,000, or a string of three shows.
Since launching in June, Breezy Bowl XX grossed $295.5 million and sold just under two million tickets (1.983 million) over its 49 shows in Europe and North America. It’s the highest-grossing and best-selling tour of Brown’s career, more than three times over.
Guns N’ Roses follows at No. 2 on Top Tours, with $35.2 million and 346,000 tickets from 11 shows in October. It’s the second highest gross of the month, but the hard rock legends sold more tickets than anyone else.
GNR stakes their claim with the Latin American leg of the Because What You Want & What You Get Are Two Completely Different Things Tour. The biggest one-night stop was the Oct. 25 performance at Sao Paulo’s Allianz Parque ($5.2 million; 47,600 tickets), but Buenos Aires in Argentina was the band’s ultimate winner, with $7.8 million and 73,300 tickets over two nights (Oct. 17-18) at Estadio Tomas Adolfo Duco.
The tour began on May 1 in South Korea, playing throughout Asia and Europe over the summer. Those 27 shows grossed $95.6 million and sold 823,000 tickets. The October and November shows push the tour’s total revenue well over the $100 million mark, with one show in Mexico City left to be reported.
Yesterday (Nov. 24), Guns N’ Roses announced its 2026 world tour with headline dates in Brazil, Europe, and North America. It will continue a consistent pattern of touring for the band since reuniting in 2016. Since then, it has grossed more than $980 million, surely surging beyond $1 billion with next year’s tour.
Brown and GNR’s totals are significantly down from top honors in September, marking the end of stadium season in North America and Europe. Still, the top 30 is strong, with a total gross of $568.7 million and attendance of 4.5 million. Those figures are up 7% and 6%, respectively, from October of last year.
Two rap acts follow in the top five, with Travis Scott and YoungBoy Never Broke Again at Nos. 3-4, respectively. It’s relatively rare for a rapper to be in the top five, but the one-two punch of Scott and YoungBoy lengthens a strong 2025 for the genre, marking the third month where two such artists (with significant history on the Top Rap Albums and Hot Rap Songs charts) have paired up simultaneously. Tyler, The Creator did it in February with Drake, and again in March with j-hope.
They took wildly different paths to the top five this month. YoungBoy played 18 arena shows in the U.S., stacking up to $32.8 million in the second month of his first headline tour. Scott played five stadiums in Asia and South Africa, pushing his sprawling Circus Maximus Tour to $265 million since launching in 2023.
Lady Gaga rounds out the top five with $31.9 million and 185,000 tickets sold while in Europe on The Mayhem Ball. It’s her fourth month in the top 10 this year, stretching back to May when she hit Singapore’s Indoor Stadium for four nights. Through her Paris shows (Nov. 17-18, 20, 22), Gaga has grossed more than $225 million and sold 1.1 million tickets in 2025.
Last month, Tate McRae and Benson Boone made their top 10 debuts on the monthly Top Tours listing. This month, McRae ranks even higher (at No. 6) as her $111 million Miss Possessive Tour came to a close. She passes the proverbial baton, as another young woman in pop hits the top 10 for the first time: Laufey is No. 10 with $19.2 million and 180,000 tickets sold.
From Shakira’s hair care products to Maluma’s mezcal, see the list below.
11/25/2025
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Vicki Peterson, founding member of The Bangles, and Mixi Demner, frontwoman of Stitched Up Heart, are set to cohost the 2026 She Rocks Awards on Friday, Jan. 23 at the Hilton Anaheim Pacific Ballroom in Anaheim, Calif., during NAMM. Peterson was a 2015 She Rocks honoree; Demner was honored in 2024.
The Bangles had a pair of No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 – “Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Eternal Flame,” and a pair of No. 2 hits – Prince’s “Manic Monday” and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Hazy Shade of Winter.”
The awards are presented by the Women‘s International Music Network. NAMM is the presenting sponsor of the annual event, which celebrates the achievements of women in music and audio. It will feature live music, speeches and a silent auction, along with dinner for attendees.
The organization also announced the full slate of honorees, joining singers Rachel Platten and Judith Hill, bassist Rhonda Smith and guitarist Sophie Burrell, who were the first honorees to be announced on Sept. 16.
The show is open to the public. Tickets are on sale now at the She Rocks site or at Eventbrite. Tickets are $188.58 (VIP tickets), $161.90 (platinum) and $92.55 (gold), inclusive of fees. Through Dec. 2, attendees can use a code (BF10) to get $10 off She Rocks Awards tickets.
Here’s a complete list of the 2026 honorees (in alphabetical order):
Sophie Burrell
Guitarist, educator and online personality. Burrell will serve as the opening act for the 2026 She Rocks Awards. Hosted by PRS Guitars
Andreea Gleeason
CEO of TuneCore and founder of their BE THE CHANGE initiative
Kay Hanley
Songwriter, lead vocalist of Letters to Cleo and co-founder of Songwriters of North America (SONA)
Judith Hill
Vocalist, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist known for her work with Stevie Wonder, Spike Lee, Prince and Michael Jackson. In 2014, she was featured in the Oscar-winning film 20 Feet From Stardom. The following year, she and her co-stars Darlene Love, Merry Clayton and Lisa Fischer won a Grammy for best music film for their work in the film.
Reina Ichihashi
Roland’s global product marketing manager for Wind Instruments
Michelle Lewis
Songwriter and cofounder of Songwriters of North America
Susan Lipp
Recipient of NAMM female entrepreneur of the year award. Owner and CEO of Full Compass Systems.
Lisa MacDonald
Director of vertical marketing for Yamaha Corporation of America and inaugural Chair of the Women of NAMM Council.
Rachel Platten
Singer-songwriter best known for her anthemic 2015 hit, “Fight Song.” The song reached No. 6 on the Hot 100 in August 2015. Platten received a Daytime Emmy Award for a live performance of the song on Good Morning America.
Heather Dembert Rafter
Trailblazing attorney in audio and music technology, and principal counsel at RafterMarsh
Rhonda Smith
Bassist celebrated for her work with Prince and Jeff Beck, and her role as bassist for Jimmy Kimmel Live! Hosted by Aguilar
Lisa Worden
SVP Rock & Alternative for iHeartMedia; program director for ALT 98.7 Los Angeles; and host of She Is The Voice.
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Before it was lights out at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix over the weekend, Beyoncé and Jay-Z linked up with Lewis Hamilton on the track — after which the Destiny’s Child alum gassed up the racing champion on Instagram.
On Tuesday (Nov. 25) — two days after the big race — Bey shared a carousel of photos of herself and Jay chatting with Hamilton, who took the 35-time Grammy winner on a drive around the circuit in a Ferrari model. The musical power couple was all smiles while chatting with the seven-time world champion, with Bey showing up and out in a glamorous F1-inspired jumpsuit.
“Love and gratitude to the best to ever do it! Lewis Hamilton #44!” she praised the driver, who would go on to place eighth in the Vegas Grand Prix. Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen finished first, followed respectively by George Russell and Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes.
Bey also shared videos of herself strutting through Sin City and enjoying the race-weekend offerings, as well as a clip of Hamilton driving her on the track captioned, “Give it to Mama!”
She and Jay were just two of the many A-listers who were present at the event in Vegas, which seems to attract more and more stars each year. Travis Scott was also on the ground, as were Cynthia Erivo, Magic Johnson, Brooks Nader, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Gordon Ramsay, Ciara and Ben Affleck.
Their attendance goes to show how large F1’s presence in culture has become in recent years. Earlier this fall, everyone from Adele to Shaboozey, Matthew McConaughey, Jay Leno and Glen Powell descended on Austin, Texas, to watch the U.S. Grand Prix, which featured live performances from Kygo, Garth Brooks and the Turnpike Troubadours. In June, an original F1 movie starring Brad Pitt — and featuring a star-studded soundtrack — premiered in theaters.
“The whole thing is a show,” Williams Racing’s Alex Albon told Billboard on site at the time “It’s entertainment, and I think if you can get these huge stars coming to these races, it just makes the weekend and the day so much better.”
Trending on Billboard
Sublime are getting into the festival game. The long-running reggae punk band announced the debut of their first-ever touring festival, Sublime Me Gusta, which is slated to debut in Forth Worth, Texas on May 9 at the Panther Island Pavilion. According to a release announcing the event, the “beginning of a national festival series built around the timeless sound, spirit and cultural impact” of the band takes its name from the lyric “Me gusta mi reggae, me gusta punk rock” from the trio’s iconic song “Caress Me Down” from their 1996 self-titled debut album.
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“The festival embodies everything Sublime stands for: sun-soaked vibes, rebellious spirit, and a love for music without boundaries,” reads the release. Tickets for the festival start at $89.99 for general admission and are available here now.
“It’s always been our dream to put on a Festival for our friends and family,” says Sublime singer Jakob Nowell, son of the band’s late, original singer Brad Nowell. “It’s punk rock, hip hop, reggae, surf — all facets of true west coast alternative culture that has been kept alive for generations by fans and musicians alike. This is our era now and we got nothing but love for everyone coming with us.”
The band will be joined on the bill by their longtime friends in fellow reggae punk band Slightly Stoopid for what is described as an “immersive day of live music, community and good vibes.” A full festival lineup will be announced in the coming weeks. The event is being co-produced by Sublime and independent promoter Brew Ha Ha Productions.
A second stop in Oregon on June 27 has also been announced, though a city and venue were not revealed at press time. Each show will feature a hand-picked lineup of bands that bridge the punk-reggae gap, with the promise of a full day of music, vendors, art, food and drinks.
“As someone who lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I couldn’t be more excited to launch the first-ever Sublime Me Gusta Festival right in our own backyard,” event co-producer Cameron Collins of Brew Ha Ha Productions said in a statement. “Sublime and Slightly Stoopid are two of the most influential bands of our generation and bringing them together for this new festival is something truly special. Fort Worth is the perfect place to kick off Sublime Me Gusta, and we can’t wait to share the full experience with everyone.”
Sublime was formed in Long Beach, Calif. in 1988 by singer/guitarist Nowell, bassist Eric Wilson and drummer Bud Gaugh. The band’s self-titled third album was released two months after 28-year-old Nowell’s death from a drug overdose, peaking at No. 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The band broke up in 1996 following Nowell’s passing and reformed in 2009 with fan Rome Ramirez taking over vocal/guitar duties, changing their name to Sublime With Rome.
Gaugh, who had split in 2011, rejoined the band in 2023 when Jakob Nowell took over as lead singer, followed by the dissolution of Sublime with Rome in 2024. In May of that year the band released their first new song in almost 28 years, “Feel Like That,” followed by the single “Ensenada.” Earlier this year, Sublime revealed that Nowell has been in the studio with Blink-182 drummer/producer Travis Barker and producer John Feldmann writing songs for the trio’s first new full-length album in three decades.
Check out the Sublime Me Gusta festival poster below.
