Music

04 Mar 2024

Black Keys to Perform During Opening Week at Manchester’s Co-op Live

Co-op Live, the Oak View Group-owned and operated entertainment arena set to open next month in Manchester, U.K., announced Monday (March 4) that The Black Keys will perform at the arena on April 27, during its opening week.

The acclaimed duo is preparing to release their 12th studio album, Ohio Players, on April 5 via Nonesuch Records, just two weeks before taking the stage at Co-op Live. The new record features collaborations with friends and colleagues including Beck, Noel Gallagher, Greg Kurstin, Dan “The Automator” Nakamura and more.

Gary Roden, executive director and general manager of Co-op Live, says: “We are thrilled that a band of The Black Keys’ caliber will be taking to the stage. The show will be part of an amazing week of performances that kicks off a jam-packed opening season.”

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Co-op Live’s opening season will see the arena feature more than 30 artists across more than 50 shows, including a seven-night Take That residency, a five-night U.K.-exclusive residency as part of the Eagles’ final tour, Barry Manilow‘s only U.K. arena show and Eric Clapton’s first Manchester performance in 10 years. Legendary comedian and Manchester local Peter Kay will open the arena with two shows on April 23 and 24.

In addition to seeing an array of international artists perform, Co-op Live was recently announced as host of the 2024 MTV European Music Awards – the first time music’s biggest global awards show will be staged in Manchester – and the awards return to the U.K. for the first time in seven years.

Co-op Live, a joint venture between Oak View Group and City Football Group, will be the country’s highest-capacity arena and the U.K.’s most socially responsible arena, operating 100% electric, with pledges for zero waste direct to landfill, rainwater harvesting and use of reusable cups to significantly reduce plastic usage across the site.

Co-op members will gain first-in-line access to The Black Keys tickets through a designated pre-sale from 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 6. General sale tickets will be available through Co-op Live from 10 a.m. on Friday, March 8. Tickets available here.

04 Mar 2024

‘Quiero Bailar,’ ‘Que Lloren’ & More: What’s Your Favorite Ivy Queen Song? Vote!

Ivy Queen (real name: Martha Ivelisse Pesante Rodríguez) is celebrating her birthday on Monday (March 4), and to celebrate, Billboard is highlighting some of her biggest Hot Latin Songs hits in a fan poll.

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In 1997, Ivy made a strong statement with her song “Pongan Atención” (pay attention), on which she loudly and proudly declared: “Pay attention, country, nation, association, the queen has arrived.” The Puerto Rican artist and rapper kicked off her career as part of the all-male collective The Noise, and through her unapologetic, powerful bars, mainly about self-love and being a strong-minded woman, she ultimately earned her crown as the Queen of Reggaeton.

Ivy first arrived on the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart in 2005 with her timeless track “Quiero Bailar” (originally released in 2003), a song about a woman whose provocative dance moves demand nothing but respect on the dance floor and don’t mean anything more than having a good time.

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Seven other of her tracks earned a spot on the Hot Latin Songs chart, including “Te He Querido, Te He Llorado” (2005), “Que Lloren” (2007) and “Dime” (2008), all of which hit the top 10. Additionally, she has 20 entries on the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart, among other accolades.

The Boricua star was recently honored with the Women in Music Icon award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards, where she opened up about her challenging road to success.

“When I fell in love with music, I found myself constantly battling to earn my spot, to earn my own lane, and to find my own identity between the guys,” she said in her acceptance speech. “The movement was underground, then turned reggaeton. I traveled around the island of Puerto Rico measuring my skills against male MCs. Bars became my self-defense mechanism. Through lyrics, I encouraged other Latinas that stand around me to stand for themself and also to not stay quiet when something hurts.”

As Ivy continues to flaunt her proud roots, trendy fashion transformations and ability to evolve from reggaeton to bachata and other genres, Billboard asks fans to vote for their favorite Ivy Queen hit on the Hot Latin Songs chart below:

04 Mar 2024

Boy George Is Loving Harry Styles’ Gender-Bending Fashion: ‘I Think It’s Great’

Boy George is giving Harry Styles his stamp of approval when it comes to, fittingly, style.

The Culture Club sang his praises for the 30-year-old Grammy winner during appearance on Sherri Shepherd’s talk show on Monday (March 4), during which Shepherd honored Boy George for inspiring people to be “free” in their sense of fashion, mentioning Styles, who is known for bending gender roles and stereotypes when it comes to his outfits.

“When I see Harry Styles doing what he’s doing, I love it,” Boy George responded, adding, “I am very supportive. I think it’s great.”

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The singer went on to deem Styles a “dandy,” which he described as “anyone with great style,” noting, “It’s not about sexuality, really, it’s just about wanting to stand out.”

Back in 2020, Styles became the first-ever male solo cover star of Vogue, famously wearing a Gucci dress in the photoshoot. “As a kid it was completely mind-blowing. Now I’ll put on something that feels really flamboyant, and I don’t feel crazy wearing it,” Styles said in the profile at the time. “I think if you get something that you feel amazing in, it’s like a superhero outfit. Clothes are there to have fun with and experiment with and play with.”

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Watch the full Boy George interview on Sherri below.

04 Mar 2024

Calvin Harris Brings This Unusual Item on Flights to Prevent Jet Lag: ‘I’m Surprised They Get Through Security’

Calvin Harris has cracked — kind of.

The Scottish producer was co-hosting the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 on Monday morning (March 4) when he revealed the unusual liquid that helps him stave off jet lag.

“I was on a British Airways flight only a couple of weeks ago, and the air hostess told me she’d never seen anybody crack eggs and pour them into their mouth in their seat before,” Harris told Bell. “But that was me. That’s what I do.”

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He went on to say that when he gets on a flight, he retrieves the six eggs he’s stashed in his carry-on bag, then consume the yolks. “I like to get rid of the white, so I just do the raw yolk,” he continued. “I find it gets rid of the jet lag.”

Harris also revealed that there’s no special trick to getting a half-dozen eggs on a commercial flight. “You just stick them in your bag,” he said. “I’m surprised they get through security because for me, that’s liquid. But it’s never, ever been flagged.”

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According to Medicine News Today, egg yolks are a bit of a “miracle” cure, as they’re dense with vitamins, protein and may help reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system and reduce vision problems.

It’s been a big few days for Harris, as over the weekend the producer won the 2024 Brit Award for best dance act, beating Fred again.., Romy, Becky Hill and Barry Can’t Swim. Harris was also nominated for best pop act and song of the year for his 2023 trance anthem “Miracle” with Ellie Goulding, with whom he performed at the ceremony.

“First of all, I want to dedicate this award to Danny Rampling’s Love Groove dance party,” Harris said in his acceptance speech, referencing the ’90s dance compilation series, then went on to say: “I want to thank Ellie Goulding, wherever she is. Ellie, I couldn’t be on this stage this year without you. What you brought to ‘Miracle’ was absolutely unbelievable. I couldn’t have done it with anybody else in this room, so thank you.”

Harris also thanked the songwriter BURNS, a frequent collaborator who worked on “Miracle,” as well as his wife, BBC Radio 1 presenter Vick Hope.

04 Mar 2024

Travis Kelce Gets Emotional During Jason Kelce’s Retirement Press Conference

Jason Kelce officially announced his retirement from the National Football League on Monday (March 4) during an emotional press conference.

Throughout the 40-minute conference, the Philadelphia Eagles center  reflected on his career as he broke down in tears several times. His brother, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, was in attendance, and was also spotted wiping tears from his face.

Jason spent his entire 13-season NFL career with the Eagles, and notched a Super Bowl win in 2018. He’s a seven-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro selection. Jason mentioned Travis in a particularly emotional moment in the conference, noting, “There is no chance I would be here without the bond Travis and I share. It made me stronger, tougher, smarter and taught me the values of cooperation, loyalty, patience and understanding.”

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He continued, “It’s only too poetic I found my career being fulfilled in the City of Brotherly Love. I knew that relationship all too well.”

Jason watched Travis and the Chiefs win against the San Francisco 49ers at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas last month, supporting his brother from a private suite with Travis’ pop superstar girlfriend Taylor Swift, Blake Lively, Lana Del Rey, Miles Teller and more famous friends.

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After the game, Travis, Jason and Swift stepped out at a club in Las Vegas to celebrate with the younger Kelce’s teammates. Many viral videos emerged from the party, including clips of the Philadelphia Eagles center dancing in a red and yellow wrestling mask and the 14-time Grammy winner singing along to her own songs with Travis. 

04 Mar 2024

Carly Pearce Squashes Rumors of Maren Morris Feud: ‘Stop Making Something Out of Nothing!’

Beyoncé may have snagged a second week atop the Billboard Hot 100 with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” but that’s not the only major story in country music this week. Following the announcement of a new collaboration between Carly Pearce and Ryan Hurd, the “Hummingbird” singer took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify rumors of a feud between herself and Maren Morris.

Initially, there was speculation among fans that the duet between Pearce and Hurd would appear on one of the two country star’s upcoming albums. The fact that the two are collaborating at all rubbed some fans the wrong way considering Pearce would be collaborating with Morris’ ex-husband. Morris and Hurd married in 2018, welcomed a son in 2020 and divorced in October 2023. To add fuel to the fire, some fans allege that Pearce unfollowed Morris on Instagram immediately after the release of “The Tree,” one of two emotional songs she released late last year to announce her departure from the country music industry.

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Despite the speculation, Pearce quickly cleared up any rumored beef between the two artists. “Since I have seen this all over, I figured I would respond,” she wrote on X. “Ryan [Hurd] has a been a friend of mine for over 10 [years]. I was asked by my label to record this song with him for the Petty tribute and of course I said yes because he’s a great artist. STOP making something out of nothing!”

On Feb. 23, Tom Petty fans were treated to the exciting news of a new tribute album titled Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty. Slated for a May 31 release, the 20-track LP will feature contemporary covers of Petty’s biggest hits and most beloved songs by country superstars such as Dolly Parton, Luke Combs and George Strait. In addition to those stars, Pearce and Hurd are set to duet on a cover of “Breakdown,” which peaked at No. 40 on the Hot 100 and served as the first single from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers‘ eponymous debut album.

Pearce is currently prepping the release of Hummingbird, her forthcoming fourth studio album. “We Don’t Fight Anymore,” the set’s Chris Stapleton-assisted lead single, peaked at No. 67 on the Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nod for best country duo/group performance.

Check out Carly’s response to the beef rumors here:

04 Mar 2024

Watch Drake’s Son Adonis Meet NBA Star LaMelo Ball & Get an Autographed Jersey

Drake’s son Adonis Graham had the opportunity to meet one of his favorite hoopers when the Charlotte Hornets visited the Toronto Raptors. While his father is on the road for tour, Adonis pulled up to the Scotiabank Arena’s visiting locker room on Sunday (March 3) to spend some time with Hornets star LaMelo Ball, who gifted the 6-year-old an autographed jersey.

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“Little man, what’s up y’all? What’s up Adonis, you good,” Melo asks Adonis in a video shared to the Hornets’ social media accounts.

“I got a little present for you, man,” Ball teased before bringing out the white signed jersey. “Little something something. Little jersey gang.”

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Adonis replied: “Thanks, Melo!”

The duo went on to take a few photos together as well, which the Hornets hilariously captioned paying homage to Adonis’ rap debut on X: “My Man (Freestyle) featuring @MELOD1P.”

Unfortunately, Adonis didn’t get to see Ball suit up as LaMelo missed the game with a right ankle injury, and the Hornets ended up losing to the Raptors 111-106.

Much like his dad, Adonis loves basketball and has proven to be a big LaMelo fan in the past. Last May, Drake posted a drawing his son made of Ball using markers to social media. Shortly after, Ball sent Adonis a care package that included his rare Puma X LaMelo Ball MB.01 Digital Camo sneakers.

“Oh yeah! Let’s go,” Adonis repeats while running around his bedroom in a video shared at the time. “I got LaMelos!”

See some photos and footage of Adonis and LaMelo hanging together below.

04 Mar 2024

Idina Menzel Celebrates 10 Years of John Travolta’s ‘Adele Dazeem’ Oscars Moment in Hilarious TikTok

Adele Dazeem is 10 years old!

It’s been a decade since the legendary 2014 moment at the Oscars where John Travolta butchered Idina Menzel’s name before she performed her Frozen hit “Let It Go,” referring to the stage and screen star as “Adele Dazeem.” To celebrate, Menzel took to Instagram to poke fun at the mix-up, and wish her girl Adele the happiest of birthdays.

“Hey, Adele Dazeem! It’s Idina Menzel,” she says in the now-viral clip posted this week. “I just wanted to say happy birthday. Sending you so much love and positive energy.”

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“I hope you have the best, best day,” Menzel added, before hilariously performing a heartfelt rendition of the “Happy Birthday song and signing off.

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After the moment became a meme flooding the Internet in 2014, Travolta issued a statement through is publicist in which he deeply apologized for his mispronunciation. “I’ve been beating myself up all day. Then I thought … what would Idina Menzel say? She’d say, ‘Let it go, let it go!’ Idina is incredibly talented and I am so happy ‘Frozen’ took home two Oscars Sunday night!,” he said at the time.

In 2022, Menzel poked fun at the situation once more, taking part in a TikTok challenge. The challenge, cued to the Ting Tings’ 2008 hit “That’s Not My Name,” finds Menzel cycling through video clips from her most famous movie roles. Opening with a shot of Idina’s face and the words, “My name is Idina… but they call me,” the clip then pivots to quick-cuts of her role as Elphaba in Wicked, Maureen in Rent, Shelby Corcoran (“Rachel’s Mom” in Glee), Nancy in Enchanted, Elsa in Frozen, Vivian in the Camila Cabello Cinderella reboot and Dinah from Adam Sandler’s Uncut Gems. To wrap up, a shot of Travolta from that fateful night with just a series of question marks filling the screen

Watch Mendel’s birthday wishes to Adele Dazeem below.

https://www.tiktok.com/@idinamenzel/video/7341960740435266862

04 Mar 2024

FLO Is Ready to Show You How to ‘Walk Like This’ for Their First Single of 2024

FLO announced on Sunday (March 3) that they will drop their first single of the year, “Walk Like This.”

The British girl group also shared the cover art, which features all three members — Renée Downer, Jorja Douglas and Stella Quaresma — strutting their stuff while draped in various fur coats and tall leather boots against a white backdrop.

“Walk Like This” marks their first single since the Missy Elliott-assisted “Fly Girl” in March 2023, which interpolates Elliott’s 2002 Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 smash “Work It.” FLO also released their second EP, 3 of Us, on July 3, with three tracks and a Bellah-assisted bonus track. The project arrived one year after their critically acclaimed debut EP The Lead, which contains their breakout single “Cardboard Box.”

FLO became the first group to win the BRIT Awards’ Rising Star award in 2022, and they won BBC’s Sound of 2023 poll. FLO was also recently featured on Billboard‘s 2024 R&B/hip-hop Artists to Watch list, which was published in February. They were also named Billboard‘s R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month in March 2023.

The girls are finishing up their highly anticipated debut album, and when asked what can fans expect from it during their Rookie of the Month interview last year, Quaresma said, “Just more elevated, different. We’re just growing up, basically, so our music’s just growing with us.”

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FLO is also slated to perform at Coachella this year, just one year after their first-ever North American headlining tour.

See the announcement below:

04 Mar 2024

TWICE & LE SSERAFIM Are First 2 All-Female K-Pop Groups in Billboard 200’s Top 10 Together

After nearly 20 years, two all-female groups are in the top 10 at the same time on the Billboard 200 albums chart, as the latest releases from TWICE and LE SSERAFIM debut at Nos. 1 and 8, respectively, on the chart dated March 9. TWICE achieves its first No. 1 with the chart-topping debut of With YOU-th, while LE SSERAFIM lands its second top 10 effort with the arrival of Easy.

The last time that at least two all-female groups were in the top 10 concurrently was on the Aug. 5, 2006-dated chart, when The Chicks were at No. 9 with Taking the Long Way, while The Pussycat Dolls were No. 10 with PCD.

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Notably, as both TWICE and LE SSERAFIM are South Korean ensembles, this week marks the first time at least two all-female Korean pop (K-pop) groups are in the top 10 together.

With YOU-th is the third No. 1 on the Billboard 200 by an all-female group in less than three years. NewJeans was the last all-female group on top with 2nd EP ‘Get Up’ (Aug. 5, 2023, chart) and they were preceded by BLACKPINK with Born Pink (Oct. 1, 2022). All three acts are Korean pop groups, their respective albums were their first No. 1s, and all debuted atop the tally. Before BLACKPINK, the last all-female group to lead the chart was American act Danity Kane, with its second album, Welcome to the Dollhouse, which bowed at No. 1 on the April 5, 2008, chart.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new March 9-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on March 5. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.