Music

29 Feb 2024

Drake Pays Tribute to Mother & Daughter Killed After His Show

Drake is sending love to a mother and daughter who were tragically killed after his concert at Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo.

“You never know what somebody else’s reality will be when they walk out of this building,” the rapper told the crowd in Buffalo, N.Y., on Wednesday night (Feb. 28), according to TMZ. “Rest in peace to that young mother and her child,” he added, encouraging fans to show love to the strangers around them.

Laticha Bracero and Alyssa Cordova were leaving Drake and J. Cole’s joint It’s All a Blur – Big As the What? tour stop in St. Louis on Feb. 13 when they were hit by a speeding car that ran a red light, as seen in terrifying footage posted by TMZ. The St. Louis Metropolitan police department reported that Bracero passed away at the scene, while Cordova died later at the hospital. 

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The suspect, Monte Henderson, was arrested charged with two counts of armed criminal action and involuntary manslaughter, speeding his SUV at 70 mph.

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Bracero’s sister set up a GoFundMe after the news to raise money for a funeral and to transfer their bodies back to their hometown of Chicago. At the time of publication, nearly $40,000 has been raised. “Lety was a hard working regional supervisor at Wintrust bank and a dedicated mother, loving sister, niece/cousin,” the description reads. “Her only child Alyssa was going to college and working part time for Starbucks. Alyssa loved music concerts and although was old enough to travel to concerts on her own, her mom would always escort her. The two were inseparable and shared a strong bond.”

29 Feb 2024

Justin Timberlake Reveals ‘Drown’ Vocals Were the Original Demo Recording

Justin Timberlake is just two weeks away from unveiling his highly anticipated sixth studio album, Everything I Thought It Was, and the star took to Instagram on Thursday (Feb. 29) to share the behind-the-scenes of making the album’s most recent single, “Drown.”

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“‘Drown’ happened very quickly,” Timberlake is seen telling his fans in a casual video sitting at the piano. “Myself, Kenyon Dixon, Amy Allen along with Cirkut and and Louis Bell. It’s the first one I actually wrote with Lou Bell and Cirkut. The song wrote itself so quickly. It kind of annoyed me, because sometimes you have this thing like, ‘Oh, if you didn’t struggle to write the song, maybe it’s not worth it.’”

He continued, “The more I listened back to it and the more I played it for people, the more it was like, ‘No, this sounds like you.’ When I think back to songs like that, where I kind of underestimated that ability to have that familiarity or catch on with people, the last time was ‘Mirrors.’ I sat on that song for, like, five years.”

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Timberlake added another “fun fact” to the mix, sharing, “The vocal that you hear is the demo vocal. I recorded it line by line as we were writing it, just to demo it out. The most we listened back to it, the more it had this honesty to it that I didn’t want to change anything.”

“Drown” serves as JT’s official follow-up to “Selfish,” which debuted at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning Timberlake his highest debut in six years on Billboard’s marquee singles chart. The lead single from Everything I Thought It Was also marked Timberlake’s 29th top 40 hit as a soloist.

In support of his new LP, Timberlake is set to embark on a headlining North American arena tour. The tour will kick off April 29 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C., and visit major cities such as Las Vegas (May 10-11), New York (Jun. 25-26) and Atlanta (Nov. 16), before concluding Nov. 20 at KFC Yum Center in Louisville, Ky.

Watch his rundown of “Drown” below. Everything I Thought It Was is out March 15.

29 Feb 2024

Summit At Sea 2024 Announces Complete Musical Lineup: Diplo, Moodymann, D-Nice & More

In April, the fifth annual Summit At Sea departs from Miami for a four-day cruise, with programming stacked with health and wellness sessions and conversations on politics, culture, medicine, climate and much more.

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Woven through the voyage is music, with a flurry of artists coming onboard for both talks and performances.

Featured in the programming is a conversation between Diplo and Just Blaze, who’ll engage in a talk titled “A Beat on Culture, Music and Art” with Diplo also playing a set while at sea. D-Nice, who became a sensation with his pandemic DJ set livestreams, will take part in a conversation with writer, filmmaker and cultural critic Dream Hampton, who’s also the executive producer of the 2019 documentary Surviving R. Kelly.

Just Blaze will also take part in another conversation with musician Rich Medina and DJ, producer and radio personality Stretch Armstrong. Elsewhere, musician East Forest, whose work focuses on music for psychedelic experiences, will host the session Music For Mushrooms: A Sonic Journey.

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Elsewhere, Detroit legend Moodymann will do a DJ set, with performers also including Detroit-based vocal trio Dames Brown, Mexican producer Mandrake, New York City duo musclecars, a multimedia performance by Eduardo Castillo and a flurry of other DJ sets throughout the boat.

Outside of music, programming will feature luminaries including soccer star Megan Rapinoe in conversation with Olympic gold medalist Sue Bird, author and academic Robert Thurman, former Colombian president Iván Duque, Ocean Conservancy CEO Janis Searles Jones and many more.

Founded in 2008, Summit is a membership organization of leaders and entrepreneurs from various cultural sectors including art, food, business, health, sports, finance, spirituality and beyond. Anyone can apply to be a member, and membership is required to take part in Summit At Sea. Tickets for the cruise start at $5,200.

“Summit’s music and artistic performances blend with an alchemy of style and vibe,” Summit’s director and CEO tells Billboard. “We host up-and-coming artists, the eccentric experimenters, and the genre-defining masters. Imagine a three-day, choose your own adventure where you get to choose what your heart and curious mind desire. A dive into the Grammy-winning spoken poetry of J. Ivy, an exploration on how the Punk spirit has defined the entrepreneurial world we’re all living in with John Varvatos and Steven Kotler, a dance to Detroit’s enigmatic Moodymann, the Amapiano sounds of Blaq Pages, and the rich rock and roll of Stolen Nova. From Diplo to Detroit’s Dames Brown, D-Nice to the Egyptian sound artist DREEEMY, or a night filled with Soul in the Horn featuring Natasha Diggs, L3Ni, and DProsper…we are so excited to host our Summit community out at sea next month.”

29 Feb 2024

Country Radio Hall of Fame Reveals 2024 Inductees

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) has revealed the 2024 slate of Country Radio Hall of Fame inductees in on-air personality and off-air categories.

This year’s on-air category honorees are Cody Alan (SiriusXM The Highway), as well as Pat Still and Tom Malley (Pat & Tom) of KNCI/Sacramento. The radio category inductees are Mike Moore (program director at WKHX/Atlanta), Jim Robertson (retired, former VP/GM at WOGK/Gainesville) and Meg Stevens (senior vp of programming at WUBL/Atlanta).

The CRB’s Country Radio Hall of Fame committee chairman Joel Raab said in a statement, “On behalf of the selection committee, congratulations to the well-deserving Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2024. These professionals stand out in so many ways and are a great example of distinguished broadcasters who have positively affected the lives of so many in the Country Radio and Music community.”

The Country Radio Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the radio industry over a two-decade period, 15 of whom must be in the country format.

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Alan’s career has included time at KPLX/Dallas, WWKA/Orlando and WCOS/Columbia, S.C. He has also held positions at CMT and CBS-TV. He’s been honored by the Country Music Association (national daily on-air personality of the year in 2021) and Academy of Country Music (national on-air personality of the year in 2013). He has also earned the GLAAD Leadership Award (2020) and the vision award from the Human Rights Campaign (2022), among other accolades.

Still and Malley have been heard on Sacramento County airwaves since 1992. In 2020, KCNI won the Country Music Association’s large market station of the year.

Moore, the program director at Cumulus WKHX in Atlanta, previously worked from 2003-2019 at KWJJ in Portland, steering the station to earning a 2010 Country Music Association major market station of the year honor. He was named director of country programming for Entercom in 2006. His career path also includes time at WSIX/Nashville, WWKA/Orlando and WWYZ/Hartford. He has additionally served on boards for the CRB and the Country Music Association.

Robertson served as operations manager at KIKK/Houston from 1986-1993 (during that time, he was named the CMA’s large market program director of the year in 1987 and 1988) and later worked for 25 years at vp/GM at WOGK/Gainesville/Ocala. Under his guidance, WOGK was named CMA station of the year. Robertson retired from full-time radio in 2019.

Stevens launched her country radio career at WBBS/Syracuse and, over the course of seven years, rose from music director to program director. A six-year tenure at WGAR/Cleveland followed, along with time at WMZQ in Washington, D.C. and WPOC in Baltimore. In 2017, Stevens took the reins at WKKT/Charlotte, rising to senior vp of programming for the iHeartMedia Charlotte cluster. Stevens was named a Billboard Country Power Player in 2020.

The Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction and Dinner will be held Jun. 19 at the Virgin Hotel Nashville.

29 Feb 2024

Luck Ra & Khea’s ‘Hola Perdida’ Rules Billboard Argentina Hot 100

Luck Ra and Khea add a new No. 1 to their Billboard Argentina Hot 100 career as “Hola Perdida” lifts 2-1 on the chart dated March 2.

Luck Ra also holds strong in the top 10 with two other songs: “Que Me Falte Todo,” with Abel Pintos, which holds at No. 3 for a third week, and nine-week leader “La Morocha,” featuring BM, which drops 7-9. In total, the trap and freestyler places a total of seven songs on the current ranking, the most for a male act this week, behind Emilia’s 10 and Maria Becerra’s eight simultaneous songs, respectively.

As “Hola Perdida” lands at the summit, it sends Mesita, Nicki Nicole, Emilia and Tiago PZK’s “Una Foto” to No. 2 after a six-week domination.

Elsewhere, Tiago PZK and Ke Personajes add a top 10 to their Billboard Argentina account as “Piel” rallies from No. 17 to No. 6. While Tiago scores his sixth top 10, Ke Personajes collect their 12th top 10.

Meanwhile, Chilean Floyymenor earns his first top 10 as “Gata Only,” with Cris MJ, surges 22-8 in its third week.

The week’s Greatest Gainer goes to Trueno and Nicki Nicole’s “Mamichula,” featuring Bizarrap, Taiu and Tatool, which flies from No. 82 to No. 20.

Further, Gino Mella, Jairo Vera, Yandel, Lenny Tavárez and Best take the Hot Shot Debut of the week as “El Amor De Tu Vida” starts at No. 40.

Seven other songs enter the chart this week, starting with KHEA and Emilia’s “Tú y Yo” at No. 42. Dua Lipa follows with “Training Season” at No. 55, while El Turko’s “30 Grados,” featuring Mandale Flow, joins at No. 71.

Dominican Engel Montaz follows as he nabs his first chart entry with “Cupido” at No. 80, while Pablo Chill-E and Oro600’s “Nena Sad (Orodembow)” opens at No. 81.

Lastly, La K’Onga, Emanero and David Bisbal’s first team-up, “Fama de Diabla” bows at No. 82, while Tiesto & Karol G’s “Contigo” arrives at No. 88.

29 Feb 2024

JoJo Siwa Says She Has Baby Names & A Sperm Donor ‘Lined Up’ for Future Children

There’s planners, and then there’s JoJo Siwa. In a recent interview, the 20-year-old singer/dancer revealed that she already has her future mapped out to a T when it comes to her plans for motherhood, from baby names to a sperm donor.

Sitting down with Access Hollywood, Siwa got on the topic of kids when she revealed that she has two tattoos in honor of her future babies — of which she hopes to have three. “This one’s dedicated to my baby girl one day; her name is Freddie,” she said, pointing to some ink on her arm. “Then this is dedicated to twin boys: Eddie and Teddie.”

“Freddie, Eddie and Teddie,” she continued. “I want three babies. I’ve got a sperm donor lined up.”

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The Dance Moms alum’s left arm is decked out with black tattoos. During her recent stay in Florida, Siwa acquired some new ink, per a Feb. 28 post on her Instagram.

In January, it was announced that Siwa would replace Nigel Lythgoe on So You Think You Can Dance for season 18. The 74-year-old judge stepped down from the panel after Paula Abdul sued him over claims he sexually assaulted her twice, both of which he denies. In addition to Abdul’s claims, a pair of unnamed contestants on “AAG” — which is believed to be a reference to the reality series All American Girl — came forward earlier this month with accusations that Lythgoe made unwanted sexual advances and groped them inside his Los Angeles home in 2003.

The new season of the dance competition series premieres March 4 and will feature Allison Holker and Maksim Chmerkovskiy as Siwa’s co-judges. “FINALLY!…. ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ is coming to FOX this summer and I am so grateful that I am going to be a judge!” the “Boomerang” singer wrote on Instagram following the news. “It’s such an honor to be a part of this shows come back!!!”

Watch Siwa discuss her plans for motherhood below.

29 Feb 2024

Tish Cyrus Says She Might’ve Been a ‘Better Parent’ If She Smoked Weed When Her Kids Were Young

Tish Cyrus is reflecting on parenthood in a new episode of the Sorry We’re Stoned podcast on Thursday (Feb. 29), which she co-hosts with her daughter Brandi Cyrus.

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The 56-year-old is mom to Brandi, Trace Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Braison Cyrus and Noah Cyrus — all of whom she shares with ex-husband Billy Ray Cyrus — and opened up about how the use of marijuana might have helped her in motherhood. “I actually feel like I would’ve been… I didn’t smoke pot when I had kids. I didn’t start smoking until I was like, 46,” she shared. “And so I think I would’ve been a better parent if I would’ve smoked then. I think I would’ve been… like, I don’t know, school projects, I would’ve felt more fun.”

Brandi agreed that Tish would have been “much more tolerant,” to which she replied, “I really do wish I had smoked then.”

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Tish also recalled Miley’s years of using marijuana, which she has since quit. “She loved weed. And at that time, I didn’t smoke weed,” she said. “And I was not happy with her.”

The matriarch went on to explain how she uses weed throughout her day. “I don’t get up and smoke a whole joint,” she said. “but I like to get up and take a couple puffs. And then throughout the day, that’s what I’ll do.”

She added that weed “has just been the best thing ever” for her. “My decision making is so much better now that I smoke weed,” she explained.

Watch the full episode of Sorry We’re Stoned, featuring guest Wiz Khalifa, below.

29 Feb 2024

Creamfields 2024 Lineup: Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim, Michael Bibi & Many More

Creamfields 2024 has announced its complete lineup.

Leading the bill are a flurry of A-list electronic artists including dance pop king Calvin Harris, local legend Fatboy Slim, progressive house leader Eric Prydz, global star of the moment Peggy Gou, the U.K. legends on a current hot streak Chase & Status, techno leader Charlotte de Witte and rising star Eliza Rose. London-based producer Michael Bibi will also play one of his first shows back after his December announcement that he’d beat cancer.

Additionally, the lineup includes many of the dance world who’s who, like Armin van Buuren, Alesso, Fisher, Gorgon City, Hardwell, John Summit, Martin Garrix, Solomun, Steve Angello, Tiësto and many more. See the complete featured artist lineup below. The festival will also feature many more local and rising acts, bringing the total artist count to roughly 300.

The festival, which typically hosts 80,000 fans over three days, happens in Daresbury, England this August 22-25. Ticket start at £240 ($300)and are on sale now.

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In 2024 Creamfields will debut a 30,000 capacity indoor mainstage, which the event claims will be the world’s largest indoor festival superstructure.

Creamfields launched in 1998 as a one-day electronic music festival. The event’s parent company, Cream Holdings Limited, was acquired by Live Nation in 2012 as the music industry rushed to invest in electronic music properties amid the EDM boom.

In a statement at the time, Live Nation president/CEO Michael Rapino said that “With this acquisition, Live Nation further establishes its position in electronic music and expands its concert platform.”

Creamfields 2024

Courtesy of Creamfields

29 Feb 2024

Watch Carin León & Kane Brown’s Heart-Wrenching ‘The One (Pero No Como Yo)’ Music Video

Just days after premiering “The One (Pero No Como Yo)” at the 2024 Premio Lo Nuestro, Carin León and Kane Brown have released the track’s music video, which Billboard is premiering exclusively.

Fusing country and regional Mexican — two genres that are more similar than different (for starters both center on storytelling and live instruments) — León and Brown deliver a nostalgia-filled music video to match the emotional ballad. In the three-minute visual, the pair serenades couples on the dance floor, and one of them has a heart-wrenching story that takes centerstage.

It’s the first time the artists have collaborated together, marking a big moment for Latin and country fusions. “One of the first names in country music to collaborate with that somebody put on the table was Kane Brown,” León previously told Billboard about the team-up. “It was 2018 or so when I started hearing his music. He’s, like, the link for our genre and country music to happen. I met him and his team, and he’s such a humble person and good guy and one of my friends in this game that is music. I’m very happy that he believed in our music and it is the perfect time for this to happen.”

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“He’s [like] me but in Latin form,” Brown said of León at Premio Lo Nuestro. “I am in his presence, and he’s the king for me right now. I’m honored to be part of his success. I’ve always been the outcast in country music and I feel that my song with Carin will open more doors.”

Most recently, León made his Grand Ole Opry debut, where he performed “No Es Por Aca,” followed by a solo version of “The One (Pero No Como Yo)” and “Primera Cita.”

Watch León and Brown’s “The One (Pero No Como Yo)” video below:



29 Feb 2024

Rihanna Jokes About the Size of Her Luggage Ahead of Private Wedding Party Performance in India

Go big or go home — Rihanna has landed in India ahead of the nuptials of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant, whose pre-wedding party she’s set to perform at. Joining the pop superstar are her many large pieces of luggage — something she hilariously joked about with fans on Instagram Thursday (Feb. 29).

Recent snaps captured the Fenty mogul arriving in Jamnagar in time for the Friday (March 1) event, where she’ll reportedly perform a medley of her biggest hits for the soon-to-be newlyweds. Ambani is the youngest son of multi-billionaire Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries.

One video taken on the day of her arrival shows a parade of platforms being dragged behind a transport vehicle, each carrying huge boxes covered by tarps. After a fan on Instagram posted the clip, one commenter quipped, “What she bring with her? A folding house?”

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To fans’ surprise, Rih saw the comment and responded with a joke of her own. “the stage couldn’t fit in my carryon,” she explained, adding a shrugging emoji.

Anant and his fiancée will officially tie the knot July 12 in Mumbai, according to People. Their pre-wedding party will reportedly be attended by Disney CEO Bob Iger, Ivanka Trump, Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, members of Bhutan’s royal family and more of the world’s most powerful elites, each of whom will have the rare opportunity to watch Rihanna perform at the lavish event.

The Ambani dynasty is well-known for throwing extravagant weddings. When Mukesh’s daughter Isha got married in 2018, for instance, Beyoncé performed at the ceremony, and when the business titan’s oldest son Akash tied the knot in 2019, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and the Chainsmokers took the stage at the pre-wedding festivities in Switzerland.