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Taylor Swift‘s fan-favorite track “Long Live” could use an addendum: “Long live all the mountains we moved, *plus all the hilltops Swifties overran to join in on the Eras Tour fun.“
Following two performances in Munich, Germany, over the weekend, the 34-year-old pop star gushed in an Instagram post about the headline-making crowds she drew both nights. In addition to the enormous audience gathered inside Olympiastadion, tens of thousands of other unplanned viewers flocked to a nearby park both Saturday (July 27) and Sunday (July 28) in hopes of catching a glimpse of the three-hour-plus show happening in Olympiastadion.
“What a magical experience it was playing in Munich,” she began her post, sharing photos of her performances as well as a snap of the park’s hills teeming with Swifties. “The crowds of 74,000 people a night in the stadium were so passionate, and so generous to us. And I had no idea before I got to Munich that there’s a huge park behind the stadium, but around 50,000 people came out and listened to the show from the hillside both nights.”
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“I’ve been watching so many videos of the crowds out there fully participating in the show from afar, all that joy,” Swift added. “I’m feeling really grateful for the unexpected memories this tour has created. We have 11 shows left on the European leg of the tour, kicking off *August* with 3 shows in Warsaw!”
That accent on “August” is a nod to the 14-time Grammy winner’s beloved Folklore song named after the month. Fans online have already started celebrating the approach of “August” season, and the song — which has so far peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100 — has been known to receive a boost in streams during the eighth month of the year.
As Swift mentioned, her European Eras dates are coming to an end soon, with just three stops left in Warsaw, Vienna and London. In October, she’ll swing back to North America for final laps through the U.S. and Canada before closing out the trek for good in December.
Unfortunately, her joyful Munich shows were quickly followed by tragedy in Southport, England, where three children died and 10 others were wounded in a deadly stabbing at a Swift-themed dance class Monday (July 29). According to The Associated Press, Merseyside police took a 17-year-old boy from Cardiff into custody after arresting him on the scene.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock,” the “Anti-Hero” singer wrote in a message on Instagram Stories the following day. “The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
Charli XCX seems to be joining forces with another pop brat. The superstar revealed on Wednesday (July 31) that she has a remix of her Brat track “Guess” on the way, teasing her collaborator in a black-and-white photo posted to Instagram. “Guess?” she captioned the post, in which she’s seen posing in a white mini-skirt […]
Lil Yachty has developed a close bond with Drake over the last few years, and he’s had a front-row seat to the 6 God’s recent career moves as a collaborator.
Boat stopped by the Flagrant podcast with Andrew Schulz on Wednesday (July 31), where he claimed that Drake was “genuinely unfazed” by the Kendrick Lamar feud, and has been able to tune out the deafening noise and “Not Like Us” trolls coming from the outside world.
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“He’s still that n—a. They both still that n—a. What’s gon’ change? They both gon’ do they thing,” he said. “I talked to him and that sh– didn’t bother him. As it shouldn’t — he’s the f—ing guy. If I had $700 million you couldn’t talk to me either.”
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While Yachty still kept in contact with Drake, he was actually overseas in Europe when the battle with Kendrick was reaching its peak.
“I never saw him down. I never saw him kicking his f—ing foot holding his head down, to the point where I stopped talking to him about it because I felt like I was the one bringing him the negativity,” Yachty continued around the 1:36 mark.
He continued: “I was bringing the cloud when I’d be like, ‘Man, I hate that this person said this.’ I was showing him sh– he hasn’t seen. Then I realized I’m bringing you the negativity, let me stop. I just realized his energy wasn’t down, so I wasn’t going to try [to bring him down].”
Earlier in the episode, Yachty and the co-hosts debated why a contingent of hip-hop fans were “energized about the elimination of Drake,” as Ye put it in April.
The “Minnesota” rapper hypothesized that people had Drake fatigue and were tired of seeing him winning and dominating the rap game for over a decade.
“I think people just hate on Drake because he’s the guy,” he speculated. “It’s also because he f—ed everyone’s bi–h. He’s also that guy, though. All the records, all the numbers. He’s the one.”
However, Lil Yachty regretted inserting himself into the commentary surrounding the beef. “I just wish I had never spoke on it,” he admitted.
Kendrick Lamar actually name-dropped the Atlanta native to jab at Drake on the scathing “Euphoria.” “Yachty can’t give you no swag neither, I don’t give a f— ’bout who you hang with,” Lamar raps on the diss track.
50 Cent had a similar theory to Yachty when it comes to his belief about Drake’s rap peers being jealous of his success.
“Look, our culture loves to see you go up because it’s confirmation that they can go up,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “But when you stay up — ‘I want this sh– forever, man’ — they go, ‘Well, goddamn. When you going to come down? If you don’t come down, I ain’t going to have my chance to go up.’ And then it’s these clouds that come over you, and that cloud is doubt, a shadow of doubt that doesn’t come from material or your work ethic.”
50 continued: “It’s doubt from the artist community, where they say, ‘I don’t know, his new sh– is cool, but it’s not his first sh–.’ They do that to you and Drake’s just experiencing what you experience as a backlash from success, from the consistency he’s delivered over and over. I don’t see a loss for Drake. The people who bought Drake material are going to buy Drake material when his next song comes out.”
Drake and Kendrick Lamar exchanged diss tracks from April into early May. Billboard hailed K. Dot as the victor, and he’s gotten the last laugh with his “Not Like Us” diss dominating the Billboard Hot 100, where it stands at No. 3 on this week’s chart after spending two nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1.
Listen to the full podcast below. The pair of Drake segments take place around the 51-minute and 1:33 marks.
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Hiba Tawaji has been turning heads since she debuted her stage career in 2008 as the protagonist in the musical The Return of the Phoenix. Written by the late Mansour Rahbani and composed and directed by his sons, Oussama and Marwan, the musical was the latest addition to the Rahbani Brothers’ established legacy in musical theater. Hiba cemented her position as a pillar of this legacy, starring in the last four musicals made by the Rahbanis.
In parallel with her theatrical debut, she launched her solo career in 2011 with the release of her first album La Bidayi Wala Nihayi (Neither the Beginning Nor the End), which was followed over the years by three other albums: Ya Habibi (My Darling) in 2014, Hiba Tawaji 30 in 2017, and her most recent Levanting pop album Bad Sneen (After Years) in 2023. Armed with a fierce passion for her work throughout this journey, Hiba Tawaji found herself celebrating one milestone after another, not least of which was her impressive participation in the French version of The Voice in 2015. Meanwhile in 2017, she made history as the first female singer to perform on a public stage in Saudi Arabia, after the announcement of the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision in 2016. Another milestone was achieved in 2019, when Hiba was selected by Disney to dub Princess Jasmine’s speaking and singing voice in the French version of the blockbuster Aladdin. The film’s success in topping the French box office for several weeks propelled Hiba beyond her established roots in the Lebanese music scene, helping her make a significant mark on the global market.
Billboard Arabia caught up with Hiba Tawaji after her first concert at Paris’ legendary L’Olympia theater in May, and she told us about the profound and memorable moments that she experienced during the concert, revisiting the milestones of her career that eventually brought her to this world-renowned stage. One such moment during her concert at L’Olympia was sharing the stage with her husband, trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, who has been a great support for her throughout her musical career, as well as knowing that her son was in the audience. This strong connection to her family and their continuous support made that night one of the most meaningful and impactful of her career, which Hiba believes was paved with the support of her partners and her personal vision of art, experience and passion.
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In her interview, Hiba speaks at length about her long professional partnership with Oussama Rahbani and its significant role in the development of her musical and theatrical career, providing her with a strong foundation that allowed her to unleash her creativity and excellence over the past 17 years. Rahbani, who directed the L’Olympia concert, played an instrumental role in bringing Hiba to where she is today.
Hiba recounts how their special partnership began, saying: “I met Oussama in my first year of university studies in acting and directing in Beirut. A friend of mine was a dancer in the Arabesque troupe, which performs the choreography in most of the musicals that Oussama Rahbani produced and wrote, and she knew that I have a passion for music and a lifelong dream to sing. She also knew how much I admired Oussama and everything he does, so she arranged for me to audition for him. That’s how it all started, and to this day our partnership continues. We are hand in hand on this journey, sharing the same vision, dreams and ambitions. We share our commitment to what we do, our loyalty, and of course we have great communication, because that’s the key to a long-running professional relationship like ours, where good communication and the space to express yourself are crucial. Throughout all these years – 16 or 17 years now – Oussama has been a huge support, and he keeps pushing me to challenge myself and go further.”
With all these years comes great experience, but Hiba never lost her passion. Despite her numerous achievements, her focused mindset and motivation are always pushing her toward bigger and better things on the horizon. “Of course, with experience, you are more capable to act better in certain circumstances and to know yourself better – where you stand, who you are,” she says. “You truly understand your capabilities, you become more mature in your choices and decisions, in the way you express a feeling or speak your mind without fear, in the way you express yourself, really. Experience is definitely key in our field of work, but the one thing we must not lose sight of is the spontaneity, the passion that drives us. I still have this passion, and if anything, it keeps growing. I’ve never felt that because of my experience, my art or work has become routine. On the contrary, I believe an artist’s passion grows with experience, dreams go further, and the efforts and responsibilities increase because you start asking yourself: after all I’ve done, what better things can I do now? I always challenge myself so I can reach further.”
Yet the road to success needs more than a focused and positive mindset. Hiba believes a positive and supportive entourage is key to an artist’s success. “I think artists alone cannot do everything. It is very important to be surrounded by the right people who support you and care about you and your image, people who give you good advice and know when to give advice. Not everything is always perfect or good.” She added: “I always try to be surrounded by people who truly love me and whom I love, whom I’ve known for years, because I like to maintain relationships on the long term. I like to form connections that last. This is how you attract positive energy; when you are spontaneous and natural and your relationship with art and people isn’t just for personal gain.”
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–This story was written for Billboard Arabia by Omar Bakbouk
They’ve been changed for good! Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande had a heartwarming moment when they got to see their Mattel Barbie dolls inspired by their Wicked characters in person for the first time.
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The fourth-longest-running Broadway show of all time, Wicked pulls inspiration from both the stage musical and the best-selling Gregory Maguire-penned novel of the same name. Grande, who topped the Billboard 200 this year with her Eternal Sunshine LP, is set to star as Glinda the Good Witch, with Erivo, a two-time Academy Award nominee, taking on the iconic role of Elphaba, also known as the Wicked Witch of the West.
In the clip, Erivo and Grande — fittingly dressed in green and pink, respectively — approach the table that their dolls are sitting on. “It’s perfect,” Grande says while picking up Glinda. Both actresses are then pleasantly shocked when the Elphaba doll began singing “Defying Gravity” upon being picked up.
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“Sorry, I need a moment,” Grande joked, stealing the Elphaba doll to listen to the song. “They’re so tall!”
“Taller than us, that’s for sure,” Erivo agreed. Both Grande and Erivo are five feet one inch tall.
“What a dream come true to be realized as Elphaba and Glinda in the form of Sweet Little dolls. Little Cynthia and little Ari are pleased,” Erivo captioned the post, which you can see here.
The rest of the principal Wicked cast will feature Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Olivier winner Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Tony nominee Ethan Slater as Boq, Emmy nominee Bowen Yang as Pfannee and Emmy nominee Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard of Oz.
The first part of the Jon M. Chu-directed adaptation arrives in theaters on November 22.
Lomiiel always knew he had a gift, but it was put to the test only a year ago when he uploaded his debut single, “Que Chevere,” to all the streaming platforms. He’s been unstoppable since.
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Inspired by artists such as Lil’ Baby, Drake, Bad Bunny and El Alfa, Lomiiel hails from La Romana in the Dominican Republic, and comes from a Christian family who’s fully supporting his dream. Although he’s making a name for himself in the dembow genre, the young newcomer has already navigated other genres, including trap, drill and reggaeton.
In fact, it was because of his freestyle-rap abilities that he was initially discovered while working at a local hype store called Cuero Macho Boutique.
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“I worked at the store of my now manager [Eddy Alexander Florian Rodriguez], and he saw my intention and desire to pursue a music career,” Lomiiel tells Billboard. “He was the first one to see my potential. He was also a fan of music, but neither him nor I knew what the music business was like. However, we began working together, and today we are representing and succeeding as business partners.”
Lomiiel’s first viral hit arrived in the spring with the release of “Hay Lupita,” a song that he says connected with people all over the world because of its lyrics and flow. With its sped-up drum pattern and carefree energy, “Lupita” — about a girl who looks good and is moving her hips to the beat — has garnered nearly one million video creations on TikTok and more than 40 million views on YouTube at press time.
On the Billboard charts, the saucy tune secured entries in the Hot Latin Songs, Latin Rhythm Airplay, Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts, currently spending 12 weeks on the former.
As the new face of dembow, Lomiiel assures he’s bringing a lot of new colors and textures to the Dominican urban movement.
“It’s something different that was truthfully missing in dembow,” he explains. “I know my audience very well and I structure myself well for them. That’s why Lomiiel, in just nine months, has been able to get to where I am today.”
Below, learn more about this month’s Latin Artist on the Rise.
Name: Marco Antonio Santana
Age: 20
Recommended Song: “Hay Lupita”
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Biggest Accomplishment: “Truthfully, the success from ‘Hay Lupita’ has opened a lot of doors for me. It’s taken me to markets where very few Dominicans have gone. I also feel very happy to have bought my house and my car.”
What’s Next: “A lot of collaborations and bada– songs with American and Puerto Rican artists. Wait for a lot of new music because we’re going to go all out. In about two weeks, I’m thinking of releasing an EP.”
Maria Becerra has announced she’s taking a break from social media to focus on her mental health amid panic and anxiety attacks she’s experienced while on tour in Europe.
On Tuesday (July 30), the Argentine hitmaker began her emotional X post with, “I’m leaving this social media platform.” Later in the thread, she explained that she’s “detoxing” from not only X, but all social media.
“I have struggled a lot with my mental health on this European tour, it feels horrible, I have experienced everything from crying spells to anxiety and panic attacks,” she wrote in Spanish. “It’s waking up every day and reading thousands of offensive things about me and talking about my personal life and the way I dress — as if I’m committing some crime and deserve the worst when it’s just MY TASTE to dress. They pick on my physique on a daily basis, on everything! I understand that this is part of the fame.”
She continued: “I understand that many of you want to help and advise me and you of all people know that I listen to you and care a lot about what you think. But to get to the point of insulting me like you do is unacceptable to me. I will no longer tolerate this because it’s not good for me. I understand that things like this will continue to happen to me. But I’m not going to continue being a masochist having a social account where you enter and it’s just reading horrible things. I’m out of here. Thanks to all who support me and send me their love.”
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Signed to Warner Music Latina, in a joint venture with 300 Entertainment, the singer-songwriter is currently touring in Spain and will then head to Latin America to continue her world trek. She’s set to kick off the U.S. leg of her stint in October, with stops in New York, L.A. and Dallas, among other major cities.
The 24-year-old artist — known for fusing pop, cumbia villera, bachata and reggaeton — broke out in 2019 with her EP 222. Two years later, she released her debut album, Animal, featuring collaborations with artists such as Cazzu, Becky G and Tiago PZK. The set earned Becerra a Latin Grammy nomination for best urban music album.
Most recently, she teamed up with Gloria Trevi for “Borracha.” She’s also set to participate in Billboard Latin Music Week, as announced on Wednesday (July 31).
“I will get back to my cell phone when I feel able to do it. For the moment it has only caused me anxiety and panic,” she ended the X thread.
Read the original post in Spanish below:
Me voy de esta red social. He luchado mucho con mi salud mental en esta gira por Europa, se siente horrible todo esto, experimente desde ataques de llanto hasta ataques de ansiedad y panico.Es despertarme todos los dias y leer miles de cosas ofensivas sobre mi hablando 👇🏽— LNDA 🇦🇷 (@MariaBecerra22) July 31, 2024
After months of slowly revealing songs from his upcoming debut country album, F-1 Trillion, Post Malone has dropped the full 18-song slate of songs that will be included on the upcoming album, out Aug. 16. The titles and features were first officially revealed in a full-page ad in The Tennessean. Post then shared a photo […]
Shawn Mendes is ready for his next musical era. The pop superstar took to Instagram on Wednesday (July 31) to announce that his self-titled album, Shawn, will be arriving on October 18. He also revealed the 12-song tracklist, adding that the first two singles “Why Why Why” and “Isn’t That Enough” will be arriving on […]
Carrie Underwood has teamed with rock band Papa Roach to help shine a light on mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The Academy of Country Music entertainer of the year winner and the Grammy-nominated band will release a new version of Papa Roach’s song “Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark)” on Friday, Aug. 2.
“We were humbled that Carrie was open to our mission, and hearing the power of Carrie’s voice in that recording session we were blown away,” Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix said in a statement. “Not only is her vocal ability unequaled, but the impact of her voice brings a new meaning to our cause and will help people all over the globe. It’s an honor to have a ‘Rock Star’ bring life to this track with us.”
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“I’m such a huge fan of Jacoby and Papa Roach and was honored to be invited to record ‘Leave a Light On’ with them,” Underwood added. “It’s a beautiful song and the message behind it and the band’s mission to shine a light on suicide prevention and mental health awareness has never been more important.”
The song was recorded in Nashville, and both artists’ royalties generated from the track will aid the organization American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The release also raises awareness for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in the United State and Canada.
Papa Roach first performed “Leave a Light On” in concert last year with Shinedown and Spiritbox, and in each city, the song was preceded by a video PSA delivered by Shaddix, who also pledged to donate to the AFSP on behalf of each city’s attendees, which led to a $155,000 donation at the tour’s conclusion.
To further propel support for the AFSP, the band renamed the song “Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark),” to correspond with the AFSP’s “Talk Away the Dark” campaign. The song spent three weeks atop Billboard‘s Rock Airplay chart in February, and reached No. 11 on the Alternative Airplay chart. To date, the band’s efforts have raised more than $250,000 for the AFSP.
“Papa Roach’s ‘Leave a Light On (Talk Away the Dark)’ has tapped into a cultural moment in which people are eager and ready for the message the song contains: that we all go through difficult times and that we can all be there for each other,” said American Foundation for Suicide Prevention CEO Bob Gebbia. “We want to thank Carrie Underwood for joining with Papa Roach to record this new, inspiring duet version, which will reach even more fans and connect them to AFSP’s Talk Away the Dark campaign. We are also incredibly grateful to Papa Roach and Carrie Underwood for their commitment to providing those struggling with their mental health information and resources that can help. These amazing artists are educating the public about the importance of taking care of our mental health, and they are generously supporting AFSP’s mission of saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide.”
Throughout her career, Underwood has regularly dabbled in the rock arena, including covers of songs including Guns N’ Roses’ “Sweet Child o’ Mine” and “Paradise City,” Joan Jett’s “I Hate Myself for Loving You” and INXS’ “Never Tear Us Apart.” She also teamed with Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler during the 2011 ACM Awards to perform a mashup of her own “Undo It” and Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”
If you or anyone you know is in crisis, call 988 or visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s website for free, confidential emotional support and resources 24/7.