Music

17 Nov 2023

Ariana Grande Supports Ethan Slater at ‘Spamalot’ Broadway Opening

Ariana Grande is all about Ethan Slater‘s latest Broadway gig.

The pop superstar was in the crowd at the St. James Theatre in New York City on Thursday night (Nov. 16) to support her rumored boyfriend Slater performing in Broadway’s Spamalot revival. For the occasion, Grande wore a classic red lip with her blonde hair slicked back into a ponytail. She paired the look with a long, black strapless dress with pearl earrings.

Last month, Grande attended the first preview performance of the show. In an Instagram video shared by user Jim Glaub, who was in the audience, Grande is seen smiling and cheering from the audience.

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Reports surfaced back in July that Grande is dating her 31-year-old Wicked costar following her recently reported split from husband Dalton Gomez. Both TMZ and People reported that he and Grande started dating after both of their relationships were over. Slater was previously married to singer Lilly Jay, and the two celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary in November 2022. 

Grande plays Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming live-action film adaptation of the Broadway show Wicked, which will be split into two parts. The movie was initially meant to hit theaters on Christmas Day of next year (Dec. 25, 2024). Wicked Part 1 is now set to be released next Thanksgiving (Nov. 27, 2024). In the film, Slater is playing Boq, a munchkin boy who, fittingly, has a crush on Glinda.

17 Nov 2023

Hannah Waddingham & Luke Evans Bring a ‘Winter Wonderland’ to the London Coliseum for ‘Home for Christmas’ Special

For Hannah Waddingham, Christmas is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

“I am like a child at Christmas. I love it,” the Ted Lasso superstar tells Billboard. “I don’t like acknowledging the fact that I’m nearly 50. I like to pretend that I’m still a little girl because I just find this time of the year totally magical.”

That’s why it was a no-brainer for the Emmy Award-winning actress to put on her own holiday special. In her upcoming AppleTV+ musical event, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, the star will welcome a slew of special guests for a “musical extravaganza” at the London Coliseum, which was recorded live in front of an audience.

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In an exclusive clip above shared with Billboard on Friday (Nov. 17), Waddingham and her longtime friend and fellow actor Luke Evans perform a stunning duet of the festive classic, “Winter Wonderland.”

“How long have we known each other, darling? 20 years?” Evans asks Waddingham in the clip, before she says, “20 years! God, did you ever think we’d be on a stage like this?”

“Yup,” Evans hilariously replies, and Waddingham agrees, “Yeah, I did too.” The duo then break into a sweet slow dance before the final chorus.

“I wanted the special to be something for everyone,” Waddingham explains to Billboard. “I wanted a little boy or a little girl to go look at the background and go, ‘Wow.’ I want people to fall in love with the band. I want people to fall in love when they do a wide shot of the theater. I want people to shut their front doors, sit in front of the TV and feel hugged and loved and feel like they can smile and share something with a family, at any age, from four to 94.”

In her own home, Waddingham says Christmas is just as exciting, especially with her eight-year-old daughter Kitty. “I’ve had a resurgence when it comes to Christmas, thanks to my daughter,” she shares. “I mean, I go in with all of it, like the whole Elf on the Shelf and the snowy footprints, the half eaten carrot and all of that. So, until she proves to me otherwise that Father Christmas doesn’t exist, I will be doing the most and then some.”

She adds with a laugh, “My daughter knows that Christmas throws up in my house come December.”

Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas debuts globally on AppleTV+ on November 22.

17 Nov 2023

Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Reneé Rapp, Brittany Howard, Boygenius & More

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we’re already feeling thankful for all these new tunes from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.

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From Reneé Rapp’s new team-up with Coco Jones to Brittany Howard’s thrilling new track, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Reneé Rapp feat. Coco Jones, “Tummy Hurts (Remix)”



Among the new deluxe version of Reneé Rapp’s Snow Angel is a made-in-heaven collaboration. Revamping the beloved B-side “Tummy Hurts,” Rapp invites Grammy nominee Coco Jones to the mic, offering a brand new verse that only adds to the song’s virulent heartbreak. Rapp’s voice remains undeniably excellent, a fact that is further bolstered by the inclusion of Jones’ out-of-this-world performance, making for a duet that you simply have to hear to believe.

Brittany Howard, “Red Flags”



Ever been in a relationship, seen the uglier sides of the person you’re with, and decided to just plow ahead? Brittany Howard certainly has — on her latest single “Red Flags,” the rocker recognizes all of her partner’s bad behaviors and decides to stay with them to her own detriment. A dogged beat underlines the singer’s ridiculously good vocal, as she tries to find a way forward that will minimize the damage to herself.

Boygenius & Ye Vagabonds, “The Parting Glass”



When it came time for Phoebe Bridgers to release her annual holiday charity single, she decided to team up with her bandmates Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker as well as Irish folk duo Ye Vagabonds to pay tribute to an icon. Their new rendition of the traditional Scottish & Irish folk song “The Parting Glass” honors the Sinéad O’Connor (who offered her own rendition of the song in 2002) by donating all proceeds to an Irish after-school project chosen by her estate, the Aisling Project. The stunning harmonies and simple production of this gorgeous song provide yet another clear example of Boygenius’ brilliance.

Gossip, “Crazy Again”



After 11 years away, queer pioneers and indie pop-rock trio Gossip are back, baby. “Crazy Again,” the band’s first new release in over a decade, sees the trio leaning back into their classic sound, while embracing the bliss of a lover who just gets you. Beth Ditto’s voice is in peak form, while guitarist Nathan Howdeshell and drummer Hannah Blilie maintain the perfectly-curated vibe throughout this delightful return track.

Wrabel, Based on a True Story



For an album about breaking down one’s own life, Wrabel’s Based on a True Story really wants you to feel better about your own. Throughout his sophomore LP, the acclaimed singer-songwriter uses his diaristic songwriting to process everything from his own sobriety (“One Drink Away”), to stunning heartbreak (“Lost Cause”), all while urging anyone listening to take note of his stories and find their own truth within them. It’s a powerful work from a talented artist, and one that deserves your attention.

Billy Porter, Black Mona Lisa



If you’re in need of a good old-fashioned mood boost, Billy Porter is here with a solution for you. Black Mona Lisa, Porter’s latest LP, is a burst of joy from start to finish — whether he’s offering a rallying cry for change on “Children” or boosting up his own confidence on the titular track, the veteran triple threat makes sure to keep to energy up, with bouncing dance beats and cascading synths permeating each song. Your weekend will be off to a good start the second you press play on this exuberant new album.

Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:

17 Nov 2023

Dan + Shay, Nate Smith Add New Top 10s on Country Airplay Chart

Dan + Shay, the duo of Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, bank their 11th top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as “Save Me the Trouble” lifts to No. 8 on the list dated Nov. 25.

During the Nov. 10-16 tracking week, the single increased by 6% to 19.2 million impressions, according to Luminate.

With the song — which Smyers and Mooney wrote with Ashley Gorley, Jordan Minton and Jordan Reynolds — the twosome scores its first Country Airplay top 10 since “You,” which hit No. 3 in June. The act logged its first top 10 – and first of eight No. 1s – with “Nothin’ Like You,” which led for one week in December 2015. The pair most recently reigned with “Glad You Exist” for a week in August 2021.

He’s ‘On Fire’

Singer-songwriter Nate Smith achieves his second Country Airplay top 10 in as many appearances as “World on Fire” climbs to No. 9. It gained by 10% to 19 million impressions Nov. 10-16.

Smith, from Paradise, Calif., co-authored the song with Ashley Gorley, Taylor Phillips and Lindsay Rimes. It follows his first Country Airplay entry, “Whiskey on You,” which dominated for two weeks in February.

Smith scored early success on social media prior to signing to Sony Music Nashville’s Arista roster in November 2021. He has built up a following of 1.6 million TikTok followers.

High Five

Morgan Wallen’s “Thinkin’ Bout Me” claims the Country Airplay summit for a fifth consecutive and total week (32.1 million, down 7%). It becomes Wallen’s third of 10 No. 1s to lead for at least five frames, along with “You Proof” (a record 10 weeks at No. 1, beginning in October 2022) “Last Night” (nine, starting in May).

17 Nov 2023

Ado’s ‘Show’ Scores Seventh Week at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100

Ado’s “Show” holds at No. 1 for the seventh week on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Nov. 15, breaking the singer’s personal record for weeks at No. 1 on the list.

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On its 10th week on the Japan Hot 100, “Show” surpasses the six-week record set by “New Genesis” (as Uta from One Piece Film Red). The USJ Halloween event theme is at No. 1 for streaming and video views, No. 2 for downloads, No. 6 for karaoke, and No. 15 for radio. Among these, points for radio increased by about 2.4 percent from the previous week, indicating that the song is steadily expanding its reach to the general public outside Ado’s core fan base. Overall points totaled 11,812, down by approximately 15 percent, but remains 1.2 times higher than the song at No. 2 this week.

The top 10 is dominated by songs by boy bands this week. IMP.’s “CRUISIN’” leads the pack, bowing at No. 2. This song was released digitally worldwide on Aug. 18 and topped downloads on the chart dated Aug. 30 with 14,259 units on its first week. The physical version of the group’s first single dropped Nov. 8 and sold 98,780 copies, hitting No. 2 for sales. While the digital version has been out for a while now, it was downloaded 3,801 times this week to come in at No. 12 for the metric, and the track also rules radio airplay, collectively powering the track to its No. 2 spot on the Japan Hot 100.

King & Prince’s “Aishi Ikirukoto” bows at No. 3. The title track off the group’s 14th single is the theme song for the legal thriller Houteiyuugi starring member Ren Nagase. After going on sale Nov. 8, the song sold 353,077 CDs in its first week, falling short of the 546,829 first-week sales of the group’s previous single, “Nanimono,” but still hits No. 1 for the metric by a wide margin over its competitors.

THE RAMPAGE from EXILE TRIBE’s “Katasumi” rockets 80-5 this week following its physical release, also on Nov. 8. The theme song for the movie MY (K)NIGHT launched with 58,937 copies — not quite on the level of the group’s personal best of 229,498 first-week copies achieved by its previous release “Summer Riot ~Nettaiya~/Everest” — to come in behind IMP. at No. 3 for sales.

The last of this week’s top 10 boy band debuts is BE:FIRST’s “Glorious,” which bows at No. 7. Released digitally Nov. 6, the track will be featured as the anthem for the 102nd All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. The song was downloaded 20,392 times in its first week to hit the top spot for the metric, and also racked up 3,254,749 weekly streams to come in at No. 29 — the highest among the tracks that debuted this week. The song is off to a good start, coming in at No. 6 for video and No. 9 for radio.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Nov. 6 to 12, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.

17 Nov 2023

Friday Dance Music Guide: The Week’s Best New Tracks From Daft Punk, The Blessed Madonna, Eliza Rose and Calvin Harris & More

This week in dance music: We broke down the top 25 tracks played at ADE 2023 and caught up with Tiga about the 25 year anniversary of his Turbo Recordings label.

And, as always, here are the best new dance tracks of the week.

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Daft Punk, Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition)

The Label: Columbia Records

The Spiel: A half year’s worth of 10-year anniversary celebrations for Daft Punk’s 2013 Grammy winning masterpiece Random Access Memories culminates today in what is arguably this anniversary’s greatest achievement — a new version of the album stripped of all percussion.

What sounds like a potential gimmick instead gives new life to the LP by allowing greater focus on everything that was always happening, but which one can now hear better without all the drums. Elements that maybe weren’t thoroughly noticed or appreciated on the original — Panda Bear’s gorgeous, glowing acapella on “Doin It Right,” Nile Rodgers’ rhythm guitar on “Lose Yourself To Dance,” the pulsing bass on “Get Lucky” — all get space to breathe and shine on the Drumless Edition, with the project achieving standalone status in the duo’s lauded catalog, rather than just being a footnote to it.

The Blessed Madonna with JOY (Anonymous) & Danielle Ponder, “Carry Me Higher“

The Label: Warner Music

The Spiel: At its essence, house music is and always has been church music, with the latest from The Blessed Madonna, U.K. duo JOY (Anonymous) and singer Danielle Ponder delivering a big dose of spirit with the tremendous “Carry Me Higher.” A simmering, slow build multi-movement production is the base for Ponder’s power-lunged vocals, which insist “carry me higher!” — a task this one achieves in that ecstatic manner the best music dance music is capable of achieving.

The Artist Says: “The day we made this in New York it felt like we cracked a code and we’ve often talked about it in those terms since then,” The Blessed Madonna wrote on Instagram. “It felt like a musical breakthrough then and it still does. It’s finally time for us to give you the code.”

Calvin Harris & Eliza Rose, “Body Moving”

The Label: Ministry of Sound

The Spiel: Calvin Harris and the ever-ascendent Eliza Rose deliver a quick hit of sunshine as the days get darker, with their “Body Moving’ collab — clocking in at two minutes and 34 seconds — amalgamating punchy brass, cooking percussion and Rose’s sinewy, shimmery voice for one last blast of summer as the holiday season gets started.

The Artist Says: “My goal was to create a track that captures the essence of summer while also igniting the dance floors,” says Rose. “The vibe with Calvin has been fabulous. He couldn’t be more down-to-earth. It’s been an honor to work with one of the best producers in the world! It’s something I never thought would be possible. We have created something that I believe has really combined our two identities into something unique and also reflective of our own personal work.” 

Shygirl feat. Cosha, “thicc”

The Label: Because Music

The Spiel: The latest from Shygirl is the stuff peaktime dancefloor bliss is made from, with layers and layers of staccato synths building to an ecstatic climax that’s balanced with pared down moments of kickdrum and vocals from Shygirl and Irish singer Cosha that give the track a sublimely feminine feel.

The Artist Says:  “[This was] originally a song we’d made around the same time as some of the album tracks but I decided to hold this one back. I’ve enjoyed teasing this one at festivals and shows while still in demo mode for over a year already with the idea of somehow infusing the energy of the crowd into this final version of the song – ‘thicc’ is fun and carefree and definitely a tease – all the classic traits of club shy infused into one track.”

Vintage Culture, Tube & Berger, Kyle Pearce, “Come Come”

The Label: Virgin Music

The Spiel: Brazil’s Vintage Culture links with German duo Tube & Berger and vocalist Kyle Pearce for the looming progressive house cut “Come Come,” which demonstrates how the genre, when done right, achieves a balance between human emotion, epic size and machinistic appeal.

17 Nov 2023

Tyla Releases ‘Water’ Remixes With Travis Scott & Marshmello: Stream Them Now

As Tyla‘s “Water” hit keeps getting hotter — and climbing higher on the Billboard Hot 100 — some big names in music are jumping on it: Travis Scott and Marshmello came out with two new remixes on Friday (Nov. 17).

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Scott’s wavy flow feels reminiscent of what he did on the 2017 track “Know No Better” with Major Lazer, Camila Cabello and Quavo, while Marshmello’s mix adds a new level of buoyancy. The Houston rapper’s version of the African smash hit made its live debut Thursday night at GQ‘s Man of the Year party in Los Angeles.

“Water” is currently No. 18 on the Hot 100 and No. 5 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and it’s topped both the U.S. Afrobeats Songs and World Digital Song Sales charts. The song also received a 2024 Grammy nomination for the new best African music performance category.

“This hasn’t happened in so long for a South African artist, born and raised in South Africa, with an African song, with an African dance style. Everything is so authentic, and the fact that all of that managed to translate overseas is crazy,” Tyla told Billboard during her October R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Month interview. “I always wanted to be the biggest pop star in general. I didn’t want to be the biggest African pop star. I just want to be the biggest pop star that was born and raised in Africa. And the fact that I’m already getting a good response from the world [means] I’m one step closer to that dream.”

Listen to the “Water” remixes below.



17 Nov 2023

See Tate McRae Pay Tribute to Jason Derulo in ‘SNL’ Teaser With Jason Momoa & Chloe Fineman

This week’s Saturday Night Live musical guest Tate McRae stars alongside host Jason Momoa and cast member Chloe Fineman in a new teaser for their fast-approaching Nov. 18 episode; and while the 20-year-old pop star doesn’t give viewers a taste of what her performance will entail, she does join in for a tribute to another musician who just so happens to share a first name with the Aquaman actor.

Standing side by side with Momoa and Fineman on the famous 30 Rock stage, McRae first helps her two costars appeal to the youth with some Gen Z-speak — “It’s giving thanks” — before correcting Momoa’s assertion that chocolate milk comes from brown cows. “That can’t be right,” she says, stifling a laugh.

Then, Fineman randomly sings “Jason Momoa” to the tune of Jason Derulo‘s famously meme-able musical tagline. When Momoa insists that he’s going to claim the melody for himself, the “Greedy” singer joins him and Fineman in singing the jingle as a trio.

McRae’s performance this weekend will mark her Saturday Night Live debut. It’s proving to be a big week for the Canadian singer-dancer, who became Billboard‘s latest cover star on Thursday (Nov. 16) and released her new Ryan Tedder-produced single “Exes” on Friday (Nov. 17). The day after she takes the stage on SNL, she’ll perform at the Nov. 19 Billboard Music Awards, where she’s also a finalist in the top dance/electronic song category for her single “10:35.” The ceremony can be viewed on BBMAs.watch or via the Billboard and BBMAs social media channels.

Watch McRae’s SNL teaser above.

17 Nov 2023

Danity Kane Members Send Love & Support to Cassie Amid Lawsuit Against Diddy

Danity Kane members Aubrey O’Day and D. Woods have spoken out in support of Cassie amid her devastating lawsuit accusing her ex, Diddy, of rape and abuse.

“I am in full support of Cassie,” O’Day shared in a statement to ET. “It isn’t easy to take on one of the most powerful people in this industry and be honest about your experience with them. I know what her heart is feeling right now, because I have done so as well. May her voice bring all the others to the table, so we can start having more transparent conversations about what is actually happening behind the scenes. There is a lot more to all of our stories!”

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D. Woods echoes the sentiment on Instagram, posting a message on Friday (Nov. 17) that reads, “Self worth, peace of mind and the right to speak your TRUTH. Cassie you are incredibly brave to shine light on what you endured in the dark. I’m sorry you had to go through it alone. I’m praying for your continued strength and I offer my full support to you.”

Danity Kane, which also included Dawn Richard, Aundrea Fimbres and Shannon Bex at various times throughout its existence, was formed back in 2005 on Diddy’s Making the Band. The group was also later signed to his Bad Boy Records label.

In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court this week, attorneys for Cassie (full name Casandra Ventura) claimed she “endured over a decade of his violent behavior and disturbed demands,” including repeated physical attacks and forcing her to “engage in sex acts with male sex workers” while he masturbated.

According to the complaint, after she attempted to separate from him in 2018 after an on-and-off public relationship for 11 years, Combs “forced her into her home and raped her while she repeatedly said ‘no’ and tried to push him away.” See the full details of the lawsuit here.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, please call the confidential National Domestic Violence Hotline toll-free at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. 

17 Nov 2023

Kool & the Gang Drummer George Brown Dies at 74

George Brown, the drummer who gave Kool & the Gang its propulsive, infection beats, died Thursday (Nov. 17) after a battle with cancer, a Universal Music Enterprises spokesperson announced. He was 74.

Brown — whose nickname was “Funky” — was one of seven school friends from Jersey City, New Jersey, who came together in 1964 as an instrumental-only jazz and soul group calling itself the Jazziacs. Other members included Robert “Kool” Bell on bass, brother Ronald Bell on keyboards and Charles Smith on guitar.

The band went through several name changes, including the New Dimensions, the Soul Town Band and Kool & the Flames before settling on Kool & the Gang, the name that would become famous worldwide, in 1969. They signed to De-Lite records and released their first LP, the all-instrumental Kool and the Gang, in 1970. By 1973, they incorporated emerging disco trends in its sound, cracking the U.S. Top 10 with “Jungle Boogie” in 1973 and “Hollywood Swinging” in 1974.

After a period of decline, they roared back in 1979 with top-10 hits “Ladies Night” and “Too Hot” and the following year reached No. 1 — their only song to top the chart — with “Celebration.” Other hits include “Get Down on It,” “Fresh,” “Cherish” and “Joanna.”

The band has won two Grammys and seven American Music Awards and registered 31 gold and platinum albums to date. Brown’s signature drumming on the early Kool & the Gang recordings has been heavily sampled by such artists as the Beastie Boys, Jay-Z, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Cypress Hill, P. Diddy and The Killers.

When asked to describe his music, Brown — who released a memoir this year titled Too Hot: Kool & the Gang and Me — always replied, “It’s the sound of happiness.”

Brown is survived by his wife, Hanh, and children Dorian, Jorge, Gregory, Jordan, Clarence and Aaron. Donations can be made in his honor to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America.

This article was written by Seth Abramovitch and originally published by The Hollywood Reporter.