Music

16 Nov 2023

Mitski Writing Music For Broadway Stage Musical Adaptation of ‘The Queen’s Gambit’

Mitski is headed to Broadway. According to Deadline, the Oscar-nominated singer/songwriter is attached to write the music and lyrics for a stage musical adaptation of The Queen’s Gambit, the 2020 hit Netflix series starring Anya Taylor-Joy as fictional 1960s chess prodigy Beth Harmon.

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The series, based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Walter Tevis about the chess whiz who struggles with drug and alcohol use, will be re-imagined for the stage by playwright Eboni Booth (Primary Trust), with Obie Award-winner Whitney White (Jaja’s African Hair Braiding) signed on to direct.

“Before [producers] Level Forward even brought the idea of making a musical of The Queen’s Gambit, I was a fan of the Netflix show, and an even greater fan of the original novel,” Mitski said in a statement. “So I was already determined to be a member of this team. And then I met Eboni and Whitney, and my determination grew tenfold! I absolutely had to be a part of this! I am ecstatic to get to work with all of these amazing creatives, who’ve each built beautiful and unique repertoires of their own.”

In addition to seven studio albums — including this year’s The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We — Mitski co-wrote “This Is a Life” for the Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All at Once, which scored an Oscar nomination for best original song.

“The Queen’s Gambit connects us all in the universal pursuit of becoming the person we are meant to be,” the show’s producers said in a joint statement. “Part of our journey is to bring this beloved story to the musical stage, and provide three revelatory artists – Mitski, Eboni Booth, and Whitney White, all at the top of their craft – with a chance to share the captivating world of Beth Harmon with live audiences.”

At press time casting and a timetable for the show’s opening had not yet been announced.

16 Nov 2023

Drake Announces Surprise ‘Scary Hours 3’ EP Drop, Which He Recorded This Week

Drake is closing out 2023 with one more drop. The 6 God announced on Wednesday night (Nov. 15) that he will issue the threequel Scary Hours 3 EP on Friday (Nov. 17) via a moody video filmed at Toronto’s Roy Thomson Hall.

“I’ll say this to you I’m not… I feel no need to appease anybody. I feel so confident about the body of work I just dropped that I know I can go and disappear for whatever… six months, a year… two years,” Drake says in a hushed voiceover in the visual that begins with a camera hanging from a distance over a car driving through the streets of the MC’s Canadian hometown.

“Though I’m not into the lengthy, super-lengthy disappearances just for the sake of mystery,” he chuckles as the lens focuses in on the arena at night and Drake walking through its empty concourses by himself before getting handed a glass of red wine by a valet. “You know, ultimately it’s coming to me in a way that I haven’t experienced since [2015’s] If You’re Reading This [It’s Too Late] where it’s just kind of like I feel like I’m on drugs.”

As he makes his way into the darkened arena, he continues, “I feel like I’m in that mental state without doing anything. Who am I to fight it?” He then shares some facts, saying the new songs were written in the past five days and that he did not have “one bar written” for the follow-up to 2021’s Scary Hours 2 EP when he released his most recent album, For All the Dogs, a month ago. “It’s not like I’m picking up from some unfinished s–t. You know, this is just happening on its own. And who am I to fight it?”

The short video ends with Drake taking a seat as a full orchestra serenades him and a white-gloved attendant holds an invitation featuring the album title and what looks like a track list.

The news comes after Drake released the “First Person Shooter” video with J. Cole on Wednesday, just days after announcing his 2024 It’s All a Blur Tour — Big As the What? tour with Cole.

Watch the Scary Hours 3 trailer below.

16 Nov 2023

Laughter, Love & Tears: Laura Pausini Is Celebrated as Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year

Laura Pausini assures that she will never forget the night she lived in Seville on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, when she became the first artist born outside of Latin America or Spain to be honored as the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year, and only the third woman to receive the recognition (after Gloria Estefan and Shakira.)

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The Italian superstar, who over three decades has made sure to release each of her albums simultaneously in Spanish, conquered the Spanish-speaking world early on with anthems like “La Soledad,” “Se Fue,” “Inolvidable” and “Amores Extraños,” creating an unbreakable bond not only with her fans, but with her colleagues in the Latin industry — many of whom consider her a close friend today.

On Wednesday, on the eve of the Latin Grammy Awards, about 30 of them took the stage to celebrate her by performing songs from her well-known repertoire: From Alejandro Sanz, India Martínez and Ana Mena, who opened the evening with a medley of “Nadie Ha Dicho” and “Volveré Junto A Ti,” to Beret, Danny Ocean and Ovy on the Drums (playing keyboard,) who closed the show with “Se Fue” before handing over the mic to Pausini herself.

Accompanied by an orchestra, stars such as Andrea Bocelli, Luis Fonsi, David Bisbal, Carlos Vives, Anitta and many more surprised the honoree at the traditional annual dinner and concert, considered one of the most important events of Latin Grammy Week. Words like “reference”, “pride” and “modesty” resonated among the participants, who highlighted Pausini not only as an exceptional singer, but as a generous, warm and simple human being.

“Our person of the year is a genuine, authentic artist with a deep sensitivity, who has turned her lyrics into songs of all time,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, during the gala. “Winner of a Grammy and four Latin Grammys, Laura has always remained faithful to her romantic style and to a tireless search for musical excellence. And what you won’t find in any biography, but we all know, is that she is a great girl.”

Among the most notable performances of the night, Fonsi and David Bisbal sang “Inolvidable” with a vocal feat that earned them a standing ovation at the FIBES Seville Conference and Exhibition Centre. Mon Laferte and Christian Nodal offered a beautiful cover of “Como Si No Nos Hubiésemos Amado;” Andrea Bocelli sang an Italian version of Charles Aznavour’s “She”, “Uguale a Lei;” and Anitta and Tiago Iorc, along with trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, surprised everyone with a cover of the romantic ballad “En La Ausencia De Ti” in Portuguese.

Fonseca, Silvestre Dangond and Carlos Vives created one of the funniest moments with their version of “Quiero Decirte Que Te Amo” that started as a violins-led ballad and soon transformed into a vallenato, before culminating in a kind of fight between the three of them for the honoree’s love.

Pausini reacted to all this with laughter and tears, making hearts with her hands and even standing up to hug the singers on the edge of the stage. Evidently moved, she was accompanied by her parents, her sister, her husband Paolo Carta and her daughter Paola.

Also singing were Malú and Niña Pastori (“La Soledad”), Carin León and Vanesa Martín (“Amores Extraños”), Pablo López and Antonio Orozco (“Verdades A Medias”), Pablo Alborán and Elena Rose (“Yo Sí (Io sì )”), Reik and Bebe (“Entre Tú Y Mil Mares”), and Ángela Aguilar and Pepe Aguilar (“El Valor De Seguir Adelante”).

Fonsi, who called Pausini a “sister” and highlighted her spontaneity and great sense of humor, was the one to present her as the 2023 Person of the Year.

“Your passion, your ethics, your daily effort, your respect for the audience, for your colleagues, your respect for the stage, and your level of perfectionism — mi gente, when I say level of perfectionism it is a freaky, freaky, freaky level,” the Puerto Rican star said. “But that’s why you are what you are, that’s why you’re so great and you’ve come so far.”

Pausini, appealing to the sense of humor that her friend had just highlighted, sang “And I… I am the Person of the Year” to the melody of Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” making everyone laugh.

“I will never forget this in my life. I will never live a night like this again,” she said upon receiving her trophy, thanking everyone involved in her career and in her life for accompanying through it all. She noted that, during the last 30 years, she has had a privileged life not only because she has “the great pleasure of being able to sing in Spanish,” but because from very early on she felt “adopted” by the Latin industry and community, “like a daughter, like a sister, like family.”

“You’ve raised me from a teenager until today, giving me the possibility of being the most Latin Italian in the world!” she exclaimed to cheers. “It seems to me that today is the day in which we confirm to the entire world that our adoption is legal, that our hands will not let go, and above all that our hearts will remain together. I promise this.”

With her husband and musical director on guitar, Pausini closed her big night on stage with a medley of “Durar”, “La Soledad”, “Víveme,” “En Cambio No”, and a cappella renditions of “Amores Extraños” and “Entre Tú Y Mil Mares.

16 Nov 2023

Billie Eilish’s ‘Barbie’ Song, Robbie Robertson’s Scorsese Score Honored at 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards

Billie Eilish and FINNEAS’ “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie won song – feature film at the 2023 Hollywood Music in Media Awards, which were presented Wednesday night (Nov. 15) at The Avalon in Los Angeles.

The hypnotic “What Was I Made For?” (written by Eilish and her brother FINNEAS) beat out another song from Barbie, the comic “I’m Just Ken” (written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt). Atlantic’s soundtrack album from the film also won the soundtrack award.

The late Robbie Robertson won score – feature film for his score for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Robertson died in August at age 80. This was the 11th and final collaboration between Scorsese and Robertson; the film is dedicated to the Canadian rock music legend.

Women co-wrote five of the six songs that won in various film categories. And women composers took two of the seven film score awards. Laura Karpman won score – sci-fi / fantasy film for The Marvels; Hildur Guđnadóttir won score – horror/thriller film for A Haunting in Venice. In addition, Mica Levi, who identifies as non-binary, won score – independent film for The Zone of Interest.

Angela Leus won music supervision in a film for Trolls Band Together.

The show included performances by nominees OK Go, Diane Warren and Marc Shaiman. Shaiman, a Grammy, Emmy and Tony winner, received an outstanding career achievement award.

Presenters included Taura Stinson, Marie Kingsley, Heather Mcintosh, Julia Michaels, Allyson Newman, Mychael Danna, Mike Stoller and the celebrated team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

The HMMAs are often seen as a bellwether for the Oscars. Past HMMA winners who have gone on to win Oscars include Eilish and Finneas for the title song from No Time to Die; Hans Zimmer for Dune; Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste for Soul; Hildur Guðnadóttir for Joker; Ludwig Göransson for Black Panther; and Alexandre Desplat for The Shape of Water; plus songs from Judas & the Black Messiah, La La Land, A Star Is Born and others.

Unlike the Oscars, which have just one category each for songs and scores, the HMMAs have six categories for film songs and seven for scores.

The most intriguing and inspired HMMA category is song – onscreen performance, which honors the performer who performed the song onscreen in the film. Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Orén Kinlan and Jack Reynor won for performing “High Life” in Flora and Son.

In the HMMAs’ newest category, best song – sci-fi/fantasy, Olivia Rodrigo and Dan Nigro won for co-writing “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.

For those looking forward to that other award, Oscar shortlists of 15 top contenders for best original song and best original score will be announced on Dec. 21. Oscar nominations will be announced on Jan. 23, 2024. The awards will be presented on March 10, 2024.

For a complete list of winners in all categories, visit this page on the HMMA site.

Here are the nominees in the film categories.

SONG AWARDS

Song – feature film

“I’m Just Ken” from Barbie. Written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Performed by Ryan Gosling (featuring Slash and Wolfgang Van Halen)

WINNER: “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie. Written by Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell. Performed by Billie Eilish.

“The Fire Inside” from Flamin’ Hot. Written by Diane Warren. Performed by Becky G.

“High Life” From Flora and Son. Written by Gary Clark, John Carney, Eve Hewson. Performed by Eve Hewson, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

“I Am” From Origin. Written by Stan Walker, Michael Fatkin, Vince Harder, Te Kanapu Anasta. Performed by Stan Walker.

“Road to Freedom” from Rustin. Written and performed by Lenny Kravitz.

“This” From The Beanie Bubble. Written by Damian Kulash, Jr. and Timothy Nordwind. Performed by OK Go.

“Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple. Written by Halle Bailey, Denisia Andrews, Brittany Coney, and Morten Ristorp. Performed by Halle Bailey and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi.

Song – animated film

“Steal the Show” from Elemental. Written by Ari Leff, Michael Matosic, Thomas Newman. Performed by Lauv.

“Down Like That” from Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie. Written by Bryson Tiller, Chantry Johnson, Michelle Zarlenga, and Charlie Heath. Performed by Bryson Tiller.

“Am I Dreaming” from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Written by Mike Dean, Peter Lee Johnson, Rakim Mayers, Roisee, Landon Wayne and Leland Wayne. Performed by A$AP Rocky, Metro Boomin and Roisee.

WINNER: “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together. Written by Shellback, Justin Timberlake, Amy Allen. Performed by *NSYNC.

“Peaches” from The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Written by Jack Black, John Spiker, Eric Osmond, Michael Jelenic, Aaron Horvath. Performed by Jack Black.

“This Wish” from Wish. Written by Julia Michaels, Benjamin Rice, and JP Saxe. Performed by Ariana DeBose.

Song – sci-fi / fantasy

“A World of Your Own” from Wonka. Music written by Neil Hannon, Lyrics by Neil Hannon, Simon Farnaby, Paul King. Performed by Timothée Chalamet

WINNER: “Can’t Catch Me Now” from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. Written by Dan Nigro and Olivia Rodrigo. Performed by Olivia Rodrigo.

“For The First Time” from The Little Mermaid. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Performed by Halle Bailey

“Wild Uncharted Waters” from The Little Mermaid. Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Performed by Jonah Hauer-King

“You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This” from Wonka. Written by Neil Hannon, Simon Farnaby, Paul King. Performed by Timothée Chalamet & Cast.

Song – independent film

“Stardust” from A Good Person. Written by Cary Brothers & Scott Effman. Performed By Cary Brothers.

WINNER: “I Got You” from Holiday Twist. Written by Michael Jay and Alan Demoss. Performed by Jake Miller

“Space and Time” from Master Gardener. Written by S.G. Goodman, Performed by Mereba

“Quiet Eyes” from Past Lives. Written by Sharon Van Etten and Zachary Dawes. Performed by Sharon Van Etten.

“El Saber” from Radical. Written and performed by Gaby Moreno.

“Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone” from Sons 2 The Grave. Written by Sean Jones, Michael Shand, Miku Graham. Performed by Sean Jones.

Song – onscreen performance

WINNER: Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Orén Kinlan, Jack Reynor – “High Life” from Flora and Son

Halle Bailey – “For the First Time” from The Little Mermaid

Halle Bailey and Phylicia Pearl Mapsi – “Keep It Movin’” from The Color Purple

Megan Thee Stallion – “Out Alpha The Alpha” from Dicks: The Musical

NSync – “Better Place” from Trolls Band Together

Oil Factory feat. Chlöe, Jekalyn Carr, Loren Lott – “Praise Nationals Finale” from Praise This

Ryan Gosling – “I’m Just Ken” from Barbie

Timothée Chalamet – “A World of Your Own” from Wonka


Song – documentary film

“Everything Is Gonna Be Alright” from Bobi Wine: The People’s President. Written and performed by Bobi Wine

“Forty Foot Man” from Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming With Dave Letterman. Written and performed by Bono and The Edge.

“Speechless” from Louder Than Rock. Written by Israel Houghton and Adam Ranney. Performed by Caleb Quaye and Judith Hill.

“Dream Your Little Dream” from The Jewel Thief. Written by Dan Braun and Josh Braun. Performed by The Braun Brothers.

WINNER: “Todo Fue Por Amor” from With This Light. Written by Carla Morrison, Carla Patricia Morrison Flores, Juan Alejandro Jimenez Perez, Mario Demian Jimenez Perez. Performed by Carla Morrison.

SCORE AWARDS

Score – feature film

American Fiction – Laura Karpman

Chevalier – Kris Bowers

WINNER: Killers of the Flower Moon – Robbie Robertson

Nyad – Alexandre Desplat

Oppenheimer – Ludwig Göransson

Rustin – Branford Marsalis

Saltburn – Anthony Willis, Music By

The Killer – Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Score – animated film

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget – Harry Gregson-Williams

Elemental – Thomas Newman

Migration – John Powell

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken – Stephanie Economou

WINNER: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Daniel Pemberton

The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Brian Tyler

Score – sci-fi / fantasy film

Asteroid City – Alexandre Desplat

Barbie – Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt

The Creator – Hans Zimmer

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes – James Newton Howard

WINNER: The Marvels – Laura Karpman

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Jongnic Bontemps

Score – horror/thriller film

WINNER: A Haunting in Venice – Hildur Guđnadóttir

Deliver Us – Tóti Guðnason

Knock at the Cabin – Herdís Stefánsdóttir

M3gan – Anthony Willis

The Boogeyman – Patrick Jonsson

The Exorcist: Believer – David Wingo, Amman Abbasi

Score – documentary

Kangaroo Valley – H. Scott Salinas and Logan Stahley

Split at the Root – Lili Haydn

WINNER: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie – John Powell

The Deepest Breath – Nainita Desai

The Pigeon Tunnel – Philip Glass and Paul Leonard-Morgan

Score – independent film

Dalíland – Edmund Butt

Dream Scenario – Owen Pallett

Jules – Volker Bertelmann

Miranda’s Victim – Holly Amber Church

She Came to Me – Bryce Dessner

WINNER: The Zone of Interest – Mica Levi

Score – independent film (foreign language)

WINNER: Society of the Snow – Michael Giacchino

Control – Taisuke Kimura

Last Wishes – Carla F. Benedicto

Los Reyes Magos: La Verdad – Arturo Cardelús

Paradice – Sandrine Rudaz

The Promised Land – Dan Romer

OTHER FILM AWARDS

Music themed film, biopic or musical

Carmen – Produced by Rosemary Blight, Dimitri Rassam and Mimi Valdes. Directed by Benjamin Millepied.

The Little Mermaid – Produced by John Deluca, Rob Marshall, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Marc Platt. Directed by Rob Marshall.

Theater Camp – Produced by Jessica Elbaum, Erik Feig, Will Ferrell and Noah Galvin. Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman.

WINNER: Trolls Band Together – Produced by Gina Shay. Directed by Walt Dohrn and Tim Heitz.

Wonka – Produced by Alexandra Derbyshire, David Heyman and Luke Kelly. Directed by Paul King.

Music documentary – special program

Dear Mama: “Panther Power” – Directed by Allen Hughes. Produced by Joshua Garcia, Loren Gomez, Quincy Jones III, Stef Smith.

WINNER: Immediate Family – Directed by Denny Tedesco. Produced by Greg Richling, Jack Piatt, Jonathan Sheldon.

Ladies First: A Story of Women in Hip-Hop – Directed by Hannah Beachler, Dream Hampton, Raeshem Nijhon. Produced by Shawna Carroll, Syreeta Gates, Cherice Hunt, Janice James, Princess A. Hairston.

Little Richard: I Am Everything – Directed by Lisa Cortés. Produced by Robert Friedman, Lisa Cortés, Liz Yale Marsh, Caryn Capotosto.

San Francisco Sounds: A Place in Time – Directed by Alison Ellwood & Anoosh Tertzakian. Produced by Michael Wright, Jill Burkhart, Mark Pinkus, Charlie Cohen, Tom Mackay, Richard Story, Jeff Jampol, Aly Parker, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Jeff Pollack, Frank Marshall, Alison Ellwood.

Wynonna Judd: Between Hell and Hallelujah – Directed by Patty Ivins Specht. Produced by Reese Witherspoon, Sara Rea, Wynonna Judd, Cactus Moser, Jason Owen, Bruce Gillmer, Margaret Comeaux, Leslie Fram, Patty Ivins Specht; Producer: Cassie Lambert Scalettar.

Music supervision – film

Air – Andrea Von Foerster

Fast X – Rachel Levy

Immediate Family – Mason Cooper

Love to Love You, Donna Summer – Tracy McKnight

Trap Jazz – Tamar Davis

WINNER: Trolls Band Together – Angela Leus

Soundtrack album

WINNER: Barbie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Atlantic Records

Creed III (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Dreamville / Interscope Records

Fast X (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Artist Partner Group

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Hollywood Records

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – Boominati Worldwide and Republic Records

Trolls Band Together (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – RCA Records

15 Nov 2023

Troye Sivan, DMA’S, Taylor Swift Among Big Winners at 2023 ARIA Awards

With four trophies, including song of the year and best solo artist, Troye Sivan was the big winner at the 2023 ARIA Awards, held Wednesday, Nov. 15 in Sydney.

The Aussie pop star was on hand to collect each of those pointy trophies, the victory spoils from Something to Give Each Other, his third studio album which debuted at No. 1 last month on the ARIA Chart.

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While collecting song of the year, for “Rush,” Sivan remarked on the “unbelievable” songwriting talent bubbling away in Australia. “I’m so proud to be Australian, I’m so excited for the future of Australian music. I’m swear I’m not bragging,” he continued, “but Kylie and I are nominated in the same category in the Grammys. It makes me so so so proud.” No one would blame Sivan for a touch of bragging on this night.

The pop idol made a fifth trip to the podium, when he presented the award for best video won by G Flip’s “Good Enough,” directed by Kyle Caulfield.

Genesis Owusu has a habit of dominating at Australia’s major awards ceremonies, and he kept that reputation intact at the 2023 ARIAs, held for the second consecutive year at the iconic Hordern Pavillion on Gadigal land.

The Canberra-raised, Ghana-born funkster collected a hattrick of ARIAs, for album of the year, best hip-hop/rap release, and best independent release, all for his sophomore album Struggler, which peaked at No. 4 on the national chart in August of this year.

“This is an album I made about a roach,” Owusu said after winning album of the year, the night’s top award. “It’s very weird, it’s very strange. It’s about roaches and existentialism, a bunch of weird s—.” Struggler is a meditation on humanity “and our stubborn perseverance to wake up every day and make it through an oppressive existence.”

Speaking by live video link from the U.K., where he’s currently on tour, Owusu used the platform of his acceptance speech to call for a ceasefire in Gaza conflict. It wasn’t the only politically-charged message of the night. ”

G-Flip broke through for the best video honor, their first ARIA, then doubled up with a win for best Australian live act. The multi-talented indie rocker showcased their performance chops with a blistering performance of “Good Enough,” and “The Worst Person Alive,” switching from the drum kit, to the mic, and the electric guitar.

Singer and songwriter Forest Claudette also collected their first ARIAs, winning for best soul/R&B release (Mess Around) and best cover art (Everything Was Green — Jeremy Koren (Grey Ghost) and Michelle Grace Hunder).

Australia’s princess of pop Kylie Minogue broke a decades-long drought when she snared best pop release (for “Padam Padam”). “This is just unbelievable and I am super super happy,” she said in a pre-taped message, filmed in Las Vegas where’s working her way through a residency.

When Taylor Swift swings into Australia in February 2024 for seven stadium shows on her The Eras Tour, produced by Frontier Touring, she’ll do so as the reigning ARIA winner for most popular international artist, one of the five fan-voted categories unveiled on Wednesday evening.

In a pre-recorded bit, the pop superstar gave a shout out to her legion of Swifties. “Thank-you to the ARIAs for celebrating the relationship between the artists and the fans,” she added.

Other winners include DMA’S (best group), King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (best rock album), MK & Dom Dolla (best dance/electronic release), Teenage Dads (Michael Gudinski breakthrough artist), The Teskey Brothers (best blues & roots album) and Fanny Lumsden, who had a dream-come-true moment when she collected best country album, presented by Dolly Parton by way of video-link.

As previously reported, rockers Jet were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, doing so with a medley of their standout rock numbers from the 2000s, including the smash “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”.

“There are some truly tragic and atrocious things that are taking place around the world,” frontman Nic Cester commented from the podium. “It’s impossible to see the news at the moment and not be confronted by the destruction being committed through war, racism and politics. A lot of people are being divided. It’s often in moments like this I’m reminded of the importance of art and music. Music has always been an antidote in our lives during troubled moments, a place for refuge”

Other performers on the night included Budjerah, Brad Cox, Fanny Lumsden, Jessica Mauboy, Meg Mac, Peach PRC, and a segment celebrating 50 years of hip-hop, with a medley performance featuring Bliss n Eso, BARKAA, 1200 Techniques, DJ Krissy, and Sound Unlimited Posse with KYE.

The 2023 ARIA Awards aired live across digital station Stan, followed by a special presentation on Channel 9 from 7.30pm, with performances and moments streaming on the ARIA.official YouTube channel.

The event is a partnership with YouTube, and supported by the New South Wales government through Destination NSW, the lead government agency for the NSW tourism and major events sector.

15 Nov 2023

‘The Debut: Dream Academy’ Top 10 Share How They Created an ‘Unbreakable Bond’ During HYBE x Geffen Girl Group Contest

HYBE x Geffen’s The Debut: Dream Academy is just days away from its finale and the girl group’s reveal, and the top 10 contestants sat down with Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly to reflect on their time in the competition so far.

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“I feel like it’s a bond like no other,” Emily shares of her relationship with her fellow contestants. “Having girls from all over the world is such a special and unique experience, and to be able to share these moments that we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives together has created a bond that’s truly unbreakable. It’s such a blessing to be able to experience it with such amazing girls.”

The top 10 contestants hail from all over the world, including Emily, Daniela, Lara and Megan from the United States; Sophia from the Philippines; Manon from Switzerland; Ezrela from Australia; Samara from Brazil; Marquise from Thailand; and Yoonchae from South Korea.

Lara says their diversity is also their strength. “The biggest part of this project and the reason why we’re doing this is to represent all our different cultures. It’s so amazing and insane and it’s never been done before,” she shares. “It’s just a big responsibility and it’s so larger than life to be able to represent our people.”

The remaining 10 girls will perform at the show’s live finale, which is set to take place on Friday (Nov. 17). The name of the group and its final members will be revealed after the finale.

“We’ve been doing covers, and now we get a chance to show people what we can create,” Lara says of performing originals for the finale. “It’s the first presentation of what this group will be and what the music is going to be to the world. It’s exciting and nerve-racking too.”

Watch the full interview with HYBE x Geffen’s The Debut: Dream Academy top 10 above.

15 Nov 2023

Alejandro Fernández’s ‘Difícil Tu Caso’ Hits No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay Chart

Alejandro Fernández achieves his seventh No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart as “Difícil Tu Caso” advances from No. 3 to lead the Nov. 18-dated ranking.

The ranchera ballad checks into the penthouse as the Greatest Gainer for the week with a 28% boost in audience impressions, to 7.85 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Nov. 9, according to Luminate.

“Dificil Tu Caso” unseats Maná and Eden Muñoz’s “Amor Clandestino,” after the song’s one week in command. It drops 1-5 with 4.8 million impressions, down 28%.

“Difícil,” composed by Edgar Barrera, Luis Mejía and Iván Gámez, grants Fernández his seventh champ, the second-most for a male soloist in the 2020s decade. The song was released Sept. 1 and hits No. 1 on Regional Mexican Airplay in its 10th week.

Here’s the list of all artists with the most champs on Regional Mexican Airplay this decade where Calibre 50 paces the race:

10, Calibre 50
9, Grupo Firme
8, Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
8, Christian Nodal
7, Alejandro Fernández
5, Grupo Frontera

“Difícil” follows one other No. 1 in 2023, “No Es Que Me Quiera,” which likely topped Regional Mexican Airplay for one week in August. Let’s review all of Fernández’s No. 1s since his first in 2020:

Peak, Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1
Jan. 11, 2020, “Caballero,” 1
April 25, 2020, “Te Olvidá,” 2
Oct. 24, 2020, “Decepciones,” with Calibre 50, 1
April 24, 2021, “Duele,” with Christian Nodal, 1
Sept. 17, 2022, “Nunca Dudes En Llamarme,” with La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho, 1
Aug. 5, 2023, “No Es Que Me Quiera Ir,” 1
Nov. 18, 2023, “Difícil Tu Caso,” 1

“Difícil” also continues its successful rise on the all-Latin genre Latin Airplay tally, with a 9-5 jump, its second week in the top 10.

15 Nov 2023

Harry Styles’ Haircut Is Hard-Launched in a New Photo: See His Buzz Cut

For fans in denial about Harry Styles‘ shaved head, it’s real.

On Wednesday (Nov. 15), the Instagram account for Pleasing — the beauty and apparel line launched by Styles in 2021 — shared a photo of their founder with his infamous new buzz cut on full display.

“Our Founder, Harry Styles, toasts the launch of Pleasing Fragrance with friends in London. November, 2023,” the photo’s caption reads, along with a photo credit for frequent Styles photographer Lloyd Wakefield.

In the pic, the newly shorn Styles wears a chocolate-brown sweater with two white kissing swans knit on the front. According to an X post from Harry Styles Daily, the Pleasing sweater will be available for purchase on Dec. 1.

Before the Pleasing photo, TMZ shared a fan-shot video on Nov. 9 of Styles’ new hairstyle, taken as he and rumored girlfriend Taylor Russell watched U2 play at the newly opened Las Vegas Sphere. Fan reaction ran the gamut, with one sharing on X: “how tf are you gonna be named harry styles with no hair to style.” Another wrote, “interrupting the conversation in every group chat to tell everyone that harry styles got a buzzcut.”

It’s hardly the first time Styles has switched up his haircut. When he first became famous with One Direction, he had a shaggy, side-swept haircut that morphed into the long locks he sported through his debut solo era. Then, he wore his hair in a well-manicured bouffant for the past couple of years.

See the official debut of Styles’ haircut below:

15 Nov 2023

Post Malone, Alanis Morissette & More to Perform at ‘Christmas at Graceland’

NBC is set to celebrate Elvis Presley with the upcoming live music special Christmas at Graceland, executive produced by Elvis’ granddaughter Riley Keough, and the event is jam-packed with A-list performers.

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Alanis Morissette, John Legend, Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, Lana Del Rey, Post Malone, and The War And Treaty are all set to pay tribute to The King of Rock and Roll with one-of-a-kind performances from the Graceland estate.

Keough, the daughter of Lisa Marie Presley who died in January at age 54, will make special appearances throughout the special, which will feature never before broadcast footage of Elvis.

While it’s not yet announced which songs each artist will perform, Presley has an extensive holiday catalog, with two hits on the 2011-launched Holiday 100 songs chart: “Blue Christmas,” which peaked at No. 11 in 2013, and “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane),” which hit No. 22 in 2015. His album It’s Christmas Time (a 1985 reissue of Presley’s 1957 release Elvis’ Christmas Album) reached No. 2 on Top Holiday Albums in 2015 — his highest-charting project on the tally; it also peaked at No. 2 on the Top Country Albums chart in 2018.

The special will air Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and will be simulcast on Peacock.

15 Nov 2023

North West Becomes Mom Kim Kardashian in Re-Creation of Throwback Photo With Paris Hilton

North West is obsessed with the 2000s, just like the rest of us. On Tuesday, West shared photos of her and a friend dressed up like North’s mother, Kim Kardashian, and Paris Hilton circa 2006 to TikTok.

The photos appeared in a slideshow format, and featured West wearing a charcoal-gray tracksuit with a matching zip-up hoodie and track pants and a white tank top layered underneath. She accessorized the look with pin-straight hair, oversize sunglasses, gray Yeezy slides and her mother’s silver mirrored Louis Vuitton bag.

North’s friend, meanwhile, dressed up as Hilton in a blue-and-white striped tank with navy blue pants, a black paperboy cap and a black leather Balenciaga purse. The girls appeared to have a blast, with West picking up her friend and smiling wide for the camera. And to further dial up the nostalgia factor, Kardashian’s foray into music — her 2011 single “Jam (Turn It Up)” — soundtracked the video.

This is far from the first time West has shared her love for all things throwback. This past Halloween, she and her group of friends dressed as Galleria, Chanel, Dorinda and Aqua from Disney’s The Cheetah Girls. West also dressed up as Dionne (Stacey Dash) from 1995’s Clueless, with her mother dressed up as Cher (Alicia Silverstone) for a second costume.

See photos from West’s latest dress-up session in the TikTok here, and see the original throwback photo below.

Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton at the Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by John Stanton/WireImage)

Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton at the Sydney Airport in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by John Stanton/WireImage)