Music

27 Oct 2023

Megan Thee Stallion Confirms She Has New Music on the Way With ‘Cobra’ Announcement

Megan Thee Stallion announced Friday (Oct. 27) that she is dropping a project titled “Cobra” next Friday, Nov. 3.

Along with the date and title, the rapper shared a revealing photo of herself, her body slick, with the words “Cobra – A Story by Megan Thee Stallion” in orange at the bottom of the image.

She teased “Cobra,” which she has yet to identify as a single or album, earlier this week in a short Instagram clip that had the camera zeroing in on Meg’s lips as they were floating in a black void. “Just as a snake sheds its skin, we must shed our past, over and over again,” she said over an ominous track. Then the camera pulls back to reveal her face — complete with vertical snake eyeballs — and the clip ended with a shot of a pair of dripping fangs. 

“Cobra” seems to also mark her first release as an independent artist, since she revealed in an Instagram Live earlier this month that she wasn’t signed to a label anymore. “This part of my album is very much so funded by Megan Thee Stallion because we’re trying to get off … Y’all know what’s the tea. But I have no label right now,” she explained. “We’re doing everything funded straight out of Megan Thee Stallion’s pockets. So, the budget is coming from me. Motherf—ing Hot Girl Productions! The next s— y’all about to see is all straight from Megan Thee Stallion’s brain and Megan Thee Stallion’s wallet. We are in my pockets, hotties, so let’s do our big one.”

She recently settled a years-long legal battle with her former record label, 1501 Certified Entertainment. The label’s attorneys announced last week that both sides had “mutually reached a confidential settlement to resolve their legal differences” and that Megan and 1501 will “amicably part ways.”

The rapper’s been gradually releasing new music after announcing that she would be taking a break to focus on “healing” in April. “Fans can expect new music when I’m in a better place,” she said in an interview with InStyle. Since then, she released “Bongos” with Cardi B (a follow-up collaboration to their Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 smash “WAP”) and “Out Alpha the Alpha” from the Dicks: The Musical soundtrack. “Bongos” debuted at No. 5 on Billboard‘s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and reached No. 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales.

See Megan Thee Stallion’s announcement for “Cobra” below:

27 Oct 2023

Taylor Swift Reflects on Rumors of Her Sexuality & Defends Her Squad in ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ Prologue

Taylor Swift is addressing speculation around her sexuality and her “squad” of female friends. In the prologue for Swift’s re-recorded 1989 (Taylor’s Version), which dropped Friday (Oct. 27), the musician recalled becoming the “target of slut shaming” in the years leading up to the original album’s 2014 release.

“The jokes about my amount of boyfriends,” she wrote. “The trivialization of my songwriting as if it were a predatory act of a boy crazy psychopath. I had to make it stop because it was starting to really hurt.”

“I assumed I could fix this if I simply changed my behavior,” Swift added. “I swore off dating and decided to focus only on myself, my music, my growth, and my female friendships.”

One of the most memorable of those female friendships was Karlie Kloss, although rumors have swirled in recent years that Swift and the former Victoria’s Secret supermodel had a falling out. But even though it’s been many moons since the two were photographed together, an often intrusive subsect of the Swiftie fandom has speculated on Swift’s sexuality for years and has maintained that Swift and Kloss are in a secret romantic relationship that dates back to 2014.

Swift calls out those and others who speculated about her love life in her next sentence: “If I only hung out with my female friends, people couldn’t sensationalize or sexualize that — right? I would learn later on that people could and people would.”

Further on in the prologue, Swift also thanked her fans for recognizing that her famous “Squad” of famous female friends — which included Kloss, as well as pretty much everyone in the “Bad Blood” music video — was never intended to be mean-spirited, in spite of criticism at the time that said otherwise. “You, who knew that maybe a girl who surrounds herself with female friends in adulthood is making up for a lack of them in childhood (not starting a tyrannical hot girl cult),” she wrote.

The pop superstar is this year’s leading Billboard Music Awards finalist. You can watch the BBMAs on Nov. 19 on Billboard and the BBMA’s social media channels, as well as here.

Read the full 1989 (Taylor’s Version) prologue below:

27 Oct 2023

Here Are All the Easter Eggs From Taylor Swift’s ‘1989’ Vault Tracks: Harry Styles, Past Songs & More

When she first announced 1989 (Taylor’s Version) back in August, Taylor Swift wrote on social media that the project was her “most FAVORITE re-record” she’s ever done because “the 5 From The Vault tracks are so insane.”

“I can’t believe they were ever left behind,” she added at the time. “But not for long!”

Flash forward to Oct. 27, and it’s clear that the 33-year-old pop star wasn’t kidding. The five “From the Vault” tracks have got to be some of the most detailed, vulnerable and visceral previously unreleased songs that Swift has retroactively put out, arguably beating out Vault songs from July’s Speak Now re-release and 2021’s Fearless and Red. (Well, maybe aside from “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).”)

As Swifties have been quick to notice, the singer-songwriter’s newly uncovered tracks — originally written circa 2013-2014 — appear to be riddled with references to Swift’s life, relationships and past work. Namely, the vault songs feel especially reminiscent of the wavy-haired, Gucci suit-wearing elephant in the room: Harry Styles, who dated Swift in 2012 and is the rumored muse behind many of the songs on the original 1989 (cough cough, “Style”).

As prominent as the themes of romantic love and loss are on 1989, its most important lasting effect is perhaps the artistic renaissance it meant for Swift, who made a sharp pivot from country to pop and claimed a newfound independence with the album in 2014. “I was born in 1989, reinvented for the first time in 2014, and a part of me was reclaimed in 2023 with the re-release of this album I love so dearly,” she wrote on Instagram following the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version). “This moment is a reflection of the woods we’ve wandered through and all this love between us still glowing in the darkest dark.”

The pop superstar is this year’s leading Billboard Music Awards finalist. You can watch the BBMAs on Nov. 19 on Billboard and the BBMA’s social media channels, as well as here.

Keep reading to see all of the hidden Easter eggs Billboard could find in Swift’s 1989 vault tracks, mostly co-written and produced by Jack Antonoff, below:

27 Oct 2023

Jay Wheeler, Greeicy & More: Which Is Your Favorite New Latin Music Release? Vote!

This week, our New Music Latin roundup — a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — is powered by new music from Chayanne, Jay Wheeler, Laura Pausini and more. 

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Notably are a handful of studio albums released this week, starting off with Chayanne’s first set in nine years called Bailemos Otra Vez (Let’s Dance Again). If the title is any indication, the diverse nine-track journey finds the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter reinventing his sound with many rhythmic melodies while keeping his pop ballad essence intact. He navigates from bachata in “Bailando Bachata” to ranchera in “Necesito un Segundo” to cumbia in “Como Tú y Yo,” which samples his 1998 hit “Dejaría Todo. The first of the three hit No. 1 in Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart in August—his first No. 1 since 2008. 

Known as “La Voz Romantica” (The Romantic Voice), particularly because of his romantic reggaeton and R&B tunes and love lyrics, Jay Wheeler now shows a more provocative side in TRAPPii, his first-ever all-trap album. In the album — which features an encouraging message from Arcángel in the introductory track and includes the previously-released banger “Pacto” — “the Puerto Rican star manages to maneuver the juxtaposition of raunch, vulnerability and desire in a dozen tracks,” notes Billboard Español’s Isabela Raygoza. 

Other releases this week include Greeicy’s energetic dance track “Espejo,” celebrating self love; Elena Rose’s ode to her native Venezuela, featuring Danny Ocean and Jerry Di; and Lenny Tavarez’s first attempt at making salsa music in “El Yate,” to name a few.

In our most recent New Music Latin fan-related poll, Anitta’s “Mil Veces” won with more than 49 percent of the votes. She was followed by Gloria Trevi’s “Inocente” with over 28 percent of the votes. What’s your favorite new Latin music release of the week? Vote below!

27 Oct 2023

Metallica Earns Third Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 From ’72 Seasons’

For the first time, Metallica has notched three No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart from a single album.

“Too Far Gone?” ascends to the top of the Nov. 4-dated ranking, marking the third leader on the list from 72 Seasons, Metallica’s 11th studio album, released in April. “Lux Æterna” led for 11 weeks beginning last December and the title track spent two weeks on top in July.

“Too Far Gone?” is Metallica’s 13th Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1 overall, slotting the band into a three-way tie with Foo Fighters and Van Halen for the fourth-most rulers in the chart’s 42-year history. Shinedown leads all acts with 18 No. 1s.

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Most No. 1s, Mainstream Rock Airplay
18, Shinedown
17, Three Days Grace
14, Five Finger Death Punch
13, Foo Fighters
13, Metallica
13, Van Halen
12, Disturbed
12, Godsmack
10, Tom Petty (solo and with the Heartbreakers)
10, Volbeat

Prior to 72 Seasons, Metallica had scored two Mainstream Rock Airplay No. 1s apiece from three albums: 1996’s Load (“Until It Sleeps” and “Hero of the Day”), 2008’s Death Magnetic (“The Day That Never Comes” and “Cyanide”) and 2016’s Hardwired… to Self-Destruct (“Hardwired” and “Atlas, Rise!”)

Concurrently, “Too Far Gone?” places at No. 7 on the all-rock-format, audience-based Rock & Alternative Airplay survey, after reaching at No. 6, with 3.1 million audience impressions Oct. 20-26, according to Luminate.

On the most recently published multi-metric Hot Hard Rock Songs chart (Oct. 28), “Too Far Gone?” ranked at No. 12. In addition to its radio airplay, the song earned 201,000 official U.S. streams Oct. 13-19.

72 Seasons bowed at No. 1 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart dated April 29 and has earned 324,000 equivalent album units to date.

All Nov. 4-dated Billboard charts will update on Billboard.com on Tuesday, Oct. 31.

27 Oct 2023

New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Chayanne, Laura Pausini & More

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

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Chayanne, Bailemos Otra Vez (Sony Music Latin)

Chayanne, a.k.a. “Latin America’s eternal boyfriend,” presents his highly anticipated 20th studio album, Bailemos Otra Vez, marking his first set in nine years. In the diverse nine-track journey — home to previously released tracks “Bailando Bachata” and “Te Amo y Punto” — the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter reinvents his sound while keeping his essence intact.

If the former, his first-ever bachata, was an indication, he isn’t afraid to navigate from ranchera music in “Necesito Un Segundo” to the rhythmic cumbia in “Como Tú y Yo,” a song that celebrates true love amidst an ocean of disposable relationships (and even samples his own 1998 hit “Dejaría Todo”). “De Tanto,” on the other hand, is a classic Chayanne ballad. Recorded in Miami and penned by the artist, Bailemos Otra Vez boasts a wave of Latin hitmakers adding their magical beats and penmanship, including Andrés Torres, Édgar Barrera, Elena Rose, Florentino Rivera, Julio Reyes, Maffio, Mauricio Rengifo and Rafa Pabón. — INGRID FAJARDO

Laura Pausini, Almas Paralelas (Warner Music Italy/Gente Edizioni Musicali)

Five years after her last studio album — the 2018 Latin Grammy winner for best traditional pop vocal album, Hazte Sentir — Laura Pausini returns like a typhoon with Almas Paralelas, a 16-track set inspired by real stories, of her own and others, which displays an artistic and personal evolution, both vocally and lyrically. Featuring a more guttural interpretation, but without losing her essence, Pausini opens the album with “Cero,” a dance-pop number full of energy and empowering lyrics like “From now on I will not settle for less/ Give me only emotions different from zero.” She closes it with “Frente a Nosotros,” a sensitive piano ballad — which the Italian pop superstar walked down the aisle to when she married producer Paolo Carta last March, after 18 years together. In between, she takes us on a passionate and compelling journey addressing topics as basic as love, forgiveness, motherhood, and family.

“It is a truly conceptual album that… celebrates diversity and the right to individuality, which in my opinion should be respected more being citizens of the same streets but with different souls, different dreams, different desires,” Pausini tells Billboard Español weeks before being honored as the Latin Recording Academy’s 2023 Person of the Year. “In this world represented [on the album cover] by the street and its zebra crossing, I’d like there to always be respect and love between the individuals who inhabit it, and I would like for the listener to fall in love with the human beings who live like souls on a parallel path.”

Available in Italian as Anime Parallele, Almas Paralelas also includes the previously-released singles “Un Buen Comienzo,” dedicated to those who’ve had people in their lives trying to bring them down; “Durar,” about the love and daily commitment of a couple who decides to build a life together; and “Hogar Natural,” an emotional piece that marks her first duet with her daughter Paola. It is, overall, a pop gem that will make you dance and laugh, heal and reflect. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Jay Wheeler, TRAPPii (Linked Music/Dynamic Records/EMPIRE)

In a striking divergence from his more romantic repertoire, as evinced by albums like Platónicos (2020) or last year’s R&B-infused El Amor y Yo, Jay Wheeler embraces a grittier, more provocative allure on this week’s TRAPPii. In typical trap fashion, which revels in the pleasures of excess, the Puerto Rican trap star manages to maneuver the juxtaposition of raunch, vulnerability and desire across a dozen tracks. “TRAPPii,” featuring Arcángel, serves as the album’s high-impact introductory track. Exuding a raw, hard-hitting beat with a pulsating bassline that demands attention, Jay Wheeler and Arcángel make a powerful statement about wealth, materialism and the true value of knowledge and integrity over material possessions.

Infused with subtle drill undertones, courtesy of Botlok, Yeziell, Dimelo Suru and DJ Nelson, “Repeat” sees the singer yearning to reconnect with a special someone who’s moved on to a new partner. On “Jumping Out the Window,” equipped with melodic guitar arpeggios, the Puerto Rican artist swaps to English, a risqué track that hints at the emo rap style popularized by SoundCloud rappers. Then there’s the earlier single “Gangsta Luv,” featuring newcomer Anubiis, where the protagonists allude to the perilous lifestyle of their chosen subculture. While Wheeler maintains his distinctive fusion of irresistible sensuality throughout the LP, he injects unabashed intensity. In other words, TRAPPii glitters in the dark. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Lenny Tavárez feat. Sergio George, “El Yate” (Warner Music Latina/Kristoman)

Lenny Tavárez has brought a fan-favorite track to life with “El Yate.” The Puerto Rican artist first teased the unreleased song a couple of years ago, when he shared a home video on social media performing the song with his acoustic guitar. After much praise from his followers, the urban star teamed up with renowned award-winning producer Sergio George for a flavorful salsa version. Though the beat will keep you on your feet with its live piano, percussion, cello and trumpet melodies, “El Yate” is backed by some sad, heartfelt lyrics. “Everyone knows that it’s the law of life/ That a story without heartbreak/ Is a boring adventure/ That you can moor a yacht/ But never two hearts/ Unless God decides,” Tavárez’s sweet vocals chant — also marking a new musical era that’s not too shabby for Lenny. — JESSICA ROIZ

María José Llergo, ULTRABELLEZA (Sony Music España)

Spanish singer-songwriter María José Llergo hits the ground running with her debut album ULTRABELLEZA (Ultra Beautiful) while honoring her family heritage. Through the 13-track set, the Andalusian artist experiments beyond of the conventional boundaries of flamenco, delivering a contemporary gypsy masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of her artistry. Her deep, soul-stirring vocals and poignant lyrics about love, empowerment and life’s trials are skillfully complemented by electronic elements such as synthesizers and potent bass lines.

Standout tracks like “Superpoder,” where she pens the poignant line, “I learned to cry by singing, I learned to sing by crying,” and others like “Rueda, Rueda,” narrate her inspiring journey from humble beginnings to burgeoning stardom. About the latter, Llergo expressed in a press release, “This song is a sincere thanks and celebration of being able to dedicate myself to what truly fills me.” ULTRABELLEZA is a mesmerizing, autochthonous project infused with a contemporary flair that not only defines her as an artist but also signifies the evolution of flamenco into the modern era. It is a commendable effort to break the genre free from cultural confines, paving the way for a wider audience to embrace its beauty. — LUISA CALLE

Listen to more new Latin music recommendations in the playlists below:

27 Oct 2023

Friday Music Guide: New Music From Taylor Swift, Brent Faiyaz and More

Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. 

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This week, Taylor Swift turns back the calendar to 1989, and Brent Faiyaz delivers another star turn. Check out all of this week’s picks below:

Taylor Swift, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) 



The arrival of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was always going to be a big deal: after all, her 2014 album was one of Taylor Swift’s critical and commercial high points, scoring three No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 and winning the album of the year Grammy after fully reinventing the country superstar as a pop icon. When 1989 was announced as the fourth of Swift’s six albums to receive the Taylor’s Version treatment, fans understandably turned giddy at the thought of Swift’s new takes on her old classics, plus the “From the Vault” goodies coming from that time of high-wattage, cinematic pop music.

And while 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is landing at a particularly busy time for Swifties — considering the fact that “Cruel Summer” sits atop the current Hot 100 after its months-long viral comeback, the Eras Tour concert film dominated the box office this month and wholesome content of Swift and Travis Kelce is darn near inescapable — the achievement that it represents should not be overlooked, even by the most casual of fans. Perhaps more than any Taylor’s Version release thus far, the re-recorded 1989 subtly tinkers with songs like “Blank Space,” “Welcome to New York,” “Out of the Woods” and “Clean” in compelling new ways, reanimating its gems from a fresh perspective and with a more seasoned pop voice.

Click here to read more about all five “From The Vault” tracks on 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

Brent Faiyaz, Larger Than Life 



Larger Than Life could represent another leveling up for Brent Faiyaz, the singular R&B star whose 2022 album Wasteland earned a No. 2 debut on the Billboard 200 and signaled a mainstream breakthrough; although billed as a mixtape, his new project boasts guest spots from Missy Elliott, A$AP Rocky, Coco Jones and Babyface Ray, among others, to help prove its commercial bonafides. Yet Larger Than Life is at its best when Faiyaz’s croon is operating with ample space and over woozy, zapped-out beats, as songs as like “Best Time,” “Wherever I Go” and “Forever Yours” succeed based on his style and taste.

Jay Wheeler, TRAPPii 



Puerto Rican star Jay Wheeler dives headfirst into trap music on his fifth studio album, following the success of his single “Pacto” — and while that hit exists as a centerpiece in the middle of the TRAPPii track list, Wheeler cooks up a dedicated, often riveting exploration of its sound in other areas. While “Walk My Way” marks a tender dip into English-language belting, “Frio” sizzles in the back half of the album, with Wheeler’s tone gliding naturally above the programmed drums.

David Guetta feat. Ayra Starr & Lil Durk, “Big FU” 



“Big FU” may be dripping in bitterness — the title of the David Guetta/Ayra Starr/Lil Durk summit represents a middle finger to the person who’s taken your place in a relationship — but as a dance track, the unlikely trio form a sweaty, effective symbiosis, and Guetta puts Starr and Durk in positions to win. Durk continues to provide rock-solid features and sinks his teeth into the bass line here, while Starr continues her upward trajectory by giving her scorn ample momentum on the hook.

Editor’s Pick: Yebba, “Waterfall (I Adore You)” 



The majority of singer-songwriter Yebba’s best-known tracks are collaborative in some way, from “Yebba’s Heartbreak” on Drake’s Certified Lover Boy to “Best Part of Me” with Ed Sheeran to her A$AP Rocky-assisted “Far Away” — and while new single “Waterfall (I Adore You)” has been released with a solid alternate version featuring R&B artist Sweata, the solo take on the track best showcases Yebba’s delicate R&B approach and nuanced vocal prowess. Following her 2021 debut album Dawn, “Waterfall (I Adore You)” feels at once more naturally rendered and sonically opulent than her previous output, and suggests a must-hear next project.

27 Oct 2023

5 Best Moments From Metro Boomin’s Red Bull Symphonic Concert

“S–t’s so beautiful,” Metro Boomin beamed during his Red Bull Symphonic concert at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre Thursday night (Oct. 26).

His one-night-only experience marks the West Coast premiere of the Red Bull Symphonic, which showcases a collaboration between a modern artist and a classical musical director, together with a full-scale symphonic orchestra. It made its U.S. debut last November, when Rick Ross teamed up with conductor Maestro Jason Rodgers and the 50-piece, all-Black Orchestra Noir in Atlanta.

But this time around, the hip-hop super-producer partnered with conductor Anthony Parnther (Encanto, Star Wars: The Mandalorian, Creed II, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) and the Symphonic Orchestra to reimagine many of his biggest hits, including Future‘s “Mask Off,” Migos and Lil Uzi Vert‘s “Bad and Boujee,” Post Malone and Quavo‘s “Congratulations,” Kanye West‘s “Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1” and his own “Creepin’” alongside The Weeknd and 21 Savage. Considering his star-studded list of collaborators, Metro treated attendees with surprise guests John Legend, Swae Lee, Nav and Roisee to perform songs from his 2022 Billboard 200-topping album Heroes & Villains, and the 2023 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse soundtrack he executive produced.

It’s rare to see Metro’s DJ controller not be the main instrument of his show, but the 45-piece ensemble elevated the cinematic, orchestral elements embedded in his production’s DNA. And while the Symphonic Orchestra adhered to every one of Parnther’s precise, nimble hand gestures, the black tux-clad hitmaker still ran the show from behind the booth (and sometimes from standing on top of it), his white-gloved hands waving through the air. Metro’s recent ascent into rarefied air as a producer-turned-superstar artist has allowed him to continue headlining major gigs and building out his own sonic, heroic world on new stages across the world.

“Tonight is a celebration. We celebrate music, we celebrate culture, we celebrate y’all for listening to this music and making it what it is,” Metro told his devout fans.

Check out Billboard‘s five biggest highlights from Metro Boomin’s Red Bull Symphonic concert below.

27 Oct 2023

UMI Opens Up About Her Mental Health Journey and the Importance of Prioritizing Wellness  

UMI is a 24-year-old Seattle native pioneering a new sound rooted at the intersection of neo soul and folk. Meaning ocean in Japanese, “umi” is a beautiful reflection of her artistry – soothing like a day spent in nature. 

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The singer-songwriter made her debut in 2017, but UMI’s life changed after the release of the 2019 hit “Love Affair.” Since then she has shared a couple projects, Introspection Reimagined and Forest in the City, as well as recent single “happy im.” Currently living in Los Angeles, UMI continues to create genre-bending music that captivates and inspires listeners. She is gearing up to release a new EP, Talking to the Wind, a project meant to help fans work through their feelings.

This month, UMI is featured on Sound Mind’s latest episode of Unmasked, a video series that features artists opening up about their personal mental health journeys. In the new episode, she speaks about her own struggle with anxiety and how prioritizing wellness has improved her quality of life.

UMI told Billboard, “When we see our mental health as a form of communication and self love – we understand that it is necessary to tend to like breathing. Nothing in life can be fully enjoyed without the container of a healthy mind. And we all deserve to feel the full vibrancy of each moment.” 

Each person is at a different stage on their journey with mental health, but UMI credits meditation as something what keeps her grounded through all life has to offer. 

She said, “Teaching people the power of meditation feels like one of my purposes on this earth. Meditation has helped me to release anxiety, develop a connection with my authentic self, trust in life, and know my truths.”

Unmasked was created to promote free mental health resources, as well as foter an open dialogue about mental health for artists and fans alike. Check out UMI on the latest episode of Unmasked and stay tuned for more from Sound Mind. 

27 Oct 2023

Jay-Z Reveals the True Inspiration Behind Blue Ivy’s Name — and It Isn’t What Fans Speculated

Contrary to popular belief by Jay-Z and Beyoncé fans, Blue Ivy Carter’s name was not derived from her father’s critically acclaimed Blueprint album series. In Hov’s latest interview with CBS Mornings, which aired Friday (Oct. 27), the rapper revealed that Blue’s name was meant to be something else altogether, but changed after they saw the sonogram.

“Her name was meant to be Brooklyn. That was the name we had in theory, but when we got the sonogram, it was super small and we was calling her blueberry,” he told Gayle King. “Like, ‘Look at the little blueberry!’ It was a nickname. For nine months, we were like, ‘Look at the little blueberry,’ so it was natural. We just took the ‘berry’ off and called her Blue.”

The “Encore” rapper, however, did not explain Blue’s middle name, Ivy. Fans of the couple have speculated that it comes from Bey and Jay’s shared birthday number four, as the “Alien Superstar” singer was born on Sept. 4, and the rapper was born on Dec. 4.

Elsewhere in the interview, Jay gushed about his daughter performing onstage alongside her superstar mother for “My Power,” and said seeing the 11-year-old perform has made him “super proud.” He continued, “I still get goosebumps seeing her walk on stage ’cause Blue’s been born into a life she didn’t ask for. Since she was born, she’s been in scrutiny, in public eye and having an opinion of even a little girl how she keeps her hair, so for her to be on that stage to reclaim her power and the song is called ‘My Power,’ you can’t write a better script.”

Watch Jay’s CBS Mornings interview in the video above.