Music

28 Sep 2023

Colombian Hitmaker Sebastián Yatra to Sit for a Star Q&A at Billboard Latin Music Week

Colombian hitmaker Sebastián Yatra has been pushing the boundaries of Latin pop. As part of Billboard Latin Music Week, fans will get to see a star-on-star interview with Yatra, moderated by Lasso. The live Q&A will take place on Tuesday (Oct. 3) at the Faena Forum Main Stage at 11:45 a.m. ET.

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In his upcoming interview with the Venezuelan singer/songwriter, the two South American artists will discuss Yatra’s creative process, his foray into the film industry, and how a multi-hyphenate artist manages success in a highly demanding Latin pop world. Topics will range from what inspires him and sparks curiosity, planning vs. flowing, mental health, tennis, and the power of one’s voice. The “Tacones Rojos” singer will also reveal what’s next for him.

Yatra continues his skyward ascent this year. Amid releasing a string of viral singles like “Vagabundo” with Manuel Turizo and Beéle and his latest solo hit “Energía Bacana,” Yatra was selected as the official musical opener for the 2023 U.S. Open tennis tournament. He also received 2023 RIAA Honors for “driving the rise across American music, culture and society,” alongside global icon Gloria Estefan. 

Currently, the Medellín artist is in the running for two 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards: Latin Pop Artist of the Year, Solo (in which he will compete against Rosalía, Shakira, Enrique Iglesias and Becky G) and Latin Pop Song of the Year for “Una Noche Sin Pensar.” Last year, Yatra achieved a No. 36 slot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 for “Dos Oruguitas” from Disney’s Encanto and has positioned himself multiple times on Billboard’s Global charts.

In 2022, the moderator and Yatra collaborated on the pop-rock ballad “Ojos Marrones.” Lasso’s “Ojos Marrones” is nominated for three Latin Grammys: record of the year, song of the year, and best pop/rock song. The song also became the Venezuelan artist’s first entry into the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. US charts.

Below watch Lasso and Sebastián’s duet.

The Billboard Latin Music Awards ceremony will broadcast live from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla., on Thursday (Oct. 5) and will air on Telemundo. It will also broadcast simultaneously on Universo, Peacock, the Telemundo App, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

Purchase tickets to the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week here.

28 Sep 2023

Afrobeats Fresh Picks of the Month: Patoranking, ODUMODUBLVCK, Juls, Ayra Starr, Khaid & More

Fall is here, and so is a fresh crop of African music releases that’ll help you get into the swing of the new season.

Juls, one of the most sought-after modern Afrobeats producers, tries his hand at palmwine music — which incorporates Portuguese guitars brought from sailors, local West African melodies and Trinidadian calypso rhythms and is named after the traditional homebrew made from the sap of special palm trees — with his latest EP Palmwine Diaries Vol. 1. Rising Nigerian rapper ODUMODUBLVCK also introduces more listeners around the globe to his “okporoko rhythms,” his self-defined genre that blends hip-hop, grime, Afrobeat and progressive R&B. 

Meanwhile, young singer Khaid drops another melodic banger, budding superstar Ayra Starr gets more personal than ever (without dropping the energy), BNXN releases another slow-burning single and the fusion of Afrobeats and Latin music continues with another potential hit from Feid and Rema.

We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new Afrobeats (and related) songs that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and kick off the new fall season with our latest Spotify playlist below.

Ruger, “Tour” 

The Afro-dancehall star reassures his mother that he’s doing well for himself and he’s only concerned about his money on “Tour,” the trap-tinged opener to his latest album RU the World. Ruger recorded “Tour” while shortly after wrapping up his tours in the U.S., Europe and Canada, and he revealed that his righthand producer Kukbeatz “made this beat in the toilet.” But regardless of where the song was made, Ruger’s here to remind everyone that he’s made it.  

Patoranking feat. Zion Foster, “Woman of the Year”  

Following his and Wande Coal’s 2014 Afropop hit “My Woman, My Everything,” Patoranking delivers yet another sweet ode to women who deserve to be celebrated for their everyday contributions to others’ lives. With a sultry verse from British-Nigerian singer Zion Foster, and Dhannyjazz’s sumptuous saxophone leading the production, the Nigerian star serenades the only lady in his life as a way of thanking her for everything she does for him.  

ODUMODUBLVCK, “MC OLUOMO” 

The Nigerian rapper gives us a taste of his upcoming EZIOKWU mixtape, due Oct. 6 via NATIVE Records/Def Jam, with his invigorating new single. “MC OLUOMO” first samples a video of a fan jokingly taunting the MC by yelling “Odumodu, on your feet, run!” after the fleeing MC during an event at Lagos State University (LASU). But his hustle, even in the literal sense, comes from his hard work, and he wouldn’t be able to get to the bag without it. ODUMODUBLVCK delivers this message over a flamenco-esque drill beat, a taste of his unique “okporoko rhythms.”

Juls, “Palmwine Riddim” 

British-Ghanaian producer Juls set out on a mission to bring his Ghanaian motherland back into the conversation about African popular music with his six-song set, Palmwine Diaries Vol. 1. The first single, “Palmwine Riddim,” is a lilting, laid-back instrumental that pays homage to highlife’s jazzy horns, and even though it incorporates Juls’ harmonies, he lets the music do most of the talking and solidifies its timelessness.  

June Freedom, “Say Salud”  

The Cape Verdean American artist’s newest single deserves a toast. “Say Salud” is as refreshing as the Dom Pérignon, DeLeón or whatever drink you should be sipping on while getting lost in its irresistible rhythm. “Go-golo, go-golo, go-golo, ah/ You cool my temperature/ Making me sweat like you drippin’ agua/ Hamduli-hamdulilah,” Freedom sings, mesmerized by the way a woman moves (because who could stay still to this song?).

Khaid, “No Time”

Khaid is not reinventing the wheel, but the teenager’s output this year is full of earworm melodies that are irresistible, and his voice has an emotional maturity beyond his years. “No Time” continues his hot streak, which dates back to 2022, and it’s a worthy addition to a catalog that is growing with one formidable banger after another. It should be exciting to see where he goes from here.

BNXN, “Sweet Tea”

BNXN’s work this year has included a series of slow burners, and this one fits the bill as well, with an understated, almost wistful vocal propelled by contemplative production. But his songs often have the ability to fly under the radar until you wonder what, exactly, you’ve spent all day humming, only to revisit them and realize you’ve connected with them on an almost subconscious level. His songs demand repeat listens, and the rewards more than not reveal themselves.

Feid & Rema, “Bubalu”

The fusion of Afrobeats and Latin music, in the broader senses of each, has been steadily gaining in popularity for months now, and this collaboration between two young yet established hitmakers from each sector was always likely to spark interest. But the result is something special, a danceable backbeat with vibes that are through the roof, which should find a home on plenty of dance floors even as the weather gets colder. This heralds a strong future for collaborations like these.

NSG, “NELLA ROSE”

The latest single from the London-based six-piece group has plenty of energy and a fusion vibe, bringing in some amapiano drums to a distinctly British flair, and combining a wordless singalong hook with rapped verses in this cut named for the famous Belgian YouTuber. With a debut album out next month, the group has plenty more where that came from.

Ayra Starr, “Rhythm & Blues”


https://youtube.com/watch?v=9LhvRd8DRfw&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

After a breakout year-plus, the young singer decided to show off a more vulnerable side on her latest single. But don’t look at it as a simple R&B love song — there’s plenty of spark and even an urgent vibe to this one, as she sings about the type of relationship that provides energy and creativity rather than stress or anxiety. Perhaps the best thing about Starr’s growing catalog is that there are no limits to her sound — she’s succeeding on her own terms. This one reinforces that notion.

28 Sep 2023

Diddy Returns to the Top 10 on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart With ‘The Love Album’

For the first time since 2011, Diddy is back in the top five on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart thanks to his new album, The Love Album: Off the Grid. The set, released on Sept. 15 via the mogul’s own Love Records, earned 27,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 21, according to Luminate.

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Streaming contributes 24,000 units of the 27,000-unit starting sum, equaling 31.7 million official U.S. audio and video on-demand streams of the project’s tracks. Traditional album sales contribute 2,000 of the remaining units, with 1,000 units of activity from track-equivalent album units. (One unit equals the following levels of consumption: one album sale, 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams for a song on the album.)

The Love Album: Off the Grid gives Diddy his sixth top 10 album on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. In total, Diddy has notched seven entries on the chart, all of which reached the top five save for the MMM mixtape, which hit No. 45 in 2016. Here’s a rundown of the collection, which now stretches to 26 years and one month:

Album Title, Artist Billing, Peak Position, Peak Date
No Way Out, Puff Daddy & The Family, No. 1 (five weeks), Aug. 9, 1997
Forever, Puff Daddy, No. 1 (one week), Sept. 11, 1999
The Saga Continues…, P. Diddy & The Bad Boy Family, No. 2, July 28, 2001
Press Play, Diddy, No. 1 (one week), Nov. 4, 2006
Last Train to Paris, Diddy – Dirty Money, No. 3, Jan. 1, 2011
The Love Album: Off the Grid, Diddy, No. 5 (to date), Sept. 30, 2023

Elsewhere, The Love Album: Off the Grid starts at No. 2 on the Top R&B Albums chart and No. 19 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

As The Love Album: Off the Grid arrives, six of its tracks debut on the Hot R&B Songs chart. “Stay Long,” with Summer Walker, leads the pack at No. 13, followed by “Moments,” featuring Justin Bieber (No. 16), “Pick Up,” with Jacquees featuring Fabolous (No. 18), “What’s Love,” with NOVA WAV (No. 21), “Need Somebody,” with Jazmine Sullivan (No. 23) and “Tough Love,” featuring Swae Lee (No. 25).

In addition, the album’s new single, the rap-leaning “Another One of Me,” with French Montana and The Weeknd and featuring 21 Savage, enters multiple charts, including a No. 29 start on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and a No. 34 bow on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.

28 Sep 2023

Daft Punk Announces ‘Drumless’ Version of ‘Random Access Memories’: Hear the First Track

If you’ve ever wondered what “Get Lucky” or “Fragments of Time” would sound like without percussion, you’re in luck. Daft Punk announced on Thursday (Sept. 28) that a “drumless” version of its 2013 classic Random Access Memories is coming Nov. 17.

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Coming as part of the extended celebrations for the album’s 10-year anniversary, this reworked version of Random Access Memories is offering a preview now with a percussion-free version of “Within.” This new take highlights the song’s evocative piano-playing from Chilly Gonzalez.



Random Access Memories debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 upon its May 2013 release, ultimately spending 56 weeks on the chart. The album also hit No. 1 on Dance/Electronic Albums upon its release. It also nabbed the Grammy for album of the year in 2014.

The album’s 10th anniversary edition, which contains nine extra tracks, returned to No. 1 on Dance/Electronic Albums when it arrived in May. The new edition of Random Access Memories includes 35 minutes of additional material across nine tracks, including unreleased demos and studio outtakes. The CD set includes a 20-page digital booklet, while the vinyl set includes a special Lose Yourself to Dance poster and 16-page booklet.

Daft Punk, Random Access Memories Drumless

The anniversary celebrations have also included the Memory Tapes series, with album collaborators including Julian Casablancas, Chilly Gonzales, DJ Falcon and Todd Edwards reflecting on the making of the LP. Episodes with Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers and Paul Williams and Chris Caswell are forthcoming.

Pre-orders for Random Access Memories (Drumless Edition) are available now.

28 Sep 2023

Ask Billboard: As Drake & SZA Debut, Which Hot 100 No. 1s Have Had the Most Star Power?

Submit questions about Billboard charts, as well as general music musings, to askbb@billboard.com. Please include your first and last name, as well as your city, state and country, if outside the United States.

Or, tweet @gthot20.

Let’s open the latest mailbag.

That’s What Friends Are For

Hi Gary,

“He slimed me” is what Bill Murray’s character concedes in the original Ghostbusters. Ray Parker, Jr.’s classic title theme song from the 1984 movie hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 that August, and while it doesn’t mention slime, it’s an honorary predecessor to “Slime You Out,” Drake’s new No. 1, featuring SZA.

Speaking of stars, like Murray, now with 14 Hot 100 No. 1s between Drake, up to 12, and SZA, at two, “Slime You Out” has notable star power, with the two acts having made so many visits to No. 1 combined. (Or, put another way, they’re rarely ghosting the chart.)

Thanks,

Pablo Nelson
Oakland, Calif.

Hi Pablo,

Regarding Drake and SZA, you and Billboard deputy editor Andrew Unterberger are on the same page (great minds think alike). Andrew Slacked on Tuesday: “new Stones + Gaga + Stevie collab = 23 combined Hot 100 No. 1s.”

The new Rolling Stones album, Hackney Diamonds, due Oct. 20, includes the collaboration “Sweet Sounds of Heaven,” with Lady Gaga and Stevie Wonder. Wonder boasts 10 career Hot 100 No. 1s, the Stones, eight, and Gaga, five.

If the song, released today (Sept. 28), were to top the Hot 100, it would up the legends’ totals to 26 combined No. 1s – which would mark the most for any No. 1 team-up over the chart’s history.

What songs would it overtake?

Here’s a look at the Hot 100 No. 1 collaborations by acts with the most combined leaders at the time of their coronations. Essentially, they’re the Hot 100 No. 1s with the most star power, as measured by the billed artists’ career No. 1 counts to that point.

As noted, for example, “Slime You Out” represents 14 total Hot 100 No. 1s per the list below, as it’s Drake’s 12th and SZA’s second. (A potential leading duet between Taylor Swift and, say … Travis Kelce would equal 11 No. 1s, given 10 for Swift and one for Kelce, should they together become chart chiefs.)

Artists’ Combined No. 1s Upon Each Song Hitting No. 1, Title, Artists (Individual No. 1s), Date Reached No. 1:

  • 21, “That’s What Friends Are For,” Dionne & Friends, Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder (2, 7, 2, 10), Jan. 18, 1986
  • 18, “The Monster,” Eminem feat. Rihanna (5, 13), Dec. 21, 2013
  • 18, “Get Back,” The Beatles with Billy Preston (17, 1), May 24, 1969
  • 17, “Thank God I Found You,” Mariah Carey feat. Joe & 98 Degrees (15, 1, 1), Feb. 19, 2000
  • 16, “Work,” Rihanna feat. Drake (14, 2), March 5, 2016
  • 16, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” George Michael/Elton John (8, 8), Feb. 1, 1992
  • 15, “Heartbreaker,” Mariah Carey feat. Jay-Z (14, 1), Oct. 9, 1999
  • 15, “Say Say Say,” Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson (9, 6), Dec. 10, 1983
  • 15, “Ebony and Ivory,” Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder (8, 7), May 15, 1982

  • 14, “Slime You Out,” Drake feat. SZA (12, 2), Sept. 30, 2023
  • 14, “S&M,” Rihanna feat. Britney Spears (10, 4), April 30, 2011
  • 14, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men (10, 4), Dec. 2, 1995
  • 13, “Die for You,” The Weeknd & Ariana Grande (7, 6), March 11, 2023
  • 13, “Jimmy Cooks,” Drake feat. 21 Savage (11, 2), July 2, 2022
  • 13, “Wait for U,” Future feat. Drake & Tems (2, 10, 1), May 14, 2022
  • 13, “Way 2 Sexy,” Drake feat. Future & Young Thug (9, 1, 3), Sept. 18, 2021
  • 12, “We Found Love,” Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris (11, 1), Nov. 12, 2011

By the metrics above, “Slime You Out” shines with the 10th-brightest star power for a collaborative Hot 100 No. 1, tied with Rihanna’s “S&M,” featuring Britney Spears, and Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day.” “S&M” is the only song above solely by women, while “One Sweet Day” reigned for a then-record 16 weeks.

The aptly titled “That’s What Friends Are For” leads the list above, marking the only Hot 100 No. 1 whose credited artists total over 20 leaders at the point of its ascent to the summit. Meanwhile, if Stevie Wonder and Lady Gaga’s collaboration with the Rolling Stones hits No. 1, he would be a winner either way, as their combined leaders would surpass his, Dionne Warwick, Gladys Knight and Elton John’s sum of No. 1s when their ballad ruled.

(Further reflecting the everlasting reach of iconic artists, Warwick is heard on the Hot 100’s current runner-up song, and former No. 1, thanks to Doja Cat’s sample of Warwick’s 1964 classic “Walk on By” on “Paint the Town Red.”)

Other takeaways from scanning the stars above:

Among these elite Hot 100 No. 1s, Drake shows with five collaborations; Rihanna, with four; Mariah Carey, with three; and Future, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder with two each.

George Michael and John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me” is the only Hot 100 No. 1 above between two artists each with at least eight leaders when it reigned.

On only three Hot 100 No. 1s above, featured acts have more No. 1s than lead acts: “That’s What Friends Are For” (John and Wonder); “The Monster” (Rihanna); and “Wait for U” (Drake).

“Get Back” reflects the greatest disparity between acts’ No. 1 totals on the Hot 100 among the songs above, given The Beatles’ 17 and Billy Preston’s one when it led. Still, Preston went on to earn two more leaders on his own: “Will It Go Round in Circles” in 1973 and “Nothing From Nothing” in 1974. (The Beatles added three more No. 1s, lifting them to a record 20 total.)


https://youtube.com/watch?v=YnFknaD9eWY&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Meanwhile, if we included groups’ totals of Hot 100 No. 1s with solo leaders, McCartney and Michael Jackson’s “Say Say Say” would take the top spot above. Along with their respective nine and six leaders to that point, McCartney would add another 20 No. 1s via The Beatles, and Jackson, another four from the Jackson 5, making for an overall total of 39 visits to No. 1 by the pair at the time.

28 Sep 2023

Step Aside Travis Kelce, Mark Cuban Wants Taylor Swift to Date a Dallas Mavericks Player

Mark Cuban wants Taylor Swift to bring some of her global influence over to the NBA.

The superstar made headlines over the weekend when she attended a Kansas City Chiefs football game to support her rumored love interest Travis Kelce. The game reeled in more than 24 million viewers, boosting NFL ratings.

Cuban weighed in on Swift’s sports influence with TMZ this week, as the billionaire Dallas Mavericks owner says that the “Anti-Hero” singer “adds value” to the economy. “Taylor Swift impacts the economy,” the Shark Tank judge said. “She adds value everywhere she goes.”

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He continued, “Literally every city she brings her tours to, you can see the economy get a bump out of it. The NFL’s gotta be loving this.”

Cuban wrapped up by suggesting Swift helps one of his businesses as well. “The Mavs — we got a lot of really good-looking, young single guys. Come on,” he shared.

Kelce’s ongoing courting of Swift began back in July, when he tried (and failed) to hand her a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it during her Eras tour stop in Kansas City. He then invited her to a football game, which she accepted on Sept. 24, when Swift shocked football fans and Swifties alike when she spent the day cheering on the Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end from Kelce’s suite alongside his mom, Donna, as the team played the Chicago Bears (and won).

The two also left the stadium together, as seen in a clip sports reporter Jarrett Payton shared on X. Kelce and Swift were then spotted riding off together in his convertible, according to photos acquired by TMZ.

28 Sep 2023

Billie Eilish Has Advice for Women & Aspiring Artists: ‘You Don’t Have to Be Exceptional’

Billie Eilish had a few words of advice for women and aspiring artists in her Thursday (Sept. 28) cover story for Allure: Be yourself, do your best and the rest will follow. In the interview, the “What Was I Made For?” singer reflected on always having a clear vision for herself with regards to her music career, but wanted fans to know that it’s OK to not have it all figured out.

“I have to give credit to the person I’ve always been — I did not give a f–k at all. Between being a 14-year-old girl, and Finneas being a 17-year-old boy, and us making these little songs — we had to be very clear we weren’t going to just do what anybody said,” Eilish said of often being the youngest in the room. “People could have done crazy s–t, and I didn’t let them. It was many, many years of having to convince a room full of people that I was going to do what I knew was right for me. I had ideas; I had plans.”

While the 21-year-old credited her younger self for following her intuition, she took a moment to point out that having less direction is also fine. “But the thing is, people should know — women should know — you don’t have to be exceptional,” she countered. “You can just be a person, and you should get awards for just being. Sometimes artists don’t have plans, and that’s fine, but I did, and I wasn’t going to waste them.”

Though Eilish is grateful that her music resonates with fans, it does come with the pressure of being recognized on an international scale — something that she says she still grapples with years into her career.

“I’m starting to do better, but I’ve not been doing so great, to be honest. For a while. I have impending-doom feelings most of the day,” the seven-time Grammy explained of her amount of exposure. “When I think too much about it, how I can never have privacy again, it’s enough to make you want to do all sorts of crazy things. But you have to let it go.”

Up next for the singer is the release of her third perfume, Eilish No. 3. The fragrance is set to be released om November, and is the last in its collection. As for more songs from the star, she previously told The Cookout, “there is a whole album of music coming.”

See photos from her Allure cover below:

28 Sep 2023

Disturbed Scores Career-High Amphitheater Attendance

This summer, Disturbed launched a North American amphitheater tour in support of Divisive, the band’s eighth studio album over a three-decade career. For a group that deep into their journey as live performers, another summer tour can feel like a bit of plug-and-play. But this time around, the band’s Boxscore results were bigger than ever before. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, the Take Back Your Life Tour earned $17.4 million and sold 336,000 tickets.

That makes 2023 the biggest year of the band’s touring career, surpassing the $14.6 million earned in 2019.

On a per-show basis, Disturbed averaged $601,000 per night, beating previous career-bests of $473,000 in 2011 and $405,000 in 2019. But as proven by an endless list of post-pandemic examples, inflation and platinum ticketing and dynamic pricing and primary-market re-sale make bulking up tour grosses more possible, if not easier, than ever. But in Disturbed’s case, this peak revenue cannot be explained by exploiting 2023’s chaotic ticketing market.

The average ticket price for the Take Back Your Life Tour was $51.07. That’s actually down by 11% from 2019’s $58.66, and only 7% above the average from 2016 ($48.72). That means that the band’s soaring earnings can be explained by increased attendance.

The Take Back Your Life Tour averaged 11,573 tickets per show, up from 6,901 in 2019 and 4,404 in 2016. Over the last two album cycles, Disturbed has multiplied its ticket-buying fanbase by more than two and a half. Sorted by attendance, the band’s 10 biggest concerts ever all happened this summer, led by the Sept. 2 show at Ruoff Home Mortgage Music Center in Noblesville, Ind., marking its first headline show with more than 20,000 fans.

This year’s tour was in key Live Nation amphitheaters, after mostly playing in scaled down arenas. Located just outside of primary touring markets, these outdoor venues have the space to accommodate thousands of fans, often more than the indoor arenas situated in the center of major cities.

Not only did Disturbed have the literal space to sell more tickets, taking advantage of the venues’ large lawns (all dates had a baseline price of $29.50), but the infrastructure around amphitheaters also allows for modest pricing, even up to the first row. Parking, merchandise and concessions are major parts of the experience, especially with bulked-up lineups on long summer days. Breaking Benjamin and Jinjer supported Disturbed on the road this summer.

The decision to level up to amphitheaters did a lot of the heavy lifting for Disturbed’s new career peak, but the release of last year’s Divisive certainly helped as well. Before the tour began, the album had already made “Hey You” the band’s 11th No. 1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart, with “Bad Man” reaching No. 2 in March. Throughout the tour, “Unstoppable” climbed the ranks, ultimately becoming the band’s 12th chart-topper in mid-August. “Don’t Tell Me” featuring Ann Wilson is next, set for release in November.

Dating back to the band’s first show in the reported archives, when Disturbed earned $10,000 and sold 682 tickets at Saratoga Winners in upstate New York on Sept. 26, 2000, the metal superstars have grossed $71.2 million and sold 1.8 million tickets across 365 shows.

28 Sep 2023

Lazza, From the Piano to the Top: The Story Behind Italy’s Best-Selling Rapper

Billboard Italy met Lazza one morning in early September at his press office, so he could speak quietly in private. He wore wide sunglasses and often ran his hand through his hair, which has been dyed blonde for some time.

He was visibly tired. The day before, he was at the Venice Film Festival and at night he was clubbing in Milan. “I needed to see with my own eyes. I no longer remembered what my city was like,” he says.

He has been touring Italy for months, except for a few days of vacation in Ibiza, and at the time of the interview he still hadn’t performed at the special final concert in Milan. But he never complained of tiredness, not even for a second. “For me, it’s like being on holiday. When I go on stage, I feel good,” he says.

Among singles and albums, he has amassed 70 platinum records, 37 gold records, and 21 weeks atop the Italian albums chart with Sirio, his third album, released in 2022. He also felt like apologizing to the legendary Italian rocker Vasco Rossi for beating his record (19 weeks in 2011). This year, he finished second at the 2023 Sanremo Festival, something truly unexpected.

Despite his success, Lazza has never forgotten his musical origins, namely the academic study of the piano. He also created a special version of Sirio for piano and voice.

The interview began precisely with his love for classical music.

Lazza, you started your musical journey with the piano and you always say you love classical music. But seeing you in a tank top in front of the piano might irritate some people.

I did it on purpose. I couldn’t wear a shirt. It would have been obvious. I couldn’t decide what to wear and in the end I thought: “You know what? I’m wearing a tank top! So I’m really comfortable.”

Why did you decide to study piano as a child?

I couldn’t explain it. I was fascinated by the idea of ​​being able to become a virtuoso. Also, I was excited by the idea of ​​everyone looking at me. A healthy bit of exhibitionism, let’s say.

Did your parents push you?

No, it was my decision when I was 9 or 10 years old. I wanted to stand out. I didn’t want to end up playing soccer like everyone else.

How much did it help you?

Classical training always helps me. First of all, I developed an incredible memory.

Do you remember everything?

Well, I remember what interests me. Also, classical music helped me a lot because it is able to change my mood. If I listen to Mozart, I calm my anxiety.

For example, does Debussy also help you?

For me, it’s too far ahead as a historical period. I like him, but it’s not my cup of tea, or at least not all of it. There’s not much I like after Romanticism. I like everything by Chopin, however.

Speaking of Chopin, of whom you have a beautiful tattoo on your calf, you said you love him because he is able to describe true suffering.

I’m sure he was a very emotional person. You can feel it. In my opinion, it is with him that the piano as we know it today was born. Before then, it was all about the harpsichord and the fortepiano. With Chopin, you sense an incredible richness of phrasing. My piano teacher, Alex, is Polish. He’s the one who made me love him. I went to his father’s funeral, and on that occasion he played Chopin’s “Nocturne”: It gave me goosebumps, also because it was one of the pieces he made me practice the most. He told me: “At my funeral you will be the one who plays it.” I don’t know if I could do it, it would be too much of an emotional burden.

Is it banal to say that true art comes from suffering?

It is true. It’s the same reason why artists don’t come from downtown Milan. I always thought that if you are born without money, maybe money will solve your problems. But if you are born with it, what will solve your problems? Probably if you have a negative mood you also need to feel the approval of others, whatever your art is. I do what I do because I had the need to communicate.

Do you still think money solves problems?

You know, it simply allows me to do what I like and to make the people around me feel good. It doesn’t interest me in itself. I don’t know what problems it solved.

When you achieve such sensational results, do you ever think about what to expect next?

The results of this album scared me a little. I tend not to have expectations, but after these numbers I sometimes think with a bit of fear: “What will I do next?”. I had an obsession, which was to reach everyone and let them know what I think. I was happy that others liked what I had to say. But I didn’t want to become famous.

Do you have any other obsessions?

I would like to actually collaborate with the international artists I like. And by “actually” I mean without involving the record company that pays 100,000 euros for a single verse.

Could Italian rap break through abroad?

There are artists who respect you, others who see you as an ATM, others who can’t stand you because they think they invented rap. But I happened to go to dinner with some huge rappers — unfortunately I can’t name them — and their managers, and they told me they had never heard anything like what I did. For them, an album, not a single, that stays atop the chart for 21 weeks and gets seven platinum records just doesn’t exist. Only Drake, Post Malone, The Weeknd, Beyoncé, Rihanna achieve those results.

Well, they also have different parameters.

Absolutely, but my figures impressed them.

What about becoming famous abroad?

I think Italian is an obstacle, because I don’t know how many people want to translate my songs. But I’m planning to study English well.

Why did Måneskin make it so big?

Because they rock! There are some of their songs that I really like, for example “The Loneliest.” They are young, nice, they are rock stars, they have everything it takes. I’m so happy for them. Could you imagine that Damiano wrote to me as a fan in 2017? Recently I proposed to him to do some writing sessions together.

In these last two incredible years, did you also face any difficult moments?

More than one, but all for personal reasons. It wasn’t easy because of the stress and too many things to do. I try to carry on with a smile but I’m human, too. Yes, 2022 and 2023 were crazy. Maybe in 2024 I’ll let the others play, too.

28 Sep 2023

Kelly Clarkson Dashes Off Stage to Fix Wardrobe Malfunction: ‘I Think My Boob’s Showing!’

Kelly Clarkson said it best: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger — and that includes wardrobe malfunctions. During a recent performance in Minnesota, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter suffered a wardrobe malfunction, prompting her to leave the stage for a few minutes to fix the situation.

“Wait, hold on,” Clarkson said mid song. “Should I fix it? I think my boob’s showing!”

The inaugural American Idol champ then quickly waved goodbye to the crowd before ducking off stage to remedy the malfunction. A fan shared footage of the moment via X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday (Sept. 27).

In a moment of irony, the malfunction occurred during Clarkson’s rendition of “Catch My Breath” — the lead single from her first greatest hits album, which peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 — making the song’s lyrics particularly apt.

Ever the pro, Clarkson swiftly recovered and finished the rest of her set at the closed-door event, decked out in the same lacy black outfit. According to Entertainment Weekly, her set included several of her Hot 100 hits, as well as “Me,” one of two lead singles from Chemistry, her tenth and most recent studio effort. Chemistry debuted at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales back in July, and a deluxe edition — which featured a duet with her daughter River Rose — arrived on Sept. 22.

The singer has earned 11 top 10 hits on the Hot 100, including the No. 1 singles “A Moment Like This” (two weeks), “My Life Would Suck Without You” (two weeks) and “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” (three weeks). On the Billboard 200, she has earned nine top 10 projects, including the No. 1 titles Thankful (one week), Piece By Piece (one week) and All I Ever Wanted (two weeks).

Watch Kelly Clarkson dash off stage to handle her wardrobe malfunction: