Music

20 Sep 2023

10 First-Timers on Billboard’s Charts This Week: BOYNEXTDOOR, Khamari, Royel Otis, Nick Shoulders & More

Billboard has more than 200 different weekly charts in its menu, encompassing numerous genres and formats.

While established artists often compete for a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums ranking, which track the most popular songs and albums of the week, respectively, up-and-coming talents typically start off on genre-specific lists.

Here’s a look at 10 titles by artists who appear on surveys for the first time on the Sept. 23-dated charts.

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BOYNEXTDOOR

The South Korean boy band makes an impressive arrival on Billboard’s charts thanks to its new EP, Why.. The six-track set, released Sept. 4 via KOZ Entertainment/Geffen Records, debuts at No. 1 on Heatseekers Albums, No. 3 on World Albums and No. 162 on the Billboard 200 with 8,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week (Sept. 8-14), according to Luminate. Nearly all of those units were in traditional album sales, helping the set also starts at No. 10 on Top Album Sales. The EP also sparks the group’s No. 1 debut on the Emerging Artists chart and No. 64 entrance on the Billboard Artist 100. KOZ Entertainment, a subsidiary of HYBE Corporation, formed BOYNEXTDOOR earlier this year. The group comprises Jaehyun, Leehan, Riwoo, Sungho, Taesan and Woonhak.

Khamari

The singer-songwriter, from Dorchester, Mass., and now based in Los Angeles, lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time with his breakout single, “These Four Walls.” The song, released in May via RCA Records on his debut studio album A Brief Nirvana, debuts at No. 27 on Adult R&B Airplay (up 115% in plays), aided by a COLORSxSTUDIOS performance of the song released in June. Khamari has released one additional collection: his debut six-track EP Eldorado, in 2019.

Royel Otis

The Australian duo, from Sydney, scores its first Billboard chart entry, thanks to its wryly-titled single “Sofa King.” The song, released in March via Ourness/House Anxiety, debuts at No. 36 on Alternative Airplay (up 184% in plays). The song appears on the pair’s debut seven-track album Sofa Kings, released in March. Before that, the twosome released three EPs: Campus in 2021, Bar & Grill in 2022 and Going Kokomo earlier this year. The duo’s name is a combination of the two members’ first names: Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic. The act is currently on the North American leg of its Sofa Kings Tour.

Nick Shoulders

The singer-songwriter, from Fayetteville, Ark., notches his first chart appearance, thanks to his new studio album, All Bad. The set, released Sept. 8 on Gar Hole Records, debuts at No. 58 on the Top Current Album Sales chart with 1,000 copies sold in its opening week. He also bows at No. 38 on the Emerging Artists chart. Shoulders has released three additional albums: Lonely Like Me in 2018, Okay, Crawdad (2019) and Home on the Range (2021). Shoulders is also an illustrator, having designed the covers of each of his LPs, as well as tour and other posters.

BOI WHAT

The artist (real name: Eli Strobeck), who makes AI-generated music inspired by the Nickelodeon show Spongebob Squarepants, lands on Billboard’s charts for the first time with “Plan Z.” The song, released Sept. 8 on Hallwood Recordings, debuts at No. 14 on the Hot Hard Rock Songs chart with 710,000 official streams earned in its opening week. “Plan Z” uses AI-created vocals from the Spongebob character Plankton (voiced in the series by Mr. Lawrence) about learning the Krabby Patty Secret Formula—a recurring gag in the series. BOI WHAT has released four other AI-crafted songs: “Make a Wish (Squiddy),” “Dear Magic Conch Shell,” “Wish I Woulda Known” and “Just a Pineapple” (which has tallied over 4.5 million official streams since its Sept. 1 release). The tracks, which contain country, hip-hop and pop elements, use AI to mimic vocals from the Spongebob, Squidward, Patrick Star and Sandy Cheeks characters, voiced by Tom Kenny, Rodger Bumpass, Bill Fagerbakke and Carolyn Lawrence, respectively. “Dear Magic Conch Shell,” notably, draws from Morgan Wallen’s “Cowgirls,” featuring ERNEST.

Bobbi Storm

The singer, dancer and writer, from Detroit, is officially a Billboard-charting artist, thanks to her song “We Can’t Forget Him.” The track debuts at No. 36 on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and No. 50 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (1.6 million radio airplay audience impressions Sept. 8-14), ahead of its wide release Friday (Sept. 22) through TRIBL Records. Storm has released eight other songs, from 2017’s “Poor Dat” through “Lazy Love” in July 2022.

Cryptopsy

The Canadian technical death metal band claims its first Billboard chart entry, thanks to its new album As Gomorrah Burns. The set, released Sept. 8 on Nuclear Blast Records, debuts at No. 60 on Top Current Album Sales with 1,000 copies sold in its opening week. Cryptopsy has been releasing music since the late 1980s. Before As Gomorrah Burns, the band’s first studio album in 11 years, the act released seven additional studio LPs: Blasphemy in 1994, None So Vile (1996), Whisper Supremacy (1998), …And Then You’ll Beg (2000), Once Was Not (2005), The Unspoken King (2008) and Cryptopsy (2012). The current lineup of the group is Christian Donaldson, Matt McGachy, Flo Mounier and Olivier Pinard.

Ang3lina & Feranbanks


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Both artists arrive on Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to their collaboration “Tempted 2 Touch.” The song, released in February on No Grind No Shine, debuts at No. 7 on the World Digital Song Sales chart and was boosted by a new Jersey Club remix, released Sept. 1. Ang3lina is based in the U.K. Feranbanks, from Akoko, Ondo, Nigeria, released his debut studio album Better Days Ahead in September 2022.

Dark Divine

The Orlando, Fla.-based hard rock band arrives on Billboard’s charts with its sophomore LP, Deadly Fun. Released Sept. 8 on Thriller Records, the collection debuts at No. 100 on Top Current Album Sales with 1,000 copies sold. The group released its debut studio album Halloweentown in September 2022. Dark Divine comprises Anthony Martinez (vocals), Robby Lynch, Jason Thomas Mueller (both on guitar), Jarret Robinson (bass) and Triston Blaize (drums).

Capri Everitt, Setou & Senyo & B Martin

All three acts reach Billboard’s charts for the first time thanks to their collaboration, “Arcade.” The song, self-released Sept. 8, debuts at No. 17 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart. Everitt, from Vancouver and now based in Los Angeles, has been releasing songs since 2018. In 2015, when she was 11 years old, she broke the Guinness World Record for the most national anthems sung in their host countries in a single year: 76. (She sung her final anthem that year at a Washington Nationals baseball game.) Setou & Senyo are twin brothers from Ottawa who release house/EDM music inspired by R&B, hip-hop, disco and jazz. B Martin is a New York-born, Los Angeles-based dance artist who has opened for the likes of Steve Aoki, Big Sean and J. Cole.

20 Sep 2023

Kane Brown Sets In The Air Tour for 2024: See the Dates

Kane Brown — who is currently nominated for the CMA Awards’ musical event of the year trophy alongside his wife Katelyn Brown for their duet “Thank God” — announced a new slate of 29 tour dates on Wednesday (Sept. 20) for 2024, including stops in Las Vegas, Atlanta and Arlington, Texas.

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Brown’s In The Air Tour will launch March 28 at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Va., and will wrap with five stadium shows, including his return to Fenway Park in Boston, where Brown earlier this year made history as the first Black artist to sell out a headlining show in the venue’s 100-year history. The tour concludes with a Sept. 14 headlining concert at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

Joining Brown as openers on various dates on the tour are Tyler Hubbard, Jon Pardi, Chris Young, Bailey Zimmerman, Cole Swindell, Parmalee, LOCASH and RaeLynn.

Brown was saluted with the international award during the ACM Honors celebration in Nashville, and earlier this year wrapped the international leg of his Drunk or Dreaming Tour, which visited cities including Sydney, London, Amsterdam and Berlin.

The “Famous Friends” singer just notched his 10th Country Airplay No. 1 hit with “Bury Me in Georgia,” and is gearing up to release his new single, “I Can Feel It,” on Sept. 21. The song samples Phil Collins’ drum solo from his 1981 top 20 Billboard Hot 100 hit “In The Air Tonight.” Collins is credited alongside Brown, Gabe Foust and Jaxson Free as a writer on “I Can Feel It.”

“I was playing Stagecoach and doing interviews there on-site about what would be amazing and unexpected performances you’d want to see happen,” Brown said in a statement, noting his 2023 headlining performance at Stagecoach Country Music Festival. “I think I surprised a lot of interviewers with my answers- which were ‘Cher, Phil Collins…’ and the next day I was writing in Canada and went into the write with those Icons on my mind and just love the way the song came out. I immediately knew I wanted it as my next single.” 

See the full list of In The Air tour dates below.

20 Sep 2023

Sorry, Not Sorry: Demi Lovato Says She Feels the ‘Most Confident’ During Sex

It kind of makes sense that Demi Lovato recently said wedding bells are ringing in their ears, because according to the singer, sorry, not sorry, she feels the best all along with boyfriend Jutes.

“I feel the most confident when I’m having sex,” Lovato (who uses they/she pronouns) said in the second part of her interview on the LadyGang podcast that dropped on Tuesday (Sept. 19), in which they discussed body image, resiliency and her new rocked-up Revamped album.

The “risqué” answer came during a round of a game called “sorry, not sorry,” during which Lovato told the show’s three hosts that they are not sorry for constantly posting pics of Jutes on their socials. “It might be cringey, but I don’t care. I love it and I think it’s cute,” Lovato said.

When the hosts laughed and said “tell me what that’s like” to Lovato’s sex swagger, Demi, 31, explained, “Cause you’re so present that you’re not thinking about what is actually like… what clouds your judgment throughout the rest of the day, or at least that’s how it is for me. It’s not that way for everybody.”

Earlier this month, Lovato told Howard Stern that she and songwriter Jutes have definitely discussed marriage. “It’s been about a year and a half [of dating], so we’re taking our time with it a little bit, you know? I think it’s important not to rush that,” they said. “We started off as friends, and we built that foundation of friendship first. There’s this partnership there that is just so magnetic, and the way that we laugh together — it’s just nonstop. I think if you can find someone that makes you feel safe, that you’re so attracted to, that you laugh with constantly, that’s the formula of a really great relationship.”

Elsewhere in the pod, while talking about her 2015 song “Confident,” Lovato also dove into what it’s like to be on stage and not always feel confident on bad body image days and having to “fake it til you make it… [but] I think I’ve just been doing it so long that it’s like second nature for me,” they said. Lovato laughed at a question about whether she would ever go back to acting, saying they’d love to do a limited series.

“Something that has kept me from going back to acting is body image issues,” explained the former Camp Rock and Sonny With a Chance star. “That’s another thing where you have to show up every single day and be on camera no matter what.” That said, Demi would consider a movie or limited-series role, but when the hosts made a pitch for the pieces of a potential EGOT, Lovato said Broadway seems like a stretch because her memory skills are not great.

Watch the LadyGang pod with Demi below (the confidence talk begins around the 32:30-minute mark).

20 Sep 2023

Jack Harlow Named Songwriter of the Year at 2023 SESAC Music Awards

Jack Harlow was named songwriter of the year at the 2023 SESAC Music Awards, which were held at the Highlight Room in Hollywood on Tuesday (Sept. 19). This is the third year in a row Harlow has taken that title. “First Class,” which was his first unaccompanied No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, took song of the year.

The event was attended by top executives, artists, songwriters and publishers including Bryan-Michael Cox, Dixson, Papiyerr, Dontae Winslow and Kenyon Dixon, among others.

Sony Music Publishing was named publisher of the year for the second year in a row, taking home a total of 12 awards for songs including “First Class,” “We Go Up” recorded by Nicki Minaj and Fivio Foreign, “Count Me Out” recorded by Kendrick Lamar and “Mercury” recorded by Steve Lacy.  

Micah Otano won the SESAC Resurgence Award for “Lost,” which was recorded by Frank Ocean. The song was published by Music 4 Mataya and Tunes of Reach.

“We are honored to celebrate our songwriters and publishers across multiple genres,” Sam Kling, chief creative officer, SESAC Performing Rights, said in a statement. “SESAC is proud of its affiliates who continue to write chart-topping hits and we enjoy every opportunity we get to celebrate their achievements.”

Additional award-winning writers include Daniel Lopatin, who took home four awards for his work with The Weeknd; Dez Wright, for his work with Young Thug and Drake; and Jimmy Napes for songs he wrote with Sam Smith.

Artist and SESAC songwriter Tamara Jade, who appeared on Season 19 of NBC’s The Voice, served as the MC for the evening. This marked the second year the awards were held in Los Angeles.

For event highlights, visit @SESAC on Instagram. A full list of winners is available at www.sesac.com.

20 Sep 2023

Carin Leon, Thalia, Wisin & More Set for 2023 Latin Music Week: Full Schedule

Billboard unveiled the final round of confirmed artists and full schedule of the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week, returning to Miami Beach the week of Oct. 2 to 6, on Wednesday (Sept. 20).

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Joining the Latin music’s biggest event are Beatriz Luengo, Carin León, DannyLux, DJ Nelson, Hyde, Ivy Queen, Fuerza Regida’s Jesús Ortiz Paz “JOP”, Lasso, Luny Tunes, Pedro Capó, Thalia and Wisin.

The final talent additions and full event schedule (see below) were presented during a press conference at the Faena Forum in Miami Beach, where Leila Cobo, chief content officer of Billboard Latin and Billboard Español, was joined by Miami Beach mayor Dan Gelber, Valentina Bueno (director of Karol G’s Con Cora Foundation), as well as artists Fonseca, Mike Bahía and Venesti.

“Our city and community has discovered the best version of itself,” Gelber said. “We want to be the center of Latin music world every year and will be the center of Latin Music Week.”

“We’re so very happy to be here again,” added Cobo. “A lot of people are discovering Latin music for the first time in the past year, but at Billboard, we’ve been part of its growth for over 30 years. We can’t imagine anywhere in the world but [Miami Beach] to bring this fabulous event.”

Previously confirmed acts for the 2023 edition of LMW include Shakira, Arcángel, RBD’s Christian Chávez, Christopher von Uckermann, and Maite Perroni, Chencho Corleone, DJ Alex Sensation, Edgar Barrera, Eladio Carrión, Feid, Fonseca, GALE, Gonza, Greeicy, Grupo Frontera, Keityn, Maffio, Manuel Turizo, Maria Becerra, Mike Bahía, Myke Towers, Nacho, Natanael Cano, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan, Sebastián Yatra, Venesti, Vico C, Yng Lvcas, and Young Miko, to name a few.

“I want to thank Billboard on behalf of myself and Greeicy for allowing us to open Latin Music Week. We have a spectacular show,” Bahía said of his scheduled Oct. 2 performance alongside Greeicy titled “One Day, One Love,” which will be part of the Billboard En Vivo concert series.

Fonseca added: “I am honored with this invitation. We will be having a conversation with Leila on Oct. 4 about my 20 years of career and the tour, and on the 6th, a private concert at Oasis. It is a luxury to be here with you at Latin Music Week.”

Colombian newcomer Venesti, who will form part of the official Latin Music Week kickoff party presented by AP Global, also expressed his excitement. “It is a pleasure for me to be here for the first time at Latin Music Week. I will be performing all the songs from my new album De La Nada, and we will be sharing stage with Maffio, Nacho, Alejo, Joonti and Alex Sensation as the DJ of the night.”

Official partners of the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week include AT&T, Cheetos, CN Bank, Delta Air Lines, Lexus, Netflix, Michelob ULTRA and Smirnoff. 

Celebrated for more than 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week is the longest running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world, and coincides with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards, which will be broadcast live on Telemundo on Thursday, Oct. 5, from the Watsco Center in Miami.

Registration for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week is now open at BillboardLatinMusicWeek.com.

Monday, Oct. 2, 2023

  • Everything You Want To Know About Billboard, But Were Afraid To Ask
  • How To Manage Your First Big Paycheck: Step 1, Don’t Buy That Exotic Car Presented by CN Bank
  • Exactly Who Is Listening To Latin Music? Everyone! Luminate Unveils New Latin Music Report
  • The Rise Of Mexican Music Touring with Fuerza Regida’s JOP Presented by Live Nation
  • Millions Of Streams, Hundreds Of Dollars? Presented by RIMAS Publishing
  • The Power of Latin Catalog Presented by Harbourview
  • The Art of the Festival Presented by Viña Del Mar
  • Networking: The Industry Roundtables
  • Billboard En Vivo ft. Greeicy & Mike Bahía Presented by Michelob Ultra 21+
  • Official Billboard Latin Music Week Kickoff Party Presented by AP Global 21+

Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023

  • Making The Hit Live ft. Carin León & Pedro Capó 
  • The Power Players: The Indie Edition with Jimmy Humilde, Federico Lauria and George Prajin Presented by Lexus 
  • Star Q+A with Sebastián Yatra, moderated by Lasso
  • The New Mexican Revolution with Grupo Frontera, Natanael Cano, Peso Pluma, Santa Fe Klan and Yng Lucas Presented by BMI
  • Legends On Legends with Chencho Corleone and Vico C 
  • Boys Club No More! The Women’s Panel ft. Kany García, Maria Becerra, Nathy Peluso, Nicki Nicole, and Young Miko
  • The Marketing Of Ferxxo: Featuring Feid 
  • Premiere Party featuring Thalia 
  • Billboard En Vivo Ft. Peso Pluma 21+ 
  • Billboard En Vivo Ft. La Base and Wisin, Presented by Smirnoff with special guests Luny Tunes & DJ Nelson 21+

Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023

  • The Superstar Songwriter Panel ft. Edgar Barrera & Keityn Presented by Sony Music Publishing
  • The Icon Q&A with Fonseca Presented by Michelob Ultra 
  • Artist Showcase: Dr. Tania Medina Presented by Bridger Communications 
  • The Latin Swing: From Music to Sports with Arcángel, Eladio Carrión & More Presented by RIMAS Sports 
  • The Rising Star Q&A With Manuel Turizo Presented by Delta Air Lines 
  • Wisin & La Base: Eye Of The Tiger with Luny Tunes, DJ Nelson, and Hyde Presented by Smirnoff
  • Deja Tu Huella with Myke Towers Presented by Cheetos 
  • Reviving RBD with Maite Perroni, Christian Chávez, Christopher Von Uckermann & Guillermo Rosas Presented by At&T 
  • Hits Don’t Lie: The Superstar Q+A with Shakira 
  • Netflix Advanced Screening Party of Neon
  • The Mexican Music Revolution: DannyLux’s Showcase
  • A Night of Mexican Music ft. La Maquina Norteña, Carlos Sarabia, Los Cuates de Sinaloa & Sebastián Esquivel
  • Billboard En Vivo ft. Nathy Peluso with special guest Young Miko 21+

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023

  • Watch The 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Telemundo 
  • Sorry Papi X Billboard Latin Music Week 21+

Friday, Oct. 6, 2023

  • Cheetos Block Party ft. Myke Towers at Latin Music Week 
  • Billboard En Vivo ft. Fonseca presented by Michelob Ultra 21+

20 Sep 2023

Rachel Platten to Headline OVG’s Inaugural Theater Alliance Gala

The Oak View Group will unveil its Theater Fund during the inaugural gala for the OVG Theater Alliance headlined by Rachel Platten, Jake Wesley Rogers, Lindsay Ell and country a cappella group Home Free at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville on Oct. 11.

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“Part of our mission at OVG is to identify ways we can help our members,” says Joe Giordano, vice president of OVG’s three facilities groups — the Arena Alliance, Stadium and the recently launched Theater Alliance, which debuted in January. The Theater Fund will be operated in collaboration with Music’s Promise as a 501(C)3 that will support Theater Alliance members, many of which operate through or with non-profit entities.

“We will take all the money raised from the fund and divy them up equally between all the foundation non-profits in the Theater Alliance,” Giordano explained, noting that 21 foundations will benefit from the event.

The goal is to help Alliance members rebuild in a challenging post-pandemic environment for arts organizations, which are dealing with decreased attendance, a decline in annual subscriptions, gaps in government support, rising costs and competition with more modern buildings.

While the concert business has bounced back strong from the pandemic, along with Broadway, “fine arts based organizations have indicated to us that they have lost audiences since the pandemic that they will never get back. The revenue piece has been a key component of whats missing for many of these groups.”

Platten told Billboard in a statement, “It’s my honor to give back to the establishments that have been so crucial in hosting the most influential live entertainment in our country.”

In addition to the live performances and a silent auction, attendees at the gala can network with high-level Industry executives, promoters, agents and managers.

Tim Leiweke, chairman and CEO of Oak View Group, said, “The Theater Alliance has enabled Oak View Group to gather the top theaters and performing arts venues in the nation to keep our finger on the pulse of this vibrant and essential corner of our industry. We know that – especially coming out of the pandemic – funding is critical for theaters to thrive and support their communities, and we have droves of talent, promoters, managers and industry leaders who are going to see to it that these venues have access to the resources they need to succeed.”

20 Sep 2023

Taylor Swift Fans Crashed Google’s ‘1989’ Vault Puzzles After Its Launch

First Ticketmaster, then AMC, now Google. Is there any website that can withstand the power of Taylor Swift’s Swifties? On Tuesday (Sept. 19), the pop superstar’s loyal legions of fans crashed a special feature the search engine launched specifically for them.

In anticipation of 1989 (Taylor’s Version) — Swift’s next re-recording, which is slated for an Oct. 27 release — the “Karma” singer teamed up with Google to unload a new batch of hints and Easter eggs for her eagle-eyed fans. Google launched a new pop-up animation Tuesday that prompted fans to collectively solve puzzles to help the Grammy winner reveal the “From the Vault” tracks from the 1989 re-recording.

By typing “Taylor Swift” into the blank space — aka the search bar — a new pop-up would offer one of 89 puzzles. Each puzzle asked the user to unscramble a word and then type the answer into the search bar to solve the exercise and move onto the next puzzle. Swifties around the world had to tackle a whopping 33 million puzzles to “open Taylor’s vault.” Some of the answers focused on Swift herself (her star sign — Sagittarius — was an answer that gained a lot of traction), and others focused specifically on the 1989 tracklist. (“She lost him,” read the answer to a puzzle that boasted the hint “Out of the Woods intro.”)

Swift even showed off the new feature on her Instagram page, writing, “You can tell me when the *search* is over… if the high was worth the pain ?,” a reference to “Blank Space,” a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single from 1989 that recently re-entered the chart.

Obviously, the promise of the 1989 vault spurred Swifties to mobilize and complete the puzzles with maximum efficiency. Nonetheless, the iconic search engine could not keep up, with the puzzles not popping up for some users. Via its X (formerly Twitter) company page, Google confirmed that the vault puzzles fell victim to some technical difficulties. “Swifties, the vault is jammed! But don’t worry, there are no blank spaces inside. We’re in our fix-it era and will be out of the woods soon,” it shared.

Luckily, the Swifties prevailed, completing the 33 million puzzles, thus revealing four of the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) vault tracks — “Is It Over Now?,” “Now That We Don’t Talk,” “Say Don’t Go” and “Suburban Legends — with a fifth one yet to be revealed.

20 Sep 2023

Lana Del Rey Praises Olivia Rodrigo & Billie Eilish for Being ‘Such Good People’: ‘I Love Them & Their Music’

Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo have been vocal about their love of Lana Del Rey, and shared on multiple occasions that she has carved a path for their respective stars to rise. And the love is mutual, Del Rey revealed in a new interview published in The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday (Sept. 20).

“Billie and Olivia are such good people, it’s f–king awesome. I love them and their music. It’s not like you have to be nice to be good [in music]. But, if you happen to be nice and a great singer, it makes me happy for the culture,” the six-time Grammy nominee replied when asked how it feels knowing the girls credit her as inspiration.

She added, “I always had girls telling me [things like] that. Maybe not the critics or anybody else — but singers I knew, no matter how big or small, would write me letters. I always felt like the older sister to pretty much everyone I ever met.”

Elsewhere in the feature, Rodrigo — who presented Del Rey with the Visionary Award at the 2023 Billboard Women in Music Awards in March — shared, “Lana’s work taught me how effective sentimentality can be in songwriting … She defies any stereotypes of what a woman writing pop songs should or shouldn’t be. She’s constantly pushing boundaries and making work that is fresh, adventurous and unabashedly feminine.”

Del Rey also briefly addressed going viral for working at Waffle House in Alabama, and how she wanted her recent album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, to receive even a fraction of the attention. “I wish my album had gone as viral,” she stated, adding that she received “10,000 texts” after the photos and videos of her working hit the internet.

20 Sep 2023

Here’s Why Lana Del Rey Worked a Shift at an Alabama Waffle House

Lana Del Rey‘s fans are fascinated with pretty much everything the “A&W” singer does, especially when they get a rare chance to interact with her offstage, in the wild. That’s why when she popped into a Waffle House in Florence, Alabama in July and worked a shift pouring coffee and chatting the patrons up — she even had an official “Lana” name tag — it briefly broke the internet.

“I wish my album had gone as viral. I woke up to, like, 10,000 texts the next morning — some from folks I had not heard from for 10 years,” Del Rey said of the intense interest in her unexpected food service foray. “’Saw your picture at the Waffle House!’” I was like, ‘Did you hear the new album?’”

At the time, neither Del Rey nor her team would give any explanation for the odd shift work, though sleuths did note that she name-checked the Alabama city on the song “Paris, Texas” on her most recent album, this year’s Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd.

Now, in a feature interview with The Hollywood Reporter, writer Mikey O’Connell reveals that Del Rey actually never meant to work that shift. “But after seven days of seeing the same faces during a visit to Florence, Alabama, and a July morning’s worth of shooting the s–t with her brother and sister in the same plastic booth, the singer-songwriter found herself wearing the Southern chain’s familiar uniform: a polycotton, working-class blue button-up garnished with a name tag bearing the crudely stickered letters L-A-N-A,” he wrote.

“We were on our third hour, and the servers asked, ‘Do you guys want shirts?’ ” Del Rey explained. “Hell yeah! We were thrilled.” Though the video of the superstar breakfast blitz was only 10 seconds long, it blew up after the restaurant’s manager posted it to Facebook and some selfies Del Rey took with patrons made their way to social media. Was it some kind of elaborate, mysterious promo for her album, or a peek at some weird fast-food fetish?

As it turns out, O’connell said, is that Del Rey simply has family ties in the small town (pop. 40,000), is good at making fast friends and just loves hanging at diners. “This guy, a regular, comes in every day and orders two things, so they were like, ‘Just go get it for him!’ I brought him a Coke. No ice. And an empty cup,” she said, miming that the second cup was for the man’s tobacco spit juice.

In the wide-ranging interview, Del Rey also touched on why she has refused to publish her lyrics, whether she’d ever perform on Saturday Nigh Live (or any other TV shows) again and how she feels like an “older sister” to younger singers such as Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo.

20 Sep 2023

Jason Kelce Jokes He Believes Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce Dating Rumors Are ‘One Hundred Percent True’

Is Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s “Love Story” real after all? It seemed like it momentarily in a new interview when Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce shared his thoughts on the dating rumors with DeCamara & Richie on Audacy’s SportsRadio 94 WIP on Wednesday (Sept. 20).

“It’s hard to answer because I don’t really know a lot about Travis’ love life,” he told the hosts after they joked about the Kansas City Chiefs player being better looking than Brad Pitt and asking how the rumored couple are doing.

“I try to keep his business kind of his business, stay out of that world,” the Eagles player said. “But having said that, I think he’s doing great and I think it’s all one hundred percent true. I hope this thing goes the mile …”

Immediately following that, in a difficult-to-hear follow-up, he says, “Nah, I’m joking” as the hosts respond in surprise and a “good for them!”

Billboard has reached out to Swift’s rep for comment.

Just last week (Sept. 14), Jason was asked about the potential romance. “I’ve seen these rumors … I cannot comment,” he said during a post-game interview. “I don’t really know what’s going on there. I know Trav is having fun, we’ll see what happens with whoever he ends up with.”

Travis scored his first regular season touchdown — a hyperextended knee sidelined him the week prior — on Sept. 17, and NFL announcer Ian Eagle used the moment to slip in a few references to Taylor Swift lyrics. “Kelce finds a blank space for the score!” he quipped, a nod to her 2014 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 single “Blank Space.”

Then on Rich Eisen’s eponymous sports talk show, the commentator joked, “You saw it on Thursday night, when Travis Kelce wasn’t in there, it left a ‘blank space,’ but I think he returns today and proves to be the ‘anti-hero.’ Never goes ‘out of style,’” doubling down on the “Blank Space” reference and looping in 1989’s “Style” and Midnights‘ Hot 100 chart-topper “Anti-Hero.”

Travis and Taylor have been linked since July when the Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended her Eras Tour stop at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium. On his New Heights podcast — which he hosts alongside his brother — Travis explained how he attempted to slip Swift his number through the tour’s now-trademark friendship bracelets.

Listen to a clip of Jason Kelce’s interview with DaCamara & Richie below: