Music

Beyonce Reacts to Being Honorary Mayor of Santa Clara: ‘Today Is Special’

Beyoncé took the stage at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., on Wednesday night (Aug. 30), not only as a superstar performer, but also as the city’s honorary mayor.

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“I’m so happy to be on this stage,” Bey told the crowd in a fan video posted to TikTok. “Y’alls faces are so beautiful. You know today is special because today I am the mayor.”

After smiling at the crowd, who cheered at their mayor of the day, the “Break My Soul” singer continued, “This is my gratitude tour. I don’t take any of this for granted. I know after 25 years I’m still able to do what I love because of your loyalty, because of your prayers. I’m so grateful for y’all.”

The Santa Clara City Council voted on Tuesday night (Aug. 29) to name Bey honorary mayor for the day and present her with a key to the city, according to The Mercury News. “The city of Santa Clara is excited about Beyonce’s upcoming visit to the world-renowned Levi’s Stadium,” Santa Clara spokesperson Michelle Templeton told the publication. “Her concerts will certainly bring a great deal of energy and excitement.”

According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, The Renaissance World Tour earned $127.6 million over 11 shows between July 8-30, claiming the largest one-month sum for any artist since the Boxscore archives began in the mid-1980s. Meanwhile, when her five-show run at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium grossed $42.2 million, it was noted that it was the highest grossing engagement ever by a woman, a Black artist, or any American artist.

Everything We Know So Far About Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ Concert Film

Missed the Eras Tour when it came through your city? Don’t worry, you still have a chance to catch it — but this time, on the big screen.

Taylor Swift announced on Aug. 31 that she’d be bringing her massively popular global trek to AMC theaters all across North America, following the conclusion of its first U.S. leg earlier this month. Sharing an 80-second trailer jam-packed with shots from Swift’s career-spanning stage show, the 33-year-old pop star took to social media to announce the exciting news.

“The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far,” she wrote. “I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon ? Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged.”

Just like with the Eras Tour tickets, anticipation for the concert film is so high, Swifties brought down the ticketing app — in this case, the AMC app instead of Ticketmaster — with Swifties tweeting about wait times, and some noting that they couldn’t even get the app to load. Ahead of the concert announcement, the company had even upgraded its website so that it could handle more than five times thelargest ticketing traffic it previously experienced.

“AMC is … aware that no ticketing system in history seems to have been able to accommodate the soaring demand from Taylor Swift fans when tickets are first placed on sale,” the company had said in a statement announcing the concert film, which also warned fans of possible delays and outages of its website.

Keep reading to see everything Billboard knows so far about the Eras Tour concert film, below:

Tinashe Reveals ‘BB/ANG3L’ Album Cover & Track List: Here’s When It Arrives

It’s about to be peak Tinashe season. After treating fans to a pair of sultry pre-release singles, Tinashe has revealed the track list and release date for her forthcoming sixth studio album.

The singer-songwriter shared the news on her Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) pages on Thursday (Aug. 31). Her new album, BB/ANG3L, is currently slated for a Sept. 8 release with a seven-song track list that includes the pre-release singles “Talk to Me Nice” and “Needs.” The album’s artwork finds a blond Tinashe gazing into the camera, while the track list graphic features a borderline-incomprehensible font (“Girl, I can’t read this. Let me go put my contacts in,” joked one Instagram commenter).

Tinashe has already announced a tour in support of her new album. She is set to hit the road with Shygirl and Uniiqu3, starting Oct. 28 in Chicago. The tour will conclude Nov. 18 in Oakland, California. BB/ANG3L will be the follow-up to 2021’s 333, Tinashe’s most recent LP. That album peaked at No. 175 on the Billboard 200; spawned the singles “Pasadena” (with Buddy) and “Bouncin’”; and housed additional collaborations with Jeremih, Kaash Paige, Absolutely, Wax Motif, Channel Tres and more. There will be no featured artists on BB/ANG3L.

Tinashe has earned four entries on the Billboard Hot 100 over the course of her career. She reached her highest peak on the chart in 2014 with the ScHoolboy Q-assisted “2 On.” On the Billboard 200, she has notched five entries, reaching as high at No. 27 with 2014’s Aquarius. She has also climbed as high as No. 41 on the Artist 100.

Taylor Swift Fans Crash AMC App From Buying ‘Eras Tour’ Film Tickets

The Swifties’ support for Taylor Swift is so strong, they crashed an entire app.

After the “Anti-Hero” singer surprised fans by announcing her Eras Tour concert was turned into a movie, fans flooded the AMC app attempting to buy tickets, which led to a site crash. According to Collider, the app shared a message noting that online reservations were temporarily unavailable due to high volume, and that that anyone looking to purchase tickets should visit their local AMC Theatre in person.

Billboard has reached out to AMC for more information. “AMC is also aware that no ticketing system in history seems to have been able to accommodate the soaring demand from Taylor Swift fans when tickets are first placed on sale. Guests wanting to be the first to buy their tickets online may experience delays, longer-than-usual ticket- purchase waiting-room times and possible outages. AMC is committed to ensuring any delays or outages are addressed as quickly as possible,” the company told The Hollywood Reporter earlier in the day.

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According to a release, beginning October 13, every U.S. AMC Theatre location will run the movie at least four times per day on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays, with tickets for priced at $19.89 plus tax for adults and $13.13 for children and seniors plus tax (except for AMC’s branded premium large-format screens.) The film will be available in AMC theaters in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with tickets on sale now here and here.

Swift herself also posted a trailer for the film, writing, “The Eras Tour has been the most meaningful, electric experience of my life so far and I’m overjoyed to tell you that it’ll be coming to the big screen soon. Starting Oct 13th you’ll be able to experience the concert film in theaters in North America! Tickets are on sale now at http://taylor.lnk.to/TSTheErasTourFilm…. Eras attire, friendship bracelets, singing and dancing encouraged. 1, 2, 3 LGB!!!! (iykyk).”

Mexican President Defends Yahritza y Su Esencia Amid Backlash Over Comments About Mexico


Following the criticism that Yahritza y Su Esencia received weeks ago for comments about Mexican food, for which the Mexican-American group has already apologized, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador advocated for the sibling trio on Thursday (Aug. 31), and said that he would agree that they be invited to join Grupo Frontera on Sept. 15 at the Zócalo in Mexico City.

“Yahritza and her brothers have a musical group. They were born there, in Washington, their parents are Mexican, I think from Chiapas, and they did an interview where they said they ‘don’t like Mexican food,’ [or] something like that,” the president said in his morning press conference. “It was very bad for them, but they did not do it in bad faith. It is that they were born over there, they did not want to offend.”

The parents of the trio, José Francisco and Rosa Martínez, are originally from the state of Michoacán, in western Mexico.

Earlier this month, the members of Yahritza y Su Esencia apologized in a video posted on their TikTok, after receiving severe criticism from Mexican fans for their comments.

Specifically, Yahritza jokingly said that she didn’t like hearing “the cars and police sirens and everything” when she woke up in the city, while Jairo and Mando said they didn’t love local food. The statements generated strong criticism from a sector of Internet users.

“We want you to know that what motivates us every day to write songs and music is the great pride of having Mexican blood in our veins,” said Yahritza, the band’s vocalist, in her apology. “We are proudly Mexican and we greatly appreciate the love of the public, especially in Mexico.”

Some Mexican media even published that the group’s participation in the Fesitval Arre, which will take place on Sept. 9-10 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, had been cancelled. That information has not been confirmed by the promoter Ocesa, and the name of the band is still on the official poster. A rep for the trio told Billboard Español that they are confirmed to perform on Sept. 10.

“We cannot do that, we cannot in any way (cancel their concerts),” López Obrador said during the conference. “I am sure that they will reflect and we have to grant forgiveness. In other words, we always have to forgive if someone is wrong or makes a mistake, but they are also children and there is an explanation. They were born there. Their parents are Mexican, but they already have their life over there.”

When asked if he considered it a good idea that Yahritza y su Esencia joined Grupo Frontera at the Zócalo to perform their hit collaboration “Frágil” — which landed the trio their first No. 1 on Billboard’s Regional Mexican Airplay chart (dated Aug. 12) — the president said he would agree.

The song is even part of López Obrador’s playlist that deal with corridos tumbados, a genre that the president has criticized for containing some songs that advocate drug trafficking.

50 Cent Allegedly Hits Fan With Microphone He Threw Offstage

50 Cent is coming under fire after he allegedly hit a fan in the face with a microphone.

The rapper (real name Curtis Jackson) was performing at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday night (Aug. 30) as part of his Final Lap Tour, when he’s seen in videos circulating social media looking frustrated with a microphone issue. He then throws the mic down off the side of the stage, and hands off a second microphone to a crew member. Later in the performance, while Nas was onstage, 50 gets increasingly annoyed with the microphone issue, before he hurls the new mic to the same offstage section.

While the viral video doesn’t show the microphone hitting anyone, Power 106 radio host Bryhana Monegain appeared in photos shared by The Neighborhood Talk with a gash on her forehead allegedly from the incident.

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According to TMZ, who first reported the news, 50 Cent wasn’t targeting Monegain. The artist’s attorney mirrored that sentiment in a statement to Billboard: “Let’s be very clear, as I told LAPD this afternoon, my client Curtis would never intentionally strike anyone with a microphone. Anyone saying something different doesn’t have all the facts and is misinformed.”

50’s Final Lap tour is scheduled to continue throughout the fall, wrapping up on Nov. 12 at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England. The Live Nation-produced outing is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of his 2003 debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin’, and features a set list comprised of 50’s greatest hits and tracks he hasn’t performed live in decades according to a release.

Kenia OS: From Social Media Stardom to the Billboard Charts

Since debuting with her single “Por Siempre” in 2018, Kenia OS has been making a name for herself in the music industry, via Billboard-charting hits like “Mi Salida Contigo” with Ha*Ash and “Malas Decisiones.”

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The Mexican singer-songwriter, who became known as a content creator on her YouTube channel (where she has 12 million subscribers) and later on TikTok (where 18.9 million users follow her), says that the desire to dedicate herself to music did not arrive at a specific moment, but it was developed over time.

“It was something that I liked to do, like recording videos, being in front of the cameras… and little by little I feel that it became my job and something more tangible,” she tells Billboard Español. “And things started to happen faster and I think it was like a roller coaster that I went on and it has never ended.”

Although she defines herself as a person who is clear about what works for her and what she likes, at first she had a hard time finding her musical style. The battle in her mind between taking the path of the most popular genres of the moment and her own tastes was soon resolved when she released the pop single “Malas Decisiones,” which has 170 million streams on Spotify. “When ‘Malas Decisiones’ was released and exploded on social media … I realized that people liked pop, and the pop that I was doing. It’s when I realized it was the path I wanted to take,” she says.

Kenia OS considers herself a disciplined and responsible artist with her work. Her years as an influencer have also been key to gaining confidence and familiarity in front of the public. “I do a lot of things with love, with a lot of passion for my fans, and I think that is reflected [in my music],” she says. “And I help people heal through my art — or well, that’s what they tell me.”

On Aug. 2, the artist renewed her contract with Sony Music Mexico and 5020 Records, with whom she worked with for her two 2022 albums, Cambios de Luna and K23, and on this year’s short film Universo K23 — in which she presents the journeys of her alter ego, K23. In addition, she has collaborated with artists like Thalia, with whom she recently released a new version of “Para No Verte Más”.

“Mi Salida Contigo” peaked at No. 16 on Billboard‘s Latin Pop Airplay in March, while “Malas Decisiones” entered the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. (No. 94) and the Billboard Global 200 (No. 176) that same month. The singer is currently on the road with her K23 Tour, which includes stops in various cities in Mexico and Central America. This year, she also won three Premios Juventud awards: The New Female Generation, Best Fandom and I Want More.

Kenia OS is clear about how she sees herself in a few years: “In the future, I think I see myself as a 360 artist doing different projects. As much as acting, music, my brands, I also see myself with a solid career, with a solid name,” she says. “In my personal life, I don’t know. I’ll go with the flow.”

Below, learn more about August’s Latin Artist on the Rise.

Name: Kenia Guadalupe Flores Osuna

Age: 24 years

Recommended Song: “Lovelove U.” “After ‘Malas Decisiones’ which is totally pop, I realized — because I was a little not reluctant but confused, since reggaetón, urban, all of these are so popular right now, and I never felt 100% comfortable doing them,” she explains. “When ‘Malas Decisiones’ emerged and exploded on social media, I realized that people liked the pop and the pop that I was doing. I realized that it was the path I wanted to take, and ‘Lovelove U’ started from that, from continuing to do pop and staying true to myself.”



Major Accomplishment: “My biggest achievement right now I think has been… Eh, I have several. [Laughs.] But I think it’s the K23 Tour. Also, the K23 short film that was awarded [at the Cannes World Film Festival and at the Berlin Indie Film Festival], and the Premios Juventud that I won this year”.

What’s Next: “With my music, new releases are coming. I don’t know if collaborations, to be honest, but my releases, yes.”

Miley Cyrus Reflects on ‘Really Brilliant Choices’ of Topless 2008 ‘Vanity Fair’ Cover

In the spirit of her new single “Used to Be Young,” Miley Cyrus is strolling down memory lane and reflecting on some of the most pivotal and controversial moments of her nearly two-decade career. For Part 15 of her Used to Be Young TikTok series, Cyrus tackled her controversial 2008 Vanity Fair photo shoot.

Fifteen years ago, Cyrus posed for the cover of Vanity Fair. The shoot was helmed by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz, and featured a then-15-year-old Cyrus exposing her bare back to the camera as she wrapped her body in what appeared to be a sheet. At the time, Cryus was still starring as the titular character on Disney’s blockbuster television series Hannah Montana. The Vanity Fair shoot was intended to help further differentiate Cyrus from the character that quickly consumed her.

Upon release, Miley disregarded the potential controversy of the image saying at the time, “I mean I had a big blanket on. And I thought, ‘This looks pretty and really natural.’ I think it’s really artsy.” Nonetheless, controversy inevitably ensued, forcing Cyrus, Leibovitz and Disney to release statements apologizing for the photographs. In the years that followed, the controversy continued to obfuscate the real story and intent behind the images, “which is always much more meaningful,” according to Cyrus in her new TikTok post.

She recalls, “My little sister Noah was sitting on Annie’s lap and actually pushing the button of the camera, taking the pictures. My family was on set, and this was the first time I ever wore red lipstick because Pati Dubroff, who did my makeup, thought that that would be another element that would divide me from Hannah Montana.”

What the star calls “really brilliant choices” made in an effort to separate Miley Cyrus from Hannah Montana, the public perceived as the inappropriate hypersexualization of America’s most beloved and recognizable child star.

Cyrus’ initial apology, which she retracted via Twitter (now known as X) a decade later, read, “I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be ‘artistic’ and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed.” For its statement, Disney went for an offensive approach, writing, “Unfortunately, as the article suggests, a situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines.”

As for Leibovitz, she defended her work. “I’m sorry that my portrait of Miley has been misinterpreted,” she said. “Miley and I looked at fashion photographs together, and we discussed the picture in that context before we shot it. The photograph is a simple, classic portrait, shot with very little makeup, and I think it is very beautiful.”

Check out Part 15 of Miley Cyrus’ Used to Be Young TikTok series:

Doja Cat Changes ‘Scarlet’ Art After Striking Similarities to Chaver’s Album Cover

Just two days after Doja Cat unveiled the cover art for her upcoming album, Scarlet, the star has updated the illustration.

“Updated cover,” the singer wrote on Instagram on Thursday (Aug. 31) alongside the new art, which features a hand-drawn, spider-like creature with pearls as a head and abdomen against a white background. See the post here.

The original art featured a fittingly scarlet-colored spider, but Doja seemed to have deleted the post and changed the cover after fans noticed that German hardcore band Chaver also used the same spider on the artwork for their upcoming album cover.

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According to Stereogum, both Doja’s original album art and Chaver’s LP cover were designed by the same person, Portland-based artist Dusty Ray. An even stranger coincidence is that both albums will be dropping on the same day, September 22.

Fans have already heard two songs from Doja Cat’s album: lead single “Attention,” which was released in June and has so far peaked at No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as “Paint the Town Red,” which reached the Hot 100 top five this week. “Red” also moved 5-1 to top this week’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. She’s set to release another single, “Demons” on Friday (Sept. 1).

Beéle Earns His First No. 1 on a Billboard Chart With Sebastian Yatra & Manuel Turizo Collab ‘Vagabundo’

Beéle checks off a career milestone this week as he bags his first No. 1 on a Billboard chart with “Vagabundo,” a co-billed song with Sebastian Yatra and Manuel Turizo. The song rises 7-1 to crown the Latin Airplay chart dated Sept. 2. 

“Vagabundo” climbs with 34% gain in audience impressions, to 9.2 million, earned in the U.S. in the week ending Aug. 24, according to Luminate. The song, released via Universal Latino/UMLE on May 12, also arrives at the summit on Latin Pop Airplay (hopping 2-1). 

“Vagabundo” earns 20-year-old Beele his first champ on his third appearance on Latin Airplay. The Colombian reached a No. 36 high previously with another Turizo team-up, “+Linda,” which also credited Dalex, Arcangel and De La Ghetto in 2021. 

Yatra, meanwhile, picks up his 11th ruler on Latin Airplay. The new champ arrives after “Tacones Rojos” ruled for one week in Feb. 2022. Turizo captures his seventh No. 1, and third of the year, following “La Bachata,” and “Merengue” with Marshmello, both with one week in charge.

Elsewhere on the charts, Myke Towers’ “Lala” continues to make advances. Following its one-week coronation on Global Excl. U.S. in July, the song jumps 3-1 on Latin Rhythm Airplay with 7.3 million audience impressions earned. It’s his ninth leader on the chart.

“Lala” concurrently rises to a new No. 3 peak on the overall Latin Airplay chart.