State Champ Radio Music
Page: 230
Billy Joel is canceling all of his upcoming shows due to a health issue affecting his ability to perform, the musician announced Friday (May 23).
In a statement shared to his social media accounts, he shared that the decision comes following a “recent diagnosis” of normal pressure hydrocephalus. “This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance,” his statement reads. “Under his doctor’s instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period. Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.”
“He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage,” the announcement continues, concluding with a message directly from Joel: “I’m sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience, and thank you for understanding.”
Fans with tickets to any of the “Piano Man” singer’s scheduled shows will receive automatic refunds to their original payment method.
Trending on Billboard
According to Cleveland Clinic, normal pressure hydrocephalus is a condition that occurs when cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the skull, pressing on the brain. It can affect “several brain-related abilities, including thinking and concentrating, memory, movement and more,” with treatment involving implanting a shunt to drain the excess fluid.
Joel had several shows planned throughout the summer and fall of this year, as well as a few performances scheduled for the first half of 2026. His canceled appearances include his joint dates with Sting, Rod Stewart and Stevie Nicks, as well as his solo gigs.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer previously delayed several of those tour dates by four months after revealing that he had recently undergone surgery. Joel did not disclose his medical condition at that time.
“While I regret postponing any shows, my health must come first,” he said in a statement in March. “I look forward to getting back on stage and sharing the joy of live music with our amazing fans. Thank you for your understanding.”
The five-time Grammy winner had been poised to make history on his trek, as his now-canceled shows at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y.; Metlife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.; and Citi Field in Queens, N.Y., would have made him the first artist to play all three NYC-area stadiums in one summer. “Each [venue] holds personal significance to me,” Joel had told Billboard of the feat in early February. “There’s nothing like the energy of the crowds in New York.”
Joel’s health update comes shortly after it was announced that his upcoming two-part documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June. Later in the summer, the project will air on HBO.
See Joel’s post below.
Alex Warren, whose hit ballad “Ordinary” has spent the last three weeks at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 – and the last nine weeks at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart – is set to perform on the 2025 American Music Awards, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
The 51st AMAs are set to “kick off summer” from the Fontainebleau Las Vegas on Monday, May 26. The show will air live coast-to-coast at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.
This will be Warren’s first awards show performance, though a performance on the finale of the Netflix series Love Is Blind on March 9 is credited with giving “Ordinary” a critical boost. Warren is considered a likely Grammy contender for best new artist. The nominations for the 68th annual Grammy Awards will be announced later this year.
Trending on Billboard
Warren, 24, is one of three performers announced for the AMAs so far who are in their 20s, along with Benson Boone, 22, and Reneé Rapp, 25.
Jennifer Lopez will host the show for the second time. Sir Rod Stewart is set to receive a lifetime achievement award. Janet Jackson is set to receive an ICON Award. All three of these artists will also perform on the show, along with Gwen Stefani, Gloria Estefan, Lainey Wilson and Blake Shelton.
The American Music Awards is the world’s largest fan-voted awards show. Tickets to the show are available now on Ticketmaster.
Kendrick Lamar leads this year’s AMA contenders with 10 nominations, followed closely by Post Malone with eight nods, and Billie Eilish, Chappell Roan and Shaboozey, with seven each.
Nominees are based on key fan interactions – as reflected on the Billboard charts – including streaming, album and song sales, radio airplay and tour grosses. These measurements are tracked by Billboard and Luminate, and cover the data tracking eligibility period of March 22, 2024, through March 20, 2025.
Fan voting is now closed, with the exception of collaboration of the year and social song of the year, which will remain open for web voting through the first 30 minutes of the AMAs broadcast via VoteAMAs.com.
The AMAs and Easy Day Foundation, a Las Vegas-based nonprofit organization committed to helping veterans transition to civilian life, will partner to present several in-show moments that celebrate veterans while raising funds for a variety of national and local organizations.
The American Music Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions, which is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a joint venture between Eldridge Industries and Billboard parent company Penske Media.
Singer-songwriter Josh Ross, 30, from Waterdown, Ontario, achieves his first top 10 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart as his first entry, “Single Again,” pushes 11-10 on the list dated May 31. The song increased by 10% to 16.6 million impressions May 16-22, according to Luminate.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The track is from Ross’ eight-song set Complicated, released in March 2024. It hit No. 2 on the Canada Country chart last October, becoming the fifth of his six career-opening top 10s.
Ross co-authored “Single Again” with Joe Fox and Brad Rempel, and Matt Geroux produced it. (Fellow Canadian Rempel is a member of the group High Valley, which has notched 20 top 10s on Canada Country, in 2012-24.)
Trending on Billboard
Notably, “Single Again” reaches the Country Airplay top 10 in its 60th week on the chart, wrapping the third-longest trip to the tier since the survey launched in January 1990. In April 2023, Brett Young’s “You Didn’t” reached its No. 10 high in 70 weeks, while Chase Matthew’s “Love You Again” hit No. 10 in 62 frames (before peaking at No. 9).
Nice ‘Problem’ to Have
Morgan Wallen’s “I’m the Problem” tops Country Airplay for a sixth total and consecutive week (31.7 million, down 1%). It became the third No. 1 from his album of the same name, ahead of its release May 16, following “Love Somebody” (three weeks in February) and “Lies Lies Lies” (one week, November). His latest single being promoted to country radio, “Just in Case,” rises 15-13 (14.8 million, up 8%).
“I’m the Problem” is the third of Wallen’s 17 Country Airplay No. 1s to reign for six frames or more, after “You Proof,” which shares the record for most time on top (10 weeks, 2022-23), and “Last Night” (eight weeks, 2023).
Five total cuts from I’m the Problem are scaling Country Airplay, with the title track and “Just in Case” followed in the top 40 by “I Ain’t Coming Back,” with Post Malone (43-32; 2.9 million, up 48%). The other two debut: “What I Want” featuring Tate McRae (No. 55; 897,000), and “Superman” (No. 58; 846,000).
All charts dated May 31 will update Wednesday, May 28, on Billboard.com (one day later than usual due to the Memorial Day holiday May 26).
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.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
This week, Joe Jonas gives us a long-awaited solo project, Reneé Rapp returns on her own terms and Alex Warren is far from “Ordinary.” Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Joe Jonas, Music For People Who Believe in Love
Fourteen years after the last album released under his own name, Joe Jonas is a lifetime (and several new hits) removed from the rhythmic pop of 2011’s Fastlife, and that personal and artistic growth is the foundation of Music For People Who Believe in Love, an earnest and surprisingly personal pop-rock project that includes both radio fodder (“Honey Blonde,” “Work It Out”) and a few unexpected collaborations, like the touching family reflection “Hey Beautiful” with Louane and Tiny Habits.
Trending on Billboard
Reneé Rapp, “Leave Me Alone”
Even if you didn’t know that Reneé Rapp’s “Leave Me Alone” is the first taste of an upcoming sophomore album titled Bite Me, you could probably deduce that the riotous new single represents a new beginning for a singer-actress who’s found her artistic footing: “Leave Me Alone” has made headlines for the tossed-off lyric about The Sex Lives of College Girls, but the real story here is Rapp’s embrace of slightly heavy guitar-rock, with the feedback buzzing as she forgoes all pop norms.
Alex Warren with Jelly Roll, “Bloodline”
A lot is riding on “Bloodline” for Alex Warren, considering that the song is his first new music since “Ordinary” conquered the charts around the world — so to ensure that his next step forward was a successful one, the singer-songwriter tapped Jelly Roll, one of the more reliable presences in popular music, for a stomp-clap anthem with the same reassuring tone as Warren’s current smash.
Burna Boy feat. Travis Scott, “TaTaTa”
As Burna Boy preps for the July release of new album No Sign of Weakness, fans have been given a thumping new Travis Scott collaboration to kick off their summer: “TaTaTa” is all slick rhymes and layered drums, with both MCs exuding star power and playing off of the beat by using the chorus as a percussive tool rather than a catchy refrain.
Jessie Murph feat. Sexyy Red, “Blue Strips” remix
“Blue Strips” has been one of the surprise hits of the year, thanks in part to Jessie Murph’s force of personality and a killer hook; now, Sexyy Red is jumping in on the fun, with a remix that actually shortens the song’s length but makes room for the rapper to warble the chorus and drop vehicular ad-libs over the original track’s still-simmering beat.
Karol G, “Latina Foreva”
Karol G knows that summer is right around the corner, and “Latina Foreva” functions as a warm-weather banger for the ladies: the superstar’s first new single of 2025 celebrates femininity with a fierce reggaeton arrangement, as Karol sounds more than comfortable navigating the speed-ups and slowdowns of the production before letting the beat work its magic at the end of the track.
Rob49, Let Me Fly
The viral hit “WTHELLY” has earned New Orleans rapper Rob49 newfound attention in popular hip-hop after years of grinding on the edges, and Let Me Fly sounds like a well-time artistic triumph, brimming with unhinged energy from the ominous piano keys that open the 22-song project and stretched across various collaborations (Meek Mill, Fridayy, Sexyy Red and Quavo are among the guest list).
Editor’s Pick: mgk, “Cliche”
After dabbling in country-fried songwriting following his pop-punk pivot, The Artist Formerly Known as Machine Gun Kelly has located a sleek little intersection of the two sounds: “Cliché,” along with its accompanying choreo-heavy music video, is an utterly charming new chapter in mgk’s winding story, all Warped Tour-ready hooks and nervy energy aimed at those of us still blasting his Tickets to My Downfall hits on the regular.
Christian Nodal‘s highly anticipated new album has officially arrived: The acclaimed regional Mexican artist released ¿Quién + Como Yo?, his first solo LP since Ayayay! in 2020, on Thursday (May 22). The 12-track production highlights Nodal’s commitment to “showcasing the ‘mariacheño’ sound” (mariachi + norteño) he coined, while “making us proud of our roots,” he says to Billboard Español.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Released through Sony Music México, ¿Quién + Como Yo? — which follows his January EP, PA’L CORA EP. 02 — features previously dropped singles like “El Amigo,” “Amé,” and “X Perro.” These tracks gave fans a glimpse of the direction Nodal’s new music was headed: a fresh blend of sounds that he brought to Mexican music nearly a decade ago, paired with deeply emotional lyrics.
But for those wondering, Nodal clarifies: “There’s nothing personal in it,” he says. “These are songs that truly touched my soul. I think we’ve all been through things like this.”
Trending on Billboard
In this album, the 26-year-old Sonoran artist teams up with three major stars in regional Mexican music, each bringing their own unique style: Alfredo Olivas, on the heartbreak-filled track “Se Vienen Días Tristes”; Tito Double P, on a corrido tumbado titled “La Loba”; and Netón Vega, on the motivational single “EBVSY,” the focus track.
Ahead of the album’s release, Nodal shared a heartfelt video on his social media, reflecting on this moment in his career. “This isn’t just an album,” says the six-time Latin Grammy winner. “It’s a toast to what’s been lost, to what hurts, and to what still stands.”
Nodal has also announced a new U.S. tour, the Gira 2025, featuring nearly 20 dates starting Nov. 7 in Los Angeles. The hitmaker sat down for an exclusive interview with Billboard Español to discuss the making of his new album, ¿Quién + Como Yo?
Christian Nodal
Courtesy of Sony Music México
Musically, what can we expect to find in this new album?
The goal is to showcase the mariacheño sound, to make us feel proud of our roots, our instruments, and all the beautiful arrangements. In the videos, we’re also highlighting Mexico. There’s just one “tumbado” (urban corridos) track.
How did the collaborations with Alfredo Olivas, Tito Double P, and Netón Vega come about?
The song with Alfredo Olivas came about thanks to my engineer, who’s a friend of his. I asked him to give Alfredo a call, and he agreed to collaborate. It’s a real pleasure working with him — he’s an amazing musician and performer. With Tito, there’s a lot of camaraderie, and as for Netón, we happened to cross paths in Culiacán. He’s one of the most-listened-to Mexican artists in the world.
How was the recording process for these tracks with them?
Everything was recorded remotely. I only filmed the video with Alfredo, but there was always good communication with everyone, and everything came together really well. The videos will be released little by little. I’m sure people will enjoy this new work.
Has what you’ve experienced personally in recent months influenced the lyrics of the songs?
No, not at all — there’s nothing personal in the album. These are songs that truly touched my soul. I think we’ve all been through things like this. In fact, the songs came out of a songwriting camp, with many people from Sonora, Sinaloa, Mexicali, and so on. There was a lot of great energy. I can honestly say this is one of the albums where I’ve had the least involvement in terms of the lyrics — I let them do their thing. They’ve studied my style really well, so they know what works for me.
If you had to choose your favorite songs from the album, which ones would they be?
Without a doubt, “Sé Feliz Sin Mí” and “Se Vienen Días Tristes.” When I heard “Amé,” I knew it was a perfect song. Honestly, so many great songs came out of this project, and many were saved for the next album.
A very important U.S. tour is coming up this year.
I really miss my fans — it was about time. I’ve been enjoying the shows in Mexico a lot. This year, I did many palenques, which I love because there’s a much closer connection with the audience. This year, I’ll also be heading to Colombia, and we’re working on scheduling the dates for Europe before the U.S. tour.
Your fans have shown their love during the good times and the tough ones…
Without a doubt, they’re the best. About a year and a half ago, I went to France to step away from everything for a bit. When I came back, I wasn’t No. 1, I wasn’t trending, and the regional Mexican scene had changed a lot. It was so beautiful to see people showing up to my shows and singing the songs from [the 2024 EP] Pa’l Cora — an album that was musically experimental — along with my usual repertoire. Those kinds of moments are priceless.
You’re one of the young artists who are truly building a catalog…
I draw a lot of inspiration from the [genre] greats and the legacies they leave behind. Since the beginning of my career, I’ve worked hard to contribute to Mexican music in every way possible, and I’ll continue to do so with great pride so it keeps gaining recognition all over the world.
Stream Christian Nodal’s ¿Quién + Como Yo? below:
The time is counting down until BLACKPINK is finally back in your area, something the girl group members got BLINKs hyped up for with an intense new teaser for its Deadline World Tour.
In a 30-second promotional for the trek posted Friday (May 23), a strong, metallic synth drone plays as three-dimensional letters rise from a pool of pink glitter. With one punctuated drum beat, all of the sparkles fall away to reveal the word “DEADLINE.”
The teaser comes about two months ahead of the highly anticipated tour’s kickoff at Goyang Stadium in Goyang, South Korea, on July 5. The Deadline trek will mark members JENNIE, ROSÉ, JISOO and LISA’s first time hitting the road since their 2022-2023 Born Pink World Tour, which grossed $148.3 million with 703,000 tickets sold across 29 shows, earning BLACKPINK a spot on Billboard‘s 2023 Top Tours chart.
Trending on Billboard
Following two performances in Goyang, the girl group will play dates in stadiums across Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, New York, Paris, Milan, Barcelona and London before closing out in 2026 in Tokyo, Japan, on Jan. 16-18.
BLACKPINK hasn’t dropped an album since 2022’s Born Pink — which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — but ahead of the new tour, the members have been teasing new music. “Actually, we were in the studio a few days ago,” LISA told Variety earlier in May. “We’re all so super excited to get back together and go on tour. We really miss the BLINKs. We can’t wait to see them.”
The reunion will follow about two years of the foursome working on solo projects, with the White Lotus star, ROSÉ and JENNIE all dropping debut albums, and JISOO sharing a solo EP in addition to starring in acting projects, during the group’s time apart.
Watch the new Deadline World Tour teaser below.
Sam Ryder is, undoubtedly, one of the United Kingdom’s greatest Eurovision success stories in recent years. At 2022’s Song Contest, he finished in 2nd place (its highest finish since 1998) and used that to springboard to a No. 1 album (There’s Nothing But Space, Man!), and cement himself as one of the scene’s most electrifying performers. Soon he was collaborating with Queen’s Brian May, performing in front of the Royal Family at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee party, and bringing a puppyish enthusiasm to every booking.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
But even so, things in this industry can change in a heartbeat. In 2023, a leadership change at Parlophone Records meant that the executives that Ryder had signed with were leaving the label, and Ryder was caught in the middle: He saw the benefits of remaining on a major label, but felt indebted to the people who backed him when few others did.
Trending on Billboard
Ryder was not an overnight success. Prior to his selection for Eurovision, he gigged hard for a decade in various rock bands, and held down jobs in construction and hospitality. His rise on TikTok during the pandemic in 2020 eventually helped him land the spot for Eurovision in 2022, and it came when Ryder had just entered his 30s. His was a late-blooming success story and hard-fought for; he understood how fragile the industry can be, and how quickly it can all change.
When it came to the next phase of his career following his debut album success, he prioritized the things that were important to him: respecting the music-making process, and staying loyal. His new run of music — including “OH OK”, out Friday (May 23), and “White Lies” — is earthier, country-flecked as opposed to the glam-rock stylings of his debut. He thought about the artist he wanted to be, and how he can be authentic to his craft. He signed with Artist Theory, the new label from Nick Burgess and Jack Melhuish, who he met at Parlophone and left the major label system with them.
It’s a move that now looks savvy. The material he’s releasing showcases a new depth to his songwriting, and sits alongside Hozier and Noah Kahan’s rugged productions, all while retaining his powerhouse vocals and inimitable charm. In June, Ryder will perform at Glastonbury Festival for the first time; in November, Wembley Arena in London beckons, a sign that everything continues to move in the right direction for the singer-songwriter.
As he releases his new single “Oh OK,” Ryder tells Billboard U.K. about having faith in himself, his move to Nashville and the next phase of his career.
How would you describe this new era?
I’d call it the ‘frontier soul’ era. Soul music – that goes without saying. I sang that for years when I was at weddings and love it. But when I say frontier, think about the grandeur of old Hollywood and the richness in that aesthetic. The music is very much inspired by the Westerns that me and my grandad used to watch together. There’s a real attention to how the score and sound is recorded; films like Alexander the Great where the credits would roll up on screen first with a massive orchestra score. There’s such a richness in all of that aesthetic for me that I really enjoy.
You made the decision to head on a new journey with your label for this next album. Talk us through that…
A door was presented, to be real. At the time I remember feeling sad about it, even though it’s a choice we made, it felt exciting to a degree but daunting also. Parlophone had been there for the entire first album stint, which was amazing. Every challenge we met and exceeded. Parlophone, at that time, was the small dog in the fight. They’d reopened the label and had something to prove and the reason I chose it was because it felt like me; I hadn’t been given a chance until so much later on in my life to reach my potential.
When that label got dissolved essentially, [my] album had just gone to No. 1 and I was turning up to play a sold-out Hammersmith Apollo in London. It shows no one is ever safe from that happening to their label – it wasn’t a situation of the label wanting to go in a different direction, but all these amazing people were getting fired. I didn’t want to move to another major label where you’re an artist inherited rather than believed in and journeyed with.
The executives you worked with left an impression. You must have had faith in them in their next venture?
It’s not just faith, you’ve actually seen them in action and what they can do. Faith can be misconstrued in any industry. Any time you go and see a different label or management – which I’ve been through in my career – everyone gives you their best on that first meeting. It’s almost impossible to make a decision on anything but a gut instinct and a proof of concept; you’ve seen the lengths they’ll go to to make something happen and seen how collaborative they are and how they manage situations. Those are really important attributes.
It must have given you a lot more freedom in the way you approached the writing and recording process. Is that fair?
Yeah, I mean the way that people write music in the current industrial age of recording, you’re in sessions most days of the week with different people. You just end up collecting songs. That’s what I did for the first album and what a lot of my peers are doing as well. You can collect in the region of 100 songs, which, on paper, sounds great right? You’ve got all these songs, and everyone you work with is a great writer and then you put an album together of the best 12 songs.
The problem with that is that you don’t get a concept for the journey of a record, because everything in isolation sounds great and a single song sounds amazing. But put that together and it feels like you’re eating Big Macs and profiteroles for an hour; it just doesn’t feel nutritious.
Your journey has not been a typical one. Success came for you at a different period of your life than a lot of acts. What would you say to the next wave of people coming through when they’re faced with important business decisions like you had to make?
For any new artist, I know how exciting it would feel to come from making music in your bedroom to getting an email from one of the big three labels. I mean, take the meeting, of course. I have so much to thank major labels for; the experience was really magical. It wasn’t without its challenges, but nothing worth fighting for is going to be easy.
But I would say that there’s a really exciting conversation happening in the indie space. The idea of the major label system is slightly outdated. That’s not to say that the people working in those industries are outdated. They love music as much as you and I do. But they’re working in the confines of a massive beast. It’s like working with any big corporation, things happen slowly as there’s so many moving parts; an indie label can be a bit more nimble. I believe [the major’s] intentions are right, but it’s going to take time for change… and I haven’t got the time, man. I need to move quickly!
Have you always dreamt of heading to Nashville?
For the last 13 years the goal has been to get to Nashville and I’m so stoked we’ve been able to do it. I’ve bought a log cabin in the trees which is so peaceful. The city has absolutely exploded in the best way, but it’s still kept its heart and soul.
What is that music community like, particularly for someone moving into the area?
With Nashville, if the evidence of other people’s success doesn’t psych you out everywhere you look, it can be a really good motivational place to be. It’s the same with actors in Hollywood, I imagine. Maybe they go to the Walk of Fame and see these examples of past and present success which aren’t yours yet. It’s kind of the same with Nashville… but I don’t get psyched out by seeing that. I love it. I think that if it’s possible for them, it’s possible for me. It makes me feel like things are happening there and you’re at the epicentre of something special. And I think serendipity and spontaneity are so crucial in music and all the arts. That’s where the good stuff happens.
Heading to Nashville, writing and recording there and on your own terms with the new label must have brought the best out of your creativity, right?
It was nice to have that more manageable pace with it. In the past you just didn’t have time to sit and consider what you’re doing. Your schedule fills up so fast and there’s just not much time. When I look back, making music felt like the side project to everything else that needed to be done. The schedule was so crazy with everything else like promo and TV, that sitting and making music almost felt like a luxury. You’d make music in a room, and then send it off for someone else to mix it and master it or whatever. You never spend time really feeling what you want from a song. And that’s how albums sound as opposed to singles.
You’ll be playing Wembley Arena later this year. Was that always a goal for you?
It was definitely a goal, but as life went on it felt more like a pipe dream. My career started a lot later than some others in my peer group. In some ways it’s a blessing because I have the thickest skin in the game. The amount of times I was certain it wasn’t going to happen but I had to carry on doing it because I had literally no idea what else I was going to do.
Are you glad it happened at this stage of your life where you can appreciate the journey a bit more?
Oh definitely. If I had hit Wembley at a younger stage in my career, I think it might have come from a place of ego and to show everyone at school, or whoever doubted me, “Look what I can do.” Whereas now it’s more of a peaceful feeling where I’m so grateful and I don’t want to let anyone down. I know I won’t because I’ll put my all into the show.
Bono is tired of the broken bottles under children’s feet and bodies strewn across the dead-end street, so he called for the Israel-Hamas war to stop during U2‘s induction into the Ivor’s Fellowship Academy at the Ivor Novello Awards ceremony in London on Thursday (May 22).
The singer-songwriter’s message came as he introduced the band’s acoustic performance of its 1983 hit “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” about the January 1972 massacre that saw British soldiers fire upon protesters in Derry, Northern Ireland, killing 14 unarmed people.
“I used to introduce this next song by saying it wasn’t a rebel song,” Bono began. “Believing in the possibilities of peace was then and is now a rebellious act — and some would say a ridiculous one. To believe peace was attainable between your country and ours, between our country and itself, was a ridiculous idea because peace creates possibilities in the most intractable situations, and lord knows theres a few of them out there right now.”
“Hamas, release the hostages, stop the war,” the Irish rocker continued. “Israel, be released from Benjamin Netanyahu and the far-right fundamentalists that twist your sacred texts. All of you protect our aid workers, they are the best of us!”
Hamas launched an attack on Israel Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 250 others as captives, with the Associated Press reporting that 58 are still being held. More than 53,000 people — mostly children and women — have been killed across Gaza in Israel’s retaliatory attacks. On Friday, Gaza’s health ministry said that at least another 60 have been killed in Israeli strikes in the past 24 hours.
The band has been outspoken in its stances. In February, U2 shared a message of support for Ukraine, which has been fighting against an invasion by Russia launched thee years earlier. “All who believe in freedom and sense the jeopardy we Europeans now find ourselves in are not sleeping easily on this, the third anniversary of the invasion,” Bono captioned the Instagram post, which included a reading of Taras Shevchenko’s “My Friendly Epistle” accompanied by piano.
In January, President Joe Biden honored Bono with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, highlighting the rocker’s work as a “pioneering activist against AIDS and poverty.”
In an age of elusive algorithms and viral fame, Rob49 has had an uncharacteristically steady rise for a young rapper. After an uneventful stint in the National Guard and two semesters at Southern University, Rob49 picked up the mic for fun during the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost immediately, he garnered co-signs from industry vets like French Montana, and inked a record deal before the year was out. From there, Rob’s uptick in popularity hasn’t ceased — much to the surprise of everyone, even him.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
“I ain’t never wanna be no rapper. I used to really be looking at rappers like they were lying,” Rob told Billboard of his early days. “Like, ‘Ain’t no way you doin’ what I’m doin and made it out this s—t.’ Now, I feel like all rappers gotta be doing what they’re talking about — because ain’t no way your hood let you [fake] that, let you say what you say and get away with it.”
Trending on Billboard
Rob49’s latest album, Let Me Fly, is a testament to that relentless hustle, and to the acceptance that clearly he was built to be a rap star. The lighthearted nature behind his inescapable hit “WTHelly” shows that making hit songs, even if the origin of it is rather silly, comes as easily to Rob as breathing.
“I don’t be looking for a catchy record,” Rob says. “I really just be doing what I want.”
Below, Billboard talks with Rob49 about “WTHelly,” linking with Justin Bieber, and the key to making good music.
Let’s set the record straight: Who was the first person to say “what the helly?”
I don’t know who the first person was, but a lot of people are trying to take credit for it in my city. It’s New Orleans slang right now.
How are you feeling about the reception to “WTHelly” so far? Were you expecting it to be a hit from the jump?
I knew it was gonna be good, but I was kinda scared. A lot of the other releases I had, I was kinda thinkin’, ‘Oh this is gonna be it!’ and it was not what it was supposed to be. I was scared [“WTHelly”] was gonna be one of them ones. I’m grateful for it [catching on].
It must be nice to see it starting to get the traction the song is getting.
Did you see it?
Did I see what?
Did you see “WTHelly” on your socials?
I had to search it, it didn’t just pop up for me.
Ah, see that’s why I asked you that. We ain’t go hard enough then.
What’s your favorite “WTHelly” flip?
What the helly-Bron James. I came up with that one, and my friends came up with the rest.
How are you feeling about the reception to the remix? Justin Bieber’s verse seemed to really divide people, and I can’t help but notice you haven’t dropped it.
I was gonna drop the [remix] with [G Herbo] first and add it to the album, but we wound up doing it too late. So it might come out the next day on the album, then we’re just gonna go from there with it.
Do you plan to drop the Justin Bieber remix as well?
I talked to Justin a couple of days ago and he was telling me he wanted to do some more songs. So I don’t know.
How is he feeling about the reception to his verse? It was pretty divisive when it dropped.
It’s funny — when he first did it, he was like, “What you think? You think I can go harder?” I told him like, “Man I love it, bro — if you feel comfortable about it, if you like it, then I love it.” You know?
Were you surprised by people’s negative reaction to Bieber’s verse?
No, not really. I knew it was a possibility, because — it was the same way when he asked me, “Do you think I can go harder?”
What do you think people misunderstood about it?
Probably the singing part. You just never know what it’s gonna be — and fans don’t understand that all the time, that you don’t know what a hit is. Like, it just kinda happens. Some people might’ve been, like, “Oh my god he sung!” and if it would have been a hit it would have been a crazy banger. That be the difference between songs.
Tell me about the work you did with Birdman on this album. What did you learn from working and talking with him?
Just go hard, cause you get a lot of motivation from him like that and I just be accepting it. We don’t really be talking about too much. Don’t let up, don’t take it for granted, stuff like that.
You mentioned New Orleans — what’s your relationship like with your hometown right now?
I love my city, but when I go back there now it just feels like dry energy. There’s nothing really there, in terms of anything. I saw so much stuff traveling the world, it just doesn’t feel like enough for me — and that’s scary. I ain’t never wanted it to be like that because I like going home.
I noticed Skilla Baby’s not on Let Me Fly — is that collab album still coming?
I’m gonna call him and talk to him about that. Right now, I’m working on a collab album with me and G Herbo. I don’t know what we’re gonna name it — one of my close friends be saying, “Ghetto Poet” or something like that. I think I wanna name it that. I was gonna ask [G Herbo] how he feel about that. “Ghetto Poet” sounds great for an album, right?
Absolutely. I’m curious about how you approach dropping music. For a lot of young guys the blueprint has been too flood the streets with as much music as possible, but you’ve been very intentional with the singles you’ve dropped since 4 God II.
I just didn’t wanna drop no bulls—t. But at this point in my life I don’t care. I know if it’s hard, it’s better than yours. They got a lot of people out here dropping stuff that’s not better than mine.
Do you ever worry about losing momentum?
I definitely feel nervous about it. I was nervous this time, but I wasn’t nervous for myself, I was nervous cause everyone around me was getting nervous. I keep tellin’ em we good, but then they keep getting nervous! But you gotta be a strong-minded person, and not let people around you dictate your movements.
How did you creatively approach Let Me Fly differently than 4 God II?
I just wanted to be myself for real. 4 God II, it did good, but I felt like I was listening to the people a lot about the songs I was picking and stuff. This time, no one has say so but me.
Do you feel pressure with this record to take it to the next level?
I don’t feel no pressure, I just feel like we gotta go hard. Right now, we don’t have to come out with a fake roll out. The songs are going up for real — it’s not a game. Right now, I feel like I gotta show you [who I am], because a lot of people hold they nuts. You not gonna be able to hold your nuts this year.
Life is loaded with contradictions, not the least of which is the “tough guy” veneer. Everyone has weaknesses in their personality, and showing strength is one way that people hide their insecurities.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In reality, it takes an enormous amount of fortitude to admit a vulnerability, and the greatest artists are frequently those who are able to help listeners explore -— and even embrace — their own fragility.
New artist Preston Cooper does that right out of the gate with his debut single, “Weak,” which flips the switch on those soft spots, bringing them into the open with a fierceness that turns them into a source of power. Life experience has made him comfortable with that dichotomy; his girlfriend of six years, Liz, helped him weather a rocky stretch in the earliest parts of their relationship.
“I went through a hard time there a little bit after I met Liz and we started dating,” he remembers. “It was just a mental period where I was very lost, and she helped me through that. And Jesus obviously did, too.”
Trending on Billboard
Both Liz and Jesus show up in “Weak,” though neither was necessarily the inspiration. Instead, it came from a melody he concocted at work. Cooper delivered mail in rural Fredericktown, Ohio, and he used music so much on his route that he was known locally as “The Singing Mailman.” Near the end of 2022, he invented a musical passage built around a long note that would eventually trail off as he imagined bluesy chords underneath. He recorded that melodic idea on his smartphone with the drawn-out word “weak” and another line or two behind it.
“The music drives you to certain words, you know; the emotion of it, the musical part alone,” he says. “It feels like it’s ‘weak,’ [but] it’s this strong relationship. When the intro to that song comes in, I feel that already.”
As fate would have it, Skotynsky Financial Group hired Cooper as an opening act for a corporate event on April 21, 2023, at the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg, Ohio. Mike Severson’s Songwriter City had booked Brett and Brad Warren (“Red Solo Cup,” “Highway Don’t Care”), plus JT Harding (“Sangria,” “Beers and Sunshine”) to headline that night, and when the Warrens heard Cooper, they invited him to visit Nashville and try his hand at writing.
A few weeks later, on May 8, Cooper and Liz drove six hours to Nashville and headed straight to the Orbison Building, where songwriter Lance Miller (“I Called Mama,” “Beer With Jesus”) kept an office. Liz busied herself in another room while Miller and the Warrens worked with Cooper. Asked if he had any ideas, Cooper launched into the unfinished half-chorus of “Weak.”
“When he started belting out that chorus, we were like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is like driving a musical Maserati,’” Brad remembers.
They finished the chorus first, recognizing resilience, but crediting Liz and faith for the ability to overcome the hard times: “Just you and Jesus/Get me where I need to be.” The last line returned to that one word — “weak” —threaded through a conclusive run of descending melodic trills.
The opening verse was more conversational, exploring a handful of strong elements: an El Paso, Texas, wind; an oak tree; and bourbon. It set up the dramatic chorus, and as that stanza ended on the drawn-out, emotional “ee-e-e-e-ak,” Miller started verse two with a one-word line: “Strong.”
“Willie Nelson said simple is complex,” Miller reasons. “That song,” he adds, “came out fairly easily. I don’t remember this being a laboring process.”
Nelson and “Whiskey River” were counted among the verse-two strengths, and before it was all over, they came up with a bridge about tension and comfort — “Crazy like a train, amazing like grace” — that referenced Ozzy Osbourne and Jesus side by side. “We’re not comparing him to Jesus,” Brett notes.
Once they had finished a second song, the Warrens surprised Cooper with a same-day demo session four blocks away at Curb Studios. The A-list musicians were surprised to find they were playing a blues-inspired number and thoroughly impressed once Cooper locked in at the mic.
“The second he opened his mouth in the studio, all the session players stopped and turned around,” Brett recalls. “They were like, ‘Hey, we got a real singer in the room.’ ”
The band developed a slow, spacious groove, the sound thickened by Jeff Roach’s soulful Hammond B-3. Guitarist Justin Ostrander laid down a chill solo live on the first pass, and drummer Evan Hutchings added some shimmer with his cymbal work. “It must have been right,” Brad muses, “because Brett hates cymbals.”
Cooper continued working on his newfound career, his voice deepening and his confidence growing. After a year, Brett had him return to the studio to redo the vocals, and he nailed them on the first take. Outside of hiring Greg Barnhill to overdub background vocals, Brett didn’t change much about the production — the session that was supposed to be a demo became a master recording.
“Brett was smart enough not to put too much makeup on the mannequin,” Miller says. “Basically what we did at Curb that day was the foundation of that song.”
“Weak” recognizes that admitting emotional struggle provides an opportunity for strength to arise. While it’s written around a relationship, listeners can easily apply the concept to other life facets.
“I’m a recovering alcoholic,” Brett says. “I remember the first time I raised my hand in a meeting and said, ‘My name’s Brett and I’m an alcoholic.’ Oh, my Lord, I was so scared to say it, but the moment I admitted that I struggled with alcohol, in that weakest moment in my life — boom! — 60% of this weight just came off me. It’s really fascinating. So on the lyrical side of it, I think that that side of ‘Weak’ is really true.”
“Weak” was the first song Cooper performed in an audition for Big Machine Label Group; by the third tune, president/CEO Scott Borchetta was ready to sign him. “Weak” got a standing ovation at the label’s lunchtime showcase during Country Radio Seminar in February, and it cinched BMLG’s decision to make it his first single. Subsidiary Valory released it to country radio via PlayMPE on April 23 with a May 19 add date.
“Ever since we wrote the song — like the day of — we always thought this was going to be a first single,” Cooper says. “It was so much excitement in making the song and the vibe of it. It just felt right.”
