Music

25 Jul 2023

Bonjour Suzuki & RinRin Doll Share Their Message to the World Through Lolita Fashion: Interview

Bonjour Suzuki is a singer-songwriter who has sung and produced music for anime, video games, movies and more, demonstrating her wide-spread talent. RinRin Doll is a Japanese lolita fashion model and YouTuber active worldwide. Together, they form the unit “Bonjour Suzuki & RinRin Doll.”

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On June 30, the duo released their debut song “Carnival Dolls,” showcasing Bonjour Suzuki’s music production and RinRin Doll’s lyrics and direction, putting the unit into high gear. Both have separately enjoyed tremendous popularity within Japan and overseas in Japanese pop culture, and now they’ve combined their areas of music and fashion, opening a new door to the world. What message do the two have to share?

What led to you two deciding to form this unit?

Bonjour Suzuki: When I  had performed at an Angelic Pretty fashion show (a popular lolita brand), I found myself drawn to this cute model with a curious allure.  When I got a closer look, I realized that it was RinRin, who models for several magazines and brands, so  I was too nervous to talk to her.  But I had another chance to know her through friends and we grew close.  I had known she could dance and perform, but when I heard her sing, her voice was so cute and so charming,  I immediately said, “Hey! Let’s do something together!” It was only natural for us to create the unit.

Could you talk a bit about your roots and what you do?

Suzuki:  I started learning classical piano when I was three. I’ve also studied the koto, shamisen, harp, and viola, among many instruments. My mother had sung jazz, so I grew up listening to soul music, jazz, Bossa Nova, and motown.  I also have relatives in France so I listened to a lot of French music as well while growing up.  I ended up studying French through music, movies, and anime, then went abroad to study language and music in southern France.  There, I had a vocal teacher who inspired me so much with her words that I still, to this day, reflect on her advice.  Following that, I started listening to even more songs from Iceland, France, and the like and discovered new vocal styles that have now reflected in my current style.

You do everything, right — not just the vocals, but also writing the lyrics and the music, performing the music, and mixing?

Suzuki: I sometimes ask other people to handle a part of it, but I usually do it all myself. I’m a big fan of French artist Emilie Simon, so I wanted to do everything myself, too, and I started studying how to do it.

RinRin, when did you get into music?

RinRin: Since I was a little kid I learned to play the piano and the guzheng (a Chinese zither). I also loved listening to all kinds of music  and studied music theory in school as well.

Did you start modeling and posting on YouTube after coming to Japan?

RinRin: Yes. I started modeling for a well-known lolita fashion brand called “Angelic Pretty” in 2009 for their catalogs and fashion shows. I also became a dokusha-model (an influencer for print media) modeling lolita and street fashion in iconic subculture magazines like KERA and Gothic Lolita Bible, among others.  Starting around 2013, the popularity for the style grew overseas and I was often invited as a guest to lolita fashion events and anime conventions all around the world like The Netherlands, France, Germany, Mexico, Canada, the US, Chile, Korea, China, Australia, and so on. I noticed I often get asked a lot of questions all about Lolita fashion and beauty, so I started a YouTube channel to answer commonly asked questions and post content I hope people will enjoy.

What kind of reactions have you two had from overseas audiences?

Suzuki: I sang, composed, arranged, and wrote the lyrics to the opening theme for the anime “Yurikuma Arashi” directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara, who’s famous for creating Sailor Moon R: The Movie, and he has countless fans around the world who listened to the song. People from countries like Germany, Russia, Spain, China, and Indonesia, even covered the song in their own languages!  I’d been making rap and electro songs with friends overseas, but when I started working as a soloist, I wanted to make songs that fused Japan’s unique kawaii culture with a more mysterious aesthetic to create a distinctive feel. I was looking for a female artist who I could create this music with, so it was fate that I met RinRin. I want the two of us to make a lot more songs that could be used to create a cute ambiance for events  like lolita tea parties.

RinRin: I get a lot of comments online asking about how to get into lolita fashion, what it’s like to work in Japan, what’s the current trends in beauty and fashion in Harajuku.  I find a lot of people are interested in Japanese fashion and culture, only not knowing how to get closer to it and participate.  I hope I can inspire more people who want to try kawaii subculture fashion to be able to be comfortable in expressing themselves.  When I do lolita fashion tea parties (where everyone wears lolita fashion and has tea) overseas in person, I have a chance to talk to everyone directly and learn that usually everyone has an open and positive reaction.    I also always request to play Bon-chan’s music at these tea parties.  It really fits the vibe and everyone falls in love with it.

What’s the atmosphere like in these tea parties?

RinRin: Depending on the event, it can be anything like doing a fashion show or talk show, but I also request to go from table to table to chat directly with people about themselves and lolita fashion. No matter what country, the people who come to the tea parties see lolita fashion as a way of expressing themselves. They say that no matter what kind of difficulties they might find themselves up against, when they put on Lolita clothing, it makes them feel strong. Everyone’s happy to have this opportunity to wear cute clothes in an accepting space at lolita fashion tea parties, and there’s a tight-knit community every place I go. It makes me want to create even more opportunities and safe spaces like this and support people who  enjoy cute styles.  Through our unit, I’d like to connect Japan and the rest of the world and show everyone how much confidence Lolita fashion provides.

What was the idea behind your debut song, “Carnival Dolls?”

RinRin: When I first heard part of the track that  Bon-chan had come up with, it immediately reminded me of faerie rings of European folklore. The story goes that if a human sees a ring of fairies dancing they would get enticed into the ring to dance with the faeries and before they know it, two decades would go by. I feel like there’s a connection between this story and current social media, where everyone looks like they’re having fun so the viewer would be drawn into it and lose track of time. However, I also felt there’s an ephemeral quality of staying in the moment and feeling like “while we’re all together, let’s just have fun and dance!”  

For the music video, we knew exactly who we needed to bring on to produce the music video.  Our friend, SAKUnoTORIDORI, who is an art director, set producer, photographer, and brand creator,  is perfect for the image we were going for.  She has a fairy-tale-like vision with all her works and we were so happy to come together as a trio to bring this vision to light.

Suzuki: In writing the music, I was inspired by RinRin’s faerie-like, intriguing aura. When she told me about the faerie rings, I reworked the track to include that faerie ring image.  The song starts with the opening of J.S. Bach’s Fugue in G minor, layering baroque classical instruments. I brought my harp to the studio to play on the track, and violinist Asuka Mochizuki played violin and viola, which we layered on top of the programmed tracks. We used our instruments to depict this image of RinRin dancing, faerie-like, in the forest, and arranged the song like a sonic representation of the faerie ring feeling that the song had given her.

The lyrics are in several different languages, right?

RinRin: Yes, since we wrote the lyrics together, we used our experiences and languages we know.  We hope people in parts of the world have that “Oh hey!” moment when words they understand suddenly pop out.

Suzuki: French has a mysterious sound to it that creates a wonderful atmosphere, so we sprinkled it throughout. Even a single word is enough to create a vivid image. Just like how I learned French from listening to songs, I looked up words from RinRin’s English lyrics to use in my own daily life, and I think it would be wonderful if people in English-speaking countries were able to learn some new Japanese words from the song.

What kind of activities are you planning for the unit?

RinRin: I plan to continue doing lolita fashion tea parties, fashion shows, concerts, and other events within Japan and overseas,  with the hope that our music can create safe spaces where we can enjoy community together. I also hope to work hard to serve as a bridge between Japan and overseas; and that more people can come to know about lolita fashion and kawaii culture.

Suzuki: I want to go with RinRin and perform shows at overseas events. I’m also going to do my best so that one day our music will be used in anime or games.

—This interview by Takayuki Okamoto firs appeared on Billboard Japan

25 Jul 2023

Kenshi Yonezu Talks New ‘Final Fantasy XVI’ Theme Song ‘Tsuki Wo Miteita – Moongazing’: Interview

Kenshi Yonezu’s new single “Tsuki Wo Miteita – Moongazing” is featured as the theme of Final Fantasy XVI, the latest installment in the hugely popular video game series. The J-pop hitmaker says the franchise has held a special place in his heart since childhood and that it has greatly influenced him as an artist.

In writing the song for the new game, Yonezu and game producer Naoki Yoshida held in-depth discussions to create a song that would deeply resonate with the story when heard in the context of the gameplay.

Music writer Tomonori Shiba caught up with the multi-hyphenate, who shared the process of the song’s production, his love for the Final Fantasy game franchise, how he feels about the expansion of his reach outside of his home country and more in this interview for Billboard Japan.

What was your first thought when you were tapped to write the theme for Final Fantasy XVI?

Kenshi Yonezu: I never thought I’d be able to work on the theme song for a game series that I’ve been playing since I was a kid. I feel like I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but it was simply an honor. It really felt like a unique opportunity.

What did the producers of the game discuss with you off the bat?

First, Mr. Yoshida spoke super passionately about the outline of the story and his thoughts that went into it. After that, I received a text-based script for the entire game and brief character descriptions. I was asked to create the music to be played during a particular scene in the game, so I think they were willing to let me do what I wanted with that to a certain extent, to create music based on what I felt.

Did you communicate with Mr. Yoshida while you were producing the song?

Yes, we did. Quite often. He’d come by regularly and show me visuals of how far the game development has been proceeding or how the battle system looks like at the moment. I could see how passionate he was about what he does. He spoke with great enthusiasm about what he was working on and what the game was like, while also taking pride in what he was doing. Of course it’s only natural, but I could sense that they took this project very seriously, and felt that I couldn’t take it on half-heartedly.

You’ve always mentioned Final Fantasy as one of your favorite games. How did you first come across it?

My family got a PlayStation when I was in first grade, and while I don’t remember what game I got first, I noticed one day that we had a copy of Final Fantasy VII. I don’t know if someone had bought it or if it’d been given to us, but there it was so I decided to give it a try. That’s how I started playing it.

What was that experience like for you?

Now that I think back on it, it feels like this work had a lot to do with my current tastes and preferences. The story is serious and the cityscape has a steampunk feel to it, and I still get excited when I see things like that. Looking back, I think it had a great influence on the development of my personality.

How would you say that those influences from the series appear in your own works as a musician and artist?

I’ve loved fantasy since I was a kid. I’ve been into it since I was in kindergarten or elementary school. Fantasy is a simple word to describe the concept, which is about things that could never really exist in our everyday lives, being there like they were commonplace. I spent my childhood yearning for such imaginary spaces. Looking back now, I think it’s been one of the main pillars shaping my life.

From there I got into drawing and making music, and even now that I do those things professionally, a lot of the music I make and pictures I draw still come from that fantastical, imaginary point of view. I always really liked playing alone, so I spent my childhood reading books and playing games at home, having fun letting my imagination run free and conjuring up fantastical things in my mind, rather than getting pleasure from communicating with others. That continues to this day and I think I learned a lot from it.

It’s called fantasy, but there’s quite a bit that mirrors reality. Reality is always reflected in fantasy and the two are inseparable, like the two sides of a coin. So I think there’s certainly a kind of true nature of reality that can only be acquired through fantasy, through a fantastical story. Fantasy is filled with a shape of reality that can only be expressed in that way.

What was the starting point of the idea for the song?

I thought a lot about what a theme song for a game is all about. After all, compared to movies, anime and TV drama series, a video game takes much longer to get through, as in dozens of hours. Plus, you become the player through the controller, immersing yourself in the game and experiencing the world for yourself. So I think your attachment to that world is much deeper than other media. When I was asked to write the music for this project, I felt it shouldn’t be something that evokes a kind of squalid everyday life.

So while you’re the one writing the song, the original concept was to write something that wouldn’t drag players back to reality when they heard it in the game.

Right. I’ve been asked to write many theme songs in the past and have worked with various stories, but I think I placed more emphasis on the game itself than ever before for this one. Since I make pop music, I have to create music that’s appropriate for each story while also reaching people who aren’t involved in that story, who are unfamiliar with it. Whenever I work on a theme song, I always try to find the right balance between the two, but this time the balance is quite off and the music leans heavily toward the game.

How did that change the way you wrote the song?

It became more of a selfless dedication. I had all kinds of distracting thoughts going through my mind when I was writing it. Stuff like, “Maybe I should do certain things to make it easier for people who haven’t played the game to understand” or “Maybe if I added certain sounds, it would make it better as a pop song.” Such distracting thoughts would swirl around and I tried to be aware of doing away with them this time. So it was selfless in that sense. I simply made music for the sake of the story. I really went in that direction more than ever before for this song.

So the concept of this song was different from your previous experiences writing themes for anime and drama series.

The theme song for a drama series on TV is played in every episode, and the scenes and situations where the song is heard will be different. That means the song has to be abstract in some ways. The task is to find where the root of all 10 episodes of the series lies. For example, I’d try to come up with three important elements of the story and work though various incidental details to get to what remains at the end. Then I embellish that in my own way. For a song like this one that would be played at a particular scene in a video game, I didn’t think such an approach would be appropriate.

The way the song is written, when you hear it after playing the game, you realize what it’s about and leads to a better understanding.

I mean, it’s not too much to say that I wrote it just for that purpose. When you finish playing the game and hear the song, the pieces all fit together for the first time. That’s the way it had to be done. Considering the numerous video games I’ve played in my life, I felt that if I did it any other way, I wouldn’t be sincere to who I am. I guess on a certain level it’s not sincere as a piece of pop music, but in this case, I had a feeling it was the right thing to do.

Could you share what resonated with you after you finished playing Final Fantasy XVI?

FF16 is a very serious game, and as you identify yourself with the harsh reality of the protagonist through the controller, your desire for them to be happy grows and grows. The protagonist is born under oppressive conditions and is forced to fight grinding battles all the way from there. When you think about how unfortunate that is, you begin to feel strongly about wanting them to find redemption. I thought about such things when I wrote the music. But I also had to include the scars he left behind in the song. I felt it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t, so I tried to write a song that would give a feeling of redemption while also encompassing a kind of grudge that will never completely go away.

I’d like to ask you about the international expansion of your reach. Last year you released “Kick Back,” the opener for the anime Chainsaw Man, and the track gained popularity in many countries and regions outside of Japan, among people who speak many different languages. How do you feel about that?

I’m grateful. As someone who makes popular music, I want many people to listen to what I put out. In that sense, I’m grateful to Chainsaw Man for giving me the opportunity to write that song.

And “Tsuki Wo Miteita – Moongazing” is featured in Final Fantasy, a series with ardent fans of all ages not only in Japan but also in many other countries and regions, also among people who speak various languages. What are your thoughts on that?

The song is in Japanese and I’m not sure how people will feel about this Japanese song. I feel nervous about how people interpret it, and right now I’m just hoping that the game hasn’t been ruined because of the song’s inclusion in it.

I think emotions expressed in music transcend borders and languages, and kind of imagine you want that to be the case, too.

Yes. The song is basically in Japanese, so what’s being sung won’t come across (to speakers of other languages). But I’ve experienced moments where I’m moved by something even though I’m far removed from its meaning linguistically. I’ve certainly had experiences where I’m strongly drawn to a voice or the music from foreign countries, in foreign languages I’m not familiar with. I hope this song will be taken in that way.

One last question. Aside from Final Fantasy XVI, are there any other video games that you’re into or curious about?

I’ve been playing Minesweeper all the time lately. I’ve talked about it a lot at my concerts, and I’ve been feeling firsthand how addictive it is because of its simplicity.

—This interview by Tomonori Shiba first appeared in Billboard Japan

25 Jul 2023

How Did Jung Kook Beat Out Jason Aldean on the Hot 100 — And Which Song Might Stick Around?

It was an eventful week on the Billboard Hot 100 (dated July 29), as the continued reign of Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” (14 weeks so far) was interrupted by two chart debuts: BTS alum Jung Kook‘s “Seven,” featuring rap hitmaker Latto, and veteran country star Jason Aldean‘s “Try That in a Small Town.”

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The high debut of “Seven” was more foreseeable, given the longtime success of BTS and its members on the Hot 100 and the song’s strong start in both streaming and sales upon its Friday (July 14) release. But the conservative anthem “Try That in a Small Town” came from close to out of nowhere, zooming up the sales and streams charts after its controversial music video (featuring images from the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020) led to it being banned on CMT last week.

How did the two songs make such rapid impacts? And which of the two is more likely to stick around the top of the charts from here? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.

1. Jung Kook has scored a handful of Hot 100 entries before, most notably as a guest on Charlie Puth’s No. 22 hit “Left and Right,” but never really threatened the top spot before. What’s the biggest reason to you that “Seven” has launched him into a new chart stratosphere as a solo artist?

Katie Atkinson: Just like they did with Jimin’s “Like Crazy” back in April, the BTS ARMY clearly rallied around Jung Kook’s debut solo single. The streaming and sales numbers are absolutely massive, and that’s thanks to this tireless fan group. And thankfully, Jung Kook came through for them with an upbeat sing-along of a song that recalls my very favorite Craig David hit “7 Days” for a new generation of pop fans.

Eric Renner Brown: I’m not familiar with the personal fanbases for each BTS member, so my answer is more macro: As a group, BTS was so prolific for so long, and then in 2022 and even early in 2023, we were seeing a healthy flow of solo releases from its members; that flow now seems to have slowed to a drip, and I think fans are simply hungry for more BTS. And while some BTS releases – both group and solo – have featured Western artists, many haven’t, which makes me think Latto’s inclusion might’ve extended this track’s release to another base of listeners.

Jason Lipshutz: Casual chart watchers would probably chalk up the Hot 100-topping success of Jung Kook’s “Seven,” and Jimin’s “Like Crazy” before it, as the results of the BTS Army rallying behind any of the group members’ solo efforts. That’s partially true, but also, both “Like Crazy” and “Seven” are catchy, compelling pop singles that make sense sonically and stylistically atop the chart. The rhythmic, sexually suggestive “Seven” showcases more personality and a stronger hook than “Left and Right,” while Latto slots in nicely as a guest rapper with pop prowess; the single certainly received a boost from the fandom around Jung Kook, but the building blocks of “Seven” compose a successful whole.

Joe Lynch: The devotion and persistence of ARMY is certainly a factor here (regarding “Left and Right,” it’s only natural that Stans are gonna push harder for a song where their fave is the main credited artist and not the featured one). This sales total — 153,000 combined digital and CD singles — is a big part of this No. 1 debut, certainly. But compare it to the No. 1 debut for BTS bandmate Jimin’s “Like Crazy”: that one had a bigger sales total (254,000) but a smaller streaming total – 10 million as compared to the whopping 21.9 million streams for “Seven.” Part of that is the Latto boost, but to my ears, a lot of it has to do with the kind of song “Seven” is — it’s akin to the radio gold Justin Bieber and Ed Sheeran have struck with similar mixtures of sweet acoustic guitars and swinging hip-hop beats. 

Andrew Unterberger: It helps that “Seven” is a really good song — and given its explicit chorus, a particularly ear-catching one. That may sound like a superficial explanation, but given how much better the song has streamed than most BTS-related songs (especially globally), it’s pretty clear it’s not just ARMY soldiers flocking to this one. You have to catch a decent amount of non-superfan interest to put up those kinds of numbers, and you do that by releasing undeniable pop singles.



2. It’s also the first No. 1 for Latto, who came two spots away in early 2022 with her “Big Energy” and also scored a big hit this year along side Cardi B with “Put It on Da Floor Again.” Do you think this achievement is particularly notable for her career?

Katie Atkinson: It’s funny: When BTS first started making English-language songs, they often enlisted more established artists (Nicki Minaj, Halsey, Charli XCX) for features to boost their profile in America. But now, it’s often the opposite, with BTS and all its members boosting another artist’s profile via features. Latto is reaping the benefits of the ARMY putting their weight behind Jung Kook’s new song, and it can only help her in the long run to have the good will of this fierce fanbase behind her moving forward.

Eric Renner Brown: I don’t think the achievement is too notable, other than her ability to now say she’s topped the Hot 100 (which isn’t nothing!). No shade to Latto, but this chart success feels mostly predicated on its BTS affiliation; it’s easy to imagine this track going No. 1 with another American rapper on it.

Jason Lipshutz: The timing is certainly notable: Latto’s first Hot 100 No. 1 comes as the featured artist on a pop single, one month after she re-established herself as a ferocious rapper on “Put It on Da Floor Again.” Cardi B’s appearance on the remix helped the song reach the top 10, but Latto also sounded reinvigorated on the track after a few singles that had failed to take off. The success of “Put It on Da Floor Again,” followed by the even bigger win that “Seven” represents, secures Latto’s standing as a mainstream star, transcending the pop-rap success of “Big Energy” in 2022 by splitting those two sounds in half this summer.

Joe Lynch: It’s huge for Latto. Her follow-up singles to the undying radio smash “Big Energy” whiffed on the Hot 100, so even when she returned to the top 20 this year alongside Cardi, it’s fair to say she needed to keep the momentum going. And a No. 1 debut for a song she prominently features on is definitely a huge win that bodes well for the rest of her year.  

Andrew Unterberger: It’s another nice win during a particularly successful few months for Latto. I doubt it will change her career arc dramatically, but it may win her some new fans — and a pretty nice one-week financial windfall, given all the consumption.

3. Underneath “Seven,” Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” debuts at No. 2, largely thanks to a late-chart-week push after its video (and its subsequent CMT banning) resulted in an explosion of controversy. We’ve seen plenty of songs with implicit or explicit conservative leanings debut on the Hot 100 over the past couple weeks — by artists like Aaron Lewis, Tom MacDonald and Bryson Gray — but none quite with this velocity. What do you think the biggest reason is that “Try That” is speeding to new heights so quickly?

Katie Atkinson: The way the uproar unraveled, whether you agree or disagree with Jason Aldean’s political leanings, you wanted to watch the video to see what all the fuss was about. On top of that, it’s clear from the sales numbers that people who wanted to show their support for his musical message purchased the song in droves. We’ve seen the way Morgan Wallen’s sales and streams erupted following his own controversy when he was caught on camera saying the N-word in 2021, but this scenario is different, because the controversy was around a specific song and centered on a country star with an already-established fanbase after nearly two decades of Nashville stardom. It was a perfect storm for a political powder keg to explode.

Eric Renner Brown: “Who are Aaron Lewis, Tom MacDonald, and Bryson Gray?” That’s the biggest reason I think this track has blown up so quickly. Conservatives are eager to boost right-wing tracks, but those other three artists are relative no-names — Staind’s frontman and a pair of artists who had virtually no profile until they made MAGA-bait songs. Aldean, on the other hand, is an established, Grammy-nominated star who headlines arenas and is heavily decorated by the country-specific awards shows. It’s not surprising to me that his conservative dog-whistle track has outpaced similar songs by less-known performers; likewise, if an even bigger star than Aldean released this type of song, I bet they’d shoot up the chart quicker and stay there longer.

Jason Lipshutz: The commercial explosion of “Try That in a Small Town” rests in the coded messaging of the song and video: As Aldean pointed out, there are no explicit calls to violence or racist lyrics, but by implying that vigilante justice is justified as a pro-gun rights tactic in the song and depicting protesting as violent crime in the video, Aldean has created a conservative anthem with a degree of plausible deniability. Other hard-right songs in recent years haven’t climbed as high on the Hot 100, because they’ve been so straightforward with their agendas that they haven’t been able to court a wide amount of controversy. With “Try That in a Small Town,” however, left-leaning country fans became outraged by the obvious dog whistles, right-leaning country fans became outraged by their outrage, CMT banned the video, conservatives supported the song on iTunes in response, and Aldean rode the discourse all the way to the No. 2 spot on the Hot 100.

Joe Lynch: Those other artists aren’t exactly household names, so Aldean’s profile is the big difference here. He has 10 No. 1 hits on the Hot Country Songs chart. Plenty of people have a warm association with him already, so they’re likely to get more emotional and worked up when they hear he’s being criticized, and therefore more likely to engage with the song by streaming it, sharing it with others, buying it, etc. I could see this happening with another country artist of Aldean’s caliber in the next year — as long as conservative media picks up on it as a culture war cause célèbre.  

Andrew Unterberger: It’s a combination of Aldean’s existing stardom and sorta built-in credibility with country audiences, and the fact that pundits on one of the country’s most watched (and most influential) TV channels are actively calling on viewers to stream the thing on repeat to send a political message. It’s also just good timing, with the news story gradually building to a fever pitch over the course of the Friday to Thursday chart week.



4. Both “Seven” and “Try That” achieve their top two positions largely on the back of sales, which usually (but not always) drop significantly from week to week. Do you think either of these songs will still be in the hunt for No. 1 next week?

Katie Atkinson: I think they both could be in contention for No. 1 next week, but I’d say Aldean has the better shot as this controversy continues to smolder. A quick search of social media shows that Aldean’s supporters are not letting this high-profile musical moment die down anytime soon, so it could have a real shot to climb to the top next week – especially if some like-minded radio programmers give it extra play.

Eric Renner Brown: I doubt either will remain in the hunt next week. Conservative outrage cycles pass quickly, and with both artists, there’s probably a ceiling of how many people will buy the songs to support them – a ceiling that both Jung Kook and Aldean are likely approaching already. And for the week after, if we’re getting a new Travis Scott album this Friday after all…

Jason Lipshutz: I could actually see both challenging for No. 1 either next week or in the coming weeks. “Seven” sounds like a slam-dunk radio hit, and as sales dip following its first-week explosion, I’d guess that top 40 programmers help Jung Kook and Latto make up some of the difference in Hot 100 points. Meanwhile, something tells me that we’re just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the “Try That in a Small Town” controversy — Jason Aldean will continue drawing attention to the song, conservatives will continue downloading it, country radio will continue wading into the interest around it, and next week we might be seeing it atop the chart.

Joe Lynch: Definitely Aldean. The furor isn’t tapering here, as folks on various sides are chiming in with their hot takes, and it will likely last long enough to keep “Try That” in contention for reaching No. 1. Which would never have been imaginable if CMT hadn’t pulled the video in the first place (after all, this song came out months ago).  

Andrew Unterberger: Aldean certainly has the inside track, especially because while consumption of “Seven” was strongest on its Friday release date (as is the case with most new songs) at the beginning of the tracking week, the furor of the “Try That” backlash-to-the-backlash was only beginning to crest at the end of last tracking week, and was still very high at the beginning of this one. Plus, having already gotten their No. 1, “Seven” fans are likely less ravenous about keeping it there than “Try That” boosters are about pushing their anthem over the top. (I do hope “Seven” gets back in the mix soon, though, just as a result of the radio play it deserves to build.)

5. They’re hardly the only ones, but K-pop fans and conservative-leaning music listeners are two groups of consumers who have, over the past few years, shown a steadfast willingness to continue buying digital songs as a way to express support for songs and artists, even as song sales on the whole have continued to slide annually. Is there another group of music fans who you could see adopting (or who have already adopted) this strategy to support their favs?

Katie Atkinson: Not that she needs the extra help, but an artist like Taylor Swift has figured out how to deliver release-week digital extras that give her insatiable fans more ways to support her – I’m thinking especially of lead Evermore single “Willow” in late 2020 and its successive “Dancing Witch,” “Lonely Witch” and “Moonlit Witch” remixes that helped propel the ballad to No. 1 on the Hot 100. In that case, the artist is pulling out all the stops, but the fans are all too eager to collect ’em all.

Eric Renner Brown: I truly have no idea. Whenever I hear about these things, my first reaction is, “Wait, people still buy digital songs?” And my second reaction is, “Wait, people buy digital songs to prove a point, and not because that’s the only way to hear the music?” I’m a huge Deadhead, and I buy their CD-only archival releases, but that’s because there’s no other way to hear them. I can’t imagine buying the CDs as a form of virtue-signaling or to help ensure their chart success – but I also can’t imagine buying a case of Bud Light just so I can destroy it to protest something Anheuser-Busch did, or buying multiple versions of the same vinyl release for collectible reasons.

Jason Lipshutz: I’d expect this to become standard procedure for superstar acts around their biggest releases — which has already happened to some degree, but has not come to define every major pop rollout quite yet. Plenty of dedicated fan bases want to support their favorite A-lister, and digital downloads have become something of a fast track for that support. In the coming months and years, it wouldn’t be a shock to see digital sales ploys become further engrained into all types of big pop arrivals.

Joe Lynch: The LGBTQ community is already pretty good at doing this to support their faves, but to my mind, it’s hard to imagine this trend still being a thing in a decade as everything digital moves into the cloud. As for physical copies, even as tactile music makes an industry comeback, I can’t imagine CD singles (famous last words, perhaps) enjoying the same comeback staying power that full-length albums on CD and vinyl have.   

Andrew Unterberger: I’m a little surprised that influencers on TikTok and IG looking to get into music haven’t yet totally utilized the digital sales route via their rabid fanbases — though their audiences may be too young to properly motivate to actually spend money on digital music, many likely for the first time in their lives.

25 Jul 2023

Snoop Dogg Cancels Hollywood Bowl Shows In Solidarity With WGA & SAG-AFTRA Strikes

Doggystyle, Snoop Dogg’s landmark debut album, celebrates its 30th anniversary in just four months, but the Grammy-nominated West Coast rap legend will no longer be marking the occasion with his two previously announced Hollywood Bowl shows.

On Tuesday (July 25), the rapper and actor took to Instagram to share a statement regarding the status of the Doggystyle anniversary shows. “We regret to inform you that due to the ongoing strike and the uncertainty of when this will be over, we need to cancel the Hollywood Bowl show,” he wrote.

“We continue to stand in solidarity with all of our brothers and sisters in the WGA and SAG-AFTRA during this difficult time and remain hopeful that the AMPTP will come back to the negotiating table with a REAL proposal and we can all get back to work.” On June 2, Snoop announced that the Hollywood Bowl shows would be postponed from June 27-28 to October 20-21.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) officially went on strike at 11:59 p.m. on May 1 after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) failed, resulting in the largest walkout of its kind in 15 years; the writers immediately took to the picket lines on May 2. Earlier this month, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) also called a strike after contract negotiations with the AMPTP broke down, marking the first “double strike” in over 60 years.

Members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are demanding a larger share of streaming residuals, increased job security for writers, larger writers’ rooms and a limit on the use of AI in screenwriting and background acting among other points.

With acting roles dating back to 1998’s Half Baked, Snoop Dogg has been prolific not only in the music world, but also across film and television. In 2019, he starred in the award-winning comedy biopic Dolemite Is My Name.

Check out Snoop Dogg’s full statement here:

25 Jul 2023

Beyonce’s Renaissance Photographer Gives a Behind the Scenes Look at the Tour’s ‘Magic’ 

Beyond hearing some of Beyoncé’s biggest hits live, the superstar’s massive Renaissance tour has left fans awestruck due to its ethereal, captivating visuals and outfits.

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In a new feature for British Vogue published on Tuesday (July 25), photographer Rafael Pavarotti went behind-the-scenes of Bey’s London performances at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The stunning snaps paint a picture of the attention to detail that goes into every aspect of the tour. “The live energy is incomparable,” Pavarotti told the publication. “It literally was something unique that I’ve never seen or felt before.”

With the help of Beyoncé’s official photographer Mason Poole, who “already understood all the spots, her movements and timings,” Pavarotti was able to capture all of the show’s most breathtaking moments. “It was really beautiful to see all the magic happening so close,” he said. “This was the first time I had this kind of experience in my life, it was mezmerising and a lot of fun.”

As for the outfits, Pavarotti noted that it “was always a surprise for me when she came out of the dressing room, looking extremely marvelous.”

It’s been a wildly successful tour so far, as Bey posted career-high numbers when she wrapped the European leg of the tour in Warsaw in late June. According to figures reported to Billboard Boxscore, Beyoncé grossed $154.4 million and sold 1 million tickets across 21 shows, marking the biggest gross and attendance of any of Beyoncé’s previous European legs.

See the full series of photos here and here.

25 Jul 2023

SZA Replaces Herself at No. 1 on Hot R&B Songs Chart As ‘Snooze’ Succeeds ‘Kill Bill’

SZA reaffirms that she’s in a league of her own in the R&B world as the hitmaking singer-songwriter replaces herself at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B Songs chart as “Snooze” ousts her own “Kill Bill” on the list dated July 29.

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With “Snooze,” SZA captures her fourth Hot R&B Songs No. 1. She first led with “The Weekend,” a one-week champ in 2018, and followed with another single-week leader, “I Hate U” in 2021, and “Kill Bill,” which dominated for 30 weeks in 2022-23. Thanks to that juggernaut’s reign, SZA has ruled the Hot R&B Songs chart all but one week in 2023 thus far, when The Weeknd and Ariana Grande’s “Die for You” remix release pushed the track to the summit for the list dated March 11.

“Snooze” ascends to No. 1 as radio airplay continues to grow for the song. In the latest tracking week, July 14 – 20, “Snooze” registered 58.8 million in total audience impressions across all formats, up 4% from the prior week, according to Luminate. Thanks to the boost, the single climbs 7-6 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. (All radio airplay, regardless of format origin, contributes to a song’s rank on the Hot R&B Songs chart.) The track is still tops on its home format, as it logs a fifth week at No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart and, at 19.4 million impressions, remains essentially even with the prior week’s total.

In addition to the radio strength, “Snooze” registered 10.4 million official U.S. streams, a 2% rise from the previous week, and enough to retain its No. 2 rank on R&B Streaming Songs. For song sales, the track sold another 1,000 downloads, a 3% slide from the prior frame; it holds at No. 5 on R&B Digital Song Sales, after having previously reached a No. 4 best.

In addition to SZA, “Snooze” also brings another R&B luminary to the summit – Babyface. The legend is one of five co-writer and four co-producers on the new chart-topper: He, Khristopher van Riddick-Tynes, Leon Thomas III and Blair Ferguson all contributed in both roles, while SZA also shares writing credit. With the new champ, Babyface earns his first writing and producer No. 1s on the Hot R&B Songs chart, which began in 2012. Prior to the chart’s launch, Babyface had a hand in dozens of R&B classics, including hits such as Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” and Whitney Houston’s “Exhale (Shoop Shoop).”

Elsewhere, “Snooze” advances 4-3 to a new peak on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and repeats at No. 12 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, having previously made it to No. 11.

25 Jul 2023

NCT DREAM Earns First Hot Trending Songs No. 1

Multiple songs from NCT DREAM’s new album ISTJ appear on Billboard’s July 29-dated Hot Trending Songs chart, led by “Blue Wave” at No. 1.

Billboard’s Hot Trending charts, powered by Twitter, track global music-related trends and conversations in real-time across Twitter, viewable over either the last 24 hours or past seven days. A weekly, 20-position version of the chart, covering activity from Friday through Thursday of each week, posts alongside Billboard’s other weekly charts on Billboard.com each Tuesday, with the latest tracking period running July 14-20.

“Blue Wave” was released July 17 as part of ISTJ’s premiere; one song from the album, “Broken Melodies,” was released beforehand.

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It’s NCT DREAM’s first Hot Trending Songs No. 1, surpassing the No. 2 peak of “Glitch Mode” last year.

In all, nine songs from ISTJ appear on the latest Hot Trending Songs list. “Like We Just Met,” “Pretzel” and “Yogurt Shake” join “Blue Wave” in the top 10 at Nos. 5, 7 and 9, respectively.

Tinashe’s newly released “Talk to Me Nice” bows at No. 2. Released July 21, the song’s premiere was announced on July 17 as the singer’s first taste of new material as a lead artist since the deluxe edition of 333 last year. It precedes the album BB/ANG3L, which does not yet have a release date.

Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town” debuts at No. 3 following the July 14 release of its music video and its ensuing controversy, concurrently starting at No. 2 on the multimetric Billboard Hot 100, as previously reported. And NewJeans’ “Cool With You” premieres at No. 4 after being teased ahead of the release of the group’s EP Get Up, out July 21.

Keep visiting Billboard.com for the constantly evolving Hot Trending Songs rankings, and check in each Tuesday for the latest weekly chart.

25 Jul 2023

Travis Scott Announces ‘Circus Maximus’ Film & Teases ‘Utopia’ Album With Multiple Covers

The arrival of Travis Scott‘s newest album and a film are imminent. The “Sicko Mode” rapper took to Instagram on Tuesday (July 25) to share five album covers for Utopia, his fourth studio album, and his movie announcement.

“THIS IS ONE OF THE COVERS FOR MY 4TH ALBUM UTOPIA. SHOT BY PIETER HUGO,” the rapper wrote in all caps. “THE JOURNEY THRU THE ALBUM TOOK ME ALL OVER THE WORLD AND CANT WAIT TO FINALLY DROP THE ALBUM. THE MAIN COVER WILL DROP THURS UNTIL THEN A COVER EVERYDAY LOVE U SEE U IN UTOPIA.”

The album covers in question all feature Black men wearing white contact lenses, disheveled black-and-red striped shirts and pants while clutching money. Some fans in the comments section of the post speculated that the men on each of the covers correlates to Kendrick Lamar, Tyler, the Creator, Juice WRLD, Baby Keem and Lil Baby in looks, indicating that they will all be featured in songs from the project.

In addition to the album covers, Scott also announced via Instagram Tuesday that the project will be accompanied by a film titled Circus Maximus. Produced by A24, the movie will “take his audience on a mind-bending visual odyssey across the globe, woven together by the speaker rattling sounds of his highly anticipated upcoming album Utopia,” according to AMC. The film will be available at select AMC theaters on July 27, July 30 and Aug. 1-2.

Utopia will be unveiled at a special livestreamed concert at the Pyramids of Giza on July 28. The album marks Scott’s follow-up to Astroworld, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

See Scott’s album covers, as well as the trailer for Circus Maximus, below.

25 Jul 2023

5 Reasons Why Café Tacvba Is an Enduring Force in Latin Music

Very few bands can play exciting international shows without a new album, but the beloved Café Tacvba can. Fresh off two back-to-back shows at the Hollywood Bowl, the mercurial Mexican group landed in New York on Monday (July 24) at Central Park’s Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage and captivated crowds with a dazzling two-hour show.

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Donning black jeans and matching long-sleeved shirt, frontman Rubén Albarrán commanded the stage from the start when he began to belt out “Seguir Siendo,” a rock masterpiece from their 2007 album SINO. The song, which runs through disparate vibes and emotions, with pensive chants and chilling howls, has the ability to hypnotize listeners instantly, in an almost shamanic way.

The summer night show began as clear as day at 8:00 p.m., a civil twilight, with blue skies and lush foliage. “Friends, look at this great afternoon, with the moon, the sky, and the trees in this wonderful place — thank you so much for bringing us here to Mexa York,” the frontman said with a chuckle. 

Spanning through their three-decade discography, the band’s musical prowess was on full display throughout the evening. Their ability to seamlessly transition between different genres, from the raw power of rock to the soulful melodies of folk, was nothing short of impressive. Each band member brought their unique talents to the forefront, creating a harmonious blend of instruments that elevated the songs to new heights.

Here are five reasons why Café Tacvba is an enduring force in Latin music.

Their uncanny ability to evoke a range of emotions 

Right from the jump, Café Tacvba has shown its ability to take us on a ride of emotions, from euphoric highs to devastating lows, with songs that span a wide range of stylistic configurations, such as rock balladry, folk, and electronica. In a way, the members — also comprised of Emmanuel del Real (keyboards), Joselo Rangel (guitar), and Enrique Rangel (bass) — convey a supreme musicality in the vein of musical greats (a Beatle-like quality, we dare to say), balancing moods with harmonic delivery that sounds equally as impressive in an outdoor setting as it does indoors with perfect acoustics. 

Café Tacvba

Will Oliver/City Parks Foundation

Albarrán’s multifaceted voice

The band has written some timeless ballads like “María,” “Esa Noche,” “Quiero Ver” and “Diente de León”, which we had the pleasure of hearing on Monday. And Albarrán’s unparalleled, crystalline voice is capable of piercing your heart and soul. Equally, that same voice can turn harsh and raw, unleashing ominous growls — as evinced in songs like “Bar Tacuba,” “Futuro,” and “Déjate Caer” — that make you wonder if it’s all coming from the same person. Listening to the band’s two-hour set with such an eclectic set, and that voice, is truly an unforgettable experience.

Their charming, occasional silly choreography

The band has pulled out some of the funnest choreography of the Spanish-language rock game. Who else doesn’t shy away from busting some charmingly silly moves like we see on “Déjate Caer”? Then they do the duck walk somewhere in between their set, with the Rangel brothers pulling their heavy instruments near the ground with them, while still playing them. Albarrán does some kind of air split, dances and flirts with the crowd. Every band member is always active and vibrant, giving us visual entertainment with just their moves — which never feel forced, but just a sign of having fun on stage while engaging with the audience. 

Their audience engagement

Mexican flags lofted high throughout the scene. Yet there were Colombians, Puerto Ricans, Brazilians, Ecuadorians, Argentinians and more in the house, people of all ages. Most in my immediate surroundings seemed to know most of Café Tacvba’s lyrics, singing along with them. They watched in awe during moments of serene vibes with their captivating ballads and rocked the heck out with them in the raucous numbers. The thousands in attendance were there to be engrossed by the show and it showed. 

Their uniqueness and continued relevance

Although Cafeta has been around since the late 80’s, their songs still sound as vibrant as ever: That is their gift. Few bands have been able to evolve and transform, while staying true to themselves, with each album they release. From embracing their folk roots (Café Tacvba, Re) to becoming strange and experimental (SINO, El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco), their sound is unique and singular in concept and execution.

25 Jul 2023

10 Things to Know About Herb Alpert, Whose 1966 Chart Record Was Just Tied by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift’s current chart domination has put another chart titan, Herb Alpert, back in the news. Last week, Swift became the first living artist to put four albums in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 since Alpert & the Tijuana Brass achieved the feat in April 1966. Swift repeats the feat this week.

Alpert congratulated Swift on matching his achievement with a sweet message on TikTok. “Hi Taylor, this is Herb Alpert,” he says in the clip. “I’ve been getting calls from all over the world from publications wanting to know how do I feel about you breaking my record of — I don’t know — 150 years ago. I feel great! I think you’re a wonderful artist, sincere, you’re gracious and you deserve it. You deserve it all. Congratulations.”

On Billboard’s most recent list of the Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Artists, Alpert is No. 7 – just ahead of Swift at No. 8. (Swift will likely move up in the next update.)

Alpert, 88, had such a huge impact from the 1960s to the 1980s, as both an artist and a record company founder, that his name continues to resurface in the news. In 2006, he and his business partner Jerry Moss (they are the A and M in A&M Records) were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the non-performer category.

In 2013, President Obama presented Alpert with the National Medal of the Arts. The following year, the trumpeter won a Grammy for best pop instrumental album for Steppin’ Out. The award came 48 years after he won four Grammys for the Tijuana Brass instrumental hit “A Taste of Honey.” In 2020, Herb Alpert Is…, a documentary written and directed by John Scheinfeld, was released. The film featured comments from Sting, Questlove, Quincy Jones and more. 

Alpert has accomplished a lot in his life and career. His chart dominance from 1965 to 1968, when he had five No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 and one No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, is a big part of the story, but there’s much more to it. Take a look.