Music

23 Nov 2025

Donald Glover Reveals He Suffered a Stroke During 2024 Childish Gambino Tour

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Donald Glover told fans at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival on Saturday night (Nov. 22) that he suffered a stroke last year while touring under his Childish Gambino moniker — an episode that ultimately led to the cancellation of his world tour.

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During his set at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Glover recounted the medical emergency that struck mid-tour in 2024. He explained that the symptoms began after a show in New Orleans, where he experienced a sudden, intense head pain and blurred vision. Despite performing through the discomfort, he later sought medical attention in Houston, where doctors informed him he had experienced a stroke.

“I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana and I did the show anyway,” he told the crowd. “I couldn’t really see well, so when we went to Houston, I went to the hospital and the doctor was like, ‘You had a stroke.’”

He added that his first reaction was thinking he had “let everybody down,” before joking that he felt like he was “copying Jamie Foxx” — whose own stroke in 2023 made global headlines.

Glover said the stroke was only part of what he faced medically. He also revealed he had broken his foot around the same time, and that doctors discovered a hole in his heart that required two surgeries.

“They say everybody has two lives, and the second life starts when you realize you have one,” he told fans. “You’ve got one life, and the life I’ve lived with you guys has been such a blessing.”

The medical complications forced Glover to cancel the remainder of his planned dates, including U.S., U.K., European and Australian shows. At the time, he publicly referred to the incident only as an “ailment,” noting that his recovery was taking longer than expected.

Glover released Bando Stone & the New World in 2024 — which he billed as the final Childish Gambino album — and had planned the now-canceled tour as a farewell era for the stage name. The five-time Grammy winner has since shifted focus back to film and television projects under his own name.

23 Nov 2025

Fans Choose Stray Kids’ ‘DO IT’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music

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DO IT, the latest mixtape from Stray Kids, tops this week’s fan-voted music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Nov. 21) on Billboard, choosing Stray Kids’ new five-track EP (via JYP Entertainment) as their favorite new release.

DO IT arrived in a week that also brought new music releases from the Wicked: For Good movie cast (it’s the film’s opening weekend), Tate McRae, The Kid LaROI, Tainy with Karol G and more. While Wicked: For Good is ruling the boxoffice, Stray Kids’ tunes topped this particular Billboard readers’ poll by a landslide, with DO IT bringing in an overwhelming 86% of the vote.

Stray Kids’ new song collection, which they’re branding as a mixtape and a “special album,” is the follow-up to Karma — their fourth Korean-language studio album, which fans just saw become a Billboard 200 albums chart No. 1 in September. The group has described DO IT as a part of their SKZ IT TAPE series, with it being a musical command to “act boldly with confidence right now” while exploring the story of the group as they seize the day and create their own “IT.”

Its tracklist is as follows: “Do It,” “DIVINE,” “Holiday,” “Photobook” and “Do It (Festival Version)” — with the first track/title track getting a dance-focused, cinematic music video release this week.

Among the new releases trailing behind DO IT are Tate McRae’s “So Close to What???” with nearly 6% of the vote, as well as the Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande-led cast’s Wicked: For Good official movie soundtrack with just over 5% of the vote.

See the final results of this week’s poll below.

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23 Nov 2025

Sabrina Carpenter Arrests Maya Rudolph in L.A. for the 69th Show (Wink-Wink) of Her Short n’ Sweet Tour: Full Setlist

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Sabrina Carpenter hit an appropriately cheeky milestone on Saturday during her fifth of six nights at Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena: Her 69th concert of the Short n’ Sweet Tour.

“My friends wanted me to inform you: This is our 69th show,” Carpenter announced while sitting on her heart-shaped stage, sending the crowd into wild cheers over the spicy stat.

It’s a fitting marker for the trek: Since its September 2024 kick-off, the Short n’ Sweet Tour has been known for its little suggestive moments, like Carpenter’s nightly “Juno” sex positions (“have you tried this one before?”), the voyeuristic “Bed Chem” video camera (“I bet the thermostat’s set at six-nine”), and the elevator that ticks up the floors until “SC” comes just after the 68th.

“We knew we’d get there eventually, and tonight’s the night,” Carpenter said of the 69th show. “And it’s Saturday, and we’re just like, we’re living!”

In one more nod to Night 69, Carpenter emerged for the final song, last year’s top five Billboard Hot 100 smash “Espresso,” in sparkly blue go-go boots and an oversize Los Angeles Dodgers jersey, with her last name emblazoned on the back and the jersey number of — you guessed it! — 69.

Another tongue-in-cheek nightly tradition is Carpenter arresting someone in the crowd for the crime of being “too hot,” and Saturday night’s offender was actress and Saturday Night Live legend Maya Rudolph, who Carpenter asked: “Whoa, whoa, whoa — what’s your name, gorgeous?” After Rudolph mouthed back “Maya,” Carpenter responded, “Maya, you’re stunning. Where are you from?” She mouthed “Los Angeles” and made her best attempt at throwing up an “L.A.” hand sign, but Carpenter didn’t think the crowd had a big enough reaction. “Scream louder — that’s here!”

Then she got down to business: “Maya, I don’t know the situation you’re in currently romantically, but I was sort of hoping that I could lock you down tonight, if possible.” (Let’s hope Rudolph’s partner of almost 25 years and the father of her four children, acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson, isn’t feeling threatened.) She then tossed some fuzzy pink handcuffs out into the crowd to officially lock Rudolph down.

Previous L.A. arrestees included SZA on Thursday night and actress sisters Dakota and Elle Fanning on Monday.

Carpenter returns to Crypto.com Arena on Sunday (Nov. 23) to play her sixth night in L.A. and the final night of her 70-date Short n’ Sweet Tour. Find the full setlist for Los Angeles Night 5, including the special “spin-the-bottle” surprise song and the newly added Man’s Best Friend additions, below.

23 Nov 2025

Carlos Vives Belts Out Ranchera a Cappella at Mexico’s Coca Cola Flow Fest: ‘Long Live José Alfredo Jiménez’

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Carlos Vives brought all his energy and the joyful vallenato to the 2025 Coca-Cola Flow Fest in Mexico City on Saturday (Nov. 22), surprising his fans with a tribute to the legendary ranchera singer-songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez.

“It’s a joy to see you, and I want to tell you something that goes like this,” said the Colombian icon from the Sessions Stage before performing an a cappella version of “Para Morir Iguales” by Jiménez, prompting an ovation at the festival — which on its first day gathered 79,000 people at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, according to figures from promoter Ocesa. (Watch Vives’ a capella performance in a video captured from the show that was shared on X here.)

“Long live José Alfredo Jiménez! Thank you, Mexico!” he added, after making the crowd dance to a handful of songs that included “La Bicicleta,” his 2016 hit with Shakira that topped Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart for six weeks.

The 64-year-old artist had not been included in the festival’s original lineup, but on Thursday (Nov. 20), organizers announced that the alternative Sessions Stage would feature surprise musical acts, including Vives and Colombian band Bacilos.

“This is a cumbia, Mexico. What unites Colombians and Mexicans, what we have in our blood, is a race,” Vives added before performing “Para Robarte Un Beso.”

Later that evening, the Santa Marta native reappeared during Wisin’s set on the main stage to join his voice with the Puerto Rican star’s on “Nota de Amor,” a celebrated fusion of vallenato and reggaeton included on Wisin’s album Los Vaqueros: La Trilogía (2015), which originally also featured Daddy Yankee.

Considered the largest Latin urban music festival, the Coca-Cola Flow Fest brought some of the biggest stars of the genre to its five stages at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on its first day. Don Omar, Myke Towers, Nicky Jam, Álvaro Díaz, Santa Fe Klan, De La Rose, El Alfa and Jowell & Randy were among the acts that shone in a celebration that extended into the wee hours.

The festival continues Sunday with performances by J Balvin, Young Miko, De La Ghetto, Farruko, Bellakath and Mau y Ricky, as well as a special performance by corridos tumbados superstar Natanael Cano, among others.

23 Nov 2025

Donald Glover Reveals Stroke Caused Him to Cancel Childish Gambino Tour Last Year

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Donald Glover is opening up about a recent health scare that forced him to cancel his tour last year. At the time he described it as an “ailment,” but Glover said Saturday night (Nov. 22) at a performance that a doctor told him he’d had a stroke.

Glover, who performs under the moniker Childish Gambino, shared the information on stage at Tyler, the Creator’s Camp Flog Gnaw festival in Los Angeles. His remarks were shared widely on social media.

“You guys voted for a ‘where have I been monologue,’” Glover, 42, said. “I had a really bad pain in my head in Louisiana and I did the show anyway. I couldn’t really see well, so when we went to Houston, I went to the hospital and the doctor was like, ‘You had a stroke.’”

Glover said he felt like he was letting everyone down, lamenting that he still hasn’t been to Ireland. He also revealed that “they found a hole” in his heart and he had to have two surgeries.

“They say everybody has two lives and the second life starts when you realize you have one,” Glover said. “You got one life, guys, and I gotta be honest, the life I’ve lived with you guys has been such a blessing.”

His representatives did not immediately respond to request for comment.

In October 2024, Glover released a statement when calling off tour dates in North America and Europe, but had not revealed the “ailment” he was facing. He wrote then, “After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston to make sure of an ailment that had become apparent. After being assessed, it became clear i would not perform that night, and after more tests, i could not perform the rest of the US tour in the time asked. As of now I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal. My path to recovery is something I need to confront seriously.”

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23 Nov 2025

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ Reigns on U.K. Charts for Fifth Week

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Taylor Swift has held onto the top spot of the U.K. Singles Chart for a fifth non-consecutive week with “The Fate of Ophelia” (Nov. 21).

The single first shot to No. 1 on the U.K. charts dated Oct. 10, and held the spot for three consecutive weeks. Following a back-and-forth tussle with KPop Demon Hunters’ “Golden,” Swift regained the No. 1 spot last week (Nov. 14) and she now extends her streak for a second week.

“The Fate of Ophelia” is Swift’s longest-running U.K. No. 1 single since “Anti-Hero” from 2022’s Midnights earned six weeks at No. 1; “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version)” (2023) and “Fortnight” (2024) lasted just a single week each. 

“The Fate of Ophelia” appears on The Life of a Showgirl, her 14th U.K. No. 1 album. Swift boasts the most No. 1s on the U.K. Albums Charts for an international artist, and ties for second overall with The Rolling Stones (14). The top spot is also currently a tie between The Beatles and Robbie Williams, who both have 15 apiece.

HUNTR/X’s “Golden” remains at No. 2, having spent a non-consecutive 10 weeks at the top position, while RAYE also holds her position at No. 3 for a fifth consecutive week with “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

Olivia Dean scores two songs within the top five as her The Art of Loving continues to go from strength to strength. “So Easy (To Fall in Love With Me)” reaches a new peak at No. 4, while “Man I Need” slips one place to No. 5. She appears twice more on the charts with Sam Fender collaboration “Rein Me In” up to No. 7 and “A Couple Minutes” hitting a new peak at No. 13.

Rising Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid has three songs in the top 40 with “Phantom” (No. 15), “Century” (No. 16) and “4 Raws” (No. 35) all performing strongly. Charli xcx claims the week’s highest new entry with her “Chains of Love,” from her Wuthering Heights soundtrack LP, placing at No. 26.

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23 Nov 2025

5 Seconds of Summer’s ‘Everyone’s a Star’ Shoots to No. 1 on U.K. Albums Chart

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5 Seconds of Summer is No. 1 on the U.K. Albums Chart for the fourth time in their career. On the charts dated Nov. 21, the Australian group’s EVERYONE’S A STAR knocks Taylor Swift‘s The Life of a Showgirl from the top spot.

The group, composed of Calum Hood, Ashton Irwin, Luke Hemmings and Michael Clifford, has hit No. 1 on three previous occasions: Sounds Good Feels Good (2015), CALM (2020) and 5SOS5 (2022).

EVERYONE’S A STAR is also No. 1 on the Official Record Store Chart, which tracks the most popular album in U.K. independent record shops this week. 

In their home nation of Australia, the Sydney four-piece had a record-breaking week as they became the first act in the history of the ARIA Charts to hit No. 1 with their first six studio albums.

Olivia Dean’s The Art of Loving closes the week at No. 2 and follows a stylish performance on Saturday Night Live last weekend (Nov. 15) of “Man I Need” and “So Easy (to Fall in Love With Me).”

Swift falls just two places to No. 3 with The Life of a Showgirl, which has already earned four non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart.

U.K. rap duo D-Block Europe net a fifth top five album in six years with PTSD 2 (No. 4). The group — made up of Young Adz and Dirtbike LB — have seen success with PTSD (2019), The Blue Print — Us VS. Them (2020), Lap 5 (2022) and their No. 1 success Rolling Stone (2024). 

Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend completes the top five (No. 5), and there’s strong debuts for Oasis with a reissue of 2000’s Familiar To Millions live LP (No. 11), Celeste and her sophomore album Woman Of Faces (No. 12) and Summer Walker with Finally Over It (No. 13).

Hype around Liverpool rapper EsDeeKid — which fan theories jokingy posit is a moniker of actor Timothée Chalamet — continues to build as Rebel is up three places No. 16.

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23 Nov 2025

Romeo Santos Makes Surprise Appearance at Bad Bunny’s Show in the DR

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Bad Bunny surprised his fans in the Dominican Republic on Saturday night (Nov. 22) by inviting the biggest star in bachata to the stage. On the second day of his Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour at the Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez in Santo Domingo, Romeo Santos appeared near the end of the show, eliciting deafening screams from the crowd.

Together, they delivered a thrilling performance of “BOKeTE” — in bachata style. Originally a slow song with an ethereal and shoegaze essence, the track is included on Benito’s critically acclaimed album Debí Tirar Más Fotos, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and recently won the Latin Grammy for album of the year.

This is not the first time these artists have joined forces. Four years ago, in 2021, Bad Bunny and Aventura — the mega-successful group with which Santos rose to stardom — collaborated on “Volví,” a track that blended reggaetón and bachata.

Saturday’s reunion comes weeks after Bad Bunny and Santos topped Billboard‘s Top Latin Artists of the 21st Century ranking, with the two taking the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively. The list is based on the artists’ performances on the Top Latin Albums and Hot Latin Songs charts from January 2000 to December 2024.

The Debí Tirar Más Fotos World Tour, which began with two shows at the Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, follows Bad Bunny’s historic No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí residency at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan. The trek will continue through much of 2026, visiting Latin America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. For all tour dates, click here.

In the U.S., Bad Bunny will headline the 2026 Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Days later, he will compete for album of the year at the 2026 Grammy Awards. Meanwhile, Romeo Santos recently announced a new album set to release on Nov. 28.

Watch both artists perform “BOKeTE” at the Estadio Olímpico in Santo Domingo in a fan-filmed clip shared on X here.

23 Nov 2025

Beyoncé Makes Surprise Appearance at F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix With Jay-Z

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Beyoncé made an unexpected on-track appearance at the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix on Sun., Nov. 23, drawing widespread attention as she and Jay-Z arrived at the paddock ahead of the race.

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The Houston-born singer looked race-ready as she was first photographed in a sleek, custom Louis Vuitton jumpsuit zipped to the neckline as she walked through the paddock before the race, with Formula 1’s official accounts highlighting her arrival.

Beyoncé also shared her own look inside the Grand Prix, posting a video on Instagram that showed her stepping into the passenger seat of a Ferrari supercar before taking a high-speed hot lap with Lewis Hamilton. The clip captured the pair preparing for the run, with Beyoncé captioning it simply: “Give it to Mama.”

The visit marked one of the most high-profile celebrity sightings of the weekend, which has evolved into one of the most entertainment-driven stops on the global F1 calendar.

Hamilton — long one of F1’s key crossovers into music and fashion culture — was later photographed chatting with both Beyoncé and Jay-Z on the grid. The pair previously met behind the scenes at a Grand Prix in 2009, making this a rare reunion at one of the sport’s most high-profile events.

Jay-Z, dressed in an all-black outfit, was photographed walking through the paddock with Beyoncé as the pair made their way toward the garages and hospitality suites before the race.

Their appearance added to the celebrity atmosphere surrounding the Las Vegas stop, which has quickly become one of Formula 1’s most entertainment-forward weekends since debuting in 2023.

They weren’t alone. Travis Scott, Cynthia Erivo, Magic Johnson, Brooks Nader, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Gordon Ramsay, Ciara and Ben Affleck were also spotted across the weekend — a reminder that the Las Vegas and Miami Grands Prix are increasingly functioning like music-adjacent cultural events as much as major sporting showcases.

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23 Nov 2025

Lenny Kravitz Says Fan Ripped Out Dreadlocks During Brisbane Concert

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Lenny Kravitz says an enthusiastic fan accidentally pulled four of his dreadlocks out during his show in Brisbane on Fri., Nov. 21.

The rock icon is currently touring Australia in support of his 2024 album Blue Electric Light. In a video posted to Instagram shortly after his performance at Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Kravitz told fans the incident happened while he moved through the crowd during “Let Love Rule.”

“Brisbane, that was wild,” he said in a video shared on his Instagram Stories. “A very excited young lady pulled four dreadlocks out of the back of my head. You know how hard you’ve got to pull to rip those out of my head? Damn, baby.”

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Kravitz clarified that the moment won’t change his commitment to interacting with audiences during the track, which traditionally sees him step off the stage and into the crowd.

“I’m not going to stop coming out there for ‘Let Love Rule’ because that’s our moment together,” he added. “Brisbane, you’re wild. I love you.”

Kravitz is midway through his Australian run, which continues Tues., Nov. 25 at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena before heading to Mildura on Nov. 28 and Adelaide on Nov. 29.

The singer’s current Australian dates mark his first shows in the country since 2012. That visit was itself many years in the making, with his only other visits to the country taking place in 1993 and 1994.

“Coming to New Zealand for the first time and returning to Australia after so many years is giving my soul the most beautiful energy,” Kravitz wrote in an Instagram post on Nov. 21.

“You all are amazing. Thank you for sharing this with me. Let’s keep going!” he added.

Since his last visit, Kravitz has released three further albums, including 2014’s Strut, 2018’s Raise Vibration, and 2024’s Blue Electric Light. Additionally, in 2024, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and also received his first nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, though he was not inducted.