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This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music, including new albums by DannyLux (Leyenda), Sebastián Yatra (Milagro), and Astronomía Interior (Hélices), to name a few. Cuban duo Gente De Zona also released its new album, Reparto, as a nod to the genre’s growth in popularity. “We’re showing […]
“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”
It’s amusing to think modern-day cowboy Cody Johnson has much in common with an ancient Chinese philosopher. And yet his current single — “The Fall,” released by Warner Music Nashville to country radio on April 10 — mirrors thoughts about life and resilience expressed by Confucius around 500 years B.C. Johnson’s performance may hinge metaphorically on a rodeo experience, but its meaning resonates beyond the arena and across the centuries.
“When I heard the song, it sounded like the story of a lot of different people,” he says. “It is kind of cowboy, and it is authentic to me, as ‘The ride was worth the fall,’ you know. ‘I’d climb back on again.’ But it also has this relativity to a lot of other different people and their story. It’s a very unique thing that I couldn’t ignore.”
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Songwriter Bobby Pinson (“Burning Man,” “It Happens”) came up with the hook, “The ride was worth the fall,” in 2021. That line would lead to a connected thought — “The fall was worth the smiles” is the next line in the chorus — and the chorus would build one step at a time with each phrase borrowing from its predecessor.
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“There was definitely the ankle-bone-connected-to-the-knee-bone theory going,” Pinson recalls. “That’s what I call it when one thing causes the other.”
That summer, with a wave of COVID-19 bubbling in Nashville, he booked a Zoom co-write with Jeremy Stover (“Time’s Ticking,” “You’re Like Comin’ Home”) and Ray Fulcher (“When It Rains It Pours,” “Lovin’ on You”), who was signed as an artist at the time with Black River and was about to head out on a radio promotion tour. Fulcher had no idea when he would be free to write again. He told his co-writers that since he might be opening a new chapter, he wanted to close this one with something meaningful. Fulcher had been enamored as a kid with the movie 8 Seconds about rodeo star Lane Frost, so “The Fall” had the potential to turn a personal interest into a universal lesson. The writers hinted at the sport, but avoided obvious words, such as “rodeo,” “horse,” “rope” or even “cowboy.”
“We wanted it to feel that way, without all of those pictures,” Fulcher explains. “We thought it would be cooler if we could say all that stuff without saying it.”
They dug in on the chorus first, constructing a melody that matched the lyrical idea. Each line would peak a half-step or full step higher than the previous one as the story built toward a new plateau. The chorus reached a crescendo about three-quarters through, then subsided in intensity as it circled back to a repetition of the original line, “The ride was worth the fall.”
“I think that aspect of it is a big part of the song,” Stover says, “the way the melody goes with the lyric — especially the way it goes into the minor [chord] at the end of the hook.”
Turning their attention to the verses, they similarly used a minor chord to launch a dark, conversational melody as the character confessed some of his failings.
“That’s life,” Stover suggests. “We obviously know no one is perfect, and that aspect of life, I think a lot of people relate to.”
The melody turned almost bouncy in the fourth and fifth lines of the verse — just enough to enhance the sing-along quality — then returned to a serious tone, setting up the impactful chorus. After piling up nebulous, non-rodeo images — alcohol abuse, arrogance, spiritual shortcomings — the first verse’s final line set up the chorus with a bronco-busting notion: “even when I fell off.”
“Everybody’s been through these things,” Pinson says, “and the key to a good song, to me, is to put things in there that people can use to their own advantage or insert into their own life. It’s not necessarily my stories or my pictures. It’s just my paint for somebody else’s painting.”
As they wrapped, Fulcher felt like they had written the significant kind of song he had desired.“It was pretty emotional — not every write is — to kind of dig into some of those parts of yourself that have felt the same way,” he says.
Subsequently, while Fulcher was on a radio tour, Pinson and Stover produced a demo that made its way to producer Trent Willmon (Granger Smith, Drake Milligan). “The Fall” reminded Willmon of Garth Brooks. “It felt like it could be a song like Garth’s ‘The Dance,’ but in a little more cowboy sort of language,” Willmon says. “And Cody loved it.”
Still, Johnson remained “on the fence about the song,” he says, fearful that it might sound like “’Til You Can’t, Part II.” Willmon, Johnson remembers, talked him into moving forward with it:
“His exact words were, ‘You’re at a point in your career where, if you want to record songs to try them on, record them. Try them on, and if you don’t like them afterward, we’re good. We just wasted a little time in the studio, and it’s OK.’ ”
They cut it at the Starstruck Studios in Nashville with a band that included drummer Jerry Roe, bassist Mike Brignardello, keyboardist Jim “Moose” Brown, acoustic guitarist Tim Galloway, steel guitarist Scotty Sanders and electric guitarists James Mitchell and Justin Ostrander. The demo gave them a good road map, though Johnson asked them to cut the tempo just a bit and to play with a tougher vibe.
“It needed that kind of ‘pump your chest out and be proud’ aspect,” Johnson says. “When we explained that to the band, I’d been kind of playing with the little acoustic riff at the beginning. Obviously, the players that played on the track were better than me, so they took it and ran with it.”
In the process, they scrapped a bridge and replaced it with Ostrander’s scene-changing solo. Johnson sang full-throated on every pass.
“The great thing about a great band is they’re paying attention not just to the numbers that are written on the chart, but they’re paying attention to the lyric and they’re listening to the singer,” Willmon says. “I think a lot of the changes that happened during tracking was because Cody was in there singing it with all this raw power and emotion and they’re feeling it. So that dictates a lot of how that band plays.”
Fiddler Jenee Fleenor overdubbed a pile of parts, creating a string section in the process. Willmon and Greg Barnhill provided backing vocals, and the song emerged as a fan favorite at concerts. It’s at No. 50 in its second week on Country Airplay as it establishes a home on the airwaves, seemingly fulfilling its destiny.
“It was not a single, we hadn’t pushed it, and I started noticing when I played ‘The Fall,’ as soon as I started playing the guitar [intro], every cell phone in the audience came up,” Johnson says. “After the first chorus, when I sing ‘The ride was worth the fall,’ the crowd goes insane. It feels like this song has already been on radio.”
Now, “The Fall” begins its rise.
LISA and Tyla unveiled the scorching music video for their collaborative single, “When I’m With You,” on Friday (May 16).
As the Olivia De Camps-directed visual opens, the onset of a heatwave is announced over the radio promising “the hottest summer ever recorded.” The two international stars trade lines on the first verse, — LISA fanning herself from the comfort of a lounge chair and Tyla hanging with friends at a salon — before coming together to dance through the song’s chorus.
Later, a shirtless Mason Gooding makes an appearance during the second verse, flirting poolside with LISA as she raps, “Quick trip, won’t wait and I’m there for you/ Good girl, I’ll dare, but I’m bad for you/ Elevate my space and my bed for you/ Anyways, any day, I’ll make plans for you.”
Eventually, the video culminates with the K-pop idol and South African Grammy winner taking a dip in the pool during the song’s chant-ready outro, singing, “You must be outta your, outta your, outta your mind/ Can’t tell me nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout, nothing ’bout mine.”
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“When I’m With You” is the latest track off LISA’s debut solo album, Alter Ego, to get the music video treatment following lead single “Rockstar,” Rosalía collab “New Woman,” “Moonlit Floor (Kiss Me),” the Doja Cat and RAYE-assisted “Born Again” and “FUTW,” which featured the Thai superstar stepping into the shoes of her alter ego, VIXI.
The studio set debuted at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 upon its March release, and since then, LISA has brought Alter Ego to Coachella and walked the carpet of the Metropolitan Museum of Art for her very first Met Gala.
Meanwhile, Tyla dropped her latest single, “Bliss,” earlier this month, just days before also making a splash on the Met Gala carpet in a pinstripe Jacquemus suit. Next, she’s set to host the 2025 Kids Choice Awards on June 21.
Watch LISA and Tyla’s “When I’m With You” video below.
At first blush, Rihanna’s “Friend of Mine” does not sound like a single from a kids movie. Unlike the superstar’s previous soundtrack work for films like Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Home, which tended to veer toward sweeping pop balladry, “Friend of Mine” is a thumping club track, with Rihanna’s voice positioned as an elliptical refrain over a house beat.
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Jon Bellion, who co-wrote and co-produced the track last year, was initially surprised to hear that the song would be featured in the upcoming Smurfs film, in which Rihanna is voicing Smurfette. Then he considered the sonic profile of “Friend of Mine,” and understood its mass appeal. “From a product standpoint, I don’t think you get such major chords and such a positive [message] over a dance record that doesn’t sound like a kids movie too often,” he tells Billboard. “So when do you nail the feel-good, family-friendly, high-taste, deep ‘90s nostalgia, that can also be played into the kids movie? Shoot it out into the world!”
That’s exactly what Rihanna did on Friday (May 16) with “Friend of Mine,” which precedes the Smurfs soundtrack (out June 13 through Roc Nation Distribution) and her star turn in the Smurfs film (in theaters July 18). Three years after her last music release, Rihanna has offered “Friend of Mine” as a long-awaited check-in with fans, and an unexpected song of the summer bid.
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The song came together during one of Bellion’s writing camps at his vacation home in the Hamptons last summer, with the studio veteran producing the song with Pete Nappi and Fallen, and all three receiving co-writing credits along with Elijah Noll, Elkan, Tenroc and Rihanna. That group of writers and producers are part of Beautiful Mind Projects, Bellion’s management, publishing and label company, and Bellion — who’s helped artists like Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Maroon 5 score pivotal hits in recent years — says that the energy heard on “Friend of Mine” is a reflection of his collective’s collaborative spirit.
“It was a bunch of people having a blast, doing a music camp together, jamming on some DJ s–t and playing chords and just having fun,” he says. “And I think that that’s probably why it ended up sounding so new. It just felt like a natural thing, with a bunch of guys who like being around each other and want to make great s–t.”
“Working with [Jon] is always exciting because you know you’re going to walk away with a real song,” the producer Fallen, who’s also worked with artists like Doja Cat and Summer Walker, tells Billboard in a statement. “He sees things through. He’s the kind of person who will spend an entire week on a single track if that’s what it takes. We spent about three days on ‘Friend of Mine,’ just refining and dialing it in. Coming from the hip-hop world, I’m used to making five songs in a single session, so this level of detail was new for me. But it’s been the most valuable lesson I’ve learned working with him.”
One of Bellion’s earliest hits as a co-writer was “The Monster,” the 2013 smash from Eminem and Rihanna that topped the Hot 100 chart for four weeks. In the decade-plus since that breakthrough, he’s stayed in touch with Rihanna’s team, and says that he’s contributed “a couple songs” to her camp over the years that have yet to be released.
Considering that Rihanna’s output has been scant since her 2016 album ANTI, Bellion was uncertain that “Friend of Mine” would see the light of day, but the spontaneity of the track’s creation stood out in his mind when it came together last year. “The song is raw — like, she didn’t really mix it further than the two track that we sent out,” he says. “We [sent] it out, and I had it on my phone for a few days, and I just remember, every morning I’d wake up listening to it. I’d listen to it in the shower, like, ‘This is kind of jamming!’”
Bellion couldn’t recall another Rihanna single that sounded quite like “Friend of Mine” — and he says that, at some point after the song was finished, the realization hit him that unexplored territory was exactly what she had been searching for. “She’s not looking for ‘We Found Love 2.0,’ or ‘Work 2.0,’” he says. “The arrangement and the feel feels all very new — very cutting-edge, in front of what the next wave will be, because she usually tries to do that every time she puts something out.”
“Friend of Mine” arrives shortly before Bellion’s third studio album, Father Figure, is released on June 6; the project marks his first solo full-length in seven years, and features guest turns from Luke Combs, Pharrell Williams and Jon Batiste. While Father Figure includes deeply personal reflections on fatherhood and its challenges, Bellion is glad that “Friend of Mine” has arrived a few weeks beforehand, to give him a chance to pull off something he has yet to accomplish professionally.
“My whole career, I’ve wanted [a song] that plays at all the events — all the baby showers and sweet sixteens and wedding and Bar Mitzvahs,” Bellion says with a laugh. “I don’t think I’ve ever really had one of those, so it feels great, and hopefully it does well.”
Morgan Wallen has his sister, Ashley, to thank for his new collaboration with pop star Tate McRae.
The country star and Canadian singer pair for the shimmering “What I Want,” about two broken hearts who find solace in each other, if only temporarily, on Wallen’s new album, I’m the Problem, which came out Friday (May 16).
“My sister turned me on to Tate and her music a few years ago and I’ve been a fan ever since,” Wallen tells Billboard. “She is a true pop star, a prolific songwriter and is also an extremely underrated vocalist.”
It turns out this duet has been a few years in the making. “We have known each other for a couple years and have been talking about doing a song together if the right one came about,” Wallen continues.
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“What I Want” wasn’t originally intended to be a duet, “but after listening to it a few times, she kept coming to my mind as someone that would really give the song a dynamic element that I felt it deserved,” Wallen says. He co-wrote the track with McRae, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, Ryan Vojtesak, John Byron and Joe Reeves.
Wallen has long wanted to record a duet with a woman, but was being very selective. In a Billboard interview at the end of 2023, the country star said, “I’ve reached out to a couple of people, and they’ve turned me down.” He declined to name names. “I just really want certain people, and I haven’t gotten the chance to do it yet. I’m going to keep trying to write songs for it or write with them.”
Wallen has released a number of successful collaborations with male artists, including “I Had Some Help,” his massive hit with Post Malone, as well as songs with Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, Florida Georgia Line and rapper Lil Durk. In addition to McRae, the new album also includes duets with Church, HARDY, ERNEST and Post Malone.
Like Wallen’s, McRae’s career is on fire. She earned her first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 earlier this year with So Close To What, which came out Feb. 21. She is on a worldwide Miss Possessive arena tour that comes to the U.S. in August.
Sebastián Yatra’s new album, Milagro, is a perfect example of how the simple things in life can be a gift, and a reminder that every moment we experience is unique, almost a miracle.
Over the past few months, the Colombian singer-songwriter hinted at his highly anticipated new album, which was released on Friday (May 16) under Universal Music Latino. Through a series of images, videos and personal reflections on the “miracles” that inspired this project, Yatra has gradually unveiled the essence of his fourth studio album.
Each song represents a unique everyday miracle that shifts our perspective of the world: “Energía Bacana” reflects on memories; “2 AM” symbolizes freedom; “Vagabundo” embodies dance; “Lienzo” stands for imagination; “Una Noche Sin Pensar” captures complicity; and “Disco Rayado” tells the story of a heart unwilling to let go of a bond the other person has already left behind.
With this album, he aims to tell deep, meaningful stories and forge a genuine connection with his listeners through 17 songs, each representing a miracle. “I’ve experienced this emotion in my other albums as well, as they express where I am in my life at that moment,” Yatra tells Billboard. “However, right now, this emotion feels particularly strong. In my previous albums, I was a person searching for many things, like happiness, which seemed like a distant goal. Today, I feel that I have discovered everything I could ask for in life, and I found that perspective at quite a young age.”
The name for the LP was inspired by a phrase written by Yatra’s brother, the writer Andrés Obando Giraldo: “Life denies you miracles until you realize that everything is a miracle.” Yatra saw this as a sign that reinforced the name he had in mind for his album.
He explains, “I found this definition of a miracle to be different from what I had encountered before. It suggests that a miracle can be something as simple as seeing things from a different perspective.
“My nature, the first things that always come to me are very heartfelt things; that’s what I listen to the most,” he adds. “But that doesn’t mean that just because it’s what I listen to the most, I don’t enjoy partying and also like to organize and create songs for those moments, for that type of sensation. Milagro mostly leans more towards that celestial experience, from the ballads and lyrics to those melodies that give you hope. But there are also some songs like ‘Vagabundo,’ which is pure party and happiness.”
Below, Yatra breaks down five essential tracks from Milagro. Listen to the full album here.
“Milagro”
New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
DannyLux, Leyenda (VPS Music/Warner Music Latina)
DannyLux’s sixth studio album Leyenda is a dazzling dark fantasy affair that weaves tales of eternal skies, mermaids, and otherworldly legends through whimsical sierreño constructs. Anchored by lush acoustic guitars, the album pushes the boundaries of Mexican music, effortlessly genre-hopping into ’90s-inspired trip-hop (“2025”) and lo-fi electronic music (“Q.D.E.P.”) across 19 tracks. He also invites Jasiel Nuñez to join him in a sierreño reverie on “Cielo Eterno,” Yng Naz on the whimsical corrido “Viaja Conmigo” and Juanchito on the tololoche-driven “Mis Loqueras.” With its fusion of regional Mexican instrumentation and subtle electronic elegance, DannyLux delivers intricate storytelling throughout.
Accompanying the album is a short documentary of the same name. Directed by Elías López, the 17-minute film delves into a surreal, medieval-inspired realm, exploring themes of creative doubt and transformation. The visual — evoking the spirit of ’80s films like the David Bowie-starring Labyrinth — combined with the album’s haunting-yet-allegorical themes, further cements DannyLux’s place as a trailblazing artist in his genre. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
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RØZ & Peso Pluma, “Apaga La Luz” (ALT:Vision Records/Queens Road Music/Atlantic Recording Corp.)
Mexican artist and producer duo RØZ recruit Peso Pluma for a head-bobbing electronic track that showcases not only Peso’s vocal versatility but RØZ’s knack for creating hypnotizing beats powered by euphoric melodies. The collaboration between the Mexican acts came about through an Instagram DM resulting in a standout release, which follows RØZ’s breakout hit “flashes” with reggaetón hitmaker Yng Lvcas. The song’s ethereal canvas allows Peso to deliver a more intimate performance, nearly whispered, in contrast to his in-your-face delivery when singing corridos. RØZ most recently inked a deal with Queens Road Music/ Atlantic Records, setting them up for a busy summer with confirmed performances in festivals across Mexico. — GRISELDA FLORES
Gente de Zona, Reparto (Altafonte/Gente de Zona)
“La Conga,” a nearly three-minute intro, kicks off Gente De Zona’s new studio album, Reparto. The rhythmic track—where there are no lyrics, only shout outs to the album’s collaborators—sets the perfect tone for the cultural-statement-making production: a strong blend of Cuban timba, rumba and hard-hitting bass and claves. Named after the latest movement in the Cuban music scene, reparto is “a genre that draws from the roots of Cuban timba, guaracha, guaguancó, rumba, and with this album, we fuse it with the tropical and urban rhythms that define Gente de Zona’s sound,” Alexander Delgado of Gente de Zona says in a press statement.
With the hopes of taking the genre from the barrios of Cuba to the masses, the duo composed by Delgado and Randy Malcolm team up with a wave of up-and-coming producers and artists such as Dale Pututi, Dany Ome, Kevincito El 13, and L Kimii, as well as one of the genre’s pioneer, Chocolate. Lyrically, most of the tracks on the album are uplifting and motivational, whether it’s about having confidence, feeling successful and blessed, or having a healthy relationship.
“With Reparto, we’re showing the world an evolution of Cuban reggaetón that defines our culture, taking it to new frontiers so people can enjoy it and recognize it,” Malcolm adds. “At the same time, we want to shine a light on these new artists who are leading the authentic Reparto movement in our country.” Standout tracks include “Rico Cantidad,” “Se Trata” and focus track “La Guagua,” featuring Wow Popy and Zurdo MC. — JESSICA ROIZ
Ricardo Montaner, Camilo & Evaluna Montaner, “Si Tuviera Que Elegir” (Hecho A Mano Music)
Twenty-three years ago, a young Evaluna appeared in the music video for her father Ricardo Montaner’s song “Si Tuviera Que Elegir.” Today, the artist, mother and wife once again accompanies her dad on this song — this time as a performer — in a new version that features Latin music star Camilo (also her husband). “Having Camilo and Evaluna singing by my side gives the song a different meaning,” Montaner said in a press release. “Camilo, with his unique voice and at the peak of his career, and Evaluna, with her angelic and original way of performing, make this song a gem.”
Written by Montaner and Yasmil Marrufo, the new version of “Si Tuviera Que Elegir” remains a soft-yet-poignant pop ballad, much like the original one, only this one becomes a family affair, giving the track a new meaning. The music video, set to be released later today, is directed by Marlene Rodríguez, Montaner’s wife and Evaluna’s mother, who created a tender collage of images from past and present. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Astronomía Interior, Hélices (Universal Music Group)
Bassist Ángel Mosqueda and keyboardist Jesús Báez are Astronomía Interior, the alternative project of this duo of musicians who are also members of the Mexican rock band Zoé. In Hélices, their second studio album, the duo presents 11 tracks that transport the listener from the most subtle atmospheres to an explosion of experimental rhythms and introspective lyrics. From the album cover, which depicts the shimmering wings of a dragonfly against a fiery red background, the pair project freedom and change.
Electronic touches with some acoustics incorporated, in a minimalist style, power songs like “Mineral”, “Mar Universal,” “Materia y Espacio,” “Siento la Noche,” “Abril” and “Una Canción,” which showcase the transforming spirit of this album. Meanwhile, “Ahí Estaré” and “Hélices” reflect the U.K. pop stamp of British producer Phil Vinall, an important part of Zoé’s sound identity. The band’s drummer, Rodrigo Guardiola, also participated in several songs. — NATALIA CANO
Camila Fernández, “No Puedo Dormir Sin Ti” (Universal Music México)
The heiress of the Fernández dynasty presents “No Puedo Dormir Sin Ti,” a ranchera ballad led by Camila’s soft voice and profound delivery, which turn it into a song of sadness over the absence of a loved one. This is the sixth advance of her upcoming album La Fernández (as she likes to be called) set to be released in August, with which she will continue to represent Mexican music accompanied by mariachi. — TERE AGUILERA
Check out more Latin recommendations this week below:
For the Italian public, he is now an artist who needs no introduction. His surprising climb to second place at the Sanremo Festival 2025 with the song “Volevo Essere un Duro” (“I Wanted to Be a Tough Guy”) made him famous thanks to its mix of tenderness, irony and aesthetic and musical references to glam rock – reinterpreted in his own way. However, for the international public of Eurovision 2025, Lucio Corsi is an artist who is still to be discovered.
Italy’s presence among the “Big Five” guarantees him direct access to the final, but will he be able to replicate his unexpected success of Sanremo? He openly does not aim for victory: “Music for me is not a competition. It would make no sense: how can you compete in music? It’s not a sport,” he says, sounding sincere.
However, everyone’s eyes and ears are focused on the Saturday (May 17) final, where the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest winner will be decided. Billboard Italy interviewed the “anti-hero” songwriter after his performance in the first semifinal to gather his thoughts and impressions before the final.
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What was your first impression of Eurovision?
It was interesting to see how many rehearsals there are before the performance. They are repeated several times a day and there is great attention to every little detail. There is also great readiness to improve the shots and the sound. It is a fortune to be able to invent what we want on stage.
What are the similarities and differences between Sanremo and Eurovision?
In Sanremo everything is very concentrated: from morning to evening there are interviews, rehearsals, performances. Here, instead, everything is more dilated in time and there are fewer things on your schedule. In Sanremo you continuously breathe the atmosphere of the festival, here you can also isolate yourself: in some moments you don’t even feel like you are at Eurovision. It is also interesting to be able to encounter other types of musical expression, from other countries and with other conceptions of the songs.
You said that you particularly like Napa, the Portuguese band. Have you had the chance to meet other Eurovision artists in person?
Yes, I met Go-Jo, the Australian artist. I first met him by chance while walking in Rome: we turned a corner and found ourselves face to face. It’s a small world…. Then I met [Estonian artist] Tommy Cash here in the hotel. These encounters are among the nice things of these experiences.
After your performance, many people appreciated your reference to a glam rock sound and aesthetic. Is it an element you are counting on to appeal to an international audience?
I have always tried to find my own way of being inspired by that type of sound. I have always liked it, since adolescence. It is not something aimed at making an impression: it just interests me on the level of composition, sound, research. However, I like many types of music, from folk to prog rock. In the future, I would like to delve into other things as well. This is just a snapshot of this period of mine.
How was your “anti-hero” style received by those who didn’t know you before?
I’m very happy that the English subtitles to the lyrics did their job. I’m happy to see that foreign journalists understood the meaning of the song. I hope that can happen in the final, too. The English translation we did is the simplest possible, because it has to reach non-native speakers as well. We didn’t need a sophisticated translation but a clear, immediate text.
Your collaboration with Tommaso Ottomano, who is with you on stage, is very close: tell us about the human and professional relationship that binds you guys.
He’s like a brother. We’ve known each other since we were kids and we’ve invented everything together, from songs to music videos [Ottomano is also a director, ed.]. We both come from Tuscan, in particular from Maremma, which is a sort of Italian Wild West. Music took us away from the boredom of the province, which is also wonderful because it’s very similar to peace. Learning to deal with such boredom as kids gave us the opportunity to find escapes in music. Also, the stories of people from the provinces are very epic: since the places are “small,” these stories have to be in some way gigantic. This inspires me a lot.
Lucio Corsi
Francis Delacroix/Billboard Italy
Halle Bailey was awarded temporary sole physical and legal custody of her son amid the ongoing abuse allegations against her ex-boyfriend DDG. According to a Friday (May 16) report by People, court documents obtained by the publication indicate that Bailey sought out the custody order for the safety of both herself and 16-month-old Halo, alleging […]
Travis Kelce flew solo at Patrick Mahomes’ charity auction Thursday night (May 15), but Taylor Swift‘s presence was still felt — especially during one hilarious moment when the Kansas City Chiefs tight end withdrew his bid on a guitar signed by his superstar girlfriend.
In a clip filmed by one attendee of the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation’s Golf Classic gala in Las Vegas, Kelce stands near his table with his bidding paddle in hand as an auctioneer fields offers on an acoustic guitar autographed by Swift. As the asking bid rises, the New Heights podcaster changes his mind and withdraws from pursuing the item, quipping, “I just realized I have that already.”
As Kelce sits back down with a cheeky grin, Mahomes — who stands nearby — bursts out laughing with the rest of the event’s attendees. The quarterback’s wife, Kansas City Current co-owner Brittany Mahomes, also sits at their table, covering her face as she chuckles.
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Founded by Patrick Mahomes in 2019, 15 and The Mahomies is “dedicated to improving the lives of children” and supporting initiatives that “focus on health, wellness, communities in need of resources and other charitable causes,” according to the charity’s website. In 2024, Kelce attended the same gala with the “Fortnight” singer on his arm, at one point auctioning off four tickets to Swift’s Eras Tour for $80,000.
The event comes just a few days after the Grotesquerie star and Swift stepped out together in Philadelphia for a Mother’s Day gathering at a restaurant, marking one of the first times the couple has been seen out in public in the past few months. Since concluding her Eras trek in December, the 14-time Grammy winner has largely been staying out of the spotlight (although fans do suspect she’s gearing up to announce something at the 2025 American Music Awards on May 26).
During her time off, Swift has seemingly been prioritizing family time. Travis’ older brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, recently revealed that the singer-songwriter had made time to meet his and Kylie Kelce’s new daughter, Finnley, whom they welcomed in April.
“We were fortunate to have them all in,” Jason told Entertainment Tonight on Monday (May 12). “It doesn’t happen often — everyone’s busy — but it was really special.”
