Music

XG, Jackson Wang, Rina Sawayama & More Announced for Head in the Clouds LA  

The fifth annual Head in the Clouds Los Angeles Music & Arts Festival has announced the lineup for its Aug. 5-6 event. The 2023 LA headliners include DPR Live, DPR Ian, Jackson Wang, NIKI, Rich Brian, Rina Sawayama, XG, YOASOBI and special guest ZEDD.

Additional performers for the West Coast iteration include TOKiMONSTA, Keith Ape, Yerin Baek, ATARASHII GAKKO!, MILLI, Warren Hue and more for two days at Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. More than 35 artists will grace the stage of the festival, produced by label 88rising and promoter Goldenvoice, who also puts on Coachella.

In addition to performances, Head in the Clouds will welcome back 626 Night Market for the fourth year as food curator for the festival. This year’s full list of offerings will be announced in the coming months.

The LA lineup follows Head in the Clouds’ first New York edition from May 20-21. 88rising in partnership with Goldenvoice and The Bowery Presents hosted the inaugural Head in the Clouds New York Music & Arts Festival at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens with sets from DUMBFOUNDEAD, MILLI, Beabadoobee, Rich Brian, ITZY, XG, NIKI and more. The music-filled weekend doubled as a celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and the 100th anniversary of Forest Hills Stadium.

This year marked the first time the Head in the Clouds festival expanded to a new market in North America following its run in Los Angeles (2018-19; 2021-22) and 2022 festivals in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Manila, Philippines.

Registration for presale passes starts today for the LA festival. The presale officially launches Thursday at 10 a.m. PT. Passes go on sale here May 30 at 10 a.m. PT. Check out the full lineup below.

10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Kylie Minogue, Conan Gray, (G)I-DLE & More

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

These 10 tracks from artists including Kylie Minogue, Conan Gray, Chappell Roan, (G)I-DLE and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

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Kylie Minogue, “Padam Padam”

Kylie Minogue released one of the most exhilarating dance-pop records of the pandemic (Disco) in 2020; now that the World Health Organization has officially declared the global health emergency over COVID-19 over, it’s only fitting that we’re getting a new LP from the dance-pop legend that we can actually go out and throw down to. The first taste of Tension, “Padam Padam,” is a sultry my-place-or-yours club banger named after the sound of a pumping heart. – Joe Lynch

(G)I-DLE, “Queencard”

If (G)I-DLE’s first I Feel track, “Allergy,” saw the K-pop idols lamenting on their perceived flaws and the harm that social media can do to one’s self-esteem, its B-side, “Queencard,” shows that the girls know how to bounce back and turn their confidence up to 100 at the drop of a hat. On the track, the girls assert their hotness, comparing their beauty to the likes of Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande, and their delivery dares you to disagree. – Starr Bowenbank

The Dare, “Sex”

With the pandemic firmly behind society, indie sleaze is once again finding a time to thrive. And The Dare (the project of former substitute school teacher Harrison Patrick Smith) is at the forefront of the resurgence, creating raunchy, tongue-in-cheek dancefloor ready tracks that will have you working up a sweat. New release “Sex” captures the spirit of the era and isn’t shy: “Sex, I want to call your mom, and tell her you’re the bomb/ I might even see if she’s into it.” – S. Bowenbank

Conan Gray, “Never Ending Song”

Confessional pop star Conan Gray’s latest is a refreshingly retro, Technicolored hit. There’s an intriguing element of high drama to “Never Ending Song” — thanks in large part to the artist experimenting in his lower register — as if it was tailor-made for stadiums. Reminiscent of a late 2000s rock hit like “Human” by The Killers, but with some ‘80s oomph, this track is the perfect way for Conan to command attention for whatever is to come. — Lyndsey Havens

Chappell Roan, “Red Wine Supernova”

Though rising pop singer-songwriter Chappell Roan has yet to release a full-length project, she has already established a clear brand of anthemic cheeky alt-pop songs, from breakout track “Casual” to her latest, “Red Wine Supernova.” As she sings of a “playboy” who puts “her canine teeth in the side of my neck,” the artist chronicles the sensation of getting swept up in the sheer thought of someone new — and unapologetically enjoying every second. — L. Havens

Hannah Jadagu, “Lose”

Hannah Jadagu is a 20-year-old NYU student — and by the sound of her debut album Aperture (out on Sub Pop), she will graduate as an indie-pop star. On “Lose,” the last single to arrive before her album dropped, she sings, “Couldn’t believe it was you / I’ve waited for some time / And now that it’s us two / Am I gonna lose myself and mind?” As she delicately poses these questions over a soothing rock riff, the production blossoms, matching her fluttering emotions. — L. Havens

Far Caspian, “Own”

Plenty of sad indie-pop songs feature the same slow-chug tempo and mournful guitar-and-drums interplay as “Own,” the new track from U.K.-based singer-songwriter Joel Johnston’s project Far Caspian. Yet Johnston’s voice, presented here as a swirl of feelings informed by Elliott Smith’s delivery, distinguishes “Own,” and makes the listener want to wrap themselves in its warmth again after it ends. – Jason Lipshutz

Chris Farren, “Cosmic Leash”

For Chris Farren, a well-respected songwriter straddling the indie and pop-punk worlds, “Cosmic Leash” represents a potential game-changer: the first single from upcoming album Doom Singer is big and brash in the best ways, oscillating between blaring noise and a full-throated melody that begs to be screamed in large-capacity venues. If the rest of Doom Singer sounds as world-conquering as “Cosmic Leash,” Farren will get there. – J. Lipshutz

Anohni & The Johnsons, “It Must Change”

Anohni’s 2016 album Hopelessness presented an urgent view of a troubling reality, addressing political and environmental disaster with electronic tumult; “It Must Change,” the opening glimpse of Anohni’s first full-length since, is another call to action, but adopts the tender sheen of soul music to inspire listeners. Anohni’s voice remains spectacularly expressive — and credited with The Johnsons for the first time in over a decade, her tone sounds as triumphant as ever. – J. Lipshutz

Revenge Wife, “Fantasy Girl”

Revenge Wife mastermind Liz Nistico has described her new single as “my most ABBA song,” and indeed, “Fantasy Girl” sparkles as a Scandinavia-inspired workout, all glittery synth lines and drum thwacks that make you want to increase your heart rate. In the middle of it all is Nistico, her voice doubled and ready to explode; the former Holychild member has always had a knack for straight-ahead pop structure and is once again on point. – J. Lipshutz

Nick Jonas Says His 2016 ACM Awards Performance Sent Him to Therapy: ‘It Was a Really Traumatic Moment’

Nick Jonas looked back on his off-key performance at the 2016 Academy of Country Music Awards on Monday’s episode (May 22) of Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard.

Appearing on the podcast with Kevin and Joe Jonas, the youngest member of the Jonas Brothers reflected on the viral moment his guitar solo went terribly awry during Kelsea Ballerini’s performance of her hit single “Peter Pan.”

“Then there was another time during a really tragic guitar solo debacle that happened on live TV,” he told host Dax Shepard. “In retrospect, I can kind of laugh about how big I thought it was. But it did travel more than I wish it would have, and it did cause me to go to therapy.

“I come out for my thing, I rehearsed it a million times, I’m feeling really confident about it, not even really thinking about it like it’s a thing that’s going to be problematic,” the singer continued. “I started off, it was fine and as I walked towards her, I just went completely blank and I hit a wrong note and blacked out basically and clocked that it was wrong and I couldn’t stop.”

The awards show moment took place right in the middle of the JoBros’ years-long break before they reunited in 2019 but Nick explained that it played into the expectations he’s had for performances ever since. “Til this day and hours after unpacking it, I can’t really figure out exactly what happened,” he said, “but I was rushed to a car and rushed to a plane right after it and I looked at my manager and said, ‘I think that was bad.’ I was, like, in shock kinda. Like it was a really traumatic moment that shaped the pressure I put on myself to be perfect and to always be on.”

Listen to the Jonas Brothers’ full chat with Shepard on Armchair Expert below.

Hot 100 First-Timers: Hailey Whitters Debuts With ‘Everything She Ain’t’

Hailey Whitters is officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting hitmaker, as her breakthrough single “Everything She Ain’t” debuts on the latest list (dated May 27) at No. 94.

The song, released in January 2022 via Songs & Daughters/Pigasus/Big Loud Records, tallied 9.3 million radio audience impressions (up 4%), 3.9 million official streams (up 14%), and 1,000 downloads sold (up 45%) in the U.S. in the May 12-18 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The track also rises 28-25 on Hot Country Songs, in its 33rd week on the chart, and 24-22 on Country Airplay, in its 55th week. Notably, in the 33-year history of Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, only three songs by female artists have had longer runs than “Everything She Ain’t”: Priscilla Block’s “Just About Over You” and Tenille Arts’ “Somebody Like That” (both 64 weeks in 2020-21), and Maddie & Tae’s “Die From a Broken Heart” (59 weeks, 2019-20).

Whitters, 33, from Shueyville, Iowa, is a newcomer to Billboard’s charts as a recording artist. “Everything She Ain’t” is her first solo song as a billed artist to chart. Her first entry on Billboard’s rankings was with her 2022 album Raised, which includes “Everything She Ain’t,” on Big Loud. The set reached No. 9 on Heatseekers Albums.

In a 2022 interview with Billboard, Whitters said that “Everything She Ain’t” was a late addition to Raised. “This song was one of the absolute last songs we cut,” she said. “To be completely honest, in my mind, my record was done.” As for its content, in which Whitters playfully spells out to a prospective beau why she’d make a better girlfriend than his current one, “The world is heavy, and it was heavy when we were writing this and it’s gonna continue to be heavy,” she mused. “I’m not trying to change anyone’s life. I’m just trying to make someone’s day. I feel like this song does that in two minutes and 30 seconds.”

Whitters performed the song at the 58th ACM Awards on May 11, where she also took home the trophy for new female artist of the year.

Outside of “Everything She Ain’t,” Whitters is an accomplished songwriter, having written tracks for Alan Jackson, Little Big Town and Martina McBride. Little Big Town’s “Happy People,” which she co-wrote with Lori McKenna, reached No. 40 on Hot Country Songs and No. 46 on Country Airplay in 2017. She received a Grammy nomination for song of the year in late 2021 as one of eight writers of Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile’s “A Beautiful Noise.”

Earlier this year, Whitters embarked on her first solo tour, the Raised Tour. She’s currently on the road as the supporting act on multiple treks: Shania Twain’s Queen of Me Tour, the Cody Johnson & Friends Tour, Eric Church’s The Outsiders Revival Tour and Luke Bryan’s Country On Tour.

Tiwa Savage Announces 2023 North American Tour: See the Dates

Nigerian superstar Tiwa Savage will embark on a North American tour this summer, which was announced Monday (May 22).

Produced by Live Nation and Duke Concept, the nine-date jaunt will start Aug. 24 at Washington, D.C.’s The Theater at MGM National Harbor and go through other major U.S. cities like New York, Chicago, Atlanta and more, before ending at Los Angeles’ Belasco on Sept. 17.

Artist pre-sales begin Tuesday with additional pre-sales running throughout the week. General ticket sale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. local time on Ticketmaster.com.

The African Bad Gyal and Nao co-headlined Femme It Forward’s inaugural R&B and Afrobeats music festival, Across the Pond, earlier this month at Brooklyn’s Coney Island Amphitheater.

She’s also appeared on a slew of singles this year, including “Gbese” with Majeeed, the remix of “Who Is Your Guy?” by Spyro, “Fan” with Blaq Jerzee, “Stamina” with Ayra Starr and Young Jonn, “NSV” with Bella Shmurda and the reissue of “Waiting in Vain” by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Her last full-length album, 2020’s Celia, reached No. 15 on Billboard‘s World Albums chart.

See Tiwa Savage’s tour dates below.

Aug. 24 – Washington, DC @ The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Aug. 25 – New York, NY @ Apollo Theater
Aug. 29 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
Aug. 31 – Boston, MA @ Big Night Live
Sept. 2 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues Chicago
Sept. 4 – Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre
Sept. 7 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues Houston
Sept. 9 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues Dallas
Sept. 14 – San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore 
Sept. 17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco

This Taylor Swift Song Can Literally Help You Save Someone’s Life

You’ll be “The Man” when you learn about this amazing life-saving hack.

The American Heart Association took to Instagram over the weekend to share the importance of the hands-only CPR technique when someone is in medical distress. “If you see a teen or adult collapse, call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest,” the organization explained, adding that the right tempo for the technique can be remembered by pushing down to the rhythm of a song with 100-120 beats per minute.

The AHA’s example? Taylor Swift‘s “The Man,” off her 2019 album Lover, which has 110 beats per minute. So not only does the track reveal the toxicities of gender inequality, it also can help you save a life.

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During her cover story interview for Billboard’s 2019 Women In Music issue, Swift revealed that “The Man” was inspired by “a bit of a damned-if-we-do, damned-if-we-don’t thing happening in music, and that’s why when I can, like, sit and talk and be like ‘Yeah, this sucks for me too,’ that feels good. When I go online and hear the stories of my fans talking about their experience in the working world, or even at school — the more we talk about it, the better off we’ll be. And I wanted to make it catchy for a reason — so that it would get stuck in people’s heads, [so] they would end up with a song about gender inequality stuck in their heads. And for me, that’s a good day.”

In the accompanying music video, she is quite literally the man as she undergoes an intense makeover to become a bearded, belligerent corporate titan, voiced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

ENHYPEN Releases 4th Mini Album ‘DARK BLOOD’ & Enigmatic Music Video for ‘Bite Me’: Watch

Engenes, the day has finally come. ENHYPEN‘s fourth mini album, DARK BLOOD, is now available on streaming platforms as of Monday (May 22).

The new release from the group — which features members Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon and Ni-ki — contains six hard-hitting tracks: “Fate,” “Bite Me,” “Sacrifice (Eat Me Up),” “Chaconne,” “Bills” and “Karma.”

The music video for the project’s lead single, “Bite Me,” arrived alongside the set. The enigmatic visual features the K-pop stars roaming castle ruins, playing chess with mysterious clones of themselves, and engaging in a sizzling tango with several female backup dancers. “It’s you and me in this world/ Again, come to me, tie me/ If you are goin’ to save me/ Just come kiss me and bite me,” Jungwon and Heeseung sing on the song’s sultry chorus while hitting intricate choreography.

Ahead of the group’s mini album release, they spoke with Billboard News and revealed that fans would be treated to a brand new style. “Our choreography is also very different from our previous ones. It’s very new. Out of everything we’ve done after debuting as ENHYPEN, I think its by far the most original,” Jungwon told host Tetris Kelly. “I think the quality of our video content is even higher this time around. I feel like they’re not going to expect this from us.”

While fans will have to wait to see how DARK BLOOD fares on the Billboard charts, ENHYPEN’s previous mini album, Manifesto: Day 1, marked the group’s first No. 1 effort on the Top Album Sales chart. The set crowned the tally in its third week, following its No. 3 debut.

Watch the video for “Bite Me” above, and stream DARK BLOOD below.

Looks Like Lady Gaga Is Ready to Spill Some Tea

Lady Gaga‘s got something up her sleeve, and she took to Instagram to spill the tea — kind of.

In a video shared on Monday (May 22), the “Rain on Me” superstar is seen looking into the camera, as she taps a spoon on her cup of tea. She then takes a big sip, before shrugging her shoulders and putting her index finger up to her lips in a “Shhh” gesture. “Having a cuppa in celebration of something exciting coming tomorrow,” she captioned the photo, without any indication on what the “tea” spilled this week will be about.

While the Little Monsters have been itching for new music since Gaga’s last album, 2020’s Chromatica, the 13-time Grammy winner has plenty of other projects currently that she’s been passionate about.

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Gaga’s recently relaunched Haus Labs makeup brand has been viral all over TikTok, continually coming out with inventive new products, from foundations and illuminating blushes to colorful lip crayons, glosses and everything in between.

The new launch likely has something to do with the makeup brand, as Haus Labs posted their own cryptic tea spill. In the video, a hand is seen mixing a cup of tea with a pen branded with the makeup line’s logo, as the camera pans out to show a bunch of products laying on the table. “What’s the tea? Coming soon,” the video reads.

See Gaga’s teaser post below.

Fifty Fifty’s ‘Cupid’ Flies to No. 1 on Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Chart

Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” shoots to No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart (dated May 27), marking the first leader on the list for the South Korean pop quartet.

Notably, the act is the first K-pop group, or all-female group of any genre, to reign with a debut entry on the chart, dating to the list’s 2020 inception.

Meanwhile, Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” adds a third week atop the Billboard Global 200 survey.

Plus, two songs hit the respective charts’ top 10s: Loreen’s “Tattoo” soars from No. 146 to No. 7 on Global Excl. U.S., after the single won Sweden the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, while Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, debuts at No. 7 on the Global 200.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

‘Cupid’ Feels the Love Atop Global Excl. U.S.

Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” rises from No. 2 to No. 1 to rule the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for the first time, despite dips of 2% in streams, to 65.1 million, and 9% in sales, to 2,000, outside the U.S. May 12-18.

The quartet – Aran, Keena, Saena and Sio – becomes the third K-pop group to have scaled the Global Excl. U.S. summit, joining BTS (six No. 1s) and BLACKPINK (three). Fifty Fifty is the first K-pop group, or all-female group of any genre, to reign with a debut entry on the chart, dating to the list’s September 2020 inception.

Contributing to the success of “Cupid” are its original recording, a “Twin” mix and an instrumental version, with TikTok having been a key factor in the single’s growth over its ascent.

Fifty Fifty was formed by South Korean entertainment agency ATTRAKT last year and the group debuted its first single, “Higher,” on its introductory four-track EP, The Fifty, released Nov. 18, 2022. A new partnership with Warner Records was announced in April.

Peso Pluma ranks in the next two spots on Global Excl. U.S., as “La Bebe,” with Yng Lvcas, returns to its No. 2 high, from No. 3, and “Ella Baila Sola,” with Eslabon Armado, rebounds 4-3, after reaching No. 2.

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” lifts 5-4 on Global Excl. U.S., following a record-tying (with Harry Styles’ “As It Was”) 13 weeks at No. 1 beginning upon its debut in January; YOASOBI’s “Idol” rises 6-5, after reaching No. 4; and Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s “Un x100to” falls to No. 6 from No. 1, after three weeks in the top spot.

Elsewhere in the Global Excl. U.S. top 10, Loreen’s “Tattoo” inks a 146-7 vault, after the song won the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden May 13. It blasts to the tier with 30.7 million streams (up 247%) and 12,000 sold (up 756%) outside the U.S. May 12-18, marking the singer’s first top 10.

Loreen is the first woman to win Eurovision twice, having triumphed in 2012 with the song “Euphoria.” Meanwhile, Sweden has tied Ireland for the most victories – seven each – since the competition began in 1956. “The only thing I feel right now is so much love,” Loreen, from Stockholm, said upon the new coronation. “Not in my wildest dreams did I think this was going to happen.”

‘Ella Baila Sola’ Tops Global 200

Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” leads the Billboard Global 200 for a third week, with 90.5 million streams (down 3%) and 2,000 sold (down 21%) worldwide May 12-18. The collab initially ruled four weeks earlier, becoming the chart’s first No. 1 for the regional Mexican genre.

Fifty Fifty’s “Cupid” climbs 3-2 on the Global 200 for a new high, with 81.7 million streams (down 3%) and 4,000 sold (down 15%) worldwide; Yng Lvcas and Peso Pluma’s “La Bebe” revisits its No. 3 best, from No. 4; Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny’s “Un x100to” descends 2-4, following two weeks at the summit, as it became the second regional Mexican leader on the list; and Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” holds at No. 5, after 12 weeks on top in January-April.

Meanwhile, Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, bounds in at No. 7 on the Global 200, with 48.8 million streams and 1,000 sold worldwide from its release May 12 through May 18.

Lil Durk tallies his third Global 200 top 10 – and first in a lead role – following his featured turns on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” (No. 5, 2020) and “In the Bible” (No. 9, 2021), the latter also featuring Giveon. J. Cole notches his fifth top 10 (and first as a featured artist).

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated May 27, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 23). For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

Here’s What Happened When Hot 100 No. 1 Rivals Later Competed for the Record of the Year Grammy

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” and SZA’s “Kill Bill” will probably go head-to-head again on Music’s Biggest Night.

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” and SZA’s “Kill Bill” held down the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks earlier this year (from Jan. 28 through March 4). “Flowers” was on top in each of those weeks, though “Kill Bill” finally moved up for a week on top in late April.

“Flowers” and “Kill Bill” probably aren’t done competing, either. The two hits are likely to square off again when the nominations for the 66th annual Grammy Awards are announced later this year. Both hits are very likely to be nominated for record of the year. It would be Cyrus’ first nomination in that category; SZA’s third, but her first on her own. She was previously nominated for collabs with Kendrick Lamar (“All the Stars” from Black Panther) and Doja Cat (“Say So”).

“Flowers” and “Kill Bill” would be the sixth pair of singles that held the top two spots on the Hot 100 concurrently for six or more weeks and later squared off again for record of the year at the Grammys. Cyrus’ dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, is involved in one of the pairs. Little Nas X‘s “Old Town Road” (featuring Cyrus) was locked in a similarly fierce battle for No. 1 with Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” before their rematch the Grammys.

Here are the six pairs of singles that spent six or more weeks in the top two positions on the Hot 100 concurrently and later competed again for record of the year at the Grammys. They are listed in ascending order, with the pair that had the most weeks in the top two listed last.