Music

22 May 2023

Nick Cannon Jokes About Child Support With Bre Tiesi: ‘WE PAY LAMBO SUPPORT!!’

Nick Cannon took to social media over the weekend to poke fun at the headlines about his child support arrangement with Bre Tiesi.

“Nope! The Government don’t have to tell us to pay Child Support… WE PAY LAMBO SUPPORT !! My Money is Their Money! Just accept it, We different over here !! LOL,” the host of The Masked Singer wrote in a now-expired Instagram Story, reposting a photo of the black Lamborghini he gifted Tiesi for her 32nd birthday earlier this month.

For her part, the newest addition to Netflix’s Selling Sunset happily reposted Cannon’s Story, writing, “Tell ’em Daddy [tea emoji].. [heart emoji] you.” In addition to the tea and heart symbols, she also added a bunch of laughing and clapping emojis.

The father of twelve’s commentary comes on the heels of Tiesi speaking about their child support agreement on the newly released sixth season of Selling Sunset. After joining The Oppenheim Group as a real estate agent, the model — who gave birth to son Legendary Love Cannon last summer — was questioned by her new co-stars about Cannon’s support.

In episode seven of the Netflix hit, Tiesi erroneously stated that Cannon didn’t have to pay child support in the state of California for any kids after his tenth. The gaffe even prompted a public chiding from Tiesi’s lawyer, who gave a statement to Us Weekly. “Bre, you should know better!” she said before clarifying, “That is absolutely not true. There’s no cap on child support based on the number of children. So, to the extent that Nick Cannon can have babies, he owes child support for those babies under California law.”

22 May 2023

Lewis Capaldi Pokes Fun at Internet ‘Discourse’ Over Taylor Swift & Matty Healy Dating Rumors

Lewis Capaldi is giving his two cents on that whole Taylor Swift, Matty Healy thing. Amid swirling rumors that the “Anti-Hero” pop star is now dating the 1975 frontman following her breakup from Joe Alwyn, Capaldi is poking fun at fans who can’t seem to get enough of the gossip, speculation and brimming controversy surrounding the two stars’ love lives.

In a Monday (May 22) TikTok, dramatically-edited clips show the “Someone You Loved” singer shaking his head in faux concern and satirically gazing off into the distance in deep thought, all while Carl Orff’s famous “O Fortuna” symphony rages on in the background. “Random people on the internet preparing to give their thoughts on the ‘Taylor swift/Matty Healy discourse,’” Capaldi wrote in text layered over the video.

In his caption, the 26-year-old musician further parodied invested fans by writing, “the world must hear what i have to say.”

Suspicions that Swift and Healy were linked first sent the internet into a frenzy earlier this month, just weeks after news of the “Bejeweled” musician’s breakup from Alwyn went public. Per Capaldi’s point, the matter has pretty much been a trending topic on Twitter nonstop ever since, with many spectators commenting specifically on Healy’s past controversies (including his participation in a racist conversation mocking Ice Spice, as well as his admission that he watches pornography in which women of color are “brutalized”).

For instance, a large camp of Swifties drafted and mass-reposted an open letter calling for Swift to break up with Healy using the hashtag “#SpeakUpNow,” a play on Tay’s upcoming album Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). “[Healy] has been involved in acts and controversies that deeply trouble us,” the letter reads.

Other fans, however, have come to Healy’s defense by insisting his past comments were misunderstood, taken out of context, or said as satirical performance art. Meanwhile, more neutral Swifties have added to the debate by saying that Swift’s personal life shouldn’t be up for debate at all.

Capaldi, however, seems to think that it’s all a bit too much. And, when asked for his opinion in the comments, he simply replied: “I have none.”

See Capaldi’s TikTok below.

22 May 2023

Morgan Wallen’s ‘Last Night’ No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, Lil Durk & J. Cole, Luke Combs Hit Top 10

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” logs a seventh week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.

Next up,  Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, soars onto the Hot 100 at No. 2, tying a career-best rank for each artist.

Plus, Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s classic “Fast Car” speeds from No. 11 to No. 9 on the Hot 100.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data. All charts (dated May 27, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 23). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Wallen’s “Last Night,” released on Big Loud/Mercury/Republic Records, drew 63.3 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 5%) and 33 million streams (down 4%) and sold 9,000 downloads (down 6%) in the May 12-18 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The song, which first led the Hot 100 in March, becoming his initial leader on the list, adds a ninth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart and holds at No. 2 on Digital Song Sales, following a week on top, and its No. 5 best on Radio Songs.

“Last Night” also tops the Country Airplay chart for a third week, having become the first track to rule the Hot 100 and Country Airplay simultaneously, and continues climbing in the top 20 on Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Adult Contemporary.

“Last Night” concurrently leads the Hot Country Songs chart, which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a 15th week. It became just the 20th song to have topped both charts – and having now ruled the Hot 100 for seven weeks, it claims outright the longest Hot 100 reign among those 20 hits, surpassing Kenny Rogers’ “Lady” and Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans,” which spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1980 and 1959, respectively.

As previously reported, parent album One Thing at a Time dominates the Billboard 200 for an 11th week, encompassing its entire stay on the chart so far. It boasts the most weeks in a row at No. 1 since the Titanic soundtrack linked 16 in 1998. One Thing at a Time is also the first album to spend its first 11 weeks on the chart on top since Whitney Houston’s Whitney also ruled in its first 11 frames in 1987; the only other title to tally as many or more weeks at No. 1 from a debut is Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life (13 in 1976-77), dating to the chart’s 1956 launch.

Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, launches at No. 2 on the Hot 100, with 30.9 million streams, 10.8 million in radio audience and 3,000 sold from its release May 12 through May 18.

Both artists match their best career Hot 100 placements. Lil Durk lands his third top 10 – and first in a lead role – following his featured turns on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” (No. 2, August 2020) and “In the Bible” (No. 7, September 2021), the latter also featuring Giveon. J. Cole tallies his 11th top 10 (and first as a featured artist); he previously hit No. 2 with “my.life,” with 21 Savage and Morray, in May 2021.

The new collab also opens atop the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. On the former, Lil Durk earns his third leader and J. Cole, his second. On the latter, they each score a No. 1 for a second time.

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” holds at No. 3 on the Hot 100, after eight weeks at No. 1 beginning upon its debut in January. It posts a 14th week atop Radio Songs (91.2 million in audience, essentially even week-over-week).

“Flowers” ties for the seventh-longest reign since Radio Songs began in December 1990, and is one of just 10 hits with at least 14 weeks at No. 1. (It also moves to within a week of tying the longest rule for a Columbia Records single, held by Adele’s “Easy On Me.”)

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Radio Songs:
26, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, 2020
18, “Iris,” Goo Goo Dolls, 1998
16, “Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B, 2018
16, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, 2005
16, “Don’t Speak,” No Doubt, 1996-97
15, “Easy On Me,” Adele, 2021-22
14, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, 2023
14, “High Hopes,” Panic! At the Disco, 2018-19
14, “No One,” Alicia Keys, 2007-08
14, “Because You Loved Me,” Celine Dion, 1996

SZA’s “Kill Bill” slips 2-4 on the Hot 100, four weeks after it became her first No. 1. It rules the multi-metric Hot R&B Songs chart for 22nd week.

Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” descends to No. 5 on the Hot 100 from its high at No. 4 – the best rank ever for a regional Mexican song. The collaboration adds a seventh week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart.

Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” dips from its No. 5 Hot 100 best to No. 6. It tops the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for a 38th week, extending the longest rule since the ranking began over a year ago (in partnership with music festival and global brand Afro Nation).

Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage’s “Creepin’ ” retreats 6-7 on the Hot 100, after hitting No. 3, and Toosii’s “Favorite Song” is stationary at its No. 8 high.

Luke Combs’ faithful remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” zooms to the Hot 100’s top 10, accelerating 11-9 with 19.5 million streams (down 2%), 13 million all-format radio audience impressions (up 51%) and 8,000 sold (up 15%).

As with Wallen’s “Last Night,” Combs’ “Fast Car” is a country and pop/adult radio hit, as it revs 28-21 as the Greatest Gainer on Country Airplay and advances 31-23 on Adult Pop Airplay and 37-35 on Pop Airplay.

Combs claims his third Hot 100 top 10, following “The Kind of Love We Make” (No. 8, October 2022) and “Forever After All” (No. 2, November 2020).

“Fast Car,” which Chapman solely wrote, hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in August 1988 and went on to win the singer-songwriter the Grammy Award for best female pop vocal performance in 1989. Combs’ cover marks the first remake (not including samples or interpolations) of an ‘80s Hot 100 top 10 to also reach the region since Artists for Haiti’s “We Are the World 25: For Haiti” hit No. 2 in 2010, after USA for Africa’s original “We Are the World” dominated for four weeks in 1985.

Closing out the Hot 100’s top 10, Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” keeps at No. 10. The song became her sole longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January. It adds a 28th week in the top 10, likewise extending her longest stay in the bracket.

Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated May 27), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 23).

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.

22 May 2023

Dua Lipa Teases ‘Barbie’ Single ‘Dance the Night’: Here’s When It Arrives

This Barbie is a mermaid … AND a singer! Dua Lipa announced the release date for her new song “Dance the Night” off the Barbie: The Album on Monday (May 22).

“This Barbie has a song coming this week… FRIDAY MIDNIGHT BST,” the pop star wrote on Instagram. In the accompanying video, she steps out of her fluffy heels, mimicking the instantly iconic shot of Margot Robbie’s arched foot in the Barbie trailer, before blowing a kiss at the camera over a gleaming disco groove that offers just a single tantalizing lyric: “Just come along for the ride!”

British Standard Time is a full five hours ahead of the East Coast, which means the Barbie track will arrive on our shores ahead of the New Music Friday at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

The recent 2023 Met Gala co-chair’s announcement got plenty of love on social media, with the official Barbie Instagram account writing, “Can’t wait” with three heart-eyes emojis, and Donatella Versace adding, “She’s a Versace Barbie” with a wink and a butterfly. Mark Ronson also left a series of alternating pink heart and fire emojis in the comments — possibly hinting at his involvement behind the boards on the track.

Dua will also be featured onscreen in the upcoming live-action Barbie film, which stars Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Issa Rae and a plethora of other famous faces as Barbies and Kens and is set to premiere in theaters nationwide on July 21.

Check out Lipa’s flirty tease for “Dance The Night” below.

22 May 2023

Peso Pluma on Why Being the First Regional Mexican Artist in Spotify’s RADAR Program Is ‘Big for the Country, the Genre and the Industry’

A medley of sounds erupts as soon as the doors of the Spotify studio swing open. All at once, trumpets climb up and down scales, guitars are tuned before being fervidly strummed, and a tololoche player’s fingers dance across the strings of an upright bass like tiny bolts of lightning, making it impossible to look away. All the while, the group of men responsible crack jokes in Spanish, an air of excitement swirling through the dimly-lit room before the Spotify RADAR shoot kicks off. 

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At the center of this eclectic flurry of instruments lives regional Mexican music. At the center of today’s regional Mexican music, lives Peso Pluma. 

For many, the 23-year-old phenom appeared de la nada. “Ella Baila Sola,” Eslabon Armado’s smash hit with Peso Pluma, was as explosive a collaboration in the Spanish-language music space as the Hot 100-topping “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” was for the English market. Like drill princess Ice Spice, Peso Pluma became the de facto face of a movement overnight, much to his own surprise. 

“I knew this was gonna happen, but I didn’t know at what level and what speed,” he says today. “I knew I was gonna do good in Mexico and the Spanish-speaking countries, but this went worldwide [so fast]. I’m thankful for that.”

For his early fans, Peso Pluma has been creating earworm collaborative anthems for a handful of years, through early hits like “El Belicón” alongside Raúl Vega  – which went viral on social media and brought in 10 million views on YouTube in a single month – and projects including his debut set, Ah y Qué?

To date, “Ella Baila Sola” has secured a number of firsts, most notably becoming the first regional Mexican song to reach the top 10 of the Hot 100 chart — peaking at No. 5 – and the first to top Billboard‘s Streaming Songs chart in its 10-year history.

Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado also broke a number of Spotify records, becoming the all-time most-streamed música mexicana track in one day globally and the most streamed Latin track in the U.S in one single day last month. 

“Música mexicana is no longer regional – it’s global,” says Spotify head of U.S. Latin artist partnerships Eddie Santiago, noting the genre’s growth of 431% over the last five years. “It’s been incredible supporting Peso Pluma’s meteoric rise, and look forward to this next phase of his career.”

The Spotify RADAR program – dedicated to spotlighting and supporting emerging artists at all stages of their development – has provided a platform for artists across the globe, including The Kid LAROI, Zach Bryan, Doechii, Quevedo, PinkPatheress, and over 500 others since its start in in 2020. 

While the effect of “Ella Baila Sola” has led to unprecedented global attention on the regional Mexican space, it’s important to note that the regional Mexican genre isn’t exactly a genre. Encompassing an array of unmistakably Mexican styles of music, including norteño, corridos, banda, rancheras, mariachi and more, regional Mexican serves as an overarching umbrella term for a set of genres that had never before been afforded nuance on a mainstream level. 

Growing up on artists like Ariel Camacho, Peso Pluma, born Hassan Laija, developed his love for música mexicana as a kid spending his early years growing up in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Later, the influence of hip-hop and reggaeton also found their way into the songs he’d write. Today, he painstakingly stitches together 19th century Mexican sounds with modern genres, bringing both to the Spotify stage ahead of his upcoming debut album, and a single that he’s been teasing on social media. 

After his performance, Peso Pluma sat down to talk with Billboard about what the Spotify look means to him, his recent wins on U.S. platforms, his Doble P Tour and his hopes for the future.

What does it mean to you to be selected as Spotify’s RADAR artist?

It’s pretty big to me because I’m the first Mexican artist to do this. I’m so proud and very thankful. It’s big for the country, the genre and the industry in general. We’re doing pretty good and we’re going to keep working to share our music. 

Have you had fans from countries that surprise you?

I have a lot of fans all over the world, but the most surprising was one time I was shopping and a Chinese family came [up to me]. I never thought they’d listen to corridos in China.

What are the genres that have influenced you?

When I was a teenager, I listened to a lot of hip-hop, rap, and reggaetón. Rap culture just got into me, and I think I’m picking a little bit from every genre in the corridos I do and that’s why people like it, because it has a lot of different cultures in it. Reggaetón is the most iconic genre in my life. Since I was a kid, I liked it a lot. Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon.

I like Bad Bunny a lot, I listen to him all day, every day. I listen to my friend Natanael Cano, 21 Savage, Shoreline Mafia. Feid, Anuel, Karol G. I listen to everything.

What’s a genre you like that people might be surprised you listen to?

Reggae. I like Bob Marley. 

You recently played Coachella, how did that come about?

I got invited by Becky G — shoutout to Becky. She’s been too kind to me in my career, and done a lot for me. And she knows she has a friend [in me]. They got in touch like a week before, I was so excited and pretty shocked. It was so good, [the crowd] accepted us. People did scream a lot, it was a surprise for them. 

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced along your path so far?

The biggest thing I’m dealing with right now is not being with my family. Being on tour non-stop. That’s what people don’t see. They think I’m a working machine, but I’m not. But it’s part of what I like to do — it’s part of my character. 

How do you deal with those moments?

When I feel like that, I just talk to my mom and my family and that keeps me motivated. They’re pretty proud of me and thankful. 

You also did Jimmy Fallon recently, how was that?

It was awesome for me and my whole group. It was a new thing for us because it was our first time on TV and it was Jimmy Fallon. I think it went well, everyone watched it and wanted to see me perform, and I’m just thankful for Jimmy for inviting me to the show. 

You recently broke a record along with Eslabon Armado, becoming the first regional Mexican song to top Billboard’s streaming songs chart. 

That’s pretty amazing. But that doesn’t mean anything, because tomorrow I could be gone. We don’t know. I’m just gonna keep working to get where I wanna get. There’s a long way to go. 

You’ve had a lot of big collaborative moments — what’s the role of collaborations in your journey?

Collaborations have been so important in my career. I’m just thankful to too many artists who have been supporting my project, ideas and thinking and what we have to do for the genre. My album is coming too and I have a lot of solo songs coming, and that’s what people want to hear, so that’s what I’m giving them on this album. 

You’re heading out on tour soon, but so much has changed since your tickets went on sale. Are you looking for bigger venues?

Yes. Everything changed and I’m looking forward to what’s gonna happen. And my team is looking for venues. I’m sure I’m gonna do good if I do small or big venues. The tour sold out the first day, like 95 percent [of tickets] in two hours. We’re pretty excited. 

Looking ahead, what’s something you hope to accomplish in your career?

I just wanna go to the Grammys and win something, you know? There’s too many things I wanna accomplish. I want to have my album be welcomed by the people, I want it to have the same streams as singles do. I’m showing another part of la doble p to people.

I know this is far in advance, but as someone who grew up between Texas and Mexico, where do you see yourself settling down when it’s all said and done?

I don’t know. I mean, Peter Parker is from NYC and I’m in L.A. right now. Guadalajara will always be my home. That’s where my family is, and Sinaloa too. But I feel pretty good here in L.A. And if life says, “Go to Miami in a year,” I’ll go to Miami. 

22 May 2023

Niall Horan Is Taking ‘The Show’ on the Road With 2024 Tour Dates

Niall Horan is getting ready to hit the road next year. The Voice season 23 coach revealed a full set of 2024 tour dates on Monday (May 22) that will seeing him touring across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America starting in February.

“I am beyond thrilled to announce The Show Live On Tour 2024 ! It’s been far too long and I can’t wait to see your beautiful faces,” he tweeted. “Tickets go on sale Friday, June 2 at 10am local. There are still a couple more dates coming so if you don’t see a show near you listed, stay tuned. Album pre-order and Citi/AAdvantage presale begins May 30 Newsletter presale begins May 31 TikTok presale begins June 1.”

The Twitter post also included a handwritten letter from the former One Direction member, which shared his hopes for the upcoming concert dates. “I want to add this, I really want my show to be a place of pure joy and somewhere you can come to escape and let loose. A place you can truly be yourself,” he wrote, adding that Asia, Mexico and South America dates can expect dates soon.

The Show Live On Tour will kick off in Belfast, Ireland, on Feb. 21, and will continue throughout the U.K. and Europe until March 27. Horan will then embark on the Australia and New Zealand leg of the tour between April 16 to May 3, before heading to the U.S. on May 29, starting with a stop in Hollywood, Fla. Horan will make stops in Philadelphia, New York, Nashville, Toronto and more before concluding the tour in Phoenix on July 31.

The Show will be released on June 9. See the official tour poster and Horan’s message about The Show Live On Tour below.

NIALL HORAN – “The Show” LIVE ON TOUR 2024
2/21/24 – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena Belfast
2/23/24 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
2/27/24 – Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena
3/1/24 – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley
3/4/24 – Cardiff, UK – Cardiff International Arena
3/5/24 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
3/7/24 – Antwerp, BE – Lotto Arena
3/8/24 – Paris, FR – Zénith
3/11/24 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes-Benz Arena
3/12/24 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
3/15/24 – Stockholm, SE – Hovet Ice Hall
3/18/24 – Lodz, PL – Atlas Arena
3/20/24 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle
3/21/24 – Milan, IT – Mediolanum Forum
3/23/24 – Madrid, ES – WiZink Center
3/26/24 – Düsseldorf, DE – PSD Bank Dome
3/27/24 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
4/26/24 – Auckland, New Zealand – Spark Arena
4/28/24 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
5/1/24 – Sydney, Australia – Quodos Bank Arena
5/3/24 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena
5/29/24 – Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Hard Rock Live
5/31/24 – Tampa, Fla. – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
6/3/24 – Nashville, Tenn. – Bridgestone Arena
6/7/24 – Raleigh, N.C. – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
6/8/24 – Bristow, Va. – Jiffy Lube Live
6/11/24 – Philadelphia, Penn. – Mann Center for the Performing Arts
6/14/24 – New York, N.Y. – Madison Square Garden
6/15/24 – Mansfield, Mass. – Xfinity Center
6/18/24 – Bridgeport, Conn. – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
6/19/24 – Bangor, Maine – Maine Savings Amphitheater
6/21/24 – Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
6/22/24 – Buffalo, N.Y. – Darien Lake Amphitheater
6/25/24 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Riverbend Music Center
6/26/24 – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – Blossom Music Center
6/28/24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
7/7/24 – St. Paul, Minn. – Xcel Energy Center
7/9/24 – Tinley Park, Ill. – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
7/10/24 – Clarkston, Mich. – Pine Knob Music Theatre
7/12/24 – Maryland Heights, Mo. – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7/16/24 – Kansas City, Mo. – Starlight Theatre
7/17/24 – Rogers, Ark. – Walmart AMP
7/19/24 – Denver, Colo. – Ball Arena
7/20/24 – Salt Lake City, Utag – USANA Amphitheatre
7/23/24 – Auburn, Wash. – White River Amphitheatre
7/24/24 – Ridgefield, Wash. – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
7/26/24 – Mountain View, Calif. – Shoreline Amphitheatre
7/27/24 – Inglewood, Calif. – The Kia Forum
7/30/24 – Chula Vista, Calif. – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
7/31/24 – Phoenix, Ariz. – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

22 May 2023

Taylor Swift Reacts to Malfunctioning Ghostly Piano During Eras Tour Show: ‘Is That Happening?!’

You could say that Taylor Swift‘s piano at the latest Eras Tour Show was Speak Now‘s track 12 — “Haunted.”

The pop star was left open-mouthed in shock Sunday (May 21) when, upon sitting down to perform that night’s second surprise song, her acoustic piano started playing out notes without her touching them, as if a phantom player had started banging on the keys. “Do you hear that?!” Swift asked fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., looking aghast. “Is that happening for you, too?”

At each Eras show, the musician has been playing two different surprise songs plucked randomly from her 10-album discography, one on guitar followed by one on piano. But the ghostly mixup made the usual routine impossible Sunday night. “I’m just gonna do another song on guitar — that’s insane,” Swift said after playing “I Think He Knows” from Lover.

Before proceeding to play an unplanned guitar rendition of surprise song No. 2, “Red,” the 12-time Grammy winner explained what she believed to be the cause of the malfunction: “So it rained a lot last night, like a monsoon.”

“Literally, it was like a water park under the stage,” she continued, recalling that her fingers were so pruned, it was difficult to play guitar the night before. “This has clearly broken my keyboard. It was literally underwater — I don’t know how any of the instruments were working last night.”

Indeed, Swift and her fans at Saturday night’s (May 20) show in Gillette Stadium endured ceaseless rainstorms throughout the three-hour show. But while her piano may have caught a cold as a result, the downpour didn’t stop Swift from having an excellent time. The singer shared that night that she’d “never been this happy in my life” and penned a tribute to the rain show afterward on Instagram.

“Last night we all danced together in the rain for THE ENTIRE 3.5 HOUR SHOW in foxy Foxborough MA!!” she posted the next day. “We’ve had rain shows at Gillette Stadium before but this was a full on deluge that never let up, I just want to thank that iconic crowd!! Love you so much you have no idea.”

Watch Taylor Swift react to her haunted keyboard before playing “Red” on guitar below:

22 May 2023

Maluma Announces U.S. Dates for 2023 Don Juan World Tour

Maluma is hitting the road this year, unveiling the 2023 dates for the North American leg of his Don Juan World Tour.

On a recent Instagram post, the Colombian artist shared a set of steamy shirtless, poolside photos and let his 63 million followers know he was “calentando pa’ la gira” (warming up for the tour). On Monday (May 22), it was officially announced that he will embark on a 30-city stint across the U.S.

Produced by CMN (Cardenas Marketing Network), the Don Juan U.S. Tour — named after his upcoming studio album — will kick off Aug. 31 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., and wrap on Nov. 14 in Miami’s Kaseya Center. In between, he will make stops in Las Vegas, Houston, New York, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and Orlando, to name a few. 

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“I am so excited to return to arenas around the U.S. this fall,” the artist born Juan Luis Londoño Arias said in a press statement. “I took a year off from touring to focus on perfecting what I feel is the best album of my career, Don Juan. I can’t wait to perform the new songs from the album for my fans for the very first time alongside my greatest hits in what I consider to be my most ambitious concert production yet. I’ve waited to give my fans a music and concert experience unlike any other and I expect the Don Juan U.S. Tour to be an exhilarating experience that they’ll never forget!” 

The Don Juan World Tour follows his successful Papi Juancho World Tour, which traveled across the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East from 2021 to 2022. The also CMN-produced trek, where the “Felices Los 4” singer serenaded fans from the in-the-round or 360-style stage, grossed $24,488,668, landing at No. 14 in Billboard’s Top Tours of 2021 list. 

Pre-sale tickets for the 2023 Don Juan Tour begin at 10 a.m. (local time) on May 25; general tickets are at 10 a.m. (local time) on May 26 via www.cmnevents.com.  

See the confirmed dates and cities below:

DON JUAN WORLD TOUR

Courtesy Photo

22 May 2023

Lauren Daigle on Topping the Christian Albums Chart: ‘I Found Myself Coming Alive Making This Record’

On May 12, singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle released her new 10-song self-titled album. Ten more tracks are due later this year, rounding out its bonus edition.

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The set launches at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Christian Albums chart (dated May 27) with 25,000 equivalent album units, including 20,000 in album sales, in the United States May 12-18, according to Luminate. It becomes Daigle’s fourth leader on the list. The project bows at No. 21 on the Billboard 200.

The album, which pairs Daigle with new producer Mike Elizondo, is also her first with Atlantic Records. She signed with the pop label in January in a partnership with her longtime label, Centricity Music.

The LP’s lead single, “Thank God I Do,” tops the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Christian Songs chart for a second week, having become Daigle’s sixth No. 1. It is No. 13 and climbing on the Adult Contemporary chart. 

Daigle’s new set marks her first new music since Look Up Child, which opened at the Top Christian Albums summit in September 2018 and proceeded to ring up a record 102 frames at the summit. It was bolstered by the crossover smash “You Say,” which dominated Hot Christian Songs for an also unprecedented 132 weeks starting in July 2018.

On Christian Airplay, “You Say” reigned for 18 weeks. It also crossed over, crowning Adult Contemporary for two weeks.

Billboard caught up with Daigle at her management’s offices in Nashville about her new album and some of its recent achievements.

Congratulations on the new album. With 10 songs now and another 10 later this year, is it finished, and why did you decide to release it this way?

Yes, it’s mastered and completed, and we’ll definitely get it out there this year. As far as why, I was in a listening session with some of my team and we heard all 20 songs top to bottom … and it’s a long session! One of them says, “OK, it’s your baby and it’s like asking Van Gogh to cut [The] Starry Night in half, but would you be open to splitting this into two releases?” At first, I was like, “What? … no.” But then thinking about it more and more, I didn’t want listeners forced to skim, say, tracks 14 to 20, because they’re fatigued. So, that’s why.

You’re a big believer in the album format as a cohesive piece of work, aren’t you?

Yeah, it’s a streaming-driven world right now, but I’m an album purist at heart. I love getting in the car, jumping on a road trip and listening to records from start to finish. And something else that makes this fun: I’ve not released an album in five years, so for loyal longtime fans they can get excited about two albums instead of one.

It’s your fourth studio album, yet it’s self-titled. Why did you make that choice? 

First of all, working with Mike Elizondo was a dream, and a dream I didn’t know I had until we started recording together. He’s so collaborative, so I was able to speak into a lot of the creative elements like melodies that I may have held back on before.

Do you mean in the actual recording process?

Yes. We did this old-school, all the musicians on the floor at the same time. I was in the room with the whole band and we all tracked together. Plus, we did as much in one take that we could possibly get. Don’t get me wrong – there’s some overdubs and things like that, but it’s cohesive for the most part. That’s what made the process liberating. It made me feel like I was part of a method that for the most part doesn’t exist anymore.

You have a new label involved in Atlantic, and there has to be some pressure to have a hit as big as “You Say.” How do you not let that consume you?

So, whenever [you’re] creating under rules of comparison to something you’ve done previously, then you’re not really creating from a blank canvas. Essentially, when those questions come up, it’s noise. I have to block out the noise. That way I can stay in the present. If I am going to compare to an earlier song, like “You Say,” it inhibits me from going forward.

Listening to your album as a fan, or even as a former program director, there are many options for hit singles. Why did you come with a ballad as your first single, “Thank God I Do.”

As I push forward, I also don’t want to leave people behind. That’s really imperative. I’m talking about the fans that have been here the entire time. With “Thank God I Do,” to a degree there’s familiarity. Leading with that might feel a little like home.

I was talking to a young fan of yours recently – she’s about 20, a student – and when she started explaining how much “You Say” meant to her, she started tearing up. How do you talk to people like that? They’re not in the record industry; they’re fans and it seems like they’re the most important component.

You’re right, they are the most significant. As an artist, when you have all of these different voices coming at you, these folks have to be the loudest voice. With so many people vying for attention — contracts, appearances, interviews, etc., which is just part of the process, that’s all fine – as long as those fans maintain the loudest voice. I think maintaining that helps keep you grounded.

When I hear about one of these stories, maybe it’s about grief. I try to internalize it, write about it, and in effect, give language and voice to their story that maybe they’ve always longed to say but just didn’t know how. That exchange is the greatest gift that I can ever be a part of.

When we talk about not leaving people behind, does that also include Christian radio? Some of those programmers have been with you since the beginning. 

Christian radio is really vital, and that’s where we launched “Thank God I Do.” As I had my first success in the mainstream, a lot of Christian programmers celebrated that, even cheering me on. That was really beautiful. Another thing that we’re really conscious about is that just because pop stations may be supporting my music, that does not mean we’re leaving any of our early supporters behind. Plus, with streaming such a big part of the puzzle, it’s better for radio in general if they stay united.

Finally, what do you want fans both old and new to take from this album?

I love carrying messages of hope. That’s what inspires me. It’s the thing that motivates me to get up every morning. You never know the moment when someone needs a message or a song to be lifted up. I truly hope that people gain new elements of encouragement from this album. I found myself coming alive making this record, after all that we have been through during the pandemic. I hope that my listeners feel that, too. If they’ve been overwhelmed, overcome, this album is something they too can find strength in.

22 May 2023

Which Latin Song Lifts You Up? Vote

We all have that go-to song that has helped us heal, or simply just lifted our spirits.

For Mental Health Awareness Month, Billboard compiled a list of 10 Spanish-language songs that have helped de-stigmatize the topic of mental health with Latin artists speaking of their personal struggles, and in doing so, also helping raise mental health awareness.

The list includes Diego Torres‘ inspirational “Color Esperanza,” in which he sings about never losing hope. “I know that the windows can open. Changing the air depends on you and it will help you and it’ll be worth it,” the Argentine singer-songwriter declares. In 2020, nearly 20 years since it was originally released, a new version of the track was recorded by Sony Music Latin in partnership with Global Citizen to benefit the Pan American Health Organization’s (PAHO) response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The list also includes Karol G‘s “Mientras Me Curo del Cora,” in which the Colombian artist reflects on the importance of being surrounded by positive and supportive people while on her journey to healing, Francisca Valenzuela‘s “La Fortaleza” about self-worth, Jarabe de Palo‘s sunny and uplifting “Bonito” and KHEA‘s “Eclipse” on finding himself.

Vote for the song that lifts you up in our poll below. If your go-to anthem isn’t an option, you can add the song’s name.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health or substance abuse disorders, reach out to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration‘s national helpline 24/7 at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for confidential treatment referrals and information. For those who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or distress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255. You can also call or text 988 to get connected to trained counselors.