Music

Here Are All the 2023 ACM Awards Winners (Updating)

Who will win big? Follow along with Billboard all night to find out.

The 2023 ACM Awards have arrived!

HARDY goes into the country awards show with a leading seven nominations, while Lainey Wilson has six nods, followed by Cole Swindell, Kane Brown, Luke Combs and Miranda Lambert with five nods each.

But who will emerge the night’s big winner? Watch the full show on Prime Video, and find all the winners (updating live) below:

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Entertainer of the year

  • Jason Aldean
  • Kane Brown
  • Luke Combs
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Chris Stapleton
  • Carrie Underwood
  • Morgan Wallen

Female artist of the year

  • Kelsea Ballerini
  • Miranda Lambert
  • Ashley McBryde
  • Carly Pearce
  • Lainey Wilson

Male artist of the year

  • Kane Brown
  • Luke Combs
  • Jordan Davis
  • Chris Stapleton
  • Morgan Wallen

Duo of the year

  • Brooks & Dunn 
  • Brothers Osborne 
  • Dan + Shay 
  • Maddie & Tae 
  • The War and Treaty

Group of the year

  • Lady A 
  • Little Big Town 
  • Midland 
  • Old Dominion 
  • Zac Brown Band

New female artist of the year

  • Priscilla Block 
  • Megan Moroney 
  • Caitlyn Smith 
  • Morgan Wade 
  • WINNER: Hailey Whitters 

New male artist of the year

  • WINNER: Zach Bryan
  • Jackson Dean
  • ERNEST 
  • Dylan Scott 
  • Nate Smith 
  • Bailey Zimmerman

Album of the year

Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Label(s)

  • Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville – Ashley McBryde; Producer: John Osborne; Label: Warner Music Nashville
  • Bell Bottom Country – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Broken Bow Records
  • Growin’ Up – Luke Combs; Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton; Label: Columbia Records
  • Mr. Saturday Night – Jon Pardi; Producers: Jon Pardi, Bart Butler, Ryan Gore; Label: Capitol Records Nashville
  • Palomino – Miranda Lambert; Producers: Jon Randall, Luke Dick, Miranda Lambert, Mikey Reaves; Label: Vanner Records/RCA Records Nashville

Single of the year

 Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Label(s)

  • Heart Like a Truck – Lainey Wilson; Producer: Jay Joyce; Label: Broken Bow Records
  • Never Wanted to Be That Girl – Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde; Producers: Josh Osborne, Shane McAnally; Label: Big Machine Records/Warner Music Nashville
  • She Had Me at Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Warner Music Nashville
  • Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Nashville
  • ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson; Producer: Trent Willmon; Label: Warner Music Nashville/CoJo Music

Song of the year

 Awarded to Songwriter(s)/Publisher(s)/Artist(s)

  • Sand In My Boots – Morgan Wallen; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Josh Osborne, Michael Hardy; Publishers: Relative Music Group; Sony/ATV Accent; Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing
  • She Had Me at Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Cole Swindell, Jesse Frasure, Mark D. Sanders, Thomas Rhett, Tim Nichols; Publishers: Ashley Gorley Publishing Designee; Be A Light Publishing; Colden Rainey Music; EMI Blackwood Music Inc; Songs Of Roc Nation Music; Sony Tree Publishing; Telemitry Rhythm House Music; Universal Music Corp; WC Music Corp; Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp
  • ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson; Songwriters: Ben Stennis, Matt Rogers; Publishers: Anthem Canalco Publishing; Dead Aim Music; The Stennis Mightier Music
  • wait in the truck – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Songwriters: Hunter Phelps, Jordan Schmidt, Michael Hardy, Renee Blair; Publishers: Humerus Publishing Global; Nontypical Music; Pile of Schmidt Songs; Rednecker Music; Relative Music Group; Round Hill Verses Publishing; Sony/ATV Accent; Sony/ATV Tree Publishing; The Money Tree Vibez; WC Music Corp; Who Wants to Buy My Publishing
  • You Should Probably Leave – Chris Stapleton; Songwriters: Ashley Gorley, Chris DuBois, Chris Stapleton; Publishers: One77 Songs; Sea Gayle Music; Songs of Southside Independent Music Publishing; Spirit Two Nashville; WC Music Corp

Visual media of the year

Awarded to Producer(s)/Director(s)/Artist(s)

  • HEARTFIRST – Kelsea Ballerini; Producers: Christen Pinkston & Wesley Stebbins-Perry; Director: P Tracy
  • She Had Me at Heads Carolina – Cole Swindell; Producer: Troy Jackson; Director: Spidey Smith
  • Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Luke Arreguin; Director: Alex Alvga
  • ‘Til You Can’t – Cody Johnson; Producer: Maddy Hayes; Director: Dustin Haney
  • WINNER: wait in the truck – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Producer: Inkwell Productions; Director: Justin Clough
  • What He Didn’t Do – Carly Pearce; Producer: Ryan Byrd; Director: Alexa Campbell

Songwriter of the year

  • Nicolle Galyon 
  • WINNER: Ashley Gorley 
  • Chase McGill 
  • Josh Osborne 
  • Hunter Phelps

Artist-songwriter of the year

  • Luke Combs 
  • ERNEST 
  • WINNER: HARDY 
  • Miranda Lambert 
  • Morgan Wallen

 Music event of the year

Awarded to Artist(s)/Producer(s)/Label(s)

  • At the End of a Bar – Chris Young with Mitchell Tenpenny; Producers: Chris DeStefano, Chris Young; Label: RCA Nashville
  • She Had Me at Heads Carolina [Remix] – Cole Swindell & Jo Dee Messina; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Warner Music Nashville
  • Thank God – Kane Brown with Katelyn Brown; Producer: Dann Huff; Label: RCA Nashville
  • Thinking ‘Bout You – Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter; Producer: Zach Crowell; Label: Broken Bow Records
  • wait in the truck – HARDY feat. Lainey Wilson; Producers: Derek Wells, HARDY, Joey Moi, Jordan Schmidt; Label: Big Loud Records

STUDIO RECORDING AWARDS

Bass player of the year

  • Mark Hill
  • Tony Lucido
  • Steve Mackey
  • Lex Price
  • Craig Young

Drummer of the year

  • Fred Eltringham
  • Miles McPherson
  • Jerry Roe
  • Aaron Sterling
  • Nir Z

Acoustic guitar player of the year

  • Tim Galloway
  • Todd Lombardo
  • Danny Rader
  • Bryan Sutton
  • Ilya Toshinskiy

Piano/keyboards player of the year

  • Jim “Moose” Brown
  • Dave Cohen
  • Charles Judge
  • Billy Justineau
  • Alex Wright

Specialty instrument player of the year

  • Dan Dugmore
  • Stuart Duncan
  • Jenee Fleenor
  • Josh Matheny
  • Justin Schipper

Electric guitar player of the year

  • Kris Donegan
  • Kenny Greenberg
  • Rob McNelley
  • Sol Philcox-Littlefield
  • Derek Wells

Audio engineer of the year

  • Drew Bollman
  • Josh Ditty
  • Gena Johnson
  • Justin Niebank
  • F. Reid Shippen

Producer of the year

  • Buddy Cannon
  • Luke Dick
  • Jay Joyce
  • Joey Moi
  • Jon Randall
  • Derek Wells

INDUSTRY AWARDS

Casino of the year – theater

  • Deadwood Mountain Grand – Deadwood, SD
  • Golden Nugget – Lake Charles, LA
  • Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
  • Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Hollywood, FL
  • Soaring Eagle – Mount Pleasant, MI

Casino of the year – arena

  • Fallsview Casino Resort – Niagara Falls, ON
  • Harrah’s – Council Bluffs, IA
  • Harveys Lake Tahoe – Stateline, NV
  • Mystic Lake Casino Showroom – Prior Lake, MN
  • Northern Quest Resort & Casino – Airway Heights, WA
  • Turning Stone Resort Casino – Verona, NY

Festival of the year

  • C2C: Country to Country – UK 
  • Carolina Country Music Fest – Myrtle Beach, SC
  • Country Concert – Fort Loramie, OH
  • Country Fest – Cadott, WI
  • Country Thunder – Bristol, TN
  • Stagecoach Festival – Indio, CA
  • Tortuga Music Festival – Fort Lauderdale, FL

Fair/rodeo of the year

  • Auburn Rodeo – Opelika, AL
  • Cheyenne Frontier Days – Cheyenne, WY
  • Florida Strawberry Festival – Plant City, FL
  • Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo – Houston, TX
  • Iowa State Fair – Des Moines, IA

Club of the year

  • Billy Bob’s Texas – Fort Worth, TX 
  • Coyote Joe’s – Charlotte, NC
  • Grizzly Rose – Denver, CO
  • Gruene Hall – New Braunfels, TX 
  • Joe’s on Weed St. – Chicago, IL

Theater of the year

  • Crystal Grand Music Theatre – Wisconsin Dells, WI
  • Florida Theatre – Jacksonville, FL
  • Grand Ole Opry House – Nashville, TN
  • Orpheum Theater – Omaha, NE
  • Stiefel Theatre – Salina, KS

Outdoor venue of the year

  • Bank of NH Pavilion – Gilford, NH
  • FirstBank Amphitheater – Franklin, TN
  • Greek Theatre – Los Angeles, CA
  • Santa Barbara Bowl – Santa Barbara, CA
  • St. Augustine Amphitheatre – St. Augustine, FL
  • The Wharf Amphitheater – Orange Beach, AL

Arena of the year

  • Denny Sanford PREMIER Center – Sioux Falls, SD
  • Dickies Arena – Fort Worth, TX
  • Hertz Arena – Estero, FL
  • Moody Center – Austin, TX
  • Simmons Bank Arena – Little Rock, AR
  • Thompson-Boling Arena – Knoxville, TN

Don Romeo talent buyer of the year

  • Ron Pateras
  • Pat Powelson
  • Michelle Romeo
  • Stacy Vee
  • Troy Vollhoffer

Promoter of the year

  • Patrick McDill
  • Aaron Spalding
  • Ed Warm
  • Adam Weiser
  • Jay Wilson

2023 ACM Awards: Photos From the Red Carpet

The 2023 ACM Awards took over the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas on Thursday (May 11) evening, and some of the biggest stars in country music were present for the occasion.

Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, Kane Brown, Gabby Barrett, Chris Young, Jelly Roll, Chase Rice, Old Dominion, Tiera Kennedy, Ashley McBryde, Priscilla Block and more brought their fashion finery to the ACM Awards’ red carpet. Dolly Parton, who is co-hosting the Academy of Country Music Awards with Garth Brooks, naturally brought the glam when she hit the red carpet, too.

Jelly Roll also brought some sleek threads to the 2023 ACMs. In addition to performing at the ACMs, he’s set to perform at Billboard’s first-ever Billboard Country Live event, which takes place in Nashville on June 6-7. Jelly Roll will play at Marathon Music Works on June 6, with Garth Brooks sitting down for an intimate Q&A at the same venue on June 7. Carly Pearce, Bailey Zimmerman, Brian Kelley, Lauren Alaina, Megan Moroney and Lady A’s Hillary Scott will also be part of sessions discussing the hottest issues in country music.

The 2023 ACM Awards take place amidst a major Hollywood writers’ strike, which forced the MTV Movie & TV Awards to broadcast pre-taped and without a host on Sunday, May 7. The ACMs, however, seem set to broadcast live on Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music channel on Twitch.

The ACM Awards are produced by Dick Clark Productions. DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation (PMC) subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.

Jimmie Allen Dropped From CMA Fest Lineup After Sexual Assault Allegations

Jimmie Allen has been removed from the performer lineup for this year’s CMA Fest after sexual assault allegations in a new lawsuit, according to a statement from the Country Music Association obtained by Billboard.

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CMA Fest is slated for June 8-11 in downtown Nashville. Allen had been slated to perform during the festival’s closing evening, on Sunday, June 11, on the main stage at Nissan Stadium. Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley and Ashley McBryde are also on the June 11 lineup. Last year, CMA Fest welcomed an estimated 80,000 country music fans daily to downtown Nashville, and this year, will celebrate 50 years of connecting artist and fans.

The removal comes hours after a civil lawsuit was filed Thursday (May 11) against Allen, as an anonymous “Jane Doe” who previously served as a day-to-day manager for Allen claims to have been repeatedly sexually harassed and raped by Allen, and that Allen’s management company fired her when she complained.

The lawsuit, first reported by Variety and independently obtained by Billboard, was filed Thursday in Tennessee federal court. The anonymous “Jane Doe” accuser claims that Allen “manipulated and used his power” over her job as a day-to-day manager in order to “sexually harass and abuse her” over a period of 18 months from 2020 to 2022.

“Plaintiff expressed in words and actions that Jimmie Allen’s conduct was unwelcome, including pushing him away, sitting where he could not reach her, telling him she was uncomfortable and no, and crying uncontrollably,” the woman’s attorneys write in the complaint. “However, Allen made clear that plaintiff’s job was dependent on her staying silent about his conduct.”

In a statement to Billboard, Allen admitted to a sexual relationship with his accuser but denied all allegations of wrongdoing. Allen also said he is determined to defend himself against the lawsuit.

“It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever,” Allen says. “I acknowledge that we had a sexual relationship — one that lasted for nearly two years. During that time she never once accused me of any wrongdoing, and she spoke of our relationship and friendship as being something she wanted to continue indefinitely.

“Only after things ended between us, did she hire a lawyer to reach out and ask for money, which leads me to question her motives. The simple fact is, her accusations are not only false, but also extremely damaging. I’ve worked incredibly hard to build my career, and I intend to mount a vigorous defense to her claims and take all other legal action necessary to protect my reputation.”

Allen has also been suspended by his record label BBR Music Group (Allen records for the label’s Stoney Creek imprint), including the ceasing of of radio promotion for his current single “Be Alright.”

“In light of today’s allegations against Jimmie Allen, BBR Music Group has decided to suspend all activity with him, effective immediately,” a label representative said via a statement to Billboard.

Delaware native Allen had also previously been slated to deliver a commencement keynote address at his alma mater Delaware State University. In a release obtained by Billboard, it was noted that Allen is no longer delivering the commencement address and has been replaced by Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester. According to the release, Allen informed the university he would no longer be available to participate in the ceremony.

Chrishell Stause & G Flip Reveal They Secretly Got Married

They’re hitched! Chrishell Stause and singer G Flip surprised fans Wednesday (May 10) with the news that they secretly tied the knot.

“Love doesn’t always go as planned… Sometimes it’s immeasurably better,” the Selling Sunset star captioned an Instagram Reel that shows a candid snap from their wedding ceremony at the very end. In the photo, Stause wore a simple white dress with her wavy locks half up, half down and G Flip donned a black suit and clean white sneakers.

The nonbinary Aussie singer — who just released their latest single “Be Your Man” — reacted to the post with a sweet tribute to their new wife in the comments section, writing, “My darling, I adore and love you with all my heart. These are the sweetest words and this is cutest little edit. You make me so happy…thank you x.”

Several of the couple’s friends sent their congratulations upon the public reveal. Rising lesbian pop star Peaches PRC commented, “IM SOBBINGGGG…love you both sm” while Stause’s Selling Sunset boss (and former boyfriend) Jason Oppenheim wrote, “I am SO excited for this!! You and G are the most inspiring couple and the affection between you both is so pure. I love you two tons and am so lucky to have you both in my life. congrats!”

Selling Sunset cast members Heather El Moussa, Emma Hernan, Chelsea Lazkani and Maya Vander were also among the famous faces who celebrated their co-star’s marriage, as well as Ariana Madix of Vanderpump Rules and former Bachelor Nation star JoJo Fletcher.

Watch Stause’s sweet Reel for the wedding reveal below.

Priyanka Chopra Reveals Nick Jonas Watched Her Win Miss World Pageant… When He Was 7

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas‘ relationship is a fateful one. During a Thursday (May 11) appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show, the Love Again actress revealed one of the first times the Jonas Brothers singer set eyes on her was 23 years ago, when she was crowned Miss World — when he was only 7 years old.

“When I was 18, I won the Miss World pageant. This was in London — I had just turned 18 in July, complete child, I had no idea what I was doing or what this world entailed, didn’t have a lot of practice — but apparently, my mother-in-law said, ‘I remember watching you when you won,’” she told Hudson.

She continued, “I was in London, it was 2000. They were in Texas, and I was like ‘There’s no way.’ She was like, ‘I remember it so clearly because it was November, Nick was on some Broadway show at 7 years old, his brother was on some Broadway show at 8 or 9, and she said, ‘I remember this clearly because Kevin Sr.’ — my father-in-law — ‘loves watching pageants, and he, I remember, was watching it and Nick came and sat down and watched you win,’ which is unfathomable. That was 22 years ago. He was 7, I was 17.”

While fate appears to be on the couple’s side, when it was finally time to meet each other, Chopra revealed she initially “didn’t give it much of a chance.” In a separate interview with Today, she explained, “I was like, ‘He’s 25 years old, he’s a rock star. I want to get married, I want to settle down, I want to have a baby’ … I was 35 at the time. I wanted stability, and I didn’t give Nick enough credit until I went out with him on our first date. We spent the whole evening together, and I realized my husband is just like an old soul. He’s stability in human form.”

The rest, as they say, is history: Chopra and Jonas have been married for four years now, have a young daughter, and are now co-stars in their new movie Love Again.

Watch Chopra talk about Jonas watching her on television when he was still a child in the video above.

Musicians Who Have Opened Up About Their Mental Health Struggles

In recent years, artists have been doing their part to destigmatize mental health issues by opening up about their own experiences. Here’s what they’ve said.

For too long, many people — including musicians — have silently battled mental health issues, putting on a happy face for the rest of the world.

But things have been changing. In recent years, many artists from across multiple genres have used their platforms to speak out in the hopes of destigmatizing everything from depression to bipolar disorder and more by opening up about their own struggles and methods for coping.

Adele and Alanis Morissette, for example, have shared their experiences with postpartum depression. Billie Eilish has opened up about how fame led to depression and suicidal ideation, while Bebe Rexha and Halsey have shared their bioplar disorder diagnoses. Guns N’ Roses rocker Duff McKagan, who battles panic disorder, revealed that a new song was written in the midst of a panic attack, while Rick Springfield recalled a past suicide attempt in his memoir.

These are just some of the brave artists who have shared their experiences to encourage the millions of fans who are listening to them. Read on for more musicians who have opened up about their mental health journeys.

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.

Dua Lipa Wants You to Join Her Book Club

Because reading is what? Fundamental! Dua Lipa announced Thursday (May 11) that she’s starting her very own book club.

The Service95 Book Club will be the latest offshoot of the singer’s Service95 newsletter, and she shared the news in a bikini-clad Instagram post, writing, “Ever since I can remember, anywhere I go I take a book with me. Reading is an incredibly important part of my life and one of my biggest joys. I’m so excited to start the @service95 Book Club where we can share that joy of discovery with each other.

“Each month, we’re going to go deep on our Book of the Month with author interviews, features that add context about the book, recommended further reading and so much more!” she promised. “I’m so excited to read along with you.”

Lipa’s first selection for the month of June will be Douglas Stuart’s Shuggie Bain, which she included in one picture in her slideshow in a well-loved stack of books along with Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski, Stephen King’s The Institute, Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other, Ocean Vuong’s 2019 debut On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous and A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.

To correspond with the announcement, the latest edition of the pop star’s newsletter is all about books, and includes a special piece by Stuart about the imagery that inspired his novel. She’ll also be sitting down with the Booker Prize winner early next month at the 2023 Hay Festival to record a special episode of her podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service.

Check out Dua Lipa’s post announcing the Service95 Book Club below.

Rihanna Shows Off Her Baby Bump While Celebrating 5 Years of Savage X Fenty

It’s been five years since Rihanna revolutionized the lingerie and loungewear world with her inclusive, diverse Savage X Fenty brand. The superstar took to Instagram on Thursday (May 11) to celebrate with some steamy new photos showing off her baby bump.

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“It’s giving…call HR!!” RiRi hilariously captioned the office-themed snaps, in which she’s seen posing up against a copying machine in a black bralette and boyshort set, complete with sky-high stilettos and her pregnant belly on full display. She also added the hashtag #5yearsofSAVAGEX to her caption.

See the photos here.

Rihanna revealed that she’s pregnant with her second child with A$AP Rocky during her 2023 Super Bowl halftime show performance in February, surprising fans in a curve-hugging red outfit that showed off her bump. The news came less than a year after RiRi welcomed the couple’s first child — a baby boy — in May. Rihanna has yet to reveal the due date for her upcoming bundle of joy, but she is currently in her third trimester.

“It’s so different from the first one,” she told ET of her current pregnancy journey at the 2023 Met Gala earlier this month. “No cravings. Tons of nausea. Everything’s different, but I’m enjoying it.”

“I feel good,” added the “Love on the Brain” singer. “I feel energetic.”

INTO1 Talk Bidding Farewell to Their Group Career With ‘Grown Up’ Album

Since their debut two years ago, multi-national Chinese boy band INTO1 have released four albums and made impressive progress in music, thanks to their unique charms.

Meeting in early spring 2021 and disbanding in late spring 2023, the group’s 11 members from all over the world have made an indelible impression on their fans with their devotion to music.

INTO1 released their final album, Grown Up, in March. Whether it’s a gentle croon or an impassioned, rocking melody, every song captures INTO1’s growth from young men to adults.

Here are five questions and answers from their recent Billboard China cover story, translated to English, about their two-year group career and new album Grown Up.

From the first album to the latest one, you have tried many music styles, such as Chinese operas, hip-hop, electronic dance and so on, and you are becoming more and more mature in your musical performance. How did you grow musically while recording Grown Up?

Liu Yu: My biggest growth in music is learning how to listen to the story behind the voice and hear how the singer handles fine details, timbre control and creativity through the voice.

SANTA: When recording the album, I felt like I was watching a movie about the two years of INTO1, so my biggest gain was to be reminded of these precious memories.

RIKIMARU: When I first listened to the demo, I was worried about whether I could sing the high notes well. But when practicing before recording, I found that I could give it a try.

Mika: For me, my biggest growth was that all the songs on the album contain our shared emotions, and it is a perfect graduation gift of INTO1.

Nine: We can show our growth in two years through these songs.

Lin Mo: We try new styles on every album. I can also find a different self.

Bo Yuan: I learned how to release my emotions and began to understand that volume and pitch are not the only things that determine emotional performance.

Zhang Jiayuan: I think I made great progress in aesthetics and new style, like a cappella and indie rock. And I experienced different emotions through music.

Patrick: In our new song, “Grown Up,” there are many harmonic elements. I learned a lot about harmony during the recording and understood the layers of music better.

Daniel Zhou: I’ve learned a lot of different things from recording each album over the past two years, because album recording involves different aspects of music. For example, we can convey the emotions of the music through our dance, our voice, our performance and so on. I think I can find different possibilities in different styles of songs every time I record.

AK: My biggest gain is that I wrote a whole song for INTO1 and our team for the first time: the harmony, lyrics, music and some ideas on the arrangement. In this process, I think I made some progress in comprehensive aesthetics and music production.

You started out in a closed environment on the talent show, and after you became a group, you started living together. After getting to know each other for a while now, who is the most different from your first impression of him? How is he different from who you though he was?

Liu Yu: I think it’s AK. The first impression he gave me was that he looked like someone not to be messed with. After getting to know him, I think he is a simple boy with a playful side and can write some very delicate songs.

SANTA: I think it is Liu Yu. My first impression of him was that he was professional and serious-minded. In fact, this has not changed even now. But after getting to know him for a long time, I found that he also likes to joke around, and it is relaxing to be around him.

RIKIMARU: I think it is Bo Yuan. I never thought we could be such good friends now. We are very comfortable chatting with each other, and we think alike in many ways.

Nine: I think Daniel and Mika. My first impression of them was that they were cold and distant, but they are actually very cute and lively.

Bo Yuan: I think Mika and Daniel. They both transformed from the reserved cool guys to jokesters.

Zhang Jiayuan: I think it is Liu Yu. I used to feel that he was cold and distant, but now I think he is rather funny.

Daniel Zhou: I think it is Mika. When I first met him, he was very cold and quiet, so I thought he may not be so easy to get along with. However, after two years of getting along with each other, I found that he is the most easygoing. I think he is a combination of very cold and very cute.

AK I think it is me! [Laughs] In the past two years, I have tried many new styles in terms of music and styling and grown up a lot.

In two years, you have created four albums together, collaborated on many stage performances and participated in many variety shows. You have brought many surprises to your fans, and you have become the pride of your fans. What has been your most fulfilling moment as a member of INTO1?

Lin Mo: When we were rigged on wires [for a performance] for the first time. It was so cool.

Daniel Zhou: We went to the Super Novae Games, and each of us participated in a different event. Even though we represented ourselves as an individual, the rewards we won belong to the team. During the process, we felt a strong sense of collective honor and we were proud to be part of the team.

AK: The most fulfilling moment may be when I wrote the song “Grown Up.” I wrote about regrets and sadness, and also wrote about positive wishes for the future. I hope that all 11 of us will have a bright future. That is what the song is about.

INTO1 was born in the stage performance competition, and in two years, you have also created many stage performances. What has been the group’s most impressive stage performance so far?

Daniel Zhou: What impressed me the most was when we performed “Shanhe Tu” at a big party in 2021. During the performance, we were rigged on wires and hung in the air about 20 meters [66 feet] off the ground. Eleven of us hung in different corners in midair and then convened on a stage covered with water. I have never been on such a well-equipped stage before, and I was filled with uncertainty and excitement, so I think it was the most impressive performance for me.

AK: It was when we sang “We Are the Youth” onstage for the first time. At that time, our group had just been formed and did not have enough time to try to bond with each other and rehearse, so the final stage performance was not so good. I always remembered this stage performance, reminding myself that I must do my best to prepare for every stage in the future.

You have been working as an idol group for two years. Which field of work would you like to continue to pursue in the future?

Liu Yu: I will continue on the road of music. Of course, I would like to try out other fields.

SANTA: I would like to continue to work in dance, music, variety shows and new opportunities in China and explore more possibilities in myself.

RIKIMARU: Find my own unique music style.

Mika: I hope I can improve my stage performance, dance and singing to be a better performer.

Nine: I will not give up the stage, and I will try harder in acting.

Lin Mo: I will try everything if there’s an opportunity. I won’t set any limits for myself.

Bo Yuan: I would like to continue singing. Besides singing, I also like live broadcast. Both performing live onstage and chatting on a live broadcast in real time is challenging.

Zhang Jiayuan: I will work harder on music, variety, film and TV, art and so on.

Patrick: I played a role in a movie before, and I like the feeling of learning about a character and then embodying it, so I hope I can make more film and TV works in the future. At the same time, I also hope to make my own album and sing on programs or in concerts for everyone.

Daniel Zhou: There are many things that I have not tried yet, so I hope to have more opportunities to try different things.

AK: I will definitely stick to music. As a next step, I am particularly interested in enriching my life experience, improving my emotional perception and expression, and recording what I see. Currently, I am also planning my concert tour, music festival and EP.

INTO1

Billboard China

After two years of training, the team members of INTO1 have all grown up. For them, farewell is also a new beginning, and each of them will also embark on a new stage of their career. Mika, Lin Mo and Daniel Zhou have all released new projects; Bo Yuan and AK will also start their own tours. There is reason to believe that whether they are members of INTO1 or developing independently, they will all shine brightly.

Cole Swindell Fought Through Taylor Swift Eras Tour Traffic to Pick Up Engagement Ring

Cole Swindell is happily engaged to his girlfriend Courtney Little — but the process of getting a ring on her finger got a little stressful.

The country music superstar sat down with Audacy’s Katie & Company, where he revealed that he got stuck in traffic while picking up the ring, all thanks to Taylor Swift‘s The Eras tour stops in Nashville. “The day we were leaving, the people in Charlotte that did [the ring] flew it to Nashville, and little did I remember that Taylor Swift was in town,” he recalled. “I was like, ‘It’s 10:30 in the morning. I’ll be good, I’mma go ahead and get [picking it up] out of the way.’ Not good.”

He continued, “It looked like she was playing a pop-up acoustic show in every restaurant in the Gulch [in Nashville]. People everywhere! I didn’t miss any of the craziness of T. Swift, but got the ring and had it about seven hours before I got it off of me and on her hand and that’s where it’ll be.”

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Swindell and Little both shared the happy news on their respective Instagram pages on May 8. “Still couldn’t tell ya everything I said down on one knee.. All I know is she said “YES”! [ring emoji] We’re so excited!” the “She Had Me at Heads Carolina” hitmaker captioned his Instagram post.

Swindell is set to perform at the ACM Awards Thursday night (May 11), which he felt was perfect timing to pop the question. “I did it Sunday, on the way out here [to the ACM Awards]. We have both of our families coming out to the awards — we’ve never done that before — she’s never had family come out to the awards so figured it would be a cool place [to celebrate],” he shared. “It just dawned on me that our first date was a video shoot for my song, ‘Some Habits,’ so that location is right outside of Nashville about 45 minutes, so we took a little detour on our way to Frisco and I took her back to the video shoot location and that’s where I proposed… She never saw that coming — we had talked about the engagement — but she didn’t know when.”

Listen to Swindell’s full interview on Audacy’s Katie & Company here.