Music

24 Feb 2023

Dionne Warwick Talks Meeting Dolly Parton for the First Time — And Why America Needs Inspirational Music Right Now

What happens when two beloved legends meet for the first time?

“Well, it was more laughter than anything else,” Dionne Warwick says of meeting Dolly Parton. “We had a wonderful, wonderful meeting. It was as if we’d known each other for years.”

Though both women have been fans of each other’s work for many years, the occasion that finally brought them together was a video shoot for their new gospel duet “Peace Like a River.” Written by Parton and produced by Warwick’s son/manager Damon Elliott, the song is the first taste of Warwick’s forthcoming inspirational album, coming via Warwick and Elliott’s Kind Music Group.

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Parton and Warwick recorded their vocals for the single separately then met at Parton’s production facility outside Nashville to film the video. Sitting in a downtown Nashville hotel room for this interview, Warwick is both elegant and energetic — the excitement she feels over the collaboration with Parton is palpable.

“We were there to take care of our business, but along with that, we found time to not only smile but outright laugh,” Warwick says of the filming the clip, which was directed by Elliott and Nick Pres. “Dolly is very, very grounded — which I was thrilled about — but she’s also very business, which I happen to be about as well. So, it felt like two peas in a pod. It wasn’t like we were working at all. It was more like two friends meeting for lunch.”

“I was honored to get to sing with one of my idols, Dionne Warwick,” Parton said in a statement. “I have loved her since we were younger and getting to sing with her was one of the highlights of my career. I loved that she loved my song, and I loved singing it with her.”

Parton sent the song to Elliott in hopes that Warwick would be interested in recording it. When she heard it, she was immediately impressed by the lyrics and Parton’s vocals. “She asked if I’d like to do it as a duet. She’s testifying on this song, which she knows how to do,” Warwick tells Billboard of Parton’s fiery gospel delivery. “She felt that I was her voice of choice to do this with. She feels that the world needs it, as I do, and she said, ‘We’ve got a hit song.’ It’s so beautifully written. [These are] beautiful words to sing and I’m truly honored that she asked me to record it.”

Warwick plans to title her upcoming album Songs of Inspiration and is hoping to recruit Kirk Franklin, Donnie McClurkin and some of her other favorite gospel singers to participate in the project. The new album will be Warwick’s first inspirational collection since Why We Sing was released in 2008 on Rhino Records. “It’s so important for this time and so much needed,” Warwick says of releasing the inspirational set. “I don’t know what’s going on with our country.”

Though “Peace Like a River” marks Warwick’s first collaboration with Parton, Elliott recently produced another project involving the country icon when he recruited Dolly for “Gonna Be You,” a Diane Warren song performed by Parton, Cyndi Lauper and Belinda Carlisle featuring Gloria Estefan and Deborah Harry (which comes from the 80 for Brady movie starring Sally Field, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Lily Tomlin). “Diane had this great song that she wrote, and she came to me and said, ‘I’m working on this song for this movie, and I want you to produce it,’” says Elliott, who produced Warren’s Oscar-nominated “Applause” from the film Tell It Like A Woman.

“It was a lot of fun,” Elliott says of working on “Gonna Be You.” “It took me back to when I produced ‘Lady Marmalade’ [with P!nk, Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim and Mya for Moulin Rouge!] many moons ago. Working with extraordinary talented artists — in this case living legends — is just something… I can’t put words to it.”

In addition to working on her upcoming inspirational album, Warwick and Elliott are co-executive producers for Hits! The Musical, a 50-city national tour featuring 29 young artists, ages 10 to 22, delivering 80 of America’s most iconic songs. Elliott is currently planning a Las Vegas residency for the show after the tour concludes.

When Elliott first became involved in the musical, he knew it would appeal to Warwick. “I called mom and said, ‘This is probably going to resonate with you,’ because she does stuff to help propel future artists,” he explains.

“Anything that has to do with kids, you’ve got me. Especially if it’s dealing with music, which I think I know a little bit about,” Warwick says with a smile. “It is absolutely phenomenal. The talent is enormous. They take five decades of music. Every time I think about it, I get tongue-tied. It’s something I think everybody should see.”

At 82, Warwick — whose Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over documentary recently hit HBO Max — shows no signs of slowing down. In addition to the new duet with Parton, touring the country, working on her inspirational album and co-executive producing Hits! The Musical, the five-time Grammy winner (who was honored with the lifetime achievement Grammy in 2019) is considered the “Queen of Twitter.” “After seeing some of the things that were being said on Twitter when I first got involved, [I thought] it’s time for a grownup to be present and let these kids know that there is another way to do all this,” Warwick quips.

She says she has no plans to retire anytime soon. “I’ve got a long, long time just to sit and be doing nothing,” she says. “I’m not ready for that yet.”

24 Feb 2023

How Lana Del Rey Became ‘Completely Unburdened’ For Her Most Personal Material Yet

Lana Del Rey practices “automatic singing.” Using the improvisational songwriting technique, she lets her voice carry over accompaniments, not commandeering where her words or melodies take her, accepting all ideas she has in the moment and editing them later. Lately, her voice has led her home, back to memories of her childhood in Lake Placid, N.Y., and to ruminations on relationships with her family and the divergent paths they’ve taken.

That subject underpins her upcoming ninth album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (out March 24). Del Rey, 37, says she hesitantly began to unpack this subject matter with her previous album, Blue Banisters — but now, she’s ready to dig deeper. “At first I was so uncomfortable,” she says of the more personal material. “Then, by the grace of God, I just felt completely unburdened.”

Lana Del Rey photographed on January 27, 2023 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Lia Clay Miller

As a singer-songwriter, this year’s Visionary honoree has embodied that word for over a decade. Her 2012 major-label debut, Born To Die, made her a star and defined music’s Tumblr era, as a young Del Rey toyed with both the romantic and the darker sides of the American dream. Her “world building,” as she calls it now, for her early work created a collage of beautiful and disparate images, pairing hip-hop aesthetics with references to the Kennedy family, Elvis Presley with John Wayne, and old Hollywood glamour with biker gang grit.

Since then, Del Rey has pushed musical boundaries — seamlessly peppering an album with features from Stevie Nicks to Playboi Carti (2017’s Lust for Life), reworking a Sublime cover into a contemporary Billboard Hot 100 hit (2019’s “Doin’ Time”), for instance — while achieving both critical acclaim and commercial success. She has earned six Grammy nominations and holds the record for most No. 1s on Billboard’s Alternative Albums chart. And somehow, each week, it seems a new song from her vast catalog gains traction on TikTok. (“West Coast” and “How To Disappear” are two recent breakouts.) Younger artists often cite her as an inspiration — including Billie Eilish, whom Del Rey now calls “my girl. It makes me feel comforted that music is going in such a good direction.”

Lana Del Rey photographed on January 27, 2023 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Lia Clay Miller

Since 2019, you’ve released four albums. Is it fair to say you have more creative energy than ever?

I think it might look like that! It’s funny because I keep telling people, “I haven’t worked in three years,” but really I just haven’t done shows in three years. As soon as I start getting ready for a show, that’s when it feels like work.

How has your process changed since Born To Die came out?

Eleven years ago I wanted it to be so good. Now, I just sing exactly what I’m thinking. I’m thinking a little less big and bombastic. Maybe at some point I can have fun creating a world again, but right now, I would say there’s no world building. This music is about thought processing. It’s very, very wordy. I’m definitely living from the neck up.

Lana Del Rey photographed on January 27, 2023 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Lia Clay Miller

Can you remember what it felt like creatively when you were just starting out?

I think back to the beginning, being in New York. I would just go to a little deli by Grand Central and all you had to do to sit at the table for hours was buy a black coffee. I remember thinking, “I’m doing it. I’m living it.” It was all very thrilling. I was so psyched back then.

You recently featured on Taylor Swift’s “Snow on the Beach.” What was collaborating with her like?

Well, first of all, I had no idea I was the only feature [on that song]. Had I known, I would have sung the entire second verse like she wanted. My job as a feature on a big artist’s album is to make sure I help add to the production of the song, so I was more focused on the production. She was very adamant that she wanted me to be on the album, and I really liked that song. I thought it was nice to be able to bridge that world, since Jack [Antonoff] and I work together and so do Jack and Taylor.

Who do you consider to be a visionary?

Joan Baez. I sang with her recently. She gave me a challenge: She said, “Go down a little road and look for a left turn and find my house [in Northern California]. If you find it and can play ‘Diamonds and Rust’s’ high harmony, I’ll come to Berkeley with you and sing.” So my sister and I rented a car and searched for the house. I was very nervous. I don’t play guitar that well, but I learned the first three chords and sat across from her, [and when] we stopped playing, she was like, “Great, I’ll see you at Berkeley.”

And another visionary to me is Cat Power. I had heard that she would run offstage when she wasn’t feeling it or just turn her back to the [audience] and keep playing. That’s when I knew I could probably do this.

Lana Del Rey photographed on January 27, 2023 at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles.

Lia Clay Miller

This story will appear in the Feb. 25, 2023, issue of Billboard.

24 Feb 2023

Lana Del Rey: Photos From the Billboard Women In Music Shoot

Lana Del Rey practices “automatic singing.” Using the improvisational songwriting technique, she lets her voice carry over accompaniments, not commandeering where her words or melodies take her, accepting all ideas she has in the moment and editing them later. Lately, her voice has led her home, back to memories of her childhood in Lake Placid, N.Y., and to ruminations on relationships with her family and the divergent paths they’ve taken.

That subject underpins her upcoming ninth album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (out March 24). Del Rey, 37, says she hesitantly began to unpack this subject matter with her previous album, Blue Banisters — but now, she’s ready to dig deeper. “At first I was so uncomfortable,” she says of the more personal material. “Then, by the grace of God, I just felt completely unburdened.”

As a singer-songwriter, this year’s Visionary honoree has embodied that word for over a decade. Her 2012 major-label debut, Born To Die, made her a star and defined music’s Tumblr era, as a young Del Rey toyed with both the romantic and the darker sides of the American dream. Her “world building,” as she calls it now, for her early work created a collage of beautiful and disparate images, pairing hip-hop aesthetics with references to the Kennedy family, Elvis Presley with John Wayne, and old Hollywood glamour with biker gang grit.

Since then, Del Rey has pushed musical boundaries — seamlessly peppering an album with features from Stevie Nicks to Playboi Carti (2017’s Lust for Life), reworking a Sublime cover into a contemporary Billboard Hot 100 hit (2019’s “Doin’ Time”), for instance — while achieving both critical acclaim and commercial success.

Read her full Billboard Women in Music profile here.

24 Feb 2023

Lana Del Rey’s Father, ‘Accidental Musician’ Rob Grant, Prepping Debut Album, ‘Lost At Sea’

Lana Del Rey isn’t the only one in the family with chops. Her dad, Rob Grant, is getting into the music business this summer when he drops his debut album. “Rob Grant here! And the rumors are true! My new album Lost At Sea is coming out on June 9th,” wrote Grant on Instagram along with an image of the album cover, on which the hale and hearty singer stares out over the ocean as seagulls swarm around him.

Grant also released the collection’s first single, the majestic instrumental piano ballad “Setting Sail on a Distant Horizon,” which was co-produced by Del Rey’s frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff along with Luke Howard. While Lana does not appear on that song — though she reportedly adds vocals to two other songs on the album — the singer makes a smiling cameo in a promo video Grant posted.

According to label Decca Records Grant’s compositions are the work of an admitted amateur with a passion for music. “An accidental recording artist, Grant has never had a lesson on any instrument in his life. No kind of formal musical training at all. He can’t read sheet music. But when he sits down at a piano, something magical happens,” reads a description on the label’s site.

“Notes flow from him and out pours composition after composition. The father of international icon Lana Del Rey, he enlisted an array of talent to contribute to the making of the album.” The collection promises features and writing assistance from his famous daughter, as well as production from Antonoff, Howard, Laura Sisk, and Zach Dawes.

Del Rey’s new album, Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, is due out on March 24.

Check out Grant’s album announce and listen to “Setting Sail” below.

24 Feb 2023

Brad Paisley Drops Song Featuring Ukrainian Pres. Zelenskyy on Anniversary of Russian War

A year ago, country star Brad Paisley watched the news on television as Russian troops invaded Ukraine and, like many people around the world, he felt helpless at the images of people fleeing their homes.

“The world felt like it was in a new place that it hadn’t been in decades,” the three-time Grammy winner recalls.

On Friday (Feb. 24), the one-year anniversary of the war’s start, Paisley is releasing a new song called “Same Here,” featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking proudly about his country and people.

The song is Paisley’s first from his new record, Son of the Mountains, to be released later this year on Universal Music Group Nashville. The West Virginia native wrote the song with Lee Thomas Miller (co-writer on Paisley hits “The World” and “Perfect Storm”) and Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith. It’s a three-part narrative that reflects on universal similarities, despite distance and language.

While it doesn’t mention Ukraine specifically, the song ends with Paisley and Zelenskyy in conversation, recorded during a video call. Zelenskyy talks about Ukrainians’ desire for freedom, adding “There is no distance between our two countries in such values.”

“There’s just no differences,” Paisley told The Associated Press. “You can put us in different places with different flags and different languages, but we have so many similarities.”

Paisley is one of several celebrity ambassadors for Ukraine’s United24 crowdfunding effort, and has donated his time for other fundraising efforts to assist Ukrainians. But even he thought it would be a long shot to have the direct involvement of Zelenskyy, who has traveled the world advocating for Ukraine’s military and recovery efforts.

“I think he understands that art is how you reach the most people, especially in the heart,” Paisley said of Zelenskyy, who was an actor and comedian before becoming president. “He can give as many speeches as he can give, but it’s a lot easier to hear something with a melody maybe.”

Zelenskyy didn’t just sign off on the song; he also suggested some changes to it, Paisley said.

Paisley’s royalties for the song will be donated to United24 to help build housing for thousands of displaced Ukrainians whose homes were destroyed in the war, he said. Using his platform to advocate for causes important to him has always been part of his career, whether it was opening a free grocery store in Nashville with his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, or fighting hunger by donating 1 million meals during the pandemic.

“I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t sort of swing for the fence with things like this,” Paisley said. “For me, I’m happiest dealing with stuff as a songwriter that’s very true and very, very passionate. And sometimes I don’t know if you’d call it risky, but it’s more like it’s bigger than me.”

Paisley brings his passion on stage during live shows. He’s been changing the lyrics to his hit song “American Saturday Night,” for instance, to replace a reference to the U.S.S.R. to “There’s a Ukrainian flag hanging up behind the bar.”

The new record will be his debut on UMG since moving from Sony’s Arista label, and he said “Same Here” reflects the kinds of big universal themes on it.

“We do deal with stuff going on in the world,” Paisley said. “How do you sing about things that are truly big — a big deal right now — that also don’t feel like maybe they’re the type of thing that you would be singing about typically? And yeah, on this album I have kind of really dug deep and tried to say something.”

Paisley, who has visited U.S. troops in Afghanistan, said he’s been invited to visit Ukraine, which he’d like to do. In the meantime, he hopes the song’s message will bolster the country now facing down year two of the war.

“That’s where it gets really rewarding… feeling like maybe the heart of this helps paint the picture they want to paint,” Paisley said.

24 Feb 2023

Pink Powers to No. 1 On Australia’s Chart With ‘Trustfall’

Pink blasts to No. 1 on Australia’s chart with Trustfall (via RCA/Sony), the U.S. pop superstar’s ninth studio album.

With Trustfall debuting at the summit of the ARIA Chart, published Feb. 24, Pink bags a seventh leader in the parts, bringing her total number of weeks at the top to 44, ARIA reports.

Pink is considered an “honorary Aussie,” and she’s certainly spent enough time here to earn it.

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On her 2009 Funhouse Tour, she criss-crossed the country for an astounding 59 shows, an epic adventure that took three months and saw her sell 650,000 tickets. Not bad for a country of less than 25 million at the time.

For her Truth About Love Tour in 2013-14, Pink completed 46 dates; and for the Australasian leg of her Beautiful Trauma World Tour in 2018, she spent over two months on these shores, nailing 42 arena dates.

According to Billboard Boxscore, Pink is the highest-grossing act of the 2010s in Oceania with about $135 million. She even has her own ladies’ toilet block at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where she has smashed attendance records.

Her albums are also surefire hits. Among Pink’s leaders, three have logged more than eight weeks at No. 1 on the ARIA Chart: Funhouse from 2008 (nine weeks), Greatest Hits… So Far!!! from 2010 (13 weeks) and The Truth About Love from 2012 (10 weeks).

The Philly native also ruled the national chart with I’m Not Dead (2006), Beautiful Trauma (2017) and Hurts 2B Human (2019).

Meanwhile, the title track from Trustfall flies 34-19 on the ARIA Singles Chart, for Pink’s 44th top 20 hit in Australia, a feat that includes 37 top 10 appearances.

As Ed Sheeran winds his way around the country for his latest stadium tour in support of = (equals via Atlantic/Warner), two of the Brit’s LPs return to the top 10. His latest release from 2021, equals, rises 17-6, while divide (÷) from 2017 is up 15-8.

Another English superstar pop artist is currently touring Australia, and enjoying sales bumps for his recordings. Harry Styles, who is working his way around the country for the domestic leg of his Love On Tour trek, sees his global hit single “As It Was” (Columbia/Sony) gain 9-5, while its parent album Harry’s House holds at No. 2.

Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” (Columbia/Sony) beds down for a sixth consecutive week at No. 1.

If it returns for a seventh week at the penthouse, “Flowers” will equal the reign of Miley’s dad Billy Ray Cyrus, with his 1992 smash “Achy Breaky Heart.”

Finally, another pink-tinged artist is making a statement on Australia’s charts. The English singer, songwriter and producer PinkPantheress’s “Boy’s A Liar” (Parlophone/Warner) lifts 3-2, a new peak, thanks to a viral cut featuring rising U.S. rapper Ice Spice.

23 Feb 2023

Adam Lambert Unleashes ‘High Drama’: Stream It Now

Adam Lambert is certainly not making his highly anticipated new musical era a subtle one, unveiling his aptly titled fifth studio album, High Drama, via BMG on Friday (Feb. 24).

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The album is a impressive journey through Lambert’s skillset as a cover artist, as he delivers his own versions of songs such as Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero,” Sia’s “Chandelier,” Billie Eilish’s “Getting Older” and many more.

“Even when I was doing American Idol, thinking of ways to bring a fresh slant on really well-known songs was always paramount in my mind. So when the idea came up for me to do a covers album, I thought, Well, why not?” he told Dig! of the inspiration behind the project.

He added, “The brief was to take a bunch of really great songs from all genres and completely remold them. For me, it’s been really challenging to twist these songs into completely different arrangements and make them sound brand new. It’s exciting, and if our new takes of these wonderful songs can surprise the artists who recorded the originals, then the record’s definitely succeeded.”

Listen to High Drama in full below.

23 Feb 2023

Halsey Unveils Solo Version of Post Malone ‘Die 4 Me’ Collaboration

Halsey listens to her fans! Following years of fans buzzing over an unreleased solo version of her Post Malone collaboration, “Die for Me,” the 28-year-old singer has delivered the official track.

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“Die 4 Me” was released on Friday (Feb. 24), just a week after initially announcing it. “Next Friday I’ve got a little surprise coming,” Halsey wrote on Instagram alongside cover art for the upcoming song. “It’s been long known in my fanbase that there’s a demo of ‘Die For Me’ with just me on it. I performed my verse on the tour all summer long and since so many people have asked for it, I decided to put my full version out as ‘Die 4 Me.’”

“Die For Me” was featured on Malone’s 2019 album, Hollywood’s Bleeding, which spent five weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The Future-assisted track reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 2019.

Listen to “Die 4 Me” below.

23 Feb 2023

Chloe Bailey & Chris Brown Release ‘How Does It Feel’ Collab: Stream It Now

Chloe Bailey dropped the second single, “How Does It Feel” featuring Chris Brown, from her upcoming debut album on Friday (Feb. 24).

In his “How Does It Feel” announcement post on Instagram, Brown gassed up his collaborator by writing, “You are a beautiful soul… TAKE OVER THE WORLD SHAWTY and DONT LOOK BACK! YOU ARE A QUEEN! DONT LET NOBODY TELL YOU NO DIFFERENT! You followed your dreams and now the universe is fulfilling that manifestation.”

Chloe replied underneath, “Can’t wait for the world to hear the magic we created.”

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“How Does It Feel” follows the first single (or piece, rather) “Pray It Away” from Chloe’s debut project In Pieces, which arrives in March via Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records. No exact release date has been announced yet.

In an August interview with Essence, Bailey — who is one half of the sister duo Chloe x Halle — explained that her album is “everything that I’ve been going through, all the tearing down, people underestimating, telling me I can’t do it — all of those things have gone into the music.” She added, “The album is me picking myself up and talking myself out of any little place or space that the world has tried to put me in, that people and personal relationships have tried to put me in, and even [doing that to] myself. It’s me breaking free.”

Chloe embarked on her solo career in 2021, around the time her sister Halle began filming for the live-action remake of Disney’s The Little Mermaid, in which she plays the lead Ariel. Chloe released her debut solo single “Have Mercy” and performed it at the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards just days later.

Listen to “How Does It Feel” below.