Music

22 Feb 2023

Lainey Wilson: Photos From Billboard Women in Music Shoot

By the time Lainey Wilson showcased for BMG Nashville staff in 2018, she was at a crossroads. She had already been in Nashville for over five years after leaving her small Louisiana hometown of Baskin and was struggling to fit in. Her heavily accented, twangy country vocals and Southern swagger weren’t in fashion as the genre leaned more toward pop, but her attempts to accommodate that style weren’t working either. So she doubled down on her tough-but-vulnerable authenticity. With that attitude, she sang, “She’s a soldier/When I hold her/Up in the air” in her defiant “Middle Finger.” “Take that, Nashville,” she thought.

Wilson, now 30, laughs when she remembers that time. “I just got to a certain point where I’d been in Nashville for so long [and] my give-a-damn was a little busted. I felt like, ‘Why not just say what I want to say how I want to say it?’ That’s one of the thoughts that really set me free.”

That fearlessness — and her robust, honest voice — captivated BMG Nashville president Jon Loba, who had been turned on to Wilson by another artist on his roster, Jimmie Allen.

“[She had] this absolute confidence. And it was an amazing vocal and, even at that time, amazing songs,” says Loba, who immediately signed her to Broken Bow Records. “But it was her narrative in between the music [where] you really got a sense of who she was: this strong woman from a small town in Louisiana who did not want to compromise who she was.”

Read Lainey Wilson’s full Billboard Women in Music story here.

22 Feb 2023

Kelly Clarkson Fades Perfectly Into Mazzy Star Classic for ‘Kellyoke’

Some songs are so perfect as they are when performed by the original artist that it’s a fool’s errand to try and cover them. That, of course, hasn’t stopped anyone with a piano and a passable voice giving the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” a go.

The same could also be said about Mazzy Star‘s signature 1994 single “Fade Into You,” a gauzy smoke trail of a ballad that is so perfectly exhaled by singer Hope Sandoval that it’s hard to think of a way to best the track that gave the group its only entry on the Billboard Hot 100 when it peaked at No. 44 that year.

Clearly nobody warned Kelly Clarkson, because on Wednesday’s (Feb. 22) episode of the singer’s daily syndicated talk show she took on “Fade” as part of her beloved Kellyoke segment and, as if we have to even say it, Clarkson killed it. With her My Band Y’all ladling out the song’s molasses-thick musical bed behind her, Clarkson stood perfectly still and did what she does best: poured her honeyed vocals all over the track and captured its intense longing and yearning for a deeper connection in a way only she can.

Clarkson didn’t try to amp up the already-present drama with a flashy vocal run, but instead trusted the song’s inherent drama while putting her patented country-meets-R&B stank on it. Wednesday’s cover was a in keeping with the emotional theme so far this week, which so far has also featured her take on Dermot Kennedy’s upbeat ballad “Better Days.”

Check out Clarkson’s cover of “Fade Into You” below.

22 Feb 2023

Ben Platt Condemns Antisemitic Protesters at ‘Parade’ on Broadway for ‘Spreading Evil’

While it’s said that art imitates life, Ben Platt learned all too well recently that life also tends to imitate art.

In an Instagram Reel posted late Tuesday night (Feb. 21), Platt spoke out about a group of neo-Nazi, antisemitic protesters who appeared outside the Jacobs Theater for opening night of previews for Parade on Broadway.

After taking a moment to congratulate the cast and crew on an “amazing” opening night, Platt addressed the protests outside the show. “There were a few neo-Nazi protestors from a really disgusting group outside of the theater … saying antisemitic things about Leo Frank, who the show is about, and spreading the antisemitic rhetoric that led to this whole story in the first place,” he said.

Parade centers around the true story of Frank, a Jewish factory worker who was wrongly convicted of murder in 1913. After his sentence was later commuted, Frank was lynched by an antisemitic mob in 1915. Frank’s trial and eventual murder gave rise to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), now one of the largest Jewish civil rights organizations in America.

Video clips posted to Twitter by The Forward editor Jake Wasserman show protestors from the National Socialist Movement (an antisemitic hate group, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center) standing outside the theater on Tuesday with banners referring to Frank as a “pedophile.” Claims like these are part of a continued effort by antisemitic hate groups to implicate Frank in the murder of Mary Phagan, despite historical consensus that he was innocent.

Platt said that the protests were “definitely very ugly and scary,” but focused instead on the importance of Frank’s story. “It was a wonderful reminder of why we’re telling this particular story, and how special and powerful art and especially theater can be,” he said. “I wanted the button on this evening, at least for me personally, to be to celebrate what a beautiful experience [the show] is and what gorgeous work all of my wonderful colleagues did tonight, not the really ugly actions of a few people who are spreading evil.”

The producers of Parade also chimed in online, saying, “If there is any remaining doubt out there about the urgency of telling this story in this moment in history, the vileness on display last night should put it to rest. We stand by the valiant Broadway cast that brings this vital story to life each night.”

Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of ADL, called the protests an example of “vile antisemitism” that highlights “the importance of telling Leo Frank’s story” in a statement to Billboard. “The irony should not be lost on anyone that these antisemitic extremists decided to protest a play that details the true story of the lynching of an innocent Jewish man by an antisemitic mob, and used it as an opportunity to spread conspiracy theories and hate,” he wrote. “ADL locks arms in solidarity with the entire cast and wants to especially thank the producers of the play and Ben Platt for their poignant statements speaking out in the face of hate. Despite the presence of a half-dozen neo-Nazis, New York City will continue to remain no place for hate.”

See Platt’s full video below:

22 Feb 2023

Pink Reveals Madonna Invited Her & Gwen Stefani to Be Part of That Iconic VMAs Kiss With Britney Spears

Apparently, Pink was originally supposed to be part of Madonna‘s iconic VMAs performance with Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. Who knew?

In a Wednesday (Feb. 22) radio appearance on KTU 103.5, the “Just Give Me a Reason” singer revealed that the Queen of Pop had actually asked her — and Gwen Stefani, she thinks — to be part of the infamous 2003 spectacle, during which Madonna individually kissed Aguilera and the “Toxic” singer as Justin Timberlake, who had recently split from Spears, looked on from the audience.

“I think we all were [invited],” Pink recalled. “I think Madonna wanted to kiss all of us. I was in Costa Rica at the time, having all kinds of fun with my boyfriend Carey Hart. Gwen Stefani was also invited, I remember. It was a bunch of us.”

“It was going to be a party,” added the pop star, who’s been married to Hart since 2006, grinning slyly. “It would’ve been a really weird party.”

The revelation comes about a month after Jennifer Lopez said that she, too, had originally been approached for Madge’s steamy performance. The Shotgun Wedding actress had actually gotten as far as meeting with Spears and Madonna at the legendary artist’s home to discuss possibilities, but ultimately, Lopez was unable to get away from the movie she was filming at the time.

“I didn’t wind up doing it, but yeah, we had talked about it,” Lopez said in a January interview. “I love Madonna. I’m a huge fan, I always have been.”

Watch Pink talk about the Madonna kiss that never came to be below:

22 Feb 2023

Taylor Swift Wins IFPI’s 2022 Global Recording Artist of the Year Award

LONDON – Taylor Swift has added more hardware to her overflowing trophy cabinet with the star being crowned 2022’s Global Recording Artist of the Year by international trade group IFPI. It’s the third time that Swift has won the annual honor, which recognizes the year’s best-selling act across physical sales, downloads and streaming worldwide, making Swift the most successful artist in the award’s 10-year history.

Swift previously won the honor in 2014 and 2019 and placed second in last year’s chart behind K-pop group BTS. She also charted in the top three of IFPI’s global artist rankings in 2015, 2017 and 2020. BTS and Drake are the only other acts to have collected the award more than once, with two wins apiece, while Swift becomes the first artist to receive it three times.

Announcing the award, IFPI chief executive Frances Moore called Swift “a truly magnificent international star, who continues to grow and evolve as an artist whilst maintaining an incredibly strong connection with her fans around the world.”

Swift’s 10th studio album, Midnights, was released in October, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and moving 1.578 million equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first week – the biggest sales week for any album in nearly seven years, according to Luminate. Midnights spent five weeks atop the Billboard 200, as well as topping charts around the world, including five weeks at No.1 in the United Kingdom. IFPI did not provide global sales figures for Swift.

Second in IFPI’s 2022 Global Artist Chart, which measures worldwide consumption across all formats and an artist’s entire body of work, not just music released last year, was K-pop superstars BTS. It is the group’s third consecutive year in the Top 3 following back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021.

Drake placed third, ahead of Bad Bunny, who becomes the first-ever artist from Latin America to enter IFPI’s Top 5. It was also a successful year for acts from South Korea with boy bands SEVENTEEN and Stray Kids charting at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively, while Jay Chou is the first Taiwanese artist to feature in the Top 10. The United Kingdom is represented by Harry Styles (No. 8) and Ed Sheeran (No. 10), with Canada’s The Weeknd charting at No. 5. The full Top 20 list can be seen below.

IFPI Top 20 Global Recording Artists of 2022
1/ Taylor Swift 
2/ BTS 
3/ Drake 
4/ Bad Bunny 
5/ The Weeknd 
6/ SEVENTEEN 
7/ Stray Kids 
8/ Harry Styles 
9/ Jay Chou 
10/ Ed Sheeran 
11/ Eminem 
12/ Kanye West 
13/ YoungBoy Never Broke Again 
14/ Kendrick Lamar 
15/ Lil Baby 
16/ Billie Eilish 
17/ Post Malone 
18/ Juice WRLD 
19/ The Beatles 
20/ Imagine Dragons 

22 Feb 2023

Rihanna Tops Artist 100 Chart for First Time Thanks to Super Bowl Performance Gains

Rihanna vaults from No. 22 to No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 (dated Feb. 25), becoming the top musical act for the first time since the chart began in 2014, thanks to catalog gains following her performance at the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show on Feb. 12.

Rihanna performed 13 songs during her set, and in turn, generated her largest streaming week ever, according to Luminate. Her song catalog earned 166.1 million U.S. on-demand official streams in the week ending Feb. 16. That’s up 156% compared to the previous week’s sum of 65 million. (She logged her previous best streaming week in the week ending Feb. 25, 2016, when her collected songs rung up 101.5 million clicks in the U.S., shortly after the release of her most recent studio album, Anti.)

Five of Rihanna’s albums chart the latest Billboard 200: Anti (No. 8), Good Girl Gone Bad (No. 15), Unapologetic (No. 18), Loud (No. 26) and Talk That Talk (No. 49). She becomes just the seventh act in the last 50 years to chart at least five albums in the top 50, joining Taylor Swift (who has claimed at least five titles in the region 18 times, including on the latest chart), Mac Miller (once following his death in 2018), Prince (three times, following his death in 2016), Whitney Houston (three times, following her death in 2012), the Glee cast (once in 2010) and Garth Brooks (four times in 1992).

On the Billboard Hot 100, Rihanna tallies four songs, three of which are former No. 1s that re-enter: “Umbrella,” featuring Jay-Z (No. 37), “Diamonds” (No. 44) and “We Found Love,” featuring Calvin Harris (No. 48). Her latest single, “Lift Me Up,” which debuted at No. 2 in November, rises 52-41.

Among other Artist 100 chart moves, Paramore re-enters at No. 5, marking the trio’s first top 10 appearance, thanks to its new studio album, This Is Why. The set opens at No. 1 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums and No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 64,000 equivalent album units earned. It earned the act its first No. 1 on the Alternative Airplay chart, among six top 10s, with the title cut earlier this month.

The Artist 100 measures artist activity across key metrics of music consumption, blending album and track sales, radio airplay and streaming to provide a weekly multi-dimensional ranking of artist popularity.

22 Feb 2023

Morgan Wallen’s ‘Last’ Helps Him Be First on All Five Billboard Country Charts

Morgan Wallen leads all five of Billboard’s country charts (dated Feb. 25), becoming the first artist to achieve the quintuple domination since Luke Combs nearly four years ago.

Wallen’s “Last Night” tops the streaming-, airplay- and sales-based Hot Country Songs list for a second week, with 28.3 million U.S. streams, 1.3 million in radio airplay audience and 10,000 sold in the Feb. 10-16 tracking week, according to Luminate.

“Last Night” also leads Country Digital Song Sales for a third week and Country Streaming Songs for a second week.

Concurrently, Wallen banks his eighth Country Airplay No. 1 with “Thought You Should Know” (33.2 million, up 4%). Both songs preview his 36-track album One Night at a Time, due March 3.

On Top Country Albums, Wallen’s prior LP, Dangerous: The Double Album, spends its record-extending 95th week in the penthouse (44,000 equivalent album units).

Wallen is the first act to rule all five country surveys since Combs dominated the charts dated March 9, March 30 and April 6, 2019.

One other artist has led all five charts simultaneously: Kane Brown, on Oct. 28, 2017.

‘Anyway,’ Here’s More

Luke Combs scores his 18th Hot Country Songs top 10 as “Love You Anyway,” which he co-penned, blasts in at No. 3. It drew 17.7 million streams and sold 9,000 downloads in its first week.

The song introduces his third LP, the 18-track Gettin’ Old, due March 24.

“Anyway” marks Combs’ fifth top 10 Hot Country Songs debut, a haul that includes a No. 1 launch in November 2020 for “Forever After All,” which went on to reign for 10 weeks.

Combs’ current single being promoted to country radio, “Going, Going, Gone,” from his 2022 album Growin’ Up, ranks at No. 8 on Hot Country Songs after reaching No. 5 in January. It drew 9.7 million streams and sold 2,000 in the latest tracking week. On Country Airplay, it pushes 4-3 for a new best (29 million, up 6%).

22 Feb 2023

After Years of the Industry Selling Her Short, Kim Petras Is Glad People Are Finally ‘Catching On’

When Kim Petras emerged from beneath Sam Smith’s layered pink tulle gown on Saturday Night Live in January, it was a perfect visual metaphor for her presence on the Hot 100 chart-topper they were performing, “Unholy.” Cooing and belting about her virtues as a no-hassle, dirty-chic sugar baby, Petras was magnetic — the hit’s secret weapon, revealed.

Two weekends later, at the Grammy Awards, Petras had an even more definitive moment in the spotlight. “Unholy” won best pop duo/group performance, and, at Smith’s behest, Petras accepted the award, exuding joy and liberation in a speech that became a high point of the night. “I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” said the German singer, who in that moment became the first out trans artist to ever win a major-category Grammy.

Kim Petras photographed by Vijat Mohindra Dec. 19, 2022 at Locus One Studio in Los Angeles.

Nikita Karizma top and bottom, Laurel DeWitt wrist cuffs.

Vijat Mohindra

Changing the game has become habitual for the dance-pop devotee, who signed to Republic in summer 2021. In October, “Unholy” made Petras and Smith the first openly trans and nonbinary artists, respectively, to top the Hot 100 in its 65-year history. When Madonna introduced their performance of “Unholy” at the Grammys, thanking a new generation of “rebels out there, forging a new path and taking the heat for it,” it felt like both a coronation and vindication for Petras, who, since her 2017 arrival, has always carried herself like a main pop girl but has only recently started to be treated like one.

“My whole life revolves around strong, amazing women who do whatever they want and have an artistic point of view,” says this year’s Chartbreaker, casually vaping beneath a hoodie. “[They’re] the reason I found the power in myself to do what I do.”

Kim Petras photographed by Vijat Mohindra Dec. 19, 2022 at Locus One Studio in Los Angeles.

JimmyPaul top and scarf.

Vijat Mohindra

Is the industry treating you differently since “Unholy” became a smash?

Hell yeah. [Before] it was like, “Oh, the gays love her,” but people didn’t want me on their songs. I didn’t get budgets approved. It was rough. I’ve been an independent artist for so long just hustling and playing clubs, and now different people are hitting me up to collaborate and get in the studio. It’s cool that people are catching on.

TikTok played a role in breaking “Unholy” before radio paid attention. What are your thoughts about the app?

I love the humor — nothing is so serious on there. I like that more weird songs blow up on TikTok than you would expect, like “Running Up That Hill.” The new generation just cares if they like the song. There’s less industry control because of TikTok.

Kim Petras photographed by Vijat Mohindra Dec. 19, 2022 at Locus One Studio in Los Angeles.

Laurel DeWitt wrist cuffs.

Vijat Mohindra

This is your biggest hit, and first major one without Dr. Luke as a collaborator. People have questioned your working relationship with him. Do you see “Unholy” as a chance to move past it?

I’ve always been a songwriter. Anything I’ve done, I’ve been a big part of writing. I’ve always collaborated with different people and producers. Luke is the one person people like to pick out and be like, “This is obviously who has to write all of this girl’s music because she can’t be talented and that’s a big name.” But I am here because I’m good at writing, and I do my sh-t.

What was it like playing SNL with Sam?

It means the world to me. Even growing up in Germany, SNL was a huge thing. I’m a huge comedy fan, and I love Bowen [Yang] on the show. We’ve kind of become friends — there’s this really sweet story of Bowen listening to [my song] “I Don’t Want It at All” before his SNL audition.

Kim Petras photographed by Vijat Mohindra Dec. 19, 2022 at Locus One Studio in Los Angeles.

Laurel DeWitt earrings, body chain, bra, and wrist cuffs.

Vijat Mohindra

In the last five years, how much has the industry changed its attitude toward trans artists?

A lot. When I tried to sign to [labels] in the beginning of my career, it was like, “What is the fan base going to be? How do we market this? There isn’t a place for you.” Then I went to gay clubs and built a solid fan base and showed everyone it’s possible. Now they have to accept it. I’m happy there are more trans artists now that are being taken seriously. I just don’t want to be the last.

Who are some of your career idols?

Cher. Nicki Minaj. Madonna. Lana Del Rey. Marina. Kylie [Minogue]. The list goes on. Women in pop music were my only friends in high school — they were everything I wanted to be and [gave me] the strength I [needed] to transition and live my life authentically. They gave me the strength to be myself.

Kim Petras photographed by Vijat Mohindra Dec. 19, 2022 at Locus One Studio in Los Angeles.

Kim Petras photographed by Vijat Mohindra on Dec. 19, 2022 at Locus One Studio in Los Angeles. Laurel DeWitt wrist cuffs, JimmyPaul boa.

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

22 Feb 2023

Karol G & Shakira Announce the Collaboration ‘You’ve All Been Waiting For’

“We know what you’ve all been waiting for and here we are,” Karol G and Shakira jointly posted on social media on Tuesday (Feb. 21) announcing their highly anticipated collaboration.

The pair will join forces for “TQG,” which will be part of Karol’s upcoming new album, Mañana Será Bonito, set to drop Feb. 24. It’s the first time the Colombian superstars unite for a track. The photo of them side-by-side kneeling on a dirt-like surface doesn’t reveal much about the actual song, but fans are already predicting it will be a hit. Fellow artists such as Anitta and Becky G reacted by writing “wow” or commenting two crown emojis.

Shakira is just one of a handful of collaborations featured on Karol’s album. Mañana Será Bonito will also include collabs with  Quevedo, Carla Morrison, Sean Paul, Sech, Bad Gyal, Justin Quiles and Angel Dior. It also includes previously released hit singles “Provenza,” “Cairo” with Ovy on the Drums, “Gatubela” featuring Maldy, and the Romeo Santos-assisted “X Si Volvemos.”

Mañana Será Bonito will be her fourth studio album. It will follow her 2021 Grammy-nominated KG0516, which scored Karol her first No. 1 on Billboard‘s Top Latin Albums. The set earned the biggest week for a Latin album by a woman since Shakira‘s 2017 El Dorado.

Meanwhile, Shakira is currently making the rounds with her Bizarrap Music Session, “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53.” The diss track, released in January, peaked at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Hot Latin Songs chart. With her music session, Shakira ties with Bad Bunny for the fourth-most No. 1s overall, both with 12.

See the collaboration announcement below:

22 Feb 2023

Kim Petras: Photos From the Billboard Women in Music Shoot

When Kim Petras emerged from beneath Sam Smith’s layered pink tulle gown on Saturday Night Live in January, it was a perfect visual metaphor for her presence on the Hot 100 chart-topper they were performing, “Unholy.” Cooing and belting about her virtues as a no-hassle, dirty-chic sugar baby, Petras was magnetic — the hit’s secret weapon, revealed.

Two weekends later, at the Grammy Awards, Petras had an even more definitive moment in the spotlight. “Unholy” won best pop duo/group performance, and, at Smith’s behest, Petras accepted the award, exuding joy and liberation in a speech that became a high point of the night. “I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” said the German singer, who in that moment became the first out trans artist to ever win a major-category Grammy.

Changing the game has become habitual for the dance-pop devotee, who signed to Republic in summer 2021. In October, “Unholy” made Petras and Smith the first openly trans and nonbinary artists, respectively, to top the Hot 100 in its 65-year history. When Madonna introduced their performance of “Unholy” at the Grammys, thanking a new generation of “rebels out there, forging a new path and taking the heat for it,” it felt like both a coronation and vindication for Petras, who, since her 2017 arrival, has always carried herself like a main pop girl but has only recently started to be treated like one.

Read the full interview with Billboard Women in Music’s 2023 Chartbreaker here.