Music

16 Feb 2023

Zion & Lennox Experiment With Salsa in New ‘Desnudate’ Video: Exclusive Premiere

Zion y Lennox has released their first single of the year called “Desnúdate,” premiering exclusively on Billboard on Thursday (Feb. 16). 

Steering away from their signature old-school reggaetón essence and catchy perreo sound, the Puerto Rican duo experiments with salsa music for the first time, at the helm of co-producers Sergio George and Motiff. 

The duo sings about love and betrayal, but admitted that performing the urban-infused salsa track was quite challenging. 

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“Without a doubt, this was one of the biggest challenges in our career but we were able to interpret it with love and compassion,” Zion tells Billboard of the tropical genre that they grew up listening to and respecting. “For us, it’s more than an honor to make this song in homage to all the salseros of Puerto Rico and around the world.” 

To the hard-hitting rhythms of congas and trumpets, “Desnúdate” is about a girl who leads a man on and doesn’t want anything serious. “Oh no, oh no, you entangled me in your skin/you played with me […] get undressed, don’t tell me you care for me, you love me/ I knew you were like the rest that said they loved me but I do love you,” the pair laments. 

“I am super excited about everything that is coming for the tropical genre, especially in salsa with these new sounds that I am experimenting with,” expressed Motiff. “‘Desnúdate’ is undoubtedly part of the seasoning to all the salsa that is coming this 2023!!” 

Watch the official music video for “Desnúdate” below.

16 Feb 2023

Record Store Day 2023: Releases From Taylor Swift, Metallica, Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires Unveiled at Electric Lady Studios

This year, Record Store Day rang in the annual unveiling of their special vinyl releases — which includes contributions from last year’s global ambassador, Taylor Swift, and 2023’s ambassadors, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires — during a cozy celebration at Electric Lady Studios Thursday (Feb. 16).

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In front of a few dozen journalists and music industry professionals, Swift’s exclusive RSD vinyl of live recordings from her Disney + special Folklore: Longpond Studio Sessions, featuring Jack Antonoff, Bon Iver and The National’s Aaron Dessner, was debuted during the event, as was Isbell and Shires’ new joint EP The Sound Emporium. Jimi Hendrix’s famed Greenwich Village recording studio was dotted with equipment from RSD’s new partner, Marshall Speakers, through which vinyl etchings of songs like Swift’s Longpond version of “Cardigan” and a new Isbell original, “Hired Gun,” were played for one of the first times ever on a record player.

Both records will be available in participating indie record stores on this year’s Record Store Day, April 22, along with dozens of limited vinyl releases from artists like The 1975, Paul McCartney, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Billy Joel, Van Halen, John Lennon, Post Malone, Dolly Parton and many more. More details and a full list of RSD releases is available on the event’s website.

Also debuted at the Electric Lady showcase was the vinyl for Metallica’s highly-anticipated, April-slated new album, 72 Seasons. The 72 Seasons record was carried into the building by two hulking security guards, one of whom had the vinyl locked inside of a small briefcase that was handcuffed to his wrist. The heavy metal band’s first album in seven years won’t officially be part of this year’s Record Store Day, but as co-founder Carrie Colliton pointed out, Metallica has long been a supporter of RSD and served as the event’s very first ambassador back in 2008.

This year’s ambassadors and one of country music’s most beloved married couples, Isbell and Shires were there in person at Electric Lady Thursday afternoon to unveil their new EP, which includes two new original songs by both artists and a Richard Thompson cover — the physical copy of which they saw for the very first time at the event.

“I owe a lot of my experience and a lot of my success to record stores, so it’s a big honor for us to be here,” Isbell said. “It’s a huge part of our life. We still go to record stores, and I’ve met some of my favorite people and heard some of my favorite music that way.”

“I wouldn’t even know Leonard Cohen without Ralph’s Records in Lubbock, Texas,” Shires added.

RSD co-founder Michael Kurtz also took a moment to praise Swift, who last year encouraged fans to support Record Store Day by contributing 10,000 vinyls including two versions of her Folklore bonus single “The Lakes.” In 2020, she surprised indie record stores across the country by shipping out signed Folklore CDs, encouraging her fans to support the stores by tracking the autographed discs down.

“When COVID hit and things went south, she was one of the artists who really stepped up for record stores,” Kurtz said, adding that Swift offered to pay health insurance bills for employees at her local record store. “She’s the real deal.”

16 Feb 2023

NLE Choppa, Baby Tate, Catie Turner & More Set for 2023 Grammy in the Schools Fest

The Grammy Museum has announced its Grammy in the Schools Fest programming schedule. Panels and events feature Grammy winners Larrance Dopson and Manny Marroquin and Grammy nominees Justin Tranter and MAJOR.

There will be daily guest artist sessions featuring Tranter, Chase Atlantic, Catie Turner and NLE Choppa & Baby Tate.

Events are scheduled for the week of March 6-10, except for Wednesday March 8. All education programs are free for students with registration.

Here’s the complete schedule of events for the 2023 Grammy in the Schools Fest. Register for all sessions here.

Monday, March 6

Event: Women in Music Career Panel

What: A conversation and Q&A with women working in the music industry. Featuring executive director of the Music Forward Foundation, Nurit Siegel Smith; senior vice president and chief human resources officer for the Guitar Center Company, Anne Buchanan; and from Roland Americas, artist relations manager Melanie Lynn Stevenson and vice president of marketing Katherine Wing.

When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Event: Music in Film & Television Panel

What: A conversation with music supervisor for The Walt Disney Studios, Brian Vickers; composer Lee Sanders; and re-recording mixer and sound designer, Jonathan Greasley CAS, MPSE on their experiences working in film and television, sync licensing, publishing, and what it takes to have a career in the music industry on the film side.

When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Event: Mentorship with Grammy U

What: Learn about what steps to take next as a student looking to have a career in the music industry. Featuring director of social media marketing at the Recording Academy, Laura Rodriguez; operations manager for Jammcard, Katrina Lee; and Grammy-nominated musician and singer-songwriter, MAJOR.

When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Event: Guest Artist Session: Chase Atlantic

What: A conversation with Australian pop artists and production trio, Chase Atlantic. Gain insight into being signed to a label, what it’s like to go on tour, and how to promote yourself in the music industry. Discussion and Q&A with Mitchel Cave, Clinton Cave, and Christian Anthony.

When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Tuesday, March 7

Event: LGBTQ Panel in Partnership With the Ally Coalition

What: A conversation with music industry professionals from the LGBTQ community. Featuring DJ, songwriter and music producer Moore Kismet (Omar Davis), and rapper and social media personality, DreBae.

When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Event: Guest Artist Session: Catie Turner

What: A conversation with singer-songwriter Catie Turner, as she shares her experience in the music industry, on American Idol, and what it means to be an “attachment-style musician.” This panel will feature a Q&A and performance.

When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Event: Educator Professional Development Clinic

What: A conversation with the founding director of the Popular Music Program, and current associate professor at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music, Christopher Sampson. Discuss ways to include soft skills and creativity into your curriculum as an educator that will help students learn of different opportunities in the workforce.

When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Event: History of Hip-Hop & The Hip-Hop Experience

What: Celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop by learning about the genre through various elements including culture, fashion and history. Featuring British-American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Jason Mills (professionally known as IDK); DJ/rapper most known for joining the World Class Wreckin’ Cru, Marq Hawkins (professionally known as DJ Cli-N-Tel); and Grammy-winning producer and 1500 Sound Academy founder, Larrance Dopson.

When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Thursday March 9

 Event: Engineering / Recording / Producer Panel

What: Explore elements of producing recorded music, with an interactive conversation between Grammy-winning engineer and studio owner, Manny Marroquin and American record producer, Noah Goldstein.

When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Event: World Beat Rhythms Workshop

What: Maria Martinez and Ed Roscetti perform using a selection of traditional hand drums, various percussion instruments and drum set, covering a variety of traditional and hybrid styles. Participants will interact with the performers from their seats, giving the attendees a better understanding of rhythm, technique, time feel, rhythmic phrasing, song form, improvisation and leading an ensemble in a supportive and inspiring environment.

When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Event: Shakira Exhibit Tour & Non-Profit Spotlight

What: A conversation celebrating the culture and impact of Latin Music with three musicians who have toured and worked directly with Grammy Award winner Shakira: Joe Ayoub, Grecco Buratto, and Adam Zimmon. The Grammy Museum’s chief curator & vice president of curatorial affairs, Jasen Emmons, will take you through “Shakira, Shakira,” the newest exhibit at the Museum.

When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Event: Guest Artist Session: NLE Choppa and Baby Tate

What: A conversation with American rapper NLE Choppa and American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer Baby Tate. Gain insight into being signed to a record label, what it’s like to go on tour, and how to promote yourself in the music industry. Discussion and Q&A followed by a performance.

When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Friday, March 10

Event: From Songwriting to Performance

What: A conversation with Haleigh Bowers and Jack DeMeo about working as a songwriter, sync licensing, international writing rounds, and next steps to take for your professional music career.

When: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.

Event: Music Therapy Panel

What: A conversation and Q&A session that addresses the importance of music and mental health with music therapists in the medical field, entertainment, and entrepreneurial industry. Featuring Sarah Nolan, board certified music therapist for Children’s Hospital LA, as well as Shriners for Children Medical Center; Nakeya Fields, mental health entrepreneur, author, and educator; Ricardo Hurtado, board certified music therapist for LA Música Therapy; and singer-songwriter signed with Interscope Records, renforshort.

When: 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Event: Guest Artist Session:  Justin Tranter

What: A conversation with Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, featuring a discussion and Q&A about their experience in the music industry, working with top artists including Selena Gomez, Imagine Dragons, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa and Måneskin, as well as serving as the executive music producer and songwriter for Rise of the Pink Ladies – the Grease prequel series premiering on Paramount+ this April. Hear about what it’s like to be an ACLU Bill of Rights Award-winning activist, and founder of Facet Records & Facet Publishing, and songwriter for music, film, television and theater.

When: 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Event: Music Educator Award 10th Anniversary Celebration

What: A celebration of the past 10 years of the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum’s Music Educator Award featuring Kent Knappenberger, Jared Cassedy, Phillip Riggs, Keith Hancock, Melissa Salguero, Jeffery Redding, Mickey Smith, Jr., Jeffrey Murdock, Stephen Cox, and Pamela Dawson. A conversation about the impact the award has had on their music programs and lives.

When: 3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

16 Feb 2023

Chloe Bailey Announces Second ‘In Pieces’ Single ‘How Does It Feel’ Featuring Chris Brown

With March just around the corner, the arrival of Chloe Bailey‘s solo studio album In Pieces, is imminent. To further drum up anticipation for the LP’s release, the singer — who is one-half of sister duo Chloe x Halle — revealed the title of the second single from the project, as well as its featured artist, on Thursday (Feb. 16).

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“2ND PIECE. HOW DOES IT FEEL @chrisbrownofficial,” Bailey revealed via Instagram and Twitter, along with a photo of her and the “No Guidance” singer sharing an intimate embrace. The post also shared the track’s arrival date — next Friday, Feb. 24. Brown hopped into the comments section of Bailey’s post, adding a fire emoji as his sign of approval.

“How Does It Feel” will serve as the second offering (or rather, the second piece) from Bailey’s solo record. The track will arrive after the singer previously released lead track “Pray It Away” last month on Jan. 27.

Though “How Does It Feel” provides yet another look into Bailey’s debut, some fans were less than thrilled with her decision to feature Brown on the track. “Is it really that difficult to not work with known abusers or do ppl in the industry just not care at all,” an Instagram user commented on her post. There were individuals that also defended Brown and Bailey, with one user stating, “They’re singing a song not dating. Y’all need to get over what Chris Brown did when he was 18/20s. The man is in his 30s now. Are y’all the same person you were at 18?”

In Pieces will be released in March; an exact release date has yet to be shared. In an interview with Essence, Chloe explained that the 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.”

See Bailey’s announcement for “How Does It Feel” below.

16 Feb 2023

Drummer/Producer Karriem Riggins Goes ‘Behind the Sleeves’ in New Native Instruments Mini-Doc

Back in January at Los Angeles’ Gold Line, a Japanese-inspired vinyl bar run by Stones Throw Records, revered jazz drummer, hip-hop producer, songwriter and DJ Karriem Riggins, 47, is filming an interview for his new mini-documentary, Behind the Sleeves. The Native Instruments-produced mini-doc as well as its new NI Play Series instrument, “Karriem Riggins Drums,” are being released today (Feb. 16). 

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For three decades, Karriem Riggins has been behind the scenes of many music fans’ favorite hip-hop records. His vast discography includes Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo, Earl Sweatshirt’s I Don’t Like Shit, I Don’t Go Outside, J Dilla’s Welcome 2 Detroit and Steve Lacy’s Gemini Rights, the newly minted Grammy winner for best progressive R&B album. 

Behind the Sleeves not only dissects Riggins’ life and career through archival footage but also follows him around L.A. as he visits some of music’s most historic sites. Among them: the aforementioned Gold Line, Sunset Sound’s Studio 3 (where Prince lived and recorded) and J Dilla’s former home. Dilla, who passed away on Feb. 10, 2006, personally requested that Riggins help complete The Shining, the artist’s posthumous album released later that year.

“In my heart, I don’t think he knew that he wasn’t going to be here when we were working on [the project],” says Riggins. “It was big shoes to fill and huge decisions to make when J left me the message [about finishing the album]. But it was a no-brainer because he’s one of my favorite people. I consider him a brother.”

The two initially met through Common in 1996 when Riggins was the bandleader of the Chicago rapper’s band, A Black Girl Named Becky. As fellow Detroit natives, Riggins and Dilla became fast friends and frequent collaborators, teaming up for Dilla’s Welcome 2 Detroit and The Diary in advance of The Shining.

After living on both coasts for a majority of his career, Riggins moved to Atlanta last August to be closer to family and to experience living in the South for the first time. The constant through line for the drummer — who’s also collaborated with Erykah Badu, Denzel Curry and Daft Punk — has been to never stick to one region, one type of artist or one genre. What he cares about most is that whoever he’s working with possesses creative vision, is open-minded and is in tune with their talent — be it voice, musical instrument or digital audio. 

“We give suggestions on what we think could be dope,” says Riggins. “But these people that I’ve been blessed to work with make some of the most brilliant decisions. It’s a collective thing.” That’s also something he learned from Dilla. “He told me, ‘You need to use what your talent is and what you can do with [that] to connect the world,” Riggins recalls. “I feel like I’m now finally becoming the artist that I’m supposed to be.”

Riggins knew he wanted to be a musician by the first grade. The son of keyboardist Emmanuel Riggins, he grew up watching his father perform with jazz greats like guitarist Grant Green and trumpeter Marcus Belgrave, with whom Riggins later studied trumpet and drums before deciding to focus on the latter. Although Riggins got his start producing hip-hop, he subsequently joined bands playing behind such influential jazz artists as Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove and Ray Brown. He’s also released three solo albums of his own: Alone Together, Headnod Suite and Pardon My French (as Jahari Massamba Unit with Madlib). 

Riggins still continues to use his craft to teach others. In partnership with Native Instruments’ “Play Series” and painter Jason Jägel (who created the cover art for MF DOOM’s 1999 album Operation: Doomsday), he created an interactive drum kit to inspire young music lovers. 

“I hope this will spark something in people that have the talent and the ear to jump into [producing] music,” he says. “I want [the next generation of musicians] to learn to be open and not stick to one thing. Music is music. Listen to everything; don’t box yourself into one thing.”

As hip-hop celebrates its 50th anniversary, Riggins says that he wants “to keep adding something to the art form; something that people have never heard before. It’s the only genre of music that is still relevant and new, even with the influence of the past. I just want to keep participating in hip-hop’s evolution.”

16 Feb 2023

JC Chasez Opens Up About the ‘Magic’ of Today’s Boy Bands & *NSYNC’s ‘Unbreakable Bond’

As a member of one of the most beloved boy bands of all time, JC Chasez is the person to ask about today’s popular groups, including BTS, ENHYPEN and more.

“I really like it,” the *NSYNC member tells Billboard of the K-pop superstars. “It’s going to happen for every generation, and we’re always curious to see what is that voice of that generation. I think that the new scene is exciting. The dancing is absolutely incredible when you watch the performances these days, and how they’re tricking out their performances. Even their songs, they have a different kind of magic about them because they have so many different sections, in a way, to create more excitement throughout the songs.”

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Chasez, who chatted with Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly fresh off of filming an upcoming Meow Mix commercial, where the cat food brand created their own feline boy band, also took some time to reminisce on “the greatest days of my life” making music with bandmates Justin Timberlake, Chris Kirkpatrick, Lance Bass and Joey Fatone.

“We were fortunate enough to have a lot of great moments. The touring is amazing, but you have those one-off moments and they’re going to stand out to you because you’re among your peers,” he recalls. “When we played the Super Bowl with Aerosmith and Mary J. Blige, that was amazing. When we sung to the Bee Gees at the Grammys, that was amazing because they were a boy band in their own way.”

While, unfortunately, the group doesn’t have any current reunion plans, Chasez teases that “we never know what the future holds” and that he’ll always have his *NSYNC friends’ backs. “I’m always happy for all the guys. We all want all of us to succeed in doing whatever our passions are,” he says. “Whenever Lance has an idea, I want to support it fully. Whenever Joey has an idea, I want to support it fully. Whenever J’s dropping a record or making a movie, I want to support it fully. Same with Chris. We all love each other and have that brotherhood that we came up together and became men together. There’s an unbreakable bond, and we’ll always be rooting for each other and that’s why we’ll always be *NSYNC.”

Watch Billboard‘s interview with JC Chasez above.

16 Feb 2023

Demi Lovato Teases ‘Scream VI’ Song ‘Still Alive’: Here’s When It Arrives

Demi Lovato took to social media on Wednesday (Feb. 15) to officially announce that she recorded a new song for the upcoming Scream VI.

“What’s your favorite scary movie?” the pop star captioned her post on Instagram before revealing the track’s title — “Still Alive” — and its March 3 release date. In the photo, they pose ominously with a dagger reflecting the image of the newest Ghostface killer.

In the comments section, Lovato’s boyfriend Jutes hyped up the track, writing, “lfg baby…u don’t miss” with a heart eyes emoji, while her tour photographer Angelo Kritikos cheekily promised, “song is KILLER.”

The singer’s contribution to the Scream VI soundtrack will serve as their first new music since 2022’s Holy Fvck. That studio set, which contained singles “Skin of My Teeth,” “Substance” and “29,” marked the Disney Channel alum’s return to pop-punk and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. Additionally, it completed a rock-centric hat trick by topping the Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums charts.

Since then, Lovato has teased her return to the studio, earned a GLAAD Media Award nomination for outstanding music artist and performed an intimate set at the NMPA & Billboard Grammy Week Showcase ahead of this year’s Grammy Awards.

Meanwhile, Scream VI will premiere in theaters across the country on March 10. As a direct sequel to 2022’s Scream, the horror flick stars Courteney Cox, Hayden Panettiere, Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Dermot Mulroney, Samara Weaving and more.

Check out Lovato’s creepy announcement of “Still Alive” below.

16 Feb 2023

Taylor Swift, The 1975 & More Among Record Store Day 2023 Special Releases

Record Store Day unveiled the list of special releases for its 2023 event on Thursday (Feb. 16), which features vinyl exclusives from Taylor Swift, The 1975, Madonna and more.

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Swift is returning to RSD this year with a 2xLP vinyl edition of Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions, while The 1975 will drop Live With the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.

Among the other releases in store for Record Store Day’s exclusive releases are Björk’s The Fossara Remixes in a 12-inch vinyl single, Brian Eno’s Forever Voiceless LP, a 5xLP version of Grateful Dead’s Boston Garden, Boston, MA 5/7/77 (Live), Billy Joel’s Live At The Great American Music Hall – 1975 in 2xLP, Madonna’s American Life Mixshow Mix (In Memory of Peter Rauhofer) LP, Dolly Parton’s The Monument Singles Collection 1964-1968 and many, many more. These exclusive titles are physically released only at indie record stores.

The full list of RSD releases will be available at participating record stores on Record Store Day (April 22). There is no website to purchase any item on the list, and fans must find a participating store to find out how they are celebrating RSD.

Be sure to check out the complete and extensive list of upcoming releases on the official Record Store Day website here.

16 Feb 2023

Jordan Davis Soars on ‘Bluebird Days’: ‘We Wanted to Be Honest With This Album’

After winning the CMA Awards’ song of the year honors for his chart-topping hit “Buy Dirt,” and following that with the Country Airplay No. 1 hit “What My World Spins Around,” Jordan Davis admits reality has exceeded his expectations.

“I feel like I’m playing with house money. I moved to town to be a songwriter and all I wanted to do is write songs,” says Davis, whose MCA Nashville album Bluebird Days comes out Friday (Feb. 17). “I think about those early goals, and I think about where I’m at now, and I’m just like, ‘God is crazy. He’s good. I’m super, super blessed.’”

Bluebird Days is an impressive 17-track set that includes 15 songs co-written by Davis that run the gamut from the spirited opening track, “Damn Good Time,” to the poignant homage to his grandfather, “Fishing Spot,” to the title track, a haunting examination of his family’s journey from happy times to the ache of his parents’ divorce.

Bluebird Days is the Shreveport, Louisiana native’s second full length album, following 2018’s Home State, which spawned the Country Airplay No. 1s  “Singles You Up,” “Slow Dance in a Parking Lot” and “Take it From Me.” Davis also released two EPs prior to Bluebird Days, including a 2020 self-titled set and a May 2021 release that included “Buy Dirt.” “Barring the two Covid years, I definitely think that we would have made a [full] record around the first EP,” he tells Billboard. “Not touring and being at home more took a little while to get used to, so my writing schedule got thrown off — not to mention shifted in what I was writing about.”

The deeper, more personal themes he tackles on Bluebird Days were a result of the downtime during the pandemic combined with the success of “Buy Dirt,” a multi-platinum duet with Luke Bryan that celebrated the things that truly matter in life and is included on Bluebird Days. “When you are touring, it’s hard not to stay in the touring mindset as you are writing a song,” he says. “You start writing a song for a spot in the set and not necessarily just writing a song. With the space and with the time off, it allowed me to just truly sit down and write an honest real song. Without that time off, I don’t think we would have written a lot of these songs that are on this album.”

In listening to Bluebird Days, Davis thinks people will recognize “that we’re all pretty human.” Much of the album is written with frequent collaborators such as his producer Paul DiGiovanni, Josh Jenkins, Davis’ brother Jacob and Matt Jenkins (the latter three penned “Buy Dirt” with Davis).

“With us saying that we wanted to be honest with this album, there was no one foot in and kind of easing into this,” he explains. “It’s like, ‘All right man, if we’re going to be honest, you’ve just got to be honest,’ whether it’d be talking about my temper on ‘Short Fuse’ or talking about the way I view money on ‘Money Isn’t Real,’ how fast my kids are growing and the guilt I feel being gone half the year… that’s all real stuff, and I know I’m not the only person in the world that’s going through that.”

In light of the recent accolades and success at radio, Davis admits he was a little apprehensive about his second full length effort, including picking “What My World Spins Around” as the follow-up to “Buy Dirt.” “The space between ‘Buy Dirt’ and ‘What My World Spins Around’ going to radio was the most nerveracking — and when ‘What My World Spins Around’ had the impact the way it did and ended up being a big song in its own right, I think that took a lot of the pressure off,” he says. “I was able to see I don’t have to redo ‘Buy Dirt’ again — I just have to be honest and up front and real in the writing.”

To follow up “What My World Spins Around,” Davis says they almost went with another single before deciding to release “Next Thing You Know,” which Davis wrote with Greylan James, Chase McGill and Josh Osborne. “After a week of playing it live, I walked off stage one night and told my manager that I’m an idiot if I don’t give this song a chance at radio,” Davis says. “I don’t know if I’ve had a song that’s impacted the way this song has, even ‘Buy Dirt.’ It’s truly pretty special to watch. And it doesn’t have a chorus, which is kind of weird. It’s a totally linear story of life, but it doesn’t matter if you’re 70, 50, 40 or 20 — you have a part in this song, and I truly feel like that’s why so many people are gravitating to it.”

Even the songs he didn’t write speak for him, including “Money Isn’t Real,” penned by Jake Mitchell, Jameson Rodgers, Josh Thompson, Sarah Turner. “I was trying to write this song called ‘When the Money Runs Out,’ about, ‘Who you are going to be, what are people going to say about you, when the money runs out?’ And I couldn’t get it right,” Davis says. “Jameson sent over ‘Money Isn’t Real,’ and I remember being like, ‘Holy smokes! I’ve been trying to write this song for three years and you just sent me this song I’ve been trying to write.’” 

Danielle Bradbery joins Davis on “Midnight Crisis.” “The first time I heard her sing, I was captivated, and she’s just the sweetest person in the world,” he says. “I truly think she’s on the verge of being one of the most powerful females in country music. I knew Danielle would crush it, and she was the only one we sent it to.”

Growing up in Louisiana, Davis was heavily influenced by the local sounds and acts coming through town. “The special thing about Shreveport was it truly was a melting pot,” he says. “There were places where you could go listen to traditional country. There were places that were doing writer’s rounds and clubs that would have rock bands. At 10-years-old, I was going to [defunct renowned Louisiana club] Western Sky because my Uncle Stan [Paul Davis] was playing there with his band. Texas country [acts] Robert Earl Keen and Pat Green would come play the casinos, and we’d go see them, and then jazz bands out of New Orleans would come up and me and my buddies would go see them. It was such a diverse musical city and I just pulled pieces from all that. I was lucky to grow up there.”

Initially, Davis didn’t see himself on stage. Growing up, his brother Jacob was always the performer of the two siblings, following in the steps of their uncle, a local legend. “He was playing all over Louisiana and I was just carrying his equipment in and out of venues,” Davis recalls. “So when I moved to town, he was working on getting a record deal and I was trying to get a publishing deal.”

But Davis got discouraged when he saw his contemporaries landing publishing contracts that eluded him. Then a friend told him that songwriters who were also artists were much more attractive to publishing companies, and those were the writers who were getting signed. “I was like, ‘All right, well, I want to be an artist too,’” he says.  “I didn’t want to bartend anymore. I wanted to just write songs.”

These days, he’s grateful to be doing writing and singing and spending time on the road playing his songs.  He’s out with Thomas Rhett through February before heading to Europe to play the C2C festivals in March in London, Dublin and Glasgow. In the summer, Davis will tour with Dierks Bentley, and he’s planning a potential headlining tour for the fall.  

16 Feb 2023

TWICE Unveils Tracklist for 12th Mini Album ‘Ready to Be’

It’s a great day to be a ONCE! On Thursday (Feb. 16), TWICE revealed the names of the tracks set to appear on its forthcoming mini album, Ready to Be.

The K-pop girl group shared the list via social media with a poster that featured the song credits and track names. Ready to Be consists of seven tunes total. The group’s previously released second English single “Moonlight Sunrise” is included in the set, in addition to new songs “Got the Thrills,” “Blame It on Me,” “Wallflower,” “Crazy Stupid Love” and “Set Me Free.” “Set Me Free” is the only track on the record that will receive a version in both English and Korean.

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Earlier this month, TWICE announced that Ready to Be will be released on March 10. Fans looking for special editions of the album are in luck, as the project will arrive in three different colorways — black, pink and white, or tan and brown. Every version of the album will include a folded poster, a postcard, message card and photocard. A second poster and a photocard set will also be included, but correlates with the album colorway ordered. 

Ready to Be marks TWICE’S 12th mini album. The K-pop group’s last mini-album, Between 1&2, was on the Billboard 200 for eight weeks and peaked at No. 3.

Before TWICE releases Ready to Be, the K-pop stars will be honored at Billboard‘s Women in Music event on March 1 with the Breakthrough Award.

See the tracklist for Ready to Be below.