Music

11 Feb 2023

Sam Smith Stuns With Inflatable Latex Outfit on 2023 Brit Awards Red Carpet

Sam Smith made a grand entrance on the red carpet at the 2023 Brit Awards in London on Saturday (Feb. 11).

The 30-year-old U.K. singer-songwriter, who is nominated for two awards at this year’s Brits, turned heads while stepping onto the red carpet in an inflated black latex outfit by designer Harri. The unique outfit features a high neck with balloon-like arms and legs, a zip-up chest area, and black high-heel boots.

Smith and Kim Petras‘ “Unholy” collaboration is up for song of the year. The pair is expected to perform the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper during the broadcast at London’s O2 Arena. Smith is also up for pop/R&B act during the ceremony.

Smith’s latest album, Gloria, earned the star their fourth consecutive top 10 debut on the Billboard 200. The set clocked in at No. 7 on the albums chart. Speaking in a statement about the album, Smith called Gloria “a celebration, of all the genres and all the female divas, vocalists and pop writers that I love. I harnessed all those memories and put them into one album. And I wanted to be defiant.”

A livestream of the Brit Awards will be hosted on the ceremony’s official YouTube channel. The event is being hosted by Mo Gilligan and will feature performances by Harry Styles, Lizzo, Wet Leg, Lewis Capaldi, and others.

11 Feb 2023

Here Are the 2023 Brit Award Winners (Updating Live)

The 2023 Brit Awards are here! The prestigious ceremony is taking over London’s O2 Arena on Saturday (Feb. 11).

Harry Styles and Wet Leg tied as the most-nominated artists for the awards this year, with four nods each. Styles is up for artist of the year, Mastercard album of the year, song of the year and pop/R&B act.

Meanwhile, Wet Leg is nominated for Mastercard album of the year, group of the year, best new artist and alternative/rock act. 

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See all of the night’s biggest winners below:

Mastercard Album of the Year

The 1975, Being Funny in a Foreign Language, Dirty Hit

Wet Leg, Wet Leg, Domino Recordings

Harry Styles, Harry’s House, Columbia, Sony Music

Stormzy, This Is What I Mean, 0207/Merky, Universal Music

Fred Again..,, Actual Life 3 (January 1-September 9 2022), Atlantic Warner Music

Song of the Year

Aitch/Ashanti, “Baby,” Capitol, Universal Music

Cat Burns, “Go,” RCA/Since 93, Sony Music

Dave, “Starlight,” Dave/Neighbourhood, Universal Music

Ed Sheeran & Elton John, “Merry Christmas,” Atlantic/EMI, Warner Music, Universal Music

Eliza Rose/Interplanetary Criminal, “B.O.T.A. (Baddest of Them All),” Warner Records/One House/Warner Music

George Ezra, “Green Green Grass,” Columbia, Sony Music

Harry Styles, “As It Was,” Columbia, Sony Music

Lewis Capaldi, “Forget Me,” EMI, Universal Music

LF System, “Afraid to Feel,” Warner Records, Warner Music

Sam Smith & Kim Petras, “Unholy,” Capitol, Universal Music

Artist of the Year

Central Cee, Central Cee

Fred Again…, Atlantic, Warner Music

George Ezra, Columbia/Sony Music

Harry Styles, Columbia/Sony Music

Stormzy, 0207/Merky, Universal Music

Group of the Year

The 1975, Dirty Hit

Arctic Monkeys, Domino Recordings

Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Relentless, Sony Music

Nova Twins, Marshall Records, Blue Raincoat Music

Wet Leg, Domino Recordings

Best New Artist

Kojey Radical, Asylum/Atlantic, Warner Music

Mimi Webb, Epic/RCA, Sony Music

Rina Sawayama, Dirty Hit

Sam Ryder, Parlophone, Warner Music

Wet Leg, Domino Recordings

Rising Star

Cat Burns, RCA/Since;93, Sony Music

WINNER: FLO, Island, Universal Music

Nia Archives, Island/Universal Music

Alternative/Rock Act

The 1975, Dirty Hit

Arctic Monkeys, Domino Recordings

Nova Twins, Marshall Records, Blue Raincoat Music

Tom Grennan, Insanity, Sony Music

Wet Leg, Domino Recordings

Hip-Hop, Grime, Rap Act

Aitch, Capitol, Universal Music — WINNER

Central Cee, Central Cee

Dave, Dave/Neighbourhood, Universal Music

Loyle Carner, EMI, Universal Music

Stormzy, 0207/Merky, Universal Music

Dance Act

Becky Hill, Polydor, Universal Music

Bonobo, Ninja Tune

Calvin Harris, Columbia, Sony Music

Eliza Rose, Warner Records/One House, Warner Music

Fred again…, Atlantic, Warner Music

Pop/R&B Act

Cat Burns, RCA/Since’93, Sony Music

Charli XCX, Asylum/Atlantic, Warner Music

Dua Lipa, Warner Records, Warner Music

Harry Styles, Columbia, Sony Music

Sam Smith, Capitol, Universal Music

International Artist of the Year

Beyoncé, Columbia/Parkwood/RCA, Sony Music — WINNER

Burna Boy, Atlantic, Warner Music

Kendrick Lamar, Polydor/Interscope, Universal Music

Lizzo, Atlantic, Warner Music

Taylor Swift, EMI/Republic, Universal Music

International Group of the Year

BLACKPINK, Polydor/Interscope, Universal Music

Drake & 21 Savage, Island/OVO/Republic, Epic/Columbia, Universal Music, Sony Music

First Aid Kit, Columbia/Sony Music

Fontaines D.C., Partisan Records

Gabriels, Parlophone, Warner Music

International Song of the Year

Beyoncé, “Break My Soul,” Columbia/Parkwood/RCA, Sony Music

David Guetta & Bebe Rexha, “I’m Good (Blue),” Parlophone, Warner Music

Fireboy DML & Ed Sheeran, “Peru,” Island/Atlantic, Universal/Warner

Carolina Gaitán, Mauro Castillo, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Diane Guerrero, Stephanie Beatriz and cast of Encanto, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” Universal Music Recordings, Walt Disney, Universal Music

Gayle, “abcdefu,” Atlantic, Warner Music

Jack Harlow, “First Class,” Atlantic, Warner Music

Lizzo “About Damn Time,” Atlantic, Warner Music

Lost Frequencies/Calum Scott, “Where Are You Now,” Capitol/Insanity, Sony Music/Universal Music

OneRepublic, “I Ain’t Worried,” Polydor/Insanity, Sony Music/Universal Music

Taylor Swift, “Anti-Hero,” EMI/Republic, Universal Music

11 Feb 2023

Bizarrap & Shakira Lead Billboard Argentina Hot 100 Chart for a Third Week

Bizarrap and Shakira hold strong atop the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart as “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” leads for a third consecutive week on the Feb. 4-dated ranking.

While Luck Ra’s “Ya No Vuelvas,” featuring La K’Onga and Ke Personajes, remains at No. 2, “Muñecas,” the partnership by TINI, La Joaqui and Steve Aoki, lifts 5-3; the closest La Joaqui and Aoki have been to the top 10 the 100 title-deep chart.

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” drops 3-4, while Cris Mj, Duki and Nicki Nicole’s “La Marisola,” featuring Standly, dips 4-5. Plus, Argentinian urban artist BM secures his first top 10 with “M. A. (Mejores amigos)” as the track ascends 13-7 in its ninth week.

The week’s Greatest Gainer honors goes to Lil Cake & Migrantes’ “Mercho,” featuring Nico Valdi, rallies up the chart 64 rankings: from No. 78 to No. 14; the most since Luar La L’s “Calle” also surged 64 positions (90-26) in Aug. 2022.

Elsewhere, Feid’s “Chorrito Pa Las Animas” scores the Hot Shot Debut of the week at No. 78, the Colombian’s 10th entry. Further, Rosalía’s latest single “LLYML” opens at No. 86. Plus,  Callejero Fino claims his 11th career entry as “Que Te Vaya Bien” starts at No. 95.

Finally, Ovy On The Drums and Ozuna’s “Chao Bebe” debuts at No. 98.

11 Feb 2023

Pregnant Jessie J Reveals Her Baby’s Gender While Teasing New Song in Sweet Video

Jessie J is having a baby boy!

The 34-year-old British pop star, who recently surprised fans by announcing that she’s pregnant, took to social media ahead of the 2023 Brit Awards on Saturday (Feb. 11) to sweetly reveal the gender of her unborn child.

“Since I wrote this song every time I play it or sing it he moves like crazy… so I think this song is the one,” she captioned the video on Instagram. “Oh yeah…I’m having a boy.”

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The “Price Tag” singer playfully added, “And I promise I am wearing underwear.”

In the brief clip, Jessie is draped in a silky white robe while rubbing her exposed baby bump and beautifully singing the lyrics to a new song. “Something’s changed that I’ve been waiting for, I feel its weight falling to the floor,” she sings.

The songstress announced in early January that she was expecting a child. “I am so happy and terrified to finally share this… Please be gentle with me,” Jessie wrote on Instagram, sharing clips of her positive pregnancy test and ultrasound. The exciting news arrived more than a year after she suffered a pregnancy loss in November 2021.

While walking the red carpet at the Brits on Saturday, Jessie joked that she could “really do with a snack” and commented on her gender reveal video just hours earlier. “I just literally teased a new song an hour ago,” she said, according to the Daily Mail. “It wasn’t even really a planned thing…You have got to do what you have got to do.’

See Jessie’s sweet video on Instagram below.

11 Feb 2023

Kiernan ‘AKA’ Forbes, South African Rapper, Shot and Killed at 35

South African rapper AKA was shot and killed outside of a restaurant in Durban on Friday night (Feb. 10). He was 35.

The parents of AKA, whose legal name Kiernan Forbes, confirmed the passing of their son on Saturday (Feb. 11) in an emotional statement on social media.

“It is with extreme sadness that we acknowledge the passing of our beloved son, and confirm his untimely and tragic passing on the evening or February 10, 2023. We are awaiting further details from Durban police,” Tony and Lynn Forbes wrote in the statement, which was shared on AKA’s Twitter official account.

“To us, Kiernan Jarryd Forbes was a son, brother, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend, most importantly father to his beloved daughter Kairo,” his parents added. “To many, he was AKA, Supa Mega, Bhova and the many other names of affection his legion of fans called him by. Our son was loved and gave love in return.”

Police say that AKA, who was scheduled to perform at a nightclub on Friday, had been walking to his car in a popular nightlife area of the coastal city shortly after 10 p.m. when two armed individuals fired several gunshots at close range before fleeing, The New York Times reports. A second man died at the scene, believed to be AKA’s friend Tebello “Tibz” Motsoane, a chef and entrepreneur.

Authorities were still searching for the suspects at press time, according to the Times.

Hours before his death on Friday, AKA shared a post on Instagram promoting his upcoming album, Mass Country, which is scheduled for release in late February. Following news of his death, the post was flooded with comments from music stars like Diplo and Swizz Beatz. “Damn bro,” Diplo wrote. Swizz added numerous crying face emojis.

One of South Africa’s leading hip-hop artists, AKA had worked as a producer for numerous artists before releasing his 2010 debut album, Altar Ego, which featured the popular track “Victory Lap.” He later become known for songs like “All Eyes on Me,” “Fela in Versace” and “Lemons (Lemonade).”

Read the full statement from AKA’s parents on Twitter below.

11 Feb 2023

Drake Delivers Hits at ‘Homecoming’ Super Bowl Week Concert

Drake could have offered Super Bowl week concertgoers just a few songs, but the Toronto rapper instead delivered a healthy dose of his hits.

The multi-Grammy winner had many jostling for position to watch him perform at “h.wood Homecoming” at the Scottsdale Hangar One on Friday (Feb. 10) night. As some concertgoers crowded the stage, others like Alex Rodriguez and Jaleel White chilled in the VIP area while stars such as Michael Strahan watched Drake’s 45-minute performance from the second level of the luxury private jet complex.

Other star entertainers and athletes who attended Drake’s show included Serena Williams, Cher, H.E.R., Lil Baby, Christina Aguilera, Meek Mill, Machine Gun Kelly, Tyga, Davante Adams, Odell Beckham Jr., Kyler Murray, Sauce Gardner and George Kittle.

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Before Drake’s appearance, attendees mingled for a few hours at the invite-only event. Once he arrived, many flocked toward the stage and pulled out their phones to capture his set.

“Tonight, they asked me to do three songs in like 20 minutes right? I could either do the 20 minutes or just run through all the old stuff,” he told the audience, who urged him to play his older hits. “OK, you asked for it.”

Drake went on to perform several jams including “Best I Ever Had,” “Headlines,” “Controlla” and “HYGR.” He asked the crowd to recite the lyrics of 21 Savage’s verses on “Rich Flex,” a song from tandems collaborative album Her Loss.

The rap star kept asked attendees, “Do you want more?” The majority of the crowd urged him to do so.

“If you’re playing shy or rich as (expletive) or own some tech company or some football team, we don’t give a (expletive) right now,” he said. “We just need you to turn up if you know this song. I need your help.”

As confetti fell, Drake performed “Knife Talk” featuring 21 Savage and Project Pat.

At the end, Drake paid homage to Lil Wayne before closing out his set by playing “I Will Always Love You,” the Dolly Parton song that Whitney Houston made famous. He sang every word along with many in the crowd.

The “Homecoming” concert show was a part of a night filled with other concerts across the Phoenix area before the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Shaquille O’Neal held his carnival-style “Shaq’s Funhouse” with Snoop Dogg headlining the concert, and Travis Scott and Robin Thicke performed at the “Rolling Stone Live” Super Bowl party. Meek Mill hit the stage earlier Friday, performing a few songs including his popular “Dreams and Nightmares.”

10 Feb 2023

Lizzo Says She Got ‘So Drunk’ With Adele at the 2023 Grammys

Adele‘s “I Drink Wine” reached a new level at the 2023 Grammy Awards on Sunday night (Feb. 5), thanks to Lizzo.

The “Good as Hell” singer joined Elvis Duran and the Morning Show on Friday morning (Feb. 10), where she revealed that she and Adele had a bit too much to drink while reflecting on her record of the year win for “About Damn Time.”

“I was so drunk. Me and Adele were drinking so much that we didn’t even really know what the categories were at this point,” Lizzo said, before adding, “We were like, ‘Wait. Did they do best new artist?’ We didn’t even know when it was time and they would just call out names so we were like, ‘Smile, smile.’”

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“When they called my name I was in total shock because I didn’t expect to win at all,” she continued. Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” beat out ABBA’s “Don’t Shut Me Down,” Adele’s “Easy on Me,” Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul,” Mary J. Blige’s “Good Morning Gorgeous,” Brandi Carlile’s “You and Me on the Rock,” Doja Cat’s “Woman,” Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habit,” Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5” and Harry Styles’ “As It Was” for the award.

“I had zero say in where I was sitting,” Lizzo revealed when asked about her seat at Adele’s table and next to Styles. “But Adele had 100% say in where she was sitting.”

She continued, “Adele FaceTimed me when I was at Grammy rehearsal a few days before and she was like ‘Oh my god, oh my god, we’re sitting next to each other.’” 

Then, the star shared that she she packed a flask of tequila for herself and one with white wine for the “Rolling in the Deep” singer. “I brought it for Adele and then I drank hers,” she said with a laugh.

Watch the full interview below.

10 Feb 2023

Billboard Explains: How Rihanna Arrived At the Super Bowl

Rihanna has left fans eager for new music since the release of her most recent album, 2016’s Anti. Since then, the star has launched her Savage X Fenty lingerie line, skyrocketed her Fenty Beauty makeup company and even welcomed a son with A$AP Rocky.

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The musical drought changed in the fall of 2022, when Rihanna was announced as the halftime performer for Super Bowl LVII and the singer unveiled “Lift Me Up” off the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack. But what will taking the stage at the big game on Sunday (Feb. 12) mean for RiRi and what will it add to her legacy?

“Jay-Z and Roc Nation began overseeing the Super Bowl halftime show in 2020, and on average, each show costs $13 million,” explains Billboard‘s Neena Rouhani. While Super Bowl performers don’t usually get paid for the gig, they often see a huge bump in merchandise and music sales.

Watch the latest episode of Billboard Explains above to learn more about how Rihanna arrived at the Super Bowl.

After the video, catch up on more Billboard Explains videos and learn about the best new artist award at the Grammys, evolution of girl groups, BBMAs, NFTs, SXSW, the magic of boy bands, American Music Awards, the Billboard Latin Music Awards, the Hot 100 chart, how R&B/hip-hop became the biggest genre in the U.S., how festivals book their lineups, Billie Eilish’s formula for success, the history of rap battles, nonbinary awareness in music, the Billboard Music Awards, the Free Britney movement, rise of K-pop in the U.S., why Taylor Swift is re-recording her first six albums, the boom of hit all-female collaborations, how Grammy nominees and winners are chosen, why songwriters are selling their publishing catalogs, how the Super Bowl halftime show is booked and why Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drivers License” was able to shoot to No. 1 on the Hot 100.

10 Feb 2023

Lenny Tavarez, Lasso & More: What’s Your Favorite New Latin Music Release? Vote!

This week, our First Stream Latin roundup — which is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums, and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors each week — is powered by new music from Carlos Vives, Lenny Tavárez, Yendry, and more.

The list starts off with Vives’ nostalgic track “La Historia,”  the first single from his upcoming album Escalona: nunca se había grabado así. A tribute to the famous composer Rafael Escalona, Vives’ modern pop version of the classic melancholic vallenato will transport you to the warm Colombian Caribbean coast. Then we have Italian-based artist Yendry paying tribute to her Dominican roots in a hypnotizing bachata track that subtly fuses electronic sounds called “Herrera.” Lasso’s ballad “Los Hombres Son Todos Iguales” (All Men Are The Same) is also on the list, with potent lyrics reflecting two worlds: when a woman has been hurt in the past by empty promises, and when a man is trying to demonstrate that not all men are the same.

On the reggaetón side, we included two great selections: Alvaro Diaz and San Senra’s “1000CANCIONES” and Tavárez’s “Felicidades.” The former marks the pair’s first collaborative effort powered by a fast-forward perreo beat. The latter has the Puerto Rican act singing an empowering lady’s anthem about living life after a breakup.

Other tunes this week include Adriel Favela’s ranchera “En Este Amor,” Hector Perez and Felipe Santos’ collab, and more. Which release is your favorite? Cast your vote — or enter your favorite selection — in the poll below.

10 Feb 2023

Macklemore Reveals How Relapse Created ‘Darker, More Honest & Vulnerable Moments’ on His Upcoming Album

Macklemore has been a longtime advocate for addiction recovery, and has always been honest about his own struggles with sobriety since he first admitted himself into rehab for drug addiction and alcoholism in August 2008.

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In a new interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the star opened up about his relapse in the summer of 2020. “It was an intense time. The life that I knew, just like all of our lives, was stripped away. I’m used to a certain schedule of touring, of being gone, of being home, of recovery and being able to go to a physical 12-step meeting,” he explained. “That stopped during COVID. Eventually, I’m on Instagram while being on Zoom and I’m just not really paying attention to the meetings. Eventually — and this is what happens when I don’t prioritize my recovery — if I don’t put that first, then I will lose everything that I’m putting in front of it. That’s what happens.”

He added that “luckily,” the relapse only lasted a few weeks, bu caused a lot of “pain” that he still feels two and a half years later. “I’m still working on getting back trust, but I think that it gave me a reprieve, a reminder again, a slap in the face. Not a delicate reminder, but a slap in the face reminder,” he said. “‘This is your life. You get one of these. What are you going to do with this precious time on this Earth? Do you want to be secretive? Do you want to be hiding? Do you want to be in the shadows, or do you want to live your life to it’s fullest potential, get back on it and be honest?’”

Macklemore also channeled that pain into Ben, his upcoming album out on March 3. “I think that pain is a catalyst for great art. I don’t want to inflict the pain on myself anymore to make art. It’s not like I need to self-sabotage in order to create, but I think that it created some darker, more honest and vulnerable moments on the album,” he shared. “Again, a relapse is not […] any sort of part of the process, but it does create that vulnerability.”

Watch the full interview below.