Music

09 Jan 2023

Paramore Teases a New Song & Fans Have a Guess About the Title

New year, new Paramore song. Just one month out from the release of its highly anticipated album This Is Why, the band surprised fans by teasing what looks like a new track nicknamed “ccc” — though many are confident that this is an acronym for its full French language title, “C’est Comme Ça.”

Lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro first set fans ablaze Sunday (Jan. 8) by posting a cryptic video to the band’s Instagram Stories. The letters “ccc” are backdropped by a glitching, pixelated screen while a brisk guitar riff repeats on a loop.

On Paramore’s official website, an announcement reads: “1.12 – ccc.”

It didn’t take long for fans to deduce that “ccc” likely stands for “C’est Comme Ça,” the title of one of 10 songs listed under the This Is Why album on Apple Music.

“What else could ccc mean besides the French title… paramore have punked us before this feels too easy,” one fan tweeted.

“CCC. C’EST COMME CA. PARAMORE. AH,” tweeted another along with a clip of the upcoming tune.

All signs point to the track being released Thursday (Jan. 12), which would mark the third single released by Paramore in the lead-up to the band’s Feb. 10-slated album.

“I wasn’t expecting another song before the album release i am shaking,” wrote one excited admirer on Twitter.

“Not paramore releasing a new song this week, 2023 has been so good to me so far,” tweeted another.

Paramore hasn’t put out an album since 2017’s After Laughter, and the band is just now making a comeback following a five-year hiatus, making This Is Why one of the most hotly anticipated releases of 2023. And on Dec. 8, the Nashville-based trio dropped the upcoming album’s second single, “The News,” along with a corresponding horror-themed music video.

Before “The News,” they released lead single and title track “This Is Why,” also with a music video. Both singles charted on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs ranking, the former peaking at No. 34 and the latter at No. 15.

On Feb. 6, the band will celebrate its new album’s release with an exclusive concert at the Grand Ole Opry in Paramore’s hometown of Nashville. The following month, Williams, York and Farro will embark on an arena tour, making a stop in Glendale, Ariz., to open for a couple of shows on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour.

09 Jan 2023

Rihanna Wouldn’t Be the First to Perform at Super Bowl Halftime Show & Oscars in the Same Year: This Star Did It First

As you already know, Rihanna is set to headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 12. And she’s likely to perform at the Academy Awards on March 12, assuming “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is nominated for best original song.

“Lift Me Up,” which Rihanna co-wrote with Ludwig Göransson, Ryan Coogler and Tems, was one of 15 songs shortlisted in that category last month. The song’s sheer quality, its success (it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100), the film’s potency and Rihanna’s star-power all point to a nomination. “All the Stars,” from the initial Black Panther, was nominated for best original song four years ago.

Even if “Lift Me Up” is nominated, there’s no guarantee that Rihanna will perform it on the telecast. Two years ago, the Academy relegated the best original song nominees to a “pre-show,” a move that was roundly criticized.

And even if Rihanna is invited to perform the song on the telecast, there’s a chance she could decline. Kendrick Lamar and SZA did not perform “All the Stars” on the Oscar telecast four years ago, a move blamed on “logistics and timing.” But that was an outlier. When Oscar calls, even the biggest stars usually say yes. Beyoncé opened last year’s show with a memorable performance of “Be Alive” from King Richard. Such other superstars as Adele, U2, Lady Gaga, The Weeknd, Sam Smith, Justin Timberlake, Sting, Elton John, and Billie Eilish with Finneas have performed nominated songs on the Oscars in the past decade. Expect Rihanna to join that list.

Rihanna wouldn’t be the first person to perform on the Oscar telecast and at the Super Bowl Halftime Show in the same calendar year. Phil Collins played both high-profile gigs in 2000, though he wasn’t the headliner of the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Jan. 30, but part of a multi-artist package that also included Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias and Toni Braxton. Collins performed “Two Worlds” from Tarzan at the Disney-produced halftime show.

Two months later, on March 26, Collins performed “You’ll Be in My Heart,” also from Tarzan, at the 72nd Academy Awards. The song (which Collins wrote by himself) went on to win the Oscar.

Nominations round voting for the 2023 Oscars extends from Jan. 12 to 17. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 24. Final round voting extends from March 2-7.

09 Jan 2023

Pregnant Jessie J Gets Real About Her Difficult First Trimester: ‘I Can’t Even Explain to You How Sick I Feel’

What’s Jessie J‘s go-to accessory these days? A barf bag. That’s because the 34-year-old pop star, who recently surprised fans by announcing that she’s pregnant, has been in the throes of her first trimester — a not-so-glamorous reality she opened up about in a revealing Instagram video Sunday (Jan. 8).

The video features a reel of clips filmed at different times during her first trimester, many of them showing the “Price Tag” singer doubling over in discomfort, her head occasionally planted in a trash can or airsickness bag. In one clip, she leans down into a sink and runs water over her flushed face, and in another, she breaks down into tears.

“I can’t even explain to you how sick I feel,” she says in the video. “Look at the state of me.”

“I was warned about that first trimester and it was WOOFY WOOF,” she captioned the post, adding a series of emojis to visually express the exhaustion and nausea she’s facing:????????‍???????

But all is not bad. In a second video on Monday (Jan. 9), the singer shared with followers how delighted she is. “Happy Grateful Excited,” she captioned the visual, which shows clips of her with a big smile on her face, recording vocals, showing off her baby bump, and crunching into a giant cucumber as she rubs her belly.

The candid videos come just a couple days after the musician announced to the world that she’s expecting, a moment made bittersweet by the heartbreaking pregnancy loss she experienced a year prior. “I am so happy and terrified to finally share this… Please be gentle with me,” she wrote Friday (Jan. 6), sharing clips of her positive pregnancy test and ultrasound.

When she shared her pregnancy loss in 2021, the British star shared a raw, since-deleted post on Instagram that explained she’d decided to “have a baby on my own” because becoming a mom was “all I ever wanted.” “To get pregnant was a miracle in itself and an experience I will never forget and I know I will have again,” she wrote at the time.

See Jessie J’s videos about the realities of trimester pregnancy below:

09 Jan 2023

Latin Alternative Music Conference Sets Dates for 2023 Virtual & In-Person Event

The Latin Alternative Music Conference, or LAMC, has set dates for both its 2023 virtual and in-person events, Billboard can exclusively announce.

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The LAMC, which spotlights Spanish-language alternative music —  as well as artists in rock, hip-hop, and electronic music — will return in virtual form April 26-28. Its in-person conference, which will be a five-day event, is set to take place from July 11 to 15 at the Crowne Plaza Times Square in New York City.

Both the virtual and in-person events will feature panels, workshops, showcases, and networking opportunities for attendees. According to figures provided to Billboard, more than 100,000 registrants tuned in online, and more than 5,000 people from 150-plus cities in 17 countries attended the conference and events in New York last year.

The LAMC has also confirmed the return of the Wonder Women of Latin Music recognitions, presented by Amazon Music LAT!N, celebrating women “making a difference” in the industry, according to a press release. Launched in 2020, past honorees include Jennifer D’Cunha (Apple Music), Yvonne Drazan (peermusic), Celeste Zendejas (CESAC), Fabiana Kulick (Live Nation), Martha Ledezma (Fonovisa/Universal) and Amy Roland (Sony Music Publishing), among others.

Registration for the in-person July conference begins at $99. Registration for the virtual event is free via www.latinalternative.com, where the latest updates, option to contact the LAMC team with questions, and reserve a hotel for the in-person event are available.

The full schedule for the virtual and in-person conference will be revealed in the coming weeks, along with the Wonder Women of Latin Music Class of 2023 and additional details.

Latin Alternative Music Conference

Latin Alternative Music Conference

09 Jan 2023

CMA Launches Inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship With Three Universities

The Country Music Association will soon launch its inaugural Diversity & Inclusion Fellowship, which will provide a select group of BIPOC students with an immersive educational experience leading up to the 2023 CMA Fest in June.

The CMA has partnered with the University of Alabama, Nashville’s Belmont University and Knoxville’s University of Tennessee. Six students (two from each university) will be selected to take part in the fellowship, launching this spring. Students must be an incoming junior or senior majoring in public relations, advertising, journalism, business or a related field. Each student will also receive compensation for their work, as well as a stipend to cover living expenses while in Nashville.

“As we look at our industry and how we can drive country music into the future, it’s being thoughtful about who is part of it and who feels like they can be part of it,” Mia McNeal, CMA senior director, industry relations and inclusion, tells Billboard. “Working with all three of these universities has been incredible, thinking strategically and intentionally about how we can engage the student body in a way that is very direct and making a pipeline of talent.”

McNeal adds, “There has been a push for more artists of color within the country music industry, but they also need the opportunity to team with people behind the scenes who look like them.”

In April, the students will begin working remotely with the CMA’s communications team, participating in planning meetings with cross-departmental teams and various industry partners. They will then join CMA team members in Nashville in the weeks leading up to and through CMA Fest, June 9-12. Following the event, the students will take part in a six-week assignment with a country music publicity partner, offering the students additional real-world PR experience.

“They get the 360-degree view of exactly how public relations and communications is central not only to the CMA, but to the industry at large,” says Tiffany Kerns, CMA vice president, industry relations and philanthropy.

“The idea for this fellowship came out of having significant conversations with several artists and a wide variety of industry professionals who really felt that publicists are part of the storytellers of our business,” Kerns adds.

The University of Alabama’s Dr. Kenon Brown, who was previously the faculty advisor for the UofA’s CMA EDU chapter for about three years, serves as the fellowship’s managing faculty member. Brown along with faculty representatives from the university partners and CMA staff will review applications.

“We felt the one thing that would help students be exposed to the industry would be to give them first-hand experience,” Brown tells Billboard. “We wanted to also give them mentors to give them a more realistic viewpoint of how the music industry works. Hopefully this helps make them more excited about not just working in music but working in country music.”

In describing the types of students they are looking for, Brown says, “We want students who recognize the opportunity they have here to become a leader in this industry and a voice for promoting diversity and inclusion in the country music industry. We want students who can look at the country music industry and see the strides that they have made and see the advantage that they have to really add a unique voice to the genre.”

The CMA is also working with the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations on the fellowship, as well as with Trell Thomas, a public relations executive and co-founder of My Publicist is Black, to match each student participant with an industry expert to serve as a mentor throughout the fellowship.

“At CMA Fest last year, we had diversity on all of our stages,” McNeal says. “Our fans are diverse and that representation matters so much. It’s hard to be something you cannot see.”

The application to apply for the fellowship is open today (Jan. 9) through Feb. 24 at cmaworld.com/fellowship.

The fellowship is one of multiple recent initiatives the CMA has launched to support leadership, education, and diversity. The CMA previously teamed with Discovery Education for a series highlighting STEAM careers within the country music industry. In 2022, the trade organization also launched a 16-week training program to support women in leadership throughout the country music industry.

09 Jan 2023

BTS‘ Jin Shared Uplifting Video Message with ARMY About His Military Enlistment: ’I’ll Be Back Soon’

BTS‘ Jin was the first member of the septet to begin their mandatory service in the South Korean army last month. But before he left for basic, the 30-year-old singer recorded a special message for the group’s ultra-dedicated non-military ARMY fan group.

“Hello everyone, this is Jin of BTS. I won’t be a civilian by the time the video is out. But I am here in front of the camera, because I wanted to leave you something, even if it is just leaving a message,” said Jin in the minute-long clip filmed in what looks like an alleyway that dropped on Monday (Jan. 9).

He noted that the video was shot during a break from appearing on an episode of the SBS-produced South Korean variety show Running Man, which he appeared on in November; Jin began his enlistment on Dec. 13. “Whenever I am available I wish to leave these videos and records once every few months to share with you as much as possible, even if it’s just checking in briefly,” he continued. “I may not be by your side at this very moment, but I’ll go looking for you soon, so if you just wait a little bit. I’ll be back soon. That’s all for today. Next time when I have the chance, I’ll be back with another video.”

Just before leaving for bootcamp last month, Jin uploaded a photo which showed off that his signature locks — most recently on display in his “Astronaut” music video — were shorn in favor of what’s known as the “induction cut.”

Per national law, all able-bodied South Korean men must serve in the armed forces for at least 18 months with varying lengths of service time. While the draft begins once they turn 18, men may postpone it until age 28. In December 2020, the Korean National Assembly passed a motion (nicknamed the “BTS law”) to allow top K-pop stars to postpone service until age 30 with a recommendation from the culture minister.

Jin is the first of the seven BTS members to fulfill his mandatory obligations.

Watch Jin’s video below.

09 Jan 2023

Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa’s Black Star Line Festival in Ghana Draws 52,000 Fans For Inaugural Edition

Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa launched the inaugural edition of their Black Star Line festival in Accra, Ghana over the weekend with an all-star concert featuring sets from Erykah Badu, Dave Chappelle, T-Pain, Jeremih, Sarkodie, Tobe Nwigwe, Asakaa Boys and M.anifest.

According to a release, Friday night’s festival drew 52,000 fans to historic Black Star Square, the monument to Ghanians becoming the firs Sub-Saharan African country to free itself from colonialism in 1957. “The Black Star Line Festival is more than just a celebration of Black culture and music, it’s a chance for the Diaspora to come together as a community and remind ourselves of the power that lies within us,” Chance said in a statement. “It’s an opportunity to honor the legacy of those who came before us, and to inspire and uplift each other. It’s a historic event and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Black Star Line Festival.”

The festival’s title was inspired by civil rights leader Marcus Garvey’s Black Star Line, which was founded in 1919 and operated by Black people who helped link global shipping and tourism opportunities between America, the Caribbean and Africa.

The weekend of events included conversations with Mensa and Chance, skate sessions and other art and cultural gatherings around town, as well as the jam-packed concert that had the acts performing on a stage featuring a gigantic black star front and center.

Garvey also inspired Chance’s music video “ YAH Know, ” featuring King Promise, and his upcoming album Star Line Gallery, which is expected for release this year.

Check out some footage and photos from the event below.

09 Jan 2023

Rihanna Drops ‘Game Day’ Savage X Fenty Collection, Hypes Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show: ‘5 Weeks From Today’

After a weekend of wild NFL action setting the stage for next week’s first round of playoff games, Rihanna is getting fully psyched for this year’s Super Bowl. The singer who will perform at halftime of Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona showed up in an NFL promo on Sunday in which she posed in a black Fenty football sweatshirt featuring the same image that helped announce her gig — a tattooed hand holding up a pigskin — as she leaned back and gave the camera her best game face.

“5 weeks from today,” read the caption on the post from the NFL. Rihanna will perform at the newly rebranded Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show, which is being produced by DPS with Roc Nation.

That wasn’t all, though. Rih Rih also used the opportunity to hype a new limited-edition collection of football-inspired Fenty gear under the “Game Day” banner. The sporty drop features 17 styles, from hoodies to boxers, sweatpants, two-tone varsity jerseys, beanies, bandanas and tube tops, with sizes ranging from XXS to 4X. There’s also a white graphic tee with the important message: “Rihanna Concert Interrupted by a Football Game, Weird But Whatever.”

According to WWD, the singer will also launch a three-day “Game Day” pop-up shop in Los Angeles from Jan. 27-29 where customers will be able to shop the entire collection in a football-themed store. As is customary, new mom Rihanna is keeping details of her halftime extravaganza under tight wraps, telling ET in Nov., “I can’t believe I even said yes. It was one of those things that even when I announced it, I was like, ‘OK, I can’t take it back. Now, it’s like final.’ The Super Bowl is one of the biggest stages in the world, it’s an entertainer’s dream to be on a stage like that,” she added. “But it’s nerve-racking. You want to get it right. You know, everybody’s watching. And they’re rooting for you. And I want to get it right.”

At press time it was still unknown if any special guests will be joining Rih for her mid-game spotlight.

See the NFL’s halftime show promo and images from the Fenty collection below.

09 Jan 2023

Nelly Furtado Performs ‘Say It Right’ With Dom Dolla on Stage In Australia: Watch

Nelly Furtado is like a bird. She’ll only fly away, and come back at precisely the right time… as she did for her recent New Year’s Eve performance in Australia.

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For her comeback party, the pop veteran performed a 35-minute set at Beyond the Valley, a popular camping fest set in rural Victoria, and produced by independent promoter Untitled Group.

Furtado’s career took flight in 2001 with “I’m Like A Bird,” which she followed with a string of pop hits, including “Promiscuous,” “Maneater” and “Say It Right,” which won the Grammy Award for best female pop vocal performance. All of those numbers got a workout in front of an estimated 30,000 music fans.

Her return is accompanied with buzz. “Say It Right” is enjoying streaming bumps right now, thanks to uptempo reworks doing the rounds on TikTok.

To keep the throngs in a party mood, Dom Dolla welcomed Furtado on stage during his pre-midnight set, for a performance of “Say It Right” — the TikTok cut, mixed with Bicep’s “Glue.”

Check out the performance below from Beyond the Valley.

The Canadian singer and songwriter has five top 10 appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, including three leaders, with “Promiscuous,” “Say It Right,” and Timbaland’s “Give It To Me,” on which she features with Justin Timberlake.

Furtado last year made the journey to South America, where she’s said to have recorded new music and collaborated with Colombian artists. Also last year, she collaborated on stage with a star from her neck of the woods, fellow Canuck Drake, at the 2022 OVO Fest.

Bicep performed at Beyond the Valley, which took place in Barunah Plains, alongside a bill that included Denzel Curry, Diplo, Honey Dijon, Kaytranada, Bicep, Aitch, Yeat, Flight Facilities, Lime Cordiale, Patrick Topping and Charlotte De Witte.

09 Jan 2023

Lewis Capaldi Challenges Raye In Tight U.K. Chart Race

A star is born in Raye, whose “Escapism” is the first U.K. No. 1 of 2023 – and the first of her career.

Based on early chart data, “Escapism” is heading for a second week in the box seat, though Lewis Capaldi could stage an upset.  

Featuring U.S. rapper 070 Shake, “Escapism” leads the Official Charts Company’s First Look survey, which ranks singles based on the first 48 hours in the cycle.

“Escapism” is lifted from Raye’s upcoming debut album My 21st Century Blues, alongside “Hard Out Here,” “Black Mascara” and “The Thrill Is Gone,” and is released independently through Human Re Sources, after she cut ties with Polydor, part of Universal Music Group, in 2021.

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“We are Number 1 in the U.K.! It’s the first Number 1 of the year, it’s my first Number 1 in my life. I’m an independent artist, this is sickening,” she tells the OCC.

Capaldi has plans of his own. The Scottish singer (and Raye’s touring mate) soars 15-2 with “Pointless,” co-written by Ed Sheeran.

Just 2,000 combined units currently separate the two best-sellers.

The chart race has some added spice. Just last week, Raye announced that Capaldi has welcomed her on his U.K. tour, which kicks off Jan. 14 at Leeds’ First Direct Arena. Capaldi is “kindly letting me open his UK arena tour, I get to sing you some songs from my album on these huge stages just before it’s released,” Raye tweeted. “I am so grateful for this opportunity.”

Meanwhile, Stormzy’s “Hide & Seek” is juiced-up by a new remix featuring BRITs Rising Star and BBC Sound Of 2023 winners Flo. The grime star’s tune is set to rise 18-14.

The runner-up in the BBC Sound Of 2023 poll, Fred Again, could have the week’s highest new entry with “Rumble,” a collaboration with Skrillex and Flowdan. It’s forecast to arrive at No. 16, for what would be Skrillex’s fourth, Fred Again’s third, and Flowdan’s first top 40 appearance.

The Official U.K. Single Chart is published late Friday.