Music

30 Dec 2022

Manuel Turizo, Grupo Frontera & More: The Ultimate New Year’s Eve Latin Playlist to Ring in 2023 

The year is officially wrapping up and Billboard has compiled 25 tracks you can add to your ultimate New Year’s Eve Latin playlist to get you in a festive mood and ring in 2023. 

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This year’s curated NYE playlist includes the top 25 songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart (dated Dec. 31). The first tracks on the top three positions may all be Bad Bunny — with “Titi Me Preguntó,” “Me Porto Bonito” and “La Jumpa” with Arcangel — but the rest comprise a genre-hopping list that includes top songs across Latin genres including regional Mexican, urban, mambo and bachata.  

Besides Bad Bunny’s tracks on the tally — which also include “Moscow Mule” and “Efecto” — you can stream other urban bangers such as Rauw Alejandro’s “Lokera” with Lyanno and Brray, Feid’s “Normal” and Ozuna’s “Hey Mor” ft. Feid. For a euphoric rush, there’s Bizarrap and Quevedo’s dance summer anthem “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 52” and Karol G’s “Cairo” with Ovy on the Drums.  

For those who want to start off the year feeling empowered and liberated, you can also find Karol’s 2022 anthems such as “Provenza” and “Gatubela” on the playlist. And, of course, Rosalía’s mambo hit “Despechá.”  

For all you Mexican Music fans, you can find hits by Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda (“Que Te Vaya Bien”), Ivan Cornejo (“La Última Vez”), Grupo Frontera (“No Se Va”), Carin León (“Que Vuelvas”) and Fuerza Régida (“Billete Grande”).  

Stream the ultimate New Year’s Eve Latin Playlist below and get the party started. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!  

30 Dec 2022

Xuxa Pens Emotional Message to Pelé‘s Family Amid His Passing: ’May the Pain of Loss Turn Into Good Memories’

Pelé’s passing on Thursday (Dec. 29) has generated reactions of grief and veneration from musicians, athletes, politicians and other personalities, but one that has received special attention is that of Brazilian former model, TV host and singer Xuxa, who was in a high-profile relationship with the Brazilian soccer legend in the 1980s.

“Márcia, Kelly, Edinho, Jennifer, Joshua, Celeste and others (children of the heart), grandchildren, nephews, Lucia… and all those who have been by Dico’s side, my affectionate hug and may the pain of loss become good memories to be less heavy”, Xuxa wrote in Portuguese on Thursday via Instagram, captioning a photo of what appears to be the hands of loved ones resting on the king of the “jogo bonito.” “Márcia, may God give you the lap you need,” she added addressing Pelé’s widow, Marcia Aoki.

Pelé, who was also a musician, passed away in São Paulo at the age of 82. He had been battling colon cancer since September 2021 and was hospitalized in November. The news of his death was confirmed on his official Instagram page.

Four decades have passed since he and Xuxa were one of the most famous couples in the world of sports and entertainment, and also one of the most scrutinized by the media, both for their race difference and their age gap.

“And also money,” Xuxa said years later on Univision’s El Show de Cristina. “He had a lot of fame and money, so people thought I was with him because of this.” Xuxa was 17 and Pelé 40 when they started dating in 1980 after meeting at a photo shoot for the cover of Manchete magazine in which Pelé posed with four models, including her. The relationship would last almost seven years.

“I thought that, with time passing, people would stop talking. But no, they didn’t,” the Brazilian star added in the same interview, in which she spoke in Spanish. Eventually the love ran out and they broke up, Xuxa said. And each of them moved on.

Pelé, who had previously been married to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi (1966 to 1982), mother of his children Kelly Cristina, Jennifer and Edson, married two more times — first with singer Assíria Lemos Seixas (1992 to 2008), with whom he had twins Joshua and Celeste; and in 2016 with the Japanese-Brazilian entrepreneur Marcia Aoki, who was by his side until the end.

As for Xuxa, she spent a decade with Brazilian businessman and actor Luciano Szafir, with whom she had her only daughter, model Sasha Meneghel. Xuxa has been in a relationship with actor Junno Andrade since 2012.

See Xuxa’s Instagram post about Pelé below.

30 Dec 2022

Lizzo Recruits Mom & Siblings to Recreate Adorable TikTok Trends: Watch

Lizzo, aka Melissa Jefferson, really is the people’s pop star. This year, during the annual slow-moving, awkward gap of time between Christmas and New Year’s, she’s been filling the space by doing what so many others have been doing: Filming TikToks with family.

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The “About Damn Time” singer’s latest video on the platform, posted Thursday (Dec. 29), featured her two siblings — her older sister Vanessa and brother Mikey. The three Jeffersons took part in a trend for “trios,” each dancing along to a different song that fits each individual’s role in the group the best.

Lizzo went first, squaring up to the camera while dancing to Rico Nasty’s brash, rage-filled track, “Smack A Bitch.” The 34-year-old described herself as “the baby” of the family and “moms bank,” and wrote that she moved out at 18, was a “starving artist” and “disappeared for a while.”

In the next shot, the “Truth Hurts” artist hugs Mikey as Bruno Mars’ soft, happy-go-lucky song “Count on Me” plays. According to Lizzo’s description, he’s the middle child who is “moms bff” and “makes us meditate,” meanwhile Vanessa, who afterward dances to a parody of the Caillou theme song, is the “oldest but shortest sib” and “cries if the wind blows.”

“This sound was made for us ?” Lizzo captioned the TikTok.

A couple days prior, the Yitty founder had shared a TikTok with her mom, Shari Johnson-Jefferson. The two recreated a viral “turning my mom into me” trend started in recent weeks by users who show how their mom looks ordinarily, then shows how she looks in their own clothing.

And of course, Shari wasn’t going to model anything but her daughter’s own clothing line for the video. Lizzo dressed her mom up in a red Yitty onesie, Yitty slides and complementary red lipstick.

“Yung gravy ???” she captioned the TikTok, shouting out the “Betty (Get Money)” rapper who famously loves dating moms — and actually ended up commenting “ayoooo” on the post.

See Lizzo’s TikToks with her mom, sister and brother below.

30 Dec 2022

Bringing BandLab to Billboard: Hitha

Billboard and BandLab partnered to spotlight talented emerging artists in search of a big break in the music industry. The first band this series covers is the neo-classic rock duo The Moon City Masters. The second and final featured artist is seventeen-year-old Pop/EDM singer, Hitha.

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Hitha is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and teen activist. Growing up in suburban California, Hitha was sheltered and only heard the classical Indian music her family would sing and play around the house. She first fell in love with classical Indian music because it helped her get more in touch with her roots. It wasn’t until age 10 that Hitha heard her first mainstream pop song, “Glad You Came” by The Wanted. From there, she dove headfirst into mainstream music and is greatly inspired by artists like Lana Del Ray, Lorde, and Gracie Abrams. She recently released a single, “In My Head” and is preparing to release her debut album FOREVER in 2023. 

Tell us about growing up in California and your first experiences with music.

Suburban California feels like a bubble, and I had a sheltered upbringing as a child. I was influenced by classical Indian music as a kid because there is a substantial Indian population in my town. It really helped me embrace my culture and I’m extremely thankful for that. I didn’t learn about mainstream pop music until I was 10 years old, but I dove head first as soon as I discovered other genres.

Did you always want to be an artist?

I was always obsessed with singing. My grandmother put me in Indian classical singing around the age of 4. I would wake up listening to her singing music and prayers, which really inspired me. I was always very passionate about music and I’ve always been an artistic person, but I didn’t start writing music until I was 11. When I put my first song out, a girl around my age told me the song helped her stay motivated and fight through depression. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to make a career out of music.

How would you describe your sound?

My sound feels like home to me. Music to me is more of an experience than just a sing-a-long moment. I want listeners to go through a journey when they hear my songs. Each song tells a story, but I really look to inspire and bring listeners along for an unforgettable sonic journey.

You recently released a single “In My Head.” Can you tell us about that song’s inception and what it means to you?

This song means the world to me. It’s very deep and tells the story of my battle with anxiety. When I take a step back, I can acknowledge that I’m on the right path, but sometimes it’s tough to look at things through such an optimistic lens. That song is me telling myself that what I’m experiencing is okay and that I will make it through.

You’re preparing to roll out your debut album “FOREVER.” How does it feel to finally be releasing your first full-length project?

My music really documents my growth as a person. I remember making my single “We Are Who We Are” and just crying so many tears. I think creating that song was the first sign of me finding myself as an artist. I’ve been working on all of these songs since 2020 and it feels amazing to be releasing everything now. Each song on the album really shows how much I’ve grown over the last few years and I can’t wait to share that with the world.

How did you find this opportunity with BandLab?

My dad found this for me! He handles so much of the business side for me and that’s why I wrote the song “FOREVER” as a thank you letter to my father. He’s opened so many doors for me and I’m so grateful for him.

30 Dec 2022

Two 2023 Grammy Telecast Executive Producers Are Also Grammy Nominees: It’s a First!

Raj Kapoor and Ben Winston, two of the executive producers of the 2023 Grammy telecast, are Grammy nominees for best music film as the video producers of Adele’s Adele One Night Only.

This marks the first time that someone who is executive producing the Grammy telecast has also been nominated in a competitive category — though Pierre Cossette, who was responsible for turning the Grammys into a live telecast in 1971, came very close at the 1992 show, where The Will Rogers Follies won for best musical show album (now called best musical theater album).

Cossette was a producer of that musical, which starred Keith Carradine as the genial humorist, best known today for his saying “I never met a man I didn’t like.” The crowd-pleasing show won six Tonys, including best musical, which Cossette shared with the other producers.  But he was not a Grammy nominee for the cast album. The Grammy went to Cy Coleman, the composer of the show; Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the lyricists; and Mike Berniker, who co-produced the cast album with Coleman.

The fact that Cossette wasn’t nominated didn’t stop the hammy producer from joining his colleagues on the Grammy stage and giving an acceptance speech. But the Recording Academy, to its credit, didn’t bend the rules to give him an award.

Cossette and Ken Ehrlich, his successor as executive producer of the Grammy telecast, received trustees awards from the Academy in years they were executive producing the show. (Trustees awards are the equivalent of lifetime achievement awards for non-performers.) Cossette received it in 1995, during his reign as executive producer; Ehrlich in 2020, for his final show as executive producer.

Kapoor and Winston won Primetime Emmys in September as executive producers of Adele One Night Only, which won five Emmys, including outstanding variety special (pre-recorded). They shared that award with Adele, Jonathan Dickins, Tara Montgomery, Terry Wood and Rob Paine.

Adele and video director Paul Dugdale are also nominated for Grammys for their work on Adele One Night Only. The other nominees for best music film are Justin Bieber’s Our World, Billie Eilish’s Billie Eilish Live at the O2, Rosalía’s Motomami (Rosalía TikTok Live Performance), Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story (which is credited to Various Artists), and Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s BARN.

30 Dec 2022

Morgan Wallen’s ‘You Proof’ Becomes First 10-Week No. 1 in Country Airplay Chart History

Morgan Wallen hits an unprecedented milestone on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart (dated Jan. 7, 2023) as “You Proof” becomes the first song to lead the list for double-digit weeks.

The song, released on Big Loud Records, rules Country Airplay for a 10th week, with 22.8 million audience impressions Dec. 23-29, according to Luminate.

A week earlier, “You Proof” surpassed two titles that dominated Country Airplay — which began in January 1990 — for eight frames each and had shared the record for the list’s longest command for nearly two decades: Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett’s “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” (2003) and Lonestar’s pop crossover hit “Amazed” (1999).

“Breaking this record is simply a testament to a huge song and Morgan continuing to evolve and strengthen as a vital artist to country radio,” Big Loud vice president of promotion Stacy Blythe told Billboard when “You Proof” notched its ninth week atop Country Airplay. “It also shows the consistent work ethic of the Big Loud radio team and support from radio. There were a lot of folks who stepped up on a holiday week to help us get here and it’s not taken for granted.”

Wallen co-wrote “You Proof” — a stand-alone single that in October became his seventh No. 1 on Country Airplay — with ERNEST, Ashley Gorley, Keith Smith and Charlie Handsome, the lattermost of whom also produced it with Joey Moi.

The track also logs a record-breaking 16th week in the Country Airplay chart’s top three, passing Cole Swindell’s “She Had Me at Heads Carolina,” which spent four weeks at No. 1 beginning in September.

30 Dec 2022

Halsey, Courtney Love & More Remember Vivienne Westwood: ‘Your Legacy Is Immortal & Eternal’

Vivienne Westwood died on Thursday (Dec. 29) at the age of 81, and the music community flocked to social media to pay tribute to the fashion icon.

“Viv! My friend, my idol, my icon. There is not enough time or space in this format to appropriately describe the ways you impacted music, fashion, culture, and the like,” Halsey captioned a photo of herself and Westwood seated together in the front row of a fashion show. “Your legacy is immortal and eternal. I hope we will all continue to break boundaries and question institutions in your example and memory. I will cherish all of our conversations and teas (and *tea*! you had the best stories). Love always, and long live Queen Viv.”

Courtney Love, meanwhile, paid tribute to the designer on her Instagram Stories, writing, “I am so very sorry she has left & so very glad that she lived. & her message always will. Xxx.”&

Cyndi Lauper reminisced about Westwood’s vibrant fashion shows from the 1990s and legacy as a pioneer in “punk couture,” while Annie Lennox memorialized the designer’s longstanding commitment to activism. “Her life force simply blew definitions out of the water,” the Eurythmics singer shared, “far more an eighteen year old than eighty – one in human years – A fearless, formidable force of nature who turned everything upside down – inside out and back to front, both ‘literally’ and figuratively! Britain’s version of ‘Frida Kahlo’… Not ‘gone’ – She’s just moved elsewhere…”

RuPaul’s Drag Race U.K. winner The Vivienne, whose drag name was inspired by the designer, also paid tribute on Twitter. “Vivienne Westwood is the woman that showed me I could do anything, I could wear what I wanted, she was an ICON and I lived my life through hers in some sorts of way,” the reality contestant tweeted. “There will never be another, but we’ll continue your fight.”

Read more tributes to Westwood’s memory below.

30 Dec 2022

Watch Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat Roast Kanye West, Salute U2 at 2022 Kennedy Center Honors

In the span of four minutes, Sacha Baron Cohen hilariously scorched Kanye West, honored U2, dissed Donald Trump, made President Joe Biden laugh and played himself out on a keytar, all in character as his beloved Borat persona. It all went down Dec. 4 at the 2022 Kennedy Center Honors event, and on Thursday (Dec. 29), the arts organization shared a video of the moment so that everyone who wasn’t in attendance can see — and laugh — for themselves.

In the video, Baron Cohen steps out onstage dressed in Borat’s signature suit and bushy mustache, greeting a crowd that also included honorees George Clooney, Amy Grant and Gladys Knight. The comedian — who is Jewish — was there to help celebrate U2, also one of the night’s honorees, but it didn’t take long for him to get topical with his speech.

“I must say I’m very upset about the antisemitism in U.S. and A,” he said. “It’s not fair. Kazakhstan is No. 1 Jew-crushing nation. Stop stealing our hobby!”

Of course, antisemitism has been thrust into the center of public discussion in the past couple months thanks in particular to Kanye West (who now goes by Ye). The rapper has been banned by several social media platforms and has been dropped from his deals with major brands — losing his billionaire status in the process — because of his repeated use of hate speech online and in interviews attacking Jewish people.

“Your Kanye, he tried to move to Kazakhstan and he even changed his name to Kazakhstan-ye West,” Baron Cohen continued, his Borat character a fictional journalist from the real country Kazakhstan. “We said no, he too antisemitic even for us.”

Baron Cohen also saved a little heat for the guys of U2, making a dig at their infamous partnership with Apple that involved the band’s 2014 album, Songs of Innocence, being automatically downloaded onto iTunes users’ personal devices, angering many. He also performed his own Borat-ified cover of one of the band’s biggest hits, “With or Without You,” earning uncomfortable laughs from the audience by replacing the word “you” with “Jews.”

“What the problem? They loved this at Mar-a-Lago,” he quipped, referencing Donald Trump’s current residence before performing a spirited solo on his keytar.

Watch Borat’s Kennedy Center Honors speech above. Want to check out the entire event? Here’s how you can stream it.

30 Dec 2022

BLACKPINK Takes Over Los Angeles With Album Promo in 5th ‘Born Pink Memories’ Video: Watch

BLACKPINK is continuing to to share memorable moments from the year, and with just a couple of days left in 2022, the group released its fifth installment of “Born Pink Memories” on Friday (Dec. 30).

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The new episode sees members Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé kicking off a series of promotional events to support the release of Born Pink in the United States. In the visual, the quartet touches down in Los Angeles for Spotify and BLACKPINK present Born Pink: The Pop-Up Experience. The two-day event took place Sept. 16-18 and saw the K-pop idols posing for photos in the event space, interacting with the special merch items and celebrating the album’s release with glasses of champagne.

After the pop-up, the girls then head to a radio show for some promo — something they admit hasn’t happened for quite some time. “We’re in L.A., but we’re here for a radio recording,” Lisa tells BLINKs. Rosé adds, “It’s been a while since we’ve been on a U.S. radio show.”

But the promotional activities don’t stop there. BLACKPINK then goes for something a bit more casual with a stop at Target to share the contents of the Born Pink CD box set, before the video cuts to footage of the group’s performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Backstage, Lisa hilariously tells the camera, “I heard BLINKs are also coming today … I’m very happy to perform together with our L.A. BLINKs. Perform together? I’m very happy to perform in front of BLINKs today.”

The video closes out with tour rehearsal and promo video shoots. With the girls’ hectic Los Angeles schedule concluding, the four performers unanimously agree about their excitement to head back to Korea.

Watch the full episode of Born Pink Memories above.

30 Dec 2022

Here Are the 2023 Grammy Nominees for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media

The Recording Academy has added compilation producer and music supervisor credits for the nominees for best compilation soundtrack for visual media. These names were not on the nominations list when it was first published on Nov. 15.

The category pits the soundtracks to four feature films – ELVIS, Encanto, Top Gun: Maverick and West Side Story – against the soundtrack to a TV series, Stranger Things. The soundtrack from that Netflix series is vying to become the second from a TV series to win in this category, following Boardwalk Empire: Vol. 1 (2012).The category was introduced in 2000.

Four of these five soundtracks are credited to Various Artists, rather than specific artists. The exception is Top Gun: Maverick, which is credited to Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe. Those individuals are also credited as compilation producers, but they would each win just one Grammy if the album won. Gaga won in this category three years ago for A Star Is Born. She was also credited as both an artist and compilation producer on that soundtrack.

ELVIS would be the sixth soundtrack from a biopic to win in this category, following Ray (Ray Charles, 2006), Walk the Line (Johnny Cash, 2007), Miles Ahead (Miles Davis, 2017), The Greatest Showman (P.T. Barnum, 2019) and The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Billie Holiday, 2022).

Here are the nominees for best compilation soundtrack for visual media, with newly added credits shown.

ELVIS (Various Artists)

Dave Cobb, Baz Luhrmann, Jamieson Shaw & Elliott Wheeler, compilation producers; Anton Monsted, music supervisor

Encanto (Various Artists)

Mike Elizondo, Tom MacDougall & Lin-Manuel Miranda, compilation producers

Stranger Things: Soundtrack From the Netflix Series, Season 4 (Vol 2) (Various Artists)

Matt Duffer & Ross Duffer, compilation producers; Nora Felder, music supervisor

Top Gun: Maverick (Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe, artists)

Lorne Balfe, Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga & Hans Zimmer, compilation producers

West Side Story (Various Artists)

David Newman, Matt Sullivan & Jeanine Tesori, compilation producers