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15 Dec 2022

Selena Gomez & Stacey Abrams Team Up for Discovery+ Music Documentary

Selena Gomez and Stacey Abrams are combining minds to produce an upcoming music documentary for Discovery+, which began production on Wednesday (Dec. 14), according to Deadline.

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The Kristi Jacobson-directed film titled Won’t Be Silent, is set to celebrate music from female artists that have had a global impact on various issues. “The powerful women we will be highlighting are not only talented but have been on the frontline of pushing culture forward and holding a mirror up to political and social injustices,” Gomez said in a statement received by the publication.

“Throughout history, women in music have used their art as activism by bringing attention to issues impacting our nation and world. Won’t Be Silent is a celebration of the artists who have contributed to bettering the world through their timeless music,” Abrams added.

Gomez’ latest effort follows her recent, introspective documentary, AppleTV+’s My Mind & Me, which details the star’s years-long struggles with mental health, lupus, heartbreak and the highs and lows of fame.

“It’s OK to feel not good enough and to feel like you’re complicated and complex. It’s just about having a healthy relationship with how you talk to yourself, how you seek help, how you talk to other people,” Gomez said at the Los Angeles premiere of the film, of what she hopes people will take from the film. “I hope this starts a chain reaction of people saying, ‘Hey, I want to say something about my mental health. I want to talk about it and seek help.’ That’s one of the bravest things someone can do. Even if just one person is impacted by this film, I would consider myself the luckiest girl.”

15 Dec 2022

Pinkfong & Hobi Prepare for a ‘Wonderstar Concert’ in Upcoming Sing-Along Film

The Pinkfong Company revealed on Thursday (Dec. 15) that its feature film Pinkfong Sing-Along Movie 2: Wonderstar Concert, is coming to theaters in 2023.

The movie is the sequel to Pinkfong and Baby Shark’s Space Adventure, and will feature 14 fan-favorite Pinkfong tracks including the iconic “Baby Shark” song. In Wonderstar Concert, Pinkfong and his best friend Hogi prepare for the first sing-along concert with Wonderstar friends and navigate a number challenges to present a perfect show for their fans around the world.

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Since the release of “Baby Shark,” the song from South Korean firm SmartStudy, the entertainment company behind children’s content brand Pinkfong, the track peaked at No. 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, was covered by a ton of K-pop stars in addition to James Corden and John Legend, and did a live, 100-date North American tour.

“We are thrilled to bring Pinkfong Sing-Along Movie 2: Wonderstar Concert to movie theaters around the world,” said Bin Jeong, CEO of Pinkfong USA. “We hope this song-filled adventure will provide memorable and unique experiences that all family members can share together.”

Pinkfong Sing-Along Movie 2: Wonderstar Concert is out in U.S. theaters on January 28 and 29, 2023. Watch the full trailer below.

15 Dec 2022

Kelly Clarkson Makes a Plea to Santa With Her Latest Christmas Single for ‘Kellyoke’

Kelly Clarkson kept the Christmas spirit flowing on Thursday (Dec. 15) by performing her 2021 holiday song “Santa Can’t You Hear Me” to open The Kelly Clarkson Show.

While she enlisted pal Ariana Grade for the studio version from her second Christmas album When Christmas Comes Around…, the talk show host opted to tackle the ditty by herself, belting out, “Santa can’t you hear me?/ Oh, I don’t need a thing/ I sent a letter to you/ On how to make my dreams come true, oh yeah/ Keep the mistletoe/ Unless below, is what I need/ Oh Santa, can’t you hear me?”

The solo “Kellyoke” number continues Clarkson’s string of performing her own holiday originals, following “Merry Christmas (To the One I Used to Know)” and “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (Just You)” earlier this week. Before that, she handed the mic to Jewel to perform a stirring, jazz-inflected rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” while Clarkson was out sick with COVID.

Clarkson’s been in quite the giving mood on her show thanks to her ongoing holiday gift guide. On Wednesday’s episode, she gave every member of her studio audience an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii, with airfare to and from the islands.

In the new year, the superstar is set to return to Season 23 of The Voice after taking a season off for the first time since she joined the show as a coach in Season 14. She’ll be joined by Blake Shelton for his final season before leaving The Voice as well as rookie coaches Niall Horan and Chance The Rapper.

Watch Clarkson perform “Santa Can’t You Hear Me” below.

15 Dec 2022

Daisy Edgar-Jones to Star as Carole King in ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’ Film

Daisy Edgar-Jones will star as Carole King in Sony Pictures’ film version of the Broadway hit Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Deadline announced on Thursday (Dec. 15).

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King co-signed the actress’ casting in a statement to the site, saying, “Daisy has a spirit and energy that I recognized as myself when I was younger. She’s a tremendous talent and I know she’s going to give a great performance.”

Lisa Cholodenko — who was nominated for an Oscar for The Kids Are All Right — will direct the film, which will be produced with Playtone partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and Paul Blake, who also produced the stage show. According to Deadline, the movie is being written “based on Douglas McGrath’s book of the musical.” As for the movie, it will follow King’s rise to fame and off-stage triumphs and tragedies.”

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical was a Broadway smash. The stage play was nominated for seven Tony awards, winning two: best performance by a lead actress in a musical (Jessie Mueller) and best sound design of a musical (Brian Ronan).

Following the news of her casting, Edgar-Jones posted the Deadline article to her Instagram Story, sharing two smiley-face emojis to celebrate the news. Portraying King in the forthcoming biopic is the latest high profile project the actress has taken on — the actress has previously starred in Where the Crawdads Sing, Normal People, War of the Worlds and more.

15 Dec 2022

5 Ways Zach Bryan’s Career Exploded in 2022

Zach Bryan’s distinct brand of red-dirt poetry and vivid, rich songcraft — as well as his earnest, no-frills delivery — has made him one of the hottest music newcomers of the year.

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Though Bryan first caught some listeners’ attention with his self-released 2019 album DeAnn (named after his mother, who died in 2016), this Oklahoma native and Navy veteran has seen his career surge in 2022 through streaming and live performances.

This year, his RIAA platinum-certified hit “Something in the Orange” rose to No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Rock and Alternative Songs and Hot Country Songs chart and is climbing the Country Airplay chart. In his nascent career, Bryan has already earned 2.45 billion on-demand U.S. streams, according to Luminate.

In 2022, he inked a deal with Warner Records (through his own Belting Bronco label), and released a double-punch of projects, with the massive, 34-track album American Heartbreak and then the EP Summertime Blues. He also headlined the American Heartbreak tour, and is already slated to headline several festivals in 2023 — including Kentucky’s Railbird Festival, Wisconsin’s Summerfest, and Chicago’s Windy City Smokeout.

Below, Billboard looks at five ways Zach Bryan’s career soared in 2022.

A Victory Lap on the Top Country Albums Chart

In June, Bryan’s American Heartbreak debuted at No. 1 on Top Country Albums and at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 albums chart—without the benefit of massive radio airplay (though his breakthrough single “Something in the Orange” has since been serviced to country radio, and currently ranks at No. 33 on Country Airplay after spending nine weeks atop Country Streaming Songs. In October, “Something in the Orange” was certified platinum by the RIAA, followed by “Heading South” reaching platinum status in November.

American Heartbreak lands at No. 8 on Billboard’s Year-End Top Country Albums chart, alongside sets from Morgan Wallen, Chris Stapleton and Luke Combs, while currently holding at No. 2 on the weekly chart, just behind Wallen’s dominant Dangerous: The Double Album.

Key Performances at Stagecoach and Red Rocks

In May, Bryan performed at California’s Stagecoach Festival, with a show on the secondary Palomino stage. Fans flocked to the performance, singing every word and filling the venue with an electric energy and artist-fan connection more than worthy of a mainstage performance.

A few months later, Bryan had a snowy (and fiery) performance at Red Rocks Amphitheater on Nov. 3, when diehard fans faced frigid temps at the famed outdoor Colorado venue to see Bryan’s final show on his American Heartbreak tour — making songs such as Bryan’s “November Air” all the more poignant.

Dominating Billboard’s Top Country Songwriters Chart

Bryan spent 25 weeks at the pinnacle of the Country Songwriters chart, a testament to his work as the sole writer on “Something in the Orange,” as well as heavy streamers “Heading South” and “Burn, Burn, Burn.”

That trajectory helped place Bryan’s own Zach Lane Bryan Publishing Designee at No. 8 on Billboard’s Year-End Hot Country Songs Publishers, not far behind powerhouses including Warner-Tamerlane, Sony Tree Publishing, Big Loud Mountain and Songs of Universal. Bryan also lands at No. 2 on the Year-End Hot Country Songwriters chart, behind songwriting kingpin Ashley Gorley.

“Songwriting is such a massive part of this,” Bryan told the New York Times earlier this year. “If you’re missing out on it, what the hell are you doing? You’re just performing. You’re an actor.”

His First Grammy Nomination

Bryan found himself among country heavyweights in November when he received his first Grammy nomination. At the Feb. 5 ceremony, “Something in the Orange” will vie for best country solo performance with tunes by Kelsea Ballerini, Maren Morris, Miranda Lambert and Willie Nelson.

After learning of his nod from the Recording Academy, Bryan shared with his followers on social media, “thank you for the Grammy nomination. I’m truly thankful and didn’t deserve a sold-out tour or to be successful at all.”

The Grammy nod followed a controversial moment earlier this year, when Bryan was not among those nominated for this year’s CMA Awards, prompting Bryan to later comment that he “will never want to be considered at the CMAs.” He later clarified his comments, saying, “To be clear, I’m not trying to insult the validity of a CMA, I respect any artist who receives one and the existence of them; I’m just saying on a personal level it is not one of my priorities to have awards on a shelf in my home. There’s room for more important things there.”

A Strong Year-End Finish

Bryan ends 2022 on a career high note, landing on multiple genres’ year-end charts. He ranks at No. 2 on Billboard’s all-genre Year-End Top New Artists chart. He also tops the Top New Country Artists and Top New Rock & Alternative Artists charts.

He also lands at No. 5 on Billboard’s 2022 Top Country Artists chart, behind more established hitmakers Wallen, Combs, Walker Hayes and Stapleton. Three of Bryan’s songs — “Something in the Orange,” “Oklahoma Smoke Show,” and “From Austin” — land on the Year-End Hot Country Songs rankings, while Bryan himself ends up at No. 3 on the Year-End Top Rock & Alternative Songs Artists chart.

His multi-genre success is a testament to the range of music he admires. He told The New York Times that he listens to artists ranging from Turnpike Troubadours to Radiohead and Gregory Alan Isakov, and that his fans should understand that he can’t be pigeonholed: “I want to be in that Springsteen, Kings of Leon, Ed Sheeran-at-the-very-beginning space.”

15 Dec 2022

Beyoncé’s Club Renaissance Is Coming to Los Angeles for Two Nights

Missed out on Beyoncé‘s Club Renaissance parties following the release of her seventh studio album? Well, Queen Bey gave fans a little holiday gift on Thursday (Dec. 15) when she revealed that she will be throwing two more events, this time in Los Angeles.

The event, hosted by the “Break My Soul” superstar’s entertainment company and record label Parkwood Entertainment and presented by Amazon Music, is called “Renaissance in Spacial Audio” and will take place on December 17 and 18 at 9 p.m. at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles. Fans must be at least 21 years old to enter and there is a limit to one nontransferable ticket per customer, according to the flyer posted to Bey’s website.

Back in October, Beyoncé threw a Club Renaissance party during Paris Fashion Week, with Tyler, the Creator, Doja Cat, Halsey, Naomi Campbell and Baz Luhrmann among the celebrities spotted at the invite-only party.

The Parisian fest was just one of many Club Renaissance parties the “Alien Superstar” singer had thrown in secret around the globe. Soon after her album drop, she threw a secret party in New York City, which reportedly had a Studio 54 theme, in tribute to the city’s iconic disco club. Donald Glover, Chloë and Halle Bailey, Kendrick Lamar, Janelle Monae and Questlove were all in attendance.

Beyoncé’s Renaissance was released in July and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, marking the first album by a female artist to reach the summit in 2022.

15 Dec 2022

On The Radar Latin: Svetlana Maury, Victor Cibrian, & More Emerging Artists to Discover

Every month, Billboard Latin editors will feature a small group of new or relatively unknown artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover. Check them out below:

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Chicocurlyhead

Country: Panama / U.S.

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: If you showed up early to day two of PMC’s LA3C Festival, at some point you probably made your way to the main stage and found Chicocurlyhead opening the fest with his vibey set. That’s the beauty of music festivals, discovering the small-print artists on the lineup or even seeing a newer act perform for the first time. I had heard about Chicocurlyhead but had never seen him live. The Panamanian-born, Atlanta-raised singer-songwriter won new fans over thanks to his groovy, feel-good Spanglish music effortlessly zigzagging through R&B, trap, and rock, showcasing his versatility.

There was some coolness to him that I found him just a delight to watch. He just had so much fun onstage, and never stopped smiling taking it all in, even if it was just a handful of us watching. He made us all feel welcome and interacted with the people watching him, which made him just so likable. Not all artists can pull that off. Chicocurlyhead is not only ultra-talented, but his onstage personality really just pulls you in. — GRISELDA FLORES

Song For Your Playlist: “Cheap Wine”

Monogem

Country: Mexico / U.S.

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Also a LA3C discovery, Monogem is truly a … gem. I regret only listening to her for the first time just now, but I feel I did so at the right time and moment. The Mexican-American artist most recently delivered her first-ever Spanish-language album Gardenia, and “nothing has been the same ever since” she wrote her first Spanish song, she said during her set.

Enjoying every second of her time onstage, Monogem was meant to sing and perform in Spanish, because she does so with pathos and passion. Writing from her own experience as a Mexican American who grew up in Los Angeles, Monogem sings about the complexities of being bicultural while embracing her duality, making it so easy for us to identify with her music. “Bienvenidos a mi vida, una vida muy tranquila yo sé que soy una pinche gringa,” she declares confidently in “Dame La Fuerza,” one of my new favorite songs. — G.F.

Song For Your Playlist: “Dame La Fuerza”

Svetlana Maury

Country: Venezuela

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: At the age of nine, Svetlana Maury began to take piano and guitar classes, which to this day she combines with her academic studies as a high school senior in Sarasota, Fla., where she lives. Now, at 18 years old, the Venezuelan artist is making herself known as a promising singer-songwriter, backed by three independently-released songs this year, including the refreshing pop ballad “Bailemos Juntitos”.

“So let’s dance together/ Let the rumors cry / So let’s dance together / Your rhythm with my rhythm / Mixing colors / Of blue inks,” she belts in Spanish in the song, which was written by her and produced by Alejandro Campos. Svetlana, who cites Kany García as one of her biggest inspirations, plans to release more music in 2023. In addition to “Bailemos Juntitos,” Svetlana’s blossoming catalog includes the singles “Droga” and “La Gota.” Collectively, she’s amassed nearly one million video videos on YouTube. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Song For Your Playlist: “Bailemos Juntitos”

Victor Cibrian

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: This year, Victor Cibrian unleashed his debut single “En El Radio un Cochinero” (Rancho Humilde), a track that instantly put him on the radar — especially on TikTok, where the sound boasts over 220K video creations. With his deep, raspy-yet-crispy vocals, relatable lyricism, and melodious corrido tumbao sound, the up-and-coming Cibrian easily represents the new generation of Música Mexicana — and many of the genre’s established acts have begun to take notice. Just this year, Cibrian secured key collaborations with Fuerza Regida, Natanael Cano, Luis R. Conriquez, and most recently, Régulo Caro in “El Beso de la Muerte,” to name a few. His debut track also earned the viral song of the year award at the coveted 2022 Premios de la Radio. — JESSICA ROIZ

Song For Your Playlist: “En El Radio Un Cochinero”

Young Miko

Country: Puerto Rico

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Hailing from Añasco, Puerto Rico, Young Miko (real name: María Victoria) is a force to be reckoned with. At 25 years old, the newcomer is earning her crown as the next big trap star. She was discovered by Latin hitmaker Caleb Calloway, who produced her debut single “105 Freestyle” in 2021. Since, she’s collaborated with popular urban acts such as Villano Antillano, Lunay, Lyanno, Casper Magico, and Akapellah. In her saucy viral trap track “Riri,” you’ll discover her witty rapping abilities, while in tracks such as “Condado,” you’ll come across her dulcet vocals. Working her way up in the industry, Miko joined Bad Bunny on stage at his Puerto Rico show this summer, and is also a featured act on Arcángel’s latest album Sr. Santos. — J.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “Riri”

15 Dec 2022

The 25 Best Dance Albums of 2022: Staff Picks

In 2022, dance albums were a bigger part of the cultural conversation than they’ve been in years. Not only did several artists finally release the passion projects they’d worked on in isolation during the covid years, marquee acts dropped long-awaited follow-up albums, and two of the biggest pop artists in the world both released dance-focused LPs within weeks of each other.

Exploring different influences and dimensions of house music, Drake and Beyoncé brought dance music to mainstream audiences – and the top of the Billboard 200 – with force not seen since the peak EDM years. These efforts also likely brought at least a few mainstream ears to the deeper realms of the sprawling dance space.

Listeners nostalgic for the golden age of EDM were also blessed with LPs from a few of their faves, too. And while releases from the likes of Swedish House Mafia and Krewella didn’t match the commercial success of their earlier works, artists in the post-EDM era prioritized artistic reinvention over streaming numbers, finding success and expanding their legacies in the process.

Whereas the typical path to a dance artist’s debut album runs through a marathon of club and festival dates, prodigious debuts from artists like Shygirl and Ariel Zetina arrived in the aftermath of DJ sets being confined to Zoom. While house masters Honey Dijon and The Shapeshifters were reliable delights during our collective coronaraving years, each seized this moment to flex their bonafides on long-anticipated LPs, which proved well worth the wait.

As in years before, 2022’s best dance albums demonstrate true diversity – of race, gender, age, nationality, and style – unmatched by any other genre. Here’s to all the artists who gave us long-players for the living room, for the dancefloor, for old heads, for new fans and for everyone in between.

These are our 50 favorite dance/electronic albums of 2022, presented alphabetically by artist.

15 Dec 2022

Fred Again..‘s ‘Actual Life’ Begins on Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart

Fred Again.. (aka, Fred Gibson) debuts at No. 10 on Billboard‘s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart (dated Dec. 17) with Actual Life (April 14 – December 2020). The set starts with 2,600 equivalent album units, including 2,000 from album sales, Dec. 2-8, according to Luminate.

The pandemic-themed set, originally released in April 2021, hits the chart following its Dec. 2 arrival on vinyl. It’s Fred Again..’s second entry and top 10, after a later release in the series, Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 9 2020) (No. 3, November).

Actual Life 3 spurred five hits on the multi-metric Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, including the top 20 achiever “Clara (The Night Is Dark)” (No. 18, Nov. 12). Overall, Fred Again.. owns 12 charted titles, including most recent single “Strong,” with Romy (No. 27, Dec. 3), and “Turn On the Lights Again..,” with Swedish House Mafia and featuring Future (No. 16, Aug. 13).

Speaking of Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, INTERWORLD earns its first Billboard top 10 with “Metamorphosis” (11-10). The track, whose profile has surged thanks to TikTok, earned 2.4 million U.S. streams, up 8%.

Jengi (Dutch producer Jan Berendsen) jets to his initial Billboard chart appearances with “Bel Mercy.” The track, at No. 40 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs, collected 278,000 domestic streams and sold 600 downloads. With the latter figure, Jengi also jumps in at No. 5 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart.

Continuing with Billboard firsts, but shifting to the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, Lena Leon spins to her inaugural top 10 with “Spiral” (12-7). The song is drawing core-dance airplay on SiriusXM’s BPM, Music Choice’s Dance/EDM channel and iHeartRadio’s Evolution, among other outlets. (The Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart measures radio airplay on a select group of full-time dance stations, along with plays during mix shows on around 70 top 40-formatted reporters.)

“‘Spiral’ was written with my friends Andrew Tyler, Flo August and the Disco Fries about a panic attack I had in my own house during the pandemic,” Leon tells Billboard. “It’s one of the most personal things I’ve ever written, and I decided to release it myself after feeling like there wasn’t enough female representation in dance music. I never expected this kind of reaction in a million years and I’m so grateful this one is resonating with so many.”

Additionally on the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart, Tiësto travels into the top 10 with “10:35,” featuring Tate McRae (14-9). It’s Tiësto’s 17th top 10 (and McRae’s third), tying him with Kaskade for the fifth-most top 10s since the chart began in August 2003. The twosome trails only David Guetta (34), Rihanna (24), Calvin Harris (20) and Justin Bieber (20).