Music

31 Oct 2022

Taylor Swift Is ‘IN SHAMBLES’ Over ‘Midnights’ Dominating the Hot 100 Top 10

She laid the groundwork and then, just like clockwork, the dominoes cascaded in a line. Taylor Swift took to social media on Monday (Oct. 31) to react to her record-setting domination of this week’s top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“10 out of 10 of the Hot 100??? On my 10th album??? I AM IN SHAMBLES,” the superstar tweeted along with the Billboard story breaking the historic news of her being the first artist to ever occupy every single spot in the top 10.

While Midnights‘ first single “Anti-Hero” rocketed to the top of the chart as Tay’s ninth career No. 1, the rest of the top 10 also contains, in order, “Lavender Haze,” “Maroon,” the Lana Del Rey-assisted “Snow on the Beach,” “Midnight Rain,” “Bejeweled,” “Question…?,” “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” “Karma” and “Vigilante Shit.”

But that’s not all: A bit further down the all-genre tally, Swift, in fact, charted all 20 tracks on Midnights (3am Edition) on the Hot 100, including standard album closer “Mastermind,” “Labyrinth” and “Sweet Nothing” at Nos. 13, 14 and 15.

Of the seven bonus tracks, fan-favorite highlight “Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve” landed highest at No. 20. The other six placements included “Bigger Than the Whole Sky” at No. 21, “The Great War” at No. 26, “Paris” at No. 32, “High Infidelity” at No. 33, “Glitch” at No. 41 and closing ballad “Dear Reader” rounding out the set at No. 45.

Midnights set plenty of other high-water marks for the icon’s already illustrious career, including being the first album to cross the million mark in its first week since her own reputation in 2017 and delivering the biggest first-week sales of any album in the seven years since Adele’s 25 was released in 2015.

Check out Taylor’s emotional reaction to making Billboard history below.

31 Oct 2022

10 Cool New Pop Songs to Get You Through The Week: Lauren Jauregui, Mariah the Scientist, Gus Dapperton & More

It may be the apex of spooky szn, but at the same time, it’s the start of another work week. Looking for some motivation to help power you through it? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

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These 10 tracks from artists including Mariah the Scientist, Chappell Roan, Gus Dapperton, Lauren Jauregui, Mae Muller and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

Sherwyn feat. PawPaw Rod, “The Season”

Mac Miller and Duckwrth producer Sherwyn glides easily into the spotlight on seven-song project Maker’s Design, which boasts kaleidoscopic indie rock (“Fake Frenz”), off-kilter soul (“Goddess Reign” feat. Amber Mark) and playful, nonchalant funk on tracks like “The Season” featuring fellow genre-flaunting talent PawPaw Rod. – Joe Lynch

Mariah the Scientist, “Bout Mine”

Given that the art for Mariah the Scientist’s latest single shows the words “Bout Mine” written in blood, you might expect some seasonally appropriate Halloween fare here (Mariah the MAD Scientist, perhaps?). But the bleeding in “Bout Mine” is a slow drip, as Mariah’s yearning vocals pine to “make this right” and get “you back” over languid, lonely synths. – J. Lynch

Lauren Jauregui, “Always Love”

As she continues to locate her solo niche, Lauren Jauregui has found success in material that showcases her powerful yet nuanced voice and fiercely compassionate lyricism. “Always Love,” a post-breakup ballad, exists in that sweet spot — simple yet heartfelt, encouraging both free-flowing tears and cathartic sing-alongs. – Jason Lipshutz

Rachel Chinouriri, “I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Trying)”

While London-based pop artist Rachel Chinouriri is responsible for one of the most delightful pop singles of 2022 in “All I Ever Asked,” new single “I’m Not Perfect (But I’m Trying)” demonstrates how much ground she can cover: driving and more dynamic compared to its lighter-than-air predecessor, the track seeks understanding in constant movement and strengthens the singer-songwriter’s catalog. – J. Lipshutz

Mae Muller, “I Just Came To Dance”

Is Mae Muller’s “I Just Came To Dance” the coolest music video ever set at a golf course? As the British pop star cuts it up in an august country club, the beat whips around and recalls some of the more swagger-filled bubblegum of the early 2000s. Muller, proving she can turn any setting into a party, wins another round. – J. Lipshutz

Isabel LaRosa, “I’m Yours”

On “I’m Yours,” Isabel LaRosa leans into the wooziness, allowing her vocals to sway back and forth between the more urgent verses and the surrendered vibe of the chorus. The result is moody yet beguiling, as the 18-year-old hoists up a sound that can be segmented into viral clips as well as sprawled out and repeated on a lonely drive. – J. Lipshutz

Chappell Roan, “Casual”

Yes, Chappell Roan’s new single “Casual” is produced by Dan Nigro, who helmed Olivia Rodrigo’s blockbuster debut LP Sour last year… but even if Nigro helps “Casual” find a slender indie-pop groove, the song is a stunner because of Roan, a Missouri native who imbues every line with the exhaustion of an unserious relationship. “Casual” sounds a lot like a singer-songwriter setting forth on a path to stardom. – J. Lipshutz

The Go! Team feat. The Star Feminine Band, “Look Away, Look Away”

A collaboration with Benin group The Star Feminine Band, “Look Away, Look Away” finds The Go! Team offering the type of all-smiles workout that made the collective a critical darling when Thunder, Lightning, Strike made noise in 2004. Feel your case of the Mondays melt away with every tambourine whack and joyful harmony here. – J. Lipshutz

Bob Vylan ft. Laurie Vincent, “The Delicate Nature”

With just six months since the release of their third studio album The Price of Life, U.K. grime punk duo Bob Vylan is back again with a vengeance. The pair — which consists of members Bobby and Bobbie Vylan — have returned with new track “The Delicate Nature” featuring Laurie Vincent of Slaves. The aggressive track features menacing guitar work and lyrics that find lead singer Bobby reflecting on how nebulous life is and the “idea of growing up and seeing the split decisions you’d make and how they could result in such life-changing results.” The track’s steady guitar riffs slow down to a misleading outro that gives listeners whiplash as it speeds up into mosh-ready madness. — Starr Bowenbank

Gus Dapperton, “Wet Cement”

Whereas previous single “Antifreeze” saw Gus Dapperton — with the assistance of U.K. band easylife — reflecting on the chilliness of an impending winter, Dapperton’s new solo track “Wet Cement” sees him going for something even colder. Dripping with a metaphor about the passage of time, the lyrics evoke the mood of days past (“No, I don’t talk nice, talk sweet/ I let my heart bleed/ Cold nights, cold feet”) that ultimately dried up into hardened concrete as his signature, passionate drawl conveys both sadness and acceptance. — S. Bowenbank

31 Oct 2022

Lizzo Is All About the WAP — ‘Wet A– Piggy’ — In Her Miss Piggy Halloween Costume

Excuse moi? Lizzo unveiled her epic Halloween costume as Miss Piggy via social media on Monday (Oct. 31).

“HAPPY HALLOWEEN from this W. A. P.iggy,” she captioned the first of several posts on Instagram, referencing Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion‘s No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit from 2020. In the accompanying video, the singer added her own ad libs over the track in her imitation of The Muppets icon’s unforgettable voice.

For the second photo, Lizzo re-created one of Miss Piggy’s rather scandalous editorial spreads — which was itself a re-creation of a famous photo shoot styled by Polly Mellon for Vogue featuring a nude model and a boa constrictor. “A tribute to my forever icon, MISS PIGGY,” she wrote. “The epitome of grace, style, confidence and a warrior for love. @realmisspiggy i love you.”

The Grammy winner’s skin-baring homage to Miss Piggy isn’t even her only costume this year; in fact, she’s been getting into the Halloween spirit all weekend long. Two days earlier, she painted herself yellow for a Marge Simpson getup that was perfectly on point, from the giant blue bouffant to the neon nails.

While she’s gearing up for the premiere of her HBO documentary Love, Lizzo on Nov. 24, the “About Damn Time” songstress is currently in the middle of The Special Tour with opener Latto. “Tonight is a very special night ’cause we are home, bitch!” she declared on the trek’s hometown show in her native Detroit earlier this month. “The feeling that I have is indescribable…It’s emotional being in the place where you were born. It’s emotional being back where your roots began.”

See Lizzo all dressed up as Miss Piggy below.

31 Oct 2022

A Look Inside Pepsi Music Lab’s Partnership With UnitedMasters: Exclusive

A look at Pepsi’s history shows the brand has always known the importance of merging with the music industry (see: its most recent collaborations with Doja Cat and Chloe, in addition to its past sponsorship of the Super Bowl Halftime Show). Now, the brand is stepping into artist development with its newest creation, the Pepsi Music Lab.

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In partnership with distribution company UnitedMasters, the Pepsi Music Lab — which took place in New York City on Oct. 25 to Oct. 27 — offered 12 rising artists mentorship and coaching from music industry professionals, brand building workshops, performance camps and more to help hone their craft and allow them to continue on the path to rising stardom.

“Pepsi is a brand that has a proven global track record for minting music superstars and shaping some of the most iconic moments in music and pop culture. Now, we are excited to shine a spotlight on the next generation of artists with our new Pepsi Music Lab platform,” says Todd Kaplan, chief marketing officer at Pepsi. “By removing barriers within the music industry, we can provide these talented artists with the resources, knowledge, exposure, and connections to help accelerate their growth as musicians and further enable their success – it will truly make a positive impact on the futures of the artists we believe will push the industry forward.”

The Artists
Pepsi Music Lab’s class of ’22-’23 features 12 independent musicians across genres handpicked by UnitedMasters. The list includes:

  • AKINYEMI, Rap – New York, N.Y.
  • Amira Unplugged, Multi-genre – Stone Mountain, Ga.
  • Brian V., Pop – New York, N.Y.
  • Cain Lofton, Multi-genre – Chicago, Ill.
  • GODBY, Rap – Washington, D.C.
  • Kbthesinger, Hip-Hop – St. Louis, Miss.
  • Lexie Hayden, Country – Nashville, Tenn.
  • Lynnea M, Pop – Los Angeles, Calif.
  • NOHEMY, Latin Pop-Urban – Bayamon, Puerto Rico
  • Oompa, Hip-Hop – Boston, Mass.
  • SERGIO, Pop/Latino – Redwood City, Calif.
  • Tarik, Hip-Hop – Scottsdale, Ariz.

The Mentors and Workshops

The artists arrived to Pepsi Music Lab’s location at 10 Jay Street on Oct. 25 for an opening ceremony and gathering at the location. On Oct. 26, the industry hopefuls were treated to a series of workshops, first from independent rapper LaRussell, who advised the singer-songwriters on how to build their personal brand-building through social media and marketing tools.

In the afternoon, the artists had the opportunity to speak with Director X — known for his work on videos for Jay-Z, Rihanna, Drake, Fifth Harmony, One Direction and more — who mentored the rising stars on how they could make visual content that has a lasting impact in their careers going forward.

Sandwiched in between a press training workshop, Roc Nation senior vice president Lenny S spoke to the selected artists about the importance of developing and maintaining their connections, while choreographer Laurieann Gibson gave performance coaching and choreography lessons to help improve their stage presence.

Akinyemi and Laurieann Gibson

AKINYEMI receiving performance tips from Laurieann Gibson on day two of Pepsi Music Lab.

Freako Vasquez

The third day of the training camp (Oct. 27) saw the artists taking headshots with Lenny S, setting up sizzle reels with Director X and recording sample radio spots with Dwayne Crawford, engineer and editor of Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club.

The Feedback

“I’ve been in Nashville for seven years creating country music so being part of this program exposes me to artists from all genres of music and it’s allowed me to be able to create and collaborate with others, in the future,” Hayden told Billboard of the experience. “One of the biggest takeaways I got was from LaRussell… he said, ‘Don’t set goals, work hard — and they’ll come to you and it will happen if you work hard.’”

“I’ve been following LaRussell for a while, and his drive and the way he approaches his social content and holds himself in interviews is really inspiring. It constantly gives me the motivation and redefined my purpose and an artist,” Queens native AKINYEMI added of the the rapper’s Oct. 26 workshop.

Nohemy focused on the choreography workshop in the three day lab, and shared that Gibson’s class was the most helpful to her: “Performing is a very big thing for me, so getting tips from Laurieann is going to make a huge difference in my stage presence and will help me be more in time with my moves and more in control of my energy. For people that know me, I’m very energetic on stage, so being able to know when and how to channel that energy throughout an hour show I think is really important.”

Nohemy and Lenny S

Nohemy taking headshots on day three of Pepsi Music Lab with Lenny S.

Freako Vasquez

And while getting to sit in on all of the workshops was a great experience for Lynnea M., the connections she was able to cement was her biggest takeaway, saying, “Meeting other artists is going to help us because we have those extra connections — not just with the artists, but with the people in the industry that we met as well.”

At the end of the three-day program, all artists who participated received individual plaques commemorating the time they spent in Pepsi Music Lab’s class of 2022-2023.

“Pepsi has a long history of helping great artists break through, reshaping pop culture and leaving an unforgettable impression on all of us,” says Steve Stoute, ceo and founder of UnitedMasters. “Now in partnership with UnitedMasters, Pepsi is empowering the next generation of creators, helping them hone their craft and develop their talent so that they can generate the next big moment. Connecting independent artists to a brand with this rich legacy is the formula for creating a new future of music.”

31 Oct 2022

Cardi B Delivers a ‘Mugler Inspired’ Marge Simpson for Halloween 

Cardi B was Simpsons chic this Halloween when she stepped out dressed as the fictional family’s matriarch, Marge Simpson.

In a series of photos posted to Instagram on Monday (Oct. 31), the rapper is seen as a sexier version of the animated character, painted yellow with sky high blue hair, rocking a skin-tight green body suit and red stilettos. See the post here.

In a follow-up photo carousel, Cardi shared her “Mugler inspired” version of Marge, in which she’s seen in the same yellow paint and blue hair, this time wearing a Mugler gown with a cutout on the butt.

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However, Cardi B wasn’t the only star who took on the role of Marge Simpson this spooky season. Over the weekend, Lizzo covered her whole body in yellow makeup and slipped on Marge’s signature towering blue hair for an equally perfect look. “I AM HIM — HIMMY NEUTRON — MARGE HIMPSON,” the “Better in Color” singer captioned a series of pics in which she posed as Marge, complete with red heels and a matching strand of pearls accenting a shimmery green dress as she perfected a meme in which Simpson covered her face with her hands.

Countless celebrities showed off their best costumes during the creepiest, crawliest time of the year over the weekend, and we’ve rounded up the best Halloween costumes of 2022. Check out our list here.

31 Oct 2022

What Is Your Favorite Latin Collaboration of October 2022? Vote!

October has wrapped up, and the Billboard Latin team has compiled a list of collaborative tracks released throughout the month that were either included on the weekly First Stream Latin roundup or featured by Billboard.

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This month’s fan poll includes Shakira’s first single following her breakup with Gerard Piqué “Monotonia,” in collaboration with Ozuna; Jhayco, Feid and Sech’s club banger “En La De Ella”; Manuel Turizo’s “Extasis” with Maria Becerra; Natanael Cano and Victor Cibrian’s “Que Me Importa”; and “Dejame Vivir,” by the late Juan Gabriel and former RBD star, Anahí, to name a few.

Last month, Kany Garcia and Christian Nodal won the fan poll with “La Siguente” receiving more than 39 percent of the votes. They were followed by Chris Jedi, Young Miko and Lunay’s “Condado” with over 18 percent of the votes. 

In August, Cuban newcomer R3ymon and Puerto Rican rapper Anonimus won the coveted fan poll with their track “Santa Diabla” receiving more than 34 percent of the votes. Sebastian Yatra and Pablo Alboran’s “Contigo” was picked best Latin collaboration of July, with more than 50 percent of the votes, followed by CNCO and Kenia OS’ “Plutón,” with more than 37 percent of the votes.

In the summer, Billboard unveiled the “Best Latin Collaborations of 2022 (So Far),” including Christina Aguilera & Ozuna’s “Santo” (January), Becky G & Karol G’s “Mamiii” (February), Sebastian Yatra & John Legend’s “Tacones Rojos (Remix)” (March), Bizarrap & Paulo Londra’s “BZRP Music Sessions #23” (April), Morat & Duki’s “Paris” (May), and Blessd & Rels B’s “Energia” (June).

Who should win the best Latin collaboration of October? Vote below!

31 Oct 2022

HARDY Marries Caleigh Ryan in Nashville Ceremony

Singer-songwriter HARDY ain’t her boyfriend anymore! The newly minted ACM songwriter of the year — known for penning “Boyfriend,” “One Beer,” and “Sand in My Boots” — wed Caleigh Ryan on Saturday, Oct. 29, in a ceremony in front of approximately 350 people at Diamond Creek Farms in Nashville.

People shared exclusive photos and details from the event, noting that Ryan kept certain wedding traditions, with her wedding dress serving as “something new,” HARDY’s baby bonnet as “something old,” her grandmother’s lucky penny as “something borrowed” and her aunt’s ring as “something blue.”

Of the couple’s vows, HARDY told People, “We’re going to write our own vows and do them privately. We want the ceremony to be like 30 seconds long. We just want to have a big party for everybody. I’m trying to avoid having a complete meltdown in front of everyone, and I don’t think I could get through vows at the altar, and she’s the same. The vows will be for us. It doesn’t have to be for everybody else.”

Several of HARDY’s fellow country artists took part in the festivities, including Lauren Alaina, Dierks Bentley, Travis Denning, Lindsay Ell, Ernest and Morgan Wallen.

RaeLynn proudly showed off her time taking part in one of the wedding’s activities, “Hardy’s Tattoo Shop,” where guests could get inked. Additionally, Ryan shared photos on her Instagram account of the “beer burros” at their reception, which carried baskets filled with beer around to guests in attendance.

Ryan also posted a series of photos of herself with a donkey on Instagram. “Kate is one of our adorable beer burros who will be joining us for our cocktail hour and serving beer to all of our guests ? HOW CUTE IS THIS?! Like WHAT?!” she captioned the carousel. “This was literally the first non-negotiable wedding planning decision I made when we started. I knew I wanted to incorporate animals somehow, so when I saw this I think I had a little mini heart attack.”

Alaina also shared a sweet moment from the reception: Ryan’s bouquet toss, as Alaina chased down the bouquet and happily ran, holding the bouquet over her head and shouting “Yes!” for the camera.

HARDY and Ryan began dating in 2018, and became engaged in August 2021, with HARDY proposing at The Lyric Theater in Oxford, Miss.

The wedding came just weeks after HARDY and members of his crew weathered a harrowing tour bus crash on their return trip to Nashville after performing at Country Thunder Bristol in Tennessee.

See some of People’s exclusive photos below:

31 Oct 2022

Nina Dobrev and Shaun White Are ‘Running Up That Hill’ in Halloween Recreation of ‘Stranger Things’

Still running up that hill! Nina Dobrev and Shaun White treated their fans to a spooky surprise by dressing up as Vecna and Max Mayfield of Stranger Things for Halloween.

“Happy halloween,” the Vampire Diaries actress captioned the video on Instagram, which depicted the lovebirds reenacting the now-famous scene set to Kate Bush‘s “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” from season four of the Netflix sci-fi hit.

In the clip, the Olympic snowboarder steps into Sadie Sink’s character with help from a long red ponytail, ’80s-style windbreaker, Walkman and fake blood running from his eyes. Meanwhile, Dobrev goes all-out as Jamie Campbell Bower’s big bad from the Upside Down in a head-to-toe costume rendering her completely unrecognizable.

Thanks to its inclusion in Stranger Things, Bush’s defining single from 1985 earned a massive second life more than 35 years after its initial release, becoming one of the biggest radio hits of the summer and roaring all the way to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The new wave anthem also blew up into a 21st century hit all over the world, reigning atop the charts in Bush’s native U.K., Australia and beyond.

The resurrected success of the song even led to the famously reclusive Bush giving a rare interview to the BBC back in June, during which she said, “It’s so exciting. It’s quite shocking really, isn’t it? The whole world’s gone mad.”

After Max escaped Vecna’s clutches, “Running Up That Hill” was also remixed for the trailer teasing the final episodes of season four in July.

See Dobrev and White’s take on Nancy and Vecna below.

31 Oct 2022

Patrick Haggerty, Country Pioneer Behind Cult Favorites Lavender Country, Dies at 78

Patrick Haggerty, the frontman for acclaimed country outfit Lavender Country, died Monday morning (Oct. 31). The news was announced on the group’s Facebook page, in a post that also explained that Haggerty had suffered a stroke weeks earlier. He was 78.

Self-described as a “screaming Marxist b—h singer,” the openly gay Haggerty joined up with the rest of Lavender Country in Seattle in the early ’70s. The group released just one album with their original lineup, an eponymous 1973 effort, making little commercial impact at the time — and the group eventually fell apart due to a lack of mainstream interest and disenchantment with their own community. (“The Stonewall Movement morphed into a Democratic Party machine,” Haggerty offered to Billboard earlier this year.)

However, the album endured as an underground favorite, thanks in large part to Haggerty’s biting wit and vivid, sometimes explicit lyrics. The set was reissued multiple times in the 21st century to a new audience, and the group reunited sporadically for live shows and re-recordings. In 2019, with a new lineup, they self-released an original album, Blackberry Rose and Other Songs and Sorrows, which was reissued with a new tracklist by the indie label Don Giovanni earlier this year, drawing strong reviews.

Haggerty continued through the decades to rail against the oppressive systems that marginalized his and other voices within the country music industry. “For every notable country star in Nashville there’s a thousand other artists who are just as good or better, frequently better, who go unsung and unacknowledged and have to jerk lattes just to pay the rent so they can continue to do music,” he lamented to Billboard in 2021. “That’s the star system — and darling, that’s really f–ked up … The corporate Nashville folks are purporting to be the music of the working class, but you can’t sing about union organizing, or the anti-racist struggle, or class struggle.”

However, he also appreciated that society had evolved enough to make him something of a cult hero later in his life — allowing him a platform, however modest, from which he could preach his brand of gospel without compromise to his image or message. “I get to use Lavender Country — unfettered and uncompromised — for the very reason I made it in the first place: To be a conduit for social change,” he raved to Billboard in the same interview. “I can put on bedazzled shirts and strut my beauty like anybody else on stage, but my real beauty is the way I chose to live my life.”

Haggerty’s loss was mourned on Twitter Monday by his Don Giovanni label, referring to him as “one of the funniest, kindest, bravest, and smartest people I ever met. He never gave up fighting for what he believed in, and those around him who he loved and took care of will continue that fight.”

See the tweet and Lavender Country’s Facebook announcement below.

31 Oct 2022

Joe Jonas Dressed Up as Flo From Progressive for Halloween

Joe Jonas saved his fans money on home and auto insurance when he dressed up as the iconic character “Flo” from the Progressive commercials on Halloween.

The 33-year-old star took to Instagram to share a photo of his costume, rocking Flo’s uniform as well as her characteristic brown hair and red lips. “Go with the Flo,” Jonas captioned the post.

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While Joe’s outfit was on point for the spookiest day of the year, another one of the Jonas crew took his costume a step further. The youngest Jonas, Frankie, cooked up the perfect sibling troll when he and girlfriend Anna Olson dressed up as Joe and his ex, Taylor Swift. Swift and Joe briefly dated from summer to fall 2008 before breaking up in what Taylor described as a 27-second phone call.

Frankie posted a pic of the pair recreating a scene from the former couple performing the Swift song “Should Have Said No” from the 2008 concert movie Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience. They even showed off their version of the infamous Jonas Brothers’ “purity rings” with a pair of hands with intricate bling and the message, “Matching Purity rings XOXO.”

Frankie and Anna continued the fun on TikTok, where they posted another video spiked with video game battle noises and the message, “Fighting off the horny celibate teens as joe and taylor from the 3d movie.”

Celebrities showed off their best costumes during the creepiest, crawliest time of the year over the weekend, and we’ve rounded up the best Halloween costumes of 2022. Check out our list here.