Music

19 Oct 2022

Musicians React to Kanye West’s Antisemitic Comments, ‘White Lives Matter’ Shirts

Kanye West has always had a knack for stirring the pot, but at the beginning of October, he’s taken his controversial statements to a new level.

Though Ye has been vocal about his conservative, pro-Trump opinions for years, his latest controversies started Oct. 3 when photos from his Yeezy Paris Fashion Week show showing some of his models wearing shirts printed with the phrase “White Lives Matter” started circling online. West himself had also worn one of the shirts to the show, and even stopped to take a photo with conservative commentator Candace Owens, who was also sporting “WLM” attire.

The situation was then exacerbated by West’s subsequent Instagram posts targeting fashion editor Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, who’d previously shared her horror at the shirts on her own account. These were followed by additional posts attacking stars who’d came to Karefa-Johnson’s defense, such as Gigi Hadid and Hailey Bieber.

He went on to defend his statements on Tucker Carlson‘s Fox News show, saying he used “White Lives Matter” — classified by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a “racist response to the civil rights movement Black Lives Matter” — simply because he thought it was “funny.”

Before that controversy even had the chance to die down, Ye started up another one — this time against Jewish people. After posting aggressive, explicitly anti-Semitic sentiments over the weekend of Oct. 8, he was temporarily restricted from using both Instagram and Twitter.

As a result, stars such as Ariana Grande, John Legend, Diddy, Jack Antonoff and more have all come forward to condemn the rapper’s views. Keep reading to see who’s weighed in.

19 Oct 2022

On the Radar Latin: Eduardo Galan, Nora Gonzalez & 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.

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Our recommendations this month are emerging artists that we met during Billboard‘s 2022 Latin Music Week in Miami. Check them out below:

Artist: Blondiak

Country: Colombia

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Singer-songwriter Blondiak struck me as a relatable, humble musician who is eager to grow and keep honing his craft. The Latin urban artist from Colombia, who works independently with the support of his family through their very own company, BK MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT LLC, has a dozen songs published on his YouTube channel, including the reggaetón tunes “Se cansó” (She got tired) and “Algo más” (Something more), and the tropical infused banger “Guaya,” which he released earlier this month. Blondiak, 22, was nominated this year for a Latino Show Award in his native country, in the developing artist category. Based in Miami since four years ago, he says he is 100% dedicated to music, and that his next plans include releasing an album, collaborating with other artists and promoting his music through Latin America. I am curious to see where he’s at five years from now. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Song for Your Playlist: “Guaya”

Artist: King David Dembow

Country: Puerto Rico

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: At Latin Music Week, a very eager emerging artist approached me introducing himself as “a Boricua who does dembow music.” With a royal name, King David Dembow launched his first official single last year, “Rompele,” and is signed to indie label High End Entertainment. The dembowsero newcomer has released many singles that best showcase his fast-paced beats and witty lyrics, as heard in “Calle,” “Ella Eh,” and the recent “Calor.” — JESSICA ROIZ

Song for Your Playlist: “Calor”

Artist: Daniel Arana

Country: Mexican-American

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Daniel Arana is all about intentionality. The Mexican-American urban artist released his debut album, DALE, on a full moon — when energetically it’s the strongest — and his lyrics are all about spotlighting queer love and relationships. “My goal is to help mainstream Latin music become more LGBT-friendly, and to help the Latinx community become more open-minded, while helping those struggling to be who they are,” he told the Billboard team during Latin Music Week. While he is more traditional-leaning sonically, with reggaetón drums powering his songs, lyrically, he’s less traditional. For example, “Lento,” which is part of his latest LP, is about coming out and embracing his queer identity. — GRISELDA FLORES

Song for Your Playlist: “Lento”

Artist: Eduardo Galán

Country: Venezuela

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Venezuelan Eduardo Galán really stood out not only because of his commanding presence, but because of his charisma and his bubbly personality. I was gladly surprised to find out that his song “Te Prometo” (I promise you) is just an extension of that — an infectious, positive tropical pop tune that invites you to dance and to smile. “And I promise to take you to heaven, to make you touch the sun,” the singer-songwriter, who lives in Spain, sings in his mother tongue. “This life is too short not to try,” he goes on. He is certainly giving music his best shot.

Also worth mentioning: His ballad “Bienvenida” (Welcome) dedicated to his young baby girl, with a cute music video starring his then-pregnant wife. With a music style somewhat reminiscent of Chino y Nacho or Chayanne, Galán is releasing music independently through Eduardo Galán Group. He plans to debut two new singles in November and January — one Cuban jazz and one merengue, he told Billboard Español — as he prepares for his first concerts in Barcelona, Madrid and Sevilla next year. — SRA

Song for Your Playlist: “Te Prometo”

Artist: J Molina

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: J Molina represents a growing number of Mexican-born artists dabbling in reggaetòn. The singer-songwriter, born in Monterrey, Mexico and currently residing in Texas, was one of the many emerging artists I came across during Latin Music Week, where he passionately talked about growing the reggaetón scene in Texas. After launching his career in 2010, Molina took it upon himself to create his own opportunities — launching his indie label The Kingz Factory in 2021 to release his own music and help develop up-and-coming local urban acts, such as La Yadi, who’s featured in his latest single “Tabú.” With a few singles under his belt, Molina’s reggaetón can be described as melodic and subtle as opposed to hard-hitting or raunchy. His rhythmic beats are powered by the traditional reggaetón drums. — G.F.

Song for Your Playlist: “Tabú”

Artist: Nora González

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: I first discovered Nora González in 2021 when she was a two-time Latin Grammy nominee, and was excited to see her networking at Latin Music Week. González, who also has promising collaborations with Lupita Infante and Vicente Fernandez Jr., is still a rising act in her own right. Her powerhouse and mature vocals bring a refreshing, bilingual touch to traditional mariachi music, which has ultimately dubbed her the “Charra Millennial.” Originating from Chihuahua, Mexico, and a Berklee College of Music alumn, González is recently making the rounds with her seven-track set Xtina, where she gives Christina Aguilera’s biggest hits a Regional Mexican tribute. González is signed to and managed by CHR Records. — J.R.

Song for Your Playlist: “Pero Me Acuerdo De Ti”

Artist: Shiela

Country: Mexico, Nicaragua

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: If her mix of cultures — Nicaraguan-Mexican-American — is any indication, Shiela is an emerging Latinx artist who’s delivering innovative Latin R&B rhythms. With her sultry voice, the Texas-born, Miami-based artist brings to life her empowered lyricism, as heard in recent singles “Estas Mal” and “Soltera.” Shiela is inspired by artists such as Sade and Selena Quintanilla, and has already graced the renowned stages of SXSW and Austin City Limits Music Festival on multiple occasions. Shiela officially kicked off her career in 2017 with the debut single “Runaway,” and dropped her debut, bilingual album Chilita in 2021. — J.R.

Song for Your Playlist: “Estas Mal”

Artist: Wanton Chulito

Country: Cuba

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Amongst the many aspiring artists at Latin Music Week, I came across Wanton Chulito (real name: Yoandris Wanton). Hailing from Santiago de Cuba, the Texas-based singer-songwriter is fusing traditional Cubaton rhythms with other genres such as bachata and dembow. With the mission of getting more eyes and ears on his music, Wanton has strategically collaborated with many artists, including dembow act Bulova and Cuban artist El Taiger. — J.R.

Song for Your Playlist: “Candela” (feat. Bulova)

Artist: Victor & Gabo

Country: Venezuela

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Victor & Gabo is a Venezuelan duo formed by Víctor Portillo and Carlos Espinoza who I met on the first day of Latin Music Week. They shared a little about their story and passion for music. Listening to them now, they are a fusion of fresh tropical-urban and romantic melodies, featuring Gabo’s chanteos and Victor’s sweet, higher range. Theo du recently released their new single, “Cantinero,” a song that mixes regional Mexican music with pop and Latin rhythms, proving their versatility. — INGRID FAJARDO

Song For Your Playlist: “Cantinero”

19 Oct 2022

Here’s What Megan Thee Stallion Has to Say About Pardison Fontaine Engagement Rumors

Megan Thee Stallion had a few things to say regarding rumors online that boyfriend Pardison Fontaine had popped the question amid their second anniversary.

“Lol as nice as last night was we are not engaged,” she tweeted simply on Wednesday (Oct. 19), shutting down chatter among her loyal army of Hotties. However, the rapper didn’t hesitate to show off her anniversary date night with Pardi on her Instagram Stories.

In the first video, Meg shared her glitzy aquamarine gown and glamorous updo from the back of a car before her rapper beau crashed the frame, joking, “What, you thought this was a solo? Whatchu doin’, whatchu doin’? Why they always tryin’ to show the plate but never the date? What’s wrong with them? They crazy!”

Next she puts Pardi’s skills as a former teacher to the test as she requires him to do “tipsy math” and add up how many days they’ve been dating. “730 days of good lovin…wow,” she captioned the adorable video, in which her boyfriend hilariously asks, “Was last year a leap year or no?” before doing the arithmetic.

While Megan may not have a ring on it quite yet, she has another milestone to celebrate in her career, having just wrapped her first stint as both host and musical guest on last week’s Saturday Night Live. Between performances of “NDA,” “Plan B” and “Anxiety,” the Grammy winner showed off her comedy chops in sketches like “Girl Talk,” “Hot Girl Hospital” and “Women’s Charity.”

Read Meg’s response to the engagement rumors below and check out her date night Instagram Stories here before they expire.

19 Oct 2022

Kanye West Addresses Anti-Semitic Comments, Says He ‘Fought Fire With Fire’

Kanye West sat down for an interview with Piers Morgan on Wednesday (Oct. 19), where the rapper didn’t show any remorse for his string of anti-Semitic comments throughout the past few weeks.

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When asked if he was “sorry” that he said he was going to go “death con 3” on Jewish people, Ye simply replied, “Absolutely not.”

Morgan then quipped, “You should be,” to which Ye repeated, “Absolutely not.”

The English broadcaster continued to push back against West, explaining that his comments are as “racist as anything you’ve been through,” while the Yeezy founder is seen laughing. “Racism is racism, and you know that, don’t you?” Morgan asks.

“Yeah, obviously. That’s why I said it,” Ye replied. “I fought fire with fire. I’m not here to get hosed down. It’s a different type of freedom fighter.”

Later on in the interview, Ye proceeded to give a somewhat feeble apology to “the families of the people who had nothing to do” with his “trauma,” adding that “hurt people hurt people.”

Ye went on an aggressive anti-Semitic rant on social media earlier this month. After posting that he was about to go “death con 3” on “Jewish people” over the weekend of Oct. 8, he was temporarily restricted from using both Instagram and Twitter.

In a Drink Champs interview last week, Ye declared offensive remarks, blaming the murder of George Floyd on fentanyl and claiming that Jewish people are “[owning] the Black voice” through Black people wearing a Ralph Lauren shirt, “being signed to a record label, or having a Jewish manager, or being signed to a Jewish basketball team, or doing a movie on a Jewish platform like Disney.” 

19 Oct 2022

Sertanejo Act Maiara & Maraisa Wins Duo of the Year at Brazil’s Multishow Music Awards

RIO DE JANEIRO — Sertanejo act Maiara & Maraisa won the award for duo of the year on the 29th edition of Brazil’s Multishow Music Awards, held on Tuesday (Oct. 18) and aired by Multishow TV Channel.

“It’s an honor to win this prize. We hope to be there next year to win this prize again,” the duo teased, while remotely accepting the prize via a live transmission.

The win was welcome news for the sertanejo community, after a wave of online criticism about too little representation at the awards show for the genre — considered to be the most popular in Brazil, and the country’s equivalent to American country music. In September, days after Multishow officially released the nominees, fans and acts complained that sertanejo was absent from most of the categories. (Of the ten popular categories, determined by audience vote, established sertanejo artists have only been nominated in two categories, duo of the year and artist of the year.)

During a show in early September, Zé Neto (from the duo Zé Neto & Cristiano) said that “many [award shows] out there” haven’t included sertanejo names, including for best song and best singer.

“But you know what’s the biggest award for us? It’s coming here and seeing the house crowded. The rest is marketing,” said Zé Neto, who, in May this year, criticized the megastar Anitta and a Brazilian tax incentive law aimed at propping up the country’s culture scene.

“We always try to be as diverse as possible,” Helena Daibert, head of marketing at Multishow who’s worked with the channel’s awards for 15 years, tells Billboard. She says that, since 2019, a board of over 600 music specialists from all over Brazil — called “the academy” — has been responsible for the nominations.

Until 2019, the audience chose the awards’ nominees, but tended to drift towards their own fan favorites. “We created the academy as an effort to make the diversity of Brazil’s music scenery better represented in the awards,” she says.

While Daibert highlights the importance of the longstanding relationship between the sertanejo scene and Multishow, she also recognizes the challenge inherent to every music awards show: “It is impossible to please everyone.”

Still, in addition to the winners Maiara & Maraisa, there were other sertanejo acts nominated for duo of the year at this year’s awards: Diego & Victor Hugo (who performed in the awards show), Henrique & Juliano, Jorge & Mateus, and Matheus & Kauan. The latter three duos didn’t attend the ceremony.

Non-sertanejo acts in the running for duo of the Year included Tasha & Tracie (hip-hip), YOÙN (pop/hip-hop) and ANAVITÓRIA (pop/MPB).

“When we think of musical duos, we used to think of a sertanejo duo,” said R&B singer Majur, who announced the category’s winner. “Beyond sertanejo duos, there are pop, funk, reggae, samba… duos of many genres we like to listen to,” said rap singer Vitão, who also presented the nominees.

Sertanejo singer Ana Castela, who participated in the event, won revelation of the year. Born in Central-Western Brazil, Castela has been a prominent name in “agronejo,” a sertanejo subgenre that blends Brazilian funk and electronic beats while extolling the lifestyle of the agro-livestock universe.

Nominated for artist of the year, sertanejo star Gusttavo Lima was booed by part of the audience when his name was announced. Lima, however, didn’t attend the ceremony. The artist, considered to be the most popular sertanejo act right now, has been embroiled in a controversy over publicly funded shows across Brazil which prosecutors are probing for possible improprieties.

Megastar Anitta wasn’t present either, but stood out with wins in three categories: artist of the year; song of the year (for the hit “Envolver”); and clip of the year (for the music video of “Boys Don’t Cry”).

Samba act Seu Jorge, who suffered through an episode of racism during his show in Southern Brazil last Friday(Oct. 14), was cheered by the audience when, along with pagode singer Alexandre Pires, he won show of the year.

This year’s edition also paid tribute to late singer Elza Soares with a live performance of Black female artists Linn da Quebrada and Larissa Luz. Soares, who died at 91 in January, was considered “the singer of the millennium” by the BBC in 1999.

Check out the full winners list below:

Revelation of the year

Ana Castela

Bala Desejo

Jovem Dionísio

Mari Fernandez

Nattanzinho

Rachel Reis

Tasha & Tracie

Urias

Duo of the year

ANAVITÓRIA

Diego e Victor Hugo

Henrique e Juliano

Jorge e Mateus

Maiara e Maraisa

Matheus & Kauan

Tasha & Tracie

YOÙN

Group of the year

Jovem Dionisio

Afrocidade

Bala Desejo

Black Pantera

Gilsons

Grupo Menos é Mais

Lagum

Raça Negra

Album of the year

Lady Leste by Gloria Groove

LUME by Felipe Ret

Numanice #2 by Ludmilla

Pirata, y Jão

Pra Gente Acordar, by Gilsons

QVVJFA?, by Baco Exu do Blues

Sobre Viver, by Criolo

Versions of Me, by Anitta

Voice of the year

Anitta

Gloria Groove

Iza

Jão

Liniker

Ludmilla

Luísa Sonza

Marisa Monte

Show of the year

Alexandre Pires e Seu Jorge

Caetano Veloso

Djonga

Emicida

Jão

Ludmilla

Marisa Monte

Thiaguinho

Song of the year

“Acorda Pedrinho,” do Jovem Dionísio

“Desenrola Bate Joga de Ladin” (feat. DJ Biel do Furduncinho), by L7nnon, Os Hawaianos e DJ Bel da CDD

“Envolver,” da Anitta

“Fé,” by Iza

“Maldivas,” by Ludmilla

“Malvadão 3,” by Xamã, Gustah and Neo Beats

“VAMPiro,” by Matuê, WIU and Teto

“Vermelho,” da Gloria Groove

Hit of the year

“Acorda Pedrinho,” by Jovem Dionísio

“Dançarina,” by Pedro Sampaio

“Desenrola Bate Joga de Ladin,” by L7nnon, Os Hawaianos, and DJ Bel da CDD

“Envolver,” by Anitta

“Idiota,” by Jão

“Maldivas,” by Ludmilla

“Malvadão 3,” by Xamã

“Vermelho,” by Gloria Groove

Artist of the year

Anitta

Gloria Groove

Gusttavo Lima

Jão

João Gomes

L7nnon

Ludmilla

Luisa Sonza

Clip of the year

“A Queda,” by Gloria Groove

“Vermelho,” by Gloria Groove

“Acorda Pedrinho,” by Jovem Dionísio

“Boys Don’t Cry,” by Anitta

“Envolver,” by Anitta

“Cachorrinhas,” by Luisa Sonza

“Fé,” by Iza 

“Idiota,” by Jão

Instrumentalist of the year

Amaro Freitas

Castilhol

Hamilton de Holanda

Jonathan Ferr

Kiko Dinucci

Mateus Asato

Pretinho da Serrinha (winner)

Silvanny Sivuca

Music producer of the year

Eduardo Pepato

Pablo Bispo

Papatinho (winner)

Prateado

Pupilo

Rafinha RSQ

Ruxell no Beat

VHOOR

Album cover of the year

IZA, Fé (winner)

Urias, Fúria

Gloria Groove, Lady Leste

Filipe Ret, LUME

Marisa Monte, Portas

Baco Exu do Blues, QVVJFA?

Karol Conká, Urucum

Anitta, Version Of Me

19 Oct 2022

Missy Elliott Makes Triumphant Return to Her High School: ‘Yes I Was the Class Clown’

It’s not just gossip, folks: Missy Elliott hit the halls of her high school alma mater on Monday (Oct. 17) to celebrate having a street in her hometown named after her.

“Manor High! This my school I graduated from & yes I was the class clown always in the hallways cuttin up,” she tweeted on Wednesday (Oct. 19) alongside a video of herself ginning and dancing down the hallway. “All the teachers would say Melissa stop beating on the lockers & rapping get to class & now look I’m back Celebrating! #757 VA P-Town.”

The rapper made her return to Portsmouth, Va. to attend the dedication ceremony for the newly renamed Missy Elliott Boulevard and proudly shared a snap of herself holding the street sign with her name across it.

According to local reporting, the ceremony took place at Manor High’s football stadium and was followed by a parade in honor of the “Work It” MC that led from the athletic field out into town. Other A-list attendees included fellow Virginia natives Pusha T, Trey Songz and Timbaland, as well as Congressman Bobby Scott and Governor Glenn Youngkin. Portsmouth Mayor Shannon E. Glover also presented Elliott with a key to her hometown during the dedication.

Last month, Elliott performed during the RIAA Honors: Pioneers in Hip-Hop event in Washington D.C., where Dr. Dre and DJ Jazzy Jeff also took the stage. She recently reminisced on Twitter about working with Destiny’s Child to write “Confessions” for their 1999 sophomore album The Writing’s On the Wall.

Check out Elliott return to her high school for the naming of Missy Elliott Boulevard below.

19 Oct 2022

Goo Goo Dolls‘ John Rzeznik Joins Demi Lovato Onstage for ’Iris’ Performance

Demi Lovato brought their Holy Fvck tour to New York’s Beacon Theatre on Tuesday night (Oct. 18), and they surprised fans by welcoming Goo Goo Dolls frontman John Rzeznik to join them onstage.

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The duo performed Goo Goo Dolls’ 1998 classic “Iris,” trading lyrics as they sang the beloved track. Lovato shared the band’s Instagram post thanking them for the performance to their Story, writing, “This was a dream come true!!!’

Earlier this month, the “29” singer shared that they needed to reschedule their Rosemont, Ill., tour date on Oct. 5 after losing their voice. “Rosemont, today I woke up and had absolutely no voice. I’m so so sorry but it breaks my heart to tell you I have to reschedule the show,” Lovato wrote from the Holy Fvck tour’s official Instagram account.

In general, the Holy Fvck tour has been rough on Lovato. In September, they fell ill and told fans that their current tour will likely be their last. “I’m so f—ing sick I can’t get out of bed,” Lovato wrote on a series of photos of a window. “I can’t do this anymore. This next tour will be my last. I love and thank you guys.”

Holy Fvck, Lovato’s eighth studio album, features collaborations with Royal & the Serpent, YUNGBLUD and Dead Sara, as well as writing and production credits from Warren “Oak” Felder, Michael Pollack and Lovato. Like the album’s singles, Holy Fvck is a departure from the pop gloss of her Tell Me You Love Me days.

19 Oct 2022

The Contenders: Will Lil Baby, Red Hot Chili Peppers or Backstreet Boys Top the Billboard 200 Albums Chart? 

Welcome to The Contenders, a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week: Lil Baby aims for his second straight No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, while Red Hot Chili Peppers try to go two for two in 2022, and Backstreet Boys try to get ahead of the game with their first-ever Christmas set.  

Lil Baby, It’s Only Me (Quality Control/Motown) 

When his sophomore set My Turn debuted at No. 1 in March 2020 and reigned for five nonconsecutive weeks, it cemented Lil Baby as one of the pre-eminent rappers of the young decade. The ATL star hopes to continue rising with It’s Only Me, which has been preceded by a steady stream of singles — most don’t appear on the set, but the biggest one does: Billboard Hot 100 No. 14 hit “In a Minute.”  

As with My Turn, which debuted with 261.6 million on-demand streams for its collected songs — at the time of its release, the highest total for any album that year — It’s Only Me is expected to dominate streaming services. The set includes a whopping 23 tracks, and high-profile guest appearances from Future, Young Thug, Pooh Shiesty and more. (Even without a new album last year, Lil Baby still finished at No. 8 on Billboard’s Year-End Streaming Songs Artists chart.)  

Red Hot Chili Peppers, Return of the Dream Canteen (Warner) 

The recent reunion of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famers with longtime guitarist John Frusciante led to a productivity overflow, in the form of two new albums. The first, April’s Unlimited Love, debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 97,500 equivalent album units, and spawned the year’s longest-running No. 1 on the Rock & Alternative Airplay chart with “Black Summer.”  

Last Friday, RHCP returned with their second new album of 2022, Return of the Dream Canteen, another 75 minutes of melodic punk-funk. As with Unlimited Love, which sold a then-2022-high 38,500 copies on vinyl, Dream Canteen should see robust sales numbers powered by a dozen different-colored LP options, as well as four CDs (and a box set that includes a shirt). The set also boasts a Rock & Alternative Airplay No. 1 of its own in “Tippa My Tongue,” which has crowned the chart for three weeks and counting.  

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

The Manchester alt-pop quartet has been one of the most consistently successful U.K. bands of the past decade on both sides of the pond. The group has topped the Official Charts in their home country with each of their first four albums, and made the Billboard 200’s top five with each of their last three – including the 2016 No. 1 I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful, Yet So Unaware of It. This month, they look to continue both streaks with the release of fifth studio set Being Funny in a Foreign Language, featuring co-production by pop-rock whisperer Jack Antonoff.  

The group is off to a good start in the U.K., and three songs released in advance from the set have already reached the top 30 of Billboard’s Rock Songs chart in “Happiness,” “I’m in Love With You” and “All I Need to Hear.” Two advantages the band had with their past set won’t help them this time, though: 2020’s No. 4-peaking Notes on a Conditional Form came with a ticket bundle, which are no longer counted towards Billboard 200 consumption, and it also goosed its streaming totals with a 22-song track list, twice as many as the 11 featured on Being Funny.   

IN THE MIX 

Bailey Zimmerman, Leave the Light On (Warner Music Nashville): Few country breakout stories this year have excited as much as Bailey Zimmerman, who largely bypassed the Nashville machine to score three Hot 100 top 40 hits (“Fall in Love,” “Rock and a Hard Place” and “Where It Ends”) before he ever had a top 10 Country Airplay hit. All three of those TikTok-boosted streaming smashes are featured on Leave the Light On, Zimmerman’s nine-track debut EP.  

Noah Kahan, Stick Season (Mercury/Republic): The indie-pop singer-songwriter has steadily built a cult fandom since signing to Republic a half-decade ago, which should culminate in his first Billboard 200-charting effort with this month’s folkier and more personal Stick Season. Credit the set’s title track, a breakout success on streaming and radio, and a career-best No. 11 hit for Kahan on the Rock Songs chart this August.  

Backstreet Boys, A Very Backstreet Christmas (K-BAHN): The Boys-turned-men enter the seasonal music game this month with A Very Backstreet Christmas, featuring BSB covers of 10 holiday standards and a trio of group originals. Holiday music is often a reliable seller for catalog pop favorites like Backstreet, and the quintet has a streak to protect here: Each of their 10 Billboard 200-charting albums to date has made the top 10.  

19 Oct 2022

Makin’ Tracks: ‘Whiskey’ Fuels Justin Moore’s New Duet With Priscilla Block 

Privacy may be one of the most valuable commodities of life in 2022. 

With internet tracking, the proliferation of public cameras and the frequent ping of text-message spam, keeping personal space personal is much more difficult than it was when the biggest issue was a neighborhood snoop.

Finding time alone — specifically adult time alone — is at the heart of “You, Me, and Whiskey,” a new Justin Moore duet with Priscilla Block. It’s also a real-world issue for Moore, who shares a house in Arkansas with his wife of 15 years and their four kids.

“One night, [it’s] softball practice for one of them, the other night is basketball lessons for this one and the next night is church,” he says. “It’s difficult to make time for Kate and I — for just us — so you have to make a concerted effort to do that. So I really related to the song.”

Landing a cut with Moore was the goal when Brock Berryhill (“Homesick,” “What Happens in a Small Town”) hosted a 9 a.m. writing session with Cole Taylor (“Home Alone Tonight,” “Nothing To Do Town”) and Jessi Alexander (“Never Say Never,” “I Drive Your Truck”) on Music Row on Jan. 10. Specifically, they intended to write a potential duet for Moore and an unidentified female.

“I love writing duets and almost can’t get tired of them,” enthuses Alexander. “In a duet, you kind of get more dimension. And I love layering. You can alternate melodies and shift around and [have the singers] accompany each other.”

Taylor brought the title “You, Me, and Whiskey” into the room, and all three thought it lent itself to a song about a casual hookup. But they wanted an angle that was authentic to Moore’s home life and focused on a long-term couple.

“He’s happily married,” Taylor says. “When you’re writing with certain artists in mind, you have to keep their story in your head.”

They wrote the anthemic chorus first, beginning the stanza with the hook and filling the next six lines with rising passion and alcohol, the “black-label buzz” aiding the couple’s private pursuit of “things that stay in the dark.” That led to the setup line, celebrating the romance as both sweet and strong, before they repeated the hook once more.

That setup line “was the hardest one for us to find,” recalls Taylor. “We knew we had something special with the melody and the title and the duet part. And the most important part of the song is how you set up the hook. None of it matters if you don’t have a good hook. We searched and searched and searched for that, and then I want to say Jessi maybe said, ‘Nothin’ as sweet, nothin’ as strong.’ We’re all, ‘Yeah, that’s it.’”

They made the chorus ultra-flexible. If Moore — or some other artist — wanted to cut it solo, they wouldn’t have to change a single word. But it was also perfect for two singers to trade lines or sing the entire chorus in harmony.

“I’m a big harmony guy, so I love everything harmonized,” Berryhill says. “I’d harmonize drums.”

They used the same four-chord progression for the verses as the chorus, applying a different melodic approach to provide variance. The progression is dark and mostly unresolved, creating a near-constant tension. The chorus’ big, bright melody hides it a bit, though the verses, using a lower melody and more cautious phrasing, make that subliminal need for resolution clearer. That’s quite appropriate for a song about interpersonal tension and release.

In the second verse, they addressed the release a little more with a cheeky line about “talkin’ dirty” at 10:30,” knowing that it might cause an issue for some programmers. “Obviously, it’s really risky,” allows Taylor. “If it needs changing, we can change it. If not, we just got ‘talkin’ dirty’ on country radio.”

Alexander believes allowing the characters to behave in a public song the way they would in private makes it more likely to connect. “There’s going to be people in the carpool lane, people that are also married, that hopefully will go, ‘I remember those kids,’ ” she says. “That’s exciting because I don’t know that they’re spoken to a lot.”

“You, Me, and Whiskey” didn’t get completed during that Monday’s two-hour appointment, but they reassembled on Friday to finish it. Taylor and Alexander laid down the vocal parts for the demo that day, and Berryhill produced it with scratchy programmed drums and acoustic guitar, offset by a shimmering banjo.

“Being a rock dude, I normally take things to 10,” says Berryhill. “But this one, we kind of kept it like 60%, 70%. The demo doesn’t have all the big drums.”

An hour after Taylor turned it in to his publisher at Creative Nation, owner/producer Jeremy Stover (Travis Denning, Jack Ingram) forwarded “Whiskey” to Moore, who identified Block as his first choice for a duet partner. They both appeared at a WUSY Chattanooga, Tenn., guitar pull on March 29, and Moore was impressed by her voice and her poise while performing alongside artists who were all more established.

“I thought Priscilla stole the show that night with her interaction with the crowd,” he says. “She sang her tail off. The songs were really, really good. I was just highly impressed.”

He told her that night he would be happy to help her any way he could. Getting her to sing on “Whiskey” would fulfill that offer. She was interested, but of course wanted to hear it before she agreed. It was an easy “yes.”

“It feels like me,” says Block. “I tend to drink quite a bit of whiskey, so that one was like, ‘All right, we’re on brand here.’ ”

Stover and his co-producer, Big Machine Label Group president/CEO Scott Borchetta, kept some of Berryhill’s drum programming from the demo but otherwise rerecorded “Whiskey” with a full band, providing a tougher sound while cutting six tracks at The Castle in Franklin, Tenn.

“It’s out in the country, and there’s not a lot of distractions, so everybody’s hyper-focused just on the music,” Stover says. “They’re not running somewhere to make a bank deposit or run an errand. Everybody’s just there for the day.”

Stover visited Arkansas to capture Moore’s lead vocal at his home, and he worked with Block at Nashville’s Blackbird Studios to get her part, intentionally highlighting her unique tone and enunciations, even when the two singers are locked in harmony. “Sometimes you can line up the vocal so tight that it just sounds like a background singer,” says Stover. “We left those vocals where you really hear two distinctive voices, but at the same time, you don’t lose the melody.”

He encouraged Block to adjust the part to accentuate her persona, and she found that “Whiskey” went down rather easily. “Thank you, Jesus, they weren’t sending me any Christina Aguilera/Carrie Underwood [song],” Block deadpans. “There’s just no way that my voice would be able to do amazing things like that.”

Valory released “You, Me, and Whiskey” to country radio via PlayMPE on Oct. 10 with an official add date of Oct. 24. Their two voices fit together publicly the way the song’s characters mesh in private. In the process, the singers meet in the middle, using a production that walks the line between Moore’s usual classic country instrumentation and Block’s more progressive sound.

“It reminds me a little bit of ‘Somebody Else Will,’ ” he says. “So we’re being pushed a little bit out of my comfort zone. But sometimes that’s good. We didn’t get outside of the box, but we got a little closer to the edge of it.” 

19 Oct 2022

Britney Spears Gets Lance Bass‘ Stamp of Approval on ’Hold Me Closer’

Britney Spears‘ recent collaboration with Elton John is getting love from a fellow pop star. On Tuesday (Oct. 18), Spears posted a fun video of Lance Bass dancing along to her latest hit ,”Hold Me Closer.”

In the clip, the former *NSYNC member grooves along to the duet, flitting along the edge of his hot tub over the caption, “POV: You’re gay and Britney just released a bop with Elton John.” For her part, Spears certainly appreciated the shout-out, tweeting, “Omg Lance !!!” along with a trio of rainbow emojis.

Upon its release at the end of August, “Hold Me Closer” debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, earning the pop icon her highest entry on the chart since 2012’s “Scream and Shout” with Will.i.am. In the past, Bass has consistently spoken out in support of his old pal, even predicting she’ll eventually return to the stage even as she’s insisted repeatedly on social media that she won’t be performing any time soon.

Minutes after posting Bass’ video, the “…Baby One More Time” singer followed it up with a NSFW snap of her own. “I have a premiere for a movie this week ‘THE LEGISLATIVE ACT OF MY P—Y’ !!!!” she captioned a photo of herself lying naked across what appears to be a hotel room bed with a hand covering her bare breast.

While Spears didn’t offer any additional context for what prompted the nude photo or its bold caption, she did reveal during the hearings to end the 13 year conservatorship that controlled her life, she did not have the legal freedom to remove her IUD or try to have kids with now-husband Sam Asghari.

Check out Britney’s latest Twitter posts below.