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Liam Payne‘s family issued a strongly worded statement on Sunday (March 2) expressing their distress and disappointment at the way the press had reported on the circumstances of the late One Direction singer and solo star’s death last year.
“Liam’s death was an unspeakable tragedy. This is a time of tremendous grief and pain for those who knew and loved him,” read the statement, according to BBC News. “Liam ought to have had a long life ahead of him. Instead, [the singer’s son] Bear has lost his father, Geoff and Karen have lost their son, Ruth and Nicola have lost their brother and all of Liam’s friends and fans have lost someone they held very dear.”
The family added that they understand that the investigation into Payne’s death was “absolutely necessary, and the family recognises the work done by the Argentinian authorities. However, the family accepts the Court of Appeal’s decision to drop all charges. The constant media attention and speculation which has accompanied the process has exacted indescribable, lasting damage on the family, particularly on Liam’s son who is trying to process emotions which no seven-year-old should have to experience.”
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Their comments came just a few weeks after a court in Argentina dropped charges of criminal negligence against three of the five people indicted in connection with the singer’s passing after a fall from a third-story balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina last October. The court’s ruling cleared Esteban Grassi, head receptionist at the CasaSur Hotel, Rogelio Nores, an Argentine-American businessman and friend of the singer who accompanied Payne on the trip, and Gilda Martin, the hotel’s manager. Two other men, Ezequiel Pereyra and Braian Paiz, are still facing charges for allegedly supplying drugs to Payne on the night he died.
It was Grassi who made two emergency calls prior to the accident, first reporting that a guest was “trashing the entire room” and later expressing concerns that the guest “may be in danger.” A report from Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 14 released last month showed that an autopsy found that Payne, 31, had “alcohol concentrations of up to 2.7 grams per liter in blood” at the time of his death, or a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.27%, which is more than three times the U.S. driving limit and just below a level that is considered life-threatening.
The Argentinian report said that in addition to the dangerous BAC, the autopsy revealed that Payne had cocaine metabolites and the medication sertraline (Zoloft) in his system before he died of what has been described as “multiple trauma and internal and external bleeding” from the 40-foot fall at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.
In their statement, the family also wrote that they always wished “for privacy to grieve and asks that they be given the space and time to do so… Liam, you are so loved and missed.” The singer’s kin also gave thanks for a touching tribute paid to Payne at Saturday’s Brit Awards, led by his friend Jack Whitehall.
“He achieved so much in the short time that he was on this earth, and was not only a supremely gifted musician but an incredibly kind soul who touched the lives of everyone he came into contact with,” the comedian said before the screen filled with soundbites, portraits and performance video of Payne set to 1D’s “Little Things.”
“We joined in that celebration of his life and will forever remember the joy that his music brought to the world,” the Payne family wrote. Payne was buried in November in the U.K., with his funeral attended by all his former One Direction bandmates, girlfriend Katie Cassidy, and ex-partner Cheryl Cole, with whom he shared son Bear.
Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “Luther” leads the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart for a second week. A week earlier, the single – whose title is an ode to late R&B legend Luther Vandross, who is sampled on the track — became Lamar’s sixth No. 1 and SZA’s third. “Luther” is also making unprecedented moves on […]
The Offspring announced the dates for their Supercharged Worldwide in ’25 tour on Monday morning (March 3). The 34-date Live Nation-produced run from the Orange County, CA-bred punk stalwarts is slated to kick off on July 11 in West Palm Beach, FL at the iThink Financial Amphitheatre and include stops in Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Texas, Arizona, California and Utah before winding down on Sept. 7 at Ball Arena in Denver, CO.
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The shows will include support on all the dates from Jimmy Eat World and New Found Glory. A Citi presale for cardmembers will kick off on Tuesday (March 4) at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday (March 6) at 10 p.m. local time, with details here. An artist presale will begin on Wednesday (March 5) at 10 a.m. local time, with additional presales throughout the week ahead of a general on-sale beginning Friday (March 7) at 10 a.m. local time here.
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The tour is in support of the band’s 11th studio album, 2024’s Supercharged, which included their Billboard Rock & Alternative Airplay chart No. 1 “Make It All Right.”
Check out the dates for the Offspring’s Supercharged Worldwide in ’25 tour below.
July 11 — West Palm Beach, FL @ iThink Financial Amphitheatre
July 12 — Tampa, FL @ MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre at the FL State Fairgrounds
July 15 — Alpharetta, GA @ Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
July 16 — Raleigh, NC @ Coastal Credit Union Music Park
July 18 — Virginia Beach, VA @ Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater at Virginia Beach
July 19 — Bristow, VA @ Jiffy Lube Live
July 20 — Scranton, PA @ The Pavilion at Montage Mountain
July 22 — Syracuse, NY @ Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview
July 23 — Toronto, ON @ Budweiser Stage
July 25 — Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center
July 26 — Noblesville, IN @ Ruoff Music Center
July 27 — Clarkston, MI @ Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 29 — Camden, NJ @ Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
July 30 — Mansfield, MA @ Xfinity Center
August 1 — Bethel, NY @ Bethel Woods Center for The Arts
August 2 — Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
August 3 — Wantagh, NY @ Northwell at Jones Beach Theater
August 13 — Cuyahoga Falls, OH @ Blossom Music Center
August 15 — Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
August 16 — Tinley Park, IL @ Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
August 17 — Maryland Heights, MO @ Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
August 20 — Ridgedale, MO @ Thunder Ridge Nature Arena
August 22 — Dallas, TX @ Dos Equis Pavilion
August 23 — The Woodlands, TX @ The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion presented by Huntsman
August 24 — Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater
August 26 — Albuquerque, NM @ Isleta Amphitheater
August 27 — Phoenix, AZ @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
August 29 — Inglewood, CA @ Kia Forum**
August 30 — Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amphitheatre
August 31 — Wheatland, CA @ Toyota Amphitheatre
Sept. 3 — Auburn, WA @ White River Amphitheatre
Sept. 4 — Ridgefield, WA @ Cascades Amphitheater
Sept. 6 — West Valley City, UT @ Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sept. 7 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena
** no Jimmy Eat World
Ingrid Andress got her second chance at singing the national anthem at a recent Colorado Avalanche game, and this time, things went a lot better than they did seven months prior at the 2024 Home Run Derby.
In a video posted to the country star’s social media accounts Feb. 28, Andress stands on the ice and sings “The Star-Spangled Banner” a cappella, this time hitting all of the notes and getting through the whole song smoothly. When she gets to the line, “… that our flag was still there,” the fans in the arena join in, making her laugh before nailing her big finish.
After the song is over, she exits the rink and — before emotionally hugging a friend — the “More Hearts Than Mine” artist cheers, “I did it!”
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“We’re back baby,” Andress captioned the clip.
The showcase serves as a redemption for the singer-songwriter, who went viral in July over a flubbed rendition of the national anthem at the Home Run Derby in Arlington, Texas. After the pitchy, overall messy performance drew harsh criticism, Andress confessed on social media that she’d been under the influence of alcohol during the event and would be seeking treatment.
“I’m not gonna bulls–t y’all,” she wrote at the time in a post shared to her various accounts. “I was drunk last night. I’m checking myself into a facility today to get the help I need. That was not me last night. I apologize to MLB, all the fans, and this country I love so much for that rendition.”
As part of her comeback, Andress also released a new song titled “Footprints” Monday (March 3). “I think the most human thing on earth is failing,” she wrote of the song on Instagram. “It’s getting kicked off, feeling the sting of it, but getting back on the same damn horse anyway. The sister, daughter, and human I want to be is resilient. Without the mistakes in my life, I would not be the person I am today, and I sure as hell wouldn’t have the stories to pass on about my journey.”
“‘Footprints’ is a reminder to all the people I love the most, and also to myself, that I’m out here trying my best at this ‘life’ thing,” she added. “If there’s any helpful guidance anyone can take from it, it’s all worth it. Here’s to making it worse, making it right, and making it.”
Watch Andress redeem herself on the national anthem below.
Cole Swindell is going to be a dad! The “She Had Me at Heads Carolina” hitmaker and his wife, entrepreneur and former NBA dancer Courtney Little, revealed on Monday (March 3) that they are expecting their first child this year. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news On […]
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America, the organization has begun unveiling Sonic IDs for each host city, or “audio brands that celebrate diversity, creativity and the unifying power of sport through music,” produced by a local producer, according to a press release. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See […]
Gracie Abrams has canceled two more shows as she continues to fight off an illness, the singer announced Sunday (March 2). In another handwritten note posted to her Instagram Story, Abrams told fans that she would no longer be performing March 3 in Nottingham or March 4 in Leeds. “I hate that I have to […]
Collaborations abound in this week’s Must-Hear column. Kassi Ashton and Parker McCollum team up for a sultry new ballad, Charles Wesley Godwin joins musical forces with Ernest, and Dani Rose partners with Brent Cobb. Meanwhile, Zach Top and Billy Strings offer a take on a Ricky Skaggs classic, while JD Clayton offers up music on his new project, Blue Sky Sundays.
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Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of the best country, bluegrass and/or Americana songs of the week below.
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Kassi Ashton feat. Parker McCollum, “Sounds Like Something I’d Say”
Enveloped in a cool, sultry swagger, Ashton and McCollum sing about the hazy, morning-after regrets that follow a night of decisions intended to make one forget the loneliness that haunts them. “It sounds better in the dark than in the light of day,” Ashton sings about recalling words spoken under the influence of heartache and alcohol. They both venture into fervent, soulful territory here, to mighty impact.
Charles Wesley Godwin feat. Ernest, “Dead to Rights”
Charles Wesley Godwin teams with Ernest for this track included on Godwin’s seven-song EP, Lonely Mountain Town, which released Feb. 28 on Big Loud. Somber, acoustic-driven and steel guitar-inflected, “Dead to Rights” finds the song’s protagonist reflecting on how he once reveled in nights on the town and the single life, until finding a love worth trading it all in for. “You crashed into me, like that d–ned left hook I never got to see,” Godwin sings. He’s got a voice with all the warmth of a crackling fire, and he employs it admirably here.
Zach Top and Billy Strings, “Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown”
Bluegrass-and-beyond luminary Strings and ascendant country star Zach Top serve up a slab of classic country, taking on Ricky Skaggs’ 1983 hit “Don’t Cheat in Our Hometown.” The track is from Top’s new three-song EP, Me & Billy, which features a trio of songs previously featured as part of their Apple Music Sessions, and now available to stream everywhere. Strings, of course, has become an arena draw with his superb, genre-agnostic musicianship, while Top is has become one of the most-buzzed-about new country artists. Top also comes from a bluegrass background, formerly leading the band Modern Tradition, which won the SPBGMA Band Championship in 2017. He also issued his solo, self-titled bluegrass-leaning project in 2022, before issuing his breakthrough country project in 2024. Their musical camaraderie and mutual love for the genre is undeniable here.
JD Clayton, “Slow & Steady”
On his previous project Long Way From Home, Clayton focused on more pared-back folk and country vibes. But on his new album, Blue Sky Sundays, he returns to his rock influences. Here, a tale about a balmy Sunday drive gets a laid-back, Southern rock surge, thanks to the solid percussion and muscular guitar work Clayton and his band employ here. His grizzled voice lays into lyrics about soaking in a carefree day, from first sunlight to when the sun’s rays fade. “I said let’s take it slow/ You know we ain’t got no place to go,” he sings.
Blue Sky Sundays released Feb. 28 on Rounder Records.
Dani Rose and Brent Cobb, “I Ain’t Livin’”
Rose and Cobb trade harmonies gloriously on this track, which marked Rose’s fifth placement on the Paramount’s Yellowstone series. The track was written by Cobb and Jessi Alexander, and co-produced by Rose and Maks Gabriel. Together, Rose and Cobb turn in a cool, sultry rendering, declaring devotion to living life to the fullest and seeking adventure wherever they come across it. “May I ride till the wheels fall off/ But my soul’s out there in the ether,” they sing, wrapping in elements of a freewheeling, 1970s feel.
Beck is hitting the road this summer for another run of orchestral shows. The “Saw Lightning” singer announced the run of nine North American gigs in which he’ll team up with local symphony players on Monday (March 3), following a pair of well-received orchestral gigs at New York’s Carnegie Hall and L.A.’s Hollywood Bowl last summer.
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The upcoming run of shows with support from Molly Lewis are slated to kick off on July 15 at the Westville Music Bowl in New Haven, CT with the Westville Philharmonic providing support, followed by stops in Montreal, a two-night stint in Toronto, as well as gigs in Cincinnati, Chicago and Colorado Springs and Morrison, CO before winding down on July 29 at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park in San Diego.
According to a release, Beck will be accompanied by “native orchestras for nine shows in eight cities in the U.S. and Canada — as they unite to reimagine a body of work that includes hits and deep cuts from classic Beck works including the multi-platinum Odelay, world-tripping Mutations, somber and reflective Sea Change, and GRAMMY Album of the Year winner Morning Phase, plus a share of surprises.”
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Pre-sale and other ticketing information is available here. A general on-sale will kick off on Friday (March 7) at 10 a.m. local time (except for the Chicago show).
Before he hits the road for the orchestral gigs, Beck will play the star-studded 2025 Love Rocks NYC benefit show on March 6 at New York’s Beacon Theatre alongside Cher, Alicia Keys, Kate Hudson, Phish’s Trey Anastasio, Mavis Staples, Michael McDonald, Peter Frampton and more.
The singer released his 14th studio album, Hyperspace, in 2019, which featured the singles “Saw Lightning,” “Uneventful Days” and “Dark Places.”
Check out the dates for Beck’s 2025 North American orchestral tour below.
July 15 – New Haven, CT @ Westville Music Bowl (with The Westville Philharmonic*)July 16 – Montreal, QC @ Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier (with L’Orchestre Métropolitain*)July 18, 19 – Toronto, ON @ Roy Thomson Hall (with Toronto Symphony Orchestra *)July 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center (with Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra *)July 23 – Highland Park, IL @ Ravinia Festival (with Chicago Symphony Orchestra *)July 26 – Colorado Springs, CO @ Ford Amphitheater (with Colorado Symphony ^)July 27 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre (with Colorado Symphony ^)July 29 – San Diego, CA @ The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park (with San Diego Symphony *)
*Conducted by Edwin Outwater^Conducted by Christopher Dragon
You wouldn’t have been able to tell from watching RAYE‘s performance at the 2025 Oscars Sunday (March 2) — during which she absolutely nailed Adele‘s “Skyfall” as part of the night’s James Bond tribute — but the British star was actually quite nervous.
And during a post-show interview with Entertainment Tonight, RAYE explained why paying homage to the “Rolling in the Deep” vocalist was particularly “terrifying.” “No one can sing Adele like Adele,” she said. “It’s scary.”
The “Escapism” artist added, “It was terrifying, but also so incredible at the same time.”
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RAYE closed out the Bond medley by taking the stage shrouded in fog, showing off her powerful vocals on Adele’s original theme for the franchise’s 2012 film, Skyfall. The track reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won best original song at the Oscars in 2013.
Before RAYE took the stage, The Substance actress Margaret Qualley performed a slinky dance number with a troupe of tuxedoed men — about which the former told ET, “She ate that up … Multi-talented and fine as hell, Jack [Antonoff] is a very lucky man.”
After Qualley’s number, RAYE’s “Born Again” collaborators LISA and Doja Cat each performed solo renditions of two other famous Bond themes, with the BLACKPINK star delivering both choreography and vocals on Wings’ “Live and Let Die” before the “Paint the Town Red” rapper commanded the spotlight singing Shirley Bassey’s “Diamonds Are Forever.” After RAYE closed out the 007 tribute, the trio came together on stage to receive the applause together.
“We have such a beautiful chemistry together,” RAYE said of LISA and Doja. “I just love those girls, they’re so kind and hardworking and inspiring.”
The Academy Awards come a few weeks after the 2025 Grammys, where the “Oscar Winning Tears” vocalist performed in a best new artist medley alongside fellow nominees Doechii, Benson Boone, Teddy Swims and Shaboozey; winner Chappell Roan performed elsewhere in the evening. She was also up for songwriter of the year, which ended up going to Amy Allen.
One day prior to the Oscars, RAYE won best R&B act at the 2025 BRIT Awards.