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With two new singles — “Natural” and “Space and Pussy” — gaining traction, Kiana Ledé is ready to deliver even more to her fans. The L.A.-based singer stopped by Billboard‘s NYC office for an episode of Billboard Gaming, just in time for the release of her Cut Ties album arrival on Friday (Nov. 1).
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In Cut Ties, Kiana Ledé delves deeply into the complexities of anxious and avoidant attachment styles, reflecting on the ways relationships can offer both comfort and pain, shaping one’s emotional responses over time. The album invites listeners to experience a journey through love’s emotional spectrum—from the security and closeness of a relationship’s early stages to the eventual sense of detachment and heartbreak that may follow.
We faced off with the singer-songwriter in several rounds of Mario Kart while discussing the inspiration behind her album, her love for Halloween and High School Musical and more.
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You just dropped two new singles, “Natural” and “Space and Pussy.” Can you dive into the themes of self-assurance and womanhood? What’s the inspiration for those tracks?
Ooh, “Space and Pussy” and “Natural.” I mean, I think they’re pretty opposite of each other, just because “Natural” is about feeling so comfortable with the person that you’re with that you would do anything—wink wink—with them.
And then “Space and Pussy” is like, I gave you my p—y, and I gave you space, and, like, what more could anybody ask for? And you’re stupid because you f—ked it up. They’re pretty opposite, but they both have to do with p—y, I guess.
Is that a surrounding theme for the album?
P—y?
Yeah.
[Laughs.] Yeah, I mean, I feel like p—y is like a theme of my life.
And why is that?
I just think p—y is beautiful. I think my p—y is beautiful. I think other people’s p—ies are beautiful. P—y, in general, is just a beautiful part of life. It gives us life, you know?
You also recently dropped a visualizer for “Natural”. What was the creative process for that?
I wanted to do something, like, kind of spooky because, obviously, spooky is my favorite genre—horror is my favorite genre. I love spooky season. But also, one of my first acting jobs was Zoe in Scream [the show], and, spoiler alert, I die in Scream. And I loved dying — it was so fun — and I wanted to either be the villain or die again and bring that back. Eventually, I want to write my own horror movie, and I want to, like, I don’t know, just… it’s something that I’m really passionate about.
So, the “Natural” video, I was like, “Why don’t I just get back into the horror bag?” because I know people are going to be excited to see me doing horror stuff again too.
Music is meant to be experienced, and everyone interprets songs and albums differently. But with this album specifically, what message, idea, or theme do you want your listeners to take away?
I think I want them to listen to the story. This album is really a story. It’s a message about how great things can go horribly wrong. I think something really important to take away is the story of me finding out who I need to keep in my life and who doesn’t deserve to be in it quicker than I have in the past, and hopefully that inspires other people to do the same.
I heard this album is also inspired by like your passion for Halloween, is that correct?
Yeah, I love Halloween.
How has loving Halloween influenced this album?
I mean, obviously, it was perfect timing because it’s spooky season.
I made that something that was a part of what we were doing because I wanted to be able to celebrate. Like, for me, there are only two holidays every year: my birthday and Halloween. And so, I take it very seriously. I was excited to potentially release an album on Halloween.
So, the whole year is Halloween except for my birthday. Then it’s my birthday, and the rest of the year is Halloween. I love spooky. I grew up watching horror movies and having horror movie marathons with my sister and my dad and just always being drawn to darker things in general in life.
I just love things that people don’t really like to talk about. It interests me. I follow Creepy.org on Twitter, and I’m just really drawn to things that are scary or that people don’t want to talk about. It just excites me. So, I was excited to bring a little bit of that into this album and the visual part.
I’m not used to having a good idea for the visual creative part of the album because I’m not a very visual person. But once I added that aspect of horror and brought that spookiness into it, I was like, “Oh, I got this. Boom, boom, boom. This is what we’re doing.”
So, did that idea also influence the cover?
I’m a huge Pinterest person. I love Pinterest. So, I had a Pinterest board, and I was just putting together different things that are kind of on the darker side that have to do with the themes of the songs on the album. And ropes were one, especially because “Cut Ties” — we also have another song called “Too Many Strings.” And sometimes relationships can be scary, you know?
I know I’ve been in all these relationships in my life, so we took the ropes to show, “I am stuck in this situation, but I’m about to cut the s—t. Don’t worry about it; I’ll be good.”
You recently went independent — why?
I think I was just ready for something different. I’ve been in label situations, major label situations, since I was 15,14,15. And I was ready to just be able to make more of my own choices. And I really came into this new era of having freedom. So now I just really fully have all the freedom.
Do you think this album represents freedom in a sense?
Yeah, I would say so. I mean, even in the album, I’m breaking loose from the person in the relationship and from friendships that I’ve had that I’ve just needed to cut ties with earlier on than I did. So, yeah, I guess it represents the freedom that I have to choose.
Going independent is a big step for any artist. What challenges have you faced since?
Honestly, I don’t feel like I’ve felt a lot of challenges. Because I didn’t have as much control before, I didn’t feel as much pressure on making certain decisions. But I wish I did make more decisions. Now I can make all the decisions; I have to. It’s overwhelming, almost. Like, I really have to get this right, and if I fall on a sword, it’s going to be my own sword.
So, if things go wrong, it’s all on you — there’s no one else to blame. How do you manage that pressure?
There’s definitely times where I feel that pressure, but I feel like my team is just so supportive, and I’m very big on teamwork. We all are moving as a unit together every single step of the way. So I definitely feel some of that pressure sometimes in my most vulnerable moments, but I think I just feel so much like a team that it feels like we’re all helping this machine work for us.
All in this together? Like High School Musical?
Exactly. Do you know the dance?
[We do a quick version on the dance in our sets.]
That’s good! That was good!
My mom actually bought High School Musical 2 on DVD and I had the soundtrack, but I don’t have it anymore.
Yes, you do. [Smiles.]
I don’t.
You know you do.
I don’t, my mom probably has it. I do love High School Musical, I really do.
High School Musical is the best. I used to want to be Gabriela so bad.
You’ve recently been on tour with Jhené Aiko, and now you’re heading out again for the third leg. How’s the experience been so far?
It’s been so much fun. I mean, she’s amazing. I’m obsessed with her. She’s my favorite artist in the world. So, it’s been a lot of fun just to be able to be on the same stage as her.
And also, she is such an amazing person, you know? There are a lot of experiences we’ve had in the industry where the people that you respect unfortunately aren’t the coolest people, you know?
I can relate.
And she’s really f—king cool. We go to the green rooms every day, and there’s rose petals and confetti and glitter at our door.
And she’s so genuine and sweet. So, I’m having a lot of fun. The chaos is so much fun. Yeah, everyone’s pretty great. I think that’s what makes a tour experience good or not—not even necessarily the show itself, but the people. So, it’s been fun. But the fans have been awesome. Her fans are great.
Sometimes they be fighting during random songs, though. I get so confused. There are these things I’d seen on Twitter, like, when we were on tour, and they were like, “How are you fighting after a Jhené Aiko concert?” And I’m literally, like, same. Like, how do you do that?
It’s so soothing.Yeah. But they found a way.
As you head into the third leg of the tour, will there be any changes to your performance, or will it stay mostly the same? What can fans look forward to this time around?
I might add a song, a new song.
From the album?
Yeah, I might add a new one; who knows?
Getting back into the album, what’s your favorite song?
My favorite song? That’s hard. Maybe “Out of Luck?” Maybe — no, no, that’s a lie. “Too Many Strings?” No, “The Truth.” I don’t know; that’s hard.
Are they all your babies?
Yeah, I always have a hard time with that question because I also think it depends on the mood.
Like the day, the hour, the time.
Yeah, right now I feel like I’m kind of in a bad b—ch, maybe a little bit in a bad mood earlier kind of mood. So, I think the bad b—ch would come out today. “Out of Luck” is me.
I like “Burn It Up.”
Oh, you like that one?
Yes, I like “Burn It Up.” I don’t know if it’s the beat or like the message I just like when I hear it, it makes me feel good. You know?
Yeah, I love that. “Burn It Up” is good. That’s definitely a psycho song, for sure.
With over a billion streams, your music keeps evolving, but how do you stay true to your original self before the fame, before the honor, before the glory? How do you evolve, but still stay true to you?
I think, honestly, one of the things that has been a blessing and a curse is having imposter syndrome.
Having imposter syndrome is really crazy and shitty sometimes, but also, like, it weirdly does keep me grounded. I know that every time somebody listens to my music or a fan comes up to me and they’re like, “Oh my god, are you da da da da da da?” and they freak out, I have no idea why they’re freaking out. It probably sounds dumb, but I literally will be like, “Why are you?” This is crazy that they’re freaking out.
Like, I’m just chillin’ here… I’ll literally be like, “Who are they freaking out about? Who’s behind me?” [Laughs.] Because it doesn’t make sense to me. It doesn’t click in my head for some reason. So, that’s one of the things that I think is like a weird way to stay grounded because I just appreciate it every time; I just don’t expect it.
And then I think the other way is I’m very close with my family, and I’m best friends with some of the people I work with. I’m also best friends with somebody who I’ve known since third grade. She’s been my best friend since third grade. So, it’s just kind of a reminder to me that if she still loves me, I’m the same person… Because I know if I were to f—k around and change up, she would not be f—king with me, you know? So having those people in your life that are your constants from when you were a child, it’s like, you know that that core you is still there.
Yeah, like it reminds you of where you came from.
Yeah, exactly. So, it’s great. I love that.
Do you think you’re underrated?
It’s so funny; I don’t feel like I’m underrated. I think people say that I’m underrated. I feel like it’s kind of a weird thing to say just because I know my fans rate me, you know? I think they mean it as a compliment, obviously, when they say you’re underrated. To me, it’s like what the great Marcel the Shell said: “compared to what?” Like, compared to what? Because I feel like I’ve done—like, yes, I’ve been in this s—t for twelve years, probably closer to thirteen at this point, and it’s been a long ass time.
Do I feel like I am where I thought I would be when I was a kid? No, not necessarily. But also, I think I have certain expectations that people don’t probably know about, you know? I have my own goals. I think people expect that if they love you and your music is great and you’re a great person.
So from what they can see, they assume that you should be — or you want to be — like Beyoncé, you know? Or close to that. And that’s just not where I want to be. So while I appreciate people saying that, because really what they’re saying is more people should know about you because your music is so great.
I really am happy with where I’m at. Obviously, I would love to make more money [laughs] and have more people hear my music, but it’s really also about just making people feel something. And I’ve had to learn to get the love back for music, and it’s not like fully there yet, but I think people weirdly — and I don’t want to sound ungrateful — but people saying things like “underrated” takes away that love a little bit when I hear it.
But I do see that it’s a good thing, and I’m grateful that people say it.
I feel like when it comes to being an underrated artist it’s like, “You’re a great artist, but why don’t more people know about you?” Or “Why isn’t your name brought up in conversations about the top three, top five, or even top 20?” It’s not to think about “what am I doing wrong?” but to think “hmm why aren’t I being mentioned?” You know what I’m saying?
Yeah, I think maybe that’s what it is. Maybe I’m just projecting because when people say that, I’m automatically thinking, “Am I doing something wrong? Am I not where people see me or where people think I should be?” Does that make sense?
Yeah, getting into the top three, who would you say is in your top three?
Ooh. That’s hard. I would say Jhené, Sinéad [Harnett], and Destin [Conrad]. I just threw two of my friends in there because they’re f—king incredible. I mean, Destin is an incredible songwriter. He’s so f—king talented.
And then Sinéad is one of the most amazing singers I’ve ever heard in my life. I get so mad at her when she sings in front of me because I’m like, “How the f—k can you…”
Sound like that.
Yeah, like, how do you do it? Her runs are so clean, and she’s so funny and genuine. So, yeah, I’m gonna put them up there in my top three. And then Jhené for obvious reasons.
Speaking of Jhené, collaboration coming soon? Got any tracks lined up?
We’ll have to see.
The people are asking.
People will get an answer when I give them an answer. [Laughs.]
Are you a rap fan at all?
To be honest, I don’t really listen to music.
So what do you do when you’re traveling?
Play Township on my phone, listen to audiobooks, listen to spooky podcasts. I watch a lot of shows cause it’s really comforting for me to just have something on in the background. But, yeah, I don’t really feel like it.
I feel like a lot of artists say that. They’re like, “No, we don’t listen to music. We just exist.” I don’t know, for me, I’m walking somewhere, headphones in. I’m going to work, headphones in. I’m working, headphones are in…
That’s so nice.
How do y’all live and not have your headphones in?
I don’t know; I feel like when you do it for a job, it’s like anything, you know? Like a chef probably doesn’t want to come home and cook, and that’s the first thing that they do when they get off work. I feel like it’s partially that. I think also just a lot of bad, bad f—king experiences in the industry.
I just don’t want to be reminded of certain things or certain people just by listening to, like, a f—king playlist on Spotify, you know? I’d rather just have my own fresh ideas. I think that’s another part of it.
You feel like playing tracks influences you in a way?
Maybe. I don’t even want it to be a question, I think. But, yeah, I don’t listen to music at all. Most of the time when I’m listening to music — this is not even to be like conceited — I’m listening to my own music, but it’s my music that I just made because I want to make sure that I love it, you know?
Music for me is very attached to experiences and emotion. If you go to a concert, you either love the album or you hate the album, and so listening to music kind of does that same thing for me.
Like, I want to listen to the album and hear the stories that I’ve been through and kind of relive that for a second, just to laugh at it or just see that some art came out of it, you know?
Why did you stray away from acting?
I actually didn’t really stray away. I think it was just that there was so much going on with music at the time that it just made more sense than going out for roles that were just not really suited to me at the time— not really what I wanted to do. I’m looking forward to acting again, but by the time I was ready to get back into acting, the whole world shut down, and then there was a strike, and like, you know, I just wasn’t very lucky when it came to that time of my acting career. But I’m excited to get back into it.
So we’re going to see you on the screen? The silver screen or a TV screen?
We’ll find out. I’ll take either one.
Tyler, the Creator threatened to bring back the “old” him at his “30 Minutes of Chromakopia” mini-concert in Boston on Halloween (Oct. 31) while talking about his ire at Taylor Swift fans. The rapper lashed out at what he deemed an attempt by Swifties to “cancel” him recently over old lyrics after he momentarily took […]
SEVENTEEN scores its sixth No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart (dated Nov. 2) as SPILL THE FEELS enters atop the list with 64,000 copies sold in the U.S. in the week ending Oct. 24, according to Luminate. All six of the group’s leaders have come since 2021, and the act now ties TOMORROW X TOGETHER for the second-most No. 1s in the 2020s decade. Only Taylor Swift, with eight No. 1s since 2020, has more chart-toppers this decade.
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Also in the top 10 of the new Top Album Sales chart, rapper Yeat nabs his biggest sales week ever with the No. 2 debut of Lyfestyle, Tom Petty and the Heartbreaker’s reissue of Long After Dark arrives at No. 6, Kylie Minogue’s Tension II starts at No. 7, Jerry Cantrell’s I Want Blood bows at No. 8 and Dan + Shay kick off the holiday season with It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album entering at No. 10.
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Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart ranks the top-selling albums of the week based only on traditional album sales. The chart’s history dates back to May 25, 1991, the first week Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from SoundScan, now Luminate. Pure album sales were the sole measurement utilized by the Billboard 200 albums chart through the list dated Dec. 6, 2014, after which that chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units.
SPILL THE FEELS’ sales were bolstered by its availability across 17 CD variants, each containing collectible branded paper ephemera (such as photocards, posters, lyric books and stickers, some randomized). Of the set’s 64,000 copies sold, 99% were CDs and the remaining sales were digital downloads.
Yeat logs his biggest sales week ever as Lyfestyle bows at No. 2 with 60,000 sold. Lyfestyle’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across many variants, exclusively sold through the artist’s webstore. Lyfestyle’s opening-week sales actually exceed the cumulative sales of the rapper’s entire album catalog before this past week. Until Lyfestyle’s release, his catalog of albums had sold a combined 35,000 copies.
Jelly Roll’s Beautifully Broken dips 1-3 in its second week (33,000; down 71%), Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet is steady at No. 4 (11,000; down 17%) and Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess falls 3-5 (nearly 11,000; down 26%).
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers’ Long After Dark, first released in 1982, makes its debut on Top Album Sales at No. 6, following its deluxe remastered reissue on Nov. 18. In the tracking week, the album – with all versions, new and old, combined – sold 10,000 copies. The reissue was available in multiple permutations, including a deluxe digital download, two vinyl variants, and two CD/Blu-ray audio combo editions (most inclusive of additional unearthed bonus tracks).
Kylie Minogue’s Tension II starts at No. 7 on Top Album Sales with 9,000 copies sold. It’s the sequel set to her 2023 release Tension. The new album was issued in four CD variants, four vinyl editions, two download editions and a cassette tape.
Jerry Cantrell’s I Want Blood bows at No. 8 with nearly 9,000 sold, marking his best sales week as a soloist since 2002. It’s also his first top 10-charting effort as a solo artist on the ranking. The set was available across five vinyl variants, three CD editions and a download.
Charli XCX’s Brat falls 2-9 with almost 9,000 sold (down 82%).
Rounding out the top 10 on the new Top Album Sales chart is the debut of Dan + Shay’s It’s Officially Christmas: The Double Album at No. 10 with 6,000 sold. It’s the first holiday release from the duo – and the first seasonal effort to reach the top 10 on Top Album Sales in 2024. The set was issued in two vinyl variants, two CD variants and a digital download.
Cazzu is clearing things up and speaking for the first time about Christian Nodal and Ángela Aguilar‘s relationship. In an interview with Argentina’s PLP, the singer and rapper said she found out about Nodal and Aguilar “like everyone else did, through social media and the press,” Cazzu shared.
The Argentine hitmaker’s words come just a few weeks after Aguilar sat down with ABC News, during which she spoke out about how her relationship was set into motion over the summer when the couple tied the knot in July — two months after the 25-year-old Nodal announced his breakup from Argentine rapper Cazzu, with whom he shares a daughter. During the interview, the regional Mexican star said categorically, “No one’s heart got broken. We have a clear consciousness. We’re all OK, we’re all happy, we’re adults.”
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Now, Cazzu is speaking for herself, and setting the record straight. “I was not aware they had a previous relationship,” she explained. “When he left me, he left me for a different reason. I even asked if there was someone else and he said no. I found out about their relationship like everyone else did, through same media and the press, I was obviously surprised because I had met her. I thought it wasn’t true, but it turned out that it was.”
When Nodal and Aguilar confirmed in June they were a couple, Aguilar told HOLA! magazine that theirs was “not a new relationship; it’s continuation of a story that life made us pause so we could grow and miss each other.”
Cazzu goes on to explain that she didn’t do anything at that moment because “there was nothing to do. I’m not going to ask anyone to stay in my life who doesn’t want to be part of my life — I just accepted it.”
The “Mucha Data” singer said she was almost “obligated” to speak on the matter after “shots were fired,” and she was spoken for on different occasions.
“For me this is such a private subject, so painful that I would have liked to never say anything, but my integrity as a person is being questioned. I would never be part of such a twisted plan as the one suggested, and they also talked about my feelings — someone who does not know me, who does not know what I went through. They said that no one’s heart was broken and that no one suffered — I suffered a lot and more than one heart was broken. It was a painful process. I handled it with respect above all because I have a daughter who has a father who will always be her father, but I want to set an example for her that when things cross a line, you have to set limits.”
She added, “The only one authorized to talk about my emotional situation is me. Do not lie about me, do not talk about my feelings, do not talk about me anymore, please. I would like to be in peace, just as I let things happen in peace.”
Following Cazzu’s interview going viral on social media, Nodal reiterated on Instagram Live that “there was no infidelity” and that he had a “clear consciousness.”
Watch Cazzu’s interview below:
With an electrifying roar that resonated in every corner, Carin León took over Madrid’s WiZink Center, marking his historic debut in Spain. Part of his Boca Chueca Tour, the show not only marked the Mexican star’s first performance in Europe but also broke records: With an audience of 17,426 people, it surpassed Metallica’s mark set in 2018, becoming the event with the highest attendance of the more than 1,200 concerts held at the venue.
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The atmosphere at the WiZink was unique, transformed into a 360-degree Palenque style, with spectators surrounding the arena like in a boxing ring, an unprecedented layout for this Madrid venue. Among the attendees were music stars such as Vanesa Martín, India Martínez, C. Tangana, and Ximena Sariñana, as well as the legendary soccer player Sergio Ramos, all witnesses of a night in which Mexican and Spanish music intertwined for two and a half hours of pure spectacle.
From the beginning, León’s excitement about being in Madrid was palpable. “I’ve always said it: the second place I would go after Hermosillo is Madrid,” he confessed, making clear the special place this city holds in his heart. One of the first surprises of the night was the live performance of “Recorrerte,” a song in collaboration with Sen Senra that he described as “sexy,” managing to arouse the audience’s emotions. The song, which has not yet been officially released, will be part of the Galician artist’s album PO2054AZ, VOL. II of the Galician artist, scheduled for release on November 15.
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One of the most emotional moments of the night came with the presence of his great friend and mentor, Álex Ubago, with whom León shared a special bond since he invited him to his birthday party in San Carlos, Sonora last July. Together they performed two of Ubago’s classics, “A Gritos de Esperanza” and “¿Qué Pides Tú?,” in a tribute to the influence that Spanish music has had on the Sonoran’s career. “What a dream to share with the artists I admire, long live Spain and long live its artists and music,” exclaimed León, visibly moved.
The connection between the two artists was reinforced with a dedication by León to those affected in Valencia by the DANA (a meteorological phenomenon that usually causes heavy rains and recently caused a tragedy in the region). “Life is sometimes very uncertain and very unfair. I want to dedicate this concert to the people of Valencia,” he said, receiving a standing ovation from the audience. “More than a minute of silence, I want an eternity of joy. Long live Valencia and this song goes with much affection and respect,” he added before performing “Vida Pasada.”
After singing “Por Culpa De Un Tercero”, the venue rumbled with the arrival of another of the stars of the night: Pablo Alborán. Together they performed “Viaje a Ningún Lado” in a duet that showed their mutual respect and admiration. “This man is a bully, how you sing!” joked León, to which Alborán responded with a wink: “For me, being together on stage in Madrid, there is no better place.” In this musical communion, the artists gave each other another joint performance, “De Piedra a Papel”, which became one of the most acclaimed moments of the evening.
Among the special guests was also Omar Montes, who performed with León the song “Ron con Coca” and, in a tone of admiration, said: “How proud of you, Carin León, who comes to Spain and breaks more than the Spaniards. You deserve all the good things that are happening to you.”
The night progressed with a series of hits, such as “Que Vuelvas,” “Talento de Televisión,” “Tóxico” and “Aviso Importante.” But the energy reached another level with the arrival of Manuel Carrasco. Together, they performed their collaboration “No Me Llores”, as well as a little-known gem by Carrasco that the Mexican himself asked him to sing, “Yo Te Vi Pasar,” which reflected the palpable chemistry between the two artists. “I’m delighted in front of so many beautiful people at your party. Let’s enjoy, brother,” exclaimed Carrasco, infecting the audience with his enthusiasm.
The musical display continued with a surprising version of Enrique Urquijo’s classic “Aunque Tú No lo Sepas,” to which León added his unique style. And, to close the night, the León could not leave out one of his most beloved anthems, “Primera Cita,” which sealed a spectacular debut in the Spanish capital.
“More than faith, I’m sure there will be more dates like this one,” anticipated León, before saying goodbye.
The next destination of his Boca Chueca Tour is London, this Sunday, November 3, followed by Amsterdam and Paris, on November 4 and 5, respectively.
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
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This week, Lil Uzi Vert blasts off to a new world, The Weeknd gets edgy with Anitta, and Shawn Mendes hoists up a “Heart of Gold.” Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Lil Uzi Vert, Eternal Atake 2
Eternal Atake arrived in 2020 as a breathless amalgamation of Lil Uzi Vert’s elastic flows and forward-thinking ideas, a rap enigma blooming into a superstar; its sequel, which follows last year’s Pink Tape, harkens back to its predecessor at times — “Chill Bae” belongs alongside his older melodic masterworks — but also forges ahead with more tumbling bars, spaced-out beats and braggadocio.
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The Weeknd feat. Anitta, “São Paulo”
“São Paulo,” the high-wattage new team-up between The Weeknd and Anitta, immediately justifies its Halloween release: within the opening minute, a sinister synth arrangement prod at Abel Tesfaye as he gasps out, “Every time I try to run, you put your curse all over me.” Soon, “São Paulo” widens its stance and shape-shifts, offering throbbing percussion and Latin flourishes while never dropping its eeriest undertones.
Shawn Mendes, “Heart of Gold”
“Heart of Gold” is the moment in which Shawn Mendes’ sonic pivot to rootsy folk-rock catches up to his natural songwriting ability: a grief-stricken reflection on a friend he couldn’t help in time, the single boasts a myriad of moving images as well as the strongest hook of Mendes’ latest era.
The Cure, Songs of a Lost World
With Songs of a Lost World, the Cure’s first studio album in a whopping 16 years, Robert Smith and co. have offered the ideal project for longtime fans: a no-dust-detected presentation of the goth-rock greats’ classic sound, but with interesting new wrinkles, including the sweeping, 10-minute epic “Endsong” to close out the new affair.
Champion, Skrillex, Four Tet & Naisha, “Talk to Me”
Any time that Skrillex and Four Tet’s names appear together on a new track, the dance world is going to pay attention — and sure enough, “Talk to Me,” a new collaboration with British producer Champion and singer-songwriter Naisha, represents a squiggly autumnal banger, with streamlined instrumentation that dismisses the notion of a too-crowded studio.
Future & Travis Scott, “South of France (Remix)”
Future’s victory lap is not done: after triumphing with his pair of Metro Boomin albums, We Don’t Trust You and We Still Don’t Trust You, and then serving up solo revelry on Mixtape Pluto, the latter project’s “South of France” has received a remix featuring Travis Scott, with both A-listers gliding over the burbling beat.
Megan Moroney, Blue Christmas… Duh
A few months after returning with Am I Okay?, Megan Moroney is quickly back to ring in the start of the holiday season with Blue Christmas… Duh, a three-song EP featuring a pair of originals from the country star (the delicious “All I Want for Christmas is a Cowboy” and heartfelt “Christmas Morning”), as well as, duh, a cover of “Blue Christmas.”
Editor’s Pick: Ethel Cain, “Punish”
If Preacher’s Daughter, Ethel Cain’s superb 2022 album, toyed with the ideas of pop structure and classic American iconography, “Punish” suggests that she’s prepared to explode all expectations for her next move: a nearly 7-minute drone song that starts with fragile beauty and builds up to eardrum-rattling noise, “Punish” showcases Cain’s talent while legitimately surprising the listeners — always a good thing.
Jennifer Lopez introduced Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris at a rally in Las Vegas on Thursday night (Oct. 31), imploring the audience to take a hard look at the stark differences between the sitting Vice President and twice impeached former President Donald Trump.
“At Madison Square Garden, he reminded us who he really is and how he really feels,” Lopez said of Trump in reference to his rally at MSG on Sunday in which a comedian told a succession of racist and sexist jokes, including one in which he referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage.”
“It wasn’t just Puerto Ricans who were offended that day, OK? It was every Latino in this country, it was humanity and anyone of decent character,” said Lopez, who endorsed Harris this week. The offensive comment from the comedian who also made an off-color joke about the O.J. Simpson murders tied to Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, set up more than a dozen other opening speakers who warmed up the crowd for Trump with equally offensive comments. One referred to Democrats as “degenerates… low-lives [and] Jew-haters,” while fired Fox News host Tucker Carlson purposely misstated Harris’ heritage by calling her the “first Samoan Malaysian low IQ, former California prosecutor to ever be elected President.”
The Puerto Rico slur, in particular, drove endorsements for Harris from Lopez, as well as P.R. natives Bad Bunny, Ricky Martin and Luis Fonsi. Nicky Jam, who was born in Massachusetts to a P.R.-native father, withdrew his previous endorsement of Trump to throw in with the Harris/Walz campaign amid the wave of anger over the slur about the U.S. territory whose 3.2 million residents are U.S. citizens, but who cannot vote in elections. Lopez stressed that she was not on stage supporting Harris at the event in the crucial swing state “to trash anyone or bring them down.”
But with just days before Tuesday’s (Nov. 5) election, the singer explained, “I know what that can feel like and I wouldn’t do it to my worst enemy, or even when facing the biggest adversary I think America has internally ever had,” in reference to convicted felon Trump, who has vowed to use the engines of presidential power to take vengeance on his political enemies if re-elected. “But over Kamala Harris’ entire career, she has proven to us who she is. She has shown up for us every day, for the people. And it’s time for us to show up for her.”
Lopez noted that her parents were born in Puerto Rico and moved to New York before she was born, saying, “We are Americans. I am a mother. I am a sister. I am an actor and an entertainer and I like Hollywood endings. I like when the good guy, or in this case the good girl, wins. And with an understanding of our past and a faith in our future, I will be casting my ballot for Kamala Harris for president of the United States proudly.”
She also added, “You can’t even spell American without ‘Rican.”
Pollsters continue to call the contest between Harris and former reality TV host Trump a toss-up, which might also explain why Harris invited Lopez and Mexican rock band Maná — who performed at Thursday’s rally — to join her in a state where Latinos represent around 30% of the population; across the country an estimated 36.2 million Latinos are eligible to vote this year. Earlier in the day, Los Tigres del Norte performed at a Harris rally in Phoenix.
While Lopez and Harris were encouraging people to vote, Trump staged a stunt in Green Bay, WI in which he dressed up like a garbage collector in an orange vest and drove in circles on an airport tarmac in a Trump-branded garbage truck. His campaign said it was in an effort to call attention to a video of President Biden saying “the only garbage I see floating out there is his supporter,” which the White House later clarified was a reference to the other speakers at Trump’s rally.
“His demonization of Latinos is unconscionable, and it’s un-American. It’s totally contrary to everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been,” Biden added.
Check out video and photos of Lopez at the Harris campaign below.
Grammy winners Brandy Clark, Kirk Franklin, David Frost, Robert Gordon, Kylie Minogue, Victoria Monét, Gaby Moreno, Deanie Parker, Ben Platt, Mark Ronson and Hayley Williams; Grammy-nominated comedian Jim Gaffigan; Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr.; and CBS Mornings host Gayle King are set to announce the 67th annual Grammy Awards nominees on Friday Nov. 8, […]
NBC will be ringing in the holiday season with A Motown Christmas. Hosted by Smokey Robinson and Halle Bailey, the two-hour special will feature Motown legends and contemporary stars performing more than 25 of the label’s timeless hits as well as holiday favorites. A Motown Christmas will air Dec. 11 (9 p.m. ET/PT) on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
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In addition to Robinson, the lineup of Motown legends who will be performing includes Gladys Knight, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas and the Temptations. Besides Bailey, the contemporary stars also sharing the stage are Ashanti, Andra Day, BeBe Winans, Jamie Foxx, JoJo, Jordin Sparks, mgk, October London and Pentatonix.
Among the special’s musical highlights: a selection of chart-topping hits such as “My Girl,” “Tears of a Clown” and “ABC”; tributes to Diana Ross and The Supremes, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder; a new rendition of “Last Christmas” by mgk; a salute to Motown founder Berry Gordy by Day and a world exclusive performance from the Broadway company MJ the Musical
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In a statement, NBCUniversal Entertainment’s executive vp of live events & specials Jen Neal said, “Motown’s timeless hits have played as a soundtrack for American families for the last six decades. NBC is honored to spotlight the iconic legacy of Motown with a festive celebration for the holiday season.”
A Motown Christmas is executive produced by actress/director/choreographer Debbie Allen and former Motown Productions president Suzanne de Passe and Madison Jones of De Passe Jones Entertainment. Leading production of the telecast is SpringHill; musical director is Rickey Minor.
“We’re excited to usher in the holiday spirit by bringing nostalgic performances and fresh renditions of Motown hits to homes across the world,” said SpringHill CCO Jamal Henderson. In the same announcement release, de Passe added, “I’m delighted to join Debbie Allen, SpringHill and NBC to bring Motown music, great artists and warm, family feelings together in a grand celebration of Christmas.”
Noted Allen, “I’m thrilled to be back in the saddle with Motown and Suzanne de Passe to bring to the world this much-needed holiday family special. The music of Motown has always been magical, and we are going to sing and dance everyone into Christmas joy!”
Prior to A Motown Christmas, NBC has aired two Motown television specials: Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever and Motown Returns to the Apollo. Each won the Emmy Award for outstanding music or comedy program.
Among Texas born-and-raised entertainer Cody Johnson’s five nominations at the upcoming CMA Awards is an album of the year nomination for his 2023 Warner Music Nashville/CoJo Music project Leather, which spurred the No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hit “The Painter” and the top five hit “Dirt Cheap.”
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Just a year removed from that album’s release, Johnson is already building on that work with the Leather Deluxe Edition, featuring 13 more songs, out today (Friday, Nov. 1).
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With Leather, Johnson aimed to create a work that represented his creative vision at that moment — a project worthy of an album of the year nomination — whereas the additional songs as part of the deluxe album offer Johnson a broader palette for exploration, musically and sonically, fusing elements of rock, ‘90s country, bluegrass and even blues.
“I wanted to have fun with Deluxe,” Johnson tells Billboard. “If you were to listen to one through 12 [on Leather] and then one through 13 [the deluxe version], it should all go together and it should make you feel like we put out two different things, but it should be something that’s kind of cohesive as one big piece.”
Even before partnering with one of Nashville’s powerhouse major labels in 2019, Johnson had already independently issued a half a dozen projects on his own CoJo label. He broke through to mainstream country radio success with 2018’s top 5 Country Airplay hit “On My Way to You,” rang the bell with his first Country Airplay No. 1 hit “’Til You Can’t” in 2021 and expanded on those laurels with Leather.
Along the way, pairing those releases and hits with steady-handed touring and his hard-charging, energetic stage show has aided in building Johnson’s reputation as one of traditional country music’s tip-of-the-spear torchbearers.
He’s also fast gaining prominence as a go-to artist for any songwriter with their sights set on potential awards recognition. The Johnson-recorded “’Til You Can’t” earned a Grammy for best country song. Two other Johnson-recorded songs, “Dirt Cheap” (written by Josh Phillips) and “The Painter” (written by Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins and Ryan Larkins) are contenders for CMA song of the year (the honor goes to the writers).
On his deluxe album, Johnson contributed writing to a trio of songs, “The Mustang,” “Georgia Peaches” and “Country Boy Singin’ the Blues,” but as with his previous albums, he largely turned to Nashville’s top-flight songwriters. Whether he is a writer on a particular song or not, he delivers each with his straightforward candor.
Another standout on Leather Deluxe Edition is the cinematic “The Fall,” which lays out an arc of triumphs over setbacks, heartbreaks, and failures.
“You can visualize a movie in your head when you listen to it and everybody’s story is a little bit different…that’s kind of the story of my life,” Johnson says, quoting a few of the song’s lyrics. “’The ride was worth the fall. The fall was worth the smiles. The smiles are worth the tears. The tears are worth the miles.’ [Durango Artist Management’s] Scott Gunter played me the demo and I just had tears in my eyes. It made me sit down and listen, just visualizing things I’ve been through, the climb and the fall and getting back up again and persevering. It’s a very well-written song.”
“I’m Gonna Love You,” an eight-year-old song, had previously been pitched to Carrie Underwood, before it made its way to Johnson, who asked Underwood to collaborate on the song with him.
“I had no idea that she had even heard the song,” Johnson says, adding, “When I sent it over to them, she was like, ‘Well this is the second time this song has made its way into my life.’ I think it’s a God thing. I think we were meant to sing that song together and the timing was right. And it could almost be a pop crossover, it has that feel to it, but we’re singing it like a gospel song.”
Both Johnson and Oklahoma native Underwood possess powerful voices, but he says their work together laying down the lead vocals and harmonies was easy: “A lot of times when you get big singers in the same studio, it can turn into a ‘who outsang who’ thing, but this was not the case. And I have a lot of respect for her as a person and as a vocalist.”
His prolific release of songs over the past year does present the task of continually updating his setlist, especially as he will launch his Leather Deluxe Tour in 2025, which will includes shows in Australia and New Zealand.
“There are a few songs that have similar values,” he says. “To me, ‘People in the Back’ from Leather is a huge live song, the rock moment. ‘How Do You Sleep at Night’ from the deluxe edition has a lot of that same value. There will be sections of the set that I will move stuff in and move stuff out. Because my set list is very strategically organized as far as the feeling of the crowd. But then again, with songs like [2011’s] ‘Diamond in My Pocket,’ it’s hard not to play that song.”
Another fan favorite that occasionally makes it into Johnson’s setlist is a cover version of The Chicks’ “Travelin’ Soldier” — but while fans have regularly asked for him to release a recorded version of the song, Johnson says, “I kind of think just let it live in the moment. If you try to overthink it, sometimes it might not turn out the way you want. I think there’s a live version out there. Until people just absolutely beat my door down and say ‘You gotta put this on there.’ There’s a cover I have in mind for my next album and it’s probably something nobody’s going to expect, but that will be another moment. We may never do that one live and just kind of keep people guessing.”
Just how to work in the Underwood duet into Johnson’s solo headlining sets presents somewhat of a challenge for an artist who has fashioned a career dedicated to giving fans authentic musicianship.
“My band and I don’t run tracks. We don’t have a single track onstage,” Johnson says. “But I think this is a track that if we run a video wall [featuring Underwood] and have her voice there, I think that’s an obvious track. It’s one thing if you’re listening to a band, you hear fiddle and there’s no fiddle — that’s just a track, man, and we ain’t never doing that. But if you obviously know that Carrie Underwood is not there [at the show] … I think that that might be the one that we can pull it off and say, ‘Look, come on. Y’all knew she wasn’t here. We’re just doing this so we can play the song for you, and it’s going to sound really weird if I sing it by myself.’”
In 2021, the Shaun Silva-directed documentary Dear Rodeo: The Cody Johnson Story spotlighted his journey from professional bull rider and corrections officer to arena-headlining, country music hitmaker. More recently, Johnson has been in talks with Yellowstone creator/director Taylor Sheridan about upcoming projects. Though there is nothing official in the works at the moment, Johnson says he is interested in prospects as an actor.
“I think I could play the villain just as well as I could play the hero,” he says. “I love movies and cinema, and hunting for little Easter eggs in the movie. I think it doesn’t matter what kind of part I get, I’ll try my best in that role.”
For now, Johnson is focused on two of his first loves: music and roping. A few weeks ago, Johnson launched the inaugural CoJo Open Team Roping event in Belton, Texas.
“This will be an annual thing,” Johnson says. “I think it was a huge success, and it was important for me to have something like that in the western world to not only give back to charities, but to give back to the rodeo and a cowboy, western way of life for these guys that live the same life I do. I just happen to play music on the weekends and be on camera and go across the world doing all that stuff. But at my core, that’s who I am, is a cowboy.”
Whether onstage or in the riding arena, the father of two is mindful of the message of ambition, resilience, and a dogged work ethic he’s sending to the next generation.
“I think it’s also important for kids to see me on stage and on TV, but then watch me go out there and battle it out in the arena. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but [it’s about being able] to keep the same head on your shoulders and say, ‘Look, if we were roping tomorrow, I’d be back tomorrow competing.’”