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Stevie Nicks has been using her platform to encourage political activism in her fans, but she explained that she wasn’t always an active voter.
In a new interview with MSNBC, the 76-year-old “Edge of Seventeen” icon opened up about not voting util six years ago. “I never voted until I was 70, but I regret that. I’ve told everybody that onstage for the last two years,” she said. “I regret that and I don’t have very many regrets. There’s so many reasons. You can say, ‘Oh, I didn’t have time. I was this and that.’ In the long run, you didn’t have an hour? You didn’t have an hour of your time that you could have gone and voted.”
She also discussed the inspiration behind her recently released track, “The Lighthouse,” a song inspired by the fight for abortion access following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. “We have to find a way to bring back Roe vs. Wade,” she explained, noting that musicians should speak out more about causes in their music. “In the end of the 50s and 60s and into the 70s, everyone was writing protest songs. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Stephen Stills — it was lots and lots and lots. I would say to all my musical poets that write songs to write some songs about what’s happening like I did.”
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Nicks added, “Whoever wins, the lighthouse needs to keep shining its light and keep those ships from crashing into the rocks. That’s my idea of the lighthouse being a protector, protecting all those boats and ships that are coming in.”
Watch the full interview here.
In September, the Fleetwood Mac singer followed in Taylor Swift’s footsteps to endorse Kamala Harris for the presidential election. “As my friend @taylorswift so eloquently stated, now is the time to research and choose the candidate that speaks to you and your beliefs,” Nicks wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of herself with her tiny canine.
“Only 54 days left until the election,” she continued. “Make sure you are registered to vote! Your vote in this election may be one of the most important things you ever do.”
It’s a classic love song, steady and true, delivered so crisply by its A-list vocalists that its unconventionality goes almost unnoticed.
Cody Johnson and Carrie Underwood debuted at No. 13 on the Hot Country Songs chart dated Oct. 12 with “I’m Gonna Love You,” blessed by a Randy Travis-like forever-and-ever lyric, applied to a musical foundation that blends several classic styles.
“It’s big, like a pop song,” Johnson says. “It kind of feels like a blues song, but we sing it like a gospel song.”
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They make it sound standard, too. But it’s not. For starters, the time signature moves around a bit. The verses alternate between 3/4 and 4/4 bars until their conclusion, when the “I’m gonna love you” hook arrives with backto-back waltz-time measures. Then, they ease into a 4/4 chorus — if, that is, the song actually has a chorus. It does have an uplifting, fourline stanza that fills the space where a chorus normally sits. But that section doesn’t include the hook and never makes it to the root chord. Instead, it resolves into the next verse, which ends up feeling like an extension of the chorus.
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“I consider that to be a bridge that you repeat, even though it does feel like the chorus,” says songwriter Chris Stevens (“Everything’s Gonna Be Alright”). “You can label it any way you want.”
“I’m Gonna Love You” took a long time to make it from creation into the public sphere, owing its earliest seeds of inspiration to the 2016 Dixie Chicks tour. (The band has since renamed itself The Chicks.)
Songwriter Kelly Archer (“Sleep Without You,” “Wild As Her”) saw them in Chicago on June 5, and Travis Denning saw them twice in August, in Atlanta and in Nashville. The morning after the Bridgestone Arena show, Denning and Archer met at Stevens’ writing room at Starstruck. When The Chicks became a topic, they discussed their propensity for simple, to-the-point choruses, matched with deeper verses. They decided to write with that approach, and Archer suggested “I’m Gonna Love You” as the simple title.
The process, however, was time-consuming. “We wanted to make sure that it was not only for your significant other,” Archer says, “but to your children, to anybody you love, to your parents, whoever.”
They worked on it until at least 5:30 p.m., building it sequentially with steady-and-true focus. The opening verse explored the dependability of the universe, with its stars, sun and moon. Verse two brought the story into Earth’s atmosphere, with birds, snow and April rain. In its finale, they narrowed the lens even further on the song’s couple, noting that even as the pair grows gray and weathered, its bond will remain firm.
“Everything just sort of fell together like puzzle pieces,” Archer says. “One line led to the next line, which led to the next line, which led to the next line, and then we put a big old solo in the middle of it.”
Stevens developed the pulsing keyboard part, changing the harmonic tuning on the third note of each 3/4-and-4/4 couplet in a way that created a gospel undertone. And Archer offered a key line in the bridge-like chorus, “Steady and true like a Bible verse,” that amplified that feel.
“It brought in another layer of depth to what the message was in the song, and not even necessarily religiously,” Denning says. “Like, when I think of a Bible verse, I think of tradition; I think of the test of time.”
Denning sang the demo that day and played a languid guitar solo, emulating Vince Gill’s melodic style. “I don’t know if anybody gets more out of single notes in country music as a guitar player than he does,” Denning says. “He can shred. I mean, he can do it all. But I think when he does that emotional thing, there’s nobody who does it better.”
Once Archer added harmonies, Denning realized they had something special. Stevens figured that out as he wrapped the demo’s production that night. “I had a panic attack,” he says. “I got this flood of adrenaline because I felt like there was a life to this. The song was coming to life as something that would be important in my career.”
“I’m Gonna Love You” was one of the three songs Denning recorded for a demo that helped him secure a recording deal the next year with Mercury Nashville. Early on, he boldly asked if Underwood would join him on a duet version — “They gave me the nicest answer of ‘no’ ever,” he says — and it got pitched separately to her as well.
“I thought it was a beautiful song,” Underwood remembers, “but I felt like it might be better for a male artist to sing, plus it didn’t really fit with the direction of where my new album at the time was going.”
When Johnson was shopping for a label in 2018, a Big Machine executive played it for him as an example of the kinds of songs they would bring him. He ultimately signed with Warner Music Nashville (WMN), but he periodically asked about the song. Denning eventually recorded it, but felt he needed to properly set up his career before releasing it. The pandemic threw a wrench into his plans, and in 2022, he finally let Johnson have it. Johnson had started a friendship with Underwood at the 2022 CMT Music Awards and thought she was the right vocal partner. She agreed.
Producer Trent Willmon (Granger Smith, Drake Milligan) cut it in two different keys in March 2023, and Underwood FaceTimed into the studio during the session to listen. She picked the lower key, a choice that would cast her voice in a new way. “[Her] voice has this sultry, Aretha Franklin-type quality to it in this key,” Johnson says. “I thought it was a piece of Carrie that we haven’t seen yet.”
The band played simply, framing the melody without drawing attention to itself, and Johnson was present when Underwood came into the studio later to overdub her part. During playback, Johnson sensed she was dissatisfied, and when asked, she said she would prefer they sing it together. “For me, the best possible situation is always when whoever I’m singing with, that we have the luxury of recording our vocals together,” she says. “I think that’s when the real magic happens.”
They each got into a vocal booth, able to see each other through the glass, and once they locked in, Willmon estimates that 95% of the vocal comes from one single performance. “It just reiterated why I love making music for a living,” he says.
Willmon turned to Gill for the solo, and he gave it the same kind of melodic, soulful phrasing that Denning would have expected. “He was out on tour with the Eagles, and it took him a minute to get to it,” Willmon recalls. “He played that solo, and it’s funny. He leaves this message: ‘Hey, T man, I just played what I felt like it needed, and if you don’t use it, I’m fine with it. It wouldn’t be the first time Carrie Underwood fired me.’ ”
The duet was held back from Johnson’s Leather album since its release didn’t fit Underwood’s timeline. WMN put out “The Painter” and “Dirt Cheap” instead, saving “I’m Gonna Love You” for Leather Deluxe, due Nov. 1. The duet was released Sept. 27, and it’s at No. 32 on Country Airplay and No. 21 on Hot Country Songs. Eight years after its creation and six years after Johnson started asking about it, “I’m Gonna Love You” is performing as he had hoped.
“I’ve been waiting,” Johnson says. “I’ve been chomping at the bit for this one.”
GloRilla may have never graduated from college, but she’s taking her talents to 2025’s Honda Battle of the Bands in Los Angeles next February. Big Glo is slated to close out the Honda Battle of the Bands event with an electrifying performance on Feb. 1 at SoFi Stadium. The competition will feature six Historically Black […]
When Janelle Monáe sang that she was “an alien from outer space” on 2008’s “Violet Stars Happy Hunting,” she meant it — she so committed to the bit, in fact, that her lyric is paying off 16 years later. On Wednesday (Oct. 30), Monáe showed off her photo-realistic costume for Halloween 2024, where she dressed […]
50 Cent continues to troll Jay-Z and Diddy.
While sitting down with The Breakfast Club on Tuesday (Oct. 29), the subject of Diddy came up, and Charlamagne Tha God asked the Queens rapper and filmmaker about a meme that said he ghostwrote verses for the fallen mogul on the songs “Let’s Get It” and “I Get Money (Forbes 1, 2, 3 Remix)” that sound like confessions.
First, Charlamagne played the beginning of Diddy’s verse on G. Dep‘s “Let’s Get It” where he raps, “Call me Diddy, I run this city/Send the cops, the D.A. and feds to come get me,” which 50 laughed off and said, “I didn’t tell him to say that.”
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He then plays the start of Diddy’s verse on the “I Get Money” remix where the Bad Boy boss spits, “Bo knows but Diddy did it/ Cars, jewelry and big homes, yeah, Diddy did it/ Shootouts, coastal beefs, yeah, Diddy did it/ But my lawyer’s so good that Diddy got acquitted.” 50 then immediately reveals that he got help with that verse from Jay-Z. “Jay helped me with that,” he said. “Jay did that part right there where he said, ‘Shootouts, coastal beefs.’ I wasn’t around for that, that was like East Coast/West Coast.” He then brought up Keefe D, who’s currently incarcerated for 2Pac‘s murder and who has long claimed that Diddy was allegedly involved in some way.
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50 then added, “There were certain things he wanted to say and Jay knew he wanted to insert it into the record,” he claimed. “He would be like, ‘Yo, put this in there.’ ‘Cause his mind is formatted like that. Now, artists freestyle and freestyle and freestyle — Jay remembers the idea in his head so he can just say it without writing it down.”
According, to 50 Cent, he tried to stay to himself once he got his second chance at a rapper career when he was scorching hot after his mixtape run got him a deal with Dr. Dre and Eminem. “I really don’t trust a lot of the people,” he admitted. “I was so hot, it was clear I was under investigation.”
50 has been very vocal about Diddy and the allegations made against him over the years and even has a documentary centered around them coming to Netflix.
You can watch the full interview below:
Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors spotlight a group of rising 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 latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes a wave of emerging artists, we came across at the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week in Miami, which took place Oct. 14-18. See our recommendations this month below:
Artist: Alex Ponce
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Country: Ecuador
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: If you saw an artist wearing large light blue over-ear headphones during Billboard Latin Music Week, you may already be familiar with Alex Ponce. This Ecuadorian singer-songwriter has been making waves on social media with his videos. He used this year’s conference not only to meet new people and forge connections but also to showcase his latest single, “La Sin Sentimientos,” featuring Blanko. His style is impressive, blending elements of regional Mexican music with innovative electronic sounds, fresh vocals, and upbeat pop influences. This combination creates a vibrant sound that could easily become a new party anthem. — INGRID FAJARDO
Song for your playlist: “La Sin Sentimientos”
Artist: Dany Deglein
Country: Bolivia
Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Dany Deglein, a Bolivian artist with a decade of solo career success in his native country, is reinventing his music after a transformative sabbatical into eco-tourism, according to a Mexican publication. His roots in the music of his native surroundings are evident in his pop fusions that feature traditional Bolivian instruments, like the charango. A standout track, “Mala,” celebrates this instrument — a small Andean guitar-like piece that usually has an armadillo shell for its body — in a festive song about empowerment after breakups. Deglein, who Billboard Español connected with during Latin Music week, is actively involved in humanitarian causes, utilizing his music as a force for social change. Deglein’s narrative and sound are both poignant and playful, securing his place as an artist to watch. — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Song For Your Playlist: “Mala”
Artist: Grupo Diez 4tro
Country: Mexico
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Grupo Diez 4tro, helmed by vocalist Jesus “Moreno,” was founded in 2020 in Sacramento, Calif. With its innovative and distinctive fusion of drill rap and Música Mexicana, Moreno brought to life a subgenre he dubbed “Drilla Corridos.” Some of Grupo Diez 4tro’s earlier and viral hits include “En El Refuego” and “Los Hermanos,” gaining traction in countries such as the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala. After kicking off its music career, Diez 4tro unleashed three albums: Consejos de la Vida (2022), Blanco (2023), and Rojo (2023). In the midst of attending his first-ever Billboard Latin Music Week, “Moreno” dropped his latest single “Dile,” which captures a romantic corrido tune about falling in love with a girl and encouraging her to tell her parents that they will get married. — JESSICA ROIZ
Song For Your Playlist: “Dile”
Artist: L+U
Country: Venezuela / Italy
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Formed by Italian songstress Luisa Maggioni and Venezuelan artist Claudio Urdaneta (who also has German and Salvadoran roots), L+U is a husband and wife duo that goes beyond just a talented couple. Maggioni—who was a chorist for Phil Collins and participated in “The Voice Italy”—is a survivor of anorexia. Urdaneta—a studied musician who toured the world with Michael Franti & Spearhead—battled with depression when he migrated to the U.S. Today, after meeting in Miami and getting married in 2022, the duo is creating Spanish pop-rock music with purpose. “We channel our life experiences, along with our love for each other, into positive music that explores themes of mental health, resilience, and love,” the duo tells Billboard. “Our hope is that our songs can add something meaningful to the lives of our listeners.” — J.R.
Song For Your Playlist: “Espejo”
Artist: LI-C
Country: Cuba
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Cuban-born artist LI-C is a studied singer and musician, who after taking vocal classes and learning to play the clarinet, became a music professor herself. In Cuba, she formed part of a musical group, having the opportunity to take her talent to Asia. Now residing in Miami, the artist born Lisandra Rondon officially launched her music career this year with her debut album Mariposa (Butterfly). Sonically, the 12-track set helmed by hitmakers La Companioni and Nando Pro, laces LI-C’s captivating vocals with fusions of reggaeton, afrobeat, salsa, and pop. Lyrically, she honors her album’s name, singing about personal growth, self-love, and happiness. LI-C took full advantage at her first Billboard Latin Music Week, where she attended with her managers, networked with her colleagues, learned from this year’s panelists, and even asked a question during the “Billboard Ask Anything” panel. — J.R.
Song For Your Playlist: “Mi Propiedad”
Artist: Lulita (Alexandra Kirtchuk)
Country: Argentina/U.S.
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: With a privileged lyrical voice, Lulita — a New Yorker of Argentine-Israeli descent — fuses the sounds of her ancestors to create inspiring music. Graduated from the renowned LaGuardia High School, she studied international relations before moving to Buenos Aires to learn tango and folklore. With influences as eclectic as the Gipsy Kings, Buena Vista Social Club, Mercedes Sosa and Gilberto Gil, Lulita presents a truly interesting offering. She will release on Nov. 22 her first EP, Alexandra, with songs of the Argentine folklore and fragments of family interviews in Argentina and Jewish prayers in Israel. Meanwhile, you can listen to her on Spotify performing a song titled “song of simple things.” — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS
Song For Your Playlist: “canción de las simples cosas”
Artist: Milo Campos
Country: México
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Milo is a Mexican producer and singer-songwriter who is making a name for himself in the music industry. He started his career as a songwriter for various artists, including Banda Los Sebastianes, Edwin Luna, and Luis “Potro” Caballero, among others in Mexico. Known for his unique storytelling through music, he released his solo album Lotería this year. This eight-track concept LP is inspired by the traditional Mexican game of Lotería, with each track corresponding to a specific card name, such as “El Valiente,” “La Sirena,” and “El Borracho.” The album features a blend of regional Mexican music, including huapango, trap, salsa, norteño, and even reggaetón, all written and produced by Milo himself.
Song For Your Playlist: “El Borracho”
Artist: Nathalie Blain
Country: Ecuador
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Nathalie Blain traveled from her native Ecuador to Miami to introduce her music project to colleagues and industry leaders. The emerging artist and professional dancer kicked off her singing career in 2023 and counts with five singles up to now. She’s also opened shows for Greeicy and Jorge Celedon. From her debut single “Si Te Hubieras Quedado” to her latest collaboration, “Contigo” with Andres Molina, Blain easily navigates different genres such as bolero, R&B, cumbia, and reggaetón. In her lyrics, she opens up about personal experiences that broke her but also shaped her. “I spent a lot of time repressing my emotions until music found me again and resurrected me little by little,” her Spotify profile notes. “Through music I let myself feel, I give myself over to the feeling and the emotion, I don’t resist and that frees me.” — J.R.
Song For Your Playlist: “Si Te Hubieras Quedado”
Artist: Nik Salazar
Country: Colombia
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: I briefly met Nik last year during Billboard Latin Week 2023, and then in Puerto Rico, I had the opportunity to check out more on his music further at an event for Premios Juventud. I’ve been following his recent releases, and we caught up again during this year’s Billboard Latin Music Week. During that time, he met new colleagues and gained more insights into his career while continuously working on his music and projects. Nik started writing at the age of 11 and studied music in Bogotá, Colombia where he has been honing his songwriting skills over the years. One thing I’ve noticed about him, in addition to his incredible talent and charming charisma, is his determination to advocate for his project. His latest work, “Los Santos,” beautifully blends sensual pop with an urban touch, showcasing his sweet voice. — I.F.
Song for your playlist: “Los Santos”
Artist: Pedro El Rapero
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Without a doubt, Pedro El Rapero left a mark at Billboard Latin Music Week by creating an unforgettable moment during J Balvin’s Superstar Q&A. The 13-year-old took the stage during the panel to show the Colombian artist his rap skills, performing his infectious song “Retro 1.” Hailing from the city of Barquisimeto, the youngster already performed at the Poliedro de Caracas during a concert of El Alfa, a moment that opened doors for other performances in Venezuela, Argentina and Guatemala. A rapper but also a singer, and more than 250,000 followers on Instagram, he has released the five-song EP Alegría (2023) and has a new single titled “Hasta el final.” — S.R.A.
Song For Your Playlist: “Retro 1”
Artist: Steffania Uttaro
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: The 27-year-old singer-songwriter from Venezuela has already made some waves in the music industry, particularly in Argentina, where she currently resides. She was a semi-finalist on the third season of La Voz Argentina in 2021. Now, she’s looking to branch out and expand her reach, which is what led her to travel to the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week. Most recently, she released her debut album, titled Amor del Bueno y Del Otro También, which showcases her light yet wide-ranging vocals, and her versatile musical palette dabbling in ballads, pop and more rhythmic styles. — GRISELDA FLORES
Song For Your Playlist: “Veneno”
Artist: Zandú
Country: Venezuela
Why They Should Be on Your Radar: With a pop-urban sound and a pleasant voice and cadence, Colombian-Venezuelan singer and songwriter Zandú achieved notoriety in 2020 with the song alluding to the pandemic “Qué Cosa Tan Loca,” after his concerts from the balcony for his neighbors lead him to appear on different international news programs (as documented in its music video). But Zandú started much earlier, singing at folkloric music festivals and also in a salsa and merengue band. Born in Pregonero, Táchira, and currently living between Venezuela and Switzerland, he has released singles including “Combinas Conmigo” with Felipe Peláez and the song about mental health “Esta Me La Dedico,” as well as an EP titled Exhala in 2022. His most recent release is Error de Lectura, a six-song set in which he fuses contemporary sounds with music from the 90s.— S.R.A.
Song For Your Playlist: “Vas a Ver”
Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre are back. The West Coast icons announced on Wednesday (Oct. 30) that their Missionary album is slated to arrive on Dec. 13.
Snoop made the release date official with the unveiling of a hilarious trailer for the Doggystyle follow-up LP, which is fully produced by Dre.
“‘Missionary’ album drops 12.13. Produced by @drdre,” Snoop wrote to caption the clip.
In the video, a couple of men are going door-to-door preaching the Book of Mormon, but they’re left with their jaws on the floor when greeted by a woman in lingerie. “What the f–k? Your ad said you were dedicated to ‘missionary’ work,” she shouts before they run away in shock.
Snoop and Dre seem to be going in a different creative direction with their Missionary work. Following a few delays and a previously rumored November arrival, fans are excited the project has a concrete release date in December.
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Missionary is the first time Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg will unite on a full-length project since Snoop’s 1993 Doggystyle debut album. The superstar duo has remained tight-lipped regarding details of the LP, but some special guests expected to appear on the album include Sting and Jelly Roll.
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“We have Sting on the song. Man, it’s an amazing roster of artists that’s on this album. I shouldn’t have revealed that, to be honest,” Dre told Entertainment Tonight in August.
Jelly Roll gushed about the dream collaboration in an interview with Bootleg Kev earlier this month, where he confirmed his cameo.
“I won’t say anything about the record because he didn’t, but man, it’s special. It is really good,” he said. “I’m legitimately on the Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre album. It’s crazy. It’s unreal. Dude, Jimmy [Iovine] hits John [presumably Jelly Roll’s manager John Meneilly] and says, ‘Can we get on a FaceTime with Jelly Roll and Dre?’ I’m like, ‘Dr. Dre?’ I get on a FaceTime from my back porch. I’m like a kid. Jimmy’s there and I’m already like, ‘I cannot believe it’s Jimmy Iovine.’”
Watch the trailer for Missionary below.
On today’s (Oct. 30) episode of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century podcast, we reach No. 6 of our list with a pop star who became one of the great icons of the early 21st century — first as the artist behind a string of smash hits and unforgettable pop culture moments, then […]
Elvis Costello is fully in support of Olivia Rodrigo. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer shared his thoughts on Rodrigo’s Sour album opener, “Brutal,” which seemingly took inspiration from his angsty 1978 anthem “Pump It Up.” He told the publication that artists “allude to [the song] in […]
Nicky Jam is no longer supporting Donald Trump for president, the reggaetón hitmaker announced on Wednesday (Oct. 30) in a video he uploaded to his Instagram page. The message comes a month after the Massachusetts-born singer-songwriter had endorsed the Republican candidate and even spoke at one of his rallies in Las Vegas back in September. […]