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This week in dance music: Tokimonsta announced the cancellation of her fall tour and postponement of her new album, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan hit NYC with their Sweat tour, Massive Attack announced a new series of climate action gigs, artists including SG Lewis and Mary Droppinz were announced as players in the electronic industry charity soccer tournament Copa del Rave, Barry Can’t Swim released his blazing hot “Still Riding,” the posthumous Sophie album was surprise-released weeks before it was scheduled to drop, Dom Dolla scored six ARIA award nominations, Kylie Minogue talked about the bananas success of “Padam Padam” then released another dancefloor banger, we premiered a performance with DJ Mita Gami and a 37-person orchestra that happened at Burning Man last month, FORM Arcosanti dropped the set times for its upcoming fest and we spoke with the founder of an annual dance show for charity that happens on the Vanderbilt University campus in Nashville.
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Beyond that, so many albums! These are the best new dance projects of the week.
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Eli & Fur, Dreamscapes
The London-born, Los Angeles-based duo release their second album, Dreamscapes, with the project sounding as hypnotic and ethereal as its name suggests. The pair maintain a depth and delicacy throughout, even when they dial up the bass lines and BPM. Altogether it’s a sleek, sophisticated, no-skips effort, with a song for each phase of the night — from getting yourself ready, to falling in love on that dancefloor to the moment of sunrise that’s as much a feeling as a naturally occurring daily event. The pair play a tight trio of shows in Los Angeles, New York City and London starting Oct. 12.
Lane 8, Childish
Earlier this month it became clear something was happening, or about to happen, in the Lane 8 universe when the artist wiped his Instagram account. Not long after, an assemblage of footage of the producer as a child — playing the piano, dressed up for Halloween, pulling his sister in a wagon — was posted. Three days later, on Sept. 16, he announced his fifth studio album, Childish. There would be no singles, just a complete album, out today. The artist himself summarizes the project’s ethos best, writing that as he’s watched his own children become more creative, “I understand now how important creating has always been for my own mental well being, and my sense of pride and worth. I remember such vivid feelings of infinite possibility while creating as a kid.
“Thinking about all of this made me realize that my own approach to art has changed a lot over the years,” he continues. “When you make a living off your art, people need to like what you make for the whole thing to work. A pressure to please others starts to creep into the creative process, whether you want it to or not. It was only by watching our kids create that I fully appreciated how much my own process had changed. It hurt to admit it at first, but what followed was a new sense of liberation and motivation, because i knew it didn’t have to be that way.”
The 10-track project, which features collaborations with Kasablanca, Sultan + Shepherd and more, is out on Lane 8’s own This Never Happened label.
Ben Böhmer, Bloom
The inimitable Ben Böhmer returns with his third studio album, Bloom, a nine-track demonstration of all the depth, lushness and absolute feeling the German producer is a master of. Out on Ninja Tune, the project finds him collaborating with luminaries like Lykke Li, Oh Wonder and Enfant Sauvage, the producer who’s also one half of The Blaze. Together this latter artist and Böhmer absolutely send it one of the album’s centerpieces, “Evermore,” a cinematic showstopper that balances an exquisite string arrangement, a shimmering bridge and production with serious muscle. Böhmer plays this weekend at Portola in San Francisco.
TSHA, Sad Girl
Almost exactly two years after the release of her debut album, Capricorn Sun, TSHA returns with its followup, Sad Girl. The album, out on Ninja Tune, opens with a spoken word collab with London-based poet Dan Whitlam, who proclaims the album’s thesis statement, “sometimes the sad feels better than feeling good, and that’s okay.” And in a music scene that’s perpetually pushing ideas of dancing! and fun! and that any given night at the club just might be the greatest night of your life!, TSHA here acknowledges that life sometimes the world and the dancefloor get awful blue, too — expressing the idea over a dozen tracks, and for the first time putting her own vocals on a few of them. The punchy, swirly “Take” is a standout, and the album closes with the equally tough and stylish “Fight.”
Justice, “Neverender (Kaytranada Remix)”
“Neverender,” a single and standout from Justice’s April album Hyperdrama gets an edit from fellow master Kaytranada, who strips the song or much of its heft, trading out the punchy layers of the original and swapping them for echo-ey drums, strings and a lot of chimes. Kaytra’s airy take comes alongside another warm edit from Rampa of Keinemusic. In addition to all that, Justice has released a new video for the original “Neverender,” which bathes the eyes in vintage anime. Justice plays Portola in San Francisco this weekend and will make their Hollywood Bowl debut on October 4.
Lszee, Lszee
After months of hype, French bass titan CloZee and the proudly heady producer Lsdream release their collaborative self-titled album. Playing like ear salve for anyone who enjoys camping festivals, bass music and tie-dye (preferably all at the same time), the album melds each producer’s celestially-leaning, world music influenced and thoroughly pummeling styles into a groovy, deep, totally fun 13-track collection. The spacey “Wook Whistle” is a sly nod to the fact that these two know exactly in which realm their hardcore fans exist, with the pair headlining the genre nexus of Red Rock Amphitheatre on Oct. 5-6 before headlining the Brooklyn Mirage October 12.
On this week’s (Sept. 6) episode of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century podcast, we take a look at a pair of Tennessee natives: Fictional pop superstar turned IRL pop superstar Miley Cyrus (No. 15) and *NSYNC spotlight-stealer-turned-solo game-changer Justin Timberlake (No. 14). Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]
Lady Gaga wasn’t quite ready to let her Joker: Folie à Deux character go, so she created an accompanying 13-track album titled Harlequin.
Joker: Folie à Deux follows Phoenix’s return as Arthur Fleck, a.k.a the Joker, who is now confined in Arkham Asylum. There, he meets Gaga’s Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, and they form a powerfully chaotic bond with the goal of causing mayhem across Gotham City. Unlike the first Joker film, the sequel includes a series of musical numbers, which is where fans see Gaga in her element.
“This idea of dual identities was always something that was a part of my music making,” Gaga shared in a new interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe of the inspiration behind Harlequin. “I was always creating characters in my music and when I made Lee for Joker, she just really had this profound effect on me. The film had so much music in it, so much music that I love, and I was able to discover the character through the story, through the music that we did live every day as well as dance and the costumes and the makeup. So I kind of had this deep experience with the character and she just didn’t really leave me creatively and I decided I wanted to make a whole album inspired by her.”
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She continued, “She’s a really complex woman and I think, particularly as a woman in music and a female producer, it was really fun to go, ‘This album will be and I will be what I want, when I decide, whenever I feel like it. If I want it to be blues, it’ll be blues. If I want it to be funk, it’ll be funk. If I want it to be soul, it’ll be soul.’”
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The project features covers of old classics — including reimagined showtunes like “Good Morning” (Singing in the Rain) and “If My Friends Could See Me Now” (Sweet Charity) — and “celebrates a figure who thrives on danger, who lives for the undefinable, and who embraces the beautiful chaos of her own dreams,” per a press release. Harlequin also features two original songs, the dramatic waltz “Folie à Deux” and the acoustic ballad “Happy Mistake.”
“BloodPop and I had written this together and then I kind of took it to the next place,” she said of “Happy Mistake,” before adding, “It was all in the image of the character, but also kind of at the very core of her soul, which is really just me. Every character I play, it just has me as the gravity. I am wrestling, on that record, with a lot of feelings about so much that I’ve been through as an artist, everything I went through growing up in the public eye, and the industry since I was a teenager.”
Ultimately, Gaga says filming the Joker film with Phoenix was a “really soulful experience” for her. “It’s like these two people find love in this really dark place and it brings them all the light,” she explained.
Watch Zane Lowe’s full interview with Lady Gaga below. Joker: Folie à Deux hits theaters on Oct. 4.
Tee Grizzley has been on a good run. First, he had Future on “Swear to God,” where the Atlanta rapper teased his recent mixtape by mentioning his alter-ego Pluto multiple times and starting the chorus off by rapping, “F—k your album, s—t ain’t slappin’ like my mixtape.” Then, Tee linked up with fellow Detroit rapper […]
This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music from artists including new releases from Ryan Castro, Shakira and Rauw Alejandro, to name a few. Ryan Castro teams up with newcomer Hamilton for “A Poca Luz.” Produced by The Prodigiez, the track is a departure from Castro’s signature perreo and dives […]
Rod Wave is as consistent of an artist as they come. Having released a project every year since 2017, the Florida singer is checking off 2024’s box to continue his streak with Last Lap.
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Wave announced on Friday (Sept. 27) that his Last Lap album is slated to arrive on Oct. 11 via Alamo Records. If he debuts atop the Billboard 200 once again, that will give Rod four consecutive chart-toppers.
On the heels of “Passport Junkie,” the 26-year-old unleashed the poignant “Fall Fast in Love” as well on Friday. The second single from his upcoming album finds Rod Wave exploring how falling for a romantic interest very quickly can be a dangerous proposition in life, but he’s willing to roll the dice.
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“Fallin’ fast in love, it’s never been a safe thing/ Are you fallin’ fast enough/ They’ll tell you that we’re crazy/ If you’re not scared/ Yeah, I’ll be right here,” he croons.
Wave also released an accompanying visual to the sultry single, which delves into the puppy-love stages of a relationship in elementary school and grows into adulthood when the couple deals with life’s hurdles.
“Passport Junkie” served as the album’s lead single and notched Rod his 71st entry on the Billboard Hot 100 when it debuted at No. 61.
Following Last Lap‘s arrival, Rod Wave will hit the road for the Last Lap Tour with Moneybagg Yo and Toosii.
The North American trek kicks off in Phoenix on Oct. 19, and will make stops in Oakland, Sacramento, Houston, Dallas, Memphis, Lexington, Detroit, Chicago, Brooklyn, Boston, Baltimore, Philly, Nashville and Orlando, before wrapping up in Ft. Lauderdale on Dec. 18.
Rod Wave is riding high off the success of 2023’s Nostalgia. Wave’s fifth studio LP debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 137,000 total album-equivalent units sold in the first week. All 18 tracks from the LP also made the Billboard Hot 100.
MarÍa Becerra announced a break from social media on July 30 amid the European run of her world tour. Despite positioning herself at the forefront of Latin pop over the past year — including scoring her first two No. 1s on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 and selling out River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in record time — the 24-year-old simultaneously needed a hiatus from the scrutiny that she, and many of her peers, face online every day.
“I understand that social media is necessary for our careers,” she says. “But the limit is reached when they start taking away my joy.”
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Why did you decide to take a social media break?
It was doing me wrong to read so much hate — I was really affected by comments that only had the intention to harm [me]. The attack on women’s bodies who are part of the [music] scene is constant: If I’m too skinny, if I’ve had a boob job, if I train too much, how I do my makeup, how I dress… We struggle internally trying to please everyone without losing our own identity. Do you know how draining that is? Then, I said, “Enough. I’m tired, this hurts.” Instead of enjoying a tour that I dreamed so much about, I was suffering because of someone who writes from behind a screen.
What advice would you give to artists who feel similarly?
I’m currently in the process of learning to take care of myself. Going to therapy is beneficial for me; it helps me to think about what my limits are, what I want to share about my private life and what I want to keep for myself. I am a public figure, and those who listen to my music expect to know about me and see me beyond the shows. With my team, we seek a balance so that this ecosystem functions.
How could the entertainment industry better support artists?
I don’t know if [the problem] is the music industry. Everything I said before about what’s expected of female artists affects our self-esteem and puts an overexertion [on us] that ultimately generates a very large emotional imbalance. But the social media phenomenon has produced something where everyone needs to give their opinions. People express whatever they want, whenever they want, and while I greatly respect freedom of speech, this has turned into both a personal and social compulsion.
What can be done to create more open discussions on this topic in the industry?
The problem is not about talking; it’s what we do about it. How do we raise awareness of what is going on? What tools do people have to ask for help? I have the privilege of being able to pay for a psychologist, a health plan. But what about young people who are victims of cyberbullying and have no one to turn to? Who helps them? Talking about this in the media with responsibility could be a start, but I don’t have the formula. I’m just now learning to take care of myself and protect myself, and all of that is a long process.
This story appears in the Sept. 28, 2024, issue of Billboard.
Musician and actor Jussie Smollett, who previously starred on Empire, is back with a new project called The Lost Holliday. Opening Friday (Sept. 27) in select AMC Theatres nationwide, Smollett’s latest acting, writing, directorial and production pursuit finds him teaming with the film’s star Vivica A. Fox in a story about family dynamics involving a same-gender-loving couple […]
New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.
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Rauw Alejandro & Mr. NaisGai, “Pasaporte” (Sony Music Latin/Duars Entertainment)
On the heels of making his MTV debut, Rauw Alejandro delivers the third single off of his upcoming fifth studio album Cosa Nuestra. “Pasaporte” in collaboration with his longtime producer Mr. NaisGai is a groovy, funk-infused dance track that best captures the carefree and adventurous era that Rauw’s in. “If I don’t answer/ I’m doing my own thing, send me a text/ My life is a movie, everyday I post photos and videos,” he smoothly chants. Honoring the title, which means passport, the music video captures Rauw dancing in a private jet and hanging out with his celebrity friends David Guetta and The Martinez Brothers in Ibiza. “Pasaporte” follows his singles “Déjame Entrar” and “Touching the Sky,” all part of his forthcoming set out November 15. — JESSICA ROIZ
Rosalía feat. Ralphie Choo, “Omega” (Columbia Records)
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From its first steely guitar strums to Rosalía’s unmistakable vocal timbre with occasional flamenco-styled claps, “Omega,” featuring Ralphie Choo, captures vulnerability and strength. The texture, reminiscent of ‘70s power ballads, is both pristine and piercing. The song evokes nostalgia and delivers goosebumps, especially when the Spanish superstar intones “Sentimental” with raw emotion. “The more you move away/ Everything about you reminds me of you,” she sings poignantly. Released on her birthday, “Omega” is a celebration of completeness and true connection — captured in the line, “Tú eres mi omega,” signaling “you are my end-all.” — ISABELA RAYGOZA
Shakira, “Soltera” (Ace Entertainment/Sony Music Latin)
Shakira is unapologetically reveling in single life bliss, and isn’t any accepting any sort of negativity surrounding her newfound independence. Powered by a joyful tropical pop tune fused with afrobeats, “Soltera,” which translates to single in English, is really a celebration of life. “I have the right to misbehave. To have a good time. I’m on my own and now I can do what I want to do. It’s good to be single,” the Colombian hitmaker declares. Penned by Shakira and her go-to songwriters, Keityn and Edgar Barrera, the credits also list Bizarrap as a songwriter, making this song an almost certified hit. “Soltera” follows the theme of independence and self-liberation that Shakira showcased in her latest album, Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran, which scored a Latin Grammy album of the year nomination. — GRISELDA FLORES
Ryan Castro & Hamilton, “A Poca Luz” (AWOO Corp.)
In a first collaborative effort, Ryan Castro reeled in newcomer Hamilton for “A Poca Luz.” Produced by The Prodigiez, the track steers away from Castro’s signature Medellín perreo sound and navigates through the chill rhythms of Amapiano Afrobeat with suave house beats. The track introduces the blissful musica proposal by Hamilton — a Cartagena-based emerging act — to a wider scale. Lyrically, it’s a love letter: “I promised the moon that before the sun comes out, she was going to be mine […] my beautiful flower that drives me crazy,” chants Castro. The music video was filmed in El Pozón, a neighborhood on the outskirts of Cartagena that best captures the port city’s rich culture and vibrant people. — J.R.
Daddy Yankee, “Bailando en la Lluvia” (El Cartel Records)
Reggaeton legend Daddy Yankee sends a message of resilience and faith in his new single “Bailando en la Lluvia” (“Dancing in the Rain”). In the song, the reggaetón icon fuses his signature style with a vibrant tropical pop melody, transmitting an invitation to face adversity with optimism and trust in God. “I learned that it’s one day at a time/ One battles or gives up/ You cry in the storm, or you dance in the rain,” goes part of the lyrics. On his social media, the artist shared: “I hope this song fills you with encouragement, strength and invites you to dance in the rain, which means ‘changing your attitude’ in the middle of the storm.” — LUISA CALLE
Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below:
As September wraps up, the new music from today’s biggest stars continues to flow in.
To kick things off, Lady Gaga unveiled Harlequin, her new 13-track album themed after her character Harley Quinn from the upcoming film Joker: Folie à Deux. The album “celebrates a figure who thrives on danger, who lives for the undefinable, and who embraces the beautiful chaos of her own dreams,” according to a press release.
Meanwhile, The Weeknd teamed up with Playboi Carti for “Timeless,” the second official release ahead of The Weeknd’s Hurry Up Tomorrow album, which is the third and final installment of his After Hours/Dawn FM trilogy. The LP’s first single, “Dancing in the Flames” debuted at No. 14 on the Hot 100 this week on the chart dated Sept. 28.
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Stevie Nicks stood up to injustice with “The Lighthouse,” revealing that she “wrote this song a few months after Roe v. Wade was overturned” in June 2022. “It seemed like overnight, people were saying, ‘What can we, as a collective force, do about this…,’” she continued in her note. “For me, it was to write a song.”
Tommy Richman dropped his debut album Coyote, with songs including Elephant in the Room,” “Whitney,” “Temptations,” “Whisper in My Ear,” “Give It All,” “Tennessee” (with Trevor Spitta and Zachary Moon), “Thought You Were the One” and more.
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That’s only the beginning of these week’s awesome music drops, and we want to know your favorite. Check out our Friday Music Guide here, and let us know by voting here.