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This week, Kelsea Ballerini offers a glimpse into an upcoming project with her new song “I Sit in Parks,” while Cody Johnson gives fans a long-awaited official studio version of his rendition of The Chicks’ “Travelin’ Soldier.” Meanwhile, Vincent Mason takes a chance on mixing alcohol and heartbreak, while The Jack Wharff Band and Dylan Conrique also bring new music.
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Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of some of the best country, bluegrass and/or Americana songs of the week below.
Kelsea Ballerini, “I Sit In Parks”
After wrapping a headlining arena tour and earning an ACM entertainer of the year nomination earlier this year, Ballerini previews her new project Mount Pleasant (out Nov. 14) with this introspective ballad. This track finds her balancing the pursuit of her musical ambitions with an ache of pondering whether she’s “missed the mark” on motherhood. She captures a scene of a woman in her thirties sitting alone in a park and watching families spend time together, while reflecting on how choices have shaped her life. “I wonder if she wants my freedom / Like I want to be a mother,” Ballerini muses. This is Ballerini doing what she does best—crafting vulnerable, self-aware songs that explore her hopes, dreams, doubts and insecurities in real time, while mirroring the experiences of those who share similar longings.
Cody Johnson, “Travelin’ Soldier”
After years of hearing fans request his version of this song in concert, and previously recording an acoustic rendition of it, Johnson has finally released his own studio version of “Travelin’ Soldier,” which The Chicks previously made a hit in 2003. His studio version slightly speeds up the tempo, which does seem to moderately soften some of the song’s melancholy, but Johnson’s superb vocal brings just the right mix of grit and tenderness to convey the song’s heartbreaking, bittersweet nature. It also showcases the depth of Johnson’s talents as a musical interpreter, one who brings respect to the song, while also refining it with his own unmistakable voice.
Vincent Mason, “Sink or Swim”
Georgia native Mason, known for songs such as “Hell Is a Dance Floor,” issues his debut album, There I Go, including this churning new track. Here, he’s drowning his sorrows in alcohol after a relationship has collapsed and he’s intent on finding out if his ex’s memory is stronger than the drink in his hand. The song’s downtrodden lyrics sharply contrast with a toe-tapping rhythm, creating a dynamic that encapsulates the reckless thrill of surrendering to the bottle and the heartbreak, and seeing where it leads.
Dylan Conrique, “How to Lose the Girl”
Over tenderly-plucked guitar, California native Conrique catalogs the copious missteps and selfish habits that fray, and then sever, a relationship’s emotional ties, from broken promises to failing to show up in the small, everyday moments. Conrique’s dusky voice effortlessly conveys the emotional distress, before turning the song into one of bravery, as the protagonist leaves the unfaithful lover and then reminds the ex of all the ways those ongoing habits will lead to heartbreak in future relationships. Conrique wrote the song with Jackson Foote, Alma Goodman, and Brooke Tomlinson.
The Jack Wharff Band, “Saved”
Country/Americana group The Jack Wharff Band blends rustic, earthy instrumental tones with a message of spiritual redemption their latest, “Saved.” “Been broke a million times/ Trying to stop the hurtin’ inside, some things you just can’t afford,” lead singer Jack Wharff sings, bolstered by churning guitars. Written by bandmembers Wharff, Ryan Atchison and Garrett Howell, this song makes a stark reflection on the futility of self-reliance, while expressing gratefulness to a higher power for renewal.
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KPop Demon Hunters may very well be taking home some golden gramophones soon, and Lizzo is celebrating with a “Golden” cover of the film’s biggest hit — flute style, of course.
On Saturday (Nov. 8), the hitmaker shared an Instagram video of herself playing a lively classical rendition of eight-week Billboard Hot 100-topper “Golden” on her signature instrument, the trilling melody soaring over a lush string accompaniment provided by the Australian Pop Quartet. “‘GOLDEN’ (Sasha’s version),” Lizzo wrote in her caption, referencing the Beyoncé-inspired name she gave her trusty woodwind long ago (Sasha Flute).
She added, “congrats to @kpopdemonhuntersnetflix on all ur Grammy noms!”
The post came just one day after the Recording Academy unveiled nominations for next year’s awards, revealing that KPop Demon Hunters is up for a total of four prizes. “Golden” accounts for three of those nods, earning recognition in the song of the year, best pop duo/group performance and best song written for visual media categories.
In an interview with Billboard shortly after the nominations went live, Audrey Nuna — one of three women who provided the singing voices for fictional KPop Demon Hunters girl group HUNTR/X — said that she and her costars’ “hearts [were] being pulled in so many different directions.”
“Above all, I think we’re just very, very, very grateful to be a part of what feels like a very cultural and historic moment, and something that, as kids, we would have we craved so bad to see,” she shared. “Being a part of it is just really surreal.”
Lizzo herself is a decorated Grammy veteran, earning her first three wins in 2019 — including for best pop solo performance for breakthrough hit “Truth Hurts.” In 2023, she took home record of the year for No. 1 Hot 100 hit “About Damn Time.”
The Yitty founder is now on her way to a new music era, dropping rap mixtape My Face Hurts From Smiling in June. She’d originally been planning to release an album called Love in Real Life, but recently explained why she’s since shelved the project. “I’ve changed, the world has changed so much, and so much has happened,” she told New York magazine in September. “It just wasn’t what I was feeling right now. I was like, ‘I need to do s–t differently and I don’t know what it is, but I’m going to just start following my instincts.’”
Check out Lizzo and Sasha Flute’s cover of “Golden” below.
From “Yo Perreo Sola” to “La Romana” and “Mía,” here are Best Bunny’s best songs (so far).
11/10/2025
Trending on Billboard Hilary Duff continued her return to music on Monday morning (Nov. 10) with the announcement of her first run of live performances in more than a decade. After dropping her new single, “Mature,” last week, Duff expanded her comeback with the roll-out of a quartet of intimate January 2026 shows under the […]
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Pharrell Williams is walking away with one of the footwear world’s highest honors.
The multihyphenate artist, producer, and designer will receive the Shoe of the Year award at the 2025 Footwear News Achievement Awards (FNAAs), it was announced Monday (Nov. 10), in recognition of his bold and boundary-pushing Virginia Adistar Jellyfish collaboration with Adidas.
“I dreamed of a shoe that felt alive, something that moved like water, that had its own rhythm, energy and glow,” Williams said in a statement. “The Virginia Adistar Jellyfish started as a really big idea that we kept pushing, shaping, refining until it became real. I wanted it to feel fluid, futuristic, and free—not just another shoe but a living design.”
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The sneaker, which quickly became a streetwear standout this year, fuses performance-ready materials with visual design inspired by aquatic life. Its sculptural silhouette and luminous finish made it one of the most talked-about shoes in 2025 — and one of Adidas’ most ambitious collaborative launches to date.
“Pharrell’s partnership with Adidas continues to redefine what creative collaboration in footwear can look like,” said Michael Atmore, chief brand officer of Fairchild Media Group and editorial director of Footwear News. “The Virginia Adistar Jellyfish reflects his singular ability to connect culture, community, and craft.”
The 2025 FNAAs — often referred to as the “Shoe Oscars” — will take place on Dec. 3 at a new venue: Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City. The event will also honor Tommy Hilfiger with a Lifetime Achievement Award, Coco Gauff as Style Influencer of the Year, and Ronnie Fieg as Person of the Year.
Other honorees include Jordan Brand (Brand of the Year), New Balance x Miu Miu (Collaboration of the Year), and Nordstrom (Retailer of the Year).
This marks Pharrell’s latest win in a standout year — from curating the Louis Vuitton menswear line to redefining sneaker culture with one of Adidas’ most visually daring designs.
Trending on Billboard Brandon Lake was named ASCAP’s Christian music songwriter of the year on Monday (Nov. 10), while “Praise,” which he co-wrote with Pat Barrett, was named Christian music song of the year. ASCAP’s winning Christian and country music writers will be honored at the ASCAP Nashville Songwriters Celebration on Monday, Nov. 17. Related […]
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Carlos Vives is gearing up to shine brighter than ever with his Tour Al Sol, Billboard Español can exclusively announce today (Nov. 10). The Colombian superstar’s upcoming North American tour, kicking off on April 16, will celebrate more than three decades of his illustrious career by revisiting timeless hits from his seminal albums Clásicos de La Provincia (1994) and La Tierra del Olvido (1995), as well as songs from the newly reimagined La Tierra del Olvido 30 Años (Remastered & Expanded), released in July.
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“Each show of Tour al Sol will be a concert from sunrise to sunset — a journey through the emotions of music that moves with the sun,” Vives tells Billboard Español. “It will feature a selection of songs, including the most remarkable vallenatos of my career, and pay tribute to classics.” He adds, “In short, Tour al Sol is a concert with the sun of La Provincia.”
Covering 14 cities across North America, his tour will include stops at renowned venues such as Radio City Music Hall in New York, as well as Jazz Fest in New Orleans and will conclude with a special performance at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on June 5.
Presented by Cárdenas Marketing Network (CMN) in the U.S. and Canada, and No Limits Entertainment in Puerto Rico, Tour Al Sol will feature next level visual productions, including the symbolic ascent of La Provincia’s sun. According to the press release, the concert series will showcase “the path of the sun: from the first rays of sunrise, symbolizing hope and new beginnings, through the vibrant energy and joy of midday, to the sunset, when nostalgia and magic fill the stage.”
Tickets for will go on presale on Thursday (Nov. 13) at 10 a.m., local time, via Spotify, and general ticket sales will follow the next day at 10 a.m., local time, here.
CARLOS VIVES – TOUR AL SOL 2026 DATES:
April 16: Toronto, Canada @ Coca Cola Coliseum
April 19: Montreal, Canada @ Bell Place
April 24: New York, N.Y. @ Radio City Music Hall
April 26: New Orleans, La. @ Jazz Fest
May 1: Sugar Land, Texas @ Smart Financial Centre
May 2: Grand Prairie, Texas @ Texas Trust CU Theatre
May 7: Chicago, Ill. @ Rosemont Theatre
May 9: Fairfax, Va. @ EagleBank Arena
May 10: Boston, Mass. @ Agganis Arena
May 14: Seattle, Wa. @ WAMU Theatre
May 16: Los Angeles, Calif. @ Peacock Theater
May 23: Miami, Fla. @ Kaseya Center
May 24: Orlando, Fla. @ Kia Center
June 5: San Juan, Puerto Rico @ Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot
Carlos Vives
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Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill will add to his already considerable collection of accolades, when he is honored with the 2025 CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award during the 59th annual CMA Awards, slated for Nov. 19 in Nashville and airing on ABC. This year’s CMA Awards, hosted by Lainey Wilson, will be held at Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, and will broadcast on ABC beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The awards show will also stream the following day on Hulu.
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The CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award is given to “an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music,” a release from the CMA states, adding, “The award recognizes those who have achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, streaming numbers, record sales, and public representation at the highest level,” as well as artists who have “positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre over the course of many years.”
Previous recipients of the CMA Willie Nelson lifetime achievement award include Johnny Cash (2015), Alan Jackson (2022), Kris Kristofferson (2019), Loretta Lynn (2021), Nelson (2012), Charley Pride (2020) and George Strait (2024).
Recently, Gill signed a lifetime record deal with his longtime label home, Nashville’s MCA Records, and issued the EP 50 Years From Home: I Gave You Everything I Had, which released Oct. 17.
To date, Gill has won 18 CMA Awards, including four wins for song of the year, for his hits “When I Call Your Name,” “Look at Us,” “I Still Believe in You” and “Go Rest High on That Mountain.” He also shares the record for the most times hosting the CMA Awards, which he hosted from 1992 to 2003. He has previously won other CMA honors, including the CMA’s Irving Waugh award of excellence in 2014, as well as the CMA foundation humanitarian award in 2017, and is a four-time CMA triple play award honoree.
Gill was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2007 and honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. He has also won 22 Grammy Awards. In addition to his accomplishments as a solo artist, Gill has been part of several groups, including Pure Prairie League, The Cherry Bombs and The Time Jumpers. He was also invited to join the Eagles on tour in 2017, and continues contributing his talents to the legendary group.
“Vince embodies the very best of what Country Music stands for,” Sarah Trahern, CMA chief executive officer, said in a statement. “He’s a true trailblazer, one who gives back to the community, honors the roots of our genre, and even now, continues to share his talent with fans across the globe. As a Country Music Hall of Fame member, 18-time CMA Award winner, and former 12-time CMA Awards host, he remains a vibrant force in our industry, and we’re honored to celebrate an artist whose influence is so deeply woven into the fabric of our format.”
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Ozzy Osbourne was hoping to record one more album before his shock death in July at age 76. According to the late hard rock icon’s longtime solo band guitarist, Zakk Wylde, not long after this summer’s all-star Back to the Beginning show honoring Black Sabbath and Ozzy’s solo career, the Prince of Darkness rang Wylde up with some ideas for a potential album.
“He was texting me, ‘Zakk, let’s do another record. Because I really loved it when you were going through your Allman Brothers, Skynyrd phase when we did ‘No More Tears,’ it’s heavy but it’s more melodic, it’s not pummeling heavy,’” Wylde told N.J.com of the vibe Ozzy was in search of that would hearken back to their early 1990s salad days working together on albums including 1991’s No More Tears and 1995’s Ozzmosis. “So I said, ‘Alright Oz, whatever you want.’”
Ozzy took the stage to perform his solo hits and a handful of Sabbath classics at the July 5 show in the rocker’s native Birmingham, U.K., where he shared the stage with Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Gojira, Alice in Chains, Anthrax, Mastodon and many more. Osbourne passed away just 17 days after the triumphant gig, which was highlighted in the recent Paramount+ documentary Ozzy Osbourne: No Escape From Now. In addition, a 100-minute concert film chronicling the concert, Back to the Beginning: Ozzy’ Final Bow, is slated for release in early 2026.
Despite not getting in the studio to work on the follow-up to his Grammy-winning 2022 album Patient Number 9, Wylde said Osbourne seemed content after the Back to the Beginning blow-out. “We did the show, he ended up finishing his book, they did the documentary, and then he was like, ‘All right, I’m out of here,’” Wylde said of Osbourne. “He finished everything he had to do and then he was like, ‘All right, I’m done.’”
Wylde will be on the road honoring Ozzy’s legacy this fall and winter with his Black Sabbath tribute band, Zakk Sabbath, whose next show is Tuesday night (Nov. 11) at the Bourbon Theatre in Lincoln, Neb.
Trending on Billboard The Foo Fighters will warm up for their planned run of summer 2026 North American stadium shows with a run of U.K. and European stadium gigs. The Foos’ Take Cover European tour is slated to kick off on June 10 at Oslo, Norway’s Unity Arena. Explore See latest videos, charts and news […]
