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People watching the 67th annual Grammy Awards, which aired three months ago today, contributed nearly $10 million for Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. MusiCares reports that that money has made its way to recipients across the region, helping both music professionals and the broader local population affected by the horrific event.
MusiCares has distributed $6,125,000 to more than 3,100 music professionals across Los Angeles. In addition, $3,969,005 has been directed to three community-based organizations: California Community Foundation, Direct Relief and Pasadena Community Foundation.
In addition to the $10 million contributed by Grammy telecast viewers, MusiCares and the Recording Academy raised another $16 million during Grammy weekend thanks to the MusiCares Fire Relief campaign and the annual Persons of the Year gala, which this year honored the Grateful Dead. MusiCares has allocated $6 million of that $16 million to long-term fire relief efforts, while the other $10 million from Persons of the Year gala will be used for MusiCares’ year-round mission delivery.
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“The music community does amazing things when it comes together,” Harvey Mason jr., Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO, said in a statement. “This outpouring of love and support was humbling, whether it was performing or participating on the show, making contributions or donating their time and items for fundraisers. We are grateful for this amazing community and the Grammy viewers who felt inspired to give.”
Laura Segura, executive director of MusiCares, added: “What moved us most in the days following the Grammy telecast wasn’t just the scale of support, it was the spirit behind it. Thousands of people gave what they could, and together, their generosity became a lifeline for those in crisis, which reached far beyond our industry. That’s why we partnered with trusted community organizations who are helping Angelenos across the region access the care, resources and support they need to rebuild.”
MusiCares reports that the median contribution during the Grammy telecast was $53.50.
The Grammy telecast, which was held less than a month after the wildfires broke out on Jan. 7, included several segments dedicated to raising awareness of the crisis. Two of the night’s performances were specifically inspired by the events – Dawes’ opening performance of Randy Newman’s “I Love L.A.” and Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga bypassing their own nominated smash “Die With a Smile” to perform the Mamas & the Papas’ “California Dreamin’.”
While MusiCares responded within days of the fire’s outbreak to provide immediate assistance, the long-term needs of music professionals are only now coming into sharper focus. From loss of work and instruments to the emotional toll of displacement and trauma, the wildfire tragedy continues to affect lives. MusiCares continues to provide aid through customized case management, mental health support and financial assistance to those with lasting need.
MusiCares Fire Relief funding comes from multiple sources, of which the Grammy telecast was the largest. Fire Relief distributions are made as part of an independent and confidential client case management model overseen by MusiCares. MusiCares expects many more millions to be distributed over the coming year as they continue to serve the fire victims.
To address the broader community impact beyond the music industry, MusiCares and the Recording Academy partnered with three organizations already embedded in the neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires. Here are quotes from leaders in those organizations on the status of recovery efforts.
California Community Foundation (CCF)
“Recovery isn’t just about rebuilding homes,” said president and CEO Miguel Santana. “People who lost their homes also lost schools, churches, stores — the places that connected them to their neighbors to form the community they treasured. As we bring activity back to places like a park, a church, or a school, people can re-connect as a community. Those chances to be together can give people strength and hope as they continue the difficult process of rebuilding their individual lives.”
Direct Relief
“Recovery from wildfires involves more than rebuilding physical infrastructure—it requires addressing complex social challenges such as housing instability, food insecurity, and healthcare disparities,” said Dr. Byron Scott, CEO. “Community health centers and free and charitable clinics serve as vital anchors, providing not just medical care but comprehensive support including mental health counseling, housing assistance, and nutritional services.”
Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF)
“Nonprofits in Pasadena, Altadena, and Sierra Madre have been our partners on the ground for more than 70 years,” said Jeannine Bogaard, VP of community impact. “Throughout the last three months, PCF has seen these organizations meet the moment in countless ways—disbursing cash assistance and emergency supplies, securing stable housing, addressing the unique challenges of older adults, rescuing and tending to lost and injured pets, and so much more.”
For more information on the MusiCares Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort or to donate, visit www.musicares.org.
In the years since Young Dolph‘s untimely passing, Key Glock has quietly established himself as one of the biggest rap stars out of Memphis. Since emerging with Glock Season in 2017, each of Glock’s subsequent solo releases — all of which are featureless — have been unbelievably consistent. He’s built a loyal fanbase and carved out a unique space in hip-hop, thanks to his fierce independence. Blending raw street narratives with his commanding flow, Glock has remained a consummate workaholic, and this steady trajectory finally struck gold with 2023’s Glockoma 2.
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That project spawned the biggest hit of his career with “Let’s Go,” a motivational trap anthem laced with a hollering sample from Werchowyna’s “Zoriuska 1” that became a magnet for TikTokers. Despite the big success, Glock followed it up by doing something uncharacteristic of him: he took a break. He wouldn’t go into details about his time off, but he reminds Billboard it’s likely not gonna happen again.
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“After this tape, I don’t know,” Glock states plainly — referring to his 2Pac-referencing Glockaveli, out this Friday (May 2). “This tape is gonna have me busy.”
In an interview with Billboard below, Glock speaks on why he’s still not doing features on his albums, where the 2Pac influence comes from, and how the women in his life shaped his hustle.
At what point did 2Pac’s influence begin to make its way into this album?
It was intentional. Really, this was something me and Dolph planned in 2020, because I been got that chain made, but it was supposed to come out after Yellow Tape. You know, stuff happened, so it just wasn’t on my mind at the time. I took a little break last year away from music, just away from the world — I was like, “This is the perfect time to do Glockaveli.” Cause that’s what Macavelli was. Rebranding, rebirth.
Why did it feel like the right time?
I’ll say, it was more of a personal thing. It was more of a personal thing.
Tell me about the beats on this record. How did you go about choosing the samples on the project?
Most of ‘em I handpicked because I already knew the songs from when I was a young kid. My grandma and my uncles played it. So I was hip to certain blues and soul songs. So when there’s certain songs like that, I just ship it to my producer and tell them to put their own spin on it.
Being from Memphis, how did you first connect with 2Pac’s music? You sampled some stuff of his on this record.
I found out about Pac through my mom. When she told me about Pac, I was like eight years old.
There were a few lines on this project dedicated to your mom and your grandma. On “The Grinch” you say, “Mama ain’t raised no b—h.” What role did the women in your life play as you were growing up and deciding to become a rapper?
They did all they could do. Women can’t really raise a man, no matter what they do or how long they have been with ‘em. My grandmother and my great grandmother and my auntie they raised me good but they didn’t teach me how to be a man. I had to teach myself how to be a man.
What do you want people to know going into this album?
Don’t judge its by its cover.
Obviously, any sort of comparison to 2Pac is gonna have some pushback. What do you say to people who have called you out for Glockaveli.
They try to call it out for religious reasons more than 2Pac. They don’t really say nothing about it being a 2Pac reference. They say it on some more religious stuff, which it’s not. Its the super Christians. They come out the woodwork!
You said in a past interview that Pac was often perceived as a thug and put in this box despite his artistic brilliance. Do you feel any similarities in regards to being put in a box yourself?
I wouldn’t say put in a box, but I would say overlooked. That’s only because I’m not the friendliest artist, basically.
How so?
Not like as far as people or fans, but as far as other artists.
Why haven’t you at this point collaborated with other artists?
Once I said, “I don’t do features.” People took it as they can’t get a Key Glock feature. What I was saying was that I don’t feature people on my songs. So that’s where people got confused.
Why did you initially say that you didn’t collaborate with other artists?
It came from me getting somewhat rejected from a feature. I was supposed to remix “Russian Cream.” I don’t really know exactly what happened, but the communication wasn’t what it was at first. I don’t got no regrets cause everything I’m doing was done successfully.
How have you tried to bridge the gap and connect as time has gone on?
I really don’t, I use it as fuel. How people act and how people move. I use it as fuel and let it motivate me. By me getting turned down for the Russian Cream remix, that put a whole other fire in me. It put a whole other attitude in me, like, ‘I got this, let me show you.’
Is that ever lonely?
Nah, I don’t get lonely. Stuff like that don’t get me down. It charge me up in a good way.
On “3am in ToKEYo” you rap “I came in this world by myself.” You have established yourself as this independent force. How do you keep yourself from getting complacent since it’s just you out here?
I’m never satisfied, in a good way. I always wanna learn more and do more. I always wanna beat whatever was the last thing I did. I always wanna make it better. [My drive] comes from my auntie and my grandma. They was the same type of people. I truly be feeling like I ain’t done it yet. I’m not even at my peak yet. I’m not even in my prime.
So then what do you see for the future of Key Glock then?
Only God knows that one.
Sir Bob Geldof and the team behind Live Aid will celebrate the legendary charity concert’s 40th anniversary this summer with a series of events including a re-broadcast of highlights from the all-star 1985 shows and a new behind-the-scenes BBC documentary.
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First up will be the release of the original cast album for Just For One Day — The Live Aid Musical on July 11, according to NME. The news was announced on Friday morning (May 2) by Geldof and fellow Band Aid Charitable Trust trustees Midge Ure of Ultravox, as well as Harvey Goldsmith and John Kennedy.
“We couldn’t possibly have known that 40 years down the track, the issue would be as vital or the interest as great,” Geldof said about the announcement of the musical and cast album. “Millions of children today are being forced to starve as an instrument of war, and millions of lives are in peril due to AIDS and because of cuts to international aid.” The original Live Aid shows were seen by nearly two billion people around the world and raised more than $125 million for Ethiopian famine relief.
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The musical will hit London’s West End on May 15 following a sold-out run at the Old Vic Theatre. Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical (Original Cast Recording) will feature songs from the artists who made history at the dual A-list charity shows held on July 13, 1985 in London and Philadelphia, including Queen, David Bowie, U2, Elton John, Madonna, Bob Dylan, The Who, Geldof’s Boomtown Rats, The Police and many more.
There will also be a special 40th anniversary performance of Just For One Day at the Shaftesbury Theatre on July 13, followed by an afterparty with performances from special guests.
BBC Two, CNN and the BBC iPlayer will celebrate the anniversary with the new three-part behind-the-scenes documentary Live Aid at 40, with exclusive interviews with Geldof, U2’s Bono and Sting that will look at the concert’s impact on music, politics and global awareness about famine between the 1985 original and the 2005 Live 8 reboot, according to Variety; it will air in four parts on CNN as Live Aid: When Rock ‘n’ Roll Took on the World.
In addition, BBC Two will air Live Aid the Concert, a 6.5 hour highlight reel of the two shows with backstage footage and interviews with Bono, Queen guitarist Brian May, David Bowie, Elvis Costello and many more.
Check out a promo video for the musical below.
Ed Sheeran is bringing it all back home to celebrate his upcoming Play album. On Friday (May 2), the singer announced the run of shows in Ipswich this summer, which will have the Ed joined by an all-star roster of support acts as she sets up shop at Suffolk town’s Portman Road stadium, home of his beloved Ipswich Town FC football club.
The shows on July 11, 12 and 13 will find Sheeran joined by, respectively, Myles Smith and Tori Kelly on night one, Busted and Dylan on night two and James Blunt and Maisie Peters on the final evening. Sheeran, who last year bought a minority stake in the football club, posted a promo video on Friday morning cued to his new single, “Old Phone,” in which he toiled at drawing the lines on the venue’s pitch alongside a lengthy essay about what the venue means to him.
“Something incredibly exciting to announce. One of the first ever concerts I went to as a kid was at Ipswich Town Portman Road to see Elton John,” he wrote. “James Blunt opened for him, and I got so obsessed with James’ music, it really shaped me as a singer songwriter from then on. I started doing shows around ipswich as a young teenager, in pubs and bars, then moved to London to ‘make it’ because that’s what you did back then. Then things took off for me and I toured the world, but never ended up playing ipswich really, for whatever reason, but mostly because I lived there and thought if I’m gonna do it, it has to be special.”
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The singer said he first wanted to play Portman Road in 2019 when we wrapped up the Divide tour, but because football season was still in full swing he ended up playing elsewhere. “It’s always been such a dream to play Portman Road that I kept badgering the @ipswichtown team, but because I tour so much and football is very rigid in their schedule I always missed the opportunity to play it,” Sheeran added. “Fast forward to now, having become an investor in Ipswich Town, I got a bit more sway and asked if I could launch my new record there, as a one off weekend of shows, and they agreed. I play all around the world, in such amazing stadiums, but nothing means as much as this one here. This really is a true home coming, and is 3 nights only. It’ll be such a special weekend of shows, with a killer line up (shout out @jamesblunt for coming back and completing the circle).”
You can get early access to tickets by pre-ordering Play from Sheeran’s official store by 3 p.m. BST on Tuesday (May 6). A pre-sale will begin at 10 a.m. BST on Wednesday (May 7), followed by a general on-sale at 10 a.m. BST on Friday (May 9); click here for more information on ticketing.
Sheeran recently announced the details about his upcoming eighth studio album, Play, which is due out on Sept. 12 from Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records. His first full-length LP since 2023’s Autumn Variations will feature the Persian-influenced first single, “Azizam” and nostalgic new song, “Old Phone.”
Check out the poster and video pitch for Sheeran’s Ipswich Town shows below.
We are delighted to announce that @edsheeran will be playing three live shows at Portman Road this summer! 🏟️🎶— Ipswich Town (@IpswichTown) May 2, 2025
The slate of nominees have been announced for the 12th annual K-LOVE Fan Awards, Billboard can exclusively reveal. The awards show, which honors top hitmakers in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) genre each year, will return to Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry House on May 25, and will be hosted by Matthew West, Jeremy Camp, Mac Powell and MercyMe‘s Bart Millard.
This year, 10 artists will vie for artist of the year: Brandon Lake, Crowder, Anne Wilson, TobyMac, Tauren Wells, Josh Baldwin, for KING & COUNTRY, MercyMe, CeCe Winans and Forrest Frank. Meanwhile, the song of the year contenders are Lake’s “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” Baldwin’s “Made for More,” Wells’ “Take It All Back,” Crowder’s “Somebody Prayed,” Megan Woods’ “The Truth,” Leanna Crawford’s “Still Waters,” Jamie MacDonald’s “Desperate,” Winans’ “That’s My King,” MercyMe’s “Oh Death” and TobyMac’s “Nothin’ Sweeter.”
The annual awards show serves as the pinnacle each year for the three-day K-LOVE Ultimate Fan Experience, which also includes a Friday night kick-off concert, Emerging Artist Showcase, Songwriter’s showcase, Sunday morning worship service and more. This year’s Ultimate Fan Experience weekend will be held May 23-25 in Nashville.
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Last year, for King & Country took home the artist of the year honor, while other winners included Lake (male artist of the year as well as worship song of the year for “Praise You Anywhere”), Wilson (female artist of the year) and Elevation Worship (group of the year). The annual awards show is a John Sanders LLC production presented by Coca-Cola Consolidated.
See the full list of this year’s K-LOVE Fan Awards nominees below:
Song of the year:
“Hard Fought Hallelujah” – Brandon Lake“Made for More” – Josh Baldwin“Take It All Back” – Tauren Wells“Somebody Prayed” – Crowder“The Truth” – Megan Woods“Still Waters” – Leanna Crawford“Desperate” – Jamie MacDonald“That’s My King” – CeCe Winans“Oh Death” – MercyMe“Nothin’ Sweeter” – TobyMac
Worship song of the year:
“Goodbye Yesterday” – Elevation Rhythm“God Is Not Against Me” – Elevation Worship“That’s Who I Praise” – Brandon Lake“Take You at Your Word” – Cody Carnes“Lead On Good Shepherd” – Patrick Mayberry“In the Name of Jesus” – JWLKRS Worship“The Jesus Way” – Phil Wickham
Breakout single: “Desperate” – Jamie MacDonald“The Truth” – Megan Woods“Still Waters” – Leanna Crawford“Whisper and the Wind” – Bodie“Flowers” – Samantha Ebert
Artist of the year:
Brandon LakeCrowderAnne WilsonTobyMacTauren WellsJosh Baldwinfor KING & COUNTRYMercyMeCeCe WinansForrest Frank
Group of the year:
CAINMercyMefor KING & COUNTRYWe Are MessengersElevation WorshipCaleb & JohnBig Daddy WeaveJWLKRS WorshipElevation RhythmWe The Kingdom
Male artist of the year:
Brandon LakeCrowderJeremy CampTauren WellsJosh BaldwinTobyMacForrest FrankPhil WickhamMatthew WestJosiah Queen
Female artist of the year:
Anne WilsonCeCe WinansLauren DaigleTasha LaytonTerrianJamie MacDonaldMegan WoodsLeanna CrawfordKaty NicholeSamantha Ebert
Film Impact:
Unsung HeroThe Best Christmas Pageant EverThe Unbreakable BoyBonhoefferSound of HopeCabriniThe ForgeWhite BirdSomeone Like YouThe Chosen Season 5
TV/Streaming Impact:
The Wingfeather Saga Season 2House of DavidShadrachHomestead: The SeriesThe Riot and the Dance Season 1Heart of a Servant: The Father Flanagan Story
Podcast impact:
Jan Harrison – Rooted & Radiant
Jonathan Pokluda’s Becoming Something podcast
John Siebeling and Wayne Francis – Leadership in Black & White
Andy Chrisman – 1 Degree of Andy
Christine Caine – Life & Leadership Podcast
Lisa Harper – Back Porch Theology
Max Lucado – Encouraging Word Podcast
Book Impact:
I Want to Trust You, But I Don’t – Lysa TerKeurstGod Never Gives Up on You – Max LucadoI Surrender All – Priscilla ShirerDevoted to Jesus – Alex & Stephen KendrickFeasting on God’s Word – Kristi McLellandHow Great Is Our God – Chris TomlinMy Story Your Glory – Matthew West
Ozzy Osbourne will definitely be on stage at the upcoming Back to the Beginning gig in his hometown of Birmingham, U.K. for what is being billed as Black Sabbath’s final-ever show. But given his recent run of ill health and surgeries, the 76-year-old rock icon said his madcap performance days are definitely over.
Speaking to the Guardian, Osbourne said, “I’ll be there, and I’ll do the best I can. So all I can do is turn up.” The July 5 show at Villa Park is slated to feature a massive roster of metal acts paying tribute to Osbourne and the band’s iconic career, including Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax, Alice in Chains, Pantera, Gojira, Lamb of God, Mastodon and many more.
But after Tool singer Maynard James Keenan recently said that Osbourne — who hasn’t performed a full set since Dec. 31, 2018 — will need “modern miracles” to get on stage given his health issues, Ozzy said he is, indeed dealing with a lot. “You wake up the next morning and find that something else has gone wrong. You begin to think this is never going to end,” he said of a series of health setbacks including a 2019 fall that aggravated a previous spinal injury and required several surgeries, as well as pneumonia and the diagnosis of a form of Parkinson’s.
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Regardless, Osbourne has said he’s begun rigorous training to play the first show by the original Black Sabbath lineup in 20 years, where he’ll appear alongside guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward. “I do weights, bike riding, I’ve got a guy living at my house who’s working with me. It’s tough – I’ve been laid up for such a long time,” Osbourne said of his regimen. “I’ve been lying on my back doing nothing and the first thing to go is your strength. It’s like starting all over again. I’ve got a vocal coach coming round four days a week to keep my voice going. I have problems walking. I also get blood pressure issues, from blood clots on my legs. I’m used to doing two hours on stage, jumping and running around. I don’t think I’ll be doing much jumping or running around this time. I may be sitting down.”
Osbourne noted that the reunion concert was originally conceived by his wife/manager, Sharon Osbourne, as “something to give me a reason to get up in the morning.” That said, Ozzy confirmed that he won’t be performing a full set, but “only playing a couple songs each. I don’t want people thinking ‘we’re getting ripped off’, because it’s just going to be… what’s the word? … a sample, you’re going to get a few songs each by Ozzy and Sabbath.”
Among the newly added acts who will be playing a few songs alongside Guns N’ Roses and members of Judas Priest, Limp Bizkit, Smashing Pumpkins, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Megadeth, Ghost and more, according to Sharon Osbourne, are members of Soundgarden and Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler.
Musical director Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine told the Guardian that there are also “some pretty great surprises that are not posted anywhere [yet].”
The show will raise funds for three charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital and the Birmingham-based Acorns Children’s Hospice.
Lorde has officially returned to the ARIA Singles Chart’s top tier, as her latest release “What Was That” debuts at No. 9 this week (May 2). It marks the New Zealand singer-songwriter’s first top 10 appearance in Australia since 2017, when “Green Light” peaked at No. 4. The new track, co-produced by Dan Nigro — […]
Maroon 5 has returned with a major pop crossover moment. On Friday (May 2), the Adam Levine-fronted band unveiled their new single “PRICELESS” featuring BLACKPINK’s LISA, released via 222/Interscope Records.
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The track marks Maroon 5’s first-ever collaboration with a K-pop artist and offers a guitar-driven sound that nods to the group’s early 2000s roots, paired with LISA’s confident rap feature. The accompanying music video, shot on 35mm film and directed by Aerin Moreno, draws inspiration from Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
“It’s just a guitar-based song which we haven’t really done in so long. It happened first for us while we were recording the album. I think it’s just the purest and we are so happy to have LISA on it,” frontman Adam Levine said in a statement.
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He added, “The guitar intro is literally me playing into an audio message on my iPhone with an unplugged guitar. I actually got a little emotional recording ‘cause it was sort of reconnecting to our roots, which a lot of our fans have been saying ‘hey we want to hear that sound again.’ It’s been like over 20 years so I think it’s time for that to return.”
Teasers of the track, which Maroon 5 previewed on Instagram in late April, included Levine’s falsetto vocals alongside a rap verse from LISA: “Yeah, talk is cheap boy stop it/ Got my love that’s a real big profit.”
In the days leading up to the confirmation of “Priceless,” Maroon 5 also teased the collab by posting an Instagram photo from behind of the lead singer and a mystery woman standing side by side, gazing out of a floor-to-ceiling window at a cityscapeLISA’s IG Story also featured a clip with audio, showing the K-pop star lying back while seemingly filming a music video.
The single also serves as the first preview of Maroon 5’s upcoming 2025 album, which the band first teased during Levine’s recent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (April 8).
“PRICELESS” follows Maroon 5’s 2021 album Jordi, which peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. For LISA, the track adds to her growing list of international collaborations as a solo artist, following the success of her 2021 debut single “LALISA” and her ongoing work with BLACKPINK.
Watch the “PRICELESS” video and stream the single now.
A little more than a month since unleashing their collaborative studio album I Said I Love You First, Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco are giving fans another romantic release by way of the record’s deluxe edition.
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The couple have adopted a swift turnaround for the release of the appropriately-titled I Said I Love You First… And You Said It Back, announcing its arrival only two days prior, on Wednesday (April 30).
“The deluxe version of my album with @itsbennyblanco is called I Said I Love You First…And You Said It Back and it’s out this Friday, 5/2!” Gomez wrote on Instagram. “There are some new songs, some favorites you might recognize, and reimagined songs from the original album. Can’t wait for you to hear them!”
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Alongside the original 14-track album, the deluxe version is complemented by an additional eight tracks, featuring unheard tracks, remixes, and collaborations.
These include fresh cuts such as “That’s When I’ll Care,” the Cake-interpolating “Talk,” and the Gomez solo venture “Stained.” Meanwhile, GloRilla is tapped for a remix of “Cowboy” while DJ Sliink offers a new version of “Bluest Flame.”
Gracie Abrams returns for an acoustic version of “Call Me When You Break Up,” and a live Vevo performance of “How Does It Feel to Be Forgotten” also joins the mix. The new set closes out with the dreamy “Guess You Could Say I’m in Love,” a collaboration with Texas shoegaze outfit Cigarettes After Sex.
The pair promoted the new drop by teasing that the video for “Talk” would drop on Thursday night (May 1), encouraging fans to “pick out your prom outfit.”
It arrived just a week after Blanco posted a video on Instagram of the couple going to the mall to get their prom pics taken after revealing that Gomez never got to go to her prom. The video shows Gomez getting ready in a purple ballgown and planting a kiss on her fiancé as they do a classic walk-down-the-stairs dress reveal. In the limo ride to the mall, Blanco excitedly leans out the window of their stretch limo and tells the driver in the lane next to him: “We’re going to prom!”
After first starting dating in mid-2023, Blanco and Gomez got engaged in December last year. In March, they dropped I Said I Love You First, their first joint album as a couple, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.
Stream I Said I Love You First… And You Said It Back below.
Mexican American powerhouse Fuerza Regida has turned their vision into reality with the release of their ninth studio album, 111XPANTIA, released Friday (May 2). Explored through imaginative storytelling exploratory regional Mexican music sounds, the 12-track album captures the group’s hustle, evolution, and deep connection to their roots.
The title — pronounced “ixpantia” and derived from the Náhuatl word, a dialect of the Aztecs meaning “to manifest” — reflects frontman Jesús “JOP” Ortiz Paz’s lifelong belief in the power of the law of attraction and turning dreams into reality. “This is the most important album of my career, the one that brings everything together,” JOP previously told Billboard Español.
Opening with the gritty anthem “GODFATHER,” it sets the tone for an explorative ride beyond Mexican music, free of collaborations for the first time in the band’s history. From nostalgic nods like “Malboro Rojo” that evoke their early norteño-laden sound to inventive risks like the corrido synth-laced “Nocturno” and innovative banjo riffs on “Peliculiando,” Fuerza Regida expertly balances their street-inspired roots with inventiveness.
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Adding another layer of intrigue, the loop of Vicente Fernández’s live version of “Acá Entre Nos” is subtly reimagined throughout “Ansiedad,” while a hypnotic sample of Ellie Goulding’s vocals from “Don’t Say a Word” is seamlessly woven into “Tu Sancho,” adding another surprise element for fans diving into the album’s details.
111XPANTIA arrives during a period of sky-high momentum for the San Bernardino troupe, following the massive success of their No. 1 hit “Me Jalo” with Grupo Frontera — which topped Billboard‘s Latin Airplay and Regional Mexican Airplay charts — and the teaser track “Por Esos Ojos,” which has already surpassed 154 million streams on Spotify alone since its February release.
With ambition woven into every song, the album continues to testifies Fuerza Regida’s ability to dream big, push boundaries, and stay true to their roots along the way.
They are slated to perform at Madison Square Garden and Hollywood Bowl June 20 and 21, respectively. The album is now available across all streaming platforms and physical formats, including CD and vinyl.
Stream 111XPANTIA below.