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When rumors of a lingering rift between two of KATSEYE’s six members reached the girl group this summer, they quickly turned the chatter into a viral moment. “We’re literally fine lol,” read the caption on a photo of Lara and Manon holding hands and posing on a backdrop of dolphins and rainbows, playing into a then-current TikTok trend around Clean Bandit and Zara Larsson’s “Symphony.”
“One thing I love about this group is how Gen Z we are,” says Manon. “We saw all of that and were like, ‘Okay, funny. Let’s do this TikTok and put an end to this.’” The 11-second post has since compiled more than 5.4 million views.
The savvy social media approach is just one of the effective strategies that the rising group and their team at HxG (HYBE x Geffen Records, which represents a joint venture between the Korean-entertainment conglomerate and Universal Music Group) employ to hook new fans. Another, naturally, has been with the music: KATSEYE’s latest single, “Touch,” packs crisp drum-and-bass production, twinkling electro-pop flourishes and a swirl of pop-R&B harmonies into two minutes and ten seconds. Co-produced by Cashmere Cat (Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Charli XCX), the hit has latched onto U.S. radio and helped to build the group’s following stateside.
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Sophia
Austin Hargrave
Megan
Austin Hargrave
KATSEYE was formed from HYBE and Geffen Records’ ambitious Dream Academy competition in 2023. The YouTube series sought to create a genuinely “global” girl group, and of a reported 120,000 applicants from around the world, 20 were selected to head to Los Angeles and prepare in the style of the infamously rigorous K-pop training methods before competing for a spot in the group. The multiweek contest concluded that November, with the six final members representing a culturally diverse lineup: Manon, 22 (from L.A.); Lara, 19 (Zurich); Daniela, 20 (Atlanta); Megan, 18 (Honolulu); Sophia, 21 (Manila, Philippines); and Yoonchae, 16 (Seoul, South Korea).
A subsequent Netflix series, Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE, documented the behind-the-scenes journey of whittling down the 20-person training camp into its final form — including all of its biggest trials and tribulations — and creating a natural curiosity for viewers to check out the group’s music. Wisely, in the days leading to the eight-episode competition series’ premiere on the streaming service in August, KATSEYE released its debut EP, SIS (Soft Is Strong). The five-track project has writing contributions from HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk, Ryan Tedder and Justin Tranter (with the former two earning production credits as well), debuted at No. 6 on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart, and appeared on the Billboard 200.
The group’s aptly titled first single “Debut” arrived in late June to kick-start the project’s rollout, but even then, the members were even more excited for their next release, the alt-pop smash “Touch.” “It was all of our favorite when we first heard it,” says Daniela. “We just had that gut feeling.” Adds Manon: “Our creative director Humberto [Leon] kept telling me, ‘‘Touch’ is the one, just wait and see.’”
From left: Sophia, Daniela, Manon, Megan, Lara and Yoonchae of KATSEYE photographed October 29, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Austin Hargrave
Manon
Austin Hargrave
The group made a strong push on social media for the song when it arrived on streaming services on July 26. In hopes of creating a viral dance trend, KATSEYE executive creator Son Sungdeuk crafted choreography designed to be both simple and memorable. Small, TikTok-friendly moves — like the chorus’ pinky-to-thumb touching gestures — were intentional hooks meant to attract fan engagement. “I feel like it’s not so hard for people to learn,” says Daniela, adding that the “little booty pop” — which Sophia interjects is “my favorite!” — was another move to draw in listeners. “I was like, ‘People are going to gag.’ It’s so cute.”
KATSEYE’s multi-pronged digital focus for the song included partnering with fan bases in the K-pop world, such as a TikTok post of Manon and Yoonchae dancing to “Touch” with Heeseung and Ni-ki of ENHYPEN (a boy band under HYBE sublabel Belift Lab). The video has 27 million views to date, while three other clips showcasing “Touch” on the group’s account have more than 15 million. Importantly, such success helped prove that KATSEYE was ready to thrive in more traditional stateside promotions.
“We had our eye on radio but knew we needed key levers to feel confident it was the right time to go,” says Mitra Darab, president of HxG at HYBE America. “We would see significant growth weekly not only at DSPs [digital service providers], but in TikTok and Reels creates and their social growth. We also knew we needed a big cultural moment to bring awareness to the group, which we achieved with the Netflix documentary. Once that was released, all our goals started to fall into place.”
Daniela
Austin Hargrave
From left: Lara, Daniela, Megan, Manon, Yoonchae and Sophia of KATSEYE photographed October 29, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Austin Hargrave
To gauge their appeal in the U.S., KATSEYE held a meet-and-greet and performance at Minneapolis’ Mall of America in October to connect with the growing fandom, collectively known as EYEKONS. Thousands of fans showed up. “Mall of America proved to us that this isn’t just about ‘Touch,’” says Darab.
“I think we built a fanbase that is just like us,” Lara adds. “EYEKONS are so funny; they have the same humor as all of us. I feel like they are the types of people that we would be friends with in real life.”
By October, “Touch” had appeared on several of Billboard’s international charts, including in the Philippines, Canada, Taiwan and Malaysia and cracked the upper half of the Billboard Global 200. It also reaches a new No. 32 high on the U.S.-based Pop Airplay chart dated Nov. 16, and the song has 229.9 million official on-demand global streams through Nov. 7, according to Luminate. “We couldn’t help but put so much heart into it,” says Sophia. “We really could feel that this was going to bleed through to the fans.”
Yoonchae
Austin Hargrave
Lara
Austin Hargrave
While planning is already in full swing for 2025, KATSEYE is now preparing for a performance, which will feature the Los Angeles Rams cheerleaders, at the 2024 MAMA Awards in Los Angeles on Nov. 21 — marking the first time the eminent K-pop awards show will take place in the U.S. — and slots on iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball tour (visiting Dallas and Boston in December). “We don’t want to move on from ‘Touch’ just yet, but we’re never not working,” Manon says, true to her word as they talk to Billboard over a Zoom video call from their L.A. rehearsal studio. “A black box with a white light where we spend most of our days,” they crack, all in dance gear.
For KATSEYE, that drive is for a greater good. The young women see KATSEYE’s multicultural makeup as a starting point to shake up the sound of pop worldwide. “It’d be so nice to incorporate that within our music so it’s something different than we’ve been hearing before,” says Megan. “It’s such a superpower that we all come from different parts of the world.”
A version of this story appears in the Nov. 16, 2024, issue of Billboard.
In 2003, Eminem made Oscar history with “Lose Yourself,” the first rap song to win best original song. Now he’s in contention for another top honor. He’s one of 26 songwriters or songwriting teams vying for induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame this year.
Just six will be elected – three from 13 nominees in the performing songwriters category and three from 13 nominees in the songwriters category, which is reserved for non-performing songwriters. The six inductees will be celebrated at the SHOF’s 2025 Induction & Awards Gala in New York City, which is expected to be in June at the event’s usual home, the Marriott Marquis.
All but five of the 26 nominees are individuals. The five collaborations on the ballot are Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan; Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter; Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham; three members of The Doobie Brothers (Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons); and five former members of N.W.A (Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella).
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Almost all the nominees are still living. The only exceptions are Sloan, who died in 2015 at age 70, and N.W.A’s Eazy-E, who died in 1995 at age 30.
The youngest nominees are Ashley Gorley and Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, both 47. The list includes four women – Franne Golde, Sheryl Crow, Janet Jackson and Alanis Morissette.
Several songwriters who are strongly associated with songwriters who were previously inducted into the SHOF are on the ballot this year – Walter Afanasieff (his frequent collaborator Mariah Carey was inducted in 2022), Roger Nichols (his frequent collaborator Paul Williams was inducted in 2001), Jackson (her brother Michael Jackson was inducted in 2002) and Mike Love (his Beach Boys colleague Brian Wilson was inducted in 2000).
The list includes eight members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – Crow, Eminem, Jackson, George Clinton (who is in the Rock Hall as the leader of Parliament/Funkadelic), Love (who is in the Rock Hall as a member of The Beach Boys), Steve Winwood (who is in the Rock Hall as a member of Traffic), the three aforementioned members of The Doobie Brothers and the five aforementioned former members of N.W.A.
The list includes three members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Sonny Curtis was inducted into that body in 1991, followed by Tom Douglas in 2014 and Oldham in 2020. Curtis, 87, has had many pop and country hits, including “I Fought the Law” and “Walk Right Back,” but he may be best-known for writing “Love Is All Around,” the pitch-perfect theme song from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Three of the nominees are past winners of the Grammy for producer of the year (non-classical). Narada Michael Walden won that award in 1988, chiefly for his work with Whitney Houston. Afanasieff won in 2000, Dr. Dre in 2001.
A songwriter with a catalog of notable songs qualifies for induction 20 years after their first significant commercial release of a song.
Eligible voting members have until midnight ET on Dec. 22 to turn in their ballots with their choices of up to three nominees in each of the two categories.
Here’s a complete list of the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s 2025 nominees for induction. The SHOF supplied the five songs listed after each nominees’ name, which they stress “are merely a representative sample of their extensive catalogs.”
Songwriters
Walter Afanasieff – “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” “Hero,” “License to Kill,” “Love Will Survive,” “One Sweet Day”
Steve Barri and P.F. Sloan – “Secret Agent Man,” “Eve Of Destruction,” “Where Were You When I Needed You,” “You Baby,” “Can I Get to Know You”
Mike Chapman – “The Best,” “Love Is a Battlefield,” “Ballroom Blitz,” “Stumblin’ In,” “Kiss You All Over”
Sonny Curtis – “Love Is All Around (Theme from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”),” “I Fought the Law,” “Walk Right Back,” “More Than I Can Say,” “I’m No Stranger to the Rain”
Tom Douglas – “The House That Built Me,” “Little Rock,” “I Run to You,” “Grown Men Don’t Cry,” “Love Me Anyway”
Franne Golde – “Dreaming of You,” “Nightshift,” “Don’t Look Any Further,” “Don’t You Want Me,” “Stickwitu”
Ashley Gorley – “I Had Some Help,” “Last Night,” “You Should Probably Leave,” “Play It Again,” “You’re Gonna Miss This”
Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins – “Say My Name,” “The Boy Is Mine,” “You Rock My World,” “Déjà vu,” “Telephone”
Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter – “One Tin Soldier (Theme from “Billy Jack”),” “Don’t Pull Your Love,” “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got),” “It Only Takes a Minute,” “Country Boy (You Got Your Feet In L.A.)”
Tony Macaulay – “Baby Now That I’ve Found You,” “Build Me Up Buttercup,” “Don’t Give Up On Us,” “(Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All,” “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)”
Roger Nichols – “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “I Won’t Last a Day Without You,” “Out in the Country,” “Times of Your Life”
Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham – “I’m Your Puppet,” “Cry Like a Baby,” “A Woman Left Lonely,” “Out of Left Field,” “It Tears Me Up”
Narada Michael Walden – “How Will I Know,” “Freeway of Love,” “You’re a Friend of Mine,” “Baby Come to Me,” “Who’s Zoomin’ Who?”
Performing Songwriters
Bryan Adams – “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You,” “Heaven,” “All for Love,” “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?,” “Summer of ‘69”
George Alan O’Dowd p/k/a Boy George – “Karma Chameleon,” “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” “Time (Clock Of The Heart), “Love Is Love,” “Miss Me Blind”
George Clinton – “Atomic Dog,” “Flash Light,” “(Not Just) Knee Deep,” “I’d Rather Be With You,” “Give Up The Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)”
Sheryl Crow – “All I Wanna Do,” “Soak Up The Sun,” “If It Makes You Happy,” “A Change Would Do You Good,” “Everyday Is a Winding Road”
Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons p/k/a Doobie Brothers – “Listen to the Music,” “Takin’ It to the Streets,” “Black Water,” “What a Fool Believes,” “Long Train Runnin’”
Marshall Mathers p/k/a Eminem – “Lose Yourself,” “Stan,” “Mockingbird,” “Houdini,” “Rap God”
David Gates – “Everything I Own,” “Make It With You,” “Baby I’m-A Want You,” “The Guitar Man,” “If”
Janet Jackson – “Black Cat,” “Together Again,” “Again,” “Got ‘til It’s Gone,” “Rhythm Nation”
Tommy James – “Mony Mony,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion,” “Sweet Cherry Wine,” “Tighter, Tighter”
Mike Love – “California Girls,” “Good Vibrations,” “The Warmth of the Sun,” “I Get Around,” “Fun, Fun, Fun”
Alanis Morissette – “You Oughta Know,” “Ironic,” “Hand in My Pocket,” “Thank U,” “Uninvited”
Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, MC Ren and DJ Yella p/k/a N.W.A – “Express Yourself,” “Dopeman,” “Fu*k Tha Police,” “Gangsta Gangsta,” “Straight Outta Compton”
Steve Winwood – “Higher Love,” “Gimme Some Lovin’,” “I’m a Man,” “Valerie,” “Roll With It”
Never let it be said that Timothée Chalamet doesn’t do his homework. In his first extensive interview about his role as Bob Dylan in the upcoming biopic A Complete Unknown, the Willy Wonka star told Apple Music’s Zane Lowe that he learned how to play 13 classic Dylan songs for the movie, in addition to working with a harmonica coach for five years to nail the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer’s signature style.
In addition to tapping a movement coach to help him embody the enigmatic icon’s physical stance, Chalemet also told Lowe that he took a “spirit-gathering” road trip mimicking the Minnesota native’s early years as a budding folk singer, starting off in Dylan’s hometown of Hibbing, MN, before traveling to neighboring Duluth, then on to Chicago and Madison, WI.
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“It was the best experience I’ve had as an actor or the most rewarding experience I’ve had doesn’t really necessarily translate to the effect of it, not only on people, but maybe in the finished product because I’ve also had more challenging experiences that come out great,” Chalamet said of the long journey to bring the singer to life on screen. “I’m happy it took five, six years because I am now deep in that Church of Bob. I feel like that’s my mission is the next three months, until the movie comes out, I feel like I’m in the Church of Bob, I’m a humble disciple, and I feel like I got this opportunity to kind of be a bridge to this music or this period, this time period.”
Despite his deep-dive, Chalamet said he wasn’t trying to do an imitation of the singer’s voice, explaining, “This is interpretive. This is not definitive. This is not fact. This is not how it happened. This is a fable.” In fact, he said none of his fellow actors were there to perform impersonations.
“This is about not only myself interpreting Bob, but Edward Norton interpreting Pete Seeger, Monica [Barbaro] interpreting Joan Baez and Boyd Holbrook interpreting Johnny Cash in this moment in the ’60s where American culture was a kaleidoscope and Greenwich Village was a kaleidoscope,” he said. “The way culture still is now too, but without being a history teacher, that was the beginning, personalized music, stuff with intention, stuff with poetry, it all started there in the movie.”
The journey was, as expected, arduous, given Dylan’s unique vocal style and quixotic public persona. Though he said he didn’t play guitar on the pre-records of the songs, Chalamet said he worried the guitar on the songs was too “friendly,” given that in the early 1960s Dylan was playing an instrument was “basically falling apart.” Similarly, the actor said he found that his voice had a baritone range, but that too sounded too “clean” too him.
“I was doing vocal warmups with Eric Vetro, who was this vocal coach who helped me on Wonka and helped me sing ‘Grand’ on Wonka. And then, here, I would listen to it back and I’m like, ‘Man, this sounds too clean,’” he said, calling the role the “most dignified work” he’s ever done.
In a nod to Dylan’s often unpredictable nature, Chalamet recalled that the singer’s manager secretly came to set one day and after watching the actor he praised him for capturing the “spirit” of his client. In fact, the text he got was so effusive and positive, that Chalamet said he and Norton were “jumping up and down and went, ‘man, Bob’s manager loves it’ and then we were like, ‘oh no, the real Bob’s such a contrarian that Jeff’s gonna go to him and say this movie looks good and then Bob’s gonna say well, it must be a piece of s–t.’”
Now that he’s been fully immersed in the “Church of Bob,” Chalamet said he feels like he can be a “bridge” to bring the the voice of a generation to a whole new generation. In a pair of trailers to date, Chalamet appears to fully transform his voice and physical manner to tell the story of Dylan’s early 1960s rise to fame and the controversial moment he switched to electric guitar at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival.
A Complete Unknown opens in theaters on Dec. 25.
Watch the full interview below.
The Bay Area is having a moment, and P-Lo is making sure it’s one for the history books. Ahead of the 2025 NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco, the rapper-producer has teamed up with Golden State Entertainment (GSE), the Warriors’ music and content arm, to drop “Players Holiday ’25.”
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Featuring an all-star roster of Bay Area talent, including Larry June, Kamaiyah, Saweetie, LaRussell, G-Eazy, thuy and YMTK, the track serves somewhat as a love letter to the Bay.
P-Lo sees this project as a celebration of Bay Area culture and a chance to bring together local talent. “As a Warriors fan growing up, it’s an honor to represent our region,” P-Lo tells Billboard, reflecting on the project’s cultural weight. More than just a bop, “Players Holiday ‘25” serves as the lead single for his upcoming EP, For the Soil, a GSE collaboration spotlighting the region’s iconic sound. With appearances from legends like E-40 and Too $hort, the EP is set to further solidify the Bay’s influence on hip-hop and its deep ties to basketball culture.
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For Saweetie, jumping on the track was an easy decision. “Me and P-Lo always find ways to plug each other,” Saweetie says, referencing their past work on the 49ers playoff anthem “Do It for the Bay.” Her verse channels her signature ICY energy while paying homage to the region’s player culture. “It feels good to be part of something so historic for the Bay,” she continued. “Growing up in the Bay, you learn a lot of ‘player’ vibes, and I wanted my verse to reflect that. The sample is fire, and I’m bringing my Bay Area perspective as a woman.”
Both P-Lo and Saweetie emphasize the power of music to elevate events like the All-Star Game, creating a bridge between hip-hop and sports fans. “Music connects people, and for a special event like All-Star, having a song that highlights the Bay makes it even more meaningful,” Saweetie says.
David Kelly, GSE’s chief business officer, echoes that sentiment. “When we set out to create Golden State Entertainment, we wanted to work with artists who represent Bay Area culture but can also do so on a national and global scale,” Kelly told Billboard. “P-Lo fits that perfectly. He has a massive following in the Bay. He’s a rapper, producer and someone we’ve worked with before. His connections with other artists, like Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June and Kamaiyah, allow us to create a project like ‘Players Holiday’ that we can tie into a global platform like the NBA All-Star Game. It’s the perfect match for what we want to do.”
With a lively video shot in true Bay Area style, “Players Holiday ‘25” is a celebration of community, legacy and hometown pride. Below, P-Lo opens up about the collaboration, the importance of representing the Bay on a global stage, and what fans can expect from For the Soil.
The Warriors are the first NBA team to launch an entertainment division. How did it come together and how does it feel to be part of this collaboration?
When I got the call, it was an honor. Especially growing up in the Bay as a Warriors fan, working with them to represent our region the way I see it means a lot. I love where I’m from, and I respect everyone in the scene who’s making a name for themselves and representing the Bay the right way. For them to call on me for this, that was a cool honor.
I met David Kelly a few years back when I was doing a halftime show for the Warriors. He told me about GSE, and then a friend, Caroline, who’s been with GSE for a while, reached out and said, “I think you’d be perfect for this project.” That’s how it all came together.
“Players Holiday ’25” features Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June and more. What was it like working with and recruiting such a diverse group of Bay Area artists?
Man, it was dope. Everyone on the record represents different parts of the Bay, but we all share that same love for where we’re from. Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June, Kamaiyah — it’s like bringing the old and new generations together, showing the world that the Bay stays united and always pushing forward. These are all people that I work with frequently, and they just so happen to be all Bay legends. So I just wanted to bring everyone together to really represent where we’re from. And I feel like this song resonates. As different as everyone is, like in music and their style, I feel like this song represents all of us like the same.
I love that you brought your friends along for this project. At the end of the day, it’s about putting people on to opportunities and giving them a spotlight to shine alongside you. I think that speaks to the idea of wanting to share your moment.
For sure. I mean, I don’t want to be the only one going up, you know? What does that really say about you if you can’t bring anyone else along? I’ve always been taught to share what I’ve got going on, and that’s something I’ve always wanted to do.
Walk me through the creative process of this song.
There’s this song called “Player’s Holiday” by Ant Banks and The Whole Damn Yay (T.W.D.Y). It’s an old track from the late 1990s. I used to always watch the music video on this channel called CMC. They’d play hip-hop and R&B videos for like an hour, and “Player’s Holiday” was one of those songs that always came on. As a kid, I loved it, and as I got older, I kept thinking, Man, I want to flip that song someday.
When this opportunity came up, I knew it was the perfect time. It was the right moment to bring that song back and get everyone on it. That’s really what inspired the project.
Was there anything interesting that happened on set while you were filming, or any memorable moments you can recall?
Yeah, honestly, the whole day I was just smiling, feeling really grateful to bring everyone together. It’s rare to see that these days, especially with how divisive the media can be. Just being able to bring together all these artists, each with their own unique worlds and projects going on, and seeing everyone vibe together, it was amazing. I literally couldn’t stop smiling. It was dope. We had some Bay Area legends out there, and they were enjoying themselves. We also had some of the younger generation, and they were having a great time too. It just showed that when we actually come together and try to do something, we’re capable of pulling it off. It was a great moment.
The song and video capture that Bay Area vibe perfectly. How important was it to highlight the culture?
That was the whole point. The Bay has a unique energy. It’s fun, it’s celebratory, and it’s authentic. We wanted to show that off, especially with the All-Star Game coming to the Bay. It’s a global event, but it’s still about us, our roots, and how we do things here.
Do you see more collaborations like this happening in the future?
For sure. This is just the start. We’ve got the For The Soil album dropping in January, which will feature even more Bay Area artists. The Warriors are about blending sports and culture, and I’m excited to see what’s next. I just think the Bay Area has always been innovative in culture and technology and more. And I think with the Warriors leading that as well it’s just a perfect match. Music, technology, culture … that’s all the things that bring people together. And that’s what we’re doing.
Watch P-Lo’s “Players Holidays ’25” featuring Saweetie, G-Eazy, Larry June, Kamaiyah, LaRussell, thuy, and YMTK below.
John Mayer and director McG (Family Switch) have teamed up to buy one of Hollywood’s most historic studio lots. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a spokesperson for guitarist/singer Mayer confirmed that the pair are “under contract to buy Henson Studios.” THR reported that the approximately $60M bid was a “dramatic reversal” for the famed property […]
RAYE has announced her largest-ever concert at London’s All Points East Festival next summer. The genre-spanning musician will headline the 50,000-capacity Victoria Park on Aug. 23, 2025 and joins The Maccabees and Barry Can’t Swim as headliners for the annual music event. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and […]
Selena Gomez already knew she was dating one of the Sexiest Men Alive. But it definitely felt good that People magazine agreed. After boyfriend producer Benny Blanco appeared in a preview of this year’s issue — in which he sprawled seductively across a desk while showing off his signature champagne and homemade Mexican Pizza meal […]
Robbie Williams has announced a string of live 2025 dates throughout summer across the U.K., Ireland and mainland Europe.
The British pop icon will begin the tour in Edinburgh, Scotland on May 31 before visiting stadiums in London, Manchester and Bath. He’ll then head to the Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Latvia and more before concluding the run in Helsinki, Finland on Sep. 20.
Support on the U.K. leg will come from Warrington rock band The Lottery Winners, while Rag ‘N’ Bone Man will do the honors on select dates in Edinburgh and London. See the full run of dates below.
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Tickets for the tour go on sale on Friday (Nov. 15) at 10 a.m. GMT. Fans can secure early access to tickets by pre-ordering the upcoming compilation soundtrack to biopic film Better Man, which will be released on Dec. 26, 2024 in the U.K. and Ireland, and on Jan. 17, 2025 in the U.S. and Canada.
The soundtrack, which will feature Williams’ greatest hits, will be released digitally on Dec. 27 with a physical release to follow. A tracklist is yet to be confirmed.
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Better Man will tell the story of Williams’ life through childhood and his fame with ‘90s boyband Take Thats, and follow his wildly successful solo career which includes 13 No.1s on the U.K. Albums Chart and 18 BRIT Awards. Williams will be played by a CGI monkey throughout the film directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman).
In a press release, director Gracey expanded on the decision to not use a human actor in the otherwise live action film. “Robbie would say things like, ‘I’m up the back dancing like a monkey.’ After a while, I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be amazing to represent Robbie as a monkey in the film?’ Because Robbie is telling this story – and that’s how he sees himself.” Watch the trailer for the film below.
Robbie Williams 2025 European Tour Dates
May 31 – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, U.K.June 6 – Emirates Stadium, London, U.K.June 11 – Co-op Live, Manchester, U.K.June 13 – Royal Crescent, Bath, U.K.June 19 – Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, DenmarkJune 22 – Johan Cruyff ArenA, Amsterdam, NetherlandsJune 25 – VELTINS-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, GermanyJune 28 – Werchter TW Classic, Belgium June 30 – Heinz von Heiden Arena, Hanover, GermanyJuly 2 – La Défense Arena, Paris, FranceJuly 5 – RCDE Stadium, Barcelona, SpainJuly 9 – Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, GermanyJuly 12 – Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria July 17 – Stadio Nereo Rocco, Trieste, ItalyJuly 21 – Waldbühne, Berlin, GermanyJuly 22 – Waldbühne, Berlin, GermanyJuly 26 – Olympiastadion, Munich, GermanyAugust 1 – Darius and Girėnas Stadium, Kaunas, LithuaniaAugust 3 – Mežaparks, Riga, LatviaAugust 7 – Stockholm Stadion, Stockholm, SwedenAugust 10 – Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt, GermanyAugust 13 – Forus Travbane, Stavanger, NorwayAugust 16 – Granåsen, Trondheim, NorwayAugust 23 – Croke Park, Dublin, IrelandSeptember 7 – O2 Arena, Prague, Czech RepublicSeptember 9 – TAURON Arena, Kraków, PolandSeptember 12 – MVM Dome, Budapest, HungarySeptember 20 – Olympiastadion, Helsinki, Finland
Paul Weller, Kneecap, Primal Scream, and Liam Bailey will be among the performers at a benefit event in support of humanitarian charities in Palestine at London’s O2 Academy Brixton on Dec. 13.
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The show curated by Weller, which is titled Gig For Gaza, will also feature guest speakers and short films. All proceeds from the night will go to MAP (Medical Aid For Palestine) and Gaza Forever. Tickets will be available on Friday (Nov. 15) at 9 a.m. GMT via Ticketmaster. The official artwork was designed by Robert Del Naja of Massive Attack.
During recent performances, Weller discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Speaking on stage at a gig in Glasgow, Scotland last month, the songwriter explained that he didn’t want to subject audience members to “a political rant,” but felt as though it was important to speak his mind.
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“I would like to dedicate that last song to all the tens of thousands of women, children, babies, men, civilians in Palestine and Gaza,” Weller told the crowd at the city’s Barrowlands venue. “I would ask you one question. It’s really simple. There is no grey area. Are you for genocide, or are you against it? It’s a f–-king yes or no question…”
The war was sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, during which more than 1,200 Israeli civilians were killed by Hamas fighters who also took more than 250 hostages. In the year that has followed, Israeli forces have reportedly killed more than 42,000 Palestinians according to Palestinian authorities, as well as launching recent airstrikes in Iran and Lebanon.
Having previously fronted and supported left-wing movements (including organizing the pro-Labour party Red Wedge collective in the 1980s), Weller has a storied history of activism. He recently wrapped up a headline tour across the U.K. in support of his latest LP 66, which reached No.4 in the Official U.K. Albums Chart in June.
Irish rappers Kneecap, meanwhile, unveiled their debut album Fine Art earlier this year, which was supported by the release of their eponymous biopic starring the trio themselves alongside actor Michael Fassbender. Following Gig For Gaza, they will play their biggest headline show to date at Belfast’s 11,000-capacity SSE Arena on Dec. 21.
In March, Kneecap withdrew from performing at this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas, after it was revealed that the U.S. Army was a “super sponsor” of the event as well as defense contractor RTX Corporation. “It is done in solidarity with the people of Palestine and to highlight the unacceptable deep links the festival has to weapons companies,” the group explained of their decision via Instagram. “This will have a significant financial impact on Kneecap… but it isn’t an iota of hardship when compared with the suffering being inflicted on the people of Gaza.”
Ella Louise Jenkins, celebrated as the “First Lady of the Children’s Folk Song,” passed away on Nov. 9 at the age of 100.
A visionary in children’s music, Jenkins revolutionized the genre, introducing young audiences to a wealth of global musical traditions and promoting inclusivity through her songs.
Jenkins, born on August 6, 1924, in St. Louis and raised on Chicago’s South Side, grew up immersed in the sounds of blues, gospel, and local singing games that would inspire her groundbreaking work in children’s music.
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Introduced to the harmonica and blues by her uncle and captivated by gospel music from neighborhood churches and performances by artists like Cab Calloway, Jenkins developed a passion for diverse musical expressions early on.
Speaking of her early love for music to Smithsonian Mag in 2012, Jenkins said: “I’ve always liked music. Even when I was a child in our neighborhood, we sang and made up rhymes. It was very important to be able to carry a tune and to learn songs.”
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“In the neighborhood I grew up in [in Chicago] there was the Regal Theater, which had live entertainment. There were singers and tap dancers — tap dancing really intrigued me. Pretty soon I asked my mother if I could go to one of the centers and learn how to tap dance,” she said, adding that she enjoyed listening to the popular singers of the day.
In the early 1950s, Jenkins started as a YWCA program director before dedicating herself fully to music for young audiences. Her 1957 debut album, Call-And-Response: Rhythmic Group Singing, released through Folkways Records, featured call-and-response chants from the United States and Africa, specially adapted for young children.
Throughout her career, Jenkins released 39 albums, including Multicultural Children’s Songs (1995), which remains the most popular release in the history of Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. She performed across all seven continents, sharing and learning about various musical cultures.
Jenkins introduced children to diverse rhythms and languages through songs like “You’ll Sing a Song and I’ll Sing a Song,” now preserved in the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry. Her approach exemplified a gentle, inclusive way to address subjects like self-worth and acceptance.
Her televised appearances, including on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Barney & Friends and Sesame Street extended her reach to millions of children and families. In 2004, Jenkins received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jenkins’s influence extended beyond her Grammy nominations and record-breaking sales; she inspired generations of educators, musicians, and families to embrace diversity through music. She passed away peacefully at the Harbors at The Admiral at the Lake, a senior facility in Chicago.
