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28 Feb 2024

Why Some Indie Artists Are Also Struggling With UMG’s TikTok Ban

When Uber Eats used mazie‘s “Dumb Dumb” in a commercial that played during the last Super Bowl, she ordinarily would have used the sought-after synch to promote the 2021 song relentlessly to her 375,000 TikTok followers. But her label, Goodbye Records, is distributed through Universal’s Virgin Music Group, which pulled its music from the social media platform at the beginning of February after negotiations for a new licensing deal fell apart. “It’s insane,” mazie says. “My song was just in a Super Bowl commercial, and I have to repromote it [by] using other people’s ripped versions of my song on the platform.”

The singer-songwriter, whose track went viral last year and says it “changed my life in every single way,” is one of many frustrated developing artists signed to or distributed by the world’s largest music company. They all have similar complaints: Their label contacts have spent years instructing them to focus the bulk of their marketing efforts on TikTok and its 1 billion-plus monthly active users. With their music no longer on the platform, they are scrambling for alternate ways to be heard.

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“A lot of us are left at the drawing board again, especially when we’ve gotten an artist over the anxiety of putting themselves out there on TikTok,” says Sabrina Finkelstein, manager of Los Angeles singer Kristiane. “Now that that’s gone, it brings you almost to square one.”

Kristiane is signed to Fader, a label distributed by UMG’s Virgin Music Group, so she’s building buzz for her upcoming Stray Dog EP by deemphasizing TikTok and talking to fans on Instagram Broadcast Channels and other platforms. “We’re putting up lost-dog posters all over New York and other cities,” says Finkelstein, who is also A&R director for the Sony Music-owned RECORDS label. “Small things you can do to bring it off TikTok and into the real world.”

Springfield, Mo., folk-country band Pawns or Kings can no longer post its 2022 track “Anymore” on TikTok, because Universal bought its distributor, Ingrooves, and merged it with Virgin Music Group — even after singer Edward Stengel spent $7,000 of his own money on a video. “That song was always our spearhead song,” says Stengel, who is still promoting the track on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram while posting older material released through independent label ONErpm on TikTok. But Pawns or Kings’ early music is darker than its current work, Stengel says, which makes the stopgap strategy “an abrupt pivot” for the band’s image.

Canadian rapper bbno$ says his 2021 track “Edamame,” which has nearly 426 million Spotify plays, was “having a moment” on TikTok when the UMG ban took effect. The artist had licensed the song to mTheory’s distribution division for a five-year period — the same mTheory that UMG acquired in 2022 (putting its top executives in charge of Virgin). “I’m actually fully independent. It was just this one deal that looped all the songs together, and I got fucked,” says bbno$, who is considering altering the song with pitch-correction and wild sound effects — such as the voice of SpongeBob SquarePants repeating, “I’m ready!” — to avoid detection from digital sweeps.

L.A. rock band Dead Posey, which released its single “Zombies” just days before the ban, sped up its songs on TikTok by 5% — an effective solution, although artists can’t link unofficial songs to official Spotify streams. “It has not been taken down,” says singer Danyell Souza, whose label, Position Music, has a Virgin distribution deal. Adds guitarist Tony Fagenson: “We’re hopeful this resolves soon in a favorable way to artists. In the meantime, we have to play some tricks to keep using this platform.”

UMG-signed and -distributed artists are also turning to their most potent asset on TikTok: fans. One of Kristiane’s followers recently posted a lip-sync video to a concert track, declaring, “At least UMG can’t take away my live audios.” Finkelstein is supportive of this approach. “No matter what, the fans are going to find a way to share their artists’ music and support them,” she says. “There are ways around it.”

This story will appear in the March 2, 2024, issue of Billboard.

28 Feb 2024

TikTok Thinks Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ Sounds Like This Classic Canadian Children’s Show Theme Song

Beyoncé is already making history with her swerve into the country lane. But after scoring a surprise No. 1 hit with “Texas Hold ‘Em,” some of Queen Bey’s Canadian fans think her new two-step has a familiar ring to it.

A week after TikTok videos pointed out that the tune’s bouncy finger-picked intro bears a striking resemblance to the theme song from the late 1990s/early 2000s children’s cartoon Franklin, the musician behind that show’s iconic opening track, “Hey, It’s Franklin,” says he’s just fine with the comparisons.

According to TMZ, veteran Canadian rocker Bruce Cockburn, 78 — best known for his 1984 hit “If I Had a Rocket Launcher” — told the outlet that he is honored by the many side-by-side videos. “I think Beyoncé’s ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ is a good record. Unfortunately, I can’t claim to have any part in writing it,” he said.

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“The rhythmic feel is similar to my theme song for the Franklin TV series, but to my ears, that’s where the similarity stops. ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ is her song, and I wish her success with it!” Cockburn added.

It appears the resemblance was first pointed out by TikTok user Ashleigh Aedan on Feb. 18, when she played a bit of the Bey song and captioned her video, “Now go listen to the Franklin theme song and tell me these are the same”; that clip ha since racked up more than 3.5 million views. The post began making news in Canada soon after, with a radio DJ doing a mash-up that boosted the notion that the songs share a similar git-up.

A music expert told CBC News that the comparisons make sense since both use fingerstyle plucking, instead of strumming, with Beyoncé’s opening with a banjo played in the Clawhammer style. Musicologist Claire McLeish said the Franklin theme opens with a style called Travis picking, with a “strong Clawhammer influence.” McLeish also pointed out that both are played in the key of D, with the instruments tuned in a similar style, which is what McLeish said people are picking up on.

And while they sound similar, McLeish said “they don’t sound alike in a way that would cause any legal problems” because you cannot copyright an “idea,” and the Travis picking style is a common idea used in country and folk music all the time. In fact, McLeish compiled a playlist of songs in a similar style, including ones by Johnny Cash, Led Zeppelin and Cockburn, noting that since Beyoncé isn’t using the same melody or lyrics that are close to the Franklin theme it’s probably safe from any legal issues.

Last week, Bey became the first Black woman to top the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, followed by the track topping the Billboard Hot 100, giving the singer her ninth leader on the list.

Listen below and see if you hear the similarities.



28 Feb 2024

NewJeans Explain Their ‘Surreal’ Success Smashing Expectations For Women in K-Pop

As the five members of NewJeans file gracefully down the stairs at their Billboard photo shoot in Seoul, they greet me with bright smiles and genuine greetings of “Nice to meet you.” Just a few days prior, the exploding K-pop girl group won artist of the year and song of the year at both the Melon Music Awards and MAMA Awards, two of South Korea’s most prestigious music prizes — and just two of the roughly 10 awards shows they attended and performed at in the country this past December and early January. Yet despite the hectic schedule of winter awards season there, they exude warmth and enthusiasm.

That infectious energy has endeared the women of NewJeans — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein, who range in age from 16 to 19 — to fans both in South Korea and worldwide. Since debuting in July 2022, NewJeans has swiftly ascended to the top of the K-pop pantheon. Six of its eight released singles have reached No. 1 or No. 2 on South Korea’s dominant streaming measure, the Circle Digital Chart. The act has made inroads on several Billboard charts as well, including three top 10 hits on the Global 200 and four on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, five entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and six top 10s on World Digital Song Sales (the highest-reaching was “Super Shy,” peaking at No. 2 last July). The group’s songs have gained 931.6 million official U.S. on-demand streams, according to Luminate.

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Along the way, NewJeans has smashed expectations in K-pop, helping lead a new era of female influence in a genre long dominated by male groups. While it was once accepted industry wisdom that only boy bands could build a core fandom and widespread commercial success (selling both albums and concert tickets), NewJeans is part of a girl-group generation that has done both, shifting the paradigm of what achievement entails for young female groups. And NewJeans has done so under the guidance of an equally innovative leader: It’s the first act to debut under ADOR (All Doors One Room), led by founder and CEO Min Hee Jin, the rare woman leading a K-pop label and management company.

About a decade ago — when this writer started working in K-pop as a producer — it sounded very differently. Record labels emphasized melody, dynamic vocal range and cohesive track arrangements, while dance performance was simply considered support for a song. Over time, the music trended toward bombastic anthems well-suited to choreography, and so-called “easy listening” songs (those preferred by the South Korean general public, who of late have not been K-pop’s core audience) tended to get lost. But NewJeans has proved that strong performances and easy listening need not be mutually exclusive. And as Billboard’s Women in Music Group of the Year says in person in Seoul, the act is just getting started.

Danielle NewJeans Billboard Women In Music Cover Shoot

Danielle

Ssam Kim

Haerin NewJeans Billboard Women In Music Cover Shoot

Haerin

Ssam Kim

How did it feel to win artist of the year and song of the year at the Melon Music Awards and MAMA Awards?

Hanni: It was really surreal to win such big awards. Honestly, for us, when it comes to these types of awards shows, we are just excited to be there. Just to be invited is an honor. We never expected [to win]. We really are just thankful for everyone who has put in a lot of hard work toward our content and music and all the people that really enjoyed it, so I think it just makes it more fun.

Danielle: I agree with Hanni. There are so many people that put in so much effort and hard work into what we do, and we are just so honored that so many people are enjoying it just as much as we are enjoying it. Sharing that happiness and positive energy through our music is such an honor in itself.

You have a small discography but so many big songs like “Ditto,” which won song of the year at the Melon and MAMA awards. Which did you expect to become as big as they did?

Danielle: When our CEO has a new song and she’s prepared to make a new album, she gets us all in her studio and we listen to all the songs together. I remember the first time we heard the songs for our album Get Up, we were just blown away. Because we truly were just like, “This is so us! This is so NewJeans.” When I first heard “Ditto,” I felt a connection to it — I guess I felt if people hear this, I want them to feel they’re healed in some way. So to know that people out there are receiving somewhat of a positive energy, it’s really amazing. Every time we release new music, we wonder if people are going to enjoy it just as much as we do. To see people out there jamming to our songs, it puts a really big smile on our faces.

Hanni NewJeans Billboard Women In Music Cover Shoot

Hanni

Ssam Kim

NewJeans Billboard Women In Music Cover Shoot

From left: NewJeans’ Minji, Danielle, Haerin, Hanni and Hyein photographed on December 4, 2023 at Seongbuk Songjae in Seoul.

Ssam Kim

Traditionally, men have run the K-pop industry, and ADOR was notably founded by a woman. What was it like training under a CEO who has that shared perspective?

Danielle: I can’t imagine what it would be like if it wasn’t for our CEO, Min Hee Jin. We are so close to her, and we feel such a strong connection to her. After a conversation with her, we’d just be inspired and learn so much. When we go overseas and stuff, she’d take us out shopping and we’d have dinner together, and we’d spend hours and hours laughing and talking about what happened and how we’ve been and telling stories.

Hyein: She is very consistent. She’s always wondering about us and worrying about us. She’s very friendly and reaches out [to us] first, which helps us feel really comfortable around her. She gives us advice like a mother would. She’s not just a great CEO but a great human being in general.

Historically, core fandoms have been harder for women to achieve in K-pop. But in the last few years that has completely changed, and NewJeans is at the forefront of that. Why do you think you’ve been able to capture that?

Minji: It may have to do with the fact that the K-pop market became a lot bigger. That’s one of the reasons why we started with so much attention and love from the general public. We never really set a specific [goal], but rather aimed to put on a performance that we love with songs that we love. I think this probably helped our fans love us from early on.

Haerin: I agree with Minji. I think it’s also because there are so many channels we can use to communicate with our fans and the public.

Hyein NewJeans Billboard Women In Music Cover Shoot

Hyein

Ssam Kim

Minji NewJeans Billboard Women In Music Cover Shoot

Minji

Ssam Kim

I think NewJeans has changed how music sounds in K-pop, with a trend toward returning to easy listening music. Do you agree?

Danielle: Music itself is always changing. But before we debuted, our CEO told us that she wanted to do something new, something fresh and different. But with that, she wanted it to be, no matter who you are, no matter what age or gender, you can listen to it and enjoy it. So I think with that came the easy listening music. We didn’t really think, “Oh, we’re going to change music, that’s crazy.” (All laugh.) We just wanted to try something new and fun.

You’ve accomplished so much in a short time. Where do you want to go from here?

Haerin: I want our songs to move people. My goal is not only to have songs that are emotional but also to share the emotions with people onstage and through our music.

Minji: I have similar thoughts to Haerin, but I want our music to be remembered for a long time. For example, I want people to think of last winter when they hear “Ditto.”

Danielle: Besides music and performing, I just want to become someone who stays true to myself and is always open-hearted and open-minded and modest and tries really hard because there are so many things I want to do and so many places I want to go. I want to experience a lot and learn a lot and just enjoy the time being with the [NewJeans] members.

Cover, Women in Music, NewJeans

This story will appear in the March 2, 2024, issue of Billboard.

28 Feb 2024

NewJeans: Photos From the Billboard Women In Music Cover Shoot

As the five members of NewJeans file gracefully down the stairs at their Billboard photo shoot in Seoul, they greet me with bright smiles and genuine greetings of “Nice to meet you.” Just a few days prior, the exploding K-pop girl group won artist of the year and song of the year at both the Melon Music Awards and MAMA Awards, two of South Korea’s most prestigious music prizes — and just two of the roughly 10 awards shows they attended and performed at in the country this past December and early January. Yet despite the hectic schedule of winter awards season there, they exude warmth and enthusiasm.

That infectious energy has endeared the women of NewJeans — Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein, who range in age from 16 to 19 — to fans both in South Korea and worldwide. Since debuting in July 2022, NewJeans has swiftly ascended to the top of the K-pop pantheon. Six of its eight released singles have reached No. 1 or No. 2 on South Korea’s dominant streaming measure, the Circle Digital Chart. The act has made inroads on several Billboard charts as well, including three top 10 hits on the Global 200 and four on the Global Excl. U.S. chart, five entries on the Billboard Hot 100 and six top 10s on World Digital Song Sales (the highest-reaching was “Super Shy,” peaking at No. 2 last July). The group’s songs have gained 931.6 million official U.S. on-demand streams, according to Luminate.

Read the full Billboard cover story here.

28 Feb 2024

Dr. Todd Boyd Breaks Down Hip-Hop’s Cultural Significance In New Book ‘Rapper’s Deluxe’

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Dr. Todd Boyd x Rapper's Deluxe x Interview

Dr. Todd Boyd and his professorial career date back to the early 1990s and over the years has lent his research and views towards cultural happenings, most notably Hip-Hop music and culture. In his new book, Rapper’s Deluxe: How Hip Hop Made The World, Dr. Boyd examines the early beginnings of Hip-Hop and looks at the massive sway it has on fashion, language, and more.

Dr. Todd Boyd was gracious enough to speak with Hip-Hop Wired about Rapper’s Deluxe, which transformed into a discussion about Dr. Boyd’s engagement with Hip-Hop as a young student and into his current position as a college professor. The Detroit native opened up our discussion by explaining the title of the book which sits as a clever nod to Hip-Hop fans, especially on the musical side.

Dr. Todd Boyd x Rapper's Deluxe x Interview

“I thought about ‘Rapper’s Delight,’ obviously because of it being the first commercially available rap song but also thinking about everything that happened after that song was released,” Dr. Boyd began. “Then the word deluxe. When you think of that word, you think of something being more than the average, or more than you expect.”

He added, “As you go through the book, which moves in an arc, so many things happen within the culture that by the time you reach the end. It’s also like when Hip-Hop was primarily released on CDs and the deluxe version of an album would have bonus tracks. You’re getting more for your money, and that’s what the book is aiming for.”

That aim is true of Rapper’s Deluxe. The sheer size of the tome alone seems staggering and yet there could be countless editions to emerge from its solid base.

We then asked Boyd about his early days in Detroit and if he had any prescient visions of what the culture would become considering the evolution it underwent during his formative years. While Boyd confirmed he couldn’t have known we’d be where we are today, he did remark on the music of his youth having power and influence.

“Growing up in the 1970s and just listening to all the great music of that era was like a gift almost,” Boyd explains. “You had Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, The O’Jays, Parliament-Funkadelic, I could go on.”

“That music had so much influence. It was a lifestyle. So when Hip-Hop producers came along and began sampling some of this music, it felt like a way of reliving all of that. At the same time, it helped introduce new listeners who weren’t familiar with that time to that wonderful music,” Boyd said.

We then began to discuss the finer points of the book, which gives a decade-by-decade overview of Hip-Hop’s evolution. In the book’s opening chapter focusing on the 1970s, Boyd goes into grand detail about how the period was packed with several cultural shifts that would later give way to the commercial success of Hip-Hop while still reminding the reader of its funk, soul, jazz, and R&B roots. For history enthusiasts, this backdrop is important to note as it informs that aforementioned arc Boyd mentions.

Having lived through those moments he artfully depicts in the book, he explained that it was easy to find attachment to Hip-Hop music because, at its root, it was steeped in Black culture.

“Just hearing rap music on the radio made so much sense because they were speaking my language,” Boyd says of Hip-Hop’s early days as a commercial art form.

“What I mean by that is if you’re part of this culture, you might run into a dude on the street that had a rhyme for you. Muhammad Ali would have a rhyme before he would kick your behind. The ’70s were full of colorful characters like Nipsey Russell, who the late Nipsey Hustle flipped his name from, he spoke in rhymes. In Detroit, you might see a cat who is pimping and he spoke in that fashion. It was just a natural step for us,” Boyd said.

During his college years, Boyd remembered seeing Hip-Hop’s visual component expand and there was more of the art to consume. And like we contend with now in the streaming era, Boyd says that there were plenty of poorly constructed songs that were cringeworthy at worst and barely tolerable at best. However, the cream would rise to the top with the likes of Run-D.M.C., who he credits with truly presenting an image that matched the hard beats and rhymes.

“I was in college at the time and a lot of my peers were heavy into Michael Jackson. So when Run-D.M.C. raps ‘I’m not Michael Jackson and this is not Thriller,’ that spoke to me,” Boyd says. “Over time, you hear Slick Rick, LL Cool J and then later, Public Enemy, Special Ed, Queen Latifah, N.W.A., and it just started to elevate from there.”

The largest portion of Rapper’s Deluxe is the breakdown of the 1990s and we don’t have enough space to cover everything we discussed during our chat. But what is notable is that Boyd recognizes that this is the era when N.W.A. and 2 Live Crew’s shock and awe moments of the 1980s were just the beginning of provocative music and that’s not pointing to the brash vulgarity of their music but how fast it was starting to spread.

Dr. Todd Boyd x Rapper's Deluxe x Interview

“You might notice that the ’90s portion of the book is the biggest because it had to be,” Boyd said. “By this time, the stars of the 1980s were becoming superstars, music videos were becoming prominent because of ‘Yo! MTV Raps‘ and you had Arsenio Hall’s show that platformed Hip-Hop, and Spike Lee infused his movies with the music.”

“The Los Angeles riot and the Rodney King tragedy happened during this period. You have the Five Percent Nation influence in music that started with Rakim but was pushed further with the likes of Brand Nubian and the Wu-Tang Clan. In a few years, Hip-Hop went from being marginal to being a global thing,” Boyd says.

If one assumes that Boyd is stuck just listening to the music of his era, they would be incorrect. While he comfortably admits that he doesn’t see himself as the target audience for the modern era of music, he named Westside Gunn and the Griselda movement and 21 Savage as acts that pique his interest.

“I like a lot of what I hear these days. It’s not going to hit me the same way it did when I first heard [Big Daddy] Kane or Scarface but I can see the art in it and I’m glad it exists for those it was made for,” Boyd eloquently shared.

“I’ve always said to give me a choice, and the streaming era helps with that somewhat. If you put it in front of me, I can decide if the music and the cultural expression are for me or not. I’m not at that impressionable age anymore but I can still experience this culture for what it is and support it from where I stand even if I’m not 100 percent engaged as I once was,” Boyd concluded.

Dr. Todd Boyd is the Katherine and Frank Price Endowed Chair for the Study of Race & Popular Culture and Professor of Cinema and Media Studies in the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

To purchase Rapper’s Deluxe: How Hip Hop Made The World and to learn more, click here. You can also follow Dr. Boyd on his Instagram page here.

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Photo: Phaidon Books

28 Feb 2024

Kate Bush Tapped as U.K.’s Record Store Day 2024 Ambassador

After an unlikely global smash hit that was 37 years in the making, and a long-overdue induction into the Rock Hall, Kate Bush is named as ambassador for the U.K.’s Record Store Day 2024.

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The English singer rarely appears in public, on TV or radio. Though, being asked to serve as ambassador for RSD is “a huge honor,” she writes in a message on her official website. “It really is a great privilege.”

The 65-year-old “Wuthering Heights” singer is a life-long vinyl advocate. Last year, her label Fish People reissued her albums on wax, spanning 10 studio efforts, including U.K. No. 1s Hounds of Love and Never for Ever, The Dreaming, and her debut The Kick Inside, plus the remix album Director’s Cut.

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“There’s a special emotional connection that happens between the possessor of an album, the music and the artwork,” she said at the time, “when it exists in the real world. It’s something we can treasure in a unique way.”

Those reissues feature the remastered audio from a 2018 campaign, when Bush’s entire musical output was released on vinyl across four box sets, including songs that had never before been pressed on wax.

Bush’s comeback is the stuff of legend. Powered by the fourth season of Stranger Things, Bush’s 1985 hit “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God”) became a chart phenomenon all over again.

By mid-2022, she was No. 1 on Hot 100 Songwriters Chart, and the song had logged multiple weeks at No. 1 in Australia and the U.K., where she was anointed as the oldest female artist ever to lead the Official U.K. Singles Chart (at 63 years and 11 months).

In the U.S., “Running Up That Hill” topped both Billboard Global Charts, and, climbed to a new peak position of No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Then, in November 2023, Bush was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.

To celebrate her new ambassadorial role, Fish People will issue an exclusive 10″ UV printed disc “Eat the Music” (single version), “Lily” and “Big Stripey Lie,” to coincide with RSD on April 20.

“The added bonus of vinyl is that it encourages people to listen to albums,” Bush continues, “an art form that I’ve always thought can be treasured in a unique way.”

In the U.K., over 260 stores participate in RSD in every corner of the country, reps say, and is one of the biggest new music events on the calendar.

Bush is a national treasure in her homeland, where she has bagged seven top 10 singles, including two No. 1s; and 12 top 10 albums, including three leaders.

Read Kate Bush’s RSD message in full below:

What a huge honour to have been asked to be Ambassador for this year’s Record Store Day. It really is a great privilege.

Isn’t it great to see how the resurgence in vinyl has taken the Music Industry by complete surprise? It had decided to leave vinyl far behind, but it would seem that not everyone agrees! I love that!

I know there are many, many artists who are just as excited to see the audience turning the tide.

In the same way that some people like to read a book on Kindle but also want to have a book as a physical object, a lot of people like vinyl and streaming. Both have different appeals.

The added bonus of vinyl is that it encourages people to listen to albums. An art form that I’ve always thought can be treasured in a unique way.

An album on vinyl is a beautiful thing, given a strong identity by its large-scale artwork. There’s a much more personal connection with the artist and their work.

It’s been fun putting designs together for some of the previous RSDs. This year’s design echoes the cancelled release of ‘Eat the Music’ as the first single from the album, ‘The Red Shoes’.

The image was intended to be on the cover of the single bag and is now on the disc as a UV print.

The title, ‘Eat the Music’, is meant to be a playful nod to ‘If music be the food of love, play on,’ from Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

Each year Record Store Day gathers more attention, more momentum, and attracts more people who cram into indie record stores all over the world to see what’s up. What’s new?

This year, I hope you have a fantastic time at this very important event, and that you get to celebrate music that’s been specially released for you.

Very best wises,

Kate

28 Feb 2024

‘The Voice’: Gene Taylor Scores Four-Chair Turn With ‘Unbelievable’ Journey Audition

No one can sing a Journey number quite like the mighty Steve Perry. Or perhaps Gene Taylor.

Hailing from Vernon, New Jersey, now based in Brooklyn, NY, the 33-year-old Taylor has done the rounds of theater and performed for much of his life. Under the bright lights of NBC’s The Voice on Tuesday night (Feb. 27), he showcased his talents for power and glory.

For Taylor’s blind audition, a cover of Journey’s 1978 song “Lights”. Power, glory.

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John Legend turned first, then Dan +Shay, followed by Reb McEntire and, finally, Chance the Rapper, for a four-chair turn and a standing ovation.

“I always love a tenor who can sing those beautiful big notes,” says Legend, “but also you had finesse. It was just so expertly done as a vocalist.” And with that, Legend launched into his sales pitch. Legend would also identify some classic vocal skills in the mix, a fusion of Nat King Cole with rock.

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“Your voice is unbelievable,” says Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay. “I was just sitting back and enjoying the music for just a second.” Dan Smyers chimed in, “so much power, so much control. You’re a star. We could tell you’re a seasoned pro.”

“I thought it was awesome,” reckons Chance. The reason he was last to turn? “It was because I was really arrested by the performance. Your tone is so different, and I was just really into it. And then I turn and see you and you, like, kind of got this southern vibe to you.” The Chicago rapper is convinced Taylor will “go really far” in the 2024 competition, thanks to his “distinct tone.”

If the The Voice fans and coaches didn’t already love the contestant, he made certain of it when he brought his mom on stage.

A minor hit following its release, “Lights” has enjoyed a second life as inspiration blast for Bay Area sporting franchises. Now, perhaps an unexpected lift after its exposure on The Voice.

“The way you were working the crowd,” notes McEntire following the audition, “that was perfect to go with your beautiful voice.”

So, with any doubts over his talents utterly erased, and all coaches rolling out the welcome mat, it was time for Taylor to make a decision. He chose Legend.

The 25th and latest season of The Voice began Monday. Watch Taylor’s performance below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=6FvtvmCyqmA&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

28 Feb 2024

After Historic Sydney Opera House Show, Fred Again Sets Australia Arena Tour

Fred Again is full of surprises.

The British producer and electronic music artist springboards from his pop-up show at the iconic Sydney Opera House to a six-date arena run of Sydney and Melbourne next month, plus the promise of another surprise show on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane.

Handsome Tours, part of the TEG Group, parent of Ticketek, TEG Dainty and other businesses, is producing the tour.

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The Grammy-and-Brit Award winning musician on Tuesday (Feb. 27) became the first artist to announce, sell out, and perform at the Opera House, all within a 24-hour timeframe.

The announcement of that one-off show at the Concert Hall was made from his Instagram account, and triggered a stampede as more than 145,000 entered a virtual queue to buy tickets, reps says.

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That’s the biggest on-sale demand the 2,679-capacity room has ever experienced.

Fred Again (real name Fred Gibson) won’t be going anywhere. Three consecutive concerts await at Melbourne’s 15,000-capacity Rod Laver Arena from March 4, followed by three consecutive nights at Sydney’s 22,000-capacity Qudos Bank Arena. The Gold Coast will host a show between those two runs at a location TBC, reps say.

Support is Joy (Anonymous), and the general on-sale starts Thursday, Feb. 29 — with, surprise, no pre-sale.

Starting out as a producer, the Brit’s career has been nothing short of explosive. A prolific creator, Fred’s DNA is on at least seven U.K. No. 1 singles, and, along the way, he became the Brit Awards’ youngest ever producer of the year champ, and scooped two Grammy Awards earlier this month for best dance/electronic album (for Actual Life 3 (January 1 – September 23, 2022)) and best dance/electronic recording for his work on “Rumble” with Skrillex and Flowdan.

Fred Again (real name: Fred Gibson) has a special bond with Australian audiences. He made his live debut here in January 2023, performing sets at Laneway Festival, selling-out headline shows, and unleashing surprise DJ pop-ups that reportedly sold-out in under 5 seconds, including a set at Sydney’s 5,500-capacity Hordern Pavilion.

To celebrate the new tour dates, Fred Again drops “stayinit,” a collaboration with Lil Yachty and Overmono, the latest in his series of “USB” releases. U.S. fans get a taste of the action when Fred Again headlines Bonnaroo 2024 this June.

Fred Again Australia Tour 2024:
March 4 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne Tickets
March 5 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne Tickets
March 6 — Rod Laver Arena Melbourne Tickets
March 9 — Gold Coast pop-up (venue TBC)
March 12 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney Tickets
March 13 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney Tickets
March 14 — Qudos Bank Arena Sydney

27 Feb 2024

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Era Tour’ Prizes Up For Grabs With Marriott Bonvoy ‘Sweepstakes’

Forget Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket: Marriott Bonvoy is giving loyalty members a chance to win tickets to Taylor Swift’s tour dates, and soak-up a road trip.

From today (Feb. 27), eligible fans can enter the Marriott Bonvoy Sweepstakes for the chance to win one of the several prizes which unlock access to see shows, and score concert packages on both sides of the Atlantic

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The top prize – the so-called “Unforgettable Experience” — wraps-in three concerts in three international locations (the U.S., Canada and Europe) for the lucky winner and a guest. Each four-day, three-night trip for two includes air travel, hotel, two concert tickets, and a Marriott Bonvoy welcome gift.

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The Marriott Bonvoy Sweepstakes prize list include an all-inclusive four-day, three night trip to Vancouver, Canada for two; and the “Where Can We Take You?” concert packages, which offers the prize winner and friend the opportunity to catch TayTay’s blockbuster tour in select cities, including Stockholm, Madrid, Zurich, Milan, Hamburg, Vienna, Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis, Toronto, and Vancouver.

“Fueled by a deep desire to experience her shows live, Taylor Swift fans have traveled near and far to be a part of this once-in-a lifetime experience, and now, Marriott Bonvoy is helping fans make their passion a reality,” comments Peggy Roe, executive VP and chief customer officer, Marriott International.

Participants in the Sweepstakes must be Marriott Bonvoy members and aged 18 or over. Winners will be selected at random.

“People today are craving community and connection through shared experiences. We designed Marriott Bonvoy to give members access to people, places and passions they love,” adds Roe, “and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be extending this unforgettable experience to new and existing members around the world.”

Marriott Bonvoy boasts 8,700 hotels and is sponsor of Swift’s The Eras Tour, which concluded its seven-date, two-city Australian leg on Monday (Feb. 26).

Next-up, a six-night stand at Singapore National Stadium, starting Saturday, March 2.

As part of its ongoing partnership, Marriott Bonvoy will roll out its “Moments” for The Eras Tour from March 13, and the chain will host pop-up events at various properties, including friendship bracelet-making stations.

27 Feb 2024

Kicks Or Kitsch?: Fat Joe Defends Owning Trump January 6 Sneakers, X Says No Joe

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Fat Joe Trump sneakers

Source: @fatjoe / Instagram

Fat Joe took to Instagram to cop pleas for securing a pair of Donald Trump’s Insurrection-worthy sneakers. Needless to say, the social media sneaker community was not pleased, and they let him know.

It goes without saying that Fat Joe is one of sneaker culture’s most prominent members, and had a hand in boosting its popularity when he famously licked a pair of soles back in 2004 on an episode of MTV Cribs. With this in mind, Joe Crack took to IG to explain that he is in no way a Trump supporter, but he felt obligated to cop a pair of January 6’s because he’s a “collector.”

“If you collect art, do you really know what Basquiat was into?” said Joe. “Do you know what Andy Warhol was into? Any of these artists that you was into? You love the art, so you get it. I guess they separate art from the person.”

Okay. The Bronx rapper’s rationale didn’t improve as he went on, respectfully.

He added, “Now, me as a sneaker collector, I had to get my hand on the Trumps. But listen, I have thousands and thousands and thousands of pairs of sneakers. When everybody flipped on Kanye, I went and bought the two most exclusive Kanyes ever.”

Again, okay.

And just for good measure, he said, “Once again, I’m not a Trumper. I dislike Trump. I’m not voting for him, not now, not never, but I’m a sneaker collector into the art.” Joe also made sure to mention that he didn’t pay for the kicks, so there’s that.

This is where we gotta mention that there’s a difference between art and kitsch. A constant criticism is that Trump is the same guy who was tossing paper towels at Puerto Ricans like it a game after a who hurricane wrecked much of the island.

Peep reactions to Fat Joe copping Trump’s Scammer 1’s in the gallery.

5. Where is the lie?

8. They called it…