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HYBE x Geffen’s ‘The Debut: Dream Academy’ Reveals Finalists for Girl Group KATSEYE

HYBE x Geffen‘s The Debut: Dream Academy has announced the final six members of new global girl group KATSEYE.

During the two-hour finale on Friday (Nov. 17) in Los Angeles, it was revealed that the sextet will consist of international members Daniela Avanzini, Lara Rajagopalan and Megan Skiendiel (United States); Yoonchae Jeong (South Korea); Sophia Laforteza (Philippines); and Manon Bannerman (Switzerland).

“This has been a long journey and an unprecedented collaboration between HYBE and Geffen,” HYBE chairman Bang Si-Hyuk said in a statement. “We are very proud of the results and of all the contestants who joined us in this project. We wish KATSEYE much success as we are sure they will inspire fans across the globe.”

The finalists were chosen for KATSEYE were determined by a combination of early votes and real-time votes during the live finale, as well as evaluators’ scores. The event livestreamed through YouTube, Weverse and Abema. Fans who missed it can watch here.

KATSEYE will now begin working on its forthcoming album, which is scheduled for release in 2024. Three songs that debuted during the finale — “Dirty Water,” “Girls Don’t Like” and “All the Same” — are now available on YouTube.

The process of developing KATSEYE will be the subject of an upcoming Netflix documentary series, set to premiere in summer 2024. The film will be directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Nadia Hallgren and produced by HYBE, Interscope Films and Boardwalk Pictures.

Ahead of Friday’s finale, the top 10 contestants sat down with Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly to reflect on their time in the competition.

“I feel like it’s a bond like no other,” Emily Kelavos said of her relationship with fellow contestants. “Having girls from all over the world is such a special and unique experience, and to be able to share these moments that we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives together has created a bond that’s truly unbreakable. It’s such a blessing to be able to experience it with such amazing girls.”

Watch the full interview here.

Kanye West Asks ‘How I’m Antisemetic?’ on New Song ‘Vultures’ Featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Durk & Bump J

Kanye West has returned with the new song “Vultures,” featuring Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Durk and Bump J.

On the track, which premiered Friday night (Nov. 17) on WPWX Power 92 Chicago, Ye doubles down on some of his controversial statements from late 2022.

“How I’m antisemitic? I just f—ed a Jewish b—-,” West raps halfway through “Vultures” (listen here).

Elsewhere on the song, Ye appears to address his former manager Scooter Braun. “I just f—ed Scooter’s b—-,” he raps before referencing the Columbine High School shooting massacre.

“Vultures” had not yet appeared on music streaming platforms at press time.

Last year, West faced major backlash after making a series of antisemitic statements. After receiving blowback for wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt in October 2022 at Paris Fashion Week, the rapper tweeted that he was going to go “death con 3” on Jewish people. This began a string of hate-speech-filled interviews, which reached an even more disturbing level when he appeared on Alex Jones’ InfoWars and said, “I see good things about Hitler,” among other hateful rhetoric.

It’s unclear if “Vultures” will appear on West’s reported joint collaborative album with Ty Dolla $ign. Billboard reported in mid-October that Ye and Ty were shopping a joint project to distributors and that West would “make a decision soon.” The set would mark the first release for Ye since his antisemitic comments, which led to Def Jam parent company, Universal Music Group, distancing from the artist.

Earlier this month, Ty teased on social media that he and West were planning a multi-stadium listening event for their joint album on Nov. 3, similar to the three massive listening events Ye hosted for Donda in 2021. However, the event didn’t take place and a release date for the album has still not been announced.

2023 BBMAs Pre-Show | Billboard Music Awards 2023

Hosts Tetris Kelly and Rania Aniftos talk about their favorite Billboard Music Awards moments, the biggest artists of the year based on their chart achievements, new categories in the Billboard Music Awards like K-Pop and Afrobeats, what makes this new reimagined Billboard Music Awards different from other music award shows and more!

Tetris Kelly 0:07
Welcome to the Billboard Music Awards Pre show. I’m Tetris Kelly.

Rania Aniftos 0:11
And I’m Rania Aniftos. Coming to you from the Billboard News studio with all your BBMAs award show coverage

Tetris Kelly 0:17
We’ll run down the biggest finalist of the year, give you a sneak peek at this year’s amazing performances and explain a little bit more about the brand new format for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.

Rania Aniftos 0:29
Let’s get right into it. The Billboard Music Awards are going to look a little different this year.

Tetris Kelly 0:34
Girl I think that’s a bit of an understatement. They are completely revamped. And we’ve got you covered with an explainer to give you all the details.

Alyssa Caverly
The Billboard Music Awards. The show that recognizes artists who have topped the Billboard charts. This year the big event is being reimagined with a new concept, giving fans unprecedented access to their favorite artists. This is Billboard Explains the revamped 2023 Billboard Music Awards.

Alyssa Caverly
The Billboard Music Awards are set to deliver an entirely new award show concept. So how will it work? Instead of happening live in one place, the performances and award celebrations will take place at different locations across the globe and feel unique to each individual artist. This year’s BBMAs will also be bigger than ever. The BBMAs will unveil performances and winners across BBMAs and Billboard social channels. Or you can watch it all go down by tuning into bbmas.watch on Sunday, November 19. The Billboard Music Awards and Spotify have teamed up to find the most loyal fans, the ones who have listened to the most hours of music within the past year. Make sure to tune into the 2023 Billboard Music Awards all day on Nov. 19. To watch this one of a kind experience go down.

Watch the full pre-show above!

Taylor Swift Mourns Death of Fan at Eras Tour Concert in Brazil: ‘I Feel This Loss Deeply’

Taylor Swift is “devastated” following the death of a fan at her Eras Tour concert in Brazil on Friday (Nov. 17).

The pop superstar shared a handwritten note on social media after the show at Rio de Janeiro’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos to express her sorrow over the loss.

“I can’t believe I’m writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show,” Swift wrote on her Instagram Story. “I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”

She continued, “I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

A cause of death for the fan, identified as 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado, has not been revealed.

The concert’s organizer, T4F, wrote on Instagram that paramedics attended to the woman after she reported feeling unwell. She was first taken to a first aid area and then to a hospital, where she passed away shortly after, according to the Brazilian promoter.

Some concert-goers complained that they were not allowed to bring in water bottles to the stadium despite a record-breaking heat wave in Rio, the Associated Press reports. Temperatures reached 102.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the city on Friday.

During the show, her first of three at the venue, Swift paused her performance to request water for a group of fans who indicated they needed it.

“There’s people that need water right here, maybe 30, 35, 40 feet back,” the singer said, as seen in fan-captured footage on X. “So whoever is in charge of giving them that, just make sure that happens. Can I get a signal that you know where they are?”

On Saturday morning (Nov. 18), T4F shared a statement on Instagram noting that free water will be distributed at designated areas of Swift’s concert and that a limited number of sealed water containers will be allowed into the stadium.

Swift is scheduled to continue her Eras Tour at Rio’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos on Saturday and Sunday.

See T4F’s statements on Instagram below.

Ivan Cornejo Delivers Soul, Classics & Signature Sad Sierreño Anthems at Chicago Show

At this point, Ivan Cornejo is no stranger to Chicago. By now, he’s performed four times in this city in a span of three months: an official Lollapalooza aftershow (Aug. 4), Lolla (Aug. 5), then again Thursday (Nov. 16) and Friday (Nov. 17) as part of his Terapia Tour. The trek marks his biggest and most ambitious outing yet in the U.S.

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“¿Cómo andamos Chicago? (How are we doing, Chicago?)” he asked at the top of his nearly two-hour set at the Aragon Ballroom on Friday, the second of his back-to-back sold-out shows. The response? A roaring crowd that welcomed the 19-year-old back to the Midwest. Wearing dark grey slacks and a silk, beige-hued shirt, Cornejo looked the part of a therapist. Even at the beginning, a voice welcomed those Cornejo’s loyal fanbase to their therapy session. “Take a deep breathe in, your session has begun.”

The emotions were palpable throughout the night. Those in attendance — from kids who were accompanied by their parents to groups of teenagers — didn’t hold back and sang every single song on Cornejo’s set at the top of their lungs.

The 31-city tour finds the 19-year-old Mexican American artist — wise beyond his years — connecting with his equally young fanbase who felt deeply his lyrics about heartbreak. Some were brought to tears. It’s the effect Cornejo’s evocative delivery has on his fanbase. Singing with such pathos, Cornejo tugs at your heartstrings with nostalgic and melancholic songs about love and loss, powered by prickly acoustic and electronic guitars. As a collective, Cornejo and his fans heal each other.

While often boxed into the regional Mexican genre, Cornejo goes beyond that style. More precisely described as alt-música mexicana, the California-born artist serenaded fans singing his sad sierreño anthems “Me Hiciste Un Loco,” “Está Dañada,” “Estás En Mi Pasado” and “Perro Abandonado,” which he said he wrote when he was going through a heartbreak.

“I was really hurt when I wrote this song. I felt really lost but more than anything, I felt like a perro abandonado (abandoned dog).”

He also sang a medley of covers, including the Plain White T’s track “Hey There Delilah,” Jesse & Joy’s “¡Corre!” and Dareyes De La Sierra’s “Hasta El Día de Hoy.” He closed with “Donde Estás,” the song that everyone was waiting for, literally fans would chant the title of the song throughout the show.

“Arriba la terapia,” he declared at the end, loosely translating to “long live therapy.”

Cornejo closes his Terapia Tour on Nov. 22 in Ontario, Calif.  

In 2021, Cornejo topped Billboard‘s Latin Songwriters chart thanks to his hit “Está Dañada,” which then became only the second regional Mexican song to enter the Hot 100 tally. He won new artist of the year the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards and, he’s now up for top Latin album at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards for Dañado.

Pardi Drops Meg Thee Stallion Dis Track, X Gathers The Struggle Rapper

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It’s almost universally understood that Pardi fumbled the ball when he cheated on Meg Thee Stallion. Well, in order to up the struggle, he dropped a diss track aimed at his former flame, and he’s getting cooked for the tomfoolery.

Keeping it a been, we knew this inevitable after Meg dropped “Cobra” and made Pardi public enemy no. 1 when she rapped that he cheated on her in her own home. So there was Pardison Fontaine hopping on Al Gore’s Internet talking some ish about this is for Megan Thee Person and it only went downhill from there, respectfully.

Pardi’s suspect retort is getting slandered for a myriad of reasons including the audacity to say he actually didn’t cheat on her in his crib or his use of the usual “loose woman” rhetoric. X users clearly aren’t falling for the okey doke and are dragging Pardi for all the filth.

And if you’re saying Pardi ate, we’re just going to assume you think Tory Lanez is a political prisoner. Good luck with that.

We compiled some of the best bombs aimed at Pardi, for archival purposes.

Nicky Jam Teams Up With NBA for Miami Heat Limited Collection & More Uplifting Moments in Latin Music

From career milestones to new music releases to major announcements and those little important moments, Billboard editors highlight uplifting moments in Latin music. Here’s what happened in the Latin music world this week.

NBA teams up with Nicky Jam

The NBA and Mitchell & Ness launched a limited-edition apparel collection in collaboration with Nicky Jam featuring the Miami Heat. According to a press release, the singer-songwriter “provided design input” on the merchandise — including a Heat hoodie, Hardwood Classics jersey, t-shirt, shorts and a hat.

“I’m thrilled to collaborate with the NBA and Mitchell & Ness on this new collection, bringing Miami flavor to life with the Heat’s vibrant colors complemented by locally relevant design elements,” the “El Perdón” singer expressed in a statement. “These pieces are a testament to the NBA’s cultural impact extending beyond the court into music and style. As my fans know, I’m always representing the Latin community, and it’s exciting to build on the league’s commitment to inclusiveness and diversity.”

See the collection here.

RBD Barbie dolls

Mexican supergroup RBD is getting their own Barbie dolls. The collector’s dolls — available in a set of five or sold individually as Rebelde characters Mia (Anahí), Roberta (Dulce Maria) and Lupita (Maite Perroni), Diego (Christopher von Uckermann) and Giovanni (Christian Chávez) — commemorate the group’s reunion tour after a 15-year hiatus. The dolls are decked out in emblematic concert outfits or their signature Elite Way school uniform.

¡Y soy Rebelde! Pop stardom meets pop culture icons with the special edition RBD x Barbie dolls,” read the caption of the post shared on the Barbie instagram page unveiling the RBD Barbie dolls.

Women rule 2023 Latin Grammys

For the first time in history, women win the top four categories at the Latin Grammys. It happened on Thursday, Nov. 16, at the 24th annual Latin Grammy Awards where Karol G won album of the year (Mañana Será Bonito), Natalia Lafourcade won record of the year (“De Todas Las Flores”), Shakira, along with Bizarrap, took home song of the year (“Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53”) and Joaquina won best new artist.

Lafourcade’s acceptance speech for best singer-songwriter album for De Todas Las Flores was fitting for the historical night: “I dedicate it to all women friends, let’s not stop composing, let’s not stop believing in our art, in our music.”

Belanova’s comeback

Mexican pop trio Belanova — known for 2000s hits such as “Rosa Pastel” and “Por Ti” — will make its comeback to the Vive Latino stage after a six-year hiatus, the festival announced earlier this week. Vocalist Denisse Guerrero, keyboardist Édgar Huerta and bassist Ricardo Arreola will perform at the event taking place March 16 and 17, and held for the first time at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

Other artists set to perform at Vive are Maná, Hombres G, Silvana Estrada, Fito Páez, among others. See the lineup here.

Cassie & Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Settle Lawsuit Claiming Years of Physical Abuse

One day after Sean “Diddy” Combs’ former romantic partner and R&B singer Cassie Ventura sued him for years of alleged physical abuse and even rape, the pair have resolved the claims she filed in Manhattan federal court. 

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“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” Ventura said in a statement issued late Friday night (Nov. 17) by her attorney, Douglas Wigdor. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”

Combs responded with a statement, adding, “We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best.  Love.” No terms were disclosed and the release states that “the parties will have no further statements.” When reached by Billboard, Wigdor declined to comment further. Combs’ attorney, Ben Brafman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment or to verify the resolution. 

In the lawsuit, attorneys for Ventura claimed she “endured over a decade of his violent behavior and disturbed demands,” including repeated physical beatings and forcing her to “engage in sex acts with male sex workers” while he masturbated.

According to the complaint, after she attempted to separate herself from him in 2018, Combs “forced her into her home and raped her while she repeatedly said ‘no’ and tried to push him away.”

“Ms. Ventura has now fully escaped Mr. Combs, but the harm that the assaults and sexual abuse he caused her to experience for nearly a decade will forever haunt her,” wrote Cassie’s attorney Douglas Wigdor, who has filed a number of high-profile sexual abuse cases. “She cannot, however, continue to live in silence about what she endured. Mr. Combs remains immensely powerful, and immensely dangerous.”

Combs’ attorney, celebrity defense lawyer Brafman, said his client “vehemently denies these offensive and outrageous allegations,” alleging that for the last six months, Ventura had demanded $30 million “under the threat of writing a damaging book about their relationship, which was unequivocally rejected as blatant blackmail.” In the statement, Brafman continued, “Despite withdrawing her initial threat, Ms. Ventura has now resorted to filing a lawsuit riddled with baseless and outrageous lies, aiming to tarnish Mr. Combs’ reputation and seeking a pay day.”

Wigdor responded that Combs had offered Ventura “eight figures” to prevent her from filing the lawsuit, an offer she rejected.

Ventura, who had an on-and-off public relationship with Combs for 11 years until they split in 2018, says that she met the hip-hop mogul in 2005, when she was just 19 and he was 37. After he signed her to his Bad Boy Records label, she says Combs “lured” her into a romantic relationship – albeit one in which he “asserted complete control over Ms. Ventura’s personal and professional life.”

During the relationship, Ventura says she suffered “episodes of horrific abuse,” including times when he would fly into an “uncontrollable rage” and “beat Ms. Ventura savagely.” She says he would remind her of his ability to harm her, including by requiring her to carry his gun in her purse.

The suit also accuses Combs of blowing up a car belonging to Kid Cudi in 2012 after the rapper expressed interest in Ventura. “Mr. Combs told Ms. Ventura that he was going to blow up Kid Cudi’s car, and that he wanted to ensure that Kid Cudi was home with his friends when it happened,” Ventura’s lawyers write. “Around that time, Kid Cudi’s car exploded in his driveway.”

The case was filed under newly enacted laws in New York and California that revised the time limits for bringing abuse lawsuits, creating limited windows for alleged survivors to take legal action over years-old accusations that would typically be barred under the statute of limitations. In New York, the look-back window closes later this month.

In a statement issued tonight, Wigdor added, “I am very proud of Ms. Ventura for having the strength to go public with her lawsuit. She ought to be commended for doing so.”

Cassie & Sean Diddy Combs Settle Sex Trafficking Lawsuit, X Reacts

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Just a day after Casandra “Cassie” Ventura filed a lawsuit against Sean Diddy Combs, accusing him of rape and abuse, the case has been settled.

According to the New York Times, both parties announced on Friday evening (Nov. 17) the settlement. However, neither side disclosed details of its terms.

“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control,” said Cassie in a statement. “I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support.”

“We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love,” said Diddy in his own statement.

While this matter is settled in the courts, the jury of public opinion is certainly going to continue its deliberations. The detailed allegations that Cassie documented in her lawsuit were jarring and included physical and sexual abuse. Another detail that social media latched onto was Kid Cudi’s car allegedly getting blown up by a jealous Diddy.

But by settling, Diddy avoids the discovery portion of a trial where Cassie could have potentially laid out the receipts to back up her allegations.

Also worth noting is that although there were initial reports that Diddy was under investigation for rape in New York City, the NYPD has since refuted those claims.

Now, the speculation of how much Diddy came out of pocket begins.

The story is developing. 

ENHYPEN Talks Creating a ‘Warm Vibe’ With New Mini-Album ‘Orange Blood’

ENHYPEN is fresh off the release of Orange Blood, the K-pop stars’ fifth mini album, and the group sat down with Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly to discuss their exponential growth in the music industry and their love for their fanbase, ENGENEs.

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“We had Orange Blood in mind when we dropped our last album, Dark Blood,” member Jungwon explained. “The songs, much like the title, carried a darker theme overall, but Orange Blood has this warm vibe to its name. It reflects our desire to get closer to ENGENEs on a deeper, more personal level.”

About the single, “Sweet Venom,” Jake opened up about writing on the track. “I’m so glad to be part of our album. I thought about some of our old songs and how the lyrics were then, so boom. It just happened,” he shared.

After two sold sold-out shows in Seoul and a Japanese dome tour, ENHYPEN completed the U.S. leg of their Fate World Tour on Oct. 22, during which the singers played to over 85,000 fans, reps say, across seven shows in six cities: Los Angeles, Glendale, Houston, Dallas, Newark, and Chicago. Their previous mini album, Dark Blood, earned the act its highest charting release to date, peaking at No. 4 and spending a total of 10 cumulative weeks on the Billboard 200 in June.

Watch Billboard‘s full interview with ENHYPEN above.