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13 Nov 2023

2023 Camp Flog Gnaw: Photos from the Festival

After four years, Tyler, the Creator‘s Camp Flog Gnaw made its long-awaited return to Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium over the weekend (Nov. 11 & 12). The part-festival, part-carnival experience last occurred in 2019, making headlines when surprise performer Drake was booed offstage after heavy speculation that the reclusive Frank Ocean would appear.

Tyler addressed the incident Saturday night (Nov. 11) during his performance, when he switched up the lyrics of “LUMBERJACK,” from his 2021 Grammy-winning album Call Me If You Get Lost: “N—as ain’t really on the type of sh– I’m on/ I called Drizzy and y’all booed him last time.”

But nothing could rain on festivalgoers’ parade this time around. Their excitement surrounding the first post-pandemic Flog Gnaw felt reminiscent of kids getting hyped about the county fair returning every summer — except this one was long overdue.

By nightfall, the rainbow-colored lights that outlined the amusement rides, like the yo-yo and tilt-a-whirl, bled into the twinkling L.A. city skyline. It was the perfect backdrop for hometown hero Tyler to bring his old Odd Future buddies like Syd, Earl Sweatshirt, Mike G and Left Brain; budding stars like Teezo Touchdown, Ice Spice, PinkPantheress and d4vd; and cult heroes like Turnstile and Clipse together at his personal playground. When fans weren’t busy screaming for their favorite artists, they were screaming on the rides, playing games like ring toss and balloon darts and snacking on candy apples, corn dogs and funnel cakes.

“We started this in a f–king parking lot,” Tyler interjected during his set. “Don’t let anybody tell you how you should feel about your motherf–king self.”

Check out Billboard‘s performance photos and artist portraits from Camp Flog Gnaw 2023.

13 Nov 2023

Doja Cat Claps Back At Blackface Accusations, X Users React

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Doja Cat Calls Fans

Source: Dana Jacobs / Getty / Doja Cat

Doja Cat’s behavior has been the subject of conversation. Now, some people are accusing her of donning blackface in a new promo for her upcoming project, and the artist is clapping back.

The 28-year-old rapper/ is now defending herself after sharing a teaser featuring a normal version of herself and her alter ego, Scarlet, who was completely covered in blood from her latest album.

In the video, Doja Cat addresses other criticisms, mainly her behavior toward her fans. The interviewer asks, “This might be a silly question. Do you appreciate the people and the fans who support your music?”

The voices in regular Doja’s head reply, “I hate my fans. My fans are dumb.” Out loud, she says, “Yeah.”

The interviewer replies, “Nice. Love that. Love that.”

The promo did not land well, with some misinterpreting the blood and accusing the “Streets” crafter of being in blackface.

Scarlet has made plenty of appearances, most recently during a performance at the 2023 Video Music Awards for a medley performance of “Attention,” “Paint The Town Red,” and “Demons,” where her dancers were all painted in red.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=8PbHkuy03g8&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Doja Cat loudly addressed those criticisms, claiming in multiple posts that “YOU HAVE TO BE…A VERY SPECIAL KIND OF F-CKING STUPID,” over photos of her dancers and herself.

X Users Reactions

Doja Cat also has fans coming to her defense as well. “Doja Cat been covered in blood for an album named “Scarlet” for the last 6 months. But of course it’s blackface,” one X person wrote on X. 

One post on X accusing her of blackface read, “How’s nobody upset that this grotesque caricature of a self-hating biracial girl who is severely stunted as an unbalanced hormonal femcel pick-me teenage drama queen wearing blackface? The “red paint” is too close to skin tone. It’s time to abandon #DojaCat. We don’t need her.

You can see more reactions in the gallery below.

—

Photo: Dana Jacobs / Getty

1. Pretty obvious

2. The filter doesn’t help

13 Nov 2023

‘Jay-Z & Gayle King: Brooklyn’s Own’: How to Watch & Stream for Free

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CBS News is giving viewers a deeper dive into Jay-Z‘s life, career and successes with none other than the rapper himself in an exclusive interview with TV personality Gayle King. The primetime special will take place on Tuesday (Nov. 14) at 9 p.m. ET on CBS News and Paramount+, and will feature never-before-seen footage from their three-hour interview — parts of which previously aired on CBS Mornings — which took place in the Brooklyn Public Library where an exhibit of Jay-Z lives.

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“He’s more than a musician, he’s a mogul,” King said in a press release. “He’s more than a rapper, he’s a visionary.”

The 24-time Grammy-winning artist will explore some of fans’ most burning questions, such as his life growing up in the Marcy Houses in Brooklyn, the meanings behind some of his most well-known lyrics, the origin story behind one of his nicknames and more.

Keep reading to learn the streaming options available.

How to Watch Jay-Z & Gayle King: Brooklyn’s Own

The primetime special will air exclusively on CBS News on Tuesday (Nov. 14) at 9 p.m. ET. Cable viewers can watch the hourlong special on any channel with CBS News — just check your cable provider’s channel guide. If you don’t have cable, you may be able to get CBS through an HD antenna like one of these here from Amazon.

Paramount+ is also home to CBS News and will be airing a livestream of Jay-Z & Gayle King: Brooklyn’s Own for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers. It will also be available on-demand the day after for Paramount+ Essential subscribers. Already a member? Just log into your account and you’ll be able to watch the primetime special for no additional cost.

Not a subscriber? Paramount+ offers a one week free trial for new users, which means you can watch the interview special for free. After your trial is over you’ll be charged the regular subscription fee based on the plan you choose. Click here or the button below to start your free trial now.

There are two plans you can choose from: Paramount+ Essential and Paramount+ with Showtime. The Essential plan is the ad-supported option and cheapest at $5.99/month. You’ll have access to the entire Paramount+ library, live CBS News, NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League. Paramount+ with Showtime will is $11.99/month and includes everything in the Essential plan (minus the ads) as well as Showtime originals and content, live TV on CBS, college football and the ability to download eligible content to watch offline. Looking for more savings? You can save over 15% off on an annual plan.

Besides the Jay-Z interview, you’ll be able to watch programs including Halo, Grease, Mission Impossible series, Smile, Top Gun: Maverick, Zoey 102, Beavis & Butthead, Big Brother, Duran Duran: A Hollywood High, iCarly, Mixtape and more. Showtime content you can look forward to bingeing include Yellowjackets, The Curse, Fellow Travelers, Billions, Mayor of Kingstown, The Chi, Uncoupled, Homeland, The 12th Victim, Why Women Kill, Couples Therapy and much more.

Prime members can also add Paramount+ to Prime Video library as a premium channel add-on.

Watch part of Gayle King’s interview with Jay-Z that previously aired on CBS Mornings.

13 Nov 2023

Warner Music Latina Names Brenda Carrasco VP of Marketing & Artist Strategy

Warner Music Latina has appointed Brenda Carrasco as vp of marketing and artist strategy.

According to the label, in her new role, Carrasco will be responsible for overseeing the marketing strategy and career development for Warner Music Latina’s roster — tasked with providing creative direction and tools for campaign development and setting short and long-term artist development goals. With more than 15 years of experience in the music industry and over a decade at Warner Music, Carrasco most recently served as senior director of DSP strategy for the company’s Latin American division.

“I am honored to take on this new challenge in my career and feel grateful to my company for this opportunity,” Carrasco said in a statement. “I understand that at the heart of every great record label is a commitment to artists and their unique visions. We know that success in the music industry isn’t just about selling albums, but about amplifying an artist’s voice and telling their story. Therefore, I want to work closely with our artists, listening to their creative aspirations, and helping them achieve their goals. My main ambition is to inspire and lead the marketing team, working together with managers and industry partners to propel our artists to new heights, not just in the charts, but in their careers and artistic journeys.”

With a “comprehensive artist-centric” approach, Carrasco will work closely with Warner Music Latina’s reimagined leadership team, including Francisco Granados, the newly appointed senior vp of A&R, and Charly Perez, senior vp of communications and PR.

“Brenda has been a key part of the Warner Music Latina team for 13 years, during which time she has demonstrated strategic thinking and leadership capabilities,” added Roberto Andrade, MD of Warner Music Latina. “We eagerly anticipate Brenda’s valuable contributions in her new role, as we persist in optimizing opportunities for our talented roster and upcoming new acts, further fueling Warner Music Latina’s growth and expansion.”

Warner Music Latina’s current roster includes Yandel, Mau y Ricky, Maria Becerra, Junior H and Myke Towers.

13 Nov 2023

Ikimonogakari, Famous for ‘NARUTO’ Theme Song, Call ‘Ureshikute/Tokimeki’ an Affirmation of Their New Lineup: Interview

Japan’s Ikimonogakari, the band responsible for NARUTO‘s theme song “Blue Bird,” has now began a new chapter as a duo consisting of Yoshiki Mizuno and Kiyoe Yoshioka and has released its latest double A-side single “Ureshikute/Tokimeki.”

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Billboard JAPAN spoke to Mizuno and Yoshioka about the single, which contains both “Ureshikute” (theme song of the film Pretty Cure All Stars F, with sound production by Koichi Tsutaya) and “Tokimeki” (Pretty Cure 20th anniversary commemorative song and opening theme of the TV anime Kibo no Chikara – Otona Pretty Cure ’23, with sound production by Masanori Shimada).

This is your first single since becoming a duo. It’s a double A-side with “Ureshikute,” the theme song of the movie Pretty Cure All Stars F, and “Tokimeki,” the Pretty Cure 20th anniversary commemorative song and opening theme of the TV anime Kibo no Chikara – Otona Pretty Cure ’23. I heard that you wrote “Tokimeki” first?

Mizuno: That’s right. Pretty Cure was going to be celebrating its 20th anniversary, and we were honored to have them reach out to us to ask us to write a commemorative song. I think this was around last summer. People who watched the first season of Pretty Cure are now in their 20s or 30s. The people at Pretty Cure said they wanted the song to be one in which Pretty Cure encouraged and uplifted listeners again, wherever their lives had taken them, and reaffirmed their value. We felt a connection with that theme, as well. Our band’s very structure has undergone changes, we’ve set out on our own, and the environment around us has changed. We came to focus more on Yoshioka’s role as our singer, and we wanted to make a song that reaffirmed our own new style.

Yoshioka: Yes, I really connect with the song when I sing it. Of course, we wrote the song for the 20th anniversary of Pretty Cure, but there’s a lot that resonates with our own situation. When we went into the recording process, I was preparing to give birth. In that respect, as well, like Mizuno said, it felt like a song of self-affirmation, and I think that comes across in the tone of my vocals. It’s a song that gives you this feeling of optimism, no matter what your situation, so I truly poured my heart into it.

The first two lines, “The world sparkles now/because I decided it would,” are really self-affirming.

Mizuno: Thanks. I think with the spread of social media, people are deciding their values based on what they hear from other people. “It’s good because people say it’s good” or “other people are attacking this person, so it’s okay if I do, too.” I feel like we live in a world where it’s hard to decide your values for yourself and write your own life story. There’s a lot going on in the world, and people are struggling, so I wanted to make this a song with a message of “I think it’s okay, so it is.”

It’s a reflection of the tone of modern society?

Mizuno: I guess if you put it in formal terms, yes (laughs). When Pretty Cure came out, there weren’t very many anime with female protagonists that had fight scenes. I think the creators wanted to express that kind of powerful sense of dynamism.

The sound is truly vibrant, too. Masanori Shimada handled the sound production, right?

Mizuno: We wanted to make the sound both radiant and powerful. Shimada isn’t really the meticulous type, but instead builds up a solid sound while also taking a band-like approach to sound production. We knew that the song would be in good hands with Shimada.

I see. The sound production for Ureshikute was handled by Koichi Tsutaya. The orchestration of the song is amazing.

Mizuno: Right. When the demo arrived from Tsutaya, we started to worry about how much recording would cost (laughs).

Yoshioka: (Laughs) I think there were more musicians on the recording than any song we’ve done so far. It was like 60, wasn’t it?

Mizuno: Yeah. We were aiming to make it a really majestic song from the very start of the writing process. Our concept for the sound was something like the Los Angeles Olympics fanfare by John Williams. A lot of Pretty Cure characters appear in the movie, so we wanted a part where all of their voices came together in unison.

Yoshioka: On the first demo, it was just Mizuno on piano and me singing, but even at that stage the feeling really came through, and I was thinking to myself “this is truly an excellent song.” Towards the end of the song I’m singing at the top of my lungs. I don’t think we’ve ever sung a melody like this one. The lyrics, about accepting each other, are a perfect match. Accepting each other while respecting that there are things you’ll never truly understand. The song’s cheery, but there’s definitely a sensitive side to it.

Mizuno: I read through the movie scenario before writing the song. I drew out the key parts of the story (and reflected them in the lyrics). Like Yoshioka said, it’s about accepting one another, but that’s no easy matter. Everyone has their own sense of right and wrong, and it takes courage to rely on others. I wanted to try to express that in a fun yet gentle way.

The song has one phrase that really makes an impression: “Respect the differences you cannot understand/you don’t need to all be the same.”

Mizuno: You don’t need to unite as one; you can each follow your own path, working together with others to take on problems and challenges. We wanted to make a song that would still impart that feeling, even outside of the Pretty Cure context.

It’s a long song, clocking in at over six minutes.

Mizuno: It turned out to be pretty long (laughs). It starts with the chorus, then you’ve got a solid verse and bridge, then there’s modulation, and then a second chorus. It’s got it all (laughs).

It has all of the distinctive features of a J-Pop song. What do you think makes J-Pop so interesting and appealing?

Mizuno: I think it’s how packed with information the songs are. I think one of the characteristics of J-Pop is complexity within a fixed form. There are a lot of songs with a verse, bridge, chorus structure, and there’s complexity in the chord progressions, as well. I feel like that’s because the rhythm doesn’t form the foundation of the songs. Also, the melody reigns supreme. The singing is the heart of the song. Yoshioka, as well, has always striven to make sure that her vowels are enunciated and the melody shines through clearly.

Yoshioka: Right.

Mizuno: I think placing the emphasis on the singing, and not anchoring songs in their rhythm, is what makes J-Pop feel unique to overseas listeners. Also, J-Pop localizes songs imported from overseas. It’s like it combines different outside elements and develops them in a unique way. It’s one of the things that’s fascinating about Japanese culture.

Good point. It’s like Japanese culture itself.

Yoshioka: Throughout our band’s career, Ikimonogakari has always believed in that kind of music. I always listened to J-Pop, and it’s what shaped me through the years. So I’m actually curious about what overseas listeners think about it (laughs). I hope they find it unique.

One of the Ikimonogakari songs popular with overseas listeners is “Blue Bird” (opening theme to the TV anime Naruto: Shippuden).

Mizuno: I keep hearing from people who’ve heard it while overseas. An acquaintance who travelled to Vienna told me they heard “Blue Bird” playing in a coffee shop. Overseas musicians have covered it, and one girl sang it on a Chinese audition show, which got the crowd really excited.

Yoshioka: Someone who was a junior of mine in junior high sent me an email saying that he was listening to Blue Bird in Latin America when a local student said “I know that song.” We have a lot of international Instagram followers, too.

Mizuno: Yeah. I got a DM from a DJ overseas who wanted my permission to remix “Blue Bird,” so I gave them the contact information for getting permission (laughs). The year before last, we played an event (Bilibili Macro Link 2021) organized by bilibili (a Chinese video streaming service), and the reaction to “Blue Bird” was huge. We’ve also been getting more offers to play overseas.

Do you want to share your music with even more overseas listeners?

Mizuno: Of course. I’ve been saying it for a long time, but my hope is that J-Pop can be exported just like that — as J-Pop.

So the best thing would be if people listened to it as it is, with Japanese lyrics and Japanese song structures?

Mizuno: That’s right. I think that would be the most successful approach.

Yoshioka: I’m really happy that people abroad are listening at all. When we debuted, I never imagined that we’d have overseas listeners. It’s still surprising (laughs).

—This interview by Tomoyuki Mori first appeared on Billboard Japan

13 Nov 2023

Latin Grammy Awards 2023 Predictions: Who Will Win the Top Honors?

Who will have a big night at the 2023 Latin Grammys? Each year, Billboard offers its analysis of who will win and who should win in the main categories (song of the year, record of the year, album of the year and best new artist).

This year, leading up to Latin Grammys on Thursday (Nov. 16), we’ve gathered our Latin editorial team and embarked on a lively discussion, with educated guesses based on the marketplace and past voting behavior (not endorsements). Our participants are Leila Cobo, Billboard’s chief content officer, Latin/Español; Jessica Roiz, assistant editor, Latin; Griselda Flores, senior writer, Latin; Ingrid Fajardo, social media manager & Latin’s staff writer; Sigal Ratner-Arias, Billboard Español’s deputy editor; and Isabela Raygoza, Billboard Español’s associate editor.

For the first time held outside the United States, the annual Latin Grammys will be broadcast from the Conference and Exhibition Centre in Seville, Spain on Nov. 16 on Univision starting at 8 p.m. ET, UniMás and Galavisión in the U.S., and at 10:30 p.m. CET on Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE) in Spain. Danna Paola, Sebastián Yatra, Roselyn Sánchez and Paz Vega will serve as co-hosts.

Here are our predictions:

“No Es Que Te Extrañe,” Christina Aguilera

“Carretera y Manta,” Pablo Alborán

“Déjame Llorarte,” Paula Arenas Featuring Jesús Navarro

“Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” Bizarrap Featuring Shakira

“Si Tú Me Quieres,” Fonseca & Juan Luis Guerra

“Mientras Me Curo Del Cora,” Karol G

“De Todas Las Flores,” Natalia Lafourcade

“Ojos Marrones,” Lasso

“La Fórmula,” Maluma & Marc Anthony

“Despechá,” Rosalía

“Correcaminos,” Alejandro Sanz Featuring Danny Ocean

Griselda Flores: I think Shakira and Bizarrap should win and will win. “Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53” is the perfect example of a song that should be up for record of the year, because this honors the producer and Bizarrap is super hot right now. Pair him up with Shakira, who’s had a massive year, and they double their chances of winning. They are two well-known names for voters, and because of that and because the production of this song is incomparable, it deserves to win. That music session also had a massive impact culturally — it was playing everywhere!

Leila Cobo: The Shakira Bizarrap session should win. I think that the way Bizarrap produced this track is really masterful — so is the way he produces every track for every artist, but what he did here, just like quoting her old songs and making the references that are both lyrical and musical, is so clever. He was able to read her. There’s a lot to discover in that song, and I think from a production standpoint, it was brilliantly done. It’s a great example of production and songwriting being done at the same time — you could almost see this whole thing being created before your eyes. However, I’m not sure it will win. Voters might go for Christina Aguilera’s “No Es Que Te Extrañe,” Pablo Alborán’s “Carretera y Manta” or Fonseca and Juan Luis Guerra’s “Si Tú Me Quieres,” which is a beautiful song.

Sigal Ratner-Arias: I agree with you, Leila. I feel that Bizarrap’s song with Shakira stands out, because it’s so different and so original musically, in terms of the lyrics and how it’s put together. It’s very masterfully done, every detail of the song is perfect. On the other hand, I don’t know if it’s going to win, because it could go to “Si Tú Me Quieres,” which is very beautiful. I re-listened to Lasso’s “Ojos Marrones” and I think it’s perfect pop from start to finish and beautifully produced. That has a chance, too.

Isabela Raygoza: Not to jump on the bandwagon but the Shakira-Bizarrap session is also my favorite, although I suspect the winner could be Natalia Lafourcade’s “De Todas Las Flores.” I think it’s such a beautiful recording. She’s a darling for the Latin Grammys and it was captured on analog tape and produced by Adan Jodorowsky, the French-Mexican producer, who is a fantastic musician. The live instruments and how the orchestration comes together really did it for me. I predict that song will win, but my favorite is Bizarrap and Shakira’s session.

Natalia Lafourcade

Natalia Lafourcade performs in concert during Noches del Botánico Music Festival at Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII on July 8, 2023 in Madrid, Spain.

Jessica Roiz: I would love to see Shakira and Bizarrap take it, because it would make a statement given how powerful this song was when it dropped at the beginning of the year. However, I do have other favorites on this list that have grown on me musically. “La Formula” is one of those, because it has really good melodies — it’s not your typical salsa song, it has some urban in there. I feel that the Recording Academy noticed it too, and that’s why it’s on the list. But I also agree with Sigal about “Ojos Marrones.” I wouldn’t be mad if Lasso takes it.

Ingrid Fajardo: It would be nice if Shakira won, but I feel that it also might not go to her. I agree about “Ojos Marrones” having a big chance, but my favorite is Karol G’s “Mientras Me Curo del Cora.” The way they created that song with the chorus really moved me. That added a lot to the production.

La Cu4rta Hoja, Pablo Alborán

A Ciegas, Paula Arenas

De Adentro Pa Afuera, Camilo

Décimo Cuarto, Andrés Cepeda

Vida Cotidiana, Juanes

Mañana Será Bonito, Karol G

De Todas Las Flores, Natalia Lafourcade

Play, Ricky Martin

EADDA9223, Fito Paez

Escalona Nunca Se Había Grabado Así, Carlos Vives

Ratner-Arias: Natalia is on the list and she is a darling, and presents another album with classic sounds and deep lyrics, folkloric and poetic sounds. But Karol’s Mañana Será Bonito presents a very contemporary and eclectic album with an inspiring message of empowerment, and it touched the hearts of so many people. This is the album of the year with songs like “Provenza,” “Mientras Me Curo del Cora,” “TQG” with Shakira. It should win, and hopefully it will.

Cobo: I second all of that. And yes, the Latin Grammys could make a statement by giving it to a woman, but also give value the things that are [commercially] successful. But Juanes or Natalia Lafourcade could also win.

Flores: I will say these are all solid albums — it’s a tough choice. I had to write up this category for our Latin Grammys guide, so I listened to all the nominated sets and some here are truly moving. Paula Arenas and Andres Cepeda’s respective albums are really gorgeous. But I do have to say that Mañana Será Bonito, being as intentional as it is and a history-making album, should win and will win. Karol G deserves that recognition. I’m rooting for her.

Fajardo: Karol’s album was a complete mix of everything, and it was super empowering, but in a soulful way: the importance of healing yourself. That album made me feel all the emotions, and you don’t always connect like that with an entire album.

Raygoza: I actually also really like Carlos Vives’ album. I know it’s not a popular choice, but it’s a beautiful contribution to Latin music in general. While he continues to update vallenato for this generation, he does resurrect the music de Rafael Escalona, whom he famously played in his telenovela. He delivers that zest for life, the music, the production, and I really love that he honors Escalona’s unique way of songwriting. The lyrics and the music are beautiful, and it offers diversity to the Latin genre.

Roiz: Maybe Carlos Vives can take this one. He puts so much hard work and research into all his projects. He’s so passionate about his genre, and that reflects in his music, so I feel that his hard work will be rewarded as album of the year. He goes that extra mile to bring out these types of albums, like he did with Cumbiana. But I also think Vida Cotidiana by Juanes could win because it’s Juanes’ comeback album. But Karol G’s Mañana Será Bonito should win. More than Karol experimenting with genres, it really shows her healing process, and it made a lot of us heal along with her.

Carlos Vives

Carlos Vives in 2023.

“Acróstico,” Kevyn Mauricio Cruz Moreno, L.E.X.U.Z, Luis Fernando Ochoa & Shakira, songwriters (Shakira)

“Amigos,” Pablo Alborán & Maria Becerra, songwriters (Pablo Alborán Featuring Maria Becerra)

“De Todas Las Flores,” Natalia Lafourcade, songwriter (Natalia Lafourcade)

“Ella Baila Sola,” Pedro Julian Tovar Oceguera, songwriter (Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma)

“NASA,” Edgar Barrera, Camilo & Alejandro Sanz, songwriters (Camilo & Alejandro Sanz)

“Ojos Marrones,” Luis Jiménez, Lasso & Agustín Zubillaga, songwriters (Lasso)

“Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” Santiago Alvarado, Bizarrap, Kevyn Mauricio Cruz & Shakira, songwriters (Bizarrap Featuring Shakira)

“Si Tú Me Quieres,” Fonseca, Yadam González & Yoel Henríquez, songwriters (Fonseca & Juan Luis Guerra)

“TQG,” Kevyn Mauricio Cruz, Karol G, Ovy On The Drums & Shakira, songwriters (Karol G Featuring Shakira)

“un X100to,” Bad Bunny, Edgar Barrera, Marco Daniel Borrero & Andres Jael Correa Rios, songwriters (Grupo Frontera Featuring Bad Bunny)

Flores: I would love to say that “Ella Baila Sola” is going to win, but I think this made more sense as record of the year, because the sound is so refreshing and it put at the forefront a new style of musica Mexicana with charchetas, trambones, a tololoche. I’m not sure it has a good chance to win song of the year. My prediction is that “un x100to” will win, because the Academy will want to recognize a regional Mexican song, and with superstar Bad Bunny attached and Edgar Barrera as its songwriter — who is the most nominated artist this year — I think it could take the award.

Cobo: This is a hard one. I think “Ella Baila Sola” could win. It so deserves to win. The other day I was in an Uber with a Cuban driver who he had a playlist of reggaeton, and suddenly “Ella Baila Sola” comes on. This song pierced through everything. This is perhaps the only regional Mexican song that doesn’t live solely on regional Mexican playlists. I think that song should win, I hope it does. It’s a gem. If not, “TQG” by Karol and Shakira could win. But if they are going to go the Grammy way, it could go to Alejandro Sanz and Camilo for “NASA.”

Pedro Tovar, Eslabon Armado, Peso Pluma

Pedro Tovar de Eslabón Armado y Peso Pluma

Raygoza: I also agree that “Ella Baila Sola” should’ve been in record of the year category. It really gets you up on your feet. It’s transcended so much. This category is one of the most difficult for me because there are so many good ones. I want to mention Shakira’s music session with Bizarrap. Leila wrote a great article where she dissected the lyrics and how forward and upfront it is to name-call someone, but in such a brilliant way. The unapologetic storytelling is a significant departure from the typical breakup song. The songwriting in general is so bold, and I think it would be unconventional for the Academy to award this song, but I do feel that it embodies all characteristics to win this category as well. However, it’s not the song I think will win. Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny integrated in an incredible way to bring that song to life. The songwriting is very clever, and I love the way that the title “un x100to” juxtaposes the enduring power of love with the short-lived life of a cellphone. Bad Bunny’s way of delivering the song is seamless. It’s an irresistible cumbia, norteño song.

Ratner-Arias: I would love to see that song win but, although it may come as a surprise to you, of all three Shakira songs that are here, the one that has the best chance of winning song of the year is “Acróstico.” It is one of the most sensitive and vulnerable songs, not from a Colombian superstar, but from a mother and wife. It has heartbreakingly sensitive lyrics, written in an acoustic way with the names of her children, and Shakira exhibits a mixture of vulnerability and strength while trying to come out of that dark stage of her life. I think “Acróstico” has a chance.

Roiz: I would say “Ella Baila Sola” and “Un x100to” should win for the reasons you’ve all mentioned. Regional Mexican has had such a big moment, so how can the genre not win song of the year? But also “TQG” is up there for me, because everytime I hear it, I think of how important it is for women now to listen to this song because it’s so full of empowerment. This isn’t the type of songs we grew up with, which had a more submissive theme.

Fajardo: I feel that “NASA” has a high probability of winning. Regardless of the fact that they are all darlings, Camilo, Alejandro Sanz and Edgar Barrera, this song thrives in storytelling. I would also like Shakira and Bizarrap to win — the way they composed the song is incredible.

Borja

Conexión Divina

Ana Del Castillo

Natascha Falcão

Gale

Paola Guanche

Joaquina

Leon Leiden

Maréh

Timø

Flores: I think this is a good best new artist category. Mostly all artists nominated are actually super new. I think GALE should win. For starters, she’s been a songwriter for major artists — that will help her — and now she’s making a space for herself as a recording artist. She’s talented both as a singer and songwriter. Her sound is very different too — she can do pop, rock, ballad, urban. She’s very diverse, and I like what she brings to the table.

Cobo: It’s a big advantage that GALE has written for a lot of big names. She’s been in the room with a lot of writers and producers, a lot of people that vote, and that will go in her favor.

Ratner-Arias: I am between GALE and Joaquina. GALE seems to be a spectacular artist — we saw her in concert last year at Latin Music Week, and she impacted me there. She’s also written for many people, so she has the chops, she has the look, she has everything to be a super artist and she will go far. But the award will go to Joaquina. Since she emerged from Julio Reyes Copello’s Arthouse before signing with Universal, I was impressed by her ability to tell stories with deep themes that affect her generation, with a lyrical and musical sensibility that goes beyond her years.

Juan Luis Guerra told me the other day, “Have you heard Joaquina?,” because he knows I am Venezuelan. He is impressed by her and told me that she reminds him of Shakira in her beginnings. I feel that she has connected with her generation, the girls at her shows sing at the top of their lungs. She has a sweetness, charisma and sincerity that is necessary among so much superficiality. She has much deeper lyrics of the same love that Shakira once sang about in her beginnings.

GALE

GALE photographed on October 3, 2023 at the Faena Forum in Miami.

Roiz: I would like to see GALE take this award. I remember we had a WhatsApp dinner two years ago in Los Angeles for Women’s History Month, and I sat next to her and that’s where I met her. She told me she was so nervous about launching her music career. Everything about her — from her personality to her lyrics about unsolicited D-pics, which is something her generation deals with — is very honest, which I like, and she is like a modern-day Avril Lavigne, a rocker girl who can adapt to any genre. I hope she wins. I’m also a sucker for Leon Leiden because he’s so innovative. He’s also so refreshing, but I don’t think he’ll win.

Raygoza: When I saw GALE sing live in New York, I was very impressed. She reminded me of female rockers of the ’90s. She has that essence — her delivery, her confidence. She’s very cool and very likable. Another nominee I would like to see win is Ana del Castillo. She has a powerful voice and she is very promising in the vallenato genre. She’s been around and has a trajectory in the genre and she boasts a very tough persona. She’s sensual but tough and can hang out with the boys. I like that tough personality in a female to show that badass-ery. Either GALE or Ana would be cool to win the award.

Fajardo: I like GALE. She has a very good chance of winning. I’m with Isabela about Ana del Castillo, because she is the only woman who represents her genre. She may be a bit too sexy, but she is the female version of vallenato. But I’m not sure she has a real chance of winning.

13 Nov 2023

Jung Kook’s ‘Standing Next to You’ Debuts Atop Billboard Global Charts, The Beatles’ ‘Now and Then’ Hits Top 10

Jung Kook’s “Standing Next to You” soars in at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. songs charts (dated Nov. 18). He achieves the third solo leader for a BTS member on each survey, following his own “3D” with Jack Harlow, and “Seven” featuring Latto.

Plus, The Beatles bound into the top 10 on both charts with “Now and Then,” which surges from No. 152 to No. 10 on the Global 200 and launches at No. 9 on Global Excl. U.S.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, which began in September 2020, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by Luminate. The Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the United States.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

Jung Kook in Good ‘Standing’ Atop Global 200, Beatles Top 10

Jung Kook’s “Standing Next to You” starts at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200, with 81.6 million streams and 121,000 sold worldwide Nov. 3-9, following its Nov. 3 release. (In addition to its original version, seven mixes of the song arrived Nov. 6: its Future Funk, Holiday, Latin Trap, PBR&B and Slow Jam remixes and its Band Version and instrumental version.)

Jung Kook, from South Korea, earns his third Global 200 No. 1, and the third solo leader for a BTS member; it’s the first with no accompanying acts. Here’s a rundown, ranked by peak position, of BTS members’ 10 Global 200 top 10s outside the act, with BTS as a group having tallied 11 top 10s, including seven No. 1s:

  • “Standing Next to You,” Jung Kook, No. 1 (one week to date), November 2023
  • “3D,” Jung Kook & Jack Harlow, No. 1 (one week), October 2023
  • “Seven,” Jung Kook feat. Latto, No. 1 (seven weeks), July 2023
  • “Like Crazy,” Jimin, No. 2, April 2023
  • “Slow Dancing,” V, No. 4, September 2023
  • “Left and Right,” Charlie Puth feat. Jung Kook, No. 5, July 2022
  • “That That,” PSY feat. SUGA, No. 5, May 2022
  • “Set Me Free, Pt. 2,” Jimin, No. 8, April 2023
  • “Dreamers (Music From the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022),” Jung Kook, No. 9, December 2022
  • “The Astronaut,” Jin, No. 10, November 2022

Jung Kook’s “Seven” rebounds 10-2 on the Global 200; Tate McRae’s “Greedy” returns to its No. 3 high from No. 7; Taylor Swift’s “Is It Over Now? (Taylor’s Version) [From the Vault]” falls to No. 4 a week after it debuted at No. 1; and Doja Cat’s “Paint the Town Red” rises 8-5 after four weeks at the summit.

The Beatles blast 152-10 on the Global 200 with “Now and Then,” with 37.6 million streams and 42,000 sold worldwide Nov. 3-9, following its Nov. 2 release. The song debuted a week earlier with 6.4 million streams and 30,000 sold in its first day. A 12-minute film chronicling the track premiered Nov. 2, while the song’s official video premiered Nov. 3.

“Now and Then” (the Fab Four’s first entry since the Global 200 began) is billed as the final Beatles song, first recorded as a demo in 1977 by John Lennon and initially intended for the band’s three-edition Anthology series in the mid-‘90s before being shelved. The song was completed at last by surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, among others, after new technology helped extract Lennon’s vocals from the original demo, while George Harrison guitar parts from the initial attempt to finish the track were also incorporated into the song.

Jung Kook No. 1 on Global Excl. U.S., The Beatles No. 9

Jung Kook’s “Standing Next to You” concurrently opens at No. 1 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart, with 71.2 million streams and 44,000 sold outside the U.S. in its first week.

As on the Global 200, Jung Kook claims his third No. 1 and the third solo Global Excl. U.S. leader for a BTS member (and the first with no accompanying artists). Here’s a recap, ranked by peak position, of BTS members’ 14 Global Excl. U.S. top 10s outside the group, while BTS totals 11 top 10s, including seven No. 1s:

  • “Standing Next to You,” Jung Kook, No. 1 (one week to date), November 2023
  • “3D,” Jung Kook & Jack Harlow, No. 1 (one week), October 2023
  • “Seven,” Jung Kook feat. Latto, No. 1 (nine weeks), July 2023
  • “Like Crazy,” Jimin, No. 2, April 2023
  • “Left and Right,” Charlie Puth feat. Jung Kook, No. 2, July 2022
  • “That That,” PSY feat. SUGA, No. 2, May 2022
  • “Slow Dancing,” V, No. 4, September 2023
  • “Dreamers (Music From the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022),” Jung Kook, No. 4, December 2022
  • “Love Me Again,” V, No. 6, August 2023
  • “The Astronaut,” Jin, No. 6, November 2022
  • “Rainy Days,” V, No. 8, August 2023
  • “Set Me Free, Pt. 2,” Jimin, No. 8, April 2023
  • “Stay Alive,” Jung Kook, No. 8, February 2022
  • “Vibe,” TAEYANG feat. Jimin, No. 9, January 2023

Jung Kook’s “Seven” holds at No. 2 on the Global Excl. U.S. chart; Iñigo Quintero’s “Si No Estás” dips to No. 3 after two weeks in the lead; Tate McRae’s “Greedy” retreats to No. 4 from its No. 3 high; and Jung Kook and Jack Harlow’s “3D” rebounds 11-5.

Plus, The Beatles debut at No. 9 with their first Global Excl. U.S. hit as “Now and Then” begins with 27.1 million streams and 26,000 sold outside the U.S. Nov. 3-9.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Nov. 18, 2023) will update on Billboard.com Tuesday (Nov. 14). For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

13 Nov 2023

Dee-1 Addresses Rick Ross, Meek Mill & Jim Jones Beef

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Black Music Honors 2019

Dee-1 sparked the ire of Rick Ross, Meek Mill, and Jim Jones after making comments about the musical output of his fellow Hip-Hop artists, and is now looking to smooth over their issues. Despite getting less than favorable replies from the aforementioned trio, Dee-1 says he hopes that the dustup could lead to an eventual conversation.

Dee-1 was a guest on Shade 45’s Sway In The Morning program around two weeks ago speaking on some of his recent moves both in music and in the activism space where he’s also put his energy toward. During that chat, the New Orleans rapper had harsh words for Ross, Mill, and Jones, urging them to use their massive fame and influence for positive change.

Dee-1’s words reached the ears of Ross, Mill, and Jones, with Rozay recording a series of videos addressing Dee-1 and explaining how he and Jones give back to their respective communities in ways that aren’t always highly publicized. Jones, in his eloquence, also shared his disdain for the criticism and essentially said that Dee should have reached out to him to discuss any particulars.

In a new interview via B High TV that aired over the weekend, Dee-1 realized he may have spoken from an uninformed space and hopes that a conversation can occur between the artists.

“Jim Jones, I love you; Meek Mill, I love you; Rick Ross, I love you,” Dee-1 says in the interview. “The world wants it to become something negative and unhealthy, but let’s make sure we use this as an opportunity to educate and to communicate.”

He continued, “And if that means we can be friends at the end of this, cool. If we can’t ever be friends, cool, all good. Just go be a better man of God and I’m a try to be the best man of God I can be, and it’s Gucci.”

Check out the B High TV interview below.



—

Photo: Paras Griffin / Getty

13 Nov 2023

Ariana Grande & Ethan Slater Pose Backstage at ‘Gutenberg! The Musical!’

Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater are seemingly still going strong.

The duo attended a performance of Gutenberg! The Musical! on Broadway on Sunday night (Nov. 12), and the show’s star Andrew Rannells took to Instagram to share some backstage photos with the attendees, which also included Michael Urie. “We had some big fun in Schlimmer yesterday,” Rannells captioned his post, in which Grande is seen on the third slide posing alongside Slater, Rannells and Urie. “Spamalot’s Ethan Slater AND Michael Urie! Two great guys to eat dreams with. Plus Ariana Grande! It was a perfect Sunday. Go see Spamalot!”

See his post here.

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Earlier this month, Grande was spotted at the St. James Theatre in New York City to support her rumored boyfriend Slater in the first preview performance of Broadway’s Spamalot revival. In an Instagram video shared by user Jim Glaub, who was in the audience, Grande is seen smiling and cheering from the audience.

Reports surfaced back in July that Grande is dating her 31-year-old Wicked costar following her recently reported split from husband Dalton Gomez. Both TMZ and People reported that he and Grande started dating after both of their relationships were over. Slater was previously married to singer Lilly Jay, and the two celebrated their four-year wedding anniversary in November 2022. 

Grande plays Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba in Jon M. Chu’s upcoming live-action film adaptation of the Broadway show Wicked, which will be split into two parts. The movie was initially meant to hit theaters on Christmas Day of next year (Dec. 25, 2024). Wicked Part 1 is now set to be released next Thanksgiving (Nov. 27, 2024).

13 Nov 2023

Jason Aldean & Kid Rock to Headline Small-Town Festival Series Rock the Country

Small towns have long played an outsized role in American songwriting, often serving as waypoint between past and present, a place that that some characters leave, others yearn to return and many are left behind.

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For country singer Jason Aldean, the intricate details of life in a small town — from beer runs at the local Amoco station to the smell of White Rain hairspray at a Friday football game — have led to some of the genres most commercially successful songs in the past two decade. Songs such as “Night Train” — a love story about a man who stays connected to his hometown through sound of passing freight trains, or “Amarillo Sky,” which honors a humble farmer whose connection to his family is threatened by drought.

When it comes to documenting life in the “Fly Over States,” Aldean is an unrivaled talent and an obvious choice to headline the inaugural Rock the Country festival series, a traveling country music series spread out across seven small American towns in the Southeast U.S. Produced by Alabama-based producer Shane Quick of LiveCo — creator of the long-running Rock the South country festival in Cullman, Alabama — and Nathan Baugh, president, 46 Entertainment, the festival will also feature headliner Kid Rock on all seven stops and special guests such as Miranda Lambert, Hank Williams Jr., Lynyrd Skynyrd, Koe Wetzel, Brantley Gilbert, Travis Tritt and many more who will appear at different stops on the Rock the Country tour.

Aldean will be joined on the tour by co-headliner Kid Rock. Quick insists the tour is not political, but it’s booking of one of former president Donald Trump’s biggest boosters, and its timing months before the election injects an unavoidable dose amount of political energy into the tour that will be impossible to ignore.

Through Rock the Country, which launches at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzalez, La., on April 5 and 6, Aldean has a rare opportunity to speak to the serious challenges rural America faces over the next few years. First, as the controversy surrounding Aldean’s 2023 song “Try That in a Small Town” demonstrates, it can be difficult for rural America to express itself collectively to the country’s urban populations, and it can also be difficult for some living in major population centers to listen and not be patronizing in their response.

Could the controversy have been avoided had Aldean’s song been a little lighter on the rhetoric? Maybe, but once the conversation becomes a word-for-word litigation over intent and historical context, it becomes difficult to find middle ground.

And yet finding commonality is probably the most effective way to deal with major challenges facing rural communities, like the closure of more than 600 rural hospitals in the near future, according to a recent study by the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Rural communities have also been much harder hit by major economic downturns, leading to higher and longer rates of joblessness and unemployment during recessions.

Whatever direction Aldean decides to, Rock the Country is a rare opportunity for the artist to lift up rural America, and a rare chance for his fans and fans of country music to travel to small towns and celebrate together.

Dates and locations for Rock the Country are listed below. To learn more and buy tickets, visit rockthecountry.com.

  • Gonzalez, La. – April 5 & 6 at Lamar-Dixon Expo Center
  • Ashland, Ky. – April 19 & 20 at Boyd County Fairgrounds
  • Rome, Ga. – May 10 & 11 at Kingston Downs
  • Ocala, Fla – June 7 & 8 at Majestic Oaks Ocala
  • Mobile, Ala. – June 21 & 22 at The Grounds
  • Poplar Bluff, M. – June 28 & 29 at Brick’s Offroad Parks
  • Anderson, S.C. – July 26 & 27 at Anderson Sports and Entertainment Center

rock the country