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04 Oct 2023

Teen Kaylee Shimizu Scores Four-Chair Turn With ‘Impossible’ Audition on ‘The Voice’: Watch

The Voice has found another one.

Teen Kaylee Shimizu showed up big time during her Blind Audition Tuesday night (Oct. 3), with a performance that carried the confidence of youth, and the skills of a professional.

Hailing from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, Shimizu covered the Beatles’ “Golden Slumbers,” peppering it with elite high notes — all stability and control — and with more runs than a track and field event.

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The 17-year-old gave us feathery touches, through to the dynamite, and earned a four-chair turn.

John Legend turning first, followed immediately by Niall Horan, Reba McEntire and, after a pause to soak it up, Gwen Stefani.

“We’re just stunned right now. Your voice was just dazzling, it was so creative it was so musical,” remarked Legend. “You know you could win The Voice, right,” he added, before rolling out the red carpet for Team Legend. “You have so much confidence delivering these impossible notes.”

Stefani was “blown away.” The youngster’s “vibrato, it’s so slow,” and it “feels like you have so much control over that,” she added. “I’ve never heard anything like that before and I think it’s because you’re so young and free.”

Horan, as a member of One Direction, has enjoyed several lifetime of experiences. “I cannot believe what I just witnessed,” he enthused. “That was just unbelievable. When we talk about ‘technically gifted,’ I’ve never met anyone so gifted. The song choice was perfect.”

Speaking last, McEntire admitted, “when I was 17 I had not the imagination to be even think about singing like you. I’ve never heard anybody do what you did on stage today. It was spiritual to me.”

Shimizu digs her “soulful R&B” and grew up singing karaoke with her Filipino family, who were invited to join the contestant on center stage.

There could be only one team for Shimizu, and that was Team Legend.

Watch the audition on NBC‘s The Voice below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=HGyQOGe2ghA&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

03 Oct 2023

The Nicky Jam Rockstar Show Live From Billboard Latin Music Week With JOP | Billboard Latin Music Week

Nicky Jam once again brings his Rockstar Show to Latin Music Week, this year featuring intimate interviews with JOP.

Jesús Ortiz Paz
Back in the day, when we were doing music, if you had a million listeners on Spotify. You were doing it because no Mexican artist had that. And now you drop a song, boom 6 million that’s how you know how the audience got big you hear me?

Nicky Jam
You prefer an English or Spanish?

Jesús Ortiz Paz
Let’s do English man’s do English. Okay, let’s.

Nicky Jam
Okay, let’s do English today I’m ready for English. Um, your story’s amazing. I was studying a little bit of your background and studying about your story. Obviously. I want people I want people to hear from you, obviously. But I want to ask you some questions because it’s amazing that you’re you’re a barber, right?

Nicky Jam
You was a barber?

Jesús Ortiz Paz
Yeah, barber man, I was everything. He was…

Nicky Jam
A barber? And you started as a barber. And then somebody said that they needed somebody to sing on their group. And, and and then you just, that’s when you started right?

Jesús Ortiz Paz
It was something like that. I was cutting some hair. And then the guy was like hey they need a bass player. I knew how to play the bass a little bit, so I pulled up. And then at the end of the practice, I was like, ‘Hey, I sing too.’

Nicky Jam
And so that’s how you started? He didn’t know you will sing.

Watch the full interview above!

03 Oct 2023

Kylie Minogue’s ‘Tension’ Tops Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums Chart

Kylie Minogue collects her second No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart as her new studio release Tension opens atop the tally (dated Oct. 7). She previously led the 22-year-old list with 2020’s Disco.

The new album’s chart-topping debut comes after its lead single, “Padam Padam,” became a viral hit over the summer, and went on to become her first top 10 hit on the 10-year-old Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in June.

Tension, released Sept. 22 via Darenote/BMG, earned 24,500 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Sept. 28, according to Luminate. That marks Minogue’s best week, by units, since the industry began measuring by that metric in December 2014. On the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, Tension debuts at No. 21, her highest-charting album in over a decade, since Aphrodite hit No. 19 (July 24, 2010-dated chart).

Further, of Tension’s first-week units, album sales comprise 19,500 – the pop star’s biggest sales week for an album in nearly 20 years. She last sold more in a single week with an album when Body Language debuted with 43,500 (Feb. 28, 2004-dated chart). Of Tension’s 19,500 sold, physical sales comprise nearly 14,000 (7,000 on vinyl – her biggest week on vinyl since Luminate began tracking music sales in 1991; 6,000 on CD and 1,000 on cassette) and digital album sales comprise about 5,500.

Tension was issued as a standard 11-song album, a 14-track deluxe edition (on CD, digital download and streamers) and in a 16-song edition (sold as a digital download exclusively through Minogue’s webstore). Sales of the album were bolstered by more than 15 physical formats, including seven vinyl variants (all with the same standard 11-song tracklist, with many in different colors with alternative covers – including some retailer-exclusive offerings), five cassettes (four with the album’s standard tracklist, and one with the 14-song tracklist – all in different colors) and five CDs (including a signed edition sold through Newbury Comics, and versions in alternative collectible packaging).

Tension was ushered in by the No. 7-peaking “Padam Padam” on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs in June. (The chart ranks the week’s most popular songs of the genre in the U.S., by blending streams, sales and airplay.) The track also became her first entry on the Dance/Electronic Streaming Songs chart (peaking at No. 14) and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart and two weeks atop the Dance/Mix Show Airplay chart.

The viral hit went on to earn 34.19 million on-demand official audio and video streams in the U.S. – making it Minogue’s third-biggest streaming song ever in America. “Can’t Get You Out of My Head,” released in 2001, is her most-streamed hit in the U.S. (176.66 million) and her seasonal cover of “Santa Baby,” released in 2000, is in second place (44.62 million). (Minogue made her Billboard chart debut in May of 1988, bowing on the Billboard Hot 100 with “I Should Be So Lucky.”)

Following “Padam,” the new album has spun off a second dance hit with the title track, which hit No. 18 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs in September, No. 1 on Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales and debuts at No. 7 on Dance/Mix Show Airplay on the Oct. 7-dated chart. Plus, concurrent with the album’s debut on the charts, the set’s “Hold On to Now” bows at No. 32 on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs and No. 10 on Dance/Electronic Song Sales.

Outside of the dance world, “Padam Padam” gave Minogue her first entry on the Pop Airplay chart since 2004’s “Slow,” and her first hit on the Adult Pop Airplay chart since 2002’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head.”

The Billboard 200 and Top Dance/Electronic Albums charts rank, respectively, the week’s most popular overall albums, and dance/electronic albums, in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. Top Album Sales ranks the week’s top-selling albums by traditional album sales (CD, vinyl, cassette, digital download album, etc.).

03 Oct 2023

The Power of Latin Catalog | Billboard Latin Music Week 2023

Presented by HarbourView

How Latin catalogs are valued, marketed, bought, and sold in a global economy.

Hannah Karp
I am Hannah Karp. I’m the editorial director of Billboard I’m so happy to be here. And over the past few years, we have Billboard have spent a lot of time reporting on some eye popping ly big deals in the Latin music world. Artists from Shakira to Maluma to Ozuna have been selling their catalogs meaning that they’re selling the income streams they received from either their publishing copyrights or their master recording rights or their performance rights, sometimes for tens of millions of dollars. And while the buying frenzy has cooled off a little bit lately, for reasons that we’re going to talk about today, there are still plenty of opportunities for artists and songwriters who want to sell their catalogs and for buyers who might want to buy in. So to explain it all. I’m thrilled to have here with us today. Three of the top dealmakers in this space Sherrese Clarke Soares,, the founder and CEO of HarborView Equity, who has been betting very big on a very diverse portfolio of Latin music, and other genres, since she founded her company just two years ago, and perhaps most notably buying Luis Fonsi’s publishing catalog, which of course includes the right to “Despacito.” We also have Denny Marte, who helped broker that deal and who has become the go to guy the one stop shop. For anybody that’s looking to buy or sell music catalogs in the Latin space. He’s helped to sell catalogs for Nicky jam and Rauw Alejandro, Maluma, just to name a few. And then we have last but not least, Angie Martinez, the real Angie Martinez, who is one of Billboard’s top music lawyers for many years running, and who represents artists looking to sell their catalogue and strike these deals. And she’s also advised on the Fonsi sail to HarborView. And she has a lot of very valuable advice and many warnings, urgent warnings for anyone out there who’s thinking about selling their catalog.

Watch the full panel above!

03 Oct 2023

Dave East ft. Cruch Calhoun “Steph & Klay,” Redman “Benjamins” & More | Daily Visuals 10.3.23

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Jadakiss & Dave East 'I Got Questions'

Source: iOne Digital / iOne

Basketball season is right around the corner and while we await the first tip-off of the 2023-2024 season, Dave East is already getting in the spirit of things with his homie Cruch Calhoun.

Linking up for their visuals to “Steph & Klay,” Dave East and Cruch Calhoun basically compare themselves to the greatest shooting duo in the NBA while chowing down on some Chinese takeout before hitting the streets of Harlem and washing down their chicken wings with some adult candy juice. Y’all already know what was in that cup and it ain’t for kids.

Back in New Jeruz, Redman keeps on churning out new work to show he’s still got it and in his clip to “Benjamins,” the Hip-Hop legend sits in the passenger seat of his whip and blazing the classic “All About The Benjamins” instrumental.

Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Philthy Rich, Radamiz, and more.

DAVE EAST FT. CRUCH CALHOUN – “STEPH & KLAY”



REDMAN – “BENJAMINS”



PHILTHY RICH – “MAYBACK TRUCK”



RADAMIZ – “THE MONK’S FERRARI”



MARC NASTY FT. 1TAKEJAY – “SHAKE IT”



MIYAA V – “JACKIN MY BOP”



YOUNG DEVYN – “V6”



NOVAAAA – “FLIP THE PAGES”



03 Oct 2023

After U2’s Epic Debut, Who Should Play Las Vegas Sphere Next?

“Striking.” “Mind-blowing.” “Ambitious.” “Massive.” “Dazzling.”

That’s just a sampling of adjectives used to describe U2’s opening night at the brand-new Sphere in Las Vegas on Friday night, with the legendary band sharing the bill with the $2.3 billion venue as the eye-catching orb sets out to revolutionize live music in Sin City.

But once Bono & Co. wrap up their 25-concert stint in December, who should inherit the keys to the game-changing arena? On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie tells Keith all about her experience inside opening night (read our best moments from night 1 here) and we discuss who should headline Sphere next, with everyone from Phish to Harry Styles in the mix.

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Rod Wave spends a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart while Doja Cat and Zach Bryan debut in the top 10; how Doja is back at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart with “Paint the Town Red” and SZA’s “Snooze” hits a new high, rising to No. 2; how Taylor Swift dominates the airwaves yet again, as “Cruel Summer” tops the Radio Songs chart; and how Timbaland, Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake are all back together on a hit single for the first time since 2007. Speaking of Timberlake, we’re also chatting about the just-released first *NSYNC song in more than 20 years, “Better Place” from the Trolls Band Together soundtrack.

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

03 Oct 2023

Spotify to Give Subscribers 15 Hours of Audiobook Access Per Month

Spotify is giving subscribers in some of the company’s largest markets up to 15 hours of listening time per month to a library of more than 150,000 audiobooks, the company announced Tuesday (Oct. 3).

Audiobook access is available to premium individual subscribers as well as the primary account holders for family and Duo accounts (a family account allows up to six subscribers, while Duo accounts are meant for two). Premium users in the United Kingdom and Australia will start receiving the allotment of audiobook listening tomorrow (Oct. 4) and U.S. subscribers will gain access later this year. Listeners who need more time at the end of the month can purchase 10 additional hours for an undisclosed amount.

Spotify says its audiobook catalog covers 70% of bestselling books from such major publishers as Hachette, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and RB Media. It also includes independent authors and publishers such as Bolinda, Dreamscape and Pushkin.

Spotify users can expect to find personalized audiobook recommendations throughout the app. “Our personalized Home feed is certainly one of those and will serve up recommendations based on what you like, as well as some suggestions for your next favorite book; while if you already know what you want, then you can just type it into Search,” said Owen Smith, Spotify’s head of audiobooks product and tech, in a blog post announcing the news. “Then with Browse you’ll find some of our editorial booklists, where we will help you explore the huge catalog available. For example, we will take a genre like mysteries and serve up a curated selection so you can find just the right mystery book for you. “

Audiobooks are part of Spotify’s plan to improve its margins and expand beyond its origins as a music-only platform. The company has placed major bets on podcasts, spending handsomely to acquire exclusive rights to The Joe Rogan Experience and Call Her Daddy as well as partnering with former first couple Barack and Michelle Obama, among others. Spotify said at its July 2022 investor day presentation that it expected podcast gross margins to improve from -57% last year to 30-35% within three to five years.

Even though Spotify has carried audiobooks since Sept. 2022 — a result of its 117 million euro ($122 million) acquisition of audiobook distributor Findaway — the titles have not been available for streaming. Instead, users have been required to purchase the titles in order to listen to them on the Spotify app. While subscribers can now start streaming audiobooks, those titles will still be available for purchase on the platform.

03 Oct 2023

Selena Gomez Clears Up Those Dua Lipa Feud Rumors After Unfollowing Her on Instagram

Everyone can officially “Calm Down,” because Selena Gomez has put the rumors of her feuding with Dua Lipa to rest. The Rare Beauty mogul sat down for an interview with Fast Company, published Tuesday (Oct. 3), and set the record straight on how she actually feels about the “Levitating” singer after unfollowing her on Instagram over the summer.

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Gomez revealed that unfollowing Lipa was simply a mistake that she didn’t intend to make, let alone for her eagle-eyed followers to catch.

“It was an accident!” she said in the interview. “I was just cleaning up some of my Instagram. Then somebody called me and was like, ‘What happened with Dua?!’”

At the time, Gomez did not make a statement about the matter. She, however, took to Instagram — where the initial misunderstanding took place — and posted a sunny photo of herself wearing a flirty polka-dot and butterfly-printed Versace dress from Dua Lipa’s La Vacanza collaboration, in addition to a pair of the brand’s Medusa Biggie oval sunglasses.

“A little Versace/Dua moment,” the Only Murders in the Building actress captioned the snap, shared to her feed on June 30.

Elsewhere in the interview, Gomez hinted at her forthcoming studio album and revealed that fans should not expect any “sad-girl music” from the record. “I can’t really write that [sad-girl music] if I’m not sad. I’ve had to relearn what being me and being happy looked like. There is not one sad song on this whole album,” she added.

Read Gomez’s full interview here.

03 Oct 2023

Jada Pinkett Smith Speaks Out After Arrest Made In 2Pac Murder

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Louis Vuitton Pre-Fall 2023 Show In Seoul - Photocall

Jada Pinkett Smith and her connection to the late 2Pac has been well documented over the years dating back to their time as high school students in Baltimore, Md. After a man was arrested in connection to the murder of the popular rapper, Pinkett Smith has since spoken out.

Jada Pinkett Smith, 52, and Tupac Shakur were classmates at the Baltimore School for the Arts and she has shared previous factoids about their early days before their respective careers took off. With the arrest of Duane “Keefe D” Davis, Pinkett Smith shared a message to her followers by way of her Instagram story feed.

“Now I hope we can get some answers and have some closure. R.I.P. Pac, Pinkett Smith wrote along with the image of a dove.

Just prior to the arrest of Keefe D, Pinkett Smith shared an older video of her and 2Pac dancing and lip-synching to DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” track. Of course, Pinkett Smith would go on to eventually marry the Fresh Prince, better known as Will Smith, and are the parents of children Jaden and Willow Smith.

Davis offered recent testimony that pointed to his role in the shocking drive-by shooting of 2Pac in Las Vegas.

—

Photo: Han Myung-Gu / Getty

03 Oct 2023

Drake Gives $50K to Newly Single Fan, What to Know About the New ‘Mean Girls’ Movie & More | Billboard News

Drake gives away $50,000 to a newly single fan at his recent concert in Miami, The 1975’s Matty Healy issues an apology for his racist comments about Ice Spice, Myke Towers tells us five things about him, we fill you in on everything about ‘Mean Girls: The Musical’ movie on ‘Mean Girls’ Day and more!

Tetris Kelly
Drake and Matty Healy go off script at their latest shows. It’s Mean Girls Day and we have a lot to celebrate. I sit down with Eric Nam to talk about his new visual album. We learned five things about Myke Towers and we head back down to Miami for a Latin Music Week update. Welcome back to Billboard News. Tetris here, it’s Tuesday, October 3rd. And let’s jump right into these concert moments that have everyone talking. Drake is giving away money to a newly single fan and Matty Healy is apologizing for, well, everything. It’s an interesting time out on the road and we’re breaking it down. If you’re going through a breakup, make sure you’re friends with Drake. In a viral video, he gives away $50,000 to a fan.

Tetris Kelly
What can I do to get Drake to hook me up? Matty Healy may also need to be hooked up after what seems like a fizzled romance with Taylor Swift and a lot of online haters thrown his way. In a video posted online from the 1975 show at the Hollywood Bowl, he’s apologizing for his actions.

Matty Healy
Because some of my actions have hurt some people. I apologize to those people. I pledge to do better moving forward.

Tetris Kelly
Well, I guess all people can ask for is growth. Meanwhile, I haven’t planned on attending any tours until Mariah in November, but I need to buy some tickets to something ASAP because it is getting interesting out there.

Watch the full video above!