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27 Sep 2023

Luck Ra & BM’s ‘La Morocha’ Adds Second Week Atop Billboard Argentina Hot 100

Luck Ra and BM’s “La Morocha” adds a second week at No. 1 on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 chart (dated Sept. 30). The song bests Luck Ra’s previous one-week champ, “Ya No Vuelvas,” featuring La K’onga and Ke Personajes, in February.

LIT Killah, Tiago Pzk, Maria Becerra, Duki, Emilia, Rusherking, Big One and Fmk’s “Los Del Espacio” rebounds to No. 2 from No. 4. The former seven-week leader pushes Myke Towers’ “Lala” 2-3.

The Greatest Gainer honors of the week goes to Argentinian Mesita, as his latest “Una Foto” rises 35 places, from No. 71 to No. 36.

Meanwhile, Nathy Peluso and Tiago PZK score the Hot Shot Debut of the week with “Ella Tiene,” at No. 66. The bachata team-up is the first entry for the singer-songwriter, after she secured a No. 62 high through “Esta Buenísimo” in Dec. 2022.

Further, Elaggume, Fauna Music, and Eme Saray claim their first entry with the Alejo Isakk and Locura Mix collab “Con Tu Amiga,” at No. 78. Plus, Chencho Corleone, Brray and Anuel AA’s “Corazón Roto Pt. 3” opens at No. 82.

Lastly, two more songs join the ranking: El Negro Tecla’s “Ahi Ahi,” at No. 91 and Nahuel Pennisi & Luciano Pereyra’s “Regresa” at No. 96.

27 Sep 2023

Chencho Corleone Scores First Solo No. 1 on Latin Airplay With ‘Un Cigarrillo’

Chencho Corleone earns his first solo No. 1 (without any other acts) on Billboard’s Latin Airplay chart as “Un Cigarrillo” rises 3-1 to lead the chart dated Sept. 30. The Puerto Rican singer-songwriter and producer adds a fourth champ to his Latin Airplay chart career.

“Un Cigarrillo” puffs its way to No. 1 after 18 weeks on the list with a 10% gain in audience impressions, to 8.9 million, earned in the U.S. during the tracking week ending Sept. 21, according to Luminate.

The song was released May 4 via Cerco/Sony Music Latin. It’s Corleone’s first official release after he signed a global record deal with the major label earlier in the year. As for the Cerco label, “Un Cigarrillo” is its first No. 1 on any Billboard chart.

“Un Cigarrillo” gives Corleone his fourth leader on the overall Latin Airplay ranking. He claimed his first No. 1 in July 2022 through his co-billed Rauw Alejandro collaboration “Desesperados.” Corleone returned to the penthouse with another co-billed collab, “Me Porto Bonito,” with Bad Bunny, in August 2022, which also gifted him his only No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs (20 weeks in charge). His Don Omar collab “Podemos Repetirlo” followed (one week, Sept. 16-dated list).

Elsewhere, “Un Cigarrillo” jumps 2-1 on Latin Rhythm Airplay, his fifth champ there. Over on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs, which blends airplay, digital sales and streaming activity, the song rebounds from No. 49 to its No. 47 high.

Usher Returns to the Top 10 After Over a Decade: Elsewhere on the Latin charts, Usher is back on the top 10 on Latin Rhythm Airplay after a decade, thanks to “Dientes,” his co-billed collab with J Balvin and DJ Khaled, as the song starts at No. 8 with 5.32 million audience impressions earned during its first tracking week ending Sept. 30.

With “Dientes,” Usher returns to the upper region after “DJ Got Us Falling In Love,” featuring Pitbull, took him to a No. 3 high in November 2010. Among his seven chart appearances, “Dientes” becomes his second collab with a Latin artist and the only bilingual team-up.

DJ Khaled, meanwhile, captures his second top 10, after “Borracho,” with Sech, peaked at No. 8 in 2022.

Further, as “Dientes” debuts at No. 8, J Balvin collects a 47th top 10 hit. He continues to have the second-most top 10s on Latin Rhythm Airplay, trailing only Daddy Yankee’s 67.

27 Sep 2023

Global Music Diplomacy Initiative Unveiled at State Department Event in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken launched the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative on Wednesday (Sept. 27), a worldwide effort to elevate music as a diplomatic tool to promote peace and democracy. 

The launch event was held at the Department of State in Washington, D.C. Secretary Blinken was joined by Harvey Mason, Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy; Lyor Cohen, global head of music for YouTube and Google; and David M. Rubenstein, chairman of the board at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

The event featured live performances by Jamie Barton, GAYLE, Dave Grohl, Mickey Guyton, Herbie Hancock, Christopher Jackson, LADAMA, Aimee Mann, Rakim, Armani White and DJ 2-Tone as well as a video message from Bono.  

In addition, Mason and Secretary Blinken awarded Quincy Jones the first-ever Peace through Music Award. The award, a collaboration between the Department and the Academy, recognizes an American music industry professional, artist or group who has played a key role in cross-cultural exchanges and whose music work advances peace and mutual understanding globally.

Jones has won 28 Grammy Awards, the third highest tally of all-time behind Beyoncé and classical conductor Sir Georg Solti. In addition, he has received several high-profile honors from the Recording Academy: a trustees award in 1989, the Grammy Legends Award in 1991 and MusiCares’ Person of the Year award in 1996. His non-Grammy honors include the Jean Hersholt Award from the Motion Picture Academy in 1994 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2001.

The event culminated with several announcements that, it is hoped, will shape the future of music diplomacy, ranging from public-private partnerships with American music industry leaders to educational opportunities for youth globally.

The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative builds on the bipartisan PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act, which President Joe Biden signed into law last year. It will augment current U.S. efforts that consist of various public diplomacy exchange programs using music as a diplomatic tool, including American Music Abroad, Arts Envoy, Center Stage, Next Level and OneBeat.

Several of the initiatives announced on Wednesday were collaborations with The Recording Academy. “From advocating for the Peace Through Music Diplomacy Act in 2022, to partnering with the U.S. State Department on the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative, the Academy firmly believes that music’s transformative power can be a global force for good,” Mason said in a statement. “We’re honored to begin our work with the State Department to promote peace and cross-cultural understanding through music while continuing our mission to lift up music people around the globe.”

“Music reminds us that we have more in common than what separates us,” Cohen added. “It heals us. It unites us. It gets us hyped. … For centuries, music has helped fuel important social and cultural movements. Artists like Aretha Franklin, John Lennon, Kendrick Lamar, and so many more have written songs that bring people together to create understanding and drive peace. This initiative creates a new avenue for us to raise their voices and drive global music diplomacy forward; breaking down cultural barriers and fostering peace through music.”

The Global Music Diplomacy Initiative launch announcements include:

American Music Mentorship Program

This program, a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and The Recording Academy, will bring international mid-career music industry professionals, who may include musical artists, to the United States for mentorship and networking opportunities. The first program will be held in the fall of 2024.

The initiative was developed pursuant to the PEACE Through Music Diplomacy Act, which was championed by The Recording Academy in 2022 at Grammys on the Hill and during the annual grassroots District Advocate Day. The legislation was passed into law in December 2022.

Fulbright-Kennedy Center Visiting Scholar Award in Arts and Science

The Fulbright Program, the United States’ flagship international academic exchange program, will collaborate with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to create a new fellowship opportunity for foreign scholars. The new Fulbright-Kennedy Center Visiting Scholar Award in Arts and Science will focus on the intersection of the arts and science, including how the arts can contribute to individual and global health and well-being and the environment. An award competition will be announced this fall, and the Kennedy Center will host the first scholar in academic year 2024-25. 

Boosting English-Language Learning Through Music

Recognizing the strategic importance of English-language learning overseas, especially for youth and underserved communities, the Department will incorporate music into its existing $40 million investment in English-language learning worldwide to provide access to English-learning classes for promising students between the ages of 13 and 20.

The Department will augment broader global English-language learning by supporting Sing Out Loud, a program that provides resources for teaching English through music in collaboration with American Music Abroad, bringing music and lyrics into classrooms across the world.

In addition to the Secretary’s announcements, the Global Music Diplomacy Initiative will include programming around the world, including:

Arts Envoys to Travel to the Middle East, People’s Republic of China

Hancock, along with Dee Dee Bridgewater and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Ensemble at UCLA, will perform in Jordan in October to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the 1963 Jazz Ambassador tour of the Duke Ellington Orchestra.

Hancock’s tour will then travel to Saudi Arabia for a four-day Arts Envoy program, the first of its kind between the United States and Saudi Arabia.

From Nov. 9-18, The Philadelphia Orchestra is slated to commemorate the 50th anniversary of its historic 1973 tour of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with ensemble performances and residency activities in multiple cities in the PRC.

Ten American Bands to Travel to 30 Countries Through American Music Abroad

Representing various genres, Birckhead, The Beatbox House, The Invisibles, Marielle Kraft, Matthew Whitaker, Pipeline Vocal Project, Raining Jane, Sihasin, Sub-Radio and Tap Music Project will travel to 30 countries from October through June 2024.

In November, the 2023 American Music Abroad Academy Cleveland will bring together young professional musicians from the Ukrainian diaspora and around the world for collaboration with and mentorship opportunities from American instructors with a focus on cultural preservation through music.

Next Level to Use Hip-Hop in Nigeria, Bring International Artists to the United States

In September, four U.S. hip-hop artists focusing on conflict transformation will travel to Lagos, Nigeria for a two-week Next Level Academy. In addition, 10 international participants will travel to Washington, D.C., and New York for a two-week professional development program on conflict transformation through hip-hop.

Scaling Social Entrepreneurship Projects, Strengthening Creative Economy Through OneBeat

From Nov. 6-20, musicians from Ghana and Nigeria will come together to collaboratively create and discuss how music can bring people together through social entrepreneurship projects as part of the OneBeat program.

Harmundi International Music Summit to Welcome Students from Every Continent

Virtually connecting more than 60 international students from every continent through music, the Harmundi Summit will provide intense music training, cross-cultural collaboration, studio recordins and live performances under the mentorship of world-class musicians and producers. The Summit, which will take place Nov. 3-5, will be led by alumni of the Department’s exchanges and is part of the Department’s Citizen Diplomacy Action Fund. This fund provides grants of up to $10,000 for public service projects that utilize the skills, knowledge and networks exchange alumni gained through their exchange experiences.

27 Sep 2023

Damian Lillard Shares ‘Farewell’ Track After Getting Traded to Milwaukee Bucks

Damian Lillard has officially been traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, just three months after he requested a trade away from the Portland Trail Blazers.

To celebrate, the NBA player shared a new song, fittingly titled “Farewell,” with his fans. “‘Farewell’ out on @AppleMusic and @Tidal now. Hitting the rest of the platforms soon,” the athlete tweeted on Wednesday (Sept. 27), alongside the song’s cover art featuring Lillard walking down a road, looking out toward a mountain.

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In exchange for Lillard, the Portland Trail Blazers received Jrue Holiday, Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara, according to Bleacher Report.

The song comes just a month after Lillard dropped his fifth studio album, Don D.O.L.L.A. under his rapper alias Dame D.O.L.L.A. The 15-track project features A-list guest appearances from stars like Rick Ross, Lil Wayne and more.

“I just think the experience of being a NBA player just contributes to how I am able to stay creative as an artist,” Lillard previously told Billboard of balancing life as a basketball player and a musician. “The constant travel, the constant media attention. The environments that I am always in — whether it’s awards or parties. I’m always somewhere where it’s worth noting, like it’s a situation that’s worth holding on to, where the everyday person doesn’t have access to.”

He continued, “I can share it in a way where I come from the different side. I come from the neighborhood. I wasn’t a child star. I wasn’t a big-time recruit. People didn’t even know me in college until literally I got drafted, that’s when people learned about me. I can tell it from a different point of view.”

27 Sep 2023

Yung Gravy and Rick Astley Settle Vocal Impersonation Lawsuit

On Tuesday (Sept. 26), singer-songwriter Rick Astley settled the vocal impersonation lawsuit he filed in January against meme rapper Yung Gravy and his collaborators for an undisclosed sum.

Filed in Los Angeles court, the lawsuit had claimed that while Yung Gravy and his collaborators secured rights to re-record the melody and lyrics of his 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” for their track “Betty (Get Money),” they “flagrantly impersonated” Astley’s distinctive vocals from the original track, thereby infringing his so-called right of publicity. “Betty (Get Money)” peaked at No. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 9 on Billboard‘s Hot Rap Songs chart.

Rights of publicity laws, which vary state by state, protect public figures from the commercial exploitation of their names, voices and likenesses without their authorization. Astley argued that by mimicking Astley’s voice in a “nearly indistinguishable” way, Gravy’s team “obliterated” Astley’s chance to “collaborate with another artist and/or producer to create something new with his voice from ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’” and take advantage of other commercial opportunities.

The lawsuit arrived just as emerging artificial intelligence (AI) tools had sparked new conversations around right of publicity protections for artists. The debate hit a fever pitch in April when an anonymous TikTok creator named Ghostwriter made headlines with his song “Heart On My Sleeve,” which employed an AI voice filter to deepfake the voices of Drake and The Weeknd without their knowledge or consent. Since then, some leaders, including Universal Music Group’s general counsel/executive vp of business and legal affairs, Jeffery Harleston, have called for a federalized right of publicity to protect artists against the seemingly growing issue.

Notably, Gravy’s song did not employ AI to mimic Astley’s trademark tone. Instead, “Betty (Get Money)” producer Nick “PopNick” Seeley recreated Astley’s voice the old-fashioned way: through trial and error in the studio. In a previous interview with Billboard, Seeley said he has “a knack for vintage stuff” and has also helped recreate older recordings for other songs, including “I Like It” by Cardi B and “Dirty Iyanna” by YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

 In a previous interview with Billboard, producer Marc “Fresh2Def” Soto — half of the duo ClickNPress –said it’s common for producers to be asked to recreate older songs as closely as possible. “A record label will be like, ‘Hey we can’t get the clearance for the sample, but we can get an interpolation, would you be able to replay XYZ thing?’ I’ve been through that on several records with different labels,” Soto says. However, most of these so-called “replays” of old songs don’t end up being quite as exact as the one in Astley’s case.

Astley was represented by attorney Richard S. Busch, the same lawyer who represented Marvin Gaye’s family in the controversial “Blurred Lines” trial. Gravy and the other defendants were represented by attorney Michael J. Niborski.

Busch and Niborski did not immediately respond to Billboard’s requests for comment.

27 Sep 2023

P!nk Ejects Concertgoer, Nick Cannon Talks Mariah Carey’s Support & More | Billboard News

A moment from P!nk’s Summer Carnival Tour is going viral on TikTok as it shows the singer stopping her show to address a protester. Becky G shares her go-to spot to eat while visiting home, her dream collaboration and more on Speed Dating. Nick Cannon says if it wasn’t for the support he received from ex-wife Mariah Carey during his lupus diagnosis, he “probably wouldn’t be alive.” And more.

Rania Aniftos
P!nk has an interesting protester at her concert. Gwen Stefani opens up about loving life with Blake Shelton. Nick Cannon gives Mariah Carey credit in his health journey. We go speed dating with Becky G. And d4vd goes fishing for answers. Welcome to another episode of Billboard News. I’m Rania Aniftos. It’s Wednesday, September 27th. And we’re starting things off with another incident at a P!nk concert.

Rania Aniftos
P!nk kicked a guy out of one of her shows this week for protesting an unusual thing. During her San Antonio show P!nk had an attendee removed after he interrupted her to protest circumcision. No, I’m not joking. In a TikTok captured by 3BTreasureCo, the singer can be seen interacting with a guy shouting at her while onstage when he holds up his phone to show her his message. After the guy turns to show the audience the message on his phone that appeared to read “circumcision cruel and harmful,” P!nk told the audience he came here tonight to talk about circumcision. The “Trustfall” singer then told security to remove him before giving one final message. Now we’re moving on to Becky G. Tetris took her on a speed date to get to know her a little better.

Tetris Kelly
It’s Tetris with Billboard News and Becky G, I want to ask you a question.

Becky G
All right.

Tetris Kelly
Have you ever been on a speed date?

Becky G
No. I’ve never actually been speed dating. It sounds fun, though.

Watch the full video above!

27 Sep 2023

How to Watch ‘The Golden Bachelor’: Where to Stream the Reality Series Online for Free

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

You’re never too old to find love. Gerry Turner, a retired restaurateur, widower and grandfather, sets out to find love again on ABC’s The Golden Bachelor, premiering Thursday (Sept. 28) at 8 p.m. ET.

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Keep reading for details on how to watch and stream The Golden Bachelor, plus learn more about the 22 women vying for a shot at Turner’s heart.

How to Stream The Golden Bachelor from Anywhere

The Golden Bachelor premieres on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. You can watch and stream ABC and more via DirectTV, Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, Fubo and other streamers that offer live television with local channels.

DirecTV Stream Free Trial

The newest edition to the Bachelor franchise features contestants ranging from ages 60-75. Jesse Palmer returns to host the reality series.

New episodes of The Golden Bachelor will premiere on Thursdays on ABC and stream on Hulu the next day. The season premiere will re-air on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Viewers who already have ABC can watch live or on demand through cable, satellite or streaming (or with a HDTV antenna like this $25 digital antenna at Amazon). Viewers in Canada can stream bingeworthy shows like The Bachelor through CityTV+ on Prime Video (you must be a Prime member to access). If you’re streaming internationally, try ExpressVPN or NordVPN.

Who Are The Golden Bachelor Contestants?

The 22 women appearing in this season of The Golden Bachelor include a high school teacher, a former cheerleader, a wedding officiant, retired nutritionist, a dental hygienist and retired realtor.

See the list of contestants below.

Anna, 61, a retired nutritionist from Summit, N.J.
April, 65, a therapist from Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Christina, 73, a retired purchasing manager from Sierra Madre, Calif.
Edith, 60, a retired realtor from Downey, Calif.
Ellen, 71, a retired teacher from Delray Beach Fla.
Faith, 60, a high school teacher from Benton City, Wash.
Jeanie, 65, a retired project manager from Estill Springs, Tenn.
Joan, 60, a private school administrator from Rockland, Md.
Kathy, 70, a retired educational consultant from Austin, Texas
Leslie, 64, a fitness instructor from Minneapolis, Minn.
Maria, 60, a health and wellness director from Teaneck, N.J.
Marina, 60, an educator from Los Angeles, Calif.
Nancy, 60, a retired interior designer from Alexandria, Va.
Natascha, 60, a pro-aging coach and midlife speaker from New York City, N.Y.
Pamela, 75, a retired salon owner from Aurora, Ill.
Patty, 70, a retired real estate professional from Durham, N.C.
Peggy, 69, a dental hygienist from East Haven, Conn.
Renee, 67, a former Chicago Honey Bear Cheerleader from Middleton, Wis.
Sandra, 75, a retired executive assistant from Doraville, Ga.
Susan, 66, a wedding officiant from Aston, Penn.
Sylvia, 64, a public affairs consultant from Los Angeles, Calif.
Theresa, 69, a financial services professional from Shrewsbury, N.J.

Watch the vide below for more on the ladies of The Golden Bachelor.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=dnm7oH-7beE&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

27 Sep 2023

d4vd Plays Fishing for Answers | Billboard

d4vd plays Fishing for Answers with Billboard.

d4vd
Hey everybody, I’m d4vd and I’m going fishing for answers with Billboard.

d4vd
Who are some emerging artists that you think people should listen to? Lavae is one of them. Of course, this crazy like, electronic kind of funky, hip-hop artist named Odetari. This kid named Juju, recently found him. He makes songs with his little sister as well. I love them. Juju, shout-out to Juju.

d4vd
Number two, who’s made me the most starstruck? I think the person that has made me the most starstruck — SZA for sure, meeting SZA six months ago at MSG, so it was kind of like the most insane moment of my life.

d4vd
Number three, first concert I’ve ever attended — SZA’s concert six months ago at MSG, first show I ever saw my life by the way, never seen the show before that she was the first artist I ever saw live in concert.

d4vd
Number four. Oh, my secret talent. It’s not a secret anymore, but I can do gymnastics. I do a lot of flips on stage and off stage. I’m very nimble, and acrobatic.

d4vd
Number five last one who I love to collaborate with on my next album. There’s this amazing artists that and Scott James that I recently had opened up for my U.S. run of tour. We’ve recently been working a lot together and I would love to have him on my project. Super Amazing. Scott James, and that is fishing for answers with Billboard.

27 Sep 2023

Janelle Monáe Creates a ‘Safe Oasis’ at Age of Pleasure Show at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall

“Your mission tonight is to not think about the past,” Janelle Monáe proclaimed at their dazzling Age of Pleasure Tour stop at Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday night. “New York, your mission tonight [is] to not think about the future.”

With those two directives, Monáe fostered not just an endlessly captivating atmosphere of entertainment, but also a haven of safety, acceptance, freedom and positivity — if only for two hours and change.

Monáe kicked off their latest nationwide trek in support of her fourth studio album of the same name, a summery reggae-tinged embrace of revolutionary pleasure politics that, to some, read as antithetical to the soulful, cerebral concept albums that shot Monáe to fame. Throughout their nearly two-hour set — which featured strong opening sets from producer and DJ Nana Kwabena and the Internet’s favorite sprinters, rap duo Flyana Boss — Monáe seamlessly tied the vision and mission of The Age of Pleasure to the rest of her discography, as well as the rest of Black music history.

With the show’s first chapter — “Chapter 1: A Thousand Versions of the Self” — Monáe immediately situated the audience in an exploration of the multiplicity of the individual. At once an epic leader presiding over a court of background dancers in a Midsommar-esque costume and a slinky twerk queen in a bootylicious black bodysuit, Monáe revels in all the different versions of herself — and they’re all “fine as f—,” as she chants on “Phenomenal,” a standout Age of Pleasure track that morphed into a moment of communal affirmation during the show. The focus on the self quickly evolved into a focus on community, with the help of songs like “Q.U.E.E.N.” and an onstage audience-centric dance party — featuring Emmy-nominated Pose actress Michaela Jaé Rodriguez! — soundtracked by “Paid in Pleasure.”

The foundation of Monáe’s stage show is her penchant for the theatrical — a stylistic choice that evoked several Black performing legends, thus properly contextualizing the different genre tilts of The Age of Pleasure. Monáe frequently opts for exaggerated accents, animated facial expressions, and a no-holds-barred approach to choreography that recalls the intensity of James Brown. In fact, the show’s choreography is equally important in further contextualizing The Age of Pleasure. In a dance break after their rendition of “Phenomenal,” Monáe breaks out into the Charleston, connecting the brassy embellishments of reggae with Harlem Renaissance-era jazz. There’s also “Pynk” — which featured the return of Monáe’s instantly iconic “p—y pants”– a rock-tinged empowerment anthem that dripped with a carnal ecstasy similar to Rick James. That’s not to mention the elongated dance break preceding the show’s encore — spoiler: it’s a double-header of “Make Me Feel” and “Tightrope” — which sits somewhere between the iconography of Michael Jackson and the statuesque poses of Grace Jones. To that end, the choreography of “Phenomenal” included elements of ballroom hand performance, another nod to the thread of Black queer culture that runs throughout the album and tour.

Monét’s Betty Boopian energy paired well with the show’s mise en scène; towers of tan-colored speakers evoked the getaway beach paradise that Monáe’s rendering of Pleasure™ aims to embody. Radio City Music Hall’s proscenium arch helped drive home the more theatrical parts of the show, with some of Monáe’s mid-song quips and speeches having the endearing air of an off-Broadway musical. When she assumed a more militant disposition for “Django Jane” — one of the highlights of the night — she briefly acknowledged the fact that the darker parts of the world never truly disappear, but choosing to “reach for love” is the true war at hand.

Although Monáe completely enraptures any venue they perform in, certain moments during Tuesday night’s show begged for an arena-sized space. No two songs captured this better than “Electric Lady” and “Yoga” — two songs that predate Age of Pleasure by several years but still lend themselves to powerhouse performances. From her wailing vibrato to her inimitable energy, instrumental prowess, and effortless swagger, Monáe’s rendition of “Electric Lady” was easily the apex of the night. It was “Yoga,” however — with its yoga-inspired choreography and ominous lighting design — that most plainly drew a connection between The Age of Pleasure and earlier periods in Monáe’s catalog.

When a performer is as impressive and multifaceted as Monáe, it’s easy to undersell just how skilled they are at each element of their stage show. In addition to their slick dance skills and commanding presence, Monáe also flaunted their vocal chops with ambitious live arrangements that infused The Age of Pleasure’s Afrobeats and reggae flourishes with a healthy dose of jazz and Black church breakdowns. A slowed-down final “Lipstick Lover” verse and an intimate rendition of “Only Have Eyes 42” provided the night’s strongest vocal moments — reminding the audience that Monáe’s talents are genuinely limitless.

Toward the end of the night, Monáe delivered a pair of moving speeches. In the first speech, they plainly stated their mission for The Age of Pleasure: “The focus was not on division or the hate, ’cause we know. We’re online, we see what divisive tactics look like. But The Age of Pleasure is about us creating a safe oasis, for us by us. This is what it looks like when you feel safe. This is what it feels like when you respond to love.”

In their second, more personal speech, Monáe recounted how their family would support their dreams by bringing them to a performing arts high school in New York City many moons ago. She then broke down into tears mid-sentence, clearly overwhelmed as she registered the complete realization of their life-long dreams in real time. A beautifully touching moment that framed the encore segment perfectly, Monáe’s personal addresses to the crowd helped her pause the theatrics for a moment and develop an even deeper and more nuanced connection with the NYC crowd. For a few hours, Monáe was able to successfully conjure up a moment of escapism that doubled as an exercise in individual and communal healing.

Ending the night with towering performances of “Make Me Feel” and “Tightrope” — with the latter featuring a costume reminiscent of their ArchAndroid days — Monáe further cemented themselves as one of the truly marvelous all-around performers we have.

27 Sep 2023

Cardi B’s Fans Have Been ‘Begging’ Her to Do ‘Hot Ones’ & It’s Almost Here: Watch a Teaser

The time has finally come for Cardi B to take on the Hot Ones challenge.

The rapper took to Instagram on Wednesday (Sept. 27) to tease her spicy upcoming episode, in which she tells host Sean Evans, “My fans have been begging me to do this show for so, so, so, so long. I have to give it to them and I’m scared.”

In the teaser, Evans then asks her about whether or not she knew that her Megan Thee Stallion collaboration “Bongo” had the “potential to be a hit” after hearing its catchy Dembow drum beat. “As soon as I heard it, I was like, ‘Ayyy, ayyy, ayyy like a drum’” Cardi replied, shaking her behind while seated in her chair. When asked what it’s like to record a “clean” version of her raunchy songs for the radio, the rapper hilariously shouted, “Annoying!”

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She continued, “I’m doing the clean version, and it’s like, alright, ‘Baby, eat it up like a plum.’ Then, it’s like, ‘No, you still can’t play that for pop radio, whatever.’ I’m like, ‘Baby, eat these peaches and plums!’”

For those who aren’t familiar with the First We Feast and Complex Media series, in each episode, Evans and a celebrity guest eat ten chicken wings or vegan substitutes, with each wing prepared with a progressively hotter hot sauce. Meanwhile, the celebrity will answer thoughtful and well-researched questions from Evans while trying to keep it cool amid the heat.

Watch Cardi’s teaser here before the full episode drops on Thursday (Sept. 28). Check out our full list of the best musician Hot Ones episodes here.