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17 Aug 2023

Selena Gomez Announces New Song ‘Single Soon’ That’s ‘Perfect for the End of Summer’

In one fell swoop, Selena Gomez is returning to music and casting a last-minute bid for song of the summer.

The pop star announced Thursday (Aug. 17) that her new song “Single Soon” is set to arrive next Friday, Aug. 25, tiding fans over until Gomez is able to finish her highly anticipated third album. “Y’all have been asking for new music for a while,” she wrote on Instagram, sharing the track’s glamorous cover art. “Since I’m not quite done with SG3, I wanted to put out a fun little song I wrote a while back that’s perfect for the end of summer.”

“SINGLE SOON,” she added. “August 25th. Presave it now. ?”

Produced by Benny Blanco and Cashmere Cat, “Single Soon” unofficially kicks off Gomez’s new era of music, something fans have spent years waiting and wishing for. She hasn’t released an album since Rare in 2020, though she did drop her all-Spanish EP Revalación the following year. She’s also guested on a handful of sporadic singles since her last full album, including Rema’s 2022 smash “Calm Down,” and released a standalone track “My Mind & Me” in support of her documentary of the same name last year.

In the “Single Soon” cover art, Gomez smolders in front of the camera, posing in the backseat of a car with a glamorous fur jacket. The Only Murders In the Building star also shared a handful of behind-the-scenes photos featuring a couple of friends, a clothing rack filled with costumes and a note reading “I’m sorry I can’t don’t hate me,” possibly hinting at a “Single Soon” music video.

The new music news comes on the heels of Gomez’s Rare Beauty Impact Fund announcement, which she shared last week. In October, the makeup mogul will host a benefit event supporting her business’ philanthropic branch, which aims to maintain openness regarding mental health stigma and provide education to enquiring youth worldwide. Only Murders co-star Martin Short and Gomez’s “Wolves” collaborator Marshmello are both expected to make appearances at the L.A. event.

See Selena’s “Single Soon” announcement below:

17 Aug 2023

Leonard Bernstein’s Family Say They’re ‘Perfectly Fine’ With Bradley Cooper’s Fake Nose in ‘Maestro’ Trailer

The three children of late conductor/composer/pianist Leonard Bernstein have defended Bradley Cooper‘s artistic choices amid criticism that the actor/director’s portrayal of their father in the upcoming biopic Maestro leans into an antisemitic stereotype.

After the first trailer for the long-awaited film starring and directed by Cooper dropped earlier this week, some commenters questioned the star’s choice to wear a large prosthetic nose, an image that they said amplified a hurtful Jewish stereotype.

“Bradley Cooper included the three of us along every step of his amazing journey as he made his film about our father,” Jamie, Alexander, and Nina Bernstein said in a statement; while Cooper is not Jewish, Bernstein was born to Jewish parents. “We were touched to the core to witness the depth of his commitment, his loving embrace of our father’s music, and the sheer open-hearted joy he brought to his exploration. It breaks our hearts to see any misrepresentations or misunderstandings of his efforts.”

They added that, “It happens to be true that Leonard Bernstein had a nice, big nose. Bradley chose to use makeup to amplify his resemblance, and we’re perfectly fine with that. We’re also certain that our dad would have been fine with it as well. Any strident complaints around this issue strike us above all as disingenuous attempts to bring a successful person down a notch — a practice we observed all too often perpetrated on our own father.”

The Netflix film co-written by Cooper as well, is focused on the beloved composer’s relationship with Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan), who the conductor married in 1951; the film is co-produced by Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese, among others.

One of those criticizing the choice was Joel Swanson, a Jewish History PhD student at the Univ. of Chicago, who wrote, “This isn’t about making a non-Jewish actor look more like Leonard Bernstein; it’s about making a non-Jewish actor look more like a Jewish stereotype.” After his comment was picked up by a number of major news outlets — including in a Time magazine article that asked a representation question about whether “only actors of a certain ethnicity or marginalized group” should portray characters with that same background — Swanson clarified on Wednesday that he was not advocating for that position.

“I just think the nose is a little gross, that’s all,” Swanson wrote of the use of the nose prosthetics as other commenters noted that when Cooper starred in The Elephant Man on Broadway in 2015 he chose not to wear prosthetics to portray John Merrick, who suffered from severe physical deformities.

Maestro is slated to premiere at the Venice Film Festival later this month and hit select theaters on Nov. 22 and Netflix on Dec. 20. So far Cooper has not made a public statement about the controversy and a spokesperson for Netflix had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment.

Bernstein’s children also noted in their post that “at all times” during the making of the film they could “feel the profound respect and yes, the love that Bradley brought to his portrait of Leonard Bernstein and his wife, our mother Felicia. We feel so fortunate to have had this experience with Bradley, and we can’t wait for the world to see his creation.”

See Swanson and the Bernstein’s tweets and the movie trailer below.

17 Aug 2023

Grupo Frontera’s ‘El Comienzo’ Jumps to No. 2 on Regional Mexican Albums Chart

Three months after Grupo Frontera became the second regional Mexican act to break the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with “Un X100to” with Bad Bunny, the sextet scores its first top 10 on any albums chart with El Comienzo as the album flies 39-4 on the Top Latin Albums chart Aug 19-dated ranking after its first full week of activity. The set also jumps 12-2 on Regional Mexcan Albums and debuts at No. 39 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

El Comienzo is the Texas-based band’s album debut following multiple hit singles. The cumbia-spiced set was self-released on an off-cycle Thursday, Aug. 3 (the final day of the July 28 tracking week), and debuted at No. 39 on Billboard 200 with only one day of activity (Aug. 12-dated list).

On its first full tracking week ending Aug. 10, El Comienzo earned 21,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., according to Luminate. Nearly all the 11-track set’s opening sum is fueled by streaming activity. That figure equals to 31.4 million on-demand official streams of the album’s songs, while a negligible amount of album sales and track-equivalent album units contributes to the remaining balance.

Grupo Frontera grabs its first top 10 on an albums chart after placing six top 10s on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs and eight entries on the all-genre Hot 100. On the former list, “Bebe Dame” with Fuerza Regida led for two weeks in January, while on the latter survey “Un X100to,” with Benito, reached a No. 5 high in May.

Beyond its Top Latin Albums new peak, El Comienzo also gifts Frontera its first top five on Regional Mexican Albums, climbing from No. 12. Plus, it opens at No. 39 on the all-genre Billboard 200.

El Comienzo was preceded by four tracks on Hot Latin Songs, including the No. 2-peaking “Uno X100to.” Those, plus “El Amor De Su Vida” with Grupo Firme, which debuts on the current chart, make for a total of five songs from the album that have secured a spot on the list. Here’s the recap:

Peak Position, Title, Artist (if other than Frontera), Peak Date

  • No. 3, “No Se Va,” Nov. 12, 2022
  • No. 3, “Que Vuelvas,” with Carín León, Jan. 28
  • No. 2, “Uno X100to” with Bad Bunny, May 6
  • No. 43, “Le Va Doler,” June 24
  • No. 12, “El Amor de Su Vida” with Grupo Firme, Aug. 19 (debut)

“El Amor De Su Vida” also bows at No. 82 on Hot 100, for a total of eight entries there.
Further, Grupo Frontera holds the record for the most entries on the all-genre tally among regional Mexican groups. Only one other act continues to topple its run, Peso Pluma with 20 entries, the most overall.

17 Aug 2023

Jamie Foxx Updates His Fans With IG Post Saying He’s Feeling Like “Himself” Again

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“Creed III

Source: Joe Maher / Getty

For months Jamie Foxx‘s sudden health scare had conspiracy theorists blaming everything from the COVID vaccine to P. Diddy for the Oscar Award-winning actor’s brush with death.

Now that Jamie Foxx’s been out and about for a few weeks (with conspiracy theorists now claiming it’s a clone or body double), Jamie seems to be getting back into the swing of things. The They Cloned Tyrone actor took to Instagram Yesterday (Aug. 16), to share an update on his current health status. Posting a picture of himself enjoying life in what seems to be a tropical setting, Jamie wrote a heartfelt message explaining how he feels about his current situation and how far he’s come in just a matter of months.

“You’re lookin at a man who is thankful… finally startin’ to feel like myself… it’s been an unexpected dark journey… but I can see the light… I’m thankful to everyone that reached out and sent well wishes and prayers… I have a lot of people to thank… u just don’t know how much it meant… I will be thanking all of you personally… and if you didn’t know… GOD IS GOOD… all day every day…” he captioned the post.

We’re so glad this man is still on this Earth with us.

His fellow Hollywood peers such as Megan Good chimed in with messages of love and support saying “Love you my Brother ?? God .. whew .. is ✨??.” Garcelle Beauvais commented, “God is amazing and so are you! ❤️.” A slew of other celebrity friends and family also hopped in the comments showering Jamie with love.

Fans have been worrying about Jamie Foxx’s well-being since April when the actor was rushed to a hospital after he suddenly fell ill with no explanation. Though we still don’t know what led to his shocking life and death situation, we’re just glad to see the man back on his own two feet and look forward to whatever he has in store for us as far as film and TV projects go.

Stay up, Jamie, and don’t leave us anytime soon, bro.

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17 Aug 2023

Doja Cat’s ‘Paint the Town Red’ Posts Top 10 Debut on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart

Doja Cat splashes into the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as “Paint the Town Red” opens at No. 6 on the list dated Aug. 19. The track gives the singer-rapper her eighth career top 10 on the chart — which combines streaming, radio airplay and sales data into its rankings — as it bursts onto streaming charts and has a strong premiere at various radio formats.

“Paint the Town Red,” released Aug. 4 through Kemosabe/RCA Records, launches with 14 million official U.S. streams in the week ending Aug. 10, according to Luminate. The eight-figure sum sparks the tune’s No. 4 start (and her ninth career top 10) on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart and a No. 11 arrival on the corresponding, all-genre Streaming Songs list. In the sales market, “Paint the Town Red” begins at No. 5 on R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales, with 3,000 downloads in the same tracking week.

Initial radio airplay shows “Paint the Town Red” landing at three radio formats — rhythmic, R&B/hip-hop, and pop — and giving Doja Cat the strongest debut radio week of her catalog. On Rhythmic Airplay, the new single enters at No. 22 to rewrite the mark for Doja Cat’s best debut among her 19 career entries, passing the No. 26 bows of “Like That,” featuring Gucci Mane, in 2020 and “Attention” last month.

Similarly, the superstar captures new career-best debuts on Pop Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay – at No. 23 on the former, improving upon the No. 26 opening achieved through her featured turn on Post Malone’s “I Like That (A Happier Song)” in June 2022, while a No. 27 breakthrough on the latter outdoes the No. 29 kickoff for the Doja-assisted “Pussy Talk” by City Girls.

With “Paint the Town Red,” Doja Cat nabs her eighth top 10 on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a review of her collection:

Song Title, Artist (if other than Doja Cat), Peak Position, Peak Date

  • “Say So,” No. 1 (two weeks), May 16, 2020
  • “Streets,” No. 7, Feb. 13, 2021
  • “Best Friend,” Saweetie featuring Doja Cat, No. 6, June 12, 2021
  • “Ain’t Sh-t”, July 10, 2021
  • “You Right,” with The Weeknd, No. 2, Sept. 4, 2021
  • “Woman,” No. 2, March 26, 2022
  • “Get Into It (Yuh),” No. 7, June 25, 2022
  • “Paint the Town Red,” No. 6 (to date), Aug. 19, 2023

Notably, “Paint the Town Red” samples elements of another No. 6 hit, the Dionne Warwick standard “Walk on By,” which reached that peak on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. Thanks to the inclusion, songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal Davis extend their storied writing careers on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, which includes penning other hits, including many recorded by Warwick, such as “Don’t Make Me Over” (No. 5) and “I Say a Little Prayer” (No. 8).

Elsewhere, “Paint the Town Red” begins at No. 15 on the Hot 100, the week’s highest debut, and No. 5 on the Hot Rap Songs chart.

17 Aug 2023

Howard University On Alert After Suspected Locals Beat Students On Campus

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Howard University dorm buildings, according to students, are filled with mold and unfit for living.

Howard University, which maintains a sprawling campus in Northwest Washington, D.C., is currently on alert after a recent violent incident went wide. According to reports, a group of suspected locals beat students on campus grounds and police are investigating the matter.

As reported by local outlet WRC-TV, Howard University officials confirmed that an attack from a large group did take place on campus near two residence halls in the early morning hours of Monday (August 16). One student explained that a large group of what they described as “D.C. locals” began to attack them. Another explained that the group stomped them so badly that they thought death was near.

“I was prepared to die,” the student said. “When I was on the ground getting stomped out, I just stopped feeling the pain at one point.”

The outlet added in its report that another student was stabbed in the back and beaten by over two dozen people. According to witnesses, security guards at Howard University allegedly did nothing to help the harmed student. It hasn’t been shared what sparked the group to attack the students.

So far, campus police say that they managed to arrest one teen suspect who was found with a handgun in their possession. Marcus Lyles, executive director of public safety and chief of police at Howard University, announced a series of investigations and other actions connected to the incident. A lieutenant for the campus police was suspended after internal findings, and a security contractor is no longer working with the university.

The school shared plans to install over 1,000 cameras across cameras. In addition, the school will also establish walking paths for students that will keep them near a security officer.

—

Photo: The Washington Post / Getty

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17 Aug 2023

Jamie Foxx Says He’s ‘Finally Startin to Feel Like Myself’ Following Health Scare: ‘GOD IS GOOD’

Jamie Foxx has shared another update following his April health scare, revealing he’s feeling better than ever in the months since his hospitalization.

The 55-year-old movie star took to Instagram Wednesday (Aug. 16) to thank fans for the well wishes, sharing a carousel of photos showing him enjoying some time outdoors. “You’re lookin at a man who is thankful… finally startin to feel like myself…,” he wrote in his caption. “It’s been an unexpected dark journey… but I can see the light…”

“I’m thankful to everyone that reached out and sent well wishes and prayers…,” Foxx continued. “I have a lot of people to thank… u just don’t know how much it meant… I will be thanking all of you personally… and if you didn’t know… GOD IS GOOD… all day every day…”

The post comes about four months after the Strays star was hospitalized for an unknown “medical complication,” as shared by his daughter in April. The family has remained private about the details of Foxx’s illness, though the actor did open up about his experience in a July Instagram video.

“I went through something that I thought I would never ever go through,” he told fans at the time. “I know a lot of people were waiting and, you know, wanting to hear updates but to be honest with you, I just didn’t want you to see me like that.”

Foxx’s latest update follows close behind controversy surrounding a post he made about being “betrayed by a fake friend,” as he later clarified. His word choice in the since-deleted post — “They killed this dude name Jesus … What do you think they’ll do to you???!” — sparked outrage as some thought the star was spreading antisemitic rhetoric.

“I want to apologize to the Jewish community and everyone who was offended by my post,” he responded in a follow-up apology. “I now know my choice of words have caused offense and I’m sorry. That was never my intent. To clarify, I was betrayed by a fake friend and that’s what I meant with ‘they’ not anything more. I only have love in my heart for everyone. I love and support the Jewish community. My deepest apologies to anyone who was offended.”

17 Aug 2023

RBD’s Anahi Voted Dream Latin Barbie by Fans: See Who Won Ken

Billboard readers have voted and crowned RBD’s Anahí as the Latin artist they would like to see portray Barbie in a dream sequel. Our readers have also voted for their dream Latin Ken, picking Anahí’s very own group member Christopher von Uckermann. 

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The two fan polls were published in mid-July on the heels of the Barbie movie’s release, which in its opening weekend “claimed the top spot with a massive $155 million in ticket sales from North American theaters from 4,243 locations, surpassing The Super Mario Bros. Movie (as well as every Marvel movie this year) as the biggest opening of the year and breaking the first-weekend record for a film directed by a woman,” The Associated Press reported. 

So Billboard Latin asked readers to vote for their dream Barbie and Ken in polls featuring 50 Latin acts including Karol G, Thalía, TINI, Manuel Turizo, Romeo Santos and Maluma, to name a few. 

The winners were Anahí with 77 percent of the votes, and von Uckermann with more than 56 percent of the votes. The former is followed by Kimberly Loaiza and Kenia OS; the latter is followed by former RBD members Alfonso “Poncho” Herrera and Christian Chávez. 

In other RBD news, von Uckermann — alongside Chávez and Maite Perroni — are set for the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week, which is returning to Miami’s Faena Forum the week of Oct. 2-6. The three Mexican pop stars will take center stage to talk about their “Soy Rebelde” reunion tour — following a 14-year hiatus — set to kick off on Aug. 25 at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. 

Billboard Latin Music Week will also coincide with the 2023 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Thursday, Oct. 5, at the Watsco Center in Miami, and will broadcast live on Telemundo. For registration and more information, visit www.billboardlatinmusicweek.com.

See the Barbie poll results below, followed by the Ken poll results:

17 Aug 2023

10 Vinyl Record Player Accessories Every Collector Should Own

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.

Collecting vinyl is only half of the fun. Once you build up your knowledge, you can have fun testing out more advanced record players and setting up a crisp listening experience using the best speakers, of course. With record players having a major comeback, models have evolved and modernized, allowing you to enjoy listening to popular artists today or classics from the past.

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Whether you’re an experienced record collector who knows how to safely clean vinyl, are a beginner starting your record-playing journey or are just looking for gifts for music lovers, there are a few things every record collector should have in their arsenal.

From unique pieces of home decor to vinyl storing essentials, we rounded up some accessories every vinyl collector should own.

Keep reading to stock up on the picks below.

light up

Amazon

YuanDian Light Up “Now Playing” Vinyl Record Stand

$29.99

Looking to show off your records? You can spotlight whatever you’re listening to with Yuan Dian’s Light-Up Vinyl Record Stand. This stand can not only be mounted to your wall, but has a light-up ability to shine a light on the latest tunes you’re spinning for the day.

brown and bronze record player stand with turntable and vinyls on it

Amazon

MAWEW Record Player Stand

$29.99 $32.99 9% OFF

Even if you’re new to owning vinyl, your guests don’t have to know that, and this record player stand can assist in giving off the vibe that you know what you’re doing. The top portion allows you to keep your record player in a safe spot that also puts it on display. Underneath are slots for storing your vinyl, while the side comes with a hook to hang your over-ear headphones or tote bags — it’s up to you!

black digital scale next to product box

Amazon

Neoteck Digital Turntable Stylus Force Scale

$13.99 $15.59 10% OFF

Part of keeping your vinyls in pristine shape is making sure your record player needle’s force isn’t too heavy. That’s where a turntable stylus force scale comes in, like this one from Amazon — which is also at its lowest price yet in the last 30 days. How it works is you lay the device on a still record, then turn the turntable on and wait until the device zeros out. Place the needle on the center dot and read the grams on the display.

black cleaning spray with crush and box

Amazon

EVEO Premium Vinyl Record Cleaner Kit

$21.97 $26.97 19% OFF

Keep your turntable and records in tip-top shape using EVEO’s 4-in-1 cleaning kit. Within it you’ll find everything you may need, including a velvet brush and cleaning fluid specifically for albums, a hands-free turntable needle gel cleaner and a duster brush.

James

The Abbey Fixed Blade

$69

Getting a package filled with new vinyls can be exciting, but since they’re made from delicate materials you need to be gentle when opening packages. This fixed blade was originally designed with opening vinyl in mind as it uses a thin blade that won’t knick or slice the actual record. It also versatile and can be used to open letters, boxes and more.

black product box with photo of record player sleeves

Walmart

Big Fudge 12” Outer Sleeves for Vinyl Records

$14.99

These outer sleeves may seem like a basic accessory to own, but they’ll go a long way in protecting the quality of your records. Included is 25 sleeves made from a high-density polypropylene that will stand up to water damage while keeping out dust and dirt that could scratch or ruin records.

black turntable preamplifier with cord

Amazon

Pyle Phono Turntable Preamplifier

$18.99 $22.99 17% OFF

For less than $20, Pyle’s Phono Turntable Preamplifier will help boost your turntable’s signal if it’s not already built into it. What this does enhance the sound quality and overall better your listening experience. Even if your turntable has one built-in, if you want better quality, then an external one like this will only sharpen the sound.

white vinyl storage and carrying case

Amazon

Victrola Vintage Vinyl Record Storage and Carrying Case

$50.51 $69.99 28% OFF

Want to take your vinyl with you on the go? Add this carrying case to your cart and worry less about scratching or damaging records. It can hold up to 30 records and is made from a heavy duty vinyl material that’ll protect your precious collection from bumps and tumbles thanks to its edge guards and lock system.

black speakers

Best Buy

Sony – Core Series 5″ 3-Way Bookshelf Speakers

$199.99

Some record players require separate speakers in order to hear your vinyls played in the best possible quality. Sony’s bookshelf speakers are compact making them apartment dweller-friendly while the three-way sound system condenses it into one source rather than investing in multiple sound systems. The speakers also come with 53Hz to 50kHz frequency response for a wider range of sound.

black suitcase record player

Walmart

Udreamer Record Player Turntable

$59.99 $99.99 40% off% OFF

And, of course, if you collect vinyl, make sure you have a record player turntable to play spin it on. Udreamer’s model is currently 40% off and comes in a convenient briefcase for portability. It supports three playback speeds and can play three different record sizes: 7 inches, 10 inches and 12 inches. You won’t need speakers either as it has built-in ones and Bluetooth capabilities, which allows you to connect your phone and stream music.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best record players and turntables, portable CD players and the best celebrity headphones.

17 Aug 2023

Diddy Announces Inaugural REVOLT WORLD Three Day Event In Atlanta

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REVOLT WORLD

Source: REVOLT TV / Revolt TV

Diddy is showing it is still “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop”. He has announced the inaugural REVOLT WORLD event in Atlanta.

As spotted on Bossip the business mogul is taking his REVOLT brand to newer heights. On Wednesday, August 15 the event was formally announced on social media. “We’re reimagining the intersection of culture and creativity with this three-day immersive experience featuring daily lineups of your favorite REVOLT shows, impactful conversations, live performances, interactive masterclasses, experiential activations, a gaming house, creator studio, and more” the press release reads. This year’s inaugural theme is “We Are Hip-Hop” which is a nod to the 50th anniversary of Hip-Hop and the ten year anniversary of REVOLT TV.

The 72-hour event will feature live performances from MoneyBagg Yo, Uncle Waffles, Don Toliver, King Combs and more. REVOLT WORLD will also feature G Herbo, Jeezy, Omarion, Curren$y and others as speakers. Additionally, they will also broadcast Drink Champs and Caresha Please as live podcasts. Yung Miami expressed her excitement on X, formerly known as Twitter. “My first live podcast! I’m so excited & nervous at the same damn time! #careshaplease @revolttv” she wrote. 

General admission tickets ($149) and VIP tickets ($399) are now available for purchase here. 

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