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22 May 2023

Carmelo Anthony Calls It A Career, Twitter Salutes The Future Hall Of Famer

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Miami Heat v New York Knicks - Game Two

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Carmelo Anthony is moving on to the next phase of his life. On Monday, May 22, the superstar and future Hall of Famer announced that he is retiring from the NBA after a 19-season playing career.

The high-scoring forward was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 2003 NBA Draft (behind LeBron James and, wait for it…Darko Milicic), by the Denver Nuggets shortly after leading the Syracuse Orange to a national title during his sole collegiate season. Melo would play eight seasons for the Nuggets before a blockbuster trade sent him to the New York Knicks in early 2011.

The Brooklyn-born and Baltimore-raised star’s time in NYC had its highs but was also tumultuous, and he was eventually traded in 2017 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Melo would become somewhat of a journeyman, playing for the Rockets, Trailblazers and lastly with the Lakers in the 2021-2022 season.

“Now the time has come for me to say goodbye,” in a clip Melo shared on Twitter that features a number of his career highlights.

“People ask what I believe my legacy is,” continues Anthony, before referencing his son, Kiyan Anthony, a hoop prospect himself. “It’s not my feats on the court that come to mind, all the awards or praise. Because my story has always been more than basketball. My legacy, my son … I will forever continue through you. The time has come for you to carry this torch.”

No pressure.

Despite never making it to an NBA Finals, Melo still cooked up10 NBA All-Star selection, six All-NBA selection and three Olympic gold medals and a spot on the 75 greatest NBA players list. His kicks with Jordan Brand also moved units.

Check out reactions to Hoodie Melo closing the chapter on his NBA career in the gallery.

22 May 2023

Morgan Wallen’s ‘Last Night’ No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100, Lil Durk & J. Cole, Luke Combs Hit Top 10

Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” logs a seventh week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.

Next up,  Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, soars onto the Hot 100 at No. 2, tying a career-best rank for each artist.

Plus, Luke Combs’ cover of Tracy Chapman’s classic “Fast Car” speeds from No. 11 to No. 9 on the Hot 100.

The Hot 100 blends all-genre U.S. streaming (official audio and official video), radio airplay and sales data. All charts (dated May 27, 2023) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 23). For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Wallen’s “Last Night,” released on Big Loud/Mercury/Republic Records, drew 63.3 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 5%) and 33 million streams (down 4%) and sold 9,000 downloads (down 6%) in the May 12-18 tracking week, according to Luminate.

The song, which first led the Hot 100 in March, becoming his initial leader on the list, adds a ninth week at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs chart and holds at No. 2 on Digital Song Sales, following a week on top, and its No. 5 best on Radio Songs.

“Last Night” also tops the Country Airplay chart for a third week, having become the first track to rule the Hot 100 and Country Airplay simultaneously, and continues climbing in the top 20 on Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Adult Contemporary.

“Last Night” concurrently leads the Hot Country Songs chart, which uses the same methodology as the Hot 100, for a 15th week. It became just the 20th song to have topped both charts – and having now ruled the Hot 100 for seven weeks, it claims outright the longest Hot 100 reign among those 20 hits, surpassing Kenny Rogers’ “Lady” and Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans,” which spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1980 and 1959, respectively.

As previously reported, parent album One Thing at a Time dominates the Billboard 200 for an 11th week, encompassing its entire stay on the chart so far. It boasts the most weeks in a row at No. 1 since the Titanic soundtrack linked 16 in 1998. One Thing at a Time is also the first album to spend its first 11 weeks on the chart on top since Whitney Houston’s Whitney also ruled in its first 11 frames in 1987; the only other title to tally as many or more weeks at No. 1 from a debut is Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life (13 in 1976-77), dating to the chart’s 1956 launch.

Lil Durk’s “All My Life,” featuring J. Cole, launches at No. 2 on the Hot 100, with 30.9 million streams, 10.8 million in radio audience and 3,000 sold from its release May 12 through May 18.

Both artists match their best career Hot 100 placements. Lil Durk lands his third top 10 – and first in a lead role – following his featured turns on Drake’s “Laugh Now Cry Later” (No. 2, August 2020) and “In the Bible” (No. 7, September 2021), the latter also featuring Giveon. J. Cole tallies his 11th top 10 (and first as a featured artist); he previously hit No. 2 with “my.life,” with 21 Savage and Morray, in May 2021.

The new collab also opens atop the multi-metric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Rap Songs charts. On the former, Lil Durk earns his third leader and J. Cole, his second. On the latter, they each score a No. 1 for a second time.

Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” holds at No. 3 on the Hot 100, after eight weeks at No. 1 beginning upon its debut in January. It posts a 14th week atop Radio Songs (91.2 million in audience, essentially even week-over-week).

“Flowers” ties for the seventh-longest reign since Radio Songs began in December 1990, and is one of just 10 hits with at least 14 weeks at No. 1. (It also moves to within a week of tying the longest rule for a Columbia Records single, held by Adele’s “Easy On Me.”)

Most Weeks at No. 1 on Radio Songs:
26, “Blinding Lights,” The Weeknd, 2020
18, “Iris,” Goo Goo Dolls, 1998
16, “Girls Like You,” Maroon 5 feat. Cardi B, 2018
16, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, 2005
16, “Don’t Speak,” No Doubt, 1996-97
15, “Easy On Me,” Adele, 2021-22
14, “Flowers,” Miley Cyrus, 2023
14, “High Hopes,” Panic! At the Disco, 2018-19
14, “No One,” Alicia Keys, 2007-08
14, “Because You Loved Me,” Celine Dion, 1996

SZA’s “Kill Bill” slips 2-4 on the Hot 100, four weeks after it became her first No. 1. It rules the multi-metric Hot R&B Songs chart for 22nd week.

Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola” descends to No. 5 on the Hot 100 from its high at No. 4 – the best rank ever for a regional Mexican song. The collaboration adds a seventh week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Hot Latin Songs chart.

Rema and Selena Gomez’s “Calm Down” dips from its No. 5 Hot 100 best to No. 6. It tops the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart for a 38th week, extending the longest rule since the ranking began over a year ago (in partnership with music festival and global brand Afro Nation).

Metro Boomin, The Weeknd and 21 Savage’s “Creepin’ ” retreats 6-7 on the Hot 100, after hitting No. 3, and Toosii’s “Favorite Song” is stationary at its No. 8 high.

Luke Combs’ faithful remake of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” zooms to the Hot 100’s top 10, accelerating 11-9 with 19.5 million streams (down 2%), 13 million all-format radio audience impressions (up 51%) and 8,000 sold (up 15%).

As with Wallen’s “Last Night,” Combs’ “Fast Car” is a country and pop/adult radio hit, as it revs 28-21 as the Greatest Gainer on Country Airplay and advances 31-23 on Adult Pop Airplay and 37-35 on Pop Airplay.

Combs claims his third Hot 100 top 10, following “The Kind of Love We Make” (No. 8, October 2022) and “Forever After All” (No. 2, November 2020).

“Fast Car,” which Chapman solely wrote, hit No. 6 on the Hot 100 in August 1988 and went on to win the singer-songwriter the Grammy Award for best female pop vocal performance in 1989. Combs’ cover marks the first remake (not including samples or interpolations) of an ‘80s Hot 100 top 10 to also reach the region since Artists for Haiti’s “We Are the World 25: For Haiti” hit No. 2 in 2010, after USA for Africa’s original “We Are the World” dominated for four weeks in 1985.

Closing out the Hot 100’s top 10, Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” keeps at No. 10. The song became her sole longest-leading No. 1, for eight weeks in November-January. It adds a 28th week in the top 10, likewise extending her longest stay in the bracket.

Again, for all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram and all charts (dated May 27), including the Hot 100 in its entirety, will refresh on Billboard.com tomorrow (May 23).

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.

22 May 2023

Dua Lipa Teases ‘Barbie’ Single ‘Dance the Night’: Here’s When It Arrives

This Barbie is a mermaid … AND a singer! Dua Lipa announced the release date for her new song “Dance the Night” off the Barbie: The Album on Monday (May 22).

“This Barbie has a song coming this week… FRIDAY MIDNIGHT BST,” the pop star wrote on Instagram. In the accompanying video, she steps out of her fluffy heels, mimicking the instantly iconic shot of Margot Robbie’s arched foot in the Barbie trailer, before blowing a kiss at the camera over a gleaming disco groove that offers just a single tantalizing lyric: “Just come along for the ride!”

British Standard Time is a full five hours ahead of the East Coast, which means the Barbie track will arrive on our shores ahead of the New Music Friday at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

The recent 2023 Met Gala co-chair’s announcement got plenty of love on social media, with the official Barbie Instagram account writing, “Can’t wait” with three heart-eyes emojis, and Donatella Versace adding, “She’s a Versace Barbie” with a wink and a butterfly. Mark Ronson also left a series of alternating pink heart and fire emojis in the comments — possibly hinting at his involvement behind the boards on the track.

Dua will also be featured onscreen in the upcoming live-action Barbie film, which stars Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Issa Rae and a plethora of other famous faces as Barbies and Kens and is set to premiere in theaters nationwide on July 21.

Check out Lipa’s flirty tease for “Dance The Night” below.

22 May 2023

Peso Pluma on Why Being the First Regional Mexican Artist in Spotify’s RADAR Program Is ‘Big for the Country, the Genre and the Industry’

A medley of sounds erupts as soon as the doors of the Spotify studio swing open. All at once, trumpets climb up and down scales, guitars are tuned before being fervidly strummed, and a tololoche player’s fingers dance across the strings of an upright bass like tiny bolts of lightning, making it impossible to look away. All the while, the group of men responsible crack jokes in Spanish, an air of excitement swirling through the dimly-lit room before the Spotify RADAR shoot kicks off. 

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At the center of this eclectic flurry of instruments lives regional Mexican music. At the center of today’s regional Mexican music, lives Peso Pluma. 

For many, the 23-year-old phenom appeared de la nada. “Ella Baila Sola,” Eslabon Armado’s smash hit with Peso Pluma, was as explosive a collaboration in the Spanish-language music space as the Hot 100-topping “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” was for the English market. Like drill princess Ice Spice, Peso Pluma became the de facto face of a movement overnight, much to his own surprise. 

“I knew this was gonna happen, but I didn’t know at what level and what speed,” he says today. “I knew I was gonna do good in Mexico and the Spanish-speaking countries, but this went worldwide [so fast]. I’m thankful for that.”

For his early fans, Peso Pluma has been creating earworm collaborative anthems for a handful of years, through early hits like “El Belicón” alongside Raúl Vega  – which went viral on social media and brought in 10 million views on YouTube in a single month – and projects including his debut set, Ah y Qué?

To date, “Ella Baila Sola” has secured a number of firsts, most notably becoming the first regional Mexican song to reach the top 10 of the Hot 100 chart — peaking at No. 5 – and the first to top Billboard‘s Streaming Songs chart in its 10-year history.

Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado also broke a number of Spotify records, becoming the all-time most-streamed música mexicana track in one day globally and the most streamed Latin track in the U.S in one single day last month. 

“Música mexicana is no longer regional – it’s global,” says Spotify head of U.S. Latin artist partnerships Eddie Santiago, noting the genre’s growth of 431% over the last five years. “It’s been incredible supporting Peso Pluma’s meteoric rise, and look forward to this next phase of his career.”

The Spotify RADAR program – dedicated to spotlighting and supporting emerging artists at all stages of their development – has provided a platform for artists across the globe, including The Kid LAROI, Zach Bryan, Doechii, Quevedo, PinkPatheress, and over 500 others since its start in in 2020. 

While the effect of “Ella Baila Sola” has led to unprecedented global attention on the regional Mexican space, it’s important to note that the regional Mexican genre isn’t exactly a genre. Encompassing an array of unmistakably Mexican styles of music, including norteño, corridos, banda, rancheras, mariachi and more, regional Mexican serves as an overarching umbrella term for a set of genres that had never before been afforded nuance on a mainstream level. 

Growing up on artists like Ariel Camacho, Peso Pluma, born Hassan Laija, developed his love for música mexicana as a kid spending his early years growing up in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Later, the influence of hip-hop and reggaeton also found their way into the songs he’d write. Today, he painstakingly stitches together 19th century Mexican sounds with modern genres, bringing both to the Spotify stage ahead of his upcoming debut album, and a single that he’s been teasing on social media. 

After his performance, Peso Pluma sat down to talk with Billboard about what the Spotify look means to him, his recent wins on U.S. platforms, his Doble P Tour and his hopes for the future.

What does it mean to you to be selected as Spotify’s RADAR artist?

It’s pretty big to me because I’m the first Mexican artist to do this. I’m so proud and very thankful. It’s big for the country, the genre and the industry in general. We’re doing pretty good and we’re going to keep working to share our music. 

Have you had fans from countries that surprise you?

I have a lot of fans all over the world, but the most surprising was one time I was shopping and a Chinese family came [up to me]. I never thought they’d listen to corridos in China.

What are the genres that have influenced you?

When I was a teenager, I listened to a lot of hip-hop, rap, and reggaetón. Rap culture just got into me, and I think I’m picking a little bit from every genre in the corridos I do and that’s why people like it, because it has a lot of different cultures in it. Reggaetón is the most iconic genre in my life. Since I was a kid, I liked it a lot. Daddy Yankee, Don Omar, Tego Calderon.

I like Bad Bunny a lot, I listen to him all day, every day. I listen to my friend Natanael Cano, 21 Savage, Shoreline Mafia. Feid, Anuel, Karol G. I listen to everything.

What’s a genre you like that people might be surprised you listen to?

Reggae. I like Bob Marley. 

You recently played Coachella, how did that come about?

I got invited by Becky G — shoutout to Becky. She’s been too kind to me in my career, and done a lot for me. And she knows she has a friend [in me]. They got in touch like a week before, I was so excited and pretty shocked. It was so good, [the crowd] accepted us. People did scream a lot, it was a surprise for them. 

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced along your path so far?

The biggest thing I’m dealing with right now is not being with my family. Being on tour non-stop. That’s what people don’t see. They think I’m a working machine, but I’m not. But it’s part of what I like to do — it’s part of my character. 

How do you deal with those moments?

When I feel like that, I just talk to my mom and my family and that keeps me motivated. They’re pretty proud of me and thankful. 

You also did Jimmy Fallon recently, how was that?

It was awesome for me and my whole group. It was a new thing for us because it was our first time on TV and it was Jimmy Fallon. I think it went well, everyone watched it and wanted to see me perform, and I’m just thankful for Jimmy for inviting me to the show. 

You recently broke a record along with Eslabon Armado, becoming the first regional Mexican song to top Billboard’s streaming songs chart. 

That’s pretty amazing. But that doesn’t mean anything, because tomorrow I could be gone. We don’t know. I’m just gonna keep working to get where I wanna get. There’s a long way to go. 

You’ve had a lot of big collaborative moments — what’s the role of collaborations in your journey?

Collaborations have been so important in my career. I’m just thankful to too many artists who have been supporting my project, ideas and thinking and what we have to do for the genre. My album is coming too and I have a lot of solo songs coming, and that’s what people want to hear, so that’s what I’m giving them on this album. 

You’re heading out on tour soon, but so much has changed since your tickets went on sale. Are you looking for bigger venues?

Yes. Everything changed and I’m looking forward to what’s gonna happen. And my team is looking for venues. I’m sure I’m gonna do good if I do small or big venues. The tour sold out the first day, like 95 percent [of tickets] in two hours. We’re pretty excited. 

Looking ahead, what’s something you hope to accomplish in your career?

I just wanna go to the Grammys and win something, you know? There’s too many things I wanna accomplish. I want to have my album be welcomed by the people, I want it to have the same streams as singles do. I’m showing another part of la doble p to people.

I know this is far in advance, but as someone who grew up between Texas and Mexico, where do you see yourself settling down when it’s all said and done?

I don’t know. I mean, Peter Parker is from NYC and I’m in L.A. right now. Guadalajara will always be my home. That’s where my family is, and Sinaloa too. But I feel pretty good here in L.A. And if life says, “Go to Miami in a year,” I’ll go to Miami. 

22 May 2023

Niall Horan Is Taking ‘The Show’ on the Road With 2024 Tour Dates

Niall Horan is getting ready to hit the road next year. The Voice season 23 coach revealed a full set of 2024 tour dates on Monday (May 22) that will seeing him touring across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America starting in February.

“I am beyond thrilled to announce The Show Live On Tour 2024 ! It’s been far too long and I can’t wait to see your beautiful faces,” he tweeted. “Tickets go on sale Friday, June 2 at 10am local. There are still a couple more dates coming so if you don’t see a show near you listed, stay tuned. Album pre-order and Citi/AAdvantage presale begins May 30 Newsletter presale begins May 31 TikTok presale begins June 1.”

The Twitter post also included a handwritten letter from the former One Direction member, which shared his hopes for the upcoming concert dates. “I want to add this, I really want my show to be a place of pure joy and somewhere you can come to escape and let loose. A place you can truly be yourself,” he wrote, adding that Asia, Mexico and South America dates can expect dates soon.

The Show Live On Tour will kick off in Belfast, Ireland, on Feb. 21, and will continue throughout the U.K. and Europe until March 27. Horan will then embark on the Australia and New Zealand leg of the tour between April 16 to May 3, before heading to the U.S. on May 29, starting with a stop in Hollywood, Fla. Horan will make stops in Philadelphia, New York, Nashville, Toronto and more before concluding the tour in Phoenix on July 31.

The Show will be released on June 9. See the official tour poster and Horan’s message about The Show Live On Tour below.

NIALL HORAN – “The Show” LIVE ON TOUR 2024
2/21/24 – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena Belfast
2/23/24 – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
2/27/24 – Birmingham, UK – Resorts World Arena
3/1/24 – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley
3/4/24 – Cardiff, UK – Cardiff International Arena
3/5/24 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
3/7/24 – Antwerp, BE – Lotto Arena
3/8/24 – Paris, FR – Zénith
3/11/24 – Berlin, DE – Mercedes-Benz Arena
3/12/24 – Copenhagen, DK – Royal Arena
3/15/24 – Stockholm, SE – Hovet Ice Hall
3/18/24 – Lodz, PL – Atlas Arena
3/20/24 – Munich, DE – Olympiahalle
3/21/24 – Milan, IT – Mediolanum Forum
3/23/24 – Madrid, ES – WiZink Center
3/26/24 – Düsseldorf, DE – PSD Bank Dome
3/27/24 – Amsterdam, NL – Ziggo Dome
4/26/24 – Auckland, New Zealand – Spark Arena
4/28/24 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
5/1/24 – Sydney, Australia – Quodos Bank Arena
5/3/24 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena
5/29/24 – Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Hard Rock Live
5/31/24 – Tampa, Fla. – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
6/3/24 – Nashville, Tenn. – Bridgestone Arena
6/7/24 – Raleigh, N.C. – Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek
6/8/24 – Bristow, Va. – Jiffy Lube Live
6/11/24 – Philadelphia, Penn. – Mann Center for the Performing Arts
6/14/24 – New York, N.Y. – Madison Square Garden
6/15/24 – Mansfield, Mass. – Xfinity Center
6/18/24 – Bridgeport, Conn. – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater
6/19/24 – Bangor, Maine – Maine Savings Amphitheater
6/21/24 – Saratoga Springs, N.Y. – Saratoga Performing Arts Center
6/22/24 – Buffalo, N.Y. – Darien Lake Amphitheater
6/25/24 – Cincinnati, Ohio – Riverbend Music Center
6/26/24 – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio – Blossom Music Center
6/28/24 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
7/7/24 – St. Paul, Minn. – Xcel Energy Center
7/9/24 – Tinley Park, Ill. – Credit Union 1 Amphitheatre
7/10/24 – Clarkston, Mich. – Pine Knob Music Theatre
7/12/24 – Maryland Heights, Mo. – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7/16/24 – Kansas City, Mo. – Starlight Theatre
7/17/24 – Rogers, Ark. – Walmart AMP
7/19/24 – Denver, Colo. – Ball Arena
7/20/24 – Salt Lake City, Utag – USANA Amphitheatre
7/23/24 – Auburn, Wash. – White River Amphitheatre
7/24/24 – Ridgefield, Wash. – RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater
7/26/24 – Mountain View, Calif. – Shoreline Amphitheatre
7/27/24 – Inglewood, Calif. – The Kia Forum
7/30/24 – Chula Vista, Calif. – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
7/31/24 – Phoenix, Ariz. – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre

22 May 2023

Ice Spice Brutally Curving A Fan In Her DMs Goes Viral

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The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating

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Shoot your shot at Ice Spice at your own risk. A video went viral last week of a response that “The People’s Princess” shot back at a fan who slid in her IG inbox. 

“Hey mama,” the young fan wrote. “Small ass dreads and no Nike tech [skull emojis],” she allegedly wrote back. The fan shared the exchange with friends who clowned him for the interaction and uploaded the video of them laughing to social media. 

While the clap back was brutal, some fans are praising the young fan for taking the chance. 

The “Munch” rapper is known for curving fans and their romantic gestures. In February, she laughed off a fan who got on one knee and presented her with a bunch of roses during New York Fashion Week. 

The starlet rose to fame with the single, “Munch (Feelin U)” followed by the singles “Bikini Bottom” and “In Ha Mood” before dropping her debut project, the Like..? EP, in January, which cracked the top 40 on the Billboard 200.

She recently collaborated with Nicki Minaj on the song, “Princess Diana.” The song debuted at No. 4 on the Hot 100 and became the first No. 1 on Hot Rap Songs by two co-billed women in its 34-year history.

“The first time I met her, I knew she was special. I got that tingling feeling [I get] every time when you meet that [kind of] artist,” says Michelle Jubelirer, CEO/chair of Capitol Music Group, according to Billboard. “I knew she was a global superstar in the making.” 

She signed a label deal with 10K Projects and Capitol Records earlier this year. 

22 May 2023

Lizzo Sends Love to Nebraska Fans After Anti-Trans & Anti-Abortion Bills Passed: ‘You Are Valid’

Just hours after the Nebraska senate voted to further restrict access to abortion and gender-affirming care for minors, pop superstar Lizzo had something to say about it.

Performing at Omaha’s Chi Health Center on Friday (May 19), Lizzo paused the show for a moment to talk about the news of the day, according to a fan-captured video of the moment. “There have been some anti-trans laws passed, some anti-abortion laws passed,” a visibly upset Lizzo told her crowd. “And anybody who comes to a Lizzo show should know that I am for people to have the right to healthcare, reproductive and gender-affirming.”

The bill, which is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Jim Pillen later this week, restricts access to abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy, and bans gender-affirming surgical procedures for anyone under the age of 19. The bill also stipulates that the state’s chief medical officer will create “limitations” on other forms of gender-affirming care — including hormone therapy and puberty blockers — for minors.

During her speech, Lizzo made it clear that she felt a responsibility to speak out for those who were being directly affected by these bills. “There’s times where I get very political, and as adults, we feel it. But there’s children here tonight,” she said, fighting back tears. “It really breaks my heart that there are young people growing up in a world that doesn’t protect them.”

Shouting into her screaming crowd, Lizzo called out directly to her young fans. “Let me be your safe space tonight and just tell you young people, don’t let anybody tell you who you are. Don’t let any laws tell you who you’re not … You are who you are, OK?” she said. “I see you. You are valid, you deserve to be here in every form. You contain multitudes. These laws are not real — you are what’s real, and you deserve to be protected.”

Watch the full moment from Lizzo’s concert below:

22 May 2023

Taylor Swift Reacts to Malfunctioning Ghostly Piano During Eras Tour Show: ‘Is That Happening?!’

You could say that Taylor Swift‘s piano at the latest Eras Tour Show was Speak Now‘s track 12 — “Haunted.”

The pop star was left open-mouthed in shock Sunday (May 21) when, upon sitting down to perform that night’s second surprise song, her acoustic piano started playing out notes without her touching them, as if a phantom player had started banging on the keys. “Do you hear that?!” Swift asked fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., looking aghast. “Is that happening for you, too?”

At each Eras show, the musician has been playing two different surprise songs plucked randomly from her 10-album discography, one on guitar followed by one on piano. But the ghostly mixup made the usual routine impossible Sunday night. “I’m just gonna do another song on guitar — that’s insane,” Swift said after playing “I Think He Knows” from Lover.

Before proceeding to play an unplanned guitar rendition of surprise song No. 2, “Red,” the 12-time Grammy winner explained what she believed to be the cause of the malfunction: “So it rained a lot last night, like a monsoon.”

“Literally, it was like a water park under the stage,” she continued, recalling that her fingers were so pruned, it was difficult to play guitar the night before. “This has clearly broken my keyboard. It was literally underwater — I don’t know how any of the instruments were working last night.”

Indeed, Swift and her fans at Saturday night’s (May 20) show in Gillette Stadium endured ceaseless rainstorms throughout the three-hour show. But while her piano may have caught a cold as a result, the downpour didn’t stop Swift from having an excellent time. The singer shared that night that she’d “never been this happy in my life” and penned a tribute to the rain show afterward on Instagram.

“Last night we all danced together in the rain for THE ENTIRE 3.5 HOUR SHOW in foxy Foxborough MA!!” she posted the next day. “We’ve had rain shows at Gillette Stadium before but this was a full on deluge that never let up, I just want to thank that iconic crowd!! Love you so much you have no idea.”

Watch Taylor Swift react to her haunted keyboard before playing “Red” on guitar below:

22 May 2023

Terrace Martin Partners With BMG for Jazz Album Series

Terrace Martin — the artist, producer, and multi-instrumentalist known for working with Kendrick Lamar, Snoop Dogg, and Robert Glasper, among others — announced a partnership between BMG and his Sounds of Crenshaw label on Monday (May 22). The results will be six jazz albums, with the first of which is due out this summer. According to the label, Martin will perform on each release.

“Terrace is an extremely talented, influential, and highly respected creator and protector of the Culture,” Tim Reid, BMG svp of repertoire & marketing, said in a statement. “There is an authenticity and attention to detail in his creative approach that is undeniable.” Fred Casimir, BMG’s evp of global repertoire & marketing, added that Martin is a “true master of his art. We are proud to be his partner on this exciting journey.”

Martin said simply, “it feels great to be in business with a family that understands my vision.” He released his 2021 album Drones with BMG.

Martin’s father was a jazz drummer, and he’s maintained a close connection to jazz — working with luminaries like Herbie Hancock, for example — even as he’s built his profile in both hip-hop and R&B. Casual listeners probably know Martin best for his contributions to Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly; he has also been nominated for Best Progressive R&B Album (twice) and Best R&B Album.

In 2020, Martin teamed up with 9th Wonder, Kamasi Washington, and Robert Glasper on a group called Dinner Party, which released an eponymous album that year and a follow-up, Engimatic Society, in April. “A lot of musicians have so many fucking rules in their heads that they limit themselves,” Martin told The Fader. “They know so fucking much, they don’t know anything.”

22 May 2023

Maluma Announces U.S. Dates for 2023 Don Juan World Tour

Maluma is hitting the road this year, unveiling the 2023 dates for the North American leg of his Don Juan World Tour.

On a recent Instagram post, the Colombian artist shared a set of steamy shirtless, poolside photos and let his 63 million followers know he was “calentando pa’ la gira” (warming up for the tour). On Monday (May 22), it was officially announced that he will embark on a 30-city stint across the U.S.

Produced by CMN (Cardenas Marketing Network), the Don Juan U.S. Tour — named after his upcoming studio album — will kick off Aug. 31 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., and wrap on Nov. 14 in Miami’s Kaseya Center. In between, he will make stops in Las Vegas, Houston, New York, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta and Orlando, to name a few. 

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“I am so excited to return to arenas around the U.S. this fall,” the artist born Juan Luis Londoño Arias said in a press statement. “I took a year off from touring to focus on perfecting what I feel is the best album of my career, Don Juan. I can’t wait to perform the new songs from the album for my fans for the very first time alongside my greatest hits in what I consider to be my most ambitious concert production yet. I’ve waited to give my fans a music and concert experience unlike any other and I expect the Don Juan U.S. Tour to be an exhilarating experience that they’ll never forget!” 

The Don Juan World Tour follows his successful Papi Juancho World Tour, which traveled across the United States, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East from 2021 to 2022. The also CMN-produced trek, where the “Felices Los 4” singer serenaded fans from the in-the-round or 360-style stage, grossed $24,488,668, landing at No. 14 in Billboard’s Top Tours of 2021 list. 

Pre-sale tickets for the 2023 Don Juan Tour begin at 10 a.m. (local time) on May 25; general tickets are at 10 a.m. (local time) on May 26 via www.cmnevents.com.  

See the confirmed dates and cities below:

DON JUAN WORLD TOUR

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