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11 Apr 2023

Rihanna Is the Most-Followed Woman on Twitter: Watch Your Back Justin Bieber!

Rihanna hit yet another new career high point this week when she sneaked past Katy Perry to become the most-followed woman on Twitter. And while this was a momentous moment, the record may ping-pong between the twos superstars in the near future because at press time the distance between them is just over three of Katy’s Las Vegas “Play” dates.

According to SocialBlade, at press time Rihanna had 108,278,326 followers to Perry’s equally impressive 108,261,949, with just over 16,000 followers separating them. Both women are hot on the heels of the third-most followed man on the service, one Justin Bieber, who at press time had 113,156,831.

They all pale in comparison to the second-most followed man on Twitter, former President Barack Obama, who sits are just under 133 million, with, no surprise, chief Twit Elon Musk sitting atop Twitter Mountain with more than 134 million followers.

Further down the list, Taylor Swift is sitting in the seventh spot with more than 92 million followers, with Lady Gaga rounding out the top 10 at No. 10 with just under 85 million.

It’s a different story on Instagram, where internationally beloved football players Cristiano Ronaldo far-and-away the most-followed with more than 574 million followers, well ahead of fellow soccer player Lionel Messi (454 million). Selena Gomez is the most-followed woman and musician on the service at 410 million, with Ariana Grande coming in at No. 7 (362 million), followed by Kim Kardashian (350 million), Beyoncé (302 million) and Justin Bieber at No. 11 (283 million).

11 Apr 2023

Nodwin Gaming Buys 51% Stake In All That Matters Parent Branded

Branded, the parent and organizer of Asia’s annual All That Matters conference and showcase event, is now part of the Nodwin Gaming family.

Announced Tuesday (April 11), the Singapore subsidiary of Nodwin has acquired a 51% stake in Branded, the full-service live media specialist.

Financial terms weren’t disclosed.

As part of the arrangement, Nodwin, part of Nazara Technologies, will acquire all Branded’s existing event IPs, including All That Matters. Also, Nodwin, one of the world’s leading gaming and esports companies, will “expand its network of international sponsors to grow revenues from its live business as it continues its pursuit to grow as a sports media company” with a focus on esports and gaming, reads a statement unveiling the acquisition.

Branded co-founder and CEO Jasper Donat says both parties will tap into business synergies across APAC and beyond, with a view to expanding on its existing events and IP, and co-creating new properties.

“Over the past few years, Branded has transformed from a live event IP creator and producer to a live media company,” he comments. “We are really excited to become a part of the Nodwin Gaming family and share their vision and commitment to the business of growing media and entertainment and the communities around them.”

Based in Singapore, Branded produces All That Matters, which includes the Music Matters stream and complementary tracks on live entertainment, sponsorship, sports and more. ATM is widely considered the most important music conference in the region, with more than 2,000 guests turning up in a regular year, organizers say. The 2022 program featured guest speakers Universal Music Group Lucian Grainge; Spotify’s global head of editorial Sulinna Ong; and TikTok’s global head of music Ole Obermann; and Adam Wilkes, president, AEG Presents Asia Pacific, among others.

“We share very similar synergies be it our common love for gaming, sports, music, esports or entertainment, so this was a near-perfect match,” says Nodwin co-founder and CEO Akshat Rathee, noting Branded’s IP “will add a new dimension to what we already offer.”

On the flip side, Rathee explains, we “will also look at the talented Branded team taking our existing IPs such as Playground, The Premiership, NH7 and others international.”

This year’s ATM celebrates its “coming of age” 18th edition, with a three-day-long industry powwow at Hilton Orchard, which, again, revs up for the Singapore F1 Grand Prix week.

11 Apr 2023

Iam Tongi Delivers ‘Showstopping’ Performance on ‘American Idol’: Watch

Iam Tongi is already a fan-favorite on this 21st season of ABC’s American Idol. After delivering another grade-A performance, as he did with a haunting cover of Simon & Garfunkel’s “The Sound Of Silence” on Monday night (April 10), the youngster is firming as a potential champion.

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The high schooler has overcome the loss of his dad, and some major technical issues, to glide into Idol’s Hollywood Week.

Tongi’s vocals are both robust and sweet, with layers and angles few of us are gifted with. And when he’s at the mic, the spirit of Tongi’s father is never far.

Music and song was a force that connected the pair. “When Iam’s dad passed away,” the contestant’s mom says in a package, “he didn’t wanna sing anymore. He kept saying that every time he sings, he could hear his dad backing up. After talking to him… it’s a beautiful thing that he could hear his dad.”

On Monday’s episode, the teenage hopeful gave us another earful of his talents, this time with a reinterpretation of the Graduate classic.

The performance had Katy Perry reaching for the tissues. Later, during a sit down with all three judges, Perry told Tongi his “showstopping song” was a “brilliant pick. It made the room go silent. It gave more depth, more color, more layers to who you are.”

Flanked by Matt Wilson and Colin Stough, Tongi was reminded there’s only one more spot in the top 24. And he got it.

Plot twist. Perry had the honors of telling Matt Wilson and Colin Stough that Idol’s producers have blown up the 24-finalist format, and switched it to a contest for 26. And they’re both in.

The top 26 head through to Tongi’s homeland, for sessions with celebrity mentors and a concert at Hawaii’s Aulani Resort.

Watch below.

10 Apr 2023

Tory Lanez’ Request For A New Trial Has Been Denied

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Meadows Day 2 Performances

Source: Bernard Smalls / @PhotosByBeanz

It looks like Tory Lanez’ chances at freedom are even slimmer now. His request for a new trial has been denied.

As spotted on Madame Noire the Toronto, Canada native recently filed an appeal for a new trial regarding his involvement in shooting his then love interest Megan Thee Stallion. Last week XXL Magazine obtained documents of prosecutors formally denying his request for another go at clearing his name. The paperwork claims that the denial was based on several factors including “overwhelming” evidence, “multiple eyewitnesses” identifying him as the shooter and his “recorded apologies for the shooting”.

The prosecution’s rebuttal was 16 pages and explained “the defendant has failed to demonstrate any error by the trial court in support of its motion for a new trial.” They also state that was never an “instance of error in the trial court” which refers to Tory Lanez’s claim his sixth amendment right to legal counsel had been violated. “The evidence presented at trial was properly admitted, and the defendant’s claims of errors and violations of his constitutional rights are without merit,” the rebuttal continued. “The verdict reached by the jury was based on credible evidence and was supported by the law.”

On December 23, 2022 Tory Lanez, born Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson, was convicted on three felony charges including assault with a semiautomatic handgun, having a loaded and unregistered firearm in a vehicle, and gross negligence in discharging his firearm. He faces 22 years behind bars if given the maximum sentence on each charge.

Photo: Bernard Smalls

10 Apr 2023

BlackPink’s Jisoo Nabs First U.K. Top 40 Single With ‘Flower’

BlackPink’s Jisoo scores a slice of U.K. chart history, as her single “Flower” (via Interscope) enters the top 40 on debut.

With the ME cut arriving at No. 38 on the latest Official U.K. Singles Chart, published April 7, Jisoo becomes the first first member of the K-pop girl group to bag a top tier solo hit.

Jisoo’s bandmates Rosé, Lisa and Jennie have tried. Rosé came closest, with her 2021 debut single “On the Ground” peaking at No. 42.

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Thus far, BlackPink has landed eight U.K. top 40 singles: 2018 Dua Lipa collaboration “Kiss and Make Up” (No. 36 peak), 2019’s “Kill This Love” (No. 33), 2020’s “How You Like That” (No. 20), 2020 Selena Gomez collab “Ice Cream” (No. 39), 2020’s Lovesick Girls (No. 40), 2020’s Lady Gaga collab “Sour Candy” (No. 17), and 2022 singles “Pink Venom” (No. 22) and “Shut Down” (No. 24).

BlackPink already made U.K. chart history when, in 2022, they became the first female K-pop group crowned on the all-genres albums chart with Born Pink, which roared to No. 1. The foursome’s debut The Album had peaked at No. 2 in 2020.

“Flower” is blooming on charts around the world. It’s currently at No. 2 on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated April 15), becoming the third member of BlackPink to have hit the top 10 on each chart after Rosé and Lisa. “Flower” makes the third-biggest streaming start for an artist’s proper debut focus track since the global charts originated.

Meanwhile, in Australia, “Flower” plants itself at No. 33 on the ARIA Chart. She’s the third member of the group to crack the ARIA Top 50, following recordings by Rosé and Lisa.

10 Apr 2023

Blake Shelton Transforms Into ‘Bunny Blake’ for Easter

Blake Shelton was feeling the Easter spirit on Sunday (April 9), so much so, that he took on the role of Easter Bunny for his friends and family.

Gwen Stefani took to Instagram to share a hilarious video of her country superstar husband dressed in a pink bunny suit, as well as their holiday festivities, to the tune of The Beatles‘ “Do You Want to Know a Secret.”

“bunny blake strikes again! hope u had a hoppy easter,” the “Hollaback Girl” singer captioned her post.

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Shelton is currently amid his final season of The Voice. He announced his departure from the popular NBC singing competition, on which he’s been a coach since it premiered in 2011, back in October. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me,” he wrote in a statement posted to social media. “It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best. It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week.”

10 Apr 2023

Kelly Clarkson & Charles Esten Remember the ‘Glory Days’ With Bruce Springsteen Cover

Kelly Clarkson kicked off the week of her popular daytime talk show on Monday (April 10) with a duet, calling on Charles Esten for an anthemic cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days.”

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With Esten on the guitar, the duo harmonized in the chorus of the ode to nostalgia, which peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart dated August 3, 1985. The song, featured on Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A., spent a total of 18 weeks on the tally.

Other songs Clarkson has recently taken on for her Kellyoke segment include Lenny Kravitz’s cover of “American Woman,” GAYLE’s Grammy-nominated breakout “abcdefu” — complete with tweaked lyrics to allude to her divorce from Brandon Blackstock — and Janet Jackson’s “When I Think of You.”

Clarkson is also gearing up to release her highly anticipated album Chemistry, her first project of original, non-holiday music since 2017’s Meaning of Life. The studio set’s lead single “Mine” is set to arrive April 14 via Atlantic Records.

Watch Kelly Clarkson and Charles Esten perform Bruce Springsteen’s “Glory Days” below.

10 Apr 2023

Conway The Machine ft. Westside Gunn “Quarters,” Joey Bada$$ “Fallin’” & More | Daily Visuals 4.10.23

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Armani Caesar In Concert - New York, NY

Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty

While us Hip-Hop heads await a Griselda reunion album that may or may never happen, we can at least appreciate that they do tend to pop up on each other’s solo projects and today two members from the trio get together to drop a banga.

For his latest visuals to “Quarters,” Conway The Machine takes a trip to Paris to enjoy the nightlife and some fancy meals before being joined by Westside Gunn to show the French locals how bullies from Buffalo, New York get down.

Back in Brooklyn, Joey Bada$$ seems to be a man in love and in his clip to “Fallin’” gets sensual with it and picks the pedals off a rose while spilling his heart out on the track.

Check out the rest of today’s drops and some joints you might’ve missed over the weekend including work from Kooda B, Blxst featuring Roddy Ricch, and more.

CONWAY THE MACHINE FT. WESTSIDE GUNN – “QUARTERS”



JOEY BADA$$ – “FALLIN’”



KOODA B – “FIRST DAY OUT”



BLXST FT. RODDY RICCH – “PASSIONATE”



TECH N9NE – “3D”



MOZZY FT. YFN LUCCI – “WE ACTIVE”



JAY WHEELER – “XEXO”



NYM LO, STATIK SELEKTAH & ROME STREETZ – “CRYSTAL CONTROLS”



10 Apr 2023

Eladio Carrión Talks First Sauce Boyz Fest, Announces Wiz Khalifa, Bizarrap & Duki to Headline

The first Sauce Boyz Fest will arrive with a bang. Conceived by Puerto Rican trap star Eladio Carrión, the event, which promises to be historic, will host some of the most exhilarating acts in the música urbana and rap game.

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Headliners include Argentine giants Bizarrap and Duki, rap superstar Wiz Khalifa, Dominican dembow artist Tokischa, and rising stars like Young Miko, Dei V, Yovngchimi and more, with an expected attendance of 45,000 total. The event sold out weeks before the lineup was even announced.

“We really want [fest-goers] to have the best experience of their life. Musically it’s going to be crazy. I’ve been dying to just announce this lineup,” Carrión tells Billboard Español. Taking place May 18 and 20 in Mayagüez and San Juan, the Puerto Rican festival is the first of its kind, being held at a beer factory on day one and by the beach on day two. At the same time, Carrión will launch his own beer line, La H.

Billboard Español traveled to Puerto Rico to speak with the tremendo cabrón (reference to his newest album 3MEN2 KBRN) to discuss everything about his latest festival endeavor.

This is your first annual Sauce Boyz Fest. What’s the origin story?

My team and I were trying to figure out how to give fans a better show than our past one, which was at El Choliseo (Coliseo de Puerto Rico) [which took place last year]. It was a really good three days, so we had to do something extra special. It started off as something smaller and we just kept building and molding until this big gigantic monster formed. So it’s amazing that it’s going to be something crazy.

The festival was sold out before the lineup was announced! Were you surprised? 

I kind of wasn’t because I know my fans, they know me, and they know that I’m never going to give them something mediocre. What they don’t know is how hard it’s going to be. They know it’s going to be special, but I don’t think they know it’s going to be this special. We went all out.

Talk to me about the logistics, where it takes place, etc. 

We divided it into two events. We have the 18th, which is going to be in Mayagüez. Artists usually never do stuff on the West Side because there are no big venues. But we’re going to use the Cervecera where they make the beers in Puerto Rico. They make Medalla, they make our beer La H that we just came out with. We’re going to put [my] beer out [then]. On the 20th , we have the bigger event with a bigger stage. It’s at [Estadio] Sixto Escobar, an open [air] place. There’s a beach, and it’s humongous.

Let’s talk about the lineup.

As for the lineup, we have a bunch of local talent. We’re getting all the kids that are hot right now. We got Dei V, Yovngchimi, Young Miko… people that are stepping the game up from the younger cast of Puerto Rico. Just to name a few of them. As for headliners, we got Bizarrap, Tokischa, Duki and we got Wiz Khalifa. It’ll be Biza’s first time in Puerto Rico, and if I’m not mistaken, for Duki too.  

Wiz, that’s the OG. That’s personally a win for me because I’m dying to see his show. I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’m going to try and see his show before I do mine. I’m excited for that one. I know they’re going to love it here, too. I think it’s Wiz’s first time live in Puerto Rico. We wanted to bring that cultural experience, not only for it to be Puerto Rican talent, but let [non-Puerto Rican artists] see [the island] for the first time with people who want to see them.

Bizarrap is in the best moment of his career right now. It’s going to be the first time we’re performing that [session] live together, too. It hasn’t been done yet.

You mentioned you’re launching a beer too at the same time? 

We semi-launched it low key on the island. They just distribute it to all the places [in Puerto Rico]. This week, people just started buying it. But the official launch, the first announcement of my beer is going to be towards the festival. 

What will make Sauce Boyz Fest a unique experience compared to other festivals in the Latin music circuit?

The experience. We got a crazy lineup, 25 artists confirmed, plus my show at the end. Besides the music, we’re really focusing on the experience, like when [fest-goers] are waiting for their favorite artist or when they arrive to the merch seccion — we really want them to have the best experience of their life. Musically it’s going to be crazy. I’ve been dying to just announce this lineup. 

10 Apr 2023

Spend the Day With Jimin as He Prepares to Take Over NYC While Promoting ‘FACE’

When Jimin touched down in New York City to promote his solo debut album FACE, Vogue caught it all on video. The fashion magazine released a day-in-the-life video with the BTS singer in which he gets ready to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

The video kicks off with the K-pop star taking a look through his wardrobe for his upcoming television performance. “I’ll be performing at the Jimmy Fallon show tomorrow. The vibe of this outfit is a bit like I’ve become the star in the club, this sparkling outfit,” he excitedly tells the camera.

Appearing on Fallon was a major full-circle moment for Jimin. “The place I’m shooting at tomorrow, right around that located is where I first performed in the U.S., for 20,000 to 30,000 people,” he explained. “ARMY is the name of our BTS fanbase. ARMY would translate all our songs in English for us and keep sending them to America. Then, thanks to our American fans, we could get played on the radio. That’s how I was able to come here. This time, I’m releasing my first solo album.”

The K-pop vocalist then caught up with record producer Pdogg, who played a crucial role in helping craft FACE. “Last time I was in the States, I spoke with the other BTS members about how I wanted to make an album, so I called Pdogg right away and he immediately told me to come over,” Jimin said. “So we met up and talked about what kind of songs I wanted to make.”

After a brief stop to go record shopping, Jimin heads to the studio to perfect his dance moves before appearing on television.

See Jimin’s full day in New York City in the video above.