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23 Mar 2023

J. Cole Talks Smoking Cigarettes As A Kid, Love Of Basketball & More With Bob Myers

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J. Cole keeps a healthy distance between his adoring fanbase and his personal life, so the rare chances to get a deeper glimpse into his life are a welcome moment. In a new interview, the Dreamville Records honcho shared details about his life few knew such as getting caught smoking cigarettes as a boy, his love of basketball, and more.

J. Cole sat down with ESPN’s Lead By Example with Bob Myers, hosted by Golden State Warriors GM, Bob Myers. As one of the top executives in professional sports, Myers’ program might not seem like a likely spot for J. Cole but the interview was wide-ranging, revealing, and full of heart.

Early in the chat, the North Carolina artist born Jermaine Cole shared a story of how he was sneaking around at the age of 6 with friends and got into a pack of cigarettes. While Cole was trying to embody the cool of his older neighborhood pals, his older brother didn’t approve of his actions and told their mother.

Cole went on to say that the moment changed his life and that he learned how to model better behavior and began correcting himself whenever he strayed off his path. In a bid to not disappoint others, Cole says be became a “self-corrector.”

Later in the chat, Cole talks about being passed over at the Grammys in earlier parts of his life, his creative process, and much more.

Check out the discussion between J. Cole and Bob Myers below.



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Photo: Getty

23 Mar 2023

Like Peanut Butter and… Ludacris? Meet the Former Sony Music Exec Who Matches Artists & Brands

Bettie Levy remembers “all kinds” of music playing in her parents’ Washington, D.C., household while she was growing up. And when she was finally allowed to go to the local shopping mall by herself while in middle school, she kept up the family tradition.

“I would take any dollar I earned anywhere and come home with singles and cassette tapes,” Levy recalls with a laugh. “Ultimately every birthday, I always wanted something relating to music. Then after CDs came, tower racks took over my room. So I think it was pretty much a given that I was going to do something in music.”

And she did. After several career-evolving stints at Sony Music, in 2009, Levy affixed her initials to her own enterprise. Focusing on live events and brand partnerships, New York-based BCL Entertainment encompasses all music genres, as well as A-list talent ranging from artists and Broadway stars to film/TV actors, athletes and influencers. And it’s all in service to a client roster that includes brands, hospitality companies, TV/digital production companies and charitable organizations.

Last year, according to Levy, BCL Entertainment logged the most events in the company’s nearly 14-year history. Its string of multiple talent-production projects commenced in January 2022 with the launch of the ongoing national ad campaign for Folgers coffee, featuring Grammy-winning artist Trombone Shorty. Last fall marked the second season of BCL’s collaboration with sports apparel company Fanatics and its merch line from Grammy-winning country artist Darius Rucker and the NFL. According to Levy, the Darius Rucker X NFL By Fanatics clothing line was among the top five NFL men’s apparel lines during the football season throughout the Fanatics network of websites. In association with Fanatics’ in-house event planners, Levy was also a producer of the company’s 2022 Super Bowl party performances featuring Doja Cat and other artists.

BCL Entertainment kicked off 2023 with Levy again working on Fanatics’ 2023 Super Bowl Party, which showcased performances by J Balvin, Travis Scott, The Chainsmokers and A$AP Ferg, among others. Coming soon is a new national ad campaign for Meow Mix — featuring *NSYNC’s JC Chasez and a feline boy band created by the cat food brand — that will air across broadcast, cable and digital outlets. Meanwhile, Calissa Sounds, a summer concert series staged in the Hamptons that BCL co-created with the Civetta Hospitality Group, will return this year (last year’s event included Fat Joe and Wyclef Jean). BCL is also looking forward to another season of Darius Rucker X NFL By Fanatics in the fall.

Still running is the award-winning ad campaign done on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Co.’s Jif peanut butter brand, for which BCL Entertainment served as talent producer. Featuring rap icon and Atlanta native Ludacris, the 2021 commercial spun off several offshoots including a TikTok campaign that has generated 7 million campaign-related views to date, an original song (“Butter ATL”) released on all DSPs, a limited-edition necklace and a charity partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. The Jif team went on to win four awards at the 2022 Cannes Lions ceremony for the campaign.

BCL’s steadfast mission, says Levy, is to “authentically match talent with brands and events. Then the rest is simple. The best brand/event and talent relationships are the ones that aren’t forced.”

A case in point is the Folgers commercial with Trombone Shorty. The process began with two key questions: Who could vibe well with the ad’s theme song — a reworking of the Joan Jett & the Blackhearts classic “Bad Reputation” — utilized in an effort to prove the 170-year-old coffee product is still cool to drink? And, in turn, who could also bring a New Orleans flair, given that the brand, also part of the Smucker family, is headquartered in The Big Easy? The ensuing chemistry between Folgers, NOLA native Trombone Shorty and Jett led to BCL pitching, closing and structuring Folgers’ sponsorship of Trombone Shorty’s Voodoo Threauxdown Tour in 2022, as well as the musician’s one-off show in New Orleans last April with special guests that included Jett herself.

“Jif and Folgers are examples of multi-dimensional campaigns in which one thing leads to the next between events and brand partnerships,” says Levy. “When you’re touching all the creative points and everything comes full circle like that, it’s pretty incredible.”

Besides authenticity, agility is another component of BCL Entertainment’s operational philosophy. As it was from the start, Levy continues to utilize a team of four to five key people, allowing her to “flex up or down as needed, bringing in staff and partners for different projects, as well as using local vendors to keep costs at bay.” That agility, Levy adds, came in handy during the pandemic: “When everything pivoted to virtual, we were able to move swiftly and adapt; meeting clients, brands and entertainers where they were in that moment.”

BCL’s ability to move quickly and adapt is tied to one more foundational component: Levy’s long-term industry relationships. While attending Boston University, Levy interned with Sony Music. Literally the day after graduation, she started working full-time in the radio promotion department at Columbia Records in New York. A gig as the label’s video booker followed, as did a more senior booking role at Epic Records. Then in 2007, Levy joined former Sony Music Label Group CEO Don Ienner’s label and production company, IMO Entertainment, as director of business development.

“By being at Sony, I built relationships on steroids,” says Levy. “It was just so exponential between the people and talent that I was meeting and working with. Going from that corporate environment to the entrepreneurial space at IMO, along with having been taught at home that anything is possible … the combination of all those experiences put me in the position to take the risk and start BCL Entertainment. What forever holds true and allows me to continue to succeed — no matter the evolution of the industry — are relationships.”

SPOTLIGHT:

What’s changed most in my line of work is that after having BCL Entertainment for nearly 14 years, I feel surrounded more regularly by female executives. As a matter of fact, there are a few companies we partner with where all the executives are women. That’s awesome to see as well as be part of. Also, the prevalence and importance of events and brand partnerships have grown exponentially over the past 20-plus years. Every event and brand partnership today has — and often needs — talent attached, particularly for press and social media reasons. The latter has become invaluable and is a very different form of promotion than when I started in the business.

What most people don’t understand about what I do is they often think it’s easy because every day looks like so much fun. And it is fun because I love what I do. But there are usually 752 things going on in my mind at once and it’s all hard work. Each and every client is my No. 1 priority — at the same time.

I would tell people coming up in this industry that it’s tough. But keep your head high; operate with transparency and class; and build and nurture relationships, because it’s the business of “know who” more than “know how.” Also always remember, one opportunity leads to the next. Explore every opportunity, as you have no idea where it will take you and who you will meet next.

The best advice I received is from my dad; I quote him all day long. Some of my favorites: “You only need one ‘Yes’; and no means ‘Not now.’” “Don’t give up. Ever.” “If you want to get something done, ask the busiest person you know. Busy people get everything done.”

I’ve learned it’s important to be loyal, be honest and be yourself and you will always win. Also, if you aren’t learning, you aren’t growing.

Spotlight is a Billboard Business series that aims to highlight those in the music business making innovative or creative moves, or who are succeeding in behind-the-scenes or under-the-radar roles. For submissions for the series, please contact spotlight@billboard.com.

23 Mar 2023

Burna Boy Clarifies Comments On Black American Via Instagram

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Burna Boy found himself in the crosshairs of Black Americans after recent comments he made about the state of life for Black people in the states. The Nigerian superstar showed solidarity between Africans and so-called African-Americans and clarified his statement via Instagram.

As captured by our good friends at All Hip Hop, Burna Boy took to Instagram to address the chatter surrounding statements he made backstage with activist and popular social media figure Chakabars.

The “Last, Last” star explained in very simple terms that other ethnic groups that arrive in America have ties and understanding of their original homeland, which isn’t always the case for African-Americans. Burna’s statement angered a host of Black Americans on Twitter who assumed incorrectly that he took a swipe at the group.

Rakeem Shabazz, the host of Wise The Dome TV, was one of the few observers who understood what Burna Boy was attempting to say and noted that it was not at all an attempt to be divisive.

“They are mad about Burna Boy who said AA’s were stripped of Knowledge of Self. He grew up in London which has a strong NOI presence. I’m pretty sure he heard that from someone who knows Elijah Muhammad’s teaching. He was literally identifying with us and our struggle. Y’all slow,” Shabazz tweeted on Tuesday (March 21).

Taking to his Instagram Stories feed, Burna Boy shut down the talk once and for all that he was coming for Black Americans in a negative way.

“It’s sad to see that in 2023 there are still such black people who would prefer we stay divided and conquered. Maybe it’s my accent or something but I never said you are African and not Americans. I also did not say Africa is part of Heaven. You deserve all the Land and reparations you want from America and I’m 100% in support of that.”

Salute to Burna Boy.

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Photo: Johnny Nunez / Getty

23 Mar 2023

The 2023 Billboard Latin Music Week & Latin Music Awards Announce Dates & Location

Billboard officially announces the dates and location for 2023’s Latin Music Week and Latin Music Awards today (March 23). 

Returning to Miami Beach, Fla., Latin Music Week will take place from Monday, Oct. 2, to Friday, Oct. 6; meanwhile, the 30th annual Billboard Latin Music Awards will be held Oct. 5 and will air on the Telemundo Network. 

“We’re beyond excited to return to Miami and celebrate the legacy that has been created by these events,” says Leila Cobo, Billboard‘s chief content officer Latin/Español. “Trends, stars, and hits have all been made at Billboard Latin Music Week and we can’t wait to announce our roster of superstars, super executives, and rising talent.”

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Leila Cobo Romeo Santos

Leila Cobo and Romeo Santos speak onstage during “Superstar Q+A with Romeo Santos” panel at Billboard Latin Music Week 2022 held at Faena Forum on September 27, 2022 in Miami, Florida.

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The longest-running and biggest Latin music industry gathering for over 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week brings together emerging and renowned artists, industry leaders, creators, and decision-makers in Latin music from around the world for a week of showcases, networking, exclusive conversations, panels, workshops, activations and concerts. The week-long event culminates in the Billboard Latin Music, honoring the top artists and performers in Latin music. 

The star-studded 2022 edition featured Q&As, panels, and performances from artists such as Christina Aguilera, Romeo Santos, Camilo, Nicky Jam, Wisin y Yandel, Maluma, Chayanne, Ivy Queen, Grupo Firme, Bizarrap, Tokischa, and for the first time, an exclusive conversation with all five children of Jenni Rivera.

A media alert with information on registration will be distributed in the coming weeks, as well as information on how to stream into this year’s awards.

23 Mar 2023

KISS Biopic Chronicling Band’s Early Years Coming to Netflix in 2024

KISS may be winding down their touring years, but that doesn’t mean you’ve seen the last of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Not by a long-shot. The long-running greasepaint rockers will revisit their early years in an upcoming biopic slated to hit Netflix in 2024 according to longtime manager Doc McGhee.

McGhee discussed the project recently on The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn show, revealing, “It’s a biopic about the first four years of KISS. We’re just starting it now. We’ve already sold it, it’s already done, we have a director, McG. That’s moving along and that’ll come in ’24.” It appeared that McGhee was referring to Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle director and veteran music video helmer McG, who most recently worked with Jennifer Garner on the Netflix body swap comedy Family Leave; at press time a spokesperson for McG had not returned Billboard‘s request for confirmation on his role in the film.

Singer and co-founder Paul Stanley had earlier let the cat out of the bag in April 2021, when he tweeted out a link to a Deadline story with details on the project. That story revealed that the doc, Shout It Out Loud, will be directed by Joachim Rønning, whose credits include Kon-Tiki and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and will be written by Ole Sanders. At press time no information was available on casting for the film.

Stanley and bassist/singer and fellow co-founder Gene Simmons are cooperating on the project, which will chronicle their more than half-century friendship and the formation of the group in Queens, New York in the early 1970s with former founding members drummer Peter Criss and lead guitarist Ace Frehley.

Simmons and Stanley recently confirmed what they said are their final run of concerts ever, two shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden slated for Dec. 1 and 2. Ahead of the back-to-back nights at the iconic New York City venue, KISS will play 17 other shows across the U.S. and Canada as part of its End of the Road World Tour, including stops in Los Angeles, Seattle, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Baltimore.

In the interview with Brunn, McGhee said that while the Gene and Paul era of KISS is ending later this year, he doesn’t see it as the end of the brand, which he compared to the Marvel universe. “Will there be other forms of KISS maybe in the future after I’m gone and after they’re gone?” he teased. “I don’t see that KISS goes away,” he added, suggesting that the brand could continue in different forms into the future and that a deal to potentially sell their likenesses isn’t out of the question.

Check out the McGhee interview below.

23 Mar 2023

U.S. Copyright Office’s AI Guidance Sparks More Questions Than Answers for Music (Guest Column)

To clear up questions about the copyrightability of AI in music, the U.S. Copyright Office (USCO) recently signaled that copyrighting songs is about to get a lot more complicated.

Last week the USCO released guidance on the copyright-ability of works made using AI, saying that a work that is a combination of both AI generation and human creation can be eligible for copyright protection, with any purely AI made portions carved out. Essentially, it takes the position that copyright only extends to the portions of the work that are attributable to human authorship.

This sounds logical however often such clear boundaries do not exist in music. The USCO acknowledges this by leaving space for copyrighting AI-generated content if it gave form to an author’s “original mental conception,” as opposed to being a purely “mechanical reproduction.”

Giving form to an idea is something songwriters are familiar with. Whether for writer’s block, inspiration, or organization, many if not most current creators use some form of AI tools to a certain extent, and how that informs their process often is not clearly defined.

To address this, the policy caveat is that the copyrightability of any given work will depend on its specific circumstances and will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis. It’s worth noting copyright does not protect ideas, only expression, and these distinctions will no doubt be complex when addressed in practice. Specifically, it states,

“This policy does not mean that technological tools cannot be part of the creative process. Authors have long used such tools to create their works or to recast, transform, or adapt their expressive authorship. For example, a visual artist who uses Adobe Photoshop to edit an image remains the author of the modified image, and a musical artist may use effects such as guitar pedals when creating a sound recording. In each case, what matters is the extent to which the human had creative control over the work’s expression and ‘‘actually formed’’ the traditional elements of authorship.”

The USCO has been engaging with the relevant parties on this topic for some time, and there is great pressure to chart the path on AI as platforms become increasing advanced. Across the art world, AI is already pushing boundaries.

This most recent policy guidance also likely was prompted by a pending lawsuit on the question of whether any human authorship is required for copyrightability. The case was brought against the Copyright Office by an AI developer whose registration for a visual work of art was rejected since he listed AI as the author.

The lawsuit argues that the Copyright Act does not require human authorship. While it is true that the Copyright Act does not explicitly include the word human authorship and instead refers to “original works of authorship,” the Copyright Office’s decision not to grant the copyright is bolstered by decades of caselaw that interpret “author” to mean “human.” A few years ago a selfie taken by a monkey was deemed ineligible for copyright protection on the basis that the monkey was not a human author.

The USCO has authority to prescribe application requirements and to “establish regulations not inconsistent with law for the administration of the functions and duties made the responsibility of the Register.” (17 U.S.C. 702). However, the Copyright Office will be subject to the courts ruling on this case.

As far as the current rule limiting copyrightability to human expression goes, the exact amount of human involvement necessary to merit copyright protection in a work created using AI remains to be seen. This untested line raises significant questions for the music industry and the foreseeable future of AI-assisted songwriting.

The primary example we have from the Copyright Office is fairly straightforward, however it is not a song. An author submitted an application for registration of a comic book where the text was written by the human author but the images were generated by AI, through a tool called Midjourney.

The Copyright Office determined that while the work was copyrightable, the copyright only extended to the human-authored text, and to the human authorship involved in the selection and arrangement of the images but did not extend to the AI-generated images themselves.

Clearly a comic book allows for easy differentiation between images and text. That may be analogous to, for example, a melody created purely by AI combined with lyrics created purely by a human or vice versa. In cases like this, foreseeable questions would arise around remixing and sampling—is it fair game to remix and sample portions of a song that were created by AI and excluded from copyright protection?

While it’s easier to discern how the Copyright Office will rule on some hypotheticals, it’s extremely unclear how these lines will be drawn when the human and AI contributions are more intertwined.

AI is often used as a collaborative partner in the creative process. For example, a human songwriter might use an AI tool to generate a midi file containing a few bars of melody, or a text-generator to suggest few stanzas of lyrics, and then substantially edit and revise the AI-generated content and combine it with entirely original lines and melodies from their own imagination.

In that situation, it is unclear how the Copyright Office would begin to distinguish between the human authorship and AI authorship involved. At what point, if any, of editing and changing lyrics generated by AI would they become lyrics generated by a person? What determines significant enough change to be considered original? How will registrars investigate these questions when reviewing a copyright application? The USCO advises,

“applicants have a duty to disclose the inclusion of AI-generated content in a work submitted for registration and to provide a brief explanation of the human author’s contributions to the work. As contemplated by the Copyright Act, such disclosures are ‘‘information regarded by the Register of Copyrights as bearing upon the preparation or identification of the work or the existence, ownership, or duration of the copyright.’”

It’s clear how copyright registration could immediately become more complicated and time consuming with these new considerations. One must question whether the USCO has the manpower and resources to take on what is in some ways an entirely new evaluation process for any registrations involving AI.

And aside from registration, these big questions will shape future licensing practices—is a license for a work that is only partially copyrightable worth the same as a license for a fully copyrighted work? What about a work that doesn’t have enough human contribution and doesn’t receive copyright protection—is it free to use, or stream? How will this affect royalty administration?

Beyond the ability to differentiate what is AI and what is human created, there are even larger questions looming around this space. AI works by continually ingesting, or copying, works across the Internet to “teach” its platform to create. To what extent does ingestion need to be generally licensed?

Whether they like it or not, the work of human creators is essentially “training” the computer programs trying to replace them, or some would argue, assist them. AI will continue to be integrated into the creative process, and in an era where the value of human-created music continues to be challenged, it is crucial that the music industry decides how to approach these issues in a way that ultimately ensures the long-term value and quality of human-made songs. After all, there would be no AI generated music without them.

David Israelite is the President & CEO of the National Music Publishers’ Association (NMPA). NMPA is the trade association representing American music publishers and their songwriting partners.

23 Mar 2023

Saliva Guitarist Wayne Swinny Dead at 59

Wayne Swinny, guitarist and co-founder of hard rockers Saliva has died at 59 after suffering a brain hemorrhage while on tour with the group. The news was confirmed by the band in a Facebook post on Wednesday (March 22) in which they wrote, “It is with great sadness that we report the passing of our brother Wayne Swinny. Wayne passed away this afternoon from a Spontaneous brain hemorrhage while we were out on tour. Details for the funeral arrangements will be announced shortly. Wayne will be missed by all those who knew him.”

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The post was accompanied by a black and white picture of Swimmy on stage wearing one of his signature black cowboy hats while strumming his guitar.

Swinny’s death was announced just hours after the band reported that he’d been hospitalized. “Our dear brother Wayne Swinny was discovered Tuesday morning in medical distress and paramedics were called,” read an earlier FB post. “He was transported to a hospital where he was diagnosed with a Spontaneous Hemorrhage in his brain. He is currently in the ICU as we await further news.”

Saliva was formed in Memphis in 1996 by singer Josey Scott, bassist Dave Novotny, drummer Todd Poole and guitarists Swinny and Chris D’Abaldo. Their Island Records debut, Every Six Seconds, was released in 2001 and spawned the thundering hits “Click Click Boom” and “Your Disease.” They followed up with 2002’s Back Into Your System and 2004’s Survival of the Sickest. Singer Scott left he group in 2011 and was replaced by Bobby Amaru; the group’s most recent album was 2018’s 10 Lives.

In a statement to TMZ, singer Amaru said, “I’m not even sure what to think or how to feel right now. My heart aches for Wayne’s family, his friends, and anyone who had the joy of being around him. My heart aches for his daughter Nikki. He loved that little girl so much … He would go out of his way to make sure you had a good time. I’m grateful that I got to share almost 12 years of my life with Wayne on the stage and most importantly off the stage.”

Amaru referred to Swinny — the only remaining original member of the group — as the older brother he never had in his statement. “I learned so much from him and we had a f—ing blast together!,” he said. “I will cherish it all for the rest of my life! God Bless you Wayne. I know we’ll meet again!!”

Saliva is in the midst of a U.S. tour, with the next scheduled date on March 29 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Check out the band’s tribute to Swinny below.

23 Mar 2023

Eric Church, Dave Matthews Band, Zach Bryan, Imagine Dragons to Headline 2023 Summerfest

Milwaukee’s beloved Summerfest festival will celebrate its 55th anniversary this summer with the usual jam-packed lineup of 100 artists taking the stage over three weekends in June and July, including headliners Eric Church (with Elle King), the Zac Brown Band (with Marcus King) and James Taylor & His All-Star Band (with Sheryl Crow) on the first weekend (June 22-24).

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The second weekend (June 29-July 1) will feature headliners Dave Matthews Band, Odesza (with a Bonobo DJ set) and another artists to be announced and, on the final weekend (July 6-8) Zach Bryan and Imagine Dragons (with AJR).

“Celebrating 55 years of live music is a true testament to this festival. Together with the City of Milwaukee, we look forward to hosting music fans from across the globe at Summerfest and delivering a world-class lineup with hundreds of artists during our nine-day run” said Milwaukee World Festival Inc. CEO Don Smiley in a statement.

Other acts on the bill include: The Avett Brothers, Elvis Costello & the Imposters, Bleachers, Three 6 Mafia, Brett Eldredge, Sofi Tukker, Gryffin, Fitz and the Tantrums, NLE Choppa, Cheap Trick, Lyle Lovett, Tegan and Sara, Santa Fe Klan, Earth, Wind & Fire, Noah Kahan, Ava Max, Lord Huron, Yung Gravy, Vance Joy, Cypress Hill, The Pretty Reckless, Sean Paul, Coi Leray, Brett Young, Spin Doctors, Jesus Jones, Japanese Breakfast, Lauren Daigle, Tyler Hubbard, Yellowcard, Smokey Robinson, Fleet Foxes, The War on Drugs, Yungblud, Styx, Grupo Niche, Tesla, Dinosaur Jr., Jenny Lewis, Scotty McCreery and many more.

Tickets for Summerfest are on sale now here, with single-day general admission starting at just $26.

Check out the full 2023 Summerfest lineup below.

23 Mar 2023

Usher to Headline Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s Blue Diamond Gala

Usher has a date with the Dodgers.

The Grammy-winning singer is confirmed to headline the Blue Diamond Gala, the marquee fundraiser for the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. Set for June 22 at Dodger Stadium, the gala will be titled “The Party for L.A.” and is presented by the Los Angeles Dodgers Ownership Group.

The whole affair will feature celebrities, Dodger players, alumni, coaches, a blue carpet and pre-show dinner party followed by two hours of entertainment including a DJ set by superstar DJ D-Nice, a post-show party with food trucks and, of course, a mini concert from Usher.

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Said Los Angeles Dodgers owner and LADF board chair Mark Walter: “We are thrilled to have Usher perform this year at ‘The Party for LA’ to raise vital funds allowing us to invest in Angelenos and provide the opportunities that they deserve.”

Proceeds benefit LADF and the org’s programs and initiatives aimed at improving education, health care, homelessness and social justice. LADF was reimagined in 2013 and has since raised over $81 million and is on track to raise $100 million in 2023. In the last decade, LADF has invested more than $50 million in its programs and grants to local organizations and impacted more than 9 million youth.

“The gala honors our partners, community members, and everyday champions as the foundation of our success,” offered LADF CEO Nichol Whiteman. “Our theme, ’10 Years Reimagined,’ reflects our vision to build capacity, train future leaders, and provide equitable opportunities for the remarkable organizations and individuals whom we support. Together, we serve as a shining example of placing humanity first.”

Previous Blue Diamond Gala performers include Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Earth Wind & Fire, Fleetwood Mac, John Legend and Jennifer Lopez. Usher has been making waves as of late thanks to his Las Vegas residency at Park MGM.

This article originally appeared in THR.com.

23 Mar 2023

SZA Celebrates the Final Stop Of Her ‘SOS’ Tour: ‘I Never Thought I Would Be Here’

By the time SZA reached the last stop on her sensational arena tour — performing two final shows at Los Angeles’ The Forum on March 22 and 23 — most fans in attendance knew what to expect. 

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Opener Omar Apollo has been consistently filling venues across the country — proving he’s the kind of act worth showing up on time for by delivering a headline-worthy show himself. Meanwhile, SZA first revealed to Billboard in her Women In Music cover story that she wanted her concert to feel like a Broadway show, saying “I am deeply excited to pop ass and cry and give theater.”

She (almost) did all three.

On Wednesday (March 22), SZA delivered one of the most compelling and detailed live shows in recent memory — and with the energy and conviction of opening night. Plus, she did so with a star-studded crowd watching, which included everyone from Justin and Hailey Bieber to Adele and Kim Kardashian (who earlier in the day revealed a new “SZA for SKIMS” campaign) and many more. 

It’s hard to pinpoint what aspect of SZA’s show is most impressive, and that’s likely what makes it so strong. Throughout the near 90-minute set, the chart-topper served a series of looks with the speed of a quick-change artist (the set seemed to shift just as rapidly), performed intricate and interpretative choreography, sailed over the crowd in a lifeboat and all the while perfectly blended her two albums — CTRL and SOS — into one cohesive setlist that guided her introspective story from one act to the next. 

From the moment the show began — with SZA recreating the SOS album art — it was clear that water was just as much a main character as she. As such, it became a metaphor throughout, mirroring the rocky waves that too often accompany love or one’s career (particularly in the music industry) but ultimately proving an artist like SZA can survive any storm.  

After performing “Broken Clocks” from a makeshift loading dock, SZA boards a weathered boat that reads CTRL FISHING CO for “All the Stars,” her collaboration with former TDE labelmate Kendrick Lamar. It’s smooth sailing on songs like “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” but then, during the assertive “Low,” lightning breaks out as the boat begins to rock, during which SZA falls into an epic split with impressive ease. 

The now iconic rescue boat — as seen on social media — is then unveiled as a lighthouse emerges from the center of the arena’s floor, becoming a beacon as SZA sails above the crowd singing “Supermodel” and “Nobody Gets Me.” She introduces the latter as a song about starting her life over, during which Kim K sings along while recording a selfie video with sister Kylie. 

A new act is revealed when SZA returns to the stage, and this one takes place underwater, with a giant anchor taking the spotlight. She performs the Grammy-awarded Doja Cat hit “Kiss Me More,” on which she features, and soon after an alarm blares as a strobe flashes — leaving viewers uncertain if she’s being rescued or sinking deeper into trouble. 

The next song makes it a bit more clear. The stage is reset yet again as SZA emerges with a deadly flail for “Kill Bill,” which leads into “I Hate U” and “The Weekend” (all of which Hailey Bieber passionately sings along to without missing a word). 

SZA pulls off a final quick change for her one-song encore, the melodic “Good Days,” which she performs much like how she started the show, with her feet dangling over a ledge. And just like that, a screen descends that reads “The End” written in stars, followed by rolling credits that begin with, in all caps: CREATIVE DIRECTION BY SOLANA ROWE.

And as fans float to the exits, much like a director would following a screening, Solana herself appears one last time to deliver a humbled message of gratitude. “Genuinely, thank you,” she says so casually it almost goes unnoticed. “I never thought I would be here.”

From the outside looking in, though, the path here has been nothing short of a perfect storm, one that SZA survived by being in the eye of. And as her victorious headlining tour proved, no matter how much time passes, she will forever remain the center of it all.