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Passover is one of the most musical of Jewish holidays. The annual springtime celebration of the ancient Israelites’ exodus from slavery in Egypt is full of beloved traditions, from the elaborate seder meal to inviting the prophet Elijah in to join the festivities, and, of course, the eating of unleavened bread called matzah. The meal […]
On Thursday night (April 10), Mary J. Blige, Mario and Ne-Yo reigned over New York City’s Madison Square Garden with three decades’ worth of R&B classics, heartbreak anthems and street hits.
Launched in support of her 2024 Gratitude album, Mary J. Blige’s For My Fans tour was a career-spanning dedication to her ride-or-die fanbase — an especially pertinent theme, given Thursday night marked Mary’s very first headlining show in her hometown’s most iconic venue. Before the nine-time Grammy winner and two-time Oscar nominee graced the stage, DJ Funk Flex primed the packed crowd — many of whom sported their sexiest boots and finest furs and fittest in honor of Mary’s iconic Misa Hylton-helmed style — with a set of New York ’90s and ’00s classics, including the obligatory phone-flashlight tributes to Biggie and DMX. Flex appeared throughout the night to soundtrack the transition between the artists’ sets, and kill time for production delays.
Mario, the night’s first opener, charmed The Garden with a brief set that included high-energy renditions of “Here I Go Again,” “Just A Friend 2002” and his Billboard Hot 100-topper “Let Me Love You.” Deftly working the stage and wooing the crowd, Mario helped the crowd begin their celebratory walk down memory lane — even though he’s fresh off the release of a new album, 2024’s Glad You Came, which houses “Keep Going (Aaaaahhhhh),” his first Adult R&B Airplay top 10 hit in 20 years. Later this month (April 24), Mario will head to the U.K. and Europe for his Glad You Came Tour, with special guest Eric Bellinger. The duo will hit intimate venues in key cities like London, Paris and Dublin, before concluding in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 17.
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After a brief Funk Flex interlude, three-time Grammy winner Ne-Yo hit the stage for a swanky set that felt like a winning audition for a more full-bodied follow-up to his 2024 Las Vegas mini-residency. Opening with 2006’s “Stay,” Ne-Yo ripped through a well-oiled set that featured beloved cuts like “Closer,” “Sexy Love,” “Because of You,” “Miss Independent” and the 2006 Hot 100-topper “So Sick.” Flanked by hard-working backup dancers and assisted by a rotating collection of different hats, Ne-Yo put on a show that sat right in the lineage of sparkly-suited song-and-dance men.
Once Ne-Yo left the stage, Flex returned for a few more minutes of partying before Mary kicked off the second half of Thursday night’s four-hour R&B extravaganza. Sporting an oversized pink fur and platinum blonde inches, Mary opened her set with a poignant rendition of “Take Me As I Am” on the B-stage, eventually using 1997’s “A Dream” to get in a lift that transported her over the crowd and onto the mainstage, in time for “Love No Limit” and “Mary Jane (All Night Long).”
For the first part of her set, Mary prioritized her “day one” fans, clearly happy to be at home in New York with her people. At one point she did a bit of 1999’s “Your Child” a cappella, quizzing the crowd (who passed with flying colors) on the song’s lyrics. Mary spent most of her time on the main stage, which featured a massive structure of kintsugi hands clutching a crown, in front of video backdrops that frequently showcased Mary’s biggest career moments — from her dual 2018 Oscar nominations to her 2022 Super Bowl halftime show appearance.
The Queen of Hip-Hop Soul sauntered across the stage freestyling and hitting choreography with her backup dancers in a seemingly endless collection of gorgeous leotard-centric costumes — most of which came complete with a matching fitted and pair of boots. With 2005’s monster hit “Be Without You” placed in the center of the setlist, Mary smartly spread her biggest hits throughout the setlist, ensuring the show’s energy wasn’t centralized in one section. 2021’s Grammy-nominated “Good Morning Gorgeous” proved one of her set’s early highlights, accented by a passionate, gospel-evoking testimonial that previewed similar moments during “No More Drama” later in the night. Mary’s repeated message of gratitude for her relationship with her fans and their special bond of constant healing and maturation proved the night’s most emotional moments. With the current state of ticket pricing, it’s not often an artist’s crowd so accurately reflects the specific audience they serve and speak to, so it was especially beautiful to feel the love and mutual gratitude in The Garden on Thursday night.
Immediately after “Gorgeous,” Mary sang a pair of songs from her Gratitude album — “Here I Am” and “Don’t F–k Up” — the night’s lone dull moment. Earlier in her set, she performed the album’s lead single, “Breathing,” bringing out Fabolous to perform his guest verse. Soon after, Jadakiss came out for his verse on “Need You More,” which also appears on Gratitude. Unfortunately, both guest appearances were briefly marred by sound issues. Mary also reached out to a younger generation of BX hip-hop titans, tapping A Boogie Wit da Hoodie for a quick “Look Back at It” performance.
To end the night on a high note, Mary tore through some of her most enduring uptempo hits, including “The One,” “Just Fine,” “I Can Love You” — albeit with no Lil’ Kim — “MJB Da MVP” and, of course, her six-week Hot 100-topper, “Family Affair.”
To celebrate her very first MSG show as the lone headliner, Mary teamed up with Veeps to exclusively live-stream the April 10 show around the world. Each ticket included access to the live stream and an unlimited seven-day rewatch period. Veeps All Access members will be able to access the show for free as part of their subscription.
The For My Fans Tour will spend one more night in New York — at Long Island’s UBS Arena (April 11) — before concluding with its original lineup on April 19 in Memphis, Tenn. From April 21 to April 27, Mary will play four solo shows to officially bring the tour to a close.
As artists and fans from across the globe are flocking to the desert for this year’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, African music is set to make its biggest splash yet. South Africa’s Tyla, Nigeria’s Rema and Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 and Ghana’s Amaarae will take over the festival this weekend and next. […]
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Source: @TheRealKahlel / iOne
Trinidad James is back with a powerful new single, “My Biggest Hater. ” The track dives deep into self-reflection and perseverance.
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Hip-Hop Wired caught up with the ATL native to discuss the inspiration behind the song, and the conversation was as real as the record itself. When asked who his biggest hater is, Trinidad didn’t name names—he pointed inward. “The only person that can be my biggest hater is myself,” he said. “So in theory, my biggest hater is me.” That honest answer sets the tone for a track centered around battling self-doubt, staying focused, and continuing to evolve despite outside noise.
Known for breaking out with the hit “All Gold Everything,” many critics were quick to box James in as a one-hit wonder. But he’s never stopped creating. With “My Biggest Hater,” Trinidad shows he’s not only still here—he’s thriving. “I’ve hit multiple primes in my career,” he told us. “But this right now? This is the most polished version of me, artist, songwriter, entrepreneur… all of it.”
James also shared wisdom for artists coming up or struggling with expectations: “Don’t dwell on the past. Don’t anticipate the future. Just be present. That’s where the power is.” “My Biggest Hater” is more than a track—it’s a statement. DAD’s got another one, and it’s a reminder that even when the world doubts you, self-belief is undefeated.
Check out Trinidad James’ exclusive Hip-Hop Wired performance of his newest single “My Biggest Hater”:
Junior H is set to take the stage at Coachella, just a year after debuting at the event as a guest of his friend Peso Pluma. One of the most important exponents of new regional Mexican music today, Junior, known for global hits such as “Lady Gaga,” ‘Ella,” and “Tres Botellas,” will debut his own set on April 13 and 20.
“It’s a pride, it’s very nice to represent Mexico, represent the genre and share with people who like my music — although the goal is to go and win new fans,” Junior H tells Billboard Español ahead of the festival’s first weekend. “Coachella is a stage where artists from many countries perform. So, I’m very excited and of course it’s a challenge and a great opportunity.”
Although he said that he will not have guests and that his show will be shorter than what he normally presents in his concerts, the artist behind Hot 100 hits such as “Y Lloro”, “Fin de Semana” and “Bipolar” promises to give “the best of my repertoire.”
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Over the past five years, Junior H (whose real name is Antonio Herrera) has been carving a steady path since the days when he was discovered by the Los Angeles-based independent record label Rancho Humilde. Today, he has his own label, Sad Boyz Entertainment.
“La Letra Muda”, as he is also known, knows what it is like to be in front of large crowds. In May 2023, he twice packed the Plaza Mexico in Mexico City, with its 50,000 capacity — a long way from his early days of having a mostly social media-based following.
“That moment was really the beginning, where we realized we have real fans — not followers. It was awesome,” he says. “Then we jumped to the Foro Sol and it was beautiful. Later we came to the United States to very big places, so I’m infinitely grateful.”
With the concept of his 2023 album Sad Boyz 4 Life II, which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and Top Regional Mexican Albums charts, Junior H had a quick connection with young people — who had known him as a performer of corridos tumbados, but found his new style to have deeper, more sentimental themes. The 23-year-old singer was born in Guanajuato, also the land of singer-songwriter José Alfredo Jiménez, so ranchera music was part of his childhood. And as a teenager, thanks to his sisters, he listened to Edén Muñoz — with whom he collaborated on “Abcdario” a couple of years ago, fulfilling a longtime dream in the process.
More recently, the group Máximo Grado, considered a standard-bearer in corridos, released his Somos Leyenda album, on which Junior H made an appearance. “Since I was a kid I’ve been a fan of theirs. The song I participated with, ‘El Hombre del Equipo,’ I used to sing it when I was doing lives during the pandemic,” he recalls. “[The group’s leader] Christian Felix used to see them, and that’s why he invited me. I’m fortunate to have accomplished things I never imagined. That’s why now I want to help other artists who are starting out with my record label.”
Junior H will now add CEO of Sad Boyz Entertainment to his career resumé. His first signed talent is the artist Gael Valenzuela, on whose new song (“El Chore,” released Apr. 10) he also appeared. Find that below.
Duo Soft Palms has returned with new single “Radio” from their upcoming sophomore album. The track marks the first new music from the wife and husband pair of Julia Kugel (The Coathangers, Julia Julia) and Scott Montoya (former member of The Growlers) since their debut self-titled album in 2020.
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“Radio” kicks off with Montoya on the drums before Kugel joins in a boisterous guitar riff that drives the track. The song is about the divisive nature of media and the alienation that results from the echo chamber of negativity, hearing secondhand information and the perception of persecution.
The track’s release is accompanied by a music video featuring the duo in night vision and serves as a reflection of the lyrics’ sentiment with surveillance cameras and projected messages that reflect the idea of being watched and judged.
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The Southern California couple have been making music together and separately for decades, and have decided to take their careers to what Montoya calls the “next logical step” of attempting to win a Grammy.
“Julia and I have over 40 years combined experience in music. ‘Radio’ will be our combined 352nd track on our combined 46th release, but it’s the first time we’ve ever thought to submit our work to the Recording Academy for Grammy consideration,” Montoya tells Billboard. Coming from the independent side of the music industry, he explains, the Grammys have “a stigma of being specifically for pop artists and for mainstream music, but it’s really not the case.”
The duo has also spent years strengthening their local music scene through their free annual festival, Happy Sundays, in Long Beach, Calif. The three-day event is scheduled to return this summer to several locations in the city between Aug. 23-25.
They also run non-profit Studios for Schools that provides equipment and funding for building recording/production studios in schools.
“Radio” was recorded and mixed by Kugel and Montoya at their home studio Centre of Mental Arts (COMA) in Long Beach, Calif., and mastered by BAFTA winner Mick Boggis. The entirety of the record is expected out later this year via Everloving Records.
Check out the video below.
Mariah Carey fans have been waiting for the moment the chanteuse will unveil Someone’s Ugly Daughter, the alt-rock LP she worked on with her band in 1995 while simultaneously recording her album Daydream. Now that the superstar is nominated for a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, it seems fitting for her grunge album to see the light of day.
“I mean, I really want to [release it], but I want to do videos, and I have just so many ideas for that,” she told Associated Press in a new interview. “I don’t think I’ll be able to pull it together by the summer (before the Rock Hall ceremony) but maybe, maybe I’ll release a few songs from it.”
As for her Rock Hall nomination, she gushed, “That’s a huge honor. I don’t know if I’m going to win it, so I don’t want to get too excited about it. So, I just want to say that, again, it’s a huge honor and I guess I didn’t expect it. I wasn’t really thinking about it. And here we are.”
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The Grammy-winning singer detailed in her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey, that she and her band wrote and recorded Someone’s Ugly Daughter to blow off steam while working on Daydream. She initially wanted to drop it as it was, but ended up releasing it under the pseudonym Chick with her friend Clarissa Dane on lead vocals.
Carey later confirmed to Rolling Stone Music Now in 2020 that she’d uncovered the original version of the record with her voice at the forefront. “I think this unearthed version will become something that, yes, we should hear,” she said at the time. “But also, I’m working on a version of something where there’ll be another artist working on this with me as well … Possibly something built around the album. I’m just full of surprises.”
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s The Class of 2025 will be revealed in late April, and the induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall, with more details to be announced in the coming months.
Canadian music is good for more than just the economy — it’s central to the country’s national identity.
That’s the crux of a new open letter written by Erin Benjamin, president/CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association. The letter anticipates the Canadian federal election on April 28 and advocates for elected officials to understand the cultural significance of music to the country. Liberal leader Mark Carney recently became Prime Minister of Canada after Justin Trudeau’s resignation, while Pierre Poilievre is running for the Conservative party and Jagmeet Singh for the New Democratic Party (NDP).
The letter doesn’t mention the U.S. President by name or refer explicitly to tariffs or talk of Canada as the “51st state,” but it situates the country in a moment of national uncertainty, reflecting on what it means to live in Canada and what the country will look like going forward.
Within that context, Benjamin writes, it’s crucial that policymakers understand both the economic and cultural benefits of Canada’s live music sector.
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“In the face of today’s generational challenges, on the doorstep of our nation’s future, the time has come to fully integrate and interlace this formidable industry into the systems and policies that shape our society, for the benefit of all Canadians,” Benjamin writes.
The letter cites CLMA’s recent Hear and Now study, the first-ever economic impact assessment of live music in Canada, which found that live music contributed $10.92 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2023 and supported more than 100,000 jobs. But music’s impact can’t just be measured monetarily, Benjamin writes.
“It’s central to our cultural fabric, shaping how we connect and define ourselves as Canadian,” the letter continues. “As we face growing uncertainty and instability — we risk losing not just critical economic opportunities but the very essence of our national identity.”
“Who are we if our artists can’t continue to create and perform due to financial pressures brought on by the cost of touring, access to performance opportunities, and shrinking resources and supports? What happens to our sense of community, our shared experiences, if we lose our cultural infrastructure…the venues, festivals, and spaces that live music provides?”
Benjamin’s letter is part of a broader conversation happening amidst a swell in national pride in the face of threats from the U.S. The music industry has tapped into that pride, which was on display at the 2025 Junos.
Beyond hockey slogans and beer ads, Canadian cultural leaders are emphasizing the importance of the arts and culture sector in maintaining Canadian sovereignty.
Read more here. — Rosie Long Decter
Billboard Canada Partners with Music Managers Forum
Billboard Canada is teaming up with Music Managers Forum (MMF Canada) to highlight vital, yet often under-recognized, drivers of the music industry.
Behind many great artists is a dedicated and strategic music manager working tirelessly. For nearly three decades, MMF Canada has been the voice of music managers and self-managed artists in the country. The organization builds community and empowers managers with opportunities and mentorship.
MMF Canada also presents the Honour Roll, an annual celebration of outstanding Canadian music managers and self-managed artists. This award acknowledges the critical role managers play in shaping the success of Canadian artists and celebrates those who have made a lasting impact. This year, the honour will be presented during NXNE, the longstanding and well-loved music festival that is also beginning a strategic partnership with Billboard Canada.
“We are excited about this partnership with Billboard Canada and NXNE,” says MMF Canada executive director Amie Therrien. “One of our goals at MMF Canada is to ensure that the work managers do, largely behind the scenes, is recognized and celebrated. As the artist’s representative and support system, the contributions of managers is crucial for a thriving and sustainable music industry. To have a partner that understands and champions that work is invaluable.”
The organization has a thriving network and community of managers representing some of the biggest success stories in Canadian music, and some artists who are well on their way to joining them.
“At Billboard Canada, we recognized a significant gap in the industry: a lack of industry-wide support and recognition for the vital work that music managers do every day,” says Mo Ghoneim, president of Billboard Canada and Artshouse Media Group, the co-owner of NXNE. “Understanding their role as the foundation of the music industry, we felt a responsibility to fill that gap by creating a space to tell their stories, highlight their contributions and provide them with the recognition they deserve.”
The MMF Honour Roll has been presented annually since 2007, though this is the first year it will move to NXNE. The award is given to a Canadian music manager for outstanding career achievements.
Previous recipients have included industry legends and current stalwarts, from Bernie Finklestein, Bruce Allen and Ray Danniels to Jake Gold, Chris Smith, Susan de Cartier, Sandy Pandya and Lascelles Stephens. Whether or not you know their names, you do know the results of their work. Together, they’ve guided the careers of artists including Nelly Furtado, Bruce Cockburn, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bryan Adams, Rush, Colin James, Sarah MacLachlan, kd lang, The Tragically Hip, Haviah Mighty and many more.
Read more here. — Richard Trapunski
Neil Young Will Play a Rare Solo Concert Near His Hometown in Lakefield, Ontario
Neil Young‘s status as a hometown hero in the Peterborough/Lakefield region in Ontario just took another giant leap forward.
On May 23, the Canadian rock icon will play an outdoor benefit concert at Lakefield College School’s Northcote Campus to raise funds for the restoration of the historic farmhouse on the Northcote property — a project that fits with Young’s commitment to the values of preserving history and community.
Young’s roots in this area run deep, as he spent formative childhood years (from ages 4 to 11) in the small community of Omemee, 20 kilometers west of Peterborough and close to Lakefield. “There is a town in north Ontario,” goes a Young-penned line featured in the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young classic “Helpless” that was inspired by Omemee.
Young’s journalist/novelist father, Scott Young, bought a family farm there that was in the family until the late 1980s. The Ptbotoday website reports that “Neil’s connection to the area deepened in recent years when he and his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, relocated to a 116-year-old cottage near Lakefield in September 2020. According to updates on his Neil Young Archives website, the couple winterized the property and spent nearly six months there during the pandemic, embracing the solitude of the Kawarthas.”
This is not the first Neil Young benefit concert in the area. In 2017, he played a solo acoustic show at Omemee’s Coronation that was live-streamed worldwide and raised $18,000 for the music program of the town’s Scott Young Public School. He will also perform solo at the upcoming show.
The Lakefield concert, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m., will have a restricted capacity of approximately 2,000 concertgoers.
Read more here. — Kerry Doole
Kendrick Lamar and SZA have dropped off the official music video for their Billboard-chart topper “Luther,” just days before launching their highly anticipated Grand National Tour. The minimalistic video debuted on Friday (April 11). Directed by Karena Evans — who notably helmed Drake’s videos for “God’s Plan,” “Nice for What” and “In My Feelings” — […]
Every year on April 11, the United States observes National Pet Day. And in addition to the millions of people with furry friends to celebrate, countless A-list musicians also have dogs, cats and other animals to honor on the occasion. And much like their famous owners, a lot of those celebrity pets have fanbases of […]