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30 Dec 2022

Paris Hilton Drops Sparkling Updated Version of ‘Stars Are Blind’ & Teases New Music

She’s sliving! Paris Hilton surprised her fans on Friday (Dec. 30) by releasing a 2022 update on her now iconic single “Stars Are Blind.”

Titled “Stars Are Blind (Paris’ Version),” the updated recording — which features new vocals and production — is available exclusively on Amazon Music. “This song has always meant so much to me, it felt right to close out 2022 with a refreshed version. And seeing my face lighting up Times Square is so special,” the heiress shared on Instagram about the song.

“Thank you to everyone who has always supported my music career. I literally have the best fans on the planet and have loved seeing all of your posts about the new song,” she continued before making a promise. “P.S. More new music to come in the new year,” she concluded with a winky face and the hashtag #NewYearNewP.

Originally released as the lead single off her cult favorite 2006 album Paris, the reggae-tinged bop soared to the top of the Dance Club Songs chart and remains Hilton’s sole entry on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at No. 18. The LP also included fan-favorite singles such as “Turn It Up,” “Screwed” and “Nothing in This World.”

In recent years, “Stars Are Blind” has been covered by Kim Petras and was also included in 2020’s Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan. Meanwhile, Hilton’s music career has turned from pop to dance music as she’s gained a reputation as an internationally renowned DJ.

Check out “Stars Are Blind (Paris’ Version)” and see her announcement below.

30 Dec 2022

The 25 Best K-Pop Albums of 2022: Staff Picks

The K-pop industry is heavily focused on one single per release. Whether it’s an EP, LP, deluxe version, greatest hits or anything in between, K-pop artists tend to define releases by one central song. But thanks to how listeners now curate their own playlists and soundtrack stellar social-media moments with music, the single is not necessarily the only song on a release to get attention.

In addition to K-pop having more worldwide eyes than ever, today’s listening habits demand more material from artists and more quality material on par with the singles already getting expensive investments and heavy promotional pushes.

Luckily, these 25 artists below not only delivered on their title tracks and singles but created bodies of work that deserve further exploration beyond the glossy music videos. From TVXQ!‘s Max Changmin, BTS‘ J-Hope, and Red Velvet‘s Seulgi letting listeners into new parts of their minds with their solo efforts, to AKMU’s Lee Chahyuk adopting a whole new character with his concept album Error, plus RM creating a musical museum to honor his twenties on Indigo, there was a lot to dig into this year. Meanwhile, unexpected viral sensations came from B-sides by (G)I-DLE, TREASURE and ENHYPEN, proving that these artists packed their records with songs and messages to connect even further with fans.

From satisfyingly short EPs to the more in-depth full-length albums, each of these releases stood out thanks to the artists reaching for something beyond a quick hit single. Read on for Billboard‘s staff picks for the best K-pop albums of the year.

30 Dec 2022

What’s It Take to Break a Holiday Hit? Songs Must Stand the Test of Time

This year, a handful of new recordings beat long odds and were among the 50 most popular holiday tracks: Lizzo’s cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Someday at Christmas” and Lauren Spencer-Smith’s version of “Last Christmas” by Wham! ranked Nos. 39 and 47, respectively, in consumption – measuring track sales and streams – from Nov. 4 to Dec. 22, according to Luminate. Kane Brown’s version of “Blue Christmas,” made famous by Elvis Presley, ranked No. 48.  

If historical trends persist, though, many of this year’s new holiday recordings won’t even survive the summer. Creating a holiday standard is one of the most difficult, unlikely tasks in all of songwriting.  

Looking back over the last five years shows the slim odds a new recording faces in becoming an annual favorite. In 2017, 72 newly released tracks made the top 1,000 holiday recordings of the last two months of the year. Three of them — Sia’s “Santa’s Coming for Us” (No. 37), Pentatonix’s “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (No. 68) and Us the Duo’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (No. 98) — made the top 100. Gwen Stefani had eight of the 72 new recordings in the top 1,000. Hanson’s “Finally, It’s Christmas,” at No. 610, was an original song competing against new recordings of well-worn favorites like “Wonderful Christmastime” and “The Christmas Song.”  

Five years later, only 30 recordings released in 2017 remained in the top 1,000. Sia’s “Santa’s Coming for Us” dropped from No. 37 to No. 171, while her song “Snowman” has risen to No. 53 to become the most popular recording of the class of 2017. Stefani had only three recordings from 2017 in the top 1,000, and her top-ranked holiday song, “You Make It Feel Like Christmas,” released in 2011, slipped to No. 42 from No. 18 five years earlier. Hanson was in the top 1,000 — with “What Christmas Means to Me,” originally recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967, not its original song from five years earlier. 

To become a holiday favorite, a new recording must prove itself by competing against popular holiday songs that have withstood decades-long wars of attrition. Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” is a relatively young holiday standard at 28 years old. “Last Christmas” by Wham!, ranked No. 5 this holiday season, is 36. Ariana Grande’s “Santa Tell Me” (No. 7) and Kelly Clarkson’s “Underneath the Tree” (No. 8), just 8 and 12 years old, respectively, have beaten the odds to challenge established recordings like Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (No. 6), released in 1963 and often heard in advertisements and movie soundtracks.  

That weeding-out process isn’t enough to deter songwriters from trying to create the next holiday hit and collect royalty checks year after year, though. This year, Chris Isaak, Backstreet Boys and Thomas Rhett released albums or EPs of Christmas songs. Sam Smith, Alanis Morissette, Dan + Shay, Joss Stone, Lukas Graham and Remi Wolf released individual tracks.  

Even though the odds of writing a holiday standard are slim, the payoff is a lure, says Rhett Miller, singer for the alt-country band The Old 97’s. Miller and his musician friends have told “a probably apocryphal story” amongst themselves about musician Nick Lowe walking to his mailbox one day in a bath robe and finding a check for a million dollars not knowing that Curtis Stigers’ cover of his song “Peace, Love and Understanding” was featured on the soundtrack to the movie The Bodyguard that would go on to sell 44 million copies worldwide.  

“In the olden days, landing a song on a soundtrack like that was sort of the end all be all,” says Miller. “But, really, the Christmas song is the biggest dream of any songwriter — to have a song that connects and becomes a standard.” Miller acknowledges the long odds a holiday recording faces in becoming a recurring hit. Writing a holiday standard is like winning the lottery: A jackpot is exceedingly unlikely, but, as the saying goes, you can’t win if you don’t play. “I did have an idea that if we contributed an album of holiday songs to the conversation, we would at least be in the running for one of those songs that connected,” says Miller.  

Miller has the benefit of having an influential company in his corner: Disney. James Gunn, writer and director of Marvel Comics’ Guardians of the Galaxy movie franchise, cast the Old 97’s for the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special that premiered on Disney+ video on-demand streaming service in November. The Old 97’s re-recorded their original song, “Here It Is Christmastime,” with actor-singer Kevin Bacon, and performed the song wearing prosthetic makeup. That helped “Here It Is Christmastime” debut at No. 7 on the Holiday Digital Song Sales and No. 27 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales charts for Dec. 10. Although the recording ranks only at No. 865 this holiday season, it will likely benefit from Marvel Comics fans viewing the special in the coming years.   

In the streaming age, nothing helps posterity like a partnership with a giant multi-national entertainment platform. Lizzo, Spencer-Smith and Brown, the top of the Class of 2022, recorded their holiday tracks under exclusive partnership with Amazon Music. In earlier years, Amazon Music has released original holiday recordings by Katy Perry (“Cozy Little Christmas” in 2018), Carrie Underwood (an original song, “Favorite Time of the Year,” in 2020), John Legend (“Happy Christmas [War Is Over]” in 2019), Taylor Swift (“Christmas Tree Farm [Old Timey Version]” in 2019) and Camila Cabello (“I’ll Be Home for Christmas” in 2021).  

“Each year, we really look to work with artists that we know our customers love and who we think are going to be a good fit for our holiday listeners and really work with them to find the right track,” says Stephen Brower, global co-lead, artist relations at Amazon Music, “whether that’s a cover in the case of Lizzo doing Stevie Wonder’s ‘Someday at Christmas’ or in Katy and Carrie’s cases, having brand new songs.”  

What holiday listeners seem to want every November and December is comfort music that harkens back to eras bygone. Even an original holiday song must have a classic, throwback sound that takes from late ’50s and early ’60s pop and rock. The rockabilly in Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock” and Phil Spector’s “wall of sound” production in The Ronettes “Sleigh Ride” set a template that’s been closely followed by later artists. “Ever since Mariah, only songs that had that ’60s Spector feel seem to be getting any traction,” says Sean Ross, author of the Ross on Radio newsletter.  

Christmas is no time to reinvent the wheel. Recreating the sounds of Christmas past gives Lizzo, Spencer-Smith and Brown the best chance at capturing an audience and maintaining momentum for the next five years. “Because the Christmas music season is typically only about six weeks, people don’t get tired of them,” Tom Poleman, chief programming officer for iHeartMedia, says in an email to Billboard. “As a result, there’s a huge supply of great songs to play, making it hard for new ones to cut through. The ones that do break through are usually well-made remakes of holiday classics by a big star like Kelly Clarkson.” 

This holiday season, Clarkson’s covers of Chuck Berry’s “Run Run Rudolph” (No. 103) and Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (No. 238) were the first and second most popular versions of those songs after the originals. She also has popular versions of “My Favorite Things” (No. 282), “Please Come Home for Christmas” (No. 317) and “Silent Night” (No. 382). But Clarkson is the rare contemporary artist whose original songs are more popular than her covers. In a few years, “Under the Mistletoe” (No. 105) from 2020 and “Christmas Isn’t Canceled (You Are)” (No. 168) from 2021 could become the next “Underneath the Tree” (No. 8). 

Miller is aware of the long odds that “Here It Is Christmastime” faces in the coming years – but he’s hopeful he can have a Clarkson-level hit one day. “It’s going to be something,” he says. “But will it be my Nick Lowe-in-a-bath robe moment? I don’t know. It would be great if something broke through.” 

30 Dec 2022

Recording Academy Adds Dozens of Credits for Bad Bunny’s 2023 Album of the Year Nominee

The Recording Academy has added the names of dozens of collaborators to Bad Bunny’s historic album of the year contender, Un Verano Sin Ti. It has also amended the credits on five other nominees in the category.

The nominations for the 65th annual Grammy Awards were announced on Nov. 15, but the Academy has made dozens of tweaks and corrections to the list, which it posts on its website. That’s to be expected in a list of this size, with thousands of nominees across 91 categories.

Some of the changes on Bunny’s credits are minor (but of course important to these individuals). The name of songwriter Martin Coogan was corrected from Mick Coogan. The spelling of songwriter Julian Quiles Betancourt’s last name was corrected from Bentancourt.

Un Verano Sin Ti is the first Spanish-language album to be nominated for album of the year. Here’s how the nominations credits now read on that album. (Changes and additions are in bold.)

Un Verano Sin Ti

Bad Bunny

Rauw Alejandro, Bomba Estéreo, Buscabulla, Chencho Corleone, Jhay Cortez, Tony Dize & The Marías, featured artists; BYRD, De La Cruz, Demy & Clipz, Elikai, Hassi, HAZE, Albert Hype, La Paciencia, Cheo Legendary, Richi Lopez, MAG, MagicEnElBeat, Masis, MICK, Jesus Alberto Molina, Mora, Jota Rosa, SCOTT, Subelo Neo, TAINY & ZULIA, producers; Josh Gudwin & Roberto Rosado, engineers/mixers; Raul Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz, Kamil Assad, Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio, Julian Quiles Betancourt, Leutrim Bequiri, Raquel Berrios, Abner Jose Cordero Boria, Marco Daniel Borrero, Joaquin Calderon Bravo, Harry Alexis Ramos Cabrera, Joshua Conway, Martin Coogan, Kaled Elikai Cordova, Orlando Javier Valle Vega, Jesus Nieves Cortes, Jose Cruz, Misael De La Cruz, Luis Del Valle, Scott Dittrich, Etienne Gagnon, Jason Garcia, Juan Diego Linares Gonzalez, Nicolas Jara, Ritchie Lopez, Steve Martinez-Funes, Marcos Masis, Michael Masis, Adrian McKinnon, Alberto Carlos Melendez, Jesus Alberto Molina, Freddy Montalvo, Gabriel Mora, Hector Pagan, Darwin Cordale Quinn, Tony Felician Rivera, Jose Raphael Arce Rodriguez, Joel Hernandez Rodriguez, Egbert Rosa, Roberto Rosado, Joselly Rosario, Elena Rose, Liliana Margarita Saumet & Maria Zardoya, songwriters; Colin Leonard, mastering engineer

Here are the changes that have made to date to five of the other nominees in the category.

Renaissance/Beyoncé

The names of four songwriters – Jerel Black, Jimi Stephen Payton, Andrew Richardson and Freddie Ross – were removed. The phrase “From the Internet” after songwriter Patrick Paige II’s name was removed.

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers/Kendrick Lamar

Several names were added — Mike Larson, engineer/mixer; Johnny Juliano, producer; Timothy Maxie, producer; and John Julian, Danny McKinnon & Ely Rise, songwriters.

The Donuts were removed as a producer. Two names were changed: songwriter/producer Tyler Mehlenbacher was changed to Tyler Reese; mastering engineer Michelle Mancini was changed to Emerson Mancini.

Special/Lizzo

Here too, mastering engineer Michelle Mancini was changed to Emerson Mancini.

30/Adele

John Hanes was added as an engineer/mixer.

Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe)/Mary J. Blige

Adriana Flores & Bryan Ponce were removed as songwriters.

30 Dec 2022

Manuel Turizo, Grupo Frontera & More: The Ultimate New Year’s Eve Latin Playlist to Ring in 2023 

The year is officially wrapping up and Billboard has compiled 25 tracks you can add to your ultimate New Year’s Eve Latin playlist to get you in a festive mood and ring in 2023. 

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This year’s curated NYE playlist includes the top 25 songs on the Hot Latin Songs chart (dated Dec. 31). The first tracks on the top three positions may all be Bad Bunny — with “Titi Me Preguntó,” “Me Porto Bonito” and “La Jumpa” with Arcangel — but the rest comprise a genre-hopping list that includes top songs across Latin genres including regional Mexican, urban, mambo and bachata.  

Besides Bad Bunny’s tracks on the tally — which also include “Moscow Mule” and “Efecto” — you can stream other urban bangers such as Rauw Alejandro’s “Lokera” with Lyanno and Brray, Feid’s “Normal” and Ozuna’s “Hey Mor” ft. Feid. For a euphoric rush, there’s Bizarrap and Quevedo’s dance summer anthem “BZRP Music Sessions, Vol. 52” and Karol G’s “Cairo” with Ovy on the Drums.  

For those who want to start off the year feeling empowered and liberated, you can also find Karol’s 2022 anthems such as “Provenza” and “Gatubela” on the playlist. And, of course, Rosalía’s mambo hit “Despechá.”  

For all you Mexican Music fans, you can find hits by Julión Álvarez y Su Norteño Banda (“Que Te Vaya Bien”), Ivan Cornejo (“La Última Vez”), Grupo Frontera (“No Se Va”), Carin León (“Que Vuelvas”) and Fuerza Régida (“Billete Grande”).  

Stream the ultimate New Year’s Eve Latin Playlist below and get the party started. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!  

30 Dec 2022

Steven Tyler Hit With New Lawsuit Over Decades-Old Claim That He Sexually Assaulted A Minor

Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler is facing a new lawsuit accusing him of sexually assaulting a minor in the 1970s, filed by a woman who claims she was referenced in the singer’s memoir as almost his “teen bride.”

In a complaint filed Tuesday in Los Angeles court, Julia Holcomb says Tyler used his “power as a well-known musician and rock star” in order to “gain access to, groom, manipulate, exploit” and sexually assault her for three years starting in 1973, when she was just 16 years old.

The lawsuit does not name Tyler, listing only an anonymous John Doe defendant. But Holcomb’s lawyers repeatedly quote from Tyler’s memoir Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? when referring to the alleged perpetrator, who they identify as a “leading member of a world-famous rock band.” Tyler’s book itself, reviewed by Billboard, also lists a “Julia Halcomb” in the acknowledgments.

“She was 16, she knew how to nasty, and there wasn’t a hair on it,” Tyler wrote in the book passage that’s quoted in the lawsuit. “I was so in love I almost took a teen bride.”

The lawsuit alleges that Tyler convinced Holcomb’s parents to grant him guardianship over her — an accusation that also came with quotes from his memoir: “I went and slept at her parents’ house for a couple of nights and her parents fell in love with me, signed paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn’t get arrested if I took her out of state.”

The lawsuit also claims Tyler impregnated Holcomb but later “pressured and coerced” her into eventually aborting the pregnancy.

Billboard independently obtained a copy of the lawsuit, which was first reported Thursday by Rolling Stone. A representative for Tyler did not immediately return a request for comment.

The allegations against Tyler are not new. Holcomb made similar accusations in a 2011 article published by the anti-abortion website LifesiteNews, and she made the same claims in 2020 during an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s television show on Fox News.

The new lawsuit, which included claims for sexual battery, sexual assault and intentional infliction of emotion distress, was filed just days before the expiration of California’s Child Victims Act, which temporarily suspended the statute of limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits. After a three-year window of availability, the deadline to file such long-delayed lawsuits is Dec. 31.

Read the entire lawsuit here:

30 Dec 2022

Black Oregon Family Threatened By Neighbor’s Racist N-Word Attack

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Neighborhood And Homes in Portland Oregon

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A family in an Oregon suburb is speaking out about a neighbor targeting them because they’re Black – by spraying a slur on their own house.

According to reports, the Channel family has been for years dealing with the unhinged antics of a neighbor of theirs in West Linn, a suburb just south of Portland, Oregon. But the neighbor, a woman who has not been identified publicly, has ramped up her disturbing behavior and directed it toward the Channel family, who is Black by recently spray-painting the N-word on her own house.

Andre Channel spoke to local news outlets about the incident, which apparently took place on Christmas Day. He had received a call from another neighbor named Jason while traveling outside of the country. “He was like hey, just want to let you know, your neighbor wrote the n-word all across their house,” Channel said to KPTV. “This is the crossing the line for me, this is new.”

The family stated that the neighbor also directed the slur toward their son earlier in the month. A representative of the West Linn Police Department confirmed they were called to the scene, and that they spray painted over the slur with the homeowner’s consent. But Channel says that action didn’t occur until after him and other neighbors repeatedly called the police to come back. His neighbor Jason stated, “the cops have been here pretty much two or three times a week for the past two months, three months. They’re doing all they can do about it, but we all know the system is broken.”

Channel feels that law enforcement should be doing more. “It seems like we keep getting the run around in regards to there’s a process to this, a process to that,” Channel said. “My daughters shouldn’t have to be at home wondering what’s going to happen next.”

“Incidents such as this cause actual harm, both to those specifically targeted and the wider community at large. We stand firmly against hate and bigotry in all of its forms, and in solidarity with our community members,” the West Linn Police Department said in a statement.

They’ve also said that they’ve notified the Oregon branch of the Department of Justice. Andre Channel is insistent that this ugly incident won’t force him and his family to leave. “I’m not going to let one person force me out of a neighborhood in a city that I love,” he said. “We should be able to come home and feel safe, period.”

30 Dec 2022

Xuxa Pens Emotional Message to Pelé‘s Family Amid His Passing: ’May the Pain of Loss Turn Into Good Memories’

Pelé’s passing on Thursday (Dec. 29) has generated reactions of grief and veneration from musicians, athletes, politicians and other personalities, but one that has received special attention is that of Brazilian former model, TV host and singer Xuxa, who was in a high-profile relationship with the Brazilian soccer legend in the 1980s.

“Márcia, Kelly, Edinho, Jennifer, Joshua, Celeste and others (children of the heart), grandchildren, nephews, Lucia… and all those who have been by Dico’s side, my affectionate hug and may the pain of loss become good memories to be less heavy”, Xuxa wrote in Portuguese on Thursday via Instagram, captioning a photo of what appears to be the hands of loved ones resting on the king of the “jogo bonito.” “Márcia, may God give you the lap you need,” she added addressing Pelé’s widow, Marcia Aoki.

Pelé, who was also a musician, passed away in São Paulo at the age of 82. He had been battling colon cancer since September 2021 and was hospitalized in November. The news of his death was confirmed on his official Instagram page.

Four decades have passed since he and Xuxa were one of the most famous couples in the world of sports and entertainment, and also one of the most scrutinized by the media, both for their race difference and their age gap.

“And also money,” Xuxa said years later on Univision’s El Show de Cristina. “He had a lot of fame and money, so people thought I was with him because of this.” Xuxa was 17 and Pelé 40 when they started dating in 1980 after meeting at a photo shoot for the cover of Manchete magazine in which Pelé posed with four models, including her. The relationship would last almost seven years.

“I thought that, with time passing, people would stop talking. But no, they didn’t,” the Brazilian star added in the same interview, in which she spoke in Spanish. Eventually the love ran out and they broke up, Xuxa said. And each of them moved on.

Pelé, who had previously been married to Rosemeri dos Reis Cholbi (1966 to 1982), mother of his children Kelly Cristina, Jennifer and Edson, married two more times — first with singer Assíria Lemos Seixas (1992 to 2008), with whom he had twins Joshua and Celeste; and in 2016 with the Japanese-Brazilian entrepreneur Marcia Aoki, who was by his side until the end.

As for Xuxa, she spent a decade with Brazilian businessman and actor Luciano Szafir, with whom she had her only daughter, model Sasha Meneghel. Xuxa has been in a relationship with actor Junno Andrade since 2012.

See Xuxa’s Instagram post about Pelé below.

30 Dec 2022

Lizzo Recruits Mom & Siblings to Recreate Adorable TikTok Trends: Watch

Lizzo, aka Melissa Jefferson, really is the people’s pop star. This year, during the annual slow-moving, awkward gap of time between Christmas and New Year’s, she’s been filling the space by doing what so many others have been doing: Filming TikToks with family.

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The “About Damn Time” singer’s latest video on the platform, posted Thursday (Dec. 29), featured her two siblings — her older sister Vanessa and brother Mikey. The three Jeffersons took part in a trend for “trios,” each dancing along to a different song that fits each individual’s role in the group the best.

Lizzo went first, squaring up to the camera while dancing to Rico Nasty’s brash, rage-filled track, “Smack A Bitch.” The 34-year-old described herself as “the baby” of the family and “moms bank,” and wrote that she moved out at 18, was a “starving artist” and “disappeared for a while.”

In the next shot, the “Truth Hurts” artist hugs Mikey as Bruno Mars’ soft, happy-go-lucky song “Count on Me” plays. According to Lizzo’s description, he’s the middle child who is “moms bff” and “makes us meditate,” meanwhile Vanessa, who afterward dances to a parody of the Caillou theme song, is the “oldest but shortest sib” and “cries if the wind blows.”

“This sound was made for us ?” Lizzo captioned the TikTok.

A couple days prior, the Yitty founder had shared a TikTok with her mom, Shari Johnson-Jefferson. The two recreated a viral “turning my mom into me” trend started in recent weeks by users who show how their mom looks ordinarily, then shows how she looks in their own clothing.

And of course, Shari wasn’t going to model anything but her daughter’s own clothing line for the video. Lizzo dressed her mom up in a red Yitty onesie, Yitty slides and complementary red lipstick.

“Yung gravy ???” she captioned the TikTok, shouting out the “Betty (Get Money)” rapper who famously loves dating moms — and actually ended up commenting “ayoooo” on the post.

See Lizzo’s TikToks with her mom, sister and brother below.

30 Dec 2022

Bringing BandLab to Billboard: Hitha

Billboard and BandLab partnered to spotlight talented emerging artists in search of a big break in the music industry. The first band this series covers is the neo-classic rock duo The Moon City Masters. The second and final featured artist is seventeen-year-old Pop/EDM singer, Hitha.

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Hitha is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and teen activist. Growing up in suburban California, Hitha was sheltered and only heard the classical Indian music her family would sing and play around the house. She first fell in love with classical Indian music because it helped her get more in touch with her roots. It wasn’t until age 10 that Hitha heard her first mainstream pop song, “Glad You Came” by The Wanted. From there, she dove headfirst into mainstream music and is greatly inspired by artists like Lana Del Ray, Lorde, and Gracie Abrams. She recently released a single, “In My Head” and is preparing to release her debut album FOREVER in 2023. 

Tell us about growing up in California and your first experiences with music.

Suburban California feels like a bubble, and I had a sheltered upbringing as a child. I was influenced by classical Indian music as a kid because there is a substantial Indian population in my town. It really helped me embrace my culture and I’m extremely thankful for that. I didn’t learn about mainstream pop music until I was 10 years old, but I dove head first as soon as I discovered other genres.

Did you always want to be an artist?

I was always obsessed with singing. My grandmother put me in Indian classical singing around the age of 4. I would wake up listening to her singing music and prayers, which really inspired me. I was always very passionate about music and I’ve always been an artistic person, but I didn’t start writing music until I was 11. When I put my first song out, a girl around my age told me the song helped her stay motivated and fight through depression. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to make a career out of music.

How would you describe your sound?

My sound feels like home to me. Music to me is more of an experience than just a sing-a-long moment. I want listeners to go through a journey when they hear my songs. Each song tells a story, but I really look to inspire and bring listeners along for an unforgettable sonic journey.

You recently released a single “In My Head.” Can you tell us about that song’s inception and what it means to you?

This song means the world to me. It’s very deep and tells the story of my battle with anxiety. When I take a step back, I can acknowledge that I’m on the right path, but sometimes it’s tough to look at things through such an optimistic lens. That song is me telling myself that what I’m experiencing is okay and that I will make it through.

You’re preparing to roll out your debut album “FOREVER.” How does it feel to finally be releasing your first full-length project?

My music really documents my growth as a person. I remember making my single “We Are Who We Are” and just crying so many tears. I think creating that song was the first sign of me finding myself as an artist. I’ve been working on all of these songs since 2020 and it feels amazing to be releasing everything now. Each song on the album really shows how much I’ve grown over the last few years and I can’t wait to share that with the world.

How did you find this opportunity with BandLab?

My dad found this for me! He handles so much of the business side for me and that’s why I wrote the song “FOREVER” as a thank you letter to my father. He’s opened so many doors for me and I’m so grateful for him.