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10 Apr 2025

‘Austin City Limits’ Hall of Fame to Honor Garth Brooks With TV Special in May

Austin City Limits is set to cap its 50th-anniversary celebrations with a special episode featuring Garth Brooks.

Austin City Limits Hall of Fame Honors Garth Brooks will have its broadcast premiere on May 3 at 8 p.m. ET. Recorded live at ACL’s studio home ACL Live in Austin, Texas, the hour-long special features Brooks performing many of his hits while sharing the stories behind many of those songs.

Brooks made his ACL series debut in 1990, shortly after the release of his 1989 self-titled debut, which included now-classic country songs such as “The Dance” and “If Tomorrow Never Comes.” A decade later, he returned to ACL to open and close ACL’s milestone season 25 with two hourlong episodes. 

The new special will also highlight moments from Brooks’ ACL performances over the years. The special also features Brooks’ wife and fellow country artist Trisha Yearwood, as well as longtime ACL executive producer Terry Lickona, who inducts Brooks into the Austin City Limits Hall of Fame. Yearwood previously joined the ACL Hall of Fame in 2023 alongside John Prine.

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“You can bring all the smoke and mirrors you want, and trust me—I’ve used ‘em all,” Brooks said in a statement, “but you come here and it’s the real deal.” He added, “Always try to associate your name with a name greater than your own. Being associated with ACL has been one of the greatest assets of my career. I can’t thank Terry and the gang enough for all the years and all the love.” 

“You can’t tell the story of Austin City Limits without Garth Brooks,” Lickona added. “Garth gets it. He gets what makes Austin City Limits special, and why it’s an honor for an artist to step onto that stage and deliver the best performance of their life. And it’s an honor for us to share that stage with artists like Garth, who have so much to offer.”

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the revered music institution, which premiered on PBS in 1975. Since 2014, the ACL Hall of Fame has honored artists who have played an essential role in the series’ half-century as a premier supporter of top-shelf music. The inaugural 2014 awards feted Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan.

In 2021, Brooks appeared on ACL for two non-broadcast events to close out Studio 6A on the University of Texas campus. Brooks’ performances marked the final shows at that historic studio, which served as ACL’s home until 2010, before it moved to downtown Austin.

10 Apr 2025

Rod Wave, James Blake & More Provided The Vibes On ‘Sinners’ Original Soundtrack

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Sinners Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Sony Classical / Sony Masterworks / Sinners

One thing you can always count on with a Ryan Coogler film is a fire soundtrack, and it looks like that streak will continue with the official soundtrack for his upcoming vampire flick, Sinners, starring Michael B. Jordan.

While the blood will be spilling, the toes will be tapping. The highly anticipated horror flick’s official soundtrack will feature some big names while sticking to the film’s core theme.

Coogler loves to collaborate with those he is familiar with, which is why he and Michael B. Jordan have become one of Hollywood’s most successful duos. So it should come as no surprise that he is working once again with Ludwig Görranson.

Ludwig Görranson has provided exceptional soundtracks for Coogler’s other successful movie franchises like Creed and Black Panther, so it’s not a stretch of any kind to think that won’t be the case for Sinners.

Ludwig Görranson Reveals Working On Sinners‘ Score & Soundtrack Was Personal To Him

Coogler’s vampire movie takes place in the Jim Crow era South, so you can expect Görranson’s production to reflect that in the songs on the soundtrack, which he revealed working on was very personal to him.

“I never imagined I’d score a film about a guitar player — it hits close to home,” said Göransson. “My dad, a guitar teacher at the local school and a die-hard blues fanatic, put a guitar in my hands when I was six. If it were up to him, I’d be named Albert for Albert King, the legendary guitarist. The ore I composed for Sinners is the most personal of my career. It’s reflection of my own musical journey, told through the voice of the instrument that means the most to me. I per orm it on a 1932 Dobro Cyclops resonator—the very same guitar that Preacherboy Sammie carries throughout the film.”

The soundtrack features songs from Rod Wave, James Blake, Don Toliver, Brittany Howard, Raphael Saadiq, Buddy Guy, Rhiannon Giddens, Cedric Burnside, Eric Gales, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Iarla Ó Lionáird, Jerry Cantrell, Lola Kirke, Peter Dreams, Bobby Rush, OG DAYV, Jack O’Connell, Sharde Thomas-Mallory and more. 

You can listen to “Why You Here / Before the Sun Went Down,” the score’s lead single featuring Miles Caton, who also stars in the film above, and check out the entire tracklist from the soundtrack and its lead single, “Sinners,” from Rod Wave below.

  1. This Little Light of Mine – Miles Caton, DC6 Singers Collective, and Pleasant Valley Youth Choir of New Orleans
  2. Flames of Fortune – Ludwig Göransson and Don Toliver
  3. Wang Dang Doodle – Cedric Burnside, Sharde Thomas-Mallory and Tierinii Jackson
  4. Travelin’ – Miles Caton
  5. Juke – Bobby Rush and Miles Caton
  6. Séance – James Blake and Ludwig Göransson
  7. coming soon
  8. I Lied To You – Miles Caton
  9. Pick Poor Robin Clean – Jack O’Connell, Lola Kirke and Peter Dreams
  10. Can’t Win for Losin’ – Cedric Burnside and Tierinii Jackson
  11. Old Corn Liquor – Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson
  12. Will Ye Go, Lassie Go? – Lola Kirke, Peter Dreams, Brian Dunphy, Darren Holden and Jack O’Connell
  13. Pale, Pale Moon – Jayme Lawson
  14. Rocky Road to Dublin – Jack O’Connell, Brian Dunphy and Darren Holden
  15. In Moonlight – Jerry Cantrell and Ludwig Göransson
  16. Travelin’ – Buddy Guy
  17. Last Time (I Seen the Sun) – Alice Smith and Miles Caton
  18. Sinners – Rod Wave
  19. Troubled Waters – OG DAYV and Uncle James
  20. Pale, Pale Moon – Brittany Howard
  21. I Lied To You (Radio Edit) – Miles Caton
  22. Pick Poor Robin Clean – Geechie Wiley

10 Apr 2025

Nelly Lawsuit Dismissed: Rapper’s Ex-St. Lunatics Bandmate Drops Case Over ‘Country Grammar’

Nelly’s former St. Lunatics bandmate Ali wants to drop a lawsuit that had accused the rapper of failing to pay him for his alleged work on Nelly’s 2000 debut album Country Grammar. But Nelly’s lawyers say Ali and his lawyers must pay for bringing a “ridiculous” case.

The action, filed last year, alleged that Nelly (Cornell Haynes) had cut four of his former St. Lunatics crew out of the credits and royalty payments for the hit album. It claimed the star had repeatedly “manipulated” them into falsely thinking they’d be paid for their work.

But three of the St. Lunatics quickly dropped out, saying they had never actually wanted to sue Nelly and had never given legal authorization to the lawyers who filed the case. And in recent months, Nelly’s lawyers had sought punishing sanctions against those attorneys.

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In a motion filed Thursday (April 10), Ali and his lawyers moved to voluntarily dismiss the case. They offered no rationale for why they were doing so, and there was no indication that a settlement of any kind had been reached. They did not immediately return a request for comment.

Nelly’s attorneys aren’t going to let him off the hook that easily. In a quick response, they urged the judge to refuse to dismiss the case until he decides whether Ali and his attorneys should face punishment for filing a “vexatious” lawsuit that “should never have been brought.”

“Plaintiff’s counsel succeeded in its frivolous campaign aimed at forcing Haynes to spend money defending Plaintiff’s ridiculous time-barred claims,” the star’s lawyers write. “The Court is respectfully requested to retain jurisdiction and set a briefing and hearing schedule for [potential sanctions].”

Nelly rose to fame in the 1990s as a member of St. Lunatics, a hip-hop group also composed of St. Louis high school friends Ali (Ali Jones), Murphy Lee (Tohri Harper), Kyjuan (Robert Kyjuan) and City Spud (Lavell Webb). With the June 2000 release of Country Grammar — which spent five weeks atop the Billboard 200 — Nelly broke away from the group and started a solo career that later reached superstar heights with his 2002 chart-topping singles “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma.”

In September, all four St. Lunatics accused Nelly of cheating them out of compensation for contributions they’d made to Country Grammar. They claimed they had waited so long to sue because they believed their “friend and former band member would never steal credit” from them.

But a month later, the lawsuit took a strange turn: Nelly’s lawyers filed a letter warning that Lee, Kyjuan and Spud had never actually wanted to sue Nelly and that they had not given legal authorization to the lawyers who filed the lawsuit to include them as plaintiffs.

“They are hereby demanding you remove their names forthwith,” Nelly’s lawyers wrote in a letter to Walton. “Failure to do so will cause them to explore any and all legal remedies available to them.”

In November, Ali’s attorneys filed an updated version of the lawsuit listing only Ali as a client and vowed to fight on. But Nelly’s attorneys have since argued that the case is “frivolous,” claiming it was clearly filed years after the statute of limitations had expired. In January, they said it was so obviously flawed that the lawyers who filed it should be punished for going to court.

“Plaintiff and his counsel should be sanctioned in the full amount … that Haynes has been forced to incur in defending this action,” the rapper’s lawyers wrote at the time. “That is because plaintiff’s claims should never have been brought in the first place.”

Last month, the judge overseeing the case said he would not rule on that motion until he decided whether to dismiss the case. Such a motion to dismiss from Nelly’s attorneys was pending when the case was voluntarily dropped.

10 Apr 2025

Weezer Still Set to Perform at Coachella Following Shooting and Arrest of Bassist’s Wife

The show must go on. Weezer has not canceled its plans to perform at Coachella this Saturday (April 12) after the wife of Weezer bassist Scott Shriner sustained non-life-threatening injuries during a bizarre run-in with Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers that ended in a dramatic shootout.

A source linked to the festival tells Billboard there has been no change of plans for Weezer’s 3:10 pm set inside the Mojave tent this Saturday, despite the chaos that unfolded near the L.A. neighborhood of Eagle Rock on Tuesday (April 8). According to media reports, Jillian Lauren Shriner, a best-selling author who has been married to Scott since 2005, was shot by police and accused of attempted murder for allegedly pointing a gun at LAPD officers who were searching for suspects in a nearby hit-and-run.

The Hollywood Reporter was first to report the news that Weezer would still play the festival following the incident.

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It’s unclear what prompted the confrontation with police in Shriner’s backyard. The LAPD says she was not involved with the hit-and-run and was repeatedly told to drop her weapon by police responding to the scene.

“Unfortunately, it did result in an officer-involved shooting,” LAPD detective Meghan Aguilar told media during a press conference Wednesday night (April 9). Shriner eventually surrendered to police and was charged with attempted murder. She is currently out free on $1 million bail.

Scott Shriner has been a bassist with Weezer since 2001. The band was not added to the Coachella lineup until Saturday in a surprise announcement that also included news that Ed Sheeran would be performing at Coachella the following weekend.

10 Apr 2025

Halle Bailey Praised by Ariana Grande After Covering Her ‘Fav Song’ From ‘Eternal Sunshine’ Deluxe

Ariana Grande left a glowing review of Halle Bailey‘s new cover of “Hampstead,” one of six new tracks on the former’s Billboard 200-topping Eternal Sunshine Deluxe: Brighter Days Ahead.

On a video posted to Instagram of the Little Mermaid actress singing the emotional ballad in a recording studio and accompanying herself on guitar, the pop star wrote Thursday (April 10), “so beautiful” along with three hearts and a teary-eyed emoji. Grande also re-shared the cover on her Story.

In the clip, Bailey expertly strums along while expressively singing Grande’s reflective lyrics, her voice sounding crystal clear as she adds her own custom riffs to the original melody. “I left my heart at a pub in Hampstead/ And I misplaced my mind in a good way/ Threw away my reputation, but saved us more heartache/ Yes, I know it seems f–ked up, and you’re right,” she croons. “But quite frankly, you’re still wrong about everything/ So far off, your seat’s nowhere near the table/ But I find something sweet in your peculiar behavior/ ‘Cause I think to be so dumb must be nice.”

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In her caption, the “Angel” singer wrote, “hampstead is my fav song off ariana’s deluxe :)”

Debuting this week at No. 59 on the Billboard Hot 100, “Hampstead” appears on the March 28 expanded reissue of Eternal Sunshine alongside new tracks “Intro (End of the World) – Extended,” “Twilight Zone,” “Warm,” “Dandelion” and “Past Life.” Sharing a name with the residential district in London where Grande reportedly lived while filming Wicked in 2023, the track is widely believed to be written about the Oscar nominee’s split from ex-husband Dalton Gomez.

Bailey’s cover comes a couple months after she and DDG — with whom she shares a young son, Halo — announced that they were splitting after more than two years together. “After much reflection and heartfelt conversations, Halle and I have decided to go our separate ways,” the “Moonwalking in Calabasas” rapper wrote on Instagram at the time. “This decision was not easy, but we believe it’s the best path forward for both of us. I cherish the time we’ve spent together and the love we’ve shared.”

On a song released last month, DDG seemingly vented about not being able to visit Halo. “Don’t take my son because he’s all I got/ I’m just having fun, I don’t love these thots … Tryna make me pay to see my son, that’s gonna make me hot,” he spits on “Don’t Take My Son.”

Bailey has also released new music this year, dropping “Back and Forth” on Valentine’s Day. Before that came singles “Because I Love You” and “Angel” in August.

Watch Bailey’s “Hampstead” cover — and look for Grande’s comment — below.

10 Apr 2025

Tyla Has Unreleased Rap Songs in the Stash & Says They’re ‘Hot’

Tyla has bars.

In her recent Nylon cover story, the South African singer revealed that she’s made “full-on rap songs” and plans to share one with fans someday.

When asked if she had a specific pop star she wanted to emulate as a kid, Tyla answered that while she didn’t idolize one specific person, she essentially put all of her influences in a pot and tried to make something different. “I never really studied specific artists,” she said.

“Whatever songs, performances, music videos I liked, I just obsessed over those individual things. It was very broad. Pop stars, rappers, R&B singers. It started with the sound of music I wanted to make, because I knew that I wanted to do something completely different from what I’ve heard before. I was making anything and everything.”

She continued by saying that she has a bunch of songs from different genres that she hasn’t released yet. “I have full-on rap songs,” Tyla admitted. “Full-on R&B. Full-on amapiano. I played a lot and found a mixture that felt like me.”

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The “Water” singer was then asked what those raps songs sounded like to which she replied, “I’m not going to lie, it’s hot.”

Adding, “I’m excited to show people that I’m more diverse than they think. I want to take my time with my artistry and give whatever feels right for that moment. So one day, you’re going to get that Tyla rap song.”

Last month, Tyla performed her current hit “Push 2 Start” at the Billboard Women in Music event at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, and accepted the Impact Award for her breakout success. “I just feel very lucky for my fans who have given me such an exciting life, allowing me to grow in front of the world into all the different versions of myself as an artist and as a woman,” she told the crowd.

10 Apr 2025

Nicki Minaj Was Reportedly Targeted in Another Swatting Attack

Nicki Minaj was reportedly the target of a random swatting attack by someone who told police there had been a shooting at her Hidden Hills home.

According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department received a report of an assault with a deadly weapon on Wednesday (April 9). The person calling claimed a friend had fired shots at a Black adult female at 7:05 p.m., and that two suspects were at the location wearing all black. The incident was later deemed a swatting call, a when a fake 911 report is made in order to activate police response. The Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station watch commander informed the Times no crime had taken place at the residence.

While a spokesperson for the Sheriff’s department did not confirm whether or not it was Nicki’s residence, a neighbor told the Times police had approached Nicki’s home. The call also reportedly came in via the business line, making it harder to trace, which is usually a sign of swatting.

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Billboard has reached out to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department for more information.

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This isn’t the first time police have responded to swatting calls at Nicki’s home. In June of 2023, police approached her residence after receiving a false tip about child abuse. A month later, they also responded to another false report of a shooting. Nicki eventually confronted the woman who arranged the 2023 attacks.

“To the woman who made those swatting calls to my home… #WasItWorthItDumbo,” she tweeted out in August of that year. “Stephanie Bell. A warrant is in the system. Great detective work. So grateful. The DA filed one count for the swatting call and one for the false report to DCFS. To God be the glory.”

10 Apr 2025

Jelly Roll Reveals He Lost Nearly 200 Pounds on Weight Loss Journey

Jelly Roll is on a roll when it comes to his health and fitness journey.

The country superstar joined Pat McAfee onstage at the latter’s Big Night Ah live show on Wednesday, night (April 9), where he revealed that he lost nearly 200 pounds over the course of his recent weight loss journey. “I started at 540 pounds and I was 357 pounds this morning,” the Grammy-nominated singer told the crowd, who cheered at the accomplishment as Jelly Roll showed off his muscles. He then added, “I’m gonna lose another 100 pounds and go skydiving with my wife in Sweden, baby!”

The update comes shortly after the “Need a Favor” singer revealed at the end of 2024 that he lost more than 100 pounds over the course of the year. “Making small, intentional choices daily is a real thing that I have honed in on and that has been so impactful during this process,” he told Billboard of his health and wellness journey. “I think it’s changed my ability to keep up with my progress, since it has been an honest conversation of ‘in that moment’ which one is the better option to stay on track?”

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He also opened up to his wife, Bunnie XO, about the motivation behind his weight loss. “I think that people who become as big as I became, when they lose the weight, they’re kind of ashamed,” he said on Bunie’s Dumb Blonde Podcast in December. “They’re so ashamed that they go hide and lose the weight, and then they come back out and they don’t really know how to interact with the world.”

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Jelly added, “What I want the world to know, and I want people to see … is that I didn’t become successful because of my weight. I became successful in spite of it. I somehow managed to be this successful carrying 550 pounds. That’s insane.”

Later this month, Jelly Roll is heading out on tour with Post Malone for the 2025 BIG ASS Stadium Tour. See the full list of dates here.

10 Apr 2025

Ray J Says Brandy ‘Hates’ Him After Viral Kai Cenat Sleepover Drama

Kai Cenat and Ray J‘s recent #sleepovergate has taken a dark turn.

During a recent stream, Ray J hit up the popular streamer and asked if he can be invited to one of the sleepovers Cenat has done in the past with comedians such as Druski and Kevin Hart. However, the way he asked made it seem like he wanted to sleep with Kai, which made him uncomfortable.

“Y’all have sleepovers before right,” Ray asked Kai over the phone. “I didn’t mean it like anything. I meant it how y’all meant it. I want to sleep over, too. I want to sleep with y’all n—as too. That’s how I meant it; pause, I know. That was a lot.”

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He then brought up when Kai streams himself in the shower while wearing swimming trunks. “But that’s what I meant,” he continued. “Is like if y’all was in the shower then y’all was in the shower, y’all took a shower together. I’m like, s—t, I’ll take a shower with them n—as like on a stream, of course, with clothes on, bro. You know what I mean?” 

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Adding, “The next sleepover — if I’m not invited, it’s cool, I’ll just be hurt about it. But I was hurt about the first one. And I’m like, ‘Damn, man, these n—as in the city, they over there sleeping in the bed like I wanna sleep in the bed too! I don’t mean with you, I mean I want my own bunk. Kevin Hart gotta bunk, Druski gotta bunk. N—a, this a big night! This one of the biggest nights. I wanna sleep too, my n—a.”

This led to Ray J’s sister Brandy appearing to send him a YouTube clip of his convo with Kai and said, “Come on Ray? What’s going on with you? You’re so much better than this!!”

He shared a screenshot of a message from someone named “Rocket” in his phone, and attached a lengthy rant about his family and kids on his Instagram Stories Wednesday (April 9). “My sister hates who I am!” he wrote. “And all I’m doing is being myself! I don’t know how to be better than who I am. I tried. But I get depressed trying to change when I don’t have a wife anymore and I have no stability!! I’m sorry to my sister for who I am. And my mom. I don’t give a f about nobody else’s feelings but when it’s my family it makes me feel alone.”

“So I turn up more!!” he continued. “Stay tuned — to my kids who might see this later when they are older – just know I work hard for you and only you!! – if it wasn’t for you Melody and Epik I would’ve been locked up or dead!! — I’m crashing out tonight.”

Billboard has reached out to Brandy’s rep for comment.

10 Apr 2025

IMS Ibiza to Honor CAA’s Maria May With Its 2025 Legends Award

Longtime dance/electronic world agent Maria May of CAA will be honored with the Legends Award at IMS Ibiza 2025 for her notable contributions to electronic music culture.

With her career extending back more than three decades, May helped develop and legitimize the electronic music scene, bringing it out of warehouses to large-scale venues and events worldwide.

May currently represents a flurry of dance world stars, including David Guetta, Sara Landry, Marlon Hoffstadt, Róisín Murphy, Paul Kalkbrenner, Robin Schulz, Icona Pop, The Chainsmokers, Jonas Blue and Black Eyed Peas, among others.​ She’s also worked with artists including Frankie Knuckles, David Morales, Layo and Bushwacka, Hercules and Love Affair, Azari and III, Moloko, Soulwax, 2manydjs, Lee Burridge, and  X-press 2.

“To receive this recognition is both humbling and very exciting,” May said in a statement. “Not merely because of what it represents for my career, but because of what it stands for in the wider culture of electronic music. The first woman to be publicly recognized for her efforts with an award of this gravitas has been a long time coming. Watching electronic music evolve from underground rebellion to a global movement and being one of the many architects of the global business phenomenon that we have created and now being recognized for these efforts is something I never imagined when I went to my first rave.”

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Beyond her work as an agent, May is being honored for advocacy work that includes her role as a board member of Lady of the House, a collective that works to amplify women in the dance music industry. She has a position on the board of Beatport, a position on the advisory board of the Frankie Knuckles Foundation, was a founding advisory board member of the Association For Electronic Music (AFEM) and has been a longtime board member of the Night Time Industries Association.

May has also been included multiple times on Billboard‘s International Power Players and Women In Music power lists.

The award will be presented during The Beatport Awards, happening at Atzaró Agroturismo on the evening of April 24. It’s one of the many gatherings happening on the island in conjunction with IMS Ibiza. There will also be an industry lunch in May’s honor during the three-day dance industry gathering.

“I have enjoyed watching Maria’s career grow from my first meeting with her in the offices of ITB in 1994, seeing her develop with her acts into a global force of nature when it comes to agenting talent,” says IMS and AFEM co-founder Ben Turner. “Her role behind the scenes in affecting how the industry operates may not be seen by so many, but is felt by everybody. She challenges the industry to think and be better. She cares as much today as she did as a passionate agent in her early 20s on the dancefloor at Liquid in Miami listening to Frankie Knuckles and David Morales — which is how I will always visualize her! Both IMS and the clubbing industry of Ibiza are truly proud of her achievements. Electronic music is in a better place because of the person that is Maria May.”

“Maria May has been a transformative force in electronic music for over three decades,” adds Robb McDaniels of The Beatport Group, which acquired a majority stake in IMS in 2023. “Her work behind the scenes has helped shape the careers of some of the most iconic artists in our culture. At Beatport, we’re proud to recognize her contributions and leadership, especially her tireless advocacy for women in our industry. Maria has not only opened doors, she’s helped rebuild the very rooms where decisions are made. She embodies the spirit of this award.”

IMS Ibiza happens at the Mondrian Ibiza and Hyde Ibiza hotels this April 23-25. The event will feature three days’ worth of panel discussions from experts across many sectors of the industry, along with mixers, networking opportunities, performances, a robust wellness program and much more. See the complete IMS Ibiza 2025 schedule here.