State Champ Radio Pop
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After a Korean judge ruled this week against NewJeans‘ efforts to break free from its label ADOR following the firing of its mentor, Kesha is showing love to the embattled K-pop girl group.
“My heart is with you NewJeans,” Kesha posted late Wednesday on X alongside a single red-heart emoji.
While Kesha has no public connection to NewJeans, she’s no stranger to a high-profile legal battle that puts artistic freedom in limbo. For nearly a decade, the “TiK ToK” singer was embroiled in competing lawsuits with her longtime music producer Dr. Luke. It started in 2014 when Kesha sued Dr. Luke, accusing him of sexual assault and abuse starting when she was a teenager, followed by the producer countersuing Kesha for defamation. The pop star sought to be released from her Kemosabe Records contract, but a judge ruled that she was obligated to continue making music under the Sony Music label.
Following a #FreeKesha social media movement that included vocal support from Kelly Clarkson (another frequent Dr. Luke collaborator) and Lady Gaga, Kesha and Luke came to a joint resolution in 2023 ahead of the defamation trial.
It appears Kesha is paying it forward to the K-pop group, whose members include Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein. As the CEO of ADOR, Min Hee-Jin introduced NewJeans as the label’s first girl group in July 2022, and the quintet soared to international success, landing five songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and accepting the group of the year award at Billboard Women in Music in March 2024. Just months later, in August 2024, Hee-Jin was dismissed as CEO and later exited ADOR altogether.
The members of NewJeans announced their intention in November of last year to terminate the group’s contract with ADOR, which was followed by the label’s lawsuit. This week, a judge in Seoul ruled that Min’s firing as CEO was not sufficient grounds for NewJeans to void its seven-year exclusive contract with ADOR.
In a statement through their lawyers, shared by the Korea Times, NewJeans had this to say about the new ruling: “NewJeans members respect the court’s judgment, but it is impossible to return to this company and continue normal entertainment activities in the current situation where the trust relationship with ADOR is completely shattered.”
Earlier this year, NewJeans attempted to rebrand as NJZ, debuting the new song “Pit Stop” at ComplexCon Hong Kong in March and announcing a hiatus, before ADOR challenged the group’s use of the new name while the legal battle moved forward.
In a podcast interview with Monica Lewinsky in July, Kesha opened up about what it was like to have to continue working with someone with whom you’re also in a legal battle.
“The recordings of my voice did not legally belong to me in the universe in perpetuity,” Kesha explained. “To then be delivering music to someone that you’re in litigation with … they’re in control of the promotion, of the budgets, all of it, the release, everything. For years. For 10 years. That was the only way I’d get out of the deal [with Kemosabe] was if I delivered the music.
“In my mind, it just felt like the biggest head-f— of all time,” the musician continued. “It still perplexes me, because it kind of makes no sense how the legal system could just watch this be happening and be like, ‘Yeah, that’s fine.’ It felt inhumane.”
Kesha made her independent debut over the summer with her latest album Period, which appropriately arrived on July 4, aka Independence Day.
Hyeonbin, Yeonwoo, Yoon, Siyun, and Jinhyuk
Image Credit: Kim MinSeok
YEONWOO
You trained for seven years at CUBE entertainment. Known as the team’s “all-rounder” for your performance and vocal skills, your hard work really shows. What did you learn from the experience as a trainee?
I think I naturally picked up not just dance and singing, but also other skills like speaking and languages. All of that has helped me, especially on stage, where every detail matters.
A debut showcase must have been an emotional moment for you.
It was the moment of reaping seven years of effort and taking a new leap forward, so the excitement was unforgettable. I’ve faced many nerve-wracking stages since, but that one felt like my heart was literally going to jump out of my chest (laughs).
The title track of NOWZs EP IGNITION, released this July, “EVERGLOW,” is about running toward the light even in darkness. How did your pre-debut experiences shape you?
As a trainee, you’re always in a position where growth is necessary. There were times of improvement, but also moments that I’d call failures. Looking back, I think I learned the most from those failures. That goes for skills, but also for relationships. You really can’t know anything without experiencing it, and every experience ends up being important.
As a member of NOWZ, what do you feel you do best?
I’d say keeping the group’s performance in sync. I tend to dive deeply into things, so I notice a lot of details. I also watch the stage as a whole and often suggest ways to make it look even better.
How would you define NOWZ’s current identity?
With “EVERGLOW,” we tried to convey the message that even painful moments eventually shine. We’ve all felt the struggles of growing up and the uncertainties about the future, so we could put genuine emotion into that. On stage, it feels like we’re showing our true selves. We often talk about NOWZ’s ‘color’ as a group, but it’s still something we’re discovering. What’s certain is that we want to share stories that resonate with people our age, offering empathy and comfort to those watching. Hearing that someone felt comforted through our performances is incredibly motivating.
You mentioned energy, but that you were also comforted by BTS’s music during your trainee years. Is there anything that’s inspired you recently?
I recently saw a video from Travis Scott’s concert where the fans jumped so energetically that it created vibrations like an earthquake. I started thinking about what it must feel like to be on a stage like that, and what it is that makes people go so wild with excitement.
Having spent years at CUBE’s office building, you must know it better than most. Can you share a little?
There’s nothing really secret, but the building has about 15 vocal rooms and 5 dance studios. Recently, NOWZ even got our own floor! Before debut, I used to be a little intimidated by the fourth floor — that’s where we were evaluated by the performance director every Friday. Now, I feel completely comfortable going there (laughs).
At this point, what do you enjoy the most?
Nothing compares to being on stage. I’ve been chasing the dream of standing on stage for so long, and it’s where I feel most alive. Moving and singing on stage brings me the greatest joy and makes me feel truly fulfilled.
NOWZ have performed covers of Stray Kids’ “Back Door” and “MANIAC”, as well as NCT U’s “Seventh Sense”. What do you focus on when doing cover stages?
For “MANIAC” at KCON LA, we wanted a song that could match the energy of the local audience, and that’s what we chose. Stray Kids are incredibly energetic, and performing on stage while feeling that energy made it one of the most memorable stages for me. Watching other artists’ performances always inspires me — seeing different music and styles makes me realize just how wide the world is.
Do you have something you do just for yourself?
I recently started enjoying biking. From our company in Seongsu-dong to the Jamsu Bridge, it’s a decent distance, but biking makes it quick. I love riding while listening to music. I also enjoy gaming, of course. And, honestly, the little happiness of lying in bed after everything and feeling the coolness of the blanket — that’s pure bliss.
What comes to mind first when you think of ‘Billboard’?
BTS! I’ve always admired them, and seeing their Billboard records made me imagine a bigger world. It also reminds me of my trainee days when the company told us to check the Billboard charts to understand global music trends.
As K-pop reaches audiences all over the world, what’s a dream you hope to achieve?
It’s always amazing to see people doing ‘dance challenges’ with our songs. One day, I’d love to hear someone singing our music casually while walking down the street. I’ve seen moments like that in BTS’s overseas vlogs, and while it may be routine for them, I can’t help but imagine how incredible it would feel for us to experience that too.
What does music mean to you right now?
Music feels like the ocean. I’ve explored some parts of it, but there’s still so much to discover. I’m curious about the things I haven’t experienced yet. I want to dive into broader genres and keep exploring the depths of music.
SIYUN
Your first EP IGNITION has been described as showcasing NOWZ’s new identity. Aside from the title track “EVERGLOW”, is there another track you’re particularly proud of?
Definitely “Problem Child”. The concept itself felt fresh and fun to me. I remember writing the lyrics excitedly while waiting in the car on set during the music video shoot.
You’ve been working closely with member JINHYUK, who’s also born in 2004. How do your studio sessions usually go?
Usually, late at night, I listen to the beat and think, “This could work — let’s try this together,” and I’ll take JINHYUK to the studio(laughs). Sometimes we try writing in our dorm first, then go back to the studio to record. Other times, we just head straight to the studio and start working. Since we’re both rappers, a lot of our work is collaborative.
And he follows along willingly?
Honestly, I need JINHYUK! I’ve learned so much from JINHYUK. I used to work really slowly — sometimes it took me a week just to write four bars. Thanks to him, I can put something together relatively quickly now.
What joy do you get from participating in the songwriting process yourself?
I know my pronunciation, tone, and flow better than anyone. So if I want to show my style at 100%, it’s better for me to be directly involved. Of course, there’s also the pride I feel when people like the songs I’ve worked on. That’s really rewarding.
Once you described yourself as “someone who can do anything.” Do you feel the same way now?
Absolutely. I feel like I’m constantly proving myself. When I first started as a trainee at 17, my dancing and singing were really clumsy. Looking back now, I can see how much I’ve grown — my speed in songwriting has improved, and my vocal parts have gotten stronger too. There have been many moments where I’ve realized, “OK, I can do this.”
What has motivated you to keep pushing yourself?
These days, so many people start training or debut at a very young age. Since I felt like I started a bit later, I think it pushed me to work even harder.
You’ve been active for a year and a half since debut. Do you see areas where you can have more fun or improve?
I’ve never once regretted choosing this path. Even the tough parts feel worthwhile because it’s a career that truly fits me. The best part, of course, is having our fans.
Are there performances by other artists that inspire or motivate you?
Watching NCT DREAM’s “We Go Up” performance is what made me dream of becoming a K-pop idol. After our debut, I saw their “Smoothie” stage on a music show, and it was truly overwhelming. That was the day I really thought, “Wow, this is the epitome of K-pop idol.”
Your cover of MARK’s “Fraktsiya (Feat. Lee Youngji)” with Jinhyuk hit 1 million views on YouTube. What do you focus on when performing a cover?
Rather than just copying the original, I focus on emphasizing the parts where we can showcase our own charm. For example, when preparing Stray Kids’ “MANIAC” for KCON LA, I tried adding elements that suited me better and worked with the members to refine the key choreography points. It’s all about making the performance feel like us.
If you return to LA, what would you like to enjoy more?
The U.S. is really the center of the music industry. While performing and doing interviews there were invaluable experiences, I’d love to go deeper into the culture — participating in a songwriting camp, taking dance classes at local studios, that kind of thing. I’m also studying English diligently.
As a Billboard K-pop rookie of the month, do you remember the first moment that you were aware of ‘Billboard’?
During my trainee years, I was told that checking the Billboard charts would help me study rap, so I started exploring them. Artists like Drake were often at the top back then, and I think that really helped me. Now, being on the Billboard chart as a K-pop artist has become one of my personal goals as well.
After a year and a half as a five-member team, is there a particular member whose charm you hope more people recognize?
A lot of my and JINHYUK’s work has been released, but HYEONBIN has also created some amazing tracks. And Yoon is probably the most variety-show-savvy member in our team — I hope people get to see that side of him too.
What does music mean to you right now?
Music is like food to me. Just as I can’t live without eating, music is something I absolutely need. And depending on which ingredients I use and how I technically cook them, the taste can vary greatly — that’s how I see creating music.
Trending on Billboard D’Angelo had already proven a transformative R&B figure as a 21-year-old with his 1995 debut LP Brown Sugar, scoring hits and winning awards and growing the movement that would ultimately be known as neo-soul. And when his sophomore album Voodoo arrived in 2000, it topped the Billboard 200 — helped by the […]
Trending on Billboard Ariana Grande is celebrating the release of her Positions (Vevo Official Live Performances) in honor of the fifth anniversary of the singer’s sixth studio album, 2020’s Positions. Tracks on the six-song EP use audio from Grande’s 2021 Vevo Official Live performance taping of the songs “POV,” “Positions,” “Safety Net” (feat. Ty Dolla […]
Trending on Billboard Beloved Hollywood fashion designer Bob Mackie is over the moon that Taylor Swift is repping one of his famously rhinestone-encrusted creations on the cover of her The Life of a Showgirl album. Speaking to E! News, Mackie, 85, said he was “kind of shocked” that the singer picked a real-life showgirl outfit […]
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Lily Allen will take her acclaimed West End Girl LP on tour in 2026 throughout the U.K. The shows will make for the British star’s first full tour in seven years.
Allen released West End Girl on Friday (Oct. 24) via BMG and the record shares intimate and explicit details on the breakdown of her marriage to Stranger Things star David Harbour; the pair were married in 2020 and separated earlier this year.
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The 40-year-old will play the album in full at a run of dates in March 2026, kicking off at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on March. 2. She’ll then play a run of shows that take her to Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, Nottingham, Cambridge, Bristol, Cardiff, wrapping up with two nights at the London Palladium on March 21.
The show – Lily Allen Performs West End Girl – will see the singer-songwriter perform her brand-new album in its entirety and in the order the songs appear on the record. Tickets for the shows go on sale at 10 a.m. (GMT) next Friday (Nov. 7).
West End Girl is Allen’s first album since 2018’s No Shame and her fifth overall. Allen’s debut solo single “Smile” from Alright, Still hit No. 1 on the U.K. charts in 2006, and she has two chart-topping LPs to her name: It’s Not Me, It’s You (2009) and Sheezus (2014).
The album details alleged infidelity by a partner, assumed to be Harbour. On the tracks “West End Girl” and “Nonmonogamummy,” Allen details a situation in which she felt pressured to enter into an open relationship, the terms of which were subsequently violated by her partner. On songs such as “Madeline” and “P—y Palace,” she also sings about alleged infidelity. The pair tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Las Vegas in 2020 after meeting on dating app Raya the year prior.
Speaking to Interview magazine, however, Allen says that some creative license has been used in her songwriting, disclosing that “some of it is based on truth and some of it is fantasy.” She also detailed the songwriting process and her feelings on the songs now that she is removed from the relationship. “At the time, I was really trying to process things, and that’s great in terms of the album, but I don’t feel confused or angry now. I don’t need revenge,” Allen said.
“I wrote this record in 10 days in December, and I feel very differently about the whole situation now,” she added. “We all go through breakups and it’s always f—ing brutal.”
Lily Allen U.K 2026 tour dates:
March 2: Glasgow, Scotland @ Glasgow Royal Concert Hal
March 3: Liverpool, England @ Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
March 5: Birmingham, England @ Birmingham Symphony Hall
March 7: Sheffield, England @ Sheffield City Hall
March 8: Newcastle, England @ Newcastle City Hall
March 10: Manchester, England @ Manchester Aviva Studios, The Hall
March 11: Manchester, England @ Manchester Aviva Studios, The Hall
March 14: Nottingham, England @ Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
March 15: Cambridge, England @ Cambridge Corn Exchange
March 17: Bristol, England @ Bristol Beacon
March 18: Cardiff, Wales @ Cardiff New Theatre
March 20: London, England @ London Palladium
March 21: London, England @ London Palladium
Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, click here.
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Reneé Rapp is officially heading to Australia for the first time, joining the Australian Open 2026 AO Live lineup on Jan. 31 at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena.
The singer-songwriter and actress will perform on Saturday night of the five-day concert series, which runs Jan. 28 to Feb. 1 during the final stretch of the Australian Open. Her set is scheduled to run from 2–7 p.m. AEDT, just before the AO Women’s Final kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at the same venue.
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Rapp’s upcoming performance will mark her debut on Australian soil, following a massive year that saw her second studio album, Bite Me debut at No. 1 on the U.K. albums chart and No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart, while her 2023 debut Snow Angel earned the largest first-week sales for a female artist’s debut album in the U.S. that year.
Before heading Down Under, Rapp will hit the road in early 2026 for a European swing that is slated to kick off on March 11 at Lotto Arena in Antwerp, Belgium and keep her on the road through a March 22 show at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.
In just over two years, Rapp has carved out a space as one of pop’s rising voices, earning both critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. She’s already taken her show to major U.S. festival stages, including Coachella, Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, and Boston Calling, and has made appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Today Show’s Summer Concert Series, and Late Night with Seth Meyers.
Before her music breakthrough, Rapp gained attention for her portrayal of Regina George in the Mean Girls Broadway musical in 2022 — a role she reprised in the 2024 film adaptation. The film’s soundtrack also featured Rapp and Olivia Rodrigo on the standout track “Not My Fault.”
Rapp joins this year’s AO Live lineup that also features an exclusive performance from The Kid LAROI and more. AO Pride Day on Jan. 30 will feature Australian favourites The Veronicas alongside Grammy-nominated duo SOFI TUKKER, while DJ and producer Peggy Gou will close out the event following the men’s final.
Each AO Live ticket includes full access to the arena concert as well as the Australian Open precinct. In addition to the headliner performances, the grounds will host acoustic sets in Garden Square and DJ-led parties on Grand Slam Oval. The event is presented by Tennis Australia and Untitled Group.
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For rising British pop star Artemas, Lovercore – the title of his new mixtape – encompasses entirely how he presents his music to the world. “I’m kind of coining my genre – if I have one – and deciding what the wave is with this mixtape,” he tells Billboard U.K.
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That genre, or vibe, is one of serious intensity, in-your-face production and the 26-year-old taking big swings with his emotional, impulsive lyricism. It’s informed by his love of The Weeknd (an all-time hero) but also a number of synth-pop and electronic icons; Lovercore shares the same bleak shades of Depeche Mode’s 1986 monster Black Celebration. “Superstar” and “Southbound” both reflect on intoxicating relationships, set to Nine Inch Nails-sized beats: “Choke me to the point where I can barely breathe, my love/ You’ve got me in the palm of your hands,” he sighs in the former.
“I don’t like writing about mundane or overly-sentimental stuff, all my lyrics are big and instinctive,” Artemas Diamandis says. “Like when you meet someone and you become f–king obsessed with them or when someone breaks up with you and you just f–king hate them. That’s what I like to sing about.”
Lovercore is the British musician’s first mixtape since his explosive breakout year. In late 2023, his self-released single “If You Think I’m Pretty” started rising up streaming charts, and March 2024’s follow-up “I Like the Way You Kiss Me” topped numerous charts in Europe, peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since racked up 1.4 billion streams on Spotify alone. He became a rare British breakout story in an otherwise slow year, and proved that strong creative convictions over following standard music industry checkmarks could pay dividends.
Artemas began self-releasing music in 2020 with material that bordered on softer indie-pop. By 2023, he’d grown disillusioned with the advice he was receiving from industry advisors and decided to be true to his own sound. “If You Think I’m Pretty” was worlds away from the approachability of his earliest singles, favouring distorted vocals and drums, and a menacing air of intrigue. “I Like the Way You Kiss Me” was even more enthralling and stuffed with hooks atop an electro beat. “You have to be a little bit fearless and OK with being judged,” he says of upending his sound and reaping the rewards.
The success of the songs and his two 2024 mixtapes Pretty and yustyana sent him on tour around the world, including packed shows at festivals such as Coachella. He’s met famous fans such as Finneas O’Connell, brother and producer of Billie Eilish (“that first album f–ked me up so bad,” Artemas says), and is collaborating with his heroes like Illangelo, producer of The Weeknd’s 2011 Trilogy collection – Artemas’ creative north star. “Illangelo reached out ages ago, but I’ve been too scared to do the session, because he’s like my favourite producer ever,” he laughs.
As he releases Lovercore and gears up for a fruitful new era of music and performances, he tells Billboard U.K. how staying true to his vision helped him build an army of fans – and create his strongest music yet.
There’s a Depeche Mode feel to this mixtape. Is that a fair comparison?
Yeah I think so. I grew up on ‘90s alt music like Nirvana and Radiohead. Then I put out “I Like the Way You Kiss Me” and I knew I was doing a fake shitty Robert Smith [The Cure] impression, but then I got all of these comments like, “This is like the new romantics in the ’80s.” My mum used to play a bit of Tears for Fears, but I never really properly dived into it, and then I got obsessed with Depeche Mode and all of this ’80s synth pop.
The main purpose of this record is to just get that s–t out of my system. Every time I’d sit down and write a song I’d just start playing synths. I’m obsessed with this stuff, but I just know there’s a whole other side to my artistry that I’ve been neglecting, so I’m gonna put this out and then we can move on a bit.
How’s 2025 been for you geberally?
It’s been good. I would say that I definitely felt myself getting quite tired being on the road. I didn’t realize that as soon as you have an audience, they just put you in a van and send you around the world, so I feel like I’ve had barely any time to make music but I’ve had a great 2025.
Coachella was a highlight – that was pretty wild. I had such a great time and the show was packed. I also got snubbed for Glastonbury — and I’m not being salty because I didn’t get chosen, if I had to pick I’d have genuinely chosen Coachella anyway! It feels a lot more on brand for me.
What have you learned about yourself as a performer through these shows?
I was so worried when I was told that I had to start performing. I’d traditionally been in a band set-up and it was all soft indie-pop and it was all very live. The stuff I’m singing now is actually really difficult to perform live, and I was worried it would sound bad. But I’ve got better at controlling the audience and being more confident with that.
Artemas
@eleonoramur
What felt different about making Lovercore compared to your previous work?
I handed this project in two months ago, which is a first for me. With “I Like the Way You Kiss Me,” I made it, posted it four days later, and a week later it was the most viral track on TikTok – and the most-listened to song in the world. From there, I’ve just put music out and been quite impulsive and instinctive when it comes to releasing, but this was the first time that I decided I was going to make songs and hand them in and let them breathe.
Did you enjoy that more traditional A&R process and release strategy?
The problem I was having before was that I was kind of spoiling the songs for myself. It’s nice to have the song and hold onto them for a bit longer. Your relationship to a song is naturally going to be different once other people hear it. I’ve enjoyed having these songs for longer – they mean a lot to me. Sometimes you put a song out that you’ve made a week ago, and it almost feels like a violation of your own privacy. Inevitably when you put them out, you do go off them a bit.
I can imagine that period of writing a song and it hitting straight away being a bit of a whirlwind…
It was extremely surreal. It kind of felt like a joke. [“I Like the Way You Kiss Me”] just wouldn’t stop rising. I think my brain got a bit fried by how quickly everything moved last year, and how suddenly I was an artist with a massive streaming audience. That came out of being obsessed with making songs and not really thinking about an audience. Lovercore is the first time I’ve made music with an audience waiting for it, and I’ve kind of been trying to go back to my old mindset and not caring and making a project for me.
That must be nice to have people respond, though, especially when you’ve been through the grind…
That side of it is so nice. I had three or four years of putting music out and no one listening to it – which is something that every artist has to go through – but it’s not a nice place. So I’m very grateful to have what I have going on. But you’re also not making stuff with that innocence, and where there’s no judgement and if it fails, f–k it, who cares?
Up to that moment it’s like everyone is just rooting for you. I never read a single negative comment in that whole time, and it was just a lot of positivity. But as soon as you have a song that people can’t escape off their feed, that’s when you start getting pushback, and that was a wild thing to deal with. It was surreal and scary as f–k, but also the best thing in the world. Like, everyone knows that song now, and I can be sure that at a festival set that I have a moment where the crowd is going crazy.
Did it change the way the industry was looking at you? You’d been releasing material for years but hadn’t made much progress.
I’d been listening to every piece of advice from people in the industry for years. I would sign these distribution deals and make these EPs and music videos. I was doing all this bollocks and it wasn’t working.
And then I had this epiphany/breakdown moment where I was like, ‘F–k it, no one in this industry knows what they’re talking about, this traditional s-–t doesn’t work’. So I just put out a song every single month and posted every single day on TikTok, and just started to make the s–t that I love.
I completely changed what I was releasing, too. The music that is now Artemas, these dark R&B songs, I was just making on the side for myself. I’d play them to friends and they’d say this s–t was way harder than what I was releasing. I started putting this stuff out and ignored everything the industry was saying that I had to do… and it pretty instantly started working.
Artemas
@nicolemasri
How does Lovercore fit into your long-term plans?
In the short-term it’s about putting this mixtape out, another one at the top of next year, another one in May and then put them together and inspired by The Weeknd’s Trilogy as my first official album-type release. Beyond that, it’s hard to say. It’s like a ouija board, I just let the world come back to me with messages; I don’t like being too prescriptive with long-term goals and plans.
And how are you dealing with the creative process alongside the increased attention?
Staying focused on all the right things can be difficult when you’re constantly traveling the world. There’s naturally a lot of other stuff that has come my way that I wasn’t having to think about before. Previously I wasn’t having to tour and manage an audience, I was just making music and thinking about what’s the next chapter and how to keep pushing myself there. Now, it’s about making sure the music-making process doesn’t get affected by all the other stuff.
I just want to make the most undeniable music that I can – I don’t think I have many more aspirations. I don’t feel like I’m part of a scene; I exist on my own. I don’t think my songs are obvious smashes, they just became them. I would never want to be writing songs with the intention of making a massive song, I want it to be a crossover from my own world.
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For all the meticulous planning that mothers and fathers do before the big day arrives, things have a tendency to go sideways while babies are being born. Just ask Justin Bieber, who earlier this week fessed up to kind of losing his cool in the delivery room when wife Hailey Bieber was giving birth to their son, Jack Blues Bieber, last August.
During one of his now-daily Twitch streams, Bieber described to some friends what it felt like when things got tense between him and the couple’s doula, a non-medical professional who is on hand to provide emotional and physical support during birth. In a grab of the chat from a fan, Bieber says, “I remember dealing with, like… there was tension with… ’cause we had a doula and then we had a nurse as well, and the nurse and the doula were really kind of butting heads.”
Adding to the tension, Bieber said, “then I was butting heads with the doula, and it was just like this… and I was hella emotional because it’s like, this is like one of the most important times of your life, and I remember just like, I think I was being really strong with the doula.” Bieber said his advocacy made wife Hailey feel anxious. “So she’s like, ‘you need to apologize to the doula,’” he said she told him. “Just clear the air.”
So, the “Sorry” singer said he apologized, explaining that his emotions were running high at that moment. “‘I don’t want you to take away from my moment either as the dad,’” he said he told the doula. “‘I got this too.’ There’s times when I need to console Hailey and I felt like she was pushing me to the side so that she could do [her job],” said the singer, who noted that he felt he had “good instincts too” as a first-time dad.
While baby Jack has seemingly not shown up to hang out in the playpen Bieber set up in the middle of the giant studio where he is streaming on Twitch, the singer has been busy since launching the feed last week. So far, he has played a lot of basketball with his crew, sung what sounded like the beginnings of a new song on Monday and, on Wednesday (Oct. 29), did an intense trainer-led group workout with his boys.
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Reneé Rapp’s North America trek has come to a premature end, on doctor’s orders.
After health problems forced her to delay shows in Atlanta (Oct. 26) and Tampa (Oct. 27), the pop singer and former Sex Lives of College Girls star has postponed a third consecutive show — the homecoming finale on this Bite Me Tour, originally scheduled for tonight, Oct. 29 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.
“As of right now,” she writes on Instagram Stories, “I still don’t have a voice. I’m recovering slowly,” she adds, “but still not in a place where I am able to perform safely” at her hometown show. “I am so sorry and heartbroken that I have to postpone”.
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The Charlotte show has been rescheduled for Nov. 7, and all original tickets will be valid for the new date.
As previously reported, the Tampa show is now set for Nov. 4 and the Atlanta stop has been nudged to Nov. 5.
“Again,” she continues, “I want to stress that I know the time and effort and preparation attending a show takes. I promise you it doesn’t go unnoticed or unseen. I’m taking this time to recover and then next week for these rescheduled shows I will give you the best version of me. The best version of this show that I love so much. The show you deserve to see.”
On the weekend, Rapp revealed she had never had to reschedule a concert — until now. “I’ve been pushing through an illness but my body has finally given out,” she wrote. “My doctors have told me that it isn’t safe to perform due to the need for vocal rest and physical recovery.”
After completing those North American dates, Rapp will cross the Atlantic in early 2026 for a European jaunt that’s booked to star March 11 at Lotto Arena in Antwerp, Belgium, followed by dates in the Netherlands, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom, where here sophomore collection Bite Me hit No. 1 in August, for her first leader.
