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Shawn Mendes has been at this half his life, but it wasn’t until he hunkered down in the studio post-COVID to work on his upcoming fifth studio album, Shawn (Nov. 15) that the 26-year-old singer said he really found his true self.
In a chat with old pal and mentor John Mayer for Interview magazine, Mayer suggested that Shawn “doesn’t sound like an artist trying to impress him or herself to their friend,” but instead one that finds its own way to the finish line in exactly the way the artist intended, even if, initially, it felt a bit, well, “boring.”
Mayer described what he imagined as Mendes listening back to the album opener — which he initially thought was boring — and layering on a few instruments, a couple more top harmonies and realizing, as Mendes noted, “‘This is exactly what I wanted.’” In fact, Mendes said after a few weeks of “pushing through this gunk” in the studio, he got to a place where things were “so beautiful and deep. I was like, ‘Wait, this is medicine.’”
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According to Mayer’s four-step rule for music: Is it good? Do I like It? Is it me? and Can I replicate it live and have a good time doing it?, his friend killed it this time around. “Dude, I never thought that the most stripped-back art I’ve made would return the most to me,” said Mendes. “It’s already given me more than any of my albums by so much, and I haven’t even shown anyone.”
He has shared the album with his folks though, and in the most important sign-off, his mom, who usually doesn’t really weigh in, listened to the single “Isn’t That Enough” and proudly told her son, “‘Oh you found yourself.’” Mendes agrees, adding that thanks to therapy and the experience of being “burned and frozen,” he’s not as extreme as he used to be, both in his relationships and in his professional life.
In general, Mendes told Mayer, he’s “a lot more secure” in who he is these days, adding, “it feels really nice to put something out that’s going to portray me that way.” And while he’s feeling more self-assured and centered, Mendes said he’s also still on the fence about how much he wants to be “in the conversation” all the time.
“It’s always on my mind, like, how are people going to react? I delete Instagram, because I’m like, “’I’m not going to read the comments and be like, have any celebrities commented on this photo?,’” he said. “And then I redownload it and I’m immediately looking again. I have a lot of acceptance and patience for my humanity, but at the same time, I really want to exist in a more authentic way.”
Mendes canceled his Wonder tour in 2022 to focus on his mental health. “Understanding how setting boundaries does not make you an unkind person has really changed my life,” Mendes said in early 2023 “And also understanding that it’s not easy to do. It’s a difficult thing to do. It feels uncomfortable. It makes other people feel a little uncomfortable for a moment, but ultimately it’s a very powerful and helpful thing to do for every relationship. So yeah, boundary-setting is not mean, it’s actually very important. It’s very kind, actually.”
Mayer notes at one point in the interview that not only is there that song called “Isn’t That Enough” but another track features the lyric “isn’t that enough,” leading him to wonder if Mendes has finally found that balance of too much versus just enough. “If you’re asking for enough success, it’s never going to be enough. But I think I’ve learned to have enough come from more places in my life,” Mendes said, with the additional caveat, “I think that’s an extremely important thing to pass to the next generation, is that this sacrifice for pouring all of yourself into your art is immense.”
Mendes will preview songs from Shawn a day before its official release during a one-night-only screening of the concert film Shawn Mendes: For Friends and Family Only (A Life Concert Film), which will hit screens across the country on Nov. 14. So far, Mendes has released the singles “Why Why Why,” “Isn’t That Enough” and “Nobody Knows.”
The American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special, which aired on Oct. 6 on CBS, achieved a major milestone, reaching over 12.9 million viewers.
The star-studded special, celebrating five decades of iconic performances and fan-favorite artists, ranked as CBS’s top entertainment program for the month of October, outperforming major sports events such as the MLB Playoffs and NASCAR.
Averaging 6 million viewers, the AMAs became the second most-watched entertainment program of the day, trailing only the NFL. Social engagement added another layer of success, with over 65 million views across social platforms, making it the most-streamed AMAs in the show’s history.
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It also saw a +54% year-over-year growth from the previous show in 2022, and marked the largest year-over-year growth for any music special or award show in 2024.
The broadcast was packed with performances from legendary names including Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Gloria Estefan, Green Day, and Gladys Knight.
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The show opened with a clip package from the first show, including Stevie Wonder playing “Superstition” and Gladys Knight & the Pips performing “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Both songs were No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 and remain top-tier classics. The show then cut to Knight performing the song live, with three female backup singers taking the place of Gladys’ beloved Pips.
Emerging talent also shared the stage, including Stray Kids and RAYE, adding a contemporary edge to a night that honored five decades of music.
One of the standout performances came from EGOT recipient Jennifer Hudson, who honored 22-time AMA winner Whitney Houston by recreating a medley Houston performed on the 1994 AMAs, a pairing of “I Loves You, Porgy” from Porgy & Bess and her own smash “I Will Always Love You” from The Bodyguard.
With its fan-voted format, the AMAs have long been a reflection of popular tastes, and the 50th Anniversary Special made it clear why the awards have remained relevant for half a century.
The American Music Awards will return in 2025, live from Las Vegas over Memorial Day Weekend, with an ambitious tribute to America’s veterans and a celebration of the year’s most popular artists.
Rihanna could not be happier to be the mother of two rambunctious young boys. After a video of her son RZA trying to climb out of his playpen went viral last month, the singer/entrepreneur talked to Access Hollywood about what she’s learned from her children with boyfriend rapper A$AP Rocky — they also share year-old […]
Less than 48 hours after RIIZE announced it would welcome back seventh member Seunghan after a controversial 10-month hiatus, the decision has been flipped in a shocking about-face.
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On Sunday (Oct. 13), two directors under Wizard Production — the management division under the K-pop label SM Entertainment that is in charge of RIIZE — shared the news that Seunghan will permanently leave the boy band. According to the letter from Kim Hyeong Guk and Lee Sang Min, the return news was to “give the artist and the fans greater joy” before, “we realized that our decision had actually hurt fans more and caused them greater confusion instead.”
While some fans celebrated the comeback, others protested the decision by surrounding SM Entertainment’s local headquarters in Seoul with funeral wreaths — an increasingly common but concerning move from K-pop fans looking to make a bold statement, which has also recently been employed by the likes of fans of BTS and NewJeans.
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“Seunghan has consistently expressed his desire to leave the group for the sake of the members and the fans,” Wizard Production added. “Out of respect for the artist’s decision, we are announcing Seunghan’s departure from RIIZE, instead of his joining the group.”
The announcement included a promise that “We will support Seunghan in the future so that he can showcase his talents and follow his dreams,” seemingly indicating he will remain signed under SM Entertainment. (At press time, Seunghan is still listed as a member of RIIZE on SM’s official website as he was during his hiatus.)
Seunghan followed up with a handwritten letter posted to RIIZE’s Weverse account, where he still has an active account as a group member, to explain his decision to leave.
“After pondering deeply whether I’ve been thinking only of myself too much, whether I’m causing too much harm to the members and the company, and whether it’s really okay for me to be part of RIIZE, who should be loved, I only felt worried and apologetic,” the 21-year-old wrote. “So I think that my leaving the group is the right path for everyone. I don’t want to cause any more hurt or confusion for the fans, and I don’t want to harm the members any further, and I also don’t want to hurt the company any further.”
Seunghan added that he didn’t want to cause tension or infighting between fans.
Previously, on Oct. 11, RIIZE’s social media accounts announced that Seunghan would “gradually” rejoin the act beginning in November, citing “numerous discussions with the staff and members about the direction of the group’s future activities.” He also greeted fans in a letter, writing, “The members held my hand once again. I am only filled with gratitude and apologetic feelings for giving me another chance.”
Curiously, RIIZE member Wonbin had directly addressed fans about Seunghan’s return just hours before the reversal was announced — until its removal.
Writing on Weverse, Wonbin seemed to sense trepidation from some fans. “I am worried that you guys would struggle more and be confused if the members don’t say a word or react to anything, so, I am writing this after organizing the conversations we’ve had with the members,” the 22-year-old wrote. “I’m sure many of you have wondered if Seunghan was coming back or not a lot, or why there wasn’t a clear answer sooner… us, Seunghan, and the company, really talked about this for a long period of time.”
As Seunghan mentioned in his first letter to fans after his announced return, Wonbin emphasized that the decision came from within RIIZE.
“I hope that you guys realize the members have thought about this together again and again, considering this deeply,” Wonbin wrote. “I had wanted always to make all of our BRIIZE happy, but I’m sorry I am unable to do that… I know this post will not be able to erase all of your worries, but I hope that it can comfort you in your confusion, even just a little bit.”
Wonbin’s post was deleted from RIIZE’s Weverse account after Seunghan’s exit was confirmed. See a screenshot of the removed post, and a translation, from a social media account dedicated to sharing RIIZE’s Weverse activities.
#WONBIN 🌟 WROTE A POST“RIIZE wouldn’t be here without BRIIZE. As I always say, I want to continue making good memories with BRIIZE for a long, long time. So please keep looking at us warmly, like you always have, and keep cheering for us, it would mean so much to us” pic.twitter.com/c61nGQbbNe— RIIZE WEVERSE (@riize_weverse) October 12, 2024
Seunghan’s controversies began before RIIZE’s official debut. Since August 2023, the young singer has dealt with the fallout of leaked pre-debut photos and videos of him that ignited backlash within some of South Korea’s more conservative social climates. Images showed Seunghan in bed with an unidentified woman and smoking a cigarette, which some fans labeled as inappropriate for a K-pop idol, demanding that he exit the group. Last November, SM Entertainment announced that Seunghan would “halt activities indefinitely” with no follow-up news from the label leading fans, media and industry insiders forced to speculate about RIIZE’s future.
Read RIIZE’s full statement below from Wizard Productions (with translation provided via Soompi):
Hello, this is Wizard Production.
First, we sincerely apologize for hurting BRIIZE [RIIZE’s fandom] and causing confusion through our announcement of Seunghan’s return on October 11.
We feel particularly apologetic for prioritizing Wizard Production’s position, instead of making our top priorities the growth achieved by the six RIIZE members while working their hardest; the support of BRIIZE, who have been RIIZE’s greatest source of strength during that journey; and the preciousness of the times that RIIZE and BRIIZE have spent together.
We made this decision after debating it for a long time because we thought that if Seunghan returned after reflecting on his past wrongdoings and RIIZE showed another level of growth as a group, we would be able to give the artist and the fans greater joy.
However, the announcement of his return, we ruminated carefully on each and every one of the opinions and responses sent in by fans, and we realized that our decision had actually hurt fans more and caused them greater confusion instead.
At the same time, Seunghan has consistently expressed his desire to leave the group for the sake of the members and the fans.
Out of respect for the artist’s decision, we are announcing Seunghan’s departure from RIIZE, instead of his joining the group.
We will support Seunghan in the future so that he can showcase his talents and follow his dreams.
Above all else, we also sincerely apologize for creating hardships and confusion for the six members who have, ever since their debut, always given their all while thinking of the fans and who made the RIIZE of today possible by thinking and working harder than anyone else in each and every moment.
We will continue to do our utmost to support the RIIZE members so that they can grow even further in the future as well.
Wizard Production will be careful and cautious in all matters in the future, and we will work hard so that RIIZE and BRIIZE can be happy together for a long time.
– Wizard Production directors Kim Hyeong Guk, Lee Sang Min
Read Seunghan’s full letter below (with translation provided via Soompi):
Hello, this is Seunghan.
I know that many people took the matter of my return to activities seriously, and I too am aware of the seriousness of the current situation.
After pondering deeply whether I’ve been thinking only of myself too much, whether I’m causing too much harm to the members and the company, and whether it’s really okay for me to be part of RIIZE, who should be loved, I only felt worried and apologetic.
So I think that my leaving the group is the right path for everyone.
I don’t want to cause any more hurt or confusion for the fans, and I don’t want to harm the members any further, and I also don’t want to hurt the company any further.
I’d like to thank the company and the members, who made efforts to give me another opportunity, and I’m also both sorry and thankful to the people who have cheered me on all this time despite my many shortcomings.
I truly do not want the relationship between RIIZE and BRIIZE, who were growing together while supporting one another, to be damaged because of me. It also breaks my heart to see the fans, for whom it should be more than enough to just love RIIZE, fighting with each other because of me.
I will sincerely cheer on RIIZE, whom I love, while hoping that they will receive more love in the future.
Ariana Grande hosted SNL for a second time and starred in seven sketches that made it to air Saturday night (Oct. 12) in an episode that seemed made for the skilled impressionist. Grande’s list of roles on SNL this weekend: an aggressive mother, Celine Dion, a bridesmaid wrecking a wedding with “Espresso,” a tween, one […]
JENNIE‘s “Mantra” tops this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Oct. 11) on Billboard, choosing the BLACKPINK singer’s new solo single as their favorite new music release of the past week. Despite going up against several hot new releases, JENNIE’s song won the vote by a landslide, coming in […]
Ariana Grande brought her spot-on celebrity impressions to Saturday Night Live.
The Wicked star returned to the long-running NBC sketch comedy show as host on Oct. 12, where she reprised some of her hilarious pop star impressions during the opening monologue. Donning a beautiful pink gown, the 31-year-old superstar opened the episode by making it crystal clear that she was just hosting and not serving as the evening’s musical guest.
“I’m not going to make this about me,” Grande told the Studio 8H audience. “I’m just going to have fun, take it easy and keep it low key.”
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Moments later, she was subtly handed a microphone and began to break out into song, which included her favorite musical notes “C, D, B, A or G” and, of course, the opening line of Britney Spears‘ 1998 smash hit “…Baby One More Time.” She then belted out more impressive (and hilarious) impersonations of Miley Cyrus and Gwen Stefani.
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Grande’s song shifted to a more Broadway-style performance where she bumped into SNL cast member Bowen Yang, who was dressed as her Wicked character Glinda. “Bowen, didn’t anyone tell you? We cut the Wicked sketch!” she said to a disappointed Yang.
The “We Can’t Be Friends” singer once again confirmed that she wouldn’t be performing any of her music on the show. “I’m not going to do a duet tonight, so please don’t bring out Stevie Nicks,” she sang, referencing the night’s musical guest. “Worth a shot!”
Grande will appear in the upcoming live action adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked, in which she’ll play Glinda opposite Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba. Yang will play the role of Pfannee in the Jon M. Chu-directed film. The movie hits theaters on Nov. 22.
This weekend’s stint marked Grande’s second time helming SNL, following her hosting debut in 2016. After the release of her Billboard 200-topping album Eternal Sunshine earlier this year, the Grammy winner served as musical guest on a Josh Brolin-hosted episode of the show in March, and participated in a couple sketches, including a Moulin Rouge parody with Yang.
The next SNL episode on Oct. 19 will be hosted by Michael Keaton with returning musical guest Billie Eilish.
Watch Grande’s SNL monologue below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.
Paris Hilton is taking fans on a journey through her ADHD condition in a visually stunning new music video.
In alignment with ADHD Awareness Month, the pioneering influencer shared her beautifully shot video for the song “ADHD” on Saturday (Oct. 12). The powerful ballad about was written by Hilton, along with Sia and Jesse Shatkin.
“Step into my world—where chaos becomes clarity. My new music video #ADHD takes you on a journey through the fragility and strength that make me, me,” Paris wrote on Instagram alongside visuals from the “ADHD” video. “Experience the beauty in the whirlwind.”
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The Brian Ziff-directed video finds Hilton opening about her vulnerabilities with the condition in a colorful, neon-filled world that touches on her early 2000s life in the paparazzi spotlight alongside fellow stars like Britney Spears. Despite the challenges of living with ADHD, she ultimately found a way to use it as her superpower.
“Now look at me, I’m the best I can be/ I was so down, thought I’d never be free/ My superpower was right inside, see/ It was ADHD,” she sings .
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In early October, the reality TV star got candid about her ADHD diagnosis in a personal essay for Teen Vogue.
“At first, being diagnosed felt like a label — something that boxed me in, defining me by what I couldn’t do, by what made me different,” Paris wrote. “It’s something I used to keep hidden, worried about how it might be perceived. Would people think I was too scattered, too unfocused, or incapable of success? But those challenges are just one side of the coin. The other side reveals something beautiful: creativity, passion, resilience and a mind that thinks in bold, unexpected ways.”
Eighteen years after releasing her debut self-titled studio album, Hilton returned to Billboard’s album charts with her follow-up project, Infinite Icon. Her new album debuted at No. 38 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in late September. The new set features A-list collaborations with Megan Thee Stallion, Rina Sawayama, Meghan Trainor and Sia.
For Infinite Icon, Paris recruited a team of top-level producers and songwriters to pull the project together. Shatkin is credited as a producer on all 12 of the album’s tracks. He’s previously worked with Sia, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus and Ellie Goulding, among others.
Hilton’s debut, Paris, reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200 in September 2006, and included “Stars Are Blind,” her first single that climbed to No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart a month prior.
Watch her new “ADHD” music video below.
Charli XCX‘s Brat multiverse expands again today (Oct. 11) with the release of its remixed edition. Given that Brat is sonically and spiritually a club record, the remixed version is an apt and perhaps predictable compendium. But that’s not to say the project — officially and very Bratily titled Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat — simply just pushes Brat further into the sweaty dancefloors of Ibiza and New York and London and L.A.
Nah. While plenty of Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat remains as danceable, if not sometimes more so, than the original, the remit clearly wasn’t to toss out a bunch of tech house edits and call it a day, but to genuinely rework each track on all levels. The project is as much about offering new sounds and arrangements as it is about expanding and deepening the themes of each song through new lyrics from Charli and her collection of collaborators.
In that sense, Charli’s mournful Sophie tribute “So I” transforms into a vastly more celebratory but still deeply nostalgic recollection of the good times the pair shared together. In its more meta moments, the remixes consider how Charli’s life has changed following the success of Brat, with the edits on “Von Dutch,” “Rewind” and others including lyrics about fans who say they like you but then seem to hate you, uncomfortable experiences with journalists and suddenly having a lot more money and a lot more to cross off the to-do list. And while the nonstop element was based around relentless partying, here it’s more about going from the show to the photo shoot to the plane to the hotel room in perpetuity because Charli’s career is going so well.
As on Brat, the artist’s honesty and lyrical specificity are one of the most interesting parts of the project, offering windows into her existence (hungover in a Tokyo hotel room, watching a woman on a Lime scooter vomit in London) and the wild swirl it’s become during Brat summer.
Unsurprisingly, following the album’s creative and commercial triumph, a lot of big names are involved in the remixes (with there presumably also somewhere existing a list of artists who would’ve liked to be on it but didn’t get the invite). The assembled crew includes people in Charli’s immediate orbit — The 1975‘s Matty Healy, who’s the bandmate of Charli’s fiancé George Daniel, the 1975 collaborator The Japanese House, Charli’s current tour mates Troye Sivan and Shygirl — along with further afield collaborators who were arguably lured not by the freewheeling creative opportunities of the project (see the stunning contribution by Midwestern polymath Bon Iver), but also by the chance to step into Charli’s level of honesty.
To that end, Ariana Grande’s appearance on “Sympathy Is a Knife” finds her telling it like it is (for her) with a forthrightness that’s refreshing and genuinely interesting. That same invite was, of course, previously extended to and accepted by Lorde, who, by working it out on the remix, helped show the potential for this project — potential it achieves with a success that’s by now predictable for anything Brat related, but which here also feels totally fresh and often even revelatory.
Here’s a ranked of the 16 remixes on Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat.
“365 featuring shygirl”
On this week’s (Oct. 11) episode of the Greatest Pop Stars of the 21st Century podcast, we finish off the bottom 15 of our list with a pop icon so legendary you can identify him by one letter — and then a quick look back at those Nos. 25-11 artists, with help from a special […]