Pop

26 Jun 2024

Demi Lovato Celebrates Pride Month With a Little Help From Chappell Roan

As we enter the last full week of Pride Month, pop singer Demi Lovato is making sure to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with a little help from Chappell Roan.

In a video posted to their TikTok on Tuesday (June 25), Lovato shared footage from an intimate Pride-themed pool party they attended — or, as they called it in the caption, “just a cute little pride party.” The “Heart Attack” singer showed herself and her friends jumping around on a poolside trampoline, snacking on rainbow-colored treats and lounging by the pool. The song they chose to score their video was none other than Roan’s breakout summer hit “Good Luck, Babe!”

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

Fans immediately flooded the comments, urging Lovato to work with rising star Roan in the future. “OH MY GODDDDDDD ANYONE WHO KNOWS ME KNOWS I AM ON THE FLOOOOOOR YOU AND CHAPPELL ROAN ARE MY ICONS,” one excited fan wrote under the video.

Trending on Billboard

Roan’s song has taken off since its release back in April. On the chart dated June 29, “Good Luck, Babe!” sits at No. 16, a career-high for Roan and her first top 20 single on the chart. Over on the Global 200, the song reaches No. 20 this week, while the track hits No. 19 on the Pop Airplay charts.

Lovato, meanwhile, recently appeared on rock icon Slash’s cover of The Temptations’ hit song “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” as part of the Guns n’ Roses guitarist’s covers album Orgy of the Damned. It’s not the first time the pair have worked together — Slash appeared on Lovato’s rocked-out reimagining of her hit single “Sorry Not Sorry” back in 2023, providing a shredding guitar solo on the song’s bridge.

Check out Lovato’s TikTok featuring Chappell Roan’s “Good Luck, Babe!” below:

26 Jun 2024

Finding Nemo: Behind the Eurovision Star’s Rise

With their groundbreaking anthem to gender nonconformity “The Code,” Swiss pop artist Nemo transformed from a lesser-known European artist to a bona fide global star in a matter of weeks. 

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

That’s in no small part thanks to their participation in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, which they won on May 11, 2024. “I remember being on that sofa, hearing the jury votes and just being in a state of complete confusion,” they tell Billboard. “It was incredible. And it was really meaningful because I feel like this kind of [opportunity] doesn’t really happen for Switzerland that often. We have such a great scene and so many amazing artists, so I’m really happy that this puts a spotlight on Swiss music.”

Nemo is eager to share that spotlight with the nonbinary community, both in Switzerland and across the world. “It can be hard to stay hopeful when bad things keep happening to our community over and over again,” they say. “But this helps me feel like there are finally things to be hopeful about.” 

Trending on Billboard



FOUNDATION

Nemo’s career started from a place of sheer curiosity. At age nine, the singer found a flyer in their hometown advertising open auditions for a youth opera and joined. After one performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, they came to a realization: “I love being on a stage.” Nemo went on to perform in a number of operas and even landed a role in a musical in Zurich, all of which helped hone their vocal skills and educate them on writing lyrics. In 2015, they self-released Clownfisch, an EP of songs written in Swiss German. But soon after its release, Nemo realized that writing and performing songs in their native dialect could only get them so far. “Swiss German is great, but it is also a tiny language,” they say. “If I wanted to open my playing field and collaborate with more people, I needed to start writing in English.”

DISCOVERY

After a decade spent jumping between boutique indie labels, Nemo decided to submit a song to Eurovision 2024 — but knew they needed someone “to direct that water.” They reached out to multiple major labels and found what they were looking for at Universal Music Group. Soon after, Nemo submitted an original song, “The Code,” which fittingly interpolates The Magic Flute. The frenetic, operatic track won Eurovision’s top prize by 44 points over the favorite to win, Croatia’s Baby Lasagna. In taking home the trophy, Nemo became the first nonbinary performer to win Eurovision — and has since watched “The Code” become their first charting hit, climbing to Nos. 21 and 52 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and Billboard Global 200 charts, respectively. “Jumping into the cold water that is Eurovision meant learning how to swim while everyone was watching,” they say.

FUTURE

With so much momentum, Nemo is resolute in making the most of their moment. Following the “very time-consuming” process of curating their Eurovision performance, Nemo has now been spending a significant amount of time in the studio. “The last couple of days, I’ve worked with some amazing writers and producers, and we have so many songs that I want to share,” they say, beaming. “A lot of exciting things are finally happening.”

A version of this article originally appeared in the June 22, 2024, issue of Billboard.

26 Jun 2024

LISA of BLACKPINK Is a Cyberpunk Queen in New ‘Rockstar’ Teaser: Watch

Move over Prince, Bowie and Jagger — there’s a new rock star in town. LISA has shared her most in-depth teaser yet for her upcoming solo single “Rockstar,” featuring the BLACKPINK star looking like a cyberpunk queen as she dances, models edgy outfits and lurks fiercely in dark city streets.

Posted Tuesday night (June 25), the video shows several clips flashing in and out as a snippet of LISA’s percussive, synthy single plays. “Baby, I’m a rock star,” she asserts on the track as she performs choreography with a swarm of dancers dressed in white and flashes a star-shaped decal on her teeth.

At one point, the Thai rapper looks like edgy as she models a star crop top and leather jacket, catwalking past cars and neon signs. At the end, she mimes strumming an electric guitar in a shimmering silver top-and-pants combo.

Trending on Billboard

The teaser follows weeks of LISA teasing the arrival of “Rockstar,” which will mark her first proper solo release since 2021’s dual singles “Lalisa” and “Money.” At the beginning of June, she launched her TikTok account to start posting seconds-long clips of the new single; according to a recent release from her team, she set a Guinness World Record by gaining a million followers in just two hours and 18 minutes after her first post. 

Last week, LISA finally told fans when the track will drop: Thursday (June 27). She also shared the “Rockstar” cover art, which features her with a shaggy haircut and huge hoop earrings, and modeling a pair of biker glasses.

The song will also mark the artist’s first release since signing with RCA Records in anticipation of her upcoming solo era, inking a deal in partnership with her own LLOUD company that will allow her to retain ownership of her master recordings. “I’m super excited to be joining the RCA family, and I am confident they are the best team to create a bigger movement in my solo career,” she said in a statement in April. “Looking forward to showing the world everything we have been preparing.”

Watch LISA’s new “Rockstar” teaser above.

26 Jun 2024

Tayla Parx’s Tractor Era: How Moving Back to the South Inspired Her New Album

Grammy award-nominated singer-songwriter Tayla Parx has always been country. Hailing from Dallas, the 30-year-old multihyphenate became just the fourth Black woman in history to write a Country Airplay No. 1 with Dan + Shay’s “Glad You Exist” (2021), and a few months ago, Parx moved to Nashville.

There, she has been developing a sustainable ranch while prepping her forthcoming third album, Many Moons, Many Suns (out on her TaylaMade Records), which explores the unexpected end of her engagement and combines country, rock, house, soul and contemporary pop. “I’m buying goats, sheep and cows,” she says of her new home. “I’m already excited about the songs that I’ll create just being here.”

Below, Parx previews her new album and reflects on queer pop stardom. 

Trending on Billboard

What’s the first thing you did when you woke up today? 

The first thing I did when I woke up today was load a tractor. I got a tractor to live in and my friend just dropped it off. I’ve been working on my little ranch. 

What drew you to Nashville?

I started to come down here last year, but maybe three or four months ago, I officially was [here] full time. I’m still in Los Angeles once or twice a week, but this is my home. 

What was a key moment on the journey to your new album?

Being able to take four years, I finally was like, “I feel new again.” [We] go through these feelings of breaking down and building up and breaking down your new version of yourself … I’m in that moment now. [That’s] when it’s the right time for me to create, or finish, the album.

Last year you co-wrote on Troye Sivan’s “Got Me Started” and Janelle Monáe’s “Water Slide.” Did you carry any inspiration from those sessions into your own?  

We have a problem in the songwriting world where you’ll see a queer artist and they have only straight writers on the project, and that’s a bit weird. Or we see a woman artist and they only have straight men as writers, and that’s also a bit weird. I’m not saying we can’t have that perspective, because I’ve written for a lot of different people and I haven’t experienced their version of life. However, it’s always important to have at least somebody be a part of the project that can see you in a very different way — and maybe that’s because they’re queer. So I’ve been choosing to write with a lot of artists [with whom] I can write from that perspective. I’ve been a lot more selective these days.

“Era” has heavy ballroom energy, as does “10s.” How did examining your relationship affect your influences while recording?

We have that ballroom energy, New Orleans energy, all the things that I’ve experienced in my life that are such a huge part of queer culture. With “10s,” I played a lot with pulling from my community, the different sounds that inspire us and make us move. I really wanted to go to the extreme. A lot of the music that is the most groundbreaking is ballroom. We’ve been forced to be out of the boundary, or seen as that, for so long that it was like, “F–k it. Well, I might as well be the best version of me — and do me to the max.”

When you were coming up, who were the songwriters that made you feel most seen? 

I feel like I’m just now having an opportunity in the past few years to have artists that actually make me feel seen. Around 2015, I was listening to Marika Hackman’s “Boyfriend,” and it’s a queer song and I had never heard something lyrically like [that.] That’s not to say that there [aren’t] any queer artists that have been out there being very forward, I’m just saying what spoke to me. Being born in ‘93 and a teenager in the 2000s, it’s a very different thing. 

If you had to pick three essential tracks from the new record, what would they be? 

I would say, “Standing Up to the Wind,” “Gentlewoman” and “I Don’t Talk About Texas.” 

Beyond the album, what are your plans for the rest of the year? 

We are getting back on the road. I’m super excited because it’s been a minute since I’ve been on the road. I went from consistently touring to taking a break and really allowing the music to come. We got some crazy sustainable and biodegradable merch coming, which is really cool. And more behind the scenes of the process — I’m making sure that everything within the TaylaMade world reflects [my] values.

A version of this story originally appeared in the June 22, 2024, issue of Billboard.

26 Jun 2024

Justin Timberlake Returns to Social Media After Arrest to Shout Out the Knicks

Justin Timberlake is back to business as usual. Nine days after he was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, the 43-year-old pop star returned to social media Tuesday (June 25) with an Instagram video showing off his new Knicks-inspired merch ahead of his shows in New York City, the first of which Jessica Biel attended to show her husband support. 

In the clip, Timberlake stands in the middle of Madison Square Garden before his two back-to-back Forget Tomorrow World Tour performances at the venue. Holding up a blue T-shirt with orange lettering, he proudly says, “This is so important right now.”  

Trending on Billboard

“Let’s go, got y’all’s Knicks colors,” he continues before singing: “We had to do it! Bing bong!” 

Though the *NSYNC alum’s comments are currently limited on the platform, Timberlake did receive some support underneath the video. “???? NEEED THAT ONE!!” wrote Travis Kelce, who’s a documented JT stan. 

Later that night, the singer took the MSG stage for what would be his third performance back after his arrest. Fan cameras captured Biel enjoying the show from the floor among hundreds of fans, dancing along to the music and appearing to hold her 4-year-old son Phineas, whom she shares with Timberlake, along with 9-year-old Silas. 

Prior to his New York show, Timberlake performed two nights in Chicago on June 21 and 22. At the first, he broke his silence on his brush with the law by telling the crowd, “It’s been a tough week.”  

“I know I’m hard to love sometimes but you keep loving me right back,” he added at the time. “We’ve been together through ups and downs and lefts and rights … but you’re here and I’m here, and nothing can change this moment right now.” 

The heartfelt moment came four days after Timberlake was arrested on DWI charges in Sag Harbor, N.Y., after being pulled over after leaving a restaurant. Local police recently confirmed via statement that the “SexyBack” singer was also cited for running a stop sign and not staying in his lane. 

“[We] look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Timberlake against these allegations,” Timberlake’s lawyer, Ed Burke, said in a statement last week. “He will have a lot to say at the appropriate time. He is currently awaiting full discovery from the DA’s office.” 

Watch clips of Biel enjoying her husband’s show below. 

26 Jun 2024

Travis Kelce Says Prince William Was ‘So Cool’ at Taylor Swift’s Concert, Calls Princess Charlotte a ‘Superstar’

Travis Kelce is officially a fan of the royals. After meeting Prince William and his kids at Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour show in London over the weekend, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end gushed about the experience with his brother Jason on New Heights and said that the heir to the British throne was “very genuine” throughout. 

“Dude, he was the coolest motherf—-r,” Travis began on the episode posted Wednesday (June 26), filmed over proper English tea with both brothers still in the U.K. following Swift’s shows. “He was so cool. They were an absolute delight to meet. Wasn’t sure if I was supposed to bow to them, curtsy, just be an American idiot and shake their hand … We wanted to be polite, especially on this side of the park.” 

Trending on Billboard

“Prince William was fantastic, but the highlight was Princess Charlotte,” Jason, who attended the show with Kylie Kelce, chimed in. “She was so f–king adorable. She had fire to her. She was asking questions.” 

“She was a superstar,” Travis agreed. “She was awesome. I love it when parents ask their kids to be present, be vocal — such a good parent move. Let them feel comfortable talking to people. If anyone’s doing it right, Prince William’s doing it right.” 

The episode comes five days after Prince William, Princess Charlotte and Prince George attended the “Anti-Hero” singer’s opening night at Wembley Stadium. The night also happened to be the Duke of Cambridge’s 42nd birthday, which Swift commemorated by posting a backstage selfie with Travis and the royal family on Instagram.  

“Happy Bday M8!” she captioned the snap. “London shows are off to a splendid start.” 

Aside from meeting the royals, Jason also shared his favorite moments of Swift’s three-hour showcase, starting with the pop star giving her “22” costume hat to a young fan in the audience. “I’ve never cried at a f–king concert, and I was literally tearing up watching this little girl’s entire — I’m about to tear up right now,” the retired Eagles center said. “It was f—ing so special.”  

Jason also raved about Swift’s surprise song section, during which she performed mashups of “Hits Different,” “Death by a Thousand Cuts” and “The Black Dog” and “Come Back…Be Here” and “Maroon.” 

“That was my favorite part,” said the elder Kelce. “It’s just her, a guitar and 90,000 people. To be good in front of 90,000 people with just that, I think you have to be amazing … It feels like you’re in a bar just listening to somebody play on a piano.” 

Watch Jason and Travis gush about Swift’s London Eras show on New Heights above. 

25 Jun 2024

Paul McCartney! Tom Cruise! Prince William! Taylor Swift’s London Eras Tour Stop Dominates the News Cycle

Did you know Taylor Swift played three shows in London over the weekend?

Chances are good that you did, because you likely heard about one of her A-list audience members (Paul McCartney, Tom Cruise and Hugh Grant, to name a few); her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s onstage Eras Tour debut (in a tuxedo and top hat, no less); her surprise-song collaborators (Paramore’s Hayley Williams and Gracie Abrams); or her royal backstage selfie with Prince William (and two of his three kids).

On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are talking about Swift’s buzzy trio of Eras Tour shows — and how she still has five more Wembley Stadium concerts coming in August.

Trending on Billboard

Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Sabrina Carpenter captures her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart as “Please, Please, Please” rises 2-1 in its second week on the chart. Plus, how Swift continues to dominate the Billboard 200 albums chart with The Tortured Poets Department for a ninth straight week; will anything stop Taylor’s run at No. 1?

The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)

25 Jun 2024

From Disney Darling to Trendsetter, Here’s Sabrina Carpenter’s Style Evolution

Sabrina Carpenter is not only one of today’s biggest pop stars, but she’s also quickly turning into a style icon — with her colorful outfits and chic makeup looks having fans compare her to a real-life Polly Pocket or Bratz Doll.

Most recently, Carpenter made her runway debut at the Vogue World 2024: Paris on June 23. Dressed in a red-and-white striped bathing suit with a matching kerchief and sarong by Jacquemus, paired with bright red shoes, the singer gave off perfect, “Espresso”-style beachy vibes as men on either side of her waved billowing blue fabric to mimic ocean waves around her.

The superstar is fresh off her first-ever Hot 100 No. 1 hit as “Please Please Please” tops the tally dated June 29, a week after it debuted at No. 2. The track, along with “Espresso,” which sits at No. 4 on the Hot 100 a week after reaching No. 3, introduces Carpenter’s album Short n’ Sweet, due Aug. 23.

To celebrate, we’ve put together a gallery of Carpenter’s style evolution, from her Disney days to modern times. Check out the photos below.

25 Jun 2024

Lil Nas X Says Upcoming Single Is the ‘Best Song of All Time’: ‘I’m Coming Around to Myself Again’

Lil Nas X is starting to feel better about his creative process, and the 25-year-old star shared his feelings of positivity in a new Instagram post promoting his upcoming single “Here We Go!,” which arrives on Friday (June 28).

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

“so excited to release the best song of all time this friday! also sorry I’ve been so scared with my art lately. I’m coming around to myself again. I will make you guys very proud,” he wrote alongside the single’s cover art, which features a detective’s badge with Lil Nas X’s photo inside. See the post here.

Nas’ “He Knows” collaborator, Camila Cabello, shared support for her pal in the comments, writing, “nature has seasons and so do we. there is no spring without winter. it’s your time to bloom baby!!!”

Trending on Billboard

“Here We Go!,” which samples Axel F’s 2005 hit, “Crazy Frog,” will serve as an original song for the Eddie Murphy-led film Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, which arrives on Netflix July 3. The news comes a few weeks after the streaming platform unveiled the trailer for Axel F, which is directed by Mark Molloy and serves as the fourth installment in the Beverly Hills Cop franchise. Murphy first played the titular Detroit detective Alex Foley in 1984, and last filled his shoes in 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III.

“Here We Go!” will mark the Lil Nas’ first solo release since “Where Do We Go Now?,” which appeared in his 2023 documentary Long Live Montero. He also recently teamed up with Camila Cabello on the single “He Knows,” which followed his duet “Tennessee” with Kevin Abstract.

25 Jun 2024

Katy Perry Reveals ‘Woman’s World’ Lyrics on Dress Train in Paris

Throughout her career, Katy Perry has never shied away from a big fashion moment, and the superstar is celebrating her upcoming single with a stunning red dress in Paris.

Explore

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

See latest videos, charts and news

In a clip circulating social media, the pop star is seen coming out of a limousine to head into Paris’ Vendôme for Fashion Week. Her one-shoulder dress featured an incredibly long train that featured the lyrics to her comeback single, “Woman’s World.”

“She’s a winner, champion/ Superhuman, number one/ She’s a sister, she’s mother,” the lyrics read. “Open your eyes, just look around and you’ll discover/ You know/ It’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be living in it.”

Perry recently revealed that the first single from her upcoming sixth album, “Woman’s World,” will drop on July 11.

Trending on Billboard

At press time, no additional information was available on the title of Perry’s sixth full-length studio album, the follow-up to 2020’s Smile. Perry began ramping up excitement for her next era last month when, after finishing her seven-year run on American Idol, she changed her social media profile pic to a sleek, futuristic silver logo with her shiny initials floating inside a pair of parentheses.

Last August, during a show on her Las Vegas residency, Perry told the crowd, “If you can’t love me at my Witness and Smile era, then you can’t love me in my KP6 era.”