Pop
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Michael J. Fox has been added to the list of celebrity Swifties. The Back to the Future star sat down with People recently, where he named Taylor Swift as someone who will have an even greater impact in the next 50 years. “I think she’s going to be a really important person. I think she […]
JoJo Siwa‘s edgy new era might be all about charting a new path forward, but her “Karma” is bringing along some key players from her past. In a conversation with Billboard News, renowned choreographer Richy Jackson details how his approach to choreography has evolved since he first worked with the pop star more than a decade ago.
“I met JoJo on a show I was judging called Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition,” he recounts. “I think she was nine years old. Later on in her career, she was with Nickelodeon, she began doing Dance Moms with Abby Lee [Miller] and she started doing music on YouTube. I hadn’t seen her since that competition show, and I happened to run into her and her mom at Studio City, and her mom was like, ‘Would you ever wanna choreograph for JoJo?’ And I’m like, ‘Yes!’”
Siwa placed fifth on season two of Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, and appeared on seasons five and six of Dance Moms from 2015 to 2016. In 2017, the multi-hyphenate signed with Nickelodeon, under whom she acted in various programs, released several children’s songs and starred in her own feature film, The J Team, which earned her a pair of Children’s and Family Emmy nods. On the Kid Albums chart, Siwa has logged three entries, reaching as high as No. 12 with 2019’s Celebrate.
“She was 13 then. Chroeographing for her then … she was very young, the songs were for kids, it was with Nickelodeon,” explains Jackson. “There [were] certain dance moves I could do and not do, certain hip moves couldn’t make it into the choreography because it was for kids. But now, that she’s in her ‘adult pop star’ era that we’re about to get into — now, it’s like the game is open. We’ve been laughing, ’cause I’m like, ‘Ah, now we can do this move and do that move!” It’s more risque, so I’m excited. She’s just one of those artist that I feel is the next generation’s big pop star, and she just goes for it, and I love that about her.”
Jackson, of course, is no stranger to helping pop stars express their risque side through dance. His credits include the bulk of Lady Gaga‘s acclaimed videography — including 2009’s VMAs-sweeping “Bad Romance” and 2017’s headlining sets at Coachella and the Super Bowl Halftime Show — as well as Katy Perry‘s “California Gurls” and, now, Siwa’s “Karma.”
Siwa launched “Karma” with a flashy, choreogrpahy-packed music video on April 5, with the intent to achieve a rebrand similar to that of Miley Cyrus during her controversial Bangerz era back in 2013. “The last song JoJo played for me was ‘D.R.E.A.M.,’” says Jackson. “It was very young, very kiddie. Once I heard [“Karma”] I was like, ‘Yes!’ It was so unexpected … to hear this vibe on her, I loved it.”
In his chat with Billboard News, Jackson also reflects on his experience bringing Gaga’s iconic dance moves to the gaming landscape via an A.I.-utilizing Fortnite collaboration, recalls learning that he would be choreographing the Super Bowl Halftime Show and discusses the impact of TikTok on the contemporary dance scene.
Watch Richy Jackson’s full Billboard News interview above.
A cryptic mural teasing Taylor Swift‘s fast-approaching new album The Tortured Poets Department has appeared in Chicago, complete with an enormous QR code that leads fans to an error message on the pop star’s YouTube channel. A group of painters was still working on the mural as of Monday (April 15), brushing the black-and-white piece […]
Three years after he blew Fab Four fans’ minds with his The Beatles: Get Back series, director Peter Jackson is dipping back into his Beatle bag on May 8 with the re-release of Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s legendary 1970 documentary Let It Be.
The film chronicling the final days of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr will be available for the first time in more than 50 years when it airs exclusively on Disney+ on May 8.
According to a release, the film recorded during the midst of the group’s breakup “now takes its rightful place in the band’s history. Once viewed through a darker lens, the film is now brought to light through its restoration and in the context of revelations brought forth” in Jackson’s Emmy-winning 2021 docuseries.
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“Let It Be was ready to go in October/November 1969, but it didn’t come out until April 1970. One month before its release, The Beatles officially broke up. And so the people went to see Let It Be with sadness in their hearts, thinking, ‘I’ll never see The Beatles together again. I will never have that joy again,’” director Lindsay-Hogg said in a statement. “And it very much darkened the perception of the film. But, in fact, how often do you get to see artists of this stature working together to make what they hear in their heads into songs. And then you get to the roof and you see their excitement, camaraderie and sheer joy in playing together again as a group and know, as we do now, that it was the final time, and we view it with full understanding of who they were and still are and a little poignancy. I was knocked out by what Peter was able to do with Get Back, using all the footage I’d shot 50 years previously.”
In fact, the restored Let It Be features footage that appeared Get Back, taking viewers into the studio and onto the Apple Corps London rooftop in Jan. 1969 for what would be the quartet’s final live performance. It also features the band in the studio writing and recording their Let It Be album. In the wake of the rapturous appreciation for Jackson’s series, and with Lindsay-Hogg’s support, Apple Corps asked Jackson’s Park Road Post Production team to restore Let It Be from the original 16mm negative, a process that also included the remastering of the film’s sound using the same MAL de-mix technology that was employed on Get Back.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that Michael’s movie, Let It Be, has been restored and is finally being re-released after being unavailable for decades,” said Jackson in a statement. “I was so lucky to have access to Michael’s outtakes for Get Back, and I’ve always thought that Let It Be is needed to complete the Get Back story. Over three parts, we showed Michael and The Beatles filming a groundbreaking new documentary, and Let It Be is that documentary – the movie they released in 1970. I now think of it all as one epic story, finally completed after five decades. The two projects support and enhance each other: Let It Be is the climax of Get Back, while Get Back provides a vital missing context for Let It Be. Michael Lindsay-Hogg was unfailingly helpful and gracious while I made Get Back, and it’s only right that his original movie has the last word…looking and sounding far better than it did in 1970.”
On Monday, prior to the announcement — and six months after the Fabs dropped what was billed as their final song, the melancholy “Now and Then” — the Beatles site teased “There will be an answer,” a lyric from 1970’s “Let It Be.” The post was accompanied by four blank frames positioned to resemble the Let It Be album artwork, as well as what seemed like a cryptic clue, “At last…” and the Disney+ and Apple Corps logos.
Though Let It Be premiered in movie theaters in 1970 and was released on home video formats in the early 1980s, it has never been officially issued on DVD, blu-ray or streaming.
Seven years after releasing her first string of songs on streaming services, Chappell Roan is now officially a Billboard Hot 100-charting artist.
The pop singer-songwriter earns her first entry on the April 20-dated Hot 100 with “Good Luck, Babe!” The song, released April 5 via KRA International/Amusement/Island/Republic, opens at No. 77 with 6.6 million official streams, 67,000 in radio airplay audience and 1,000 downloads sold in the U.S. through April 11, according to Luminate. Chappell co-wrote the song with Justin Tranter and Dan Nigro, who also produced it. She performed it live for the first time Friday (April 12) during her Coachella set.
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Chappell Roan (real name Kayleigh Amstutz; her artist name is a tribute to her late grandfather, Dennis Chappell, and the song “The Strawberry Roan”), from Willard, Mo., first reached Billboard’s charts in October 2023 with her debut full-length album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. The set debuted at No. 3 on Heatseekers Albums. It debuted at No. 127 on the Billboard 200 dated April 6 and jumps to a new No. 66 high on the latest list.
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Chappell Roan initially signed to Atlantic Records in 2015 and released a five-track EP, School Nights, before she left the label in 2020. She subsequently teamed up with songwriter-producer Nigro – the chart-topping hitmaker who has collaborated with Olivia Rodrigo, Conan Gray and Caroline Polachek – for her breakout songs “Pink Pony Club” and “Naked in Manhattan.”
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“My music [at that time] reflected the feelings of my first time in a gay club, my first time falling in love with a woman, my first time feeling homesick,” she told Billboard last year. “I had to go through all those experiences, that pain and suffering, to rebirth myself into where I am now.”
Chappell Roan maintained a cult following ahead of her Hot 100 arrival. Her music draws from ‘80s disco and early-2000s pop hits. On tour, she invites local drag queens to open for her and donates a portion of ticket sales to For the Gworls, an organization that raises money to aid Black transgender people.
“Especially as a queer person who has the privilege of making money off the queer community to support myself, it’s important to redistribute funds,” she told Billboard.
Chappell Roan is currently on her Midwest Princess Tour. Later this month, she’ll join Rodrigo on the European leg of the latter’s Guts World Tour. Along with the second weekend of Coachella, she is also slated to perform at Boston Calling, Governors Ball and Bonnaroo.
It’s been almost four years since Katy Perry put on her clown nose on the cover of her sixth studio album, Smile. The follow-up to the somewhat dour 2017 album Witness featured collaborations with producers including Charlie Puth, Stargate and Zedd and an upbeat vibe fueled by the singles “Daisies” and “Smile.” On Monday night […]
Steve Martin is typically unflappable. The veteran comedian and legendary quick-on-his-feet improvisor was atypically dumbstruck recently when his Only Murders in the Building co-star Selena Gomez showed up to fete him on the red carpet premiere of his Apple TV+ two-part documentary, Steve! (Martin).
In a video from the premiere earlier this month, Martin immediately gives Gomez some of his patented good-natured grief, joking, “I thought you said you were gonna get dressed up,” as Sel — wearing a stunning Oscar De La Renta black gown — leans in for a cheek kiss.
“Shush, shush, I’m so happy to be here, my family came!” Gomez tells Martin, who seems genuinely touched by the gesture, saying, “I can’t believe you’re here! Thank you so much… so nice of you!” While Gomez keeps telling him to “stop” making such a fuss, Martin appears to get a bit teary-eyed as the pair pose for some pics.
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Gomez tells Martin she’s excited to celebrate him, noting that she brought along her stepdad and grandma, as the funnyman waves to her family and jokes, “here’s what I like about you being here, you don’t know a thing about me.” Selena admits as much, shooting back, “Yeah, that’s why I came, so I can learn.”
She doth protest a bit too much, though, since the pair have very likely learned a lot about each other while shooting three seasons of the Hulu murder mystery comedy alongside Martin’s frequent comedic foil, Martin Short.
The two-part doc streaming now uses a combination of classic and never-before-seen footage to tell the “then” story of Martin’s rise to comedy’s Mt. Rushmore before his decision to abruptly quit doing stand-up tours and his “now” life as a beloved elder statesman joke sharpshooter.
Check out video of the sweet carpet moment below.
Steve Martin is brought to tears after Selena Gomez made a surprise appearance at his documentary premiere: “I can’t believe you’re here! Thank you so much. It’s so nice of you.” pic.twitter.com/rY6j5oiRu1— Buzzing Pop (@BuzzingPop) April 15, 2024
In Katy Perry‘s words, American Idol viewers almost got way more than they bargained for on Monday night (April 15) when her elaborate metallic top nearly fell off during the top 14 episode. “I need my top to stay on,” the singer said before shooting a worried look at the camera as a team of fashion technicians descended. “If it’s not fixed, this show is going to get more than it wanted,” she added after some helpful crew members stepped in to repair the wayward steely bra.
Luckily, fellow panelist and part-time Tennessee gentleman farmer Luke Bryan stepped up to help, brandishing a pair of scissors and warning, “I’m going in!” before quickly deciding better of it. The show then cut to a clip of Perry cradling the shiny sculptural swoop and telling top 14 hopeful Roman Collins that his take on “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown “broke my top off… I guess it is a woman’s world!”
Before long, Perry was hiding under the judge’s desk, with just her head peeking out as Lionel Richie and Bryan quipped, “ratings!” and an embarrassed Perry responded, “It’s a family show.” The final shot featured Perry holding a white pillow up to cover up the Kate Barton crop top that kind of looked like a heavy metal shark.
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Speaking of sharks, Perry later made a joke about the shape of her wayward costume, writing, “If you see a shark you’re left brained, if you see #idol tonight you’re my bestie.” And speaking to Access Hollywood, Perry explained, “I wouldn’t call it a malfunction, I just call it an interesting moment on live television. Seems like every season I’m either tearing the seam of my pants or I’m just super expressive physically. I love this outfit so much and I knew I was rolling the dice, but I was like, ‘who cares?’”
The episode also featured the top 20 being cut down to the top 14, which consists of Julia Gagnon, Roman Collins, Kayko, Nya, McKenna Faith Breinholt, Abi Carter, Will Moseley, Jordan Anthony, Mia Matthews, Kaibreinne, Emmy Russell, Jayna Elise, Jack Blocker and Tristan Harper.
Idol is back on Sunday (April 21) with a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night, featuring guest mentor KISS bassist/singer Gene Simmons and the reveal of the 2024 RRHOF inductees and a live vote for the top 12. Monday night’s (April 22) show will feature guest mentor Meghan Trainor and the top 10 reveal on Billboard No. 1 hits night.
Watch Perry struggle with her top on Idol below.
Courtney Love is not a Swiftie.
The Hole frontwoman sat down for an interview with UK publication The Standard recently, where she opened up about which female artists she likes (Patti Smith, Nina Simone, PJ Harvey and Debbie Harry) and which ones she doesn’t, leading with Taylor Swift.
“Taylor is not important. She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist,” Love told the outlet, before adding that she’s growing tired of Coachella 2024 headliner Lana Del Rey. “I haven’t liked Lana since she covered a John Denver song, and I think she should really take seven years off,” she said. “Up until ‘Take Me Home Country Roads’ I thought she was great. When I was recording my new album, I had to stop listening to her as she was influencing me too much.”
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Lastly, Love said that she’s not a fan of Madonna either. “I don’t like her and she doesn’t like me. I loved Desperately Seeking Susan, but for the city of New York as much as her,” she said.
While Love is quick to criticize the women she doesn’t like, she also has a history for standing up for women in music. Back in March 2023, the 59-year-old rocker wrote an op-ed for the Guardian aimed at the lack of female representation in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The piece, titled, “Why Are Women So Marginalised by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?,” opens with Love describing her lifelong obsession with rock n’ roll by stating, “I got into this business to write great songs and have fun.”
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Love said that the 2023 nominations provided another reminder of “just how extraordinary a woman must be to make it into the ol’ boys club,” noting that more women were nominated this year than at any time in the organization’s 40-year history. That group included Kate Bush, Cyndi Lauper, Sheryl Crow and Missy Elliott, as well as the White Stripes’ drummer Meg White and New Order keyboardist Gillian Gilbert.
“If the Rock Hall is not willing to look at the ways it is replicating the violence of structural racism and sexism that artists face in the music industry, if it cannot properly honour what visionary women artists have created, innovated, revolutionised and contributed to popular music – well, then let it go to hell in a handbag,” Love concluded the piece.
04/15/2024
From YOASOBI and LE SSERAFIM’s sets to the combining of star power thanks to 88rising Futures, the promise of Asian pop music was on full display in Indio.
04/15/2024