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Kelly Clarkson heightened the emotion of an already emotional track during her popular Kellyoke segment on The Kelly Clarkson Show on Friday (March 29), taking on Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Takin’ a drive, I was an ideal/ Looked […]
In the hours since Beyoncé dropped her new album Cowboy Carter first thing Friday (March 29), the expansive, genre-bending project has captured a lot of people’s attention — including a number of fellow celebrities. That includes the A-list collaborators featured on the LP, who are now able to hear all 27 tracks for the first […]
Taylor Swift is always with Travis Kelce, even when she’s not actually with him. While the Kansas City Chiefs tight end was out golfing recently, one of his friends started playing the pop star’s 2014 smash “Bad Blood” on the course, prompting an adorable victory dance from the football star. In a video shared by […]
Beyoncé is continuing to change the game with Cowboy Carter, an expansive, genre-mixing exploration of the singer’s upbringing, heritage and musical influences that arrived promptly at midnight Friday (March 29). With a whopping 27 tracks, the project gives listeners a lot to sink their teeth into. Featuring voice note interludes from an array of country […]
Following calls for him to withdraw from and boycott the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest over Israel’s inclusion amid the ongoing war in Gaza, Olly Alexander explained why he will still be participating in the annual competition on Friday (March 29).
In a statement posted to his Instagram, Alexander responded to activist group Queers for Palestine, who wrote the singer an open letter asking him to withdraw from the contest. “I wholeheartedly support action being taken to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, the return of all hostages and the safety and security of all civilians in Palestine and Israel,” he wrote. “I know some people will choose to boycott this year’s Eurovision and I understand and respect their decision.”
The “Dizzy” singer continued, saying that he took “a lot of time to deliberate” over the correct course of action, and decided that withdrawing from Eurovision “wouldn’t bring us any closer to our shared goal.” Alexander said he and a number of other contestants spoke and decided that “by taking part we can use our platform to come together and call for peace.”
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In its original open letter, Queers for Palestine applauded Alexander’s “vision of queer joy and abundance you’ve offered through your music, and share your belief in collective liberation for all,” then asked him to “heed the Palestinian call to withdraw from Eurovision … There can be no party with a state committing apartheid and genocide.”
Alexander also shared a statement from a collective of other Eurovision participants — signed by himself, Ireland’s Bambie Thug, Norway’s Gåte, Portugal’s Iolanda, San Marino’s Megara, Switzerland’s Nemo, Denmark’s Saba, Lithuania’s Silvester Belt and Finland’s Windows95Man — saying that they “stand in solidarity with the oppressed and communicate our heartfelt wish for peace, an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the safe return of all hostages.” They added that they felt “it is our duty to create and uphold this space, with a strong hope that it will inspire greater compassion and empathy.”
Queers for Palestine later responded to Alexander’s decision, saying that while they “welcome” responses from both the singer and his fellow contestants, they found both statements lacking. “When [Alexander et al] use that voice to downplay the genocide in Gaza by vaguely calling it a mere ‘situation,’ they misuse their power. When they choose to ignore the call for a boycott issued by the largest Palestinian coalition, in historic Palestine and in exile, they risk condescending to the people who are being occupied and massacred and are asking for our solidarity.”
This is not Alexander’s first time sharing his thoughts on the ongoing war in Gaza. Shortly before he was announced as a participant in Eurovision 2024, the singer signed an October 2023 open letter from LGBTQ activist group Voices4London calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and calling out Israel as an “apartheid regime.” After Alexander was announced as the U.K.’s representative for the annual contest, a source for the Conservative Party spoke to The Daily Telegraph to criticize the BBC for choosing the singer as a representative for the U.K., calling the decision “either a massive oversight or sheer brass neck from the BBC.”
Read both of Olly Alexander’s full statements below:
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
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This week, Cowboy Carter arrives, Camila Cabello upends expectations and J-Hope continues his winning streak. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter
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There was a time when Beyoncé was known more for her radio fodder and less for her full-length thematic statements; Bey has spent a little over a decade flipping that script, and while she’s still scoring hits (like her most recent No. 1 single, “Texas Hold ’Em”), she has become one of modern music’s boldest album auteurs. Cowboy Carter, which refracts country music’s history through her superstar prism, heralds a sound and then shifts its shape, blending popular voices and classic songs into a singular vision that ranges from acoustic lullabies like “Protector” to show-stopping workouts like “Ya Ya.” It’s a work of staggering ambition and execution, and as with all of her recent projects, the legend of Beyoncé continues to grow.
Camila Cabello feat. Playboi Carti, “I Luv It”
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“I Luv It” is bananas: Camila Cabello repeats the titular phrase breathlessly as synths whirr around her words, then a sample of Gucci Mane’s classic single “Lemonade” drops, and finally Playboi Carti slides in to mumble some game before the single collapses. The whole affair is off-the-wall pop experimentation, but for Cabello, that might be exactly what the doctor ordered as she enters the next phase of her solo career — “I Luv It” is brash and knowingly surprising, which is more than enough.
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J-Hope, Hope on the Street Vol. 1
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After 2022’s Jack in the Box demonstrated J-Hope’s solo ambitions and hip-hop panache, Hope on the Street Vol. 1 continues expanding his artistic world while also recruiting some special guests. BTS fans will love hearing Jung Kook stop by “I Wonder…” and its warm production bed, while Benny Blanco and Nile Rodgers help engineer the clap-along dance cut “Lock / Unlock” — all the while, however, J-Hope remains a commanding presence, giving each track the pop of attitude it needs.
mgk x Trippie Redd, genre:sadboy
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Machine Gun Kelly and Trippie Redd are frequent collaborators and kindred spirits, mussing up the lines between rock and hip-hop and using their vulnerabilities to connect with younger listeners. At 27 minutes, the collaborative project genre:sadboy allows MGK and Trippie to play off of each other at a brisk pace, telling their tales of dissatisfaction and yearning on tracks like the understated “Lost Boy” and the Frou Frou-sampling “Beauty,” and proudly leaning in to that “sadboy” label.
Editor’s Pick: Sheryl Crow, Evolution
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Sheryl Crow thought her 2019 album Threads would be her last; thank goodness she was mistaken. Evolution is a rollicking affair that more squarely centers Crow’s personality after her guest-packed previous album: the recent Rock Hall inductee has tapped producer Mike Elizondo to make her pop-rock musings smack a little harder, but her smoky voice and witty lyricism are the stars of the show, and haven’t dulled one bit after a long layoff and a few decades in the game.
Beyoncé‘s new album Cowboy Carter arrived Friday (March 29), bringing with it a number of surprises — including an unanticipated but gorgeous Miley Cyrus collaboration on the track “II Most Wanted.” Shortly after the 27-track LP dropped, the “Flowers” singer shared her gratitude for her place on the project, which also features country legends Dolly […]
In the lead-up to Beyoncé‘s new album Cowboy Carter, rumors swirled that a certain country-turned-pop star may be a featured collaborator on the project. When it finally dropped at midnight Friday (March 29), however, Taylor Swift‘s name was nowhere in sight on the credits. But wait. Who’s that singing in the background on track eight? […]
Rumi Carter, first of her name, younger sister of Blue Ivy, niece of Solange and granddaughter of Tina Knowles, has officially made her debut as a recording artist.
Beyoncé‘s youngest daughter, who is 6, scored a featured artist credit on “Protector,” the fourth track on Cowboy Carter — the second act in Queen Bey’s sprawling Renaissance trilogy. A tender, guitar-plucked ballad, “Protector” finds Beyoncé singing of the challenges that come with shifting your approach to parenthood as your children get older. “And I will lead you down that road if you lose your way/ Born to be a protector/ Even though I know someday you’re gonna shine on your own / I will be your projector,” she croons.
Rumi’s appearance occurs at the very beginning of the track when she adorably asks, “Mom, can I hear the lullaby? Please?”
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Her contributions to the track echo the earliest of Blue Ivy’s appearances on her parents’ music. Back in 2012, Jay-Z included Blue’s cries — she was just 10 days old when the song dropped — on “Glory,” which reached No. 23 on Hot Rap Songs, making the eldest Carter child the youngest person in history to have a charted song on any Billboard tally.
Of course, “Glory” kicked off what has become a Grammy-winning career for Blue Ivy, who is now 12. She won her first Grammy for best music video thanks to her contributions to her mom’s The Lion King: The Gift single “Brown Skin Girl” (with Wizkid and SAINt JHN), picking up honors at the BET Awards, Soul Train Music Awards and NAACP Image Awards in the process. That song also became Blue’s very first Billboard Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 76. Blue has also appeared on several other songs, including Beyoncé’s “Blue” (2013), “Daddy Lessons” (2016), “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing (Blue’s Version)” (2019), Jay-Z’s “Blue’s Freestyle / We Family” (2017) and Coldplay‘s “Up&Up” (2016). On her parents’ 2018 joint album Everything Is Love, Blue appears on “Boss” and “Salud,” on which she shouts out her younger twin siblings, Rumi and Sir Carter.
Time will tell if Rumi continues to appear in the studio, but for now, she can enjoy her official musical debut on one of the most buzzed-about albums of the year.
Listen to “Protector” below.
03/29/2024
Queen Bey dropped her highly anticipated sequel to Renaissance March 29.
03/29/2024