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Zayn Malik has hopped on a remake of “Tu Hai Kahan,” the 2023 No. 1 hit from Pakistani trio AUR. The song was re-released on Friday (Jan. 12) with additional Hindi-language vocals on the mesmerizing ballad’s chorus from Malik. “I was incredibly humbled when AUR reached out and asked me to collaborate on their song […]
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, Ariana Grande tries her hand at improv, Lil Nas X tempts blasphemy (again), 21 Savage celebrates his permanent stateside citizenship and more. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Ariana Grande, “Yes, And?”
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Likely the most anticipated new song of the young year, Ariana Grande’s “Yes, And?” announces the return of one of pop’s great stars of the past decade-plus with authority. Rumors that the single would interpolate Madonna’s “Vogue” turned out to be unfounded, but it does flash back to the house-pop sound of the early ’90s, maybe a little closer to George Michael’s “Too Funky” than Madge’s celebratory classic. In any event, it’s a triumphant-sounding, attitude-spitting comeback — like a half-decade-later “No Tears Left to Cry,” with Grande no longer in a state of total crisis and really learning to live life in full again.
Lil Nas X, “J Christ”
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Three years after first baiting fundamentalists with his devil-lapdancing video for “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” Lil Nas X is back to poke the bear again with new single and visual “J Christ” (as in, “b–ch, I’m back like J Christ”). The song features LNX talking his s–t over a Tay-Keith-like pounding-piano beat from go-to producers Blake Slatkin and Omer Fedi (as well as edgy EDM producer Gesaffelstein), while the clip sees him playing Jesus on the cross and an angel hooping against the devil, among other things. “Is he ’bout to give ’em something viral?” he asks rhetorically on the chorus. Seems likely!
21 Savage, American Dream
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After sending the internet into a fury this week with an apparent trailer for an upcoming biopic — with Donald Glover and Stranger Things‘ Caleb McLauhglin splitting the lead role — 21 Savage has returned, not with a new movie as thought, but with the new album American Dream. The 15-track set is both his first solo LP since 2018’s I Am > I Was and his first since officially becoming an American citizen in 2023. It feels appropriately exultant as a result, with big-name guests like Doja Cat, Travis Scott, Summer Walker and of course longtime producer collaborator Metro Boomin helping an in-control Savage commemorate his living the titular aspiration over sun-baked and soulful beats.
Jeymes Samuel, Jay-Z & D’Angelo, “I Want You Forever”
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We’re pretty lucky to get one song a year from either Jay-Z or D’Angelo at this point, so to get one with both of them feels like Halley’s Comet. Their new teamup “I Want You Forever” is also a collab with musician and filmmaker Jeymes Samuel, recorded for the soundtrack to his new movie The Book of Clarence. The nine-plus-minute psych-funk groove is one of the least-pop things either artist has ever been involved with — Andre 3000 will undoubtedly tip his flute to the duo if and when he listens — but there’s something undeniably hypnotic about the way the song builds over its extensive runtime, sending D’Angelo in particular into orbit with his rapturous layered vocals.
Jennifer Lopez, “Can’t Get Enough”
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Sorta crazy to believe, but it’s actually been longer since we got a proper solo album from Jennifer Lopez than from D’Angelo. Her upcoming This Is Me… Now LP — spiritual sequel to 2002’s This Is Me… Then — will be her first since 2014’s A.K.A., and is led by the blissed-out dancefloor bump of lead single “Can’t Get Enough.” “You got my engine runnin’/ You got the keys to turn me on and on,” J. Lo testifies over Rick James-worthy bass and flute, before dipping into the chorus hook of Alton Ellis’ ’60s reggae classic “I’m Still in Love With You” — borrowed dozens of times before in pop history (from Althea & Donna to Sean Paul & Sasha) and still a winner every time.
Kali Uchis, ORQUÍDEAS
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It’s been quite a week for Kali Uchis, as the release of her fourth album ORQUÍDEAS is only the second-biggest headline for her early January: the alt-R&B star also announced that she was expecting her first child with hip-hop hitmaker Don Toliver. The LP alone should be more than enough reason for Uchis’ name to be on everyone’s lips this week, however. Her second predominantly Spanish-language set is an enthralling collection that proves the signer-songwriter to be at the vanguard of forward-thinking (and forward-moving) pop and R&B, with valuable assists from big-name guests like Rauw Alejandro, Karol G and even a thrillingly out-of-his-element Peso Pluma on discofied likely smash “Igual Que Un Ángel.”
After going to hell and back (literally) during his last album cycle, rapper and pop provocateur Lil Nas X is ready to walk through the Pearly Gates.
On Friday (Jan. 12), the singer unveiled his long-awaited new single “J CHRIST,” a pounding pop-rap track that sees the “Call Me By Your Name” singer reveling in his own comeback — much like the “MAN WHO HAD THE GREATEST COMEBACK OF ALL TIME” Jesus Christ, as Lil Nas X described him.
Lil Nas X wrote and directed the official music video, which arrived at midnight and features the artist in various roles — playing hoops, as a cheerleader, in the gladiatorial ring, and strapped to the cross.
“Is he up to somethin’ only I-I know?/ Is he ’bout to hit ’em with the high-igh note/ Is he ’bout to give ’em something vi-iral,” he sings on the slick chorus, before later declaring that “B—h, I’m back like J Christ.”
“J CHRIST” marks Lil Nas X’s first official release in over a year — his last release, the League of Legends collaborative anthem “Star Walkin’,” released in September 2022.
The release comes on the heels of a major marketing push from the “Industry Baby” singer, who spent much of the week promoting the single through a series of viral posts. In one string of TikToks, Lil Nas X joked that he was releasing new gospel music independently, while threatening to “expose y’all favorite artists” with his new song. An Instagram post, meanwhile, saw the singer post a fake acceptance letter to Christian college Liberty University, telling his followers that “not everything is a troll” (representatives for the university have since said that they did not admit Lil Nas X for the fall 2024 semester).
The rapper drew intense criticism in the run-up to releasing “J CHRIST” for his use of religious iconography, with commentators claiming that he was “mocking” and “disrespecting” Christianity.
Lil Nas shut down the claims in a tweet, saying “Jesus’s image is used throughout history in people’s art all over the world. I’m not making fun of shit. yall just gotta stop trying to gatekeep a religion that was here before any of us were even born. stfu.”
Watch Lil Nas X’s “J CHRIST” below:
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Ariana Grande is back — and she has some things to say.
On Friday, Jan. 12, the pop star returned with her inquisitive and gleaming new single “Yes, And?” The song serves as the first taste of Grande’s forthcoming seventh album.
Inspired by late ’80s dance-pop production, the catchy track is made all the better by Grande’s unshakeable confidence and comfort in her own skin. “Yes, and? Say that s— with your chest, and, be your own f—ing best friend,” she instructs, seeming to lead by example.
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The overall message is loud and clear: she’s seen the comments, and she’s not taking s— from anybody.
“I’m so done with caring what you think, no I won’t hide underneath your own projections or change my most authentic life,” she sings in a soft and syrupy sweet tone, evoking a “kill ’em with kindness” energy.
And later, during a spoken word interlude, Ari even declares: “Your energy is yours and mine is mine…don’t comment on my body, do not reply.”
And while her message is firm, the upbeat and retro production is less so, helping drive home Grande’s laid back, carefree attitude. Written and produced by the pop star alongside Max Martin and Ilya Salmanzadeh, the thumping and rallying chorus is prime for a dancefloor — there are even elements that call back to Madonna’s “Vogue,” which could very well be a tease to the album’s overall sound).
Yesterday, on Thursday, Jan. 11, Grande released a teaser clip to the song’s visual. It opened with a hand holding a red card that read “AG7.” The other side of the card read: “Your presence has been exclusively requested.”
The clip then cuts to various voices saying things like: “You know, I think I liked her better when her ponytail was a few centimeters higher”; “I mean, who cares if she’s happy? I don’t want happy. I want Ari.”; and ““Well, I read it on the Internet, so it must be true!”
“Yes, And?” is a direct response to such critiques. And in typical Ariana fashion, she leans into one of her greatest strengths: being oh so sweet.
Stream “Yes, And?” and view the single art and below.
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Katia Temkin
The Pentagon is shutting down one of Fox News’ more bizarre conspiracy theories.
After Fox News host Jesse Watters suggested this week that Taylor Swift could be “a front for a covert political agenda,” the Department of Defense shared a statement on Wednesday (Jan. 9) refuting the claims, according to Politico.
“It’s real. The Pentagon psy-op unit pitched NATO on turning Taylor Swift into an asset for combating misinformation online,” Watters said during the show, sharing a video from a 2019 conference organized by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence, during which a presenter names Swift as an example of a powerful influencer.
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In response, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh referencing Swift’s 1989 hit “Shake It Off” in a statement by noting, “as for this conspiracy theory, we are going to shake it off.”
Singh continued with the reference-filled statement, “But that does highlight that we still need Congress to approve our supplemental budget request as Swift-ly as possible so we can be out of the woods with potential fiscal concerns.”
While Swift is not a political “asset,” she does important work in encouraging her fans to vote. “Voters gonna vote!” she wrote on her Instagram Story on Election Day. “If you are registered to vote in Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas or Virginia, it’s time to use your voice.”
She also encouraged voters to be informed before arriving. “Find out what’s on your ballot before you arrive to the polls by visiting Vote.org.” Her link takes followers to Vote.org’s See What’s on Your Ballot tool, which gives voters a preview of what will be on their ballots.
The 12-time Grammy winner’s latest Instagram Story is part of an ongoing partnership she has with Vote.org, a non-profit, non-partisan voter registration organization that aims to increase voting behavior and reach underserved and underrepresented voters.
Teddy Swims brought a “Cruel Summer” to the winter season at the BBC Radio 1 on Thursday (Jan. 10), performing a cover of Taylor Swift’s Lover hit at the Live Lounge. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The 31-year-old singer put a soulful spin on the track, adding […]
Olivia Rodrigo and Kelly Clarkson grew up in different decades, but they both have one musical icon that they love in common. In a new clip from the “Vampire” singer’s interview on The Kelly Clarkson show, the duo discuss their mutual “hero,” Alanis Morissette. “She’s the reason why I’m a songwriter. I was like, ‘Oh […]
Karma is having a friend like Mariska Hargitay. The Law & Order: SVU star completed a sweet full-circle moment when she revealed last year that she named her new cat “Karma,” inspired by Taylor Swift’s Midnights hit. Swift, meanwhile, has a Scottish fold cat named Olivia Benson, named after Hargitay’s beloved Law & Order character. “I mean, it was […]
Flavor Flav has always been vocal about his love for Taylor Swift, and now he’s opening up about his relationship with the Grammy-winning superstar, her music and her fans. In an interview with Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning radio show Thursday (Jan. 11), the Public Enemy founding member revealed how he became “King Swiftie.”
“It started because I got a girl that lives in Detroit and her kids wanted to go to the Eras Tour concert. So my manager got in contact with Taylor Swift’s people and they hooked me up some tickets and passes,” he recounted. “When we walked over to the tent where I was supposed to be at, a lot of these fans were coming up to me — these young kids, man, I’m surprised they even knew who I was! — and they start giving me these friendship bracelets. Next thing you know, I have friendship bracelets all up and down my arm. We were trading bracelets and everything! Her fanbase embraced me, and I embraced them back.”
Flav made headlines in June when he lit up his social media pages with real-time documentation of his Eras Tour experience. He tweeted numerous pics of a seemingly endless string of friendship bracelets, and raved about his new fellow Swifties. In the Hot 97 interview, Flav also revealed that some Swifties “got together” and sent him gifts from Christmas. Nonetheless, that concert experience marked the beginning of Flav’s deep dive into Swift’s discography.
“So, I went home and I started really listening to Taylor. I’m listening to her music, and I’m like, ‘Yo, this girl is dope!’ She’s writing a lot about experiences that she goes through in life, just like a Mary J. Blige,” he explained. “Mary writes about her experiences that she goes through, then when she gets out there on that stage and she sings those songs, mostly every single woman in that audience relates to Mary because all of the women go through similar things. Same thing with Taylor — she just writing about what she goes through.”
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee also revealed his all-time favorite T-Swift track — and he surprisingly specified a version of the song without a rap verse. “My favorite record that she wrote is ‘Bad Blood,’ the original one. I like the one with Kendrick Lamar on it too, but the original ‘Bad Blood,’ you know what I’m saying?!” he said. “That’s in everybody’s relationships, in everybody’s families, in everybody’s friendships. We used to be good friends, then you did something to me, now we got bad blood … that’s deep right there!”
Back in 2015, Swift and Lamar topped the Billboard Hot 100 with their “Bad Blood” remix, and the accompanying Joseph-Kahn helmed music video earned top honors at the MTV Video Music Awards, as well as best music video at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards. Nearly a decade later, the song reached No. 7 on the Hot 100 — this time as “Bad Blood (Taylor’s Version),” from the Billboard 200-topping 1989 (Taylor’s Version) re-recording.
On Jan. 7, Swift and Flav once again found themselves in the same place at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, where the pop superstar’s Eras Tour concert film was nominated for cinematic and box office achievement. Although the Eras Tour movie lost to Greta Gerwig’s billion dollar-grossing Barbie, Swifties were more peeved at host Jo Koy’s jabs at Swift and the NFL’s coverage of her game attendance. On X, Flavor Flav wrote, “It [ain’t] an easy gig but [Koy] took the easy way to make jokes bout women and Taylor. They [ain’t] never did anything to the host so why the he gotta try to take them down?? The jokes [weren’t] funny and maybe he should apologize.”
In his own words on Hot 97, “Flavor Flav supports Taylor Swift. I am a Swiftie. And not only that, I got a new name now: King Swiftie. Thank you!”
Watch Flavor Flav’s full interview below:
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For the last two decades, English pop singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor has been more than happy to divert her fans with performances of her deliciously cutthroat nudisco anthem “Murder on the Dancefloor.” With top 10 chart placements all over Europe and Australia upon its 2002 release, the song became an indelible part of the star’s career.
“That song took me places I’d never been before, and it was always quite a special one for me,” Ellis-Bextor tells Billboard over a Zoom call, sporting a knit-pink sweater and perched atop a cushioned wicker chair. “[It] took me to Latin America and Southeast Asia and all around Europe — it was already a song I associated with adventure and new things and a friendly, glorious chapter of my life.”
So, when the star found out that her song at long last debuted at No. 98 on this week’s Billboard Hot 100 (dated Jan. 13, 2023), more than 20 years after its original release, she was naturally flabbergasted. “It’s glorious, it’s magical, really,” she says, disbelief still tinging her voice. “But it’s very hard to process, if I’m honest.”
The new wave of attention for “Murder on the Dancefloor” comes largely thanks to the song’s inclusion in the pivotal final scene of Emerald Fennell’s twisted 2023 thriller, Saltburn [spoliers ahead!]. At the conclusion of the film, Oxford student and certified maniac Oliver Quick (played by Barry Keoghan) revels in having murdered his crush/obsession Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi) and his entire family the only way he knows how — dancing buck naked through the sprawling estate he inherited from them to Ellis-Bextor’s gleeful track.
It’s a scene that’s equal parts disturbing and hilarious, which Ellis-Bextor says is the perfect tone for her song’s inclusion. “I think Barry Keoghan’s character in the movie and mine in the music video are not so dissimilar,” she offers.
Below, Sophie Ellis-Bextor chats with Billboard about her song’s revival into pop cultural conversation, the bevy of TikTok trends it’s spawned over the last month and why she’ll never grow tired of singing her seminal single.
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“Murder on the Dancefloor” is officially having a renaissance! What does it mean for you to have this song re-entering the public consciousness 20-plus years into its existence?
I think I’m still getting my head around that a little bit! My relationship with the song is great, I perform it all the time — it’s been the song that people associate the most with me. But to have it having this little wild adventure on the charts is actually bonkers.
I’m sure this was not on your bingo card for this year.
It wasn’t, but I think I learned a long time ago that the bingo cards — they’re not really what they’re made out to be. You have to be open to the unexpected. Because it’s nice to be surprised, actually.
This song now officially marks your first-ever entry on the Hot 100, debuting at No. 98 this week. I know the new wave of attention has been very recent, but have you noticed any difference in the reaction between the U.K. audiences who really responded to it originally, and the newer American audience that’s discovering it today?
Yeah, nothing really happened in America with the song when it came out in 2002. To have it doing new things now is really extraordinary. To have new people discover it now, people who didn’t know at all, is insane.
The only way I’m really seeing that is through all the viral stuff, because it is all quite recent. Lots of exciting things happened for me because of “Murder on the Dancefloor” when it first came out — real career highlights. But this resurgence is something that’s next level, because when you start out your career, everything’s about asking “where might that lead?” Or, “if that happens, then you get to do this.” This time, I don’t really want to think like that. Momentum is such a glorious, exciting thing, and I just want to enjoy whatever happens.
The newfound success for the song is largely thanks to its inclusion in the wild final scene of Saltburn. Walk me through the process of how you got involved in the movie — when did Emerald Fennell or the production first reach out to you? How much of the plot were you aware of?
I knew very few facts! They asked for permission about a year ago, maybe around springtime last year. I knew the name of the film. I knew that Emerald Fennell was the writer and director, so it was in safe hands. And I knew the scene would involve a character dancing to the entirety of the song completely naked. That was it! And that was all I needed, so I said “yes,” immediately. When we got to the summer, I started to hear a little bit of buzz around the movie, and I was invited to go to a screening. So I went along with my whole family — my mom, my teenage son, my husband, my brother. Actually, they coped very well, even when I had a couple of challenging moments.
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I’m sure you did — having your son next to you through that film must have been intense!
Well, he’s 19, so it wasn’t too bad — though he was still sitting between his mother and his grandma! But not only did we survive, we all really loved it, and my son said it was one of his favorite films he’d ever seen. I thought it was brilliant; it entertained me, it was dark, it was funny, it looked beautiful, and the music is used throughout the movie in a really clever way.
Agreed, and I think that’s especially true for “Murder on the Dancefloor” — it fits perfectly into this dark, campy ending, and when you’re listening to the lyrics of the song in this context, they become a bit more sinister. Did you experience any of that feeling when you were first watching it?
Yes, definitely. But then I think that song sort of lent itself a bit to that originally, as well. Because in the music video, I’m not playing a goodie. I’m a nasty person who’s been very mischievous — I kill people, I poison someone, I chloroform someone, I’m whipping people out all over the place just to win a dance competition.
As you mentioned, the scene also ended up creating multiple viral TikTok trends, the most popular showing people executing the film’s choreography while moving through their homes. Did you ever imagine a song of yours becoming a Tiktok trend?
Absolutely not! I’m a 44-year-old woman; I’m not saying you can’t use TikTok if you’re that age, but it’s a lot less likely, right? I have my eldest son, and my next one down is nearly 15, so we have TikTok in the house, but it’s never coming from my phone. It is fascinating, though, because one minute [my sons] will be listening to The Shangri-Las, and then it’ll be Wham!, and then it will be a modern pop record. The songs come from all over, from different decades. It’s like a record shop that’s got everything in stock. It’s really changed the way that kids listen to music — it doesn’t have to be about what’s newly released, it’s about what really makes them feel good in the moment.
I do think sometimes it feels like I’ve been invited to a party that I never thought I’d be part of. I saw Vogue used [the song] for a series of clips of people on the red carpet of an awards show, and then it’s just some kids and their dogs dancing to it. That gives me so much joy, because nobody wants their songs to just peter out. You want the conversation to keep going, you want to know that someone somewhere is getting a lift from it.
It’s also worth noting that this is not the only sync that this song received earlier this year — one of my personal favorites was the song being featured as a lip sync on season 3 of Drag Race Down Under last year. What did you make of that performance?
It was so amazing. I mean, just being included in Drag Race is such an honor, full stop. I got to be a guest judge on Drag Race UK last year, and I just love the fact that that’s so mainstream now, because it’s so groundbreaking. I think the thing about Drag Race that I love is that there is this facade that’s very pulled together and considered and incredible, but then you’ve got the story behind it. That’s always the bit that brings the heart and the vulnerability and I just think the juxtaposition of that is so incredible.
This is part of an ongoing trend in music, where these songs get syncs in major movies and TV shows, and then see record-breaking gains. “Running Up That Hill” comes to mind, as does Matchbox Twenty’s “Push” from Barbie. What do you think it is about these song placements that leads to such huge results for artists like yourself?
Oh, golly. I suppose for me the conversation probably starts before that, when you ask why those directors wanted to use those songs. And sometimes, it’s something that’s a little bit in the ether already. With “Running Up That Hill,” Stranger Things was certainly the tipping point, but I remember seeing it used in Pose a few years before that in this scene was really moving. It can feel like there were a few little seeds you planted, and then suddenly you turn around and there’s a forest. Nothing like this happens in a void. I think that’s why it’s really important to appreciate how special it is, because there is no equation where it can be utterly manufactured. You need people to feel like they’re part of it.
This has long been the song that people know you best for. Some performers get fatigued with their “signature songs” — have you found yourself feeling at all fatigued with “Murder?”
Oh, no. I mean, I wouldn’t want to do a gig where I just sang it seven times in a row, but I’m a music fan before I’m a singer. So I always think like I’m in the crowd; I always want to create a good shape for the show, where it’s got to finish with something that hopefully seals the deal. That journey has invariably, for 20-odd years, always ended with “Murder on the Dancefloor.” I feel like sometimes, when artists get funny about the songs that they’re known for, I want to sit them down and say “Don’t take that for granted, mate! Don’t do some weird different version. Sing the one I know the way I know it!”
Obviously, I hope that people come to me through this song and then find a couple of other things they like. That would be wonderful, I’ve laid a lot of work out for them to go have a little look-see. But if I’m known for one song for the rest of my life, I’m not going to be churlish about it. I’ve already had an embarrassment of riches as it is — this is just one more.