Pop
Page: 350
Next year is already guaranteed to be full of new music, and it looks like Camila Cabello is joining the fray. While summing up how she spent 2023 in a series of Instagram Story posts on Thursday (Dec. 28), the 26-year-old pop star revealed that she has something special coming in 2024. “mostly the year […]
Heat exhaustion is the cause of death of a Brazilian fan who attended a concert of singer Taylor Swift in November, a forensics report obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday shows.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Ana Clara Benevides, 23, passed out during Swift’s second song in the Nov. 17 concert in Rio de Janeiro, “Cruel Summer,” and died hours later at a local hospital. Temperatures in the city that day were at about 40 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit).
Fans lined up for hours before the show, and many accused organizers of failing to deliver enough water supplies for the more than 60,000 attending the concert at the Nilton Santos Stadium. They said they were not allowed to take their own water into the stadium.
The report by Rio’s Forensic Medical Institute said Benevides’ heat exposure led to a cardiorrespiratory arrest. It also said she did not have preexisting conditions or substance abuse that could have led to her death.
The forensics expert who analyzed her body said in the document she had “serious compromise of her lungs and sudden death” due to the heat.
One of Benevides’ friends, who also attended the concert, told local media outlets in November they had been given water while waiting to enter the stadium.
Organizers T4F said in a statement the company “followed the best practices,” complied with “every demand from authorities” and “distributed thousands of bottles of water” to fans. TF4 also denied it did not allow people to bring their own water to the concert.
TF4 also said Benevides “was promptly cared for by members of a rescue team and sent (to the hospital) in an intensive-care unit ambulance.”
“In our 40 years in the business, this company had never registered a tragic episode” like Benevides’ death due to extreme heat, T4F said.
The office of Rio’s public prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation. Rio police said in a statement on Wednesday that after the forensics report is analyzed “representatives of the company organizing the event will be called to testify.”
Benevides’ death shook many in Brazil. She had taken her first flight to travel from the country’s center-west region to see her favorite singer.
In a statement posted on Instagram after the death, Swift said the case had left her with a “shattered heart.”
Benevides’s father, José Weiny Machado, told news website G1 he “never doubted the cause of death was the heat.”
Lizzo lost an important member of her family over the holidays. The 35-year-old hitmaker shared that her dog, Pooka, passed away on Christmas Eve at the age of 18 in a series of posts on social media. “We will always love you, Pooka Diamanté Jefferson,” she wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of her family […]
Olivia Rodrigo didn’t just gush about Robert Pattinson and her Twilight-themed in-ears during her recent Kelly Clarkson Show visit. In a newly-shared clip from the appearance, the 20-year-old pop star gave new insight into a couple of the lyrics on her sophomore album Guts, which arrived in September and debuted atop the Billboard 200.
The first lyric Rodrigo touched on was the outro to her fan-favorite Guts track, “Lacy”: “And I despise my jealous eyes and how hard they fell for you / Yeah, I despise my rotten mind and how much it worships you.” “Very emo of me, writing that,” she told Clarkson, laughing.
“I took a poetry class at USC,” she continued. “I wrote a poem called ‘Lacy’ for one of the assignments, and I really liked it. I’m like, ‘I’m gonna turn it into a song!’”
The haunting ballad has inspired many a fan theory regarding its subject, with many speculating that the name “Lacy” is code for Taylor Swift, Gracie Abrams or Sabrina Carpenter — all three of whom Rodrigo has history with. And though she is steadfast about concealing who her songs are about, she did tell the Los Angeles Times earlier this month that she enjoys when fans craft “more creative answers to who Lacy is,” such as her past self.
“I just think it’s not classy to come out and say it’s about this person,” she added at the time. “I also think that would set a weird precedent where I’d have to clear the air with every song I write.”
Clarkson also asked the Grammy winner about her opening Guts track, “All-American Bitch,” which swerves from ethereal choral moments to screamed grungey punk sections. Rodrigo opens by singing, “I am light as a feather, I’m as stiff as a board,” a play on the name of the children’s game involving lifting up a friend as a group with players using nothing but their fingertips.
“I always thought it was a really interesting phrase, I’ve been meaning to fit it into a song for a long time,” Rodrigo said. “[The game] seems kind of impossible. So I thought it was a good way to describe the impossible standards that are set for us as women.”
Watch Rodrigo break down her lyrics above.
Ariana Grande is officially making her grand return in 2024. After taking a few years away from making music to focus on her role in the upcoming Wicked live adaptations and her R.E.M. Beauty business, the 30-year-old pop star has confirmed that she’ll finally release her seventh album next year. On Wednesday (Dec. 27), Grande […]
Bryan Tanaka is speaking out about his breakup with Mariah Carey.
On Tuesday (Dec. 26), the backup dancer, 40, shared a lengthy statement on social media about the couple’s split, which he says was a “mutual” decision between them.
“Dear friends and fans, with mixed emotion, I share this personal update regarding my amicable separation from Mariah Carey after seven extraordinary years together,” Tanaka begins the message on Instagram. “Our decision to embark on different paths is mutual, and as we navigate these separate journeys, we do so with profound respect and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the invaluable time we’ve shared. The memories we’ve created and the artistic collaborations are etched in my heart forever.”
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Carey, 54, and Tanaka began working together in 2006 when he appeared as a member of the iconic singer-songwriter’s Adventures of Mimi tour. She confirmed the relationship in an Associated Press interview in February 2017, after she called him her “boyfriend.” Their affair also played out on Carey’s E! reality series Mariah’s World. They started dating in the wake of Carey’s split with her ex-fiancé, Australian businessman James Packer.
Speculation about the couple’s split began after Tanaka had been absent from the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” singer’s Merry Christmas One and All! tour in mid-November, People reports. The publication also noted that he wasn’t celebrating the holidays with Carey, as he usually does, in Aspen, Colo.
Carey had not shared a statement of her own as of press time.
“Mariah’s dedication to her family and her commitment to her craft have inspired us during out journey,” Tanaka continued in his statement. “I want to express my love and appreciation for Mariah and her incredible children, whose warmth and kindness have enriched my life in ways words cannot capture.”
Carey shares 12-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with her ex-husband Nick Cannon.
Tanaka added, “During this sensitive time, I kindly ask for your understanding, privacy and respect. The outpouring of love and support from fans has been a beacon of strength, and I am extremely grateful for the encouragement that continues to uplift me. I eagerly anticipate continuing my journey, knowing my passion for inspiration, dance and the creative arts will resonate in the unfolding chapters.”
Read Tanaka’s full statement on Instagram below.
Lisa gifted BLINKS a holiday classic on Christmas Eve.
On Sunday (Dec. 24), the BLACKPINK superstar shared a cover of Britney Spears‘ 2000 classic “My Only Wish (This Year).”
“Christmas present for my BLINKS Have a wonderful holiday,” Lisa wrote on Instagram alongside a black-and-white image of herself with the song’s title.
In the music video for the song, the rapper and dancer receives a small ribbon-wrapped note and single rose before hopefully wandering the streets of Paris in a white fur-lined coat. The clip ends with Lisa flashing a huge smile as she accepts another rose from a mystery suitor as the evening concludes.
Spears’ “My Only Wish (This Year),” originally released on the 2000 compilation, Platinum Christmas, peaked at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2015. The holiday banger — about having Santa deliver a lover for the holiday — also ranked No. 95 on Billboard‘s 100 Best Christmas Songs of All Time staff list.
In November, Lisa’s track “Money” became the first K-pop track by a solo artist to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify. The song, released as the second track from her 2021 solo EP, Lalisa, marks her fourth solo achievement with Guinness World Records.
On Tuesday (Dec. 26), Lisa will take part in BLACKPINK: A VR Encore, an immersive virtual reality experience stemming from the special finale concert of the Born Pink World Tour.
“I think the fans will enjoy the playful aspects of the VR concert,” Lisa told Billboard ahead of the concert. “It’s like a new, fun experience for them. I hope they can feel the warmth and energy of our performances, even in this new format.”
The 70-minute concert will feature BLACKPINK performing Billboard Hot 100 hits such as “Shut Down,” “Pink Venom” and “How You Like That” like never before. Utilizing Meta Quest 3 headsets, the show takes place in Meta Horizon Worlds’ new Music Valley venue.
BLACKPINK: A VR Encore premieres for free, exclusively in VR on Dec. 26, at 5 p.m. PT in Meta Horizon Worlds.
Listen to Lisa’s cover of Spears’ “My Only Wish” below.
[embedded content]
Taylor Swift spent Christmas morning cheering on her boyfriend Travis Kelce at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City as the Chiefs took on the Las Vegas Raiders.
About an hour before kickoff on Monday (Dec. 25), the pop superstar entered the Missouri stadium alongside a person dressed in a Santa Clause costume and wished onlookers a “Merry Christmas.” She was then joined in a suite by her parents, Scott and Andrea Swift, along with her brother Austin Swift and his girlfriend, Sydney Ness.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
In the spirit of the holiday, Swift donned a red Santa hat with the tight end’s jersey number — 87 — on the white trim. The “Anti-Hero” singer also rocked a festive look for the game, wearing a red sweater and black plaid skirt.
Swift wasn’t the only celebrity in attendance at the showdown, which found the Raiders defeating the Chiefs, 20-14. The game was also attended by Iowa basketball star Caitlin Clark, who won Collegiate Women’s athlete of the year. Brittany Mahomes and Sterling Skye Mahomes, the wife and daughter of Chiefs quarterback, were also seen at the event.
Swift and Kelce were spotted walking hand-in-hand after the game. Kansas City Star photojournalist Nick Wagner shared an image on his Instagram of the couple strolling through a hallway at Arrowhead Stadium.
“Spent my Christmas waiting for these two lovebirds,” Wagner wrote alongside the snapshot.
Last week, Mahomes opened up about what it was like for the Chiefs to witness their teammate begin a romance with one of the most famous women on the planet.
“At first, I feel like everybody kind of stayed away, let [Kelce] do what he was doing,” Mahomes said in a sit-down with CBS Mornings‘ Nate Burleson.
“Then he started bringing Taylor around and we realized how cool of a person she was,” he continued. “So for us, there was a couple jokes here and there at the beginning. But now, she’s just part of Chiefs Kingdom. She’s part of the team.”
Beyoncé’s childhood home caught fire early on Christmas morning, though the family living there escaped safely. The fire was reported at about 2 a.m. Monday (Dec. 25) and the Houston Fire Department arrived on the scene of the two-story brick house within three to five minutes, the Houston Chronicle reported. “We had it contained in […]
Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) rises 2-1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Dec. 30), marking the fourth nonconsecutive week atop the list for the set. It earned 136,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Dec. 21 (up 25%) according to Luminate. The set, along with many of Swift’s titles, continues to benefit from vinyl sales encouraged by holiday shopping and promotions.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
1989 (Taylor’s Version) spent its first two weeks at No. 1 (Nov. 11-18), had another week in the lead on the Dec. 9 chart, and then bounces back to the top on the new chart.
Swift has a total of three albums in the top 10 on the new chart, as 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is joined by former No. 1s Midnights (7-3 with 75,000 – up 31%) and Lover (9-7; 60,000 – up 22%).
The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new Dec. 30, 2023-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on Dec. 27, one day later than normal due to the Christmas Day holiday on Dec. 25. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.
Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 falls to No. 2 with 100,000 equivalent album units (down 56%) after debuting atop the list a week ago. Michael Bublé’s former No. 1 Christmas climbs 5-4 (70,000; up 10%), Morgan Wallen’s chart-topping One Thing at a Time bumps 6-5 (just over 64,000; up 2%), and Drake’s former leader For All the Dogs dips 3-6 (64,000; down 6%).
Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song ascends 11-8 (56,000 equivalent album units; up 17%), SZA’s former leader SOS falls 8-9 (54,000; up 2%), and Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas returns to the top 10 for the first time this season, rising 12-10 (52,000; up 14%). Merry peaked at No. 3 in its initial chart run, on the Dec. 17, 1994-dated chart. This is the sixth consecutive season the album has revisited the top 10.
Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.