Pop
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Jess Glynne can’t believe it’s already the five-year anniversary of her most recent album, 2018’s Always In Between. “It really is mad,” the British pop star tells Billboard of Always In Between, which turned 5 on Oct. 12. “So much has happened in my life, personally and in my career. … It was never the plan for that to be so long. But it’s just, life happens, right? And I think I’m now accepting of that.”
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Over that past half-decade, the 34-year-old singer-songwriter — best known in the U.S. for her smash Clean Bandit collaboration “Rather Be,” but with nine solo top 10 hits on the UK’s Official Charts — experienced profound personal loss as an inadvertent professional catalyst. In 2021, one of Glynne’s close friends passed away, causing the pop star to pause her career and “do a lot of self-work,” she says. Glynne re-emerged from mourning with reevaluated priorities and a revamped team, signing with Roc Nation for management last year and with Republic Records as her stateside label.
With that in mind, Glynne has treated 2023 as an opportunity to ramp up to her third studio album, due out next year. “This year has been a foundation for me to get myself back into the world of music and creativity,” she says. “It’s really been a journey, and it’s been experimental, [but] I feel like I have a really strong vision for this album.”
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Last Friday (Oct. 20), Glynne further previewed that vision with “Friend of Mine,” an absorbing pop anthem with production that pulls from drum-n-bass and vocal runs that remind the world why Glynne is considered such a powerhouse. Written with Jin Jin, Ollie Green and DJ Sub Focus, “Friend of Mine” allows Glynne to ruminate on the changing contours of a relationship: “We said some things and we crossed the line, “ she sings, “but will you still be a friend of mine?”
Glynne says that the main hook of “Friend of Mine” came within a 20-minute period during a studio session. “When you break up with someone, you’re mourning the loss of something, but you still want to be able to have that person in your life, because they mean so much to you,” she explains.
“Friend of Mine” is Glynne’s third single of 2023, following the fuzzed-out clap-along “Silly Me” and the thumping dance offering “What Do You Do?,” which were released in April and July, respectively. Those three songs not only suggest a more reflective tone for Glynne’s upcoming album, but also a diversification of sound, with different slants on her soulful pop bedrock.
“With this album, I feel like this chapter has been quite exciting, and refreshing,” says Glynne. “I feel like I’m in a good space.”
Is Travis Kelce officially Taylor Swift‘s boyfriend? Fans seem to think so after seeing a now-viral TikTok of the Kansas City Chiefs tight end reacting to the label. In a video shared by user @jeffjulian, Kelce is buttoning his shirt after his football game on Sunday (Oct. 22), when a fan shouts, “Let’s go, Taylor’s […]
Ariana Grande hasn’t forgotten about AG7. In a recent Instagram post, the 30-year-old pop star joked that her seventh album will be called “goat mother,” sharing photos and videos on Instagram with dozens of goats on an idyllic farm. The “Positions” singer shared a carousel of photos with friends and family Monday (Oct. 23), several […]
Taylor Swift’s got that red lip, classic thing that Travis Kelce likes — and that’s why she planted a kiss on the Kansas City Chiefs tight end’s cheek. In a new Instagram photo posted by wide receiver Mecole Hardman’s girlfriend Chiarah Gordon on Monday (Oct. 23), the couple is seen smiling and posing with Swift […]
Ah, October — beacon of pumpkin spice lattes, cinnamon-scented candles, Gilmore Girls reruns and Halloween decor. It’s the time of the year when autumn finally feels like it’s kicking into high gear. And it’s no wonder why the 10th month has been a muse to so many musicians over the decades, from tried-and-true 20th century […]
Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.
These 10 tracks from artists including Kevin Abstract, beabadoobee, Griff and Bananarama will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of our favorite cool pop songs of this year.
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Timbaland and Anna Margo, “My Way”
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Following a buzzy Nelly Furtado/Justin Timberlake collab, Timbaland teams with an L.A. singer by the name of Anna Margo for “My Way,” a funky slow-burner that samples elements of his iconic Aaliyah production “Are You That Somebody.” Goes without saying that this baby-boosted reimagining isn’t gonna replace the original, but it’s still a delightful spin. – Joe Lynch
UPSAHL, “No Hands”
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Taken from Side A of UPSAHL Presents: The PHX Tapes, “No Hands” shows UPSAHL weaving a seductive, spooky tapestry of dark-pop that suits the season. “I wanna be cold, I wanna be hard, I wanna be ruthless / I wanna be hot, I wanna be soft, I wanna be stupid,” the singer-songwriter moans on a bridge that’s almost as much fun as the anthemic chorus. – J. Lynch
Moyka, “Never Say Sorry”
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Norwegian pop star Moyka’s new album Movies, Cars and Heartbreak features plenty of flourishes that demand a close listen — chief among them the moment on standout track “Never Say Sorry” in which the drums crash in to throttle the chorus, adding depth to an atmospheric track. “Never Say Sorry” finds Moyka comparing her relationship to a cinematic romance, but the hook here delivers plenty of real-life drama. – Jason Lipshutz
Griff, “Into the Walls”
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“Today, I think I’ll disappear into the walls / Only for a day or two, at most,” Griff declares on “Into the Walls,” an ode to wanting to escape main-character status and watch the world without emotional response. With its relatively sparse production, “Into the Walls” could have been an icy affair, but Griff’s voice animates the environment, floating from withdrawn to impassioned with self-assured skill. – J. Lipshutz
Kevin Abstract, “What Should I Do?”
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Throughout his time in Brockhampton, Kevin Abstract always demonstrated a confident handling of pop hooks, and the solo single “What Should I Do?” (which precedes new album Blanket, out next month) features a full commitment to that melodic craft: the guitar strums, chirping backing vocals, Auto-Tuned singing and sunny instrumental breaks swirl into a wholesome, almost twee product. “What Should I Do?” shimmers with light and affection, a powerful sign of what else might be coming. – J. Lipshutz
Bananarama, “Feel the Love”
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Bananarama will always be known for ‘80s staples like “Cruel Summer,” “Venus” and “I Heard a Rumour,” but “Feel the Love” allows Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward an opportunity to bring their spirit into a new pop era with bright colors and sweeping synth movements. The single never flags in pace across its run time, as Bananarama’s shiny harmonies encourage longtime fans and new listeners to flood the dance floor. – J. Lipshutz
The Veronicas, “Perfect”
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Australian sister duo The Veronicas have successfully hoisted their winning pop-rock formula from the mid-2000s and plopped it into the 2020s — first with their back-to-back 2021 albums Godzilla and Human, and now with “Perfect,” the proud middle-finger lead single from next year’s Gothic Summer album. Created with John Feldmann and featuring Travis Barker on drums, “Perfect” rejects social norms with guitar chugs and calls to “F–k designer / Start a riot!” – J. Lipshutz
beabadoobee ft. Laufey, “A Night To Remember”
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Indie singer-songwriter beabadoobee and modern jazz breakout Laufey sound like long-lost sisters on the sultry “A Night To Remember.” The way in which they bring their distinct personalities to this song, yet manage to harmonize in gorgeous synchronicity, makes this team-up just as memorable as the night they sing of. – Lyndsey Havens
MK.gee & Two Star, “Are You Looking Up”
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“Are You Looking Up” may sound familiar to some (speaking to you, indie-alt fans) thanks to the intentionally strained, lo-fi vocals, but make no mistake — the artist known as Mike Gordon is paving his own path. Gordon made waves in 2021 as a key member of Dijon’s band, working on the artist’s breakout debut album Absolutely. Now, Gordon — as Mk.gee — along with Two Star is building on that creative foundation and creating a world all his own. – L. Havens
Barry Can’t Swim, “Always Get Through to You”
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Electronic artist Barry Can’t Swim delivers a dance-pop jam with “Always Get Through to You,” complete with a slinky bass line and repeated falsetto that elicits the question: “Can I always get through to you?” There’s a subtlety in the way the title drops any sense of question, arriving as a self-assured statement, only for the song itself to unpack that uncertainty — as if the artist is trying to win the “you” in question over with each twinkling beat. – L. Havens
P!nk has always been an open book with her fans, sharing her triumphs and tragedies, celebrating her chart-topping hits and Summer Carnival tour and always sticking up for the underdog when bullies come calling.
But in a revealing interview with 60 Minutes that aired on Sunday night (Oct. 22), the 44-year-old singer born Alecia Beth Moore said that during a turbulent childhood she nearly derailed her chances at stardom before her career even started when she overdosed during a Thanksgiving rave in 1995.
“I was on ecstasy, angel dust, crystal, all kinds of things. And then I was out. Done. Too much,” she said, telling the news magazine that during a period in which she was also selling drugs she nearly died before getting offered a life-changing lifeline from a DJ at the event. “Come back tomorrow, I’ll give you a guest spotlight,” she said the DJ told her. “But you can never touch drugs again.” Just weeks later, she was auditioning for record labels and got her first gig as part of a short-lived R&B group on LaFace Records before launching her multiplatinum solo career.
The Grammy-winning mother of two also explained why she’s always been such an open book about her life, believing that it has helped fans feel more connected to her. “I guess I look at it in a very specific way,” she said. “If I’m a mystery to you, how can I expect you to connect with me? And if I’m a person that’s desperate for connection, then why would mystery be interesting to me? I want to know you. I want you to know me.”
The piece also dove into her legendarily physically demanding live performances, which find her soaring over the audience and doing acrobatic flips through the air, skills she learned as a child gymnast, as well as through training sessions with aerialist coach Dreya Weber.
It’s that combination of physical, mental and emotional strength that P!nk said has allowed her to survive in a business that has often relied on a very narrow, standard definition of beauty. “‘This is a woman you don’t want to mess with ‘is a true statement. I know what certain people think of when they look at me,” she said. “Down to the fact that I’m muscular, I’m outspoken and I have short hair. I’m possibly a dude, definitely a lesbian… people sort of put you in a box no matter what you look like.”
So, by being outspoken and not bending to societal norms, P!nk said she’s been labeled as “scary and dangerous.” The reality, though, is that she is the “goofiest, most fun-loving person that will possibly kick your a– if I have to,” she added with a smile. The scariest part of her backstage area these days, though, is the traveling lending library she and her crew maintain, where anyone can sign out a book whenever they want.
The piece also delved into her side gig as the owner of a vineyard and a behind-the-scenes look at how the asthmatic singer buildings the muscles needed to do all that live, upside down singing, including training sessions in which Weber stands on the P!nk’s belly as she belts out her songs to build her stamina.
“I never got a record deal because I was cute; I got a record deal because I was fiery, I had a lot to say, and I had a voice,” she said. “I’m relieved I don’t have to fall back on conventional beauty and that doesn’t have to be my thing and I don’t have to keep that up, either, as I age. I don’t have to be that. I can be all this.”
After dropping the new bonus single “Dreaming” with DJ Marshmello and Sting from the expanded version of her Trustfall album on Friday, P!nk had to postpone two Vancouver shows over the weekend due to a respiratory infection. Her next scheduled date is a Wednesday (Oct. 25) show at Ball Arena in Denver.
Check out P!nk’s 60 Minutes interview below.
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If you’ve already been “Slow Dancing” to the latest solo single from BTS‘ V, get ready to switch up your style. The K-pop superstar group singer dropped two new remixes of “Slow Dancing” on Monday (Oct. 23) that put a new spin on the single from his Layover solo EP. The first, “Slow Dancing (FRNK […]
The Kid LAROI, Jung Kook and Central Cee‘s “Too Much” tops this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (Oct. 20) on Billboard, choosing the trio’s song as their favorite new music release of the past week. “Too Much” brought in more than 48% of the vote, beating out new music from […]
Madonna got emotional on stage as she shared with the crowd that she wasn’t feeling well Saturday night (Oct. 21) in Belgium.
In June, Madonna — who recently kicked off her career-spanning Celebration Tour — returned home after spending several days in the hospital due to a bacterial infection. Manager Guy Oseary at the time revealed that Madonna spent a few days in the ICU. “Her health is improving, however she is still under medical care,” Oseary wrote on June 24. “A full recovery is expected.”
After the health scare forced Madonna to postpone the start of her tour by three months, the Queen of Pop finally kicked off her highly anticipated global trek on Oct. 14, at London’s O2 Arena. (See Billboard‘s recap of the show here.)
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In Belgium Saturday night, a week into her tour, Madonna reflected on that experience.
“Less than four months ago, I was in a hospital and I was unconscious, and people were thinking, predicting that I might not make it,” she said to the audience at Sportpaleis in Merksem. “It’s a f—ing miracle that I’m here right now. My mother, god bless her, she must be watching over me — she said, ‘Girl, it’s not your time to go.’”
Madonna added: “I had this strange thought. I suddenly had sympathy for my mother, not about the dying part, but how lonely she must have felt being in hospital, knowing that she wasn’t going to live.”
Madonna’s mother died from breast cancer when the future Queen of Pop was just five years old.
“I was given another chance,” said Madonna, 65, “so I’m very grateful for that.”
“I must tell you I don’t feel very well right now, but I can’t complain, because I’m alive. Thank god for my children and all of your love and support,” she told the crowd.
See clips of Madonna’s speech filmed by a fan at the concert below.
Madonna put on an incredible show last night. She said she wasn’t feeling well. It’s hard not to wonder if she’s really not well though, pushing through with the tour so soon after her illness. I hope she and her business people are taking good care of her. pic.twitter.com/FtboL4oqwD— andie dyer (@dyerAndie) October 22, 2023