Pop

19 Nov 2023

Bebe Rexha Calls Winning Her First Billboard Music Award a ‘Full-Circle Moment’

Bebe Rexha takes the stage in front of her biggest fans for the 2023 Billboard Music Awards tonight (Nov. 19) to perform “I’m Good (Blue)” with her musical collaborator, David Guetta. To celebrate the song’s big year, Rexha shared her thoughts with Billboard ahead of the performance.

“Just seeing the fans embrace ‘I’m Good’ in the way that they have has been such an incredible journey, and I think this is an incredible moment to do something that I’ve never done before,” she says. “It’s so different and it’s kind of like a gift to my fans to say thank you.”

As for her favorite BBMAs memory, Rexha noted a moment in 2019 when she won top country song for “Meant to Be,” her collaboration with Florida Georgia Line. “I grew up watching the Billboard Awards, and finally being able to win one was such a special moment for me. It was like a full-circle moment,” she said, adding, “Winning a Billboard Music Award means a lot to me, because it’s a reflection of where your song lies on the charts and working so hard in this industry and getting the recognition is really awesome.”

“I’m Good (Blue)” — which is a finalist for three BBMAs at Sunday’s show — spent 55 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart. (Only one song in the chart’s nearly 11-year history has had a longer run at No. 1: “Happier” by Marshmello and Bastille topped the chart for 69 weeks.)

The Billboard Music Awards Presented by Marriott Bonvoy can be viewed on BBMAs.watch or via the Billboard and BBMAs social media channels starting at 8 p.m. ET tonight.

Watch Billboard‘s full interview with Bebe Rexha at the BBMAs above.

19 Nov 2023

Tate McRae Electrifies With ‘Greedy,’ Debuts Ballad ‘Grave’ on ‘Saturday Night Live’: Watch

Tate McRae brought the heat to Saturday Night Live.

The Billboard cover star made her SNL musical guest debut on Nov. 18, performing her hit song “Greedy” and debuting new ballad “Grave” during the Jason Momoa-hosted episode.

The 20-year-old pop star launched her two-song set with “Greedy,” which caught fire on TikTok before crossing over on the charts. The track currently sits at No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. During the performance, McRae showed off some killer dance moves on sports bleachers while leading a squad of fellow dancers.

“Greedy” will be featured on the singer-songwriter’s sophomore album, Think Later, which is scheduled for release on Dec. 8 through RCA Records.

For her second song, following an introduction from second-time host Momoa, McRae slowed things down with the debut of new ballad Grave,” which was teased at the end of her music video for “Exes.” Wearing a see-through black dress, the Canadian-born artist delivered the emotional track amid a moody setting with fog and a dark backdrop.

McRae has had seven Hot 100 hits, including two this year. The singer also had seven charted songs on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart, including “You Broke Me First,” which reached No. 2 in April 2021.

She will make her Billboard Music Awards debut on Sunday (Nov. 19) by performing “Greedy.” Performances and awards will roll out across BBMAs and Billboard social channels, as well as via BBMAs.watch, on Sunday beginning at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Watch McRae’s SNL performances below. For those without cable, the broadcast streams on Peacock, which you can sign up for at the link here. Having a Peacock account also gives fans access to previous SNL episodes.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=skptcIyK5fA&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent


https://youtube.com/watch?v=8bhzcjcm1r4&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

18 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift Performs ‘Suburban Legends’ Live for the First Time in Rio de Janeiro

Although the loss of a fan at the first of three scheduled Taylor Swift concerts in Rio de Janeiro left the singer “with a shattered heart,” at the Friday night (Nov. 17) show she had made her acoustic set special when she debuted “Suburban Legends” live.

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Swift surprised the crowd with the vault track from 1989 (Taylor’s Version) on piano at the city’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos.

The song might be new, but Swifties screamed in excitement from the first line.

Smiling through the chorus as she went through it live for the first time in Brazil, the pop star sang, “I didn’t come here to make friends/ We were born to be suburban legends/ When you hold me, it holds me together/ And you kiss me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever.”

Before “Suburban Legends,” Swift pulled a song out of her earliest catalog, one that hadn’t been played live in probably 15 years: “Stay Beautiful,” which is on her debut, self-titled album.

“I wanted to play something to honor the fact that so many amazing Brazilian fans have been with me since day one, since the first album,” she said.

“It’s because you, just this crowd, Rio, you’re just so beautiful,” she continued. “And I hope you stay that way.”

Swift’s second concert in Rio de Janeiro was postponed from Saturday to Monday, Nov. 20, due to extreme temperatures. From her dressing room at the stadium, Swift wrote on social media: “The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”

On Friday night, Swift expressed her grief over the loss of 23-year-old fan Ana Clara Benevides Machado, who died the first night of the singer’s Eras Tour in Rio, where temperatures reached 102.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The young woman was treated by paramedics at the stadium after she said she wasn’t feeling well, and later taken to a hospital, where she passed away, according to an Instagram post by concert promoter T4F. The exact cause of Machado’s death had not been revealed at press time.

“I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young,” she wrote in a statement she released that night. “I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

See a clip of Swift’s “Stay Beautiful” and “Suburban Legends” performances below.


https://youtube.com/watch?v=ilgNuEM8k-o&version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent

18 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift Postpones 2nd Rio de Janeiro Concert Following Death of Fan

Taylor Swift has postponed the second night of her Eras Tour concert in Brazil on Saturday (Nov. 18) due to “extreme temperatures” in Rio de Janeiro.

The last-minute delay arrives one day after the death of a fan attending the pop superstar’s opening night at Rio’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos on Friday (Nov. 17).

“I’m writing this from my dressing room in the stadium,” Swift shared in a handwritten note on her Instagram Story Saturday. “The decision has been made to postpone tonight’s show due to the extreme temperatures in Rio. The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to and always will come first.”

Brazilian concert promoter T4T noted in a statement on Instagram that Saturday’s concert will be scheduled for Monday (Nov. 20). Further information about rescheduled event will be shared through taylorswifttheerastour.com.br.

On Friday night, Swift expressed her sorrow on social media over the loss of 23-year-old fan Ana Clara Benevides Machado, who died after attending the opening night of the singer’s Eras Tour in Rio. The woman was treated by paramedics after she reported not feeling well and was later taken to a hospital, where she died, according to an Instagram post by T4T. The exact cause of Machado’s death had not been revealed at press time.

“I can’t believe I’m writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show,” Swift wrote on her Instagram Story. “I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”

She continued, “I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

Many concert-goers complained that they were not allowed to bring in water bottles to the stadium despite a record-breaking heat wave in Rio, the Associated Press reports. Temperatures reached 102.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the city on Friday.

During Friday’s show, her first of three at Rio’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos, Swift paused her performance to request water for a group of fans who indicated they needed it.

“There’s people that need water right here, maybe 30, 35, 40 feet back,” the singer said, as seen in fan-captured footage on X. “So whoever is in charge of giving them that, just make sure that happens. Can I get a signal that you know where they are?”

This marks the second time Swift has been forced to postpone dates on the South American leg of her Eras Tour. Just hours ahead of her second show at the Estadio River Plate in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Friday (Nov. 10), the “Cruel Summer” singer announced that the concert was being delayed due to “truly chaotic” rainy weather conditions in the region.

18 Nov 2023

Taylor Swift Mourns Death of Fan at Eras Tour Concert in Brazil: ‘I Feel This Loss Deeply’

Taylor Swift is “devastated” following the death of a fan at her Eras Tour concert in Brazil on Friday (Nov. 17).

The pop superstar shared a handwritten note on social media after the show at Rio de Janeiro’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos to express her sorrow over the loss.

“I can’t believe I’m writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show,” Swift wrote on her Instagram Story. “I can’t even tell you how devastated I am by this. There’s very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young.”

She continued, “I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it. I want to say now I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends. This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil.”

A cause of death for the fan, identified as 23-year-old Ana Clara Benevides Machado, has not been revealed.

The concert’s organizer, T4F, wrote on Instagram that paramedics attended to the woman after she reported feeling unwell. She was first taken to a first aid area and then to a hospital, where she passed away shortly after, according to the Brazilian promoter.

Some concert-goers complained that they were not allowed to bring in water bottles to the stadium despite a record-breaking heat wave in Rio, the Associated Press reports. Temperatures reached 102.4 degrees Fahrenheit in the city on Friday.

During the show, her first of three at the venue, Swift paused her performance to request water for a group of fans who indicated they needed it.

“There’s people that need water right here, maybe 30, 35, 40 feet back,” the singer said, as seen in fan-captured footage on X. “So whoever is in charge of giving them that, just make sure that happens. Can I get a signal that you know where they are?”

On Saturday morning (Nov. 18), T4F shared a statement on Instagram noting that free water will be distributed at designated areas of Swift’s concert and that a limited number of sealed water containers will be allowed into the stadium.

Swift is scheduled to continue her Eras Tour at Rio’s Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos on Saturday and Sunday.

See T4F’s statements on Instagram below.

17 Nov 2023

P1Harmony, Teddy Swims & More to Perform at 2023 Jingle Ball Pre-Show Village

The 2023 Jingle Ball Pre-Show Village is back. iHeartMedia Los Angeles’ 102.7 KIIS FM announced on Friday (Nov. 17) its list of performers for the annual pre-Jingle Ball event.

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P1Harmony, Teddy Swims, Charlieonnafriday, Paul Russell and GUNNAR will all perform live at the show, which is free and open to the public and will take place on Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. PT in the parking lot of the KIA Forum. (G)I-DLE will also be taking part in a special Q&A during the event.

The 102.7 KIIS FM Jingle Ball Pre-Show Village is also sponsored by Your Local Kia Dealers, It’s Boba Time, Sweet James Accident Attorneys, LA Girl Cosmetics and BumBumz — which will provide fun, onsite activations for fans to experience.

iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Village

Later that night, at 7:30 p.m., iHeartRadio 102.7 KIIS FM’s Jingle Ball 2023 Presented by Capital One at the Kia Forum will feature performances by Olivia Rodrigo, Niall Horan, AJR, Sabrina Carpenter, Miguel, Doechii, Flo Rida, (G)I-DLE and P1Harmony.

If you can’t make the Jingle Ball tour in person, a network special, airing Dec. 21 (8-10 p.m. ET/PT), will feature footage from all iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour stops. The special will be available on demand and on Hulu the following day. Tickets for Jingle Ball are available now at iHeartRadio.com/JingleBall.

17 Nov 2023

See Tate McRae Pay Tribute to Jason Derulo in ‘SNL’ Teaser With Jason Momoa & Chloe Fineman

This week’s Saturday Night Live musical guest Tate McRae stars alongside host Jason Momoa and cast member Chloe Fineman in a new teaser for their fast-approaching Nov. 18 episode; and while the 20-year-old pop star doesn’t give viewers a taste of what her performance will entail, she does join in for a tribute to another musician who just so happens to share a first name with the Aquaman actor.

Standing side by side with Momoa and Fineman on the famous 30 Rock stage, McRae first helps her two costars appeal to the youth with some Gen Z-speak — “It’s giving thanks” — before correcting Momoa’s assertion that chocolate milk comes from brown cows. “That can’t be right,” she says, stifling a laugh.

Then, Fineman randomly sings “Jason Momoa” to the tune of Jason Derulo‘s famously meme-able musical tagline. When Momoa insists that he’s going to claim the melody for himself, the “Greedy” singer joins him and Fineman in singing the jingle as a trio.

McRae’s performance this weekend will mark her Saturday Night Live debut. It’s proving to be a big week for the Canadian singer-dancer, who became Billboard‘s latest cover star on Thursday (Nov. 16) and released her new Ryan Tedder-produced single “Exes” on Friday (Nov. 17). The day after she takes the stage on SNL, she’ll perform at the Nov. 19 Billboard Music Awards, where she’s also a finalist in the top dance/electronic song category for her single “10:35.” The ceremony can be viewed on BBMAs.watch or via the Billboard and BBMAs social media channels.

Watch McRae’s SNL teaser above.

17 Nov 2023

Tate McRae Praises Britney Spears’ Choreography & Stage Presence: ‘No One Really Did it Like Her’

Tate McRae has big plans for 2024, so she’s taking cues from one of the world’s biggest pop stars. Shortly after announcing that her new album Think Later will arrive Dec. 8 followed by a world tour next year, the 20-year-old pop prodigy — who’s also Billboard‘s latest cover star — doubled down on her love for Britney Spears‘ performance style in a recent interview with Rolling Stone.

“I mean, obviously I watch Britney’s music videos all the time, because I think no one really did it like her,” McRae told the publication when asked where she finds inspiration for her choreography and stage presence. “She always crushed her music videos and the dancing.”

The “Greedy” singer’s Britney shoutout echos what she previously told Billboard in her newly unveiled Nov. 16 cover story. “When I look at my favorite icons or videos or performances, it’s always the biggest pop stars, so I think that’s always a goal,” she said. “I think what defines a pop star is how iconic [they are]: Madonna, Britney [Spears], Christina [Aguilera]; they would put on these shows and blow everybody away and make timeless art.”

“And that’s what I want to do: make timeless art and timeless performances — and strive to keep on doing that,” added McRae.

With production from Ryan Tedder, Think Later will feature McRae’s Billboard Hot 100 chart-climber “Greedy” as well as her splashy new single “Exes,” which dropped Friday (Nov. 17). The Canadian singer and dancer is a finalist at this year’s BBMAs for top dance/electronic song (“10:35”); she’ll also perform at the Nov. 19 ceremony, which you can watch on BBMAs.watch or via the Billboard and BBMAs social media channels.

17 Nov 2023

Diane Warren Tells Taylor Swift ‘Thanks For Taking Me Along For the Ride’ After ‘Say Don’t Go’ Vault Release

A decade after songwriting legend Diane Warren teamed up to co-write the power ballad “Say Don’t Go” with Taylor Swift for the latter’s iconic 1989 album, Warren is giving thanks for the revival of the track as one of the “From the Vault” extras on the recently released 1989 (Taylor’s Version).

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“I was surprised that that became a news story. I mean, what? That was really nice of her. But that shows, she’s smart, she’s smarter than everybody,” Warren, 67, said of the reboot of the track; Swift also sent Warren flowers in October after the release of her fourth catalog re-record. “That was really beautiful,” Warren told People magazine.

“Look, it was great that the song came out and everybody loves that song, everybody. It’s like her fan’s favorite song,” Warren added. “And the fact that she used it now when she’s bigger than anybody on the planet, it’s like, thanks for taking me along for the ride, Taylor. It’s awesome.”

Swift included a note along with the flowers she sent to Warren, writing, “Diane, It was a dream come true to write with you. I hope you love ‘Say Don’t Go’ as much as I do!! Sending the biggest hug to you! Love, Taylor.”

The song was originally written toward the end of 2013, with a demo of Swift playing it on acoustic guitar tracked on New Year’s Day in 2014. The ballad didn’t end up making the cut on 2014’s 1989, but a new version co-produced by Swift and frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff made Warren remember what it was like go line-for-line with Taylor.

“Just the way we wrote together was very interesting,” Warren told People. “I loved the song at the time and then I was kind of surprised that she didn’t use it. And then really surprised in a way better way when I found [out] she was.”

17 Nov 2023

Rio’s Christ the Redeemer Welcomes Taylor Swift to Brazil With ‘Junior Jewels’ T-Shirt: See the Photo

The power of Swift compels you. After countless fans mobilized online to have Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer welcome Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour with a temporary makeover, the famous statue now sports a T-shirt inspired by the pop star’s iconic “You Belong With Me” music video outfit — and it’s all thanks to the holy spirit of Swifties.

His arms spread wide in welcome, the giant stone replica of Jesus Christ is currently adorned with the light projection of a white shirt made to look like the homemade “Junior Jewels” tee Swift wears in her 2009 video, which has been viewed more than 1.5 billion times on YouTube. In place of the names of Swift’s friends, the statue’s shirt is covered with the names of different cities and states in Brazil in different colors.

The shirt is also dotted with Swift-themed doodles, including a hand heart, an archer bow and “All Too Well” scarf. “Welcome to Brasil” is emblazoned across the chest, a customized nod to the pop star’s “Welcome to New York.”

Sharing an aerial video of the 98-foot statue’s new look, Christ the Redeemer’s Instagram page captioned the visual, “We did it, Swifties!”

“You were able to show all the love to Taylor!” continued the statement in Portuguese, as translated to English by Google. “Many thanks to all who donated! Make it a wonderful day!”

The “Anti-Hero” singer is set to play six Eras shows in Brazil, the first three of which will take place in Rio at Estádio Nilton Santos starting Friday (Nov. 17). The next weekend, she’ll set up shop in São Paulo for three nights at Allianz Parque.

Chris the Redeemer’s wardrobe change wouldn’t have been possible without a lot of hard work from Swift’s disciples. According to an Instagram video on the landmark’s Instagram, the Sanctuary’s rector Father Omar had challenged Swifties to donate money for the collection of 20,000 units of panetone and mineral water for people in “vulnerable situations and social exclusion.”

“If the goal is met, the Christ the Redeemer Sanctuary will do the mapped projection at the Christ the Redeemer monument in response to the request of fans with a welcome message to Taylor,” continued the Thursday (Nov. 16) call to action, which clearly paid off. “The Sanctuary will bear all the costs of the projection and will continue with the mission of welcoming everyone with open arms.”

Swift is the leading finalist at the 2023 Billboard Music Awards, with nods in 20 categories. The BBMAs are Nov. 19 and can be viewed on BBMAs.watch, or via the Billboard and BBMAs social media channels.

See Christ the Redeemer in the welcoming T-shirt below:

taylor swift, brazil

An image projected onto Christ the Redeemer welcomes Taylor Swift to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Nov. 16, 2023. Swift will offer three shows of ‘The Eras Tour” in Rio de Janeiro.

FLORIAN PLAUCHER/AFP via Getty Images