Pop
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Britney Spears is reflecting on the Las Vegas incident earlier this week in which she was allegedly struck by NBA star Victor Wembanyama’s security. The pop superstar took to Instagram to share her thoughts on Friday (July 7) after TMZ shared footage of the situation, where Spears is seen tapping the San Antonio Spurs player on the back […]
Madison Beer is gearing up to release her sophomore album Silence Between Songs on September 15, and the singer-songwriter sat down with Billboard‘s Rania Aniftos to discuss the inspiration behind her upcoming project. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “I got started really young doing this, and […]
Danielle Jonas got vulnerable while appearing alongside husband Kevin Jonas in a new episode of the LadyGang podcast this week, in which she opened up about comparing herself to Joe Jonas and Nick Jonas’ wives, Sophie Turner and Priyanka Chopra, respectively. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “The […]
Back when Taylor Swift was writing Speak Now, she wasn’t afraid to use some cryptic references to her real life experiences — “Dear John” being the prime example. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news So when Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) arrived on Friday (July 7), Swifties immediately […]
Taylor Swift unveiled Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on Friday (July 7) and the superstar kept the nostalgia for her 2010 third studio album alive with a moving prologue reminiscent of her original Speak Now liner notes that remain popular among Swifties. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news […]
The Las Vegas Police Department has concluded its investigation into the alleged incident between Britney Spears and a member of NBA rookie Victor Wembanyama’s security team. In a statement to Billboard on Friday (July 7), the LVMPD said it had wrapped up its probe into the alleged battery that took place on Wednesday in Las Vegas and concluded that “no charges will be filed against the person involved.”
Spears filed a police report after she claimed that she was stuck by a member of Wembanyama’s security team while trying to greet the player in a Las Vegas hotel.
According to TMZ, which first reported the news, Spears was having dinner with husband Sam Asghari and two friends at Catch at the Aria Hotel when she saw the San Antonio Spurs No. 1 pick and wanted to take a photo with him. When she tapped Wembanyama on the shoulder, Director of Team Security for the Spurs Damian Smith reportedly pushed her, hitting her in the face and causing the singer to fall to the ground.
Smith then reportedly apologized to Spears, saying he didn’t recognize the pop star at the time of the incident, with the “Piece of Me” singer reportedly accepted the apology. Afterwards, however, Spears decided to file a police report alleging battery. TMZ reported that law enforcement checked the Aria Hotel’s security footage, which reportedly showed Smith pushing Spears’ hand away from Wembanyama, causing her own hand to strike her in the face before she fell.
Billboard reached out to Spears’ team and the Spurs for additional information and comment on the incident, with neither responding at press time.
On Thursday Spears posted a note on her Instagram explaining her side of the story. “Traumatic experiences are not new to me and I have had my fair share of them. I was not prepared for what happened to me last night,” she wrote. “I recognized an athlete in my hotel lobby as I was heading to dinner. I later went to a restaurant at a different hotel and saw him again. I decided to approach him and congratulate him on his success. It was really loud, so I tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. I am aware of the players statement where he mentions ‘I grabbed him from behind’ but I simply tapped him on the shoulder. His security then back handed me in the face without looking back, in front of a crowd. Nearly knocking me down and causing my glasses [to fall] off my face.”
Wembanyama issued a statement to the Associated Press in which he claimed that Spears “grabbed me from behind,” and that he didn’t know it was the singer until hours later. “I just know the security pushed her away. I don’t know with how much force but security pushed her away. I didn’t stop to look so I could walk in and enjoy a nice dinner,” he said.
Spears added in her statement that, “I get swarmed by people all the time. In fact, that night. I was swarmed by a group of at least 20 fans. My security team didn’t hit any of them. This story is super embarrassing to share with the world but it’s out there already. However, I think it’s important to share this story and urge people in the public eye to set an example and treat all people with respect.”
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, Taylor Swift unveils her latest re-recording, TOMORROW X TOGETHER creates summer fun with Jonas Brothers, and new albums from Rauw Alejandro and Dominic Fike are ready to be fired up. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Taylor Swift, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
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Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), the newly released re-recording of Taylor Swift’s 2010 album, reanimates a country-pop masterpiece that was solely written by Swift as her teens gave her to her twenties. Speak Now showcased Swift’s aesthetic command and solidifying point of view during a period of personal growth — and along with revisiting one of the most complete projects of her career, the six “From The Vault” songs on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) are of a piece with that growth.
Click here to read more about all six “From The Vault” songs on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).
TOMORROW X TOGETHER & Jonas Brothers, “Do It Like That”
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Shortly after offering a sparkling summer jam with “Waffle House,” Jonas Brothers have joined forces with TOMORROW X TOGETHER to faithfully provide fans with more fodder for their cookout playlists: “Do It Like That” is a no-frills jam from a pair of collectives whose brands of pop fit together quite easily. Much of the song’s immediate appeal comes from its percussive bounce, snaps and pops and found-sound clanging piquing eardrums, but the JoBros and TXT ride those drums admirably, offering plenty of charm over “Do It Like That’s” short run time.
Rauw Alejandro, Playa Saturno
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The cover of Rauw Alejandro’s new album Playa Saturno features the Puerto Rican superstar alone on a desolate planet, lounging in a beach chair under an umbrella; the implication is that, no matter what the environment, Alejandro will be ready to unleash summery pleasures. The best moments of Playa Saturno find Alejandro enhancing the kinetic grooves that he previously explored on hits like “Todo De Ti” and “Party” with Bad Bunny; “Si Te Pegas,” featuring Miguel Bosé, is saved for the final minutes of the full-length, but may be the most joyful distillation of Alejandro’s formula in recent memory.
Dominic Fike, Sunburn
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Florida is the beating, complicated heart of Sunburn, Dominic Fike’s second studio album, which examines the singer-songwriter’s upbringing as he refines his singular approach to emotionally honest pop. Songs like “Mona Lisa,” “Sick” and the Weezer collaboration “Think Fast” carry a hangdog appeal on top of more serious issues, as Fike pivots from rapping to crooning over fuzzed-out guitars with aplomb while prodding at the many issues in the past and present of his home state.
FendiDa Rappa feat. Cardi B, “Point Me 2”
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Cardi B’s year of blessing rising women in rap with scorching-hot guest verses continues: after hopping on GloRilla’s “Tomorrow 2” and Latto’s “Put It On Da Floor Again” — and sending both songs charging up the charts — the superstar has linked up with Chicago MC FendiDa Rappa on “Point Me 2,” scooping up the ominous beat as her own while also giving her new collaborator ample room to shine. Each of these guest verses have shown Cardi in smash-the-world mode, and here, she rips into lines like “I blow fifty racks in Target, on some stupid shit” with enough force to flatten a city block.
Editor’s Pick: NewJeans, “Super Shy”
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While songs like “OMG” and “Ditto” have helped NewJeans mount their position as one of K-pop’s most exciting new acts, their new single expands their boundaries even further, simply by locating a type of bubblegum wonder that fans of any strain of popular music can happily chew. “Super Shy” sports rapidly shuffling beats, subtle synth work and the NewJeans members seamlessly weaving in and out of rap breakdowns and melodic yearning, as they try to combat their bashfulness together and achieve one of the summer’s most undeniable pop tracks.
Harry Styles brought a little ray of sunshine to a trio of Ukrainian refugees who fled their embattled country last year just months after the launch of Russia’s unprovoked war on its neighbor. The singer teamed with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to invited the women to his Love on Tour show in Warsaw, Poland’s PGE Narodowy Stadium on Sunday.
According to a post from the humanitarian aid organization, 13-year-old Daria, her mother Maryna and their friend Daria Kathina fled their hometown of Mykolayiv, Ukraine in July 2022 — more than four months after Russia’s Vladimir Putin launched the war — and have rebuilt their lives in Sosnowiec, Poland.
“I’m so grateful to Harry Styles and to the IRC, which has supported me to pursue my dream career in Poland, for giving us the chance to forget our worries for a night and sing and dance at the concert,” said Maryna in a statement on IRC’s Instagram page. The IRC thanked Styles for donating the tickets and for his continued support of the organization.
In addition, Maryna told the IRC, “Since being forced to leave our home in Ukraine last year, it’s been a challenge adjusting to life in a new country – especially for my daughter, Daria, and my 10-year-old son. I’m so grateful to Harry Styles and the IRC, which has supported me to pursue my dream career in Poland, for giving us the chance to forget our worries for a night, and sing and dance at the concert.”
In an accompanying video the three women are seen attending the show loaded down with bulging Styles swag bags and enjoying the gig from their primo seats.
The IRC also noted that Maryna has been participating in the IRC’s Step to Work project for Ukrainian refugees in Poland and is pursuing her dream of being a tram driver. The three women are among the nearly 6 million Ukrainians who’ve been forced to flee their homes, including more than 94,000 who’ve landed in Poland.
The next stop on Styles’ tour is in Vienna, Austria on Saturday (July 8), with the European leg of the trek slated to wind down on July 22 in Reggio Emilia, Italy at the RCF Arena.
Check out the IRC’s post below.
Taylor Swift might be in the midst of her massive Eras Tour and as you surely know she just released Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). But in keeping with her time-honored tradition of celebrating the 4th of July with a few of her closest A-list friends, the singer spent Tuesday chilling out with pals including the […]
Jung Kook is about to bring the fire and set the summer alight! Good Morning America announced on Friday (July 7), that the BTS member is set to kick off the long-running show’s annual Summer Concert Series this year. “Get ready to dance!” Jung Kook tells ARMY with a smile in a brief video message […]