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James Taylor‘s music is headed to the theater. Fire & Rain, a jukebox-style musical based on the music of the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was announced on Monday (March 17), with the in-development project to feature a story by Tony-winning playwright/actor Tracy Letts (August: Osage County, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and direction by Tony-winner David Cromer (The Band’s Visit).
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According to Deadline, while no details have been announced so far about the storyline for the show, a release announcing it heaped praise on six-time Grammy winner Taylor, referring to his musical legacy as, “one of profound influence on American music, particularly in the genres of folk, pop, and singer-songwriter traditions. His career spans over five decades, and his impact can be felt in both the personal nature of his songs and his stylistic innovations. His deeply personal, introspective lyrics and soulful delivery helped define the era’s musical landscape.”
The statement noted that the title song — which was featured on the singer’s 1970 sophomore album, Sweet Baby James, and reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart — “helped solidify James Taylor’s career and introduce him to a wider audience. The song’s vulnerability and honesty made it resonate with listeners and became one of the defining songs of his career.”
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At press time there was not timeline for when Fire & Rain will be staged or where it will debut.
Taylor is the latest in a long line of iconic pop, country and Latin artists who’ve brought their music to the stage in biographical musicals, including Elton John, Cyndi Lauper, The Go-Gos, Sting, Alanis Morissette, Carole King, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Alicia Keys and many more.
The 77-year-old singer is gearing up to launch his 2025 summer tour, which is slated to kick off on May 5 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix and keep him on the road through a July 1 gig at the BankNH Pavilion in Gilford, NH.
For Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco love is definitely on the menu. Literally. The couple announced on Sunday (March 16) that they have teamed up with the authentic Thai restaurant Jitlada in L.A. to help other couples enjoy the fried shrimp with curry the singers shared on their first date at the spot. Explore See […]
BTS‘ j-hope previewed his upcoming solo single on Friday, giving ARMY a nine-second taste of the thumping tune. With a buzzy, glitched-out beat and woozy bass line, the first taste of the tune lacked audible vocals, though there did appear to be some chopped-up voices buried in the mix. A first taste on X featured […]
Ed Sheeran gave fans in New Orleans an unexpected treat on March 15, debuting his unreleased song “Azizam” during a surprise street performance in the city’s historic French Quarter.
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The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, accompanied by The Soul Rebels brass band, drew an excited crowd as he performed the track live for the first time.
Sheeran stepped out of a black SUV just after 11 a.m. local time, carrying a portable amp and microphone. “We’re gonna do one song here – we’re filming a bit of content – and then we’re going to do a parade and walk down and play some songs, if you want to come with us,” he told the audience, per Nola.com.
The performance marked the live debut of “Azizam”, which Sheeran revealed would be released in the coming weeks.
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“I’ve got a new song coming in a couple weeks that no one’s heard. This will be the first time it’s ever been played live. We’ll play it once now and then we’ll walk down, play some songs that you know, and I’ll play this song again,” he continued.
Sheeran later shared a video of the performance on Instagram, showing himself rolling his amp through the streets as the crowd grew around him. “Playing some new music today on the streets of New Orleans with @thesoulrebels thanks to everyone who turned up!” he captioned the post.
The New Orleans pop-up was just the latest in a series of unannounced performances from Sheeran. Earlier in the week, he surprised fans in Nashville by performing an impromptu set at Tootsie’s bar, delivering a mix of his biggest hits along with a cover of Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time.”
His love for impromptu performances has been a recurring theme. Back in February, he attempted a street concert in Bengaluru, India, drawing a large crowd before local authorities intervened. Despite the show being pre-approved, officials shut it down due to security concerns. Sheeran later addressed the situation on Instagram, clarifying that the performance had been planned in advance and assuring fans it was all in good spirits.
With speculation surrounding his upcoming album, Play, Sheeran has been teasing new music in creative ways. “Azizam” is expected to be one of the project’s lead singles, and if his recent pop-ups are any indication, fans can likely expect more surprise performances in the lead-up to its release. His previous album, Autumn Variations, debuted in 2023, earning a spot on the Billboard 200.
Singer-songwriter YU-KA traveled to Sweden to work with local creators and co-write the songs on her newly released five-song EP, Wild Nights. With songs like “Feel Like This,” the ending theme to part 1 of the Netflix series Beastars‘ final season, the EP has a mellow electronic sound evocative of northern Europe, and YU-KA’s delicate singing voice and expressiveness are in full bloom. She talked with Billboard Japan at length about how her time in Sweden stimulated and inspired her, and how she put those feelings into her music.
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Your new EP, Wild Nights, came out six months after your previous EP, Sunshade. Were the songs on the albums written around the same time?
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I didn’t write the lyrics or put the finishing touches on the songs until after Sunshade‘s release, but I made the actual demos for all of the songs in Sweden last summer. I was there for a little under a week, and while there I wrote a lot of different songs with different writers. The songs on Wild Nights come from the songs I wrote there. The speed with which the Swedish writers worked, and their way of thinking, was a little different than Japanese artists. Even the way they chose sounds was totally different, so it was an extremely stimulating experience.
Actually having gone to Sweden, did you find that it had a unique atmosphere of its own?
In Japan, everything gets lumped together as “Western music,” but the music in Sweden has a different feel than American or British music. Also, even though Sweden and Japan are very far away geographically, the character of the Swedish people is a good fit in many ways for that of the Japanese people. I felt a strange link between the countries. The artists I co-wrote with have also written songs for other Japanese artists, so they had connections with J-pop. I felt an unexpected affinity throughout the songwriting process.
What is the concept behind Wild Nights?
When writing the lyrics afterward, I wanted to make the theme for the EP “night.” Ever since my debut, I’ve been writing and releasing music, so I decided to stop for a second and think about my own artistry and my own strengths. I realized that, in the duality of light and dark, I tended toward the dark side. Other musicians and my vocal coaches often describe my voice as having a “shadowy” feel. Also, a lot of the songs I wrote a long time ago, on my own, were dark songs. So that’s why I decided to make the theme of the EP “night.” The title Wild Nights comes from a poem by Emily Dickinson. I found out about her in university, where I was majoring in English literature. When I was struggling with the decision of whether or not to become a singer, I was inspired by her poetry, and I decided to give music my all. “Wild nights” refers to stormy nights, and I thought that fit perfectly with the EP’s image, so I chose it as the title.
The image of your previous EP, Sunshade, was that of being out in the sun, so the new EP’s title stands in contrast.
The theme of Sunshade was “J-pop.” The songs I wrote in Sweden had a sound that was more like Western music, so before releasing them, I wanted to make an album that embodied my J-pop side. That was Sunshade. That’s also why the lyrics are relatively straightforward, while the lyrics on Wild Nights are a bit more aggressive and wild. In that sense, too, I think the two EPs present a contrast.
“Feel Like This” is the ending theme of part 1 of the Netflix series Beastars final season. Since it’s a tie-up, you’d expect it to go in a J-pop direction, but instead you took a bold approach, going with all-English lyrics.
The anime’s production team asked me to use English lyrics, and I thought it was a good idea. It’s evidence of the fact that anime is watched around the world. I was really happy that they picked me to write the ending theme. When I wrote the song, in Sweden, my vision was to pair it with English lyrics, so I think it was easier to write the lyrics in English than if I’d tried to write them in Japanese. I like lyrics that tie into the work the song is being used for, so I had fun writing them.
Beastars is set in a school, and it’s a love story, but it’s also enjoyable because of its takes on social issues like discrimination and its exploration of identity. What did you focus on when you wrote the lyrics?
The main character, a wolf, is in love with a rabbit, who’s a herbivore. In the natural world, their relationship would be predator and prey, but there’s a romance element, which is one of the key features of the anime. I think that contrast between reason and instinct is really important. The whole anime is a metaphorical depiction of problems in human society, and I think there are themes that apply to everyone. For example, think of what you want to do as being “instinct” and what you have to do as being “reason.” There are a lot of people who sacrifice what they want to do for what they have to do. It’s important not to let your instinct run rampant, but if you go overboard in ignoring your own desires, you’ll eventually come apart at the seams. I’ve felt that in my own life, so I based the lyrics on that idea. The lyrics use the contrast between certain expressions in English, and there’s a sense of playfulness that runs throughout.
I wrote the song “1-2-3” [also on the album] with David (Fremberg), who also worked on “Feel Like This.” Originally, we were just working on “Feel Like This,” but then we realized that if we kept focusing on this one song alone, we wouldn’t be able to come up with anything good. Instead, we figured we should play around with something else for a while and then come back to “Feel Like This.” And that’s how “1-2-3” came to be. We wrote “Feel Like This” and “1-2-3” in a single day.
The new EP has a good balance of English and Japanese lyrics. The last song, “Silent Parade,” is in Japanese, so the message and intent come through really strong.
There’s been a lot going on in the world recently, and perhaps because of that, the sight of people taking a position and asserting themselves has stuck with me. Asserting yourself is an impressive feat, you know. But if you think about it, being a singer-songwriter is similar, in a way. Singer-songwriters start out on their own, but they’re able to keep on making music thanks to the relationships they develop with all kinds of other people, like listeners or staff members. As they go on, that line of people becomes even longer. The question is whether, when you start out as in this silent parade, all by yourself, you can imagine all the people that will one day join in. Whether you can trust that to happen. That’s why it’s “Silent” and not “Alone.” I wanted to encourage people who step forward. They may feel like they’re alone, but when people have their sights set on the future and they keep pushing forward, they’re walking at the front of a long line of the people who will one day join them. When I started out, I thought I was all on my own, but now, as YU-KA, I’m surrounded by staff members and people who support me. Writing the song, I was struck once again by just how precious their presence is, and it made me want to make the YU-KA parade an even bigger one.
This interview by Hiroko Goto first appeared on Billboard Japan.
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, Chappell Roan gets the job done, Playboi Carti finally drops the album, and Haim kick off the spring. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Chappell Roan, “The Giver”
2020s pop, meet 1990s country: “The Giver,” Chappell Roan’s long-awaited new single that was debuted on Saturday Night Live last November and has been teased for weeks, has arrived as a swirling, fiddle-filled gay anthem as well as an homage to the boot-stomping mainstream smashes of artists like The Chicks and Shania Twain, aware of the past but full of singular energy from a new superstar.
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Playboi Carti, Music
At long last, we have the follow-up to Playboi Carti’s towering 2020 album Whole Lotta Red: at 30 songs and 76 minutes, Music is a gargantuan undertaking that hides its A-list guests throughout the track list (Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Travis Scott and Future are among the attendees), but the project stands as a coronation of a relentless, rabble-rousing superstar, who iterates on his past flows and rage sound while also reveling in his improbable rise. Haim, “Relationships”
Him returning a few days after we push the clocks forward, and receive more sunlight on a daily basis, couldn’t be more perfect — “Relationships” sounds like an overdue embrace from an old friend, the cozy stylings of the trio typified by a buoyant bass line, rhetorical questions about relationship statuses and a breakdown that opens the song and then happily swings back around.
Sleep Token, “Emergence”
“Go ahead and wrap your arms around me,” goes the refrain of “Emergence,” the dazzling return of the mysterious British rock group Sleep Token: a six-minute epic that combines metalcore, hip-hop, electronic and pop, the lead single to Even in Arcadia is designed to command attention but pulls off its elaborate concept, and sets up Sleep Token for a huge year.
Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco, “Sunset Blvd”
We’ve gotten a few different shades of Selena Gomez and Benny Blanca’s collaborative album before its arrival next week, and “Sunset Blvd” is by far the dreamiest: over a warm bed of synths and unobtrusive drums, Gomez reflects on her first date with her fiancé, tossing out a few sexual innuendoes and big-hearted declarations.
Lil Nas X, “HOTBOX”
Concluding a full week of new singles from Lil Nas X, “HOTBOX” offers sing-rap opulence over a sample of Pharrell Williams’ “Frontin’,” with Nas calling everybody to the dance floor while the beat wordlessly does the same thing; the other new tracks were worthy, but he saved the best for last.
LE SSERAFIM, HOT
The fifth mini-album from the K-pop quintet finds LE SSERAFIM sharpening their aesthetic over five tracks, and while the title track to HOT is the group’s latest single, “Come Over,” which plays out like an extended flirtation over a Bossa nova-esque riff, is the easy standout here, and one of the strongest songs the group has ever made.
Lizzo, “Still Bad”
If “Love in Real Life,” Lizzo’s first new music in three years, arrived two weeks ago as the opening credits to her return, “Still Bad” sounds like the main event, as an unapologetic showcase of the Grammy winner’s vocals, sense of humor and party-ready rhythmic pop flair.
Peso Pluma, “RARI”
The latest single from Peso Pluma comes back to a successful blueprint for the superstar, but “RARI” might be the most instantly catchy track he’s released in years, with a vocal hook that is woven throughout every line and emphasizes the rougher textures in his delivery.
Editor’s Pick: Charley Crockett, Lonesome Drifter
On first blush, Charley Crockett’s new album Lonesome Drifter is a traditional country project, full of hard-scrabble storytelling, strummed hooks and the singer-songwriter’s rumbling twang — but multiple listens reveal an impressive synthesis of classic and modern styles from an emerging star, as Crockett folds well-worn country tropes into charming explorations of R&B, blues and modern rock.
In an Instagram post earlier this week captioned “dirtbag girl in a dirtbag world,” Halsey fully embraced their body in pics in which the “Safeword” singer modeled a series of skin-baring outfits. The get-ups ranged from a black sweater and plaid skirt combo to a black lacy thong and push-up bra, a half-shirt reading “Breed […]
Jessica Simpson returned to the stage for her first live show in 15 years on Wednesday night (March 12) at SXSW in Austin, TX. The singer performed a live set at Owen Bradley Park for the Recording Academy’s Block Party during the annual music industry conference, playing a mix of gritty, rock-tinged and country-influenced originals and covers while rocking a fringed buckskin jacket and brown leather skirt.
The energetic six-song set opened with the live debut of two new songs, the gospel country-tinged “Breadcrumbs” and “Leave,” followed by a gritty cover of the Dusty Springfield classic “Son of a Preacher Man” that found Simpson, 43, belting the song with enthusiasm while accompanied by a full live band featuring stand-up bass and two powerful back-up singers.
“Last night, was my first performance in 15 years. It was an emotional coming back home to the best part of myself,” Simpson wrote on Instagram in a post that featured footage of the set. “Thank you for embracing me. You know that I have so much to say, but this lucky voice gets to soar again tonight. I love y’all. More to come.”
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In addition to the Springfield cover, Simpson also took on the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Nancy Sinatra hit “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’” — which she covered for the 2005 Dukes of Hazzard soundtrack — along with the live debuts of the bluesy “Blame Me” and boot-scooting country pop tune “Use My Heart Against Me“; the new songs are slate to appear on Simpson’s upcoming Nashville Canyon, Part I EP. Simpson recently released “Use My Heart Against Me” and “Leave” in advance of the EP’s March 21 street date, marking her first new music since a 2010 Happy Christmas album. Simpson’s last studio album of new music was 2008’s Do You Know.
Speaking to the audience at the top of the set, Simpson explained, “This time I needed to remember who I was and why I wanted to sing in the first place and all the music that inspires me. And I need to forget who they told me to be.” The last time Simpson performed live was at the 2010 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
In one of the videos from her SXSW show, Simpson described how therapeutic her Nashville writing and recording sessions were to the audience. “The songs kept coming, I was so inspired, it was such a beautiful moment. But within that moment, my life turned upside down and there was no way I was going to let it keep me from my purpose,” she said to whoops from the audience. “There was no way I was going to let the light go dim. I’ve done that before and it really only held me back and made me so insecure. And I can say today that I love myself, I love the woman that I am, I love the mother that I am, I love the friend I am and I know that heartbreak… you write some good music when you go through heartbreak… so, I guess take advantage of it?”
In January, Simpson announced her split from husband of 10 years, former NFL tight end Eric Johnson. “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” Simpson — who shares three children with Johnson — said in a statement at the time. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”
Doubling down on her country pivot, Simpson was also a surprise guest at Thursday night’s (March 13) annual Luck Reunion at Willie Nelson’s ranch in Luck, TX, where she performed “Use My Heart Against Me,” “Breadcrumbs” and another new song, “Sunday Lover,” as well as the “Boots” cover. This year’s show also featured sets from Willie Nelson & Family, Charley Crockett, Shane Smith & the Saints, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Julien Baker & TORRES, Taj Mahal and others.
Check out Simpson’s performance below.
Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco’s joint album I Said I Love You First is arriving in just a week, and the pair unveiled the latest single from the project, “Sunset Blvd,” on Friday (March 14). The title is inspired by the Los Angeles street where the duo, who got engaged in December, had their first […]
The Midwest Princess is heading back to her roots. Chappell Roan unveiled her newest single, “The Giver,” on Thursday (March 13), putting her own spin on country music. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news In the fiddle-heavy track, she declares in the cheeky chorus: “Take it like […]