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May is gearing up to be a busy month for ENHYPEN‘s Engenes, as the K-pop stars announced both the title and release date for its forthcoming mini album on Monday (April 24).
The group — which consists of Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, Jungwon and Ni-ki — shared via Weverse at midnight that their fourth mini album, DARK BLOOD, is scheduled to arrive on May 22. Accompanying the announcement was a moody and enigmatic logo trailer, which features classical string instrumentation as well as black and white imagery of text, drops of liquid and more before unveiling the album’s title.
Fans were also treated to a calendar of events pertaining to the album’s release. Concept trailers, films, photos and mood boards will arrive between May 1 and May 10. DARK BLOOD‘s tracklist and its respective title poster will arrive on May 17, with an album preview to follow on May 18. The video teasers for the yet-to-be titled lead single precede the album’s release on May 19 and May 21, with the album and full music video releasing one day later. ENHYPEN will also perform a special showcase for DARK BLOOD on May 22.
ENHYPEN’s previous mini album, Manifesto: Day 1, marked the group’s first No. 1 effort on the Billboard charts. The set crowned Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart dated Aug. 27 in its third week on the chart, following its No. 3 debut.
Watch the album trailer for DARK BLOOD in the video above, and see the schedule of events for the album below.
Lizzo just created an impromptu tattoo design for a fan, and it’s *chef’s kiss.* At a recent concert, the star rose to the occasion when someone sitting in the front asked her to design a custom tattoo, which the star did in the most Lizzo way possible.
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Captured in a video posted Sunday (April 23) to the “About Damn Time” singer’s Instagram, Lizzo first consulted the fan — who’d been holding up a poster reading “Lizzo, draw my next tattoo” — about where on her body the new ink would be placed. After both agreed that the most appropriate place for a Lizzo tat would be on the young woman’s rear end, earning thunderous applause from the rest of the crowd, the Yitty founder put her own spin on the request.
Instead of drawing a picture or writing something out for the fan to get tattooed, Lizzo instead asked a crew member to bring her some lipstick. Then, after applying a fresh coat, she stamped a kiss on the poster, leaving a perfectly shaped, pink print of her lips.
“I’ma put my lips on this paper, so you can have my lips on your a–,” the four-time Grammy winner told the fan, who got emotional under the star’s special attention. “So if you anyone tries to talk s–t, you can tell them Lizzo says to kiss my mothaf–kin’ a–!’”
“Was it even a Lizzo Show if nobody got a A– tattoo??? 😜😜😜😜” Lizzo captioned the video. TAG ME WHEN U GET MY LIPS TATTED BOO!”
Watch the sweet moment below:
While most of the music industry is scrambling to figure out how to combat fake A.I.-generated vocals, Grimes is running in the other direction. “I think it’s cool to be fused w a machine and I like the idea of open sourcing all art and killing copyright,” the genre-pushing singer tweeted on Sunday night (April 23).
The series of tweets found Grimes doubling- and tripling-down on her quest to blur the lines between humans and machines and reconfigure the traditional copyright guardrails that have been in place for more than half a century in the music industry.
In a follow-up tweet Grimes linked to a recent story about how a fake song featuring A.I.-generated vocals from Drake and The Weeknd, “Heart on My Sleeve,” had been pulled from streaming services after going viral. Rather than demanding takedowns, Grimes said she’s willing to go halfsies with her fans if they create something worthy with her vocals.
“I’ll split 50% royalties on any successful AI generated song that uses my voice,” she promised of her stance, which is in stark opposition to that of Universal Music Group, which acted quickly to condemn the “infringing content created with generative AI” that produced the phony superstar duet.
“Same deal as I would with any artist i collab with,” she continued. “Feel free to use my voice without penalty. I have no label and no legal bindings.” In addition, she said she feels like we “shouldn’t force approvals — but rather work out publishing with stuff that’s super popular. That seems most efficient? We cud use elf tech for it tho – but I think we’ll notice if a grimes song goes viral.”
Furthermore, apparently free of label contract constraints, Grimes said she and her team are working on a program that should simulate her voice pretty convincingly, but that they could also upload stems and samples for people to train their own A.I. vocal generators. As for a timeline for the Grimes A.I., the singer said her crew was “p far along last I checked. I sorta just spur of the moment decided to do this lol but we were making a sim of my voice for our own plans and they were almost done.” She also was open to taking suggestions and tips on technology from her followers as evidence by a series of back-and-forth tweets with supportive fellow AI supporters.
Fans have been eagerly awaiting an update on the status of Grimes’ next album, the as-yet-unscheduled BOOK 1, alluding to some unspecified personal and professional hang-ups before revealing that “music is my side quest now. Tbh reduced pressure x increased freedom = prob more music just ideally ‘Low key I’ll always do my best to entertain whilst depleting my literal reputation I hope that’s ok I love y’all.”
The musician’s most recent album was 2020’s Miss Anthropocene, which included the singles “Violence,” “So Heavy I Fell Through the Earth,” “My Name Is Dark” and “Delete Forever.” Since then, she’s also released one-off songs including 2021’s “Player of Games” and last year’s “Shinigami Eyes.”
Check out Grimes’ tweets below.
I think it’s cool to be fused w a machine and I like the idea of open sourcing all art and killing copyright— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) April 24, 2023
I feel like we shouldn’t force approvals – but rather work out publishing with stuff that’s super popular. That seems most efficient? We cud use elf tech for it tho – but I think we’ll notice if a grimes song goes viral— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) April 24, 2023
We’re making a program that should simulate my voice well but we could also upload stems and samples for ppl to train their own— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) April 24, 2023
My team is asleep but I’ll see what’s up tomorrow- we were p far along last I checked. I sorta just spur of the moment decided to do this lol but we were making a sim of my voice for our own plans and they were almost done— 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 (@Grimezsz) April 24, 2023
When Taylor Swift wrote “Death By a Thousand Cuts,” she probably didn’t mean to take it so literally. During her Saturday (April 22) Eras Tour concert, the pop star scraped her hand midway through and powered through the rest of the show with a pretty nasty-looking wound.
Fans watching the second of Swift’s three shows in Houston over the weekend quickly noticed that she was missing a chunk of skin from her left palm, which appeared to bleed on and off throughout the remainder of the performance. One Swiftie clocked that the injury must have happened in between the “Anti-Hero” singer’s quick change between “Tolerate It,” the last song in the Folkore section of the set list, and “Ready For It,” the first song in the Reputation section.
“her wrist is fine by the end of tolerate it and by the time she walks down the stage for rfi you see the blood near her palm,” one fan tweeted.
As the concert progressed, Swift could be seen with bandages wrapped around her wrist and palm. But through all of the costume changes, choreography and guitar/piano-playing the singer does throughout her three-hour set, the bandage seemed to lose its stickiness and slip off of her hand.
If she was in pain, however, Swift definitely didn’t show it. Fans online couldn’t believe how well she powered through the performance without even flinching at the visible gash on her hand, with one Swiftie tweeting, “taylor is actually better than me cuz i cut my hand like this accidentally and i literally couldn’t stop crying cuz it hurt as hell she’s literally a superhuman.”
“taylor’s dedication is unreal,” wrote another. “i cannot believe she performed with her hand THAT injured last night, without letting on that something was going on. we do not deserve her.”
Billboard has reached out to Swift’s rep for comment.
See photos and fan reactions to Taylor Swift’s painful-looking mid-show injury below:
for those wondering about taylor’s wrist here’s what happened 🧵she cut right below her palm sometime in the change btwn tolerate it – > RFI. her wrist is fine by the end of tolerate it and by the time she walks down the stage for rfi you see the blood near her palm. pic.twitter.com/8fINwsv6io— sophia (@lovr_23) April 24, 2023
taylor is actually better than me cuz i cut my hand like this accidentally and i literally couldn’t stop crying cuz it hurt as hell 😭 she’s literally a superhuman pic.twitter.com/FN6U0eCFHi— rania (@tolerateitlover) April 24, 2023
taylor’s insane bc she performed two nights with her hand hurt and missing a piece but when I get a paper cut I cancel all my plans bc it hurts too much— 🪩 eME!rald 🕰️ 🌙 HEARD MIRRORBALL LIVE🪩 (@hushmirrorball) April 24, 2023
taylor’s dedication is unreal. i cannot believe she performed with her hand THAT injured last night, without letting on that something was going on. we do not deserve her.— cadence⸆⸉ 🌲 (@notagoldrush) April 24, 2023
WHAT THE HELLLL taylor’s hand was actually so bad how did she even play guitar after this oh my beloved whoever did this TRUST you will be dealt with!!!! pic.twitter.com/TLLFeoh5uA— ali’s MIDNIGHTS (@ownedbytayla) April 23, 2023
This story is part of Billboard‘s K-Pop Issue.
Los Angeles-born and -raised choreographer Kyle Hanagami has worked with pop stars like Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez and Dove Cameron. But in more recent years, his résumé has started reading like a who’s who of K-pop’s biggest names: TWICE, aespa, Red Velvet, Girls Generation, NCT and NCT Dream, TOMORROW X TOGETHER and, most notably, BLACKPINK. All have enlisted Hanagami to help craft the fierce moves that power their music videos and stage performances, define their brands and now are oft-imitated on TikTok. He has also worked with members of BLACKPINK on their solo efforts — including with Jisoo on the video for her single “Flower,” which has over 118 million YouTube views. Currently choreographing the forthcoming Mean Girls musical movie, Hanagami spoke from its East Coast set about what it took to become K-pop’s most in-demand dance-maker.
Were you a K-pop fan before becoming enmeshed in this world?
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I actually used to listen to K-pop in high school — I had a friend who was really, really into it. But I never in a million years imagined I’d be working in it, especially because I didn’t start dancing or choreographing until after high school. It’s a total fluke.
How did you start working with K-pop acts?
I’d been posting videos on YouTube back when I had maybe 500,000 subscribers [He now has over 4.5 million], and one of the entertainment companies reached out to me. Then more artists and entertainment companies started reaching out. When I first started working in K-pop, there weren’t very many American choreographers. It has been a process figuring out that style and what it looks like and kind of creating it. I think that’s why so many artists I’ve worked with have gone on to become so successful — they have amazing teams who work with them, but it really has been about me developing styles for these people from scratch.
In the United States, it has been a minute since choreo-driven girl groups and boy bands were popular. Does that make working with K-pop acts especially fun?
I used to choreograph for a Latin boy band, CNCO, that was hugely into dance breaks. And then I did *NSYNC’s surprise appearance at Ariana Grande’s Coachella performance, and that was again [a lot of] dance breaks. I’ve always loved that style. It has been cool to figure out how to adapt it to these amazing artists who come out of Korea.
Why is dance so important to the identity of K-pop groups and their members?
It’s about really identifying what makes their music different and bringing it to life. I remember the first time I heard BLACKPINK, when I heard “Boombayah” [for which Hanagami choreographed the video]. I remember thinking, “Oh, this is different. I’ve never heard a K-pop group come out like this, especially as their first single. This group needs to look different than everyone else.” I had the opportunity to choreograph and give visuals that hadn’t been done for K-pop before, and I loved making that a signature of BLACKPINK.
How would you describe that signature?
They’re so innovative as a K-pop group, and I was able with the choreography to really lean into their individuality. They should dance the way they sing — and each of their voices are so unique. I really have to bring that out when I give them solo moments in choreography, but at the same time, it has to work together as a whole. I think what has helped make them successful is all four girls are relatable in their own ways, but they feel like a supergroup when they come together.
Are there certain things you would do with an American act that you wouldn’t with a K-pop act?
Obviously, I make sure there is that element of cultural sensitivity. There are definitely American artists who’ll go way overtly sexy in a way a Korean artist might not be comfortable with, and it’s something I keep in mind. I want to make sure if a 9-year-old is watching [a video] at home and they want to follow along, their parents feel comfortable.
But in general, the artists that come out of Korea train so hard to be where they are, [they’re] becoming these superstars before they even hit the stage, whereas in America, it’s often about finding existing talent versus talent development. Any time I get a new [K-pop] artist, it’s starting with what they have — if someone is a great vocalist, or a great rapper, or a great dancer or very charming — and knowing how and when to make them shine. Using the choreography to show what they do best.
This story originally appeared in the April 22, 2023, issue of Billboard.
This story is part of Billboard‘s K-Pop Issue.
For the multitude of K-pop acts amplifying South Korean culture on the global stage, it’s fair to say BTS and BLACKPINK have set the bar, with BTS in particular achieving many records. Now as both bands open new chapters with their members’ solo careers, they’re establishing more precedents.
Ten years ago, solo debuts from within such groups might have signaled trouble: perhaps an imminent disbanding, or one member being considered more successful than the others. But for BTS and BLACKPINK, solo projects are additive, supplementing the groups’ journeys while highlighting new artistic dimensions. For BTS, solo ventures have given the members room to experiment sonically, visually and lyrically (including expletives largely avoided in group releases). And in 2018, BLACKPINK’s Jennie upended the norm for when a band’s first solo act might break out when she released her debut single, “Solo” — two years before BLACKPINK dropped its first studio album.
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The path to solo stardom hasn’t necessarily replicated the levels of success the bands have achieved. No member of BLACKPINK has cracked the Billboard Hot 100 above No. 70. And when BTS’ Jimin recently debuted at No. 1 on the chart with “Like Crazy,” it was a first for a solo member of the group. But as these artists explore their individual identities, single releases are far from the only metric defining them. Here, a look at both bands and their recent solo endeavors.
It cemented its stake in the K-pop zeitgeist with viral hits like “DDU-DU DDU-DU” and “BOOMBAYAH,” but BLACKPINK didn’t release its first studio album until 2020, four years after debuting. Album track “Ice Cream” (with Selena Gomez) became the group’s highest-charting U.S. single, peaking at No. 13 on the Hot 100. After making history in 2019 as the first K-pop group to perform at Coachella, BLACKPINK just became the first such act to headline the festival.
Jisoo
Although she was BLACKPINK’s first member to try acting (with a role on JTBC series Snowdrop in 2021), Jisoo was the last to make her official solo debut, following Jennie (2018), Rosé and Lisa (both in 2021). Released in March, ME is a two-track set featuring “(FLOWER),” blending pop and trap with traditional Korean melodies, and the upbeat “All Eyes on Me.” “(FLOWER)” debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. charts.
Jennie
Jennie’s solo journey broke the traditional K-pop model: Her debut single, “Solo,” was released in November 2018 — before BLACKPINK’s own debut studio set, The Album, arrived. “Solo” topped Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart for one week, and less than a year later, Jennie became the first Korean solo artist to perform at Coachella. Her follow-up, “You & Me,” was first heard in October 2022, when she performed it during BLACKPINK’s Born Pink World Tour; it has yet to be officially released. Next, she’ll make a foray into acting on HBO’s The Idol.
Lisa
The charismatic rapper-singer released her debut two-track project, LALISA, in September 2021. The eponymous lead single entered the Billboard Global 200 at No. 2 and the Hot 100 at No. 84; B-side “Money” received some radio airplay but peaked at No. 90 on the Hot 100. In 2022, Lisa became the first solo K-pop winner at the MTV Video Music Awards and the first female soloist to win the best K-pop artist category.
Rosé
The second member of BLACKPINK to release solo material, Rosé put out the two-track R in March 2021. “On the Ground” debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts, staying there for one week. (It peaked at No. 70 on the Hot 100.) “Gone” reached No. 17 on Global Excl. U.S. and No. 29 on Global 200.
BTS
Courtesy of BIGHIT
During the last decade, BTS released nine albums and over 230 songs (many of which it co-wrote or produced), making history along the way as the first Korean group to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 (“Dynamite”) and the act with the most No. 1 hits on the Hot 100 this decade. Proof, BTS’ most recent album, was its sixth to debut atop the Billboard 200.
Jin
When late 2021’s “SUPER TUNA,” an unofficial gag gift for fans, went viral, Jin was so embarrassed that he asked listeners to stop dancing to it. Days after BigHit Music announced BTS would fulfill its military service — starting with Jin — the song (along with “Tonight” and “Abyss”) was officially released. The week his single “The Astronaut” debuted, Jin topped Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart for the first time, the sixth BTS member to do so; co-written by Jin and Coldplay, the song peaked at No. 51 on the Hot 100 and debuted at No. 1 on the Digital Song Sales chart.
V
V has yet to announce an album and released one single, “Christmas Tree,” for K-drama Our Beloved Summer’s original soundtrack; it peaked at No. 79 on the Hot 100 and No. 1 on Digital Song Sales in January 2022. Recently, he joined famed Korean actors Park Seo-joon, Choi Woo-shik, Lee Seo-jin and Jung Yu-mi to film tvN reality show Jinny’s Kitchen, in which they open a pop-up Korean restaurant in a small Mexico town.
SUGA
The only member to go solo under an alternate name, Agust D — a portmanteau of “D-Town” (his hometown of Daegu) and “Agus” (SUGA backward, and an abbreviation of “shooting guard,” his favored basketball position). The prolific producer-songwriter has penned tracks for popular Korean artists like IU and PSY. His mixtape, D-2, was a runaway hit with fans, though it was only released digitally. His full-length debut, D-DAY, just came out with an accompanying documentary, SUGA: Road to D-DAY. SUGA is the first BTS member to embark on a solo tour; his nine-city trek across the United States and Asia begins April 26 in New York.
Jung Kook
He hasn’t released a solo album yet, but Jung Kook has been busy. His “Stay Alive,” produced by SUGA, was released as the theme for Korean webtoon series 7Fates: Chakho. (It peaked at No. 95 on the Hot 100.) In summer 2022, he featured on Charlie Puth’s “Left and Right,” which reached No. 22 on the Hot 100. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, he sang “Dreamers,” part of the tournament’s official soundtrack, and since then has been highly visible on billboards worldwide as a global brand ambassador for Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear.
RM
On his solo endeavors (including features with Balming Tiger and So!YoON!), RM has made a concerted effort to showcase the diversity of Korea’s non-mainstream artists. His debut, Indigo, featuring collaborators ranging from Erykah Badu to Epik High’s Tablo, arrived on digital and streaming on Dec. 2, 2022, two weeks before a physical version was released. Fans worried its chart prospects would suffer, but Indigo still peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 — setting a record for the highest album charting position for a K-pop artist at the time — and at No. 1 on the World Albums chart.
Jimin
In April, Jimin became the first Korean soloist to top the Hot 100 with “Like Crazy,” the lead single from his March debut album, FACE, which explores loneliness and finding freedom. He co-wrote all five tracks on FACE, which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 2, making it the highest-charting album by a K-pop solo artist. (Previously, RM held the record.)
j-hope
The first Korean artist to headline Lollapalooza, j-hope dropped his debut album, Jack in the Box, in July 2022 as a digital-only release. Fans claimed the lack of a physical version put him at a charting disadvantage; nonetheless, the album peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard 200 and No. 4 on Top Rap Albums. Tracks “Arson” and “= (Equal Sign)” peaked at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, on World Digital Song Sales. He recently released “on the street” (with J. Cole), a role model of his, and has confirmed he will be BTS’ next member to enlist for military service.
This story originally appeared in the April 22, 2023, issue of Billboard.
At a concert Friday night (April 20) in Knoxville, Tennessee, Lizzo filled the stage with drag queens in a glittery protest against the state’s legislation designed to restrict drag performances in public.
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While performing at Thompson-Boling Arena, the Grammy-winning “Juice” singer brought out a number of drag performers, including Aquaria, Kandy Muse, Asia O’Hara and Vanessa Vanji. On Saturday, Lizzo posted videos on Instagram from the show, including comments to the crowd that referenced the pending law.
In February, Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed the legislation against “adult cabaret” in public or in front of minors. A federal judge temporarily blocked the law in late March, saying it was too vaguely written. Civil rights groups have criticized the law as a violation of free speech.
The Tennessee law is part of a wider Republican effort to restrict drag shows and other LGBTQ+ public gatherings.
“In light of recent and tragic events and current events, I was told by people on the internet, ‘Cancel your shows in Tennessee,’ ‘Don’t go to Tennessee,’” Lizzo said during the Friday concert. “Their reason was valid, but why would I not come to the people who need to hear this message the most?”
“Why would I not create a safe space in Tennessee where we can celebrate drag entertainers and celebrate our differences?” added Lizzo.
Loren Gray unveiled her debut studio album Guilty on Friday (April 21) and to celebrate, the 21-year-old sat down with Billboard‘s Rania Aniftos to open up about her journey from social media star to pop star.
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Gray released her album as an independent artist after leaving her deal with Virgin Records and Capitol Records. “Everything, for me, is backwards,” she explains. “Usually, you make the music, you grow the audience and it grows from there. For me, it’s like, ‘You have this audience. Now what do we do?’”
She continued, “I almost feel like everyone was afraid to touch my project. No one really wanted to develop an artist. The way I always looked at it was that my social media presence and everything I built there means nothing when it comes to my music, because music is a completely different audience and it should be treated that way.”
While she’s still so young, Gray often expresses her maturity online to her 54 million TikTok followers when discussing heavier topics like mental health and developing genuine friendships. “Through the years, because I grew up online, I got more and more comfortable sharing things that I was going through,” she reveals of her growth. “I started looking for that connection and that’s sort of what kept me passionate and interested. […] I keep a very small circle now, and everyone that’s in my life is like family and I trust them.”
Watch Billboard‘s full interview with Loren Gray above.
Suga of BTS unveiled his debut solo album D-DAY on Friday (April 21), and no one was more excited for the studio set’s arrival than Halsey.
The If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power singer used their social media to shout out the BTS rapper’s full-length debut, sharing single “Haegeum” in an Instagram Story and writing, “Lessss goooooo @agustd ALBUM IS OUT!!!”
The song is a popular choice from Suga’s first full album under his Agust D moniker — in fact, it hit the top spot on the Hot Trending Songs chart earlier this month by dethroning Tyler, the Creator’s two-week reign with Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale deluxe lead-off “Dogtooth.” In the very same tally dated April 22, Suga commanded the No. 3 slot with “AMYGDALA,” as well as three more spots lower down the chart after the reveal of the album’s 10-song track list.
Meanwhile, Halsey has been both a longtime pal and ardent fan of Suga and the rest of his BTS bandmates. Back in 2019, she became one of the first American pop stars to collaborate with the K-pop boy band, being featured on their Map of the Soul: Persona single “Boy With Luv.”
At the time, the team-up earned the septet their highest entry on the Billboard Hot 100 up to that point by rocketing to No. 8. Of course, since then, they’ve racked up five No. 1 hits with “Dynamite,” “Life Goes On,” “Butter,” “Permission to Dance” and Coldplay collab “My Universe.”
Check out Halsey’s sweet support of Suga here before the Story expires.
The 1975 singer Matty Healy has issued an apology for controversial comments he made about rapper Ice Spice on The Adam Friedland Show in February.
“I just feel a bit bad, and I’m kind of a bit sorry if I’ve offended you,” Healy said during a recent 1975 show in Auckland, New Zealand as a kind of blanket apology for his series of odd or offensive actions in the spotlight, according to a fan video of the mea culpa. “Ice Spice, I’m sorry. It’s not because I’m annoyed that me joking got misconstrued. It’s because I don’t want Ice Spice to think I’m a d–k. I love you, Ice Spice. I’m so sorry. I don’t want it to be misconstrued as mean. I don’t mind being a bit of a joker… but I am genuinely sorry if I’ve upset them because I f–king love them,” he added while cradling a half-drunk bottle of wine.
In the Friedland bit earlier this year, the show’s hosts played a clip of the “Munch” rapper talking about her love of alternative music, including Coldplay and The 1975 from an Elle interview in January.
The hosts and Healy then begin speculating on Spice’s ethnicity, with jokes about her sounding like an “Inuit Spice Girl,” a “chubby Chinese lady” and one of them saying, “‘Yeah, I rap and make music’ Do they talk like that? Do Inuits talk like that?” The audio of the podcast then found Healy and the hosts imitating Chinese and Hawaiian accents as they laughed out loud and joked about what Healy should have said when he slipped into Ice Spice’s DMs.
After one of the men suggested Healy should have asked about her ethnic background while dropping an Inuit ethnic slur, Healy called Ice Spice “dumb.” The offensive episode was pulled from Apple and Spotify earlier this month but can still be heard on Youtube.
The rambling chat also included Healy and the hosts chuckling about “gay song parodies” of hits by Daniel Bedingfield and Dobie Gray in which NSFW lyrics were swapped in for the original. Healy also opined that “I don’t think the gays really like it” in reference to what the hosts termed the “pass” Harry Styles’ has gotten from the queer community. “It’s young girls that think it’s a new thing that are like, ‘Oh my God,’” Healy said of Styles’ inclusive, gender-fluid sensibility. “Maybe it’s not all gay guys but it’s a lot of them,” he added.
At the time, Yungblud took the trio to task for their offensive comments, tweeting, “Love listening to three privileged white dudes sit around and objectify a young black female artist who’s blowing up… Welcome to your 30’s I guess…” Healy responded at the time with an Instagram Story video mocking Yungblud’s activism and support for “underrated youth.”
Earlier this month Healy said he was quitting social media again saying “the era of me being a f–king arsehole is coming to an end. I’ve had enough.”
