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As pop choreographers go, Stephen Galloway’s path to major music video collaborator was far from traditional. He spent nearly two decades as a principal dancer with Ballet Frankfurt, under the direction of contemporary ballet legend William Forsythe; began work as a costume designer while at the company, becoming artistic director of Issey Miyake in the ‘90s; spent two decades in an all-around creative advisor role for The Rolling Stones, consulting on movement, clothing, lighting and more for their music videos and tours; worked with other musical artists ranging from Björk to Lady Gaga to Lil Nas X; and still advises on creative movement for high-fashion photo shoots and runway shows.
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That winding path has now led Galloway, 56, to his latest role: creative movement director for Miley Cyrus as she embarks upon her Endless Summer Vacation era. Galloway entered Cyrus’ orbit via a good friend, director Jacob Bixenman. “I did a video for his then-partner, Troye Sivan, for [Sivan’s 2018 single] ‘My My My!’” Galloway recalls. “We’ve always talked about collaborating. So one day [Jacob] texted me and said he had some ideas and he’d like to know if I was interested. And I just went and met Miley.”
Galloway served as creative movement director for the “Flowers” and “River” music videos (directed by Bixenman) as well as for Cyrus’ recent Endless Summer Vacation Backyard Sessions — and he doesn’t see their collaboration ending any time soon. He spoke to Billboard from his Los Angeles home about Cyrus’ singular talents, and why the two don’t even need words to communicate.
Were you seeking out movement direction work with music artists when the opportunity to work with Miley came along?
I never pursued anything. I didn’t even pursue working with the Stones — they got in touch with me first. I was a classical ballet dancer, so being brought into that world … well, maybe some people wake up and say they want to be a choreographer for music videos, but that wasn’t me. My career has just been one step in front of the next. The evolution into this next phase with Miley has just been organic. I’ve been a strong client of my own intuition and my own gut, and it hasn’t steered me astray yet.
What did you know of Miley before starting to work with her?
Of course, I was aware of who she was and what she had done. I had bought her last album. We had a lot of friends in common — that was the common denominator before we started the collaboration. When it works out like that, you know there’s kinda gonna be a vibe. But she was not someone I was actively following or keeping up with their day-to-day moments like I do now. And it’s been wonderful. I know the Miley she is now, and it’s been one of the biggest blessings of my career so far. It’s probably one of the most organic relationships I’ve had in a long time. I think I was waiting for Miley. It’s just been magic.
Many artists need to first work with a choreographer on stage presence — which is something Miley certainly isn’t lacking. What is she bringing to the table as a performer that distinguishes her?
It was just an immediate reaction to first, her as an artist and as a growing and blossoming artist, and of course then the music, how she felt she wanted to physically and through movement portray herself, which requires extreme sophistication. It’s not like we’re doing “choreography” – although you never know what’s coming! For me what’s been the most exciting thing about the project is she basically knows everyone’s job better than they do, because she’s been involved in the industry for so long.
But she honestly remains one of the most curious people I’ve ever come in contact with. She’s constantly questioning, looking at ways of doing things differently. A curiosity in how to express herself physically, without a “5, 6, 7, 8” – understanding a slow turn of a shoulder, a look down and then up. It’s very, very advanced. She understands nuance better than anyone I’ve ever worked with. She’s incredibly bright – and there’s a difference I think between smart and bright. I love bright people. Bright people make the world a better place.
In the videos so far, as you said, we don’t see really formal dance steps happening, but Miley’s movements feel very intentional — from the angle of a leg to the way she moves her hands, there’s clearly thought there.
Right. What I do with her isn’t really choreography. Years ago, I kind of came up with the title of “creative movement director” because it really feels closer to what we’re actually trying to do: working out a way of creatively moving, figuring out a specific creative vocabulary that allows her to express her feelings. You look at some of the videos where she’s basically standing still, but there’s a feeling of understanding nuance and creative movement. And she got it immediately, from the first day. It was almost hilarious. After literally 15 minutes I felt like I’d been working with her, and she with me, for our entire careers.
Do you have a particular philosophy about what choreography should accomplish in a music video?
With certain music videos, sometimes we like them because they represent something we recognize and know and can be familiar with. We all love a Janet Jackson breakdown, you know what I mean? It’s become such a part of us, we can relate to it immediately. I’m very much a child of MTV. So I’ve always been in love with the art of these small movies that great artists were able to tell their story through. I’m very much a visual person like that. I always bring an element of music video into [my work], because it’s about storytelling. And if you find someone who understands that, it’s heaven. It doesn’t always have to be fireworks and costumes and all this stuff. It can be very, very simple.
The “River” video in particular feels like proof of the power of simplicity in a music video context. It was giving me classic Madonna vibes.
Yeah, yeah, yeah! The treatments are very simple, they’re not super complex. The fact that we’re able to get so much out of something so simple is a true testament to all the creative people involved. We are a very tight team. What’s crazy is we kind of don’t even talk. It’s a small set always – with “River” there were maybe more people involved, but there’s so little communication that happens. We all just understand where we’re going to go. Miley is in the middle of it all, and in the front and the back, but how she maneuvers her way through all these things is spectacular to watch.
Did you have particular conversations with Miley before “Flowers” about what she wanted to communicate through her physicality in this era?
Nothing was spoken! We didn’t really communicate about any of that. I wish I had a more complex story, but it’s not. I wasn’t aware of all these [personal] backstories going on, because I didn’t really know her. I don’t think I was even following her on Instagram. She doesn’t talk to me about what she wants to do, we just do it. She plays me the music, and then we figure it out. It’s not, “I want to communicate this by doing that.” It’s completely nonverbal. What people want to interpret about the videos, that’s not from us – it’s all in the music and the words. There’s not a plan. It’s just trying to make really great art.
Are you able to give us any clues as to what else might be on the horizon visually for the album next?
No, not really. [Laughs.] You know, we’re gonna continue to work together for as long as we can, I think. I’m always there for her. But there’s good stuff coming! I’ll leave a little tease there for ya.
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this week’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, Ed Sheeran honors a fallen friend, Lana Del Rey hoists up her ambitions, and Luke Combs ages gracefully. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Ed Sheeran, “Eyes Closed”
One year after tragically losing his best friend, Jamal Edwards, to a sudden heart attack, Ed Sheeran has returned with a poignant single that makes his struggle universal and attempts to help any listener mourning a loved one. “Eyes Closed,” which previews the superstar’s affecting new album – (Subtract), combines producer Aaron Dessner’s knack for subtly whirring arrangements with Sheeran’s gift for delivering a memorable hook; grief is a tricky subject for a top 40 mainstay to address in a non-ballad, but “Eyes Closed” provides catharsis through lyrical detail and a unifying refrain.
Lana Del Rey, Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd
“I’m a different kind of woman,” Lana Del Rey states plainly on “Sweet,” adding a few seconds later, “If you wanna go where nobody knows, that’s where you’ll find me.” The singer-songwriter has spent her career proving the former statement — taking a personalized approach to pop craft, forever valuing honesty and innovation — but Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, her mammoth and often luminous ninth full-length, indeed exists at a wholly unique intersection in modern music, as the artist’s most singular statement to date.
Click here to read a full review and tracks ranking of Lana Del Rey’s latest album.
Luke Combs, Gettin’ Old
As a companion piece to last year’s Growin’ Up, Luke Combs’ Gettin’ Old better plays to the songwriting strengths of the country superstar, who reflects on his experiences and the time he has left (“That hourglass we have don’t last forever / Been thinking ‘bout it more and more these days,” he sings in the opening minutes of the album) in a way that’s both gracious and entertaining. Whether he’s looking back on a lost love, his hometown, his career beginnings and the start of a more durable type of romance, Combs sounds comfortable in his own skin on Gettin’ Old, and the song quality lives up to his perspective.
Rosalía & Rauw Alejandro, RR
It’s not every day that a couple gets to announce their engagement concurrently with releasing a highly anticipated collaborative project, but Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro are in rarefied air: RR, a three-song release that captures the flamenco pop queen’s predilection for yearning melodies and the reggaeton star’s charisma across quickening tempos, could have been a vanity project for the happy couple but instead crackles with creative chemistry. And RR sound like it’s just the tip of the iceberg — as Alejandro puts it in a press release, “I will be spending my days writing and writing many more songs about and with her.”
Jimin, Face
It’d be easy (and a bit lazy) to place the BTS members’ solo projects side-by-side as they continue rolling out, but Jimin’s new album Face resists comparison: the tracks here represents an account of personal evolution amidst mind-boggling fame, a global pandemic, feelings of loneliness and the process of growing into the man that the singer-songwriter has become. Jimin’s gentle vocals ground songs like the sizzling “Face-off” and the ‘80s-indebted “Like Crazy,” accentuating the melodies with a light touch and expressing each lyric with impressive confidence.
Fall Out Boy, So Much (For) Stardust
Fall Out Boy’s new album, So Much (For) Stardust, arrives almost 10 years to the day after the band returned with 2013’s Save Rock and Roll, which ended a prolonged hiatus and returned the Warped Tour breakouts to arena audiences. The group has spent the subsequent decade humming along, collecting more hits and touring the world, and their new album represents the work of a locked-in collective: on songs like “Hold Me Like a Grudge” and “So Good Right Now,” Fall Out Boy’s long-running pop appeal remains intact but the turns are pinpoint and the grooves are tighter, as if the quartet is operating with machine-like efficiency for maximum enjoyment.
After taking a brief social media break in late February in the midst of reports of her alleged feud with Hailey Bieber, Selena Gomez posted an urgent message on her Instagram Story on Friday (March 24) imploring fans to cool down the heated rhetoric.
The note began with the news that Bieber — who is married to Justin Bieber, an ex of Gomez’s — had recently reached out to the Only Murders in the Building star to let her know that she’d been receiving death threats and “such hateful negativity.”
“This isn’t what I stand for,” Gomez said unequivocally. “No one should have to experience hate or bullying. I’ve always advocated for kindness and really want this all to stop.”
In February, Gomez used TikTok to announce that she was getting off social media for the foreseeable future. “I’m good. I love who I am, I don’t care. I’m big, I’m not, I don’t care. I love who I am,” she wrote at the time. The announcement came the same day Gomez unseated Kylie Jenner as the most followed woman on Instagram with more than 380 million followers. She has since surpassed 400 million followers on the platform.
Gomez was back on social media a week later with an important message in the midst of the swirling rumors about the rumored feud with the model. “Please, please be kinder and consider others mental health,” the singer-actress commented on TikTok. “My heart has been heavy and I only want good for everyone. All my love.” The note came shorty after Gomez took Jenner’s Insta crown, with the lip-kit mogul seemingly getting pulled into the purported drama after Gomez shared in a Feb. 22 TikTok that she’d over-laminated her eyebrows.
That was followed by Jenner sharing a photo with longtime pal Hailey holding the camera close to her own professional-looking eyebrows. Selenators didn’t think it was a coincidence, but Jenner said it was. “This is reaching,” the Kardashians star commented about the situation on a TikTok. “No shade towards selena ever and I didn’t see her eyebrow posts! u guys are making something out of nothing. this is silly.”
The Grammy- and Emmy-nominated singer-actress then replied in agreement to Jenner’s comment and said she was “a fan of Kylie.” Gomez then left comments on fan-made TikToks shading Bieber. “I love you,” she commented to one who slammed the model for being a “nepo baby” and a “mean girl.”
Then, after a resurfaced video of Hailey pretending to gag at the mention of Taylor Swift’s music made the rounds, Gomez replied, “So sorry, my best friend is and continues to be one of the best in the game.” When the comments became overheated, Gomez said on Feb. 23 that she was taking an internet break. She said on TikTok: “I’m 30, I’m too old for this.”
Sitting in a studio with Demi Lovato in 2012, songwriter-producer Mitch Allen wanted her to hear something. The rising star was there to record “Two Pieces,” a track to be included her soon-to-be-released album Demi. After hearing her “gigantic vocal” on the emotional pop anthem, Allen pressed play on a demo he’d been workshopping and pitching around called “Heart Attack.”
“She looked me, her eyes lit up, and she just said, ‘Oh my God, I love it. I wanna cut it,’” he recalls in a conversation with Billboard. Looking back on that moment herself, Lovato remembers the same feeling. “I knew I wanted to record it,” she says. “I could hear what I wanted to do with the song — I just loved it.”
10 years after its official release in 2013, “Heart Attack” stands as one of the biggest hits of Lovato’s career (one of the star’s three top 10 solo hits on the Billboard Hot 100) and a well-established fan favorite in their discography. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of her signature, the singer decided it was time to give the song an update.
On Friday (March 24), Lovato unveiled the “rock version” of her hit single, first teased to fans who attended her latest tour dates. Swapping swelling synths for raging guitars and scintillating trap beats with double-time pop-punk drums, the updated anthem keeps the bones of the original while turning up the heat on the aesthetics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP0CB_2QjGo
Oak Felder, a longtime collaborator of Lovato’s and the executive producer of their 2022 rock opus Holy Fvck, struggled with how to approach remake a song that he “loved” already. “No matter what happens to it or how it’s changed, you just can’t get the original version outta your head,” he says. “To be truthful with you, that’s kind of what made it a challenge.”
The sound that Felder couldn’t shake was that of production duo The Suspex, made up of Allen and Jason Evigan. The duo wrote “Heart Attack” with Sean Douglas, Aaron Phillips and Nikki Williams, the latter of whom the song was originally intended for.
From the moment they first produced the demo, Allen says he knew that “Heart Attack” was a left-field pop song for 2013’s radio landscape, especially with its nods towards light rock and EDM sounds. But after hearing Lovato’s earth-shattering vocals, he knew they had to pare it down.
“We had a dubstep drop right after that massive bridge; it went to this crazy Skrillex-esque … I don’t even know what to call it, this dubstep break that Jason just sat down and just went nuts on,” Allen explains. “That was the first part that we ended up having to cut, because we realized as much as we loved the choppiness and aggressiveness, it wasn’t what was on the radio and it wasn’t right for Demi.”
What ended up being right for the singer was ad-libbing — once everyone was in the studio together, Lovato asked Allen if they could improvise a few runs on the song’s bridge. “They were pretty off-the-cuff, they kind of just came to me in the moment. It was a pretty simple and easy thing,” Lovato says, before adding with a laugh, “Well, actually, some of the notes were really hard. I remember kind of struggling to hit a few of those in the studio.”
Whatever struggle Lovato was feeling, Allen says he didn’t notice it. “That very last note [of the bridge] was the highest note I’d ever heard a human being hit with full voice, and she just did it,” Allen says, still amazed. “It was perfect. I’m the kind of producer that will always say, ‘That was awesome. Do it again.’ I don’t think I cut it a second time, I just sat there slack-jawed, staring at her and saying, ‘Oh my God.’”
That bridge went on the not only impress Allen, but fans as well — over the last few years, the bridge to “Heart Attack” has spawned a TikTok challenge where aspiring singers attempt to hit the stratospheric G5 in full voice at the end of the run, to varying effect.
For Lovato, that kind of legacy for the song means a lot to her. “It feels amazing, being able to see the song continue to reach people and inspire people to hit those high notes,” she says. “I used to try and hit those high notes in my favorite songs — it’s really cool that people are starting to do the same with mine.”
With that legacy came a set of unspoken expectations for a new rock version — but Felder says he quickly solved the problem he was facing by listening to “La La Land,” another fan-favorite song from Lovato’s discography.
“I realized Demi, in that era, sounded like a completely different person … Demi’s voice now is a witness and a testament to the things that she’s been through as a person,” he says. “Once you’ve gone to hell and you’ve come back, you really appreciate life … when I hear her sing about things that are emotional or painful or joyful, there is a lot more experience and understanding of those emotions behind the way that she’s singing it now. Once I got there, the production just came right out.”
Lovato agrees with Felder’s assessment, and takes it a step further — it’s not just their voice that has changed in the last 10 years. “I was so young, and I was a completely different person back then,” they explain. “I hadn’t come out as non-binary yet, so when I look back, I see a totally different person than I am today. But I still love that girl, I love that part of me.”
With the added context of all Lovato’s been through over the last few years — a public overdose, stints in and out of rehab, publicly coming out and more — the rock version of “Heart Attack” bears plenty more grit and anger where the original didn’t. When Lovato sings “It’s just not fair, pain’s more trouble than love is worth,” this time, you genuinely believe her.
That added context is everything Allen says they were aiming for when reinventing the song in the studio. “It was about capturing what she feels now,” he says. “I think that’s the magic that comes from a great song, where you get to go, ‘Okay, we did that version. We don’t need to rely on it. How do we feel today, and does it still hold up?’ I think it does.”
From her experience playing the new version of the song live on her Holy Fvck Tour, Lovato knows for a fact that it still holds up. “I saw [my fans] rocking out to it, and it just brought a lot of joy to my heart,” she says. “I wouldn’t have believed that I would be re-recording this song for a 10 year anniversary because it was that special. But being able to see it from that perspective today is really exciting to me.”
“I’m a different kind of woman,” Lana Del Rey states plainly on “Sweet,” adding a few seconds later, “If you wanna go where nobody knows, that’s where you’ll find me.” The singer-songwriter has spent her career proving the former statement — taking a personalized approach to pop craft, forever valuing honesty and innovation — but Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, her mammoth and often luminous ninth full-length, indeed exists at a wholly unique intersection in modern music, as the artist’s most singular statement to date.
Del Rey’s voice has always been unmistakable, but no other artist could have come close to showcasing this 77-minute set of ideas, sometimes mysterious and occasionally shambolic, but always exciting and brimming with integrity. The adventurous spirit of this album flirts with a gleeful recklessness: Del Rey has explored her thoughts on sex, devotion, family and American decay in the past, but never with so many unexpected guests, songs mashed into each other and restless detours. In an era of the music industry that rewards TikTok-ready hooks, Del Rey has sprinted in the opposite direction: the songs here proudly stretch out, dismissing verse-chorus structures so that Del Rey can travel across another bridge or three.
Yet Del Rey’s pen holds Ocean Blvd together. Writing primarily with Jack Antonoff, Mike Hermosa and Drew Erickson, Del Rey conjures images that continue to haunt her and presents lyrics that jangle around the listener’s brain. From the boarded-up past of the title track to the post-grief forward motion of “Kintsugi” to the giddy friendship of “Margaret,” Del Rey roams across topics and deftly handles them all. For an album that clearly challenges its creator, Ocean Blvd once again concludes that Del Rey is different, in the best way possible.
While all of Lana Del Rey’s new album is worth digging into, we already have some early favorites after several listens. Here is our preliminary track rankings for Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd:
“Judah Smith Interlude”
Placing a fiery, four-and-a-half minute spoken-word interlude from megachurch pastor Judah Smith in a prime spot on the album track list is certainly an audacious choice from Del Rey — and while the sermon grazes the central themes of the songs around it, the interlude is a chance taken that doesn’t work within the presentation of the album.
“Jon Batiste Interlude”
“Jon Batiste Interlude,” which arrives right after the We Are album of the year Grammy winner’s harmonizing at the end of “Candy Necklace,” functions as a playful extension of that track, with Batiste whooping it up and then crooning with Del Rey as the piano twinkling comes into focus. The interlude creates a voyeuristic atmosphere — you feel the two artists’ bond in the studio — but doesn’t offer much as a standalone track.
“Taco Truck x VB”
The “VB” in the title stands for “Venice Bitch,” and instead of merely nodding to one of her most iconic songs, Del Rey fully revisits the Norman F–king Rockwell! song in the second half of this two-part epilogue, as if she’s remixed the song “Taco Truck” with her former self as the guest artist. “Taco Truck x VB” can’t outrun the looming shadow of one of Del Rey’s most towering achievements, but that’s not its intention anyway: the song encapsulates the album’s ramshackle beauty by demonstrating how Del Rey’s past informs her present, like an endless loop that will never stop spinning.
“Candy Necklace” feat. Jon Batiste
Candy necklaces: sugary and addictive, but the opposite of nutritious! They serve as the metaphor for a poisonous relationship on “Candy Necklace,” where Del Rey floats into a falsetto on the pre-chorus before deploying a hypnotic singsong hook. “Candy Necklace” doesn’t resonate quite as strongly following the blistering first quarter of the album, although it’s worth sticking around for the swirling outro, where Jon Batiste’s murmur joins Del Rey’s own.
“Let The Light In” feat. Father John Misty
Father John Misty shows up to support Del Rey’s lead vocals on the lilting country track “Let The Light In,” and while fans of the kindred-spirit songwriter may be disappointed that he doesn’t have more of a spotlight here, his voice is utilized perfectly in the context of the song — assisting her chorus, forming a sense of comfort around the words “Ooh, turn your light on / Look at us, you and I, back at it again.” Sometimes, a guest spot can be great for its lack of showiness.
“Kintsugi”
Following the gospel flourishes that arrive earlier in the track list, Del Rey approaches “Kintsugi” like a hymn, her voice billowing unadorned above a piano as she prods at her grief. “That’s how the light gets in,” she chants, using the titular Japanese art of repairing broken pottery and leaving the cracks on display as a hopeful method of transforming sorrow into a strengthening feeling.
“Fishtail”
Del Rey upends expectations as soon as the Auto-tune arrives on “Fishtail,” abruptly putting an end to the hushed vocals and abetted by programmed beats. The production choice crystallizes the song’s message of misread perception — Del Rey repeats, “You wanted me sadder,” but defiantly tells the partner trying to bring her down that “I’m not that smart, but I’ve got things to say” — and also just works as an upshift, positively startling the listener during one of the album’s quieter passages.
“Margaret” feat. Bleachers
Instead of pulling frequent producer and co-writer Jack Antonoff, performing here as the leader of Bleachers, into her thematic universe for the duet “Margaret,” the song instead centers on Antonoff’s romance with (and upcoming marriage to) actress Margaret Qualley, going so far as to happily announce a wedding date. “Margaret” offers a glimpse of the intimacy between close friends and collaborators — Del Rey sounds genuinely thrilled to sing “When you know, you know,” about her pal finding his partner — and Antonoff’s voice, deep and a little wobbly, makes for a lovely foil.
“Peppers” feat. Tommy Genesis
While Tommy Genesis presents a catchy-as-hell chorus built around an Angelina Jolie simile, Del Rey shouts out the Red Hot Chili Peppers — another California institution, which provide the song title here — goes for a midnight drive, dismisses a COVID scare and dances sans clothes for her neighbors. “I threw caution to the wind,” she sings, and “Peppers” certainly shrugs off any structural or lyrical hazards to instead barrel toward a mischievous charm, right down to the interlude where the two artists suggest mashing up their songs together into this final product.
“Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.”
Part of the reason why “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd.” made such an effective lead single for the album of the same name is because it is, simply, Classic Lana, in its sweeping grandeur, idiosyncratic lyrics and musings on faded American beauty. If you listen more closely, however, the nuance in Del Rey’s vocal performance sets the song apart from similar explorations — expertly navigating between resignation and yearning, accepting fate and likewise thrashing against it.
“Sweet”
“Sweet” may open with Del Rey hiking in Griffith Park, awash in memories and regrets, but the track sounds primed to stun across town at the Hollywood Bowl, its melancholy piano and string arrangements the pristine soundtrack for a lightly chilly evening overlooking a town of movie magic. As the song bends toward romance, Lana delivers one of the most effectively simple lines on the album: “I’ve got things to do, like nothing at all,” she blurts out, “I wanna do them with you.”
“Fingertips”
Upon first listen, the sprawl of “Fingertips” is overwhelming: at nearly six minutes and without a chorus in sight, the song is positioned as an extended diary entry, leaping across thoughts and themes while the production lingers in the background. Those themes reveal themselves more clearly after repeat visits to “Fingertips,” however, with allusions to motherhood, psychiatric drugs and unexpected loss deepening when the listener is given time to catch up to Del Rey’s wordplay; on first or tenth encounter, the song stands as one of the album’s most ambitious moments, but the latter makes “Fingertips” one of its most rewarding.
“Paris, Texas” feat. SYML
The album’s most dramatic “now for something completely different” change-up arrives when Del Rey follows the stream-of-consciousness “Fingertips” with “Paris, Texas,” a relatively short and traditionally structured pop song full of breathy exclamations and graceful piano. Within the middle third of the album — after some of the more experimental turns in Del Rey’s songwriting — “Paris, Texas” arrives as an exhalation, but even removed from the track list, the track shimmers with California sunlight (Venice gets name-checked as her “home” here) and a cool simplicity.
“Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he’s deep-sea fishing” feat. RIOPY
While plenty of moments on the album opt for subtle production flourishes, “Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he’s deep-sea fishing” boasts a climax with a sumptuous cacophony of electric guitar, keys, synth and even a little saxophone; Del Rey, meanwhile, tries to use her voice to quell the noise and grasp for a sign from above. The lines about the perceived machine behind Del Rey’s success (“I know they think that it took thousands of people / To put me together again, like an experiment / Some big men, behind the scenes / Sewing Frankenstein black dreams into my songs / But they’re wrong”) are some of the most incisive, and memorable, on the album.
“The Grants”
The gospel harmonies on “The Grants” are purposeful: titled after Del Rey’s family name, the opener takes its listener to church with reflections on the afterlife and booming piano that could rattle pews. Yet Del Rey is focused more on legacy than religion here: “I’m doing the hard stuff, I’m doing my time / I’m doing it for us, for our family line,” she asserts, a thoughtful way of framing both emotional and professional work as a means of honoring the blood that precede and follow us.
“A&W”
The seven-minute length isn’t particularly daring for Del Rey: anyone who’s ever vibed out to “Venice Bitch” understands that she can let a song coast beyond standard run times and retain a sense of awe. Yet “A&W” (which stands for “American Whore”) stands as one of most spectacularly brave songs in her discography, a two-sided plunge into sex, drugs and Americana, full of stark declarations about how young women are perceived, and dismissed, in modern society. The first half locks into a haunting finger-picked arrangement, but when “A&W” switches into a dark, minimalist electronic groove — the potential for emotional devastation fully realized — the song transcends its shell, turning an ambitious concept into one of Del Rey’s best songs to date.
Jimin has a wild night out in a club in the sweaty, joyous video for the BTS member’s solo single “Like Crazy.” The Oui Kim-directed visual opens with a snippet of whispery dialogue from the 2011 romantic drama of the same name that starred Jennifer Lawrence, Felicity Jones and the late Anton Yelchin, in which JLaw murmurs, “I think we could last forever.”
The scene then cuts to Jimin standing in a green swirl of light in a packed nightclub as a Yelchin frets, “I’m afraid that everything will disappear.” Lawrence assures him, “Just trust me,” as the camera zooms into Jimin’s face and we see looking forlorn in a kitchen singing, “She’s saying, baby, come and follow me/ There’s not a bad thing here tonight.”
An unseen hand then grabs him and drags him to the crowded dance floor, where he walks in slow motion through the partying masses, taking shots, doling out high-fives and crowd-surfing his way through the night before inexplicably landing in a spooky hallway where the walls are bleeding a viscous black ooze.
“Give me a good ride/ I’m falling, falling falling/ Oh, it’s gon’ be a good night, Forever you and I,” Jimin sings on the dreamy chorus. The rest of the clip see-saws between Jimin dancing like everyone is looking to an exhausted rest stop in a freaky, Transformer-like rest room and parting shots of the singer revisiting the evening’s craziness before ending up at the kitchen table again, his right hand covered in the mysterious goo.
“Like Crazy” appears on Jimin’s just-released debut solo album, FACE, a six-track project that was preceded by the pre-release single “Set Me Free, Pt. 2.” With production by Pdogg, Ghstloop, Supreme Boi, BLVSH and Evan, the project also features songwriting credits on three tracks from bandmate RM.
Watch the “Like Crazy” video below.
It was a scream fest when BTS’ Jimin stopped by at NBC’s studios on Thursday night (March 23) for a chat with The Tonight Show’s host Jimmy Fallon.
The K-pop superstar looked relaxed in a trendy grey suit over a white t-shirt, as he smiled and waved to the noisy ARMY in the house. Straight off the bat, he thanked those fans for “their great support. I appreciate them.” That cranked up the decibels, again.
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Jimin has a lot to smile about. His debut solo EP, FACE, has just dropped via HYBE LABELS – a six-track collection, which features the “intense” (his words) single “Set Me Free Pt.2,” a top 20 track on the midweek U.K. singles chart.
BTS was never far from the conversation. Though the band is on hiatus, a break to allow its seven members to fulfill South Korea’s mandatory military commitments, “we keep in touch,” he explained, “with J-Hope, Suga, everyone.”
They keep in touch, and they test music on each other. When a new song is “completed to some extent,” presumably including numbers from FACE, “that’s when we let one another listen to it,” he added.
Darting between Korean and English, Jimin discussed the “positive impact” of BTS meeting with president Joe Biden at the White House, and their talks with POTUS “about how more people should have keen interests in current issues.”
Jimin also revealed how he fell for song and dance during middle school, walked through his many and various nicknames (don’t call him “Jimin Fallon”), and gave a shout out to “Boy With Luv” collaborator Halsey — “she has a big heart and she has the talent that would make anyone starstruck. All our members love her.”
The new album, he explained in his native tongue, captures “the emotions I felt chronologically throughout the pandemic. So I would be happy if many people could relate to it.”
Watch the interview below.
Last summer, MIRROR made international headlines earlier than they had anticipated.
While most news stories noted how the 12-member boy band was revolutionizing Hong Kong’s music scene with a renewed fandom culture for local Cantonese pop artists, the focus was on the tragic accident at one of their 12 scheduled concerts at Hong Kong Coliseum. During the fourth show on July 28, 2022, a large overhanging video screen hit dancer Moses “Mo” Li Kai-yin head-on while also striking Chang Tsz-fung mid-concert, leaving the former in critical condition and the latter with injuries. The show abruptly ended with the remaining concert dates canceled as Mo Li and Chang recovered. Meanwhile, MIRROR and their team regrouped.
Nine months later, amid starts and stops due to the incident and pandemic-related matters, MIRROR took an unprecedented leap for Hong Kong music by releasing their first English single “Rumours” on March 17. A change from their Cantonese-pop, or Canto-pop, hits like “Warrior” (their 2021 social commentary fighting against dated norms with eight million views on YouTube), “BOSS” (the theatrical, funk-pop summer single), or “We All Are” (a piano ballad that marked the group’s fourth hit on Billboard‘s 13-month-old Hong Kong Songs chart), “Rumours” signals a new era for the group.
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With ages ranging from 34-23, the MIRROR members consisting of Lokman, Anson Lo, Frankie, Stanley, Alton, Edan Lui, Jer, Anson “AK” Kong, Ian, Jeremy, Keung To, and Tiger show confidence and maturity in “Rumours,” a significant step forward since their formation on 2018 TV singing competition show Good Night Show – King Maker.
Spiky, sonorous basslines soundtrack the group’s blend of singing, rapping and group chanting, while the James Bond-inspired music video shows the dazzling dozen donning dapper suits and high-fashion spy gear to pull off a mysterious heist.
The guys have spent their first five years together developing their boy band and individual careers alongside Hong Kong entertainment studio MakerVille, but agree that being together as 12 acts as a “base.” While still mentally and emotionally healing from last year’s accident, MIRROR say “Rumours” is a challenging but special project in partnership with Sony Music Hong Kong to help fuel their ambition to return to slaying the stage.
“We’re idols to these audiences; we have to stand up again,” says the charismatic Stanley, who leans into the camera when he speaks to Billboard over Zoom. The 32-year-old singer-dancer leads most of the interview alongside giggly, bubbly Anson Lo, 27, and Edan Lui, 25, to his right. “That’s what we should do.”
“We have a lot of people supporting us,” adds singer-actor Edan Lui, who listens and answers thoughtfully with pauses to find the right, and typically emotional, responses. “We can only say we’re ready to go to work and go on stage again.” Read more with MIRROR for reflections on the past nine months, their next chapter, plus song recommendations for new fans from each member.
To understand your background a little more, what are the characteristics of Canto-pop and how does MIRROR represent that?
Edan Lui: Canto-pop was very popular in the ’80s and ’90s, and the images around Canto-pop have traditionally been more for ballads and slow-paced songs; not really energetic or fast-paced songs. The lyrics have always been very meaningful and Hong Kong people can look into the lyrics deeply, which I think is one of the most unique characteristics of Canto-pop.
Anson Lo: But over the years, I think Canto-pop music has grown so much and I think there’s no difference between countries or languages in music. There are a lot of genres in Canto-pop as well, no different than in countries like Korea, the U.S. or Australia. There are different types of songs we can try or continue trying like we have for almost five years.
Stanley: Yeah, for sure. K-pop has taken over the markets for the past decade, but I do think Cantonese represents a different kind of style of music, especially in Asia. There are a lot of people who want to listen to music with Cantonese lyrics so there are multiple markets.
Paint a picture of the Canto-pop music scene in Hong Kong today. You were created on the singing competition Good Night Show – King Maker. Are there a lot of bands from reality shows?
Lui: There are many newcomers in the Canto-pop industry that come from our show, King Maker. We’re from King Maker One [the first season], there is II, III, IV, and V is coming. We’re just very happy to see that most of the new-artist award winners at many award ceremonies are coming from that show. It makes us feel like a family. It seems like these shows are producing all kinds of talents to contribute to the Canto-pop industry, so we feel really proud.
While you’ve been rising internationally, you had a tragic moment that had a lot of attention with the concert accident. In your own words, I’d like to give the opportunity for you to share what happened and your feelings on the incident.
Stanley: I would say, of course, it was a big accident. But this accident taught me how to treasure everything: Our job, friends, and opportunities to perform on stage. It influenced us so much for sure. We had to deal with our emotions—mentally, emotionally—so, it’s sad for sure. But we try our best to overcome all these kinds of feelings.
Lui: It was a big tragedy. No one wanted it to happen, no one could foresee it happening, and no one could really understand why it even happened. It was a really hard time for us, our dancers, and all Hong Kong citizens. We learned a lot from it, but we hope to learn lessons and try our best to treasure everything, contribute more to society and help more people. We hope our work and performances can bring back more positive energy and joy to our audiences again.
How are Moses and Chang Tsz-fung doing? Do you keep up with them?
Stanley: Moses’ parents share updates on Moses’ situation, so we’re not the best to give that update, but we’re in contact with them. I think they’re doing fine, everything’s going smoothly, and they are getting better.
I’m glad to hear that. Sometimes these situations can be very tough on the artist whose concert they’re at because they may feel responsible. So, how are you doing emotionally and mentally?
Lui: Different people have different ways of trying to get through it. For us, time is probably the best way to heal. But we also have our team mates, band mates, fans, and company. We have a lot of people supporting us. We can’t say we are fully recovered or even that we are “okay” after what happened—we don’t know—we can only say we’re ready to go to work and go on stage again.
Stanley: So many people are looking out for us; we’re idols to these audiences. We have to stand up again. We have to keep focusing on our work and bringing many great performances to our audiences. That’s what we should do.
As you somewhat close that chapter, you’re starting an exciting chapter with the release of “Rumors.” What does it represent in MIRROR’s story?
Lo: Simply, it’s talking to a girl and telling her, “If you ever heard a rumor that we’re cheating on you, liking you or approaching you.” It’s a very straightforward message. But it’s a very special project because it’s a dream come true for us to record a song in full English. The choreography is also very special because it’s, by far, the most complicated routine in our dance history. I think our fans have been really surprised by that.
Stanley: It’s a big challenge for us since the song is in English. We had to sing with different pronunciations and enunciations so we invited our producer Andrew…
Lui: Andrew’s actually our English teacher! He joined every session of our recording because we recorded one by one. Every session is, like, four hours so he’s really, really busy. He talked to us about pronunciation but also how to sing the song beautifully in English. But he’s really encouraging, supporting us, saying things like, “Oh, you did great, you sang well, keep going!” That’s why we can say we’re confident that it’s good. [Laughs]
Stanley: The lyrics are quite intimate and sexy—it’s not really similar to most Cantonese lyrics. So that’s a big challenge for us too.
It’s your first all-English song and you’re making some substantial changes. Why was it important to release an English song now?
Lui: We’re expecting to approach a broader range of audiences—like, maybe, the U.S.—and also we would like to meet our fans outside Hong Kong. I think releasing a full English song could get us far—hopefully! [Laughs] We’re looking forward to performing this song on stage for all the fans throughout the whole world so I think we’re pretty excited about that.
Stanley: Yeah, it’s a good step for the next chapter. We really want to promote Canto-pop to a worldwide audience, I think this English song is like a key to open the door for the audience to learn more Cantonese music.
“Rumours” kicks off alongside a new partnership with Sony Music Hong Kong. How is that so far?
Lo: We have yet to met a lot of people in the Sony Music company in person, but we’ve been putting a lot of input into the music, song arrangement, and music video so we’ve had quite good communication online and through our company.
Stanley: Due to the pandemic and the accident, so many projects have been put on hold. That’s why we’re starting over again, but I think we’ll have more opportunities now working with Sony Music.
Lo: It’s been like a dream and our honor to be working with Sony Music because they’ve helped us through a lot of things and, in a lot of ways, allow us to reach a wider audience, especially in the U.S., so we’re really grateful for that.
MIRROR is so solid as a group, but you’re also individually releasing solo music, acting, earning huge numbers on your individual social media accounts. How do your outside activities help MIRROR?
Lui: I think that is the special part about MIRROR—some of us are good at acting, some of us are good at singing, at dancing, in variety shows. Different members have different ways of pursuing their dreams. So, we have different [roles] when we’re solo, but it’s special that whoever is having solo success brings good things to MIRROR because MIRROR is our base. I think we have a good balance of group and solo [work]. People love us for us, and individually.
Lo: There will be dramas, movie shootings or solo singles, but being back in the group with 12 people, we shine even stronger and brighter. Together as 12 people, there’s a lot more energy; that’s more powerful for the audience and the performance. Being with the group really is a big part of being on stage.
Since “Rumours” may be the first time some audiences meet MIRROR, can each member share a MIRROR song to recommend?
Tiger: I would recommend the song “IGNITED,” it’s got quite an old-school sound but it’s my favorite of all MIRROR songs.
Anson “AK” Kong: Me too. [Group laughs]
Frankie: I would recommend “12,” it’s a Christmas song and that’s hard to find in Canto-pop because Canto-pop releases a smaller amount of Christmas music. But this song is really warm and about being together.
Lokman: For me, “IGNITED” too! Very funky, very groovy; I really like it.
Jer: I would recommend “Rumours.” [Group cheers] It’s such a high-energy song and it represents us as very sexy. [Laughs]
Jeremy: “BOSS” because I think it’s very energetic for us so it always makes me feel very happy and very strong.
Ian: I think “IGNITED” as well because it shows us a little bit differently than the other songs we have. And it’s actually quite unique in Canto-pop songs because we have this funky dance style so that’s pretty fun to present.
Alton: I have two ideas in my mind. “IGNITED” because I do love the funk style and, personally, I love funk music. But it depends on the mood of the day. If I’m going to a party, “IGNITED,” but if I’m going to a theme park, I’d recommend “BOSS” because the music video was shot in a theme park and is perfect for the family.
Stanley: For me, it’s “Rumours” because we put so much effort into it, so I hope listeners love it.
Lui: I also recommend “Rumors ” because I like the chorus; it’s refreshing. I also like the choreography, it’s really cool. We really put so much time and effort into this choreography so I feel like the performance of “Rumours” will be, maybe, the best we’ve ever done.
Lo: I’ll recommend “BOSS” because I think it’s, by far, the funniest music video we’ve had so far. It’s like a musical and we play different characters; it’s like a Broadway-type of vibe. When we released it, I think our fans were very surprised but also very pleased to see us in that funny way. So, I think it’s a really good experience to get to know the 12 of us.
Keung To: There isn’t really a proper English name for our first song [“一秒間”]… “In a Second”?
Lo: “During One Second”? [Laughs] Our debut song!
Keung To: Yes, our debut song! It was so important for us because it was our first song and our first time releasing as a group. It told everyone, “We’re coming.”
Jimin unveiled his debut solo album FACE on Friday (March 24) via BIGHIT MUSIC.
The six-track project from the K-pop idol was preceded by pre-release single “Set Me Free, Pt.2” and its dance-heavy music video directed by Oui Kim, and also contains title track “Like Crazy,” album opener “Face-Off” and more. In addition to production from the likes of Pdogg, Ghstloop and Evan, Jimin’s BTS bandmate RM also has songwriting credits on three songs on the tracklist.
Ahead of the release, the BTS member stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday night (March 23) to talk about the album. On Friday night, he’ll also use the late-night talk show to give his U.S. solo debut performance of “Like Crazy.”
In an interview with Consequence previewing FACE, Jimin admitted each of his bandmates have been anxious over going solo during the group’s hiatus, but “their results were absolutely great.” (Recent solo efforts have included J-Hope’s old-school hip-hop-leaning Jack in the Box, RM’s eclectic, collab-packed Indigo and Jin’s single “The Astronaut,” which was co-written by Coldplay and released before he started his mandatory enlistment in the Korean military.)
Jimin himself was also nervous for his solo full-length before its grand unveiling, explaining, “I don’t want to be an embarrassment to my members. I want to be a proud member of BTS” before hinting that the album will explore “how I overcame… If people understand the emotions I’m trying to express, I’ll consider the album a success.”
Stream Jimin’s FACE below.
As Amy Grant prepares to release her first new music in 10 years while in the midst of a 70-city headlining tour, the Christian-pop icon compares herself to a recently restored vehicle returning to the road. “I feel like an old car that got taken to the shop banged up and they’ve put in a new engine and a great paint job,” says Grant. “I feel like a classic.”
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In the last three years, Grant, 62, has dealt with a series of medical issues and mishaps. In June 2020 she underwent open heart surgery to repair a rare congenital heart condition, then last summer she hit a pothole while riding her bike and sustained a serious head injury. In January, she had surgery to remove a cyst in her throat.
“There were so many hidden gifts,” she says of the bike wreck, explaining the trauma caused a pre-existing thyroglossal cyst to grow more rapidly — prompting its immediate removal. Following a five-hour surgery, she says “it was like somebody gave me my voice back.”
As a result, the poignant single “Trees We’ll Never See,” out Friday (March 24) via Capitol Christian Music Group, is a welcome return for the artist know for her distinctive voice and thoughtful lyrics. For decades, Grant — who launched her multi-platinum career as an earnest Nashville teen — has left listeners inspired while becoming the face of the Christian-pop crossover movement with such enduring hits as “Baby, Baby” and “Heart in Motion.”
Today, Grant is healthy, happy and excited about making new music. She returned to the studio in February to work with songwriter and producer Marshall Altman — who produced her last studio album, 2013’s How Mercy Looks From Here, which peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard 200 — on a yet-to-be-released feature for Cory Asbury. She says she was so moved by the experience that she and Altman began playing songs for each other they’d written, one of which was “Trees We’ll Never See” (which he co-wrote with Michael White).
“Marshall wrote that song five years ago. I get choked up thinking about it,” says Grant. “It just felt like I could have written it. It’s so much how I see life … Everybody assumes I wrote it because it’s the mantra I have lived by.”
The song’s lyrics reflect Grant’s world view: “We’re all sons and daughters/Just ripples on the water/Trying to make it matter/Until our time to leave/One day they’ll carve your name in stone/Then send your soul on home/‘Till then it’s praying for rain. And pulling up the weeds/Planting trees we’ll never see.”
Amy Grant
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Grant, a six-time Grammy winner and recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors in 2022, says she now sees her life in its fourth quarter. “I was thinking about my mom and how she died at 80. If we’re lucky we have four 20-year spans, I think the gift of fourth quarter is the perspective and awareness and the appreciation of all of it.”
“The first half of life you’re so worried about measuring up,” she continues. “‘They’ve got a better voice. I hope my songs don’t sound stupid’ — and then by the end, if you’ve opened up your own heart and mind to how loved everyone is, even people you don’t care for, that’s the gift of the last quarter.”
Grant’s heightened awareness of mortality has been fueled by the recent deaths of Bobby Caldwell, who co-wrote her chart-topping duet with Peter Cetera “The Next Time I Fall”; legendary bass player Michael Rhodes and friend Beth Nielsen Chapman’s husband Bob Sherman. “So much of your younger life is saying, ‘Now what’s that going to do? How does that play out? What am I going to see from this investment? In the fourth quarter we don’t have that luxury of time,” Grant says. “I’m passing the baton on and not because I don’t still have life to live, but I want to empower people who are coming behind me.”
Grant admits not everyone can appreciate her perspective, including her own children. “My kids — the ones I’ve birthed — are all in the second quarter. They don’t want to hear this crap,” she says with a laugh.
Following “Trees,” Grant plans to release another single in April. Co-written with Natalie Hemby and Barry Dean, she played the song for Altman the same day he shared “Trees.” He immediately booked musicians and they recorded both songs within 10 days. (The new song was written after Grant attended a therapy session with one of her grown children, saying she and husband Vince Gill “gave the gift of therapy to our family.”)
The return to music has helped Grant put the last three years behind her — though she’s still adjusting in some ways. She used to take her bicycle on tour and ride 30 miles before a show, but now takes it a little easier. “I started building my stamina back by going to the Y probably every other day and I felt like I was swimming kind of slow. Now I feel like I’m starting to get my rhythm back,” she says. “It’s still hard for me to balance if I have my eyes closed, [which is] typical for a head injury. But if nothing else changed, I would be fine . . .I feel like my mind has never felt so vibrant and active during a show.”
Perhaps the biggest change, Grant says, is that she doesn’t take anything for granted. “When I’m on stage, I’m just flooded with gratitude. It feels so good to have shared a journey for decades with an audience. I have a sense of humor about myself in my own songs. It’s not like we’re curing cancer here. It’s music, but music is something that we can share and participate in simultaneously. You don’t have to agree with their politics, spirituality or anything. Somebody buys a ticket and sings along and there’s a feeling of unity. That’s beautiful.”
