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Taylor Swift is taking fans on a trip through each of her albums on The Eras Tour, which launched with back-to-back shows on March 17 and 18 in Glendale, Ariz., and her costumes are part of the journey.
As the superstar took the stage at State Farm Arena on the first night, her attention to detail was ever present, as each of her outfits harkened back to a previous tour or live appearance from her 17-year career in the spotlight.
Kicking off with 2019’s Lover, Swift opened the show using a light pink acoustic guitar reminiscent of the instrument she strummed while performing at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards, where she delivered a medley of the title track and “You Need to Calm Down.” To run through early hits such as “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me” from 2008’s Fearless, she brought back her classic style from her sophomore era, donning a gold fringed dress and trading her pink guitar for a sparkly silver edition — the only thing missing was a nod to her famous mane of teenage curls.
When it came time to revisit Reputation, Tay resurrected the popular snake motif from the era (long live Karyn!), channeling her aesthetic from “Look What You Made Me Do” in a dark, asymmetrical body suit covered in glittering red serpents. And while only one song from 2010’s Speak Now was featured on the opening night’s setlist (an extended edition of deep cut “Enchanted”), the singer changed into a fairytale-like ball gown fit for a princess.
During the part of the setlist dedicated to 2012’s Red, Swift showed off a new version of the T-shirt she wore in the music video for “22” — this time emblazoned with her famously cryptic phrase “Not a lot going on at the moment.” And perhaps the most major set change during the show occurred as she welcomed the audience into the Folklorian woods of her surprise 2020 album by recreating a version of the moss-covered cabin she called home to perform a medley of “Cardigan,” “August” and Evermore lead single “Willow” at the 2021 Grammys with collaborators Jack Antonoff and Aaron Dessner.
The final fashion reference on the tour came when Swift went back to 1989 by changing into a crop top and short skirt, just like the many she wore back in the day with her squad.
Click through the gallery below to check out the looks from Taylor’s Eras Tour as well as their counterparts from earlier eras in her career.
‘Lover’ Era
Image Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic; John Shearer/GI for TAS Rights Management
Left: Taylor at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on Aug. 26, 2019, in Newark, N.J.
Right: Performing during the opening night of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, in Swift City, ERAzona (Glendale, Ariz.). The city was ceremonially renamed to Swift City for March 17-18 in honor of her tour.
‘Reputation’ Era
Image Credit: Gareth Cattermole/TAS18/GI for TAS; John Shearer/GI for TAS Rights Management
Left: Performing on stage during her Reputation Stadium Tour at Croke Park on June 15, 2018, in Dublin, Ireland.
Right: Performs during The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 18, 2023 in Swift City, ERAzona (Glendale, Ariz.).
‘1989’ Era
Image Credit: Jun Sato/GI for TS; John Shearer/GI for TAS Rights Management
Left: Performing during The 1989 World Tour at Tokyo Dome on May 5, 2015, in Tokyo.
Right: Performing during the opening night of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, in Swift City, ERAzona.
‘Folklore’ & ‘Evermore’ Eras
Image Credit: TAS Rights Management 2021 via GI; Kevin Mazur/GI for TAS Rights Management
Left: Performing for the 63rd Annual GRAMMY Awards on March 14, 2021.
Right: Performing for the opening night of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, in Swift City, ERAzona.
‘Fearless’ Era
Image Credit: Jason Kempin/GI; Kevin Mazur/GI for TAS Rights Management
Left: Performing during the Fearless Tour at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 27, 2009, in New York City.
Right: Performing for the opening night of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, in Swift City, ERAzona.
‘Speak Now’ Era
Image Credit: Larry Busacca/GI; John Shearer/GI for TAS Rights Management
Left: Performing during the Speak Now World Tour at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 22, 2011, in New York City.
Right: Performing for the opening night of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, in Swift City, ERAzona.
‘Red’ Era
Image Credit: Christopher Polk/TAS/GI for TAS; Kevin Mazur/GI for TAS Rights Management
Left: Performing for a sold-out crowd on The RED Tour at Cowboys Stadium on May 25, 2013, in Arlington, Texas.
Right: Performing for the opening night of The Eras Tour at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023, in Swift City, ERAzona.
Skai Jackson stopped by The Jennifer Hudson Show on Wednesday (March 22) to reminisce about meeting Justin Bieber as a child star.
The 20-year-old actress, who grew up as a diehard Belieber, told Hudson it was only after a number of missed opportunities and waiting “hours” at a time that she finally came face to face with her childhood idol when he was filming at a soundstage next door to where she was working.
“One day we were filming and next thing, I come out and I see him and Selena Gomez standing there, and I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh!’” she told host Jennifer Hudson. “And he was so sweet, he was so sweet.”
Only later did the Jessie alum realize that the superstar had snuck into her dressing room to leave her a handwritten, autographed note that read, “Skai, nice to meet you! You are very cute, make sure to always stay sweet!! God bless.”
“I still have it to this day,” Jackson admitted. “I was cleaning my closet and I found it again. I was like, ‘Thank god!’ So I put it away. But it’s been like 10 years, so I still have it.”
These days, the Biebs is continuing to recover from the Ramsay Hunt syndrome diagnosis that left half of his face temporarily paralyzed. At the start of the month, he appeared to cancel all remaining dates on his long-postponed Justice World Tour just days before making a surprise appearance during Don Toliver’s set at Rolling Loud in California.
Watch Jackson talk about meeting Bieber below.
Nick Lachey will avoid any charges in connection with a paparazzi run-in last March in which the 98 Degrees singer confronted a photographer after she took a picture of him. People magazine reported that Lachey, 49, has been ordered to attend anger management classes and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings as part of a prefiling diversion program, citing a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
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“Mr. Lachey has not been charged with misdemeanor assault and battery. Instead he is participating in LADA’s Prefiling Diversion program,” the LA DA’s office said in a statement. “As part of these conditions he must participate in anger management classes and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Successful completion of the Prefiling Diversion Program will result in no criminal charges being filed.”
At press time a spokesperson for Lachey had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment. According to reports at the time, Lachey reached into the photog’s car in March 2022 and attempted to grab her phone after he noticed her taking his picture. Writing on Twitter shortly after, Lachey said he’s been “harassed” while walking back to his hotel after dinner with wife Vanessa Lachey and their friend.
“Last night, after enjoying a great dinner with my wife and our dear friend, the paparazzi harassed us as we walked back to our hotel,” he wrote. “I clearly overreacted. I’ve been in this game long enough to know that their antics are sadly part of the deal. Stupid of me. Done.”
In a follow-up tweet, Lachey denied getting violent. “However, for TMZ or anyone else to say that I was violent or that I ‘got physical’ with someone is reckless and absolutely false.” TMZ posted video of the alleged incident at the time, in which Lachey walks toward the car and confronts a woman inside, asking, “is paparazzi still a thing?,” before appearing to reach into the car to take her phone and then turning around, sticking out his tongue and walking away.
It was fitting that during Tuesday night’s (March 21) final round of season 23 blind auditions on The Voice Katie Beth Forakis sent chills through the studio with her haunting cover of Justin Bieber‘s “Ghost.” The final single from JB’s 2021 Justice album was center stage as the Tennessee grad student performed a bare bones rendition of the synth pop single that ended up drawing two chair turns.
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“Youngblood thinks there’s always tomorrow,” Forakis crooned in a silvery falsetto as first-time judge Niall Horan said, “Ohh, I like that.” As she continued, Horan continued to get lost in the spare piano arrangement and Forakis’ gentle vibe as he ooh’d and aah’d his way through the performance.
But it was Kelly Clarkson who smashed the button 45 seconds in, followed quickly by Horan. Soon-to-depart judge Blake Shelton kept his powder dry and flashed a quizzical look at the camera while fellow first-timer Chance the Rapper closed his eyes and seemed lost in the moment, but not lost enough to turn around.
When Forakis, 25, hit a run of feathery “ooh-ooh-ooh”s Clarkson seemed convinced her turn was warranted, saying, “Wow. It’s like an angel!” Horan was equally shook, shivering and murmuring, “oh my God!” and rubbing his arms to show off his goosebumps as Clarkson delivered a final verdict: “that was pretty.”
Forakis teared up after the final note, as Horan told her, “I honestly didn’t even know I could have hairs on my cheeks,” alluding to his apparent full-body shivers. Niall told her that as soon as Forakis opened her mouth he thought, “all right, great song choice.” And though he expected her to follow Bieber’s lead and “go off and take it to a bigger place,” she kept it at a low boil that appealed to him.
“There’s nothing sweeter than when someone comes in and plays a piano version of what is a massive pop song and completely controls their falsetto for effectively 90 seconds,” he said. Dubbing her rendition “fairy tale stuff,” Niall told Forakis he had one spot left on his first-ever team, then offered her a slot. Chance complimented Forakis’ floor-length orange wrap dress, but noted that his team was full while complimenting her vocals.
Clarkson, who also had a spot to fill, told Forakis she did exactly what the talk show host singer loves to do on her daily Kellyoke segments by taking a song people know and doing it differently, while praising Beth’s “heartfelt” tone.
Watch Forakis on The Voice below and find out whose team she ended up on.
Some people make afterparty plans, Ed Sheeran makes after life ones. The singer told Rolling Stone that he’s already begun working on his final album. Though his upcoming May 5 release – (Subtract) will square the circle on his cycle of five mathematically themed studio albums, Sheeran said he’s sketched out his next five releases, as well as a posthumous collection that will be constantly updated during his life.
Sheeran, 32, told RS, “I want to slowly make this album that is quote-unquote ‘perfect’ for the rest of my life, adding songs here and there. And just have it in my will that after I die, it comes out.”
The singer also revealed that while working with his pal Taylor Swift’s recent collaborator The National’s Aaron Dessner on Subtract, the duo produced enough material for another album. After picking 14 tracks for the final maths album, Sheeran said he pulled three others that felt “too joyous” after realizing they felt like the start of a different musical journey.
“It was very quickly seen that we were making two different things,” Sheeran said, adding that he and Dessner then wrote an entire second album together that the in-demand producer is mixing right now. At press time no release date, or title, has been announced yet for that collection, with Sheeran explaining, “I have no goals for the record. I just want to put it out.”
Sheeran will, however, pull the curtain back on his journey to stardom, personal life and musical inspiration in the upcoming Disney+ docuseries Ed Sheeran: The Sum of It All. The four-part series due out globally on May 3 is described as the story of “how an unlikely child with a stutter rose to fame to become one of the biggest global music superstars and how his chart-topping hits were born.”
The Disney+ original series will feature exclusive content from Sheeran’s personal archive, interviews with his loved ones and intimate performances. “I’ve always been very guarded in my personal and private life; the only documentary I’ve ever made has been one that focused on my songwriting,” Sheeran said in a press release. “Disney approached me to make a four-part documentary, and it felt like the right time to open the door and let people in. I hope people enjoy it.”
Sheeran’s will drop his new single, “Eyes Closed” on Friday (March 24), which RS described as being built “around a pinging pizzicato riff that builds to an octave-jumping chorus as big as anything in Sheeran’s catalog.” The magazine quoted lyrics including, “I’m dancing with my eyes closed/ ’Cause everywhere I look I still see you… I pictured this month a little bit different/ No one is ever ready.”
When NCT DREAM made their live Stateside return last August as one of KCON’s most anticipated performers, a quiet moment when youngest member Jisung sang just two words from the boy band’s debut single “Chewing Gum” saw the Crypto.com Arena audience erupting into shrieks. It was a quick-but-telling indication of the local interest in the young boy band that made its Billboard 200 debut last year without a proper label deal.
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While last summer’s festival appearance only included five of the seven NCT DREAM members, the entire DREAM crew is now gearing up for a proper visit to America.
On Tuesday (March 21), NCT DREAM dropped the English version of their nostalgic hip-hop single “Beatbox” before heading out on another string of dates in The Dream Show2: In a Dream world tour that includes seven arena shows in April. While many K-pop acts quickly make their way to the U.S. for concerts and opportunities — including NCT counterparts NCT 127, who began promoting in the States heavily after one year together — NCT DREAM is playing across the U.S. more than six and a half years after their debut. While it may have felt like a long wait, the band says the timing for the next step of their “journey” was important and they’re considering all aspects to make the next legs of the world tour special.
NCT DREAM’s Mark, Haechan, Renjun, Jeno, Chenle, Jaemin and Jisung tell Billboard that their newest English song not only was a present for the overseas fans they’re visiting, but also delivered a fresh musical experience for the band too. As the septet hint that more English tracks are on the way, and add they are “actively participating” in their forthcoming studio album due later this year, the focus right now is showcasing the onstage synergy of these seven — or “7DREAM,” as they call themselves.
Read more from the 7DREAM guys, including thoughts on their latest music, touring aspirations, messages for NCTzen fans, and what’s next for NCT DREAM.
Congratulations on the recent news of your growing world tour and English single “Beatbox.” You debuted in 2016; why is now the right time to focus some of your time on the west?
MARK: Everything comes with timing. This year, we are touring on a scale like never before and felt it’d be good to release an English single since we’re meeting fans around the world. We can’t wait to further continue our journey with all of our fans.
How was the experience of recording this new version of “Beatbox”? Is this indicating more English music from NCT DREAM?
RENJUN: It felt like we were recording a new song when working on the English version of “Beatbox” so it was quite fun. I tried to record in a way that’d suit the vibe of the track, and I believe this version shows NCT DREAM’s own colors well so I hope everyone enjoys!
HAECHAN: It’s been a year since we worked on this track again so I feel like we did better with recording this round. The demo track was actually in English; the vibe we first got when listening to it combined really well with NCT DREAM’s to give this version its own sense of uniqueness. And I hope people will look forward to hearing more of NCT DREAM’s English tracks!
What should fans expect from the U.S. leg of the The Dream Show2? Will you prepare special stages, or do you want to keep the current show intact?
JENO: This U.S. tour will be a chance for fans to learn more about NCT DREAM. We are also working hard to make sure that our shows are a place of interaction with our fans. We’ve only performed in the U.S. twice before, so it’ll be exciting to get to see different locations, stay longer and meet more of our international fans.
JAEMIN: I hope fans are excited for not only the “Beatbox” English version but all the stages we’ve prepared! Lots of work went into preparing to finally meet our U.S. NCTzens—we hope they are equally as excited to see NCT DREAM.
This is your first time performing your own concerts in America and you’re playing arenas. Is anyone surprised by the demand for NCT DREAM in the States?
CHENLE: It’s mind-blowing to see so many people show their love and support, and I cannot express enough how thankful we are.
JISUNG: This is the first time after the pandemic that we’re going to the U.S. as “7DREAM,” so it hasn’t quite hit us yet but I’m sure the moment we see our fans up close, it’ll sink in.
MARK and HAECHAN, you’ve had some experience with NCT 127 promoting across the U.S. Did you share any advice with the other members?
MARK: The only advice I told them was how hard we’re going to work. [Laughs] Despite my experience with NCT 127, promoting for NCT DREAM is a new beginning and experience for all the seven of us. The only thing I had to discuss with our members was to be ready to work extra hard, and to try our best to interact with our fans as much as we can.
HAECHAN: I just hope everyone enjoys the moment. It’s our first time in the U.S. as 7DREAM and I’m sure people are excited as well, but it’s important that we enjoy it ourselves so that we can create those memories for our fans.
Anything you’re particularly excited about seeing during the tour?
JENO: I’m most excited to hear the cheers of our NCTzens in all the countries and cities we’ll be going to.
CHENLE: I am looking forward to showing the amazing stages we’ve prepared to all the NCTzens that’ll be coming to see us! I’m also excited to be going to California because I’m a big Stephen Curry fan! We haven’t had much time to explore the U.S. so even the thought of simply being in California is exciting.
NCT DREAM has been so busy! You released Candy for the holidays, your first Japanese single “Best Friend Ever” at the top of 2023, there are Asia, Europe and now U.S. tour dates; when are you finding the time to relax and rest?
RENJUN: Even when we’re busy with several activities, it’s always a good time because it’s spent with my members so even working feels like fun — that in itself sounds like healing to me!
JISUNG: When we have a lot of schedules, there are times when we aren’t able to rest as much but I’m the kind of person who gains more energy from staying active. I do make sure to relax and take care of myself though on days that are less busy.
What else can we look forward to in 2023? We’ve seen a studio album on the schedule for you. Are there any spoilers you can share?
JAEMIN: We are actively participating in our upcoming full-length album and working very hard to bring out the best. I hope people will be able to see just how much we’ve put into it when the album comes out.
Anything else to add for Billboard readers or U.S. fans?
MARK: NCT DREAM is here to see you guys!!! Thank you to all the fans that waited so patiently for us to come—can’t wait to show you NCT DREAM and how we really care about our time here in the west. See you, guys!
Miley Cyrus took to social media on Tuesday (March 21) to celebrate “Flowers” returning to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for a seventh week.
“Flowers is #1 for a 7th week! I love all of you. Endless Summer Vacation out now!” the singer wrote on Twitter, also sharing a candid shot of herself wearing an asymmetrical dress of black sequins, a long green fur coat, and her must-have accessory of the album cycle: a pair of black sunglasses. She also shared this week’s Hot 100 top 10 (chart dated March 25) and Billboard‘s own story about her 10th career week at No. 1 on her Instagram Stories.
The hit single’s return to the pinnacle of the Hot 100 was helped by the release of Endless Summer Vacation, which posted Cyrus’ best opening week on the Billboard 200 in more than a decade with 103,000 equivalent album units. The studio set lands at No. 3 on the chart behind Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time — last week’s holdover at No. 1 — and TWICE’s READY TO BE.
In more global accomplishments, “Flowers” is also spending an eighth week at the top of both Billboard Global charts, and Cyrus also nabbed a rare chart double over in the U.K. with the smash single and its parent album simultaneously sitting at No. 1 on the Official Singles chart and Official Albums chart.
Check out Cyrus’ tweet about her song’s latest chart-topping accomplishment below.
A week after Morgan Wallen broke the record for the most songs simultaneously charted on the Billboard Hot 100 – 36, on the survey dated March 18, marking the entirety of his new album, One Thing At a Time – he tallies 28 on the March 25 chart, the second-most ever in a single week.
Released March 3, the set launched as Wallen’s second No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, with the biggest week by equivalent album units for any album, among all genres, in 2023: 501,000 (through March 9), according to Luminate.
In its second week (March 10-16), the collection earned 259,000 units, down 48%, sparking its second week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
Wallen now boasts the two top weeks in terms of the most songs charted on the Hot 100 simultaneously. Below Wallen’s hauls of 36 and 28 entries, Drake totaled 27 on the July 14, 2018-dated chart and Taylor Swift logged 26 on the Nov. 27, 2021-dated list. As with Wallen a week earlier, Drake and Swift translated big Billboard 200 debuts into their hefty weeks on the Hot 100 in those frames: Drake thanks to Scorpion and Swift via Red (Taylor’s Version).
Most simultaneous entries on the #Hot100 in one week:36 songs, @MorganWallen, 3/18/202328, @MorganWallen, 3/25/202327, @Drake, 7/14/201826, @taylorswift13, 11/27/202125, @lilbaby4PF, 10/29/202224, @Drake, 7/21/1824, @Drake, 4/8/1723, #KanyeWest, 9/11/2122, @sanbenito,…— billboard charts (@billboardcharts) March 21, 2023
Here’s a recap of Wallen’s 28 tracks on the latest Hot 100, again, all from One Thing at a Time. “Last Night” repeats as his highest charting, a week after it became his first No. 1.
No. 2, “Last Night”
No. 9, “Thought You Should Know”
No. 10, “You Proof”
No. 17, “Thinkin’ Bout Me”
No. 20, “One Thing at a Time”
No. 29, “Everything I Love”
No. 31, “Ain’t That Some”
No. 33, “I Wrote the Book”
No. 41, “Man Made a Bar”
No. 48, “’98 Braves”
No. 49, “Sunrise”
No. 51, “Cowgirls” (feat. ERNEST)
No. 61, “Whiskey Friends”
No. 63, “Devil Don’t Know”
No. 67, “Born With a Beer in My Hand”
No. 70, “Dying Man”
No. 73, “Neon Star (Country Boy Lullaby)”
No. 74, “Tennessee Numbers”
No. 76, “Tennessee Fan”
No. 77, “Hope That’s True”
No. 80, “Keith Whitley”
No. 81, “Me + All Your Reasons”
No. 85, “I Deserve a Drink”
No. 88, “In the Bible” (feat. HARDY)
No. 90, “Single Than She Was”
No. 96, “180 (Lifestyle)”
No. 97, “F150-50”
No. 100, “Wine Into Water”
Taylor Swift just made good on a promise to a fan, five years later.
One of thousands of fans in attendance at the opening Eras Tour shows in Glendale, Ariz., was Isabella McCune, a longtime fan who’d been waiting since 2018 to see the pop star live. In fact, the 13-year-old was there as a special guest of Swift’s, who gifted McCune four free tickets to night two of her State Farm Stadium dates.
The bittersweet night was years in the making, as McCune had hoped to see Swift’s Reputation Tour five years prior. Leading up to the 2018 show, she suffered a severe accident that left her hospitalized for nine months as she recovered from burns covering 65% of her body, according to ABC 15 in Arizona. During that time, she listened to the “Anti-Hero” singer’s music to help her get through the difficult time.
Swift eventually visited her young fan — then 8 years old — in the hospital after the accident, and left a sweet note reassuring McCune. “Isabella, I hope you feel better soon,” the superstar wrote in 2018. “I’m so honored you’ve been listening to my music. You’re so awesome and I can’t wait to have you at a show. Stay strong, gorgeous. Love, Taylor.”
No one could have predicted how long it would take for Swift to be able to deliver on her promise, though. Lover Fest, which was supposed to be her first tour after the Reputation trek, was initially scheduled for summer of 2020. Like most tours around that time, however, it was canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic.
Now that the 11-time Grammy winner is finally back on the road, though, McCune’s story has finally come full circle. With the help of Live 101.5 and the Valleywise Health Foundation, Swift’s team surprised her with Eras Tour tickets, which were given to her by a medical professional while she was sitting in a hospital bed like the one she spent months of her life in five years ago.
“Not only the fact that I’m able to go and I got these tickets gifted to me, they’re from Taylor Swift and her team and they remembered me, and thought of me to give me these tickets,” she told ABC15 of the surprise.
The arrival of Jisoo’s solo album, ME, is imminent. To further drum up anticipation for its release, the BLACKPINK singer’s record label YG Entertainment shared a second teaser visual that provides one more piece to the puzzle of her debut as a solo artist.
The stunning video features a color palette primarily consisting of black and white. Jisoo first appears on screen as an elegant silhouette before her face and body are revealed. She poses in a black crop top and a satin-finished, voluminous skirt, gazing fiercely into the camera until her solo album and its release date appear in red text at the end of the video.
The new teaser visual also slipped a major nugget of information to fans of the K-pop star. In the description box of the video, the text reads #FLOWER,” potentially hinting at the title of the album’s lead single.
In YG’s post of the visual teaser on Twitter, several fans hilariously replied with the same block of text (also known as a copypasta), “ME isn’t just an album, it’s a cultural reset, it’s the oxygen you breathe, it’s a lifestyle, a reason to breathe, an escape from this cruel world, it’s art, the first gift you open on Christmas, a hug from a loved one, everything uv [sic] ever wanted and more. It’s a blessing.”
ME is set for release on March 31 via YG Entertainment and Interscope Records. It comes after Lisa’s LALISA and Rosé’s -R- in 2021 and Jennie’s “SOLO” in 2018.
See Jisoo’s new teaser above.
