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On Friday (May 10), producer-songwriter and TV/film composer Tommee Profitt released Covers, Vol. 2, a new 10-song collection of reworked hits featuring a variety of vocal collaborators. One of the highlights of the album is Skylar Grey’s gentle, stripped-down rendition of Linkin Park’s enduring smash “Numb,” which also received a sweeping music video on the day of the album release.
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Watch Profitt and Grey’s video for “Numb” below:
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“I connected with Skylar a few years ago, and it was instantly clear that we both loved making cinematic music for movies and TV shows,” says Profitt, whose genre-twisting production work has landed synch placements in dozens of trailers and on multiple streaming platforms. “Skylar’s voice is perfect for the kind of music I love to produce.
“When I told her I was working on a covers album,” he continues, “we started brainstorming on what song we could do together, and it didn’t take long for ‘Numb’ by Linkin Park to come up. I could hear exactly in my head how her voice would sound on it… and yet she still over delivered. We wanted it to be both raw and beautiful, while climbing to an epic conclusion… It definitely feels like a movie! And the emotional depth of Skylar’s performance brings that to life in a way that most couldn’t. Her voice is so unique, and was definitely meant for this song; this was a perfect first collab!”
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Meanwhile, Grey — who has scored hits as a solo artist, featured performer and as a songwriter for Eminem, Rihanna and Dr. Dre, among others — has a long-standing connection to Linkin Park: she performed the iconic hook to “Where’d You Go,” the 2006 smash from the band’s Mike Shinoda under his Fort Minor project, when Grey was still performing under the name Holly Brook. A deal with Linkin Park’s Machine Shop Records helped start her career as a teen in the mid-2000s, years before Grey was able to pay tribute to the band alongside Profitt.
“Multiple people had been telling me, ‘You should work with Tommee Profitt,’ since I really love working in the cinematic music space… and he’s the best in the biz!” says Grey. “So we finally connected over Instagram and made it happen. I’ve had writers block for about a year, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to release a cover of one of my favorite Linkin Park songs. Linkin Park signed me to my very first record deal when I was 18, and I got to tag along on tour with them for a while, so there’s a huge nostalgic connection there.”
Linkin Park’s version of “Numb” peaked at No. 11 on the Hot 100 after being released on the band’s 2003 sophomore album Meteora. In addition to the collaboration with Grey, Covers, Vol. 2 features takes on Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (featuring Fleurie), Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris” (with Ruelle) and AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” (featuring William Joseph), among others.
In the nascent days of 2019, a transformative wave of música mexicana was underfoot. Spearheaded by the rebellious strains of corridos tumbados, pioneered by Natanael Cano, this regional style began to take over the internet, and by the end of that year, the Billboard charts. Amid this burgeoning movement, a poignant counterpart emerged: sad sierreño. As música mexicana evolves, it continues to unfold into new and captivating configurations.
The latest installment of SoundCloud‘s SCENES documentary series, titled SCENES: Música Mexicana and released today (Feb. 7), captures that essence. Presented by Toyota and directed by Elías López-Julián Burgueño, it features Ivan Cornejo, DannyLux, Xavi, and Conexión Divina — some of the artists at the forefront of this new revolution. Each, in their own way, encapsulates the spirit of música mexicana, a scene that has grown exponentially since 2019.
As a Mexican-American journalist from the border who once played in a mariachi band, witnessing and helping document this cultural evolution feels deeply personal. Just as the new regional Mexican movement was emerging, I had started a role leading Latin music curation at SoundCloud. So I happily accepted when the platform invited me to participate and narrate this installment of SCENES.
Ivan Cornejo
Julian Burgueño
Cornejo — who graced the cover of Billboard in January — is the embodiment of this new era taking shape. As a young trailblazer who has infused sierreño music with emo-like lyrics and an electric guitar, he leads an evolving soundscape, heralding a chapter where tradition meets contemporary soul.
DannyLux, whose streams surged sevenfold following his breakout album, Las Dos Caras del Amor (2021), according to SoundCloud, represents the transformative power of sierreño music. Conexión Divina shatters traditional barriers as a pioneering queer female group in the genre, representing a shift towards inclusivity and diversity. Xavi, Billboard’s January Latin Artist on the Rise, whose single “La Diabla” continues to dominate the Hot Latin Songs chart, further showcases the global appeal of regional Mexican music with his own strain of tumbados románticos.
Behind this seismic shift is SoundCloud, a platform where these artists first found their voice and audience. “We’re thrilled to elevate Mexican-American artists who are proud of their culture and are deeply impacting communities worldwide,” says U.S. brand partnerships director at SoundCloud, Andrea Ropp. “This partnership is a testament to SoundCloud and Toyota’s shared vision of empowering artists whose passion for their community and determination to push boundaries are leading them to new heights.”
DannyLux
Julian Burgueño
Echoing this sentiment, Alex Chau, brand media manager at Toyota Motor North America, shares, “The creation of this first Latino-focused docuseries with SoundCloud aligns organically with Toyota’s commitment to supporting emerging artists and championing music discovery. These artists are taking the genre to new heights, elevating Latino culture and their community through their sounds.”
“Entire scenes and genres of music have been birthed on our platform, and tastemakers within the industry continue to look to SoundCloud to identify what’s next in music,” adds SoundCloud’s CEO, Eliah Seton. “The regional Mexican music scene is another case study on why tomorrow’s mainstream music trends are emerging first on SoundCloud. We’ve been following RMX (regional Mexican) for years and we’re thrilled to continue propelling the artists and scene into the limelight.”
Conexión Divina
Julian Burgueño
Whether a lifelong fan of música mexicana or newly curious, there’s something profoundly moving in witnessing the growth of a genre that’s as dynamic as the people it represents. The artists’ stories, as showcased in the docuseries, testify the power of passion, community, and innovation.
As Billboard has been reporting, regional Mexican music isn’t having a moment, it’s been a movement.
Watch the full documentary above.
Past SCENES include SoCal Soul, plugg, PC Music, East African Underground and more.
Xavi
Julian Burgueño
Beyoncé hosted a glitzy world premiere for her highly anticipated Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sunday night (Nov. 25). The concert documentary, which chronicles Bey’s record-breaking Renaissance World Tour, was written, executive produced, as well as co-directed by the 32-time […]
In addition to Ryu Su Jeong establishing her independent label and releasing her debut full-length album, the singer-songwriter and former Lovelyz girl-group member is revealing her first-ever English song to reach even more listeners with her music.
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Billboard premieres Ryu Su Jeong’s new song and music video for “How Can I Get Your Love,” a cut off her soon-to-be-released LP, Archive of Emotions.
In a similar soundscape to previously revealed singles “Love or Hate” and “Daydreaming,” which will both appear on the album, “How Can I Get Your Love” offers a lo-fi, bedroom-pop atmosphere elevated by the honeyed melodies Ryu was famous for as a lead vocalist in Lovelyz’s string of hits from 2014-2021.
Over refreshingly unfiltered drums and guitars, Su Jeong expresses mixed emotions that are equally relatable and heartbreaking. In a sweet, melancholy delivery, she sings, “You say, ‘I love you’/ I could not answer anything…/ I’m afraid to imagine that you’re not there/ What if that happens? There’s no such thing that lasts forever.”
The accompanying music video sees the K-pop star in a tangle of situations to represent the spectrum of sentiments expressed in the song. At one moment, Su Jeong is hiding under a couch from the people walking around her, and the next moment she’s lying on the sofa with her hair stroked by a gentle hand. There’s also the juxtaposing image of Su Jeong surrounded by a pile of fuzzy teddy bears that seem adorable until she finds a pair of scissors and rips them all into stuffing.
But the most striking image in the video comes when a pull cord like those of a wind-up doll snakes out of Ryu Su Jeong’s back. Is it a metaphor for a toxic friendship? Infatuation? The K-pop industry? Expect several fan theories to arise from this visual.
In preparation for Archive of Emotions, the 25-year-old tells Billboard she wants songs like “How Can I Get Your Love” to have a universal appeal to soothe and comfort listeners through any difficulties they may be facing.
“I hope the people that listen to my music will heal and be able to confront all sorts of things that are just inevitable and tend to just come in life,” she says. “I also hope it becomes a long-lasting and remembered album for everyone that listens to it.”
Archive of Emotions drops on April 20 at 5 a.m. ET (6 p.m. local time in South Korea). For now, listen to and watch “How Can I Get Your Love” exclusively on Billboard:
The newest onscreen video game adaptation has come in the form of Tetris, a Jon S. Braid thriller film about the true story of Henk Rogers, who created the beloved puzzle game in 1988.
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Billboard was at the film’s SXSW premiere this week, where host Tetris Kelly surprised the cast with the hilarious coincidence of matching names. “Really?” Taron Egerton, who plays Rogers, said to Kelly upon hearing his name. “Is that real? Well, I’m very glad to meet you.”
Egerton also opened up about taking roles that portray famous stories, as he previously played Elton John in Rocketman. “You try not to dwell on those things too much. You have to divorce yourself from any pressure you feel from playing recognizable people or stories that are well known,” he shared. “If you are nervous at work every day, you wouldn’t be able to do your job.”
Polina, who spearheaded the soundtrack on the film, also shared what it was like to make the movie’s music. “I got to record some of my favorite songs,” she revealed. “I usually write soundtracks but this time around, I performed the soundtracks and it was such an honor to perform Blondie and Pat Benatar. Such legends and iconic songs.”
As for how she ranks when playing Tetris, Polina said with a laugh, “I think I suck at Tetris.”
Watch Tetris Kelly talk to the Tetris cast at SXSW in Austin, Texas, above.
Members of Duran Duran teased a 2023 tour, saying they would return to the U.S. and Europe, and lead singer Simon Le Bon revealed his favorite U.S. venue of all time.
In an onstage chat at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on Thursday (Oct. 27), before premiering their docu-concert film, A Hollywood High, the British new wave legends — Le Bon, keyboard player Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor — confirmed they will be back on the road next year.
“We are going to be touring again next year,” John Taylor said. “Nothing is confirmed yet, but we will be coming back to the Los Angeles area. We are going to be in Europe, we are going to be in the U.K.”
Roger Taylor added that the band will hit “all the cities that we didn’t do in the U.S.”
Duran Duran has kept up a busy touring schedule in 2022, playing 35 dates including Midsummer at Skansen near Stockholm and Sommerstemning Lillestrøm near Olso and headliner performances at Tuscany’s famed La Prima Estate Festival near Lido di Camaiore and a special one-night engagement at Caledonian Stadium in Inverness, Scotland.
The band spent August touring U.S. arenas, including a stop at Madison Square Garden in New York on Aug. 25, and an epic three-night run at the Hollywood Bowl for the release of their fifteenth studio album, Future Past.
The band is slated to perform a Halloween show on Monday at the Wynn Las Vegas’ Encore Theatre but would not reveal their costumes — though they did rule out dressing as Santa Claus (Rhodes), an M&M (John Taylor) or a jelly fish (Le Bon). Rhodes said his recent trip to a costume store left him “quite cross” because it was dominated with Christmas wear. “All the fabulous creatures were gone,” Rhodes said.
Responding to an audience member question, Rhodes said the band may also release their next album, Reportage, in 2023. “It needs a little work, but it’s possible,” he said.
On Thursday, Duran Duran celebrated Le Bon’s birthday (which is also his father’s) with the movie premiere audience — which sang happy birthday to him before the 75-minute film screened in Dolby Vision-Atomos. The film delves into the band’s early history and connection with Los Angeles to set up a performance earlier this year on the rooftop of the Aster, a private members club in Hollywood. While the group performs at sunset a drone captures sweeping shots in the background of the Hollywood sign and the Capitol Building, which at one point during the show was lit up in the yellow and light blue of Ukraine’s flag in a show of support for the nation’s effort to repel an invading Russia.
The band confirmed that in its four-decade history it had never performed a show on a rooftop, but that it made more sense during pandemic. “We kind of had to be talked into it,” John Taylor said, noting that the band initially planned to perform on a flatbed truck driving along Sunset Boulevard to promote their three-date Los Angeles swing. But that “started getting problematic,” Taylor said. “There was a point where there was a slope. And we were like, ‘How are we going to keep the drums on this?’”
Duran Duran said that the rooftop gig wasn’t intended initially to be turned into a film. “We document a lot of what we do, and it generally just goes into the archive and nobody every sees it,” John Taylor said. The show “was essentially a showcase to launch the American tour. And the fact that we didn’t know we were making a movie, you get an authenticity that you wouldn’t get if we knew we were making a film.”
Roger Taylor said that co-director Gavin Elder “kind of snuck up on us with this film. He didn’t’ really tell us he was making a movie … and [as a result] it’s very real.”
The film hits theaters in the U.S. and around the world on Nov. 3.
While the rooftop was a new special memory for the band, when asked by an audience member what was their favorite U.S. venue of all time, Le Bon enthusiastically endorsed Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. “You go there, and you look at it and it looks like some ancient alien, space-faring race had just dumped this spaceship there a million years ago,” he said, “and we turned it into a music venue.”
Additional Reporting by Dave Brooks
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