Pride
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They took you back to “1999” and flung you forward to “2099.” Now, Charli XCX and Troye Sivan want to make you sweat in the present tense.
On Wednesday (April 17), the pop star duo announced their co-headlining arena tour, Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present: Sweat, set to kick off this fall. The 21-date excursion will start at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., on Sept. 14, with the pair heading through Toronto, New York City, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Dallas and plenty more stops, before wrapping up with a final show at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on Oct. 23.
Sharing the stage with special guest Shygirl, Charli and Sivan will transform arenas into raves throughout the Sweat tour, with a press release adding that the show will be “not only a celebration of their individual successes, but it is also a testament to their commitment to inclusivity and diversity within the music industry.” Fans can sign up for the advance presale until April 25 at the tour’s official website.
The news comes on the heels of Charli announcing the official dates for her own international arena tour in support of her forthcoming album Brat (due out June 7 via Atlantic), with shows set to start on June 1 in Barcelona. Sivan, meanwhile, will embark on his long-awaited European tour supporting his 2023 LP Something to Give Each Other starting in May.
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In an interview with Billboard in March, Charli teased that fans can expect her new album to sound “aggresive and confrontational,” while also remaining “conversational and personal.” Speaking about the writing, she said, “I’m over the idea of metaphor and flowery lyricism and not saying exactly what I think, the way I would say it to a friend in a text message. This record is all the things I would talk about with my friends, said exactly how I would say them.”
Artist presale for Charli XCX & Troye Sivan Present: Sweat begins Thursday, April 25, at 10 a.m. local time, with the general on-sale beginning Friday, April 26, at 10 a.m local time on Live Nation’s website. Check out the official dates for the tour below:
Troye Sivan and Charli XCX
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She knows she didn’t invent the idea of “gay pop,” but pop singer and Internet personality JoJo Siwa would like to see the subset become an “official genre” of music.
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During an interview on SiriusXM’s Hits 1 Miami With Mack & Jen, Siwa clarified the comments she made in a viral video interview with Billboard, saying she simply wants to see more queer art get recognized. “So, here’s the thing — ‘gay pop’ is a thing that people have done, but it is not an official genre of music,” she explained. “It is a style, but it is how there’s rap, there’s rock, there’s R&B, there’s pop — if you look on the iTunes charts … this should be a literal genre of music.”
The former Dance Moms star continued, saying that she doesn’t feel the current categorizations for LGBTQ+ artists are sufficient. “There’s so many gay pop artists … but I think that those gay pop artists do deserve a bigger home than what they have right now,” she said.
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Siwa originally spoke about the concept of “gay pop” during an interview with Billboard‘s Tetris Kelly about her new song “Karma,” when she claimed that she told her label (Columbia Records) that she “wanted to start a new genre … called ‘gay pop.’” Commenters quickly called out the singer for claiming to have created a “genre” that has existed for years — even LGBTQ+ pioneers Tegan and Sara shared a video on TikTok where they silently stared into a camera following the 20-year-old’s comments.
In a later interview with TMZ, Siwa clarified that she didn’t intend to say that she “invented” the concept of “gay pop” music. “I am not the inventor of gay pop, for sure not. But I do want to be a piece of making it bigger than it already is,” she said. “I’m not the president [of gay pop], but I might be the CEO, or the CMO. I can be the CMO, the chief marketing officer, and use my marketing tactics whether people like it or not.”
Elsewhere in her interview on SiriusXM, Siwa bemoaned the ongoing backlash to her comments. “I could say I want world peace, and everyone would be like, ‘How dare you want peace for the world!’” she said. “People ask me all the time, they’re like, ‘Do you feel like you have to be very careful about what you say?’ And I’m like, ‘No, because no matter what I say, it’s going down anyways.’”
Watch a clip from Siwa’s interview below:
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Reneé Rapp knows her best qualities, and she made sure they were advertised on an eye-catching billboard on the way to Coachella, where the 24-year-old singer will be taking the stage this weekend. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Good tits, big heart,” the billboard displays in […]
JoJo Siwa would like to set the record — for lack of a better word — straight. After a clip from her recent Billboard interview went viral, the “Karma” singer is making it clear that she did not invent the idea of “gay pop.” In a video published by TMZ, Siwa took a moment to […]
While Madonna‘s globe-spanning tour is meant to be a “Celebration,” the singer took a moment on Tuesday night (April 9) to have a serious conversation with her fans about one of the worst shootings in American history.
During her final show in Miami, Fla., Madonna delivered an emotional speech to her fans in honor of the victims of the 2016 shooting at Pulse nightclub, the second-deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. “I want to remind you that we have not all been so lucky,” Madonna said somberly to her audience, according to a fan-captured video. “I want to draw attention to that moment because nightclubs and music and dance are what bring us together. They shouldn’t be places or things that we do that bring us sadness and tragedy and murder and death and pain and suffering and trauma.”
Along with paying tribute to the 49 people killed in the attack, the legendary pop star also shared her support for the LGBTQ+ community, saying, “I will always stand for the gays, because the gays have always stood for me.”
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“That was the biggest terrorist attack in America after 9/11,” she said. “People getting together to dance in a club that was inclusive and full of love. It was Latin Night, people were dancing to Latin music, and some motherf–ker came in there with two guns and started shooting at people.”
Madonna went on to share that she invited survivors and their families, as well as the families of those who did not survive to attend her show that night, calling out a few of their names and thanking them for attending. In the middle of her speech, her voice began to crack with emotion. “I make dance music. My job is to bring people together, to make people dance, to make people happy, to not judge,” she said. “This s–t is not supposed to happen. Don’t forget about it.”
It’s far from the first time Madonna has honored victims and heroes during her Celebration Tour. When her trek stopped at New York City’s Madison Square Garden in January, the pop icon shared the stories of Ellen Matzer and Valery Hughes, two New York nurses who treated and advocated for AIDS/HIV patients at the height of the epidemic the 1980s.
Watch the fan-captured video of Madonna’s speech below:
Drag star Katya announced on Tuesday (April 9) that she’s taking a break from her career to focus on her health and sobriety. In a video posted to her Instagram, Katya shared that she is currently seeking treatment for her addiction, meaning that her upcoming tour dates with friend and fellow Drag Race star Trixie […]
In the final elimination week of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16, the top four queens were given a crash course in an important part of their post-show lives — the art of branding.
On Friday’s episode (aired April 5), the remaining contestants showed off their personalities by creating covers and excerpts from their own faux memoirs, before giving a series of interviews with Las Culturistas’ Matt Rogers about their books.
For Nymphia Wind, the challenge turned into a triumph, with the judges praising the star’s vulnerability in her interview, as well as her stunning look she wore for her book cover — the queen earned her long-awaited third challenge win and a spot in the finale. Meanwhile, after much hair-splitting from the judges, queens Plane Jane and Q found themselves in the bottom after performances that didn’t quite stack up to those of Wind and Sapphira Cristál.
Lip synching to Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me,” the queens used every weapon in their respective arsenals to try and win the last spot in the show’s grand finale. Ultimately, Plane Jane landed without too much turbulence, leaving fashion queen Q on the tarmac.
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Below, Q chats with Billboard about her time on the show, her approach to making some of the best runway looks on the show, speaking about life with HIV on national television, and how she’s taking online hate from the fanbase “one day at a time.”
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You made it all the way to the top four! How does it feel, looking back on your run, knowing you made it as far as you did?
It felt really great — it’s always been a dream to be on the show. Now, you know what happened, and here I am now, and I guess we’ll see what comes from it in the future.
I did want to check in with you — I know the fanbase was pretty rough on you, and you ultimately decide to deactivate your X account a few weeks back. How are you feeling since making that decision?
Honestly? I’m fine. I’m sort of trying to take all of this one day at a time. I have days where it’s not so great, and then other days where it’s truly not bothering me at all. But it definitely has not been nearly as bad since I left X, and deactivated that account. I don’t know, it definitely has … the online part of all of this has definitely shaped a large part of this experience for me.
People really have to learn to stop taking this show so seriously.
Yeah, for sure, I agree. Here’s hoping.
On the show, you got to show off your capability as a seamstress. Your approach to fashion, and more importantly style, feels really refreshing for the show — what do you think makes your skills stand out?
Well first, thank you. I guess, what I see as fashion and style is definitely a lot more theatrical than what somebody else would see as fashion and style. It definitely comes from my background in the theater, and so sometimes, I really try to lean into that, and try to make my costumes that much more grand and costume-y. And that’s where a lot of my taste level comes from, I think.
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Did you have a favorite look you wore down the runway this season?
Oh, man. Yeah, I really, really liked my floral runway. I think that was my absolute favorite I did all season.
This was a very different kind of challenge for this season, where you essentially were tasked not only with branding yourself, but with being really open and vulnerable. How challenging did that feel in the moment?
Honestly, it didn’t feel that challenging — I thought I did good until I hit the stage and got my critiques. But, because there were only four of us left, we literally all thought that we did really great this week before heading to the main stage. When you get there, that’s really the first time that you actually get a gauge on how you did when it’s that late in the competition.
You also had already shared a lot with your sisters already up to this point in the season — how did it feel speaking publicly about living with HIV back in episode 11?
Yeah, it felt really good! I did that because, I figured if I could help one person who felt the way that I felt when I was going through my diagnosis, then it would absolutely be worth it. Having people come up to me now, saying that it helped them, really helped me realize that speaking up about that on the show was really worth it.
What did you think of Plane’s now-viral response in the moment?
It really didn’t seem like as big of a thing in the moment as it has since become, to be honest. At that point, we had heard a lot more surprising things come out of Plane Jane’s mouth, so that felt like nothing!
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Before we let you go, I wanted to ask — is there any music you’ve found yourself listening to lately?
I mean, I am always the one with Artpop on replay all day since it came out. I’m big on “Venus,” personally.
Azealia Banks is playing matchmaker, and she wants to see Tyler, the Creator and Lil Nas X become music’s newest power couple.
Banks posted a lengthy message to Instagram on Sunday (April 7) explaining why she hopes the two talented creatives join forces romantically.
“I really think Tyler the creator and lil nas x should get over their obsession with broke white bussy and become a power couple,” she wrote. “I think the sensationalism of successful black gay men toting trailer a– rent man hookers as arm candy is played , predictable and they’re both obviously being objectified and plotted on by these boys for hire.”
“It would be way more monumental to see [two] young black gay men as an item. Even just for aesthetic reasons,” she added.
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The Harlem native continued to harp on why Tyler and Lil Nas “would shift culture so hard”: “Tyler can teach lil nas x how to rap so he can stop doing his Azealia Banks impression and fire all these weird white creative directors who obviously have no point of references or respect for the nuance, sheer musical opulence and political groundwork laid out for him to inherit.”
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Tyler hopped into Banks’ comment section laughing at the whirlwind of emotions from AB. “lmfao what the hell,” he wrote seemingly caught off-guard; the comment has earned more than 6,000 likes as of press time.
The Grammy-winning rapper has long been coy about his love life, but comedian Jerrod Carmichael recently opened up about how Tyler rejected his advances during an episode of his new reality show Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show.
“I fell in love with my best friend. one out of 10, don’t recommend,” Carmichael said on the program. “I knew I had to tell him. Things started getting kind of weird between us. I had these feelings… So I texted him. I remember saying, ‘I know you didn’t ask for this, but somewhere down the line I developed feelings for you and I don’t know what to do with that.’ Then I immediately turned my phone off and went into therapy. [Tyler] sent me a voice note. I was so nervous. It was like six seconds … He said, ‘Hahahaha, you stupid b–h.’ And I don’t really know what that means.”
Carmichael wanted Tyler to be his date to the Emmy Awards, but the California native declined the invitation. However, they hashed things out publicly during an interview together on the show. “It’s because I told you I had feelings for you, and we didn’t talk about it, ever,” Carmichael explained. “I feel like you left me hanging out there a little bit.”
Tyler replied with a laugh. “I did. Yeah, I did. And I think I just, like, brushed it off,” he said. “Getting news like that and then avoiding it is a way to avoid change.”
The IGOR rapper said he looks at Carmichael — who narrated on Tyler’s 2019 album — as “truly family” and a “brother.”
In need of some new jams from your favorite queer artists to freshen up your playlists? We’ve got you covered. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
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From Kehlani’s delectable dance anthem to Chappell Roan’s ecstatic synth-pop jam, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Kehlani, “After Hours”
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R&B superstar Kehlani is ready to take it to the dancefloor. “After Hours,” the singer’s new single, sees Kehlani embracing a bouncier, dance-inspired sound as she lets her lover know that she’s tired of beating around the bush — it’s time to make something happen. Utilizing an expertly-placed sample of Cordel “Scatta” Burrell’s “Coolie Dance Rhythm,” Kehlani makes a persuasive case for spending some extra time with her “After Hours.”
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Chappell Roan, “Good Luck, Babe!”
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Everyone’s journey to embracing their sexuality is different — and Chappell Roan would just like to wish everyone the best of luck in figuring it out. With “Good Luck, Babe!”, the rapidly-rising pop star pens a heartfelt message to the “babe” in question — a girl who, despite fooling around with Roan, still thinks she might be straight. The effervescent pop track benefits massively from Roan’s operatic vocals on the song’s undeniably catchy chorus, making “Good Luck, Babe!” an instant anthem.
Omar Apollo, “Spite”
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On his new song “Spite,” Omar Apollo is feeling a little petty. With a grooving melody filled to the brim with light guitar licks and pounding rhythms, “Spite” follows Apollo as he navigates through the confusing, often infuriating emotions of being in a long distance relationship. Oscillating effortlessly between desperately missing his partner and wanting to prove that he’s fine without them, the singer lands somewhere in a dangerous middle: “Every time I see you on my phone/ Hate that I still need you in my life,” he croons.
Orville Peck feat. Willie Nelson, “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other”
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If you’re still looking a little more yee to your haw after spending a week with Beyoncé’s excellent Cowboy Carter, Orville Carter is here to help. Teaming up with country legend Willie Nelson, Peck reimagines Ned Sublette’s quintessentially queer country classic “Cowboys Are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other,” in which the pair detail a saga of gay gauchos on the frontier. With a pair of immediately recognizable voices blending perfectly on this subversive single, Peck and Nelson’s rendition of “Cowboys” is sure to make plenty of waves among country listeners.
Rainbow Kitten Surprise feat. Kacey Musgraves, “Overtime”
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When caught in the nebulous space between “on” and “off” in an on-again, off-again relationship, it can be hard to figure out just how you’re feeling. Yet Rainbow Kitten Surprise teamed up with singer-songwriter extraordinaire Kacey Musgraves to put those feelings into words on “Overtime,” the latest track off the band’s forthcoming new album. Giving a much gentler tone than RKS’ last song “Superstar,” the track sees lead vocalist Ela Melo trying to find her place in the new normal, pleading alongside Musgraves for just a hint of clarity amid a confusing bit emotional drama.
Zolita, “Small Town Scandal”
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“Still looking for more queer country music? Perhaps this country-pop jam from Zolita will help. Throughout the rollicking “Small Town Scandal,”Still looking for more queer country music? Perhaps this country-pop jam from Zolita will help. Throughout the rollicking “Small Town Scandal,” Zolita revels in a queer love affair that causes conservatives to shake in their boots, while riffing blissfully over a country-rock melody. With exquisite lyrics like “she’s a vers in the saddle,” and “save a horse, ride a cowgirl,” the rising pop singer is simply delighted to be creating her own “Small Town Scandal.”
JORDY, “Nice Things”
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With his latest single, pop singer JORDY would like to make it clear to all the dollar-dropping bros out there — money cannot buy class. “Nice Things,” a slick pop track that sees the singer making fun of the men who’ve “got a Benz, got a boat” and a “private jet every other weekend,” but don’t have his interest. Over a relentless beat complete with a ’90s R&B-style guitar lick, Jordy expertly calls out the “nepo baby” with a “mouth always bigger than the wallet” in a set of devastating lyrics: “I wouldn’t want it even if you paid me.”
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
Canadian artists are speaking out against anti-trans legislation.
The Tegan and Sara Foundation has published an open letter signed by some of Canada’s best known musicians and entertainers, including Neil Young, Alanis Morissette, Elliot Page, k.d. lang, Sarah McLachlan, Carly Rae Jepsen and many more. The letter, titled Artists Against Anti-Trans Legislation in Canada, has over 400 signatories. Its publication date, Mar. 31, is also Trans Day of Visibility.
Led by indie pop siblings Tegan and Sara, the open letter is an explicit pushback on recent and in-progress legislation that limits trans rights in several Canadian provinces.
“We are trending towards more harmful anti-trans legislation in Canada, and we call on our communities and local and national policymakers to put a stop to this concerning surge in anti-trans policy,” the letter states.
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Saskatchewan and New Brunswick have both implemented policies that require parental consent for educators to use chosen names and preferred pronouns for students under sixteen. In February, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced plans for policy changes to LGBTQ+ health care, education and sports, including banning hormonal treatment and puberty blockers for trans youth. Smith’s policies would also require parental consent for students to participate in educational instruction that addresses sexual orientation and gender identity.
At the national level, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has made recent comments indicating he would support banning trans women from women’s sports and washrooms. With a federal election on the horizon, LGBTQ+ rights could face rollbacks across the country.
“Far right groups are tapping into fear and pitting us against each other so they can create a Canada where we’re afraid of difference,” reads the letter. “The government should never put themselves between parents, their kids, and evidence-based healthcare and supports.”
While the letter is primarily written to affect change within the country, it also combats the perception of Canada as a human rights haven. “The reality is that Canada is not immune to the global attack on the trans community and their access to inclusive spaces, healthcare and freedoms.” – Rosie Long Decter
Industry Remembers Trailblazing Booking Agent and Label Executive Pegi Cecconi
Pegi (Margaret Anne) Cecconi, a trailblazing Canadian booking agent and record label executive, died on March 28, at age 70. She had been battling PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy).
Her immense impact on the Canadian music industry over almost five decades was rightfully recognized in 2020 when she received the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the Juno Awards, only the third woman to have received that prestigious honour.
An obituary posted by Cecconi’s family on her Facebook page noted, “As social convenor, Pegi booked bands for school dances, an undertaking that required serious grit when dealing with both performers and patrons. It was a quality that prepared her well for her trailblazing career in the male-dominated entertainment industry where she would thrive for almost 50 years.”
Female booking agents were rare in the 70s when Cecconi started, but she built her name to help establish SRO Management and later the record label Anthem. It started with a small roster spearheaded by Rush and Max Webster, alongside Liverpool and A Foot in Coldwater. Prior to Anthem, Rush was on Moon Records, and the three members, Geddy Lee, Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson, became associate directors of Anthem.
Decades of work with Rush is a clear highlight of Cecconi’s CV. On learning of Cecconi’s death, Rush frontman Geddy Lee posted this salute to Cecconi on Instagram: “Pegi Cecconi – whose laugh could be heard the moment she entered any venue. Thanks Peg, for 50 years of having our backs… wherever you’re headed they ain’t ready for ya!”
Over her long career, Cecconi took prominent roles in some of the Canadian music industry’s major trade organizations. She had long stints on the board of directors of both the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) and The Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent On Recordings (FACTOR), also serving as Chair and Treasurer at the latter. She also served on the Board of MMF Canada, receiving its Brian Chater Pioneers Award in 2015, and held positions with the Independent Digital Licensing Agency (IDLA) and the Canadian Musical Reproduction Rights Agency (CMRRA).
Equally important was her invaluable role as a mentor and role model for women wanting to succeed in the male-dominated world of the Canadian music business. Effusive tributes to Cecconi on social media posts in the wake of her passing certainly testify to that.
Read more tributes from all facets of the Canadian industry here. – Kerry Doole
Last Week In Canada: New Funding Is Coming