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Don Omarâs Back to ReggaetĂłn tour made a remarkable stop at New Yorkâs Barclays Center on Saturday night (March 9), showcasing the undiminished prowess of the Puerto Rican legend. His performance, filled with energy and nostalgia, underlined his title as the King of ReggaetĂłn, engaging the audience with a mix of his greatest hits and a captivating stage presence.
The Back to ReggaetĂłn U.S. tour, produced by CMN, marks his much-awaited return to the stage, celebrating two decades of influential hits that have cemented his status as a global superstar. The tour, which launched in Reading, Pennsylvania, on March 7, will also include stops in major cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Las Vegas, and Houston.
The stage was set ablaze with reggeatĂłn pioneer DJ Nelson behind the turntables, featuring classics that took the audience on a journey through the genreâs history. He kicked off with his own hit, reggaetĂłnâs breakthrough âVengo Acabando,â originally also sung with Alberto Stylee. He also spun âNoche de Travesurasâ by Nicki Jam, âLo Que PasĂł PasĂłâ by Daddy Yankee, âYo Voyâ by Zion & Lennox, âSaocoâ by Wisin, and âTusaâ by Karol G with Nicki Minaj, priming the crowd for the main event.
Don Omarâs entrance was a spectacle in itself, with a gigantic, rotating skull serving as his dramatic lift onto the stage. The audience erupted into a standing ovation as he appeared, his figure accentuated by a striking black snakeskin trench coat trimmed with red fur, and rocking his iconic cornrows. His performance was both a homage to reggaetĂłnâs legacy and a celebration of his monumental career.
He ran through two-hours of bangers such as âSaliĂł El Sol,â âHasta Abajoâ and âDile.â âPobre Diablaâ is a hit because of this city in the U.S., he shouted after performing it. âThis song means New York to me,â he told the crowd.
Here are five best moments at Don Omar at Barclays Center.
A Post-Apocalyptic Spectacle
During Wednesday nightâs (Nov. 8) CMA Awards, Chris Stapleton further established his dominance in the male vocalist of the year category, picking up his seventh win in the past nine years. On Fridayâs Grammy nominations announcement (Nov. 10), his song âWhite Horseâ picked up a nomination for best country solo performance and best country song. Meanwhile, his collaboration with Carly Pearce, âWe Donât Fight Anymore,â earned a nod for best country duo/group performance.
Quite the way to usher in his new album, Higher, which was released on the same day.
Just eight years ago, Stapleton issued his debut solo album, 2015âs Traveller; a CMA Awards performance alongside Justin Timberlake that year introduced the world outside of Nashville to the show-stopping power of Stapletonâs voice and his swampy guitar grooves. With classic country sounds as its core tenet, that album was a mere sampling of the wider landscape of musical influences that Stapleton has explored in his subsequent four releases.
His previous album, Starting Over, had moments of looking outward, surveying the world around Stapleton on âWatch You Burnâ and âNashville, TN.â On the 14-song Higher, Stapleton largely explores variations on a succinct set of topics â love, lust and heartbreak â but his otherworldly voice, capable of both wall-shattering power and a velvety purr, gives a unique nuance to each.
Like Willie Nelson, Stapleton first found success as a writer of hits for other artists before seeing his own chart successes. Along the way, Stapleton has become a favored vocal partner for everyone from Adele and P!nk to Carly Pearce and Taylor Swift. His years fronting groups including bluesy-bluegrass outfit The SteelDrivers and rock group The Jompson Brothers have lent his headlining shows a freewheeling, jam-band feel.
Also like Nelson, Stapletonâs focus on the music, his excellence in constructing detailed stories and his uncanny ability to traverse musical landscapes have made him a timeless figure, and one that takes inspiration from a myriad of genres, as Stapleton weaves in country, soul, rock, and punk. On his new project, he also pulls in a couple of fellow singer-songwriters as co-writers, including Miranda Lambert and Carolyn Dawn Johnson.
Here, we take a track-by-track look at the songs on his new album Higher.
“What Am I Gonna Do”
There are a million reasons why a musical artist catches lightning and sends a song to the top of the charts: Maybe theyâre a superstar with a bulletproof commercial offering, or theyâre an unknown riding cultural headwinds to a strong reaction, or theyâre somewhere in between, with the right TikTok challenge at the right time. Sometimes, though, theyâre just that good â commandingly, undeniably good â with a song that showcases that talent.
Thatâs how it felt in January 2021, when the co-star of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series released her debut single.
With the still-dazzling âDrivers License,â Olivia Rodrigo arrived as a fully formed pop savant, capable of piercing turns of phrase, major-key choruses and bridges that stop you in your tracks and force you to sway along. Of course her debut album, 2021âs Sour, was just as impressively detailed and sumptuously catchy; of course songs like âgood 4 uâ and âDeja Vuâ became just as ubiquitous on top 40 radio and streaming services; of course the best new artist Grammy was in the bag; of course the first headlining shows were giddy shout-alongs. With a preternatural talent like Rodrigo, the artistic and commercial successes felt predestined from the moment we first heard, ââCause you said forever, now I drive alone past your street.â
With Guts, Rodrigoâs feverishly anticipated sophomore album, the rocket ship keeps climbing higher and higher: if Sour represented a rock-solid, no-skips debut, its follow-up is a bigger and better sequel, more confident and gripping in almost every way. The personal stakes are higher as Rodrigo gestures at the life changes (and expectations) that her newfound stardom have produced, but she matches them by thrusting her songwriting into more adventurous, and rewarding, territory.
Rodrigo expands upon the heartbreak central to Sour on songs like âLogicalâ and âLove Is Embarrassing,â but also addresses fame leeches (âVampireâ), social awkwardness (âBallad of a Homeschooled Girlâ), body image standards (âPretty Isnât Prettyâ) and pre-adulthood anxieties (âTeenage Dreamâ), among other topics. Just like he did on Sour, Dan Nigro, Rodrigoâs main studio collaborator, helps push the right buttons while getting out of the way of her towering songwriting, as the pair hopscotch through pop-punk, new wave, indie-folk and hushed balladry without sounding haphazardly constructed or dulling any one-liners.
Because thatâs what stands out the most on the first few listens of Guts: the way Rodrigo can bring a lyric to life with a gut-punch metaphor or a pitch-perfect vocal delivery. That gift stood out on Sour, and has sharpened on its follow-up. âI am built like a mother, and a total machine/ I feel for your every little issue, I know just what you mean,â she sings on opener âAll-American Bâch,â crystallizing the impossibility of Relatable Female Pop Stardom in one lilting rhyme. On âThe Grudge.,â Rodrigo flattens a breakup into, âWe both drew blood, but man, those cuts were never equal.â And on âMaking the Bed,â Rodrigo distills the ephemeral nature of success: âAnother perfect moment that doesnât feel like mine/ Another thing I forced to be a sign.â Guts has plenty of potential singles to join the already-minted Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hits âVampireâ and âBad Idea Right?,â but those lyrics â the ones that feel painfully perfect, that you want to write down for your own inspiration â are even more plentiful.
That remarkable songwriting ability is what ultimately separated Rodrigo when âDrivers Licenseâ launched, and what makes the sky her limit today. With Guts, Rodrigo has released the most complete pop album of the year, and nudged her trajectory even higher.
All 12 songs on the standard edition of the album are top-notch, but which are the early standouts? Here is a preliminary ranking of every song on Olivia Rodrigoâs Guts.
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This week, Brett Young offers a romantic new tune, newcomer Lauren Watkins delves into jealousy, Kylie Frey returns with her first new music in a few years, and Austin Burke gets a co-sign from music legend Willie Nelson on a new track. Take a listen to this weekâs picks below:
Brett Young, âDance With Youâ
Young has made a name for himself with his soulful songs such as âIn Case You Didnât Knowâ and âCatch.â As his current country radio single, the heartbreak anthem âYou Didnât,â rises up Billboardâs Country Airplay chart, Young returns with a slow jam thatâs a surefire wedding-season favorite. On this track he wrote with Jimmy Robbins and Jordan Minton, Young reassures his lover of his steadfastness and support, regardless of where life takes them. Perhaps offering a nod to the 1992 John Michael Montgomery hit âLifeâs a Dance,â he maintains that his lover will always be the only one on his dance card.
Kylie Frey, âRed Dirt Cinderellaâ
Louisiana native and third-generation rodeo-er Frey has notched over half a dozen chart-toppers on the Texas regional charts to date, and she returns with âRed Dirt Cinderella,â her first new music in nearly three years. The song depicts someone who refuses to trade her Luccheses for a life of ballgowns and glass slippers. Instead, in her own nonchalant way, she saddles up and heads out, content to take on life on her own terms. This trackâs relaxed vibe finds Freyâs earthy voice rippling over accordion, fiddle and guitar.
Lauren Watkins, âShirley Templeâ
Newcomer Watkins recently inked a deal with Nicolle Galyonâs publishing company Songs & Daughters, followed by signing with Big Loud Records. She recently released two new tracks, âCamel Bluesâ and âShirley Temple,â the latter of which is a study in contrasts and jealousy. âShirley Templeâ finds Watkins driven by a man who has fallen for an angelic, straight-laced girl, in contrast to her own straight-shooting, challenging ways. Thereâs an effortlessly smoky quality to Watkinsâ voice, with a style of direct-yet-poetic songwriting reminiscent of Kacey Musgraves or Miranda Lambert. Watkins wrote the track with Galyon and Meg McRee.
Austin Burke, âCrazy, Crazyâ
Burkeâs latest offering incorporates a 62-year-old country music classic, with revamped snippets of the Willie Nelson-penned 1961 hit âCrazy,â made famous by Patsy Cline. Burkeâs song begins with a processed version of two verses from Clineâs chorus (laced in reverb and pitched higher than the original), which gives way to Burkeâs crafted verses, both brisk and brokenhearted, about a guy who spends his time day-drinking and overthinking. âTo tell you the truth/Iâm going crazy, crazy over you,â Burke sings, showcasing the enduring relevance of the decades-old song, but fusing it with a hooky, singalong chorus and revisits the Cline vocal throughout the song. Burke wrote âCrazy, Crazyâ with Brandon Day, and earned music legend Nelsonâs stamp of approval on the track.
RaeLynn with JUDAH, âSomebody Elseâ
RaeLynn teams with Judah Akers, frontman for the band Judah & The Lion, on this new track, which features a hooky electro-acoustic melody, a singalong-worthy chorus, and a message of empathy. âWeâre all talking, but nobodyâs listening,â they sing over a pulsating backbeat, as they plead for less self-centered action and more looking out for those around them. Together, there is a surprisingly natural textural blend to their voices, with RaeLynnâs slightly gritty Texas twang layered over JUDAHâs warm, rough-hewn voice. RaeLynn is set to independently release an upcoming album, Funny Girl, via her own Daisy Rae Productions, on Aug. 21.
With one of the most eclectic albums in reggaeton-pop, filled with â1980s and â1990s freestyle, house, and Miami bass, Rauw Alejandro delivered an electrifying performance at Brooklynâs Barclays Center on Friday (March 24).
The concert, part of his Saturno World Tour, began with hype from the get-go. Earlier in the day, the Puerto Rican hitmaker dropped his joint EP, RR, with new fiance RosalĂa. Fridayâs show marked the first time fans would see another shade of the performer rock out jams from his experimental reggaeton-pop 2022 album, Saturno.
At 9:00 p.m. ET, a womanâs voice on the speakers queued the audience to prepare for take-off, and the arena began bumping â90s golden era of dance music like âPump Up the Jamâ by Technotronic and âRhythm Is a Passionâ by SNAP! They also embraced old school reggaeton from legends like Wisin y Yandelâs âRakatĂĄâ and Daddy Yankeeâs âMachete,â including âP FNK Râ by Bad Bunny â giving concert-goers a taste of the vibe of what was to come.Â
Alejandroâs space odyssey opened up with none other than âSaturno,â the freestyle-driven party jam that instantly invigorated the scene with acrobatic dancers flipping across the stage. Then, from the center view, all lights focused on our dance-reggaeton voyager Alejandro, as he elevated slowly to meet his thousands of screaming fans surrounding the stage.Â
Rocking a silver metallic trench coat and pants combo, with alien-like sunglasses that held over his head, the song transitioned to the hard-hitting âPunto 40,â where the superstar showcased moves for days, joining his dance crew with fancy footwork, bumpinâ and grinding and plenty of throwback styles. A bevy of attendees also set the intergalactic vibe, donning Matrix-like costumes, alien-antenna headbands, and some in full-blown extraterrestrial costumes. This was his eleventh gig which kicked off earlier this month in Tampa, Fla.Â
Amid neon pink lights decorating the stage Ă la Black Mirrorâs San Junipero, he proceeded to belt out the sweltering, R&B-laden âNostĂĄlgico,â which usually features Rvssian and Chris Brown. He also performed his latest cut which originally features Dominican upstart Ăngel Dior. The space cadent then introduced urbano singer/rapper Chris Palace to the stage to sing the upbeat âGatas.â The rising star sported a colorful set of hair designed like flames, and the crowd welcomed him with a roar of excitement.
âItâs my time in New York City,â he exclaimed. Meanwhile, a gigantic screen hovered over the stage showing an array of retro-styled images like planets, palm trees, and binary numbers.Â
Hip-hop dance crew Jabbawockeez, who never missed a beat, provided plenty of thrills and chills with their b-boy style moves that went perfectly with the throwback theme of the night.Â
Although the performer just announced his engagement with the Spanish superstar, the former reggaeton lothario still flirted with the audience, as hordes of screaming females threw their thongs and bras towards him. He picked them up and swung them around to further arouse them. Never forget âPanties y Brasieres.âÂ
Alejandro spanned through numerous smash hits, including bangers âTe Felicito,â âDesesperados,â âDesenfocaoâ.â His global breakout âTodo de Tiâ was remixed to a slower, more electronic-focused beat. But on âDime Quien????â El FĂłkin Zorro continued to bring his insatiable vigor and howling vocals to the spotlight. The high-energy banger got every single person in attendance on their feet instantly, with a rhythm accentuated by analog synth-pop and thumping bass that harkened back to 1984âs Footloose. âPartyâ by Bad Bunny featuring Rauw also built for a triumphant moment, and the romantic and simmering âMuseoâ revealed one of the most beautiful choreography with statuesque poses â there was even a scene where the Puerto Rican and his backup dancers pulled off a seemingly impossible lean Ă la Michael Jacksonâs âSmooth Criminal.âÂ
The night came to an end by Alejandro teasing the arrival of another guest star, and while screaming fans shouted âRosalĂa!â none other than Dominican dembow purveyor El Alfa arrived. The screams got louder to deafening as the two proceeded to sing the high-energy cut âBĂ©salo,â which was followed by El Alfaâs own mega hit âLos Aparatos.âÂ
âI donât know if everyone knows but today I released an EP along with the love of my life,â he said and began to croon the words to âBeso,â taking turns with RosalĂaâs which resonated from the speakers. Elated cheers filled the arena throughout the evening at Barclays.
With a wide-ranging mosaic of sounds that span across generations and sonic configurations, Rauw Alejandro is truly a musical omnivore who is unafraid to try something different, and that makes him one of the most exhilarating artists of modern Latin pop.Â
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On Saturday night (March 18), the New York City stop of Key Glockâs Glockoma 32-city tour celebrated the February release of his highly anticipated Glockcoma 2 album, but it wasnât without flaws. Pain-staking patience was required to enjoy the show at the the Knockdown Center in Queens as the crew battled massive wait times switching between show openers Tia Corine, Jay Fizzle, Kenny Muney, and the headliner.
However, it wasnât enough to ruin the overall experience. Each artist dazzled fans with high-energy performances, showcasing why they were handpicked to join the late, great Young Dolphâs independent label Paper Route Empire.
First up to hit the stage was Jay Fizzle, a cousin to the late Dolph, who appeared 40 minutes earlier than expected from the promoted 8:00 pm showtime. Those interested in watching the performance saw the ski-mask-wearing rapper perform âStandin On Top Of Sh*tâ and âHood Rich.â
By this point, plumes of weed smoke filled the air as the crowd waited 30 minutes for Kenny Muney to arrive. Dressed in a purple puffer, the rapper kicked off his set with âAshtrayâ before flinging a wad of cash into the air during âBig Muney Sh*t.â He took off his coat to jump in the crowd for a more intimate performance of âLowkey.â
Tia Corine also performed while fashionably dressed in a gothic outfit with a blonde mullet. Her set started with the hit single âFreakyT,â a fan favorite. Her voice energetically bellowed through the speakers with âFYKâ until her DJ ruined her set on âDipset.â By this time, she was noticeably annoyed but powered through during âBoogie,â âPancake,â and âLotto.â The set wrapped with an encore of her opener.
Key Glockâs set was a painful 40-minute wait that involved a complicated stage breakdown as a hypeman repeatedly promised he was âon his wayâ to the show. Just as the complaints of leg pain echoed across the crowd, the houselights dimmed, and stage lights suddenly turned on, when a focused Glizzock emerged. It was showtime.
His performance formula is simple: donât talk too much and just let the music do all the work. To say it was a clever strategy is an understatement.
Glockoma 2âs âChromosomesâ opened the show, the first of 20 songs carefully selected from his vast catalog while cleverly themed video graphics flashed in the background. The crowd remained invested as he performed âWork,â âBottom of the Pot,â and âOn My Soul,â but pure fandom erupted when âJigsawâ dropped. The crowd pushed closer to the stage as a giant white head darted laser beams out of its eyes with smoke. At this point, the audience joined in tandem with Key Glock as both rapped in the chorus for the remainder of his show, including on standouts âIâm Just Sayin,â âLike Key,â âJuicemane,â and âDough.â
To hear these songs and not see Young Dolph beside him to recite his parts left a void that was felt all night. This cued Glock to take a well-timed break to pay homage to his mentor with âGet Paid,â âPreachâ and âWater on Water on Water.â It was the closest anyone could get to experiencing the fallen rapper live on stage again. The crowd celebrated to pay their respects.
Finally, the show was nearing its end as âMr. Glockâ and âWhite Russianâ whiplashed the audience back to high-energy mode, before wrapping with a closer from âFrozoneâ by the late Big Scarr. The crowd was pleased, proving that Paper Route Empire remains dedicated to upholding Young Dolphâs legacy by delivering high-quality performances. And they did just that.
Carrie Underwood offered fans a âbirthday surpriseâ with her new song, while Tim McGraw offers a reflective new track. Megan Moroney heads to the honkytonk, and newcomer Tony Evans, Jr. delves into heartbreak on his smooth four-song EP.
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Carrie Underwood, âOut of That Truckâ
Underwood released a âbirthday surpriseâ in celebration of her 40th birthday on March 10, with this track she wrote with David Garcia and Lydia Vaughn. She muses that her former flame will have quite the challenge trying to erase the memory of their relationship â thanks to all the traces of herself left behind in her ex-loverâs stick-shift Chevy, from the scent of her shampoo on the headrest to a strawberry wine stain on the seat.
Thematically, the song shares DNA with one of Underwoodâs previous releases, âGhost Storyâ â though here, Underwoodâs penetrating vocals are framed by free-spirited, â90s country-soaked instrumentals. A radio hit contender for sure, and another in a recent canon of songs about reminders of old relationships that linger in pickups, following Tim McGrawâs â7500 OBOâ and Dylan Scottâs âNew Truck.â
Tim McGraw, âStanding Room Onlyâ
With 29 No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hits to his credit, including âJust to See You Smileâ and âSomething Like That,â McGraw has based his career on sturdy, timeless songcraft.
Along the way, heâs more than proven his prowess at uplifting and reflective songs such as âHumble and Kind,â and âThought About You.â His latest muses on living life in a way that oneâs funeral would be a âstanding room onlyâ affair, filled with those lives had been indelibly impacted. The songâs message is similar to McGrawâs Grammy-winning track âLive Like You Were Dying,â with his warm, accessible voice wrapping around a meteoric chorus and a message with an eye on mortality and legacy.
Parker McCollum, âSpeedâ
Texas native McCollum is poised to add to his arsenal of radio hits like âPretty Heartâ and âTo Be Loved By Youâ with this ode to living life in the fast lane, complete with blistering guitar work paired with McCollumâs urgent vocal. He tips his hat to his hometown of Conroe in his new track, and acknowledges a youthful, hard-charging musicianâs wanderlust and ambition.
âI remember shakinâ my head when my old man told me/ âBoy, one of these days you wonât always be so hung up on speed,ââ he sings. McCollum teamed with Ryan Beaver for this track, which marks a first taste of McCollumâs upcoming album Never Enough, out May 12 via MCA Nashville.
Tony Evans Jr., Starless
Indie country artist Tony Evans Jr. offers a succinct, four song EP with Starless, produced by Ron Fair with distribution by The Orchard. The collection of tracks center around heartbreak and regret, elevating Evansâs warm, burnished vocal. The set includes the shimmering, harmonica-laced âIf Youâre Ever in Georgia,â and the uplifting âNeed Somebody.â âKids We Never Hadâ is the standout cut, as Evans muses about a relationship that never stood the test of time and what could have been, all in exquisite detail.
Gabe Lee, âEvelineâ
Four years after releasing his debut single, âEveline,â Gabe Lee reconceptualizes the song with a slightly more uptempo beat, propulsive banjo lines and sprightly fiddle. Leeâs evocative voice effectively sells this sparsely dreamy update to this song of regret, over the things heâs had to leave behind in a small town.
Thompson Square, âWithout Youâ
Thompson Squareâs Keifer and Shawna Thompson have previously released more than a dozen country radio singles and earned two No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hits with âAre You Gonna Kiss Me or Notâ and âIf I Didnât Have You.â Their latest release is a summer-ready track, featuring propulsive, banjo-fueled instrumentation that lends it an early Keith Urban vibe. Keiferâs gritty vocal is soothed by Shawnaâs piercing, pure voice. Together they forge coolly cozy harmonies that perfectly set up this song, which explores who each would be with and without the other tackling life alongside them. Though the couple didnât write the track (Anthony Olympia, Tim Nichols and Brent Rupard did), they certainly make it their own.
Megan Moroney, âLuckyâ
Following her breakthrough single âTennessee Orangeâ and the subsequent âIâm Not Pretty,â Moroney is gearing up for the release of her debut album Lucky (out May 5). The opening guitar riff has shades of the opening to Alan Jacksonâs âChattahoochee,â while the song overall feels a little bit Shania and full-on honkytonk, in a manner that would have sounded right at home on â90s country radio. Lyrically, itâs chock-full of quirky lines such as âTonight my only ambition is to make a bad decision/ âCause me, my phone, and the neonâs buzzinââ as she makes it clear to her ex-lover that heâs lucky sheâs drinking that night. Moroney wrote the song with Ben Williams, Casey Smith and David âMessyâ Mescon.