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Ahead of her mentorship session with a finalist as part of the Samsung NXT 2.0 competition, BIBI showed out in an exclusive Billboard performance with cuts from her debut album, Lowlife Princess: Noir.
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Shot in Korea, the five-minute set saw the singer-songwriter deliver a highly-choreographed number to album tracks, “BIBI Vengeance” (나쁜X) and “Lowlife Princess.” Amid six male dancers and flickering colored lights, BIBI took center stage in a striped mini-dress and furry black boots to bring the songs to new heights. Leaning in and out of a dance sequence, the singer used her synchronized unit to convey the song’s of “Vengeance,” before the number culminated with a scream and concluding dance routine. From there, the lights turned low for a party of one as BIBI flowed her way through the set’s vibey title track and a closing appearance from the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4.
While BIBI previously performed the former at the 2022 MAMA Awards, “Lowlife Princess” has only been unveiled in front of a live festival audience prior to its release on the 12-song album. The conceptual LP, which dropped last November, marks her first full-length project and positions BIBI as the ultimate storyteller, recalling heartbreak and revenge through the voice of a fictional character by the name of Oh Geum-ji. She was reportedly inspired by the protagonist in Park Chan-wook’s 2005 thriller, Lady Vengeance. Per her feature with The Korea Herald, Oh Geum-ji serves as BIBI’s alter ego, one that embodies rage throughout the project. “Lowlife princess—these two words are incompatible in their meanings,” she told the outlet. “They seemed to expound the character Oh Geum-ji that was created through the emotions I pulled out of myself.”
BIBI will speak more to her creative approach when she sits down with a finalist as part of her mentorship duties in the Samsung NXT 2.0 competition. The Korean pop star helped usher in the last challenge in the singing contest, which advanced three contestants to the next stage of the experience as finalists. During the one-on-one session, BIBI, along with two other celebrity mentors, will each be paired with one finalist and coach the aspiring singer with their expertise ahead of the live grand finale. At the February event, the trio of contenders will go head-to-head with performances in front of a panel of A-list judges and a live audience.
“I’m so excited to partner with Samsung and Billboard to help discover the next great unsigned artist,” BIBI said in a statement in December. “Starting off the industry, mentorship was a major factor in helping me achieve my goals, and I’m honored to be able to provide the same support for this talented class of NXT 2.0 contestants.”
The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will win a special digital Billboard cover opportunity, a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
Click here for more updates on Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 singing competition!
Samsung NXT 2.0 is nearing the end of this stage of the competition as the contestants have finished their final challenge in the singing face-off.
After weeks of sharing cover tracks and their own original material, the 12 contestants tried their hand at the last challenge in the showdown, using their vocal chops, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch5. For this round, the dozen had a batch of hits, varying in genres, moods and languages, to which they were instructed to create the music for their track — using their voice — and sing the cover in just 60 seconds using the Samsung products. As they have in the past, the dozen showed up with their submissions, sharing renditions of Rihanna’s “Stay,” Shawn Mendes’ “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” and more.
As with the previous round, the contestants have since been ranked on a specialty Billboard chart, which serves as the cumulative chart average and revealed the top trio advancing to the next round of the competition as finalists. Click here to see who made it to the top. In the weeks to come, each will partake in an intimate one-on-one mentorship session with mentors Mariah Angeliq, Flo Milli and BIBI.
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The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will land on the cover of a special digital issue of Billboard, receive a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. Check out each submission as part of the customize it challenge, and click here to follow along for the latest on the Samsung NXT 2.0 competition.
Andrew Leonforte
Shawn Mendes happens to be one of Leonforte’s biggest musical influences, so “There’s Nothing Holding Me Back” was an easy pick for the aspiring star. “I had so much fun reimagining this incredible song,” the contestant said of creating the backbone of his submission.
FIKI
Fiki wanted to choose a track that she was really going to connect with and Rihanna’s “Stay” featuring Mikky Ekko happened to be that song. “I knew that performing this song would showcase my vocal strength and ability,” she said of her cover song video submission.
Julian King
King opted for Fall Out Boy’s “Sugar, We’re Goin Down” for challenge three based on pure nostalgia. “It takes me back to middle school, traveling to Italy, during our ‘rock band’ phase,” he said while speaking about giving the 2004 hit a customized makeover.
Kyn Rose
For Rose’s submission, the aspiring star opted for a cover of Rihanna’s “Stay,” with layers of heavenly harmonizing as the foundation of the track — and that has been a longtime idea for the contestant. “Every time I’ve listened to the song, I couldn’t help but sing harmonies and additional vocals to it, and I’ve always pictured a beautiful choir singing this song in a dark, echoey room,” he explained.
Lordus
@iamlordus Ok ya’ll 🥁 pls! Sooo this week’s #SamsungNXT challenge was a challengeeee!😳 But listennn as hard as this was for me I think I did what needed to be done! #ad we were asked to create our own backing track using just our voice and our hands, NO instruments! While also showcasing our #GalaxyWatch5 on the GalaxyZFlip4. Thank youu sm @billboardnxt and @samsungus for this opportunity! This is the Final challenge to determine who’s their TOP3‼️ Please continue to support me the way you’ve been! I appreciate all the love and support so far! LET’S KEEP ME IN THE TOP 3!!! We can do this! Please LIKE, COMMENT, & SHARE this video to let them know why I’m #samsungnxt unsigned artist! ………. #fyp #fypシ ♬ original sound – Lordus
Lordus knows the power of transforming a track and she had her eyes set on “There’s Nothin’ Holdin’ Me Back” for the last challenge. For her submission, she flipped the pop record and gave it the Lordus treatment with her silky smooth delivery and vocal foundation to pair.
Mar’yana Hicks
“Stay” got Hicks on her feet to show off some dance skills, in addition to her vocals. For this round, the contestant said she went with the tender ballad as it “represents [her] style and range very well.”
Nicole Tortolani
Instead of creating a backing track using her vocals, Tortolani let a live a capella version of “Stay” take the forefront of this submission. “It is a beautiful composition and the higher notes are a touch of class inside the melody,” she said of the 2012 hit.
Nyla XO
Nyla XO’s went with a Brandy Brunch-style approach for her cover of “There’s Nothin’ Holdin’ Me Back,” where she showed just how she created the backing track. Throughout the submission, she shined a light on her original composition, highlighting vocal bass, soprano, adlibs and more.
Peyton McMahon
McMahon is a big fan of both Rih and Mikky Ekko, so he said he was excited to put his touch on “Stay.” Stacking a number of vocal harmonies together, the aspiring singer delivered big belts and falsetto runs on top of his backing track.
Vaishalini
Janelle Monae’s “Make Me Feel” is an all-time favorite for Vaishalini. In fact, she and one of her best friends used to keep it in constant rotation when it dropped. She brought that love for the song to life with her smooth approach, a ton of vocal layering and minimal beats.
Wampy
For Wampy, the contestant picked a Spanish song that had a significant impact on his childhood during his upbringing in Chicago. For his cover of Selena’s “Como La Flor,” he kicked things off with clean vocals, before elevating the submission to new heights with a customized backing track.
The dozen of aspiring stars competing in the Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 singing competition have one final shot to advance to the next round — and BIBI has all the details.
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On Tuesday, December 20, the K-pop star was announced as the third celebrity mentor in the social media driven contest, joining the previously announced Mariah Angeliq and Flo Milli. The entertainer, who recently dropped her debut album, Lowlife Princess: Noir, unveiled the news about the third (and last) challenge in the competition.
“It’s the final challenge and the dozen will be tasked with creating the music for their track — only using their voice,” the singer explained in her announcement video. “They’ll be armed with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Watch5 to help with the process. Afterward, they’ll sing on top of the customized melody and it all comes down to this moment. If they do well, they might even have the chance to be mentored by me ahead of the grand finale.
For the customize it challenge, the contestants will have various hits of yesteryears to pick from as their dedicated submission track. The trio of competitors that take the top three spots on the upcoming Billboard ranking chart will advance to the next stage as finalists of the competition. BIBI, along with the other two mentors, will assist the aspiring stars in their journey to the grand finale by coaching them with one-on-one mentorship sessions. From there, they’ll strut their stuff in front of a live audience and celebrity judges in Los Angeles to compete for the title.
“I’m so excited to partner with Samsung and Billboard to help discover the next great unsigned artist,” BIBI said in a statement. “Starting off the industry, mentorship was a major factor in helping me achieve my goals, and I’m honored to be able to provide the same support for this talented class of NXT 2.0 contestants.”
The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will win a special digital Billboard cover opportunity, a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
Click here for more updates on Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 singing competition!
We’ve heard the contestants put their spin on hits of yesteryears as part of the Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 singing competition, but now they’ve shined a light on their own style.
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For the second round of the contest, the 12 contestants were instructed to show off their chops with original songs, using their Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, and the submissions varied in delivery. While some contestants highlighted their roots by singing in another language, others put effort into performance-style execution, pairing the mood of their tracks with their filming set. Much like their covers of BTS’ dance floor anthem, “Butter,” the dozen delivered a bit of everything sonically from sultry ballads, pop/rock offerings and feel-good odes to romance.
As with the previous round, the contestants were then ranked on a specialty Billboard chart, with one final challenge ahead of them. The last announcement will be revealed by a third celebrity mentor in the singing competition, who will join the likes of Mariah Angeliq and Flo Milli.
The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will land on the cover of a special digital issue of Billboard, receive a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards. Check out each submission as part of the original song challenge, and click here to follow along for the latest on the Samsung NXT 2.0 competition.
Andrew Leonforte
Leonforte is in a better place after closing the door on a toxic romance as viewers heard in his submission song, “Better Without U.” On the pop-charged track, he delivered heightening vocals as he belted about the aftermath of the breakup.
Ellie B
To highlight her origins, Ellie opted to sing her song in Spanish and it’s clear why “Infeil” is so important to her. The reggaeton track is the very first song that she ever wrote and even jumpstarted her music career.
FIKI
FIKI put her culture on display in her submission track, “Wahala,” which is a Yoruba word that translates to “problem.” On the stripped-back song, the singer declares just how much she wants to swerve all kinds of drama.
Julian King
Trekking to an empty parking lot, King offered up his dance moves in a mini-music video style submission for “Like Me Too,” a self-love track that he wrote after his frustrations with dating in 2022.
Kyn Rose
It was a moody start to the day in Rose’s challenge video, which highlighted his original song, “Dangerous.” The silky R&B track came about after his realization about an ill-fated romantic connection.
Lordus
@iamlordus It’s been a while since my last release so I’m excited and nervous!! #ad for this week’s #SamsungNXT competition from @billboard and @samsungus , I’m giving you a little preview at an unreleased song of mine called “What Is” from my upcoming project. This song is me being as transparent and vulnerable with my personal experience with falling in love. I want whoever hears this to feel the rollercoaster of emotions it took for me to create this! Let me know if you can relate! #GalaxyZFlip4 PLEASE don’t forger to LIKE, COMMENT, & SHARE this video to let em know why I should be SAMSUNGNXT’S UNSIGNED ARTIST‼️🙃🤗😘🙏🏾 ♬ original sound – Lordus
For this round, Lordus got personal, singing her original song, “What Is,” which she compared to a page out of her diary. In her submission, the singer put a spotlight on the slow-burning cut’s adlibs as clips of her backing vocals were emphasized throughout the video.
Mar’yana Hicks
Hicks’ original track, “Heart At War,” is meant to be up for interpretation, but the contestant said the piano ballad reflects physical and spiritual struggles, and those emotions were heard loud and clear during this week’s submission.
Nicole Tortolani
Tortolani put her all into her Spanish-language track, “Me Quedé En El Aire,” a song that she produced and even filmed a music video to pair. In her submission, she delivered some light choreography to the Latin track, which she released in 2021.
Nyla XO
Nyla XO sent a message to “all the lovers” out there in her second challenge submission with “Perfect View.” The uplifting track was written with her husband in mind and captures the emotions that come about when she’s doing life with her special someone.
Peyton McMahon
McMahon created “Someone” after he was feeling a bit lonely and surrounded by people in happy relationships. For his submission video, the aspiring star brought out his guitar for the emotionally-charged pop/rock track.
Vaishalini
“Livin’ Rent Free” is Vaishalini’s unique concoction of sass, vocal layering and a perky beat to pair. The singer said she wanted to create a record that keeps in mind her overall artistic agenda: to empower her listeners.
Wampy
To complement the context of his song, “You Break My Heart,” Wampy opted for a moody bedroom set for his submission video. On the R&B-charged cut, which happens to be his very first original song, the singer put his heart on his sleeve while reflecting on a breakup.
As the Samsung NXT 2.0 singing competition marches on, Flo Milli, the second celebrity mentor in the campaign, brought the crowd to their feet with an energetic set during Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players concert event.
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Preceding a performance by City Girls, the rising star jump started an evening dedicated to female rap at Hollywood’s Academy L.A. event space. With its industrial architecture, moving light system and customizable LED panels surrounding the walls and roof of the venue, the rapper took to the stage in a sparkling gold two-piece with backup dancers in-tow as the crowd erupted with excitement.
Kicking off the set with her rambunctious, viral hit, “Conceited,” the Alabama native shared a call to action during her march to the stage. “I need all my bad b*tches to the front. If you feelin’ conceited, make some noise,” she declared upon her entrance, before transitioning into speedy bars and choreography. Right until the midnight hour, Milli showcased her punchy flow and charisma throughout the set by delivering songs, including, “Like That B*tch,” “Hottie,” “Bundles,” “We Not Humpin,’” “Weak” and “In The Party.” One evening prior, Flo closed the curtain on her “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Tour,” with a sold-out date at The Roxy, and it was clear that her longtime fans took the opportunity to see the buzzing star up close and personal in the intimate venue.
Paying nod to her mentorship role in the Samsung NXT 2.0 competition, Milli also showed love to those very fans by taking a video selfie with concert-goers with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, the same device that our 12 contestants have been armed with as they continue on with their challenge rounds.
Prior to the show-stopping set, a celebration of hip-hop took place outside of the performance space, with Billboard cover stars Future and SZA, Rookie of the Year Blxst, Impact and Excellence Award recipient SAINt JHN, Pusha T and more.
Flo Milli follows Mariah Angeliq as the second mentor in the Samsung NXT 2.0 competition. A third mentor will be revealed in the coming weeks. The trio of rising stars will share their expertise with the final three contenders ahead of a grand finale in Los Angeles in 2023 and the prizes are major. The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will win a special digital Billboard cover opportunity, a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
“As an artist, I understand the importance of having community, mentorship and support coming into this business,” Flo said in a statement. “I’m excited to be a mentor for the Billboard x Samsung competition. My number one goal is to give someone the knowledge and support that’s needed to take their dreams and aspirations to the next level.”
For the latest round, the 12 contestants weretasked with showcasing their musicality with the original song challenge. Click here to see how they fared, as well as additional updates on Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 singing competition!
Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 singing competition has begun and the 12 contestants are off to a smooth start, with the same song challenge, courtesy of BTS.
For the first round of the singing face-off, the dozen were tasked with putting their own spin on the K-pop group’s 2021 dance floor anthem, “Butter,” using their Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and Galaxy Buds2 Pro . While some utilized the original instrumental and added their own vocal styling, others gave the hit a genre facelift, churning out house, reggaeton and pop/rock makeovers. The contestants were ranked on a specialty Billboard chart, which will update after each round.
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The kickoff challenge was announced by celebrity mentor Flo Milli at the top of November. The rising rap star serves as the second mentor participating in the competition after Mariah Angeliq, with a third to be announced in the coming weeks. The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will land on the cover of a special digital issue of Billboard, receive a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
Check out each submission as part of the same song challenge, and click here to follow along with the competition to see how your favorite act fares as the face-off continues!
Andrew Leonforte
In Leonforte’s submission for challenge one, the singer utilized the original instrumental of the hit, added some runs to the mix and even let his dance moves shine.
Ellie B
Ellie B put vocals (and her love for plants) at the forefront of her submission for the first challenge, giving “Butter” the solo act treatment.
FIKI
FIKI slowed things down in her interpretation of the K-pop group’s track, offering listeners a glimpse of her powerful pipes.
Julian King
Keeping the funk of the original track intact, King infused his R&B and gospel roots into his rendition of “Butter,” while simultaneously turning his submission into a jam session.
Kyn Rose
The danceable chorus of “Butter” pivots in Rose’s piano-led track, which saw the singer deliver a house twist, with his signature nose chain accessory, of course.
Lordus
For Lordus’ revamp of the smash, the singer shed a light on her pristine vocals and impressive technique as she turned the dance floor anthem into a delicate ballad.
Mar’yana Hicks
R&B took center stage on Hicks’ submission for challenge one, which heard the singer belt out the lyrics over a piano melody.
Nicole Tortolani
For her cover of the dance cut, Tortolani opted for the original instrumental of the song, factoring in the track’s signature ad-libs and some playful hand gestures to pair.
Nyla XO
With her piano in-tow, Nyla XO offered a silky version of the hit, utilizing her vocals as a tool to help fill and shape the backing track.
Peyton McMahon
“Butter” underwent the pop/rock transformation with McMahon’s acoustic treatment, where the star offered an emotional twist to the otherwise perky track.
Vaishalini
It was smooth like butter as soon as Vaishalini started her cover of the song, slowing down the tempo and offering a sensual take to the track with a culminating falsetto outro.
Wampy
Straying away from the original dance format, Wampy delivered a reggaeton-inspired makeover of the septet’s hit, with a new vocal arrangement and added runs for flair.
Season two of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT singing competition has selected its talented dozen to compete for the crown — and the first challenge has been revealed.
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On Friday (November 4), Flo Milli was announced as the second mentor in the singing face-off, where the rising rap star shared details for the kickoff challenge in the competition. “I’m so excited that I’ll be a mentor for Samsung NXT, a competition in search for the next great unsigned artist. 12 contestants have been chosen to compete for a grand prize,” the star told viewers in an announcement video. “For the first challenge, the contestants will have to perform their own version of the same song. Get creative using your Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4 and your Galaxy Buds2 Pro.” For the dedicated song, the dozen will have to put their own spin on BTS’ “Butter,” to which they’ll be ranked on a specialty Billboard chart.
Flo Milli follows Mariah Angeliq as the second mentor in the singing contest. A third mentor will be revealed as the competition marches on in the coming months. The mentors will share their expertise with the final three contenders ahead of a grand finale in Los Angeles in 2023 and the stakes are high. The winner of Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 competition will win a special digital Billboard cover opportunity, a meeting with a record label, studio time to record their first single, funding for a music video and tickets to the 2023 Billboard Music Awards.
“As an artist, I understand the importance of having community, mentorship and support coming into this business,” the rap star said in a statement. “I’m excited to be a mentor for the Billboard x Samsung competition. My number one goal is to give someone the knowledge and support that’s needed to take their dreams and aspirations to the next level.”
Earlier this week, the 12 contestants were unveiled to the public, with representation from 10 different states. Click here for more updates on Samsung and Billboard’s NXT 2.0 singing competition!
If you want even more from Flo, make sure you check her out at Billboard Live: R&B/Hip-Hop at Academy LA in Los Angeles on November 17. The evening will be devoted to female rap and see the star open up for City Girls as part of the the first consumer event to celebrate the unveiling of Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players list and issue honoring executives across the business. Tickets to the Billboard Live: R&B/Hip-Hop event are on sale now.