State Champ Radio soul
Jimmy James, the beloved frontman of The Vagabonds and the voice behind the enduring ballad “Come to Me Softly,” died on Wednesday (May 15). He was 84 years old. The musician died in London at Northwick Park Hospital, his family told Jamaica Observer. James reportedly had Parkinson’s disease and a heart condition that ultimately led […]
It’s been five years since SiR launched a full-length album – and the world is a very different place from what it was back in 2019. More importantly, however, SiR is also a different person. The Inglewood-bred R&B crooner has kept a relatively low profile over the past half-decade, as he took some time to […]
SZA was the top winner at the 2023 Soul Train Awards, which premiered Sunday, Nov. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET and BET Her. The red-hot star won four awards: best R&B/soul female artist, album of the year for SOS, and both song of the year and the Ashford & Simpson songwriter’s award for “Snooze.”
This is the sixth consecutive year that a female solo artist has won album of the year at the Soul Train Awards. H.E.R.’s H.E.R. won in 2018, followed by Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You, Summer Walker’s Over It, Jazmine Sullivan’s Heaux Tales, Beyoncé’s Renaissance and now SOS.
This marks the second time SZA has won best R&B/soul female artist; she previously won in 2017.
SZA, who was Billboard’s woman of the year for 2023, is this year’s leading Grammy nominee with nine nods, including album of the year and best progressive R&B album for SOS (which logged 10 weeks atop the Billboard 200) and best R&B song for “Snooze” (which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100).
Usher was runner-up at the Soul Train Awards with three awards, followed by Victoria Monét with two. Keke Palmer hosted the show, which was billed as “the soulful house party of the year.”
Usher won best R&B/soul male artist for the second time. He previously won in 2010 in a tie with Trey Songz. He also won the certified soul award and best collaboration for the hit “Good Good,” on which he teamed with Summer Walker and 21 Savage. That was the only award for Walker, who went into the night with nine nods (tied for the lead with SZA and Usher) and 21 Savage, who was the nominations runner-up with eight.
Monét won best dance performance and video of the year, both for “On My Mama.” That track is up for two Grammys: record of the year and best R&B song.
Coco Jones was named best new artist. She also won in that category at the BET Awards on June 27. Jones, 25, is nominated in that category at the Grammys as well.
Kirk Franklin won the best gospel/inspirational award for the fifth consecutive year, and the sixth time overall, for “All Things.”
Burna Boy, Chris Brown, Janelle Monáe and October London, each of whom received four nominations, were shut out, though Monáe received the Spirit of Soul Award. The show tweaked the name of its Lady of Soul award, which it has presented annually since 2015, “to honor the diversity and inclusivity of this year’s recipient.” Monáe identifies as nonbinary.
Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, oversaw the annual show and executive produced for BET with Jamal Noisette, VP, specials & music programming. Jesse Collins, CEO of Jesse Collins Entertainment, served as executive producer, along with Jesse Collins Entertainment’s Jeannae Rouzan–Clay and Dionne Harmon.
Fans can watch encore presentations of the show on Monday, Nov. 27, at 9 p.m. ET/PT and on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 6 p.m. ET/PT on BET. The show will air internationally on BET Africa on Monday, Nov. 27, at 3 CAT, and on BET France on Tuesday, Nov. 28 at 20:45 PM CET. The show will also be available to watch on My5 and Sky On-Demand in the U.K. beginning Thursday, Nov. 30.
Here’s the complete list of 2023 Soul Train Awards nominees, with winners marked:
Album of the year
The Age of Pleasure, Janelle Monáe
Age/Sex/Location, Ari Lennox
Clear 2: Soft Life EP, Summer Walker
Girls Night Out (Extended), Babyface
I Told Them…, Burna Boy
Jaguar II, Victoria Monét
WINNER: SOS, SZA
What I Didn’t Tell You (Deluxe), Coco Jones
Song of the year
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Favorite Song,” Toosii
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
WINNER: “Snooze,” SZA
Video of the year
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress & Ice Spice
“Boyfriend,” Usher
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“Lipstick Lover,” Janelle Monáe
WINNER: “On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Special,” Lizzo
Best R&B/soul female artist
Ari Lennox
Beyoncé
Coco Jones
H.E.R.
Janelle Monáe
Summer Walker
WINNER: SZA
Victoria Monét
Best R&B/soul male artist
6lack
Babyface
Brent Faiyaz
Burna Boy
Chris Brown
Eric Bellinger
October London
WINNER: Usher
Best group
Dvsn
Flo
Jagged Edge
Kool & The Gang
WINNER: Maverick City Music
Phony Ppl
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
Tank and The Bangas
Wanmor
Best collaboration
“America Has a Problem” (Remix), Beyoncé Feat. Kendrick Lamar
“Boy’s a Liar, Pt. 2,” PinkPantheress & Ice Spice
“Creepin’ (Remix),” Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, Diddy Feat. 21 Savage
“Fly Girl,” Flo feat. Missy Elliott
WINNER: “Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage
“Special,” Lizzo feat. SZA
“To Summer, From Cole (Audio Hug),” Summer Walker, J. Cole
Best new artist
Ambré
Ayra Starr
WINNER: Coco Jones
Doechii
Flo
Fridayy
Tyla
Wanmor
Certified soul award
Anthony Hamilton
Ashanti
Ciara
Eric Bellinger
Monica
PJ Morton
Ronald Isley & The Isley Brothers
T-Pain
WINNER: Usher
The Ashford and Simpson songwriter’s award
“Back to Your Place,” October London
“Favorite Song,” Toosii
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“ICU,” Coco Jones
“Kill Bill,” SZA
“On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Sittin’ on Top of the World,” Burna Boy Feat. 21 Savage
WINNER: “Snooze,” SZA
Best dance performance
“Better Thangs,” Ciara Feat. Summer Walker
“Boyfriend,” Usher
“Good Good,” Usher, Summer Walker, 21 Savage
“How We Roll,” Ciara & Chris Brown
WINNER: “On My Mama,” Victoria Monét
“Snooze,” SZA
“Summer Too Hot,” Chris Brown
“Under the Influence,” Chris Brown
Best gospel/inspirational award
“All of the Glory,” Shirley Caesar
WINNER: “All Things,” Kirk Franklin
“Came Too Far,” Fridayy Feat. Maverick City Music & My Mom
“Cry,” Koryn Hawthorne
“Feel Alright (Blessed),” Erica Campbell
“God Problems,” Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore, Naomi Raine
“The Journey,” H.E.R.
“Try Love,” Kirk Franklin
In February, during a writing camp in Palm Springs, Calif., singer-songwriter Teddy Swims had a professional breakthrough — amid a period of personal turmoil, following a breakup. “I was so unhinged at the time,” he remembers. “I just needed to say a lot of stuff.” Over the course of five days, he poured his emotions into half of the songs that would ultimately comprise his debut album, including his biggest hit to date, “Lose Control.”
Rooted in piano-driven production — and an impressive ability to stretch his vocal runs — the R&B-pop ballad details a relationship that’s been tainted by substance abuse. “Lose Control” has steadily grown since its release in late June, leading to Teddy Swims’ first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. “When it was finished, I was showing everybody before the song came out,” he says. “I just felt that energy, like, ‘This is lighting in a bottle.’ I knew this was going to change my life.”
Born Jaten Dimsdale, the 31-year-old began performing a decade ago at his suburban Atlanta high school, trading football for musical theater (he joined with a friend, who still plays guitar in his live band today). His senior year was particularly pivotal: he helped the theater department out of debt prior to graduation with an in-school production of a Star Wars musical parody he created with his teacher. That same year, his band at the time, Heroic Bear, released its first EP, a hardcore project he now deems “really bad.”
In the years that followed, he explored countless genres including country, alternative, funk and metal in various musical projects. “He was in, I kid you not, like eight bands,” says Luke Conway, who started managing Teddy Swims while he was touring as an opening hip-hop act in early 2019. “He was doing every single thing that you could possibly do.”
From left: Teddy Swims and manager Luke Conway photographed on September 15, 2023 in New York.
Meredith Jenks
In June 2019, on the 10th anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, Teddy Swims uploaded a YouTube cover of “Rock With You” that soon went viral. The success prompted him to ask his friends for a six-month commitment to help him keep momentum. During that time frame, he sang classics (Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me”) and hits of the moment (Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved”) alike, with his spins on Shania Twain’s “You’re Still the One” and Mario’s “Let Me Love You” each eclipsing 100 million YouTube views. Publishers called first, then booking agencies, and before long, a dozen record labels had made offers. On Christmas Eve 2019 — a day short of six months from when he uploaded “Rock With You” — he signed to Warner Records.
While the covers helped grow Teddy Swims’ audience on a global scale, his priority upon signing was to create an identity all his own. “Some people get stuck in that world and never really make it out,” he says. “There was a lot of fear in no one caring about my [original] songs. I wanted to be an artist with my music.”
Warner placed him in rooms with veteran songwriter-producers like Julian Bunetta and John Ryan to help him hone his voice, and over the next few years, he wrote hundreds of songs, releasing singles across four EPs (including the holiday-themed A Very Teddy Christmas) and getting featured on tracks by Meghan Trainor, X Ambassadors and others. “I go back and listen to some songs that I did four years ago,” Teddy Swims reflects. “They started this idea of the signature Teddy sound that I feel like I’m finally nailing now.”
Teddy Swims photographed on September 15, 2023 in New York.
Meredith Jenks
That “signature” sound punctuates his September debut album, I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1), which is full of “sad boy breakup songs,” as he puts it. His powerhouse vocals (“Some Things I’ll Never Know,” “The Door”) and poignant writing chops (“Suitcase”) are on display throughout its 10 tracks, but no song better illustrates the style he’s created than “Lose Control.” After its June release, he shared three new versions — live, strings and piano — as the song gained steam on digital service providers and radio. By the end of August, “Lose Control” debuted on the Hot 100, where it has since reached a No. 67 peak. On Adult Pop Airplay, it climbs to a new No. 26 high on the Oct. 7-dated chart.
As the hit keeps growing, Conway says the strategy isn’t to strike while the iron is hot with unrelated follow-up content. In fact, it’s the opposite: he hopes the song becomes “cemented in culture” in the months to come, likening “Lose Control” to Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” and Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy.”
“We have to be protective,” he says. “It’s his story. This is the golden egg we’ve been searching for and fighting to dig out of the ground for five years. There have been a lot of conversations about finding a feature, but we see the lifespan of this song. We can’t dilute it by giving it anybody else’s identity.”
Teddy Swims is currently on a 43-date North American tour in support of the project, studying how each city reacts to the new material. “There’s no A&R that [compares to] when you’re at a show and you see what really moves people,” he says. As the title of his album suggests, there are plans for another installment. He says it could arrive by the middle of next year, though both he and Conway share that the writing likely won’t begin until after the tour wraps.
However, Teddy Swims does suggest that, if all goes well, the follow-up will contain brighter content. “I’m really hoping the next time is me falling back in love and moving on,” he says, taking a beat and then laughing. “Or it’s more sad s–t. You never know. Life is happening to us, what are you going to do?”
Teddy Swims photographed on September 15, 2023 in New York.
Meredith Jenks
A version of this story will appear in the Oct. 7, 2023, issue of Billboard.
Back before Cleveland was tapped to be the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, its downstate rival, Cincinnati, was also (briefly) in the mix for the honor of being the institution’s host. The city got on the short list thanks to its legacy as the home of pioneering label King Records, where a number of very early rock n’ roll, funk and R&B sides were cut by the likes of James Brown, Bootsy Collins, Otis Williams and others; not for nothing, but Billboard was founded in the city in 1894.
And while the Queen City missed out on that Rock Hall of Fame, on Saturday (July 22), Cincinnati will get its own circle of honor when the long-awaited Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame opens to the public in a splashy ceremony that will unveil a years-in-the-works project to honor the city’s unique place in music history.
“The historical part of this place is that African-American slaves lived in this flood plain and [the Hall of Fame] is across from Paycor Stadium, where the annual Cincinnati Music Festival takes place,” says Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece, the main driver behind the project in reference to the 61-year-old locally promoted gathering that has brought the best of funk, soul, R&B and jazz to her hometown for six decades.
Reece’s passion for the Walk of Fame is evidence by her bubbling enthusiasm over a recent Zoom call, as well as a voice already hoarse from her duties hyping her passion project in the lead-up to this weekend’s grand unveiling. And she comes by it naturally. Her mother, Barbara Howard, was a national recording artist, and her father, Steven Reece Sr., was a local rep for Motown Records who helped to bring both the Beatles and Aretha Franklin to town for their first-ever Cincinnati dates.
When her mother died at 57, Reece says she realized her purpose was to make sure that she left something for future generations. “These stories can’t die when we die,” she says. So she began the yearslong process of pushing to convert an empty downtown lot into her vision of a free-to-the-public Hall of Fame honoring the city’s Black music legends of pop, rock, funk, gospel, hip-hop, jazz and classical music.
Describing the multi-level Hall of Fame layout — a necessity due to its proximity to the Ohio River floodplain — Ron Bunt, senior VP of design firm JRA tells Billboard that visitors will descent a series of ramps with a number of interactive displays that will bring the city’s music history to life. After entering through a towering stainless steel arch that explains the various features, visitors will see a series of 13 podiums that each feature the stories of two prominent Black Cincinnati artists.
This year’s inductees include soul superstar Brown, who recorded some of his more iconic songs at King Records, as well as The Deele, an early 1980s R&B group featuring future superstars and local legends L.A. Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. Also on the list is late Spinners (“Could It Be I’m Falling In Love”) singer Philippé Wynne and Louise Shropshire, who penned the original lyrics to what became the civil rights anthem “We Shall Overcome.”
The two previous classes included the first inductees, funk bass master Bootsy Collins, the Isley Brothers, gospel singer Dr. Charles Ford and The Charms doo-wop singer Williams; the 2022 class featured Klymaxx/Snap! singer Penny Ford, hip-hop producer Hi-Tek (50 Cent, Snoop Dogg), R&B/jazz guitarist Wilbert Longmire and funk group Midnight Star.
“Each podium has a brief bio, and album cover, which, when you scan the QR code, will make the artist pop out with more information,” Bunt says of the displays that will also feature copy in braille and a haptic panel that will allow hearing impaired visitors to “feel” the music. In addition, they will allow users to listen to a 30-second clip of the artist’s music, with the QR code providing access to the Walk of Fame’s website, where you can read more about all the inductees.
There is also a feature called the “Beatmaker,” with 8 drum heads that interact with the lights and an adjacent fountain, acting like a kind of Simon Says game in which visitors follow Hi-Tek’s instructions to keep up with the music, as well as areas with three-minute video clips about each act and panels with the stories of local music influencers.
“It’s a holistic experience that tells an important story that’s never been told,” says Bunt of the hands-on displays that will include an AR component allowing visitors to “jam” on stage with Bootsy and Ford’s avatars. He and Reece are also both excited about a twice-nightly “Takeover Dance party” where the speakers on all the displays will synch up for a music and light show that will encourage attendees to boogie to the music. “It’s kind of an ‘a-ha’ moment for a lot of people when you hear songs you grew up with that most people didn’t know were by people who are from here, which tells yo how worldwide this story is,” Bunt says.
The final iteration of the multi-million project will have room for up to 200 honorees and Saturday’s grand opening will feature a free show by the Ohio Players. “We wanted something that will bridge the gap between generations… grandmas and their grandkids can come and see something educational and entertaining,” says Reece.
Watch a video about the grand opening below.
The Cincinnati Music Festival will take over the city’s Paycor Stadium for two nights in July with its patented mix of old school soul and R&B legends and hip-hop superstars, with Snoop Dogg, Al Green, Babyface and Jill Scott topping the bill on July 21 and 22.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The annual gathering of the vibe will kick off on July 20 at the adjacent Andrew J. Brady Center with a tribute to the 50th anniversary of hip-hop with a lineup to be announced soon. Night one will feature Green and Scott joined by Jodeci, Midnight Star and Gerald Albright, while the second evening will include a visit from intergalactic funk icons P-Funk, as well as sets from Avery Sunshine and Norman Brown.
Tickets for the shows are on sale now through Ticketmaster and the festival’s office (513) 924-0900.
“We are thrilled with this year’s lineup for the Cincinnati Music Festival presented by P&G,” said producer Joe Santangelo in a statement. “It’s the first time for Snoop Dogg to perform at the Festival and Al Green last performed in 1974. We know they will both be huge draws for our fans. It’s also an honor for us to plan a Thursday performance to pay tribute to the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop.”
After cancelling two go-rounds due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the beloved fest returned last summer with a stacked lineup featuring Janet Jackson, Charlie Wilson, Anthony Hamilton, the O’Jays and more.
CMF began life as the Ohio Valley Jazz Festival in 1962 as an all-jazz event and has evolved over the year to embrace a wide variety of acts, from Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington to Luther Vandross, New Edition, Whitney Houston, Earth Wind and Fire and many more, drawing more than 50,000 fans to the concerts and the adjacent Festival 513 street party.
BRISBANE, Australia — Mushroom Group, the Australian independent music juggernaut, has struck a partnership with Valve Sounds, the reactivated alternative-R&B, hip-hop and soul label.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Co-founded by Sasha Chifura and Shelley Liu, Valve Sounds is “committed to the growth” of those genres within Australia, and “dedicates to carving a space for these artists to make an impact at an international stage,” reads a statement.
With its resurrection, a string of artist signings and a release slate. The Melbourne-based label relaunches with a roster featuring Sydney R&B multi-hyphenate Maina Doe; Nigeria-born, Melbourne-based producer, vocalist, and performer IJALE; and Brisbane indie/R&B newcomer King Ivy.
To celebrate the return of Valve Sounds, the trio will release a special collaborative number, “WYA” (Where You At), next Thursday (Feb. 2).
Mushroom Group has “been looking for the right hip-hop/R&B partner for some time now to complement our other labels,” notes Mushroom Labels COO Chris Maund.
Valve and its co-founders “stood out because they are entrenched in that scene and have a clear vision to break fresh hip-hop/R&B artists globally. Valve are signing artists whose sound is both authentic and borderless, giving them real opportunity to cut-through and deliver internationally,” he tells Billboard.
Maund points to the success of the recent Maina Doe single “Primal Design.” Mushroom Group serviced the track, which went on to land “a load of global playlists,” he explains. “That, will be the start of many.”
Following its launch in 2015, Valve Sounds released recordings from UV Boi, Nasty Mars, ESESE, Villette and Maya Hirasedo, and earned a reputation for its events and parties in Melbourne, spotlighting international and local artists.
Among the highlights were events at Melbourne Music Week’s 2016 and 2017 flagship venues State Library of Victoria and St Paul’s Cathedral, and its team curated a stage at Falls Festival, featured in VICE.
“Some of my fondest memories have been at Valve Sounds parties that we threw back in the day,” recounts Liu. “Feeling grateful to be working with Maina Doe, IJALE and King Ivy – three artists who I truly believe represent the future of music coming out of Australia and beyond.”
Through the new arrangement, Valve Sounds will have access to Mushroom Labels’ full suite of services across marketing, promotion, audience building, social strategy, distribution and analytics as well as global promotion, marketing and audience label services via UMG’s Virgin Music Label & Artist Services, an alliance forged in 2022, in tandem with Mushroom’s existing U.S. and U.K. teams.
Previously, Valve Sounds had a label partnership with Sony Music.
Valve Sounds now operates among the 25-strong group of companies within Mushroom Group, established 50 years ago by the late Michael Gudinski.
Mushroom Group CEO Matt Gudinski, the son of Michael, heaped praised on his new partners. “Their clear vision for the label and expertise in the R&B and hip-hop scene excels them as key industry leaders of the future,” he comments. “It’s with great pleasure we welcome them to the family and look forward to a longstanding relationship.”
Mushroom Labels includes Liberation Records, Ivy League, I OH YOU, Soothsayer, Bloodlines, Liberator Music and 100s + 1000s.
-
Pages
