Super Bowl
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For Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles fans — and any football lover, really — last year’s Super Bowl LVII was a thrilling, down-to-the-wire classic. But as the game, airing on FOX Sports and tied at 35, cut to commercial break at the two-minute warning, tense viewers might’ve felt an unexpected wave of calm. The buttery-smooth lick from “Hungersite,” one of the most popular tracks by the exploding jam band Goose, played as the stressed visages of head coaches Andy Reid and Nick Sirianni gave way to ads.
“It was so surreal to hear our song during the Super Bowl,” Goose singer-guitarist Rick Mitarotonda tells Billboard. “We are very thankful to FOX Sports for supporting what we do and exposing so many bands in the genre to the masses.”
Goose posted the snippet to Instagram and reached out to FOX Sports to express its gratitude — all in a day’s work for Jacob Ullman, FOX Sports senior vp of production and talent development, and Jake Jolivette, a producer at the network. Through their production roles on NFL games, Ullman and Jolivette have caught the attention of astute listeners with secondslong jam band synchs — from titans like the Grateful Dead and Phish to cultier acts like Umphrey’s McGee and moe. — for the past several years.
Ullman, 50, saw his first Dead show at age 12 when his father took him to see the band at Southern California’s Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre in 1985. Jolivette, 49, got into the band as a Midwestern college student, attending his first show in 1992 (three years before Jerry Garcia died); his college years also coincided with Phish’s rise, and the Vermont band’s “communal” shows hooked him. “It’s almost like going to a live sporting event,” he observes.
Ullman began working at FOX Sports when the network launched in 1994, and Jolivette landed there a decade later. The former recalls the thrill of synching a jam-adjacent artist early on: When he integrated Dave Matthews Band’s “Tripping Billies” into a hockey broadcast in 1996, he was amazed “that you can collide your work life, your passion for sports and your passion for music in one place.” But FOX Sports wouldn’t become known for its sly jam band integrations until years later, after Ullman and Jolivette had both risen through the ranks and found themselves working together on NFL and NASCAR broadcasts.
For many viewers, the first clue that the FOX Sports edit bay might be tie-dye-friendly came during 2017’s Super Bowl LI, in a produced pregame video narrated by actor Ving Rhames introducing the competing New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. Jolivette used Audioslave’s “Cochise” for the Patriots — and Phish’s exuberant “Tweezer Reprise” for the Falcons. Phish frontman Trey Anastasio and the band’s former longtime road manager, Brad Sands, watched the show, and a screenshotted text thread between them circulated on jam-loving corners of the internet. (Sands said, “Falcons have to win now right?” and Anastasio agreed.) “I love ‘Tweezer.’ I love how it builds,” says Jolivette before adding with a chuckle, “Mind you, my editor hated the song — but I still got it in.”
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In 2018, FOX Sports inked a five-year deal with the NFL to air Thursday Night Football, and Ullman and Jolivette became heavily involved in the broadcasts. That’s when their jam band synchs really took off. “We’d sneak a couple of [songs] in there — all of a sudden, you’re getting texts,” says Jolivette with still-palpable amazement. “That’s when I figured out that this was something that was brewing that people could hear.”
When the pandemic hit, Ullman, who had hung out with the Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir at NASCAR events over the years, convinced the musician through his manager to record a solo performance of the national anthem for the late-March 2020 broadcast of an iRacing Pro Invitational simulated race. Later that year, Ullman and Jolivette’s colleagues Joe Carpenter (senior audio engineer) and Bryan Biederman (director) — fellow FOX Sports Deadheads who work on the network’s MLB broadcasts — integrated a slew of Dead songs into the 2020 World Series. Sensing the public’s interest, FOX uploaded a supercut of the synchs — among them “Shakedown Street,” “Sugar Magnolia” and “Althea” — to its social media, with corresponding game footage nested within the band’s iconic “Steal Your Face” logo.
“Between that and what we were doing on Thursday Night Football, that year was probably where a lot of this exploded,” Ullman says. It was a feedback loop of sorts: The more FOX Sports integrated jam bands, the more positive reinforcement it received.
Still, in the tricky world of TV licensing, the network’s ’heads need supportive — or at least tolerant — colleagues to facilitate clearances. For that, they work with a team that includes vp of music Nicole de la Torriente-Nelson, who leads negotiations with publishers and labels, and associate director Yvonne Wagoner, who prepares approved playlists for broadcast teams. Wagoner collaborates with crews to construct eclectic playlists — an amalgam of current hits, old classics, songs for specific situations like scoring and situational matches for game location and weather — and solicits requests. While some core songs remain throughout a season, there’s also turnover, and Wagoner refers potential new songs to de la Torriente-Nelson and her colleagues, who secure the applicable rights. Licensing terms vary, but songs are often cleared for a season’s entirety, with fees paid out on a per-use basis (the higher-profile the game, the higher the synch rate).
Take FOX Sports’ week 15 Buffalo Bills-Dallas Cowboys broadcast. Jolivette wanted to use a song by Buffalo jam band moe. for the Bills home game, so he asked Wagoner to clear the group’s “Happy Hour Hero.” She passed along the request to de la Torriente-Nelson, whose team secured the rights, and Jolivette and senior audio mixer Jamie McCombs — not a jam fan per se, though he admits Jolivette has “turned me on to some really good stuff” — prepped the few seconds that would ultimately air. Late in the first quarter of the Dec. 17 game, with the Bills up 7-0, “Hero” led into a commercial break. Watching was moe. guitarist Al Schnier, who posted a video of his TV screen to Instagram with the caption “Bills + moe. + winning = Happy Hour Hero.”
Integrations like that really are by jam band fans, for jam band fans. Ullman’s team doesn’t feel bound to the Dead or Phish, or even to the most popular tracks in their respective discographies; in the Jan. 14 Dallas Cowboys-Green Bay Packers playoff game, FOX Sports used the Dead’s “Saint of Circumstance” and Phish’s “Axilla,” hardly the best-known songs by either group. Jolivette and his colleagues seek out the best secondslong snippets, wherever they may come from. As he explains of “Saint of Circumstance,” “The part we use, it hits. If you’ve seen that in concert, you know that’s one of the great transitions. That, to me, is what makes that a great song to use.”
And in the ultimate validation of their work, one of their heroes is returning the fandom. “When you think about it, the music we make isn’t unlike a sporting event,” Weir, who was spotted with the FOX Sports team on the sideline at January’s NFC Championship game, tells Billboard. “On a good night, you don’t really know where it’s going to go — and getting wherever it’s going is going to be different every time to boot.”
This story will appear in the Feb. 10, 2024, issue of Billboard.
It’s no surprise that superstar Post Malone loves Bud Light: “I’m the tip of the spear when it comes to consumption,” he says of the brand through an audible smirk.
Which is why it’s also no surprise that Posty will star in Bud Light’s Super Bowl commercial for his third year in a row. “Maybe it will become a tradition and we just do one every year until everyone is sick of seeing me,” he questions aloud.
“I feel very handsome in this one,” he adds, noting how this commercial feels different from his previous two. “I’m going for a Clooney vibe. You know, Clooney is a little older, but he’s still a total stud. And I think, hopefully God willing, that’s what happens to me. Because I’ve been such an awkward looking dude forever, so maybe I’ll get the Clooney effect. Maybe it’ll be me and Clooney for the next Bud Light ad.”
And yet, he jokes that the team behind the commercial wouldn’t let him in their creative meetings. “They said my ideas were too epic,” he recalls.
He’s not wrong. When speaking of his long-standing fandom of the brand, another idea rolls right out: the beer blankie.
“I remember at the legal age of 21 I enjoyed [my first Bud Light] and I was like, ‘You know what? This is my deal. It makes me feel comfortable.’ And ever since then, it’s been kinda like my beer blankie. I still have my blankie, too. So it’s kinda like that … Me and Clooney with a beer blankie – that’s the next commercial.”
Despite being a Bud Light commercial veteran at this point, Post will also experience a major first during Super Bowl weekend: attending the big game. Post is one of three pregame performers, along with Reba McEntire and Andra Day, who will be singing the national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” respectively.
As for Posty, he’ll be tackling “America the Beautiful.” And while he’s never performed the song publicly before, he reveals, “I sing it all the time, like, randomly in my most patriotic moments. It’s a song that’s always in the back of my head, and if I’m playing games or just walking around, I’ll sing it at the top of my lungs. So I’m very excited – and I’m definitely 100 percent not nervous at all to sing it in front of millions of people at the Super Bowl.”
He says he and longtime collaborator Louis Bell, along with others, have been making tweaks to how he will perform the classic, saying fans can expect a bit of country twang. “I’m just gonna sing my heart out the best I can and give America – no matter how s—-y it is – the love [this song] deserves.”
And while his beloved Dallas Cowboys will not be competing on Super Bowl Sunday, Post plans to represent them by wearing a “beautiful vintage bomber jacket signed by Tom Landry [the Cowboys’ first head coach]. I won’t be the only one there in a Cowboy’s jersey – because we know who’s supposed to be there. We got it next year.”
Until then, if he had to pick, he says he’ll be rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs – only because he has a KC tattoo – “not for any other reason … Pat [Mahomes] and Travis [Kelce], they’re great guys. A lot of great guys on both teams. But everyone in America knows who’s supposed to be there.”
Watch his Bud Light commercial below.
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In 2020, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez co-headlined the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show. Each artist performed a medley of their biggest hits, while the former invited special guest Bad Bunny and the latter invited J Balvin. The two superstars closed off their energetic set by joining forces on Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud” and Shakira’s World […]
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Source: Gerardo Mora / Getty / Carl Weathers
The world lost an icon in Carl Weathers last week, but fans will still see the late actor one last time, thanks to a FanDuel Super Bowl commercial.
Spotted on Variety, FanDuel says it will still air the Super Bowl spot featuring Carl Weathers. Leading up to this weekend’s big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers, the sports betting company has been airing teasers for its big game spot that stars Weathers alongside retired NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski.
The teasers follow the NFL champion as he gears up for the Kick of Destiny 2, where viewers can watch him attempt to make a 25-yard field goal, and America can bet on if he either misses or makes it.
Last year, Gronkowski missed the kick, but in the teasers, he gets some encouragement from Weathers in the teaser where he scoops up the NFL analyst on a motorcycle with a sidecar.
Some Changes To Commercial Will Be Made
Variety reports that after initially saying it would make adjustments to the commercial, FanDuel says it will run the ads and make some changes so that it will be appropriate. “The family has been very supportive that they would still like to see Carl in the work,” Andrew Sneyd, FanDuel’s executive vice president of marketing, said after consulting with Weather’s family.
Sneyd continues, “We need to change what we are doing in the Bowl. The live event itself carries forward and as is. Rob will kick the field goal, and he will be even more inspired to make it. He really enjoyed meeting Carl and found him to be such an optimistic and energetic person.”
“We had built a master. One is an edit if he makes the kick, and we have an edit if he misses. That content we had in those masters wouldn’t be appropriate for us to do anymore,” Sneyd adds. “Since the news of Carl’s passing came, we have been working with editors to help us get back to something that does make sense.” FanDuel, he adds, is in contact with Weathers’ family “to make sure they are comfortable.”
He continues, “Such work has been difficult. We have been viewing edits through tears. We really enjoyed the short time we had to work with him. He’s a wonderful man, and he genuinely is an inspiration and had such a positive outlook on the world. We want to make sure we try to meet this moment with the respect it deserves.”
If there’s one word that Usher personifies, it’s “cool.” The word applies to his still-captivating vocals, deep catalog of multigenerational R&B/pop hits, fluid footwork, keen fashion sense — all of which I witnessed firsthand while watching Usher and his team rehearse for the launch of his first Las Vegas residency almost three years ago. Despite the pressure-cooker atmosphere inherent in that gamble — including lingering pandemic-related challenges — the eight-time Grammy Award winner remained chill and in control. So it makes sense that Usher would be just as unflappable on the eve of performing before the largest audience of his career: at the Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show.
“It’s more about anticipation than jitters,” Usher says matter-of-factly in early January, having already logged a month of rehearsals in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Atlanta. “I’m so ready for it to happen. I just want to sing louder than I’ve ever sang; dance harder than I’ve ever danced. I want to celebrate the 30 years of this career where I’m very fortunate to have made songs and moments with people that they will remember forever.”
When he started his My Way residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in July 2021, the coronavirus pandemic was far from over — audiences were still “in a life depression,” as he puts it. Two years and one bigger venue (Dolby Live at Park MGM) later, My Way finished as a massive success — and Usher is clearly ready for an even bigger stage. “What an amazing crescendo,” he marvels. “I played 100 shows in Las Vegas [across both residencies], and my 101st will be the Super Bowl.”
The crescendo won’t end there. This year marks the 30th anniversary of his self-titled debut album. And on the eve of the halftime show, the singer-songwriter will release his much anticipated, long-gestating new project, Coming Home — the first on his own label, mega, in partnership with music industry veteran Antonio “L.A.” Reid and in association with gamma., helmed by former Apple executive Larry Jackson. The gamma. deal, which Usher and Reid signed in February 2023, is the latest in a series of entrepreneurial ventures, including Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace, that Usher has been lining up for the next phase of his career. And on Aug. 20, Usher will embark on the just-announced Past Present Future tour, playing 24 arena dates across the United States (with more dates to be announced).
Usher’s mother, Jonnetta Patton — who took him to LaFace Records when he was 13 and managed him for 17 years (he’s currently managed by Ron Laffitte of Laffitte Management Group) — isn’t surprised by her son’s stunning trajectory. “He could really sing at a young age,” she explains. “I said, ‘This is your next star. This is the next Michael Jackson.’ ” She adds with a laugh, “People said, ‘His mom’s crazy.’ ”
When puberty claimed Usher’s vocal range, everyone around him (including, at least momentarily, Usher himself) thought his career was over before it had even started — except for Patton, who made sure the label secured a vocal coach to help him find his voice again. “It was so depressing for him; he almost lost his record deal,” she recalls. “But Usher fought. He was truly determined and dedicated to the goal that he set for himself: that one day everyone would know his name. He stayed the course. [Today], he’s a true performer who has no fear.”
Bottega Veneta shirt, Alexander McQueen pants, Fear of God sunglasses, Jacquie Aiche and Veert jewelry.
Sami Drasin
To his legion of fans who sent four of his albums to the top of the Billboard 200 and nine of his songs to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, Usher’s staying power was never in question. But in the past 12 years, since 2012’s Looking 4 Myself and after two albums (Hard II Love and A) that weren’t massive hits like his earlier projects, he has experienced an indisputable renaissance in tandem with his residencies. And those 100 shows set the stage perfectly for the Feb. 9 release of Coming Home, which coincides with the 20th anniversary of his RIAA diamond-certified 2004 classic, Confessions. Usher’s first solo album since 2016’s Hard II Love (and first studio project since 2018’s A with Zaytoven), Coming Home is, like Confessions, executive-produced by Usher and Reid (who dropped by the singer’s Billboard photo shoot but declined to be interviewed for this story). However, it’s most certainly not a sequel, one of the rumors that swirled in the long lead-up to its announcement.
The 20 tracks — which serve up R&B, hip-hop, pop, funk, Afrobeats and amapiano — include three recent releases: the R&B hit “Good Good” with Summer Walker and 21 Savage, the remix of the Michael Jackson-esque “Standing Next to You” with Jung Kook and the tender ballad “Risk It All” featuring H.E.R. from the Color Purple soundtrack album. But with the pulsating rush of tracks like “Keep on Dancin’,” the album delivers what fans continue to love about Usher: his emotive vocals, relatable lyrics and danceable beats. Standouts include the thematic title track with Burna Boy, a fun pairing with rap force Latto on the upbeat “A-Town Girl” (which contains elements of Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl”), breakup song and next single “Ruin” featuring Nigerian singer-songwriter Pheelz and “Kissing Strangers,” a striking reflection on a relationship’s aftermath.
The lattermost, a holdover from a stockpile of songs that Usher was considering for his then-untitled new album in 2021, was co-produced by the late busbee. Known primarily for his work with pop and country artists like P!nk, Maren Morris and Keith Urban, busbee might seem an unusual choice for Usher — but for the reinvigorated singer, such collaborators are part of a push to experiment more with different genres and rhythms while “digging deeper in what I choose to write about.” That doesn’t mean Usher is abandoning what has gotten him this far: The album is full of reunions with the R&B vets who helped craft his earlier successes, like Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, The-Dream, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart and Pharrell Williams.
“[Malcolm] Gladwell talks about the 10,000 hours rule for becoming the ultimate expert in one’s field or craft,” gamma.’s Jackson says, referencing the author’s best-selling Outliers: The Story of Success. “And Usher has achieved his 10,000 hours of mastery. He exudes it. He’s sitting at the top of his mountain — the first independent artist to ever play the Super Bowl.” And even at this point in his career, milestones like that still matter to Usher.
Fear of God jacket, pants and shoes, and Dolce & Gabbana gloves.
Sami Drasin
How did your residency prepare you for this global performance?
I’m happy that I’m coming off a successful residency, which helped me prepare and get into the rhythm of it overall. Otherwise, I would have had to restart and relive moments. But going on that stage every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday reminded me of what my music has meant, how people feel about me and how I feel about it all. After years and years of doing this, you can grow tired and frustrated, especially as music changes the standards of how we count what’s hot, what’s cool or what’s not. All of those things can get to your mind and make you even question if you really want to continue to do it. But when I went to Las Vegas, it just made me excited about all of it all over again.
Any hints you can share about what viewers can expect?
It will definitely be an event. There are special guests. And I’ve considered new songs. But you know, it’s 12 to 15 minutes. So it’s really hard to determine what moment matters more than others, especially with a new song. But there’s the dance, the wardrobe, the lighting, how long you stay in a song, the fact that the audience may sing along … It’s a lot. So I’m trying my hardest not to overthink it.
Did you get in touch with other halftime performers for pointers?
I’ve happened to be around a few people who’ve played the Super Bowl, and they did give me some pointers. I also happened to be on a boat not too long ago with Katy Perry, who gave me some notes. I heard that Rihanna stood up for me [in a December interview with E! News] and said something really incredible [about Usher’s qualifications for the gig]. I really appreciated that. I’ve watched every performer, analyzing how they maximized those 12 minutes. But you know, your moment is your moment. And this is a moment I’ve prepared for during the last 30 years.
Usher photographed on January 5, 2024 at 1859 Bel Air Road in Los Angeles. Dolce & Gabbana suit, Calvin Klein shirt, ETAI mask, Fear of God gloves and shoes, Versace sunglasses and Jacquie Aiche jewelry.
Sami Drasin
Which past halftime performances stand out the most for you?
All of them start with the idea that the Super Bowl changed when Michael Jackson performed. I’ve enjoyed Prince, Coldplay, Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Madonna. There are tons of things that I was able to pick up on, from looking at how they chose to enter, what they did while they were onstage and how they chose to close. But the one that really stands out is Michael. Before then, they just hired a random band or whoever. Michael brought in his own director, obviously paid a lot of money and spent a lot of time designing that incredible moment. He reframed how we look at the Super Bowl live performance.
What components must a Super Bowl halftime show have to resonate with viewers?
You should have hit records. (Laughs.) I always say that a new song is a bit of a risk. But then, Beyoncé played something fairly new [“Formation,” at the Coldplay-headlined Super Bowl 50 in 2016], which I thought was really interesting, and The Weeknd did a pretty cool job as well. You also need to have a singalong moment. I think every Super Bowl should have a live band and your mic has to be on, or should be, because people want to connect with you. They want to feel it’s live and in the moment. And every halftime performance should have dancing. Even if the artist isn’t doing that, you have to have some sort of choreography.
Is there one song that you still love to sing and dance to the most?
I love to perform all my songs. But to this day, I still love “U Got It Bad.” I think because of the connection between me and the audience. Then the fact that the song kind of reinvented the ballad in a way because it’s almost like a tempo [song]. It was no longer like a slow, sultry singalong ballad about emoting. It has rhythm and I dance to it; that’s the other side. And the fact that people sing it the way that they do when I’m performing it, they feel a connection to it and it feels real. When it all comes together — the song, the connecting message to the audience, the dance — it almost feels like classical music.
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It’s now the eve of releasing Coming Home. What can fans expect from 2024 Usher?
Every album offers a bit of where I was in my life and what I felt I wanted to share. But this is the first time that I’ve ever felt so comfortable to just be where I am. I’m 100% in my skin. And after 30 years, it shouldn’t even be a question about whether this is going to be greater than something in my past. And I don’t mean that in a derogatory way. I’m just saying it’s hard because every time you put out an album, you’re trying to figure out how not to mess up what you’ve done in the past. And I don’t want to think like that.
I just want to love what I do, make what I love, allow people to come to my space and see what I have to offer. You might identify with it. It may help you deal with some of the sh-t you may be going through, or it may be helpful in making a baby or just having a good time. (Laughs.) I’m not thinking of this album in comparison to anything other than what it is: uniquely its own. And it’s a hard thing, especially when you’ve amassed an audience that goes all the way from “OMG” to “Think of You.” Now I want [the audience] to come back to see me one more time and know that I came home to this space where I’m comfortable.
This is your first solo album since 2016. What have you learned about yourself musically that has brought you to this comfortable, creative space?
That there are new genres that I can play in; ideas and collaborations, rhythms and things that I can participate in and not be beholden to just the overall standard of creating the classic R&B album. I learned that how people listen to music is really a snapshot nowadays. So you have to kind of change your approach of how you even sequence songs; people don’t even necessarily know the difference between a hook and a bridge. Therefore, the way I’m creating is being adjusted a bit because where I was, I am no longer, and the producers that I work with, they’re no longer there either. We’re in a new space. What I also have learned is, don’t hold on to music so damn long. You’ve got to let it go. I worked literally for about four to five years just collecting music [for this album].
I’m comfortable because I’m in my own zone, on my own throne. I did it my way. I’m quoting myself. (Laughs.) I have nothing to prove. I’m not racing time. If there’s any question about whether a 45-year-old artist can release music and still be relevant: I’ve been releasing music over the last year that’s definitely connected in a different way. I hope that sets a precedent for artists who are my age. I sing harder and with more precision than I’ve ever done on this album.
Custom jacket and gloves, Saint Laurent shirt, Purple Brand pants, Veert jewelry and Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses and brooches.
Sami Drasin
What’s your take on R&B’s rebound over the last couple of years, with next-gen artists like SZA, Coco Jones, Victoria Monét, H.E.R. and Brent Faiyaz? Where will the genre evolve from here?
I’m very happy that there’s a new installation of R&B artists who care to be authentic to what they are creating, inspired by artists of the past. Everybody who has ever said to me that R&B is dead sounds crazy. Especially when I know the origins of R&B are in all other genres of music.
It’s about creating commerce in other spaces. Lovers & Friends [where Usher will perform Confessions in full in May] is a successful R&B festival that gives you a place to go and celebrate the songs that we make. We need things that you associate with R&B that you can buy into. Like with hip-hop — glasses, clothes, cars, jewelry, sneakers … ancillary things that people can access. R&B needs and has the potential to have those things as well.
My point is, I never felt like R&B was dying. I think it just needs expansion. We’re moving toward a standard where people are looking at snippets — TikTok, Instagram and other things — and when fans get it, they take it and do something with it. But if we start to think of it that way and create from that place, the standards for R&B will change. You won’t be able to compare it in an old-versus-new way. It’ll just be what it is.
What prompted your transition from major-label to indie artist as a label owner with mega and reteaming with L.A. Reid?
I wanted to do something that I felt would represent R&B and come from a place of passion. L.A. [who also consulted on the My Way residency] and I had talked about working together again. He was managing a few artists and still working on his production company, HitCo. This would be a journey that would require us resetting a second on our next go-round because we had worked together other times with Justin [Bieber] and on other projects. But he and I would find and develop artists who represent this new standard. And as the first artist on mega, I’d be the first up to bat. It seemed ambitious. But I couldn’t think of a better partner or better music man with amazing ears.
L.A. also has incredible sensibility in developing artists because he set the standard at LaFace Records for the artist I am and the way I think of entertainment. Then we managed to connect Voltron (laughs) with Larry Jackson, and it just went to another level because he had a similar interest in wanting to invest in artists and their creative; to pull from some of the things that we’ve done in our paths to create sustainable artists and teach them together. We have a studio in L.A. and Atlanta; we’re looking for artists and are very excited about the potential of building some incredible things together.
You reportedly sold your interest in Bieber’s catalog to HarbourView. Moving forward, do you plan to invest in technology and other music-related ventures?
I’ve never publicly made that statement [about Bieber]. However, I am at an incubation space in my life, looking for new ventures, new ideas, partnering with people who have like-minded interests in entertainment, not just for music but hopefully with the NFL, NBA [Usher holds a minority stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers] or other ventures. I think that we need a Black-owned team somewhere. A minority share is great, don’t get me wrong. I love it. But to at least have one team that is owned by minorities in a way that’s significant, continues to grow and you feel it — I would love to know that there is a minority and/or majority [interest] that is all Black.
Jimmy Iovine, Liberty Ross and I started a brand of skating rinks called Flipper’s, and we’re in the process of launching a skate specifically through Flipper’s. Every year now, during the hot season, we flip Rockefeller Center in New York into a skating rink. We flipped the Hollywood Palladium to a rink for Grammy Week last year, and we’re looking to do more of that. We also opened a rink in London. And I’m working on an official opening of a skating rink here in America. It is so important for people to realize that you need to smile and enjoy yourself. And the only way that I know I can pull that out of everybody is with skates.
Dolce & Gabbana suit, Calvin Klein shirt, ETAI mask, Fear of God gloves and shoes, Versace sunglasses and Jacquie Aiche jewelry.
Sami Drasin
Is your Las Vegas residency on hiatus for now?
Hopefully, we will continue to have a successful festival in Las Vegas with Lovers & Friends. I have roots there. I really did enjoy my time in Las Vegas. Am I going to go back, if I ever do, in the same way? No. I’m not planning on doing that right now. I do love what I’m seeing in Las Vegas with the type of curated experiences that are getting a front stage that they didn’t before. Love what Bruno Mars and Boyz II Men were able to do in Las Vegas and, now, to see New Edition and Wu-Tang [Clan] coming in. I love Vegas. It has an opportunity to be a cultural foundation for experiences that are not just about music but about entertainment, about other ancillary things that you experience. That’s the long of it. The short of it is, I’ll be back in Vegas someday.
Looking back now, what are the takeaways from your 30-years-and-counting career?
I really do enjoy what I do. And I don’t take kindly to the fact that people at times have doubted it. But it has definitely been motivating for me to continue to push to be great. To make something that was great and surround myself with people who don’t just want to see what I saw or what they saw but are invested in what’s happening currently and in the future. They’re invested in affirmations, being able to speak things into existence. To look in the mirror at yourself and say it, believe it. Then have the courage to not just hope but believe in what you were saying and staying invested in that. We’re as powerful as we choose to be. That’s what got me here. I just believed and didn’t pay attention to what anybody else had to say.
Location: 1859 Bel Air Road, Los Angeles @1859BelAirRd. Developer: Sean Balakhani @balakhani_estates. Architect: Mandi Rafati @tagfront. Interior Designer: Cesar Giraldo @cesargiraldodesign. Agents: Aaron Kirman, AKG, Christie’s International Real Estate @AaronKirman and Mauricio Umansky, The Agency RE @Mumansky18.
This story will appear in the Feb. 10, 2024, issue of Billboard.
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You won’t have to wait till Sunday to watch Grupo Frontera‘s cameo in Nissan’s Super Bowl ad starring Saturday Night Live breakout Marcello Hernandez.
The 60-second commercial released on Monday (Feb. 5) features Hernandez retelling the riveting story about his unexpected, yet adventurous journey while test-driving the latest Nissan Pathfinder. Just as he hits the road, Hernandez gets calls from his abuela (grandma), sister and uncle asking him — and the Nissan salesperson as his co-pilot — to pick them up. So, they do.
“From the dealership to the mountains, desert and beach, Hernandez and the salesperson make their way through this epic adventure, the Pathfinder navigates various terrains while thrilling everyone across all generations of the family,” an official description of the ad reads.
As he’s telling this nail-biting story in a diner, Grupo Frontera pops up from a booth nearby and asks Hernandez to keep narrating his epic adventure. “Qué? No, sigue, sigue (What? No, keep going, keep going),” the group orders.
The ad will air on TelevisaUnivision on Sunday, Feb. 11, as part of the networks’s Super Bowl 2024 broadcast for Spanish-language viewers.
Univision will also broadcast a pre-kickoff performance — featuring a special performance by Puerto Rican star Myke Towers — presented by Nissan, which will air on Univision at 4 p.m. ET Sunday from the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
“At Nissan, we’re always looking for ways to deeply connect with our customers,” said Marisstella Marinkovic, chief marketing Ooficer, Nissan U.S, in a statement. “We’re using the nation’s biggest game day to air an in-language spot that reignites the love of Nissan among bicultural Latinos, who comprise many of our customers. From our partnership with TelevisaUnivision, to the Latino talent and the director we casted, we brought music and sports together to create a thrilling in-language and in-culture experience.”
“This is a significant moment for TelevisaUnivision, and we’re excited for Nissan to debut their Spanish-language creative to our audience,” added John Kozack, executive vice president of multimedia sales at TelevisaUnivision. “Latinos are an economic powerhouse, and this national stage provides the perfect opportunity for brands like Nissan to reach this fast-growing demographic – and further our goal of showcasing the value and importance of in-language and in-culture advertising to this consumer base.”
Watch Nissan’s Super Bowl ad above featuring a cameo from Grupo Frontera.