SXSW
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On Wednesday, March 15, fast-rising rapper blxst and his business partners, manager Victor Burnett and attorney Karl Fowlkes, opened up to Billboard’s Heran Mamo during one of SXSW’s 2023 featured sessions: How Music, Entrepreneurship, & Independence Intersect.
While the three discussed everything from how they first connected to what’s coming up next (“I’m cooking up something big right now,” teased blxst), the conversation primarily focused on the artist’s multi-faceted entertainment company Evgle.
Launched as an independent label in 2018, with Burnett and Fowlkes joining as co-founders, Evgle has since expanded to be all-encompassing – a reflection of blxst himself, who compares his many skills including production, graphic design and more to the feeling of constantly playing a video game – and always leveling up.
Most recently, blxst – who was named Billboard’s 2022 R&B/Hip-Hop Rookie of the Year – released a sequel EP, Just For Clarity 2, through Evgle’s partnership deal with Red Bull Records. Here are the insights he and his tight-knit team shared about how to be a successful entrepreneur and maintain your independence along the way.
1. Build With People Who Share Your Goals.
As Mamo pointed out during the conversation, Fowlkes is the rare forefront lawyer – and, much like blxst and Burnett, never wanted to confine himself to just one role. As he put it, “Lawyers have a vantage point in so many aspects of the business, we all view ourselves as dynamic people… we don’t just do one thing. We’re the type of people who want to run a business, be a lawyer, be a professor… so having those aspirations, it was easy to connect with [blxst and Victor] because of common themes of generational wealth and building something really special.”
And while blxst added, “I always had a vision of making this bigger than me, and having other artists eat as well,” perhaps Burnett best summarized why this trio works so well. “One thing that made us like each other was: we want to own everything.”
2. Hire Believers.
When asked how they built the 10+ person team at Evgle, the three said they sought people who have specific traits: self-sufficient, already working in their craft, and able to walk into an opportunity they may not think they are capable of handling at first. “You have to hand things off and trust, that’s the base of it,” said Burnett.
Added Fowlkes, “People don’t view music companies as start ups, but this is a start-up. So we needed people who believed. Creating a culture where people believe is super important when you’re building any company at the ground stages.”
3. Learn Your LOMO.
Blxst said the debate between remaining independent and signing to a major is a case-by-case scenario, but as it pertains to him, “I wanted to build my own leverage first, I understood the importance of bringing something to the table.”
Fowlkes, speaking like a true attorney, then revealed the acronym LOMO: length obligation money and ownership. “Coming into any partnership you should know those things,” he said, noting that Issa Rae talks about the concept often. “If you want to come in at the highest point of ownership, there’s a lot you have to [do first].”
4. Make Noise.
Burnett, who has a masters in PR and media development, shared his advice for young independent artists looking to break through on their own terms. He recalled something his professor told him that stuck: “Keep your channel noisy. Stay in front of your consumer with merch, pop-up shops, activations. Make sure the consumer is always interacting with your brand.”
5. Start Now.
“Don’t wait 20 years into your career to worry about what’s next,” cautioned Fowlkes. “Jay-Z, Nas, so many have created these channels for themselves, but later in their career. The cultural currency that [blxst is] developing… If you can strike when you’re hot, when you’re at your peak, if we can capitalize at that moment, it’s [game] over.”
6. Manifest Your Goals.
Early in the session, blxst discussed where the idea for the company name came from. “I always had confidence issues growing up,” he confessed. “The eagle is one of the highest-flying birds, but doesn’t fly in flocks … That represented confidence.”
On Wednesday, March 15, Billboard editor Taylor Mims moderated a panel at SXSW that discussed the touring industry’s post-pandemic status. Featuring panelists Sara Mertz (VP of music partnerships at Tixr), Liz Norris (manager at Activist Artists Management) and Sarah Tehrani (music touring agent at WME), the panelists voiced concerns about saturation on the road, rising touring costs and the increase in specialized live experiences.
Mertz recalled how as quarantine restrictions lifted and tickets went back on sale, there was “lots of excitement” and a massive rush back to get back the road. But then the industry was then hit with subsequent variants, leading to cancellations en masse. “What we’ve been experiencing the last few years is a pendulum,” she explained.
And while Tehrani added that she has hopes for the industry to level out next year — for which agents at WME are already booking now — Norris explained that “nothing will be the exact same as it was in 2019,” given consumer behavior has changed over the last few years, along with other factors.
“People want a more specialized, curated experience than ever,” said Tehrani. “Rather than these big, throw-everything-at-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks festivals that are focused on going and discovering new music, we’re seeing more interest in boutique festivals.” For example, music fans seem more interested, in Tehrani’s approximation, to see a one-day legacy hip-hop festival than ever, and meanwhile larger-scale, broad appeal festivals are struggling to get the same sales as they once did.
Some artists Tehrani works with, like R&B singer-songwriter UMI, have even tried incorporating new elements to make their tours stand out, like adding in a meditation practice offered as a VIP experience at her shows to boost fan engagement and spread her passion for wellness.
Such experiences are becoming more crucial as the cost of touring continues to rise with inflation — and as a result of cutbacks on positions like bus drivers and sound engineers — leaving consumers to be pickier about which shows they attend.
But still, this strategy is challenged by a high no-show rate. “Attrition remains an issue,” said Mertz. “I don’t know what it is. I was just meeting with a couple of clients last night and they’re like, ‘We don’t understand it, at our sold-out shows, still 20-25% of people are not showing up. Why?’”
In 2021 the issue was attributed to lingering pandemic concerns, but now one of the only explanations the panelists provided was the possibility of increasingly cunning scalpers. “I do think that scalper activity has increased a lot over the last few years,” said Mertz. “It’s a business now.”
For Norris, whose management firm represents Dead & Company, Michael Franti, and the Lumineers, she said one of the industry’s most pressing concerns is “to do a lot of work to make sure the fans aren’t the ones that pay the price” of today’s higher touring costs.
At the same time, the panelists did identify some positive changes that have emerged in live music over the last few years. “Mental health is now at the forefront,” said Norris.
“Having a therapist and physical therapists on the road is new,” added Tehrani. “We’ve always had vocal coaches and stuff like that, but people are definitely thinking about how to take better care of each other. That’s a very good thing”
To TikTok, or not to TikTok, that is the question.
Plus, many more regarding the app’s instrumental role in making hits — and how an artist can participate in the process meaningfully — were addressed during “The Fight for Artistic Authenticity on TikTok” panel at SXSW 2023.
Moderated by Billboard‘s Lyndsey Havens, the panel featured experts Ash Stahl, CEO of TikTok-first creative studio Flighthouse; Alana Dolgin, head of influencer strategy at independent record label and influencer management company Homemade Projects; and Mekaila Morris, senior manager of creators & content at Interscope Records.
The conversation opened with stories of successful TikTok campaigns each panelist had worked on. Stahl remembered working on Surface‘s “Sunday Best,” the electro-pop duo’s vibrant 2019 track that became part of the first crop of TikTok smash hits the following year. “We had a team member just add in a little ad-lib at the beginning that was like, ‘2020 rewind’ and then just put this song at the end of it,” she said. “You can see this huge spike of millions of new listens on Spotify that, one year later, really reinvigorated the song.”
Dolgin described SAINt JHN‘s “Roses” (which was originally released in 2016 and later remixed by Kazakh producer Imanbek at the end of 2019) as being in the “first class of viral hits on TikTok” and mapped out the song’s trajectory to becoming a global anthem, starting in Russia and then spending $2,000 — “which obviously now we know is absolutely nothing in this space,” she said — to move it through the U.S. and ultimately around the world.
Dolgin explained that part of the artistic authenticity element on the platform is knowing when it’s not the right move to have the artist behind a trending song hop on TikTok and participate in whatever fanfare is elevating its exposure through UGC (user-generated content) and streams. “You don’t necessarily need to be on TikTok if you’re an artist. There’s so many songs that are going viral constantly that have nothing to do with the artist that when you try to bring the artist in it truly doesn’t make sense, I think it does more harm than good,” she said.
Having also had success working Cardi B’s “Up,” Dolgin added: “We use her voice all the time with ad-libs that go viral. Sure, she posts on TikTok sometimes, but she approves every sound snippet.”
Morris continued that thought, speaking about Machine Gun Kelly‘s 2022 single “Emo Girl,” featuring Willow, and how she worked closely with him to determine the most authentic ways for him to be on TikTok. “[With] taking the artists’ vision and learning how they want to represent themselves online, you have to understand the nature of the platform and what makes sense.”
Compared to labels’ close working relationships with artists, Stahl described Lighthouse as being “two degrees separated” from them. “I prefer working with artists that aren’t really looking to get on platform because it’s kind of difficult when we’re so separated,” she explained. “We’re not looking to make content, we’re looking to create success with music.”
“You can do both,” she continued. “You can find avenues to create really successful content, and sure, there might be a song that’s a really good fit for the platform as is, or you might need to throw in an ad-lib or make a little mash up. You can do that with the artists where it’s coming from their profile, or you can do that from finding an influencer that has a good fan base and have them launch the sound from their page or from the DSP release on platform.”
Stahl gave a compelling example. During the pandemic, she got her client — EDM producer Said the Sky, whom she’s been managing for the last nine years — to practice making TikTok videos. The result was a now-viral snippet (featuring an ad-lib that goes, “Wait, I can do that better,” followed by dubstep music), which, despite Said the Sky never wanting to officially distribute it, has now soundtracked more than 100,000 TikTok videos, according to Stahl.
When it comes to knowing when’s the right time to invest in a TikTok campaign, Morris discussed tapping into one’s intuition. She recalled how client Gracie Abrams‘ performance of “I Know It Won’t Work” on Jimmy Kimmel Live! went viral on TikTok. “Instead of focusing on what the single is for the project, it’s like, ‘Hey, we’re seeing internet culture touch this track and really, really resonate with it,” she said.
“If it’s moving, put f—nig money into it. That’s the best advice I could give to someone,” Stahl added. “Don’t be like, ‘Oh well, it’s already moving. We’ll just let it ride out.’ My advice would be if it’s moving, take full advantage. We know that it’s working in this specific niche or community on TikTok, let’s take that and try to do it in another niche, or let’s go find that community on a different platform and go for it again.”
From Dolgin’s perspective as someone who works exclusively with creators, it’s all about pairing the right influencers with song campaigns and “never about making the song go viral,” she said. “But, I will always guarantee that you’re getting the best influencers possible for the song and for the sound.”
Morris ultimately compared working in TikTok to working in stocks because of they’re constantly watching how songs and sounds are peaking and falling on the platform. “But you have to take the whole market into account,” she said. When it comes to forecasting trends regarding TikTok and the future of artists and their music on the platform, Stahl predicted there will be more “made by, made for TikTok” independent artists like JVKE who have no barrier to entry, while Dolgin said TikTok will champion specific creators and give them more resources to become successful like Alix Earle. Meanwhile, Morris explained how TikTok is culturally shifting to a more community-focused place.
“As genres start to merge as well, we’re going to start to lose these like clear identifiers, which is going to require people to really hone in on what they like and who they want to be and who they want to speak to,” she said. “And as more people get on TikTok, I think we’re going to have less of those big, big moments, but we’re going to have really valuable smaller moments within the communities with these artists, where they’re truly deeply connecting with people. Then it’s our job to bring those forward and become more consumable to the mainstream.”
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.
Tours by Latin artists have reached new heights in the past year.
Bad Bunny closed out 2022 with a record-breaking $435 million in tour grosses, thanks to his El Ultimo Tour del Mundo and World’s Hottest Tour treks. Rosalía graduated from clubs to arenas, becoming an international touring powerhouse with her global Motomami Tour.
And it’s not just current hitmakers that are riding the wave. It’s also legacy acts such as Los Bukis, who embarked on a historic reunion stadium tour in 2021. And newcomer Feid, who was able to sell out his first U.S. tour in a span of 24 hours.
Now, RBD‘s upcoming Soy Rebelde Tour is poised to be one of the biggest tours of the year. The Mexican pop group’s first trek in 15 years — produced by Live Nation and the band’s manager Guillermo Rosas (also CEO of T6H Entertainment) — the tour has so far sold more than 1.5 million tickets and is filling stadiums and arenas across the world.
The topic on the influence of Latin artists on global touring took center stage at SXSW this year during a panel moderated by Billboard‘s Griselda Flores, senior writer, Latin. In a conversation with Rosas and Hans Schafer, svp of global touring at Live Nation, the one-hour fireside chat examined how tours by Latin artists continue to reach new markets and new audiences.
Below, five takeaways from the panel:
Many factors have contributed to the surge in touring numbers for both established artists and newcomers
Schafer: “For me, this [growth] has been happening for the past 15 years. English radio stations playing Spanish-language music now. The ability to access music that’s happening across the country or across the world. All those factors have contributed to this growth. It’s an exciting time.”
Rosas: “Although television has changed so much, there’s also a value that we can attribute to television. Series featuring Latin artists, such as RBD, were being viewed by audiences who didn’t speak Spanish. It became a trend to learn how to speak Spanish so you could understand the show, and it opened a lot of opportunities for Latin music in general in countries like Brazil or Eastern Europe. There are many different variables but that’s definitely one of them.”
Big tours, not big “Latin” tours
Schafer: “You look at the tours and the results that they’re giving — sure you can break them out into their own, ‘This is the No. 1 Latin tour.’ But when you look at the top 10 [of all tours], they’re in there. They’re in there worldwide, in North America, they’re surpassing a lot of artists in South America, an area that generates a lot of money. When you talk about the importance of global touring for all acts, a huge chunk is in Spanish-language countries. We’re now able to capture the data. It’s giving us the respect and the place of how important those markets are, the purchasing power we have and the impact that the Latin acts have.”
Rosas: “We have as example, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia where you have major international acts like Coldplay that held records in stadiums in Latin America. RBD came and broke all of them. In Colombia, RBD is doing four stadiums in a row, sold out. No other artist in the world has done that. Latin artists are capable of doing massive numbers.”
RBD’s reunion tour: Go big or go home
Rosas: “It was one of those reunions that was bound to happen at some point. It’s a complex structure, because there are so elements surrounding it — their individual careers, independent careers. Hans and I always had a vision that it would be successful when the time came. Because we do believe in the size of it, the first strategy was to make it big. If you go to a small arena, then you give the impression that it’s a small tour — but if you have a partner like Hans that believed in it, then we announced stadiums, and people understand that it’s going to be a big tour. A lot of promoters are scared of doing that, but you only have one opportunity for a first impression in this business. Because it’s such a big cultural movement, we needed to do it like that: add to the excitement and emotion.”
Nostalgia tours are having a moment
Rosas: “It is a cultural movement — RBD is bigger than its music. It’s part of growing up with it, and [in terms of] friendship, it’s a big reunion. All these people will get together after 15 years, some that haven’t seen each other in years, and RBD is the connection. It brings you back to amazing memories of childhood or teenage years. And it makes you happy. Los Bukis has a similar story. People grew up with the music, and that’s all you listened to in Mexico back in the day. To bring it back, it brings those emotions back to life. Hans and I worked on the Versus Tour in 2016 with Alejandra Guzmán and Gloria Trevi — we played on nostalgia. It was massively successful.”
Promising markets for Latin artists
Schafer: “We’ve seen that Europe has shifted in terms of the ability of going a little bit outside the box of your traditional market would be. Spain is the anchor for a lot of these acts to go out there. More and more, the U.K., France, Italy. You’ve seen more stuff in Poland, we’ve done shows in Tel Aviv. It’s the best time for a Latin artist. Musically and from touring-wise, you have the ability to go pretty wide, and if you have the right team, you can build a real career outside of traditional markets. I’m also excited about Australia and Japan — really the outskirts of the world that we haven’t hit [where] I know there’s a market.”
You can listen to the entire conversation here.
On Tuesday (March 14), amid Austin’s South By Southwest music conference and festival, a few lucky Boygenius fans were treated to quite the special treatment upon landing in the city.
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At the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the band had set up shop at baggage claim. The trio of Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker surprised fans with an acoustic set of new material off its upcoming album, including singles “True Blue,” “Emily I’m Sorry” and “Not Strong Enough.”
Performing in front of a simple backdrop with the official SXSW 2023 banner and a white poster that read “boygenius,” the supergroup proved how little they need to deliver a stunning set.
For Bridgers, it’s just the latest in a series of surprise performances. She joined SZA on stage this month at New York’s Madison Square Garden, performed alongside Billie Eilish in December at the Los Angeles Forum, and guested with The 1975 and Lorde in separate appearances in November.
Boygenius formed in 2018 and released its self-titled EP that October. Its upcoming debut album, The Record, will be released on Interscope March 31.
As for the rest of the week in Austin at SXSW, Billboard has returned for three nights of star-studded concerts: Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW. Lil Yachty (presented by Doritos) will get things going on Thursday, March 16, with opening acts Lola Brooke and Armani White; Latin stars Feid and Eladio Carrión (presented by Samsung Galaxy) will perform on Friday, March 17; and electronic giants Kaskade and deadmau5 will perform as Kx5 (presented by Carnival) on Saturday, March 18.
Each show will take place at Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park in Austin. Tickets are available here.
Check out a clip from Boygenius’ airport set below:
Billboard officially returns to South by Southwest with three nights of star-studded concerts as part of the “Billboard Presents THE STAGE at SXSW,” which will be headlined by rapper and singer Lil Yachty (March 16), Latin superstars Feid and Eladio Carrión (March 17), and electronic music titans Kx5 (Kaskade and deadmau5) (March 18).
All taking place at the Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park in Austin, Texas, those who have SXSW Music and Platinum badges and SXSW Music Festival wristbands will have access to these performances on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tickets are also available for the public to purchase here. Billboard will donate a portion of ticket proceeds to Waterloo Greenway Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that aims to create an urban park system in partnership with the city of Austin.
In addition to Feid and Carrión, many more Latin acts will be present at this year’s festivals and conferences including Andrekza, Divino Niño and Ivonne Gonzalez, to name a few. See the full Latin guide from Thursday, March 16 to Sunday, March 19, below (the schedule is based on the official SXSW website):
THURSDAY, MARCH 16
Caramelo Haze Presented by: SXSW DAY PARTY – Qobuz SessionsTime: Noon – 12:30 p.m. CT Location: KMFA Radio
Divino NiñoPresented by: SXSW Day Party – Dr. MartensTime: 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. CTLocation: Clive Bar
The New Wave of Puerto Rican MusicArtists: unÁnima, Neysa Blay, Piquete, El Laberinto del CocoPresented by: PRIMATime: 7 p.m. – 11 p.m. CTLocation: Revival Coffee
Desta FrenchPresented by: Selector Radio (Jamz Supernova)Time: 8 p.m. – 8:40 p.m. CTLocation: Sellers Underground
ZZK RecordsArtists: Dat Garcia, Jackie Mendoza, Jhoniván y su Cumbia Loop, Karen y Los Remedios, Son Rompe Pera, Trucha SoulPresented by: ZZK Records Time: 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. CTLocation: Speakeasy
RUMBA Presented by Cinq Music + Mitu Artists: Ivonne Galáz, Janine, Los Aptos, Poe Leos, Porte Diferente, Tania DomínguezPresented by: Cinq Music + Mitu Time: 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. CTLocation: The Venue ATX
Nemegata Presented by: EQ Austin Time: 9 p.m. – 9:40 p.m. CTLocation: Sheraton BackYARD
Andrekza Presented by: Downtown Music ServicesTime: 9:35 p.m. – 10:25 p.m. CTLocation: Vaquero Taquero
Sara CurruchichTime: 10 p.m. – 10:40 p.m. CTLocation: Flamingo Cantina
OKAN Time: 11 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. CTLocation: Flamingo Cantina
Perreo Millennial ShowcaseArtists: CRYMES, Foudeqush, riela, Letón Pé, JUANPORDIOS!, Isabella LovestoryPresented by: Perreo ClubTime: 7 p.m. – 2 a.m. CTLocation: Cuatro Gato
Perreo Club ShowcaseArtists: RUUEx, soularreal, EL NICK, Vacio Sur, Dinabn, ella ella, Nurrydog, Poniboy, Girl Ultra, Suxxy PuxxyPresented by: Perreo ClubTime: 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. CTLocation: Coconut Club Rooftop
FRIDAY, MARCH 17
Billboard’s THE STAGE at SXSWArtists: Gabby Got It, Eladio Carrión, FeidPresented by Samsung Galaxy Time: 7 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. CTLocation: Moody Amphitheater @ Waterloo Park
Feid photographed on January 12, 2023 at Proper Studio in Miami.
Devin Christopher
Daniel Villarreal Presented by: Iceland Airwaves Time: 1 a.m. – 1:50 a.m. CTLocation: Victorian Room at The Driskill
Divino Niño Presented by: Cosmica Artists Time: 1 a.m. – 1:40 a.m. CTLocation: Cooper’s BBQ
La Cuneta Son Machin Time: 4 p.m. – 4:40 p.m. CT Location: International Day Stage
GlobalFEST Showcase Artists: La Cuneta Son Machin, King Stingray, Tuyo, Ramon Chicharron, Monophonics, Balaklava BluesPresented by: globalFESTTime: 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. CTLocation: Speakeasy
FAMA Collective ShowcaseArtists: La Marimba, Ramona, El Gran Poder de Diosa, Paraísos, Tangowhiskyman, RUBIO mediopickyPresented by: FAMA CollectiveTime: 8 p.m. – 2 a.m. CTLocation: Augustine
Latinapalooza Artists: Mariachi Las Coronelas, Patricia Vonne, The Tiarras, Liah Alonso, Cecilia and The Broken HeartsPresented by: Latinapalooza Time: 8:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. CTLocation: Cooper’s BBQ
El Combo Oscuro Presented by: Austin Music Foundation: ATX Gen NTime: 11 p.m. – 11:50 p.m. CTLocation: Sheraton BackYARD
OKAN Time: 9 p.m. – 9:40 p.m. CTLocation:
Sara CurruchichTime: 11 p.m. – 11:40 p.m. CTLocation: Victorian Room at The Driskill
SATURDAY, MARCH 18
Latin ShowcaseArtists: Michi Sanz, Destiny Navaira, Como Las Movies, Shiela, Shrt_LyfPresented by: Latin Music Coalition Austin & EQ Austin: LatinATX 2023Time: 7 p.m. – midnight CTLocation: Sheraton BackYARD
Hermanos Quimica Time: 7:55 p.m. – 8:35 p.m. CTLocation: Shangri-La
Poe Leos Presented by: The Color Agent Time: 9:30 p.m. – 10 p.m. CTLocation: Swan Dive
SUNDAY, MARCH 19
Estereomance Presented by: Anniversary Group + No Gold Time: Midnight – 12:40 a.m. CTLocation: Hotel Vegas
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.
Malachai Johns of the Aliive Agency has spent most his professional career in Washington, D.C.’s go-go scene, first as a teenage guitar player linking up with the Northeast Groovers before creating and producing the band Mambo Sauce, whose 2007 hit “Welcome to DC” charted on the Billboard charts.
“We were trying to do for go-go what No Doubt had done for ska,” explains Johns, who laments that the song didn’t popularize the genre but takes pride knowing it’s played at the home games of the Nationals (MLB), the Commanders (NFL) and the Capitals (NHL), and is the walk-on music for the Wizards (NBA).
Today, he works as a promoter and talent agent and go-go apostle working non-stop to grow the genre and create a new audience for artists he’s known most of his life. “My overall objective is to expose the rest of the world to the amazingness that is go-go music,” said Johns, who now lives in Long Beach, Calif.
Go-go music dates back to the late 1970s in D.C., thanks to groups like the Young Senators and Agression, and later the music of singer-guitarist Chuck Brown, long credited as the Godfather of go-go.
Brown was a fixture on the Washington, D.C. music scene with his band the Soul Searchers and developed a relaxed style of funk and Afro Caribbean rhythm that he would infuse into go-go. One of Brown’s signatures was the use of percussive breaks in between sets. Having to compete with DJs spinning Top 40 records, Brown would pepper his sets with drum breaks during lulls, finding a way to keep the audience engaged at all times, Johns explained.
Go-go music would reach its zenith in the mid-80s and early-90s with artists like Kurtis Blow and E.U., Slim and Junk Yard Band — but the genre largely remained centered in Washington D.C., where go-go performances still take place most nights.
Johns will host South by Southwest’s first-ever go-go showcase. “SXSW A Go-Go” will feature the all-star house band Crank Caviar with sets by Big G and Weensey from Backyard Band, Chris “Rapper Dude” Black with the Northeast Groovers, Frank Scooby Sirius of Sirius Company and the Chuck Brown Band.
“SXSW A Go-Go” runs from 8 pm to 2 am on March 15 at The Venue, 516 East 6th Street in Austin.
Nick Jonas has long been a famous face of diabetes. After being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at 13 years old, he’s spent close to two decades in the spotlight as a real-life example of how to thrive with the chronic disease, advocating for diabetes awareness and even launching Beyond Type 1, his own diabetes nonprofit organization, back in 2015.
At SXSW on Monday (March 13), the Jonas Brothers heartthrob took his voice and advocacy work to a new level by participating in “Crushing: The Burden of Diabetes on Patients With Nick Jonas,” a panel discussion with Dexcom COO Jake Leach; Dr. Thomas Grace, director of the Blanchard Valley Diabetes Center; Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod; and Rev. Mireya Martínez, an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church who lives with type 2 diabetes.
The panel shone a light on diabetes management at the annual Austin, Texas, festival, engaging in a thought-provoking and hopeful conversation about access and affordability, new breakthroughs in technology and treatment, and what more can be done for people living across the country with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
Below, Jonas chatted exclusively with Billboard about his experience on the SXSW stage, how he juggles his own diabetes management with the demands of international pop stardom, and what fans can expect from the Jonas Brothers’ upcoming five-night Broadway residency in New York City, which kicks off Tuesday night at the Marquis Theatre.
Congrats on the panel, Nick — how do you feel it went?
The panel went well! Some really interesting people that I was excited to meet and have a conversation around diabetes management and, you know, what my experience has been. There was a lot of conversation around access and affordability and some good progress that we’ve made over the last couple years — great progress very recently — and how we can continue that conversation and raise more awareness around CGM [continuous glucose monitoring] and the benefits of that. It’s been a pretty great day — it’s exciting to talk about something as personal as diabetes on a stage like South By.
You’ve been very open throughout your career about what it was like being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when you were a kid. How has managing your diabetes changed and evolved over the years as you’ve gotten older?
I think now entering my 30s and being a father, you know, these things all mean that much more to me, and I’m even more focused on my health and fitness and wellness and just being as present as possible as well. One of the major symptoms of living with type 1 is that when your glucose is high, it affects your hormones and everything else, so your attitude can be really… edgy is the best way to put it. [Laughs] And I definitely didn’t want that to be a factor — or I try to limit that being a factor and something I have to work through. So knowing that I’m getting readings as frequently as I’m getting through the Dexcom is kind of life-changing. Because I can really make changes in real time to avoid situations that would’ve otherwise been just me playing the guessing game.
It’s just been interesting to see over the years how my management of the disease has evolved. I try to be as pragmatic about it as possible and just kind of say up front that I’m certainly no expert. But I’ve now lived with this for, you know, 17-ish years and had to go through various points of really hard times and situations and other times that I feel like I’ve got a grip on things. But it’s just about riding that wave and doing the best you can.
How often are you getting those Dexcom readings?
Every couple of minutes. It’s pretty amazing, the technology and how small the wearable is and what I feel is the accuracy, as well. It’s remarkable technology that has been ongoing now for, I think, nearly 20 years. But where we are today just from 10 years ago is pretty incredible. I think it’s exciting to get to talk about it, and talk about the awareness component because so many people just aren’t aware of it. They don’t even know that this tech exists, or that it could make their lives so much better.
Speaking of raising awareness, you recently starred in Dexcom’s Super Bowl commercial. What was it like being able to film that?
This was our second Super Bowl commercial and, you know, I just think back to the 13-year-old me: newly diagnosed, didn’t know much about the disease at all. I was learning in real time, and was honestly very scared. Thinking back to that kid and now he can watch a platform as big as the Super Bowl and see a commercial about diabetes management, it’s a really exciting thing to be a part of and really humbling. And I thought the creative was super fun and kind of spelled it out very clearly — that it’s not magic, it’s Dexcom. I think I would’ve responded to that as a 13-year-old pricking my finger and trying to get a grasp on what this next step of my life was gonna look like.
What other little decisions do you have to make regarding the management of your diabetes when you’re, say, out on tour or heading into an album promo cycle like you are about to right now for The Album?
I think the biggest thing is just trying to avoid low glucose crashes. You know, nothing is perfect, right? So there are days when I feel like I’ve got a real grasp on it and then something happens and it’s kind of completely out of my control. It’s a really unpredictable disease that way. So avoiding lows and avoiding staying out of range, being on the higher side of glucose levels [too]. Because the symptoms and effects of that both short-term and long-term are pretty intense. And my goal is always just to be as present and in the moment as possible, whether I’m onstage or on a press tour, doing promo. It’s really all about just basically trying to manage my diabetes so that I can just live as freely and be as present as possible.
I would imagine that a resource like Dexcom helps you maybe not have it be so front of mind all the time.
Yeah, I look at my phone pretty frequently to go look at Instagram or Twitter. And it’s just as easy to click on the app to go look at my glucose, you know? It’s really integrated, literally, into the fabric of my life and something now that, with a tool like Dexcom, I can approach with an ease that I didn’t have before.
How does your mission with Beyond Type 1 help bring awareness to the importance of diabetes management?
Beyond Type 1 and the work that we’re doing is really all about surviving and thriving. So, you know, being an asset for the diabetes community — both type 1 and type 2 — by way of publishing great articles about the diabetes management side of things for both the individual and family and friends. But also touching on topics and themes that other, more clinical diabetes resources may not lean into as much as we’ve been able to and have the freedom to. So, taboo topics, or even just questions that aren’t as frequently asked. Spotlighting members of the community who are doing great work with their advocacy and raising awareness. And then obviously our main goal, as it is for everyone, I think, is a cure. So that’s a major part of it.
We understand that there’s a lot of very nuanced conversations happening around access and affordability and we are a part of that. So we’re aligning ourselves with organizations and individuals that are really steering us in the right direction as an org and setting a clear mandate from the top down on our end of where we can plug in to shed some light with the platform that we have, both on social media and otherwise. Also with Dexcom, we’re committing a million dollars to communities that need access and this information the most. So that was really exciting coming out of the Super Bowl commercial — the commitment from Dexcom and from Beyond Type 1 to partner on that. I can’t want to get into the conversation of where exactly that money’s gonna go.
Later this week you’re headed to New York for the Broadway residency. What’s it been like going through your discography to prep for all the shows?
You know, we [pauses] I’m just gonna go ahead and say it: We have a teleprompter at this point. Because we’ve got so many songs and we play all of the songs. So that’s helpful. But as far as going back, there’s the aspect of re-learning some of the songs. But then it really is kind of an emotional experience because you’re walking through different chapters of your life and your journey, both as a band and also as family, and kind of where we were at those pivotal moments when we released those albums. But it’s also a celebration! So to return to the Broadway stage — literally for me, the very stage that I performed on at 9 years old in Annie Get Your Gun — will be a pretty incredible thing. And again, to get to share that with family and friends who will be in the audience to lead up to what we’re all most excited about, which is unveiling The Album on Saturday night.
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.
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Billboard is returning to SXSW in Austin this year for three nights of star-studded concerts, an interactive content house and a plethora of panel discussions featuring musicians, music industry leaders and Billboard staff members.
Panels kick off Monday (March 13), while three Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW concerts are slated to follow later in the week. On Thursday (March 16), rapper and singer Lil Yachty will usher in the trio of shows with opening acts Lola Brooke and Armani White (presented by Doritos), followed by Feid and Eladio Carrión on Friday (presented by Samsung Galaxy) and Kx5 (Kaskade and deadmau5) on Sunday (presented by Carnival).
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All Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW concerts are set to take place at Austin’s Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park at 7 p.m CT.
Below is a list of where to find Billboard staffers and events at SXSW this week.
Monday, March 13
The Influence of Latin Music on Global Touring11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CT | Austin Convention Center, Room 18ABBillboard‘s senior Latin writer Griselda Flores will moderate a panel examining the impact that emerging and heritage Latin artists will have on the future of global touring. More info.
The Power of Connection with Emerging Technologies4 – 5 p.m. CT | Empire, 607 East 7th Street, AustinBillboard‘s senior director of touring/live entertainment Dave Brooks will moderate a panel with Dentity CEO Jefferey Schwartz, Rebecca Thorne of See Tickets, Stephen Chilton of Psyko Steve Presents and Dani Slocki of vSpace to discuss innovations in technology and how that relates to Web3, ticketing, access, Identity verification, fan appreciation, fan clubs, consumer engagement and more.
Tuesday, March 14
The Neighbors Have Money For You: Neighboring Rights Now1 – 2:30 p.m. CT | Parkside, 301 E. 6th St, AustinBillboard‘s deputy editorial director Rob Levine will host a panel of presenters to discuss neighboring rights and explain the different revenue sources and options rightsholders have to collect royalties. More info.
What to know: Royalties, Rights and Recording Artists2 – 3:30 p.m. CT | Courtyard Marriott, Rio Grande Ballroom, 300 E. 4th St, AustinBillboard‘s chief brand officer Dana Droppo will moderate a panel with SAG-AFTRA and top recording artists to discuss how the union can help artists protect themselves and what tools are available to help ensure a long-term career. This event will also be available online. More info.
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Wednesday, March 15
Rebuilding the Touring Industry from Scratch2:30 – 3:30 p.m. CT | Austin Convention Center, Room 17ABBillboard‘s special features/power lists editor Taylor Mims will moderate a panel examining how the key players in the touring industry have rebounded from the ruins of COVID over the past two years. More info.
Featured Session: How Music, Entrepreneurship, & Independence Intersect2:30 – 3:30 p.m. CT | Austin Convention Center, Room 16ABBillboard‘s R&B/hip-hop reporter Heran Mamo will moderate a panel on the steps needed to build a successful entertainment company that transcends cultural boundaries. This event will also be available online. More info.
Thursday, March 16
Featured Speaker: Music Publishing in the New Songwriter Economy11:30am – 12:30 p.m. CT | Austin Convention Center, Room 16ABBillboard‘s editorial director Hannah Karp will discuss the future of music publishing and the new songwriter economy. This event will also be available online. More info.
How Global Collecting Societies Change Publishing2:30 – 3:30 p.m. CT | Austin Convention Center, Room 17ABBillboard‘s deputy editorial director Rob Levine will discuss how the rise of globalized collecting societies will affect the publishing business and the songwriters who depend on it. More info.
The Creator Boom: How the Industry Can Transform2:30 – 3:30 p.m. CT | Austin Convention Center, Room 18CDBillboard‘s music publishing reporter Kristin Robinson will moderate a panel discussing the rise of AI music companies and music creation tools, as well as DIY distribution services that are enabling bedroom creators — and how both creators and the industry are transforming to keep pace with this new creator paradigm. More info.
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Welcome to the Machine: Art in the Age of A.I.4 – 5 p.m. CT | Austin Convention Center, Room 12ABBillboard‘s deputy editorial director Rob Levine will also discuss the future of artificial intelligence in the music business and how “functional music” can be used to help listeners study or sleep. More info.
Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW: Lil Yachty7 p.m. CT | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, 1401 Trinity St., AustinPresented by Doritos, rapper and singer Lil Yachty will perform with opening performances by Lola Brooke and Armani White. Buy tickets here.
Doritos After Dark at Billboard House10:30 p.m. – 1:30 a.m. CT | 800 Congress, AustinDoritos will be taking over the Billboard House for a late-night, one-night-only dining experience featuring an all-vinyl set by DJ Pee .Wee (Anderson .Paak). The experience will be available to SXSW badge holders on a first-come-first-served basis. More info.
Friday, March 17
Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW: Feid and Eladio Carrión7 p.m. CT | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, 1401 Trinity St., Austin, TX Presented by Samsung Galaxy, Latin superstars Feid and Eladio Carrión will perform. Buy tickets here.
Saturday, March 18
Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW: Kx5 (KasKade and deadmau5)7 p.m. CT | Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park, 1401 Trinity St., Austin, TXPresented by Carnival, electronic dance titans Kx5 (Kaskade and deadmau5) will perform. Buy tickets here.
Billboard’s parent company PMC is the largest shareholder of SXSW and its brands are official media partners of SXSW.
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