The Voice
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NBC announced the cast for the upcoming fall season of The Voice on Monday morning (May 15), revealing that former judge John Legend will be back in the mix in addition to returning castmate Gwen Stefani. The two will be joined by Niall Horan in his second season, with one-time Voice hold-out country icon Reba […]
Adam Levine is making his returns to music and to The Voice, all within the span of a few days. On Thursday (May 11), the members of Maroon 5 announced that their new single “Middle Ground” — the band’s first release since 2021 — is set to arrive later this month, which they’ll celebrate with […]
The Voice is crowning its season 23 winner next week, and the two-night finale on Monday and Tuesday not only marks the end of a season, but also the end of an era: Blake Shelton will be departing the show after 12 years and 23 seasons as coach.
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To celebrate Shelton’s impact on The Voice, Dolly Parton, as well as previous Voice coaches Miley Cyrus, Usher, Pharrell, John Legend, Nick Jonas, Camila Cabello and Jennifer Hudson will all make special appearances during the finale, Billboard can exclusively reveal.
Additionally, original coach CeeLo Green, Lewis Capaldi and Diplo with Lily Rose will take the stage to perform as well. Of course, the bromance between Shelton and OG Voice coach Adam Levine is still alive and well, so it makes sense that Maroon 5 will also perform their new single “Middle Ground” during the finale as well.
On Monday night, the five remaining contestants will perform a ballad and an uptempo song in front of current coaches Kelly Clarkson, Niall Horan, Chance the Rapper and Shelton to give America one last chance to crown them this season’s winner.
Shelton announced his departure from The Voice back in October. “This show has changed my life in every way for the better and it will always feel like home to me,” he wrote in a statement posted to social media. “It’s been a hell of a ride over these 12 years of chair turns and I want to thank everyone at The Voice from NBC, every producer, the writers, musicians, crew and catering people, you are the best. It takes a lot of work, passion, and adult beverages (Ha!) to pull off a live show twice a week.”
The singer concluded his statement by thanking the contestants and the fans. “It would not happen without you,” he wrote.
The Voice playoffs on Monday night (May 8) saw eight contestants advance to the next round of the competition. Of the eight, Gina Miles managed to secure her spot with a stunning cover of Chris Isaak‘s hit “Wicked Game.’
Miles took to the stage backed by several instrumentalists while giving an emotional rendition of the track. “What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way/ What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you/ What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way/ What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you,” she powerfully sang, effortlessly switching between vocal registers.
At the end of Miles’ performance, Niall Horan — her coach — as well as Kelly Clarkson, Chance the Rapper and Blake Shelton all gave her a standing ovation.
“Wicked Game” was released as a single from Isaak’s third studio album, 1989’s Heart Shaped World. The track became popular in when it was featured in David Lynch’s 1990 film Wild at Heart (starring Nicolas Cage and Laura Derndebuted) and debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 in December that year. “Wicked Game” peaked at No. 6 on the all-genre tally, and spent 24 weeks on the chart.
Miles’ performance isn’t the first time a contestant on The Voice has covered Isaak’s “Wicked Game”: Cali Wilson delivered her take on the track during the season 17 knockout rounds in 2019. Wilson’s cover propelled the song to the top of Rock Digital Song Sales, and it became Isaak’s first No. 1 single on a Billboard chart.
Listen to Miles’ cover of “Wicked Game” in above.
Late night will be a lot quieter in the midst of the Writers Guild of America strike that began Monday (May 1) after negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to produce a new deal.
So far, the first strike in 15 years means that all your favorite late night talk shows will be dark for the time being, with Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Steven Colbert and Seth Meyers turning off the lights and The Daily Show also taking a break for the foreseeable future. Their solidarity with the strikers will keep musical acts from promoting their latest projects on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show and Late Night, eliminating a vital source of television promotion.
The three biggest reality singing shows will carry on without any interruption. A source close to American Idol tells Billboard that there is not expected to be any impact on the current season, which is slated to wrap up on May 21 with a three-hour finale. Similarly, Fox’s Masked Singer — whose episodes are pre-taped well in advance — will keep revealing celebrity singers through its May 17 finale. At press time a source close to The Voice — which wraps with a two-night finale on May 22-23 — tells Billboard the NBC series also does not expect to change gears over the next three weeks.
But the work stoppage also means Pete Davidson’s anticipated comeback to Saturday Night Live this weekend (May 6) with musical guest Lil Uzi Vert has been put on ice. According to Variety, Sunday night’s (May 7) live 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards is pulling the ripcord on their “contingency” plan after months of planning for the long-expected strike.
The production reportedly stockpiled “several short films” before the strike began, though any other scripted elements “can’t be updated or revised” with the writers on the sidelines, meaning there might be less of the expected topical or in-the-moment commentary pumped into the Teleprompter for presenters and host Drew Barrymore during the broadcast.
The MTV event will be the first major awards show since the strike was called and the unnamed production source said nothing that was written before can be changed at this point. Barrymore told Variety that planning was key. “The things that we have planned to be in the body of the show, we made efforts to have those plans be in place,” the actress and daytime talk show host said. “Our respect and solidarity is not only intact, we are covering ourselves so that we can do the appropriate thing. Nobody here is tone deaf… I think we’ve been acting in accordance of being the most appropriate to everyone we support, and have a plan for that in place.”
Further down the line, Yellowjackets co-creator Ashley Lyle tweeted on Tuesday that the Showtime drama, whose episodes are typically packed with classic alt-rock from the 1990s, has stopped work on the in-process third season as its second season continues to roll out. Anticipating a work slowdown, many studios stockpiled episodes and movies to weather the storm in light of the last work stoppage in 2007, which lasted 100 days.
That means artists and rights holders who locked in synch deals for the placement of their songs in already wrapped shows and movies should not be impacted, while those who were working to secure such deals may face days, weeks, or possibly months of delays in finalizing future synchs.
“While company profits have remained high and spending on content has grown, writers are falling behind,” the WGA said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter. “The companies have used the transition to streaming to cut writer pay and separate writing from production, worsening working conditions for series writers at all levels. On TV staffs, more writers are working at minimum regardless of experience, often for fewer weeks, or in mini-rooms, while showrunners are left without a writing staff to complete the season. And while series budgets have soared over the past decade, median writer-producer pay has fallen.”
The Reporter also noted syndicated daytime talk shows will, for the most part, not be affected, as The View, Live With Kelly and Mark and Tamron Hall — all of which frequently feature musical guests — do not staff WGA writers; The Talk, which does employ WGA writers, is airing banked shows for this week and next and will then shift to repeats.
The Kelly Clarkson Show, home to the beloved daily Kellyoke segment and frequent sit-downs with fellow musicians, employs guild writers but tapes episodes in advance and has “a bank of shows on which to draw.” Another popular daytime talker, The Drew Barrymore Show, has wrapped production on its season.
Michael B. stepped onto the stage of The Voice on Monday night’s episode to cover Shawn Mendes‘ “When You’re Gone.”
The bespectacled 29-year-old Oklahoma native was assigned the 2022 one-off by the Canadian crooner as his song for the Knockouts — featuring Reba McEntire as this season’s Mega Mentor — where he faced off against fellow Team Niall member EJ Michels. “You never know how good you have it, oh no/ Until you’re staring at a picture of the only one that matters/ I know what we’re supposed to do/ It’s hard for me to let go of you/ So I’m just tryna hold on,” he sang, keeping the verses low and quiet before belting out the chorus.
Ultimately, Michael B. came out on top, with coach Niall Horan selecting him as one of four artists on his team to move on to the Playoffs, which were pre-recorded this season for the first time since season 13. The other remaining members of Team Niall include Gina Miles, Ross Clayton and new recruit Tasha Jessen, who the former One Direction singer stole from Team Blake.
Throughout the competition thus far, Michael B. has made an impressive run, starting with his audition using The Weeknd’s “Save Your Tears.” He later faced off against Ryley Tate Wilson in the Battles by duetting on Giveon’s “Heartbreak Anniversary.”
Meanwhile, Horan is still having a blast on his freshman go-round in NBC’s famous spinning chairs. Just a few weeks ago, he stepped into Blake Shelton’s well-worn cowboy boots to impersonate the OG coach in the faux trailer for “One Last Ride: Blake Shelton’s Final Season.”
Watch Michael B. perform “When You’re Gone” in the Knockouts below.
Blake Shelton has his eyes on the prize. And by that, extending his unassailable run of The Voice season wins into double figures, with 10. And, just maybe, going out with back-to-back wins. NOIVAS could get him there.
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During the Battle Round, Shelton stole the 30-year-old Hutto, Texas singer from Chance The Rapper. As the Knockout Round rumbled on during Monday night’s episode (April 17), it appeared to be another shrewd move by the country star. With his fate on the show hanging, and the bright lights glaring, NOIVAS impressed with a rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I’ll Put A Spell On You.” The soul man put a spell on the audience, wielding the mic stand like he meant business and throwing in some measured maniacal moments. NOIVAS, coach Niall Horan enthused, “you’ve got to pay for a floor cleaning bill… You just scraped up that stage with that mic stand. Every time you just bring it — dude, you’re impressive.”Shelton also liked what he saw. “I thought there was a chance that you took the word knockouts literally,” he said at the end. “Got a little bit wild, and it scared me, and I like that. Your talent is shocking and it’s fearless.”
Tasha Jessen, the 21-year-old from Colorado Springs, can also tick the “talent” and “fearless” boxes. When her turn came, Jessen turned it up with a cover of Hozier’s “Take Me to Church” — peppered with high notes, power, control and all the good stuff.
Shelton had a tough decision to make. He tapped NOIVAS as winner of the Knockout Round, but the action wasn’t done there. Horan swept in to steal Jessen, keeping her in the contest.
Everyone’s a winner.
Talk about turning an L into a W. After Team Niall’s Jerome Goodwin III and Talia Smith dueled it out on stage during the final night of Battle Rounds on The Voice on Tuesday night (April 5), the newbie coach had to make a very hard decision about who did Sam Smith’s “Like I Can” justice, with Smith shocked the world with her breaking news.
Kelly Clarkson was impressed with Godwin’s control, as well as Smith’s range and capability. “I could not take my eyes off of you,” she said. And though it wasn’t her tough choice to make, Clarkson said she was going to be “bummed to see either one of you go.” Coach Horan admitted there were “some pitch issues across the board” before saying Godwin won the day with his “composure.”
Smith took the elimination in stride, though, because she had her own wild card to reveal. “This whole journey started with a sad story and now I’m standing here and my whole life has changed, so I’m just grateful,” she said. “Thank you for the opportunity, I’m just happy to be here.”
Then, patting her belly, she added, “I want my future baby to look onstage and be like, ‘That was my mommy!’”
Mother of two Clarkson was gobsmacked by the Beyoncé-like baby bump reveal . “Did she just say baby?” she asked Horan, who jumped up to hug Smith. “Oh my God, that’s incredible!” Speaking to camera after the elimination, Horan called Smith “such a lovely lady, and an amazing singer,” adding, “I’m sad to see her go.”
Season 23’s next episode, “Best of the Blinds, Battles and Blake,” will air on Monday (April 10).
Check out the video of the blessed moment below.
The Battles round rumbles on as The Voice’s contestants pull out their best, or face elimination.
On Tuesday night’s (April 4) episode, Team Niall singers Jerome Godwin III, the 20-year-old Ashford, AL native, went head-to-head with Talia Smith, the 29-year-old who calls Queens, NY home.
Both tackled Sam Smith’s “Like I Can” for a performance that had the coaches bouncing along, and Niall Horan out of his seat.
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Kelly Clarkson was impressed with Godwin’s control, and Smith’s range and capability. “I could not take my eyes off of you,” she remarked. It’s not her choice to make, but she’s “bummed to see either one of you go.”
Jerome “smashed it,” added Chance the Rapper. “You could sing anything. I feel like you’d be really good with gospel and soul, but I also think you could do, like, Broadway stuff.” Smith, he reckoned, had some “pitch issues,” but she found the pocket halfway through the song.
Blake Shelton concurred – Godwin “took this battle.”
Decision time. Yes, there were “obviously some pitch issues across the board,” noted Horan. Still, it was an “unbelievable performance,” the Irishman enthused. This Battle would always come down to “who had the most composure.” And that was Godwin.
Smith proved she was a good sport, thanking the coaches and producing a late surprise. She revealed that she’s carrying a baby.
Watch the Battle below.
Libianca will always remember last year’s Friendsgiving — after all, she ran to the bathroom sobbing in the middle of it.
The former contestant on The Voice had recently quit her job as an independent living skills worker, and had been questioning her future as a professional singer. She was no longer interested in covering already established hits; she wanted to create a life-changing one of her own.
“I was talking to God, [thinking], ‘This life is so hard.’ I don’t know what the next step is, but I was working, working, and working, and not seeing anything in return,” she recalls over Zoom.
But the Friendsgiving breakdown left her inspired, and later in November, the embattled singer — who has been diagnosed with cyclothymia, a rare mood disorder that can cause extreme emotional highs and lows — chose to detail her pain through songwriting. She went on YouTube and found a beat that captured her discomfort, then recorded on Apple’s Logic Pro. Within a day, what began as a therapy session formed the foundation for “People,” the 22-year-old R&B-Afrobeats artist’s breakout hit and long-awaited ticket to stardom.
Born in Minnesota, Libianca Kenzonkinboum Fonji moved to Cameroon with her family when she was 4. There, she drew inspiration from her first babysitter, who enjoyed singing while cleaning around the house. Their relationship sparked Libianca’s initial love for singing, and by the age of 10, she began writing her own songs.
At 13, she moved back to Minnesota and joined a local choir, learning how to engineer, record and mix her vocals soon after. By her late teens, she was covering songs like SZA’s “Good Days” and Billie Eilish’s “Everything I Wanted,” the latter of which she also performed on The Voice in 2021.
Though she was ultimately eliminated after making the show’s top 20, her departure was soon followed by a string of independent one-off releases, including her cover of “Everything I Wanted” at the end of 2021 and a spin on Doja Cat’s “Woman” the following spring.
Libianca photographed on March 17, 2023 in Los Angeles.
Liam Woods
Yet the original single “People” is the one that cut through — and is a shining example of how sourcing your pain can have impactful results. While the track bursts with Afrobeats flavor, poignant lyrics like the opening line “I’ve been drinking more alcohol for the past five days/Did you check on me? Now, did you look for me?” ground the song while addressing the impact of substance abuse on mental health.
Libianca played the song for her manager M3tro, whom she met five years ago during her time as a student at the University of Minnesota (the two creatives became fast friends, and eventually roommates). And while he raved about the record, he instantly became concerned while listening to the lyrics. “Once she played the song, I asked her, ‘I know something’s going on, but what’s up?’ ” M3tro remembers. “That’s when I was like, ‘I really have to pay more attention.’ ”
Several days after writing and recording the breakthrough hit, Libianca posted a teaser clip on TikTok in which she was holding a bottle of wine as a snippet of the song played in the background. According to M3tro, within 30 minutes of uploading the clip, likes and comments started flooding her notifications. “Waking up the next morning to so many people feeling so connected to the song [was special],” Libianca says. “I saw families sending me videos of their babies singing the song, and [had] women messaging me about the sh-t that they go through in their homes and how this song needs to drop ASAP because it’s calling to their hearts.”
To date, the viral clip has compiled more than 4.8 million views on TikTok. Less than a week after the initial post, she upped the ante with a live rendition of the track in front of a simple color backdrop. The DIY clip has since earned 1.3 million views on Instagram and 2.5 million on TikTok.
The buzz surrounding the unreleased track soon caught the attention of acclaimed U.K. producer Jae5, who quickly reached out in hopes of signing Libianca to his 5K Records label, and did so last December — just one month after her memorable Friendsgiving. Once the deal was done, Jae quickly mixed the record and helped with the song’s final arrangement before its official release on Dec. 6.
“When it comes to music, that man is my big brother for life,” says M3tro of Jae5. “Not only is he that, but he’s also humble and genuine. He comes in like, ‘How can the music be the best way it needs to be?’ And we applaud him for that.”
Libianca (left) and M3tro photographed on March 17, 2023 in Los Angeles.
Liam Woods
“People” debuted on the Billboard U.S. Afrobeats Songs chart in mid-December — where it has held at a No. 2 high since January — and has 288.7 million official on-demand global streams through March 30, according to Luminate. The song also became Libianca’s first entry on the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl U.S. charts. And in March, she dropped multiple remixes to maximize the crossover momentum, including one with fellow Afrobeats stars Omah Lay and Ayra Starr and another with Irish singer-songwriter Cian Ducrot.
“We were very particular about who else was gonna hop on this song, because the message is very crystal-clear,” says Libianca. “[‘People’] is very vulnerable, and anyone that comes on there has to be vulnerable as well in their own way.”
Libianca says that her next single, due later this month, will be about “a bunch of real sh-t we don’t like to talk about.” An EP will soon follow. “It doesn’t have to be sad, per se, but if it’s not something I can feel, I’m not gon’ release it,” she explains. “I want every single one of my songs to be an experience rather than just doing what I need to do to get the next check.”
A version of this story originally appeared in the April 1, 2023, issue of Billboard.