Videos

Ayra Starr talks about the international success of her song “Rush,” becoming the youngest African female artist to surpass 100 million views on YouTube, getting her first Grammy nomination, her aspiration to be a teenage pop star, the growth of popularity of the Afrobeats genre and where she sees the future of the genre going and more!

Ayra StarrI wasn’t here two years ago, now I’m doing an interview with Billboard.

Rania AniftosFresh off the Grammys, girl.

Ayra StarrHello, I’m Ayra Starr and you’re watching Billboard News.

Rania AniftosHey everybody, its Rania Aniftos with Billboard News and I am so excited. We have the Afrobeats queen herself in the studio today, Ayra Starr.

Ayra StarrHello!

Rania AniftosWelcome to the studio.

Ayra StarrThank you for having me. I’m excited.

Rania AniftosYou were just nominated for your first-ever Grammy nomination. How did that feel?

Ayra StarrAmazing. I had a great time at the Grammys. All the parties even before the Grammys, I was just like, oh, like, I’m at the Grammys. You can see me at the red carpets. I was having a good time. Let me tell you.

Rania AniftosWas there something that surprised you over the course of the week that you were like, I was expecting this, but this happened instead.

Ayra StarrTo be honest like anytime I come to LA, I’m always like indoors and never do anything and people like people know me, but people don’t really know me. They know my music, but they don’t know me. This time, every room I walked into: Ayra Starr! I was fangirling over the people who are fangirling over me, like, “You know me!” And it was the best thing.

Watch the full video above!

TikTok Star Bryce Hall responds to Billie Eilish’s comments on TikTokers being invited to the People’s Choice Awards. Madonna takes quite the fall while onstage in Seattle. Peso Pluma is going back on tour with over 35 shows. BTS fans rejoice: J-Hope announces a new album and a six-part documentary coming soon. And more! Tetris […]

Noah Kahan’s “Stick Season” breaks into the top 10, Kanye West and Beyoncé also get top 10 debuts for new songs “Carnival” and “Texas Hold ‘Em,” respectively. Watch the video to find out which track is at No. 1. Tetris Kelly:This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated Feb. 24. Noah […]

For Black History Month, Billboard is celebrating by highlighting some of the greatest Black executives in music, and today we’re celebrating, President, Founder and CEO of Femme It Forward Heather Lowery. Heather LoweryI’m Heather Lowery, the president, founder and CEO of Femme It Forward. Heather LoweryFemme It Forward is a female led entertainment company. Our […]

Ariana Grande remixes her Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Yes And ?” with her idol and iconic diva Mariah Carey, Dua Lipa is officially in “Training Season” with her latest drop, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and Chris Hemsworth will co-chair the 2024 Met Gala, Gunna drops his latest single “Bittersweet,” Billboard reporter Rania Aniftos […]

For Black History Month, Billboard is celebrating by highlighting some of the greatest Black executives in music, and today we’re celebrating, Quincy Jones.

Quincy JonesTo get to work with almost every major influencer in America, you know from Louis Armstrong to Billy Eckstine, Ella, Sarah, Ray Charles, Aretha, Paul Simon, everybody.

Tetris KellyFor Black History Month Billboard is celebrating by highlighting some of the greatest black executives in music, and today we’re celebrating Quincy Jones.

Tetris KellyThe incomparable Quincy Jones is a staple in the music industry with 25 songs on the Hot R&B, Hip-Hop Songs chart, four of which reached No. 1, he’s won an Emmy, a Tony, a humanitarian Oscar and an insane 28 Grammys, making him one of only 25 people to achieve EGOT status. He has an incredible resume and over 70 years of musical memories to be proud of.

QuincyMeeting Ray Charles was number one, playing with Billie Holiday at 14 years old at the Eagle auditorium. Played with Billy Eckstine, played with Cam Calloway…

Tetris Kelly 1:08But it’s not just his own successes on his CV, some of the biggest legends in music have Quincy Jones to thank for their achievements. In 1961, Quincy became the director of A&R for Mercury Records. Three years later, he will become the vice president becoming the first African American to hold a top executive position at an American major record label. Quincy has worked with some of music’s greatest and is to thank for creating the Michael Jackson we know to this day.

Quincy JonesMichael that was an accident. We did ‘The Wiz.’ And he said, because he helped me find a producers and Michael, you don’t even have the song and the picture yet. Let’s not only think about that, let’s get to the song when he asked me about the producer to see what he could do that hadn’t been done before. I was thinking about the reins of his voice and just that’s the stuff that you do like the architecture of production, you know.

Tetris KellyThere’s no denying Quincy Jones has changed the entertainment game.

Quincy JonesI’ve been so blessed to be able to contribute to how that changes is how we are represented and received. We’ve come a long way from the time when you need to see faces of color on TV.

Tetris KellyToday we honor the music Titan Quincy Jones

Billboard is highlighting the top 3 Bob Marley songs you should check out from our list of the 30 best Bob Marley songs not on the 1984 compilation album ‘Legend.’ Tetris KellyWith new movie ‘One Love’ in theaters everybody is listening to Bob Marley, Billboard has listed the top 30 Bob Marley songs that aren’t […]