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Lenny Kravitz Pens Tribute to Godmother Cicely Tyson, ‘A Black Queen Who Showed Us How Beautiful Black Is’
Among her many accomplishments, including being the recipient of three Emmy Awards, Tyson was the first African-American to win a lead actress Emmy, for her performance portraying a woman from the 1850s to the civil-rights era in the 1974 CBS telefilm The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. She notably received an Oscar nomination for her role in 1972’s Sounder, and she won a Tony award in 2013 for her work in The Trip to Bountiful. “The love between us was and is tremendous,” Kravitz said in his post. “As long as I have had consciousness, I’ve known Godmother. She and my mother were kindred spirits. Sisters. And after my mother passed, Godmother’s role in my life was amplified. I constantly felt her spirit over me. She always gave me unconditional suppor...
Kesha Battles Herself in Empowering Sam Feldt Collaboration ‘Stronger’
Kesha is no stranger to uplifting anthems, with songs like “High Road” and “Praying” under her belt. On Friday (Jan. 29), the singer teamed up with Dutch DJ and producer Sam Feldt for the powerful new song, “Stronger.” As the title suggests, the accompanying video finds Kesha fighting herself in a boxing ring, with Feldt as the judge and announcer. As the two well-dressed warrior Keshas battle it out, the rounds get increasingly intense, culminating with the duo shooting each other in a classic duel. “You gotta take it day-by-day / Keep moving forward, no matter what they say / And when the thieves try to steal your faith / Keep pushin’ through ’em ’cause there ain’t no other way / If you wanna get stronger,&#...
Sam Smith, Rina Sawayama and More React to Sophie’s Tragic Death: ‘A True Visionary and Icon of Our Generation’
Experimental pop musician Sophie has died, as her label Future Classic confirmed on Saturday morning (Jan. 30). “Our beautiful Sophie passed away this morning after a terrible accident. True to her spirituality she had climbed up to watch the full moon and accidentally slipped and fell,” a statement read. The producer and singer-songwriter, born Sophie Xeon, was 34. Peers, fans and friends in the pop and electronic communities (and beyond) quickly took to social media to mourn and pay tribute to Sophie. “Heartbreaking news. The world has lost an angel. A true visionary and icon of our generation,” Sam Smith tweeted. “Your light will continue to inspire so many for generations to come. Thinking of Sophie’s family and friends at this hard time.” You Deserve to Make Money Even When...
5 Uplifting Moments in Latin Music This Week (January 30)
Latin Artists to Watch in 2021 From regional Mexican singer Junior H to Argentine sensation Nathy Peluso and promising reggaetonero Jay Wheeler, Billboard editors combed far and wide to gather the 22 artists who we think will have a major impact in 2021. Our selections are informed by chart achievements, streaming totals, overall quality, and gut instinct. Check out the exclusive list here. Selena Gomez announces Spanish EP Calling all Selenators: Earlier this week, Selena Gomez officially announced that her first-ever Spanish-language EP is set to drop March 12. Titled Revelación (Revelation), the album follows Gomez’s recently-released Spanish singles “De Una Vez,” which arrived Jan. 16, and the Rauw Alejandro-assisted “Baila Conmigo.R...
Here’s Why Jimmy Fallon Doesn’t Want to Sing Backup on Justin Timberlake’s Next Record
Jimmy looks off-camera, shocked, before saying (obviously), “Yeah!” “OK, done,” Timberlake said. “What? Did this just happen? We can’t edit this out! We have to leave this in the show!” Fallon says. “But I’m going to treat you the same way that I did right before we did the first Bee Gees sketch we ever did,” Timberlake says of their beloved “Barry Gibb Talk Show” skit on Saturday Night Live. Watch the clip below to see exactly what that means, and you can watch the full interview on NBC at 11:35 p.m. ET on The Tonight Show, where Ozuna and Anuel AA are the night’s musical guests. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with gi...
Breaking Down Guitarist Hotei’s Collaborative Album ‘Soul to Soul,’ Feat. Artists From Around the Globe
Hotei is celebrating 40 years in music in 2021. His career began in 1981 in the emerging Japanese punk/new wave scene as the guitarist for BOØWY, a legendary rock band that rocketed to stardom and enjoyed a huge following throughout the ‘80s. At a time when domestic rock music was still a form of counterculture, the influential group catapulted the genre into the mainstream. Their popularity was such that when they dropped their final album Psychopath in 1987, it ruled the Japan album chart while holding Michael Jackson’s Bad, released around the same time, at bay — a significant achievement considering Jackson’s ubiquitous global presence at the time. After disbanding, Hotei broke new ground by singing all-English songs on his debut solo project Guitarhythm (1988), now a series that conti...
Snow Man’s ‘Grandeur’ Rules Japan Hot 100 With 800k Copies Sold
The close race between LiSA’s “Homura” and BTS’s “Dynamite” takes an unexpected turn this week, as the former slips three notches to No. 5 on the Japan Hot 100 while the latter holds at No. 3. This is due to the fact that although “Homura” is still ahead in downloads, “Dynamite” added points in streaming and video, coming in at No. 1 for the latter. In particular, “Dynamite” racked up 4,939,343 weekly views as “Homura” clocked in at 2,993,091 views, and this difference greatly affected the outcome of these two tracks this week. Ado’s “Usse-wa” rises 10-6 this week. The teenaged singer’s blistering track — the unique title translates to something like “Just shut up” in English — soared in downloads and streaming after being taken up on a number of TV programs, adding points to the alre...
How Fran Rozzano Landed a Record Deal With Pina Records in a Pandemic
A music video, directed by Fernando Lugo in Miami, features Natti Natasha as the star with a cameo from Pina. But before making the rounds with his new bop and landing on YouTube’s Trending page, Rozzano was chasing his dream. One that he was able to reach thanks to the power of social media and in the midst of a pandemic. He was discovered in October of last year during Raphy Pina’s “Tienes Un Minuto” competition on Instagram, where he encouraged aspiring artists from all over the world to remix Natti’s “Que Mal Te Fue.” Rozzano ultimately won the competition and landed a record deal with Pina Records. “It changed my life,” he tells Billboard. Below, read our Q&A with Rozzano. How did you find out about Raphy Pina’s “Tienes Un Minuto” dynamic? I come from doing covers and my fam...
First Spin: The Week’s Best New Dance Tracks From Alok, Mikey Lion, TroyBoi & More
Brazilian phenom Alok drops “Kids On Whizz,” his rework of 2020’s “Charlie” by the UK duo (and brothers) Everyone You Know. Rife with “Can’t Feel My Face”-level euphemisms about a certain white substance historically popular in clubland, the already alluring track goes even deeper on this edit. Alok kicks up the BPM and adds a few slight layers to the already heady tropically-laden deep house production, while leaving the standout hook — which the producer says initially drew him to the song — in tact. “When we released ‘Charlie’ we never in a million years thought someone with as much weight and clout as Alok would reach out to rework the track,” the Everyone You Know bros gush in a statement. “It’s quite s...
From ‘Camp Rock’ to ‘Will & Grace,’ Here Are All of Demi Lovato’s Acting Gigs
And while fans love Lovato for her one-of-a-kind vocal talent and hit songs like “Sorry Not Sorry” and “Confident,” the news has us at Billboard reminiscing on the multi-hyphenate’s longtime acting career. See all her onscreen moments below. Barney & Friends (2002 – 2004) A then-10-year-old Lovato made her acting debut as Angela on seasons seven and eight of the popular kids’ television series. She met fellow star Selena Gomez on set, and the two would act in a number of scenes together. As the Bell Rings (2007 – 2008) Demi first dipped her toes in the Disney Channel world when she starred as Charlotte in the first season of As the Bell Rings, a short comedy series. She was the main female character, and fans at the time were ca...
Summer Walker Shows Off Her Pregnant ‘Body’ in Soothing New Video
Summer Walker has released the long-awaited video for her 2019 Over It track, “Body,” and it’s the breath of fresh air to kick of 2021. The black-and-white vignette shows the singer, who is expecting her first child with producer London on da Track, glowing in the sunlight against a mountainous and beachy California landscape. “Baby, I’m talkin’ crazy / I need you right in my space, but I / Need it, baby, I’m late, but I /Still can check in with you,” she muses in the sultry chorus. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sh...
Machine Gun Kelly Reveals Origin Story of His Name in ‘SNL’ Promos: Watch
“Okay, okay I get it!” the Jack Ryan star responds. “No, no, no, she’s right, you better be funny,” MGK chimes in with a hard stare. In the second clip, Gardner asks the MC-turned-pop-punker (born Richard Colson Baker) how he came up with his stage name. “Oh, my mother’s maiden name is Machine Gun,” he jokes. MGK recently released the 50-minute Downfalls High — the companion movie to his Billboard 200 No. 1 album Tickets to My Downfall — which he wrote and directed with Mod Sun and which features frequent collaborator Travis Barker, Sydney Sweeney, Chase Hudson, Trippie Redd, Blackbear, Iann Dior and Maggie Lindemann. Watch the promos below. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are l...
