Music News
Hikaru Utada Makes Festival Debut at Coachella With 88rising: Interview & Recap
On the first day of Weekend One at Coachella this year (April 15-17), J-pop superstar Hikaru Utada surprised fans by announcing they would be performing the next day in 88rising’s Head in the Clouds Forever showcase. The event would be streamed live on YouTube, meaning fans around the world who couldn’t make it to the festival grounds could tune in to witness the Japanese-American hitmaker’s special set online. The following is a report by Billboard Japan of Hikaru Utada’s first-ever Coachella performance, along with excerpts from an interview they gave immediately after their performance. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news I was one of the lucky ones who got to see the show on-site, and moved forward to a position next to the runway where...
Harry Styles Reveals How One Direction Struggles and Speculation Over His Sexuality Influenced ‘Harry’s House’
Harry Styles‘ next album is all about finding a sense of home. In his Better Homes & Gardens cover story published Tuesday (April 26), the 28-year-old singer-songwriter revealed that his May 20-slated third record Harry’s House includes cozy lyrics about “sitting in the garden” and “maple syrup, coffee, pancakes for two,” all having to do with his realization that “home feeling isn’t something that you get from a house.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “It’s more of an internal thing,” he told the publication. “You realize that when you stop for a minute.” But what, exactly, is the chaos in his life he’s now working to move away from and toward stability? Turns out, a lot. Styles spoke in the interview at length about how Harry...
Fitz and the Tantrums, Modest Mouse & More Set for 2022 SummerStage
City Parks Foundation announced the return of Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage on Tuesday (April 26), as the annual outdoor performing arts festival is set to take over New York City with 90 free and benefit shows in Central Park and 12 neighborhood parks across the five boroughs. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Kicking off the season on Saturday, June 11 in Central Park will be a free performance from legendary jazz pianist and composer Herbie Hancock with Keyon Harrold opening in association with the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Among the other artists set to perform throughout the summer are Fitz and the Tantrums, Modest Mouse, The Cribs, Big Freedia, Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten, J...
Meet 2022’s ‘American Idol’ Top 10
Just three days before the finalists on the current season of American Idol competed in a live broadcast to narrow the top 14 down to a top 11, they sat down with Billboard for their first in-depth interviews of their Idol run. One by one, over almost eight hours, they filed into dressing room 36G at CBS Television City in Los Angeles to be grilled about their lives, their hopes and dreams and their Idol journeys to date. Although each contestant was interviewed privately, they named many of the same series alums as their favorite Idols. Alejandro Aranda received the most mentions, with Kelly Clarkson right behind him. Last year, it was a three-way tie for first place among Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson and Katharine McPhee. With the revelation of who made the current top 10 now announced on t...
Elon Musk to Buy Twitter: Questlove, Ice T, Scooter Braun & More React
Elon Musk reached an agreement to acquire Twitter for approximately $44 billion, the social media company announced on Monday (April 25). The Tesla CEO, who is also the world’s wealthiest person, has previously noted that he wants to buy Twitter because he thought that it’s not a platform for “free speech.” He says it needs to be transformed as a private company in order to build trust with users and do better at serving what he calls the “societal imperative” of free speech. Over the past few weeks, Musk has shared a number of proposed changes that he hopes to implement in the company, from relaxing content restrictions — such as the rules that suspended former President Donald Trump’s account — to removing fake and automated accounts from Twitter. “Free speech is the bedrock of a fu...
Elon Musk to Buy Twitter: Questlove, Ice T, Scooter Braun & More React
Elon Musk reached an agreement to acquire Twitter for approximately $44 billion, the social media company announced on Monday (April 25). The Tesla CEO, who is also the world’s wealthiest person, has previously noted that he wants to buy Twitter because he thought that it’s not a platform for “free speech.” He says it needs to be transformed as a private company in order to build trust with users and do better at serving what he calls the “societal imperative” of free speech. Over the past few weeks, Musk has shared a number of proposed changes that he hopes to implement in the company, from relaxing content restrictions — such as the rules that suspended former President Donald Trump’s account — to removing fake and automated accounts from Twitter. “Free speech is the bedrock of a fu...
Megan Thee Stallion Discusses Alleged Tory Lanez Shooting in First TV Interview: ‘I Was So Scared’
Megan Thee Stallion is sitting down for her first television interview about allegedly being shot by rapper Tory Lanez. In a preview clip of her emotional interview with CBS Mornings, which airs Monday (April 25), the Houston rapper recounts the July 2020 incident in which she claims Lanez shot her in the foot following a party in the Hollywood Hills. “It was an argument, because I was ready to go and everybody else wasn’t ready to go. But that’s, like, normal friend stuff,” Megan tells co-host Gayle King. “We fuss about silly stuff all the time. But I never put my hands on anybody. I never raised my voice too loud. Like, this was one of them times where it was, like, it shouldn’t have got this crazy.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Lanez, who...
Britney Spears Says She’s Going on a Social Media Hiatus ‘For a Little While’
It might be a little while before fans see new Instagram videos or pregnancy updates from Britney Spears. The pop has star announced that she’s taking a step back from social media. “I’m going on a social media hiatus for a little while !!!” Spears wrote on Instagram on Sunday (April 24). “I send my love and God bless you all,” she added. Along with the news of her break from social media, the pop star posted a silly video of a baby lounging next to a mini vanity set, wearing a robe, sunglasses and hair rollers. “I obviously won’t be going out as much due to the paps getting their money shot of me like they unfortunately already have,” she noted at the time. She also spoke candidly about her previous experience with perinatal depression — “I have to say it is absolutely horrible … women di...
Fans Choose The Kid LAROI’s ‘Thousand Miles’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music
The Kid LAROI‘s latest song “Thousand Miles” has topped this week’s new music poll. Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (April 22) on Billboard, choosing the 18-year-old singer’s radio-ready single as their favorite new music release of the past week. The brooding and self-loathing anthem brought in 38% of the vote, beating out new music by Ed Sheeran featuring Lil Baby (“2Step”), Megan Thee Stallion (“Plan B”), Pusha T (It’s Almost Dry), PinkPantheress featuring Willow (“Where You Are”), and others. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Thousand Miles” finds LAROI lamenting on his inability to do things right in a relationship and tells the listeners that he’s “about to f— it up with you.” With his unique vocals that showcase his po...
Nathy Peluso Talks Her Coachella Debut & Her Dream of Collaborating With Miley Cyrus
Leading up to her Coachella performance this weekend, Nathy Peluso spoke with Billboard about what she’d be bringing to the festival, which pop star she’d love to collaborate with and more. “I’m bringing something fresh,” the Argentine artist can be heard saying in the video above, speaking of her first time taking the stage at the California festival, during its second weekend of 2022. “I’ve been working a lot on this show. It’s important to me to share the music. I did the arrangements with my band; we really want to share the good music with the people. I worked a lot to be here. So I’m like, ‘Yes, now I’m here,’ — so focus and try to enjoy all [of] the experience.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news For those in the audience who are ne...
Hayley Williams Joins Billie Eilish for ‘Misery Business,’ ‘Happier Than Ever’ at Coachella
Billie Eilish surprised the Coachella crowd this weekend by bringing “my friend Hayley Williams” out during her headlining set. The Saturday night (April 23) set, which had the pair teaming up on “Misery Business” and “Happier Than Ever,” was the Paramore singer’s first time performing at the Indio, California, festival. “Hi. Wow. It’s my first Coachella,” said Williams as she took the stage with Eilish. “Thanks for sharing this with me. This is sick!” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Williams sat on stool in between Eilish and Finneas to treat the audience to an acoustic rendition of “Misery Business,” the 2007 single off of Paramore’s Riot! album. She also joined in on Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever.” Eilish’s show during the first weekend of Coa...
Harry Styles Welcomes Lizzo for ‘I Will Survive’ Cover & One Direction Hit at Coachella Weekend 2
Harry Styles brought out special guest Lizzo during his headlining set at weekend two of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on Friday night (April 22). Toward the end of his high-energy main stage performance, the 28-year-old British pop star surprised festival-goers by inviting the “Truth Hurts” songstress onstage for a dazzling cover of Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 disco anthem “I Will Survive” and a lively rendition of One Direction‘s popular “What Makes You Beautiful.” Watch the duets via TMZ. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news During their festive Coachella team-up, the two friends — who have formed a sweet bond in recent years — strutted up and down the stage donning brightly colored faux fur coats while belting out the pair of hits. “I Wi...
