Music News
‘America’s Got Talent’ Contestant Skilyr Hicks Dies at 23
Former America’s Got Talent contestant Skilyr Hicks died Monday, Dec. 6, at age 23, TMZ reports. The singer-songwriter’s mom, Jodi, told the site that Hicks was found dead at a friend’s home in Liberty, S.C. Jodi also shared that the young artist had struggled with mental health issues and substance abuse. Chief Deputy Chad Brooks of the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ that the suspected cause of death is a drug overdose. Billboard has reached out to the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and America’s Got Talent for comment. Hicks appeared on season 8 of NBC’s talent competition in 2013, when she was only 14 years old. During her audition, she shared that she would be performing a song that she wrote in memory of her father, who died a few years earlier. “He made some bad decisions ...
K-Music to the World: How to Enjoy Korea Through Virtual ‘K-Vibe Festa’
For the past two years, lockdowns and travel bans have resulted in it being almost impossible to visit other countries. As the world resets and the global COVID-19 pandemic recedes, tourism is tentatively returning to some regions, but if you’re not yet ready to hop on a plane to South Korea, that’s all right, because with the K-VIBE FESTA, South Korea can come to you, virtually. A multi-element experience that is built on the increasingly popular idea of a metaverse, the Korea Tourism Organization’s K-VIBE FESTA campaign is themed around the idea of “Come Play With Korea” and features a variety of different experiences for people to engage with in digital realms. The overall theme of the K-VIBE FESTA is for international fans to explore and enjoy all that South Korean pop culture and trad...
Machine Gun Kelly Strips Down for Wild Calvin Klein Campaign With Pete Davidson
Pete Davidson has finally joined Instagram — but it’s not what you think. On Monday, the Saturday Night Live star took over Calvin Klein’s Instagram to unveil his new campaign with Machine Gun Kelly. The social media surprise began with Davidson posting a casual selfie to the brand’s feed. “I got Instagram,” he captioned the post, which featured him throwing up a peace sign in a simple, white Calvin Klein T-shirt, his face mostly obscured by his camera’s flash. Explore See latest videos, charts and news The post by the famously social media averse star quickly went viral, amassing more than 400,000 likes. For his part, Kelly took to the comments section to hint that he’d somehow be involved, writing, “Are you gonna post us in our undies[?]” Hours later, the pair surprised fans by taking ov...
Billie Eilish’s Name Is Among the Year’s Most Mispronounced Words
“Cheugy” is apparently a lot to chew on. Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Billie Eilish and Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce have something in common — broadcasters butcher their names. And virtually everyone is having trouble with “omicron.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news All four made it onto this year’s list of most mispronounced words as compiled by the U.S. Captioning Company, which captions and subtitles real-time events on TV and in courtrooms. The list released Tuesday identifies the words that proved most challenging for newsreaders and people on television to pronounce this year. The caption company said it surveyed its members to generate the list, which is now in its sixth year and was commissioned by Babbel, a language-learning platform with headquarter...
Adele’s ‘30’ Leads U.K. Chart Race
Adele’s blockbuster album 30 (Columbia) is on the way to a third consecutive U.K. chart title. But it won’t have an easy ride. Based on midweek sales and streaming data published by the OCC, 30 is on course for the crown, though it’s facing a challenge from JLS’s 2.0 (BMG), the X Factor alum’s first album of original material since Evolution, which hit No. 3 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart in 2012. JLS’s latest is on target for a No. 2 debut, for what would be the outfit’s sixth U.K. Top 10 album, continuing an unbroken streak which began with their eponymously-titled debut, in 2009. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Despite finishing runner-up on The X Factor in 2008, JLS has crossed the finish line first on the U.K. charts, including five No....
Hailey Mia Shines With Lewis Capaldi Cover on ‘The Voice’: Watch
Hailey Mia is the youngest competitor in The Voice 2021, and, thanks to her poise and talent-beyond-her-years, many fans of the show are wondering whether she’ll become the youngest-ever winner. Mia did her chances no harm on Monday night (Dec. 6), when she performed Lewis Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” during the Top 8 Live round. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The New Jersey native selected a song overflowing with drama and action, and the teen, accompanied with a string quartet, blazed away. “Someone You Loved” is the sad song that could. The Scot’s breakout hit took 24 weeks to reach the Billboard Hot 100 summit, in 2019, completing the fifth-lengthiest climb to No. 1 all-time. Will Kelly Clarkson’s impressive protégé take the long route to...
Suspect Charged With Murder of Jacqueline Avant, Wife of Clarence Avant
The man suspected of fatally shooting Jacqueline Avant in her Beverly Hills home on Dec. 1 has been charged with murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced Monday. Aariel Maynor, 29, of Los Angeles is charged with one count each of murder, attempted murder and felon with a firearm — Maynor allegedly used an assault long barrel pistol during the crimes — as well as two counts of residential burglary with person present. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Maynor is charged with breaking into the home of the 81-year-old philanthropist and wife of legendary music executive Clarence Avant, where he fatally shot her, according to authorities. Maynor also is charged with shooting at a security guard at the location. The security ...
Ariana Grande, Megan Thee Stallion and Jimmy Fallon Get us Warmed up for a ‘Masked Christmas’: Watch
Your 2021 Christmas playlist has a new entry. Jimmy Fallon teams up with Ariana Grande and Megan Thee Stallion on the holiday-themed, “It Was A… (Masked Christmas),” a fun new number that dropped at midnight. These here are pandemic times, and our trio won’t let us forget. “Masked Christmas” is a reminder that, yes, we can have fun these holidays with a mask on. On it, Jimmy and Ari sing: “It was a masked Christmas, we stayed in the house/ We covered our nose, and covered our mouth/ But it’s Christmas time/ We’ll be in line for a booster.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Megan delivers several raps, and doesn’t miss the opportunity to rhyme Fallon with Stallion. Grande, Fallon and Stallion are like one big happy musical family. Grande most rece...
Pink Helps Terminally Ill Fan Check Off Bucket-List Item With Sweet Zoom Chat
P!nk took time out of her busy schedule recently to connect with a terminally ill fan over Zoom. Sixty-three-year-old Diane Berberian is currently in hospice with terminal bone cancer, and she shared a portion of her chat with the pop star on social media. “THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO TRY AND MAKE CONNECTIONS… OUR DREAM CAME TRUE!!!!!” the triathlete and Ironman competitor captioned the post. “You have a kind of bravery I don’t understand,” P!nk says in the 13-minute clip to Berberian, who competed twice in the U.S. Paratriathalon National Championships. “You’re bringing comfort to other people while you’re walking through this.” Explore Explore P!nk See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The singer also treated Berberian to a cover of Queen’s ...
Michael Buble on His ‘Mind-Blowing’ New Album and Why He is Limiting His Las Vegas Residency: Exclusive
Michael Bublé will kick off his first — and only — Las Vegas residency April 27 at Resorts World Las Vegas for six shows. The residency will serve as a super-sized release party for Bublé’s new Warner Bros. album, which comes out early Spring. Bublé tells Billboard he is saluting the Las Vegas of old with an intimate show that recalls the Copa, the famed nightclub that played host to the Rat Pack, Judy Garland, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole and countless other timeless artists in its heyday. Concerts West/AEG Presents will produce the shows, which run April 27, 29-30 and May 4, 6 and 7. Tickets go on sale Dec. 10. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Before fans can see Bublé in Las Vegas, they can see him tonight on his NBC holiday special, Michael Bublé’s Christmas i...
Adele Snags U.K. Chart Double For Second Week
Adele is the undisputed queen of the U.K.’s charts, as “Easy On Me” (Columbia) and its parent album 30 complete another week at No. 1. “Easy On Me” enters a seventh consecutive week at the summit of the Official U.K. Singles Chart, extending its reign as Adele’s longest-serving leader. The hit single chalks up another 69,000 chart sales, including 8.4 million streams, over the seven-day chart cycle, ahead of three fast-rising singles: Teenage TikTok sensation Gayle’s “ABCDEFU” (up 14-2 via Atlantic), and holiday classics “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey (up 24-3 via Columbia) and “Last Christmas by Wham (up 28-4). Meanwhile, Adele’s 30 tracks “I Drive Wine” (down 4-5) and “Oh My God” (2-6) continue to impact the Top 10. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See ...
Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s ‘Merry Christmas’ Is Cruising to No. 1 In U.K.
In a year stacked with chart leaders, Ed Sheeran and Elton John could ring in Christmas with a joint No. 1. The British pop stars teamed up for to write a handful of holiday-themed songs, the first of which, “Merry Christmas,” dropped last Friday (Dec. 3). At the earliest phase in the chart cycle, “Merry Christmas” is riding high. According to the OCC, the song has accumulated more than double the chart sales of its closest competitor, Adele’s reigning champ, “Easy On Me.” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news If it keeps its momentum, “Merry Christmas” will give Sheeran his 12th U.K. No. 1, and third this year, and Elton’s ninth leader, and second in 2021. “Merry Christmas” is one of three holiday songs the pair wrote together, Sheeran told&nbs...
