Music News
On the Radar Latin: J Noa, Un Leon Marinero & More Emerging Artists to Discover
Every month, Billboard Latin editors feature a small group of new, or relatively unknown, artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover. Our first 2023 edition of “On the Radar Latin” includes emerging artists who we found either in a Spotify playlist or at a music showcase, for example. See our recommendations below: BRATTY Country: Mexico Why they should be on your radar: There’s an alluring, whimsical quality about Culiacán, Sinaloa artist BRATTY — whether it’s her breathy dolce vocals coupled with bedroom lo-fi productions or her unapologetic pop punk side. On the lyrical front, the artist disp...
Aubrey Plaza Shares a ‘Crazy’ Kiss With Chloe Fineman in New ‘SNL’ Promo
It’s Aubrey Plaza is finally making her debut on Saturday Night Live, and she wants to make sure she’s perfect. In a new promo for this weekend’s episode of the long-running comedy sketch show, the White Lotus star appeared alongside SNL cast member Chloe Fineman to reveal that she’s more than ready to grace the stage at studio 8H. “I’m excited,” Plaza tells Fineman in the promo. “And oh my God, I love your impressions. Drew Barrymore is my favorite.” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Plaza then launches into a dramatic impression of Marcia Gay Harden in the 2000 film Pollock, which did not impress the SNL star. Trying to be polite, Fineman asked Plaza if she could do an impression that’s “a little more fun.” At t...
Is Bassnectar Staging a Direct-to-Fans Comeback?
After three years of silence and in the midst of an ongoing legal battle, Bassnectar (real name Lorin Ashton), appears to be staging a comeback. On Tuesday evening, a new mix was uploaded to the Bassnectar Mixcloud account, with the producer’s official Instagram account wiped clean around the same time. Most significantly, however, is a new website, UnlockTheOtherSide.com, which went live around the same time and features the signature Bassnectar logo. Fans discovered the site — the landing page for which was live but password protected on Tuesday evening but is currently offline — with copy describing it as “the new home for the Bassnectar universe & beyond,” according to screenshots reviewed by Billboard. Access for a membership to the site, according to additional screenshots, ...
Dua Lipa Named Met Gala 2023 Co-Chair
Glitter in her eyes, glitter in the sky, Dua Lipa will be shining just the way she likes at this year’s Met Gala. As announced by Vogue on Wednesday (Jan. 18), the 27-year-old pop star has signed on to be one of four 2023 co-chairs for the A-list fashion event that comes around every first Monday in May. Joining the pop star as fellow co-chairs are Penélope Cruz, Michaela Coel and Roger Federer, a lineup that spans “every realm of popular culture,” according to Vogue. The four of them will assist Anna Wintour in planning a night based around this year’s theme — Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty — which pays tribute to the late German fashion designer. The “Levitating” singer posted the news on her Instagram account, writing, “Excited to announce that I am one of the #MetGala 2023 Co-Chairs…...
A$AP Rocky Honors Hip-Hop Artists Who Recently Died With New Song ‘Same Problems?’: Listen
Fresh off celebrating the 10 year anniversary of his debut studio album Long. Live. ASAP, A$AP Rocky is giving fans a taste of new music, all while honoring people within the hip-hop community who have died in recent years by releasing his new track “Same Problems?” Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The song — which Rocky debuted in December as part of his Amazon Music Live Thursday Night Football performance — sees the rapper getting introspective about the role he’s potentially played in perpetuating violence in rap music. “How many problems get solved?/ Am I a product of things that I saw?/ How many problems get solved?/ Am I proud of the things in my songs?” he muses in the chorus. The song also arrives on the eight-year anniversary o...
Bizarrap & Shakira’s ‘Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53’ Soars Onto Billboard Charts After Less Than 2 Days of Release
Bizarrap forges ahead with a new music session in 2023. The latest release is a collaboration with Shakira, “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” which debuts at No. 8 on Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart (dated Jan. 21). It’s the Argentinian producer’s first entry there. Shakira, meanwhile, extends her top 10 record among women, with 39 top 10s. “Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53,” released Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. ET via Dale Play Records, debuts across multiple Billboard charts with one full day, and 5 hours from the day before, of activity in all metrics. The track also arrives at No. 16 on the multimetric Hot Latin Songs chart (which blends streams, sales, and airplay) from less than two days of activity. It’s Bizarrap’s highest debut on the list. On the radio front, “Vol. 53” debuts in the top 10 on...
Material Girl: Madonna Might Own Missing Painting, French Mayor Says
The mayor of the northern French town of Amiens is appealing to pop star Madonna to loan them what they believe is a missing 200-year-old Neoclassical painting that disappeared from their museum during World War I. But is Madonna’s version the genuine article, or a copy? Brigitte Fouré, the mayor, says in a video that the oil painting the singer reportedly owns, called Diana and Endymion, was “probably a work that was lent to the Amiens museum by the Louvre before the first world war after which we lost trace of it,” according to a report in The Guardian. Now Fouré wants the “Material Girl” singer to provide the artwork as a loaner to help Amiens’ bid to become the European capital of culture in 2028. The painting, which depicts the Roman goddess Diana falling in love with ...
Bruce Gowers, Director on Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Music Video and ‘American Idol,’ Dies at 82
Bruce Gowers, the Emmy and Grammy winner who directed nine-plus seasons of American Idol and hundreds of music videos, including the seminal “Bohemian Rhapsody” from Queen, has died. He was 82. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Gowers died Sunday in Santa Monica of complications from an acute respiratory infection, his family announced. Gowers also directed and co-created the long-running series of Kidsongs sing-along videos for Warner Bros. Records with his wife, Carol Rosenstein. A specialist in live events and TV specials, Gowers directed and/or produced the Emmys, the Billboard Music Awards, MTV’s Music Video and Movie awards, the ESPYs, the People’s Choice Awards and many other award shows. He called the shots for 23...
Skrillex Reflects on ‘Toughest Year of My Life’ as He Rings in 35th Birthday
Skrillex marked his 35th birthday on Monday by posting a vulnerable series of tweets about the difficulties he’s faced in the past few years. “Had the toughest year of my life in ’22, as did so many others. I literally found myself with no drive and purpose for the first time in my life,” he began. “My mother passed away a few years back, 2nd day of Lollapalooza tour in [South America]. I never ever coped with it … I drank the pain away and kept going.” The electronic star continued: “People ask why ‘I’ve been gone’ or ‘fell off,’ rightfully so. Like I said, ’22 was sort of my tipping point, I had to put everything on ice especially my projects/ career. The truth is I didn’t cancel sunset and movement festival because of my albums. It was because I was working on myself.” However, the arti...
Did Frank Ocean Hint at a New Album on His Merch Posters?
Frank Ocean fans have been waiting for a new album since 2016’s Blonde, and the star seems to be giving fans the smallest glimmer of hope that their longtime wishes may be coming true. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news On the back of posters mailed out in a new Blonded merch sale, as shared by fans on Twitter, there’s a cryptic message written on them explaining what happened in 2019, when Ocean released a series of singles without an album at the end of the road. “The Recording Artist has since changed his mind about the singles model, and is again more interested in durational bodies of work,” he wrote, which is not a confirmation of an album by any means, but enough to get fans buzzing. Ocean is also set to take the stage at Coach...
9 Biggest Revelations From ‘The Price of Glee’
To love Glee is to know that the hit Fox TV series is haunted by several startling tragedies. Most notably, the high-profile deaths of stars Cory Monteith, who passed away from an accidental drug overdose in 2013, Mark Salling, who died by suicide in 2018 after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography, and Naya Rivera, who suffered a drowning accident in 2020. This phenomenon is the basis for Investigation Discovery’s new docuseries, The Price Of Glee. Airing roughly eight years after Glee wrapped in 2015, the project chronicles the untimely deaths of both cast and crew members and details behind-the-scenes moments of alleged tension and drama, beginning with a fitting quote about the show from creator Ryan Murphy: “What started off as being such a great celebration of love and a...
Taylor Swift Celebrates ‘Anti-Hero’s Hot 100 Success & Praises SZA
Taylor Swift is no anti-hero when it comes to lifting up other female artists during her own career wins. On Tuesday (Jan. 17), the 33-year-old pop star celebrated her newest accolade — “Anti-Hero” becoming her longest-leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 — and took a moment to gush over SZA, whose album SOS has been a fierce competitor with Swift’s Midnights on the charts. “What on Earth,” Swift wrote on Instagram Stories, sharing a post from Billboard‘s official account about “Anti-Hero”‘s eight weeks at No. 1. “I love you guys.” With its eighth non-consecutive week in the Hot 100 top spot, the Midnights lead single has now officially surpassed the seven-week reign of Swift’s 2014 smash “Blank Space,” previously her longest-running No. 1. At No. 2 this week is SZA’s “Kill Bill,” a new career-...
