Music News
Lizzo Says That ‘Cancel Culture Is Appropriation’
Lizzo took a moment on a Sunday morning to share her concerns about cancel culture. “This may be a random time to say this but it’s on my heart.. cancel culture is appropriation,” Lizzo tweeted on Sunday (Jan. 8). “There was real outrage from truly marginalized people and now it’s become trendy, misused and misdirected,” she wrote. Lizzo continued: “I hope we can phase out of this & focus our outrage on the real problems.” Just days before, the “About Damn Time” singer had taken to social media to shut down the “tired” “discourse around bodies.” “I’ve seen comments go from, ‘Oh my gosh, I liked you when you were thick. Why did you lose weight?’ ‘Oh my gosh, why did you get a BBL? I liked your body before.’ ‘Oh my gosh, you’re so big. You need to lose weight but for your health’ t...
YOASOBI & Ichiro Ohkouchi Talk Evolution of ‘The Witch From Mercury’ Heroine & Connection to ‘The Blessing’ Theme Song
Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, the first Gundam animated TV series in roughly seven years, has just drawn to a close. For the first time in the franchise’s history, the protagonist was a woman, and the show generated a lot of buzz for the new directions it was taking Gundam, such as including elements of school life and inter-corporate war. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The show’s writer, Ichiro Ohkouchi (also responsible for Planetes, Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, SK8 the Infinity, and more) was asked to “create a Gundam series that could be enjoyed by newcomers to the franchise, including young viewers.” This, he explains, is why he added new elements to the anime. “I’m not all that young myself, so I thought if...
Paris Hilton Calls Out ‘Absolutely Ridiculous’ Conspiracy Theories About Photo With Britney Spears
Some Britney Spears fans seem convinced that something is not quite right in a new picture featuring the singer on Paris Hilton‘s Instagram feed. Hilton shut down the “ridiculous” rumors herself in a comment on Saturday (Jan. 7). In a post on Friday, Hilton shared several photos from friend Cade Hudson’s birthday party, most of which she says were taken on an iPhone. One picture had longtime friends Spears and Hilton posing with the guest of honor. Comments included followers saying “That is not Britney” and leaving theories like “It’s really strange how half the necklace chains are missing in the photo with Britney. And what’s wrong with her fingers?” Another person wrote, “Is that an AI Britney?? Look at her fingers!!! WTF Paris? You’re becoming more and more shady to me and I used to lo...
The Weeknd Drops ‘Is There Someone Else?’ Music Video on ‘Dawn FM’ Anniversary
The Weeknd‘s “Is There Someone Else?” video has arrived, on the one-year anniversary of his Dawn FM album. The Cliqua-directed music video for “Is There Someone Else?” — the 10th track on Dawn FM — was released on Saturday (Jan. 7). The Weeknd had previously teased the visual, sharing a snippet on his social media accounts earlier in the week. The singer’s latest video features him watching a woman’s seductive dance through a city apartment window — and with a somewhat creepy mask — as he wonders in the night, “Is there someone else or not?” Dawn FM made its debut on Jan. 7, 2022 and launched at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Watch “Is There Someone Else?” below. [flexi-common-toolbar] [flexi-form class=”flexi_form_style” title=”Submit to Flexi” name=”m...
Alan Copeland, The Modernaires and ‘Your Hit Parade’ Vocalist, Dies at 96
Alan Copeland, the songwriter, Grammy-winning arranger and ultra-smooth vocalist known for his many years with The Modernaires and performances on Your Hit Parade and The Red Skelton Hour, has died. He was 96. Copeland died Dec. 28 in an assisted living facility in Sonora, California, his friend Bob Lehmann told The Hollywood Reporter. As recently as this fall, Copeland was still singing and playing keyboards in a quartet called Now You Hazz Jazz. “It was his dream to play in a small group until the last curtain, that’s how he termed it,” said Lehmann, the drummer. Copeland wrote or co-wrote songs including “Make Love to Me” — Jo Stafford’s version made it to No. 1 on the Billboard chart in 1954 — “Too Young to Know,” “High Society,” “This Must Be the Place, “Darli...
RAYE Scores First U.K. No. 1 With ‘Escapism,’ Feat. 070 Shake: See Her Tearful Reaction
RAYE landed her very first No. 1 hit in the U.K. on Friday (Jan. 6) with her latest single “Escapism,” featuring 070 Shake. “This is proof [you should] back yourself, no matter what,” the indie artist said through tears in a video posted to her socials of her accepting the award from the U.K.’s Official Charts Company. “Thank you, this is mad. These are happy tears!” The pop-rap collab with 070 Shake is just one of several singles the British singer-songwriter has dropped in recent months ahead of her upcoming debut album My 21st Century Blues, alongside “Hard Out Here,” “Black Mascara” and “The Thrill Is Gone.” In tandem with its chart-topping success in her native U.K., “Escapism” also became RAYE’s first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, so far peaking at No. 72 (chart dated Dec...
Watch Carrie Underwood’s Son Crush a Throwback Tae Bo Workout Video: ‘I May Soon Have Myself a Gym Buddy’
What’s old is officially new again. Case in point: After going through a box of old things, Carrie Underwood‘s sons have discovered the art of Tae Bo — a martial arts style of fitness that became popular during the 1990s — and they can’t seem to get enough, especially the country singer’s son Jake. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Underwood took to Instagram on Friday (Jan. 6) to share a candid video of Jake watching a Tae Bo class and performing the moves in perfect unison with the television, sometimes with a little help from his toddler hands to help lift up his legs. “Jake starting off the day right!” the country singer wrote over the video. The “Denim & Rhinestones” singer gave some additional context in the video’s caption: “The boys f...
Britney Spears Responds to Jamie Lynn Spears‘ Comments on ’Special Forces‘: ’It Honestly Blows My Mind’
Britney Spears has taken to Instagram to take aim at her younger sister Jamie Lynn Spears, who opened up about being related to the pop star in the premiere episode of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news “Are we gonna say it was hard being my sister ???? Hmmmmmmmmmmm …. really ???” Britney began her lengthy message, alongside photos highlighting spinal accessory nerve injury, something the superstar previously revealed that she’s been suffering with. “Pssss here are pics of what nerve damage can do … which I have right side of my body and goes numb every night !!!” she noted. “Not a victim story or crying about it because I was never a big deal … I sat in a chair for 10 hours a day and no rights for 4 ...
French Montana Releases Statement After 10 People Were Shot During His Miami Video Shoot
French Montana released a statement Friday (Jan. 6) following reports that 10 people had been injured after gunfire erupted during his music video shoot. “Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt,” Montana wrote on Twitter. “Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time.” According to WSVN 7, Miami Gardens Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to reports of a shooting outside The Licking, a restaurant in Miami Gardens, Fla., shortly before 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night. 7News reported that it remains unclear whether someone shot into the crowd or whether there was an exchange of gunf...
First Country: Shania Twain, Elle King, Chase Rice & More
First Country is a compilation of the best new country songs, videos & albums that dropped this week. Shania Twain, “Giddy Up!” Shania knows her way around an energetic, danceable song, including her latest “Giddy Up!,” from her upcoming album Queen of Me, out Feb. 3. Eschewing a high-gloss pop finish, she instead relies on pulsating acoustic guitar to offer an assertive rhythm that matches the arena-sized confidence in her lyrics, which (similar to some of her mega-hits such as “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!”) advocate for living your best life right now–or as Twain puts it, “Time to shine like I know you should.” Elle King, “Tulsa” Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news From the first rollicking guitar notes, King brings her signature intrepid swagg...
Chris Brown’s Monkey Dealer Gets License Terminated
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially terminated exotic animal dealer Jim Hammonds’ Animal Welfare Act license, according to PETA. The animal rights organization previously submitted a complaint to the USDA about Florida-based Hammonds, a.k.a. “The Monkey Whisperer,” listing his convictions including felony conspiracy to commit wildlife trafficking and three counts of violating the Endangered Species Act. Hammonds, who is best known for selling a capuchin monkey to Chris Brown, is blocked from legally selling primates for the pet trade for at least a year. “Exotic animals are not pets, playthings, or props for celebrities, and they’re not business transactions either,” said PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Michelle Sinnott in a press statement. “PETA i...
Cage the Elephant’s Matt Shultz Arrested for Gun Possession
Cage the Elephant frontman Matt Shultz was arrested on Thursday (Jan. 5) in New York City, Billboard can confirm. The 39-year-old singer was arrested with two charges of criminal possession of a weapon after police found two loaded firearms in his room at the Bowery Hotel, according to the NYPD. The arrest came in response to a 911 phone call around 10 a.m. reporting that there was a person in possession of a weapon. Shultz spent the night at the 9th precinct in Lower Manhattan. Billboard has reached out to Cage the Elephant’s reps for more information, though received no response at the time of publication. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The award-winning rock band released their most recent album, Social Cues, in 2019. The album...
