Australians are getting more of Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS.

The U.S. pop-rock superstar adds four more shows to the GUTS swing of Australia, doubling her original itinerary for these parts.

Produced by Live Nation, the GUTS World Tour Down Under now includes concerts at Melbourne’s 15,000-capacity Rod Laver Arena on Oct. 13 and 14, and Sydney’s 22,000-capacity Qudos Bank Arena on Oct. 21 and 22. As previously reported, New Zealand alt-pop artist Benee is support on the Australia shows.

The “drivers license” singer last week announced her first-ever run of Asia and Australia, adding nine regional dates to her global jaunt, taking in Bangkok, Thailand; Seoul, South Korea; Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan; Singapore; and Australia’s two biggest cities, Melbourne and Sydney.

Rodrigo had Australia on her schedule last September for what was meant to be her first ever promotional trip, though the visit was subsequently canceled citing “unforeseen circumstances.”

In the end, it didn’t matter.

Rodrigo’s sophomore album, GUTS, blasted to No. 1 on the ARIA Chart, and logged two weeks at the summit. All 12 tracks from it appeared in the top 50 on the ARIA Singles Chart, including “Vampire,” which logged a week at No. 1, and “Bad Idea Right?,” which peaked at No. 3.

Rodrigo’s debut 2021 LP SOUR spent eight non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in Australia, and launched the chart-toppers “Drivers Licence” and “Good 4 U.”

The superstar singer is currently on the road in the U.K. and Europe, following her initial run of shows in North America, which featured stops in Palm Springs, Calif., New York City, Toronto and more cities. Though aged just 21, Rodrigo handled a potentially embarrassing wardrobe fail like a seasoned pro during her show Tuesday (May 14) at London’s O2 Arena.

Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour – Australia Dates:
Oct. 9 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena
Oct. 10 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena
Oct. 13 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena *
Oct. 14 – Melbourne – Rod Laver Arena *
Oct. 17 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena
Oct. 18 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena
Oct. 21 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena *
Oct. 22 – Sydney – Qudos Bank Arena *

Willie Nelson is cooking with a new collection of pot-infused recipes.

The country superstar and legendary stoner joins forces with his wife Annie Nelson for Cannabis Cookbook: Mouthwatering Recipes and the High-Flying Stories Behind Them, due out Nov. 12 through a collaboration with Gallery Books.

“Over a lifetime of study,” he remarks in the cookbook, “I learned that pot is more than pleasure. Its positive properties are limitless. It’s a blessing and a blast. It’s good fuel.”

The Nelsons co-authored the publication with David Ritz, Mia Tangredi, and chef Andrea Drummer. Those mouthwatering recipes are said to be drawn from meals enjoyed on tour, at their ranch, at home, and in their favorite cities, and are accompanied by Willie’s food-related tales.

It’s a feast for the eyes (and the brain), with a how-to on Buffalo wings, chocolate cake, fried chicken and more, all with that special touch of herb.

Also, reps say, a chapter is dedicated to cannabis-infused base ingredients, from cannabutter to finishing oil, simple syrups, sugars, salts, and tinctures, and more, making it “a comprehensive guide for both novice and experienced cannabis enthusiasts.”

A 12-time Grammy winner, Nelson has collected many lifetime achievement awards, including one from the Recording Academy in 1999, another from the Country Music Association in 2012 (which named the award in his honor), induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor in 1998 and the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize in 2015, and, in 2021 the Clio Cannabis Lifetime Achievement Award.

Long before the green stuff gained mainstream acceptance, Nelson made the case that its dangers were greatly exaggerated and its benefits were scarcely mentioned. He turned his passion for the stuff into a business, Willie’s Reserve. “The cannabis culture is a way of life for him,” reads the blurb on the official site. “And he has always operated under a simple philosophy: my stash is your stash.”

The 90-year-old is the subject of the five-part documentary Willie Nelson & Family, which debuted last December on Paramount+ after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Clock is out of time on The Masked Singer, as the fancy timepiece was unmasked and the Grammy Award-winning artist behind it was ousted Wednesday night (May 15).

With her elimination, Clock completes a podium finish for this 11th season of Fox’s whacky singing contest, ending up in third place behind Gumball and Goldfish in this semi-final.

The episode opened this week with each of the three remaining celebrities in a battle royal to “Higher Love” by Kygo featuring the vocals of the late Whitney Houston (“Higher Love” was originally recorded by Steve Winwood). Clock went on to perform “Dancing In The Street” by Martha and The Vandellas for a spot in the finale, Goldfish hit “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette.

When the votes were counted, time was up for Clock. Behind the mask was Thelma Houston, the“Don’t Leave Me This Way” singer.

Panelist Rita Ora guessed right.

Houston admitted she came on the show to introduce herself to a new generation. “I would like to just say I had a wonderful time,” she told the audience following the big reveal. “I do thank my family for being my support system for all these years. And I’m amazed at the reception I got through these weeks, it’s been wonderful.”

The Motown legend also confirmed a rumor that, during the night of the Grammys, for which she was nominated, Houston stayed home to clean. It was the wrong job on the wrong night; she won for best female R&B vocal performance, back in 1978.

Gumball and Goldfish progress to the final of The Masked Singer.

Houston as Clock follows the exit of Chrissy Metz (as Poodle Moth), Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken (as The Beets), Jenifer Lewis (Miss Cleocatra), Kevin Hart (Book); restauranteur Joe Bastianich (Spaghetti & Meatballs); TV personalities Savannah Chrisley (Afghan Hound), Billy Bush (Sir Lion) and Colton Underwood (Lovebird); NFL Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware (Koala); singer Sisqó (Lizard) and others.

According to producers, constants for the current season boast a combined 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances and 1.7 billion streams accumulated on Spotify.

Watch Clock’s performances and unmasking below.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Dua Lipa has started a new era of her career with the release of her latest studio album Radical Optimism, which debuted at No.1 on Billboard‘s Top Album Sales chart. To celebrate its launch, the “Illusion” singer not only pulled double-duty on SNL, but also surprised fans with a pop-up performance in New York City’s Times Square. That’s not all the 28-year-old has up her sleeve though: fans can now buy exclusive merch inspired by Radical Optimism on Amazon.

The “Houdini” singer teamed up with Amazon Music to launch an official store through the online retailer. The launch includes officially-licensed merch like T-shirts and hoodies to expand your band tee collection, as well as accessories like a tote bag for carrying all of your travel necessities, and a trucker hat to top off your ‘fits.

To help you pick out some of the best styles available, ShopBillboard put together a list of some of our favorite pieces from the collection.

Keep reading to shop the Dua Lipa x Amazon Music merch below or click here to see everything available.

Dua Lipa Official Merch Training Season T-Shirt

Buy Now On Amazon $35.00

Give your classic white tee a Dua Lipa makeover with this graphic T-shirt featuring the singer front and center. While the tee features Lipa on the front, the back reads “training season is over” across the back. It’s also made as an oversized fit for a more relaxed, baggy look.

---

Dua Lipa Official Merch Radical Optimism Hoodie

Buy Now On Amazon $65.00

Get cozy in this official hoodie that shows off the “Levitating” singer’s album cover in a deep slate shade. The material aims to keep you comfy using a mix of cotton and polyester material and also features a front pocket that can hold your phone or small essentials.

---

Dua Lipa Official Merch Illusion T-Shirt

Buy Now On Amazon $35.00

Make a statement with this “Illusion”-inspired T-shirt in a dark navy shade to make the graphic really pop. The 100% cotton fabric will help keep you comfy along with its crewneck style and oversized fit.

---

Dua Lipa Official Merch Tote Bag

Buy Now On Amazon $25.00

Carry your books, chargers and more in this simple tote bag featuring the artist’s name on the front. Not only will you be able to easily show off your favorite singer, the 100% cotton material will also keep your shoulders cozy while you’re on the go.

---

Dua Lipa Official Merch Radical Optimism Tracklist Hoodie

Buy Now On Amazon $65.00

Go for a bold look in this bright red hoodie that shows off the album’s songs on the back. While the graphics let everyone know what fandom you’re a part of, the drawstring is adjustable to fit your preferences while the front pocket can keep your hands warm.

---

Dua Lipa Official Merch Trucker Hat

Buy Now On Amazon $30.00

Complete your outfits in this simple trucker hat that’ll instantly transform your outfits in to streetwear chic. It comes with a mesh back for added ventilation and features the singer’s name and graphic inspired by the album.

---

Amazon is now becoming a destination for fans to buy official artist merch online as it continues to grow its library of artist stores. Lipa is the latest to offer her merch through the online retailer joining Megan Thee Stallion’s Hot Girl Summer tour collection, Mariah Carey’s Las Vegas residency merch, Doja Cat’s official Scarlet tour merch and Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour collection.

While the “Illusion” singer has yet to announce a tour for her newest studio album, you can get tickets to see her headline Austin City Limits alongside Chris Stapleton and Blink-182.

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best festival gear, venue-approved bags and portable chargers.

Soulja Boy isn’t the first rapper to issue an apology, but won’t be the last. Big Draco received heavy backlash from the hip-hop community for his recent tirades dissing Metro Boomin and disrespecting the producer’s late mother.

Soulja Boy was seemingly set off on Sunday (May 12) after a 2012 tweet from Metro resurfaced taking a shot at the “Crank Dat” rapper. “My phone rings to come to the studio with Jeezy. Yours rings to send Soulja Boy a pack of beats. Sit down,” the since-deleted 2012 tweet reads, per VIBE.

After a few days of dwelling on his doubling down on his distasteful sentiments, the SODMG boss is expressing his remorse for his statements and issued an apology on X on Wednesday afternoon (May 15).

“I apologize to @MetroBoomin for over reacting over an old tweet,” he penned before revealing he’ll be seeking help. “Condolences to his mom. I’m going to seek therapy and anger management. I’m done responding to hate, new or old.”

It’s rare to hear Soulja Boy backing down in any sort of feud, so naturally, fans questioned his sincerity when hopping into his replies.

“I can’t tell if this is a bit,” one person wrote.

Another added: “I hope you reached out to him personally. Wishing you the best on your healing journey. Here’s to putting forth positivity into the world.”

The severe backlash came at Soulja Boy after he repeatedly took shots at Metro Boomin and brought up his late mother, whom the producer was very close with and died in a murder-suicide in 2022.

“F–k that n—a mama!!!!!!!!!! Don’t speak on my name b—h! You sacrificed your own mom @MetroBoomin you a puppet,” Soulja Boy wrote in more since-deleted tweets.

He continued: “All the streams, sales, money, and fame not gone bring your mom back @MetroBoomin was it worth it? can say f–k this money and fame s–t and still be a boss can you?”

21 Savage then stepped in to stick up for his friend and frequent collaborator. He dissed Soulja Boy by posting a screenshot from a XXL article alleging that Big Draco had a negative net worth.

The Slaughter Gang honcho went on to threaten the rapper on X: “Speaking on a n—a mama like shit a game you gone shit on yourself when I see you boy.”

Metro Boomin is yet to react to Soulja Boy’s olive branch apology. Find some of the tweets from the feud below.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Sony is one of the most-trusted names when it comes to audio gear, but it’s not always easy to find deals or discounts on Sony products. That’s why you’ll want to take advantage of this Walmart sale, which gets you a pair of Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless In-Ear Bluetooth Earbuds for just $59 — their lowest price this year.

Regularly $99.99+, this Sony earbuds deal brings the price of the WF-C500s down to just $59 — a $41 discount. This is the lowest price for Sony earbuds online and one of the best deals overall for wireless earbuds on Amazon.

Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless in-Ear Headphones, Black

---

The Sony WF-C500 Wireless Earbuds are equipped with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio technology, which seemingly “floats” sound all around you, for a wider, more immersive soundscape. This is the same 360 Audio technology found in large Sony speakers, only paired down to fit the shape and confines of these tiny buds.

Speaking of size, Sony says these earbuds are 45% smaller than previous earbuds, making them more comfortable in your ears, even while wearing for long periods of time. They’re less likely to fall out too, and in our experience, don’t take a lot of wiggling or adjusting to find a great fit. Sony says that’s thanks to the earbuds’ “Ergonomic Surface Design,” which helps the buds better conform to your ear shape.

With an IPX4-rating, the Sony WF-C500 earbuds are splash-proof and sweat-proof, making them great for taking on a run or workout. Get up to 10 hours of battery life on a single charge and 20 hours with the included charging case.

These earbuds have a built-in mic, so you can use them at work for taking or making calls too.

Sony earbuds rarely go on sale so you’ll want to take advantage of this Amazon deal while it’s live. As with all Amazon sales, this discount could go away at any time. Regularly $99.99+, get the Sony WF-C500 Wireless Earbuds for just $59 here.

Subscribe to Walmart+ to receive free shipping, free access to Paramount+ and other membership benefits.

Rarely does a conspiracy theory make its way into the mainstream the way a certain rumor about Avril Lavigne has.

In a new episode of Call Her Daddy published on Wednesday (May 15), the “Sk8er Boi” singer addressed the long-standing Internet theory that claims the Canadian pop-punk superstar died in the early 2000s after her debut album Let Go was released, but due to her skyrocketed success, music industry execs replaced her with a doppelgänger named Melissa. “I mean, it’s just funny to me. Like, on one end, everyone’s like, ‘You look the exact same. You haven’t aged a day.’ But then other people are like, there’s a conspiracy theory that I’m not me,” Lavigne said on the podcast in response. “Honestly, it’s not that bad. It could be worse, right? I kind of feel like I got a good one. I don’t think it’s negative or anything creepy. We’re good.”

Pressing the topic further, host Alex Cooper asked once and for all if the singer’s name is, in fact, Avril Lavigne. “Obviously, I am me. It’s so dumb,” she responded with a laugh, before telling Cooper, “I knew you half believed it.”

Although Cooper didn’t confirm or deny that she believes the rumor, the 29-year-old podcast host admitted that Lavigne does, in fact, look the same as she always has. “I’m staring at you and I’m picturing you with your auburn hair. And I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’ You literally look the same from when you were younger,” the host noted.

Veering off the topic of Melissa, Lavigne also discussed her love life on the podcast, proclaiming that she’s “f—ing awesome” when in a relationship, adding, “I would date me. I cook. I’m a really big cook, really big into, like, the house and decorating, and I have a lot of fun with that.”

“Rough around the edges,” she added of her ideal partner, noting that she’d like someone “who’s like me […] likes to have a good time, but is a solid. I need someone who’s solid that I can lean on.”

In reflection of negative relationship experiences in the past, Lavigne added that she’s now focused on finding someone who is “trustworthy, ‘cause if you don’t have that, you’re just never going to feel grounded in the relationship, and you’re going to be spinning.”

Lavigne’s Call Her Daddy episode is available to listen to here.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Attention all book lovers, Amazon Book Haul is here! From May 15 to May 20, book enthusiasts can enjoy big discounts on thousands of popular books across different types of genres. Whether you’re into fiction, non-fiction, romance, thrillers, or celebrity memoirs, there’s something for everyone.

Amazon readers can explore captivating stories and topics for up to 50% off for print bestsellers and up to 80% off for Kindle books. Plus, there are savings of up to 80% on many audiobooks with Audible.

Don’t forget, you can also get up to three months of Kindle Unlimited for free. So, get ready to stock up on great reads with discounted prices and a wide range of genres. It’s a great opportunity to build your library.

Select your top picks from this list and take advantage of these incredible deals. If you’re shopping on Amazon, consider taking advantage of all Amazon Prime has to offer and sign up for a 30-day free trial, including access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Music. Get fast, free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery.

It Ends With Us: Special Collector’s Edition

$12.76 $29.00 56% off

Buy Now On Amazon

---

If you are into trendy books circulating all over #BookTok and #Bookstagram, consider Colleen Hoover’s novel, It Ends with Us. This #1 New York Times best-selling book is currently 56% off on Amazon. You can get it in 4 different forms: hardcover, Kindle, audiobook, and paperback all for a great price. With Audiobook, you can also take advantage of its free trial membership.

Happy Place Novel (Kindle Edition)

$4.99 $11.99 58% off

Buy Now On Amazon

---

Dive into a Kindle read with #1 New-York Times best-selling author, Emily Henry. Grab the kindle version of her novel, Happy Place, for only five dollars. If you are looking for a feel-good beach read escape, consider adding this book to your library.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Kindle Edition)

$5.99 $13.99 57% off

Buy Now On Amazon

---

Add Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (Kindle edition) to your library and save up to eight dollars. This New-York Times, best-selling novel hits on themes such as friendship, love, loyalty, and more. “Utterly brilliant, one of the best books I’ve ever read,” said John Green (author of The Anthropocene Reviewed). Get your Kindle version now.

Snoop Dogg’s Goon with the Spoon

$11.99 $15.99 25% off

Buy Now On Amazon

---

For those looking to expand their library, consider adding this celebrity cookbook that includes 65+ recipes from rapper Snoop Dogg. You can get Snoop Dogg’s Goon with the Spoon for only $11.99, kindle edition only. Go get your now and start your cooking adventure.

Britney Spears’ The Woman in Me (Kindle Edition)

$16.99 $32.99 48% off

Buy Now on amazon

---

Take advantage of this 48% discount. Grab the kindle edition of iconic pop star Britney Spears’ memoir, The Woman in Me. Delve into her journey as she offers readers an intimate glimpse into her life.

Prince and Purple Rain

$36.37 $50 27% off

Buy Now on Amazon

---

Explore the story of American musician and legend, Prince with this captivating book. Delve deep into 40 years of his work from his iconic album and film, Purple Rain. Go get your now, it’s 27 percent off.

Pageboy: A Memoir

$2.99 $11.99 75% off

Buy Now On Amazon

---

Looking for another celebrity memoir, consider learning more about the journey of actor Elliot Page as he shares his memoir, Page Boy. Go add it to your collection, it’s currently 75 percent off.

The Lord of the Rings: Special Edition (Hardcover)

$106.11 $250.00 58% off

Buy Now On Amazon

---

For science fiction and fantasy fans, consider embarking on an epic journey with J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings. Filled with adventure, friendship, and struggle between good and evil, this fantasy is sure to capture your attention, and it’s currently 58% off.

For more product recommendations, check out these 15 books every music fan should read, singer-songwriter Maren Morris’s children’s book, and alternative celebrity books to add to your reading list.

NASHVILLE – The Music Business Association conference kicked off successfully in Nashville this week, with the annual gathering bringing together more than 2,100 music industry professionals representing attendance from over 750 companies and more than 30 countries, the trade group’s president, Portia Sabin, announced on Tuesday (May 14) in her annual address on the state of the Music Biz organization.

What’s more, Sabin said proposals for programming at the conference, which is crowd-sourced from industry executives, saw a 30% increase this year, “reflective of everything our industry wants to discuss — from hot topics like AI, gaming, and social impact, to perennial favorites like synch, music and money, and marketing. And don’t worry, we still have the critical but non-sexy topics like metadata and neighboring rights.” 

With a full-court press of panels and seminars on many of the industry’s challenges and opportunities, Sabin also reported that about 325 speakers/panelists are set to take part in this year’s conference. She additionally noted the the trade group’s membership has grown by 106 companies and organizations since last year’s gathering, with Deezer, Audiomack, Pirames International, SonoSuite, the NMPA (National Music Publisher’s Association) Louisiana Entertainment (a division of Louisiana Economic Development) and Toronto Metropolitan University joining the fold.

Beyond the convention, Sabin reported that the organization continues to stage its Music Biz Roadshow event series in places like Dallas, Miami and Huntsville, Ala., with programs for local indie musicians that have included topics like “Tech Solutions in Music,” “The State of Independent Distribution” and “Where’s My Money and How Do I Get It?” Those events have featured companies like the Mechanical Licensing Collective, CD Baby, Bandcamp, TropiSounds, Songtrust, Symphonic Distribution, Syntax Creative, Switchchord and Music Audience Exchange. “If your company wants to be a part of a Roadshow this year, please let my team know – they are some of the most fun and inspirational events we do and we’d love to have you join us,” Sabin said.

Besides going on the road, the trade group has also created a new virtual series, Music Biz Passport, which explores a different international market each time. “These events are meant to connect music business executives from the U.S. with international trendsetters so they may both learn what does and doesn’t work in these communities, and build new partnerships that will ultimately make our industry stronger,” Sabin elaborated, adding that upcoming events will focus on local music industries in Finland, Latin America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

On the good works front, Sabin reported that Music Biz has partnered with the Music Health Alliance to set up the MHA Mental Health Fund. Since its launch, backed by a $50,000 contribution from the SCARS Foundation — an organization created by Sully Erna and the band Godsmack to support mental health initiatives — the fund has grown to $355,000 and served more than 500 music industry professionals through 5,246 outpatient counseling and psychiatry visits.

Meanwhile, the organization’s scholarship foundation has raised $60,000 and given out 12 scholarships to deserving music business students to the tune of $5,000 each, Sabin reported, thanking the scholarship committee for their hard work as well as “Lisa Robinson and Aaron Tochini for going above and beyond.”

Finally, Sabin celebrated another big accomplishment the trade group achieved during the year: persuading Luminate to abandon its implemented plan to unweight physical sales data, thus changing the chart methodology. Following the initial change to unweight sales data, Sabin, the retail coalitions and other stakeholders pulled together to partner with Streetpulse to collect that data from indie stores. After indie music retailers began boycotting reporting to Luminate, Music Biz worked with the coalitions to negotiate a deal that brought indie store data back into the Luminate system. As a result of that effort, the number of stores reporting to Luminate has more than doubled to 315 stores, up from the 140 retailers that previously reported to Luminate before the imbroglio.

“I want to thank everyone who was invested and made their voices heard on this issue, from retail stores to labels to distributors to individual artists – and of course to Rob Jonas and Luminate for coming to the table and being good partners,” Sabin said. “Those who’ve been around since the NARM days know that physical retailers are the original heart of Music Biz, and this year’s Record Store Day was another off-the-charts success… proving yet again that physical is a vital part of our industry.”

Sabin closed by noting that the conference is moving to Atlanta next year and will take place May 12 to May 15 at the city’s Renaissance Waverly Hotel. “It’s a great property that’s close to The Battery and Braves Stadium; and we’re especially excited that we were able to buy out the entire hotel, meaning everyone there will be a Music Biz attendee,” she said. “Sounds like sleepaway camp, right?”

Metro Boomin stands poised in quiet confidence, silhouetted against the backdrop of the Great Pyramids of Giza. With an aura of timeless grandeur, the three pyramids echo the iconic rhythm of his “Young Metro 3x” producer tag. Framed meticulously by his photographer, Gunner Stahl, the moment is frozen in time, capturing not just an artist, but a convergence of history, culture and creativity. As the desert sun bathes the scene in a golden light, Metro Boomin’s presence among the pyramids becomes more than a photograph – it’s a testament to the enduring legacy of artistry and innovation.

In this juxtaposition of ancient wonder and contemporary music, Metro’s presence before the pyramids speaks volumes. It demonstrates hip-hop’s enduring influence and its ability to transcend time and space, from Missouri to the Middle East. Metro Boomin’s April 30 concert at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue sold out in record time, whereby Live Nation, the organizer, announced a second night in his routing through the Middle East (including a show in Abu Dhabi’s BRED Festival). The majority of the audience knew the words to at least one if not several of his songs and collaborations played during his nearly two-hour set, suggesting that Metro Boomin’s music has found a home in hearts of youth culture worldwide.

Per Billboard Explains, Metro Boomin’s Billboard Hot 100 breakthrough as a producer came with Future’s “Honest,” which hit No. 55 in 2013. Over the next three years, he produced 23 more Hot 100 hits. He earned his first No. 1 on the Hot 100 for his work on Migos and Lil Uzi Vert’s collab “Bad and Boujee,” which topped the chart for three weeks in 2017. The episode explains that Metro boasts a remarkable tally of 16 top 10 hits on the Hot 100, including noteworthy productions like The Weeknd’s “Heartless” in 2019 and his collaborative effort with Future and Kendrick Lamar, “Like That,” which clinched the No. 1 spot on the Hot 100 for three weeks this year.

His collaborations with prominent rap artists on groundbreaking albums have been stellar, with seven top 10 entries on the Billboard 200. According to Billboard Explains, notable highlights include Double or Nothing with Big Sean, which peaked at No. 6 in 2017, Savage Mode II, which ascended to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2020, and his solo project Heroes and Villains, which claimed the top spot on the Billboard 200 in 2022, maintaining a record-breaking 18-week reign atop the Top Rap Albums chart. So far in 2024, Metro’s collaborative album with Future, We Don’t Trust You, and the follow up album, We Still Don’t Trust You, both debuted at No.1 on the Billboard 200.

Despite the accolades, Metro maintains a subtle balance of confidence and humility, driven by what feels like a clear sense of purpose in how he approaches making music and chart-topping hits. Throughout his two shows at the Kundalini Grand Pyramids venue, Metro praises his audience and carries with him a sense of wonderment at performing against the backdrop of some of the oldest structures in the world. “I’ve always wanted to see this [the pyramids] with my own eyes, but I could never even fathom doing a show and performing in front of something as crazy and legendary and history as this,” says Metro. “I’m grateful for everyone, for the whole country.”

Metro displays this love in his Cairo shows, wrapping himself in an Egyptian flag as the epic intro of “Superhero (Heroes & Villains)” with Future and Chris Brown plays out in one of his closing tracks in the set. He seems completely unfazed that he is performing solo. He emcees his set, engaging frequently with the audience while delivering a mixtape of his massive body of work, masterfully scripted together in a way that tells a story of what it means for a kid from St. Louis, Miss., to end up making music that captivates the entire world.

When asked about his first hip-hop memory, and what song or album compelled him to pursue the genre artistically and professionally, Metro points back to the year 2000, with the release of Nelly’s Country Grammar. Still in kindergarten at the time, there was no going back for Metro, and with the support of his mother, Leslie Joanne Wayne, he went on to become the most sought-after hip-hop producer of his generation, and a catalyst for reviving the genre’s placement on the Billboard charts.

As reported by Billboard, with We Still Don’t Trust You arriving atop the Billboard 200 only three weeks after We Don’t Trust You debuted at No. 1, that marks the shortest gap between new No. 1s by an artist since Future replaced himself at No. 1 in 2017 in successive weeks with his self-titled album (March 11, 2017, chart) and HNDRXX (March 18, 2017), both of which debuted at No. 1.

According to Metro Boomin, this success came as a result of what he calls “really caring,” coupled with the urgent need to continue competing with oneself, in order to do better than whatever he did last. But there was a deeper force at play beyond just his individual work ethic, which propelled his consecutive albums with Future to unprecedented heights.

In June 2023, Billboard reported that “rap had yet to produce a Billboard 200-topping album or Billboard Hot 100-topping single” that year, while industry executives grew concerned over the genre’s growth and potential stagnation. So for Metro, things got personal.

“I really took it personally, in the past couple years, seeing different outlets and people sh-tting on hip-hop, saying ‘hip-hop is dying, hip-hop is this, it’s been this long since there was a hip hop No 1…’ says Metro Boomin. “Just trying to spin that whole hip-hop is dying narrative, at the same time trying to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop. I felt they were trying to wash our genre and culture away, I’m still in the game, and I take it personal. Those kind of things disturbed me, at the same time, it was the kind of fuel I needed.”

Reflecting on his roots and the impact of his work on hip-hop, Metro’s passion for the genre is radiant. This undeniable drive propels him to continuously elevate his presence on the Billboard charts and within the genre at large. With each chart-topping hit and sold-out show, Metro Boomin not only cements his own legacy but also pays homage to hip-hop while ensuring its continued relevance for generations to come. Because for Metro, hip-hop is not dead, it’s very much alive and thriving.

There’s a lot to like on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart for Future, Metro Boomin and Kendrick Lamar, whose collaboration “Like That” climbs to No. 1 on the radio ranking list dated May 18. The song rises from No. 3 after a 12% increase in plays made it the most-played song on U.S. monitored rhythmic radio stations in the tracking week of May 3-9, according to Luminate.

Thanks to the 12% surge on already strong airplay, “Like That” wins the Greatest Gainer honor, awarded each week to the song with the largest increase in plays among the chart’s 40 titles. A pair of Texas stations, KBBT-FM in San Antonio and KBFM-FM in McAllen, lead the way with the most “Like That” plays in the latest tracking week, while Fresno, Calif.’s KBOS-FM rounds out the top three.

“Like That” awards Future his sixth Rhythmic Airplay No. 1. Here’s a review of his half-dozen champs, all of which ruled for one week except “Way 2 Sexy,” a two-week occupant of the penthouse.

Producer Metro Boomin, meanwhile, picks up his second visit to Rhythmic Airplay’s top slot as a credited artist. His prior leader came with “Creepin’,” a teamup with The Weeknd and 21 Savage that led the list for three frames. As a producer, he’s been behind several more No. 1s at the radio format, including the aforementioned “Jumpman” and “Mask Off,” Migos’ “Bad and Boujee,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert and The Weeknd’s “Heartless.”

For Kendrick Lamar, “Like That” becomes the MC’s fifth No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay and first since 2018. The Pulitzer Prize winner’s collection of champs now looks like this:

Elsewhere, “Like That” extends its Rap Airplay reign to a third week at No. 1, with a 13% gain in audience for the latest tracking week. It repeats at its No. 3 best on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay, though it added 14% more plays in the week. Continued progress at the rhythmic and R&B/hip-hop formats pushes “Like That” 20-17 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart. There, it improved to 29.4 million in total audience, up 13% from the prior week.

During Whoopi Goldberg’s recent appearance on Kelly Clarkson‘s talk show, the two women shared a bonding moment when they discovered that they had both used prescription medications for weight loss. Their comments, however, garnered backlash from viewers who are either opposed to the practice or feel entitled to more transparency on the three-time Grammy winner’s part — and Goldberg is having none of it.

In a clip from the latest episode of The View posted Wednesday (May 15), the actress came to Clarkson’s defense while revisiting the topic of health with her co-hosts Sara Haines, Joy Behar, Sunny Hostin and Alyssa Farah Griffin. “Apparently our conversation about weight has a lot of people talking,” she began before showing a snippet of Monday’s (May 13) Kelly Clarkson Show episode.

In the snippet, Goldberg revealed that she’s been losing weight with the help of “the wonderful shot that works for folks who need some help.” Clarkson responded that she had also been prescribed an injectable weight loss remedy to help with her weight retention and thyroid issues. In February, the “Stronger” singer revealed that she’d been diagnosed pre-diabetic.

“Everybody thinks it’s Ozempic,” Clarkson told Goldberg. “It’s not, it’s something else.”

On The View, the Sister Act alum reminded viewers that “a lot of people are taking the shot because they need it,” before admonishing people for criticizing Clarkson’s use of a weight loss prescription. “They kick her behind when she’s bigger, they kick her behind when she’s lost the weight, and now they’re kicking her behind because she said it out loud,” she said.

“It seems like this generation shares everything,” Goldberg continued. “What they ate for dinner, who they ate for dinner, all kinds of stuff. You have people like myself who, it’s like, ‘When I’m ready to tell you, I’ll tell you. When I’m comfortable, I’ll let you know.’”

“We have to let people do what they need to do to get where they need to get to,” she added. “Stop being mad that they’re not doing it your way. It’s not like we really know what you’re doing.” She then joined Griffin in cheering, “Leave Kelly Clarkson alone!”

The topic of Ozempic and similar drugs has been a sensitive one in recent months, with the medication’s proven weight-loss properties causing a new surge in off-label prescribing. Ozempic itself is an FDA-approved injectable originally formulated to help adults with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar.

Clarkson previously discussed her weight loss in a conversation with Kevin James on her show, which is also when she revealed that her doctors had told her she was pre-diabetic. Around the same time, she said that moving to New York with her two young children — whom she shares with ex-husband Brandon Blackstock — had jumpstarted her weight loss by forcing her to walk around the city constantly.

Watch Goldberg defend Clarkson on The View below.

Milo Yiannopoulos has resigned from his position as Yeezy’s Chief of Staff, according to Rolling Stone. In a copy of his resignation letter obtained by TMZ, he blamed Ye‘s plans to venture into the porn industry for his departure.

In the letter, Yiannopolous wrote that he “cannot be complicit in the production or dissemination of pornographic films and literature” for a variety of reasons, including that such films “represent an imminent danger to my life as a recovering addict and an unacceptable risk to my spiritual and physical health as a former homosexual.”

Closing his statement, Yiannopoulos said that he would effectively resign “by Friday, May 31, 2024, or the first pornography shoot, whichever is sooner,” while adding that he would return to Yeezy “if, at some time in the future, the company publicly and permanently abandons any plan to produce, distribute, or profit from obscene content.”

Milo first began working with Ye after the rapper’s failed 2020 presidential campaign, when he enlisted the far-right political pundit as an advisor in 2022 to help with his 2024 run. Yiannopoulos was also at the center of a controversy earlier this year involving Yeezy and marketer/internet personality Julieanna “YesJulz” Goddard. Goddard, who joined Yeezy to help with the rollout of Vultures 1, claimed to have been unfairly terminated among other things.

The artist formerly known as Kanye West has reportedly linked up with porn industry veteran — and Stormy Daniels’ ex-husband — Mike Moz to form Yeezy Porn. TMZ reported that other important employees have left the company in recent weeks, with Milo reportedly saying he plans to return to the company if Ye hits the eject button on the whole porno thing.

Billboard has reached out to Yeezy for comment. Read Yiannopolous’ full resignation full below:

Jelly Roll‘s hard-fought journey from prison inmate to Billboard chart-topper is well-known, and was even the focus of the Hulu documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me. Onstage and in interviews, he is unfiltered and down-to-earth in relating to his audience and sharing his story.

But now with three No. 1 Country Airplay hits to his credit, Grammy nominations, his hit album Whitsitt Chapel, and his 44-city Backroad Baptism Tour in 2023, Jelly Roll opens up about one thing he’s splurged on, which he calls a “frivolous habit” — and it involves socks.

Speaking with Audacy’s Sabrina from Queens, Jelly Roll said, “Don’t judge me for this, y’all. I promise I grew up very humble, but I only wear socks once. I buy socks in bulk…it’s the most frivolous thing I’ve done with my success. I’m sorry, I hope I didn’t let nobody down with that but when you’re fat, you can’t have stinky feet too, so you gotta have fresh socks!”

Leading up to the Academy of Country Music Awards on Thursday (streaming on Prime Video), Jelly Roll is celebrating his first year of being nominated. His name is there in the categories of male artist of the year, music event of the year (for “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson), single of the year (“Need a Favor”) and the night’s biggest honor, entertainer of the year.

“The entertainer of the year [nomination], that’s crazy talk,” Jelly Roll told Audacy’s Katie Neal. “I just couldn’t wrap my head around being nominated four times. Before I even seen what the four noms were, I seen the stat that it was the first time someone went from zero nominations to EOTY nomination since Billy Ray Cyrus in 1993.”

The ACM Awards will take place at the Ford Center at the Star in Frisco on Thursday night and will be hosted by Reba McEntire.

Zach Bryan and his girlfriend Brianna LaPaglia are safe after an off-road vehicle crash that led to the country superstar getting stitches.

“Two nights ago, Zach and I got into a traumatizing side-by-side crash,” LaPaglia recalled in a video shared to TikTok on Tuesday (May 14). “It flipped a bunch of times, everything shattered and thank god we had our seatbelts on.”

The podcast host continued, “There was a lot of blood and we thought — we were saying goodbye to each other.”

LaPaglia noted that when paramedics arrived to the scene, they treated Bryan by giving him stitches. “It was a huge gash, but we are OK. We are happy and alive,” she shared, noting that she suffered several bruises and scratches from the broken glass.

However, a few hours after the accident, LaPaglia’s cat Mango dashed out of the tour bus and into the woods. “Zach tries to jump on her, all of his stitches burst again, he’s bleeding everywhere… so much blood,” LaPaglia said, assuring fans that Mango was eventually found.

Thankfully, despite the series of unfortunate events, Bryan was still able to continue his tour, performing on May 13 and 14 in Little Rock, Arkansas. The star’s Quittin Time tour is hitting stadiums and arenas across North America, and launched with two shows at Chicago’s United Center on March 6-7 before heading to football stadiums in Denver; Foxborough, Mass.; Philadelphia; Atlanta; Tampa, Fla.; Arlington, Texas; and Minneapolis. The tour will wrap in Bryan’s home state of Oklahoma, with two shows at the BOK Center on Dec. 13-14.

Watch LaPaglia’s full TikTok below.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

The brightest stars in country music are getting ready for the 59th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, hosted by Reba McEntire.

The show will air live from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on Thursday (May 16) at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (7 p.m. CT) and will stream exclusively on Prime Video and Amazon Music’s Twitch channel.

The ceremony will feature a tribute to Toby Keith performed by Jason Aldean.

Other performers include Kelsea Ballerini, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Gwen Stefani, Lainey Wilson, Chris Stapleton, Cody Johnson, Noah Kahan, Avril Lavigne, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, McEntire, Parker McCollum, Thomas Rhett, Blake Shelton and Nate Smith.

Presenters include Alabama, Breland, Tyler Cameron, Jordan Davis, Sara Evans, Carin León, Little Big Town, Ashley McBryde, Dion and Rozene Pride, Noah Reid, Richard Sherman, Charissa Thompson, Randy Travis, and Clay Walker. Amber Anderson and Kelly Sutton will host the AMC Awards red carpet.

The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards is produced by Dick Clark Productions. (DCP is owned by Penske Media Eldridge, a Penske Media Corporation subsidiary and joint venture between PMC and Eldridge. PMC is the parent company of Billboard.)

Keep reading for details on how to stream the ACM Awards from anywhere.

2024 ACM Awards: How to Stream for Free

You don’t need an Amazon Prime membership to stream the 59th Annual ACM Awards live on Prime Video. Simply click below to begin streaming the show live on Thursday, May 16, at 8 p.m. ET.

The show will rebroadcast on Friday, May 17, at 8 p.m. ET on the Amazon Music App and Amazon’s Freevee.

Interested in becoming a Prime member? Even though you don’t need Prime to ACMs, the membership comes with several perks such as free shipping and free access to Prime Video and Amazon Music. Launch your free 30-day trial to Amazon Prime here.

Aside from award shows, music documentaries and concert specials and original series such as The Idea of You, Fallout, Them, Citadel, Daisy Jones & The Six, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, The Boys, Invincible, and The Rings of Fire.

The ACM Awards red carpet kicks off at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. A full rebroadcast will be available to stream for free on Amazon Freevee starting Friday, May 16, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Prime Video is available to stream on a smart TV, phone, computer or notebook device via the Prime Video app (use ExpressVPN to access Prime Video internationally).

After the first free month, your Prime membership will renew at $14.99/month or $139 a year, if you chose the annual plan. The membership also includes exclusive deals such as unlimited photo storage; access to Prime reading and Prime Gaming. Want more savings? Amazon Prime offers 50% off for qualifying students and SNAP/Medicaid recipients.

Besides streaming exclusive programs, Prime Video subscribers can add channels such as Max, Paramount+, Starz and Showtime, plus buy and rent movies and stream everything from one platform.

Events that prevented Rachel Dangermond from properly reopening 100 Men Hall, where Ray Charles, B.B. King and Etta James once performed, in the beach town of Bay St. Louis, Miss., over the past six years: Flood. Hurricane. Pandemic. Hurricane. Tornado.

“It is very much spit and glue,” Dangermond says. “Venues are hard.”

Dangermond, a 65-year-old journalist, has spent that time turning the 400-capacity Black-history landmark in a one-story house with blue front steps into a community center. On the hall’s schedule this year: a Saturday-morning writers’ group; a drag brunch; “cigars under the stars”; a performance by bluesman Cedric Burnside; two battling harmonica players known as Harps On Fire; and a festival celebrating the late New Orleans pianist James Booker. Dangermond’s goal is to “keep this juke joint with its historic value open and continue to keep its sacred act of playing music.” She adds: “I’m no longer the owner. I’m more the facilitator of the story of this place.”

—

100 Men Hall didn’t start as a hall at all — it began in 1894 as an African-American co-op in which 12 founding members pledged to help each other pay medical and burial expenses. As it grew, the club evolved into the Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association (DBA), a community support group during Jim Crow and segregation, which, according to Scott Barretta, a University of Mississippi sociology instructor, “helped elevate people into the economy and provide them with social benefits and respectability, where otherwise they were being persecuted.”

In 1922, the DBA built the hall as a meeting space — a worn wooden pediment marked “100 MEN D.B.A.,” recreated based on the original, is at the top of the building — and it soon evolved into a venue for live events. At first, these were plays, wedding showers, Mardi Gras balls and drag shows. By the ’30s, the club became a stop on the Chitlin Circuit, a network of American clubs catering to Black audiences that helped make stars of acts from Billie Holiday to the Jackson 5. “It’s like going back into the past,” says James Keating, a retired physician who publishes the newsletter for the Hancock County Historical Society, of the hall. “It looks like a place that music is performed.”

In 2018, Dangermond was “in a mood” when she found herself in Bay St. Louis, about an hour’s drive from New Orleans and a sort of unofficial suburb with a population of roughly 10,000. She had just lost two promising job prospects, including one as a spokesperson for the New Orleans police chief, and was staying with a friend when someone texted her that 100 Men Hall was available for sale — for $389,000, according to Zillow — including an attached apartment that a previous owner had built. (The value of the property today is nearly $670,000.)

Skeptically, Dangermond and her adopted son, then 9, showed up in bathing suits (they’d been swimming) to the property. “It was just a whim,” Dangermond recalls. “I had this sort of divine clarity. I walked through the door. There was nothing on the walls. It was just a vibe.

“Next thing I know, I was closing.”

Then came the unpleasant surprises. First was a notice that the State of Mississippi had revoked the club’s nonprofit status, and Dangermond had to sign a consent agreement to resurrect it and pay a fine. She had to wait out the bureaucratic process for nonprofit status because without itm the club could not sell liquor at public events. Until she could resolve the issue, she put on political fundraisers and other private events at the hall. This set the table for public concerts by Burnside, the northern Mississippi guitarist, drummer and grandson of the late blues hero R.L. Burnside. “We’re like, ‘Okay, this is going to be great!’ and we’re building, building, building,” Dangermond says. “We get to mid-year, and Hurricane Barry bore down on us. Before that, the rainstorm started flooding the neighborhood. I had an F-150 parked on the street and I looked out and the water was up to the window of the driver’s side. The musicians can’t get here.”

Dangermond and the hall “lost a lot of money,” she says, but they rebounded and booked acts to play every month of 2020 — until the pandemic shut down live music. Like many venues, the hall tinkered with outdoor, masked concerts, but then came Hurricane Zeta and a corresponding tornado that tore the roof off the building, causing $150,000 in damage. Dangermond had sold her New Orleans home to pay for the club, then depleted her savings for the opening, so she relied on insurance and donations to pay for repairs.

“It was like joy and pain,” she says.

—

Today, 100 Men Hall puts on events almost daily and breaks even. Blues is a staple and an almost automatic sellout, no matter who’s performing, even as the genre struggles to support clubs throughout the United States. Bay St. Louis locals stop Dangermond at the grocery store and regale her with tales of sneaking in as children to hear Sam Cooke perform. As a ninth grader in 1967, Maurice Singleton learned the swing-out dance from his sister and aired it out during a hall show by soul singer Roscoe Robinson. “It was the first time I went in any building that was dimly lit for a performance,” recalls Singleton, a 71-year-old writer and teacher who lives in town.

Burnside, who performed an outdoor event at the hall just after the tornado literally blew the roof off in 2020, set up his band under a large tree near the “tin house,” a separate structure containing a mural of Etta James, founding Hancock County NAACP president Albert Fairconnetue and others. “It makes me feel real juke-jointy. It was a certain energy about that building,” Burnside says, by phone from a tour stop in Athens, Ga. “It reminded me of a big house party. Everybody [comes] together and drink a little moonshine, have a little food and listen to great music.”

The hall closed in 1982 after the Hundred Members Debating Benevolent Association finally broke up, and the building wound up in the hands of the Disabled Vets of America. In 2005, a couple ran it as an art gallery. Later, a musician and his wife reformed the DBA and scored a state grant to renovate the building, leading to the state historical marker in 2011. Dangermond still can’t articulate the quality of the 100 Men Hall that led her to buy the place. But, she says, “Musicians want to play here, and they hear those voices in the walls. They get up on the stage and they feel it.”

It’s the dog days of tour for Mariah the Scientist. The 26-year-old R&B singer-songwriter is relaxing in her Detroit hotel room, alongside her older sister-manager Morgan Buckles, for a well-deserved off-day ahead of Mother’s Day in her jam-packed schedule.

Performing in venues nearly double the size of her 2022 Experimental Tour, Mariah is trekking through the Midwest — with the finish line in sight at the end of the month, as the Atlanta native makes up a handful of dates after getting sick earlier in the tour.

Her third studio LP, To Be Eaten Alive, arrived in October, packed with love-drunk anthems and serving as her first release since moving from RCA to Epic Records. The project marked her first to make the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 93. She says she’s been thrilled with how the partnership has blossomed over the last seven months.

“A lot of times labels get a bad rap,” she tells Billboard. “There’s a whole thing against labels, and I don’t really feel that way. It’s one thing to have a bad deal… It’s [another] thing to have a partnership. A lot of the narratives are pushing against that, but I feel like Epic brought something to the table.”

This year has brought on a series of wins for Mariah The Scientist, who also earned her first Hot 100 entry in January as part of Tee Grizzley and Chris Brown’s “IDGAF” (No. 100). She went back-to-back on the chart with a second entry in the following week, for her appearance on “Dark Days” (No. 70), from 21 Savage’s American Dream album.

“Those two Billboard [chart] entries were a milestone in my career,” she says proudly. “I feel like it encouraged and motivated me to get one [as a lead artist]. I’m glad they included me on that music, but now I wanna do it myself.”

Check out the rest of our interview with Mariah, as the singer opens up about bringing her cat on tour, keeping Young Thug in the loop about the Kendrick Lamar-Drake feud and much more.

How has tour been? What are some of your favorite stops so far?

It’s been really long this time, I guess. When I got sick, we postponed a few [shows] and that made it seem longer. The top three cities – Atlanta definitely was No. 1, Orlando and probably Detroit. 

Morgan Buckles: My favorite show was L.A. We were at The Wiltern, which holds about 3,000 people. Mariah was beginning to get sick around that time. She was upset about her outfit, she wasn’t in the best mood. As soon as she went on the stage, nobody could even tell. To me, if you ask her, she hates it. We have different opinions, and I’m sure it looks much different from her perspective — but from where I was standing, every single person was screaming on their feet. Usher came to the show and he was super proud of her. It felt so good to be so well received.

Do you have any hobbies on the road to stay sane on tour?

My cat, I bring him everywhere. He’s with me right now. I’ve taken him so many [places] — I’ve taken him places he wasn’t supposed to go. Everywhere we’ve gone. He’s been to Portugal. When I tell you this cat has been all over the world. He has been more places at the age of three than [anybody]. I wonder does he even know the life he lives? I’m sneaking him in and out it’s crazy.

Other than that, my hotel room workouts. I’m trying to keep my abs together. Running around with [Morgan], and my cousin running around with us and my newly-adopted sister DJ Honey. It’s been a good time. 

I respect that you’ve kept your prices low for your tour compared to some other artists. 

I feel like I have a lot of younger fans, so I don’t really want it to be not affordable for them. When I was young, I could not afford that stuff. When I go on the internet and I see the resale prices, it kinda upsets me. We talk about the resale prices a lot — because who the hell can afford that? I couldn’t back then, and I’m not saying nobody can now. It’s a little unfair. I guess it’s just I’m growing and it comes with it or whatever.

Even some of the merchandise is re-sold for ridiculous prices. In some ways, I’m flattered that people are willing to spend that on me. I hope they feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. I feel like we’re putting a lot into it. I just want everyone to feel welcomed here with whatever I’m doing. 

You’ve come a long way as a performer. How did you end up getting comfortable and what did you work on? I heard you reference ear-mouth coordination.

I think the show has evolved so much. I’ve been on five tours in the last two years. I’ve performed a lot since the beginning. Going on tour with bigger artists, Rod Wave, A Boogie [Wit Da Hoodie] and Future – and granted those are rap artists — I kinda use the opportunity as a case study on strangers with people who are not familiar with me or my music. I try to take that dynamic and focus more on the performance itself. When it’s your fans, they will accept you in any capacity. When it’s other people, you don’t want to psyche yourself out too much or strategize too much.

When I was on tour with other people, I just tried to have a good time. I feel energy is contagious. I feel like if I’m having a good time and enjoying my performance, it will rub off on other people. I used it as target practice, and when my tour came around, we spent a lot of time trying to elevate the production in general. I appreciate the fact my sister puts so much time into it. I feel like I can trust her with the task, when I was trying to focus on my part of the craft. I feel like it came out really good. I read a lot of the things people say about and I feel they really enjoy themselves. It’s a total difference from where I first started. I can’t wait to see what happens next when we’re in bigger venues as we keep going.

Morgan Buckles: The internet had so many things to say about her at that time. They talked about her vocals, how nervous she was, her breath control. Between then and now, we’ve done so many tours. In building the right team around her, everything has gotten so much better. It’s a world of difference. She’s much more confident.  

I feel like people were trying to bully you on your performance initially. What was your reaction to that? 

I think in the beginning, I didn’t totally know what I was doing. It was different for me. Most artists have always wanted to do music. That was their dream. So it’s like I look at people who have been singing for their whole lives – a Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey – those people always wanted to do that. They had their whole lives to prepare for it. Like Beyoncé, she’s got so much archived footage of her singing [at a young age], anticipating that this is what she’d be doing.

I didn’t necessarily have that. Even if I liked music or liked to sing, I never looked at it as if it was gonna be my career. From the starting point I had no idea what I was doing. Somebody told me the other day they were there for my first-ever Rolling Loud performance, and another called Day N Vegas, and there’s this viral clip from this festival. Rolling Loud was my second performance and Day N Vegas was my third or fourth. They gave me this great slot. Everything aesthetically was there, and I just wasn’t experienced in being a performer. I would get so anxious about it, and I was so nervous, and I would laugh it off or play off the anxiety and it wasn’t received that well in the beginning. 

The internet can cut it up and make it into whatever they want to make it into. It’s not that I was asking for grace from anybody, but the truth of the matter is I didn’t know what I was doing. It did take a lot of practice. Whenever I get the opportunity to go on tour again, I go and take it, because I feel like I could be better at what I’m doing. It’s easier to get into character now. It’s not necessarily a character, but what you want to portray at that moment.

Do I feel like I was a little bullied? I just feel like people weren’t that open to knowing the story they just ran off with pieces of information without knowing or lack thereof when it comes to me seeing, growing up and doing that. I just had to work overtime to make it right in real time because I didn’t have that experience. Now I have it and it’s way better. I’m just happy the people who were they to see it in the beginning are also here to see the growth now. 

You just needed reps it sounds like. How has the dynamic been of having your sister as your manager and tour manager these last couple of years?

It started off slow. I guess I’m not trusting of people in general. I’ve had a few managers and everything. Not saying they weren’t trustworthy, it’s different when it’s your sister, because I can’t get rid of her in real life. If there’s a task and a goal, it’s easy to share goals — because we want some of the same things in life. Not just for ourselves, but for each other. I feel like working together does more good than bad. You could say that with a lot of people, but specifically with my sister it’s like keeping it in the family. The more success I garner, the more success she garners. It can only contribute to the legacy. Our parents – repaying them for the time and the energy they put into raising us. 

Is it tough to juggle the roles of talking to her as a sister and then talk as a manager because those lines can get blurred?

They can – that’s inevitable. Don’t get it twisted, we work well together, but there’s been plenty of times she’s cursing me out, I’m cursing her out. That’s sisterly, I guess. I’m not saying that’s how we should go about it, but it happens. We spend a lot of time together. It’s inevitable that you won’t see eye-to-eye at some point. There’s still common goals and objectives. That’s not to be overlooked for minor disagreements. I just feel like I would rather build something with her than to build with someone else. I’d rather just see the people I grew up with and was raised with thriving off a gift that God gave me. I feel like there’s a way to capitalize in their own ways on what I’m doing.

That’s the gift that keeps on giving. That’s the best part of doing something that goes so far in the world. You can bring people with you and they can bring things to the table that you wanted to do on your own. I’ve gone through management. I’ve gone through production, but it’s like — my sister has put a lot of time into that. I feel like she could do that for other people. She was really good at doing that. She acquired that skill set, and I was the guinea pig. I love that for me and I love that for her too. I feel like she can take that anywhere because she has that experience. 

Morgan Buckles: If you ask Mariah, I don’t know the difference. I’m older [by three years], so I think to Mariah I’ve always tried to boss her around whatever she’s doing. Right before she went on tour with Rod Wave, she fired her old tour manager and asked me to do it. She realized very quickly I was much more assertive than she thought I was. After that tour, she ended up parting ways with her management. I never looked at it as if I’d be her full-time manager, but I knew she needed help with so many things. I felt I’d much rather it be me. I knew I could do everything extremely well, and I care more about it because she’s my sister. Anytime there was a need for anything, I would help her figure it out. 

It’s definitely not always easy. You know how it is with siblings. If I chose to ever manage other people, it would be a walk in the park. Not that Mariah is difficult as an artist — but just the dynamic of certain relationships. They teach you so much about yourself. With the exception of my parents, Mariah’s been the longest relationship I’ve had in my whole life. We know how to push each other’s buttons and get under each other’s skin. I feel like working with anybody else would be a breeze. Nobody would ever be able to get to me like Mariah. Nothing would feel more rewarding either. 

You made your Hot 100 debut with “IDGAF” with Chris Brown and Tee Grizzley, and followed that up the next week on 21 Savage’s “Dark Days“…

It’s lit. I’m so happy that they included me on that song. I know that was so cool. That was very exciting for me. I’m glad you’re asking me this. I feel like a lot of people and media outlets, they put a lot of time and attention into things that are less relevant to my career. They don’t pay attention to the accolades that I’m so excited about. It’s almost rare that somebody’s interested in your accolades. Everyone wants to see the negativity, and see you doing poor,ly and they want to advertise and promote that.

I feel like it’s important for people like that to inspire younger artists who are doing things for the first time — because a lot of people in Atlanta have done that for me. I don’t want to say “duty,” but it’s a goal for me to be able to do that with other people. That’s why I brought Chxrry 22 and Ryan Trey with me on tour, because I see potential with them. If somebody looked out for me when I was at that point in my career, it could’ve made a world of difference.

Touching on Young Thug — what are your conversations like recently, and how often do you get to speak to him?

I talk to him every day, all day. When I have the opportunity to go to court and tune in physically, I am there. I feel like he appreciates, respects and encourages the fact that I have a strong work ethic and am actively working as much as I can. It’s good to do that, because if I didn’t I probably would be a little more down and out about it. He’s done a lot of the things I’m doing now, but he’s, like, living vicariously through me again. We talk about it all the time. I feel like he pushes me to do more things. He’s very encouraging. He’s definitely supportive. 

Are his spirits up?

He’s just like that. I feel like sometimes they expect me to say he’s down and out. He’s not really that kind of guy. It’s very rare that he’s like that. Obviously, everybody doesn’t have perfect days every single day. For the most part, I have more down days than he does. I don’t want to say I believe too much in astrology, but he’s a Leo, and Leo is ruled allegedly by the sun. I’m a Scorpio and a Scorpio is allegedly ruled by Pluto — the coldest, darkest planet. And he’s the sun. It can be a lot of contrast. Where there’s room for contrast, there’s room for balance.

Is he up on current events? Does he know about the Drake-Kendrick feud?

For sure. I tell him everything. I might tell him too much. I play him the [diss] songs over the phone and s–t. He’s a lover of music in general. He f–ks with everybody. I don’t think he would ever be able to – let me not speak for him. He love music though.

He thinks it’s interesting, for sure. We were listening to some of the songs. Not all of them, because now I’ve gotten lost. In the beginning, I was like, “Hey, there’s a tizzy going on.” I played him some of it. I feel like those two people are both great rappers. With all of the rappers with the guy and the girl rappers, granted it’s cool for the craft, and to be able to keep up with that — because let me not lie and say there’s no competitive energy in the music industry. Because there is.

But imagine [if] like everybody was f–king with each other. It gets weird with the girls. Especially the girls. I like almost everybody. It’s like where you have to be more political I guess. I wanna be cool with everybody. I wanna respect everybody’s music, but everybody’s always f—king mad. It’s weird, and it’s hard to navigate. You want to support everybody and you also don’t want to offend anybody. I can be possessive like that. Not that I want anybody to pick a side. It’s normal to feel if you’re not f–king with somebody, that the people around you maybe should also feel that way.

I feel like music is a big thing in the world, and it can change a lot of things. If we put more good into it, maybe more good will come out of it. If we put more bad, maybe more bad comes out of it. Now that they came with their diss tracks, do they need to make a song together now?

I don’t know if they’re gonna have that moment reuniting on stage.

When I was listening to the songs, they weren’t talking about things they’ve done to each other. They were talking about how they feel as individuals. It wasn’t like, “You slapped the s–t out of me. I don’t f–k with you, so I gotta write this song.” It wasn’t like that. It was, “We don’t like when you say n—a.” “You’re allegedly beating you’re wife.” Those are opinions. Those are rumors. Those aren’t like direct attacks on each other.

I guess it’s just the culture of rap. I’m not really like a rapper … That’s men’s business so I stay out of it. I feel like it was cool and interesting to see. I don’t want to see them getting really mad about it. 

I felt the feud was great for hip-hop.

The thing with men, there is pride and ego. Even how you said they wouldn’t get on the stage together — if they ain’t f—king with each other, they ain’t f—king with each other. These are two of the biggest artists in the world. It’s kinda like what Thug is going through right now. He’s a big artist and he makes music. A lot of people in the world can attach themselves to lyricism. Attach themselves to something that’s just supposed to be an art form. We appreciate the support, but sometimes people get so deep into it that you don’t know what’s to happen. It’s not just you. You make a message and they make a message and live by the message. Sometimes it’s just art.

Maybe it would be better if they just made a song together. That’s a stretch when it comes to men, but just an overview and thought about the sport in general, and the competitive nature of it. It’s just an art form. When you have an NBA Finals game, they’re gonna go and play, and at the end they’re gonna walk past each other and dap each other up. Sometimes you get mad and don’t wanna do it. But it’s the camaraderie of the sport, and the respectability, and that’s why I appreciate organizations like the NBA and the NFL because they have standards. Music is a little more lenient and less structured. It would be cool if we stood on some standard of respectability. 

I was thinking on the women rap side it feels as if the younger artists almost have to pick a side on the Nicki [Minaj] side or Cardi B side.

And those are two really great artists. And I get it, if you don’t like somebody, you don’t like somebody. It can make it weird for everybody that’s looking up to you. It can make it weird for all the people that you inspire. They don’t know what to do. They don’t know if they shouldn’t be f—king with this person. I like both of those artists. It’s hard and it makes it weird. It would never be a time when you can invite two people you like at one time, because everybody’s mad.

Me, personally, if I had to pick — and this is my honest opinion — when it comes to having to pick sides and people, you have to show love to the people that show love to you. You have to go with the people showing love to you. You can’t be acting surprised or be like you ain’t f—-king with somebody who you don’t know, because they’re f—-king with somebody who’s showing them love. 

How did you feel about the reception to To Be Eaten Alive?

I feel like [people have treated it] it really well. I feel like I got a lot of new listeners from that project. They love [my earlier projects] Ry Ry World and Master, but I feel like I’ve garnered a lot of new attention from To Be Eaten Alive. Even with Epic my label, I actually love and appreciate them. I love my A&Rs as people and professionals. I love Sylvia [Rhone] and [Ezekiel Lewis]. They have definitely believed in my project from the get-go. As we listened to it in the early stages, I just feel like they were there for it. They loved it from the jump. They’ve supported and encouraged me. They put a lot into it — almost as much as I do. And I’m thankful for that. 

Sophie Turner is reflecting on the toxic media frenzy that followed the news of her September divorce from Joe Jonas.

“I mean, those were the worst few days of my life,” the Game of Thrones star told British Vogue in a new cover profile published on Wednesday (May 15), pointing out headlines that painted her as a partier while Jonas was an attentive dad to the former couple’s daughters, 3-year-old Willa and 1-year-old Delphine. “I remember I was on set, I was contracted to be on set for another two weeks, so I couldn’t leave. My kids were in the States and I couldn’t get to them because I had to finish Joan. And all these articles started coming out. It hurt because I really do completely torture myself over every move I make as a mother – mum guilt is so real! I just kept having to say to myself, ‘None of this is true. You are a good mum and you’ve never been a partier.’”

Turner added, “There were some days that I didn’t know if I was going to make it. I would call my lawyer saying, ‘I can’t do this. I just can’t.’ I was just never strong enough to stand up for myself. And then, finally, after two weeks of me being in a rut, she reminded me that it was my children I was fighting for.”

After Jonas filed for divorce in September, the duo shared a joint statement calling the split a “united decision” and writing, “We have mutually decided to amicably end our marriage.” However, shortly after, Turner sued Jonas for the “wrongful retention” of their two children in New York. They soon tentatively resolved their custody battle after a four-day mediation period. “After a productive and successful mediation, we have agreed that the children will spend time equally in loving homes in both the U.S. and the UK.,” they said in a joint statement shared with Billboard. “We look forward to being great co-parents.”

The former couple met in 2016, and married in two ceremonies in 2019. The first was a surprise Las Vegas wedding in May that they held immediately after attending the Billboard Music Awards, where the Jonas Brothers had just performed. They then threw a lavish wedding at the end of June in Southern France.