Category: News

Addison Rae is still best known as a TikTok star, but that should change on June 6. That’s the day her album drops, and based on early singles “Diet Pepsi,” “Aquamarine,” and “High Fashion,” she’s the real deal. Rae has a new single dropping this Friday, “Headphones On,” which she’s promoting the same she did with her album release date announcement at Coachella: on her underwear.

“Love you Coachella be right back!!!!!!” Rae wrote in a post she recently uploaded to Instagram. There’s also a photo dump, including one where she’s wearing pink and white underwear with the words “so I put my headphones on.” Those appear to be lyrics from “Headphones.”

The cheeky promo campaign didn’t stop there. News.com.au reports that Rae was spotted this week “climbing out of a car in Beverley Hills as she was heading to lunch with a friend… As she walked away from the cameras, she pulled up her dress to reveal her bright pink underwear underneath. The undies, sporting ‘So I put my headphones on,’ had ridden up her backside.”

If the paparazzi are going to follow you everywhere, might as well use it as an opportunity to promote your album. It’s cheaper than a billboard.

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon found himself in the Taylor Swift universe in the early 2020s when he and Swift collaborated on two of her songs: “Exile” from Folklore and the Evermore title track. It turns out, though, that those songs actually got their start in Vernon’s realm.

Vernon sat down with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe for an interview that was shared yesterday (April 15), and in it, Vernon explained:

“Right in February there, we were going to go on a tour. This is 2020, so the timeline’s a little fuzzy, but stay with me. […] So Andrew Fitzpatrick, who was playing guitar in Bon Iver, was going to have a baby in April, did have a baby. And we were out a guitar player for our big European run that we were going to do for IMI. And I asked Aaron [Dessner], so Aaron was flying out to gigs, he was listening and rehearsing. He was in. And what we were going to do is have Aaron go out to the middle of these arenas and just play demos of Big Red Machine, new stuff. […] And then March 12th, the NBA season is cancelled and COVID really trips up. And so that tour pretty quickly gets cancelled. And it’s a brick wall for everybody, especially in music. […]

Somewhere around that time, like everybody, like me, Aaron was going on Instagram Live and just playing stuff he’s been working on, because I think we just needed to share. And Taylor heard it. Again, all the glory goes to Taylor for hearing, as a songwriter, what music she wants to make, but those songs are Big Red Machine demos at their core.”

He continued, “Her genius was working with the genius of Aaron Dessner on making the strongest set of lyrics and songwriting that she’s ever had, really. And so during that process, I’m just sort of watching it happen. And to me, it was very much like seeing Taylor enter our whole universe. Of course, there’s no one bigger and we all bowed down to her, you know. But to see her come into that, it was almost like I couldn’t stop blinking. […] And then Aaron hits me up and is like, ‘So Bud-o, I think there’s a song that Taylor would like you to sing.’ And I was like, ‘Taylor?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, I haven’t told you yet, but [we’re] taking some of the songs and she’s writing to them.’”

Watch the full interview above.

Musicians are seemingly lining up to have their lives turned into a film. But legendary group TLC has already crossed that off their storytelling list back in 2013. So, the “Waterfalls” musicians had to find another creative outlet to document their professional journey–a theatrical production

After years of teasing, TLC’s “mostly” autobiographical musical CrazySexyCool has an official premiere date. Yesterday (April 15), producer Bill Diggins’ Diggit Theatrical Group announced the piece will make its theatrical debut in 2026 at Washington, DC’s Arena Stage.

Written and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah (One Love: The Bob Marley Musical) and choreographed by Chloe Davis (Gypsy), Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, and Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas’ tale of sisterhood, “defiance, triumph, and love” will be put on full display as soundtracked by their hit “Waterfalls,” “Creep,” “Unpretty,” and “No Scrubs.”

In a statement shared with Billboard, Diggins, T-Boz, and Chilli expressed their excitement for the production.

“TLC completely changed the game,” said Diggins. “Their music gave a voice to women everywhere, empowering them to be confident and unapologetic. But this isn’t just a story about the music; it’s about the sisterhood between these women and what kept them together through both unimaginable challenges and chart-topping success.”

T-Boz chimed in to say: “Bringing this story to the stage is a dream come true. We have performed in a lot of different venues all over the world throughout our career, but bringing our story and music to the theater is a totally new and exciting challenge.”

That notion was echoed by Chilli. “We have some of the best people in the business working on this project,” she added. “Audiences will get to hear our story – mostly fact with a sprinkle of fiction – told in our own way, and of course it’s set to all your favorite hits!”

CrazySexyCool – The Musical will show at Arena Stage’s Kreeger Theater in Washington, DC, between June 12 and August 9, 2026. Find more information here.

Later this month, Wilco will kick off their family affair of a tour, Sweet And Sour Spring. Today (April 15), the “Hot Sun” musicians announced the expansion of their performance offerings this summer.

If you don’t have the patience for a music festival or even a show filled with supporting acts, Wilco has something tailored specifically for you. In August, the group will put on a string of laser focused show titled, An Evening With Wilco.

The concerts (which encourages ticket holders to submit setlist song requests) are aimed a hardcore Wilco fans. Across the shows, Wilco will perform their classic tunes as well as plenty of b-side fan favorites. As the shows’ title suggests, the concert will not feature any opening acts. Instead, Wilco promised concertgoers two sets with a short intermission in-between.

The An Evening With Wilco presale is scheduled for Wednesday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m. local time. On Saturday, April 19 at 10:00 a.m. local time the general sale will kick off. Find more information here. Continue below to view the full An Evening With Wilco show schedule.

Wilco’s 2025 Tour Dates: An Evening With Wilco

08/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met
08/06 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts
08/07 – Cleveland Heights, OH @ Cain Park Evans Amphitheater
08/10 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed (Fairgrounds)
08/12 – Chesterfield, MO @ The Factory
08/13 – Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theatre
08/14 – Kansas City, MO @ The Midland Theatre
08/16 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom
08/17 – Vail Village, CO @ Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater
08/19 – Jackson Hole, WY @ Snow King Mountain
08/20 – Ogden, UT @ Ogden Amphitheater
08/22 – Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater
08/24 – Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre
08/25 – Seattle, WA @ Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre
08/27 – Vancouver, BC @ Pacific Coliseum, Chevrolet Stage
08/29 – Calgary, AB @ Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
08/30 – Edmonton, AB @ Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium

Coco Jones is ready to make her first full length statement as an artist. Later this month, the “ICU” singer’s debut studio album, Why Not More?, will hit streaming platforms.

With less than two weeks until it drops, Coco Jones has given into fans demands for more details about the body of work. Today (April 15), Jones unveiled the official tracklist for using a glamorous mirror trick.

In the clip (viewable here), Jones touches up her makeup while taking a phone call. During the chat with a friend, their conversation effortlessly weaved the names of each song.

Followers of Jones’ praised her for the creativity displayed in the rollout as it highlighted her skills as both an actress and songwriter.

Continue below to view the full tracklist and artwork for Coco Jones’ forthcoming album, Why Not More?.

Tracklist

1. “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”
2. “Other Side Of Love”
3. “Hit You Where It Hurts”
4. “Keep It Quiet”
5. “Thang 4 U”
6. “AEOMG”
7. “Why Not More?” featuring YG Marley
8. “On Sight”
9. “Taste”
10. “Nobody Exists”
11. “Most Beautiful Design” featuring Future and London On Da Track
12. “You”
13. “Forever Don’t Hit Like Before”
14. “By Myself”

Artwork

Why Not More? is due on 4/25 via Def Jam Recordings. Find more information here.

Billie Eilish is a non-conformist in more way than one. From the “Birds Of A Feather” singer’s approach to pop music and signature androgynous fashion, Eilish loves to frolic in the gray area. But the Oscar Award-winner has not always this progressive.

In an interview with Vogue, Billie Eilish spoke about the rocky relationship she had with her name growing up due to traditional gender binaries.

When asked by Sonic The Hedgehog actor Idris Elba how it was growing up “with a name like Billie,” the songwriter had a vulnerable moment. “I love this question,” she said. “I absolutely hated my name when I was a kid.”

Eilish went on to say that in her early childhood, she was programmed to believe Billie “was a boy’s name.”

“I remember just being so mad, and all I wanted was to have a girly name, like Violet or like Lavender, some sort of, you know, pretty flowery name,” she added. “And it’s so funny because now there’s no other name in the universe that could be my name besides Billie. I love my name so so so much. It really is the only possible choice for who I am.”

Eilish’s name carries deep sentimental significance in her family. Later in the chat, Eilish revealed her parents named her after her late grandfather William (to which Billie is a common nickname).

“So technically the first Billy I ever knew was my grandfather, but I never met him,” she closed.

Things are not looking up for “Darkest Times” singer Sean Kingston. Kingston time at home has reportedly been cut short.

According to WSVN, Sean Kingston (real name Kisean Anderson) has been taken back into federal custody for failure to post bond related to his recent wire fraud conviction. Today (April 15), during a court hearing Kingston’s legal representatives informed the presiding judge that he was “unable” to pay the $100,000 cash bond.

As a result, the judge ordered Kingston back into federal custody. The outlet says Kingston was immediately taken into custody then turned over to a federal detention center in Miami. Kingston will seemingly remain at the facility unless he can post the bond or until he returns to court for sentencing on July 11.

Back on March 29, Kingston as well as his mother, Janice Turner, were found guilty in the federal matter (one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud). The duo was accused of stealing $1 million worth of luxury items (a bulletproof Escalade, a giant TV, and expensive watches) from local Florida businesses. However, Turner was remanded while Kingston was allowed to return home under specific conditions (bond being one of those conditions).

Since his latest detainment, Sean Kingston nor has his legal representatives have not released a public statement.

With so many recording artists getting into the beauty and cosmetics business, the market is getting awfully crowded. That isn’t stopping SZA, who is setting her own offering to the space apart with an eye-catching name, Not Beauty, and one hell of a soft launch.

Not Beauty will start with lip gloss in three colors — In The Flesh, Strawberry Jelly, and Quartz — hosted at pop-up shops at her Grand National Tour stops with Kendrick Lamar, with plans to expand the line to include lip stains, lip liners, and lip creams. The line is touted in a press release as “vegan” and “cruelty-free,” and was inspired by SZA looking for products that worked well for her while being a cosmetics novice.

A statement from SZA reads, “Not Beauty wasn’t about me trying to enter the beauty market, it’s about me filling a need, it’s about me needing something that lasted as long as my show, as long as my conversation, as long as my date. There was nothing that existed that did that for me and also made me feel moisturized. I don’t know much about much, but I know a lot about lips, and I feel like Not BeautY is not beauty. It is just something that I wanted to share that worked for me and I hope works for you. It’s really well-made. It’s awesome.”

The pop-up shops will be open to all fans, even without a show ticket, at the following tour stops:

04/19/2025 — Minneapolis, MN @ U.S. Bank Stadium
04/23/2025 — Houston, TX @ NRG Stadium
04/26/2025 — Arlington, TX @ AT&T Stadium
04/29/2025 — Atlanta, GA @ Mercedes Benz Stadium
05/03/2025 — Charlotte, NC @ Bank of America Stadium
05/05/2025 — Philadelphia, PA @ Lincoln Financial Field
05/08/2025 — East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium
05/09/2025 — East Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium
05/12/2025 — Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium
05/17/2025 — Seattle, WA @ Lumen Field
05/21/2025 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
05/23/2025 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
05/24/2025 — Los Angeles, CA @ SoFi Stadium
05/27/2025 — Glendale, AZ @ State Farm Stadium
05/29/2025 — San Francisco, CA @ Oracle Park
05/31/2025 — Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium
06/04/2025 — St. Louis, MO @ The Dome at America’s Center
06/06/2025 — Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field
06/10/2025 — Detroit, MI @ Ford Field
06/12/2025 — Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre
06/16/2025 — Hershey, PA @ Hersheypark Stadium
06/18/2025 — Washington, DC @ Northwest Stadium

You can find more info here.

Back in 2018, Snoop Dogg turned heads by announcing he was changing genres — temporarily — for a gospel album called Bible Of Love. Released to mixed critical reception, it nevertheless debuted at No. 1 on Billboard‘s US Gospel Albums chart, Snoop’s first and to date only entry therein.

While it was eventually written off by fans as a one-off, it looks like Snoop is ready to dip his toes back into the (holy) waters of gospel music with a new album, Altar Call. Due on April 27 via Death Row Records (!), the album is set to feature Death Row singers such as Charlie Bereal, Jane Handcock, and October London along with established stars from beyond the gospel realm like Jamie Foxx, Jazze Pha, and Robert Glasper. You can see Snoop Dogg’s album announcement here.

The album is said to be dedicated to Snoop’s late mother, Beverly Tate, whose photo appears on the cover. In an statement to Okayplayer, Snoop said, “The spirit of my mother will forever live within me. This album is a reflection of what she has taught me — to use my voice and my platform to spread love and heal the world. Just another chapter out of the Bible Of Love.

Altar Call is out 4/27 via Death Row Records. You can find more info here.

The Essence Festival Of Culture is gearing up to make New Orleans the place to be during this 4th Of July weekend: The 2025 edition of the festival is set to run from July 4 to 6 at Caesars Superdome, and the lineup so far is led by GloRilla, Summer Walker, and Nas.

Beyond them, also involved are Muni Long, Maxwell, Boyz II Men, Davido, The Isley Brothers, Donell Jones, Buju Banton, and others. On top of that, Jermaine Dupri will lead a Quincy Jones tribute titled “Essence Flowers,” which will (per a press release, as Billboard notes) “bring together artists who’ve sampled, studied or shared space with the music titan.”

This news is dubbed as the “first wave” of the lineup, so more artists should be announced in the future.

The theme for 2025 is “We Are Made Like This”; The festival website explains in part, “We are boundless. Unstoppable. Limitless. In a world that often seeks to define, diminish, or contain us, we remain expansive — rooted in the richness of our past and rising with the unstoppable force of our future. We are layered, luminous, and unapologetically limitless.”

The show will be hosted by Anthony Anderson and Kenny Burns. The weekend will also feature lifestyle experiences like Essence Food & Wine Festival, Essence Film Festival, BeautyCon, and Essence Authors. Tickets are on sale now via Ticketmaster.