At the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota last night (February 4), Tyler The Creator kicked off his anticipated Chromakopia: The World Tour. For fans planning to attend a future show, yesterday’s setlist might be of interest.
Per setlist.fm, Tyler played a massive 30-song set, and the most-represented album, of course, was Chromakopia, although hits from his other projects were sprinkled throughout the evening.
Check out the setlist below, followed by Tyler’s upcoming tour dates.
Tyler The Creator’s Chromakopia: The World Tour Setlist
1. “St. Chroma”
2. “Rah Tah Tah”
3. “Noid”
4. “Darling, I”
5. “I Killed You”
6. “Judge Judy”
7. “Sticky”
8. “Take Your Mask Off”
9. “Earfquake”
10. “I Think”
11. “Yonkers”
12. “Tron Cat”
13. “She”
14. “Tamale”
15. “Rusty”
16. “IFHY”
17. “Lumberjack”
18. “Dogtooth”
19. “Sorry Not Sorry”
20. “Deathcamp”
21. “2Seater”
22. “Smuckers”
23. “Boredom”
24. “Who Dat Boy”
25. “Wusyaname”
26. “Thought I Was Dead”
27. “Like Him”
28. “See You Again”
29. “Balloon”
30. “I Hope You Find Your Way Home”
Tyler The Creator’s 2025 Tour Dates: Chromakopia: The World Tour
02/06 — Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum *^
02/08 — Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center *^
02/11 — Denver, CO @ Ball Arena *^
02/14 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *^
02/17 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *^
02/20 — Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *^
02/23 — Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center *^
02/24 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena *^
02/26 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center *^
02/28 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *^
03/02 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena *^
03/05 — San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center *^
03/07 — Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena *^
03/09 — San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena San Diego *^
03/12 — Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center *^
03/15 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center *^
03/17 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center *^
03/19 — Houston, TX @ Toyota Center *^
03/21 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena *^
03/22 — Orlando, FL @ Kia Center ^
03/24 — Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center ^
03/26 — Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center *^
03/28 — Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena *^
03/29 — Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center *^
04/01 — Washington, D.C. @ Capital One Arena *^
04/25 — Antwerp, BE @ Sportpaleis *^
04/27 — Paris, FR @ Accor Arena *^
04/30 — Milan, IT @ Unipol Forum *^
05/01 — Zurich, CH @ Hallenstadion *^
05/02 — Frankfurt, DE @ Festhalle *^
05/04 — Cologne, DE @ LANXESS Arena *^
05/06 — Oslo, NO @ Oslo Spektrum *^
05/07 — Copenhagen, DK @ Royal Arena *^
05/09 — Prague, CZ @ O2 arena *^
05/10 — Krakow, PL @ TAURON Arena Krakow *^
05/12 — Berlin, DE @ Uber Arena *^
05/14 — Amsterdam, NL @ Ziggo Dome *^
05/17 — Birmingham, UK @ Utilita Arena Birmingham *^
05/19 — London, UK @ The O2 *^5/21 — London, UK @ The O2 *^
05/24 — Dublin, IE @ 3Arena *^
05/27 — Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live *^
05/30 — Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro *^
06/27 — Cincinnati, OH @ Heritage Bank Center *^
06/28 — Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse *^
06/30 — Chicago, IL @ United Center *^
07/03 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena *^
07/05 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center *^
07/08 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden *^
07/11 — Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena *^
07/12 — Raleigh, NC @ Lenovo Center *^
07/14 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *^
07/17 — Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center *^
07/22 — Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre *^
07/24 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *^
07/27 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center *^
08/18 — Auckland, NZ @ Spark Arena *^
08/22 — Melbourne, VIC, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena *^
08/23 — Melbourne, VIC, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena *^
08/26 — Sydney, NSW, Australia @ Qudos Bank Arena *^
08/27 — Sydney, NSW, Australia @ Qudos Bank Arena *^
08/30 — Brisbane, QLD, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre *^
09/04 — Perth, WA, Australia @ RAC Arena *^
Shower Curtain has been a part of the DIY fabric for a minute now. Starting in 2018, Victoria Winter used the project as a bedroom-pop outlet to release a smattering of EPs and singles. Since relocating to New York City and befriending bandmates Cody Hudgins of Crate, Ethan Williams of Punchlove, and Sean Terrell of Fasting, Winter has reconfigured her one-woman endeavor into a full-on rock band.
The end result is Shower Curtain’s full-length debut, Words From A Wishing Well, which released back in October on indie stalwart Fire Talk. Taking cues from shoegaze greats like My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, plus modern indie stars like Wednesday and Alex G, Shower Curtain’s first record is a tidy, fuzzy encapsulation of the group’s spin on ’90s-indebted alt-rock.
Following the album’s release in October, Winter sat down with Uproxx to talk about Frankie Cosmos, Brazil, AI-generated playlists, and more in our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Textured, sensitive, emotional, dynamic.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I think I’d like my art to be remembered as genuine, something that people can relate to and that feels sincere and authentic regardless of the times. I’d also love to be remembered as a hot baddie and THAT B*TCH haha. I don’t even know what creative endeavor I will be known for but I just wanna be known for being a strong woman that was an impactful community member.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
This is maybe one of the toughest questions because I’m definitely blinded by my contemporary heroes and was always someone who was constantly changing my current obsession. But in hindsight maybe Frankie Cosmos? I had just gotten my first guitar when I was 16-17, and my sister Samira told me maybe I could learn some songs from Zentropy. After that, I learned Frankie Cosmos’ albums from start to finish, and memorizing chord shapes that ultimately led me to try and write my own songs. The DIY nature of bedroom pop as a whole was most definitely the reason why I felt like making music wasn’t something I couldn’t do. Not only that but also just the culture of zine-making and collage around that movement at the time ultimately led me to get into graphic design (which is my day job now and what I got my degree in). So I guess in many ways the bedroom pop genre as a whole, Frankie Cosmos, and my sister Samira 🙂
Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?
I’ve realized how many good meals I’ve had because this question is so hard to answer. I’m a big foodie and love to cook. I think perhaps the most memorable meal was this past year on my dad’s birthday. He and my aunt were rekindling their relationship as siblings, and she invited me and my cousin to have his birthday dinner with them. When we got to this exclusive restaurant that was totally hidden, I realized we were about to have an eight-course meal. Yes, eight! It was epic to say the least. Every flavor profile was present and by the fourth round of cold appetizers I was in another dimension. I truly didn’t think food could be this crazy of an experience. I remember taking pictures of every course because it truly looked like an art piece.
Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.
This is definitely a copout because it’s not just one artist but an experience, but Desert Daze 2018 and 2019 were amazing and life-changing. Being by Lake Perris and watching MBV and Slowdive was crazy, and the following year watching Alvvays and Devo was life-changing.
What song never fails to make you emotional?
“Um Girassol da Cor do Seu Cabelo” – Clube Da Esquina
What’s the last thing you Googled?
“Did Trump revoke the equal employment opportunity act?”
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
When I drummed in my sister’s band on a Brazil tour, we played in Juiz de Fora. Our show was running extremely late (South American style) and around midnight the venue got shut down and we still hadn’t played. The show ended up being moved to this studio right next door to the house we were staying in, and after the show the people who were hosting us threw a party at their place until 6 a.m. Everyone got so drunk we ended up sharing the living room with random people who just were at the party and decided to also crash there. I vividly remember waking up to the guy’s dog licking this guy’s foot next to me not long before he had to run to the bathroom and throw up.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?
I really love performing in Brazil where I am originally from. People express themselves and dance so much. I played a show with Ethan there two years ago, but I hope I can bring Cody and Sean there one day too. I haven’t toured that much in the U.S to have much experience under my belt, but this past tour, Kansas City got a special place in my heart. Everyone who I’ve met from the scene there is so sweet and kind and also extremely talented. I felt so inspired after our show there.
For cities I’d definitely like to perform in, Mexico City is on my bucket list because I’ve heard people go even harder there than in Brazil. And US-wise: Los Angeles because I have so many friends there and would love to go back.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
You are talented enough to pursue art school; you are as deserving as everybody else. Come to terms: you do not want to go to college for something your parents deem is appropriate; you will not find happiness that way. Don’t let men mansplain playing the drums to you. Also I love you and you will be happier.
What’s one of your hidden talents?
I can do an extremely loud mouth pop.
If you had a million dollars to donate to charity, what cause would you support and why?
Either Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund or one of the many organizations that help preserve and aid Indigenous communities around the Amazon, who are constantly in danger due to the deforestation and interest in turning that area into cow farms.
What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?
I think the scariest part of AI and music is most definitely how algorithmic things are getting, leading us artists and people who work in the music industry enslaved to technology. I think it’s messed up. More AI-generated playlists are showing up, and playlist editors are being fired. Even though the nature of a playlist editor is also one that is tied to connections through labels and distributions, at least a human is actively thinking about those choices. It feels like, if we only rely on AI, people will not discover new music and everyone will just be exposed to the same artists.
I have no idea what the future of music looks like. I have been pretty bleak about it all. It feels like everything is out of my control at all times and I am waiting for some magic luck to happen, which can also be fun when the luck is on your side. I think TikTok being banned or not will have a major part in the future of music, since kids these days only listen to things they find on there, and I am guilty of it too. I definitely know a lot of artists because of TikTok.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.
This is totally unrealistic but I’d love to throw a more intimate fest at this club in NY Nowadays with some of my favorite bands playing in the outside area – like Wednesday and Mannequin Pussy and then once the sun sets DJ sets by Horsegiiirl and DJ Shannon, who is one of my favorite local DJs and just throw a Charli set at the end of the night.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?
Trisha Paytas…. I love watching her mukbangs and her twilight cosplay skits
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
This one is hard because I have so many tattoos but maybe my tattoo of my cat Edgar, who has passed away since I got it but I carry him on my arm.
What is your pre-show ritual?
Spiraling in anxiety while simultaneously laughing at Sean making impersonations and jokes… depending on my mood drinking a Liquid Death or a Miller High Life
Who was your first celebrity crush?
My first celebrity crush was most definitely Taylor Lautner in Sharkboy And Lavagirl and Cheaper By The Dozen 2.
You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?
I’m bringing my boyfriend Ethan, and my best friend Grace and her boyfriend Zack. We are flying first class to Italy and taking a wine tour in the country, eating amazing food every day, and staying in the most amazing cottage for a week. Then Ethan and I say bye to Grace & Zack and we take our own trip to Japan for another two weeks where we meet my other best friend Yuka and she takes us to all the awesome spots and raves in Tokyo. Then I just want a staycation for the rest of the month at home to be honest. I need that rest haha
What is your biggest fear?
Death… but also just dying before enjoying my life to the fullest. Less dark answer: Elevators and any time the train stops underground.
Words From A Wishing Well is out now via Fire Talk. Find more information here.
More than 100 artists are signed on for Detroit’s 2025 Movement Electronic Music Festival, including Jamie xx, Ferg, Zack Fox, and more. Returning to Hart Plaza on May 24–26, 2025, the Movement Festival is one of the premiere EDM festivals in the US.
3-Day and 1-Dy Passes for both GA and VIP are now on sale. You can find more information here. See below for the full lineup of MovementElectronic Music Festival 2025.
Movement Electronic Music Festival 2025 Lineup
ADMN
AK
Anfisa Letyago
Annicka
Armanni Reign
Ashton Swinton
Augustus Williams
Avalon Emerson
BeatLoaf
Beige
Ben UFO
Blackmoonchild
The Blessed Madonna
Boys Noize
Brian Kage
Carl Cox (Live)
Carl Craig b2b Moodymann ft. Mike Banks
Chaos in the CBD
Charlotte de Witte
Chase & Status
Chris Liebing
Chuck Daniels
Claude VonStroke
Cobblestone Jazz
Craig Gonzalez
D.Dan
Deepchord (Live)
Dennis Ferrer
Disc Jockey George
DJ Cent
DJ Gigola
DJ Godfather
DJ Holographic
DJ I.V.
DJ Minx
DJ Nobu
DJ Seinfeld
DJ Seoul
DJ Sphinx
DJ Tennis b2b Chloé Caillet
Donavan Glover
Dubfire
Ela Minus
Ember LaFíamma
Erika
Father Dukes
FERG
FJAAK
Fullbodydurag
Gay Marvine
Goldie b2b Photek
HAAi
Hamdi
Helena Hauff
Henry Brooks
Hiroko Yamamura
HiTech
horsegiirL
Huey Mnemonic
Jamie xx
JEM
JMT
John Summit
Jon Dixon (Live)
Joris Voorn
Joseph Capriati
Junior Sanchez
Keith Worthy
Kevin Reynolds (Live)
Kevin Saunderson b2b The Saunderson Brothers
Klangkuenstler
Layton Giordani
Loco Dice b2b Vintage Culture
Loren
Marcel Dettmann
Mark Broom (Live)
Mau P
MCR-T
Mike ‘Agent X’ Clark
Mike Schommer (Live)
Mike Servito
Mister Joshooa
MK
Nina Kraviz
Norm Talley
Octave One (Live)
Patrick Topping
Peter Croce
PROSPA
QURL
RAEDY LEX
Ricardo Villalobos
Rimarkable
Riva Starr
Salar Ansari
Salute
Sama’ Abdulhadi
Sammy Virji
Sara Landry
Sarena Tyler
Seth Troxler
Shawescape Renegade
Shawn Rudiman (Live)
Shigeto Live Ensemble
Shimza
SILLYGIRLCARMEN
Skepta Más Tiempo
Sonny Fodera
Soul Clap
Stacey Hotwaxx Hale
Stacey Pullen
Theresa Hill
TSHA
Waajeed b2b Ladymonix
Walker & Royce
Whodat
Zack Fox
John’s longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin also contributed lyrics to the album, alongside Carlile, while Andrew Watt was also a primary collaborator. Also working on the project were Chad Smith (of Red Hot Chili Peppers), Josh Klinghoffer (formerly of RHCP, currently a Pearl Jam touring member), and esteemed session bassist Pino Palladino.
John says in a statement:
“This record was one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I’m pushing the door open to come into the future. I have everything I’ve done behind me and it’s been brilliant, amazing. But this is the new start for me. As far as I’m concerned, this is the start of my career Mark two.”
Carlile also says:
“I’m still reeling from the fact that I got to do it. I think all ships rise with Elton John’s standards for songwriting, and it was an incredibly challenging and inspiring environment to work in, everybody throwing in ideas, everybody listening to everybody else’s ideas. It felt like a family. The world is a wild place to live in right now. It’s hard to find peace and triumph. It’s a radical act to seek out joyful and euphoric happenings. And that is what this album represents to me.”
There’s also a trailer for the album that doubles as a making-of short film.
Listen to “Who Believes In Angels?” above and find the album’s cover art and tracklist below.
Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s Who Believes In Angels? Album Cover Artwork
Interscope
Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s Who Believes In Angels? Tracklist
1. “The Rose Of Laura Nyro”
2. “Little Richard’s Bible”
3. “Swing For The Fences”
4. “Never Too Late”
5. “You Without Me”
6. “Who Believes In Angels?”
7. “The River Man”
8. “A Little Light”
9. “Someone To Belong To”
10. “When This Old World Is Done With Me”
Who Believes In Angels? is out 4/4 via Interscope. Find more information here.
Now in its seventh year, Bourbon & Beyond 2025 features its biggest lineup yet. The headliners for the four-day music festival, held from September 11-14 at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky, include Phish, Noah Kahan, “Johnny Blue Skies,” The Lumineers, Jack White, Alabama Shakes, and Rilo Kiley.
There’s also Cage The Elephant, Khruangbin, Benson Boone, Goo Goo Dolls, Vance Joy, Third Eye Blind, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Pixies, TV On The Radio, Waxahatchee, Julien Baker & TORRES, Dashboard Confessional, and many more.
Beyond the 120+ acts, Bourbon & Beyond 2025 also has “daily workshops and demonstrations showcasing America’s best chefs and Louisville’s vibrant bourbon and culinary culture on the festival’s workshop stage for The Bourbon Experience and The Culinary Atelier,” according to a press release. The Bourbon Experience features “panel discussions, hands-on workshops, [and] product demos that will fill your cup and keep you coming back for more,” while The Culinary Atelier boasts “culinary experiences including celebrity and Kentucky chef demos along with great eats from local restaurants.”
Tickets for Bourbon & Beyond 2025, including general admission and VIP passes, are on sale now. You can find more information here.
Welcome to another installment of Ask A Music Critic! And thanks to everyone who has sent me questions. Please keep them coming at [email protected].
Hey Steve, I’m excited to see Kendrick Lamar perform at the Super Bowl this year. I think it has a chance to be one of the best halftime shows ever. I’m curious: What do you think are the all-time worst Super Bowl halftime shows? I don’t need to know your favorites, because I feel like everybody already knows the best ones: Prince, U2, Springsteen, Dre and Snoop, Beyoncé. But what are your top five stinkers? — Tiffany from Atlanta
I also appreciate you giving me to opportunity to clown on terrible Super Bowl halftime shows. Before we begin I want to be clear: I love terrible Super Bowl halftime shows. I was raised on them. Terrible Super Bowl halftime shows are my heritage. They are my home. And I miss my home. These things are just too well done these days.
Let’s start with a brief history lesson: In the sixties, seventies, eighties and very early nineties, the Super Bowl halftime show was not the celebrity-driven extravaganza we all know today. It was a gig most often given to marching bands and the annoyingly chirpy (and long forgotten) song-and-dance nonprofit Up With People. That changed in 1993 when Michael Jackson played Super Bowl XXVII. After that, the Super Bowl halftime show started to level up, though there were some growing pains. By the mid-aughts, the powers that be figured out that treating the halftime show like a mini-concert starring a sturdy classic-rock act or a zeitgeist-y pop superstar was the best way to go. And that is the Super Bowl halftime show we all know today.
For my Top Five (or Bottom Five, as it were) I’m going to disregard all the shows pre-Michael Jackson. They were simply playing a different game back then. (I also don’t feel the need to take shots at the California State University Northridge Marching Band.)
Here are the five worst Super Bowl halftime shows, ranked from bad to atrocious.
5. “Celebration Of Soul, Salsa And Swing” with Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Super Bowl XXXIII, 1999)
The best thing about a terrible halftime show is the time capsule factor. That’s what redeems the most love it or hate it halftime show in Super Bowl history, “The Kings Of Rock And Pop” from Super Bowl XXXV, aka the one with Aerosmith, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Nelly. Wherever you stand on that particular show, there’s no denying that it is a 200 proof injection of pure pre-9/11 2001-ness.“Celebration Of Soul, Salsa And Swing” opens with a similar flavor, as Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and a legion of dancers remind us of the baffling swing-dance revival that was just starting to peter out around this time. After that, Stevie Wonder enters. How bad can a halftime show with Stevie Wonder possibly be? Well, what if we put Stevie in the shotgun seat of an old-timey Rolls Royce moving at approximately 2 mph? And then we make Stevie take a precarious walk up some riser steps while singing “Sir Duke”?
Stevie’s entrance, like Super Bowl halftime shows generally from this period, is just way too complicated. Once Stevie is behind a keyboard and singing “You Are The Sunshine Of My Life,” we are on much more solid footing. Just make the whole halftime show this! Oh, if it were only that simple. Soon, Stevie is displaced by Gloria Estefan, because Gloria Estefan owned this spot in the nineties. She was at the halftime show just seven years prior, for a tribute to the 1992 Winter Olympics with (no joke) Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamill. May we all find someone in our lives who loves us as much as the Super Bowl loved Gloria Estefan in the nineties.
4. Maroon 5 with Travis Scott and Big Boi (Super Bowl LIII, 2019)
The outlier. The only modern halftime show on this list. Of course it has to be the lamest modern halftime show headliner. This was the year when many pop stars (including Rihanna and Cardi B) refused to perform in protest of the blackballing of Colin Kaepernick. Fortunately for the NFL, Adam Levine can always be relied upon to have absolutely no shame or scruples. If you want him to sing “Moves Like Jagger” with his shirt off in front of 120 million people, he will be there as soon as the check clears. (Bonus negative points to Adam for showing off his admittedly impressive guitar skills with some unnecessary hot dog soloing — dude, you’re here to be a himbo, not Joe Satriani.) Curiously in retrospect, Travis Scott seems popular enough to have headlined this himself. Then again, considering the network muted half of “Sicko Mode,” perhaps that would have been inappropriate for the occasion.
3. Blues Brothers Bash with The Blues Brothers, James Brown and ZZ Top (Super Bowl XXXI, 1997)
One of the most interesting parts of the new documentary 50 Years Of SNL Music is about how Lorne Michaels initially resisted John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd going on the show as The Blues Brothers because he didn’t think it was a funny idea. If only the concept had stopped there! Instead, 20 years later, we ended up with the third worst Super Bowl halftime show ever.
The first two halftime shows discussed here, at the very least, have the time capsule factor. They represent their respective eras accurately. (It might not be flattering, but it’s real.) There is no time capsule aspect to Blues Brothers Bash. This was 17 years after the original film. John Belushi had been dead for 15 years. Even the sequel nobody likes, Blues Brothers 2000, was still more than a year away from bombing in theaters. The Blues Brothers were the opposite of relevant in 1997. And yet there was Jim Belushi, screaming “You! You! You!” to a captive worldwide audience.
By the second number “Soul Man,” Jim was already looking winded. So, James Brown jumps in and despite being in the final decade of his life, he injects some life into the proceedings. And then ZZ Top comes out in the Eliminator car from 14 years prior and does the least convincing lip-syncing job in the history of lip-syncing. It’s almost enough to make one long for Jim Belushi huffing and puffing his way through “Gimme Some Lovin.’” (Almost.)
2. “Tapestry Of Nations” with Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, and Toni Braxton (Super Bowl XXXIV, 2000)
The bottom two on this list have some distance from the other three. It’s not a coincidence that both aired on ABC. In this era, the network exploited the halftime show as advertising space for Disney and its theme parks. In 2000, it was used to promote Disney’s two-year “Millennium Celebration,” whatever that was. It sounds like corporate mumbo-jumbo hackery, and that’s exactly what this halftime show feels like. Let’s just say you know you’re in for rough sledding at the Super Bowl halftime show when you hear the words “narrated by Edward James Olmos.” Which is a shame, because there were some solid components here. You have Phil Collins singing in a big stadium with Chester Thompson on drums! It’s obvious that you would ask the man to sing “In The Air Tonight” in this situation. Alas, that didn’t square with the synergistic strategy, so Phil instead belted the love theme from Tarzan. A million boos to you, ABC.
1. Indiana Jones And the Temple Of The Forbidden Eye with Patti LaBelle, Teddy Pendergrass, and Tony Bennett (Super Bowl XXIX, 1995)
This is the Super Bowl with the largest point spread ever — the San Francisco 49ers were favored by 18.5 points over the San Diego Chargers. And the game was so lopsided that the Niners actually covered by nearly a touchdown. So, the game sucked. But there was no entertainment to be found at halftime, which was another plug-fest for Disney. In this case, it was the Indiana Jones stunt spectacular that was already plugged on ABC’s Friday night staple Full House two years earlier. Not one to only advertise their owner’s theme park ride during the weekly “TGIF” lineup, ABC went back to the well for a halftime show with the least relevant to contemporary pop culture musical lineup ever. No offense to Patti LaBelle or “the incomparable” Tony Bennett, but it’s pretty bizarre by modern standards to imagine that huge Super Bowl audience watch a fake Harrison Ford take punches while an old-school crooner belts out a Duke Ellington number. Which might be why I also have odd affection for this halftime show. It’s so anachronistic and wrong-headed and boring that it becomes kind of thrilling.
The bond between music and anime just got a little tighter with the announcement that Crunchyroll has tapped reggaeton star J Balvin for his vocal qualities — not just as a musician, but as a voice actor in one of the streamer’s hit series. Balvin has been cast as a “key character” in Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise From the Shadow-, which he’ll handle in both English and Spanish.
“I’m beyond thrilled to join the cast of Solo Leveling!” said the “Rio” singer in a press release. “This series has such a passionate fanbase and getting the chance to be part of the anime world, after being a fan for such a long time, is an absolute honor. I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve been working on!”
Solo Leveling is an adaptation of a Korean web comic, inspired by dungeon crawling video games. The protagonist, Sung Jinwoo, searches for answers about The System, a mysterious program that increases his powers and skills way beyond what they should be.
The connection was an easy one to make; unbeknownst to some in the US, anime has a long and rich history in Latin America, where some series were translated to Spanish and aired decades before their English counterparts Stateside. There’s a long and fascinating history; you can find out more about it here.
Crunchyroll has been stepping up its efforts to unite anime fans within music with the medium itself; in 2024, it invited Megan Thee Stallion to present at the Anime Awards in Japan and teamed up with Logic for an exclusive merch collection inspired by the classic series Cowboy Bebop. With J Balvin joining the cast of an anime directly, it’ll be fascinating to see how this connection evolves in the future.
For as long as I can remember, basketball fans have been begging for a 1-on-1 tournament featuring the best players in the world. It has been floated for years as the way to make NBA All-Star actually competitive and entertaining, but for a variety of reasons, players have not wanted to get out there on that island.
In its inaugural season, Unrivaled has managed to get 30 of the top women’s players in the world signed up for their 1-on-1 tournament that will take place next week — the first round starts Feb. 10 and the semifinals and finals are on Feb. 14. Players will play make-it-take-it games to 11 (or for 10 minutes of a running clock) by twos and threes with a 7-second shot clock to keep things moving quickly. The tournament, which landed Sprite as its presenting sponsor, will put up a $350,000 prize pool for players, with $200,000 going to the winner, $50,000 to the runner-up, and $25,000 to the other two semifinalists — with the teammates of the winner also receiving $10,000 each.
Fans were able to vote on player seeds, and on Wednesday the league unveiled the full bracket for the inaugural tournament. Breanna Stewart, Napheesa Collier, Jewell Loyd, and Arike Ogunbowale earned the 1-seeds — with Loyd and Ogunbowale getting first round byes — with Chelsea Gray, Rhyne Howard, Kayla McBride, and Kahleah Copper getting in on the 2-seed line. The full bracket can be found below and features some very fun first round matchups, with the potential for some tantalizing showdowns later in the tournament as well.
Unrivaled
Stewart draws Aaliyah Edwards as her first round matchup, while Collier will face Katie Lou Samuelson. There are some fascinating guard-big showdowns, with Copper going up against Aliyah Boston and Skylar Diggins-Smith facing Dearica Hamby. Other intriguing matchups from the first round include Tiffany Hayes-Courtney Williams, Jackie Young-Rickea Jackson, and Marina Mabrey-Kate Martin.
The tournament will begin on Monday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET, with TV details still TBD as to whether it will be on TNT or truTV.
“Here With Me” d4vd has been on a steady climb since 2023, when that song and its follow-up, “Romantic Homicide,” first put the young alt singer on his upward trajectory. Since then, he has toured with SZA, headlined his own tour, been tapped to contribute to the buzzy soundtrack of Netflix’s Arcane, and released a steady trickle of new songs, including “My House Is Not A Home,” “There Goes My Baby,” and “Where’d It Go Wrong?” The only thing left to complete his ascension is release a new album — which he’ll do on April 25 with Withered.
In a social media announcement for his upcoming debut album, d4vd wrote: “Thank you all eternally for waiting on me. This album means SO much to me you have no idea the blood sweat and tears that came with trying to create this project over the past 2 years. Constantly starting over and over and over until there was nothing left on this audio landscape of a canvas than thoughts, melodies, and emotions that were unequivocally me.”
He also announced his next single, titled “One More Dance,” is coming this Friday, February 7.
Withered is out on 4/25 via Darkroom / Interscope Records. You can find more info here.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
The Weeknd announced the After Hours ‘Til Dawn Tour and Frank Ocean began filming his directorial debut with David Jonsson in the starring role. Kehlani explained how Grammy nominations “hasn’t changed anything,” but not in a bad way while Kelela announced a new live album, In The Blue Light.
The Weeknd — Hurry Up Tomorrow
Three years after teasing the project, confirming the existence of a trilogy with After Hours and Dawn FM, The Weeknd returns with Hurry Up Tomorrow. His sixth album presents features from Future, Lana Del Rey, Anitta, Travis Scott, and other, and arrives as an excellently crafted combination of the various eras in his stellar career.
Coco Jones & Leon Thomas — “Here We Go (Uh Oh) [Remix]”
Coco Jones had one of the best R&B songs of 2024 with “Here We Go (Uh Oh),” and she’s ensuring the song lives in 2025 thanks to a new remix with Leon Thomas. The new version of the song features a second verse from Thomas where he plays the role of a pleading lover trying to regain Jones’ love, making for a sweet back and forth between R&B’s brightest stars of the future.
Jessie Reyez — “Goliath”
With her new album on the way, Jessie Reyez checks back in with her new single, “Goliath.” A reflection on self-love, “Goliath” is also another step in the right direction as Reyez readies the release of her upcoming album
Mahalia — “Pressure Points” Feat. Lila Iké
A new Mahalia era may be upon us as the British singer delivers “Pressure Points” with Lila Iké, her first single of the new year. Driven by production that blends R&B and reggae, Mahalia and Lila sing of their desires with love how they want their partners to be intimate with them, but through their own choice to do so.
Jacquees & DeJ Loaf — “Favorite One”
Jacquees and DeJ Loaf are taking things back to 2016 with the upcoming release of their F*ck A Friend Zone II mixtape. With that on the way, the duo deliver “Favorite One,” the second single from the project. The sweet and sultry single dives into the growing feelings between lovers and why they turned out to be better than the rest.
Yung Bleu & Meek Mill — “Friends To Miami”
Continuing his streak of releasing a project every year since 2019, Yung Bleu is readying the release of What Makes Us Human with “Friends To Miami” alongside Meek Mill. Together, Bleu and Meek recall a past lover’s decision to search for their replacement during a girl’s trip to Miami and how they handled the situation.
Journey Montana — Lucky Girl Syndrome
Following up on her Stargirl EP released in 2023, 21-year-old singer Journey Montana arrives with her debut album Lucky Girl Syndrome. Montana releases the project complete with 10 songs and a lone feature from Maliegh Zan for a body of work that she says is “a labor of self-love and self empowerment.” She adds, “Lucky Girl Syndrome is a collection of real stories of womanhood and feelings that I hope everyone can understand and enjoy.”
Qing Madi — I Am The Blueprint
Nigerian singer Qing Madi steps out with her debut album I Am The Blueprint. Complete with 13 songs, the new LP is a strong effort from the 18-year-old that thrives off a combination of afrobeats, alt-R&B, afropop, soul, and more. “With this album I found love with myself,” Madi says of I Am The Blueprint. “I am telling my stories in a place of love and peace.”
Dee Gatti — “Control”
Fort Worth singer Dee Gatti concluded her 2024 by releasing Look What You’ve Done EP, her first project since 2021’s Just Called To Say. Though it might’ve been a long way for her latest project, it hasn’t been a long wait for new music since it’s release as Gatti feeds us with new music thanks to “Control.”
Breez Kennedy — “Talk 2 Me”
For his second record of the year, Breez Kennedy is back with “Talk 2 Me.” The new song takes inspired from 2000s R&B production as Kennedy attempts to sway a new love interest into arms. “Talk 2 Me” follows “Love Language” which he released in mid-January.
Iyla — “Overboard”
Iyla makes a grand return in 2025 in the form of her hypnotic new single, “Overboard.” The LA singer follows “Strut” with a spicy record that shares the yearning desire she and a partner share for each other. “’Overboard’ is a soulful vocal rollercoaster that exudes sexiness and confidence that splashes you in the face,” Iyla said about the song in a press release.
Kadeem Tyrell — “One Time”
London singer Kadeem Tyrell gets to work with his new single “One Time,” which pays homage to Ginuwine’s “Pony.” The new record is seductive, playful, and cheeky — qualities that R&B fans will surely come to appreciate from Tyrell’s new song.
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