Maverick’s Nick Jarjour says more artists and culture creators should embrace counseling and self-care
By Nick Jarjour
There is a mental health crisis is in the music industry, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from what you see on Instagram.
It’s too bad because if the Hollywood influencers really cared about their inner well-being as much as their looks, they would be showing off their mental health treatments instead of their facials and lip injections. I want to see as many Instagram pictures with therapists as I do with Rolexes.
Of course, there are artists out there who have become increasingly open about their struggles with depression and addiction. Artists like Kid Cudi…
Longtime friends Brandi Carlile and Margo Price won devoted fans with their raw songwriting and unapologetically activist voices. The Grammys have finally taken notice, and Price guesses why: ‘People are yearning for honest music.’
By Megan Buerger
Margo Price is five months pregnant, so it’s a bit confusing when I meet her at a low-lit sushi spot in West Hollywood where the menu is loaded with mercury. But as it turns out, Price didn’t pick the restaurant: Her pal, and our dinner date, Brandi Carlile, did.
“I’ve got you,” Carlile reassures her as we slide into a booth. She speaks with a tender, mama-bear drawl that commands authority. “I know this menu front and back.”
“Knew it!” says Price, happily tossing the leather folio onto the table. “Do your thing.”
Within minutes, a rainbow…
As she preps for her solo debut — following a monster pop hit and an unforgettable BBMAs performance — she’s finally ready to own her powerful voice and find a sound that’s hers alone
By Allison P. Davis
Normani has been answering questions with the nimble diplomacy of a former pageant contestant — or maybe, more accurately, like a media-trained former member of the most popular girl group of the 2010s. (She’s both.) But finally, something has her stumped. I’ve asked her to choose: If she were a member of Destiny’s Child, which one would she be?
“I can’t decide!” she groans, flopping on the table in an exasperated gesture borrowed from teenage years.
As she sits back up, her hands float to the edges of her hair, pulled into a topknot more impeccable…
Lady Gaga issued an apology for collaborating with R. Kelly on the 2013 single “Do What U Want,” and said she would remove the song from digital services. How did she do it?
By Jason Lipshutz
On Wednesday night (Jan. 9), Lady Gaga issued an apology for collaborating with R. Kelly on the 2013 single “Do What U Want,” following a week in which Kelly’s history of alleged abuse has been once again brought to light, this time on Lifetime’s recent documentary series Surviving R. Kelly. “What I am hearing about the allegations against R Kelly is absolutely horrifying and indefensible,” Gaga wrote in a note to fans posted to her social media accounts.
She later continued, “I intend to remove this song off of iTunes and other streaming platforms and will not…
Here are 10 things we learned
By Michael Saponara
Lifetime’s gut-wrenching Surviving R. Kelly documentary debuted Thursday night (Jan. 4), despite pressure from R. Kelly’s legal team who reportedly threatened to sue the network for running the six-part series executive produced by dream hampton. Lifetime, however, continued to air the chilling documentary into the weekend.
Surviving R. Kelly features more than 50 testimonies from journalists, family, fellow musicians and members of Kelly’s circle throughout his career who came forward to share their experiences.
Plagued by claims of abuse throughout his career, Kelly firmly denies any wrongdoing and has not been convicted in a court of law…
The concept always makes an appearance in a handful of songs every year — but this year saw over 20 acts transform into fierce divas
By Caitlin Kelley
BLACKPINK has the bad girl image down to a tee. The K-pop girl group’s music video for “DDU-DU DDU-DU” has the kind of set pieces of an overwhelmingly anthemic fever dream. Each of the four members has their own instantly memorable scene. There’s fierce and luxurious Jennie who relaxes on a tank. The bubbly and affable Lisa goes all-in on camp as a high-fashion professor wielding a recognizable pink hammer. The quirky Jisoo trips over her platform heels on a red carpet (because relatability). Then resident songstress Rosé appears like a goddess on a chandelier swing.
The #MeToo movement has profoundly affected the film and TV industries, and accused men who try to restart their careers are often met with disdain. In music, such men seem to have an easier time.
By Hanif Abdurraqib
When Kesha performed at the Grammy Awards in January, Janelle Monáe introduced her by talking about the Time’s Up movement: “It’s not just going on in Hollywood, it’s not just going on in Washington [D.C.], it’s right here in our industry as well.” Kesha — backed by Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Andra Day and others, all wearing white — sang “Praying,” her anthem that centered on her yearslong legal battle with former producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald. …
Sinatra called on fellow artists to join him in a collective effort to require terrestrial radio to pay royalties to performers
By Michael Huppe
Frank Sinatra earned the moniker “Chairman of the Board” because he stood up for what he believed. That included the rights of music creators, so much so that on December 12, 1988—30 years ago today — he called on fellow artists to join him in a collective effort to get a broadcast performance right, requiring terrestrial radio to pay royalties to performers.
Offended that artists didn’t receive a dime when their music was played on the radio, Frank Sinatra wrote letters to some of the best-known artists of the day — Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross…
Owning her sadness and her strength, she exemplifies the unshakable spirit of the artists recognized in Billboard’s annual celebration of top female talent
By Natalie Weiner
“Woo! It’s like, ‘I told y’all!’”
Ariana Grande is milly rocking in her seat behind the massive mixing console at Los Angeles’ Record Plant studio, a wide grin revealing the single dimple in her left cheek. Her new single, “Thank U, Next,” will not officially become her first Billboard Hot 100 №1 for another three days, but its explosive success is already making headlines. For Grande, the milestone is especially meaningful. It’s the exact kind of music she has wanted to make all along.
“It’s a Tommy Brown single!” she exclaims, hitting the arm of her chair…
Billboard caught up with Antonoff to talk about his dedication to the LGBTQ community
By Patrick Crowley
It’s safe to say that Jack Antonoff is more than a casual ally to the LGBTQ community. Not only did he executive produced the soundtrack for this year’s groundbreaking gay teen rom-com Love, Simon, but the Bleachers frontman co-founded The Ally Coalition (TAC) with his sister Rachel — a nonprofit dedicated to raising funds and awareness in support of equality.
“When we first started [TAC], we were trying to find our footing. And then a couple of years ago we were visiting some of these shelters and we really honed in on like, ‘ok this is where…
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