Alejandro Sanz concluded his 2023 Sanz En Vivo tour in the city of Puebla, located in central Mexico — and in this same place, the iconic Spanish pop artist decided to kick off this week his new world tour, ¿Y Ahora Qué? “Coincidence? I don’t think so!” remarked the singer-songwriter to the 8,000 attendees who packed the Auditorio GNP Seguros on Thursday (Sept. 4) during the second night of the tour, according to figures from OCESA. “There’s something here,” the musician noted.

Sanz’s new trek marks his return to the Latin American country after two years. The first leg of the tour already boasts more than 20 scheduled dates in various Mexican cities, several of which are sold out —including the shows at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City set for Sept. 12, 13, 17 and 18.

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“Thank you so much for welcoming us, for giving us your warmth,” said Sanz, visibly moved. “I always tell [my band] rehearsals are fine, but the concerts are ching-nes (badass). I hope you enjoy it. We want to give you a show filled with music, not ching-deras (nonsense),” he added, using a colloquial Mexican expression.

Dressed in black pants, a brown shirt, and white sneakers, Sanz appeared on stage promptly at 9:00 p.m., guitar in hand, to perform “Desde Cuándo,” from his 2009 album Paraíso Express, encouraging the audience to sing along with him. It was the prelude to an emotional 120-minute musical journey featuring old favorites and new hits. (For a full setlist, click here).

The 56-year-old Madrid-born star proved that he still enjoys being on stage as much as he did more than three decades ago when he started his career. The guitar remains his great ally, but he also captivates the audience when he plays the piano, creating a more emotional and intimate atmosphere with his fans.

Below, see five standout moments from Alejandro Sanz’s second show at the Auditorio GNP Seguros in Puebla, Mexico.

Tileyard Education has unveiled four new EPs in collaboration with BMG Production Library, marking the third phase of their ongoing partnership designed to spotlight and elevate the next generation of songwriting talent.

The project features 19 tracks written by 76 songwriters, including Tileyard students, alumni and contributors from its international songwriting camps. 

The tracks are now part of BMG’s catalog and primed for sync opportunities across television, film and advertising, with potential placement in shows such as Love Island, Emmerdale and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.

Based within Tileyard London, a creative hub that houses more than 150 music businesses and 250 studios, Tileyard Education integrates academic study with professional opportunity. Its partnership with Nottingham Trent University ensures students gain both formal qualifications and direct access to the music industry.

Jamie Searls, managing director of Tileyard Education, called the project proof of what can happen when education and industry intersect: “That’s why I’m so proud of this latest project with BMG, 19 tracks, 76 writers across four EPs, and our third project in an ongoing series. It’s proof of what’s possible when opportunity meets talent.”

For many of the writers involved, the releases mark their first professional placements. Student Alex McLean noted: “I’m lucky enough to have had two songs be a part of the Tileyard Education and BMG deal, which happen to be my first two songs I’ve ever written in a camp. It is an extremely valuable asset to have as it proves my ability to write for brief, opening doors into rooms where I can further pursue my songwriting career.”

The tracks were developed at Tileyard Education’s songwriting camps in London and abroad, most recently in Marrakesh, Morocco, where participants write to real-world briefs under a deadline. All the albums can be heard here.

The British weather might have turned wet, windy and wild this week, but HUNTR/X’s “Golden” still shines bright as it spends a fifth non-consecutive week as U.K. No. 1 (Sep. 5).

The breakout song from Netflix’s hit animation KPop Demon Hunters extends its streak as the Official Singles Chart’s longest-running K-pop No. 1 single; PSY’s “Gangnam Style” is the only other song from the genre to have hit the top spot, doing so for a sole week in 2012. “Golden” is credited to the fictional group HUNTR/X, and is sung by EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami.

Two additional songs from the flick land in the top 10 with Saja Boys’ “Soda Pop” (No. 5) and “Your Idol” (No. 8) contributing to the film’s dominance. Elsewhere K-pop thrives with girl group TWICE seeing success with two singles – “Takedown” (No. 24) and “Strategy” (No. 32) – landing on the charts. Following their shows at Wembley Stadium, BLACKPINK’s “JUMP” bounces to No. 34.

Olivia Dean’s “Man I Need” finishes the week at No. 2, her highest spot ever on the U.K. Singles Chart. Three other songs also land in the top 40 with “Nice To Each Other” (No. 9), Sam Fender collaboration “Rein Me In” (No. 11) and 2023’s “Dive” (No. 22) all having strong weeks. Last week Dean sold out her entire U.K. arena tour – including four dates at The O2 in London – and “Man I Need” has also cracked the Hot 100, finishing the week at No. 82.

Alongside her triumph on the U.K. Albums Chart with Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter places three songs in the top 10 with “Tears” closing the week at No. 3, “Manchild” at No. 4, and “My Man on Willpower” at No. 7.

Following their respective sold-out shows in London, classic hits from Coldplay (“Sparks”, No. 19) and Gorillaz (“Feel Good Inc”, No. 30) both make appearances in the top 40.

BMG has appointed Monti Olson to lead its music publishing operations as executive vice president of publishing, North America, marking his return to the company after previously serving from 2018 to 2022. “It’s good to be home!” he said in the Berlin-based company’s announcement.

In his new role, Olson will lead BMG’s publishing A&R and creative administration teams, oversee new signings and catalog acquisitions, guide growth strategies across Los Angeles, Nashville and New York, and serve on the company’s Global Strategy Committee.

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The company said he’ll initially report to Thomas Scherer, president of global catalog recordings and music publishing for North America, and later to CEO Thomas Coesfeld.

Most recently, Olson was president and founding partner of three-year-old rights-buying venture Litmus Music, where he led major deals with artists like Katy Perry, Randy Newman and Keith Urban. Before joining Litmus, Olson spent his initial stretch at BMG overseeing U.S. music publishing, where he led the expansion of frontline publishing operations, drove business development, and played a key role in strategic catalog acquisitions.

With over two decades of industry experience, Olson has also held senior roles at Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Bros. Records, peermusic and MCA Records.

“Monti’s return to BMG reflects our commitment to being the most effective, songwriter-first partner in music publishing,” said Scherer. “His proven leadership, deep creative network, and experience in both frontline publishing and high-profile catalog acquisitions will be invaluable as we continue to scale the future of our business.” 

Coesfeld added that Olson’s return “comes at a pivotal moment for both our company and the industry at-large, and his leadership will be central to driving our publishing strategy. With his expertise and passion for songwriters, we are confident Monti will play a transformative role in helping shape the next phase of growth for BMG.”

She’s back where she belongs: Sabrina Carpenter has romped to No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart with Man’s Best Friend (Sep. 5).

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The new LP gives Carpenter her second chart-topper in little over a year following 2024’s Short n’ Sweet, which spent five weeks at No. 1. “Manchild,” the lead single from her new LP, earned two weeks at the summit of the U.K.’s Official Singles Chart earlier this summer.   

Carpenter also claims 2025’s biggest opening week for an international artist, with 85,500 units shifted in the first seven days. Lady Gaga’s Mayhem held the record previously (55,000) but North Shields-born rocker Sam Fender’s People Watching is still the one to beat, which debuted with 119,000 units back in February.

Carpenter currently has three albums inside the top 40 with Short n’ Sweet (No. 8) and 2023’s Emails I Can’t Send (No. 23) both receiving a bump. On Thursday (Sep. 4), she treated fans with surprise bonus track “Such a Funny Way,” which is available to download from her website. “The sentiment is one i always thought could really be the end of Man’s Best Friend in another universe! i didn’t want you to wait too long to have it and get to know it,” she wrote on her Instagram profile.

Irish country-pop star CMAT scores a career-high with her third LP Euro-Country peaking at No. 2. The Dublin-born singer-songwriter — real name Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson — has performed extensively at U.K. and European festivals this summer, including Glastonbury and All Points East festival. The LP features “Take a Sexy Picture Of Me” which inspired a viral TikTok dance earlier this year.

Bryan Adams earns his 12th top 10 LP with Roll With The Punches (No. 3) and he’s closely followed by Oasis’ greatest hits collection Time Flies… (1994-2009) (No. 4). Swedish rock band The Hives score their fourth top 10 record with The Hives Forever Forever The Hives landing at No. 5.

Sickick is back with an inspiring anthem.

The Toronto electronic musician released his new single “Lonely Together” on Thursday (Sept. 4), an uplifting house track with a dreamy atmosphere and cathartic build-ups. It’s a prolific collaboration with Grammy-nominated American soul singer Aloe Blacc and English YouTube star and DJ Vikkstar.

“This one hits differently!” Sickick told Billboard Canada. “‘Lonely Together’ is for the dreamers, the dancers, and the ones who find escape in music. Play it loud and let it move you!”

The song, which is all about finding connection through isolation, starts on a soft note with soaring motivational vocals from Aloe Blacc. “We’re all lonely alone, feeling everything is wrong / But we know we belong here forever, we’re lonely together,” he sings on the chorus.

Sickick built his vision for the track from the initial vocal and melody ideas that Blacc sent him. “Lonely Forever” was worked on for over six months and underwent multiple demos, including a duet version featuring vocals from Sickick. After utilizing Blacc’s contribution, the EDM artist teamed up with Vikkstar to give the track a progressive house feel, which is evident in its warm feel and uplifting synth melodies.

“Aloe’s voice brought a raw soul to it that needed an emotional synth to back it up,” he says. “When I first laid them down, I wanted them to feel heavy, but also freeing. The whole process was about channeling those moments where you’re carrying so much on your shoulders, and then finally letting it all go. That’s why I’d call it cathartic — because it’s meant to hit you in the heart but also lift you up and make you move.”

Check out the trio’s new song below.

This article originally appeared on Billboard Canada.

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Taylor Swift just made shapewear cool thanks to Victoria’s Secret.

The “Lover” singer was seen celebrating her bestie Brittany Mahomes’ 30th birthday in Nashville over the weekend. Mahomes shared some moments from the festivities to her Instagram on Sept. 3, along with a photo of her and Swift accompanied by the caption “THIRTY.” In the photo, Swift was seen styled in a Victoria’s Secret Classic Silk Corset in black.

The silhouette is fitted and plunging with thin shoulder straps and structural panelling meant to cinch the waist and create shape, hence the term shapewear. Accompanying her all-black number, Swift sported a few gold accessories, including a Jacquie Aiche Marquis Diamond Snake Head Roll chain, a custom Lorraine Schwartz T necklace and, of course, her glitzy new engagement ring. On her feet, Swift opted for Versace Medusa Buckle Leather Platform Mules, a staple in her wardrobe.

While you can’t get Swift’s exact style, given it’s an older model from the brand that has long since sold out, we’ve found a pretty good dupe that is virtually identical to the OG. Enter Victoria’s Secret SmoothingShimmer Cinched Tank Top in black.

Here's How Taylor Swift Made Shapewear Cool With Victoria's Secret

Victoria’s Secret Shapewear by Victoria SmoothingShimmer™ Cinched Tank Top

A black corset top.


Retailing for $49.95, this piece features all the proverbial bells and whistles that her OG top has and more, including a corsetted waist and a supportive bodice that makes your girls look good. Thin shoulder straps give way to a plunging neckline — a stylish cut that gives all the drama.

While you can wear this top on it’s own like Swift, the tank is meant to be shapewear, meaning it is usually layered on underneath something to enhance the shape of your frame. When worn beneath something, this top sits smoothly. No lumps or bumps here. The tank is seamless, so much so that you probably won’t even know it’s there.

Corseted tops seem to be a go-to for the singer these days, especially in neutral hues. In fact, Swift wore this same corset top while attending a Kansas City Chiefs game against the Denver Broncos back in 2024. When she’s not wearing Victoria’s Secret, her corset tops often hail from brands like Vivienne Westwood, Gucci, Versace, House of CB and Balenciaga, just to name a few. The silhouette is timeless and flirty. It can be layered under or over pieces to give them shape and drama, or worn solo. Corsets are also great transitional pieces, meaning you can wear them in the summer or fall without issue.

Drake returned with episode three of Iceman on Thursday night (Sept. 4), which found the 6 God previewing a solo cut as well as collabs with YEAT and Cash Cobain. Cash, who initially worked with Drizzy on 2023’s For All the Dogs, returns to the Iceman fold for “Somebody Loves Me, Pt. 2,” a remix to Drake and PartyNextDoor’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U hit from earlier this year.

In the ep, Drake walks through an Italian market and hops on the phone with YEAT before jumping into his car to preview a collab with his “IDGAF” collaborator and an emerging artist Drake has taken a liking to: Julia Wolf.

Next up, the 6 God previewed what appears to be his next single, which is tentatively titled “That’s Just How I Feel,” featuring multiple beat switches. However, its initial stripped-down production finds Drizzy in his top form. “All of them summers is slappers, baby, you owe me/ For real/ Probably would slow me down if I carry my trophies/ Maybe, when no one’s around, I’ll rap like the old me,” the OVO boss raps.

Drake goes on to contemplate his time at the top of the game along with death. “Yeah, and now that I remember, I took the chains and I broke free/ I wonder how long I’ll be at the top if they don’t kill me,” he muses.

This all leads into a freestyle from Drake over a moody beat, aiming at those who have crossed him. “They wanna see me go,” he spews. It’s still unclear when Drake intends to drop Iceman. His first two episodes took place in July, which resulted in the arrival of “What Did I Miss” and “Which One” featuring Central Cee.

Watch the episode in full below.

In August, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra unveiled plans for one the most ambitious tours in the group’s 25-year history — 106 concerts across 64 major markets from two touring teams crisscrossing North America with truckloads of production gear including video walls, lifts carrying musicians over crowds, and tons of lighting gear. Each piece of equipment was designed for rapid loading and unloading from tightly packed semitrucks, sometimes multiple times per day, and to perform flawlessly during the show. The fast pace means that some shows must be created without a pre-rig — typically set up in advance by a smaller crew to install essential rigging like motors and trusses — meaning the entire show must be assembled and struck within a single day. 

That’s a daunting task which requires “us to bring on the smartest guys we know in touring — SGPS ShowRig,” says TSO tour director Elliot Saltzman, who has worked with the Las Vegas-based company since 2006. “They became part of the team, not just a vendor.” 

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That team-oriented approach has helped SGPS ShowRig carve out a space in one of the industry’s most competitive sectors — concert production design, fabrication and automation. Founded in 1974 by Eric Pearce as Showlights, the company grew into SGPS — short for Show Group Production Services — by creating complex show pieces for major artists, like Kanye West’s floating stages from his Saint Pablo tour to MGK’s show-stopping helicopter built for his 2022 arena tour.

From its 250,000-square-foot headquarters in Las Vegas, plus five other facilities worldwide, SGPS supplies the skeletal systems of live entertainment: the trusses, lifts, and automation rigs that make tours, residencies, festivals, and corporate shows move. 

Demand for concert production is busier than ever, SGPS ShowRig President Ned Collett says, and the complexity of the requests is constantly evolving. Clients increasingly want automation that can safely move artists and set pieces in new ways. “Lifts are still the most popular,” he explains. “Drum risers, artist lifts, stages that rotate or elevate—but video walls that open and close, or stages that turn between bands, are also very popular. The challenge is giving designers the creative motion they want while making it reliable and tourable.”

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Reliability isn’t just a talking point — it’s Pearce’s founding mantra: every piece of equipment is built “like an English brick shithouse” to endure the rigors of the road, engineered for compact packing, repeated load-ins and load-outs, and flawless, millimeter-precise performance. The company’s own technicians often travel with tours to make sure each piece works when needed.  

Creative director John McGuire of Traskhouse, who has designed shows for West, Blink-182 and Travis Scott, relies on SGPS for large-scale manufacturing. His LA studio prototypes his designs, then SGPS executes the steel and aluminum builds. “They’re phenomenal at metal work, truss structure, and automation,” McGuire says. For Scott’s 2023 Coachella set, SGPS fabricated the circular stage and lifts that became the centerpiece of the production. 

McGuire recalls SGPS manufacturing the internal structure for 40-foot Kid Cudi statues that appeared in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris. “They gave me the backbone I could then turn into creative sculpture,” he says. 

For Saltzman and TSO, the challenge is repetition at scale. The orchestra mounts more than 100 shows each holiday season, sometimes two a day, with effects like a giant Tesla coil or synchronized snow globe that must work identically in every city. “Our audiences expect consistency, whether at Madison Square Garden or a matinee in Green Bay,” Saltzman says. “SGPS ensures the globe goes up and down when it’s supposed to, every time.”

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Those expectations have shaped SGPS’s approach. The company routinely hosts multi-day planning meetings in Las Vegas with lighting, sound, pyro, and video vendors. Engineers examine how many times each piece of equipment must be touched by crew hands, designing systems to minimize labor. “We counted how many hands touch a truss or a light fixture,” Saltzman says. “If you can reduce it from 10 to five, you’ve saved time and money”. 

Automation remains the company’s growth engine. Executives note that hydraulic systems are largely gone, replaced by servo motors that allow precise, oil-free control. Designers are leaning on lifts and turntables to create dramatic reveals and fast changeovers. “There’s a trend back to mechanical movement — walls that fly apart, stages that rotate — because it adds surprise and energy for the audience,” Collett says. 

Another driver is economics. With trucking and fuel costs rising, artists and promoters want gear that is lighter, modular, and fits into fewer trucks. SGPS engineers increasingly work with designers to re-specify materials and re-engineer staging to fit tight budgets. “At the end of the day, we’re all working for the artist,” Collett explained during a tour of the Vegas facility. “If we can help them stay on the road with seven trucks instead of nine, that’s real money saved.” 

Despite its size—SGPS is widely seen as one of the largest rigging and automation firms in the business—the company frequently partners with rivals like PRG and Solotech. “We’re the skeletal system,” Collett says. “Our competitors are also our clients.” That ecosystem means SGPS’s lifts or turntables might be the unseen foundation of productions branded under other companies’ banners. 

As the industry heads into another busy touring year, SGPS is positioning itself to handle bigger demands. The company’s inventory of 20-plus touring lifts is nearly fully booked each summer, executives said, and the pipeline of permanent installations continues to expand. Current touring clients include Bad Bunny, Post Malone, Jelly Roll, Luke Bryan, and Las Vegas residencies like Barry Manilow’s. 

Saltzman, who has staged shows for decades, frames it simply: “In our business, you can’t have a bad day. We have to do eight, sometimes ten shows a week, every week. SGPS helps us make that possible.” 
 
 
 

Among the celebrants cheering loudly for Leon Thomas as he accepted his Breakthrough of the Year Award at Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players 2025 was his mother, Jayon Anthony.

Smiling at his mother on Thursday night (Sept. 4) at Unveiled in Brooklyn, Thomas noted that she paid for his first studio session and ever since then he’s been in a studio recording. Approaching the podium to accept the award, Thomas initially engaged the audience in a call-and-response chant reminiscent of church: “God is good… all the time!” Then, in addressing his solo career takeoff, he said, “This has been 22 years in the making, and a lot of talks I had with God are a big part of my journey.”

In his accompanying Billboard cover story — “Rebirth of the Cool” — chronicling his rise from former Nickelodeon star to Grammy-winning songwriter (SZA’s “Snooze”) to solo artist in his own right, the musician and producer also paid another tribute to his singer mother: “I always tell people I’m my mom’s startup,” he said. “We started this journey when I was 10 and I’m 31 now. She understands how hard I’ve worked and how alone I felt sometimes.”

That hard work has paid off over the last 18 months for Brooklyn native Thomas. Released in August 2024, “Mutt” is the first single from his same-titled second studio album. The song’s slow burn since its release culminated in his first Hot 100 hit (No. 12), first No. 1s on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot R&B Songs and first RIAA platinum certification. And not only did “Mutt” cement Thomas’ breakthrough as a solo artist, the track — along with the entire album — upended R&B’s status quo by way of live instrumentation, vibrant fusions of soul, rock and funk plus insightful lyrics.

As longtime friend and fellow R&B star Kehlani noted in the cover story, “Leon’s disrupting this easy, poppy R&B that we had going on. Something like ‘Mutt’ being so successful shows that you don’t have to compromise. You really can stay true to the genre. It’s made me proud to look at my friend, who I’ve seen play the back seat in so many sessions, be the star.”

Thomas, signed to Ty Dolla $ign and Shawn Barron’s EZMNY label, is prepping a seven-track EP for October featuring what’s described as “a notably funkier, and at times more psychedelic, collection of tracks.”

In the meantime, watch Thomas’ full R&B/Hip-Hop Power Players 2025 acceptance speech above.