NCT 127 chatted with Brooke Morrison on the red carpet of 2025 KCON LA.

ZEROBASEONE chatted with Brooke Morrison on the red carpet of 2025 KCON LA.

Selena Gomez is looking back on her music catalog with fondness.

Before launching her solo career, the 33-year-old singer and actress fronted the pop-rock band Selena Gomez & the Scene, releasing three studio albums between 2009 and 2012. Now, she’s reflecting on a standout track from those early days.

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In an interview on the Therapuss podcast, released Wednesday (Aug. 6), Gomez told host Jake Shane that her favorite song from her time with the band is “Who Says,” the lead single from their final album, When the Sun Goes Down. The track peaked at No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 2011.

“It’s the most powerful moment when I get to perform it,” the Only Murders in the Building actress said. “That’s honestly the only reason I would ever do a tour again … is if I could perform ‘Who Says.’”

Gomez, who hasn’t toured since 2016, said she’d need to “take it down an octave from each year I’ve sang it” if she were to perform it today. She’s also open to re-recording the track, noting that her voice on the original sounds “young.”

“I need to redo it,” she said. “I should recut it.”

The Emilia Pérez star also opened up about the song’s empowering message and revealed that she once teared up while hearing it on the radio during a trip abroad.

“I was like, ‘Why the f—k am I tearing up to my own song?’” she said. “But it was because it was the little me who was there saying these really powerful messages that I still need to hear.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the Rare Beauty founder reminisced about how she first bonded with longtime friend Taylor Swift nearly two decades ago — after both experienced breakups with the Jonas Brothers.

“She and I like to say the best thing we got out of those relationships was each other,” Gomez told Shane. “We became best friends, bonded over the breakup, as girls do. Then we just stuck around for all the ups and downs that came after, and here we are now 16 years later.”

Most recently, the Wizards of Waverly Place alum dropped a joint album with fiancé Benny Blanco, I Said I Love You First, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in May.

Watch Gomez talking about “Who Says” at the 21-minute mark in the Therapuss interview below.

Justin Bieber is soaking up some quality time with his 11-month-old son, Jack Blues.

On Saturday (Aug. 9), the 31-year-old pop superstar shared a series of heartwarming selfies on social media, showing sweet moments with Jack Blues, who will celebrate his first birthday on Aug. 22.

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In the Instagram carousel, Bieber posted three photos featuring the father-son duo, with Jack’s face intentionally kept out of view. In the first snapshot, the “Dadz Love” singer gazes into the camera while his son’s tiny feet peek into the frame. The next two images capture tender moments, with Bieber lovingly kissing the back of his Jack Blues’ head.

Last month, Bieber — who shares Jack Blues with his wife, Hailey Bieber — also gave fans a peek at their little one during a visit to the recording studio, where he was likely working on his latest album, Swag. The project dropped on July 11 and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

Jack Blues and Hailey also appear in the music video for Justin’s new song “Yukon,” released on Aug. 5. The black-and-white visual, directed by Cole Bennett, shows the Bieber family basking in the sun aboard a sleek yacht resembling the logo of Justin’s new apparel brand Skylrk. The video captures tender moments as the couple cuddles their son and kisses his tiny toes while creating an adorable family portrait.

“We shot this a couple weeks back over the course of a few days in Spain & Italy. Shot on FX3 & GoPro, printed on 16mm film. I’ll remember these memories for the rest of my life. Thank you for everything,” Bennett wrote on Instagram, tagging both Justin and Hailey.

“Yukon” marks Jack Blues’ official music video debut, while Hailey has previously made appearances in several of her husband’s visuals, including DJ Khaled and Drake’s “Popstar,” Dan + Shay and Bieber’s “10,000 Hours,” and Ariana Grande and Bieber’s “Stuck with U.”

Check out Bieber’s adorable father-son selfies on Instagram here.

Billboard caught up with fans at KCON LA 2025 and asked them which of their favorite idols they would choose to form their ideal ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ group. From the boys of BTS and ZEROBASEONE to the girls of BLACKPINK and aespa, fans assemble their dream teams.

Who would you put in your real life ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ group? Let us know in the comments!

Brooke Morrison:

Hey, it’s Brooke Morrison here at KCON LA 2025 and we want to know from fans who they would put in their real life ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ group.

Fan 1:

So first Tae-Rae, from ZEROBASEONE because our energy can match. Second, if I had to pick someone else, I’m thinking Dahyun from TWICE. I feel like that’s already like a pretty good trio, right? And then one more, right? 

Brooke Morrison:

One more. 

Fan 1:

One more. Okay, last one. If I had to pick one, let’s do Leehan from BOYNEXTDOOR. 

Fan 2:

How about we craft this team together? You pick one first, I’ll pick one, and he picks one. 

Brooke Morrison:

Okay, I’m picking Suga from BTS.

Fan 2:

I’m picking HWSA because she’s so hot.

Brooke Morrison:

I agree. I agree. 

Fan 3:

Okay, and Eunha from GFRIEND.

Brooke Morrison:

All right, all right. So I think that’s a great team. 

Fan 4:

Wonyoung, Karina and let’s go, just go Winter.

Brooke Morrison:

Okay, okay two aespa I got that. 

Fan 5:

So for me, Ningning, ASA and also Anna,

Brooke Morrison:

Okay, okay. 

Fan 6:

I would say Giselle, Chuu and Eve. 

Brooke Morrison:

I love that. You guys got all the aespa in there. That’s amazing. Okay, you’ve seen ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ right? 

Fan 7:

Oh yes.

Brooke Morrison:

Okay, so if you could pick three idols to be in your group of ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’  who would you choose?

Fan 8:

Oh, I would probably pick Jung Kook of BTS, Yun Jun of TXT Dino of SEVENTEEN. That would be my perfect three.

Keep watching for more!

Bunnie XO is getting candid about the emotional and physical toll of her IVF journey with husband Jelly Roll.

In a new episode of her Dumb Blonde podcast, the 45-year-old host (real name Alyssa DeFord) addressed why she hasn’t been seen publicly with her 40-year-old country star husband in recent months.

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“Somebody said the other day, they’re like, ‘They used to always be together. Now you never see them together,’” Bunnie said, referencing herself and the “Save Me” singer (per People). “I’m like, do you guys not know for the past six months I’ve been trying to make a baby? Like, my husband has to work to f—k bring home the bacon.”

She continued, “Luckily, I have the luxury of being able to work at from home. So he doesn’t. He has to make appearances. But I literally have been on IVF meds for f—king six months and going through heartbreak and f—king so much s—t.”

Despite the challenges, Bunnie made a rare public appearance at SummerSlam 2025 in early August, where she supported Jelly Roll during his WWE in-ring debut against Logan Paul.

Bunnie — who is stepmom to Jelly’s children, daughter Bailee Ann, 16, and son Noah Buddy, 7 — has been open with fans about her IVF experience, frequently sharing updates on her podcast and social media. In late July, she posted a vulnerable TikTok reflecting on the first half of 2025.

“I’ve had to miss a lot of fun things, my body has been thru the ringer & honestly I’m exhausted mentally & physically,” she wrote alongside a photo of herself cuddling her pet cow. “But, I can feel the light shifting. I’m finally coming out of the cocoon & trusting that God’s timing is never wrong.”

Earlier this summer, Bunnie revealed that she and Jelly had received a major update in their IVF journey.

“When you just got the call you’ve been waiting on for 5 months since this ivf journey started,” she shared in an emotional Instagram post. “All the tears, the hopelessness & the struggle, God finally said, ‘Here.’”

She later clarified in the comments, “This is not a pregnancy announcement – we won’t announce that,” she wrote. “This is just a huge win for us.”

In March, Bunnie also opened up about how isolating the IVF process can feel. “It’s just you and these hormones and the waiting and the egg retrieval … It’s a lot to bear,” she said on her podcast.

Congratulations are in order for Cole Swindell and his wife, Courtney Little Swindell, who have welcomed their first child.

The country music star and former NBA dancer became parents to a baby girl, Rainey Gail Swindell, on Thursday (Aug. 7). The couple shared the joyful news the following day through a joint Instagram post featuring a heartwarming photo of their newborn dressed in a white onesie.

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“Rainey Gail Swindell 🤍 8.7.25 our greatest blessing,” they captioned the post.

The baby’s name is a tribute to her father, whose middle name is Rainey.

After the birth, Courtney shared a tender photo on her Instagram Story of Cole smiling down at their newborn daughter as he gently held her.

“This is why who you marry matters,” she wrote in text over the picture. “Best dad already to our girl. Couldn’t ask for a more supportive partner! We are very lucky girls.”

The Swindells first announced they were expecting back in early March with an Instagram carousel that included a sweet shot of the couple standing behind a clothesline adorned with a baby onesie, close-up images of sonograms, and joyful moments celebrating the news.

“Baby Swindell 2025,” they captioned the post, alongside a heart emoji.

Cole and Courtney tied the knot in June 2024 during a romantic ceremony in Sonoma, Calif. Earlier this year, the ACM Award winner released a special remixed, digital-only version of his top 10 Billboard Country Airplay hit, “Forever to Me,” retitled “Forever to Me (Our Version).” The accompanying music video features touching footage from their wedding day.

Check out Cole and Courtney’s sweet baby announcement on Instagram here.

Irish rap group Kneecap – which has drawn a storm of criticism, support, attention and legal action over the past half-year – continued to speak out about the war in Gaza during an afternoon set at the Øyafestivalen in Oslo, Norway, on Friday (Aug. 8).

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Right before the trio of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí took the stage, an English-language white-text-on-black-background message played on a video screen, accusing the Norwegian government of “enabling” the “genocide” against the Palestinian people via investments held in the county’s sovereign wealth fund (referenced as “oil pension fund” in the message). “Over 80,000 people have been murdered by Israel in 21 months,” the band’s message continued. “Free Palestine.” The message was greeted readily by a cheering audience. Most estimates (including those from health officials in the area) place the Palestinian death toll at more than 60,000. That number does not distinguish between civilians and Hamas militants. An estimated 18,500 of those killed were children.

While conflict between Israel and Palestinian territory has been ongoing for decades, the conflict escalated on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas militants entered Israel and killed 1,200 people, more than 800 of whom were civilians, and took 251 hostages, at least 40 of whom have been killed; around 50 hostages, both dead and alive, remain unreleased. Israel’s ensuing invasion of Gaza has killed an estimated 60,000 and led to an ongoing humanitarian crisis, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced and facing starvation. Gaza health authorities have reported that almost 200 people have died of hunger since the conflict began and the United Nations has estimated that some 1300 were killed while seeking food, though Israel has frequently disputed the UN’s figures. Israel’s security cabinet recently approved a plan to take complete control of Gaza City and forcibly relocate at least 600,000 Palestinians, a move decried by many world leaders.

The Norwegian government’s connection to the war in Gaza is complicated. While Norway has broken with the United States and Israel by recognizing Palestine as a state, the Government Pension Fund of Norway – which invests surplus revenues from the country’s petroleum industry and has more than $1.9 trillion in assets – is under scrutiny after a recent piece by Aftenposten, Norway’s largest printed newspaper, reported that the sovereign wealth fund invested around $15.2 million in Bet Shemesh Engines Ltd., a jet engines parts manufacturer supplying the Israeli military, between 2023-2024. While Norway’s Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg has ruled out wholesale divestment of Israeli companies, the newspaper’s revelation spurred the government to launch a review of the sovereign wealth portfolio to ensure that it was not investing in Israeli companies contributing to the war in Gaza.

Halfway through the Belfast group’s hour-long performance, they offered up more detailed thoughts on Norway’s purported connection to the conflict. “I don’t have to lecture you people,” said Kneecap’s Mo Chara, wearing a keffiyeh. “I can understand there’s people here like, ‘All right, we get it, I’m sick of yous going on.’ I wish I didn’t have to talk about this, I wish I didn’t have to get on stage every gig and talk about this. The fact is, as long as we’re on stage and as long as nothing is changing, Kneecap will always use this platform and this stage to call out the genocide and the war criminals. I don’t need to lecture you people when your oil fund is being used to fund the genocide.” The majority of Kneecap’s massive crowd greeted his speech with cheers and applause; many waved Palestinian flags as he spoke. The Israeli government has flatly denied committing genocide against Palestinians, and the term remains hotly debated. Some say those who accuse Israel of genocide are motivated by antisemitism, though two Israel-based human rights organizations recently began adopting the word with regards to the war in Gaza.

Mo Chara gave a “quick shout-out” to Øyafestivalen for “standing by Kneecap” despite calls for its removal from the lineup, but added that he thinks “it’s a disgrace and a shame that KKR” – a global investment firm that owns Superstruct Entertainment, which runs Øyafestivalen, among many other international music festivals – “is behind all these festivals. No company investing in Israel while they commit war crimes should be involved in and taking part in music festivals,” he concluded, with the crowd voicing its agreement.

Criticism of KKR wasn’t limited to Kneecap’s set. Outside the festival entrance on Friday, a small but vocal group of protestors gathered to urge people to boycott Øyafestivalen over KKR. At a different stage, more than an hour later Kneecap wrapped, Irish rockers D.C. Fontaines flashed an onscreen message of “Free Palestine,” which was also greeted enthusiastically by the crowd.

Mo Chara is currently facing a terrorism charge from the British government over purportedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in November 2024, where the group allegedly said “up Hezbollah, up Hamas.” Since then, the punk-leaning rap group released a statement declaring “we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah” and described video footage as “deliberately taken out of context.” Mo Chara alluded to the charges during the show, saying, “we love the English people, it’s the English government we don’t like.” Not long after Kneecap first hit the Øyafestivalen stage, they urged the audience to give them more of a response: “For f—k sake, we’re up in court on terrorism charges – give me a bit of energy.”

In July, Kneecap were banned from performing in Hungary over what a Hungarian politician described as “antisemitism and glorifying terror,” calling them a “national security threat.”

“The authoritarian government of Viktor Orban say we ‘pose a national security threat,’” the group wrote in a statement after the ban. “There is no legal basis for his actions, no member of Kneecap has ever been convicted of any crime in any country. We stand against all hate crimes and Kneecap champions love and solidarity as well as calling out injustices where we see it…. It’s clear this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call out genocide against the Palestinian people.”

Only four months after ENHYPEN made their Coachella debut, the U.S. leg of the group’s ‘WALK THE LINE’ World Tour hit American soil with a pair of sold-out nights at UBS Arena on Aug. 6-7 — a two-show launch in New York to set the tone for the rest of the stateside shows in the K-pop act’s most ambitious world tour yet.

Dressed in custom Prada outfits, the members delivered a satisfyingly theatrical show at the Belmont Park venue as artful transitions and brilliant pyrotechnics brought to life material from their latest Billboard 200 Top 10 album DESIRE : UNLEASH alongside refreshed mixes of past hits and fan-favorite cuts.

The septet tore through their Billboard Global 200 smashes like “Sweet Venom,” “XO (Only If You Say Yes)” and “Bad Desire (With or Without You),” the band’s latest single, which scored their highest entry yet on the chart. Plus, the guys even broke off into units where Jay, Jake and Sunghoon delivered the emotionally charged “Lucifer” (playing into the song’s themes with sexy priest-inspired looks, nonetheless). At the same time, the quartet of Jungwon, Heeseung, Sunoo and Ni-ki brought a ferociousness for their rollicking electro-rock cut “Teeth” (dancing while drenching the arena in a green laser light show). The BELIFT LAB boy band even slightly changed up their setlist for NY to include the original version of their pop single “Loose” released in April.

Read on for the complete list of the best moments from UBS Arena that show why ENHYPEN’s NY kickoff for the ‘WALK THE LINE’ in U.S. Tour marked another impressive milestone in the K-pop group’s ongoing evolution.

Canadians love Morgan Wallen.

In the first half of 2025 in Canada, the country star’s I’m the Problem was the most popular album, while Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ “Die With a Smile” was the most-streamed song (by on-demand audio streams), according to Luminate’s Midyear Music Report.

The report, which covers a tracking period from Jan. 3 to July 3, 2025, boasts a variety of metrics, including a few insights into the Canadian music market.

In Canada, total album consumption increased 4.5%, hitting 57.2 million — up from 2024’s 54.8 million — which accounted for the period of Dec. 29, 2023, to June 27, 2024.

Wallen’s I’m the Problem earned 231,000 equivalent album units in the first half of the year. Released May 16, the country juggernaut’s impact has reached the charts, with the album peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart for eight weeks, only to be dethroned last week by Justin Bieber’s Swag. Problem reemerged atop the chart this week, however.

Canadians fare well on the albums list, including Scarborough native The Weeknd, who has two entries. His compilation album, The Highlights, is at No. 2 with 151,000 units, while his 2025 record, Hurry Up Tomorrow, came in at No. 7 with 118,000 units. PartyNextDoor & Drake’s $ome $exy $ongs 4 U project came in at No. 4 (133,00 units), while Gen Z darling Tate McRae amassed 124,000 with her third studio album, So Close to What, at No. 6.

Top 10 Albums in Canada

  1. Morgan Wallen, I’m the Problem (231,000)
  2. The Weeknd, The Highlights (151,000)
  3. SZA, SOS (137,000)
  4. PartyNextDoor & Drake, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U (133,000)
  5. Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet (131,000)
  6. Tate McRae, So Close to What (124,000)
  7. The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow (118,000)
  8. Kendrick Lamar, GNX (115,000)
  9. Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time (111,000)
  10. Noah Kahan, Stick Season (103,000)

Top 10 Songs in Canada

  1. Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, “Die With a Smile” (51.7 million)
  2. Alex Warren, “Ordinary” (50.5 million)
  3. Shaboozey, “A Bar Song (Tipsy” (49.7 million)
  4. Rosé & Bruno Mars, “APT.” (47.7 million)
  5. Kendrick Lamar & SZA, “luther” (45.3 million)
  6. Benson Boone, “Beautiful Things” (44.9 million)
  7. Gracie Abrams, “That’s So True” (44.6 million)
  8. Drake, “NOKIA” (40.2 million)
  9. Chappell Roan, “Pink Pony Club” (40.1 million)
  10. The Weeknd & Playboi Carti, “Timeless” (39.5 million)

Read more here. – Heather Taylor-Singh

Juno Awards Add Latin Music Recording of the Year Category Starting in 2026

The Junos has a new category.

On Tuesday (Aug. 5), the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced the introduction of Latin Music Recording of the Year.

A CARAS media release notes that the new category “celebrates the vibrant and growing contributions of Latin artists to the Canadian music scene. This crossover category will recognize excellence across all Latin American genres and languages, giving artists a platform to shine on Canada’s biggest music stage.”

In a statement, Ricardo Taco (Live Nation Canada), who serves as co-chair of the committee, said, “We are extremely grateful to The Junos for giving us the opportunity to elevate our music and culture through the introduction of this new category. This recognition not only highlights the growing impact of Latin music in Canada, but also gives our artists a powerful platform to share their stories, rhythms, and heritage with a wider audience.”

The introduction of the category follows criticism around the Canadian award show’s lack of representation and support of the growing genre.

Last October, a new national report explored the rise of Latin music in Canada and the need for more industry support. Entitled “Understanding The Barriers and Opportunities of the Latin Music Community in Canada,” the report, commissioned by the group Speaking Non-English, emphasized the need for music industry investment to avoid “a massive missed opportunity.” It also identified structural and financial challenges in the Canadian music ecosystem and the lack of support and representation of Latin artists and industry professionals.

The report highlighted the Junos specifically as an institution lacking in support, with researchers noting that of the country’s top 11 genres, Latin music was the only one without its own category. “Many Latin artists already surpass the average Junos winner in terms of consumption — even without accounting for major names like Jessie Reyez,” said Martín Añón, co-founder/president of Speaking Non-English, at the time. “The community is aware of this disparity, which only heightens their frustration.”

Añón also said that a proposal for a Latin Music Recording of the Year category was in development, with more than 50 letters of endorsement from the music community.

The announcement of the new category follows a controversy that erupted last year after CARAS announced plans to put the reggae recording, Christian/gospel album and children’s album categories on hiatus. But after outcry from the industry — including some who raised inclusivity concerns around the removal of two predominantly Black-led genres — those plans were cancelled.

Last year, the Junos also introduced the South Asian recording of the year category, which was won by AP Dhillon.

CARAS is also refining submission guidelines for both rap album/EP of the year and rap single of the year. Starting this year, vocalists must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents to be eligible. 

Read more here. – Kerry Doole