The last time anyone saw Jenavious Janvier, a Deerfield Beach 12-year-old, he was wearing a red school uniform polo shirt, khaki pants and gray shoes, and was carrying a Fortnite … Click to Continue »
With a federal judge in Florida overturning the extended federal mask mandate on planes and public transit, where does that leave cruise ships? Masks are optional for passengers on South … Click to Continue »
Over 20 years of American Idol, there’s been a lot to celebrate, from O.G. success stories like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood — still two of music’s brightest stars — to season 16 third-place finisher Gabby Barrett currently dominating country radio and making a name for the ABC iteration of the talent contest.
So on Monday night, atop Tommie Hollywood at the rooftop Desert 5 Spot lounge, the current Idol guard gathered to do just that: celebrate two decades of confetti-showering pop coronations with the all-star judging panel of Katy Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, as well as showrunner Megan Michaels, ABC Entertainment president Craig Erwich and the newly christened top 14 singers of season 20.
Billboard caught up with Perry at the event to talk about how the current crop of contestants can use the show and this national platform to make their music dreams come true, just like Kelly and Carrie before them.
“We live in a much different world in the music industry than we did when this thing started,” she says. “So I think, really, this show is about mentorship and momentum. It’s the two M’s. You get the mentorship, you take the advice – because we’re not just talking to hear ourselves speak. We’re literally trying to give you very specific, real advice for the real world out there that you can take and apply in real time and then use this whole launch as momentum to whatever you want to do. Because it’s really not always about winning, but if you can place high – in the top 10, in the top 20 – just hustle your way and launch off of this.”
Perry also referenced all the hopefuls who haven’t even made it past auditions (even Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott, pop singer Tori Kelly and country star Maren Morris, among others, were once rejected by the show) and how everyone who tries out is still part of the Idol family. “They came under our roof, they ate our food, we discovered them, and we will be a part of their biography forever,” she says. “Because we saw something special and we encouraged it and we drew it out.”
Speaking of the Idol family, showrunner Michaels — who started on the show fresh out of college, back in season 2 — talks about how former contestants remember their time fondly on the show and are eager to return, including for the upcoming May 2 reunion episode, featuring notable alumni Ruben Studdard, Jordin Sparks, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery, David Cook, Kris Allen, Laine Hardy, Laci Kaye Booth, Maddie Poppe, Caleb Lee Hutchinson, Willie Spence and Grace Kinstler.
“This is like high school for some people,” she says. “Apparently Jordin Sparks a couple of days ago was looking through some old photos of her from Idol, and she was like, ‘This is my yearbook. I never had high school.’ … Once people feel like they’re part of this family, it’s always nostalgic and happy to come back, good memories.”
For Perry, part of the job includes the inevitable cuts, like she, Bryan and Richie had to do to whittle the field down to 14 on Monday. But “eventually, we’ll have to get to one, so it only gets harder.”
“It’s hard to say, ‘No, you didn’t make it to American Idol — now sing!’ And then commercial break. And then you’re done – and literally, you’re done on this show. But … no one’s getting out of it besides one person, so get used to the Band-Aid getting ripped off.
“And truly, honestly, that’s the real world,” she adds. “That’s the real music industry. It’s not ever going to be as intense, as concentrated and sometimes not even as kind or constructive in the real music industry. We’re kind of like the Montessori style. We’re a Montessori mom. We let them figure it out.”
Spoken like a true mom.
Season 20 of American Idol is airing now on ABC on Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
American Idol is celebrating its 20th anniversary. If you’ve been meaning to catch up on the latest season hosted by Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Luke Bryant, or want to reminisce with some of the older episode, here are all the ways that you can watch American Idol on your TV and online.
What time does American Idol come on? The show airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. If you miss the initial showing, catch it on-demand via Hulu, ABC.com and the ABC app, Roku or through your cable or TV provider (a good old-fashioned TV antenna works as well).
How to Watch American Idol on Hulu
Not among the millions who are already subscribed to Hulu? Now’s your chance to join for free for the first month. Hulu’s most popular membership plan is the standard, ad-supported package which is $6.99 a month to stream network shows the day after they air in addition to movies and thousands of episodes in the Hulu library such as Pam & Tommy, How I Met Your Father, Dollface, Nine Perfect Strangers, Only Murders in the Building, The Handmaid’s Tale, Dopesick, Fresh and The Kardashians.
Hulu’s ad-free plan is $12.99 a month for everything in the cheaper package but you also get to download programs and stream them offline. And if you enjoy watching live television, Hulu + Live TV is $69.99 a month for over 75 live channels (including networks such as ABC, NBC and CBS) in addition to Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+.
Hulu Subscription
Hulu subscribers can also add other channels like Starz on Hulu ($8.99 a month after a 7-day free trial) and HBO Max on Hulu ($14.99 a month after a free one-week trial) and bundle Hulu with Disney+ and ESPN+ for $13.99 a month. Create up to six profiles under one Hulu account and stream from up to two different screens at once. You can watch Hulu from multiple devices including a smart TV or laptop.
Other Ways to Watch American Idol
Want more streaming options? Anyone who has been itching to cut the cord from cable, there are plenty of affordable streamers to choose from like Direct TV Stream which starts at $59.99 for a limited time only. Customer will save $30 over three months if they join Direct TV Stream until April 30. FuboTV, Sling TV, Verizon Fios, YouTube TV and Vidgo are other affordable streaming platforms for $35 and up.
Harry Styles has a history of dabbling in country music, from duetting with his tour opener Kacey Musgraves to covering Little Big Town’s “Girl Crush.” But his pair of Coachella duets with Shania Twain on Friday night have us wondering: Will the singer/songwriter ever go all in on country music?
On the latest Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith talk all about why Twain was a pitch-perfect surprise guest for Harry’s Coachella debut and whether they might formally release their fan-favorite duets of “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and “You’re Still the One” from night 1 of the festival. Or maybe, someday, Styles could put out a full-on country album.
Listen to the episode below for that discussion and more:
Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Jack Harlow’s new single “First Class” flies straight in at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart, marking his second leader. Plus, four albums debut in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart, led by Jack White’s latest, while Lil Durk’s 7220 returns to the top for a second nonconsecutive week. And Lil Baby debuts two new songs on the Hot 100, bringing his total chart entries to 100. How many other acts have at least a hundred hits on the Hot 100? Listen to the show to find out.
The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast Katie Atkinson and senior director of Billboard charts Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)
Lil Baby reached a Billboard Hot 100 milestone on the chart dated April 23, 2022, as he becomes one of only 12 artists to have earned at least 100 career entries on the songs chart.
He scored his 99th and 100th titles, as “Right On” and “In a Minute” debuted at Nos. 13 and 14, respectively. The only other acts to achieve this feat are Drake, the Glee cast, Lil Wayne, Taylor Swift, Ye, Future, Nicki Minaj, Elvis Presley, Chris Brown, Jay-Z and Justin Bieber.
If you need a guide to follow along with Lil Baby’s “In a Minute,” find the lyrics below:
(Damn, Kai, you goin’ crazy)
I be in a loop, she be in a group (yeah)
Brodie want her friend, throw him alley-oop (yeah)
Turn somethin’ to nothin’, bruh, I’m livin’ proof
How can I lose when we the who’s who’s?
Still runnin’ ’round with Mohawk
Jet ready, pack the Goyard
People probably think I show off, I ain’t even give it yet
Runnin’ up a silly check, stayin’ off the internet
Share the stage with Billie Eilish, turnt at any given time
Personal partners pillow talkin’ ’cause I got rich without ’em
Only thing they should be sayin’ is, “Baby keep it solid”
We ain’t even deep as we used to be, this sh– slick, divided
Bruh ain’t got no hustle or nothin’, so he gon’ stick to violence
I be known to run down, I’m dialed in, so I can’t speak about it
She know I’m a gangsta, she love me, I bring the freak up out her
Can’t play with me, you know I’ll come trim, I’m in a different league
I’m tired of showin’ what I can get done, what you gon’ do for me?
Forty thousand miles up in the air, only time I get some z’s
Full-court press, foot on they neck and I can’t let ’em breathe
Blood, sweat and tears come with this check, it ain’t nowhere near easy
Had to fall back, you know how that go, we only speakin’ briefly
Hope I’m not too much to handle, city n—a from Atlanta
I spent my last check on ammo, this is not a regular Lambo
Hundred thousand dollar kit, could’ve put down on another Lambo
Don’t be in the mix, I built this sh– forever havin’ say so
This sh– gon’ get serious about my money, this ain’t no f—in’ Play-Doh
Brodie down for double homicide, I try to tell him lay low
C don’t like to drive, but he spin good, I’m on the way to ClayCo
AK-47s in the spot before they made the Draco
I’m just tryna ball and live, hundred mil’, I’m callin’ dibs
I’m the boss, pay all the bills, I’m the golden child for real
Go off in this bi—, I will, I been on my grind for years
And I’m out here grindin’ still, I need equity to sign the deal
I’m just tryna ball and live, hundred mil’, I’m callin’ dibs
I’m the boss, pay all the bills, I’m the golden child for real
Go off in this bi—, I will, I been on my grind for years
And I’m out here grindin’ still, I need equity to sign the deal
Over-buying cars, I snatch the Brabus just for motivation
Shootout at the spot today, tomorrow, we in a new location
Free all of the guys, I hope y’all beat the case or get probation
Stash it at my mama house, four hundred bands in the ventilation
Now look how I’m livin’, I bought a house for the money to stay at
Right when n—as think that I got soft, I’ma pull up and spray at
Living like a don, might smoke a blunt in the back of the Maybach
Pull up like your mama with this switch, “Why the f— would you say that?”
You can do it first, I’m a do it worst, gotta double the pay back
Never take it personal, show no mercy, bro taught me that way back
Condo to get off, I was always taught don’t tell hoes where you stay at
Keep a stash house, you can’t take nothin’ to the spot where you lay at
Never be a bother, if you off me, no problem, just say that
Never runnin’ off, so if I owe you, I got you, I’ll pay that
Give this sh– my all, so when I’m old, I can chill and just lay back
Really from the bottom so the trenches is where I feel safe at
I’m just tryna ball and live, hundred mil’, I’m callin’ dibs
I’m the boss, pay all the bills, I’m the golden child for real
Go off in this bi—, I will, I been on my grind for years
And I’m out here grindin’ still, I need equity to sign the deal
I’m just tryna ball and live, hundred mil’, I’m callin’ dibs
I’m the boss, pay all the bills, I’m the golden child for real
Go off in this bi—, I will, I been on my grind for years
And I’m out here grindin’ still, I need equity to sign the deal
Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Dominique Jones, Kai Hasegawa, Ethan Hayes, Ellie Goulding, James Eliot, Howard New
To say Drake set the collective internet ablaze by posting a throwback photo with Taylor Swift is a bit of an understatement.
Swifties and Team Drizzy alike lost their minds when the rapper casually snuck in the cozy snap at the end of an Instagram carousel with the caption “They too soft to understand the meaning of hard work” on Monday, and the throwback snap sent both fanbases down a rabbit hole searching for clues about what the post could possibly mean.
The pair’s low-key bond dates all the way back to at least 2013, when they were photographed together at that year’s MTV Video Music Awards. Rumors of a collab followed in 2016 after they were spotted in the studio together in another Instagram post on Drake’s feed, but no song ever materialized when Reputation arrived in November 2017.
Two years later, Swift posed wearing a Drake pin on the cover of Entertainment Weekly to tease the release of her seventh album Lover. Though instead of a collaboration, Tay name-dropped the rapper in the lyrics of opening bop “I Forgot That You Existed,” singing, “And I couldn’t get away from ya/ In my feelings more than Drake, so yeah/ Your name on my lips, tongue tied/ Free rent livin’ in my mind.”
According to several Swifties, all signs point to the theory that the “I Bet You Think About Me” songstress is on the verge of releasing her re-recorded version of 1989. And not just that, but that a collaboration between the two superstars could be included on the new album.
“It’s the fifth slide on his post and 1989 is her 5th album,,, taylor ft. drake coming,” one fan tweeted, while another wrote, “TAYLOR FT DRAKE ON 1989 TV? THIS PIC LOOKS LIKE A POLAROID OMG…” referencing the era’s polaroid-heavy visual aesthetic.
Others pointed to Drake and Taylor’s respective Apple Music commercials that were released 2016 — you know, the ones that featured the rapper singing along to 1989 No. 1 hit “Bad Blood” and the singer jamming out to “Jumpman” on the treadmill?
Still, some fans were convinced the possible Easter egg actually had to do with the re-recording of 2017’s Reputation, with one Twitter user writing, “Imagine there is a collab on the vault tracks of Rep between these two. I will explode.”
Check out some of the Drake/Taylor fan theories floating around Twitter below.
it’s the fifth slide on his post and 1989 is her 5th album,,, taylor ft. drake coming https://t.co/C04nJsIejL
— kaleb🦭 (@kalebhurstt) April 19, 2022
TAYLOR FT DRAKE ON 1989 TV? THIS PIC LOOKS LIKE A POLAROID OMG… pic.twitter.com/bP2bEPPsJO
— falah (@inmyheadtsou) April 19, 2022
remember when taylor swift and drake did apple music commercials using each other songs? pic.twitter.com/zexB2BhsfT
— ivy (@ohhhhherewego) April 19, 2022
remember there were rumors about drake x taylor swift collab during 1989 era? what if that song is in the vault tracks?? pic.twitter.com/ot02Y7YeG2
— kadriye (@tayspetsch) April 19, 2022
bad blood – taylor swift (drake’s version) pic.twitter.com/vQKAsAsgnY
— laura adkins. (@SWlFTSONIC) April 19, 2022
TAYLOR SWIFT FT DRAKE ON THE REPUTATION VAULT TRACKS IM SAYING pic.twitter.com/njunPcJ340
— ً (@folkIoriians) April 19, 2022
Imagine there is collab on the vault tracks of Rep between these two. I will explode #TaylorSwift #Collab #Drake pic.twitter.com/vKcdx4kHZa
— Leyara (Taylor’s Version)🧣 (@LeyaraSwifty) April 19, 2022
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the Florida Legislature will be called back for a special session in May to try to address the instability currently roiling the state’s property insurance system … Click to Continue »
World events, including the war in Ukraine, have spurred a shortage of once-plentiful products in the United States, everything from pet food and poultry to microchips, new cars and the … Click to Continue »
LOS ANGELES — The man who pleaded guilty to the murder of Jacqueline Avant in her Beverly Hills home last year shot her in the back and later laughed and … Click to Continue »
