Alice Tan Ridley, who competed on America’s Got Talent in 2010 after decades of performing in New York City subway stations, died on March 25 at age 72, according to an obituary from her family.

Ridley — who was also the mother of Precious and American Horror Story actress Gabourey Sidibe — pursued her dreams of singing late in life, competing on season 5 of NBC’s America’s Got Talent in 2010 at age 58. She wowed the judges with her cover of Etta James’ “At Last” and with her story of performing on subway platforms for years. After Ridley’s initial audition, judge Sharon Osbourne marveled, “Alice, millions of people must’ve gone back and forth on that subway over the 20 years. How come nobody signed you?”

Ridley made it to the semifinals of AGT season 5 (with singer/songwriter Michael Grimm winning and 10-year-old singer Jackie Evancho finishing in second), and she released her debut album, Never Lost My Way, in 2016 at age 63.

Born in Lumpkin, Georgia, in 1952, Ridley moved to New York as an adult and got her teaching license. In addition to her subway singing, she also performed at Harlem’s Cotton Club for their “Brunch and Gospel” on Sundays.

Ridley is survived by two children: one son, Ahmed Sidibe, and her Oscar-nominated daughter Gabourey Sidibe, who made her film debut in 2009 in the title role of Precious. She’s gone on to appear in five seasons of the American Horror Story anthology series, as well as the 2015-2020 Fox musical series Empire as Becky.

So far this season on The Masked Singer, viewers have seen the fuzzy heads come off of Honey Pot (Cedric the Entertainer), Fuzzy Peas (Oscar De La Hoya), Ant (Aubrey O’Day), Bat (Scheana Shay), Space Ranger (Flavor Flav), Griffin (James Van Der Beek), Cherry Blossom (Candace Cameron Bure) and Stud Muffin (Method Man).

Through it all, the show’s judges have consistently given one contestant major props: Yorkie. She first came out, tail swinging, on her spirited cover of Chappell Roan’s “Hot to Go!” during week 7, getting the audience in on the shout-along chorus and then having all the right moves on a cover of New Kids on the Block’s “Step By Step” on Boy Band Night.

Yorkie proved it again on Wednesday night’s (April 9) group C finals Decades Night, when she joined Nessie and Mad Scientist Monster to bop through iconic tunes from the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. She jammed out in the episode’s kick-off bop through The Knack’s iconic “My Sharona” as the night’s stars tried to secure the last two spots in the Lucky Six lineup. 

The sparkly pink pup was up first, noting that she chose the ‘60s because the decade reminded her of her “ultimate protector”: her mom. She sounded confident on The Supremes’ “Stop! In the Name of Love,” nailing the song with her alluringly husky voice while adding just the right amount of tail-wagging sass.

In a Battle Royale showdown for the last spot in the Lucky Six, Yorkie took on Mad Scientist Monster during a run through Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle,” with the towering Nessy knocking it out of the park to secure the elusive final spot.

Ken Jeong had high praise for the dogged performer, saying she proved herself to be the “funniest, most charismatic” contestant so far this season, just before she was sent to the doghouse. After a clue noted that she’s on a huge TV show and has had some legal problems, Robin Thicke guessed Full House star and college admission scandal conspirator Lori Laughlin. After guessing Real Housewives of New Jersey star Theresa Giudice last week, always-wrong Ken Jeong pivoted to another Real Housewives star, Beverly Hills’ Kyle Richards.

He was, as usual, wrong, while self-appointed Bravo superfan Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg knew she had it in the bag, doubling down on her previous guess of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne.

The reality icon who has landed nine No. 1 songs on Billboard‘s Dance Club Songs chart spoke to Billboard before her elimination about why Yorkie was the perfect choice for her, how much less stressful the show was than Housewives and why, like Roan, she’s definitely hot to go.

The pink sparkly Yorkie costume seemed like a slam dunk for you. Were there even any other options?

You touched on it immediately. I saw the sketch for Yorkie and I was just, “That’s it! I know this character, it’s perfect for me. I’m in love with this little character.” And that’s why every time I performed, I lived her personality to the fullest. Listen: If you can’t have fun in a pink miniskirt and crop top with sunglasses and pink-tipped ears and pink Ugg boots, there’s something wrong with you. This was just made to have a good time.

You said you chose the Supremes song tonight because it reminded you of your mom. Was that an emotional song for you to sing?

Any time you bring something up about family or you dedicate something, your emotions are in it and yes, of course. I talk about protecting my heart. We’re all emotional beings and, listen, the Yorkie is too! Little Yorkie has feelings too.

You also  seemed to really get into you Chappell Roan cover. What appealed to you about that song? 

It’s a great little fun song to perform. It has tons of personality. It fit just beautifully and you can get out there and really have a good time. And I’m hot to go, so there you go!

Were you psyched when Jenny channeled Donny Wahlberg to praise your “Step by Step” cover? That’s the ultimate thumbs-up!

I love that compliment. I never get to sing a boy band song, so this was a really nice step out of the norm and I really had a good time with it.

You’ve had nine No. 1s on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart, with songs like “Roller Coaster,” “Stars,” “Give You Everything” and, of course, “How Many F—s,” so why not pick a more upbeat dance song to perform?

The themes are set so it would be Boy Band night or Classics night, so I really had to work in the theme of the night, so I picked the material I thought I could do the best with.

Given you chart success, were you bummed that you didn’t make it longer on the show?

No, those things are beyond my control. I just went out there every night and performed to the best of my ability and had a great time doing the show.

So much of Real Housewives each season is about where your relationships stand with the other women, but on The Masked Singer, you’re completely isolated from the rest of the cast. Were there any similarities between this reality competition and your typical experience on reality TV?

No. [Laughs] Let me say this in the best way possible: Housewives can be very uncomfortable at times. Masked Singer was a dream. Few things are more stressful than Real Housewives.

Your son Tommy is a cop. Did he use his detective skills to suss out what you were up to?

My son is a sergeant with the LAPD. And no, absolutely not.

Did any of your Real Housewives castmates directly ask if it was you or recognize your voice?

My voice is quite recognizable, so my DMs are flooded with “I know that’s you, I know that’s you!”

You’ve had so much chart success, but was Masked Singer a way to continue that but with less pressure since nobody knew it was you?

Absolutely. 100%. The Masked Singer was a wonderful way to hide behind a mask and just get out there and perform and really inhabit the character and entertain and I enjoyed every moment of it.

You’re in your 10th year on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Is there any world where you thought you’d be on the show for a decade when you signed on? And what do you see for your future on the show, given the rumors that you might not be coming back?

Another decade? Is that what you said? Oh my God, certainly not a decade. I’ve had the great pleasure of being on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for almost a decade. I don’t know what’s happening the next year or beyond… certainly not another decade.

Tell me about how you’re prepping for your upcoming performance at Mighty Hoopla in the U.K. on June 1.

I’m super excited about the Mighty Hoopla and then Koko [in London] on June 3. I’m super excited to take the show over. I haven’t been to the U.K. in a very long time.

When Poolside stepped onto the Ocean Stage at San Diego’s waterfront CRSSD festival on March 2, it was unlike any show the longstanding SoCal outfit had ever played.

The performance marked Poolside’s first since frontman and co-founder Jeffrey Paradise lost his Altadena home and all of his possessions in the Los Angeles wildfires two months prior.

“On one hand, it felt odd using rental equipment,” Paradise tells Billboard. “A reminder of what I lost. But on the other, I realized how supported we are from it. [My friend] Robb donated his studio space at K St. Creative so we could rehearse, Fender donated some instruments so we could play, Roland donated gear, so many of you donated directly to help get us back on our feet.”

With this equipment, the group whipped up a funky, jazzy and often happily psychedelic late afternoon performance on the dance festival’s biggest stage. The performance included their 2020 Panama collaboration “Can’t Stop Your Lovin’” and their essential 2012 cover of Neil Young‘s “Harvest Moon,” complete with an extended sax solo. Hear the complete show exclusively below.

“San Diego, my hometown — nothing feels better than coming back to where it all began and after losing my home and studio in the L.A. fires,” Paradise continues. “Stepping onto that stage for my first show since meant everything. And to do it [in San Diego], with my band, in America’s finest city, on the waterfront, was the kind of healing I needed.”

These celebratory vibes were a long way from those of early January, when Paradise wrote on Instagram that “Every piece of gear. Every guitar. Every flier I saved. Every record I dug for years and years. It’s all gone in an instant.”

“Some days have been really tough,” Paradise continues of the March set, “but [CRSSD] wasn’t one of the tough ones. I am grateful beyond words for the love, the music and the incredible people who make this journey so special.”

Legendary Latin artists Vicente Fernández and Freddy Fender are among this year’s inductees into the National Recording Registry, a prestigious honor from the Library of Congress.

Fernández’s ranchera anthem “El Rey” and Fender’s bilingual country crossover hit “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” join a select group of recordings recognized for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

“El Rey” (meaning “The King”), from the 1973 album El Ídolo de Mexico, is one of the most recognizable songs in regional Mexican music. Written by Mexican composer José Alfredo Jiménez in 1971, the song gained even greater prominence when Fernández recorded his definitive version two years later.

With its kingly themes of resilience and pride, “El Rey” has become emblematic of Chente’s enduring legacy, even inspiring a 2022 Netflix bioseries of the same name that celebrates his life and career. The mariachi singer — who died in 2021 — remains one of Mexico’s most celebrated musical figures, and his induction into the Registry further solidifies his enduring legacy.

Meanwhile, Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” stands as a testament to the singer’s ability to bridge cultures and genres. The 1975 single — which features verses sung in both English and Spanish — broke boundaries in the music industry by becoming a crossover hit, reaching No. 1 on both the Hot Country Songs chart and the Billboard Hot 100.

Fender’s emotive performance and heartfelt delivery turned the song into a classic, showcasing the power of Latin voices in country music — a genre that initially had limited representation from Hispanic artists.

As for non-Latin artists, the list also includes Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black,” Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”, Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Mary J. Blige’s My Life, and the cast album for the Broadway hit Hamilton: An American Musical. See the complete 2025 National Recording Registry inductees here.

See the complete list of Latin recordings in the Registry here.

Weeks after rumors spread that Californian experimental hip-hop trio Death Grips had split, the band have now taken to social media to deny these claims.

Reports of the band’s initial breakup surfaced in early February, when a supposedly leaked message from producer Andy Morin appeared online, with the musician confirming, “yeah it’s over,” before placing the blame on vocalist MC Ride (whose real name is Stefan Burnett).

“Stefan doesn’t want to do any more,” the message read. “But truthfully none of us can ever predict what will happen with the group.” At the time, no public statement from the notoriously media-shy band was issued.

However, on Tuesday (April 8), the group took to their semi-active Instagram account to share their first post since October 2023, confirming that Death Grips is still very much a going concern.

“Despite rumour and hearsay, we remain active as Death Grips,” a message signed by Burnett and drummer Zach Hill read in the post, with the text itself written in marker atop a framed artwork. Notably, the statement lacked Morin’s signature, potentially suggesting that the group will continue as a duo in the future.

Death Grips first formed in Sacramento, CA in 2010, with Burnett, Hill, and Morin sharing their debut EP Exmilitary in April 2011. The group found wider fame thanks to the release of debut album The Money Store the following year, with positive reviews accompanying its appearance in the top 20 of the Heatseeker Albums and Rap Albums charts, and a placing of No. 130 on the Billboard 200.

Following a handful of other releases, Death Grips announced their initial split in July 2014, claiming “We are now at our best and so Death Grips is over,” and withdrawing from a planned tour supporting Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden.

Despite this apparent breakup, the planned second half of their The Powers That B album followed in 2015, with the group returning to the live stage soon after. Further albums and EPs have since followed, though Death Grips have not performed live since an appearance at 2023’s Austin City Limits festival, and have announced no further live shows.