While the K-pop scene is an ever-evolving landscape whose definition has expanded beyond a specific genre of music, Yves wants her career to change preconceived notions that tend to separate K-pop idols from being considered complete artists.

Back in November 2017 when Yves (born Ha Soo-young) was first introduced to the world as the ninth member of LOONA through the dark, atmospheric synth-pop throbber of single “New,” the star may have unknowingly set a standard of experimental excellence that would define her solo career years later. An exploration of newfound artistic expression and identity, a now-unshackled Yves released two EPs last year in Loop and I Did (both of which made Billboard‘s mid-year and year-end best K-pop albums lists) with singles like “Viola” and “Loop” featuring Lil Cherry embracing the club-ready sounds that defined some of 2024’s best records as different album cuts explore everything from racing and acoustic rock as well as airy R&B and soft electronica. To date, I Did has 6,000 equivalent album units of activity through Feb. 20, according to Luminate, with its songs collectively registering five million official on-demand U.S. streams. Furthermore, Yves’ most streamed song in the U.S. is “Viola,” which has 2.16 million official on-demand U.S. streams.

“I always had my own image,” Yves shares backstage at the Brooklyn Paramount ahead of the opening U.S. date of her Apple Cinnamon Crunch tour. “But as my solo career is developing, I think I was able to explore more and show more of myself. I feel like I can express a lot of things now that I couldn’t.”

Embracing the multifaceted flavors of the tour’s unique name, Yves begins the show in a punky, funky black mini-skirt and top for the first half of the show, which includes Madison Beer and Avril Lavigne covers before changing into an all-white ensemble reminiscent of any classic millennium pop star look.

While the 27-year-old connected with fans in person on tour across Europe and the States (and will hit Latin and South America in April), Yves wants all aspects of her career to speak to anyone who feels like an outsider. “What I’m trying to pursue is to become a person where I can freely express myself in the world where there is a lot that can cloud one’s perspective,” she adds. “I really don’t want to put myself in a box.”

As she takes center stage fully on her own as a soloist, Yves seems ready to shine brighter than ever. Read on for more insights from Yves’ concurrent journey of solo stardom and self-discovery.

You’ve performed in the States in the past, but it is your first time as a soloist. How has the tour been going and how are you feeling ahead of your first U.S. concert?

 At first, I was very scared. Because on stage all of the members are gone, right? It’s just me. So, I’ve been very nervous, but now I think I can enjoy. I’m 70 percent ready out of 100.

 From music to fashion to even social media presence, you’ve been sharing what feels like a totally refreshed person. What has been happening in these past months? Are we seeing the real you?

 I always had my own image. Back when I was a part of LOONA, whenever I was wearing my own clothes — so, not the clothes that the company wanted me to wear — my members weren’t able to recognize me in public. But as my solo career is developing, I think I was able to explore more and show more of myself. I feel like I can express a lot of things now that I couldn’t before because I have opportunities, so as I develop more and more, you can see more and more of myself.

One of your biggest changes was signing with PAIX PER MIL. I’ve heard K-pop companies may kind of force an image on an idol or artist, but it seems like they give you a lot of creative freedom?

 When I was first searching for agencies to join, most of them told me that I have to be either part of a girl group or they didn’t think I can make it as a solo in meetings. But when I went to PAIX PER MIL, the producer, millic, sent me a long message and told me that I have potential to become a solo artist.  So, I was really touched by the message that he sent and also that he believed in my image. So, I trusted him and he trusted me.

I was with my first label for almost eight years and in an idol group so I was obligated to think, “Are these clothes right for me? Can I wear this? Can I pose this way? Can I take a picture like that?” I was unsure about what to do with myself. But the label [PAIX PER MIL] really pushed me to point where I could just express myself and just fully show my version of me.  So, I think that’s how my label really supported me. It’s a lot easier to have fun now.

You came out so strong with “LOOP” featuring Little Cherry, “Viola” was one of the best songs of last year but there’s also rock, you’re recording in different languages you, is this the music you personally listen to?

When I was first making the LOOP EP, my musical spectrum wasn’t as big as of now. I used to listen to the same songs that I’ve always listened to, but my producers, millic and ioah, really helped me to expand my musical spectrum. It was kind of like homework, where they’d assigned me to listen to some music that they recommended or sometimes they’d share what kind of music they’re listening to. One thing that I remember is the day that they asked me to make a playlist of what I wanted to do in my solo career so I was able to collect the music that I wanted to perform as an artist and make my choices for my music. So, I think as of now, I can confidently say that I am doing what I want to do in terms of my music taste.

Do you remember what songs were included?

So many songs! When I was a part of LOONA, I felt that I was a member who is good at ballads rather than the kind of dance-pop that I’m doing right now. But when I was collecting the music from my playlist, I was able to collect some funky sounds, alternative sounds, rock sounds, all the different kind of experimental sounds that I’ve never dealt with [as a singer]. That’s when I discovered Caroline Polachek and other artists that I’m into right now.

You have great taste and it’s great you could develop your sound. But on the other side of things, why didn’t you want to go to a group or re-debut in another formation?

During my one year break [in 2023], I was able to interact with my other members of LOONA as well as keep communicating my fans. When I was talking to my fans, they were really the ones who convinced me to pursue a solo career. They really supported me for who I am, my choices, and what I wanted to do. So, I think that kind of really pushed me to become a solo artist. Also, when I was talking to other members of LOONA, we all wanted to reach a happy path for all of us and attempt challenges we hadn’t done before because we were going through a lot together. So, there are the solo artists like me and Chuu, but also other girl groups that were formed with LOONA members.

Despite the hard time, it seems like everyone from ARTMS and Loossemble to even Jade Jeong has loving memories of LOONA. Do you feel the same?

Of course. I’m not sure exactly how to put this in English, but it’s kind of like a sore finger. I feel like, you know, I have to have a finger, but also it kind of hurts and will always give me those memories of  my past.

 My, one of my favorite lyrics from you is on “Hashtag,” which is “Don’t care what’s fake and who you are/ Yeah, In my world, it is only you and me, babe.” What is your perspective these days on what you wanna personally share, whether it’s your social media, your lyrics, fan interactions?

What I’m trying to pursue is to become a person where I can freely express myself in the world where there is a lot that can cloud one’s perspective. I’m also trying to be a confident person who can make my opinions clear without losing my taste. There is a lot of social media and channels to communicate these days which means there’s a lot of information and opinions. It’s gotten to the point where if you’re a little bit different, people criticize or blame them for being different rather than being accepting for who they are. I think that’s the most important part to consider in this world of social media. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like that.

 What kind of message would you give to someone who maybe is being criticized or not accepted and needs the kind of confidence you always show?

 It’s a huge world. To the people who feel that something is different, even if you feel like you’re alone or you’ve isolated and locked yourselves in, I should share that when you look around, in fact, there are so many people who think like you, share the same beliefs and don’t deny their existence because of people who criticize them. And just like you or I would say, I always want to support you for who you are and don’t feel discouraged or insecure for being different. Don’t stop.

I love that message. Is there anything else you want to share right now?

I don’t know about the mindset abroad, but in Korea there’s a certain boundary of what is an idol and what is an artist. But I’ve honestly always been an artist and an idol equally since I was in LOONA. I want to be in both. It’s an ongoing process and I really don’t want to put myself in a box when I want to be part of both. I think that’s the message that I really wanted to share here.

Garbage are back, announcing their first new album in almost four years.

Dubbed Let All That We Imagine Be the Light, the new LP will be their eighth, and follows on from the release of 2021’s No Gods No Masters and a pair of EPs in recent years. Their new record arrives on May 30 via Stun Volume.

“Our last album was extremely forthright. Born out of frustration and outrage – it had a kind of scorched earth, pissed off quality to it,” singer Shirley Manson explains in a statement. “With this new record however, I felt a compulsion to reach for a different kind of energy. A more constructive one. I had this vision of us coming up out of the underground with searchlights as we moved towards the future.

“Searching for life, searching for love, searching for all the good things in the world that seem so thin on the ground right now. That was the over-riding idea during the making of this record for me – that when things feel dark, it’s best to try to seek out that which is light, that which feels loving and good. 

“When I was young, I tended towards the destruction of things,” Manson adds. “Now that I’m older I believe it’s vitally important to build and to create things instead. I still entertain very old romantic ideals about community, society and the world. I don’t want to walk through the world creating havoc, damaging the land and people. I want to do good. I want to do no harm.”

Recorded in a number of locations – including Los Angeles’ Red Razor Sounds, Butch Vig’s Grunge is Dead studio, and Manson’s bedroom – the album’s announcement notably hasn’t been accompanied by a lead single. Rather, the band have promised that a preview will arrive “in the coming weeks”.

The new record also arrives following a few months of downtime for the band, with Garbage announcing in August they were forced to cancel the remainder of their 2024 tour dates due to Manson requiring “surgery and rehabilitation” for an undisclosed injury suffered while on tour in Europe. The group are slated to return to the road in March for a run of South American tour dates.

The impending release of Let All That We Imagine Be the Light will also become Garbage’s fourth album since they resumed activity in earnest in 2010, following a five-year period of hiatus.

Their debut self-titled album, Garbage, released in 1995, achieved double-platinum status and peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200. Their follow-up album, Version 2.0, released in 1998, reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 and further cemented their reputation as one of the leading bands of the era.

Garbage have remained busy with musical projects in recent years, including 2021’s, No Gods No Masters. The album debuted at No. 95 on the Billboard 200 and included tracks like “The Men Who Rule the World.” They also collaborated with artists like Screaming Females and Brody Dalle on a special edition of the album, and toured with Alanis Morissette on her Jagged Little Pill anniversary tour in 2022.

Former Bad Boy Entertainment president Kirk Burrowes has sued Sean “Diddy” Combs’ mother, Janice Small (a.k.a. Janice Combs), for allegedly coordinating with her famous son and other co-conspirators to forcefully strip him of his alleged ownership stake in the iconic hip-hop label.

Per the complaint — filed by attorney Tyrone Blackburn on Wednesday (Feb. 26) in the Southern District of New York — Burrowes claims that alongside her son, then-Bad Boy Entertainment attorney Kenneth Meiselas and other unknown co-conspirators, Smalls illegally seized his alleged 25% financial stake in Bad Boy and his 15% share of the label’s annual earnings through “intimidation, violence, fraudulent, misrepresentation and financial concealment.”

The complaint references a specific incident in May 1996 during which he claims Combs stormed into his office and proceeded to threaten him while wielding a baseball bat. Fearing for his safety, Burrowes — who claims to have co-founded the label — claims he signed a contract under duress without seeking any legal counsel, effectively conveying what he claims was his 25% interest in Bad Boy to Combs.

Burrowes, who says he served as Bad Boy’s COO/GM at the time of the 1996 incident (he was promoted to president the following year) and was “instrumental in shaping the company’s success,” alleges that losing out on his claimed 25% ownership stake and Bad Boy stock options caused him “significant financial compensation and employment benefits” along with “irreparable personal, psychological and professional harm.”

“Smalls carefully maintained a facade of integrity, portraying herself as an innocent bystander while orchestrating plaintiff’s financial and professional downfall behind the scenes,” the complaint reads.

The lawsuit further claims that Smalls requested Burrowes’ counsel as recently as 2021 on a documentary about the history of Bad Boy, but that she ultimately reneged on their compensation agreement.

Burrowes previously filed suit against Combs over the alleged 1996 incident in 2003, but that earlier complaint was eventually dismissed in 2004 by a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. (Combs is currently behind bars awaiting trial on sex trafficking and racketeering charges in a wide-ranging criminal case.)

Burrowes is seeking the return of his alleged 25% Bad Boy stake or compensatory damages matching the value of that stake, as well as an audit of Bad Boy’s earnings since the company’s origination.

Last April, Burrowes’ attorney Blackburn was referred to the grievance committee for New York’s federal court district by Judge Denise Cote for his alleged history of frivolous lawsuits. The judge cited his conduct in five different cases and claimed his filings featured “glaring deficiencies.” Two months prior, Blackburn had filed a sprawling lawsuit against Combs on behalf of producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones Jr., who accused the mogul of sexual assault, sex trafficking and various other forms of misconduct.

Billboard reached out to Combs Global in an effort to reach a representative for Smalls but did not hear back by press time.

Kendrick Lamar continues a historic campaign on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart as his single “Luther,” with SZA, ascends to the No. 1 spot on the list dated March 1. The track replaces the rapper’s own “TV Off,” featuring Lefty Gunplay, after its three-week reign. As another SZA collaboration, “30 for 30,” pushes 2-3 and his former leader “Squabble Up,” repeats at No. 4, the quartet gives Lamar a second straight week of dominating the chart’s top four spots.

With his performance on Rhythmic Airplay, Lamar is just the second artist to simultaneously occupy the top four ranks on any Billboard airplay chart. He joins his rival Drake, who managed the feat for 11 separate weeks on the Rap Airplay survey, for seven frames in March-April 2013 and four in May-June 2018. As Drake’s runs all involved at least one song where he was in a featured role on a track by another lead artist, Lamar is the first artist to complete the achievement in all lead or co-lead capacities.

“Luther,” which concurrently rises to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, captures the Rhythmic Airplay crown as the most-played song on U.S. panel-contributing radio stations in the week of Feb. 14-20, according to Luminate, a 5% gain from the previous week.

“Luther” gives Lamar his ninth No. 1 on Rhythmic Airplay. A full third have come in 2025 alone, with “Squabble Up” reigning for two weeks in January and “TV Off” leading the ratings for three weeks in February.

Here’s a review of the rapper’s entire chart-topping collection on the radio chart:

“Humble.,” three weeks at No. 1, beginning June 6, 2017
“Loyalty.,” feat. Rihanna; one, Sept. 30, 2017
“Love.,” feat. Zacari; one, Dec. 30, 2017
“Pray for Me,” with The Weeknd; two, April 18, 2018
“Like That,” with Future and Metro Boomin; four, May 18, 2024
“Not Like Us,” 12, June 15, 2024
“Squabble Up,” two, Jan. 18, 2025
“TV Off,” feat. Lefty Gunplay; three, Feb. 8, 2025
“Luther,” with SZA, one (to date), March 1, 2025

For SZA, “Luther” adds a seventh Rhythmic Airplay No. 1 to her account and first since “Saturn” landed at the top last May. Here’s a recap of her leaders:

“Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat feat. SZA; two weeks at No. 1, beginning June 26, 2021
“I Hate U,” one, March 19, 2022
“Kill Bill,” three, March 4, 2023
“Snooze,” two, July 15, 2023
“Rich Baby Daddy,” Drake feat. Sexyy Red & SZA; two, Dec. 2, 2023
“Saturn,” one, May 11, 2024
“Luther,” with Kendrick Lamar; one (to date), March 1, 2025

Lamar and SZA are in prime position to improve to a 10th and eighth champ, respectively, and replace themselves at the summit. Their other current collaborative single, “30 for 30” (billed to SZA with Kendrick Lamar), advances to the runner-up spot with a 14% surge in weekly plays.

Beyond the top tracks, both Lamar and SZA cement their stranglehold with more titles on Rhythmic Airplay. SZA’s third tune in the top 10, “BMF,” pushes 12-10 (up 9% in plays), while Lamar has a fifth, the AzChike-assisted “Peekaboo,” which debuts at No. 37.