A surprise appearance from Mick Jagger had the Dolby Theatre audience on their feet and applauding Sunday (March 2) night at the 97th annual Academy Awards.
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“You’re so kind. I’m greatly honored to be invited to give this award,” said the Rolling Stones frontman. “Much as I love doing it, I wasn’t the first choice. The producers really wanted Bob Dylan to do this. But Bob Dylan won’t do it because he said the best songs in a movie this year were in A Complete Unknown,” Jagger joked before adopting a pretty fair Dylan impersonation. “Bob said, ‘You should find somebody younger.’” Jagger laughed. “Hey, I’m younger than Bob Dylan!” For the record: Dylan is 83, Jagger is a sprightly 81.
After it was a revealed that the Emilia Pérez song “El Mal” had nabbed the trophy, Clément Ducol, Camille and Jacques Audiard took the stage, with Camille nodding to Jagger’s presence by singing out a bit of the “woo-woo” portion of the Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil.”
“We wrote ‘El Mal’ as a song to denounce corruption,” Camille said. The trio wrapped their acceptance speech with Camille and Ducol, who are a couple, blending their voices to sing one of the songs from the film, harmonizing together as they crooned the name “Emilia Pérez.” Folks in the audience offered some puzzled chuckles and applause.
The other songs nominated for the best original song Academy Award were: “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren; “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing; Music and Lyric by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada; “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez; Music and Lyric by Camille and Clément Ducol; and “Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late; Music and Lyric by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt and Bernie Taupin.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-03-03 03:02:122025-03-03 03:02:12Mick Jagger Makes Surprise Oscars Appearance, Reveals ‘El Mal’ Wins Best Original Song Oscar
Amidst the joy and celebration at the 2025 BRIT Awards was a poignant moment of remembrance for One Direction’s Liam Payne, who tragically passed away in October.
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Jack Whitehall, host of this year’s awards show, introduced the tribute to Payne on stage at The O2 Arena on Saturday (March 1).
“It is now time to take a moment to remember a very special person who meant so much to so many of the people in this room, and to millions of you around the world,” Whitehall began. “Last October, we woke to the devastating news that Liam Payne had tragically passed away. He achieved so much in the short time that he was on this earth, and was not only a supremely gifted musician but an incredibly kind soul who touched the lives of everyone he came into contact with. We have so many amazing memories of Liam here at the BRITs, so tonight we celebrate his legacy and look back and remember the remarkable Liam Payne.”
A sweet montage was shown made up of video clips, sound-bites and photos of Payne, led by the singer performing One Direction’s “Little Things.” The tribute ended with a smiling portrait of the pop star, who was born on Aug. 29, 1993 and died on Oct. 16, 2024.
One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson reacted to the tribute on X, where he wrote, “Thank you @BRITs. Beautiful tribute. Miss you always brother.”
Payne died from a 40-foot fall off a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16. It was reported the singer’s blood alcohol level was at a dangerously high level, and that he had drugs including cocaine and prescription antidepressents in his system, at the time of the his passing. A court in Argentina recently dropped charges of criminal negligence against three of the five people indicted in connection with Payne’s death. Two defendants charged with supplying narcotics to Payne remain in custody, according a February report from The Associated Press.
Payne was laid to rest in November in the U.K., with his funeral attended by his One Direction bandmates, girlfriend Katie Cassidy and ex-partner Cheryl Cole, with whom he shared a son.
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Their fans had eagerly awaited since Tuesday (Feb. 25), when the event had to be canceled due to a massive blackout in Chile, and Morat did not disappoint. In their debut at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival, the Colombian pop-rock band got the “monster” of Quinta Vergara excited with a show full of energy and heart.
On a luminous stage, the Bogota quartet composed of Simón Vargas, Juan Pablo Isaza, Juan Pablo Villamil and Martín Vargas sounded impeccable as they performed hits like “No Se Va,” “Salir Con Vida,” “Por Si No Te Vuelvo A Ver” and “Amor Con Hielo,” which the audience sang along to from beginning to end, belting out the lyrics with emotion. It wasn’t long before they were awarded the Gaviota de Plata (Silver Seagull) award, and finally, they also took home the Gaviota de Oro (Gold Seagull), the highest honor given by the audience at the event.
“You can’t imagine know how much we dreamed of being here,” one of the members expressed just before receiving the Gaviota de Oro. “Thank you, really. We love you with all our soul.”
Morat’s setlist also included “París,” “Llamada Perdida,” “Besos En Guerra” and, for the big finale, “La Policía.”
“How wonderful Viña, how wonderful!” the band exclaimed before ending their debut performance at the Chilean festival. “You can’t imagine the dream we are fulfilling here. Thank you so much for all the support, for all the love.”
With hits including “No Se Va,” “Besos en Guerra” and “Cuando Nadie Ve,” Morat debuted in 2016 with the album Solo el Amor y Sus Efectos Secundarios, and received a Latin Grammy nomination for best new artist the same year. Morat’s fourth and latest LP, 2022’s Si Ayer Fuera Hoy, gave the band their first entry on the Billboard Latin Pop Albums chart, peaking at No. 18.
Later on Saturday, Sebastián Yatra returns to Quinta Vergara to close the festival. Yatra, with almost a dozen No. 1s on the Billboard Latin Airplay chart — including “Robarte un Beso” with Carlos Vives, and “Tacones Rojos” and “Un Año” with Reik, to name a few — had previously performed in Viña del Mar in 2019 with a full show, as well as the previous year during Vives’ concert, joining him on “Robarte un Beso” — something he did again on Wednesday during Vives’ performance.
The 64th edition of the Viña del Mar Festival kicked off Sunday (Feb. 23) with a riveting set by Marc Anthony. Since then, artists like Myriam Hernández, Ha*Ash, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Incubus, Duki, Eladio Carrión and Kid Voodoo have performed at the Quinta Vergara. All nights are livestreamed in the United States online at Billboard and Billboard Español.
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2025 BRIT Awards winner Charli XCX was gorgeously draped in a Dilara Findikoglu dress, a garment of sheer layers that mostly concealed the singer’s bust, at Saturday night’s show — but the look must’ve nearly been deemed risqué by British network ITV.
“I heard that ITV were complaining about my nipples,” Charli commented at the podium on March 1 at London’s O2 Arena, while accepting the artist of the year award. “I feel like we’re in the era of free the nipple though, right?”
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“Thanks for being on my side,” she added after the crowd cheered.
Styled by Chris Shoran, Charli wore look nine from Dilara Findikoglu‘s autumn/winter 2025 collection. The black dress, with a calf-skimming, pencil skirt silhouette layered over a minimalist, bikini-shaped bottom, was paired with classic pumps by Christian Louboutin.
Charli XCX attends the BRIT Awards at The O2 on March 1, 2025 in London.
“I’ve gotta say, I feel like I’ve always been an artist but it really takes a whole team, and they’re all like sat at that table. I just want to say thank you so much to the people who helped me make this record,” said the Brat singer as she accepted her third of four award wins at the 2025 BRITs. She’d already collected the awards for song of the year and dance act.
Charli gave a special shout out her fiancé in her artist of the year speech: “George Daniel, love you, baby.” (Daniel is a notable musician and producer, and a founding member of the band The 1975. For Charli he produced “Apple” and “Club Classics” on Brat, and also worked on “I Might Say Something Stupid,” which also features Jon Hopkins and Daniel’s 1975 bandmate Matty Healy, for the companion release Brat and It’s Completely Different but Also Still Brat).
George Daniel and Charli XCX post during the BRIT Awards at The O2 Arena on March 1, 2025 in London, England.
“Thank you to all the artists out there who feel like they don’t fit in but are brave enough to try and be rejected a million times. I share this with you,” Charli said, candidly.
“Keep partying,” she told the audience. It was a pastime she was likely talking part in; host Jack Whitehall joked at the start of the ceremony that Charli had asked to not perform so she could get drunk Saturday night.
The mind behind Brat won the awards for artist of the year, album of the year, song of the year (for “Guess,” featuring Billie Eilish) and dance act at the 2025 BRITs, and the night’s honorary songwriter of the year prize also went to her. Brat executive producer A.G. Cook won producer of the year.
What should fans expect from Charli’s next album? “I’ll probably do something completely different,” she said at the BRIT Awards.
“I used to tell myself that things like this weren’t important,” Charli admitted when returning to the stage to accept the album of the year award. “This kind of recognition, awards in general, weren’t important. That was really easy for me to do because until last year I was literally never nominated for anything … Now it’s cool to not be in that position.”
“I guess this time around the culture caught up with us and wanted to be on the journey with us,” she said.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-03-02 03:03:362025-03-02 03:03:36Charli XCX Jokes ‘We’re in the Era of Free the Nipple’ in Stunning, Sheer Dress at 2025 BRIT Awards
Chappell Roan seems to have started a trend with her pointed acceptance speech at the Grammys on Feb. 2, in which she challenged labels to provide better healthcare and financial support for their new and developing artists. At the BRIT Awards on Saturday (March 1), several artists used their acceptance speeches to make points that mattered to them.
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Myles Smith, whose “Stargazing” was a global hit, posed three questions, to the government, music venues and label executives. Georgia Davies of The Last Dinner Party challenged successful arenas like The O2, where the Brits were held, to do more to support small independent venues, who, she said, were dying. And Chappell Roan had still more to say about artistic freedom and queer joy in her two acceptance speeches.
Here, we look at three artists who used their acceptance speeches at the BRITs not just to recite a laundry list of thank yous, but to actually say something. These are the pertinent excerpts from their speeches.
Chappell Roan
Award:International song of the year for “Good Luck, Babe!”
“Over the years, I have written many songs. I don’t believe in bad art, but let’s just say I had to write a lot of bad songs to get to the good ones, and artists deserve that freedom to write bad songs and to explore horrible concepts and to flop — and rise and not be pressured into making music based off of what’s trending. So, we must continue to support these artists so they can find success on their own terms and have long careers. So, this is dedicated to the people who have helped me protect my bad art and lifted me up along the way.”
Award: International artist of the year
“Chappell Roan was born through experiencing queer joy. It’s so special I had to write an entire album about it. I dedicate this to trans artists, to drag queens, to fashion students, sex workers and Sinéad O’Connor. Because of all those people, they have laid the groundwork for me to be here today. I did not give up because of them and I will continue going because of them.”
Myles Smith
Award: BRITs Rising Star
“Tonight, whilst I have the attention of the nation and this award, which gives me kind of like this really cool speaking power, I want to ask three questions:
“My first is to the government. If British music is one of the most powerful cultural exports we have, why have we treated it like an afterthought for so many years? How many more venues need to close? How many more music programs need to be cut before you realize that we can’t just celebrate success, you have to protect the foundations that make it?
“My second is to the biggest venues in the country and around the world. If artists selling out your arenas and your stadiums started in grass-roots venues, what are you doing to keep them alive?
“And my third, to the industry, to the execs in the room and to the people behind-the-scenes. Are we building careers or are we just chasing moments because moments fade and careers take time. So please stick with artists past their first viral hit, please stick with artists past their first tour, because it really matters to us. And moments, they fade, but careers last forever.”
Georgia Davies of The Last Dinner Party
Award: Best new artist
“We wouldn’t be a band, and a lot of the artists here would not be bands either, without the U.K.’s incredible independent venues, and they are the lifeblood of the music industry and they are dying. And if venues like this, like The O2, like arenas, stadiums across this country contributed even a tiny bit toward these independent venues, then we would not be losing them at this alarming rate. We wouldn’t be here without them. None of this would be happening without them. So, I want to say to those artists who are playing independent venues all over the country tonight — keep going because that’s the best kind of art there is. In a time when art is under threat, that is the most important thing to keep supporting.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-03-02 03:03:362025-03-02 03:03:36At 2025 Brits, Chappell Roan, Myles Smith & The Last Dinner Party Send Strong Messages in Their Acceptance Speeches
Charli XCX gave the BRIT Awards a Brat makeover on Saturday night (Mar. 1) by scooping the biggest prizes of the night, including the coveted album of the year prize.
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She won four awards at the ceremony: song of the year, dance act, artist of the year and album of the year. She also collected the honorary songwriter of the year prize, while Brat‘s executive producer A.G. Cook won producer of the year.
Speaking when she collected the album of the year prize, Charli said: “I used to tell myself things like this weren’t important and that was easy for me to do because until last year I wasn’t nominated for anything. I always felt like an outsider in the British music industry, so it feels nice to be recognized on this album when I actually haven’t made any sacrifices.”
Brat was one of 2024’s defining records, landing at No. 1 on the U.K.’s Official Album Charts and at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. It was named the Billboard staff’s album of the year.
The awards took place at The O2 Arena in London, and were hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall for a fifth time.
Elsewhere it was a big night for Chappell Roan, who triumphed in the international artist and international song categories, beating off competition from Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish and Beyoncé.
Sabrina Carpenter opened the show with a two-song medley of “Espresso” and “Bed Chem” and collected the honorary global success award.
Sam Fender had a big night , winning rock/alternative act and performing the title song from People Watching. On Friday, the North Shields-born musician’s third album went to No. 1 and clocked the biggest opening week for a British act in three years, topping over 100,000 units.
Ezra Collective collected group of the year and shouted out youth clubs and the musical opportunities they offer, while Myles Smith challenged the U.K. government to do more for grassroots venues in his speech while collecting BRITs Rising Star.
Baroque-pop group The Last Dinner Party performed “Nothing Matters” and picked up best new artist. Like Smith, they used their speech to champion the small venues in the U.K.
RAYE won best R&B act, and Stormzy shouted out his fellow nominee Central Cee when he triumphed in the best hip-hop/grime/rap.
Performances came from Carpenter, Teddy Swims, Ezra Collective, Fender, The Last Dinner Party, JADE and Lola Young.
In December, the BRITs announced Luton-born singer-songwriter Myles Smith as the recipient of the 2025 BRIT Rising Star award — a new music prize that is handed out to the British act that the voting academy believes will make the biggest impact on music in the coming year. He performed his breakout song “Stargazing” on the night.
It was not Dua Lipa’s night: She went 0-4. The Cure and Central Cee were also shut out, despite three nominations.
The nominees and winners were chosen by the BRIT Awards Voting Academy, its membership made up of musicians and industry figures; the public decided the winners of the genre categories, with voting taking place via a WhatsApp campaign.
Here’s the complete list of 2025 BRIT Awards winners.
Mastercard album of the year
WINNER: Charli XCX – Brat, Atlantic/Warner Music Ezra Collective – Dance, No One’s Watching, Partisan Records Dua Lipa – Radical Optimism, Warner/Warner Music The Cure – Songs of a Lost World, Polydor/Universal Music The Last Dinner Party – Prelude to Ecstasy, Island/Universal Music
Artist of the year
Beabadoobee, Dirty Hit Central Cee, Columbia/Sony Music WINNER: Charli XCX, Atlantic/Warner Music Dua Lipa, Warner/Warner Music Fred Again.., Atlantic/Warner Music Jamie xx, Young/XL Beggars Michael Kiwanuka, Polydor/Universal Music Nia Archives, Island/Universal Music Rachel Chinouriri, Parlophone/Universal Music Sam Fender, Polydor/Universal Music
Group of the year
Bring Me the Horizon, RCA/Sony Music Coldplay, Parlophone/Warner Music WINNER: Ezra Collective, Partisan Records The Cure, Polydor/Universal Music The Last Dinner Party, Island/Universal Music
Best new artist
English Teacher, Island/Universal Music Ezra Collective, Partisan Records Myles Smith, RCA/Sony Music Rachel Chinouriri, Parlophone/Universal Music WINNER: The Last Dinner Party, Island/Universal Music
Song of the year
“I Like the Way You Kiss Me,” Artemas, Parlophone/Warner Music “Kisses,” BI3SS x CamrinWatsin (ft. Bbyclose), Atlantic/Warner Music “BAND4BAND,” Central Cee (ft. Lil Baby), Columbia/Capitol/Motown/Sony Music WINNER: “Guess,” Charli XCX (ft. Billie Eilish), Atlantic/Interscope/Warner Music “Backbone,” Chase & Status (ft. Stormzy), 0207 Records/EMI/Merky/Universal Music “Feelslikeimfallinginlove,” Coldplay, Parlophone/Warner Music “Training Season,” Dua Lipa, Warner/Warner Music “Alibi,” Ella Henderson (ft. Rudimental), Atlantic/Warner Music “Angel of My Dreams,” Jade, RCA/Sony Music “Kehlani,” Jordan Adetunji, Warner/Warner Music “Thick of It,” KSI (ft. Trippie Redd), Atlantic/Warner Music “Stargazing,” Myles Smith, RCA/Sony Music “You’re Christmas to Me,” Sam Ryder, East West/Rhino/Warner Music “Somedays,” Sonny Fedora/Jazzy/D.O.D, Solotoko/Ada Warner Music “Now and Then,” The Beatles, Apple/UMR
BRITs Rising Star
WINNER: Myles Smith, RCA/Sony Music Elmiene, Polydor/Universal Music Good Neighbours, Polydor/Universal Music
International artist of the year
Adrianne Lenker, 4AD/XL Beggars Asake, YBNL Nation Benson Boone, Warner/Warner Music Beyoncé, Columbia/Parkwood Entertainment/Sony Billie Eilish, Interscope/Universal Music WINNER:Chappell Roan, Island/Universal Music Kendrick Lamar, Interscope/Universal Music Sabrina Carpenter, Island/Universal Music Taylor Swift, EMI/Universal Music Tyler, the Creator, Columbia/Sony Music
International group of the year
Amyl and The Sniffers, Rough Trade Records/XL Beggars Confidence Man, Chaos/Universal Music WINNER: Fontaines D.C., XL Recordings/XL Beggars Future & Metro Boomin, RCA/Sony Music Linkin Park, Warner/Warner Music
International song of the year
“Beautiful Things,” Benson Boone, Warner/Warner Music “Texas Hold Em,” Beyoncé, Columbia/Parkwood Entertainment/Sony “Birds of a Feather,” Billie Eilish, Interscope/Universal Music WINNER: “Good Luck, Babe!,” Chappell Roan, Island/Universal Music “End of Beginning,” Djo, AWAL/Djo/The Orchard “Houdini,” Eminem, Interscope/Universal Music “Too Sweet,” Hozier, Island/Universal Music “Lovin On Me,” Jack Harlow, Atlantic/Warner Music “Stick Season,” Noah Kahan, Republic Records/Universal Music “I Had Some Help,” Post Malone (ft. Morgan Wallen), Republic Records/Universal Music “Espresso,” Sabrina Carpenter, Island/Universal Music “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey, American Dogwood/Empire “Fortnight,” Taylor Swift (ft. Post Malone), EMI/Universal Music “Lose Control,” Teddy Swims, Atlantic/Warner Music “Million Dollar Baby,” Tommy Richman, ISO Supremacy/Pulse/Stem Disintermedia
Alternative/rock act
Beabadoobee, Dirty Hit Ezra Collective, Partisan Records WINNER:Sam Fender, Polydor/Universal Music The Cure, Polydor/Universal Music The Last Dinner Party, Island/Universal Music
Hip-hop/grime/rap act
Central Cee, Columbia/Sony Music Dave, Def Jam/Universal Music Ghetts, Warner/Warner Music Little Simz, AWAL/Sony Music WINNER:Stormzy, 0207 Records/EMI/Merky/Universal Music
Dance act
Becky Hill, Polydor/Universal Music WINNER: Charli XCX, Atlantic/Warner Music Chase & Status, 0207 Records/Universal Music Fred Again.., Atlantic/Warner Music Nia Archives, Island/Universal Music
Pop act
Charli XCX, Atlantic/Warner Music Dua Lipa, Warner/Warner Music WINNER: Jade, RCA/Sony Music Lola Young, Island/Universal Music Myles Smith, RCA/Sony Music
R&B act
Cleo Sol, AWAL/Sony Music Flo, Island/Universal Music Jorja Smith, FAMM/The Orchard/Sony Michael Kiwanuka, Polydor/Universal Music WINNER: Raye, Human Resources/The Orchard/Sony
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Argentinian trap star Duki lit up the 2025 Viña del Mar International Song Festival on Friday (Feb. 28), making his debut at the Quinta Vergara as the headliner of the urban music night that would also feature Puerto Rican hitmaker Eladio Carrión and Chilean artist Kidd Voodoo.
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Showcasing his impressive flow, Duki kicked off his set with the pulsating “GIVENCHY,” dressed in jeans, black jacket and T-shirt and silver chains. The face-tattooed singer looked like a rock star accompanied by drums, bass and guitar, while the audience chanted along with him at the top of their lungs. Behind him, fire images were blazing on the huge screens.
“Thank you so much, everyone! How are we doing tonight, Viña? Thanks for the love,” he said amid the screams of the audience after performing hits including “Si Te Sentís Sola,” “Pininfarina,” “Además De Mí” and “Sin Frenos,” his 2021 track with Bizarrap and Carrión. “A slightly more intimate, more sung moment is coming up. I hope you like it,” he announced shortly after, performing “Buscarte Lejos,” but soon he had everyone on their feet jumping to “Harakiri.”
With the energy high in the venue, Viña hosts Karen Doggenweiler and Rafael Araneda presented him with the Gaviota de Plata (Silver Seagull). “This is the first award I’ve received in my entire career,” said Duki, dedicating it to his followers and his parents, and also thanking urban acts from Chile who helped opened the doors for him in the country.
But the show didn’t end there. The Argentine star continued with “Duki: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 50,” which he started a cappella with an impressive flow before the music kicked in. Then came the reggaeton “Te Traje Flores,” as well as the No. 1 hit on the Billboard Argentina Hot 100 “Los del Espacio,” originally performed with LIT Killah, Tiago PZK, Emilia, Rusherking, Big One and FMK.
Among others, he sang the rockier “No Me Llores” and his 2019 trap hit “Goteo,” a powerful track that alludes to the image of “dripping” in wealth and style, symbolized by luxury brands like Gucci, Nike, Philippe Patek, Rolex, and Cartier.
In the end, Duki didn’t take home just the first award of his career — he also received the Gaviota de Oro (Gold Seagull), the highest recognition awarded by the Viña del Mar audience. Visibly moved, Duki wiped away tears, kissed his trophy, and with great humility thanked his fans and his parents again, who proudly watched their son triumph from the front row. “Thank you for making my dream come true,” he said.
To close, the 28-year-old rapper once again had the “monster” chanting along with “Malbec,” “She Don’t Give a Fo” and “Nueva Era,” before disappearing from the stage.
Viña del Mar 2025 kicked off Sunday with a riveting set by Marc Anthony and since, artists like Myriam Hernández, Ha*Ash, Carlos Vives, Carín León and Incubus have performed at the Quinta Vergara. Viña will continue Saturday (March 1), as the festival concludes with the Colombian group Morat followed by Sebastián Yatra. Both were originally scheduled for Tuesday (February 25), when the show was canceled due to a massive blackout in Chile.
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Ezrin plans to renounce his U.S. citizenship. He’s made a full return to Canada from his most recent U.S. base, Nashville.
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In an interview with The Globe and Mail‘s Brad Wheeler, Ezrin explains that the current polarized state of American politics and society is the driving force behind this move.
“In the last few years, it seems as if America is split in half,” Ezrin says. “The voices of a radical right have become so much louder. Conspiracy theories abound, people are armed to the teeth, and it’s just a different place than the place I went to.”
Already a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Ezrin was recently named as a recipient of the lifetime artistic achievement award by The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation, honoured for a legendary discography that includes milestone albums by such international stars as Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, U2, Deep Purple, Rod Stewart, Andrea Bocelli, Taylor Swift, Alice Cooper, Nine Inch Nails, Kiss, Lou Reed and many more.
Ezrin and his family moved to Los Angeles from Toronto in 1985, and he became heavily involved in the community of that area. The following decade, he became a U.S. citizen in order to vote.
“I was very engaged, very committed,” he tells Wheeler. “I believed in the country and I believed in the American people, in spite of things like the Iraq War and the income inequality I saw growing, and in spite of the racism that was knitted into the fabric of American life. I still believed the goodness of the majority of Americans would prevail.”
His decision to move back to Canada predated Donald Trump’s inflammatory remarks about annexing this country and his decision to impose excessive trade tariffs, but Ezrin states, “All that underscored the rightness of what I’d decided to do,” he says. “If I’m going to spend time fighting the good fight anywhere, I should do it here.”
Even while spending much of his time in the U.S., Ezrin retained close ties to the Canadian music community. In addition to producing records by Canadian artists, he has contributed immensely to the cause of music education in Canada.
After his induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004, he became involved with the MusiCounts charity, and he helped initiate the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award at the Junos. He and his wife Jan are also founding donors of the MusiCounts Leadership Circle.
In the U.S., Bob Ezrin teamed up with The Edge from U2 to co-found Music Rising, an initiative to replace musical instruments lost in natural disasters. He is also a board member of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, a national initiative that supports music in U.S. schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs.
It is symbolically fitting that one of the blockbuster albums produced by Ezrin was Pink Floyd’s The Wall. With this decision to give up his American citizenship, he has now made it crystal clear which side of the symbolic Canada/U.S. wall he has chosen.
Even while spending much of his time in the U.S., Ezrin retained close ties to the Canadian music community. In addition to producing records by Canadian artists, he has contributed immensely to the cause of music education in Canada.
After his induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004, he became involved with the MusiCounts charity, and he helped initiate the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award at the Junos. He and his wife Jan are also founding donors of the MusiCounts Leadership Circle.
In the U.S., Bob Ezrin teamed up with the Edge from U2 to co-found Music Rising, an initiative to replace musical instruments lost in natural disasters. He is also a board member of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, a national initiative that supports music in U.S. schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs.
It is symbolically fitting that one of the blockbuster albums produced by Ezrin was Pink Floyd’s The Wall. With this decision to give up his American citizenship, he has now made it crystal clear which side of the symbolic Canada/U.S. wall he has chosen.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-03-01 03:00:372025-03-01 03:00:37Producer Bob Ezrin Renounces U.S. Citizenship, Returns Home to Canada
Employees of DistroKid are still working without a contract 10 months after they voted to unionize — and now their union is hoping to raise awareness of their plight after more than 40% of the company’s staff was terminated and their jobs outsourced to the Philippines late last year.
Bill Bores, chapter president of the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians-Communication Workers of America Local 15 (NABET-CAW) — the union representing the DistroKid employees — estimates that 37 jobs were lost in the recent purge at the New York-based company, which operates virtually with nearly all employees working from home.
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At the time of the layoffs, DistroKid management said the cuts were part of a larger effort to fix issues around customer service, specifically “by expanding to 24/7 customer service with faster response times.” The company mostly serves independent artists, acting as a digital music distribution service to help musicians upload and monetize their music through sites like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music. The site was valued at $1.3 billion in 2021 following a recapitalization deal with New York investment firm Insight Partners and reportedly has a customer base of two million artists.
In April, more than 63% of DistroKid employees voted to unionize with NABET-CAW, and the victory was later certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Company management and union officials even sat for their first collective bargaining session in July, but talks have been slow due to a lack of availability to meet, says Bores.
“We finally got something on the calendar with them for October, when the company’s attorney called me and said they’re going to fire half the unit,” says Bores, referring to the 37 employees who were initially placed on “administrative leave” before being terminated. Bores says many of the terminated employees had backed the union efforts and that many had worked in both customer and artist services roles. The employees were eventually replaced by a support team operating out of the Philippines, managed by offshoring company Concentrix.
“My union knows that company very well because they have been involved in providing scabs and people to cross picket lines and thwart union drives,” Bores says. ”So not only did they lay off American workers who are unionizing, they sent their work to the Philippines to workers there that make very little compared to the workers here in New York.”
In a statement to Billboard, DistroKid officials defended the staffing change, writing, “DistroKid remains focused on delivering a best-in-class support experience for independent artists worldwide. Since initiating our ramp-up to 24/7 support late last year, artist response times have improved by 74% over the past three months and 90% year-over-year. In the coming weeks, we’ll also roll out live chat for the highest-volume categories, further enhancing accessibility and efficiency for artists everywhere. Achieving this level of service required making difficult decisions that impacted valued team members, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions.”
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Former employee Wilson Rahn, a customer service employee who lost his job during the October purge, says DistroKid’s claims don’t align with what he experienced at the company.
“My perception is that they were not bargaining in good faith,” says Rahn, who is still looking for work. “I worked on their customer support funnel, made it faster and more effective and had a record of showing that I was succeeding in that. So my firing is pretty clearly, in my opinion, just because I was vocally supportive of the union.”
Bores has filed four complaints against DistroKid with the NLRB but said the labor body has effectively been rendered powerless by President Donald Trump. On Jan. 27, Trump fired NLRB member Gwynne Wilcox, leaving the board with only two members — one below the minimum number needed to legally function. The firing has left the NLRB unable to certify union elections or hear complaints from workers. Without an enforcement option from the federal government, Bores says there is little his union can do to force DistroKid back to the bargaining table aside from applying public pressure campaigns.
In the worst-case scenario, says Bores, DistroKid could hold out until the one-year anniversary of the unionization vote, at which point it would be legally allowed to challenge the union’s right to continue representing employees. But he says he’s hopeful it won’t come to that and that the two sides will have a final contract ready to sign by next month.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-03-01 03:00:372025-03-01 03:00:3710 Months After Voting to Unionize, DistroKid Employees Say Management Needs to Return to the Bargaining Table
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.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-03-01 03:00:372025-03-01 03:00:37Yves Discusses Being Unrecognizable in LOONA, Caroline Polachek’s Influence at First U.S. Solo Tour
