If it’s anything but a spotlight, Mariah Carey wants nothing to do with your overhead bulbs.

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In a clip from the superstar’s upcoming guest appearance on Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers’ Las Culturistas podcast posted Sunday (Oct. 13), Mimi went on a hilarious tirade against a certain interior design choice. “I can’t with the overhead lighting,” she began, zeroing in on her least favorite lighting for the show’s traditional “I Don’t Think So, Honey” segment.

“I’m the one that gets the most tortured by the hideous lighting in every elevator, doorway, gyms — not that I go to the gym, but I’m just saying,” Carey continued as Yang and Rogers laughed. “The sun is OK, if it’s at sunset. Then I will gladly go outside and put a hat on.”

“Every place I go: Shut the lights,” she added. “Turn them out. I don’t want to see them. No more … Overhead lighting, it makes me sick.”

The full episode of Las Culturistas featuring Carey will drop Wednesday (Oct. 16). It comes as the vocalist is gearing up to launch her annual Christmastime festivities, including a holiday tour for which she’s already started preparing.

The star also recently unveiled two new single covers for her iconic Billboard Hot 100-topping holiday smash “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” “While it is definitely not time to listen to Christmas music yet I wanted to share a glimpse of #MerryChristmas30 with you!” Carey tweeted Oct. 9. “An homage to the original album cover, here is the cover art for two of the four new ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ physical singles…”

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Carey will also soon mark the 20th anniversary of her iconic 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi, which once spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. The five-time Grammy winner kicked things off a few months early by performing one of the album’s most enduring singles, “We Belong Together,” at the American Music Awards at the beginning of October.

Watch Carey’s hilarious rant about overhead lighting below.

The future of radio may be difficult to predict, but one thing is clear: Radio is in a good position and adaptable — it’s what makes it ubiquitous, says Raúl Alarcón, chairman and CEO, Spanish Broadcasting System. During a Q&A titled The Future of Radio and moderated by Billboard‘s Leila Cobo that helped kick off day one of the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week on Oct. 14, Alarcón was candid about the status of radio in the United States and the impact it has on an artist’s career today.

“It’s been around 100 years, and that’s not a coincidence,” the executive says categorically. “It will always be with us, it’s ubiquitous, it’s free, you don’t need an external way to receive it. Radio is in a good position.”

SBS, a family-owned company around for more than 40 years and has endured the force of the streaming era, is home to radio stations such as Mega 97.9 (New York), 97.9 La Raza (Los Angeles) and La Ley 107.9 (Chicago), to name a few. “We always have to keep adapting, fixing, refining, but radio allows us to do that more than any other medium. Radio is also super local and that’s important.”

Below, find some of the best quotes from The Future of Radio Q&A with Raúl Alarcón.

Is there a threat to radio?

“There was, there is and there will be, so one must always be evolving. We were the first to put comedy in the morning. I remember when the morning show started, that was innovation. We took a risk, but that’s what it’s about — always evolving and, after a while, adapt again.”

Catching trends

“We can perceive trends because radio stations are hyperlocal. Like corridos tumbados or bélicos, we were able to catch that trend as it was happening, we saw indications of the trend and we were able to adapt quickly because radio is local. People will tell us right away if they like it or not — it’s one of our strengths. We adapt to what our listeners want.”

Artists still want a No. 1 on radio

“Artists have told us, ‘You makes the hits, you sell tickets, run promotions.’ People are now realizing that radio was a discarded … this medium, like it’s been discarded before when TV came, now I have noticed that there’s a resurgence. Radio is important, radio is everything, it’s the connection with the local public, it adapts to trends, it’s entertainment. It’s not just a repeater, few people can create, and creativity is adaptation.”

Does radio inform streaming or vice versa?

“The two are not mutually exclusive — what we’re implementing is just another adaptation. They are both different, but can be conjugated together. But while digital expands, it doesn’t give you that immediate local fanbase.”

A new network

“We’re launching a network over the air and digital, for that new fusion of regional Mexican with urban, because we’ve seen that the music is appealing. And La Privada is not just a station, it’s a whole network. We’re still in preparations, but in the next 90 days, we’ll launch in Chicago, New York and other major cities.”

The 2024 Billboard Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.

Corina Smith, Bastian, Valentina and David Wild came together at Billboard Latin Music Week 2024 for “The Role of Music Publishers in Cross-Cultural Collaborations” panel presented by Rimas Publishing on Monday (Oct. 14). 

Moderated by Billboard’s Pamela Bustios, the conversation with the A&R, artists and producers focused on how publishers help bridge the cultures and facilitate cross-border hits. Below, read some of the memorable quotes from the panel. 

Corina Smith: “There is a great art to performing songs that are not your own, but there is also the side of singing what you wrote. There is an exciting feeling of creating a song from scratch. When you sing it live and the audience sings it with you, it is the most beautiful thing about being an artist.” 

David Wild: “It’s not a work where we’re thinking about whether a song is going to be a hit. Whether it’s a hit or not is decided by the audience. As a team, we deliver that production to the public. Sometimes the song you don’t expect is a hit or vice versa. You put a lot of faith in a project and maybe it doesn’t connect with fans. We have to trust in what we do in the studio. We don’t limit art to a hit.”

Valentina: “I got my first hit in Mexico. I already had a community there. In 2022, I traveled there and started knocking on doors on radio and television. One super random day, my manager told me that a friend of a friend of a friend could help us promote my song on a digital billboard that lasts 24 hours. And in those 24 hours, someone who worked at Universal Music Mexico saw it, wrote to me, connected with my team, and today, I am signed with Universal Music Mexico.”

Bastian: “The best producer has to have a lot of discipline. It’s about taking advantage of the tools you have in your favor to become a good business. The world is changing very quickly and we can’t be left behind. I think it’s important to find a way to combine AI with your work because if not, you’ll be left behind.”

Over the past 35 years, Latin Music Week has become the one, steady foundation of Latin music in this country, becoming the single most important — and biggest — gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.

Throughout the years, it has taken place in Miami, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico, returning to Miami Beach for a fourth consecutive year in 2024, and has welcomed some of the biggest Latin acts including Celia Cruz, Selena, Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Jenni Rivera, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Bad Bunny, and Romeo Santos. Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.

From Beyoncé‘s “Texas Hold ‘Em” to Sabrina Carpenter‘s “Espresso,” several 2024 Billboard Hot 100 hits are strong contenders for top honors at the 2025 Grammys — but there are also a handful of older songs that could pop up when nominations are announced on Nov. 8.

According to the rules and guidelines handbook for the 67th annual Grammy Awards, recordings must be commercially released, nationally distributed, and available from any date within the eligibility period (Sept. 16, 2023, to Aug. 30, 2024) through at least Jan. 3, 2025 – the date of this Grammy year’s final-ballot voting deadline. Furthermore, unless otherwise instructed upon submission, the academy will use the original album version of a song for screening and verification purposes. This means that a hit like Tate McRae‘s “Greedy” — which was released on Sept. 15, 2023 — is ineligible for the 2025 Grammys in its original form, but can still be considered for a nomination in a different iteration, such as an acoustic or live version.

It’s not uncommon for an alternate version of a song to earn a Grammy nod — especially if the track in question gained prominence after the eligibility period for its original version closed. Live albums and single recordings have been nominated (and won) in the past, especially in the decades before the Academy enacted major overhauls of the ceremony’s categories.

In 2011, the last year the Grammy for best female pop vocal performance was presented, a live version of Beyoncé’s “Halo” earned a nod. The year prior, the original studio version of the song won in that category, becoming Beyoncé’s first and only victory in the pop field. The following year, Adele swept the ceremony with her 21 album — including a best pop solo performance win for “Someone Like You” — making the album and the original version of its tracks ineligible for future ceremonies. In 2013, she triumphed with a second consecutive win in the category thanks to a live version of “Set Fire to the Rain” recorded at the Royal Albert Hall. The British powerhouse would go on to win this particular award twice more — “Hello” (2017) and “Easy On Me” (2023) — making her the all-time biggest winner in this category.

In 2015, a whopping three of the five nominated tracks in best pop solo performance were alternate versions: Pharrell Williams‘ “Happy (Live),” John Legend‘s “All of Me (Live),” and Sam Smith‘s “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version).” The Williams and Legend tracks were both released during the eligibility period for the 2014 Grammys but reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 during the eligibility period for the following year’s ceremony. The original version of Smith’s smash was eligible, but his label (Capitol Records) opted to submit the Darkchild version instead. Ultimately, Williams beat out the competition and took home his first and only solo win in the pop field.

In 2019, a solo live version of Camila Cabello‘s “Havana,” which originally featured a rap verse from Young Thug, reaped a bid in this category, but it lost to Lady Gaga‘s “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Going?)” — a piano version of the title track from her Joanne LP, which earned a pair of nods the year prior.

Before best pop duo/group performance was introduced in 2012, live versions helped two bands win best pop performance by a duo or group with vocals. Maroon 5 won with “This Love (Live)” in 2006, and Train won with “Hey, Soul Sister (Live)” in 2011.

Outside of the pop categories, live versions often do well in the rock field. Since it was established in 1990, four of the winners for best metal performance have been live renditions, with the most recent being Judas Priest‘s 2010 victory for “Dissident Aggressor (Live).” Back in 2001, before the best female rock vocal performance category was discontinued, Sheryl Crow won with a live version of “There Goes the Neighborhood,” the original version of which lost in the same category at the 1999 ceremony.

The R&B categories are a bit frostier toward alternate versions. Just one live rendition has ever won in any R&B performance category; Stevie Wonder and Take 6‘s “Love’s in Need of Love Today (Live)” — a cover of the opening track from 1976’s Songs in the Key of Life — took home best R&B performance by a duo or group with vocals in 2003. Beyoncé earned a nod for best female R&B vocal performance in 2009 for her live rendition of her 2003 hit “Me, Myself and I.” (She lost to Alicia Keys‘ “Superwoman.”)

In 2023, Latto‘s “Big Energy (Live)” became the first live rendition to earn a nomination for best melodic rap performance, ultimately losing to Future, Drake and Tems‘ “Wait for U.”

Live and alternate versions face the toughest battle in the general field categories of record and song of the year. Sam Smith’s aforementioned “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)” won both record and song of the year, but no live version has ever been nominated (or won) in either category.

Here’s a round-up of 2024 Hot 100 hits that were submitted under alternate versions to skirt eligibility rules for the 2025 Grammys.

K-pop boy band ENHYPEN will look to keep their chart winning streak going next month when they drop their second studio repackage album, ROMANCE : UNTOLD -daydream-. The collection due out on Nov. 11 from singers Jake, Jay, Heeseung, Jungown, Sunghoon, Sunoo and Ni-ki is the follow-up to July’s ROMANCE: UNTOLD, the group’s second full-length Korean album.

According to a release announcing the new project, Untold “marked the beginning of a new chapter for ENHYPEN. Following the previous chapters of BORDER, DIMENSION, MANIFESTO, and BLOOD, the first iteration of the ROMANCE series unraveled the story of seven boys who vow to protect their love at all costs.”

The ROMANCE: UNTOLD album gave the group their best sales week ever when it charted at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart during the week of July 27, on sales of 117,000 copies, marking the second No. 1 for the K-pop band and their seventh top 10-charting effort overall to date.

A 13-second logo motion video promoting the November repackage opens with a series of quick shots of a crumpled up piece of paper featuring the word “daydream” scrawled in water-smeared cursive over and over before pivoting to footage of a fountain pen

ENHYPEN kicked off their ENHYPEN WORLD TOUR ‘WALK THE LINE’ with two shows at Goyang stadium in South Korea last week before moving on to a run of shows in Japan in from November-January. In addition, the group was featured in the Grammy Museum’s “HYBE: We Believe in Music” exhibit in August, which explored the history and impact of the K-pop juggernaut HYBE via original outfits and accessories from some of its most prominent acts, including ENHYPEN, BTS, SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, BOYNEXTDOOR and others.

Chris Brown’s headed to South African for a pair of concerts in December, but a women’s rights advocacy group has launched a petition seeking to ban him from taking the stage due to his history of alleged abuse.

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Women for Change started a petition Oct. 2 on Change.org that boasts more than 28,000 signatures as of press time, hoping to stop Brown — who pleaded guilty in 2009 to assaulting then-girlfriend Rihanna, and was sentenced to probation and community labor — from performing in South Africa, which the BBC reports has a long history of abuse and one of the “highest rates of femicide and gender-based violence in the world.” According to the petition, the group wants the promoters, the South African government and organizers to “reconsider” allowing the artist to perform at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium in mid December.

“His concert is scheduled just days after the global commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, making this event a direct insult to the millions of women and girls affected by violence in South Africa and worldwide,” reads the petition.

“When I saw the news that Chris Brown was coming to South Africa, I was shocked and deeply disappointed,” Women for Change executive director Sabina Walter told the BBC. “The petition was started to send a strong message that we will not tolerate the celebration of individuals with a history of violence against women.”

She continued: “When someone like Chris Brown is given a platform in a country where GBV is at crisis levels, it sends a damaging message — that fame and power outweigh accountability.”

Billboard has reached out to Brown for comment.

The fan demand for Brown’s initial concert at FNB Stadium was so overwhelming — tickets sold out in under two hours — that a second show was added at the 94,000-capacity stadium.

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Brown has faced issues for performing in the past due to his legal history in countries such as New Zealand, Canada, Australia and more. The pair of South Africa shows are currently set for Dec. 14 and Dec. 15.

A documentary surrounding Chris Brown’s alleged history of abuse is coming to the Investigation Discovery network later this month. Chris Brown: A History of Violence will land on ID on Oct. 27 as part of the network’s “No Excuse for Abuse” campaign, which will further explore his legal issues. The doc features an unidentified victim who is coming forward to tell her story of alleged abuse from Brown for the first time.

Jin of BTS has some news that’ll be sure to give fans an endorphin rush — his debut solo album, Happy, is coming soon. 

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As announced Monday (Oct. 14), the 31-year-old K-pop star will deliver his first full set of songs as a soloist Nov. 15. Inspired by his “journey to discover true happiness,” the project will feature six tracks, according to a release from BigHit.

“Jin reveals his honest thoughts and feelings on what happiness means to him in the hopes that those who listen to the album will also find joy,” the release continues. “Happy is a genuine, heartwarming gesture that invites listeners to join him on a journey to find happiness, offering them a sense of strength and comfort in their day-to-day lives.” 

The news comes about four months after Jin became the first of his BTS bandmates to complete his mandatory enlistment in the South Korean military, which he celebrated at the time by hugging 1,000 fans. The performer also earned a place in the history books over the summer when he participated as a torch-bearer in the 2024 Olympics relay, becoming one of few musicians who’ve ever held the honor. 

Happy will follow a string of solo singles released by Jin over the years, including 2019’s “Tonight,” 2020’s “Abyss” and 2022’s “The Astronaut.” Three days prior to his album announcement, the singer officially released the full version of his song “Super Tuna.” 

The new LP will make Jin the final member of BTS to release a solo album, following previous projects from Jung Kook, Jimin, V, SUGA, RM and J-Hope. Full-band activities are currently on pause as the remaining members finish their military service, with BTS expected to make its return in 2025. 

See BigHit’s announcement below. 

The members of BTS are going solo — but don’t worry, they are not disbanding.

Just days after the release of their anthology album Proof — released as a celebration of the septet’s ninth anniversary — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook shared in a video posted June 14, 2022, that they planned to take a break from group activities so they can all have time to work on personal and solo endeavors.

Though the respite will give BTS much-needed time to work on their solo efforts — not to mention perform the mandatory military service — the group has already given fans a taste of what they are capable of apart from the group. RM, who functions as the leader of the group and member of BTS’ rap line (alongside Suga and J-Hope), was the first to drop solo material. In 2015, he released a self-titled mixtape via SoundCloud that contained a total of 11 tracks, some of which sampled songs by J. Cole, Drake, Run the Jewels and more.

Suga followed shortly after with the arrival of his Agust D mixtape in 2016, while J-Hope followed in 2018 with Hope World. (RM put out a second mixtape, Mono., in late 2018, while Suga put out his second tape, D-2, in May 2020). 

Here are all of BTS’ solo projects and songs — not including covers, solo tracks released through (or featuring members of) BTS, or features on other artists’ songs.

Megan Thee Stallion’s Hotties will have another reason to celebrate Hottieween this spooky season. Amazon MGM Studios announced on Monday (Oct. 14) that the feature length documentary Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words documentary will be released on Amazon’s Prime Video on Oct. 31.

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In Her Words will offer fans “unprecedented” behind-the-scenes access into the “woman behind the persona,” according to the press release. The doc is set to delve into Meg’s most vulnerable moments as she navigates life as a superstar rapper.

TIME Studios, Roc Nation and Amazon MGM Studios are onboard collectively to produce the documentary surrounding the Grammy Award winner.

“I feel so honored to work with Amazon MGM Studios, Roc Nation, and TIME Studios to share Megan’s story,” director Nneka Onuorah said in a statement. “Her raw and beautiful spirit really shines through in the film. She is a champion for all women who deserve their truth to be heard.”

In Her Words was originally announced in May 2022, and about two-and-a-half years later, the documentary will land on Prime Video on Halloween.

“We are thrilled to be able to work with Roc Nation to share Megan’s story with the world,” TIMES Studios’ Loren Hammonds said at the time. “Millions of people are familiar with her as an entertainer, but this series will give her a chance to share her truth as never before. Her story is a powerful one, and the accomplishments that she continues to achieve are remarkable. We feel lucky to have this opportunity to capture her at a crucial moment in her life and career, as she continues to grow exponentially in both her artistry and global impact.”

It’s a busy spooky season for Megan Thee Stallion. In addition to the doc’s upcoming arrival, the 29-year-old will hit the stage for 2024’s Hottieween at Chicago’s United Center on Oct. 31 in an event she’s promising will be “bigger than ever.”

Tickets for the Halloween show sold out on Friday (Oct. 11); all proceeds will be going toward supporting Megan’s Pete and Thomas Foundation.

Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words
Megan Thee Stallion: In Her Words

Billboard Latin Music Week kicked off Monday (Oct. 14) at the Fillmore Miami Beach with back-to-back business panels, one of which was “The Power of Viña” presented by Viña del Mar. 

Moderated by Alfredo Alonso, director of entertainment, Bizzarro Live/producer of the Viña Del Mar Festival, the 15-minute panel revealed how the Chilean event became a must-stop for all major Latin acts, and how you can score an invitation to perform. 

Below, learn more about the festival that is celebrating more than 64 years and has served as an important platform in the earlier years of some of the biggest Latin and international acts, such as Julio Iglesias, Luis Miguel, Shakira and The Police, to name a few.

What Is Viña del Mar?

“In the ’60s, it started as a competition to pick the most important song at the time. As the years went by, it became a big platform for artist exposure, and the competition became more and more relevant,” Alonso said. The format is a six-day live event that lasts five hours each night and includes music, competition and humor. “The stress and excitement that comes with this festival is huge,” he noted.

How to Be a Part of the Festival

It’s important that you achieve a connection with an audience by having them know your name, know your music, and know your image. Any artist or composer can be part of the festival if they have an unreleased song, and they can submit their song in the folk section and represent their country. For example, Shakira participated in 1994 and represented Colombia. You can also be invited as an emerging artist (either as an opening or closing act), or you can form part of the jury. 

The Monster

“El Monstruo” is the name given to the passionate Viña del Mar audience — one of the most demanding and ruthless audiences in entertainment that’s critical and not easily impressed. From comedians to artists, everyone faces the challenge of conquering the monster and few have been able to leave their mark on Vina.

Over the past 35 years, Latin Music Week has become the foundation of Latin music in this country, becoming the single most important — and biggest — gathering of Latin artists and industry executives in the world. Initially named Latin Music Seminar, sponsored by Billboard, the event traces back to 1990, where it kicked off as a one-day event in Miami featuring a two-artist showcase and awards show.

Throughout the years, it has taken place in Miami, Las Vegas and Puerto Rico, returning to Miami Beach for a fourth consecutive year in 2024, and has welcomed some of the biggest Latin acts including Celia Cruz, Selena, Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Jenni Rivera, Daddy Yankee, Karol G, Bad Bunny, and Romeo Santos. Latin Music Week coincides with the 2024 Billboard Latin Music Awards set to air at 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Oct. 20, on Telemundo. It will simultaneously be available on Universo, Peacock and the Telemundo app, and in Latin America and the Caribbean through Telemundo Internacional.