All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Demi Lovato is in her “Martha Stewart era.” The Grammy-nominated singer has been named brand ambassador for Bella, an affordable kitchenware brand that sells space-saving cookware priced at $15 and up.
“I like to believe I’m in my Martha Stewart era, and, when I came across Bella, I wasn’t intimidated by the products,” Lovato said in a statement on Tuesday (Oct. 8). “They’re easy to use, the colors are fun and different (the Surf color is my favorite), and I just knew these were the kitchen products I wanted to use every day.”
As part of the partnership, Lovato debuted Bella’s new Fits-Anywhere collection — available in the brand’s signature colors: Oatmilk, Plum and Surf. Lovato also stars in a “360-degree media campaign” helmed by director Maca Rubio.
Described as a “first-of-its kind kitchenware system that saves up to 50 percent more space,” Bella’s Fits-Anywhere collection is comprised of seven small appliances and two cookware pieces. The set includes an air fryer, griddle, blender, waffle maker, coffee maker, warming tray, toaster and more.
According to Bella, the cookware is free of PFAs, PFOA, PTFE, lead and cadmium, and features the brand’s trademarked EverGood Ceramic Nonstick Coating. “We spoke to thousands of consumers and learned that 74 percent of their countertop space is taken up by appliances. We wanted to declutter their kitchens, create space and give them more room to gather with family and friends,” said Shae Hong, founder and CEO of Made by Gather and Bella.
In addition to announcing its first brand ambassador, Bella is launching a selection of 21 other products including an AirFryer Toaster Oven, an update to Bella’s Rocket Blender and a single-serve coffee maker in the Oatmilk colorway.
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 18:31:392024-10-09 18:31:39Demi Lovato Cooks Up New Collab With Bella Kitchenware: ‘I’m in My Martha Stewart Era’
Octavio Cuadras shares how he started in music at 12 years old, when he knew he “made it” and more!
Octavio Cuadras: Hi, I’m Octavio Cuadras and I’ll be Fishing for Questions. Look me in the eyes. This one.
“Name a time in which you were excited to see an artist.” Wow. I swear it was yesterday. I wanted to meet Arcángel, but I couldn’t. I had work in Los Angeles, so I couldn’t make it. I got here today. But well, I was really excited. I thought, “We’re going to be at the same event.” But it didn’t happen, but I know it will happen soon.
The next one is: “What is the craziest show you have ever had?” Wow, I don’t know. Look, this is true, when I was 12 years old, I started working in music. I started very young. So my cousins played band instruments, trombone and trumpet, and I played the drums with buckets. So we were called from my house, we went right away, and they were cooking, that was the most exotic show. I was playing the buckets, they were with the trumpets, and people would put money in our cap, and that was my first music salary. It was my first show, so that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done at a show. They don’t even move when I do this. Like this.
“When was the first time in your career that you thought, ‘I made it’?” Wow. These are very emotional. Honestly, today is a very special day. It’s my first time performing in Vegas. It’s the first time I’ll perform like this, with my entire group.
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 18:09:062024-10-09 18:09:06Octavio Cuadras Reflects on When He Knew He ‘Made It’ | Billboard
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Prime Day has kicked off for the second time this year, with fall Prime Day deals including tech that’ll let you update your entertainment setup for a steal. Rather than settle for your TV‘s built-in speakers, you can snag Roku’s Streambar SE for 41% off and enjoy a Bluetooth speaker and 4K streaming device all in one soundbar — and for less than $100. You only have until 11:59 p.m. local time to take advantage of Amazon’s tech deals, though, so you’ll want to head to checkout sooner rather than later.
More than 5,000 Amazon shoppers have purchased Roku’s Streambar SE this month — and since it’s the final day of the October Prime Day, the number is only expected to increase. Unlike your typical TV soundbar, Roku’s version features a two-in-one design that’ll act as a speaker and streaming device that won’t clutter your TV stand. And did we mention it’s only $59?
Keep reading to learn more and shop the deal below.
Amazon reviewers are praising the quality of Roku’s Streambar SE, which they claim makes “movies, shows and music sound much better than before.” It’s also built with enhanced speech clarity that’ll deliver crisp audio while you’re watching TV, practically eliminating your need to put on the subtitles. You don’t even need to touch the volume button as the device will automatically adjust the volume to help you hear voices more clearly and lower during loud commercials.
You’ll have to be a Prime member in order to be eligible to score the deal through Amazon, and a Target Circle member to get the 40% off discount through Target.com. If you’re not already a Prime member, Amazon is offering a 30-day free trial for new users who sign up.
Target Circle is free to sign up for — all you need to do is fill out your information and you’ll have instant access to all of the member-exclusive offers during Target Circle Week. Click here to sign up now.
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 17:58:172024-10-09 17:58:17Roku’s Streambar SE Is a Reviewer Must-Have for Its 2-In-1 Design — and It’s on Sale for Less Than $100
BMI announced this week that Alabama frontman Randy Owen will be celebrated as a BMI Icon during the 72nd annual BMI Country Awards on Nov. 19 at the BMI office in Nashville. The award has previously been bestowed on such country greats as Matraca Berg, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Dean Dillon and Hank Williams Jr.
Owen wrote such signature Alabama hits as “Tennessee River,” “Feels So Right,” “Mountain Music” and “Lady Down on Love.” He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.
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Alabama, of course, is one of the most successful country groups in history. They had 33 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, stretching from “Tennessee River” in August 1980 to “Old Alabama,” a collab with Brad Paisley, in June 2011.
Alabama was the first act to win entertainer of the year three times at the CMA Awards. They won in that category five times at the ACM Awards. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, becoming just the third group (defined as more than two people) to be so honored, following The Carter Family, Sons of the Pioneers and The Jordanaires.
Remarkably, Alabama hit No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with 21 consecutive singles, discounting a holiday song (“Christmas in Dixie) and another artist’s single on which they were featured (Lionel Richie’s “Deep River Woman”). Their longest-running No. 1, “Jukebox in My Mind,” remained on top for four weeks in September 1990.
One of Alabama’s No. 1 country hits, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing,” had been a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart in 1981 for the Carpenters. Another, “Face to Face,” featured an uncredited guest vocal by K.T. Oslin.
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 17:58:162024-10-09 17:58:16Alabama Had 33 No. 1 Country Hits. Which Is Your Favorite? Vote!
Retired KISS bassist/singer Gene Simmons is known for unapologetically wagging his legendarily long tongue and for his self-described reputation as a lusty Lothario. But during a guest judging stint on Tuesday night’s (Oct. 8) “Hair Metal Night” on Dancing With the Stars some commenters thought he went too far by focusing on pulchritude instead of Paso doble.
First, Simmons reportedly got a loud round of boos on air after he gave a bewigged Reginald VelJohnson (Family Matters, Die Hard) a lowly score of 5 for his stiff cha cha to Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock.” According to EW, the studio audience did not take kindly to fellow permanent judges Derek Hough and Bruno Tonioli posting the same score — Carrie Ann Inaba gave them a more magnanimous 6 — but when Simmons followed suit, the boos reportedly got significantly louder.
The low score came after Simmons had previously been generous to the fellow septuagenarian, saying before the dance, “Hey Reggie, you’ve got a beautiful woman right beside you who can twist it and turn it and knows how to move it and all that. But I want to tell you, as a guy that’s been on the stage for half a century around the world, I’m kind of a big deal, Reggie. It’s all in the attitude. And you’ve got something in that beautiful face. They love you.”
VelJohnson — who was eliminated on Tuesday night — had had consistently low scores so far this season, but EW said Inaba noted that he’d been a season 33 fan favorite as he hoofed alongside such fellow stars as previous eliminees con artist Anna Delvey, actors Eric Roberts and Tori Spelling, as well as still-active contestants Olympic gymnast Stephen Nedoroscik, NFL player Danny Amendola, NBA center Dwight Howard, Olympic rugby star Ilona Maher, model Brooks Nader and Bachelorette star Jenn Tran, among others.
Simmons was repeatedly called out by viewers in comments on X for what they dubbed his “creepy” remarks, which some said treated the female dancers as if they were in a beauty pageant. The pointed to Simmons saying he couldn’t decide which one was more “hot hot hot” among Amendola and pro dancer Witney Carson and telling 24-year-old actress Chandler Kinney (Pretty Little Liars) that she “fogged up my glasses” and that she “moved me — not just with your gyrations, but with your beautiful face.”
“ABC needs to issue an apology after having Gene Simmons on there and subjecting their cast to that . Why didn’t a producer tell him to knock it off,” wrote one X user, while another joked, “Gene Simmons comments about the ladies are giving the energy of the gross uncle who corners you at the reunion.” A similar comment read, “it’s only the first dance and i’m already over gene simmons being a creep,” as one added, “Gene Simmons is seriously sucking all the energy out of the ballroom with his creepy comments about the female dancers.”
Well known for speaking his mind on all manner of subjects, Forbes noted that Simmons has been called out before for his thoughts on the opposite sex, including over a passage in his 2017 book, On Power: My Journey Through the Corridors of Power and How You Can Get More Power, in which he wrote that leveraging sexuality is still the fastest route to the top for women.
“Women have a choice,” he said in an interview with the New York Post while promoting the book in 2017. “They can dress in potato sacks, [but] as soon as they pretty themselves up with lipstick, lift and separate them and point them in our general direction, they’re gonna get a response. Guys are jackasses — we will buy them mansions and houses . . . all because of sex.” In that same interview, Simmons told women to “get over” their biological urges, opining, “It’s natural to want to have kids, but, sorry, you can’t have it both ways. You have to commit to either career or family. It’s very difficult to have both.”
KISS said that after five decades on tour their End of the Road Tour — which wrapped in December — would be their last go-round. The group then sold its name, image and likeness rights and announced a virtual Las Vegas performance set to launch in 2027.
Watch VelJohnson’s routine and see some of the comments about Simmons below.
If Gene doesn’t think the woman is hot, she gets a low score. Get this man off my screen. No reason he tried to give Brooks a ten and THE Phaedra Parks a five? #DWTS
Gene Simmons is seriously sucking all the energy out of the ballroom with his creepy comments about the female dancers. #DWTSpic.twitter.com/HM8KEIbmZS
Dear @officialdwts , Shame on Gene Simmons for treating this like a beauty pageant. Never have him on the show again. EVER. He ruined it. #gross#DWTS With love, Everyone
underscoring the asian and black female contestants relative to the other judge’s scores after inflating scores all night??? gene simmons you may just be a racist #dwtspic.twitter.com/8MuuMVLeu2
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 17:58:142024-10-09 17:58:14KISS’ Gene Simmons Slammed on X For ‘Creepy’ Comments During ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Guest Judge Stint on Hair Metal Night
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s love story is a long one, full of highs and lows and lots of passion.
However, Billboard confirmed on August 21, 2024, that the “Waiting for Tonight” singer officially filed for divorce from the actor after two years of marriage. The documents list the date of separation as April 26, 2024.
The marriage marked Lopez’s fourth wedding, following Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony. Lopez shares twins Emme and Max with Anthony.
Affleck was previously married to Jennifer Garner. Together, they share Violet, Seraphina and Samuel.
Lopez and Affleck first began dating in 2002 after meeting on the set of Gigli, the first of two movies they would star in together (the second being Jersey Girl in 2004), before getting engaged. The couple delayed their planned 2003 wedding before calling it quits in 2004.
Nearly two decades later, the couple rekindled their romance in 2021. Just a month after the couple tied the knot in Las Vegas, Bennifer celebrated their marriage in August 2022 in front of family and friends at their home in Riceboro on the Hampton Island preserve outside of Savannah, Ga.
See below for a full timeline of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s relationship.
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The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the Billboard 200 dated Oct. 19, we look at the latest from 21st century rock greats Coldplay, whose unusual approach to physical releases may help them get back atop the albums chart.
Coldplay, Moon Music (Parlophone/Atlantic): Few rock bands this century are as familiar with the top spot of the Billboard 200 as Coldplay, which has reached No. 1 four times already – although not since 2014, when they last topped the chart with Ghost Stories. In the decade since, the band’s crossover success in the U.S. has been a little more modest, with their only top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 coming along with then-superpowers The Chainsmokers (“Something Just Like This,” 2017) and BTS (“My Universe,” 2021). And even with “My Universe” on its tracklist, the group’s most recent album (2021’s Music of the Spheres) tapped out at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
For its new album, Friday’s (Oct. 4) Moon Music, Coldplay is really giving it the old college try. The group has already made a number of promotional appearances, including playing two new songs from the set on last weekend’s Saturday Night Live (while frontman Chris Martin showed up on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon a couple days earlier to perform “We Pray” in the style of various rock legends). The band also played an underplay show at Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York City on Monday, and earlier that day, released a Full Moon deluxe edition of the 10-song set, expanding it to 20 tracks for DSPs and digital retailers.
The album does not yet have a true breakout hit, and is not expected to stream in extraordinary numbers. However, it should sell well, having been released in a variety of physical variants – with all releases designed with an eye towards environmental consciousness, as sustainability has been a major priority for the band in recent years. Each of the album’s LP releases will contain some nine recycled PET-plastic bottles recovered from post-consumer waste, and the CD version is claimed to be the “world’s first” to be released on EcoCD, which is created from 90% recycled polycarbonate, also sourced from post-consumer waste.
We will see this week just how much environmental sustainability excites Coldplay’s fanbase into buying one of the available versions of the band’s new album – which includes yellow, red, pink (with a signed art card) and “Spotify Fans First” green vinyl variants, and a “Notebook Edition” exclusive to their webstore, which also features a 12” hardback replica of Martin’s studio notebook with 28 pages of notes and personal illustrations, a bonus CD of voicenote recordings, and even a pair of moongoggles. But the Notebook Edition is sold out on the webstore, and Moon Music is off to one of the best starts of the decade for a U.K. act in the lads’ home country, so perhaps that bodes well for their U.S. fortunes.
Sabrina Carpenter, Short n’ Sweet (Island): To be The Man, Moon Music will have to beat The Man – and “The Man” in this case is of course Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, which after briefly ceding the title to Travis Scott’s Days Before Rodeo is back atop the Billboard 200 for a fourth week this frame. Short n’ Sweet is still pulling six-digit consumption weeks – though just barely, as last week it notched exactly 100,000 units – and was actually up 1% in its performance from the week before, with added interest from the beginning of the accompanying Short n’ Sweet Tour no doubt helping there. That interest may be due to recede slightly this week, but Moon Music’s first-week units will still likely need to land in the 100,000s for the band to comfortably clear the pint-sized superstar with its new release.
IN THE MIX
Megan Moroney, Am I Okay? (Sony Music/Columbia): Megan Moroney has proven herself one of the most reliable streaming performers in modern country music with her set Am I Okay?, which debuted in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 a couple months ago and has continued to hang around the top 100 in the weeks since (landing at No. 77 this week). The set should make a big jump next week following the digital release of its (I’ll Be Fine) deluxe edition, which tacks another three cuts onto the 14-track original, including the heartbroken “Break It Right Back,” which is already off to a strong start on streaming.
Finneas, For Cryin’ Out Loud! (OYOY/Interscope):While sister and collaborator Billie Eilish continues to storm the Billboard Hot 100 – her “Birds of a Feather” is up to a new peak of No. 2 – writer/producer and recording artist Finneas also sets his sights on the charts this week with his own solo LP, For Cryin’ Out Loud! The solo artist has also gone the Coldplay route with his new set’s physical release, as the album is available on his webstore on orange, gold and pink biovinyl (a sustainable product made from polyvinyl chloride) as well as on a signed CD and a as part of a fan pack with a CD and logo T-shirt.
Aphex Twin, Selected Ambient Works Volume II (Warp): How often do we get to talk about 30-year-old ambient albums on The Contenders? It’s a rarity for sure, but Aphex Twin’s 1994 classic double-album Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2 – widely considered one of the great electronic releases of the ‘90s — should make a chart impact this week, as the set was re-released as a 4x LP box set, collecting all the tracks available on different previous permutations of the album and even featuring two unreleased tracks being included on the physical version for the first time. Any Billboard 200 entrance this week would instantly mark the set’s peak; it failed to chart upon its original release three decades ago.
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Things are looking up for Jennifer Lopez, who says she’s happy to be single again following her split from Ben Affleck.
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While speaking to Nikki Glaser in an Interviewconversation published Wednesday (Oct. 9), the “I’m Real” singer opened up about her positive post-divorce mindset less than two months after she filed to legally end her two-year marriage to the Gone Girl actor. “I was thinking about this time in my life, and I’m like, ‘That’s not what I thought it was going to turn out like,’” Lopez told the comedian. “And then I thought, ‘No, this is exactly where I needed to be, to lead me to where I want to go.’”
The Bronx native also added that she regrets “not one second” of the pain she felt as her marriage to Affleck came to a close, even if it did “almost take [her] out for good.” “Now, on the other side of it, I think to myself, ‘F–k, that is exactly what I needed,’” she continued. “Thank you, God. I’m sorry it took me so long. I’m sorry that you had to do this to me so many times. I should have learned it two or three times ago. I get it.”
The lesson learned is that Lopez doesn’t need a partner to get through life’s challenges, the Marry Me star explained. “I finally got it!” she said. “Now I’m excited, when you say you’re just going to be on your own. Yes, I’m not looking for anybody, because everything that I’ve done over the past 25, 30 years, being in these different challenging situations, what can I f–king do when it’s just me flying on my own … What if I’m just free?”
Lopez filed to divorce Affleck Aug. 20, exactly two years after the pair tied the knot in Georgia. Their date of separation, however, was listed as four months prior on April 26, 2024.
The motion closed out Lopez and Affleck’s second attempt at romance, with the “On the Floor” artist and Good Will Hunting star first getting together in 2002 after meeting on the set of Gigli. They soon got engaged, but called off their wedding in 2004, nearly two decades after which the pair would rekindle their relationship in 2021.
Lopez — who was previously married to Ojani Noa, Cris Judd and Marc Anthony — heavily documented her and Affleck’s love story in her film The Greatest Love Story Never Told, as well as on her album This Is Me … Now. “I never thought that he and I would get back together,” she told Billboardin February of Affleck, who was previously married to Jennifer Garner, ahead of the premiere of the documentary. “I just just couldn’t give up on idea that there was something amazing out there for me, even when it got really bad — and it did at times. I always believed deep, deep down to not give up completely.”
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 17:33:582024-10-09 17:33:58Jennifer Lopez Is ‘Excited’ to Be Single Again After Ben Affleck Split: ‘I’m Not Looking for Anybody’
Nobody loves spooky season more than Megan Thee Stallion, who’s promising that Hottieween is going to be “bigger than ever this year.” Meg announced on Tuesday (Oct. 8) that she’s picked Chicago as the host city for 2024’s Hottieween, which will be held on Halloween.
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“Hottieween is BIGGER than ever this year !!! CHICAGO HOTTIES we had so much fun together at Thee Hot Girl Summer Tour so I hadddd to come celebrate Hottieween with yall,” she tweeted.
Tickets for the show will go on sale starting on Friday (Oct. 11); all proceeds will go toward supporting Megan’s Pete and Thomas Foundation, which aims to provide resources for children, senior citizens, women and other underserved communities.
“Trust me you don’t wanna miss this one,” she continued. “See you soon.”
Meg performed in Chicago back in May on the Hot Girl Summer Tour, when she took over the United Center for a pair of shows.
“Chicago?? I won! I hope you ready to see me,” one fan replied to her announcement. Others weren’t thrilled to hear that Hottieween was going down in that city. “Sister give another state a chance and do a hottieween tour,” another wrote.
Megan Thee Stallion kicked off October by continuing her pumpkin head photoshoot tradition. The series of pictures saw Meg posted up on a couch while rocking the pumpkin to go with her mega bowl of popcorn.
It’s already been a massive year for Megan Thee Stallion. She earned her first solo Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit with “Hiss,” and then delivered her Megan album in June. The LP debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 with 64,000 total units sold in the first week.
The 29-year-old might not be done either, as she claimed to have the “hardest mixtape of 2024” ready to go, so there could be more Halloween candy leftover for her Hotties.
Find Meg’s 2024 Hottieween announcement below.
Hottieween is BIGGER than ever this year !!! CHICAGO HOTTIES we had so much fun together at Thee Hot Girl Summer Tour so I hadddd to come celebrate Hottieween with yall ! Tickets go on sale Friday October 11th and all proceeds support the @petethomasfdn ! Trust me you don’t wanna… pic.twitter.com/LwVkAyIjdv
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 17:26:262024-10-09 17:26:26Megan Thee Stallion Announces ‘Bigger Than Ever’ 2024 Hottieween Concert in Chicago
Last week, rising British pop acts Rachel Chinouriri and Cat Burns released the emotional new single “Even.” The song addressed the pair’s respective rise over the last few years. Chinouriri released her debut album What A Devastating Turn Of Events in May and enlisted actor Florence Pugh for the “Never Need Me” music video; Burns, meanwhile, hit No. 2 on the U.K. Singles Charts with “Go” and was nominated for a Mercury Prize for her debut LP, Early Twenties.
The song speaks to the double standards Black artists are held to in the U.K. music industry, as well as the mislabeling of their releases. Despite their love of indie music and varied inspirations across genres, they’ve been frustrated with the battles they’ve faced to be heard.
“Wish I didn’t have to climb twice as high / For them to see me, isn’t it crazy,” Burns reflects on “Even,” while in the chorus, the pair asks: “We talk the same, dress for fame / Why does no one else believe in / Us the same?”
Fellow British artist Master Peace – real name Peace Okezie – is credited as a songwriter on “Even” and knows the issues all too well. He released his debut album, How To Make A Master Peace, earlier this year, which featured contributions from alternative legend Santigold and dance producer Georgia. The record was infused with indie rock stylings and nods to Bloc Party and The Streets, but he says he still faces misrepresentation of his music and feels some opportunities have passed him by.
“We are from a place where we have to work a hundred times harder than the average white guy, because people see as Black artists and just chuck us in the R&B space. It’s a cop-out,” Peace tells Billboard.
In 2020, Tyler, The Creator spoke out against the categorization of his music as rap while collecting a Grammy Award and criticized the use of the ‘urban’ music category. There’ve been similar issues in the U.K. A 2021 study by Black Lives In Music reported that 63% of Black music makers had faced racism in the U.K. music industry, and included testimonies by artists of microaggressions and mislabeling of their music.
“For the work that we’ve put in, we should be further than we already are,” he says of Chinouriri, Burns and himself. “You can easily fall victim to it and think ‘it’s never going to work because there’s no Black U.K. pop stars,’ or you could be like us and step up and cut through.”
How to Make A Master Peace was released in March this year and charted at No. 30 on the U.K.’s Official Album Charts. He’s since landed an Ivor Novello Award for their rising star trophy, collecting alongside fellow ceremony winners like Bruce Springsteen. He supported Kasabian at their massive homecoming show in Leicester, England, earlier in the summer and recently landed a nomination at the Independent Music Awards (AIM) in the best music video category. A run of live dates is now taking place in the U.K., but he still feels like people within the industry and potential listeners need convincing of his credentials.
“On paper when you look at all the achievements you think ‘why would he complain?’”, Peace says. “I wouldn’t say I feel like an outsider in my scene, but do I feel like I’m held up the same way as certain bands or artists? Probably not.”
He signed to Universal’s EMI in 2020 and had a string of releases under the label. He says that hype around his live shows – particularly given the lack of releases – was what got the majors involved. “As a result,” he says, “people had nothing to reference [my music] to” beyond a YouTube freestyle which saw him creatively rap over a-ha’s “Take On Me.”
When his A&Rs left EMI, he followed them and inked a deal with PMR Records, whose previous success stories include Disclosure, SG Lewis and Jessie Ware.
“At EMI it was about dropping tunes, but I don’t think they understood what we wanted to build; maybe at the time I didn’t even understand.” He started again from scratch as an independent artist, but refined his direct, party-starting sound and continued collaborating with songwriters and producers like Julian Bunetta, who has credits on Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” and her 2022 single “Nonsense.”
His album’s release dovetails with the ‘indie sleaze’ hype in recent years, a moment where younger fans on have revisited works by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Strokes and more, and been enraptured by Lizzy Goodman’s Meet Me In The Bathroom oral history and documentary. “Where I’ve come from and my background, I’ve always been in fight-or-flight mode. I’ve always wanted to take a leap and risk things,” he says. “It was a big risk making an indie sleaze-inspired album when no one knew about what that was all about.”
Now Peace is keeping the momentum up with How To Make A(nuva) Master Peace, a new EP that acts as a deluxe record to his debut. “Dropping the album when I did got me so many amazing opportunities, so I want to keep it up,” he tells Billboard.
But most of all, he wants the music world to recognize his work and what his contemporaries are doing without stereotyping. “I’m a Black, alternative artist that makes pop music and sits in that space. I want to be that guy who people look at and think, ‘His thing is valid’.”
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.pngYveto2024-10-09 17:26:252024-10-09 17:26:25Master Peace on Industry Double Standards for Black Indie Artists and His Party-Starting Debut Album
