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Lainey Wilson has reached a full circle moment, thanks to her new collaboration with Wrangler. After announcing a partnership with the brand last year, the country star debuted her very first Wrangler collection on Wednesday (Sept. 25).

“It’s wild, and also full circle, because before I could even walk my parents had me on the back of a horse and a pair of Wranglers,” Wilson told Billboard of the collection during a fitting in Las Vegas last month. “It’s a weird thing, because I feel like, just looking at these pictures on the wall of the collection just kind of makes me feel at home in a weird way. It just reminds me of, like, my inner child and that little girl, you know?”

The Lainey Wilson x Wrangler collection features unique designs, curve-hugging silhouettes, stylish patchwork, ringer T-shirts, western-inspired outerwear and variations of Wilson’s signature bell bottoms. A female-led design team helped Wilson bring the collection to life, which reflects her modern but retro style.

“My family is Wrangler,” she added. “My daddy thought I really made it after I told him about this [collection]. I told him, I might be working with Wrangler. He’s a man of a few words, but he was like, ‘now that’s something!’ When he says that, you know he’s impressed.”

At the heart of the collection: Wilson’s long-standing connection with Wrangler and her childhood. She wrote her first song at just nine years old, the same year that she received her first pair of bellbottoms.

“Before we even started working, [Wrangler] really got to know me and my story. Even Viv [Vivian Rivetti, Wrangler’s global vice president of design] she just asked me small details about my childhood and what did I think of [this or that], and honestly, a lot of those things ended up in the trucker Storyteller outfit. All of the things that I feel make me, me. That’s how I write songs too. I get to put my story and myself out there, and it’s cool for me to be able to express myself every day with my music, but stepping into something like this, it just really gives me another outlet. I wrote my first song at nine years old, and I thought that’s what I’d be doing forever. I’m still doing that but it’s cool, [to have] other opportunities that come up.”

While reviewing looks in the collection, Wilson pointed out some of the small details that have had a major big impact on her life. For example, her French bulldog makes an appearance in the collection, along with trucks, trailers, horses, a guitar and other nods to her Western style like the name “Hippie Mae,” symbolizing her first pair of bell bottoms and the phrase “Hillbilly Hippie,” which is named after her 2022 song. There’s also a ringer shirt with the number nine on the front symbolizing the age that Wilson wrote her first song, got her first pair of bell bottoms and went to the Grand Ole Opry for the first time.

The collection’s “Hang Tight” ringer tee represents a phrase her father told her as a child.  “I remember riding this bucking horse and my daddy’s like, ‘You better hold on. You better hang tight.’ That’s just something I say all the time and then later on, I ended up writing a song called ‘Hang Tight, Honey’ so that’s our current single.”

“There’s so many little hidden [details],” she continued. “If you look close you see a heart [in the collection]. One of my first hits at country radio was a song called ‘Heart Like a Truck,’” Wilson noted of her 2022 single, which was featured in a Dodge Ram commercial.

“The bread barn right here just symbolizes my childhood,” she said pointing to another detail in the collection. “I feel like I learned a lot growing up on the back of horse. I learned how to hold on when times get tough and how to pull myself up by the bootstraps. The tractor right here, anytime I wanted to spend time with my daddy, I had to go get on the tractor with him.”

Fashion isn’t much different from music, Wilson explained of what she learned during the process of creating her Wrangler line. “[Fashion] has a lot of similarities to the music business. This record of mine that is about to come out, we’ve been working on it [since] before the other one came out and that’s how this line is, and probably all the future things that we do together. You work on it way in advance, because it’s got to go through so many hands to get to the consumer. And that’s how it is with music, it takes a team.”

Shop items from Wilson’s Wrangler collection below.

On Tuesday (Sept. 24), singer-songwriter Laufey performed at the launch event for Syracuse University’s new Bandier music business master’s program. Held at Spotify Studios in Los Angeles, the Icelandic/Chinese singer also revealed her new scholarship fund for international students and those with financial need at the event.

The Laufey Scholarship for Graduate Students will provide $100,000 over the next ten years to the Bandier program. In her remarks, Laufey noted that she was inspired to start the fund by her parents, who are music educators, and by her team, many of which attended Bandier for undergrad.

This includes her manager Max Gredinger (2013 alumni), attorney Harry Roberts (2012), publisher Gabz Landman (2012), digital marketing manager Izzy Newirth (2023) and management coordinator Kaylee Barrett (2024).

“I’m incredibly proud to support this scholarship and be part of such an important moment for the Bandier program. The talent, knowledge and passion that my team brings to our work every day are a direct result of the incredible education they received at Syracuse University,” Laufey said of the scholarship in a release. “I hope this scholarship will help future students find the same success and fulfillment in the music industry.”

Syracuse’s Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries was established in 2006. Named for alumnus and storied music executive Martin Bandier, the school is a regular on Billboard’s top music business schools list.

The expansion into a master’s program has been in the works by the team at Bandier for the last year-and-a-half, and it is said to offer students many of the same features from the undergraduate program, including hands-on learning experiences and job training to help develop the music industry’s next generation of executives. It is set to begin classes in summer 2025.

The curriculum will introduce students to areas like music law, copyright, social media and the latest data tools used by industry professionals. It will also feature a semester based in Los Angeles where students will be able to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to the real-world music business.

The Bandier undergraduate and graduate programs are both helmed by former Billboard editorial director Bill Werde.

“An overwhelming percentage of our undergrads are leveraging the skills, network and experiences built in the Bandier program into jobs upon graduation,” Werde said. “We look forward to welcoming these new graduate students into our community and working with them to develop the core that they need to succeed.”

Mark J. Lodato, dean of the Newhouse School of Communications, which is home to the Bandier program, said in a release, “Through the Bandier master’s program, students aspiring to work in the music industry will have exciting opportunities to hone the skills they learn in the classroom in real-world settings. We are so grateful to the Bandier alumni, who play pivotal roles working with such a gifted artist like Laufey, for setting examples for career success.” 

Every month, Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors spotlight a group of rising artists whose music we love. Think “diamantes en bruto,” or “diamonds in the rough.” These are newcomers who have yet to impact the mainstream — but whose music excites us, and who we believe our readers should make a point to discover.

Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes a wave of emerging artists, who we discovered either by networking or coming across their music at a showcase, and beyond. See our recommendations this month below:

Artist: Emmanuel Cortes

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: In recent months, Emmanuel Cortes has captivated the social media realm with his viral “Amor.” In true fashion, I discovered Cortes while scrolling on TikTok, where his catchy norteño-cumbia track backed by his smooth tenor vocals has garnered nearly 500k video creations of couples of all ages dancing to the feel-good bop. Boasting over 180K followers on TikTok and more than 70K on Instagram, with only one post on the latter, Cortes marks the new wave of Música Mexicana gems. On his YouTube channel, you will only find one music video (“Amor,” with over five million views), but on his Spotify, you’ll come across his nine-song album Memorias <3, where he has a selection of romantic corridos and sad sierreños. — JESSICA ROIZ

Song for Your Playlist: “Amor”

Artist: HeyBroders

Country: Venezuela/Nicaragua

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: During a spontaneous visit to the studio of my friend and producer/composer Frank Santofimio, I had the chance to happily witness the debut of a talented young group based in Miami but hailing from Venezuela and Nicaragua called HeyBroders. Made up of Ignacio Mendoza, Michael Reyes, Antony Tijerino and Juan G Dominguez, the emerging “boy band” mixes refreshing cumbia rhythms and tropical pop. Their latest single, “La Influencer,” in collaboration with the talent and charisma of the Venezuelan singer Briella, fuses modern cumbia rhythms with social criticism and a dose of melancholy. The song is helmed by renowned producers DeMasters, Frank Santofimio and Ender Thomas, creators behind hits from Camilo, Sebastian Yatra, Anitta, Ricky Martin and Sting, among others. — INGRID FAJARDO

Song for Your Playlist: “La Influencer” (feat. Briella)

Artist: Las Prez

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Las Prez was put on my radar thanks to a close friend from Guatemala, who also happens to be their long-time producer. I was instantly captivated by their ability to create unique versions of popular songs and was charmed by the sweet, harmonious quality of their voices. Twins Valentina and Regina helm the project. They were born in Mexico City, graduated from Televisa’s children’s CEA, started their careers in acting, dancing, voice-over, and music, and were part of popular children’s groups. Las Prez’s latest single, “Traicionero,” brings together Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Guaynaa, and the Mexican group Fullbrand in a cumbia fusion with Reggaeton-Mexa beats, creating a perfect blend of thumping rhythms. — I.F.

Song for Your Playlist: “Traicionero” (feat. Guaynaa, El Gudi, Jey F & Alan Dazmel)

Artist: MAR

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Earlier this month, Mar released “No Te Vaz,” a buoyant pop-cumbia enriched with sparkly synths in true grupera fashion — a subgenre of regional Mexican music popularized globally by her father, Marco Antonio Solís. Although I first noticed her during a heartfelt performance at the 2022 Latin Recording Academy’s Person of the Year Gala honoring her the Mexican icon, Mar swiftly captivated attention on her own merits. Her prowess was evident with her song “Más Que Tu Amiga,” which climbed to No. 12 on the Tropical Airplay chart in January 2023.

“No Te Vaz” is particularly compelling — an energetically catchy and emotionally charged track equipped with heartfelt lyrics about reclaiming self-worth after a disappointing love affair. The playful music video showcases the Monterrey-born singer and her friends in stylish ranchera outfits, enjoying a spirited day out at a rugged ranch. Mar is a rising star with a bright future ahead, blending legacy with her cheeky artistic flair. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Song For Your Playlist: “No Te Vaz”

Artist: Marky

Country: Cuba

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: A former pastor-turned-singer, Marky is a Cuban-born, Florida-based artist with the mission of shedding positivity and light with his musical project. On his debut EP, Verdades (Truth) — helmed by Latin hitmakers Nando Pro and La Companioni — Marky delivers seven songs packed with optimistic and motivational messages about life and praise. Sonically, the album includes an array of genres from Cuban reparto to reggaetón-with-flamenco fusions to electronic and rap music. On the focus track “Me Siento Bien” (I feel good), Marky taps into breezy, tropical Calypso melodies to narrate the story of a person who feels blessed to be alive. “With the same smile and stronger than yesterday/ I feel good/ My moment is today,” he chants. — J.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “Me Siento Bien”

Billboard Latin Music Week is returning to Miami Beach on Oct. 14-18, with confirmed superstars including Gloria Estefan, Alejandro Sanz and Peso Pluma, among many others. For tickets and more details, visit Billboardlatinmusicweek.com.

Playboi Carti snatches his first top 10 as the sole lead artist on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart as “All Red” arrives at No. 3 on the list dated Sept. 28. The track rides a massive streaming wave to the top tier and extends his streak of consecutive top 10s – either in lead or featured capacities – on the chart.

For its debut on the multimetric Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart — which combines streaming, radio airplay and sales data for its calculations — “All Red” opens with 19.5 million official U.S. streams in the tracking week of Sept. 13-19, according to Luminate. The total sparks the single’s No. 1 debut on the R&B/Hip-Hop Streaming Songs chart and No. 10 entrance on the corresponding all-genre Streaming Songs ranking.

Streams power virtually of the “All Red” debut on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The track also sold 500 digital downloads – below the threshold of the R&B/Hip-Hop Digital Song Sales chart – and registered negligible airplay in its first week of release.

“All Red” gives Playboi Carti, a recent cover star for Billboard, his seventh top 10 hit on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Here’s a review of his collection:

Song Title, Artist (if other than Playboi Carti), Peak Position, Peak Date

Notably, Playboi Carti extends his streak of consecutive top 10s, as all five of his chart visits since “FE!N” have reached the region.

Elsewhere, “All Red” begins at No. 2 on the Hot Rap Songs chart and at No. 15 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100.

“All Red” previews Playboi Carti’s forthcoming album, which will mark the 29-year-old’s first album since 2020’s Whole Lotta Red. The set debuted at No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and the all-genre Billboard 200.

As the countdown continues to the 58th annual CMA Awards, set to air live from Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 20, country music fans will be anxious to see who takes home the evening’s top prize — entertainer of the year. This year, the nominees are Luke Combs, Jelly Roll, Chris Stapleton, Morgan Wallen and Lainey Wilson.

Luke Bryan, a two-time CMA entertainer of the year winner himself, is offering his thoughts to Billboard on who could potentially take home this year’s EOY accolade.

“I look back at when I won CMA entertainer of the year and in my opinion, that’s always been about who has sold the most tickets and has been kind of the most impressive thing out there in the touring world,” Bryan says.

Each of the nominees has been selling out headlining shows in venues ranging from amphitheaters and arenas to stadiums: Wallen on his One Night at a Time Tour, Combs on his Growin’ Up and Gettin’ Old Tour, Stapleton with his All-American Road Show Tour, Jelly Roll with his Beautifully Broken Tour and Wilson with her Country’s Cool Again Tour.

“When I look at what Morgan Wallen’s doing out there, selling out multiple [stadiums], and I know Luke Combs is doing that too, and obviously, they’re just both great entertainers,” Bryan says. “I don’t know who to sit there and put my endorsement on, but I have just been in awe watching Morgan Wallen go from being on some of my stadium tours and hanging on the bus with me, to watching him just really put up Garth Brooks-like stadium shows, has been pretty incredible. So, I think certainly it’d be something really, really great if Morgan might get him one or two, or three or four the next couple of years. But I think they’re all worthy of it. Lainey won last year, and that’ll probably put her in the front-runner spot, too, but it is a hot seat kind of thing. They all got my vote.”

Wallen, who scored his third CMA entertainer of the year nomination this year, leads this year’s overall CMA nominees with seven nods. Meanwhile, Stapleton earned his eighth nomination in the entertainer of the year category (he has yet to win the prize), while Combs earned his fifth nomination in the category (he has previously won twice), Wilson picked up her second EOY nomination (she is the reigning CMA EOY winner) and Jelly Roll nabbed his first nomination in the category this year.

Bryan is gearing up for the release of his new album, Mind of a Country Boy, on Friday (Sept. 27). The 14-song album features his current single, “Love You, Miss You, Mean It,” which currently resides at No. 8 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart.