Gigi Hadid had her bestie on her mind at the 2024 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show on Tuesday night (Oct. 15).

The supermodel was the first to walk the runway at the iconic event in New York City, rising up from beneath the stage rocking a deep-cut pink silk outfit and fluffy angel wings. Before she began to walk, she took a page from her pal Taylor Swift‘s book, waving to the audience exactly like the “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” singer did throughout the Eras Tour.

See the comparison here.

Hadid teased the reference to Swift before the show while chatting with ET in the dressing room, telling the outlet, “There is something new on this runway tonight that is new to at least me. I can’t remember if it’s ever been done on the VS runway, but there’s an aspect to it that I was trained to do by Taylor on her tour. At one of her rehearsals, she was like, ‘I’m going to show you how we do this,’ and now I’m using it tonight.” That “something new,” turns out, was the below-stage riser, which was also used throughout the night by models including Ashley Graham and Tyra Banks.

While Swift wasn’t in attendance at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show this year, she’s no stranger to the iconic event. She performed “I Knew You Were Trouble” at the 2013 show, and returned a year later to perform “Blank Space” and “Style” in 2014.

This year, LISA and Tyla took the stage for jaw-dropping performances before Cher headlined the event by performing “Strong Enough” and “Believe.”

In a rare moment of emotional candidness for the K-pop industry, NewJeans member Hanni took to the floor of South Korea’s National Assembly on Tuesday (Oct. 15) to address the issue of workplace harassment and bullying. Testifying before the Labour Committee of South Korea’s National Assembly, the 20-year-old spoke about her and NewJeans’ experiences working under ADOR, the group’s sub-label that’s part of HYBE that also houses the labels supporting BTS, SEVENTEEN, LE SSERAFIM and more.

Arriving at the Seoul court midday on Tuesday to a media frenzy of eager reporters and photographers, Hanni, who is Vietnamese-Australian, shared in her testimony that she felt undermined and ignored by her company’s management. Recalling the incident she had previously shared during NewJeans’ guerrilla livestream last month, Hanni described how a manager overseeing another K-pop act had instructed the artists to “ignore” the NewJeans singer.

“We have a floor in our building where we do hair and makeup and, at that time, I was waiting in the hallway because my hair and makeup was done first,” Hanni shared, per the BBC, during the televised parliamentary audit. “I said hello to all of them, and then they came back about five or 10 minutes later. On her way out, [the manager] made eye contact with me, turned to the rest of the group, and said, ‘Ignore her like you didn’t see her.’ I don’t understand why she would say something like that in the work environment.”

Hanni says these incidents were not isolated but part of a broader pattern that left her and her bandmates feeling disrespected. She detailed additional instances where senior HYBE executives failed to acknowledge her.

“Since my debut, we ran into a person in a high-up position many times, but they never greeted me when I greeted them,” she said, sometimes through tears, in her testimony. “I understood from living in Korea that I have to be polite to older people and that’s part of the culture — but I think it’s just disrespectful as a human being to not greet us, regardless of our professional status. There was a certain vibe [of disrespect] that I felt within the company.” Adding that the incidents had her come “to the realization that this wasn’t just a feeling. I was honestly convinced that the company hated us.”

Representing HYBE during the hour-long hearing, current ADOR CEO Ju Young Kim (who replaced NewJeans creator Min Hee-jin as CEO after HYBE’s multiple requests to step down) said she would “listen more closely” to the artists. “I believe I did everything I could,” Kim responded. “But seeing that Hanni felt this way and that the situation escalated to this point, I wonder if there was more I could have done.”

“I was told that because there wasn’t any evidence, there was nothing that could be done,” Hanni explained, per The New York Times. The outlet added that Kim cited her decision based on differing accounts of what happened.

With the K-pop industry infamous for tightly controlled and high-pressure narratives between artists, companies and the media, Hanni’s direct testimony is a unique insight into an artist’s daily experiences beyond the spotlight that can signal hope toward more open conversations about accountability. South Korea’s Environment and Labor Committee of the National Assembly is currently investigating working conditions in the entertainment sector, where labor laws do not cover many performers. During the hearing, An Ho-young, the head of the panel, emphasized the need for lawmakers to safeguard the rights of entertainers.

According to the Korea JooAng Daily, Ju Young Kim, previously in a leadership position in HYBE’s human resources department, expanded on the complexity of handling artists and employees.

“My understanding is that artists are not defined as employees by the law,” she said when asked about anti-harassment regulations for company employees and artists, per Korea JooAng Daily. “We have an internal guidance policy where we explain how constituents, regardless of whether they are employees or not, should respect each other. We are holding regular training programs and using a lot of effort to form our corporate culture.” Kim added that artists cannot use HYBE’s company hotline to report workplace harassment but instead adhere to “an internal guidance policy where we explain how constituents, regardless of whether they are employees or not, should respect each other.”

While NewJeans have actively sided with Min Hee-jin in the executive’s ongoing power struggle with HYBE, Hanni expressed a more universal hope regarding the future of working in K-pop.

“I hope trainees don’t suffer these incidents and that’s why I decided to appear,” Hanni said, according to Reuters. “I know it’s not going to solve all the problems in the world, but if we just respect each other, at least there will be no problems with bullying and harassment in the workplace.”

If you work in dance music, there’s a good chance you’re currently on a plane or train or are otherwise somehow en route to Amsterdam.

Per mid-October dance music tradition, the Amsterdam Dance Music Event, or ADE, is happening this week in the Dutch capital, with thousands of dance industry execs, artists and fans taking part in a dizzyingly robust program that caters to professionals, people trying to get into the industry and people who just like the music. Programming includes representatives from companies including SoundCloud, Bandcamp, Tresor, Tunecore, Empire, Spotify and more.

While ADE always reliably draws industry types from around Europe, the event is also “seeing a notable increase in attendees from the U.S., Africa, and Asia this year,” says ADE’s managing director Jan-Willem van de Vens, “so it’s a good mix of electronic music industries and cultures and global territories that see ADE as a gateway to Europe in a number of different ways.”

With the thriving electronic music scene in Africa gaining more attention and global influence, ADE 2024 is also hosting representatives from the Nigerian festival Homecoming for a special five-panel series on the dance scene in the country and across the continent.

“The roots of electronic music are deeply tied to African music and culture, so this focus felt timely and essential,” says van de Vens. “The culture across many African territories offers so much we can learn from, particularly in terms of creativity and community, and in return, we can hopefully contribute some knowledge of industry infrastructure, things like that. Our collaboration with Homecoming is designed as a mutual exchange, where both sides — artists, audiences, professionals and ourselves — can inspire and grow from each other’s experiences.”

In total, ADE programming is famous for offering more panels, networking events, performances and mixers than a single person could possibly attend, so van de Vens advises that those going create a schedule based on what they personally want to get out of the conference. He also recommends “making full use of networking sessions and our new matchmaking formats, which are great for connecting with the right people.”

This year, ADE has also launched a new ADE App that will help attendees navigate the program while keeping their personal agendas on hand, for maximum productivity and likely a fair amount of fun. As always, ADE 2024 is split between PRO programming for industry professionals, Lab programming for those coming into the scene, festival programming for fans, and arts and culture programming for everyone.

Even van de Vens himself acknowledges that it’s difficult to fit everything in over the conference, with his assistant helping ensure he gets everywhere he needs to be. “I’m also just a big fan of everything we do,” he adds, “so I really try my best to experience as much as possible.”

Below are van de Vens’ top ADE 2024 schedule picks across all categories. (All times are CEST.)

ADE Pro

20 Years of Tomorrowland: How to Rise and Stay on Top – Wednesday, Oct.16, 2:15 p.m.

In this talk, Tomorrowland founder Michiel Beers will discuss the 20 year anniversary of the annual Belgian dance mega-festival, offering insights on the strategies that have made it the world’s biggest dance festival.

SoundCloud – Essential Insider Knowledge – Thursday, Oct. 17, 12:30 p.m.

Representatives from SoundCloud will take part in a conversation with Dutch producer Mau P, focusing on how the platform supports independent artists and offering insights on how artists can find success on digital platforms.

From Detroit to Durban: The Learnings of 30 Years of Dance Music – Thursday, Oct. 17, 1:30 p.m.

Artists including Detroit legend Carl Craig and South African producers Major League DJz will take part in a panel exploring the origins and influence of the techno and amapiano genres. The conversation will focus on growing these genres while preserving their cultural heritage and ensuring creators retain ownership.

Amelie Lens x Charlotte de Witte – Friday, Oct. 18, 4:30 p.m.

The techno titans will take part in a panel focused on their individual careers and newfound partnership.

ADE LAB

BIIANCO: How I Play Live hosted by DJ Mag – Thursday, Oct. 17, 5:15 p.m.

Multi-instrumentalist, producer and DJ, BIIANCO — whose 2023 viral hit “Against The Wall” aggregated 35 million streams — will give a talk on live performance technology for creators looking to build a live show and integrate live elements into hybrid DJ sets.

DJ Babatr: The Story of Raptor House – Saturday, Oct. 19, 2:45 p.m.

Venezuelan DJ Babatr, a pioneer of the Raptor House genre, will discuss his role in creating a sound that encapsulates the energy of Caracas.

CLUB Lab – Live Showcases (in association with DJMag) – Saturday, Oct. 19, 8:30 p.m.

The nightclub element of ADE’s Lab programming will feature live music, A/V shows and dancing, offering a place for ADE Lab attendees to celebrate at the end of the event.

ADE Arts & Culture

ADE Opening Concert: 50 Years of J Dilla – Wednesday, Oct. 16, 11:00 a.m.

Speakers including Carl Craig and Miguel Atwood Ferguson will celebrate the legacy of game-changing producer J Dilla in the year that artist would have been 50 years old. Atwood-Ferguson & Metropole Orchestra will perform the longstanding Dilla tribute project Suite for Ma Dukes before the ‘Dilla 50’-talk.

ADE Opening Concert: COCON II – Wednesday, Oct. 16, 7:00 p.m.

Designed especially for ADE, the audiovisual live performance by Cello Octet Amsterdam and Nick Verstand will feature a combination of live playing and robotics.

ADE Opening Concert: 24classics presents Philip Glass by Lavinia Meijer & Nikki Hock – Wednesday, Oct. 16, 7:30 p.m.

Harpist Lavinia Meijer and multidisciplinary artist Nikki Hock will present an interpretation of Phillip’s Glass music, with Meijer getting special permission for Glass himself to transcribe his music for harp. Hock, meanwhile, will create visuals in the room.

Festival

Tomorrowland Presents Afterlife – Wednesday, Oct. 16 and Thursday, Oct. 17, 10:00 p.m.

Tale of Us and a collection of other artists will play the city’s famed Ziggo Dome venue for two nights of music.

Barry Can’t Swim – Thursday, Oct. 17, 8:30 p.m.

The rising, award-nominated Scottish producer will perform a show incorporating his signature synthesis of piano playing and electronic productions.

Awakenings Upclose ADE presents Four Tet, Friday, Oct. 18, 3:00 p.m.

The U.K. producer will play an extended six-and-a-half-hour set at Amsterdam venue Gashouder, a former industrial gasworks complex.

Jeff Mills presents: Tomorrow Comes The Harvest – Friday, Oct., 8:00 p.m.

The collaborative project Tomorrow Comes The Harvest was initiated by Nigerian afrobeat pioneer Tony Allen and Detroit techno icon Jeff Mills. Together with keyboardist Jean Phi Dary, the trio toured the globe until Allen’s death in 2020. Now playing with tabla virtuoso Prabha Edouard, Tomorrow Comes The Harvest will present a new chapter of genre-spanning sounds and rhythms.

AMF 2024 – Saturday, Oct. 19, 9:00 p.m.

The night-long festival will feature a host of producers including Maddix, Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Timmy Trumpet and more.

Billboard’s Latin Music Week was all about female power on Tuesday (Oct. 15), as six international artists came together for the Women’s Panel: Global Rise: Bad Gyal, from Spain; Belinda and Danna, from Mexico; Debi Nova, from Costa Rica; Mon Laferte, from Chile; and Zhamira Zambrano, from Venezuela.

During the conversation, presented by Ulta and moderated by Ingrid Fajardo, social media manager/staff writer for Billboard Latin, the six Latin music stars created an atmosphere of camaraderie at The Fillmore Miami Beach as they spoke about the challenges of being a woman in the industry and the advances they have seen in recent years.

“I feel that the world is changing positively. Slowly, but it is changing,” said Mon Laferte. “When I started in music there were fewer women, not only on stage but behind the scenes. I see tech women, audio engineers, producers, and that speaks to the fact that there is a change in the world.”

While they highlighted the importance of collaborating and support each other, they noted that in many cases they have encountered men in the industry who have been their accomplices and allies.

Here are their best quotes from this year’s Women’s Panel.

Bad Gyal, on mental health and social media: “One way to handle it with more peace is to accept that insecurity is going to be there and that if one day you feel like not uploading anything, that’s fine. I’m Bad Gyal but I’m also Alba (her real name) and I live a real life. I am connected to my childhood, to my essence, and that also helps.”

Belinda, on her recent foray into Mexican music: “Three or four years ago they told me that that genre was not for women, that I would not be able to record those songs. Natanael Cano inspired me a lot […] Life changes when you do things by feeling them and fighting for what you want. Taking risks is what one has to do, and lose fear little by little.”

Danna, on female alliances in music: “They are important and necessary. We talk to each other and the world moves. Being able to turn around and know that we are colleagues and not competition […] We are making a very big change. Women are taking charge of everything. Here we are shaking the world.”

Debi Nova, on the music industry in her native Costa Rica: “Growing up there, I really didn’t have any reference in the country of women who dedicated themselves to music and now I see a whole generation of girls who are taking that leap, that challenge to say that yes it is possible, and I want to say that in part it is this generation of women who come to my country where little girls see them and say ‘if she can, I can.’”

Mon Laferte, on how she deals with haters: “I have learned to enjoy even having hate thrown at me. Sometimes I love that they think I’m the worst […] It’s the character: ‘She’s terrible, she’s bad.’ I laugh at it at home with my daughter. Maybe it’s because I’m older, age also [helps].”

Zhamira Zambrano, on how she maintains her essence despite the pressures of the industry: “I am very attached to God, to having my feet on the ground, to relying on my family, my husband, my daughter. Having that strong foundation at home is what works for me […] If you are happy and content with yourself and you are confident in yourself, you are going to radiate that to the world. We see that much more, woman empowerment, but it is never enough; “We have to continue watering that little plant.”

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.