Taylor Swift Shares Backstage Selfies With Prince William & Kids at Eras Tour Show in London: See…
On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie & Keith are talking about Swift’s buzzy trio of Eras Tour shows — and how she still has five more Wembley Stadium concerts coming in August.
Also on the show, we’ve got chart news on how Sabrina Carpenter captures her first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart as “Please, Please, Please” rises 2-1 in its second week on the chart. Plus, how Swift continues to dominate the Billboard 200 albums chart with The Tortured Poets Department for a ninth straight week; will anything stop Taylor’s run at No. 1?
The Billboard Pop Shop Podcast is your one-stop shop for all things pop on Billboard‘s weekly charts. You can always count on a lively discussion about the latest pop news, fun chart stats and stories, new music, and guest interviews with music stars and folks from the world of pop. Casual pop fans and chart junkies can hear Billboard‘s executive digital director, West Coast, Katie Atkinson and Billboard’s managing director, charts and data operations, Keith Caulfield every week on the podcast, which can be streamed on Billboard.com or downloaded in Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast provider. (Click here to listen to the previous edition of the show on Billboard.com.)
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Sabrina Carpenter is not only one of today’s biggest pop stars, but she’s also quickly turning into a style icon — with her colorful outfits and chic makeup looks having fans compare her to a real-life Polly Pocket or Bratz Doll.
Most recently, Carpenter made her runway debut at the Vogue World 2024: Paris on June 23. Dressed in a red-and-white striped bathing suit with a matching kerchief and sarong by Jacquemus, paired with bright red shoes, the singer gave off perfect, “Espresso”-style beachy vibes as men on either side of her waved billowing blue fabric to mimic ocean waves around her.
The superstar is fresh off her first-ever Hot 100 No. 1 hit as “Please Please Please” tops the tally dated June 29, a week after it debuted at No. 2. The track, along with “Espresso,” which sits at No. 4 on the Hot 100 a week after reaching No. 3, introduces Carpenter’s album Short n’ Sweet, due Aug. 23.
To celebrate, we’ve put together a gallery of Carpenter’s style evolution, from her Disney days to modern times. Check out the photos below.
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.
New subscribers can enjoy Amazon Music Unlimited for free for five months, with the early Prime Day deal announced on Tuesday (June 25). The five-month free trial celebrates the 10th anniversary of Prime Day, which returns July 16 and 17.
If you plan to travel this summer, Amazon Music Unlimited helps you stay connected everywhere — whether you’re on the road or flying the friendly skies. Listen offline with unlimited skips, or stream hands-free with Bluetooth devices such as Alexa.
Amazon Music Unlimited includes HD streaming and spatial audio at no extra cost, unlimited access to 100 million on-demand and commercial-free songs, thousands of stations and top playlists, along with millions of podcast episodes.
How much does Amazon Music Unlimited cost? After the free trial ends, the membership will cost $10.99/month ($9.99 a month for Prime members). Your subscription will automatically renew after the free trial unless you cancel.
Amazon Music offers individual plans to stream anywhere, anytime, but you can also get a family plan ($16.99 a month) which lets you stream on up to six devices simultaneously and block songs with explicit lyrics. There’s also a single device plan ($5.99 a month) that you can stream on Echo, Amazon Fire TV and other devices. Lastly, Amazon’s student plan cuts your monthly membership to just $7.49/month.
Amazon Music comes included with Amazon Prime members, but Amazon Music Unlimited upgrades you to over 100 million songs, in HD and millions in Ultra HD; plus, thousands of playlists, discounted pricing, free shipping, access to Prime Video and lots of other member-only benefits. Click here to launch your free trial.
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It’s officially the Summer of Sabrina, and she’s taking some time to celebrate.
On Monday (June 24), Billboard announced that Sabrina Carpenter scores her first Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit this week, with “Please Please Please” rising from No. 2 in its second week. And to add some whipped cream to the top of her latte, Carpenter’s song “Espresso” is also in the top five, sitting at No. 4 (following a No. 3 peak earlier this year).
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Carpenter celebrated the news on Instagram, posting a three-item carousel to her feed on Monday. The first photo is the graphic of this week’s Hot 100. Then there’s a video of Carpenter performing the song’s signature claps with co-writer/producer Jack Antonoff and co-writer Amy Allen, plus engineer Laura Sisk off camera.
And finally, there’s an ill-fated quote-tweet from a fan on X that reads of “Please Please Please”: “i dont think ive ever seen someone fumble a second single this hard. my goodness.” Whoops!
“MY FIRST #1 on the @billboard HOT 100!!!!!!!” reads Carpenter’s caption on Instagram. “And espresso at #4.. I’m very immensely grateful so i will surely always remember this day for the rest of my life! @jackantonoff @amyallen i deeply love this song and i love you both!!!!! I love our pitchy claps!!!!! I love @sharp_stick [Sisk] !!!! good things come in three’s. thank you everyone who’s listened and made it so much fun to have these songs out in the world. more to come soon.”
Danielle Fishel — who played Topanga Matthews, the mom of Carpenter’s character’s best friend on Girl Meets World — hit the comments section to applaud the child actor-turned-adult pop star. “The most deserving beautiful (inside and out) bb. I love you forever.”
Meanwhile, over on the Billboard Global 200, Carpenter holds the top two spots with “Please Please Please” and “Espresso,” which was No. 1 last week. On her IG Story, Carpenter simply captioned the chart graphic “Motherf—er!!!!!!!”
“Espresso” and “Please Please Please” are the first two singles from Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet album, due Aug. 23. She also announced her Short n’ Sweet Tour last week, which kicks off in September.
See Carpenter’s Instagram celebration of the news below:
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.pngYveto2024-06-25 03:13:582024-06-25 03:13:58Sabrina Carpenter Reacts to Her First Hot 100 No. 1: ‘I Will Surely Always Remember This Day for the Rest of My Life!’
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.
The show must go on. Ludacris grabbed a JBL speaker and held a free concert for fans after a last-minute cancellation torpedoed his show in Milwaukee on Saturday (June 22).
The Atlanta rapper popped up at the 3rd St. Market Hall for an impromptu performance with local rapper SteveDaStoner and a JBL PartyBox On-the-Go speaker strapped to his chest.
Luda was slated for the Tacos and Tequila Festival at Franklin Field on Saturday night, but the show was canceled due to rainstorms. The Grammy winner is scheduled to perform at the Gila River Resort & Casino in Chandler, Arizona, on Saturday, June 29.
“My show in Milwaukee got cancelled last night due to rain & thunderstorms but I DEFINITELY wasn’t leaving the city without touching the people. Shouts to @stevedastoner4149 for the #freeconcert inspiration.”
The PartyBox On-the-Go speaker features up to six hours of battery power and delivers 100 watts of powerful sound and heavy bass due to its 5.25-inch woofers and 1.75-inch tweeters. The speaker has Bluetooth and an LED lighting display that you can sync to the music. The speaker comes with a JBL wireless microphone with a range of up to 32 feet, and a shoulder strap for ultra-portability.
JBL PartyBox On-The-Go Essential – Portable party speaker with built-in lights and wireless mic
JBL debuted a range of new speakers earlier this year, including the PartyBox Club 120 speaker ($399) and the PartyBox Stage 320 ($599.95). The PartyBox 120 features up to 12 hours of playtime, plus it’s IPX4-rated splash-proof with an adjustable top handle for easy carrying and an LED light. It also has a dual microphone input for karaoke night (or a spontaneous performance) and a guitar input.
The PartyBox 320 is an upgraded version of the 120. It features most of the same functions, but with more power and the battery lasts longer (up to 18 hours).
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.pngYveto2024-06-25 03:13:572024-06-25 03:13:57Ludacris Performs Free Concert With JBL Speaker: Here’s Where You Can Buy One for Summer
The consortium acquiring French music company Believe increased its holdings to 94.99% of share equity at the conclusion of the tender offer, the company announced Monday (June 25). That marks a nearly 10% increase from the 85.04% of shares the consortium held a week earlier.
Led by CEO Denis Ladegaillerie, who founded Believe in 2005 to take advantage of the rapidly evolving digital music business, the consortium purchased 19.6 million shares at 15.00 euros ($16.10) per share during the offer, which ran from June 3 to June 21. Combined with blocks of shares previously acquired from investors, the consortium now holds 95.6 million of the 100.7 million shares outstanding. The free float — shares owned by minority investors — is 5.01%. The consortium, which also includes major shareholders EQT and TCV, commands 106.5 million of 113 million — 94.29% — of Believe’s voting rights.
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While the consortium does not plan on executing a mandatory squeeze-out for shares not tendered by minority shareholders, because the free float — shares not held by insiders that can be publicly traded — has fallen under 15%, Believe will be de-listed from some stock indexes.
Also on Monday, Believe announced the appointment of Andrew Fisher, a new director representing EQT, after venture capital firm Ventech sold its shares to the consortium and lost a director. Fisher’s ratification will go to a vote in the 2024 annual general meeting. The board additionally appointed two observers: Michael Kalfayan, general partner at TCV, and Nicolas Brugère, partner at EQT.
The consortium announced a takeover bid for Believe in February at 15.00 euros ($16.10), which represented a 21% premium over the prior closing price. According to an offer document, the consortium wants to take over the company “so that it can better execute on its value-creation plan and accelerate the scale-up of an independent player supporting artists and label clients” and “further grow and consolidate its position as a leader in the French and European markets.”
After the Believe board of directors backed the takeover bid on April 19, the consortium purchased a large block of shares from venture capital firms XAnge and Ventech. Before the acquisitions, TCV was the biggest shareholder with 41.1% of share capital, while Ladegaillerie owned 12.5%, private equity firm Ventech owned 12.0%, XAnge owned 6.3% and roughly 3.8% of shares were held by a strategic holding fund and in treasury shares. Free float was 24.4%.
Warner Music Group briefly looked at acquiring Believe in March and estimated a bid of “at least” 17 euros ($18.24) per share, which would have valued the company at 1.65 billion euros ($1.8 billion). But the pursuit was short-lived; Warner dropped out of the running in April.
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.pngYveto2024-06-25 03:13:572024-06-25 03:13:57Believe Buyer Led by Denis Ladegaillerie Holds 95% of Shares After Tender Offer
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.
For Snoop Dogg fans and sneaker collectors, these exclusive kicks offered in both high-top ($95) and low-top ($90) versions, featuring the renowned Doggystyle album artwork printed across the shoes, infuses Snoop Dogg’s signature West Coast style with Skechers’ renowned comfort. With these one-of-a-kind hands-free slip-on Skechers, you’ll feel completely secure without the traditional shoe laces.
Skechers Slip-Ins: Snoop One Album Cover (High-Top)
And if that’s not enough, these sneakers feature high-quality cushioning and support for everyday activities, with its air-cooling memory foam insoles. For those looking to simplify your footwear and avoid the hassle of dealing with shoe laces, you’re in the right place.
Skechers Slip-Ins: Snoop One Album Cover (Low-Top)
For those looking to add to your sneaker collection, consider adding the low-top Snoop One Doggy Style sneaker. These unique hands-free sneakers are easy to put on and take off — just slip them on and you’re good to go. According to the brand, this pair provides a “flexible traction outsole,” offering grip, stability and ultimate comfort. The Doggystyle artwork covers the shoe from top to bottom and continues at the sole of the shoe.
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.pngYveto2024-06-25 03:13:562024-06-25 03:13:56Snoop Dogg & Skechers Drop Limited-Edition Sneakers for 30th Anniversary of ‘Doggystyle’: Shop the Collection
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.
Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS isn’t just another celebrity-owned business, the lifestyle brand has become top-tier within the fashion world, especially among Hollywood stars who have starred in one of the brand’s many iconic campaigns.
Many dupes have tried to replicate the success and virality of SKIMS, but nothing can compare to the original, including an updated mini version that possess the same addictive qualities of the dress, including the famous soft, form-fitting material.
Keep reading to shop the new Soft Lounge dress release.
Instead of the classic spaghetti strap style, this new Soft Lounge dress comes with thick halter-inspired straps paired with a mini length you can wear for practically any occasion, whether it’s date night, happy hour or a morning stroll through the park. Just like the OG version, the design features the brand’s viral rib modal stretchy fabric that will hug every curve comfortably. The dress comes in the classic black shade as well as two limited-edition colorways: bone and lemonade.
A shorter length isn’t the only updated version you can stock up on — the Soft Lounge Long Dress also comes in the tank style in addition to a ’90s-inspired tube dress you can buy online below.
For anyone who loves the racerback look, but wants to keep the maxi length, there’s also a long version of the Soft Lounge Tank Dress that you can pick up. It comes with the same viral material that the brand has been praised for and is available in the two limited-edition colors as well as a neutral black.
Go completely sleeveless with the tube dress version, which offers an elegant take on the lounge-ready dress. The black version can easily become that little black dress you wear to parties and events while the bright neon look can be worn for festivals and the off-white colorway is perfect for bridal showers and engagement parties.
What Is the Famous SKIMS Dress Called?
The dress that SKIMS claims “broke the Internet” is its Soft Lounge Long Dress, which comes in a maxi length and spaghetti straps. The look is inspired by slip dresses from the ’90s and uses a special fabric designed by the brand that provides stretch and lays flat against your body to help show off your curves. It’s hard for the bestseller to remain in stock — especially when new shades are dropped, which only adds to fans’ desire to snag every new style as quickly as possible. Since it shows off a simple construction, it’s a multipurpose dress you can wear to lounge around in, like the name suggests, or wear it out on the dance floor.
Does the SKIMS Dress Fit Short People?
The length of the regular Soft Lounge Long Dress is 50 inches for sizes XXS-XL and 51 inches for sizes 2X-4X. Models in the photo are around 5’8″ and the length hits around their ankles, but for those shorter who don’t want to have to worry about getting the dress hemmed, there is a petite style of the Soft Lounge Dress available in the classic black shade, which is made for anyone 5’3″ and below.
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.pngYveto2024-06-25 03:13:512024-06-25 03:13:51SKIMS’ Slip Dress ‘That Broke the Internet’ Just Got Miniaturized: Shop the New Release Here
“But Daddy I Love Him,” the big song that kicks offTaylor Swift‘s Tortured Poets Department set on The Eras Tour, had Paul McCartney dancing with fans at London’s Wembley Stadium on Sunday (June 23).
The Beatles legend, who just turned 82, was a VIP guest at Swift’s third concert at Wembley this weekend. Videos showed his arrival at the stadium, but one clip in particular is quite special, capturing an experience that would be priceless to any McCartney/Swift fan.
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As Swift sang the “But Daddy I Love Him” lyric about how cynics and saboteurs can’t “counteract chemistry, undo the destiny” of her relationship with the song’s muse, a group of fans simply basking in the moment caught McCartney’s attention.
McCartney took note of the concertgoers’ dance moves and joined in.
“You ain’t gotta pray for me/ Me and my wild boy, and all this wild joy,” Swift is heard singing in the video embedded below. McCartney sways and seems to sing along to some of the lyrics, alongside a number of wonderstruck concertgoers who couldn’t have guessed this encounter would happen.
Snapshots from Wembley Stadium on social media showed McCartney was approachable earlier in the day, too, partaking in the Eras Tour tradition of trading friendship bracelets.
Also spotted with friendship bracelets at Swift’s Sunday show in London was Jon Bon Jovi, and among the many other famous faces seen during her three-night takeover at Wembley were Prince William on Friday and Tom Cruise on Saturday. Swift’s boyfriend Travis Kelce was in town for the London gigs, and unexpectedly made his Eras Tour stage debut during Tortured Poets‘ “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart,” in costume.
It’s not “So Long, London” for Swift yet. The Eras Tour revisits Wembley for five more nights in August, due to demand, but heads to several other cities before then, including Dublin, Amsterdam, Zurich and Milan over the next few weeks.
The Tortured Poets Department is currently spending its ninth consecutive and total week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
See McCartney dancing shamelessly to the album’s “But Daddy I Love Him” in London below.
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.pngYveto2024-06-24 03:02:012024-06-24 03:02:01Paul McCartney Dances to ‘But Daddy I Love Him’ With Taylor Swift Fans in London: Watch
“I’m trying to get you hyped and excited,” exclaimed theater director Lileana Blain-Cruz at the Minnesota State Theatre in Minneapolis on Saturday (June 22). “I’m trying to get a motorcycle on stage!”
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Hot off directing a visually extravagant, emotionally stirring production of John Adams’ El Niño at the New York Metropolitan Opera (she’s the resident director at Lincoln Center Theater), Blain-Cruz has proven she’s adept at helming massive, complicated productions. But in spring 2025 at the State Theatre, she’s facing an audience even more passionate and exacting than New York City theater critics – Prince fans.
On Saturday, a theater full of the “purple fam” were treated to the first public preview of an upcoming stage musical adaptation of Prince’s Purple Rain film as part of the five-day Celebration 2024 event in the Purple One’s hometown. And with Blain-Cruz – who repeatedly hopped out of her chair and solicited audience feedback while flaunting a flashy purple blazer – directing, it’s clear this stage musical has an advocate who can match the enthusiasm of Jerome Benton hyping up Morris Day during a performance by The Time.
Joining Blain-Cruz during the preview – a panel discussion that boasted a work-in-progress look at three of the musical’s stage numbers – were book writer Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, fresh off a Tony win for Appropriate; music director Jason Michael Webb, whose credits include the Broadway hit MJ The Musical; and Bobby Z., who drums in The Revolution and recently joined the production as a music adviser alongside fellow Prince associate Morris Hayes. (Tony-winning producer Orin Wolf appeared at the tail-end of the hour-long panel, too.)
“This is not Hamilton,” joked Jacobs-Jenkins, who assured the audience of diehards that his book will draw on the 1984 film’s screenplay (written by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn) without radically reworking it. Even so, he said he intends to further develop the character of Apollonia and make some necessary pacing changes to fit a stage production: “A play is a play, and a movie is a movie.”
While the director is hellbent on getting that motorcycle on stage (she says the image of Prince “staring into her soul” on the Purple Rain bike is one of her earliest memories of the genius), she acknowledges some limitations of the medium. “I can’t get a Lake Minnetonka that isn’t actually Lake Minnetonka on stage,” she jested, while still promising to bring the “epic” nature of a Met Opera production “to something as sublime as Purple Rain.”
“It is an opera — it’s a tragedy and a triumph,” agreed Bobby Z. “I got to see Prince build a revolution from 1977 to the Parade album [in 1986].” Similar to many operas that have stood the test of time, Purple Rain comes complete with an unforgettable villain – Morris Day, Prince’s real-life friend and colleague who played a deliciously narcissistic version of himself in the 1984 film. For the world’s first musical preview of the Purple Rain musical, attendees of Celebration 2024 got to see performers portraying Day and Benton preen and camp it up in character before playing a solidly grooving version of The Time’s “Jungle Love” and “777-9311.” (Morris Day himself hit that same stage later on Saturday to perform an assortment of The Time classics and bust out some dance moves.)
“There only so many of these Black icons that we have,” mused Webb. “Working with the Michael [Jackson] legacy prepared me for the one I really wanted — which is this one.”
Explaining that he was looking to present some of the songs through a different lens, the multi-talented Webb brought out Rachel Webb to portray Apollonia and duet with him on “Take Me With U.” The song is bombastic and string-drenched on the album, but this teaser version – which started out in an elegant, stripped-down vein before working up to a full-band sound – demonstrated that these songs can soar in a variety of stylings (something hardcore Prince fans already well know).
Acknowledging that the soundtrack’s nine songs are not enough material for a Broadway musical, they also revealed that the Purple Rain stage musical will draw on Prince’s full catalog, including songs that didn’t even appear in the film. Case in point: Before the event wrapped, Rachel Webb returned to the stage with two others to perform “The Glamorous Life” as Vanity 6. While that Prince-penned song is certainly well-suited to the time period – it came out in 1984 and reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 that fall – it’s not a Vanity 6 number at all, but rather a hit performed by Sheila E.
But why not take some creative liberties? The team behind this production is openly gunning for a Broadway run after debuting Purple Rain in Minneapolis, so the bar is high. As long as the songs are a sonic and thematic match for the realm of Purple Rain, who cares whether a tune appeared in the film? Broadway is a tough market, and success is far from guaranteed for musicals based on the works of pop hitmakers (though that isn’t stopping plenty of artists from trying). Prince’s rich, rewarding catalog deserves a wide audience, so it only makes sense for the team behind this production to put their best high-heeled boot forward as they reimagine his magnum opus for the stage.
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.pngYveto2024-06-24 03:01:572024-06-24 03:01:57Lucky Prince Fans Saw the World’s First Look at the ‘Purple Rain’ Musical During Celebration 2024
