As Pride Month kicked into high gear, Billboard teamed up with TBA Agency to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community with their 2024 Pride Party.

Taking place on Wednesday (June 26) at the Wythe Hotel’s Bar Blondeau in Brooklyn, N.Y., the cocktail party hosted artists, executives and music industry professionals to toast the end of Pride Month and celebrate the start of summer. Artists including Ethel Cain, VINCINT, Peach PRC and Allison Ponthier appeared throughout the evening, along with executives such as Avery McTaggart from TBA, Andie Fanno from BMI, Annie Brinn from Warner Music Group, Jason Ve from 88rising and Andrew Ludwick from Warner Chappell Music, all of whom were among the 30 executives honored on Billboard‘s 2024 Pride List.

For our annual Pride List, Billboard sought to honor 30 high-achieving LGBTQ+ executives in the music industry who dedicate themselves to fostering a more diverse, more equitable future for music’s LGBTQ+ community. The list honored David Furnish as the executive of the year, thanks to his continued work in revitalizing the career of his partner and husband Sir Elton John. The iconic singer toasted his husband in the pages of Billboard, saying that Furnish helped raise John’s profile alongside some of music’s greatest performers. “Looking at this from a completely egotistical point of view, I’ve always been a big artist,” he said. “But what David has done lifted me into the echelon of artists like The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Paul McCartney. That’s how good he is.”

Take a look below for a selection of photos from TBA Agency & Billboard’s 2024 Pride Party.

Kendrick Lamar and pgLang’s Juneteenth Pop Out concert continues to have a positive ripple effect on Los Angeles. Not only did the DAMN. MC unite the city’s musical talents for a memorable one-night affair, but his altruism also rang through, courtesy of the $200,000 donation he, pgLang, Tim Hinshaw’s Free Lunch and participating artists made to 20 L.A.-based charities and city community initiatives.

“We haven’t seen this type of Unity on the West since we lost our brother Nipsey Hussle,” owner of Free Lunch, Tim Hinshaw, tells Billboard. “As Dot said on stage, this moment was bigger than a back and forth; it was about supporting each other and showing the world that we could come together for a greater cause. All of these organizations play a pivotal role in the development of our community and the hope is that we all continue to support them moving forward.”

Amongst the 20 charities and community initiatives is the Compton G.irls Club. “We would like to thank pgLang and Free Lunch for recognizing their roots and supporting g.irls from the hood. It’s refreshing to know that Kendrick always comes back to the community to support the next generation,” says Chrystani Heinrich, founder & executive director of Compton G.irls Club.

Lamar’s Pop Out concert brought some of L.A.’s biggest names, including Dr. Dre, Tyler, the Creator, Ty Dolla $ign, Steve Lacy, Mustard and more. Mustard, who shared a performance slot that night with Lamar and DJ Hed, expressed his pride in Lamar and the city to Billboard.

“The Pop Out concert had a significant impact on the city, unifying West Coast hip-hop, providing a platform for emerging talent, celebrating Black culture, and revitalizing the local music scene,” says Mustard. “It garnered global attention but also allowed us artists to give back to different programs based around South L.A. and put L.A. back in the driver’s seat for music, something that’s been long overdue.”

Below is a list of all the respective charities, along with the complete lineup of guests who appeared at The Pop Out on Juneteenth.

  1. Alma Backyard Farms – almabackyardfarms.com 
  2. Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson – bgccarson.org 
  3. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor – bgclaharbor.org  
  4. Brotherhood Crusade – brotherhoodcrusade.org 
  5. Color Compton – colorcompton.org 
  6. Compton Advocates Coalition – comptonadvocates.org 
  7. Compton G.irls Club – comptongirls.club 
  8. DREAMHAUS LA – dreamhausla.org 
  9. Friends at Mafundi – friendsatmafundi.org 
  10. It’s Bigger Than Us – itsbiggerthanusla.org 
  11. Love + Ethos – loveandethos.org 
  12. Peace4Kids – peace4kids.org 
  13. Safe Place for Youth – safeplaceforyouth.org 
  14. Sisters of Watts – sistersofwatts.org 
  15. Social Justice Learning Institute – sjli.org 
  16. Fernando Pullum Community Arts Center – pullumcenter.org 
  17. The Hidden Genius Project – hiddengeniusproject.org 
  18. Thinkwatts Foundation – thinkwattsfoundation.org 
  19. Tommy The Clown Foundation – tommytheclown.com/ttc-foundation 
  20. Unearth & Empower Communities – unearthandempower.org

Full Lineup of Guests:

310babii

AZCHIKE

Bino Rideaux

Black Hippy (Ab-Soul, Jay Rock, Schoolboy Q)

BlueBucksClan

Blxst

Cuzzos

DJ Hed

Dom Kennedy

Dr. Dre

Jason Martin

Jay Worthy + Meet The Whoops

Kalan.FrFr + G Perico

Kendrick Lamar

Mustard

OHGEESY

Ray Vaughn

Remble

RJMrLA

Roddy Ricch

Rucci

Steve Lacy

Tommy the Clown

Ty Dolla $ign

Tyler, the Creator

Wallie The Sensei

Westside Boogie

YG

Zoe Osama

This year will surely go down as one of the best for full-length albums from some of the best emerging and established talents in African music. Already this year we’ve got projects from Tyla, Tems, Ayra Starr, Ruger x BNXN, Young Jonn, Victony and King Promise, with several of those coming just this past month alone. It’s a lot of great music — and presents some good problems for this column, with so many great options of songs to choose from.

Tems burns bright with soulful reflections about discovering her true destiny while navigating newfound fame, ridding relationships that no longer serve her and more on her debut album Born in the Wild. Meanwhile, Victony expands Afropop’s borders by bringing an international assortment of artists like American rap-rock sensation Teezo Touchdown and Guyanese American rapper SAINt JHN on his first full-length project Stubborn. “It represents overcoming adversity and transforming life’s ‘lemons’ into powerful art,” Victony recently told Billboard. “I hope that when people listen to the album, they feel a sense of shared experience and inspiration to find strength and hope in their own journeys.”

And Tyler ICU and DJ Maphorisa’s scorching new single “Manzi Nte” — which is currently No. 10 onthe South Africa Songs chart (dated June 29) — is inescapable in the artists’ native South Africa. (Billboard‘s senior R&B/Hip-Hop/Afrobeats reporter Heran Mamo can attest to that given her recent travels to Johannesburg.) Meanwhile, Shallipopi turned in a slew of great guest appearances this month, and his features alongside King Promise and Rema both made the list this month, as did the latest loosie from Lil Kesh and a beautiful collaboration between L.A.X and Magicsticks, among others.

Related

We’ve highlighted 10 of our favorite new Afrobeats (and related) songs that have come out roughly within the last month. Check out our latest Fresh Picks, and catch a vibe with our latest Spotify playlist below.

Ayra Starr feat. Asake, “Goodbye (Warm Up)”  

Ayra Starr bids adieu to a manipulative ex on the glimmering kiss-off “Goodbye (Warm Up),” the Asake-assisted highlight from her resilient sophomore album The Year I Turned 21. P2J’s jazzy street pop production puts extra pep in Starr’s step, as lyrics like “I do not accept your apology” and “Gave you the cold shoulder, I really hope you freeze” deftly kick her ex to the curb. Meanwhile, Asake brushes off any woman with bad energy on his swaggering verse.  

Azanti & PsychoYP, “I Know”  

Azanti & PsychoYP create the ultimate laid-back vibe on “I Know,” from their joint album YP & Azanti, Vol. 2. Malik Bawa’s funky, guitar-driven production assuages both artists during their fight for peace of mind, with PsychoYP also recognizing his phone’s focus mode as an essential weapon, as Azanti croons, “I’m trying to focus on me this time, I’m trying to save myself.” The track’s repetitive groove and chorus that just rolls off the tongue make “I Know” the perfect soundtrack for your next summer roadtrip when you’re getting away to find your own peace of mind.  

Tems, “Wickedest”  

Tems didn’t come to play on “Wickedest” from her bold debut album Born in the Wild. The introductory sample of Ivorian zouglou group Magic System’s 1999 Pan-African smash “1er Gaou” evokes a nostalgic party vibe for her own dancefloor number that’s been bringing out Tems’ wickedest whine all around the world in her ongoing tour. But from the moment she launches into the first verse, Tems asserts her dominance and stays in the lane she’s set forth for herself, brushing past those who want to try her (a reference to her 2019 single “Try Me”) and sticking to the ones who bring her up and get down with her.  

Tyler ICU & DJ Maphorisa feat. Masterpiece YVK, Ceeka RSA, M.J, Silas Africa & Al Xapo, “Manzi Nte” 

After scoring a nomination for best new international act at the 2024 BET Awards and helming one of Rihanna’s favorite songs of 2023, “Mnike” – which recently got a remix featuring Shallipopi and Lojay – Tyler ICU has been on fire. And what better way to keep the heat up this summer than to drop another fire song with “Manzi Nte,” alongside DJ Maphorisa featuring Masterpiece YVK, Ceeka RSA, M.J, Silas Africa and Al Xapo. The music video makes “Manzi Nte” out to be a wet-and-wild anthem – which is fitting given the song’s title translates to water it in Zulu, according to a press release. And the amapiano smash’s rattling production has been powering up participants of the accompanying dance challenge, which Maphorisa demonstrated on TikTok.  

Leather Park, Odunsi (The Engine) & Cruel Santino, “CHANEL”  

Odunsi (The Engine) and Cruel Santino’s numerous collaborations have already proven that they’re the funkiest duo, and “CHANEL” from the former’s Leather Park (Vol. 1) album is a sparkling addition to their collection. In the same vein of Bryson Tiller’s “Whatever She Wants,” fulfilling a woman’s designer dreams is the key to unlocking her heart – and Odunsi and Santi flex how well-equipped they are to buy her Chanel, Bottega and anything else she desires. Odunsi also sharpens his alté production skills on “CHANEL” with kaleidoscopic synth patterns, crisp shakers and rollicking percussion that create the track’s irresistible bounce.

King Promise feat. Shallipopi, “Continental”

In a month brimming with great albums from high-profile talents — Ayra Starr, Tems and Victony among them — King Promise may have delivered the best of all of them. The album’s two big prior singles, “Terminator” and “Paris,” previously appeared in this column, but “Continental,” with its assist from one of the of-the-moment street talents in Shallipopi, sits alongside them as one of the best songs of the past 18 months, combining Promise’s natural melodic feel with his memorable hooks to land a breezy summer hit.

Rema & Shallipopi, “BENIN BOYS”

Rema is coming off one of the biggest years of any African artist ever, with the mind-blowing success of “Calm Down” — and while this link up with the inescapable Shallipopi is unlikely to replicate that crossover smash’s No. 3 peak on the Billboard Hot 100, it’s another song that showcases the many sides of Rema’s artistry, which goes much deeper than the ear worm that was “Calm Down.” “BENIN BOYS” is much harder, with a driving log drum production that propels both artists forward, and is a formidable entry into each of their catalogs.

Lil Kesh, “Lifestyle”

Lil Kesh has one of the more distinctive styles among his contemporaries in the Nigerian pop scene, and “Lifestyle” fits perfectly into his oeuvre. With a soulful, soaring hook and an almost contemplative melody over an amapiano-esque production, Kesh lays out a carefree look at life in a track that’s perfect for the summertime. Kesh can pump out these types of tracks seemingly effortlessly, and the vibe is always right on point.

L.A.X & Magicsticks, “Loke”

Linking with one of the most in-demand producers on the continent, L.A.X delivers a contemplative vocal performance, riding high on carefully crafted melodies while Magicsticks deploys his trademark log drums and a reassuring organ chords. The effect is comforting, in a way, with L.A.X switching back and forth between English and Yoruba to spin his lyrics.

Victony, “Anita”

Victony’s album showcased his distinctive vocal talents; no one sounds like him, and his instantly-recognizable style is one of his best qualities as an artist. Another is his beat selection — and “Anita,” crafted by P2J, provides the perfect platform for an earworm of a track, which is just as catchy as his breakout hit “Soweto,” if not even moreso. It’s a standout on Stubborn, and one of the best songs of his career.

As a group, BLACKPINK is a force to be reckoned with. But individually, bandmates ROSÉ, JENNIE, JISOO and LISA are powerful singers, songwriters and performers in their own right, something they’ve each proven at different points by nurturing their solo careers in addition to fulfilling their girl group duties.

It may come as a surprise to listeners who were only introduced to the girls when BLACKPINK debuted in 2016, but some of them actually started working on music before they rose to K-pop infamy with the band. JENNIE collaborated on a number of songs with artists who, at the time, were more established than she was in 2013, while ROSÉ lent her voice to a G-Dragon track long before she was selected by YG Entertainment for a spot in what is now regarded as South Korea’s most successful girl group to date.

In the years since they debuted as BLACKPINK with Square One singles “Whistle” and “Boombayah,” however, all four members have officially dipped their toes into solo artistry. LISA dropped her first set of one-woman tracks in 2021, while JISOO finally joined in on the fun with a pair of releases in 2023.

From guesting on other musicians’ albums to releasing songs that are entirely their own, the girls of BLACKPINK have demonstrated that they’re just as skilled as individual artists as they are parts of a quartet. Keep reading to see a full list of their solo projects and songs — not including covers, solo tracks released through BLACKPINK or features on other artists’ songs — below.

“Don’t let no one tell you what you cannot do!”

So declared Ronald “Slim” Williams as he and his brother, fellow Cash Money co-founder/co-CEO Bryan “Baby” Williams, accepted YouTube Music’s Leaders and Legends Award. His comment also reflected the vibe that resonated throughout last evening (June 27) as the music industry celebrated the venerable label’s 30-year (and counting) legacy.

Guests arriving at Hollywood’s nya Studios West for YouTube’s second Leaders and Legends gala were greeted by a lively five-piece band (including a tuba) in homage to the brothers’ New Orleans roots. Black tie was in full effect as attendees imbibed specialty drinks like the tequila-laced Hurricane and visited a couple of booths featuring various mementos including Cash Money-logoed bank bags with T-shirts inside. To enter the venue itself, guests walked through a replica of a back-in-the-day record store featuring Cash Money “records, tapes and goods.” A huge, glittery Cash Money dollar sign was positioned on one wall behind album crates, while album covers chronicling the label’s storied history adorned another wall. 

Kicking off the festivities inside was a string of video montages that colorfully depicted Cash Money’s evolution from a fledgling disruptor to Southern hip-hop icon. Integrated in between were tribute clips featuring Universal Music Group chairman/CEO Sir Lucian Grainge (who values the Williamses’ “loyalty, warmth and humor”) as well as onstage salutes from the likes of producer/friend Polow da Don, BMI vp of creative Catherine Brewton, longtime Cash Money attorney Vernon Brown and UMG general counsel/executive vp of business and legal affairs Jeffrey Harleston. After noting that Cash Money is the “longest-running Black-owned label ever,” Harleston added that Baby and Slim taught him three important lessons: “Never forget where you’re from, never forget who your people are and bring them along on your journey.”

While Lil Wayne was spotted in the house along with LL Cool J, among others, there were no live performances. But music was a central force during the evening thanks to a rousing pre-dinner interlude helmed by DJ Trauma as the audience danced and rapped/sang along. They also took home Cash Money Forever cassettes and keychains (that when placed on cell phones provides a link to the music). The 25-track playlist features hits by Lil Wayne, Juvenile, Drake, Nicki Minaj and more.

Just as rousing were the salutes paid by Republic Records’ chief executives Avery and Monte Lipman plus YouTube’s global head of music Lyor Cohen. Avery’s comments addressed Cash Money’s success over the years: more than 300 Hot 100 hits, with 41 top 10s and seven No. 1s, plus 80 Billboard 200 albums, including 15 No. 1s. He also reflected on his and Monte’s long relationship with Baby and Slim, saying in part, “The Lipman brothers started about the same time as the Williams brothers and we kind of thought we were hot stuff. Then along came Baby and Slim … These guys revolutionized the industry, music culture and even changed our vocabulary by having the word ‘bling’ added to the Webster dictionary. I also saw firsthand their true superpowers: how they could literally manifest things into real life without any fear hesitation and always with a clear intention.”

In his remarks, Monte noted, “The lessons we’ve learned from both Birdman and Slim as our mentors is forever in our DNA and have become part of our daily culture … I can’t remember having one conversation with Slim where he didn’t ask me, ‘What do you think?’ He always crystallized the importance of curiosity, patience, flexibility, and the value of saying no. Baby to this day continues to reinforce the importance of artist integrity, strategy, timing. He’s the consummate field general. But undoubtedly one of my favorite lessons from Birdman was simply never forget that we’re in show business.”

Cohen, who presented the award to the brothers, opened by saying, “A lot of people don’t understand how difficult it is to actually build a business, a sustainable business. But you have to do the work. That’s it. That’s what Leaders and Legends is all about: actually doing the work … Everybody thinks that you can do a shortcut to fame and fortune; [there’s] no such thing. You have to have really great music and you have to put in the work. That’s why I’m so thrilled to invite you, Baby and Slim, to the stage to accept this honor. And would everybody in this room please stand up and pay some f–king respect?!”

Indeed, the audience stood up for the entirety of Baby and Slim’s acceptance speeches, heartily applauding at various intervals. After thanking the room, Baby began by recalling his and Slim’s childhood in New Orleans. “Life wasn’t easy for us; living in every project in New Orleans. I was a real lost youngster trying to find a way because I’d been in and out of homes, in and out of jail, jumped in the streets at 12 years old; at 14 years old, I was wearing two Rolexes. I met some youngsters and didn’t want them to go my route, right? [Cash Money rapper] B.G. was hitting that route, and I saw that [Lil] Wayne looked like he was going that route too.  I wanted to save their lives. My whole mission was to try to spare a life. And I needed help too because I was reckless. The only person that I respected enough to spare my life was my brother. And my way of saving their [B.G., Lil Wayne] lives was putting them in the studio. The studio was going to be the new streets.”

Continuing, he added, “But all due respect to Jay-Z, I remember when he said he retired and Wayne shot a video and said since the best rapper retired, I’m the best rapper alive. And a lot of sh-t changed for us from that moment. At the same time n—as were saying hip-hop is dead. And we’re like honestly, what the f–k is they talking about? We ain’t know nothing about that type of sh-t. So we felt like this was our time to take over hip-hop. That’s when the birth of Young Money came, Nicki and Drake came. We kind of held hip-hop down. We survived the warfare in New Orleans. Now we’re surviving in life, and we did a great job at it. [When] we started, all I thought about was saving four lives, and we end up saving thousands of motherf–kers’ lives. I give all gratitude to my brother, who was like my father, for saving my life.”

Picking up where his brother left off, Slim said, “I want to say that I’m so proud of Juvenile, Wayne, [Mannie] Fresh because I saw them when they was in that studio. They were in friendly competition with each other. We started off doing two songs and would end up doing five songs a night. They were there competing like a basketball player for real. But what really makes me so proud that they’re going on in their careers with generational wealth, doing other things outside of music while keeping music going. My brother and I went through a lot to get to this point. Someone once told me growing up that I ain’t never going to be sh-t and ain’t worth a quarter. But you’ve got to do better than that to break me down. I ain’t breakable like that.”

Slim continued, “It made me want to go hard and work hard, so I’ve got a few more quarters now” as the audience laughed. “Don’t let no one tell you what you cannot do! You do your thing. That’s the only way you’re going to win.” Shouting out several names including Polow da Don, Mannie Fresh, Juvenile, Jeezy, Turk and Wayne, Slim concluded, “I love y’all. Ain’t nobody else alive going to do what we’ve done — ever.”

Kevin Liles, Co-founder & CEO, 300 Entertainment, Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, Google & YouTube and LL Cool J
Kevin Liles, Co-founder & CEO, 300 Entertainment, Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, Google & YouTube and LL Cool J attend YouTube Music Leaders and Legends at Nya Studios on June 27, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Lil Wayne and Bryan “Baby” Williams
Lil Wayne and Bryan “Baby” Williams attends YouTube Music Leaders and Legends at Nya Studios on June 27, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Lil Wayne, Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, Google & YouTube and Bryan "Baby" WIlliams
Lil Wayne, Lyor Cohen, Global Head of Music, Google & YouTube and Bryan “Baby” WIlliams attends YouTube Music Leaders and Legends at Nya Studios on June 27, 2024 in Los Angeles.

Lana Del Rey and Quavo are giving Americans a new National Anthem to celebrate with this Independence Day.

Huncho and Lana set off some fireworks of their own when revealing on Friday (June 28) that their anticipated “Tough” collaboration is slated to arrive on July 3.

“Tough 4th Of July,” Quavo captioned the Instagram post with a firecracker emoji. The post features a Polaroid of the “A&W” singer hanging an icy chain around the Migos rapper’s neck. “Tough 07.03.24,” reads an inscription on the photo.

Fans from both artists flocked to the comment section in excitement. “Felt the aura before this was posted,” one person wrote while another added: “No one is ready for my new personality when this drops!”

One more joked: “You didn’t want to make it be on July 4th because it would have replaced the holiday. Very thoughtful.”

Earlier in June, both artists teased a snippet from the Western-trap blend: “Tough like the scarf on a pair of old leather boots/ Like the blue-collar, red-dirt attitude/ Like a .38 made out of brass/ Tough like the stuff in my grandpa’s glass/ Life’s gonna do what it does/ Sure as the good Lord’s up above/ Cut like a diamond shining in the rough, tough,” they sing together.

News first broke regarding plans for the unlikely collaboration in May when Quavo shared another teaser from the “Tough” outro where he invites Lana to join him in the ATL’s Northside.

“If u come from where u come then u were born….Tough!” LDR and Huncho penned to social media at the time.

“Tough” marks the first time Quavo and Lana Del Rey will join forces. Lana has teased an upcoming country album titled Lasso, while the “Hotel Lobby” rapper has unleashed a handful of singles this year, including the thumping “Mink” earlier in June.

Find the “Tough” announcement below.

When Will Brill got home after winning his first Tony award, he was a little, well….spooked. “I was in bed and somebody texted me like, ‘How are you feeling?’” Brill recalls. “And I was suddenly hit with like, There’s a Tony in this house. It can’t be seen. It is lurking! So weird.”

A week after winning best featured actor in a play for his performance in Stereophonic, Brill admits it still “feels a little weird.” His portrayal of Reg – the hilarious, endearing, and often frighteningly coke-and-booze-addled bass player in Stereophonic’s fictional 1970s rock band on the verge of mega stardom – made Brill the only cast member from the most-Tony-nominated-ever play to bring home hardware. But on Tony night, Brill made sure to give his full cast its due: in his delightfully off-the-cuff acceptance speech, he asked all his castmates to stand up for an ovation (he also, memorably, thanked his therapist).

Like his fellow Stereophonic cast members, Brill wasn’t an experienced, trained musician before joining the ensemble. But acquiring the skill to convincingly play one onstage (and perform the play’s Tony-nominated score by Will Butler there) was the kind of deep-dive experience Brill has long relished as an actor: His wide-ranging roles have included Dr. Astrov, in the hyper-intimate off-Broadway production of Uncle Vanya that took place in a private New York loft last year, as well as Roy Cohn in Showtime’s miniseries Fellow Travelers, and the peddler Ali Hakim in the 2019 Broadway reimagining of Oklahoma!.

As Stereophonic continues its run on Broadway through Jan. 5, 2025, Brill spoke to Billboard about adding Reg to that list, as well as about his action-packed Tony night.

Have you started to come to terms with cohabitating with your Tony?

Sort of… I mean, people keep like asking, “Where are you going to put it?” I don’t know…. wherever it…looks good? Wherever it fits? Like, I had to put my bike in this one corner because that’s where it fit. I don’t have a lot of art in my house, and now I have this thing I’m like, obligated to display.

You have to put it somewhere unexpected, like the bathroom.

Totally. My idea, which I believe is a step too far, was to put it in the toilet. So it’s really a surprise to anybody who is using the bathroom. I have a buddy who keeps his in the fridge. And I heard that Ian McKellen keeps his many awards on his roof so that they can “rest.” I don’t know what that means, but that’s allegedly what he does.

Before we discuss anything else, I need the story of your ensemble for Tonys night: the pleats, the jewelry… it was a look!

I was working with a stylist, Savannah White, and we had bounced around a lot of ideas of stores and designers and we were largely on the same page: Vivienne Westwood, Thom Browne, Commes des Garcons, and Issey Miyake, who I didn’t really know of until he passed. I just saw an article about him and started Googling him and was really moved by his aesthetic.

So then Savannah came back with the two looks [of Miyake’s] that I wound up wearing. I was like, “Oh my God, this is so unlike anything I’ve seen, and I have to imagine it’s going to be totally unlike what anybody else is going to be wearing.” I wanted to be wearing something that wasn’t following a gender binary, and I feel like Issey’s stuff hangs on any human body beautifully. I felt really lucky that we sort of nailed it. Everything was sort of flowy and weird and off-kilter — and few straight lines except for the pleats themselves. It was really a fun fit.

Will Brill accepts the Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play award for "Stereophonic" onstage during The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024 in New York City.
Will Brill accepts the Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play award for Stereophonic onstage during The 77th Annual Tony Awards at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on June 16, 2024 in New York City.

Your speech was iconic, to say the least. When you thanked your therapist, it became one of the most-memed moments of the night. How did you hear about that?

My PR person came up to me and was like, “The internet loved your speech.” And I was like, “Oh, that’s so nice. I just assumed that it was like, either the internet loves your speech or hates your speech — I had no idea that me shouting out my therapist was going to be any kind of a big deal or that shouting out the rest of my cast, for that matter, was going to be a big deal too. But they both sort of showed up everywhere. I got a really sweet text from my therapist that at first was all caps, “HOLY S–T, YOU WON! F–K YEAH!” And then, two minutes later, “Oh my God Will, this is so sweet,” which really made me happy.

You also gave a shoutout to your bass teacher. What was the process of learning the instrument like for you? You really get the physicality and personality of a bass player down, as well as the technical aspects, which seems uniquely challenging.

It was really important for me to look authentic. I had experience learning an instrument for a [project] before — I learned to play 12 songs on the guitar for this David Chase film Not Fade Away, and that’s actually where I met Robbie Mangano, who was in The Grandmothers of Invention and is an astonishing guitar and bass player. He taught me and Jack Huston how to play guitar for the movie.

But it was a different thing; we really just needed to look like we were playing the songs, which were pre-recorded by essentially the E Street Band. We didn’t actually have to play for sound, we just had to look like we knew what we were doing, and there were all sorts of ways to cut around the fact that we didn’t know what we were doing.

So for this show, I called Robbie to help me learn the bass. But Robbie was also weirdly at the intersection of my life where I started to think about sobriety, which is like another huge part of Reg. I got really drunk at a show of Robbie’s, and he wrote me this two-page letter, where he was like, “I’ve seen too many talented people not have the life that they should because they got caught up with drugs and alcohol, and I really believe in you and I count you as a friend and I hope that that would not be something that happened to you.”

At the time I couldn’t hear it, and I actually wound up not talking to him for several years because I was so embarrassed. Years and years later, I got a divorce and then I got sober and then [Stereophonic] came back around. So by the time I called Robbie to start learning the bass again, I was two years sober and got to tell him that he was a big part of that. And he wound up saying to me, “Wow, that’s crazy. I am recently sober too.” It was really crazy and moving. So he’s been a very special touchstone in my life.

Great bass players especially seem to have this innate comfort in your own skin. Was that natural for you to achieve or more of a journey?

It was a journey, for sure. But what was cool was, when I was a little kid, I thought I was going to be a magician. I would practice card tricks alone in my room for literally 12 hours a day. I didn’t pursue magic because it was too scary to perform in front of people these things that required incredible dexterity. But when I started learning the bass, it triggered this long dormant part of my brain, which was like the joy of doing something dexterous 1000 times alone in your bedroom and losing sleep over it and trying to perfect this one thing and getting closer and closer. So I really felt like I was practicing magic again.

You and your castmates opened for Will Butler at his own actual album release show just a few weeks after previews for Stereophonic started. What was that like?

It was insane. A lot of people took videos with their phones and sent them to me afterward, and I was so embarrassed at how stiff and terrible I was that I was like, “Okay, you don’t have to just get good at the bass, you have to look amazing, you have to be able to dance and play the bass at the same time.” It still never feels like it’s easy, but it’s cool to have audiences come now and say that it looks like it’s easy, because that’s sort of the goal.

Stereophonic, Will Brill
From left: Tom Pecinka, Will Brill and Sarah Pidgeon in Stereophonic.

Were there particular bass players who were models for your portrayal of Reg?

I definitely watched videos of John McVie playing. Will Butler is the only frontman I can think of off the top of my head who also plays bass, and he is so dance-y in his shows — he’s so free, he’s a true wild man on stage, and he was really a big source of inspiration.

I went to see Muna recently, and the band that opened for them [Nova Twins], it was these two British girls playing kind of hardcore music and dressed up sort of like punk-style Raggedy Ann. The bassist would jump around and run around the stage, and I remember thinking like, “I want to get close to that and I want to have that freedom of movement.” Other than that, learning the instrument was so hard and learning the play was so hard that there was not really a lot of room outside your imagination to do extra research.

This seems like such a lightning in a bottle kind of experience for all of you. Has it in any fundamental ways changed what you want from the work you do going forward?

Yeah, for sure — but I think every role I play, to a certain extent, is a reassessment of what I want to do going forward. The ultimate thing that I love about performing and exploring characters is exploring the different the levels of myself that I don’t know completely or understand and by extrapolation exploring the human condition more and more deeply.

I was just talking about this in therapy today, actually. Like, I’m constantly straddling a line: Am I doing justice to myself and the role that I’m playing by putting in an amount of effort that actually does meaningful excavation for myself and for the people coming? Or should I be resting a little bit more, and can the process be easier and more joyful?

I would say the peddler in Oklahoma! was a more joyful than difficult experience for me; probably A Case For The Existence of God was too and probably Fellow Travelers was a little more joyful than it was difficult. And then Uncle Vanya and this have both really ridden on the cusp of joy and difficulty. They have been the most challenging experiences of my life, but also deeply, deeply gratifying.

Kelsea Ballerini and Noah Kahan‘s partnership on “Cowboys Cry Too” started out with a simple text. And in honor of the twangy slow-jam arriving Friday (June 28), the former shared exactly how she reached out to the latter to get him to agree to the collaboration — not that it took much convincing.

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According to a screenshot posted to Ballerini’s Instagram, the “Peter Pan” singer reached out to her duet partner mid-April. “i’m making my record and have a song i think could evolve into a true duet that i just haddd to send to you,” she sent him. “it would need your perspective rewritten in the second verse and fingerprints on it, but i think having both sides could be really special.”

“you know im such a fan and i know you’ve got a million things going on so if you don’t have the space right now i totally understand, but you’re my first text,” Ballerini added in her message to Kahan, who responded just an hour later: “Oh man I am so so honored you even thought of me.. you are amazing this is a dream come true!!”

The pair jumped into the studio together shortly afterward, as documented in a few behind-the-scenes pictures Ballerini included in her post. In one selfie, she smiles as Kahan records vocals behind her; in another photo, he smiles at the camera while strumming his guitar.

“in a world that says ‘saddle up and be a man’, i hope this song finds you in your humanness,” the Tennessee native captioned her post. “thank you @noahkahanmusic for adding your uninhibited perspective and songwriting brilliance into this song. (LIKE CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE SECOND VERSE YALL?!?) i couldn’t be more proud to put this music and message out alongside such a lovely artist and friend.”

The two stars first teased their collaboration in May, when the “Dial Drunk” singer joined Ballerini for a joint performance of his Billboard Hot 100 top 10 hit “Stick Season” and her 2023 ballad “Mountain With a View.” They announced “Cowboys Cry Too” just two days before it dropped, with Ballerini writing, “so proud and excited to release this first song in a new chapter of music” on social media and Kahan replying, “Can’t wait for this.”

See Ballerini’s post below.

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Travel deals and promos are making that vacation getaway to far-off places or cozy staycations more obtainable. Rather than put that beachside getaway off for another month, you can take advantage of savings up to 50% off, and paired with luggage deals, you can travel the world more affordably.

Whether you’re planning on going to any festivals and concerts this summer or just want a change in environment, beaches and unexplored regions await.

Summer savings events are going on now including Prime Day travel promos that’ll tempt you to take advantage of that PTO and go on a much-needed vacation. To take some of the stress out of finding the best travel deals, we did the research and rounded up the hottest deals, steals and promos so you can focus on stocking up on travel necessities.

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See below for the best travel deals — from flights to experiences — that will help make sure you have the best vacation yet. These promos aren’t going to last forever, though, which means you need to act ASAP to avoid seeing the dreaded “sold out” or “offer expired” message pop up.

What Are the Best Flight Deals?

Jet off at a fraction of the price as airlines slash prices throughout the year to help you fly for less. No matter where you want to go, don’t drop hundreds of dollars on a round-trip ticket. Check below to see what the current best flight deals are.

Southwest Airlines

Amazon is celebrating its latest Prime Day with 50% off Southwest Raid Rewards Points starting Tuesday (July 16) until Wednesday (July 17) at 11:59 p.m. ET/PT, which you can score through the official Prime Day Travel Deals page. In addition to Amazon’s promo, Southwest offers a low-fare calendar with one-way flights starting at $59.

United Airlines

United is offering low-fare flights from select cities including Chicago, New York City, Denver, San Fransisco, Houston, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. All you have to do is book a trip from one of the cities listed and you can score flights as low as $91 roundtrip. You can also personalize your picks by entering your max budget for trips within your spending limit.

Skyscanner

Skyscanner looks across a variety of airlines to find the cheapest tickets on the market worldwide. You can enjoy the low-priced tickets any time of the year, not just during the holidays. Right now, some round-trip flights are as low as $35, so don’t miss out.

Amazon Prime

Still in school? Amazon Prime has partnered with Student Universe to offer Student Prime members an additional 10% off already-discounted flights, hotels and more. All you have to do is sign up for a Student Prime membership and activate Student Universe to start saving. Currently, Student Prime has a six-month free promo when you sign up; after the trial ends, your membership will cost $7.49/month and will include all the benefits of an Amazon Prime membership.

CheapOAir

Whether you’re looking for last-minute cheap flights or just want to book ahead, CheapOAir is offering $15 off when you sign up for emails. To redeem the offer, just click to enter your email, and a unique code will be emailed to you to use on your booking. One-way flights start as low as $40 right now to domestic destinations in the U.S.

Hopper

Hopper is another destination where you can score major savings on hotels, flights, rental cars and more. When you sign up, you can collect vouchers and cash back to redeem on flights, stays and rental cars. The site also scours the web for the best deals to help you save money and even tells you what time of the month to purchase plane tickets.

What Are the Best Hotel Deals?

Flights aren’t the only thing to think about. Booking a hotel room can be just as pricey, leaving you with little to spend on food and activities. Don’t worry, though: These deals are here to offer you savings.

Expedia

Expedia members can take advantage of 25% off hotel bookings and vacation packages during its Big Summer Sale. It’s valid on domestic and international travels when you book by July 14 and travel by Oct. 24. Signing up for Expedia’s One Key membership is free — just provide your email and you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits including exclusive deals and savings.

IHG Hotels & Resorts

IHG is offering up to 15% off hotel and resort bookings when you either book a Stay Longer and Save rate for at least three nights (and place a non-refundable deposit) or book with the Book Now, Pay Later rate (no deposit required). You can also score at least 10% off when you do a Book Early and Save rate, which only requires you pay for your trip up to three days before at select locations.

Hilton Resorts

Hilton’s Resorts World Las Vegas is celebrating its 3-year anniversary with up to 30% off rooms and suites. As an added bonus, you can check out the current Las Vegas residencies to add to your growing itinerary.

Hotwire

Hotwire aims to find some of the deepest discounted hotels — such as up to 60% off last-minute stays. Some offers are as low as $21/night, which means you can book your stay for less than $100/night.

Caesars

Caesars is hosting its Vacation Sale, dropping rooms to as low as $22 a night (regularly as low as $31). You can experience luxurious comfort before heading out to explore Las Vegas — and with all the savings you rack up, you can make sure you leave with a treasure-worthy souvenir.

$22+ $31+ 29% off

book on caesars here

Booking.com

Between now and Sept. 30, 2024, you can score up to 15% off stays with Booking.com’s Getaway Deals. Some stays are as low as $17/night right now. Low prices like these don’t happen every day, which is why you should act sooner rather than later.

Student Universe

Being in school can have its perks like up to 60% off hotels on Student Universe. Signing up is free and will give you access to all their discounted rates including on flights.

Airbnb

Don’t want to drop a ton of money on a hotel? Airbnb offers stays in a variety of homes that you can customize to your preferences. Plus, for ultimate privacy you can opt for a private stay meaning you get the entire place to yourself — and some stays are as low as $11/night right now.

What Are the Best Rental Car Deals?

Not every destination will have the luxury of public transportation at your fingertips and if you want to do some road exploring of your own, then you’ll need a car. Thankfully, we’ve rounded up the best deals available below.

Avis

Prime members can take advantage of up 30% off car rentals and earn a 10% gift card when you book through Amazon during Prime Day. The promo will only being going on during July 16-17, so make sure to snag the deals while they’re live.

Budget

The name says it all as Budget is having a major Car-Cation Weekends Sale promotion going on. Right now, when you rent a car for a 3-day weekend, you’ll receive up to $60 off in addition to one free day on a future car rental when you “Pay Now” at the time of your booking. If you were worried about having enough space to hold all your festival gear, think again.

SIXT

Another Prime Day-only deal you can look forward to is up to 15% off SIXT car rentals. You’ll have to be a Prime member in order to redeem the deal as well as book it through the Prime Day Travel Deals page. If you’re not currently a Prime member, Amazon is offering a 30-day free trial for new users who sign up, which will include access to the exclusive Prime member-only deals.

Kayak

Kayak isn’t afraid to floor it when it comes to offering great deals on cars. The rental service compares the price of competitor and aims to offer at least 32% off the full price. And, right now you can find car bookings for as little as $12/day.

What Are the Best Cruise Deals?

Sail around the islands and escape the city with a cruise that’ll bring photo-worthy moments and memories to last a lifetime. Travel Tuesday deals are also making sure you don’t have to break the bank either, so you can enjoy your vacation without avoiding your wallet’s gaze.

Carnival Cruises

Prime members are being treated to up to 40% off Carnival cruise experiences when you book through the Prime Day Travel Deals page. The promo goes live for Prime Day, which starts July 16 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET/PT on July 17.

Hurtigruten Expeditions

Hurtigruten Expeditions is slashing prices on expeditions by up to 45% off. Plus, if you become an ambassador with the cruise brand, you can receive an additional 5% off on bookings and experiences.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Cruises will have you sailing over to their deals page as they’re currently offering 75% off a second guest for any cruise as well as up to $200 in savings on rooms. Act quick though as the deal is only going on for a limited time. For additional savings, you can score $50 off a trip when you sign up for emails.

What Are the Best Experience Deals?

For anyone planning a staycation or to score some deals on excursions during their trip away from home, there are various ways to book an activity without burning a hole in your wallet. Scroll down for our finds on the best experience deals.

Viator

Amazon is encouraging you to embrace your wanderlust spirit with an exclusive Prime Day-only deal for Prime members. For July 16-17 only, you can score 10% off select Viator experiences when you book through the Prime Day Travel Deals page.

EF Travel

You can save up to $500 on select experiences or up to $700 on last-minute trips during EF Go Ahead Tours’ Semi Annual Sale. These include European getaways, journeys throughout Asia and more. The travel group was designed to help solo travelers vacation with ease. They’ll do basically all the work for you including building an itinerary, helping find flights and even providing down time for you to explore on your own.

Getaway

Getaway wants to celebrate warm weather with 30% off summer stay when you use the code GETOUTSIDE for a limited time. Choose from the various locations spread across the U.S. including New York, Massachusetts, Washington, California and more. You’ll also be able to personalize your experience to your needs including adding on an instant campfire, provisions and even a late check out.

G Adventures

For the month of June you can save up to 20% on G Adventures‘ pre-planned adventures around the globe including Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and more. The brand aims to keep your travel group small so you can enjoy the experience without feeling overwhelmed.

Groupon

Groupon’s sale wants to encourage new experiences with an additional 10% off select deals when you use the code PROMO at checkout. Everything from deep tissue massages to entrance fees at the petting zoo are being completely slashed. We even found one deal that was just $3!

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard‘s Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

Manuel Turizo, “Dios Te Cuide” (La Industria Inc.)

After making us dance bachata and merengue, Manuel Turizo — fresh from receiving the SESAC Latina Music Award for songwriter of the year, pop/Latin rhythm, with his brother Julián — continues to show his versatility with a moving ballad about heartbreak. Produced by Rafa Rodríguez, and driven primarily by a guitar and the Colombian singer’s husky, penetrating voice, “Dios Te Cuide” is a mature declaration of love and resilience after a breakup. “May God take care of you baby, may he keep you/ And may he forget, baby, where he kept you/ So that you don’t break my heart again,” Turizo sings in the Spanish-language chorus, with pathos. Accompanied by an introspective music video that captures the feeling of loneliness that comes with a breakup, “Dios Te Cuide” will be featured on Turizo’s upcoming fourth studio album, 201, which he plans to release later this year. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Xavi, “OOTD” (Interscope Records)

Ever since having a major breakthrough with songs-turned-anthems “La Diabla” and “La Víctima,” Xavi has kept the momentum going this year, dropping “Corazón de Piedra,” which topped the Regional Mexican Airplay Chart in May. Now, he’s blessed fans with the new single “OOTD” — which, while staying true to that tumbados románticos signature style he’s known for, also drifts a bit more uptempo. Still powered by striking requinto guitars and his raspy and commanding vocals, “OOTD” stands out for an upbeat, head-bobbing melody that almost softens Xavi’s vocals. The single is a preview of what’s to come, as Xavi is currently in the studio working on an upcoming album. — GRISELDA FLORES

Buscabulla, “11:11” (Domino Recording)

Puerto Rican duo Buscabulla, composed of Raquel Berrios and Luis Del Valle, dropped “11:11,” marking their first single in four years. The track, a kitschy electronic pop outing, draws its name from the angel number that emphasizes the brevity of life. The song explores the theme of purpose and fulfillment, with lyrics like “Ya no puedo, baby, acabar lo que empecé/ A veces me quiero escapar/ El momento se me va/ Y no se si pa’ volver,” delivered in Berrios’ ethereal vocal style. Their return follows collaborations with Alex Anwandter on the disco-pop track “Mi Vida en Llamas” (2023), Bad Bunny on the high-profile “Andrea” (2022), and their own debut album Regresa (2020). The accompanying video, directed by Jorge “Fish” Rodriguez, features Berrios in a stage-built, stark white house, performing a compulsive cleaning, adding a layer of performative art to the release. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Maria Becerra, Trueno & Big One, “Cuando Te Vi” (Fifty One)

Argentine hitmaker Big One has unleashed a five-track EP with five major “crossovers.” His latest creation is “Cuando Te Vi | Crossover #5,” in collaboration with Maria Becerra and Trueno. A first joint effort, the futuristic and edgy reggaetón track blends Becerra’s dulcet, melodious vocals with Trueno’s impeccable and effortless rap bars. Lyrically, the song narrates a conversation between two people: one who promised to not fall in love, and the other who doubts it. “When I saw you, I knew it was going to happen/ I promised not to fall in love/but f*ck that, I love that body/ You did it so good, I had to call back,” chants the Argentine artist, who also flaunts her English-singing skills on the track. — JESSICA ROIZ

Alvaro Soler, “Te imaginaba” (Epic Local) 

The Spanish-German singer-songwriter Alvaro Soler releases a song with a classic romanticism that celebrates an innocent love. The song is an acoustic pop jam with an island feel, perfect for this warm season of the year. “I imagined you/ Having breakfast kisses in bed/ Waking up next to you every morning/ And if we fight, let it be with the pillow/ As I imagined you” says the chorus of the tender song. The song is accompanied by a visualizer where you can see Soler singing in front of the camera while he walks through beautiful landscapes. The ideal song for someone newly in love, who may end up at an altar. — LUISA CALLE

Listen to more editors’ Latin recommendations in the playlist below: