At the first Republican presidential primary debate on Wednesday night (Aug. 23), the first question posed to eight hopeful candidates for commander in chief was about the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100.

“As we sit here tonight, the No. 1 song on the Billboard chart is ‘Rich Men North of Richmond,’” Fox News host Martha MacCallum said as the crowd at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum erupted in cheers. “It’s by a singer from Farmville, Virginia, named Oliver Anthony. His lyrics speak of alienation, of deep frustration with the state of government and of this country. Washington, D.C., is about 100 miles north of Richmond.”

A 30-second clip of Anthony’s viral hit — which debuts atop the Hot 100 this week, despite the artist never having any previous Billboard chart history — played next, including the unedited line “‘Cause your dollar ain’t sh– and it’s taxed to no end/ ‘Cause of rich men north of Richmond.”

MacCallum posed the first question to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, asking: “Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now? What do you think it means?”

DeSantis — who’s been referencing Anthony’s song in recent campaign speeches — responded by saying voters “need to send Joe Biden back to his basement and reverse American decline” and that “we cannot succeed as a country if you are working hard and you can’t afford groceries, a car or a new home while Hunter Biden can make hundreds of thousands of dollars on lousy paintings.” He directly addressed the song while taking aim at government spending too, saying: “We also cannot succeed when the Congress spends trillions and trillions of dollars. Those rich men north of Richmond have put us in this situation.”

The song, billed to Oliver Anthony Music, has especially struck a chord with a conservative audience, with right-wing pundits immediately embracing its lyrical take-down of the rich and powerful, so it makes sense that Fox News would harness its popularity at the first Republican debate leading up to the 2024 presidential election.

In addition to DeSantis, the night’s debate stage included former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy, former South Carolina governor and UN ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Watch the moment here:

The very first question at tonight’s debate is about… Rich Men North of Richmond.

“Why is this song striking such a nerve in this country right now? What do you think it means?” pic.twitter.com/ty26fBDnii

— Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) August 24, 2023

Morgan Wade recently opened up about her friendship — emphasis on friendship — with Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Kyle Richards and put the ongoing dating rumors to rest.

The country singer revealed to People that she had never heard of Richards before the reality TV star posted one of her songs to her Instagram Story in 2021. “The only reality television I watched was 90 Day Fiancé and I had to stop watching because it put me in such a bad mood because I get so irritated at these people,” she told the publication. “But I had never watched the Real Housewives at all.”

She noted that her friends tipped her off the Richards’ post, so Wade sent her a message to thank her, ultimately leading to an unlikely friendship. As for the dating rumors that sparked amid Richards’ separation from husband Mauricio Umansky? “We’re friends,” Wade said. “The Internet’s a dumb place.”

Richards has also been supportive of Wade as she prepares to undergo a double mastectomy as a preventative measure in November, after she had been diagnosed with a mutation in the RAD51D gene. The topic hits close to home for Richards, whose mom died of breast cancer in 2002. “She helped me connect with some really good surgeons,” Wade said. “We were talking about that and then she had the idea of us doing a documentary and following all this stuff, so we’ve been out and about. She’s just really been there for me with all that.”

“It’s just been such a great friendship,” she continued. “I know that if Kyle vouches for you, you’re a good person.”

The Association of Independent Music (AIM) has revealed its nominees in 12 categories for the 2023 AIM Awards.

RAYE and Shygirl each received three nominations. 070 Shake, who collaborated with RAYE on “Escapism,” received two, as did Ezra Collective, Overmono and ENNY. Other notable nominees include: Wet Leg, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Yves Tumor, Little Simz and Rina Sawayama.

AIM also revealed the winners of two awards.

Björk won the publicly-voted Best Live Performance award, besting Beabadoobee, MUNA and Japan’s kawaii-metal girl band BABYMETAL.

Dr. Charisse Beaumont, CEO of Black Lives in Music (BLiM), was named Diversity Champion in recognition of her groundbreaking work in creating an inclusive music industry, such as the rollout of BLiM’s voluntary Music Industry Anti-Racism Code.

The AIM Independent Music Awards recognizes the achievements of independent labels, artists and entrepreneurs that make up the U.K.’s independent music sector.

Silvia Montello, CEO of AIM, said in a statement: “The AIM Independent Music Awards are a night to celebrate the best of the UK’s independent music community, and to showcase its triumphs and innovations. We are proud to be able to honour the diversity and talent across the UK ‘s independent labels, artists, entrepreneurs and champions and it’s fantastic to see continued public recognition of Björk’s trailblazing live shows!”

The awards will be presented at London’s Roundhouse on Sept. 26.

The ceremony will celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, an anniversary that has been feted at numerous awards shows already this year. The segment, supported by BBC 1Xtra, will recognize hip-hop’s influence and its lasting impact on the emergence of jungle, grime and drum & bass. 

Here’s a complete list of nominees for the 2023 AIM Awards.

Best Live Performance

Björk  (One Little Independent)

Diversity Champion

Charisse Beaumont – Black Lives in Music

PPL Award for Most Played New Independent Artist

AntsLive (Payday Records, Trademark Records)

John Summit (Off The Grid Records)

Surya Sen (Skint Records)

Vibe Chemistry (DnB Allstars Records)

Wet Leg (Domino Records)

Music Entrepreneur of the Year

Alex Brees – Un:hurd

Caius Pawson – Young / Space

Jess Kangalee – Good Energy PR

Keturah Cummings – Forward Slash

Yasin El Ashrafi – HQ Familia

Best Boutique Label

Chess Club

Glasgow Underground

Houndstooth

Rough Bones

So Young Records

Best Independent Label

Defected Records

Forever Living Originals

Hospital Records

One Little Independent

Transgressive

Best Creative Campaign

Because Music (Shygirl – “Nymph”)

Dirty Hit (Rina Sawayama – “Hold the Girl”)

Human Re Sources (RAYE – “My 21st Century Blues”)

Ninja Tune (Young Fathers – “Heavy Heavy”)

Partisan Records (Ezra Collective – “Where I’m Meant to Be”)

XL Recordings (Yaeji – “With a Hammer”)

UK Independent Breakthrough

Ezra Collective (Partisan Records)

I.Jordan (Ninja Tune)

Overmono (XL Recordings)

Shygirl (Because Music)

Suki Waterhouse (Sub Pop)

Best Independent Track (Meta)

Connie Constance – “Hurt You” (Play It Again Sam)

ENNY – “Charge It” (FAMM)

Four Tet – “Three Drums” (Text Records)

Makaya McCraven – “Dream Another” (XL Recordings)

Overmono – “Good Lies” (XL Recordings)

RAYE, 070 Shake – “Escapism” (Human Re Sources) 

Shygirl – “Shlut” (Because Music) 

Sudan Archives – “Selfish Soul” (Stones Throw Records)

Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Spitting Off the Edge of the World” feat. Perfume Genius (Secretly Canadian)

Yves Tumor – “Echolalia” (Warp Records)

Best Independent EP/ Mixtape 

Bellah – Adultsville (Base ‘N’ Rebulz X Marathon Music Group)

ENNY – We Go Again (FAMM)

Jessica Winter – Limerance (Lucky Number)

Saint Joshua – EP2 (Ditto Music)

yunè pinku – BABYLON IX (PLATOON)

Best Independent Album 

Avelino – God Save The Streets (More Music Records/ OddChild Music)

Kelela – Raven (Warp Records)

Little Simz – No Thank You (Forever Living Originals)

Nova Twins – Supernova (Marshall Records)

Obongjayar – Some Nights I Dream of Doors (September Recordings)

Oliver Sim – Hideous Bastard (Young)

RAYE – My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources)

Rina Sawayama – Hold the Girl (Dirty Hit)

Shygirl – Nymph (Because Music)

Wu-Lu – LOGGERHEAD(Warp Records) 

Best Independent Remix 

Sega Bodega Remix (One Little Independent) – Björk – “Ovuke” (feat. Shygirl)

Soulwax Remix (Deewee / Because Music) – Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul – “Cliché”

Nu:Tone Remix (Hospital Records) – GLXY – “Butterfly Effect” (feat. Hugh Hardie & Visionobi)

Jamie XX remix (Young) – Oliver Sim – “GMT”

Boys Noize (Secretly Canadian) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs – “Wolf”

One to Watch (BBC Music Introducing)

Jessica Winter (Lucky Number)

Juice Menace (Supernature)

FLOWEROVLOVE (FAE GRP)

Laughta (MDLBEAST)

Master Peace (PMR)

Best Independent Video (Vevo)

Ezra Collective – “No Confusion” ft. Kojey Radical (Partisan Records)

Kelela – “Enough for Love” (Warp Records)

Obongjayar – “I Wish It Was Me (Live)” (September Recordings)

RAYE, 070 Shake – “Escapism” (Human Re Sources)

Wesley Joseph – “MONSOON” (EEVILTWINN)

Erika Jayne is getting ready to start up her very own Las Vegas residency, Bet It All on Blonde. The star will kick off her five-week stay at the House of Blues starting Friday (Aug. 25), but before gracing the stage, she sat down with Billboard News to tell fans what they can expect of her show.

“The show is based around my six-word mantra — which is how I created Erika Jayne — which is fantasy, love, escape, and then I added glitz, glamour and fun some years later,” Jayne tells Billboard News host Catrise J. “So that’s really what the Vegas show is about, so we’ll have my old stuff, new stuff, and we’ll do a clever cover or two just for nostalgia purposes, and it’s going to be great. I’m super excited to get back out and perform. I have not performed for three years.”

Other surprises during the residency will include a nod to Jayne’s appearance as Roxie Hart in Chicago (the production shuttered after two months due to COVID-19 in 2020). “We will give a nod to [Bob] Fosse in our own way,” she says. “Probably we’ll see it via costume and choreography.”

Jayne says she couldn’t believe the production got the green light in the first place after a few personal hiccups. “Well, honestly, to be really truthful, I was like: Really? I almost felt like this can’t possibly be happening,” she recalls. “I’ve gone through such a rough patch and all I was getting was bad news, so that when actually good news came through the door, I seriously for a hot second was like, is this real?”

Blame It All on Blonde will take place Aug. 25 for a run of 11 dates over five weekends through Dec. 2 at the House of Blues in Mandalay Bay. Watch Jayne’s Billboard News interview in full in the video above.