Cher has filed for temporary legal conservatorship of her 47-year-old son Elijah Blue Allman, according to a petition filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by Billboard.

In the petition, the “Believe” singer cites her son’s ongoing substance abuse battle, which he’s spoken about in the past. She seeks to be the sole conservator of Allman’s estate, arguing that he “is currently unable to manage his assets due to severe mental health and substance abuse issues.”

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“Elijah is entitled to regular distributions from the Trust, but given his ongoing mental health and substance abuse issues, petitioner [Cher] is concerned that any funds distributed to Elijah will be immediately spent on drugs, leaving Elijah with no assets to provide for himself and putting Elijah’s life at risk,” according to the documents. “Elijah is currently unable to manage his finances and the distribution of funds directly to Elijah would not be in his best interests.”

Allman is the son of Cher and former husband, the late Gregg Allman, one of the founding members of the Grammy-winning Allman Brothers Band. Allman and Cher were married from 1975 to 1979, and Elijah Blue is their only child together. Allman died in 2017 after a battle with liver cancer.

Like his parents, Elijah Blue Allman also made a career for himself in the music industry. He was the lead singer of the industrial metal band Deadsy. The rockers charted a pair of LPs on the Billboard 200: 2002’s Commencement (No. 100) and 2006’s Phantasmagore (No. 176).

In October, Cher addressed claims made last year by Elijah Blue’s estranged wife, Marieangela King, in divorce documents, which alleged that the pop icon had sent four men to kidnap Allman from a New York City hotel room, telling People magazine, “That rumor is not true.”

Cher’s legal moves come just two years after she took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the end of Britney Spears‘ high-profile conservatorship. “Thank God, I’ve talked [and prayed] about this [for] years,” she wrote. “I’m more than thrilled [for] her!! Bless our [superstar]. #FreeBritney.” Spears’ 13-year conservatorship came to an end on Nov. 12, 2021, after a passionate grassroots movement gained steam online to end the arrangement that gave her dad, James Spears, control of her personal and professional lives.

According to the court documents, a hearing has been scheduled for March 6, 2024. Billboard has reached out to representatives for Cher and legal representation for Elijah Blue Allman for further comment.

Last week, Cher returned to the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time in nearly 22 years. “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” the breakout hit from her first Christmas album, entered the tally at No. 94, marking her first appearance on the ranking since “Song for the Lonely” topped out at No. 85 in 2002. A few weeks prior, “DJ Play a Christmas Song” helped Cher become the first soloist in history to earn a new No. 1 on a Billboard songs chart in each of the seven decades from the 1960s through the 2020s (excluding the Bubbling Under Hot 100). “DJ” topped Dance/Electronic Song Sales on the chart dated Dec. 2, 2023.

It’s been six years since the #MeToo movement exploded into the mainstream consciousness, and Ellie Goulding believes that the reckoning has changed the music industry for the better. In a new interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today show, the “Love Me Like You Do” singer recounted the evolution of her experiences in the music industry post-#MeToo.

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“I definitely think the landscape has changed a bit, especially since the [#MeToo] movement,” Goulding said. “I think that was really, really important for people to keep speaking out about their individual stories, because I know a lot was happening and just wasn’t being talked about.”

Activist Tarana Burke first coined the phrase “Me Too” in the context of raising awareness against sexual violence and rape culture in 2006. The phrase grew into a culture-shifting social movement by 2017 when several sexual abuse allegations were levied against disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Those Weinstein allegations became a catalyst for more people to feel comfortable coming forward and sharing their stories. In the interview, Goulding recounted an experience that she had “sort of normalized.”

“You know, when you go into a studio and afterwards the producer asks if you want to go for a drink. And I’m quite a polite person, I don’t like letting people down. I don’t like disappointing people. So I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, absolutely, go for a drink,’” she explained. “And then it sort of somehow becomes like a romantic thing when it shouldn’t. You don’t want it to be a romantic thing, but it’s like there was always a slight feeling of discomfort when you walked into a studio and it was just one or two men writing or producing.”

For Goulding, “hearing so many other, similar stories from other female musicians and singers” helped her realize that those experiences — which she described as a “kind of currency” — were not to be normalized. “I [realized] that I wasn’t alone in it at all. It wasn’t just me, being particularly friendly.”

“It was like a sort of unspoken thing where if you’re working with male producers, that was almost like an expectation, which sounds mad for me to say out loud, and it definitely wouldn’t happen now. I mean, very rarely, because things have just really changed,” she said. “Younger artists at Polydor, my record label, will now have chaperones when they go to the studio. And they also have a chance to speak to a [counselor] or speak to someone about their experience as an up-and-coming musician.”

The “Lights” singer’s recent sentiments echo a 2020 Independent interview where she said, “I feel really stupid for saying I wasn’t affected by the #MeToo movement… I [normalized] too much and I am sad about that.”

Goulding is entering the new year with her second career Grammy nomination — best pop dance recording for “Miracle” (with Calvin Harris). In 2023, she earned her sixth career entry on the Billboard 200 with Higher Than Heaven (No. 125), which also hit No. 1 on the U.K. Albums chart.

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

Our latest edition of On the Radar Latin includes four emerging artists, who we might’ve found anywhere from a Spotify playlist to a music showcase. See our recommendations below.

Artist: I AM

Country: Chile

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: In her introspective debut album, ECDYSIS, an homage to her Chilean roots and ancestral heritage, I AM delves into the soul of Spanish-language rock while championing whale conservation. Weaving together experimental rock with the evocative sounds of the Mapuche tribe and their Mapudugun chants — alongside over 1,000 pitches of whale vocalization — ECDYSIS unveils itself as a captivating and meditative odyssey. The Chilean artist suggests that immersing oneself in whale songs has the potential to evoke transformative experiences, akin to those encountered through the consumption of plant medicines like psilocybin mushrooms or ayahuasca.

Highlighted by tracks like “Riley,” “Raven, and “Lara,” which channel the electrifying spirit of rock’s golden age, the 11-track album uniquely features six single letters as titles, spelling out “Sophia” — a symbolic reference to “The Mother and womb of creation that keeps us going throughout it all,” she tells Billboard Español. “The [album title] itself represents the process of shedding the skin that no longer serves us, and the choice of letting it go in order to return to our hearts.”  As a songwriter and producer, I AM has worked with Selena Gómez, Maria Becerra, Sofia Reyes and DJ Snake as K Sotomayor. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Song For Your Playlist: “Raven”

Artist: Adrián Bello

Country: Peru

Why They Should Be on Your Radar: Adrián Bello is a 32-year-old indie-pop artist who has been paving his way in his native country and beyond with a style that’s as versatile as it is colorful. Having started writing music at the age of 10, he debuted in 2018 with a soul album in English, Apprentice, which showed influences from Ray Charles and Nina Simone to Adele, Sam Smith and Amy Winehouse. In 2022 he followed that effort with the 16-track album Bailemos en la Sala, fusing pop with Latin American genres like bolero, samba and andino, and collaborating with colleagues like Ximena Sariñana, Esteman and Josean Log.

“I would describe my music like an embrace — of the good and the bad,” Bello tells Billboard Español. “I like to sing to the emotions and try to share common stories and generate connection. I am a faithful believer that we are all actually very similar and have similar experiences.” His latest output is “Otros Ritmos,” a sweet, upbeat song released in November, inspired “by those who one day are the most important thing in our lives and the next one are strangers dancing to ‘other rhythms,’” he explains. It is the first single from his upcoming album, which he plans to release in the first half of 2024. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Song for Your Playlist: “Otros Ritmos”

Name: Flor Alvarez

Country: Argentina

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Scrolling through TikTok, as per usual, I came across the captivating vocals of Flor Alvarez. In the viral clip, the short-haired, pierced young lady is wearing a purple tank top and holding a speaker on her left arm: she’s covering Los Ángeles Azules’ and Maria Becerra’s “El Amor de Mi Vida.” Boasting over 31 million views since the video was posted on Dec. 2, it’s evident that Flor has enraptured people on social media with her distinct, sugary-raspy voice, as well as with her humility and charismatic personality. A local street performer from Argentina, who can often be found singing in a train, Flor has already released the EP Etapas and is currently making the rounds with her single “Sin Querer,” in collaboration with Fer Vazquez — a heartfelt cumbia song about unrequited love. Since her viral clip, Flor has garnered nearly two million followers on TikTok. — JESSICA ROIZ

Song For Your Playlist: “Sin Querer” (with Fer Vazquez)

Artist: Juanpalitoschinos

Country: Mexico

Why They Should Be On Your Radar: Taking cues from ‘80s city pop with Latin alternative sensibilities, the Mexico City duo Juanpalitoschinos, consisting of Friné Alejo and Joan Page, adds to the blossoming scene of Latin stars claiming influences from Japan. Melding retro sounds with polished production, the pair’s floor-filling tracks — epitomized by the recent, lovelorn release “Cuando Me Amabas” — seamlessly blend disco influences with heartfelt vocals over vintage synth melodies.

Debuting in 2020 with “Bellavista 130,” a mellow track that set the tone for their distinctive sound, Juanpalitoschinos (translating to “Juan chopsticks”) has been steadily gaining recognition as an innovative group that draws inspiration from East Asian art. Its July release, “¿Por Qué No Contestas?” with Gusstav, serves as a teaser for their upcoming album — showcasing the duo’s ability to craft hits that evoke both dancefloor energy and J-pop nostalgia. — I.R.

Song For Your Playlist: “Cuando Me Amabas”

Heat exhaustion is the cause of death of a Brazilian fan who attended a concert of singer Taylor Swift in November, a forensics report obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday shows.

Ana Clara Benevides, 23, passed out during Swift’s second song in the Nov. 17 concert in Rio de Janeiro, “Cruel Summer,” and died hours later at a local hospital. Temperatures in the city that day were at about 40 degrees Celsius (105 Fahrenheit).

Fans lined up for hours before the show, and many accused organizers of failing to deliver enough water supplies for the more than 60,000 attending the concert at the Nilton Santos Stadium. They said they were not allowed to take their own water into the stadium.

The report by Rio’s Forensic Medical Institute said Benevides’ heat exposure led to a cardiorrespiratory arrest. It also said she did not have preexisting conditions or substance abuse that could have led to her death.

The forensics expert who analyzed her body said in the document she had “serious compromise of her lungs and sudden death” due to the heat.

One of Benevides’ friends, who also attended the concert, told local media outlets in November they had been given water while waiting to enter the stadium.

Organizers T4F said in a statement the company “followed the best practices,” complied with “every demand from authorities” and “distributed thousands of bottles of water” to fans. TF4 also denied it did not allow people to bring their own water to the concert.

TF4 also said Benevides “was promptly cared for by members of a rescue team and sent (to the hospital) in an intensive-care unit ambulance.”

“In our 40 years in the business, this company had never registered a tragic episode” like Benevides’ death due to extreme heat, T4F said.

The office of Rio’s public prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation. Rio police said in a statement on Wednesday that after the forensics report is analyzed “representatives of the company organizing the event will be called to testify.”

Benevides’ death shook many in Brazil. She had taken her first flight to travel from the country’s center-west region to see her favorite singer.

In a statement posted on Instagram after the death, Swift said the case had left her with a “shattered heart.”

Benevides’s father, José Weiny Machado, told news website G1 he “never doubted the cause of death was the heat.”

Juanes and Carlos Vives unlock a new chart achievement as “Las Mujeres” tops Billboard’s Latin Pop Airplay chart (dated Dec. 30).

The team-up pushes from No. 3 to No. 1 after a 12% jump in audience impressions, to 3.63 million, earned in the U.S. during the Dec. 15-21 tracking week, according to Luminate. The single takes the lead in its 17th week, after eight solid weeks in the top 10.

“Las Mujeres” is the third two co-billed Colombian partnership to land at the penthouse on Latin Pop Airplay in 2023. Karol G and Shakira did it first with the 14-week leader “TQG,” which started its chart domination in April. Shakira repeated the feat with her Manuel Turizo collab, “Copa Vacía.” The latter cedes the crown after nine weeks in charge and drops to No. 2 with 3.6 million audience impressions.

“Las Mujeres” puts Juanes back at No. 1 after “Bonita,” with Sebastian Yatra, ruled for two weeks in Nov. 2019. In between, “Cecilia,” with Juan Luis Guerra, propelled the Colombian to a No. 6 high last September. In total, Juanes nabs his 12th champ, breaking the Latin Pop Airplay No. 1 barrier with “A Dios Le Pido,” in 2002. With a new ruler on his account, let’s review Juanes’ collection of No. 1s:

Peak, Title, Artist, Weeks at No. 1
Aug. 24, 2002, “A Dios Le Pido,” 1
July 19, 2003, “Fotografía,” with Nelly Furtado, 7
Sept. 4, 2004, “Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor,” 20
Feb. 5, 2005, “Volverte A Ver,” 3
April 2, 2005, “La Camisa Negra,” 10
Feb. 25, 2006, “Lo Que Me Gusta A Mi,” 10
Sept. 29, 2007, “Me Enamora,” 21
Feb. 23, 2008, “Gotas De Agua Dulce,” 8
April 18, 2015, “Juntos (Together),” 1
Nov. 12, 2016, “Fuego,” 1
Nov. 9, 2019, “Bonita,” with Sebastian Yatra, 2
Dec. 30, 2023, “Las Mujeres,” with Carlos Vives

Vives, meanwhile, adds his sixth champ on Latin Pop Airplay which arrives just over a year after “Baloncito Viejo,” with Camilo, led for one week in 2022.

Elsewhere, “Mujeres” advances 35-31 on the overall Latin Airplay chart — Vives’ only entry there in 2023.

Dolly Parton just made a deserving fan’s wish come true. Two years after a Utah man named LeGrand Gold made a bucket list in the midst of battling stage four colorectal cancer, the 77-year-old country star made one of his wildest dreams come true by serenading him over the phone.

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The bittersweet moment was captured in a video posted to YouTube, showing Gold lying in bed as Parton chats with him over speakerphone. “I’m just happy to know I’ve got a fan that devoted and that I’ve had a chance to walk that journey all these years,” Parton tells Gold in the video. “I heard you’ve been a fan of mine for many years, and I just want to thank you for that.”

“I’m just happy that we got to kind of have our journey together in this lifetime,” she continues. “I always want to make people happy with my music and with the things I do and the things I say and I’m just happy to know that I’ve touched your life in some way. So thank you for honoring me with that.”

The 10-time Grammy winner is fresh off the release of her debut rock album Rockstar, which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 last month and follows her 2022 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. To close out her conversation with Gold, she sang a snippet of one of her most famous compositions, adding in his nickname at the end. “I will always love you, I always love LG,” she crooned.

The Utah man explained to local media that after receiving his cancer diagnosis in 2021, he and his wife, Alice, took a pen to a napkin to list out his biggest dreams as a way of keeping hopes high. The No. 7 item was to meet the “9 to 5″ singer — “I thought, ‘Well, it’s never going to happen,’” he told KSL, a local NBC affiliate.

“She sang me a song, put my name in the song,” he added. “I feel like I’m immortal now.”

Watch the sweet moment below.

The Billboard chart is still fully in the holiday spirit, while Mariah Carey sets a new record. Watch the full video to find out who’s on top.

Tetris Kelly
This is the Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 for the week dated December 30th. “Sleigh Ride” slips to No. 10, while “Felix Navidad” joins the top 10.

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“Let It Snow” climbs to 8, as Andy Williams stays at 7. Jack Harlow has the only non-holiday track in the top ten, “Holly Jolly” stays at 5, as does “Last Christmas” at 4.

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“Jingle Bell Rock” at 3 and Brenda Lee at 2. Becoming the first artist to have three songs spend at least 14 weeks on top is Mariah Carey.

Ocho años después de que las muertes del rapero Canserbero (nombre verdadero Tirone José González Orama) y su productor Carlos Molnar fueran declaradas un homicidio-suicidio, el fiscal general de Venezuela, Tarek William Saab, anunció el martes (26 de diciembre) que el Ministerio Público esclareció el caso, y publicó la confesión de quienes serían responsables: la mánager de Canserbero y pareja de Molnar, María Natalia Améstica, y el hermano de ésta, Guillermo Améstica.

En tres impactantes videos compartidos por el fiscal en su cuenta de X (antes Twitter), María Natalia Améstica confiesa que, en medio de un ataque de ira relacionado con motivos laborales, les sirvió a Canserbero y Molnar un té mezclado con un sedante la noche del 19 de enero del 2015 en su apartamento en la ciudad de Maracay, y más tarde los apuñaló a muerte. También declara cómo, con la ayuda de su hermano y la complicidad de funcionarios, se alteró la escena para hacer creer que Canserbero asesinó a Molnar y luego se suicidó.

“Son la 1:30 de la mañana del día 19 de diciembre de 2023. Estoy haciendo este video para confesarme públicamente de mi responsabilidad con el doble homicidio de Carlos Molnar y Tirone González ‘Canserbero’”, comienza el primer clip de 4:40 minutos, en el que María Natalia cuenta que los problemas comenzaron un mes antes de la tragedia, cuando se enteró de que no le reembolsarían los pasajes que ella había comprado para una gira del artista ni le pagarían por su trabajo de marketing para la misma, y que Canserbero no quería que lo manejara como mánager. “Eso me dolió mucho”, declara María Natalia. “Quedé con mucho sufrimiento interno por el desprecio”.

En un segundo video, su hermano Guillermo Améstica corrobora la información al contar su versión de los hechos.

De acuerdo con información publicada el martes en la página oficial del Ministerio Público venezolano, Saab declaró que “se realizaron 110 diligencias de investigación y 13 viajes a Maracay para recabar la nueva evidencia que permitió esclarecer el caso”.

“Ella vertió en el té que les dio un total de 10 miligramos [de Alpram] previamente convertidos en polvo para diluir en dicho té, teniendo como resultado que ambos quedaron dormidos a los minutos de ingerir esa bebida”, dijo el funcionario.

Según las declaraciones de los hermanos Améstica reproducidas por el ministerio, María Natalia agredió primero a Molnar en la cocina con tres puñaladas, y luego fue al sofá de la sala, donde Canserbero se había quedado dormido, para apuñalarlo dos veces en el costado. Llamó a su hermano a pedirle ayuda, y éste “llegó al inmueble en compañía de tres funcionarios del Servicio Bolivariano de Inteligencia Nacional (Sebin) quienes lo asesoraron en la alteración del lugar del suceso a cambio de 1.000 dólares estadounidenses para cada uno”.

Para hacer que pareciera un homicidio-suicidio, “Guillermo apuñaló a Molnar y le dio al cuerpo de Canserbero un golpe con un tubo que le desfiguró el rostro, con la finalidad de simular una riña entre ellos”. Luego arrojaron el cadáver de Canserbero por la ventana, Guillermo se retiró de la escena y María Natalia llamó a los vecinos.

Según los hermanos Améstica, la comisión del Cuerpo de Investigaciones Científicas, Penales y Criminalísticas (CICPC) que se presentó en el lugar notó que la escena había sido alterada y arregló los últimos detalles a cambio de 10.000 dólares. De este modo, las autoridades afirmaron en un principio que el rapero mató a puñaladas a su amigo antes de quitarse la vida.

La resolución del caso llega poco más de un mes después de que la fiscalía venezolana anunciara que lo reabriría tras persistentes llamados de la familia y amigos del difunto rapero.

Canserbero murió a los 26 años siendo una figura destacada no solo en Venezuela sino en el mundo del rap en español. Conocido por letras oscuras que reflejaban la violencia en su país y experiencias de la vida real, colaboró con artistas como Mala Rodríguez y Apache y lanzó dos álbumes de estudio en solitario, Vida y Muerte.

En agosto de 2023, Billboard LatinBillboard Español lo nombraron uno de los raperos en español más esenciales de todos los tiempos.

Lisa gifted BLINKS a holiday classic on Christmas Eve.

On Sunday (Dec. 24), the BLACKPINK superstar shared a cover of Britney Spears‘ 2000 classic “My Only Wish (This Year).”

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“Christmas present for my BLINKS Have a wonderful holiday,” Lisa wrote on Instagram alongside a black-and-white image of herself with the song’s title.

In the music video for the song, the rapper and dancer receives a small ribbon-wrapped note and single rose before hopefully wandering the streets of Paris in a white fur-lined coat. The clip ends with Lisa flashing a huge smile as she accepts another rose from a mystery suitor as the evening concludes.

Spears’ “My Only Wish (This Year),” originally released on the 2000 compilation, Platinum Christmas, peaked at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2015. The holiday banger — about having Santa deliver a lover for the holiday — also ranked No. 95 on Billboard‘s 100 Best Christmas Songs of All Time staff list.

In November, Lisa’s track “Money” became the first K-pop track by a solo artist to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify. The song, released as the second track from her 2021 solo EP, Lalisa, marks her fourth solo achievement with Guinness World Records.

On Tuesday (Dec. 26), Lisa will take part in BLACKPINK: A VR Encore, an immersive virtual reality experience stemming from the special finale concert of the Born Pink World Tour.

“I think the fans will enjoy the playful aspects of the VR concert,” Lisa told Billboard ahead of the concert. “It’s like a new, fun experience for them. I hope they can feel the warmth and energy of our performances, even in this new format.”

The 70-minute concert will feature BLACKPINK performing Billboard Hot 100 hits such as “Shut Down,” “Pink Venom” and “How You Like That” like never before. Utilizing Meta Quest 3 headsets, the show takes place in Meta Horizon Worlds’ new Music Valley venue.

BLACKPINK: A VR Encore premieres for free, exclusively in VR on Dec. 26, at 5 p.m. PT in Meta Horizon Worlds.

Listen to Lisa’s cover of Spears’ “My Only Wish” below.

Bryan Tanaka is speaking out about his breakup with Mariah Carey.

On Tuesday (Dec. 26), the backup dancer, 40, shared a lengthy statement on social media about the couple’s split, which he says was a “mutual” decision between them.

“Dear friends and fans, with mixed emotions, I share this personal update regarding my amicable separation from Mariah Carey after seven extraordinary years together,” Tanaka begins the message on Instagram. “Our decision to embark on different paths is mutual, and as we navigate these separate journeys, we do so with profound respect and an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the invaluable time we’ve shared. The memories we’ve created and the artistic collaborations are etched in my heart forever.”

Carey, 54, and Tanaka began working together in 2006 when he appeared as a member of the iconic singer-songwriter’s Adventures of Mimi tour. She confirmed the relationship in an Associated Press interview in February 2017, after she called him her “boyfriend.” Their affair also played out on Carey’s E! reality series Mariah’s World. They started dating in the wake of Carey’s split with her ex-fiancé, Australian businessman James Packer.

Speculation about the couple’s split began after Tanaka had been absent from the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” singer’s Merry Christmas One and All! tour in mid-November, People reports. The publication also noted that he wasn’t celebrating the holidays with Carey, as he usually does, in Aspen, Colo.

Carey had not shared a statement of her own as of press time.

“Mariah’s dedication to her family and her commitment to her craft have inspired us during out journey,” Tanaka continued in his statement. “I want to express my love and appreciation for Mariah and her incredible children, whose warmth and kindness have enriched my life in ways words cannot capture.”

Carey shares 12-year-old twins Moroccan and Monroe with her ex-husband Nick Cannon.

Tanaka added, “During this sensitive time, I kindly ask for your understanding, privacy and respect. The outpouring of love and support from fans has been a beacon of strength, and I am extremely grateful for the encouragement that continues to uplift me. I eagerly anticipate continuing my journey, knowing my passion for inspiration, dance and the creative arts will resonate in the unfolding chapters.”

Read Tanaka’s full statement on Instagram below.