Carlos Alberto Solari, the Argentine singer-songwriter known as “the Indio” who led Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota, one of the country’s most popular and influential rock groups, died Friday (June 5). He was 77.

Solari, who had struggled with Parkinson’s disease for at least a decade, was found dead near an indoor pool at his house in the provincial town of Ituzaingó, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) west of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires, authorities said, without identifying a cause of death.

His family confirmed his death on social media, saying they would hold a public funeral to allow people to bid farewell to the rock legend. Fans began gathering at his home, with some bearing flowers and wearing T-shirts printed with his nickname. Crowds filled a large plaza in downtown Buenos Aires to mourn, commune and sing Solari’s hit songs. People wept. Strangers hugged.

Eros Ruarte, 19, said he woke up Friday to his mother breaking the bad news.

“‘I said, no, mom, you can’t say that.’ I couldn’t believe it, that the Indio had died. … He is the biggest idol in the world. I grew up listening to him,” he said from the impromptu wake. “I heard his songs from my mom, my uncle.”

As the lead singer of Patricio Rey y sus Redonditos de Ricota — known more simply as “Los Redondos” — Solari became a countercultural icon for disaffected Argentines coming of age as their country transitioned from a bloody military dictatorship to a democracy characterized by newfound freedoms but also instability and hyperinflation in the 1980s.

During the consumerist frenzy that gripped Argentina the 1990s, under the free-market policies of then-President Carlos Saul Menem, Solari’s classic rock anthems, punchy dance tunes and cryptic lyrics gave voice to a spirit of rebellion against the excesses of capitalism and influences of foreign powers. Los Redondos released 10 studio albums, eschewing major record labels to maintain artistic independence.

The band broke up in 2001, but Solari found continued success as a solo artist, releasing five more albums under his own name that mixed mainstream rock and electronic influences and drawing hundreds of thousands of fans to parks and stadiums across Argentina.

At a massive concert in 2016, he announced that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. “Mr. Parkinson is nipping at my heels. But here I am,” he said. The crowd went wild. He later retired from touring, speaking candidly in interviews about the debilitating effects of the disease.

Tributes poured in from politicians, artists and soccer stars across the country.

The Argentine Soccer Association said Solari’s voice “became a popular rallying cry” and “echoed in the stands” of the soccer-crazed country.

The Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo, a prominent activist group which sought to find relatives who had been killed or “disappeared” by the 1976-83 dictatorship, said the singer “inspired society as a whole to doubt, to question and to think critically.”

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentina’s former president who is serving a corruption sentence under house arrest, posted one of his famous lyrics on social media, popularized as a call to live courageously: “Just living costs you your life.”

Solari is survived by his wife, Virginia Mones Ruiz, and 25-year-old son Bruno.

Who is bbno$?

If you ask the music industry, he’s one of the most successful anomalies on the global charts.

He’s the always-viral rapper, singer and songwriter who’s earned more than a billion Spotify streams, back-to-back Juno Fan Choice Awards and prime upcoming slots at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and NXNE next week (check back at Billboard Canada for more details).

He’s the artist who has record labels scratching their heads by reaching the fans they wish they could, right where they live: on the internet. He’s also someone who describes his live show as “the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen in my life” and means it as high self-praise.

But for the 30-year-old Vancouver native, the tougher question is: who is Alex Gumuchian?

“It’s a fine line,” he says, speaking over Tibetan momos at Loga’s Corner in Toronto. “I use bbno$ as an avenue to be the most extravagant self I want Alex to be on a regular basis, but I can’t.”

His music has helped him find his voice and his confidence. Now, he’s focused on figuring out the man behind it.

bbno$ (pronounced “baby no money” not bibinos) is currently on the Internet Explorer Tour, his biggest-ever global tour on the heels of his self-titled 2025 album that hit No. 33 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and spawned the hit “check,” which took over the airwaves and landed at No. 50 on the 2025 Year-End Billboard Canada Radio Songs Chart. 

A bbno$ show is a high-energy and unpredictable event, filled with memes, costumes, props and laser dicks. It’s also extremely supportive, a space for fans to be their weirdest selves and bond over brain rot. It’s like a non-toxic version of the internet come to life.

For Gumuchian, that’s important. Online is where he found community as a homeschooled child in B.C.

“It was kind of like my main friend,” he remembers. “I played World of Warcraft for years, and I met so many people that way. I fell in love with how much community there is [online]. The most important thing for me is distilling that for people who enjoy positivity and want to have fun, because there’s so much of the opposite in the world.”

In this new Billboard Canada cover story, he opens up about the man behind the music. From sexuality to strategy, he’s creating a sanctuary for himself — and his fans — to express themselves freely.

Read the full story here. — Richard Trapunski

Billboard Canada Announces Matthew Burnett and Jordan Evans as Music Managers of the Year for 2026

Matthew Burnett and Jordan Evans are Billboard Canada‘s 2026 Managers to Watch.

The powerhouse duo behind Daniel Caesar have been working closely with the R&B singer from the very start, helping guide one of the biggest Canadian careers and breakthroughs of the last decade. From the early days before Freudian in the mid-2010s up to the recent unconventional rollout of Son of Spergy which included spontaneous pop-up shows in parks across Canada, both managers have drawn from their backgrounds as creatives to help Caesar thrive as an artist.

The pair will receive the honour in person during the Billboard Canada Managers to Watch x MMF Honour Roll celebration at SOUNDSTAGE on June 11 at NXNE, which honours the unsung architects of the music career who contribute to generation-defining success among artists and create community for their fellow industry peers. 

Music Managers Forum Canada (MMF Canada) has also revealed the recipients of its 2026 Honour Roll, which celebrates outstanding career achievements among Canadian music managers and self-managed artists. Partnering with Billboard Canada for a second consecutive year, MMF Canada will honour Helen Britton and Shauna de Cartier as its Honour Roll recipients.

The award denotes outstanding achievement among Canadian managers. Both women are powerhouses at Six Shooter Records, a pioneering female-led independent record label which celebrated its milestone 25th anniversary last year. The roster includes luminaries like Cadence Weapon, July Talk, Tanya Tagaq and more.

Matt Maw will receive this year’s Trailblazer Award from MMF Canada, which celebrates a manager carving new paths in the industry. Maw is recognized for his outstanding work in the recognition of Indigenous music in Canada. Maw capped off a groundbreaking year with the launch of his new artist development company SUPERCONNECTED, whose roster is home to Indigenous artists like Sebastian Gaskin, Boogey The Beat, Wolf Saga and Miesha & the Spanks.

The full Billboard Canada Managers to Watch list will be out next week.

Read more and find out how to get tickets here.

Diljit Dosanjh Meets the Students of His Toronto Metropolitan Course Backstage at Rogers Centre

Nearly 50,000 fans packed Toronto’s Rogers Centre on Sunday night (May 31) as Diljit Dosanjh returned to the stadium for another massive stop on his ongoing Aura World Tour, further cementing his place as one of the biggest global touring artists in Punjabi music.

The sold-out concert marked Dosanjh’s second time headlining Rogers Centre and quickly became one of the most talked-about live music moments of the weekend.

The concert was attended by the students of the Toronto Metropolitan University course dedicated to the singer in partnership with Billboard Canada. The students met with the Punjabi icon backstage before he took the stage. Dosanjh later performed an extended version of “Ranjha,” the song first premiered inside their classroom.

With videos flooding social media showing stadium-wide singalongs, Punjabi flags across the venue and fans filling every section of the open-roofed venue.

The Toronto stop marked another major milestone in Dosanjh’s rapid global rise over the last few years through appearances at Coachella, the Met Gala and multiple international arena and stadium tours. But beyond the scale of the Rogers Centre performance itself, fans also closely followed the singer’s time around Toronto throughout the weekend.

Ahead of the concert, Dosanjh shared clips on Instagram of himself biking through downtown Toronto, casually riding through the city before stepping onto one of Canada’s biggest stages hours later.

Videos shared on Team Diljit’s social pages also showed the singer admiring the CN Tower and reacting to the landmark in Punjabi, while another Instagram Story gave fans a glimpse of him enjoying tiramisu during downtime between tour commitments.

Read more here. — Peony Hirwani

For three days, the city of Lecco, in northern Italy, became one of the epicenters of live music in Europe. By the end of Nameless Festival 2026, one thing was clear: the event had achieved something many festivals struggle to pull off – growing larger while staying true to the identity that made it successful in the first place.

After years of expansion and increasingly ambitious editions, organizers made a bold decision this year by bringing the festival back to its original home at Lecco’s Centro Sportivo Bione, the venue where Nameless first began its journey in 2013. The move proved to be a winning one. Thousands of attendees, mostly aged 18-35, from across Italy and around the world, descended on the city, transforming the shores of Lake Como into a vibrant hub of music, culture, and community. International participation was particularly strong, with 25% of attendees traveling from abroad and a remarkable 10% coming from the United States alone, according to the organizers.

Billboard Italy attended the festival since the inaugural date of Saturday, May 30, and from the moment the gates opened, the excitement surrounding the return to Bione was impossible to miss. Long lines formed at the entrances, several areas quickly reached capacity, and a steady stream of festivalgoers moved between the event’s five stages. The atmosphere felt less like a regional event and more like one of Europe’s established major festivals.

What stood out most was the diversity of the crowd. While Nameless continues to attract an increasingly international audience, it has managed to preserve the sense of identity and community that longtime attendees have come to associate with the festival.

Friday’s opening day drew massive crowds, thanks in large part to the return of Calvin Harris, arguably the most anticipated artist of the entire weekend.

The Scottish DJ and producer made his long-awaited return to Italy after more than a decade, choosing Nameless as the stage for his comeback. As the lights dimmed on the Ploom Stage and the first notes of his set rang out, a sea of fans packed the festival grounds.

Harris crafted a performance that spanned more than fifteen years of chart-topping hits, seamlessly blending recent releases with the tracks that helped define modern dance music. Songs like “Summer,” “Feel So Close,” “Sweet Nothing,” and “We Found Love” sparked a wave of collective nostalgia among millennial fans, many of whom grew up with those records as the soundtrack to their teenage years.

But nostalgia alone doesn’t explain Harris’ appeal. The younger generation was equally engaged, singing along to every lyric and anticipating every drop. The performance became more than a greatest-hits-set – it was a celebration of electronic music’s enduring ability to connect audiences across generations.

Reducing Nameless’ success to its biggest names would miss the bigger picture. One of the most impressive aspects of the 2026 edition was how effectively the festival spread attention across its entire site. Whether attendees were exploring the house-driven sounds of the Red Bull Energy Zone, the bass-heavy programming inside the Nameless Tent, or the urban and pop performances at the Garnier Fructis Arena, there was a clear sense of variety and intentional curation throughout the weekend.

The “Less Names” concept, featuring surprise guests whose appearances were kept secret until showtime, also played a significant role in maintaining excitement. The unpredictability has become part of Nameless’ DNA, giving fans a reason to stay curious and engaged throughout the event.

If day one delivered the biggest headlines, day two offered perhaps the clearest demonstration of how far Nameless has evolved. As the day unfolded, it became increasingly evident that the festival no longer depends solely on its headliners, which included John Summit, Halō and Pendulum. Attendees moved organically between stages, discovering both established international acts and emerging artists. The energy never dipped, regardless of who was performing – a subtle but important sign of a festival that has reached maturity.

By now, Nameless feels fully aware of its place within the European festival landscape. It is no longer an up-and-coming event trying to prove itself. It has become a destination in its own right. The festival’s final day maintained the momentum, delivering another packed schedule (that included headliners Fisher, Chris Lorenzo and Svdden Death) and reinforcing the consistency of the entire weekend.

As the closing performances unfolded and attendees prepared to say goodbye to another edition, the atmosphere became increasingly celebratory. Beyond the excitement of the music itself, there was a palpable sense of appreciation for the people who have spent years building Nameless into what it is today.

One of the most memorable moments came after the final sets had ended, when festival staff gathered to applaud CEO Alberto Fumagalli. The spontaneous tribute served as a reminder that behind the impressive attendance figures, sold-out stages, and international reputation stands a long-term vision that has transformed Nameless from an independent passion project into one of Europe’s most respected music festivals.

Ultimately, the success of Nameless 2026 cannot be measured solely by attendance numbers, major artists, or economic impact. The festival’s most meaningful achievement may have been its decision to return home. Bringing the event back to Lecco represented both a risk and a statement of identity. The overwhelming response from attendees confirmed that the choice resonated.

Judging by what unfolded on the shores of Lake Como this past weekend, this homecoming feels less like a return to the past and more like the beginning of a new chapter – one that will continue to unfold when Nameless Festival returns on June 4, 5, and 6, 2027.

After claiming that his recent show at Istanbul’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on May 30 was the biggest performance in the venue’s history, Ye is once again facing booking backlash for his many past antisemitic statements.

According to Tampa’s WFLA, Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott published a letter to the Tampa Sport Authority on Thursday (June 4), asking the operator of Raymond James Stadium to reconsider a pair of upcoming shows at the venue that is home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in light of the rapper’s extensive history of praising Nazis and Holocaust mastermind Adolph Hitler.

“Kanye West’s consistent antisemitic attacks are an affront to the values of the people of the Hillsborough community,” Scott wrote of the many past antisemitic comments by Ye, including the MC selling T-shirts with swastikas on them; Ye has since repeatedly apologized for his offensive remarks, claiming in a full page Wall Street Journal ad earlier this year that his “reckless behavior” was caused by a brain injury suffered in a 2002 car crash. “He has openly praised Nazis, called himself one, and slandered Jews across the world. Kanye West also funded a Superbowl ad in 2025 that directed viewers to purchase merchandise featuring swastikas,” the Senator said.

Scott added, “West’s remarks are vile and a slap in the face to our state’s Jewish community. It is troubling that a stadium supported by taxpayer dollars would openly subsidize an event led by an artist known for pushing this dangerous, hateful rhetoric, especially with Florida having one of the largest Jewish populations in our country.”

The comments came a few days after Scott first addressed the situation in an X post in which he wrote, “Kanye West’s repeated antisemitic remarks are vile and unacceptable. Antisemitism is plaguing this country and he has been a big part of the problem for years. He doesn’t deserve a stage to spread his hate anywhere, especially Florida.”

Ye booked a June 26 date in Tampa and then added a second show on June 29, with Scott encouraging the Tampa Sports Authority to “carefully review this decision,” offering his office’s assistance in reconsidering the shows. The TSA issued a statement in response, writing, “We recognize the concerns and viewpoints being expressed about the upcoming events at Raymond James Stadium. As a public agency, we follow the principles of free speech in operating our venue, although we do not condone remarks or actions from any artists that are offensive and divisive.”

West had been planning to take his massive globe-shaped stage around the world this year, but has been thwarted in London, Poland and France, where his planned shows were also pulled over his past anti-Jewish hate speech; he’s successfully pulled off multiple-night stands in Mexico City and Los Angeles (as well as the aforementioned show in Turkey) and is slated to take the stage at Gelredome in Arnhem, Netherlands on Saturday (June 6).