Former ENHYPEN member HEESEUNG is ready to launch his new solo era with a brand refresh. The 24-year-old K-pop star who left the now-six-member group last month emerged on Wednesday (April 8) with a new look and a new name to signify his next chapter.

Now going by the name EVAN, the singer revealed his solo Instagram page, which features a series of close-ups of his eyes, face and hands, ending with a brief video clip in which he appears fresh-faced and without the usual gloss associated with the genre.

According to a press release announcing the relaunch, the visuals represent EVAN in his “most authentic form. With minimalist makeup and effortless styling, the portraits strip away embellishment to reveal a raw, understated charisma.”

Label BELIFT LAB said the new images capture “the purest form of EVAN — an artist at the very beginning of his identity, before any external definition is applied.” According to the release, EVAN reflects the singer’s artistic integrity and personal narrative, with the star explaining that the updated moniker reflects “a name I’ve cherished since childhood, one that holds many of my most precious memories. Through this name, I hope to reach fans with music that fully expresses my most honest and natural self.”

The K-pop icon debuted as HEESEUNG in ENHYPEN in 2020 and in addition to his vocals alongside former bandmates JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO, JUNGWON AND NI-KI, on three studio albums and seven EPs, the singer-songwriter and producer also wrote and produced tracks including “Highway 1009” and “Dial Tragedy.”

Upon his departure in March, BELIFT LAB said in a statement that, “through in-depth discussions with each of the members about the future they envision and the direction of the team, it became clear that Heeseung has his own distinct musical vision.”

He also addressed the group’s fans, ENGENE, at the time, writing, “The past six years have been filled with moments that are difficult to put into words — moments that were overwhelmingly meaningful, and incredibly precious to me. Sharing so many emotions with the members, and having ENGENEs always there to support us, helped me move closer, step by step, to a dream that once felt out of reach. I truly believe none of this would have been possible without you. Those memories will remain some of the most shining and unforgettable moments of my life. I will never forget them, and I want to continue supporting ENHYPEN as someone who will always cheer them on.”

At press time no additional information was available on when fans can expect EVAN’s musical debut.

The on-again, off-again Madonna biopic might be getting a ninth life in the upcoming season of Apple TV’s award-winning Hollywood send-up The Studio. The show that lives to tweak the foibles and insecurities of the 90210 crowd has landed a coup in casting Madonna in her first acting role in 23 years, and from the sounds of it her story arc is perfectly in line with creator/star Seth Rogen’s dedication to popping the movie business’s ego balloon.

According to Variety, Madonna will appear in two episodes of season two in a storyline that alludes to the troubled attempts to bring the story of her life to the big screen. The singer was recently photographed in Venice along with actress Julia Garner — who was slated to play her in the scrapped biopic — recreating the music video for the pop star’s 1984 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Like a Virgin.”

Madonna has not appeared on TV since a cameo on Will & Grace in 2003 and has not starred in a movie since 2002’s panned Swept Away remake, but Variety said a source described her narrative on the series as a kind of roman à clef centered on the biopic.

While the current status of the real-life Madonna movie is unclear, the project got its start in 2021 when Universal Pictures secured the rights to tell the singer’s story, with Madonna booked to cowrite and direct the film. After a number of A-list actresses reportedly auditioned for the title role, Ozark star Julia Garner came out on top and was slated to take on the task of telling Madonna’s story from her early days as a dancer in Michigan through her rise to stardom in New York in the 1980s, peaking with her 1998 Ray of Light album release.

But, after a number of reported script rewrites, the project was put on ice in 2023. At present, Netflix is working on an autobiographical series about the star that is not expected to feature Garner.

It appears that Garner may get the last laugh, though, as those recent pics from Venice of her in a gondola with Madonna suggest that The Studio‘s revival of the scrapped project will bring the two women together. Variety reported that Rogen’s fictional Continental Studios will act as the producer of the Madonna movie, which the star and his team of often bumbling vipers — Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders — take to the Venice Film Festival, where Madonna and Garner show up to try and gin up some Oscar buzz.

At press time a spokesperson for Madonna had no comment on her role in The Studio or Variety‘s reporting, which included a source saying that Madonna will not play the director of the fictional biopic; a spokesperson for Apple TV had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment at press time. Donald Glover, who was recently photographed on set in Venice with Garner and Madonna, is also reportedly slated to appear in the upcoming season in an unspecified role.

At the season three red carpet premiere of Euphoria at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Tuesday night (April 7), creator Sam Levinson dedicated the upcoming season of the show to “those who we lost,” including late stars Angus Cloud and Eric Dane and producer Kevin Turen.

“Some people ask why it took so long between seasons two and three,” he said, according to Deadline. “There were obvious factors — the strikes, trying to make a schedule work with our very in-demand cast, but the real time was in trying to figure out how to find a way to pay respect to those who we lost.”

Specifically, he mentioned Cloud, 25, who played the open-hearted drug dealer Fezco on the first two seasons of the show. Cloud died in 2023 from acute intoxication and Levinson said the loss hit him and the rest of the production really hard. “When Angus died, it was tough. I loved him deeply, and I fought hard to keep him clean,” said Levinson. “The year he died, in 2023, he was one of 73,000 people in America who died of a fentanyl overdose. I learned a whole lot that year, but what I realized more than anything is that death is what gives life meaning. You can’t be arrogant about existence. You’re forced to reckon with the fact that life itself is a wonder, a gift, a profound blessing.”

For that reason, Levinson said he wanted the upcoming season of the show — which debuts on HBO and Max on Sunday (April 12) — to be “the meaning beyond the absurdity.”

Veteran actor Dane, who played tormented Cal Jacobs, the father of Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi), was able to return for the third season before his death in February due to respiratory failure following a long battle with ALS. Speaking to Variety at the premiere, Levinson said when Dane showed up on set he noticed that the actor’s speech was “a little slurred … he was a bit self-conscious, and I said, ‘This works perfectly. We’re gonna put five beer bottles in front of you, and you’re about to say all of the s–t you would never say if you were sober.’ And we just had a blast shooting. We had 28 cast members on Saturday for the wedding. There’s all these people around, and he just showed up with such grace and dignity. He’s a consummate professional all the way through, and I miss him.”

As for star Zendaya‘s earlier suggestions that the upcoming season could be the final one for the often controversial series, Levinson said he writes “every season like it’s the last season,” and currently has “no plans” for a season four. “I want to finish this as strong as I can. I’m cutting [Episodes] 7 and 8 still,” he said. “I’m putting some finishing touches. I just want to deliver a f–king slam dunk season.”

After a four-year hiatus, the new season jumps ahead five years as Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) is now married to Elordi’s Nate and living in the suburbs, while Zendaya’s Rue is trying to pay off her debts to drug dealer Laurie (Martha Kelly). In addition, Jules (Hunter Schafer) is in art school and Maddy (Alexa Demie) is working at a Hollywood talent agency. Also returning are Maude Apatow (Lexi), Colman Domingo (Ali Muhammad), Chloe Cherry (Faye), Dominic Fike (Elliott) and Nika King (Leslie Bennett), along with new cast members Sharon Stone, Natasha Lyonne, Eli Roth, Rosalia and former NFL star-turned-actor Marshawn Lynch, among others.

Watch Levinson’s tribute here. Euphoria premieres on HBO at 9 p.m. ET/PT on April 12 and the season is set to wrap up on May 31.

SYDNEY, Australia — Vinyl, merch, ticket stubs and wristbands. In a shrinking, digital world, where upwards of 100 million songs live in our pockets, Gen Z has a seemingly unbreakable bond with physical touchpoints, the keepsakes of a great show and their favorite band.

That’s one of the takeaways from “Love Song 2026,” one of Australia’s largest and longest-running studies on digital natives.

The report, published this month and conducted earlier in the year by Connect by Live Nation, the music sponsorship, creative, and experiential agency, “Love Song” surveyed 5,692 Australians, including 1,411 Gen Z respondents, for a glimpse at how young people engage with culture, navigate fandom, and prioritize live experiences.

Over half of those Gen Z participants were found to rely on curated spaces to navigate culture, from playlists to creators and events. Live music, of course, provides a rush and is seen as the social lubricant for today’s youth, with 89 percent attending concerts solo to find their tribe, and 92 percent agreeing that meeting new people in real life at gigs is a perfect match.

This good times keep rolling after the house lights have gone up. Nearly all Gen Z (96 percent) say pre- and post-event moments are just as important as the event itself, from artist-themed parties (73 percent) to fan meet-ups (74 percent) and exclusive VIP or behind-the-scenes moments.

Gen X’s collection of stubs from the 1990s might just be worth something. Aside from experiences, Gen Z loves an artifact, the new document reveals, from merchandise (81 percent) to ticket stubs and wristbands (87 percent), with fans preserving these in physical scrapbooks to spark memories at a later date.

While Gen Z, typically born 1997 to 2012, is connected like no generation before them, 76 percent are returning to vinyl, proof of which can be seen in annual reports from ARIA and IFPI. At the same time, some older technologies are getting dusted off, for a tangible connection. Think Polaroid cameras, iPods and other devices that many thought were done like the dinosaurs.

“Gen Z’s engagement with live experiences isn’t confined to a single moment – it’s an ongoing lifecycle,” said Kristy Rosser, senior vice president, head of media & sponsorship at Live Nation Australia and New Zealand.“Physical merchandise has never been more important, and participatory elements such as posters and autographs are making a strong comeback. They’re blending the best of past and present to shape their own culture.”

The study took place from Feb. 18-25, 2026. Read more at connectbylivenation.com.au.

Jason Derulo will bring his Last Dance World Tour to Australia later in the year.

The R&B star will play arenas on both coasts, kicking off at Brisbane’s Entertainment Centre (Sept. 17), then moving to Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena (Sept .19), Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena (Sept. 21), and wrapping up at Perth’s RAC Arena (Sept. 23).

TEG Live is producing the Australian leg of Derulo’s tour, which has dates booked for Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany in the months ahead.

The tour dates “will showcase a dynamic retrospective of his biggest hits,” reads a statement from TEG Live, “delivering a high-energy production featuring spectacular choreography and stunning visual effects that bring the full rhythm of his catalogue to life.” Tickets will be available to the general public from Wednesday, April15 at 11:00am local time through Ticketek.

Derulo has runs on the board in Australia, where his releases “In My Head,” “Trumpets,” “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” with Jawsh 685 (a recording that landed in the courts), and “Talk Dirty” featuring 2 Chainz all led the ARIA Singles Chart, while his first three solo albums cracked the national top 10.

Back in 2010, Derulo was a guest and performer at ARIA Awards, presented at the Sydney Opera House, and he has chalked up multiple ARIA nominations, including best international artist in 2014.

He went on to serve as a coach for the 12th season of Channel 7’s The Voice Australia, replacing Keith Urban.

Derulo is touring in support of his eight-track album, The Last Dance (Part 1), which dropped in January. The project features six new songs, including the single “Sexy For Me,” alongside two previously released fan favourites,

Jason Derulo Last Dance World Tour 2026:
Sept. 17 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Sept. 19 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Sept. 21 — Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Sept. 23 — RAC Arena, Perth