During The Rebel Lounge’s opening week in 2015, co-owners Steven Chilton and Chucky Duffy received an unexpected glimpse into the Phoenix venue’s storied past.

The catalyst: A call to 9-1-1 after a young woman took ill during a show. Once disaster was averted — emergency responders determined the woman was simply dehydrated — Chilton recalls overhearing a crew of firefighters who were lingering outside the 300-capacity venue. “There’s this 50-year-old firefighter and he’s like, ‘you guys aren’t going to believe it, but I saw Guns N’ Roses here,’” he tells Billboard.

The rest of the crew then began telling their own stories about their experiences at The Mason Jar, the iconic venue that previously inhabited The Rebel Lounge space from 1979 to 2005. The Mason Jar (also named just The Jar for a short time) was a quintessential 1980s rock club that served as every local band’s first venue.

“It was your dingy black box,” says Chilton, “gross bathrooms, everything painted black.” And it wasn’t just local acts who played there.

The list of artists who played The Mason Jar is a who’s-who of late 20th and early 21st century rock royalty: Metallica, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jane’s Addiction, Black Flag, Fishbone, Social Distortion, Avenged Sevenfold, Fall Out Boy and The Black Keys all performed at the small club, while Linkin Park — whose lead singer, Chester Bennington, was originally from Phoenix — played their first ticketed show there, Chilton says.

Over its 26-year run, The Mason Jar changed hands multiple times, but its most recognizable owner was Franco Gagliano.

“I can date what era someone was going to the Mason Jar by what price they remember the Kamikaze [drink] specials as,” Chilton says. “[Gagliano] used to get on the mic between bands and promote whatever Kamikaze special it is. Oh, the 25 cent Kamikaze? You were going there way early. Oh, the $2 Kamikaze? That was when you were going there.”

A big proponent of metal and punk music, Gagliano brought a lot of big names through Phoenix, which was smaller during The Mason Jar’s run but is now the fifth-largest metro market in the U.S. Local bands throughout Arizona played at the venue, and it also drew from nearby Southern California’s punk and rock scene.

“He was the kind of old school shady promoter that bands either loved or hated,” Chilton says. “If you bring him up to bands, there’s bands that go, ‘Oh my god. I love Franco! He always took care of us.’ And then there’s bands that go, ‘Oh my god. I hated Franco! He always ripped us off.’ And there is no in-between.”

The Mason Jar officially closed its doors in 2005. Over the next decade, the space held several different gay clubs before it went back on the market in 2015. Chilton and Duffy had been in search of a small club years earlier, and when Duffy saw the news that The Mason Jar was on sale, he called Chilton. “Chucky called me and was like, ‘I think we can make this work,’” Chilton says. That year, they bought the venue and got to work.

By 2015, Chilton was already a seasoned promoter. He started promoting shows in 2000 — while he was still in high school — under the name Psycho Steve Presents, and continued on that way through college before going on to work for local promoters. Around 2008, Chilton started doing gig work for Arizona promoter Stateside Presents (working the door at venues, being a runner for shows, making flyers, etc.), which turned into a full-time job, in addition to his work with Psycho Steve Presents. In 2011, Stateside opened the 500-capacity Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, and Chilton served as the talent booker there until three years later, when the strain of doing multiple jobs became too much. He continued to co-promote shows with Stateside, but Psycho Steve was promoting enough shows on its own to fill the calendar at a venue the size of The Mason Jar.

“I knew there was a hole in the market,” says Chilton of jumping at the chance to take over the venue. “I knew I could book enough shows. And there really was a need for more venues of that size. We had a lot of bars that I could do shows at that size, but not enough that were really good venues.”

Duffy and Chilton decided on a full remodel of the building that they joke “has been a music venue longer than rock’n’roll has been a thing.” After existing as a honky tonk in the 1940s, it later hosted go-go dancers, punk and club music. By 2015, it had been gutted, and the new owners used that as an opportunity to make it their own. They redid all the plumbing and electrical, doubled the recommended number of AC units and got rid of the drop ceilings to open up the space. The black walls were toned down to grey, and white tiles were added to the bar for a modern feel. Old brick was left exposed, and they kept the 100-year-old wooden door that leads to the walk-in fridge.

“We wanted something that felt neutral,” says Chilton. “I really wanted a place that felt comfortable for every audience.”

To further distance the venue from The Mason Jar’s reputation, Chilton and Duffy renamed it The Rebel Lounge, inspired by the seminal surf rock song “Rebel Rouser” by Duane Eddy, who grew up in Arizona. While they opened Rebel with the sorts of rock shows The Mason Jar became known for — including concerts by metal band Atlas, Thrice’s Dustin Kensrue and English punk outfit GBH (whose first U.S. tour in 1983 included a stop at The Mason Jar) — the new owners were set on creating their own legacy.

“We knew we didn’t want to keep the name the Mason Jar, because, as nostalgic as people are about it now, at the end, it was a pretty divey spot. And we knew that wasn’t going to be the style of artist we were booking,” says Chilton. “We wanted it to have its own identity programming-wise.” 

In just over 10 years, Rebel has hosted Soccer Mommy, The Heavy, Louis The Child, Declan McKenna, LANY, The Maine, TV Girl, Xavier Omär, Beach Bunny, Still Woozy, Shooter Jennings, Chicano Batman, Mitski, Pale Waves, The Lone Bellow, The Regrettes, Save Ferris, Tiny Meat Gang, Khruangbin, Japanese Breakfast, Snail Mail, Porches, Alex G, Men I Trust and many more.

“We get to take chances. That’s what I like most about booking a room like this,” says Chilton, who has seen megastars like Benson Boone and Chappell Roan come through the 300-cap room. For example, while Charley Crockett’s first show at the venue only sold 100 tickets, Chilton says “it felt like a win” to showcase an artist they believed in. Similarly, while the first Mitski show at Rebel Lounge wasn’t a sellout, the staff knew there was something about her — and Chilton says he listens to that kind of feedback. He adds that how many tickets an artist sells also doesn’t dictate how they’re treated.

“I don’t care if there’s 32 tickets sold, we’re going to treat this band right. Give them an extra drink. Put extra drinks in their green room,” he says. He stresses that it costs the venue nothing to be polite and that small matters like keeping the bathrooms clean, replacing a sagging couch and making sure the AC is blasting in the dead of summer make all the difference for artists, especially at the beginning of their careers.

“Chappell Roan was in Rebel twice and both times she was the opener,” he says. “You don’t know [if] that next opener [is the next] Chappell Roan, or if that opener is thinking about their next tour. Do they want to come back and headline a year from now?”

That mentality has paid off. The Rebel Lounge has hosted underplay shows from artists they’ve built relationships with, including Jimmy Eat World, TV Girl, Beach Bunny and hometown favorites The Maine, whose festival Psycho Steve Presents helps promote. Psycho Steve is also the promoter of Geese’s upcoming show at the 5,000-capacity Arizona Financial Theatre in October. “The only reason I am getting Geese,” Chilton says, “is because we took a chance on them at Rebel.” 

At the end of the day, that’s what Chilton and Duffy care most about: Setting the stage for today’s crop of rising stars.

“When we first opened, I had all these people like, ‘Are you gonna bring back all these bands that used to play at the Jar? Are you gonna get Jane’s Addiction? Are you gonna get Tool? Rage Against the Machine?” says Chilton. “And I was like, ‘No. None of those bands are playing a room like this again.’ What I’ve said over and over again is, our goal is to get the next generation of bands. Ten years from now I want people saying, ‘Oh my god. Can you believe I saw them at The Rebel Lounge?’”

For Maluma, his priorities as an artist have changed drastically, to the point where he says he is no longer interested in collaborating with American artists or pursuing the crossover success that once motivated him early in his career.

During a recent interview on Univision’s All Access, the Colombian singer spoke about the shift he has experienced. He reflected on how his mindset has evolved after years of chasing opportunities in the U.S. music industry. The artist, whose real name is Juan Luis Londoño, shared that there was a time when working alongside iconic English-speaking industry names was one of his biggest goals.

“I used to really want to collaborate with American artists. I was always, like, super obsessed,” Maluma shared during the conversation. According to him, that ambition was tied to what he once considered the next natural step for his international career.

“I was chasing what you could call the American dream, right? Not anymore. Now it’s the Colombian dream, it’s my dream and my country’s dream” added Maluma, whose standout collaborators include The Weeknd, Black Eyed Peas, Jason Derulo and Ty Dolla $ign, as well as Madonna on the single “Medellín,” named after his native city.

In 2022, he even took his first steps as an actor by starring in Marry Me alongside Jennifer Lopez. He spent years building strong ties within the mainstream American music scene, helping expand his global audience beyond Latin music. But now, Papi Juancho, as some of his fans call him, says his focus has shifted away from seeking recognition in the United States and toward investing his time and energy into Colombia’s growing urban music movement.

“It’s my dream, it’s my dream of my homeland, it’s the dream of my grandparents,” the singer explained to All Access. “It’s the dream that has always existed and that keeps my feet on the ground.”

The artist also shared that his focus is now on looking inward to find the next step in his career. He no longer feels the need to constantly look outside his country for inspiration or validation. “That phase of always having to look to the United States to see what’s next is over,” he added. “Now I’m looking at my country.”

Maluma’s remarks come at a moment when Latin music continues to dominate internationally without relying as heavily on English-language crossovers as in previous years. While he has a roster of stellar collaborations with Colombian artists such as Karol G, J Balvin and Shakira on songs including the latter’s “Chantaje” — which spent 18 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 — his plan now is to continue supporting emerging talent within the country.

The artist also recently released his latest album, Loco X Volver, a project that showcases his current focus and reflects the more personal and grounded chapter he appears to be entering both professionally and personally.

“Good Friends” brings good news for Baby Keem, who achieves his first No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart with the single, which features Kendrick Lamar and Momo Boyd. The track, released and promoted on eerie times/pgLang/Columbia, rises from No. 3 to crown the list dated June 6.

The new champion takes the summit from DaBaby’s “Pop Dat Thang,” which slides to No. 4 after two weeks in charge. “Good Flirts” is from Baby Keem’s album CA$INO, released in February. The set opened at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and became his first No. 1 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.

On Rhythmic Airplay, “Good Friends” is the fourth entry for Baby Keem, the 25-year-old rapper born Hykeem Carter, Jr. He made his debut with “Orange Soda,” which debuted and peaked at No. 38 in March 2020, and followed with two collaborations with Lamar, his cousin: “Family Ties” (No. 19) in October 2021 and “The Hillbillies” (No. 27) in August 2023.

For Momo Boyd, “Good Flirts” gives the singer a first No. 1 with her maiden visit to Rhythmic Airplay. Her budding momentum continues through her second career entry, “Oops,” which climbs 35-31 on this week’s chart.

Lamar, meanwhile, adds a 12th Rhythmic Airplay No. 1 to his ledger. With his latest, the superstar ties Beyoncé, Doja Cat and Nicki Minaj for the eighth-best career sum. Drake remains far and away the leader in that race, with 43 champs to his credit.

As Lamar joins the dozen club, here’s a list of his 12 Rhythmic Airplay No. 1s. Notably, “Good Flirts” marks his first chart-topper in a featured role; all previous 11 have come in a lead or co-lead capacity.

“Humble.,” three weeks at No. 1, beginning June 6, 2017
“Loyalty.,” feat. Rihanna; one, Sept. 30, 2017
“Love.,” feat. Zacari; one, Dec. 30, 2017
“Pray for Me,” with The Weeknd; two, April 18, 2018
“Like That,” with Future and Metro Boomin; four, May 18, 2024
“Not Like Us,” 12, June 15, 2024
“Squabble Up,” two, Jan. 18, 2025
“TV Off,” feat. Lefty Gunplay; four, Feb. 8, 2025
“Luther,” with SZA, one, March 1, 2025
“30 for 30,” with SZA, two, March 8, 2025
“Peekaboo,” feat. AzChike, two, May 31, 2025
“Good Flirts,” Baby Keem featuring Kendrick Lamar & Momo Boyd; one (to date), June 6, 2026

Elsewhere, “Good Flirts” repeats at its No. 9 best on Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. Thanks to its result, the single secured Baby Keem’s first top 10 appearance on that chart, while Boyd collected a first and Lamar posted his 20th such visit.

After focusing on friendship with his excellent 2023 Lost a Friend EP, rising British singer-songwriter Saint Harison is ready to cast out the haunting spirits still percolating from his last romantic relationship.

On Friday (May 29), the Southampton-born artist, 29, shared his latest project, Ghosted — an immersive, unflinching look at a person working through the demise of particularly tumultuous romance. From regretfully ignoring his own intuition (“Bad”) and soundtracking a full-on emotional shutdown (“Panic Room”) to eventually taking accountability and reaching a precious level of peace (“White to a Wedding”), Harison’s new EP is a deft display of his storytelling ability, both vocally and lyrically.

“[In time since Lost a Friend], I moved to L.A. from England, and this project is all about my time dating out there, finding someone and falling in love, and being on the receiving end of a really s—t situation,” he tells Billboard. “I grew so much through writing this project. I’ve also started therapy. I’ve had some horrible, draining times, mental health-wise, so I wanted that edge and darkness to come across.”

To make sense out of that darkness, Harison tapped longtime collaborator Akeel Henry and expanded his circle of co-creatives to include Oscar-winning contemporary R&B architect D’Mile and Nova Wav, the production-songwriting duo of Brittany “Chi” Coney and Denisia “Blu June” Andrews, who worked on Beyoncé’s Renaissance and Cowboy Carter LPs. With a rebooted cast of characters, Harison crafted a project that finds him fine-tuning his singular songwriting approach — not many artists can successfully land a lyric like “You made me hate Beyoncé” — while also exploring notes of ‘60s soul-pop and small, albeit notable, increases in tempo.

At the top of the year, Harison joined Sam Smith for their 20-show residency at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, Calif. In between shows, the two queer vocal acrobats were able to foster true kinship — and Harison also got to pick up a few pointers for his own upcoming U.S. trek this fall.

Below, Saint Harison walks Billboard through Ghosted, reveals what he learned from Sam Smith and spills what it was like meeting Beyoncé for the first time.

Was Ghosted always the title for the full project?

I don’t know where it came from really. I was working on a project in February 2024, and I scrapped almost all of it. “Ghosted” was the one song that kept sticking around throughout all the revisions. And it always felt like it set the tone. I find when I write, I get one song that becomes my muse for the rest of the project. It just felt correct that the whole thing would be called Ghosted.

Why did you scrap that first project?

Oh, it was s—t.

Well, what’s your bar for s—t?

I was upset because I put so much work into it. I did a whole camp and worked with so many good people on that project, so [me scrapping] it wasn’t a reflection of them. I just didn’t feel like I achieved what I had set out to. I know it when I hear it. And there wasn’t enough honesty for me. I was also trying to get a few uptempos — because I’m aware that I’m much better at writing slower songs about sad things — but those felt a little forced to me.  They’re still great songs, but they didn’t have a narrative that I felt like was important to tell.

What was the last song you added to the project? Why did it make Ghosted feel complete?

“Glass Houses.” I felt like I’d done my s—t-talking with “Bad” and “Stuck,” but I thought the project was still lacking empathy. And it was lacking a part of me that’s probably the realest: my ability to forgive and see that some people are truly hurting. Growing up in an abusive household makes you realize how much people can take away from growing up. Sometimes, when you meet people’s parents and learn more about their family dynamic, you can see some people don’t have good examples of love. So, that was the last song I added, and I’m glad because it really is my attitude towards everything after what I’ve been through.

“Panic Room” sounds like nothing else on the project. How did that one come together?

I was having the biggest writer’s block and had just scrapped the last project. I didn’t know what to do. I thought I did my best, but I didn’t feel like that was good enough, so I started writing one-minute songs. It took the pressure off of having to come up with a whole song and then a whole second verse and then a bridge. I was just making s—t and having fun.

“Panic Room” was actually two songs. The first song was called “I Hate Beyoncé,” and the other one was “Panic Room.” I put them together, because that song feels like a whole trip, the acknowledgement of loss and change.

You co-wrote “Glass Houses” with D’Mile and worked with Nova Wave on that. What was it like working with those super-producers? Did you learn anything from them?

Unbelievable. I had wanted to work with [Nova Wav] for such a long time. Obviously, I’m the biggest Beyoncé stan, so I was very aware of their work and achievements, as well as their stuff with Jazmine [Sullivan]. And D’Mile was the same — they were bucket list [collaborators]. I felt so lucky to be able to work with them at a time where I feel like I’m still building and finding a new audience and figuring it all out. And they’re just so nice, too. I remeber the first time I met D’Mile, he was just so warm and friendly.

Why did “White to a Wedding” need to be last?

That song was originally a country song. I love writing country music, which is something people don’t know. Dolly Parton was the first album I ever bought. The style of storytelling in country music puts me back into the present, and allows me to tell a narrative from start to finish, which I feel is sometimes hard when you’re trying to make a “hit record.” I had “White to a Wedding” sitting for a while, and I really wanted to make it work within the context of Ghosted. It feels like closure in a really weird way; I’m accepting this person is going to move on forever, but also, it still should’ve been me. It just felt like the best [closing]I could give to that situation.

How has your creative process changed between this project and Lost a Friend?

I still write a lot by myself. “Panic Room,” “Daffodil” and “Ghosted” were all done in bedrooms and people’s living rooms. That is something that will probably stick with me forever. The studio feels like so much pressure; all this equipment and all these buttons, $20,000 microphones… I’m like, “Oh my God, I better write a great song.”

I’ve also become a lot more confident in songwriting, which I owe to all the songwriters I worked with, on “Lost a Friend,” for example, because you learn so much. Songwriting is such a skill, and I’m grateful to have watched these talented writers and producers push instead of settling.

Which lyric are you most proud of on Ghosted?

[Laughs]. My head goes immediately to “Panic Room.” I remember writing [“You made me hate Beyoncé”] and getting such mixed reactions from everyone around me. People were like, “I don’t know if you can say this,” and I thought that was so weird, because obviously I’m in love with Beyoncé and clearly the song is saying, “You f—ked up my favorite person for me.” This person literally ruined my life because now I can’t even listen to Renaissance!

I don’t know if “proud” is the right word, but when I’m asked about a particular lyric on Ghosted, my mind always go to that one. I am the King of the Beyhive in my mind, and this is the realest s—t I’ve ever written! I love that song.

When you met Beyoncé at last month’s Cécred event, was that lyric on loop in your head?

Not really, because I was so overwhelmed that she was stood in front of me. She’s an absolute angel. She knew who I was, and she said some really, some really nice things. I was overwhelmed by the whole experience. But, the next day, I definitely was a bit like, “God, I hope she f—king likes my song.” But I think she would understand it being the absolute genius and queen she is. She would understand the vulnerability and songwriting behind that. As long as she knows that I absolutely adore her, which she does, then I think we’re okay. Trust, with a few SirDavis [cocktails] in my system, I definitely told her how I felt!

You played a couple shows with Sam Smith earlier this year. How was that?

It was one of the best experiences I’ve had of my career so far. Sam was such an inspiration to me growing up. We had loads of conversations whilst I was there, and we had a drink after the final show. We talked about what it’s like to be queer in this industry, how difficult it can be, struggling with perception, and all of that stuff. I learned that sometimes we forget even the grandest starts may have insecurities. I also learned it’s okay to not feel at your best all the time. This industry is such a pressure cooker, and so intense, that it’s nice to have met someone I was so inspired by, and have them be there for me as a peer and a bit of a mentor.

And the crowds were amazing! “Unholy” went off every night.

What else do you have planned this year?

I want to start a podcast! Like a “Ghosted Anonymous,” or something along the lines of that. Even if it’s just a short YouTube series. I like talking; I will chew anyone’s ear off.

I’m also doing a US tour, and then it’s back to writing. I probably have 60% of my new projects finished.

What kind of head space are you in right now?

I’m deep-diving back into my childhood and my life. Anyone who’s working on it with me, we’re definitely in a trauma bond at this point. It’s just gonna be dark and sad from here on out. Honestly, the day that I do a happy song, I will have to go out and celebrate and order champagne.