K-pop quintet LE SSERAFIM stopped by the Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday morning (Oct. 28) to play some games and perform their spicy new single, “Spaghetti.” Though their collaborator, BTS’ J-Hope, was not on hand to lend his vocals to the track that dropped on Friday (Oct. 24), KIM CHAEWON, SAKURA, HUH YUNJIN, KAZUHA and HONG EUNCHAE had no problem heating up the stage for the studio audience without him.
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With the video screen behind them featuring a floating galaxy of veggies, the women, dressed in a wild riot of colorful, mismatched tops and bottoms, wiggled, popped and locked across the stage as they sang the funky bilingual lyrics. “I serve looks like spaghetti/ I serve looks like bon appétit/ All my girls hot and ready/ Eat it up, eat it up,” they sang in unison as the chorus flashed in giant font behind them and the studio audience screamed every time they handed the vocal baton over to a bandmate.
LE SSERAFIM released their J-Hope collab last week, marking the BTS member’s first feature on a track by a K-pop girl group. They also just wrapped the North American leg of their EASY CRAZY HOT world tour, which kicked off in their native South Korea in April.
The women also hung around to play a game of “This or That” with JHud in which they answered a series of (not so) probing questions about their preferences. “I hope you guys know we want to learn as much as we can about you, right?” Hudson asked the super psyched audience before launching into the first softball query: sneakers or heels?
After conferring, the group all agreed on sneakers, also easily choosing late night over early mornings. But when she asked if they’re rather eat spaghetti with their hands or sip soup with a straw, the answer was, naturally, the very on-brand spaghetti. The questions were all pretty easy until Hudson asked them to choose one in a classic fantasy scenario: be invisible or be able to read minds?
“This is a tough one, huh?” Hudson said, as the women appeared to opt for invisibility, arguing “it’s better to not know anything.” And, even though its spooky season, asked to choose between a haunted house and a roller coaster, the group definitely opted for amusement park thrills over ghoulish chills.
Watch LE SSERAFIM perform “Spaghetti” and play “This or That” on the Jennifer Hudson Show below.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 17:37:472025-10-28 17:37:47LE SSERAFIM Serve a Full Meal on ‘Jennifer Hudson Show’ With Spicy ‘Spaghetti’ Performance
Sunny day! Elmo and his friends are inviting the world to come and play at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina in Italy.
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As announced Tuesday (Oct. 28), the furry red monster is bringing Cookie Monster, Grover and more muppet pals to the Games in February to help with NBCUniversal’s coverage of the biennial event. According to a release, the characters will be featured in activations across Sesame Street’s socials leading up to and during the competitions, as well as in NBCU’s social and broadcast coverage of the athletics.
“Elmo is very excited to come to Milan – that’s in Italy!” Elmo said in statement. “Elmo can’t wait to cheer on all the athletes at the Olympics. Elmo’s mommy is knitting him a special red, white and blue hat. Yeah, baby!”
Cookie Monster added that he’s excited for the trip for other reasons. “Me been practicing curling with a giant chocolate chippie!” he said. “Me can’t wait to try all the delicious Italian treats. Cannoli, me got me eye on you!”
The inclusion of Sesame Street in next year’s Games follows the success of Elmo and friends’ partnership with NBCU in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The gang was featured in illustrations showing their method of travel to the city for the event — via hot air balloon — as well as spots on TODAY, Access Hollywood, NBC Nightly News for Kids promoting the contest.
The group also participated in NBC Sports’ daytime coverage of the Summer Games, meeting Team USA athletes and sharing their experiences on the Sesame Street and NBC Olympics socials.
“Sesame Street has long been a source of joy and learning for families across the country,” said Lyndsay Signor, senior VP of sports marketing for Universal Television Entertainment Group, in a statement. “Bringing Elmo, Cookie Monster and their friends to the Winter Games in Milan and Cortina after the success in Paris adds a playful and heartwarming touch to our Olympic storytelling.”
“Their universal charm fits perfectly with the global spirit of the Olympics,” she added. “And Cookie Monster — we’ve got a fresh batch of biscotti waiting for you!”
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
With Wicked: For Good right around the corner, there’s no better time to spruce up your collection of Wicked merch.
This isn’t a drill. As of writing this, we are officially three weeks and three days away from the Wicked sequel’s arrival, meaning it’s time to start snagging up the best Wicked-themed dolls while they’re in stock. Below we’ve compiled our favorite Wicked-inspired Mattel creations depicting some of the film’s fan-favorites from Elphaba and Glinda to Prince Fiyero and Nessarose. Each doll features film-accurate ensembles with dazzling details galore, perfect for younger fans of the film or to nurture the child in you. Keep reading to shop for collectible Wicked dolls.
Mattel Universal Wicked Elphaba Fashion Doll & Accessories with Green Skin, Braided Black Hair, Posability & Removable School Uniform
When Elphaba isn’t flying through the sky, she’s attending classes like the studious witch she is. This Elphaba doll from Mattel currently retails for $30.47 on Amazon and comes dressed in the character’s signature Shiz uniform. The true-to-film costume features an asymmetric pleated skirt, a sweater with a collar and accessories galore. The doll is positively adorable, and a great alternative to Elphaba’s more witchy looks.
Mattel Universal Pictures’ Wicked: for Good Collectible Glinda Fashion Doll with Removable Outfit, Inspired by The Movie, Amazon Exclusive (Amazon Exclusive)
This Glinda fashion doll is an Amazon exclusive, retailing for $81. The detailed doll comes dressed in a flouncy pink dress featuring a satin bodice with an organza and taffeta skirt. As for accessories, you know Glinda’s got them all from a wand, pearl buttons, hair barrette, shoes, gem earrings and a butterfly necklace. The doll comes in a sweet collectible box that makes the doll even sweeter.
Mattel Universal Wicked Fiyero Fashion Doll with Posability, Removable School Uniform, Boots, & School Satchel and Textbook Accessory
If you’re just as in love with Fiyero as we are, then you’ll want to snag this Mattel doll. Retailing for $38 on Amazon, the doll is as handsome as can be, dressed in a removable school jacket with gold details, pants and boots. The ensemble is perfectly princely and features a ton of true-to-movie details down to the satchel strung over his jacket.
Mattel Universal Pictures’ Wicked: for Good Deluxe Glinda Fashion Doll with Removable Outfit & 3 Accessories, Inspired by The Movie
Look! It’s Glinda! This Mattel doll currently retails for $27.99 and comes in an alternative purple and pink true-to-movie premium organza gown with flutter shoulders and shimmery long sleeves. Like her other doll depictions, this Glinda is holding her bubble wand and features a sparkling crown atop her wavy blonde tresses.
Mattel Universal Wicked Deluxe Glinda Fashion Doll & Accessories Including Crown & Scepter, Movie-Inspired Look with Posability
Everything is prettier in pink and this Glinda doll from Mattel proves that. Retailing for $39.98 via Amazon, this doll comes in a sparkling pink tulle gown accompanied by Glinda’s bubble wand, a dazzling crown and tossable blonde hair.
Introducing, the Wicked Witch of the West! This deluxe Elphaba fashion doll dons a dramatic cape worn over a black, sheer dress with purple undertones. And she wouldn’t be complete without her broom, satchel and pointed hat.
The Glinda Barbie doll looks performance-ready in a soft pink dress inspired by one worn in the movie. Her dress is removable and interchangeable, and this set also includes a pair of pink heels, clutch, and long blonde hair with hair clips for styling.
Mattel Universal Wicked Elphaba Fashion Doll & Accessories with Green Skin, Braided Black Hair, Posability & Removable Ballroom Look
Nessarose’s doll features a manual, golden wheelchair with intricate detailing throughout. The doll wears a tan dress with detailed texture prints and red trim and jeweled slippers.
Grande and Erivo shared a sneak peek at the Wicked dolls on Instagram over the summer. “What a dream come true to be realized as Elphaba and Glinda in the form of Sweet Little dolls. Little Cynthia and Little Ari are pleased,” the Oscar-nominated actress wrote at the time.
Mattel did a great job of capturing their likeness, down to the tiniest details — from wardrobe to hairstyles, makeup and even “baby hair,” as Erivo pointed out. “It’s perfect,” Grande said while looking at the doll. “I love that it got my anxious eyebrows,” she joked.
Wicked tells the origin stories of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and her unlikely friendship forged with Glinda the Good Witch. The blockbuster musical, directed by Jon Chu, hit theaters on Nov. 22 and is available to stream on-demand now.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 17:18:342025-10-28 17:18:34So ‘Popular’: Ariana Grande & Cynthia Erivo’s Sold-Out ‘Wicked’ Dolls Are Back in Stock for a Limited Time
The wins keep coming for RAYE. The singer shared that her stolen car has been recovered, with her songwriting books “untouched.”
In an Instagram post last fall, the south London-raised artist revealed that the vehicle containing the books had been stolen on her birthday, adding, “there would be no second album anytime soon.” She shared the news along with a picture of a cake with the words “sorry ur car got stolen” written on it.
At the time, RAYE (real name Rachel Keen) had been working on the follow-up to her multi-BRIT Award-winning debut, My 21st Century Blues, released in 2023. The incident led her to press pause on her recording plans.
Speaking to Capital FM host Will Manning on Oct. 27, RAYE explained that the car has now been recovered. “So it was a rollercoaster journey,” she began. “But what I didn’t tell everyone is that the police called me, maybe like two, three months ago, and they were like, ‘We found your car.’
“Not only did I get it back, not one thing had been taken out of the car. All my songwriting books were there, untouched.” She continued, “Everything ended well. Never give up hope.”
Details for the 28-year-old’s second album, including a title and release date, have not yet been released, though it’s been confirmed it will drop sometime in 2026. Fans can pre-order the record, currently dubbed Album 2, via her official website.
RAYE released the first preview of material for Album 2 on Sept. 19. “Where Is My Husband!” is billed as the record’s lead single, and debuted during her performance with a brass band on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage earlier in the summer.
The track peaked at No. 3 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart and No. 67 on the Billboard Hot 100. To accompany its release, RAYE announced a tour titled This Tour May Contain New Music, which is scheduled to pass through the U.K., Europe and North America in early 2026.
The trek will encompass six nights at London’s 20,000-capacity O2 Arena. RAYE spoke about the residency to Billboard UK at the Ivors Academy Ceremony in September, saying that she “hadn’t quite digested” the achievement yet.
“That’s a big job — six nights? I’ve got to deliver,” she said at the time. “I remember when my tours used to be six nights long! But my mind is like, ‘We need to deliver the best show we can possibly deliver.’ My mind is worrying, but I’m really grateful.” Watch the interview clip below.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 17:12:102025-10-28 17:12:10RAYE Says Her Stolen Car With Songwriting Books Inside Has Been Recovered: ‘Never Give Up Hope’
Queen Latifah loves her some Megan Thee Stallion. The “U.N.I.T.Y.” rapper joined The Jennifer Hudson Show on Tuesday (Oct. 28), where she gushed about what Megan’s been able to accomplish and how Latifah ended up on stage alongside the Houston Hottie at Coachella earlier this year.
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“She’s so cool, she’s so fun, she’s so very talented and strong in her spot,” she told her The Secret Life of Bees costar about Meg. “I love that energy carrying hip-hop into the future, of course.”
Queen Latifah hit the stage during Meg’s set at weekend one of Coachella in April, which came as one of the biggest surprises of day three. Latifah rocked the crowd alongside Thee Stallion with a performance of her “U.N.I.T.Y.” anthem.
“She asked me to pop out at Coachella and I was like, ‘What? For Real, OK?’ I had to bring it for her because this is Coachella, we gotta take that thing down,” Queen Latifah said. “The people are gonna be ready.
She continued: “I wanna thank her again for having me, it was so much fun. They worked so hard, her dancers and everybody. It was just good energy that night.”
Queen Latifah wasn’t the only special guest, as Megan also brought out Ciara for “Goodies,” which she samples on “Roc Steady,” and Victoria Monèt.
The New Jersey native also teased some new music on the way after some prying from Hudson. “It’s just so much music and it’s time and the things, but I’ma make some time because I want to get it out there,” she said. “It’s all kinds of music too.”
Watch clips from the interview below.
Billboard’s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, visit the event’s website.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 16:56:362025-10-28 16:56:36Queen Latifah Gives Megan Thee Stallion the Ultimate Co-Sign: ‘I Love That Energy Carrying Hip-Hop Into the Future’
Jung Kook’s new Calvin Klein campaign is so steamy, it could melt butter.
The BTS star’s latest campaign with the fashion brand launched Tuesday (Oct. 28), complete with a series of eye-catching photos shared with Billboard as well as new ad spot. In the video, Jung Kook zips through city streets on a motorbike before strutting down a red hallway, staring down the camera. He also performs some of his million-dollar dance moves before retiring to a high-rise apartment, in which he hangs out with his shirt unbuttoned to show off his Calvins’ iconic waistband.
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The chic, dynamic photos — which were shot by Mert Alas — show the K-pop phenom smirking into the lens while modeling a handful of different looks, including a denim set and white T-shirt, the sleeve of which he lifts to show off his tattoo-covered arm.
“I know that my fans have been eagerly waiting for this return, and it feels so good to be back in the brand’s iconic denim,” Jung Kook said of the campaign in a statement.
Jung Kook has been working with CK for a few years now, debuting his first collaboration with the company in March 2023. A few months later, he once again posed for the brand, sporting shaggy rock-star hair with his washboard abs on full display.
In February 2024, the performer gave ARMY a late Valentine’s Day present by way of another smoldering Calvin Klein shoot set at Grand Central Station in New York City.
The new campaign comes as Jung Kook and his bandmates are preparing to make an epic comeback in 2026. BTS has spent the past couple of years working on solo projects and fulfilling their service requirements to the South Korean military, with Jung Kook releasing single “Never Let Go” in 2024 before he was discharged this past June.
Check out photos from Jung Kook’s dynamite 2025 campaign with Calvin Klein below.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 16:47:362025-10-28 16:47:36BTS’ Jung Kook Shows Off Washboard Abs in Smoldering Campaign for Iconic Brand: ‘Good to Be Back’
As a longtime ally for the LGBTQ+ community, Hilary Duff knows how important her new music is for her queer fan base.
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In an interview with Varietypublished on Monday (Oct. 27), Duff spoke about her upcoming return to music after the announcement that she had signed to Atlantic Records in September. During the conversation, the Lizzie McGuire star was asked about the excitement from her gay fans about the forthcoming release, and Duff gave a simple, clear answer: “You know it’s all for them. It’s just to impress them.”
Duff has long been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. In a 2022 interview for her starring role on the Hulu sitcom How I Met Your Father, Duff said she felt that “I owe the community everything,” particularly because “that particular community is just so vocal for my career.”
But Duff’s oldest — and most iconic — contribution to the community came in 2008, when she starred in an advertisement for the Think Before You Speak campaign, which was aimed at ending the colloquial use of the phrase “that’s so gay” as an insult. In the famous ad, Duff interrupts a girl in a boutique store who calls her friend’s blouse “gay,” informing her that it’s an insulting phrase. She then points to her outfit and quips: “What if every time something was bad, everybody said, ‘Ugh, that is so girl wearing a skirt as a top?’ Those are cute jeans, though.”
Elsewhere in her interview with Variety, Duff also shared that her new music may be coming even sooner than fans might think. “We’re getting something really soon. I have been hard at work in the studio with my husband and a few other amazingly talented people,” she said. “[My fans] are going to hear something so soon, like in the blink of an eye.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 16:25:542025-10-28 16:25:54Hilary Duff Says Her Forthcoming Music Is Dedicated to Her Queer Fans: ‘I Just Want to Impress Them’
Hampshire’s Boomtown Festival has unveiled its lineup for 2026’s event, featuring names from all across the musical spectrum.
Next year’s edition will take place at the Matterley Estate in the south of England on Aug. 12-16. Since its inception in 2009, the festival has annually built itself around an overarching “Chapter” that plays out via themed on-site installations, with next year’s theme being “Chapter 5: Radical Redesign.”
Kneecap, Scissor Sisters, Skrillex, Four Tet, Ashnikko, Faithless, Scooter and Shaggy lead the way among the first names announced for 2026, alongside ska icons Madness and rapper Eve.
Joining them on the lineup will be Antony Szmierek, Bad Manners, Big Special, Brutalismus 3000, Groove Armada, High Vis, Princess Nokia, Sampa the Great, Shy FX, Skindred, Vengaboys, Wilkinson and more.
Public transport tickets go on sale via Boomtown’s official website on Oct. 30, with general entry tickets going live the following day. More announcements are set to be made about the lineup and across the festival’s theater and immersive art offerings.
Previous performers at the event have included Maribou State, Overmono, The Prodigy, Peaches, Gorillaz and Ezra Collective.
In a press release, Boomtown cofounder Luke Mitchell spoke about the festival’s pivot toward a genre-spanning bill, whereas in the past, it focused on largely booking drum n’ bass acts. “While bass music has dominated in recent years and will always be at our core, we’re making a conscious move to keep Boomtown musically diverse and unpredictable,” he said. “Expect more live bands and more cross-genre adventures. That’s where Boomtown began, and it’s what keeps us on the truest path forward”
Kneecap released its debut album, Fine Art, in 2024 via Heavenly Recordings, and has since gone on to play major festivals including Glastonbury and Coachella. On Sept. 18, the Irish rap trio headlined London’s Wembley Arena, where it was joined by Massive Attack.
Scissor Sisters, meanwhile, are in the midst of a comeback campaign that has seen the group hit up arenas in the U.K. and Ireland, as well as take a co-headline tour with Kesha across North America this past summer.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 16:15:402025-10-28 16:15:40Kneecap, Scissor Sisters, Skrillex & Four Tet to Headline 2026 Boomtown Festival
Right before undergoing surgery, Tina Knowles got a live serenade from her two favorite singers: Beyoncé and Solange.
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While speaking to Peopleon Monday (Oct. 27) at the 27th Annual Angel Ball in New York City, the designer recalled the sweet way her two daughters cheered her up just before she had her procedure late last year to remove a tumor in her left breast. “Right before I was wheeled in to get the surgery, my girls sang a gospel song,” Knowles shared.
The mogul went on to reveal that the tune her two girls sang was called “Walk With Me,” which “I absolutely love,” Knowles said.
Bey and Solange also had their mom going into surgery in good spirits by showing her the highly quotable viral video of TikToker Jools Lebron reminding followers to always be “very demure, very mindful.”
“There was this woman who was saying, ‘You have to be demure,’ and they just kept saying this and showing me that video,” Knowles told the publication. “I went in there laughing and feeling so blessed — like everything was going to be OK. And it was. It so warms my heart.”
The Cécred cofounder has been open about her journey fighting cancer, both in interviews and in her April memoir, Matriarch. She’s also previously shared how present her daughters were throughout the process, writing in her book, “My girls became my team.”
“[Beyoncé] took it well, staying positive … I could already feel her mind racing, focusing on this as a task to tackle with precision,” Knowles also recalled in Matriarch of telling her daughters about her breast cancer diagnosis.
In an interview with People around the time the book came out, Knowles emphasized the importance of never skipping mammogram appointments. “You cannot play around with that,” she said. “I think as women, sometimes we get so busy, and we get so wrapped up and running around, but you must go get your test. Because if I had not gotten my test early, I mean, I shudder to think what could have happened to me.”
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 16:12:282025-10-28 16:12:28Tina Knowles Reveals Beyoncé & Solange Sang Her This Song Right Before Breast Cancer Surgery
“Throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks,” says bassist Ailbhe Barry, and for her band Florence Road, it is a kind of mission statement – one that their steep, uninhibited rise has borne out. To scroll the Irish indie rockers’ TikTok or Instagram from the bottom up is to witness this experiment in all its mess and world-building rawness, having spent years honing their own unpolished garage band persona online instead of jumping on forced trends.
The quartet, who are all in their early 20s, possess a confidence and adventurous spirit that belies their infancy as a unit. Like their Gen Z age-mates, the members of Florence Road favour a 0.5 (or extra-wide) lens on their iPhone cameras for its distorted or less ‘choreographed’ feel; using this visual gimmick on their live performance videos has routinely brought the band’s music to the For You Pages of millions, while keeping the focus on their grungy, gloriously anthemic sound.
“Listening to the world is important in some ways. But if we’ve done the most we can do with our work, I feel like there’s no reason to listen to anyone else,” says Barry of the band’s prolific online tendencies. “You would drive yourself mad if you were trying to please everyone.”
Completed by singer and guitarist Lily Aron, guitarist Emma Brandon and drummer Hannah Kelly, Florence Road understands that the years it has taken it to bottle lightning has made the eventual wins more fulfilling. The band formed in the coastal town of Bray, County Wicklow as high school students, drawing notice on their local open-mic scene and building a snowballing fanbase across social media before a management deal came calling after the release of their 2022 track “Another Seventeen.”
Their debut mixtape, Fall Back, was released in June via Warner Records, in which softly spoken melodies erupt into a clamour of hammering percussion, crashing guitars and snaking riffs. Part of the enthusiasm for the band stems from excitement that, with their equally lush and blistering approach, they are pushing open the gates of contemporary rock, blending wide-ranging influences (The Cranberries, Alanis Morissette, Sam Fender) with the build-and-release thrill of heavier crossover bands. Expect to see them leading industry tips lists come January.
For added live impact, so far, they have kept their sparser moments to a minimum. Nihilistic new single “Miss,” a longtime fan favorite, arrives in the middle of an Australian tour opening up for Royel Otis, the latest milestone in a bucket-list 2025 that has featured U.K. festival appearances, an upcoming European support slot for Wolf Alice and studio sessions with pop star go-to writer/producer Dan Nigro.
Chatting with Billboard U.K., the band opens up about its past few months of growth, taking ownership of its journey, and what it means to be at the forefront of the next generation of rock talent.
You’ve been sitting on “Miss” for a very long time now. How are you feeling about the prospect of finally hatching it?
Lily: It feels great because we’ve been playing it live for so long, and we love it so much. Playing it live is such a fun feeling. The song was relevant when we wrote it, and it’s stayed relevant in our lives ever since. Sometimes you write a song and it feels fixed to a certain time period but this one has travelled with us.
Hannah: It was just a matter of getting it 100% right. We tried to lay it down a few times and it sounded good, but the more we played it live, the more we figured out that missing bit ourselves. It originally had a different structure and then when we played it live, we would alter it a bit – we want to get those new elements into the final track.
Have you noticed a change in how people interact with you now that you’re showcasing more of your music live and building your fanbase?
Lily: Honestly, it’s been wild. People have been so receptive towards us, it’s cool to see them mouthing along to the words of our songs at shows. But I feel like we just keep taking things one step at a time, and we can’t overthink all of it too much or we’ll go crazy. We’re just having a ball!
Ailbhe: It’s also been amazing to get to see people face-to-face, when [our early career] was mainly online. We’d been used to interacting with people through comments or DMs. It’s really nice that people have been on that journey with us and seen us grow from young school kids just posting covers for fun, to now playing big stages. I’m sure it’s mad for them as much as it’s mad for us.
We’re now supporting our favorite artists, which is a very surreal thing. We’re just trying to soak up every second of being on the road. We’ve also been learning how to live out of the suitcase [while touring]. It’s like, “OK, how many socks can you get away with bringing for a two-week trip?!”
How do you handle the contrast between the intimacy of your songwriting and the exposure that comes with performing in front of thousands?
Ailbhe: It’s always mad when you see people mouthing along to your songs. It happens for us at every show, even support shows. It’s crazy to think back to how these lyrics came out of our minds and then suddenly there’s people in Australia singing them! It’s quite mind-blowing, especially, for more intimate songs like “Caterpillar” or “Heavy”; it’s something that will never not feel crazy. It is phenomenal how music can travel so far.
What is it specifically about playing live that brings Florence Road to life?
Hannah: For me, personally, I never feel less vulnerable than when I’m on stage. I feel like that’s because with all the months and hours of practice we have behind us, when we’re up there performing, we enter this whole new space where we know exactly what we need to be doing. That confidence just gives a base to interact with each other and to really be in the moment.
How do you navigate creative differences within the band without compromising the integrity of the music?
Lily: That’s a big one for us. We listen to each other and if someone doesn’t like a song idea, we’re not just going to bulldoze over it. There has to be some sort of consensus, but I think everyone’s ideas are always heard out as well.
A lack of communication can destroy a band and we want to make sure that we’re all comfortable and happy. If that’s ever not the case, we check in with each other. You know, our lives are very different from what they were last year. Making sure that we’re on the same page is very important to all of us.
Given that TikTok accelerated your career, what does it take to maintain a healthy relationship with social media?
Lily: Our personal lives are important to us, and it can be a weird feeling knowing loads of people know our faces. It is not a normal thing for people to have to think about. For me personally, having a private Instagram is so important – I don’t think I’ll ever make it public. I don’t need people in that space. I absolutely adore our fans but sometimes, things can get a little too parasocial. I think it’s important for us to maintain that we’re not best friends [with them].
As your star continues to rise, what lasting impact do you want to make as a band?
Lily: We’ve been given so many incredible opportunities, so now the main thing for us is to share with other people. We want to uplift Irish musicians, and other musicians in general, and shed a light on what they’re doing. That’s what it’s all about; that’s no point in just having something for yourself. I would love to get to a point where we could give back to other artists.
Billboard‘s Live Music Summit will be held in Los Angeles on Nov. 3. For tickets and more information, click here.
https://i0.wp.com/neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/station.nez_png.png?fit=943%2C511&ssl=1511943Yvetohttps://neztelinc.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/nez_png.pngYveto2025-10-28 15:50:472025-10-28 15:50:47Florence Road on Gigging With Olivia Rodrigo, Wolf Alice: ‘We’re Soaking Up Every Second’
