As the weather gets cooler, turn up the heat on your playlists with some new tracks from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists.

From Demi Lovato’s latest pop banger to Doechii’s team-up with pop-rock singer Alemeda, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:

Demi Lovato, “Kiss”

“I kiss for fun/ It’s fun to kiss,” a glitchy Demi Lovato chants on the opening of her new track. “I use my tongue/ L-l-l-like this.” If there was any question about what Lovato’s aim was with her upcoming album It’s Not That Deep, “Kiss” dispels any doubt — Demi is here to have a good time, period. This electropop dance track sees Lovato letting loose in a way that recalls the carefree vibes of songs like “Cool for the Summer” or “Really Don’t Care,” but this time with her tongue firmly planted in her cheek and her lips curled into a smirk.

Alemeda & Doechii, “Beat a B!tch Up”

At first glance, it may seem like a team up between pop-rock singer Alemeda and rising rap superstar Doechii isn’t a surefire win. But within a few seconds of “Beat a B!tch Up,” both artists prove exactly why they work so well together. Over a chugging punk-adjacent melody, both Alemeda and Doechii flex their vocal chops as they question why a love interest had them down so bad that they were ready to start throwing elbows.

Khalid, After the Sun Goes Down

Many refer to the process of coming out as a road to self-liberation, and nowhere is that more evident than on Khalid’s stunning new album After the Sun Goes Down. On a project where Khalid is finally free to say everything he wants to, the pop&B star holds nothing back as he digs through the thorny complications of modern love. Whether he’s brushing off a clingy, manipulative ex (“Nah”), struggling with a label for his situationship (“Yes No Maybe”) or settling into a tender sense of love (“Angel Boy”), Khalid lets all the best parts of his artistry shine throughout After the Sun Goes Down.

Brandi Carlile, “A War With Time”

We’ve all had that moment where we realize how quickly time is passing — yet when Brandi Carlile sings about it on “A War With Time,” it feels like a new concept. Over simple acoustic guitars, Carlile narrates a story of finding herself lost in a memory, before trying to snap herself back to the present moment. As her voice soars on the stunning chorus, Carlile demands the old vision of her past life to leave her alone: “Don’t even ask me, just go,” she sings.

Towa Bird, “Your Girl”

Towa Bird doesn’t even have to try that hard to get the girls interested, as she spells out in her new song “Your Girl.” Coming off the season two soundtrack of Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, “Your Girl” sees Bird having a frank conversation with her romatic interest’s current partner, informing them bluntly that they’re “driving her crazy” and that “the harder you push, the more she’s wanting to leave.” Her effortless sense of casual charisma only further lends to the song’s brush-off attitude, making “Your Girl” an absolute must-listen.

Lucy Dacus, “Losing”

Who doesn’t love a victory lap? After wowing audiences earlier this year with her excellent solo album Forever Is a Feeling as well as her headline-making tour, Lucy Dacus is officially back with a deluxe version of the project Forever Is a Feeling: The Archives, including demos, a Jim Croce cover, extended songs, live renditions and even an acoustic “wedding version” of her song “Best Guess.” But amongst all the additional tracks is one gorgeous, brand new song “Losing,” in which Dacus lets her haunting voice narrate a poetic, tragic song about allowing yourself to feel deeply and let go of your inhibitions, for better or worse.

Jay Som feat. Hayley Williams, “Past Lives”

Among the many excellent songs on Jay Som’s phenomenal newly released album Belong, there is one shining track that stands just slightly above the rest. “Past Lives,” the drifting, transient ode to tearing oneself apart, sees Melina Duterte teaming up with Paramore star Hayley Williams in a song that feels like two artists shifting into a shared liminal space to confront their respective demons. Over mid-tempo guitars and drums, and with a pair of vocals that fit perfectly together, Duerte and Williams spin gold out of their new duet.

Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:


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Nashville-based organization Music Health Alliance has teamed up with the mental health nonprofit Project Healthy Minds to bring more resources to the music community, helping to expand mental health access and support for industry professionals nationwide.

The partnership’s initial phase includes launching a custom, co-branded digital platform powered by Project Healthy Minds’ technology, which will be integrated into the Music Health Alliance website to serve as an additional resource for music professionals seeking mental health support. The platform will include access to services screened by mental health experts; the ability to filter by mental health challenge, price and location; services and support spanning digital self-care to crisis care and everything in between; and a selection of services specifically designed for children and teens.

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“Music professionals give so much of themselves to the world, often at great personal cost,” said Music Health Alliance founder and CEO Tatum Hauck Allsep in a statement. “There are unique pressures being a touring artist or industry leader that make it so hard to ask for help. The first step in this groundbreaking partnership between Music Health Alliance and Project Healthy Minds is a solution ensuring that safe, confidential, and trusted mental health support is available quickly and easily to music industry professionals wherever and whenever there is a need.”

The organizations will also collaborate on research and reporting to identify barriers to care, develop targeted interventions and create scalable solutions specifically designed to help music industry professionals.

“The music industry faces mental health challenges at rates higher than the general public, yet traditional systems aren’t built for touring artists, studio musicians or crew members working irregular hours,” said Project Healthy Minds founder and CEO Phil Schermer in a statement. “This partnership with Music Health Alliance is about getting access to mental health support for those who power the music we love.”

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When Kunal Merchant and Kahani crossed paths in New York in 2021, neither imagined they would soon be carrying the flag for a brand-new genre of music. Indo Warehouse, officially launched in February 2022, has since grown from underground test events to global stages, pushing what they call Indo House — electronic music mixed authentically with South Asian culture.

“We both loved music all our lives, but never thought we’d be pursuing it the way we are today,” Kahani recalls.

He had left a career in tech during the pandemic to chase a creative calling, sensing a gap in South Asian representation in electronic music. An idea sparked on a beach in Mexico quickly became an obsession. After a series of New York showcases, he reached out to Merchant, who was already DJing and experimenting in music.

Though he was skeptical at first, Merchant says everything changed when he saw live traditional vocals mixed with house records — and the way people moved to it in big American cities.

“I was like wow, this is different,” he says. “I questioned — how are all these people on the dance floor loving this in the U.S.?”

That moment planted the seed. By 2022, Indo Warehouse was born.

Indo Warehouse

Indo Warehouse

Savoir Faire!

For both, Indo House is an entirely new genre. It’s electronic music that pulls from percussion, vocals and instruments across South Asia while staying rooted in the traditions of global electronic culture. While house remains their anchor, they want Indo House to be a category in its own right, rather than being mislabeled on platforms as Afro House or another established genre.

“It’s difficult for artists and confusing for fans,” says Kahani. “Part of our mission is to make Indo House an official category — because it’s important for both the artist and the consumer.”

The duo have been lobbying with Beatport and major DSPs while simultaneously showcasing the sound around the world. They operate their own record label, curate a 20,000-follower Spotify playlist and host a monthly show on the SiriusXM channel Diplo’s Revolution. They’ve taken the message to industry stages, speaking at the International Music Summit Ibiza.

But there was one unquestioned breakout moment: Coachella 2023. Performing on the Gobi stage with a 40-person team of dancers, dhol players and visual artists, they put South Asian culture front and centre.

“It took four to five months to build the set — from stage design to custom clothes made in India,” says Kahani. “We wanted to show our culture belongs on the main stage, not behind the decks.”

The gamble paid off. Viral clips spread worldwide, and soon after, dance music legend Damian Lazarus signed Indo Warehouse to the Crosstown Rebels electronic record label and booked them for his Day Zero festival in Tulum, Mexico. Music legend Pete Tong, BBC Radio 1’s voice of dance music, even asked them to submit their music.

That momentum carried into this year’s packed touring calendar. In Singapore, Indo Warehouse delivered two performances during the Formula 1 Grand Prix: a DJ set at the pit ahead of the race and a full cultural showcase with dancers and dhol players the following night. “Most artists only get a small slot at an event like F1, but the fact that they had us slotted for two different sets was amazing,” says Merchant.

Back home in New York, they are preparing for their upcoming performance at the All That Glitters Diwali Ball on Oct. 11, a gathering of South Asian creatives that coincides with the festival of lights.

“Being home for Diwali is special,” Kunal says. “It’s where we get to celebrate with our community and bring our sound to people we admire and respect.”

Indo Warehouse

Indo Warehouse

Yuliya Skya

The rise of Indo Warehouse has come at the right moment. South Asian music is surging worldwide, with artists like Diljit Dosanjh and Karan Aujla making international breakthroughs. While big-name collaborations are on their radar, Indo Warehouse are intent on prioritizing authenticity over hype.

“The artist has to want to enter our world too,” says Merchant. “We’d rather build the sound first and then find the right voice for it.”

For Kahani, a dream collaboration would be with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s son Shahzaman Fateh Ali Khan, whose voice he describes as carrying Nusrat’s legacy. Raja Kumari is another artist they admire. “She feels like a house diva to me. I’d love to sit in the studio with her,” says Merchant.

Indo Warehouse are especially catching on within Canada. It’s where Dosanjh recently set records with stadium concerts, and it’s the home to artists like Karan Aujla and AP Dhillon, and a global hub for Punjabi music.

“Canada’s been incredible — the audience is open, mature and willing to let us take them on a journey,” says Merchant.

Toronto, they say, is one of their strongest markets. They’ve also toured Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal, with plans to return soon.

In India, their Dome Mumbai show was a milestone, with audiences connecting to the fusion of South Asian sounds and global electronic rhythms. Looking ahead, they are working on a new set of releases, building music together in the studio rather than separately for the first time. They’re also preparing to return to their roots in India at the end of the year with new material.

For Merchant and Kahani, the mission remains clear: Indo House is a global movement in the making.

“We know we can’t do it alone,” says Kahani. “We need more producers, songwriters and artists joining in. That’s how it will tip.”

This article was originally published by Billboard Canada.

This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features new music, including fresh picks by TINI, Esau Ortiz, Delilah and Santa Fe Klan, to name a few.

Nathy Peluso teams up with Rawayana for “Malportada,” the title track of her upcoming salsa EP. About her song with Rawayana, the Argentine star said in a statement: “Beto (of Rawayana) has that timeless voice and the carefree swagger of a classic salsero, without making any effort. Straight from Venezuela, one of the most beautiful cradles of salsa that I love so much. Beto is the mischievous one, with a good heart and good lyrics—the perfect partner to sing with and lose all composure.”

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Meanwhile, Bomba Estéreo pays homage to hometown Santa Marta in Colombia with “La Samaria,” a collaboration with Colombian icon Carlos Vives, who is also from Santa Marta. “This song means a lot to me because it’s a song about my homeland, where I was born and raised, and where I became the person I am today,” Bomba’s Li Saumet said in a press release. Vives added, “Sharing this song that celebrates the spirit of Santa Marta with Bomba Estéreo fills me with joy. t’s a song of unity, pride, and belonging to Santa Marta, reflecting the nostalgia that Li and I feel every time we return home.”

Other new releases this week include music from Shakira, who delivers “Zoo” for Zootopia 2, Jhayco (“Scorpio”) and Macario Martínez (“Enhierbado”), to name a few. Which release this week do you think is best? Give these new releases a spin and vote for your favorite new Latin music release below:

Editor’s Note: The results of the weekly New Music Latin poll will be posted if the poll generates more than 1,000 votes. This poll closes at 7:30 a.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 13

Zach Crowell and Jelly Roll have been friends long before either one of them became country powerhouses — Crowell as a Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter and Jelly Roll as one of the most compelling and successful artists to emerge in the genre over the last few years.

“In the real music business, Jelly might be the person I’ve known the longest,” Crowell, 44, tells Billboard. “I started out making rap music in the mid-2000s around Nashville. I’m born and raised in Nashville, and so is Jelly. Jelly was just a rapper who used to buy beats and studio time from me back in the day.”

By the time Jelly Roll shifted to country music, Crowell was already an established hitmaker, having written and/or produced songs for artists including Carrie Underwood, Sam Hunt, Luke Bryan and Keith Urban. He co-produced much of Jelly Roll’s breakthrough country album, 2023’s Whitsitt Chapel, and then produced the bulk of follow-up Beautifully Broken in 2024 — featuring “Heart of Stone” from the latter set, which becomes yet another No. 1 hit on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart and reaches a new No. 53 high on the Billboard Hot 100 on charts dated Oct. 11.

Below, Crowell reflects on crafting the thumping, emotionally charged single, from the recording process to the biggest challenges along the way.

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You co-wrote “Heart of Stone” with Jelly Roll, Blake Pendergrass and Shy Carter. How did it happen?

There were a couple of writing camps; we rented a house just outside of [Nashville]. There’s three or four producers in various rooms, and in each, three or four writers with them. You do that for a couple of days, and Jelly bounces from room to room. I had made a little track: a chord progression and a drum loop and sang a little bit of a melody and a lyrical idea. It was just one of the ideas that I brought into the camp — a lot of times you try to be strategic about what rooms you bring it to. Some combinations of writers are better for certain ideas. When I pitched that idea, they loved it. I’m pretty sure we finished it that day.

How did you get the tone right for the track? Were there a lot of takes?

Most hit Nashville songs I’ve recorded with bands in studios, but that I did in pieces. I initially made the basic track, then I brought [in] guitar player Nathan Keeterle. At that point, it’s still a demo. Once it made the cut for the album, I realized it needed live drums, so I took it to Aaron Sterling. We thought it’d be cool to have live strings — David Davidson put together a string section. It was pieced together, which was inspiring. Sometimes it can get stale when you’re recording a band in the studio and everyone’s playing at the same time. This made it a little bit fresher.

The song blends the spiritual and the secular and in many ways is a prayer.

One hundred percent and that’s the brand of Jelly, the thing that he established. That goes as far back as the rap music he used to make back in the day. He was always in that world, blending prayer with music and hope and pain. Jelly’s music is not [for] the party guy. That’s just never really been his thing when it comes to music. When you have the idea of a heart of stone, it’s then just down to Jelly to do his thing, which is talk about his struggles and turn it into a song of redemption. This is a theme throughout Jelly Roll’s music forever. I think he nailed it on that one.

When did Jelly Roll come in to do the vocal? It’s a very vulnerable song.

It still blows my mind that the rapper who I used to work with comes over and sings at the house. For this, I flew out to Los Angeles. We spent a couple of days in the studio cutting vocals on a bunch of songs. Jelly is such a workhorse of a singer; it’s not toying over every little thing. Everything he sings is emotional — that’s one reason he connects so well. The songs are so honest, and his fans feel him in the performance. It’s not hard to get that out of him. He just sings and there it is. It’s very easy to connect to.

What was the biggest challenge for you in producing this track?

The biggest challenge, 100% truthfully, would be just tracking down Jelly Roll. This album came out a year or so ago and [before that, Whitsitt Chapel] put him on the map, [and] he got super-duper famous. So, he’s just not available. That just is what it is. But everybody got it done and it’s working very well.

A version of this story appears in the Oct. 4, 2025, issue of Billboard.


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Lady Gaga in the Devil Wears Prada sequel? Groundbreaking.

According to a report from Variety published Friday (Oct. 10), the pop superstar is set to appear in The Devil Wears Prada 2, which is currently in production. Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway are returning to play their respective characters Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs, while Stanley Tucci will reprise his role as Nigel as well.

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The report did not include details about Gaga’s character in the movie, or whether she will play herself instead. It did note that fans have spotted her in Milan, where the cast is now filming the follow-up to the iconic 2006 comedy-drama.

Billboard has reached out to Gaga’s rep for comment.

Directed by David Frankel, The Devil Wears Prada was based on a book of the same name by Lauren Weisberger, who previously worked assistant to Vogue‘s former editor-in-chief Anna Wintour. The film follows Hathaway’s character as she’s thrown to the wolves after getting a job assisting Priestly, a formidable fashion magazine editor.

Devil Wears Prada 2 will add to a long resume of film credits for Gaga, who has also starred in House of Gucci (2021) and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024). In 2019, she was nominated for best actress at the Academy Awards for her performance in A Star Is Born. Though she lost the acting category, she did win best original song for the soundtrack’s Billboard Hot 100-topping ballad “Shallow.”

Gaga is currently in the middle of her Mayhem Ball tour supporting 2025 album Mayhem, which debuted atop the Billboard 200 and marked her seventh No. 1 album on the chart.

The Devil Wears Prada sequel is expected to hit theaters on May 1, 2026. In the words of Miranda Priestly: “That’s all.”


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Being the cinephile that The Weeknd is, fans shouldn’t be surprised to see him tap Gaspar Noé to direct his hallucinatory “Big Sleep” video, which arrived on Friday (Oct. 10).

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The chaotic clip is a shot of adrenaline as Abel blinds viewers with the lights. There’s even a warning message for those suffering from epilepsy or photosensitive fans to take note of before watching: “This video contains sequences of flashing lights and imagery that may affect photosensitive viewers.”

In the video, an elderly man — played by Hiep Tran Nghia — gingerly hobbles around a stone town before an apocalypse of sorts strikes. Statue heads of The Weeknd and “Big Sleep” producer Giorgio Moroder hover over the city while colorful lights flash from the clouds.

Nghia lies in the center of the deserted town as his spirit is seemingly overtaken by Abel and Moroder, whose eyes mimic the colors of the lights surrounding them.

“Big Sleep” landed on the XO leader’s Hurry Up Tomorrow album and features co-production from disco trailblazer Giorgio Moroder.

After a mammoth run through North America as part of the After Hours Til Dawn Tour, Abel’s heading overseas in 2026. Earlier this week, he announced seven additional shows for the U.K. and European leg.

There are now 36 dates in total, with Abel adding shows in Manchester, U.K.; Copenhagen, Denmark; Munich; Lille, France; Barcelona, Spain; and Lisbon, Portugal. There is also a fourth date slated for Paris’ Stade de France. Fans can expect Playboi Carti to serve as support on the European trek.

Watch the ominous “Big Sleep” video above.


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It’s official. Two days after Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl set the single-week modern-era consumption record for an album, the project has now broken the modern-era record for the most albums sold in a week in the United States, according to initial reports to data tracking firm Luminate.

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The album’s full final first-week consumption figure (equivalent album units, which includes pure sales, streams and track sales) and pure album sales figure are both still being tabulated by Luminate, and won’t be announced until Sunday, Oct. 12. That said, the album already has more than 3.4 million in pure album sales (physical and digital purchases), marking the largest sales week for any album since Luminate began electronically tracking music data in 1991, when the modern era of weekly music tabulation began.

Previously, the modern-era record for single-week sales of an album was held by the opening frame of Adele’s 25, with 3.378 million copies sold in its first week in November 2015.

The Life of a Showgirl was released on Friday, Oct. 3. Luminate’s tracking week that captured the album’s first week ran from Oct. 3 through the end of Oct. 9.

Since Luminate began tracking data in 1991, only three albums have sold at least 2 million copies in a single week in the U.S. Before The Life of a Showgirl achieved the feat, there was the bow of Adele’s 25 and the opening week of *NSYNC’s No Strings Attached in 2000, which sold 2.416 million.

The Life of a Showgirl’s official first-week numbers (equivalent album units, total traditional album sales and streaming figures) reflecting the tracking week of Oct. 3-9, are expected to be announced by Billboard on Sunday, Oct. 12, along with its assumed large debut on the multimetric Billboard 200 albums chart (dated Oct. 18). Luminate’s streaming, sales and airplay data powers Billboard’s charts. All numbers cited in this story are for the U.S. only.

Life of a Showgirl’s first-week sales were fueled by 34 different versions of The Life of a Showgirl — 27 physical iterations (18 CDs, eight vinyl LPs and one cassette) and seven download variants (not counting clean and explicit editions for wide digital retail).

Helping the sales The Life of a Showgirl in the last few days of the tracking week were four new iTunes Store-exclusive editions of the album that sold for $4.99 each, and for 24-hours only. They were issued one a day, starting Monday, through Thursday, and all are adaptations of the four limited-edition CDs that Swift released in her webstore over the weekend. The CDs each had the album’s 12 songs, plus two unique bonus tracks (acoustic/alternative versions of songs on the album). The iTunes Store versions carry the same tracklists as the CDs, but the iTunes versions add two unique voice memos to each album.

Those limited-edition CDs that were previously locked to Swift’s webstore were later made available during the week to independent record shops.

Finally, on Thursday, Swift’s webstore dropped a digital download version of the album, dubbed The Life of a Showgirl (So Punk on the Internet Version) with the album’s 12 songs and six previously released voice memos, plus one new voice memo.

For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram. 


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In a historic year, the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Week will gather more than 100 guests, including artists, industry leaders, and content creators, as well as over 30 panels focusing on music trends, the music business, and icon Q&A’s, among others.

This year’s star-studded lineup includes Aitana, Alofoke, Anuel AA, Bebeshito, Carlos Vives, Carín León, Danny Ocean, DJ Khaled, Daddy Yankee (DY), Emilia Mernes, Ivy Queen, Gloria Estefan, Grupo 5, Kapo, Laura Pausini, Luck Ra, Netón Vega, Olga Tañón, Óscar Maydon, Ozuna, Pablo Alborán, Rawayana, Suzette Quintanilla, Tokischa, Xavi and Yailin La Más Viral, to name a few.

Additionally, Latin Music Week will host live concerts throughout the week, including three highly-anticipated showcases at the Stardust Lounge, located in The Fillmore Miami Beach featuring rising Latin acts such as Christian Alicea, Golden, and Alejo.

Returning to The Fillmore Miami Beach from Oct. 20 to 24, Latin Music Week also coincides with the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards, set to air Thursday, Oct. 23, on Telemundo and Peacock. For the full schedule and more information, visit www.billboardlatinmusicweek.com.

Below, check out three promising showcases that form part of the week-long festivities:

Emerging Artist Showcase presented by Platoon

When: Monday, Oct. 20 at 6:00 P.M.

Where: Stardust Lounge at The Fillmore Miami Beach

Who: See a performance by Golden and a DJ set by MadMusick following the opening day of Latin Music Week. This event is open to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis; capacity is limited.

peermusic Showcase & Happy Hour

When: Tuesday, Oct. 21 at 5:30 P.M.

Where: Stardust Lounge at The Fillmore Miami Beach

Who: peermusic will be hosting an artist showcase at Latin Music Week, featuring Zizzy, Alejo, Lupita Infante, and Christian Alicea. The showcase will be open to attendees on a first-come, first-served basis; capacity is limited.

Artist Showcase presented by UNO Productions

When: Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 5:30 P.M.

Where: Stardust Lounge at The Fillmore Miami Beach

Who: UNO Productions will be hosting a showcase with Juanito El Millonzuki featuring Chaparro Chuacheneguer, Gerardo Fernandez, DJ Virtual, and Silvia Zepeda, and will be open to attendees on a first-come, first serve basis; capacity is limited.