Latest news with #CallOutMyName
Yahoo
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Toronto's 'Starboy', aka The Weeknd, receives a key to the city
Toronto's very own Starboy has been awarded a key to the city ahead of his highly anticipated concerts at Rogers Centre. Abel Tesfaye, a.k.a. the Weeknd, received the honour from Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow during a private ceremony on Saturday. "I'm deeply honoured to receive the key to the city. It feels good to be home. Toronto is where I found my voice, and I'm committed to helping the next generation find theirs," he said in a statement. To mark the occasion, the singer and entertainment company Live Nation will be also partnering up to support the the Boys & Girls Club of West Scarborough and The Weeknd's alma mater of Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute "to create spaces for youth to connect, create and thrive," says a news release from the City of Toronto. Students from both institutions were present at the ceremony on Saturday. "Abel 'The Weeknd' Tesfaye represents the best of our city. From Scarborough to the global stage, he has reshaped modern music while using his platform to support health and humanitarian causes at home and around the world," said Chow in a statement. "I am proud to honour one of our city's greatest artists with a key to the city to celebrate his contributions to music, society and our culture." Chow also proclaimed the weekend of July 26 and 27 as "The Weeknd Weekend" in Toronto. The Diamond-certified artist has smashed through global chart records with hit songs like Call Out My Name and Can't Feel My Face. Born and raised in West Scarborough, he made history as the first Canadian solo artist to headline the Super Bowl halftime show in 2021. The Weeknd will be playing four concerts at Rogers Centre on July 27, July 28, Aug. 7 and Aug. 8.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Olly Alexander, Charli XCX & More U.K. Musicians Pledge Solidarity to the Trans Community in Open Letter
Olly Alexander, Charli XCX, Self Esteem, Neneh Cherry, Rina Sawayama, Jessie Ware and more are among the leading musicians to have signed an open letter on behalf of the U.K. music industry to offer solidarity to the trans community. On April 16, the U.K.'s Supreme Court ruled that the definition of a woman is based on biological sex, and that a person with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) in the female gender 'does not come within the definition of a woman under the Equality Act 2010.' The U.K. prime minister Sir Keri Starmer has backed the ruling. More from Billboard 8 Trans & Nonbinary Artists Get Real on the Fight for Trans Rights in 2025: 'Try to Give a F–k' The Weeknd Is Ready for His 'Seal Moment' After 'The Batman' Director Says 'Call Out My Name' Inspired Superhero Sequel Tina Knowles Selling Signed Copies of New Memoir 'Matriarch' Online: Here's How to Get Your Hands on One The decision has been widely criticized, with protests and community action held by the trans community and its allies in the weeks since the ruling. In recent days, a number of authors and actors signed similar open letters decrying the decision and offering their support to the community. Dr Victoria McCloud, the U.K.'s first openly trans judge, is planning to appeal the decision to European Court of Human Rights. The open letter, organized by artist Tom Rasmussen and publicist Tom Mehrtens with support from Alexander and his manager Martha Kinn, states that 'the UK music industry is a vibrant, diverse landscape that thrives on creativity and inclusivity' that has 'long celebrated a multitude of voices and identities, and the music industry here in the UK is one of our most trailblazing and culturally vital assets — one which trans, intersex and non-binary people are woven into in every aspect of the industry, past, present and future.' Continuing the letter states that artists and and executives 'must now urgently work to ensure that our trans, non-binary, and intersex colleagues, collaborators, and audiences are protected from discrimination and harassment in all areas of the industry — whether in studios, at venues, in offices, or at festivals.' At the time of publication, over 330 names had added their name to the letter, which describes this as a 'moment to amplify voices that need to be heard, to champion inclusivity and real justice, and to ensure that our industry remains a welcoming and trailblazing space for everyone.' The letter also calls on leading U.K. industry organizations — including major and independent labels, publishers, managers and trade bodies like PRS for Music, PPL, BPI and more — to 'join us in condemning the Supreme Court ruling.' Signees also include Shygirl, Jimmy Somerville, Lava La Rue, JADE (Little Mix), Mura Masa, Mabel, Jake Shears, CMAT, Wolf Alice, MNEK, Paloma Faith and more, alongside a number of employees from across the sector. The letter also links out to actionable steps from promoters and community group Queer House Party to support and protest the decision. Read the full letter and see all the signatories here. Best of Billboard Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Pentatonix & Train Will Bring Their Holiday Hits to iHeart Christmas Concert Fox Plans NFT Debut With $20 'Masked Singer' Collectibles 14 Things That Changed (or Didn't) at Farm Aid 2021
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Colombian Star Venesti Breaks Down 5 Essential Tracks From His ‘Origen' Album
In an increasingly global music world, stars are popping up from every corner of the planet. But rising Colombian star Venesti may be the first to come from Guapi, a small, remote town near Colombia's Pacific coast where there is nothing resembling a music industry. 'This is a place with maybe 25,000 people or less. People who come from a place like Guapi, don't think they can be successful at this level,' says Venesti, who at 14 years old move to nearby Cali, known as a capital of salsa and a breeding ground for new rhythms. More from Billboard The Weeknd's 'Call Out My Name' Video Reaches 1 Billion YouTube Views Johnny Tillotson, Iconic Country & Pop Singer Behind 'Poetry in Motion,' Dies at 86 Rubi Rose Says She Makes $400K on OnlyFans During a 'Horrible Month' Venesti, real name Faiber Stiven Caicedo Castro, carved out the artistic name Venesti from a play on words on his middle names, and began to do a mix of tropical and pop informed by the Afrobeats of his hometown. Last year, he won his first Billboard Latin Music Award, for Best Latin pop song for 'No Es Normal,' alongside Nacho and Maffio. Building on the song's mix of pop beats with Afro roots and sensibility, Venesti released his sophomore album Origen on March 28 — a 12-track set that incorporates traditional Afro Caribbean rhythms with Afrobeats, reggaetón and ultimately pop for broad appeal. 'I wanted to find my roots, my culture,' says Venesti. 'This is an evolution of my sound. I've gone through salsa, bachata, and I've rescued many sounds from each genre, I've encountered a lot of folklore, fused with Afro culture.' The album features many collaborators, from known names like Guaynaa and Nacho to rising Colombian DJs and artists. Some may not be as known to mainstream Latin audiences but they're part of Venesti's journey from small town boy with big dreams to his arrival in Cali, and later, Bogotá, Medellín and Cartagena, all places whose music informs this album. Below, Venesti gives us his picks of five tracks to begin his journey with. This came from a session with Gangsta, who is one of the most incredible producers today. We'd been talking forever and finally met in Miami. We chatted at home and set it up. I told I wanted to create a fusion of ancestral sounds, and he brought up currulao, a genre from the Pacific coast that's set in five beats, and we put it inside the chorus. There's like a currulao in the Afrobeat, and it may be my favorite song. [In terms of the lyrics] I began my career writing poetry, but I wanted a chorus here that you could feel rather than sing. The 'Taca Tu Tacu' is the beat of my heart. The poem is recited by my heart. This is the song that has that danceable rhythm, but the song is all about courtship, and you're there, almost there. DJ Pope is Balvin's longtime DJ and he's also someone who's come up to me and congratulated me for getting to where I am coming from a place like Guapi. I worked with Nacho in 'No es normal' and I had that personal goa lof having him sing Afro. We agreed to do something else after 'No es normal' and he had wanted to do another merengue. I said, bro, if you allow me, let me show you this other rhythm. And he fell in love. We did several songs, but in the end, we stayed with 'Felina.' This is a heartbreak song. It's sad to remember happy moments that are over, but it's also about realizing it's time to let go of the people who've hurt you. It's about putting it all out there. I worked on this one with Jeivy Dance, this huge talent from Cartagena, and Andy Alaska, a DJ who's going through a great moment. I hadn't realized that Afro was being done like this in other parts of Colombia and the Pacific. The four DJs that are in this album are here based purely on friendship. This is the guy who is winning over the girl every day with little gestures. And when I say 'gestures,' I don't mean gifts; I mean a look, a call, those little things that matter, that are subtle. It's a very romantic song and I think people will really connect with it. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Olivia Rodrigo Plays Biggest Concert of Her Career in Mexico City: ‘My Eyes Can't Believe It'
With her performance debut in Mexico, Olivia Rodrigo reached a new milestone by playing the largest solo concert of her career to date, as she revealed onstage. The Guts superstar packed the Estadio GNP Seguros on Wednesday night in a sold-out show. The venue in the capital city has a capacity of 65,000 people, according to information from the promoter OCESA. 'Do you guys know that this is the biggest show that I've ever played in my f—ing life?! I literally… My eyes can't believe it. Oh my God! Thank you guys so much for being here,' Rodrigo said, visibly emotional, during her first of two nights at the iconic stadium (formerly known as Foro Sol). More from Billboard Watch Olivia Rodrigo 'Pretend Like I'm An Influencer' in Guts World Tour Backstage Video The Weeknd's 'Call Out My Name' Video Reaches 1 Billion YouTube Views Johnny Tillotson, Iconic Country & Pop Singer Behind 'Poetry in Motion,' Dies at 86 The singer/songwriter surpassed the attendance of more than 50,000 people she had achieved last October in the Philippines, where her family is originally from. Her visit to Mexico is part of the Latin American leg of her Guts World Tour, with her first stadium shows in Brazil and Mexico. Prior to the Mexican capital, Rodrigo performed her first solo concert in the region in the Brazilian city of Curitiba. In her first visit to Latin America, the 22-year-old star also participated in the Chilean, Argentine and Brazilian editions of the Lollapalooza festival late last month. In Colombia, she was part of the lineup for the Estéreo Picnic festival. This summer, she will also headline Lollapalooza on Aug. 1 at Grant Park in Chicago. During her performance in Mexico City, Rodrigo told the audience that it was one of her favorite cities and that she had already tried some traditional tacos, visited the Museo Casa Azul of the iconic painter Frida Kahlo, and attended a lucha libre wrestling match. Although there were mixed feelings because the show in Mexico, like in South America, did not feature the original production of the Guts World Tour, with the massive catwalk and giant hanging moon, and her setlist was shorter than usual, her thousands of fans, mostly young girls, gave the American singer a warm reception. The three-time Grammy winner's setlist included hits such as 'Obsessed,' 'Vampire,' 'Love Is Embarrassing,' 'Lacy,' 'So American' and, one of the most anticipated songs of the night, 'Good 4 U.' The opening act for Rodrigo's shows was Texas indie rocker St. Vincent, who released an album entirely in Spanish, Todos Nacen Gritando, late last year — a version of her Grammy-winning album All Born Screaming (2024). In her return to Mexico City, following her appearance at the previous edition of the Corona Capital festival, Annie Clark (her real name) was joined by Nine Inch Nails drummer Ilan Rubin as part of her band. On Thursday night (April 3), Rodrigo will perform her second concert at the Estadio GNP Seguros before traveling to the northern city of Monterrey to participate in the Tecate Pa'l Norte festival over the weekend. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beware of Cryptocurrency Scam Using Billboard Trademark
It has come to our attention that individuals are fraudulently using the Billboard name and trademark to run what seems to be a cryptocurrency scam operation. This is not legitimate and not in any way affiliated with Billboard. If you have fallen victim to such a scam operation, it is suggested that you contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) on its website. More from Billboard Beware of Scammers Posing as Billboard Contributors The Weeknd's 'Call Out My Name' Video Reaches 1 Billion YouTube Views Johnny Tillotson, Iconic Country & Pop Singer Behind 'Poetry in Motion,' Dies at 86 As always, Billboard does not solicit any sort of compensation for music or artist promotion. Websites and social media accounts promising coverage in exchange for profit share paid via cryptocurrency are not affiliated with us in any way. Confirmed examples of such scam pages include and Similarly, any 'company' identifying itself as Billboard or Billboard International, LLC that invites you to register for paid coverage online or in print is an imposter. Please do not send them payment of any kind. It's possible they will reach out to you via a false email such as info@ Unfortunately, this issue is not the first of its kind. Scammers on social media have been posing as Billboard contributors for years, ripping photos and biographical information from real writers' profiles and reaching out to private individuals and/or musicians — often targeting smaller artists — to offer coverage in exchange for money. If this happens to you, block the user and report them to the social media platform on which you were contacted. It's also important to note that Billboard does not have the power to directly ban or freeze social media accounts purporting to be contributors. This is why it is particularly important for individuals to be vigilant about not falling for scams. Authentic Billboard contact information is available on our website. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
