Latest news with #GrandNationalTour
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Kendrick Lamar and SZA deliver a stadium-worthy performance
Kendrick Lamar and SZA's Grand National tour rolled into London on Tuesday night, setting a new standard in how to create the ultimate stadium an art form that some of the world's biggest stars are yet to perfect, but the pair breezed through their 52-track setlist at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, stripping back the gimmicks and distractions to focus on their epic back California rapper and Missouri singer-songwriter have already broken records with the biggest co-headline tour in history, consisting of 39 shows across North America and serves as one big celebration of their recent achievements - Lamar's hit album GNX and SZA's deluxe edition of SOS, which both came out in 2024. On paper, bringing together two of the world's biggest artists in a joint show - rather than consigning one to a support slot - should be a guaranteed success. Just look at the numbers - they have a combined monthly listnership on Spotify of150 million after bear in mind that these are two artists with wildly different performance styles and subject matter - SZA is melodic and ethereal, whilst Lamar is punchy and fired sings about her past relationships and her struggles with finding self-worth, whilst Kendrick explores social commentary, his upbringing and ever increasingly, his as they switched between sets, offering up five to six songs each in the early stages of the two-and-a-half-hour show, you realised that the shared headline slot was clear the pair worked tirelessly to create a show that feels seamless - Lamar brought an intensity to the first act with tracks such as King Kunta and ELEMENT, which were punctuated by constant bursts of fire and the pair swapped over, the energy remained high, with SZA tearing through hits such as 30 for 30 and Broken Clocks, which were reworked to feel simplicity of the set design, which featured large moving screens on the main stage and a circular platform, allowed the focus to remain on the two of the sets are punctuated with dancers, but both artists spent the majority of their sets out on their own, drawing full attention from the 10-year working relationship was certainly evident in the duet sections of the show, in which the pair came together seamlessly to perform All the Stars, one of the evening's highlights and more recent collaborations Luther and Gloria. With any tour that features more than one headliner, it's difficult to determine the audience split, but the London fans greeted both performers with the same adoration. The crowd's energy for some of Lamar's earliest songs was electric, with mosh pits erupting throughout the standing areas for Backstreet Freestyle and family was certainly captivating throughout, notably performing without backing vocals to showcase his impressive rap flow and breath elements of the stadium show were borrowed from his Super Bowl half-time show from February this year, which was seen by more than 120 million crowd appeared delighted to see that many of the viral dances from that performance had made it to the tour, with the choreography during the track Peekaboo providing maximum sets were also interspersed with marching band snippets, which are not only prevalent on Lamar's GNX album, but also helped to recreate the big American stadium atmosphere that his music lends itself Lamar as he stalked across the vast circular platform, he commanded every single audience member with his presence - there were no costume changes, no dance routines, just a rapper at the very top of his was at his most intense when he performed his diss tracks, which also elicited the biggest reaction from the 38-year-old's year-long rap beef with Drake has been incredibly well-documented and whilst he may have showed a little restraint during his Super Bowl show, none of that was on display performance of Euphoria - a track in which he lyrically expresses his hatred for the Canadian rapper, was particularly cutting, But Not Like Us, Lamar's most commercially successful diss track and his most vicious takedown of Drake, was by far the biggest highlight of the came as song 50 of 52 on the setlist and it's was clear the audience hadn't just been waiting all night for it, but probably since they booked their tickets many months knew that a track centred around calling Drake a paedophile (something he strongly denies) could create the best atmosphere the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has seen in years. Whilst Lamar's stage set-up was understated, SZA got a little more creative when it came to her production individual sets were based around nature, with dancers appearing throughout dressed as anything from trees to giant also performed several songs on the back of what appeared to be a giant green ant sculpture, before climbing into a harness and ascending the stage with huge butterfly creating an out-of-this-world environment on-stage, tonight's performance saw her at her most her disappointing Glastonbury headline slot at last year's festival, much of the discourse surrounded whether she understood British audiences and was able to connect to doubt was put to bed from the very start of her performance, which displayed her true talents as a confident and multi-talented 35-year-old connected with the crowd instantly, serenading them with fan favourites such as Scorsese Baby Daddy and comparison to her Glastonbury headline slot, there was one similarity - she again suffered technical issues on Tuesday evening, appearing to struggle with her in-ear monitors this didn't affect her vocals at all, which were beautifully crisp, even during fairly complicated dance stage presence was impressive, as was her ability to adapt her slower songs so that they dovetailed perfectly with Lamar's frenetically paced the greatest highlight of her set came towards the end of the evening, as she lulled the crowd into an almost dreamlike state with then told the crowd how it was "crazy how you can go from being engaged to complete strangers" before she sang ballad Nobody Gets performing three of her own separate sets, which included songs from albums Ctrl, SOS and its recently updated deluxe version, SZA appeared once more to end the show with finished with two love songs - Luther and Gloria, before disappearing beneath the stage in a prop car, basically the production equivalent of riding off into the sunset.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
See SZA and Lizzo Perform ‘IRL' for the First Time in Paris
SZA and Lizzo had a twerk-off during the Grand National Tour stop in Paris. On Wednesday night, Lizzo joined her good friend SZA onstage to perform 'IRL' from her My Face Hurts From Smiling EP for the first time. 'BAD BITCH… in REAL LIFEEEE @sza !!!!!' Lizzo captioned a clip of the pair singing the track, adding the hashtag #stadiumstatus. 'Thanks for letting me throw it byke on ur stage 😗.' More from Rolling Stone SZA Calls Out Destructive AI Usage: 'Environmental Racism' Is the 'Price for Convenience' Travis Scott Says Kanye West Gave Permission to Use Demo in Motion to Dismiss 'Telekinesis' Suit Lizzo Is Rested, Restored, and Ready to Rumble on 'My Face Hurts From Smiling' Last month, Lizzo opened up about her longtime friendship with SZA, calling her 'one of the only people that I can text at 3 in the morning when I'm crashing out.' 'I really appreciate her, because she understands — and I think it's really hard for you to have someone in your life who actually fucks with you and who's known you for a long time who also understand the world that you're in,' Lizzo told Billboard. 'I think that's what I cherish the most about her. She gets me.' This is the second time Lizzo joins SZA on her co-headlining world tour with Kendrick Lamar. During the first stop of the shows in Los Angeles last month, the pair of stars performed 'Special.' At the time, Lizzo wrote on Instagram: 'BABYS FIRST STADIUM PERFORMANCE — I love u @sza u r THEE DIVA!' SZA and Lamar are set to perform in Cardiff, London, Lisbon, and Barcelona through the end of July before wrapping the European run of the tour in Stockholm on Aug. 9. SZA has also surprised fans by bringing out Kaytranada, Justin Bieber, and Doja Cat for surprise performances. Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lizzo Performs Live Debut of ‘IRL' With SZA in Paris: ‘Thanks for Letting Me Throw It Byke on Ur Stage'
SZA brought out Lizzo to perform 'IRL' IRL during the second Paris stop of the former's Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar Wednesday night (July 16). 'BAD B—H… in REAL LIFEEEE @sza !!!!! Thanks for letting me throw it byke on ur stage #stadiumstatus,' Lizzo captioned an Instagram clip of their performance. More from Billboard All the Guest Stars on Kendrick Lamar & SZA's Grand National Tour So Far Fred again.., Skepta & Denzel Curry Welcome Hanumankind to 'Victory Lap Three' Lorde Expands 2026 Australasian Tour With Extra Arena Dates It's not the first time SZA surprised stadium audiences with a Lizzo appearance during this tour. On the first of three L.A. stops, she brought out her 'best friend' 'for energy and positivity' as the two performed their remix of Lizzo's 'Special' from her 2022 Grammy-nominated album of the same name. 'IRL' was featured on Lizzo's recent rap mixtape MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING, which she dropped on June 27 via Nice Life and Atlantic Records. During Lizzo's interview with Billboard about her latest project, she gushed about how the 'Nobody Gets Me' singer does get her. 'She's one of the only people that I can text at 3 in the morning when I'm crashing out. She'll just get this one dark-ass text and she's like, 'Oh my gosh. Are you OK?'' said Lizzo. 'But I really appreciate her, because she understands — and I think it's really hard for you to have someone in your life who actually f–ks with you and who's known you for a long time who also understand the world that you're in. I think that's what I cherish the most about her. She gets me.' Watch a clip of Lizzo and SZA's first live performance of 'IRL' below. 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 Solve the daily Crossword
Black America Web
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
SZA Responds To Nicki Minaj, Says She Reached Out Twice For Features
SZA found herself on the business end of a Nicki Minaj rant, with the Queens veteran attacking the TDE singer and making unfounded claims about her character. In the wake of that flurry of social media messages, SZA, who is currently co-headlining the Grand National Tour with former labelmate Kendrick Lamar, fired back at Nicki Minaj and claims that her rival tried to reach out twice for features. As reported by Hip-Hop Wired, Nicki Minaj unloaded a barrage of insults and claims regarding SZA, adding that the New Jersey artist had unkind words for her musical peers and taking digs at her vocal ability. After initially giving a soft tap back, SZA had heard enough and added her side of the beef. 'Nicki . You absolutely know my music and what I contribute cause you've asked for features twice to no response . In addition to rapping my lyrics on feeling myself 'Cooking up the bass looking like a kilo'? Lol ur having a moment ..im not sure why but be blessed,' the CTRL singer wrote in direct response to a Minaj tweet. Fans of Nicki Minaj are claiming that the texts SZA shared on X were 'fake' to quote one user. However, the artist born Solána Rowe didn't duck any of the smoke from Minaj or the legion of Barbz trying to come for her. 'I get bullied by millions online every day then step my ass out onna packed stadium tour where ppl show me REAL love . IN REAL LIFE . My parents are healthy and I'm the most successful I ever been . GET SOME F*CKING PERSPECTIVE n BARK AT THE WALL !!!' SZA fired back at a Minaj fan. Although SZA is moving on from the beef, the Barbz are doing their concerted best to try and throw her off her square. Check out the replies below. — Photo: SZA Responds To Nicki Minaj, Says She Reached Out Twice For Features was originally published on 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nicki Minaj Says SZA ‘Sounding Like a Fkng Dead Dog' During Social Media Spat
Uh oh, the girls are fighting. Nicki Minaj and SZA started trading shots on X Tuesday (July 15). The 'Luther' hitmaker, who's currently in the middle of the European leg of the Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar, wrote on X, 'Mercury retrograde .. don't take the bait lol silly goose.' More from Billboard Nicki Minaj Reacts to Megan Thee Stallion & Roc Nation's Lawsuit Motion Denial: 'Karma' Premios Juventud 2025 Will Take Place in Panama: Here's Everything We Know Demi Lovato Is Ready to Heat Up Summer With Sizzling Preview of Dance Floor-Ready 'Fast' Single SZA's post came shortly after Minaj first sent shots to Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence 'Punch' Henderson when she wrote, 'Yall remember that man from tde who kept bullying me on Twitter for no reason? We have the receipts. lol. I never even responded to him. What was his name again, yall? Im going to give him a nickname. Ima call him 'Minus 30 million' from now on. #JusticeForDemoree.' She also added, 'Tiny D–k Executive.' SZA later claimed that she 'wasn't even talking about or to anyone I had just got off staged talkin bout retrograde . N—AS @'d ME . The F–K YES IM MAD NOW DO YOU NEED THAT !??' Minaj directly fired at SZA's initial tweet by writing, 'Go draw your freckles back on bookie #JusticeForDemoree #DepositionPerez Liar liar pants on fire. Sounding like a fkng dead dog.' The hashtags in all of Minaj's replies are referring to Roc Nation CEO Desiree Perez, whom she's also been repeatedly dragging on X, and her daughter Demoree Hadley, who claimed in a recent lawsuit that her mother had her unlawfully institutionalized in mental health facilities for nearly two weeks. 'I don't give a f–k bout none of that weird shit you popping,' SZA retorted in the replies. In another X post, Minaj wrote, 'Bi–i looking & sounding like she got stung by a f–king bee. dot dot dot *Draws on my fake freckles* #JusticeForDemoree.' When an X user cautioned SZA about Minaj's Barbz fanbase coming for her, she swatted at the online hate and counted her blessings, like, '[stepping] my a– out onna packed stadium tour where ppl show me REAL love . IN REAL LIFE ,' having healthy parents and being 'the most successful I ever been.' When another account tried dismissing her touring accomplishment because she's co-headlining the Grand National Tour with Dot, she brought up the success of her last SOS Tour, which grossed $95.5 million in 2023, ranking No. 5 on Billboard's top 10 highest grossing R&B tours of the year list (It ranked No. 38 on the 2023 year-end top tours list). The lighter 2024 leg of the SOS Tour grossed $41.5 million, ranking No. 7 on the top 10 highest grossing R&B tours of the year list and No. 71 on the 2024 year-end top tours list. 'What the f–k you wanna see lemme know.' 'Lmao lemme go back to being calm shy and meek . Yall have blessed night ! See you tomorrow for night 2 Paris !!' SZA concluded her side of the feud, as she prepares for her and Lamar's second show at the Paris La Défense Arena on Wednesday, July 16. Yet Minaj wasn't finished as she commented, 'Shutup ugly. #JusticeForDemoree. I'm in a meeting so idk if u was still talking s–t or not so if you didn't I'll delete later. Hoe.' 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 Solve the daily Crossword
