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Triller Lands More Than $10 Million in Investments From Snoop Dogg, The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar and More (Exclusive)

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Triller, a music-focused social video platform rivaling TikTok, has secured strategic investments from major music industry figures amounting to more than $10 million.

Terms of the deals have not been made public, but an individual familiar with the investment told TheWrap the total amount is in the $10 million to $20 million range.

Triller’s new investors include Snoop Dogg, The Weeknd, Marshmello, Lil Wayne, YoungThug, Kendrick Lamar, Pitbull, Baron Davis, Tyga, TI, and Jake Paul and, along with mega-music managers Gee Roberson, Moe Shalizi (the manager for Marshmello and founder of The Shalizi Group), Amir Cash Esmailian of XO, and Ash Pournouri.

“We are incredibly fortunate to work with some of the largest artists on the planet, and today’s announcement about our increasing portfolio of partnerships and collaborations with top labels and artists marks perhaps the most significant shift in music since the creation of streaming,” Triller CEO Mike Lu said. “We are truly putting the music business back together, and artists recognize the importance of Triller to the future of the industry.”

Notable music industry executives such as Shawn Gee (President of Live Nation Urban), Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith (Chief Executive Officer of TDE), Abe Burns (President of Maverick Digital), James Prince (CEO of Rap-a-Lot Records), and Believe Digital, among others, have also invested in Triller.

Triller reports rapid recent growth, and says it has 26.5 million monthly active users in the U.S. and more than 75 million worldwide. That could put it on track to surpass TikTok domestically; the Chinese company reports 26.5 million monthly active users in the U.S.

The video platform found itself in hot water last month when Triller staffers revolted over the perception that app was being commandeered by Trump supporters after a Trump-driven #MagaChallenge rap contest went viral and drove millions of new views.

Triller says it has the highest engagement of any music social platform in terms of daily time spent on the app, reporting that users spend an average of 20 minutes per day and creators spend over one hour. The company recently acquired MashTraxx, a machine-learning platform for music and video editing, with nine industry-defining patents.

The artists’ equity investments announced on Thursday also involve a strategic partnership with Triller, which also has licensing partnerships with the majority of the top studios, including Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, and Universal Music Group.

“Triller has been an incredible platform for artist discovery and has helped take artists to the next level. Partnering and working with large, established artists like Marshmello to emerging artists like Roddyricch, Triller is revolutionizing the music industry by allowing streams to count towards artists on the platform,” said Shalizi Group founder and CEO Moe Shalizi. “This transaction demonstrates their commitment to artists and the business and deepens artists connection to their fans.”

Back in October Ryan Kavanaugh’s Proxima Media bought a majority investment in Triller, worth $28 million. At the time Proxima also brought in a number of strategic investors, including Silicon Valley veteran, Mahi de Silva, who assumed the role of chairman at Triller.

In addition to Triller’s new investors and partnerships, the company said on Thursday that users who subscribe to the platform can stream full-length songs in-app for free — as opposed to 30 to 60-second clips — from virtually every label, directly within the Triller app. Users can also save songs to their own playlists and access playlists.

“One of the most common questions any music app gets from music and label partners is ‘how will this app help our streaming numbers?'” Triller vice president of content and strategy Lauren Braun Diamont said. “Triller has unlocked the secrets to social streaming, by closing the loop between viral videos and music streams.”

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The Weeknd, Kendrick Lamar Sued Over ‘Black Panther’ Song

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The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar are being sued for copyright infringement by a Brooklyn-based band who says the duo stole vocals from one of their songs to create “Pray for Me,” which was featured on the soundtrack to “Black Panther.”

Yeasayer, which broke up last year, says they released a song in 2007 called “Sunrise,” which featured “a distinctive choral performance … comprised of male voices singing in their highest registers, with animated, pulsing vibrato, and developed via distinctive audio post-processing.”

In the lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in New York, Yeasayer says that the duo, along with the song’s producers and record labels, “extracted” their vocal performance and “modified it” before inserting it into “Pray for Me.” Despite that, the group says the vocals are “immediately recognizable” as theirs.

The group says the vocals were used eight times during the course of “Pray for Me” and say the modifications were done “with the intent to conceal the infringement.” Yeasayer is suing for copyright infringement and they are seeking unspecified damages. The group is also asking for an injunction to stop sales and licensing of the song.

You can listen to both songs below.

The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar have yet to comment on the lawsuit.

Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.

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The Weeknd Slams Grammys as ‘Corrupt’ After Nominations Shutout

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The Weeknd has called out the Grammys for being “corrupt” after he didn’t receive a single nomination for the 2021 awards show.

“The Grammys remain corrupt,” he tweeted on Tuesday. “You owe me, my fans and the industry transparency…”

The Weeknd had been at the top of most experts’ prediction lists this year after his music dominated 2020. His single “Blinding Lights” was the biggest chart hit of the year, breaking the record for the most weeks on the Billboard Top 10. Similarly, his fourth studio album, “After Hours,” received critical and commercial acclaim upon its release in March. Plus, the Canadian singer will headline the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show the weekend after the 2021 Grammys.

And yet, The Weeknd was shut out of all nominations on Tuesday. It’s a snub that many are comparing to Taylor Swift not being nominated for Album of the Year for “Reputation” or “Lover,” and Harry Styles not earning any nods for his debut album back in 2018.

“We understand that The Weeknd is disappointed at not being nominated. I was surprised and can empathize with what he’s feeling. His music this year was excellent, and his contributions to the music community and broader world are worthy of everyone’s admiration. We were thrilled when we found out he would be performing at the upcoming Super Bowl and we would have loved to have him also perform on the GRAMMY stage the weekend before,” Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr. said in a statement Tuesday night. “Unfortunately, every year, there are fewer nominations than the number of deserving artists. But as the only peer-voted music award, we will continue to recognize and celebrate excellence in music while shining a light on the many amazing artists that make up our global community. To be clear, voting in all categories ended well before The Weeknd’s performance at the Super Bowl was announced, so in no way could it have affected the nomination process. All GRAMMY nominees are recognized by the voting body for their excellence, and we congratulate them all.”

The Weeknd has received nine nominations since 2014, winning three awards. His most recent Grammy win was in 2018, when his album “Starboy” took home the prize for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Beyoncé leads all artists for the 2021 Grammy nominations, snagging nine total, followed by Dua Lipa, Roddy Ricch and Taylor Swift each earning six. Even with the coronavirus pandemic putting the touring industry on hold, the Academy received a record 23,207 entries for a single year.

A spokesperson for the Recording Academy has not yet responded to TheWrap’s request for comment. “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah will host the 63rd Annual Grammys, which will air on CBS on Sunday, January 31, 2021 at 8 p.m. ET.

See The Weeknd’s tweet below.

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The Weeknd Gets Unsolicited Coaching From James Corden Before Super Bowl Halftime Show (Video)

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The Weeknd is set to perform in the Super Bowl halftime show, but James Corden thinks the “Blinding Lights” singer could use a little coaching to make sure his performance is as flawless as a Patrick Mahomes deep pass.

“I knew sooner or later that the network’s biggest star would have to pitch in and help out,” “The Late Late Show” host said in the new clip that will air on CBS on Monday night. “Unfortunately, Young Sheldon doesn’t have a cell phone. He’s not allowed. He’s still a child.”

“I didn’t call anyone,” The Weeknd says into the camera. “Dude just showed up.”

And so Corden rolls up to Tampa uninvited, dressed in The Weeknd’s famous red and black “Blinding Lights” outfit complete with head-covering bandages. But he doesn’t seem to even know what musician he’s trying to help. He seems more interested in his plans to descend onto the stage wearing a football helmet made to look like a disco ball.

“I want to see ‘Viva La Vida’! I want to see ‘Clocks!’ I want to see ‘The Scientist’! I want to see ‘Yellow!'” Corden barks at the backup dancers…until The Weeknd informs him that he’s rattling off Coldplay songs.

The late-night host proceeds to put the singer through the wringer as if he’s coaching him to play in the Super Bowl, not perform in its halftime show. Let’s just say, the passing and kicking practice doesn’t go all that well.

“After lockdown, I was looking forward to collaborating with people but…I don’t like this at all,” The Weeknd laments.

Watch more of Corden’s antics in the clip above.

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The Weeknd Personally Spent $7 Million on Super Bowl Halftime Show, His Manager Says

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The Weeknd blew the crowd away with a Super Bowl halftime show that preserved all the unnerving neon vibes of his hit 2020 song “Blinding Lights,” which means it was mission accomplished for a chart-topping artist who, according to his manager, spent $7 million of his own money to make sure the performance was everything he wanted it to be.

In a profile for Billboard Magazine published two weeks ago, The Weeknd’s manager, Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, said that the artist ponied up the extra cash — halftime shows usually have a budget of roughly $10 million — to make sure the show was just right.

“We’ve been really focusing on dialing in on the fans at home and making performances a cinematic experience, and we want to do that with the Super Bowl,” The Weeknd added.

And indeed, the show was designed with TV in mind, including a segment where The Weeknd retreats into a brightly-lit hall of mirrors to sing “Can’t Feel My Face” while the camera spins around him and he is swarmed by backup dancers wearing the red-and-black suit and bandage masks the singer made famous in the eerie music videos he created to support his latest album, “After Hours.”

The singer, born Abel Tesfaye, also took advantage of a Tampa Bay stadium that was less than entirely full by setting up an elaborate set in one of the venue’s upper sections — though the finale included the star and his army of backup dancers marching across an otherwise empty field.

Though the artist was infamously snubbed in the nominations for this year’s Grammy Awards, he’s already planning a world tour for when the pandemic ends, with six dates already sold out.

According to Billboard, he’ll easily make back that $7 million he invested in the Super Bowl, as he’s set to make an average of $1.3 million per show on his upcoming tour. Meanwhile, the artist has seven songs currently listed in the iTunes top 30, with “Blinding Lights” still at No. 1 a year after it was released.

 

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Showtime Sets Making-of Documentary About The Weeknd’s Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Showtime has picked up a documentary about The Weeknd’s Super Bowl halftime show, the premium cable network announced Friday.

Titled “The Show,” the 90-minute feature will be directed by “Becoming’s” Nadia Hallgren and is set to premiere late this year. Pepsi, which produces the halftime show each year, will produce the doc with Boardwalk Pictures.

The Weeknd’s performance, helmed by longtime Super Bowl halftime show director Hamish Hamilton, was broadcast on Sunday from the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Featuring hits like “Can’t Feel My Face,” “Starboy” and “Blinding Lights,” the performance was generally well-received by critics with its immersive stages and moody atmosphere. In a profile published in Billboard, it was revealed that the performer himself kicked in $7 million to deliver the show.

Showtime describes the halftime show, executive produced by Jesse Collins and Roc Nation, as “one of the biggest musical productions during one of the most challenging, unprecedented times” in its announcement of the documentary. “Despite the logistical challenges that the collective team faced in the lead-up, the result is what the world saw Sunday – an imaginative, out-of-the-box performance.”

“This historic year with Jesse Collins as the first Black EP of the Halftime Show brought an opportunity to tell a new story,” Hallgren said in a statement. “We get a window into the process of a diverse team of executives and creatives working at the highest level, in front of and behind the camera. It’s fun to see these masters at work while they also uplift others. I hope this can inspire people to pursue big dreams.”

Among the creatives who worked on the performance and will be featured in the documentary are: The Weeknd’s creative director La Mar Taylor, set designer Es Devlin, costume designer Lila Nikole, Bruce Rodgers on set build, producer Dionne Harmon and choreographer Charm La’Donna.

“The Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show is undoubtedly the world’s biggest stage, producing the most viewed and talked about moment in music every single year. The pressure to deliver an iconic, memorable and entertaining performance is felt well beyond the artist, as there are a number of people – behind the scenes – who are vital to its success,” Todd Kaplan, vice president of marketing for Pepsi, said. “With our new documentary coming to Showtime, we are taking fans on the emotional and thrilling journey of what it takes to make the biggest show of the year – with the added complexity of doing so amidst a global pandemic. With Jesse Collins and a number of super-talented creatives at the helm, THE SHOW chronicles all the drama and hard work that goes into successfully pulling off a show of this magnitude.”

“Anchored by The Weeknd’s dynamic performance, ‘The Show’ is a worthy snapshot of the tremendous artistry and effort that goes into the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show,” added Kent Sevener, executive vice president of content acquisition for Showtime. “Jesse Collins has been absolutely passionate about this project, and Nadia Hallgren brings the kind of energy and insight that will make this behind-the-scenes look a transformative experience and something unique for Showtime viewers.”

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The Weeknd Dominates iHeartRadio Music Awards Nominations Following Grammy Snub

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The Weeknd landed eight nominations from the iHeartRadio Music Awards, leading the pack of all nominees after he was shut out from Grammy nominations earlier this year.

The Weeknd was nominated for Song of the Year, Male Artist of the Year, Best Music Video and Best Lyrics, among other categories. His track “Blinding Lights” was nominated for Song of the Year alongside “Circles” by Post Malone, “Don’t Start Now” by Dua Lipa, “ROCKSTAR” by DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch and “Watermelon Sugar” by Harry Styles.

Other artists to land multiple nominations included Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Megan Thee Stallion and Ariana Grande, all of whom were nominated for Female Artist of the Year. Justin Bieber was also nominated for Male Artist of the Year.

Last year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards were cancelled due to the coronavirus, and the winners were announced over the radio, which honored Lizzo for Song of the Year and Billie Eilish for Female Artist of the Year.

This year’s show however, now in its eighth year, is returning to Fox on Thursday, May 27 beginning live at 8:00 p.m. ET. The event will air live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles and be heard on iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on the iHeartRadio app. The show will feature award presentations in multiple categories, live performances from the biggest artists in music and other surprise stage moments.

Fans also have a chance to vote in this year’s awards for select categories, including Best Fan Army, Best Lyrics, Best Cover Song, Best Music Video, the Social Star Award, Favorite Music Video Choreography Award and the first-ever TikTok Bop of the Year Award. Social voting for listeners and fans begins Wednesday and will close May 19, and fans can vote via Twitter using the appropriate category and nominee hashtags.

The full list of nominees is listed below. For a full list of categories, visit iHeartRadio.com/awards.

Song of the Year:

  • “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
  • “Circles” – Post Malone
  • “Don’t Start Now” – Dua Lipa
  • “ROCKSTAR” – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
  • “Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles

Female Artist of the Year: 

  • Ariana Grande
  • Billie Eilish
  • Dua Lipa
  • Megan Thee Stallion
  • Taylor Swift

Male Artist of the Year:  

  • Harry Styles
  • Justin Bieber
  • Post Malone
  • Roddy Ricch
  • The Weeknd

Best Duo/Group of the Year: 

  • BTS
  • Dan + Shay
  • Jonas Brothers
  • Maroon 5
  • twenty one pilots

Best Collaboration:

  • “Go Crazy” – Chris Brown & Young Thug
  • “Holy” – Justin Bieber featuring Chance the Rapper
  • “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth
  • “Mood” – 24kGoldn featuring iann dior
  • “Savage” (Remix) – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé

Best New Pop Artist: 

  • 24kGoldn
  • blackbear
  • Doja Cat
  • JP Saxe
  • Pop Smoke

Alternative Rock Song of the Year:

  • “Bang!” – AJR
  • “Bloody Valentine” – Machine Gun Kelly
  • “everything i wanted” – Billie Eilish
  • “Level Of Concern” – twenty one pilots
  • “Monsters” – All Time Low featuring blackbear

Alternative Rock Artist of the Year:

  • AJR
  • All Time Low
  • Billie Eilish
  • Cage the Elephant
  • twenty one pilots

Best New Rock/Alternative Rock Artist:

  • Ashe
  • Dayglow
  • Powfu
  • Royal & The Serpent
  • Wallows

Rock Song of the Year:

  • “Death By Rock And Roll” – The Pretty Reckless
  • “Patience” – Chris Cornell
  • “Shame Shame” – Foo Fighters
  • “Shot In The Dark” – AC/DC
  • “Under The Graveyard” – Ozzy Osbourne

Rock Artist of the Year:

  • AC/DC
  • Five Finger Death Punch
  • Ozzy Osbourne
  • Shinedown
  • The Pretty Reckless

Country Song of the Year:

  • “Even Though I’m Leaving” – Luke Combs
  • “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett
  • “Nobody But You” – Blake Shelton with Gwen Stefani
  • “One Margarita” – Luke Bryan
  • “The Bones” – Maren Morris

Country Artist of the Year:

  • Blake Shelton
  • Luke Bryan
  • Luke Combs
  • Maren Morris
  • Thomas Rhett

Best New Country Artist:

  • Ashley McBryde
  • Gabby Barrett
  • HARDY
  • Ingrid Andress
  • Jameson Rodgers

Dance Song of the Year:

  • “Head & Heart” – Joel Corry x MNEK
  • “ily (i love you baby)” – Surf Mesa featuring Emilee
  • “Lasting Lover” – Sigala & James Arthur
  • “Rain On Me” – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
  • “Roses” (Imanbek Remix) – SAINt JHN

Dance Artist of the Year: 

  • Anabel Englund
  • Diplo
  • Marshmello
  • Surf Mesa
  • Tiësto

Hip-Hop Song of the Year: 

  • “High Fashion” – Roddy Ricch featuring Mustard
  • “Life Is Good” – Future featuring Drake
  • “ROCKSTAR” – DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
  • “Savage” (Remix) – Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
  • “The Box” – Roddy Ricch

Hip-Hop Artist of the Year:

  • DaBaby
  • Lil Baby
  • Megan Thee Stallion
  • Pop Smoke
  • Roddy Ricch

Best New Hip-Hop Artist:

  • Jack Harlow
  • Moneybagg Yo
  • Pop Smoke
  • Rod Wave
  • Roddy Ricch

R&B Song of the Year:

  • “B.S.” – Jhené Aiko featuring H.E.R.
  • “Go Crazy” – Chris Brown & Young Thug
  • “Heat” Chris Brown featuring Gunna
  • “Playing Games” – Summer Walker
  • “Slide” – H.E.R. featuring YG

R&B Artist of the Year: 

  • Chris Brown
  • H.E.R.
  • Jhené Aiko
  • Snoh Aalegra
  • Summer Walker

Best New R&B Artist:

  • Chloe x Halle
  • Lonr.
  • Mahalia
  • Skip Marley
  • Snoh Aalegra

Latin Pop/Reggaeton Song of the Year:  

  • “Caramelo” – Ozuna
  • “Dákiti” – Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez
  • “Hawái” (Remix) – Maluma & The Weeknd
  • “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)” – Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin
  • “Tusa” – KAROL G & Nicki Minaj

Latin Pop/Reggaeton Artist of the Year: 

  • Bad Bunny
  • J Balvin
  • KAROL G
  • Maluma
  • Ozuna

Best New Latin Artist: 

  • Chesca
  • Jay Wheeler
  • Natanael Cano
  • Neto Bernal
  • Rauw Alejandro

Regional Mexican Song of the Year:

  • “Palabra De Hombre” – El Fantasma
  • “Se Me Olvidó” – Christian Nodal
  • “Sólo Tú” – Calibre 50
  • “Te Volvería A Elegir” – Calibre 50
  • “Yo Ya No Vuelvo Contigo” – Lenin Ramírez featuring Grupo Firme

Regional Mexican Artist of the Year: 

  • Banda Los Sebastianes
  • Calibre 50
  • Christian Nodal
  • Edwin Luna y La Trakalosa de Monterrey
  • Gerardo Ortíz

Producer of the Year: 

  • Andrew Watt
  • Dr Luke
  • Frank Dukes
  • Louis Bell
  • Max Martin

Songwriter of the Year:

  • Ali Tamposi
  • Amy Allen
  • Ashley Gorley
  • Dan Nigro
  • Finneas

Best Lyrics: *Socially Voted Category

  • “Adore You” – Harry Styles
  • “Before You Go” – Lewis Capaldi
  • “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
  • “cardigan” – Taylor Swift
  • “Don’t Start Now” – Dua Lipa
  • “everything i wanted” – Billie Eilish
  • “I Hope” – Gabby Barrett featuring Charlie Puth
  • “If The World Was Ending” – JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels
  • “Intentions” – Justin Bieber featuring Quavo
  • “Life Is Good” – Future featuring Drake

Best Cover Song: *Socially Voted Category

  • “Adore You” (Harry Styles) – Lizzo cover
  • “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons) – Shawn Mendes cover
  • “Fix You” (Coldplay) – Sam Smith cover
  • “Heart Of Glass” (Blondie) – Miley Cyrus cover
  • “Juice” (Lizzo) – Harry Styles cover

Best Fan Army: *Socially Voted Category

  • #Agnation – Agnez Mo
  • #Arianators – Ariana Grande
  • #Beliebers – Justin Bieber
  • #BLINK – BLACKPINK
  • #BTSARMY – BTS
  • #Harries – Harry Styles
  • #Limelights – Why Don’t We
  • #Louies – Louis Tomlinson
  • #MendesArmy – Shawn Mendes
  • #NCTzens – NCT 127
  • #Selenators – Selena Gomez
  • #Swifties – Taylor Swift

Best Music Video: *Socially Voted Category

  • “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
  • “Don’t Start Now” – Dua Lipa
  • “Dynamite” – BTS
  • “Hawái” – Maluma
  • “How You Like That” – BLACKPINK
  • “Life Is Good” – Future featuring Drake
  • “Rain On Me” – Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande
  • “WAP” – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
  • “Watermelon Sugar” – Harry Styles
  • “Yummy” – Justin Bieber

Social Star Award: *Socially Voted Category

  • Dixie D’Amelio
  • Jaden Hossler
  • LILHUDDY
  • Nessa Barrett
  • Olivia Rodrigo
  • Tate McRae

Favorite Music Video Choreography: *Socially Voted Category

  • BTS – Son Sung Deuk
  • “34+35” (Ariana Grande) – Scott & Brian Nicholson
  • “Do It” (Chloe x Halle) – Kendra Bracy & Ashanti Ledon
  • “Honey Boo” (CNCO & Natti Natasha) – Kyle Hanagami
  • “Physical” (Dua Lipa) – Charm La’Donna
  • “Rain On Me” (Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande) – Richy Jackson
  • “Say So” (Doja Cat) – Cortland Brown
  • WAP” (Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion) – JaQuel Knight
  • “Bop” (DaBaby) – Coach Cherry & DaniLeigh

TikTok Bop of the Year (New Category): *Socially Voted Category

  • “Blinding Lights” – The Weeknd
  • “Lottery (Renegade)” – K CAMP
  • “Savage” – Megan Thee Stallion
  • “Savage Love” (Laxed-Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685, Jason Derulo
  • “Say So” – Doja Cat
  • “WAP” – Cardi B featuring Megan Thee Stallion
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2021 Billboard Music Awards: Complete List of Winners

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The 2021 Billboard Music Awards was a two-night event this year, with music superstars such as The Weeknd and Machine Gun Kelly going home as winners for Top Artist and Best Rock Artist, respectively.

Celebrating music’s biggest chart-toppers, Nick Jonas hosted the BBMAs live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday night, a day after Matthew Hoffman announced the first group of winners for a non-televised ceremony. Pop Smoke, who received record-breaking posthumous recognition as a finalist in 10 categories, dominated four of those categories, while Gabby Barrett, a first-time finalist claimed two awards.

The Weeknd, who went into Sunday’s show having already collected seven trophies, took home the Top Hot 100 song for his ’80s-inspired anthem “Blinding Lights.”

ICON Award recipient P!NK delivered a show-stopping performance of “Cover Me in Sunshine” with her daughter Willow Sage Hart, and Drake was named Artist of the Decade. In addition, Houston-based rapper Trae Tha Truth received the second annual Change Maker Award for his dedication to “fighting for, and delivering, social and medical equity in his community.”

Among the other performers Sunday were JR, Alicia Keys, Bad Bunny, BTS, DJ Khaled featuring H.E.R. and Migos, Doja Cat & SZA, Duran Duran, Glass Animals, Jonas Brothers with Marshmello, Karol G, The Weeknd and Twenty One Pilots.

See below for the complete list of winners:

Top Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd (Winner)

Top New Artist
Gabby Barrett
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke (Winner)
Rod Wave

Top Male Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd (Winner)

Top Female Artist
Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Dua Lipa
Megan Thee Stallion
Taylor Swift (Winner)

Top Duo/Group
AC/DC
AJR
BTS (Winner)
Dan + Shay
Maroon 5

Top Billboard 200 Artist
Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Post Malone
Taylor Swift (Winner)

Top Hot 100 Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Dua Lipa
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd (Winner)

Top Streaming Songs Artist
DaBaby
Drake (Winner)
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd

Top Song Sales Artist
Justin Bieber
BTS (Winner)
Megan Thee Stallion
Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd

Top Radio Songs Artist
Justin Bieber
Lewis Capaldi
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
The Weeknd (Winner)

Top R&B Artist
Jhené Aiko
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Doja Cat
The Weeknd (Winner)

Top R&B Male Artist
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
The Weeknd (Winner)

Top R&B Female Artist
Jhené Aiko
Doja Cat (Winner)
SZA

Top Rap Artist
DaBaby
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke (Winner)

Top Rap Male Artist
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke (Winner)

Top Rap Female Artist
Cardi B
Megan Thee Stallion (Winner)
Saweetie

Top Country Artist
Gabby Barrett
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen (Winner)

Top Country Male Artist
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen (Winner)

Top Country Female Artist
Gabby Barrett (Winner)
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group
Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line (Winner)
Maddie & Tae

Top Rock Artist
AC/DC
AJR
Five Finger Death Punch
Machine Gun Kelly (Winner)
twenty one pilots

Top Latin Artist
Anuel AA
Bad Bunny (Winner)
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna

Top Latin Male Artist
Bad Bunny (Winner)
J Balvin
Ozuna

Top Latin Female Artist
Becky G
Karol G (Winner)
Rosalía

Top Latin Duo/Group
Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Eslabón Armado (Winner)
Los Dos Carnales

Top Dance/Electronic Artist
The Chainsmokers
Kygo
Lady Gaga (Winner)
Marshmello
Surf Mesa

Top Christian Artist
Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship (Winner)
for KING & COUNTRY
Carrie Underwood
Zach Williams

Top Gospel Artist
Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Maverick City Music
Kanye West (Winner)

Top Billboard 200 Album
Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die
Lil Baby, My Turn
Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (Winner)
Taylor Swift, folklore
The Weeknd, After Hours

Top R&B Album
Jhené Aiko, Chilombo
Chris Brown & Young Thug, Slime & B
Doja Cat, Hot Pink
Kehlani, It Was Good Until It Wasn’t
The Weeknd, After Hours (Winner)

Top Rap Album
DaBaby, Blame It On Baby
Juice WRLD, Legends Never Die
Lil Baby, My Turn
Lil Uzi Vert, Eternal Atake
Pop Smoke, Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (Winner)

Top Country Album
Gabby Barrett, Goldmine
Sam Hunt, Southside
Chris Stapleton, Starting Over
Carrie Underwood, My Gift
Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album (Winner)

Top Rock Album
AC/DC, Power Up
Miley Cyrus, Plastic Hearts
Glass Animals, Dreamland
Machine Gun Kelly, Tickets to My Downfall (Winner)
Bruce Springsteen, Letter to You

Top Latin Album
Anuel AA, Emmanuel
Bad Bunny, El Último Tour Del Mundo
Bad Bunny, Las que no iban a salir
Bad Bunny, YHLQMDLG (Winner)
J Balvin, Colores

Top Dance/Electronic Album
DJ Snake, Carte Blanche
Gryffin, Gravity
Kygo, Golden Hour
Lady Gaga, Chromatica (Winner)
Kylie Minogue, Disco

Top Christian Album
Bethel Music, Peace
Elevation Worship, Grave Into Gardens
Carrie Underwood, My Gift (Winner)
We The Kingdom, Holy Water
Zach Williams, Rescue Story

Top Gospel Album
Koryn Hawthorne, I AM
Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Royalty: Live at the Ryman
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1 (Winner)
Maverick City Music, Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 2
Kierra Sheard, Kierra

Top Hot 100 Song Presented by Rockstar
24kGoldn ft. iann dior, “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (Winner)

Top Streaming Song
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR” (Winner)
Future ft. Drake, “Life Is Good”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne, “WHATS POPPIN”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”

Top Selling Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
BTS, “Dynamite” (Winner)
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé, “Savage”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights”

Top Radio Song
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
Dua Lipa, “Don’t Start Now”
Harry Styles, “Adore You”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (Winner)

Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)
24kGoldn ft. iann dior, “Mood”
Gabby Barrett ft. Charlie Puth, “I Hope” (Winner)
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne, “WHATS POPPIN”

Top R&B Song
Jhené Aiko ft. H.E.R., “B.S.”
Justin Bieber ft. Quavo, “Intentions”
Chris Brown & Young Thug, “Go Crazy”
Doja Cat, “Say So”
The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (Winner)

Top Rap Song
24kGoldn ft. iann dior, “Mood”
Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion, “WAP”
DaBaby ft. Roddy Ricch, “ROCKSTAR” (Winner)
Jack Harlow ft. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne, “WHATS POPPIN”
Megan Thee Stallion ft. Beyoncé, “Savage”

Top Country Song
Jason Aldean, “Got What I Got”
Gabby Barrett, “I Hope” (Winner)
Lee Brice, “One of Them Girls”
Morgan Wallen, “Chasin’ You”
Morgan Wallen, “More Than My Hometown”

Top Rock Song
AJR, “Bang!” (Winner)
All Time Low ft. blackbear, “Monsters”
Glass Animals, “Heat Waves”
Machine Gun Kelly ft. blackbear, “my ex’s best friend”
twenty one pilots, “Level of Concern”

Top Latin Song
Bad Bunny, “Yo Perreo Sola”
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez, “Dákiti” (Winner)
Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin, “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”
Maluma & The Weeknd, “Hawái”
Ozuna x Karol G x Myke Towers, “Caramelo”

Top Dance/Electronic Song
Lady Gaga, “Stupid Love”
Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande, “Rain on Me”
SAINt JHN, “Roses (Imanbek Remix)” (Winner)
Surf Mesa ft. Emilee, “ily (i love you baby)”
Topic & A7S, “Breaking Me”

Top Christian Song
Elevation Worship ft. Brandon Lake, “Graves Into Gardens” (Winner)
for KING & COUNTRY, Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly, “TOGETHER”
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, & Elevation Worship, “The Blessing (Live)”
Tauren Wells ft. Jenn Johnson, “Famous For (I Believe)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton, “There Was Jesus”

Top Gospel Song
Koryn Hawthorne, “Speak To Me”
Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music, “Movin’ On”
Marvin Sapp, “Thank You For It All”
Tye Tribbett, “We Gon’ Be Alright”
Kanye West ft. Travis Scott, “Wash Us In The Blood” (Winner)

The 2021 Billboard Music Awards aired live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles May 23 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC.


Grammys’ New Leadership Team Vows to ‘Be Better’ Amid The Weeknd’s Boycott and Diversity Challenges

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The Recording Academy has had a busy year and a half. Between pushing for more diversity in its membership and at the Grammys, overhauling its controversial anonymous nominating committees, helping a music industry that had come to a standstill and searching for a new CEO after a messy departure in 2020, the Recording Academy finally installed a new leadership team that suggests the organization is prepared to turn over a new leaf.

On Tuesday, the Recording Academy appointed Valeisha Butterfield Jones and Panos A. Panay as its co-presidents, with Harvey Mason Jr. moving from president and CEO to simply CEO. And the leadership team in its announcement emphasized a priority on diversity, growing the Academy’s footprint and embracing the needs and desires of its evolving membership.

“The makeup of this group shows we are absolutely forward thinking. We are a new Academy, as we’ve been saying. We are positioned to be able to adapt and move at the speed at which the industry is moving,” Mason told TheWrap in an interview on Tuesday. “We have to look at what we’re doing, we have to be better, we have to be more relevant, we have to be more reflective.”

The group continues to face some high-profile issues, including a looming arbitration hearing with former CEO Deborah Dugan, who was ousted last year just days before the 2020 Grammy ceremony. (Mason had no comment on the matter). The Recording Academy also moved to eliminate the anonymous voting committees that helped select nominations after criticism from pop star The Weeknd and others after he was completely snubbed from this year’s Grammys despite widespread acclaim for his “After Hours” album.

Even with the changes, The Weeknd previously said he would still boycott the Grammys ceremony.

But Mason acknowledged the criticism from top artists over the Grammys — but suggested the awards play only one role in the Academy’s work. “We want to be representing all different artists from all different communities. We want to get this right, and it’s very, very important that we do. But taking a step back, the awards are one piece of this Academy,” he said.

“The awards, if you look at it from an overarching perspective, the awards enable us to do the work that we do, so if you’re an artist and care about the community and love music and are concerned about the future of music and are concerned about making sure there’s a next generation that comes into this industry, making sure we’re getting a fair wage for our art and making sure we’re looking out for the less privileged creators,” he said.

But Jones, a former Google exec who worked on Obama’s 2012 campaign, and Panay, a former SVP at Berklee College of Music who founded the Institute for Creative Entrepreneurship, also touted the Recording Academy’s progress so far. The organization has reached gender parity among its leadership ranks, is working toward aggressive goals to reach the gender parity in its membership by 2025 and is working on initiatives to improve diversity throughout the music industry.

Here’s more from TheWrap’s interview with Harvey Mason Jr., Valeisha Butterfield Jones and Panos A. Panay (this interview has been lightly edited for clarity).

How does the makeup of this leadership group represent a new direction for the Recording Academy? And what all do you see as your biggest priorities moving ahead?

Harvey Mason Jr.: The makeup of this group shows we are absolutely forward thinking. We are a new Academy, as we’ve been saying. We are positioned to be able to adapt and move at the speed at which the industry is moving. In the last few years it’s changed quicker than ever. Music that was being made two weeks ago is sometimes not even relevant next week. In order for us to be able to continue to keep up with that and make sure we’re leading and able to service our members and industry at large, we have to be structured and positioned in a way that we can efficiently move, adjust and reform. That’s something we’ve been working on at the Academy for the last 18 months. I think this recent announcement and the positions that we’re talking about today really reinforce that.

Valeisha Butterfield Jones: It’s so rapidly changing industry and we have to keep up with the pace. As we assembled this leadership team, we wanted to be forward thinking and innovative and also with a bias for action. As something Harvey always says, going beyond ideas and strategies and always taking the next step into the future. As I think about Panos’ great background and experience, I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this group. We are going to operate as a unit. I know Harvey always uses a basketball analogy to reference things, but it’s true. We see each of us bringing so much uniqueness and talent background, and all the work that we’ll be doing together as a unit, so we’re just really proud of the work we’ve accomplished over the last year and a half, but we’ve only scratched the surface. So we’re really looking forward to scale and move with more speed into the work that now needs to get done.

Panos A. Panay: This is a modernized, structured team for a very different industry. We are committed to keep growing the Academy and keep being the advocate and the supporter of all of our members, and personally our priorities are frankly to listen and learn from my new colleagues, this incredible team, Valeisha and Harvey and the rest of our team, and our members. I think Harvey has demonstrated with his leadership in the last year or so his ability to not only listen but to modernize things. We’re here to accelerate that rate of change that he started once he took on his role on an interim basis and now a permanent basis, and we’re here to keep hitting those pedals even faster.

Panos A. Panay, Harvey Mason Jr. and Valeisha Butterfield Jones (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Courtesy of Recording Academy)

Harvey, when we last spoke in March 2020, you had some strong comments about how the music industry won’t be able to adapt to the coronavirus. Now as concerts have begun again and many artists are booking dates, how would you gauge the recovery efforts of the music industry, namely the smaller artists and independent venues that have been hurt the most?

Mason: It’s a long road to recovery. There was so much damage done to so much music people. Loss of opportunity, loss of work, loss of health. And we find people scrambling to pay their bills, people that have had struggles mentally in the mental health space, addiction. All these things have come as a result of COVID and exacerbated back then. And as we talked back then, I didn’t see a way the music industry could go through this unscathed. I saw this was going to have a profound impact on everything that we did as an industry, and it did just that. I see a light at the end of the tunnel. I do feel optimistic because music people are resilient. We’ve been told our music sucks for a lot of years or told we’re never going to make it or you can’t sing, but we keep singing, and we keep making music because that’s just what we do. We see the future as being bright.

There’s going to be a resurgence of people dying to hear music, so I think live music is going to come back in a big way. I think we’ve seen an explosion of creativity from the people in our space because we’re also very sensitive creators, and we do reflect what’s happening in our world in the last 18 months. Financial hardship, racial division and racial issues that have happened, and add to the top of that COVID. We have a lot to talk about, we have a lot to pour our heart and soul and emotion into, and that’s why you’re seeing so much great art being created right now. It’s been tough, but I’m optimistic we’ll continue to thrive and be better than we were when we went in it.

What success have you seen throughout the pandemic with the Musicares initiative?

Mason: We’re really pleased with our efforts there. We’re really proud we were able to be in a position to help our peers and give back to the industry. Between the COVID relief and the music industry, we have eclipsed $30 million. That’s the work that’s important to all three of us on this call, and the Academy at large is making sure we’re in a position to be able to do that work, expand on it and do more, reach more people, advocate for more people.

Panay: There’s a saying that to do good, you have to do well. We feel that a strong Academy, one that’s growing, not for growth’s sake but for really advancing the objectives of the mission is critical, and for me my personal priority and focus in assuming this role, as the press release says is to really find avenues of growth for the Academy in all ways.

Coming out of the pandemic, just because of the seismic shift of the industry, people in music need a strong advocate in the Academy. That’s a role we intend to play. We also believe that focusing on educating our members and really helping them grow their careers, their incomes, as well as embracing a whole new category of creator will be paramount. And lastly the way music is made, distributed, consumed, it’s changing. We want an Academy that is ahead and leading the innovation curve, and that’s a role we are planning to do.

Jones: Music is the greatest unifier. And as I think about globally as we all experienced and went through the pandemic these last 18 months, music is what saved us and what healed us and what brought us together. Thinking about our membership, how do we expand our service offerings to them, but also how do we expand our global footprint for membership, but then also even becoming better partners to our music industry peers. So a lot of our work will be around industry relations, getting into the needs of our industry, and making sure we’re meeting those needs where they are and doing the work we need to do to scale our impact.

The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative back in March put out a study that said that women producers in music worked on just 2% of the top charting songs for last year, and that the Women in the Mix pledge that the Recording Academy made didn’t produce a single charting song among the artists who made the pledge. What is your reaction to that, and how are you working to adjust this disparity?

Jones: The data tells a story. Certainly we have opportunity for more women to work as music engineers and sound engineers and producers in our industry, so first we need to be hiring and employing more women but then also developing the next generation of women leaders in music. It was actually how Panos and I first met. He was a part of the Berklee school of music team and I as a part of the Recording Academy putting together the Women in Music study that the Recording Academy is doing with Berklee and Arizona State University this summer, so another example of how data is key to identify opportunities to close gaps for women.

We are disproportionality not represented across so many areas of the music industry, and I say we because I was a part of that, wanting to break in, wanting to gain access, wanting to grow in this industry that I loved so much. And the data and the study will roll out later this summer, but the work has already begun. As we think about accelerating progress, so much of what we do is anchored around women’s representation.

What sorts of changes are you expecting to the Women in the Mix program moving forward?

Jones: Once we review the survey findings and the data, we’ll better understand the needs of women in music. So top of mind for me are things like mentorship, sponsorship, job and career opportunities, financial literacy and beyond, but first we’re going to need the data to point us to where we need to start.

What led to the decision to finally eliminate the anonymous nominating committees, and do you have a response to the fact that The Weeknd still says he plans to boycott the ceremony?

Mason: The reason that it was important for us is because we are always going to look at everything we do. When I ran for chair, it was on that platform. We have to look at what we’re doing, we have to be better, we have to be more relevant, we have to be more reflective, and with that in mind, we always look at our awards process and remembering that this is a membership driven organization. So our proposals get brought to the table by our members, so when our members say we want to do this, we bring that into the organization, we talk about it, we vote on it, we do it. I don’t generally have the authority, this is how we’re going to do our voting, this is how we’re going to do it. It’s really about what the members want.

The Weeknd (Getty Images)

So the whole idea came from a proposal, and it’s something we’ve been discussing over the last few years, because nomination review committees were put in place to make sure we were honoring quality and respecting quality music that was being put out, not necessarily the most popular or not necessarily the person that had the biggest name recognition. Sometimes those things are the same, quality and name recognition, but most times they’re not, and we were getting people looking at categories, recognizing names and just casting a vote. So that was the original purpose for the nominating review. What ended up happening was we knew we needed to continue to evolve our membership, get them to the point that they were a qualified voting body, a body that could reflect the nominees and right winners from year to year, and we did a lot of work on our membership. We invited new people. We re-qualified our membership. 95% of our membership has been re-qualified to make sure they have recent credits within the last five years. We got into genres that we felt have been underrepresented.

They go into these areas and say we need more representation, we need more people from, whatever it is, country music, Black music, children’s music, we need you in our memberships so that when we’re voting for people in your category we have people who actually know this genre, know this type of music and are qualified. So between the changing of the nomination review and the other important is very important, the 10-3 voting proposal, which says you can vote in 10 categories across three fields. So what that does is it stops people from just browsing around or grazing from field to field and saying oh I recognize this name, I’m going to vote for them. Or vote trading, where you say you vote for mine, I’ll vote for yours. Now you have to be a little more judicious with your votes, and you have to be cautious and thoughtful every time you vote. So with those things combined gave us the ability to remove what at one time had been a very useful and productive committee structure.

Do you have a response to TheWeeknd in particular or to other artists who feel there’s a need for improvement?

Mason: I would say we’re going to continue to improve. We want to be representing all different artists from all different communities. We want to get this right, and it’s very very important that we do. But taking a step back, the awards are one piece of this Academy.

If you’re of that mindset you’ll see our only objective is of course get the awards right, of course make a good TV show, of course generate revenue, but to then turn and use that for the benefit of the entire industry. And my hope, our hope, is that we can continue to communicate that to all artists and make them understand why we’re doing what we’re doing and making sure we’re unified in providing them a place for this industry to grow and thrive and enable them to continue.

Panay: Ultimately I feel this time and Harvey as a leader ought to be judged by the actions that we’re undertaking. I feel that even this move that’s being announced today is an indication of the seriousness that this organization has with respect to advancement and change and modernization, which is absolutely critical. Look at all of the advancements that Harvey has made in just the last year.

What else excites you about your new position and working with your team?

Jones: Our doors are open for business and for partnership. Our response to the arts community is join us. We’re a new Academy. And we’re here to do the work that needs to be done, and our doors are open. We’re focused on collaboration and partnership across the industry, and we look forward to sharing with you all our progress and our impact.

Panay: Look at all the changes that are happening around us. Just as we’ve started saying that it’s getting more difficult today to make a sustainable living as a music person as a creator. On the other hand, there’s opportunities arising daily in ways that even a year ago weren’t on the horizon. What’s happening with Twitch, TikTok, Clubhouse, the global growth of music scenes around the world in China and the Middle East and sub-Saharan Africa, these are exciting movements, and I feel personally that on a global scale, especially coming out of the pandemic as Valeisha said earlier, music in many ways is paving the way for hopefully a more empathetic world and a different world. So what energizes me and excites me in joining this team is there’s no greater platform than the Recording Academy to not just track these changes but really be a catalyst for acceleration of positive changes in the industry.

Mason: I’m just very very proud of where we are and where we’re headed. Our goal at the Academy is to build a high-performance culture and high performance organization with real purpose, and my purpose has always been since the beginning is maximize what we can do in service of the music community and maximize what we can do in partnership with the entire industry.

The Weeknd to Star In and Co-Write HBO Cult Series in the Works

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The Weeknd is developing a series for HBO called “The Idol” that he would star in and co-write. The project would follow a romance between a pop singer and an enigmatic club owner who also happens to be the leader of a secret cult.

The Weeknd, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, would executive produce with Reza Rahim and Sam Levinson; all three would be credited as creators. Joseph Epstein will also write and executive produce in addition to serving as showrunner. Mary Laws will write and co-executive produce.

Ashley Levinson, Kevin Turen, Aaron Gilbert will also executive produce, with Wassim “SAL” Slaiby and La Mar C. Taylor as co-executive producers.

The Weeknd has some acting experience under his belt. He wrote and starred in an episode of TBS’ animated comedy “American Dad” in 2020, and he also played himself in the Adam Sandler-led “Uncut Gems” last year. This past February, he performed during the Super Bowl LV halftime show.

Levinson most recently created HBO’s “Euphoria.”

The Weeknd is represented by Wassim “SAL” Slaiby at SALXCO, Christian Carino at CAA and Kenny Meiselas at Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks. Sam Levinson is represented by WME, Stuart Manashil and Sloss Law.

Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd Lead in American Music Award Nominations (Complete List)

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The nominations for ABC’s annual American Music Awards have arrived, and Olivia Rodrigo is at the top of the list. The “Driver’s License” hitmaker scored seven nominations in total, the most of any artist this year.

Among those seven, Rodrigo is up for Artist of the Year, competing against powerhouses like Ariana Grande, Drake and BTS, as well as Rodrigo’s own personal hero Taylor Swift. The Weeknd came in just behind Rodrigo with six nominations of his own, also including Artist of the Year.

New categories at the AMAs this year are Favorite Trending Song (honoring nominees from TikTok who had the year’s most viral songs) Favorite Gospel Artist and Favorite Latin Duo or Group, which rounds out last year’s expansion of the Latin categories. There are now five categories in the Latin genre.

This year, the AMAs are also offering a new way for fans to vote. For the first time ever, fans can vote for all AMA categories on TikTok by searching for “AMAs” in-app.

You can check out a full list of the nominees below.

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Ariana Grande

BTS

Drake

Olivia Rodrigo

Taylor Swift

The Weeknd

NEW ARTIST OF THE YEAR

24kGoldn

Giveon

Masked Wolf

Olivia Rodrigo

The Kid LAROI

COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR

24kGoldn ft. iann dior “Mood”

Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DÁKITI”

Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”

Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More”

Justin Bieber ft. Daniel Caesar & Giveon “Peaches”

FAVORITE TRENDING SONG

Erica Banks “Buss It”

Måneskin “Beggin’”

Megan Thee Stallion “Body”

Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”

Popp Hunna “Adderall (Corvette Corvette)”

FAVORITE MUSIC VIDEO

Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open”

Cardi B “Up”

Lil Nas X “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)”

Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”

The Weeknd “Save Your Tears”

FAVORITE MALE POP ARTIST

Drake

Ed Sheeran

Justin Bieber

Lil Nas X

The Weeknd

FAVORITE FEMALE POP ARTIST

Ariana Grande

Doja Cat

Dua Lipa

Olivia Rodrigo

Taylor Swift

FAVORITE POP DUO OR GROUP

AJR

BTS

Glass Animals

Maroon 5

Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak)

FAVORITE POP ALBUM

Ariana Grande “Positions”

Dua Lipa “Future Nostalgia”

Olivia Rodrigo “SOUR”

Taylor Swift “evermore”

The Kid LAROI “F*CK LOVE”

FAVORITE POP SONG

BTS “Butter”

Doja Cat ft. SZA “Kiss Me More”

Dua Lipa “Levitating”

Olivia Rodrigo “drivers license”

The Weeknd & Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears (Remix)”

FAVORITE MALE COUNTRY ARTIST

Chris Stapleton

Jason Aldean

Luke Bryan

Luke Combs

*Morgan Wallen

FAVORITE FEMALE COUNTRY ARTIST

Carrie Underwood

Gabby Barrett

Kacey Musgraves

Maren Morris

Miranda Lambert

FAVORITE COUNTRY DUO OR GROUP

Dan + Shay

Florida Georgia Line

Lady A

Old Dominion

Zac Brown Band

FAVORITE COUNTRY ALBUM

Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”

Gabby Barrett “Goldmine”

Lee Brice “Hey World”

Luke Bryan “Born Here Live Here Die Here”

*Morgan Wallen “Dangerous: The Double Album”

FAVORITE COUNTRY SONG

Chris Stapleton “Starting Over”

Chris Young & Kane Brown “Famous Friends”

Gabby Barrett “The Good Ones”

Luke Combs “Forever After All”

Walker Hayes “Fancy Like”

FAVORITE MALE HIP-HOP ARTIST

Drake

Lil Baby

Moneybagg Yo

Polo G

Pop Smoke

FAVORITE FEMALE HIP-HOP ARTIST

Cardi B

Coi Leray

Erica Banks

Megan Thee Stallion

Saweetie

FAVORITE HIP-HOP ALBUM

Drake “Certified Lover Boy”

Juice WRLD “Legends Never Die”

Megan Thee Stallion “Good News”

Pop Smoke “Shoot For The Stars Aim For The Moon”

Rod Wave “SoulFly”

FAVORITE HIP-HOP SONG

Cardi B “Up”

Internet Money ft. Gunna, Don Toliver & NAV “Lemonade”

Lil Tjay ft. 6LACK “Calling My Phone”

Polo G “RAPSTAR”

Pop Smoke “What You Know Bout Love”

FAVORITE MALE R&B ARTIST

Chris Brown

Giveon

Tank

The Weeknd

Usher

FAVORITE FEMALE R&B ARTIST

Doja Cat

H.E.R.

Jazmine Sullivan

Jhené Aiko

SZA

FAVORITE R&B ALBUM

Doja Cat “Planet Her”

Giveon “When It’s All Said And Done… Take Time”

H.E.R. “Back of My Mind”

Jazmine Sullivan “Heaux Tales”

Queen Naija “missunderstood”

FAVORITE R&B SONG

Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak) “Leave The Door Open”

Chris Brown & Young Thug “Go Crazy”

Giveon “Heartbreak Anniversary”

H.E.R. “Damage”

Jazmine Sullivan “Pick Up Your Feelings”

FAVORITE MALE LATIN ARTIST

Bad Bunny

J Balvin

Maluma

Ozuna

Rauw Alejandro

FAVORITE FEMALE LATIN ARTIST

Becky G

Kali Uchis

KAROL G

Natti Natasha

ROSALÍA

FAVORITE LATIN DUO OR GROUP

Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga

Calibre 50

Eslabon Armado

La Arrolladora Banda El Limón De Rene Camacho

Los Dos Carnales

FAVORITE LATIN ALBUM

Bad Bunny “EL ÚLTIMO TOUR DEL MUNDO”

Kali Uchis “Sin Miedo (del Amor y Otros Demonios)”

KAROL G “KG0516”

Maluma “PAPI JUANCHO”

Rauw Alejandro “Afrodisíaco”

FAVORITE LATIN SONG

Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez “DÁKITI”

Bad Bunny x ROSALÍA “LA NOCHE DE ANOCHE”

Farruko “Pepas”

Kali Uchis “telepatía”

Maluma & The Weeknd “Hawái (Remix)”

FAVORITE ROCK ARTIST

AJR

All Time Low

Foo Fighters

Glass Animals

Machine Gun Kelly

FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL ARTIST

CAIN

Carrie Underwood

Elevation Worship

Lauren Daigle

Zach Williams

FAVORITE GOSPEL ARTIST

Kanye West

Kirk Franklin

Koryn Hawthorne

Maverick City Music

Tasha Cobbs Leonard

FAVORITE DANCE/ELECTRONIC ARTIST

David Guetta

ILLENIUM

Marshmello

Regard

Tiësto

How to Watch the American Music Awards: Will the 2021 AMAs Be Streaming?

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The American Music Awards are set to air live this Sunday, Nov. 21 where they’ll feature a variety of musical performances that are sure to get people talking — especially with Cardi B hosting.

Jesse Collins serves as showrunner and executive producer of the AMAs. Collins, who frequently produces the BET Awards, most recently executive produced the 2021 Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show and produced the 93rd Oscars. He also serves as co-executive producer for the Grammy Awards. The 2021 American Music Awards will be produced by Dick Clark Productions and Jesse Collins Entertainment. Jesse Collins, Barry Adelman and Larry Klein are executive producers.

If you’re wondering how to watch the AMAs, including where it’s streaming, we’ve got the answers below.

Will the American Music Awards Be Streaming?

The American Music Awards will air live on ABC from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET on Sunday Nov. 21. The awards will stream on Hulu the next day.

Who Is Cardi B?

Cardi B is a rapper and music artist who has won five AMAs herself. In 2018, she hit the AMAs stage, performing “I Like It” with J Balvin and Bad Bunny. Taraji P Henson hosted the AMAs most recently. Other past hosts include Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Murphy, Jimmy Kimmel, Britney Spears, LL Cool J, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Tracee Ellis Ross and Lionel Richie.

Who Will Perform at the 2021 AMAs?

On Nov. 8, the AMAs announced BTS would take the stage. Olivia Rodrigo — who is nominated in seven categories — will make her debut performance. Bad Bunny — nominated for five awards — will return to the AMAs stage to perform “Lo Ciento BB:/.”

On Nov. 11, the AMAs added Carrie Underwood and Jason Aldean to the performance lineup with their duet “If I Didn’t Love You” as part of the “My Hometown” segments. Kane Brown will perform from Tennessee State University, singing his song “One Mississippi.” Boston boy bands New Edition and New Kids on the Block will also make returns after several years since attending the awards shows.

On Nov. 16, Diplo, Italian rock band Måneskin and country singer Mickey Guyton joined the lineup. Guyton will sing “All American,” and Måneskin will perform their global #1 hit “Beggin’,” with a shot at winning the award for Favorite Trending Song. Rapper Tyler the Creator will also perform. Country star Walker Hayes is set to sing “Fancy Like” which is nominated for Favorite Country Song. Zoe Wees, a 19 year-old German singer and songwriter will perform “Girls Like Us,” and Wees will also be honored in the “AMA Song of the Soul Moment” for incorporating mental health topics into her music. Tainy and Julieta Venegas top off the set list.

Who Are the AMA Nominees?

Olivia Rodrigo leads with seven nominations. Rodrigo, who is a first-time nominee, will also perform at the AMAs. The Weeknd follows Rodrigo closely with six nominations. Bad Bunny, Doja Cat and Givēon are tied with five nods each. Bad Bunny will compete in many Latin categories with a double nomination for Favorite Latin Album. Doja Cat, who was 2020’s New Artist of the Year holds spots in the Favorite Lead Female R&B Artist and Favorite R&B Album categories. Givēon, who is a first time nominee, will compete in categories like New Artist of the Year, Favorite Male R&B Artist and Collaboration of the Year for his hit song “Peaches” with Justin Bieber. In the fierce fight for Artist of the Year, those in the running include Ariana Grande, BTS, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd and Taylor Swift.

What’s New About the 2021 American Music Awards?

Favorite Trending Song builds out a new category this year to find the best viral song of the year, many nominees for which are found on TikTok. Along with Favorite Gospel Artist, Favorite Latin Duo or Group also makes a new niche for awards, and the latter award bumps the number of Latin categories up to five.

The Weeknd’s Cult Drama ‘The Idol’ From ‘Euphoria’ Creator Ordered at HBO

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The Weeknd-led drama “The Idol” from “Euphoria” creator Sam Levinson has been ordered to series at HBO, the pay-TV channel said Monday.

Created by The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye), Levinson and Reza Fahim and starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, “The Idol” is “set against the backdrop of the music industry” and “centers on a self-help guru and leader of a modern-day cult, who develops a complicated relationship with an up-and-coming pop idol.”

In addition to the series order for “The Idol,” HBO revealed these additional cast members for the drama: Suzanna Son (series regular), Melanie Liburd (recurring), Tunde Adebimpe (recurring), Steve Zissis (series regular), Troye Sivan (series regular), Elizabeth Berkley Lauren (recurring), Nico Hiraga (recurring) and Anne Heche (recurring).

Levinson, The Weeknd and Fahim are co-creators on the series and executive producer and write alongside Joe Epstein. Additional executive producers include Amy Seimetz (who will direct all six episodes of the show), Kevin Turen (HBO’s ”Euphoria”), Ashley Levinson (HBO’s ”Euphoria”), Nick Hall (HBO’s “The White Lotus”) and Sara E. White (“Station 19”). Aaron Gilbert executive produces for BRON.

“The Idol” hails from A24, the studio that also produces “Euphoria” for HBO.

The series will be filmed in and around Los Angeles.

“When the multi-talented Abel ‘The Weeknd’ Tesfaye, Reza Fahim and Sam Levinson brought us ‘The Idol, it was clear their subversive, revelatory take on the cult of the music industry was unlike anything HBO had ever done before,” Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming, said in a statement. “Shortly after, the brilliant duo of Joe Epstein and Amy Seimetz joined forces with the rest of the team, and this dream became a reality.”

Jim Carrey Features Prominently on the Weeknd’s ‘Dawn FM’

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The Weeknd dropped his fifth studio album, “Dawn FM,” at midnight ET on Friday and it features a handful of collaborations — including with comedian Jim Carrey.

Carrey offers radio host-style narration on three different tracks: “Dawn FM,” “Out of Time” and “Phantom Regret by Jim.”

His DJ character is in line with the broader theme of the album, which seems to follow a persona of the Weeknd’s through the final chapter of his life. In promotional material for the new release, which comes after the 2020 megahit “After Hours,” the Weeknd — whose real name is Abel Tesfaye — is seen in makeup to make him appear much older. Carrey is even listed as a songwriter on the final track.

In “Phantom Regret by Jim,” Carrey delivers a poem that begins, “You’re tuned to Dawn FM, the middle of nowhere on your dial, so sit back and unpack. You may be here a while. Now that all future plans have been postponed and it’s time to look back on the things you thought you owned, do you remember them well? Were you high or just stoned? And how many grudges did you take to your grave? When you weren’t liked or followed, how did you behave? Was it often a dissonant chord you were strumming? Were you ever in tune with the song life was humming?”

Carrey expressed his excitement about the album on social media.

“I listened to Dawn FM with my good friend Abel @theweeknd last night. It was deep and elegant and it danced me around the room. I’m thrilled to play a part in his symphony,” tweeted Carrey, who has been known to step outside of the comedy realm in the past, notably creating viral political cartoons.

Other collaborators on the new release include Calvin Harris; Tyler, the Creator; Lil Wayne; Quincy Jones; Oneohtrix Point Never; Swedish House Mafia; Max Martin; and Josh Safdie, who co-directed “Uncut Gems.”

Winter TV Watch List, Week of March 5 – 11: ‘Turning Red,’‘Winning Time’ and the Return of Andy Warhol

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Another week, another overwhelming amount of new TV. From ripped-from-the-headlines accounts of the Los Angeles Lakers and suburban murders (not in the same show), to a documentary on Andy Warhol, to new movies from Pixar and Ryan Reynolds, plus a new Weeknd concert special and an intriguing mystery starring Samuel L. Jackson and Walton Goggins (Baby Billy himself), this week really does have everything.

Without further ado (because honestly we can’t spare another minute), on with the television!

HBO

“Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”
Sunday, March 6 at 9 p.m., HBO

Your next based-on-a-true-story obsession is here. “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” is based on Jeff Pearlman’s nonfiction book “Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s,” which charted the immortal franchise during its heyday with Magic Johnson (who is currently very annoyed at this new show and mounting his own series documenting the era). This should hit that nostalgic sweet spot that something like ESPN’s Michael Jordan doc “The Last Dance” did, although his new HBO series has a bunch of famous people playing historical figures from the period (John C. Reilly plays owner Jerry Buss while Jason Clarke plays coach Jerry West and Adrien Brody plays coach Pat Riley). “Don’t Look Up” director Adam McKay directed the first episode and executive produces the show, so you can expect his patented shaky-cam neo-realism and finger-in-the-eye sensibility when it comes to the establishment. The only thing more fun than watching “Winning Time” would probably be being at one of the games back then. [REVIEW]

Hulu

“Pam & Tommy”
Wednesday, March 9, Hulu

“Pam & Tommy,” the miniseries chronicling the misadventures of “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson (Lily James) and Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee (Sebastian Stan) following the theft and distribution of a private sex tape, has been surprising and fun to watch, a time capsule to a time when the internet was burgeoning, sexism and misogyny were a much bigger part of the mainstream, and celebrity culture was largely defined by everyone but the celebrity themselves. All of the performers (besides the actor they got to play Jay Leno) has been admirably uninterested in caricature; these were real people going through an incredibly chaotic period in their lives. It’s a little sad that the miniseries is coming to an end, although given how extreme some scenes have been (the talking penis, anyone?), we might not be able to handle much more of “Pam & Tommy.” [REVIEW]

“Turning Red”

Friday, March 11, Disney+

Disney/Pixar

Like last summer’s “Luca,” Pixar’s latest animated marvel is debuting exclusively on Disney+. “Turning Red” is the story of Mei (Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old girl who, on the verge of puberty, finds herself in a very unfortunate position: Every time she gets too emotional, she turns into a magical, giant red panda. You know, that old story. Now she has to navigate her relationship with her doting mother (Sandra Oh), spend time with her group of BFFs, and try to get to the big concert performed by their favorite boy band 4*Town (Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas wrote the band’s new songs), all while keeping her mystical secret from running wild. If you love early-2000s nostalgia, director Domee Shi’s earlier Pixar short “Bao,” adorable things, and sobbing heavily at an animated movie made for children, then “Turning Red” should probably be appointment television. [INTERVIEW]

Netflix

“The Andy Warhol Diaries”
Wednesday, March 9, Netflix

Produced by Ryan Murphy and directed by Andrew Rossi, “The Andy Warhol Diaries” (based, in part, on the book of the same name, collected and edited by his longtime friend Pat Hackett), comes to Netflix with perfectly Warholian flourishes – talking head interviews with contemporaries and co-workers, gobs of archival stock footage knowingly recontextualized, and narration from Warhol himself via a cutting-edge A.I. program. (Similar programs were used for “Roadrunner,” the Anthony Bourdain documentary, and the episodes of “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” that featured a young Mark Hamill.) Will this new documentary be high art? Who knows? But it looks to offer an intimate view of a famously elusive figure, and that sound be riveting enough. [TRAILER]

Amazon Prime Video

“The Dawn FM Experience”
Amazon Prime Video

“The Dawn FM Experience,” an elaborate live performance by the Weeknd (né Abel Tesfaye) debuted just last weekend is already worth a re-watch. The special is tied into the music and mythology of his latest album, the absolutely stunning “Dawn FM,” with the Weeknd playing an elderly version of himself, who is trapped in a purgatorial space, looking back on his life and the decisions he’s made. The Micah Bickham-directed special is visually ravishing, inspired by Gaspar Noe’s “Climax,” the recent “Suspiria” remake, and a sweaty night out at the club (among other things). Throw it on and turn your living room into a full-blown dance party. It’ll take your breath away. [WATCH]

“Shining Vale”
Sunday, March 6 at 10 p.m., Starz

Honestly, we could use more half-hour horror comedies. And that’s exactly what “Shining Vale” is. Starring certifiable “Scream” queen Courteney Cox as a novelist suffering from writer’s’ block and the dysfunctional leader of a family who moves, with her husband (Greg Kinnear) and two kids, into a house that is 100% haunted. (The ghost is played by Mira Sorvino.) The trailer suggests that the tone is sort of “American Horror Story” lite, with a killer (pun intended) supporting cast that also includes “Twin Peaks” vet Sherilyn Fenn and Judith Light. Could be a scream! [TRAILER]

“The Thing About Pam”
Tuesday, March 8 at 10 p.m., NBC

This Blumhouse-produced based-on-a-true-crime story is notable for a few reasons. For one, it stars two-time Oscar winner Renée Zellweger in her first regular TV gig since the negligible Netflix series “What If” back in 2019 (no, we don’t remember it either). And then there’s the subject matter – the too-juicy story of Pam Hupp, a seemingly normal woman who soon finds herself entangled in an outrageous murder plot (the details are too good and too bizarre to give away here). The last thing about “The Thing About Pam” is how stellar the supporting cast is. Besides Zellweger, the show features Josh Duhamel, Katy Mixon and Judy Greer, with narration from “20/20” mainstay Keith Morrison (yes, really). [CONTROVERSY]

“Our Flag Means Death”
Thursday, March 10, HBO Max

In a unique release schedule, HBO Max debuted the first three episodes of “Our Flag Means Death,” a new pirate comedy executive produced by Taika Waititi (he also directed the first episode). And this week it premieres the last three episodes of the limited series. So I guess that’s the end of that! “Our Flag Means Death” is loosely based on the life of Stede Bonnet (played by Rhys Darby), an aristocrat who abandoned his fancy life to become a pirate. Straddling the line between swashbuckling adventure and very silly comedy, the series includes appearances from Fred Armisen, Waititi (as Blackbeard), Leslie Jones and Nick Kroll. Just be aware that you’ll probably be talking in pirate-speak for hours after watching the show. [TRAILER]

“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey”
Friday, March 11, Apple TV+

Based on the novel by crime fiction legend Walter Mosley (who also wrote the limited series), “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” follows a 93-year-old man (Samuel L. Jackson) suffering from dementia who temporarily gains access to his memories via an experimental procedure. With his memories back (and the side effects unknown), he sets about investigating the mysterious death of his nephew. Directors on the series include the great Ramin Bahrani and legendary cinematographer-turned-director Guillermo Navarro. [TRAILER]

“The Adam Project”
Friday, March 11, Netflix

Originally announced a decade ago with Tom Cruise attached to star (it was then known as “Our Name Is Adam”), “The Adam Project” finally debuts on Netflix, this time with Ryan Reynolds in the lead role, reuniting him with his “Free Guy” director Shawn Levy. Reynolds plays Adam, a pilot from the future who steals a time travel device and heads back to 2022, where he reconnects with his younger self (an uncanny and very touching Walker Scobell). From there, a larger plot emerges requiring the pair to travel further back in time to spend time with their dad (Mark Ruffalo), who passed away in a car accident. The film promises a potent mixture of emotional family drama and muscular sci-fi adventure — plus Catherine Keener as the bad guy. [TRAILER]


Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd to Replace Kanye West in Coachella Lineup

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Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd are set to replace Kanye West in the lineup for Coachella after he dropped out of the music festival early this week just weeks before he was meant to perform.

Swedish House Mafia was already confirmed for the festival but was previously listed on the first lineup poster in a special, undated slot. And The Weeknd is a respectably supersized addition to slot in alongside fellow headliners Harry Styles and Billie Eilish. Together they’ll play on the closing nights of the two-weekend festival on Sundays April 17 and 24 in Indio, California.

“I’m so looking forward to this moment with Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd finishing out the Sunday night slot this year,” Paul Tollett, president/CEO of Coachella promoter Goldenvoice, said in a statement. “Coachella has a special relationship with Abel and I’m so thankful to have this upcoming performance with these iconic artists all on the same stage.”

Swedish House Mafia, which is made up of trio Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso, was reuniting for Coachella after last doing a surprise set in 2018, all ahead of their first official debut album, “Paradise Again,” later this month. They did previously collaborate with The Weeknd on his song “Moth to a Flame.”

Swedish House Mafia is also returning to Coachella after first performing there 10 years prior in 2012.

No reason was given for Kanye West pulling out of Coachella, but the rapper has had a tumultuous last few weeks that resulted in him being a no-show to the Grammys and even getting a temporary suspension from Instagram.

‘The Idol’ Director Exits The Weeknd’s HBO Series Amid Reshoots, ‘New Creative Direction’

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Amy Seimetz, who has directed episodes of “Outer Range” and “Atlanta,” will no longer be involved with the project

How to Watch the Billboard Music Awards: Where to Stream Live

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The 2022 BBMAs, hosted by Sean “Diddy” Combs, will air live on Sunday from Las Vegas

2022 Billboard Music Awards: Complete List of Winners

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Olivia Rodrigo, Ye and Drake were the night's biggest winners

Trouble, Atlanta Rapper Who Collaborated With Artists Like Drake, Dies at 34

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"Our thoughts and prayers are with the children, loved ones, and fans of Trouble," his record label Def Jam wrote in a statement
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