Month: September 2022

John Legend shared that he’s “cautiously optimistic” about the new baby he’s expecting with wife Chrissy Teigen in an interview with Good Morning Britain on Friday (Sept. 23).

The “Ordinary People” singer described the loss of his last pregnancy as a sobering experience.

“Whenever you lose a pregnancy, it is always cautious optimism when you are pregnant again,” said Legend. “You never know what could happen, and you have experienced that tragedy of losing one … so your optimism is a little bit tempered by that.”

The couple announced the loss of their third child, Jack, at just 20 weeks old on Instagram in September 2020. In the post, Teigen told followers she had to be hospitalized after a month of excessive bleeding. Two years later, Teigen specified that she had to undergo a life-saving abortion when carrying Jack, after realizing he would not survive.

Teigen announced in August that she was expecting another child on Instagram, debuting her new baby bump.

“1 billion shots later (in the leg lately, as u can see!) we have another on the way,” Teigen wrote in her caption. “Every appointment I’ve said to myself, ‘ok if it’s healthy today I’ll announce’ but then I breathe a sigh of relief to hear a heartbeat and decide I’m just too nervous still.”

Despite Teigen’s nerves, hope is on the horizon. According to Legend, “Everything’s been great so far.”

Legend released his eighth studio album Legend on Sept. 9 through Republic Records, sharing that “vulnerability of pain, praise, and healing” informed much of the record.

After SEVENTEEN wrapped the U.S. leg of their Be the Sun world tour, member Jun took no time to release a new solo track that keeps fans hot even as temperatures are cooling down.

“Limbo” is the new single from Jun, the Chinese-born K-pop star who is one of the standout performers and dancers in SEVENTEEN, released in both Korean and Chinese. While Jun has previously focused on ballads and acoustic tracks when it comes to solo tracks, “Limbo” delivers his seductive side. The star purrs, “Listen, I’ve been looking for the love/ I wanna hear your voice/ You know what I mean?” over grinding, electro-pop production.

The accompanying music video is equally bewitching. From rocking latex gloves and a crop top to giving his best sexy vampire character, Jun’s looks throughout the visual are only outdone by his performance skills where he leads a troupe of female dancers through a series of full-body squats, slides and spins. Jun is one of four members in SEVENTEEN’s splinter “Performance Team,” with his natural stage skills on full display in “Limbo.”

“Limbo” marks the third digital single from Jun through his label at PLEDIS Entertainment. Both released in 2021, his ballad “Crow” and acoustic-leaning “Silent Boarding Gate” were in only in Chinese and illuminated his more tender side. As a co-writer and composer for “Limbo” as well, Jun continues to show why he’s an ever-growing, global artist in the making.

Watch the Korean version of the “Limbo” video and peep the Chinese version here.

Amid the recent Adam Levine cheating allegations, Adam DeVine’s similar name got him caught in the crossfire.

The Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates comedian took to Instagram on Friday (Sept. 23) to assure fans that he did not cheat on his wife, actress Chloe Bridges. “Just want to post this and say that my wife @chloebridges and I are doing great and going strong. I am not Adam Levine. He’s a different guy and a worse singer,” he joked alongside a seaside selfie with his wife, before adding the jab, “We are however naming our future baby Sumner.”

The last sentence was a reference to one of the alleged DMs the Maroon 5 singer sent 23-year-old Instagram model Sumner Stroh, asking if it would be OK to name his upcoming third child with wife Behati Prinsloo “Sumner” if it’s a boy.

On Monday, Stroh claimed that she had an affair with Levine via a now-viral TikTok video. “At the time, I was young, I was naïve and quite frankly I feel exploited. I wasn’t in the scene like I am now, so I was definitely easily manipulated,” she said. She claimed their fling lasted for a year, adding that Levine gave her the impression that his marriage to Prinsloo “was over.”

“A lot is being said about me right now and I want to clear the air,” Levine wrote in an Instagram Story in which he dismissed claims he stepped out on his marriage. “I used poor judgement in speaking with anyone other than my wife in ANY kind of flirtatious manner.”

“I did not have an affair, nevertheless, I crossed the line during a regrettable period in my life. In certain instances it became inappropriate; I have addressed that and taken proactive steps to remedy this with my family,” he added.

Prinsloo has yet to publicly comment on the situation.

George Ward, best known as his stage name Cherry Valentine on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, died on September 18. He was 28 years old.

Ward’s agency, On the Box Talent, shared the news of his death via a statement from his family on Thursday (Sept. 22). “It is with the most heart wrenching and deepest sadness to inform you that our George – Cherry Valentine – has tragically passed away,” the statement posted to Instagram alongside a photo of Ward reads. “This will come as a profound shock to most people & we understand there is no easy way for this to be announced. As his family, we are still processing his death and our lives will never be the same. We understand how much he is loved and how many lives he has inspired and touched. All we ask is for your patience and your prayers in this time. We love you Georgie.”

Ward’s cause of death is still unknown to the public.

Before appearing on Drag Race, Ward worked as a mental health nurse and during the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked in vaccination units. The Darlington, England native first rose to fame on the sophomore season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2021, and while she was eliminated on the second episode, Cherry Valentine quickly became a fan-favorite.

Upon hearing the news, RuPaul took to Twitter to remember Cherry as “a bright star and a lovely person.” Michelle Visage, who sits alongside RuPaul on the Drag Race judges panel, also shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. “Cherry, you beautiful soul. After watching your documentary my eyes were opened and I learned so much and I thank you for that, for teaching me,” she wrote alongside a photo of the star. “I hate that you had any doubts about who you were because to me you were perfect. I only wish you were here to teach me more. You were one of a kind with a laugh as big as your heart. This is truly heartbreaking. Rest peacefully, superstar.”

See below.

The first day of Billboard Latin Music Week, on Sept. 26, will close with a bang.

The opening showcase, presented by AP Global Music and powered by EMM, will feature performances by up-and-coming Latin urban acts such as Joonti, Bernier, Gonza and Venesti. The intimate show is set to take place at the Faena Theater in Miami on Monday from 9:30-11:30 p.m. (local time).

The AP Global Music showcase is the first of a packed lineup of events including superstar concerts by Camilo, Bizarrap, Elena Rose, Ozuna and Mariah Angeliq. BRESH will throw the ultimate closing party at Oasis, in Miami’s artistic neighborhood of Wynwood.

The 32nd edition of Latin Music Week, the longest-running Latin music industry gathering in the world, will be packed with back-to-back appearances by artists such as Chiquis, Ivy Queen, Camilo, Romeo Santos, Maluma, Grupo Firme and Chayanne, to name a few, throughout the week in Miami’s Faena Forum.

For 30 years, Billboard Latin Music Week has been the longest-running and biggest Latin music industry gathering in the world. It will also dovetail with the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards on Sept. 29, in Miami. The Billboard Latin Music Awards will broadcast live on Telemundo, and will also broadcast simultaneously on the Spanish entertainment cable network, Universo, and throughout Latin America and the Caribbean on Telemundo Internacional.

Bernier

Bernier (real name: Edgar Joel Bernier Rodríguez) is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter carving a lane for himself in the urbano space. In 2017, he started his career by posting freestyle sessions on Facebook and, a year later, released his debut single via Soundcloud and subsequently, signed a label deal with the indie NVIVO MUSIC.

Gonza

Hailing from Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, Pablo Ernesto Gonzalez Vega “Gonza” was inspired by his parents who love to listen to salsa to pursue a career in music. In 2022, Gonza signed with AP Global Music and will be releasing new music soon.

Joonti

Jonathan Andrés Pagán Vélez, aka Joonti, is a singer-songwriter from Puerto Rico. He launched his career in 2019 uploading freestyle sessions on Instagram. Since, he’s released a handful of singles including his latest, “Daño Colateral.”

Venesti

Faiber Stiven Caicedo Castro, better known as VENESTI, is an urban singer-songwriter, and music producer. The Colombian artist joined AP Global Music’s roster in 2021.

This week, our First Stream Latin roundup — which is a compilation of the best new Latin songs, albums and videos recommended by the Billboard Latin editors — was led by regional Mexican anthems from Kany García and Christian Nodal, Carin Leon and Pepe Aguilar and Río Roma, and a striking ballad by Natalia Lafourcade. But what was your favorite new release of the week?

García and Nodal teamed up for the first time for the the heartfelt and potent “La Siguiente” (The Next One), produced by Richi Lopez. In an urban-infused ranchera, the Puerto Rican artist opens up with mature lyrics about evolving after a relationship that was toxic and narcissistic. Meanwhile, Mexican singer-songwriter Lafourcade gave a preview of her upcoming album (due Oct. 28) releasing her new single, “De Todas Las Flores,” which is pure poetry and a love letter to oneself.

“I wrote it in 2018, after a romantic breakup,” Natalia said about the song. “A relationship that began with passion and fireworks, then deteriorated into agony and self-destruction. Sometimes we must experience such moments in order to understand that love is more closely linked to the relationship we honor with our own selves. ‘De Todas Las Flores’ refers to the inner flowers. When will we sing? When will we play? When do we finally get to return to ourselves?” The forthcoming set will be her first of all new original material in seven years.

Other new releases include Aitana’s “Otra Vez,” Carin Leon’s “Si Es Cierto Que Te Vas” and Boza and Beéle’s “Qué Prefieres?” Which is your favorite new Latin music release of the week? Vote below!

Lil Baby has teamed up with beer company Budweiser to release “The World is Yours To Take,” a track released on Friday (Sept. 23) that will be featured on the first-ever official FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 soundtrack.

The hyped-up anthem samples the chorus from the 1985 hit song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears For Fears. In a press release shared by Lil Baby’s team, the “Drip Too Hard” rapper revealed that the song is “special” for him. 

“It’s about the journey we’ve all been on over the last few years and celebrating what’s next,” said Lil Baby in a press statement. “When I started in music in 2017, I went all in on a dream that brought me to where I am now, and that’s what I want fans to feel when they hear the song. I hope it makes you feel like you’re walking out onto the pitch at the World Cup making moves toward your own dreams, whatever that means to you.” 

“The World Is Yours To Take” will be celebrated on Lil Baby’s 28th birthday on December 3 with a live performance at the Budweiser Hotel for the tournament. The music video for the track will be shot at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar that will take place on Sunday (Nov. 20) until Sunday (Dec. 18). Budweiser is set to release new versions of the song alongside other major acts as well. 

Listen to “The World Is Yours to Take” below.