Month: January 2023

2022 is over, but BLACKPINK is continuing to share the biggest and brightest highlights of the past year through the group’s “Born Pink Memories” video series, with the newest episode premiering on Friday (Jan. 6).

This sixth installment sees members Jennie, Jisoo, Lisa and Rosé kicking off a series of promotional events to support the release of Born Pink in the United States. The visual starts with the quartet touching down in Los Angeles for Spotify and BLACKPINK present Born Pink: The Pop-Up Experience, and concludes with the girls in the beginning stages of the Born Pink World Tour rehearsals, which, in this latest installment, are now in full swing.

Rosé is the the first up in solo practice, and plans out dance moves and vocals for her tracks “Hard to Love” and “On the Ground,” but perfection does not come easy. “I think you need to arrive earlier and you can take your time,” she directs her dancers. The notes pay off by the end, as Rosé later tells the group, “I think this looks better, I think we’re OK.”

Jennie and her dance for “You and Me” also goes fairly well, but she also has notes of her own. “It’s definitely better here,” she tells choreographers. “For the beginning, having three is better.”

After Lisa’s solo rehearsal, which sees her hopping on a pole for “Lalisa” — “It’s been a year since I grabbed these poles for the last time … we didn’t see each other for a while and now we’re reunited” — group rehearsal then take place, with the girls gathering as a group to practice. The main event — concert day — finally kicks off, and the K-pop group has everything polished for fans to witness and marvel at.

Watch the new installment of “Born Pink Memories” in the video above.

Flo are crowned winners of the BBC’s Sound of 2023, an annual poll that identifies the next big thing in music.

The British R&B trio — Renée Downer, Stella Quaresma and Jorja Douglas — was formed in 2019 and signed the following year to Island Records, a division of Universal Music Group.

Their debut single, “Cardboard Box,” dropped last March and was followed in July by EP The Lead.

Subsequent appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and the BBC’s Later… With Jools Holland confirmed their talent with audiences on both sides of the Atlantic.

Flo’s message is “to be strong in yourself, to be confident,” the group tells the BBC.

“There is female empowerment – but everyone who listens should feel supported, inspired, independent,” says Quaresma. “We want them to feel the way music used to make us feel.”

The Sound Of 2023 was voted on by a 130-strong music industry panel, which included former nominees Dua Lipa, Stormzy, Sam Smith and Foals.

With the Corporation’s seal of approval, Flo joins an elite circle of winners which includes Adele, Sam Smith, Haim, Ellie Goulding, Sigrid and last year’s winner, PinkPantheress.

Producer Fred Again (real name Fred Gibson) is runner-up in the 2023 list, which was open to new artists yet to achieve a top five album or more than two top 10 singles by Oct. 31 2022. Those artists who had appeared on reality TV shows within the past three years were ineligible for the competition.

The competition was open to new artists who had yet to achieve a top five album or more than two top 10 singles by Oct. 31, 2022. Artists who had appeared on TV talent shows within the last three years were ineligible.

The BBC Music Sound of 2023 top five:

It’s a New Year, Christmas songs perform their disappearing act for another time, and “Unholy” is back on top in Australia.

Sam Smith and Kim Petras’ global hit lifts 13-1 on the ARIA Chart, published Jan. 6, for its fifth non-consecutive week at No. 1.  

The 2023 rebirth of “Unholy” (Capitol/EMI) closely follows the announcement that Petras will headline Sydney WorldPride’s closing concert, Rainbow Republic, on March 5, and comes ahead of Smith’s intimate performance at McLaren Vale’s d’Arenberg Cube in Adelaide.

“Unholy” leads a fresh top 10 on the ARIA Singles Chart, as Xmas tunes tumble out of sight.

SZA‘s “Kill Bill” (RCA/Sony) vaults 12-2, while former leader “I’m Good (Blue)” (Warner) by David Guetta and Bebe Rexha leaps 25-3.

Meanwhile, British singer and songwriter Raye enjoys a new chart peak with “Escapism” (Orchard), up 26-7. “Escapism,” which represents a new, independent era for the rising artist, was the top single on the midweek U.K. chart.

Following the publication of ARIA’s year-end charts, which saw Harry Styles’ “As It Was” (Columbia/Sony) coming in at No. 1 for 2022, the Harry’s House number is once again on the rise. “As It Was” lifts 34-9 on the weekly survey.

Just one single makes its debut in the top 40 on the new chart, Dutch DJ Tiesto’s collaboration with Canadian singer-songwriter Tate McRae, “10:35” (Sony/Warner). It’s new at No. 24.

The top album for 2022, ARIA reported earlier in the week, is Taylor Swift’s Midnights (Universal). Swift’s tenth and latest studio album holds at No. 1 on the latest ARIA Chart, for its ninth non-consecutive week at the summit. It’s one of five Swift albums currently in the top 40.

With beloved danceable tracks like “TWIST & TURN” and “ALL I NEED” under their belts, fans know exactly what to expect when Popcaan and Drake get together. Their latest release “We Caa Done” is no exception to the rule.

The dancehall phenom teased his and Drizzy’s new cut in a preview snippet via Instagram on Wednesday (Jan. 4), and unveiled the cover art for his upcoming fifth studio album Great Is He via OVO Sound, showing the Jamaican artist in 19th-century threads with a pensive expression. “New year, new Gear, new blessings, new money, new music! #GIHE,” the caption reads.

“We Caa Done” is co-produced by TRESOR and Batundi and accompanied by a visual directed by OVO mainstay Theo Skudra, shot in the beautiful island scenery of Turks & Caicos. “‘We Caa Done’ is all about persevering,” Popcaan said in a statement. “We don’t think about limits. We’re living the life we’ve dreamed of, and despite what the haters and naysayers have to say, we will only be greater.”

Prior to the Drake-assisted single, Popcaan dropped single “Set It” and the love song “Next To Me,” featuring Ton-Ann Singh, in preparation for the upcoming album.

Popcaan enjoyed success with his last three albums, all peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard U.S. reggae chart.

It’s possible the music video was filmed back in August, when Drake and Popcaan went on a boys’ trip with fellow artist J. Cole and NBA star Kevin Durant to Turks & Caicos. The crew was seen riding jet skis and posing together by the water during their tropical festivities.

Watch “We Caa Done” and stream the new track below.