Holiday weekend travelers should expect delays at the I-44 bridge over I-49 in Jasper County.
Eastbound traffic will be reduced to one lane until repairs to the damaged bridge are completed. Several ramps will be closed at exit 18.
Signs and message boards will alert drivers approaching the bridges.
The Missouri State Fire Marshal is asking Missourians not to shoot off fireworks this 4th of July because of drought conditions across the state.
State Fire Marshal Tim Bean says drought conditions are worsening and anything that can cause a spark, like fireworks, could start a fire.
The State Fire Marshal does not have the authority to prohibit fireworks, but county commissioners can issue burn bans. Bean says some communities have cancelled their fireworks displays.
Just call her Mrs. Barker. A little over a year since she and Blink-182 rocker Travis Barker tied the knot, Kourtney Kardashian has revealed that she’s officially changed her last name to her husband’s.
The 44-year-old reality star shared the news with a simple post on Instagram Thursday (June 29) showing off her updated ID, with the location tagged as the Department of Motor Vehicles (aka, the DMV). Below her fresh portrait on the official certificate reads the name “Kourtney Kardashian Barker,” indicating that her birth name, Kourtney Mary Kardashian, is no more.
“say my name,” she wrote in her caption, potentially referencing Destiny’s Child’s iconic song of the same name — or, for a darker interpretation, Walter White/Heisenberg’s infamous line in season five of Breaking Bad.
Kourtney clarified her decision with a post in her Stories, sharing a screenshot of what looks to be an article about the tradition of post-marriage name changes. “It’s long been tradition for the bride to take her husband’s last name, and traditionally, she drops her middle name and keeps her last (her ‘maiden’ name) as her middle name,” reads the snippet. “Her husband’s last name then becomes her new last name.”
“In case you didn’t know…” the Poosh founder captioned her Story.
And though it’s been more than a year since Kourtney and the 47-year-old drummer got hitched in May 2022, the sudden surname swap makes sense considering their family unit is about to grow. The reality star announced that she’s pregnant with the couple’s first baby together June 16 by holding up a “Travis I’m Pregnant” sign at Blink-182’s concert in L.A. — recreating an iconic scene from the band’s “All the Small Things” music video.
The two have since shared a handful of pregnancy photos showing off Kourtney’s bump, and have revealed that they’re expecting a baby boy. Both the Kardashians star and Travis have children from previous relationships: Kourtney has 13-year-old son Mason, 10-year-old daughter Penelope and 8-year-old son Reign with ex-boyfriend Scott Disick, while Barker has 19-year-old son Landon, 17-year-old daughter Alabama, and 24-year-old stepdaughter Atiana with ex-wife Shanna Moakler.
See Kourtney’s name reveal below:
Billboard’s Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday’s most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond.
This week, Olivia Rodrigo sinks her teeth into a new era, Lil Uzi Vert rolls out the Tape, and Shakira links with Manuel Turizo for a summer single. Check out all of this week’s picks below:
Created with her main Sour collaborator Daniel Nigro, Olivia Rodrigo’s hugely anticipated new single “Vampire” begins as a betrayal-strewn piano ballad in the vein of “Drivers License,” but then opens up into a pop-rock epic full of jittery percussion and wounded, dramatic vocal runs — something like My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade refracted through a generation raised on Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey. “Vampire” represents a go-for-the-gusto pop statement that both pushes Rodrigo’s songwriting forward as well as satisfies Sour fans. It sounds purposely huge, and like it’s about to be inescapable.
Click here to read a full Q&A with Rodrigo about “Vampire.”
A new Lil Uzi Vert album can feel like a blitz, with a sprawling number of songs and ideas coming at you from all angles; such was the case with 2020’s Eternal Atake and its hefty deluxe edition, as well as with Pink Tape, their gargantuan new album that refuses to pick one sonic lane. Uzi revels in disparate production techniques and daring stylistic choices, which is how we get Nicki Minaj joining them over a Eiffel 65 interpolation, a faithful re-creation of System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” called “CS,” and plenty of Rebirth-esque hair metal hip-hop tracks like “Suicide Doors”; at 26 songs, Pink Tape is designed to be an overwhelming listen, with Uzi’s fantastical world offering a sensory overload.
With “Copa Vacía,” Shakira continues a prolific period — beginning with her smash Bizarrap team-up “BZRP Vol. 53,” followed by the top 10 Karol G collaboration “TQG” and then her stripped-down solo track “Acróstico” — alongside rising reggaeton star Manuel Turizo, who provides the superstar with an assist on a track that fits more seamlessly into party playlists. Turizo’s deeper tone coincides nicely with Shakira’s vocal power, locating a smooth tension that plays into the song’s thumping beat.
Puerto Rican producer Tainy has been an in-demand collaborator for years, working with Latin music’s biggest artists as well as English-language stars like Dua Lipa and Shawn Mendes, and his debut album Data functions as both a high-concept artistic statement — weaving in lyrics and visuals related to advancing technology, human connection and a cyborg named Sena — and a series of heaters for the summer months. Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee, Ozuna and Young Miko all stop by, but Tainy strives to turn the collage of Data into a cohesive listen, and ultimately succeeds.
Indie pop diehards will instantly recognize the synth line that opens “Speed Drive,” Charli XCX’s contribution to the upcoming Barbie soundtrack: that’s the riff from Robyn’s “Cobrastyle,” revived more than a decade and a half after highlighting the Swedish pop star’s self-titled album. Charli takes that hook for a test spin on a short, snappy slice of propulsive pop music, with a chorus that moves so rapidly it’ll give you whiplash: “Hot, riding through the streets, on a different frequency,” she sings, bottling up the feeling of driving a little too fast with the top down.
After earning a mountain of hype thanks to collaborations with artists like Drake, Solange and Frank Ocean, Sampha delivered on his promise with his 2017 debut album Process, a breathtaking electro-R&B project focused on grief and self-evolution. Then, six years passed, with a few more guest spots but no new Sampha solo material. “Spirit 2.0,” then, is a long-awaited return but also a gorgeously pensive check-in: Sampha tiptoes around melodies and orchestrates a elliptical collection of strings, voices and frenetic beats, as if he’s ready to show more of himself after years away from the spotlight but doesn’t want to reveal everything just yet.
CeCe Winans is set to receive the Aretha Franklin Icon Award at the 2023 Stellar Gospel Music Awards, which will be presented at The Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, July 15.
Winans has won 15 Grammy Awards, just three shy of the number received by Franklin, who died in 2018. Though Franklin will forever be known as the Queen of Soul, she also made a lasting impression with her gospel recordings, including the 1972 classic Amazing Grace and the 1987 album One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. Both of those live, double-disk recordings won Grammys for best soul gospel album.
Dr. Bobby Jones will receive the Thomas A. Dorsey Most Notable Achievement Award. As previously announced, Rev. Dr. Milton Biggham will receive the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. Biggham is pastor of the Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Newark, N.J., and founder of several mass choirs – The Miami Mass Choir, The Mississippi Mass Choir, the Dallas Fort Worth Mass Choir and the Georgia Mass Choir.
The show will be hosted by Jonathan McReynolds and Tasha Cobbs-Leonard for the second year in a row.
Performers set to appear on the show include Kierra Sheard-Kelly, Naomi Raine, Pastor Mike, Jr., Maranda Curtis, Tim Bowman, Jr. & Faith City Music, DOE, Dorothy Norwood and Zacardi Cortez. The emerging voices stage will showcase HLE and Lena Byrd Miles. Additional performers and presenters will be announced.
The Stellar Awards red carpet special pre-show will be televised on the newly launched Stellar TV Network on Sunday, July 30, at 5 p.m. ET, followed by the 38th Annual Stellar Gospel Music Awards telecast at 6 p.m. ET. The Stellar Network can be found on Charter Spectrum and Verizon Fios. Both shows will be available on-demand via Xumo Play at a later date. The ceremony will also air in national broadcast syndication from Aug. 7 through Sept. 10.
Tickets for the Stellar pre-show and main awards ceremony are now available for purchase at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets range from $59 to $229.
In addition to the main awards ceremony, the Stellar Gospel Music Awards is introducing the Stellar+ Experience (Stellar+EXP), which will provide participants with a personalized experience, featuring concerts, discussions, master classes, and more. The Stellar+ Experience events will take place at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas from Wednesday, July 12, to Friday, July 14. Limited-edition passes are now available for purchase, ranging from $60 to $250, at www.eventbrite.com. For the full event schedule and more information, visit stellarplusexperience.com.
As previously reported, Pastor Mike, Jr. and Tye Tribbett are the leading nominees for the 2023 Stellar Gospel Music Awards, with 10 and nine nods, respectively.
Maverick City Music x Kirk Franklin received six nominations for their collaborative album Kingdom Book One. Cobbs-Leonard, Zacardi Cortez and DOE each received five nominations. Tamela Mann is nominated in four categories for her album Overcomer Deluxe.
The 38th Stellar Gospel Music Awards show is executive produced by Don Jackson, with Jennifer J. Jackson serving as executive in charge of production and producer. Michael A. Johnson will produce and direct this year’s show.
For more information, visit www.stellarawards.com.
Hip-hop is bouncing on Australia’s charts as homegrown rapper Kerser lifts the albums chart crown for the first time, and Brits Dave and Central Cee retain the singles title.
Kerser’s A Gift & A Kers (via ABK/ADA) debuts at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, published Friday, June 30, for his eighth top 10 appearance.
The West Sydney artist (real name: Scott Froml) “is a phenomenal example of independent artist success in Australia and someone whose career path we need to celebrate at a time where we search for more ways for artists to connect with Australian listeners,” comments ARIA CEO Annabelle Herd.
“Huge congratulations are in order, especially as we hit two weeks in a row of Australian No. 1s.”
It’s the fourth Australian leader on the ARIA Albums Chart this year, and second straight following The Teskey Brothers’ The Winding Way (Liberation/Universal). The Teskeys’ latest album dips 1-33 on the latest survey.
Also new to the top 5 is Maisie Peters’ sophomore album The Good Witch (Atlantic/Warner), flying to No. 4. The English singer and songwriter performed to more than three-quarters-of-a-million Aussies earlier in the year when she opened for Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour of these parts. The Good Witch was the leader on the midweek U.K. chart and becomes Peters’ first LP to chart in Australia.
Further down the list, Trophy Eyes’ Suicide and Sunshine (HR/RKT) starts at No. 8 debut; Kelly Clarkson’s Chemistry (Atlantic/Warner) impacts at No. 31; Young Thug’s Business Is Business (Atlantic/Warner) bows at No. 36; and Lastlings’ Perfect World (Liberation/Universal) arrives at No. 39.
It’s been an exciting (and stressful) week for Swifties in Australia, as tickets were finally released for her two-city The Eras Tour shows. Taylor Swift will play seven dates across Sydney and Melbourne next year, the on-sale for which has broken records. As fans waited for the news, they tuned into Swift’s catalog, sending her classic albums back up the chart – including three in the top 5 and five in the top 10.
Leading the pack is her latest, Midnights, up 2-5; while Lover rises 11-3; 1989 climbs 9-5; Reputation improves 13-6, and Folklore vaults 16-10, all via Universal.
It’s a similar tale on the ARIA Singles Chart, as Swift’s 2019 song “Cruel Summer” from Lover roars 29-3, while “Anti-Hero” gains 9-7 and “Karma” is up 15-8.
At the top of the singles chart is Dave and Central Cee’s “Sprinter” (Virgin Music Australia/Universal), which wins the race for a fourth consecutive week.
Post Malone’s fans Down Under will get a second chance to see the “Rockstar” rapper in concert this year.
Announced Friday (June 30), Posty will play three east coast dates when his If Y’all Weren’t Here, I’d Be Crying world tour visits Australia later in 2023.
Produced by Live Nation, Malone’s jaunt will visit Brisbane Showgrounds on Nov. 23, The Domain Sydney on Nov. 29 and Melbourne Showgrounds on Nov. 30.
Those newly-announced open-air dates are an encore run. Malone played six concerts in January and February of this year, as the opening act for Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Australian stadium tour; Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, Sydney’s Accord Stadium and Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium were on that itinerary, also produced by Live Nation.
The Australia swing is part of an extensive tour, which includes 26 dates across North America, starting Saturday, July 8 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, IN, and includes stops in Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Thailand, Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Japan, and New Zealand.
Expect Posty to play music from his upcoming album, his fifth full-length LP, Austin, due out July 28,
“as well as fan-favorites in a completely reimagined show,” reads a statement from LN.
Austin is the followup to Malone’s 2022 studio effort, Twelve Carat Toothache, which debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Albums Chart, for his third top 10 appearance. Posty’s previous albums Hollywood’s Bleeding (2019) and Beerbongs & Bentleys (2018) both debuted at No. 1 week on the national Australian tally. His hits set The Diamond Collection peaked at No. 16 on the ARIA Chart earlier this year.
The general ticket on sale for the Australia leg starts on Thursday, July 13 at livenation.com.au or postmalone.com.
If Y’all Weren’t Here, I’d Be Crying 2023 Tour Dates:
July 08 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center
July 09 – Cincinnati, OH – Riverbend Music Center
July 11 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Music Theatre
July 12 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake
July 14 – St. Louis, MO – Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
July 15 – East Troy, WI – Alpine Valley Music Theatre
July 17 – Buffalo, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater
July 19 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
July 20 – Toronto, ON – Budweiser Stage
July 22 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center
July 23 – Hartford, CT– XFINITY Theatre
July 25 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
July 26 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live
July 29 – Charlotte, NC – PNC Music Pavilion
July 31 – West Palm Beach, FL – iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre
Aug. 1 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Aug. 3 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre
Aug. 5 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
Aug. 6 – Dallas, TX – Dos Equis Pavilion
Aug. 8 – Houston, TX – The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Aug. 10 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Aug. 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre
Aug. 13 – San Diego, CA – North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
Aug. 15 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheatre
Aug. 16 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug. 19 – San Bernardino, CA – Glen Helen Amphitheater
Aug. 29 – Santiago, CL – Estadio Bicentenario
Sep. 1 – Curitiba, BR – Pedreira Paulo Leminski
Sep. 5 – Mexico City, MX – Foro Sol
Sep. 14 – Bangkok, TH – Impact Challenger Hall
Sep. 18 – Manila, PH – SM Mall of Asia Arena
Sep. 20 – Taipei – Nangang International Exhibition Center, Hall1
Sep. 23 – Seoul, KR – KINTEX Hall 5
Sep. 25 – Hong Kong – AsiaWorld-Arena
Sep. 27 – Tokyo, JP – Ariake Arena
Nov. 21 – Auckland, NZ – The Outerfields at Western Springs
Nov. 23 – Brisbane, AU — Brisbane Showgrounds
Nov. 29 – Sydney, AU — The Domain
Nov. 30 – Melbourne, AU – Melbourne Showgrounds
After a three-year hiatus, Lil Uzi Vert returned to the rap scene on Friday (Jun. 30) with his new album, Pink Tape.
The 26-track project is a colossal lift from the “XO TOUR Llif3” superstar, who receives a fistful of assists from his contemporaries such as Nicki Minaj, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, and more. Uzi even stretches his arms into the rock world and lands a collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon on “Werewolf.”
For fans of Uzi’s latest hit, “Just Wanna Rock,” it appears on the album. The Jersey Club anthem gained momentum earlier this year and cracked the top 10 on the Hot 100 last February.
Earlier this week, Uzi unveiled the trailer and artwork for this third album. The artwork is semi-patriotic as Uzi stands before a U.S. flag draped in pink versus the traditional red, white, and blue. Uzi’s signature spiked hair also appears as they don a jacket matching the flag.
As for the trailer, it’s an animated clip helmed by Gibson Hazard. He also held an album listening party inside New York City’s Irving Plaza, which was prom-themed and included guests such as Lil Baby and JT from City Girls.
Pink Tape is the follow-up to their 2020 album Eternal Atake, with which they dodged the sophomore slump by netting their second Billboard 200 No. 1 album. The celebrated project sold 288,000 copies in its opening week and had three songs debut in the Billboard Hot 100 top 10, led by “Baby Pluto” at No. 6.
Stream Pink Tape below.
Olivia Rodrigo has entered her Edward Cullen era with her long-awaited new single, “Vampire,” which arrived just after midnight on Friday (June 30).
“Vampire,” out on June 30, is Rodrigo’s first project since her 2021 multi-platinum debut Sour. She shared the news of the track earlier this month, along with the single’s black-and-white cover art, in which the star is seen wearing dark lipstick, winged eyeliner and two Band-Aids on her neck where a vampire-fang puncture wound has taken place.
“Vampire” is the lead single off Rodrigo’s upcoming sophomore album GUTS, which will be arriving on September 8. The song will mark the Grammy winner’s first release since 2021 and will follow her breakthrough debut album SOUR.
In a press release, Rodrigo noted that GUTS will explore “growing pains and trying to figure out who I am at this point in my life.” “I feel like I grew 10 years between the ages of 18 and 20 — it was such an intense period of awkwardness and change,” she continued. “I think that’s all just a natural part of growth, and hopefully the album reflects that.”
Listen to “Vampire” and watch the Petra Collins-directed music video below.
“It’s very nerve-racking,” Olivia Rodrigo tells Billboard during a call a few days before the release of her new single, “Vampire.” But also, she admits, “I haven’t put out music in, what, two years now?”
Two years, one month and nine days, to be exact: with 2021 debut album Sour, Rodrigo ascended to superstardom and capitalized on the Billboard Hot 100-topping enormity of its lead single, the brilliant breakup ballad “Drivers License.” A pastiche of pop-punk flare-ups, bedroom-pop ruminations and crunchy alternative, Sour led to a best new artist Grammy win, a sold-out 2022 headlining tour, a documentary and a prom-themed concert film… but zero new music from Rodrigo since its release, save for a few previously recorded tunes from her role on the DIsney+ series High School Musical: The Musical: The Series.
Rather amazingly, all 11 songs on Sour have peaked within the top 30 of the Hot 100 — but they haven’t been followed by any bonus tracks, guest features or stopgap songs. No wonder “Vampire,” the lead single to Rodrigo’s forthcoming sophomore album GUTS (due out Sept. 8 on Geffen Records), is arguably the most anticipated new single of the year.
Created with her main Sour collaborator, writer-producer Daniel Nigro, “Vampire” begins as a betrayal-strewn piano ballad in the vein of “Drivers License,” but then busts open into a pop-rock epic full of jittery percussion and wounded, dramatic vocal runs — something like My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade, refracted through a generation raised on Taylor Swift and Lana Del Rey. “Vampire” represents a go-for-the-gusto pop statement that both pushes Rodrigo’s songwriting forward while also providing plenty for Sour fans. It sounds purposely huge, and like it’s about to be inescapable.
“Putting out a new song is a little bit daunting, but ultimately really exciting,” Rodrigo says. “I just feel really lucky to have so much support coming from all angles.” Below, Rodrigo explains how the song became her new single, and the period of growth she experienced since Sour that will inform GUTS. (Ed. note: this interview has been edited for clarity.)
Billboard: How did “Vampire” come together?
Olivia Rodrigo: I wrote it on the piano, the original version, in December of last year, and I really liked it. I remember writing it and feeling like something special was there. And I took it to my producer Dan, and we finished it up together and rewrote some things and produced it. It was quite a long production — it’s pretty lush, so it took us a while. But I’m really happy with the way it came out.
I love how the song opens up after the first chorus into this huge, multi-part, theatrical statement. At what point did it become obvious that this would be the lead single?
We always said that it was kind of our version of a rock opera. [Laughs.] I think as the album was coming together, we were coming up with a bunch of songs that we really liked, but this one always stuck out to me as something that I felt like was honoring my singer-songwriter roots, but felt like an evolution — in a good way that wasn’t too stark. And so I really liked it for that, and it was always one of my favorites.
I’m curious about the messaging of the song — your take on someone using you, and leeching off of your fame. Where did those themes come from? Had they been rattling around in your mind for a while?
I think it’s just a song about feeling used, and all of the anger and regret and heartbreak that comes with it. And I think that’s a common feeling, whether or not someone’s famous. That was something that was just really bubbling inside of me — it’s kind of an angry song, and I think I have a lot of trouble expressing feelings like anger and regret, those are particularly tough ones for me to express. I go to songwriting to get those feelings out that aren’t super comfortable to express in everyday life. So it was a very therapeutic experience, writing this song.
It’s hard to imagine how cathartic this one is going to feel for you when you first perform it live.
Oh my gosh, I’m so excited. I’m really excited for the live show — I feel like the album is shaping up to be a really fun set.
You’ve spoken recently about the incredible growth you’ve experienced over the past two years — this whirlwind that included Sour, touring, the Grammys, traveling, now writing again. When you look back on the past two years, what was the most surprising part, something that the Olivia of two years ago never would have expected?
I mean, the Olivia of two years ago definitely wouldn’t have expected her career to do all the crazy, wonderful things that it did so quickly, and I’m very grateful for that. I’ve changed so much in the past few years. All that crazy stuff happened in my career — “Drivers License” came out and it broke all these records, and I was lucky enough to win some Grammys, which was a huge dream of mine ever since I can remember.
But I think the most change I’ve felt was just in Olivia as a girl — growing up and changing from being a teenager to a 20-year-old. All of the maturing and figuring yourself out, that’s just on a normal human-to-human level — I think that was the most surprising thing for me.
Is the pressure you’re feeling ahead of this single release significantly different than what you were feeling ahead of “Drivers License” or Sour?
Totally. It’s definitely a different feeling, and it felt different making this album too. I mean, it’s a lot of pressure. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t feel that. But I think I got to a place throughout making the record where I really shifted my perspective from being like, “Oh, we have to make something that’s gonna impress everyone, and beat the last one!” All of this was just swimming in my head, and I wasn’t writing songs that I resonated with. It wasn’t productive, and conducive to good work.
And so I had to shift my perspective into just trying to make music that I would like to hear on the radio, and once I did that, things started flowing a little easier. So I just try to maintain that that perspective.
How indicative is “Vampire” of the sound of the rest of the album?
I actually feel like the album is really, incredibly diverse. There are other kinds of ballads — I guess I consider “Vampire” a ballad on the record — but yeah, I don’t know! It’s all pretty different.
With “Drivers License,” you translated this painful personal moment into something relatable for a wide audience. Now that you’re at the top of that roller coaster again with this lead single and ready to rush down, how does it feel to be sharing this new piece of yourself?
I mean, not gonna lie, it’s pretty scary! I was definitely a little more dauntless last time with “Drivers License,” because I had no idea that anyone would listen to it – but it’s scary to think about putting a song out into the world that’s vulnerable and represents painful feelings for you.
I’m just trying to not think about it, to keep my head down and do all the work. Everything else is out of my control. It’s kind of nice to give it to people, and then it’s not yours anymore. It’s a beautiful thing! So I’m just trying to remember that.