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Karol G Halftime Show in Brazil for Chiefs vs. Chargers Game: Recap
Music

Karol G Halftime Show in Brazil for Chiefs vs. Chargers Game: Recap

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Karol G brought her Tropicoqueta energy to the NFL stage in Brazil, where she headlined the halftime show on Friday night (Sept. 5) during the season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Colombian superstar’s performance was streamed live on the NFL’s YouTube channel from Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, where she opened her short-but-dazzling set singing some verses in Portuguese, before switching to Spanish for “Bandida Entrenada.”

“Hey, Brazil!” she greeted the audience with excitement. “¡Arriba mi gente latina!” (Up my Latin people!)

Dressed in a brown and yellow miniskirt with copper details and a bra with yellow pineapples for cups, Karol, with her wavy dark blond hair down, performed a medley of songs that included her Billboard Hot Latin Songs No. 1 hit “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” “Un Gatito Me Llamó” and “Papasito,” which she performed half in English, half in Spanish.

Surrounded by dozens of dancers and featuring some moves that included a bit of lambada, Karol’s performance lasted less than 10 minutes, but it was sweet and well-produced, including nice costumes, a group of female percussionists and a grand finale with golden pom poms and fireworks.

Hours before the show, Karol shared some heartfelt words in an Instagram post alongside a carousel of colorful spashots from her stay in Brazil. “Today is a very special day! After a long time, I return to one of my favorite places in the world, where, no matter what, I feel completely happy: The stage! The sacred place where I connect with you,” she wrote.

“Performing tonight has many special meanings in my life for different reasons, and there wouldn’t be enough space in this caption to explain it all… I just hope you really enjoy it, and in the name of God, I hope everything turns out incredible,” the singer continued. “You know, you think about every detail and hope that everything goes as planned… But no matter what happens, I love what we’ve prepared so much. It has all my soul and heart, and there’s a wonderful team of people by my side who worked incredibly hard as well.”

Karol G’s halftime show performance was announced in August. The news was accompanied by a photo of her dressed in Tropicoqueta flair, a nod to her latest album, while holding a football helmet. As part of the ongoing collaboration between the NFL and YouTube, the game between the Chiefs and the Chargers is the first NFL game exclusively streamed live on YouTube.

In addition to Karol’s show, Brazilian artist Ana Castela performed the country’s national anthem, “Hino Nacional Brasileiro,” and jazz saxophonist and composer Kamasi Washington played the United States national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

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Bruce Loose, Singer-Bassist for Fliipper, Dead at 66
Music

Bruce Loose, Singer-Bassist for Fliipper, Dead at 66

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Bruce Loose, the longtime singer-bassist of Flipper, has died at age 66. The San Francisco punk act has influenced countless other bands, including Nirvana, and even featured Krist Novoselic as their bassist for a brief time.

A posting on the “Who Cares Anyways SF” Instagram page reads, “After a prolonged struggle with life, Bruce ‘Loose’ Calderwood of Flipper passed away from an apparent heart attack earlier this week at the age of 66.” His passing was also confirmed on Flipper’s official Facebook page.

After the band formed in 1979, Loose almost immediately replaced original singer Ricky Williams. He shared vocal and bass duties with Will Shatter, who died in 1987. Loose remained with Flipper until 2015, when he decided to walk away from the band. In the years since, Jesus Lizard vocalist David Yow has fronted Flipper.

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Flipper were a big influence on Kurt Cobain, who wore a self-made Flipper T-shirt during Nirvana’s appearance on Saturday Night Live and in the video for “Come As You Are.”

Novoselic joined the band from 2006 through 2009, and they often performed Nirvana’s ‘Scentless Apprentice,” which Flipper covered for a 2000 compilation.

In addition to Nirvana, Flipper have influenced R.E.M., the Melvins, Jane’s Addiction, and others.

Our condolences go out to Bruce Loose’s family, friends, and bandmates during this difficult time.

 

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Keke Wyatt’s Son Says She Exploited His Cancer And Dubbed It "Karma"
Music

Keke Wyatt’s Son Says She Exploited His Cancer And Dubbed It “Karma”

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Keke Wyatt’s 23-year-old son, Rahjah Ke’ Morton, is speaking out against his mother, accusing the R&B diva of exploiting his past cancer diagnosis for “personal gain” and “attention.”

Rahjah, who openly identifies as part of the LGBTQ community — or as he described it, the “Alphabet mafia” — claimed that while Wyatt has presented herself as supportive in the past, her behavior behind closed doors has been far from that.

Joining in on the “put a finger down” TikTok challenge, Rahjah posted a video to his Instagram on Friday (Sep 5) where he presented the personal prompt: “Put a finger down if you were diagnosed with cancer as a teenager and your parent decided to publicly announce your diagnosis for personal gain and attention, but behind the scenes saying that your diagnosis is karma for you being apart of the Alphabet mafia — and if they known that you were gonna turn out like this they could’ve kept their money.”

He then had only four fingers remaining with his thumb turned down. See below.

Social media had much to say, with one person commenting on X, “This is DISGRACEFUL!!!!!!! I’m GAGGGEEDDD!!! Not keke not liking the gays Chile ! I’m sorry her son had to go thru that. Smh!!!!!!” Another person remarked, “This is really crazy. I’m sorry to hear this RahJah. I’m gagging I didn’t know this was your mother.”

Keke Wyatt has yet to respond to Rahjah’s claims.

Back in 2017, Wyatt revealed her son’s cancer prognosis in an emotional Instagram video, asking fans for prayers as she prepared to shave her head in solidarity.

“Haven’t really said too much about my personal life, but my child has been fighting cancer and lost all of their hair that they loved. It hurts me so bad,” she wrote at the time. “I need a complete healing for my baby.” Her mother, brother, and aunt shaved their heads as well.

A year later, the R&B Divas: Atlanta star shared that Rahjah had officially beaten cancer. “NO MORE CANCER,” she captioned a celebratory YouTube video, where she and Rahjah opened up about his diagnosis and treatment journey.

Wyatt recalled noticing the first signs of her son’s illness during a trip to an amusement park, when she saw him struggling to walk. Soon after, he began losing weight at a concerning rate. “Because I was dying! I was literally dying, and we didn’t know,” Rahjah chimed in and recalled.

Following bloodwork, the “Nothing In This World” singer recalled receiving the devastating phone call from his doctor confirming her worst fear. “I said, ‘What is it? Like, cancer or something?’ And she said, ‘Yes.’ Honey, my butthole fell on the floor. My throat hit my butt and my butt hit the floor. I couldn’t believe it,” she said. When doctors confirmed it was leukemia, the singer admitted her teeth began chattering in shock.

Wyatt also remembered the terrifying seizures Rahjah suffered while in the hospital. “Whenever something happens with you, the whole hospital pops up at your door,” she told her son. “Everybody had something to do on you. That was the scariest crap I had ever been through in my life. If there was ever a time in my life where I would lose my mind, that would be the day.”

Take a look at Rahjah’s video about his mother allegedly exploiting his cancer diagnosis for clout above.

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Justin Bieber Releases New Album Swag II: Listen
Music

Justin Bieber Releases New Album Swag II: Listen

by jummy84
written by jummy84

After announcing its imminent release yesterday, Justin Bieber has dropped Swag II. Like its July predecessor, Swag, the record features production from the likes of Dijon, Mk.gee, Carter Lang, and Bieber himself. There are features from Lil B, Tems, Bakar, Hurricane Chris, and Eddie Benjamin among the 23 tracks. Check out the album below.

Dylan Wiggins, Daniel Chetrit, Eddie Benjamin, Mike Will, and Camper are also among the new record’s producers. Since the release of Swag, Bieber has shared music videos for “Yukon” and “First Place.” The original album had guest appearances from Druski, 2 Chainz, Gunna, Sexyy Red, Cash Cobain, Lil B, and more.

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Laufey announces 2026 UK and European arena tour
Music

Laufey announces 2026 UK and European arena tour

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Laufey has announced details of a UK and European arena tour for early 2026 – see all the dates and ticket information below.

The Los Angeles-based, Icelandic-Chinese artist, composer, producer and former NME Cover star released her third studio album ‘A Matter Of Time’ on August 22 via Vingoff Recordings/AWAL.

She has an extensive North American tour to accompany the album coming up later this year, and now she has confirmed a European run for February and March that will kick off in Zurich on February 18.

From there, she will take in dates in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands and France, before a date in Manchester’s Co-Op Live on March 4, Dublin’s 3Arena on March 6 and London’s O2 Arena on March 8.

She will then round out the tour with a special show in Iceland’s Korinn Arena on March 14. There is an artist presale on September 10, while tickets for the shows go on general sale at 9am local time on September 12 and you will be able to find yours here.

Laufey will play: 

FEBRUARY 2026 
18 – Zurich, Hallenstadion 
19 – Dusseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Halle 
22 – Copenhagen, Royal Arena 
24 – Berlin, Velodrom 
26 – Vienna, Stadhalle 
28 – Brussels, ING Arena 

MARCH 2026 
1 – Amsterdam, Ziggo Dome 
2 – Paris, Adidas Arena 
4 – Manchester, Co-Op Live 
6 – Dublin, 3Arena 
8 – London, O2 Arena 
14 – Kopavogur, Iceland, Korinn Arena 

In a four-star review of ‘A Matter Of Time’, NME wrote: “‘A Matter Of Time’ is just as gorgeous as its predecessors, but this time, there’s more darkness shadowing the gleam. Sometimes that manifests in Laufey’s vocals or lyrics – over the bossa nova swing (and Clairo backing vocals) of ‘Mr. Eclectic’, she elegantly eviscerates men trying to “woo and win” her. “You think you’re so interesting,” she sings with an audible eye roll and mocking smirk, putting pretentious posers who “think you’re so poetic / Quoting epics and ancient prose” firmly in their place.”

NME also spoke to Laufey about the making of the album. “There are parts of me that come out in this album that I didn’t dare to put out in the last few,” she said. “The way the album’s sequenced is it starts with this hope and a little bit of fear of love – it’s a first date. And then as the album progresses, it falls more and more into anxiety, and falls apart.”

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Priscilla Presley's Lawsuit Reveals New Details of Lisa Marie’s Death
Music

Priscilla Presley’s Lawsuit Reveals New Details of Lisa Marie’s Death

by jummy84
written by jummy84

The former business advisers who claim Priscilla Presley prematurely ”pulled the plug” on her daughter for financial gain have filed an amended complaint purportedly shedding new light on Lisa Marie Presley’s final hours.

The new complaint, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, attaches two pages said to be from Pricilla’s upcoming memoir, Softly, As I Leave You: Life After Elvis, due to publish on Sept. 23. The excerpts appear to offer a detailed account of the day Elvis’ only child died inside a San Fernando Valley community hospital from complications surrounding a small bowel obstruction linked to a prior bariatric surgery.

According to the pages labeled as court exhibits, Priscilla rushed to her daughter’s bedside and was holding her hand, stroking her face, and telling her she was loved as family members gathered. Lisa Marie’s eldest daughter, Riley Keough, was on a plane to join them when a “code blue” emergency alarm indicated Lisa Marie’s heart had stopped, the pages read.

“The next thing I remember is the doctor talking to me. He asked me what I wanted him to do. They had restarted Lisa’s heart, but there was no guarantee it would keep beating,” Priscilla purportedly writes. “I asked the doctor, ‘What kind of life will she have if we keep her on that machine?’ He looked at me with compassion and shook his head. ‘No quality of life at all.’”

In the excerpts, Priscilla allegedly claims Lisa Marie had “little brain activity” and that the daughter she knew as “always so vital, wasn’t there.”

“I thought about my girl, my wild, rebellious, passionate girl, lying in a vegetative state for the rest of her life,” she wrote, according to the exhibits. “I said what I had to. ‘Take her off the machine, Doctor.’ My voice was barely above a whisper.” She then broke down and blacked out.

“It was unbearable. I began to sob. I don’t remember falling,” she purpotedly wrote. “After that, everything went dark. … I don’t want to remember.”

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Priscilla’s reps had no immediate comment when asked about the book excerpts on Friday. Her lawyers, Marty Singer and Wayne Harman, previously called the first version of the $50 million fraud and breach-of-contract lawsuit, filed last month by Priscilla’s former business advisers Brigitte Kruse and Kevin Fialko, “one of the most shameful, ridiculous, salacious, and meritless lawsuits” they had ever seen.

On Friday, Singer and Harman issued a new statement focusing on other claims in the amended complaint that alleged Priscilla pushed Elvis to an early grave. According to the new complaint, Priscilla’s efforts to increase her divorce settlement “exerted undue pressure on Elvis, pushing him to his death.”

“Priscilla did not have anything to do with the assassination of JFK, she did not cover up Area 51, she did not fake the moon landing, and she is not secretly keeping Bigfoot locked in a cabin in Canada. Take off the aluminum foil hat and face reality,” the lawyers said, before going on the offensive. They then claimed Kruse “engaged in a relentless and calculated campaign of elder abuse and fraud in order to take control of Ms. Presley’s finances for her own benefit.”

In a separate financial elder abuse lawsuit, filed last year, Priscilla claims Kruse and Fialko duped her into signing a series of contracts that gave her only minority interests in the companies they formed to exploit her name, image and likeness. For their part, Kruse and Fialko claim Priscilla entered the contracts knowingly, benefitted from their services and then cut them off, in breach of their agreements, when her fortunes changes in the aftermath of Lisa Marie’s death. (Video unearthed by Rolling Stone shows Priscilla signing the contracts at Kruse’s house with a lawyer present.)

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“Apparently, Ms. Presley’s defense is to list off nonsense hyperbolic statements that have no substance. The documents are in black and white and speak volumes. To date, Ms. Presley has presented zero evidence in support of her salacious claims, and we intend to hold her accountable for her reckless behavior,” Jordan Matthews, the lawyer representing Kruse and Fialko, said Friday, responding to the latest statement from Priscilla’s lawyers.

Lisa Marie was 54 when she died in the hospital on Jan. 12, 2023. When Kruse and Fialko filed the first version of their Los Angeles lawsuit last month, they garnered headlines with their blockbuster claim that Priscilla violated Lisa Marie’s advanced health care directive. They attached the directive, in which Lisa stated she wanted her life “prolonged as long as possible within the limits of generally accepted health care standards.” The advisers claimed Presley discontinued life support “within hours” because she was estranged from her daughter and knew Lisa Marie was on the verge of removing her as the sole trustee of a $25 million life insurance trust. They said Priscilla already had been removed from her role managing Lisa Marie’s Promenade Trust and was facing threats of possible legal action from Lisa Marie.

As Rolling Stone previously reported, a few weeks after Lisa Marie’s death, Priscilla challenged Lisa Marie’s 2016 amendment to her main asset, the Promenade Trust. The amendment removed Priscilla as co-trustee and replaced her with Riley Keough, as well as Lisa Marie’s now deceased son Benjamim Keough, who died in July 2020. Priscilla was never a beneficiary of the Promenade Trust, so the change meant she lost her only influence over Promenade’s marquis assets, including Elvis’ Graceland mansion, its archives, and Lisa Marie’s 15 percent interest in Elvis Presley Enterprises, the company that owns and manages Elvis’ name, image, and likeness. Priscilla wanted the court to declare the amendment “invalid.”

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With a potential legal war looming, Keough reached a generous settlement with her grandmother in a matter of months. Under the deal, Priscilla received a $1 million lump-sum payment off the top of Lisa Marie’s $25 million life insurance policy. Keough also agreed to pay Priscilla $50,000 to resign as co-trustee of the irrevocable trust whose sole asset was the life insurance policy. And Priscilla was awarded an annual salary of $100,000 for 10 years for her new role as a “special adviser” to the Promenade Trust.

The next hearing in the elder abuse case is set for next week. The first case management conference in Kruse and Fialko’s breach of contract case is set for February.

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Alex Warren Speaks Out After Exiting Canada's Sommo Festival
Music

Alex Warren Speaks Out After Exiting Canada’s Sommo Festival

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Alex Warren is doing something unordinary for a pop star.

On Sep. 3, organizers of P.E.I’s Sommo Festival shared that the “Ordinary” singer withdrew from the event due to “a recently booked scheduling conflict,” in a now-deleted social post.

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“With the festival being next week, as you can imagine, this leaves us in a difficult position,” they wrote. “We are working hard to complete the lineup, and you’ll be the first to know when we do.”

Warren was set to join the East Coast two-day festival from September 13-14, with headliners Hozier and Alanis Morissette, and support from Ducks Ltd., PVRIS, Alice Merton, Chiara Savasta, Michael Marcagi, Hollow Coves and more.

Later that night, the chart-topping star took to TikTok to share his perspective — and set the record straight.

“Four weeks ago, I asked for time off. I’m going through a lot of stuff, I’ve been touring all year, I have rehearsals on my birthday — so I wanted a week off. A week off where I could go see a therapist, spend time with my family and sleep in my own bed, because I haven’t been able to do that,” Warren shared.

Read more here. — Heather Taylor-Singh

Karan Aujla’s ‘P-Pop Culture’ Earns Historic Debut, Enters Billboard Canadian Albums Chart At No. 3

Karan Aujla is making Canadian history.

The Punjabi powerhouse’s new album, P-Pop Culture, debuts at No. 3 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart, dated September 6.

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KARAN AUJLA AND ONEREPUBLIC

A bold fusion of Punjabi pop and hip-hop, P-Pop Culture is a tribute to the soil that raised Aujla and a call to the world to embrace the new wave of Punjabi artists. He balances pop melodies drenched in love and nostalgia with impactful hip-hop bars.

In Canada, the record earned 12.4 million streams, marking the highest debut for a Punjabi-language album in Canadian history — a record that surpasses Aujla’s 2023 album, Making Memories.

Aujla announced his new album, P-Pop Culture, in Montreal on July 27, releasing the album’s lead single “Gabhru!” days later. It debuted at No. 46 on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100, continuing his chart hot streak.

Read more on the chart feat here. — HTS

Bruce Allen Hands Presidency of His Talent Firm to Paul Haagenson

Veteran Canadian music executive Paul Haagenson has been appointed president of Bruce Allen Talent, effective Oct. 6.

The move comes as company founder Bruce Allen steps into the role of chairman, continuing his long-standing involvement with the Vancouver-based management firm.

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Jordi Tello

Haagenson previously served as president of Live Nation Canada, where he oversaw some of the country’s biggest tours and live events. Before that, he was vice president and general manager of the Western Division at House of Blues Concerts Canada. His decades of experience in the live music and talent management industries position him to steer Bruce Allen Talent into its next chapter.

Read more here. — Peony Hirwani


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Tame Impala's "Loser" Is Our Song of the Week: Review
Music

Tame Impala’s “Loser” Is Our Song of the Week: Review

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Each week, our Songs of the Week column highlights the best new tracks from the last seven days. This week, we dig into Tame Impala’s latest single “Loser,” the second offering from their upcoming album Deadbeat.

10 years ago, Kevin Parker released a Tame Impala song called “‘Cause I’m a Man” for the band’s beloved third album, Currents. A lot like “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes,” “‘Cause I’m a Man” took aim at habitual fuck-ups and the excuses that men make when they can’t escape their own destructive patterns, blaming biology with a clever shrug and letting the song’s majestic chorus do most of the talking.

This theme of Parker lamenting his inherent flaws resurfaces with even sharper self-awareness on Tame Impala’s latest single, “Loser,” the new offering from the band’s upcoming fifth album, Deadbeat, out October 17th. “Loser,” with its modest trot and front-and-center vocals from Parker, feels intrinsically linked to “‘Cause I’m a Man;” but where the songs merge with regards to tempo, lyrical content, and production, Parker makes “Loser” a lot spikier than his usual psych pop bliss.

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“I got the message, I learned my lesson,” Parker croons in his shimmering head voice, channeling both dejection and wistful yearning. He recalls Beck’s eternal dirtbag anthem of the same name in the chorus, offering a similarly dramatic suggestion regarding his pathetic streak: “I’m a loser, babe/ Do you want to tear my heart out?” It’s all deeply in line with the type of psych-tinged slacker rock that Parker is going for, complete with a sharp electric guitar line and enough space in between the drum beat to let his self-loathing breathe.

It’s a far cry even from prior single “End of Summer,” which provided a brief trip to the Tame Impala Acid House Factory and brought a repetitive buoyancy found mostly in the band’s extended odysseys like “Let It Happen.” But “Loser” is a lot less concerned with tripping out and much more focused on the id; the raw impulses and self-destructive tendencies that Parker usually wraps in layers of dreamy production are presented here with minimal cushioning, save for the touch of atmosphere on his vocals and the kaleidoscopic synths that warm up around the bridge.

But self-deprecation aside, “Loser” is great because it grooves. The song’s bounce and plucky keyboard touches are almost like a ’90s hip-hop cut; Parker’s descending pre-chorus, layered with harmonies, is sweet like syrup. It’s this tension between Parker’s harsh self-assessment and the song’s catchiness that makes “Loser” such an intriguing preview of Deadbeat. Even when he’s calling himself pathetic, he can’t help but make bangers.

— Paolo Ragusa
Live Music Editor

Hatchie — “Lose It Again”

Hatchie’s back! With “Lose It Again,” the Australian dream pop star continues her use of psychedelic instrumentation and indestructible hooks for a powerful final product. “You are the star I’m chasing,” she sings, with romance swirling all around her; the song’s chorus is so open and cathartic that it sounds like something Hatchie has been waiting to say for ages. Following from the majestic peaks of her 2022 album Giving the World Away, “Lose It Again” once again serves as a pain reliever, soothing the listener with lush tones while livening them with another pure-hearted refrain. Gorgeous is an understatement. — P. Ragusa

Horse Jumper of Love — “Blue Factory Flame”

Run for Cover’s tribute compilation celebrating the work of Jason Molina — the creative mind behind Songs: Ohio and Magnolia Electric Co. — I Will Swim to You, drops today and includes previously released covers from folks like MJ Lenderman, Trace Mountains, Friendship, Lutalo, and more. Just prior to the release of the full project, the label shared Horse Jumper of Love’s take on the Didn’t It Rain cut “Blue Factory Flame.” In the hands of the slowcore experimentalists, the sparse and dejected tone of the original becomes thorny and jagged. There are tempo changes, wailing guitar lines soaked in reverb, and raw, strained lead vocals. It’s (blue) fire. — Jonah Krueger

SG Lewis — “Baby Blue” featuring Oliver Sim

Along with the release of his great new album Anemonia, SG Lewis has offered the standout cut “Baby Blue,” which features The xx’s Oliver Sim for a rather effervescent vocal performance. SG Lewis makes music for golden hour, like you can hear the warmth and light of the sun harmoniously meeting the revelry of night in real time. “Baby Blue” is exactly the kind of open-hearted, transcendent dance music he’s become known for, and just like his best collaborations — like “Heat” and “Hurting” — it’s endlessly replayable. — P. Ragusa

Shallowater — “Ativan”

Shallowater, one of our artists to watch in 2025, return today with their sophomore effort, the excellent (and excellently titled) God’s Gonna Give You a Million Dollars. The record is primarily made up of extended slowcore epics with a tinge of twang, and one of the most enthralling is the penultimate track “Ativan.” Extending almost to nine minutes in length, the tune boasts beautiful performances, an ever-compelling structure, and a grand payoff that rewards those patient enough to stick around for it. Come to think of it, those descriptions really could apply to just about the entire album. — J. Krueger

Softcult — “16/25”

After several years of standout EPs, Canadian rock duo Softcult (one of our 2025 artists to watch) have finally announced their debut album, When a Flower Doesn’t Grow, out in early 2026. They’ve shared the rollicking, furious “16/25,” an anthemic slice of shoegaze taking aim at predatory older men who groom younger women. “She doesn’t know how to love you,” they sing over pummeling drums, a line rendered less abstract each time they repeat it. “She’s 16, you’re 25.” Though cloaked in the warm haze of down-tuned guitars, that final lyric leaps out. She’s 16, you’re 25. Gross! — P. Ragusa

Sword II — “Even If It’s Just a Dream”

“Even If It’s Just a Dream,” the first single from Sword II’s recently announced new album Electric Hour, finds the Atlanta outfit embracing their dreamiest, most melodic tendencies. Over top acoustic chords and jangly electric lines, as well as synth arpeggios that wouldn’t sound all that out of place on a Beach House tune, the track is a shockingly warm and cozy affair — especially when juxtaposed with the angsty imagery of the music video. — J. Krueger

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PartyNextDoor, Drake, Ice Spice, Latto, Ice Cube
Music

PartyNextDoor, Drake, Ice Spice, Latto, Ice Cube

by jummy84
written by jummy84

Don Toliver, Buddah Bless & Kodak Black, Trippie Redd, Veeze, and other artists also deliver new selections.

2025 OVO Sound under exclusive license to Santa Anna Label Group and OVO under exclusive license to Republic Records, a division of UMG Recordings; 2025 Streamcut & RCA Records; © 2025 Lench Mob Records/Hitmaker Distro

Today is Friday, which means there are a ton of new releases to look forward to from some of your favorite Hip-Hop artists. To help you unwind and enjoy the weekend, check out VIBE’s picks of songs and albums you should hear and add to your soundtrack of weekend festivities.

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5 Takeaways From Justin Bieber’s New Album SWAG II
Music

5 Takeaways From Justin Bieber’s New Album SWAG II

by jummy84
written by jummy84

From the depths of the popstar doldrums, Justin Bieber has risen again. After four years of controversy, a heated financial dispute with his longtime manager, numerous reports of him “crashing out,” and very little new music to distract us from this, Bieber finally silenced critics in July with his blissed-out comeback record SWAG. It’s his best work in a decade, a collection of soulful ballads and rap linkups that has the authentic, homespun charm of a mixtape. Improbably, with less than 24 hours’ notice, we learned this week he’d be releasing a follow-up, SWAG II.

Teased yesterday with some memes and billboards, Bieber officially announced the new album on X: “swag II midnight tonight.” It did not drop at midnight, and many diehard fans (and this writer) stayed up for hours, waiting until it finally popped up on streaming services around 3:30 a.m EST. The sequel’s textures are brighter than the original, but its ethos remains the same: This is the music Bieber loves to make. With more odes to his wife, left-field collaborations, and stylistic risks, it’s the sumptuous second half of one of the most surprising popstar transformations in recent memory. Here are five key takeaways.

Same SWAG, Different Day

This is a proper sequel, not a heavily marketed deluxe. These 23 songs have similar textures (word to Mk.gee and Michael Jackson) as SWAG and sound like they were created during the same intense period of artistic breakthrough for Bieber. I imagine there are hundreds of songs in the vault that could’ve landed on either of these, but the 44 we got across these two records were considered the best. I’m sure fans will have a field day rearranging them to their liking.

It Sounds Pink, Too

Where SWAG felt heavily introspective, SWAG II is brighter and generally more fun. Bieber sticks closer to conventional pop structures on the sequel, attacking them with a looseness that sounds like relief. Songs like “Bad Honey” and “All the Way” still lean heavily towards R&B and gospel, but have much less of an alternative skew. After breaking through what felt like artistic purgatory on SWAG, II feels like a victory lap, a celebration of his newfound freedom.

Surprising Features

Much like SWAG, Bieber’s guest list here does not include your standard copy-paste popstar features. He harmonizes with Tems on “I THINK YOU’RE SPECIAL,” gives a verse to the English singer Bakar on the Michael Jackson-indebted “DON’T WANNA.” and lets his pal Lil B throw some spoken word over “SAFE SPACE.” Dijon also lends a hand on production on six songs. But most surprisingly (and effectively!) Shreveport, Louisiana, rapper Hurricane Chris, who had a moment almost 20 years ago with his hit “A Bay Bay,” joins Bieber on “POPPIN’ MY S***” for a show-stealing verse. I imagine Bieber was deep in a regional rap rabbit hole on YouTube before making the boss call.

Biblical Bieber

In case you haven’t heard, Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey, recently had a kid. I’ve been told childbirth can bring parents closer to God, and this was touched on in SWAG (“GLORY VOICE MEMO,” “FORGIVENESS”), but taken a step further on SWAG II. “EVERYTHING HALLELUJAH” is an ode to life—its trials, mundanities, and beauty alike. “STORY OF GOD,” though, is a sermon from Bieber himself, who kind of sounds like the nine-year-old in church who is forced to read a long piece of scripture on Easter. He speaks about the story of Adam and Eve, the tree of knowledge, good and evil, the connective tissue between animals and human beings, and how the end is merely the beginning. It’s a long but touching passage, and I much prefer it to the Druski skits we were force-fed on the last album.

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