Latest news with #musicperformance
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The backflipping, monster voicing, V-neck wearing male pop star that America loves (and hates)
We independently evaluate the products we review. When you buy via links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read more about how we vet products and deals. A mustachioed man sitting at a table meekly pulls a microphone out of his suit pocket and begins to sing, looking around as if he's surprised it's all happening. He stands, meandering among celebrities seated around him, like Jennifer Lopez and Jim Gaffigan, before pausing in front of Heidi Klum and Nikki Glaser. They grab him, ripping the top of his suit off to reveal a glittering blue jumpsuit with the deepest V-neck imaginable. He rips his own pants off, gaining energy as he struts toward the stage. As his song approaches its climax, he jumps onto a piano, doing a flip off of it before launching into the song's chorus. This is Benson Boone. The 23-year-old is performing at the 2025 Grammys, where he's nominated for Best New Artist. At a star-studded ceremony, his 'Beautiful Things' rendition emerged as the talk of the town. Who was this guy, singing a vaguely familiar song, dressed like Freddie Mercury as he repeatedly does flips? 'Beautiful Things' was Boone's breakout song, first hitting the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2024. Now, 75 weeks later, it's still near the top of the chart. It's a ubiquitous radio song, inoffensive and catchy with an explosive chorus, also used frequently in TikTok posts and Instagram Reels. He's not a one-hit wonder, either — his songs 'Mystical Magical' and 'Sorry I'm Here For Someone Else' are also lingering on the charts now. His latest album, American Heart, came out in June 20 and remains on the Billboard 200. Despite his fame, each time Boone performs on a big stage, be it the Grammys, the VMAs, Coachella or Saturday Night Live, swaths of social media commenters respond with outrage as if it's the first time they've seen him. Maybe it is, somehow, but why is that so worth remarking about? "Benson Boone threatens to release more music," one TikTok user wrote in the comments of one of Boone's videos. "No real presence just flipping," an X user wrote. Others have said his songs are "giving nothing," sound like "grocery store" music and "lack authenticity." They poke fun at his name and his Mormon upbringing. Making fun of him is a trend unto itself, though none of these perceived offenses are cancellable. Why does he inspire such rage? '[Boone] kind of walks a knife-edge a little bit in his relationship to authenticity, which is a crucial way that people relate to popular music,' Mark Laver, an associate professor of music at Grinnell College, tells Yahoo. 'On the one hand, his lyrics are pretty intimate, about his dad, best friend or an unnamed woman … he invites people into his personal orbit — Taylor Swift does [this, too] and the Beatles did the same thing,' Laver explains. 'On the other hand, he's wearing these really glam suits … and he switches into this 'monster voice' on 'Beautiful Things' … at the emotional climax of the song. There's a gulf between the emotional sincerity of the lyrics and the fact that he's backflipping at the peak of emotional sincerity.' The drama of Boone's performance could also be what is aiding his breakout success in the social media age. After all, it's been a while since a new male pop star emerged — singing, dancing and developing an identifiable style as their female counterparts do — and he has successfully done so. There aren't even that many male pop stars in general. Charlie Lewis, the founder of Lewis Line Public Relations, specializes in helping emerging artists break out. He tells Yahoo that there's 'a pattern in pop culture where male artists are expected to earn public approval slowly, often through years of visible effort, reinvention or struggle.' 'When someone like Boone breaks through quickly and confidently, especially without a rebellious or ironic edge, it can spark resistance. The reaction isn't really about the music or the backflips, it's about how fast he's become impossible to ignore,' he says. 'We haven't seen a new male pop star achieve this level of visibility in a while, and the culture isn't quite sure what to do with him. That ambiguity becomes the controversy. Boone's not polarizing because he's trying too hard. He's polarizing because his rise disrupts expectations.' The performances and hooky choruses that lead to his bursts of virality also make him the butt of constant jokes on social media. People mock his backflips and his expressive singing voice. On TikTok, people are making fun of the funny way he sings 'moonbeam ice cream' — a made-up term — in his song 'Mystical Magical.' In response, he named the cookie he launched with the brand Crumbl, which frequently collaborates with celebrities on themed limited edition treats, 'moonbeam ice cream.' When people jokingly posted videos of themselves flipping after tasting the cookie, he responded with his own version. He sees your jokes. He's making them too. 'It's my birthday!' Boone playfully says in a June 25 TikTok. 'Stop the hate for a day and let me relax. We can continue tomorrow.' One of the reasons people have said they don't like Boone is because his sudden rise makes him seem like an industry plant, or an artist who is presented as an independent newcomer when they secretly have backing from a record label. Boone's record deal isn't in any way secret, and his story is far more complicated than that. He shared music on TikTok before auditioning for American Idol in 2021. As his online popularity grew, he dropped out of the show to focus on breaking into the industry that way instead. Nikki Camilleri, a music industry executive, tells Yahoo that the way Boone promotes his content on social media and punctuates all his performances with showy backflips is what gets people talking about him, though not all the talk is positive. 'For some, this feels inauthentic, and you'll see many comments questioning his perceived lack of identity,' she says. 'Some artists really lean into narrative, world-building and direct fan engagement … [but Boone] seems to have focused more on pushing his hooky tracks as much as possible.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Benson Boone (@bensonboone) Though Boone's voice is everywhere, he still feels unknowable. We know certain things about him for sure — he's going to belt a chorus, he's going to do a flip and he's going to pose topless with a mop of curly hair on his album covers — but he's still somewhat mysterious. We know the tone of his posts and the style of his performances, but little about him, or even his persona. He's constantly courting virality, but he hasn't found the same committed fanbase as other stars. That makes him feel more like a corporate experiment than an organic pop sensation. Lyric Mandell, the co-founder of the artist media management company Tutti Agency, tells Yahoo that Boone does so much self-promotion, it sometimes makes 'people feel like they are being sold a product rather than hearing the product of someone's creativity.' But here's the thing — he is selling us a product. As long as we're streaming his music, we're buying that product. 'That old saying, 'all press is good press,' feels relevant here, meaning a little backlash might not just be collateral damage, but part of the branding strategy,' Mandell explains. ' If that's the case, it would explain why he hasn't shifted course. The hate, ironically, might be what keeps us hitting play.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ageless ‘80s Icon, 70, Looks and Sounds 'Beautiful' in Stripped Down Performance: ‘I Am 25 Again'
Ageless '80s Icon, 70, Looks and Sounds 'Beautiful' in Stripped Down Performance: 'I Am 25 Again' originally appeared on Parade. Annie Lennox, 70, looks and sounds like no time has passed since the Eurythmics burst onto the music scene in the 1980s. The singer—known as much for her signature short pixie cut as for her smooth, silky voice—recently shared a stripped-down performance of the band's 1983 hit 'Here Comes the Rain Again,' and fans can't help but notice that Lennox's voice and beauty have stood the test of hasn't released an album since Nostalgia, her 2014 collection of jazz and blues covers. But she's remained firmly in the spotlight as an activist and philanthropist. The award-winning singer-songwriter is also set to release a 200-page photo retrospective book in September 2025. That doesn't mean she's left music behind. In a video shared on social media earlier this year, Lennox appears seated alone at a piano as she delivers a soulful acoustic version of 'Here Comes the Rain Again.' Fans embraced the raw performance of one of the 1980s' defining songs, flooding the comment section with admiration.'Beautiful words from an amazingly beautiful badass who still has it, you go girl!' one fan wrote. 'Still like clean glass—beautiful,' said another. One admirer added, 'God, this woman is a treasure.' 'Still beautiful, still beautiful voice,' another fan noted, while one more confessed, 'When I hear your voice, I am 25 again.' We know the feeling. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Ageless '80s Icon, 70, Looks and Sounds 'Beautiful' in Stripped Down Performance: 'I Am 25 Again' first appeared on Parade on Jun 30, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lorde surprises fans at album release party in Berlin as she performs to a small group after raising eyebrows with cover artwork
Lorde surprised fans at her record release party in Berlin on Wednesday when she performed to a small group of lucky attendees. The singer, 28, who recently raised eyebrows with her latest album cover's artwork, arrived at riverside venue Spindler & Klatt on a boat. She flashed her midriff in a crossover halterneck top that featured a tasselled trim and black cargo trousers. Lorde accessorised her outfit with a pair of rectangular sunglasses and styled her hair into waves. The event, hosted by Universal Music, was to celebrate the launch of her new album Virgin, with fans having no idea that the musician would actually perform. The album cover features an x-ray of her pelvis with her hip bones, belt buckle, and zipper visible and - inter-uterine device included. It's not entirely clear if the X-ray is of Lorde but has reached out for comment to confirm. The singer dropped the visual to her Instagram where she also announced the title of her fourth studio album and it's release date as June 27. Elsewhere, Lorde was pictured with her rumoured new man, Jim E-Stack, 33, after seemingly going public with their relationship at Glastonbury over the weekend. The musician, from New Zealand, wowed fans with a surprise set at the iconic music festival on Friday. Following the bravura performance, she was seen arriving at the London Heliport in Battersea with Jim. He is a producer and DJ, who has also worked with the likes of Haim, Bon Iver and Empress Of. According to The Sun, the singer was spotted 'getting close with the musician on stage' after playing the surprise Glastonbury set The pair were also seen 'with their arms around each other while they watched The 1975' and went on 'partying until well after 4am'. MailOnline has contacted Lorde's representatives for comment. The blossoming romance comes as Jim's ex-girlfriend Kacy Hill took a savage dig at him on her TikTok platform. The American singer, 31, revealed that her six-and-a-half year relationship came to an end when he started working with Lorde on her single Man Of The Year. She penned: 'Let's hear it for the man who ended a 6.5 year relationship while making a girl's album then started dating her'. Lorde and Jim were previously linked in October 2024 when the pair were seen making a rare public outing in New York. At the time, Lorde hadn't been pictured with her music executive boyfriend Justin Warren since March 2023. The pair began fuelling rumours they are working on a new album together after Jim E-Stack shared a photo of Lorde to Instagram in August.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lewis Capaldi Makes Emotional Return to Glastonbury With Surprise Set: ‘I'm F-king Back, Baby'
Lewis Capaldi delivered a powerful performance at Glastonbury on Friday (June 27), with a setlist that included his biggest hits and taste of his forthcoming new era. The Scottish singer-songwriter released his first single of 2025, 'Survive,' earlier in the day. The 35-minute set marked a momentous occasion for the 28-year-old. His last full show took place on the same stage at Glastonbury 2023, during which he struggled with a strained vocal cord and his Tourette's syndrome, which manifested in physical tics during most songs. More from Billboard Lewis Capaldi Plays Surprise Set at Tom Walker Charity Show, His First Performance Since 2023 Fans Choose KATSEYE's 'Beautiful Chaos' as This Week's Favorite New Music Olivia Rodrigo Brings Out The Cure's Robert Smith at Glastonbury 2025 Throughout his career, Capaldi has been open about his struggles with Tourette's syndrome, a condition of the nervous system that, according to the National Health Service, causes people to make sudden sounds or have involuntary body movements. In late 2022, he shared his diagnosis in an Instagram post, telling followers that he was 'learning new ways to cope all the time.' By summer the following year, Capaldi had canceled all of his other live commitments in order to focus on Glastonbury, citing mental health struggles as a 'direct symptom' of his job, which had spiraled into panic attacks. He addressed these issues on stage before finishing his set early due to his 'voice packing in.' After taking to the Pyramid Stage at 4:55 p.m. BST, Capaldi was met with chants of his name as he launched into 'Before You Go' and 'Grace' for the biggest crowd of the weekend so far. He was initially billed as a 'TBA' on the festival's schedule, though rumors soon spread through the festival site that Capaldi would be making his return. He discussed his journey back to the festival. 'It's so good to be back. I'm not gonna say much up here as I might start crying. It's amazing to be here with you and I can't thank you enough for coming out and seeing me,' he told the crowd. 'Second time's a charm with this one, eh? It's just a short set today and to finish what I couldn't finish the first time.' During the seven-song set, which included the debut performance of 'Survive,' he made clear how important the show was to him. 'The last three years haven't been the best — they've been difficult at times,' he said while choking up. '['Survive'] is about overcoming stuff, and this has been my f-king goal to get back here,' Capaldi said of the Pyramid Stage set. He rounded off the set with 'Forget Me' and 'Someone You Loved,' the latter of which is the U.K.'s most streamed song of all time, and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2019. He ended the gig on a high-note, promising that 'I'm f–king back, baby' to a rapturous response. Writing on his Instagram at the end of the performance, Capaldi shared clips from the two shows and noted, 'it's so incredible to be back, thank you so much for having me.' Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Daily Mail
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Charli XCX hits back at 'fraud' claims in scathing post after viewers branded her Glastonbury set the 'worst headline act in history'
Charli XCX has hit back on social media at claims she is a 'fraud' after being criticised for her headline Glastonbury set on the Other stage on Saturday night. The singer, 32, performed to a packed crowd at Worthy Farm but has come under fire after many said they were convinced she was miming or using autotune. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Charli referenced the 'boomer vibe' comments as she hit back at claims. She wrote: 'Like the idea that singing with deliberate autotune makes you a fraud or that not having a traditional band suddenly means you must not be a 'real artist' is like, the most boring take ever. yawn sorry just fell asleep xx 'But to be honest… I enjoy the discourse. imo the best art is divisive and confrontational and often evolves into truly interesting culture rather than being like kind of ok, easily understood and sort of forgettable.' She added: 'Really enjoying these boomer vibe comments on my Glastonbury performance. It's super fascinating to me,' before thanking those who gave her five star reviews. Charli XCX has hit back on social media at claims she is a 'fraud' after being heavily criticised for her headline Glastonbury set on the Other stage on Saturday night The singer, 32, performed to a packed crowd at Worthy Farm but has come under fire after many said they were convinced she was miming or using autotune It comes after viewers called the energetic performance 'truly terrible' and claimed she was the 'worst headline act' at the festival. They wrote: 'Can't be just me? Charlie xcx is truly truly terrible? This is not actual music is it? Who is listening to this on a playlist seriously it's torture sounds. Gotta be one of the worst headline acts ever at Glastonbury'; 'This Charlie xcx thing is the worst headline act in Glastonbury history. There may be headliners that you don't like. But at least they try and fkn sing. Her fee should be withheld, as tbh, you could have put a stripper on stage with a Spotify speaker and got the same results'; 'This Glastonbury set by Charli XCX is one of the worst things I've ever seen in my life. Barely singing, autotune in the rare moments she does sing a bit and horrendous dancing. Be fuming if you spent ages getting into that crowd only to see that'. During her performance, Charli put on a very racy display showing off her toned figure in tiny black leather hot pants and a mesh skull crop top. Charli accessorised with a floaty Alexander McQueen scarf, and hid her eyes behind oversized dark sunglasses. The crowd went wild as she performed hits including Party 4 U, Speed Drive, Sympathy Is a Knife, and 360. Charli later performed her song Apple, and the person doing the famous viral dance was Gracie Abrams, daughter of Star Wars director JJ Abrams. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Charli referenced the 'boomer vibe' comments as she hit back at claims She wrote: 'Like the idea that singing with deliberate autotune makes you a fraud or that not having a traditional band suddenly means you must not be a 'real artist' is like, the most boring take ever' It comes after viewers called the energetic performance 'truly terrible' and claimed she was the 'worst headline act' at the festival During her performance, Charli put on a very racy display showing off her toned figure in tiny black leather hot pants and a mesh skull crop top The crowd went wild as she performed hits including Apple, Party 4 U, Speed Drive, Sympathy Is a Knife, and 360 While the singer headlined the Other stage Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts performed on Glastonbury's Pyramid Stage. At the same time, the Scissors Sisters were performing on the Woodsies stage - and the venue had to be shut down as there were too many people there. Meanwhile festival goers branded Nile Rodgers and Chic the 'best act they've seen in years' after his set on Sunday, as he led the performers rounding out the festival's final day. The 1970s icon, 72, known for hits such as Le Freak and Everybody Dance, took to the Pyramid Stage after Rod Stewart's Legends slot. But fans were quick to praise Rogers' groove-filled performance, demanding that it should have been one of this year's headliners instead. Glastonbury returned to Worthy Farm, in Somerset, this year with The 1975, Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts and Olivia Rodrigo headlining. Taking to the stage on Sunday for the final day of the festival included the likes of Wolf Alice, Snow Patrol and Noah Kahan. And Fat Boy Slim, real name Norman Quentin Cook, took to Instagram to reveal that his set was his 100th time performing at Glastonbury.
