R aye, wearing a black, formfitting Versace dress, can hardly contain her smile as she thinks about that legendary Christina Aguilera riff in Burlesque. You know, the one at the end of her “Show Me How You Burlesque” number, where her voice does cartwheels up and down a scale? Yeah, …
Read More »Timbaland and Metro Boomin on the Secrets to Making Hip-Hop Classics
T imbaland and Metro Boomin are sitting in 11th Street Records in Las Vegas one afternoon in July, talking about the difference between a hit and a classic. “You did ‘Bad and Boujee,’ ” Timbaland notes, referring to the 2016 Migos track Metro produced. “That’s a classic.” Metro offers his own …
Read More »How Lisa and Tyla Got the Whole World Dancing
E arlier this year, Tyla and Lisa both happened to be free one night in Los Angeles — and it turned out to be perfect timing. The South African singer was preparing to release her debut album, Tyla, and the Blackpink superstar was in the studio with producer and songwriter …
Read More »Zach Bryan Meets Bruce Springsteen: 'I Never Thought I'd Be Sitting Here With You'
N ot for the first time today, Zach Bryan is making his new friend laugh. Bryan is trying to arrange himself on a plush white studio couch for a filmed conversation, and it’s making him self-conscious. “Do I look pompous with my legs crossed?” he asks. The guy next to …
Read More »Zach Bryan: 'I Don't Want to Be a Country Musician'
Despite numerous Grammy nominations in the country field, and a Best Country Duo/Group Performance win with Kacey Musgraves for “I Remember Everything,” Zach Bryan says he doesn’t want to be defined as a country music artist. In an exclusive Rolling Stone interview between Bryan and Bruce Springsteen, the Great American …
Read More »How a New Generation of Rappers Built Argentina's Daring D.I.Y Movement
This story is part of our Sondio Latino series for Hispanic Heritage Month. Read more here. WHEN YOU START playing Murio La Musica, a mixtape by Argentinian rappers AgusFortnite2008 and Stiffy, you hear an onslaught of crunchy 808s and incantation-like chants that ascend through disorienting key changes. As soon as …
Read More »'An Album That Sounds Like Venezuela': Akapellah Returns to His Roots
This story is part of our Sondio Latino series for Hispanic Heritage Month. Read more here. THE VENEZUELAN RAPPER Akapellah was about 10 yers old when he came across a street vendor selling a bootleg copy of Tego Calderon’s 2003 album, El Abayarde. Struck by the cover — a black …
Read More »Nicki Nicole Says Her Next Album Is 'So Much More Epic'
This story is part of our Sondio Latino series for Hispanic Heritage Month. Read more here. NICKI NICOLE HAD the kind of earth-shattering breakout moment most artists dream of: When she was just 19, the first song she ever posted on YouTube — the moody, minimalist “Wapo Traketero” — exploded …
Read More »The Rise of Reggaeton Mexa: How Mexican Perreo Became Massively Popular
This story is part of our Sondio Latino series for Hispanic Heritage Month. Read more here. SUNDAYS IN MEXICO CITY, most people schlep to their nearest tianguis — or open-air markets — looking to end their weekends with budget-friendly debauchery as they wind their way through greasy taco stands, racks …
Read More »The Dominican Republic Is Revitalizing Merengue Típico. The World Is Following Its Lead
This story is part of our Sondio Latino series for Hispanic Heritage Month. Read more here. IF THE STACCATO gallop of Dominican tambora seems especially prevalent lately, it might be because merengue is having a moment. In June, Karol G released “Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido,” which is now vying …
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