Sweety High Media, whose network includes Gen Z platform Sweety High and creator network Social Impact, have launched a record label called Gem Street Music. Adding “record label” to the video-centric media company’s long list of expansions happened “pretty organically” says CEO, Frank Simonetti.

Founded by Simonetti and COO, Veronica Zelle, Sweety High Media has seen horizontal growth by catering to the growing and digitally savvy Gen Z audience. The online media company houses a lifestyle site, a content studio, and Social Impact, the growth engine that sits at the heart of its newest musical integration.

Gem Street will operate as a traditional label alongside a publishing division called Emerald Publishing. With an emphasis in digital marketing services, Gem Street plans to merge its built-in audiences to garner sustainable traction for their artists and prioritize discovering, developing and preparing young artists.

“As the years of experience mounted [with Sweety High Media] we got better and better at getting traction on young artists and that sort of became a specialty of ours right when it really became a new world order,” noted Simonetti. “If the old problem was access — getting an A&R guy to come to your show — the new problem is traction.”

Gem Street’s launch comes after having signed its first few acts including 20 year-old pop singer/songwriter, Jena Rose, who is part of Sweety High’s management roster.

“We did the heavy lifting and found the people who loved her after her first single,” says Simonetti of Rose’s steady rise to popularity. “The ability to meet the audience where they live all day long, Sweety High has a big footprint already.”

Sweety High Media has also worked with established artists to put together interactive experiences and live events — like the disco ball truck that traveled around Los Angeles to promote Miley Cyrus’ 2020 release of the single, “Midnight Sky.”

Utilizing influencer pools is just one way the company plans to crowdsource for the artists on their roster, “This idea that an artist these days is interested not only in their fans but in influencers, is sort of more globally how they’re gonna express themselves through these other avenues we can use to tell more about the artist. We’re the hub between all those things and we have been for a while.”

Billboard spoke with Simonetti about the details of the label’s inner workings and revealed what artists can expect if they sign with Gem Street Music.

Record deals are changing and many companies are looking to stand out from the crowd. What kinds of deals will Gem Street offer artists? 

We’re coming from the position where we’ve managed talent before we started a label so when you manage talent — it’s always about artist rights.

The contracts need to be shorter and less ownerist in terms of the deliverables. A lot of this is about the recoupables. The split of these profits aren’t always beneficial to the artist so on that piece, you need to do more with less money and the term of the deal. Everyone now is trying to get out of their record deal, we hear that all the time and it’s because the deals are very long, you know 5 records or 6 album cycles etc..

It’s a matter of degrees depending on who the artist is and what they’re doing. If someone came into Gem Street and said, “I wanna work with you but I want to own all my masters and that’s a must have for me” and we love them — we would figure out a way to do that. There will be some blockers like if we eventually partner and they get distributed by another label. Then you know, there might be some real sort of deal points if they need to own their masters that could be hard to get around.

It’s a great time to be an artist if you’re also an entrepreneur. If you can get traction, you have leverage to get better splits, get a better signing bonus, and then ultimately own more of your masters or have greater control of your catalog over time.

Who are Sweety High’s music partners for Gem Street? What kind of deals are in place with them in terms of joint ventures?

We partnered with CAA, they’re deep in the music space from an agent perspective and then we’ve been working pretty hand-in-glove with a lot of the majors. Those aren’t necessarily paper deals like when we work for Miley [Cyrus] or Posty [Post Malone] or Ty Dolla $ign or any of these folks, we might be working with RCA one month and then Empire the next so a lot of that is sort of recurrent relationships with major labels and major publishers who really are just looking for traction, digital, social — a lot of the stuff that when you get to to be a big company is sort of granular.

Will you be creating content/programming on Sweety High based on the label’s roster?

We already make all the music videos and content for the artists we work with and Gem Street will have its own — We have a website and that’s just one part of the brand, the socials and then also any of the owned and operated video network platforms that we own — all the artists will have exposure across them.

When anything goes out day and date, a video, a song, a livestream etc., it will go to all those places at once so there’s this sort of instant — day one date scale that’s like the first step for every release for every artist.

How does Gem Street’s approach to defining and developing up-and-coming artists differ from other major labels? … I expect Gem Street to work with many new, developing acts. How will you help these acts build their career plans or teams?

We’re focused on the 0-60. We look at getting digital traction as almost the most important part of the process for young artists. What that looks like is views on videos, plays on songs, getting them the right kind of PR and the right visuals so their brands grow very quickly even when they’re still on their first or second album.

The fact that we have the platform behind them — which is 25 million on Sweety High — we can hit all day long and then Social Impact has a long reach too, with a big pool of influencers. Beyond that, we have a big video network which is everything from K-pop to satisfying videos, etc.

So this is something that when an artist comes in — not only can we get them traction but we can sort of figure out what works for them. A lot of the intelligence behind what’s gonna happen with an audience moving forward is putting out a ton of content and looking at what comes back.

What are your expectations for Gem Street and can we expect further expansion, whether it be product or service, to new or even international markets?

To bring on a larger roster of talent — a lot of which we’ve been focused on and tracking for the last year or two. And to give them the opportunity, to give them the traction much quicker than they would normally. We have a lot of different moving parts going in direct-to-consumer merchandising, in touring, and live streaming.

Looking forward, we’re gonna work with established companies we’ve been working with these past few years to grow out bigger offerings so that we can bring Gen Z to the table.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

Combining Russell Westbrook’s heartfelt connection to his hometown with his penchant for avant-garde fashion is Honor The Gift, a street-fashion label established by the California native in 2016. Marked by graphic-heavy oversized pieces and comfortable essentials, Honor The Gift has established itself as one of the fastest-growing indie labels for good reason. Jordan Brand is recognizing its athlete’s off-the-court achievement with a collaboration with Russell’s next signature shoe – the Jordan Why Not Zer0.5.

This Zoom-cushioned basketball lifestyle shoe shares similar DNA to the Why Not Zer0 and One Take series, with a jagged midsole design and a distinct zig-zag shape on the medial. The upper features distinct overlays at the toe-box, heel, and lace collars, with a wide lace layout locked with exterior eyelets. The sponge interior is exposed at the ankle and tongue, establishing the ever-popular “unfinished” aesthetic that has been a common theme in Nike and Jordan’s lifestyle offerings.

The Why Not Zer0.5 goes heavy with logos as well; on the tongue is a rounded jewel featuring Westbrook’s logo rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise, while HONOR THE GIFT is emblazoned on the heel clip above the flag-like symbol of the brand.

A release date is currently unknown, so stay tuned as we learn more about the Jordan Why Not Zer0.5 silhouette. A release is likely coming in early 2022.

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Snap, the parent of Snapchat, announced on Monday a new deal with Sony Music Entertainment to include the label group’s artists in the app’s sound library.

Sony Music’s artists can now be found in the ‘Sounds’ section of Snap’s AR Lens Carousel, where users can select and embed a song in their Snap videos. Users can also utilize Snap’s Cameo Sound Lenses which apply visual effects to mimic an animated music video.

With every use of a song, Snapchatters will also have the opportunity to stream by swiping up on a “Play This Song” link, opening a web view to Linkfire so fans can listen to full songs on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

Additional Snapchat music partners include Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell, Kobalt, BMG, NMPA and Merlin members, DistroKid and individual songwriters/music publishers.

Previously, Snap and Sony Music collaborated on an AR Lens to support the launch of Kygo’s collab with Whitney Houton for her unreleased version of “Higher Love.” Other Sony Music artist Snap campaigns have included Calvin Harris and Rag’n’Bone Man’s “Giant,” which resulted in 90 million creations and 1 billion views; and G-Eazy and Halsey’s “Him and I,” which resulted in 61 million creations and 750 million views.

Dennis Kooker, president, global digital business, Sony Music Entertainment, said: “We are pleased to be expanding our relationship with Snap to develop new commercial opportunities for our artists around short form video and augmented reality experiences.”

“Our new deal with Sony Music marks a major milestone as Snap now has partnerships with all the major labels, in addition to networks of independent labels and emerging artists,” added Ben Schwerin, Snap’s senior vp of content and partnerships.

Since launching ‘Sounds’ last year, videos created with music from the tool on Snapchat have cumulatively resulted in 1.2 billion videos, the company said.

According to BET’s Connie Orlando, EVP, specials, music programming & music strategy, the secret to putting on a good show is creating the kind of “moments that people start talking about during the show and continue throughout the week.” 

While many awards shows were challenged by the restraints of COVID-19, the 2020 BET Awards on June 28 drew 3.7 million viewers and redefined the blueprint of what a pandemic awards show could be. From Megan Thee Stallion’s medley set in a dystopian desert to former first lady Michelle Obama presenting Beyoncé with the BET humanitarian award, the show was studded with moments that won rave reviews from both fans and critics.  

In 2021, BET produces the top four cable awards shows for Black viewers, according to the network. The BET Awards takes the top spot, followed by the BET Hip Hop Awards, the NAACP Image Awards, and the Stellar Awards, which honors gospel music. (BET also produces the Soul Train Awards, which will air this year on Nov. 28). As an executive producer on all five of BET’s shows, Orlando is “in charge of BET’s viewpoint on the creative side, along with the what, the where, and the how,” she shares.  

As preparations for the 2021 Soul Train Awards are underway, Orlando sat down with Billboard to reveal the creative process behind these powerhouse projects. Below, the producer took us through making moments on stage and celebrating Black excellence for the world to see.  

Does each award show you produce on BET have its own vibe? 

When you do that many award shows, the idea is to always give them their own personality. It’s by design. If you look at the BET Awards — “culture’s biggest night” — it’s big. It’s Black excellence. It’s the best of the best. We wanna thunder home a message about music, culture, and everything.  

I like to call Soul Train our grown-and-sexy event. Soul Train highlights the best in soul music. Eighty percent of the time, the audience is singing, because the songs are so interwoven into our experience that we grew up with. It’s just a feel-good show. You come out, have a good time. 

With the Hip Hop Awards, I like to remember the three N’s: What is Now? What is Next? And a little bit of Nostalgia when it comes to some of our honors, like the I am hip hop award. That show has its finger on the pulse of what is happening right now in hip hop.  

The Image awards is another show that celebrates Black excellence — but in acting, theater, and literature, and more.  

It all culminates with a wonderful portfolio of events where we celebrate culture on so many levels. I look forward to doing these shows every year, and making them different and stand out. 

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris opened this year’s NAACP Image Awards. Were they hard to book for the show? 

They weren’t. Everyone knows about the Image Awards — it’s a big show, and it’s an important show from its beginning roots to now. People line up to be on that show. We were very lucky: They really wanted to do it, and we really wanted them to do it. So it was great to have them there. 

Did the White House reach out to you first about appearing on the show? 

[Laughs.] I think we probably reached out to them first. 

With five shows, how do you make sure each show feels different? How does your creative process differ from show to show? 

It’s an organic creative process for all five. We go in, look at the previous year, and think about how we can make it bigger, better, and faster. You ask yourself: What is the show and its message? Or what is its personality? Then you start ideating around that. 

The Image Awards are so classic. Very black tie. Hip Hop is about showing innovation and what’s next… BET Awards is really about the moments. We like to create moments that people start talking about during the show and continue throughout the week. You don’t wanna go get popcorn or answer your phone, because you might miss something that’ll be the next biggest thing. I always say that with all our shows, not only do we get to celebrate culture, but we also get to create it. It’s the moments that’ll be talked about forever for our culture. That’s fun and exciting. 

The process is the same for all of them, but we fine-tune it to the personality and what we want that show to deliver as we go into it. 

How important is it to respond to current events on the shows? 

It’s an important part of all the shows to really talk about the moment we’re in. We don’t ever wanna be tone deaf. We always wanna use our platforms to speak to change. Speak to what’s going on. We do that very well with all our shows. 

Do you work with an all-Black team?   

I would say 99%.  

That’s quite a rare thing for major media companies. What does that mean to you? 

It’s definitely not a common thing with other media companies. Even before working at BET, I actually worked with the best team that happened to be all Black. BET has always been there for the opportunity, and it’s our responsibility to work with people that look like us. At its inherent core, you wanna walk into the room at BET with everyone having a common thread, a common heart. My team is the best out there, and that shows. 

In 2020, many awards shows were challenged by the prospects of a virtual show, but the 2020 BET Awards became one of the most talked-about awards shows of the year. Can you describe how that show came together?  

That show was challenging because we were all in this new world. We did the Saving Ourselves [COVID-19 benefit concert] in April, and it was virtual. We had to make a decision on the BET Awards since none of us thought we’d still be in a pandemic. Once we made the decision to do the show in late April, early May, we had to sit down and throw everything we knew out the window. It was a great thing in retrospect. We asked ourselves: One, how do we do produce this mega show from our living rooms? And two, what do people want? You always wanna cater to your audience.  

And then, we were in this moment around George Floyd, which also led to how we ideated on what would be on the show, the mood of the show, what messages were important. While the process was challenging, it was amazing. As creative people, the opportunities to stretch yourself and think outside the box are great when they come. We got thrown into the deep end, but we figured it out. We’re so proud of that show. People woke up the next morning, and were like, ‘Wow, that was a really great show.’ There were lots of emotions about it in a time when the world was in chaos. 

How do you come up with the concepts behind artists’ performance? 

It’s very collaborative. We have some artists who know exactly what they want, and we have artists who [we] ideate with and offer suggestions. It’s a lot of creative meetings where you sit down and talk through what the performance is gonna be. What do they want from it? What will resonate on TV? We come together and strike gold because it’s something everybody believes in. And again, it’s about moments. How do we make it a moment? 

Following the positive responses to the 2020 BET Awards, did you notice other awards shows following your lead? 

We did. Everyone was looking [at] how to do it. I think we set up the blueprint or foundation. When they were figuring out their shows, they thought, ‘Okay, we know a show can happen this way.’ With every show that comes and goes, you learn a bit. You keep picking up, learning, and evolving — just like how we got to this year’s show. It was still in a COVID environment, but we were able to do so much because we learned so much. 

The 2021 Soul Train Awards will be taped on Nov. 20, and the show is slated to air on Nov. 28. What kind of special surprises are in store for the brand’s 50th anniversary? 

The biggest surprise, which isn’t a surprise anymore, is that it will be at the Apollo Theater. We are over-the-moon to partner up with them on the show. It’s the 50th anniversary of Soul Train. [The Soul Train Awards] has never been at The Apollo. It was great to bring the two huge brands together in celebration. 

In the show itself, we’re honoring some really great people, like Maxwell. He’s amazing. We’re excited to give Ashanti the lady of soul award. We’re still working with our hosts Tisha [Campbell] and Tichina [Arnold]. It’s their fourth year. Their energy is infections. Love them. We’ll see what their antics are for the show, but it’s gonna be a great show. 

I’m excited about H.E.R., who is leading the way with eight nominations. 

She’s so amazing. I remember she was on the BET Awards when she was 9 or 11. One of her first performances was on BET, so to see her in all her excellence is amazing. I love H.E.R. 

How are you paying tribute to the Soul Train legacy? 

It’ll be a moment to really talk about it, and let the world know that it’s not just a TV show that’s been on for 50 years. It’s everything that went into Soul Train. At its heart, Soul Train is a music show. It was about soul. It was one of the first platforms to ever showcase African American music and culture. For a while, it was even the longest-running show.  

But it’s also about this idea of the American Dream, right? Not only did [creator/host of Soul Train] Don Cornelius knock down doors, but he also made pathways where there was nothing. Out of nothing. It’s that passion and that drive that is really the heartbeat of what Soul Train is, so we celebrate that more than anything. There’ll be some special moments dedicated to the Soul Train journey.

What does it personally mean to you to produce five shows celebrating Black excellence on a major platform? 

I’m so proud and passionate about what I do in my job. I love when I get to do shows that celebrate people and culture. In most cases, we do things on the show to shine a light on people you maybe wouldn’t even know have done amazing things. That’s what it’s all about at BET as a network. It feels good to be a steward of the BET brand because we’re always true to our responsibility. We’re always true to that passion and that heartbeat. We’re always true to celebration and shining a light on folks that deserve it. 

Can you share some examples of tributes that you think only BET could pull off? 

I’m not downing everyone else that tributed this person, but our Prince tribute [at the BET Awards in June 2016, two months after he died] was one of the most amazing tributes we’ve ever done at our show. It felt like we were family doing it. We had five different performances during the show. That’s that layer we bring to it, because we’ve grown up with it. We know the music intimately. We know the culture intimately. I wish we could do more shows that just honor folks because a lot of people don’t get their flowers. 

Can you recall any memorable responses from fans who’ve watched your shows? 

One of the most breathtaking performances was when Beyoncé and Kendrick [Lamar] opened the [2016 BET Awards] show with a pool of water. People hadn’t seen that ever inside. And when we gave Mary J. Blige the living legend award [in 2019], that performance just knocked people off their feet. They were so happy. Happy because it was an incredible celebration, and happy because we were honoring her. It was so well-deserved. 

What are your thoughts on being a woman of color in an executive role calling the shots at a major media company?  

In my career, I’ve always said that the beautiful thing about it is that I get to walk in the room and be creative. I’ve worked for BET Networks for most of my career. I just get to show up and be me and bring my whole self. It’s not that I’m the Black woman in the room trying to teach people about what that means. We all just show up and do our jobs. And that’s what you see. That’s what translates on camera. We just show up and authentically care. That’s a beautiful thing. 

Adele’s “Easy on Me” remains the biggest song in the world, as it tallies a fourth week at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Nov. 20).

Plus, two songs debut in the Global 200’s top 10: Post Malone and The Weeknd’s “One Right Now,” at No. 9, and Travis Scott’s “Escape Plan,” at No. 10. Meanwhile, each survey’s top five exclusively comprises acts from outside the U.S. for a second consecutive week.

Billboard’s two global charts, which began in September 2020 and recently marked their first year, rank songs based on streaming and sales activity culled from more than 200 territories around the world, as compiled by MRC Data. The Billboard Global 200 is inclusive of worldwide data and the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart comprises data from territories excluding the U.S.

Chart ranks are based on a weighted formula incorporating official-only streams on both subscription and ad-supported tiers of audio and video music services, as well as download sales, the latter of which reflect purchases from full-service digital music retailers from around the world, with sales from direct-to-consumer (D2C) sites excluded from the charts’ calculations.

‘One Right Now’ Makes Top Global 200 Debut

“Easy on Me” by Adele notches a fourth week at No. 1 on the Billboard Global 200. The ballad drew 75.6 million streams (down 10%) and sold 26,000 downloads (down 11%) worldwide in the Nov. 5-11 tracking week.

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” keeps at No. 2 on the Global 200, after a record 11 weeks at No. 1; Ed Sheeran’s “Shivers” holds at its No. 3 high; CKay’s “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” rebounds 5-4, after reaching No. 2; and Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” rises 7-5, returning to its best rank first reached two weeks earlier.

For a second straight week, and for a second total frame since the Global 200 began, the chart’s top five exclusively comprises artists from outside the U.S. The acts’ countries of origin: England (Adele, Sheeran, John and Lipa), Australia (The Kid LAROI), Canada (Bieber) and Nigeria (CKay).

Elsewhere in the Global 200’s top 10, Post Malone and The Weeknd’s “One Right Now” debuts on the chart at No. 9, with 37.8 million streams and 16,700 sold worldwide in its first week, following its Nov. 5 release. Post Malone earns his first Global 200 top 10 dating to the chart’s inception and The Weeknd adds his sixth.

Plus, Travis Scott’s “Escape Plan” enters the Global 200 at No. 10, with 39.2 million streams and 9,400 sold globally, marking Scott’s third top 10 on the chart. The track was released Nov. 5. That night, eight people died and hundreds more were injured due to a crowd rush at Scott’s Astroworld Festival in Houston. Two more attendees have since died, while numerous lawsuits mount following the tragedy.

‘Easy’ Also Holds Atop Global Excl. U.S.

Adele’s “Easy on Me” tops the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart for a fourth week, with 54.8 million streams (down 9%) and 12,000 sold (down 12%) in territories outside the U.S. in the Nov. 5-11 tracking week.

The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber’s “Stay” is steady at No. 2 after nine weeks atop the Global Excl. U.S. chart; CKay’s “Love Nwantiti (Ah Ah Ah)” lifts 4-3, after reaching No. 2; Ed Sheeran’s “Shivers” slips to No. 4 from its No. 3 high; and Elton John and Dua Lipa’s “Cold Heart (Pnau Remix)” climbs 6-5, after hitting No. 4.

As on the Global 200, the Global Excl. U.S. top five houses only acts from outside the U.S. On the latter list, such artists share the achievement for a fourth consecutive week, and for a fifth total frame.

The Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excl. U.S. charts (dated Nov. 20) will update on Billboard.com tomorrow (Nov. 16). For both charts, the top 100 titles are available to all readers on Billboard.com, while the complete 200-title rankings are visible on Billboard Pro, Billboard’s subscription-based service. For all chart news, you can follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both Twitter and Instagram.

Local police are now investigating Brass Against’s singer Sophia Urista who urinated on a willing fan while performing onstage.

The NSFW antics happened while the band were performing at Florida’s Welcome To Rockville festival over the weekend. Footage of Urista urinating on the face of a male fan while performing a cover of Rage Against The Machine’s ‘Wake Up’ soon went viral.

The band later apologised for the events, claiming Urista “got carried away” and that “it’s not something you’ll see again at our shows”.

However, it’s now been revealed that the Daytona Beach Police are investigating the incident, as it may have broken indecent exposure laws.

We had a great time last night at Welcome to Rockville. Sophia got carried away. That’s not something the rest of us expected, and it’s not something you’ll see again at our shows. Thanks for bringing it last night, Daytona.

— Brass Against (@BrassAgainst) November 13, 2021

According to The Daytona Beach News-Journal, local police received a message via Facebook about the event on Friday (November 13). According to their spokesman Messod Bendayan, the person was instructed to file a report and they did.

He said the next step would be for the department’s criminal investigations division to look into the matter.

You can watch the NSFW footage below at your own discretion.

Reportedly, Florida statute 800.03 makes it unlawful for someone to “expose his or her sexual organs in public or on the private premises of another, or so near thereto as to be seen from such private premises, in a vulgar or indecent manner.” If found guilty, Urista could face a fine of $1,000 or up to a year in jail.

“We are aware of the situation. We do not condone the inappropriate behaviour that was displayed and have addressed this directly with the band, as well as other artists to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again,” said a statement from festival organiser Danny Wimmer.

The band were asked online whether the fan knew he was going to be urinated on, to which they replied: “Yes. Several comments made about peeing prior to it actually happening. Invited to stage.” They also said Urista cleaned up the stage after their set.

Brass Against are yet to respond to the latest police investigation reports.

The band will touring the UK and Europe next year, supporting Tool on their headline run.

The post Police report filed against Brass Against’s singer after onstage urination appeared first on NME.

Declan McKenna has announced a concert movie, filmed during his recent headline tour in support of second album ‘Zeros’ – check out the trailer below.

READ MORE: Declan McKenna: “There is a time for understanding – and that time is now”

‘Declan McKenna: Live At Brixton Academy’ was shot in September 2021 during McKenna’s second date at the London venue and will be broadcast for free via his Vevo site. The film will premiere Thursday November 18 at 9.30PM GMT.

The show was in support of McKenna’s second album ‘Zeros’ which was released in September 2020, while the ‘Zeros’ tour was originally meant to take place in March and April 2021 but was postponed due to COVID-19.

“In these times your support means so much, so thank you. I’m devastated but even more determined to make the ‘Zeros’ tour one to remember forever,” said McKenna at the time.

Talking to NME about his community of fans, who feature heavily in the trailer for ‘Declan McKenna: Live At Brixton Academy’, the 22-year-old said: “It’s empowering to have a fanbase that seems to be living their best life. They have a sense of community and are so open about their sense of identity, even if it’s just online and not with their parents.

“We’re all growing older and figuring things out together, and it’s within this positive corner of the internet that they can be so open. I think having a space for fans to connect in such a way makes you realise that, well, that space can exist for you too.”

Elsewhere, McKenna has confirmed that he will get in the studio with Sam Fender “at some point”.

The collaboration was originally teased last year but according to McKenna, they’ve both been too busy to make it happen. “We’ve both been doing all sorts of shit,” he told NME backstage at Reading Festival.

The next day, the pair shared the stage at Leeds Festival for a performance of ‘Brazil’.

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Over the years, the adidas Superstar has only become more eccentric. Both at the hands of Kerwin Frost and Melting Sadness, the shoe has become a canvas for much more than the Core White and Core Black color scheme. Even the Three Stripes themselves are starting to take note as they usher in the baffling Superstar Platform.

By far the tallest the shoe has ever been, the model appropriately lets its tooling do the talking. To put it simply, the midsole has been elongated by quite a few inches, rivaling any “Platform” offering previous. In addition, the tread has been upgraded with a slight rippling, which, in tandem with the zig-zags just above, add visual intrigue to what would have been a bare surface. As far as the upper is concerned, not much has been changed; instead, it maintains the Superstar’s classic look in a Triple Black colorway.

Enjoy a close-up look at the pair below and sit tight for its upcoming adidas.com release.

In other news, official images of the Air Jordan 11 Cool Grey are here.

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The Nike Air Force 1 Shadow has been delivering fashion-forward styles for women for two years now. For its latest proposition, the statement-making model has appeared in a predominantly “Photon Dust” makeup accompanied by “Malachite” and other tones.

Autumn-friendly grey and black divvy up the synthetic leather upper, with the latter color taking over swoosh prints at the profiles. A rich green (“Malachite”) animates the superimposed logo at the profiles, as well as top layers on the Achilles’ heel and detailing on the tongue label. Lace dubraes follow suit, while the modified Air Force 1‘s non-standard components along the tongue and at the intersection between the spine and midsole opt for a vibrant and contrasting light blue. Underfoot, sole units round out the shoe in all-white.

Official Nike.com launch details haven’t been disclosed, but that’s likely to change soon. In the meantime, enjoy images of the women’s shoes ahead.

Elsewhere under the NIKE, Inc. umbrella, the Air Jordan 11 “Cool Grey” is set to release for the whole family on December 11th.

Images: Nike

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Lil Nas X is GQ’s Musician of the Year after having a successful 2021, which saw the 22-year-old place 11 simultaneous hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart off his debut album, Montero, which charted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. In the corresponding interview for Lil Nas’ achievement, published Monday (Nov. 15), the rapper discussed getting beat out by Drake for a No. 1 album and writing about his family issues on the record. He also took a brief moment to discuss DaBaby’s homophobic comments controversy.

Interviewer and Slave Play playwright Jeremy O. Harris spoke with Lil Nas X and told him that he’s a part of the “hyper-masculine breakdowns” that are happening within the hip-hop industry as of late. “I think that’s certainly true. I’m not going to lie, I feel bad for DaBaby,” Lil Nas said. “I hope he grows from it. I hope he’s able to. But I don’t know. The whole landscape is very hyper-masculine. It’s so great and so amazing that all these female rappers are breaking through. And, in a way, female rappers are the biggest rappers right now.”

Lil Nas touched on other rappers throughout the interview and revealed how he felt about losing the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 to Drake’s Certified Lover Boy. “I did feel like that [I had to work harder]. Then I got out of it, and all I thought about was how blessed I am. About where I was three years ago. Nobody even thought that I would be here. Everybody was like, ‘One-hit-wonder this, one-hit-wonder that.’ And now it’s amazing that my competition was Drake,” the 22-year-old reflected. “Drake, with this huge album and the most first-week sales of the year. Plus, Drake’s my idol. There are too many other wins to be upset.”

During a personal moment in the interview, the rapper also spoke about how tough it was for him to talk about his family issues on Montero, but later reconsidered after evaluating the type of relationship he wanted to have with his fans during the pandemic.

“It was a difficult decision because initially, when I came into the music industry, I never wanted anything about my family life or home life to be out there,” he shared. “But then, as the pandemic was going on, I was kind of thinking, We’re all human beings. We all have similar experiences. I’m sure there’s somebody out there with the exact same situation as me. So I might as well open up my life. I want to build a fan base of honesty and authenticity. And I was like, I have to go there. When I feel like I shouldn’t do it, I feel like that’s when I should definitely go for it.”

Veteran music agent Scott Clayton has joined UTA as co-head of its global music division and as a partner. Clayton joins UTA after departing WME as reported by Billboard in late October.

Clayton will join existing UTA global music co-heads Sam Kirby Yoh and David Zedeck in his leadership role with each helming major music hubs in New York, Los Angeles and Nashville. 

“We are excited to have Scott join us as a Co-Head of the music group. He is a relentless champion for his clients, and we know that he will bring that same energy to UTA,” said Kirby Yoh and Zedeck in a joint statement. “He is a dedicated leader who has played a significant role in building so many people’s careers and we look forward to collaborating with him as we continue to build our team and do great work for our clients.”

Throughout his career, Clayton has worked with John Mayer, Zac Brown Band, Kings of Leon, Dead & Company, Train, My Morning Jacket, Michael Franti, Rodrigo y Gabriela and many others. He worked at CAA for 17 years as a co-head of their Nashville office, served as the co-chair with the Mayor of Nashville of the city’s Music City Music Council, and is a member of the Nashville Public Radio Board of Directors. 

“Scott is the epitome of what we look for in a leader at UTA: he is a strong advocate for artists and has a long history of supporting and mentoring colleagues,” said UTA CEO Jeremy Zimmer in a release. “Sam and David have done a great job building a world-class team and we are very excited for Scott to join us as we continue to grow our music practice.”

In 2017, Clayton rocked Nashville when he quit CAA to work for cross-town rival WME. In June 2020, Clayton was promoted to co-head of WME’s music division along with Kirk Sommer in Los Angeles and Lucy Dickins in London when Marc Geiger and Sara Newkirk Simon left the roles. 

“Over the past few years, I have witnessed the incredible job UTA has done to expand and elevate the music department,” Clayton said in a release. “Sam, David, and the team have shown true innovation and leadership during this unprecedented time and have really delivered for their artists across all genres. I am very excited to be joining a company that has built a culture that is grounded in transparency with colleagues and in service to clients.”

Looking for some motivation to help power you through the start of another work week? We feel you, and with some stellar new pop tunes, we’ve got you covered.

These 10 tracks from artists like Shamir, Blu DeTiger, Mitski and more will get you energized to take on the week. Pop any of these gems into your personal playlists — or scroll to the end of the post for a custom playlist of all 10.

Nilüfer Yanya, “Stabilise”

Twenty-six-year-old English singer-songwriter Nilüfer Yanya released her debut album, Miss Universe, in 2019 and a three-song EP last December; come Mar. 4, she will share her second full-length, Painless. “Stabilise” is a promising lead single, with driving production built around a rapid riff that underscores the message of being in a one-person race to save yourself. — Lyndsey Havens

Shamir, “Cisgender”

Following a Weeknd-esque ominous introduction, “Cisgender” quickly evolves into a song only Shamir could have crafted. With songwriting that holds a mirror to the spectrum of sexuality, supported by edgy and industrial production, Shamir kicks the song to a higher plane around the 3:25 minute mark when he unleashes a window-shattering high note that will have listeners listening back. — L.H.

Mitski, “The Only Heartbreaker”

Following Mitski’s return with the pensive “Working For the Knife,” last week the indie star announced her upcoming sixth album, Laurel Hell, and released a new single, “The Only Heartbreaker.” The more uptempo, glimmering track showcases Mitski’s crisp vocals that are the main course to the song’s crushing instrumental end — the cherry on top. — L.H.

Gracie Abrams, “The Bottom”

Gracie Abrams’ new project This Is What It Feels Like should continue her rapid rise toward the indie-pop elite thanks to the high-quality songwriting on tracks like “The Bottom,” on which Abrams warns a suitor of her many flaws while hopscotching across a collection of sublime melodies. — Jason Lipshutz

Blu DeTiger, “Blondes”

“Blondes,” Blu DeTiger’s first official release since signing to Capitol Records, carries the sound of an artist ready to command a bigger stage, as well as leave home after too long in lockdown. “I’ve been looking for something to make me feel alive,” the sing-songwriter declares in falsetto, flaunting ample swagger over the post-disco production and getting ready to make some noise. — J.L.

Speedy Ortiz, “Speedy Ortiz”

The Death of Speedy Ortiz & Cop Kicker… Forever boasts remixed and remastered versions of some of Sadie Dupuis’ earliest songs as the mastermind of Speedy Ortiz, giving enduring jams like “Speedy Ortiz” the sonic facelift (and wonderfully eccentric accompanying visual!) they deserve. — J.L.

The Jaws of Brooklyn, “Fever”

Last year, Radio Raheem’s Zia Uddin, Paul Christofferson and Bryan Cohen linked up with singer Lindsay Love during the pandemic, forming The Jaws of Brooklyn as a new soul-influenced rock outfit. “Fever” is an impressive first step forward, with Love’s fiery delivery nicely bouncing off Cohen’s electric riffs. — J.L.

Peach Pit, “Look Out!”

Peach Pit has come a long way since making a name for themselves in the indie scene with singles “Seventeen” and “Alrighty Aphrodite.” The Canadian rockers are back after a brief hiatus with “Look Out!” — a bright track that sees the group dabbling into the more acoustic elements of their sweet sound, with folk-inspired guitar leading the song’s instrumental. It’s a nice tease of what’s to come when its third album arrives next year. — Starr Bowenbank

MØ, “Brad Pitt”

MØ’s pop sensibilities are stronger than ever, and what better way to expand said sensibilities than by referencing moments in actual pop culture? “Brad Pitt” finds the Danish singer-songwriter lamenting on a love that appears doomed from the start, and name-drops long-ago Hollywood couple Juliette Lewis and Brad Pitt. The lyrics sit beautifully on top of melancholic synths and meticulous guitar work, a most pleasing companion to MØ’s languid vocal delivery. — S.B.

Foster the People, “Downtown”

With the 10th anniversary re-release of Foster the People’s debut album Torches, fans were finally treated to “Downtown,” one of the darker and more intense songs in the band’s early discography. The piano and synth-driven track features Foster passionately singing about losing a friend to bad decisions, which builds into a power crescendo near the song’s end and provides a warning to his listeners: “There are consequences (for your actions).” — S.B.