It’s Ecca Vandal’s turn, time to pay attention.

Born in South Africa of Sri Lankan heritage, the genre-bending independent artist is now very much at home in Melbourne, Australia. American audiences got a closer look when Vandal made her debut at Coachella. Here’s a talent who effortlessly fuses rock with hip-hop, punk, jazz, electronic and pretty much anything she wants, a performer with more raw energy than an arena on grand final day.

On Wednesday night, May 20, another debut as Vandal made her first appearance on U.S. TV with a powerful performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Sporting blue-toned hair and leading a tight backing tandem of electric guitar and drums, Vandal ripped through “Cruising to Self Soothe,” lifted from her forthcoming studio album LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO UNFOLLOW, due out Friday, May 22 via Loma Vista Recordings.

The collection was recorded and produced by Richie Buxton and Vandal in Buxton’s childhood bedroom in bayside Melbourne. “We cut out everything that didn’t serve us, the timelines, the metrics, the pressure to ‘stay visible’ online. We tuned out of the feed and turned inwards,” she has said of the project.

In Richie’s room, they built a tiny home studio. “Four walls that became a universe,” she recounts. “The Internet was painfully slow, so we were truly disconnected from the online game.”

Far away from their inner-city friends, and distractions, that little room “became our whole world for nearly two years. It held all our chaos and all our clarity, a little ‘playpen’ where we could live, play and experiment like teenagers again. We started making things with our hands again, tangible, imperfect, and real,” Vandal enthuses. “We wanted to celebrate long-form, the idea of an album as a whole body of work, while the world was chasing 15-second snippets and algorithm friendly noise.”

The Ecca Vandal experience has been lived on stage, with spots at Camp Flog Gnaw and support slots with the likes of Limp Bizkit, Queens of the Stone Age, IDLES, The Prodigy, and, most recently, Deftones. The 2026 U.K. and Continental Europe summer festival circuit beckons.

Check out dates below and watch Ecca Vandal’s performance on Kimmel.

Ecca Vandal’s 2026 U.K. and Europe tour dates
June 3 — Impact Festival at Tauron Arena, Krakow, PL
June 5 — Rock im Park Festival, Nürnberg, DE
June 6 — Rock am Ring Festival, Nurburgring, DE
June 10 — Rock For People, Hradec Kralove, CZ
June 15 — Release Festival, Athens, GR
June 19 — Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, NE
June 20 — Southside Festival, Neuhausen ob Eck, DE
June 21 — Hurricane Festival, Scheeßel, DE
June 23 — Sparkassen Park, Mönchengladbach, DE^
June 28 — Outbreak Festival, Manchester, UK
July 2 — Roskilde Festival, Roskilde, DK
July 4 — Rock Werchter Festival, Werchter BE
July 5 — Les Eurockeennes, Belforte, FR
Aug. 18 — Parkbuhne Wuhlheide, Berlin, DE
Aug. 20 — Open Air Gampel, Gampel, CH
Aug. 23 — All Points East x Outbreak Fest, London, UK
Aug. 25 — IMMA, Dublin, IE
Aug. 27 — Edinburgh Summer Sessions, Edinburgh, UK

There were two bosses on The Late Show, as Bruce Springsteen stopped by on Wednesday night (May 20) and paid tribute to outgoing host Stephen Colbert.

Springsteen always seems to show up at the precisely the right time. And so it was, again, as the legendary rocker gave a rousing pro-democracy speech and performed “Streets of Minneapolis” on what was Colbert’s second-to-last show.

“I am here tonight to support Stephen, because you’re the first guy in America who lost his show because we’ve got a president who can’t take a joke,” he remarked, while at the mic. “And because Larry and David Ellison feel the need to kiss his ass to get what they want.”

That second jab was aimed at the Ellison family, led by billionaire Larry Ellison and his son David, who now own and controls Paramount Global following their $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. That arrangement gave them ownership of CBS, the broadcaster for Colbert’s left-leaning program, which regularly punishes Trump’s administration and his MAGA movement with razor-sharp comedy footwork that would make Muhammad Ali proud.

“Stephen, these are small-minded people,” Springsteen added. “They’ve got no idea what the freedoms of this beautiful country are supposed to be about.”

And with that Springsteen dedicated “Streets of Minneapolis” to Colbert. The Boss’s choice of song was a poignant one. He wrote and recorded the anti-ICE (United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement) song following the deaths of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January amid Operation Metro Surge, during which undocumented immigrants were targeted and apprehended by ICE.

Then, he premiered the song live in Minneapolis during the Tom Morello-helmed Defend Minnesota benefit concert on Jan. 30. “Streets of Minneapolis” went on to be the highest-selling song in the United States, debuting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Digital Song Sales chart dated Feb. 7, even though it was available for just two days of the tracking period. Springsteen has vowed to donate all proceeds from the recording to the Good and Pretti families, in perpetuity.

Colbert’s final episode of The Late Show will air on Thursday, May 21, drawing curtains on an 11-year run. CBS announced the cancelation in July 2025, citing financial losses. Many observers, however, aren’t buying it, with figures like Senator Elizabeth Warren claiming the axing was political censorship, coming just days after Colbert publicly criticized CBS’s parent company, Paramount, over its $16 million legal settlement with Trump.

Watch Springsteen’s speech and performance here and below.

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Not for the first time, Moby is swinging out with frustration at Donald Trump’s administration.  

“The U.S. is being run into the ground by a staggeringly incompetent and corrupt administration,” the veteran electronic music artist writes in a social post. “Unbelievably dark dark times.”

Moby expands further with a video, in which he reminds the world outside of the United States that he and many others are as confused as they are.

“So a lot of my friends who live outside the United States keep asking me, ‘what the hell is going on in the United States? And the truth is, we don’t know,” he explains. “The United States is being run by the most corrupt, evil, incompetent administration. And nobody knows what’s going on. It’s dark dark times in the U.S.”

Moby’s voice is part of a growing chorus of artists who’ve used their platforms to criticize Trump and MAGA, a list that includes Bruce Springsteen, Jack White, Eminem and Billie Eilish.

Earlier this year, Moby posted a statement to social media offering advice on how people can respond following the killing of Alex Pretti by ICE agents in Minneapolis. “The question is not whether we should be outraged and horrified at what’s happening in the United States,” Moby says in the clip, posted Jan. 26, “but rather what are we going to do about it.”

The artist activist also outlined a solution, telling people to protest as it’s a “constitutionally established right and it’s a right that Trump and his administration are trying to take away from us.”

Ultimately, he insisted, get out and vote, “not just in the upcoming midterms, although that’s very important, but in all of the special elections that happen throughout the year.” He also advises to “stop supporting the scumbag corporations who support Trump and ICE. We all know who they are. Boycott them.”

His latest comments come as the U.S.  justice department announces an almost $1.8bn fund to compensate allies of Trump who allege they were unfairly investigated, and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, forcing up gas prices worldwide, after the U.S. and Israel launched military campaigns against Iran in late February, without U.S. Congressional approval.

A career independent recording artist, Moby has landed 10 titles on the Billboard 200, plus two Billboard Hot 100 hits, and countless syncs. Not bad. On the other side of the Atlantic, however, he’s recognized as one of the leaders of his generation. In the United Kingdom, he boasts two No. 1 albums (1999’s Play and 2002’s 18), and 18 top 40 appearances on the national singles chart, and he has twice been nominated for best international male act at the BRIT Awards.

Check out Moby’s latest social post below.

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Chance the Rapper took the stage at the Gordon Parks Foundation Annual Awards in NYC on Tuesday night (May 19) and delivered a stirring tribute performance to Muhammad Ali with “I Was a Rock.”

It was a star-studded night at Cipriani 42nd Street celebrating the foundation’s 20th anniversary and the life of the legendary photographer and civil rights activist Gordon Parks, who died in 2006.

Parks was one of the leading photojournalists narrating the Black experience in America starting in the 1940s and continued to publish until his death.

Chano was joined by Anthony Morgan’s Inspirational Choir of Harlem for a soulful performance, which included audio from a famed Ali interview in 1977 outlining his philanthropic plans for the future. He previously performed “I Was a Rock” in dedication to the boxing and social justice icon at the 2016 ESPY Awards.

“To be recognized in a space honoring Gordon Parks and Muhammad Ali is humbling. They told the truth through their work, and that’s always been the goal of mine too,” Chance told Billboard in April ahead of the event. “The tribute to Ali is really about honoring that spirit and showing gratitude to his legacy.”

The 20th-anniversary awards dinner and auction brought together various dignitaries with music, social justice, art and philanthropy.

Former NFL quarterback and civil rights activist Colin Kaepernick was a presenter, while Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz served on a committee of co-chairs for the evening. Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was also present.

“We are so honored to be here continuously celebrating the legacy of Gordon Parks. He was a
Renaissance Man. No starts, no stops, just endless beginnings.” Alicia Keys said on stage after being presented with an original portrait of Parks.

John Legend was among the honorees for the night and Pharrell was fittingly called on as a presenter to welcome the singer to the stage. “In trying times like these, I feel a great sense of responsibility,” Legend said. “This award is a challenge for me and for us to get to work. Gordon Parks knew how to get to work, and he understood that seeing clearly was necessary for justice.”

According to a press release, the Gordon Parks Foundation raised $3 million through the awards dinner and auction to help advance the foundation’s causes.

Launched by Gordon Parks and Philip B. Kunhardt, Jr. in 2006, the Gordon Parks Foundation honors the legacy of the social justice efforts by Parks as a groundbreaking photojournalist with various educational and artistic initiatives. Fellowships and scholarships support students along with emerging artists and writers through the Gordon Parks Arts and Social Justice Fund, which was created in 2019.

Fans attending the opening dates of Harry Styles’ ‘Together, Together’ tour have shared concerns online about obstructed views from premium floor sections.

After the tour’s first two shows, which took place at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena over the weekend (May 16 and 17), clips circulating social media showed some concertgoers struggling to see due to the height of the stage, equipment, and a large production set-up, prompting criticism over Styles’ ambitious staging design.

In a statement shared with Billboard U.K., a tour representative for Styles has said that areas of the staging are “being reviewed carefully” and the team is working to improve visibility concerns ahead of upcoming shows. 

“The floor concept was designed to give fans freedom of movement and the ability to experience the show from different positions, rather than being confined to one fixed viewing angle,” they said. 

“That open, free-flowing floor experience has always been an essential part of Harry’s live shows. A small area of the staging in specific floor positions appears to have had a restricted sightline. Those areas are being reviewed carefully and adjusted where possible in compliance with all safety restrictions.”

The sightline complaints have also fueled a broader online conversation around rising concert ticket prices and fan expectations for premium live experiences. While some attendees praised the staging – which sees Styles moving between multiple performance areas during a two-hour set – others argued that standing tickets should offer consistent views of the show, regardless of production elements. Styles has not addressed the backlash publicly.

The Together, Together tour, which will hit seven key global cities throughout 2026, remains one of the year’s biggest live music launches. Billboard U.K. attended the kickoff at Johan Cruyff Arena, describing the show as “a fervent, dizzying two-hour trip through Styles’ musical canon” and praising its more mature feel to the British singer’s previous live performances.

Following a further eight nights in Amsterdam, Styles will take the trek onward to London for a record-breaking 12 shows at Wembley Stadium, before continuing with additional stadium dates in São Paulo, Mexico City, Sydney and Melbourne. Throughout the fall, the 33-year-old will play 30 sold-out nights at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

The Together, Together tour marks Styles’ first major live run since the release of his fourth album Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally in March, which hit No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and the Official U.K. Albums Chart. The stadium trek follows his 169-date Love On Tour cycle, which ran between 2021 and 2023 and established the former One Direction member as one of the most in-demand live acts of the past decade.

A shiny new toy — namely a Dolby Atmos for his home studio in Los Angeles — has revived Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee‘s interest in some of his old musical playthings.

On Friday (May 22), Lee will release Tommyland Rides Again, a freshly refurbished and expanded treatment of 2005’s Tommyland: The Ride, his second solo album after his short-lived side project Methods of Mayhem. Filled with guests — including Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger, Good Charlotte’s Joel Madden, Backstreet Boys’ Nick Carter, Sum 41′ Deryck Whibley, Dave Navarro of Jane’s Addiction, Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin), Fuel’s Carl Bell and others — the 12-song set peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard 200 and hit the Hot 100 with the Butch Walker collaboration “Good Times,” which was the theme for that year’s NBC/VH1 reality series Tommy Lee Goes to College.

“A couple years ago, my kids were tripping out and like, ‘Dad, you gotta re-release this,’ ’cause it was 20 years since it came out,” Lee tells Billboard via Zoom. “I didn’t really think much of it, but then the studio got done being built and I was like, ‘I wanna remix some of my stuff’ — one being Tommyland: The Ride, for its anniversary.

“So I learned the process, and once you hear Dolby Atmos, it’s insane. I’ll never listen to regular stereo again. And now we’re going down the rabbit hole and I’m remixing anything.”

At the time of its release, and with its guest list, Tommyland: The Ride was a kind of snapshot of rock music circa 2005. More in the realm of Lee’s 2002 solo debut Never a Dull Moment than Motley Crue’s heavy glam rock or the industrial roots of Methods of Mayhem, Tommyland was decidedly more melodic and focused on songcraft, even downright gentle in spots. “Whenever I do something solo, without Motley Crue, I’m like a little kid in a sandbox,” Lee explains. “It’s just you, and you sort of have the freedom to do whatever it is that’s blowing your skirt up.

“The cover art kind of says it all; it’s basically a, like, roller coaster (track) going into my ear, into my f***in’ crazy, eclectic musical styles mind, and that’s what it’s always been.”

In addition to the new mix, Tommyland Rides Again adds another track, “Stupid World” with Chad Tepper, an uncharacteristically topical song that Lee wrote during the Covid pandemic. “I found a bunch of stuff,” Lee says, “and the second I heard it I was, ‘I gotta do this. The timing couldn’t be better,’ just because of the content. It’s really about how ridiculously stupid the world we live in has become. Things have gotten even crazier since (he wrote it), and I was like, ‘I’m rolling with this. This is meant to be, ’cause shit’s pretty stupid right now.

“I mean, nobody knows what’s real anymore, whether it’s a photograph or a video, a political statement or…just everything. Nobody knows if anything is real, and that’s a really f***in’ stupid place for us all to be in.”

As excited as he is to present the newly mixed Tommyland to the world — he recommends “Hello Again” and the helicopter effect on “Trying To Be Me”  — Lee acknowledges that rock music, and the industry in general, was “in a very different place” when the album first came out.

“Back then there was space for things, for music and videos to come out and be heard and seen and paid attention to,” he says. “Now…Spotify releases, what, a half a million songs a day? More? Who the f*** is listening to that? We’re f***ing inundated with content, not only music but all the arts. So how does someone cut through all the static to actually find something that they love?” Nevertheless, Lee notes, he’s still inspired to keep creating amidst those challenges.

“It does inspire me to make things really special so that they do stick out from the static,” he explains. “There’s so much noise out there that it inspires me to be better. But it also bums me out because we are where we are. You can’t really undo it. So it’s definitely more for me, 100 percent.”

Lee did enjoy the trip down memory lane in revisiting Tommyland for its new edition. “It still means what it meant to be then,” he says, including the presence of his various guests. The Nick Carter appearance raised eyebrows at the time, but Lee maintains that it was as natural as having any of the rockers on the set.

“It wasn’t like I sat around saying, ‘Who do I want to collaborate with?’ It just kind of happened track by track,” he recalls. He met the Backstreet Boy when both were featured on an episode of MTV’s Punk’d, “and we became really, really cool friends. I was working on this tune (‘Say Goodbye’) around that time and we were at my house and I played it for Nick, and he just started singing and I was like, ‘Oh, shit, what are you doing for the next couple days, bud?’ He’s such a cool guy, such an incredible voice. I was like, ‘Let’s do it. I’m probably gonna hear a bunch of flak from some metal heads, but f*** them!’”

As Tommyland Rides Again comes out, Lee is remixing more of his catalog, including his other solo albums and his Methods of Mayhem releases. He’s eyeballing some brand-new material for 2027 and also “wouldn’t mind having a crack” at remixing some Motley Crue in Dolby Atmos.

Before all that, however, he’ll be on the road with the Crue for a The Return of the Carnival of Sins! summer tour, celebrating the 20th anniversary of that concert tour and the band’s 45th anniversary. The 33-date mostly amphitheater trek, which also includes Tesla and Extreme, begins July 17 near Pittsburgh and wraps Sept. 25 in Ridgefield, Wash.

“It’s gonna be fun,” Lee predicts. “The last run we did was all stadiums, which was f***ing phenomenal. But I really do love a good outdoor amphitheater, shed vibe. That’s always fun in the summer.” Motley Crue also polled fans for setlist suggestions, which he says “made us go back and dust off four or five tunes that we haven’t played in a long time, so I think the fans are gonna be pumped.” He declined to name what they are, however.

The group has also released some new songs in recent years — “Dogs of War,” “Cancelled” and a cover of the Beastie Boys’ “(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (to Party)” — but Lee says Crueheads will have to be patient for more. “We’re always writing, and we do have some stuff kicking around,” he notes, “but right now the only thing in front of us is going out to do these summer dates. But after that I think it’s safe to say you’ll probably be hearing some new stuff in ’27.”

Philadelphia’s Making Time ∞ (pronounced “Making Time Forever”) has announced its 2026 lineup.

The robust bill features more than 120 producers and live acts including Bicep (who will be playing their only 2026 show in the Americas at the fest), Canadian club stalwart Daphni, German experimental producer Skee Mask, Sonic Youth legend Kim Gordon, Detroit leader Theo Parrish, Norwegian electronic duo Smerz, American favorite Avalon Emerson, frequent collaborators Octo Octa b2b Eris Drew, British producer Daniel Avery, Scottish legend Optimo (Espacio) and many more. See the complete lineup below.

Making Time ∞ 2026 returns to the festival’s longstanding location at Philadelphia’s Fort Mifflin this Sept. 18-20. Festival attendance is capped at a tight 3,000 people, and tickets are on sale now. (Tickets with no service fees are available at The Lot Radio in Brooklyn and Middle Child & Middle Child Clubhouse in Philadelphia.)

“This year’s Making Time ∞ lineup sets its sights on the future whilst also harkening back to the origins of Making Time,” says the festival’s founder, producer Dave P. “When I started Making Time in the year 2000, the party was based around booking live performances from bands like The Strokes, Interpol, Bloc Party and LCD Soundsystem alongside DJs. This year I’ve booked more live performances than ever before.”

Since its launch, Making Time has distinguished itself as one of America’s most revered independent electronic music festivals, with a focus on the roots of club culture, rising artists, legends of the scene and a grassroots vibe it maintains to this day.

Hot 97’s Summer Jam is back. The pioneering hip-hop radio station revealed its first wave of artists on the bill Tuesday (May 19), including a homecoming show for Fetty Wap, French Montana and Max B, Ice Spice, Rick Ross and DaBaby.

Summer Jam will take over New Jersey’s Prudential Center on July 24. Rounding out the rest of the lineup, the 7 p.m. stage includes Stove God Cooks, Conway the Machine, Roc Marciano, Nems, 38 Spesh, Albee Al and Diany Dior.

As for the 8 p.m. stage, fans can look for Cash Cobain, G Herbo, Zeddy Will, Omah Lay, Honey Bxby, Sleepy Hallow and 41. More artists will be announced on June 5. Summer Jam Tickets will go on sale starting on May 22 at 10 a.m. ET.

“Summer Jam continues to be the ultimate celebration of Hip Hop culture and the heartbeat of New York,” said Kudjo Sogadzi, who serves as the EVP, Content & Growth at MediaCo. “This year’s lineup reflects the sound of the moment while honoring the artists and communities that continue to move the culture forward. From legends to the next generation, Summer Jam 2026 is built to create unforgettable moments.”

Summer Jam is returning to Prudential Center after a successful 2025 run, which included Gunna as the night’s headliner with A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, GloRilla, Muni Long and more hitting the stage.

As for this year’s lineup, DaBaby will be bringing along his Billboard Hot 100 hit “Pop Dat Thang,” which sits at No. 27 on this week’s chart. French Montana and Max B will have a new project to boot, with their joint project Wave Gods 2: Cosmos Brothers arriving on May 22.

Find the entire Summer Jam 2026 lineup below.

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When people ask me about the state of jazz, I always tell them that from where I live in New Orleans, the view is great, thank you. N’Awlins isn’t a museum to jazz but a living, breathing gumbo of jazz, blues and everything else besides. And that’s what attracts musicians like me to experience a music scene that’s generous in encouraging young players to “sit in” with those who’ve been doing it for a lifetime. 

Given that New Orleans is the birthplace of jazz, work is plentiful in this tiny city overflowing with legacy. But it also vibrates with the new. It looks back whilst moving forward, and that’s what keeps America’s greatest art form vital.

Growing up in London, I was introduced to joyful, blues-based jazz — the pop music of its day — by my father, opera singer Handel Owen. In particular, he played the smile-enduring music of my first female idols: the unapologetically badass ladies of the ‘40s and ‘50s. They were killers at the piano: audacious, unafraid band leaders and self-styled performers who wrote, played and entertained with a wicked glint in their eyes. 

Nellie Lutcher was the first. She blew my tiny mind on “Fine Brown Frame,” with lyrics I couldn’t yet understand at age five but whose infectious and percussive piano/singing style exploded out of the speakers. (I once read that Alicia Keys had the same epiphany with another great: Hazel Scott.)

Next was Julia Lee, the Kansas City queen of double entendre, and writer of “My Man Stands Out” and “King Sized Papa.” Lutcher played with the Southern Rhythm Band. Lee had Her Boyfriends backing her. Both had hits; both are all but forgotten. These jazz pioneers were out front and in control in the very male-dominated world of jazz; at a time when women were kept in their place. Both artists made me dream of being my boldest, bravest self.

So during COVID, full of fear and end-of-the-world anxiety, I looked back to move forward. Like many artists, I took the opportunity to fulfill a back-burner dream. I needed to smile, so I celebrated these badass women who’d lifted my spirits when the clouds of depression came. And wouldn’t you know, it was the fork in the road for this late bloomer!  

Luxuriating in the glow of those delicious songs and the sexy grease of my band, The Gentlemen Callers, I moved front and center into the spotlight and became the entertainer those ladies made me want to be. I returned to the piano and my self-penned songs with a newfound abandon and flare.

COVID has been replaced by new chaos, and I’ve never felt more compelled to put a smile on my audiences’ faces — we all need it. I’m out on the road loving every moment on- and off-stage with these incredible musicians who utterly respect my artistry and laugh at my expense. I’m the boss and one of guys. My father always told me, “It’s the least glamorous job in the world, so you’d better love it!” He also reminded me that looks are a bonus, but talent is forever — a smart man.

In truth I’m not a jazz purist, having always blurred the lines as a singer-songwriter between jazz, blues, pop, rock and classical. I’ve learned that whatever the genre when you hit gold on a label, you’ll be expected to repeat the formula over and over again. It makes business sense, but that was never for me.

Happily, these days we’re seeing more exceptions to the rule. Think Jon Batiste’s Americana Grammy win. It’s exciting to do what you want, how you want; love it or leave it. New Orleans artists and bands are renowned for mixing traditional jazz with contemporary genres like funk, hip-hop and rock. There’s a renaissance of artists here blurring the lines like Batiste. 

Trombone Shorty, hip-hop jazzers Trumpet Mafia and buskers extraordinaire Tuba Skinney are just a few who are keeping it fresh. And if you’re talking young jazz voices, then there’s none more vital than 16-year-old piano prodigy River Eckert, who’s carrying New Orleans music into the future. Elsewhere, next-gen voices like Samara Joy and Laufey are sounding off as well through their unique creative perspectives.

And wouldn’t you know: Being authentic and mixing it up resonates with audiences. I’m thrilled to report that mine are getting younger and younger, especially among women. There are two post-show comments that I’m regularly hearing from new fans confirming that: (1) “I didn’t know I liked jazz” and (2) from young women, “I want to be fearless like you!” The latter makes me teary-eyed; a reminder of myself first hearing Nellie.

Both comments assure me that I’m passing the baton to eager up-and-comers — and that jazz is far from dead. From where I stand, I’d say it’s flourishing.

Judith Owen’s latest album is Suit Yourself. Recorded at New Orleans’ Esplanade Studios and newly released via her label Twanky Records. the set brims with a vibrant fusion of jazz, big band and blues. Owen and The Gentlemen Callers let loose on the project’s first single, her self-penned “That’s Why I Love My Baby,” and “Today I Sing the Blues,” a stirring duet with Crescent City star Davell Crawford. Owen also reimagines the Dinah Washington classic “Evil Gal Blues.” Additional information about Suit Yourself and Owen’s upcoming tour dates is available on her website.

For over 15 years, Drake’s reign has been characterized by — and often maligned for — his versatility. Few rappers have ever ventured into so many genres and subgenres, pushing listeners past their boundaries and turning initial critics into those who have to spin back and say, “I didn’t get (insert song/album) at first, but I love it now.” 

What began as him baring his soul on R&B records, expressing emotions that many men would normally hide, turned into legitimate pop and house smash records as time went on. His 2020s have taken him further into new territory, starting with the full dance album Honestly, Nevermind, and continuing on collaborations with Spanish-language artists on records like “Gently” and “Meet Your Padre,” and, this past weekend, with his club-ready 14-track album MAID OF HONOUR. 

A key piece of these musical journeys has been one of his go-to producers this decade, GORDO, formerly known as Carnage. The Nicaraguan-American DJ has his hands all over the 6 God’s most exploratory (and often polarizing) songs of the last half-decade: “Sticky,” “Massive,” “Calling My Name,” and “Rich Baby Daddy,” just to name a few. 

Now, having placed nine tracks on MAID — plus “WNBA” from HABIBTI — the 35-year-old producer has over 20 songs with The Boy. With songs like “Hoe Phase,” “Outside Tweaking” and “New Bestie” on their collective resume, the producer could rightfully compare his collaborative relationship with Drake to any of the strongest dynamic duos of the 2020s. 

“I grew up as a Drake fan my entire life,” he told Billboard. “You have to give him so much props because he stayed relevant this long, during so many changes in pop culture. That’s the crazy part about it. We’re not talking about a niche rapper… he adapts, and he stays on the ball.”

Read Billboard‘s discussion with GORDO below about witnessing Drake continue to break barriers, why he worked so hard on every record they released together, and what is next for his career.

You told me two years ago that you didn’t think you could make a better album than DIAMANTE and I think you might have outdone yourself. Obviously, MAID isn’t your album in the same way DIAMANTE was, but you have nine out of 14 tracks. What’s your response to that?

Technically speaking, on DIAMANTE, I had a say on everything. On this album, I didn’t have a say on everything, but I was a small tool to this guy’s genius plan. And the best thing about all this was this was about him. It wasn’t about me. I worked so hard on this album because I was rooting so hard for him. I was like, “I want to do everything I can to help and send positive energy toward this legend.”

How do you define your collaborative relationship with him, on top of the fact that you’re such good friends as well?

Sometimes when I’m DJing, I wish I could go and watch myself, to understand it, and also learn. In the same way with music, I wish I could be you guys. I grew up as a Drake fan my entire life. When I was 14, 16 years old, I was listening to this guy. So 20 years later, this guy is over here – every single quarter, he does something that’s like, “Whoa, what is this?” Then, over the years, he keeps doing it, and now people are just like, “Oh no, I don’t like this,” or “This is weird.” 

That’s their new response, yet these songs continue to do great for years and years and years. They love to just talk. That’s the place we’re in. You have to give him so much props because he stayed relevant this long during so many changes in pop culture. That’s the crazy part about it. We’re not talking about a niche rapper. He stays and adapts. He always does something new and inventive. It’s like, “Yo, it’s mind-blowing.” So it’s just kind of insane that he can do that.

Were you able to be in the studio with him to record any of these? If so, what was it like seeing him put together a song like “Road Trips” or “Stuck”?

It’s mind-blowing that we’re getting Drake doing a song with an electro-EDM-trap drop on the second half of “BBW.” Like, what? What are we even talking about right now? He’s entered his “I don’t give a f–k what anyone thinks” era. And we’re talking about a guy that’s really good at making music. That’s the thing; he’s the GOAT because he’s always been able to stay relevant and do things that are culturally relevant. 

And he’s still young as f–k. He’s almost 10 years younger than Kanye. My boy said something yesterday. He was like, “Yo, Drake’s only like getting to the middle of his whole career.” It had me think, “Oh sh-t. That’s actually possible.” We already off rip know we have another 10 years of Drake. That’s kind of insane to think about.

I was listening to Popcast this weekend, and I agreed with their take that MAID OF HONOUR is going to have the most legs in terms of its experimentation. It said a lot that he promoted the album as “I had to make ICEMAN so I could make these other two projects.” 

I appreciate that… The thing is, I feel pride every day getting to work with Drake. He’s allowed me to push the barriers sonically and create music that we believe is timeless. I was shocked too when he was really f–king with this stuff. I think it’s a testament to the fact that there’s more GORDO and Drake to come, if he hopefully decides to keep making music with me. 

And, to be honest, there’s something I want to be super vocal about. A lot of this music couldn’t have been made without ZECCA, my brother from Argentina, and Johan and Richard. Literally, we would link up every couple of months or weeks in random locations, and just cook up. We’d make five to seven different versions of songs. I went to Colombia with Zeka a couple of months ago. Me and him cooked up for a couple of days. Literally, I would leave my computer on and go to sleep. When I would wake up, he’d have made like nine different versions of a song. 

A lot of the music came from these guys, too, so everyone had equal input. You know when you think of guys who are, like, super-geniuses on the computer? That’s them. That’s why the album sounds so good. We need some more light on the producers. 

Seeing all of the directions you’ve been able to go with him, combining your vast tastes in music, what’s next for you? What’s the next mountain for you, or some sounds that you want to explore musically? What’s the next milestone?

I’m working on the next album right now. It’s the new album, and I’m building on TARAKA, my party that I’m doing. I’m doing a crazy show in Chile on June 13. I built a metal coliseum to put inside this venue. Basically, there’s going to be different floors and people around this big circle. We’re going to hang stuff. It’s this crazy concept I’ve been working on for a couple of months. That’s going to be one of my favorite things of the year. 

And then, also my Ibiza residency. I finally got my residency in Ibiza. That’s really one of my most important things that I’m working on right now just because I’ve never had the position to be in a place where I’m “one of the ones” in Ibiza.” That’s very, very rare, especially at a high-level club. Pacha, that’s the best club in the world. 

Do you have your eye on any artists that you’d like to collaborate with in the future, especially with an album in the works?

I hate to say this, but my life has been so “GORDO and Drake, GORDO and Drake, GORDO and Drake,” that I haven’t even had time to think about any of that. I’ve just been so focused on that, on top of touring and DJing. 10-hour set here, 12-hour set there. I don’t even know how I’m functioning, to be honest with you. 

As you said, you’re constantly traveling, on the road, DJing, and partying. When do you get time to rest? What’s GORDO doing in his downtime to get away from all of the craziness?

I am in Thailand resting, recovering. I take health very seriously, so I do a lot of sauna and cold plunges. A lot of cardio. Basically, just getting my life in order and being relaxed. I’m not trying to overly push it. Staying focused. I just want to stay alive. I’m on the peptide swag. 

You were previously Carnage. When do you feel like GORDO really established himself as separate from Carnage and really made his stamp on the game? Or do you feel there’s more to do?

It’s taken time to prove that, but that’s just the journey that we’re on. It’s going really well. It’s a great time to be alive. There are so many blessings happening. So many good things are happening. The best part about it is that there’s so much good music happening.