Ella Langley had a surprise in store for her Stagecoach debut.

While some fans may have expected Morgan Wallen, the 26-year-old country star instead brought out comedian and podcaster Theo Von during her Friday (April 24) set in Indio, California.

Following performances of “Bottom of Your Boots” and “Broken,” from her just-released album Dandelion, as well as “20-20” from the deluxe reissue Still Hungover, Langley welcomed Von to the stage for a duet of her Riley Green collaboration, “You Look Like You Love Me.”

After reaching the second verse — typically reserved for Green — Langley invited Von onstage. Dressed fittingly in a denim shirt, blue jeans and a cowboy hat, he jumped right in.

“And that’s when I realized that she was every cowboy’s dream come true,” a thrilled Von declared, pointing to Langley.

The pair then launched into the chorus as festivalgoers sang along, “You look like you love me/ You look like you want me to want you to come on home.”

Langley, who recently appeared on Von’s This Past Weekend podcast, joked as he exited the stage, “Bet you didn’t expect that… keep ’em guessin’!”

“You Look Like You Love Me” reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart in December 2024.

Langley closed her Stagecoach set with “Choosin’ Texas” — which recently logged a seventh nonconsecutive week atop the Billboard Hot 100 — and “Weren’t for the Wind.”

The singer-songwriter is currently dominating both the Hot 100 and the Billboard 200, with Dandelion debuting at No. 1. She also recently premiered her new duet, “I Can’t Love You Anymore,” with Wallen during his stadium show in Alabama on April 18.

Cody Johnson brought some slow jams to this year’s Stagecoach.

During his headlining set on Friday (April 24), the 38-year-old country star welcomed Boyz II Men to the stage for a performance of the legendary R&B vocal group’s 1994 hit “On Bended Knee.”

Johnson began singing a cover of the classic love song before being joined by Boyz II Men’s Nathan Morris, Wanyá Morris and Shawn Stockman, who helped carry the performance as festival-goers in Indio, California, swayed along in nostalgia.

“On Bended Knee,” from the group’s sophomore album, II, spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1994.

This isn’t Boyz II Men’s first crossover performance in recent memory. In March, the Philadelphia soul act made a surprise appearance at the Listening Room’s 20th anniversary at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, where they joined Brett Young for his song “In Case You Didn’t Know.”

Johnson’s Stagecoach performance comes after the announcement of his upcoming album, Banks of the Trinity, set for release June 26 through COJO Music/Warner Records Nashville.

The project follows Johnson’s 2023 album, Leather (and its deluxe edition), which featured hits including “Dirt Cheap” and “The Fall” and was named album of the year at the 2024 CMA Awards.

Elsewhere at Stagecoach on Friday, rising star Ella Langley surprised the crowd by bringing out comedian Theo Von for a duet of her Riley Green collaboration, “You Look Like You Love Me.”

Stagecoach 2026 continues with a headlining performance by Lainey Wilson on Saturday (April 25), followed by a closing set from Post Malone on Sunday.

Demi Lovato is exhausted, but — looking effortlessly glamorous in a white, furry jacket — you’d never be able to tell as she lists her current favorite women in pop music. “Zara Larsson, of course,” she tells Billboard. “Adela. I’ll always be a huge fan of Lady Gaga. Sabrina [Carpenter]’s great.”

“Oh God, I’m trying to think of who else,” the singer continues. But it’s nearly midnight, and the post-show brain fog is taking over. “Sorry, I just played a concert.”

We’re standing backstage at New York’s Madison Square Garden — which Lovato just headlined for the first time in their career on Friday (April 24) — as the star snaps photos with about a dozen fans during a quick meet-and-greet. All of them have noticeably clean-smelling breath as they exhale incredulously when she first enters the room, thanks to brand partner TheraBreath, which provided samples of Lovato’s favorite mouthwash at the gathering.

“I mean, all the pop girlies are great,” adds the equally fresh-breathed performer, who, just a few years ago, probably never would’ve thought that she’d be considered among those same proverbial Main Pop Girls.

After distinctly switching to rock music on 2022 album Holy Fvck and declaring their pop music dead — literally, Lovato held a funeral — the hitmaker switched right back in October 2025, releasing It’s Not That Deep, a Billboard 200 No. 9 LP of electronic dance-pop bangers. Earlier today, she unveiled the deluxe version, It’s Not That Deep (Unless You Want It to Be), featuring eight brand new songs, including “Low Rise Jeans,” which fans went crazy for when Lovato debuted the sultry track on the opening night of the It’s Not That Deep Tour.

Lovato tells Billboard that they think the new songs “add so much” to the already deeply (no pun intended) meaningful It’s Not That Deep era.

“They are great additions to the body of work that was already created,” the vocalist continues. “I knew I wanted to get back into the studio after I released the album. We started working on these songs — I think ‘Pretty Catatonic’ was the first one that came out of that writing process, and I fell in love with it. It just kind of unfolded from there.”

At MSG, Lovato kept the crowd energized with a mix of It’s Not That Deep standouts and older smashes, including Billboard Hot 100 hits “Heart Attack,” “Sorry Not Sorry” and “Cool For The Summer.” She also had two surprises in store for the New York City crowd, singing “Too Little Too Late” with special guest JoJo before performing live for the first time ever with husband Jutes. (They adorably belted “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, which was the couple’s first-dance song at their wedding.)

At opening night in Orlando, Florida, Lovato treated the crowd to a performance with one of their first major duet partners: Joe Jonas. The duo belted out beloved Camp Rock classic “This Is Me” ahead of Camp Rock 3, which both are executive producing. It’s one of several throwback programs Disney Channel has been green-lighting from Lovato’s era; Selena Gomez, who attended that Orlando show and reunited with her childhood friend backstage, has been involved in an ongoing Wizards of Waverly Place reboot, while Miley Cyrus recently unveiled her Hannah Montana anniversary special.

“I think the age that we’re at is really loving nostalgia right now,” Lovato tells Billboard. “For all the people who are in their 30s and have lived through the Disney era with me, Selena, the Jonas Brothers and Miley, they’re craving it, and it’s fun to go back and relive those moments.”

Lovato says that the public’s hunger for that Disney Channel golden era has also allowed the stars to reconnect with each other and rekindle old friendships. “Oh, definitely,” she adds. “Yeah, I think that’s why it’s all coming together again in this day and age.”

Tributes from across Australia’s music and media sectors continue to emerge following the death of James Valentine, with artists including Jimmy Barnes and Iva Davies reflecting on his wide-ranging impact.

Valentine, a saxophonist best known for his work with Models before becoming a longtime broadcaster with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, died at age 64 using voluntary assisted dying at home two years after a cancer diagnosis, according to ABC.

Barnes shared a tribute on social media, writing, “James and I have known each other a long time. He loved music and I heard him play the saxophone many times with the Models. He was a funny and insightful interviewer, and I will miss hearing his gentle voice on ABC radio every afternoon. RIP James. You will be missed.”

Davies, frontman of Icehouse, also shared a detailed statement reflecting on their decades-long connection. “The ICEHOUSE team and I were very saddened to hear of the passing of James Valentine yesterday,” he wrote. “We’d known James since the early ‘80s when we met him on the road with Models. He was a great musician and I asked him to play saxophone on our Code Blue album, which he did with his renowned sense of skill and joy.”

He continued, “His move to be an innovative and much loved broadcaster at Australia’s ABC radio network meant we’d cross paths regularly – he was always engaged and fun to be around with a story or anecdote to share. James will be missed by many tens of thousands, by our ICEHOUSE team and by me. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family.”

Members of INXS also paid tribute, recalling their shared history on the Australian Made tour in the mid-1980s. “We are very much saddened to hear of the passing of our old mate James Valentine,” the band wrote. “James was an incredible musician and an amazing human. Always smiling, always positive, caring and involved.”

The statement continued, “Our lives crossed paths during the ’80s and we all became mates with James on the Australian Made tour in ’86-87 when he was a member of the Models. He of course then became a member of Absent Friends with Garry for an album and live performances.”

They added, “James later had an amazing career in TV and radio and as a writer — his wit and warmth was loved by everyone. Our sincere condolences to Joanne, Ruby and Roy. Travel safe mate — we miss you.”

The responses highlight the dual nature of Valentine’s career, which spanned both music and broadcasting. As previously reported, he performed on Models’ Out of Mind, Out of Sight, which peaked at No. 84 on the Billboard 200 and produced the single “Out of Mind, Out of Sight,” a Billboard Hot 100 entry in 1986. His work as a session and touring musician extended across multiple Australian acts throughout the decade.

In later years, Valentine became a defining voice on ABC radio, hosting programs for more than three decades, including a long-running tenure on 702 ABC Sydney’s Afternoons show. His conversational style and curiosity-driven interviews helped him build a broad national audience, expanding his influence well beyond the music industry.

Additional tributes from across the industry have emphasized that crossover impact. Valentine’s ability to move between performance and broadcasting roles positioned him as a rare figure within Australia’s creative landscape — equally at home onstage and behind the microphone.

His passing also comes amid renewed recognition of his contributions. Australia’s Governor-General Sam Mostyn recently confirmed that Valentine had been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), acknowledging his service to both music and media.

For industry figures, the response to his death reflects not only his legacy as a musician, but also the enduring reach of his broadcasting career, which brought his voice into the daily lives of listeners for decades.

Valentine is survived by his wife and two children.

The Otis Redding Foundation is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its Otis Redding Center for the Arts (ORCA) this month. The momentous occasion was formally recognized with an open house (April 11), attended by Redding’s widow Zelma Redding and R.E.M. bassist/composer Mike Mills, 2025’s recipient of the Otis Redding Spirit of Community Award. In tandem with the celebration, registration for upcoming summer sessions of Otis Music Camp (June 1-20) and Camp Dream (July 20-31) was announced.

Named after the soul icon behind classics such as “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” and “Respect,” ORCA offers music and arts programs to students ages 5-18. In addition to the aforementioned camps, the multipurpose space provides private lessons and workshops. Its curriculum covers the creative and business sides of the music industry through content creation, performance, entertainment law, engineering, graphic design and touring. The 15,000 square-foot facility also houses the O3 Recording studio and the Zelma Redding Amphitheater.

In comments emailed to Billboard, Ms. Redding explained why it’s so vital to continue paying it forward to the next generation of industry creatives and executives:

There’s something different about walking into a space that carries your family’s name — your family’s work, your family’s spirit. At the Otis Redding Center for the Arts, that feeling is everywhere. It’s not just pride — it’s responsibility. The kind you feel in your chest.

Maintaining a center like this, especially as part of the Otis Redding Foundation, is deeply personal. This isn’t just about programs or schedules. It’s about legacy. It’s about honoring the life and vision of Otis Redding — not only the music the world knows, but the man who believed in giving back, in lifting others up, and in creating opportunity where it didn’t always exist.

For our family, the arts have never been just entertainment. They’ve been a pathway to confidence, expression and possibility. So when we talk about maintaining this space, we’re really talking about protecting that pathway. Making sure a young person can walk through these doors and feel like they belong here, whether they’ve grown up around music or are just discovering it for the first time. Students finding their voice. Families finding community. Artists pouring into the next generation. That’s what turns a building into something meaningful. That’s what makes it feel alive.

Legacy doesn’t take care of itself. It requires intention, care and a willingness to keep growing. What Otis started, and what the foundation continues to build, is bigger than any one moment. For me, this work is about making sure that legacy keeps reaching forward. That it stays open, accessible and real. Because if we’re doing it right, the Otis Redding Center for the Arts won’t just reflect where we’ve been … It will help shape where we’re going.

More information about the Otis Redding Center for the Arts and its programs is available here.

The gay community has been hung up on Madonna for decades — and the feeling has always been mutual, with the Queen of Pop consistently using her platform to advocate for LGBTQ+ people worldwide, even way before it was socially acceptable for pop stars to do so.

So it’s only fitting that ahead of the release of Confessions II — the sequel to her 2005 dancefloor masterpiece Confessions on a Dance Floor — Madonna is teaming up with Grindr for a global collab to launch her hotly anticipated album.

On Friday (April 24), Madonna is taking over the grid — meaning the Global Gayborhood in Your Pocket is now officially part of the Queen of Pop’s realm. The in-app experience features exclusive content, location-aware moments that appear in the Global Gayborhood and limited-edition product drops — one of which is an exclusive picture disc of Confessions II, handpicked by Madonna, available only for Grindr users.

“Thanks for coming” is the opening benediction of Confessions II, an album designed to unite people on the dancefloor in real time. Similarly, the Madonna x Grindr experience “rewards participation and discovery,” according to the press release, “connecting users not just to content, but to each other” — i.e., all the beautiful strangers in the Gayborhood.

“Grindr drives connections, shapes culture, and builds community – and no one embodies that spirit quite like Madonna,” says George Arison, CEO of Grindr. “She has been empowering our community to Express Yourself for decades, so this feels less like a partnership and more like a homecoming.”

After debuting the first taste of her upcoming album, “I Feel So Free,” on SiriusXM’s Pride Radio last Friday (April 17), Madonna is continuing to superserve her devoted queer fanbase (which has been integral to her success and a part of her identity from the start of her iconic career) with this collab. By taking over the grid, Madonna is meeting many of her fans where they already are, giving them an early peek at the dancefloor ahead of the album’s July 3 release.

So open your heart and get into the Grindr groove — because bitch, it’s Madonna!

Do you wanna dance? Good, because 50 years ago Thursday (April 23) The Ramones released their self-titled debut album, the punk rock atom bomb that blew our minds with such classics as “Blitzkrieg Bop,” “Beat on the Brat,” “Judy Is a Punk,” “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend,” “Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue,” “53rd & 3rd” and “Today Your Love, Tomorrow the World,” among others.

The leather jacket and ripped jeans quartet originally comprised of singer Joey, guitarist Johnny, bassist Dee Dee and drummer Tommy Ramone wrote the template for the genre with their signature mix of bubblegum and girl group-spiked pop run through a blender on high speed in barely two-minute songs whose lyrics read like a suburban parent’s worst nightmare.

To mark the group’s 50th anniversary, the Ramones and Rhino Records are launching a year-long celebration that will include the only authorized exhibition dedicated to the band, which will make its world premiere at the Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas on July 4. The show organized and curated by the Punk Foundation in collaboration with late guitarist Johnny Ramone’s wife Linda Ramone and Ramones Production Inc., will feature the band’s music, memorabilia, along with public and member’s only performances, artist conversations, interactive experiences, artist-led tours and other events.

The museum will also host a 4th of July bash featuring the Ramones tribute band Mama’s Boy.

In addition, between now and the end of the year, the band and Rhino will announced a series of physical reissues and releases, as well as tribute performances and newly remastered, upscaled videos for such classics as “I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Psycho Therapy,” “Rock N’ Roll High School,” “Sheena is a Punk Rocker,” “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight),” “We Want the Airwaves,” “Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio?” and others. Head over to the band’s YouTube page to check out the revamped visuals.

Watch the “Rock N” Roll High School” video below.

With just over a month to go, SXSW London has confirmed its full music programme for its 2026 edition (June 1-6).

The event is in its second year and will take place in east London’s creative spaces including XOYO, Shoreditch Town Hall and more.

Joining the line-up are Dallas rap collective Cure for Paranoia, spoken-word and hip-hop musician BrokenPen, K-Pop idol YUNJIN, Italian pop superstar Gaia, Afrobeats rising star Oxlade and more.

They’ll be accompanied by Croydon-based grime artist Jords, Reggae-inspired singer-songwriter Iyamah, Finn Askew, Oscar Blue and Finnish band Rabbit Cult as well. Check out the full line-up for the showcase here.

Earlier this year, the first wave of artists was announced with Nigerian Afrobeats artist Tiwa Savage, American rapper Earl Sweatshirt, Nigerian rapper and singer Odumodublvck, American sibling rock band Infinity Song, and British singer-songwriter Rachel Chinouriri all confirmed to perform at SXSW. 

Amaria BB, Sega Bodega, Shame, Circa Waves and producer Fraser T. Smith were also announced, with Industry Pass Holders having exclusive access to a performance by DJ Pete Tong.

It’s the second edition of the music festival and wider conference, with Tems, Nile Rodgers, and Sasha Keable appearing at 2025’s event.

Speaking on the line-up, Adem Holness, head of music at SXSW London, says: “I’ve always loved artists, collectives and platforms building new scenes on their own terms, shaping sounds, spaces and audiences around them.”

He added, “At a time when algorithms can flatten culture into sameness, stepping into real, physical music communities matters more than ever. We’re taking over grassroots venues across East London, bringing those distinct global scenes into the same space, not as trends but as movements shaped by the people inside them. If you want to understand where music is heading next, it starts in these rooms, with the people creating it.”

Passes for the event are on sale here.

Billboard parent company Penske Media acquired a majority stake in SXSW in 2023.

Ball Park Music’s Dean Hanson had a good reason for missing the 2026 Queensland Music Awards this week on the Gold Coast; the rhythm guitarist and bass player was hospitalized after fracturing his collar bone playing a game of social cricket.

Hanson had successful surgery overnight, so their forthcoming Rock and Roll Adventure Tour “may continue,” reads an update from the beloved indie rock band. As a result of the injury, the opening show May 1 at the Beach Hotel in Kingscliff is “just too soon for us to be back to 100%,” reads that social message, and a new date has been locked in for June 13. All tickets remain valid.

“Thanks for understanding and supporting Deano while he lets his new upgrades load,” the post continues, “so we can come hit the stage better than ever.”

When members of BPM attended the QMAs, Hanson was conspicuously absent (Jennifer Boyce didn’t show, but guests were told that she’s doesn’t much like awards ceremonies). The group went on to collect two awards, including album of the year for Like Love, their ARIA Chart topping eighth studio collection.

While collecting the QMA trophy, bandmate Paul Furness remarked: “Our guitarist Dean couldn’t be here tonight because he broke his collarbone the other day. He was trying to take a catch in the seventh grade cricket in Brisbane. He dropped the catch and broke his collarbone.”

The statement, issued today, puts a different spin on his “heroic effort to change the course of a social cricket match.” It’s unclear who won the game, or when Hanson will be cleared for band duties, or a return to the pitch.

The collar bone, or clavicle, is one of the most frequently broken bones in the human body, often due to falls or sports — or in Deano’s case, both.

It’s a tough break for the guitarist, who just last week released his debut solo album, Window Seat, Always, under the Zeano moniker.

BPM has hit it out the park in the past 12 months. Like Love went to No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart in April 2025, securing the band’s first leader after long streak of frustrating misses which included three titles that peaked at No. 2: Puddinghead (2014), Ball Park Music (2020), and Weirder & Weirder (2022). Later in 2025, the band opened for Oasis on the reunited Britpop legends’ stadium tour of Australia, and in January of this year, Like Love standout “Please Don’t Move To Melbourne” came in No. 10 in triple j’s Hottest 100.

Demi Lovato’s It’s Not That Deep is now considerably deeper than it was.

The U.S. pop star gives the deluxe treatment to her latest album, which goes by the title It’s Not That Deep (Unless You Want It to Be), and expands from 11 to 19 tracks. The newly-minted eight-track a-side is led by Lovato’s previously released dance-floor cut “Low Rise Jeans,” produced and co-written with Zhone.

It’s Not That Deep dropped last October, and entered the Billboard 200 at No. 9, for her ninth top 10 appearance on the all-genres albums chart. Released via DLG Recordings/Island/Republic Records, the original version earned Lovato her first No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top Dance Albums chart, opening at the summit.

Currently, she’s supporting the collection with the It’s Not That Deep Tour, which continues Friday night, April 24 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Lovato’s tour and new deluxe album release are just the start of another busy year for the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer. This summer will welcome the theatrical release of Camp Rock 3, which she is co-producing with the Jonas Brothers, who will reprise their roles as the Gray brothers. About a month prior to the announcement that the movie was on the way, Lovato joined Joe Jonas on stage at MetLife Stadium, where they performed “This Is Me” as well as Camp Rock 2 classic “Wouldn’t Change a Thing” together.

Then, earlier this month, Demi and Joe performed her signature song from the Camp Rock soundtrack, “This Is Me.” The pair also hit a duet of “On the Line” from her 2008 album, Don’t Forget. The song was written by Lovato and the JoBros, and features all three brothers.

Lovato warmed up with her arena tour with a performance March 5 at the 37th annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles, where she performed “Kiss.” A decade earlier, 2016, she was saluted with the GLAAD Media Vanguard Award. Later in March, she stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC for a performance of “Ghost.”

Stream It’s Not That Deep (Unless You Want It to Be) below.