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The Smashing Pumpkins Reimagine ‘Machina’ With Massive 80-Track Box Set

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

The Smashing Pumpkins Reimagine ‘Machina’ With Massive 80-Track Box Set

Today, The Smashing Pumpkins have formally detailed the long-awaited reissue and reformation of their 2000 masterpiece, Machina/The Machines of God, and its companion album, Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music. This reimagined project, featuring extensive remixing and remastering, will be out in multiple formats on August 22 via UMe and through Madame Zuzu’s Tea Shop.

Billy Corgan’s Madame Zuzu’s tea shop in Highland Park, IL is exclusively offering an expansive 80-song vinyl box set featuring a 48-track MACHINA plus an additional 32 bonus tracks of demos, outtakes, and live performances, marking the first time these two records will officially be united. This vinyl box set is the only format available to listen to all 80 songs in its entirety. Preorder the box set HERE.

Additionally, the rock band will release a 16-song reissue of the original Machina/The Machines of God vinyl on August 22, and pre-orders will begin on June 27. UMe will also be releasing various 25th-anniversary remastered formats of Machina/The Machines of God including a black 180g 2LP vinyl reissue; a 180g limited-edition color 2LP in corona red/black, as well as CD and digital formats on August 22. Preorder Machina/The Machines of God HERE.

“It’s taken some 25 years to finally release MACHINA as we in the band had hoped it would be, and with MadameZuzus.com as the only place one can get this expansive, 80-song collection, I personally could not be more proud,” said Corgan “MACHINA was meant as our swan song, and it was truly a labor of love to bring it to fruition, however broken we were back then. But with the band about to embark on a global tour in 2025, as well as my solo tour with The Machines of God, this set stands as a celebration and testament of will, for the songs alone have helped James, Jimmy, and I keep the faith.”

The Smashing Pumpkins are set to kick off a month-long international tour beginning July 27 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Fans can find full tour details and ticket information on the band’s official website. Meanwhile, Billy Corgan’s solo project, Billy Corgan and The Machines of God, is currently wrapping up the final two headlining dates of their A Return to Zero Tour, with upcoming shows in Milwaukee, WI, and Minneapolis, MN.

Machina CD Reissue Track List:
1. The Everlasting Gaze
2. Raindrops + Sunshowers
3. Stand Inside Your Love
4. I Of The Mourning
5. The Sacred And Profane
6. Try, Try, Try
7. Heavy Metal Machine
8. This Time
9. The Imploding Voice
10. Glass And The Ghost Children
11. Wound
12. The Crying Tree Of Mercury
13. With Every Light
14. Blue Skies Bring Tears
15. Age Of Innocence

Machina 2LP Reissue Track List:
A1 The Everlasting Gaze
A2 Raindrops + Sunshowers
A3 Stand Inside Your Love
A4 I Of The Mourning
B1 The Sacred And Profane
B2 Try, Try, Try
B3 Heavy Metal Machine
B4 This Time
B5 The Imploding Voice
C1 Glass And The Ghost Children
C2 Wound
C3 The Crying Tree Of Mercury
D1 Speed Kills**
D2 Age Of Innocence
D3 With Every Light
D4 Blue Skies Bring Tears
**Vinyl and Digital bonus track

Madame Zuzu’s Box Set Track List:
SIDE 1A
Le Deux Machina
Stand Inside Your Love
I Of The Mourning
God’s Promise
The Crying Tree Of Mercury

SIDE 1B
Slow Dawn
The Sacred And Profane
The Everlasting Gaze
Here’s To The Atom Bomb
Wound

SIDE 2A
Glass’ Theme
Heavy Metal Machine
Blue Skies Wrought Tears
Pale Scales
Vanity
Autumn

SIDE 2B
“Machina, Machina”
Raindrops + Sunshowers
Glass And The Ghost Children

SIDE 3A
Real Love
The Imploding Voice
One Moment
Speed Kills

SIDE 3B
Here’s To The Atom Bomb, Too
Try, Try, Try
Whyte Spyder
Don’t Wanna Be Your Lover
Cash Car Star

SIDE 4A
Dross
Lucky 13
Hmm
Without You
Winterlong

SIDE 4B
Laugh
If There Is A God
This Time
Blue Skies Bring Tears

SIDE 5A
In My Body
Innosense
Try (Again)
Drain
Yet Another Promise
Home

SIDE 5B
With Every Light
Age Of Innocence
Let Me Give The World To You
Soot + Stars
Machina Theme

SIDE 6A
Untitled
Blue Skies Bring Tears (Early Version)
Go (M2 Version)
Vanity (Sadlands Demo)
Raindrops + Sunshowers (Band Demo)

SIDE 6B
Soul Power (M2 Version)
Here I Am (Sadlands Demo)
The Crying Tree
Glass And The Ghost Children (Pumpkinland Demo)
Age Of Innocence (Acoustic Demo)

SIDE 7A
Rock On
End Of The Joke
Stand Inside Your Love (Early Version)
Home (Home Demo)
Identify (Movie Demo)

SIDE 7B
Rainy Day Song
Lucky 13 (M2 Version)
Satur9 (M2 Version)
The Imploding Voice (Pumpkinland Demo)
Without You (Sadlands Demo)
Wound (Sadlands Demo)

SIDE 8A
Speed Kills (Early Version)
Whyte Spyder (M2 Version)
Summer (Rehearsal)
Let Me Give The World To You (Sadlands Demo)
Heavy Metal Machine (M2 Version)

SIDE 8B
I Of The Radio (Instrumental Demo)
Sleeping Giant
Attached By Satellites (Sadlands Demo)
Glass’ Theme (M2 Demo)
Promise (Nyc Demo)
Fuck You (Live 12.02.00)

The Smashing Pumpkins are one of the most iconic, iconoclastic, and influential bands of all time, shaping alternative music and culture. Since forming in Chicago in 1988, the group has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and garnered two GRAMMY® Awards, seven MTV VMAs, and an American Music Award. Their catalog includes seminal offerings such as the platinum Gish [1991], the quadruple-platinum Siamese Dream [1993], the diamond-certified Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness [1995], the platinum Adore [1998], and the gold Machina/The Machines of God [2000]. Rolling Stone cited both Siamese Dream and Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness among its “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” It would also be impossible to envision alternative music and culture without their signature iconography such as the idyllic album artwork for Siamese Dream, the black Zero shirt, the laissez faire bliss of the “1979” music video, the gothic metamorphosis of “Ava Adore,” or the multi-dimensional live shows that sell out worldwide to this day.  2018 saw The Smashing Pumpkins unveil SHINY AND OH SO BRIGHT, VOL. 1 / LP: NO PAST. NO FUTURE. NO SUN. and launched the immensely successful Shiny and Oh So Bright Tour, which packed arenas. Maintaining this momentum, the band released their eleventh full-length double album , CYR [2020], representing yet another evolution, and more recently, ATUM[2023], the sequel to 1995’s Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and 2000’s Machina/Machine of God. The band’s 2024 album, Aghori Mhori Mei, written in the immediate aftermath of ATUM, sees a return to form for original members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha, and harkens back to the band’s early 90’s canon; where guitars, bass, drums, and spiking vocals ruled.

flowerovlove Releases Empowering Summer Track “new friends” Ahead of Hyde Park Show with Olivia Rodrigo

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

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flowerovlove Releases Empowering Summer Track “new friends” Ahead of Hyde Park Show with Olivia Rodrigo

Just hours before taking the famed Great Oak Stage in London’s Hyde Park, where she’s opening for 3x GRAMMY winner Olivia Rodrigo today, flowerovlove drops “new friends,” a bright, brilliant reply to being friend zoned.

Of the track flowerovlove states, ‘new friends is a conversational summery pop phenomenon about the state after a breakup where the other person asks to still be friends just to keep u around new friends takes us on a journey of empowerment of knowing you want to be in love and in a lovergirl world.’

The 20-year-old Londoner – who was named as a 2025 artist to watch by Rolling Stone and InStyle – gave “new friends” its live debut while opening for Halsey on select dates of her U.S. tour. This summer, flowerovlove will play her first U.S. festivals – Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits.

“new friends” is the follow-up to her Valentine’s Day release, “I’ve seen ur ex.” Declaring flowerovlove “on radiant form,” Clash Magazine said, “‘I’ve seen ur ex’ is a precocious slice of alt-pop, somehow both flirtatious and venomous in tone…Another dazzling moment…”

Winner of a Music Week Women In Music award and nominated for a MOBO, flowerovlove has amassed over 90 million combined global streams in her career to date, including 60 million streams for her Capitol releases alone. “BOYS,” one of her 2024 singles, was proclaimed “fire as hell” by SZA. Over the past two summers, flowerovlove has played numerous UK/EU festivals, including Glastonbury, Camp Bestival, Primavera Sound and Reading & Leads.

Dom Innarella Releases Breakout Summer Anthem “Jersey In July”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

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Following a flurry of viral success, buzzing 14-year-old singer, songwriter, and proud New Jersey native Dom Innarella unveils a brand new single entitled “Jersey In July” out now.

“‘Jersey in July’ is about that one person who drives you crazy in all the best and worst ways,” the young star shares. “It’s like how summer in Jersey can be amazing but also super intense. I wanted the song to feel like that… even if she’s bad for me, I don’t even mind.”

Already renowned for his powerhouse voice, the young Italian-American crooner doesn’t disappoint on this anthem. The track laces a head-nodding beat with lithely strummed acoustic guitar. Against this backdrop, he flexes his range. Left almost speechless by a crush, he confesses, “She feel like Jersey in July. She got me sweating every time.” The tune’s got “song of the summer” written all over it, and it also indicates big things on the horizon for Dom!

At the top of the year, Dom made waves out of the Garden State with his breakout “Bout Me,” which has amassed over 10 million streams and incited the applause of Melodic Magazine and more. His first release debuted #1 on Canada’s Spotify Viral Chart, #2 on the US Viral Chart, and #35 in Australia. Now, he’s inviting everyone to enjoy “Jersey In July.”

It’s just the beginning though. Get ready for more new music from Dom Innarella!

Dom Innarella sings with the kind of style, swagger, and soul that you’d typically only find by dusting off an old 7-inch or firing up a vintage jukebox. He may be 14-years-old, but the Italian-American New Jersey native’s vocals could just as easily melt hearts on the dancefloor of a smoky jazz club or across TikTok. This timeless spirit has quietly elevated him to the forefront of popular culture as a phenomenon shouted out by everyone from Usher and J Balvin to Steve Aoki and Teddy Swims. Music was practically ingrained in his DNA since childhood. At seven-years-old, he often sat at the dining room table with his maternal grandfather and sang along to doo-wop classics on YouTube for hours on end. Eventually, he honed his performance chops by taking acting classes and participating in chorus and theater at school. By 2023, he gravitated to social media and dropped viral covers of Bruno Mars, Benson Boone, Billie Eilish, and Rihanna. He left listeners speechless and caught co-signs courtesy of everyone from Justin Bieber to Timbaland. His original tracks elevated him to another level together. During 2025, he initially dropped “Bout Me” on the social media platform Hunna G Beats. The song surged online as top-tier creators adopted it, including Piper Rockelle, c4pr1i, Cesar Mendoza, and Brennan Myers. Beyond gathering 6 million Spotify streams and counting, he stunned viewers with showstopping performances on From The Block and On The Radar as well as receiving acclaim from Melodic Magazine. Stacking up millions of streams and views and attracting Republic Records, he captivates on a series of 2025 singles and his forthcoming debut.

Norah Jones and John Legend Team Up for Dreamy Duet “Summertime Blue”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

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Norah Jones and John Legend Team Up for Dreamy Duet “Summertime Blue”

Norah Jones and John Legend have come together for their first-ever collaboration on the enchanting new single “Summertime Blue,” a breezy, wistful duet from two acclaimed stars of the music world. The song was produced by Jones and Gregg Wattenberg who planted the seed for this momentous meeting of two of the most distinctive voices and highly decorated artists of our time, singer-songwriter-pianists with a combined 23 GRAMMY Awards between them including wins for Best New Artist.

“I’ve been working on a side project with Gregg, and when I found out he also works with John I got so excited because I’ve always admired him, but we had never crossed paths,” says Jones. “Gregg said we should do a song together and got the idea brewing so I jumped at the chance. John welcomed us to his studio in LA and we had so much fun recording and hanging.”

“Ah, what a perfect way to start the summer! I’m so honored to be part of this beautiful record with Norah,” says Legend. “Her voice, soul and musicianship, her graceful presence, are all undeniable. I’ve been a fan for so long. I’m so glad we could finally collaborate.”

“Summertime Blue” features Jones and Legend on vocals accompanied by Jones on piano, Wattenberg on guitar, Josh Lattanzi on bass, Shawn Pelton on drums, and a string arrangement by Dave Eggar and Chuck Palmer performed by Eggar on cello with violinists Marianna Brickle and Katie Thomas.

Kim Petras Ignites a Bold New Era With Flirty Single “Polo”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

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Kim Petras Ignites a Bold New Era With Flirty Single “Polo”

Kickstarting a bold new era, GRAMMY Award-winning pop powerhouse Kim Petras is back with a brand-new single “Polo” out now. Kim is in the driver’s seat of this new chapter, amplifying the spirit that originally defined her and empowered her fans around the world.

Kim commented on the new single, “Polo was the first song that kinda reset all of the music I was working on. It makes me feel cute and like a bitch! When we wrote it I had three broken toes and Margo XS and I were just playing SSX 3 and Silent Hill and it kinda just magically came to us and was everything!!”

Handpicked by Kim to launch her new era, “Polo” is co-produced by Kim Petras, Margo XS, Nightfeelings, with additional production by atlgrandma. The single’s distorted synths brush up against a head-nodding club-ready beat. Kim’s dynamic vocals instantly transfix with a flirty refrain she teases, “You want to get me out my Polo shirt.” It takes flight as a fiery pop banger.

Kim takes over PRIDE festivals across the country, surprising fans with special performances of new music, including the single “Polo” – watch HERE. In the past month, she notably took the stage at OutLoud Festivalin both West Hollywood & Boston, as well as World Pride Music Festival, leaving fans buzzing with excitement for new music.

Next up, she will be leading the pack with performances at PRIDE festivals in San Francisco, Nashville, and San Diego. Teeing up more music on the horizon, she even teased another banger called “Freak It”—check out another clip HERE.

Kim Petras finds and shares her own kind of solace through pop music. Long before emerging as a history-making GRAMMY Award-winning global sensation and elite songwriter, she grew up in rural Germany. Isolated, lonely, and misunderstood, she found refuge and connection in pop, studying and obsessing over goddesses a la Madonna, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, and Gwen Stefani. By immersing herself in the music and intently tuning into the lyrics, she even learned English from watching Britney Spears. The world initially got to know Kim in 2017. Launching a quiet grind, she vaulted to the forefront of pop music and culture on her own terms. She shattered all expectations and reached superstar status when she joined forced with Sam Smith on “Unholy.” It toppled the Billboard Hot 100 at #1, went 2x-Platinum in the United States, and even garnered a GRAMMY Award in the category of “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.” She captivated with a procession of acclaimed projects such as Clarity, Slut Pop, Feed The Beast, Slut Pop Miami, and fan favorite TURN OFF THE LIGHTS. Speaking to her impact, she graced the covers of Sports Illustrated’s coveted Swimsuit Issue, Cosmopolitan, OUT Magazine, WWD, and more. Emerging as a style icon, she made headlines every time she appeared at an event like the Met Gala or CFDAs. Piling up billions of streams, selling out tours, and resonating with a devout global audience, she has quietly become one of her generation’s most impactful stars. Now, she ignites what promises to be her biggest, brightest, and boldest era yet with “Polo” and her upcoming third studio album for Republic Records.

d4vd and Hyunjin (Stray Kids) Unite on Emotional New Track “Always Love”

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

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d4vd and Hyunjin (Stray Kids) Unite on Emotional New Track “Always Love”

Fans have been speculating and anticipating a collaboration between d4vd and Hyunjin (Stray Kids) since Hyunjin first mentioned d4vd in a Teen Vogue Interview, then in turn, d4vd spoke highly about Hyunjin in a local Korean radio interview. Since then, the pair has continued to grow an online mutual friendship, continuously showing one another support through promoting each other’s music on social media and publicly mentioning aspirations of working together. The stars finally aligned this month when d4vd and Hyunjin had the chance to meet in person at a Stray Kids concert in Los Angeles – see HERE. Today, the fans’ excitement reaches a crescendo as the pair release “Always Love” – LISTEN HERE

The compelling collaboration features d4vd’s signature yearning sound and Hyunjin’s distinctly soothing vocals. The track unfolds like a love story, diving into desires, aspirations, and conclusions. It builds tension with a progression of questions like “do you,” “would you,” and “are you,” leading to the final acceptance, “I don’t need no one else, but you.” This journey is one of recontextualization, where an individual’s deep questioning about a relationship ultimately dissolves into the realization that only the presence of their loved one truly mattered. D4vd and Hyunjin’s alternating vocals flawlessly convey these intricate emotions, resulting in this powerful composition.

d4vd says: “This was a true full circle moment. Hyunjin mentioned me in an interview last year then I mentioned him on the radio when I was in Korea and it just kind of kept spiraling until ultimately we got to work together. He’s so talented and I’m really excited with how the song turned out. I’d like to especially thank the Stray Kids fans for being so supportive and accepting of this collaboration.”

d4vd’s debut album WITHERED, out now, is a fifteen track opus that spotlights the songwriter, artist and performer at his best, takes the listener through the natural evolution and lifespan of the rose, an omnipresent visual in d4vd’s creative output thus far, and is intended to be listened to sequentially like chapters in a book as the demise of a relationship unfolds. It is an album crackling with love found, love lost, love created, and love destroyed through every chorus and every melodic line.

A continuation of his lauded and beloved first two EPs that introduced him to the world – Petals to Thorns and The Lost Petals – d4vd’s new album is a brilliant amalgamation of disparate influences shaped into one visceral whole. It features his latest single “What Are You Waiting For,” a high-energy, anthemic and relatable pop declaration brimming with urgency and emotional intensity. As well as the downtempo and luxuriant track “Crashing,” featuring Kali Uchis. Also, “Feel It,” d4vd’s hit single that was part of Season 2 of Amazon Prime Video’s smash animation series, Invincible, is an album highlight while it continues to rake in over 2M streams daily across platforms.

d4vd also recently announced the ‘WITHERED 2025 WORLD TOUR’ that will see the singer-songwriter visit cities in the U.S., Canada, Europe and U.K. The announcement came following his electrifying Coachella performance. On tour, fans can expect a deeply immersive live experience with d4vd’s hands-on involvement shaping every creative element — from set design to visuals and the emotional arc of each night. This marks a new era for the artist, one that reflects his evolution not only as a performer but as a visionary. See below for tour routing.

Earlier this month, d4vd visited South East Asia where he met and created content with the most relevant SEA creators IRL, hosted special fan events, and played shows to ecstatic crowds of over 5,000.

d4vd WITHERED 2025 World Tour Dates:
*Bryant Barnes support
^Laundry Day support
%Yung Kai support
#Saga Faye support
&MOIO

August 5th, 2025 / Del Mar, CA / The Sound*
August 6th, 2025 / Phoenix, AZ / The Van Buren*
August 8th, 2025 / Dallas, TX / South Side Ballroom*
August 9th, 2025 / Austin, TX / Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater*
August 12th, 2025 / St. Petersburg, FL / Jannus Live*
August 13th, 2025 / Orlando, FL / The Beacham*
August 15th, 2025 / Atlanta, GA / Coca-Cola Roxy*
August 16th, 2025 / Nashville, TN / Marathon Music Works*
August 17th, 2025 / Charlotte, NC / The Fillmore Charlotte*
August 19th, 2025 / New York, NY / Terminal 5^
August 22nd, 2025 / Philadelphia, PA / The Fillmore Philadelphia^
August 23rd, 2025 / Silver Spring, MD / The Fillmore Silver Spring^
August 26th, 2025 / Cleveland, OH / The Agora^
August 28th, 2025 / Boston, MA / Roadrunner^
August 29th, 2025 / Montreal, QC, CAN / MTELUS^
August 30th, 2025 / Toronto, ON, CAN / HISTORY^
September 2nd, 2025 / Detroit, MI / Masonic Cathedral Theatre*
September 3rd, 2025 / Columbus, OH / Newport Music Hall*
September 5th, 2025 / Indianapolis, IN / Egyptian Room at Old National Centre*
September 6th, 2025 / Chicago, IL / The Salt Shed*
September 7th, 2025 / Madison, WI / The Sylvee*
September 9th, 2025 / Minneapolis, MN / The Fillmore Minneapolis*
September 10th, 2025 / Kansas City, MO / The Truman*
September 12th, 2025 / Denver, CO / Mission Ballroom%
September 13th, 2025 / Salt Lake City, UT / The Complex%
September 15th, 2025 / Portland, OR / McMenamins Crystal Ballroom%
September 16th, 2025 / Seattle, WA / Showbox SoDo%
September 19th, 2025 / San Francisco, CA / The Warfield%
September 20th, 2025 / Los Angeles, CA / The Greek Theatre%
October 1st, 2025 / Oslo, NO / Sentrum Scene#
October 3rd, 2025 / Copenhagen, DK / VEGA#
October 4th, 2025 / Stockholm, SE / Fryshuset Arenan#
October 6th, 2025 / Cologne, DE / Carlswerk Victoria#
October 9th, 2025 / Amsterdam, NL / Melkweg#
October 10th, 2025 / Amsterdam, NL / Paradiso#
October 12th, 2025 / Brussels, BE / La Madeleine#
October 14th, 2025 / Dublin, IE / 3Olympia Theatre&
October 15th, 2025 / Manchester, UK / Manchester Academy&
October 16th, 2025 / Glasgow, UK / SWG3 Galvanizers&
October 18th, 2025 / Bristol, UK / SWX Bristol&
October 20th, 2025 / London, UK / Roundhouse&
October 23rd, 2025 / Paris, FR / Élysée Montmartre&
October 26, 2025 / Zurich, CH / X-TRA#
October 27, 2025 / Berlin, DE / Huxleys Neue Welt#
October 30, 2025 / Frankfurt, DE / ZOOM Frankfurt#
November 1, 2025 / Vienna, AT / Gasometer#
November 2, 2025/ Prague, CZ / ARCHA+#
November 4, 2025 / Warsaw, PL / Klub Stodola

d4vd, born David Burke, emerged as a visionary artist only one year after he began writing and recording heart-piercing tracks alone in his sister’s closet in Houston, Texas. He developed his eclectic taste in rap and indie music from internet wormholes and fan-made Fortnite videos on YouTube, which he also started creating as a homeschooled teenager. An avid player, he noticed that the songs in his game montages were getting copyright strikes and his mother suggested that he write original music as a solution. Armed with the user-friendly music-making app BandLab, d4vd transformed quickly from a novice into a confident singer and songwriter. He’s released numerous successful singles, touching everything from indie-alternative to pop to R&B, and scored a breakout hit in the summer of 2022 with the now RIAA Multi-Platinum certified “Romantic Homicide.” Recorded entirely on an iPhone, the track reached No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and led to d4vd signing to Darkroom/Interscope before graduating high school. His beachy, slow-building ballad “Here With Me” followed, breaking into the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2023—it’s now RIAA Platinum Certified. d4vd’s debut EP Petals To Thorns established him as a genre-defying newcomer, earning him coveted Billboard 21 Under 21 and Variety Young Hollywood honors. He followed up that project with The Lost Petals EP, a collection of songs that fit into the world of Petals To Thorns and served as a continuation before moving into his next phase. Following on the heels of his debut headline tour and a run of sold-out European tour dates, d4vd put on a show-stopping performance at the Valentino Men’s SS24 Fashion Week show in Milan. Since then, d4vd joined R&B powerhouse SZA on her North American S.O.S tour, sold-out his ‘My House Is Not A Home’ 2024 Tour in its entirety before its kickoff, and graced the festival stages of Coachella, Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and others. d4vd has also collaborated with The Kid Laroi, Laufey, 21 Savage, and contributed to projects including Netflix’s Arcane, Amazon Prime Video’s Invincible, Call of Duty, and Fortnite. His intuitive command of lyricism stems from years spent scribbling raps and poems in his journal, and his lyrics are informed by his varied interests, including manga and anime. His third Hot 100 entry “Feel It” was originally recorded for the soundtrack for Invincible, but has taken on a life of its own and is his latest zeitgeist-shaping achievement. For his upcoming debut album WITHERED, d4vd returned to his roots, creating again on BandLab in his sister’s closet in Houston, amidst sessions in London and Los Angeles with super-songwriter Ryan Tedder and Tyler Spry. At just 20 years old, d4vd is a voice for his generation, continuing to reach new artistic heights while staying true to his day-one practices.

Reneé Rapp Unleashes “Mad” Ahead of Upcoming Album ‘BITE ME’

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

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Reneé Rapp Unleashes “Mad” Ahead of Upcoming Album ‘BITE ME’

Today, critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Reneé Rapp reveals her latest single “Mad,” from forthcoming sophomore album BITE ME (out August 1^st via Interscope Records.)

The “Mad” music video, which co-stars Reneé Rapp and Alexandra Shipp (Barbie, Tick Tick Boom, etc.), sets the scene for one couple’s emotional unraveling, happening within the confines of a luxurious hotel room. The video starts gently, but as Rapp is met with persistent indifference from Shipp her acts of defiance escalate, and chaos grows around them. It’s a visual representation of the raw frustration of unreciprocated desire, and a fitting complement to the latest installment in Rapp’s new chapter. Watch HERE.

Rapp will be performing “Mad” for the first time live Friday morning on The Today Show’s Summer Concert Series, maintaining her impressive momentum this week. Today’s release arrives just days after the announce of Reneé Rapp’s BITE ME North American headlining tour, which kicks off September 23^rd in Colorado at Red Rocks Amphitheatre. Her largest tour to date, the 16-city run includes major arena plays at venues across the country including the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York, TD Garden in Boston, and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. Speculation around the news began last week, when Reneé Rapp-branded tabloids began to pop up at newsstands across the country with easter eggs hinting at the upcoming announce. Find full list of dates below and more information HERE. General ticket onsale will begin Friday, June 27^th at 10AM local time.

Rapp kicked off her new era last month with the release of highly anticipated single “Leave Me Alone.” The track marked a major career milestone for Rapp as her highest streaming single upon debut, earning 1M global streams within the first 24 hours of release, and now over 23.4M globally. That same weekend, she made a show-stopping performance at The 2025 American Music Awards, playing the song live for the first time (watch HERE).

Earlier this summer, Rapp revealed the BITE.ME website, urging fans to ‘sign a hundred NDA’s’ ultimately revealing a slew of hints about the yet-to-be-announced album. In the weeks following, the internet erupted with ‘Bite Me’ related clues – from Rapp’s “Bite Me” lip tattoo to posts from the likes of Paris Hilton, Charlize Theron, Monica Lewinsky, Gabby Windey, and more. A powerful statement about reclaiming your personal narrative, “Leave Me Alone” and the Bite Me era encourages listeners to embrace every facet of their personality, the chaotic and the confident, and to find strength in being authentically, unapologetically themselves.

This exciting new chapter marks Rapp’s first music release since 2023, when she collaborated with GRAMMY® award-winning artist Megan Thee Stallion on hit record “Not My Fault” from the official soundtrack to Paramount’s feature film MEAN GIRLS (which also saw Rapp reprising her iconic role of Regina George). The song earned Rapp’s highest ever day one streams on Spotify to date, and saw a legendary performance between the two stars on Saturday Night Live. Earlier that same year, Rapp released her first studio album Snow Angel, earning her the largest first-week sales for a female artist’s debut album in the U.S. upon release. That fall, she embarked on the ‘Snow Hard Feelings Tour’ in support of the project, a sold-out headlining run met with massive demand, featuring four nights in New York and one in Los Angeles at the iconic Greek Theatre. Now, with her sophomore effort on the horizon Rapp is positioned to ascend to even higher levels of stardom in this next era.

RENEÉ RAPP – 2025 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES:

Tue Sep 23 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Thu Sep 25 – Rosemont, IL – Allstate Arena
Sat Sep 27 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill
Mon Sep 29 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
Thu Oct 02 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
Mon Oct 06 – Columbia, MD – Merriweather Post Pavilion
Wed Oct 08 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
Fri Oct 10 – Minneapolis, MN – The Armory
Mon Oct 13 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds
Wed Oct 15 – San Francisco, CA – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
Fri Oct 17 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum
Wed Oct 22 – Austin, TX – Moody Amphitheater at Waterloo Park
Thu Oct 23 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Sun Oct 26 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
Mon Oct 27 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center
Wed Oct 29 – Charlotte, NC – Spectrum Center

ABOUT RENEÉ RAPP:

Reneé Rapp is a critically acclaimed multi-hyphenate with experience in music, film and TV acting, and Broadway. In just a few short years, Rapp has solidified her position as a dynamic force across all industries, reaching widespread critical acclaim while simultaneously cultivating her rapidly growing fan-base.

After landing her breakout role as Regina George in Mean Girls on Broadway, Rapp eventually turned her attention to her solo music career in 2022. That year saw the release of her debut EP, Everything to Everyone, which featured standout tracks “Too Well,” and “In The Kitchen.” Following the momentum of Everything to Everyone, Rapp channeled her raw talent and authentic voice into the creation of her first full-length studio album Snow Angel in 2023. The project, which earned the largest first-week sales for a female artist’s debut album in the U.S. upon release that year, showcased her powerful vocals, introspective songwriting, and ability to connect with her fans on a deeply emotional level. Snow Angel marked a significant step in Rapp’s musical journey, cementing her status as one of the most compelling and dynamic new artists in the pop landscape, now amassing over 1.4 billion streams and counting across her entire discography.

Across her career, Rapp has played to packed crowds at iconic festivals across the globe, including Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Lollapalooza, Governors Ball, Boston Calling, and many more. She’s been nominated for two MTV VMA Awards, in the categories of ‘Best New Artist’ and ‘PUSH Performance of the Year,’ and held performance spots on a number of coveted television programs including Saturday Night Live, The Today Show’s Summer Concert Series, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and more. This consistent presence on major stages and recognition from tastemakers across industries firmly establishes Reneé Rapp as a burgeoning powerhouse and a vital new voice shaping the future of pop culture.

Lewis Capaldi Roars Back With Defiant New Anthem ‘Survive’

Music

Eric Alper

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Jun 27, 2025

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Lewis Capaldi Roars Back With Defiant New Anthem ‘Survive’

After two years away from the spotlight, global superstar Lewis Capaldi today makes his extremely welcome return with new single ‘Survive’ – a bold, brave new anthem that underscores a challenging period in his career, that ended at Glastonbury 2023 in an extremely tough, but special unifying moment as the Pyramid Stage crowd helped carry an emotional Capaldi over the finish line.

“Most nights I fear that I’m not enough, I’ve had my share of Monday mornings when I can’t get up” sings Capaldi in a huge, hair-raising and brutally honest track that addresses mental health challenges of self-doubt & despair, but comes out swinging in a chorus full of defiance – “I swear to God I’ll survive, if it kills me to, I’m gonna’ get up and try, if it’s the last thing I’ll do”

Listen to ‘Survive’ HERE& watch the official video, directed by Henry Dockrill ((Sam Fender, Post Malone).

‘Survive’ also sees Lewis re-united with close collaborator Romans, who co-wrote his global megahit ‘Someone You Loved’, that extraordinarily turned 10x Platinum earlier this year.

The new track arrives off the back of a run of Scottish warm up shows in May that saw Lewis return to the stage as a guest of mental health charity CALM, in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week. With no pressure, and no level of expectation, the shows allowed Capaldi the space to gauge his comfort and emotional response before returning to the spotlight – a move which ended up proving nothing short of a triumph.

Lewis’ last release, the hit-stacked record Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent, scored him his second UK number 1 album, creating another three heartbreaking UK number 1 singles, ‘Pointless’, ‘Wish You The Best ’ and the Platinum-certified ‘Forget Me’, working with hitmakers including Max Martin (Taylor Swift, The Weeknd), Malay (Lorde, Frank Ocean), and longtime collaborator Phil Plested (James Bay, Bastille).

The album also gained widespread critical acclaim from the likes of The Guardian, New York Times, NME, Rolling Stone, GQ, Stereogum & many more. It also topped airplay charts, smashing an impressive 95,000 units, outselling the rest of that week’s Top 10 combined, as well as outselling first week sales of his own monumental debut album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent.

April 2023 saw the global Netflix release of Lewis’ compelling, raw and honest feature-length, GRAMMY®-nominated music documentary ‘Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now’ – available to watch on the platform now. The documentary shot straight to the top of the Netflix chart, making it the most watched film on the platform since its release.

Lewis’ subsequent success stems back to 2019’s multimillion selling debut Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent, which propelled Capaldi from bedroom musician to superstar. Few had seen a debut release quite like it, becoming the biggest selling UK album of both 2019 & 2020, spawning two UK number 1 singles, bagging a few BRITs and a GRAMMY® nomination, with one of those number 1’s becoming a smash hit on both sides of the globe in ‘Someone You Loved’, which as well as recently going 10x Platinum, is also the UK’s most streamed song of all time & the world’s fourth highest ever streamed song.

After weathering the kind of storm that few can prepare for, Lewis Capaldi returns with a renewed sense of purpose. ‘Survive’ proves that even in the darkest moments, there’s still strength in showing up. As he marks a new era, Lewis isn’t just surviving, he’s returning even stronger, heart wide open, and ready to step out again.

KATSEYE Releases Bold New EP ‘Beautiful Chaos’ With Global Buzz and Major Collaborators

Music

Eric Alper

-

Jun 27, 2025

0

KATSEYE Releases Bold New EP ‘Beautiful Chaos’ With Global Buzz and Major Collaborators

Today, KATSEYE released their new EP, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, via HYBE x Geffen Records. The bold, five-song set explores the challenges of shaping meaningful identity in a digital age where reality is curated and authenticity fights the algorithm. As Rolling Stone noted in this feature, “With Beautiful Chaos, the group proves that their strong friendship and shining individuality is here to stay.…Beautiful Chaos shows off the diversity in their styles and vocal versatility.” Listen to BEAUTIFUL CHAOS HERE. See below for track listing.

The follow-up to the group’s debut EP SIS (Soft Is Strong) – which debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Emerging Artists and Heatseekers Albums charts in late 2024 – BEAUTIFUL CHAOS includes KATSEYE’s new single, “Gameboy.” With its mix of cheeky lyrics and sugary textures, it’s easy to see why the group describes it as the big sister of “Touch,” a track from SIS. Listen to “Gameboy,” which was produced by KillaGraham. View the official video HERE.

KATSEYE – comprising Daniela (Cuban/Venezuelan-American, from Atlanta, GA), Lara (Indian, from New York, NY), Manon (Ghanaian-Italian, from Zurich, Switzerland), Megan (Chinese-American, from Honolulu, HI), Sophia (Manila, Philippines), and Yoonchae (Seoul, South Korea) – is celebrating the release of BEAUTIFUL CHAOS with a tailgating event in Hollywood today, in partnership with Urban Outfitters, and a sold-out album signing at Barnes & Noble at The Grove in Los Angeles tomorrow, June 28.

After the world watched them compete and come together through HYBE and Geffen Records’ groundbreaking Dream Academy show and artist development program (and later, the Netflix docuseries, Pop Star Academy: KATSEYE), the idea of “beautiful chaos” felt oddly comforting to the group. Working with collaborators like Justin Tranter (Selena Gomez, Chappell Roan), Andrew Watt (Lady Gaga, Jungkook), John Ryan (Sabrina Carpenter), and Kristin Carpenter (Nessa Barrett, JISOO), KATSEYE thrives in the tension between softness and strength, polish and raw power, precision and rebellion on the new EP.

Highlights include the anthemic “Mean Girls,” which chooses grace over drama, and “M.I.A,” which serves up high energy with a hard-hitting beat — a fitting backdrop for asserting one’s self-worth. Lead single “Gnarly,” which has amassed 100 million combined global streams, was hailed as a “hyper pop doozy” contender for “song of the summer 2025” by The FADER. KATSEYE performed “Gnarly” at last week’s 2025 Kids Choice Awards. A remix of “Gnarly” with Ice Spice earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s Songs You Need to Know playlist.

Released last week, “Gabriela” earned praise from HYPEBEAST, which noted, “Blending haunting synth-pop tunes with Latin-acoustics, the song creates a cinematic, genre-blurring atmosphere. With a hypnotic hook, layered harmonies, and emotionally charged lyrics, it explores themes of obsession, identity, and envy — showcasing a new side of KATSEYE’s artistry.” The official video for “Gabriela,” which stars Jessica Alba, racked up over 10 million views in the first three days of release and quickly ranked #1 on Trending for music on YouTube. Teen Vogue – which featured KATSEYE on the cover of its May-June issue – observed, “Visuals have been an essential part of KATSEYE’s success, and that success is driven by the band’s authenticity — both in their work and their wardrobes.”

Photo Credit: Julian Song

PAPER observed, “[Beautiful Chaos] is an encapsulation of the group’s buzzing energy, a messy distillation of the first-of-its-kind girl group…KATSEYE are ready to lean into their own distinct POV. There is no set road map for this group…” Wonderland declared, “They’re taking over the pop- world…”

Track Listing – BEAUTIFUL CHAOS
1. Gnarly
2. Gabriela
3. Gameboy
4. Mean Girls
5. M.I.A