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YouTube Canada’s 2025 Culture Recap: From Brainrot To Blue Jays, Creators Define The Conversation

Eric Alper
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YouTube Canada’s 2025 Culture Recap: From Brainrot To Blue Jays, Creators Define The Conversation

YouTube celebrated its 20th birthday by confirming that pop culture continues to be defined by its creators, especially in Canada, where a diverse mix of trending topics, new voices, and unexpected musical breakouts took center stage in 2025. The shift was evident in gaming, where many of the year’s most-talked-about titles were user-generated experiences within Roblox, such as Grow a Garden and Steal a Brainrot. Speaking of “brainrot,” the term used to describe a mix of online media and memes exploded culturally as creators invented an entire Italian Brainrot universe featuring AI-generated characters. Even established phenomena like Squid Game and KPop Demon Hunters evolved into larger cultural moments thanks to creators expanding their worlds online through skits, challenge recreations, and fancams that treated the girl group HUNTR/X as if it were a real K-pop sensation.

This year also highlighted the growth of the creator economy and the diversity of Canadian voices. Creators to Watch included SleepyCrafter, who aligned with massive trending topics to grow their channel to three million subscribers in one year, and Blue Jays Today, which became a real-time hub for a passionate Canadian sports community during the World Series. The list also featured TheCrochetCrowd, who turned a hobby into a highly engaged member community, and Morgann Book, who launched her successful Off The Shelf video podcast. Meanwhile, the power of fan engagement helped propel the catchy Rosé and Bruno Mars track “APT.” to become the fastest K-pop music video to reach one billion views on YouTube, finally unseating the long-reigning champ, “Gangnam Style.”

Trending Topics (Canada)

  • Squid Game
  • User-Generated Roblox Experiences: Grow a Garden, Dandy’s World, Forsaken, Steal a Brainrot
  • KPop Demon Hunters
  • Brainrot
  • Tariff
  • Labubu
  • Mark Carney
  • Katseye
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • Blue Lock

Canadian Creators to Watch

  • SleepyCrafter
  • Mia Plays & Kouman
  • Morgannbook
  • Blue Jays Today
  • TheCrochetCrowd

Quebec Creators to Watch

  • La Famille Ventura
  • Shahin
  • Gurky
  • Aly Brassard

Top Songs

  • Rosé, Bruno Mars – “APT.”
  • Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile”
  • HUNTR/X (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Golden
  • Saja Boys (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Soda Pop
  • Alex Warren – Ordinary
  • HUNTR/X (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – How It’s Done
  • Saja Boys (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Your Idol
  • Chappell Roan – Pink Pony Club
  • Gigi Perez – Sailor Song
  • The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – Timeless

Top Songs on Shorts

  • ATLXS – Passo Bem Solto (Slowed)
  • Connie Francis – Pretty Little Baby
  • Joyful – Chess
  • Black Eyed Peas – Rock That Body
  • yung kai – blue
  • Forrest Frank – YOUR WAY’S BETTER
  • Doechii – Anxiety
  • Moliy, Skillibeng, Shenseea, Silent Addy – Shake It To The Max (Fly) (Remix)
  • Saja Boys (KPop Demon Hunters Cast) – Soda Pop
  • Billie Eilish – Ocean Eyes

Tyler Childers Announces Massive 2026 ‘Snipe Hunt’ Tour With Jon Batiste And Wednesday

Eric Alper
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Tyler Childers Announces Massive 2026 ‘Snipe Hunt’ Tour With Jon Batiste And Wednesday

The acclaimed singer-songwriter Tyler Childers has announced his massive 2026 “Snipe Hunt” tour, bringing his celebrated live show to iconic venues across North America and Europe, including stadium stops at Chicago’s Wrigley Field and Boulder’s Folsom Field. The new US dates, presented by LN and FPC Live, feature an incredible lineup of special guests, including Jon Batiste, Evan Honer, Wednesday, and Scott T. Smith. This tour adds to what is already a triumphant year for Childers, who recently earned four nominations at the upcoming 68th GRAMMY Awards, including Best Contemporary Country Album for ‘Snipe Hunter’, which was released earlier this year to overwhelming acclaim.

‘Snipe Hunter’ earned Childers his highest debut on the all-genre Billboard 200 chart to date, with Rolling Stone calling it “arguably the most singular and visionary artist in country music today,” and GQ hailing it as “the most visionary country album of the year.” The project, produced by Rick Rubin with additional production from Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn, further establishes Childers as “one of country music’s most compelling and unpredictable artists,” showcasing his signature artistry. The tour will also continue his commitment to community and conservation, as $1 from every ticket sold will benefit both the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund (HHARF), established by Childers and Senora May to support the Appalachian Region, and REVERB, which works to reduce the environmental impact of live music. Fans can sign up now for the Artist Pre-sale, which begins on Wednesday, December 10th at 11:00 am local time, before the general on-sale on Friday, December 12th.

SNIPE HUNTER TRACK LIST

  1. Eatin’ Big Time
  2. Cuttin’ Teeth
  3. Oneida
  4. Getting to the Bottom
  5. Bitin’ List
  6. Nose on the Grindstone
  7. Watch Out
  8. Down Under
  9. Poachers
  10. Snipe Hunt
  11. Tirtha Yatra
  12. Tomcat and a Dandy
  13. Dirty Ought Trill

TYLER CHILDERS CONFIRMED TOUR DATES (BOLD on-sale next Friday, December 12 at 11:00am local time)

  • March 3—Dublin, Ireland—3Arena
  • March 6—Glasgow, U.K.—OVO Hydro
  • March 8—Manchester, U.K.—AO Arena
  • March 10—Brussels, Belgium—Ancienne Belgique
  • March 13—Paris, France—Salle Pleyel
  • March 15—Berlin, Germany—Uber Eats Music Hall
  • March 17—Copenhagen, Denmark—K.B. Hallen
  • March 21—Amsterdam, Netherlands—AFAS Live
  • April 23—Dallas, TX—Dos Equis Pavilion*
  • June 4—Birmingham, AL—The Coca-Cola Amphitheater~
  • June 7—Lexington, KY—Railbird Festival
  • June 10—Darien Center, NY—Darien Lake Amphitheater†
  • June 11—Hershey, PA—Hersheypark Stadium†
  • June 13—Columbus, OH—Buckeye Country Superfest
  • July 9—St. Louis, MO—Hollywood Casino Amphitheater‡
  • July 12—Chicago, IL—Wrigley Field#
  • July 14—Kansas City, MO —Morton Amphitheater§
  • July 15—Des Moines, IA—Casey’s Center§
  • July 18—Boulder, CO—Folsom Field# (presented by AEG)
  • September 30—Sacramento, CA—Golden 1 Center§
  • October 2—Seattle, WA—Climate Pledge Arena§
  • October 3—Portland, OR—Moda Center‡
  • *with special guests TBA and Scott T. Smith
  • ~with special guests Evan Honer and Scott T. Smith
  • †with special guest Evan Honer
  • ‡with special guests Wednesday and Scott T. Smith
  • #with special guests Jon Batiste and Wednesday
  • §with special guest Wednesday

Comedian And Creator Naomi Watanabe Announces First-Ever Fully English North American Tour

Eric Alper
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Comedian And Creator Naomi Watanabe Announces First-Ever Fully English North American Tour

Comedian, actor, and creator Naomi Watanabe announces her 2026 North American tour, marking her most ambitious run of shows in the region to date. The tour begins April 17 in Los Angeles and will make stops across the U.S. and Canada. The announcement follows a major milestone back at home where Watanabe’s upcoming February 11, 2026 performance at Tokyo Dome sold out over 40,000 tickets.

Comedy lovers and Naomi Watanabe fans alike can expect a night of start-to-finish laughter from one of the world’s greatest comedic talents. In her first fully English tour, Naomi will share her unmatched perspective into life’s mysteries and idiosyncrasies.

“The last few years have been full of big changes for both myself as a person and my comedy, and I can’t wait to share what I’ve been up to with audiences all around North America,” says Watanabe. “This tour would not be possible without the love and support of my fans from the U.S., Canada, Japan, and beyond. Thank you, and I can’t wait to meet friends – old and new – on the road this spring.”

Watanabe first rose to prominence in Japan in 2007, where she became widely known for her sketch comedy and original characters. In recent years, she has been steadily expanding her presence in North America through a combination of live performances, podcasting, and acting opportunities.

In recent years, Watanabe’s profile has continued to grow following her move to New York City. In 2023, she launched the podcast Naomi Takes America and took it on a seven-city live tour, blending improv, stand-up, and audience Q&A. In 2024, she made her English-language stand-up debut with Stand Up with Naomi Watanabe, selling out two shows at the Gramercy Theatre within an hour, and in 2026 she will also headline a solo sketch comedy show in Japan.

Outside of her comedy, Watanabe has used her platform to become one of the most disruptive forces in the fashion and beauty space, by consistently shattering traditional industry standards through global partnerships and ambassadorships with top brands such as Adidas x Ivy Park, Gap, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, and Hugo Boss, and her very own streetwear clothing line, Punyus. She has been recognized as one of BBC’s “100 Women” and received the Global Groundbreaker Award at Character Media’s Unforgettable Gala. She also appeared on Netflix’s Queer Eye, where she and Karamo Brown shared advice on confidence and self-expression, and lent her voice to the 2025 Disney/Pixar film Elio.

TICKETS: Tickets will be available starting with a Citi presale (details below) beginning Wednesday, December 3. Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on sale beginning Friday, December 5 at 10AM ET. For further ticketing information, please visit NaomiWatanabe.com.

CITI PRESALE: Citi is the official card for the U.S. Live Nation dates of the Naomi Watanabe 2026 Tour. Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets beginning Wednesday, December 3 at 10AM local time until Thursday, December 4 at 10PM local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For full details, visit www.citientertainment.com.

TOUR DATES:

Friday, April 17 | Los Angeles, CA | The Wiltern*

Saturday, April 18 | San Diego, CA | Observatory SD*

Thursday, April 23 | San Francisco, CA | The Castro Theatre

Saturday, April 25 | Las Vegas, NV | Palazzo Theatre

Friday, May 1 | Honolulu, HI | Hawaii Theatre*

Thursday, May 7 | Detroit, MI | Majestic Theatre

Friday, May 8 | Chicago, IL | The Vic

Saturday, May 9 | Atlanta, GA | Buckhead Theatre*

Thursday, May 14 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theater

Friday, May 15 | Dallas, TX | House of Blues*

Saturday,  May 16 | Houston, TX | House of Blues*

Wednesday, May 27 | Washington, DC | The Howard Theatre*

Thursday, May 28 | Toronto, ON | Danforth Music Hall*

Friday, May 29 | Boston, MA | The Wilbur

Saturday, June 6 | New York, NY | Town Hall*

Thursday, June 11 | Portland, OR | Aladdin Theater

Friday, June 12 | Seattle, WA | Neptune Theatre

Saturday, June 13 | Vancouver, BC | Vogue Theatre*

*This is a Live Nation date.

Photo Gallery: Set It Off, Fame On Fire, Vana, and Autumn Kings at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall on December 1, 2025

Eric Alper
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Photo Gallery: Set It Off, Fame On Fire, Vana, and Autumn Kings at Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall on December 1, 2025

All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

Set It Off
Set It Off
Set It Off
Set It Off
Set It Off
Set It Off
Set It Off
Set It Off
Set Ot Off
Set It Off
Fame On Fire
Fame On Fire
Fame On Fire
Fame On Fire
Fame On Fire
Vana
Vana
Vana
Vana
Vana
Autumn Kings
Autumn Kings
Autumn Kings
Autumn Kings

J Balvin Delivers Monumental Homecoming Concert In Medellín With All-Star Latino Gang Celebration

Eric Alper
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J Balvin Delivers Monumental Homecoming Concert In Medellín With All-Star Latino Gang Celebration

The city of Medellín witnessed a defining cultural moment on November 29th as global superstar J Balvin delivered a landmark, sold-out homecoming show at Estadio Atanasio Girardot. Six years in the making, the performance unfolded as a vibrant celebration of music, community, and the creative force that continues to position Medellín at the center of global culture. Fans entered an immersive ‘Ciudad Primavera’ universe, surrounded by installations honoring Balvin’s iconic eras and welcomed with flowers that set the tone for a night rooted in gratitude and artistic reinvention. Taking command of a 360-degree stage with world-class production, explosive visuals, and a cast of more than 70 dancers—56 of them Colombian—Balvin brought each chapter of his musical evolution to life with cinematic scale.

The night featured one of the most impressive guest lists ever assembled on a Colombian stage, uniting generations of artists alongside the emblematic ‘Latino Gang’ spirit. The star-studded roster included Latin music heavyweights Daddy Yankee, Maluma, Farruko, Feid, and Ryan Castro, alongside international powerhouses 50 Cent and DJ Snake. The stage continued to ignite with special performances by Reykon, Nio García, Golpe a Golpe, Rayo y Toby, Final, Eladio Carrión, Justin Quiles, Lenny Tavarez, Jory Boy, Daelcom, Lennox, Kapo, De La Ghetto, Jowell y Randy, Tito El Bambino, Chencho Corleone, Yandel, and Kris R. This monumental homecoming arrives on the heels of Balvin’s announcement of a major Mexico arena tour in May 2026, following his show-stopping performance at Coca-Cola Flow Fest and the growing global resonance of ‘Mixteip’, his critically acclaimed project recently nominated for the 2026 GRAMMY Awards for Best Música Urbana Album. The celebration extended beyond the stadium, with the Medellín Metro adopting concert-inspired visuals and J Balvin unveiling his ‘Beyond Flowers: Ciudad Primavera’ fashion capsule with Vélez during a widely praised runway show.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES

  • DEC.13 – J Balvin – Made In Colombia – Ciudad Primavera – Bogotá, Colombia
  • MAY. 14 2026 – Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico
  • MAY. 15 2026 – Palacio de los Deportes, Mexico City, Mexico
  • MAY. 17 2026 – Arena V.F.G. Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Mexico
  • MAY. 20 2026 – Arena Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico

Erupting Star Freya Skye Releases Emotionally Honest New Single “silent treatment”

Eric Alper
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Erupting Star Freya Skye Releases Emotionally Honest New Single “silent treatment”

Today marks the global release of “silent treatment,” the new single from erupting alt-pop star Freya Skye, which truly solidifies her status as a bona fide songwriter and emotionally honest storyteller. The single arrives on the heels of her unprecedented surge of fan support in 2025, which saw her sell out her first four headline acoustic shows in mere seconds across New York, Los Angeles, and London. Freya shared that “silent treatment is about someone very close to you and then them disappearing. I think a lot of us have gone through this, and I wrote the song during a time in my life when I was going through that with someone. I came into the studio on a day I was feeling particularly upset about it, but I’m super proud of the result. It’s a song that I love, and I hope everyone else does too.”

Freya’s meteoric rise quickly followed her role as Nova Bright in Disney’s Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires this past July and her captivating performances on the massive Descendants / ZOMBIES: Worlds Collide Arena Tour. In a few short months, the 16-year-old artist has amassed over 1.2 billion streams of her music and grown her social reach to over four million followers worldwide. Following her selection to represent the United Kingdom in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2022, Freya signed with Hollywood Records and introduced herself as a solo artist with tracks like “Walk Over,” “Someone To Love,” and “Gold’s Gone.” She will continue her success by joining the iHeart Radio Jingle Ball concerts this month with special performances in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit, plus several presenter appearances.

Freya Skye Upcoming Dates:

  • December 5th – Intuit Dome – Los Angeles (Performer & Presenter)
  • December 8th – Allstate Arena – Chicago (Performer & Presenter)
  • December 9th – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit (Performer & Presenter)
  • December 11th – Gramercy Theatre – New York (Acoustic Headline Show)
  • December 12th – Madison Square Garden – New York City (Presenter)
  • December 14th – TD Garden – Boston (Presenter)
  • December 15th – Xfinity Mobile Arena – Philadelphia (Presenter)
  • December 17th – El Rey Theatre – Los Angeles (Acoustic Headline Show)
  • January 8th – Hoxton Hall – London (Acoustic Headline Show)
  • January 9th – Hoxton Hall – London (Acoustic Headline Show)

Freya Skye is widely adored for being a relatable 16-year-old, however she has earned an unprecedented surge of fan support in 2025 — amassing over 1.2 billion streams of her music and garnering millions of new social media followers around the world.  Earlier this year, Freya gained worldwide recognition from a leading role in Disney’s Zombies film franchise, a string of solo music releases on Hollywood Records, and on arena stages in 43 cities across North America.  Growing up in Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom, music always surrounded Freya.  In 2022, the Junior Eurovision Song Contest found her online and she was chosen to represent the United Kingdom, where she ultimately caught the attention of Disney and signed to Hollywood Records.  From there, Freya landed the key role of Nova Bright in 2025’s Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires, which became an instant fan-favorite movie within the franchise.  Around the same time, she introduced herself as a solo recording artist with singles such as “Walk Over,” “Someone To Love,” “Can’t Fake It,” and “Gold’s Gone,” which garnered 9 million Spotify streams and counting.  In Fall 2025, Freya hit the road on the Descendants/ZOMBIES: Worlds Collide Tour, playing to sold out crowds in massive venues such as NYC’s Madison Square Garden and LA’s Crypto.com Arena. With the resulting global spike in music streams and social media fandoms, Freya was added as both a performer & presenter to iHeart Radio’s annual Jingle Ball Concert Tour across the US this December.   She also announced her first four solo acoustic shows in New York, Los Angeles & London – which sold out of tickets within literal seconds of going on sale.  Freya is continuing her growing success by penning songs straight from the heart, including her latest single, “silent treatment”, out on December 2nd. 

A24 Drops Official Trailer For David Lowery’s Star-Studded Film ‘Mother Mary’

Eric Alper
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A24 Drops Official Trailer For David Lowery’s Star-Studded Film ‘Mother Mary’

A24 has unveiled the official trailer for the highly anticipated film, ‘Mother Mary’, directed by writer/director David Lowery. The movie features a spectacular cast led by Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, alongside Hunter Schafer and FKA Twigs, among others. This star-studded film is set to arrive in theaters in Spring 2026.

Mirvish Productions To Dim Marquee Lights Honouring Playwriting Giant Tom Stoppard

Eric Alper
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Mirvish Productions To Dim Marquee Lights Honouring Playwriting Giant Tom Stoppard

Mirvish Productions will dim the marquee lights of all four of its Toronto theatres on Thursday, December 4th, at the traditional curtain time of 8 PM, to honor the life and unparalleled work of playwright Tom Stoppard, who died at the age of 88 on November 29th, 2025. The lights will remain dimmed for six minutes, marking the number of decades that Stoppard spent writing. Stoppard, widely considered one of the greatest playwrights in world theatre, had four of his celebrated plays produced at Mirvish theatres, mainly at the Royal Alexandra.

His works staged in Toronto include his first play, ‘Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead’ (1966), which played the Royal Alex in 1969 and was remounted in 2024 at the CAA Theatre; ‘The Real Inspector Hound’ (1968), which starred Robert Vaughan in 1974; ‘The Real Thing’ (1982), which featured R.H. Thomson and Kate Trotter in 1985; and ‘Arcadia’ (1993), presented in 2014. Stoppard’s final and most personal play, ‘Leopoldstadt’ (2020), was set for its North American premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre in 2022 before the Omicron variant forced all theatres to close. David Mirvish passionately praised the late playwright, stating, “Tom Stoppard’s work was unique and dazzling. In his plays he combined a vast curiosity about the world and its people with a passion for diverse subjects, resulting in works dramatic, comedic, philosophical and always surprising.” Mirvish added that “No one else in world theatre could equal his zest for life in all its complexities and his delight in all things theatrical. We have lost one of the giants.” Stoppard, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1997 and won an Oscar for the screenplay for Shakespeare in Love, left behind an unmatched six-decade career that began in Bristol as a theatre critic.

Mirvish Holiday Concert Returns To Toronto’s Distillery Winter Village With Smash-Hit Broadway Stars

Eric Alper
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Mirvish Holiday Concert Returns To Toronto’s Distillery Winter Village With Smash-Hit Broadway Stars

The festive spirit is getting a major Broadway boost as ‘A Very Merry Mirvish Holiday Concert’ returns for its second year to The Distillery Winter Village, bringing the excitement of live theatre to Toronto’s world-famous Christmas market. This exclusive, one-night-only performance is happening on Sunday, December 7th, at 7:00 p.m., right in front of the stunning 55-foot Christmas Tree, and it will feature cast members from four smash-hit Mirvish musicals. Television host and meteorologist Bill Coulter will host the free concert, which requires paid admission to the Winter Village that evening.

Cast members from the Broadway favourite ‘& Juliet’, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s beloved ‘The Sound of Music’, the high-voltage rock musical ‘We Will Rock You’, and the upcoming Tony-winning ‘Shucked’ will unite for this special occasion. The setlist will feature hit songs from all four shows alongside timeless holiday classics like “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” and “Let it Snow.” Musical highlights will include “…Baby One More Time,” “Since U Been Gone,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” from & Juliet, “Somebody Will” from Shucked, “My Favourite Things,” “Edelweiss,” and “Do-Re-Mi” from The Sound of Music, and the anthems “We Will Rock You,” “We Are The Champions,” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” from We Will Rock You. Last year’s event drew a massive audience, and this year’s show promises another unforgettable night of live theatre under the canopy lights, complete with a chance for audience members to win premium tickets to Mirvish Productions on stage in Toronto.

Concert Highlights Include:

  • & Juliet: “…Baby One More Time”, “Since U Been Gone” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
  • Shucked: “Somebody Will”
  • The Sound of Music: “My Favourite Things”, “Edelweiss”, and “Do-Re-Mi”
  • We Will Rock You: “We Will Rock You”, “We Are The Champions”, and “Bohemian Rhapsody”

Gorillaz Opens The Gates To L.A.’s House of Kong, Adds Two Special Hollywood Palladium Shows

Eric Alper
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Gorillaz Opens The Gates To L.A.’s House of Kong, Adds Two Special Hollywood Palladium Shows

Following last year’s acclaimed London run, the iconic gates of Kong – the fabled home of Grammy-winning British band Gorillaz – will open in Downtown L.A. when a celebrated new immersive exhibition House of Kong opens for a limited 4-week run from February 26th to March 19th 2026 at Rolling Greens DTLA.

Exhibition tickets are available now via presale for Kong Card holders at houseofkong.gorillaz.com. The general onsale begins tomorrow at 9 AM PT.  

Today’s announcement comes with even more exciting news for U.S. fans. House of Kong exhibition ticket holders will have presale access beginning Tuesday, December 9th at 9am PT to two very special one-off Gorillaz shows at the Hollywood Palladium taking place on the 22nd and 23rd of February. A limited number of tickets will be available via general onsale starting Wednesday, December 10th at 9am PT at  livenation.com. For these shows, Gorillaz is using Ticketmaster’s Face Value Exchange to help fans get tickets at the original price. Tickets can only be resold on Ticketmaster at face value.

These standalone U.S. dates will see Damon Albarn and the Gorillaz live band joined onstage by special guests to perform the band’s upcoming new album The Mountain – in full, from beginning to end – performing album tracks including “The Manifesto (feat. Trueno and Proof)”, “The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)” and latest single “The God of Lying (feat. IDLES),” all under the watchful eye of Murdoc, Noodle, Russel and 2D. 

Visitors to House of Kong will take a jaunt behind the curtain of Gorillaz’ extraordinary world. A journey through the band’s life of misadventures, musical innovation and ground-breaking virtual ways since these four outsiders – bassist Murdoc Niccals, singer 2D, drummer Russel Hobbs and guitarist Noodle – first came together to blow up a pre-digital world with the release of “Tomorrow Comes Today” in 2000. An exhibition like no other, House of Kong is an experience for the brave and bold. Watch the exhibition trailer HERE 

In collaboration with Jamie Hewlett, Damon Albarn and Eleven Management, the concept behind House of Kong was developed by artist and creative director Stephen Gallagher and his studio, SWEAR.  

Gallagher said –  “House of Kong is not a retrospective, it’s an audio-visual artwork; an installation that takes a glance backwards in order to identify the path ahead.” He added – “It’s an honour to have been part of the Gorillaz family over the last 8 years. The outpouring of music and art that I have found myself immersed in, has changed my life. I hope that some of that comes across in this show. This is no ordinary exhibition because in the world of Gorillaz, nothing is ever quite as it seems…”

House of Kong will be open from 10am to 10pm daily, from the 26th of February to the 19th of March, 2026 at Rolling Greens DTLA.

House of Kong exhibition tickets are priced from $39.50 and are on sale now. 

For tickets, information and FAQs, visit: www.gorillaz.com/houseofkong

The Mountain is Gorillaz’ ninth studio album, an expansive sonic landscape of instruments and sounds, richly layered with voices, melodies and addictive beats, spanning a collection of 15 songs that embody the very essence of Gorillaz’ collaborative ethos. The record features an extraordinary list of artists and collaborators including: Ajay Prasanna, Amaan & Ayaan Ali Bangash, Anoushka Shankar, Asha Bhosle, Asha Puthli, Bizarrap, Black Thought, Gruff Rhys, IDLES, Jalen Ngonda, Johnny Marr, Kara Jackson, Omar Souleyman, Paul Simonon, Sparks, Trueno and Yasiin Bey; as well as the voices of friends and collaborators who have gone before us, including Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Dennis Hopper, Mark E Smith, Proof and Tony Allen. The Mountain is a playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next, exploring the journey of life and the thrill of existence.

The Mountain is produced by Gorillaz, James Ford, Samuel Egglenton and Remi Kabaka Jr., plus Bizarrap (Orange County), The Mountain was recorded at Studio 13 in London and Devon, various locations in India including Mumbai, New Delhi, Rajasthan and Varanasi, as well as Ashgabat, Damascus, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. The album features artists performing in five languages: Arabic, English, Hindi, Spanish and Yoruba. 

The artwork for The Mountain sees visual artist Jamie Hewlett’s distinctive, yet ever-evolving, style illustrate the world of Gorillaz with detailed and beautiful intricacy across a series of hand-drawn images which capture Murdoc, Noodle, Russel and 2D’s time in India working on the new album, available both as a book and as a collection of 12×12 prints. 

The Mountain – Album Tracklisting:

  1. The Mountain (feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
  2. The Moon Cave (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought)
  3. The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)
  4. The Hardest Thing (feat. Tony Allen)
  5. Orange County (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar)
  6. The God of Lying (feat. IDLES)
  7. The Empty Dream Machine (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
  8. The Manifesto (feat. Trueno and Proof)
  9. The Plastic Guru (feat. Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
  10. Delirium (feat. Mark E. Smith)
  11. Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey)
  12. The Shadowy Light (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
  13. Casablanca (feat. Paul Simonon and Johnny Marr)
  14. The Sweet Prince (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)

The Sad God (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar)

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That Eric Alper

Eric Alper is a 6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week and has overseen the publicity campaigns for over 183 JUNO Award-nominated albums (and 16 in 2025), 45 Grammy-nominated albums, including 47 JUNO Award, 58 Canadian Folk Music Award, 126 Maple Blues Award-winning albums and is also truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

Contact me: eric@thatericalper.com

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