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Amadou Bagayoko, Member of Malian Duo Amadou & Mariam, Dies at 70

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Renowned guitarist and singer Amadou Bagayoko of Mali’s music duo Amadou & Mariam has died. He was 70.

Mali’s Minister of Culture Mamou Daffé paid tribute to the blind musician in a televised broadcast on state TV. He said that Bagayoko died Friday (March 4) in the city of Bamako, his birthplace, but didn’t give further details. The musician’s family confirmed his passing, noting that he had been ill for some time, Rolling Stone reports. A cause of death was not provided.

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Bagayoko went blind when he was 15 because of a congenital cataract. He studied music at Mali’s Institute for the Young Blind, where he met his future wife, Mariam Doumbia. They formed a band called Mali’s Blind Couple in 1980, making their mark locally and internationally. The pair performed together in Mali during the ’70s and ’80s before making a breakthrough in Europe in the mid-’90s.

Their music, which blends traditional African influences with elements of rock, blues and pop, has won them a global following. They produced over 10 award-winning albums, including France’s Grammy Awards equivalent, Victoire de la Musique, in 2005, for Dimanche à Bamako and again in 2013 for Folila. Dimanche à Bamako also won them one of the BBC Radio Awards for World Music in 2006.

Their 2008 album Welcome to Mali was nominated for best contemporary world music album at the Grammys.

Bagayoko’s last world-class performance with Doumbia was at the closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

He is survived by his wife and a son, Sam, also a musician.

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‘Billy Joel: And So It Goes’ Documentary Set for 2025 Tribeca Festival Premiere

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The 2025 Tribeca Festival will kick off with the world premiere of Billy Joel: And So It Goes, a two-part documentary on Billy Joel featuring unreleased performances, home movies, personal photographs and in-depth, one-on-one interviews. The film, an HBO original, is described as “an expansive portrait of the life and music of Billy Joel, exploring the love, loss, and personal struggles that fuel his songwriting,” according to an official announcement from Tribeca.

Billy Joel: And So It Goes will have its premiere at the Beacon Theatre in New York City on June 4, 2025, the first night of this year’s Tribeca Festival.

Running from June 4-15 in NYC, the fest’s full lineup — featuring film, music, TV, audio storytelling, talks, games and immersive programming — is expected to be revealed soon.

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“For nearly 25 years, the Tribeca Festival has celebrated the artists who give New York its heart and soul, and on the opening night of the 2025 Festival, we are thrilled to honor Billy Joel — an artist who has embodied that very spirit,” says Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Festival and Tribeca Enterprises. “Paying tribute to the legendary performer who captured the essence of a ‘New York State of Mind’ is a perfect way to kick off this year’s celebration of creativity and inspiration.”

Susan Lacy, director and producer of the documentary, says, “I and my co-director, Jessica Levin, couldn’t be more thrilled about our film Billy Joel: And So It Goes opening the esteemed Tribeca Festival. Our thanks go out to Jane Rosenthal and the Festival team and to HBO and the wonderful folks there who have supported us throughout in our efforts to bring an in-depth, honest and musically expressive portrait of this complex talent. We are beyond appreciative of Billy Joel’s trust in us to bring his story to the screen. There is no better place for this film to premiere than at the Beacon Theater, the venue for so many historic musical events for decades, and in the city so important to Billy Joel.”

Tribeca memberships and 2025 Tribeca Festival passes and ticket packages can be purchased at tribecafilm.com. Single tickets go on sale on April 29.

Ahead of the Tribeca announcement, the film and plans for its HBO release were first confirmed in late March. Following its festival premiere, Billy Joel: And So It Goes will debut on HBO and be available to stream on MAX some time this summer. A release date has yet to be announced.

Joel will also return to the stage this summer. Last month he postponed his tour in order to recover and undergo physical therapy following an undisclosed surgery, announcing that he will resume performing in July.

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Fans Choose ENHYPEN’s ‘Loose’ as This Week’s Favorite New Music

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ENHYPEN‘s “Loose” tops this week’s new music poll.

Music fans voted in a poll published Friday (April 4) on Billboard, choosing the K-pop group’s new single as their favorite new music release of the past week.

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“Loose” brought in nearly 91% of the vote, far surpassing other recent music releases. Among the competition were Miley Cyrus‘ “End of the World,” Elton John and Brandi Carlile‘s Who Believes in Angels?, Ed Sheeran‘s “Azizam” and Djo‘s The Crux, among others.

Released on Friday, “Loose” marks ENHYPEN’s first new music of 2025 and harks back to the boy band’s earlier days. The track features a funky groove and is packed with high-falsetto harmonies, blending moments that evoke classic Motown with the K-pop group’s signature modern sensibilities.

“Loose” is described by ENHYPEN’s label Belift Lab as a “seductive track with a cutting-edge pop sound.” The group’s sophomore album, Romance: Untold, reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in 2024.

In second place in the poll was Cyrus’ “End of the World”, which earned nearly 3% of the vote. The song is part of the rollout for the pop star’s upcoming album, Something Beautiful, which is scheduled for release on May 30.

Cyrus’ forthcoming album will include 13 new tracks, along with additional visuals featuring cinematography by Benoît Debie. The singer co-executive produced the set alongside Shawn Everett. She teased the project in a trailer, describing it as a “one of a kind pop opera” and a “unique visual experience fueled by fantasy.”

Check out the full results of this week’s poll below and visit Billboard’s Friday Music Guide for more must-hear releases.

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Shakira Announces Four More Shows in Mexico, Extending Record to 26

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Shakira continues being unstoppable! The Colombian superstar announced on Monday (April 7) four additional dates for her historic Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour in Mexico, once again surpassing her own record with a total of 26 concerts in the Latin American country. The new cities hosting her shows are Tijuana, Hermosillo, Chihuahua, and Torreón, according to promoter OCESA.

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“Due to the enormous demand and the cultural impact Shakira has in Mexico, four new dates have been added to the artist’s return in August. This second leg of her tour in the country will take her to new territories, reaching every corner to reconnect with her ‘pack’ and meet her fans where they are,” the promoter said in a press release.

Consequently, Shakira will bring her show to the northern part of the country, performing on August 11 at Estadio Caliente in Tijuana, Baja California; on August 14 at Estadio Héroes de Nacozari in Hermosillo, Sonora; on August 17 at Estadio UACH in Chihuahua; and on August 20 at Estadio Corona in Torreón, Coahuila.

After making history with seven consecutive sold-out shows at Estadio GNP Seguros, the Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour will return to Mexico City for another four concerts at the stadium on August 26, 27, 29, and 30, for a total of 11. This will make Shakira the first artist to achieve such a number of dates at this major venue (formerly known as Foro Sol).

Shakira, who has been adding dates to the tour as tickets continue to sell out, now ties the record of seven dates at Estadio GNP Seguros with Grupo Firme, who are set to give their eighth show there on June 28.

The success of her monumental stadium trek has led the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer to top Billboard‘s Top Tours chart in February, when she kicked off the tour in Brazil, making her the first Latina solo artist to achieve this feat. Shakira’s tour has left an indelible mark across Latin America, gathering more than a million attendees, according to OCESA.

The Barranquilla-born artist was also named by Billboard as the No. 1 star among the Best 50 Female Latin Pop Artists of All Time last month.

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