Entertainment
In Canada: The Beaches Named Billboard Canada’s Women of the Year 2025
Charlotte Cardin is passing the torch.
After winning Billboard Canada‘s inaugural Woman of the Year award in 2024, the Montreal pop singer-songwriter announced this year’s winner: The Beaches.
“I’m so happy for them!” she said, opening the envelope and smiling. “It’s so well deserved. They’ve been killing it for a long time. They’re really, really, really awesome girls.”
Cardin and iHeartRadio host Shannon Burns got on a video call with The Beaches to deliver the news on Aug, 29 — the same day the band was celebrating the release of its brand new album, No Hard Feelings.
“I just wanted to congratulate you and tell you that I love you guys and I think your music is so amazing,” Cardin told the band, who gathered together to hear the news. “I’m just rooting for you always, always, always.”
After spending the summer having their songs screamed back at them by tens of thousands of fans at Coachella, Osheaga and Pukkelpop in Belgium, the Toronto band has released its critically acclaimed new album, No Hard Feelings.
The tour will next bring the band to its most monumental concert so far, with the group slated to play its largest ever headlining show at its hometown Scotiabank Arena on Nov. 6.
Amidst that whirlwind, The Beaches will mark yet another career milestone after being named Women of the Year at Billboard Canada Women in Music 2025 — the first time Billboard’s prestigious flagship award will go to a group rather than a single artist.
The entire band — Jordan Miller (lead vocals, bass), Kylie Miller (guitar), Leandra Earl (guitar, keys) and Eliza Enman-McDaniel (drums) — will accept the honour at Billboard Canada Women in Music on Oct. 1 at Rebel in Toronto.
“We’re so honoured to be celebrated alongside so many incredible women who have done so much for the music industry,” says Kylie Miller in a new Billboard Canada cover story.
“Our team is built around women working together, so anytime we get to celebrate communities of women uplifting one another, it feels amazing,” adds her sister Jordan.
Read about The Beaches’ viral rise and the momentum that is bringing them to even bigger heights in a new Billboard Canada cover story here. – Richard Trapunski
Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol Crash Drake’s Toronto House in Nirvanna the Band the Show The Movie
Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol will do anything for the bit.
Last May, a security guard was shot outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto. As local TV crews rushed to the scene, Johnson and McCarrol used it as a filming opportunity.
The duo, known as Nirvanna the Band, brought their own cameras to document the crime scene for their movie, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Sept. 4.
It’s a revival of the pair’s beloved web series and TV show, Nirvanna the Band the Show, which thrived on public stunts and inside jokes.
In the film, Johnson and McCarrol reprise their roles as two floundering Toronto musicians on a mission to book a show at local Toronto bar The Rivoli — which, of course, doesn’t go as planned.
Johnson and McCarrol were filming a scene for their movie as guests on the local morning radio program, The Roz & Mocha Show, when they heard a guard had been shot outside Drake’s residence.
“Because it was a radio station, they got the news of the Drake shooting right there,” Johnson told The Canadian Press. They immediately knew it was a unique opportunity that couldn’t be passed up.
“[We] just got into the van that we’d taken there and we drove to Drake’s house,” the BlackBerry director said.
One sequence in the movie captures the breaking-news media frenzy outside the Toronto rapper’s house. “There were helicopters in the sky, police lined up and down the street,” Johnson said.
When the duo initially arrived at Drake’s house, their crew was met with a police barricade and skeptical officers. The pair managed to slip past by claiming they were “independent media.”
Once at the crime scene, they began scouting opportunities to turn the situation into film fodder. In a viral CP24 clip, a reporter delivers a live segment (6:07) while Johnson is in the background directing the film’s cinematographer, Jared Raab.
In Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, the duo puts Toronto at the forefront, staging gonzo-style sequences featuring the CN Tower, the Rogers Centre and TTC streetcars.
Read more here. – Heather Taylor-Singh
Joni Mitchell, Boi-1da, Drake and Shubh Among 2025 SOCAN Special Achievement Winners
The SOCAN Special Achievement Winners have been announced.
The 35th SOCAN Awards shared the recipients in celebration of the organization’s 100th anniversary. The accolade spotlights Canada’s most accomplished songwriters, composers and music publishers — representing the breadth and global influence of homegrown talent. Last year’s winners included Arkells, K’naan, Drake and Lauren Spencer Smith.
This year’s list of honourees includes Canadian icon and cultural impact award winner Joni Mitchell, who has left an indelible mark on music and culture, inspiring generations with her profound artistry.
Elsewhere, Boi-1da, who has helped to define the sound of rap and R&B artists locally and globally with his groundbreaking production work, will take home the global impact award. And his frequent collaborator, Drake, is being honored as the songwriter of the year — performer for the fourth time.
Breakout songwriter award winner Shubh, a Punjabi artist, has emerged as one of the country’s most exciting new voices, captivating audiences worldwide and amassing billions of streams, with a rapidly growing global fan base.
Other recipients include Lowell, Jordan Gagne, Evan Blair, Ozan “Oz” Yildirim, Erica Procunier, and bülow and Nathan Ferraro.
“This year’s honourees showcase just how influential Canadian music is, from cultural icons to global hitmakers and powerful new voices,” said Jennifer Brown, SOCAN CEO, in a statement. “At a time when creators are navigating big changes in the music industry, it’s important to celebrate their achievements, and to remind them that they’re part of a strong community working with them and for them.”
The SOCAN Awards will be held on Sept. 29 at Toronto’s Rebel venue, with winners in various categories announced during the event.
Find all the winners here. – Heather Taylor-Singh
Entertainment
Carly Rae Jepsen Announces Birth of Baby No. 1 With Husband Cole M.G.N.: ‘Welcome to the World Little One’
Before Carly Rae Jepsen‘s daughter came into her life, she missed her so bad — but now the little one is here, as announced by the singer on Tuesday (March 17).
In a post on her Instagram Story, Jepsen revealed that she and husband Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, aka Cole M.G.N., had welcomed their first child. Sharing a photo of herself holding her baby on Instagram Stories, the hitmaker wrote, “Last 2 weeks have been the best of my life.”
“Welcome to the world little one,” Jepsen added.
The Billboard Hot 100-topping artist and Cole M.G.N. got married in October, tying the knot at the iconic Chelsea Hotel in New York City just over a year after announcing their engagement. “We knew we wanted a location that meant something to us, and the Chelsea Hotel had become a home away from home every time we were in New York,” Jepsen told Vogue at the time.
A few months later, the pop artist announced that she and the producer were expecting their first child by posting photos of her bump and writing, “Oh hi baby.”
Jepsen last dropped a new album in 2023, following up 2022’s Billboard 200 No. 19 hit The Loneliest Time with The Loveliest Time. She has five entries on the chart in total, including 2016’s EMOTION. She recently celebrated that album’s 10-year anniversary by dropping a special expanded edition of the album featuring new songs “More,” “Guardian Angel,” “Back Of My Heart” and “Lost In Devotion.”
Entertainment
What Do Harry Styles’ First-Week Numbers for ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.’ Say About the Success of His Latest Pivot?
It’s been nearly four years since Harry Styles last conquered the pop world with his blockbuster set Harry’s House — and based on the immediate returns for that set’s follow-up, most of his longtime fans are more than willing to follow him from his domicile to the club.
Styles’ fourth solo album, the more dancefloor-oriented Kiss All the Time. Disco. Occasionally., debuts atop the Billboard 200 this week, while moving 430,000 units in its debut frame. Those numbers are down a little from the 521,500 posted by Harry’s House in its first week, but are also higher than any other album’s debut numbers since Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl last October — while also making Styles the first male artist since DMX to have his first four solo albums debut atop the chart.
How should Harry Styles feel about the set’s first-week performance? And where would we suggest he goes from here? Billboard staffers discuss these questions and more below.
1. Harry moves 430,000 units this week in the debut frame of his Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. album — down some from the 521,500 he posted with Harry’s House, but still easily the highest single-week number of 2026 so far — while charting each of its 12 tracks in the Billboard Hot 100’s top 50. On a scale of 1-10, how excited should he and his team be about that first-week performance?
Kyle Denis: I think a solid 7.5. When it comes to a star of Harry’s magnitude, I believe there were a couple of tens of thousands of units left on the table. But every lead single can’t be “As It Was” — and “Aperture” certainly was not. With that in mind, 430,000 units is a more-than-fine figure; it’s consistent with his first three LPs and re-establishes him as a top dog in the 2026 pop music scene.
Annie Harrigan: 10. Though Styles is down in sales from his last drop, debuting at No. 1 and having each song from an album with only two singles chart in the top 50 is incredibly impressive. On top of the chart success, he’s also got the best single-week sales of 2026 thus far — and, while it’s not impossible, I’m not sure if anything will top those numbers before the year’s up.
Lyndsey Havens: 9 — and only because of the dip in first-week units. Which, to quote the man himself, could simply be a sign of the times. I’d have a hard time believing it’s anything else — his rollout promo felt just as specific and intentional; his upcoming tour has clearly generated the same if not more buzz than previous runs; and it’s obvious that Styles remains a global megastar. All of that is surely quite pleasing to him.
Rebecca Milzoff: 7. Sure, maybe it’s a little disappointing in light of the Harry’s House numbers, but the combination of the album sales and the Hot 100 placements for all of the tracks points, to me, toward people actually listening to the entire album — and I think an album artist is what Harry wants to be. This feels like a solid next step in that direction.
Andrew Unterberger: 7. It’s down a decent amount from Harry’s House — but that was practically inevitable, and shows him to still be in a first-week-performance class of his own when it comes to active male pop stars. (Unless you count Morgan Wallen, I suppose.)
2. “American Girls” has the highest entrance of the previously unreleased songs from the set at No. 4 on the Hot 100, making for the second top five single from the album. Do you think it will be a long-lasting hit, or will it start to recede after its big first week?
Kyle Denis: I see this sticking around longer than “Aperture.” Whether it hits an “Adore You”/ “Watermelon Sugar” level is another question. With a stronger hook, an action-packed music video and more immediate love from fans and casual listeners alike, I think “American Girls” will have a solid single run.
Annie Harrigan: With the success of “Aperture” and the album as a whole, I’m kind of surprised that “American Girls” didn’t debut at No. 1 — but such is the power of Bruno Mars, I guess. Personally, “American Girls” is one of my favorite songs on the album, and I think it was a great choice for the second single, so I hope it will continue to do well and rise to the top of the chart. However, I think because he decided not to give “American Girls” greater visibility by not performing it on SNL, it might not do that right away. But these things are so unpredictable, and Styles has surprised me before (see: his AOTY win), so truly anything can happen.
Lyndsey Havens: I think it will be a lasting favorite, if not a lasting hit. I found it interesting that he didn’t perform it on Saturday Night Live, and given that it’s already received a music video, it’s possible the song has enjoyed the biggest boost it will see. That said, songs have a way of raising their hand on tour — and there is a quiet confidence to this one — so I think we will have to wait and see. For me, at least, it’s the one I hum most often, even if I can’t pinpoint why.
Rebecca Milzoff: I think it’ll start to recede. Catchy chorus notwithstanding, it’s on the more blandly pleasant end of the Kiss tracks spectrum, for me; I frankly wonder if some of the high chart placement owes to the fact that it’s track two, and thus probably getting lots of streams even from casual listeners who aren’t in it for the full album. Following Harry’s SNL performance, I’m hopeful that “Dance No More” (one of my personal favorites on the album) will gain a wider audience and perhaps become the logical next single with a longer potential lifespan.
Andrew Unterberger: Seems like it’ll recede, but radio remains a wildcard. Styles’ second Harry’s House single “Late Night Talking” had a similarly splashy debut that it failed to match in the weeks after, largely because neither radio nor streaming could get enough of “As It Was.” But “Aperture” has not been similarly dominant as Kiss‘ lead single, so if PDs and streamers ultimately decide that “American Girls” is more their speed — which certainly feels possible — it could still have a second life months down the line.
3. While pulling double-duty as host and performer on this weekend’s SNL, Styles eschewed playing either of his Kiss singles and instead played a pair of deep cuts, “Dance No More” and “Coming Up Roses.” Do you think it was a mistake for him to not play the hits, or was it better for the album cycle long-term for him to spread the wealth like that?
Kyle Denis: Performing deep cuts was the right call. He got to show off the album’s more somber Kiss All the Time moments, as well as its uptempo Disco Occasionally side — and that’s a call that probably shifted the needle for on-the-fence listeners more than another “Aperture” performance would have. It was certainly a curious choice to ignore “American Girls,” though. But I guess the music video premiere made up for that.
Annie Harrigan: I personally really love that Styles decided not to perform a single on SNL. I think the world has heard its fair share of “Aperture” over the last two months, and the same may soon be true of “American Girls.” He’s also already performed “Aperture” live on a major stage (the BRIT Awards) and just did “American Girls” for BBC Radio 1’s Live Lounge. I think making the decision to do deep cuts on SNL, rather than the same two songs we’ve all already heard, will only pique greater interest in the album in people who’ve not listened to the full work but may be familiar with the singles.
Lyndsey Havens: At first, I was pretty surprised, but I’ve actually come to think this was a clever move. I had a feeling that an album like Kiss would grow on me with time — and it has. And I do believe it’s an album that Styles created as a unit; more so than his previous albums, Kiss is an entire vibe. So, to use an opportunity like SNL to showcase more pieces of the whole feels really smart. Or, perhaps it’s just that “Dance” and “Roses” are person faves for Harry and he took his shot — because he can.
Rebecca Milzoff: Better for the album long term. “Aperture” has in a fairly short time fallen to the low 20s on the Hot 100, so it was wise I think to move beyond it; “American Girls,” which already has one of the less inspiring Harry visuals, likely wouldn’t get a further boost from a live performance. The two tracks he chose for SNL may be deep cuts, but to me they’re wise choices that show the spectrum of what he can do now: “Dance No More” is the most easily digestible dance-y track on the album, while “Coming Up Roses” showcases Harry’s maturing introspective singer-songwriter side (it was a canny move to have one of the ultimate introspective singer-songwriters in modern pop history, Paul Simon, introduce it).
Andrew Unterberger: I like the move in theory but not in practice. I get not playing “Aperture,” since that single underwhelmed from a commercial longevity sense, and already got its own spotlight moments at the BRITs and his One Night in Manchester Netflix special. But to not help nudge along the commercial momentum of “American Girls” as the second single is a puzzling decision, one not helped by the fact that the two songs he did play are my two least-favorite songs on the new album. But “Coming Up Roses” has started to outpace a good number of its album-mates on DSPs, so despite my personal feelings, perhaps it’s a decision that will ultimately be validated in the long-term.
4. Much has been made of Styles’ pivot to more dancefloor-ready songs on Kiss from the more pop-rock-oriented fare of his past couple albums. Based on the album’s first-week performance, do you think the change in direction has been validated — or was it even all that great a change in the first place?
Kyle Denis: It really wasn’t that massive a shift. It’s not like he dropped a Brat or a Renaissance. The title perfectly sums up the musical composition of the album — the “disco” or dance-y moments are truly occasional. Styles is practically guaranteed a robust opening week total considering the size of his fan base, but I think we’ll need to see if one of the dancier tracks (hopefully “Dance No More” or “Ready, Steady, Go!”) becomes a smash hit before we can say this sonic pivot is validated.
Annie Harrigan: I personally tend to look beyond first-week chart performance when considering the success of a new album, especially with works as anticipated as this one. In this moment, it’s easy to say that, yes, of course pivoting to a dance-pop sound worked for Styles. But change or no change, we knew he was going to top the charts. All eyes were already on him, and the excitement was very much there. I think we will know more about whether the change in direction has been validated once the album has had more time to marinate. Now it’s time to wait for the initial excitement to die down and see if Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. will have staying power.
Lyndsey Havens: I do think it was a bit of a challenge; I think any time an artist, especially one at Harry’s level, makes any creative or sonic shift it’s a challenge. But I think why it is and could continue to work is because this music feels authentic to Harry at a specific time in his life — he was off the road and off the clock, slowing down for long afternoon coffees to power his Berlin club nights. I think a good album functions as a sonic snapshot of a particular period in an artist’s life, and to me, that’s what Kiss is and where its strength lies.
Rebecca Milzoff: It’s certainly been validated insofar as it shows that Harry doesn’t need to emulate a 1970s icon of some sort to find an audience — but he’s also not leading his flock terribly far astray. This feels more like a pop or rock album with dance influence than the other way around; some tracks, like “Waiting Game” and “Coming Up Roses,” wouldn’t have felt out of place on Harry’s House, while the dance-ier tracks (say, “Ready, Steady, Go” and “Are You Listening Yet?”), while lots of fun, make me wish he would have leaned even a little harder into his dance-y tendencies
Andrew Unterberger: I think the first-week-performance shows that Harry has one of the most devoted followings in pop, and one that’s essentially willing to follow wherever he goes. So in that sense, it validates the pivot, because it validates that what fans love about him goes beyond any particular trappings of his sonics or songwriting. But whether general audiences will continue to tune in in the same way is another matter, and one that’s still a little TBD on this album.
5. If you were on Harry Styles’ team, what advice (if any) would you give him on where to go or what to do with his next album/era?
Kyle Denis: For album five, I think it’s time to bring new collaborators into the studio. Even if it’s just for a song or two.
Annie Harrigan: If Styles plans to continue with the dance-pop direction he’s going in, I’d love to see more intricate and refined choreography from him. Styles was a member of a boy band that historically did not dance, even though dancing used to be one of essential boy band hallmarks. So, to see him now, four solo albums deep, embracing a love of dance is exciting. Add on the fact that we don’t get a lot of pop boys hitting big dance numbers nowadays (apart from Bruno Mars, maybe), and it’s great to see another! My advice to Styles would be to look towards some of the pop girls who are known for big choreography — Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and of course Janet Jackson come to mind — and study how they move.
Lyndsey Havens: Keep living life, Harry! Take more time off after this tour and see where it leads you. I love that for Harry’s House we got a Better Homes & Gardens feature and for Kiss we got a Runners World conversation. Who knows what will inspire Harry next? I think that’s the fun.
Rebecca Milzoff: Get weird! Harry’s proven that he’s a diligent student of classic pop and rock songwriting, a decent enough vocalist, a willing collaborator, and a star so charismatic that his fans will likely follow him anywhere. He’s got a great foundation to be able to experiment more, and some of his work on this album with Kid Harpoon feels like he’s dipping a toe into more outré waters. Would I listen to Harry Styles and His Dead Petz? Highly possible! Jump into the deep end, Harold!
Andrew Unterberger: Work with some collaborators that will help him hone his pop instincts a little more — particularly lyrically, where this album could use a little extra sharpness. Amy Allen, who Styles struck gold with at least once before, would certainly be a good first call.
Entertainment
Gunna Sues X Games Concert Promoters for Fraud: ‘Coordinated Scheme’
Gunna claims in a new lawsuit that shady concert promoters duped him into performing at this year’s X Games and never had the money to pay him.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday (March 17) and first obtained and reported by Billboard, seeks to recover Gunna’s past-due performance fee of $750,000, plus extra financial damages for fraud, breach of contract and civil conspiracy.
Gunna (born Sergio Kitchens) alleges he agreed to perform at the X Games this past Jan. 22 in Aspen, Colo., based on the promise that a company called Mickle and Mickle Productions would pay him $500,000 by the end of the night. The contract stated that if payment wasn’t sent that day, an additional $250,000 fee would also kick in.
The payment never came, according to the lawsuit. This led to a lengthy back and forth between Gunna’s lawyers and Mickle and Mickle’s CEO, Daphney Mickle Golden, who allegedly stonewalled for weeks by claiming at various times that the funds were tied up in gold commodities, would be paid out via a “multibillion-dollar transaction involving multiple nations,” and would be borrowed either from a “major alcohol brand” or New York’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
“Upon information and belief, no sponsorship funds, stakeholder funds, parade funds, commodity funds, or other third-party funding source referenced by defendants was ever secured, encumbered or deployed to satisfy plaintiff’s contractual entitlement,” write Gunna’s attorneys, Lawrence Hinkle and Jonathan Morris.
The lawsuit questions whether Mickle and Mickle is even a legitimate company, noting that Gunna’s lawyers haven’t been able to locate any business registration under that name. They’re accusing Golden of operating alongside a group of sketchy associates, including an anonymous individual identified by the name “The Secret” on email chains.
“The conduct described above reflects a coordinated scheme,” reads the complaint.
Gunna, suing through his company Gunna Touring LLC, is ultimately bringing claims against Mickle and Mickle, Golden, lawyer Ezekiel Bottorff and another promotion company called Stars in Action. The X Games itself is not accused of any wrongdoing.
The defendants did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday (March 17), nor did Gunna’s reps. A representative for the X Games also did not immediately return a request for comment.
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