As expected, Oppenheimer dominated the 96th Academy Awards. The blockbuster film picked up top acting nods for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr., best director for Christopher Nolan, and best picture. Meanwhile, Emma Stone secured her second best actress statue for her starring role in Poor Things, which also had several wins. Da’Vine Joy Randolph won her first Oscar for best actress in a supporting role in The Holdovers. The best original song went to none other than Billie Eilish and Finneas for “What Was I Made For” from Barbie. Check out the full list of winners here.

USWNT Win Gold Cup in Inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup

Captain Lindsey Horan‘s first-half header in stoppage time proved to be the only goal the USWNT needed to beat Brazil 1-0 in the inaugural CONCACAF W Gold Cup final Sunday at Snapdragon Stadium. It was Horan’s third goal of the tournament and in the second half, substitute Lynn Williams nearly doubled the lead in the 79th minute but was ultimately ruled offside. The championship victory was the United States’ seventh straight over Brazil and the fourth in a tournament final. Not to mention, all four wins have been decided by one goal.

Ally Financial Inks Sponsorship Deal with Wrexham AFC Women

Ally Financial announced a historic, multi-million-dollar sponsorship with Wrexham AFC Women on Monday that will see the club travel to the U.S. for the first time this summer for the 2024 Wrex Coast Tour. The forthcoming trip will increase the club’s visibility on a global stage, further making the case that Wrexham AFC Women is one of the top clubs in the world. As part of this partnership, Ally will also sponsor the Wrexham AFC Men’s Summer Wrex Coast Tour. Stops and opponents will be announced soon, but fans can expect collaborations with key figures in women’s sports. Just last week, Ally announced another multi-million partnership with the Las Vegas Aces and some of its players.

Caitlin Clark Surpasses Stephen Curry’s 3-Point Record

Caitlin Clark can’t stop breaking records. Over the weekend, the Iowa star passed Stephen Curry for the most 3-pointers in a single NCAA Division-I season. During his time at Davidson, Curry recorded 162 successful shots from beyond the arc through his 2007-08 campaign, and on Friday, in the Hawkeyes’ 95-62 Big Ten Tournament win against the Penn State Lady Lions, Clark eclipsed that figure, ending the game with a total of 164. On Sunday, Clark led the team to a come-from-behind 94-89 overtime win against Nebraska in the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Championship. This is the Hawkeyes’ third consecutive title.

‘Dune: Part Two’ Hauls in $365.7 Million Globally

Dune: Part Two continued its successful run in theaters for a second weekend worldwide. According to Deadline, the sci-fi flick made $81 million to cross the $200 million overseas mark, reaching $367.5 million globally. Stateside, it was dethroned from the top spot at the box office thanks to a stellar $58.3 million opening from Kung Fu Panda 4, however the film still earned $46 million from 4,074 venues.

The post ‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘Poor Things’ Clean Up at the Oscars  appeared first on Boardroom.

Taylor Swift has etched her name further into Grammys history. The 66th annual awards were held Sunday, and the pop star officially became the first musician to win four album of the year awards, picking up the golden gramophone for her 2022 album Midnights. During a different award acceptance, Swift also took the opportunity to announce her next album, The Tortured Poets Department, coming in April. Miley Cyrus took home the award for record of the year for “Flowers,” Billie Eilish won song of the year for “What Was I Made For?” and R&B singer/songwriter Victoria Monet won best new artist. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the evening was Celine Dion, who shocked viewers when she presented the album of the year award to Swift herself. The ceremony’s performers included Travis Scott, Fantasia with a tribute to Tina Turner, and Luke Combs singing “Fast Car” alongside Tracy Chapman.

MetLife Stadium To Host 2026 World Cup Final

The final for the 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., FIFA confirmed Sunday. With a capacity, of 82,500, MetLife is the home of the New York Jets and Giants. The venue hosted the Super Bowl in February 2014 and the final of the Copa America Centenario in 2016. As for Team USA, they will play their opener and final group game at LA’s SoFi Stadium and their other opening round fixture at Seattle’s Lumen Field. The 2026 World Cup will be the first edition of the tournament that features 48 teams, up from the 32 that competed at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, making it the longest World Cup in FIFA’s history.

Paris Saint Germain Star Kylian Mbappé Reportedly Heading to Real Madrid

Following much speculation, Kylian Mbappé will take his talents to Real Madrid once his Paris Saint-Germain contract expires at the of the season, according to ESPN sources. Allegedly, the 2018 World Cup winner decided to play in Spain because growing up, he idolized Real Madrid legends Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo. ESPN adds that Mbappé has not informed PSG or Real Madrid of his choice but an announcement will be made next week. The forward first joined PSG in 2017 on loan, and then on a permanent basis in 2018. With him on the squad, Les Parisiens have won five Ligue 1 titles and three Coupe de France trophies.

Mark Zuckerberg to Make $700 Million Per Year Thanks to Meta’s New Dividend Structure

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to receive a payout of around $700 million per year from the social media platform’s first-ever dividend for investors. According to Bloomberg, his net worth has increased by $28.1 billion, making his total net worth $170.5 billion. The exec’s massive payday is a result of Meta’s plans to pay a quarterly cash dividend of 50 cents per share of common stock starting next month. In 2022, Zuck pocketed $27.1 million in total compensation. Meta has yet to report executive compensation for last year.

Kiki Rice Becomes First NIL Player with PE Sneaker

After making history as Jordan Brand‘s first NIL signee in 2022, UCLA women’s basketball star Kiki Rice is to receive her own player edition sneaker. The sophomore teased a photo via Instagram on Sunday. “It’s an absolute honor to be the first Jordan Brand NIL athlete to receive a PE, and I can’t wait for my teammates and coaches to rock it with me in the future!” a part of her caption read. The Air Jordan 38 Low “Cherry Blossom” pays homage to her hometown of Washington, D.C., and features pink and UCLA blue finishes atop a white base.

The post Taylor Swift Wins Big At the Grammys, Announces New Album appeared first on Boardroom.

Beyoncé famously said in 2011 that girls run the world. Well, they also dominate the 2024 Grammy Awards. Nominations for the 66th installment of the ceremony were announced Friday, and SZA leads the pack with nine shoutouts for her sophomore project, SOS. R&B favorite Victoria Monét has seven, including Best New Artist. The Grammys would be incomplete without Taylor Swift, who has six, tying other artists like Olivia Rodrigo, boygenius, Billie Eilish, and Miley Cyrus. The 12-time winner also becomes the first songwriter in Grammy history to accumulate seven nominations in the Song of the Year category. The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Feb. 4, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Boardroom’s Bernadette Doykos breaks down a select list of nominees.

Big Ten Suspends Jim Harbaugh Amid Investigation, Banned From Sideline on Game Days

The Big Ten has suspended Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh for the rest of the regular season as part of the ongoing sign-stealing probe, the conference confirmed Friday in a statement. The Big Ten stated this is “not a sanction of Coach Harbaugh,” as he will be able to remain with the team throughout the week but is banned from the team sideline on game days as the investigation plays out. The punishment is in response to ex-Michigan staffer Connor Stalions allegedly operating an in-person scouting operation where he sent friends to games to record the sideline play signals of future Wolverine competitors. Should the punishment hold, Harbaugh will miss this weekend’s showdown at Penn State, at Maryland, and the season finale game against Ohio State in Ann Arbor. If Michigan qualifies, Harbaugh would be eligible to return for both the Big Ten title game on Dec. 2 and the College Football Playoff.

Taylor Swift Donates Signed Record to Patrick Mahomes’ Charity Auction

Travis Kelce might have attended teammate Patrick Mahomes‘ charity event on Thursday sans rumored beau Taylor Swift, but the pop star was still there in spirit. Optimal Fundraising Group, which coordinated the silent auction for the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation’s annual gala, revealed on Instagram that the “Exile” singer gifted a framed, platinum record alongside an authentic autograph. After nearly three months away from the stage, Swift resumed her sold-out Eras Tour in Buenos Aires on Thursday, playing the first of three shows at the River Plate Stadium before bringing the South American leg of her tour to Rio de Janeiro and São Paolo.

Director Darren Aronofsky to Lead Elon Musk Biopic for A24

A24 is developing a biopic about tech boss Elon Musk, set to be directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, according to Variety. The forthcoming film will be based on “Elon Musk,” Walter Isaacson’s bestselling biography of the Tesla CEO, which was published in September. Writing in response to a post by X News Daily, Musk expressed approval of the decision. “Glad Darren is doing it. He is one of the best,” he said. Founded in 2012, two of A24‘s movies have won Best Picture at the Oscars: Moonlight and Everything Everywhere All at Once. Aronofsky was nominated for a Best Director Academy Award for the 2010 psychological horror Black Swan.

Vince McMahon Eyes Stock Sale, TKO Price Plummets

Vince McMahon plans to sell a significant amount of his stake in TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE, following the merger with the UFC earlier this year, it was announced Thursday. McMahon will offload 8.4 million of his shares, valued at nearly $700 million. Per CNBC, the 78-year-old owned over 28 million shares as of August. As a result of this news, TKO’s stock fell 6% on Friday afternoon. McMahon is currently the executive chairman of TKO, but this move could hint that he is looking to make a permanent exit from wrestling, which has been the family business for four decades.

Cris Abrego Reportedly Expected to Become New CEO of TV Academy

Veteran pioneer of unscripted television Cris Abrego is expected to become the new chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, Deadline reported Friday. Last month, Abrego revealed that he and longtime friend Eva Longoria launched Hyphenate Media Group, which functions as a part production company, part talent scouting agency, and part business incubator. Abrego’s appointment would also make him the first Television Academy chair to come from the reality TV sector of entertainment. Abrego worked on shows like The Real World and Road Rules before establishing 51 Minds Entertainment, which produced shows like The Surreal Life, Flavor of Love, and Rock of Love.

The post SZA, Victoria Monét Lead the Way in 2024 Grammy Nominations appeared first on Boardroom.

As we approach the end of 2023, the year in review will be all about the women who rewrote the script for success. From Taylor Swift‘s Eras Tour takeover to Beyoncé‘s personal and professional Renaissance, the headlines have highlighted the repeated milestones of women in music.

For 2024’s biggest night in music, we can expect much of the same.

SZA leads everyone with nine 2024 Grammy nominations for her sophomore effort, SOS. The album blazed its own path from its drop, which took place during the usual dead period of December. It went on to sit at the top of the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks.

However, the singer is not the only one to pull multiple nominations. She’s trailed by R&B standout Victoria Monet, who has seven. Meanwhile, Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, boygenius, Billie Eilish, and Miley Cyrus each received six nominations.

Drake will be back in consideration for this year’s awards as well. The rapper submitted She Says, his collab album with 21 Savage, for consideration after rescinding himself from the running for both the 2022 and 2023 awards. He is up for three trophies in the Best Rap Performance, Best Melodic Rap Performance, and Best Rap Album categories.

The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will take place on Feb. 4, 2024 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Boardroom breaks down a select list of the nominees.

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2024 Grammy Nominations

Album of the Year

• boygenius – The Record
• Janelle Monáe – The Age of Pleasure
• Jon Batiste – World Music Radio
• Lana Del Rey – Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd
• Miley Cyrus – Endless Summer Vacation
• Olivia Rodrigo – Guts
• SZA – SOS
• Taylor Swift – Midnights

Record of the Year

• Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For?
• boygenius – Not Strong Enough
• Jon Batiste – Worship
• Miley Cyrus – Flowers
• Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire
• SZA – Kill Bill
• Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero
• Victoria Monét – On My Mama

Song of the Year

• Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For?
• Dua Lipa – Dance the Night
• Jon Batiste – Butterfly
• Lana Del Rey – A&W
• Miley Cyrus – Flowers
• Olivia Rodrigo – Vampire
• SZA – Kill Bill
• Taylor Swift – Anti-Hero

How SZA’s ‘SOS’ Defined the Next Chapter of Top Dawg Entertainment

The singer’s sophomore album signaled more than just success for Kendrick Lamar’s former label.

Check it out!

Best Rap Album

• Drake & 21 Savage – Her Loss
• Killer Mike – Michael
• Metro Boomin – Heroes & Villains
• Nas – King’s Disease III
• Travis Scott – Utopia

Best Rap Song

• Doja Cat – Attention
• Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice ft. Aqua – Barbie World
• Lil Uzi Vert – Just Wanna Rock
• Drake & 21 Savage – Rich Flex
• Killer Mike ft. André 3000, Future, and Eryn Allen Kane – Scientists & Engineers

Best New Artist

• Coco Jones
• Gracie Abrams
• Fred Again..
• Ice Spice
• Jelly Roll
• Noah Kahan
• Victoria Monét
• The War and Treaty

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The post Women Rule the Ranks in 2024 Grammy Nominations appeared first on Boardroom.

Universal Music Group is having a moment. The company hit its highest market cap value of all time this week, clocking in at $49 billion during the trading day on Oct. 10. The company’s recent financial success has been driven by the elevated sales of its roster of top-tier talent, which includes the likes of Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Drake, Bad Bunny, and SZA. UMG is expected to distribute a substantial dividend to its shareholders on Oct. 27.

SAG-AFTRA Abandons Talks Amid Strike

Once more, the talks have stalled in Hollywood. Conversations between striking actors and major studios have stalled after the two sides were unable to come to an agreement around some of the most substantial issues on the table. Following the resolution of the writers’ strike last month, many were hopeful that the actors would follow shortly behind. However, after the most recent round of negotiations, representatives from SAG-AFTRA accused studio executives of “bully tactics” and have abandoned talks with no date on the horizon to return.

Bipartisan ‘NO FAKES’ Act Targets AI’s Use in Music

The Drake deep fake “Heart On My Sleeve” may have changed the future of music after all. The AI-created track made waves, inspiring Drake himself to speak out against it and spark a larger conversation about the role of artificial intelligence in music production. Now, it’s inspired a bipartisan bill, Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act, aka, the NO FAKES Act. Delaware democratic senator Chris Coons introduced the bill, which he co-authored with Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee).

Amazon’s Prime Days Brings Big Boost in Sales for Second Straight Year

This week brought the return of Prime Days to Amazon, with the internet retail giant hosting a second iteration of its beloved event. The two-day sale took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, and early reports signal that sales outpaced the inaugural edition. Amazon shoppers took home more than 150 million items, favoring everyday basics over big-ticket items. The initial figure is 50% more than the 2022 haul.

The Weeknd’s ‘Avatar’ Track Submitted by Disney for Grammy Nomination

Disney is looking to reap all the awards for its billion-dollar blockbuster Avatar: The Way of Water. Disney Music Group has confirmed that it submitted “Nothing Is Lost (You Give Me Strength)” for Grammy consideration. The announcement comes as a bit of a surprise, as the song’s artist, The Weeknd, has openly boycotted the Grammys since 2021 after expressing concerns about nefarious processes in the nomination practices. Additionally, his HBO production Live at SoFi Stadium also got submitted via a mystery nomination. The news comes just one day after Drake’s collab album with 21 Savage was submitted despite his previous boycott.

Paramount Donates $1M to Humanitarian Relief in Wake of Middle East Attacks

In the wake of the current conflict in Israel, Paramount distributed a $1 million donation to benefit humanitarian aid. The Hollywood Reporter obtained an internal memo in which Shari Redstone, non-executive chairman, and CEO Bob Bakish, condemned the attacks. The memo stated that the donation signaled Paramount‘s commitment to “stand united against all acts of terror and hate.”

The post Taylor Swift Helps Drive Universal Music Group to $49B Market Cap appeared first on Boardroom.

As the top competitor in music streaming platforms, being crowned as one of the most-streamed artists on Spotify is no small achievement. From hip-hop and R&B to reggaeton, trap, and country pop, we’ve got your definitive ranking of the top music choices on rotation — starting with a prolific Torontonian who stands alone as the first artist ever to exceed 60 billion streams as a lead artist.

Let’s get into it.

Most-streamed Artists on Spotify: The Best of the Best

1. Drake: 66,794,274,524 streams

The 6 God not only holds the title of most-streamed artist of the 2010s — he’s also the most-streamed artist on Spotify in history. Drake has eight studio albums to his name following the release of 2023’s For All the Dogs, but made even more history alongside 21 Savage with their collaborative album, Her Loss, which generated over one billion streams within fewer than two months of its debut in November of 2022. Drizzy is also the first artist in the streaming platform’s history to surpass 75 billion Spotify streams combined as both a lead and featured artist.

Which Rapper Has the Most Diamond Albums & Singles?

From Drake and Eminem to Kanye, Hov, and beyond, check out hip-hop’s all-time 10x Platinum honor roll.

Let’s Go!

2. Bad Bunny: 60,738,070,927

In 2022, San Benito garnered over 18.5 billion Spotify streams, securing his spot as Spotify’s top overall artist for a third consecutive year. This also made the “Yo Perreo Sola” singer the only artist to accomplish such a milestone for the streaming platform. Moreover, his single “Tití Me Preguntó” achieved over one billion streams alone, making it his 12th track to make the Billions Club cut.

3. Taylor Swift: 60,561,368,347

Just two months ago, the “Anti-Hero” singer became the first female artist to hit 100 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Moreover, Taylor Swift became the first woman to land four albums within the top 10 of the Billboard 200 albums chart all at once — making her the third artist in history to ever do so — following the release of her third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).

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4. The Weeknd: 48,813,158,448

Earlier this year, the acclaimed artist born Abel Tesfaye became the first artist in Spotify history to hit 100 million monthly listeners. If that wasn’t enough, The Weeknd also holds the record for the most played song of all time thanks to “Blinding Lights,” which is one of three songs boasting over three billion streams as of this writing. According to Guinness World Records, the “Starboy” singer is the world’s most popular musician overall thanks in large part to being the first to surpass 100 million monthly listeners on the platform.

5. Ed Sheeran: 45,090,993,077

In 2022, Ed Sheeran became the first artist to hit 100 million followers on Spotify. Moreover, the singer’s “Shape Of You” single was the first song to reach three billion streams on Spotify and in 2021, it became the most-streamed song on Spotify in history before being overtaken by “Flashing Lights.” Did you know that the single was not intended to be on his divide album at all and was originally written for another artist? The music game is funny sometimes.

Who Rules the Rap Game on Spotify?

From Biggie and Pac to Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and beyond, find out who rounds out the streaming hip-hop pantheon.

Check it Out

Most-Streamed Artists on Spotify: The Full Top 20

Artists’ lead-specific rankings via Spotify. All-time rankings and billion-stream stats are based on streamed songs as a lead artist only via ChartMasters as of Oct. 9, 2023.

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The post Spotify’s Most-streamed Artists: Drake, The Weeknd, Taylor Swift & More appeared first on Boardroom.

One of the summer’s most attended festivals finally has its starting lineup. On Tuesday, Lollapalooza announced its all-star lineup of performers set to take the stage at Chicago’s Grant Park.

Among the A-listers performing from Aug. 3-6 are Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Odesza, Lana Del Rey, Karol G, The 1975, and Tomorrow X Together.

Other supporting artists that will undoubtedly draw their own dedicated cheering sections include Pusha T, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, JID, Maggie Rogers, Carly Rae Jepsen, Diplo, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Tems, the Rose, Rina Sawayama, Lil Yachty, Rema, Morgan Wade, Lainey Wilson, L’Impératrice, and Ivan Cornejo. In total, the festival is welcoming more than 170 artists and bands across multiple musical genres playing across nine stages.

Lollapalooza 2023 Lineup Revealed

Lollapalooza draws massive crowds due to its eclectic lineup, and it’s clear artists themselves also enjoy returning. The Red Hot Chili Peppers first headlined the event in 1992 — just Lollapalooza’s second year of existence — when they were at their peak as a prolific touring act.

Tickets for this year’s festivities go on starting Thursday at 10 a.m. CT. Four-day tickets range between $365 and $4350, with single-day tickets and the festival’s specific day-by-day lineup schedule still to be announced. Additional ticket tiers include GA+, VIP, and a four-day Platinum experience for $4,350. A public on-sale will follow with any passes remaining.

For those unable to attend, Variety notes that Hulu is in talks to host a live stream for select Lollapalooza performances exclusively to subscribers of its SVOD platform. In 2022, they had two streams running concurrently.

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The post Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, A Boogie, Karol G & More Highlight 2023 Lollapalooza Lineup appeared first on Boardroom.

In June 2020, Armani White’s Philadelphia home caught fire. Somehow, White and his brother were wrongfully arrested for it and charged with arson after his brother was pulled over for a traffic stop. The painful legal battle lasted until June 2021, when all charges were thrown out.

Afterward, the rapper crafted the five-song EP Things We Lost in The Fire, chronicling the traumatic experience that served as an unwanted full-circle moment for a tragic, traumatic 2006 house fire that stole the lives of four of his family members.

The EP healed him. He felt free to return to writing more lighthearted raps again.

The result? “Billie Eilish,” the thumping 90-second earworm released independently last week after White jumped through a bevy of legal hoops to make it happen.

First, White had to gain clearance for sampling 2002’s “Nothin'” by Noreaga, better known as N.O.R.E, featuring Pharrell and produced by The Neptunes. More impressively, he leveragedTikTok to catch Eilish’s eye, convincing Universal Music Group to sign off on White’s use of its signee’s name. (Eilish is signed to Darkroom/Interscope under the UMG umbrella.)

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Cleverly gaming to get a single cleared didn’t intimidate White in the slightest after beating a bogus charge in a criminal justice system built to oppress Black men like him. But White’s positive experience with TikTok virality starkly contrasts other artists, who resent the chokehold in which TikTok seems to have the music industry.

Halsey took to TikTok on May 22 to air grievances over their label refusing to let them put out “a song that I love that I wanna release ASAP … unless they can fake a viral moment on TikTok.” (An unnamed representative for Astralwerks/Capitol responded in a statement to Variety: “Our belief in Halsey as a singular and important artist is total and unwavering. We can’t wait for the world to hear their brilliant new music.”)

The situations aren’t directly comparable, as White is an independent artist. “Billie Eilish” is named after a 20-year-old generational icon. The single’s accompanying visual nods to past Eilish videos, such as “Bad Guy,” “When the Party’s Over,” and “Lost Cause.” But White’s singular flair is never lost, nor his innovation.

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A post shared by Armani White (@armaniblanco)

“The trick is that I realized that no matter where I go, where I stand, I’m so me,” White tells Boardroom. “Regardless of what I’m doing, I’m so me that it’s just always gonna sound like me on these records. So, I definitely did not shy away from being myself on a record like ‘Billie.'”

The surging hip-hop experimenter caught up with Boardroom over the phone from Philly to break it all down.

MEGAN ARMSTRONG: Things We Lost in The Fire was your therapy for survivor’s guilt after suffering a 2006 house fire that took your cousin’s life, as well as your false arson charge in 2020. Did making that EP allow you to create again from a more light-hearted space?

ARMANI WHITE: Yes, absolutely. I felt like that was a topic that I ran away from in my music career, and just in life, for so long. I knew that moment being full-circle, if I didn’t speak about it — if I just didn’t address it — I wouldn’t have been able to move forward and get to where I’m at right now with a clear mind. It may or may not have bled over into the music [anyway], but it just still would’ve been weighing on me personally. It still would’ve been weighing on my conscience to not have brought that up.

So, yes, I do believe that me being able to talk about it and being able to create something like that — that capsules that moment and capsules that time — and also just immortalizes my cousin, Melinda, those things were really important for me to do on a personal level. The best way to even describe this music to somebody is, like, it’s a throwaway. And it’s not a throwaway for me emotionally — I care about this music so much — but this was not for streams. This wasn’t for numbers. This was really, like you said, therapy for me. It streamed fairly. It got a couple million or whatever, but that was never the goal in that music.

MA: How did “Billie Eilish” first originate in your brain?

AW: Really, it’s two different questions. The production is one question. The song is another one. That was a song that I wrote without the beat. Billie, she’s the biggest A&R in hip-hop! Billie’s really got a hand [in] what’s going on in hip-hop. Lil Baby was just rapping about “Share the stage with Billie Eilish.” Billie is very much influential in hip-hop because the way in which, I think, she goes about pop — or whatever her genre is — it’s a very hip-hop way.

We both were backstage at [Austin City Limits] in 2019. Just seeing her aesthetic, the big t-shirts, was a vibe. I was like, ‘Oh, shit. That’s fly.’ It was nothing more than making two metaphors stick and running with that concept: “Glock tucked, big t-shirt, Billie Eilish.” And using that sample, Noreaga (N.O.R.E.)’s “Nothin’.” The big t-shirt era was 2002, when that sample was a hit single. The two things just went together and worked together. “Nothin'” by Noreaga was one of my favorite songs growing up.

MA: Why do you think Billie resonates so much in hip-hop?

AW: ‘Cause she’s hip-hop! Yeah, she’s not a hip-hop artist, but she is what hip-hop was defined as. Early on, hip-hop was just, Okay, what are the rules? I’m going to break them. Our parents listen to records; we’re gonna scratch on records. You know what I mean? We’re gonna take these songs that our parents love, and we’re gonna sample them. What are the rules, so I can break them? I think, even if that isn’t what she does, that just seems like it’s what her vibe is or what her branding and style is. That just resonates really well with us as hip-hop artists. We see that shit, and we can relate to that. The entire fight and plight of being a hip-hop artist is just disrupting things.

MA: How would you say you’re the most disruptive?

AW: I mean, we watching it right now! Another thing with Billie Eilish is having that “I don’t give a fuck” attitude. That’s just very hip-hop. Watching Billie reminds you of early Odd Future things, and early Odd Future reminds you of an early Wu-Tang. I think it all correlates to me. Let’s just have fun. Let’s just do what the fuck we want to do. With this idea, with this concept, we’d been going about things just following the rules for so long. Here’s this song, release this song, build it up for three weeks. Let’s pitch it. And I said, “Fuck it. I’m tired of doing that.”

I spent the past couple months learning TikTok a little bit more. I had friends who were going viral, and they’re like, “Yo, you know more people in the music industry than I do.” And that shit fucked me up because I was just going by the rules and not getting the same results that everybody else was. It was time to really just disrupt shit. I created this whole plan. I’m gonna make this TikTok, and that TikTok, and that TikTok. And then from there, I’m going make this content, that video, and that video. But the first thing on that list of things I was going do? It went off! That first video went viral.

@armaniblanco This one is called “Billie Eilish” #billieeilish #fyp #phillytiktok #phillytok #ranking ♬ BILLIE EILISH by ARMANI WHITE – Armani White

MA: And that leads into the unlikely events that caused Universal to clear this single for you to officially release.

AW: We’re talking specifically publishing. It goes straight to relationships. My manager had to call KP [Kawan Prather], who’s on Pharrell’s team, to get his blessing for clearing the sample [from “Nothin'”].

But the real issue was Universal kept emailing back and asking, “is the song going to be called ‘Billie Eilish’?” We was like, “Yeah, but if that’s a problem, we can change it. We can maybe name it ‘Billie.'” They never gave us an answer on whether or not it would be a problem. Eventually, we get to the very last step of clearing this record — we’re right there — and they go, “Nah, we’re not clearing it until Billie Eilish gives you the OK to use her name.” I’m like, Oh, shit! We’re stuck now because how the hell are we gonna get ahold of Billie Eilish?

We already had contact with her team. Danny [Rukasin], her manager, and my manager know each other well, and he said, “Send me the song, send me the lyrics. Let me take a look at it.” And then it went silent for a second. But then one day, my creative director hits me, like, “Yo, look at Billie Eilish’s [Instagram] story.” Her photographer for the last project is dancing to the song, but Billie [re-shared it] on her page. I dropped the phone. That was literally all we needed to get the song cleared.

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MA: What does this single finally making its way into the world symbolize for you?

AW: It’s a story of perseverance, I guess. Don’t let the vibe die. We battle 10-year-olds on the internet, like, “No, man, the hype is over! We don’t care anymore!” One person will go on everything I post, and be like, “The hype is dead!” He’ll go on five different TikToks, and he’ll go on my YouTube. He’ll comment on my Twitter and my Instagram. I’m like, “Bruh.” At this point, it’s just fun watching the conversation turn into what it is. Watching the kids defend me, watching the people going against me, watching the people who just enjoy it, and watching all of our fans. There’s a circle around it.

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MA: You have a post from March 2020 that listed all of the things that had happened for you in the midst of your legal battle. Is this the best that you’ve felt since your charge was dropped? Where does this rank among all these things you’ve accomplished?

AW: The Patrick Mahomes co-sign was crazy. When Snoop Dogg followed me, I was fucking losing my mind. But I think this is the peak. Billie is one of the biggest stars on the planet right now, so even just being able to be in her stratosphere is really cool. We checked off so many boxes: going viral on TikTok, getting merch out to these kids, knocking out a million streams in two days and two million in six days. All of these things are summed up into one big “Billie Eilish” moment for me. I think that in itself is, yes, probably the biggest thing that’s happened since the charges been dropped.

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MA: Have you been approached by labels?

AW: Every one of them.

MA: Are you wanting to stay independent?

AW:  I think it’s a blend. I don’t think the partner has any shape or size. The partner is ambiguous. There isn’t really [a feeling of] it needs to be major, or it needs to be this, needs to be that. It’s really just about who is giving the best team, terms, and artist services who understands us and who really understands what we’re trying to do and where we’re trying to go with it. To help us optimize that vision.

MA: As “Billie Eilish” has blown up, I’ve seen you described as “a Philly newcomer,” but you’ve been doing this. You opened on tour for Vince Staples in 2019, you’ve partnered with the NBA, you’ve racked up millions of Spotify streams, and so on. How do you see yourself?

AW: I’m not opposed to being a newcomer. My thing is, you can do freshman year as many times as you want to. You can only do sophomore year one time. To me, everything is about graduating. I’m at this level, but I want to graduate and become a freshman again. I want to fully expand and go to the maximum point of the next level, and then graduate and do it again.

While I’m not a newcomer [in music], I am a newcomer in the sense there’s a lot of new people hearing me [for the first time]. Even the other day, there was a lot of [coverage], and we were like, Yo, we don’t even have the digital marketing guy promoting these things. How is this happening? One of the guys on my team said, “You’re news now, bro. When you do something, it’s news.” If I’m doing something, it matters.

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The post Armani White Disrupts Tradition with ‘Billie Eilish’ appeared first on Boardroom.

Ian Charms co-founder Lisa Sahakian is driving to Big Sur from her Los Angeles home. The destination is “very much not my style,” but one week removed from the opening weekend of 2022 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the 28-year-old needs some space.

“My birthday is Monday,” Sahakian tells Boardroom over the phone while en route, “so I’m going with my friend, Sasha, and unplugging and relaxing for once in my life. A detox from Coachella is so needed — it’s not even funny.”

The three-day festival served as the apex of what’s been a wild two years for Sahakian. Since Sahakian decided to bead a charm necklace as a birthday gift for her boyfriend, Max Riddle, in August 2020, the volume of A-list stars choosing to rock Ian Charms of their own volition is overwhelming. While Doja Cat didn’t perform her Coachella set in the sold-out “ratty” necklace, it dangled from her neck in a pool shortly beforehand.

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The celebrity-fueled wildfire started with Dua Lipa and “the danili” in December 2020. And then came the likes of Pete Davidson, Justin and Hailey Bieber, BLACKPINK’S Jennie Kim, Olivia Rodrigo, The Kid LAROI, Lorde, Maluma, and so many more. Sahakian was working as a reality television producer before accidentally launching music‘s favorite jewelry brand, making it her full-time job in February 2021, so it’s also worth noting that Real Housewife Kyle Richards is a fan.

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Any given customer’s fame index is certainly not Sahakian’s primary gauge for worth, though. This is a family business, starting with the obvious fact that she runs it with Max from their apartment.

The name “Ian Charms” is an homage to Sahakian’s Armenian heritage. The “danili” necklace is derived from hers, her brother’s, and her father’s middle names. Her mother often comes by the apartment to help bead necklaces. Her father’s beloved Ferrari Testarossa inspired the red-hot “michael shirt” worn first by LAROI in Las Vegas last October.

Sahakian’s life looks completely different since her last birthday, let alone 2019. She chatted with Boardroom about Ian Charms’ triumphant and totally organic Coachella debut, what it meant to her family, and what it signifies for her DIY passion project-turned-booming business.

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MEGAN ARMSTRONG: Before we get to Coachella, I feel like The Kid LAROI is your unofficial poster boy right now — and officially your cover boy.

LISA SAHAKIAN: I know! He just released a music video yesterday, and he’s wearing three different necklaces in it, which is just amazing.

MA: I saw the “Thousand Miles” music video. He’s wearing an Ian Charms custom pendant. What was in the pendant?

LS: The pendant has [in it] his very close friend from childhood that he grew up in the projects with who died recently. His girlfriend reached out maybe six months ago, and she was like, “I want to get him one with him in the pendant, and I want to do the charms as the different colors that he had.”

He’s worn it, like, every day. He got it repaired. His photographer is my friend Adam [Kargenian], and he came over and brought the necklace to readjust the pendant. LAROI FaceTimed Adam while he was [at my house] and said hi and thanked me and was like, “This is my favorite gift I’ve ever gotten.” It was just so cute.

MA: You have clothes in the metaverse, too, don’t you?

LS: Yes! The CEO [Akash Nigam] has gotten a billion customs and gets all these customs for his office. He owns this company called Genies, which is an avatar world that they’re kind of moving into fashion — avatar fashion.

He’s wild. He’s very into tech. Pro startup. Super excited, high-energy. His dad started WebMD, so he just starts companies, and Genies really hit. He loved Ian Charms, so we were the first people that he did a digital line with.

What we designed for them is drawn from our physical clothes, but not exactly the same. It has a lot of the simpler imagery. Those clothes they sold to their beta group of people that are on there, they sold out within three minutes, I think. And then, our physical clothes — our original versions of [the digital line] that are a little bit different — will probably be selling in a month.

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MA: All of this before I even ask you a question about Coachella. Growing up in California, how many Coachellas have you been to as just a fan?

LS: I mean, in college I must have gone every year. I know one year, I went for two weekends. I’ve been to six or seven at this point. In college, I used to sneak into the festival. So, this was the first year being able to walk in with a pass.

MA: Other than walking in with the pass, how did you experience Coachella differently this year than in the past?

LS: It was such a work trip, which was sort of expected, but not to this extent. I feel like such an unknown when I’m there normally because there’s a billion people, and also, I’ve only ever been in GA. You’re just lost in a swarm of people and then the three people you came with, and it’s almost like the scariest thing is being alone. Normally, the thing is you don’t want to end up alone.

This time, it was almost the opposite. I felt like I couldn’t go a few minutes of walking through either VIP or artist areas without stopping. Talking with a client or seeing someone who’s wearing my pieces, who came up and said hi, or just other people that own small businesses that I’ve become friends with. It was kind of shocking to someone so antisocial — how many people I now know.

MA: Who were you most surprised that approached you to say something to you?

LS: Chris Klemens had called me over, and I didn’t realize that he knew what I looked like, so that was surprising. He was with FINNEAS and Claudia [Sulewski], FINNEAS’s girlfriend, and [Klemens] was cool enough to just shove me in there with him and be like, “Oh, do you guys know Ian Charms?” I was able to give Claudia her two pieces, which was really cool. Billie [Eilish] is one of my people I definitely want to see in Charms, so being in her vicinity was good.

MA: You mention Billie, so you may have already answered this, but which Coachella headliner do you think is most likely to turn up photographed wearing Ian Charms next?

LS: My dream would be Billie, but I know that Harry Styles loves pearls and charms, so that’s also a possibility. But I’ve always just thought Billie was so cool. And actually, because I worked with her stylist with LAROI, I feel like I could be able to get her something soon. That would be sick. Hopefully, she sees Claudia’s, and Claudia likes it and wears it. So I think [Billie], but then non-headliner, I really want to get one to Phoebe Bridgers.

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MA: Did you have an actual pop-up on the grounds, or did all of these people — the Riverdale cast, Justine Skye, Tyga — all just coincidentally and organically wear Ian Charms throughout the weekend?

LS: I had no pop-up. Nothing. It was all very coincidental. Sometimes, I would see a group of people — like four people — and all of them would be in Ian Charms, and then they would stop me. The coolest thing was seeing customers who bought customs from when I was still at my old job, so the beads were ones that I don’t even use anymore. The fact that [the beads are] still holding up, and they’re like, “I wear this every day.” I saw my chiropractor there in Charms. It was crazy that so many people who have them were wearing them and stopped me to say hi and were so excited. It was awesome.

MA: It’s so ironic to me that there are all these huge brands activations that spent who knows how much money to attract people, and then you had people just organically walking around everywhere in Ian Charms without having to convince them to buy in at all.

LS: I know! It was actually crazy because we didn’t even really push anything. Obviously, we didn’t pay anyone to wear anything or didn’t really try much to get necklaces on people, and we have so much content from the first weekend. Like, we have content for like six months now. Honestly.

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MA: Ian Charms is so viral in nature, and it took off during the pandemic, so was Coachella your first experience physically seeing this amount of people wearing your pieces?

LS: For sure. A thousand percent. The second day, I had walked in with Max, and it had been five minutes. I was like, “God, it’s so weird. I haven’t seen Charms yet.”

It honestly surprised me because Friday, the first day, was so crazy. I was like, “Maybe people just wore them the first day.” Literally, the second I finished talking, two people saw me, and they were both wearing their [necklaces] that they had gotten forever ago.

MA:  How do you experience being surrounded by all these massive brands with unlimited budgets as a small business owner who has done this completely DIY?

LS: It’s definitely aspirational, in some ways. I really want to put on an event, and I want it to be nothing like any of these. They’re all in the same vein. I was just thinking of how I’ve marketed, what Ian Charms is about, and how that translates to an event.

I would want to make it so it’s not like, oh, you get a ticket because you know someone. First off, you can only get in if you have Ian Charms. You have to find out about it in some secret way. Like, it’s a surprise. It’s the day-of. I was thinking, there’s so many ways to translate the chaos that we have in the company to events that isn’t really done often.

I think it’s a good way to get attention when you can’t afford to rent out the most expensive house in the desert and have all these ridiculous, crazy activations and alcohol. There’s almost a cooler way to do this that’s DIY and way more scrappy.

MA: What about your experience at Coachella inspired something for Ian Charms that you can apply more immediately than an event?

LS: Well, something I realized is how cult-y and personal a small business is compared to a bigger brand. I was telling this to Max: There’s so many brands right now that are exploding, but I could be walking around here and have no idea who actually makes that stuff. I would never recognize them. Part of a small business that is so helpful for marketing is the really personal connection you’re able to have with people, especially our business where we’re making them customs and getting to know them. I was realizing, how can we take advantage of that more?

We have this super personal connection with people that big brands literally can’t have — they pass the point of having that. How do we keep that as part of the culture, no matter how big we get? Someone would stop me [at Coachella], and they’d have the “rio” necklace. They’d be like, “I got the one Bieber has!” It’s so cool that people recognize it as the one he wears and felt a [personal attachment].

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We just started text activation, and it’s a really small list of people on it. You get very distinct perks from it. People saw me and were like, “Hey, I signed up for texts, and I’m dying. They’re hilarious.” They’re very weird, like, inappropriate texts. It was really cool that people were telling me they really connect with the way that we use texting. It’s really different than any other brand. We were able to do that with something that’s so boring normally and literally so annoying. Like, nothing’s more annoying than getting a text from a brand — even if you signed up for it. Having everything be so personal between us and our audience creates this connection that’s so much stronger than these larger businesses. That’s so much more important than getting the biggest people to wear your stuff.

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MA:  You initially started beading as a stress reliever while watching reality television. How are you managing this transition from stress-relieving hobby to stress-inducing, in-demand business?

LS: I’m very resistant to that very obvious transition that has already happened. My team is constantly telling me, honestly, that I need to stop beading. They’re like, “Unless it’s literally mindless while you’re watching TV, you have such bigger-picture things to push forward and so many bigger responsibilities.” I feel like that’s why I’m actually doing more customs for people. It’s my way of still being creative and feeling like it’s still the first week that I’m doing it.

It’s an uncomfortable transition for me because I didn’t expect to ever have to let [beading] go. But realistically, for the brand to grow and thrive and continue to change and evolve, I can’t just be beading 24/7. It’s something I’ve had to let go of, and I realized the more I hold onto it, the more stressful my life becomes. It’s a transition I’m in the middle of.

MA: As this thing balloons out into so many different directions, how are you making sure that everything goes back to your family and where it all began?

LS: You know, The New York Times article came out the day before Coachella. That was just this really crazy moment for my parents. It made both of them cry, which I had literally never seen my dad cry in my life, and my parents read it while they were waiting at my dad’s physical therapy for PSP [progressive supranuclear palsy], the illness he has. That was this really crazy moment where I was like, Wow, my life has changed so much. My family is dealing with so much, and yet, this is able to provide us with the smallest amount of joy.

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My parents and I have a really hard time getting excited about things, with everything going on with my dad. Knowing that everyone was so excited — my mom went to the newsstand and bought six newspapers and sent me a photo and she’s crying in it.

And even so much of the clothing — we ordered more of the Ferrari shirts because people were really liking that and that just ties so much to my dad. Seeing that they can feel so represented and they’re so proud makes it all worth it. It is honestly getting us through this really hard time, especially for me. I can’t even begin to describe where I’d be at if I was at a normal job right now and not working for myself and not doing something personal. It’s so vindicating.

MA: On that note, looking toward the future, what about Ian Charms gives you the most hope?

LS: I’m excited for collaborations. The thing that gives me the most hope is it’s so cool to be in a space where I have the opportunity to not only make things that I love but that resonate with other people. And so, because it’s so personal, because we’re so close with our customers, it really has expanded my whole life.

So many people that weren’t in my life before and are in it now because of Ian Charms have really changed my life and been such positive influences. They are the people that I really lean on — for work and completely personal things. For the first time, I’m finding people that really understand me, whether that’s a customer or another business owner. I just feel really understood during a really difficult, confusing time for me where I actually end up feeling pretty alone.

[Ian Charms] being something I didn’t even realize could bring people close together — and in such a happy, funny, DGAF way — is really hopeful for me. If this is the darkest time ever and I’m really getting through it with this business, and other people tell me that they get through whatever they’re going through because of their personal necklace that we made together, that’s such a cool thing to have when it’s really hard to have authentic connections right now.

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The post Lisa Sahakian: An Ian Charms Kinda Life appeared first on Boardroom.

This weekend, the Nike Air Force 1 begins its yearlong 40th anniversary celebration through a contemporary collaborator: Billie Eilish.

Born on the blacktop and beloved by hip-hop, the Air Force 1 is guarded by gatekeepers as if it’s a cultural castle. That’s mostly because it is. Reimagined by Billie through her “Mushroom” makeup, the always-strapped, vegan variation is a record scratch to OGs. While electing Eilish as first to sing “happy 40th birthday” may seem blasphemous to purists, challenging tradition is as hip-hop as it gets.

That’s because chopping up an oldie draws more attention than simply running back the same track. While Stüssy streetwear collabs, luxury Louis Vuitton takes, and glossy mid top makeups will play without pause in 2022, it’s easy to forget that many of these remixes were panned or caught flack when they were first unveiled. When flipping a classic, you bear both the burden and privilege of familiarity.

When the Air Force 1 turned 25 in 2007, Nike felt that weight. Rather than take the shoe into a new space, they doubled down on the bass that made it matter in the first place.

Calling in Cornerstone, the marketing agency built by FADER co-founder Rob Stone, the Swoosh sought out a way to amplify the birth of the basketball shoe that revolutionized the market when introduced in 1982. Rather than relying on hoops, high tops, or high-budget media spends, Stone saw another opportunity.

The return of the boom-bap.

No Money, No Problems

To Stone, the Air Force 1 didn’t need a commercial to catapult what was already a market mainstay on its 25th birthday. It needed a song.

And if done correctly, the sonic weight of a single could move feet and units more than any agency script.

“We got hit up by Nike to celebrate the Air Force 1 25th anniversary,” Rob Stone tells Boardroom. “Our pitch to Nike was to not spend any money in media because the original Air Force 1 was word of mouth and hip-hop.”

Leaning less on ads airing during Rob & Big and more into the essence of Stretch & Bob, Stone and his team sought to create a track that spoke to the spirit of the Air Force 1 without name-dropping Nike the whole time. This wasn’t supposed to look like paid content, but rather sound like pad content by assembling the best to ever bless a mic.

“Let’s get on radio, on mix shows, and into rotation,” Stone recalls pitching at the time. “And never buy a dime of media. Let it take on a life of its own.”

When considering the MC most associated with white-on-white Air Force 1s, hip-hop, and “business, man,” one name instantly soared to the top of Stone’s list. However, shooting for the moon would set the stage for landing in the stars — accidentally setting up the 2000’s most influential entry into the sportswear universe.

Roc Boys

In 2006, Jay-Z symbolized hip-hop unlike anyone else. After a 10-year run of chart-topping albums, brand-building, and putting on new artists in the market, the iconic rapper “retired.” He became president and CEO at Def Jam, marking a corporate takeover.

Most would have shelved sneakers for hard bottoms when transitioning from Baseline to the boardroom. But while Hov threw out his throwbacks, he kept rotating retro classics with designer sneakers in his new, buttoned-up role — most famously with his signature Reebok S. Carter. The low-top look paid homage to the Gucci Tennis ’84, an Italian-made status symbol for hustlers who came up in the Paid in Full era.

Jay had been inked to Reebok since 2002, but the contract was set to expire. His rap retirement theoretically made him less visible on stage, but much of Hov’s cultural sneaker cache came from equity tied to the Nike Air Force 1.

Because of this, Jay was the white whale for Nike and Cornerstone when it came to making a song about sneakers that wasn’t really about sneakers.

A comeback verse from the Jiggaman, of which he’d handed out few, would create the word-of-mouth buzz both brands sought after while staying true to the shoe’s roots and recent branches.

“We wanted Jay on the record, and we came close,” says Stone. “Jay would’ve done it, but he was asking for more from Nike, and we couldn’t close the deal.”

A bigger bag from the shoe company?

No, he wanted a broader deal.

“It’s typical of Jay because he’s very particular about his deals — and rightfully so,” notes Stone. “He knew saying no would lead to bigger money for him later, and it did. He had just started Roc [Nation] Sports at the time and was just coming out of the Reebok deal. He knew he could do a verse if they paid him, but he wanted a bigger conversation. So, credit to Jay-Z for that.”

Jay-Z’s patience unintentionally led Nike and Cornerstone down the Roc-a-Fella ladder.

“That was the reason we ended up going with Kanye,” says Stone. “That started the Kanye [and] Nike relationship.”

With Kanye in the clutches, Stone and his team brought on rap royalty from the ’80s and ’90s to connect all audiences in authentic fashion. The God MC, Rakim Allah, and The Teacher, KRS-One, symbolized the early innovation the shoe stood for while Nasty Nas bridged the gap between Gold School and Shutter Shades.

All they needed was a beat.

A Tale of Two Tracks

To coincide with the Air Force 1’s 25th anniversary, the song wouldn’t release until Feb. 20, 2007.

A Beaverton budget and no allocated media spends meant Stone and his team at Cornerstone could bring on any beat maestro to lace this posse cut. The first choice was obvious.

“We brought on Rick Rubin to produce the track,” Stone says.

As Ambrosia For Heads notes, Rubin played a part in the production of Run-DMC’s “My Adidas” two decades prior. His resume in rap and rock was (and still is) as strong as any producer in the game — possessing the power to disrupt radio waves and win over unexacting audiences.

Ironically, the man now known for being mostly barefoot was tasked to build a beat for Nike and a who’s-who list of MCs. Rubin chopped up George Benson’s “Give Me the Night” for a left-leaning statement song that was too outspoken for even the best to ever master the spoken word.

“None of them really liked the original Rick track,” admits Stone. “Nas pulled me aside and was like, ‘Am I being punked right now?’ Because it wasn’t a traditional hip-hop track.”

Understanding crossover radio more than most thanks to his work at Arista and relationship with The Notorious B.I.G., Stone phoned a friend who helped shape the sound for Ready to Die and Life After Death.

“I got DJ Premier to work on it before he went to Europe, and he delivered the track we ended up using,” shares Stone.

The behind-the-boards half of Gang Starr put his foot down with, well, force.

Possessing a black belt in beat-making, Preemo remixed Rubin’s original version. He kept all four verses and set them to a sample of Carl Douglas’ “Dance the Kung-Fu,” the not-so-famous follow-up to the surging single “Kung-Fu Fighting.”

Fittingly, the result was kick-ass. In signature fashion, Premier chopped up lines and soundbites from each MC, making a cut-and-paste hook that was not only on-brand for the artists but also the campaign message.

After two tries, the song was finished: “Classic (Better Than I’ve Ever Been) (DJ Premier Remix).”

Nike had their hit, now they needed to build the buzz. On Dec. 10, 2006, the Beaverton brand rented out Gotham Hall in the Mecca for an industry event that played like a fantasy to any hip-hop head. At the star-studded party, Swoosh execs watched with pride as Kanye, Nas, KRS, and Rakim rocked the stage in premium pairs of Air Force 1s, debuting the the song Stone engineered.

After the event, then-Nike CEO Mark Parker hopped on a private jet with the replacement rapper, Kanye West. 

Flying high in a friendly sky, the exec and the artist who just finished celebrating the past started drafting the future — sketching a signature styled strictly for fashion, fusing sport with hip-hop not just in adoption but rather ideation.

Fourteen months later, the world would see it for the first time.

Award Tour

Two years after Rob Stone recruited Rakim, KRS-One, and Nas to rap on a record about the Air Force 1, all entities were up for incentives that went beyond the bag each of them previously received.

“The song was nominated for a Grammy,” recalls Stone. “The only reason we lost was because Kanye had another song that won that category.”

At the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008, West won best rap performance by a duo or group for “Southside” with Common, beating out “Classic (Better Than I’ve Ever Been).” That night, Kanye took home four Grammys, shooting 50% from the field thanks to a show-best eight nominations.

Due to the success of his album Graduation, Kanye literally stole the show, too, by performing heartfelt adaptations of “Hey Mama” and “Stronger” and mourning the loss of his mother on the Staples Center stage.

On his feet were the shoes sketched while airborne with Mark Parker: a wear-test sample of the first-ever Nike Air Yeezy 1.

“We didn’t want people to see it until we decided the right time,” Nike designer Mark Smith told Nick DePaula in 2009. “The Grammys felt like the right time to do something, and we were far enough along on the design that we felt like it was going to evolve, but not change.”

The shoe sent the internet into a frenzy. For the majority of that year’s Glow in the Dark Tour, West performed on stage in sample styles of the Air Yeezy 1, appearing months later in said shoe at Nike’s Human Race event back in L.A.

While Nike knowingly has big plans for the 40th anniversary of the Air Force 1, led by Eilish’s collaboration releasing this weekend, the tale of the tape for the company, the silo, and music means much where history is served.

When considering Cornerstone’s architecture of the 25th anniversary campaign, the blurred lines between art and advertising were as pioneering as the shoe itself. (Stone notes that “Classic” would have been “the first time a brand song won a Grammy.”)

The Air Force 1 is now moving to the beat of another drum, but driving it forward is yet another cutting-edge artist in Eilish, who just performed at Coachella as the youngest-ever headliner. It isn’t all that different from the threading of “Classic,” considering modern sportswear was changed by an artist who wasn’t originally meant to spearhead the campaign in the first place.

Sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same.

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The post Kanye West, Nike & How the Air Force 1 Turned 25 appeared first on Boardroom.

Coachella 2022 set the bar high for festival season in Indio, California, over the weekend.

Harry Styles shimmered (and shimmied) in a custom Gucci sequin jumpsuit while debuting two new songs — “Boyfriends” and “Late Night Talking” — from his forthcoming third studio album Harry’s House during his first-ever headlining Coachella set on Friday night.

Billie Eilish took over Saturday night, becoming the youngest-ever headliner since the festival debuted in 1999. (Billie was born in 2001, by the way.) For our purposes, it’s worth noting that the seven-time Grammy winner rocked a pair of all-white PSNY x Nike Air Force 1 High sneakers ahead of her “Mushroom” Air Force 1 silhouette dropping next weekend.

The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia tag-teamed Sunday’s headline slot — replacing Ye — but before the first weekend came to a close, big-name brand activations took over the desert, too.

Coachella 2022 has 23 brand sponsors, including YouTube as the official livestream partner for music fans unable to attend.

Below, Boardroom highlights eight brands who established a presence and enhanced the experience for those who were camped out at Coachella.

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ABSOLUT

Absolut Vodka used Coachella to roll out Absolut.Land, a “Coachella-inspired pop-up experience” with “a festival-appropriate collection of digital fashion wearables,” as reported by Forbes.

There was an IRL vibe to go along with a presence in Decentraland:

The metaverse is a nice touch, but Absolut has been the official vodka of Coachella for the last 10 years. The only thing missing was Lizzo, who was busy handling double duty on Saturday Night Live, as she created Absolut Juice with the brand in August 2019.

American Express

Billie Eilish’s impact cannot be contained to a stage, even one as large as the main Coachella Stage.

American Express, one of the festival’s sponsors, partnered with Bravado and added a pop-up shop to its on-site Amex Lounge. There, American Express card members had access to limited edition merchandise from Eilish and Conan Gray, who made his Coachella debut earlier Saturday.

Other benefits for card members included “Sweet Treat Saturday,” access to relax at a wellness retreat on Sunday, and one free ferris wheel ride.

BMW

BMW’s “Road to Coachella” campaign starred Doja Cat as she prepared to make her debut solo performance at the festival:

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The luxury vehicle company continued to support Doja as her set drew closer:

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A post shared by Sasha Exeter (@sashaexeter)

“Road to Coachella” is an ongoing BMW campaign, and the last featured artist was Khalid in 2019.

BMW chose the right artist to revive the campaign with this year, as Doja was touted for the rap acumen on display during her set by the likes of IDK and Wale:

BMW isn’t the only brand attracted to Doja lately. The Monday after the Planet Her star claimed her first-ever Grammy earlier this month, JBL unveiled her as its newest brand ambassador.

InBetweeners

InBetweeners took the NFT space by storm in December. Created by Gianpiero D’Alessandro and Pasquale “Pavi” V. D’Avino, the collection racked up $18.6 million in transactions as of late February.

The instantaneous popularity has to be attributed at least in part to Justin Bieber’s support, as adorable as the digital teddy bears are on their own.

At Coachella, InBetweeners increased its footing in the music space with two afterparties in partnership with The h.wood Group and Kendall Jenner’s 818 tequila.

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Bieber joined Daniel Caesar on Friday night to perform their Grammy-nominated single “Peaches,” and then he and his wife, Hailey Bieber, hit the InBetweeners event, where they danced with Jenner while Zack Bia DJed.

The next night’s InBetweeners afterparty saw Travis Scott perform. Scott was removed from the official Coachella lineup in December after a crowd surge at his November Astroworld Festival in Houston killed 10 people and injured many more.

Liquid I.V.

Who is hotter than Jack Harlow right now?

The Louisville rapper earned his first solo No. 1 on Billboard ‘s coveted Hot 100 singles chart with “First Class” on Monday, and the feat comes after Harlow spent the weekend helping Liquid I.V. cool festivalgoers down with its House of Hydration launch on Saturday.

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Harlow, MAAD and Saweetie each performed, which was just an appetizer for what Harlow had in store later in the weekend.

And in the theme of foreshadowing, Liquid I.V. will follow up its Coachella debut with a Hydration Saloon at Stagecoach during the weekend of April 29.

New Balance

Jaden Smith didn’t perform at Coachella, but he spent his break from opening on Bieber’s Justice World Tour on festival grounds with a MSFTS pop-up for his Trippy Summer collection in conjunction with New Balance and Samsung.

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The pop-up gave attendees the first look at the newest colorway for the New Balance Vision Racer sneaker within the Sunset Chaser pack.

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Jaden was introduced as a New Balance brand ambassador in July 2019, and by July 2020, his Vision Racer silhouette arrived.

MSFTS is the 23-year-old multi-hyphenate talent’s skate and streetwear brand that he oversees with his sister, Willow, and brothers Moises Arias and Mateo “Téo” Arias.

Ray-Ban

Ray-Ban unleashed limited festival edition Stories smart glasses for anybody who came to visit at Coachella, promising a “journey through a mystic Mojave desert” and “an immersive dreamscape of energized sound, light and color:”

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TikToker and model Remi Bader documented her experience for those curiously following online:

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Actress and Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter Chloe Bailey (also known as Chlöe) and Euphoria breakout star Angus Cloud rocked pairs when stopping by the tent:

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The Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses collection was introduced last fall with Facebook and Luxottica, boasting technology that allows wearers to take photos or record videos.

Revolve

As teased above, Jack Harlow was back on stage for day two of Revolve Festival on Sunday:

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Revolve put on the festival within the festival — a hot spot for some of the industry’s hottest artists and their fans, such as Chloe x Halle, Post Malone, BIA, and Quavo. Film and television stars such as Timothée Chalamet (!) and Euphoria‘s Sydney Sweeney and Storm Reid got in on the fun, too.

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Revolve Festival’s in-house activations included Jenner’s 818 tequila, a Venmo swing ride with funds supporting Girls Inc., and the Spotify K-Pop Cafe.

Coachella will ramp up again next weekend (April 22-24) at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

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The post Coachella: A Brand Breakdown appeared first on Boardroom.

Billie Eilish Sets to Make ‘Simpsons’ Debut

Billie Eilish is everywhere these days. The 20-year-old sensation took over this year’s Grammy’s and, just this week, announced the next drop in her Nike collaboration. She took to Twitter to announce on Friday that she will make her debut on cultural cornerstone, The Simpsons. The episode will air on April 22 exclusively on Disney+, and will be entitled “When Billie Met Lisa.”

MLB Franchises Honor Jackie Robinson Across America

On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson broke through the color barrier and changed the game of baseball forever. Yesterday in ballparks across America, today’s baseball players, coaches, and umpires honored his legacy in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the historic event. Every ball player around the league. Additionally, LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s Uninterrupted announced that their film After Jackie will debut on The History Channel on June 18. 

Boardroom took a tour of renowned collector Seth Kaller’s collection of timeless Robinson memorabilia. Check it out!

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Harry Styles Kicks Off Coachella with Shania Twain

Festival season is officially underway. On Friday night, Harry Styles served as Coachella’s first headliner since 2019. The British superstar took the stage in a sequin two-piece outfit, and pieced together a set of new songs and old. He also was joined by Shania Twain for a nostalgic rendition of her hit “Man! I Feel Like a Woman.”

Syracuse Expected to Rename Iconic Carrier Dome

For the first time since 1979, Syracuse’s home arena is set to get a new name. The Carrier Dome has a new sponsor, JMA Wireless, which is reportedly set to rebrand the home of the Orange. The arena has sported the Carrier Dome title since the school secured a $2.75 million donation in exchange for lifetime naming rights. The Carrier company was a staple of the Syracuse community but encountered economic hardships in the early 2000s.

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The post Shaquille O’Neal Inks 3-year Deal with Papa John’s appeared first on Boardroom.

In this increasingly interconnected world, a broad portfolio of endorsements is perhaps as integral as chart positioning for any musician that dreams of achieving that gold-standard designation we call “multi-hyphenate.”

Sure, the onward march of commercialization in music is hardly new. Brand name-drops have been important to formulating iconic verses for decades (Biggie bodied a Pepsi freestyle 25 years ago). But the volume of reveals — and more notably, the cross-platform visibility of campaigns — has taken a different tenor in the age of social media.

Monday morning, Beliebers and Billie Eilish fans awoke to Vespa and Nike developments, respectively. Each partnership symbolizes a trend in artists ensuring their brand profiles are as cohesively representative of their personalities as their discographies.

Boardroom examines the latest in top musicians’ brand endorsements below.

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Justin Bieber

Bieber more or less grew up inside a display case for the whole world to witness. Now, he’s a 28-year-old married man. He has a clear understanding of his identity, passions, and values. Bieber’s brand alignments reflect his maturation process.

It was announced last week that Bieber attached online therapy platform BetterHelp to his Justice World Tour. BetterHelp committed $3 million to the initiative, which offers up to one year of free therapy to fans as well as 18 months of services from licensed therapists to his tour crew. The move comes roughly five years after Bieber canceled the remainder of his Purpose World Tour to tend to his mental health and overall well-being.

After taking that time away, Bieber is healthy and creating from a renewed place of freedom. That refreshed mindset extended to a collaboration with Vespa. The model designed by Bieber will be available for pre-booking April 20.

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“The first time I rode a Vespa was somewhere in Europe, probably either London or Paris,” Bieber explained in the official release. “I just remember seeing a Vespa and being like ‘I want to ride one of those’. And I had such a great time, just the wind flying through my hair, the freedom. It was fun.”

“Being able to collaborate with a brand that I have always loved, that’s what the best collaborations are,” Bieber added in the campaign video, directed and written by Rory Kramer.

Additional proof that Bieber only enters authentic partnerships came last month, when his clothing brand Drew House rolled out a special reverse jersey with the Toronto Maple Leafs — the Canadian star’s favorite team since boyhood in Stratford, Ontario.

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish’s ascension has been a Gen Z marvel.

The seven-time Grammy (and one-time Oscar) winner achieved ubiquity virtually instantaneously when she uploaded “Ocean Eyes” as a 14-year-old in 2016. The challenge for any young artist who rises so quickly to fame is to sustain in an industry constructed to burn you out.

Eilish has taken the concept of sustainability literally with her endorsement deals.

Her reimagining of the iconic Nike Air Force 1 sneaker silhouette, dubbed the “Mushroom,” will drop April 24 alongside an apparel collection:

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“For her own Air Force 1, she remixed the classic by choosing environmentally preferred materials,” Nike’s official release explains. “The Nike Grind midsole blends in with the tonal mushroom-colored upper, which itself is made with a synthetic nubuck material made from post-consumer recycled content for a super soft look and feel — all designed with sustainability in mind.”

Eilish debuted two Air Jordan silhouettes last September — also made with 100% vegan and 20% recycled materials:

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Before establishing an eco-friendly tone with Nike, the dark pop provocateur made waves at the 2021 Met Gala. She wore an Oscar de la Renta gown, but only after the designer agreed to be “completely fur-free in the future”:

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“The entire team heard me on this issue, and have now made a change that makes an impact for the greater good, not only for animals but also for our planet and environment too,” Eilish wrote on Instagram at the time. “I’m honored to have been a catalyst and to have been heard on this matter. I urge all designers to do the same.”

Eilish has the power to implement an industry-wide shift toward sustainability in fashion — one designer at a time.

Joe Jonas

The Jonas Brothers tested their athletic prowess for NBC’s Olympic Dreams Featuring Jonas Brothers. The television special aired around last summer’s Tokyo Olympics — featuring Joe, Nick, and Kevin competing in BMX, gymnastics, and track.

The experiment was a rude awakening for the JoBros — Nick ended up breaking a rib — but Joe is not to be deterred.

The 32-year-old has teamed with Peloton for the YouTube series On the Leaderboard With Peloton.

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The series will star celebrities answering a series of questions while walking and running on the Peloton Tread. The premiere will feature Usain Bolt on Wednesday, followed by Jonas in the second episode.

“When it comes to musicians, athletes and actors, we know that fitness is a critical part of how they prepare for the spotlight,” Peloton Head of Music Gwen Bethel Riley told Billboard. “On the Leaderboard With gives viewers a special glimpse at how fitness helps their favorite performers and Peloton instructors be their best selves, all in the context of an authentic and fun workout experience.”

Joe isn’t the only Jonas to implement fitness in his endorsement blueprint. Nick gifted his groomsmen Limebike scooters when he married actress Priyanka Chopra in late 2018.

And despite having their Olympic dreams dashed, the Jonas Brothers had plenty of endurance during their recent Remember This tour.

Doja Cat

Doja Cat is having herself an April.

The Planet Her rapper and singer-songwriter snagged her first-ever Grammy on April 3 for her Hot 100 hit “Kiss Me More” featuring SZA. She arrived on the red carpet with a blinged-out JBL Clip 4 Speaker, and the next day, she was named an official JBL brand ambassador.

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Doja started this week off strong, too, by sharing her #RoadtoCoachella in partnership with BMW:

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The campaign included a Doja-fied BMW iX.

“My road to Coachella means a lot to me in a way where I’m learning a lot about myself, my stamina, my voice, my instruments,” she says in the video. “It defines everything that I’ve done from day one. This is the biggest stage — ever, ever, ever.”

Doja is slotted on the Sunday slate at the annual festival in Indio, California. She’s set to perform April 17 and 24 — the same dates that recently underwent a headliner switch from Ye to The Weeknd and Swedish House Mafia.

Post Malone

Post Malone unlocked endorsement immortality by making Crocs cool again.

Everything else is gravy.

Posty is prominently aligned with Bud Light, including a Super Bowl LV commercial and Seltzer Session for New Year’s Eve 2021. The genre-blending chart-topper‘s alcoholic palette isn’t restricted to beer, even though it was revealed to Billboard earlier this year that he will launch “his very own beer” sometime in 2022.

Malone launched a signature rosé, Maison No. 9, in May 2020.

Recently, the 26-year-old unleashed a new campaign:

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Complete with charismatic, goofy videos — with a smidge of elegance:

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Plenty of wine-filled glasses will be clinked upon the arrival of Post Malone’s highly anticipated fourth studio album twelve carat toothache — a project rollout underpinned by brand embellishments.

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The post Musician Endorsement Roundup: Justin Bieber, Post Malone, Doja Cat appeared first on Boardroom.

The 64th Grammy Awards are overtaking the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday night. The hype for event, delayed and relocated for a second year due to COVID-19, is heating up.

Betting odds are fluctuating fast, as all of the categories were expanded to 10 nominees at the last minute.

The biggest showdown, though, will be between Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish. The latter became just the second-ever artist to sweep the Big Four categories back in 2020. Now, Rodrigo is eyeing the same feat and boasts seven nominations overall.

Below are the lines for many of the major categories as of Friday, according to My Bookie.

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Album of the Year

Olivia Rodrigo (Sour): -110
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga (Love For Sale): +400
Billie Eilish (Happier Than Ever): +600
Lil Nas X (Montero): +750
Taylor Swift (Evermore): +800
Doja Cat (Planet Her): +1000
Kanye West (Donda): +2000
H.E.R. (Back of My Mind): +2200
Jon Batiste (We Are): +3500
Justin Bieber (Justice): +4000

Record of the Year

Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga (“I Get a Kick Out of You”): +150
Olivia Rodrigo (“Drivers License”): +200
Billie Eilish (“Happier Than Ever”): +350
Silk Sonic (“Leave The Door Open”): +500
Lil Nas X (“Montero”): +800
Doja Cat Ft. SZA (“Kiss Me More”): +1500
ABBA (“I Still Have Faith in You”): +3500
Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Ceasar & GIVĒON (“Peaches”): +4000
Brandi Carlile (“Right On Time”): +4500
Jon Batiste (“Freedom”): +5000

Song of the Year

Olivia Rodrigo (“Drivers License”): -140
Billie Eilish (“Happier Tan Ever”): +300
Silk Sonic (“Leave The Door Open”): +650
Lil Nas X (“Montero”): +1000
Doja Cat feat. SZA (“Kiss Me More”): +1500
H.E.R. (“Fight For You”): +2200
Justin Bieber feat. Daniel Ceasar & GIVĒON (“Peaches”): +3000
Ed Sheeran (“Bad Habits”): +3000
Brandi Carlile (“Right On Time”): +4000
Alicia Keys & Brandi Carlile (“A Beautiful Noise”): +4500

Best New Artist

Olivia Rodrigo: -800
The Kid LAROI: +1000
Arlo Parks: +1500
Glass Animals: +2000
Saweetie: +2300
Finneas: +2500
Baby Keem: +3000
Jimmie Allen: +4000
Japanese Breakfast: +5000
Arooj Aftab: +5000

While Jon Batiste is the most-nominated artist at 11 nods, Rodrigo has made major waves withSour — capturing Gen Z and Tik Tok. After Batiste, the nomination field is crowded at the top with seven nominations each for Eilish and Rodrigo, as well as eight apiece for Bieber, Doja Cat and H.E.R.

Hosted by Trevor Noah, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top on music‘s biggest night. All we can say for now? “May the odds be ever in your favor.”

Want to bet on March Madness, too? Visit FanDuel.

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The post 2022 Grammy Odds: Olivia Rodrigo Leads the Way appeared first on Boardroom.

Billie Eilish doesn’t know any other way.

Eilish organically imposed her will on mainstream music by uploading “Ocean Eyes” to SoundCloud in 2016 at 14 years old. From that moment on, “viral” has unofficially become her fourth middle name.

The dark pop provocateur was asked about her growth Sunday night when she met with the press alongside Finneas O’Connell, her super-producer brother, after they claimed the Academy Award for Best Original Song for “No Time To Die,” the theme for the 2021 James Bond flick of the same name.

“You were an emo, sad-looking teenager, and now you’re laughing and having a good time,” one reporter felt the need to say to Eilish, as relayed by Deadline. “Do you feel like you’ve had a change in your career as the last few years have gone along?”

“I mean, I went from 14 to 20, so that’ll do it,” Eilish responded. “I was also a very young teenager. You know teenagers; it’s just growth and aging. I’m super happy. I’m just coming into being aware of what is good and around me. When you’re that young, it’s hard to understand how of a big a deal things are around you and how important things are.”

Eilish was newly 18 when “No Time To Die” dropped in February 2020 as the theme song for Daniel Craig’s final bow as James Bond, which was originally set for an April 2020 theatrical release. Due to COVID-19, it actually didn’t make its way into the world until last October.

That just gave Billie and Finneas’ smash hit even more time to dig its claws into the charts and show the mainstream of the music industry something it’s not in any way accustomed to seeing from motion picture theme music.

Typing out in plain language that winning an Oscar for “No Time To Die” is a moment of culmination for Eilish feels counterintuitive for reasons twofold: (1) she has crammed multiple mini culminations into her career already, and (2) she’s still so unbelievably young that it is impossible to project what indelible, unprecedented marks she has yet to make on the music business (to say nothing of the film industry she’s already been formally awarded for impacting).

For now, though, let’s marinate in the history associated with “No Time To Die.”

The evocative piano ballad’s impressive run on the charts and across streaming services has only been overshadowed by its creator’s compulsion to push envelopes — cycling through green, blonde, and jet black internet-breaking hairstyles in the process — in the two years since its debut.

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Initial Industry Impact

• Became Eilish’s first-ever No. 1 single in the UK on Feb. 21, 2020
• Became just the second-ever James Bond theme to hit No. 1 in the UK
• Recorded the “biggest-ever opening week” when it comes to James Bond theme songs with 90,000 combined first-week units and 10.6 million streams (h/t Billboard)
• Racked up 70 million+ views since the video hit YouTube in October 2020

Halfway to EGOT Status

• Earned Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 63rd Grammy Awards last March, bringing her total Grammy wins to 7 (or “007,” if you like)
• Beat out Beyoncé, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Van Morrison, and Diane Warren to claim the Oscar for Best Original Song at Sunday’s Academy Awards, making her the second-youngest person ever to win that Oscar
• Became the first person born in the 21st century to win an Oscar

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Bond at the Box Office

• Co-wrote and performed the title track for the finale of Daniel Craig’s five-film arc as 007 — both intimidating and monumental for Eilish and Finneas as lifelong Bond fans (“I just wanted him to love it,” she said.)
• The 25th installment in the James Bond franchise, No Time to Die grossed over $613 million at the international box office and over $774 million worldwide (h/t IMDb Box Office Mojo)

“No Time To Die” is sandwiched between two chart-topping, genre-busting albums from Eilish.

March 2019 saw the unleashing of her debut studio album WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? — fully recorded in hers and Finneas’ childhood home in Highland, California. (That same intimate authenticity produced universal resonance with “No Time To Die,” which was written on a tour bus in Texas.)

And the project’s relevancy has endured:

Consider that the album has never left the upper half Billboard 200 for more than three entire years running.

More specifically, WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP owned the top spot on the Billboard 200 for three weeks in the spring of 2019. It was headlined by the now-ubiquitous single “Bad Guy,” her first (and certainly not last) No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Eilish is currently on a world tour in support of Happier Than Ever, which dropped last July. Her sophomore album mirrored the first, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — once again staying there for three weeks — with 238,000 equivalent first-week US album units, as reported by Billboard at the time.

Together, Eilish’s early discography landed her seventh on the top-10 global recording artists ranking for 2021 as revealed in last week’s IFPI Global Music Report.

“No Time To Die” has lived up to its billing quite literally — from the charts and in the cultural canon, it appears to have no expiration date. The main takeaway from Billie Bossa Nova’s big night, though, is contextualizing her artistry as eternal beyond the song attached to her first Oscar statuette. Somehow, insane as it sounds, it feels like a footnote in the ever-evolving Eilish legend.

Next, she is up for seven Grammys — bringing her career nominations tally to 17 — at the 64th Grammy Awards on Sunday, April 3.

How could she feel anything but happier than ever?

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The post When Billie Eilish Hits the Charts, it’s Never Time to Die appeared first on Boardroom.

The 94th Academy Awards are on Sunday in Los Angeles, and movie fans attending Super Bowl-style watch parties and betting on award winners has become an annual tradition as synonymous with the evening as the Red Carpet and the who’s-wearing-what,.

While the illegal market is likely to be robust, there are four U.S. states where you can legally bet on the Oscars: Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan and New Jersey. As Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes, and Regina Hall host the event broadcast on ABC, betters from the Garden State to the Bayou will be focused on maximizing profits from those golden statues.

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Here are the lines for many of the major awards as of Thursday on FanDuel:

Best Picture

The Power of the Dog: -140
CODA: +105
Belfast: +1100
King Richard: +2300
Dune: +2800
West Side Story: +3500
Licorice Pizza: +5500
Don’t Look Up: +6500
Drive My Car: +6500
Nightmare Alley: +8000

Best Actor

Will Smith (King Richard): -600
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog): +550
Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick…Boom!): +1000
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of MacBeth): +2800
Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos): +4100


Best Actress

Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye): -140
Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos): +240
Kristen Stewart (Spencer): +500
Olivia Coleman (The Lost Daughter): +500
Penelope Cruz (Parellel Mothers): +1600


Best Director

Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog): -2400
Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza): +2300
Stephen Spielberg (West Side Story): +2300
Kenneth Branagh (Belfast): +2300
Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car): +2900

Best Supporting Actor

Troy Kotsur (CODA): -350
Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog): +230
Ciaran Hinds (Belfast): +1800
Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog): +2800
J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos): +3500

Best Original Screenplay

Licorice Pizza: -135
Belfast: +135
Don’t Look Up: +600
The Worst Person in the World: +1000
King Richard: +2900

Best Adapted Screenplay

CODA: -165
The Power of the Dog: +145
The Lost Daughter: +600
Drive My Car: +1600
Dune: +2400

Best Cinematography

Dune: -950
The Power of the Dog: +270
The Tragedy of MacBeth: +1600
West Side Story: +2300
Nightmare Alley: +2900

Best Film Editing

Dune: -105
King Richard: +200
The Power of the Dog: +300
Tick, Tick…Boom!: +1300
Don’t Look Up: +2100

Best Documentary Feature

Summer of Soul (…or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised): -310
Flee: +260
Attica: +1600
Ascension: +3200
Writing with Fire: +3500

Best Animated Feature

Encanto: -1100
The Mitchells vs the Machines: +800
Flee: +1000
Luca: +1700
Raya and the Last Dragon: +3500

Best Original Song

No Time To Die- Billie Eilish (No Time to Die): -250
Dos Oruguitas- Lin Manuel Miranda (Encanto): +220
Be Alive- Beyonce & DIXSON (King Richard): +700
Down To Joy- Van Morrison (Belfast): +1800
Somehow You Do- Diane Warren (Four Good Days): +1800

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The post Oscars Betting Odds: All the Favorites at the 2022 Academy Awards appeared first on Boardroom.

There are plenty of things to worry about in the world. The health of the music business is not one, as evidenced up and down the 2022 IFPI Global Music Report released Tuesday.

“Representing the recording industry worldwide,” the IFPI — or International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, if you like — relayed astounding growth in the business of recorded music throughout 2021.

These are the key figures to know:

• $25.9 billion in total revenues
• 18.5% recorded music market growth
• 21.9% increase in paid subscription streaming revenues, equivalent to $12.3 billion
• 523 million year-end 2021 paid subscription users
• 24.3% bump in total streaming to $16.9 billion — accounting for 65% of total global recorded music revenues
• 16.1% physical revenue growth
• 4% performance rights revenue growth

In 2021, the global recorded music market grew by 18.5%. Find out more about how exactly this broke down in IFPI’s Global Music Report, released today.

https://t.co/y7Q8uhZHiU#GlobalMusicReport pic.twitter.com/zRF5h06NWZ

— IFPI (@IFPI_org) March 22, 2022

The 27-page report features the IFPI top-10 global recording artists of last year. Here’s your honor roll:

1. BTS
2. Taylor Swift
3. Adele
4. Drake
5. Ed Sheeran
6. The Weeknd
7. Billie Eilish
8. Justin Bieber
9. Seventeen
10. Olivia Rodrigo

Fans are enjoying more music than ever, in so many different and new ways. This creates enormous opportunities for artists, alongside record companies which help them to achieve creative and commercial success.

https://t.co/y7Q8uhZHiU#GlobalMusicReport pic.twitter.com/3KLsA7v9xd

— IFPI (@IFPI_org) March 22, 2022

The Weeknd accounted for the top digital single with “Save Your Tears” at 2.15 billion streams. The artist born Abel Tesfaye owns the No. 7 spot on the list with “Blinding Lights” — a Billboard Hot 100 history-maker. Second place belongs to The Kid LAROI’s Bieber-boosted summer pop smash “Stay” at 2.07 billion streams.

Here is the full top-10 global digital singles chart for 2021:

1. The Weeknd, “Save Your Tears”
2. The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, “Stay”
3. Dua Lipa, “Levitating” (1.88 billion streams)
4. BTS, “Butter” (1.76 billion)
5. Olivia Rodrigo, “drivers license” (1.73 billion)
6. Justin Bieber (feat. Daniel Ceasar, Giveon), “Peaches” (1.72 billion)
7. The Weeknd, “Blinding Lights” (1.61 billion)
8. Olivia Rodrigo, “good 4 u” (1.61 billion)
9. Lil Nas X, “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” (1.60 billion)
10. Ed Sheeran, “Bad Habits” (1.57 billion)

The global top-10 album all-format chart is topped by Adele’s 30, her first project since 2015 that racked up 4.68 million global units to also nab the crown on the global top-10 album sales chart for 2021 as well as 862,000 global units for first place among global vinyl albums.

As technologies and the online environment continue to evolve and expand, so too do the creative opportunities to share music experiences, from the metaverse, to in-game content.

https://t.co/y7Q8uhZHiU#GlobalMusicReport pic.twitter.com/XnsuutqjRt

— IFPI (@IFPI_org) March 22, 2022

And here is how the full top-10 album all-format chart rounded out for 2021:

1. Adele, 30
2. Olivia Rodrigo, SOUR
3. Justin Bieber, Justice
4. Ed Sheeran, =
5. The Weeknd, After Hours
6. Dua Lipa, Future Nostalgia
7. The Kid LAROI, F*CK LOVE (mixtape)
8. ABBA, Voyage
9. Morgan Wallen, Dangerous: The Double Album
10. Doja Cat, Planet Her

“Around the world, record companies are engaging at a very local level, to support music cultures and bring on the development of emerging music ecosystems — championing local music and creating the opportunities for it to reach a global audience,” IPFI Chief Executive Frances Moore said at a press conference in London. “As more markets mature, they join with and contribute to the rich, globally interconnected music world.”

Recorded music revenues grew in every region around the world in 2021. With the release of IFPI’s Global Music Report 2022 today, find out more about how those revenue figures breakdown by format and region.

https://t.co/y7Q8uhZHiU#GlobalMusicReport pic.twitter.com/gY8xZp6rxl

— IFPI (@IFPI_org) March 22, 2022

“Consequently, today’s music market is the most competitive in memory,” Moore continued. “Fans are enjoying more music than ever and in so many different and new ways. This creates enormous opportunities for artists. Those who choose to partner with a record company, do so to benefit from the support of agile, highly responsive global teams of experts dedicated to helping them achieve creative and commercial success and build their long-term careers.”

Download IFPI’s 2022 “State of the Industry” report by clicking here.

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The post IFPI Global Music Report: Adele, The Weeknd Top the Charts appeared first on Boardroom.

Manchester City Lands Crypto Partnership with OKX

Man City is currently sitting on top of the Premier League and the club secured another win this week. Manchester City inked a partnership with Seychelle-based crypto exchange OKX, marking the company’s first foray into sports. As part of the deal, OKX will link with Man City’s men’s and women’s clubs and its esports outfit. The news comes the same week as Barcelona announced that it had struck down crypto sponsorship offers and plans to develop its own cryptocurrency. 

Billie Eilish Steps into the Metaverse 

We are just a month away from Billie Eilish’s headlining performance at Coachella. But first, the Gen Z darling is making her way to the metaverse. The singer-songwriter filed two new trademark applications for both her name and her iconic Blohsh logo, indicating that she is preparing to dip into the world of Web3. The trademarks cover a wide range of virtual goods from NFTs to video game software. Eilish is signed to Interscope, which is part of the Universal Music Group family, and announced its own NFT collection in collaboration with Billboard just one day earlier.

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WNBA Announces National TV Schedule Ahead of New Season

The WNBA is so important. The league began to lock in for its 26th season, as it released its national TV schedule for the upcoming season, which tips off in May. The W will broadcast 25 games across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2. Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Skyler Diggins-Smith will grace televisions everywhere with a league-leading eight scheduled games. 

Jack Harlow Jumps into Hollywood With Iconic Role Reprise

A young Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes launched their careers as an unlikely pair with a love for hoops. Now White Men Can’t Jump is returning to the silver screen with an updated cast featuring one of the decade’s biggest breakout stars. Jack Harlow has been tapped to play the Harrelson role in the upcoming film, which will be produced by black-ish creator Kenya Barris. 

Sweetgreen Surges with Most Profitable Quarter Since Public Launch

Fast food does not get much healthier than Sweetgreen. The salad chain went public last November and has a number of athletes invested as equity partners, including Naomi Osaka and Isiah Thomas. The earnings report posted higher-than-expected numbers and projected strong sales for 2022. Shares spiked 17% following the news.

WWE Looks to Tap In Newest Star with Upcoming Tryout

In advance of April’s Wrestlemania 38, the WWE is looking to find its next big star. It has invited over 50 student-athletes from around the country to come to Dallas for a three-day tryout. The WWE launched its first cohort of student athletes , including the Cavinder Twins and Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson, as part of its “Next in Line” program.

Yahoo Lands Exclusive Coverage of Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren in Advance of March Madness

In its first year, the variations of name, image, and likeness opportunities continue to develop. Yahoo Sports announced on Thursday that it has struck a first-of-its-kind exclusive media coverage deal with college basketball stars Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren. Additionally, the Duke and Gonzaga stars will serve as the faces of the Yahoo Sports Tourney Pick’em bracket game and help activate the experience across their social media platforms. In exchange, Yahoo Sports gets exclusive coverage with them throughout the tournament.

Pete Davidson Set to Join Blue Origin Moon Trip

These days, Pete Davidson is the undeserving target of a lot of anger directed from Kanye West. In a quest to escape, Davidson is reportedly joining Jeff Bezos‘ Blue Origin space team for a trip to the moon. The New York Post reports that Davidson will join a growing list of celebrities to make the trip. Late last year, NY Giants legend Michael Strahan joined the crew. The specific details of Davidson’s adventure are continuing to unfold at this time.

DoorDash Delivers with MLS Partnership

The MLS season kicked off last weekend, but things are only getting started. The league announced its newest partnership on Thursday, tapping DoorDash as its official on-demand delivery platform. DoorDash will invest heavily in the future of the sport, pledging $150,000 annually to help support the MLS NEXT program.

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The post Michael Jordan Mints New NFT as Part of HEIR Venture appeared first on Boardroom.

Billie Eilish has had a lot going on lately. But then again when doesn’t she?

At just 20 years old, Eilish is currently traveling the United States on her world tour in support of Happier Than Ever, her July sophomore album that debuted at No. 1. Around her 20th birthday in December, she pulled double duty on Saturday Night Live as host and musical guest. She already has seven Grammys to her name, and she’s nominated for seven more this year.

And Billie Bossa Nova’s universe just got that much more expansive.

Last Saturday, Feb. 26, the singer-songwriter and all-around pop-cultural icon filed two new trademark applications for her name and Blohsh logo that indicate she is entering the metaverse and getting involved with the world of crypto technology and NFTs.

Trademark attorney Mike Kondoudis shared the news Thursday:

Billie Eilish’s Trademark Filings

“BILLIE EILISH”

• Description: As stated in the official filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), “The mark consists of standard characters without claim to any particular font style, size, or color.”
• What it’s for: “Digital materials, namely, non-fungible tokens or NFTs; Downloadable digital media, name, digital collectibles created with blockchain-based software technology; Downloadable video game software; Downloadable virtual goods, namely, computer software programs featuring in-game resources, tokens, and virtual currency for use in video games and online virtual worlds.”

BLOHSH EMBLEM

• Description: Per USPTO, “The mark consists of the silhouette of a stylized human standing with his or her shoulders diagonally slanted. Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark.”

• What it’s for: “Digital materials, namely, non-fungible tokens or NFTs; Downloadable digital media, namely, digital collectibles created with blockchain-based software technology; Downloadable video game software; Downloadable virtual goods, namely, computer software programs featuring in-game resources, tokens, and virtual currency for use in video games and online virtual worlds.”

Eilish’s filing should come as no surprise, as similar filings have become an increasing trend across the entertainment industry. Just this week, Billboard and Universal Music Group announced a joint venture into the NFT space with “ChartStars.”

Eilish is signed to Interscope, a UMG label.

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The post Billie Eilish Makes Her Metaverse Move appeared first on Boardroom.

A-Rod Being Considered by ESPN to Host “Manningcast for Baseball”

Although the impending MLB season is on ice due to the ongoing lockout, ESPN is already putting the pieces in place for its return. Following the success of the Manningcast, the network is considering launching a baseball equivalent featuring Alex Rodriguez for its Sunday Night Baseball broadcast. The 14-time All-Star has charmed fans over the last several years as a booth announcer, but this type of format will allow him to have a less formal stream of consciousness throughout the broadcast and bring on players, friends, and pop culture icons. The move would be part of an overall shake-up for ESPN’s primetime production.

Kanye West and Billie Eilish Tapped to Headline Coachella’s Return

Music fans will swarm the polo fields in Indio in April as Coachella is set to return with a huge lineup. While the full bill has yet to be revealed, reports suggest that Kanye West and Billie Eilish have been tapped as headliners for two nights of the three-day festival. The third is often a “throwback” and has yet to be announced, but Variety reports that it may be supergroup Swedish House Mafia. 

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Mavs Unveil Statue as Franchise Celebrates Dirk Nowitzki

Forever 41. Mark Cuban and Dallas fans everywhere celebrated the legacy and impact of Dirk Nowitzki on the Mavericks franchise on Wednesday night. Cuban wore a custom t-shirt made for the event which featured Dirk’s draft night photo, commemorating the start of his 21-year career with the team, and raised his number 41 to the rafters. Additionally, the Mavericks revealed the design of the signature statue that will make its home outside of the American Airlines stadium. The celebrations were sweetened as the Mavs beat the Warriors 99-82. 

Future Technologies Revealed as CES Kicks Off in Vegas

After a year-long hiatus, the Consumer Electronics Show returned to Vegas on Wednesday. The annual conference highlights emerging technologies across a number of different industries. This year, the event kicked off with BMW‘s reveal of a color-changing car, which transforms with the touch of a button. Another highlight from day one includes PlayStation‘s foundation for the future of gaming with a VR console and VR controller, which is bound to alter the multi-sensory experience of gaming. 

Malik Rose Appointed G League’s Head of Basketball Operations 

Malik Rose has been named Head of Basketball Operations for the NBA G League and will oversee NBA G League Ignite. Rose had previously been working with the NBA Basketball Operations. The two-time Drexel alum replaces Brad Walker, who was named Commissioner of the America East Conference last summer. 

KFC Teams Up with Beyond Meat

Starting next month, vegans everywhere will rejoice as KFC announced on Wednesday that they are teaming up with Beyond Meat to offer a meat-free alternative on the menu. Following in the footsteps of the success of Beyond Meat’s beef-inspired lines, they’re looking to make strides in the chicken alternative market, and there is no more iconic partner than the Colonel. The launch will be for a limited time only but could tease a new direction for KFC.

Blitzer Extends Ownership Reach with Real Salt Lake Purchase

Just weeks after announcing his investment in the Cleveland Guardians, David Blitzer has revealed that he is expanding his sports team portfolio. Blitzer is part of an ownership group that is set to purchase MLS club Real Salt Lake, per Sportico. The acquisition gives Blitzer an ownership stake in five pro leagues with ownership stakes in the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Sixers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Guardians. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is also part of the ownership group. 

Drone Racing Enters the Metaverse

The Drone Racing League and Playground Labs are taking their talents to Web3, bringing together the worlds of gaming and blockchain technology. Together, they announced a partnership on Wednesday that will extend the DRL’s races into the metaverse, building out “the infrastructure of the metaverse economy” and enable users to earn “economic utility” as they play.  The DRL-Playground Labs news comes as the world of drone racing celebrates the 2021-22 DRL Algorand World Championship Season finale Wednesday night at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Lululemon’s Legal Woes Accelerate with Nike Suit

It pays to be a lawyer on the lululemon team as the Canadian-based sportswear company has recently been subject to a number of recent lawsuits. After suing Peloton around the design practices of the at-home fitness company’s signature line, Nike is now suing lululemon claiming that its at-home fitness product, Mirror, utilizes technologies developed by the Beaverton brand. Nike is seeking to cease production of products that include these patents and also to reclaim profits that were made from their previous use. 

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The post OpenSea Continues Wild Week with Successful $300M Series C appeared first on Boardroom.