America voted, the results are in, and the 10 contestants are locked-away for the America’s Got Talent finale.

Following the semifinals, six acts collected enough votes to qualify for the final. They are Acro Canine Crew (animal act), Come Here (dancers), Geno Ploeger (magician), Olivia Befus (animal act), Royal Lasers (laser dance act) and Veronika Goroshkova (aerial pole).

With those results, the dream ends for contestants Luke Taleno, the Cuba-born rapper; and Travis Garland, a vocalist on Dancing with the Stars.

The six selected finalists join four previously-announced Golden Buzzer winners: Hundred Fingers (magic group), Lai Noelle (singer), Nene Royal (singer/musician) and Unitree (robots).

Next up, the two-night conclusion of AGT season 21. Each finalist will perform on night one, next Tuesday, Sept. 22, with the results and winner announcement the following night, Wednesday, Sept. 23.

What’s at stake is a grand prize of $1 million, along with a headline spot in a Las Vegas live show. This season rung in the changes with a new Judges’ Callbacks round, which gave select performers a second chance to perform before the judges’ chose who to advance for the live round. Also, judges had an expanded total of 10 Golden Buzzers to play with.

Actors Howie Mandel and Sofía Vergara, and Spice Girl Melanie “Mel B” Brown made the big calls through the season alongside veteran judge and executive producer Simon Cowell, who recently underwent surgery and temporarily stepped away from judging duties. Heidi Klum and Kenan Thompson filled in for the Brit in recent weeks.

“We are praying that he can be back anytime soon. We know we got one week left. There is a chance. We can cross some fingers,” AGT host Terry Crews told Us magazine earlier this week. “But the biggest thing is, I want him to get better. I want him to get well.”

The AGT semifinals results episode aired Wednesday night, Sept. 16 on NBC and welcomed back Chris Turner, the improv rapper who placed second overall in the talent quest’s 20^th season.

Watch Turner’s performance and the results below.

Empire of the Sun will burn bright for a six-date tour of Australia and New Zealand next year, for what will be the act’s largest to date in the region.

Produced by Frontier Touring, the Ask That God: Afterlife Tour will get underway in New Zealand ​for a show Feb. 19, 2027 at Auckland’s Spark Arena, then skips across the ditch for concerts in Brisbane (Riverstage, Feb. 21), Sydney (​Afterpay Arena, Feb. 25), Melbourne ​(Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Feb. 27), Adelaide (​Adelaide Entertainment Centre, March 2), and Perth (RAC Arena, March 6).

Emperor Steele (Luke Steele) last toured these parts in 2024 for the Ask That God Tour, a journey that has sold more than 400,000 tickets worldwide.

The forthcoming jaunt is said to be the final live instalment of the Ask That God experience, expanding the universe introduced on the electronic act’s album of the same name, which dropped in 2024.

The reimagined show “celebrates imagination, transformation and connection in a rapidly changing world,” reads a statement from Frontier Touring.

“Ask That God: Afterlife feels like a tour of unknowns and possibilities — new visions, new plateaus, fragile breakthroughs,” Steele remarks. “I think things are going to happen on this tour that have never happened before. We can’t wait to take this music and this tour to new frontiers. Let’s break barriers together.”

Led by Steele and producer Lord Littlemore (Nick Littlemore), Empire of the Sun has released four albums, all of them cracking the top 10 on the ARIA Chart. Since the release of their debut album Walking on a Dream in 2008, the duo has shifted more than five million albums, captured six billion streams, won eight ARIA Awards, and two APRA Awards.

The single “Walking on a Dream” was an ARIA Top 10 hit in 2008, and belatedly drove into the Billboard 100 when it was synced to a Honda Civic commercial in 2016. In the United States, the song powered to No. 65 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs, their second leader on the tally after 2013’s “Alive.” “Walking on a Dream” is a member of APRA AMCOS’ Billions Awards club, entry to which is awarded to songwriter members who’ve achieved one billion streams with a song.

In July of this year, Empire of the Sun and Danny Ocean scored a goal with “Llego” (via SALXCO UAM and Def Jam Recordings), a release tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The general on sale for the tour down under begins Friday, Sept. 18 at 2pm local time. Frontier Members can access their presale tickets. For tickets and tour information visit frontiertouring.com/empireofthesun.

Empire of the Sun 2027 tour of Australia and New Zealand:

Friday, Feb. 19 — ​Spark Arena, Auckland, NZ
​​Sunday, Feb. 21 — ​Riverstage, Brisbane, QLD
​​Thursday, Feb. 25 — ​Afterpay Arena, Sydney, NSW
​​Saturday, Feb. 27 — ​Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne, VIC
​​Tuesday, March 2 — ​Adelaide Entertainment Centre, SA
​​Saturday, March 6 — ​RAC Arena, Perth, WA

For Tinashe, opening up for an artist isn’t just about getting onstage in front of a huge crowd. She wants to know that the artist, as well as their fans, will actually give her room to be herself.

So when Harry Styles came calling, she was ready to say yes.

Speaking at the Spotify x Coach event in New York City on Wednesday (Sept. 16), Tinashe talked about joining Styles’ on his upcoming Together, Together stadium tour, noting that she’s already opened for some of the music industry’s biggest names, including Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Beyoncé and Maroon 5.

“I reached the point where I was like, ‘I’m not gonna open for anyone unless I feel like they really understand what I’m about,’” she said.

Styles, she added, fits that criteria. Tinashe praised the singer for being “very open to the artistry” and focused on making sure fans have a good time. She points to the fact that that’s something she sees as the heart of live music and performances.

“I’m excited to be able to get up there in Phoenix,” she said, before imagining the scale of the shows. “I never perform my songs in a stadium.”

Tinashe will open both of Styles’ April 2 and 3 shows at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, kicking off the North American leg of his expanded Together, Together tour. The 2027 stadium run will also bring Styles to Pasadena, Dallas, Toronto, Atlanta and Chicago, with a different special guest joining him as a supporting act in each city.

The timing also finds Tinashe as she’s entering a new era. Her fifth studio album, Popstar, is due Sept. 25, following 2024’s Quantum Baby. Her “No Broke Boys” collaboration with Disco Lines also became her second U.S. top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 39.

Watch the full video of Tinashe’s response below.

Prince Royce may be disappointed that his highly anticipated collaboration with Romeo Santos, Better Late Than Never, did not receive a nomination for the Latin Grammys on Wednesday (Sept. 16). But what seems to hurt him the most is that the best merengue/bachata album category did not include a single bachata production.

In an open letter posted to his Instagram Stories, the “Prince of Bachata” reflected on this lack of representation.

“I’ve always understood that awards are subjective and that no artist is guaranteed a nomination. But when an institution decides to include the name of a culture and a genre in a category, it also assumes the responsibility of knowing, respecting and representing them,” he wrote.

“This year, when looking at the projects nominated for best merengue/bachata album, I noticed that there isn’t a single bachata album and that approximately only 15% of the music in these albums is bachata. Let’s think about that,” he continued. “This isn’t about discrediting merengue, a genre that also deserves to be celebrated, respected and protected. It’s about asking a very simple question: if bachata is in the name of the category, where is the representation of bachata?”

The nominees for best merengue/bachata album this year are Fariana (Música Para Bailar), Manerra (Todo Llega), Gabriel Pagán (No Era El Plan), Covi Quintana (Oye Eta Vaina) and Techy (Chula).

Better Late Than Never, released as a surprise in November 2025, debuted at No. 1 and No. 2 on the Tropical Albums and Top Latin Albums charts, respectively, with nine of its songs debuting on the Hot Latin Songs chart — a career high for both artists. The album also marked a long-awaited collaboration between the two greats, featured on the cover of Billboard Español.

Its complete omission from the 2026 Latin Grammy nominations was one of the most notable snubs on Wednesday morning.

When asked about it by Billboard, Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy, suggested that this matter was beyond his control. “At the end of the day, it is our membership that votes, and we manage the process,” Abud said. “If, for one reason or another, our membership has not recognized these works, I can’t tell you why. I’m neither qualified, nor is it my role.”

Santos, arguably the biggest bachata star since the 1990s when he rose to fame as the leader of Aventura, has only received four Latin Grammy nominations since launching his solo career in 2011. He has won just one: in 2023, for best merengue/bachata album with Fórmula, Vol. 3. Royce, on the other hand, has been nominated 15 times but has yet to win. Both artists boast multiple No. 1 hits on the Billboard charts.

Read Prince Royce’s full letter below:

I’ve always understood that awards are subjective and that no artist is guaranteed a nomination. But when an institution decides to include the name of a culture and a genre in a category, it also assumes the responsibility of knowing, respecting and representing them.

This year, when looking at the projects nominated for best merengue/bachata album, I noticed that there isn’t a single bachata album and that approximately only 15% of the music in these albums is bachata.

Let’s think about that.

This isn’t about discrediting merengue, a genre that also deserves to be celebrated, respected and protected. It’s about asking a very simple question: if bachata is in the name of the category, where is the representation of bachata?

And having Dominican artists nominated doesn’t automatically mean that bachata is being represented. Being Dominican is a nationality. Bachata is a genre, a culture and a history with its own identity.

For decades, bachata has fought to be respected and to occupy the place it deserves on the global stage. If including the word “bachata” in this category is intended as a way to recognize, preserve and include the genre, then that representation has to go far beyond simply putting its name in the title.

But when not a single bachata album is included in the only “bachata” category, this stops being about whether I receive a nomination or not.

It’s about representation.

We are always told that the Latin Recording Academy awards should not be based on streaming numbers, chart positions, or popularity, but on musical excellence. On that, we agree.

But they also shouldn’t become a popularity contest within the industry itself, where relationships, campaigns or who has more friends carry more weight. Bachata deserves more than just being included on paper. It deserves representation. It deserves to be understood. And it deserves respect.

Not long after Macklemore challenged Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft to match his $1 million donation to organizations supporting the Palestinian people, the billionaire has responded by saying Ed Sheeran previously asked him to “commit” $2 million “to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis.”

“I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people,” Kraft wrote in a statement released Wednesday (Sept. 16). “I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting. Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis. Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.

“In addition, I’d like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships.”

Notably, Kraft did not specify if, or when, he would be committing the money, or which organization or organizationss would be the beneficiaries of the funds. For his part, Macklemore said he would donate the $1 million, representing his net earnings from Sheeran’s tour, to six organizations supporting Palestinians: Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, the UNRWA USA National Committee and Anera.

A representative for Kraft’s company, The Kraft Group, did not immediately return Billboard‘s request for clarification on whether, and where, Kraft would be committing those funds.

Macklemore’s challenge followed the rapper’s removal as an opener on Sheeran’s Loop Tour in the U.S. due to statements he made in support of Palestinians at Sheeran’s tour stops at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sept. 4 and 5. His comments, which included the phrase “Free Palestine,” were accompanied by a performance of Macklemore’s 2024 track “Hind’s Hall” — which accuses the Israeli government of committing genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza — alongside images of the violence. Notably, the United Nations has also classified Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide, though Israel and its close ally the U.S. have denied this. Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported that more than 73,000 Palestinians have died from repeated Israeli strikes as of July, while countless others have faced displacement, homelessness and hunger.

On Monday (Sept. 14), the Loop Tour’s U.S. promoter, Messina Touring Group, released a statement announcing that Macklemore had indeed been removed from the lineup. “We have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” the statement read. “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”

When Macklemore addressed his removal from the tour later that day, he alleged that Kraft had threatened to cancel Sheeran’s upcoming shows at Gillette Stadium unless Macklemore was dropped from the bill. The rapper further claimed that Kraft had “rallied” owners of other stadiums on the trek and that Sheeran had been given an “ultimatum” that he would not be permitted to play in their venues unless Macklemore got the boot.

On Tuesday (Sept. 15), Kraft responded with a statement claiming Macklemore had “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community,” and that to allow him to perform at Gillette Stadium “would cross [a] line.”

Later on Tuesday, Sheeran released his own statement, in which he claimed that Macklemore’s removal from the tour had been the “venue’s and promoter’s decision,” and that he had spent that last week “trying to build bridges” by speaking with the stadiums along with “activists on both sides.” He added, “However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.”

In the wake of the controversy, all of the remaining opening acts on Sheeran’s tour, including Aaron Rowe, Finneas and Lukas Graham, dropped out of the trek and posted statements in support of Macklemore’s support of Palestinians.