A civil lawsuit from the parents of murdered teenager Celeste Rivas Hernandez has opened up a second front in D4vd’s legal battle. This new case doesn’t just target the “Romantic Homicide” singer – it also claims his managers are partially at fault for Rivas’ sexual abuse.

The claims by Mercedes Martinez and Jesus Rivas Alvarado, obtained by Billboard, were submitted to Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday (Sept. 4). 21-year-old D4vd (born David Anthony Burke) was already facing criminal charges alleging he stabbed Rivas to death and dismembered her body after the 14-year-old threatened to go public with their illegal sexual relationship in April 2025. He has pled not guilty.

It’s common for the families of murder victims to bring their own private lawsuits in addition to the criminal process; OJ Simpson, for example, famously faced lengthy civil litigation despite his acquittal. Like in D4vd’s criminal case, the new civil lawsuit alleges that the singer acted alone in killing Rivas, and he’s the only one facing claims for wrongful death. However, Rivas’ parents are alleging that various people in D4vd’s orbit should also be held financially liable for the sexual abuse of Rivas, which allegedly began when she was 13 years old.

Among those accused of negligence in the lawsuit are D4vd’s management company, Mogul Vision, its CEO Josh Marshall and his day-to-day manager Robert Morgenroth. The group had guided D4vd’s ascendant pop career since its early days; D4vd told Billboard in a 2023 interview that Marshall discovered him on SoundCloud before the success of his breakout 2022 single “Romantic Homicide.”

The new lawsuit alleges that the Mogul Vision team, alongside D4vd’s mother and live-in security guard, “made arrangements that enabled Burke to be alone with Decedent and to continue his abuse of her.” It says Mogul Vision leased the Hollywood Hills home where D4vd lived, and that Morgenroth even had his own room at the house.  

“[They] knew or should have known of Burke’s dangerous propensities toward, and sexual exploitation of, Decedent, a minor, and failed to take reasonable steps to protect her, to supervise Burke, or to prevent the continued abuse,” reads the lawsuit.

Rivas’ parents are seeking unspecified financial damages in the case. Marshall and Morgenroth did not immediately return requests for comment on the claims.

Legal experts tell Billboard that D4vd’s managers might indeed be on the hook, depending on what the facts and evidence ultimately show. “Enabling child sex abuse is a crime, and in the civil courts, a person or entity can be held civilly liable for its role in allowing the abuse to occur,” says Dave Ring, an attorney who specializes in sexual abuse litigation.

“The relationship between D4vd and Celeste went on for some time,” says Ring. “How did D4vd’s key personnel not know what was taking place? That will be the main focus of the lawsuit.”

James McMillan, a lawyer and founder of the label and management company Art@War, notes that the Mogul Vision team could be in trouble even if they weren’t explicitly told Rivas was underage. That’s because the negligence standard allows for liability when a person “should have known” about wrongdoing — that is, if they turned a blind eye to something obvious.

“It’s not just if they knew specifically, but if they should have known based on inferences,” says McMillan. “What did she look like? Did she look like a little kid? That would be up for a jury or a judge to decide.”

For McMillan, the lawsuit serves as a reminder that managers “have a responsibility as human beings to govern ourselves accordingly and be good citizens.” While the D4vd case is extreme, he says that managers are often put in tough positions with their artist clients, whether that be witnessing criminal conduct or just bad behavior that reflects poorly on them.

“You’ve got a decision to make whether you want to be involved in something like that or if you want to turn a blind eye,” says McMillan. “Managers who are smart have to make decisions that are in alignment with the longevity and success of their long-term career and not get caught up in the moment with an artist.”

ROSÉ is giving fans a first taste of her next song, and she’s doing it through Apple’s latest “Shot on iPhone” campaign.

Both Apple and the singer’s official Instagram accounts announced Wednesday (Sept. 9) that “new trick” will arrive Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. The song is accompanied by a music video directed by Dave Meyers and filmed entirely on Apple’s newly unveiled iPhone 18 Pro.

ROSÉ gave fans just a few seconds of the track in a teaser. In the clip, she holds a purple-burgundy lollipop — reminiscent of a Tootsie Roll Pop — while the words “new trick” cover the candy wrapper. The preview features the song’s audio, including the lyrics, “Lovesick, I’ll pick my heart off the floor / New trick, watch this, watch this, ow!” A distorted electric guitar and layered vocals give the brief snippet a punchy, slightly gritty edge.

The song’s visual debut also puts ROSÉ at the center of Apple’s newest “Shot on iPhone” campaign, which has previously recruited some of pop’s biggest names, including The Weeknd‘s “Dancing in the Flames,” Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Get Him Back!” and Lady Gaga‘s “Stupid Love.”

For the latest installment, Meyers — whose credits include music videos for artists including Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Kendrick Lamar — takes on “new trick” using the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera system. Apple announced that the new model introduces variable aperture control to the iPhone for the first time.

The announcement comes as ROSÉ continues to build on a major run as a solo artist following her debut studio album, rosie, which dropped in December 2024. Her Bruno Mars collaboration “APT.” provided an even bigger chart breakthrough, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“new trick” now appears poised to introduce another side of ROSÉ’s career. While the short teaser leaves plenty about the song under wraps, its electric guitar, stacked vocals and playful candy-centered imagery give fans a glimpse at what ROSÉ has in store.

“new trick” arrives Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET / Sept. 18 at midnight BST and 8 a.m. KST.

Watch the full teaser below.

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Alanis Morissette is getting into the holiday spirit a bit early, and she’s bringing Martin Short along for the sleigh ride.

During a new appearance on Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper, Morissette shared that she and Short are teaming up for a song on her upcoming holiday album. The pair will perform a rendition of a Judy Garland classic, making this collaboration an unexpected one between the “You Oughta Know” singer and the comic actor.

“There’s a Judy Garland song that Martin Short and I are going to do,” Morissette told Cooper when asked about her favorite track on the forthcoming project. She also named “What Child Is This” and “Little Drummer Boy” as some of her favorite songs to sing on the album.

The collaboration is part of Morissette’s first holiday album, which grew out of a tradition she started in recent years. The singer explained that she had been recording a holiday song each Christmas, and eventually she realized she had accumulated enough songs to turn it into a collection of a full-length record.

“Every Christmas over the last few years, we’ve done sort of one song,” she said. “I love singing these songs. I wrote a couple of new songs and we just made a record.”

The album will also feature new original songs including “To an Empathic Christmas Time” and “Christmas on the Dance Floor.” Morissette described the project as a “labor of Christmas love,” adding that her enthusiasm for the holiday has only grown since her son Ever was born on Christmas Day.

The holiday album isn’t the only thing Morissette teased during the conversation. The singer is also preparing for her new Los Angeles residency, Butterfly With a Machete, which begins in November. The show will blend music with storytelling and reflections from her life, including her experiences with menopause and aging.

Morissette explained that the show is partly inspired by the idea of rejecting expectation that women should “stay in your lane.” Instead, she wants the residency to embrace the different sides of herself, incorporating music, comedy, dance, movement, visuals, and storytelling.

“It’s about me grappling with the too muchness,” she said, describing the project as an opportunity to tell stories she once didn’t feel mattered.

Watch the full conversation below.

While plenty of other star rappers of the 2020s have fallen on slightly harder times chart-wise at mid-decade, Rod Wave just keeps on winning.

The Florida rapper’s latest album, Don’t Look Down, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this week (dated Sept. 12), with 99,000 first-week units moved. The No. 1 marks his fourth time topping the chart in six tries this decade — with his only two albums to miss (including DLD‘s predecessor, 2024’s Last Lap) peaking instead at No. 2 — and the 16 songs the set charts on the Billboard Hot 100 this week move him into triple-digits for career entries on that listing.

How has he managed to stay such a consistent performer? And is he doing anything particularly new on the new set? Billboard staffers answer these questions and more below.

1. Rod Wave’s Don’t Look Down debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 99,000 first-week units. Is that first-week performance better, worse or about what you expected?

Christopher Claxton: This is honestly a bit surprisingly low — it’s his lowest album sales total since 2020’s Pray 4 Love, which moved 72,000 units in its first week.That’s crazy to me because this is a really great project, and Wave continues to perfect his ability to deliver poetic lines over modern trap production. He also samples some classic records from the 2000s and 2010s, so I would’ve expected that to help drive streams and spark more conversation around the project.

Kyle Denis: This is pretty much exactly what I expected. The Don’t Look Down singles didn’t reach the same level of crossover notoriety of past hits like “Fight the Feeling” and “Street Runner,” and Rod’s studio albums normally open in the low six-figure range. All things considered, 99,000-unit start is right on target. 

Carl Lamarre: Despite nailing his fourth No. 1 album, I have a little bit of concern for Rod. You have to remember, he’s a perennial six-figure brother when debuting on the Billboard 200. So when he’s legitimately a hair short of that sacred 100k mark, it has to give you a bit of pause. He’s still very young, though — he hasn’t even sniffed his 30s yet — and he didn’t have a robust single this time around, despite the moderate success of “Piece of Your Love.” Regardless, a No. 1 is still a No. 1. Plus, he netted 16 songs on the Hot 100. That’s nothing to sneeze at.

Michael Saponara: I would say slightly lower than expected because his last two albums did at least 127,000 first-week units. With it being nearly two years since Last Lap, I figured Rod would cruise to a six-figure total with Don’t Look Down. 

Andrew Unterberger: It’s a touch low for his standards — but streaming totals have been down for the biggest artists pretty much across the board lately, and he’s never been a physical seller, so I don’t think the downtick is necessarily that meaningful.

2. Don’t Look Down marks Rod Wave’s fourth No. 1 album of the 2020s, with each of his six releases reaching the top two. What’s the biggest reason why he’s managed to stay so consistently successful without major hits or pop culture crossover moments? 

Christopher Claxton: Rod Wave is a man of the people. He gives his fans exactly what they ask for, and he’s incredibly tapped in with the youth. I actually first discovered Wave because a bunch of kids put me on to his music. And once you’re locked in with the kids, you really can’t fail. They may not always have the money to buy your music, but one thing they will do is stream and stream, and stream. On top of that, no matter how subjective it may be, good music is good music, and Rod makes just that.

He’s selling out arenas every chance he gets, with crowds going crazy the second he touches the stage. He may not have the biggest mainstream appeal, but what he does have is something arguably more valuable: real impact, a loyal audience and a movement behind him.

Kyle Denis: He knows how to cater to his base, and he’s as loyal to them as they are to him. He isn’t padding his albums with chemistry-devoid collaborations or hopping into different genres to chase a larger trend. Even when he deepens his sound — the bluesy influences of his older work have morphed into all-out indie-folk-indebted moments like the Hazlett-assisted “Keep Dancing” — he remains committed to his lyrical tentpoles of reflection, heartbreak and emotional turmoil.

Carl Lamarre: Have you been to his concerts? What might be the most befuddling part of his fan base is the sheer diversity of it. Take my little brother: He’s 15 and treats Rod like the second coming of Christ. It’s a spiritual experience when you go to a Rod Wave concert because of the connectivity and relatability of his music. While Carti proudly holds the keys as hip-hop’s edgelord, it’s Rod who’s rocking the throne for the sadboy generation. He makes it cool to be in your feelings, regardless of race.

Michael Saponara: It’s the strong connection with his fan base and his consistency. Whenever it’s album time for Rod Wave, fans know what to expect. Rod wears his heart on his sleeve, turning his pain into a cathartic release with his melodic blend of trap-soul. 

Andrew Unterberger: He’s got one of the strongest brands in hip-hop right now. You know what you’re getting from a Rod Wave album, and it never feels forced or sweaty — or lazy or phoned-in.

3. In your opinion, does Don’t Look Down offer anything particularly new or different to you from Rod Wave’s established sound and brand? 

Christopher Claxton: With minimal features and 68 minutes of music, Don’t Look Down is Rod Wave doing what he does best: giving his fans another great project. The production is solid, and he touches on everything from love to the hustle while staying true to the sound his audience has come to expect. What feels especially interesting this time around is how Rod incorporates some classic records into his own music. He flips DMX’s “How’s It Goin’ Down” on “Piece of Your Love,” reworks Ed Sheeran’s early hit “Kiss Me” on “Kiss Me Interlude” and puts his own spin on The Fray’s “You Found Me.”

I think that’s one of the most interesting parts of this album. Rod is using music people already have an emotional connection to and putting his own spin on it, helping bring back a feeling that some listeners may not have felt in years. It’s nostalgic, but it still sounds like Rod Wave.

Kyle Denis: I think the Hazlett collaborations are really cool (the saxophone on “Keep Dancing” is everything!), and his singing voice has certainly improved. I wish he wouldn’t feel so beholden to trap beats, though. The album’s best and most memorable moments are when he shifts away from standard beat choices and towards more inspired arrangements, like those booming, ‘80s-nodding drums on “Florida Boy.” 

Carl Lamarre: Not really, but I do appreciate the nods to Drake, Lil Wayne and Ed Sheeran. From the interpolation of Wayne’s “Every Girl” verse, to the numerous Drizzy shoutouts on “Take Care,” to reminding fans why Big Ed remains one of his favorite people, I enjoy Rod’s shameless admiration for his heroes. It gets me every time.

Michael Saponara: Don’t Look Down builds on Rod Wave’s brand of vulnerability as a hip-hop and R&B hybrid, but this time around the album sounds more expensive. “One More Time” pulls on the nostalgia of flipping Selena’s “Dreaming of You” classic, while Rod interpolates Lil Wayne and Young Money’s “Every Girl.” He even recalls backpack Kanye to use “Last Call” for a lift on the opening and closing tracks. 

Andrew Unterberger: The interpolations on the album are nothing new for Rod Wave, but they certainly feel more pervasive than ever before. Occasionally it can be distracting, but Rod is a soulful and musically diverse enough dude that it always still feels like him, regardless of whether he (or his guest vocalists) are interpolating Tears for Fears and The Fray or Drake and DMX. It just makes his musical world feel a little bigger, which is cool.

4. Rod Wave notches 16 entries on the Hot 100 this week, led by the re-entering “Piece of Your Love” (No. 40) and “Hustle” (No. 48). Do you see this album having any long-lasting hits on the chart, or will they all most likely fall off in the next couple weeks? 

Christopher Claxton: Rod Wave has more than 10 songs that have spent multiple weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, so it’s very likely we’ll see some of these tracks have similar staying power. I’m just not entirely certain which yet.

Kyle Denis: My gut tells me they’ll mostly fall off the chart in the coming weeks, but “Keep Dancing” truly does have potential. 

Carl Lamarre: I don’t think so, but with Rod, you never know. He has the tour kicking off this week, so maybe something could pick up. I would love for “Mainstay” to be the firestarter among the bunch.

Michael Saponara: If there’s a horse to bet on here, it’s “Piece of Your Love,” but I think many of the songs will fade off the charts in the coming weeks. 

Andrew Unterberger: I think they’ll mostly be off the Hot 100 in the next couple weeks, and that’s fine for Rod Wave. He’s never been about hit singles anyway.

5. Many of the biggest rappers of the early-decade seem to be struggling to maintain the commercial consistency that Rod Wave has seemingly kept up very naturally — is there anything in particular you think they can learn from his example? 

Christopher Claxton: Like I was saying earlier, to me, Rod’s main demographic seems to be younger listeners. Adults obviously love his music too, but it feels like he’s really playing to his strengths by connecting with fans between the ages of 13 and 30.

I think the biggest lesson artists can take from Rod is to know your audience and give them what they want while still staying true to yourself.

Kyle Denis: Pay attention to why fans originally gravitated towards you and amplify that instead of abruptly abandoning that sound/aesthetic.  

Carl Lamarre: Give the fans a reason to connect with you. This is probably the hardest time for people to live and survive. Nobody can relate to the chains and cars, but they can relate to heartbreak, loss and dream chasing. That’s why fans glommed onto Drake and Cole — especially the latter — so much in the early days. These two unicorns understand the power of connecting on the same level versus merely looking down from their steep pedestal.

Michael Saponara: Rod Wave’s a tough blueprint to follow, but artists can appreciate his consistency and building a brand that delivers without frills or straying too far away from what got him there. Much like NBA YoungBoy, Rod’s been able to sell out arena tours across North America and not have to fall prey to the social media antics and tabloid traps many rappers fall into. It’s like Rod has carved out a lane being the rare niche superstar in hip-hop. 

Andrew Unterberger: Know who you are, know who your fans are, and keep the main thing the main thing.

Two weeks after her Aug. 25 death, new music from Dolly Parton has emerged.

“Bound to Ride,” credited to Dolly Parton & The First Ladies of Bluegrass, came out Wednesday (Sept. 9). The song, which features banjoist Alison Brown, fiddle player Becky Buller, mandolin player Sierra Hull, bassist Missy Raines and guitarist Molly Tuttle, is part of Where the Soul Never Dies: Celebrating 80 Years of The Stanley Brothers, which comes out Oct. 16 on Compass Records.

Parton, singing to a track already laid down by the First Ladies of Bluegrass, recorded her part in isolation during COVID, according to Rolling Stone, which premiered the song, originally released by the legendary Stanley Brothers in 1964.

However, the dynamic track sounds incredibly lively and cohesive, with Parton giving a delightfully spirited vocal delivery and even adding in ad libs like, “Pick it girls!,” and calling out the musicians by name as they go into solos.

Parton grew up playing bluegrass and early on in her career released a cover of Jimmie Rodgers’ bluegrass standard “Mule Skinner Blues.”

She frequently returned to her love of bluegrass, including recording three seminal bluegrass albums for Sugar Hill Records, in 1999 (the Grammy-winning The Grass Is Blue), 2001 (Little Sparrow) and 2002 (Halos & Horns).

Fans know there’s at least one more unreleased track coming from Parton: “My Place in History,” a song Parton wrote in 2015, has been placed in a lockbox at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, with strict instructions from Parton for it to be unveiled on Jan. 19, 2046, which would have been her 100th birthday.   

Where the Soul Never Dies also includes Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, Billy Strings, Dierks Bentley, The Travelin’ McCourys, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Rhiannon Giddens, Steve Martin, Jim Lauderdale, Tim O’Brien and more taking on Stanley Brothers classics.

Where the Soul Never Dies track list:

1. “If I Lose” – Billy Strings & Drew Emmitt
2. “Bound to Ride” – Dolly Parton & The First Ladies of Bluegrass (Alison Brown, Becky Buller, Sierra Hull, Missy Raines, Molly Tuttle)
3. “Rank Strangers to Me”- Jamey Johnson & Shawn Camp
4. “Riding That Midnight Train” – Jim Lauderdale & The Traveling McCourys
5. “I’ll Fly Away” – Willie Nelson & Sierra Ferrell
6. “Mother No Longer Awaits Me at Home” – Ralph Stanley II & Tim O’Brien with The Clinch Mountain Boys
7. “Think of What You’ve Done” – Nitty Gritty Dirt Band with Alison Brown
8. “Little Birdie” – Rhiannon Giddens & Dirk Powell
9. “How Mountain Girls Can Love” – Dierks Bentley & Della Mae
10. “Pardon Me, Stranger” – Steve Martin & Ed Helms with Alison Brown
11. “Ralph’s Banjo Special” – Kristin Scott Benson, Gena Britt, Alison Brown
12. “Going Up Home to Live in Green Pastures” – I’m With Her (Aoife O’Donovan, Sarah Jarosz, Sara Watkins)