Reservoir Media has acquired independent label Nacional Records and the publishing assets of its sister company, Canciones Nacionales, Billboard can exclusively announce Thursday (July 16). The new deal also includes a joint venture to sign and develop recording artists and songwriters.

“Over the last two decades, Nacional has cemented itself as one of the most influential independent music companies in the Latin market, with an incredible catalog and exceptional talent,” Reservoir president and COO Rell Lafargue said in a statement. “We’ve been deliberate about expanding Reservoir’s presence in Latin music, and this partnership is a transformational step in that strategy.”

Lafargue added, “It strengthens both our recorded music and publishing businesses while positioning us to invest in the next generation of Latin artists and songwriters. We’re proud to welcome Nacional to Reservoir and continue building on its remarkable legacy.”

Tomas Cookman, who founded Nacional in Los Angeles in 2005, stated: “I have long been a fan of what Golnar [Khosrowshahi] and Rell have built at Reservoir. We initially met a few years ago and developed a mutual respect for each other’s work — until it became obvious that we should now build together. I feel we share the same work ethic and, equally as important, a love of music and the industry that supports it. I look forward to what comes next for our current and future artists and writers. We look forward to working together to expand the Reservoir footprint in Latin music and culture.”

Founded by Khosrowshahi, Reservoir is an independent music company based in New York City with offices in Los Angeles, Nashville, Toronto, London, Abu Dhabi and Mumbai. The company, which is publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker RSVR, represents copyrights and master recordings dating back as far as 1900 and has been recognized as one of the leading independent music companies in the business.

Cookman built Nacional into a key force in Latin alternative and independent music. Over the years, its roster and catalog have included artists such as Ana Tijoux, Nortec Collective, Bomba Estéreo, Tom Tom Club, El Mató a un Policía Motorizado, Aterciopelados, DJ Bitman, YADAM, La Vida Bohème, Jungle Fire, Cheo, Manu Chao, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Jarabe de Palo and Los Amigos Invisibles.

The label earned its first Latin Grammy for best alternative album in 2007 for Aterciopelados’ Oye; according to the company, it has since amassed more than 100 Grammy and Latin Grammy wins and nominations across its catalog. Its music has also been featured extensively in film, TV, gaming and advertising. Beyond the label and publishing company, Nacional is also tied to the Latin Alternative Music Conference (LAMC), founded by Cookman and considered one of the premier networking and showcase events for Latin music in the U.S. This year’s annual edition is set to take place from July 28 to Aug. 1 in New York.

Beck is returning from Hyperspace after seven long years. The “Saw Lightning” singer announced the long-awaited follow-up to that 2019 Grammy-winning LP on Wednesday (July 15), when he revealed that his 16th studio album, Ride Lonesome, is due out on Sept. 18 via Capitol Records.

“My new album Ride Lonesome is coming out this fall. The musicians from my original touring and recording band that I recorded Sea Change, Morning Phase and Mutations with — Smokey Hormel [guitar], Joey Waronker [drums], Justin Meldal-Johnsen [bass], Roger Joseph Manning Jr. [keyboards], and Jason Falkner [guitar] — reconvened with me at my favorite studio (Room B at United Studios in Hollywood),” said Beck in a statement about reuniting his crack band from those classic albums.

“We had [producer] Nigel Godrich, who worked on Sea Change and Mutations with us mixing all the songs. It had been a decade since we went in the studio and recorded Morning Phase,” Beck added. “This time It felt like the playing and the chemistry had evolved and deepened — a sound that’s come together over the decades of working together.  While we were revisiting a musical and physical place, it also felt like we were finding new sounds and emotional textures along the way.”

Beck released the contemplative, can’t-put-your-arms-around-a-memory title track in April, which taps into a similar haunted-by-love vibe as the just-released second single, “In the Night.” The ghostly ballad featuring finger-picked acoustic guitar, a swaying string section and subtle horns is anchored by the indie veteran’s sad and lonesome vocals.

“Darkness came on by/ With stories of the sky/ To bury all the lies/ In the night, in the night/ Your teachers and your saints/ They’ll walk you to the grave/ And say you’ll find your way,” he sings on the tune that was accompanied by an equally pensive video directed by Mikai Karl starring French character actor Denis Lavant (Holy Motors, Gagarine). In the clip, Lavant is filmed crying over some unseen emotional challenge, then lighting a cigarette and shaking his head as he tosses his fedora aside and moodily contemplates his fate while pacing around a cramped apartment.

The tracklist for Ride Lonesome is: “Ride Lonesome,” “Run Away,” “In the Night,” “Failed Words,” “Bleep,” “Disappearing Act,” “For Your Love,” “Slow Canyon,” “It Ends Right Here,” “Falling Through My Hands,” “If You Don’t Know What Love Is” and “Beyond the Light.”

Beck will support the new album on the Ride Lonesome North American tour, slated to kick off on Sept. 16 in Vancouver at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and run through an Oct. 31 show at The Truth in Nashville.

Watch the “In the Night” video below.

Life is a rollercoaster, Ronan Keating once told us. You’ve just gotta ride it.

More than a quarter century has passed since the Irishman handed out those lifehacks, none of it a lie.  

Keating has whizzed to the very peak of that thrill ride, bagging three U.K. solo No. 1 singles — including that perfect pop nugget from 2000, “Life Is A Rollercoaster” — and four No. 1 albums. And as a member of Boyzone, he boasts another six U.K. No. 1 singles, and five No. 1 albums.

That’s nine No. 1 singles, nine No. 1 albums. Another hit might not be too far away, perhaps tipping Keating’s career chart crowns into double-digits.

“I’m just in the process of making a record right now,” he tells Billboard over a Zoom from his home in Dubai, “and the first single is with a young singer-songwriter by the name of Ed Sheeran. I’m ready to release this album.”

Rollercoasters, they come down too. After the misery of the pandemic, Keating lost his brother, Ciaran Keating, in a car accident in 2023. That tragedy rocked the veteran artist, now aged 49, as did the loss of his former Boyzone bandmate, Stephen Gately, in 2009. Art, as it so often does, finds its way in the darker times.

“I do find clarity, calm, in those moments when I’m on stage,” he explains. “I tried to write a song about Ciaran, but I struggled a lot with writing in the last couple of years.” Earlier this year on a trip to Australia, where he has a long history as a reality TV judge, that creative block became dislodged when Keating and his wife Storm stumbled upon a melody, a tune that became something more.

“The two of us spent the afternoon just sitting and writing. I had the guitar and we wrote this song. It was the first song I’d written since my brother died. That was the catalyst that has allowed me to get this album moving and going,” he tells Billboard. “I think it was my wife’s angle of what she saw me going through, and us going through as a family, and we ended up just pouring our hearts out into this song. It was beautiful. I think music and songwriting has allowed me to grieve.”

After the tough, low points, the rollercoaster is on the climb. “Storm and I, we spend a bit of time in the studio writing. I’m in a really good place musically, and I’m ready to drop this next album, and I’m really excited about it, the way it feels, and it sounds.”

There’s no title just yet, but Keating is happy with the progress made. “We’re about halfway through the album. And I can definitely say that the first single will be with Ed and (Wheatus frontman) Brendan Brown. The three of us wrote the song earlier in the year, and it was just one of those moments. I knew this is going to be a big moment. So, yeah, I can confidently say it’s the first single on the album.”

Keating is excited, too, about his 26^th anniversary tour of “Life Is A Rollercoaster,” which continues Saturday, July 18 at Newbury Racecourse in the United Kingdom, and bolts into Germany, Switzerland, Austria and more markets this summer.

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Then, on Dec. 5, a once-in-a-lifetime moment, when Keating joins the likes of Robbie Williams, the Corrs, Natalie Imbruglia, Darren Hayes, Katherine Jenkins and more for the Carreras & Friends concert at the Gabba Stadium in Brisbane, Australia — the host city for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“I’m very excited to finally get to sing with Jose (Carreras), because, you know, I was lucky enough to sing with Pavarotti back in 1998 (dueting on the Boyzone hit “No Matter What”). He’s on my list. I remember that moment when The Three Tenors stood up and sang ‘Nessun Dorma’ at the 1990 World Cup. That was a moment that will go down in history as one of the great musical moments of our generation.”

Looking ahead, “for me to get to sing with Pavarotti was this huge moment, and now Jose is there, and I have this opportunity to tick that box and to sing with him. This is a great honor,” Keating enthuses. “And yes, to stand in the mighty Gabba, I’m very excited to be there and to perform.”

Two “Lost Boys” are better than one. True story. Just ask Phoebe Bridgers.

The California indie-rock presence is readying her return with a first album of solo material in six years, her third studio collection Lost Weekend (via Dead Oceans), due out Aug. 14.  

Too long to wait? Well, Bridgers covered that off by performing album cut “Lost Boys” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, doing so with different arrangements on consecutive nights.

Without warning, Bridgers stopped by Fallon on Tuesday night to present the TV debut of “Lost Boys,” a refined alt-country number. Wearing an all-black ensemble, with her blonde hair styled with Hollywood glamor, Bridgers got the job done with a full band and a little help from some cute youngsters.

On it, she sings: “Lost boys / never grow up, never go home / lost boys / never spend their lunch money / lost boys / never grow up, never get old / lost boys, find me.”

On Wednesday night, Bridgers returned to the NBC studios for another hit of “Lost Boys,” this time an acoustic rendition. The second time around, Bridgers, seated with her three bandmates and none of the kids, gave “Lost Boys” some space to breathe. The acoustic cut hangs with a touch of melancholy.  

Following her two-night stand on Fallon, “Lost Boys (Acoustic)” dropped on streaming platforms.

Bridgers last month teased the forthcoming 16-track LP with an Instagram post, and shared its phantasmic black, blue and green cover art with an abstract rendering of her face at the center.

The singer, songwriter and musician hasn’t released an album of her own since 2020’s Punisher, which peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard 200, a career best. Before that came debut LP Stranger in the Alps, which reached No. 82 on the all-genres chart.

Since Punisher, the four-time Grammy winner has kept busy with an opening stint on Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour — on which she and the pop superstar would also sing their Red (Taylor’s Version) duet, “Nothing New,” during the main set — as well as her work with Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker on boygenius.

Bridgers’ unannounced back-to-back stints stints on late night TV follow surprise pop-up shows across the United States in May, culminating with a sold-out show at New York’s Madison Square Garden. 

According to reps, more than 300 global midnight album release parties will give fans an early listen to (and purchase of) Lost Weekend. For more details visit phoebebridgers.lnk.to/midnight-parties.

One month after The New York Knicks won the 2026 NBA Finals, ending a 53-year championship drought for the franchise, the team and its star players took a victory lap by sweeping the 2026 ESPY Awards. The show, fittingly, was held in New York for the first time in five years, this time at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. The 2026 ESPYS aired live on the East Coast on Wednesday (July 15) at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.

The Knicks won the ESPY for best team; Jalen Brunson won best athlete, men’s sports; best championship performance; and best NBA player; and teammate OG Anunoby’s tip-in in the NBA finals won for best play.

Other multiple winners were A’ja Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces, who won best athlete, women’s sports and best WNBA player; Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won best single-game performance and best MLB player; and Myles Garrett, who was traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Los Angeles Rams on June 1. Neither Wilson nor Ohtani was present at the show.

SNL star Marcello Hernández proved to be a charismatic and effective host. He was introduced as the show’s first Latino host in 25 years. (That would be since actor Jimmy Smits hosted the 2000 show.)

The Savannah Bananas opened the show with an entertaining variety performance. Hip-hop stars De La Soul, Ghostface Killah and Slick Rick did very abbreviated sets. The ESPYS spends its time on special awards and taped packages, often with a strong emotional pull.

Trailblazing former NBA player Jason Collins was posthumously honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage; baseball legend Jim Abbott received the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance; and Scott Ruskan received the Pat Tillman Award for Service.

Presenters include both sports legends (Billie Jean King and Mike Tyson) and entertainment and media figures (Kevin Hart, DJ Khaled, Tracy Morgan and Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts). Will Ferrell and mentalist Oz Pearlman provided entertainment.

Here’s the complete list of 2026 ESPYS nominations, with winners marked.

Best athlete, men’s sports

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Lionel Messi, Inter Miami CF

Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Best athlete, women’s sports

Hilary Knight, hockey

Nelly Korda, golf

Mikaela Shiffrin, ski

WINNER: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

Best breakthrough athlete

Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks

WINNER: Alysa Liu, figure skating

Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Football

Best record-breaking performance

WINNER: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns — broke the NFL single-season sack record

Megan Grant, UCLA Softball — broke the NCAA single-season softball home-run record

Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, cross-country skier — first athlete to win six golds at Winter Games

Sabastian Sawe, long-distance runner — first to finish a marathon in less than two hours

Best championship performance

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Aerin Frankel, USA Women’s Hockey

Connor Hellebuyck, USA Men’s Hockey

Teagan Kavan, Texas Longhorns Softball

Best comeback athlete

Anthony Kim, golf

Savy King, Angel City FC

WINNER: Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers

Kyndal Stowers, Texas A&M Volleyball

Best play

Golden Goal for Gold! — Olympic Women’s Hockey 

Golden Goal for Gold! — Olympic Men’s Hockey

UConn stuns Duke with Braylon Mullins’ buzzer-beating 3 — NCAA Men’s March Madness 

WINNER: OG Anunoby’s Tip-In (New York Knicks) — NBA Finals

Caleb Williams’ game-tying TD vs. Rams — NFL

Best team

Las Vegas Aces, WNBA

Los Angeles Dodgers, MLB

Indiana Hoosiers, NCAA Football

Carolina Hurricanes, NHL

New York Knicks, NBA

Texas Longhorns, NCAA Softball

Seattle Seahawks, NFL

Team USA Men’s Hockey

Team USA Women’s Hockey

Best single-game performance

Tyce Armstrong, Baylor Baseball — hit three grand slams in a single game, tying a record set 50 years ago

Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat — scored 83 points for the Miami Heat in a 150-129 win against the Washington Wizards, recording the second-highest single-game total in NBA history

Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame Basketball — broke the NCAA record for most steals (16) in a game

WINNER: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers — pitched six scoreless innings, struck out 10 batters and hit three home runs

Best college athlete, men’s sports

Cameron Boozer, Duke Basketball

WINNER: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Football

Mitchell Mesenbrink, Penn State Wrestling

Donavan Phillip, NC State Soccer

Best college athlete, women’s sports

Olivia Babcock, Pittsburgh Volleyball

WINNER: Lauren Betts, UCLA Basketball

Madison Taylor, Northwestern Lacrosse

Faith Torrez, Oklahoma Gymnastics

Best athlete with a disability

Jake Adicoff, Paralympic Nordic-Skiing

WINNER: Declan Farmer, Paralympic Hockey

Oksana Masters, Paralympic Cross-Country Skiing

Susannah Scaroni, Wheelchair Racing

Best NFL player

WINNER: Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns/Los Angeles Rams

Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks

Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Best MLB player

Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

WINNER: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners

Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

Best NHL player

Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks

Nikita Kucherov, Tampa Bay Lightning

Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado Avalanche

WINNER: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Best NBA player

WINNER: Jalen Brunson, New York Knicks

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets

Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs

Best WNBA player

Napheesa Collier, Minnesota Lynx

Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream

Alyssa Thomas, Phoenix Mercury

WINNER: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

Best driver

Kimi Antonelli, F1

WINNER: Lando Norris, F1

Alex Palou, IndyCar

Tyler Reddick, NASCAR

Best fighter

WINNER: Terence Crawford, boxing

Gabriela Fundora, boxing

Justin Gaethje, MMA

Claressa Shields, boxing

Best soccer player

Temwa Chawinga, KC Current

Ousmane Dembélé, PSG/France

WINNER: Lionel Messi, Inter Miami CF

Alexia Putellas, Spain/Barcelona

Best golfer

Nelly Korda

Rory McIlroy

WINNER: Scottie Scheffler

Jeeno Thitikul

Best tennis player

WINNER: Carlos Alcaraz

Elena Rybakina

Aryna Sabalenka

Jannik Sinner

Other Winners

Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors, and his wife, Ayesha Curry

Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Jim Abbott

Pat Tillman Award for Service: Scott Ruskan, U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer

Gatorade Players of the Year: Maddie DiMaria and Grady Emerson

Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Kelis Armstrong, Julia Howe and Samuel Phillips

Arthur Ashe Courage Award: Jason Collins

Fcukers lead all nominees with three nods in the shortlist for the Association of Independent Music’s 2026 Independent Music Awards.

The New York-based electronic duo is nominated in the best independent album (Ö, Ninja Tune), best independent track (“L.U.C.K.Y.”) and independent breakthrough categories.

The 2026 ceremony will take place at London’s Roundhouse on Sept. 22, and will honor an array of indie musicians, labels, companies and creators across a wide variety of categories.

Six acts follow with two nominations each: Jalen Ngonda (Daptone Records), Jim Legxacy (XL Recordings), Jorja Smith (FAMM), Nova Twins (Marshall Records), Romy (XL Recordings) and Tiana Major9 (+1 Records).

Young leads all labels with five nominations across all categories, followed by XL Recordings and Ninja Tune with four apiece, and FAMM and Marshall Records each earning three nominations.

Competing for best independent album are BICEP, Blawan, Fcukers, Geese, Mitski, Nova Twins, Prostitute, Robyn Scaler and Thundercat.

More categories and nominations will be announced in the coming months, with submissions open for the publicly voted best live performer and best independent record store categories. Submissions can be entered at the Independent Music Awards website.

Gee Davy, CEO of AIM said in a statement, “We’re thrilled to share the first nominees list for the 2026 Independent Music Awards, showcasing just some of the broad spectrum of success and authenticity flowing from the U.K.’s independent music community. The array of artists and genres on display here demonstrates once again that the independent music sector is the most exciting, authentic and groundbreaking place in the industry.

“Following our 15th anniversary edition of the awards last year, we have a fresh new look and feel, reflecting the consistent evolution of the independent music sector,” Davy continued. “We look forward to sharing more new features at the ceremony at London’s Roundhouse as we celebrate the success that comes from the collective strength of our mighty community.”

At the 2025 ceremony, Fontaines D.C. won best independent album for Romance, Ezra Collective claimed best independent track for “God Gave Me Feet for Dancing” and XL Recordings took home best independent label. DJ and curator Giles Peterson was recognized with the outstanding contribution to music and Throbbing Gristle member Cosey Fanni Tutti with the innovator prize.

See the full list of nominees so far below.

Best independent track

DEBBY FRIDAY, “Bet On Me” (Sub Pop Records)
Fcukers, “L.U.C.K.Y” (Ninja Tune)
Genesis Owusu, “Stampede” (Ourness)
Jalen Ngonda, “Doctrine of Love” (Daptone Records)
Jim Legxacy, “3x” (XL Recordings)
Jorja Smith, “The Way I Love You” (FAMM)
Nova Twins, “Piranha” (Marshall Records)
Robyn, “Dopamine” (Young / Konichiwa)
Romy, “Love Who You Love” (Young)
Tiana Major9, “Desire” (+1 Records)

Best independent album

BICEP, TAKKUUK (Original Soundtrack) (Ninja Tune, EarthSonic)
Blawan, SickElixir (XL Recordings)
Fcukers, Ö (Ninja Tune)
Geese, Getting Killed (Partisan Records)
Mitski, Nothing’s About to Happen to Me (Dead Oceans)
Nova Twins, Parasites & Butterflies (Marshall Records)
Prostitute, Attempted Martyr (Mute)
Robyn, Sexistential (Young / Konichiwa)
SCALER, Endlessly (Black Acre)
Thundercat, Distracted (Brainfeeder)

Independent breakthrough

Fat Dog (Domino Recording Co.)
Fcukers (Ninja Tune)
Jalen Ngonda (Daptone Records)
Tiana Major9 (+1 Records)
Ego Ella May (Believe UK)

Best independent mixtape/EP

Bricknasty, Blacks Law (FAMM)
Jim Legxacy, black british music (2025) (XL Recordings)
Naima Bock, Live in Toulon (Sub Pop Records)
Strandz, Diaspora Dance Music (Strandz Music)
TTSSFU, Blown (Partisan Records)

Best independent remix

Overmono, “If We Ever” (High Contrast Remix) (XL Recordings)
Sherelle, Romy, “Love Who You Love”(SHERELLE’s Intelligent Dyke Music Remix) (Young)
Robyn, “Sexistential” (Arca’s Take) (Young / Konichiwa)
Jorja Smith, TS7, “The Way I Love You” (TS7 Remix) (FAMM)
House Gospel Choir and Donae’O, “You” (Donae’O Remix) (Swear Down Music)

One to Watch

Ashaine White (Marshall Records)
Alewya (LDN Records)
Lauren Auder (untitled (recs))
Mandy, Indiana (Sacred Bones Records)
Native James (Saviour Music)

SYDNEY, Australia — The Australian prime minister’s assurances that tech and AI companies can’t use copyright-protected works including consent, credit and compensation has been warmly welcomed by the international music publishers community.

Earlier, on Wednesday, prime minister Anthony Albanese addressed AI in a presentation at the University of Sydney, with a speech that left no doubt about the government’s position.

“No company should use Australian books, music, art or news to build or train AI without the artist’s control. That includes the artist’s control of the price and value of their work,” he remarked. “Anything less, is theft.”

Those comments put at ease an industry nervous that copyright projections could be carved out by a tech sector hungry to use music and creative works for AI purposes without licenses.

That won’t happen, Albanese insists. And the “implications are global,” notes John Phelan, director general of the Brussels-based International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP), which represents 90% of the world’s commercially released music and whose members include Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, BMG, Kobalt, Reservoir and Concord Music Publishing, alongside thousands of other indie publishers.

“Our international industry fully agrees” with Albanese’s stance, Phelan adds, “and looks forward to continuing to build only those AI and music markets which are built wholly on consent, credit and compensation.”

ICMP’s Australasian affiliate AMPAL had lobbied against text and data mining exceptions, and signed the creative industries’ Open Letter to Government, along with ARIA, AIR, APRA AMCOS and other trade bodies and artists, calling on the federal government to reject any weakening of copyright protections.

“Australia holds something no other country possesses: more than sixty thousand years of First Nations culture,” reads the AI Open Letter. “Those songs, stories, images and languages are living cultural heritage. Any framework that weakens the protection of creative work puts that heritage at risk of being absorbed into AI systems in ways that are extractive, disrespectful and irreversible.”

Members from the association and other industry bodies visited Parliament House in Canberra earlier this month, in a united effort to get the message through. “If AI companies want to use music, they need permission, they need a license and they need to pay fairly,” AMPAL CEO Damian Rinaldi said at the time. “Licensing is already working. Australia should not weaken copyright to solve a problem the market is already solving.” 

Albanese agreed. And despite lobbying from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Google and others, the government rejected the tech sector requests that music be used without permission, and pushed back on proposals for a fund for the use of creative industries’ work. 

In his speech this week, Albanese remarked that Australian writers, musicians, artists and journalists “must retain ownership and control of their work,” and that “our laws will spell that out, plain as day.” At the same time, Albanese announced the create of an “Office of AI,” operating within the department of prime minister and cabinet and facilitate the design of “Australian standards” for the technology.

Australia’s industry leaders have welcomed Albanese’s comments, while the ICMP’s Phelan thanked the the PM for delivering a “landmark and highly positive statement” on the issue.

The prime minister’s speech “AI in Australia’s interests” can be read here.

Versatile. Joyful. Family. Sam Neill was all of those things and more to Jimmy Barnes, the great Australian rocker.

Neill, the Northern Ireland-born, New Zealand-raised actor who memorably led the way in scores of films, from ‘90s blockbuster Jurassic Park to Jane Campion’s Academy Award-winner The Piano, Event Horizon, Dead Calm, My Brilliant Career, the Peaker Blinders series, and many others, died Monday, March 13. He was 78.

“What a day it’s been. My dear friend Sam left us today,” writes Barnes, who boasts an unmatched 22 No. 1 albums in Australia, including 16 solo leaders and six with Cold Chisel. “I can’t believe we will no longer be eating great food together and sharing the odd glass of wine down at his winery, while laughing, singing and solving the problems of the world together.”

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Neill, he continues, “was a big part of our lives. He was family. He lifted our spirits when he walked in the room. Sam was everything he appeared to be on the screen. Caring, funny, intelligent, charming, honest, talented, the list could go on. He sat with me while I recovered in hospital and I sat with him when he needed me. We shared a lot in this life and for that, I will be always thankful. Rest easy, dear Sam. You are always in our hearts.”

Fellow Australian rockers The Cruel Sea remembered Neill for his “superb acting and his wonderful presence off screen,” and for those quirky videos that kept the flame burning for so many of us during the pandemic — including a Radiohead cover, performed on ukulele. “One of my great small joys through Covid and recent years was to follow him on Instagram. Such a funny and charming man full of humble Kiwi stoicism and humanity,” writes The Cruel Sea’s bass player Kenny Gormly.

Neill had friends everywhere, across the creative industries and into the halls of power. He attended the ARIA Hall of Fame ceremony in Sydney on June 11, a special guest of inductee and fellow Kiwi Jenny Morris.

Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern inducted Morris on the night, and “had the profound joy of sitting with Sam Neill, talking about life, politics, and home,” she recounts in a social post. “He was such a thoughtful, curious, and decent person. Someone who was principled, unafraid of speaking his mind, and willing to take up a fight when he saw injustice. He was also an artist, and anyone who watched him perform knew he was someone special. We’ve lost another incredible kiwi, and I feel profoundly sad.”

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Prior to his passing, Neill fought and beat an advanced blood cancer, Stage 3 angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, thanks to an innovative CAR T-cell therapy. He was cancer-free at the time of his death. However, his immune system was compromised by the treatment and the beloved actor succumbed to pneumonia, his agent has confirmed.

His death was confirmed in a post on his official Instagram account.

“It is with immense sadness that the whānau of Sam Neill share the news of his passing on Monday 13th July, in Sydney Australia,” the post reads. “Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterised his whole life. The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free. They would like to express their deepest gratitude to the staff at St Vincent’s Private Hospital for their incredible care. More details will be shared later, but for now, on behalf of the family, we ask that you respect their privacy as they navigate this immeasurable loss.”

Neill’s survivors include his children, Andrew, Tim and Elena, and six grandchildren.

Read more on his life and career at The Hollywood Reporter.

Karol G’s got a few pranks up her sleeve — and sometimes her friends are the target.

The Grammy winner was part of Elle’s “Phoning It In” series, in which guest celebrities prank-call friends and family while listening to their reactions on speaker.

“I’m a huge pranker. I’m always pranking my team. They suffer a lot,” she admitted at the beginning of the episode, during which she called three people: her manager, Raymond Acosta; her friend and guest on the upcoming Viajando Por El Mundo Tropitour, Becky G; and her best friend, Daiky Gamboa, to whom she said she was postponing the tour to go “find love” on a TV show.

“I had the most random thing happen to me. Apparently, the team here is moving the whole tour around because something came up that’s supposedly 10 times better — me going on Love Island,” she said to Gamboa, who replied, “What are you talking about?”

Karol went on to explain that “There’s a show called Love Island,” and “it’s supposedly a show to find love.”

Gamboa interrupted by asking, “Wait, are you serious, or are you joking?” 

The Colombian artist confirmed, “I’m serious. Noah called me to tell me this was literally the coolest thing ever and that it would take my career to the next level.”

Gamboa then tells her she is too famous for the hit reality show. “No celebrity I know — at your level, anyway — has ever done anything like that. Ever,” he said.

“I’m calling you because you’re the one who always knows that whole celebrity world and everything, and I wanted you to tell me, because I’m really nervous and stressed,” Karol replied. 

“That’s a reality show like La Casa de los Famosos,” he replied, at which point Karol can be seen holding back a laugh. “No, no, no, no. I can’t even…I’m honestly in shock that they’re proposing that to you. I swear, I’m in shock.”

“No, but I said yes,” Karol replied in an anguished tone.

“Are you kidding me or what?” Gamboa inquired, making Karol break character and burst out laughing as she admitted it was a joke. 

“You got me, stupid,” he said. 

Karol is gearing up for the world tour, which is set to kick off July 24 in Chicago. On Tuesday (July 13), Venezuelan singer Elena Rose, Colombian singer Greeicy and Becky G announced that they will be opening guests for the artist on select dates of the U.S. leg of the 63-stadium run.

Tropicoqueta, Karol G’s fifth studio album, hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums chart and No. 3 on the all-genre Billboard 200 following its release.

Upon the album’s debut, La Bichota shattered the record for a female artist by landing 20 simultaneous songs on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs Chart. Of those 20 concurrent hits, 18 were brand-new debuts from the album.