Record label GTS and Telemundo have entered a strategic alliance around Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos, the U.S. adaptation of the long-running Spanish music competition franchise, which premieres Tuesday (July 7) at 7 p.m. ET. Under the agreement, GTS will have a preferential right to sign artists emerging from the program and will also participate in the development of a potential concert tour.
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“It is a source of pride — and a responsibility — for GTS to take part in the first edition of Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos alongside Telemundo,” Narcís Rebollo, CEO and president of GTS, said in a statement. “This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the format’s creation, whose development I had the opportunity to be part of from the very beginning, both in management and on the record label side, together with its creators, José María Mainat, Toni Cruz and Joan Ramon Mainat, achieving historic results for television, the recording industry and artist management from Spain.”
He continued, “I am convinced that we will discover great new talent in this first U.S. edition, and we will devote all our effort and professionalism to making that possible once again.”
Javier Pons, chief content officer and head of Telemundo Studios, added: “We are thrilled to join forces with GTS on the first edition of Operación Triunfo in the United States. This alliance allows us not only to discover and train a new generation of Latino talent in the country, representative of diverse nationalities, but also to help drive their careers beyond the program, giving them real opportunities for artistic development and visibility in the music industry.”
The deal further strengthens GTS’ position in discovery, development and international projection of Latin talent, while giving Telemundo an industry partner to help extend the show’s impact beyond the screen.
The arrival of Operación Triunfo in the U.S. marks a new chapter for one of Spanish-language entertainment’s most influential music franchises. Since launching in Spain in 2001, the format has helped introduce artists including David Bisbal, David Bustamante, Pablo López, Amaia, Aitana, Lola Índigo, Juanjo Bona and Chiara Oliver.
Peppa Pig is in the middle of some major beef — or should we say pork? — after seemingly shading Clairo in a new Pitchfork interview, which has motivated Charli xcx and PinkPantheress to mobilize on the “Bags” singer’s behalf.
The hilarious “drama” started Tuesday (July 7), when the cartoon character participated in the music publication’s “Over/Under” video series. When asked whether she thinks Clairo is over- or underrated, Peppa threw some bombastic side-eye at the camera and said pointedly, “I don’t know her.”
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Of course, fans in the comments and online immediately clocked Peppa for the shady response, inciting Charli to join in and show her support for her fellow musician. “Let’s f— her up,” Charli wrote alongside a screenshot of Peppa’s comment in a text to Clairo, who shared the message on X.
PinkPantheress got involved after seeing that Peppa had also spoken about her in the Pitchfork video, declaring the “Stateside” artist “underrated.” “Does she like animals?” Peppa had added. “Maybe she would like me, because I’m pink too. And everyone likes me.”
But while the porcine protagonist’s comments about her were positive, Pink loyally responded on X, “ain’t sh– sweet until you put respect on clairo.”
If you’re wondering to yourself why Peppa Pig would diss Clairo, you may not have seen the singer/songwriter’s own “Over/Under” episode in 2019. At the time, Clairo was asked to rate Peppa, and she said: “Can I tell you something about Peppa Pig? She’s 7’1″ … she’s the tallest pig in the world. I’mma say underrated, just because I don’t know any taller pigs.”
“If she’s 7’1″, how tall is her mom?” Clairo had continued at the time. “How tall are all the other pigs? Who’s keeping track? What are the proportions of this whole show?”
Even though Clairo said she was underrated, it’s possible that Peppa interpreted her comment about her height as a jab and remembered it seven years later when it came time to make her own appearance on the Pitchfork series.
Or maybe Peppa was telling the truth and she actually doesn’t know Clairo — although she is a fan of a lot of other singers. “Pop stars make the best music,” Peppa added in her video. “I like Rihanna, P!nk, Kelly Clarkson, Sabrina Carpenter, Britney Spears, Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé, Cher, Dua Lipa — oh, and Shakira! One day, I’ll be the biggest pop star ever.”
Watch Peppa’s full episode of “Over/Under” below.
Yung Miami continues to achieve new milestones for her career with “Spend Dat,” which jumps 25-19 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated July 11. With its rise, the summer breakout hit becomes not only Yung Miami’s first solo top 20, but the first such hit of her career in any capacity, including her work as part of City Girls.
“Spend Dat,” released on Yung Miami/Uptown/Republic Records, is Yung Miami’s third solo Hot 100 hit. It follows “Rap Freaks,” which debuted and peaked at No. 81 in November 2021, and her collaboration with Latto and Lola Young, “Don’t Play With It,” which reached No. 69 in April 2023.
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City Girls, the rap duo comprised of JT and Yung Miami, charted six songs on the Hot 100 from 2018 to 2022. “Act Up” produced the best result of the half-dozen hits, landing a No. 26 peak in June 2019. After their 2023 album RAW, the rappers elected to pause their collaborative efforts to focus on solo output. “It just wasn’t working no more,” she told Complex at the time. “So I think we both was at a point where we was just like, we should probably just do our own sh–.”
In its sixth week on the Hot 100, “Spend Dat” posts improvement in all three chart-contributing metrics – streaming, radio airplay and sales – in the United States, according to Luminate. On the streaming front, the single registered 8.1 million official streams in the week of June 26-July 2, up 1% from the previous week. Sales increased 15% week-over-week to 1,000 digital downloads in the latest frame. Radio airplay surged to 21.7 million in audience impressions for the tracking window, a 21% jump from last week’s 17.9 million count.
Reflecting other radio gains, “Spend Dat” captures the No. 1 rank on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Rap Airplay charts, rising from the runner-up spot on both lists. In addition, it wins the Greatest Gainer tag on each ranking, awarded to the song with the week’s largest increase.
The single is her first Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay champ, after a No. 2 solo finish for “Don’t Play With That,” and three more silver medals as part of City Girls: “Act Up,” “Twerk,” featuring Cardi B, and “Good Love, with Usher. Similarly, “Act Up” ended its Rap Airplay run at No. 2, while “Don’t Play With That,” at No. 4, was previously Yung Miami’s best solo standing.
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Lizzie McGuire fans have a new reason to relive the early aughts, thanks to a refreshing summer body care line.
Hilary Duff has partnered with Bath & Body Works to launch Fruit Fusion, a new body care line inspired by the early 2000s. The collection includes hand sanitizers, lip oils, perfume mists, and hand and body lotions formulated with hyaluronic acid, an ingredient known for helping skin retain moisture.
Fruit Fusion offers four scents: Watermelon Whirl, Tangerine Twirl, Berry Bliss and Banana Blend. The fragrances are modeled after the fruity body splashes that were popular at Bath & Body Works during the early 2000s.
And right now, you can mix and match to buy three items and get one for free when ordering online. It’s one of the best ways to save and try out the collection for yourself.
The collection’s release reflects a broader resurgence of Y2K-inspired culture, seen in projects like the Devil Wears Prada sequel and the Marc Jacobs Beauty relaunch, as well as renewed interest in early-2000s trends, such as low-rise jeans and the return of camcorders.
The partnership also comes as Duff embarks on her first world tour since 2007, marking a notable return to touring after almost two decades.
Infused with watermelon and aloe, this body wash is clinically tested to hydrate your skin all day long.
This whipped banana and smooth vanilla body cream leaves skin feeling soft and is a top seller at Bath & Body Works.
Notes of blackberry, frozen acai and pineapple can be found on this shea butter and coconut oil-infused body lotion.
Spiked with mango pulp and fizzy tangerine notes, this quick and easy mist is reminiscent of a Y2K summer.
Dewy watermelon and juicy berry notes make this pocket-friendly size hand sanitizer perfect for a refresh while traveling.
This banana-infused lotion fights dry skin with 48-hour moisture defense, powered by shea butter and coconut oil.
Inspired by early-aughts lip glosses, Berry Bliss lip oil gives you shine, minus the stickiness, with a coconut oil formula.
Nourish and soothe your skin with this rich, cushiony body cream infused with juicy watermelon.
Portable and fragrant, this Tangerine Twirl hand cream offers the same 48-hour moisture defense in a compact tube.
Fruit Fusion is available now online and in-store at Bath & Body Works.
In the meantime, watch the body care collection’s introduction video below:
A new lawsuit alleges the hit 2023 NewJeans song “ETA” stole multiple elements from an instrumental dance track released nearly two decades earlier.
The Tuesday (July 7) legal complaint, first obtained and reported by Billboard, levels copyright infringement claims against NewJeans members Minji, Hanni, Haerin, Hyein and Danielle, as well as their label ADOR and parent company HYBE. The lawsuit also names various writers, producers and companies involved in the creation and distribution of “ETA,” which was part of NewJeans’ chart-topping EP Get Up and hit No. 4 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. Songs chart in August 2023.
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A company called All Surface Publishing is claiming that “ETA” lifts instrumentals from “Samir’s Theme,” a 2005 dance track by the producer DJ Debonair Samir. Specifically, the lawsuit says both songs feature the same syncopated melodic horns, bass drums and rhythmic structures.
“Defendants, and each of them, included a combination of elements in ‘ETA’s’ musical composition (and sound recording embodying that composition) that is strikingly and/or substantially similar, and indeed virtually identical, to an original combination of elements from ‘Samir’s Theme’ without a license from or compensation to All Surface,” reads the complaint.
Multiple music critics pointed out the similarities between the two songs when NewJeans released Get Up in 2023. Pitchfork wrote that “ETA” “takes horns from the Baltimore club classic ‘Samir’s Theme,’” and Paste said the song features “a blaring horn line lifted from the quintessential 2000s Baltimore club track ‘Samir’s Theme.’”
All Surface says it sent a cease-and-desist letter to the various defendants last month, but no resolution was reached. The publisher is now seeking unspecified financial damages, including a portion of the “significant revenue and profits” generated by “ETA.”
Reps for HYBE and ADOR did not immediately return a request for comment on the lawsuit.
This is not the first time All Surface has brought copyright infringement litigation over “Samir’s Theme.” In 2024, the publisher sued Pitbull’s label, Mr. 305 Inc., for allegedly copying the track on his 2021 dance hit “I Feel Good.” That case ended in a settlement last year.
NewJeans, meanwhile, was hit with a different copyright lawsuit two months ago claiming its 2024 song “How Sweet” used elements from a songwriting demo without compensation. ADOR denied those claims in a statement to Billboard, saying “no form of copying or infringement took place.”
The group and its label home have been embroiled in an internal legal battle of their own over the last several years. In 2024, all five original members attempted to sever ties with ADOR and go independent under the new moniker NJZ following the controversial firing of CEO Min Hee-jin. This led to a lawsuit, and ADOR ultimately prevailed when a South Korean court ruled in October that the women must remain under an exclusive contract until 2029.
In the wake of that ruling, Hanni, Haerin and Hyein all decided to return to ADOR and resume working with the label. Minji is still deciding whether to do the same. Danielle will not be part of NewJeans’ future; she was formally dropped from the group in December and is now facing further legal action from ADOR over her role in the attempted breakaway.
A seasoned RuPaul’s Drag Race star is ready to sashay into the Big Brother house, with the reality show announcing Tuesday (July 7) that Jason De Puy — aka Salina EsTitties — is joining the season 28 cast.
The news comes alongside a larger cast announcement for the upcoming installment of the program, which involves the nonstop surveillance of a group of strangers living together in a remote house as they undergo a series of votes to determine who is eliminated over time. Melody Morris, Barrett Pfeiffer, LaTrice Verrett and more are also part of the next season.
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De Puy is most well known for his alter ego Salina, previously competing on season 15 of Drag Race in 2023 before joining the ongoing 11th season of Drag Race All-Stars this year. He has also released a handful of songs under the EsTitties name, including the 2026 single “Pek Pek.” Last year, De Puy was featured on “My Guy” by fellow Big Brother alum/Ariana Grande’s older brother Frankie Grande.
The performer shared a video on Instagram introducing himself to the Big Brother fanbase, exclaiming that he’s “low-key a superfan” of the show.
“I’ve been watching since season 16, so I’ve been around,” De Puy said before giving a preview of what his strategy for the competition will be. “I’m gonna say that I’m a professional drag queen, and I’m going to read the room to see if anyone clocks my tea. If they clock me, I’m just going to be like, ‘Yeah, I was on Drag Race.’”
“The perfect blindside’s gonna get them, and they’re gonna be so gagged, but baby, at that point it’ll be too late,” the San Francisco native added. “Sorry, goodbye.”
The next season of Big Brother will premiere July 9 on CBS.
Watch De Puy’s intro clip below.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
The minions are back for another chaotic adventure, and this time, they’re sharing the spotlight with a whole new cast of monstrous newcomers. Minions & Monsters introduces new minions like James, Henry, and Ed, as well as quirky new monsters like Goomi, Howard, and Phillip, expanding the franchise with even more mayhem and wonderfully weird personalities.
The movie’s delightfully oddball cast has inspired a playful lineup of new toys and collectibles, and brings the franchise’s wacky humor off the screen — queue the fart noise. Fans can recreate favorite scenes from the film or prank family and friends with minion-approved stinky scents.
Here are the merch picks every Minions & Monsters fan should check out with links to purchase the toys and collectibles online.
TOP NEW RELEASE
Minions & Monsters Fart Blaster Pro
The minions have always had a soft spot for bathroom humor, and this oversized Fart Blaster Pro fully embraces it.
Packed with 15 hilarious fart sounds, adjustable “stink” settings, scented fart rings that float through the air, and two brand-new vials of “stinky smells,” it’s exactly the kind of ridiculous toy that the minions would play with. Just slot in six AA batteries to get started.
Amazon says this is the number-one new gag gift release on the site, with more than 800 units sold in the last few weeks alone.
MINI VERSION
Minions & Monsters Mini Fart Blaster
Small enough to stash in a backpack (you didn’t read it here!) but big on laughs, the Mini Fart Blaster is perfect for aspiring pranksters.
The compact gadget features eight goofy fart sounds inspired by the movie and only requires two AAA batteries to start pranking. Sometimes the funniest surprises really do come in the smallest packages.
2-IN-1 SET
Minions & Monsters Quest for Monsters Playset & Spell Book
After watching the movie, you know how important the spell book is to the plot.
With this interactive game, fans can pour the spell book contents onto the playset to reveal a hidden mystery monster (will it be Howard or Phillip?), while mini Goomi and James the minion figurines embark on the adventure. This set features two mini figures, a plastic playset and a separate spell book.
BUILD YOUR OWN SET
Monsters Backlot Studio Set
Lights, camera, monsters, action! The Minions & Monsters Backlot Studio Set lets fans create their own movie magic with two themed sound stages, six cast and crew mini figures, six stage props, and a camera cart.
Featuring exclusive figures and connectable studio backdrops, this playset inspires imaginative storytelling and expands even further with additional figures, props, and sound stages (each sold separately).
SQUISHABLE COLLECTIBLE
Minions & Monsters x Heroes of Goo Jit Zu Goomi Action Figure
If squeezing stress balls isn’t cutting it anymore, meet Goomi, the newest character in the Minions franchise.
This stretchy action figure is filled with gooey swirl material that lets fans squish, stretch, and twist the lovable monster up to three times its original size before it snaps right back into shape. You can also find a squishy James figure here.
NEW CHARACTER
Minions & Monsters Goomi Squooshy Plush Toy
The evil, but super cute, new character in the Minions & Monsters movie has his own cuddly plush toy.
The seven-inch Goomi is designed for nonstop squeezing with its soft fabrics, bean filling, and embroidered details. It’s an easy pick for collectors, dorm décor, or villain fanatics who secretly love a cuddle.
WEIGHTED TOY
Minions & Monsters Comfeez Ed Weighted Plush Toy
Ed may look like all the other little, yellow creatures in the franchise, but he actually made his debut in Minions & Monsters as the adorable Minionese native and the first deaf minion.
The weighted Ed Comfeez Plush is 10 inches tall and combines ultra-soft fabric with a gentle two-pound weight, making him an extra comforting cuddlebug. Similar to weighted blankets or a weighted heating pad, this weighted plush toy offers just a little bit of pressure to mimic a gentle hug.
PLUSH TOY
Minions & Monsters Ed Squooshy Plush Toy
Ed was such a beloved character that Illumination made two sensory plush toys in his honor.
This one features a bean-filled design that makes every squish satisfyingly soft, while his compact size of seven inches fits perfectly on a shelf, bed, or office desk. The most charming feature? His adorable long tufts of hair, making him a sensory haven.
FAN FAVORITE
Minions & Monsters James Squooshy Plush Toy
Sporting his Western-inspired outfit, cowboy boots, and signature uni-goggle, James, the protagonist of the 2026 film, has received an adorable plush makeover.
Like the rest of the Squooshy collection, the seven-inch sensory collectible is made with super-soft fabric and bean filling. Whether you’re building out your collection or gifting a young fan, James is ready to ride into the lineup.
SENSORY TOY
Minions & Monsters Henry Squooshy Plush Toy
Enjoy endless squishy fun with the Minions & Monsters Henry Squooshy Plush Toy.
Measuring seven inches tall, Henry’s ultra-soft plush collectible features embroidered details, playful hair accents, and a satisfying bean-filled design that’s ideal for squeezing, fidgeting, and cuddling. Henry makes a fun collectible for fans and pairs perfectly with Ed, James, and Goomi (each sold separately).
FURBY COLLABORATION
Furby Furblets Minions Collectible Mini Plush
And for a complete different type of Minions plush toy, Amazon is selling this Minions-edition Furby.
The electronic toy measures just over three inches in size and comes with 45 built-in sound effects when you press its head, mouth or heart (three A76/LR44 button cell batteries are included). You can also press the top of the head to pop the ears open or fold them back down. And the denim-inspired overalls and googles are removable.
PHYSICAL RELEASE
Minions & Monsters (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)
Minions & Monsters opened in theaters on July 1, racking up $68 million dollars in its opening weekend at the box office.
Though the animated film is still in theaters, Amazon already has a pre-order link available for the Blu-ray edition of the movie. The physical release gets you the latest Minions film in 4K Ultra HD edition with a bonus code for a digital download that you can watch online.
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