Heo Yong Joon
Kim Tae Hwan
As Steph Strings concluded her first headlining show in Brooklyn this March before a packed, cheering club crowd, she signed off with the declaration: “I’m 25 years old. I’m from Australia. And this is just the beginning.”
And what a beginning it has been.
In January, Strings’ self-released album Feel Alive debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Australian Album Chart. In March and April, she played headlining shows in the U.S. and Europe — and on Saturday (June 13) she’ll play a midday set at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on the Which Stage. The set will be part of the Bonnaroo livestream on Disney+ and Hulu.
Strings has been steadfastly independent to date. Starting her career as a busker on the streets of her native Melbourne, she has declined so far to sign a record or publishing deal. And, nevertheless, she has landed summer bookings not only at Bonnaroo but other high-profile festivals including Summerfest in Milwaukee on June 19 and the Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, N.J. on Sept. 19. She also has a support slot on Jesse Welles’ summer tour.
“It’s been a rock star year,” says Strings. She spoke to Billboard on a Zoom call hours before a flight to Denver where she played before a crowd of some 3,000 in a free concert at the Levitt Pavilion, on a bill with Colorado-based singer-songwriter Patrick Dethlefs.
Strings’ rise highlights the role of music festivals and booking agencies — often ahead of music publishers and record labels — in the industry’s global A&R process today, and in the discovering and development of tomorrow’s superstars.
Strings’ growing fan base demonstrates how social media has become a promotional tool as powerful as a PR campaign or radio play. She has a combined social media reach of more than 1.5 million across platforms.
A Bonnaroo booking for an unsigned artist is “unusual, but not unheard of,” says Josh Knight, senior vp of music at The·Team, the agency that represents Strings for North America and Europe. “I’ve built my whole career around artists that are independent and most of them have played Bonnaroo and the larger festivals,” adds Knight. “You don’t always need to be on a label to sell tickets and have people listen to your music.”
The·Team first saw success booking Strings in Europe where her virtuosic guitar playing, engaging songs and charming personality won over fans in multiple countries. When the opportunity arose to work with Strings in the U.S., “I jumped at the chance,” says Knight, who succinctly summarizes the young artist’s draw:
“She plays great guitar and has a great voice and a story to tell. I knew that if we just gave it a shot, that we could build [her career] the way I’ve done so many other bands, which is on the road first.”
Here are six things to know about Steph Strings.
Los Ángeles. Epicentro de la creatividad, la diversidad y las tendencias que inspiran al mundo. Una ciudad en permanente evolución, donde el arte, la moda y la innovación encuentran su máxima expresión. Fascinados por su espíritu transformador, Maestros Joyeros inaugura una boutique exclusiva en la ciudad, reafirmando su compromiso con la excelencia y dando un nuevo paso en la expansión de su legado.
Maestros Joyeros se ha consolidado como una de las firmas joyeras mexicanas más prestigiosas y reconocidas de la industria. Con más de tres décadas de trayectoria, la empresa ha construido un legado basado en la excelencia, la tradición y la pasión por la alta joyería, posicionándose como uno de los referentes más importantes de la región. Cada una de sus creaciones refleja una cuidadosa selección de materiales, una meticulosa atención al detalle y un compromiso inquebrantable con la calidad. Sus piezas, únicas y atemporales, encarnan los más altos estándares de excelencia, ofreciendo a sus clientes joyas que trascienden tendencias y celebran momentos extraordinarios.
Su llegada a Los Ángeles representa mucho más que una expansión internacional. Es la evolución de un legado que abre un nuevo capítulo en la historia de Maestros Joyeros, respaldado por tres generaciones que han sabido combinar tradición, innovación tecnológica y una visión meticulosa para perfeccionar cada uno de sus procesos. Este nuevo escenario se convierte en el lugar ideal para presentar ‘El Legado’, una colección que redefine la forma de entender el lujo contemporáneo desde una perspectiva profundamente mexicana. Las piezas fueron diseñadas para representar momentos, emociones y símbolos de trascendencia personal. Más allá del oro y los diamantes, buscan crear joyas con significado. Se trata de un homenaje a la cultura latina contemporánea y al orgullo de construir un camino propio sin olvidar sus orígenes.
Con esta apertura, la firma continúa consolidando décadas de trabajo, pasión y tradición joyera. Bajo la dirección de César Villegas, Maestros Joyeros sigue construyendo un proyecto que honra sus raíces mexicanas mientras proyecta su visión hacia el futuro de la alta joyería internacional.
La nueva boutique de Maestros Joyeros en Los Ángeles fue concebida para todos aquellos que tienen una visión del lujo como algo más personal, emocional y auténtico. La familia Villegas construyó una propuesta distinta dentro del universo de la joyería de lujo. Se trata de piezas concebidas no solo como símbolos de lujo, sino como joyería de oro cargada de memoria, significado y herencia emocional.
En cada pieza, Maestros Joyeros ofrece tradición orfebre jalisciense, transformación y un diseño que cobra identidad propia. Sus materiales son una experiencia íntima, que se puede apreciar como una verdadera obra de arte. La firma no estaba pensando en replicar el mismo escenario para su boutique de Los Ángeles, sino que buscan ofrecer un espacio cercano, contemporáneo y humano, donde sus joyas conectaran con las historias de quienes las llevan.
La llegada de Maestros Joyeros a Los Ángeles marca un paso decisivo en la evolución de la firma, llevando la esencia de la joyería mexicana a uno de los escenarios más influyentes del mundo. Más que adaptarse a las tendencias globales, la marca fortalece una propuesta auténtica, construida sobre su herencia, visión creativa y excelencia artesanal. Este nuevo espacio ha sido concebido para ofrecer una experiencia que trasciende la compra de una joya, acercando al cliente a un universo donde cada pieza refleja carácter, significado y sofisticación. Una filosofía que encuentra su máxima expresión en ‘El Legado’, una colección que celebra la identidad mexicana a través de diseños contemporáneos y atemporales.
Con esta apertura, Maestros Joyeros reafirma su compromiso de impulsar la alta joyería mexicana en el ámbito internacional, creando piezas que preservan recuerdos, representan historias personales y se convierten en símbolos de momentos que perduran a través del tiempo.
Te invitamos a descubrir más sobre su historia y colecciones en sus boutiques de Ciudad de México, Guadalajara y Los Ángeles.
Visita www.maestrosjoyeros.com
The post Maestros Joyeros expande su legado con una exclusiva boutique en Los Ángeles appeared first on Rolling Stone en Español.
In case you missed it Wednesday night (June 10), spoiler alert: the New York Knicks pulled off the greatest comeback in NBA, nay, sports history, during game four of the NBA finals. And Taylor Swift, literally, had a front-row seat for all the action alongside her pals Este and Alana Haim of the band Haim.
The trio were seated next to the TV star whose famous character was the inspiration for the name of Swift’s beloved cat Olivia Benson, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star Mariska Hargitay. The actress was sporting the same punny custom Knicks T-shirt as Taylor, which read “Stevie Knicks.”
In a TikTok showing off their custom jerseys post early Thursday morning (June 11), Swift, Alana and Este lip-sync to Brooklyn native Cyndi Lauper’s signature 1983 Billboard Hot 100 No. 2 classic “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” with the trio laughing and hamming it up as they show off the instant classic blue and orange T-shirts touting their Knicks pride.
As the Knicks fell into a massive early hole — down by 29 points against the surging San Antonio Spurs at one point before making a last-second shot to go up 3-1 in the series — the camera kept cutting to the trio to take in their enthusiasm. Viewers at home saw all four women jumping, shouting, dancing and losing their minds as the Knicks dug themselves out, all while wearing hilarious shirts that read: “Stevie Knicks” (for Swift and Hargitay), “Knickleback” (for Alana) and “Knickole Kidman” (for Este).
The shirts were definitely the stars of the 12-second TikTok, where Alana takes center stage as Swift and Este shimmy alongside her in a video titled “Girls just wanna have PUN.”
It was a fun night out for Swift, who was flying solo as fiancé Travis Kelce was back in Kansas City for the Chiefs mandatory pre-season minicamp. But the singer — who last month attended an NBA Eastern Conference Finals game between the Knicks and the Cleveland Cavaliers with lifelong Cleveland fan Kelce — had plenty of A-list company at the thrilling game, which was also attended by Knicks superfans director Spike Lee, actors Ben Stiller and Timothée Chalamet (who was matchy-matchy in blue and orange with girlfriend Kylie Jenner) and rapper Fat Joe.
Also in the house according to USA Today were: Adam Sandler, Larry David, Chris Rock, Action Bronson, the Backstreet Boys’ AJ McLean, Amy Schumer, Billy Crystal, Finneas, Hailey Bieber, Jadakiss, Jeremy Strong, Jimmy Fallon, Keke Palmer, Kevin Jonas, Kit Harrington, Liam Neeson, Marcus Mumford, Mark Ronson, Michael Che, Michael J. Fox, Nas, Penn Badgley, Questlove, Riann Wilson, Robert Randolph, Samantha Ronson, Scooter Braun, Sombr, Sydney Sweeney, Tate McRae, Tracy Morgan and the Wu-Tang Clan, who performed a hyped halftime set.
Game five of the series will take place in San Antonio on Saturday (June 13).
Olivia Rodrigo‘s young pop career has been nothing short of astonishing. Hits everywhere, no foot has been put wrong. Consider, her breakthrough single, “Drivers License,” logged eight weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s one of her five leaders on the national singles chart, those hits spread across three album eras.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the California phenom has smashed records. Her 2021 release SOUR set a new mark for the most first-week streams for a debut album. In the same month, she became, at age 18 years and three month, the youngest solo artist in history to snag the chart double as “Good 4 U” both dominated.
Then, in June 2021, Rdrigo became the first female solo artist to claim three simultaneous U.K. top 5 singles (“Good 4 U,” “Deja Vu” and “Traitor.” Her sophomore album Guts got all the glory, too. No. 1 on charts, hit singles.
On Friday, June 12, Rodrigo enters a new phase with the release of you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love (via Geffen/Interscope).
Following her surprise set at Primavera Sound 2026 in Barcelona, Rodrigo stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday (June 10) for the national TV debut performance of “The Cure,” lifted from that new collection. “The Cure” is already a Billboard No. 1; the track reigns over Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs and Hot Alternative Songs charts, debuting atop the June 6-dated surveys. Also, “The Cure” opened at No. 5 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, becoming Rodrigo’s sixth top five and eighth top 10, totals that include four No. 1s.
For her spot on ABC’s Kimmel, Rodrigo looked glamorous in all-white, performing on a set tangled with red ribbons. Soon, we’ll find out if she’s gone a perfect three-from-three with you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love. Don’t bet against it.
Watch Rodrigo’s late night performance below.
The 1980s was no throwaway era in cinema. The horror genre was at its more terrifying high point, as audiences got their frights from werewolves, zombies, aliens and any creep or creature that could ruin your day. At the action end of town, muscles were king. The Brat Pack was in its full swing. And all the big Hollywood hits, it seemed, were soundtracked by Kenny Loggins.
The American singer and songwriter was ’80s cinema’s go-to guy, nailing the theme songs to Footloose, Top Gun, Caddy Shack, and more.
On Wednesday night, June 10, Loggins stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to re-live some of those golden numbers from the Silver Screen, with a difference. Loggins, Fallon and the late-night show’s house band the Roots performed a medley on classroom instruments, with a little help from from Kevin Bacon and John Lithgow, who got their Footloose on.
At one point, Lithgow interrupted the fun and stayed in his party-pooper character Rev. Shaw Moore from Footloose. “Everybody listen to me. I object to this kind of music. It’s illegal in this building,” he barks in the clip. Enter Bacon. “Jump back,” he roars, channeling his Footloose lead, Ren. “Hey, I thought this was supposed to be a party. Let’s dance!”
Across his career, Loggins has landed 21 titles on the Billboard Hot 100, including a No. 1 for “Footloose,” one of his five top 10s. He also nabbed a No. 2 for “Danger Zone.” Both songs got the late-night treatment with classroom instruments.
In 2022, he recorded an updated version of his classic Top Gun adrenalin-pumping anthem “Danger Zone” for the second film in the Top Gun franchise, Maverick. The following year, in 2023, Loggins released his memoir Still Alright.
Expect Loggins to dispense with the classroom instruments and go with something more conventional when he performs at the Celebrate 250 festival, set for Jul. 3 – 4, 2026 in St Louis, MO.
Watch the classroom instruments session below.
BIGBANG will make, well, a big bang when the K-pop act embarks on a 31-date stadium tour later this year, a worldwide celebration of the group’s 20th anniversary.
The trek will get underway Friday, Aug. 21 for the first of three shows at Goyang Stadium. Next up, a handful of dates in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe, followed by a deep run through Asia and Australia, wrapping up Sunday, Feb. 28 with the second of two nights at Kaohsiung National Stadium.
Announced Thursday, June 11, G-DRAGON, TAEYANG and DAESUNG will reunite for the tour, BIGBANG’s first since 2017, and it comes on the heels of the pop veterans’ return to the stage at the 2026 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Fans will have to wait for the official tour title and ticketing information, which reps say will be announced at a later date. “The landmark tour represents one of the most significant live music events of 2026 for global fans and a historic new chapter for one of the most influential groups in modern music,” reads a statement issued by promoter AEG Presents.
Launched by YG Entertainment, BIGBANG erupted in August 2006 and broke new ground for the Korean-pop scene by winning the inaugural best worldwide act trophy onstage at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards. The following year, they became the first K-pop group to send an album to the Billboard 200 chart, when 2012’s ALIVE reached No. 150, and flexed their live muscles with two world tours (hitting multiple U.S. arenas in 2012 and 2015).
To date, BIGBANG have five No. 1s on Billboard‘s U.S.-based World Digital Song Sales chart, and even scored their first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Global 200 with the special 2022 reunion single “Still Life” that marked T.O.P’s final release with the group.
V.I.P.s — BIGBANG’s fandom — can sign up for the forthcoming tour via BIGBANG’s official b.stage platform for updates.
BIGBANG 2026-27 Tour Dates:
Aug. 21, 2026 – Goyang – Goyang Stadium
Aug. 22, 2026 – Goyang – Goyang Stadium
Aug. 23, 2026 – Goyang – Goyang Stadium
Sept. 5, 2026 – Oakland, CA – Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Sept. 11, 2026 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Sept. 19, 2026 – Paris – Stade de France
Sept. 26, 2026 – London – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Oct. 10, 2026 – Taipei – Taipei Dome
Oct. 11, 2026 – Taipei – Taipei Dome
Oct. 17, 2026 – Singapore – National Stadium
Oct. 24, 2026 – Hanoi – Mỹ Đình National Stadium
Oct. 25, 2026 – Hanoi – Mỹ Đình National Stadium
Oct. 31, 2026 – Sydney – Accor Stadium
Nov. 7, 2026 – Bangkok – Rajamangala National Stadium
Nov. 13, 2026 – Hong Kong – Kai Tak Stadium
Nov. 14, 2026 – Hong Kong – Kai Tak Stadium
Nov. 15, 2026 – Hong Kong – Kai Tak Stadium
Nov. 27, 2026 – Osaka – Kyocera Dome Osaka
Nov. 28, 2026 – Osaka – Kyocera Dome Osaka
Nov. 29, 2026 – Osaka – Kyocera Dome Osaka
Dec. 5, 2026 – Nagoya – Vantelin Dome Nagoya
Dec. 6, 2026 – Nagoya – Vantelin Dome Nagoya
Dec. 13, 2026 – Tokyo – Tokyo Dome
Dec. 14, 2026 – Tokyo – Tokyo Dome
Dec. 15, 2026 – Tokyo – Tokyo Dome
Dec. 26, 2026 – Fukuoka – Mizuho PayPay Dome FUKUOKA
Dec. 27, 2026 – Fukuoka – Mizuho PayPay Dome FUKUOKA
Jan. 9, 2027 – Kuala Lumpur – TM Stadium Nasional
Jan. 16, 2027 – Jakarta – Jakarta International Stadium
Feb. 27, 2027 – Kaohsiung – Kaohsiung National Stadium
Feb. 28, 2027 – Kaohsiung – Kaohsiung National Stadium
UPDATE: Wu-Tang Clan sparked the Knicks for a second-half comeback that is etched in the history books, as the home team overturned the biggest deficit in NBA playoffs history. Down at one stage by 29 points, the Knicks recorded a 107-106 win against the traveling Spurs are now one win away from the championship.
Cometh the hour, cometh the Wu-Tang Clan.
The hip-hop heroes stepped onto the hardwood of Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night (June 11) for a much-needed special delivery during game 4 of the NBA Finals.
RZA and Co. unleashed a medley of “Bring da Ruckus,” “Method Man” and “C.R.E.A.M.,” a rare moment to savor for the New York faithful who were watching on, crushed, and processing the New York Knicks’ first-half capitulation to the visiting San Antonio Spurs.
New York desperately needed a hip-hop miracle, a Wu-Tang lucky charm. The Knicks franchise, hunting its first NBA title in 53 years, fell behind 76-49 at the break. That scoreline, isn’t just bruising. It’s historic. No visiting team in NBA history has led by so many points at the half of a Finals game. And no other Finals team has hit as many first-half 3s as the Spurs (14).
The rap heavyweights are so invested in the Knicks’ run to the title, they’ve swapped out their social media profile with a “Wu York Knicks” logo. If they were feeling deflated at the break, they weren’t showing it. See below.
Earlier, Wu-Tang Clan’s official Instagram appeared to confirm that the group would be performing at the Garden. “Bring Da Hive Knicks in 5,” the Wu captioned a post on its Instagram Story.
And separately, on the new episode of “Wu Wednesdays,” RZA’s SiriusXM show on LL COOL J’s Rock The Bells Radio (Ch. 43), the rapper gave a hint of hip-hop action to come. “Those making it out to (MSG) tonight might be in for something special,” RZA teases at the top of the show. “Let’s see what goes on in the building tonight.”
Page Six first reported that the Wu would be heading to MSG as halftime’s entertainment with the NBA Finals returning to the Big Apple for the first time since 1999, which also saw the New York Knicks battling the San Antonio Spurs back then.
Regardless of the result, Wu-Tang Clan has a lot to look forward to. The act will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this December, alongside Phil Collins, Billy Idol, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, Oasis, Sade and Luther Vandross. The group has been eligible for induction since 2018. RZA has called the honor “one of those pillars in life,” noting that his first house he ever bought was in Cleveland and he’s driven by and visited the Rock Hall “hundreds of times” in the years since.
For those keeping score, the Knicks went into game 4 with a 2-1 series lead. The Wu is currently on a break from the crew’s Wu-Tang: The Final Chamber tour. The farewell trek will resume with a North American leg kicking off in August. The crew will be making stops in Atlantic City, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Toronto, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa, Albuquerque, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas before hosting a final show on Oct. 4 in Phoenix. The legendary rap group was also inducted into Billboard‘s Hip-Hop Hall of Fame in 2025.
This story is part of Billboard’s Global World Cup Series, a collection of 11 cover stories which pairs top soccer stars across the world competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup with highly-touted musicians in accompanying countries.
This summer, the World Cup arrives bigger than it has ever been: 48 teams, three host nations, the first edition played across the United States, Canada and Mexico together. South Korea travels to it for the 11th time in a row — a streak that runs unbroken to 1986 and still carries the memory of 2002, when the team reached the semifinals as co-hosts. For a few weeks every four years, an entire nation keeps the same schedule, wears the same color and shouts the same three words at the same instant: “Oh Pilseung Korea.”
A World Cup is a scored event — walkout anthems, stadium singalongs, the chant that turns tens of thousands of strangers into a single voice. Football and pop have been two of Korea’s loudest exports of the century, each carrying the country’s name abroad. And underneath the noise, the two run on the same engine: long, invisible preparation spent on one public moment, judged the second it arrives.
For its FIFA World Cup Edition, Billboard Korea puts two performers in one frame who rarely share it: singer Kwon Eunbi and footballer Heo Yong Joon. The surface logic is obvious — a stage, a pitch, two people who work in front of crowds. The more telling logic is timing: both arrive on the front edge of a new chapter.
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Joey Bada$$ & Miles Robinson Compare Notes on What Drives Them & Why ‘Athletes Love Artists’ Ahead of World Cup
Kwon spent the spring changing homes, leaving her label of eight years to sign with RBW, the house of MAMAMOO and ONEWE. She comes in as a soloist who has already shown she can will a song up the charts on her own terms — “Underwater,” the lead single from her 2022 EP Lethality, became a delayed hit roughly eight months after release, reignited by a 2023 Waterbomb set that made her a fixture on the summer festival circuit and earned the “Summer Queen” tag. Heo, the striker fans call “Heonaldo” for the Ronaldo-style celebration that trails his goals, has chased the next finish across nearly a decade in the K League — a 2016 debut at Jeonnam Dragons, a 2017 national-team call-up — and is now eyeing a move abroad.
One works to a beat, the other to a whistle. Both are betting the best of it is still ahead.
This edition brings music and sport into a single frame. How does it feel to be part of it?
Kwon Eunbi: I think music and sports are deeply alike in the way they bring people’s emotions together. The World Cup especially is such a special event — people all over the world cheering together in the same moment. It feels genuinely meaningful and exciting to be part of a project like this.
What does the World Cup bring back for you?
Kwon: For me, the World Cup brings back memories of the whole family gathering in front of the TV to cheer together. When I was little, I remember watching the matches with my family in a Red Devils T-shirt — and I can still vividly picture the way everyone erupted at once the moment Korea scored.
And for you — when did you first start dreaming of becoming a footballer?
Heo Yong Joon: I think I first started dreaming of becoming a footballer around the third grade. From then on, my goal was to play for the national team. The period when I felt I grew the most as a player was during my elementary school years, too. I met wonderful coaches when I was young and learned so much from them, and those experiences are the biggest reason I’ve been able to keep going as a player all this time. That’s why I believe the youth years are so important.
Fans also call you “Heonaldo.” Were there players you looked up to, or who shaped how you play?
Heo: I think the nickname “Heonaldo” came from my goal celebration. Of course, it would’ve been even better if it came from my playing style or skill. (Laughs.) I like Neymar of Brazil and Cristiano Ronaldo.
What do fans mean to you as a player?
Heo: I think fans are the greatest source of strength inside a stadium. When I hear the roar of the crowd and their voices cheering me on, it really gives me so much power on the field. I turned pro in 2016, and there are fans who’ve supported me without fail ever since. Just knowing they’ve stayed by me so steadily, for so long, makes me truly grateful.
And on stage — when did you feel that love most strongly?
Kwon: I think I felt it most at summer festivals and college events. It made me so happy when the audience sang along to my songs and threw themselves into the performance from start to finish. In moments like that, it really hits me: “Wow, I’m truly being given so much love.”
Stepping out as a soloist means carrying the whole stage on your own. What changed most for you?
Kwon: I think the biggest difference is the sense of responsibility. In a group, there were so many moments when we could lean on one another. Onstage, just catching a member’s eye gave me strength, and we could share our energy back and forth. As a solo artist, I have to carry the stage on my own, so at first there was real pressure. But because of that, I think I’ve been able to express my own voice and emotions more deeply.
On the field you read as full of confidence. What do you see as your greatest strength?
Heo: I love the phrase “always with confidence,” and I think that naturally comes through on the field. At the same time, I always remind myself not to let confidence tip over into arrogance.
A single play can change a match. How do you handle the pressure of those moments?
Heo: I once read an interview with a player who said you should enjoy the pressure and the tension, and I remember relating to that so strongly. So I try to enjoy those situations as much as I can, too. It isn’t easy, of course, but I keep working toward that mindset.
Watching footballers, what do you respect most?
Kwon: I think it’s amazing how they hold their focus right to the end under that kind of intense pressure. When I’m onstage, there are moments when my concentration wavers for a second, and each time I have to work to pull it back. But footballers are out there for a long stretch, and it must be so physically demanding — so for them to sustain that focus is genuinely impressive. Especially in the big matches, I really sense how much mental strength must matter.
Do you play any sports yourself?
Kwon: I usually enjoy exercises that work on balance, like Pilates or running. I’ve been performing on stage for a long time, so taking care of my stamina is really important. I also keep up activities like hiking and weight training to build my strength.
And your own routine for staying in condition?
Kwon: I put the most importance on sleep and meals. No matter how busy I get, I try to keep my sleep rhythm as steady as I can, and I think eating well is really important too. When things get hectic it’s easy to skip meals, so whenever I can, I make a point of eating properly.
Up close, what do you think the two fields share?
Kwon: I really do think there’s a lot in common. A performance or a match itself is over in a brief moment, but you practice and prepare for such a long time for it. That part feels very similar to me. And the audience or the fans feel the emotion of that moment directly — so in the end, I think music and sports share a similar power to move people’s hearts.
Kwon Eunbi
Kim Tae Hwan
From your side, what impresses you most about musicians?
Heo: I think the patience it takes to carry a fleeting spark of inspiration all the way through to a finished piece is incredible. We only ever hear the completed song — maybe three minutes long — but behind it are countless revisions, recordings and long hours of creation. That doggedness it takes to turn an abstract melody in your head into real music is something I find truly impressive.
And what do you think the power of music is?
Kwon: I think the greatest power of music is that it can carry emotion even when people don’t share a language. A song can bring you comfort without your trying, or fill you with energy instead. That’s something special that only music can do.
What are you listening to before a match?
Heo: I really love listening to music in general. I tend to listen to a lot of ballads and hip-hop — I think I play a lot of Ash Island and Kid Wine. For ballads, I lean toward older songs.
And your routine to get into game mode?
Heo: Before a match I always do visualization. I also make sure to hydrate and stretch, and I try to listen to upbeat music to loosen up my body and lift my mood a little.
What about you, before you go onstage?
Kwon: Usually I listen to my own songs the most. I use that time to rehearse and picture the kind of stage I want to put on, so I tend to play through the setlist. After that, the music I reach for shifts a little depending on the mood of the day.
If you could pick just one song as your stadium entrance music?
Kwon: From my own songs, I’d pick “Underwater.” It has this quality that takes over the room from the very first note, with an energy that gradually pulls you in — so I think it would work well as entrance music in a stadium.
And which of your own songs would best suit a World Cup stadium?
Kwon: I think “Hello Stranger” would fit well. The song has such intense energy and momentum that I think it would match the fever-pitch atmosphere of a stadium.
Behind the highlights are long hours of repetition. What keeps you going through them?
Heo: I think the biggest thing is not wanting to let down the fans who come out to the stadium. They spend their time and money to come watch us, so I always find myself working to show them a better version of myself. I also push through and overcome the hard moments for my own growth as a player. In the end, I believe all sports exist because of the fans, and that’s one of my greatest sources of motivation.
And what does it mean to take the field for your country?
Heo: Taking the field for your country comes with enormous pride and responsibility. There’s pressure, of course, but I think you have to play with a pride that’s even greater than that. So many people are cheering for us, and I draw a lot of strength from that. I always try to give my all with the mindset that I’m playing for the team and the country, not just for myself — and after that, I try to leave the result up to fate.
What are you focused on next?
Kwon: I always want to show people something new, so I’m constantly mulling over different musical directions to try. I can’t go into detail yet, but I’m hard at work on new projects I think my fans will love.
What do you hope fans take from this edition?
Kwon: Just like the passion and excitement the World Cup brings, I hope this photo shoot and interview carry that same positive, high-energy feeling to everyone.
From a Hollywood film premiere straight to Game 4 of the NBA Finals in New York City the next night, Taylor Swift is on a coast-to-coast adventure.
Swift was spotted courtside with two of the three Haim sisters — Alana and Este — at Manhattan’s Madison Square Garden to cheer on the Knicks, who lead the series 2-1 heading into Game 4. How do we know that the trio is rooting for the Knicks? Based on their hilarious homemade shirts.
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Each of the shirts is a Knicks-based pun on a celebrity name, with Swift’s shirt reading “Stevie Knicks,” Alana Haim’s shirt saying “Knickleback,” and Este’s shirt reading “Knickole Kidman.”
Swift previously attended an NBA Eastern Conference Finals game between the Knicks and the Cavaliers last month with her fiancé, NFL star Travis Kelce, who is a lifelong Cleveland fan. But Swift has historically cheered for the New York squad after her time living in NYC.
The pop superstar is in town to attend the 2026 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction & Awards ceremony on Thursday night, when Swift will be inducted into the hall after previously winning the Hal David Spotlight Award in 2010.
On Tuesday night, she was in Los Angeles to attend the Toy Story 5 world premiere and surprise-perform “I Knew It, I Knew You,” her song for the Disney Pixar film. She also joined forces with Toy Story music maestro Randy Newman to duet on “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”
The Wu-Tang Clan is set to perform at halftime of Game 4, following a halftime set from Cardi B during Monday’s Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.
Taylor Swift at Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City.
Dustin Satloff/Getty Images
Primary Wave Music has partnered with the estate of Donna Summer, the company announced on Wednesday (June 10). The deal will see Primary Wave work alongside Summer’s estate to expand the reach of her song catalog and recordings. It also includes her name, image and likeness (NIL) rights.
Through the agreement, Primary Wave will work closely with the estate on new marketing, branding digital and sync opportunities, along with film and TV projects. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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According to a press release, Summer, a primary force in bringing disco to the mainstream, has sold more than 100 million albums globally. Her catalog includes 17 studio albums, three of which went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. That includes 1978’s Bad Girls, which spent six weeks atop the tally. She also enjoyed four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including “Hot Stuff,” “Bad Girls,” “MacArthur Park” and “No More Tears (Enough Is Enough).” A total of 14 of her songs hit the Hot 100’s top 10.
Other hits in Summer’s catalog include “I Feel Love,” “She Works Hard for the Money,” “On the Radio” and “Love to Love You Baby.” Notably, Beyoncé recently sampled “I Feel Love” on “Summer Renaissance,” a track off her 2022 album Renaissance.
Over the course of her career, Summer was nominated for 18 Grammys and won five, including best female R&B vocal performance for “Last Dance,” best female rock vocal performance for “Hot Stuff” and best dance recording for “Carry On” with Giogio Moroder. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2025.
Summer died in 2012 at age 63.