Lil Tjay is in a moving car somewhere with bad signal, and he has a lot on his mind that he’s not allowed to say.

Two weeks ago, he walked out of Broward County Jail in Hollywood, Florida — arrested the night before on disorderly conduct charges in connection with the shooting of Offset outside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino — and gave reporters an interview that lit up every music blog within the hour.

He called Offset a “rat.” He recounted the scene. He threatened the Atlanta native with the kind of language that doesn’t leave a lot of room for interpretation.

Today, he’s considerably more composed.

“I’m just as confused as everyone else about that,” he says, when the situation comes up. “My lawyer told me not to touch on it too much. What I can say is the album will really hit home for my fans.”

One sentence. Door shut. On to the album.

The short version: a $10,000 casino debt, months of public beef, and then on April 6, Offset was shot outside the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. Tjay was arrested that night on disorderly conduct charges. His lawyer called the reports linking him to the shooting “false rumors.”

Authorities never named him as the triggerman. He was out on bond by morning.

Two weeks later, he’s on the phone to talk about new music. The chaos is still there, humming in the background. But Tjay seems genuinely uninterested in feeding it.

“My week’s been active,” he says. “I’ve been putting everything together for my album, keeping content rolling so fans have things to watch.”

The album is They Just Ain’t You, due May 1 via his own imprint TrenchKid Records/ADA. It is, structurally and sonically, the most deliberate thing he’s put his name to — and the most personal, in ways that go beyond the music itself. This is his first fully independent project, built without major label infrastructure behind it. That shift is not incidental. It’s the whole point.

“The main thing — it’s completely me,” he says. “It’s an in-house project, no major label backing this time, unlike before. But the body of work should be just as strong.”

He’s not bitter about the label years. Good people, sometimes useful opinions — but a system that has its own gravitational pull. “You can get tied up in the business and people get too passionate,” he says. The outcome, for him, is simple: “Now I’m able to be my own boss.”

The lead single “Life On Edge,” out today, sounds like what that independence feels like from the inside — stripped back, a little isolated, pressure coiled underneath calm production. “

The more the struggle, the better the shine,” he delivers. “My life is a puzzle, but I’ve been hustling and juggling with times.” It doesn’t sound like a victory lap. It sounds like a man still in the middle of something, working it out in real time.

The album’s short film — a three-part visual series rolling out alongside the release — pulls from his Bronx upbringing in ways his earlier work touched on but never fully excavated. Going back to that material, he says, does something specific to him.

“It feels unrealistic sometimes,” he says. “The Bronx is different from anywhere else. When I go back it gives me a sense of accomplishment — reminds me what I’ve done.”

He acknowledges the gap between now and his last album plainly, without excuses. His 2023 release 222 was critically well-received — anchored by “June 22nd,” a raw account of the near-fatal shooting that nearly ended his career before this chapter could begin. But the label transition created a silence he knows cost him momentum.

“I fell short transitioning off the label and haven’t dropped an album since,” he says. “Now I plan to keep my foot on the gas and not take long breaks again.”

When asked about his musical inspirations, he brings up Justin Bieber — the recent Coachella moment, what it stirred up for him. Growing up in the Bronx, certain things were and weren’t acceptable to admit to. Liking the Canadian pop star was firmly in the second category. Tjay didn’t care then. He’s not apologising for it now.

“Where I’m from it wasn’t cool to be a Bieber fan, but I always rocked with him,” he says. “Honestly, if it wasn’t for him, I might not be an artist today.”

It lands quietly, but it lands hard. Because it explains something — about the melodic instinct that runs through Tjay’s catalogue, the emotional directness that helped him accumulate more than 18 billion global streams and a string of platinum certifications going back to his 2019 debut True 2 Myself. That sound didn’t come from nowhere. It came from a kid in the Bronx paying attention to whoever actually moved him, regardless of whether that was the approved choice.

That same instinct is what’s driving They Just Ain’t You. Not the noise. Not the drama. Not the version of Lil Tjay that walks out of a Florida jail and says what he says to the cameras. The version that gets back in the car, turns the phone on, and tries to make something true.

Asked what he wants fans to take from this era, he keeps it short.

“Stay on your own mission,” he says. “Rainy days come, but keep moving forward.”

From someone who has survived a near-fatal shooting, a public feud that ended in a casino parking lot, and more industry turbulence than most artists twice his age — it doesn’t read like a platitude. It reads like the only logical conclusion a person could reach after all of that.

They Just Ain’t You is out May 1.

Violent Soho are returning to the stage, announcing a three-date Australian tour for September 2026 that marks their first run of shows since entering an indefinite hiatus four years ago.

The Brisbane rock band will perform at Sydney’s Enmore Theatre on Sept. 11, Melbourne’s Forum on Sept. 18 and Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on Sept. 25. The run represents their first official headline tour since stepping back from the spotlight in 2022.

News of the band’s return had been building in recent weeks, with speculation intensifying after frontman Luke Boerdam and guitarist James Tidswell joined blink-182’s Mark Hoppus onstage at the Sydney Opera House for a performance of “Dammit.”

During the appearance, Hoppus told the crowd the band were “getting back together,” signaling what has now become a confirmed reunion.

In a statement shared alongside the announcement, Violent Soho framed the tour as a natural return rather than a reset. “Some dudes play golf, we play in a band,” they said. “For us, that band is Violent Soho, and we missed making noise together… When we took a break, we said, ‘Until Next Time’ — and now feels like that time.”

Joining the band on tour are Beddy Rays, who will open all shows, with Teenage Joans appearing in Sydney and Brisbane and Secret World set for the Melbourne date.

Formed in 2004, Violent Soho built a reputation as one of Australia’s most consistent and in-demand live acts, with a run of releases that bridged alternative rock, punk and grunge influences. Their 2016 album WACO and 2020’s Everything Is A-OK both debuted at No. 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart, while earlier record Hungry Ghost has continued to resonate, with its 10th anniversary edition returning to the charts in 2023.

The band’s impact has extended beyond commercial success, with tracks like “Covered in Chrome” maintaining a lasting presence in Australian music culture, including a recent placement at No. 40 in triple j’s Hottest 100 Australian Songs of All Time.

Pre-sale access for the tour begins April 23 at 10 a.m. local time via the band’s mailing list, with general tickets available April 24.

For longtime fans, the September shows mark a long-awaited return — and the next chapter for a band that had, until now, left its future open-ended.

The estate of Prince has released a previously unheard recording of “With This Tear,” a song the late artist originally wrote and later gave to Celine Dion in the early 1990s.

The newly unveiled version, issued via NPG Records and Legacy Recordings, features Prince’s original recording of the piano-led ballad, which he wrote, produced and performed himself. The track was first recorded at Paisley Park in November 1991, but had remained unreleased until now.

Dion’s version of “With This Tear” appeared on her 1992 self-titled album, marking one of several instances in which Prince contributed material to other artists while keeping his own recordings in the vault. His original take offers a more stripped-back interpretation of the song, foregrounding his vocal and piano arrangement.

The newly released recording has been updated with a fresh mix by Grammy-nominated producer Chris James, who has previously worked on multiple Prince-related projects. The release forms part of a broader effort by the Prince Estate to continue opening the artist’s extensive archive of unreleased material.

The timing of the track’s arrival is notable, coming just ahead of the 10th anniversary of Prince’s death. Since his passing in 2016, a steady stream of archival releases — including deluxe editions, vault recordings and previously unheard collaborations — has helped maintain his presence within contemporary music conversations while offering deeper insight into his prolific output.

“With This Tear” also reflects Prince’s long-standing role as a songwriter for other artists. Over the course of his career, he wrote and produced songs that were recorded by a wide range of performers, often delivering compositions that took on new forms outside of his own catalog.

The release follows renewed interest in Prince’s archive in recent years. In 2024, a demo of “Baby Doll,” a previously unheard collaboration between Prince and Kylie Minogue, surfaced online, highlighting the depth of material still contained within the vault.

While details about a potential larger vault project have not been formally confirmed, reports have suggested that additional archival releases may be forthcoming.

It’s a Justin thing.

Justin Timberlake reacted to Justin Bieber covering “Cry Me a River” during his Saturday weekend 2 Coachella headlining set. In a new post to Instagram on Monday (April 20), Timberlake shared an old video of himself meeting a young Bieber.

“I know this has been a long road,” Timberlake writes in his Instagram caption. “And I know it’s not always a smooth ride. I’m proud of you — and you should be proud of you too. Sending love @lilbieber.”

Alongside the vintage clip of the duo meeting, Timberlake also posted a snippet of Bieber’s Saturday performance. In the video, Bieber speaks to the crowd about the song he is about to sing, saying, “You know, I grew up listening to Justin Timberlake and so many other beautiful talents, but I remember this like it was yesterday.”

Behind the singer, a large screen plays a video of his younger self on guitar singing “Cry Me a River.” The original cover, which is still up online, was posted to Bieber’s YouTube in February 2008 under the title “Cry me a River – Justin Timberlake cover – Justin singing (Justin Bieber).” Bieber debuted with his first single, Billboard Hot 100 hit “One Time,” the next year.

“Guitar was out of tune,” Bieber says before singing a duet with his younger self. The clip Timberlake posted ends with Bieber turning around to face the screen to continue the song before cutting off right before the pre-chorus.

“Cry Me a River” was the second single from Justin Timberlake’s debut solo album Justified. The track peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 and spent a total of 20 weeks on the chart.

There’s a lot of history between the Justins, as Timberlake famously tried to sign a pre-fame Bieber, but the Canadian tween pop star and his manager Scooter Braun ultimately chose to partner with Usher instead.

Watch Justin Bieber’s full original 2008 cover of “Cry Me a River” below.

When Madonna popped out as a surprise guest during Sabrina Carpenter‘s headlining set at weekend 2 of Coachella on Friday (April 17), she delivered yet another iconic pop culture moment in a career built on them. But the vintage costumes that helped make that moment so iconic have apparently gone missing.

On Monday (April 20), the Queen of Pop took to her Instagram Story to announce the burglary and to reflect on her return to Coachella, 20 years after the festival hosted her first Stateside performance of her classic 2005 LP, Confessions on a Dance Floor. “Still flying high since Friday night at Coachella,” she opened her note. “Thank you to Sabrina and everyone who made it possible. Bringing Confessions II back to where it began was such a thrill.”

“The full circle moment hit different until I discovered that the vintage pieces that I wore went missing — my costume that was pulled from my personal archives — jacket, corset, dress and all other garments,” the pop icon, 67, continued. “These aren’t just clothes, they are part of my history. Other archival items from the same era went missing as well. I’m hoping and praying that some kind soul will find these items and reach out to my team. I’m offering a reward for their safe return. Thank you with all my heart.”

Madge’s surprise appearance coincided with the release of “I Feel So Free,” the hypnotic lead single from her forthcoming Confessions II, which arrives on July 3 as the official sequel to her 2005 album. After shortening her rendition of “Juno,” Carpenter welcomed Madonna to the stage for duets of “Vogue,” the first taste of “Bring Your Love” (a duet between the two blonde bombshells expected to appear on Confessions II) and “Like a Prayer.”

While onstage, Madonna made sure to note that she rewore the same corset, boots and Gucci jacket from her last Coachella appearance. She complemented those pieces with a lavender corset bodysuit, lacy knee-high purple stockings, lavender gloves and a pair of oversized sunglasses. As Carpenter stood beside her in full Man’s Best Friend glam, Madonna’s influence over the entire landscape of pop music aesthetics was palpable.

To celebrate her triumphant performance, Madonna shared a photoset on her official Instagram page. “A moment in history I will never forget, I feel so free!” she wrote in the caption of backstage flicks, mid-show photos and behind-the-scenes candids.

Although her Coachella appearance hit all the right notes, Madonna has no official plans to tour anytime soon. But if “I Feel So Free” — which combines Confessions producer Stuart Price and new-school electronic music luminary Arca — is any indication, Confessions II will keep the world dancing, stolen clothes be damned.

Everybody, even huge pop stars, has that one person they would absolutely lose it over if they met them in person. For a long time, Billie Eilish had Justin Bieber at the top of her list. But now they’ve become friendly and, in case you missed it, over the weekend, Bieber, 32, made Eilish’s tween dreams come true when he invited his self-proclaimed superfan onto the stage to serenade her with his 2009 song “One Less Lonely Girl.”

It was clear from the hugs and laughter that Eilish, 24, was having the time of her life, and her mom, Maggie Baird, confirmed it in a sweet Instagram note honoring the special relationship between her daughter and Justin.

“One of the most touching moments ever. It sounds crazy, but we watch our children develop these deep deep connections to artists who move them and usually there’s nothing in our power to do,” wrote Baird in the post, which featured a picture of Billie hugging Justin with a giant smile on her face, as well as the footage of Eilish losing it as she stumbled and fell to her knees while making her way to the stage for the once-in-a-lifetime moment.

“But we buy them records and maybe buy them a ticket to a concert (or a movie of a concert in our case because we couldn’t afford to see an actual concert),” she continued of her daughter, who has been a Belieber for half her life. “Watching this crazy unimaginable dream come true over many years is so incredible. I’m so grateful to Justin Bieber for the kindness he has shown Billie and to our whole family and to Hailey who makes so many things wonderful and possible♥️♥️.”

Justin’s wife, Hailey Bieber, responded with a “❤️ you guys!” in the comments, followed by a “so special.” In other pics, Baird hugs Eilish after the special on-stage moment and mom and daughter fangirl together over Justin’s show from the audience. Later, Eilish — who has spoken in the past about how Bieber offered her advice and friendship early in her career — provided an update on her emotional state following the life highlight moment: “can’t stop crying,” she wrote in an Instagram Story on Sunday accompanied by a pic of her laying in bed with red-rimmed eyes.

Katy Perry shared a playful moment from her recent trip to Rome, joking about tossing her credit card into the Trevi Fountain for “good luck.”

In a video posted to Instagram over the weekend, the singer is seen standing at the landmark before briefly throwing her card into the water — a tongue-in-cheek spin on the centuries-old tradition of visitors tossing coins to ensure a return to the city.

“Y’all, I told you in ‘Save as Draft’ that I don’t f**k with change,” Perry says in the clip, referencing a lyric from her 2017 track, before adding, “But I feel like I need to put something in the Trevi Fountain for good luck.”

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She quickly retrieves the card as it begins to float away, turning the moment into a light bit of travel humor rather than a serious offering.

Perry’s post was part of a wider set of images from Rome, captioned “Just Rome’ing around,” showing the artist moving through the city in a more low-key, offstage setting.

The visit also included a private performance at the La Nuvola convention center, though further details about the event have not been publicly shared.

The social media moment arrives amid a more serious development earlier in the week, after Australian actor Ruby Rose publicly alleged that Perry sexually assaulted her during an encounter in Melbourne years ago. Victoria Police confirmed an investigation is underway following a report.

A representative for Perry has denied the allegation, calling the claims “categorically false” and “dangerous reckless lies.”

The post also follows Perry’s recent appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where she was spotted during weekend one alongside former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The pair were seen in the crowd during Justin Bieber’s set, adding to recent public sightings of the two together.

Jesy Nelson has appealed for public assistance after her car — containing essential medical equipment for her infant daughters — was stolen from her driveway.

The former Little Mix member shared the news via Instagram Stories, revealing that her black Land Rover Defender was taken in the early hours of the morning from her home in Brentwood, Essex.

She asked anyone with information to come forward, writing, “Please if any of you have seen or know of any information, can you DM me or contact the police. I have so much of my girls’ hospital equipment in that car that’s really needed.”

The incident carries added urgency due to the health needs of Nelson’s twin daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, who were diagnosed earlier this year with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic condition that affects muscle strength and movement.

Nelson has spoken publicly about the challenges of caring for her daughters following the diagnosis, describing the experience as an intense period involving frequent hospital visits and ongoing medical support. SMA, particularly Type 1, can impact essential functions including breathing, swallowing and mobility, often requiring specialized equipment for daily care.

In January, Nelson shared that her daughters’ condition would likely have long-term implications. She said doctors had informed her that the children may not be able to walk or regain full neck strength, underscoring the importance of consistent medical treatment and equipment access.

Since opening up about her daughters’ diagnosis, Nelson has also become an advocate for increased awareness around SMA. She recently voiced support for updated government plans to introduce newborn screening for the condition, emphasizing the importance of early detection and treatment.

The theft of the vehicle — and the loss of critical medical supplies — has prompted concern among fans, with Nelson using her platform to amplify the search and encourage anyone with information to contact authorities.

Nelson rose to prominence as a member of Little Mix, one of the U.K.’s most successful girl groups, before departing the group in 2020. She later launched a solo career with the single “Boyz,” followed by subsequent releases including “Bad Thing.”

At the time of publication, there have been no updates on the vehicle’s recovery.

“I Feel So Free,” the new single from Madonna, tops this week’s fan-voted new music poll.

Listeners voted in a poll published Friday (April 18) on Billboard, choosing the iconic pop star’s latest single as their favorite new release this week.

“I Feel So Free” rose to the top of the poll during a week full of fresh pop arrivals, with new tunes from Olivia Rodrigo, Tyla feat. Zara Larsson, Lana Del Rey, sombr and more. At the poll’s closing time on Sunday, Madonna led the pack with 40% of the vote.

“I Feel So Free” debuted on iHeartRadio’s Pride station on Friday, and it arrived on streaming services — and with an official visualizer, seen above — following Madonna’s surprise appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s Coachella set later that night. (Madonna and Sabrina sang two classics, “Vogue” and “Like a Prayer,” together at the festival in Indio, Calif.)

The track celebrates the comfort found in going out dancing: “It’s really hard for me to trust people/ Can you blame me?/ I never know what people like me/ That’s why I like to go dancing/ Safety in numbers/ That’s why I like to go dancing/ Safety in numbers,” Madonna sings in the chorus.

It’s the first single off of Madonna’s upcoming Confessions II album, the sequel to 2005’s Confessions on a Dance Floor. Confessions II is slated for a July 3 release via Warner Records.

Among the new releases trailing behind “I Feel So Free” are Olivia Rodrigo’s “Drop Dead,” with 31% of the vote, and Tyla feat. Zara Larsson’s “She Did It Again,” with nearly 16% of the vote. Lana Del Rey’s “First Light” and sombr’s “Potential” rounded out the top 5 picks.

See the final results of this week’s poll below.