Orville Peck is opening up about how a suicide attempt in 2023 inspired some of his most personal music to date.

The 38-year-old country singer revealed in a new interview that he was struggling with both his mental and physical health when he canceled his Bronco tour in June 2023. Two days before announcing the cancellation, Peck said he intentionally overdosed.

“I was a bad addict, a coping alcoholic,” the openly gay singer told Rolling Stone. “And I had this spiral moment, where I went back to my hotel and tried to take my life. It was a big turning point for me, with a lot of realizations to come. It was something that needed to happen.”

Peck, whose real name is Daniel Pitout, said he was “in one of the worst places” of his life. The experience, along with a breakup and a stint in rehab, became the foundation for his fourth album, Mule, due Sept. 18 through Warner Records.

In a news release announcing the album, the 13-song collection is described as a “chronological timeline of the year that reshaped his life, tracing the collapse of addiction, the difficult pursuit of sobriety, and the slow, often uncertain process of rebuilding. Told with unflinching honesty, humor, and compassion, Mule finds Peck confronting love, loss, and identity through songs that move fluidly between classic country storytelling, bluegrass, and expansive Americana.”

The album’s lead single, “Too Little, Too Late,” arrived Friday (July 24). The pop-country track, co-written by Peck, Steve Rusch and Semisonic’s Dan Wilson, serves as a sharp kiss-off to an ex looking for another chance.

Peck also told Rolling Stone that his time in rehab inspired the album track “Rehab Blues.”

“I didn’t want to be there. I thought it was a waste of time, that I’m unique and didn’t have a problem,” he said. “So I was like, I’m going to write the funniest song about this experience, because at the time I was just like, ‘F— this. I want to leave.’”

Mule follows last November’s Appaloosa EP, released after Peck’s 16-week Broadway run as the emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.

Peck, who performed Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” during his Grand Ole Opry debut on Tuesday (July 21), will launch his Man Turned Mule 2026 North American tour on Oct. 28 in Sacramento, California. The trek runs through Nov. 22, wrapping at the Paramount in Huntington, New York.

Katy Perry is speaking out after the White House used her hit song “Firework” without her permission.

The 41-year-old pop star took to social media on Saturday (July 25) to condemn the Trump administration for featuring the 2010 anthem in a White House TikTok post showing footage of military strikes. Earlier this week, the White House’s official TikTok account shared a video that synchronized Perry’s “boom, boom, boom” lyrics with black-and-white footage of bombing. The post was captioned, “Iran has been warned.”

“I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes,” Perry wrote on X. “I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.”

She continued, “I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments. To see a message of self-worth and upliftment weaponized to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of everything my song stands for.”

Perry concluded her statement by writing, “My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.”

Released as the third single from Perry’s 2010 album Teenage Dream, “Firework” became one of the singer’s standout hits, spending four nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Perry is among dozens of artists who have criticized the Trump administration over the unauthorized use of their music in political videos and at campaign rallies.

In June, Ariana Grande blasted the White House for using her 2024 song “Bye” in a TikTok video promoting ICE agents making arrests. Earlier this year, Kesha also criticized the Trump administration after her song “Blow” was used without authorization in a TikTok featuring fighter jets and military strike footage captioned “Lethality.”

Check out Perry’s post on X below.

Lou Koller, the founding frontman of New York hardcore institution Sick of It All, has died following a battle with esophageal cancer. He was 59.

The band confirmed his death in a statement posted to Instagram on Friday (July 24). “It’s with unbelievable sadness that we announce to our worldwide hardcore family the passing of our brother Lou Koller,” the group wrote, noting that 2026 would have marked the band’s 40th anniversary.

“We have lost a beloved friend and an iconic frontman. Lou had the power to raise everyone’s spirits at our shows with a smile and a sarcastic comment, and he won people over wherever we played, from every culture and every corner of the world.” The band also thanked those who had contributed to Koller’s medical fund, writing that his “battle is over now and he can finally rest.”

Koller first revealed his diagnosis in the summer of 2024, telling fans that doctors had found a tumor in his esophagus that extended into his stomach. Sick of It All cancelled a European tour so he could undergo treatment, and the hardcore community rallied with benefit concerts and donations.

By May 2025, he had announced he was cancer-free following a final round of chemotherapy, but the disease returned months later.

Sick of It All formed in Queens, New York in 1986, built around Koller and his brother Pete, the band’s guitarist. The group emerged from the same late-’80s New York hardcore scene as Agnostic Front, Cro-Mags and Madball, playing clubs like CBGB and building a devoted following through relentless touring. Their 1989 debut Blood, Sweat and No Tears became a genre landmark, and by 2020 the band had sold at least half a million records worldwide across a career that stretched nearly four decades.

Their commercial high point came in the mid-’90s major-label era. Scratch the Surface (1994), released on East West, drew critical acclaim and produced the singles “Scratch the Surface” and “Step Down,” the latter earning MTV rotation; it remains the band’s best-selling album. Its follow-up Built to Last (1997), reached No. 32 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Albums chart. The band later signed to Fat Wreck Chords and continued releasing music into the 2010s, with their most recent album, Wake the Sleeping Dragon!, arriving in 2018.

Across their run, Sick of It All became one of the most respected and enduring acts in hardcore, admired as much for Koller’s charisma and generosity as for the music itself. He is survived by his bandmates, his brother Pete among them, and a global community of fans built across 40 years on the road.

50 Cent revealed that he’s recruited Eminem and the late 2Pac for a collaboration that will land on the Street Fighter soundtrack. The G-Unit boss made the revelation during an appearance on Today With Jenna and Sheinelle on Friday (July 24).

“I got some music that I’m working on. I did something currently me, Eminem and 2Pac,” he said, which sent the hosts into a state of shock and confusion.

50 clarified that he got the approval from 2Pac’s estate and that the late rapper’s vocals aren’t AI. “They delivered it. It’s for the theme of Street Fighter, the movie. We worked on it and got it right,” he added.

The Queens rap legend teased that the anticipated collab is arriving “soon” and further clarified that the loaded track will be “coming out shortly.”

Street Fighter is set to hit U.S. theaters Oct. 16, and 50 will star in the live-action remake as Balrog. Back in December, 50 hinted at notching a collaboration with Eminem for Street Fighter, but didn’t mention 2Pac.

“I’m gonna get @eminem on deck to make some music for this movie Street Fighter,” 50 wrote on IG. “New Music on the way!”

50 Cent joins a star-studded cast in the reboot, which boasts Jason Momoa, Noah Centineo, country singer Orville Peck and WWE superstar Roman Reigns (Joe Anoa’i).

50 Cent and Eminem’s most recent collaboration came on Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s Missionary collab album for “Gunz N Smoke” in December 2024.

The close friends and frequent collaborators teamed up on plenty of occasions throughout the 2000s, colliding on tracks like “Don’t Push Me,” “Patiently Waiting,” “Gatman & Robin” and “You Don’t Know.”

Watch the clip of 50 talking about the track with Eminem and 2Pac below.

Who knew Drake was such a big fan of padel?

Spanish professional padel player Juan Lebrón Chincoa, aka “El Lobo” (Spanish for “The Wolf”) — one of the best padel players in the world — was a guest at the Toronto rapper’s second annual Nike NOCTA retreat, where it looks he got a game in with the host himself. Chincoa showed love on Instagram with a carousel of pictures and videos from the retreat along with a lengthy caption expressing his gratitude.

“Unforgettable days,” he wrote. “Thank you @champagnepapi for being so genuine and making me feel at home. I truly appreciate the connection we built. Grateful for the memories, the laughs and all the amazing moments we shared together. Thanks @nocta for making these days so special.”

Innocent enough, right?

Well, toward the end of said carousel, there’s a picture of a shirt that has “The only LeBron I rate is Juan” airbrushed on it — which, of course, caught everyone’s attention. It’s both a play on Jay-Z‘s line from the Magna Carta Holy Grail track “Oceans,” on which he raps, “Only Christopher we acknowledge is Wallace,” in reference to Christopher Columbus and his late friend The Notorious B.I.G., and a playful jab at his former buddy NBA player LeBron James. The two had a falling-out during Drake’s battle with Kendrick Lamar in 2024, after James attended the Compton rapper’s victory lap concert “The Pop Out,” which resulted in Drake dissing him on numerous occasions since.

Drake also posted his own carousel on Instagram with a couple of bars doubling as a caption that starts with the claim that he’s been proving himself right over the course of the last two years since his back-and-forth with Kendrick.

“I spent the last 24 months proving myself right,” he wrote. “Of course I’m about to have the summer of my life/ Spent amounts on you that make my accountant roll his eyes/ Just for you to show me how you really roll when it’s go time/ I clearly have a type/ And I clearly only learn the lesson when the teacher is fine.”

Their mutual friend, former NBA player Tristan Thompson, told Shannon Sharpe earlier this month that he’s been trying to get the two to reconcile their differences. “I would love to,” he said after Sharpe suggested that he should get LeBron and Drake to bury the hatchet. “Listen, yeah. Listen. I’m trying, man. I’m trying, I’m trying, I’m trying.”

James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday (July 24), so they’ll be seeing a lot more of each other this upcoming season since Drake’s Toronto Raptors also play in the NBA’s Atlantic Division. Teams in the same division face each other four times over the course of an 82-game season.

Luísa Sonza made her debut on the Tomorrowland Belgium stage Friday (July 24), joining the set of Dutch duo Kris Kross Amsterdam to perform — live for the first time — their track “My Oh My,” released in partnership with French singer and producer Willy William.

The appearance took place on The Great Library stage, one of the festival’s main stages, at 5 p.m. local time, with Sonza popping up as a guest during the duo’s electronic music set.

The collaboration was born after a meeting between Kris Kross Amsterdam and Willy William backstage at the Q Music Awards. Looking for a voice to complete the track, the DJs invited Luísa, who brought her pop identity to the production.

“I’m very excited and honored to represent Brazilian pop at a festival that brings together people from more than 200 countries,” the singer tells Billboard Brazil.

“My Oh My” isn’t the singer’s first collaboration with foreign artists: Luísa has previously shared tracks with names including PRETTYMUCH, Danna Paola, Aitana and Katy Perry, expanding her presence outside Brazil.

Listen to “My Oh My” below:

Charli xcx continued to blend the worlds of cinema and music with the release of a short film to accompany her Music, Fashion, Film album on Friday (July 24). 

Shot entirely in black-and-white to maintain the album’s aesthetic, Charli begins the clip with what feels like more of a journal entry than an introduction, explaining her inspiration and creative process when making Music, Fashion, Film. 

Prior to the album’s arrival, Charli showed the film in theaters to audiences across the globe to hear and process it visually as she intended. 

“Throughout this album process, I’ve been making things with my friends and I’ve been loving every minute of it. I made the whole album with A.G. Cook and Finn Keane,” she said. “Two people that have become my close, close friends through working on music and creating things together. I’m so excited for you to hear this album.”

Every song on the album essentially boasts a music video, filled with mountains of cigarettes, various fashion shoots and gallivanting through London. The transitions are where Charli provides context heading into every track. Ahead of “Card Declined,” she details her love for shopping when traveling through cities like Paris and London.

Actor Vincent Cassel stars in the “Camera” video, which finds a recording of Charli’s pitch to recruit Cassel and his response. “It’s kind of about the relationship between performer and camera that is sometimes really tempting and exciting, but can also sometimes be unbelievably vulnerable and a bit embarrassing,” she said.

The album closer “No One Lasts Forever” features an appearance from director David Cronenberg and Charli gives a deeper look into their conversation that took place in Toronto discussing the mortality of life and its connection to art. 

Music, Fashion, Film follows Charli helming the Wuthering Heights soundtrack in February, which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, and 2024’s Brat blockbuster. She’ll perform cuts from her new album when she headlines Lollapalooza next Friday (July 31) at Chicago’s Grant Park before embarking on a North American arena tour in September.

Watch the Music, Fashion, Film album film below.

Brooklyn-bred boxer Edgar Berlanga Jr. is the latest athlete putting his music skills to the test, releasing his first-ever single “Baby Mama” last month. But with an upcoming showdown against Steven Butler at Madison Square Garden this Sunday (July 26), the Puerto Rican knockout artist insists his leap into the Latin market was more than a dream — it was destiny.

“Bro, I’m gifted,” says an animated Berlanga after previewing unreleased music off his cell phone during a Zoom call. “Music is second nature to me. I grew up around this. I grew up around the lights, the chains and the cameras. That’s me. I love being in front of cameras. I love music. The same feeling I get when I’m in the gym is the same feeling I get when I’m in the studio making music. I feel good.”

With cosigns from Fat Joe, DJ Khaled and Rick Ross, Berlanga’s latest anthem is a sugary earworm slated to soundtrack any summer function. Even in his debut visual, Berlanga never feels like he’s cosplaying a rapper. His sleek demeanor and steely bravado come naturally.

“It’s second nature to me. I had a big production team,” recalls Berlanga when reflecting on shooting the visual. “I flew a girl out from L.A. that was in a music video with Gunna and a couple of big artists. I used her, and she was like, ‘This is crazy. This is your first video shoot? It looks like you’ve been doing this s–t for years.’”

Before Berlanga Jr. can start thinking about platinum plaques and future Grammy speeches, however, his focus remains on Sunday’s clash with Butler, a fight he confidently predicts will end with him “catching a body.”

Billboard caught up with Berlanga Jr. ahead of his forthcoming bout to discuss his love for music, the making of “Baby Mama,” performing with Fat Joe and whether he’d rather win a Grammy or become boxing’s undisputed champion.

You said on Instagram, “Michael Jordan did it all. Deion Sanders didn’t limit himself to one sport.” You’ve already established yourself as one of boxing’s biggest names. How much confidence do you have that you can build that same credibility as a recording artist?

It’s gonna be good. S–t, I already have 1.2 million views on YouTube with my first song out. You seen Rick Ross bopping to it in the club, DJ Khaled co-signed me, Fat Joe co-signed it. Once you have the biggest in the game co-signing it, it’s legendary, you know? I’m talented in many areas, and definitely in music. I got a lot of love for it — and I got English music, too, but right now, I wanna focus on the Spanish market. I got another record that’s brewing right now. I’m just waiting to catch this dub real quick and drop the song, man. It’s better than “Baby Mama.” This one is gonna solidify me.

A lot of athletes have crossed over into music, but fans can be skeptical. What do you want people to understand about how seriously you’re approaching your music career?

My slogan is you can do anything. Don’t let the haters dictate your life and limit yourself to whatever they think you are, feel me? If you’re talented in many areas, man, go after it. I really wanna attack this music thing the right way. I’m a little upset because when I dropped` “Baby Mama,” I had to go to camp. So I had people calling me, asking for bookings in New York, Massachusetts, Miami, and LA. Fat Joe was like, “Listen bro. Put this dude through the ropes and you’re gonna see ‘Baby Mama’ go to another level you ain’t seen before.” I started laughing and said, “Aight. Say no more.”

What are some of the similarities between preparing for a championship fight and walking into the studio to record a song?

My producer and the guys that I have on my team for the music, they know I’m in my mode when I take my shirt off. I’ll come into the booth with my shirt on and once I start going, I start taking my shirt off and I start going. They’re like, “Ok. He locked in.” We just be going, but I use the same mindset when I’m boxing with music. I got that tunnel-vision. Once they come to the crib, I’m like, “I gotta go to the studio real quick” and I turn that switch on. I’m locked in. I got my team. I make sure my throat good — pause — and I’m good to go, man.

People don’t understand that this year that I had off — especially with my last fight — music revived me. It brought a different light out of me. My coach seen it. For some reason when I made “Baby Mama” and I saw how much traction it was getting… it was playing in the club, big different Latin artists were calling me and saying it was fire and their baby mamas already knew the lyrics. It definitely revamped me. It made me love boxing again. It made me more dedicated to the craft again. It put more pressure on me because now I know I’m in music and in boxing, so now I gotta be very disciplined because the lifestyles don’t match. 

You’re Brooklyn-bred. What does fighting at Madison Square Garden mean to you at this stage of your career? Does this homecoming feel different?

You know my Knicks won the championship. That right there set the tone for me. I gotta go in there and catch a body for sure. I gotta go in there and make the crowd go crazy. This is me solidifying the summer for us. Once I catch a body in The Garden, we lit. Now the summer is on and popping. We gonna finish this summer strong. The Knicks just won. A month later, Edgar fighting at The Garden main event. He caught a body. It’s gonna be crazy. 

You’ve built strong relationships with people like Fat Joe and DJ Khaled. What’s the best piece of advice they’ve given you about making the jump into music?

You know what Fat Joe told me? “Keep going. Don’t stop.” He said, “Fat Joe don’t lie. Fat Joe does not cap. If that s–t was trash, I would have told you, ‘Berlanga. Stick to boxing. But you got it. Keep going. F–k the haters, man. Don’t worry about them. Keep going.’”

He kept telling me that because I showed him all the records. He couldn’t believe it. He loved “Baby Mama.” When he performed, he handed me the mic out here in Orlando. When I performed, it was probably in front of 2000 people. I pulled up and they wanted me to perform “Baby Mama.” He was onstage doing “What’s Luv” and “Lean Back,” then he said, “Edgar Berlanga just dropped a new song called ‘Baby Mama.’” They played the song, he passed me the mic and I was like, “Oh!” It was crazy because everybody in the crowd knew the lyrics. I was like, “D–n. This is dope.”

If you had to choose one before your career is over, would you rather become an undisputed world champion or win a Grammy? Why?

Damn! I gotta go undisputed world champion. I’ve been boxing since I was seven years old — but s–t, a Grammy?! Winning a Grammy is legendary, too. 

You can do both.

That’s what I’m on right now. I’m gonna try. I’m gonna try my best bro to really put that fire out there.

The summer music releases just keep coming with a sprawling new batch of projects arriving the week of Friday (July 24), featuring songs and albums by Charli xcx, KATSEYE, JENNIE of BLACKPINK and more.

Starting with the dance-pop innovator’s new full-length, Music, Fashion, Film, Charli — as promised — takes a hard left from Brat to uncover a new side of herself marked by experimentation and fuzz guitar. The project follows her 2024 breakout LP as well as Wuthering Heights, the concept album she made to accompany Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation of the iconic novel, making for a fascinating three-album run that shows off the star’s impressive range.

KATSEYE’s new single, “Animal,” is another one of the buzziest recent releases, marking the girl group’s second single — following Billboard Hot 100 No. 28 hit “Pinky Up” — from upcoming EP Wild. JENNIE’s new single, “Less Than a Lover,” marks the K-pop star’s first non-BLACKPINK release since dropping her first solo album Ruby and jumping on Tame Impala’s “Dracula,” which went top 10 this summer.

Beyond those three projects, streaming services were also blessed with new sets from Tyla, The Strokes and Kenyon Dixon — A*Pop, Reality Awaits and Ego Ruins Everything, respectively, as well as tracks by Morgan Wallen, who released “Been by Now,” Fridayy, who unleashed “Haiku,” and Carter Faith, who teamed up with Laci Kaye Booth and Baby Nova for “Pearl Handled Pistol.”

But which of those projects are you running back the most as July winds down? Billboard wants to know. Tell us your favorite release of the week by voting in the poll below.

Late singer Oliver Tree will get a predictably quirky send-off on Saturday (July 25) when the “Life Goes On” star is memorialized at a celebration of life at UC Santa Cruz’s Quarry Amphitheater. According to an announcement on Tree’s Instagram, the life of Oliver Tree Nickell will be honored during the program and livestream that will begin at 7:30 p.m. PST and include live music, tribute videos from Oliver’s life and speeches from friends and family; tickets are limited but fans who can’t attend in person can check out the live stream.

The announcement for the three-hour stream promises the screening of unreleased video content from the artist known for filming quirky music videos and viral clips, as well as a roster of guest speakers including DJ/producer Diplo, YouTuber Ethan Klein, Mexican influencer Ethan Mercury and influencer/boxer Logan Paul.

One of Tree’s good friends, Chicago DJ/producer Whethan, announced last week that he will postpone his planned Las Vegas shows at Shambhala this weekend to attend the memorial event.

In keeping with Tree’s playful nature, the event poster also promises caskets for each of the singer’s quirky characters, as well as live music and more.

Tree, 32, died in a tragic helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on June 14 in an accident that took five other lives. At the time, Tree was traveling through South America as part of his World First World tour, with his label, Atlantic Records, sharing a statement about the singer’s death. “We are shocked and saddened by Oliver’s untimely passing. He was a remarkable talent — a gifted artist and songwriter who forged a thoroughly unique and captivating style,” it read. “Oliver was endlessly inventive and a true original. He was a cherished friend to many and a beloved member of our music family. He profoundly loved music and his fans, and his absence will be deeply felt. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Oliver’s family, friends, and team, as well as the families and loved ones of all those affected by this tragic event.”

All proceeds from Saturday’s event will benefit the foundation/endowment founded by the singer before his death, the Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant for Baby Geniuses.

Check out the event poster below.