Music legend Dionne Warwick, actress Lynda Carter (star of TV’s Wonder Woman) and Nicola “Coco” Verses, founder of jewelry house VERSÉ, will be honored at the 2026 Angel Ball, the signature fundraiser of Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. The ball, hosted by songwriter Denise Rich and her daughters Daniella Rich Kilstock and Ilona Rich Schachter, will be held on Monday, Oct. 19 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. 

The black-tie fête is held annually in memory of Denise’s daughter, Gabrielle Rich Aouad, who died at the age of 27 from acute myelogenous leukemia (AML).

Grammy-nominated singer Deborah Cox will emcee the event, which will feature a performance by two-time Grammy-winning reggae star Shaggy, along with special appearances by Star Jones, Dr. Stephen D. Nimer and more.

“Raising money for cancer research is more important than ever and we are thrilled to celebrate three outstanding honorees who continue to champion our cause,” Denise Rich said in a statement. “Since 1996, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation has funded over $47 million in research grants to the best and brightest early career cancer scientists whose research focuses on finding better treatments, preventions and cures for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and related blood cancers. Because of their support and dedication, we are truly saving lives.”

Warwick, 85, has had 12 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including a pair of No. 1 hits: “Then Came You,” a 1974 collaboration with The Spinners, and “That’s What Friends Are For,” a 1985 collab with Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight. A five-time Grammy winner, Warwick has received several major career accolades in recent years – a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy in 2019, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2023 and the award for musical excellence from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (2024).

Since 1996, Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation has funded over $47 million in research grants to cancer scientists whose research focuses on finding better treatments, preventions and cures for patients with leukemia, lymphoma and related blood cancers. For more information, visit their website.

Nearly three decades after “You’re Still the One” became Shania Twain’s signature love song, the country-pop classic is getting a decidedly different kind of second life: a dance makeover from Zedd, wrapped in the sugar-coated interactive universe of Candy Crush.

For Twain, the alteration of the song’s anatomy is less about changing a classic than watching it continue to evolve. “You’re Still the One,” which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 back in 1998 — Twain’s highest-charting song on the all-genre tally — has been a fixture of weddings and anniversaries for a long time. Now, with Zedd’s production and Candy Crush’s fantastical Candy Country setting, Twain sees the light of another beautiful chapter for the classic.

“It’s a great, new, exciting platform for the song, for my classic, and I’m flattered by it,” Twain tells Billboard.

The song, originally released on Twain’s 1997 album Come On Over, spent 42 weeks on the Hot 100 and became a major country-pop crossover hit for the singer. It also earned Twain two Grammys, for best country song and best female country vocal performance.

The song is now getting a fresh, new sonic identity. The new version, releasing as part of Candy Crush’s Music Season 2026, keeps Twain’s original vocal while Zedd gives the track a dance-oriented production. Its accompanying interactive music video drops fans into Candy Country, a surreal Western-inspired world filled with hidden clues and rewards, including opportunities to win VIP trips to meet Twain or Zedd on tour and pieces inspired by their looks.

The idea initially caught Twain off-guard. Obviously, “You’re Still the One” has its fair share of remixed versions, but the combination of Zedd’s production and Candy Crush’s visual concept took the idea somewhere she hadn’t anticipated.

“I would never have thought of that myself,” she says of the Candy Country concept. “So I was excited about it. And it takes the song to a whole other place. It takes it to a different universe, is a good way to put it.”

That sense of discovery is part of what made the collaboration so appealing to Twain. Instead of just replacing the original recording altogether, Zedd was able to build around her existing vocal, allowing for a song that fans have known for nearly 30 years to sound different without losing its most recognizable parts.

“I was really flexible. I’m just like, you know, ‘Do your thing!’” Twain says. “’You’re Zedd for a reason, and I’m excited about what you’re gonna do about it.’”

For Zedd, the opportunity was extremely exciting because he grew up listening to Twain’s music.

“I was super happy Candy Crush brought me and Shania Twain together,” Zedd says. “She’s a legendary artist and I grew up listening to her music, so being able to collaborate with her on a new version of such an iconic song has been really special.”

Twain says Zedd’s approach struck the balance she was hoping for, which was a substantial sonic shift that still lets listeners immediately recognize the song underneath it.

“He really did respect ‘You’re Still the One,’” she says, noting that the new track retains her original vocal. “It’s just a very, very, very classic song and vocal with Zedd’s musical magic.”

That idea of a classic song finding new life through another artist brought another iconic collaboration to Twain’s mind: Whitney Houston’s 1992 recording of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” Twain points to the dramatic differences between Parton’s original and Houston’s blockbuster rendition as an example of how a song can change dramatically while remaining fundamentally itself.

“There’s a difference between [producer David] Foster and Houston’s version compared to Dolly Parton’s original,” she says. “It’s so different, but it was still the classic song that remained.”

Twain sees something similar happening with “You’re Still the One.” Her original vocal remains at the center of the new recording, but the song is now being filtered through Zedd’s electronic production and Candy Crush’s interactive world.

And for Twain, that evolution isn’t just happening now: She says she’s watched “You’re Still the One” develop a life of its own as different listeners have claimed it for their own experiences. “Every generation of listeners that take this song on, takes it on for different reasons,” she says.

She has seen parents and children connect through it, young couples embrace it as a love song and longtime partners return to it for anniversaries. In that sense, the song has already been reinvented countless times — not even just musically, but emotionally as well. “It really makes it fun for me to observe and watch what has become to so many other people,” Twain says. “And that’s made it — it’s just given so much more depth to its meaning, to me, as the writer.”

That may be the most meaningful part of revisiting the song for Twain: getting to watch something she created become something she no longer entirely owns. “You watch it become other people’s personal experience,” she says.

Now, Candy Crush is giving “You’re Still the One” yet another identity. Fans can search the accompanying video for hidden clues and blue sugar stars, turning the familiar act of watching a music video into an interactive hunt.

For Twain, that song’s next evolvement is part of the fun. “I’m watching it now go to another journey, part of its journey, another phase of its journey,” she says.

And she’s apparently more than happy to let that journey continue. Asked whether the experience has made her interested in revisiting more of her catalog through new sounds and collaborations, Twain doesn’t hesitate.

“Absolutely. I really look forward to more of that,” she says.

She points to other examples of artists reimagining her catalog and says she enjoys seeing how songs can shift when they are brought into new genres or mediums. For her, the possibilities extend beyond music itself, into film and theater and other forms of creative expression.

“I just love to watch it morph and adapt to new platforms and to new genres,” she says. “I just think it’s a never-ending journey creatively.”

To illustrate what she means, Twain compares the process to visual art: an artist can return to the same subject repeatedly, creating another interpretation without erasing what came before.

“Once there’s a concept, it can just be a never-ending, beautiful cycle down the generations,” she says.

For “You’re Still the One,” that cycle is now taking the song from a ’90s country-pop staple to a dance track to an interactive gaming experience, while Twain’s original voice remains at the center of it all.

After nearly 30 years, she isn’t trying to decide what the song should become next. She’s just enjoying the ride.

“It’s on a real fun journey,” Twain says.

Together, Together once more: Harry Styles is extending his current touring plans into 2027 with a new run of stadium dates.

The 25-date extension of Styles’ tour will take the global superstar across North America and Europe. The 2027 run kicks off in Phoenix on April 2, before continuing through Dallas, Los Angeles, Toronto, Atlanta and Chicago. The European leg begins in Berlin on July 2 and includes stops in Paris, Madrid, Rome and Dublin, before wrapping with the final of three shows at London’s Wembley Stadium on Aug. 28. 

Styles, formerly of One Direction, will play stadiums for the first time ever as a solo artist in the United States and Canada on the next run. As per a press release, ticket prices will be listed across the Harry Styles HQ social media platforms, with U.S. prices ranging from $60 to $300. Presales and on-sale timing varies by market, with further ticketing information available on Styles’ official website.

The 2027 run will also introduce “Unpredictable Fun Tickets,” a new initiative designed to make Together, Together shows more accessible to fans. A limited number of tickets will be available for $20 in North America, £20 in the U.K. and €20 in Europe, with additional details on availability to be announced soon. The tour will also extend its partnership with EARNT, allowing fans to unlock tickets by volunteering their time across local community and restoration projects, with more details to come.

The news follows a note Styles sent to fans via his newsletter on Wednesday night, Sept. 9, in which he confirmed that this next segment of Together, Together includes the “final cities” of the tour. “After that, I don’t know what comes next for me,” he added. “But I know that I’m excited to find out.”

The 32-year-old continued: “I can’t wait for us to keep dancing with all our friends, I hope to see you there. Thank you for coming out to see us, and for all the love and support you’ve given me over the years.” Read the letter in full here.

Each city on the 2027 run will feature a different special guest: Tinashe in Phoenix; CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso in Dallas; Kylie Minogue in Los Angeles; Lainey Wilson in Toronto; Q Marsden in Atlanta; The Womack Sisters in Chicago; Getdown Services in Berlin; Caroline Polachek in Paris; Feist in Madrid; LCD Soundsystem in Rome; Baby Rose in Dublin; and Tears For Fears in London.

The tour supports Styles’ fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally., which was released in March via Erskine Records/Columbia Records and debuted atop both the Billboard 200 and the Official U.K. Albums Chart. The album spawned the hit single “Aperture,” which topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

Together Together — its title taken from a lyric in Styles’ track “Pop” — launched in May with 67 shows across seven cities: Amsterdam, London, São Paulo, Mexico City, New York, Melbourne and Sydney. Following completed residencies in Amsterdam, London, São Paulo and Mexico City, Styles is currently performing a 30-night residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden, his only U.S. shows of the year. The tour will continue to Melbourne and Sydney in December.

In June, Styles earned a Guinness World Records title for the longest residency by a musician at Wembley Stadium during a single run, following 12 shows at the London venue and surpassing Coldplay’s previous 10-show record. Prior to his Together, Together dates in June, the stadium had already become something of a second home for the singer: One Direction played three shows there in 2014, before Styles returned as a solo artist for his Love On Tour headline runs in 2022 and 2023. 

The Together, Together tour is also continuing its charitable partnerships. Globally, the tour will support Choose Love, while £1 from every ticket sold in London will be donated to LIVE Trust, which supports grassroots music venues in the U.K. In the U.S., Styles will continue his partnership with voter registration movement HeadCount, while the tour is also working with Green Nation, Live Nation’s global sustainability initiative.

Harry Styles Together, Together 2027 tour dates:

April 2 – Phoenix, State Farm Stadium
April 3 – Phoenix, State Farm Stadium
April 9 – Dallas, AT&T Stadium
April 10 – Dallas, AT&T Stadium
April 23 – Los Angeles, Rose Bowl Stadium
April 24 – Los Angeles, Rose Bowl Stadium
May 7 – Toronto, Rogers Stadium
May 8 – Toronto, Rogers Stadium
May 21 – Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
May 22 – Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium
May 28 – Chicago, Soldier Field
May 29 – Chicago, Soldier Field

July 2 – Berlin, Flughafen Tempelhof
July 3 – Berlin, Flughafen Tempelhof
July 16 – Paris, Plenitude Arena
July 17 – Paris, Plenitude Arena
July 30 – Madrid, Riyadh Air Metropolitano
July 31 – Madrid, Riyadh Air Metropolitano
Aug. 7 – Rome, Circo Massimo
Aug. 8 – Rome, Circo Massimo

Aug. 18 – Dublin, Croke Park
Aug. 20 – Dublin, Croke Park
Aug. 25 – London, Wembley Stadium
Aug. 27 – London, Wembley Stadium
Aug. 28 – London, Wembley Stadium

John Farnham is a terrific dad. Someone to look up to, a glorious basket of positivity, fun and silliness. Just ask his son.

James Farnham shared a sweet message as Australians celebrated Father’s Day last Sunday, Sept. 6, and gave fans a rare glimpse of his father, John, the beloved pop veteran.  

“From one father to another, I’ve realised just how much you’ve taught me over the years… some useful, some questionable,” James writes. “You’ve always been a great dad and someone I’ve looked up to my whole life. Now that I’m a dad myself, I just hope Jett looks up to me the same way I’ve always looked up to you.”

John Farnham has “always been positive, fun, silly and never taken yourself too seriously, which I’m pretty sure is where I get most of my silliness from,” he continues. “Thanks for making dad time good fun all these years.”

The post is accompanied with four photographs, each telling a story in the timeline of the Farnhams. Among them, an image of John, with flowing long blonde hair and a baby James in his hands. A teary James holding his own baby son, Jett. And a recent photo of John and his wife Jillian Billman staring down at baby Jett.

John Farnham has stepped out of the spotlight since undergoing marathon surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his throat in 2022. His time away from the public glare hasn’t dimmed his superstar status in these parts.

An all-star concert at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena on Sept. 20, The Songs Of John Farnham: A Living Legend The Celebration, was a swift sellout. The concert will feature 120 artists and musicians, all of them selected by Farnham, and raises funds for Head and Neck Cancer Australia.

Separately, a musical based on Farnham’s career will premiere on Nov. 15 at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in Sydney, while Sony Music is releasing a 40th anniversary edition of Whispering Jack, which is paired with the live recording, Whispering Jack Live In Concert, along with new, numbered vinyl and range of merchandise to mark the special occasion.

Earlier, John Farnham: Finding The Voice won the 2024 AACTA Award for best documentary and is recognized as the highest-grossing Australian music documentary in history, earning more than A$2.57 million at the box office.

With 1986’s Whispering Jack, Farnham orchestrated one of the all-time great comebacks. The album spent 25 weeks at No. 1, en route to shifting more than one million copies, becoming the first domestic LP to do so. It remains the highest-selling album ever in Australia by a local talent.

Whispering Jack, of course, features Farnham’s signature song, “You’re The Voice,” a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom, and, four decades on, the unofficial anthem of Australia.

Farnham has confirmed it is “just not possible” for him to sing or perform again following his cancer ordeal. “We can rule that out,” he told the Herald Sun in May. “Because of the surgeries to my mouth and face over the past few years, singing on stage is not something I can consider again.”

Dexys Midnight Runners frontman Kevin Rowland has told Nigel Farage where to go after the controversial far-right politician walked out to “Come On Eileen” ahead of his Reform U.K. conference speech.

Farage was filmed walking to the stage following a brief delay, reportedly due to security measures and protests, as Dexys’ signature song could be heard playing from the loudspeakers. The party’s national conference was held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, the birthplace of Dexys Midnight Runners, from Sept. 3-5.

When word got to Rowland, he wasn’t thrilled. “I, Kevin Rowland (the son of Irish immigrants) and the main songwriter of ‘Come On Eileen,’ am disgusted to learn that Nigel Farage has used our Dexys Midnight Runners’ song to make his entrance for his party conference speech,” he writes on the band’s socials. “Myself, and all of Dexys are passionately against Farage’s politics.”

The post was accompanied with an image of a bus shelter poster, bearing a picture of Farage with the headline “he blames migrants, so you don’t blame billionaires.”

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Farage, whose party is facing a criminal investigation over allegations it broke foreign funding laws, following a recent broadcast by Channel 4 News, the BBC reports, has yet to respond to Rowland’s sharp comments.

“Come On Eileen” was one of the biggest hits of its era, spending four weeks at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart in 1982, for their second leader, and hitting the summit of the Billboard Hot 100 the following year.

Formed in 1978, Dexys Midnight Runners released three critically and commercially successful albums in the early-to-mid 1980s: Searching For The Young Soul Rebels (1980), Too-Rye-Ay (1982) and Don’t Stand Me Down (1985). “Geno” from 1980 gave the act their first U.K. No. 1 single.

Rowland, as politically astute as any recording artist living in the United Kingdom, went on to form new bands, release solo music and drop albums as Dexys.

The alternative rock act is currently on tour in the United Kingdom in support of their new album, LOVE, the first through a deal with Heavenly Recordings. Produced by Belfast musician and DJ David Holmes, it’s the first release under the Dexys Midnight Runners name since Don’t Stand Me Down.

Harry Styles has confirmed that 2027 dates for his Together, Together world tour are on the way.

In an emailed note to fans sent Wednesday night (Sept. 9), Styles thanked all the fans who have already joined him at dates in Amsterdam, London, São Paulo, Mexico City and his current residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden. “When we decided to do the 2026 tour I knew it would be special but what you turned it into was far beyond what I could have imagined,” he wrote.

He said he wanted his most loyal fans to be the first to know that 2027 dates are coming on Thursday — and that they will mark the “final cities” that Together, Together will hit.

“Tomorrow’s announcement will be the final cities of Together, Together,” he wrote. “After that, I don’t know what comes next for me, but I know that I’m excited to find out.”

Once Styles wraps up his current MSG residency on Halloween (Oct. 31), he’ll have two stops in Australia — six shows across Melbourne and Sydney — for 2026 before hitting the yet-undisclosed locations next year.

Find Styles’ full note to fans below:

Hello.

When we decided to do the 2026 tour I knew it would be special but what you turned it into was far beyond what I could have imagined. I love playing music, I love being with all of you and being a part of the love and joy you all create together every night. That’s why I wanted you to be the first to know we will be adding 2027 dates, which honestly, at first I found daunting. Being an artist is the only life I’ve ever known really, I have been doing this since I was 16 years old, and I feel like the luckiest person in the world to still be sharing these moments with you.

Tomorrow’s announcement will be the final cities of Together, Together. After that, I don’t know what comes next for me, but I know that I’m excited to find out.

I can’t wait for us to keep dancing with all our friends, I hope to see you there. Thank you for coming out to see us, and for all the love and support you’ve given me over the years.

All my love,

-H

ROSÉ is giving fans a first taste of her next song, and she’s doing it through Apple’s latest “Shot on iPhone” campaign.

Both Apple and the singer’s official Instagram accounts announced Wednesday (Sept. 9) that “new trick” will arrive Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET. The song is accompanied by a music video directed by Dave Meyers and filmed entirely on Apple’s newly unveiled iPhone 18 Pro.

ROSÉ gave fans just a few seconds of the track in a teaser. In the clip, she holds a purple-burgundy lollipop — reminiscent of a Tootsie Roll Pop — while the words “new trick” cover the candy wrapper. The preview features the song’s audio, including the lyrics, “Lovesick, I’ll pick my heart off the floor / New trick, watch this, watch this, ow!” A distorted electric guitar and layered vocals give the brief snippet a punchy, slightly gritty edge.

The song’s visual debut also puts ROSÉ at the center of Apple’s newest “Shot on iPhone” campaign, which has previously recruited some of pop’s biggest names, including The Weeknd‘s “Dancing in the Flames,” Olivia Rodrigo‘s “Get Him Back!” and Lady Gaga‘s “Stupid Love.”

For the latest installment, Meyers — whose credits include music videos for artists including Taylor Swift, Harry Styles and Kendrick Lamar — takes on “new trick” using the iPhone 18 Pro’s camera system. Apple announced that the new model introduces variable aperture control to the iPhone for the first time.

The announcement comes as ROSÉ continues to build on a major run as a solo artist following her debut studio album, rosie, which dropped in December 2024. Her Bruno Mars collaboration “APT.” provided an even bigger chart breakthrough, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“new trick” now appears poised to introduce another side of ROSÉ’s career. While the short teaser leaves plenty about the song under wraps, its electric guitar, stacked vocals and playful candy-centered imagery give fans a glimpse at what ROSÉ has in store.

“new trick” arrives Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. ET / Sept. 18 at midnight BST and 8 a.m. KST.

Watch the full teaser below.

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Alanis Morissette is getting into the holiday spirit a bit early, and she’s bringing Martin Short along for the sleigh ride.

During a new appearance on Call Her Daddy with Alex Cooper, Morissette shared that she and Short are teaming up for a song on her upcoming holiday album. The pair will perform a rendition of a Judy Garland classic, making this collaboration an unexpected one between the “You Oughta Know” singer and the comic actor.

“There’s a Judy Garland song that Martin Short and I are going to do,” Morissette told Cooper when asked about her favorite track on the forthcoming project. She also named “What Child Is This” and “Little Drummer Boy” as some of her favorite songs to sing on the album.

The collaboration is part of Morissette’s first holiday album, which grew out of a tradition she started in recent years. The singer explained that she had been recording a holiday song each Christmas, and eventually she realized she had accumulated enough songs to turn it into a collection of a full-length record.

“Every Christmas over the last few years, we’ve done sort of one song,” she said. “I love singing these songs. I wrote a couple of new songs and we just made a record.”

The album will also feature new original songs including “To an Empathic Christmas Time” and “Christmas on the Dance Floor.” Morissette described the project as a “labor of Christmas love,” adding that her enthusiasm for the holiday has only grown since her son Ever was born on Christmas Day.

The holiday album isn’t the only thing Morissette teased during the conversation. The singer is also preparing for her new Los Angeles residency, Butterfly With a Machete, which begins in November. The show will blend music with storytelling and reflections from her life, including her experiences with menopause and aging.

Morissette explained that the show is partly inspired by the idea of rejecting expectation that women should “stay in your lane.” Instead, she wants the residency to embrace the different sides of herself, incorporating music, comedy, dance, movement, visuals, and storytelling.

“It’s about me grappling with the too muchness,” she said, describing the project as an opportunity to tell stories she once didn’t feel mattered.

Watch the full conversation below.

Mike D is good to go solo. The Beastie Boys co-founder does just that on Thank You (via Capitol Records), his long-awaited debut solo LP which arrived last month — almost 40 years after his legendary hip-hop trio dropped their groundbreaking first album, Licensed to Ill.

On Tuesday night (Sept. 8), the New York native stopped by NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for a chat about how his Mike D 5D album came to light, and for a brisk stroll down memory lane.

In the last few years, Mike (real name: Michael Diamond) caught the music bug once again by watching his sons in the studio, Skyler and Davis. “Watching them work, I was like ‘what am I doing here,’” he tells Fallon. “I really wanted to start making music and gradually we just got some amazing stuff…much like I did with Adam (“Ad-Rock” Horovitz) and Adam (“MCA” Yauch) we’d just pick up vintage synthesizers, weird old equipment that I don’t know how to use. And I start using it. I know it sounds like a very bad idea.”

There’s no school like the old school.  

Mike also recounted how he and his Beastie Boys bandmates met the late Dolly Parton at her birthday party some time ago in Los Angeles, and name-checked the impressive collection of music legends who came to wish her a happy one. Burt Bacharach was on the piano, Dionne Warwick was there, too. Bob Dylan was just hanging out, apparently happy to chat with the rapper, despite Mike’s unfortunate choice to wear a garish green outfit.

As guests left, Dolly was at the door saying goodbye to each and everyone one. “She wasn’t like get the F out,” he quips. “She was like, so nice to meet you. Thank-you for coming. The consummate professional. Very classy.”

Mike paid tribute to Dolly, who passed Aug. 25, at the age of 80. “The one and only, RIP, one of the greatest songwriters of all time, without a doubt,” he tells the host. “Beautiful person, beautiful humanitarian.” Watch below.

Mike D 5D stuck around the NBC studios to perform a medley of songs from Thank You – “Make It Stop” and “That’s Right.”

It’s his first major release since the Beasties put out their final group album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two, in 2011. The following year, his bandmate Adam “MCA” Yauch died at the age of 47, following a years-long battle with cancer. The new 13-track effort features the singles “Make It Stop,” “Switch Up,” “What We Got,” “True Colors,” and “Crypto.”

Watch Mike D 5D’s late-night performance below.

Life on the road can be a slog. A grind. Countless bands have come unglued thanks to the rigorous of touring, that seemingly unending cycle of late nights, strange towns, faceless hotels.

Angus & Julia Stone had an altogether different experience with their Living Room Sessions, an intimate global tour that launched in 2024 in support of their sixth studio album, Cape Forestier.

The experience was so touching, so energizing, the sibling act used the trek as the creative springboard for their new album, Karaoke Bar (via Virgin Music).

“A lot of it was written while we were touring the Living Room Sessions and Angus and I were just really happy, loving making music together,” Julia Stone tells Billboard. “The shows felt so special… all these incredible old theaters around the world, an amazing band, and we were really enjoying telling stories and singing songs from across the 20 years we’ve been making music together.”

Along the way, the Stones played Royal Albert Hall in London, Paris’ L’Olympia, New York City’s Town Hall, and the Sydney Opera House. Each evening, a career highlight.

“Every night there was this real sense of joy, and then between legs of the tour we’d duck into studios and write and record,” Stone continues. “I can hear that in this album… a kind of happiness, an underlying sense of peace in the music.”

The new collection, which is out now, was written and recorded across Greece, France and Australia, the brother-and-sister duo’s homeland. And shaped by their experiences. Karaoke Bar captures a sense of both the granular and the grand, and that happiness is never far from the surface. It’s right there in focus track “The Start,” and the opening number, the title track, which rips a line from one of the happiest tracks of them all, “Sweet Caroline.”

“There’s always experiences and moments that make new music special,” notes Julia. “The special sauce is really a mix of the places we recorded, and also the way we were feeling while making this record.”

Recording in the old Carpet Factory studio on the Greek island of Hydra “was pure magic. It felt like stepping back in time. Men in suits smoking ciggies in the kitchen below the live room, smoke drifting up through the floorboards… we loved it. Such a vibe,” she recounts. Also, the facility was nearby to where the Stones’ idol Leonard Cohen wrote so much of his music.

One night, Angus’ son Adam came to hang out in the studio. “We ended up sitting around the kitchen table listening to songs and talking about music and life for hours. Sharing stories, sharing music,” says Julia. “Those kinds of moments stay with you.”

Miraval Studios at the Château de Miraval in the south of France was “equally inspiring,” recalls Angus. “The studio there is incredible, and the whole property just makes you want to create. We honestly could have settled into the cottage there and written the whole record, but we only had this window between the Europe and North American tours.”

The album’s second track, “Monroe,” came to life during that time. “We’ll definitely go back.”

The bulk of the LP’s 10 tracks were created on the duo’s portable recording gear, which they lugged on tour, including the final cut, “Mexico City,” which was inspired by their first ever show there in July 2024. Angus’s Sugarcane Mountain Studios, in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, was where the final touches where made to the album, completed when they finished their touring commitments in Australia and New Zealand. 

In a recording career spanning two decades, Angus & Julia Stone have amassed multi-platinum sales, No. 1s and numerous awards in their homeland and enjoyed an international breakthrough with the 2009 song “Big Jet Plane,” from their domestic chart-topping sophomore album Down The Way. The track went on to snag five ARIA Awards, including single of the year; won triple J’s annual Hottest 100 poll, and claimed the APRA Music Award for song of the year.

Rick Rubin produced the group’s third, self-titled studio album, from 2014, which went to No. 1 in Australia, for their second leader, and cracked the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 54. At the time, the uber-producer described the artists as “truly unique musicians. They are authentic and pure people who do things from the heart. I’ve never worked with anyone like them before.” All five of their previous studio albums have cracked the ARIA Top 10.

It’s a good thing Angus & Julia Stone draw joy and inspiration from the road. They’re about to set off once again. North American tour dates get underway this Friday, Sept. 11 at FONO Festival, followed by a three night stand at Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever, in Los Angeles, and dates in Ottawa, Brooklyn and New York. Australasian tour dates for February and March 2027 were announced earlier this week by Frontier Touring.

“It’s all looking pretty busy,” Julia remarks. “The calendar is full of color.”

“It’s an exciting time for us,” Angus adds. “Most of our catalogue now lives in the one home and we get to be in control of a lot of our music which is great. And we are so proud of this record and so excited to play it.” 

Angus & Julia Stone 2026 North American Tour Dates:

Sept. 11 — FONO Festival, Quebec City, QC
Sept. 14 — Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever, Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 15 — Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever, Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 16 — Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever, Los Angeles, CA
Sept. 19 — CityFolk Festival, Ottawa, ON
Sept. 22 — Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
Sept. 23 — Racket, New York, NY

2027 Australia Tour Dates:

Feb. 13 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre Theatre, SA
Feb. 20 — The Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, QLD
Feb. 25 — Forum Melbourne, VIC
Feb. 26 — Forum Melbourne, VIC
Feb. 28 — Sydney Opera House Forecourt, NSW
March 5 — Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth, WA