Who is bbno$?

If you ask the music industry, he’s one of the most successful anomalies on the global charts.

He’s the always-viral rapper, singer and songwriter who’s earned more than a billion Spotify streams, back-to-back Juno Fan Choice Awards and prime upcoming slots at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and NXNE next week (check back at Billboard Canada for more details).

He’s the artist who has record labels scratching their heads by reaching the fans they wish they could, right where they live: on the internet. He’s also someone who describes his live show as “the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen in my life” and means it as high self-praise.

But for the 30-year-old Vancouver native, the tougher question is: who is Alex Gumuchian?

“It’s a fine line,” he says, speaking over Tibetan momos at Loga’s Corner in Toronto. “I use bbno$ as an avenue to be the most extravagant self I want Alex to be on a regular basis, but I can’t.”

His music has helped him find his voice and his confidence. Now, he’s focused on figuring out the man behind it.

bbno$ (pronounced “baby no money” not bibinos) is currently on the Internet Explorer Tour, his biggest-ever global tour on the heels of his self-titled 2025 album that hit No. 33 on the Billboard Canadian Albums chart and spawned the hit “check,” which took over the airwaves and landed at No. 50 on the 2025 Year-End Billboard Canada Radio Songs Chart. 

A bbno$ show is a high-energy and unpredictable event, filled with memes, costumes, props and laser dicks. It’s also extremely supportive, a space for fans to be their weirdest selves and bond over brain rot. It’s like a non-toxic version of the internet come to life.

For Gumuchian, that’s important. Online is where he found community as a homeschooled child in B.C.

“It was kind of like my main friend,” he remembers. “I played World of Warcraft for years, and I met so many people that way. I fell in love with how much community there is [online]. The most important thing for me is distilling that for people who enjoy positivity and want to have fun, because there’s so much of the opposite in the world.”

In this new Billboard Canada cover story, he opens up about the man behind the music. From sexuality to strategy, he’s creating a sanctuary for himself — and his fans — to express themselves freely.

Read the full story here. — Richard Trapunski

Billboard Canada Announces Matthew Burnett and Jordan Evans as Music Managers of the Year for 2026

Matthew Burnett and Jordan Evans are Billboard Canada‘s 2026 Managers to Watch.

The powerhouse duo behind Daniel Caesar have been working closely with the R&B singer from the very start, helping guide one of the biggest Canadian careers and breakthroughs of the last decade. From the early days before Freudian in the mid-2010s up to the recent unconventional rollout of Son of Spergy which included spontaneous pop-up shows in parks across Canada, both managers have drawn from their backgrounds as creatives to help Caesar thrive as an artist.

The pair will receive the honour in person during the Billboard Canada Managers to Watch x MMF Honour Roll celebration at SOUNDSTAGE on June 11 at NXNE, which honours the unsung architects of the music career who contribute to generation-defining success among artists and create community for their fellow industry peers. 

Music Managers Forum Canada (MMF Canada) has also revealed the recipients of its 2026 Honour Roll, which celebrates outstanding career achievements among Canadian music managers and self-managed artists. Partnering with Billboard Canada for a second consecutive year, MMF Canada will honour Helen Britton and Shauna de Cartier as its Honour Roll recipients.

The award denotes outstanding achievement among Canadian managers. Both women are powerhouses at Six Shooter Records, a pioneering female-led independent record label which celebrated its milestone 25th anniversary last year. The roster includes luminaries like Cadence Weapon, July Talk, Tanya Tagaq and more.

Matt Maw will receive this year’s Trailblazer Award from MMF Canada, which celebrates a manager carving new paths in the industry. Maw is recognized for his outstanding work in the recognition of Indigenous music in Canada. Maw capped off a groundbreaking year with the launch of his new artist development company SUPERCONNECTED, whose roster is home to Indigenous artists like Sebastian Gaskin, Boogey The Beat, Wolf Saga and Miesha & the Spanks.

The full Billboard Canada Managers to Watch list will be out next week.

Read more and find out how to get tickets here.

Diljit Dosanjh Meets the Students of His Toronto Metropolitan Course Backstage at Rogers Centre

Nearly 50,000 fans packed Toronto’s Rogers Centre on Sunday night (May 31) as Diljit Dosanjh returned to the stadium for another massive stop on his ongoing Aura World Tour, further cementing his place as one of the biggest global touring artists in Punjabi music.

The sold-out concert marked Dosanjh’s second time headlining Rogers Centre and quickly became one of the most talked-about live music moments of the weekend.

The concert was attended by the students of the Toronto Metropolitan University course dedicated to the singer in partnership with Billboard Canada. The students met with the Punjabi icon backstage before he took the stage. Dosanjh later performed an extended version of “Ranjha,” the song first premiered inside their classroom.

With videos flooding social media showing stadium-wide singalongs, Punjabi flags across the venue and fans filling every section of the open-roofed venue.

The Toronto stop marked another major milestone in Dosanjh’s rapid global rise over the last few years through appearances at Coachella, the Met Gala and multiple international arena and stadium tours. But beyond the scale of the Rogers Centre performance itself, fans also closely followed the singer’s time around Toronto throughout the weekend.

Ahead of the concert, Dosanjh shared clips on Instagram of himself biking through downtown Toronto, casually riding through the city before stepping onto one of Canada’s biggest stages hours later.

Videos shared on Team Diljit’s social pages also showed the singer admiring the CN Tower and reacting to the landmark in Punjabi, while another Instagram Story gave fans a glimpse of him enjoying tiramisu during downtime between tour commitments.

Read more here. — Peony Hirwani

Lizzo returned Friday (June ) with her first album in four years, BITCH, hitting streaming services. Shortly after the project’s arrival, the Detroit native shared an alternate edition of the LP’s title track, which seemingly finds her taking aim at Nicki Minaj.

Lizzo reposted a screenshot of Minaj’s tweet from Feb. 1, which saw the Queens rapper mocking Lizzo’s weight loss and upcoming album.

“Fat Lizzo lost 300 lbs just to sell 300 albums,” Minaj wrote at the time alongside a photo of a Chucky doll. “So now she has loose skin AND a flop album, AND a weird charge. Sheesh.”

Lizzo put the audio of the remixed version of the album’s title track over the screenshot of Minaj’s tweet with the caption, “Since I’m blocked.”

“Used to be the biggest fan, then I lost weight/ Wait, wait, let me fixate,” she raps. “Paid to keep the peace, I don’t even like beef/ Crazy thing is you knew me you would like/ I’m praying for our sisters, I want to see us all in our bag.”

As of press time, the “Super Bass” rapper is yet to respond to Lizzo.

Lizzo’s BITCH is her first album since 2022’s Special, which contained the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 hit “About Damn Time.”

“Reclaiming the word ‘bi—’ is power. It’s taking a label once used to diminish women and turning it into a declaration of confidence and unapologetic self-love,” the “Truth Hurts” artist said in a statement. “So many incredible women in music have used the word for positivity like Meredith Brooks and Missy Elliott. It was only fitting to name my album BITCH because it has become my favorite word when using it on my own terms, and because I am 100% that bi—!”

Billboard has reached out to reps for Minaj for comment.

Florida Georgia Line has signed with The Core Entertainment for management, further signaling that one of country music’s most successful duos is back in business together.

The Core Entertainment had already begun managing FGL’s Tyler Hubbard as a solo act several months ago, but has now added the group, which is composed of Hubbard and Brian Kelley.

The pair went on hiatus in 2022, with each releasing solo music, but reunited in March at Country Radio Seminar to help honor Jason Aldean. They then popped up at Nissan Stadium Thursday night (June 4) for CMA Fest, announcing, “We back, baby!” after playing “Round Here” and “Cruise.”  

“CMA Fest, it feels so good to be here with my brother,” Hubbard said from the stadium stage. “And listen, we got three things we want to say tonight. First of all, God is good. Second of all, life is short. And most importantly, your boys … we back, baby!”

There is no word on whether the pair is working on new music, but Billboard has learned that more FGL live shows are coming in 2027. The pair’s last album was the deluxe version of 2021’s Life Rolls On, which came out on Nashville Harbor (formerly known as BMLG Records).

FGL have been dropping hints that a reunion was coming. In January, Kelley posted a video on Instagram of himself and the words “after going on the hike with T-Hubb” that then segued into a video of Jon Hamm as his Your Friends & Neighbors character tripping out at a club.

The post drew a slew of comments, including from Hubbard, who responded with two walking emojis and a pumped bicep, while HARDY wrote, “Do I need to start writing FGL songs again?” and ERNEST wrote, “The hike heard round the world.”

On the red carpet at the Academy of Country Music Awards last month, Hubbard said the pair had been “flirting with the idea of playing a handful of shows next year.”

Following the duo’s massive debut single, 2012’s “Cruise,” FLG followed up with a slew of hits, including “Round Here,” “Stay,” “This is How We Roll,” “Dirt,” “H.O.L.Y.,” “Simple” and “Long Live.”

The Core Entertainment, helmed by co-founders/co-CEOs Simon Tikhman and Kevin “Chief” Zaruk, also manages Nickelback, Dan + Shay, Bailey Zimmerman, Nate Smith, Cameron Whitcomb and Josh Ross, among others.

For three days, the city of Lecco, in northern Italy, became one of the epicenters of live music in Europe. By the end of Nameless Festival 2026, one thing was clear: the event had achieved something many festivals struggle to pull off – growing larger while staying true to the identity that made it successful in the first place.

After years of expansion and increasingly ambitious editions, organizers made a bold decision this year by bringing the festival back to its original home at Lecco’s Centro Sportivo Bione, the venue where Nameless first began its journey in 2013. The move proved to be a winning one. Thousands of attendees, mostly aged 18-35, from across Italy and around the world, descended on the city, transforming the shores of Lake Como into a vibrant hub of music, culture, and community. International participation was particularly strong, with 25% of attendees traveling from abroad and a remarkable 10% coming from the United States alone, according to the organizers.

Billboard Italy attended the festival since the inaugural date of Saturday, May 30, and from the moment the gates opened, the excitement surrounding the return to Bione was impossible to miss. Long lines formed at the entrances, several areas quickly reached capacity, and a steady stream of festivalgoers moved between the event’s five stages. The atmosphere felt less like a regional event and more like one of Europe’s established major festivals.

What stood out most was the diversity of the crowd. While Nameless continues to attract an increasingly international audience, it has managed to preserve the sense of identity and community that longtime attendees have come to associate with the festival.

Friday’s opening day drew massive crowds, thanks in large part to the return of Calvin Harris, arguably the most anticipated artist of the entire weekend.

The Scottish DJ and producer made his long-awaited return to Italy after more than a decade, choosing Nameless as the stage for his comeback. As the lights dimmed on the Ploom Stage and the first notes of his set rang out, a sea of fans packed the festival grounds.

Harris crafted a performance that spanned more than fifteen years of chart-topping hits, seamlessly blending recent releases with the tracks that helped define modern dance music. Songs like “Summer,” “Feel So Close,” “Sweet Nothing,” and “We Found Love” sparked a wave of collective nostalgia among millennial fans, many of whom grew up with those records as the soundtrack to their teenage years.

But nostalgia alone doesn’t explain Harris’ appeal. The younger generation was equally engaged, singing along to every lyric and anticipating every drop. The performance became more than a greatest-hits-set – it was a celebration of electronic music’s enduring ability to connect audiences across generations.

Reducing Nameless’ success to its biggest names would miss the bigger picture. One of the most impressive aspects of the 2026 edition was how effectively the festival spread attention across its entire site. Whether attendees were exploring the house-driven sounds of the Red Bull Energy Zone, the bass-heavy programming inside the Nameless Tent, or the urban and pop performances at the Garnier Fructis Arena, there was a clear sense of variety and intentional curation throughout the weekend.

The “Less Names” concept, featuring surprise guests whose appearances were kept secret until showtime, also played a significant role in maintaining excitement. The unpredictability has become part of Nameless’ DNA, giving fans a reason to stay curious and engaged throughout the event.

If day one delivered the biggest headlines, day two offered perhaps the clearest demonstration of how far Nameless has evolved. As the day unfolded, it became increasingly evident that the festival no longer depends solely on its headliners, which included John Summit, Halō and Pendulum. Attendees moved organically between stages, discovering both established international acts and emerging artists. The energy never dipped, regardless of who was performing – a subtle but important sign of a festival that has reached maturity.

By now, Nameless feels fully aware of its place within the European festival landscape. It is no longer an up-and-coming event trying to prove itself. It has become a destination in its own right. The festival’s final day maintained the momentum, delivering another packed schedule (that included headliners Fisher, Chris Lorenzo and Svdden Death) and reinforcing the consistency of the entire weekend.

As the closing performances unfolded and attendees prepared to say goodbye to another edition, the atmosphere became increasingly celebratory. Beyond the excitement of the music itself, there was a palpable sense of appreciation for the people who have spent years building Nameless into what it is today.

One of the most memorable moments came after the final sets had ended, when festival staff gathered to applaud CEO Alberto Fumagalli. The spontaneous tribute served as a reminder that behind the impressive attendance figures, sold-out stages, and international reputation stands a long-term vision that has transformed Nameless from an independent passion project into one of Europe’s most respected music festivals.

Ultimately, the success of Nameless 2026 cannot be measured solely by attendance numbers, major artists, or economic impact. The festival’s most meaningful achievement may have been its decision to return home. Bringing the event back to Lecco represented both a risk and a statement of identity. The overwhelming response from attendees confirmed that the choice resonated.

Judging by what unfolded on the shores of Lake Como this past weekend, this homecoming feels less like a return to the past and more like the beginning of a new chapter – one that will continue to unfold when Nameless Festival returns on June 4, 5, and 6, 2027.

Joe Budden has apologized to Latto in a clip from a Patreon episode of the Joe Budden Podcast that recently surfaced.

Earlier this week, Latto tweeted out a picture of her handwritten lyrics to “Hostage” from her new album Big Mama, and @’d the podcaster after Budden said that her flow reminded him of Drake‘s cadence on ICEMAN’s “Shabang.” So, of course, his co-hosts brought it up and he tried to explain his reasoning.

“I ain’t tryna be funny — somebody not writing they sh– is a heavy accusation,” he said after jokingly saying he’s never seen someone write raps on a white board before. “So I wasn’t really trying to say that about her. She’s been on the show, she won the Netflix show, she says she writes all her sh–.”

He then added that being influenced by other rappers that you like is something that could happen when you sit down to write your own songs. “But there’s also such a thing as listening to somebody so much that they influence … they kinda rub off on you when you write. That’s a thing,” he continued. “She could really listen to Drake 24/7 and love that flow so much that now when she writes that’s what’s happening. I wasn’t tryna she don’t write her sh–. When I used to write, I would try my best to not listen to the radio or other rappers because whether you like it or not, whoever you like, it’s gonna happen.”

Joe then apologized for the misunderstanding, saying, “Latto, I’m sorry. I wasn’t tryna play with your pen like that. I get how it sounded like that, so my bad.”

Latto has been busy since her fourth album, Big Mama, last week, including dissing Cardi B on “Gimme Dat” in response to a leaked phone call in 2025. Cardi has since apologized.

The Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas brings together the top DJs in the dance world every year for an estimated 500,000 attendees to enjoy over 3 days. For many EDM artists, playing the festival is a marker for truly “making it.” This year, Toronto-native, HNTR made his EDC debut. Although he didn’t have a set on the lineup in 2025, his presence was definitely felt. His remix of Cloonee and InntRaw’s “Stephanie” which samples Young M.A’s “OOOUUU” could be heard at practically every stage.

Fast forward one year and HNTR’s dropped his new track “Holla At A Player” featuring Academy Award Winner, Juicy J. We caught up with the DJ and producer to find out how the song came together, see what his life looks like after the success of a viral remix and get to know the man behind the stagename.

At last year’s EDC, I asked a bunch of DJs what the most played track of the festival would be and Tiësto, Alison Wonderland, Alok, Morten, and Tape B all said your remix of Cloonee’s “Stephanie” would be the most played song of the year. A year later, what was it like watching that song blow up?

It was honestly unreal. When I made that remix, there was no strategy behind it. It was just something I made that purely for fun cuz I thought it would be cool to put my spin on it.

To see it go from a bootleg in my sets to a record being played by pretty much everyone was crazy. It changed my career, but more than anything it gave me confidence that there was a real audience for the sound I was building. Gotta shout out Dom Dolla. That one video changed everything

From having the most played song last year, to making your EDC debut this year, was playing Stereo Bloom everything you expected? What were you thinking going into that set?

EDC has always been a bucket list festival for me, so just being on the lineup was a huge moment. I have probably never put more effort into a set, I had my laptop in the trailer working on music till the last few minutes before I went on stage. I wanted to play as much of my own (new) music as possible.

Once I stepped on stage and saw the crowd I had a bit of a moment to myself. It was one of those times where you realize where all the hard work has taken you.

For fans who just discovered you from that track, who is HNTR? Can you tell us about your background, your influences, and what it’s taken to reach this point in your career?

I’m a producer and DJ from Toronto. It’s a city with a huge hip hop culture and a really deep dance music scene, so those influences naturally came together in the music I was making.

A lot of people told me that blending hip hop and dance music the way I wanted to wouldn’t work. But I always believed there could be an audience for it. People discovered me through Stephanie, but before that there were years of learning, experimenting, putting music out, playing clubs, throwing parties, and figuring out what HNTR actually sounded like. If you go back to the very first HNTR release you can hear that I had been trying the formula for years before it actually hit.

A lot can change in such a short period of time. What are some of your top achievements within the last year?

Obviously Stephanie was a huge moment, but making my EDC debut, touring internationally, and seeing my music supported by artists I’ve looked up to for years have all been major milestones.

What I’m most proud of is that we’ve continued building momentum beyond a single record. 8 beatport No.1s in a year was pretty dope, and entering the top 101 producers list at #46 and winning the remix of the year at the beatport awards.

 The goal has always been to build something bigger than one song, and I feel like we’re doing that. Landing in Asia and meeting someone who’s influenced by my music was proof that what we’re doing it working.

A lot of artists I talk to after “over-night success” tell me it comes with some unexpected difficulties or emotions. Have you experienced that at all with the rapid changes in your life and career?

Definitely. The funny thing is people call it overnight success, but it was an overnight success 15 years in the making.

The biggest adjustment is probably the expectations. More people are paying attention and every move feels a little more magnified. But it’s also what I’ve worked toward my whole career, so I’m grateful for it and focused on keeping the same mindset that got me here.

Shifting to your new track, how did “Holla At A Player” come about and how did Juicy J get involved?

I’ve always been a huge fan of Juicy J. He’s not just one of the most influential artists to me personally but all of modern hip hop imo. The record started like any other, a loop with a simple drop idea, no real expectations.

We have a great creative relationship with Kinetica Records, who loved the idea and said “make a list in order of who you’d want to work with. I put Juicy J at the top just for a laugh, like ya sure. They got it to him within a day and he connected with the vision, and was really into it. Once his vocals came back, it felt like the record immediately jumped to another level.

He even made a surprise appearance during your set at Billboard’s The Arrival party in the Coachella Valley back in April. What was it like getting that instant feedback to your track?

Yo bro I really brought Juicy J out to preform “Slob On My Knob”, “Bandz that Make Her Dance”, and MY OWN ORIGINAL SONG… Crazy moment I’ll never forget. It’s one thing hearing a record in the studio, but it’s another seeing people react to it live and then having Juicy J perform it with you.

Those are the moments you dream about as a producer. The reaction was incredible and it made me even more excited to finally release the record.

Not to be greedy when you’ve just released a track, but what else is in the pipeline? Anything you can hint at?

There’s a lot coming. We’ve been working hard behind the scenes and I feel like we’re only scratching the surface of what the HNTR project can become.

There are more records on the way, some exciting collaborations, and some big shows and festivals coming up. The focus now is continuing to push

Who’s on your bucket list of collaborators? Rappers, vocalists, DJs, and producers, all included.

Honestly I usually just remix the people I want to hear over my sound but short list of some artists I think I could make some cool music with is: Denzel Curry, Ty Dolla, Don Toliver, Project Pat.. man I could go on for days.

On the dance side, I’m lucky to be working with a lot of them but in general I love to work with artists who are carving out their own lane. For me, it’s less about how famous someone is and more about whether they’re bringing something unique to the table.