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Here are all the songs we hope to hear from the K-pop star on his first global trek in eight years. 8/22/2025 G-DRAGON GALAXY CORPORATION Much has changed in the world — and for G-Dragon himself — since the last time the K-pop king embarked on an international trek. After his 2017 Act III: M.O.T.T.E World Tour played 26 shows around the world in Asia, North America, Europe and Oceania, G-Dragon completed his mandatory military service, exited his longtime label home of YG Entertainment, signed new deals with his Galaxy Corporation agency and EMPIRE distribution, dropped multiple lines of his PEACEMINUSONE Air Force 1 shoes with Nike, began teaching as a visiting professor at the Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, launched the JusPeace Foundation to combat drug addiction and support artists and other milestones. But with his February comeback album Ubermench, which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard‘s World Albums and No. 10 on Top Album Sales charts, it is now finally time for G-Dragon to return to the stage after eight years away for another globe-trotting adventure. As previously announced in June, G-Dragon unveiled the “Phase 3” dates for his Ubermench World Tour that expanded the outing to the United States and Europe. GD told Billboard at the time that the show was “about connecting with all of you through music.” With music as the connection point, and nearly 20 years’ worth in G-Dragon’s packed discography, this grand return to the stage requires a setlist that honors his legacy while also recognizing his latest inspirations. So, before he plays his first shows stateside, here is Billboard‘s dream setlist for the upcoming Ubermench World Tour, which will hopefully include most, if not all, of these global chart hits. “POWER” Image Credit: Galaxy Corporation Would there be any other way for G-Dragon to kick off his first tour in years than with his declarative comeback track? He reintroduces himself with lines such as “Hi, hey, how you doin’? My-my name is/ G to the D or ‘GOAT’ the livin’ legend/ King is still poppin’…/’He’s forever royal.’” Indeed, “POWER” reasserts that he is “forever royal” and sets the tone for the K-pop king’s grand return to America. “GYRO-DROP” New G-Dragon song “GYRO-DROP” makes perfect sense as the follow-up track to the declarative “POWER” as another carefree anthemic track released on 2025’s Ubermench. We can imagine the words to the sing-along chorus plastered across the screen in big bold letters to encourage the audience to shout along: “Ride me like a carousel, spin me like a ferris wheel/ The way you f–k me, baby, it ain’t fair,” allowing viewers to release all their pent up energy from waiting for GD’s return to the stage. “INTRO (Middle Fingers-Up)” Now that the crowd is officially warmed up, it’s time to get into a slightly deeper cut with 2017’s KWON JI YOUNG “INTRO (Middle Fingers-Up)” that keeps the hyped-up, rascally vibes going from the first two cuts. “IBELONGIIU” At this point, we imagine G-Dragon would have greeted the audience properly and shared his gratitude for returning with a world tour after so many years away. Following up with a sentimental, sing-along track such as “IBELONGIIU” will get hearts fluttering, but also double as a message to the special relationship between artist and fan: “You and me alone in the dark/ Forever, I’ll stay with you/ Nothing’s gonna tear us apart/ Since the first time we met, I knew (that I belong to you).” “Niliria” Image Credit: Courtesy of CJ E&M “Nilira” would be the perfect track to kick the energy back up once again for a song rarely performed live, but remains an ahead-of-its-time K-pop/hip-hop track thanks to its Missy Elliott feature. Released with both a G-Dragon solo version, but originally unveiled live at KCON 2013 with Missy, “Niliria” dropped when the Virginia MC was still rarely in the spotlight and on a break from releasing music. If Missy popped up to perform with G-Dragon at one of his U.S. shows at one of the big arena shows such as Newark, N.J., Los Angeles or Las Vegas, it would be a testament to the two music icons’ lasting legacy today. “The Leaders”/”Dirty Vibe” These are two of G-Dragon’s most powerful posse cuts. Mixing “The Leaders” (a 2009 track with GD, CL and Teddy) with “Dirty Vibe” (his collab with Skrillex, Diplo and CL) will highlight some of the star’s most memorable lines and biggest braggadocio moments on one mash-up. “Bullshit” (New Version) While “Bullshit” was set to be the lead single to 2017’s KWON JI YOUNG album before being swapped, the track remains an absolute firecracker and deserves to get the glory of GD’s other singles. In his May performance at Head in the Clouds, G-Dragon mixed elements of Kendrick Lamar’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Not Like Us” and BIGBANG’s 2015 hip-hop single “Zutter” into a new version of the track. While some scratched their heads at the K.Dot interpolation, GD could polish this performance to pay tribute to rap legends he’s been inspired by and looks up to, such as Wu-Tang Clan, Pharrell Williams, Fabulous and Jinusean. The song’s lyrics even mention Roo’ra (a ’90s Korean hip-hop crew that an adolescent G-Dragon spent time as a member of a tribute band known Little Roo’ra), references the hook of “Dre Day” (Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg’s top 10 hit from 1992), while the “Zutter” sample can let him shout out his fellow BIGBANG rapper T.O.P. “Go” G-Dragon’s third major tour and most recent global trek, 2017’s Act III: M.O.T.T.E World Tour, broke up the show into three distinct acts with clear moods and themes throughout each section. To do it bigger and better than last year, the Ubermensch World Tour will have to have four acts with this energetic, hyped-up section best closed with “Go,” which peaked at No. 9 on Billboard‘s World Digital Song Sales chart in 2013. The track’s chaotic instrumental outro already lasts more than 30 seconds and can be extended to keep the party

This week, Billboard’s New Music Latin roundup and playlist — curated by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors — features fresh new music, including fresh picks by Majo Aguilar, a collaboration by Maisak, Nanpa Básico & Micro TDH, and Bruses new album, to name a few. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Speaking of albums, Sofia Reyes dropped her fourth studio set IDGAF ERA, home to 10 tracks that will take fans sonically and lyrically through Reyes’ mature evolution, healing process, connection with herself—and her literal “I don’t give a f–k” mentality. “[My album] was born from this whole process of mine, which I called my midlife crisis,” she said to Billboard. “I’m at a very important moment in my career. After so many years making music and in this industry, I started to question myself a lot about what resonates with me right now.” Moreover, Ximena Sariñana and Caloncho teamed up for the gentle but bright pop ballad “Viendo Vemos”, a song about watching everyone around you thrive in their relationships. “Everything around me seems to be going so well, everyone appears perfect/ At that party that no one invited me to, everyone is successful except me,” sing the hopeful romantics. Other new releases this week include music from Greeicy, Feid, and Joaquina. In last week’s poll, Isabela Merced and Tony Succar’s “Apocalipsis” won with more than 75% of the vote. Which release this week do you think is best? Give these new releases a spin and vote for your favorite new Latin music release below: Editor’s Note: The results of the weekly New Music Latin poll will be posted if the poll generates more than 1,000 votes. This poll closes at 7:30 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 25. Take Our Poll Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Source link

Redacción Panamericana Néstor Villanueva responde tras su sentencia por agresión y revela nuevos detalles de su relación con Flor Polo. Néstor Villanueva rompió su silencio en el programa América Hoy luego de que se conociera la sentencia en su contra por violencia hacia uno de sus hijos, que lo condena a un año y nueve meses de prisión suspendida. Sin embargo, el cantante niega haber ejercido maltrato alguno contra su expareja Florcita Polo o contra sus menores hijos. Te puede interesar Mariana de la Vega: mujer ampayada con el esposo de Maju Mantilla publica mensaje Néstor se defiende de las acusaciones Durante su intervención en vivo, el artista aseguró sentirse señalado injustamente y expresó que su imagen ha sido dañada desde hace años. “Les aclaro que en ningún momento agredí a ninguno de mis hijos ni a Flor. No soy, ni he sido, un golpeador o maltratador”, señaló. Villanueva también recordó que esta situación, según él, no es nueva y que ha cargado con una mala imagen pública desde que inició su relación con la hija de Susy Díaz. “Me han vendido muchas veces como lo peor, y esto no viene de ahora; viene desde el 2014”, agregó. Te puede interesar Pamela López elimina el tatuaje dedicado a Christian Cueva y sorprende a todos Mensaje directo a Florcita Polo El cantante lanzó un mensaje contundente, asegurando que siente que existe una intención de verlo tras las rejas.“Eso es lo que han querido siempre: meterme preso para estar felices y borrarme del mapa, pero ya me cansé de esto y deseo estar tranquilo”, expresó. Además, explicó que, a pesar de todo, evitó denunciar a Florcita para no dañar emocionalmente a sus hijos. “Tengo dos años levantando la bandera de la paz y no denunciar a la mamá de mis hijos. En un momento lo hice y desistí porque sabía que lo que estoy pasando le iba a pasar a ella”, explicó. Busca cerrar el capítulo Finalmente, Villanueva dijo que lo único que desea ahora es tranquilidad y enfocarse en el bienestar de sus hijos, pese a la sentencia y a los constantes comentarios que, asegura, lo han perseguido durante años. @cortostv01 Nestor villanueva aclara a Florcita #americahoy #nestorvillanueva #florcitapolo #farandulaperuana #fyp ♬ sonido original – Cortos tv01 Source link

In the space of a year, bluegrass band East Nash Grass has gone from winning the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA)’s new artist of the year honor, to being nominated for the organization’s top accolade, entertainer of the year. The outfit is also nominated for instrumental group of the year, while fiddle player Maddie Denton is nominated for fiddle player of the year. Explore See latest videos, charts and news “To see our name listed alongside some of our heroes who have contributed so much to further bluegrass music is an incredible honor. It’s an exciting time for bluegrass music and we are thrilled to be part of it!” Denton, a third-generation fiddle player, tells Billboard. “We appreciate everyone that’s come to a show of ours, watched online, spread the word, bought merch and supported us. We are feeling the love and are so grateful for it.” Denton, alongside her East Nash Grass bandmates Harry Clark (mandolin), Cory Walker (banjo), James Kee (guitar) and Jeff Partin (bass/dobro), unfolds the group’s the latest chapter in their creative journey with their third album, All God’s Children, out today (Aug. 22) on Mountain Fever Records. The new project features five fresh originals, a pair of cover songs and even a song that offers a new spin on a Liberian chant. “Our album seems to have a theme of, not necessarily spirituality, but it feels like there’s kind of a connectedness and world music influences,” Denton says, noting recent international traveling the band has done, including trips to Switzerland, France and Ireland. “We had a kind of old-timey sound, and I think we had lots of traditional old-time music that we turned into bluegrass-style stuff. With this new record, we wanted to do something different than what we had done previously.” “Bend in the Road” was written by Clark and Walker. “We had been toying for it for probably over a year,” Clark says. “We’d written one or two verses, but it was basically a bunch of trial and error, just seeing what sticks. I guess we were listening to a bunch of Uncle Dave records one night and this song was just ideas we’d written down.” The album’s closing song, “Jump Through the Window,” is a new spin on a Liberian chant. Denton worked on the song with close friend, musician and the band’s tour manager Brenna MacMillan. “Brenna has some adopted siblings from Liberia, and they knew this chant,” Denton says. “She called it ‘Jump Through the Window’ and played it for me one day. She’s like, ‘I want to make it kind of a bluegrass thing,’ so we worked on it together. We brought it to East Nash Grass and we had already recorded some songs for the album and the title track. To put ‘Jump Through the Window’ on there, it felt like it was the rug that tied the room together.” The album also tucks in a cover of the Jimmy Driftwood song “Git Along Little Yearlings.” “All of us are always listening to different music, searching out what could be links to bluegrass. Growing up in central Arkansas, Jimmy Driftwood has a special connection to me because he was from Arkansas, and he was really influential in getting a folk roots program started at the Ozark Folk Center. I remember finding one of his albums on the road, sending a song to Cory, and then the whole band listened and James said it sounded like something we should do for the album. He was right, it turned out to be a really good fit and just kind of fills a gap in our sound.” Beyond the high-caliber musicianship on their recordings, that coveted entertainer of the year nomination also comes due to East Nash Grass’s energetic, unfiltered performances, which are equally likely to find them laying down blistering instrumentals as engaging with off-the-wall banter with the audience. The group’s members have played with numerous other bluegrass music luminaries. Kee has played with NewTown and the Hamilton Country Ramblers, while Walker has worked with artists including Tim O’Brien, Sierra Hull and Ricky Skaggs. Denton, a third-generation fiddle player, has worked with the Dan Tyminski Band, Sierra Ferrell, Billy Strings and more, while Clark has toured with Volume Five and Tyminski and Partin has played with Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. Around 2016, Walker came up with the band name East Nash Grass, after noticing a surge of bluegrass music around the East Nashville area. Soon after, Walker and Clark met a bartender working at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge who wanted to put on a weekly bluegrass show. “One of the things we realized, was Monday night ended up being a really good night to meeting other musicians,” Kee says. “Nashville turns into a completely different town on the weekends, and on Mondays, the musicians are coming in off the road and want to get out and hang and see everyone. We started doing a few different special events where we would have guests. We started doing that around 2018, maybe a year into our residency. For a residency, you have to be relentless at it. We were there every Monday in some iteration for all those years.” Through years of performances at Dee’s, and a few lineup shifts, the band refined its sound. They released their debut self-titled album in 2021. Their sophomore album, 2023’s Last Chance to Win, rose to No. 4 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart. Following the release of All God’s Children, they will co-headline a tour with AJ Lee & Blue Summit this fall. “Some of the, what you might call ‘irreverence’ we have sometimes onstage, was from playing in the bar and atmospheres were we’re trying to see if anyone is listening at all,” Walker says. “We’ll see what we can sing and what we can get away with. And the weekly residency gave us a chance to workshop stuff—interacting with folks. That’s kind of where that was born. And every stage has

⚫️ Defunción; Alex Estrella Atencio 🕊️ Q.E.P.D y D.D.G. #AvisoContratado #altura #radio Source

BigXthaPlug (real name Xavier Landum) was arrested early Friday (Aug. 22) in North Texas for marijuana and weapon possession. According to Dallas County Jail records, the rapper was booked for possession of marijuana (less than two ounces) and unlawful possession of a firearm. The Dallas rapper was also arrested on marijuana charges in Arlington, Texas, in February. Per an arrest affidavit viewed by FOX4, BigXthaPlug’s vehicle was pulled over for allegedly not having a front license plate. Officers reportedly found a pair of weapons in BigX’s truck and marijuana. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Billboard has reached out to Dallas police and reps for BigXthaPlug for comment. Thursday night (Aug. 21) was set to be a celebratory occasion for BigX, who released his country-trap album I Hope You’re Happy on Friday. The Nashville experiment finds BigX tag-teaming with an array of country stars, including Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, Shaboozey, Ink, Tucker Wetmore, Thomas Rhett, Ella Langley, Bailey Zimmerman and Darius Rucker. The 27-year-old credited a Billboard interview at the top of 2025 with pushing him to complete a country-themed project after promising that he had a country project on the way, when that actually wasn’t the case at the time. “I go and do a Billboard interview and I straight up say, ‘I got a country project on the way,’” he told the New York Times’ Popcast. “And I never had a country project on the way … I wasn’t thinking properly, they had just made me cry in the middle of the interview … We come back and I’m kinda trying to change the narrative, ‘I got a country project on the way.’ After I was like, ‘Damn.’ He continued: “I said that and my team was like, ‘You know you gotta do it now, right?’ Days later, You got Jelly Roll saying [he wants in on the album] and we getting demo after demo from all these other artists.” Source link

As summer winds down, some of the world’s biggest musicians are ramping things up. This week, everyone from Doja Cat to Laufey, Sombr and Stray Kids have dropped new releases — and Billboard wants to know which is your favorite. Starting with the California rapper: Doja has finally shared the first taste of her long-awaited, highly anticipated new album, Vie, in the form of single “Jealous Type.” Arriving a little over a month ahead of the LP, the song finds the hitmaker blending flashy ’80s pop aesthetics with her signature spitfire bars on a recording that bodes well for the rest of what’s to come for her post-Scarlet era. But while Doja fans will have to wait several more weeks for her new album, numerous other artists unveiled full-lengths this week. Laufey once again demonstrated her classical pop prowess on third album A Matter of Time, while TikTok sensation Sombr unleashed his debut long-form project — featuring Billboard Hot 100 hit “Back to Friends” and “Undressed” — on Friday (Aug. 22). Plus, hip-hop fans were especially well-fed this week, with BigXThaPlug dropping I Hope You’re Happy, Kid Cudi sharing Free and Offset releasing Kiari, while both K-pop phenoms Stray Kids and Sacramento rock icons Deftones unveiled LPs as well: Karma and private music, respectively. And even though that’s certainly a ton of new music to get through at once, Billboard still wants to know which one you think stands out the most from the rest. Tell us your favorite by voting for your release of choice in the poll below. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Source link

The Pasadena Police have made an arrest following an assault on a trio of attendees at Rüfüs du Sol‘s Aug. 16 headlining show at The Rose Bowl. An Aug. 21 statement by the Pasadena Police Department provided context on the incident, saying that “on August 16, 2025, at approximately 8:30 p.m., officers responded to a report of an assault in one of the seating areas of the Rose Bowl Stadium during a music concert. The investigation revealed that three victims were assaulted to varying degrees by a male suspect who reportedly became agitated after a drink was spilled.” This incident created a flurry of headlines earlier this week following a widely circulated video of the incident, which happened during a set by the night’s opening act Glass Beams. The video showed a man in the audience repeatedly hitting a fellow attendee, with another woman involved in the incident reporting that the assailant had knocked her out and caused significant bleeding. The Pasadena Police’s statement continues that “with the assistance of video footage and numerous tips from the public, Pasadena Police Department detectives were able to identify the suspect. On August 21, 2025, Pasadena police personnel arrested 23-year-old Julio Cesar Lopez Zavala in Hawthorne, CA. Formal charges are pending review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.” The band responded to the incident earlier this week, writing on social media that “delivering moments to our fans to gather and celebrate safely is what we live for. We have been heart broken to hear of the act of violence that took place during the opening act on Saturday. This type of behavior is completely unacceptable anywhere, and the fact that this happened at one of our shows was devastating to learn about. Local law enforcement are actively investigating the situation.” Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Source link

Simply the best new dance tracks of the week. 8/22/2025 The Dare Anne Zina This week in dance music: An experiential performance opening next month in Los Angeles will feature original music by Tokimonsta and Justin Boreta of The Glitch Mob, along with a soundtrack featuring music by Air, Jean-Michel Jarre and Andrew Bird. Alison Wonderland called out the “loser behavior” of online trolls then spoke some serious truth when adding a “Shout out all the women in the edm scene who have to deal with f–king creeps. I see you. Its gross. I’ll kick all their a–es for u.” Calvin Harris clarified that his previously teased track with Miley Cyrus will not ever be released, with the Scottish DJ previewing a new version of the song that now has vocals from Jessie Reyez. Spotify launched its “Mix With Spotify” DJ feature that makes it possible for users to users to make and edit transitions between songs within the app and use tools like volume automation, echo, EQ and more. Rüfüs Du Sol made a statement following a fan assault that happened in the crowd at the band’s Saturday (Aug. 16) show at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., a show that was also subject to a lot of feedback from fans who experienced overcrowding and other crowd control issues. Meanwhile, Insomniac Events filed a lawsuit against the operators for Club Space over a dispute over use of the Miami venue Factory Town, with the operators now preparing a counter-lawsuit against Insomniac. Dom Dolla was announced as a headliner for Australia’s Beyond the Valley and Wildlands Festival. And the DJ Awards announced its 2025 nominees, with the date and location of the ceremony to be revealed in the coming week. And these, dear friends, are the best new dance tracks of the week. The Dare, Freakquencies: Volume 1 We’ve long known that The Dare has a fully formed raver inside him, as his credits include contributed largely to Charli xcx’s Brat and making out with model Sophia Ziskin on national television during Charli’s warehouse party fever dream of a Grammy performance. Today he lets that freak flag fly higher with the aptly titled four-track Freakquencies: Volume 1 EP. Drawing from the coolest realms of dance world influence (think DFA, French touch and acid), the project wastes no time getting to peaktime with its call to arms opening “Kick,” which samples MC5 and packages squelchy acid synths and bright piano stabs into a raucous, almost rock-ish four minutes. The release follows the artist’s recent remix of Justice’s “Mannequin Love” and comes amid his global Freakquencies parties, the next of which happens next month at Portola in San Francisco. Freakquencies: Volume 1 is out via The Dare Is a Business/Republic Records. Listen to it here. Skepta & Fred again.., “Back 2 Back” Yes, it’s (DJ Khaled voice) another one from Fred again.. and Skepta. Following their June release “Victory Lap” (and its litany of remixes, which stacked up features from Denzel Curry and others) the pair return with the aptly titled “Back 2 Back.” The song is the spiritual followup to “Victory Lap,” maintaining the same ominous vibe but cranking the BPM way down, with Fred’s waves of dark synth do a lot of the production’s heavy lifting and making space for Skepta’s usual machine gun delivery. “Back 2 Back” is out Epic Records. Listen to it here. Sammy Virji, Chris Lake & RoRo, “925” The two power producers unite for the latest single from Virji’s forthcomign debut album, Same Day Cleaning, coming Sept. 19. “925” pulls off being simultaneously bumping and breezy, with the swaggy UKG production balanced with the sing-song confection of a melody from Barbadian vocalist RoRo. “925” is out via Astralwerks. Listen to it here. SG Lewis & London Grammar, “Feelings Gone” The new collab from this gaggle of Brits is the definition of lush, with Lewis’ deep, dreamy and percussion forward production laying the groundwork for the instantly recognizable ribbon of a voice from London Grammar’s Hannah Reid. The third single from Lewis’ forthcoming Anemoia, “Feelings Gone” extends the richness and warmth that’s defined the album’s output thus far, effectively (but certainly not accidentally) evoking a feeling of nostalgia for a time you’ve never known, a wistful longing for an era only experienced through stories, music, or images — indeed the very definition of “anemoia.” Anemoia is coming Sept. 5. via Jasmine Music Limited. Listen to “Feelings Gone” here. Mochakk & Kwengface “Legumes” Just as Fred again.. is currently finding that his considerable powers are squared when he pairs with a rapper via his work with Skepta, Mochakk dials up his already flamboyant style by linking with British drill artist Kwengface on “Legumes.” The track has a certain unhinged quality, with the beats assembled in a way where they seem to almost not match but also comes together in a way that creates the sort of loose and groovy, this whole-thing-is-barely-under-control-in-the-best-way quality that’s one of Mochakk’s signatures. “Legumes” is out on Disorder. Listen to it here. Hugel & Randoree, “Work That Body” The lyrics from the latest collab from French phenom Hugel and fellow DJ/producer Randoree are concise and straightforward (“Move that/ Work that body”), a command that’s essentially reiterated in the windy, slinky, Latin-forward production that is Hugel’s signature. The track comes amid Hugel’s ongoing residency at Hï Ibiza and a Stateside performance at the Shrine in Los Angeles next month. “Work That Body” is out on Make the Girls Dance. Listen to it here. Zulan & Kidwild, “Match My Speed” Argentinian-American producer Zulan continues her ascent with “Match My Speed,” which pairs hypnotic Middle Eastern influences with a skittering production and quickfire rhymes from British rapper “Kidwild.” Altogether, the track accomplishes a lot in less than two minutes, while also leaving us wanting more from the artist. “Match My Speed” is out now. Listen to it here. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up The Daily A daily briefing on what matters in the music

“The way my wife and I keep describing this year — it’s just the highest highs and the lowest lows,” says Vic Fuentes, frontman for San Diego post-hardcore group Pierce the Veil. After two decades of grinding road work and kinetic live shows, Fuentes’ band found themselves headlining New York City’s Madison Square Garden, a major milestone for a group that’s never cut a straightforward path through the touring business. It was one of those high highs, Fuentes explained, which was followed by a very low low — Fuente’s agent and longtime friend, Sound Talent Group’s Dave Shapiro, passed away in a plane crash flying back to San Diego after attending the MSG show. Onboard with Shapiro were another of Fuentes’ longtime friends, Dominic Damian, as well as musician Daniel Williams, Sound Talent Group employees Emma Huke and Kendall Fortner and photographer Celina Kenyon, who all also died in the crash. Related The news of Shapiro’s death came as Pierce the Veil were only four shows into a 30-date North American run. Shapiro had been the band’s agent for 20 years, instrumental in their rise from a Warped Tour small stages to their current arena run. “We had the most successful, amazing tour of our career — breaking so many records,” Fuentes says. “And then I lost four of my best friends at one time. It was too much to process.” Despite the shock, the band decided to continue. “This is what Dave built for us,” Fuentes explains. “It felt like he got us to Madison Square Garden, the pinnacle of all arenas, and then said, ‘I got you here — take it from here.’” Pierce the Veil dedicated the entire world tour to Shapiro and the victims of the crash. Live Nation provided immediate support, supplying grief counselors at every stop. “They wanted to do everything they could to keep the tour alive and keep the band alive,” Fuentes says. Just days after the crash, the band was back on stage, pushing through the I Can’t Hear You World Tour which included stops at iconic North American venues like Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheater and the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. The first leg of their tour wrapped up in June, giving the band a needed break as they prepared for the European leg of their tour which begins Sept. 20 in Dublin, Ireland and includes stops at London’s OVO Arena Wembley, AFAS Live in Amsterdam, and arenas in Germany and Belgium — venues the band spent years building toward. “In the U.K., they’re all about the stepping stones,” Fuentes says. “Play one venue, sell it out, move up to the next one. It took 18 years to get here, but now we finally get to bring our biggest production overseas.” To prepare for the tour, Pierce the Veil hit the road in 2023 opening for Blink-182 on their reunion tour, which had the band performing stadiums including Fenway Park in Boston. “That was one of my favorite tours we’ve ever done,” Fuentes says. “It was perfect timing — Blink had a revival of energy, and we got to play stadiums most bands never touch. It was incredible.” ‘Clawing Your Way Out of a Dark Place’ Much of the touring success has been powered by The Jaws of Life, Pierce the Veil’s 2023 album on Fearless Records. The project debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Hard Rock Albums chart and delivered multiple singles with unexpected longevity. “Emergency Contact” was an early standout, while “So Far So Fake” — a track Fuentes wrote years earlier with lifelong friend Curtis Peoples — went viral on TikTok in 2024. “The song went through multiple versions,” Fuentes says. “I always knew it was special, but then suddenly it blew up online. You just sit back and watch it happen.” The viral traction echoes the staying power of “King for a Day,” the band’s 2012 single that continues to resurface with new generations online. “It’s out of your control,” Fuentes says. “Fans take it and make it into something new.” The Jaws of Life also marked a stylistic evolution, leaning into ‘90s alt-rock and grunge influences while still rooted in the post-hardcore energy that defined the band’s early years. “We didn’t know how fans would react,” Fuentes admits. “But if we trust our gut, that’s always worked for us. We just wanted to make a good record, and it ended up taking us further than we imagined.” The album’s title and concept reflect the band’s resilience. “It’s about clawing your way out of a dark place to a better one,” Fuentes says. “That became the theme of the music, the artwork, the whole cycle.” For Fuentes, reaching arena headliner status represented a full circle from the band’s origins on the Vans Warped Tour. Pierce the Veil played multiple summers of the festival, building their reputation in the punk and post-hardcore circuit. When Warped returned this year, Fuentes showed up for a surprise acoustic set — this time representing his nonprofit, the Living The Dream Foundation. “Warped was a stepping stone for us,” he says. “It’s how we built our band. I wanted to pay respect and also spotlight the foundation.” The Living The Dream Foundation, which Fuentes now runs, brings kids and young adults battling life-threatening illnesses to concerts and festivals for VIP experiences. “They get to meet the bands, stand on stage, and have the best day ever,” Fuentes explains. Pierce the Veil have built the foundation into their touring model and every ticket sold on their North American tours includes a $1 donation. “It’s become part of who we are,” Fuentes says. “We’ll keep it alive as long as we can.” As Pierce the Veil prepare for to embark on the European leg of their tour, Fuentes acknowledges the weight of the past year. The loss of Shapiro and friends remains fresh, but the band’s forward momentum continues to grow. “It’s still surreal,” he says. “Some days it doesn’t even feel