Categoría: Billboard

Justin Bieber is no stranger to making history on YouTube, and now the pop superstar has scored his first music video to rack up 4 billion views on the platform. On Thursday (Sept. 4), YouTube announced that Bieber’s “Sorry” music video had surpassed 4 billion views. Ironically, Bieber himself is nowhere to be found in the 2015 clip, which features a series of dancers in bright-colored clothes performing choreography from dance star Parris Goebel. “Sorry” is one of only 15 music videos to have crossed the 4 billion mark — led by Luis Fonsi’s “Despacito,” featuring Daddy Yankee, with 8.8 billion views. While Bieber hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with the Latin music duo thanks to their “Despacito” remix, his version is not in the blockbuster music video. “Sorry,” from Bieber’s 2015 album Purpose, marked the singer’s second-ever No. 1 hit on the Hot 100 (following “What Do You Mean?” reaching the summit in September 2015). Bieber co-wrote the song with Justin Tranter and Julia Michaels, along with the song’s co-producers Skrillex and Bloodpop. In 2010, Bieber set the record for the most-watched YouTube video ever, when his “Baby” video surpassed Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” He held the record until November 2012, when Psy’s “Gangnam Style” took the crown (and eventually became the first YouTube video to surpass 1 billion views). Beyond “Sorry,” Bieber has five other videos in the Billion Views Club: 2010’s “Baby” (3.4 billion views), 2015’s “What Do You Mean?” (2.2 billion views), 2015’s “Love Yourself” (1.7 billion views), 2010’s “Never Say Never” featuring Jaden Smith (1.2 billion views) and 2012’s “Beauty and a Beat” featuring Nicki Minaj (1.1 billion views). Also on Thursday, Bieber surprise-announced a second 2025 album, with Swag II set to be released at midnight tonight, following the July 11 release of Swag. Revisit the “Sorry” dance video below: Source link

Karol G will help ring in the new NFL season with a special performance live from Brazil on Friday (Sept. 5). The Colombian star will headline the halftime show during YouTube’s first-ever exclusive NFL live broadcast, set to take place at Corinthians Arena in São Paulo, where the reigning AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs will take on the Los Angeles Chargers. “I’m so excited to be part of YouTube’s first-ever NFL live broadcast, it’s truly an honor and a moment I’m so proud to be part of,” Karol G previously expressed in a statement. “I’ve watched many NFL halftime shows over the years and now having this opportunity to bring my music to this global stage means the world to me. I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone in São Paulo and fans all around the world.”  For Chiefs, Chargers and/or Karol G fans who will not be in Brazil to catch all the action, you’ll be able to livestream the game and halftime show for free. The week 1 matchup will stream on the NFL’s YouTube channel, beginning with YouTube’s pre-game show at 7 p.m. ET and the game kicking off at 8 p.m. ET. You can also livestream the football game and Karol G performance online free with a free trial to DirecTV. It was announced in August that Karol G would perform during the halftime show. The news was accompanied by a photo of Karol dressed in Tropicoqueta flair, a nod to her latest album, while holding a football helmet. It’s unclear what song or songs she’ll perform but the “Papasito” singer has been documenting her excitement on social media. In her latest Instagram Story, she’s walking the football field flashing a smile from ear to ear. “I can feel the energy,” she says in the short clip. Watch the NFL YouTube livestream here, starting Friday at 7 p.m. ET. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Source link

Young Thug has apologized to GloRilla after calling her “ugly as f—” in a leaked jail phone call with his girlfriend, Mariah The Scientist. Thugger took to X on Thursday (Sept. 4), walking back his statements from behind bars and saying in reality, he doesn’t think she’s “ugly at all.” “First of all I’m sorry to u for my words and I honestly don’t think ur ugly at all, I was speaking from jail just having a hard time with life,” Thug wrote. “I don’t like bashing girls and hardly ever did.. I’m sorry to u twin.” @GloTheofficial first of all I’m sorry to u for my words and I honestly don’t think ur ugly at all, I was speaking from jail just having a hard time with life.. I don’t like bashing girls and hardly ever did.. I’m sorry to u twin — Young Thug ひ (@youngthug) September 4, 2025 Fans seemed to respect Thug for taking accountability for his words. “Finally a good tweet, this is a step in the right direction,” one person replied. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Another chimed in: “Accountability [checkmark emoji] they don’t know the struggle of sitting in that box alone.” In the midst of the chaos of her name being thrown around, GloRilla fired off a subliminal tweet about a certain guy blowing up her phone, which many thought was about Thug. “Mind you dis da same n—a blowing my phone up to ask what color my eyes is lmaooo,” she wrote. Mind you dis da same nigga blowing my phone up to ask what color my eyes is lmaooo — GloRilla 🦍 (@GloTheofficial) September 4, 2025 During the jail call in question, Thug mocked Glo’s looks for being compared to Rihanna. “That bi— ugly as f—. They say she ain’t ugly, man that bi— ain’t nothing,” he said. “Long a– bullsh– a– wig, skinny sh–, God damn big a– head, big mouth. … I would not pursue her, like at all… That sh– ain’t nothing.” There’s been a flood of alleged leaked jail phone calls from Thug during his time behind bars throughout the YSL RICO case (May 2022-October 2024). One that caught fire on social media found the YSL rapper claiming he purchased $50,000 worth of streams for Gunna’s DS4EVER album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 over The Weeknd’s Dawn FM in January 2022. Source link

Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.  Explore See latest videos, charts and news This week: Oasis’ well-received reunion tour hits new streaming highs as it ramps up in America, while Metro Boomin and Reneé Rapp both experience breakout hits from their recently released albums and a solo nu-gazer has a big viral moment. Oasis’ Streams Surge Again With American Labor Day Weekend Takeover  Two months ago, we covered the massive gains in sales and streams that Britpop giants Oasis experienced in the U.S. upon the much-anticipated, much-covered kickoff of their Live ‘25 Tour in Cardiff, Wales. As the Gallagher brothers bounced around stadiums in the Atlantic Archipelago for the rest of July and August — five nights in Manchester, England here, two in Dublin, Ireland there — those U.S. streaming and sales numbers invariably began to recede a little, though they still stayed well above where they’d been before the tour launch.  And now that Oasis has arrived on U.S. shores, it’s back up to that early-tour peak. The band began the North American leg of its tour with a pair of Toronto shows in late August, then swung by Chicago last Friday (Aug. 28) for a date at Soldier Field. Then, it was to New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium for a pair of shows (Aug. 31-Sept. 1) over Labor Day weekend — with celebrities ranging from John McEnroe to Matt Damon in attendance — before the Gallaghers visit southern California this weekend (Sept. 5-6).  Over the course of the first five days of this tracking week, from the Friday of the Chicago show to the Tuesday following the two New Jersey shows, the band’s catalog racked up nearly 11 million official on-demand streams, according to early data provided to Luminate. That’s up over 30% from the same period the prior week, and it even outpaces the numbers that they posted at the beginning of the tour — proving plenty of stateside folks still needed a little time to wake up, wake up to the Gallaghermania once again sweeping the globe, three decades after the band’s commercial peak. – ANDREW UNTERBERGER YKNiece’s Viral Touchdown Celebration Dance Lifts Metro Boomin Track  After assisting fellow ATL rappers Pluto and BunnaB on summer hits “Whim Whamiee” and “Innit,” respectively, YKNiece has blessed Metro Boomin with a fast-rising new hit. “Take Me Thru Dere,” a cheeky cut from Metro’s A Futuristic Summa mixtape that also features Quavo and Breskii, has jumped nearly 180% in streaming activity over the past two weeks, according to Luminate.  On Aug. 3, just two days after the mixtape dropped, TikTok user @slawspitter shared a video dancing to YKNiece’s “Take Me Thru Dere” verse, featuring a casual lasso-like move during the lines, “Girl, throw yo’ wham in a circle/ Even if it lil’, make it jump like a hurdle.” That specific move quickly gained traction as the song grew in popularity, and, eventually, it became the latest new move for touchdown celebrations in college football. To date, user @slawspitter’s original clip boasts over 1.6 million views and nearly 300,000 likes. The official “Take Me Thru Dere” TikTok sound plays in over 35,500 posts, while two unofficial sounds account for another 46,600 and 25,700 posts, respectively.  During the week of Aug. 8-14, “Take Me” earned just under 700,000 official on-demand U.S. streams. That figure jumped by nearly 50% to over 1.04 million official streams during the week of Aug. 15-21. By the final week of the month (Aug. 22-28), streams for “Take Me” jumped another 86% to over 1.95 million official on-demand streams.  Already a Hot 100-charting artist thanks to “Whim Whamiee” (No. 51), maybe YKNiece can help Metro earn his first Hot 100 hit from A Futuristic Summa. – KYLE DENIS   TikTok Trend Boosts Snarky Reneé Rapp Deep Cut  Although Reneé Rapp’s new Bite Me album debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200, none of its singles landed on the Hot 100. That could change with the recent trajectory of “I Think I Like You Better,” a sarcastic midtempo number tucked away in the album’s back half. Bite Me dropped Aug. 1, and by Aug. 2, TikTok user @aliyahpaigebryant made a post highlighting Rapp’s cheeky delivery of the lines, “I think I like you better when you’re/ Across the f—king country!” That clip now boasts over 782,000 views and 105,000 likes, helping kick off a trend where people pretend to scream the lines, which Rapp actually sings in falsetto. The official “I Think I Like You Better” TikTok sound now plays in nearly 75,000 posts, and Rapp herself has several posts with the song that have surpassed over one million views each.  During the week of Aug. 15-21, “I Think I Like You Better” pulled over 796,000 official on-demand U.S. streams. By the following week (Aug. 22-28), once the TikTok trend really picked up steam, that number leapt a whopping 152% to over two million official streams. – KD ‘Tower’ of Streams: Ivri Scores a Viral Hit While singer-songwriter Ivri has been posting snippets online since she was 15 and officially releasing singles for nearly five years, she just unveiled her independently released debut album, The Theory of You, last month. One song from the album has separated itself from the rest: “Tower of Memories,” which was released in July, gathers shoegaze-y guitars, dreamy vocals and glitchy electronic elements into an unlikely anthem. If you’ve been jamming on Deftones’ great new album private music recently, this one might have popped up in your algorithm, too. As TikTok users have discovered “Tower of Memories” and honed in on the lyrical phrase, “I’m right where you left me/ The tower of memories,” Ivri has earned herself a viral hit. During the chart week ending Aug. 14,

Did you really think Demi Lovato‘s pop-music comeback would die down that fast? On the contrary, she’ll be here all night — and then some. On Thursday (Sept. 4), the singer posted a video teasing a follow-up to August single “Fast,” which marked their official return to the pop genre after spending a few years focused on rock. In the clip, Lovato twirls around in fishnet tights and a sparkly black thong while singing along to the unreleased track, which appears to be titled “Here All Night.” “Sweating on the dance floor under the lights to get over you,” she belts over a thrumming electronic beat. “I’ll be here all night.” In the caption, Lovato wrote with a winky-face emoji, “Still here.” It’s been quite some time since the Camp Rock alum was releasing songs that sounded like “Fast” and now “Here All Night.” Following 2021’s Dancing With the Devil, Lovato did a hard pivot from pop to punk with 2022’s Holy Fvck, after which they dropped Revamped, an album of the vocalist’s past hits reimagined as rock tunes. In July, however, Rolling Stone reported that Lovato had returned to the mainstream and was readying a “celebratory” album of dance-pop tracks. “Fast” came soon afterward, debuting at No. 8 on Billboard‘s Hot Dance/Pop Songs chart. To go with the pop comeback, Lovato has also been revisiting some of the most memorable moments of her career. In late July, they revisited The Bigg Chill frozen yogurt shop — with which the hitmaker has a storied past — and in August, Lovato reunited with the Jonas Brothers to perform a couple iconic Camp Rock tracks. See Lovato’s TikTok below. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Source link

The Iceman rollout continues. Drake announced plans for episode three of his Iceman stream, which is set to debut on Thursday night (Sept. 4) at 9 p.m. ET. It appears the stream was shot during Drake’s four-show run in Milan that concluded on Tuesday (Sept. 2). The 6 God is in the midst of a few days off before taking the stage in Paris on Sunday (Sept. 7). Explore See latest videos, charts and news After dropping off “What Did I Miss” and “Which One” featuring Central Cee as the lead singles into the Iceman era, there’s plenty of speculation that a third song is set to be premiered during the episode. At the end of the second Iceman episode, Drake teased a hard-hitting track that sent fans into a frenzy, and they’re holding out hope the untitled song will be debuted in full during episode three. “You gotta light the tower up for this,” Drake raps to open the unreleased tune while the stream shows him moving through the airport solo. Earlier this week, Drake joined Bobbi Althoff for another interview and the launch of her Not This Again podcast. Throughout the 80-minute chat, Drake touched on Los Angeles, his ideal woman, sniped at Rick Ross and defended himself from being labeled a “culture vulture.” “It’s the same way even in music. People will be like, ‘Oh, you’re a culture vulture.’ Or people will describe the collaborative efforts that I’ve put forth and the artists that I’ve picked up and lifted up or shone a light on as me taking,” he explained. “They’ll put a negative spin on it and try and tell me that it’s a self-serving thing or whatever, and I think I get really sensitive about that.” Look for the third episode of Iceman on Thursday at 9 p.m. on Drake’s YouTube account. Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox Sign Up Source link

This summer’s Billboard Japan Hot 100 song chart featured a diverse assortment of songs showcasing the multifaceted quality of Japan’s pop music. Mrs. GREEN APPLE, now a household name in the country, continues to dominate the tally with unprecedented momentum, while the new girl group HANA that debuted just this April has kept two summer anthems in the top 10 for weeks. Songs from the 2000s and 2010s, such as ORANGE RANGE’s “Ikenai Taiyo” and HALCALI’s “Otsukare SUMMER,” are also drawing significant attention for their respective return to the mainstream. Explore See latest videos, charts and news Below, check out five memorable J-pop numbers selected by Billboard Japan from among the myriad of hits that soundtracked the summer of 2025. AiNA THE END “On The Way”  The opener for the anime series Dandadan Season 2 has made great strides on the Japan Hot 100, charting for nine consecutive weeks since its release and peaking at No. 5 on the list released Aug. 20. AiNA’s husky, powerful voice grabs your attention from the very first note, while the chorus overwhelms with her aching vocals belting out lyrics expressing determination. Another highlight to listen for is how the song incorporates the anime’s title Dandadan as a phrase in the lyrics, linking it firmly to the show’s universe. Fujii Kaze “Love Like This” Fujii Kaze’s “Love Like This” was released ahead of the singer-songwriter’s long-awaited 3rd album Prema, due Sept. 5. The heart-tugging electric piano intro evokes a vast beach at sunset. Is this a song about having found the love of your life, or a song celebrating the partner in your heart (= yourself) who will stay with you for a lifetime? The answer lies within the listener’s imagination. The accompanying music video is set somewhere in sun-kissed Europe and depicts a mature, unrequited love affair reminiscent of the visuals for Gwen Stefani’s “Cool.” Whatever the outcome, someone who has found unwavering conviction is “cool” indeed.  Official Hige Dandism “”Rashisa” Official Hige Dandism’s latest release was written for the animated feature film 100 Meters to be featured as its theme song. Synchronizing with the anime’s universe depicting the 100m sprint track event, frontman Satoshi Fujihara’s resonant vocals unfold over the speedy band sound evocative of a sprinter hurtling towards the finish line. The meaning of the song’s title, “Rashisa,” is “the quality that makes you who you are” in the context of the lyrics. While this quality can sometimes weigh you down, the powerful anthem embraces even that inner conflict and gives you a push forward. HANA “Blue Jeans” HANA’s second single “Blue Jeans” depicts a girl lacking confidence who falls fatefully in love (or so she believes). Starting with a muffled guitar refrain, the sound gradually builds intensity, clearly expressing the soaring emotions. The appeal of each of the seven members’ vocals shines through in this compact number and it’s no surprise that it launched with the highest total weekly points for any song this year on the Japan Hot 100 song chart. ORANGE RANGE “Ikenai Taiyo” The current trend in Japan is “Heisei,” meaning a revival of the culture around the 2000s and 2010s. ORANGE RANGE’s “Ikenai Taiyo” from 2007 symbolizes this throwback to the era that officially began in 1989 and ended in 2019. The five-man band hailing from Okinawa dropped a new music video accompanying the summery bop, packed with 72 recognizable Japanese pop-culture references from the Heisei era. The comic visuals drew attention not only from the band’s loyal fans, but also from a new generation of listeners. Other Heisei summer hits like RIP SLYME’s “Nettaiya” (2007) and YUI’s “SUMMER SONG” (2010) are also going viral again, making this a particularly noteworthy trend this year. Source link

Snow Man’s “CHARISMAX” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released Sept. 3. The nine-member boy band’s latest single, released digitally on Aug. 25, set new personal records for both first-week downloads and streams, topping the former metric and coming in at No. 16 for the latter. The track also hit No. 2 for video views and radio airplay. This marks Snow Man’s second Japan Hot 100 chart-topper this year following “SERIOUS,” and their eleventh No. 1 of its career. The group has been accelerating its global expansion, performing at this year’s SUMMER SONIC BANGKOK 2025 and on the K-pop music program M COUNTDOWN, while also launching pop-up shops　beginning in Seoul. BE:FIRST’s “Secret Garden” bows at No. 2. The popular boy band’s latest single, released Aug. 25, is currently being featured in Unilever’s promotional campaign. Downloads for the track launched with 31,085 units, surpassing the group’s previous release “Sora” in July to hit No. 2 for the metric. It also tops radio and video, while coming in at No. 2 for streaming. Explore See latest videos, charts and news HANA’s “Blue Jeans” holds at No. 3, staying in the top 3 for the seventh consecutive week since its debut on the Japan Hot 100. Debuting at No. 4 is STU48’s “Kizutsuku koto ga seishun da” with 210,234 copies sold in its first week, and Cho Tokimeki Sendenbu’s “Heart na mune no uchi” follows at No. 5 with 113,433 copies sold.  Elsewhere on the tally, Stray Kids’ “CEREMONY” charts for the second week, jumping 63-28 with streams gaining 222% compared to the previous week. Fujifabric’s poignant end-of-summer classic called “Wakamono no subete” from 2008 soars 73-44, surging in streams (137%) and radio airplay (186%). The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data. See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Aug. 25 to 31, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account. Source link

UPDATE (Sept. 4): Joe Henry, The McCrary Sisters, Old 97’s, Darrell Scott, and Jesse Welles are this year’s lifetime achievement honorees who will be honored at the 2025 Americana Honors & Awards. The ceremony will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 10 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Henry has won three Grammys as a producer in three different categories. He won for producing Solomon Burke’s Don’t Give Up on Me in 2003 (best contemporary blues album), Ramblin’ Jack Elliott’s A Stranger Here in 2010 (best traditional blues album) and Carolina Chocolate Drops’ Genuine Negro Jig in 2011 (best traditional folk album). Scott has received four Grammy nods in country and American roots music categories. “This year’s Lifetime Achievement honorees represent the heart and soul of the Americana community, from the legendary to the next generation of stars.” Jed Hilly, executive director of the Americana Music Association and Foundation, said in a statement. “It’s a privilege to recognize and celebrate these incredible artists whose expertise in their craft has left an indelible mark.”  The Americana Honors & Awards ceremony serves as the hallmark event of the association’s annual AMERICANAFEST, taking place Sept. 9-13 in Nashville. PREVIOUSLY (June 10): Sierra Ferrell, who won artist of the year at last year’s Americana Honors & Awards, is nominated in that category again this year, along with Billy Strings, who won in 2022-23; Charley Crockett, Joy Oladokun and Waxahatchee. Ferrell is vying to become the second woman to win artist of the year twice and the first to do so in back-to-back years. Brandi Carlile won in 2019 and 2021. For his part, Strings would become just the second artist to win three or more times. The late John Prine won four times. MJ Lenderman, Charley Crockett, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and Gillian Welch & David Rawlings were each nominated in multiple categories. Lenderman is up for album of the year for Manning Fireworks, song of the year for “Wristwatch” and emerging act of the year. Crockett is up for album of the year for Lonesome Drifter and artist of the year. Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats are up for album of the year for South of Here and song of the year for “Heartless.” Welch & Rawlings are nominated for album of the year for Woodland and duo/group of the year. Larkin Poe, which won duo/group of the year last year, is nominated again in that category, as is the 2015 winner, The Mavericks. Jason Isbell, a three-time winner for album of the year, is nominated again this year for Foxes in the Snow. The 24th annual Americana Honors & Awards will be held on Sept. 10 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Here’s the full list of nominees: Artist of the Year Charley Crockett Sierra Ferrell Joy Oladokun Billy Strings Waxahatchee Album of the Year Lonesome Drifter, Charley Crockett; Produced by Charley Crockett & Shooter Jennings Foxes in the Snow, Jason Isbell; Produced by Jason Isbell & Gena Johnson Manning Fireworks, MJ Lenderman; Produced by Alex Farrar & MJ Lenderman South of Here, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats; Produced by Brad Cook Woodland, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings; Produced by David Rawlings Song of the Year “Johnny Moonshine,” Maggie Antone; Written by Maggie Antone, Natalie Hemby & Aaron Raitiere “Ancient Light,” I’m With Her; Written by Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan & Sara Watkins “Wristwatch,” MJ Lenderman; Written by MJ Lenderman “Sunshine Getaway,” JD McPherson; Written by Page Burkum, JD McPherson & Jack Torrey “Heartless,” Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats; Written by Nathaniel Rateliff Duo/Group of the Year Julien Baker & TORRES Dawes Larkin Poe The Mavericks Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Emerging Act of the Year Noeline Hofmann MJ Lenderman Medium Build Maggie Rose Jesse Welles Instrumentalist of the Year Fred Eltringham Alex Hargreaves Megan Jane Kaitlyn Raitz Seth Taylor   Source link

Lady Gaga and Tim Burton chose an island built using pre-Hispanic farming methods in Xochimilco, a tourist area in the south of Mexico City, as the setting to seal a new collaboration between the pop superstar and the famed film director. The project combines dark, gothic and fantastical elements, characteristic of the theatricality that defines both artists’ work. The result is the music video for the song “The Dead Dance,” released on Wednesday (Sep. 3), which is part of the second season of Netflix’s series Wednesday. In it, Gaga also stars as Rosaline Rotwood, a deceased instructor from Nevermore Academy who helps Wednesday Addams (played by Jenna Ortega) in her mission to save her family and friends. (Gaga also recently released a deluxe edition of her Mayhem album this week, with “Dead Dance” as one of three new bonus tracks.) “The Dead Dance” takes place on the Island of the Dolls, surrounded by vegetation, a crumbling house, and hundreds of old dolls of all sizes. Over time, exposure to the elements has left the dolls dirty and worn, with peeling paint on their faces, tattered clothing, missing eyes, and no hair, creating a chilling and eerie atmosphere. Filmed in black and white, the clip features choreography reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” where Gaga emerges from the mist, rises, and begins to move and sway to the rhythm of the music. Prior to its release, videos and memes circulated on social media in recent months hinting at the collaboration between Gaga and Burton. Fans speculated after the Batman Returns and Beetlejuice director visited Mexico City, where he launched an immersive exhibition showcasing his most iconic works and characters. During that time, the filmmaker also toured Xochimilco and the nearby magical town of Tepoztlán, located just outside Mexico City. Meanwhile, Gaga returned to Mexico City in April after a 13-year hiatus to perform two sold-out concerts at the GNP Seguros Stadium. The show, titled “¡Viva La MAYHEM!”, featured the opera that had captivated audiences earlier this year at Coachella. But before both artists showcased this “haunted” location to the world, the Island of the Dolls had already been featured as a setting in the documentary by British musician and producer Steven Wilson, which accompanies his 2008 solo album Insurgentes, captured through the lens of Danish photographer Lasse Hoile. In 2010, in an interview with the Mexican newspaper El Universal, Wilson shared that the most beautiful part of filming in Mexico took place precisely at that location. “Mexico is like one big film set; it’s very cinematic and surreal, and incredibly inspiring for creating sounds and images,” the musician said. “Originally, we hadn’t planned to film so much in the country, but after being there, we were hooked.” At the end of last April, fellow pop star Christina Aguilera shared images on her Instagram account from her visit to Xochimilco, where she was seen enjoying time with friends and toasting with beer. In one of the snapshots, the diva is shown wearing a colorful flower crown reminiscent of the iconic painter Frida Kahlo’s signature style. Several decades earlier, during the height of the so-called Golden Age of Mexican Cinema, Xochimilco and its “chinampas” served as the setting for classic films like María Candelaria, directed by Emilio “El Indio” Fernández and starring Dolores del Río and Pedro Armendáriz. The film won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1946. In 1987, Xochimilco and its network of canals and artificial islands were declared a Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO, as they represent “an exceptional example of the Aztecs’ efforts to create a habitat in an environment hostile to humans.” The urban and rural structures created from the 16th century during the colonial period have been admirably preserved. Source link