Christina Aguilera Among Celebrities Urging U.S. Senators to Stop Gun Violence Now

Christina Aguilera is calling for politicians to take action on the issue of gun reform

The 40-year-old half-Ecuadorian American Grammy-winning singer has joined a roster of celebrities who’ve signed an open letter to U.S. Senators urging them stop gun violence now.

Christina Aguilera

Five years ago, amidst a string of deadly attacks at live music venues including the horrific mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on June 12, 2016, the cover of Billboard‘s July 2016 issue featured an open letter to U.S. Congress signed by 200 artists and music industry executives calling for gun reform.

Unfortunately, the need for reform has only grown stronger as shootings have continued around the country at a terrifying rate.

So now, five years later, as venues prepare to reopen after their pandemic shutdown and music fans ready to return to concerts and festivals, we stand again with the music community to ask lawmakers to take swift action to stop the violence. — Hannah Karp, Billboard editorial director

An Open Letter to Senators: Stop Gun Violence Now

As leading artists and executives in the music industry, we are adding our voices to the chorus of Americans demanding change.

Music always has been celebrated communally, on dance floors and at concert halls. But this life-affirming ritual, like so many other daily experiences — going to school or church or work — continues to be threatened, because of gun violence in this country.

The one thing that connects the tragedies like the shootings in Boulder, El Paso, Las Vegas, Parkland and so many other places in America, to the one that happened in Orlando five years ago this June, is that it is far too easy for dangerous people to get their hands on guns.

We call on the Senate to do more to prevent the gun violence that kills more than 100 Americans every day and injures hundreds more: Take action on background checks.

Billboard and the undersigned implore you — the people who are elected to represent us — to close the deadly loopholes that put the lives of so many music fans, and all of us, at risk.

Sincerely,

Christina Aguilera, Tori Amos, Sara Barielles, Aaron Bay-Schuck, Tony Bennett, Selim Bouab, Rob Bourdon, Scooter Braun, Cortez Bryant, Michael Bublé, Vanessa Carlton, Joseph Carozza, Steve Cooper, Tom Corson, Lee Daniels, Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Delson, Diplo, Mike Easterlin, John Esposito, Melissa Etheridge, Fletcher, Luis Fonsi, Becky G, Kevin Gore, Julie Greenwald, Josh Groban, Horacio Gutierrez, Joe Hahn, Halsey, Billy Joel, Craig Kallman, Alicia Keys, Kid Cudi, Carole King, Elle King, Adam Lambert, Cyndi Lauper, Kevin Liles, Dre London, Jennifer Lopez, Macklemore, Zayn Malik, Carianne Marshall, Ricky Martin, Paul McCartney, Julia Michaels, Guy Moot, Jason Mraz, Gregg Nadel, Yoko Ono, Mark Pinkus, Gregory Porter, Prince Royce, Bonnie Raitt, Dawn Richard, RMR, Paul Robinson, Maggie Rogers, Kelly Rowland, Mike Shinoda, Sia, Matt Signore, Britney Spears, Rob Stevenson, Sting, Barbra Streisand, Justin Tranter, Sir Trilli, Sharon Van Etten, Aimie Vaughn-Fruehe, Eddie Vedder, Andrew Watt.

If you’re interested in signing the letter, you can email guncontrol@billboard.com.

Demi Lovato to Chase UFOs on Peacock Four-Part Series

Demi Lovato is on the hunt for intelligent life…

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer, who recently opened up about her struggles with drugs and sexual abuse in a YouTube docuseries, will be chasing UFOs for her next television project.

Demi Lovato,

Peacock has ordered the four-part series Unidentified with Demi Lovato (w/t), which will see the singer, her skeptical best friend Matthew and her sister Dallas attempt to help uncover the truth about the UFO phenomena.

While consulting with leading experts, the trio will investigate recent eyewitness encounters, uncover secret government reports and conduct tests at known UFO hot spots.

This comes after Lovato revealed on her Instagram page in October that she spent a few days in Joshua Tree with Dr. Steven Greer, who claims to be one of the “world’s foremost authorities on the subject of UFOs, ET intelligence and initiating peaceful contact with ET civilization” and witnessed “the most incredibly profound sightings both in the sky as well as feet away from me.”

“If we were to get 1% of the population to meditate and make contact, we would force our governments to acknowledge the truth about extraterrestrial life among us and change our destructive habits destroying our planet,” she wrote.

It’s Lovato’s latest project with the NBCUniversal family; she’s starring in and executive-producing Hungry, a food-issues comedy that was given a pilot order by NBC.

Unidentified With Demi Lovato is produced by GoodStory Entertainment in association with SB Projects. Lovato will executive produce with Scooter Braun, Scott Manson and Allison Kaye for SB Projects and JD Roth, Adam Greener and Sara Hansemann for GoodStory as well as Andrew Nock also executive produces and is showrunner.

NBC Gives Pilot Order to Demi Lovato’s Comedy Series “Hungry”

Demi Lovato is officially hungry

NBC has handed a pilot order to the 28-year-old half-Mexican American actress/singer’s Hungry.

Demi Lovato

Lovato is starring in and executive producing Hungry, a single-camera comedy that follows a group of friends who belong to a food issues group who help each other as they look for love, success and the perfect thing in the fridge that’s going to make it all better.

It’s written and executive produced by Will & Grace writer and Hot In Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin. It comes from Hazy Mills and SB Projects in association with Universal Television. Sean Hayes, Todd Milliner & Scooter BraunScott Manson and James Shin executive produce.

Hungry’s pilot order comes as Lovato’s recent documentary series Dancing with the Devil recently aired on YouTube. The four-parter documented Lovato her eating disorder as well as use of heroin and crack cocaine.

Demi Lovato to Release New Album “Dancing with the Devil…The Art of Starting Over” in April

Demi Lovato is starting over musically…

The 28-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress has announced plans to release a new album Dancing with the Devil…The Art of Starting Over, which will come out on April 2.

It’s a “deeply personal album,” according to Lovato’s reps, and is executive produced by Lovato and her manager, Scooter Braun.

Lovato’s latest album will be supported by a four-part documentary series, Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, which will stream on YouTube from Tuesday, March 23, and wrapping Tuesday, April 6.

The album and the series are interconnected. Both will explore Lovato’s near fatal overdose in 2018, and her journey back.

Dancing with the Devil…The Art of Starting Over will feature the song “Anyone,” which Lovato performed at the 2020 Grammy Awards.

The album is the follow up to Tell Me You Love Me from 2017, which hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.

News of Lovato’s forthcoming seventh album comes soon after she came out, telling Glamour,: “When I started getting older, I started realizing how queer I really am.”

In a clip from the upcoming online series, Lovato admits she’s lucky to be alive. “I’ve had a lot of lives — like my cat, you know? I’m on my ninth life,” she says. “I’m ready to get back to doing what I love, which is making music.”

Pre-order Dancing with the Devil…The Art of Starting Over here.

Demi Lovato to Star in the NBC Scripted Food Issues Comedy “Hungry”

Demi Lovato is hungry for new projects…

The 28-year-old part-Mexican American singer/actress will return to scripted television in a food issues comedy in the works at NBC.

Demi Lovato

Lovato, who got her break in the Disney Channel’s Camp Rock franchise and starred in Sonny with a Chance, is to star in and executive produce Hungry, which has received a put pilot commitment from NBC.

The single-camera comedy is being written and exec produced by Will & Grace writer and Hot In Cleveland creator Suzanne Martin. It comes from Hazy Mills and SB Projects in association with Universal Television.

Hungry follows a group of friends who belong to a food issues group help each other as they look for love, success and the perfect thing in the fridge that’s going to make it all better.

Lovato, herself, appeared in a guest role in the final season of Will & Grace, her first role since guest starring on Glee in 2013. The singer, who has battled bipolar disorder and addiction, is the subject of a YouTube Originals doc series Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil, which will premiere at SXSW.

Lovato and Martin will exec produce with Hazy Mills’ Sean Hayes and Todd Milliner and SB Projects’ Scooter Braun, James Shin and Scott Manson.

J Balvin Appears Alongside Justin Bieber on 24kGoldn & iann dior’s Official “Mood” Remix

J Balvin’s in a real mood

The 35-year-old Colombian singer/songwriter has joined voices with 24kGoldn, iann dior and Justin Bieber for the official remix of “Mood,” which previously skyrocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 last month.

J Balvin

After teasing a “Mood” remix in a behind-the-scenes clip for his Billboard October Chartbreaker interview, 24kGoldn has finally announced that it was coming out on Friday, Nov. 6, by posting an animated cover of the four artists.

Bieber reposted the 19-year-old rapper’s tweet and shared the pre-save and pre-add link whyualwaysinamood.com, which got 24kGoldn in the best mood. “Man i love u,” he replied.

This marks the Biebs and J Balvin’s second official collaboration following the Sorry” remix from the pop star’s 2015 album Purpose. Earlier this year, Bieber was seen filming the music video for “La Bomba,” the Spanish-language single that he teased during an episode of his Seasons YouTube Originals docuseries.

Although it never made it to the final cut of his 2020 album ChangesTMZ reported the standalone single features the Colombian reggaeton singer, who’s also managed by Scooter Braun.

Demi Lovato Teases New Single on Social Media

Demi Lovato is a tease…

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress has shared a snippet of a new song from her upcoming yet-untitled album on social media.

Demi Lovato

In an Instagram Story, Lovato wears a multi-colored ’90s-inspired Gucci jacket and slim sunglasses while driving around L.A. listening to the seemingly autobiographical track.

“I know I made it hard for you / And I owe my part, I’ll tell the truth / You said that it’d be over/ If I didn’t get sober / Sober,” her voice croons from the car’s speakers.

Lovato also used a GIF of a steaming teapot in the Story, which she captioned “#D7.”

While the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer has yet to announce an official release date for her seventh studio set, the LP is expected to include the self-love anthem “I Love Me.”

The album will also serve as her first full-length release since recovering from an accidental overdose and hospitalization back in July 2018.

One month prior to her relapse, Lovato dropped one-off single “Sober,” a heart-wrenching, apologetic ballad detailing her lapse in sobriety.

She’s since signed with Scooter Braun as her new manager, joining the music mogul’s powerhouse roster of clients including Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Tori Kelly and more.

Lovato is a two-time Grammy nominee, for her album Confident and song Fall in Line” with Christina Aguilera

While fans anxiously await the follow-up to 2017’s Tell Me You Love Me, Lovato is next set to join forces with JoJo on a remix of the latter’s single “Lonely Hearts.” The duet between the two big-voiced singers will be included on the deluxe edition of JoJo’s latest album, Good to Know, which is slated for release on August 28 via Clover Music/Warner Records.

Demi Lovato to Host Talk Show on Quibi

Demi Lovatois ready to talkthings up a notch…

The 27-year-old half-Mexican American singer/actress, who performed the National Anthem at the Super Bowl last weekend, will lead a talk show for the upcoming shortform digital service Quibi.

Demi Lovato

The platform has greenlighted Pillow Talk with Demi Lovato(working title), a 10-episode series fronted by the Grammywinner that will feature candid, unfiltered conversations between Lovato and guests — both experts and celebrities — exploring topics such as: activism, body positivity, gender identity, sex, relationships, social media and wellness.

“I’ve always considered myself someone that speaks honestly about issues that face my generation,” Lovato said. “We’re excited to bring those frank conversations to a public forum, where people can have the opportunity to relate to the topics and guests, while finding room for laughter and learning.”

Produced by Goodstory Entertainmentand SB ProjectsPillow Talk with Demi Lovato is executive produced by Lovato, Scooter BraunAllison Kayeand Scott MansonJD Rothand Adam Greener.

Founded by Jeffrey Katzenbergand led by CEO Meg Whitman, Quibi launches on April 6.

J Balvin Signs Management Deal with Scooter Braun’s SB Projects

It’s a Braun new day for J Balvin

The 34-year-old Colombian reggaeton singer has signed a management deal with Scooter Braun’s SB Projects, according to Billboard.

J Balvin will be the latest addition to a superstar SB roster that includes Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande, and in May added Demi Lovato and Idina Menzel.

“We are very excited to be working with my long-time friend J Balvin,” Braun said in a statement provided to Billboard. “He is not only an incredible talent, but his work ethic and creativity are what has allowed him to be one of the top global acts in any language. He loves his culture and his energy is contagious. We are excited for this new adventure together.”

“It was meant to be, not before not after, the time is now!!” J Balvin said in a statement. “And we are READY TO MAKE HISTORY. Life is perfect and I’m grateful with life for all the blessings and this makes part of my new beginning, because honestly we haven’t started yet; it’s time to show that we are more global than ever and that we can conquer the planet in Spanish, and make a new statement. Latino Gang, it’s global gang!! Let’s go patineta,” he added, using the Spanish word for “scooter.”