Starsplash Music News

Lenny Kravitz’s friends say the rocker dad warmly approved of his daughter Zoë’s budding romance with Harry Styles after the trio enjoyed a lighthearted lunch together in New York City. Apparently Lenny found the former One Direction singer polite, down-to-earth, and genuinely interested in getting to know the family while they dined together recently at Sant Ambroeus in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. Despite being protective of Zoë, the 61-year-old singer appreciated Harry’s sense of humor and felt he respected Zoë, whom he wants to see with someone who values her. The couple, who sparked romance rumors in August, have been seen multiple times in public together as of late, with the actress, 36, and the pop star, 31, spotted walking hand-in-hand in Brooklyn around the time of their lunch with Lenny. Zoë divorced actor Karl Glusman in August 2021, and got engaged to Channing Tatum in October 2023, before they called off the engagement in October 2024. Meanwhile, Harry split from actress Taylor Russell in May 2024. (People)

Charli XCX and George Daniel, who married in a private London ceremony on July 19, celebrated their love with a second, star-studded wedding in Sicily on Sunday (September 14). The nuptials were attended by Daniel’s bandmates from The 1975, including frontman Matty Healy, who missed their prior wedding due to attending a film premiere in Los Angeles with his fiancée, Gabbriette Bechtel, who is also one of Charli’s best friends. Daniel’s other bandmates Ross MacDonald and Adam Hann were also in attendance, alongside the couple’s close friends and family. The couple shared a series of photos on Instagram capturing their pre-wedding festivities exploring Sicily, with Lorde commenting on the post, “My fomo activating.” Charli and Daniel got engaged in November 2023, and the couple’s Sicilian nuptials fulfilled their dream of a larger, private Italian wedding with friends and loved ones. (People)

On Friday (September 12), the first trailer was shared for the upcoming documentary, Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery — The Untold Story, which is set to premiere on Hulu and Disney+ on September 21. The film celebrates the groundbreaking all-female music festival through interviews with co-founder Sarah McLachlan, festival veterans like Sheryl Crow, Paula Cole, Bonnie Raitt, and Erykah Badut, and younger artists such as Olivia Rodrigo. “All of my favorite artists played at this event,” Rodrigo says in the trailer. “I was in disbelief I had never heard of it before.” The documentary is directed by Ally Pankiw and produced by Dan Levy’s Not a Real Production Company, with the project receiving the full support of the original Lilith Fair founders. The film features rare performances and backstage footage, highlighting the festival’s powerful, supportive environment and its impact on women in music. It will also debut on CBC in Canada on September 17. (Rolling Stone)

During her Nashville show on Thursday night (September 11), Tate McRae invited country star Megan Moroney onstage for a duet of Moroney’s hit, “6 Months Later.” The surprise collaboration thrilled the sold-out crowd at Bridgestone Arena, with McRae proclaiming “I’m such a massive fan” as she introduced Moroney before their duet. Moroney shared a post-show photo of the two singers together, captioning her post, “girls!,” while McRae commented, “My queen forever.” Both artists recently performed at the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards, where McRae won Song of the Summer for “Just Keep Watching,” and Moroney won Best Country. McRae will bring her Miss Possessive World Tour through Texas and the West Coast through the end of the month, while Moroney’s Am I Okay? Tour just hit Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday night for her first ever headlining stadium show, where Megan brought out Kenny Chesney for a duet on “You Had To Be There.” (Rolling Stone)

The soundtrack to Netflix’s hit animated film, KPop Demon Hunters, claims No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart for the very first time, rising one spot to top this week’s chart, after spending seven nonconsecutive weeks in the runner-up slot. The soundtrack earned 128,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. over the past seven days, marking the best week yet for the hit collection. The surge was propelled by the album’s deluxe reissue on September 5, alongside the CD release of the soundtrack that same day. The set becomes the first soundtrack to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart in three-and-a-half years, since Encanto’s nine-week run at the top in 2022.

Other notable moves in this week’s Top 10 include Justin Bieber’s SWAG jumping up 13 spots to reach No. 4 following its expanded deluxe release, SWAG II, which features 23 additional tracks, and sombr’s I Barely Know Her cracks the Top 10 for the first time, rising two slots to reach No. 10 in its third week of release. The rest of the Billboard 200 Top 10 is rounded out by Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend, which falls to No. 2 after debuting at No. 1 last week, followed by Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem holding at No. 3, Alex Warren’s You’ll Be Alright, Kid remaining at No. 5, SZA’s SOS climbing three spots to No. 6, Wallen’s One Thing at a Time dropping one slot to No. 7, Stray Kids’ KARMA falling four places to No. 8, and Gunna’s The Last Wun falling one spot to No. 9. (Billboard)

On Thursday (September 11), Gorillaz announced the details of their ninth studio album, The Mountain, which is set for release on March 20, 2026, via their new label KONG. The 15-track record features collaborations with Black Thought, Yasiin Bey, Johnny Marr, The Clash’s Paul Simonon, and the late actor Dennis Hopper, along with a guest appearance by Sparks on the project’s lead single, “The Happy Dictator.” Recorded across studios in London, India, and several international cities, the album will be available in multiple formats, alongside a book and art prints. According to a press release, “The band has turned its back on international pop stardom, as they navigate the mountainous terrain of this thing called life.” To support the album, Gorillaz – created by Blur’s Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett – will embark on The Mountain Tour across Europe, with the 10-date jaunt starting March 21 in Manchester and culminating with a June 20 show at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with support coming from Trueno. (Variety)

Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, drummer and co-founder of The Roots and acclaimed filmmaker, will receive the 2025 Peabody Trailblazer Award at a ceremony at The Sun Rose Hotel in Los Angeles on October 10. Presented by previous winner Quinta Brunson, the honor recognizes Thompson’s innovative storytelling across music, film, and cultural commentary, including his Oscar and Peabody-winning documentary, Summer of Soul, alongside his efforts to highlight Black musical genius and advocate for representation and cultural preservation. “

Through his prodigious output of creative work across documentary filmmaking, publishing, music, and more, Questlove has emerged as one our most important voices in understanding American culture of the past and present,” Peabody executive director Dr. Jeffrey Jones said in a statement. Following the award presentation, Questlove will discuss his life and career in conversation with civil rights activist Angela Davis. The Trailblazer Award annually “recognizes visionaries whose innovative storytelling styles impact culture and effect social change.” (Variety)

Doja Cat continues her ‘80s-themed rollout for her upcoming album, Vie, by adopting the persona of cult icon Max Headroom in an Instagram video announcing the iTunes exclusive deluxe edition which is available for pre-order. Embracing the retro aesthetic, including neon backgrounds and glitch effects, the promo teases snippets of new songs, exclusive content, and a surprise upon release. This follows her New Wave-inspired lead single, “Jealous Type,” with Doja delivering the live debut of the track during Sunday night’s MTV VMAs. That performance featured a surprise appearance by ’80s smooth jazz legend Kenny G, throwback breakdancers in 8-ball jackets, and an intro by her Max Headroom character, who has been credited as “the first computer-generated TV presenter.” Vie is set to drop on September 26 via RCA Records. (Uproxx)

On Thursday (September 11), a Los Angeles judge ruled that four housekeepers suing Smokey Robinson for sexual assault can proceed anonymously in their $50 million lawsuit, setting a trial date for October 2027. The 85-year-old Motown legend had sought to reveal their identities, arguing that they waived their anonymity by attending a press conference wearing masks and sunglasses while sharing some personal details. His defense also claims inconsistencies in the accusers' employment timelines. However, Judge Kevin C. Brazile emphasized the overriding interest in protecting the women’s privacy early in the case, given the serious allegations of repeated sexual assault and the potential risk from Robinson’s celebrity following. Robinson is counter-suing for $500 million in defamation and elder abuse. The lawsuit alleges multiple instances of rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, and workplace harassment dating back to 2007. (Rolling Stone)

Ed Sheeran fueled speculation that he’s moving to America following a recent appearance on The 2 Johnnies Podcast, but he’s taken to his Instagram Stories to clear things up and let everyone know, “I’m not moving.” Sheeran’s prior comments on the podcast had fans wondering if he was leaving the U.K., with the pop superstar revealing: “I feel like I might be the only person moving to America. I’m going on tour there for a while and I have a family, so I can’t dip in and out. We’re going and settling there.” But he clarified those remarks on social media by writing: “Way easier to clear up stuff on here so here’s me setting the record straight. I’m not moving, I’m going on tour with my family and relocating to the continent I’m touring on, don’t wanna commute from London to San Diego obvz.” Sheeran has yet to announce U.S. tour dates tied to his new album, Play, which is out Friday (September 12). (Billboard)

The 2025 Mercury Prize shortlist was announced on Wednesday (September 10) at a launch event for the British press in central London, in recognition of twelve acclaimed albums released by U.K. and Irish artists over the past year. This year’s nominees include Sam Fender’s People Watching, Fontaines D.C.’s Romance, PinkPantheress’ Fancy That, Wolf Alice’s The Clearing, FKA Twigs’ EUSEXUA, CMAT’s Euro-Country, and Pulp’s comeback album More. Celebrating outstanding artistic achievement across genres, the Mercury Prize has a rich history of honoring both emerging and established acts since 1992, with recent winners including English Teacher (2024), Ezra Collective (2023), Little Simz (2022), Arlo Parks (2021), and Michael Kiwanuka (2020). The awards ceremony will take place on October 16 at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena – the first time the event will be held outside London – and will feature live performances from nominees before culminating with the announcement of the Mercury Prize winner. (Billboard)

Dua Lipa continued her tradition of honoring hometown artists during her Radical Optimism Tour stop in Boston on Tuesday night (September 9), as the pop superstar paid tribute to rock legends Aerosmith by covering their 1998 hit “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” at TD Garden. This follows similar city-specific tributes, including recent performances of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” in Chicago, as well as covers of AC/DC, Lorde, and Kylie Minogue in Australia and New Zealand. Throughout the tour, Lipa has also collaborated with surprise hometown guests like Charli XCX and Tame Impala’s Kevin Parker, as well as paying homage to local icons like Enrique Iglesias in Madrid, The Beatles in Liverpool, and Sinéad O'Connor in Dublin. Lipa’s U.S. tour continues with two shows in Atlanta this weekend, before a high-profile four-night stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden from September 17-21. (Rolling Stone)

On Wednesday (September 10), Sabrina Carpenter took to social media to express gratitude to fans for embracing her new album, Man’s Best Friend, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking her second chart-topping record and highest debut ever. Sharing behind-the-scenes footage from the recording studio on Instagram, Carpenter credited collaborators Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff, and John Ryan for the album’s creation, describing the experience as a “pure wholesome electric” time. “To see the way you are all resonating with it just makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world,” Carpenter captioned her post. “Thank you for listening (top to bottom!!!) and thank you for bringing this album into your lives and having such a damn good time with it, I’m having fun too :’).” Carpenter is also rumored to be one of the headliners at Coachella 2026 alongside Karol G, with Kendrick Lamar, Dua Lipa, and Anyma also potentially receiving top billing at the high-profile music festival. (Rolling Stone)

Justin Bieber’s “Yukon” has reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Rhythmic Airplay chart this week, marking the pop superstar’s first radio chart-topper in three years, dating back to 2022’s “Ghost.” “Yukon,” from Bieber’s SWAG album, ascended from No. 5 to No. 1, becoming his sixth Rhythmic Airplay No. 1 of his celebrated career. The song also gained traction on multiple Billboard charts, jumping up four places to crack into the Top 20 of Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay at No. 19, while also reaching No. 21 on the audience-based R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart, on the strength of receiving 3.7 million audience impressions, a 3% gain from the previous week. “Yukon” also climbed to No. 41 on the all-genre Radio Songs chart following a 4% audience increase, reflecting the song’s growing success across multiple radio formats. (Billboard)

Halsey’s 2015 debut album, BADLANDS, has reentered the Top 10 on five Billboard charts this week following its 10th anniversary deluxe reissue on August 29. The set ranks No. 5 on Top Album Sales, No. 6 on Top Alternative Albums, No. 4 on Vinyl Albums, No. 9 on Catalog Albums, and debuts at No. 7 on Top Rock & Alternative Albums. The album earned 17,000 equivalent album units in the U.S., with nearly 12,000 from traditional sales, including approximately 9,000 vinyl copies. On August 28, less than a week after she concluded the For My Last Trick Tour, Halsey announced a BACK TO BADLANDS TOUR. “Tiny venues. GA floors. 10 years later. I’ve been waiting a decade to re-live it all over again with you,” Halsey said of the tour, which kicks off on October 14 in Los Angeles, with stops in Atlanta, Washington DC, and New York City, before concluding on January 17 in Detroit. (Billboard)

On Tuesday (September 9), Lady Gaga announced the dates and details of the second North American leg of her Mayhem Ball Tour which is planned for spring 2026, including a rescheduled date for her recently postponed Miami show due to vocal strain. The 21-date tour will begin on February 14 in Glendale, Arizona, and continue with multiple-night stands at cities across the South and Midwest like Atlanta, Austin, and Saint Paul, as well as return stops in Los Angeles and New York. The Mayhem Ball Tour is currently finishing its first North American leg with a trio of upcoming shows in Toronto this week before finishing up in Chicago on September 15, 17, and 18, followed by dates in Europe, the UK, Australia, and Japan. To coincide with the tour announcement, Gaga dropped by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday to help him celebrate the 10th anniversary of his recently cancelled show. Gaga performed a stripped-down version of Mayhem emotional standout, “Vanish Into You,” while seated at a piano. (Rolling Stone)

On Monday (September 8), 50 Cent took to social media to announce that he has acquired the rights to the cult classic 2002 crime film, Paid in Full, and is developing it into a TV series. Cam’ron, who starred in the original movie, has signed on to the project as executive producer. “I now have the rights to PAID IN FULL, im developing it into a premium Tv show,” 50 wrote. “if you like God Father of Harlem your gonna love this. Cam set to Executive produce along side me.” Numerous hip-hop stars have reached out in the comments looking to land roles in the show, including Maxo Kream and Conway the Machine. 50 is slated to star as Balrog in the Street Fighter movie, and will appear in Deon Taylor’s upcoming sports-themed Free Agents film, while Cam told Billboard in August that he’s currently “in the process of finishing up a couple TV shows and a couple movies.” (Billboard)

During a new interview with Nardwuar at Los Angeles’ Record Safari, Sabrina Carpenter had a humorous reaction to learning that only 200 vinyl copies of her 2015 debut album, Eyes Wide Open, were pressed. Most copies were distributed to record executives, and Carpenter revealed that she doesn't even own a copy. “Oh, I love this album. Every song’s a 10,” she said while clutching a vinyl copy Eyes Wide Open, before revealing, “I don’t even have it, that’s how rare it is.” When Nardwuar asked if her label gave her a copy, Carpenter replied: “No. Only 200 made? Damn. They really didn’t give a f**k about me!” Carpenter’s seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, debuted at No. 1 on this week’s Billboard 200 chart, while the Grammy-winning music superstar also won Best Pop Artist and Album Of The Year for Short N’ Sweet at the 2025 MTV VMAs on Sunday night, where she also delivered the live debut of her new single, “Tears.” (NME)

Hilary Duff is finally returning to music after a decade-long hiatus, signing a new deal with Atlantic Records that was announced on Tuesday (September 9). “Wake up… @hilaryduff is officially a part of the AMG family 🩵,” Atlantic revealed on Instagram. “We could not be more excited for this journey & for new music… or something 🪩✨🍒.” Duff also shared her own post, featuring photos of her in the recording studio alongside the similar caption, “new music … or something 🪩✨🍒.” The former Disney star and pop singer, known for hits like “Come Clean” and “Wake Up,” last released an album in 2015 and has focused on acting ever since. Alongside her musical comeback, Duff will be featured in an upcoming docuseries directed by Sam Wrench, chronicling her return to music and personal journey. With two Billboard No. 1 records – 2003’s Metamorphosis and the 2005 compilation Most Wanted – five Top 10 albums, and nearly 8 million total albums sold in the U.S., Duff’s reemergence marks an exciting new chapter in her career, and a welcome comeback for her longtime fans. (Billboard)

A body was discovered inside the front trunk of an impounded Tesla registered to singer D4vd at a Hollywood tow yard on Monday afternoon (September 8). The shocking discovery prompted a death investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, after officers initially responded to reports of a foul odor coming from the car, which had been on the property for a number of days. The identity of the deceased remains unknown, and representatives for the 20-year-old singer – known for viral hits like “Here With Me” and “Romantic Homicide” – have not commented. Last week, D4vd partnered with Epic Games for Fortnite’s first official anthem, “Locked & Loaded (Official Fortnite Anthem),” which made it’s in-game debut alongside the announcement. D4vd recently began his Withered World Tour, and was scheduled to perform in Minneapolis on Tuesday night (Sept. 9), before concluding his North American tour in Los Angeles on September 20. (Variety)