Music

Kehlani has a great announcement for her fans: she’s headed to a city near them on tour.

She shared the news in a video shared to her Instagram Friday, in which she’s seen in a messy office trying to brainstorm ideas for her upcoming tour. She crumbles papers, throws them on the ground, writes sticky notes and uses a board as she questions what to do on the road.

“I gotta think big. The theme: circus, no, lighting, a spotlight. That’s too much, maybe it’s not enough. Can I get a harp?” she asks.

“Set list, do I open with ‘Folded,’ do I close with ‘Folded,’ do I do ‘Folded’ five times? ‘Folded’ warriors to the back and the day ones to the front,” she continues.

“I need dancers, I need a DJ,” Kehlani says, before Waseel starts playing her song, and she quickly asks him to stop.

“I need to think. What am I missing? Oh! Who are my openers?” She’s then seen reaching out to them and getting their confirmation.

Those openers are Isaia Huron, The Artist, Waseel and Durand Bernarr.

The tour is a world tour, seemingly in support of her recently released self-titled debut album. Dates have not yet been announced.

“one hooting and hollering a**, fun a** rnb a** night, you will have,” Kehlani teased on her Instagram Story. She followed it with, “you have till August to learn every word to the Kehlani album,” before sharing a link for fans to get updates and presale access to the tour.

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Twenty One Pilots performed on the 2026 American Music Awards, which took place Monday in Las Vegas.

Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun took the stage for the TV debut of “Drag Path,” which hit #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

“Drag Path” was originally exclusive to the Digital Remains deluxe edition of Twenty One Pilots’ latest album, 2025’s Breach, but the response to the track was so big that it was officially released as a single in February.

Twenty One Pilots also went home with the prize for best rock/alternative artist.

Meanwhile, sombr won best rock/alternative song for “back to friends” and best rock/alternative album for I Barely Know Her, and performed his song “Homewrecker” during the show after being introduced by Linda Perry of 4 Non Blondes.  

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The 2026 American Music Awards took place Monday in Las Vegas. Here are the winners:

Artist of the year
BTS

New artist of the year
KATSEYE

Album of the year
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend

Song of the year
HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”

Collaboration of the year
PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson – “Stateside”

Social song of the year
Tyla – “CHANEL”

Best music video
KATSEYE – “Gnarly”

Best soundtrack
KPop Demon Hunters

Tour of the year
Shakira – Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour

Breakout tour 
Benson Boone – American Heart World Tour

Breakthrough album of the year
Zara Larsson – Midnight Sun

Best throwback song 
Black Eyed Peas – “Rock That Body”

Best vocal performance
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”

Song of the summer
BTS – “SWIM”

Best male pop artist
Justin Bieber

Best female pop artist
Sabrina Carpenter

Breakthrough pop artist
KATSEYE

Best pop song
The Singing Voices of HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami – “Golden”

Best pop album
Sabrina Carpenter – Man’s Best Friend

Best male country artist
Morgan Wallen

Best female country artist
Ella Langley

Best country duo or group
Zac Brown Band

Breakthrough country artist
Sam Barber

Best country song
Ella Langley – “Choosin’ Texas”

Best country album
Megan Moroney – Cloud 9

Best male hip-hop artist
Kendrick Lamar

Best female hip-hop artist
Cardi B

Breakthrough hip-hop artist
Monaleo

Best hip-hop song
Cardi B – “ErrTime”

Best hip-hop album
Cardi B – AM I THE DRAMA?

Best male R&B artist
Bruno Mars

Best female R&B artist
SZA

Breakthrough R&B artist
Leon Thomas

Best R&B song
Bruno Mars – “I Just Might”

Best R&B album
Bruno Mars – The Romantic

Best male Latin artist
Bad Bunny

Best female Latin artist
Shakira

Best Latin duo or group
Fuerza Regida

Breakthrough Latin artist
Kapo

Best Latin song
Bad Bunny – “NUEVAYoL”

Best Latin album
KAROL G – Tropicoqueta

Best rock/alternative artist
Twenty One Pilots

Breakthrough rock/alternative artist
sombr

Best rock/alternative song
sombr – “back to friends”

Best rock/alternative album
sombr – I Barely Know Her

Best dance/electronic artist
David Guetta

Best male K-pop artist
BTS

Best female K-pop artist
TWICE

Best Afrobeats artist
Tyla

Best Americana/folk artist
Noah Kahan

 

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After winning a Golden Globe, a Grammy and an Oscar, “Golden” proved it still hasn’t lost its shine.

The KPop Demon Hunters hit was named song of the year at the American Music Awards, which aired live from Las Vegas Monday night. Accepting the award were two of the three voices of HUNTR/X, EJAE and Rei Ami, the latter of whom was celebrating her birthday. “I’m gonna make this quick ’cause I have to pee so bad,” she told the crowd before her speech. “Golden” also won best pop song and best vocal performance.

Meanwhile, sombr’s “back to friends” was named best rock/alternative song, while his debut album I Barely Know Her was named best rock/alternative album. The singer also performed his single “Homewrecker,” which ended with him completely drenched in water raining down on him from the ceiling.

BTS, who opened the show with a pre-recorded live performance, was named artist of the year, and their song “SWIM” was named song of the summer.  Teddy Swims performed his latest single “Mr. Know It All,” while New Kids on the Block, who currently have a Las Vegas residency, sang their classic “You Got It (The Right Stuff).” And 30 years after winning best new artist, Hootie & The Blowfish returned to perform “Hold My Hand” and “Only Wanna Be With You.”

The show also featured an unexpected reunion. In the category of best throwback song, the nominees were three songs that had recently experienced a resurgence on TikTok and other social media platforms: “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls, “Rock That Body” by Black Eyed Peas and “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes. 

When “Rock That Body” was named the winner, Black Eyed Peas members will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo took the stage with none other than Fergie, who’d left the group in 2018. It was the first time in years that all four had appeared together publicly.

Fergie thanked the fans for reviving the song via TikTok, “so that my son would put our song on his playlist,” and then yelled, “Hi Axl! ‘Rock That Body!’ We did it!”  Fergie shares son Axl Jack Duhamel with her former husband, Josh Duhamel.

The show closed with newly minted Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Billy Idol receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award and performing his classics “Eyes Without a Face” and “Dancing With Myself.”

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BTS made a triumphant return to the American Music Awards Monday night, with their first awards show appearance in four years.

The group, whose first U.S. TV performance came at the AMAs in 2017, scooped the artist of the year award for a second time; the last time was in 2021, before they went on hiatus to complete their mandatory military service. “It’s an honor to have this precious award once again,” said group member RM. They thanked their fans, known as ARMY, for standing by them “for the past 13 years.”

BTS also picked up the song of the summer trophy for “SWIM” at the fan-voted award show, and presented the best female R&B artist trophy to SZA, who seemed thrilled to meet them.

All that was after the K-pop superstars opened the show with a performance of “Hooligan,” which was seemingly recorded at one of the two shows they performed at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on May 23 and May 24.

But BTS weren’t the only K-pop-related winners: “Golden,” from KPop Demon Hunters, was named song of the year. Accepting the trophy along with fellow HUNTR/X singer EJAE, Rei Ami, who was also celebrating her birthday, said, “I’m gonna make this quick ’cause I have to pee so bad.”  “Golden” also won best pop song and best vocal performance.

And K-pop adjacent group KATSEYE was named new artist of the year, and also performed a colorful version of their new song “Pinky Up,” which featured them emerging from a giant teddy bear.

Meanwhile, sombr won best rock/alternative song for “back to friends,” as well as best rock/alternative album for I Barely Know Her. He also performed his single “Homewrecker,” which ended with him being drenched in water raining down on him from overhead.

There were two notable reunions during the show. The Pussycat Dolls performed a medley of their hits, including “Don’t Cha,” “Buttons” and “When I Grow Up.” But most surprisingly, the Black Eyed Peas reunited with Fergie onstage for the first time in years, to accept the best throwback song award for “Rock That Body.” Fergie thanked the fans for reviving the song via TikTok, “so that my son would put our song on his playlist.”

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Bearooth frontman Caleb Shomo has opened up regarding his sexuality, writing in an Instagram post Saturday, “I am proudly a gay man.”

“There’s been a lot of speculation surround my personal life as of late and I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further,” the post reads.

“This is something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now,” Shomo continues. “It’s been difficult to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.”

Shomo notes that with Beartooth’s music, he’s “always strived to chase who I am in the deepest part of my soul from album to album,” resulting in four “very self deprecating albums about exploring my religious upbringing, depression, self hatred, self loathing and hopelessness.”

“I am grateful for all these albums, yet feel embarrassed at times that I wouldn’t allow myself to really dig up the roots for so long,” he writes. “I spent a decade burying feelings with alcohol, and honestly when I decided to put it down and focus on exploring why I felt this way for so long, it’s been a direct path to me reconciling with my sexuality in hopes that it will eventually lead to me experiencing self love.”

With Beartooth’s upcoming album, Pure Ecstasy, Shomo says he decided that “whatever happens, I will express myself whole heartedly and fully.”

“I believe it’s impossible to love every part of you when you won’t face every part of you head on,” he writes. “I am trying to finally be proud of who I am and I think this is a massive part of that journey.”

Pure Ecstasy is due out Aug. 28.

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Rob Base, the rapper known for his hit 1988 song “It Takes Two” with DJ E-Z Rock, has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 59.

According to a statement shared on his Instagram page announcing the news of his death, the hip-hop icon “passed away peacefully” on Friday “surrounded by family after a private battle with cancer.”

The statement continued: “Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world. Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten.”

The statement ended with, “Thank you for the music, the memories, and the moments that became the soundtrack to our lives.”

ABC News has reached out to a representative for Base.

Base, born Robert Ginyard, rose to fame in the late 1980s when he and DJ E-Z Rock released “It Takes Two.” The song, which sampled Lyn Collins’ “Think (About It),” had an infectious beat and became one of the most iconic hip-hop party anthems ever.

Following its success, other artists would go on to sample the song, including Snoop Dogg on his 2009 hit single “I Wanna Rock” and Gang Starr on “Suckas Need Bodyguards.” 

Following “It Takes Two,” the duo parted ways before reuniting in 1994 for their second and last studio album, Break of Dawn.

DJ E-Z Rock died on April 27, 2014, from complications related to diabetes.

In 1989, Base released his only studio album, The Incredible Base.

Earlier this week, Base celebrated his 59th birthday. He took to Instagram and wrote, “Happy 59th Birthday to me … God thank you for allowing me to see another year.”

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The All-American Rejects are featured in a new online series called SuperFan, described as a “microdrama.”

The show, which follows Tyson Ritter and company as they try to escape from being kidnapped, consists of 31 episodes, each around a minute long. It’s out now exclusively via the platform CandyJar.

“SuperFan started as a crazy idea and somehow got crazier from there,” Ritter says in a statement. “We are all about being disruptive and CandyJar understands exactly what we are trying to do. Being the first musicians in this space makes me feel like the monkey in orbit… next stop, the moon!”

You can watch SuperFan via the CandyJar app and CandyJar.com.

The All-American Rejects also just released a new album, Sandbox, marking their first record in 14 years.

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