The Weeknd Continues To Tease His New Era With A Cryptic Tweet

After cleaning up with a whopping ten wins at the Billboard Music Awards last Sunday — you hear that, Grammys? — The Weeknd is doubling down on his promise that new era is coming. Though the R&B superstar didn’t even get to tour behind his most successful album yet, due to the blight that was COVID-19 on 2020 live events, he’s already unveiling a new concept anyway. After teasing the new era as “The Dawn” in one of his many acceptance speeches at the BBMAs, Abel hopped on Twitter this afternoon to double down on his promise.

“Ladies and gentleman, the…” he wrote, a cryptic teaser that had fans quickly filling in the blank: “Dawn is coming.”

Of course, it’s also a reference to a now-beloved SNL meme, when Daniel Craig introduced the star on the show. So do with it what you will!

Tesfaye’s After Hours era was a dark one punctuated by his constant red suit and facial injuries and bandages, a visual shtick that kept fans guessing as to how he’d show up to public events. If the “Save Your Tears” performance at the Billboard Music Awards was any indication, that visual is now down. His crips black suit with a long trench was the new look, and even if Ariana didn’t join him for the BBMAs performance, her appearance at his iHeartRadio Music Awards for their new remix was another indication that the pair might have more new music in the works. This was Ari’s first appearance after her secret at-home wedding, so it’s a big deal that she made it out on that stage.

Whether The Dawn era includes Ari or not, it’s definitely coming soon. And new music from The Weeknd is the perfect way to head back into festival season.

Drake Threw A Dinner Party On The 50 Yard Line At SoFi Stadium After Winning Artist Of The Decade

Drake’s well-known for his displays of wealth, which have ranged from ostentatious to borderline ridiculous over the years. However, after receiving a Billboard Artist of the Decade Award at the Billboard Music Awards this weekend, he certainly had a good enough excuse for his latest over-the-top expenditure. According to Variety, Drake rented out the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California so he could have dinner on the 50-yard line with his OVO crew. The recently opened stadium normally seats 70,000, but for Drake’s dinner party, the attendance was limited to a guest list that included DJ Khaled, Doja Cat, SZA, and The Weeknd.

E! News reported that a source said, “He rented the entire stadium for the night. The stadium has a gigantic banner with his name and ‘Artist of the Decade.’… There are huge champagne towers and several bars set up throughout the stadium. Drake also has cute album books featuring his favorite moments through his career set up around the stadium.”

It’s likely Drake went all-out to make up for prior missed opportunities to do so; as he noted in his acceptance speech, which he gave with his son Adonis by his side, “I’ve spent an incalculable amount of hours trying to analyze all the things I did wrong. I’m really self-conscious about my music, and even if I do a good job, I always wonder how I could have done it better. I rarely celebrate anything. And just for anyone watching this, that’s wondering how this happened, that’s really the answer: being so unsure how you’re getting it done that you just kind of keep going in the hopes of figuring out the formula. But tonight, for once, I’m sure as hell we did something right.”

Machine Gun Kelly Painted His Tongue Black And Packed On The PDA With Megan Fox At The Billboard Awards

Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox have been dating for a while now and they seem to be having a delightful time with each other. Their relationship has been one to behold for outside observers as well. The things the pair say and do have certainly gotten eyeballs focused on them as a couple, and they added to their eyebrow-raising story this weekend at the 2021 Billboard Music Awards.

Ahead of the show, Kelly went for a surprising (or perhaps not) stylistic choice and decided to paint his tongue black, sharing clips of the process on his Instagram Story (as BuzzFeed notes). Later on, Kelly and Fox showed up on the red carpet and decided to really draw attention to Kelly’s look by packing on some tongue-heavy PDA.

When it came to the actual ceremony, Kelly did quite well. He was nominated in three categories and came away with two wins: Top Rock Artist and Top Rock Album (for Tickets To My Downfall). After getting the win, he took to his Instagram Story to celebrate by sharing a video of himself holding one of his trophies… in a bathroom, as Fox exited a stall behind him and was seemingly surprised to discover she was being filmed.

@machinegunkelly/Instagram

Check out the full list of 2021 Billboard Music Awards winners here.

Drake Celebrated His Artist Of The Decade Award By Accepting It With His Son In His Arms

While coveted career-spanning awards can sometimes feel canned or phoned-in, there’s nothing that feels phony about calling Drake the artist of the decade. With over 200 entries into the Billboard Hot 100, a whopping nine No. 1 albums, and the kind of culture-defining force that few artists ever get to wield, he has undoubtedly changed the face of rap, pop, and R&B all at the same time. But to accept this monumental award, he didn’t enlist any celebrities or famous friends to present it to him, opting instead to have his friends and family lining the back of the stage while he accepted it.

And it wasn’t just his mother and father, other relatives and closest friends who were there with him. As he walked out onstage, Drake was holding the hand of his young son, Adonis, and even gave the trophy to the toddler to hold while he gave his heartfelt, off-the-cuff acceptance speech. For those who remember the accusations leveled against Drizzy during one of the lowest moments of his career — Pusha T’s venomous declaration “you are hiding a child” — tonight’s acceptance felt like a direct rebuttal to that attack. Putting it to bed once and for all, Drake dedicated one of the biggest awards of his career to Adonis, holding him up for a final celebration before heading offstage.

Congratulations Drake, artist of the decade… now can we please get Certified Lover Boy in time for summer? Watch his full speech above.

Doja Cat + SZA’s Teaming Up For Huge BBMAs Performance

West Coast hitmakers Doja Cat and SZA are bringing more than their presence to the Billboard Music Awards show. The “Kiss Me More” duo have secured huge performance spots at this weekend’s ceremony. Doja Cat + SZA’s Teaming Up According to a Billboard press release, fans can look forward to Doja and SZA gracing the […]

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Drake Will Be Honored With An Artist Of The Decade Award At The Billboard Music Awards

The 2021 Billboard Music Awards take place later this month and Drake will be among the honorees, receiving an honor few others can boast: an Artist of the Decade Award. The award is bestowed on the best-performing artists based on activity on Billboard‘s biggest charts: the 200 albums chart and Hot 100 songs chart, from December of 2009 to September of 2019.

Drake’s more than qualified by those criteria. Throughout the 2010s, he had the most No. 1s on the Billboard 200 (nine), the most top-ten songs on the Hot 100 (33), six No. 1s on the Hot 100, and the most No. 1s on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart with 18. He’s also the only solo male artist to spend more than 50 cumulative weeks at No. 1 — a distinction that’s certain to change in the future thanks to long chart-topping runs by artists like Roddy Ricch and Lil Nas X — and has a record 232 entries on the Hot 100 chart.

He also holds records for top 10s on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (45), No. 1s on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart (22), and top 40 hits on the Hot 100 (120). Whether you hate him or love him, Drake’s the most accomplished artist of the past decade and his influence on hip-hop and pop culture is undeniable.

The Billboard Music Awards air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, May 23 at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT on NBC.

The Weeknd And DaBaby Lead The Full List Of Nominations For The 2021 Billboard Music Awards

The Billboard Music Awards are set to air May 23 and are aimed at honoring today’s most popular artists. The full list of nominees has been revealed and The Weeknd, DaBaby, and Megan Thee Stallion are leading the pack.

The Weeknd, who was notably snubbed for a Grammy nomination this year, holds an impressive 16 BMA nominations, including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Hot 100 Artist, and Top Streaming Songs Artist. DaBaby follows closely behind with 11 nominations. Country singer Gabby Barrett holds the most nominations for a female artist with nine, but Megan Thee Stallion is right behind her with seven nods.

The Billboard Music Awards also note that while Morgan Wallen appears on their nominations list, they say “his recent conduct does not align with our core values, we will not be including him on the show in any capacity (performing, presenting, accepting).” Their decision to not include Wallen follows a viral video which shows the singer using a racial slur.

This year’s awards are based on the chart period of March 21, 2020 through April 3, 2021. Nominations are decided based on key fan interactions with music, including album and digital song sales, streaming, radio airplay, and social engagement, tracked by Billboard and its data partners.

Check out the fill list of nominees below.

Top Artist

Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Taylor Swift
The Weeknd

Top New Artist

Gabby Barrett
Doja Cat
Jack Harlow
Pop Smoke
Rod Wave

Top Male Artist

Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd

Top Female Artist

Billie Eilish
Ariana Grande
Dua Lipa
Megan Thee Stallion
Taylor Swift

Top Duo/Group

AC/DC
AJR
BTS
Dan + Shay
Maroon 5

Top Billboard 200 Artist

Drake
Juice WRLD
Pop Smoke
Post Malone
Taylor Swift

Top Hot 100 Artist

DaBaby
Drake
Dua Lipa
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd

Top Streaming Songs Artist

DaBaby
Drake
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke
The Weeknd

Top Song Sales Artist

Justin Bieber
BTS
Megan Thee Stallion
Morgan Wallen
The Weeknd

Top Radio Songs Artist

Justin Bieber
Lewis Capaldi
Dua Lipa
Harry Styles
The Weeknd

Top Social Artist (Fan Voted)

Blackpink
BTS
Ariana Grande
SB19
Seventeen

Top R&B Artist

Jhené Aiko
Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
Doja Cat
The Weeknd

Top R&B Male Artist

Justin Bieber
Chris Brown
The Weeknd

Top R&B Female Artist

Jhené Aiko
Doja Cat
SZA

Top Rap Artist

DaBaby
Drake
Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke

Top Rap Male Artist

Juice WRLD
Lil Baby
Pop Smoke

Top Rap Female Artist

Cardi B
Megan Thee Stallion
Saweetie

Top Country Artist

Gabby Barrett
Kane Brown
Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

Top Country Male Artist

Luke Combs
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen

Top Country Female Artist

Gabby Barrett
Maren Morris
Carrie Underwood

Top Country Duo/Group

Dan + Shay
Florida Georgia Line
Maddie & Tae

Top Rock Artist

AC/DC
AJR
Five Finger Death Punch
Machine Gun Kelly
twenty one pilots

Top Latin Artist

Anuel AA
Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Maluma
Ozuna

Top Latin Male Artist

Bad Bunny
J Balvin
Ozuna

Top Latin Female Artist

Becky G
Karol G
Rosalía

Top Latin Duo/Group

Banda MS de Sergio Lizárraga
Eslabón Armado
Los Dos Carnales

Top Dance/Electronic Artist

The Chainsmokers
Kygo
Lady Gaga
Marshmello
Surf Mesa

Top Christian Artist

Casting Crowns
Elevation Worship
for KING & COUNTRY
Carrie Underwood
Zach Williams

Top Gospel Artist

Kirk Franklin
Koryn Hawthorne
Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Maverick City Music
Kanye West

Top Billboard 200 Album

Juice WRLD — “Legends Never Die”
Lil Baby — “My Turn”
Pop Smoke — “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon”
Taylor Swift — “folklore”
The Weeknd — “After Hours”

Top R&B Album

Jhené Aiko — “Chilombo”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Slime & B”
Doja Cat — “Hot Pink”
Kehlani — “It Was Good Until It Wasn’t”
The Weeknd — “After Hours”

Top Rap Album

DaBaby — “BLAME IT ON BABY”
Juice WRLD — “Legends Never Die”
Lil Baby — “My Turn”
Lil Uzi Vert — “Eternal Atake”
Pop Smoke — “Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon”

Top Country Album

Gabby Barrett — “Goldmine”
Sam Hunt — “Southside”
Chris Stapleton — “Starting Over”
Carrie Underwood — “My Gift”
Morgan Wallen — “Dangerous: The Double Album”

Top Rock Album

AC/DC — “Power Up”
Miley Cyrus — “Plastic Hearts”
Glass Animals — “Dreamland”
Machine Gun Kelly — “Tickets to My Downfall”
Bruce Springsteen — “Letter to You”

Top Latin Album

Anuel AA — “Emmanuel”
Bad Bunny — “El Último Tour Del Mundo”
Bad Bunny — “Las que no iban a salir”
Bad Bunny — “YHLQMDLG”
J Balvin — “Colores”

Top Dance/Electronic Album

DJ Snake — “Carte Blanche”
Gryffin — “Gravity”
Kygo — “Golden Hour”
Lady Gaga — “Chromatica”
Kylie Minogue — “Disco”

Top Christian Album

Bethel Music — “Peace”
Elevation Worship — “Grave Into Gardens”
Carrie Underwood — “My Gift”
We The Kingdom — “Holy Water”
Zach Williams — “Rescue Story”

Top Gospel Album

Koryn Hawthorne — “I AM”
Tasha Cobbs Leonard — “Royalty: Live at the Ryman”
Maverick City Music — “Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1”
Maverick City Music — “Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 2”
Kierra Sheard — “Kierra”

Top Hot 100 Song

24kGoldn Feat. iann dior — “Mood”
Gabby Barrett Feat. Charlie Puth — “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
DaBaby Feat. Roddy Ricch — “ROCKSTAR”
The Weeknd — “Blinding Lights”

Top Streaming Song

Cardi B Feat. Megan Thee Stallion — “WAP”
DaBaby Feat. Roddy Ricch — “ROCKSTAR”
Future Feat. Drake — “Life Is Good”
Jack Harlow Feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne — “WHATS POPPIN”
The Weeknd — “Blinding Lights”

Top Selling Song

Gabby Barrett Feat. Charlie Puth — “I Hope”
BTS — “Dynamite”
Cardi B Feat. Megan Thee Stallion — “WAP”
Megan Thee Stallion — “Savage”
The Weeknd — “Blinding Lights”

Top Radio Song

Gabby Barrett Feat. Charlie Puth — “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
Dua Lipa — “Don’t Start Now”
Harry Styles — “Adore You”
The Weeknd — “Blinding Lights”

Top Collaboration (Fan Voted)

24kGoldn Feat. iann dior — “Mood”
Gabby Barrett Feat. Charlie Puth — “I Hope”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
DaBaby Feat. Roddy Ricch — “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow Feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne — “WHATS POPPIN”

Top R&B Song

Jhené Aiko Feat. H.E.R. — “B.S.”
Justin Bieber Feat. Quavo — “Intentions”
Chris Brown & Young Thug — “Go Crazy”
Doja Cat — “Say So”
The Weeknd — “Blinding Lights”

Top Rap Song

24kGoldn Feat. iann dior — “Mood”
Cardi B Feat. Megan Thee Stallion — “WAP”
DaBaby Feat. Roddy Ricch — “ROCKSTAR”
Jack Harlow Feat. DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne — “WHATS POPPIN”
Megan Thee Stallion — “Savage”

Top Country Song

Jason Aldean — “Got What I Got”
Gabby Barrett — “I Hope”
Lee Brice — “One of Them Girls”
Morgan Wallen — “Chasin’ You”
Morgan Wallen — “More Than My Hometown”

Top Rock Song

AJR — “Bang!”
All Time Low Feat. blackbear — “Monsters”
Glass Animals — “Heat Waves”
Machine Gun Kelly Feat. blackbear — “my ex’s best friend”
twenty one pilots — “Level of Concern”

Top Latin Song

Bad Bunny — “Yo Perreo Sola”
Bad Bunny & Jhay Cortez — “Dákiti”
Black Eyed Peas & J Balvin — “RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)”
Maluma & The Weeknd — “Hawái”
Ozuna x Karol G x Myke Towers — “Caramelo”

Top Dance/Electronic Song

Lady Gaga — “Stupid Love”
Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande — “Rain on Me”
SAINt JHN — “Roses (Imanbek Remix)”
Surf Mesa Feat. Emilee — “ily (i love you baby)”
Topic & A7S — “Breaking Me”

Top Christian Song

Elevation Worship Feat. Brandon Lake — “Graves Into Gardens”
for KING & COUNTRY, Kirk Franklin & Tori Kelly — “Together”
Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, & Elevation Worship — “The Blessing (Live)”
Tauren Wells Feat. Jenn Johnson — “Famous For (I Believe)”
Zach Williams & Dolly Parton — “There Was Jesus”

Top Gospel Song

Koryn Hawthorne — “Speak To Me”
Jonathan McReynolds & Mali Music — “Movin’ On”
Marvin Sapp — “Thank You For It All”
Tye Tribbett — “We Gon’ Be Alright”
Kanye West Feat. Travis Scott — “Wash Us In The Blood”

Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.