NEWS

Breland Joins Warner Music Nashville Roster

By Jessica Nicholson
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BRELAND

Nolan Knight

Warner Music Nashville has teamed with Atlantic Records and Bad Realm Records to add the singer-songwriter to the WMN roster

Warner Music Nashville has teamed with Atlantic Records and Bad Realm Records to bring singer-songwriter Breland to the WMN roster.

Breland is in the top 15 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart with his feature on Dierks Bentley’s single “Beers on Me” with HARDY, and will debut his new song “Praise The Lord” at the 57th annual ACM Awards on March 7. Breland is the second country artist to be recognized as part of Amazon Music’s Breakthrough Artist program. He’s on the road opening shows for Russell Dickerson.

He becomes the latest in a long line of acts that pop divisions are partnering with their Nashville counterparts to work and vice versa. WMN and Warner Records’ pop division already work together on Gabby Barrett and Dan + Shay to garner pop airplay on certain releases. Universal Music Group Nashville and UMG’s Interscope partnered on Kacey Musgraves’ latest album, Star-crossed. Sony Music Nashville has teamed with RCA Records to promote several acts including Tenille Townes and Kane Brown, who has released songs with several acts on RCA’s pop roster, including Khalid and H.E.R.

In 2019, Breland earned a viral hit with “My Truck,” which gained traction on TikTok and reached No. 1 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 chart. The song also crossed over onto Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart and was certified platinum by the RIAA. Since releasing “My Truck,” thanks to his musical blend of country, pop, trap, hip-hop and bluegrass elements, Breland has become an in-demand collaborator, working with artists including Keith Urban (“Throw It Back” “Out The Cage”), Sam Hunt (a remix of “My Truck”), Mickey Guyton (“Cross Country”), Nelly and Blanco Brown (“High Horse”), Tiera (“Miles”), Gary LeVox (“All I See”) and more.

In 2020, Breland released both a self-titled project, as well as the two-song EP Rage and Sorrow in recognition of Juneteenth. Last year, he inked a publishing deal with Reservoir, made his Grand Ole Opry debut performance, and opened for Deana Carter at the Ryman Auditorium.

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Warner Music Nashville on the next phase of Breland’s meteoric career,” said president of Atlantic Records West Coast, Kevin Weaver, in a statement. “It’s a privilege for Atlantic and Breland to join forces with our sister company in Nashville as we continue to introduce Breland’s unique cross-country sound and style around the globe.”

“It’s been so exciting to watch him change the game in this genre and we’re beyond proud to join forces with him as he continues to break down barriers for the next generation of Nashville artists,” added Warner Music Nashville chairman/CEO John Esposito.

NEWS

J-Hope Reveals Grandmother’s Death at BTS Show, Honors Her Impact

By Hannah Dailey
April 18, 2026
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At the BTS concert in Tokyo on Friday (April 17), j-hope opened up to ARMY with heartbreaking news. His grandmother, who played a major role in raising him and had always been proud of his journey with the group, has passed away.

Speaking to the packed crowd at the Tokyo Dome, the K-pop star chose to be open with fans about what he was going through. “Honestly, this might be a bit of a heavy thing to share, but I really wanted to express how I’m feeling today,” he said, translated from Korean into English. “Right after we arrived in Japan, I got the news that my maternal grandmother, the one who raised me from when I was little, had passed away.”

“I felt completely stunned and did not really know how to process it at first, but being around the members, sitting down together for meals, and focusing on rehearsals helped me more than I thought it would,” j-hope went on. “My grandmother was always incredibly proud, not just of me but of all the members. She truly believed in what we do. So I feel like if she was watching from above today, she would have loved every second of it.”

He closed by thanking the audience for making his first performance after the loss feel meaningful and full of support.

BTS are currently touring in support of their new album ARIRANG, which has just earned a third week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Following three opening shows in Goyang, South Korea, the group is set to perform twice at the Tokyo Dome before heading abroad for the North American leg. Before the tour wraps in March next year, they will also visit Latin America, Europe, Australia, and several other regions across Asia.

On the same day as the first Tokyo concert, j-hope’s solo interview with Rolling Stone was released. During the conversation, he spoke about stepping into a leadership presence within the group. “I think that’s my role on the team,” he shared. “It just comes naturally. It feels strange to even call it a role, but I just try to handle things as they come and support the other members in any way I can.”

Additional reporting from Billboard Korea.