NEWS
Will Smith is a hip hop legend. His presence within the genre is so outsized its hard to believe it's been two decades since he last dropped an album. The dry spell of the Fresh Prince will be coming to an end, however. Smith has confirmed that his comeback album, Based on a True Story, is not only complete but will be releasing much sooner than fans expected. To make matters even more exciting, the rapper put out the tracklist and the guest features who will be appearing on the album.
Will Smith's comeback album will be dropping on Friday, March 28. The rapper is going for symmetry with this date, since his last album, Lost and Found, was released March 29, 2005. We see you, Will. It would take to long to recount all of the different rap trends and styles that have come and gone in this time span, but it's obvious from the features that Smith is caught up. He will be partnering with friends new and old for Based on a True Story, which feels like a fitting summation of his career up to this point. Yes, before you ask, there will be a DJ Jazzy Jeff reunion.
The legendary DJ will link up with his former partner on the album opener, "Barbershop Day." Simone will also be featured on the song. Big Sean and OBanga were already touted as a features, since they spit on the lead single "Beautiful Scars." But we now have confirmation that the artists (and the song) will appear on the final tracklist. India Martinez and Marcin will team up on the song "First Love." Teyana Taylor will bring her talents to the duet "Hard Times (Smile)." Joyner Lucas enlisted Will Smith for his 2020 tribute, "Will," so it makes sense the latter would return the favor by inviting him on "Tantrum." Will Smith's son Jaden will also appear Based on a True Story.
As you'll notice from the back cover art, Based on a True Story follows a unique structure. The songs are billed as "episodes," playing into Will Smith's theme of the album being season a TV. "I'm releasing it in seasons," he told Power 105.1. "So I have three seasons. I'm not calling it an album. I'm calling it season one of Based on a True Story. Season one is called Rave In the Wasteland and season two is a Quincy Jones quote. Season two is called The Gift of Madness." Sounds like we have a trilogy on our hands.
NEWS
Lorde returned to Governor’s Ball for the first time in nine years and gave fans a unique take on her collaboration with Charli XCX, ‘Girl, So Confusing’.
The New Zealand singer made her long awaited comeback to the New York festival on Friday (June 5), where she headlined the opening night.
Speaking to the crowd about stepping back onto the Governor’s Ball stage after almost a decade away, Lorde admitted it was “the most nervous I’ve been for a show in a while”. She then treated fans to a string of beloved tracks including ‘Royals’, ‘What Was That’, and ‘Hammer’.
One of the standout highlights of the evening arrived near the end of her 21 song performance when she performed ‘Girl, So Confusing’, the track she later reworked alongside Charli XCX.
The song first appeared on Charli XCX’s hugely successful 2024 album ‘Brat’ without Lorde’s involvement, though it was inspired by her. In the lyrics, Charli reflected on the complicated feelings between the two artists and revealed she had once felt “super jealous” of the New Zealander’s achievements during her early career.
The pair later teamed up for a remix after Charli shared the song’s meaning with Lorde ahead of the release of ‘Brat’. Following that conversation, Lorde proposed creating a collaborative version together.
At Governor’s Ball, Lorde performed the remix adaptation during the closing section of her set and added her own personal touch to the track.
Charli was not present for the performance, leaving Lorde to deliver the song on her own. The moment stood out even more because the track had only appeared sparingly throughout Lorde’s recent ‘Ultrasound’ tour. More footage from the show can be seen below.
In addition to revisiting fan favourites and reimagining ‘Girl, So Confusing’, Lorde also surprised the audience with a preview of brand new material.
Early in the set, she introduced a portion of an unreleased song from the side of the stage. Standing behind a synthesizer setup, she sang: “Don’t look for me now that I’m gone/ Don’t look for me, I’m gone.”
Lorde’s festival appearances this summer follow her recent ‘Ultrasound’ tour, which was launched in support of her newest album, ‘Virgin’.
Released last June, the record earned a four star review from NME, which stated: “‘Virgin’ is a vibrant combination of Lorde’s best qualities, and then some.”
“With her newfound candour, the record combines the emotional whirlwind of ‘Melodrama’, the chilling minimalism of ‘Pure Heroine’ and the breezy freedom of ‘Solar Power’,” it added. “This might be called ‘Virgin’, but Lorde proves she’s not afraid to strip herself bare.”
While ‘Girl, So Confusing’ was not a regular feature during the ‘Ultrasound’ tour, Lorde did perform it at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles last October, where she surprised fans by bringing Charli XCX on stage.
Since releasing ‘Virgin’ and launching the accompanying tour, Lorde has contributed more than $200,000 from merchandise sales to Minnesota immigrant funds. She has also been announced as a headliner for All Points East 2026 in London, where PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson and additional artists are also set to appear.
