Category: Music

Fans of Demi Lovato‘s pop music can officially come out of mourning. According to a report from Rolling Stone published Monday (July 21), the singer is set to resurrect her mainstream influences on a dance-heavy new album, despite committing to a punk-rock pivot over the past few years.

Though many details of the LP are still under wraps, the publication confirmed that Lovato has been hard at work on a “celebratory dance-pop album” with executive producer Zhone, who says that the former Disney star is a “master in the studio.” “It’s been so inspiring working with Demi and experiencing her journey of continued leveling up,” he told RS.

“This album is about letting inhibitions go, and we had so much fun making this music!” Zhone added. “It really comes across throughout.”

Led by an EDM-tinged single titled “Fast” — which Lovato has been teasing via video snippets on social media — the upcoming full-length is expected to mark a return to the form of the Camp Rock alum’s past pop-focused Billboard Hot 100 hits (think: 2015’s “Cool for the Summer” or 2017’s “Sorry Not Sorry”). It’ll follow 2022’s distinctly punk-rock effort Holy Fvck, which reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200.

Shortly before releasing Holy Fvck, Lovato commemorated the end of a pop-music era by posing solemnly in a photo with members of their team — including then-manager Scooter Braun — dressed all in black. “A funeral for my pop music,” Lovato wrote at the time on Instagram.

The star later doubled down on her pivot to rock music by releasing Revamped, an album of past Lovato pop hits reimagined in the edgier genre. With the new album approaching, however, Lovato recently shared a video on TikTok poking fun at their past departure from the mainstream, writing, “my pop music coming back to life after we held a funeral for it.”

One major change in Lovato’s personal life that has informed her musical homecoming is the vocalist’s marriage to producer Jordan “Jutes” Lutes,” according to RS. The pair tied the knot this past May.

“Over the past few years, Demi has found love, joy, and newfound confidence, making the choice to approach life with much more lightness and fun,” one unnamed source reportedly told the publication. “She took this sentiment into the studio, which can be felt in every track on this celebratory dance-pop album.”

Though Lovato always had an edgier sound than many of their fellow Disney Channel-bred pop stars, the performer shined in the pop-music landscape before transitioning away to rock. From 2008’s debut LP Don’t Forget to 2021’s Dancing With the Devil, all seven of Lovato’s studio albums leading up to Holy Fvck charted in the top 5 of the Billboard 200.

Lovato has also scored a number of Hot 100 hits over the course of her pop career, including top 10 entries “Heart Attack” and “Skyscraper.”

OneRepublic will release “Beautiful Colors,” the theme song for Season 2 of the anime Kaiju No. 8, on Friday (July 25). Following the upbeat “Nobody” and the cool, mature “Invincible,” the latest track for the series is a soaring ballad that reintroduces the band’s emotional side.

In this interview with Billboard Japan, Ryan Tedder, the band’s frontman, songwriter and producer, talks about the different approaches taken with each song, as well as the unique challenges of writing music for anime. 

I want to go back a little and ask about how your collaboration with Kaiju No. 8 began. What drew you to the collaboration between OneRepublic and the anime project?

It first came to our attention, I think it was 2022—maybe 2023. We were approached by Universal Music Japan Group, our label in Japan. They said, “Hey, are any of you guys fans of manga or anime?” And we said, “Yes, we are, in fact.” 

I grew up doing cartoons and drawing. I used to think I was going to be a cartoonist. Back in the ’90s, anime was exploding, and the coolest stuff you could draw was Japanese anime. A couple of the guys in the band read manga and they absolutely love Kaiju No. 8. So they already knew what it was. Then UMJ said, “the team behind Kaiju No. 8 would like to come to your concert in Tokyo and talk to you afterward about potentially writing a song for the series.” I’ve written a lot of songs for TV and film—that’s how I started before OneRepublic—so for me, the answer was easy. I wanted to do it from the beginning. And when they flew out to Los Angeles and showed me the animation, we were hooked and said, “Yes, let’s do it.” 

We submitted several songs until they picked one because we were competing with other artists in Japan and internationally. Everyone wanted to be a part of it. But we got very lucky, and they chose “Nobody” for Season 1. That’s how the whole thing started.

You mentioned that you saw storyboards and early footage before you started writing “Nobody.” Were there any specific visuals or moments that helped shape the song’s tone?

For me, it really started with those early images of Kafka and understanding his story—the idea that he accidentally becomes a kaiju by ingesting a parasite. I thought that concept was absolutely brilliant. His story, and the overall goal of eliminating the kaiju while honoring his best friend and keeping that promise intact—that was the inspiration for the phrase: “Nobody got you the way I do. Whatever demons you’re fighting through.”

It was kind of perfect because, in English, the word demons is used in songs quite a bit. In America, we use demons metaphorically, like running from the demons of your past or your childhood. And then we also have literal, supernatural demons that people talk about in religion, right? So it was kind of perfect because that’s what kaiju meant in this context.

Rarely can I pull a literal phrase from a TV series or film into a song without it sounding cheesy. When you’re writing for TV or film, it’s really easy to cross that line. For example, with our Top Gun: Maverick song “I Ain’t Worried,” we never once mention airplanes, jets, fighter pilots or Tom Cruise (laughs). But for “Nobody” and Kaiju No. 8, I was able to actually include the phrase, “whatever demons you’re fighting through.” It was so perfect for the story that I kind of laughed when I wrote the lyric. I was like, “Oh wow, this is hilarious, it works perfectly.” So that was really the main motivation: Kafka’s storyline.

Having written for films and TV before, did working on “Nobody” challenge or inspire you creatively in a new way? Because, as you mentioned, you need to align more with the anime’s themes.

Yeah, it was a challenge. I’ve been to Japan more times than I can count and it’s one of my favorite countries. My left arm is pretty much all Japanese tattoos. Japan is very near and dear to me, and I work with a lot of Japanese artists. I’ve even helped develop some Japanese artists over the last couple of years. There’s enough of a cultural difference between the U.S. and Japan and those cultural differences are very layered and deep. There’s a lot both countries understand and love about each other, but so many things are also completely different.

When I looked at the Japanese music charts, I realized that, as an American artist, there’s no territory in the world more difficult to break into than Japan. It’s the toughest market in the world. Japan is literally an island, and you generate so much good music and so many incredible artists yourselves, who sing in Japanese. Unless you’re K-pop, it’s very difficult to cut through.

Obviously, kaiju and demons and monsters are dark. So I was nervous when I first sent the song. Even for me, “Nobody” is a very feel-good, poppy song. I was afraid it was too catchy, which is a dumb thing to be afraid of. They told me, “We need a song that’s light that feels good and catchy. Because everything else is dark.”

But I was listening to other Japanese music, and I was like, “Oh man, I really hope the Japanese audience that love anime, manga and kaiju likes this song.” I was so scared they weren’t going to like it. So I really just had to trust the Kaiju No. 8 creative team when they kept saying, “This is the right sound. This is it.” Because I was like, “Guys, I can do five more songs to get this right.” But they were like, “‘Nobody’ is the song.”

Moving on to “Invincible,” the ending theme song for ‘Hoshina’s Day Off.’ It’s a poppy and fun track, but also has a powerful message about resilience and inner strength. What inspired the message of the song?

We worked on that song off and on. We had the beginnings of it, a melody a long time ago. I couldn’t get the lyric right because the word ‘invincible‘ scared me because it felt too obvious. I kept telling the guys in my band, “I love this melody, but the phrase we have is invincible, and it doesn’t feel strong enough yet.” All I had was that one word and this little melody. I didn’t know what to do with it.

Then they presented the film idea to me and the second I saw what they were working on, I said to the other band members, “’Invincible’ is the song.” I knew what to do with that word. 

I wanted it to feel a little cooler and a little more grown-up than “Nobody.” “Nobody” just feels good, no matter what age you are. But I wanted “Invincible” to feel a little older, a little more grown-up, and have a bit more swagger.

The lyrics were inspired by the film itself. And that’s more or less what you are, without being too on the nose. But if you’re a kaiju, you feel like you’re invincible. And for the most part, they are, with the exception of a handful of other entities that can destroy them. So you’re dealing with a character that is, in and of itself, pretty much invincible. 

How did the anime’s story influence the direction of the new song you wrote for Kaiju No. 8, “Beautiful Colors”?

One thing the Kaiju No. 8 team told me was, “We want something deeply emotional.” We already had “Nobody,” which was upbeat and did really well. Then came “Invincible,” which also had tempo but leaned edgier and more mature. Now, they felt it was time for something that gives people goosebumps, even brings them to tears. They wanted to evoke real emotion, because some powerful things happen in the story that needed musical support. That’s where this kind of lyrical ballad came in. 

The main characters go through a lot. If you read the lyrics to “Beautiful Colors,” it will probably give you a strong hint at what’s happening in the storyline. It was meant to be a complete emotional pivot from “Nobody.”

It was exciting for me because we haven’t done a ballad in a long time. But in the coming year, we want to release more songs with that kind of emotional depth. We love making people feel good. We’re like the dopamine band, you know? Crack open a Red Bull, have a few drinks, and just having fun. I love that identity and being the artist whose concert leaves you floating on a cloud.

But I also know it’s time to reintroduce that emotional side, because that’s how we started with “Apologize,” which is a heart-wrenching ballad. “Beautiful Colors” is part of our return to that space.

Are there any musical or production elements in “Beautiful Colors” that you’re especially proud of?

We used strings and orchestral elements, which we haven’t used in a while, and there’s a piano part that kicks off the song. I hate to say this, but it’s one of the most OneRepublic sounding things we’ve done in a long time. It sounds like how we started. You hear that piano line and think, “Oh, that sounds like the guy who did ‘Apologize,’” and that was 18 years ago. So in a way, it’s come full circle. If you liked “Apologize” or if you’ve been with us since 2007 or 2008, this song is for you. It’s the closest thing we’ve done to something like that.

That’s the best way I can describe the production is it sounds like original OneRepublic, but in 2025. We’re not trying to sound dated. You have to constantly be evolving and paying attention to what works. That’s my job as a producer whether I’m working with OneRepublic, &TEAM, or ONE OR EIGHT. The songs have to be great and timeless, but the production is more of a moving target. You’re constantly trying to stay aware of where the world is sonically and that’s a very challenging game, but that’s something that I do every day.

Like you mentioned, you work with artists from different countries including Japan. You also recently worked with a Punjabi artist. Is your approach to production different across cultures?

Definitely, though there are exceptions. I’ve worked a lot with K-pop artists, like LISA and BLACKPINK, who I produced their last single and I also worked on the second single on JIMIN’s album. K-pop is really its own category, sonically. It has a distinct sound, although that’s changing now.

I have a track on Miley Cyrus’ new album called “Easy Lover.” The production sounds like Nancy Sinatra in 2025 and has a little western influence, a touch of country, and that 1970s vibe. I also have a song dropping with Tate McRae that reminds me of back when I first fell in love with Rihanna. It’s completely different in energy and sound from the Miley track.

Then there’s OneRepublic’s “Beautiful Colors” and “Invincible,” which sound nothing alike, and nothing like Miley or Tate. And I’ve got some dance records coming soon with David Guetta and other big DJs, again, which are totally different.

So every song is its own thing. Each one has to be approached differently. You ask, “What does the artist represent? What do they want?” My job is to take that vision and combine it with what I know the world likes or what I think it’s going to like six months from now. I have to predict what’s next. But at the end of the day, I’m making what I personally like. 

When you have a big hit or a global record, it’s usually when your instincts on what you want to hear line up with what the rest of the world didn’t even realize they wanted. If you’re lucky, you get to do that once or twice. And if you’re really lucky like I’ve been, you get to do it for 20 years.

The only way to keep that going is to stay curious and excited about culture and pop culture. That’s why I travel so much. Just two weeks ago, I was in Istanbul, Zurich, Azerbaijan, Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, and Mexico, all within 10 days. When you’re in a tuk-tuk in Bangkok and you’re driving through like Sukhumvit or some of the major parts of the city, you’re going to hear music in the streets, in a taxicab and I paid attention to all those songs. 

When I’m in Tokyo, I listen to the radio. I notice what’s playing in shops and cafés in places like Omotesando or Nakameguro. That’s my job. That’s the only way I think that you can stay plugged in and to really understand what each culture is resonating with and listening to. And that’s the only way I know how to do it. Otherwise, I’m just guessing the whole time, which is dangerous.

This interview by Mariko Okada first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Mariah Carey is about to announce MC16, her long-awaited new album.

Just a day after previewing a new song called “Sugar Sweet,” the “Type Dangerous” singer dropped another teaser — this time for her upcoming, as-yet-untitled LP that will be the follow-up to 2018’s Caution.

Carey released a video celebrating her discography on Sunday (July 20) via her social media accounts, counting up from MC1 — her self-titled debut — through MC15, aka Caution. At the very end of the 37-second clip, the text “MC16” appears. Her post on X featuring the clip shows the title “MC16 – Announcement Tomorrow,” indicating that album details will be revealed Monday (July 21).

Though details are currently scarce — though fans will hopefully have more information to obsess over on Monday — last month the pop star did confirm that her new album is complete.

“What is next? The album coming out. I don’t wanna tell too much about it because I just don’t want to reveal the whole thing. It’s finished,” she revealed in an Apple Music interview in June.

Carey released “Type Dangerous” in June and has another single, “Sugar Sweet” — in which she sings, “Imma keep it nice, Imma keep it neat, Imma keep it sugar, Imma keep it sweet” — to come. She uploaded a sneak peak of the light pop track playing in a cute clip of herself baking something in the kitchen on Saturday.

“Type Dangerous” was recently hyped with a remix EP release featuring collabs with the likes of Big Sean, DJ Snake and Method Man.

See the MC16 album announcement teaser below.

BTS‘ Permission to Dance On Stage tops this week’s new music poll.

In a poll published Friday (June 18) on Billboard, music fans chose the K-pop phenomenon’s first-ever live album as their favorite new release of the past week.

Permission to Dance On Stage brought in 94% of the vote, beating out new releases from artists like Alex Warren (You’ll Be Alright, Kid), Nine Inch Nails (“As Alive As You Need Me to Be”), Zach Bryan featuring Gabriella Rose (“Madeline”), and Jessie Murph (Sex Hysteria).

BTS’ 22-track live set features performances of various hits from their 2021–2022 Permission to Dance On Stage tour, including Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers “Dynamite,” “Butter” and “Life Goes On.”

The seven-member band also released a digital package titled Permission to Dance On Stage – Seoul, featuring footage and behind-the-scenes photos of RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook performing at Seoul’s Olympic Stadium in March 2022.

The live album arrives as the Bangtan Boys prepare to officially reunite in 2026, with all seven members having completed their mandatory service in the South Korean military. The septet made the big announcement during a Weverse livestream in early July.

“Starting in July, all seven of us will begin working closely together on new music,” BTS said in a statement at the time. “Since it will be a group album, it will reflect each member’s thoughts and ideas. We’re approaching the album with the same mindset we had when we first started.”

The group added, “We’re also planning a world tour alongside the new album. We’ll be visiting fans all around the world, so we hope you’re as excited as we are.”

The “other” category took second place in the poll with 2.1% of the vote, while Warren’s new album, You’ll Be Alright, Kid, closely followed in third with 2%.

Check out the full results of this week’s poll below and visit Billboard’s Friday Music Guide for more must-hear releases.

The JACKBOYS 2 project from Travis Scott and his JACKBOYS collective debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart (dated July 26), earning 232,000 equivalent album units in the United States in the week ending July 17, according to Luminate.

The set was announced in March and is the follow-up to the first JACKBOYS set, which debuted at No. 1 on the Jan. 11, 2020-dated chart. A release date wasn’t shared for the new album until July 10, when Scott announced the set would drop on July 13. (Thus, JACKBOYS 2 debuts on the Billboard 200 with five days of activity in its first week on the chart. Most albums are released on Friday of each week; Luminate’s tracking week for the chart runs Friday through Sunday.)

JACKBOYS 2 (also the top-selling album of the week) leads a busy top 10 on the latest Billboard 200, where five albums debut in the region — the most in more than two years. Plus, a former No. 2-peaking album reenters the chart in the top 10.

Justin Bieber’s surprise album SWAG starts at No. 2 (with Bieber’s biggest streaming week ever, it debuts at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums); Clipse’s first album in nearly 16 years, Let God Sort Em Out, debuts at No. 4; TWICE’s THIS IS FOR launches at No. 6; ATEEZ’s GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3 (which debuted and peaked at No. 2 in June) re-enters the chart at No. 7 following its deluxe reissue; and GIVĒON’s BELOVED starts at No. 8.

The last time the top 10 housed at least five debuts was on the July 17, 2023-dated chart, when six albums premiered in the region.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units, compiled by Luminate. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album. The new July 26, 2025-dated chart will be posted in full on Billboard‘s website on July 22. For all chart news, follow @billboard and @billboardcharts on both X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram.

Of JACKBOYS 2’s 232,000 equivalent album units earned in the week ending July 17, album sales comprise 160,000 (it debuts at No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart), SEA units comprise 72,000 (equaling 94.86 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs — it debuts at No. 4 on Top Streaming Albums) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.

JACKBOYS 2 was released on July 13 as a seven-song album (as a digital download that was widely available, on five vinyl variants exclusively sold by the JACKBOYS’ webstore) and as an expanded 17-song album (available via streaming services, digital download stores and on a JACKBOYS’ store-exclusive CD across five variants). The JACKBOYS webstore also offered nine deluxe boxed sets containing branded clothing and a copy of a CD, as well as four webstore-exclusive download album variants (three contained one bonus track each, while one had alternative cover art). On July 17, the final day of the tracking week, a 20-song edition of the album became available to digital retailers and streamers — it contained all the songs on the 17-song edition, along with the three bonus tracks that had previously been only available on the webstore-exclusive download albums.

With 232,000 equivalent album units earned in its first week, the JACKBOYS 2 project collects the second-largest debut week for a rap album in 2025 (trailing only the opening frame of Playboi Carti’s MUSIC, with 298,000, in March). Plus, with 160,000 albums sold, JACKBOYS 2 logs the largest sales week for a rap album since Scott’s Days Before Rodeo rode in with 331,000 on the Sept. 7, 2024-dated chart.

Justin Bieber’s surprise album SWAG starts at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, earning 163,000 equivalent album units in its first week. The album was first teased on July 10, one day before it was released. The 21-track set is the 11th top 10-charted effort for Bieber.

Of SWAG’s opening-week units sum, SEA units comprise 155,000 equivalent album units (equaling 198.77 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs — that’s Bieber’s best streaming week ever, and the album debuts at No. 1 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 6,000 (it debuts at No. 14 on Top Album Sales, it was only available in one standard widely available download album; physical versions aren’t expected until December) and TEA units comprise 1,000.

After spending its first eight weeks on the Billboard 200 at No. 1, Morgan Wallen’s I’m the Problem falls to No. 3 with 147,000 equivalent album units earned (down 3%).

Clipse’s first album in nearly 16 years, Let God Sort Em Out, opens at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 with 118,000 equivalent album units earned, marking the second top 10-charted effort for the brother duo (Pusha T and Malice). The set matches the peak of the pair’s debut project, and only other top 10, 2002’s Lord Willin’, which debuted and peaked at No. 4 on the Sept. 7, 2002-dated chart.

Let God Sort Em Out is Clipse’s first album since the July 2009 release Til the Casket Drops. The set was preceded by the top 40 hit “Ace Trumpets” on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

Of the new album’s 118,000 units earned, SEA units comprise 59,000 (equaling 77.49 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks — it’s Clipse’s biggest streaming week, and he project debuts at No. 5 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 58,000 (it debuts at No. 4 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise 1,000.

The new album was issued on July 11 in a widely-available 12-track standard CD and vinyl LP, and as digital download and streaming set with one bonus track. The set’s first-week sales were bolstered by its availability across four vinyl variants (including a signed edition), three CD variants (including one signed), two cassette tapes, and more than a dozen deluxe boxed sets exclusive to Clipse’s webstore (each containing a piece of branded clothing on a copy of the CD album).

In its fourth week, the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack is pushed down 2-5 on the latest Billboard 200, though it has the largest week-over-week unit gain on the chart. It increases by 10,000 equivalent album units (a 14% jump) to 85,000 in the latest tracking week.

KPop Demon Hunters is the only soundtrack to debut in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 and then see unit increases in its second, third and fourth weeks since the chart began ranking titles by equivalent album units in December 2014.

Of the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack’s 85,000 units earned in its fourth week, SEA units comprise 79,000 (up 14%, equaling 109.53 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs — it’s pushed down 2-3 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 5,000 (up 13% — though it’s down 9-17 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise 1,000 (up 10%).

KPop Demon Hunters’ streaming sum of 109.53 million clicks is the biggest for a soundtrack since Encanto was in its seventh week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (March 5, 2022; with 114.67 million).

KPop Demon Hunters premiered on June 20 in a limited theatrical release in the U.S., and on Netflix, alongside its soundtrack. In the tracking week ending July 13, the animated film held at No. 2 in its fourth week on Netflix’s Top 10 Movies in United States chart.

TWICE (who also feature on the KPop Demon Hunters album) claims its seventh top 10-charted effort as THIS IS FOR launches at No. 6 with 80,000 equivalent album units earned. Of that sum, album sales comprise 68,000 (it debuts at No. 3 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 12,000 (equaling 16.21 million on-demand official streams of the set’s songs) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.

Released on July 11, THIS IS FOR was available as a standard widely available digital download and streaming album, across 15 CD and three vinyl variants (all containing collectible ephemera, some randomized). On July 14, a widely available deluxe edition of the album with two bonus tracks was released via digital stores and streamers.

ATEEZ’s GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3, which debuted and peaked at No. 2 on the June 28-dated chart, reenters the chart at No. 7 following its deluxe reissue on July 11. The album — with all versions, old and new, combined — earned 79,000 equivalent album units in the latest tracking week, a gain of 1,489%. Of that sum, album sales comprise 70,000 (up 1,750% — it jumps 12-2 on Top Album Sales), SEA units comprise 8,000 (up 595% — with that unit figure equaling 11.21 million on-demand official streams of the album’s tracks) and TEA units comprise nearly 1,000.

The deluxe set, dubbed GOLDEN HOUR : Part.3 ‘In Your Fantasy Edition,’ includes 10 bonus tracks and was issued across six CD variants (all with collectible ephemera, some randomized, inside its packaging). All versions of the album, old and new, are combined for tracking and charting purposes.

GIVĒON’s BELOVED bows at No. 8 on the Billboard 200, marking the second top 10-charted set for the artist. It begins with 44,000 equivalent album units earned (his best week ever by units), of which SEA units comprise 36,000 (equaling 47.78 million on-demand official streams of the set’s tracks — it debuts at No. 7 on Top Streaming Albums), album sales comprise 8,000 (his best sales week ever, it debuts at No. 10 on Top Album Sales) and TEA units comprise a negligible sum.

The new album was preceded by a pair of top 30 hits on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart: “Twenties” (No. 19 in February) and “Rather Be” (No. 30 in May).

BELOVED was available as a standard widely available download and streaming set, as well as across five vinyl variants (including one signed) and two CD variants (one signed).

Rounding out the top 10 of the latest Billboard 200 chart are two former No. 1s: Wallen’s One Thing at a Time falls 3-9 (39,000 equivalent album units; down 1%) and SZA’s SOS is pushed down 4-10 (though it gains by 3% to 37,000 units).

Luminate, the independent data provider to the Billboard charts, completes a thorough review of all data submissions used in compiling the weekly chart rankings. Luminate reviews and authenticates data. In partnership with Billboard, data deemed suspicious or unverifiable is removed, using established criteria, before final chart calculations are made and published.

Christina Aguilera is gushing over Burlesque the Musical.

On Saturday (July 19), the 44-year-old pop icon attended the stage adaptation of Steven Antin’s 2010 film Burlesque, in which she starred as an aspiring performer opposite Cher, who played a glamorous nightclub owner.

Xtina documented her experience at London’s Savoy Theatre and shared her reaction on social media.

“BLOWN AWAY!!!” she captioned an Instagram video of herself at the show, set to her track “Show Me How You Burlesque,” from the original Burlesque soundtrack.

The short clip shows Aguilera — an executive producer of the musical — smiling and clapping during the performance, with scenes from the production spliced throughout. “My review of Burlesque the Musical,” the “Genie in a Bottle” singer wrote over the video, adding five stars.

After Saturday’s show, Burlesque the Musical shared clips on Instagram of Aguilera arriving at the theater, waving to fans while wearing a sheer black outfit. “What it is like to have a goddess in your life,” Antin captioned one video on his Instagram Story. “Unbelievable night with @xtina [heart emoji] this queen so much for producing our show.”

Burlesque marked Aguilera’s first leading film role and Cher’s debut musical performance on screen. In the movie, Aguilera plays Alice Marilyn, an aspiring singer who leaves her small Iowa hometown to pursue her dreams in Los Angeles. She soon becomes a dancer and cocktail waitress at a struggling burlesque lounge owned by Tess Scali, played by Cher.

The 10-song Burlesque soundtrack — featuring music written and produced by Diane Warren, Sia, Tricky Stewart, Ron Fair, Linda Perry and Aguilera — reached No. 18 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in 2010.

Burlesque the Musical made its world premiere in June at the Manchester Opera House and is now playing at London’s Savoy Theatre through early September. Written and produced by Antin, the stage adaptation features songs by Aguilera and Sia, along with new music by Todrick Hall and Jess Folley.

Earlier this year, Aguilera shared her excitement about the project. “I’m proud that Burlesque the Musical is coming to London’s West End!” she said in a statement. “Our journey of making this film to bringing this show to the stage has been so special and exciting. Following our successful previews, having the show land in the West End later this year is a dream come true!”

Check out Aguilera’s reaction to Burlesque the Musical on Instagram here.