Devendra Banhart and Noah Georgeson set out to make a record like nothing they’ve made before — an ambient album that would be both a haven from a suddenly terrified world and a heartfelt musical dialogue between two artists who have been friends and collaborators for over two decades. Refuge is an album of profound meditative beauty which offers the listener a much-needed sense of peace and renewal. While it was recorded in 2020, its roots go back to the shared sounds and ethics of their childhoods. Devendra grew up in Venezuela while Noah is a native of Nevada City, California. As they got to know each other, they realized they had a similar history in the New Age subculture of the 80s: a world of meditation, Eastern music, the Bhagavad Gita and The Whole Earth Catalog. Childhood memories were colored by the aromas of health food stores and the sound of labels like Windham Hill Records. Noah, whose credits include Joanna Newsom and the Strokes, also co-produced Devendra’s 2005 album Cripple Crow. 2020 created an emotional craving for music with this contemplative, therapeutic quality. Inspired by both memories of the past and the needs of the present, Refuge is an act of companionship and generosity which gives the listener room to breathe. “We’re hoping to create a sense of comfort and coming back to the moment,” Devendra says. “It’s really important to have a little bit of space between us and our anxieties and impulses. What you do with that space is up to you.”

Echoes Festival 2023

Hollywood Bowl

Devendra Banhart

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Arca is a Venezuelan electronic music artist, DJ, and record producer, born in 1989 in Caracas, Venezuela, with the full name Alejandra Ghersi. She is widely known for her experimental music style, which blends genres such as glitch, avant-pop, and ambient. Her music is a fusion of various sounds, both organic and electronic, creating a unique and mesmerizing audio experience for her fans.Arca's musical journey began when she moved to the United States to study at the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University. She initially started producing music for other artists, including Kanye West, FKA Twigs, and Björk, with whom she has collaborated on several albums, including Vulnicura and Utopia.In 2014, Arca released her debut album, Xen, which received critical acclaim for its unique sound and dark, experimental nature. She followed up with three more albums, Mutant, Arca, and KiCk i, which continued to showcase her experimental style and cemented her status as one of the most innovative musicians of her generation.Arca's music has earned her numerous accolades, including a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Recording Package in 2020. Her third album, Arca, was named one of the best albums of 2017 by several publications, including Pitchfork, The Guardian, and Rolling Stone.In addition to her music career, Arca is also known for her fashion and visual art. She has worked with fashion houses such as Hood by Air and Balenciaga, and her artwork has been featured in several exhibitions around the world.In summary, Arca is a talented and innovative artist whose unique sound and style have earned her critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase. Her work as a musician, fashion designer, and visual artist continues to push boundaries and inspire creativity in those who follow her.

Arca

Within five years of his debut, American rapper and singer/songwriter Post Malone went from genre novelty to certified superstar, amassing a string of Top Ten singles with a hybrid style that combined his unique vocal delivery, pained lyrics, and hip-hop production inspired as much by Tim McGraw as Kanye West. After the release of his 2015 quintuple-platinum single "White Iverson," off debut Stoney, he quickly ascended to the top of the pop mainstream in the late 2010s with a succession of multi-platinum hits that included chart-toppers "Rockstar" with 21 Savage and "Psycho" with Ty Dolla $ign from 2018's number one Grammy-nominated album Beerbongs & Bentleys, and the Grammy-nominated "Sunflower" with Swae Lee from 2019's Hollywood's Bleeding. His fourth long-player, Twelve Carat Toothache, appeared in 2022. 

Raised in Dallas, Austin Post loved a wide range of music from a young age and planned on joining a band thanks to the video game Guitar Hero. When his dad gave him a copy of Terror Squad's hit "Lean Back," though, Post decided to become an MC. He hung with Dallas crew the IRAS until a move to the West Coast dropped him in Los Angeles. After putting some braids in his hair, he coined the term "White Iverson," and when he posted the track in early 2015, he hit a million views within a month. Post signed with the Republic label later that year.

In 2016, he released the single "Go Flex" along with his official debut mixtape, August 26th. Months later, his first studio effort arrived. Stoney featured guests ranging from Justin Bieber to Migos' Quavo to Kehlani, peaking at number four on the Billboard 200 and later achieving multi-platinum certification. Following the success of his debut, Post issued the chart-topping singles "Rockstar" with 21 Savage and "Psycho" with Ty Dolla $ign, which reached a combined total of 13-times platinum. Those hit tracks landed on his sophomore follow-up, Beerbongs & Bentleys, which dealt with his rapid climb to fame and all its trappings. The set reached number one upon release and was later nominated for Album of the Year at the 2019 Grammy Awards. Along with producers Scott Storch, PartyNextDoor, Louis Bell, and London on da Track, the dark, introspective affair also featured guest rappers Nicki Minaj, YG, and G-Eazy, as well as the additional radio hit "Better Now."

In between official full-lengths, Post capitalized on his steady ascent in the mainstream, hopping onto the Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack with previous collaborator Swae Lee. Their duet, "Sunflower," topped the charts across the globe and marked a slight pop-smart shift in Post's production. "Wow," "Goodbyes" with Young Thug, and "Circles" all followed, firmly planting him in the Hot 100's upper reaches for much of 2019. This quartet of hits all appeared on his third effort, Hollywood's Bleeding, which recruited guests Da Baby, Future, Halsey, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, SZA, Travis Scott, and even Ozzy Osbourne. His second number one album, the set topped the Billboard 200 for at least five non-consecutive weeks, the most for any artist that year. While "Circles" became his fourth Hot 100 chart-topper at the close of the year, he received a pair of Grammy nominations for his other 2019 number one, "Sunflower," including Record of the Year. Post's 2020 output mainly consisted of guest appearances including on Tyla Yaweh's "Tommy Lee" and Big Sean's "Wolves." He returned to solo work in 2021 with a cover of Hootie & the Blowfish's "Only Wanna Be with You" for the Pokemon 25 album, and his own track, "Motley Crew." The following year, he released his fourth full-length effort, Twelve Carat Toothache, which featured guest spots from Doja Cat, the Kid Laroi, and Fleet Foxes' Robin Pecknold. Dealing with the pressures and pitfalls of fame and fortune, the oft-dour set included hit singles "Cooped Up" with Roddy Ricch and "One Right Now" with the Weeknd. ~ Neil Z. Yeung & David Jeffries, Rovi

Post Malone

Taylor Swift is that rarest of pop phenomena: a superstar who managed to completely cross over from country to the mainstream. Others have performed similar moves -- notably, Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson both became enduring pop culture icons based on their 1970s work -- but Swift shed her country roots like they were a second skin; it was a necessary molting to reveal she was perhaps the sharpest, savviest populist singer/songwriter of her generation, one who could harness the zeitgeist, make it personal and, just as impressively, perform the reverse. These skills were evident on her earliest hits, especially the neo-tribute "Tim McGraw," but her second album, 2008's Fearless, showcased a songwriter discovering who she was and, in the process, finding a mass audience. Fearless wound up having considerable legs not only in the U.S., where it racked up six platinum singles on the strength of the Top Ten hits "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me," but throughout the world, performing particularly well in the U.K., Canada, and Australia. Speak Now, delivered almost two years later, consolidated that success and moved Swift into the stratosphere of superstardom. Her popularity only increased over her next three albums -- Red (2012), 1989 (2014), Reputation (2017) -- and found her moving assuredly into a pop realm where she already belonged. Even when she scaled back her approach with 2020's stripped-down sibling releases folklore and Evermore, she remained atop the pop world, a position she maintained with re-recordings of her back catalog along with Midnights, a moody album released in 2022.

This sense of confidence had been apparent in Taylor Swift since the beginning. The daughter of two bankers -- her father, Scott Kingsley Swift, worked at Merrill Lynch; her mother, Andrea, spent time as a mutual fund marketing executive -- Swift was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and raised in suburban Wyomissing. She began to show interest in music at the age of nine, and Shania Twain wound up as her biggest formative influence. Swift started to work regularly at local talent contests, eventually winning a chance to open for Charlie Daniels. Soon, she learned how to play guitar and began writing songs, signing a music management deal with Dan Dymtrow; her family relocated to Nashville with the intent of furthering her music career. She was just 14 years old but on the radar of the music industry, signing a development deal with RCA Records in 2004. Swift sharpened her skills with a variety of professional songwriters, forming the strongest connections with Liz Rose. Taylor's original songs earned her a deal with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, but not long after that 2004 deal she parted ways with Dymtrow and RCA, all with the intent of launching her recording career now, not later. 

Things started moving swiftly once Swift came to the attention of Scott Borchetta, a former DreamWorks Records exec about to launch Big Machine Records. Borchetta saw Swift perform at a songwriters showcase at the Bluebird Cafe and he signed her to Big Machine in 2005; shortly afterward, she started work on her debut with producer Nathan Chapman, who'd previously helmed demos for Taylor. Boasting original song credits on every one of the record's 11 songs (she penned three on her own), Taylor Swift appeared in October 2006 to strong reviews and Swift made sure to work the album hard, appearing at every radio or television event offered and marshaling a burgeoning fan base through the use of MySpace. "Tim McGraw," the first song from the album, did well, but "Teardrops on My Guitar" and "Our Song" did better on both the pop and country charts, where she racked up five consecutive Top Ten singles. Other successes followed in the wake of the debut -- a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist (she lost to Amy Winehouse), stopgap EPs of Christmas songs -- but Swift concentrated on delivering her sophomore set, Fearless.

Appearing in November 2008, Fearless was certified gold by the RIAA in its first week of release, and the record gained momentum throughout 2009, earning several platinum certifications as "Love Story," "White Horse," "You Belong with Me," "Fifteen," and "Fearless" all scaled the upper reaches of the country charts while "You Belong with Me" nearly topped Billboard's Hot 100. Along with the success came some headlines, first in the form of an infamous appearance at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards where her acceptance speech was interrupted by Kanye West, who burst on-stage to declare that Swift's rival Beyoncé deserved the award more, but her romances also started gaining attention, notably a liaison with Twilight star Taylor Lautner, who appeared with the singer in the 2009 film Valentine's Day. 

Her flirtation with the silver screen proved brief, as she then poured herself into her third album, Speak Now. Released in October 2010, Speak Now was another massive first-week smash that refused to lose momentum. Hit singles like "Mine" and "Mean," which won two Grammy Awards, played a big factor in its success not just on the country charts but on pop radio as well. Following a 2011 live album called World Tour Live: Speak Now, Swift turned toward following a pop path on her fourth album, hiring such mainstream musicians as Dan Wilson, Butch Walker, and Britney Spears producer Max Martin. This mainstream pulse was evident on "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," the first single from Red. Upon its October 2012 release, Red shattered expectations by selling over a million copies in its first week, a notable achievement that was doubly impressive in an era of declining sales. Once again, Swift's album had legs: it was certified platinum four times in the U.S. and its international sales outstripped those of Speak Now. She supported Red with an international tour in 2013 and more hits came, including "I Knew You Were Trouble" and "22."

As Swift geared up for the release of her fifth album in 2014, she made it clear that 1989 was designed as her first "documented, official" pop album and that there would be no country marketing push for the record. "Shake It Off," an ebullient dance-pop throwback, hit number one upon its August 2014 release. When 1989 appeared in late October 2014, it once again shot to number one and became her third straight album to sell one million copies in its first week (a new record for any artist).

Swift gathered many awards during the subsequent year, including Billboard's Woman of the Year, the Award for Excellence at the American Music Awards, and a special 50th Anniversary Milestone Award from the CMAs. Her 1989 World Tour crossed Asia, North America, and Europe during the last half of 2015, and she won three Grammy Awards at the 2016 ceremonies, including Album of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video for "Bad Blood." At the end of 2016, she released "I Don't Wanna Live Forever," a duet with ZAYN from the soundtrack for Fifty Shades Darker. The single reached the Top Five across the world. Swift returned with her sixth album, Reputation, in November 2017. Preceded by the number one hit single "Look What You Made Me Do," Reputation debuted at number one, and while it didn't replicate the success of 1989, the album did help underscore her popularity while also pushing her toward mature musicality.

Reputation was Swift's final record for Big Machine. In November 2018, she signed with Universal Music Group, which distributed her new albums under its Republic Records banner. The first album in this contract was Lover. Released in August 2019, Lover was preceded by two singles, "Me!" and "You Need to Calm Down," which both reached number two on the Hot 100 and helped push the album to number one. The acclaimed LP and two of its singles received a total of three nominations at the 62nd Grammy Awards.

Swift's plans to support Lover with a tour in 2020 were scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With some unexpected time on her hands, she wrote and recorded a new set of songs, many in collaboration with Aaron Dessner of the National; Bon Iver and longtime Swift associate Jack Antonoff also contributed. The resulting album, folklore, was released on July 24, 2020, and went straight to the top of the Billboard 200. Less than five months later, Swift released a companion album to folklore called Evermore. Featuring many of the same collaborators as its predecessor, the Grammy-nominated Evermore debuted at number one upon its December 11, 2020 release. Altogether, the sibling LPs planted Swift atop the U.S. charts for a combined 11 weeks, and folklore became the best-selling album of 2020.

In 2021, she began the process of re-recording her back catalog after her Big Machine masters were sold off in 2019, starting with 2008's Fearless. The first of these tracks -- "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" -- arrived that February, with Fearless [Taylor's Version] arriving in April. The new version of Fearless contained cameos from Colbie Caillat, Keith Urban, and Maren Morris, along with several previously unheard tunes originally written during the same time period; it debuted at number one on Billboard upon its release. Swift next revisited Red, releasing Red [Taylor's Version] in November 2021. This revamp of the 2012 album featured new duets with Phoebe Bridgers, Chris Stapleton, and Ed Sheeran, along with a ten-minute version of the ballad "All Too Well." Another re-recording, "This Love (Taylor's Version)" (originally off 1989), arrived in May 2022 and was included in the soundtrack to the coming-of-age drama The Summer I Turned Pretty. 

Swift opened up another chapter in her career with the October 2022 release of Midnights, an album co-produced by Jack Antonoff and featuring a duet with Lana Del Rey on "Snow on the Beach." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Taylor Swift

David Guetta is a globally renowned DJ, music producer, and songwriter who has achieved immense success in the electronic dance music (EDM) genre. Born on November 7, 1967, in Paris, France, David Guetta has become one of the most recognizable and influential figures in the music industry.

With a career spanning over three decades, David Guetta has released numerous chart-topping hits and albums, becoming a trailblazer in the EDM genre. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Sia, Akon, Nicki Minaj, and Usher, among others, and his music has dominated dance floors and radio airwaves around the world.

David Guetta's achievements in the music industry are extensive, including multiple Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and DJ Awards. In 2011, his album "Nothing but the Beat" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album. He has also been recognized with numerous accolades for his contributions to the dance music scene, including being named the Best DJ in the World by DJ Mag multiple times.

Apart from his music career, David Guetta has also been known for his philanthropic efforts. He has been involved in charitable initiatives, including the "One Voice" campaign, which raised funds for children's hospitals, and the "Fuck Me I'm Famous" foundation, which supported various charitable causes.

As a pioneer in the EDM genre, David Guetta has played a significant role in shaping the electronic music landscape and has been recognized for his contributions to the industry. With his innovative production skills, energetic performances, and chart-topping hits, he has become one of the most successful and influential music artists of his time, leaving an indelible mark on the global music scene.

David Guetta

Max Peterson has been performing and releasing his unique brand of trance music under various project names since 1998. Max was born in San Diego, California in 1979, and spent most of his teenage years in France. He then developed his production and performance skills in California, Mexico, Spain, and every part of the planet with a vibrant trance scene.
Max’s passion for music began at a young age. Max’s father Gary Peterson is a highly accomplished composer, guitarist, and keyboard player. Gary was a member of influential 60’s-70’s cult band “Formerly Fat Harry”. His band played next to legends such as Pink Floyd, Roy Harper, Third ear band, King Crimson, Fleetwood mac, to name a few… Max’s first tracks were recorded and produced by Gary when Max was just 14 years old.

MAD MAXX has been delivering his live set to all psytrance freaks in the world on a weekly basis, and has collaborated with numerous artists along his career…He is also the proud owner of United Beats Records, one of the most successful record labels in the Psychedelic trance scene, surrounded by all of his best artist friends and always pushing newcomers to new heights.

Mad Maxx

Kae Tempest is a talented British musician, poet, rapper, and playwright who has gained widespread recognition for their innovative and socially conscious work. They were born on December 22, 1985, in London, England, and began their career as a spoken word artist before branching out into music.With a unique style that blends elements of hip-hop, poetry, and spoken word, Kae Tempest has become one of the most exciting voices in contemporary music. Their debut album, "Everybody Down," was released in 2014 to critical acclaim and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. They went on to release several more albums, including "Let Them Eat Chaos" and "The Book of Traps and Lessons," which also received critical acclaim and were nominated for various awards.In addition to their success as a musician, Kae Tempest has also made significant contributions to the literary world. They have published several poetry collections, including "Hold Your Own," which won the Ted Hughes Award in 2014. Their debut novel, "The Bricks That Built the Houses," was published in 2016 and was shortlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize.

Kae Tempest

Without hesitation, Dj Weedim is one of the greatest artists on the French hip-hop scene. He has this rare talent to deliver rich and impactful productions. Indeed, he has accumulated an incredible number of collaborations, with already established artists and with those of the new generation. He is recognized for his unique work, his remarkable energy, and his efficiency. Dj Weedim produces for a multitude of artists with varied and eclectic worlds such as Roméo Elvis, Alkpote, Vald, Spri Noir, Captaine Roshi, Jok'Air, and many more. The 4 opuses of his famous "French Bakery" bring together 80 artists, rookies, and legends, and offer us music that marked the audience and their era. Always active behind his stoves, the master baker is about to offer us the 5th batch for this year 2022.

Hip-Hop/Rap

Dj Weedim

Sigala, the British music producer, is a force to be reckoned with in the world of dance music. Born Bruce Fielder in Norwich, England, Sigala first gained attention with his 2015 hit single "Easy Love," which sampled the Jackson 5's "ABC" and became a UK number one hit.

Sigala's music is a blend of tropical house, EDM, and pop, with a focus on catchy melodies and upbeat rhythms. His innovative productions have caught the attention of fans and industry insiders alike, and he has collaborated with a variety of artists, from Craig David to Ella Eyre.

One of the most exciting aspects of Sigala's career is his live performances. He has a reputation for delivering high-energy shows that get audiences dancing and singing along to his hit songs, such as "Came Here for Love" and "Lullaby." Tickets to his concerts are highly sought-after, and fans are often treated to surprise guest appearances and special effects that make each show a unique experience.

Sigala's dedication to his craft and his fans has helped him build a loyal following that eagerly anticipates each new release and tour announcement. His innovative approach to production and his ability to create infectious dance-pop tracks have made him one of the most exciting producers in the industry.

In addition to his successful singles and collaborations, Sigala has also released two full-length albums: "Brighter Days" in 2018 and "We Got Love" in 2021. Both albums showcase his talents as a producer and songwriter, and feature a variety of guest vocalists.

As Sigala continues to explore new sounds and push the boundaries of what's possible in dance music, there's no doubt that he will continue to be a dominant force in the industry. Whether he's performing on a big festival stage or in a small club, he always brings his A-game and leaves everything on the stage, making him one of the most exciting performers and producers of his generation.

Sigala

Göran Bror Benny Andersson is a Swedish musician, composer and producer best known as a member of the pop group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia! For the 2008 film version of Mamma Mia! and its 2018 sequel, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, he worked also as an executive producer. Since 2001, he has been active with his own band Benny Anderssons orkester.

From Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Andersson) under Creative Commons Attribution CC-BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/legalcode)

ABBA

Record-breaking South Korean boy band BTS (aka Bangtan Boys) deliver an energetic blend of dance-pop and hip-hop with deeply introspective lyrics that helped them build a devoted global following while also making them one of the most successful Korean exports in the world. Debuting in the early 2010s with their Skool trilogy, they steadily expanded their audience until breaking into the mainstream consciousness with the Love Yourself series. After the platinum-certified Love Yourself: Tear became their first number one effort outside of their home country, the compilation Love Yourself: Answer found them topping charts in Canada and Japan. By 2020, international fervor reached a peak with their fourth release, Map of the Soul: 7, which topped the charts in over 20 countries. Hitting another milestone that summer, BTS became the first all-South Korean act to top the U.S. singles chart with their retro-disco track "Dynamite" from their chart-topping fifth set, Be. The following year, they notched three more Billboard number ones, including "Butter" and the Coldplay collaboration "My Universe." A sprawling anthology, Proof, which chronicled their first decade, landed in the summer of 2022. Formed by producer Bang Si Hyuk, the septet's lineup includes RM (Kim Namjoon), team leader and rapper; Jin (Kim Seokjin), singer; Suga (Min Yoongi), rapper; J-Hope (Jung Hoseok), rapper and choreographer; Jimin (Jimin Park), singer and choreographer; V (Kim Taehyung), singer; and Jungkook (Jungkook Jeon), singer, rapper, and choreographer. In addition to production and composition, the members of BTS also write their own lyrics, which tackle topics like mental health, self-acceptance, and empowerment. With their youthful blend of club-worthy dance anthems, stirring love ballads, and aggressive rapping, BTS connected with a devoted fan base (dubbed "ARMY") and set themselves apart from the K-pop industrial machine when they debuted in 2013 with the first installment of their "School Trilogy" series, 2 Cool 4 Skool. A few months later, they released the second EP of the saga, O!RUL8,2? The trilogy was completed with Skool Luv Affair, which was released around Valentine's Day in 2014. Later that year, BTS issued their full-length debut album, Dark &amp; Wild, featuring the single "Danger." As their fan base grew and international tours sold out, they released The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 in April 2015 and the follow-up, Pt. 2, some months later in November. They embarked on a massive world tour as The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 topped a record-setting six international music charts, including Billboard's World Albums chart. After four weeks, they set a record as the first K-pop act to achieve such a feat. The group continued to break records with the release of their sophomore LP, Wings. Released in late 2016, Wings not only became the first BTS effort to debut atop both the Korean album and song charts, but they were the third K-pop act to land in the Canadian Hot 100. However, the album's impact was most apparent on the Billboard charts. The best showing to date for a K-pop act, Wings debuted in the Top 30 of the Billboard 200 -- both their highest U.S. chart debut and most sales to date -- making BTS the first K-pop artists with three albums to enter the main album charts. (Wings became their sixth Top Three hit -- and second number one -- on the World Albums chart.) They also became the first K-pop act to spend four weeks on the charts. Wings continued the artistic and creative growth for the septet, featuring seven solo tracks that showcased the personality of each member. Four months later, BTS re-released the album as You Never Walk Alone. The updated version added four new songs to the original Wings track listing, including the singles "Spring Day" and "Not Today." With their presence in the United States continuing to expand, the group went on to win the Top Social Artist Award at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards. Their fifth EP, Love Yourself: Her, arrived that September and became the first K-pop album to debut in the Billboard 200's Top Ten, entering the chart at number seven. In early 2018, BTS received their first double-platinum certifications in Japan and became the first Korean act to receive two gold certifications in the U.S. That spring, they issued their third Japanese LP, Face Yourself, which featured Japanese versions of tracks from Wings and Love Yourself: Her. The set -- which included just two previously unreleased songs -- debuted just outside the Top 40 on the Billboard 200. The next month, BTS released their third official full-length, Love Yourself: Tear, which included the single "Fake Love." Days later, they returned to the Billboard Music Awards, performing and winning Top Social Artist for the second year in a row. Their Billboard success continued when Love Yourself: Tear soared to the top of the Billboard 200, becoming the first foreign-language chart-topper on the U.S. chart in over a decade. BTS repeated the feat that summer with the conclusion to the trilogy, Love Yourself: Answer. The compilation featured a handful of new tracks, including lead single "Idol," packaged with previously released songs from Her and Tear, as well as some remixes and a Nicki Minaj-assisted version of "Idol." For their contributions to spreading Korea's cultural influence around the world, each member of BTS was awarded cultural merit medals by government officials, the youngest recipients to ever be granted the honor. Riding the international success of the Love Yourself series, the boys closed the era with a sold-out global stadium tour, which primed them for the start of the next BTS wave: Map of the Soul: Persona. The first single from the 2019 album, "Persona," showcased a solo RM referencing both Carl Jung and BTS' own 2014 track "Intro: Skool Luv Affair," while the follow-up "Boy with Luv" recruited American singer Halsey. While "Boy with Luv" climbed into the Top Ten of the Hot 100, the album topped the Billboard 200, becoming BTS' third number one in a year. Before the next official release, the band found themselves the focus of a mobile game, BTS World. The accompanying companion album, BTS World: Original Soundtrack, included a new track by the crew, as well as a trio of collaborations with guests Charli XCX, Zara Larsson, and Juice WRLD. Not an official BTS album per se, the bulk of the set featured instrumental compositions by Kang Minkook, who wrote one theme song per BTS member, and showcased tracks by Korean indie duo Okdal and Big Hit labelmate Lee Hyun. Despite not being an actual BTS effort, the soundtrack still managed to land at number 72 on the Billboard 200 while simultaneously topping the Korean charts. After a brief hiatus from the spotlight, BTS returned in earnest in 2020. The same week that Love Yourself: Answer became the first South Korean album to be certified platinum in the U.S., they joined Lil Nas X on the Grammy Awards stage to perform RM's "Seoul Town Road" version of the rapper's hit single. The following month, the group released their fourth Korean-language LP and second number one U.S. hit, Map of the Soul: 7. The set merged highlights from Map of the Soul: Persona with over a dozen new tracks, including the single "Black Swan" and collaborations with Troye Sivan and Allie X ("Louder Than Bombs") and Sia (the digital-only "On"). They extended the Map of the Soul era in 2020 with their fourth Japanese-language effort, Map of the Soul: 7 - The Journey, which reimagined tracks from Map of the Soul: 7, Map of the Soul: Persona, and Love Yourself: Answer for their Japanese fans. As for English-speaking fans, the group released their first track sung entirely in that language later in the summer. The disco-funk "Dynamite" broke streaming records within hours of release and debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100, making BTS the first all-South Korean act to top the U.S. chart. The same week, the group made their first appearance on the MTV Video Music Awards, performing "Dynamite" for a virtual audience. The track was the first taste of their next album era, which was inaugurated with the November release of Be. Recorded while in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic, the effort featured increased input by each member of the septet, which included songwriting, production, and overall design. The same week that Be became their fifth album to debut atop the Billboard 200, BTS also scored their second consecutive number one single with "Life Goes On." To cap off a banner year, South Korea's National Assembly passed a revised law that pushed the age for mandatory military service from 28 to 30, sparing Jin an early hiatus from the group and allowing them to continue contributing to South Korea's GDP, of which almost $5 billion was attributed to BTS in 2019. In February 2021, BTS performed an MTV Unplugged set, which featured stripped-down takes on songs from Be ("Dynamite," "Telepathy," "Blue &amp; Grey," and "Life Goes On") as well as a faithful rendition of Coldplay's "Fix You." Months later, the group returned with the Jungkook-penned single "Film Out" from their Japanese-language compilation BTS, The Best. By the time summer rolled around, the boys were ready with another English-language single, the Grammy-nominated "Butter." Released in May, the track broke a streaming premiere record after amassing over 20 million views in an hour and went on to become the group's fourth chart-topper on the Billboard Hot 100. Various remixes were released in "Hotter," "Sweeter," and "Cooler" versions -- as well as a standalone cut featuring a Megan Thee Stallion verse -- which kept the track planted at number one for weeks. Eventually released as a multi-format physical single, it was paired with the Ed Sheeran-penned song "Permission to Dance," which hit number one in the U.S. and across Asia. Their third U.S. chart-topper of 2021 arrived in September when they joined Coldplay for "My Universe" from the English band's Music of the Spheres. Capping yet another banner year, they took home Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop Group, and Favorite Pop Song at that November's American Music Awards. That same month, BTS kicked off the U.S. portion of their Permission to Dance on Stage concert series in Los Angeles, concluding months later in April 2022 in Las Vegas. Just days before that Vegas residency, they performed "Butter" at the 64th Grammy Awards. That May, they took home an additional trio of Billboard Music Awards, making them the group with the most awards in the history of the show. Weeks later, BTS visited the White House to speak with President Joe Biden about the surge in Asian American hate crimes. In early June, the group celebrated their first decade together with the three-disc compilation Proof, which featured a handful of new tracks spread over a best-of disc, a disc of curated tracks personally chosen by each member, and a disc of demos and unreleased songs. ~ Neil Z. Yeung, Rovi

Ed Sheeran may be the quintessential pop star of the 2010s: a singer/songwriter who seems to acknowledge no boundaries between styles or eras, creating a sound that's idiosyncratic and personal. Sheeran borrows from any style that crosses his path -- elements of folk, hip-hop, pop, dance, soul, and rock can be heard in his big hits "The A Team," "Sing," "Thinking Out Loud," and "Shape of You" -- which gives him a broad appeal among different demographics. It also helped elevate him to international acclaim not long after the release of his 2011 debut, +. Sheeran maintained his stardom with savvy collaborations -- his 2019 album No. 6 Collaborations Project featured an eclectic roster including Khalid, Camila Cabello, Cardi B, Justin Bieber, Chris Stapleton, and Bruno Mars -- and by continuing to write candidly about his life: his 2021 album = was filled with songs about being a new father. 

When Ed Sheeran released +, he had just turned 20. He had been playing music since he was a child in Framlingham, Suffolk -- he was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire but his family moved when he was young -- enthralled by the classic rock he heard around the house. Sheeran started writing music in his early teens, recording a self-made album called Spinning Man when he was 13 in 2004. In addition to making music at home -- he put out an EP titled The Orange Room in 2005 -- he'd busk on the streets and play whatever stage he could find. When he was 16, he dropped out of school and moved to London so he could make a go of a professional career, landing work as a guitar tech for Nizlopi, gigging whenever he could, and auditioning unsuccessfully for the ITV series Britannia High. The self-released EP You Need Me arrived in 2009 -- it followed 2006's eponymous EP and 2007's Want Some? -- but his momentum started to build in 2010 thanks to the EPs Loose Change and Songs I Wrote with Amy and, especially, performance videos he posted to YouTube. Sheeran started to generate considerable buzz -- Jamie Foxx invited him to appear on his Sirius/XM radio show -- and he landed a deal with Asylum Records in late 2010. After a final independent EP, No. 5 Collaborations, arrived in January 2011, he signed a contract with Elton John's management team.

All of this laid the groundwork for a busy 2011. Sheeran entered the studio with Jake Gosling to record his major-label debut. Its first single, "The A Team," arrived in June 2011, entering the charts at number three. August brought "You Need Me, I Don't Need You," setting the stage for the September release of +. Assisted by the success of November's single "Lego House," the record became a huge hit in the U.K., a fact underscored by his win of British Breakthrough in the 2012 Brit Awards. Sheeran's success soon spread to Australia, Europe, Canada, and then the United States. He received a boost in the U.S. by opening for Snow Patrol in 2012, but that paled in comparison to the exposure he received opening for Taylor Swift on her Red tour in 2013. His endorsement from Swift, combined with his landing of the closing credits song "I See Fire" for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, set Sheeran up for an eventful 2014.

Along with reuniting with Jake Gosling, Sheeran worked with Rick Rubin and Pharrell for X, the sophomore set that arrived in June 2014. X debuted at number one on both sides of the Atlantic and generated the huge hits "Thinking Out Loud" and "Sing," success that helped Sheeran secure a win for Album of the Year in the 2015 Brit Awards, along with the trophy for Best Male Solo Artist. His success wasn't limited to Britain. X was the second biggest-selling album in the world in 2015, coming in behind Adele's 25, and "Thinking Out Loud" took home the Grammys for Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance in 2016.

Sheeran spent the majority of 2016 recuperating and recording his third album with executive producer Benny Blanco. Early in 2017, he released two singles, "Castle on the Hill" and "Shape of You," with the latter reaching number one on the charts throughout the world. Their parent album, ÷, appeared in March. ÷ topped the pop charts in over 20 territories, including the U.K. and U.S., and it generated another international hit in "Galway Girl." Ed Sheeran's massive popularity was confirmed in June 2017, when he was awarded an MBE on the occasion of the Queen's Birthday Honours. Over the next year, Sheeran stayed busy touring. He also picked up several more accolades including winning the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album for ÷ and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Shape of You." 

In 2019, he paired with Justin Bieber for the single "I Don't Care." It was the first of a series of duets which Sheeran collected on No. 6 Collaborations Project. The album appeared on July 12, 2019 and topped numerous charts just a few weeks after the release of Yesterday, a Danny Boyle film set in an alternate world where the Beatles never existed that featured Sheeran in a pivotal role. No. 6 Collaborations Project went on to be nominated for a Grammy in the Best Pop Vocal Album category. In December 2020, Sheeran offered up the acoustic non-album single, "Afterglow" as a Christmas gift to his fans. 

Sheeran returned with "Bad Habits" in June 2021; the single topped the charts in nearly every country, save the U.S. where it peaked at two. "Bad Habits" was the first single from his fifth album =. Arriving in October 2021, = found Sheeran grappling with fatherhood and featured songwriting collaborations from Foy Vance, Ben Kweller, and Natalie Hemby, among others. It continued Sheeran's streak of number one albums in the U.K., and was equally successful internationally. That December, he joined Elton John for the holiday song "Merry Christmas," which topped the U.K. singles chart and Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. The single was also included on a Christmas edition of =, as well as John's The Lockdown Sessions. Sheeran then collaborated with Colombian singer J Balvin on 2021's "Sigue" and 2022's "Forever My Love."

Ed Sheeran

Let’s talk about magic. Because music, at its best, is a kind of magic that lifts you up and takes you somewhere else. “I want my music to sound like throwing yourself out of a tree, or off a tall building, or as if you’re being sucked down into the ocean and you can’t breathe,” says Florence Welch. “It’s something overwhelming and all-encompassing that fills you up, and you’re either going to explode with it, or you’re just going to disappear.”

Florence writes her best songs when she’s drunk or has a hangover, because that’s when the freedom, the feral music comes, creating itself wildly from the fragments gathered in her notebooks and in her head. “You’re lucid,” she explains, “but you’re not really there. You’re floating through your own thoughts, and you can pick out what you need. I like those weird connections in the universe. I feel that life’s like a consistent acid trip, those times when things keep coming back.”

Florence herself is a mass of contradictions: she’s tough yet she’s terrified, a bundle of nerves and passion, of darkness and pure joy. “I feel things quite intensely, which is why the music has to be so intense. I’m either really sad or really happy, I’m tired or completely manic. That’s when I’m at my most creative, but it’s also dangerous for me. I feel I could write some good songs, or break some hearts. Or tables. Or glasses.”

As a performer she can seem fearless, but she’s also far too quick to pass judgement on herself. This is the woman, after all who got into Camberwell art college by making a huge floral sign telling herself ‘You are a twat.’ She says she’s a geek, who loses all control when in love. She’s also something increasingly rare and precious in a time of karaoke pop: an artist who has found her own, authentic voice.

Her soaring, epic vocals, quirky melodies and self-contained musical world have already won her the 2009 Critics Choice Award at the Brits. Some compare her to Kate Bush. You’ll also find touches of Tom Waits and Nick Cave in her dark visions, and if you heard a little of Bjork too, she’d find it a compliment. But mainly, Florence is out on her own: an exhilarating place to be, she points out, but also a little scary. 

Her debut album ‘Lungs’ is made of harps, choirs, drums, elevator shafts, bits of metal, love, death, fireworks, string quartets, stamping, sighing, strange electronic wailing, lambs, lions, sick, broken glass, blood, moon, stars, drink, coffins, teeth, water, wedding dresses.. and the silences in between. The songs are full of Gothic imagery, of fairytale flights of fantasy, and although much has been read into her lyrics, Florence says it’s usually simple. “Everything is about boys!” she laughs. “The whole album is about love – and pain. People see my lyrics as crazy, but to me it’s an honest, heartfelt album. I didn’t set out to be wacky. I just want it to be emotive.”

Florence grew up in Camberwell, south London, the oldest of three children. One of her earliest musical memories is standing on top of the trunk where her dad kept his vinyl collection, dancing with him to the Rolling Stones. She started singing along to Nina Simone and Dusty Springfield at home, expanded her vocal range with arias, then became a pre-teen skatepunk before getting lost in the Camberwell art college squat party scene. It’s an eclectic mix, but for her, the common thread is always the emotion. “Anything that has real feeling in it always excites me. Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change is Going To Come’, Eva Cassidy singing ‘Wade In The Water’, even Rhianna’s ‘Umbrella’ – I’m obsessed with music. I’ll play Beyonce, Lil Wayne, Bob Dylan’s ‘Hurricane’, Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Going Down’. 

Florence found her own space by going out to clubs and pubs, by singing onstage and in her bedroom. By the time she left school, she’d already written songs like ‘Kiss With A Fist’, and knew she wanted to make music but not how to go about it. So after a year working behind a bar she went to art school, making tents under the desk to sleep off her hangovers while trying to convince her tutors she was an installation. 

It wasn’t until she wrote the haunting ‘Between Two Lungs’ that it all came together. Instead of percussion, Florence pounded the studio walls with her hands. She built the melody on the piano even though it’s not an instrument she knows how to play, and recorded the backing vocals first, before writing the top line. It’s bonkers and totally unconventional, but of course it is also glorious – a strange but yearning song about losing yourself in love. “I’d found my voice, and I just felt euphoric,” she recalls. “It’s been a real process of me learning that the way I wanted to do it was actually the right way. This whole album has been about having faith in myself.”

As for The Machine, it’s a flexible beast. It can go right down to Florence and a drum kit or a piano, but right now it’s a seven-piece band including long-term collaborators Rob Ackroyd (guitar), Chris Hayden (drums), Isabella Summers (keyboards) and Tom Monger (harp). “I ’ve worked with most of them for a long time and they know my style, know the way I write, they know what I want.”

Live, Florence and The Machine become an entirely different beast. No two performances are ever alike, and clad in clothes often culled from local second-hand shops that day, Florence goes at it like a woman possessed. “It’s just this sense of total freedom,” she says. “It sounds so cheesy, but I want to touch people. Not in a weird way. I just want to help them feel what I’m feeling.”