Messina and The Road Runners will be performing music associated with their latest live album, “Here, There and Everywhere,” at 8 p.m. Nov. 25, according to a news release. Messina has described the album as an eclectic mix of folk, country, rock and Latin from different phases of his career.

He is perhaps best known for playing the bass guitar for the seminal 1960s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Buffalo Springfield. After Springfield disbanded in 1968, Messina co-founded the pioneering country rock band Poco. In 1971, he joined forces with the then-unknown Kenny Loggins to form one of rock’s most successful recording duos.

Over the next eight years, Loggins & Messina released eight albums, selling more than 16 million recordings of such hit tunes as “Danny’s Song” and “Your Mama Don’t Dance,” the release says.

Tickets to the Annapolis concert cost $71 to $96, including fees.

Have a news tip? Contact Mary Carole McCauley at mmccauley@baltsun.com and 410-294-0169.

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Journey, one of the most successful Bay Area bands of all time, has announced its farewell tour.

And — surprise, surprise — it does not include a Bay Area date.

The closest Journey gig on the books is an April 21 date at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, which isn’t all that far away, obviously, but still doesn’t qualify as the big hometown finale that most Bay Area fans would like to see.

Clearly, some kind of Bay Area Journey goodbye event needs to be in the works.

Pronto.

And, actually, we’d be shocked if the band doesn’t end up announcing another leg on this tour — since there are also no dates in Los Angeles, Chicago or New York City currently on the books.

Until more shows are (hopefully) announced, Journey fans can grab tickets to the Sacramento gig, or one of the other dates, beginning at 10 a.m. Nov. 14; ticketmaster.com. There is also a presale for Citi cardholders that starts at 10 a.m. Nov. 11, citientertainment.com.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame act is calling this last road show the Final Frontier Tour, which, of course, plays off the name of the group’s smash-hit eighth studio album — 1983’s “Frontiers.” That platter delivered four Top 40 hits — “After the Fall,” “Send Her My Love,” “Faithfully” and, the biggest of the bunch, “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart).”

The trek will feature an all new stage production, will be conducted in the “evening with” format (which means no opening acts) and is currently set to hit 60 cities. The group — which consists of founder Neal Schon (lead guitarist), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals) Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals) and Todd Jensen (bass) — will be performing such massive classic rock hits as “Any Way You Want It,” “Lights” and, of course, “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

“This tour is our heartfelt thank-you to the fans who’ve been with us every step of the way — through every song, every era, every high and low,” Schon says in a news release. “We’re pulling out all the stops with a brand-new production — the hits, the deep cuts, the energy, the spectacle. It’s a full-circle celebration of the music that’s brought us all together.”

Schon adds that he plans to continue making music even after Journey’s farewell tour comes to an end.

“As its founding member, I carry the Journey torch to this day, wherever I go. The sentiment and spirit of the band will always remain,” Schon says. “While this marks a farewell to one powerful chapter of the Journey we’ve shared, I want everyone to know I’m not done. Music is still burning strong inside me, and there are new creative horizons ahead. This tour is both a thank-you and the beginning of what’s next.”

Cain sums up the Journey experience as “an incredible ride.”

“We’ve shared our music with millions and this tour is about gratitude, connection and one last chance to feel that magic together,” he says. “We wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Pineda, who took over on vocals after Steve Perry exited the group, says he’s honored to be part of the band’s legacy.

“Every night on stage has been a dream come true,” he says.

For ticketing details and other information, visit journeymusic.com.

The band is up for Best Alternative Music Performance for “Seein’ Stars”; Best Rock Album for “Never Enough”; Best Metal Performance for “Birds”; Best Rock Performance for “Never Enough” and Best Rock Song for “Never Enough,” according to the awards ceremony’s website. Nominations for the 68th annual awards were announced Friday.

What’s more, those five nods are history-making, according to a social media post by the band’s label, Roadrunner Records, which said that Turnstile is the first band ever nominated across the rock, alternative and metal categories in a single year.

“Never Enough,” which was released Jun 6, is the band’s sixth album.

Turnstile was formed in 2010 after some of the band members have said they met through Towson University.

The band’s current iteration consists of front man and producer Brendan Yates, guitarist Pat McCrory, bassist Franz Lyons, drummer Daniel Fang and its newest member, guitarist Meg Mills. The group is in the midst of a European tour, according to its website.

The recent haul brings Turnstile’s Grammy nomination total to nine, including three nominations in 2022 and one the following year.

However, the band has yet to pick up one of the coveted statuettes. Turnstile fans can tune in Feb. 1, when the award ceremony will be held in Los Angeles, to find out whether this year is the charm.

Have a news tip? Contact Mary Carole McCauley at mmccauley@baltsun.com and 410-294-0169.

Last month, Wheeler, owner of the Federal Hill bar Locals Only, was hit with a $3,000 fine by the Baltimore City Board of Liquor License Commissioners for four violations of providing live entertainment without authorization. His lawyer called the penalty a “serious” blow to the bar’s operating costs.

In Baltimore, restaurants and bars must obtain a license to host live entertainment, including bands, DJs, standup comedy or magic acts. Many business owners say the licensing process can be lengthy, complicated, and costly.

“In an entertainment district, where you have other places that can do [live music] … it’s going to be tough to be competitive,” said Wheeler, who was also previously a partner of Mad River Bar & Grille and The Charles Baltimore. He estimated that on the average weekend, the difference in sales between service with and without a DJ can range from 25% to 50%.

Baltimore City’s Board of Liquor License has heard 25 alleged cases of providing live entertainment without authorization through October, more than eight times the number during the same period last year. Alleged violators include both restaurateurs operating without a license and license holders who fail to follow the board’s specific guidelines.

“I recognize the process can be … maybe made easier for the layperson,” said Justin Williams, director of permitting and developing services and interim executive director of the Baltimore City Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals. “I want to try to be helpful. We want this to happen in the city, too.”

How does this work?

To legally provide live entertainment, business owners must begin with an application to the BMZA. Recommended materials for this initial application include a letter of approval from the neighborhood or community association, as well as architectural drawings and health and safety inspections.

Next comes a Zoning Appeals hearing, where Wheeler has found himself “stuck” — he said he and his lawyer have been attempting to get on the hearing docket since the beginning of 2025, and Locals Only is still without its live entertainment authorization.

“My concept is ‘pizza and vibes,'” said Wheeler. “There’s really no vibes without music.”

Williams said he was surprised to hear about Wheeler’s case and that it’s unusual for the process to take more than a few months. He looked into the matter and said he didn’t find any records of recent filings from Locals Only. He suggested that the paperwork might have been done improperly.

When businesses face roadblocks, Williams added, “I try to jump in, even if it’s on the applicant side … and say, ‘Here’s what we really need and sorry we weren’t clear enough on the front end.'”

But some Baltimore City restaurateurs argue that even if a hearing date is booked speedily, the process of acquiring all of the necessary application materials can feel grueling and tedious. And the consequences of these wait times, said Hampden community advocate and independent permit consultant Will “Lou Catelli” Bauer, can be costly.

“Months matter. Months are money,” Catelli said. “Every month, you’re paying rent, and it’s important to small businesses that they can maximize their revenue each month — not based off of some outdated and bureaucratic process that doesn’t really make much sense to many people.”

Krista Cushman, owner of Hamilton Hills live music bar and pizzeria Micky’s Joint, agrees.

“Over the last few years, everything has gotten more expensive and more challenging,” she said.

The cost of maintaining a live entertainment license add-on of $500 per year, along with battling high entertainment fees and the recent near-doubling of liquor license fees from $1,320 to $2,336 this year, can compound the issue. “There’s no payment plan — you just need that big, old four-figure chunk of change,” Cushman said.

Williams said he hopes that during his tenure at the mayor’s office, he can make the process clearer for businesses. The board could potentially require two separate approvals through public hearings, involving a revision process that would involve “review[ing] data and engag[ing] in more conversations with stakeholders,” he said in a statement.

More pitfalls abound

The parameters of live entertainment as defined by the city are broader than restaurateurs might think. According to Baltimore City conditional-use authorization application documents, it can include a “musical act (including karaoke), theatrical act (including standup comedy), play, revue, dance, magic act, disc jockey [or] similar activity.”

“If you do a bingo night, if you do a trivia night [or] if you have a DJ, that’s live entertainment,” said Catelli. “A lot of businesses don’t realize that all those things fall under the category.”

Misunderstandings about the parameters of the live entertainment license also persist.

Terence Dickson, owner of Terra Cafe in Barclay, built the restaurant’s “Jerk Garden” — an enclosed outdoor dining room with a sliding door — with the hopes of insulating sound and minimizing disturbance in the surrounding Barclay neighborhood. However, Dickson claims that he has been visited by the liquor board, which is in charge of enforcement, “at least 20 or more times … or maybe even 30” times in the past year.

To further reduce noise during concerts, Dickson has moved his stage and sound system to Terra Cafe’s indoor area, where he hopes to reduce the number of noise complaints. The Jerk Garden is still open for business, with screens televising the indoor performance around the outdoor dining space.

“I came up with something,” said Dickson. “We’re being creative.”

What’s at stake?

Many local restaurant owners argue that live entertainment is integral to Baltimore’s ethos. Cushman, of Micky’s Joint, said the thought of the scene dwindling due to application and enforcement “really breaks my heart.”

“In this day and age … it’s really nice to see people actually out and connecting with each other,” she added. “There can be this assumption that a live entertainment license equals nightclub and craziness and bad news … but it’s not necessarily like that.”

Have a news tip? Contact Jane Godiner at jgodiner@baltsun.com or on Instagram as @Jane.Craves.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001, Mr. Johnson went from a back street in West Baltimore to top theatrical venues. Smokey Robinson recruited him as a Motown Records arranger.

Born Isaiah Samuel Johnson in Baltimore, he was the son of Isaiah Samuel Johnson Sr. and his wife, Rebecca. He lived in a small home in the 1300 block of Whatcoat Street and immersed himself in the self-taught musical culture of his neighborhood. When his sister could not pronounce Isaiah, he got the nickname Buzzy.

In a 2019 history of The Flamingos, by author Todd R. Baptista, Mr. Johnson recalled listening to his parents’ radio and hearing Andy Williams and the McGuire Sisters. But the close harmony singer, Earlington Tilghman, known as Sonny Til, lived across the street. Til’s musical group, the Orioles, cut a hit record, “It’s Too Soon to Know.”

Mr. Johnson begged his mother for the money to go to the nearby Royal Theater on Pennsylvania Avenue, where he saw the top acts of the day. By his mid-teens, he was an accomplished guitarist (he listened to Les Paul and Mary Ford) and sax player, and read music. He possessed a polished baritone voice and could deliver the falsetto tenor popular at the time.

As a teen, he performed at West Baltimore talent shows, at Rich’s Carousel Lounge on Poplar Grove Street, at Carr’s and Sparrow’s beaches in Anne Arundel County and the Diamond Club on The Block. A classmate from Frederick Douglass High School suggested he join their singing group, the Whispers, whose members recorded on the Gotham label.

His ticket out of Baltimore came when there was a vacancy in The Flamingos, a Chicago-based vocal group. He auditioned at the Royal and, after just turning 18, was summoned to New York City, beginning a life as a professional musician. Within months, he was recording with the Flamingos on the Decca label.

Mr. Johnson recorded albums with his group — Flamingo Serenade, Requestfully Yours and Flamingo Favorites. The group toured widely and appeared five times on the TV show American Bandstand.

“They took the pop music songs of the 30s and 40s and translated them for a rhythm and blues vocal group,” said Milton A. Dugger, a friend from Baltimore. “Terry told me he got the idea for the ‘Only Have Eyes’ arrangement in a dream. The other Flamingos thought it would be a dud, but it turned out as their greatest hit.”

The Flamingos later split into two groups and Mr. Johnson stayed with the ensemble known as the Modern Flamingos, the Fabulous Flamingos and Terry Johnson’s Flamingos.

His version of The Flamingos appeared on two PBS specials: Rock and Roll at Fifty and Do Wop Cavalcade: The Definitive Anthology.

In 1964, Smokey Robinson recruited Johnson onto the staff of Motown Records, where he and Robinson became regular collaborators. Their most notable credited work was the 1969 Billboard Top 10 hit for The Miracles, “Baby, Baby Don’t Cry.”

Mr. Johnson also wrote and produced for the Four Tops, the Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas and the Supremes. In 1969, Johnson released the solo 45’s “My Springtime”

Among his many industry achievements, he was musical conductor for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

He never retired and appeared in Baltimore last year at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Govans.

Survivors include his wife and longtime musical partner, Theresa Trigg. She said survivors include grandchildren, nieces and nephews and cousins.

A funeral will be held Nov. 12 in Las Vegas on what would have been his 87th birthday.

Have a news tip? Contact Jacques Kelly at jkelly@baltsun.com.

NEW YORK (AP) — Not like us? More like him: Kendrick Lamar leads the 2026 Grammy Award nominations, announced Friday.

The rapper is up for nine trophies at February’s ceremony: record, song and album of the year — marking the third time he’s had simultaneous nominations in those big categories — as well as pop duo/group performance, melodic rap performance, rap song and rap album. He’s also nominated twice in the rap performance category.

Lamar, who is riding the success of last year’s blockbuster “GNX” album, has 22 Grammy career wins and 66 nominations. “GNX” is his fifth consecutive studio album to be nominated for album of the year, something no other artist has ever done. If it wins, it will be his first win in the category. And it will be only the third rap album to win the top prize, following Outkast in 2004 for “Speakerboxxx/The Love Below” and Lauryn Hill in 1999 for “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.”

Lady Gaga, Jack Antonoff and Canadian record producer/songwriter Cirkut follow Lamar with seven nominations each.

Lady Gaga is up for song, record and album of the year — her first time receiving nominations in all three categories simultaneously. She could also score potential wins in the pop solo performance, pop vocal album, dance pop recording and traditional pop vocal album categories.

Antonoff is nominated in the record, album and song of the year categories twice, for his work with Lamar and Sabrina Carpenter. He’s also nominated for rap song for the first time. That’s for “tv off” with Lamar, featuring Lefty Gunplay.

Antonoff and Cirkut will face off in the producer of the year, non-Classical category. If Antonoff wins, he will tie Babyface’s record of most career wins in the category, with four.

That’s not all. Cirkut is up for both record and song of the year, twice — for Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra” and Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.” — as well as album of the year and best dance pop recording.

In addition to Lady Gaga’s “Mayhem” and Lamar’s “GNX,” the album of the year category is rounded out by Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend,” Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” Justin Bieber’s “Swag,” Clipse, Pusha T & Malice’s “Let God Sort Em Out,” Leon Thomas’ “Mutt” and Tyler, the Creator’s “Chromakopia.”

This is the first time three albums have been up for both rap album and album of the year: “GNX,” “Let God Sort Em Out” and “Chromakopia.”

Additionally, Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” is only the second time an all-Spanish language album has been nominated for the top prize. The first was also a Bad Bunny release — in 2023, for “Un Verano Sin Ti.” Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House” won that year.

Carpenter, Bad Bunny, Leon Thomas and Serban Ghenea all boast six nominations. Andrew Watt, Clipse, Doechii, Sounwave, SZA, Turnstile and Tyler, the Creator have five each.

Only recordings commercially released in the U.S. between Aug. 31, 2024 through Aug. 30, 2025 were eligible for nominations. The final round of Grammy voting, which determines its winners, will take place Dec. 12 through Jan. 5.

In the best new artist category, global girl group Katseye, Olivia Dean, The Marias, Addison Rae, sombr, Leon Thomas, Alex Warren and Lola Young will all go head-to-head.

The record of the year category is made up of Bad Bunny’s “DtMF,” Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Doechii’s “Anxiety,” Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower,” Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra,” Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” Chappell Roan’s “The Subway” and Rosé and Bruno Mars’ “APT.”

Rosé, perhaps best known as one-fourth of the juggernaut girl group BLACKPINK, is the first K-pop artist to ever receive a nomination in the record of the year field.

Some may be surprised to see Eilish included in the bunch, as “Wildflower” was released on her spring 2024 album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” ahead of the eligibility window. However, there is a Recording Academy rule that allows albums released during the previous ceremony’s eligibility period to be considered, “provided the same tracks were not entered the previous year and the album did not win a Grammy,” with a few exceptions. By that rule, Eilish’s “Wildflower” — which was not previously entered — is eligible.

Song of the year — an award for a track’s songwriters, which sometimes include the performer but not always — is made up of an almost identical list to record of the year, except Roan is replaced by “Golden” from the “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack.

“The Grammy Awards are our opportunity to honor the people who make this community so vibrant and this year’s nominees remind us of the incredible talent that is driving music forward,” said Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason jr. in a statement. “From emerging talent to influential icons, these nominees reflect today’s broad and diverse musical landscape, and I am excited to celebrate them in the coming weeks ahead.”

There are a number of first-time nominees as well this year, including Tate McRae, Zara Larsson, PinkPantheress, JID and Timothée Chalamet. You read that correctly.

The 2026 Grammy Awards will air Feb. 1 live on CBS and Paramount+ from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

2025 Bay Bridge Run 10K (Sunday)

The Bay Bridge Run returns this Sunday morning, marking the only time all year the bridge is open to pedestrians.

The race runs across the eastbound span — that’s the two-lane one.

Runners, friends and family are invited to an afterparty on the Eastern Shore side of the bridge after the race.

Annapolis Jazz & Roots Festival

This weekend is the first of two that make up the Annapolis Jazz & Roots Festival.

The event features around a dozen acts in various venues around Annapolis.

The first act Friday night is an Eva Cassidy Tribute by Alexis Tantau. Saturday afternoon brings the Art, Music and the Muse interview and exhibit by Jabari and J.C. Jefferson. The latter’s quartet will also perform afterward. Sunday brings a soulful funk and rock concert by the Michael McHenry tribe.

The schedule, venues, and tickets can be found on the festival’s website.

Taste of Fall on West Street

This ticketed event is put on by the Inner West Street Association to help fund some of its other festivals.

Attendees will be able to try season-appropriate offerings from several West Street restaurants like Stan & Joe’s and 49 West. There will also be desserts, cocktails and live jazz music.

Tickets are on sale for around $50 on Eventbrite.

Shrek the Musical at Severna Park High School

Severna Park High School students are opening their fall production this weekend, Shrek the Musical.

Shows on Friday and Saturday begin at 7 p.m., while the Sunday show begins at 2 p.m.

It follows the same plot as the 2001 animated movie starring William Steig’s beloved green ogre. The original production went up on Broadway in 2008.

Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for everyone else.

Interested in seeing your event on this list? Contact Benjamin Rothstein at brothstein@baltsun.com, 443-928-1926.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Recording Academy will announce the 2026 Grammy Award nominees on Friday. It’s as good a reason as any to take a beat and examine how the institution makes it decisions. Who selects the nominees? Who votes? Can anyone nominate any recorded release for a Grammy?

We’ve got you covered. Read on to get a crash course on how Grammy voting works.

How does Grammy voting work?

Members of the Recording Academy and record labels submit artists in certain categories, which are then vetted for eligibility. Currently, there are 95 Grammy Award categories.

After submissions have been screened, voting members help determine who the final nominations will be — typically in the fall — using a membership dashboard. They can only vote for music that has been submitted and vetted.

Once the nominees are determined and announced in November, a period of final round voting takes place. This cycle, that runs from Dec. 12 through Jan. 5.

Winners are announced live at the award show in February.

And don’t get it twisted — voting members do not vote in all 95 categories. They’re permitted to vote in up to 10 categories across three genre fields, as well as the six general field categories, which include record, album, song, producer, non-classical and songwriter, non-classical of the year, and best new artist. That allows experts to focus on their expertise.

How does someone become a voting member?

There are three types of Recording Academy memberships: Grammy U, professional and voting memberships. The latter includes performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, instrumentalists and beyond. Those are the members who determine Grammy winners each year.

Voting members have to provide a proof of a primary career in music, two recommendations and certain verifiable credits.

But there are a few ways around some of those requirements: If you are a current year’s Grammy winner or nominee, you do not need to provide a recommendation from someone in the industry. If you’ve been nominated for a Grammy in the last five years, you do not need to provide proof of your credits.

What determines Grammy eligibility?

Entries must adhere to the specific qualifications of the categories they are submitted into. Rules and guidelines can be found at Grammy.com.

There are also frequent changes made to categories and fields. In 2026, there have been a few: best country album has been divided into best contemporary country album and best traditional country album. The best recording package and the best boxed or special limited edition package categories have also been combined into the best recording package category, with best album cover spun out on its own.

Most importantly: Recordings and music videos must also be submitted within the Grammy eligibility window, which for the 2026 award show means work released between Aug. 31, 2024 – Aug. 30, 2025.

How does a musician qualify for best new artist?

The category of new artist is constantly evolving, trying to capture the zeitgeist each year as the process of categorizing fame gets more complicated. The Grammy rules currently say nominations hinge on whether “the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence” — and it delegates that determination to a screening committee. Eligible artists must have released at least five singles or one album, but there is no longer a maximum. That’s why someone like, say, Sabrina Carpenter — who broke out in the summer of “Espresso” — found herself up for the best new artist trophy in 2025 despite being on her sixth full-length release.

And this year, the category has also been expanded to include acts who were featured on previous album of the year nominees, so long as they fall below 20% of the album’s music.

When are the 2026 Grammys?

The Grammys will be held Feb. 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with nominations announced on Friday. It will be broadcast live on CBS and can be streamed on demand via Paramount+.

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES  — On her ninth studio album, Demi Lovato has had a revelation: “It’s Not That Deep.”

It’s the title of her energetic dance-pop record, and a celebration of life’s joys and messiness — all of which appear across its 11 tracks.

“I’ve put so much energy and so much love into this album,” Lovato told The Associated Press at rehearsals for a special One Night Only event at the Palladium in Los Angeles last week. “I just couldn’t be more excited.”

Next spring, she’ll tour the album, hitting 23 cities across North America. The “It’s Not That Deep” Tour kicks off April 8 at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and concludes May 25 at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Lovato will hit Orlando, Florida; Atlanta; Nashville; Washington, D.C,; Philadelphia; Toronto; Boston; New York; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Chicago; Minneapolis; Denver; Las Vegas; Anaheim, California; San Francisco; Seattle; Los Angeles; Glendale, Arizona; Dallas and Austin, Texas.

Artist presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. local time. General sales begin Friday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Lovato discussed her new album, her penchant for musical transformation and her forthcoming tour.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

AP: You’ve said this new album, this new era, is a celebration of your journey. You’re embracing the old, new, good, bad — from coming out on stage with the Jonas Brothers and singing “Camp Rock” stuff to the Poot meme. Are you reclaiming it?

LOVATO: I think it’s a bit of owning it. … I guess I didn’t realize that I’ve done iconic things. And if they are cringe to some people, they’re fun to me. … I think it’s, like, making peace with my past. … I’ve made peace with my journey and now I’m celebrating where I am at today.

For instance: The Poot meme, when it first happened, I didn’t realize it was photoshopped. I thought it was a bad angle of me. So, I like was really self-conscious about that meme and was like, “Oh my God, like, I can’t believe people are laughing at a bad angle of me,” and then I realized it was photoshopped and I was like “Wait, this is actually hilarious.” … Life is too short to take yourself too seriously, and I’m definitely not doing that anymore.

AP: That’s refreshing to hear a pop star say. When you let go of those feelings, what does it unlock for you creatively?

LOVATO: I think there’s something about your 30s, too, where you just take a second, and you are able to let go of some of the pressures that you once put on yourself, maybe in your 20s. And now I’m 33, and I’m not taking myself so seriously because I realize there’s room for everyone.

Creatively, what it unlocks for me is spontaneity and taking risks and having fun and cherishing the moments. … “Kiss,” for instance, it’s not the most intellectually stimulating song. It’s a simple party, fun song, and it’s sexy. And it’s like, that’s what it is. And I think so much of my past was, like, “I want to try and write, you know, deeply emotional songs about my past” and with this album, I was like, “I’m in a place where I’m having fun. I want my lyrics to reflect that, too.”

AP: That’s evident in the music — the party energy and the lyrical content. And there’s a duality.

LOVATO: It was exactly what I was hoping for. There’s songs like “Sorry to Myself,” too, which is another party moment but has a really powerful message. And it also bridges the gap between my old music and my music today, lyrically, where it is a bit emotional.

AP: You’ve played with a lot of genres like pop, rock, R&B and more. What drives these transformations for you?

LOVATO: I think what drives the transformations for me are literally what is inspiring me musically at the moment. And so, I’m a fan of all genres of music pretty much, for the most part. When I was in my rock era, I was listening to a lot of rock music that was inspiring me.

I went into this album thinking, “I’m gonna make an even harder rock album. I wanna go even more rock.” So, I started this process and I realized, I was like, “There’s only so many happy rock songs that you can write.” I’m in love, I’m feeling empowered, and I’m in this really great place, and I don’t know how to write rock songs that are, you know, all sunshine and rainbows. And there’s only so many of that that you can write. And so, I was like, “I need to switch up the genre.” So, I tried a couple of other genres, but what was really inspiring me was all the pop girlies and the pop artists that are out there today.

AP: Let’s talk about the tour. Your one night only show — an intimate 4,000 capacity room — was so popular, your team said over 200,000 people were in the Ticketmaster queue. You’re in demand.

LOVATO: Well, first of all, I cried when I saw that 200,000 people wanted to come to my show at the Palladium. … That was a dream come true — that level of demand is so reassuring. … I can’t thank my fans enough, like, I wouldn’t be here in this place without them. And so, I am just so thankful. And that’s why I shed tears of joy that day. (It) was because I was like, “Wow, I’m really sure of this album and I’m sure of this era, but so many people are too and that’s really rewarding.” And I can’t wait to bring the show on the road.

___

AP Music Writer Maria Sherman contributed to this report from New York.

“It was just kind of unbelievable that they would know about our work and recognize our work,” said Meg Boyd, executive director of the Howard County Conservancy. “Having never met them or interacted with them — the fact that they had heard about us, and all the work that our students are doing, was just kind of mind-blowing.”

The organization received an email about the donation through the contact form on its website over the summer, Boyd said. The office was divided about whether the message was real or a scam, but after reaching out through all the “appropriate channels,” it was confirmed, she said.

Eilish, 23, whose hits include “Birds of a Feather” and “Ocean Eyes,” announced that she’d donate $11.5 million of the revenue from her latest “Hit Me Hard and Soft Tour” to organizations focused on food equity and climate change. During The Wall Street Journal Innovator awards, she urged billionaires to use their money “for good things” and give it to people who need it.

“If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?” Eilish said during the awards. “No hate, but yeah, give your money away.”

The Youth Climate Institute is a program offered through the Howard County Conservancy as of 2020; it began in response to students’ requests to stay engaged with “environmental education and climate action” during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the institute’s website. Its aim is to prepare students to become “effective environmental stewards, pursue green jobs and combat the climate crisis,” according to a news release.

The program has worked with more than 700 high school students; they were “ecstatic” to hear the news of Eilish’s donation, Boyd said. She noted how critical it was to have “young important voices” like Eilish support and talk about climate change.

“Having Billie Eilish support our work is incredibly meaningful; she’s an icon for our generation, and her recognition shows young climate activists that we’re not alone in this fight,” said Sarah Kc, a YCI Certified Ambassador with Honors and recent high school graduate. “It gives me hope that together we can create the change our planet needs.”

Students who participate in the Youth Climate Institute learn about climate change science, its impact, solutions and communication strategies through interactive workshops and community action projects. They can achieve two certification levels, Certified Ambassadors and Certified Ambassadors with Honors.

In the first year, the institute had 15 chapters, Boyd said. The program has expanded to 54 chapters across 10 states. Boyd hopes to use the donation to grow the program and “bring in new chapters and new communities.”

“These young climate leaders are so engaged,” she added. “This is their future, and they are just really incredibly motivated to make the world a better place. … We really focus on having a positive message and make sure that we infuse hope into all of our conversations.”

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