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Music Features

Thursday

For Beyoncé's Renaissance tour Es Devlin designed a spherical portal — a 50-foot wide aperture — from which the star, her dancers and musicians could emerge and withdraw between songs.

For Beyoncé's Renaissance tour Es Devlin designed a spherical portal — a 50-foot wide aperture — from which the star, her dancers and musicians could emerge and withdraw between songs. Es Devlin/Thames & Hudson hide caption

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Es Devlin/Thames & Hudson

Culture

When stars are on stage, this designer makes it personal for each fan in the stadium

Es Devlin says that stadiums are designed for competition and combat. So her job, whether she's designing for Beyoncé, Super Bowl Halftime, or The Olympics, is to achieve intimacy on a massive scale.

When stars are on stage, this designer makes it personal for each fan in the stadium

Listen · 7:01
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Monday

Finding a place at the Met, this opera sings in a language of its own

A scene from Florencia en el Amazonas. Ken Howard/Met Opera hide caption

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Ken Howard/Met Opera

Deceptive Cadence

Finding a place at the Met, this opera sings in a language of its own

Florencia gives star Ailyn Pérez a rare chance to sing in Spanish. As the bilingual daughter of Mexican immigrants, she learned early on that language had the power to shape her experience and voice.

Finding a place at the Met, this opera sings in a language of its own

Listen · 6:36
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Friday

Alt.Latino: Peso Pluma and the rise of regional Mexican music

Alt.Latino has a special three-episode series exploring the rise of regional Mexican music. Jackie Lay/NPR hide caption

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Jackie Lay/NPR

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Alt.Latino: Peso Pluma and the rise of regional Mexican music

Regional Mexican music has taken the music industry by storm. Earlier this year, Mexican artist Peso Pluma and band Eslabon Armado made history when their song "Ella Baila Sola" topped the Billboard Global 200 chart. But this musical trend didn't come out of nowhere. In this episode of NPR's Alt. Latino, hosts Anamaria Sayre and Felix Contreras head to Peso Pluma's performance in Nashville and try to understand the root of the phenomenon.

Alt.Latino: Peso Pluma and the rise of regional Mexican music

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Tuesday

'Leo' is an animated lizard with an SNL sensibility — and the voice of Adam Sandler

In Leo Adam Sandler voices a 74-year-old lizard who learns he has a gift for helping kids sort through their problems. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Movie Interviews

'Leo' is an animated lizard with an SNL sensibility — and the voice of Adam Sandler

If the pets in a 5th grade classroom could talk, what would they say? That's the premise of Leo, the new coming-of-age movie musical from Netflix.

'Leo' is an animated lizard with an SNL sensibility — and the voice of Adam Sandler

Listen · 4:12
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Monday

'I've been trying to do this for over 30 years' — Billy Porter sings on his terms

Billy Porter Franz Szony/Republic Records hide caption

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Franz Szony/Republic Records

Music

'I've been trying to do this for over 30 years' — Billy Porter sings on his terms

Following star-making roles in Broadway's Kinky Boots and FX's Pose, Billy Porter has released an original album that plays out like mini-autobiographies: Black Mona Lisa.

'I've been trying to do this for over 30 years' — Billy Porter sings on his terms

Listen · 6:52
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Friday

What the abuse lawsuit against Diddy, one of hip-hop's most powerful men, means

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 26: Sean "Diddy" Combs attends Day 1 of 2023 Invest Fest at Georgia World Congress Center on August 26, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Paras Griffin/Getty Images hide caption

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Paras Griffin/Getty Images

What the abuse lawsuit against Diddy, one of hip-hop's most powerful men, means

The singer Cassie has accused the rap mogul of subjecting her to years of abuse, in a suit made possible by the Adult Survivors Act. Can the case spark a sexual assault reckoning within hip-hop?

Brittany Howard is going to make her dreams come true

What Now, the second solo album from Brittany Howard, is out Feb. 9. Bobbi Rich/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Bobbi Rich/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

Brittany Howard is going to make her dreams come true

The Alabama Shakes singer exploded preconceptions with her 2019 solo debut. On What Now, a follow-up born from a few years of life-quaking resets, she's ready to leave any remaining limits behind.

Brittany Howard is going to make her dreams come true

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Thursday

Wednesday

The Latin Grammys are in Spain this year. So what?

The debates unfolding now about what it means for Spain to host the Latin Grammys hint at much larger questions about how the Academy decides what constitutes Latin music. Jackie Lay/NPR hide caption

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Jackie Lay/NPR

The Latin Grammys are in Spain this year. So what?

This year, the Latin Grammys will be held outside the U.S., in Seville, Spain. The location raises larger questions about how the awards perpetuate inequalities related to race, class and colonialism.

Tuesday

This trio hopes 'Won't Give Up' will become an anthem for the climate movement

Yo-Yo Ma, Pattie Gonia and Quinn Christopherson made the music video for "Won't Give Up" at Kenai Fjords National Park. William Woodward hide caption

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William Woodward

Climate

This trio hopes 'Won't Give Up' will become an anthem for the climate movement

NPR Tiny Desk contest winner Quinn Christopherson, drag queen Pattie Gonia and world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma would like "Won't Give Up" to be sung at climate change rallies and in concert halls.

This trio hopes 'Won't Give Up' will become an anthem for the climate movement

Listen · 2:37
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André 3000 opens up about 'New Blue Sun,' his daring new solo album

The result of the improvised sessions that led to New Blue Sun is subtle but daring. Mainly because it flies in the face of everything we've come to expect, and selfishly demand, as André 3000 fans. Kai Regan/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Kai Regan/Courtesy of the artist

Music Interviews

André 3000 opens up about 'New Blue Sun,' his daring new solo album

Out now, the outrageous half of OutKast about talks about his first album in 17 years, his wild ayahuasca trip and why he gets so many requests to play flute at funerals.

Listen: The NPR Music interview with André 3000

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Friday

2024 Grammy Nominations: A guide to the best, worst and most surprising nominees

Billie Eilish is nominated for six Grammys at the 2024 awards ceremony. Five of those nominations are for her song "What Was I Made For," from the soundtrack to the film Barbie. Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Tran/AFP via Getty Images

Music

2024 Grammy Nominations: A guide to the best, worst and most surprising nominees

Themes emerge quickly when you dig into the nominations for the 66th Grammy Awards. The major categories are dominated by women and seemingly up for grabs; elsewhere, progress is not always so clear.

Wednesday

Tuesday

The largest musical instrument in the world is underground in a Virginia cave

The Great Stalacpipe Organ spans 3.5 acres of the cave and is considered the world's largest musical instrument. The name is a combination of the words stalactite and pipe organ but in actuality, it is a percussion instrument. Alan Goffinski hide caption

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Alan Goffinski

National

The largest musical instrument in the world is underground in a Virginia cave

Luray Caverns in Northern Virginia is celebrating 50 years of being a National Natural Landmark. It's also the place that holds the largest musical instrument in the world.