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Here Are All the Songs Beyoncé & JAY-Z Played on the Opening Night of the On the Run II Tour

Beyoncé and JAY-Z launched their next global adventure, the On The Run II Tour, in Cardiff, Wales on Wednesday night (June 6).

By Hilary Hughes

Hilary Hughes

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No one wins when the family feuds , but everyone wins when the family takes the stage together for one two-hour marathon of greatest hits and raw, soul-baring performances.

Beyoncé and JAY-Z launched their next global adventure, the On The Run II Tour, in Cardiff, Wales on Wednesday night (June 6). This is their first tour together since the drops of both Lemonade and 4:44 , but the setlist favored older hits and beloved collaborations, like Kanye West’s “Clique,” which features JAY-Z, and “Perfect,” the Ed Sheeran ballad whose remix includes a gorgeous duet with Beyoncé.

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Still, Lemonade and 4:44 tracks popped and provided some of the most compelling showings from Bey & Jay of the night, with “Formation” and “The Story of O.J.” shining as the highlights among the new additions.

Beyoncé and JAY-Z will tour Europe through July 17 before returning to the United States for the American leg of the On The Run II tour.

See the full set list below.

1. “Magna Carta Holy Grail” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 2. “Part II (On The Run)” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 3. “‘03 Bonnie & Clyde” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 4. “Drunk in Love” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 5. “Clique”/”Diva” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 6. “On To the Next One” – JAY-Z 7. “FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt” – JAY-Z 8. “Flawless (Remix)” – Beyoncé 9. “Top Off” – JAY-Z 10. “Naughty Girl” – Beyoncé 11. “Big Pimpin'” – JAY-Z 12. “Run This Town” – JAY-Z 13. “Baby Boy”/”You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)” – Beyoncé 14. “Bam” – JAY-Z 15. “Hold Up”/”Countdown” – Beyoncé 16. “Sorry/Me, Myself and I” – Beyoncé 17. “99 Problems” – JAY-Z 18. “Ring The Alarm/Don’t Hurt Yourself” – Beyoncé 19. “I Care” – Beyoncé 20. “No Church in the Wild” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 21. “Song Cry” – JAY-Z 22. “Resentment” – Beyoncé 23. “Family Feud” – JAY-Z 24. “Upgrade U” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 25. “N—-s in Paris” – JAY-Z 26. “Beach is Better” – JAY-Z 27. “Formation” – Beyoncé 28. “Run the World (Girls)” – Beyoncé 29. “Public Service Announcement” – JAY-Z 30. “The Story of O.J.” – JAY-Z 31. “Deja Vu” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 32. “Show Me What You Got” – JAY-Z 33. “Crazy In Love” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z 34. “Freedom” – Beyoncé 35. “U Don’t Know” – JAY-Z 36. “Perfect” (Ed Sheeran cover) – Beyoncé 37. “Young Forever” – Beyoncé & JAY-Z

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Beyoncé & Jay-Z On The Run 2 Tour: The Setlist, Stage Times, Support Acts & More

13 June 2018, 12:27 | Updated: 13 June 2018, 12:31

Here's everything you need to know about Beyonce & Jay Z's joint stadium tour.

Beyoncé and Jay Z have officially kicked off their On The Run II stadium tour, so we have our first sneak peak at the full setlist, merchandise, support acts and more.

The 'Single Ladies' songstress has teamed up with her rap mogul husband for another joint tour following the success of their On The Run debut tour in 2014 and Beyonce's Formation World Tour in 2016.

What Is Beyonce's Net Worth In 2018?

Bey and Jay Z have already taken to the stage in Cardiff and Glasgow's Hampden Park and they're heading to Manchester's Etihad Stadium on June 13th, followed by two dates at the London Stadium in Stratford's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on June 15th and 16th.

Here's everything you need to know.

"Down to ride till the very end." 👊 #Beyonce & #JayZ kicked off their #OTR2 tour last night in Cardiff! A post shared by Capital XTRA (@capitalxtra) on Jun 7, 2018 at 1:59am PDT

Where and when are the On The Run 2 UK tour dates?

Beyoncé and Jay Z will be performing four shows during the UK leg of their On The Run 2 tour:

- Wednesday 6th June - Cardiff (Principality Stadium)

- Saturday 9th June - Glasgow (Hampden Park)

- Wednesday 13th June - Manchester (Etihad Stadium)

- Friday 15th June - London (London Stadium)

- Saturday 16th June - London (London Stadium)

What are the running times for the On The Run 2 UK shows?

Although there are no official Manchester set times just yet, based on the key times for the Cardiff show they will probably be as follows:

- 5pm - Gates open

- 6pm - Road closes

- 7pm - Support act

- 7.30pm - Beyonce and Jay-Z on stage

- 10.30pm - Show finishes

- 11.30pm - Road opens

What is the setlist for the On The Run 2 UK tour dates?

Beyoncé and Jay Z have recorded countless guest over the years which remain firm fan favourites during both their solo and joint tours. Expect chart-topping collaborations like 'Crazy In Love', '03 Bonnie & Clyde', 'Drunk In Love', 'Deja Vu' and 'Upgrade U'.

DJ Khaled's 'Top Off' featuring Bey and Jay is also likely going to be thrown in the mix, as well as a number of solo efforts from both artists from 'Big Pimpin' to 'Run The World (Girls)'.

This full setlist is representative of the Cardiff show on Wednesday 6th June, so it may be subject to change and adapt from show to show but if you're going to the Manchester show you could potentially expect:

"Holy Grail"

"Part II (On the Run)"

"03' Bonnie & Clyde"

"Drunk in Love"

"Clique"

"Diva"

"On to the Next One"

"FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt"

"***Flawless"

"Feeling Myself"

"Top Off"

"Naughty Girl"

"Big Pippin'"

"Run This Town"

"Baby Boy"

"You Don't Love Me (No, No, No)

"Bam"

"Hold Up" / "Countdown"

"Sorry" / "Me, Myself & I"

"99 Problems"

"Ring the Alarm"

"Don't Hurt Yourself"

"I Care"

"4:44"

"No Church in the Wild"

"Song Cry" / "MaNyfaCedGod"

"Resentment"

"Family Feud"

"Upgrade U"

"N***** In Paris"

"Beach is Better"

"Formation"

"Run the World (Girls)"

"Public Service Announcement"

"The Story of O.J."

"Dèjá Vu"

"Show Me What You Got"

"Crazy in Love"

"Freedom"

"U Don't Know"

"Perfect Duet"

"Young Forever"

"Shining"

Who are the support acts for the On The Run 2 UK shows? Are there any special guests?

With frequent collaborator DJ Khaled and Parkwood Entertainment signees Chloe x Halle joining Beyoncé and Jay Z for the North American leg of the tour, it's likely that the duo will pull out all the stops for their UK stint as well.

Before the duo hit the stage in Cardiff on Wednesday 6th June, a local Welsh DJ named Tom Clugston - a.k.a. DJ Killer Tomato - warmed up the crowd before the headliners took over. In Glasgow, a Scottish DJ named Nasty P was on hand to deliver the tunes. While in Manchester, a local DJ called Stylus is set to warm up for The Carters at the Etihad Stadium.

DJ Killer Tomato has got everyone in the mood for the main act - Jay-Z and Beyoncé pic.twitter.com/RPiEvm09Gj — Principality Stadium (@principalitysta) June 6, 2018

Keep your eyes peeled on this page for updates on who will be supporting the Carters on their hotly anticipated tour.

What does the On The Run 2 merchandise look like and how much is it?

The official tour merchandise includes a classic tour T-shirt which comes in black or white. It features a list of names of all the cities on the tour schedule and costs £30.

The dark green long-sleeved tops with 'II' printed on the front will set you back £35, while a jumper in the same colour costs £60. A black hoodie with 'Higher' written on it in green writing comes in at £60.

A jacket with the famous 'OTRII' promotional tour image of Bey and Jay comes in at £70 alongside a beige baseball cap costing £30.

#OTRII Tour Merch. How do you guys like the items? pic.twitter.com/4iNFW7Svzj — BEYONCÉ LEGION (@BeyLegion) June 6, 2018

There are also more T-shirts featuring images of Beyoncé and Jay-Z handcuffed together, as well as image of the car used in the promotional photos. Both cost £30.

Picture-fronted T-shirts including the Lemonade cover, a Nefertiti-inspired profile shot and one with Beyoncé's coat-of-arms (made famous at Coachella) are all priced at £30.

Beyoncé also made sure that her Ivy Park range is being represented, with her black logo T-shirts and hoodies being sold at £30 and £60, respectively.

Are there any banned items that I can't take in?

A list of banned items at the Manchester Etihad stadium include:

- Smoke canisters Air-horns

- Laser devices

- Transmitting devices

- Golf Umbrellas

- Spray paint

- Illegal Substances

- Flash photography or other lighting devices

- Scooters, skateboards and other skates

- Dangerous or hazardous items

- Bottles, glass vessels, cans

- Poles (longer than one metre)

- Balls, Frisbees or similar items

- Unauthorised fliers

- Fireworks

- Smoke Bombs and any article that might be used as a weapon and/or compromise public safety.

Any person in possession of such items will be refused entry to the Stadium.

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Jay Z and Beyoncé kick off On the Run Tour with massive 42-song setlist

Photo via Twitter

This evening, Jay Z and  Beyoncé kicked off their record-setting North American stadium tour, aka “On the Run” , in Miami. The dynamic duo ran through a mammoth 42-song set, featuring songs from just about every era of their respective careers. Among particular highlights, Beyoncé filling in for Justin Timberlake on “Holy Grail”; Jay’s new remix of Beyoncé’s “Partition”, and a tribute to Michael Jackson during “Love On Top”. Jay also performed several tracks from Watch the Throne , including “Niggas in Paris”, “No Church in the Wild”, and “Lift Off”.

Below, check out a few fan-made clips along with the full setlist.

“Partition” Remix:

http://instagram.com/p/psQotqJrR0/

“Holy Grail”:

http://instagram.com/p/psPiH9G4Lu/

“Forever Young”:

Setlist: 03 Bonnie & Clyde Show Me What You Got Upgrade U Crazy In Love N*ggas In Paris Tom Ford Run The World (Girls) ***Flawless Yonce Jigga Dirt Off Ya Shoulders Big Pimpin Naughty Girl Ring The Alarm On To The Next One Clique / Diva Baby Boy Haunted No Church In The Wild Drunk In Love Public Service Announcement Why Don’t You Love Me? Holy Grail Fuckwithmeyouknowigotit Beach Is Better Partition 99 Problems If I Were A Boy Ex- Factor Song Cry You Don’t Know Resentment Love On Top Izzo (H.O.V.A) I Just Wanna Love You Single Ladies Hard Knock Life Pretty Hurts Part II (On The Run) Forever Young Halo Lift Off (Outro)

The On the Run tour continues later this week in Cleveland. The full docket is below:

Jay Z and Beyoncé 2014 On the Run Tour: 06/28 – Cincinnati, OH @ Great American Ballpark 07/01 – Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium 07/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ Citizen’s Bank Park 07/07 – Baltimore, MD @ M&T Bank Stadium 07/09 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Centre 07/11 – E. Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium 07/12 – E. Rutherford, NJ @ MetLife Stadium 07/15 – Atlanta, GA @ Georgia Dome 07/18 – Houston, TX @ Minute Maid Park 07/20 – New Orleans, LA @ Mercedes-Benz Superdome 07/22 – Dallas, TX @ AT&T Stadium 07/24 – Chicago, IL @ Soldier Field 07/27 – Winnipeg, MB @ Investor Group Field 07/30 – Seattle, WA @ Safeco Field 08/02 – Los Angeles, CA @ Rose Bowl 08/03 – Los Angeles, CA @ Rose Bowl 08/05 – San Francisco, CA @ AT&T Park 08/06 – San Francisco, CA @ AT&T Park 09/12 – Paris, FR @ Stade de France 09/13 – Paris, FR @ Stade de France

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It's Official: Beyoncé, Jay-Z Announce On The Run II Tour

The GRAMMY winners will spend the summer on tour in Europe and the United States

After much speculation — and a Ticketmaster leak — it's finally official. Beyoncé and Jay-Z are heading back on tour.

The power couple are teaming for On The Run II, which will take them across arenas and stadiums in Europe and the United States this summer.

<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgOcD3cFlDs/" data-instgrm-version="8" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:8px;"> <div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:50.0% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;"> <div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;"></div></div><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BgOcD3cFlDs/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Beyoncé (@beyonce)</a> on <time style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;" datetime="2018-03-12T13:55:58+00:00">Mar 12, 2018 at 6:55am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote> <script async defer src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>

On The Run II will kick off in Europe in Cardiff, Wales, on June 6, with the 15-date leg extending until July 17 in Nice, France. 

The 21-concert U.S. leg will commence June 25 in Cleveland. Hova and Bey will then hit up Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, New Orleans, and Los Angeles. The tour is scheduled to wrap with a Canadian date on Oct. 2 in Vancouver. 

Tickets go on pre-sale March 14 via the  Beyhive  and Tidal, and will then be available March 19 through  LiveNation .  Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? "Talk To GRAMMYs"

Photo: Emmanuel Oyeleke

Afropop Legend Yemi Alade On New Album, 'Rebel Queen,' Historic Hits, & Working With Beyoncé

Ahead of the release of her latest album, 'Rebel Queen,' Yemi Alade discussed her career over the last decade and what it meant to work with Beyoncé. "That lady has really touched my life in a way that I will never forget"

Before Afrobeats icons Burna Boy , WizKid , and Tyla became globally recognized household names, Yemi Alade was the continent’s biggest pop star. On July 26, she will release her sixth studio album, Rebel Queen, which expands her repertoire with a world of adventurous pop sounds.  

The Nigerian singer/songwriter burst onto the African pop music scene in 2014 with " Johnny ," a now-classic tune that gained acclaim by its iconic video featuring a TV news reporter tracking the titular womanizer. The video made her the first Nigerian female artist to hit 100 million views on YouTube.   

Since then, Alade has had an illustrious career, collaborating with artists including Rick Ross , earning another 100 million-view video for " Oh My Gosh ," and featuring alongside fellow Africans Mr. Eazi and Tekno on the Beyoncé -curated soundtrack for The Lion King .

Her latest album, Rebel Queen , includes high-profile collaborations with Angélique Kidjo , Ziggy Marley , and dancehall star Konshens . The album promises a genre-jumping journey across the globe, incorporating amapiano ("Soweto to Ibiza"), highlife ("Chairman"), and even reggae ("Peace and Love") and dancehall ("Bop’).

Ahead of Rebel Queen ’s release, GRAMMY.com caught up with Alade about her progression as an artist, what it was like to work with Beyoncé and her team, and bridging international success.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Your new album, ' Rebel Queen ', contains influences from all over Africa and beyond. Was that intentional?

Yes, you're correct that I wanted to make sure that the album had sounds that I actually genuinely love, from the amapiano influence to dancehall. And also , I personally wanted to go back to the foundation of Afrobeats , which are sounds and genres that I listened to growing up as a kid. When my parents took me to family parties, there were certain melodies and guitar strums that I fell in love with. And I wanted to revisit those nostalgic moments and put it all in this album.

There are a lot of high-profile collaborations on this record, such as Anjélique Kidjo and Ziggy Marley. How did you decide who to work with on ' Rebel Queen '?

Honestly my life is a roller coaster, same for every touring artist. We try to gather as much as we can while being in motion. Anjélique Kidjo is like my music mum, I love her. And when I made the record, "African Woman," who else would I feature on such a song if not Anjélique ? And as for Ziggy, he and I have a song that we did previously (" Look Who’s Dancing Now "), which was his song, and he featured me. And I wanted a tit-for-tat moment. So I sent the song to him. I felt like, who else but him? Every feature was necessary to complete the melody for each song, they are such a huge part of each one, not just in the fresh vibe that they bring.  

Learn more: Watch Yemi Alade's Enchanting Performance Of "Tomorrow" | Global Spin

It’s been ten years since you broke out with the massive hit " Johnny ." Back then, African pop music was relatively unknown in America. Since then, African artists have gained global recognition. Do you see yourself as a pioneer for the current Afropop movement?

I agree with you 100 percent, there is no way you authentically go through the history of, you know, building a bridge between Africa and the rest of the world via music without mentioning a song like "Johnny." It's definitely an honor for me to be the vessel that delivers such amazing music to the world. Of course, there were people way before me who also did the same thing. We're talking about Fela [Kuti]. We're talking about King Sunny Ade . At the end of the day, yes, music is metamorphosing into so much more. And definitely, I'm a pioneer [laughs].

You have a strong sense of storytelling, especially in your music videos. "Johnny" has an entire storyline about a news reporter investigating a womanizer. How important is that kind of storytelling to your music?

Storytelling is a big part of my artistry, because I feel everybody loves a good story. I find that even when I'm writing most times in the studio, there's always a picture I'm trying to paint, and it only makes sense for the visuals to kind of match that most of the time. Except sometimes we decide to make it a performance video because I just feel like dancing.

What’s the most memorable video you’ve ever done ?

Every one of my videos has taken a lot of pain, sweat, and even some tears. But I think "Johnny" is such a masterpiece, because it resonated with the entire world, and Africa especially. And it pretty much helped me to stay on my way through the industry, because it became my identity. That song and that video was the platform for the brand and everything that I am today. you know, so that is definitely the most memorable, in a good way.

You've traveled to and performed in America several times in your career. What's your overall impression?

I think I've done four or five American tours. And yo , America is so big [laughs]. My first American tour had me in shambles, because of the flights. I didn't realize that to go from one city to another, I might have to connect once or twice depending on how far I'm going. So the flights had me in shambles, but the energy of the people? Oh my days, lit! America is definitely one of my favorite places. I’m always reminding my agents to make sure that they include American cities on my tours, which is why even for the album listening parties for Rebel Queen , we did the first one in Paris, then London, and then we had to come to New York as well. And then just yesterday, we had one in Lagos as well.   

Since you first became popular, a lot of Afrobeats artists have gained a following abroad like Burna Boy and WizKid . It seems as though , at least looking at the artists that break outside of Africa, that the genre is still very male-dominated. Do you agree with that? And do you think there’s potential for more female artists to break out internationally?

Honestly, when I started out, the odds were really way more against women than they are right now, in that, there were female artists sprouting maybe once every two years, or once every year, and barely hanging around long enough. But now, the story is different. And I give kudos to all the women before me and all the women with me. Yes, in a male dominated society, it seems as though my male counterparts get their roses and their flowers for a second. And you know, once in a while someone comes back and remembers, "Oh, there's Yemi Alade." Do you know what I mean?  

I was speaking to someone earlier today and I was saying, I think what surprises me the most is that, I feel like there are no expectations of female artists. So like, if we do or we don't, people are just moving on. But I'm not the one to play victim, never. Despite the odds, you see that the females continue to be resilient, because we know. I know deep within that my existence is definitely of value to so many people out there.

What do you think of the upcoming generation of talent like Tems and Ayra Starr and Tyla, who recently won the first GRAMMY Award for Best African Music Performance for "Water?"

Exceptional, exceptional artists. As you just mentioned, they're doing amazingly well. And, you know, these women are unique in their own ways. And I want to just say that I believe it's just the starting point for them. There's so much to come. And there's so many other females that are still en route to greatness.

How have you seen the music industry in Africa evolve? And what sorts of challenges do you think African musicians face today?

I personally feel like, with all the momentum that Afrobeats has got, we need authentic platforms that can actually check the streaming numbers that are coming in for music, especially within Africa. Because at the moment it’s mostly Apple, Spotify, etc. But there are other platforms here in Africa that most Africans use, and they have more of a database compared to Apple and Spotify. We've come to a point where we need to have more credible numbers, because there's millions of people streaming music in Africa that are not on those platforms.

So you think that these local platforms need to be counted alongside Apple and Spotify?

100 percent. In Nigeria there’s two: Audiomack and Boomplay . Boomplay is a big deal.

You’re going on a decade in the industry. In all that time, what's one moment or one achievement that gives you the greatest sense of accomplishment? What are you most proud of in your career?

That’s a big question…I think I have an idea, because there've been so many moments in my life and in my career that have aligned with my dreams coming true. Number one is each time that I'm approached by a complete stranger and the stranger tells me "Oh my God, Yemi. You don't know what your music has done for me. Your music has gotten me through so much grief." Some people walk up to me and tell me that they just had the biggest struggle in their life and they listen to my music, and it always sends them into a realm of joy and happiness. Honestly, I feel accomplished in those moments, because when I record my music, I always say, the thing I'm trying to spread through my music the most is love, joy and happiness. So to have people testify to that, it means to me that the magic is complete, that my job is actually effective. So that makes me feel very accomplished.  

On a personal note, an accomplishment that I am most grateful to is the fact that I'm always able to comfortably take care of my family. It's something that I would never play down. You know, I'm just grateful to God for that.  

And lastly, aside from winning a GRAMMY through Angelique Kidjo — you know, I've met a lot of amazing people, and Beyoncé is one of them. So at the end of the day, it's a full circle moment for me. I'm just enjoying the ride.

You know, it’s funny you mentioned Beyoncé, I was just about to ask you what it was like to work with her.  

Oh my days — wow, working with her, it was such an experience for myself and my team. It was like, we're literally awake, walking in the dreams that we have dreamt for so long.The process of her team contacting us was a bit weird, because my management didn't realize that Parkwood [Entertainment] was a real company, that they were emailing them and talking about Beyoncé. They assumed that it was some kind of scam artist. But when they had sent it to me, I was like "What? Parkwood? Who doesn’t know Parkwood is Beyoncé?"  

So it turned out that it was for real, and we went to L.A. where the studio was, and I lost my voice for 24 hours — I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t sing. I just soaked up all the vitamin C's and hot teas and Throat Coats I could get. I managed to regain a little bit of my voice back and that's what I was able to record that day. That was a miracle for me. But one of the most memorable moments was actually meeting her in person. After the album, Lion King , came out, the movie was being premiered in London, and I happened to be in London at that time. We had met her in person, we met Jay Z . It was such a full circle moment. Honestly, that lady has really touched my life in a way that I will never forget. Because she could have lived her life without doing what she did, but she decided to reach out to people she felt were pillars of African music and pay homage to Africa. And I'm happy to have been part of that moment.

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Behind Ryan Tedder's Hits: Stories From The Studio With OneRepublic, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift & More

As OneRepublic releases their latest album, the group's frontman and pop maverick gives an inside look into some of the biggest songs he's written — from how Beyoncé operates to Tom Cruise's prediction for their 'Top Gun' smash.

Three months after OneRepublic began promoting their sixth album, Artificial Paradise , in February 2022, the band unexpectedly had their biggest release in nearly a decade. The pop-rock band's carefree jam, "I Ain't Worried," soundtracked Top Gun: Maverick 's most memeable scene and quickly became a global smash — ultimately delaying album plans in favor of promoting their latest hit.

Two years later, "I Ain't Worried" is one of 16 tracks on Artificial Paradise , which arrived July 12. It's a seamless blend of songs that will resonate with longtime and newer fans alike. From the layered production of "Hurt," to the feel-good vibes of "Serotonin," to the evocative lyrics of "Last Holiday," Artificial Paradise shows that OneRepublic's sound is as dialed-in as it is ever-evolving.

The album also marks the end of an era for OneRepublic, as it's the last in their contract with Interscope Records. But for the group's singer, Ryan Tedder , that means the future is even more exciting than it's been in their entire 15-year career.

"I've never been more motivated to write the best material of my life than this very moment," he asserts. "I'm taking it as a challenge. We've had a lot of fun, and a lot of uplifting records for the last seven or eight years, but I also want to tap back into some deeper material with the band."

As he's been prepping Artificial Paradise with his OneRepublic cohorts, Tedder has also been as busy as he's ever been working with other artists. His career as a songwriter/producer took off almost simultaneously with OneRepublic's 2007 breakthrough, "Apologize" (his first major behind-the-board hit was Leona Lewis ' "Bleeding Love"); to this day he's one of the go-to guys for pop's biggest names, from BLACKPINK to Tate McRae .

Tedder sat down with GRAMMY.com to share some of his most prominent memories of OneRepublic's biggest songs, as well as some of the hits he's written with Beyoncé , Adele , Taylor Swift and more.

OneRepublic — "Apologize," 'Dreaming Out Loud' (2007)

I was producing and writing other songs for different artists on Epic and Atlantic — I was just cutting my teeth as a songwriter in L.A. This is like 2004. I was at my lowest mentally and financially. I was completely broke. Creditors chasing me, literally dodging the taxman and getting my car repoed, everything.

I had that song in my back pocket for four years. A buddy of mine just reminded me last month, a songwriter from Nashville — Ashley Gorley , actually. We had a session last month, me, him and Amy Allen , and he brought it up. He was like, "Is it true, the story about 'Apologize'? You were completely broke living in L.A. and Epic Records offered you like 100 grand or something just for the right to record the song on one of their artists?"

And that is true. It was, like, 20 [grand], then 50, then 100. And I was salivating. I was, like, I need this money so bad . And I give so many songs to other people, but with that song, I drew a line in the sand and said, "No one will sing this song but me. I will die with this song." 

It was my story, and I just didn't want anyone else to sing it. It was really that simple. It was a song about my past relationships, it was deeply personal. And it was also the song that — I spent two years trying to figure out what my sound was gonna be. I was a solo artist… and I wasn't landing on anything compelling. Then I landed on "Apologize" and a couple of other songs, and I was like, These songs make me think of a band, not solo artist material. So it was the song that led me to the sound of OneRepublic, and it also led me to the idea that I should start a band and not be a solo artist.

We do it every night. I'll never not do it. I've never gotten sick of it once. Every night that we do it, whether I'm in Houston or Hong Kong, I look out at the crowd and look at the band, and I'm like, Wow. This is the song that got us here.

Beyoncé — "Halo," 'I Am…Sacha Fierce' (2008)

We were halfway through promoting Dreaming Out Loud , our first album. I played basketball every day on tour, and I snapped my Achilles. The tour got canceled. The doctor told me not to even write. And I had this one sliver of an afternoon where my wife had to run an errand. And because I'm sadistic and crazy, I texted [songwriter] Evan Bogart, "I got a three-hour window, race over here. Beyoncé called me and asked me to write her a song. I want to do it with you." He had just come off his huge Rihanna No. 1, and we had an Ashley Tisdale single together.

When you write enough songs, not every day do the clouds part and God looks down on you and goes, "Here." But that's what happened on that day. I turn on the keyboard, the first sound that I play is the opening sound of the song. Sounds like angels singing. And we wrote the song pretty quick, as I recall. 

I didn't get a response [from Beyoncé after sending "Halo" over], which I've now learned is very, very typical of her. I did Miley Cyrus and Beyoncé "II MOST WANTED" [from COWBOY CARTER ] — I didn't know that was coming out 'til five days before it came out. And when I did "XO" [from 2013's Beyoncé ], I found out that "XO" was coming out 12 hours before it came out. That's how she operates.

OneRepublic — "Good Life," 'Waking Up' (2009)

["Good Life"] was kind of a Hail Mary. We already knew that "All the Right Moves" would be the first single [from Waking Up ]. We knew that "Secrets" was the second single. And in the 11th hour, our engineer at the time — who I ended up signing as a songwriter, Noel Zancanella — had this drum loop that he had made, and he played it for Brent [Kutzle] in our band. Brent said, "You gotta hear this drum loop that Noel made. It's incredible."

He played it for me the next morning, and I was like, "Yo throw some chords to this. I'm writing to this today." They threw some chords down, and the first thing out of my mouth was, [ sings ] "Oh, this has gotta be the good life." 

It's the perfect example of, oftentimes, the chord I've tried to strike with this band with some of our bigger records, [which] is happy sad. Where you feel nostalgic and kind of melancholic, but at the same time, euphoric. That's what those chords and that melody did for me.

I was like, "Hey guys, would it be weird if I made the hook a whistle?" And everyone was like, "No! Do not whistle!" They're like, "Name the last hit song that had a whistle." And the only one I could think of was, like, Scorpion from like, 1988. [ Laughs .] So I thought, To hell with it, man, it's been long enough, who cares? Let's try it. And the whistle kind of made the record. It became such a signature thing.

Adele — "Rumour Has It," '21' (2011)

"Rumour Has It" was the first song I did in probably a four year period, with any artist, that wasn't a ballad. All any artist ever wanted me to write with them or for them, was ballads, because of "Halo," and "Apologize" and "Bleeding Love."

I begged [Adele] to do a [song with] tempo, because we did "Turning Tables," another ballad. She was in a feisty mood [that day], so I was like, "Okay, we're doing a tempo today!"

Rick Rubin was originally producing the whole album. I was determined to produce Adele, not just write — because I wanted a shot to show her that I could, and to show myself. I stayed later after she left, and I remember thinking, What can I do in this record in this song that could be so difficult to reproduce that it might land me the gig?

So I intentionally muted the click track, changed the tempo, and [created that] whole piano bridge. I was making it up as I went. When she got in that morning. I said, "I have a crazy idea for a bridge. It's a movie." She listens and she says, "This is really different, I like this! How do we write to this?" 

I mean, it was very difficult. [But] we finished the song. She recorded the entire song that day. She recorded the whole song in one take. I've never seen anyone do that in my life — before or since.

Then I didn't hear from her for six months. Because I handed over the files, and Rick Rubin's doing it, so I don't need to check on it. I randomly check on the status of the song — and at this point, if you're a songwriter or producer, you're assuming that they're not keeping the songs. Her manager emails my manager, "Hey, good news — she's keeping both songs they did, and she wants Ryan to finish 'Rumour Has It' production and mix it." 

When I finally asked her, months later — probably at the GRAMMYs — I said, "Why didn't [Rick] do it?" She said, "Oh he did. It's that damn bridge! Nobody could figure out what the hell you were doing…It was so problematic that we just gave up on it."

OneRepublic — "Counting Stars," 'Native' (2013)

I was in a Beyoncé camp in the Hamptons writing for the self-titled album. [There were] a bunch of people in the house — me, Greg Kurstin , Sia — it was a fun group of people. I had four days there, and every morning I'd get up an hour and a half before I had to leave, make a coffee, and start prepping for the day. On the third day, I got up, I'm in the basement of this house at like 7 in the morning, and I'm coming up with ideas. I stumble across that chord progression, the guitar and the melody. It was instant shivers up my spine.  

"Lately I've been losing sleep, dreaming about the things that we could be" is the only line that I had. [My] first thought was, I should play this for Beyoncé , and then I'm listening to it and going, This is not Beyoncé, not even remotely. It'd be a waste. So I tabled it, and I texted the guys in my band, "Hey, I think I have a potentially really big record. I'm going to finish it when I get back to Denver."

I got back the next week, started recording it, did four or five versions of the chorus, bouncing all the versions off my wife, and then eventually landed it. And when I played it for the band, they were like, "This is our favorite song."

Taylor Swift — "Welcome to New York," '1989' (2014)

It was my second session with Taylor. The first one was [ 1989 's] "I Know Places," and she sent me a voice memo. I was looking for a house in Venice [California], because we were spending so much time in L.A. So that whole memory is attached to me migrating back to Los Angeles.  

But I knew what she was talking about, because I lived in New York, and I remember the feeling — endless possibilities, all the different people and races and sexes and loves. That was her New York chapter. She was so excited to be there. If you never lived there, and especially if you get there and you've got a little money in the pocket, it is so exhilarating.

It was me just kind of witnessing her brilliant, fast-paced, lyrical wizardry. [Co-producer] Max [Martin] and I had a conversation nine months later at the GRAMMYs, when we had literally just won for 1989 . He kind of laughed, he pointed to all the other producers on the album, and he's like, "If she had, like, three more hours in the day, she would just figure out what we do and she would do it. And she wouldn't need any of us." 

And I still think that's true. Some people are just forces of nature in and among themselves, and she's one of them. She just blew me away. She's the most talented top liner I've ever been in a room with, bar none. If you're talking lyric and melody, I've never been in a room with anyone faster, more adept, knows more what they want to say, focused, efficient, and just talented.

Jonas Brothers — "Sucker," 'Happiness Begins' (2019)

I had gone through a pretty dry spell mentally, emotionally. I had just burned it at both ends and tapped out, call it end of 2016. So, really, all of 2017 for me was a blur and a wash. I did a bunch of sessions in the first three months of the year, and then I just couldn't get a song out. I kept having, song after song, artists telling me it's the first single, [then] the song was not even on the album. I had never experienced that in my career.

I went six to nine months without finishing a song, which for me is unheard of. Andrew Watt kind of roped me back into working with him. We did "Easier" for 5 Seconds of Summer , and we did some Sam Smith and some Miley Cyrus, and right in that same window, I did this song "Sucker." Two [or] three months later, Wendy Goldstein from Republic [Records] heard the record, I had sent it to her. She'd said, very quietly, "We're relaunching the Jonas Brothers . They want you to be involved in a major way. Do you have anything?" 

She calls me, she goes, "Ryan, do not play this for anybody else. This is their comeback single. It's a No. 1 record. Watch what we're gonna do." And she delivered.

OneRepublic — "I Ain't Worried," 'Top Gun: Maverick' Soundtrack (2022)

My memory is, being in lockdown in COVID, and just being like, Who knows when this is going to end , working out of my Airstream at my house. I had done a lot of songs for movies over the years, and [for] that particular [song] Randy Spendlove, who runs [music at] Paramount, called me.

I end up Zooming with Tom Cruise [and Top Gun: Maverick director] Jerry Bruckheimer — everybody's in lockdown during post-production. The overarching memory was, Holy cow, I'm doing the scene, I'm doing the song for Top Gun . I can't believe this is happening. But the only way I knew how to approach it, rather than to, like, overreact and s— the bed, was, It's just another day.

I do prescription songs for movies, TV, film all the time. I love a brief. It's so antithetical to most writers. I'm either uncontrollably lazy or the most productive person you've ever met. And the dividing line between the two is, if I'm chasing some directive, some motivation, some endpoint, then I can be wildly productive.

I just thought, I'm going to do the absolute best thing I can do for this scene and serve the film. OneRepublic being the performing artist was not on the menu in my mind. I just told them, "I think you need a cool indie band sounding, like, breakbeat." I used adjectives to describe what I heard when I saw the scene, and Tom got really ramped and excited. 

You could argue [it's the biggest song] since the band started. The thing about it is, it's kind of become one of those every summer [hits]. And when it blew up, that's what Tom said. He said, "Mark my words, dude. You're gonna have a hit with this every summer for, like, the next 20 years or more." 

And that's what happened. The moment Memorial Day happened, "I Ain't Worried" got defrosted and marched itself back into the top 100.

Tate McRae — "Greedy," 'THINK LATER' (2023)

We had "10:35" [with Tiësto ] the previous year that had been, like, a No. 1 in the UK and across Europe and Australia. So we were coming off the back of that, and the one thing she was clear about was, "That is not the direction of what I want to do."

If my memory serves me correct, "greedy" was the next to last session we had. Everything we had done up to that point was kind of dark, midtempo, emotional. So "greedy" was the weirdo outlier. I kept pushing her to do a dance record. I was like, "Tate, there's a lot of people that have great voices, and there's a lot of people who can write, but none of those people are professional dancers like you are. Your secret weapon is the thing you're not using. In this game and this career, you've got to use every asset that you have and exploit it."

There was a lot of cajoling. On that day, we did it, and I thought it was badass, and loved it. And she was like, "Ugh, what do we just do? What is this?"

So then it was just, like, months, months and months of me constantly bringing that song back up, and playing it for her, and annoying the s— out of her. And she came around on it. 

She has very specific taste. So much of the music with Tate, it really is her steering. I'll do what I think is like a finished version of a song, and then she will push everyone for weeks, if not months, to extract every ounce of everything out of them, to push the song harder, further, edgier — 19 versions of a song, until finally she goes, "Okay, this is the one." She's a perfectionist.

OneRepublic — "Last Holiday," 'Artificial Paradise' (2024)

I love [our latest single] "Hurt," but my favorite song on the album is called "Last Holiday." I probably started the beginning of that lyric, I'm not joking, seven, eight years ago. But I didn't finish it 'til this past year.

The verses are little maxims and words of advice that I've been given throughout the years. It's almost cynical in a way, the song. When I wrote the chorus, I was definitely in kind of a down place. So the opening line is, "So I don't believe in the stars anymore/ They never gave me what I wished for." And it's, obviously, a very not-so-slight reference to "Counting Stars." But it's also hopeful — "We've got some problems, okay, but this isn't our last holiday." 

It's very simple sentiments. Press pause. Take some moments. Find God before it all ends. All these things with this big, soaring chorus. Musically and emotionally and sonically, that song — and "Hurt," for sure — but "Last Holiday" is extremely us-sounding. 

The biggest enemy that we've had over the course of 18 years, I'll be the first to volunteer, is, this ever-evolving, undulating sound. No one's gonna accuse me of making these super complex concept albums, because that's just not how my brain's wired. I grew up listening to the radio. I didn't grow up hanging out in the Bowery in CBGBs listening to Nick Cave . So for us, the downside to that, and for me doing all these songs for all these other people, is the constant push and pull of "What is their sound? What genre is it?" 

I couldn't put a pin in exactly what the sound is, but what I would say is, if you look at the last 18 years, a song like "Last Holiday" really encompasses, sonically, what this band is about. It's very moving, and emotional, and dynamic. It takes me to a place — that's the best way for me to put it. And hopefully the listener finds the same.

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5 Reasons Why 'The Writing's On The Wall' Is Destiny's Child's Defining Album

From its embrace of experimental R&B production and memorable music videos, to its GRAMMY-winning empowering songs, 'The Writing’s On the Wall' remains a touchstone for fans of Destiny's Child.

In 1997, all-female R&B groups were thriving: TLC already had seven Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, En Vogue had numerous platinum singles, and Xscape reached No. 1 more than once. Soon, a quartet of teenagers would burst upon the scene and leave an indelible impact.

While Destiny’s Child are now canonical in the world of '90s and early aughts R&B, the group initially experienced spotty success. Their 1997 debut single, "No, No, No (Part 2)" peaked at No. 3 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was certified platinum. Yet their eponymous album, released in February 1998, only hit No. 67. Their follow up single, "With Me," also failed to set the charts ablaze. 

Destiny’s Child's underwhelming chart performances could’ve easily derailed the budding group. Fortunately, the four ambitious girls from Texas had other plans. 

Beyoncé Knowles , Kelly Rowland , LaTavia Roberson , and Le Toya Luckett were determined not to become one hit wonders, and quickly went back into the studio to record their sophomore album. Released on July 14, 1999, The Writing’s On the Wall became Destiny’s Child’s highest selling album and spawned some of their most iconic songs — one of which led to the group's first GRAMMY win. Not only did the album establish Destiny's Child as a household name, but it fine tuned the R&B girl group concept to perfection.

"We had no idea that The Writing's on the Wall would be as big a record as it was. Especially worldwide," Beyoncé said in a 2006 Guardian interview .

In celebration of the iconic album's 25th anniversary, read on for five reasons why The Writing’s On the Wall is the defining album of Destiny’s Child’s career.

Its Members Took Creative Control

On their debut album, Destiny’s Child tapped into the neo soul trend popularized by the likes of D’Angelo , Erykah Badu , and Maxwell — artists in their early-to-mid twenties with a maturity the teen quartet didn’t yet have. The references and creative direction clashed with the reality of the group members being so young.

"It was a neo-soul record and we were 15 years old. It was way too mature for us," Beyoncé tol the Guardian .

Heading back into the studio, the girls made sure to eradicate any misalignments and put more of themselves into their sophomore album. In an interview with MTV , the members said The Writing’s On the Wall had a fresher, more youthful vibe because "it comes from us." The quartet's fingerprints are all over the 16 track album: Each member co-wrote at least 50 percent of the album. 

"Even at the time, Beyoncé would produce a lot of their background vocals, and she was a leader even at a young age," Xscape's Kandi Burruss said in a Vice interview , reflecting on her work as a songwriter and producer on The Writing's On the Wall . This heightened presence enabled the group to develop lyrics that boldly reflected their opinions and youthful energy. In turn, The Writing's On the Wall netted a run of iconic hit singles.

Read more: Destiny's Child's Debut Album At 25: How A Neo-Soul Album From Teens Spawned R&B Legends

It Pushed R&B Forward 

Like its predecessor, The Writing’s On the Wall is very much an R&B album. However, Beyoncé's father Mathew Knowles — who still managed the group at the time — brought in producers who weren’t afraid to experiment. The result was a more commercial album that fused classic R&B with pop influences, creating a sound that was simultaneously contemporary and timeless.

Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs and Burrus (who would go on to co-write and produce TLC’s "No Scrubs") contributed to five of the album's tracks, shaping its overall sound and differentiating it from Destiny’s Child . The duo kept a few elements from the group’s debut effort, including the sing-rapping heard on "Bug A Boo" and "Hey Ladies." With syncopated beats, thumping basslines, and their knack for writing catchy hooks, Briggs and Burrus created R&B records with the perfect blend of chart-friendly accessibility.

On the Missy Elliott produced "Confessions," synthesizers, drum machines, and electronic garbling were layered to create a lush, futuristic backdrop. Further subverting the classic R&B ballad, Elliott paired what sounds like a cabasa to match Beyonce’s cadence throughout the verses which gives her laidback vocals an almost robotic feel. In addition to producing, Elliott’s velvety vocals also appear quite prominently on the chorus, adding to the track’s sonic tapestry.

GRAMMY-winner Rodney Jerkins was tapped to produce "Say My Name." The original beat Jerkins used was two-step garage, a subgenre of UK garage. No one else liked the sound, so he completely revamped the track into the GRAMMY-winning anthem we know today. Jerkins melded funk-inspired guitar and a call and response approach, then modernized them with a shimmery, polished production. This helped "Say My Name" become the group’s most listened to song on Spotify with over 840 million streams. Jerkins has even gone on record to say this is his favorite song he’s produced to date.

Read more: "Say My Name" 20 Years Later: Why The Destiny's Child Staple Is Still On Everyone's Lips

Its Music Videos Praised Black Culture

"For me, it is about amplifying the beauty in all of us," Beyoncé said in a 2019 interview with Elle when asked about the importance of representation. Even before her solo work, the importance of spotlighting Black culture was evident in Destiny's Child's music videos.

In "Bills, Bills, Bills," we see the group play the role of hair stylists in a salon which is an obvious nod to Beyoncé's mother’s longstanding relationship with all things hair . Near the end of "Bug a Boo," the members change into their version of majorette costumes and dance in front of a marching band. Majorettes and marching bands have a vibrant legacy within HBCUs; almost 20 years after this video premiered, Beyoncé revisited this very concept for her 2018 Coachella performance. 

It Delivered Mainstream Success 

The Writing’s On the Wall was a hit across the charts. The group earned their first No. 1 singles on Billboard’s Hot 100 with "Bills, Bills, Bills" and "Say My Name." Promotions for the latter also reinvigorated album sales and helped shift another 157,000 copies (an impressive 15 percent increase from their first-week sales). The fourth and final single, "Jumpin’, Jumpin’" was released during the summer of 2000 and became one of the most played songs on the radio that year.

Songs from the album were nominated at both the 42nd and 43rd GRAMMY Awards. Destiny’s Child took home their first golden gramophone at the 2001 GRAMMYs, winning Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Say My Name." The single also won Best R&B Song and  was nominated for Record Of The Year. 

With 14 nominations, Destiny’s Child remain the most nominated girl group in GRAMMY history. With worldwide sales of 13 million, The Writing’s On the Wall is also the fourth best-selling girl group album of all time.

It Expanded The Concept Of "Girl Power"

The Writing’s On the Wall was much more than catchy, radio-friendly tunes. Lyrically and in production, the album reintroduced Destiny’s Child as the architects for their own lives. The tongue-in-cheek Godfather -inspired intro tees up each song with a commandment for their partners and, at times, for themselves.

Often misconstrued as a gold digger anthem,"Bills, Bills, Bills" empowers a woman to confront a lover who's financially taking advantage of her. This is a far cry from the theme of a young woman focused on finding love — a common theme on Destiny's Child —  and puts their confidence on full display. "So Good" is a sassy, uplifting anthem which explicitly addresses haters with pointed lyrics like "For all the people ‘round us that have been negative/Look at us now/See how we live." Destiny's Child was sending a clear message: they’re going to be fine regardless of what others say. 

And when the group became tabloid fodder due to unexpected lineup changes , "So Good" took on a new meaning for persevering through hard times. While there are some songs with morally questionable lyrics — we’re looking at you ‘"Confessions" — the consistent message of embracing one’s self-worth and independence is clear. 

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Crashing Into The Present: How Kehlani Learned To Trust Their Instincts And Exist Loudly

"I want this next batch of music to feel like the most fiery parts of me," Kehlani says of her new album, 'Crash.' The singer/songwriter speaks with GRAMMY.com about embracing the moment and making an album she can headbang to.

After finishing the first mixes of their new album, Kehlani knew exactly what she needed to do: head to Las Vegas.  

The L.A.-based, Oakland-born singer/songwriter had always identified with Sin City: "I’m full of juxtapositions," she tells GRAMMY.com. "Vegas is this crazy bright light city in the middle of a vacant desert that has weddings and also strippers." Fittingly, Kehlani harbored a very Vegas-like image in their head while creating Crash , a record built on blaring neon, glowing smoke, and the highest highs.

Crash drops June 21, and is Kehlani's fourth solo album. She burst onto the scene in 2009 as a member of teen sextet PopLyfe, but their 2014 debut solo mixtape Cloud 19 announced a far more complex character. Their debut full-length, SweetSexySavage , was released three years later to critical acclaim, with two more albums and a handful of platinum-certified singles following. As if that weren’t enough, Kehlani added acting, appearing in "The L Word: Generation Q" and a cameo in Creed III .  

And while Crash embodies the evolution and growth through all those experiences, the record builds a hyper-real language all their own. Beyond any sense of R&B or pop, soul or hip-hop, Crash finds Kehlani chasing passions that refuse to fit in any box, shifting multiple times within a track — refusing to focus on anything but the moment.  

"A crash isn't anything from the past. It isn't the anxiety of what's about to happen," she says. "It's the height of the moment. It's right now."

Nearing the release of Crash , Kehlani spoke with GRAMMY.com about finding inspiration from international music, getting their five-year-old to sing on the album, and their need to stage dive.

What’s it like living in Los Angeles after growing up in the Bay Area?

I moved to L.A. when I was about 17. I had already left the house. I left the house at 14, and by the time I was almost 18 it was the appropriate time for me to situate in a new place. L.A. and the Bay are like cousins. Do we have differences? Absolutely, things that are fundamental to us, but when you leave California, you can really see that we're just like a big family.

Had you been dreaming of L.A. as a place where you could pursue art? Were you already set on that goal?

It was the closest place that a young, very broke person could go and work in music. I'm sure there were other places with musical homes, musical cities, but if all I had to do was get on a $15 bus and go find someone to stay with in L.A., I was gonna do it for sure.

That’s the same ambition that I feel drives this new record, which is just so dense and full of surprises. That includes the lovely retro radio intro to "GrooveTheory," where you move from this ‘60s pop feel to the present. That’s such a smart way to foreground your evolution.

I think the second that we made that song and then turned it into ["GrooveTheory"], I was like, This feels like it encompasses where I'm headed, this whole new sound .  

Once that radio dials in and it comes in with R&B elements, it's producing where I'm headed, but also remembering that my core hasn't changed. Especially the energy of what I'm saying in the song, like, "I'm kind of crazy," it's introducing this energy difference on this album. I feel like that's the biggest change, and that's what's so prevalent in this whole rollout. Energetically, I'm on a whole different type of time.

You can sense it. 'Crash' feels really rooted in self-expression and personal growth, and when you listen to it as a whole, it really does seem like an evolution story. Beyond just the genre and style, how do you feel the way that you've expressed your true self has shifted over the years?

Thank you! That's been the feedback I've gotten from pretty much everyone who's listened, and I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. I have realized the public's understanding of me and the general consensus for so long, and I also realized how multi-faceted I am to people.  

People get really confused when I express all the sides of my personality. They’re either, like, "Okay, she makes really sweet love songs," or "We've seen you be political, we've seen you come out, we've seen you be a family member." And then there's a lot of people who are, like, "I feel like she's f—ing crazy. I've seen her in multiple relationships. I've seen her be angry. I've seen her get online and cuss people out."  

I want this next batch of music to feel like the most fiery parts of me. I want it to feel like the most present and energetic parts of me. I don't want anything to feel somber. I don't want anything to feel reminiscent. I think a lot of my albums in the past have been me looking back, and sitting in that feeling and detailing it. I just wanted [this album] to feel right here, right now, which is why the title came about. A crash isn't anything from the past. It isn't the anxiety of what's about to happen. It's the height of the moment. It's right now.

That’s unfortunately a story you hear too often about artists of color — that essentialization, where you can only be seen as one thing. R&B often gets hit with those same issues. Throughout your career you’ve stood up to those expectations, and "Better Not" on this album is such a good example of that. It’s a left turn, a stylistic contrast and an open conversation with the listener. You cleverly fuse that intentionality with a voice that’s stronger than ever.

In the past, I have had moments where I would make the song and [start recording], and there would be so many versions of each song on different microphones, recorded in different places.

"Let me try vocal production. Let me try to go back and work with this version again." I went back and did vocal production with Oak Felder , who did all the vocal production on SweetSexySavage . When I come back to some of my favorite vocal production moments, it was moments like "Distraction" or "Advice" or "Escape" — songs on my very first album — and I wanted to get that feeling again. Where it's lush where it needs to be, but also that I really mean what I'm saying.  

That started with the approach in the songwriting. Once I had the songs and I had to go back and deliver them, I had enough time to listen and listen, to learn the songs and identify with them. We would make music all day and then go out, and we would be in this sprinter van on the way to going out, and, like, bang, the songs we just made, the energy was just different. It allowed me to be present in a different way where my voice is able to show up like that.

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Which again ties perfectly to crashing into the present. As someone from South Africa, I love that the other guests that you included represent different cultural viewpoints. You worked with Young Miko from Puerto Rico, Omah Lay from Nigeria. Having that musical dialogue is so powerful.

We had so many conversations about how America's in the backseat often when it comes to music. We have our moments, and it's fantastic, like Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter . There's a culture that is super American, that is Black, that historically needs to be dived into. It needs to be shown that we do have something here.  

So many people that don't speak Spanish bang Bad Bunny all day. Amapiano’s taking over; Tyla ’s going up. It's really not here . So that wasn't a conscious choice. It's just what we've all been listening to, what we've been loving.

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Speaking of guests, I wanted to ask about your daughter, whose voice is on "Deep." Was she just in the studio and you got her singing?

So those vocals on that, that’s actually my little sister and my goddaughter. And [my daughter] was in the room and she started singing along. She has perfect pitch; she's always freestyling or singing or making something up.  

I was like, "You want to just go sing on it?" What's on there is her first take. Literally. She did it the first time, all the way through, perfectly. I was like, "Well, that's it, guys. I can retire."  

That track is so lush. It feels so alive. Were you working with a full band?

[Producer] Jack Rochon, who I did a lot of the music with, he just is a freaking genius music whiz. Honestly, he's one of the most humble people that I know, and deserves credit for how amazing a lot of this album is.

Talking about touchstones, there's a Prince energy to the title track. Did you have any new inspirations or influences for this record?

Thank you! My main focus for this album came from going on tour for my last one and making such a pretty, sweet, intimate album, and then playing some of the biggest venues of my career. At some point I had to rearrange the setlist to add in a lot of the album before that one, because it was just more energy on the stage. By week two of tour, the setlist had completely changed. I knew that I was playing venues on this next tour that I've dreamt about, places that I can't fathom that I'm playing, like Barclays Center.  

I do a lot of things for, like, my inner child, and this is such a move for my inner child. Like, You're about to go play Barclays. Do you want to look back and say, ‘I rocked out and played Barclays’? I'm a person who headbangs on stage. I stage dive. I wanted to create an album that would ring through a venue like that. I want people to be engaged again. I'm not looking for the lighters and the somber, holding each other — which will occur regardless, because it's a me show.  

But I really wanted people to be in their bodies, and their heart’s exploding and the ground’s shaking. So that's what we accomplished. I wanted to have fun. This album is so fun to me. It’s a place of fire in my heart.

It took me a second to get the word play on "Eight." I loved the track, and then suddenly I was like, 'Oh… I knew there was something raunchy going on here.'

[*Laughs.*] "Eight" was super fun, and shoutout to the boys that I did it with, because they made it everything for me.  

I didn't come up with the wordplay. My boys did. Like, "This is how you talk!" I was like, "It is! This is perfect." Once I got in to fix things, add things, add my own spin, and finish writing, my favorite part was that it sounds like a Brandy song. She's my favorite.

I also wanted to ask about the Nina Sky sample on "After Hours."

That was mine. I was like, "What can we flip that when it comes on, my generation loses their mind?" And for me, every single time that Nina Sky comes on in the club, everybody's like "Woo!" And then you see how many songs were made from that same sample, and they're all songs that make us lose our minds.  

I went into the room with the producers, and I was like, "So, I want to flip this, but I want you to make it to where it doesn't become one of those where the whole thing is just a sample."

Similarly, "Lose My Wife" balances breeziness with high emotional stakes. Is finding a balance like that just natural for someone so capable of juxtaposition?

The second that we established that [the record] felt like Vegas, I knew what components were missing from the energy of how I feel the second my car crosses the line into the city of Las Vegas. I knew I was missing that feeling of the next morning when you realize you went on this high and you come down. I wanted to create these scenarios that weren't necessarily applicable to me, but captured that emotion. I've been there before, and I want people to be like, Damn, I've been there before. I know this feeling .  

I recorded that song at 4 in the morning with a sinus infection. The second that we finished it, everybody was like, "You can never re-sing that. Don't try to make another version, you're not gonna be able to sound like that again." All the chatter in the background of that song is really everybody who was in the studio that stayed up to just hang out. We had the tequila out, it was perfect. That was probably one of my favorite moments of making the album.

It takes a while as an artist to reach a place where you can capture those moments. You said before that people try to figure you out, and I mean this in the best possible way, but it feels like now you don’t care if they can’t figure you out.

I don't give a f—anymore, yeah. And that was a very important thing for me to learn. I used to care so much, and I would spend so much time explaining myself online, in music, in interviews, on stage. I realized that you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.  

I've been so forward-facing with my heart my entire career that I've left a lot of room for people to consistently pedestal me and then critique me, for people to want to tear me down. I realized I'm just being present, here, existing loudly in front of a billion people, and whichever way that goes is how the cookies gonna crumble. Me giving a f—? I'm the only one it's affecting at this point, for sure.

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Breaking Down The Jay-Z & Beyonce "On The Run" Tour Setlist

June 27, 2014

While the notion of kings and queens in today’s society is virtually obsolete, hip-hop royal couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé have certainly made a strong case for their ascension to the throne of pop music. The dynamic duo kicked off their enormously anticipated On the Run Tour earlier this week and are expected to produce one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time. As the tour hits Cincinnati’s Great American Ballpark this weekend, average price for the remaining 18 U.S. dates across 15 venues is now $231.87.

The On the Run Tour currently features the highest priced show for the August 2 stop at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl, which is the first of two consecutive dates at the Southern California venue. The average price for August 2 On the Run tickets on the secondary market is currently $404.31, 74.3% above tour average, with a get-in price of $90. The tour’s lowest priced stop is at Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium on July 1 , which has an average price of $118.53, 48.9% below tour average, with a get-in price of just $24.

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While the couple makes just their second stop of tour this weekend in Cincinnati, fans will be pleased by the number of hits on Jay-Z and Beyonce’s joint set-list, which compiled over 40 songs during the opening show at Miami’s Sun Life Stadium on Wednesday . Jay-Z performed 22 of his most notable tracks, including “99 Problems”, “Holy Grail”, “Big Pimpin’” and “Hard Knock Life” while Beyonce played major hits “Crazy in Love”, “Naughty Girl”, “Ring the Alarm”, “Halo” and several more of her greatest songs. Among the collaborative songs the married couple will be performing while on tour include “’03 Bonnie and Clyde”, “Drunk in Love” and “Part II (On the Run)”, an ode to the tour’s title track.

The complete On the Run setlist of Jay-Z and Beyonce’s tour opener is listed below, per data from setlist.fm :

1. '03 Bonnie & Clyde

2. Upgrade U

3. Crazy in Love

4. Show Me What You Got

5. N***** in Paris

6. T om Ford

7. Run the World (Girls)

8. ***Flawless

10. Jigga My N***

11. Dirt Off Your Shoulder

12. Big Pimpin'

13. Naughty Girl

14. Ring the Alarm

15. On to the Next One

18. Baby Boy

19. Haunted

20. No Church in the Wild

21. Drunk in Love

22. Public Service Announcement

23. Why Don't You Love Me

24. Holy Grail

25. F***withmeyouknowigotit

26. Beach Is Better

27. Partition

28. 99 Problems

29. If I Were a Boy

30. Ex-Factor

31. Song Cry

32. U Don't Know

33. Resentment

34. Love on Top

35. Izzo (H.O.V.A.)

36. I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)

37. Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)

38. Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)

39. Pretty Hurts

40. Part II (On The Run)

41. Young Forever

43. Lift Off

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Beyonce and Jay Z’s On the Run Tour Opener: A Collaborative Spectacle

• By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

The most powerful couple in music could have easily just coasted on their names, performing a sparse half- Jay /half- Bey concert before cashing the Roc Nation checks. Instead, over the course of two-and-a-half hours and 42 songs, the Carters opened their joint On the Run tour with a well synchronized cinematic spectacle. Between the visuals, the outfits, the stage setup, the pyrotechnics and the insane setlist, they provided enough hits and eye candy to make the Miami audience forget all about LeBron James opting out of his Heat contract.

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Husband and wife might get equal billing here, but make no mistake: This is Beyoncé ‘s show. She monopolized the heavy-duty set pieces, she wore the jaw-dropping outfits, she delivered the mesmerizing and complex choreography. Perhaps a little too often, it felt like Jay Z was there just to kill time between his wife’s costume changes, but what better way to kill time than have one of the greatest rappers of all time rifle through a few of his biggest tunes.

If there was any letdown to the night’s proceedings, it’s that according to Jigga, Miami’s own Rick Ross was in the stadium yet didn’t take part in “FuckWithMeYouKnowIGotIt.” But that’s a small complaint when compared to what we loved most about the show:

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1. The Opening Sequence The Carters didn’t waste any time before getting to their duets. Instead of saving them for the encore, they came out of the gate with “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” “Upgrade U” and a “Crazy In Love” vs. “Show Me What You Got” mash-up that set the tone for the evening, the star couple both reinventing their respective catalogs and fusing them together.

2. The Interplay Between the Carters As opposed to Jay Z’s other split-marquee tours – his jaunts with Justin Timberlake, R. Kelly, and Kanye West – On the Run felt truly collaborative. Beyoncé would perform a couple solo cuts, then Jay would bust out a medley of hits, then they’d share the stage for a “Holy Grail” or “Drunk in Love” before rotating the spotlight again. This interplay resulted in some unforgettable musical moments, like when a punk rock solo rendition of Beyoncé’s “Ring the Alarm” segued seamlessly into Jay’s “On to the Next One” or when a “Naughty Girl” remix morphed into “Big Pimpin’.”

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3. The Michael Jackson Tributes On the fifth anniversary of the death of Michael Jackson, both Jay and Beyoncé made sure to pay tribute to the King of Pop. “Shout out to Michael Jackson,” Jay told the audience a few times throughout the show, while Beyoncé weaved some of the Jackson 5’s “ABC” into her “Love on Top.” Earlier in the day, Beyoncé penned a note in remembrance for MJ on her website.

4. The Side Screens Due to the sheer size of the venues, stadium concerts are often the most difficult to stage. On the Run skirts that problem with massive side screens that project expertly shot close-ups of Jay and Bey for the upper-deckers. At times it felt like you were watching a concert film, which makes sense given the news that this tour would be the subject of an upcoming HBO series.

5. Beyoncé’s Outfits 42 songs were performed over the course of this concert, and it seemed like Beyoncé wore a different costume for every single one of them. Among the highlights: the concert-opening fishnet ninja mask worn during “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” the leather romper and thigh-high boots she donned for a stadium rocker version of “If I Was a Boy,” the insane red-sequined jumpsuit on “Ring the Alarm,” the bride garb for “Resentment” and the black-and-white American flag that Bey turned into a long gown for “Young Forever” and “Halo.” She was a one-woman Elle up there.

6. The Setlist Two-and-a-half hours still wasn’t enough time for the Carters to stuff in all their hits, but the 42 songs Bey and Jay doled out were well curated and spanned both artists’ solo careers: “Hard Knock Life,” a Tina Turner-fied “Why Don’t You Love Me,” a Beyoncé-sung rendition of “Holy Grail” that’d make you wish she replaced Timberlake on the Magna Carta version. Bey skipped over Destiny’s Child completely, opting instead for all her solo hits and a healthy portion of her self-titled LP, plus a cover of Lauryn Hill’s “Ex-Factor” thrown in for good measure. Jigga fans were probably a little upset that “Haunted” pushed “Can I Get A?” from the setlist, just as #yonce fans were likely disappointed “XO” was out but “Tom Ford” was in, but so it goes. The excess of hits is one of their 99 problems. (That song thankfully made the cut.)

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7. The ‘Ye Drop While much has been made about Kanye’s reluctance to mention Jigga’s name in recent concerts, with West omitting “Jay Z” from his “Blood on the Leaves” verse as recently as Bonnaroo, Jay has no problem mentioning Kanye live. On “Clique,” Jay gleefully delivered “Yeah, I’m talking ‘Ye, yeah I’m talking Rih.” If there is a rift between the two of the biggest rappers in the game – supposedly because Jay didn’t attend West’s wedding – half of the Throne is apparently unaware of it. Jay Z also performed his half of “Niggas in Paris,” and Kanye’s “Hell of a Life” soundtracked one of the many short film interludes.

8. The On the Run Short Films Used as interludes between tracks, the artfully shot films cast B and J as a modern day Bonnie and Clyde, combining elements of French New Wave, Kill Bill and Sam Peckinpah’s The Getaway . Throughout the narrative, we’re reminded that “This Is Not Real Life,” a theme that comes full circle during the grand finale.

9. The “Surfboard” Sweatshirt Infomercial We’re pretty sure we didn’t hallucinate this: After “Clique” and “Diva,” one of those short films teased, albeit briefly, an infomercial dedicated to the Surfboard sweatshirt that’s currently for sale. It might just be Bey perpetuating the meme, but we’re scouring YouTube in search of this infomercial like the crazies are scouring the On the Run show details in search of Illuminati clues.

10. The Grand Finale Closing out with a medley of “Young Forever” and “Halo,” the large video screen ceased showing the violent short films and instead devoted the screen time to personal home movies of the Carters with their daughter, Blue Ivy. Jay and Bey had their eyes glued on the screen throughout, watching their family life and soaking up every moment.

In a post- elevator world, it’s refreshing to see these two genuinely enjoying their time together on stage. When the Blue Ivy video concluded, the audience was greeted with the message “This Is Real Life,” a moving juxtaposition to the gangster fantasies of the past 150 minutes. And with that, the concert came to an end. Jay and Bey held hands as they walked offstage. To reinforce the cinematic feel of the evening, end credits rolled on the big screen as “Lift Off” faded out. 

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Supersonic setlist: what Oasis need to play on their 2025 reunion tour

Liam and Noel Gallagher have buried the hatchet and Oasis stand to play their biggest and best shows ever in 2025. Here’s NME’s dream setlist for the reunion gigs no one thought would happen

The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The Great Wait is over. “What did you do in the Great Wait, grandad?” they’ll ask us. “I tried to like Black Midi ,” we’ll ruefully reply.

• READ MORE:  You gotta roll with it: the rocky road to Oasis’ supersonic return

Now, England expects. While most of the country books up every Premier Inn room with a lock-pickable minibar in London, Manchester, Cardiff and Dublin for June 2025, in bleaker corners of the internet, the naysayers of Oasis ’ historic reunion are mustering, mumbling about the shocker that was Glastonbury 2004, about Liam storming off ahead of the 1996 US tour, about all the songs Noel let Liam write.

But I’ve been one of the most nayest of sayers when it comes to Oasis live, having watched them transform from a visceral, life-affirming Britrock explosion at Glastonbury and the Astoria in ‘94 to a tired, bored and animosity-wrecked stadium band well into the ‘00s. And I’m telling you now, these comeback shows will probably be the best Oasis gigs that have ever happened.

They’ve their whole career span to cherry-pick from and no disappointing new album to flog. There’s no endless global touring schedule to feel like they’re slogging through (not yet, anyway). No Andy Bell or Gem Archer ( probably ) to keep happy with a number or two. And Liam, whose indifference at some later Oasis shows often dragged the whole thing down, really wants to live his dream reunion large. All they need to get right now is the setlist. Luckily, it pretty much writes itself…

The main set

1 ‘acquiesce’.

‘Hello’ would be the obvious opener, but a trite one; “ It’s good to be back ” smacking of sneery cash-in. ‘Acquiesce’, instead, is perfect. A hard-rocking duet between the reunited brothers, Liam’s verse declaring, “ Who wants to be alone when we can feel alive instead? ” and Noel’s show-stealing chorus – essential for that Back! Onstage! Together! moment – answering, “ Because we need each other, we believe in one another ,” as though the reconciliation is genuine rather than divorce-driven, and all that talk about forks in a world of soup is behind them.

2 ‘Some Might Say’

The key to a successful Oasis reunion was always going to be excising the real plodders from the set. Y’know, the ‘D’You Know What I Mean’s and ‘Go Let It Out’s. Even ‘Roll With It’ is borderline and best avoided. ‘Some Might Say’ – as the set’s first big hitter – is as down-paced as they want to get at this stage and keeps the tone light: “ We will find a brighter day ” and all that.

3 ‘Lyla’

Those clompy later albums always arrived with a deceptively thrilling first single, and it’s important they’re represented so that the show doesn’t make Oasis out to be a two-album pony. ‘Lyla’’s a cracker, and Noel’s harmony is upfront for added unity value. Also acceptable: ‘The Shock Of The Lightning’.

4 ‘Shakermaker’

Loping groove, surreal lyrics, a signal that there’s no maybe about whether those debut album monsters are all on their way, and an early reminder of why the music press genuinely thought they might be the new Beatles . A watershed moment in the set: are they just going to play massive hits? Yes, they bloody are.

5 ‘The Hindu Times’

The most underrated tune from the latter-era canon – that infectious guitar riff, arguably the best thing they produced this century, deserves a proper stadium airing again.

6 ‘Columbia’

In terms of sheer crunching rock power, Oasis never really topped their first white-label promo single, and it’s still the nuclear core of any setlist.

7 ‘Cast No Shadow’

Acoustics out – ‘Wonderwall’ already? Better than that, ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory’’s most lustrous ballad. Song subject Richard Ashcroft guests, duelling tambourines with Liam.

8 ‘She’s Electric’

Britpop must be honoured, so here’s a rinky-dink mid-set knees-up. Good opportunity for Liam to call Blur a bunch of c**ts, for maximum 1995ity.

9 ‘Stand By Me’

Tricky cove, ‘Be Here Now’. Album sales for miles, but barely a banger in sight. Only ‘Stand By Me’ has stood the test of time; a highlight of Liam’s solo sets and, for all its blatant Bowie steals (or more likely because of), an oasis of lushness and clarity in that swampy melodic desert.

10 ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’

High Flying Birds shows have allowed Noel to focus attention on the songs he sang with Oasis, honing their more elegant leanings and making adored fan favourites of them. ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ is just such an anthem for the ages now. Also acceptable: ‘Little By Little’.

11 ‘The Importance Of Being Idle’

While we’re at it, and if the High Flying Birds are really the backing band anyway , let’s have a Noel solo segment, shall we? Rhys Ifans guests on kettle percussion.

12 ‘Half The World Away’

It should just about be getting dark by now, so phone lights out for Noel’s heartwarming solo holler-along.

13 ‘Whatever’

Controversial choice, but this actionable early one-off Christmas single has been a brilliantly rendered, string-festooned highlight of Liam’s ‘Definitely Maybe’ tour. Ideal run-in to an almighty final 45.

14 ‘Slide Away’

The guns get bigger. With precision timing, formulated by Oasis’ specialist team of biological scientists, ‘Definitely Maybe’’s iconic canyon rocker kicks in at the exact same moment as pint four.

15 ‘Supersonic’

“ Ah need ta be maseeeeeylf! ” Widespread pandemonium as the breakthrough single convinces 90,000 inebriated rock fans that yes, actually, they can deeply relate to the line “ she’s done it with a doctor on a helicopter ”.

16 ‘Wonderwall’

Because they must. Life-affirming sing-along for the teenagers who missed out on the ‘90s and their bucket-hatted dads who still live there. Great bog and bar break for those of us bored shitless by the thing since about 1997.

17 ‘Morning Glory’

Blustery punk-out to close the main set. Liam punches the mike stand to the floor at the end, looking pissed off about an in-ear issue. Will they stay together for the encore?

18 ‘Rock’n’Roll Star’

A snarly, celebratory return, dedicated to “all the c**ts who said it couldn’t happen”.

19 ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’

90,000 people instantly forget that the pint they’re instinctively flinging in the air cost them north of ten quid.

20 ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’

Noel’s show-stealing moment. As Liam returns to the stage at the end, the brothers look like they might actually hug but settle for a gum-chewing nod.

21 ‘Live Forever’

Johnny Marr guests.

22 ‘Champagne Supernova’

The rafter rattling finale. John Squire guests; Harry Styles , Chris Martin and Hawk Tuah Girl spotted standing hopefully in the wings with the lyrics written on their hands. Normal antipathetic service resumes until 2039.

The dream setlist 

‘Acquiesce’ ‘Some Might Say’ ‘Lyla’ ‘Shakermaker’ ‘The Hindu Times’ ‘Columbia’ ‘Cast No Shadow’ ‘She’s Electric’ ‘Stand By Me’ ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ ‘The Importance Of Being Idle’ ‘Half The World Away’ ‘Whatever’ ‘Slide Away’ ‘Supersonic’ ‘Wonderwall’ ‘Morning Glory’

‘Rock’n’Roll Star’ ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’ ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ ‘Live Forever’ ‘Champagne Supernova’

Stream this setlist as an NME playlist on Spotify below, or here on Apple Music .

• Related Topics
• Liam Gallagher
• Noel Gallagher
• Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

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Niall Horan's likely Newcastle setlist including One Direction song ahead of Utilita Arena gig

Former One Direction star and Slow Hands singer Niall Horan will be at the Utilita Arena on Friday, August 30

• 17:32, 28 AUG 2024

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Having already entertained fans in numerous cities over the summer, Niall Horan is bringing his The Show tour to Newcastle this weekend and One Direction fans will be thrilled to know that one of the boyband's tracks has made its way onto the setlist.

Like ex bandmates Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik, Niall was catapulted to worldwide fame when all five lads were put into a group together on The X Factor in 2010, having originally all auditioned for the ITV series as solo singers. Guest judge at the time, Nicole Scherzinger, is still adamant she was the one responsible but, regardless as to who made the call, One Direction went onto be the biggest success story to emerge from The X Factor, even though they didn't win.

After beating beaten into third place by Matt Cardle and Rebecca Ferguson, the group hit number 1 with debut single What Makes You Beautiful and quickly became huge on both side of the Atlantic and across the globe. And, since the Brit winners decided to call it a day in 2015, Niall has been doing rather well on his own.

READ MORE: Oasis 2025 ticket prices - how much fans can expect to pay for reunion dates

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His debut album Flicker reached the top 3 in the UK and included smash hit Slow Hands and Heartbreak Weather did even better, reaching number 1. Third solo release The Show came out last year and songs from all three are on the potential setlist for Newcastle's Utilita Arena on Friday night, along with 1D album track Stockholm Syndrome.

Based on the shows he's played over the last few weeks, here are the songs fans can expect to hear:

Niall Horan's The Show tour setlist

Nice to Meet Ya

Small Talk / Edge of Seventeen

On a Night Like Tonight

On the Loose

Seeing Blind

Save My Life

Black and White

Dear Patience (Acoustic)

You Could Start a Cult

If You Leave Me

Stockholm Syndrome

Heartbreak Weather

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How much are croce plays croce tickets get them today.

Tribute concerts are in.

Earlier this year, members of King Crimson announced their ‘BEAT Tour’ celebrating the group’s ’80s output featuring Steve Vai, Adrian Belew and Tool drummer Danny Carey.

Then, the Allman-Betts Band — fronted by Devon Allman and Duane Betts (Gregg and Dickey’s sons, respectively) along with Roy Orbison’s youngest son Alex — unveiled plans for their ‘Allman-Betts Family Revival Tour.’

Finally, an all-star group made up of icons like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers members Benmont Tench and Mike Campbell revealed they’re paying tribute to Robbie Robertson and The Band on their nationwide ‘Life Is A Carnival: The Last Waltz Tour.’

However, you won’t want to forget A.J. Croce’s ‘Croce Plays Croce Tour.’

At all shows, the 52-year old son of the late Jim Croce delivers his father’s hits like “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown,” “Operator (That’s Not The Way It Feels),” “Time in a Bottle,” “Walkin’ Back to Georgia” and “I’ve Got A Name.”

And, while he won’t come to New York on this run, Croce will get close when he drops into New Brunswick, NJ’s State Theatre on Jan. 11, 2025.

“I realized that he’s part of my life and I’m a part of his legacy,” Croce told CBS about his dad that died in a plane crash when he was just two. “And I felt it was important at a certain age and at a certain maturity to embrace it.”

Based on our findings, the lowest price on tickets for any one show on the run is $36 before fees on Vivid Seats at the time of publication.

For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about A.J. Croce’s ‘Croce Plays Croce Tour’ below.

All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation.

Croce Plays Croce tour schedule 2024

A complete calendar including tour dates, venues and links to the cheapest tickets available can be found here:

(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and, if it isn’t noted, will include additional fees at checkout .)

Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. 

They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event.

Still curious about Vivid Seats? You can find an article from their team about why the company is legit here .

Croce Plays Croce set list

Earlier this year, Croce wrapped the summer leg of his ‘Croce Plays Croce 50th Anniversary Tour.’

Here’s what he played at the final concert in Davenport, IA on July 21, according to Set List FM .

01.) “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” (Jim Croce cover) 02.) “Roller Derby Queen” (Jim Croce cover) 03.) “Better Day” (Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee cover) 04.) “Box #10” (Jim Croce cover) 05.) “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)” (Jim Croce cover) 06.) “Nothing Can Change This Love” (Sam Cooke cover) 07.) “Rollin’ On”

08.) “Nothing From Nothing” (Billy Preston cover) 09.) “The Heart That Makes Me Whole” 10.) “Judgement Day” 11.) “Photographs and Memories” (Jim Croce cover) 12.) “Speedball Tucker” (Jim Croce cover) 13.) “New York’s Not My Home / I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song)” (Jim Croce cover) 14.) “One Less Set of Footsteps” (Jim Croce cover) 15.) “Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues” (Jim Croce cover) 16.) “So Much Fun” 17.) “That’s Me in the Bar” 18.) “Alabama Rain” (Jim Croce cover) 19.) “Ball of Kerrymuir” (Jim Croce cover) 20.) “Stay With Me” (Faces cover) 21.) “Hung Up (On You)” 22.) “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” (Jim Croce cover) 23.) “I Got a Name” (Jim Croce cover)

24.) “Time in a Bottle” (Jim Croce cover)

Huge artists on tour in 2024

Many artists that defined the sound of the ’60s and ’70s are still out and about a half decade after their rock and roll heyday.

Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live these next few months.

•  Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band

•  Bob Dylan with Willie Nelson

•  Electric Light Orchestra

• Bachman-Turner Overdrive

• John Fogerty

Who else is on the road? Take a look at our list of the 52 biggest classic rockers on tour in 2024 to find the show for you.

Why you should trust ‘Post Wanted’ by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy , New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

Fox On The Run Tab

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• Tour Statistics
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All Setlists

• All setlist songs  ( 191 )

Years on tour

• 2024  ( 9 )
• 2023  ( 28 )
• 2022  ( 51 )
• 2021  ( 4 )
• 2020  ( 4 )
• 2019  ( 1 )
• 2018  ( 2 )
• 2017  ( 3 )
• 2016  ( 27 )
• 2015  ( 11 )
• 2013  ( 2 )
• 2012  ( 8 )
• 2011  ( 2 )
• 2009  ( 15 )
• 2008  ( 4 )
• 2007  ( 2 )
• 2006  ( 1 )
• 2005  ( 13 )
• 2004  ( 1 )
• 2003  ( 3 )

Show all tours

• An Evening with Delta: The Top of My World Shows  ( 6 )
• Believe Again Tour  ( 15 )
• Bridge Over Troubled Dreams Tour  ( 10 )
• DNA World Tour  ( 1 )
• Free Ride Tour  ( 1 )
• Hearts on the Run  ( 14 )
• Innocent Eyes 20th Anniversary Tour  ( 9 )
• One World Tour  ( 7 )
• The Visualise Tour  ( 10 )
• Wings of the Wild Tour  ( 7 )
• Avg Setlist
• Concert Map

Average setlist for tour: Hearts on the Run

• Wings Play Video
• Innocent Eyes Play Video
• The Power Play Video
• Lost Without You Play Video
• In This Life Play Video
• Keep Climbing Play Video
• Almost Here Play Video
• If I Could Turn Back Time ( Cher  cover) Play Video
• Predictable Play Video
• Solid Gold Play Video
• Out of the Blue Play Video
• Paralyzed Play Video
• Smile ( Nat King Cole  cover) Play Video
• Dear Life Play Video
• Sitting on Top of the World Play Video
• Not Me, Not I Play Video
• The River Play Video
• The Speed of Life Play Video
• Back To Your Heart Play Video
• Dancing With a Broken Heart / I Believe In a Thing Called Love Play Video
• Play Play Video
• Born to Try Play Video
• Believe Again Play Video

Show Openers

Main set closers, show closers, encores played.

This feature is not that experimental anymore. Nevertheless, please give feedback if the results don't make any sense to you.

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