The year's hottest movie is, against all odds, a musical. Wicked, starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, just hit theaters, and tells the tale of how a green-skinned girl named Elphaba became the Wicked Witch of the West. And with any musical, the songs are just as important as the narrative. On this episode of Switched On Pop, Charlie, Nate, and Reanna h ... Show More
Apr 17
Maggie Rogers: going viral is a trap
Ten years ago, Maggie Rogers was a senior at NYU, scrambling to finish a song for a music production class she was close to failing. The guest critic that week happened to be Pharrell Williams. She played him "Alaska," a track she'd written in about fifteen minutes. It is a bit o ... Show More
37m 36s
Apr 14
Learning to Love Train: "Drops of Jupiter" is back in the atmosphere
Train is the kind of band that some people love to hate. Songs like "Meet Virginia" and "Hey Soul Sister" gave the band huge hits, and no small amount of snark. And then there's "Drops of Jupiter." Released in 2001, the song is almost impossible not to love, no matter how many ly ... Show More
47m 25s
Nov 2024
Culture chat: ‘Wicked’ hits the high notes
Today, we’re taking on the much-hyped film adaptation of the musical smash Wicked. Starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jeff Goldblum, the story is a loose prequel to The Wizard of Oz, following its two star witches before they become Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Wit ... Show More
28m 39s
Nov 2024
Wicked And What's Making Us Happy
The musical Wicked is a bold, revisionist take on The Wizard of Oz. It imagines that back in college, the Wicked Witch of the West (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda the Good Witch of the North (Ariana Grande) were best friends. The sprawling film delivers lavish spectacle, costumes, mus ... Show More
28m 55s
Mar 2025
Inside the 2025 Oscars: Our View From the Crowd for 007 Music Tribute, 'Wicked' Show Opener & More
On the new Billboard Pop Shop Podcast, Katie tells Keith all about her night inside the Dolby Theatre for the 97th Academy Awards, where the Wicked duo of Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo opened the show; LISA, Doja Cat and RAYE teamed up for a three-part tribute to the music of J ... Show More
50m 48s
Jun 2020
Ep. 130 - A Very Potter Musical Act 2 (Part 2) w/ Dr. Hannah McGregor
I PROMISE THIS ONCE IS NICER TO AVPM. Dr. Hannah McGregor from Witch, Please! joins to talk more of A Very Potter Musical Act 2, finding more moments she enjoys and articulating why some elements aged so poorly. Topics include: the 4th wall, Pixie Stix, low budget humor, Lauren L ... Show More
53m 48s
Jun 2025
Cynthia Erivo Talks Wicked, Friendship with Ariana Grande, and New Album ‘I Forgive You’
<p>These days she needs no introduction, as the magnetic co-star in Wicked, breathing new life into the character of Elphaba, but Cynthia Erivo has been wowing audiences on the stage and screen (and in the ears) for years. With a knack for inhabiting and redefining iconic charact ... Show More
1h 23m