While hundreds of emerging artists have temporarily emigrated to Austin, Texas, to showcase their talents at South by Southwest here this week, there were three artists The Recording Academy spotlighted during an event on March 14 at the Gibson Showroom: Jessica Faith, Bonavox and Eyango.

These three young artists were the 2014 winners of The Academy's Amplifier Center Stage: A GRAMMY U Initiative, which unites emerging and aspiring artists with established artists to mentor their careers. As a reward, each artist performed a brief set and was given one of three prizes that will help them launch their music careers.

First up was Arkansas singer/songwriter and GRAMMY U member Jessica Faith, who won the opportunity to create a music video with a noted producer/director. Though on the cusp of launching her career, Faith showed a stage presence that was well beyond her very youthful appearance. Perched behind the keyboard, Faith performed three songs, including the track that earned her the prize, "If I Told You." In an interview earlier in the day, Faith commented that she wasn't nervous, just thirsty, and that confidence was evident, most notably when she sang about choosing to "stand out" over "fitting in" with the crowd.

Next was the Los Angeles-based quintet Bonavox, who met at the Los Angeles College of Music but boast an international lineup from countries such as Switzerland, Germany and Brazil. Comprising Sandro Cavazza (vocals), Till Richter (drummer/pianist), Gio Reinaldo (bass), Le Dib (lead guitar), and Marcos Zeeba (guitar/vocals), Bonavox, in an interview prior to their performance, described how the Amplifier Center Stage program has already helped their careers.

"The whole competition has been opening doors for us," said Cavazza. "On our own we have more confidence when we speak to people. … We [also] get better offers to play live now."

The band later took the stage for four songs that were reminiscent of artists such as James Blake and Coldplay. They ended with their winning song "Fallen Angels," saying, "This song is the reason we're here tonight." As part of their prize, Bonavox will be given a key live performance slot on a major tour and/or festival.

The final Amplifier artist of the evening was vocalist Eyango, whose song "Precious Love" earned him the prize. The France-born Eyango, whose winnings included a recording session and professionally produced track with a leading GRAMMY-winning producer, ended his set with a song called "Remember Me" because, as the singer noted, "I hope you will remember me after tonight."

But the show wasn't over. KCRW-FM radio host Anne Litt took the stage to introduce the next two performers, Aloe Blacc and Allen Stone. The show marked Blacc's 15th show at SXSW, but his first-ever with Stone, though the pair fit perfectly together. Between Stone's soulful cries and Blacc's warm tone, the pair had the audience hooked to a selection of covers of GRAMMY-winning songs, including a slow-burn version of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and the Mamas And The Papas' "California Dreamin'." But they didn't just leave the crowd with fantastic music — they left them with the urge to move their bodies. And they did, as a "Soul Train" dance line was soon fashioned in the middle of the floor.

Earlier in the day a series of panels and performances was live streamed by The Academy. Panelists included author/artist Austin Kleon, who earlier in the week served as the keynote speaker for the interactive portion of South by Southwest. Kleon, whose books include The New York Times best-seller Steal Like An Artist, discussed how artists can better "show" their work, stating, "Stop thinking about self-promotion and start thinking about sharing."

The second panel featured Eric Sheinkop, co-founder and president of Music Dealers, discussing the tight connection between music and brands. "Brands are becoming patrons of the arts," said Sheinkop, who went on to illustrate how people are discovering new music through big brands such as McDonald's. For the 2014 Winter Olympics, McDonald's featured a song by local band the Wanted, after which their YouTube views skyrocketed and comments from fans were positive. "I can't believe McDonald's help[ed] me discover this band," one fan wrote.

The final panel was moderated by Lindsay Gabler, Senior Manager of Marketing and Social Media for The Recording Academy, who invited a panel of social media and content experts to offer tips for artists on staying active online.

"You need to be where people are engaging with the content you're creating," said Lyndsey Parker, managing editor for Yahoo Music.

The panels were sandwiched between a series of performances by Royal Teeth, David Nail and Wild Feathers, all of whom nearly brought down the house at an amplified level.

Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

Looking for more GRAMMYs news? The 2024 GRAMMY nominations are here!

He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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​​It's where fans were once caught in the crossfire of a silly string war between Tracy Lawrence and Kenny Chesney. It's where Garth Brooks signed autographs continuously for 23 straight hours. It's where Craig Morgan first met Miranda Lambert when she was just a young fan, and where Patty Loveless stood in line to get an autograph from future collaborator Vince Gill. It's where Lainey Wilson realized country music is what she was born to do.

That place is CMA Music Fest, and this year "The Ultimate Country Music Fan Experience" celebrates 50 years of bringing fans and artists together in the heart of country music, Nashville, Tennessee. Originally known as Fan Fair, the event was created by WSM radio and the Country Music Association to provide fans their own unique experience — though it was also a clever marketing ploy to keep fans from crashing the annual country music disc jockey convention, an industry-only annual event. Now, each year, more than 80,000 country music lovers from around the world ascend to Nashville to see their favorite stars.

The first Fan Fair in 1972 drew 5,000 country music lovers to Nashville's Municipal Auditorium, and by 1982, its growth warranted a move to the Nashville Fairgrounds, In 2001, it moved downtown, occupying numerous locations including Nissan Stadium, Riverfront Park and the Music City Center — officially becoming CMA Music Festival, and later CMA Fest.

"The secret to the success of CMA Fest is the preservation of the original Fan Fair," CMA CEO Sarah Trahern tells GRAMMY.com. "The tradition and unique connection between the fans and the artists is celebrated throughout our event, and it becomes a momentous part of an artist's career to be able to say, 'I played at the Riverfront Stage, or I played Nissan Stadium and was part of the television show.' The magic of what CMA Fest is today comes from the history and heart that was created five decades ago."

Trahern has seen firsthand how important CMA Fest is to the fans, and one of her personal highlights each year comes from surprise seat upgrades. "I specifically remember one year we had changed the configuration on the floor based on some sodding issues with the stadium, and one fan was particularly upset that we moved her seats even though we had moved her to a closer section," Trahern recalls. "We later found out that she had brought her husband's ashes and had placed some of them under her seat at the stadium because they used to come to Fan Fair together. It reiterated to me the power of our event to truly become a part of people's lives."

It becomes part of the fabric of country artists' careers, too. CMA Fest is where many artists are discovered, where they perform for the first time, where they celebrate milestone achievements, and where they make invaluable memories with fans. As Morgan puts it, "You know that when you're performing at CMA Fest, you're performing for those who love you the most."

Before CMA Fest kicked off its 50th iteration on June 8, some of country music's legends and newcomers shared their most cherished, hilarious and sometimes embarrassing memories from CMA Fest.

A Thousand Horses

Graham DeLoach: Playing CMA Fest for the first time was gratifying, to say the least. We had really been honing our sound and figuring ourselves out as artists, both on the stage and making an album in the studio during months leading up to the show. I remember it almost getting rained out, but when the weather cleared and we finally got on the stage, we had a defining moment as a band. We had it dialed in more than ever and we're playing to a real crowd who came to listen to real music. It was a big change from the bar rooms that we had toured across America in the years prior. So, we mark our first CMA fest as a defining moment for A Thousand Horses.

Michael Hobby: My favorite memory takes me back to 2015. We were performing on the Chevy stage, right outside the Bridgestone arena in Nashville. It was super hot outside and the sun was beating down on everyone, but the atmosphere was still buzzing with the excitement from all the fans. It was a huge moment for us as a band. Our debut album Southernality was being introduced to the world, and our single "Smoke" had just gone No. 1. I'll never forget hearing the crowd singing the words to all our songs back to us, and the album had only been out a few days. That day had everything I love about music — its ability to move people, bring them together, and to create these unforgettable shared moments.

Bill Satcher: One year at a signing booth, a fan asked us to autograph and write our band name on her arm. Afterwards, she told us that she was going to go get it tattooed on her later that day. Sure enough, she came back to the same signing booth the next year and had our handwritten band name inked on her arm.

David Bellamy of the Bellamy Brothers

Fan Fair was always a special time for us early in our career. We'd be on the road playing shows and our mom, Frances, would load up our cousin Sylvia and my two oldest sons, Jesse and Noah, and make her way to Nashville to decorate our Fan Fair booth. We'd meet them there and spend the next few days meeting and greeting fans for hours at a time every day of the event.

We met so many artists that have remained friends to this day. We even met the Forester Sisters at Fan Fair and ended up recording a duet together, "Too Much Is Not Enough," that went No. 1.

When Fan Fair was over, we'd make our way on down to Alabama's June Jam in Ft Payne. We enjoy CMA Fest also but we're usually in Europe a lot during that time every year so we don't get there as much as we used to.

Our Mom used to live for that time of year. She loved putting our booth together and meeting all the artists new and old — in fact, I think she probably knew more artists than we did. We still run into people that knew our Mom from then.

*(L-R) Frances Bellamy and Loretta Lynn at Fan Fair. Photo: Courtesy of David Bellamy*

Joe Bonsall of the Oak Ridge Boys

The Oak Ridge Boys go way back to the very beginning of what was then called Fan Fair. My fondest memory of those days was performing in 1982 on the heels of "Elvira" and "Bobbie Sue." It was amazing to see the crowds at the shows and the signing booth. I am thankful that from time to time we still take part even after all these years. 

BoomTown Saints

Ben Chism: This is our first year playing CMA Fest. It means the world to me, to Chris, to our families.  When we got that email saying we were invited to play CMA Fest, I told my wife and she just jumped up and down. She's been waiting 10 years for this and so have I. Chris has too. We have family coming in from all over the country to watch this 25-minute set because it means as much to them as it does to us.  

It's just an amazing feeling to go out there and meet the people at CMA Fest. That's the biggest thing me and Chris have always said is, "Don't ever be afraid to come up to us and talk to us. We'll go on a walk and talk to you all day long."

Chris Ramos: As a musician growing up, I always thought it would be the coolest thing ever to get to play CMA Fest. It's definitely a career defining moment. You have various people say, "My career defining moment was when I headlined Nissan Stadium." We get that, but along the way this is one of those things that when it happens, it's a bucket list item. I wanted to just take a minute and absorb the fact that we got invited by the CMA to play CMA Fest. Talk about career aspirations being fulfilled!

Breland

My first CMA Fest experience was very non-traditional, as last year was my very first year not just performing but attending as well. I had the privilege of getting to perform on the Chevy Riverfront Stage and with one of my favorite bands, Lady A, on the main stage. It was a crazy experience. 

Something funny happened ahead of the Chevy Riverfront performance, too — I was about to walk on stage and broke my glasses. I didn't have a backup pair so I had to throw on my stylist's sunglasses for the performance. Such a great time regardless!

Tyler Braden

My favorite memory so far of CMA Fest is playing Ascend Amphitheater with my label mates. Warner Music Nashville put together an amazing lineup, and it's a show I'll never forget.

CMA Fest is so unique because it brings together so many artists and so many fans in one place for the weekend. It's an amazing opportunity to be able to interact with fans and create memories you'll never forget. I love running into fans all over the country and hearing about how they discovered us at CMA Fest!

Charles Esten

My first CMA Fest performance was in 2014 on the CMA Close Up Stage at the Music City Center, and it was amazing. As much as the show Nashville had been embraced by TV viewers and the city of Nashville itself, that performance was my first taste of how popular it had become with the group that mattered, perhaps, the most: country music fans. The place was packed, the fans were amazing, and I felt blessed to be there with them, playing my songs and Deacon's, too. I still smile just to think of it.

I can easily tell you my favorite moment. It was in 2016. I, like everyone else, had recently heard the bad news that Nashville, the show that had brought me to Nashville and had changed my life completely, was not being picked up by ABC for a fifth season. That was a hard pill to swallow — not just for those of us who worked on the show, but for the actual Nashvillians and the country music fans that had grown to love the show so much. 

For me, it was no small consolation to be stepping out onto the Riverfront Stage that day to perform for CMA Fest. It was a hot but beautiful summer afternoon, and the riverbank was completely covered with amazing Nashville fans who, like me, seemed not quite ready to say goodbye. They poured out their love — even more so when I brought out my co-stars Clare Bowen and Chris Carmack to sing a couple songs. They cheered and sang along with us to their favorite songs from the show that they already missed so much. That was incredibly memorable. 

But, what put it over the top — way over the top — was when CMT's Leslie Fram and Cody Alan joined me and my friends onstage for a surprise announcement that, actually, Nashville would NOT be ending. Not yet! CMT was picking it up for Season 5 [and eventually for Season 6]. The crowd went wild. And the show went on!

Randy Goodman, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Nashville

Jennifer and I got married June 11, so our anniversary would, more likely than not, land during Fan Fair/CMA Music Fest. One of our early, if not first anniversaries, I was at Fan Fair. Of course, Jennifer was with me. I'm working. It was at the Fairgrounds. We had just signed Juice Newton, and she found out it was our anniversary. She sang "The Sweetest Thing" and dedicated it to us. That was pretty cool, and very sweet of her.

Morgan Evans

I'll never forget the first night I landed in Nashville. It was the Tuesday of CMA Fest. I walked down to Broadway and it was like all my Aussie-Country boy musical dreams came true all at once! 

Janie Fricke

I remember the first time I had a booth at Fan Fair. It was so exciting. That year Alabama was a huge success and the fans screamed for them. Soon after, my records hit the top of the charts, and I got booked to open all their concerts for a couple years. What a thrill and huge boost for me!  So thankful!

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Vince Gill

Way back when Fan Fair was still at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds, I was in the RCA Records booth signing autographs with some other artists. This woman came through the line, and I was signing something for her, and I think we got a picture together. Then she said to me, "We're gonna record together some day." And I thought "Well alright." Turns out that woman was Patty Loveless! We ended up singing on lots of each other's records including our first No. 1 hits. She sang harmonies on "When I Call Your Name" and I sang on her single "Timber I'm Falling in Love."

Wade Hayes

I vividly remember my very first Fan Fair in 1995 because the line was so long and I just could not believe it. I think we were there for eight hours signing autographs. I was amazed and just so thankful. I was still a very young, naive country boy, and I just remember my mind being absolutely blown that there were that many people standing there to meet me.

Country fans are the best! I remember one year I mentioned something about being gone so much on tour, I didn't have time to go home and wash my socks or something like that and then all of a sudden, I start getting underwear and socks at all the shows for a while. It was pretty funny.

Ty Herndon

I had been to CMA Fest — then called Fan Fair — many times before I signed my record deal, but 1995 was different. My first single "What Mattered Most" had just gone to No. 1, and when I looked out over that crowd of 60,000 people to perform it, I couldn't hold myself together. The tears started welling up, and was all I could do to get through the song. To hear folks singing my lyrics back to me, there's nothing like it, even today. Words cannot describe it.

*HunterGirl (R) and her mom at CMA Fest 2022. Photo: Courtesy of HunterGirl*

HunterGirl

The funniest fan interaction last year was during the meet and greet at the signing booth. Someone came up and asked me to sign a picture, and I looked down and it was an old photo I used to promote my music in high school. Then, one after another people kept bringing the same photo to sign, and I asked, "Where did y'all get this?" They all go, "the lady in the back corner was passing them out." I looked over and it was my mom giving them to everyone she saw. It was like she was handing out mixtapes on Broadway. I have never laughed so hard. My mom is the best.

Chris Janson

The first year I did the stadium was pretty awesome. Me and Hank Jr. did "Born To Boogie." It was me and him and Justin Moore. It was just great because I grew up listening to Hank Jr., and we had toured together so it was great comradery. Then I did "Buy Me A Boat" and it had just hit No. 1 so that was a great time.  

I've had a lot of fun fan encounters. I'm pretty easy going, but people get so scared sometimes to say hello. Sometimes I'll notice it, so I'll just initiate the conversation because I can tell they want to say hello or want a picture or something. And I always think to myself, "Be Luke Bryan," because Luke is always very kind to people. So I've always tried to model myself after people like him. He's just a great template for that. Treat people how you want to be treated. 

So if I notice somebody wanting to talk or they look like they might want a picture, but they are about to let me walk by because they don't want to bother me, I just tell them, "Hey listen, you ain't bothering me. We're all just putting our pants on the same way this morning and if you'd like a picture, you might as well get it now. This is perfect timing." I appreciate how respectful people are in 99 percent of the cases, but it also just cracks me up that just because I sing songs and have hits and I'm in the public eye doesn't mean I'm not a normal person. I'm probably more normal than most people I know so if you see me out there, come and say hey.  

Tracy Lawrence

My favorite memory goes way back to when it was called Fan Fair and was held at the fairgrounds. All the artists would be assigned to a booth and we'd be there all day which consisted of signing for two to three hours plus appearances and performances. All the artists would try to outdo each other with our booth setup. We'd also do pranks on each other. One time Kenny Chesney and I had a silly string fight across from each other in our booths.

The first time I performed was at the Fairgrounds in 1992. They set up the main stage on the race track, and my producer, James Stroud, gave me a blue Harley Motorcycle to celebrate Sticks and Stones going Gold. So, it didn't suck.

*Tracy Lawrence at Fan Fair 1992. Photo: Courtesy of Tracy Lawrence*

Scotty McCreery

I got to perform with Josh Turner on the stadium show the first time I did CMA Music Fest, which was a moment I'll never forget. Through the years, I've done a lot of different events at CMA Music Fest and it's always been fun. The fans who attend are amazing, and music is truly around every corner. I'm glad to be a part of CMA Music Festival's history. The event is truly legendary.

Reba McEntire

Fans love country music and are so devoted. What I remember best is sitting there at the Polygram/Mercury booth at Fan Fair and sitting there for about two hours and probably signing one autograph. One time mama was there with me, and I had my little Sharpies in front of me and my little stack of pictures and nobody was coming over. Finally, this man and woman looked up at my name over my head and looked at me and walked over to me and mama said, "Get ready! Get ready!" And they walked over to me. I said, "Can I help you?" and they said, "Do you know where the bathroom is?" That was my introduction to Fan Fair. [Laughs.]

Of all the genres that I've been a part of — Broadway, television, the movies and in the clothing line — everybody always says how nice the country folks are, and how appreciative the fans are, and the artists are of their fans. So coming back to CMA Fest just emphasizes how much the artists do appreciate their fans and the fans of country music appreciate the artists and entertainers. I am proud to be a part of country music and a part of a group that do appreciate each other, and they don't take each other for granted.

Jo Dee Messina

My favorite CMA Fest memories are the Fan Club parties that I used to do with my mother. She geared up for them months in advance and I got to see the fans bring her such joy with their love. Thank you for those memories. They meant so much to both of us.

Craig Morgan

One year I played the stadium with a cast on my leg. There's a picture of me somewhere, climbing the trusses with my broken leg hanging off the sides of the stadium.

One of the years I played CMA Fest back when I was younger, I remember a young lady asking me for an autograph. I signed something for her and we chatted for a few minutes. Years later, that young lady became a big star in country music: Miranda Lambert. 

Megan Moroney

I am so excited to perform at CMA Fest again. Last year I was on the Spotlight Stage in Fan Fair X and it was one of the first times I heard fans singing my songs back to me. This year I get to play the Chevy Riverfront Stage & Nissan Stadium Platform Stage which is really exciting! 

Ian Munsick

I can't think of another event where fans travel from all over the world to listen to live country music. It's pretty special to have people from different cultural and geographical locations come together to share their love for their favorite songs and artists. I can't wait to fully experience CMA Fest for the first time and put a little western into the lineup.

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David Nail

My favorite was my first, which I believe was the first time it was downtown. I was 21 and on Mercury Records. I had a sleeveless Michael Jackson t-shirt on, which was borrowed from a friend back home. I was so nervous, but I remember it was really the first time I'd played in front of a crowd that size. I was high on adrenaline for days!

Joe Nichols

I have a long history with CMA Fest, going all the way back to the late '90s, like '96-'97. I had long hair and a cowboy hat. I was maybe 18 years old starting off my career. I had a booth. That's how you did it back then. You'd put these booths in these real hot buildings, and you'd sit there and sweat all day and say, "Please, look at me, look at me! Let me sign something for you that you don't care about!" [Laughs.]

Those are my original memories of Fan Fair, and as we've moved on through the years with CMA Fest, I've noticed there's a really different vibe around CMA Fest nowadays. It's a big show, a big stadium show that's always been one of my favorite things to play. 

We debuted "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off" in front of 40,000 people at the stadium at CMA Fest, sung it in the rain I believe. I have a lot of fond memories about CMA Fest performing on all the stages, Riverfront, Stadium Stage, CMT Stage in front of Bridgestone, and I've had a blast at all of them. That's what's wonderful about CMA Fest — you have so many fans there that are doing so many things, you're going to find a great crowd anywhere. 

Kimberly Perry

My favorite memory of CMA Fest is at Nissan Stadium. Luke Bryan and I actually got to co-host the broadcast, and it was such an amazing moment. We got to talk to so many artists that I hadn't really even got to meet before rehearsing that, and obviously being a co-host with Luke was so much fun.  

Over the years, I've had a ton of funny interactions with fans. The most embarrassing one for me, though, happened when there was a guy who said, "Hey, can you come and sign this thing for me?" I thought that he was pointing at his motorcycle, so I got my sharpie and signed the bumper of his motorcycle. Then [my brothers] Reid and Neil pointed out to me that he was actually pointing to the T-shirt laying over his motorcycle. He actually did not see me do it in real time and I didn't know how to tell him, so I just sort of sheepishly crawled back on the tour bus because I didn't know what to do.

Drew Parker

I got mistaken for Cody Johnson a couple years ago by a large crowd of fans. I just went along with it. [Laughs.]

Lily Rose

As a fan, [I saw] Morgan Wallen perform in the rain on the Riverfront Stage and it was incredible. He only had "Up Down" as a hit at the time, and it always leaves me inspired to keep working and growing. You never know where a song or two will take you. As an artist, getting to play the stadium last year — my first CMA Fest invited to play as an artist— was so humbling and a massive check off of the bucket list. 

I have so many fans always asking me to sign their arms and then they get it tattooed. It's a lot of pressure, but hilarious at the same time. Commitment is level 10, always!

Alana Springsteen

One of my first memories of CMA Fest is seeing Keith Urban play the stadium when I was about 12. I was young but, by then, I already knew music was going to be my life, so I went with the intention of learning as much as I could from his live show. 

I vividly remember how small he made that massive stadium feel. There aren't many artists who are such good entertainers that I forget to watch as an artist and naturally fall into watching as a fan, but he's one of them. He's so engaging. I remember hoping I'd have a chance to make that many people feel that way about my music one day. 

The fans are what makes CMA Fest so special. They're so incredibly passionate about the music and the artists. There's nothing like it. They go above and beyond for you, so it makes you want to go above and beyond for them. One of the first CMA Fests I played, there was a guy who showed up to watch every one of my performances with a poop emoji hat on. You couldn't miss him. I remember not being able to hold it together every time he'd walk in. Just the most ridiculously hilarious thing and we connected over it. I still haven't forgotten it.

*Jeannie Seely signing autographs at the first Fan Fair in 1972. Photo: Barry Amato*

Jeannie Seely

Thinking back on the first Fan Fair, I remember how excited I was to be entertaining so many wonderful fans all in one place! It was also exciting to be able to spend time with so many other artists, including some you didn't get to see very often, and some that I had not even met. I was in awe watching everyone else perform, and proud to be presenting our new package show with Jack Greene.  

Dottie West and I had a great time posing as each other just to watch the puzzled expressions on folks faces as they tried to figure it out. We even did radio promos for some of the DJs as each other. There was such a closeness of the artists back then, and we had so much fun together. Fan Fair gave us that opportunity too. There were a lot of stories told, guitar pulling, clothes and jewelry sharing, and memories made. Sometimes I wonder if the fans had as good a time as we did!

Matt Stell

My favorite memory of CMA Fest is getting to play the different stages. They're all cool in their own way. I started playing solo acoustic at Fest, which is fun because those fans typically come to hear artists and songs that are new to them. Now, we get to play the Chevy Riverfront Stage with a full band, and hopefully the crowd will be singing my songs with us, which is such a party! 

Tigirlily Gold

One of our first times ever visiting Nashville was for CMA Fest. A friend of ours ended up having two extra tickets to the last day of the stadium shows, and it poured down rain. We were still so happy to be at Nissan Stadium with 60,000 other country music fans at the most magical festival ever. We couldn't believe how many people were there! We held trash bags over our heads and sang along to all the country songs we grew up on the entire night.

We recently played in London for the first time, and we had several people tell us that they can't wait to see us play over CMA Fest. It really put into perspective how global the event is! 

Noah Thompson

Man, going from a nobody to somebody overnight was life-changing, and then going straight to CMA Fest right after winning American Idol. I was shocked how many people recognized me, stopped me in the street, and were singing along to my song! An incredible feeling that I will never forget.

Mark Wills

My most memorable experience at CMA Fest was truly magical. Just moments before I was about to step on stage and perform in 2022, I received the call that my daughter was going into labor. It was an overwhelming rush of emotions, knowing that my family was expanding and that I was about to become a grandparent. That moment filled me with an incredible sense of joy, love, and anticipation. It reminded me of the power of music to bring people together and create cherished memories that will last a lifetime.

Lainey Wilson

I went every year to CMA Fest from the time I was 14. My parents would take me there so literally I could go get inspired. They would make it like a family vacation really just for me. It felt like country music Christmas to me and my family.

When I finally got to play CMA Fest, it honestly felt like one of those out-of-body experiences because I'd dreamed about it for so long. Every summer we would go and I'd sit there. I wouldn't be jumping up and down with excitement, and my mama would look over at me and be like, "Are you having fun?" The truth is, I was just soaking it up. I was not whooping and hollering. I was just trying to learn and trying to watch the people on the Riverfront stage and on the Hard Rock stage, and then go over to the stadium that night and pick up little tips and tricks.' I was really educating myself, and I loved every single minute of it, so when I actually got the chance to do it myself I felt like, "Dang! We have arrived!" We have a long way to go, but we're heading in the right direction.

Country music brings people together. Of course, country music festivals are special anywhere you place those roots, but there is something so magical about playing for folks in a city where the music was made, and the team of people are there in that town that pushed that music, that played on that song. Everybody feels that when they roll into town for CMA Fest. You feel it to your core in a different kind of way.

Charlie Worsham

I have too many favorite memories to count, but I'll have to go with the year we revived the Ernest Tubb Record Shop Midnite Jamboree, bringing Vince Gill, Brothers Osborne, Brandy Clark, Eric Church and others down to the world's first country music record shop on lower Broadway. The crowd was crammed inside, where the air conditioning couldn't get us any cooler than 115 degrees. We had cops on horses out front as we shut down CMA Fest three nights in a row. I saw the sun come up that Saturday morning before going to bed! Finally, on Sunday morning, it was time for my Donuts and Jam fan party — and I barely made it in time, with my new puppy at the time, Peggy Sue.

One of my favorite stories to tell is the story of my first year at CMA Fest as a solo artist. I was a bit overconfident in my popularity, you see. A couple was approaching me on the sidewalk, pointing to their camera like they wanted a photo together. As I approached them to take a photo and sign autographs, they pointed to the Elvis impersonator behind me and asked, "Do you mind taking our photo with Elvis?" [Laughs.] A lesson in humility, I tell ya!

CMA Fest is unique because there's no other community quite like the country music community and no other place quite like Nashville. Our entire business is built on the close relationship between artists and fans, and CMA Fest is basically Nashville's annual open house. You can feel a spirit of gratitude and excitement and love in the air. As a singer, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to get to be in country music, and as a fan I'm reminded how lucky I am to have country music as the soundtrack to my life.

Brett Young

I didn't come to Nashville as a kid because I grew up in Southern California, so I found out about CMA Fest after I moved here. It was always very much a bucket list thing for me as an artist. The first year I got to perform, I got a call last minute that my second single "In Case You Didn't Know" was going No. 1 that week. I wasn't booked to perform at Nissan Stadium, but they were like, "We can't have the No. 1 song in the country not being performed." They said, "We know it's only two days away, but would Brett play the pop-up stage in the middle of Nissan Stadium for that one song?" I was in North Carolina at the time and the answer was obviously yes! We bussed back, I popped up on this little stage out in the middle of the field at Nissan Stadium, and got to play the No. 1 song in the country. It was really cool.

Chris Young

My favorite memory is probably getting to go as a kid. It was a really big deal when my mom took me when I was really young. We used to go when it was back at the fairgrounds.

The first time I performed was a really long time ago. It was a really tiny acoustic show. It was a lot different playing Riverfront up to the Stadium. It was definitely something I looked forward to, and I remember thinking how cool it was to be on a CMA Fest Stage anywhere.

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It's rare that a genre can be traced back to a single artist or group, but for funk, that was James Brown. The Godfather of Soul coined the phrase and style of playing known as "on the one," where the first downbeat is emphasized, instead of the typical second and fourth beats in pop, soul and other styles. As David Cheal eloquently explains, playing on the one "left space for phrases and riffs, often syncopated around the beat, creating an intricate, interlocking grid which could go on and on." You know a funky bassline when you hear it; its fat chords beg your body to get up and groove.

Brown's 1965 classic, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag," became one of the first funk hits, and has been endlessly sampled and covered over the years, along with his other groovy tracks. Of course, many other funk acts followed in the '60s, and the genre thrived in the '70s and '80s as the disco craze came and went, and the originators of hip-hop and house music created new music from funk and disco's strong, flexible bones built for dancing.

Legendary funk bassist Bootsy Collins learned the power of the one from playing in Brown's band, and brought it to George Clinton, who created P-funk, an expansive, Afrofuturistic, psychedelic exploration of funk with his various bands and projects, including Parliament-Funkadelic. Both Collins and Clinton remain active and funkin', and have offered their timeless grooves to collabs with younger artists, including Kali Uchis, Silk Sonic, and Omar Apollo; and Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat, respectively.

In the 1980s, electro-funk was born when artists like Afrika Bambaataa, Man Parrish, and Egyptian Lover began making futuristic beats with the Roland TR-808 drum machine — often with robotic vocals distorted through a talk box. A key distinguishing factor of electro-funk is a de-emphasis on vocals, with more phrases than choruses and verses. The sound influenced contemporaneous hip-hop, funk and electronica, along with acts around the globe, while current acts like Chromeo, DJ Stingray, and even Egyptian Lover himself keep electro-funk alive and well.

Today, funk lives in many places, with its heavy bass and syncopated grooves finding way into many nooks and crannies of music. There's nu-disco and boogie funk, nodding back to disco bands with soaring vocals and dance floor-designed instrumentation. G-funk continues to influence Los Angeles hip-hop, with innovative artists like Dam-Funk and Channel Tres bringing the funk and G-funk, into electro territory. Funk and disco-centered '70s revival is definitely having a moment, with acts like Ghost Funk Orchestra and Parcels, while its sparkly sprinklings can be heard in pop from Dua Lipa, Doja Cat, and, in full "Soul Train" character, Silk Sonic. There are also acts making dreamy, atmospheric music with a solid dose of funk, such as Khruangbin’s global sonic collage.

There are many bands that play heavily with funk, creating lush grooves designed to get you moving. Read on for a taste of five current modern funk and nu-disco artists making band-led uptempo funk built for the dance floor. Be sure to press play on the Spotify playlist above, and check out GRAMMY.com's playlist on Apple Music, Amazon Music and Pandora.

Say She She

Aptly self-described as "discodelic soul," Brooklyn-based seven-piece Say She She make dreamy, operatic funk, led by singer-songwriters Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik and Sabrina Mileo Cunningham. Their '70s girl group-inspired vocal harmonies echo, sooth and enchant as they cover poignant topics with feminist flair.

While they’ve been active in the New York scene for a few years, they’ve gained wider acclaim for the irresistible music they began releasing this year, including their debut album, Prism. Their 2022 debut single "Forget Me Not" is an ode to ground-breaking New York art collective Guerilla Girls, and "Norma" is their protest anthem in response to the news that Roe vs. Wade could be (and was) overturned. The band name is a nod to funk legend Nile Rodgers, from the "Le freak, c'est chi" exclamation in Chic's legendary tune "Le Freak."

Moniquea

Moniquea's unique voice oozes confidence, yet invites you in to dance with her to the super funky boogie rhythms. The Pasadena, California artist was raised on funk music; her mom was in a cover band that would play classics like Aretha Franklin’s "Get It Right" and Gladys Knight’s "Love Overboard." Moniquea released her first boogie funk track at 20 and, in 2011, met local producer XL Middelton — a bonafide purveyor of funk. She's been a star artist on his MoFunk Records ever since, and they've collabed on countless tracks, channeling West Coast energy with a heavy dose of G-funk, sunny lyrics and upbeat, roller disco-ready rhythms.

Her latest release is an upbeat nod to classic West Coast funk, produced by Middleton, and follows her February 2022 groovy, collab-filled album, On Repeat.

Shiro Schwarz

Shiro Schwarz is a Mexico City-based duo, consisting of Pammela Rojas and Rafael Marfil, who helped establish a modern funk scene in the richly creative Mexican metropolis. On "Electrify" — originally released in 2016 on Fat Beats Records and reissued in 2021 by MoFunk — Shiro Schwarz's vocals playfully contrast each other, floating over an insistent, upbeat bassline and an '80s throwback electro-funk rhythm with synth flourishes.

Their music manages to be both nostalgic and futuristic — and impossible to sit still to. 2021 single "Be Kind" is sweet, mellow and groovy, perfect chic lounge funk. Shiro Schwarz’s latest track, the joyfully nostalgic "Hey DJ," is a collab with funkstress Saucy Lady and U-Key.

L'Impératrice

L'Impératrice (the empress in French) are a six-piece Parisian group serving an infectiously joyful blend of French pop, nu-disco, funk and psychedelia. Flore Benguigui's vocals are light and dreamy, yet commanding of your attention, while lyrics have a feminist touch.

During their energetic live sets, L'Impératrice members Charles de Boisseguin and Hagni Gwon (keys), David Gaugué (bass), Achille Trocellier (guitar), and Tom Daveau (drums) deliver extended instrumental jam sessions to expand and connect their music. Gaugué emphasizes the thick funky bass, and Benguigui jumps around the stage while sounding like an angel. L’Impératrice’s latest album, 2021’s Tako Tsubo, is a sunny, playful French disco journey.

Franc Moody

Franc Moody's bio fittingly describes their music as "a soul funk and cosmic disco sound." The London outfit was birthed by friends Ned Franc and Jon Moody in the early 2010s, when they were living together and throwing parties in North London's warehouse scene. In 2017, the group grew to six members, including singer and multi-instrumentalist Amber-Simone.

Their music feels at home with other electro-pop bands like fellow Londoners Jungle and Aussie act Parcels. While much of it is upbeat and euphoric, Franc Moody also dips into the more chilled, dreamy realm, such as the vibey, sultry title track from their recently released Into the Ether.

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Living Legends is a series that spotlights icons in music still going strong today. This week, GRAMMY.com spoke with Billy Idol about his latest EP,  Cage, and continuing to rock through decades of changing tastes.

Billy Idol is a true rock 'n' roll survivor who has persevered through cultural shifts and personal struggles. While some may think of Idol solely for "Rebel Yell" and "White Wedding," the singer's musical influences span genres and many of his tunes are less turbo-charged than his '80s hits would belie.  

Idol first made a splash in the latter half of the '70s with the British punk band Generation X. In the '80s, he went on to a solo career combining rock, pop, and punk into a distinct sound that transformed him and his musical partner, guitarist Steve Stevens, into icons. They have racked up multiple GRAMMY nominations, in addition to one gold, one double platinum, and four platinum albums thanks to hits like "Cradle Of Love," "Flesh For Fantasy," and "Eyes Without A Face." 

But, unlike many legacy artists, Idol is anything but a relic. Billy continues to produce vital Idol music by collaborating with producers and songwriters — including Miley Cyrus — who share his forward-thinking vision. He will play a five-show Vegas residency in November, and filmmaker Jonas Akerlund is working on a documentary about Idol’s life. 

His latest release is Cage, the second in a trilogy of annual four-song EPs. The title track is a classic Billy Idol banger expressing the desire to free himself from personal constraints and live a better life. Other tracks on Cage incorporate metallic riffing and funky R&B grooves. 

Idol continues to reckon with his demons — they both grappled with addiction during the '80s — and the singer is open about those struggles on the record and the page. (Idol's 2014 memoir Dancing With Myself, details a 1990 motorcycle accident that nearly claimed a leg, and how becoming a father steered him to reject hard drugs. "Bitter Taste," from his last EP, The Roadside, reflects on surviving the accident.)

Although Idol and Stevens split in the late '80s — the skilled guitarist fronted Steve Stevens & The Atomic Playboys, and collaborated with Michael Jackson, Rick Ocasek, Vince Neil, and Harold Faltermeyer (on the GRAMMY-winning "Top Gun Anthem") —  their common history and shared musical bond has been undeniable. The duo reunited in 2001 for an episode of "VH1 Storytellers" and have been back in the saddle for two decades. Their union remains one of the strongest collaborations in rock 'n roll history.

While there is recognizable personnel and a distinguishable sound throughout a lot of his work, Billy Idol has always pushed himself to try different things. Idol discusses his musical journey, his desire to constantly move forward, and the strong connection that he shares with Stevens. 

Steve has said that you like to mix up a variety of styles, yet everyone assumes you're the "Rebel Yell"/"White Wedding" guy. But if they really listen to your catalog, it's vastly different.

Yeah, that's right. With someone like Steve Stevens, and then back in the day Keith Forsey producing... [Before that] Generation X actually did move around inside punk rock. We didn't stay doing just the Ramones two-minute music. We actually did a seven-minute song. [Laughs]. We did always mix things up. 

Then when I got into my solo career, that was the fun of it. With someone like Steve, I knew what he could do. I could see whatever we needed to do, we could nail it. The world was my oyster musically. 

"Cage" is a classic-sounding Billy Idol rocker, then "Running From The Ghost" is almost metal, like what the Devil's Playground album was like back in the mid-2000s. "Miss Nobody" comes out of nowhere with this pop/R&B flavor. What inspired that?

We really hadn't done anything like that since something like "Flesh For Fantasy" [which] had a bit of an R&B thing about it. Back in the early days of Billy Idol, "Hot In The City" and "Mony Mony" had girls [singing] on the backgrounds. 

We always had a bit of R&B really, so it was actually fun to revisit that. We just hadn't done anything really quite like that for a long time. That was one of the reasons to work with someone like Sam Hollander [for the song "Rita Hayworth"] on The Roadside. We knew we could go [with him] into an R&B world, and he's a great songwriter and producer. That's the fun of music really, trying out these things and seeing if you can make them stick. 

I listen to new music by veteran artists and debate that with some people. I'm sure you have those fans that want their nostalgia, and then there are some people who will embrace the newer stuff. Do you find it’s a challenge to reach people with new songs?

Obviously, what we're looking for is, how do we somehow have one foot in the past and one foot into the future? We’ve got the best of all possible worlds because that has been the modus operandi of Billy Idol. 

You want to do things that are true to you, and you don't just want to try and do things that you're seeing there in the charts today. I think that we're achieving it with things like "Running From The Ghost" and "Cage" on this new EP. I think we’re managing to do both in a way. 

**Obviously, "Running From The Ghost" is about addiction, all the stuff that you went through, and in "Cage" you’re talking about  freeing yourself from a lot of personal shackles. Was there any one moment in your life that made you really thought I have to not let this weigh me down anymore?**

I mean, things like the motorcycle accident I had, that was a bit of a wake up call way back. It was 32 years ago. But there were things like that, years ago, that gradually made me think about what I was doing with my life. I didn't want to ruin it, really. I didn't want to throw it away, and it made [me] be less cavalier. 

I had to say to myself, about the drugs and stuff, that I've been there and I've done it. There’s no point in carrying on doing it. You couldn't get any higher. You didn't want to throw your life away casually, and I was close to doing that. It took me a bit of time, but then gradually I was able to get control of myself to a certain extent [with] drugs and everything. And I think Steve's done the same thing. We're on a similar path really, which has been great because we're in the same boat in terms of lyrics and stuff. 

So a lot of things like that were wake up calls. Even having grandchildren and just watching my daughter enlarging her family and everything; it just makes you really positive about things and want to show a positive side to how you're feeling, about where you're going. We've lived with the demons so long, we've found a way to live with them. We found a way to be at peace with our demons, in a way. Maybe not completely, but certainly to where we’re enjoying what we do and excited about it.

[When writing] "Running From The Ghost" it was easy to go, what was the ghost for us? At one point, we were very drug addicted in the '80s. And Steve in particular is super sober [now]. I mean, I still vape pot and stuff. I don’t know how he’s doing it, but it’s incredible. All I want to be able to do is have a couple of glasses of wine at a restaurant or something. I can do that now.

I think working with people that are super talented, you just feel confident. That is a big reason why you open up and express yourself more because you feel comfortable with what's around you.

Did you watch Danny Boyle's recent Sex Pistols mini-series?

I did, yes.

You had a couple of cameos; well, an actor who portrayed you did. How did you react to it? How accurate do you think it was in portraying that particular time period?

I love Jonesy’s book, I thought his book was incredible. It's probably one of the best bio books really. It was incredible and so open. I was looking forward to that a lot.

It was as if [the show] kind of stayed with Steve [Jones’ memoir] about halfway through, and then departed from it. [John] Lydon, for instance, was never someone I ever saw acting out; he's more like that today. I never saw him do something like jump up in the room and run around going crazy. The only time I saw him ever do that was when they signed the recording deal with Virgin in front of Buckingham Palace. Whereas Sid Vicious was always acting out; he was always doing something in a horrible way or shouting at someone. I don't remember John being like that. I remember him being much more introverted.

But then I watched interviews with some of the actors about coming to grips with the parts they were playing. And they were saying, we knew punk rock happened but just didn't know any of the details. So I thought well, there you go. If ["Pistol" is]  informing a lot of people who wouldn't know anything about punk rock, maybe that's what's good about it.

Maybe down the road John Lydon will get the chance to do John's version of the Pistols story. Maybe someone will go a lot deeper into it and it won't be so surface. But maybe you needed this just to get people back in the flow.

We had punk and metal over here in the States, but it feels like England it was legitimately more dangerous. British society was much more rigid.

It never went [as] mega in America. It went big in England. It exploded when the Pistols did that interview with [TV host Bill] Grundy, that lorry truck driver put his boot through his own TV, and all the national papers had "the filth and the fury" [headlines].

We went from being unknown to being known overnight. We waited a year, Generation X. We even told them [record labels] no for nine months to a year. Every record company wanted their own punk rock group. So it went really mega in England, and it affected the whole country – the style, the fashions, everything. I mean, the Ramones were massive in England. Devo had a No. 1 song [in England] with "Satisfaction" in '77. Actually, Devo was as big as or bigger than the Pistols.

You were ahead of the pop-punk thing that happened in the late '90s, and a lot of it became tongue-in-cheek by then. It didn't have the same sense of rebelliousness as the original movement. It was more pop.

It had become a style. There was a famous book in England called Revolt Into Style — and that's what had happened, a revolt that turned into style which then they were able to duplicate in their own way. Even recently, Billie Joe [Armstrong] did his own version of "Gimme Some Truth," the Lennon song we covered way back in 1977.

When we initially were making [punk] music, it hadn't become accepted yet. It was still dangerous and turned into a style that people were used to. We were still breaking barriers.

You have a band called Generation Sex with Steve Jones and Paul Cook. I assume you all have an easier time playing Pistols and Gen X songs together now and not worrying about getting spit on like back in the '70s?

Yeah, definitely. When I got to America I told the group I was putting it together, "No one spits at the audience."

We had five years of being spat on [in the UK], and it was revolting. And they spat at you if they liked you. If they didn't like it they smashed your gear up. One night, I remember I saw blood on my T-shirt, and I think Joe Strummer got meningitis when spit went in his mouth.

You had to go through a lot to become successful, it wasn't like you just kind of got up there and did a couple of gigs. I don't think some young rock bands really get that today.

With punk going so mega in England, we definitely got a leg up. We still had a lot of work to get where we got to, and rightly so because you find out that you need to do that. A lot of groups in the old days would be together three to five years before they ever made a record, and that time is really important. In a way, what was great about punk rock for me was it was very much a learning period. I really learned a lot [about] recording music and being in a group and even writing songs.

Then when I came to America, it was a flow, really. I also really started to know what I wanted Billy Idol to be. It took me a little bit, but I kind of knew what I wanted Billy Idol to be. And even that took a while to let it marinate.

You and Miley Cyrus have developed a good working relationship in the last several years. How do you think her fans have responded to you, and your fans have responded to her?

I think they're into it. It's more the record company that she had didn't really get "Night Crawling"— it was one of the best songs on Plastic Hearts, and I don't think they understood that. They wanted to go with Dua Lipa, they wanted to go with the modern, young acts, and I don't think they realized that that song was resonating with her fans. Which is a shame really because, with Andrew Watt producing, it's a hit song.

But at the same time, I enjoyed doing it. It came out really good and it's very Billy Idol. In fact, I think it’s more Billy Idol than Miley Cyrus. I think it shows you where Andrew Watt was. He was excited about doing a Billy Idol track. She's fun to work with. She’s a really great person and she works at her singing — I watched her rehearsing for the Super Bowl performance she gave. She rehearsed all Saturday morning, all Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning and it was that afternoon. I have to admire her fortitude. She really cares.

I remember when you went on "Viva La Bam" back in 2005 and decided to give Bam Margera’s Lamborghini a new sunroof by taking a power saw to it. Did he own that car? Was that a rental?

I think it was his car.

Did he get over it later on?

He loved it. [Laughs] He’s got a wacky sense of humor. He’s fantastic, actually. I’m really sorry to see what he's been going through just lately. He's going through a lot, and I wish him the best. He's a fantastic person, and it's a shame that he's struggling so much with his addictions. I know what it's like. It's not easy.

Musically, what is the synergy like with you guys during the past 10 years, doing Kings and Queens of the Underground and this new stuff? What is your working relationship like now in this more sober, older, mature version of you two as opposed to what it was like back in the '80s?

In lots of ways it’s not so different because we always wrote the songs together, we always talked about what we're going to do together. It was just that we were getting high at the same time.We're just not getting [that way now] but we're doing all the same things.

We're still talking about things, still [planning] things:What are we going to do next? How are we going to find new people to work with? We want to find new producers. Let's be a little bit more timely about putting stuff out.That part of our relationship is the same, you know what I mean? That never got affected. We just happened to be overloading in the '80s.

The relationship’s… matured and it's carrying on being fruitful, and I think that's pretty amazing. Really, most people don't get to this place. Usually, they hate each other by now. [Laughs] We also give each other space. We're not stopping each other doing things outside of what we’re working on together. All of that enables us to carry on working together. I love and admire him. I respect him. He's been fantastic. I mean, just standing there on stage with him is always a treat. And he’s got an immensely great sense of humor. I think that's another reason why we can hang together after all this time because we've got the sense of humor to enable us to go forward.

There's a lot of fan reaction videos online, and I noticed a lot of younger women like "Rebel Yell" because, unlike a lot of other '80s alpha male rock tunes, you're talking about satisfying your lover.

It was about my girlfriend at the time, Perri Lister. It was about how great I thought she was, how much I was in love with her, and how great women are, how powerful they are.

It was a bit of a feminist anthem in a weird way. It was all about how relationships can free you and add a lot to your life. It was a cry of love, nothing to do with the Civil War or anything like that. Perri was a big part of my life, a big part of being Billy Idol. I wanted to write about it. I'm glad that's the effect.

Is there something you hope people get out of the songs you've been doing over the last 10 years? Do you find yourself putting out a message that keeps repeating?

Well, I suppose, if anything, is that you can come to terms with your life, you can keep a hold of it. You can work your dreams into reality in a way and, look, a million years later, still be enjoying it.

The only reason I'm singing about getting out of the cage is because I kicked out of the cage years ago. I joined Generation X when I said to my parents, "I'm leaving university, and I'm joining a punk rock group." And they didn't even know what a punk rock group was. Years ago, I’d write things for myself that put me on this path, so that maybe in 2022 I could sing something like "Cage" and be owning this territory and really having a good time. This is the life I wanted.

The original UK punk movement challenged societal norms. Despite all the craziness going on throughout the world, it seems like a lot of modern rock bands are afraid to do what you guys were doing. Do you think we'll see a shift in that?

Yeah.  Art usually reacts to things, so I would think eventually there will be a massive reaction to the pop music that’s taken over — the middle of the road music, and then this kind of right wing politics. There will be a massive reaction if there's not already one. I don’t know where it will come from exactly. You never know who's gonna do [it].

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