The final act of Beyoncé’s planned album trilogy is expected to arrive in 2026. Whether Act III will materialize this year has yet to be confirmed, but there have been enough hints to be hopeful. Here’s everything we know so far.
When were the previous acts released?
Renaissance and Cowboy Carter landed in 2022 and 2024, respectively. For many, the proof of Act III arriving this year is in the math: release an album one year, tour the next. Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour concluded on July 26, 2025 in Paradise, Nevada. Also, the pop stars is one of the co-chairs of the 2026 Met Gala.
What is Act III going to sound like?
All theories point in one direction: rock. The first two acts explored genres pioneered by Black artists – house and country, respectively – and while Beyoncé has not verbally confirmed this logical assumption, fans interpreted her 2025 Levi’s campaign, in which she ditches a denim cowboy ensemble for a bedazzled jacket and jeans to ride off on a motorcycle, as an allusion.
There have been other visual hints. On Instagram, Beyoncé has paid homage to icons like Prince and Betty Davis in recent months. Also, when her website was updated last year with a Valentine’s Day haul, the Beymine Valentine’s Day collection, it included the “Bodyguard” choker along with the description: “A little Rock ‘n’ Roll with a whole lotta sexy. The bodyguard choker is a stylish accessory made of faux leather featuring the lady Bey charm and adjustable buckle fastener for a personalized fit.”
Beyoncé’s new status as a billionaire is the ultimate endorsement of an idea she came to later in her career: stop overworking and start working smarter. Her evolution from 24/7 grind to boundary-setting strategist tracks directly to what workers and executives are discovering about burnout and sustainable success in today’s economy.
From grind to billionaire
In late 2025, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter joined Forbes‘ billionaire ranks, becoming one of only a handful of musicians—alongside Jay-Z, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen, and Taylor Swift—to cross the 10-figure threshold. Her wealth is built on stacked revenue streams: blockbuster tours like Renaissance and Cowboy Carter, high-margin merchandise, an owned catalog valued in the hundreds of millions, and Parkwood Entertainment, which lets her keep control of the products she creates.
That portfolio is the compound interest on two decades of disciplined reinvention—from Destiny’s Child to solo superstardom to entrepreneur—each chapter designed less around being everywhere and more around owning what matters most.
Her pivot: working smarter, not harder
Beyoncé has been candid that the early years of her career were defined by saying yes to almost everything: nonstop tours, red carpets, awards shows, and press that eventually led to insomnia, exhaustion, and deteriorating mental health. She has since told GQ in an interview that she draws a hard line: if a project doesn’t obsess her when she wakes up and follow her into her dreams at night, she passes—even if it is lucrative.
That philosophy extends to her calendar. She structures touring around her children’s school breaks and disappears from public events between major projects so she can recover, create, and be present at home. The result is fewer appearances, but each is bigger, more meticulously produced, and more profitable—culminating in tours grossing hundreds of millions and films that extend the earning life of each era.
What leaders can learn about burnout
Beyoncé’s shift mirrors a broader reckoning. In 2024, roughly 82% of knowledge workers surveyed across North America, Asia, and Europe reported at least some level of burnout, even as 88% also described themselves as highly engaged. That “burned out but locked in” paradox—employees simultaneously exhausted and deeply invested—creates a dangerous incentive to push hardest on the people already at their limit.
For HR leaders, the warning is clear: relying on a small cadre of “work horses” risks a toxic cycle where top performers quietly hit a wall and leave as soon as the job market improves. Beyoncé’s own playbook offers a lesson for business leaders: define the culture you actually want, clarify strategy, and invest in what you’re already good at instead of layering on more work for the same people.
The year of “no”
If the early Beyoncé era was about never saying no, today’s workforce is moving the other way. Roughly 65% of employees now feel empowered to decline additional responsibilities, with workers 25 and under the most likely to say no to extra tasks. That resistance is not laziness; survey respondents describe it as a survival strategy against chronic burnout, even as many still feel guilt when they set boundaries.
The most effective employers, research suggests, are those that normalize these boundaries by redesigning roles and workloads rather than glorifying the martyr who always says yes. Beyoncé’s refusal to trade her time for every opportunity—even when demand is virtually unlimited—is a high-profile version of the same move.
A billionaire blueprint for sustainable ambition
Taken together, Beyoncé’s trajectory and recent workplace data point to a new blueprint for high achievement:
Own the leverage, not the hours. Beyoncé’s billionaire status flows from asset ownership—catalog, company, creative IP—rather than simply stacking more tour dates or endorsements. Workers and executives alike gain the most when they move away from performative busyness toward roles and projects where their unique skills compound over time.
Make boundaries a performance strategy. Her choice to tour around her family’s schedule and to vanish between eras is not a luxury; it is why each launch lands as an event, not just another release. Fortune’s reporting shows that companies that build similar space—by empowering employees to say no, rebalancing workloads, and focusing on results rather than constant availability—are better positioned to retain engaged, high-performing talent in a tight labor market.
Redefine what “hard work” looks like. Beyoncé has said she has already “worked harder than anyone” she knows—now the challenge is to work smarter. For ambitious professionals, that means trading the visible grind of late nights and endless emails for the less visible work of prioritization, creative focus, and long-term bets that, like hers, can eventually be measured not in hours logged, but in enduring value created.
For this story, Fortune journalists used generative AI as a research tool. An editor verified the accuracy of the information before publishing.
Beyoncé has joined the ranks of billionaires, according to Forbes, becoming the fifth musician to be crowned the elite status.The Grammy Award-winning superstar now stands alongside Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and her husband Jay-Z, according to a report published by the outlet Monday.The 44-year-old’s financial ascent follows a landmark year in her career. Beyoncé took home the industry’s top trophy, winning Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys for her country album “Cowboy Carter,” released the year prior. She also made history as the first Black woman to win the award for Best Country Album.With 35 Grammy wins and 99 nominations, she is the most-awarded artist in the history of the awards, including those she won with Destiny’s Child, a chart-topping girl group that helped launch her storied career.The “Cowboy Carter Tour” grossed more than $400 million, making it the highest-grossing country tour in history, Reuters reported, citing Live Nation.In 2024, music charting site Billboard named her the greatest pop star of the 21st century, highlighting “her full 25 years of influence, impact, evolution,” Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger wrote.Her 2023 “Renaissance World Tour” drew massive crowds, with fans – known collectively as the BeyHive – flocking to see her perform across Europe and North America.In Stockholm, where she kicked off the tour, fanfare drove up hotel and restaurant prices and even slowed down Sweden’s declining inflation, according to economists.In addition to her musical achievements, Beyoncé has built a diverse business empire. She has launched successful clothing and hair care lines, and expanded into the beverage industry with a whisky brand named after her great-grandfather, SirDavis. Her entrepreneurial ventures have contributed to her growing fortune.Beyoncé’s road to superstardom began in the early 1990s, when she appeared on “Star Search” as part of Girl’s Tyme, a six-member group. She later joined Destiny’s Child, which became one of the best-selling girl groups in the late 90s and early 2000s.The group’s other members, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, reunited with her on stage earlier this year during her “Cowboy Carter” tour in Las Vegas.Since Destiny’s Child announced its hiatus in 2001, Beyoncé has released a series of acclaimed solo albums, starting with “Dangerously in Love” in 2003, which won five Grammy Awards the following year.She has headlined major music festivals, including becoming the first woman of color to lead the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2018.In 2023, she surpassed conductor Georg Solti to become the most awarded artist in Grammy history.
Beyoncé has joined the ranks of billionaires, according to Forbes, becoming the fifth musician to be crowned the elite status.
The Grammy Award-winning superstar now stands alongside Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and her husband Jay-Z, according to a report published by the outlet Monday.
The 44-year-old’s financial ascent follows a landmark year in her career. Beyoncé took home the industry’s top trophy, winning Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys for her country album “Cowboy Carter,” released the year prior. She also made history as the first Black woman to win the award for Best Country Album.
With 35 Grammy wins and 99 nominations, she is the most-awarded artist in the history of the awards, including those she won with Destiny’s Child, a chart-topping girl group that helped launch her storied career.
The “Cowboy Carter Tour” grossed more than $400 million, making it the highest-grossing country tour in history, Reuters reported, citing Live Nation.
In 2024, music charting site Billboard named her the greatest pop star of the 21st century, highlighting “her full 25 years of influence, impact, evolution,” Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger wrote.
Her 2023 “Renaissance World Tour” drew massive crowds, with fans – known collectively as the BeyHive – flocking to see her perform across Europe and North America.
In Stockholm, where she kicked off the tour, fanfare drove up hotel and restaurant prices and even slowed down Sweden’s declining inflation, according to economists.
In addition to her musical achievements, Beyoncé has built a diverse business empire. She has launched successful clothing and hair care lines, and expanded into the beverage industry with a whisky brand named after her great-grandfather, SirDavis. Her entrepreneurial ventures have contributed to her growing fortune.
Beyoncé’s road to superstardom began in the early 1990s, when she appeared on “Star Search” as part of Girl’s Tyme, a six-member group. She later joined Destiny’s Child, which became one of the best-selling girl groups in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The group’s other members, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, reunited with her on stage earlier this year during her “Cowboy Carter” tour in Las Vegas.
Since Destiny’s Child announced its hiatus in 2001, Beyoncé has released a series of acclaimed solo albums, starting with “Dangerously in Love” in 2003, which won five Grammy Awards the following year.
She has headlined major music festivals, including becoming the first woman of color to lead the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2018.
In 2023, she surpassed conductor Georg Solti to become the most awarded artist in Grammy history.
(CNN) — Beyoncé has joined the ranks of billionaires, according to Forbes, becoming the fifth musician to be crowned the elite status.
The Grammy Award-winning superstar now stands alongside Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and her husband Jay-Z, according to a report published by the outlet Monday.
The 44 –year-old’s financial ascent follows a landmark year in her career. . Beyoncé took home the industry’s top trophy, winning Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammy for her country album “Cowboy Carter,” released the year prior. She also made history as the first Black woman to win the award for Best Country Album.
With 35 Grammy wins and 99 nominations, she is the most-awarded artist in the history of the awards, including those she won with Destiny’s Child, a chart-topping girl group that helped launch her storied career.
The “Cowboy Carter Tour” grossed more than $400 million, making it the highest-grossing country tour in history, Reuters reported, citing Live Nation.
In 2024, music charting site Billboard named her the greatest pop star of the 21st century highlighting “her full 25 years of influence, impact, evolution,” Billboard’s Andrew Unterberger wrote.
Her 2023 “Renaissance World Tour” drew massive crowds, with fans – known collectively as the BeyHive – flocking to see her perform across Europe and North America.
In Stockholm, where she kicked off the tour, fanfare drove up hotel and restaurant prices and even slowed down Sweden’s declining inflation, according to economists.
In addition to her musical achievements, Beyoncé has built a diverse business empire. She has launched successful clothing and hair care lines, and expanded into the beverage industry with a whisky brand named after her great-grandfather, SirDavis. Her entrepreneurial ventures have contributed to her growing fortune.
Beyoncé’s road to superstardom began in the early 1990s, when she appeared on “Star Search” as part of Girl’s Tyme, a six-member group. She later joined Destiny’s Child, which became one of the best-selling girl groups in the late 90s and early 2000s.
The group’s other members, Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland, reunited with her on stage earlier this year during her “Cowboy Carter” tour in Las Vegas.
Since Destiny’s Child announced its hiatus in 2001, Beyoncé has released a series of acclaimed solo albums, starting with “Dangerously in Love” in 2003, which won five Grammy Awards the following year.
Beyoncé once said, “It should cost a billion to look this good,” and now she can afford it.
The Grammy-winning artist is now a billionaire, becoming the fifth musician to achieve the wealth milestone, Forbes said Monday. Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z was the first musical artist to become a billionaire in 2019. The elite club also includes Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift.
Beyoncé’s billionaire status comes on the heels of her “Cowboy Carter Tour,” which grossed more than $400 million in ticket sales, according to Pollstar. It also came right after her massively successful “Renaissance World Tour,” which she later turned into a film that premiered in movie theaters across the United States in 2023.
Beyond her music achievements — which include a record for most Grammy wins and nominations — Beyoncé had other business ventures that contributed to her massive fortune, Forbes said.
The 44-year-old founded Parkwood Entertainment, a production company, in 2010, and last year she launched Cécred, her hair care brand. Also in 2024, Beyoncé debut whiskey brand SirDavis in partnership with Moët Hennessy.
Beyoncé — whose full name is Beyoncé Knowles-Carter — also partnered with Adidas for several years on her clothing line Ivy Park, which she launched in 2016.
In 2025, there are more than 3,000 billionaires around the world, according to Forbes.
Tanner Adell in 2025 felt like watching someone kick open a saloon door with rhinestones flying everywhere. She didn’t wait for Nashville to make room for her. She made her own lane, painted it pink, added a bass line, and brought thousands of fans along for the ride!
With a sound that blends country warmth, pop sparkle, and bold creative choices, Tanner proved that being different is exactly what country music needed this year.
Here’s how she carved her path, one fearless moment at a time.
1. Redefining What A Country Girl Looks Like
Tanner’s rise in 2025 came with a message: country music is big enough for all kinds of women. Growing up between Wyoming’s open fields and California’s sun, she never saw herself reflected in Nashville’s usual image. When she arrived in the industry, she immediately noticed the lack of representation.
But instead of changing herself to blend in, she stayed true to her identity as a young Black woman who loves cowboy boots as much as she loves hip hop beats. Her confidence gave fans permission to show up fully as themselves, too. It felt refreshing, necessary, and honestly a little rebellious in the best way.
2. Glam Country Became A Whole Era
If 2025 had a glitter trail across its playlists, Tanner was the one leading it. Her signature “glam country” sound fuses glossy pop melodies, hip hop grooves, and traditional storytelling. She has a knack for pairing bright production with cheeky lyrics, creating songs that feel playful yet clever.
At her shows, she’d strut out with a sparkly guitar and high heels, instantly shifting the whole atmosphere. Her style wasn’t a gimmick. It was a reminder that country doesn’t have to be dusty or muted. It can shine. It can be bold. It can be girly and gritty at the same time!
3. ‘Going Blonde’ Showed Her Heart
While Tanner delivered plenty of bops in 2025, ‘Going Blonde’ was the moment that stopped people in their tracks. The emotional ballad was inspired by her adoption story and the discovery of her biological family. After learning that her birth mother, a blonde woman she resembled more than she ever expected, had passed away before they could meet, Tanner poured the grief and healing into a single she wrote alone at a Nashville bar.
She shared snippets on TikTok, where we immediately connected with her honesty. The song peeled back her glittery exterior to show a more tender, vulnerable side. In a year full of upbeat tracks, ‘Going Blonde’ stood out because it felt like Tanner speaking straight from her heart.
4. Social Media Became Her Stage
Tanner didn’t just release music in 2025. She built a digital community that grew with her. TikTok became her playground for teasers, acoustic moments, songwriting clips, and silly behind-the-scenes candids. We loved her casual storytelling just as much as her polished performances.
The song ‘Do Angels Drink Whiskey?’ became a fan demand after she previewed a quick clip online. By the time she officially released it, we were already belting it out like an old favorite. Tanner’s ability to make fans feel included turned casual listeners into long-term stans. She didn’t just post content. She let people into her creative process, which made her growth feel personal.
5. The Beyoncé Co-Sign That Shook The Genre
If there was one moment that changed the trajectory of Tanner’s year, it was her appearance on Beyoncé’s surprise country project, Cowboy Carter. Tanner lent vocals to a track that blended genres and made the music world pay attention. When the album won a Grammy Award for Best Country Album, Tanner became part of a milestone that pushed conversations about who “belongs” in country music.
Not only did Beyoncé’s nod bring Tanner into the mainstream spotlight, but it also highlighted how much her presence mattered in a genre that has historically kept its borders tight. After the collaboration, her fanbase expanded overnight, and media outlets began labeling her one of the new faces shaping the future of the sound.
6. Touring, Streams, And Standout Moments
With over 200 million streams, a sold-out run of shows, and growing media recognition, Tanner’s 2025 was stacked. She appeared at major events, earned features from top publications, and delivered live performances that showed how comfortable she is commanding a stage.
Fans didn’t just show up for the music. They showed up for the energy she brings. A Tanner Adell performance is layered with humor, heart, glitter, and a sense that everyone is welcome in the space she creates!
7. A Voice Expanding Country’s Horizon
Beyond the streams and headlines, Tanner made a deeper impact. She brought new fans into country music who had never felt represented. She made space for girls who love both rhinestones and rap verses. She challenged outdated expectations without attacking the genre she clearly loves.
Tanner’s mission wasn’t to tear down country. It was to widen the doors so more people could walk in. Her presence alone pushed conversations forward about country’s sound, its culture, and its future.
8. Why 2025 Was Her Breakthrough
Looking at the year as a whole, Tanner didn’t rise because she followed a trend. She rose because she created one. She blended storytelling with sparkle, wrote honestly about her life, embraced her community, and said yes to every creative possibility. She treated music like a space where she could build her own rules, and people felt that freedom. Tanner’s 2025 wasn’t just successful. It was defining!
9. Where She’s Heading
If this year proved anything, it’s that Tanner Adell is shaping the future of country pop. She’s bold enough to experiment, grounded enough to write with real feeling, and charismatic enough to make people care. Fans are already buzzing about what she’ll do next. More music? A bigger tour? A full glam country album? Whatever she chooses, she’s carrying momentum, influence, and a community behind her. And honestly, it feels like she’s just getting started!
What has been your favorite 2025 moment with Tanner? Let us know in the comments below, or give us a shout on Twitter and Instagram!
The highly anticipated reunion tour with Brandy and Monica just hit a star-studded major stop, marking an “extra special” night in Newark, New Jersey. The Boys Is Mine Tour NJ stop was attended by an A-list group, including Beyoncé, Solange, and Patti LaBelle, turning the Prudential Center into a celebrity summit.
Source: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/ Emma McIntyre/ Kevin Mazur
Brandy and Monica may have been the main event, but the stop in Newark cemented the tour’s legacy. The energy and success of the entire run are a culmination of a history that spans more than 27 years. The performance at the Prudential Center marked one of the final stops before the tour’s conclusion, and it drew a who’s who of music royalty.
The Boys Is Mine Tour NJ: Sisterhood, Surprises, and A History of Hits
Source: Kevin Mazur / Black Promoters Collective
After the Boys Is Mine Tour NJ stop, Monica quickly shared photos and videos on Instagram, giving a public shout-out to the women who were present to support the tour. Monica thanked Kelly Rowland, who has opened for the tour on several dates, for being a “class act” and for the “admirable” bond she shares with Beyoncé.
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Monica continued: “You ladies and your family have always shown me genuine love. And [Solange], how I adore you. I love all three of you.”
After the concert, clips show Bey and her daughter Rumi greeting Monica. Rumi is seemingly a huge Monica fan as she shyly said, “Hi Monica.” The mother-daughter duo also spoke with legend Patti LaBelle, who joined Kelly on stage earlier in the evening.
The Newark stop of the tour marks the second show that Beyoncé attended in support of her former Destiny’s Child sister, Monica, and Brandy.
The rest of the Carter family also attended, as clips report Jay-Z and Blue Ivy (who seems to be almost as tall as her dad!) backstage with Beyoncé and Auntie Solange.
According to Rap-Up, the stage at the Prudential Center was also packed with performances. Surprise appearances added extra star power to the already impressive lineup. Ne-Yo delivered the “smoothest vibes and countless hits,” including a performance of his classic hit, “So Sick.” He was joined by Lola Brooke, who performed “Don’t Play With It.”
The tour’s massive success has been noted by the entire industry. Previous stops have featured stars like Rihanna and Queen Latifah. Kehlani even paid tribute to Brandy during an earlier stop, calling her “Our vocal bible, our Black Cinderella,” cementing the importance of this reunion in R&B history. She also performed her current hit “Folded” for fans.
The Thursday night stop in Houston, TX also saw a celebrity fest as stars like Law Roach, Nas, JT, and Lala Anthony sat in the front row. Ciara, Fat Joe, and Max B also provided performances.
Source: Kevin Mazur / Black Promoters CollectiveSource: Kevin Mazur / Black Promoters CollectiveSource: Kevin Mazur / Black Promoters Collective
During the Boy Is Mine Tour NJ stop, Monica took a moment to thank her co-headliner, Brandy, for their renewed partnership. She wrote, “Creating history together 27 years and counting! I’ve enjoyed watching the world celebrate your gift as you step further into your purpose!”
This public acknowledgment underscores just how far the two have come after years of on-again-off-again friendship. This final stretch of The Boys Is Mine Tour cements the tour’s status as a cultural homecoming, celebrating the growth and sisterhood of the two R&B legends.
While many of our favourite celebrities are like royalty in our eyes, you may be surprised to learn just how many of them are related to actual royalty. What’s more, many of them share common ancestors, meaning some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are also related too.
From the two pop queens linked to Queen Camilla, to the American celeb thought to be the closest American relative to the late Queen Elizabeth II, these stars’ family trees stretch across centuries of European history, revealing a web of royal connections you definitely never expected. HELLO! takes a look at the famous faces you never knew were secretly of royal descent…
It seems pretty fitting that Beyoncé – regularly referred to as Queen Bey – is related to a real-life queen. The Texas Hold ‘Em singer is Queen Elizabeth II‘s 25th cousin once removed, connected by their shared ancestor, Henry II, who ruled in the 12th century. The singer is no stranger to rubbing shoulders with royalty either – she shared a heartfelt meeting with the Duchess of Sussex at the premiere of Disney‘s The Lion King in 2019, telling Meghan, “We love you guys”.
The “Queen of Pop” is more than just music royalty – she’s actually related to Queen Camilla. Madonna and the Queen are ninth cousins once removed, and are both descendants of Zacharie Cloutier, a 17th century French-Canadian who was a founding figure in the Quebec colony. A master carpenter who was a “bourgeois seigneur” – a person of considerable wealth – Zacharie and his wife Xainte Dupont have thousands of descendants today, and we’re still hoping for a Madonna and Camilla meet-up.
He may have only played a king in The Return, but it turns out actor Ralph Fiennes is actually the eighth cousin of King Charles himself. The Harry Potter actor and The King are both descendants of King James II of Scotland, who succeeded to the Scottish throne at six-years-old during the 1400s. Ralph told People magazine about the time Charles visited the set of the James Bond film Spectre, revealing that his distant relative was “very charming” and “warm”.
Another one of Queen Camilla’s star-studded relatives is Celine Dion. The My Heart Will Go On singer and the Queen are both related to Jean Guyon, a Frenchman who also settled in Quebec, making the pair 10th cousins once removed. She’s also another relative of Zacharie Cloutier, which also makes her ninth cousins once removed with Madonna – this family tree has no shortage of star power!
During an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? in 2011, Johnny Depp discovered that he’s actually related to Queen Elizabeth II. A genealogist traced Johnny’s lineage back over 500 years, and discovered the pair share a common ancestor, King Edward III, who reigned during the Medieval period. This makes the Pirates of the Caribbean actor and the late Queen 20th cousins, and though they’ve never formally met, the pair briefly made contact on the set of Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow in the ’90s, Sir Michael Gambon told The Telegraph. The Queen came riding past with Harry Herbert, the 17th Earl of Pembroke, with Johnny reportedly asking afterwards, “Was that the Queen?”
Former daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres never got the chance to sit down with the Princess of Wales – which would’ve been a fabulous chat, considering the pair are related. Kate and the famous funnywoman are 15th cousins, sharing a common ancestor in Sir Thomas Fairfax, an army officer during the English Civil War, and his wife Anges Gascoigne. Ellen found this fact out shortly before the Prince and Princess of Wales’ 2011 wedding, jokingly telling Extra TV’s Terri Seymour that she had a “beautiful outfit picked out” for the pair’s lavish nuptials.
The Princess of Wales is also cousins with another famous celebrity – sixth cousins with film director Guy Ritchie, to be exact. The pair share a common ancestor in David Martineau, a surgeon in the 18th century who was part of a well-known Unitarian family from Norwich. Kate and Guy are also friends in real life, with the Snatch director scoring an invite to her wedding to Prince William in 2011 – sorry, Ellen!
He’s more than just the heir to the Iron Throne – Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington is related to real-life royalty. Kit’s paternal eight-times-great-grandfather was King Charles II of England, meaning he shares an ancestor, King Charles I (Charles II’s grandfather), with the current King Charles III – if you can keep up with all those Charleses, that makes Kit and the King roughly 9th or 10th cousins.
Benedict Cumberbatch may have just been acting as King Richard III in The Hollow Crown, but turns out he’s actually related to him. Benedict is the second cousin 16 times removed of Richard, the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and the last monarch to die in Battle. Cumberbatch’s family connection earned him an invite to read a poem at the monarch’s reburial ceremony at Leicester Cathedral in 2015. The Sherlock actor is reportedly also connected to other royals like Queen Elizabeth II and Lady Jane Grey; he met the former queen when she presented him with a CBE in 2015, an experience he described to the BBC as “extraordinary” and “nerve-wracking”.
Did you know singer Hilary Duff is reportedly the American celebrity most closely related to Queen Elizabeth II? The pair share an ancestor in King Edward III – the same as Johnny Depp – while Hilary is also descended from Robert the Bruce, who was the King of Scotland in the early 14th century. This makes the former Lizzie McGuire star and the late Queen 18th cousins, as well as distantly related to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.
Descended from a Swedish noble family, brother-sister acting duo Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal are 19th cousins of the late Queen Elizabeth II through their shared ancestor, King Edward III of England. If you’re keeping up (it’s quite the family web), that also makes Jake and Maggie related to Johnny Depp and Hilary Duff. Talk about a family tree packed full of both acting royalty and actual royalty!
If you think you’ve never heard Ink, we guarantee you that you’re wrong! This GRAMMY-nominated songwriter has already made it onto your playlists with songs like Beyoncé’s ‘16 CARRIAGES,’ Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s ‘luther,’ and Lay Bankz’s ‘Tell Ur Girlfriend.’ But now, she’s proudly stepping onto the stage with her own narratives and voice on her debut EP, BIG BUSKIN’, which proves that Ink is a vital storyteller defining this generation in music. We need music that connects and transforms us more than ever, and she has the perfect pen for the job.
Across 13 songs, Ink throws a moving ‘Hoedown’ that walks us through her love story with music, her views on persistence and tough times, and the passion that’s carried her through life. “They can steal your style, but they can’t steal your story,” she muses on the spoken opener, ‘Inktro,’ over a western-inspired soundscape. At the heart of each song lies Ink’s authenticity and pure, all-encompassing love for the music she makes, especially on emotive tracks like the incredible ‘God’s Been Drinkin’.’ Even the EP title is an ode to her love for her craft – some of her earliest musical pursuits involved busking and learning how to make her storytelling as moving as possible, and the ‘Tony Machine on 42nd’ interlude tells the story of one of those performances.
The hell with all that BS — press play and find out — real music is back!
Ink
We’re ‘Comin’ Back’ from our listening experience with some extra sweet news: we got to ask Ink all about BIG BUSKIN’, writing her truth, and her biggest inspirations! Press play on BIG BUSKIN’ then keep reading to learn more about the project from the musical genius who created it.
Hey Ink, congratulations on the EP release! What has it been like for you to drop it and see how much fans are loving it? It’s been incredible to drop the EP! Finally being able to say it’s out now is surreal.
There are so many thoughtful lyrics on your standout single ‘Sweet Tea,’ with one of our favorites being “we can’t take it back, so really we gotta live again.” Which line from the song are you most proud of? “Yeah, my granny never even cuss ‘til she got Alzheimer’s / Uh, real GOAT, greatest of all timers.”
The ‘Sweet Tea’ music video includes so many sweet home movie clips and throwback moments. What was it like for you to revisit so many memories for the song and video? It was the best part about it. It just took me back down memory lane. It felt so good to be back home and just have the spirit of my family and those that aren’t here anymore still be there to celebrate.
We’re so excited about your debut BIG BUSKIN’ EP! Which song were you most hyped for fans to hear and why? Which tracks are the most meaningful to you? They’re all meaningful to me, but I’m most hyped for fans to hear ‘Sweet Tea’ because they get to hear a little about the fam, and ‘All I Got’ since it really summarizes the EP. Plus all the inkerludes!
Inspired by ‘Turquoise Cowboy,’ which color do you think best matches the energy of BIG BUSKIN’? Turquoise with a little wood grain.
The BIG BUSKIN’ title nods to your own experiences busking around Atlanta, which you’ve described as “resilience in motion.” What’s something you learned during that phase of your musical journey that you’ve taken with you as you’ve grown? The world is a beautiful place, you’ve just gotta choose to see it.
In your recent INKtionary post on Instagram, you listed one of the definitions of BIG BUSKIN’ as “to live loud, global, and unapologetic – outlaw energy with superstar reach.” How do you stay true to yourself and your roots as your star rises? I just carry on the memory of the places I’ve been and the people I’ve met as I go. I take my boots off, get my feet in the grass, and connect to nature.
Alongside your own work, you have writing credits on iconic songs like Kendrick Lamar & SZA’s ‘luther,’ Beyoncé’s ‘TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,’ and Lil Nas X’s ‘STAR WALKIN’!’ How do you approach writing for another artist differently than writing for your own releases, and how do your experiences on those songs inform how you approach your music? Each artist has their own story, so I just see it as me being there to help serve them creatively. It helps me learn new things for my process, as each artist has a different process and story. They each teach me something different.
You told Billboard that you wrote the lyrics to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill on flash cards one day after school – as a publication run by fans, we love the passion! Is there a certain song on the album that has most influenced you and your music? I think the whole album – it gives you the sense of creating a body of work. Some artists can make a few great songs, but she really made a great body of work.
From Beyoncé to Shaboozey and Post Malone, country is definitely ‘Comin’ Back’ to the mainstream spotlight lately! What do you feel makes country so moving, especially in a time when we need the magic of music more than ever? The storytelling!
You’ve called yourself “a faucet of creative energy that never runs out” to The Tennessean. When do you feel most inspired, and what inspires you most? Life and the people and places in it make me feel most inspired. I can just open my eyes and there’s a song waiting.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2025/2026? Performing, pulling up, doing shows, and lots of great music. Next year I’ll also be dropping my debut album!
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on? Pull up when you see the spill!
It sounds like BIG BUSKIN’ is just the very beginning, and we can’t wait to see what Ink will spill next! Thank you so much to Ink for answering our questions and pouring so much heart into every song you touch.
Now, honeybees, we have some questions for you! What are your favorite tracks on the BIG BUSKIN’ EP? Who do you hope to hear Ink write with in the future? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! You can also buzz on over to our Reddit community to chat with us.
This fall, the High Museum of Art is turning fashion into fine art with the U.S. debut of “Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Statements,” a bold and imaginative exhibition featuring more than 100 avant-garde designs by the Dutch couture duo. Opening Oct. 10, 2025, and running through Feb. 8, 2026, the show transforms the museum’s galleries into a runway of surrealism, storytelling, and craftsmanship.
For Atlanta tastemakers and art lovers alike, the exhibition is a true spectacle. The show highlights three decades of work by Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, featuring everything from their sculptural gowns to theatrical installations that blur the line between fashion and fantasy.
Photoby Noah Washington/The Atlanta Voice
During Thursday’s media preview, local influencer and longtime High Museum collaborator Berto Horne said the exhibition stands out among the museum’s most impressive showcases: “This is going to be one of the most impressive exhibitions that we’ve had here,” Horne said. Horne, who has partnered with the High since 2017, said he values how exhibitions like Fashion Statements bring people together while expanding Atlanta’s creative dialogue. “I’ve worked at the High as an influencer since 2017,” he said. “They’ve been great partners of mine, and I love coming out to these media tours so that we can connect with the people, but also learn about what’s going on in the art space. I just enjoy learning each time I come here.”
Among those taking in the couture spectacle was Gibron Whitney Shepard, a Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) MFA student and designer recognized by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and known for his costume work on Beyoncé’s “Mood Forever” music video, “I’ve been following Viktor and Rolf for a very long time, and it’s incredible to see it up close and personal and not just through a screen,” Shepard said. “It’s one of those things you really want to touch, and you have to control yourself not to touch the things, because it’s very surreal. Some of the pieces are incredibly surreal.”
When asked how the exhibition inspired his own creative work, Shepard said it reminded him of the importance of pursuing artistic obsession.“I think how it inspires me is just the idea to pursue the thing that drives you crazy, the thing that drives you mad,” he said. “I think Viktor and Rolf do an incredible job, even as many times as the feminine form has been re-imagined, they do an amazing job at kind of pushing that even further. So it really challenges you to think beyond what you know is possible.”
Exhibition curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot, who previously organized major fashion retrospectives on Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler, said the show’s message transcends geography. “Beyond the Atlanta culture, I think it’s a global message,” Loriot said. “The exhibition is about humanity, about a strong social message, about humor, diversity, irony, and creativity. And I think it’s very important for the young generation to understand that you don’t have to follow the trends, you can initiate them. You can think outside of the box. Even if you’re not coming from a glamorous background, you can do anything if you just dream about it and work hard to do it.”
He added that Atlanta’s growing appreciation for art and style makes it an ideal home for the exhibition, “I’ve seen that there’s a lot of elegant people who really enjoy dressing up,” Loriot said. “There’s a real sense of elegance and pride, which I think is quite important.”
The exhibition will run through Feb. 8, 2026, at the High Museum of Art’s Wieland Pavilion.
“It’s definitely whimsical, it’s imaginative, and it’s real,” Horne said. “It’s wearable art that makes you believe again.”
Now this is a plot twist we never saw coming. For over a decade, R&B fans have been side-eyeing the internet, waiting on Beyoncé and Alicia Keys’ long-lost “Put It In a Love Song” music video to drop. Read what Mathew Knowles had to say about the unreleased video.
The Collab Fans Hoped For
With two powerhouse women, one Swizz Beatz production, and a Melina Matsoukas-directed video filmed in Rio de Janeiro, the 2009 collab was supposed to be a moment. After months of hype and leaked behind-the-scenes pics, the visual mysteriously vanished until now.
Why It Never Dropped
During a recent episode of Carlos King’s Reality with the King podcast, Beyoncé’s father and former manager, Mathew Knowles, finally revealed what really went down, and it sounds like something straight out of a movie.
“They were in the projects, hood, ghetto in Rio, and Sony Records hadn’t paid the gangsters,” Knowles told host Carlos King, leaving him visibly shocked. “They had to be helicoptered out of there. That’s really what happened.”
According to Knowles, the video was completed despite the chaos, but it was never released. Alicia Keys later gave her own version of events in a 2016 Rap Radar interview, saying the final product “just didn’t quite capture the energy that we really intended.” She added, “We felt like it was better to just hold it… maybe one day it’ll be like some old secret… I’ll put it on Tidal.”
And in case you were wondering why Carlos King didn’t ask for more details, he explained on X that Mathew agreed to one last question after they went over their allotted interview time.
“Of course I wasn’t expecting THAT answer. I had so many follow up questions but I shook his hand cause he gave me a cliffhanger.”
Mystery Solved
Now, with Knowles’ shocking revelation, fans are putting the pieces together. The video’s disappearance was not just a “creative decision.” What was meant to be an iconic moment in R&B history turned into one of music’s most mysterious vault stories.
The “Put It In a Love Song” video joins the ranks of legendary unreleased visuals fans still beg to see. Whether it’s collecting dust in a Sony vault or Alicia’s personal hard drive, the BeyHive and Alicia’s day-ones aren’t giving up hope anytime soon.
Catch the full tea on Reality with the King and revisit all the buzz surrounding the track here.
Even if you don’t know Rita Hazan by name, you know her work. The New York City native has been behind the hair color transformations of some of the biggest pop stars since the late ‘90s, from Mariah Carey’s first foray into lighter locks (and eventual blonde makeover) for her 1997 album, Butterfly, to Jennifer Lopez’s post-Selena honey highlights and Katy Perry’s full range of rainbow colors. And then there’s Beyoncé, who first came to Hazan in 2013 and has been working with her ever since.
But Hazan’s impact in the beauty industry extends far beyond her impressive list of celebrity clients. In the male-dominated field of hair coloring, Hazan carved out her own path: First by developing a coloring technique that defied (and eventually set) trends, then with the opening of her namesake salon and product line. “I didn’t even think about it as a woman; I just really loved doing color,” Hazan tells Observer of what drove her to take risks. After attending beauty school at 17, Hazan immediately went to work at Oribe Canales’ legendary Fifth Avenue salon, where she assisted color director Brad Johns (whose clients famously included Christy Turlington and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy) through much of the ‘90s. “I got promoted, and that’s where I was doing a little bit different hair color. Brad was all about chunky, very golden highlights, and I went the opposite way of that,” Hazan says. “My family background is Egyptian and Jewish, and we like to be blonde, but we don’t like to be goldy,” she adds of what inspired her more seamless approach to blonde color.
By the early 2000s, Hazan’s work with Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Simpson had established her as the go-to colorist for pop It girls and up-and-comers alike. “If you wanted to create an image or change your look, you would come to me,” confirms Hazan. All the while, she was still busy at Oribe with her usual clients, one of whom first planted the idea of opening her own salon. “I was like, ‘Who the hell wants that headache?’” Hazan laughs. “But I told my client I’d think about it, and when I went home and said something to my mom, she said, ‘If you want to, just open your own place.’ So I did, and that was it.”
Rita Hazan Rita Hazan.
After establishing her Fifth Avenue salon as the place for A-listers and those in the know, Hazan developed her own product line, which most famously introduced the world to the first root cover-up spray (inspired by and developed for her clients as an at-home solution for grays in between color appointments). But after 20 years in the industry, Hazan was introduced to her most famous client to date: Beyoncé. “About 12 years ago, [hair stylist] Kim Kimble called me and was like, ‘Beyoncé wants to be blonde but her hair keeps turning orange, and I told her, Rita is the only person that’s going to get you the color that you want. Can you do her hair?’” Hazan recalls of the singer’s first visit to her salon. Hazan delivered, and the two have been working together ever since. The colorist is behind every Beyoncé hair look of the past decade, from her bright blonde at the 2015 Met Gala to her more dimensional, “sunwashed” color during the 2023 Renaissance tour.
“We’ll go back and forth on color ideas, but I’m always making sure it looks good for video and with movement—Beyoncé is flipping her hair and she’s up and down when she’s onstage, so every aspect of her hair has to look beautiful,” Hazan says of their collaboration process. “She also grew up in a hair salon, so she understands what’s possible and what’s not.”
This fall, Hazan is sharing her coloring expertise through open classes at her salon, now located on the Upper East Side. “I really like educating, and everybody is always asking me about going blonde without it getting damaged or brassy, so I’d like to do classes in the salon that are affordable and open to anybody who wants to come in,” she says. In between creating buttery blonde color for her clients (Hazan’s top trending color for fall), Rita Hazan spoke with Observer about her current essentials—from the red lip that’s become part of her everyday uniform to the at-home hair gloss with results so good, she uses it in the salon.
“I don’t know if this is too much,” exclaimed Shaboozey as he pointed at the chain hugging his neck. The country singer was dressed plainly in blue jeans and a T-shirt emblazoned with the logo for Gilley’s Club, the famous nightclub in Pasadena, Texas that ran for nearly two decades. What was not plain was the diamond chain with the initials “AD,” representing his American Dogwood record label. The piece caught the light throughout the night and glimmered even in darkness.
“I was debating on whether to put all these pieces on,” he continued, reaching into the crowd to sign hats, posters, shirts, and records for fans. “I didn’t want to seem like I was stunting or nothing. But we got a Houston legend in the building, and his name is Maxo Kream. I asked him backstage if it was too much. And he told me I was in Houston, so shine on ‘em!”
A minute later, the Woodbridge, Virginia native was leading the packed house at 713 Music Hall through the chorus of “Amen.” The 2025 Great American Roadshow was in full swing in Houston, Texas.
The Great American Roadshow Tour is Shaboozey’s first national headlining run. Announced in early 2025, it began in April and includes more than thirty shows across the United States, with stops in Nashville, Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and New York. Several festival appearances were added during the summer. The tour supports his 2024 album Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going, released through his American Dogwood imprint in partnership with Empire.
Shaboozey looks over the crowd at 713 Music Hall. Credit: Cody Barclay
For fans who discovered Shaboozey through his chart-topping hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” the tour offers both the pop-driven sound that brought him mainstream attention and deeper cuts from his catalog, including “Fire and Gasoline,” “Drink Don’t Need No Mix,” and “Good News.” Flanked by his band, he moves easily between upbeat anthems and more reflective material that shows his range as a songwriter.
“I grew up in Virginia,” he said, reaching for a guitar at center stage. “Let me play a little of the music I love.”
Shaboozey performs with a full band that features pedal steel, acoustic guitar, bass, and live drums. The stage setup is straightforward, keeping the focus on the musicianship and the interaction between the band and the audience. His team includes several longtime collaborators from Virginia who helped shape the album’s sound and visuals.
The tour follows a breakout year that saw Shaboozey reach No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Country charts with A Bar Song (Tipsy). His features on Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter expanded his reach and underscored his growing influence across genres. Before that success, he spent nearly a decade releasing independent projects that mixed country, hip hop, and rock influences. Albums like Lady Wrangler (2018) and Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die (2022) built the foundation for his current momentum. Now, with the Great American Roadshow, Shaboozey stands at the center of a sound that bridges his past work with a larger vision for what American music can be.
The Tipsy Singer leads his first headlining tour. Credit: Cody Barclay
“This is my first headlining tour, and when I first came in this room, I thought it was kind of big. We’ve been selling out shows in a bunch of cities, but this is a big room when no one is in here. But y’all don’t understand what it means to me to see people in here from wall to wall and have every seat filled. It just means I’m on the right track.”
The Houston performance underscored why this tour matters. Shaboozey is not just moving through venues; he is building a career that pushes country music into spaces it has rarely occupied. The Great American Roadshow proves that his blend of Virginia storytelling, Nigerian heritage, and American grit can fill halls across the country. Houston’s response, with a sold-out crowd and voices carrying every chorus, was another marker of an artist whose influence is expanding quickly and whose vision continues to grow louder with each stop.
Set List
Last of My Kind Anabelle Blink Twice Tall Boy Drink Don’t Need No Mix Vegas Highway Move On (with Kevin Powers) Family Tradition (Hank Williams, Jr. cover) Amen Finally Over Fire and Gasoline Horses & Hellcats Good News Let It Burn A Bar Song (Tipsy)
Police have made an arrest in the theft of hard drives containing unreleased music by Beyoncé.Atlanta-area police arrested Kelvin Evans for allegedly breaking into an SUV in the city over the summer and stealing hard drives and other items that were connected to the Grammy winner.Evans is now in jail facing a charge of entering an automobile with intent to commit theft.It is not yet known if he has legal representation.Officers responded on July 8 after receiving a call regarding a theft from a vehicle, according to police.”They have my computers, and it’s really, really important information in there,” an unidentified caller is heard on a 911 call obtained by CNN. “I work with someone who’s like, of a high status, and I really need the, um, my computer and everything.”The items were stolen from a car that had been rented by her choreographer during a Cowboy Carter tour stop in the city, according to police.Investigators have not recovered the hard drives or other items that were allegedly taken.
Police have made an arrest in the theft of hard drives containing unreleased music by Beyoncé.
Atlanta-area police arrested Kelvin Evans for allegedly breaking into an SUV in the city over the summer and stealing hard drives and other items that were connected to the Grammy winner.
Evans is now in jail facing a charge of entering an automobile with intent to commit theft.
It is not yet known if he has legal representation.
Officers responded on July 8 after receiving a call regarding a theft from a vehicle, according to police.
“They have my computers, and it’s really, really important information in there,” an unidentified caller is heard on a 911 call obtained by CNN. “I work with someone who’s like, of a high status, and I really need the, um, my computer and everything.”
The items were stolen from a car that had been rented by her choreographer during a Cowboy Carter tour stop in the city, according to police.
Investigators have not recovered the hard drives or other items that were allegedly taken.
Planning a wedding is hard enough – so let us help you with your wedding songs playlist.
As family, friends, work colleagues and others from all corners, flavours and stages of your life flood onto one dancefloor at once wedding reception, it can feel overwhelming to come up with a refined idea of what songs absolutely do or don’t need to play.
You want a mix of romance, fun and nostalgia – and GLAMOUR has got you covered.
From soundtrack classics to disco legends here are our top 34 suggestions for the best wedding songs to add to your playlist.
Lover by Taylor Swift
This Tay track is completely interwoven with wedding references. Though she wrote it during her previous relationship with Joe Alwyn, it still rings true as a gorgeous testament to the magic of getting married to this day, whoever it might have originally been written about. Plus, it’s a waltz. An extra romantic factor.
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) by Beyoncé
Because every single lady at a wedding reception should have a song dedicated to them.
At Last by Etta James
Arguably one of the most romantic, swoonworthy tunes of all time from the world’s most incredible voice. It tells a story of finally finding the one for you, so what better time to belt it out than on your wedding day?
(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
The Dirty Dancing classic track is a must for wedding receptions, whether or not you choose to recreate that lift on the dancefloor.
Shut Up And Dance by Walk the Moon
A 2014 anthem that will get even the most shy wedding guest in the mood for dancing. The band’s lead singer, Nicholas Petricca, was inspired to write the song about the night he met his girlfriend on an LA dancer when she invited him to dance. Cute.
You Make My Dreams by Daryl Hall & John Oates
We love this 1980s classic, made famous amongst Millennial pop culture with its use in 500 Days Of Summer when protagonist Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) breaks out into a solo dance routine in the street after sleeping with Summer (Zooey Deschanel) for the first time.
Dancing Queen by Abba
There’s no better song to scream along to on a wedding reception dancefloor with your best friends, distant relatives, whoever is around!
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
Van Morrison’s iconic track centred around the magic of first love is an essential for a wedding reception playlist centred around the charm of romance.
The Best by Tina Turner
Even if you haven’t seen Dan Levy’s iconic scene lip syncing along to this track in Schitt’s Creek, it still remains one of the best singalong songs about love and devotion of all time. Scream along to it with your friends, family and all other loved ones.
Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
An ultimate, showstopping performance from Lady Gaga in this one – is anyone still crying from A Star Is Born? Whether you want to re-enact the Ally and Jackson Maine dynamic with your other half or just let out all the emotions of the day by screeching “I’M OFF THE DEEP END” on the dancefloor, both are your prerogative.
I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Whitney Houston
We all want to dance with somebody who loves us – especially at a wedding. Grab anybody who looks game and bust a move to one of Whitney’s very very best.
Wonderwall by Oasis
Love it or hate it, it’s not a UK wedding reception without a Britpop singalong. Perhaps one to schedule for the end of the night, when you all feel like joining hands and wailing at the ceiling before the lights inevitably come on: “I said maybeeeeeeeee”.
I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing by Aerosmith
Epic epic epic. The unforgettable soundtrack to 1998’s Armageddon and a must-listen on so many wedding dancefloors. And let’s face it, your wedding night should have a more romantic ending than that movie!
Islands In The Stream by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers
One of our favourite duets of all time – Dolly Parton is an angel sent from Heaven and can do no wrong in our eyes, especially when it comes to cultivating the ultimate wedding song playlist. Islands In The Stream is a gem, whether you fancy a little slow dance or to shout the lyrics at each other from across the dancefloor.
You’re Still The One by Shania Twain
Shania’s first top 10 hit is an ultimate for any romantic occasion, in our opinion. While I Feel Like A Woman is your go-to for empowerment, You’re Still The One is the perfect encapsulation of what true love feels like.
Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond
It’s not just for celebratory times in football stadiums, this one. Reportedly written for Neil Diamond’s second wife Marcia (Caroline, just sounded better, apparently), it’s all about the good times when you’re together. Perfection.
Crazy In Love by Beyoncé ft Jay-Z
What better way to see in your big day than a dancing to this infectious track from one of the most iconic couples of all time? Take a leaf out of Bonnie and Clyde’s book and wiggle that booty after a few wines, it’ll feel so good.
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
It’s no wedding songs playlist without Marvin Gaye, we can’t lie. The Motown legend certainly knows how to create the romance, and his duet with Tammi Terre is one for the ages.
Best Of My Love by The Emotions
A true 1970s tune that never gets old. It’s groovy, catchy and all about giving everything you can to the person you love. All the things you want when you’re dancing the night away post-ceremony.
Marry You by Bruno Mars
Whether you’re a die-hard Bruno Mars fan or not, you can’t deny this one is one for the wedding songs playlist. It’s got a good beat, sweet lyrics and church bells play as part of the melody – it’s a no brainer.
(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher by Jackie Wilson
Hip shaking central, here. If you can’t drag the most reluctant of wedding guest dancers onto the dancefloor during the trumpet solo towards the end, we don’t know what to tell you.
Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder
While Stevie reportedly wrote this legendary track for his daughter Aisha Morris, it pretty much works for the bride or any other lady you love in your life, really.
Can’t Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley
Arguably a classic choice for a first dance. A schmoozy, bittersweet, tears-in-your-eyes kind of track. Slow dance, slow kiss, slow everything to this song – you’ll remember it forever.
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole
A great dancealong – and not just because it was expertly placed in the A Cinderella Story soundtrack back in the Noughties. What better track to play on a day celebrating everlasting love, after all?
You ever answer a question with confidence, even when you’re not 100% sure? Let’s just say Naturi Naughton had that moment on the red carpet, and now the internet is cutting up!
When asked if she’s more of a ‘Cowboy Carter’ or ‘Renaissance’ girl, Naturi Naughton didn’t hesitate to ‘Cowboy Carter.’ But babyyy, when they hit her with the follow-up asking her favorite song from the album… that’s when things took a turn.
Naturi proudly replied, “16 Candles!” and even started singing the chorus with full confidence—except… the song is actually called ’16 Carriages’. To make it even funnier, she replaced “carriages” with “candles” multiple times while the interviewer hyped her up like she was killing it. Social media wasted no time clocking the lyrical mix-up, but hey, we’re giving her an A for effort and vibes! At one point, the interviewer, J Lamar Nichols, had to hilariously defend himself in the comment section, because you already know they came for him too. “Ayyyeee that’s me interviewing her LOL she had me believing it was 16 candles lol we was just vibing,” he revealed.
Naturi’s Remix Got The Timeline Screaming
Social media is cackling at Naturi Naughton’s accidental remix of Beyoncé’s ’16 Carriages.’ Folks ran to J Lamar Nichols’ comment section with their own made-up lyrics, turning the moment into a full-blown comedy thread. While some are side-eyeing Naturi like, “Are you sure you listen to that song, sis?” others are calling the reporter petty for hyping her up and singing along like it was correct the whole time!
One Instagram user @jadenovah said, “16 cartridges, printing away, on a plain white paper without, no ink stains…“
This Instagram user @nivaries added, “16 CANDLES lighting the way. Cause the power bill I for got to pay!“
And, Instagram user @musicology333 commented, “Not 16 candles 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣”
Meanwhile, Instagram user @niguel.anthony shared, “16 What? Baby she’s a Renaissance fan! Baby don’t even know the title“
While, Instagram user @icontips added, “🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️”
Finally, Instagram user @thecontrarianaquarian joked, “‘I listen to it so much‘ 🤣”
It’s Giving “Pull Up In The Sri Lanka”
Let’s take it way back to one of the funniest accidental bars in TV history. It was 2021, and Dr. Wendy Osefo—yes, Miss ‘Real Housewives of Potomac’ herself—hit the ‘Wendy Williams Show‘ and accidentally gave us a viral moment for the books. When guest host, Michael Rapaport, asked her if she was a fan of Nicki Minaj, Wendy got flustered and mistakenly recited lyrics from the rapper’s song, ‘Monster’ saying: “Pull up in the Sri Lanka!”
Now mind you, the real line is, “Pull up in the monster automobile gangsta, with a bad b***h that came from Sri Lanka.” The internet grabbed that remix and ran with it, turning it into memes, TikTok’s, and a cultural reset nobody saw coming. And honestly? We’re still not over it.
Xaviaer DuRousseau isn’t about to let the internet shame him for dragging Beyoncé on live television. In a statement to The Shade Room, the media personality reacted to backlash over his out-of-the-blue digs and BeyHive comments. Additionally, he doubled down on his disses despite social media pulling receipts of him previously stanning both Bey and Jay-Z.
Xaviaer DuRousseau Says Beyoncé’s Focus Should Be Her Music
His insults for the ‘Cowboy Carter’ artist follow her appearance at VP Kamala Harris’ rally in Houston this past weekend. Speaking on Fox News, he called Harris “absolutely desperate” in the race to win the White House. DuRousseau said that the Democratic nominee is “bringing any celebrity she can to try to get any kind of endorsement.” Furthermore, he stated that Harris has “no substance herself.”
As for Beyoncé, Xaviaer DuRousseau said the singer’s focus should be on her music rather than political events. “Beyoncé needs to focus on trying to keep her album on the charts because it’s already gone,” the media personality said. Later on the platform X (formerly Twitter), he claimed that dragging Beyoncé on live TV is the “bravest thing” he’s “ever done in [his] career.” He also called her fanbase “domestic terrorists.” Peep his comments down below.
BeyHive Pulls Receipts Of Media Personality Praising Her, He Reacts
As clips of Xaviaer DuRousseau’s comments on Fox caught traction, social media users put on their investigative caps. After a lil’ digging on X (formerly Twitter), presumed Beyoncé supporters found at least SIX tweets of DuRousseau stanning the Carters that go as far back as 2023.
“Conservatives DRAG me every time I say this, but I’m obsessed with the CArters and will defend them as if I’m on their payroll. Jay-Z and Beyoncé are a Royal Family,” he wrote in June 2023.
In two other posts, Xaviaer DuRousseau said Bey was “objectively more talented than the Beatles” and defended her “vocal range, genre versatility, dancing, directing, producing and filmmaking” in comparison. Swipe below to see his other stan posts.
Not long after, Xaviaer DuRousseau spoke directly to The Shade Room about the stan receipts. He doubled down on his stance that Beyoncé’s focus should be her music, and not campaigning for Kamala Harris in the election’s final stretch.
“The receipts may have gagged me, but they do not discredit what I said on FOX News. I am STILL a Beyoncé fan. It’s not my fault that she doesn’t promote her music, and that’s why her album FLED the charts like Harriett Tubman in the middle of the night. Maybe that wouldn’t have happened if she focused on her album rather than politics.”
Additionally, Xaviaer DuRousseau dragged Rihanna into his messy digs, saying: “Beyoncé fans need to be honest about her lack of marketing. She needs to also take some business notes from Ms. Fenty on how to promote her businesses! I wish Beyoncé the best, and that starts with electing Donald Trump as president.”
There are eight days remaining in the 2024 Presidential Election for Vice President Kamala D. Harris and former President Donald J. Trump. In the last week, Vice President Harris visited Clarkston, an enclave bordered by Decatur to the west and Stone Mountain to the east. Friday, Harris visited Houston, Texas to campaign alongside U.S. Represntative Colin Allred, Kelly Rowland, and Beyoncé. Saturday, Michelle Obama joined Harris to rally voters in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Meanwhile, Trump headlined a rally at Madison Square Garden and is set to return to Atlanta tonight at Georgia Tech.
What do we know about the race with one week to go?
First, the early voting turnout in Georgia has surpassed the levels from 2020. As of 6am Monday morning, 38.9% of Georgia’s registered voters have made their choice in this year’s presidential election. More than 2.81 million voters have cast their ballot. Black voters make up nearly 34% of that turnout. The general rule of thumb is if more than 30% of Black voters vote for the Democratic Party, it bodes well for their chances. In the cases for Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton and Henry Counties, total turnout has been north of 40% during the early voting period.
Additionally, 71,000 Georgians who were registered to vote in 2020, but did not cast a ballot in that election, have already cast a ballot this year during the first week of early voting. Among newly-activated voters, Democrats currently hold an edge.
Every single survey has Harris and Trump locked in a dead heat in Georgia.
Maya Harris speaks during a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday, October 18, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
A Woman’s Right to Choose is central to Democrats closing message
During each campaign stop, one message was clear: reproductive freedom for women is true freedom for all Americans. The stories of the pain and suffering were told in an effervescent manner. Thursday, the family of Amber Nicole Thurman attended the Harris rally in Clarkston. Friday, Harris rallied voters in Houston on her pledge to codify Roe v. Wade into federal law. Texas, like Georgia, abortion procedures are prohibited at six weeks – before many women know they are pregnant – with exceptions only if the mother’s life is in danger.
“So do you think Donald Trump is thinking about the consequences for the millions of women who will be living in medical deserts,” asked Michelle Obama during her speech in Houston. “Does anyone think he has the emotional maturity and foresight to come up with a plan to protect us?”
During an event hosted by Maya Harris, the women backing the Vice President Harris urged attendees to vote early and in person, emphasizing the significance of youth and diverse voter engagement. Maya Harris also underscored the Vice President’s commitment to reproductive freedom. The message was clear: individual efforts can make a significant impact, and the collective goal is to ensure Kamala Harris becomes the next President.
Objectives for enshrining Roe
Vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election, as she has pledged to protect reproductive rights and expand access to healthcare.
Women must have open and honest conversations important men in their lives to make it clear that protecting women’s health and rights is a priority. Urge the gentlemen to vote accordingly.
Encourage women, especially first-time voters, to exercise their right to vote and make their voices heard on these critical issues.
Support efforts to pass legislation that would restore nationwide protections for reproductive rights.
Advocate against policies and politicians that seek to restrict or undermine access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, contraception, and maternal care.
Maya Harris takes a selfie with a crowd during a campaign rally for Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday, October 18, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
“It is why she has spent her entire life fighting for each of us to be able to have that freedom,” explained Maya Harris. “To put a fine point on it, like the freedom to make our own decisions about our health, our families and our futures. Which includes our reproductive freedom, which is a defining issue, not just in this election, but for our entire country. And certainly for this room in so many ways. It’s an issue that Kamala has been the strongest, most vocal champion of this issue since the overturning of Roe v Wade.”
Puerto Rico, an American territory, MAGA’s latest target
While Kamala Harris was in Philadelphia on Sunday, Donald Trump staged a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It was apropos for Trump to hold such an event on an NFL Sunday. Trump notoriously failed in his attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills and the NFL put the former United States Football League out of business in the 1980s.
As for modern times, Trump and his surrogates put on a rally that was red meat for conservatives living on Long Island and Staten Island. Comedian Tony Hinchcliff warmed up the crowd by dehumanizing Puerto Ricans when he said, “I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” That joke did not go over well for U.S. Senator Rick Scott, a Republican from Florida currently fighting to keep his seat.
The problem for Scott is that every speaker was vetted by Team Trump. Scott is locked in a battle with Debbie Mucarsel-Powell for his seat in November’s elections. Florida is home to the largest number of Puerto Ricans in the United States outside of the island itself.
Conversely, Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Luis Fonsi and others have shared a post by Kamala Harris which outlines her plans for Puerto Rico. Each person is supporting Harris in the election.
Notably, about 100,000 Puerto Ricans live in Georgia. Also notable, it took the Trump team six hours to clean up the disastrous fallout from the joke. “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” says Trump campaign Senior Advisor Danielle Alvarez. I mean, this too is a lie because Trump spent the week calling America a ‘garbage can.’ Trump also wanted to swap Puerto Rico for Greenland in 2020.
Trump does nothing to distance himself from the fascist labels
David Rem, a Trump surrogate, called Vice President Harris ‘the antichrist’. Tucker Carlson referred to Harris as, ‘a Samoan, Malaysian, low IQ former California prosecutor.’ Stephen Miller said, ‘America is for Americans and Americans only.’ That quote was directly lifted from Adolf Hitler’s speech in 1934 when he said, ‘Germany is for Germans and Germans only.’ No coincidence here. The Nazi Party held a rally at the World’s Most Famous Arena in 1939, espousing similar views.
This story will not directly discuss Trump’s former Chief of Staff John Kelly proclaiming that his former boss is a fascist and wishes he had generals that are loyal to him like Hitler’s. However, Miller’s quote is directly reminiscent of Joseph Goebbels, the philosopher of the Nazi Party. Goebbels drafted its literature which was cloaked in antisemitism.
For Trump, he realized his dream of seeing his name in lights on Sunday. Like his rally in Traverse City on Friday, Trump showed up hours late for his event. Trump labeled the Democrats as ‘the enemy from within’ because he believes they’ve done terrible things to America. Trump rattled through his greatest hits Sunday. He attacked the media and referred to America’s generals as ‘weak, stupid people’. Trump also said FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina was worse than Hurricane Katrina because FEMA paid out money to undocumented immigrants. That is an outright lie.
Subsequently, his followers left MSG after they could not sit around any longer.
Black Men and the Vote
Former U.S. President Barack Obama speaks during a campaign event for Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, at the James R Hallford Stadium on October 24, 2024 in Clarkston, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen/The Atlanta Voice)
During Sunday night’s WinWithBlackMen call, it emphasized the importance of increasing Black voter turnout in key battleground states. Key metrics included Black women voting 34-56 points above Black men in some states, and over 65% of Black voters aged 65+ having already voted. In Georgia, 38% of Black men have voted in the 2024 Elections.
Many leaders on the call were emphasizing to young voters that their vote can make a critical difference. For example, The Collective PAC is hiring up to 15,000 voting ambassadors in key swing states, including Georgia, to organize their friends and family. They are encouraging young people to sign up as ambassadors and leverage their personal networks to drive voter turnout.
The idea that Black men are not turning out for Harris is a myth. 72% of Black men are supporting Harris according to a Pew Research Center survey. However, misogyny is what is driving conversation. It is not a myth that misogyny by some Black men are being platformed by the Republican Party. Those pleas got hollowed out when “Dixie” was played before the U.S. Representative, Byron Donalds, was introduced in New York City Sunday afternoon.
The finish line is approaching
With eight days remaining, the Harris campaign has momentum. They are packing out stadiums. If polling data is not to be trusted, follow the money. The Harris campaign raised more than $1 billion in the period before September 30th, according to official filings.
Conversely, the Trump campaign is resigned to using racism and threats of violence. Trump even winked at the U.S. House Speaker, Mike Johnson, saying: “I think with our little secret we are gonna do really well with the house. Our little secret is having a big impact. He and I have a little secret. We will tell you what it is when the race is over.” Trump hopes the Election has enough chaos that it shall be thrown into the House of Representatives.
Donald Trump pledges to use the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. It was created to deport individuals during war with France, to deport undocumented immigrants from the United States. While Trump’s surrogates are making jingoistic and xenophobic remarks, Vice President Kamala Harris is shoring up support within Latino communities in Philadelphia.
The case for both candidates is now in the collective hands of Georgia voters.
Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland lit up Vice President Kamala Harris’ rally in Houston, Texas, on Friday, October 25. The two singers showed love for the Democratic candidate’s event, which centered on reproductive rights, according to USA Today.
Beyoncé Endorses VP Kamala Harris At Houston Rally
At the campaign event, Tina Knowles introduced Beyoncé and Kelly Rowland. Bey and Kelly stood on business in front of a huge crowd of 30,000 at a down Houston soccer stadium, Fox News reports. Queen Bey’s support at the campaign rally made sense — as fans know she proudly reps her hometown of Houston.
Bey kicked off her speech with a shoutout to H-Town, sharing how proud she and Kelly felt to support VP Kamala Harris. She added that she wasn’t there as a celebrity or politician but as a mother.
“I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in. A world where we have the freedom to control our bodies. A word where we’re not divided. Our past, our present, our future merge to meet us here,” the ‘Break My Soul’ songstress said.
The cultural icon then discussed the stakes for women’s rights and shared her vision of a hopeful future in which unity replaces division.
“We’re all part of something much bigger. We must vote! And we need you. It’s time to sing a new [song]. A song that began 248 years ago. Our moment right now, it’s time for America to sing a new song. Our voices sing a song of unity. They sing a song of dignity and opportunity. Are y’all ready to add your voice to the new America song? Because I am!” Bey continued.
Kelly Rowland Delivers Powerful Speech In Support VP Harris
Bey wasn’t the only one dropping knowledge at the Houston rally. Kelly Rowland followed up with a powerful speech backing VP Harris. The ‘Motivation’ singer made it clear she’s standing ten toes down for the Democratic candidate against Donald Trump.
“A moment where we grab back the pen from those trying to write an American story of misogyny and racism. We are grabbing back the pen from those trying to write an American story that women were denied the right to make our own decisions about our bodies! Houston we are grabbing back the pen! That pen to forge a new path with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz,” Kelly Rowland said.
Kelly doubled down on her support for VP Harris, telling the crowd she took action and casted her vote for Harris two days ago.
Social Media Reacts
Fans didn’t hold back in The Shade Room’s comment section with reactions to Bey and Kelly’s speech. Plenty loved seeing the two proudly back VP Kamala Harris.
Instagram user @yo.quue wrote, “Kamala done summoned the Avengers.”
While Instagram user @xotanye wrote, “I know trump somewhere sweating his lace front off.”
Then Instagram user @richie8990_ wrote, “I’m pretty sure Kamala Harris just won the election with this endorsement.”
Another Instagram user @jayin88 wrote, “Trump gon need Michael Jackson ghost to win now lmao.”
Instagram user @keishachenelle wrote, “Kelly came with a plan! She got that suit on and she standing on.”
Instagram user @seth_heyboo wrote, “Kelly was going in honey! Like she was running for office 👏”
Lastly, Instagram user @jeanatai_ wrote, “I was there in person and it was so exhilarating 💙💙💙💙”
Donald Trump & Amber Rose React To VP Kamala Harris’ Houston Rally
Donald Trump threw some shade at VP Harris after her Houston, but he also took a jab at President Joe Biden. At his Michigan rally, he called out VP Harris for supposedly partying with Queen Bey.
“Joe Biden is asleep and Kamala is at a dance party with Beyoncé,” Donnie told the audience.
His statement was met with a few “boos” from the audience.
