The internet is undefeated in pretty much every aspect, but especially when it comes to churning out basically any piece of media that makes one scoff at their device and say You can’t make this shit up.
This gallery proves it. Although, it didn’t need proving. Life oneline sure has its fair share of chaos, most on display here, but remember, if it’s online chaos, its derived from the crazy real life that is happening out there.
Stay safe out there so you don’t end up in one of these galleries.
On her show, Brown often talks about balancing her career as a political commentator with parenting her young daughter. Her reflections on Ballerini raise a question—who, exactly, are the “horrifying” feminist voices telling women that they shouldn’t have children? The assumption only makes sense under a conservative framework that, as Guardian columnist Moira Donegan recently explained, uses “feminism” not as a term to describe “a set of political commitments or ideals,” but as a synonym for “women.”
In discussing the Economist article, Brown also read a line from the story that mentioned JD Vance’s 2021 comment criticizing Democrats for being “childless cat ladies.” After quoting the sentence, Brown said, “I don’t know that that has as much to do with politics so much as it has to do with miserable, angry millennial feminists trying to drag us all down into the pit of their despair.”
To Brown, the message of Ballerini’s song is clear: “It starts with personal responsibility, 100%, and realizing that you don’t have the luxury of just being loose and wild and crazy and free throughout your 20s,” the YouTuber said. “Your 20s are not meant to be wasted; your 20s are meant to be lived. But it starts, first and foremost, through that personal responsibility, with choosing the right person to spend your life with.” She added that many Gen Z men have said that getting married and having children is their number one priority.
For Ballerini, things are a little hazier. Earlier this week, she shared a TikTok video to thank her fans for supporting the song, explaining in more detail her thoughts about pursuing her career. “How lucky am I that this is my life and that this is a dream that I’ve chosen and that I’ve pursued and, like, put my whole life into?” she said. “One thing I really have never written about is jealousy and, like, longing. And I think that was the first time that I was like, Oh wow. I am having a moment of being so grateful and so damn jealous. Just…asking my question, like, can I have it all? I don’t know.”
And one of these girls is apparently chilling in Antarctica. Photo: ImaZins via Getty Images
Get up. All five members of NewJeans have reportedly decided to return to ADOR after the label won a legal dispute over their contracts on October 30. ADOR confirmed in a November 12 tweet that members Hyein and Haerin have expressed their desire to comply with a South Korean court’s recent ruling and come back to the company. So why aren’t fans panicking that the K-pop quintet is breaking up and becoming TwoJeans? About three hours after ADOR’s initial announcement, localoutlets reported that members Minji, Hanni, and Danielle said through lawyers that they are also planning to continue their careers with the HYBE-owned label. “One of our members is currently in Antarctica, which delayed communication,” they said in a statement translated by the Korea Herald, “and since ADOR has yet to respond, we decided to announce this separately. We will continue to meet fans with sincere music and performances.” Reuters reports that ADOR is “checking” whether the three members really intend to return.
NewJeans, the girl group that debuted in July 2022 and less than a year later became the fastest K-pop act to ever hit 1 billion streams on Spotify, announced last November that they were leaving their label, citing alleged mistreatment as well as dissatisfaction with the removal of Min Hee-jin as the CEO. They later attempted to rebrand as indie artists, but a court injunction in March put an end to their fresh start as NJZ. After losing the lawsuit over their contracts in October, the group’s legal team said they planned to appeal the decision, asserting that “the relationship of trust between NewJeans and ADOR has been completely destroyed, making normal activities impossible.” At the time, the label stated that it had already completed preparations for a group album and was waiting for the girls to come back. If the full group has truly changed their tune about making tunes with ADOR, then it sounds like new NewJeans music is on the way.
It’s become nearly impossible for people to tell the difference between music generated by artificial intelligence and that created by humans, according to a survey released Wednesday.
The polling firm Ipsos asked 9,000 people to listen to two clips of AI-generated music and one of human-made music in a survey conducted for France-based streaming platform Deezer.
“Ninety-seven percent could not distinguish between music entirely generated by AI and human-created music,” said Deezer in a statement.
The survey was conducted between October 6 and 10 in eight countries: Brazil, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and the United States.
Deezer said more than half of the respondents felt uncomfortable at not being able to tell the difference.
Pollsters also asked broader questions about the impact of AI, with 51 percent saying the technology would lead to more low-quality music on streaming platforms and almost two-thirds believing it will lead to a loss of creativity.
“The survey results clearly show that people care about music and want to know if they’re listening to AI or human made tracks or not,” Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said in a statement.
Deezer said there’s not only been a surge in AI-generated content being uploaded to its platform, but it’s attracting listeners as well.
In January, one in 10 of the tracks streamed each day were completely AI-generated. Ten months later, that percentage has climbed to over one in three, or nearly 40,000 per day.
Eighty percent of survey respondents wanted fully AI-generated music clearly labelled for listeners.
Deezer is the only major music-streaming platform that systematically labels completely AI-generated content for users.
The issue gained prominence in June when a band called The Velvet Sundown suddenly went viral on Spotify and only confirmed the following month that it was in fact AI-generated content.
The AI group’s most popular song has been streamed more than three million times.
In response, Spotify said it would encourage artists and publishers to sign up to a voluntary industry code to disclose AI use in music production.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan re-teaming as the body-swapping mother and daughter duo in “Freakier Friday” and albums from 5 Seconds of Summer and the rapper NF are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys team up for the new limited-series thriller “The Beast in Me,” gamers get Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Apple TV’s star-studded “Palm Royale” is back.
New movies to stream from Nov. 10-16
— Richard Linklater’s love letter to the French New Wave and the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless,” “Nouvelle Vague,” will be streaming on Netflix on Friday, Nov. 14. In his review, Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle writes that, “To a remarkable degree, Linklater’s film, in French and boxed into the Academy ratio, black-and-white style of ‘Breathless,’ has fully imbibed that spirit, resurrecting one of the most hallowed eras of movies to capture an iconoclast in the making. The result is something endlessly stylish and almost absurdly uncanny.”
— Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan re-team as the body-swapping mother and daughter duo in “Freakier Friday,” a sequel to their 2003 movie, streaming on Disney+ on Wednesday. In her review, Jocelyn Noveck writes, “The chief weakness of ‘Freakier Friday’ — an amiable, often joyful and certainly chaotic reunion — is that while it hews overly closely to the structure, storyline and even dialogue of the original, it tries too hard to up the ante. The comedy is thus a bit more manic, and the plot machinations more overwrought (or sometimes distractingly silly).”
— Ari Aster’s latest nightmare “Eddington” is set in a small, fictional New Mexico town during the coronavirus pandemic, which becomes a kind of microcosm for our polarized society at large with Joaquin Phoenix as the sheriff and Pedro Pascal as its mayor. In my review, I wrote that, “it is an anti-escapist symphony of masking debates, conspiracy theories, YouTube prophets, TikTok trends and third-rail topics in which no side is spared.”
— An incurable cancer diagnoses might not be the most obvious starting place for a funny and affirming film, but that is the magic of Ryan White’s documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light,” about two poets, Andrea Gibson, who died in July, and Megan Falley, facing a difficult reality together. It will be on Apple TV on Friday, Nov. 14.
— There’s nothing worse than a band without a sense of humor. Thankfully 5 Seconds of Summer are in on the joke. Their sixth studio album, “Everyone’s a Star!,” sounds like the Australian pop-rock band are having fun again, from The Prodigy-esq. “Not OK” to the self-referential and effacing “Boy Band.” Candor is their provocation now, and it sounds good — particularly after the band has spent the last few years exploring solo projects.
— The R&B and neo soul powerhouse Summer Walker has returned with her third studio album and first in four years. “Finally Over It,” out Friday, Nov. 14, is the final chapter of her “Over It” trilogy; a release centered on transformation and autonomy. That’s evident from the dreamy throwback single, “Heart of A Woman,” in which the song’s protagonist is disappointed with her partner — but with striking self-awareness. “In love with you but can’t stand your ways,” she sings. “And I try to be strong/But how much can I take?”
— Consider him one of the biggest artists on the planet that you may not be familiar with. NF, the musical moniker of Nate Feuerstein, emerged from the Christian rap world a modern answer to Eminem only to top the mainstream, all-genre Billboard 200 chart twice, with 2017’s “Perception” and 2019’s “The Search.” On Friday, Nov. 14, he’ll release “Fear,” a new six-track EP featuring mgk (formerly Machine Gun Kelly) and the English singer James Arthur.
— Apple TV’s star-studded “Palm Royale” is back just in time for a new social season. Starring Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb, Kaia Gerber, Ricky Martin AND Carol Burnett, the show is campy, colorful and fun, plus it has great costumes. Wiig plays Maxine, a woman desperate to be accepted into high society in Palm Beach, Florida, in the late 1960s. The first episode streams Wednesday and one will follow weekly into January.
— “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” cast member Heather Gay has written a book called “Bad Mormon” about how she went from a devout Mormon to leaving the church. Next, she’s fronting a new docuseries that delves into that too called “Surviving Mormonism with Heather Gay.” The reality TV star also speaks to others who have left the religion. All three episodes drop Wednesday on Peacock.
— Thanks to “Homeland” and “The Americans,” Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys helped put the prestige in the term prestige TV. They grace the screen together in a new limited-series for Netflix called “The Beast in Me.” Danes plays a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who finds a new subject in her next door neighbor, a real estate tycoon who also may or may not have killed his first wife. Howard Gordon, who worked with Danes on “Homeland,” is also the showrunner and an executive producer of “The Beast in Me.” It premieres Thursday.
— David Duchovny and Jack Whitehall star in a new thriller on Prime Video called “Malice.” Duchovny plays Jamie, a wealthy man vacationing with his family in Greece. He hires a tutor (played by Whitehall) named Adam to work with the kids who seems likable, personable and they invite him into their world. Soon it becomes apparent that Adam’s charm is actually creepy. Something is up. As these stories go, getting rid of an interloper is never easy. All six episodes drop Friday, Nov. 14.
— “Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints” returns to Fox Nation on Sunday, Nov. 16 for a second season. The premiere details the story of Saint Patrick. The show is a passion project for Scorsese who executive produces, hosts, and narrates the episodes.
— Billy Bob Thornton has struck oil in the second season of “Landman” on Paramount+. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the show is set in modern day Texas in the world of Big Oil. Sam Elliott and Andy Garcia have joined the cast and Demi Moore also returns. The show returns Sunday, Nov. 16.
— The Call of Duty team behind the Black Ops subseries delivered a chapter last year — but they’re already back with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The new installment of the bestselling first-person shooter franchise moves to 2035 and a world “on the brink of chaos.” (What else is new?) Publisher Activision is promising a “reality-shattering” experience that dives into “into the deepest corners of the human psyche.” Beyond that storyline there are also 16 multiplayer maps and the ever-popular zombie mode, in which you and your friends get to blast away at relentless hordes of the undead. Lock and load Friday, Nov. 14, on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.
— Lumines Arise is the latest head trip from Enhance Games, the studio behind puzzlers like Tetris Effect, Rez Infinite and Humanity. The basic challenge is simple enough: Multicolored 2×2 blocks drift down the screen, and you need to arrange them to form single-color squares. Completed squares vanish unless you apply the “burst” mechanic, which lets you build ever-larger squares and rack up bigger scores. It’s all accompanied by hallucinatory graphics and thumping electronic music, and you can plug in a virtual reality headset if you really want to feel like you’re at a rave. Pick up the groove Tuesday on PlayStation 5 or PC.
Paris Jackson is getting brutally honest about the damage her past drug use caused.
The 27-year-old daughter of the late Michael Jackson stunned fans after she showed off a “perforated septum” in a candid TikTok video.
“I have a really loud whistle when I breathe through my nose,” Jackson said in the clip as she pointed her phone’s flashlight up her nose. “And that is because I have what is called a perforated septum,” she explained, noting it’s “slightly different from a deviated septum.”
Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris opens up about six years of sobriety and the lasting effects of addiction in a brutally honest social media confession.(Swan Gallet/WWD)
“That is from what you think it’s from,” Jackson said, before adding, “Don’t do drugs, kids” and pointing directly at the camera.
The “American Horror Stories” actress admitted that her past drug use “ruined my life.”
She said she “didn’t recommend” taking drugs.
Jackson told fans she’s now six years sober but still lives with the consequences.
She further explained she has no plans to undergo surgery to fix her nose because “you have to take pills when you have a surgery that gnarly.”
Jackson said she’s had the condition since she was 20 — and that it can interfere with her music career.
Fox News Digital has reached out to reps for Jackson.
The 27-year-old daughter of the late Michael Jackson stunned fans after she showed off a “perforated septum” in a candid TikTok video.(Getty Images)
In September, she hit back at critics who mocked her sheer dress during Paris Fashion Week.
“I don’t really understand why the human body is a driving force for such discomfort in so many people,” she stated. “It’s just a body. It’s just a body on a human, which is an animal.”
Jackson, a longtime animal advocate and practicing vegan, has previously shut down critical comments on social media after followers called her “old” and “haggard.”
In September, she hit back at critics who mocked her sheer dress during Paris Fashion Week.(Swan Gallet/WWD)
But Jackson didn’t let the criticism stop her from a cheeky response afterward.
In a video at the time, appearing without makeup and with her hair in a messy bun, Jackson wrote, “this is no filter no makeup and regular lighting for the people that wrote really s—– comments about how old and haggard I look in my last video.”
She added, “I am literally 25. Just young and haggard, thank you very much.”
Stephanie Giang-Paunon is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to stephanie.giang@fox.com and on Twitter: @SGiangPaunon.
One hill we’re willing to die on is that Sienna Spiro is our next global star. She might just be getting her start next to Sam Smith and Teddy Swims, but we’ve known for a while that her start is bigger than what meets the eye, and there is so much more to come. If you haven’t heard Sienna Spiro sing live, prepare to be utterly blown away. Her popular songs, ‘MAYBE.,’ ‘Back To Blonde,’ ‘Dream Police,’ and our personal favorite, ‘Taxi Driver,’ have been on repeat for us throughout this entire year. As we’ve become bigger and bigger fans, we’ve noticed that the rest of the world is following suit, including some of the biggest brands in fashion.
Image Source: Jennifer Cheng
Sienna For GAP
The GAP brand continues to give music lovers exactly what they want. They’ve worked with some of our favorite pop artists, such as Troye Sivan and KATSEYE, on recent ads. Now, they’ve brought Sienna onto our screens for the holiday season, and we couldn’t be happier. We didn’t expect Sienna to sing Miley Cyrus’ ‘The Climb,’ but we’re so glad that she did. She did this iconic song so much justice and put her own spin on it that we love.
Does this mean we’re about to spend our entire next paycheck at GAP? Absolutely!
‘Die On This Hill’
“This song is about stubborn love — the kind that makes you stay when you know you should leave.”
Sienna Spiro stated in a press release
Like we said, we’re dying on the hill that Sienna Spiro will be one of the greats in our lifetime. Her latest song, ‘Die On This Hill,’ gave us all the feels. Like all of Sienna’s songs, it hit us right in the heart and made us ugly scream all the words at the top of our lungs. For all the honeybees who need to leave their current relationship and need a little push to take that final step, this one is for you.
“I’ll take my pride, stand here for you No, I’m not blind, just seeing it through You take my life just for the thrill I’ll take tonight and die on this hill I always will”
What did you think about Sienna Spiro’s recent commercial with GAP? Did you love her new song, ‘Die On This Hill,’ as much as we did? Let us know in the comments down below or on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Want to know what else is trending in music right now? See what’s new!
It’s a KPop Demon Hunters world, and we’re just living in it. After a Halloween filled with Rumis and Saja Boys and scoring a Grammy nomination, there was one final arena left for the Huntr/x gals to conquer: an Elijah Wood DJ set, with his DJ duo, Wooden Wisdom. During a performance in Anchorage, Alaska, Wood dropped “Golden” to an excited crowd on November 6. “This is a song we learned about from Elijah’s three-year-old daughter,” Zach Cowie, the other half of Wooden Wisdom, teased before the song. “It’s true, but you’ll all know it!” Wood joked, as any parent can tell you, the children yearn for “Golden.” And by the crowds, and Wood’s reaction, the grown-ups do too.
Now, if you’re thinking, “Wait, when did Frodo become a DJ?” you are not alone. Wood and Cowie have been DJing together since before 2015, when they met at a party, went “song for song,” and realized how well they vibe. They eventually grew to only using vinyl for their performances, and thankfully, the KPop Demon Hunters vinyl soundtrack was just recently released, making it a perfect addition to one of Wood’s manyside quests.
The 68th Grammy Awards nominations were announced via livestream on Friday, November 7, with a slew of past winners, including Sabrina Carpenter, Sam Smith, Chappell Roan, and Doechii making an appearance. This year’s list blends music-industry heavyweights with buzzy newcomers: Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga led the pack with nine and seven nominations, respectively, while rising talents such as “Messy” singer Lola Young, cult-favorite pop crossover Addison Rae, child-actor-turned-R&B crooner Leon Thomas, and reality-TV–formed girl group Katseye all made the cut
Though often overlooked by the Recording Academy, Bad Bunny proved impossible to ignore this year. (The ceremony will air just one week before the 2026 Super Bowl, where the Puerto Rican superstar is headlining the halftime show.) He scored six nominations, including the Recording Academy’s three top categories: Album, Record, and Song of the Year—the first Spanish-language artist to ever do so. Lamar, Gaga, and Carpenter also landed nods across all three.
The Song of the Year race is particularly stacked, featuring Lady Gaga’s comeback single “Abracadabra,” Doechii’s inescapable “Anxiety,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild,” Billie Eilish’s “Wildflower,” and even a track from the fictional band KPop Demon Hunters—all vying for one of the night’s most coveted awards.
Doechii performs during her “Alligator Bites Never Heal” tour
Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images
Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s sultry duet “Luther” also received a SOTY nod; last year, the Compton rapper’s Drake diss track “Not Like Us” was the anthem of the night, winning both Record and Song of the Year and creating a few viral moments.
Kendrick Lamar performs with SZA during Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show
Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images
Two of the biggest artists on the planet, however, won’t be in the spotlight this time around; after a few years dominated by multiple Beyoncé and Taylor Swift album cycles, neither artist is up for anything. Beyoncé swept the Grammys last year with Cowboy Carter, finally winning Album of the Year after years of being snubbed. She also won Best Country Album, and this year, the Recording Academy has split that award into two categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Contemporary Country Album, a move that has unsurprisingly proved controversial.
While Swift typically cleans up at any awards ceremony she’s part of, her most recent album, The Life of a Showgirl, falls outside this year’s eligibility window due to its October 3 release date.
The winners will be announced at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 1, at the Crypto.com area in Los Angeles, and will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+. The host has yet to be announced (Trevor Noah has been the emcee of the ceremony for the past five years, from 2021 to 2025).
Below, a list of the major category 2026 Grammy nominees:
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny
SWAG, Justin Bieber
Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, Bad Bunny
SWAG, Justin Bieber
Man’s Best Friend, Sabrina Carpenter
CHROMAKOPIA, Tyler, the Creator
SONG OF THE YEAR
“Abracadabra,” Lady Gaga
“Anxiety,” Doechii
“DtMF,” Bad Bunny
“Golden,” KPop Demon Hunters
“luther,” Kendrick Lamar w/ SZA
“Manchild,” Sabrina Carpenter
“WILDFLOWER,” Billie Eilish
RECORD OF THE YEAR
“Abracadabra,” Lady Gaga
“luther,” Kendrick Lamar w/ SZA
“The Subway,” Chappell Roan
“APT.” Rosé and Bruno Mars
“DtMF,” Bad Bunny
“Manchild,” Sabrina Carpenter
“Anxiety,” Doechii
“WILDFLOWER,” Billie Eilish
BEST NEW ARTIST
Olivia Dean
Katseye
The Marias
Addison Rae
sombr
Leon Thomas
Alex Warren
Lola Young
BEST POP SOLO PERFORMANCE
“Daisies,” Justin Bieber
“Manchild,” Sabrina Carpenter
“Disease,” Lady Gaga
“The Subway,” Chappell Roan
“Messy,” Lola Young
BEST POP DUO/GROUP PERFORMANCE
“Defying Gravity,” Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
“Golden,” HUNTR/X: EJAE, Audrey Nuna, REI AMI
“Gabriela,” Katseye
“APT.” Rosé and Bruno Mars
“30 for 30,” SZA w/ Kendrick Lamar
BEST RAP ALBUM
Let God Sort Em Out, Clipse, Pusha T and Malice
Glorious, GloRilla
God Does Like Ugly, JID
GNX, Kendrick Lamar
Chromakopia, Tyler, The Creator
BEST RAP PERFORMANCE
“Outside,” Cardi B
“Chains & Whips,” Clipse, Pusha T & Malice f/ Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell Williams
“Anxiety,” Doechii
“tv off,” Kenrick Lamar f/Lefty Gunplay
“Darling, I,” Tyler, the Creator f/ Teezo Touchdown
BEST CONTEMPORARY COUNTRY ALBUM
Patterns, Kelsea Ballerini
Snipe Hunter, Tyler Childers
Evangeline Vs. The Machine, Eric Church
Beautifully Broken, Jelly Roll
Postcards From Texas, Miranda Lambert
BEST COUNTRY SOLO PERFORMANCE
“Nose on the Grindstone,” Tyler Childers
“Good News,” Shaboozey
“Bad As I Used to Be,” Chris Stapleton
“I Never Lie,” Zach Top
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson
BEST ROCK ALBUM
private music, Deftones
I Quit, HAIM
From Zero, Linkin Park
NEVER ENOUGH, Turnstile
Idols, YUNGBLUD
BEST ROCK PERFORMANCE
“U Should Not Be Doing That,” Amyl and The Sniffers
“The Emptiness Machine,” Linkin Park
“NEVER ENOUGH,” Turnstile
“Mirtazapine,” Hayley Williams
“Changes (Live From Villa Park) Back To The Beginning,” YUNGBLUD f/ Nuno Bettencourt, Frank Bello, Adam Wakeman, II
NEW YORK (AP) — The Recording Academy will announce the 2026 Grammy Award nominees on Friday. It’s as good a reason as any to take a beat and examine how the institution makes it decisions. Who selects the nominees? Who votes? Can anyone nominate any recorded release for a Grammy?
We’ve got you covered. Read on to get a crash course on how Grammy voting works.
How does Grammy voting work?
Members of the Recording Academy and record labels submit artists in certain categories, which are then vetted for eligibility. Currently, there are 95 Grammy Award categories.
After submissions have been screened, voting members help determine who the final nominations will be — typically in the fall — using a membership dashboard. They can only vote for music that has been submitted and vetted.
Once the nominees are determined and announced in November, a period of final round voting takes place. This cycle, that runs from Dec. 12 through Jan. 5.
Winners are announced live at the award show in February.
And don’t get it twisted — voting members do not vote in all 95 categories. They’re permitted to vote in up to 10 categories across three genre fields, as well as the six general field categories, which include record, album, song, producer, non-classical and songwriter, non-classical of the year, and best new artist. That allows experts to focus on their expertise.
How does someone become a voting member?
There are three types of Recording Academy memberships: Grammy U, professional and voting memberships. The latter includes performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, instrumentalists and beyond. Those are the members who determine Grammy winners each year.
Voting members have to provide a proof of a primary career in music, two recommendations and certain verifiable credits.
But there are a few ways around some of those requirements: If you are a current year’s Grammy winner or nominee, you do not need to provide a recommendation from someone in the industry. If you’ve been nominated for a Grammy in the last five years, you do not need to provide proof of your credits.
What determines Grammy eligibility?
Entries must adhere to the specific qualifications of the categories they are submitted into. Rules and guidelines can be found at Grammy.com.
There are also frequent changes made to categories and fields. In 2026, there have been a few: best country album has been divided into best contemporary country album and best traditional country album. The best recording package and the best boxed or special limited edition package categories have also been combined into the best recording package category, with best album cover spun out on its own.
Most importantly: Recordings and music videos must also be submitted within the Grammy eligibility window, which for the 2026 award show means work released between Aug. 31, 2024 – Aug. 30, 2025.
How does a musician qualify for best new artist?
The category of new artist is constantly evolving, trying to capture the zeitgeist each year as the process of categorizing fame gets more complicated. The Grammy rules currently say nominations hinge on whether “the artist had attained a breakthrough or prominence” — and it delegates that determination to a screening committee. Eligible artists must have released at least five singles or one album, but there is no longer a maximum. That’s why someone like, say, Sabrina Carpenter — who broke out in the summer of “Espresso” — found herself up for the best new artist trophy in 2025 despite being on her sixth full-length release.
And this year, the category has also been expanded to include acts who were featured on previous album of the year nominees, so long as they fall below 20% of the album’s music.
When are the 2026 Grammys?
The Grammys will be held Feb. 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with nominations announced on Friday. It will be broadcast live on CBS and can be streamed on demand via Paramount+.
LOS ANGELES — Outkast, Cyndi Lauper, Salt-N-Pepa and Soundgarden will be among the newly minted members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame at Saturday night’s induction ceremony.
From Chubby Checker to the White Stripes, artists representing every decade from the 1950s to the 2000s will be inducted as part of the hall’s class of 2025.
Chappell Roan is set to induct Lauper, and Avril Lavigne is set to take the stage with her. Donald Glover has been tapped to induct Outkast, and Elton John is scheduled to pay musical tribute to hall member Brian Wilson, who died earlier this year.
But the role played by the many other announced guest stars, including Missy Elliot, Olivia Rodrigo and Twenty One Pilots, remains a mystery on a night that is always defined by its surprises. Fans of the bands are also wondering which guests might join the living members of Bad Company and Soundgarden on stage.
Among the big questions this year are whether Outkast and the White Stripes will reunite to perform, or at least to accept their honor. Artists — or guests celebrating them — generally play a set a of their essential songs as part of their induction.
This year’s ceremony returns to the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles in the city’s three-year rotation with New York and Cleveland, the home of the hall itself.
Fans who’ve bought tickets will see it live, and so can fans at home in a livestream on Disney+, a new development since 2023. The show begins at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific.
It will be available to stream on Hulu starting Sunday. And it will get its traditional edited telecast on ABC on Jan. 1.
Here’s a look at the full class of 2025 and a few of their defining songs.
Outkast: American rap duo that began in the 1990s. Key songs: “Hey Ya,” “Ms. Jackson” and “Roses”
Salt-N-Pepa: American rap group formed in the 1980s. Key songs: “Push It,” “Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Shoop”
Bad Company: English rock band formed in the 1970s. Key songs: “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Can’t Get Enough,” “Bad Company”
Chubby Checker: American singer who began releasing records in the 1950s. Key songs: “The Twist,” “Limbo Rock,” “Let’s Twist Again”
Joe Cocker: English singer who began releasing records in the 1960s and died in 2014. Key songs: “You Are So Beautiful,” “Up Where We Belong,” “With a Little Help From My Friends”
Cyndi Lauper: American singer and songwriter whose solo career began in the early 1980s. Key songs: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” “Time After Time,” “True Colors”
Soundgarden: American rock band formed in 1984. Key songs: “Black Hole Sun,” “Fell on Black Days,” and “Outshined.”
Warren Zevon, American singer-songwriter who began releasing solo records in the early 1970s and died in 2003. Key songs: “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” “Werewolves of London,” “Keep Me in Your Heart”
Thom Bell, American music producer and songwriter starting in the 1960s who died in 2022. Key songs: the Delfonics’ “La-La (Means I Love You),” the Spinners’ “The Rubberband Man,” the Stylistics’ “You Make Me Feel Brand New.”
The White Stripes: American rock band that began in the 1990s. Key songs: “Seven Nation Army,” “We’re Going to Be Friends,” “Doorbell.”
Carole Kaye: American session musician who played on scores of hits starting in the 1950s, primarily on bass. Key songs: The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations,” Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots are Made for Walkin’,” Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were”
Nicky Hopkins, English session musician who played keyboards on dozens of hits starting in the 1960s and died in 1994. Key songs: the Beatles’ “Revolution,” the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil,” Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful”
Lenny Waronker. American music producer and executive starting in the 1970s. Key songs from artists he produced or signed: Rickie Lee Jones’ “Chuck E’s in Love,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” R.E.M.’s “Losing My Religion”
Wicked: For Good will feature two new original songs — allowing audiences to explore Elphaba and Glinda’s journeys on an even deeper level.
Part 2 of the movie musical, which is based on the second half of the Broadway musical, left off with Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) belting out “Defying Gravity” after she and BFF Glinda (Ariana Grande) learned the almighty Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) is a fraud.
Not only will Wicked: For Good tackle the well-known next chapter for Elphaba and Glina, but director Jon M. Chu teased that the story will expand with the addition of new songs. Erivo will sing “No Place Like Home,” and Grande will perform “The Girl in the Bubble.”
“Both witches are trying to find their way home,” Chu said in a September 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly. “Both of these songs are about how to do that, and it’s questions that I’ve always wanted to hear from them in the stage show, but never got to. We get to take our time and explore those questions.”
Both songs were written by Stephen Schwartz, who composed the Broadway musical.
Fans got a sneak peek of both tunes in the Wicked: One Wonderful Night special on NBC ahead of Wicked: For Good’s premiere in November 2025.
Keep scrolling for what we know about the new songs:
According to Wicked: One Wonderful Night, “No Place Like Home” will be a ballad where Elphaba bittersweetly recounts her time in Oz following her banishment. Erivo previously teased that the song captures her character’s emotions of being exiled. (The title serves as a nod to the famous saying from The Wizard of Oz.)
“I collaborated on one of the new songs, and it’s so special to me,” she said during a December 2024 appearance on Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast. “When we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. I hope audiences are ready — it’s a song that speaks to the heart of who Elphaba is.”
‘The Girl in the Bubble’
Universal Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection
Grande’s ballad will be an introspective number as Glinda recognizes her privilege. She will also recount her struggles of being torn between her loyalty to Elphaba and the people of Oz. The actress shared some insight on what to expect from “The Girl in the Bubble” during a December 2024 appearance on Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast.
“It’s a pivotal moment in Glinda’s journey. It shows a side of her we’ve never seen before,” she reflected. “In the stage show, this transformation happens offstage. But in the movie, we get to see her make the decision that defines who she is. It’s a privilege to sing this song and be the first Glinda to bring it to life.”
What Are Wicked: For Good’s Other Songs?
On top of the brand new musical numbers, Wicked: For Good will include the songs from Act Two of the beloved musical.
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According to the movie’s soundtrack, the movie will kick off with the cast performing “Every Day More Wicked” as the opening number. Grande and Michelle Yeoh will duet on “Thank Goodness / I Couldn’t Be Happier.” Erivo, Marissa Bode and Ethan Slater will sing “The Wicked Witch of the East,” which will be the first official recording of the song. While “The Wicked Witch of the East” is in the Broadway musical, it was not included on the original cast recording.
Goldblum, Grande and Erivo will perform “Wonderful,” followed by Grande singing a reprise of “I’m Not That Girl.” Erivo and Jonathan Bailey will duet “As Long as You’re Mine.” Erivo will have another solo performance with “No Good Deed.” The Wicked cast will sing “March of the Witch Hunters.”
Wicked: For Good will end with the closing number “For Good” sung by Erivo and Grande.
Listen here. The 2026 Grammy nominations were announced Friday morning, marking honors for artists such as Lady Gaga—who surpassed her own nomination record this year by getting seven, including album of the year. Super Bowl 2026 halftime performerBad Bunny did well, scoring six of his own; so did last year’s headliner, Kendrick Lamar, who scooped up nine. Sabrina Carpenter is standing tall with a half-dozen nods, including for album, record, and song of the year—all three of the night’s biggest awards.
Sure, it’s an honor just to be nominated. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have strong opinions about those nominations, right?
Vanity Fair’s staff of cultural experts erupted with opinions while taking in the nods this morning: There was jubilation for Addison Rae’s best new artist nod, and a raised eyebrow at the total exclusion of Lorde from the list. There was also confusion: what exactly is the difference between a contemporary country album and a traditional country album? And while we love Doechii’s “Anxiety,” doesn’t that song feel like it’s been around for tens of years—how is it still eligible for Grammys?
No, we’re not inviting you into our Slack channel—members only! But below, find the VF staff’s hot (and correct) takes on the biggest snubs and surprises of the 2026 Grammy nominations.
SNUB: Lorde Gets Shut Out
Lorde is hardly a Grammy virgin, having won two awards for her debut song “Royals”. Since then, she’s had a complicated relationship with the Recording Academy. Her second album, Melodrama, was nominated for album of the year, but she was not asked to perform solo come Grammy night. Fans noticed, and that decision was swept up in the online discourse about how the Recording Academy treats female artists. Since then, Lorde has struggled to get recognition from the group. Her most recent album, Virgin, was seen as a return to form—and while it didn’t produce major hits like “Royals,” it felt in the same vein as Melodrama, an album with a loyal and dedicated fanbase that went on to become very influential in pop music. Sadly, Grammy voters weren’t feeling it for Lorde. She didn’t receive one nomination this morning, not even in the smaller categories. —John Ross
SURPRISE: Addison Rae Is in for Best New Artist
“Fame is a Gun,” and Addison Rae has it pointed at the best new artist category. Rae fell on, and then off, every prediction list for this award—but when the announcement was finally made, she clinched the nomination as pop music fans rejoiced. Though her album, Addison, was widely praised by critics, many thought the Grammy voters wouldn’t understand her brand of pop, and the many nods she makes to artists like Lana Del Rey and Britney Spears. Her origin story as a TikTok star, also didn’t help. But it turns out voters liked what she was doing. During the voting period, Rae happened to be on tour; she delivered solid live performances on The Tonight Show and at the Grammy museum, which could have put her over the top. Now please put your headphones on, and listen to one of the best pop albums of the year if you haven’t already. —JR
SNUB: Elton John & Brandi Carlile’s “Who Believes in Angels?” in Album of the Year
An album that was made in a factory for Grammy voters was surprisingly snubbed this morning—proof, perhaps, that as the Recording Academy expands its membership, some of these typical shoo-ins are going by the wayside. Elton John has never won album of the year, despite being nominated for the category three times, and the sentiment that he was owed another chance is why many expected his album with Brandi Carlile to be nominated. But this was a very crowded year in music, and unfortunately for Elton, the album never really took off. —JR
SNUB: “DAISIES” Was Not “Clocking” to Voters
Despite originating what Alex Warren deniers would call the song of the summer with “Daisies,” Justin Bieber got little love in the Grammys’ big three categories. His surprise R&B album SWAG came on the heels of Bieber’s infamous “standing on business” paparazzi video, offering prodigious instrumentation and an ode to the Rhode lip-gloss-carrier iPhone case—the makings of a great album. And though it was evidently great enough for album of the year, Bieber was blanked in record and song of the year. Maybe that snub is attributable to the subsequent release of his spotty (and shockingly long) SWAG II—evidence that sequels sometimes make things worse. —Abigail Sylvor Greenberg
SURPRISE: Harlequin Squeaks into Best Traditional Pop Album
Though it’s no surprise that Mayhem received its flowers on Grammy nomination day, I was a little worried that Gaga’s other most recent album would be left in the shadows of its highly panned companion film, Joker: Folie á Deux. The vocal performances on Harlequin are truly some of Gaga’s best work—including “Happy Mistake,” which I believe is one of her best songs to date. Now to rewatch her performance of “Happy Mistake” on Jimmy Kimmel to celebrate. —Brandon Leung
SNUB: Jade in Best New Artist
As a Mixer, I have been standing by this woman for 13 years—but the lack of recognition from this side of the pond has not gotten any easier to stomach. X Factor and Little Mix alum Jade Thirwall had one of the most impressive debuts I’ve seen in years: “Angel of My Dreams” is ambitious and unique.“Fantasy,” “Plastic Box,” “Midnight Cowboy,” “Self Sabotage,” “Lip Service”—the girl didn’t let us breathe! I have a huge respect for artists who fearlessly surrender themselves to their creativity and vision, and Jade is just that. Too bad the Grammys didn’t agree —BL
SURPRISE: KATSEYE Gets a “Gnarly” Best New Artist Nod
Demon hunters aren’t the only rising stars in the K-pop space. KATSEYE, the K-pop girl group whose formation was captured on the Netflix reality competition series Pop Star Academy, scored a surprise nomination for best new artist this year. Last summer, the world watched as Lara Raj, Manon Bannerman, Yoonchae, Daniela Avanzini, Megan Skiendiel, and Sophia Laforteza survived a rigorous multi-year audition process before being hand-selected to form the world’s first global K-Pop group. Since their debut, KATSEYE has been steadily rising, with a viral dance for their first single “Touch” taking TikTok by storm and Gap shrewdly hiring the diverse girl group to pose for a jean ad shortly after Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle debacle. The momentum was clear when KATSEYE pulled off an unexpected win for Push Performance of the Year (whatever that is) at the VMAs in 2025. Still, a best new artist Grammy nod didn’t seem like a sure bet, given their humble reality television beginnings and the fact that other fresh-faced solo pop acts like Olivia Dean and Addison Rae seemed to dominate the discourse this year. But through a combination of talent, hard work, and certified bops, KATSEYE was able to convince the music industry to take them seriously. That’s “Gnarly.” — Chris Murphy
SURPRISE: PinkPantheress Breaks Through
Once, it was just her and her permanently shouldered purse against the world. Now PinkPantheress has finally scored her first-ever Grammy nominations: Illegal is up for best dance pop recording, and her mixtape Fancy That was nominated for best dance/electronic album. It’s a huge day for both her and Stateside addicts—her track, now remixed with Zara Larsson (also a long overdue nomination this round), lands just as both artists are catching a fresh lease on U.S. recognition and TikTok obsession. DJ Joe, The Dare to PinkPanthress’s Charli XCX—or maybe the tartan-clad Ryan Evans to her Sharpay, whatever your prerogative—also deserves credit for the Fancy That era that makes her latest work impossible to ignore. (Somehow, best new artist still passed her by—but we’ll take a win when we get one.) —Wengel Gemu
SNUB: A Big X for BigXThaPlug
In a lineage of outlaw country artists that includes Lil Nas X (2020), Jelly Roll (2024), and Shaboozey (2025), the Academy seemed primed to recognize yet another crossover country act this year: BigXThaPlug, the Texas rapper whose 2025 album I Hope You’re Happy won hearts, minds, and a place on the Billboard country charts. Indeed, the newly created best contemporary country album prize (which I’m inclined to nickname the Cowboy Carter Memorial Award) seemed designed with BigX in mind. But perhaps BigX proved a bridge too far for the Nashville voting block, because he didn’t make it onto the list. BigX also appeared on many best new artist prediction lists—but a roster of TikTok hitmakers (Olivia Dean, Lola Young) left no room for music’s favorite hip hop upstart turned Ella Langley collaborator. In fact, there was no room at all for rap or country in best new artist this year, and a total shutout of country in the show’s main prizes The Shaboozification of pop is over, it seems—at least for Grammy voters. —ASG
SNUB: Best New Artist Nominations Run Out For Role Model
Over the course of the last year, Role Model has convinced everyone from Charli xcx and Olivia Rodrigo to Natalie Portman and Kate Hudson to join him onstage while performing his viral, joy-infused hit, “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out.” But the extremely online singer/songwriter, whose name is actually Tucker Pillsbury, couldn’t charm his way into the highly sought after best new artist category this year. My guess is that the Recording Academy favored new kid on the rock block Sombr in place of Pillsbury’s more folk inspired pop-rock. Which is a huge bummer, considering Pillsbury—who released his first EP in 2017—really came into his own with his heartfelt breakup album Kansas Anymore, after making the risky leap from Soundcloud rapper to the mainstream. Don’t cry for Role Model: He has a role in Lena Dunham‘s upcoming rom-com, and a focus firmly on his next album. As he told Vanity Fair last year on the eve of his album release, “I’m happy with the music I’ve made and where my career is at. I feel like this is my happy ending—finally.” That said, I will be keeping an eye on Pillsbury’s cheeky “enemies list” on Instagram—because the Recording Academy might have just earned itself a spot on it. —Daniela Tijerina
SNUB: No Flipping Nominations for Benson Boone
The ubiquity of a pop song does not always translate into a Grammy nomination, much to my surprise, specifically with the case of Benson Boone’s “Mystical Magical.” We, as a people, have been inundated with this record on almost every platform possible, from Midwestern GRWMs and spoofs on TikTok to Spotify’s suspicious habit of repeatedly queuing this song after Radiohead. Because of this virtual inescapability, I had assumed Boone’s song would be nominated for either song or record of the year. I am happy to be wrong, though I fear the era of “moonbeam ice cream” is not yet over: there is still a chance that the Recording Academy could wheel out Benson Boone for a surprise performance at the Grammys, where he backflips continuously to this song. My guess is that I was not the only one for whom this ice cream flavor has run dry. —Wisdom Iheanyichukwu
SURPRISE: What Does “Traditional” and “Contemporary” Country Even Mean?
Over the last few years, country music’s long-running war between cowboys and city slickers reached new levels of intensity, as Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan became megastars while Beyoncé and Post Malone entered the genre. This divide led to some upsets during awards ceremonies, and even Beyoncé was memorably surprised when she took home the country trophy last year. For the 2026 Grammys, a new split between “traditional country” and “contemporary country” was meant to address some hurt feelings—but though they may have made sense in theory, the biggest surprise is that these new categories are incredibly arbitrary in practice.
Wallen and Bryan both declined to submit their most recent albums for Grammy eligibility, and no further pop stars made an entry into the genre. So the divide is mainly one of vibes. Willie Nelson and his son Lukas Nelson are both on the traditional side. So is their friend and acolyte Margo Price. Considering their attitudes towards major-label Nashville, that all makes sense. Kelsea Ballerini and Eric Church wound up in a logical place on the contemporary side, too. But it’s hard to see how Tyler Childers is considered contemporary when similarly twangy artists Zach Top and Charley Crockett are not. And every Miranda Lambert album focuses on blowing up the binary between traditional and pop country, so either outcome wouldn’t feel quite right for her. In the end, there’s not a bad album in this bunch—even Jelly Roll’s occasionally baffling country-rap extravaganza Beautifully Broken is worth a listen—so I suppose I can be satisfied knowing that there will be two big country moments on stage during this February’s show. —Erin Vanderhoof
SURPRISE: Knocking on EGOT’s Door
How about that: Timothée Chalamet just earned his first Grammy nomination for the music of A Complete Unknown. The actor’s rise to the Grammys has been fated ever since that viral “Statistics” video where he first showcased his musical prowess. As a big fan of Bob Dylan, I was very excited for the Dylan Disease (no one calls it that) to take over a new generation thanks to Chalamet’s amazing portrayal of him in the film. Now I implore the Recording Academy, on behalf of all fans of Muad’Dib, to do what the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has failed to do and make sure Chalamet does not go home empty-handed that night. When Vogue recently asked if Chalamet would ever return to television, he responded with a simple “No.” That said, an EGOT could still be in his future if Emmy voters agree to revisit his 2012 stint in Homeland and reward him with a retroactive award. (They do that, right?) —WI
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Wengel Gemu, Wisdom Iheanyichukwu, Brandon Leung, Chris Murphy, John Ross, Abigail Sylvor Greenberg, Daniela Tijerina, Erin Vanderhoof, Kase Wickman
PARIS (Reuters) -Four people were arrested after protesters used flares to disrupt a concert by the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra in Paris on Thursday night, the latest in a wave of anti-Israel incidents linked to the Gaza conflict, French officials said on Friday.
In footage posted on social media, protesters were seen lighting flares and chanting pro-Palestinian slogans in La Philharmonie concert hall in northern Paris as some audience members and security personnel tried to remove them.
Despite the chaos and several interruptions, the concert went ahead after the protesters were evacuated.
“I strongly condemn the actions committed last night during a concert at the Philharmonie de Paris. Nothing can justify them,” Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on X.
“I thank the personnel from the Paris police who enabled the rapid arrest of several perpetrators of serious disturbances inside the venue and contained the demonstrators outside. Four people have been placed in custody,” he added.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said three women and a man were in custody, on charges ranging from violence, destruction and organising an unauthorised protest.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati on X condemned the disruptions as going against the “fundamental rights of our Republic.”
The Philharmonie said it had filed a criminal complaint.
(Reporting by Dominique VidalonEditing by Alexandra Hudson)
The country star, 32, released her new song, “I Sit in Parks,” on Friday, November 7, after announcing a surprise EP that’s dropping next week.
The track features Ballerini ruminating over what her life could have been like if she had a traditional family life instead of being a famous musician.
“Dad brought the picnic / Mom brought the sunscreen / Two kids are laughing and crying on red swings / We look about the same age / But we don’t have same Saturdays,” Ballerini sings, comparing herself to a mom of two within her age range.
Kelsea Ballerini gave a shout-out to her antidepressant medication in her latest life update. The “Cowboys Cry Too” singer, 32, took to Instagram on Tuesday, October 28, to share a photo dump that included a snap of her dog, Dibs, snaps of pumpkins being painted on a porch and Ballerini hugging Kenny Chesney at a […]
“Did I miss it / By now is it / A lucid dream, is it my fault / For chasing things a body clock / Doesn’t wait for / I did the damn tour / It’s what I wanted, what I got / I spun around and then I stopped / And wonder if I missed the mark,” Ballerini continues.
Later, the singer adds, “I wonder if she wants my freedom / Like I want to be a mother.”
Ballerini announced that a six-track EP titled Mount Pleasant will drop Friday, November 14. Before the release of “I Sit in Parks,” some of the CMA Award winner’s famous friends weighed in to share their excitement about the new music.
“AHHHHHHH… it’s soooo good,” Reese Witherspoon wrote in the comments section of Ballerini’s Instagram post about the song. “YES🌳 v exciting,” added Keleigh Teller.
Kelsea Ballerini is opening up about the influence of fellow singer Taylor Swift. Ballerini, 31, revealed exclusively to Us Weekly that Swift, 35, helped shape the “Baggage” singer’s early career with a piece of advice that still impacts her today. “Speaking of Taylor Swift, one of the most beautiful pieces of advice that I’ve gotten […]
In an Instagram Story post on Thursday, Ballerini revealed that “I Sit in Parks” is the first track on Mount Pleasant. The other five are as follows: “People Pleaser,” “Emerald City,” “587,” “The Revisionist” and “Check on Your Friends.”
Ballerini has released plenty of new music this year, starting in March with the deluxe edition of her fifth studio album, Patterns. Last month, she dropped Patterns (Stripped Sessions), which included acoustic versions of seven Patterns songs, including new takes on “Baggage” and “Sorry Mom.”
“I Sit in Parks” is Ballerini’s first brand-new song since her split from Chase Stokesafter two years of dating. A rep for the “Peter Pan” singer confirmed the breakup to Us Weekly in September.
Neither Ballerini nor Stokes, 33, has publicly discussed the end of their relationship, but Ballerini joked last month that she’s been leaning on antidepressants to get her through the days.
Kelsea Ballerini is opening up about the influence of fellow singer Taylor Swift. Ballerini, 31, revealed exclusively to Us Weekly that Swift, 35, helped shape the “Baggage” singer’s early career with a piece of advice that still impacts her today. “Speaking of Taylor Swift, one of the most beautiful pieces of advice that I’ve gotten […]
“Brought to you by hot dogs, porch painting, bed by 9pm, friendship, parks, Kenny Chesney and lexapro ❤️,” she captioned an Instagram carousel that included a snap of her dog, Dibs, photos of pumpkins being painted on a porch and Ballerini hugging Chesney, 57, at a concert. (Lexapro is a prescription selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used to treat major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.)
Last month, Ballerini admitted in an Elle interview that she was disappointed when she left this year’s Academy of Country Music Awards empty-handed. She had been nominated for Entertainer of the Year, Female Artist of the Year and Music Event of the Year.
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“I wish I had a good answer for this, or I’d probably sleep a little better at night,” she replied when asked why she thought the loss happened. “I had seven [No. 1 hits], and then one day, I just didn’t anymore. I still put in the work, and I still show up and put out songs that are undeniably country to the radio, and it’s just different now, and that’s OK. If this was what success looks like for those first seven songs, and now that’s shifted for whatever reason, where else can we go?”
Ballerini noted that she’s “not gonna stop making music,” so she’ll instead adapt her sound — and her attitude.
“Where else can I fit? So, I think it’s just about shifting where I find success, and I think it’s the same with award shows — like, I’ve never really been an award show girlie,” she explained. “I love going and I love performing, and I really let it affect me for a long time. And now I just go, ‘You know what? I’m happy to be in the conversation. I know that I have value here, and this is not where I find my success.’”
Wicked: One Wonderful Night soared onto NBC on November 6, featuring big-voiced performances from Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, and the cast of Wicked and Wicked: For Good. But the magic really happened over a month ago, when Wicked: One Wonderful Night was taped in front of a live audience at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Disclosure: I was there in my capacity as host of Universal’s official Wicked podcast.) Here’s what the cameras didn’t capture—and which moments didn’t make it to the final telecast.
Ariana Grande and companyNBC
A LONG YELLOW BRICK ROAD
Audience members were instructed to arrive at the theater no later than 4:30 p.m. to guarantee entry to the taping—and they were in for a lengthy night. By the time One Wonderful Night had concluded, it was half past nine, making the event a five-hour marathon. (The Wicked superfans present, many of whom were decked out in their Ozian best, didn’t seem to mind.)
After tucking their phones away in Yondr pouches, audience members could mingle with friendly faces from the Wicked press tour, like Bowen Yang’s Las Culturistas bestie Matt Rogers and journalist Tracy E. Gilchrist, who was able to hold space in the flesh. Some cast members that didn’t participate in the special, like little Cesily Collette Taylor—who plays baby Nessarose—were also cheering on their castmates from the audience. Director Jon M. Chu made a special appearance, introducing never-before-seen clips from the movie featured in the special. That was a recurring theme of the evening; Erivo, Grande, and Yang all teased snippets of the second film’s new songs, “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble,” as well as a special performance of “For Good,” sung by Erivo and Grande, filmed live at the Gershwin Theatre—only to reveal later that this footage wouldn’t actually be shown until the special aired.
TAKE TWO
The songs in Wicked are notoriously tricky, and some numbers at the taping had to be recorded more than once. Toward the beginning of the evening, Erivo wowed the audience with a choreography-forward rendition of “The Wizard and I,” which kicked off with her costar Jeff Goldblum—also an accomplished jazz musician—tickling the ivories. During her first shot, Erivo switched around the lyrics in the bridge of the song—understandable, as that portion uses a melody that Elphaba repeats with different lyrics throughout the show. She sang the whole thing again afterward, nailing the words on her second try.
Erivo also took two cracks at her literally soaring rendition of “Defying Gravity,” which launched her toward the ceiling of the Dolby Theatre. Though her first rendition was note-and-word perfect, production needed to capture certain aspects of the act from different angles—which meant Erivo had to strap into her harness and belt out the number a second time, much to the audience’s delight.
As Hurricane Melissa intensified to a Category 5 storm pointing right at Jamaica, Shaggy knew he had to help, he just wasn’t sure how. So he asked ChatGPT.
“I don’t know anything about relief and how to prepare for a storm,” the Grammy-winning reggae musician said. “I went to ChatGPT and looked at what we would need in a storm and we just bought that. Luckily, that’s exactly what they needed.”
Orville Richard Burrell, known for pop-dancehall hits like “Boombastic” and “Angel,” was born and raised in Kingston until he moved to New York when he was 18.
He was in Miami when Melissa made landfall, but lives in Kingston. “That’s where the wife, kids and dogs are,” he said. “It’s where I call home,” he said.
After the devastating October storm that killed at least 75 people across the northern Caribbean, Shaggy, 57, mobilized relief immediately for Jamaica, shuttling supplies from Miami and hand delivering them to the worst-hit areas.
He’s now made it a mission to bring attention to his country’s needs. “It’s urgent to get the word out and make sure people don’t forget.”
The needs are dire, he said. “I think Jamaica’s forever changed by this.”
Shaggy spoke with The Associated Press on Wednesday from New York City. The interview has been edited for clarity and length.
What went through your mind as Melissa approached Jamaica?
When I heard that a Category 5 is coming, I’m saying to myself, ‘Whoa, this is going to be catastrophic.’ I just started preparing myself, hoping I can get in there and be effective.
I called my friend (lighting designer) Dan Nolan. He has two planes and I said, ‘Let’s load these planes up and we’ll just shoot down there.’ As soon as the airport opened, we hit the ground.
Tell us about the impacted areas.
It took us about six hours to get to a place that normally would be about two-and-a-half hours. There’s debris everywhere, there is sand and mud and some (roads) are still flooded, power poles are in the road.
I got there in the middle of the night, there was no electricity, it was pitch black so all I could give out was just water.
We drove six hours back to the city that night, and we put all the stuff into smaller vehicles … things like tarpaulins, female sanitary pads, Pampers for kids, flashlights, batteries. (The next day we) took another route, which took us about four hours this time. That’s the only way to do it.
Black River (St. Elizabeth parish) looked like they dropped an atomic bomb there with how damaged it was. We pulled up right before the bridge and they had just shut the whole town down because they said it was ground zero.
And we just pulled up right there and opened the truck and said, “We’re gonna give it out right here.” We thought we were going to get chaos because we didn’t have much security. But the truck pulled up and they just started to form a line by themselves. That’s how orderly it was.
What did you see and hear from people impacted?
No one could really prepare for that. No one has ever seen it. I feel for them.
The psychological effects it’s going to have on these children. A couple days ago they were probably playing, and now they’re standing in a queue just trying to find some food for their tummies.
We don’t just need to be rebuilding as far as food and shelter, but you’re also going to need some counseling.
How can people help Jamaica?
If people can’t do cash, or (in) kind (donations), one thing they can do is keep it on their socials, keep it trending. We’ve got to keep the awareness up, because we’re going to need the aid. These places aren’t going to be fixed until probably 10 years before this is back and running the right way.
I’m working closely with Global Empowerment Mission. They have an Amazon link that you can just click on the items and Amazon will ship it straight to GEM and because they have boots on the ground they will get it straight into these neighborhoods.
Food for the Poor is also well established. It’s a Jamaican charity organization. They’ve been helping Haiti and places like those.
There’s also the Support Jamaica site that has been set up by the government.
What would you want people who haven’t been to Jamaica to know about the culture and the people there?
We’re very resilient people. There’s a lot of love and a lot kindness. I’ve seen this firsthand.
Kingston now operates as an hub that can get food and supplies in and out. You’re seeing a lot of people, just regular Jamaicans, who are loading up their cars on the weekend and just going down there and that really helps.
You’re feeling that community, camaraderie, within the Jamaican society. I love that.
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At age 78, Patti Smith has much to celebrate, and not only because of her prolific career, but also because novelties are still present in her life. In honor of her new memoir, Bread of Angels and the 50th anniversary of Horses, which made the iconic singer and poet famous, Smith accompanied CBS Mornings journalist Anthony Mason on a visit to a stationary store to talk about her creative process.
“I have to say, I never get tired of stationary stores,” says Smith, whose previous literary work includes Just Kids (2011) and M Train (2015). “I love everything: the scissors, the pens, the paper clips…it’s all for me, like glorified school supplies,” she says while surveying the stock of paper goods. “Every notebook is a possibility. You open it up, and it’s a new adventure.”
Mason then asks Smith, who refers to herself as an “accidental rockstar,” during their wider interview segment, if she always has to write her work by hand before digitizing it. “I write 80% by hand,” Smith replies. “I never sit at the computer to write something. I’ve always written in notebooks. I like the sense of the mind and the pen, you know, with no technology. You have your paper and your pen. And I love the feel of writing. I loved it so much, I learned to write with a quill and a nib and ink bottle in school.”
Smith then transports viewers back to her childhood in across Chicago and South Jersey. “I used to spend a lot of time trying to copy the Declaration of Independence and that’s why my handwriting is sort of nice,” she explains of her penmanship, “because I spent hours just trying to replicate the way they wrote. Thomas Jefferson’s handwriting is beautiful, really,” she adds.
The foreword to her memoir, which contains reveals such as the true paternity of Patti Smith’s father, is a veritable ode to handwriting. “The pen scribbles across the page ‘rebel hump rebel hump rebel hump rebel hump rebel hump’ What do those words mean, asks the pen. I don’t know, replies the hand,” Smith writes. “God whispers through a wrinkle in the wallpaper, a drop of water bursting like an equation.”
Florence Welch opens up about ectopic pregnancy and doubts about releasing new music – CBS News
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Singer Florence Welch speaks with CBS News’ Anthony Mason about suffering an ectopic pregnancy on the band’s last tour, the emergency surgery she had to have and the doubts she had about releasing new music.
When I started dating again after my divorce, I put together a playlist of sexy songs, including Movement by Hozier and Stay by Rihanna and When I Get My Hands on You by The New Basement Tapes. I still stand by them all. Bonus: It’s an hour and 45 minutes, so you can take your time 😉
Do you listen to music when making out? Some of my friends crave quiet instead. “I want to hear my partner whispering to me,” said my friend L. “I want to hear our bodies. I want all my senses involved during sex; those sounds are a big turn on.”
And what about soundtracks other than music? “My fiancé was satirizing the type of voice you hear on public radio, but it got me…feelin’ spicy?” an anonymous reader once commented. “Turns out, my make-out jam is being told in a soft, low voice that it’s the biannual fundraising campaign, and if I donate now, I’ll get a free tote.”
What songs get you in the mood? Sade? ’60s French pop? The entire Moon Safari album by Air? I’d love to hear. Maybe we can make an updated playlist.
