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Tag: Sabrina Carpenter

  • Apart from Sabrina Carpenter, the 2025 VMAs Keeps It Pretty Tame (and Straight)

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    Perhaps it was only right that Doja Cat should kick off the 2025 MTV Video Music Awards with a performance of her lead single from Vie, “Jealous Type.” Not just because it throws shade at the notion of how artists get so competitive with one another at these sorts of award shows, but because, with her “new” sound embodying the sonic landscape of the 80s, it’s in keeping with the identity of the erstwhile “cable” network that was born at the dawn of said decade. A channel that changed the entire industry forever in that it made musicians fully grasp that their music was in need of a visual just as memorable (and/or “iconic”) as the song itself.

    To further heighten the overall “80s-ness” of her performance, Doja Cat appeared amidst the kind of set design that can best be described as something out of Patrick Nagel’s wet dreams. And then, of course, there was her decision to tap Kenny G as the person to perform the opening saxophone solo of the track (though, obviously, no saxophone solo will ever hold a candle to the one in “Careless Whisper”). She was also certain to evoke more than slight hints of Janet Jackson in the musical dance break toward the middle of her performance, which was rounded out with a keytar player that looked like a former member of Jem and the Holograms. All of which is to say that there’s definitely a reason the word “nostalgia” was used to describe the ceremony. Since, of late, that’s what MTV has been coasting/banking on in terms of staying afloat. This clearly being part of the reason that, for the first time, the ceremony was also aired on CBS, a network not exactly known for appealing to “youths.”

    In this sense, it’s as though MTV has decided to pander to the Gen Z view of their network as something dated, out of touch and generally “dinosaur-y” (a reality that still seems unfathomable when considering how “edgy” it once used to be). And yet, a great many of the musicians that dominate TikTok were in attendance, including Doja, Tate McRae, Sabrina Carpenter, Sombr and Conan Gray. However, those considered of the “older” generations now, including Mariah Carey and Lady Gaga also took precedence in terms of their performances.

    As for Mariah, who received the Video Vanguard Award this year (marking her first Moonman ever), her medley touched on “Sugar Sweet,” “Fantasy,” “Honey,” “Heartbreaker,” “Obsessed,” “It’s Like That” (interpolated with “Dangerous Type”) and “We Belong Together” (complete with a violin-playing ensemble behind her). And even her alter ego, “Bianca,” made a little cameo onstage. Her first appearance being in the “Heartbreaker” video as “the other woman” that Mariah catches Jerry O’Connell with at the movie theater. Alas, the homage to her greatest hits was more than slightly flaccid, especially since, after Carey’s appearance, she was quickly outshined by the greater dynamism of a live broadcast of Lady Gaga’s performance of “Abracadabra” and “The Dead Dance” from her Mayhem Ball show at Madison Square Garden. This (the fact that Gaga didn’t actually perform at the VMAs venue), however, further proving, in some sense, that the awards show was mostly phoning it in.

    What’s more, Gaga didn’t have a very queer performance, at least not in a “hit you over the head” kind of way. Nor did she have a very sexual one. Even so, there were errant moments of “spiciness.” Namely, when it came to Tate McRae dancing to her hits, “Revolving Door” and “Sportscar,” with her coterie of muscular male backup dancers starting out as “statues” on platforms before jumping in to join her for “Sportscar” and, then, to quite literally play in the same sandbox as her.

    Then, of course, there was Sabrina Carpenter, who, in the absence of both Madonna and Chappell Roan, appeared to take up the mantle for showcasing queerness onstage thanks to her rendition of “Tears.” That queer and trans advocacy being on-brand for the accompanying The Rocky Horror Picture Show-themed video. Throwing it back to late 70s-era New York vibes (since, again, most of the musicians at the VMAs are relying on already overdone sound tropes of the past for their “current” selection of music), Carpenter emerges from a sewer next to a trash bag as drag queens gather ‘round to have a kiki. Toward the end of the performance, there’s a bit of an “It’s Raining Men”-meets-Flashdance-meets Britney singing “…Baby One More Time” during the Dream Within a Dream Tour (and Carpenter is no stranger to imitating her at the VMAs either) moment when water begins raining down on Carpenter and the stripper-looking cops dancing next to her. The queer folk parading around the stage with protest signs that offer such insights as, “If you hate you’ll never get laid,” “Protect Trans Rights” and “Dolls Dolls Dolls” reminded the audience that, with the current administration in office, these are messages well worth reiterating. Particularly before the boot comes down completely, and all such forms of free speech are suppressed.

    Swinging the pendulum back toward straightness, Sombr, who comes off like a mash-up of Benson Boone (sonically and visually) and Austin Butler (just visually), also did his quote unquote best to “sex it up,” albeit with a very straight male perspective as requisite “hot girls” danced around him while he sang “12 to 12.” This after commencing the performance with “Back to Friends.” His only other “male competition” (in the same age bracket, that is) was Conan Gray, who served as this year’s dose of Kate Bush-meets-Chappell Roan with his romantic performance of “Vodka Cranberry.”

    As for the big winners of the night, Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and Ariana Grande, all three played up their gratitude and appreciation for the fans (this being the go-to for the VMAs, whereas “God” is usually for the Grammys). And yet, one wonders anymore who MTV thinks that demographic includes. For, the older the network gets, it doesn’t appear to matter if they have the “newest” (ergo, youngest) acts onstage. Because, more and more, MTV is playing it as safe as possible—this extending to a kind of “sexlessness” and general lack of controversy compared to years past.

    It’s also saying something that the tameness of the show comes at a time when Paramount (a.k.a. MTV’s “parent” company) is accused of cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, ultimately, because of an Orange One-related vendetta. Perhaps prompting MTV to keep its content less “offensive” to certain (political) parties, while also trying to keep appealing to the generations it started out with: X and millennial. In other words, the generations that can even still remember what a marvel it was to have cable.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Sabrina Carpenter Creates Yet Another Taurus Anthem With “Tears”

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    Evidently continuing to assert herself as the reigning queen of making Taurus anthems (sorry Adele [though “Someone Like You” still slaps, particularly as a Taurus anthem/torch song]), with “Taste” (not to be confused with Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s) and “Please Please Please” being some of the pinnacles of what that means, Sabrina Carpenter has released yet another one: “Tears.” Marking the second hit single from Man’s Best Friend (following “Manchild”), it’s very much in keeping with the tropes of this specific zodiac sign—more to the point, her specific zodiac sign. And yes, it was Carpenter herself who once said, “My favorite thing about being a Taurus is that I get to use the excuse ‘I’m sorry I’m a Taurus.’ It kinda works in every facet of life.” 

    Not least of which is lusting after a man who’s responsible, reliable and “good around the house.” For there’s nothing a Taurus loves more than someone who not only respects the sanctity of their domestic space, but even seeks to further elevate it. For their (usually-not-so-humble) abode is an environment they especially deem their “kingdom” (though they tend to see most everywhere else as part of their “dominion,” too). And, considering that Carpenter has been on tour for the past two years (embarking on the Short n’ Sweet Tour from 2024 to 2025), it’s no wonder she would deliver such comforts-of-home-craving lines as, “Assemble a chair from Ikea, I’m like, ‘Uh.’” Granted, the unabashed decadence of Taurean tastes means you won’t typically find them anywhere near an Ikea. Particularly with a limitless budget like Carpenter’s. 

    What they can be found near, however, are spooky houses with sumptuous interiors, as is the case with the Rocky Horror Picture Show-inspired video that accompanies the track. For what is a Taurus if not adventurous and naughty, paired with a dichotomous penchant for desiring luxury, debauchery and comfort? Then, of course, there’s the “problem” of being ruled by Venus, which applies not just to the planet, but to the goddess also known as Aphrodite. Her sensual nature, which makes the frequently-depicted-in-the-buff deity a natural fit for embodying the Goddess of Love, is what extends to the sign she reigns over, with the Taurus’ sense of raunchiness (and, as Carpenter also represents, general horniness)—e.g., “I get wet at the thought of you/Being a responsible guy…/Tears run down my thighs—getting them into almost as much trouble as their stubbornness. 

    Regarding the raunch factor, it’s at least part of what draws “innocent” (even if only in appearance) Carpenter to the abandoned-looking ramshackle of a house after her incompetent boyfriend apparently got them into a car crash. Then, like Alice down the rabbit hole or Dorothy in Oz, Carpenter stumbles upon a “land” that makes everything suddenly feel like it’s in Technicolor, having formerly existed in a bland, black-and-white way in the life she shared with her now-presumed-dead boyfriend. But Carpenter’s Easter Sunday appearance quickly gives way to clothes coming off (quite literally) as she dances and prances with Colman Domingo (a Sag cusping Scorpio, Taurus’ opposite on the zodiac wheel, which also makes Scorpio something like their diabolical id) in the overt Dr. Frank-N-Furter role. A pied piper bringing out all of Carpenter’s inner kink. On this note, it seems an unfair (and inaccurate) stereotype that Taureans are also often accused of being “boring” when, in fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. For their love of “responsibility” is matched only by their love of fun and beauty (these things, increasingly, often being what only money can buy and, therefore, part of the Taurean obsession with making as much of it as possible).

    This love of fun and beauty is what Carpenter embodies in the Bardia Zeinali-directed video (following what he did for another one of Carpenter’s Taurus anthems, “Please Please Please”). Her Taurean fervor for the heady combination of vibrant aesthetics and sensuality reaches an especial crescendo as she “just happens to find herself” in frilly lingerie while pole-dancing in some nearby cornfield. And not just because, as an Earth sign, Carpenter can’t help but show some love for “the land.” With cornfields also being a “necessary” cliché in many horror movies (see, most recently: Pearl, with the eponymous character putting her own “sexy spin” on what a cornfield can provide, mood-wise…apart from just creepiness). But the “horror” (or horror-comedy, considering the movie it pays homage to) pastiche of “Tears” is wielded, ultimately, to emphasize a “pure” and “wholesome” girl (read: a Taurus) coming to terms with her irrepressible sexuality (read: a Taurus at war with their so-called dark side). Much like Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

    By the same token, what awakens the sexual gratitude in a Taurus are the very “normie,” Hestia-oriented types of things Carpenter brings up when she declares, “A little respect for women can get you very, very far/Remembering how to use your phone gets me oh so, oh so hot/Considering I have feelings, I’m like, ‘Why are my clothes still on?’/Offering to do anything, I’m like, ‘Oh my God.’” And, of course, the domesticity “codedness” of, “I get wet at the thought of you/Being a responsible guy/Treating me like you’re supposed to do/Tears run down my thighs” can’t be overemphasized enough. Mixing the pure and the profane as only a Taurus can with that chorus (no rhyme intended), Carpenter then continues, “A little initiative can go a very long, long way/Baby, just do the dishes, I’ll give you what you, what you want/A little communication, yes, that’s my ideal foreplay.”

    It doesn’t get more “banal” than that—and yet, this expression of “just wanting some safeness and dependability” is spiced up in a manner that only a Taurus can do it, with their keen ability to infuse the quotidian with a much-needed tincture of sexiness and sassiness. A skill that, lately, Carpenter has been quite keen to flex. Because, yes, a bit of a “nobody does it better” attitude is also part and parcel of being a “standard” Taurus. Along with plenty of snark “hidden” behind that false veneer of “being slow” (or slow-talking).

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • A ‘House Tour’ Of Man’s Best Friend

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    Pause on the paw prints dusting the Man’s Best Friend doormat and sashay yourself right into the disco-ball-splattered, 80s-retro fever dream that is Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album. Think: part Barbie’s Dreamhouse, part Greek villa, all glitter. Our five-foot-something, lipstick-smudged starlet didn’t just move in—she co-produced the whole place with Jack Antonoff and John Ryan, with Amy Allen sneaking her name onto the writing credits too (we see you, queen 👀). And because we can’t resist giving you the full ‘House Tour’ (track 11 shoutout, let’s gooo), we’re mapping out five of this twelve-song sonic estate, room by room. If Short n’ Sweet’s tour staging was the Pinterest inspo board, this is the finished Airbnb listing—complete with ABBA-tinted windows and shimmer squares that sparkle even when the lights are off.

    Foyer

    With a giant no-letters-cough-emails-from-boys sticker slapped across the mailbox, we’re already giggling before we even step inside. Swing open the front door and boom—we’re dropped straight into the foyer, soundtracked by the first single-marked, Jack Antonoff–co-produced ‘Manchild.’ If pop and country had a glitter-drenched baby, this would be it—and let’s be real, you’ve already tried (and probably failed gloriously) at its line-dancing TikTok trend the second those banjos started strumming. And honestly? The foyer is the perfect place for it. It’s your first impression, the little taste of what’s to come, the welcome mat of the whole record. Sabrina practically greets you at the door with a wink, a hair flip, and this track blasting through a rhinestoned speaker. You’re not just stepping into a house—you’re stepping into her world, cowboy boots, disco lights, and a suspicious amount of lip gloss in the air.

    Kitchen

    We already know you’re cooking up a poison-laced cocktail for your ex-man with your ‘Go Go Juice’ perched pretty on the kitchen counter—like, don’t even pretend you’re not sneaking sips. This sticky concoction is stirred in a pot of Jack Antonoff and John Ryan co-producer magic (with Sabrina, of course, holding the ladle). It’s the sonic equivalent of raiding the liquor cabinet at 2 a.m. and playing Salt Bae with all the wrong ingredients—hello, drunk dials and questionable texts that always feel like a good idea at the time.

    And the eternal question: who’s getting served? Is it John (Shawn Mendes), Larry (Barry Keoghan), or “the one that rhymes with villain” (Dylan O’Brien)? Sabrina’s never spilling the recipe, but you know she’s garnishing it with those cheeky Sabrian-isms only she can pull off. The bridge? It’s basically a tipsy chant straight off a voice note—the kind you wake up and regret, but secretly save because it’s that cute. This kitchen isn’t just where you eat—it’s where the chaos brews. 🍸✨

    Living Room

    Now we’re stumbling straight into the double-entendre ‘House Tour’—and she’s blasting girly chaos at full volume. Welcome to the living room: pink-framed television glowing, popcorn flying through the air like confetti, Sabrina catching every piece in her mouth like it’s an Olympic-level sport. It’s cozy, it’s messy, it’s her. Another three-bandit-produced gem, this track’s textures are total ear candy. You’ve got a car engine shutting off as it parks on “Pretty Girl Avenue,” Sabrina’s giggles sprinkled in like candid soundbites, and handclaps that creep around faintly like footsteps in the hallway. It’s giving pop hauntology but make it sparkly. And then, out of nowhere, she flicks on her inner diva switch—hello, Sabrina-Mariah Carey—serving vocals so soaring they basically rattle the living room speakers. It’s the moment you realize: this isn’t just a house, it’s a full-on funhouse, and Sabrina’s both the ringleader and your slumber-party bestie.

    Master Bedroom

    If Sabrina’s personality were Tinder-personified, this track would have you deleting the app altogether—because why keep swiping when your childhood-bestie-turned-respectable-man is already right there? Between those roaring high notes that blur into moans and the very first lyric, “I get wet at the thought of you” (arguably the most iconic bait-and-switch in pop history), you’re hauling him straight into the master bedroom without hesitation. 🔥 Co-piloted by John and Sabrina, the song even slips in a pop-up of Katy Perry energy with “Baby, just do the dishes, I’ll give you what you…”—a cheeky callback to her viral Call Me Daddy moment, now permanently enshrined as domestic-love-language lore.

    It’s explicit, it’s groovy, it’s Sabrina at her most playful. Then the music video, directed by Bardia Zeinali (‘Please Please Please’ genius) with a gloriously drag-ified Colman Domingo, throws her into a Rocky Horror-inspired funhouse. Underneath the camp spectacle is a sharper edge: a nod to how her full public attention arrived only once she was sexualised—something she’s spoken about candidly with Rolling Stone. This isn’t just the master bedroom—it’s where wit, desire, and cultural critique all tangle in the sheets.

    Bathroom

    ‘When Did You Get So Hot?’ isn’t some finger-tapping, chin-scratching musing about a new crush—it’s a mirror-check anthem, a full-blown compliment you’re tossing right back at yourself. Picture it: you stumble into the bathroom, do a once-over in the mirror, and bam—the glow-up hits like the harsh ring-light setting you accidentally leave on for selfies. This isn’t self-doubt, this is self-devotion. 💅 Another three-co-piloted production, it’s stacked with the signature Sabrina-isms that keep you grinning. She peppers in those talking-singing moments like side-eye commentary, switching inflection verse by verse so it feels like she’s giving herself a pep talk and FaceTiming you from the vanity at the same time.

    At just over two minutes, it’s the shortest song on the record—but that’s the point. It doesn’t take long at all to clock the baddie you’ve become. And because this is MTV Cribs (Sabrina version), the bathroom isn’t just a bathroom—it’s a glowing temple of self-love. Think a marble vanity littered with lipstick-stained dog collars, a bathtub begging for bubble selfies, and Sabrina winking at herself in the mirror like, “Yeah… when did I get so hot?”

    So, which room are you locking the door of, refusing to ever leave? ✨ Give Man’s Best Friend another whirl, pick a couple of lyrics to pin up on its walls like neon signs, and then spill it on our socials—Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. We’ll be snooping like nosy neighbors waiting for the invite. 🪩

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SABRINA CARPENTER:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | KOMI | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

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    Rachel Finucane

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  • Lady Gaga will perform during the MTV Video Music Awards. Here’s everything to know about the show

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    Lady Gaga is extending her dominance of this year’s MTV Video Music Awards and has been added as a performer, show organizers announced Saturday.Related video above: A flight delay, a jazz band and a viral momentThe Grammy-award winning musician leads this year’s VMA nominations with 12 nods, including artist of the year and best album for “Mayhem,” which was released earlier this year.Gaga has a long-standing history with the VMAs, with 57 total nominations throughout her career. Mother Monster, as she’s known, last took the stage in 2020, singing various hits from her album, “Chromatica,” including a performance of “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande.She joins a slate of other seasoned VMAs performers confirmed for this year’s roster, including Doja Cat, who will give the first ever televised performance of her new single “Jealous Type.” Jelly Roll will also perform and is competing for the first time in four categories. Post Malone, a six-time VMA winner, is also set to take the stage.Pop singers Conan Gray and Tate McRae will each make their performance debut on the VMAs stage next month.Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s MTV VMAs.New awards honor Latin and Rap artistsThis year’s MTV Video Music Awards is shaking things up, handing out two new awards to decorated artists in the rap and Latin music genres.Rapper Busta Rhymes will receive the first ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Ricky Martin will be honored with the inaugural Latin Icon Award.The Rock the Bells Visionary Award celebrates the hip-hop star’s “boundary-breaking cultural impact and an indomitable musical career,” the announcement read. Rhymes, who has taken the VMAs stage various times since his first performance in 1997, will also perform during the ceremony.Martin, whose long VMAs history began with his first performance in 1999, will also perform and be honored for a “four-decade career that launched Latin music and culture into the mainstream,” according to the announcement.Who is performing at the VMAs?Gaga joins a growing list of confirmed performers for this year’s VMAs, including Gray, McRae, Jelly Roll, Doja Cat, Post Malone and more.Rhymes and Martin will both perform, as well as a slew of other artists, including Alex Warren, J Balvin, Sabrina Carpenter and sombr.Warren, who’s nominated for best new artist, best pop and song of the year, will take the VMA stage for the first time, performing his breakout hit, “Ordinary.” Newcomer sombr, a singer-songwriter and producer, will also be making his award show debut.Balvin will perform “Zun Zun” with Latin singers Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, and “Noventa” with producer DJ Snake.Carpenter, who offered a debut performance at the VMAs last year, taking home song of the year, will return to perform “Manchild.”McRae is also up for four first-time nominations, including song of the year and best pop artist.When are the MTV Video Music Awards?The 2025 VMAs will air on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern, live from the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island.Who will host the VMAs?LL Cool J has snagged wins, co-hosted and performed atop the MTV Video Music Awards stage. Now, the Grammy-winning rapper-actor-author is going solo to host the 2025 awards ceremony.He’s retaking the stage, this time without Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow, with whom he co-hosted in 2022.He’s also up for the best hip-hop award for his single “Murdergram Deux” featuring Eminem. The single is part of his most recent album, “THE FORCE,” which released in September and was his first album in 11 years.LL Cool J is a longtime champion of the VMAs, having won his first Moon Person in 1991. He became the first rapper to receive the Video Vanguard Award, in 1997. He also performed in an all-star tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023 and a celebration for Def Jam Records’ 40th anniversary last year.Can I stream the VMAs?Yes, the show will be broadcast by CBS for the first time, and also simulcast on MTV and available for streaming on Paramount+ in the United States.Who’s nominated for the VMAs?Gaga is leading this year’s awards with 12 nominations, including artist of the year. The “Mayhem” singer was nearly tied with Bruno Mars, who has 11 nods. The pair’s duet, “Die with a Smile,” is up for four awards, including song of the year.Gaga’s plethora of nominations dethrones Taylor Swift, who held the top spot for two years. This time around, Swift received one artist of the year nomination. The two are accompanied by Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd in that category.Gaga and Mars are followed by Lamar with 10 nominations, ROSÉ and Carpenter with eight each, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd with seven each and Billie Eilish with six.Charli XCX also received love with five nominations for her “Brat” Summer success “Guess,” featuring Eilish.Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus and McRae have four nominations each.How can I vote for the VMAs?Fan voting across the 19 categories is live now on the VMAs website. Voting closes on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Eastern, except for the best new artist category, which will accept votes into the live show. The public can vote up to 10 times a day until voting closes.Who will receive the Video Vanguard Award?Mariah Carey will receive this year’s Video Vanguard Award.The award was given to Katy Perry last year. Previous recipients include Shakira, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and Madonna.

    LOS ANGELES (AP) —

    Lady Gaga is extending her dominance of this year’s MTV Video Music Awards and has been added as a performer, show organizers announced Saturday.

    Related video above: A flight delay, a jazz band and a viral moment

    The Grammy-award winning musician leads this year’s VMA nominations with 12 nods, including artist of the year and best album for “Mayhem,” which was released earlier this year.

    Gaga has a long-standing history with the VMAs, with 57 total nominations throughout her career. Mother Monster, as she’s known, last took the stage in 2020, singing various hits from her album, “Chromatica,” including a performance of “Rain on Me” with Ariana Grande.

    She joins a slate of other seasoned VMAs performers confirmed for this year’s roster, including Doja Cat, who will give the first ever televised performance of her new single “Jealous Type.” Jelly Roll will also perform and is competing for the first time in four categories. Post Malone, a six-time VMA winner, is also set to take the stage.

    Pop singers Conan Gray and Tate McRae will each make their performance debut on the VMAs stage next month.

    Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s MTV VMAs.

    New awards honor Latin and Rap artists

    This year’s MTV Video Music Awards is shaking things up, handing out two new awards to decorated artists in the rap and Latin music genres.

    Rapper Busta Rhymes will receive the first ever MTV VMA Rock the Bells Visionary Award and Ricky Martin will be honored with the inaugural Latin Icon Award.

    The Rock the Bells Visionary Award celebrates the hip-hop star’s “boundary-breaking cultural impact and an indomitable musical career,” the announcement read. Rhymes, who has taken the VMAs stage various times since his first performance in 1997, will also perform during the ceremony.

    Martin, whose long VMAs history began with his first performance in 1999, will also perform and be honored for a “four-decade career that launched Latin music and culture into the mainstream,” according to the announcement.

    Who is performing at the VMAs?

    Gaga joins a growing list of confirmed performers for this year’s VMAs, including Gray, McRae, Jelly Roll, Doja Cat, Post Malone and more.

    Rhymes and Martin will both perform, as well as a slew of other artists, including Alex Warren, J Balvin, Sabrina Carpenter and sombr.

    Warren, who’s nominated for best new artist, best pop and song of the year, will take the VMA stage for the first time, performing his breakout hit, “Ordinary.” Newcomer sombr, a singer-songwriter and producer, will also be making his award show debut.

    Balvin will perform “Zun Zun” with Latin singers Justin Quiles and Lenny Tavárez, and “Noventa” with producer DJ Snake.

    Carpenter, who offered a debut performance at the VMAs last year, taking home song of the year, will return to perform “Manchild.”

    McRae is also up for four first-time nominations, including song of the year and best pop artist.

    When are the MTV Video Music Awards?

    The 2025 VMAs will air on Sept. 7 at 8 p.m. Eastern, live from the UBS Arena on New York’s Long Island.

    Who will host the VMAs?

    LL Cool J has snagged wins, co-hosted and performed atop the MTV Video Music Awards stage. Now, the Grammy-winning rapper-actor-author is going solo to host the 2025 awards ceremony.

    He’s retaking the stage, this time without Nicki Minaj and Jack Harlow, with whom he co-hosted in 2022.

    He’s also up for the best hip-hop award for his single “Murdergram Deux” featuring Eminem. The single is part of his most recent album, “THE FORCE,” which released in September and was his first album in 11 years.

    LL Cool J is a longtime champion of the VMAs, having won his first Moon Person in 1991. He became the first rapper to receive the Video Vanguard Award, in 1997. He also performed in an all-star tribute to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary in 2023 and a celebration for Def Jam Records’ 40th anniversary last year.

    Can I stream the VMAs?

    Yes, the show will be broadcast by CBS for the first time, and also simulcast on MTV and available for streaming on Paramount+ in the United States.

    Who’s nominated for the VMAs?

    Gaga is leading this year’s awards with 12 nominations, including artist of the year. The “Mayhem” singer was nearly tied with Bruno Mars, who has 11 nods. The pair’s duet, “Die with a Smile,” is up for four awards, including song of the year.

    Gaga’s plethora of nominations dethrones Taylor Swift, who held the top spot for two years. This time around, Swift received one artist of the year nomination. The two are accompanied by Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen and The Weeknd in that category.

    Gaga and Mars are followed by Lamar with 10 nominations, ROSÉ and Carpenter with eight each, Ariana Grande and The Weeknd with seven each and Billie Eilish with six.

    Charli XCX also received love with five nominations for her “Brat” Summer success “Guess,” featuring Eilish.

    Bad Bunny, Doechii, Ed Sheeran, Jelly Roll, Miley Cyrus and McRae have four nominations each.

    How can I vote for the VMAs?

    Fan voting across the 19 categories is live now on the VMAs website. Voting closes on Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Eastern, except for the best new artist category, which will accept votes into the live show. The public can vote up to 10 times a day until voting closes.

    Who will receive the Video Vanguard Award?

    Mariah Carey will receive this year’s Video Vanguard Award.

    The award was given to Katy Perry last year. Previous recipients include Shakira, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and Madonna.

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  • Sabrina Carpenter gives insight into her new music and viral debate over album cover

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    Sabrina Carpenter dropped her seventh album, “Man’s Best Friend,” on Friday – approximately one year after her Grammy Award winning album “Short n’ Sweet.”

    “I was just going through a lot and I was like, ‘well, I could either, you know, sit and sulk about it, or I could write about it,’ and it doesn’t mean I have to put any of this out,” Carpenter told “CBS Mornings” about creating the album.

    In an exclusive interview, the superstar spoke about her new music, songwriting process and the viral debate around her original album cover.

    For “Man’s Best Friend,” Carpenter worked with familiar collaborators, including Jack Antonoff, John Ryan and Amy Allen.

    “It felt like a band in a lot of ways. Like, someone’s on the drums, and someone’s over here playing the synth and then we’re on the tambourine. … Then I’m cutting vocals. We’re all doing gang vocals together,” she said regarding the album.

    Carpenter described having “many different processes” while writing her songs – but highlighted lyrics and concepts come first.

    “When I started, you know, becoming more sexual as a person, I think it’s just something that’s a part of life. You want to write about it,” she said. “I didn’t realize it was as taboo of a topic until I started writing about it more freely.”

    The Grammy Award winner gave insight into a few of the songs on the new album.

    For “Never Getting Laid,” she revealed, “that one was a bit of a turning point for me because I’m so used to writing bitter songs and this one felt like being bitter but with a lot of sweetness.”

    She said “Don’t Worry, I’ll Make You Worry” “sounds like a threat, but it’s, like, it’s all just said with a wink. It’s said with, like, a pat on the back. I think that is the way that I communicate.”

    While fans speculate who her music is about, Carpenter maintained she wouldn’t say.

    “It’s more fun for people to picture in their head than the person I picture in my head, I think,” Carpenter said.

    “I feel pretty transparent going into any of my relationships, that I write songs and I think they’re just as down for it. I think it’s also, most of the time, they’ve been pretty flattered when I … when they get a song written about them, good or bad.”

    Carpenter admits that her music may not be for everyone, saying, “you don’t have to like what I do.  I think there’s this weird misconception that every artist has to check every box for everyone to like everything about them.”

    She just hopes her fans she’s speaking to through her music feel the connection and can relate.

    “Then I’m happy,” she said.

    The pop star has previously said she thinks of her life and music like a movie, saying “there’s like a lot of suspenseful music. There’s some cliff hangers sometimes. It’s truly an up-and-down.”

    While describing her own life as versatile, she said she’s currently, “in a lovely place.”

    Album cover debate

    Prior to the release of her new music, a debate ensued over Carpenter’s original album cover for “Man’s Best Friend,” shocking the singer.

    “I think between me and my friends and my family and the people that I always share my music and my art with first, it was … it just wasn’t even a conversation. It was just, like, it’s perfect. For what the album is, it’s perfect for, you know, kind of what it represents.”

    The cover depicted Carpenter kneeling on the ground. An individual is standing next to her with Carpenter’s hand on the person’s thigh as they’re pulling her hair.

    She said her intention was to keep the cover open to interpretation.

    “My interpretation is being in on the control. Being in on your lack of control and when you want to be in control,” Carpenter said. “I think as a young woman, you’re just as aware of when you’re in control as when you’re not.”

    She explained the album for her was about “the humanity of allowing yourself to make those mistakes.”

    Carpenter said she tries to take the critical comments lightly.

    “My fans that know me and know the person behind the music will look at that photo and they know exactly what it is. People that have no idea who I am absolutely look at that photo and go, like, ‘where are her parents?’”

    “My parents actually saw the photo and they loved it,” she said.

    Friendship with Taylor Swift

    Carpenter opened for Taylor Swift on the Eras tour.

    She’s also featured on a song in Swift’s upcoming album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which will be released Oct. 3.

    While Carpenter wouldn’t reveal anything about the song, she spoke about the opportunity, saying, “I’ve been looking up to her (Swift) since I was, … I remember the first time I heard a song by her. I was 8 years old on the school bus, and I was … just like my life was changed.”

    She also expressed her excitement for Swift following the announcement of her engagement to Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, saying she wasn’t surprised at how big the reaction was from fans.

    “I’m just happy for them,” Carpenter said.

    Gayle King

    Gayle King is an award-winning journalist and co-host of “CBS Mornings.” King interviews top newsmakers and delivers original reporting to “CBS Mornings” and all CBS News broadcasts and platforms. She is also editor-at-large of Oprah Daily and hosts “Gayle King in the House,” a live, weekly radio show on SiriusXM.

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  • The Sabrina Horror Picture Show, Or: The “Tears” Video

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    Sabrina Carpenter’s vocal doppelgänger, Ariana Grande, may have once said, “Ain’t got no tears left to cry,” but Carpenter is telling a different tale on “Tears,” the second single and video from her bop-laden seventh album, Man’s Best Friend. A song that indicates she has plenty of “moisture” left to…cry. Only not from her eyes so much as from her vag, ergo the chorus, “I get wet at the thought of you/Being a responsible guy/Treating me like you’re supposed to do/Tears run down my thighs.” Unfortunately, tears running down a girl’s thighs is an increasing rarity amid a climate of irresponsible men (in every possibly form that irresponsibility can take). 

    Like “Please Please Please,” “Tears” is once again directed by Bardia Zeinali (who also, incidentally, directed the Ariana Grande video for “In My Head”). But rather than riffing on a very hetero Bonnie and Clyde theme (complete with Barry Keoghan in the “Clyde” role), this time, Carpenter opts for a rightfully kitschy homage to the masterpiece of camp that is The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Borrowing key elements from the first act of the movie, the well-timed-for-the-advent-of-fall video opens on an overhead shot of a car that’s clearly crashed (though into what is never made apparent), with Carpenter lying face-down off to the side of the passenger seat, as though she was thrown from the vehicle. 

    Dressed in what can best be described as her Easter Sunday best, Carpenter “comes to” as the sound of a howling wolf in the dead of night only adds to the creep factor of her environment. Seeing that they’ve conveniently crashed right near someone’s spooky house (much more convenient than the distance Brad [Barry Bostwick] and Janet [Susan Sarandon] had to walk in order to get to Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s [Tim Curry] castle), Carpenter decides to approach the seemingly abandoned abode to get help. Even if all the signs point to the fact that she ought to just run the other way, lest, like Brad and Janet, she ends up going down a “dark path” from whence she can’t return. 

    When she knocks on the door (with the “spooky vocalizing” of the song briefly playing), no one answers. Yet when she peers through the boarded-up window emanating a glowing red light, she sees a “sexy leg” with a fishnet stocking on it, lifted up on a chair. Dropping her hat at the “salacious” sight, she steps backward and sees that the front door is now partially ajar. It doesn’t exactly emulate the way Brad and Janet are greeted by the handyman, Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien, who also wrote The Rocky Horror Picture Show), suggestively remarking to the couple, “You’re wet.” Soon after, he adds, “I think perhaps you better both…come inside.” These, of course, being the kind of innuendos that Carpenter can readily get on board with (and likely part of her attraction to the cult classic). 

    Just as she gets on board with Colman Domingo in the ostensible Dr. Frank-N-Furter role, along with his coterie of “colorful” guests (a polite word for pearl-clutchers to say “trans”). Guests who make Carpenter feel right at home as they sing along to such lyrics as, “A little initiative can go a very long, long way/Baby, just do the dishes, I’ll give you what you, what you want/A little communication, yes, that’s my ideal foreplay/Assemble a chair from Ikea, I’m like, ‘Uh.’” 

    In the next scene, she’s thrust into a “red room,” with a number of disembodied hands (with over-the-top acrylics) disrobing her as one of them passes her a Coke-inspired can with the “brand” Tears on it and the tag line, “Get wet.” To be sure, these eerily detached arms and hands recall something out of Jean Cocteau’s La Belle et la Bête more than they do The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

    Before she knows it, she is getting pretty wet over “Colman Frank-N-Furter’s” vibe and lifestyle, finding herself pole dancing in a cornfield (something about this feeling very Pearl) as this ringleader of “dolls” (as in, “Protect the dolls”) observes her with something like aroused approval (but, like, a gay man’s kind of approval) from his perch on a tractor. Talk about campifying “butch” paraphernalia. 

    The 70s (a.k.a. disco-fied) sound of the track intensifies after Carpenter announces, “Dance break,” which singals yet another backdrop change. One that showcases Carpenter in a showgirl-y number (think: Cher on The Sonny & Cher Show) as she prances along the streets of some alley (for this house is apparently magical in its ability to provide all kinds of milieus at the literal drop of a hat). 

    It would seem that, having been out of the house for so long in these random outdoor settings, the abode evidently realizes it can’t sustain Carpenter’s fundamental heteronormativity, spitting her back out after her choreo with the trans residents runs its course. Once again outfitted in her “Easter Sunday” ensemble, Carpenter tries to get her bearings just as her boyfriend, billed as “the guy who has to die” (Joe Apollonio), randomly appears to say, “Baby! I’m so glad you’re okay.” Carpenter, on the other hand, doesn’t look all that glad that he’s okay, responding, “Wait…no.” 

    Perhaps blaming him (and his straightness) in some way for getting her “bounced” from the house, she continues, “You died earlier I thought.” He replies, “Babe, what are you talking about?” She then meta-ly explains, “It’s a thing, it has to…someone has to die every video.” This being a reference to “Taste” (another one-word single that starts with a “T”). Looking and sounding horrified at what she’s suggesting, before he knows what’s happening, Carpenter says, “Sorry, we’ll always remember you though.” And with that, she boomerangs her high heel into his chest. 

    Carpenter then gets up from the porch and declares, “You have to give the people what they want.” And what the people with, that’s right, taste want are references to The Rocky Horror Picture Show from a mainstream artist at a time when transphobia in the U.S. has ramped up at an alarming rate. Thus, Domingo’s tweet announcing the arrival of the video with, “Protect all the Dolls.”

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend Is a Best Friend to Frustrated Women Everywhere

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    It took four albums for Sabrina Carpenter to truly hit her stride, to “find her niche,” arriving at just the right formula with 2022’s Emails I Can’t Send. By 2024, when her sixth album, Short n’ Sweet, was released, the industry was ready to embrace her as one of the next “it” girls of music (along with two other women who had been around for years already: Charli XCX and Chappell Roan). The release of “Espresso” as a single in the spring of that year helped to grease the wheels for her, and by the time “Please Please Please” (the first track that signaled her new musical partnership with Jack Antonoff) was put out as the second single, listeners embraced her to the point of “bequeathing her” with her first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (yes, that’s right, “Espresso” never actually made it to number one). 

    By that point, too, Carpenter’s “A-list” cachet had also been further confirmed by her relationship with a certain Academy Award-nominated actor named Barry Keoghan, who also appeared in the “Please Please Please” video, with Carpenter commenting, “I, genuinely—like, a not-even-biased opinion—I was like, ‘Who’s the greatest actor that I can find for this music video?’ And he was next to me in a chair. And he was so excited about it!” That level of excitement cooled soon after, with Sabrina and Barry breaking up in December of ‘24. And there’s no denying that he still remains an inspiration for her lyrics. Maybe even the first track that kicks off Man’s Best Friend, “Manchild” (arguably the only true “runaway hit” of Summer 2025, and, needless to say, inspired by a lyric from Lana Del Rey’s “Norman Fucking Rockwell”). 

    As the song that sets the tone for the entire concept and theme of the album—that men are hopeless disappointments—it doesn’t get any stronger than this. A Dolly Parton-esque lamentation that finds Carpenter resignedly accepting, “Never heard of self-care/Half your brain just ain’t there/Manchild/Why you always come a-running, taking all my loving from me?” And if he’s not taking Carpenter’s loving from her, he’s offering up only a stunted form of love, as discussed on the album’s second single, “Tears.” And no, she’s not talking about the kind that stream from your eyes, instead referring to a wetness “down there” at the thought of her object of affection “being a responsible guy.” Or, as the chorus phrases it, “I get wet at the thought of you/Being a responsible guy/Treating me like you’re supposed to do/Tears run down my thighs.”

    Serving that “Ariana Grande moan” sound at the beginning, this 70s-ified track, co-produced by Carpenter and John Ryan, is in keeping with Carpenter’s brand of chirpily and sweetly saying what the “pearl clutchers” would consider the raunchiest of things. But if it’s “raunchy” to be aroused by a man showing a little effort in both the emotional and domestic departments, so be it. As for the latter category, Carpenter is sure to instruct men, “A little initiative can go a very long, long way/Baby, just do the dishes, I’ll give you what you, what you want/A little communication, yes, that’s my ideal foreplay/Assemble a chair from Ikea, I’m like, ‘Uh.’” 

    Alas, the problem with a relationship becoming “too” domestic is that it can often lead to the man in the equation treating a woman like one of the pieces of furniture in the apartment or house: she’s just there—comfortable and dependable. This tragedy is addressed by Carpenter on “My Man on Willpower,” during which she returns to her Dolly Parton lilt (and according country-esque musical sound) to paint the picture, “My man on his willpower is something I don’t understand/He fell in love with self-restraint and now it’s getting out of hand.” This notion of a man’s “self-restraint” also comes up again later on “Nobody’s Son,” when Carpenter rues, “But no sir-eee/He discovered sеlf-control/This week.”

    Per the tale of “My Man on Willpower,” he discovered it gradually, with Carpenter recalling, “He used to be literally obsessed with me/I’m suddenly the least sought after girl in the land/Oh, my man on his willpower is something I don’t under, something I don’t understand.” In other words, Carpenter didn’t foresee the usual “reversal” that occurs in most relationships, wherein whoever started out as the most ardent one ends up becoming inversely disinterested as time wears on. The person who started out more disinterested, in contrast, only becomes more “involved”—in large part because they can’t understand where all the other person’s passion went, and they want to get it back by any desperate means necessary. 

    Carpenter’s panic continues to set in as she sings, “He’s busy, he’s working, he doesn’t have time for me/My slutty pajamas not tempting him in the least/What in the fucked up/Romantic dark comedy/Is this nightmare lately?” They call it, full-stop, monogamy. Or what Richard Wright (James Remar) faux mistakenly called “monotony” in Sex and the City. 

    SC slows it down a bit on the following track, “Sugar Talking,” (not to be confused with Mariah’s “Sugar Sweet”), a mid-tempo jam that accuses her lover of being neglectful. Worse still, trying to rely only on words a.k.a. “sugar talking” instead of actions to prove his love to her. So it is that Carpenter goads, “Saying that you miss me/Boy, do you win a prize?/You’re havin’ these epiphanies/Big word for a real small mind/And aren’t you tired of saying a whole lot of nothing?” Within these lyrics, Carpenter repeats another long-running motif of hers at this point: calling men stupid, dumb, etc. (hear also: “Dumb and Poetic,” “Slim Pickins” and “Manchild”). While more “traditionalist” (read: misogynist) men would tell Carpenter she might “catch more dick with honey,” she isn’t one for mincing words, playing nice or compromising who she is for the sake of “maybe” “landing a man.” Because any man worth landing, as far as she’s concerned, is one who knows and accepts her for who she really is: sardonic, sassy and salacious. Unfortunately, as she’s already mentioned, “it’s slim pickins” in terms of finding a man who doesn’t want a robotic twig as a girlfriend. 

    Even the man claiming he’s “all about” Carpenter in this song. But no, as she calls out, “You tell me that you want me/But, baby, if you need me/Put your loving where your mouth is [yes, a sexual innuendo, as is always to be expected from Carpenter]/Your sugar talking isn’t working tonight, oh/Say you’re a big changed man, I doubt it/Yeah, your paragraphs mean shit to me/Get your sorry ass to mine.” With these feelings in mind, it’s a natural fit for her to transition into “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night.”

    The song with the slowest tempo on the album thus far, it’s a resigned ballad tinged with dry humor. Though there’s still plenty of “wetness” for Carpenter to have as she talks about the kind of make-up sex that keeps leading her to repeat the vicious cycle of staying with a man she knows is no good for her. And yet, every time she tries to end it, it’s like he can sense her attempt to break up with him, so he starts acting right. This described by Carpenter as, “And when I reach to pull the plug I swear, it starts working out/And on the days I’m a little much/That’s when I tell them how sweet he treats me/And how no other boys compete/I know how it looks, I know how it sounds/Least will give ‘em something to talk about.” Considering Carpenter’s country proclivities of late, that last line surely as to be a Bonnie Raitt allusion. And when Raitt suggested that thing she ought to give people to talk about, it was “love.” Carpenter is much the same, even if the kind of love she talks about is botched, unrequited or generally fucked up. 

    Nowhere does this apply more than on one of the most standout tracks on Man’s Best Friend, “Nobody’s Son,” a jaunty, up-tempo track with a bittersweet undertone. For it’s a damning callout of a mother’s part in raising a son who doesn’t quite know how to treat another woman right. The blame for a man’s incompetencies (emotional or otherwise) on his mother also comes up in “Manchild,” when Carpenter sings, “Why so sexy if so dumb?/And how survive the Earth so long?/If I’m not there, it won’t get done/I choose to blame your mom.” As she continues to on “Nobody’s Son,” bemoaning on the song’s indelible bridge, “That boy is corrupt/Could you raise him to love me, maybe?/He sure fucked me up/And, yes, I’m talking ‘bout your baby/That boy is corrupt/Get PTSD on the daily/He sure fucked me up/And, yes, I’m talking ‘bout your baby.” The “precious” baby that can do no wrong in Mother’s eyes. Because, from her point of view, it’s always “that slutty bitch” who did wrong. 

    After having already expressed so much contempt for men just halfway through the album, it’s no wonder Carpenter would offer up a song called “Never Getting Laid.” Except, contrary to what the title might suggest to the person who hasn’t yet heard it, Carpenter is merely wishing her ex “a forever of never getting laid.” Indeed, it’s difficult not to imagine she’s speaking directly to Keoghan when she sends these “well wishes.” 

    Either way, Carpenter tells the tale of a love turned cold as she recounts, while speaking to her now ex, “No way to know just who you’re thinkin’ of/I just wish you didn’t have a mind/That could flip like a switch/That could wander and drift/To a neighboring bitch/When just the other night/You said you need me, what gives?/How did it come to this?/Boy, I know where you live.” Carpenter then engages in some of her most venomous (but, again, chirpy) sarcasm yet as she says, “Us girls are fun but stressful, am I right?/And you got a right hand anyway.” So, in essence, she’s imagining he might as well “jack off to lyrics by Leonard Cohen” since he “can’t deal” with the so-called pressure of being with her. 

    In spite of the ire she conveys on “Never Getting Laid,” Carpenter does what she warned about on Short n’ Sweet’s “Good Graces”: “I’ll switch it up like that, so fast.” And what she switches up to is having a newfound appreciation for men on “When Did You Get Hot?” With its sweltering, 90s-esque sound that’s most prominent during the intro, Carpenter talks of being in a desert, so to speak, as she oozes horniness in the verse, “So long, untouched/Bone dry, not a plant can grow/‘Bout time I get back on the horse to the rodeo.” A fair share of metaphors in a short span, indicating her sensory overload as she walks into a “prospect convention” (which sounds better than Lana Del Rey’s “Men in Music Business Conference”). It’s there that she encounters “Devin,” a guy she doesn’t remember being so fine, hence her stimulation overload in the chorus, “And I was like [said in a very Mariah on “Obsessed” way], ‘Huh’/When did you get hot all the sudden? I could look you up and down all day/When did you get hot?/I think I would remember if you had that face/I did a double take, triple take/Take me to naked Twister back at your place/Baby, baby, mmm, it’s thickening the plot/When did you get hot?”

    “Devin” doesn’t seem to last very long, however, as indicated by the drunk dialing anthem that is “Go Go Juice.” And yes, it is refreshing to hear from a Gen Zer that actually drinks “good old-fashioned” alcohol to the point of getting so drunk she starts making a telephonic fool of herself. But then, Carpenter reveals herself to be an even “older soul” by the fact that she would deign to use a phone for its original purpose in the first place: making a call. Because no, this ain’t a track about drunk texting—it’s all about “dialing” (a.k.a. choosing an arbitrary contact in her phone) and talking. And, like some of the best “I’m a drunk fool” songs, this one’s decidedly country too, with Carpenter belting out in her “down-home” twang (and an accompanying fiddle breakdown), “I’m just drinkin’ to call someone/Ain’t nobody safe when I’m a little bit drunk/Could be John or Larry, gosh, who’s to say?/Or the one that rhymes with ‘villain’ if I’m feelin’ that way/Oh, I’m just drinking to call someone/A girl who knows her liquor is a girl who’s been dumped/Sippin’ on my go go juice, I can’t be blamed/Some good old-fashioned fun sure numbs the pain.” It sure does, and thankfully Carpenter is here to school her generation on the merits of liquor. 

    She’s also here to teach men that, just because she can be endlessly hurt and irritated by them, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how to keep them wrapped around her finger and outplay them on mind games any day of the week. Hence, “Don’t Worry I’ll Make You Worry,” the last track she wrote for the album (though not the last track on the record). During which she forebodingly “assures,” “So don’t worry/I’ll make you worry like no other girl can/So don’t worry/Damn sure I’ll never let you know where you stand.” And, even despite the sex with him being “annoyingly good,” Carpenter still won’t give in to fully acknowledging what the “status” of the relationship is to the one whose head she’s fucking with. So well, in fact, that apparently even the man’s mother can’t talk sense into him as Carpenter taunts, “And your mother even agrees/That emotional lottery is all you’ll ever get with me.” Since bringing a man’s mother into things is her bread and butter of late. 

    As is upping the ante on her sexual metaphors, achieving a new apex on “House Tour” (though she ironically declares, “And I promise none of this is a metaphor”). With its ultra 80s sound, it’s no surprise that Jack Antonoff is a co-producer on the song. And, clearly, he must have been inspired by early era Janet Jackson, with the hopped-up tempo punctuating Carpenter’s flurry of analogies. Mainly, referring to her body as a house a.k.a. “being built like one” (for there’s a reason The Commodores once said, “She’s a brick house”). Thus, such lyrics as, “House tour/Yeah, I spent a little fortune on the waxed floors [read: waxing her vag]/We can be a little reckless ‘cause it’s insured [a.k.a. she’s on birth control]/I’m pleasured to be your hot tour guide/Baby, what’s mine is now yours.” 

    That “mi casa es su casa” vibe quickly changes yet again on the album’s appropriately titled finale, “Goodbye” (unless one has the bonus track edition, which concludes with “Such A Funny Way”). And yes, Spanish is one of the languages Carpenter uses for her kiss-off to a boy that dared to break up with her and then tried to come crawling back after realizing the error of his ways. But no, the rule, as far as Carpenter and every other girl with self-respect is concerned is this: “Goodbye means that you’re losing me for life/Can’t call it love, then call it quits/Can’t shoot me down, then shoot the shit/Did you forget that it was you who said goodbye?/So you don’t get to be the one who cries/Can’t have your cake and eat it too/By walking out, that means you choose goodbye.” 

    Regardless of her appalled anger, Carpenter still retains her condescending politesse when she ends the track with, “Goodbye/Get home safe.” Because there’s no more tour of her “house” for him to be had. In fact, she likely realized she would get more trust and dependability out of a dog. Deemed to be “man’s” best friend, though, in truth, there is no finer companion a woman could ask for (in contrast, a woman really can be a man’s best friend when she’s treated well). Because it is she who is looking for the kind of unwavering loyalty and devotion that, these days, only a canine can give. As for the original album cover (before all the alternate versions started trickling in), featuring Carpenter in her own “dog-like” pose, it’s intent isn’t necessarily to “scandalize” “feminists,” so much as demarcate the lengths that a girl is willing to go just to get a dram of love and affection from an otherwise blasé straight man. With women still foolishly adhering to the Morrissey aphorism, “The more you ignore me, the closer I get.” 

    Carpenter can find the comedy in her pain, obviously, remarking of her most “man-hating” record yet, “It’s a real party for heartbreak, a celebration of disappointment! It’s laughing at yourself and your poor choices as everything is falling apart, it’s wondering how loyalty and love always gets you back to third-wheeling, spoken sarcastically like a true 25-year old!” Or even a true twenty-five-year-old still trapped in an older woman’s body. 

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • Yacht Rock is Everywhere in Modern Music

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    In 2024, Yacht Rock: A DOCKumentary was released in homage to a genre of late ’70s, early ’80s easy listening pop music. The term “Yacht Rock” was actually coined as part of a web series joking that the light rock of that era was perfect for people aboard their fancy sea vessels.

    While what constitutes YR has been much debated because of its broad inclusion of everything from Michael Jackson to Gordon Lightfoot — Steely Dan co-founder Donald Fagen is not terribly enamored with the categorization despite, for many, being its epicenter — the bottom line is that it represents a kindler, gentler, soft-focus era of music’s past. But, if you listen carefully, you can hear its influence all over modern music.

    In a music world driven by loudness and pop controversy, there seems to be a yearning for something that is both softer on the ear and infinitely singable. If YR was anything, it was earworm-worthy, filled with the kind of hooks now craved by shower and karaoke singers around the world.

    The documentary sought to highlight that time in music, but it missed the fact that there are artists out there paying tribute all the time. On-the-nose representations like Young Gun Silver Fox and State Cows seem to be trying to single handedly keep the cool party vibes alive. And depending on the breadth of your definition of YR, the Bruno Mars/Anderson Paak collaboration, Silk Sonic, is clearly a pleasant rendering of that time in music (assuming you are ok with a little soul music when you set sail).

    But, more subtly the sound has permeated popular music across a pretty wide spectrum. Pillow soft drums and gentle harmonies blended with hooks that, while not quite approaching the accessibility of the Bee Gees or Doobie Brothers, are definitely on the catchier side.

    Southern folky acts like Goose are as much an homage to classic pop as they are to the Allman Brothers and the Eagles, the latter an artist that is frequently included in YR playlists. In fact, there is plenty of that folksy country-leaning style around modern music today taking their cues from the southern-tinged light rock of the ’70s. Just a cursory listen to Kacey Musgraves or HAIM or Maggie Rogers should set off the radar of anyone who still feels the pull of Jim Croce or Seals and Crofts.

    And even if you are among those who think YR should be centered more around the pop of the early ’80s (think Toto, Boz Skaggs and Texas’ own Christopher Cross), that’s out there as well. Tell us you don’t hear the strains of the late ’70s in Sabrina Carpenter’s “Juno,” right down to the casual sexually tinged lyrics that practically scream “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” or “Kiss You All Over,” albeit less overt like everything else in the world today.

    Charlie Puth, Teddy Swims, even the Jonas Brothers wear the YR influences on their sleeves on occasion. John Mayer is practically a walking ad for the style, but he grew up listening to it, so we have to discount his impact slightly.

    Most of the winks to YR in modern music are just that. The technology that exists today along with the way songs are crafted for modern listeners has radically altered everything about popular music. But, the similarities are there if you pay attention. In the end, YR may have had a bigger impact on modern music than anyone could have anticipated when all the early new wavers, punks and metal heads were snickering about Kenny Loggins and Michael McDonald. Little did we know.

    If you’re curious about today’s artists harking back to Yacht Rock’s past, check out this cool Yacht Rock Nouveau playlist on Spotify which includes a number of the artists listed above and even some pretty unique covers of YR-era songs by modern artists.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • Remi Wolf Blows the Doors Off White Oak Music Hall

    Remi Wolf Blows the Doors Off White Oak Music Hall

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    A peek at videos on social media of the Austin City Limits Festival last weekend can quickly demonstrate the power of this new generation of female pop singers. Chappell Roan played to a massive sea of people who all seemed to know the words to her songs.

    Remi Wolf may not have the massive stage show, backup dancers and costumes of Roan or Sabrina Carpenter or Renee Rapp, but man, does she have the pipes to stand toe-to-toe with any of them. And the energy. She brought both to White Oak Music Hall Thursday night in front of an absolutely jam packed crowd (mostly women) who knew Wolf’s material like the ACL crowd knew Roan’s “Hot to Go!”

    Originally, the show was scheduled for the lawn and with temperatures in the 70s, that seemed like a great plan. But, for reasons unknown, we all crammed inside instead. In truth, everyone was better for it. The intimacy it provided seemed almost tailor made for Wolf’s entire vibe.

    I first encountered Wolf, 28, the way most people find music now: on TikTok. It was a raucous, insanely energetic live version of her song “Quiet on Set” from her debut full-length album, Juno released in 2021. Her music is a quirky mix of modern pop, funk and indie rock, and her voice ranges from an almost cloying affected Betty Boop cuteness (she wore a Boop T-shirt this night) to upper register wailing worthy of Janis Joplin or Freddie Mercury. On record, all of her music education (she attended the USC Thornton School of Music) shines with modern production and tight musicianship (think indie rock Lizzo with a side of Prince). On stage, she is a tiny blur of loud, frenetic energy, a rock star with pop songs that everyone wants to dance to.

    click to enlarge

    Remi Wolf at White Oak Music Hall.

    Photo by Violeta Alvarez

    In a near constant haze of fog machine smoke, Wolf twirled and gyrated her way through an electric set of songs heavily weighted towards her July release Big Ideas. Standing on the edge of the stage, she said that this recent album was very personal, written in a short time after a long stretch of touring. “Alone in Miami,” she explained, was written about a week she spent with “crypto bros” in Florida, partying and “wearing Gucci head to toe.”

    Lyrically, she is incredibly frank, wildly clever, and pretty damn funny. Performing, she is a dynamo, constantly bouncing and dancing across the stage yet not once having that exertion compromise her jaw dropping vocals. Several songs in, she asked the crowd to perform a series of exercises with her designed to connect her and the audience. I wondered if maybe she just needed to warm up because the stamina one would need to get through this performance was remarkable.

    Backed up by a relatively simple setup of drums, percussion, bass, keys and a pair of guitars, it felt positively pedestrian compared to other artists of her genre. But, it was that simplicity that made it so refreshing. Sans huge light shows and carefully choreographed dance moves, the band just dug in and rocked complete with (shock) extended guitar solos and the occasional funny pre-planned moments — at one point bassist Maddie Jay joined Wolf at the front of the stage to shake their booties in unison directly in the faces of breathlessly screaming fans.

    click to enlarge

    Remi Wolf (left) at White Oak Music Hall.

    Photo by Violeta Alvarez

    The energetic peak of the show was “Sexy Villain” followed by a delightful cover of Tom Cochrane’s “Life is a Highway.” Then came an improvisational moment for the band when Wolf asked the audience for a word they could use to create a song on the spot. She recently was forced to sing a song about “Poo” in Atlanta, apparently.

    Well, if only H-Town had chosen poo. At first, someone shouted “Houston” to which the audience rightfully booed. The next request, however, nailed it: foreskin. So, Wolf and bandmates put together a song roughly called “Foreskin in Houston” featuring Wolf singing the lyric “it is nasty and it’s your fault” while pointing at the offending party who gave her the idea. After her foray into foreskin, Wolf probably wishes she could go back to poo.

    By the time she reached some of her more well-known tunes like crowd favorite “Disco Man” and pop anthem “Soup,” the audience was in a full dance party frenzy. The singing and cheers were deafening, easily as loud as the band, and Wolf was enthralled.

    click to enlarge

    Remi Wolf (right) at White Oak Music Hall.

    Photo by Violeta Alvarez

    So often, pop singers are so carefully crafted that the fun can be missing. Not for Wolf. If there was one defining feature of her performance, it was the smiling, from her band to her crowd to her own face. It was a goddamn party and, for one night, we were all invited.

    Her next stop is Austin for ACL this weekend and a date with an outdoor stage (this time for real). Roan, Carpenter and others found massive followings after seminal performances at festivals like Austin’s annual Zilker Park extravaganza. This could be Wolf’s moment. She certainly deserves it. If you are going, do yourself a favor and pile in front of the stage for Wolf’s slot, Saturday night before Rapp, Houston’s own Khruangbin, and headliner Dua Lipa.

    It will absolutely not disappoint.

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    Jeff Balke

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  • ‘Please Please Please’ Try Out These 5 Sabrina Carpenter Halloween Pumpkin Ideas!

    ‘Please Please Please’ Try Out These 5 Sabrina Carpenter Halloween Pumpkin Ideas!

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    On All Hallows’ Eve, when slinky bats take flight into the midnight sky, and the ghouls of the town hide their faces with pop culture masks, it’s easy for us to think what our faves would be on duty for. Perhaps some of them are better at picking the gory movies. Scenes inked with splatters of blood like the all-time classic Scream. Or that’s what another does, shrieking in fright upon walking out into a cobwebbed kitchen, finger sandwiches chopped off from their suspecting victims. You’ll have to shuffle around the others until you find an arrangement you like. We can tell you that our boy-splicing songstress, Sabrina Carpenter, will be carving out hallowed pumpkins!

    Her music video filmography is filled to the brim with candy. That is if you’re a horror geek. You’d prefer to ingest mouthwatering references instead of consuming peanut M&Ms! Recent times gave us a ‘Taste’ of Death Becomes Her, but her ‘Feather’ music video also stars fairyfloss coffins with “RIP BIT*H” in stringed alphabetical beads. It quickly made us realize that she most likely had Jennifer’s Body posters blue-tacked all over her bedroom walls. So, we thought we’d give you a treat: five of our top spooky Sabrina moments turned into ideas you can sculpt onto your pumpkins. 

    A ‘Taste’ Of Mischief 

    Sabrina’s squishy insides as the Halloween party’s punch, a voodoo doll with hair that wouldn’t earn it a Redkens commercial, and then, since everything is spooky on a Wednesday, Jenna Ortega joins the ‘Taste’-ing fun, too! This thrilling music video has so many moments that one could turn into a carved pumpkin. But the front-runner for us takes inspiration from a behind-the-scenes photo. Why not grab your bestie and recreate the iconic chainsaw massacre? In it, Sabrina stands with her hands on her hips, looking perplexed, blood coated all over her polka-dot ensemble, while Jenna is beside pouting with a chic pink saw.

    Nose-Wriggling Time

    For this one, we want to thank her stylish parents for not throwing a nod (that wouldn’t be the right spell) but rather wiggling their noses to a cauldron of witches. You know where we’re going with this: name alliteration! Two infamous blondes share the name, Sabrina, by the way! One of them is currently on her soldout headline tour, a fiesta of slumber vibes and cheeky towels turning into glitter frocks. The other is Sabrina the Teenage Witch! Why not combine the two and etch on our name- ring-wearing artist as a witch accompanied by a broomstick? Her cats Benny and Björn could even be Salem!

    Do Aliens Have Tinder?

    This feeling’s so alien / Need to know if you’re just a friend

    ‘Alien’ by Sabrina Carpenter and Jonas Blue

    If you’re going to swing into the VMAs on a fairy light swing held up by a massive astronaut, then you’ll likely encounter a couple of aliens along the way. At least Sabrina did! She even made out with one (dressed up by dancer Brooke Fong) in homage to Britney Spears and Madonna’s kiss long ago. So why not get extraterrestrial and sketch up a design of Sabrina as ET? We know Short n’ Sweet’s color is also blue. 

    At Midnight She Turns Into A Pumpkin!

    If space does not have wifi, we’d need to travel back to Earth for this one! Google’s our BFF when researching celebrities’ previous Halloween getups, and Sabrina is no different. Her most recognized one comes from November of last year as Rapunzel, already having the long blonde locks and only needing the frying pan, and then letting us in on Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen another time. Pick one of your favorite scary looks that she’s done thus far or one you envision her as in the future and recreate it on the pumpkin. 

    Widows Aren’t Only Black, So Is Our Killer Dress!

    We’ll provide another solution since you genuinely want to slice and dice your pumpkin into a parallel music video! Yep, ‘Feather.’ The one where she traps a sleazy business boy in the elevator and then uses his tie as a way to strangle him. Did we mention “parents advisory,” or does it only flash during ‘Bed Chem?’ You could give your pumpkin a black widow moment, or if you’d like to get more creative, the love heart crested boxing gloves only with a touch of blood. While she didn’t get a lick of it on there due to them shredding each other apart over her, it is the season of crimson!

    Are you already reaching for your paring knife? We can’t wait to see your Sabrina-inspired carving that’s better suited to flash upon the steps of a five-star haunted mansion! The type that would make even Scooby-Doo’s furry legs wobble. Once you’ve finished, tweet us your creations @thehoneypop and follow along on our other social media, Facebook and Instagram, for more spooktastic articles this Halloween season.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SABRINA CARPENTER:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | KOMI | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

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    Rachel Finucane

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  • Halloween Costumes Inspired By Celebrities

    Halloween Costumes Inspired By Celebrities

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    Now that it’s October, I’m accepting that it’s officially fall. I’m leaning into pumpkin-flavored baked goods, I put out my decor, and I’m rewatching old Disney favorites like Twitches.

    But also, this means I have to stress over what costume I’m gonna wear. I actually despise Halloween for the sheer fact that I have to wear a costume. I’m great at dressing up (in designer) not (in costume).

    It’s a weeks’ long debate that inevitably ends with me struggling to find a last-minute Halloween costume. I do not wear what everyone else wears, probably because I’m a Leo, so I want my costume to be a little niche.

    In the spirit of being less of a procrastinator and more proactive, I’ve committed to choosing what I want to be for Halloween now. Yes, early October, so I can take my time and find what I really want to wear.

    However, this isn’t easy. If you go to TikTok, there’s a 50% chance that someone else at the party will be wearing the same thing as you. So, you kind of have to relinquish that dream and embrace it.

    If you’re like me and trying to find a good costume a bit early this year…let’s get through this battle together. Whether you need a group costume, something for you and your significant other, or just a solo moment, it’s easy to pick a celeb and copy their style as a costume.

    Let’s take a look at some of the best celebrity-inspired Halloween costumes for 2024!

    Travis Kelce

    For boys, Travis is an easy option for those with a girlfriend who wants them to dress up. I get how it may feel like you have a gun to your head if you aren’t a Chiefs fan, but this is the easier option compared to others.

    To be Trav yourself, you just need a pair of jeans, a jersey or Kelce-related shirt. Literally, that’s it. You know what they say: happy wife, happy life! Bonus points if you grow a mustache in time.

    Here are my picks for a Travis Kelce Halloween costume:

    Taylor Swift

    And for each Travis, there should be a Taylor. For Swift you can go with many different styles — or should I say eras? — depending on your mood. Which is good news for those who hate wearing the same thing as others and bad news for the people who are bad at making decisions.

    If you want to go with something matching your Travis, wear a Taylor Swift gameday outfit. But if you want to go with a Classic Taylor, choose one of her tour looks or something fabulous from her music videos.

    This is my favorite Taylor Swift Halloween costume:

    Sabrina Carpenter

    I’m warning you now: this will be a popular costume this year. Sabrina’s one of the breakout popstars of the year, and as she’s currently still on her Short n’ Sweet Tour, her star is only growing.

    To achieve the best Sabrina Carpenter look, all you need are short skirts and corsets…and no costume would be complete without sky-high platform heels.

    Capture that me espresso with this Sabrina Carpenter:

    Barry Keoghan

    And you can’t have a Sabrina without her Barry! Saltburnstar Keoghan — alongside heartthrob Jacob Elordi — stole hearts in Emerald Fennel’s film…but his relationship with Sabrina has been all we can talk about lately!

    The Irishman is known for wearing his signature tracksuits, while also being a bit of a fashion icon himself. If you don’t want to go too crazy this Halloween, I’d stick to a track jacket.

    Another easy look is Barry in the Please, Please, Please video. You can achieve this look with these items:

    Rihanna

    Rihanna is iconic. She’s had many memorable fashion moments, including that famous flaming red hair. If you’re in the mood to wear a wig, Rihanna is a terrific option. Plus, it’s a solid way to manifest her next album (I hope).

    If you’re pregnant, her Super Bowl halftime performance outfit is a great pick! Even better, if it’s how you’re announcing it! But, if you want to be the Fenty founder for Halloween, here are some easy picks:

    A$AP Rocky

    You had to have known this was coming. A$AP is Rihanna’s longtime boo and again, another male fashion icon. The duo serve major looks, which shouldn’t surprise you. But that means your A$AP Rocky costume consists of dressing really nice.

    Or, controversially, you could be A$AP Rocky in Lana Del Rey’s “National Anthem” music video. If you think that’s the more fun option, here is how you can steal the look:

    Charli XCX

    BRAT Summer to BRAT Fall. While Charli baby rages on tour with Troye Sivan, you can channel your inner BRAT queen this Halloween. Charli’s look is a little similar to Sabrina’s, but also a little less girly, and a little more grunge.

    So grab a pleated miniskirt and crop a white tee. The Charli XCX look is actually an extremely comfortable Halloween costume that can be recycled on a later date…because I hate buying a costume and never touching it again.

    Here are some BRAT outfits for your BRAT Halloween:

    Hailey Bieber

    Would it be a celeb-inspired Halloween costume list without queen Hailey herself? New mom Hailey is such a fashion icon and our ultimate influencer. Without Hailey, we probably wouldn’t give a hoot about Kosas Concealer and we definitely wouldn’t have rhode skin.

    She has a bunch of stylish outfits you can replicate — and for far less money than Hailey paid. But this is a super simple Hailey Bieber costume:

    Justin Bieber

    And to round out the list, we have The Biebs himself. You knew it was coming. And we’ve seen many phases of Justin Bieber, so picking a costume should be a breeze.

    Male or female, Justin Bieber is a popular Halloween costume. I’ve seen girls dress up as “Baby” era Bieber and boys dress up as current Justin. Either way, he’s a terrific celebrity to dress up as— especially if you have a Hailey joining you this All Hallows Eve.

    Here is a simple Justin Bieber costume:

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    Jai Phillips

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  • If Sabrina Carpenter Wants to Play Sophie’s Daughter in ‘Mamma Mia 3,’ Amanda Seyfried Will “Make It Happen”

    If Sabrina Carpenter Wants to Play Sophie’s Daughter in ‘Mamma Mia 3,’ Amanda Seyfried Will “Make It Happen”

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    Amanda Seyfried fully supports fans who suggest Sabrina Carpenter play her onscreen daughter in Mamma Mia 3.

    The Emmy-winning actress spoke with ABC News’ Will Ganss, during which he asked her about a possible third film in the franchise. While she noted that “everybody says it’s gonna happen,” she hasn’t seen a script yet.

    The reporter then brought up that Carpenter has been singing “Mamma Mia” at some of the stops on her Short ‘N Sweet tour, including at Madison Square Garden over the weekend, during the surprise cover part of her setlist.

    “Because we know age is sort of a forgettable construct in the MMCU, the Mamma Mia Cinematic Universe. So people are saying, could Sabrina play Sophie’s daughter?” Ganss told Seyfriend, to which she replied seemingly uncertainly, “It’s… Eh… It’s… Technically she could.”

    When he pointed out that Cher’s character and Meryl Streep’s played mother-daughter in Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, despite only being three years apart, Seyfried was convinced.

    “You’re right, actually, [it] doesn’t matter,” The Dropout star said. “You know what? Old age makeup for me. That’s what it will be. … I’m an actor. I’ll do it. If Sabrina Carpenter wants to play my daughter, I’ll make it happen. It’s fine. She’s… I’m a big fan.”

    While Seyfried hasn’t seen the script, Christine Baranski, for her part, at least has an idea for what it will be about.

    “I was in London with [producer] Judy Craymer at our favorite watering hole, she is planning Mamma Mia 3. She gave me the narrative plotline of how it’s going to happen,” The Gilded Age star previously told The Hollywood Reporter. “That’s all I can say! But, it’s not like, ‘Oh, I wish it could happen!’ Judy Craymer makes things happen. She made number two happen, and it was a phenomenal hit. I wouldn’t put it past Judy Craymer to get everybody back together.”

    In Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again — spoiler alert! — it was revealed that Streep’s Donna had died, but that doesn’t mean the Oscar-winning legend wouldn’t return to Greece or Croatia or wherever the possible third installment is set. The Only Murders in the Building actress told Vogue she would “totally” return as a reincarnated Donna.

    For her part, Carpenter just launched her Short ‘N Sweet tour in support of her second album of the same name and was just named to Time 100 Next’s list for 2024.

    In her Time cover story tied to the list, the “Taste” singer opened up about waiting her whole life to achieve the level of fame she’s gotten to this year with her not one but two songs of the summer — “Espresso” and “Please Please Please.”

    She also got candid about how incorporating her sexuality into her work has led to her receiving some of the vilification that Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera faced at the height of their fame, despite how they, Rihanna and Madonna have all helped make progress in that respect. However, it has only gone so far.

    “You’ll still get the occasional mother that has a strong opinion on how you should be dressing,” Carpenter told Time. “And to that I just say, don’t come to the show, and that’s OK.”

    She continued, “It’s unfortunate that it’s ever been something to criticize, because truthfully, the scariest thing in the world is getting up on a stage in front of that many people and having to perform as if it’s nothing. If the one thing that helps you do that is the way you feel comfortable dressing, then that’s what you’ve got to do.”

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    Christy Pina

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  • Dress As Your Favorite Pop Girl With These Halloween Costumes

    Dress As Your Favorite Pop Girl With These Halloween Costumes

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    The leaves are falling, the decorations are going up, and Halloween is just around the corner. In our experience, there are two ways to celebrate Halloween: planning your costume in August and waiting until October 30th. If you’re the latter, let this article be your sign to plan now. To make it easier for you, we’ll do most of the work. If you love this year’s pop girls, why not be one for Halloween? We have a few ideas for you.

    Sabrina Carpenter

    We know when we said pop girls, many of your minds went straight to Sabrina. With such a distinct look, there is no shortage of Sabrina Halloween costumes. Now that the Short n’ Sweet Tour has started, you can make your own version of tour outfits (the black bodysuit, the pink babydoll dress, etc.), and add a fur coat. But we can’t stop thinking about the looks from the ‘Taste’ music video. A version of her blue gingham look with a bloody wound would be the perfect combination of pop girl glamour and Halloween horror. Bonus points if you and a friend do matching Sabrina and Jenna Ortega costumes!

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SABRINA CARPENTER:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    Chappell Roan

    Of course, Chappell Roan is another example of peak theatrics. The cover of The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is Chappell in drag, and the blue dress, sash, curly red hair, and tiara are begging to be a Halloween costume. If you wanted to go a little farther into Chappell lore, you could use one of her tour themes: midwest princess, ‘pink pony club,’ ‘my kink is karma,’ and ‘super graphic ultra modern girl.’

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHAPPELL ROAN:
    INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    Charli XCX

    We have to be a little more creative for Charli XCX, who might not have as much of a signature look. But we are so determined to add the pop girl of the summer, so we’ll do our best. Like with Sabrina, you could pick a look from the Sweat Tour (here’s another duo costume idea with Charli and Troye Sivan, or even Charli and Lorde). Or if you’re worried about being recognizable, you could just throw on all lime green and call it Brat Halloween.

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CHARLI XCX:
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE

    Olivia Rodgrio

    We’re willing to bet a few of our readers attended Olivia’s Guts Tour this year. True, Guts came out before Halloween last year, and perhaps some readers already showed off these looks. But for those that didn’t, you have another chance! The ‘bad idea, right?’ music video look is iconic every year. And you could also do the bangs and a black dress for ‘obsessed’ (a new option for this year).

    TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OLIVIA RODRIGO:
    DISCORD | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | TWITTER | WEBSITE | YOUTUBE

    A Secret Fifth Option…

    We simply don’t have time to list all the costume possibilities. Take inspiration from whoever your favorite artist is. Taylor fans can use an Eras Tour look, or a Tortured Poets Department music video look. Phoebe Bridgers fans can be a skeleton. And groups of five can be 2010 One Direction. So many possibilities.

    Let us know if you have any other pop girl costume ideas, and be sure to send us pictures of your costumes at @thehoneypop on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

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    Caitlyn Tarney

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  • Sabrina Carpenter Acknowledges Role in Eric Adams Controversy: ‘Should We Talk About How I Got the Mayor Indicted?’

    Sabrina Carpenter Acknowledges Role in Eric Adams Controversy: ‘Should We Talk About How I Got the Mayor Indicted?’

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    Sabrina Carpenter already stirred controversy last year when her “Feather” video — a bloody romp filmed in a Brooklyn Catholic church — led to the dismissal of Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello who let her shoot the clip on location. But now, theories are kicking up that the melee surrounding the video has ties to the indictment of New York City mayor Eric Adams, and may have aided in kickstarting the probe.

    Carpenter herself acknowledged the speculation during her show at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 29. “Damn, what now?” she said, looking out at the crowd. “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted, or…”

    According to the New York Post, federal investigators subpoenaed the church in question last week regarding its relations between Adams’ close associate Gigantiello and the mayor’s ex-chief of staff Frank Carone. The subpoena was allegedly linked to Carpenter’s “Feather” video, which has almost 100 million views on YouTube, and the church’s corruption regarding it. Church officials remained mum on the connection, giving a diplomatic answer as to whether or not Carpenter’s clip played any role in the investigation.

    “It would be inappropriate to comment further on that review, which is still ongoing,” said diocese officials. “The Diocese is fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement in all investigations, including conduct at individual parishes or involving any priest.”

    Carpenter addressed the controversy when it became a talking point last year, once the video for “Feather” was released in late October. The Diocese of Brooklyn said it was “appalled” with the “violent and sexually provocative” video filmed at the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church, which led to a re-blessing of the establishment and a reprimanding of Gigantiello.

    After the news kicked into full gear, Carpenter spoke with Variety exclusively and said that she had gotten permission to shoot the video at the church. She cheekily added, “Jesus was a carpenter,” a slogan she emblazoned on a t-shirt and wore during both weekend performances at Coachella in April.

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    Steven J. Horowitz

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  • Sabrina Carpenter Owns Her Connection to Eric Adams’s Indictment

    Sabrina Carpenter Owns Her Connection to Eric Adams’s Indictment

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    Photo: James Devaney/GC Images

    Truly the “Feather” music video is the gift that keeps on giving. First it got a priest in trouble, now it’s somehow connected to the indictment of New York City Mayor Eric Adams. According to the NY Post, Monsignor Jamie J. Gigantiello of Our Lady of Mount Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg (the same priest who let Carpenter get into some nonsense) may have been up to some shady business with Adams’ ex-chief of staff Frank Carone. Diocese officials said “It would be inappropriate to comment further on that review, which is still ongoing,” when asked about the investigation. Now, the Post implies that Carpenter’s MV helped twig officials to Giantiello’s potentially criminal doings, but let’s be clear: she’s not named in any subpoenas. Still, Carpenter is cool with the mythmaking taking place. At her latest show at Madison Square Garden, she asked the audience “Should we talk about how I got the mayor indicted?” If only she was still doing “Nonsense” outros, this one would be killer.

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    Bethy Squires

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  • Sabrina Carpenter Launches Short n’ Sweet Tour: Setlist and Surprises Revealed – 247 News Around The World

    Sabrina Carpenter Launches Short n’ Sweet Tour: Setlist and Surprises Revealed – 247 News Around The World

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    • Sabrina Carpenter Launches Short n’ Sweet Tour, showcasing her latest music while celebrating her growth as an artist.
    • The setlist features 20 songs plus an encore but omits tracks from earlier albums.
    • Fan reactions highlight a divide between those eager for new music versus those longing for nostalgic favorites.
    • Surprise cover songs add excitement to each performance.
    • Concerts are approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes long, raising discussions about value relative to ticket prices.

    Sabrina Carpenter has officially embarked on her much-anticipated Short n’ Sweet Tour, marking a significant milestone in her burgeoning career as a headlining artist.

    This tour follows her recent album release, which has garnered substantial acclaim and commercial success. Kicking off in Columbus, Ohio, on September 23, 2024, Carpenter is set to perform across North America and Europe, showcasing her evolution as a musician and performer.

    Sabrina Carpenter Launches Short n’ Sweet Tour | Image Source: Vogue

    With a blend of new hits and fan favorites, this tour promises to be a memorable experience for both long-time followers and new fans alike.

    Sabrina Carpenter Kicks Off Short n’ Sweet Tour

    The Short n’ Sweet Tour commenced with great enthusiasm as Sabrina Carpenter took to the stage in Columbus, Ohio. This marks her first headlining tour, a significant step in her career after serving as an opening act for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. The tour is scheduled to cover 47 shows across the United States, Canada, and Europe until March 2025, reflecting Carpenter’s growing popularity in the music industry. Fans eagerly awaited this moment, especially after having enjoyed her latest album, which features standout tracks that resonate with listeners.

    Also Read: YFN Lucci Is Alive: Attorney Drew Findling Dismisses Death Rumors

    Sabrina Carpenter Setlist Highlights

    Carpenter’s setlist for the Short n’ Sweet Tour includes an impressive array of 20 songs plus one encore. Notably, she opened with “Taste,” the lead track from her recent album, setting a vibrant tone for the evening. The setlist spans a variety of hits from her latest two albums—Short n’ Sweet and emails I can’t send—but interestingly excludes any songs from her earlier Disney-era albums. Key tracks such as “Good Graces,” “Nonsense,” and “Espresso” are featured prominently, showcasing her artistic growth and departure from her earlier sound.

    Fan Reactions to the Setlist

    Audience reactions have been mixed regarding Carpenter’s choice of songs for the setlist. While many fans were thrilled to hear newer tracks live, some expressed disappointment over the absence of songs from her first four albums. The expectation for nostalgia is palpable among long-time fans who have followed Carpenter since her Disney days. Despite this, many attendees remain excited about experiencing her latest work in a live setting.

    Surprise Elements in the Show

    A unique aspect of Carpenter’s performances is her inclusion of surprise cover songs during each concert date. This element adds an exciting twist to each show; during the opening night, she played “Mamma Mia” by ABBA after spinning a bottle to select it. This interactive approach not only engages fans but also keeps each performance fresh and unpredictable, enhancing the overall concert experience.

    Short n’ Sweet Concert Duration and Format

    The duration of Sabrina Carpenter’s concerts has sparked some discussion among fans. The opening show lasted approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes, which some attendees felt was too short given ticket prices that ranged significantly.

    Comparatively, major tours like Swift’s often exceed three hours, leading to expectations that may not align with Carpenter’s more concise format. Nonetheless, this shorter duration allows for a focused performance that highlights key tracks without filler material.

    Also Read: Nicola Coughlan Shines at the 2024 Emmys Despite Rude Interruptions

    Last Updated on September 24, 2024 by 247 News Around The World

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    247 News Around The World

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  • Sabrina Carpenter Does Dress Homage Right—By Not Wearing the Original

    Sabrina Carpenter Does Dress Homage Right—By Not Wearing the Original

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    Despite the numerous reports that, for her red carpet appearance at this year’s MTV VMAs, Sabrina Carpenter wore the original Bob Mackie dress famously showcased by Madonna at the 1991 Oscars (where her ensemble was complemented by a white stole and an almost white Michael Jackson), it was actually an identical sample gown from the Mackie archive. Which is just the first step in how to succeed in the art of “paying respect” to an iconic look without offending. Unlike Kim Kardashian, who remains the “gold standard” for how to decimate the integrity of a dress originally worn by someone far more legendary.

    And we’re not just talking about Marilyn Monroe’s scandalous Jean Louis number (made more scandalous by seductively singing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to JFK while wearing it), but also the very Marilyn-inspired gown that Madonna paraded in ’91. Because, yes, Kardashian additionally sought to ruin not only said Mackie dress in AHS: Delicate (by going on about a dress that looks nothing like it to her character’s client, Anna Victoria Alcott [Emma Roberts]), but also the song Madonna performed at that Oscars ceremony, “Sooner or Later” (which won the Academy Award that night in the category of Best Original Song). This by repeatedly singing it with Anna as the two look at themselves in the mirror and fantasize about Anna’s eventual big Oscar win.

    As for Marilyn being patently more “icon” than Kim, Madonna, too, is more legendary and influential than Carpenter ever will be. Even if the duo has occasionally been aesthetically compared to one another—with Madonna’s “curtain bangs” look at the LadyLand 2024 event for NYC Pride getting her linked to Carpenter more than the other way around. And yet, the VMAs is hardly the first time that Carpenter has paid tribute (sartorial or otherwise) to the Queen of Pop. For she also stepped out earlier this year (at Vogue World in Paris) in another dress that Madonna wore for the purposes of gracing Glamour’s cover in December of 1990. Specifically, a Michael Kors (that’s right, Madonna “High Fashion” Ciccone once deigned to wear Kors) beaded rhinestone slip dress.

    Indeed, it seems that Carpenter has a certain fondness for M’s early 90s (but pre-Erotica) fashion era. Perhaps because M herself was heavily embodying the look of Marilyn Monroe at that time (again, without fucking up one of the icon’s dresses like the abovementioned Kardashian did). And yes, obviously Carpenter is tapping into both women for her “effortless pastiche” purposes (something that also extended to emulating Britney Spears while she performed a medley at the 2024 VMAs).

    However, Carpenter was also deft in her tribute because for two key reasons: 1) she didn’t try to exactly replicate it with the same jewelry, pearl-studded handbag, fur stole and satin heels and 2) it was sanctioned by none other than the original wearer herself. Even if, like Blake Lively donning Britney’s Versace butterfly dress from 2002, the gown was reportedly acquired through Tab Vintage. According to Carpenter’s stylist, Jared Ellner, “Madonna still has the custom gown Bob Mackie made for her in her archive, but the other sample piece is the [dress] I believe we have.” And, for those wondering how the dress managed to “fit” Carpenter, whose height is notoriously short (“five feet, to be exact”), a closer look at where the gown falls shows it pooling around her ankles, bolstered by extremely high platform heels (in white, of course).

    Though, to be fair, Madonna isn’t much taller, with her average height being cited at around five-foot-three or five-foot-four. Which is precisely why she once said, “I’ve always wanted to be taller. I feel like a shrimp, but that’s the way it goes. I’m five-foot four-and-a-half-inches—that’s actually average. Everything about me is average.” This sentiment, in turn, also prompting her to declare, “My drive in life is from this horrible fear of being mediocre.” To be sure, if Madonna wasn’t a much “bitterer” person than Carpenter, she might have called one of her own albums Short n’ Sweet long before the former Disney star decided to. But no, Madonna’s not really bitter, once quipping during her 1993 The Girlie Show tour, “Life’s too short to be bitter…I’m too short to be bitter!” And besides, how could she be when considering the ongoing, far-reaching influence she still so clearly has on each new generation of pop stars?

    For, yes, despite Carpenter’s inherent Gen Z limitations in terms of having good pop culture taste, she still understands the meaning of Madonna. That much was made apparent when she performed a cover of “Like A Virgin” during several dates on her Emails I Can’t Send Tour. In a June 2024 interview with Rolling Stone, Carpenter would also mention Madonna as an essential lesson for any “Intro to Pop” class she might teach, commenting, “Those were some of the first pop songs I ever heard and they raised me when I was five and helped me find my own version of that. This would be a really long course. I should never teach a course.”

    But, actually, maybe she should. Not only Intro to Pop for the daft Gen Z ilk, but also Intro to How to Properly Pay Tribute in Someone Else’s Iconic Dress. Kardashian really could have used that class before the Met Gala in 2022. Or even before she decided to dress like Madonna at the ’91 Oscars herself for one of her many Halloween costumes in 2017.

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    Genna Rivieccio

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  • I Miss The Old VMA’s

    I Miss The Old VMA’s

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    MTV’s Video Music Awards used to
    mean something. They’d be riddled with scandal, big performances, and newsworthy moments throughout. Last year, they even gave me a glimmer of hope that maybe the VMA’s would once again become iconic. Last night, they proved otherwise.

    Riddled with random performances, there were hardly any awards handed out on-stage last night. We only got a few words from Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, and Taylor Swift while the rest were quietly awarded off-camera. Lip-syncing left and right, an extra-long performance from Katy Perry, who was the recipient of the Vanguard Award, and random quips from host Megan Thee Stallion fell flat.

    @thesun What did you think of the performance? #sabrinacarpenter #vmas #mtv ♬ original sound – The Sun

    The VMA’s used to mean something. There once was drama, huge career-defining performances, and huge attendance from every artist in the industry. It was less formal than The Grammy’s, a little more MTV…raunchy, scandalous, and
    great television.

    @only_angel.a taylor mouthing “stfu” when one direction was accepting their award, harry eating an orange behind rihanna, miley’s whole performance (which harry later went on to dress as for halloween)… I remember it all too well #taylorswift #harrystyles #vmas #harrystylestitkok #taylorswifttikok ♬ I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor’s Version) – Taylor Swift

    What happened to Taylor Swift doing a British accent in front of ex-boyfriend Harry Styles while singing “We Are Never (Ever) Getting Back Together?” Or Kanye West interrupting Swift as she accepted the award for Best Video? Or Miley Cyrus twerking with teddy bears and Robin Thicke?

    @tanaslaughter Kanye West interrupts Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech at the 2009 VMAs #kanyewest #taylorswift #popculture #2000s ♬ som original – tana

    Performances used to take our breath away: Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” changed lives, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, and more have had massive moments at the VMA’s. This year, we saw terrific performances from the aforementioned Carpenter and Roan…but the rest I will soon forget.

    @lilly.hailey.lee Talent👏👏 #ladygaga #hollywood #vmas #preformance #talent #fame #thefame #american #fyp #viral #paparazzi #2000s #hollywoodmusic #music ♬ original sound – Lady Gaga is your queen

    What we wanted, however, was a jaw-dropping moment. And yes, I saw Sabrina Carpenter make out with the alien. I’m talking about a headline worthy moment, like Miley stripping her Disney princess status for edgy popstar or Kanye completely stealing Taylor’s moment.

    Either way, I’m left yearning for drama. The VMA’s were never supposed to be taken seriously- they were meant to show which celebs hated each other, which wanted to ruin their careers, and which were just bystanders.

    This year was an hours-long concert medley including the Sabrina-Shawn Mendes-Camila Cabello love triangle…and yet, the cameramen gave us no dramatic cuts to Shawn or Camila while Sabrina sang a song about them. See what I mean? Where’s the
    drama???

    What made the VMA’s truly great was the fact that they weren’t trying to be serious. They let the artists get drunk and talk shit on one another, and that was okay. Now, we’ve lost the plot and it sadly shows.

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    Jai Phillips

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  • I Ate Like Sabrina Carpenter for a Day, & Her Diet Might Surprise You

    I Ate Like Sabrina Carpenter for a Day, & Her Diet Might Surprise You

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    Since I’ve been listening to Sabrina Carpenter’s latest album nonstop since it came out a few weeks ago, I thought it’d be fun to look into what the Taste singer eats. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have her own episode on Food Diaries, but she has revealed some of her favorite foods in various interviews and social media posts. Obviously, I don’t know Sabrina Carpenter personally, so I can’t confirm that this is her day-to-day diet. However, after combing through several video clips and interviews, I can make an educated guess on the kinds of foods she eats in a given day.

    I don’t know about you, but I am always looking for inspiration when it comes to new meals to make. In the past, I was in the habit of cooking the same four meals until I was sick of them—which was a fine cycle to go through, but ultimately, it got a little boring. This year, I decided I wanted to be more adventurous with my cooking, so I’ve made it a goal to eat something a little different each week. Naturally, I started watching a Youtube series from Harper’s Bazaar called Food Diaries, which chronicles celebrities and their daily eating habits.

    Below you’ll see my very own food diary, inspired by the meals vetted by America’s favorite pop star. It includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a beverage, as well as my general thoughts on the food after a day’s worth of eating. I tried to cook the majority of the meals, but ended up ordering takeout for one of them because well, it seemed easier to do so. Hopefully, this can inspire some new meal ideas, or at the very least, entertain you.

    Morning Caffeine: Yerba Mate

    She’s working late, ’cause she’s a singer, so it makes sense that Sabrina has to start her day with some kind of caffeine. You’d think that since one of her hit songs is called “Espresso,” that she’d be a big coffee person, right? Well, as it turns out, not exactly. On The Zane Lowe Show, the 25-year-old revealed how the song has impacted her interactions at coffee shops.

    “Every time I see a café, there’s just a sign that says espresso, and I’m like, ‘Yes.’ Nothing to do with me,” she told the show host. “I didn’t invent espresso. The Italians are so mad.”

    She went on to explain that she actually prefers another kind of caffeine. “They’re just waiting for me to say it [espresso], and I’m like, “Tea.”

    After doing some more digging, I found that in speaking with Rolling Stone this week, Sabrina specified exactly which kind of tea she loved. “My fans know that I have a very terrible obsession with Yerba Mate, an Argentian Tea,” she said in an interview posted on TikTok. “It’s been an addiction for quite some time now.”

    So, I decided to set aside my usual iced coffee order and picked up a can of lemon-flavored Yerba Mate. It was pretty good, and definitely very different from my typical morning drink.

    A woman holding a can of Yerba Mate

    Breakfast: Chicken fingers & ketchup

    I was feeling energized from the Yerba Mate, so I figured it was time for breakfast. While I couldn’t find any mention of what Sabrina’s go-to breakfast food was, she did tell Interview in 2021 what she had that morning. “I had chicken fingers,” she said, adding that she ate it with “just ketchup.”

    I didn’t have the energy to make my own chicken fingers, so, around 11 a.m., I ordered them from a diner near my apartment. I was a little surprised—mostly about the ketchup—but I decided that for the sake of journalism, I needed to stick to her exact order.

    A plate with three chicken fingers

    Lunch: Chicken fajitas

    According to J-14, Sabrina said in an Instagram Live that her favorite food was Chicken Fajitas. She’s even gushed about her love for them on other platforms. “Dadda thank u for teaching me how to make fajitas,” her Father’s Day post on X reads.

    I decided to make my own chicken fajitas, and made use of taco seasoning I had on hand. I never make fajitas, let alone cook bell peppers, so this was a nice change of pace from my usual meals. And, it was actually really good and simple, so I can see why Sabrina likes them so much.

    A plate of chicken fajitas

    Dinner: Mac and cheese

    Finally, it was time for the best meal of the day, so I was expecting to have something delicious. I decided to base my dinner off of an interview clip in which Sabrina revealed what her most recent takeout order was. To my delight, she said “Mac and Cheese,” and added that its “a staple in my life.”

    I love Mac and Cheese, so I relate about it being a staple. Since I was on a mission to “cook,” I decided to get boxed Mac and Cheese, because it’s convenient and you can’t ever go wrong with that.

    A bowl of Mac and Cheese

    Overall, I was a little surprised about a few things. First and foremost, I was not expecting Sabrina to be a tea person, let alone be obsessed with Yerba Mate. I mean, I enjoyed the Yerba Mate, but I would much rather have a cup of coffee to start the day.

    I was also a little surprised about the chicken fingers. I doubt that this is her daily, go-to breakfast, but still, an interesting choice. I probably won’t be having chicken fingers again for breakfast, but I will definitely be having more Fajitas. That, along with the Mac and Cheese, will absolutely be added to my dinner rotations.

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    Jennifer Adams

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  • Your Weekend Playlist: New Music To Listen To This Friday

    Your Weekend Playlist: New Music To Listen To This Friday

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    I’m sure by now you were worrying if there would ever be another Weekend Playlist again. After a brief hiatus, we’re back with a week’s worth of fresh new music wrapped into one cute playlist that will get you through the weekend! And, personally, I couldn’t be more excited than I am now.

    After obsessing over Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, Short n’ Sweet, for the past few weeks…it’s time to look for some fresh tunes. There’s no better feeling than when you’re playing a song and someone asks you what the name is because they love it so much. It means, as the DJ, you’re doing your job.

    And maybe it’s because my name is 50% of the word “DJ,” but I love to be on the aux. I have a constant stream of playlists going that fit every mood and situation. Want to be hyped up? I’ve got you. Want to be sad and weep your eyes out? I have a playlist for you. Sad the summer is over? Check my End of Summer playlist.

    Since there’s new music released every Friday, I like to comb through press releases, Spotify playlists, and more to find the best new songs released that day. Whether it’s a big artist like Taylor Swift, or a more indie sound, I’m looking everywhere for music you’ll actually want to listen to.

    Now that we’re all equally excited, there’s no more time to waste! Here are my picks for the best new tracks released the week of September 6, 2024! Let’s get listening.

    Joe Jonas, Alan Walker, Julia Michaels- “Thick Of It All” 

    What I love about this collaboration is that it bands together three titans in the music industry. Joe Jonas, the childhood heartthrob who made headlines as one of The Jonas Brothers. Alan Walker, the mastermind behind some of the biggest dance tracks in the world. And Julia Michaels, one of the most prolific singer-songwriter-producer combinations in the game right now.

    “Thick Of It All” combines what each artist does best in one smooth track. With a dreamy back beat, Julia Michaels’ rings in the chorus as she croons “all the way in the thick of it all.” It’s a great mix of Jonas and Michaels’ complementary vocals with an iconic backing from Walker. You can’t lose.

    Sabrina Sterling- “take a shot” 

    If you need a silky, synthy pop song that details what it feels like to be in a toxic relationship, then come listen to Sabrina Sterling’s new song. With lyrics like “my boy hates who I’m out with/says it’s not allowed if/I do things for me I know he’ll tell his friends about it,” Sterling sums up the pain and confusion of not being able to leave.

    We all need a song that puts our feelings into words, which is exactly how Sterling steals our hearts with this introspective, honest single. An easy pick for this week’s playlist. This one’s for the heartbroken, yearning listener who likes a melancholic, upbeat track.

    The Chainsmokers, Kim Petras- “Don’t Lie” 

    We already know that Kim Petras and The Chainsmokers can make a radio hit with their eyes closed. A bouncy, sexy house track that I can already hear being played in New York City clubs…”Don’t Lie” is yet another reason why Petras and The Chainsmokers are so highly reveled in the industry. They understand their audience, and they make music everyone can enjoy.

    The summer of house music continues into fall, and who better than The Chainsmokers to remind us they still have it?

    Fred again…, SOAK- “just stand there” 

    Fred again… keeps pushing boundaries with his progressive house music that has stolen the hearts of millions. He’s become one of the most innovative DJ’s in the game right now, whose music may be unconventional at times but equally thrilling. “just stand there” is another example of how Fred again… is akin to RUFUS DU SOL in terms of groundbreaking dance music.

    “just stand there” may not be your most typical dance song, but it’s classic Fred again…calm in the right places, nostalgic in others, and an overall good time.

    A$AP Rocky, J.Cole- “Ruby Rosary” 


    A$AP has finally put his time in in the studio and he’s coming in hot. Linking up with another big name in the rap game, J. Cole, proves A$AP Rocky can reclaim the crown at any time. This melancholic rap song is quintessential for those who like to keep it old school.

    “Ruby Rosary” is classic and familiar in a good way. Not unoriginal by any means, but a reminder that real rap still exists.

    BENEE- “sad boiii” 


    BENEE has a sexy, synthy, dreamy voice that has captivated listeners. She has the ability to slam a catchy hook into a fun chorus, and that’s exactly what she’s done again with “Sad Boiii.” BENEE is every bit the jazzy popstar that we needed in the world.

    This song is a reminder that she doesn’t need another sad boy, someone who’s going to disappoint her. It’s the bad bitch energy this playlist needed.

    Rex Orange County- “2008” 


    On a more relaxing note, Rex Orange County reminds us how he’s going to prioritize mental health, take life slow, and enjoy. It’s a sweet, calming number that shows Rex Orange County’s maturation as an artist, and as a person. The song is delicate, lighthearted, and feels like the beginning of a new era for the singer.

    It’s a confident approach to a song that is much needed for many. A great end to our Weekend Playlist.

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    Jai Phillips

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