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11 Apr 2024

Kelsea Ballerini Knew Chase Stokes Was ‘The One’ the Minute He Stepped ‘Straight Out the Bronco’

The annual CMT Music Awards have become a special place for Kelsea Ballerini and boyfriend of more than a year Outer Banks star Chase Stokes. Just days after hosting the show again, the “I Quit Drinking” star told E! News that their first big public outing was the 2023 edition of the CMTs, “so it kind of felt like a little full circle and we’ve gotten to live a lot of life together in that year.”

Most importantly, though, Ballerini, 30, was asked to pinpoint the moment she knew Stokes, 31, was “the one” for her. “We’re so happy and you know we both have big lives and we’re both trying to weave through it together and give each other our own space to thrive and grow,” she said and, when pressed for more detail, added, “straight out the Bronco.”

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The latter was a reference to their first date in Jan. 2023 in L.A., the day after she’d flow out to perform at a party. “I had just gotten done playing and he was like, ‘I”m the valet,’” she said on the Call Her Daddy podcast in November. Worried their phone chemistry might not manifest in person, Ballerini said the moment Stokes got out of his truck she was hooked. “He hopped out of his Bronco, and he did not say a word to me,” she said. “And he grabbed my face and he kissed me and he pulled my face away and he said, ‘Thank God you’re real.’”

Ballerini hosted the CMT Music Awards for the fourth time on Sunday night and in the E! interview she said her “final” time as MC was fun and loose. “I felt comfortable. It was the most present I felt. I had fun. I riffed a little bit,” she said of her calm demeanor at the show that was dominated by Jelly Roll’s three wins and the “Need a Favor” singer’s first awards show performance.

Ballerini and Stokes went public with their romance in Feb. 2023 and since then they’ve walked a number of red carpets together and frequently chronicled their love affair on their socials. The singer gushed about the joy of having Stokes on hand to support her on Sunday, noting that he caught a flight before the show was over to jet back to work the next day. “He shows up,” she said.

She also gave a glimpse into the couple’s private life, which she said often consists of hanging out at home in Nashville or Charleston and playing Yahtzee and hanging around with their dogs. Reminded that she filmed their first date together, Ballerini was asked to give some advice to other women for their first dates. “Honestly? Go in knowing you got you,” she said. “If it works, it’s meant to and if it doesn’t you’ve still got you. And I think that’s the most important thing.”

11 Apr 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Reveals Her Surprising Favorite Social Media App: ‘I Can Curate What I Want to See’

Megan Thee Stallion pulled up to Adweek’s Social Media Week in New York City on Wednesday (April 10), where she revealed her favorite social media app at the moment — and it’s probably not the go-to for most people in their late 20s like Meg.

The Houston Hottie tapped into her Millennial spirit and crowned Pinterest as her favorite app with an appreciation for curating her own visual mood board.

“You know what I really like, Pinterest. I’m not gonna tell anybody what my Pinterest is. I got a lot of stuff saved, OK! I deleted Instagram and Twitter off my phone, but I have TikTok and I got Pinterest. Pinterest is like the best app, in my opinion, right now because I can curate what I want to see,” she explained.

“I can get on there and see what I want to see. Like if I want to see puppies all day, that’s what I see,” she added. “Makeup, puppies, breakfast, workout videos, booty shorts. I see all the content I like to see.”

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Pinterest’s Instagram account hopped into the comment section to co-sign Meg’s message: “We’re hotties for life!”

Per Statista, Pinterest has more than 97 million active users in the United States, and that figure is expected to continue to grow over the next few years thanks to a bump in engagement with Generation Z.

Megan Thee Stallion’s admission regarding deleting Instagram and X from her phone could be tied to the backlash she received throughout the Tory Lanez shooting case.

“A lot of people didn’t treat me like I was human for a long time,” she told Women’s Health earlier this week. “I feel like everybody was always used to me being the fun and happy party girl. I watched people build me up, tear me down, and be confused about their expectations of me. As a Black woman, as a darker Black woman, I also feel like people expect me to take the punches, take the beating, take the lashings and handle it with grace. But I’m human.”

Megan credited therapy and working out for jumpstarting her healing process. “Before I went onstage, I would be crying half the time because I didn’t want to [perform], but I also didn’t want to upset my fans,” she admitted. “I didn’t want to get [out] from under the covers. I stayed in my room. I would not turn the lights on. I had blackout curtains. I didn’t want to see the sun. I knew I wasn’t myself. It took me a while to acknowledge that I was depressed. But once I started talking to a therapist, I was able to be truthful with myself.”

Lanez was ultimately sentenced to 10 years in prison on three felony counts over the incident last August, in which he shot Meg in the feet following an argument outside a pool party in the Hollywood Hills in July 2020.

Watch Megan reveal her favorite social media app below.

11 Apr 2024

13 Essential Pieces of Climbing Gear for Bouldering & Scaling, According to Professional Mountaineers

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

If it seems as though almost everyone you know is rock climbing these days, you’re not far off. Climbing and bouldering have become the newest hobby to take over cities, with an annual growth rate of 7%, according to Gutnix’s 2024 market data report.

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Even artists have hopped onto the trend, including Lady Gaga, who posted a photo mid-climb on her Instagram back in 2020. Jared Leto was also spotted indoor rock climbing with dogfluencer Maxine the Fluffy Corgi strapped into his backpack back in September.

Similar to the sudden growth in pickleball, climbing has become a new go-to for exercise as it’s easily accessible and affordable to participate in — not to mention, it’s also Hollywood-approved.

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To help you kickstart your bouldering and climbing journey, Billboard Shopping spoke with professional rock climbers including U.S. National Team member Margo Hayes who made history as the first woman to conquer a 9a graded route (free climbs are ranked on a scale of one-10 with one being the easiest and 10 being the hardest) and climbing Olympian Shauna Coxsey to learn more about the sport and determine the best climbing gear for all levels.

What Are Good Climbing Clothes?

Both Coxsey and Hayes point out that the best climbing apparel should provide comfort and give to help you climb with ease. “As you progress through climbing, you will put your body into some wild and fun shapes so you never want your clothes to hold you back,” Coxsey tells Billboard.

Your climbing outfit will also depend on whether you’re indoors or outside. “When I’m bouldering/training in the gym, I most often wear basic athletic wear such as leggings and a tank top or sports bra,” says Hayes. Whereas, if you’re outside, she adds, you’ll want to make sure you have some layers.

Looking for the best climbing clothes online? Here’s what the experts recommend.

Coxsey’s pant pick

Adidas Women’s Terrex Xperior Pants

$79.88

$110.00

27% off

$120

$130

If you’re planning on climbing outdoors, Coxsey recommends these Adidas pants for their cozy feel and ability to let you climb with ease. The material is also breathable for added ventilation to help keep your body temperature regulated.

“A comfortable stretchy pair of trousers are essential and the Adidas Terrex Xperior Trousers are so good for a day climbing outside on rock,” she notes.

Hayes Jacket Pick

The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket

Hayes’ go-to layer is The North Face’s luxurious puffer that can be worn both on and off the climbing wall.

“When I’m rock climbing outside, because the elements and weather can be unpredictable, it’s necessary to bring layers with you,” she says. “No matter the weather, I always bring my TNF puffy jacket with me. The golden rule is that it’s always better to take layers off than be stuck outside without enough.”

What Is the Best Climbing Gear?

To help you make sure you stock up on the right gear, the professional climbers shared what climbing gear to buy online as well as some of their favorite picks.

Bouldering and climbing will require different types of gear. Bouldering, Hayes believes, is the easiest one to stock up on gear as it requires the least amount of equipment.

“When you’re bouldering you typically only need a chalk bag and shoes, this is why it’s so easily accessible,” she says. “Nowadays gym bouldering is really popular because it’s a simple way you can get a workout even when you’re on your own. When you boulder outside, you do need to bring crash pads to land on. Bouldering outdoors can always be dangerous; however, it’s much more dangerous without a cushioned landing spot.”

Coxsey adds that you should also invest in a chalk brush for indoor bouldering, “to clean the rock or the holds after you climb to leave the climb as you found it for the next person.”

Climbing anything taller than a normal boulder will require more safety equipment, according to both pro climbers. That consists of gear including a harness, rope and belay device (to name a few).

“Additionally, you can’t sport climb alone, so you need a partner who you deeply trust” Hayes advises. “Also, make sure to always tie a knot in the end of your rope for safety!”

Here’s the best climbing gear to buy online, according to the pros.

hayes’ indoor climbing shoes pick

La Sportiva Tarantulace Rock Climbing Shoes

$80.05

$88.95

10% off

When it comes to climbing shoes, Hayes claims, “My favorite shoes are made by La Sportiva.” With many styles to choose from, Amazon shoppers have deemed the Tarantulace style to be a top contender. The style is not only vibrant in shade, but features an all leather upper that’s breathable and stretchy to help form to your foot as well as a heel cup to keep your foot in place while you climb. This style tends to run large, according to the brand, so size down for the best fit. The shoe is also available in men’s sizes here.

coxsey’s outdoor climbing shoe pick

Adidas Terrex Free Hiker 2 Gore-TEX Hiking Shoe

$101.60

$230.00

56% off

Outdoor climbing requires a shoe with traction for stability. If you’re looking for a pro-approved style, Coxsey likes the Adidas Terrex Freehikers as she claims they’re “super comfy but with some great grip to get up any tricky paths.” Plus, they’re on sale for over half-off right now.

helmet pick

PETZL, Vertex Vent Helmet, Black

$93

$99.95

7% off

Protect your head from bumps and falls with a sturdy helmet like this black version by Petzl. It comes with an adjustable chin strap to fix to your liking and ventilation and side holes to help provide airflow to keep your head from overheating.

harness pick

Ttechouter Adjustable Thickness Climbing Harness

$36.99

$49.99

26% off

Add this climbing harness to your cart to keep you snug yet secure as you climb outdoors. It comes with an adjustable waist and leg thickness as well as metal loops to hook your climbing hear to. For added comfort, the harness comes padded to keep you safe yet cozy as you tackle your latest climb.

rope pick

Mammut Crag Dry Rope – 9.5mm

The Mammut Crag Dry Rope comes in three lengths including 60, 70 and 80 meters that’s been dry-treated to use on various terrains including rock and ice. The thick and sturdy material was also designed to repel water, dirt and abrasion, so you can climb safely and worry-free.

belay pick

Petzl GriGri + Belay Device

$114.35

$139.95

18% off

Climbing with a partner requires a proper belay device for added safety. Hayes’ go-to brand Petzl has one for 19% off on Amazon and that’s designed with cam-assisted blocking to make going down easier and more comfortable. It also comes equipped with an anti-panic handle that’ll stop your belay if the rope is tugged on too hard.

chalk bag pick

Sukoa Chalk Bag

$14.87

$19.95

25% off

Carry your chalk with Sukoa’s portable chalk bag for 25% off, dropping the price to less than $15. The design has been labeled an Amazon Choice for Climbing Chalk Bags by Sukoa Sports and has racked up more than 2,000 verified five star reviews for its leak-proof design and extra compartments that can hold small essentials including your smartphone.

chalk pick

Friction Labs Unicorn Dust Chalk for Rock Climbing

Hayes prefers to uses Friction Labs chalk, which she claims is the “stickiest” for gripping onto boulders or hand holds on the wall. The Unicorn Dust is a more fine formula that’s Non-toxic, silica-free and pigment-free that aims to be safe for all skin types. It’s also versatile to use indoors or outdoors.

chalk brush pick

Climbing & Bouldering Brush

$11.99

$12.99

8% off

To assist in cleaning handholds as you climb, these climbing brushes will easily swipe and dust away chalk. Each pack comes with two brushes that are slim and compact, so you can slip it inside a pocket or small bag. The bristles are tapered to help with the longevity of the brush while the handle is ergonomic for a more comfortable hold.

bouldering mat pick

Evolv Drop Pad

Cushion any falls with a comfortable drop pad that’ll protect you from getting any major injuries. It comes with a foldable design and attached handle that’ll make transporting it from one place to another easier. The plush material was also designed to help soften any falls, so you can easily get back up on on the boulder.

carabiner pick

Rongsi Heavy Duty Carabiner

A sturdy carabiner is important if you plan on linking together your ropes and harnesses. Walmart is offering a two-pack for less than $15 with each one having the capacity to hold up to 5,600 pounds each. It also uses a carbon steel material for long-lasting durability.

Climbing Tips for Beginners

These pros didn’t just become masters at climbing overnight and if you’re just starting out, the best thing you can do, according to Coxsey is to “just climb!” Once you find your go-to climbing gym, you should take advantage of the coaching or any inductions offered.

“From your local climbing wall, you will find a whole community of climbers who will be able to help take you outside and give you a taste of climbing on rock for the first time,” she adds.

While it may be tempting to just jump right in, Hayes also points out that you shouldn’t rush to push yourself.

“It’s very important to grow a strong foundation,” she says. “Also, make sure that you are climbing within the limits that you are comfortable with. Grades don’t really matter as long as you’re enjoying the challenge and having fun.”

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best fleece-lined leggings, running shorts and travel backpacks.

11 Apr 2024

Beyoncé’s Getting a Candlelight Tribute Concert & It’s Selling Fast: Here’s How to Get Tickets

There’s nothing like seeing Beyoncé live in concert, but until she hits the road again, musical production company Fever is letting you listen to the “Texas Hold ‘Em” singer’s biggest hits under the soft glow of candlelight.

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A musical tribute to Beyoncé is taking over New York City and more cities across the U.S. as part of Fever’s “Candlelight Tribute” concerts. It’s time to don your best Western attire and listen to the Highline String Quartet play live orchestra versions of Beyoncé’s discography.

The Beyoncé Candlelight Tribute Concert dates include Thursday (April 25), Saturday (May 11) and Saturday (June 8), with the option of attending a 6 p.m. ET or 9:30 p.m. ET show. If you want to get tickets to Fever’s Beyoncé candlelight tribute, you’ll want to act fast before they sell out.

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The tentative program includes orchestral versions of hits like “Love on Top,” “Hold Up,” “If I Were a Boy,” “Say My Name,” (Destiny’s Child), “Drunk in Love,” “Single Ladies,” “Sandcastles,” “XO,” “Irreplaceable,” “Halo,” “Survivor” (Destiny’s Child) and “Crazy in Love.”

How to Get Tickets to Beyoncé’s Candlelight Tribute Online

Fever’s Beyoncé Candlelight Concert will be taking place at the St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church in Brooklyn starting April 25. While there are a variety of cheap ticket sites out there, you can only purchase these tickets through Fever. Tickets start at $35 and go to $65, and you can choose between three zones to sit in to watch the orchestra perform live.

The performance is recommended for children 8 years old and up — anyone under 16 years old will need to be accompanied by an adult.

If you can’t make it to New York, there are more cities putting on the program including Minneapolis, Minn., on April 19, San Antonio, Texas, on April 26, St. Louis, Mo., on May 10, New Orleans, La., on May 11, Yakima, Wash., on May 23, Dallas, Texas, on May 25, Springfield, Mass. on June 6, Portland, Ore., on June 7, Reno, Nev., on June 20, Sacramento, Calif., on June 21 and Spokane, Wash., on June 28.

The Grammy-winner isn’t the only Billboard Hot 100 artist you can experience through Fever — the program also does candlelight tributes for Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa and even throwback artists like ABBA and Nirvana. And for even more unique Fever experiences, check out Broadway Sings Taylor Swift.

11 Apr 2024

Taylor Swift’s Catalog Is Back on TikTok Ahead of New Album

Much of Taylor Swift‘s discography is back on TikTok on Thursday (April 11), returning a little over a week before the anticipated release of her new album, The Tortured Poets Department, due out April 19.

Official audio for hits like “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version),” “Cruel Summer” and “Style (Taylor’s Version)” are among the songs now available for users to make videos with on the short-form app. It appears that there are no official audio for Swift’s songs released before her album Lover, meaning the original recordings from Fearless, Speak Now and Red — recorded for the Big Machine record label — are not available, though her recent re-recordings of those albums are.

Swift’s catalog was pulled from TikTok at the start of February after the parent company for her record label and publisher, Universal Music Group, announced that it was letting its licensing agreement with TikTok lapse, citing that the app was not willing to pay for the “fair value” of music, as well as other concerns like AI and artist safety. That affected songs by many of music’s biggest stars, including Swift, Drake, SZA, Olivia Rodrigo and more, who all have recording and/or publishing contracts with the company.

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For Swift, the ownership of her Big Machine catalog has been the subject of much conversation in recent years. Her first six albums — covering her self-titled debut in 2006 through 2017’s Reputation — were sold to Scooter Braun in 2019 after the manager and entrepreneur’s Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine in a deal worth more than $300 million.

That sparked a backlash from Swift, who vowed to re-record each of those albums in order to re-release them and own the recordings herself; she has since released “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings of Fearless, Red, Speak Now and 1989. In 2018, Swift signed a deal with UMG to license her future recordings to Republic Records, and has since released four additional albums through that deal, the copyrights to which she also owns. While it’s unclear why her recordings are back on TikTok, it’s notable that the tracks that she owns are the ones that are available.

In a letter to its artists on Jan. 30 explaining the licensing spat, UMG wrote, “With respect to the issue of artist and songwriter compensation, TikTok proposed paying our artists and songwriters at a rate that is a fraction of the rate that similarly situated major social platforms pay.”

TikTok fired back at UMG’s announcement hours later, saying, “It is sad and disappointing that Universal Music Group has put their own greed above the interests of their artists and songwriters.”

In addition to her label deal with Republic Records, Swift has been signed to Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) as a songwriter since 2020; previously, she was signed to Sony Music Publishing as a songwriter. Her frequent collaborator, Jack Antonoff, was also signed to Sony Music Publishing until he switched to UMPG in August 2023.

Reps for TikTok, Universal and UMPG did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

11 Apr 2024

Olivia Rodrigo Celebrates End of Guts World Tour North American Leg: ‘Immensely Grateful’

Olivia Rodrigo is officially done spilling her guts in North America — for now. After closing out the first leg of her Guts World Tour with four nights at Madison Square Garden, the 21-year-old pop star made sure to thank her fans and crew for making it special with a post on Instagram Thursday (April 11), as she gears up to take her trek to Europe later this month.

Sharing a carousel of photos from her time at the famd New York City venue — during which Noah Kahan and Jewel both joined her onstage for surprise duets — Rodrigo wrote, “4 nights at madison square garden!!! whatta way to end this leg of the tour.”

“immensely grateful for all the wonderful people who work so hard on making this show happen every night and thankful for everyone who has bought tickets and jumped and screamed and sang along with me <3>

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The Grammy winner also included a picture of her posing backstage with Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. Other snaps show her performing on the Garden’s stage and hanging out with her best friends, musician Conan Gray — wearing a handmade tank that reads, “u call urself a Livie? name 10 olivia rodriguez songs” — and actress Madison Hu, behind the scenes.

The “Vampire” singer will resume her Guts Tour April 30 in Dublin, after which she’ll spend the first half of summer traveling through the U.K., Germany, France, Spain and more countries. In July, she’ll return for a second North American leg, ending with four performances at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Cali.

In her caption, she excitedly added, “see u soon europe!!!!”

11 Apr 2024

Megan Thee Stallion Bares All Literally & Figuratively For Women’s Health’s “Body Issue”

HipHopWired Featured Video

Megan Pete aka Megan Thee Stallion featured in Women's Health Magazine Body Issue cover story

Source: Ramona Rosales / Women’s Health

Megan Thee Stallion is in her rebirth phase, and to celebrate, she bared all on the cover of Women’s Health magazine and left us all collectively saying, D A M N.

Showing off her finely tuned physic, Megan Thee Stallion graced the cover of Women’s Health’s “The Body Issue.” The senses tantalizing cover debuted on Wednesday, Apr. 10, and, as expected, set social media timelines ablaze.

On the cover, Megan Thee Stallion stuns in the suit she was born in, with wavy jet-black hair and her leg ideally in place to keep things tasteful.

In the post on Instagram showing off the cover, Women’s Health wrote in the caption:

“Megan @theestallion has changed ⚡️ She’s a new woman—in both mind and body—thanks to a period of transformation, which included learning how to become the ultimate hype woman for herself. Now, with her third album on the way, hip-hop’s it girl is in her strongest era yet. “I want to see myself grow and be better than I am right now,” she tells WH. “And I will. I know I will.”

As for the cover story, the Houston rapper touched on her new approach to her health, revealing she has ditched brown liquor and other sugary drinks. Still, if she does consume alcohol, it’s only tequila and drinking a gallon of water daily.

The 29-year-old Hip-Hop star also touched on her healthy eating habits, including pan-seared salmon for lunch. For dinner, she enjoys potatoes, cod, and sea bass, while if she feels the need to snack on something, cucumber slices with salt and pepper and cherry tomatoes with balsamic vinaigrette dressing are her go-to snacks.

Combine that with her new workout routine, and you will get the Thee Stallion you see today.

Megan Thee Stallion Touches On Her Mental Health Challenges

Of course, Megan Thee Stallion also touched on her mental health, which she also worked hard on improving following the tumultuous months after Tory Lanez shot her in the foot.

The “Hiss” rapper credited her therapist for helping her achieve mental clarity. She also admits how challenging at times dealing with her mental health was.

“A lot of people didn’t treat me like I was human for a long time,” Thee Stallion said. “I feel like everybody was always used to me being the fun and happy party girl. I watched people build me up, tear me down, and be confused about their expectations of me. As a Black woman, as a darker Black woman, I also feel like people expect me to take the punches, take the beating, take the lashings, and handle it with grace. But I’m human.”

We love this version of Megan Thee Stallion.

You can see more photos from the cover spread in the gallery below.