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This week marked the start of the Playoffs rounds on season 25 of The Voice and the show brought in some serious ringers on Monday night (April 22) to help cut down each coach’s team from five to three singers before the live, public-vote rounds begin.
Team John Legend teed up a veteran of the franchise in Colombian superstar Maluma, who has been a coach on two seasons of La Voz, in both his native country and in Mexico. Meanwhile, Team Dan + Shay got a boost from rapper Saweetie, with each guest bringing their own unique set of skills to the gig.
According to EW, Maluma seemed completely at ease with the job, serving up positive notes and encouragement and some pro tips on performance and setting the mood. In a preview video that dropped before the show aired, Maluma had a lot of good advice for the Team members, from encouraging them to write their own songs to suggesting they ditch their instruments while performing live to focus on their vocals.
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That experience came through when Nathan Chester was prepping his powerhouse cover of the Beatles’ “Oh! Darling.” After Legend — whom Maluma dubbed “Juan Leyenda” — suggested that Chester put more urgency into his performance, Maluma seconded that emotion and offered up a technical note about stepping back from the mic a bit to let his voice truly shine. The dynamic due clearly were on to something, as Chester made it to the Live rounds.
Maluma also seemed to bond with Venezuelan-born singer Mafe, who stepped up majorly with a moving version of Adele’s “Someone Like You,” but failed to make the final cut; the other Team Legend Playoffs members include Bryan Olesen and Zoe Levert.
EW noted that while rapper Saweetie seemed to be an odd choice to work alongside country duo Dan + Shay, they had a good chemistry and the “Best Friend” MC seemed to really have a vibe with the female singers on the pair’s team, offering them such poetic advice as “there’s no deadline to dreams.” When 17-year-old Anya True began rehearsing her take on Taylor Swift’s “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version),” Saweetie helpfully suggested more eye contact to connect with the studio audience.
Admittedly not a country aficionado, Saweetie suggested that singer Karen Waldrup try to focus less on being technically perfect, but instead “strive for personality,” which she definitely did on her cover of Lainey Wilson’s “Heart Like a Truck.” That was enough to punch Waldrup’s ticket through, along with Madison Curbelo and Tae Lewis.
The Playoffs roll on next week with performances from Team Reba and Team Chance.
Check out some of Monday night’s performances from Team Legend and Team Dan + Shay below.
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Kim Kardashian did not address the one topic America was dying to hear about on Monday night (April 22) when she hit the couch on Jimmy Kimmel Live!: her feelings on theories that Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department diss track “thanK you aIMee” is about her.
The American Horror Story: Delicate star did, however, cover a wide variety of other random topics, including being Madonna’s dog walker as a kid, the origin of her nipple-forward Skims Ultimate Nipple Bra shapewear and her current feelings on former one-term president Donald Trump in the midst of his hush money trial in New York for paying off a porn star.
Kimmel seemed most charmed by the Madonna stories, which included Kim describing how she lived next door to the pop superstar when she was a kid. “She was my next door neighbor when I was like seven or eight years old,” Kardashian said. “I was her dog walker. Kourtney and I would walk her dog after school… in exchange for her jewelry… She was transitioning out of the 80s neon phase, so one day she just walked downstairs and handed us a shoebox of all these neon bracelets and Kourtney and I went to school and everyone was like, ‘Oh my God I love your bracelets!’ And we were like, ‘Thanks, Madonna gave them to us.’”
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Sadly, she doesn’t still have the haul, and as Kimmel lamented, the sisters missed out on the pointy bra era castoffs. And while the K gang did not trick-or-treat at Madonna’s as kids, years later, Kardashian watched the singer shoot her “Cherish” video with photographer Herb Ritts. “Me and my friend were on the beach and it was the most magical moment ever,” Kardashian said of the sensual black-and-white clip whose every wet-and-wild frame he seemed to have committed to memory.
Though she never in her wildest dreams imagined it, as an adult Kardashian said she was once again neighbors with Madge, whom she’d run into occasionally when they went trick-or-treating with their kids. You would never know it, though, since Kim said she and Madonna both wore ski mask costumes to stay incognito. “We both had like masks on and we were going to the same house and then we looked at each other and I was like, ‘M? Kim?,’” she recalled of their incognito meet cute again moment.
In a rapid-fire segment, Kardashian, 43, responded to a series of what sounded like weird internet rumors about herself, most of which turned out to be true. Among them: does she really blow dry her jewelry before putting it on? (yes, because she hates being freezing when putting cold metal on her skin). She also confirmed that she washes her feet before getting into bed every night, sleeps with her eyes slightly open (per videos taken by her sisters), she celebrated her 14th birthday at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, had a fitness DVD called Kim Kardashian Fit In Your Jeans By Friday, can change a tire and has an assistant whose job it is to take the cardboard sleeve off her Starbucks orders because the sound of cardboard getting moved off the cup is “like nails on a chalkboard” to her.
In fact one of the only things Kimmel floated that wasn’t true was a rumor that Kim has six toes on one foot.
Kimmel heaped praise on Kardashian for inventing a bra with built-in nipples, with the host getting slightly thrown off when Kim said they got “amazing” feedback from breast cancer survivors on the product, a sobering fact that seemed to derail what sounded like Jimmy’s more lascivious planned line of questioning. Fun fact, the nipples in the bra are fashioned after the shape of Kardashian’s breasts and she can definitely spot their tell-tale form from afar on someone else.
Kim also said she’s working on the upcoming launch of a line of shapewear for men, which, of course, led to Kimmel sidekick Guillermo strutting out in a be-thonged bodysuit that left nothing to the imagination. The conversation was mostly light, though Kimmel did ask Kardashian about the current state of her relationship with the twice-impeached former president, whom she visited in the White House in 2020 with three women whose sentences Trump cut short following the fellow reality star’s lobbying.
“I don’t think he likes me very much,” Kardashian said diplomatically. “But… I think he did amazing stuff with prison reform and let a lot of people out and signed an amazing bill with the First Step act and that’s what I’ll focus on.” For the record, after Kimmel earlier played a series of doctored videos of the four-times indicted Trump passing gas — as he’s been rumored to be doing quite often between reported naps during his New York trial for paying hush money to a porn actress to keep their affair quiet — Kardashian smiled and gently said, “no.”
“So he saves that for court situations?,” Kimmel quipped.
Watch Kardashian’s Kimmel interview below.
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For a band that split in 1970, the Beatles seem to be everywhere right now.
Last year, the Fab Four released their final recording, “Now And Then,” which gave the band their first No. 1 on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay in more than 50 years, a leader on the Official U.K. Singles Chart which extended their record as the British act with the most leaders (18). It was also the longest-ever gap between No. 1 singles for any act, at 54 years.
Then, last week, confirmation that Michael Lindsay-Hogg’s 1970 documentary Let It Be would be released for streaming on Disney+ from May 8, restored by Peter Jackson and the Kiwi director’s team.
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The Beatles’ music got another boost — and an update — during the Playoffs of NBC’s The Voice, when Nathan Chester ripped out a classic.
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For the latest episode, which aired Monday night (April 22), Chester gave an acrobatic performance of “Oh! Darling,” which appears on the Beatles’ Abbey Road album.
Chester, looking sharp in a retro, green suit, brought soul to his rendition, delivered high notes with style, and busted out some eye-watering splits. Think prime James Brown.
The Chicago, IL native hones his talents as a professional singer on cruise ships. It shows. During the Blind Auditions, he impressed with a performance of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River,” earning a two-chair turn.
“I’m always waiting for someone to inspire me, excite me,” coach John Legend said at the time. “When I heard you singing, I turned very quickly because I was like, this man’s got it.”
Guided by Legend, Chester performed Elvin Bishop’s “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” in the Knockouts.
And what is Chester comfortable singing? Jazz, opera, golden age of musical theater, funk, soul, Motown, he explained following his Blind Audition. It turns out, he’s just fine with the Beatles. And if he was to make an album, he’d want to bring back “the James Brown-style of Motown.” We got a glimpse of that on Monday night.
Watch below.
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Get ready to level up your spring and summer travel season with this Stevyn Duffel Bag featuring a shoe compartment ($112). This bag is not only perfect for travel but also makes a great Mother’s Day gift.
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Whether you’re traveling, hitting the gym, or attending a festival, this bag is the ultimate carry-on solution with its ample interior pockets. In fact, it’s so spacious, according to one customer, “you can fit two days’ worth of clothes in the bottom alone.”
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CalPak
Stevyn Duffel Bag with Shoe Compartment
$95.20
$112.00
15% off
Depending on how you choose to arrange your clothes, its large bottom compartment keeps your shoes separate and provides additional space for organization. Why mix your shoes with your clothes when you can organize it nicely in one bag? This bag is efficient, effective, and makes packing up easier.
The bag retails for $112, but you can get it on sale for $95.29 for a limited time.
Its removeable shoulder strap makes it easy to use and adjust to your liking. The bag also has a luggage trolley sleeve at the back, keeping it secure when moving around. Its zippers and pockets are guaranteed to keep your items safe.
It comes in all colors and print styles. Some of the colors include black, dune, slate, walnut, sky, Dragon fruit and pink sand. It is also available two different designs cheetah and daisy.
This duffel bag is a great gift option for both men and women. If you are looking to go to different places, why not do so in style?
For more product recommendations, click here to learn more about the best traveling gear for spring and summer trips, alternative 2-in-1 duffle bags, and luggage sets for all your vacation needs.
If you are a Swiftie, you know that Taylor Swift’s just-released 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, has lots of Easter eggs to uncover. A great way to put the puzzle together is by getting yourself a journal. You can use a journal for many things, whether it’s writing, brainstorming ideas, songwriting and so […]
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The NBA playoffs are underway and all eyes are on the New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers series, which feature Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and many of the league’s next generation of stars.
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The second-seed Knicks took the first game of this best-of-7 series, with a comeback 111-104 win over the weekend. Here’s what to know about Game 2 and how to watch the Eastern Conference playoff series online.
Knicks vs. 76ers Playoff Games: Date, Time
Game 2 of the Knicks vs. 76ers takes place tonight, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT live from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
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Last-minute tickets to watch the Knicks vs. 76ers in person are still available on sites like Stubhub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek. BONUS: use our promo codes BB2024 to save $20 at VividSeats.com and discount code BILLBOARD10 to save $10 at SeatGeek.com.
How to Watch Knicks vs. 76ers on TV
Want to watch the Knicks vs. 76ers on TV? Tonight’s game is airing live on TNT so you can watch the Sixers-Knicks game on TV with any basic cable package.
How to Watch Knicks vs. 76ers Online
Want to watch the Knicks vs. 76ers online without cable? Use DirecTV Stream, a live TV streaming service that carries TNT as part of its offerings. The site has a five-day free trial that you can use right now to livestream the Knicks vs. 76ers online free. Watch the basketball game from your phone, tablet, laptop or smart TV. Cancel at anytime.
Sling is another live TV streamer that carries TNT as part of its channel lineup. TNT is available in all of Sling’s packages, including Sling Orange, which starts at just $40/month. Your subscription to Sling gets you 30+ live TV channels including TNT, so you can watch the Knicks vs. 76ers online without cable. You also get free DVR so you can record the playoff games and watch a Sixers-Knicks replay on-demand later.
Another way to stream the Knicks vs. 76ers playoff games online is through Max (formerly HBO Max). In addition to its library of movies, TV shows and specials, Max now offers live sports streaming, including basketball on TNT. Sign up for Max for just $9.99/month here.
Knicks vs. 76ers Predictions, Odds
The Knicks are the odds-on favorite for this Eastern Conference playoff series, though the 76ers will be a formidable opponent. While they are the seventh seed, the Sixers have not lost a first-round playoff series since the 2019-2020 season.
The second-seeded Knicks, meantime, had their best season since 2012-2013 and are riding a wave of momentum. Both the Knicks and Sixers made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals last year before falling to the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, respectively.
Watch the Knicks vs. 76ers playoff games online free through DirecTV Stream here.
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Owning a guitar is the first step toward making music, but you’ll also want to invest in quality accessories to help fine-tune your sound, including a guitar amp. The music accessory is not only handy if you’re taking online music courses, but is a travel necessity to help ensure audiences at local gigs can hear you playing.
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No matter how advanced of a guitar player you are, owning an amp can allow you to discover your own personal sound, whether you lean toward rock ‘n’ roll or heavy metal sounds. There are even models out there made specifically for bass and acoustic guitars to assist in enhancing your sound while ensuring the drums don’t drown out your notes.
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ShopBillboard spoke with five professional guitarists including Michael Britt of Lonestar, Mark Dannells from Yacht Rock Revue, Derek Dryes of The Dryes, Gin Blossoms‘ Jesse Valenzuela, and Michael Kamerman, a producer and guitarist in Smallpools, to get their tips and recommendations on the best guitar amps for musicians of all levels.
The Best Amps for Beginners
Purchasing an amp is an investment, but Britt wants aspiring musicians to know that “with so many options available to players these days, there is no ‘right way’ to do anything.”
Both Britt and Dannells tend to lean toward using a Kemper Profiler these days as it can utilize the tones achieved from a mix of vintage and modern amps.
Kemper Profiler PowerHead 600W
The Kemper Profiler is an investment piece that will have you customizing your sound. Its technology has the ability to analyze sonic characteristics of basically any tube amplifier and re-create them right before you. You’ll also have the ability to save up to 1,000 profiles, so you can switch from one sound to another.
If you want a classic amp, then check below for more expert-approved picks.
Fender Hot Rod DeVille
$1,199.99
$1,199.99
Kamerman thinks “the DeVille amp is really nice” for those starting out, as it comes with a user-friendly feel that you can have fun with. It’s built with a spring reverb that’s been modified for improved smoothness as well as Dual Celestion 12-inch A-Type speakers.“If you’re starting out, it’s nice to have something that you’re going to enjoy playing because if you get something that doesn’t sound great, then you might be like, ‘Why don’t I sound good?’” he says. “I think it’s nice to sometimes invest in something that you think, ‘OK, I can get this thing and then I can play a show with this amp.’”
Fender Tone Master Deluxe
$1,049.99
$1,049.99
Dannells prefers the Fender Tone Master Delux Reverb, which is built with a digital processor that aims to mimic the sound quality of a tube amp. Some of the included settings you can play around with include an output power selector, five attenuated settings, balanced XLR line output with impulse response (IR) cabinet simulations, mute switch for silent stage or recording use and a USB port. Plus, it “weighs a spine-saving 23 pounds,” he says.
Best Guitar Amps for Home Use
Kamerman advises that you shouldn’t choose your amp solely based on its volume capabilities. “You never need to turn an amp up too loud,” he says. “If you’re playing the biggest venue, the sound guy is still going to be like can you keep that at two [amps max]?”
Your focus should remain on what you think sounds the best when you play your guitar.
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus 120-Watt Guitar Amplifier
$1,241.99
$1,241.99
One of Kamerman’s favorites is the Roland JC-120 guitar amp, which comes with built-in wheels to move it smoothly from one spot to another. With each use you can enjoy the built-in vibrato, distortion and spring reverb while the two 12-inch “silver cone” speakers help ensure your tunes are emitted as clear and crisp as possible.
Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Combo Practice Guitar Amplifier
$269
$299
10% off
$269
When you want to jam at home, Dannells prefers this Positive Grid amp, claiming “it has tons of tones and effects, weighs 11 pounds and has cool features like backing track creation and USB/Bluetooth connectivity for additional features.” Plus, when you download the Spark app, you can download music from your library and it’ll provide you with the notes, so you can learn how to play your favorite songs. And did we mention it’s under $300?
Best Amps Under $500
You don’t have to drain your savings to play music with a quality amp — there are a variety of designs out there that will give you crisp sounds for under $500 — including this VOX model recommended by Dryes.
VOX AC4C1-12 Classic 4W 1×12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp
If you’re on a budget, there are options for less than $500 that can give you professional-grade sounds without risking your daily coffee budget. Dryes likes the VOX AC4C1-12, which is currently only $480 and has some “super quiet tones,” according to the artist. If it’s your first amp, he adds that “something with power scaling where you can dial down the wattage is always great if you want the tubes to sound cranked at low volumes.”
Best Lightweight Amps for Gigs
Weight is a serious factor when it comes to travel-friendly music gear — and the last thing you want is to have to lug around a heavy amp from place to place. Make sure you pick up a design that has a carry-friendly handle for easy portability and is lightweight enough for you to move from one spot to another.
Fender Princeton
$1,499.99
$1,599.99
Musicians planning on traveling with an amp should consider the Fender Princeton, suggests the Gin Blossoms artist. It weighs 34 pounds and comes with a convenient carrying handle attached. In terms of sound quality, it’s made with tube circuitry and Jenson circuts for a more vintage and raw sound.
Best Acoustic Guitar Amps
You won’t always need to use an amp when you’re playing your acoustic guitar, but the gigs that require an extra boost in sound, make sure you find a design made for acoustic guitars for the best results.
Fender Acoustasonic Guitar Amp
$199.99
$199.99
Acoustic guitars require a special amp designed for the instrument and if you’re looking for one that’ll provide professional-grade tones, then Valenzuela recommends the Fender Acoustasonic amp. It’s built with a “whizzer” cone that’s a small supplementary speaker for added volume as well as a built-in reverb for extra ambiance.It’s priced at a wallet-friendly $199 online right now too — a great deal for a genuine Fender amp.
Best Bass Amps
Don’t plug your bass guitar into just any amp, warns Kamerman, as you risk blowing it out. Your safest bet is to invest in an amp specifically made for bass guitars.
Ampeg Rocket Bass Amp
In terms of a professional-approved model, the Smallpools producer and guitarist likes the Ampeg Rocket Bass Amp. “I feel like the standard bass amp that you see a lot is this Ampeg SVT,” he says. The amp features a ’60s-style design with a switchable Super Grit Technology overdrive circuit to help add “warm and gutsy growl,” according to the official description. The auxiliary input also lets you play along with the external audio of your choice.
Best Guitar Amps for Metal
The sound you emit will change depending on the type of guitar amp you’re playing with, according to Valenzuela.
“The classic American sound is the Fender amplifiers, which is a West Coast sound, a little surfy,” he explains. “And the classic British amps, they sound a little more rock and roll. So the great combo is to match up a really American-looking Stratocaster with an English amp and you get something special.”
When it comes to metal and rock ‘n roll almost all of the guitarists agreed that Marshall amps are the way to go for the best sounds.
Marshall JCM900 4100 100W 2-Channel Tube Head
$2,999.99
$1,999
$2,999.99
33% off
Marshall’s JCM900 brings a slim design you can take with you on the go, but Dryes also loves how it “can be used with a boost pedal in front of it.” If you’re curious about pedals, the accessory further allows you to customize your sound just through plugging it into the amp. Other features included in the Marshall amp include high and low power options that can switch between 50 watts and 100 watts. It also comes with two foot switchable channels: one clean and another with grit and distortion.
Marshall DSL40CR 40W 1×12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp
$729
$949.99
23% off
Another bestselling option from Marshall is the DSL40CR model that was created to be a combo amp, which means it’s an amp and speaker. The design will condense the amount of equipment you need to carry. Plus, it’s 23% off right now, dropping it to less than $1,000.
What Is a Tube Amp vs. Regular Amp?
Like the name suggests, a tube amp is built with actual tubes within the device that the guitarists find provides a more “raw” sound. While modern models take a more digital approach that’ll still provide quality sound. It’s similar to if you were to listen to your music on a vintage turntable vs. streaming your playlists from your smartphone through your Bluetooth speakers.
Tube amps also require more maintenance than digital amps, which is something to take into account when choosing the type of guitar amp you want, advises Britt.
“Maintaining a tube amp is a full time job,” he says. “I always have eight to 10 amps around my house and I have to keep a good supply of tubes because those are always the first things that go. The biggest thing is just to take care of your gear. Make sure it travels in a good road case, keep it clean whenever possible and perform regular maintenance when you can.”
For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best music books, vinyl record player accessories and gifts for musicians.
Singer-songwriter Reneé Rapp sported a full-on Coach outfit during the second weekend of the Coachella festival on Sunday (April 21). Rapp showed that all-black style can go a long way when it comes to fashion, even in the desert. The Mean Girls star rocked black Coach Tara biker boots ($395) with a Coach T-shirt ($95) […]
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Phish sold out The Sphere in Las Vegas earlier this month for a four-night run that took over the multidimensional event space. The residency gave the jam band a chance to perform some of their greatest hits, ahead of a new studio album, titled Evolve, that’s due out this summer.
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While Phish has just to announce new Vegas dates, fans of the band can stream some of their other iconic performances and shows right now on nugs.net. The popular music streaming service is home to a number of livestreams, as well as a huge catalog of archived concerts from artists like Phish, along with Grateful Dead, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Metallica, among others.
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How to Stream Phish Concerts on nugs.net
The current Phish concert streams on nugs.net go back as far as 1989 (when the band was promoting their debut studio album, Junta) and also include standout moments like the band’s performance at the Field of Heaven: Fiji Rock Festival in 1999, and a number of Madison Square Garden dates, including their New Year’s Eve concert in 2017. Almost every Phish tour from the 1990s to present-day are included in some form or another on nugs.net, which lets you watch the archival concerts on-demand and stream them from your phone, tablet or laptop.
A subscription nugs.net starts at $14.99/month, but the site is currently offering a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Use the free trial to stream Phish concerts online free and access audio recordings of each show on high-quality audio.
Nugs.net says many of the Phish concerts have been upscaled to HD or 4K quality, and the concert audio (downloadable at MP3s) have been “professionally-mixed.” Want to own a copy of the show? Nugs.net lets you purchase full concert recordings to keep and listen to on-demand whenever you want.
While fans could livestream Phish at The Sphere on the band’s own site, it’s not clear if the Vegas residency will end up on nugs.net. But for now, the site has thousands of hours of Phish concerts and specials available to stream online. See full details here.
How to Watch Phish Concerts on Amazon Prime
Another way to watch Phish concerts online is through Amazon Prime Video, which offers streams like Phish’s December 30, 2019 show at Madison Square Garden. The Phish show is airing as part of the Coda Collection, a music concert streaming channel available through Prime Video. Get a 7-day free trial to the Coda Collection here to watch the Phish concert online free.
You can also purchase a number of Phish live concert DVDs on Amazon here.
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. Thanks to her new album, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé has been channeling a lot of Western style lately, including cowboy hats and […]