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Lil Nas X took the glitz and glamour of designer Karl Lagerfeld literally for his 2023 Met Gala look, encrusting his neck and face in intricate jewels and pearls, covering his body in metallic paint, and rocking a single item of clothing: a silver thong.
The “Old Town Road” pop star looked like one of the late Chanel designer’s embellished tie pins come to life, completing the gilded look with inch-long silver fingernails and platform boots.
This isn’t Lil Nas X’s first metallic look at the Met Gala: Back in 2021, he rocked a three-in-one gold ensemble, which started with a quilted, neck-high gold cape; followed by a C3PO-worthy gold robot suit; and finished with a gold-embellished black bodysuit.
The theme of the 2023 Met Gala — a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in New York — is “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty,” honoring the late designer’s work and aesthetic.
The event also serves as the opening for a Lagerfeld-specific exhibit at the Costume Institute. “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” will showcase more than 150 original looks designed by Lagerfeld, who died at 85 years old in 2019, delving into the former Chanel creative director’s expansive seven-decade career. Many of his original sketches are also set to appear alongside the objects on display.
In addition to Lil Nas X, gala co-chair Dua Lipa in white Chanel, Ice Spice making her sleek Met Gala debut, Anitta rocking chunky black heels, and Doja Cat dressed as Lagerfeld’s cat Choupette have all graced the red carpet.
See Lil Nas X’s full look below:
Lil Nas X attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City.
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Miley Cyrus is headed to Human Resources. Netflix announced Monday (May 1) that the pop star will lend her voice talents as a guest star on the upcoming second season of the Big Mouth spin-off.
The streamer also dropped an animated teaser with the news, which finds Randall Park’s Pete the Logic Rock spilling the tea to the other characters that Cyrus will play an undisclosed role in the new season. “Oh my god, did you just say Miley?” Brandon Kyle Goodman’s Walter the Lovebug pops up over the wall of his cubicle to ask before Maya Rudolph’s Connie the Hormone Monstress runs over excitedly to add, “As in Hannah Montana?” (“This is so exciting!” declares Aidy Bryant’s Emmy the Lovebug as Pete spills his thermos of water thanks to an overexcited Connie.)
Other guest stars in the season include Florence Pugh, Eugene Levy, Sam Richardson, Niecy Nash-Betts and Isabella Rossellini, along with returning voices like Hugh Jackman, Pamela Adlon, Henry Winkler, Thandiwe Newton, Rosie Perez, Bobby Cannavale, Cole Escola and more.
Cyrus’ stint on the very adult Human Resources will be her first TV role in the wake of releasing her eighth album Endless Summer Vacation. Led by the global No. 1 smash “Flowers,” the studio set bowed at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. Since then, its ever-blooming lead single scored a rare hat trick by simultaneously topping the Pop Airplay, Adult Pop Airplay and Adult Contemporary charts.
Watch the monsters of Human Resources geek out over Miley’s pending arrival in the season 2 teaser below.
Adam Lambert made a name for himself back in 2009 when he battled into the runner-up sot on American Idol‘s eighth season with a repertoire that included soaring, powerful covers of songs by Johnny Cash and Smokey Robinson that displayed his flair for finding a unique lane on well-loved classics.
After years of solo hits and an ongoing stint fronting classic rock powerhouse Queen, Lambert was back on familiar ground on Sunday night (April 30) when he returned to the Idol stage for a rocking cover of the 1973 Anne Peebles hit “I Can’t Stand the Rain.” The slow-burn ballad — famously covered by Tina Turner in 1984 on her Private Dancer album — got a electric reboot in the singer’s hands thanks to a set that surrounded him with digital purple rain showers.
With blue makeup tears dripping from his eyes and a typically understated all-leather ensemble spiked with sparkle accents, fingerless gloves, black platform books and a mesh tank top, Lambert bumped and grinded his way through the song, hitting all the high notes you’d expect and adding his patented glam magic to the R&&B burner.
Lambert dropped by just in time to meet this year’s Idol top 10, which was revealed on Sunday night. The singes vying for this year’s title are: Wé Ani, Marybeth Byrd, Megan Danielle, Haven Madison, Warren Peay, Zachariah Smith, Oliver Steele, Colin Stough and Iam Tongi.
The latter has been on a serious roll this season, earning hugs and bringing tears to the judges’ eyes with his gritty story and soulful vocals, including on Sunday night when Tongi ditched his guitar for a moving cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home to Me.”
Check out Lambert’s cover of “I Can’t Sand the Rain” below.
As the “culture wars” around basic human rights for trans people continues, Kiss singer-guitarist Paul Stanley is sharing his thoughts on best-practice medical care for minors.
In a tweet on Sunday (April 30) titled “My Thoughts On What I’m Seeing,” Stanley wrote that he is concerned about children being given access to gender-affirming care. “There is a BIG difference between teaching acceptance and normalizing and even encouraging participation in a lifestyle that confuses young children into questioning their sexual identification,” he wrote.
He added that adults “may decide reassignment is their needed choice,” but said that children should not be eligible for gender-affirming surgeries and procedures. “Turning this into a game or parents normalizing it as some sort of natural alternative or believing that because a little boy likes to play dress up in his sister’s clothes or a girl in her brother’s, we should lead them steps further down a path that’s far from the innocence of what they are doing,” he wrote.
Both the Endocrine Society and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health do not recommend gender-affirming surgical intervention before 18 years of age, unless the patient, their doctor and a mental health professional all agree that intervention is necessary.
Closing his statement, Stanley claimed that too many parents were confusing “teaching acceptance with normalizing and encouraging a situation that has been a struggle for those truly affected and have turned it into a sad and dangerous trend.”
Billboard has reached out to Stanley’s representatives for further comment from the guitarist and other members of Kiss.
The guitarist’s claims are part of an ongoing misinformation campaign regarding gender-affirming care for transgender youth. Multiple states have banned gender-affirming care for minors, claiming that “irreversible” healthcare affecting one’s gender shouldn’t be an option for those under the age of 18 — though some legislatures in Texas, Kansas and elsewhere have begun quietly attempting to raise that minimum age to 26.
While these claims about “irreversible” procedures are common, the facts show that they are largely false. In an interview with Billboard last year, Dr. Joshua D. Safer, MD, explained that the kind of surgeries many of these right-wing lawmakers and Stanley are concerned about are already “typically reserved for adults,” with only extraordinary cases requiring more immediate intervention. “Prior to any gender-affirming medical or surgical intervention, all minors must have an intake with a knowledgeable mental health provider internal to our system. Once deemed ready for a medical/surgical intervention, the processes we have for adults are then brought into play,” he said.
Stanley’s statement is also directly refuted by every major medical organization in the U.S., including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association, all of whom agree that gender-affirming care is not only not dangerous for trans youth, but in most cases, highly beneficial and life-saving.
Read Stanley’s full statement below:
If you didn’t have Iam Tongi making the top 10 of American Idol 2023, then never, ever gamble a cent.
Tongi has been lighting it up throughout the competition, earning hugs and tears from the judges, and cheers from millions more watching on at home.
The schoolkid from Hawaii comes across as a sweet kid with a tough story, but his talent is obvious when he’s at the mic. Katy Perry quipped that we were all watching The Iam Tongi Show. That might be the case, though he hasn’t scaled the summit just yet.
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On Sunday night’s top 12, Tongi ditched the guitar and performed a soulful cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me”. Just Tongi, a backing band and singers, and a sea of waving arms from the audience.
Tongi has an attachment to his guitar. His late father spent his holiday paycheck on a six-string for his son, then aged 13. Idol viewers saw how much that instrument means to the youngster when it needed to be repaired during the early weeks of this season and he had to go without it one week. Cue tears, everywhere.
On Sunday, Lucy Love and Nutsa were eliminated, Tongi and nine others went through.
On Monday night, the reveal of the top seven, plus a performance from Season 19 winner Chayce Beckham. We’re all still watching The Iam Tongi Show.
Catch the latest performance below.
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Doja Cat battles herself in a new Skechers Uno ad released on Friday (April 28). The commercial pits the “dueling light and dark sides of Doja’s personality” against each other in an anime-style battle.
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“Building out this campaign and a new world for the Uno with my creative director Bret Alan Nelson and Skechers has been amazing,” Doja said in a statement. “This is just the start. I look forward to sharing more of what we’ve been creating soon.”
Added Nelson, “I was super inspired by the idea of the different Uno colors and which Uno gives you the most power. We reference old school anime fight scenes within a battle of ‘Doja Cat vs. Doja Cat’ and the ultimate theme is that in the end we will never follow another’s footsteps.”
Drawing inspiration from the Y2K, Cyberpunk and anime themes, the vibrant campaign features Skechers UNO sneakers in hot pink and lime green.
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The Skechers ad will debut during the Time 100 one-hour special airing on Sunday (April 30) at 7 p.m. ET on ABC. The special, hosted by Jennifer Coolidge with performances from Doja and Lea Michele, will stream on Hulu a day after it premieres on ABC. Want to watch it live? Stream the special on platforms such as Hulu + Live TV, Sling TV, DirectTV Stream and Fubo.
Doja Cat, who was among the honorees at the 2023 Time 100 Gala at Jazz in Lincoln Center in New York on Wednesday, performed in custom deconstructed Skechers Uno sneakers. The Skechers campaign comes on the heels of Doja announcing her role as Skechers’ first artist in residence.
Watch her Skechers Uno commercial below.
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Peter Pan & Wendy, a new installment of the classic fairytale, premieres Friday (April 28) on Disney+.
Jude Law, Yara Shahidi, Ever Anderson, Alexander Molony, Jacobi Jupe and Joshua Pickering star in the live-action movie directed by David Lowery.
Peter Pan & Wendy introduces audiences to a young Wendy Darling, who meets Peter Pan and travels to Neverland (with Tinker Bell in tow). In Neverland, Wendy and the gang encounter Captain Hook and set out on a “thrilling and dangerous adventure that will change her life forever.”
Peter Pan & Wendy was written by Lowery and Toby Halbrooks and based on the novel by J. M. Barrie and the 1953 animated film. Jim Whitaker produced Peter Pan & Wendy with Adam Borba, Thomas M. Hammel and Toby Halbrooks serving as executive producers.
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Peter Pan & Wendy: How to Stream Free on Disney+
Disney+ subscribers can begin streaming Peter Pan & Wendy on Friday. The movie, which streams at no additional cost to subscribers, is located in the carousel of new releases at the top of the page when you sign into the Disney+ app.
Not subscribed to Disney+? Plans start at $7.99/month (or $79.99/year) for ad-supported streaming and $10.99/month (or $99.99/year) to stream without ads.
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What’s streaming on Disney+? As the go-to destination for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic, subscribers will find a variety of bingeable movies and TV series including Disney+ exclusives like The Mandalorian, Prom Pact, Secrets of the Elephants, Marvel Studio Legends, Loki, The Book of Boba Fett, SUGA: Road to D-Day, Miley Cyrus: Endless Sumer Vacation, and Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming.
Marvel fans can stream Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and other MCU movies such as Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which will begin streaming on the platform on May 17.
Subscribe to the Disney+ bundle to get even more bang for your buck. The Duo Basic with Disney+ and Hulu is $9.99/month; the Trio Basic (Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+) is $12.99/month and the Trio Premium plan is $19.99/month to stream without ads.
Although Disney+ no longer offers free trial, you might be able to score one through Verizon. For a limited time only, Verizon customers can subscribe to the Disney+ or the Disney+ Bundle for free for six months with select Verizon Unlimited plans. This special offer ends May 17.
Watch the trailer for Peter Pan & Wendy below.
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.
Happy birthday, Willie Nelson! The country legend turns 90 on Saturday (April 29), and he’s planning to celebrate in a major way.
The singer-songwriter will take the stage for a 90th birthday concert celebration at the Hollywood Bowl Saturday and Sunday (April 30). The concert will feature performances from George Straight, Sheryl Crow, Beck, Dave Matthews, Snoop Dogg, Gary Clark Jr., Leon Bridges, Jack Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Neil Young, Norah Jones, The Chicks, The Avett Brothers, Tyler Childers and other special guests.
Chelsea Handler, Jennifer Garner, Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Hellen Mirren, Gabriel Iglesias, Ethan Hawke will make an appearance at the concert. Click here to purchase tickets.
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Nelson will be touring all over the country until October, according to the dates listed on his website. After the Hollywood Bowl, he is billed to perform at the McGrath Amphitheater in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on May 17. The “On the Road Again” singer has eight shows booked for the month of May and five shows in June, including the Outlaw Fest and Summer Camp Music Festival.
This summer, Nelson will host the Willie Neilson 4th of July Picnic in Texas. The event, featuring the country star, Childers, Dwight Yoakam and Shakey Graves will be held at Austin’s Q2 Stadium on July 4. Tickets are priced at around $49-$57 and up at Vivid Seats, StubHub, Seat Geek and Ticketmaster.
Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic
$57
Whether you plan on attending the Hollywood Bowl concert or 4th of July Picnic, there’s one item that’s perfect for outdoor concerts, festivals, tailgating, barbecues and more.
Last year, Nelson teamed with Igloo for a limited collection of Playmate coolers available in a larger, 14-quart size, and a miniature 7-quart cooler. The larger cooler ($59.99) sold out, but the smaller option ($39.99) is still in stock, along with the Willie Nelson Stainless Steel Coolmate, which is on sale for just $19.
Shop the Willie Nelson x Igloo Coolers collection below.
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Willie Nelson Playmate 7 Qt. Cooler
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John Legend was on hand Friday morning (April 28) to advocate for voter turnout at the second day of Global Citizen Now’s two-day summit for activists and change-makers in New York City.
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In conversation with Tamron Hall in an onstage panel before industry leaders and members of the press, Legend stressed the importance of making voter registration more accessible — or automatic, when possible — and fighting against politicians interfering in the voting process. Having recently become a father of three in January, when he and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their daughter Esti, the “All Of Me” singer said that voting in favor of reproductive healthcare, LGBTQ rights and student debt relief has become increasingly important to him as he hopes to create better circumstances for his kids’ generation.
“I’ve always cared deeply about the future, I’ve always cared deeply about the world we are building for our children,” he said. “But every time I think about all the love we pour into our own kids, and all we want for their future, I think about the parents who don’t have the resources we have.”
“We want a democracy that’s open to everybody and that encourages our leaders to do what’s right because they know they answer to the people,” he continued.
After praising President Biden’s student debt relief efforts and climate action legislation, Legend left off on a challenge: make the 2024 election go down in history for having the highest youth voter turnout ever. “We as young people,” the 44-year-old musician began, before laughing: “I still count myself as young. That’s a stretch…we have to make sure that we are reaching out to our friends and encouraging them to get out and vote.”
Also on the docket for Friday’s event were discussions on climate change, abortion access, protecting protesters in Iraq and Kenya and workplace equality for women. Katie Holmes helped introduce the summit by encouraging viewers to spread awareness of Global Citizen Now’s message via social media, Dawson’s Creek actress Busy Philipps called for more inclusion of reproductive health storylines in entertainment and the reinstatement of Roe v. Wade, and French President Emmanuel Macron joined in via video chat for a conversation on including poor and emerging countries in implementing global sustainability policies, for which he thinks collaboration between China and the U.S. — the No. 1 and No. 2 biggest greenhouse gas emitters, respectively — is essential.
When Morning Joe anchor and guest mediator Joe Scarborough joked during a brief break in the event’s live telecast that “if anyone at MSNBC is listening, we have the president of France so you can stop talking about Tucker Carlson,” Macron, waiting on standby, couldn’t help but let out a genuine laugh. Carlson was recently fired by Fox News, the longtime home of the highly controversial, right-wing program Tucker Carlson Tonight.
Sinan Aral, director of MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy, weighed in during a conversation on the need for ethical regulations in the world of tech, particularly where artificial intelligence is involved. If people were freaking out about the bizarre success of the viral fake Drake and The Weeknd duet earlier this month, Aral says the world isn’t prepared for how “very dangerous” booming AI technology could become if weaponized during upcoming elections.
“The misinformation of the 2020 election is child’s play compared with what is possible for deepfake video and audio,” he said.
See more details about Global Citizen Now here.
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Dolly Parton has something special in store for Amazon Pet Day. The country legend is teaming with Amazon for the two-day sale event launching next Tuesday (May 2).
Parton and her god-dog, Billy the Kid, will join Amazon Live both days to share their Pet Day favorites with audiences. “We’re gonna celebrate the pets that we all love,” Parton told Billboard during a phone interview this week.
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Prime members will be able to shop “two wonderful days” of sales, which includes 20% off Parton’s pet products line, Doggy Parton.
“We’ve gotten such wonderful responses [from] people,” Parton said of the pet line, consisting of clothes, hats, scarves, toys, leashes, collars and harnesses. Parton plans to expand the pet line to feature clothes for larger dogs and eventually items for cats.
Amazon’s 48-hour sale, which coincides with National Pet Month, will feature deals on treats, toys and supplies, along with home, electronics and personal care products to pamper your beloved pets.
Pet Day kicks off at midnight PT on Tuesday (May 2) and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday (May 3). Pet lovers can save 20% off select Purina pet food and treats, 20% off Blue Buffalo treats, 30% off Furbo dog cameras, 30% off all Frontline Plus Flea and Tick products, and other savings.
And it’s not just products: Save up to 50% on select pet movies and shows on Prime Video during Pet Day too.
Pet Day is open to all Amazon shoppers, but Prime members get fast and free shipping on pet supply orders over $25 (visit Amazon’s Pet Day page to shop early deals).
Parton has had several pets over the years, though she’s currently without a dog of her own. “I lost my last little dog just a few years back and I haven’t had time to pick another one and take it on the road with me. I’ve been so busy, but I love everybody’s animals, and Billy the Kid,” she said of the adorable French bulldog. “We’re together all the time! I got so attached to Billy we thought, ‘Well, we’re just gonna have to make a show out of him!’ So that’s kind of what we’ve done.”
Parton’s manager’s dog, Billy the Kid, inspired her new children’s book, Billy the Kid Makes It Big.
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Billy the Kid Makes It Big is about a dog who dreams of making it big in Nashville. “[Billy] meets up with some other friends with the same kind of dreams and they set out together to win the big contest in Nashville,” Parton explained. “Everybody [said] they couldn’t do it, but they kept on, kept the faith and stood up to bullies.”
In addition to Pet Day, and promoting her books and Duncan Hines cake mixes, Parton is gearing up to take the stage for the 2023 ACM Awards on Prime Video next month. Parton and Garth Brooks are set to host the awards show live from The Ford Center at the Star in Frisco, Texas. Parton will also debut the lead single from her upcoming rock album during the show.
“I’m just looking so forward to working with Garth because he’s just a legend and he is one of the nicest people ever. He and Trisha [Yearwood] are two people I really love and admire,” said Parton, who hosted the show last year.
“I always get a little nervous because you want to do well and hit your marks, and hope everything goes good. The lighting, the sound, you hope your [microphone] works and all that.
“I’m not scared to death,” she joked. “But I’m always scared just enough to do well because it makes me try harder. It’s more like having butterflies until you get started and then you’re off and running.”
The 58th annual ACM Awards will stream live on Prime Video and the Amazon Music Channel on Twitch on May 11 at 8 p.m. ET.