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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. Tyla is now the face of of Pandora. The “Push 2 Star” singer has been named Pandora’s newest ambassador and is […]
With RuPaul’s Drag Race bringing back their Rate-a-Queen system for season 17, Billboard decided to rate each of the new queens every week based on their performance. Below, we look at the final main stage challenge of the season to see who made the cut for the finale. Spoilers ahead for episode 14. Fourteen episodes […]
Speaking to Howard Stern on Tuesday morning (April 8) just two days after the controversial season three finale of his hit HBO series The White Lotus, Mike White said he doesn’t really know what the beef over the the show’s soundtrack was all about. Last week, show composer Cristóbal Tapia de Veer told the New York Times that he was permanently checking out of the gig after what he said were years of creative disputes with White over the Chilean musician’s unconventional musical style.
“Oh man… I honestly don’t know what happened, except now I’m reading his interviews because he decided to do some P.R. campaign about him leaving the show,” White nervously laughed while speaking to Stern on his SiriusXM morning radio show. “In reading the interviews I just realized he… I just don’t think he respected me. I think he basically, he wants people to know he’s edgy and dark and I’m… I watch reality TV,” added White, who, has, in fact, joyfully competed on both The Amazing Race (twice) and Survivor: David Vs. Goliath.
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In his chat with the Times, Tapia de Veer compared his collaboration with White as being akin to the kind of rock bands he’s been in before where, “the guitar player doesn’t understand the singer at all.” In fact, the composer who has won three Emmys for his work on the show said he’d had creative conflicts with White since the very first season of the show. He noted that he thought the show runner’s script for the first go-round was very “well-written,” but that he felt the comedic, “reality TV kind of vibe” did not fit with his “super dark and edgy” musical leanings.
“But when we had the talk with Mike, I just told him in a joke that I thought we could do some kind of ‘Hawaiian Hitchcock,’ and he really grabbed on that and he started laughing,” Tapia de Veer said, while also dinging White’s original temporary score as “nice background music” with a “chill, sexy” Ibiza club vibe but “literally no edge to it.”
Tapia de Veer also noted that after his divisive soundtrack for the just-concluded season received push-back from fans who missed the beloved melodies from the first two seasons, he planned to slyly bring back the “ool-loo-loo-loo” vocalizations they desired, but that White “wasn’t happy about that.”
White seemed perplexed by the apparent animus, telling Stern “we never even really fought… he said we feuded. I don’t think I ever had a fight with him, except maybe some emails. But it was just basically, like, me giving him notes. I don’t think he liked having to go through the process of getting notes from me or wanting revisions or ever. I guess he just didn’t respect me.”
In fact, White told Stern that he’s “never kissed somebody’s ass so hard” just to get them to be on board as he did with Tapia de Veer.
The show creator added that he knew Tapia de Veer was “not a team player and that he wanted to do it his way,” but that he was thrown that the musician would go to the Times to “s–t on me and the show three days before the finale. That was kind of a b–ch move.” Stern shot back that as the show’s writer and creator, White should have had the power to weigh in on the musical choices on the series that is his sole vision.
“Anyone that you hire, they gotta go with your vision, that’s it!” Stern suggested.
“Well that’s honestly why it did work the first couple seasons, because we did go through the process,” White explained. “But by the time the third season came around he’d won Emmys and had his song go viral, so he just did not want to go through the process anymore. He didn’t want to get notes from me… he always had this contemptuous smirk on his face whenever he was dealing with me. I think he thought I was just a chimp or something. I don’t know.”
In the end, White said he was confused by the ire over what he said was a pretty typical “creative difference” with the composer he readily praised as “really talented.”
Both Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Nettles are creatives in every sense of the word. They are deeply passionate about their music and acting careers — with Grammy-winning Nettles balancing her solo and Sugarland music success with leading roles on Broadway’s Chicago and Waitress, as well as starring in films including Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. Meanwhile, Golden Globe and SAG Award-winner Bacon has starred in classic films including Footloose, Taking Chance and many more, all while releasing 12 albums via his band, The Bacon Brothers, alongside his sibling Michael.
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That’s why, when the opportunity came for the duo to blend their talents, they were immediately on board. Bacon and Nettles star in the Grainger David-helmed Prime Video series, The Bondsman, which follows the story of murdered bounty hunter Hub Halloran (Bacon), who is resurrected by the devil to send back demons who escaped from the prison of Hell. Nettles stars as Hub’s musician ex-wife.
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Together, the two teamed up for The Bondsman: Hell And Back, a collection of eight songs written fromthe point of view of their characters, with several of the tracks appearing on the show. “Long before I ever did something like this, I’ve made playlists for my roles. I’ll say to the writer or the director, ‘Do you have songs that you think my character would like?’” Bacon recalls. “But this situation is something that I don’t do really that much. Yes, I love to write songs and, yes, I’m an actor, but I’ve always had a certain purity about both of them. I didn’t want to somehow shoehorn some music into a movie, you know, on the off-chance that I would get to play in it.”
However, The Bondsman felt different, given that Bacon loved the story and Halloran was also a musician in his life. As a seasoned actor and musician, the challenge of writing the songs from the bounty hunter’s perspective, instead of his own, allowed him to create a deeper bond with his role. “It’s really interesting form of songwriting, because I tend to write from my point of view,” Bacon says. “Even if I’m writing off of a hook, it’s probably going to be related to my experience and my feelings around things. Whereas, in this case, I’m writing as the character. And now, you’re going, OK, who was Hub Halloran when he first met this woman that he’s in love with? Or when they were breaking up? What was his point of view, not only about the world or about love or about her, but also musically? What was the kind of country music that he liked and didn’t like?”
Nettles agrees, adding that the “storytelling” aspect of making the music alongside filming the TV show was something she particularly enjoyed. “Whenever I’m writing a song, it’s both story building and character building. You take on a persona in those times,” she explains. “In that way, it wasn’t anything new or different [to my usual songwriting style]. What was new and different, is getting to do it specifically for this world and for television. This specific character, and this specific world where demons are concerned and all the supernatural and horror — that made it really, really fun.”
Nettles also revealed that the show’s “authentic” portrayal of the South drew her to the role, and her immediate bond with Bacon allowed the music to “flow easily.” And, of course, working with superstar actor in general was a plus. “Working with someone with that level of talent, that icon status, was super thrilling,” she says.
“I just love the performing arts so much, and I love music so much and I love getting to tell stories, and to be able to do this in this show is so fun and campy,” she concludes. “It checks so many boxes.”
The Bondsman is available to watch on Prime Video here, and the corresponding Hell and Back album can be enjoyed on Amazon Music here.
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Ariana Grande‘s 14th signature fragrance dropped during the summer of 2024, and now Sephora is releasing a gift set of her LOVENOTES perfume.
Hot off the heels of Ari’s Billboard 200-topping deluxe edition of Eternal Sunshine, the Pink Woods Perfume Set features the Eau de Parfum and Eau de Parfum Travel Spray bundled together in a premium pink roses box — which is ready for gifting. Priced at $90, the limited-edition LOVENOTES by Ariana Grande Pink Woods Perfume Set is only available for purchase at Sephora.
If you’re not interested in the set, you can still pick up Ariana Grande’s signature fragrance individually. The LOVENOTES Pink Woods Eau de Parfum goes for $80, while the LOVENOTES Eau de Parfum Travel Spray for $32, separately.
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However, it may be worth getting the LOVENOTES Pink Woods Perfume Set because it saves you $22 for both. The fragrance itself has a captivating and airy vibe with sparkling notes of bergamot from Italy and a mixture of tonka bean and cashmere woods with a hint of jasmine petals. It makes for a very entrancing and unexpected scent.
Sephora
Pink Woods Perfume Set
LOVENOTES by Ariana Grande
Sephora
Pink Woods Eau de Parfum
LOVENOTES by Ariana Grande
Sephora
Pink Woods Eau de Parfum Travel Spray
LOVENOTES by Ariana Grande
And since it’s from Sephora, you can get free shipping on orders, if you’re a Sephora Beauty Insider. Not an insider? Sign up for a free membership to get all sorts of perks, such as free shipping on all orders, exclusive deals, Beauty Insider Cash to spend at Sephora and much more. It’s 100% free, so it’s worth a sign up for the free shipping alone. Learn more about the Sephora Beauty Insider rewards program here.
In addition, since Sephora is a retailer with nationwide stores, you can always order online and opt to pick up your goods in-store for free.
Shop the LOVENOTES by Ariana Grande collection at Sephora, below:
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best powder foundation, press-on nails and refillable lipsticks.
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 you’re looking to improve your damaged strands, you can rest easy — Beyoncé’s beautifying hairline Cécred has officially launched at […]
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. With the surprise box office success of A Minecraft Movie, the video game adaptation is one of the hottest things in […]
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.
DJ Peggy Gou is putting her own spin on Don Julio’s 1942 tequila bottle. The limited-edition artwork is emblazoned with a unique “194구” (구 is pronounced “Gou”) motif, which is inspired by her Korean heritage and love of fashion and art.
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The unique bottle itself features a light blue-meets-mint-green hue that feels like chrome, as well as a glistening chrome cap that replaces the traditional wooden style. It also comes in a stunning iridescent purple keepsake box that features an illustration of Gou’s tattoo-clad hand holding a cowboy hat. Inside, the box features a brightly colored drawing of Gou and a message from the artist. “The design captures the essence of my artistic spirit, alongside the iconic legacy of Don Julio Gonzalez,” it says.
Don Julio
We caught up with Gou during the launch party celebrating the brand’s first-ever global collaboration — and a line formed around the block of the Tribeca location with fans who were excited about the potential of seeing Gou up close. At the party, VIP guests were treated to a “Gouvenier Shop” that had cowboy hat-shaped incense-holders, tote bags, T-shirts, baseball caps and other fun, whimsical goodies that were somehow perfectly on brand for the artist. Gou opened up about designing the one-of-a-kind bottle, and even shared her favorite clubs to party at on a night off.
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Looking at the bottle, its design feels very much like you. Can you explain its look?That’s exactly how I wanted people to feel. I mean, it’s iconic, but I wanted people to feel like there’s a little Peggy in there.
I wanted this to be a bottle that you want to keep even when you finish it. I wanted this bottle to be a kind of souvenir that you keep in your house, you know? And I tried to put my identity to it, as well as respecting Don Julio’s Mexican culture as well.
What musical elements and genres would you say go along with the bottle?I would say — just because I was talking about my identity — it would be dance and electronic music. [Pointing at the lid] And this was supposed to be like a little disco ball!
You know, when I first saw it from a distance, I thought it was because a disco ball just makes so much sense!Really?! That’s nice. It is like a mini disco ball.
Do you have a favorite tequila-based cocktail?I just discovered it yesterday! It was something … I don’t think there’s a name. Maybe we need to give it a name. It was 1942 — well, 194Gou — butterfly pea and yuzu.
What’s one experience you wish everyone could have when drinking this bottle?I’m always thinking to myself, “I want to worry about today tomorrow.” I want everybody to feel that way because as soon as you start drinking it, it’s a kind of a sign of [saying] let’s have fun. You know? Let’s not worry about what’s happening today.
What shows are you performing this summer that you’re most excited about?I’m pretty excited about every show that I do, but I’m very excited to come back to New York in May. I’m coming to the Brooklyn Mirage on May 18. They renovated the whole thing and it’s just opening new and I believe I’m doing the opening. But the new space looks insane.
What’s your favorite club in NYC, and then around the world?I personally haven’t been there when I wasn’t working, so I can’t say, but I really love Knockdown Center [in Queens]. I loved it — it was a kind of club that made me feel like I would love to come here on my day off.
And then around the world, there’s a club called OHM in Berlin. It’s a very tiny club and only has a capacity of 150 people, but that’s a very sick club.
The limited-edition 194구 bottle is available worldwide for $225, and is being released in limited quantities. It will be a true collector’s item for tequila enthusiasts and Peggy Gou stans alike. You can also find the regular edition of Don Julio 1942 on sites such as ReserveBar.com.
Don Julio 1942 añejo tequila
Even at the young age of 26 years old, Clairo has done a lot of reflecting on her own life. And now, she’s revealing why she’s kept a “huge” part of it largely undefined. In a new cover story for Seventeen, the “Sexy to Someone” singer explained why she prefers not to put a label […]
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Media personality Wendy Williams has been on the offensive in trying to free herself from guardianship, and her latest move has been to secure the services of Joe Tacopina. Tacopina, a high-profile attorney, confirmed the news on Thursday (April 3) while appearing as a guest on the Banfield program on NewsNation.
“Yes, I am representing her, I’m her personal attorney right now. I will be entering the case one way or another, but it’s a convoluted process…the last thing they want to do is see my face in that courtroom,” Tacopina said, offering a chuckle. He first spoke about her situation while appearing on the 2 Angry Men podcast last month, revealing that she reached out to him about representing her. Tacopina was moved by the plight of Williams after seeing the Tubi documentary Saving Wendy, calling it a “true injustice,” adding that “Murderers have more freedom than Wendy.”
Tacopina has represented numerous celebrities in court, including current President Donald Trump, the late Michael Jackson, and former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez. He recently represented A$AP Rocky in his trial for assault charges brought against him by former associate A$AP Relli and secured an acquittal for the rapper. The New York-based attorney has been a major figure in the Hip-Hop world, with clients such as Meek Mill, YG, and Swizz Beatz.
Wendy Williams is currently fighting to be released from a conservatorship overseen by Sabrina Morrisey, a court-appointed guardian, which was enacted in 2022. The situation was spurred by the bank Wells Fargo, which holds Williams’ accounts and called for it after questioning excessive spending from the accounts and her health condition. The former television host was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia.
Ginalisa Monterroso, Williams’ health advocate, told People that she initially was for the guardianship to protect her finances, but was unaware of the restrictions she’d face including not being able to travel without permission or to have her own bank account. “She kind of felt like, ‘Hey, I have the court,” Monerroso said. “They’re going to sign me a money person. I’m going to be good.’ In no way did she think that our whole life was going to be taken away from her.” Williams’ supporters held a protest in front of the assisted living facility she has been staying at in Hudson Yards on Tuesday (April 1).