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Back in 2011 Katy Perry mused about finding a “futuristic lover” with “different DNA” on the song “E.T.” The pop star might finally get her chance to have an intergalactic encounter when she suits up with an all-female crew for the next civilian space flight on Amazon boss Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket.
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The company announced on Thursday (Feb. 27) that its 11th human space flight, NS-31, will blast off into the cosmos this spring with a six-person team that will also feature CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King, as well as Bezos’ fiancée, Lauren Sánchez.
According to a release, Sanchez, an author, licensed helicopter pilot and Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, will lead the team of explorers “on a mission that will challenge their perspectives of Earth, empower them to share their own stories, and create lasting impact that will inspire generations to come.”
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Perry is gearing up for her global Lifetimes tour, which is slated to kick off on April 23 in Mexico City. At press time it was unknown if the Blue Origin flight will take place before that extensive outing hits the road, keeping the pop star on stages in Mexico, North America, Australia and Europe through a Nov. 11 gig in Madrid. It was also unknown at press time how much prep the civilian astronauts will have to go through to prepare for the flight.
Blue Origin said that the NS-31 crew will also host former NASA rocket scientist, global STEM advocate and Bahamian-American aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, as well as bioastronautics research scientist, Nobel Peace Prize nominee and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen — the first Vietnamese and Southeast Asian woman astronaut — and Kerianne Flynn, entrepreneur and producer of the films This Changes Everything and 2024’s LILLY, which told the story of fair-pay advocate Lilly Ledbetter.
Though at press time Perry did not appear to have commented on her impending trip to space on her socials, King, 70, announced her blast off on CBS Mornings, telling viewers, “I don’t know how to explain being terrified and excited at the same time. It’s like how I felt about to deliver a baby… I thought I wanted to open myself up to new adventures and step out of my comfort zone.” The TV presenter who has long joked about her fascination with space flight, also noted that she’d consulted with her two adult children and lifelong bestie and business partner Oprah Winfrey before signing up for the flight.
“Once Kirby and Will and Oprah was fine with it, I was fine,” King said. “I thought Oprah would say no, no. She said, ‘I think if you don’t do it, when they all come back and you had the opportunity to do it, you will be kicking yourself.’ She’s right.”
To date, Blue Origin’s human flight program has sent 52 people above the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space 62 miles above Earth on its phallus-shaped rockets, with crews that have included Star Trek star William Shatner, as well as company founder Bezos and his brother, Mark Bezos.
The spring flight will be host the first all-female crew since Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova’s solo flight in 1963.
See the CBS announcement below.
In 2025, artists from the indie and pop worlds collaborate and co-mingle regularly enough that it’s almost hard to remember a time when it was ever really that novel. But earlier this century, indie and pop were still isolated enough that in 2009, when Solange took her sister Beyoncé and Bey’s husband Jay-Z to a […]
Sabrina Carpenter‘s tour just got less short and a lot sweeter. On Thursday (Feb. 27), the pop star announced that she’s circling back to North America for a slew of extra dates on her ongoing Short n’ Sweet trek, kicking off this fall. In an Instagram post sharing the new shows, Carpenter wrote, “you asked […]
Taylor Lautner has no time for your body-shaming hate speech. The Twilight actor posted an Instagram Story on Wednesday (Feb. 26) in which he hit out at recent cruel comments about Selena Gomez that were re-posted influencer Alex Light. The British podcaster and body positivity advocate shared a before-and-after shot of the singer/actress that included harsh internet comments about Sel’s weight alongside her own statement about the “impossible” beauty standards society puts on women in the spotlight.
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While Light’s caption leaned into the theme of “out bodies are ours, not up for public discussion,” the inclusion of a round-up of unkind online statement’s about Gomez’s fluctuating weight appeared to set Lautner off.
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“It’s a cruel world full of hate out there,” wrote the actor, who in 2023 opened up on his podcast The Squeeze about how the focus on his physique during his Twilight years has had a lasting effect on his body image. “You can never please everyone nor should you have to. In my experience it doesn’t make the words sting less, it just refocuses you onto what matters,” Lautner continued. ” And it sure isn’t the shape, color or appearance of your body. Daily reminder to all of us to not forget how beautiful you are inside and out…and be a little bit nicer.”
Lautner’s post was cued to the 2011 Selena Gomez & the Scene song “Who Says,” which features the empowering lyrics: “I wouldn’t want to be anybody else/ You made me insecure/ Told me I wasn’t good enough/ But who are you to judge?/ When you’re a diamond in the rough.”
Gomez has repeatedly knocked down body shaming comments during her career, including speaking about her “weight fluctuation” following a 2015 lupus diagnosis and a kidney transplant in 2017 in a 2023 TikTok Live post addressing critiques of her body.
As a result of the diagnosis and other health struggles, Gomez explained in the Live that her medication causes her to hold on to water weight. “And that happens very normally,” she said at the time. “And then when I’m off of it I tend to kind of lose weight.” She also shared a positive message with her fans about their inner beauty and her focus on health first.
“I just want people to know that you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful,” Gomez told fans. “And yeah we have days where maybe we feel like s–t but I would much rather be healthy and take care of myself and my medications are important and I believe they are what helps me. So, yeah, not a model, never will be. And I think they’re awesome, mind you, I just, I’m definitely not that.”
You can see Light’s original post here.
Lady Gaga continued the roll-out of her eighth studio album Mayhem with “Abracadabra,” as well as its cinematic, dance-focused music video.
The song — which was debuted during the 2025 Grammy Awards — hit No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart.
Below, find the lyrics to Lady Gaga’s “Abracadabra.”
Abracadabra, abracadabraAbracadabra, abracadabra
Pay the toll to the angelsDrawin’ circles in the cloudsKeep your mind on the distanceWhen the devil turns around
Hold me in your heart tonightIn the magic of the dark moonlightSave me from this empty fightIn the game of life
Like a poem said by a lady in redYou hear the last few words of your lifeWith a haunting dance, now you’re both in a tranceIt’s time to cast your spell on the night
“Abracadabra, amor-ooh-na-naAbracadabra, morta-ooh-ga-gaAbracadabra, abra-ooh-na-na”In her tongue she said, “Death or love tonight”
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Abracadabra, abracadabraAbracadabra, abracadabraFeel the beat under your feet, the floor’s on fireAbracadabra, abracadabra
Choose the road on the west sideAs the dust flies, watch it burnDon’t waste time on a feelin’Use your passion, no return
Hold me in your heart tonightIn the magic of the dark moonlightSave me from this empty fightIn the game of life
Like a poem said by a lady in redYou hear the last few words of your lifeWith a haunting dance, now you’re both in a tranceIt’s time to cast your spell on the night
“Abracadabra, amor-ooh-na-naAbracadabra, morta-ooh-ga-gaAbracadabra, abra-ooh-na-na”In her tongue she said, “Death or love tonight”
Abracadabra, abracadabraAbracadabra, abracadabraFeel the beat under your feet, the floor’s on fireAbracadabra, abracadabra
Phantom of the dance floor, come to meSing for me a sinful melodyAh, ah, ahAh, ah, ah
“Abracadabra, amor-ooh-na-naAbracadabra, morta-ooh-ga-gaAbracadabra, abra-ooh-na-na”In her tongue she said, “Death or love tonight”
Lyrics licensed & provided by LyricFind
WRITERSHenry Walter, Andrew Wotman, Susan Ballion, Stefani Germanotta, John McGeoch, Peter Clarke, Steven BaileyPUBLISHERSLyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Drake has officially tied the record of having 14 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 with his latest album with PARTYNEXTDOOR on ‘$ome $exy $ongs 4 U.’ Keep watching to see how the three have achieved this feat, and who has the most No. 1s on the Billboard 200! Who do you think will […]
The Contenders is a midweek column that looks at artists aiming for the top of the Billboard charts, and the strategies behind their efforts. This week, for the upcoming Billboard 200 dated Mar. 8, we look at the chances of Tate McRae’s So Close to What to become the pop hitmaker’s first album to top the chart.
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Tate McRae, So Close to What (RCA): For folks who had been missing the days when pop stars were Pop Stars, few rising artists in the genre were as exciting as Canadian dancer-turned-singer Tate McRae. While McRae first broke out in the early decade with the relatively downtempo “You Broke Me First,” it soon became clear she was more at home delivering high-energy pop music with creative music videos and top-notch choreography – evoking Ariana Grande with her 2023 smash “Greedy,” which hit the chart’s top five in early 2024, and even earning some Britney Spears comparisons on that song’s parent album, Think Later.
McRae has wasted no time in building on the moment from that set – which peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 in December 2023 – with the release last Friday of her third album So Close to What. The 15-track set features guest appearances from rapper Flo Milli (“Bloodonmyhands”) and her hitmaker BF The Kid LAROI (“I Know Love”), as well as the advance singles “It’s OK I’m OK,” “2 Hands” and “Sports Car.” Each of those songs debuted in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, further establishing McRae as one of the hottest artists in pop and helping to build hype for the new set.
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Could the album cap her years-long rise to stardom with a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200? McRae is certainly going for it: So Close is available for purchase in three different CD variants (one signed), a cassette, seven different vinyl variants (two signed) and even four different digital albums, including one version with an alternate cover and three bonus tracks: “Siren Sounds,” now also available on streaming, and the purchase-only “Better Than I Was” and “Call My Bluff.” In addition, McRae has been on something of a media blitz in the past week or so, appearing on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday night, while also doing video interviews with Zane Lowe, AmEx, Jake Shane, iHeartRadio, Allure, Variety and Billboard.
The album is expected to sell well, and has also been off to a strong start streaming. McRae is pushing the set’s “Revolving Door” as a new single — releasing one of her physical and intricately choreographed videos yet along with it – and the song is performing very well out of the gate, ranking in the top 10 on both the Apple Music realtime chart and Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA chart. What’s more, the full album tracklist has been littering both listings since the album’s debut, with the majority of its 15 tracks still ranking in the top 100. It should all up to the biggest release week yet for McRae, with a bow likely in the six digits.
Will it be enough to get the album the top spot? Well, McRae shouldn’t face much competition from fellow new releases – no other sets released on Friday are expected to even threaten the top 10 – but of course, she’ll need to post a sizeable number to get past some of the LPs that have been regulars in the chart’s top tier the past week. Still, McRae has to like her chances of getting that No. 1, and of claiming a W for the old-school pop stars atop the charts this week.
PartyNextDoor & Drake, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U (OVO/Santa Anna/Republic): McRae’s strongest competition this week may come from a couple of her countrymen, with fellow Canucks PartyNextDoor and Drake reigning on the chart this week with their new collaborative set $ome $exy $ongs 4 U. The album — which includes the 6 God claiming “I feel like Tate McRae” on its “Small Town Fame” — will obviously drop in consumption following its 246,000-unit debut week, and as of publishing there haven’t been any new issues of the album to help goose second-week sales. But the album is still streaming pretty well, with “Die Trying,” “Gimme a Hug” and particularly “Nokia” hanging around as the set’s breakout hits. It may or may not be enough to fend off McRae from the top spot this week, but it should be enough to stave off any cackling about the album being a total one-week wonder.
Kendrick Lamar, GNX (pgLang/Interscope/ICLG): Of course, there’s no mentioning Drake these days – or anyone else, really – without also mentioning the perpetually grinning Kung Fu Kenny, still on his victory lap following a triumphant 2024 that’s led into an even-more celebratory early 2025. We may have finally gone a weekend without “Not Like Us” being performed to a building full of celebrities rapping along to it, but Lamar still does have four of the top five songs in the country, three of which come from his late-2024 blockbuster GNX, which rates at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 this week and is likely to hang around the top of the chart essentially for the foreseeable future. In the mid-2020s, the road to the Super Bowl goes through Kansas City, and the road to the top of the Billboard charts goes through Kendrick Lamar.
Billie Eilish is moving full steam ahead in 2025, with the pop star teasing in a recent interview that she’s ready to get back in the studio following last year’s hit album Hit Me Hard and Soft — that is, whenever she finds the time while on tour this year, something she hinted might not end as soon as fans think.
While in Australia for the latest leg of her global Hit Me Hard and Soft trek, Eilish was candid about her plans for the next 12 months in an interview with Hit Network posted Wednesday (Feb. 26). “Definitely getting back into the studio and doing stuff,” she began. “I mean, I definitely have more tour.”
“Lots of tour to do,” she added, before teasing, “Probably more than I’m even scheduled for that’s going to come, which I’m excited about.”
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Eilish is currently booked through the end of June, with the “Lunch” singer scheduled to embark on a European leg shortly after her Australian run of dates ends in March. So far, she’s completed four shows in Brisbane and two of four nights in Sydney.
Before that, the nine-time Grammy winner spent about two months touring through North America before closing out with five shows at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, Calif. Just before shipping off to Australia, Eilish performed her hit single “Birds of a Feather” at the 2025 Grammys, where the song was also nominated for song and record of the year, while Hit Me Hard and Soft was up for album of the year; she ended up losing to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” for both song categories, and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter for AOTY.
The “What Was I Made For?” artist has still had a banner year with her third studio album, which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. “Birds of a Feather” — which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 — was also one of the most streamed songs of 2024, with Spotify reporting in January that the buoyant love song beat out all other tracks on the platform last year.
While speaking to Hit Network, however, Eilish revealed that she truly had no idea the LP would be received so well. “I’ve definitely learned that I never have any idea what people are gonna like or not like,” she told the outlet. “In the making of this album, I had a couple moments of like, ‘They’re not going to like it; people aren’t going to like it; it’s not good enough; what if it’s not universal?’”
“And then, I gave it up and thought, ‘You know what? I don’t care at all,’” she added. “‘I’m not making this for anyone but myself.’”
Watch Eilish hint at getting back in the studio and adding more tour dates above.
Like millions of Swifties everywhere, Travis Kelce‘s emotional-support artist is Taylor Swift — especially following his recent heartbreak at the 2025 Super Bowl. On the latest episode of their New Heights podcast posted Wednesday (Feb. 26), the tight end and his older brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, opened up about the music they […]
No, j-hope fans, you aren’t dreaming — he really is releasing a new solo project. On Wednesday (Feb. 26), the BTS star announced a new single titled “Sweet Dreams,” featuring Miguel. Arriving March 7, the duet will find j-hope and the “Sure Thing” musician’s voices blending over a soulful R&B-pop track as they sing about […]