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24 Mar 2023

Lea Michele Sets Return to ‘Funny Girl’ This Weekend After Son Is Released From Hospital

Lea Michele shared a positive update on her two-year-old son Ever Leo’s health on Friday (March 24), two days after she revealed that her toddler was hospitalized due to an undisclosed health matter.

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“Thank you all for your well wishes this past week,” she wrote via her Instagram Stories, alongside a photo of the baby boy cuddling with a teddy bear in a hospital bed. “We are taking our boy home from the hospital soon. Thank you to all the amazing doctors and hospital staff.”

Michele concluded by noting that she’ll be returning to the Funny Girl broadway stage this weekend. See her post before it disappears here.

On Wednesday (March 22), the actress revealed the difficult news regarding her son. “I’m so sorry but unfortunately I will be out of @FunnyGirlBwy today. We are at the hospital with our son dealing with a scary health issue that I need to be here for,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories, revealing she’d be calling out of her starring role in Broadway’s Funny Girl for the evening. “I’m so sorry. Please send us some love and strength.”

Michele didn’t share what exactly sent her son with husband Zandy Reich to the hospital, but Funny Girl announced earlier this month that it will close this coming fall. After its final performance on Sept. 3, the show will hit the road for its very first North American tour.

24 Mar 2023

Here Are the Easter Eggs on Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour

It’s no secret that Taylor Swift is the queen of Easter eggs. Since the early days of her career, the superstar has regularly planted clues, hints and callbacks in her music videos, live appearances, interviews and even the liner notes in her albums.

“I love to communicate through Easter eggs,” Swift said in a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly to help kick off her Lover era. “I think the best messages are cryptic ones. … You know, when you plan something that far in advance, you’re kind of just flexing on planning. That’s what an Easter egg really does.”

So it should come as no surprise to Swifties that The Eras Tour is no exception to their queen’s masterminded penchant for hyper-specific planning and eye for gorgeous, perfectly plotted detail — all the way down to the colors painted on her nails during tour rehearsals.

As the U.S. leg of the wildly anticipated tour kicked off, fans at the first two shows in Glendale, Ariz. — and later across the internet, thanks to #SwiftTok — paid keen attention to each of the singer’s choices on stage. From her costumes to her choreography, and even the songs she included (or didn’t) on the setlist, nearly every detail elicited wild analysis and speculation for what it all could mean.

Below, Billboard rounds up an ongoing list of Easter eggs spotted by fans as The Eras Tour makes its way across America. Read on to discover what hidden messages and surprises many a Swiftie surmises the star could be sending from the stage.

24 Mar 2023

Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Victoria Monét, Demi Lovato, Rina Sawayama & More

In need of some new music from your favorite queer artists? We’ve got you covered — Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.

From Victoria Monét’s long-awaited return to Demi Lovato’s rocked-out reinvention of a classic song, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.

Victoria Monét feat. Lucky Daye, “Smoke”

Victoria Monét is back, and she’s ready to serve up some delicious R&B with her latest single “Smoke.” The undulating, funk-filled single picks up right where Monét left off with her 2021 single “Coastin’” — with delectable bass lines accentuating her silky smooth vocals as she compares loving her to lighting up a fat blunt. With guest vocals from fellow R&B star Lucky Daye, “Smoke” is sending off a signal that you can’t ignore; Victoria Monét’s superstar era is here.

Demi Lovato, “Heart Attack (Rock Version)”

Over the last 10 years, Demi Lovato has practically become a different person than she was when she unveiled her 2013 album Demi. Just take one listen to the new rocked-out remake of their hit single “Heart Attack” and you’ll see why. The singer reimagined every aspect of the fan-favorite single, swapping out 808s and synths for fiery guitars and pounding drums, while also giving re-recording her vocals to flex her matured pipes. It’s a recontextualization that puts the old track in a brand new light, all while delivering all the thrills you could ask for.

Rina Sawayama, “Eye for an Eye”

Ahead of her co-starring role in the new John Wick movie, Rina Sawayama would like to set the tone. “Eye for an Eye” brings the hard-rock stylings that appeared more in the background of the star’s debut album Sawayama to the forefront, as she spins a tale of revenge and retribution familiar to anyone who’s seen Keanu Reaves’ deadly hitman in action.

Billy Porter, “Baby Was A Dancer”

Put on your dancing shoes, folks, because Billy Porter wants to see you getting down to his brand new disco single. The crux of “Baby Was A Dancer” is a third-person autobiographical exploration of Porter’s own upbringing, as he recalls the preachers, teachers and naysayers who tried to shame him for being who he was. But it’s on the unavoidable chorus where the Pose star gets to the meat of the matter, resolving to be himself and dance all that pain and heartache away — a feeling we in the LGBTQ community can definitely relate to right now.

Saucy Santana, “1-800-Bad-Bxtch”

Saucy Santana’s number might be toll-free, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting away without paying up. On the rapper’s latest bop, “1-800-Bad-Bxtch,” Santana takes charge by taking calls from his prospective partners, listing off one by one the things he’s looking for from a lover. Add onto that a ferocious beat and some of Saucy’s slickest verses, and you’ve got a certified banger on your hands.

Donna Missal, “Flicker”

With her frenetic new single, Donna Missal is taking advantage of the ephemeral while she still can. From the moment it starts, “Flicker” refuses to let up — a driving beat sinks into every second of the track, providing a sense of urgency that’s only ratcheted up by the increasingly chaotic production. By the time reaches its first chorus, it has already exploded into a euphoric hyperpop symphony, before Missal’s otherworldly vocals bring you right back down to start the process all over again.

MAY-A, “Your Funeral”

Self-sabotage is a pretty surefire way to wind up alone, as indie rock artist MAY-A points out on her latest track. “Your Funeral” takes on a cynical, sardonic point of view from it’s first few bars, and spends the rest of the song proving why it’s probably not the best way to approach your own love life. The banging drums and skittering guitars further punch up the declaration that “loving me is your funeral,” before using an excellently crafted bridge to get real about self-doubt and lowered expectations.

Wrabel, “One Drink Away”

Sobriety is a life-long journey — which means that it’s also a life-long struggle. That’s the argument that Wrabel poignantly sends home on his deeply personal new song “One Drink Away.” Looking back on his life before getting sober, Wrabel perfectly communicates the mixed feelings of dread at the person he was and frustration at how hard it is to maintain the person he is now. It’s only a further testament to the singer-songwriter’s skill with his pen that in just 3 short minutes, he can translate the struggles of staying clean with such eloquence on this heartbreaking single.

Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:

24 Mar 2023

Mile High Mayhem: Frontier Airlines Passenger Physically Dragged Off Plane Following In-Flight Fracas

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Passengers wait in line for Frontier Airlines flight at Long Island MacArthur Airport

Source: Newsday LLC / Getty / Frontier Airlines

Another day, another passenger acting the hell up on an airplane.

As seen on the New York Post’s website, a woman had to be dragged off an airplane by four cops by her limbs after threatening physical harm to another passenger and trying to bite a police officer.

Simone Bryna Kim, 24, of Killeen, Texas, was caught in 4K acting a damn fool on a Frontier Airlines flight heading to Philadelphia on Tuesday while it was still on the tarmac at Miami International.

“During the boarding process for Flight 2326 from Miami to Philadelphia, two customers got into a verbal altercation which resulted in one of the customers being asked to deplane. Upon her refusal, assistance was requested from local law enforcement. We defer to the Miami-Dade Police Department for additional information,” a statement from Frontier Airlines read.

Per The New York Post:

“I’ll beat you the f–k up. What you trying to be on,” Kim yelled at a male passenger. “I’m going to rock your s**t.”

“‘If you’re real, show me what’s up. I’m going to beat you the f–k up on this s–t, I guarantee you, I guarantee you,’ she continued. 

“You’re not even from Philly,” she said to the man at one point, as a woman tried to intervene.

Kim could then be seen refusing to leave the plane after a crew member tried to defuse the situation, with police later called in to remove her.

When law enforcement showed up to diffuse the situation, Kim began to “struggle, pushing and pulling” as Miami-Dade Police tried to arrest her.

Local 10 News reports that Kim scratched one officer and tried to bite and kick another, knocking an officer down during the entire ordeal.

A passenger got footage of Kim being carried away by a group of officers through the plane window like a “rag doll”  while attempting to put her in the back of a police cruiser.

Kim Is Looking At A Bevy of Charges For Her Unruly Behavior

According to Miami cops, Kim is facing two charges of battery on a police officer and one charge of resisting an officer with violence. Both are felonies.

She is also looking at three misdemeanor counts of assault on an officer and a trespassing charge and is currently out of jail after posting bond.

It sounds like she needs to be on the no-fly list as well.

—

Photo: Newsday LLC / Getty

24 Mar 2023

New Music Latin: Listen to Releases From Myke Towers, Conexion Divina & More

New Music Latin is a compilation of the best new Latin songs and albums recommended by Billboard Latin and Billboard Español editors. Check out this week’s picks below.

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Myke Towers, La Vida Es Una (Warner Music Latina/Warner Records/One World International)

Since his debut studio album in 2016, Myke Towers was destined to become one of the most notable acts of the nueva escuela in Latin urban. His life story, authenticity, captivating vocal range and hard-hitting bars ultimately took him from an aspiring freestyle rapper on Soundcloud to earning 45 titles on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart (nine of which entered the Top 10), and beyond. Now, on his fourth studio set La Vida es Una (Life is only one), Towers demonstrates he’s still a force to be reckoned with—and that indeed, you only live once. Released two years after predecessor Lyke Mike, a set that stemmed 100 percent from his trap and hip-hop core, LVEU is jam-packed with a more experimental sound (“No Salgo” and “Lo Logré” are the few tracks that maintain his rap essence).

The set kicks off with “Voodoo,” a sultry Afrobeats jam where the Puerto Rican artist chants about conquering the girl he likes. Along those lines follows “Mi Droga,” a reggaetón bop fused with flamenco flair. In tracks such as “Más Allá” and “Mundo Cruel” he flirts with EDM beats, whereas in “Sábado,” he drops a feel-good retro ’80s funk groove that will empower the ladies, and in “Flow Jamaican,” he goes full-on reggae. He’s more chameleonic than ever — but it works, and of course, he couldn’t make his comeback without the infectious reggaetón and perreo melodies that made him a household name: “Tu Rehén,” “Bella Kyal,” and “El Alta” are the perfect examples. On La Vida es Una, Towers recruits big dogs Daddy Yankee, Arcángel, Ozuna and J Balvin, as well as newcomer Chita, who shines on “Cama King,” a smooth, early 2000s-inspired R&B track. — JESSICA ROIZ

Humbe, ESENCIA (Humbe/Sony Music Mexico)

Humbe’s fourth studio album deeply connects the regiomontano’s (a word that describes someone from Monterrey) emotions and celebrates love, willpower and self-confidence. Best showcasing the unique sounds of the Mexican singer-songwriter, the 11 tracks on the set fuse beautiful atmospherics with his signature pop sound. It’s an album full of introspection — or in Humbe’s own words via a press release, he had to “search through his own story to deliver his essence.”

He perfectly proves this from the opening track “Mamá,” which portrays one of the purest loves that exist, through “Manada,” which reflects the love he receives from his fans. Moreover, “Para Siempre” — vocally and musically — makes you feel every single word, and reminds that when it comes to love, “sometimes it heals/ sometimes, it kills/Many call it, the perfect weapon.” ESENCIA is charged with musical messages for the soul and closes with two powerful anthems: “Lo Logré,” a song about how we can fight for all the things we desire, and “Serotonina,” about the meaning of serotonin, which contributes to the feeling of happiness and mood regulation. — INGRID FAJARDO

Rosalía & Rauw Alejandro, RR (Columbia Records/Sony Music/Duars Entertainment)

Rosalía, an unflinching artist who’s rooted in tradition and bears an unmatched knack for experimentation, and Rauw Alejandro, a sly reggaetón crooner armed with a genre-spanning dance-driven moxie, combine for RR — or R♾Я, for the sake of style. The expectations were sky-high for their first public collaboration, and these two musical omnivores not only meet them here, but exceeded them. Their beautiful music video for “Beso” even came equipped with their engagement announcement. Leading with an upbeat keyboard melody, Rosalía sings about yearning for a kiss with her signature high-pitched rasp in “Beso.” Rauw meets his match with his R&B-laden coo, asserting he echoes her feelings.

Then comes the more sinister “Vampiros,” dripping in post-coital swagger, as this incendiary pair take off into the night á la Bonnie and Clyde, backed by an old-school-styled reggaetón thump. “My gun has no safety/ It shoots by itself/ She’s from Barcelona but she’s a cabrona/ She’s not a follower,” the Puerto Rican hitmaker hisses. On their confessional bolero ode “Promesa,” another facet of their love is revealed: a tender, classically styled love letter that brims with sweetness and sensuality. “A promise is never to look back / If you were to ask, I would swear it to you again / Like a pearl that returned to the bottom of the sea, if I lost you, I know I would find you again,” cries the Spanish singer.

All in all, RR is a swoon-worthy, open-hearted slice of Latin pop that’s swirled together with adventure, lust and romance — giving any love skeptics hope. — ISABELA RAYGOZA

Andrés Cepeda & Gusi, “Duele” (Sony Music Colombia)

Andrés Cepeda and Gusi take us to the 1950s as they join forces in “Duele,” a bolero-cha song about heartache whose title translates as “It Hurts.” Written by Gusi and Benji Cordero, “Duele” talks about the end of a relationship and the painful memories that the absence of the loved one can evoke. The track allows both singers to shine separately before blending their voices in subtle-but-beautiful harmonies. “And it hurts/ To think that you are leaving me, love/ You did not give it importance/ How much this distance weighs/ To say goodbye to us,” they cry in the chorus. “Duele” is part of Cepeda’s upcoming album, which will be released in May. The song’s music video — directed by Salomón Simhon and filmed in Colombia, in Cienaga, Magdalena — is as colorful as its lyrics. — SIGAL RATNER-ARIAS

Conexión Divina, “Anestesia” (Sony Music Latin)

Gearing up to release their debut album, 3 Mundos, on April 14, Conexión Divina is now blessing fans with another single just before the big release. With “Anestesia,” the all-women team of Ashlee, Liz and Sandra continue building on their core sierreño sound, powered by a mashup of melancholy acoustic and electric guitar tunes. “This was one of the songs we had the most fun recording because we had the freedom to add effects to the music,” the trio says in a joint statement. (They’re referring to the addition of thunder mid-song, which only intensifies the dark and somber vibes of the lyrics of a heartbreak that’s palpable.)

“I know nothing will change, I took some anesthesia and I couldn’t wake up anymore,” Liz sings on the track. “Sometimes I sleep when I’m awake and I don’t how to feel about it because it bothers me, and sometimes I feel like I have amnesia.” If you’re itching to see the group live, Conexión will be making their Coachella debut in April.  — GRISELDA FLORES

Miranda! & Cristian Castro, “Prisionero” (Sony Music Argentina)

Miranda! welcomes Cristian Castro as a guest in the new version of the song “Prisionero,” which is part of their upcoming album Hotel Miranda!, which presents new versions of the hits acculumated over the more-than-20-year musical career of the Argentine duo, formed by Ale Sergei and Juliana Gattas. The electro-pop track was first released in 2007, and although the feathery-voiced duo has always had a retro sound, the new mix that highlights the beat, bass and a stronger presence of synthesizers, which gives it a more ’80s touch.

In the video, Castro can be seen as a captive of the couple, and several allusions to his hit “Azul.” For those who recognize this song, it will undoubtedly be a nostalgic journey to the 2000s that will provoke singing, with an Argentine accent, “Nadie va a amarte como yo lo haré” (No one will love you like I will). — LUISA CALLE

24 Mar 2023

Here Are All the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards Performers & Special Guests

Ready for the 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards? The March 27 event will see a whole host of celebrities and musicians at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, attending as performers and making special appearances.

The 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards will include nine performances across a variety of genres, including a set from Lenny Kravitz — who doubles as the host for the ceremony — Kelly Clarkson, Keith Urban, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Latto, Muni Long, Cody Johnson and Coldplay, who will appear at the event live from its Music of the Spheres World Tour stop in Brazil.

P!nk will also take the stage one month following the release of her ninth studio album, Trustfall, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. In addition to performing, the star will be honored as the ICON award recipient, which acknowledges her achievements spanning three decades. Taylor Swift, a 14-time iHeartRadio Music Award winner, will receive the Innovator award. Swift, who is not performing, is also up for seven awards, including the song of the year and artist of the year categories.

The 2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards will also feature special appearances from Cher, Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin, Donald Faison, H.E.R., Joel McHale, Jordan Davis, Nicole Scherzinger, Nikki Glaser, Phoebe Bridgers, TLC, Vella Lovell, Zach Braff and more. LL Cool J was previously announced to make a special appearance during the ceremony.

The iHeartRadio Music Awards will air on Fox on Monday, March 27, starting at 8 p.m. ET. Here are all the performers and special guests for the event:

Performers:

  • Lenny Kravitz
  • P!nk
  • Kelly Clarkson
  • Coldplay
  • Keith Urban
  • Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo
  • Muni Long
  • Cody Johnson
  • Latto

Special Appearances:

  • Cher
  • Phoebe Bridgers
  • TLC
  • Damar Hamlin
  • Nicole Scherzinger
  • Donald Faison
  • H.E.R.
  • Joel McHale
  • Jordan Davis
  • Nikki Glaser
  • Vella Lovell
  • Zach Braff
  • LL Cool J

24 Mar 2023

Why Tours By The Kid LAROI, Lil Wayne & More Signal the Live Business Is ‘On Fire’

So far this year, much of the discussion around the touring business has been about ticketing, with high-profile tours by the likes of Taylor Swift and Drake putting Live Nation and Ticketmaster in the spotlight. But underlining that throughline is one undeniable fact: three years on from the onset of the pandemic that shut down events across the world, the live music business is fully back, with the biggest stars in the world hitting the road for their first outings in years.

That has meant that all facets of the touring business are once again operating at full speed. Or, as UTA partner and music agent Mike G puts it, “Post-pandemic, the live business has been on fire.”

The longtime agent would know. This year, he’s booked a series of major tours and shows for some of the biggest acts in multiple genres, including Lil Wayne, Romeo Santos, Wizkid and The Kid LAROI, each with some significance: Wayne’s charting an underplay in anticipation of a broader tour around his upcoming album Tha Carter VI; Santos is playing stadium dates in four cities, almost a decade after he became the first solo Latin artist to sell out Yankee Stadium; Wizkid has a headlining arena tour on the way, after he became just the second Nigerian artist to sell out Madison Square Garden in November; and The Kid LAROI kicked off a college tour of secondary and tertiary markets this week. And all that activity has helped earn Mike G the title of Billboard’s Executive of the Week.

Here, he talks about the strategy behind several of those outings, as well as the difficulties and opportunities that have arisen as the pandemic increasingly appears to be in the rear view mirror. “[The pandemic] created a demand,” he says, “and the live industry is healthy.”

This week, The Kid LAROI kicked off his college tour in Syracuse, New York, one of a number of big tours you’ve locked in in the last few months. What was the strategy behind this one in particular?

The strategy behind touring these college towns was to touch a significant fan base for LAROI in secondary and tertiary markets. The idea of going on a reputable college tour hasn’t been executed since Jay Z. So, we saw an opportunity to continue to build his live business with this run and market it in a specific way. The pop-up pep rallies on the day of the show have been a special touch by LAROI to connect with his fans on campus.

You also booked the upcoming Lil Wayne tour ahead of his next album, which sold out in presale and moved 70,000 tickets with a mix of theaters and arenas. What goes into the routing of a tour like this for a superstar like Wayne?

The idea behind Lil Wayne was to create an intimate touring experience for his fans by playing at venues like the Wiltern in Los Angeles and the iconic Apollo Theater in New York. The concept of playing these rooms was to leave tickets at the door for his more extensive run in the fall while pre-promoting Tha Carter VI with this tour as a marketing vehicle. It is an understatement to say this has played out the way we wanted it to. This tour will be such a great experience for the fans.

Last November, Wizkid became the second Nigerian artist to sell out Madison Square Garden, and now he’s set for an arena tour later this year. What do you see as the touring market and possibilities for afrobeats artists in the U.S.?

The possibilities will be arena and amphitheater tours with afrobeats artists as well as headlining crossover festivals. The potential is unlimited in the live space and we’ve seen such incredible success with WizKid being on the forefront and one of the very few artists leading the movement in the U.S.

In 2020, you guys signed Romeo Santos, his first time signing with a major agency. How did you convince him to come aboard?

The signing of Romeo Santos in 2020 was one of the most significant signings for our department. We presented the full-service models that we live by at the agency. Touring is an artist’s most important revenue generator, but in conjunction with live, the thought was, “Let’s build out other untapped business areas.” Film, TV, digital and brand opportunities should be part of those daily conversations. That generated Romeo’s interest and, ultimately, led him to signing with us. It’s about everything we can deliver, not just touring. He wanted to build out a 360 business in all areas of entertainment.

This year, he’s doing stadium shows in four U.S. cities, just shy of a decade after he became the first Latin artist to ever sell out Yankee Stadium. What continues to make him such a big draw?

His loyal fan base and consistency in delivering fantastic music and a spectacular live show. Romeo took Bachata music to new heights. He revolutionized and modernized the genre.

What goes into booking artists of all sizes in the right venues — especially those artists who may have emerged during the pandemic, and don’t have much of a touring history, if any?

We study and understand where that artist is in their career. For some acts, we can gauge and see if playing a 500-cap room is the right step to begin their touring career in the major markets. Finding the right support slot on tour for other acts can expose the artist to new fans and build a base. Each artist is different, but you must be strategically aggressive and not afraid to lose to make a live career.

How has the touring business changed as the world emerges from the pandemic? And how has it changed how you do business?

Post-pandemic, the live business has been on fire. It created a demand, and the live industry is healthy. The business will continue to thrive, but being conscious of ticket pricing will be instrumental in our current economy.

Previous Executive of the Week: Jesús López of Universal Music Latin America

24 Mar 2023

Twitter Claims It Will Begin ‘Winding Down” Its ‘Legacy’ Blue Checkmarks Program

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Elon Musk - Twitter Illustration

Source: NurPhoto / Getty / Twitter

Elon Musk’s mission to make Twitter hot garbage continues.

Twitter, well, Elon Musk’s version of the app is now “winding down” its “legacy verified program and is giving people until April 1 to subscribe to Twitter Blue or risk losing their blue checkmark.

The announcement of this is not new because Musk has been threatening to do this since he took ownership of the social media platform, saying since November that in the “coming months,” he would be snatching away “legacy” verification badges given to users under company’s old ownership. After all, he feels they were given out in a “corrupt and nonsensical” way.

Keep in mind Phony Stark benefited from the old verification process because it told people on the platform and those who followed him on purpose that his account was legit.

This could be an elaborate troll job using Twitter’s Verified account because the new rule takes effect on April 1, also April Fool’s Day. Musk loves “own the libs” on Twitter, and many changes he said were coming have yet to happen.

But, another tweet sourcing a report from a website called boing boing claims Twitter Blue subscribers will be able to hide their blue checkmark to avoid ridicule because they dare to subscribe to the service.

We Are Watching These Social Media Platforms Suffer A Slow, Painful Death

Twitter Blue subscribers get other handy features outside the blue checkmark, like posting longer videos and editing tweets. It’s sad to see how one of the best social media experiences has quickly become a dumpster fire that you might have to pay $8 bucks to use to its full extent.

Musk is not the only social media platform CEO pushing a pay-for-verification plan. Mark Zuckerberg just recently began something similar on Facebook and Instagram, and, of course, no one cares for it.

—

Photo: NurPhoto / Getty

24 Mar 2023

Selena Gomez Might Be Dating Zayn Malik & the Internet Is Torn: See Fan Reactions

It’s probably too soon for this, but Zelena might just be the next big celebrity couple. That’s because Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik were supposedly spotted getting cozy together on a restaurant date in New York City, and the internet is understandably freaking out.

The rumor that two of pop music’s biggest stars have sparked a romance started after one fan posted a TikTok claiming that a pal, who works as a hostess in NYC, served Gomez and Malik while they were eating together at the restaurant where she works. The friend had sent texts saying the pair walked in to the restaurant “hand in hand” and were “making out.”

The TikToker also pointed out that Gomez is one of just 18 people the former One Direction singer follows on Instagram. Other fans also say that the “Calm Down” singer followed Malik back as recently as a few weeks ago.

Billboard has reached out to Gomez and Malik’s reps for comment.

Now, this isn’t the first time in recent history that people have jumped to conclusions about Gomez’s relationship status. Earlier this year, many were convinced that she was dating The Chainsmokers’ Drew Taggart after the two were spotted hanging out at a bowling alley — but the Only Murders in the Building actress quickly confirmed that she was single at the time.

It’s also worth mentioning that, just nine days prior to the Zayn dating rumors beginning, Gomez posted a TikTok joking about how she doesn’t even have a crush on anyone at the moment. “Still out here lookin for him lol,” she’d captioned the video.

But still, making out? Holding hands? If it’s true, it certainly sounds like something is happening between the two stars, and folks on Twitter are divided on how to feel about it. Some are excited for the possible new couple — “IM HERE FOR THIS,” tweeted one fan — but others have doubts. Mainly, what will this mean for Gomez’s friendship with Gigi Hadid, who shares a daughter with the “Pillow Talk” singer?

“idk why y’all want selena and zayn to happen like selena and gigi aren’t friends of nearly a decade,” wrote one fan.

See what fans are saying about Selena Gomez and Zayn Malik’s rumored romance below:

24 Mar 2023

Beyonce Announces Major Collaboration With Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing On Stunning Vogue France Cover

Beyoncé rocks a rhinestone-covered black velvet hat and and matching curve-hugging black bodysuit on the cover of Vogue France in a story celebrating the new couture collection she’s co-created with Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing.

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As the accompanying story explains, instead of working to finalize Balmain’s spring 2023 collection last July, Rousteing was obsessing over Bey’s then-new album Renaissance album. “I was sketching and sketching as I listened, and sometimes you can’t control the emotion of your sketch,” he told the magazine about his priorities at the time (which also included preparing for holiday). “And I started to imagine the sketches inside her album, how they would relate to the songs and the lyrics — it wasn’t something I was supposed to be doing but I was just inspired by the music to do it. And that’s how this started.”

Rousteing did eventually get to that vacation, but he told Vogue he couldn’t stop sketching Renaissance-inspired ideas, so when he returned to Paris in August he reached out to Bey’s stylist, Marni Senofonte, and pitched her team on a couture collection. “My hope was that she would be up for something even beyond the work we have done together before… I wanted us to be co-designers,” he said, noting that to his joy, Beyoncé was totally on board.

That kicked off a five-month collaboration between the designer, Senofonte and Bey that included cutting down the 50 looks Rousteing had amassed to a “playlist” of 17 final ones that eventually became the Balmain x Beyoncé couture collection. “The result is a suite of A-side looks that honor both the history of the house and the musical heritage of the performer,” the magazine explained, noting that two of the pieces have already been seen in the real world at this year’s Grammy Awards and the BRIT Awards.

“I can’t help but be thrilled by the history-making aspects of this collaboration,” Rousteing said of the 17 items inspired by a track, or lyric, from the album. “This appears to be the first time that a Black woman has overseen the couture offering from an historic Parisian house. And those designs were created in partnership with the first Black man to ever oversee all the collections at an historic Parisian house. Let’s hope those two firsts help inspire plenty of others…Thank you, Beyoncé for creating the infectious, joyous music that launched this journey—and for partnering with me to ensure that we designed the collection that perfectly reflected the power of those compositions.”

The accompanying story breaks down 12 of the looks — with notes from Rousteing on their inspiration and formatio — from the opening one, an “I’m That Girl” bustier in hammered metal by sculptor Elie Hirsch covered in spikes, with matching spiked bracelets, to a stunning “Plastic Off the Couch” dress that took inspiration from the song’s disco vibe by melding three different concepts.

“The first is an extremely sensual silhouette that relies on impressively curved front-and-back boning to create that impeccably fitted, body-con tulle bustier. The second is a dazzlingly lustrous shine achieved by galvanized, pink-chrome fabric (allowing us to channel the slippery and slick title material),” reads the description. “And the third is an unexpected combo of two iconic Parisian couture signatures: the bow and le smoking. Beyoncé and I were very inspired by the Balmain archive’s many mid-century examples of the founder’s brilliance in creating surprising couture silhouettes via new twists on bow sizing, shape, and placements. Building on that legacy, we decided to flip our glossy pink bow 180 degrees… this transformed what normally would have been a bow’s hanging fabric edges into the most reduced version possible of a classic smoking’s lapels.”

In an Instagram post with Rousteing celebrating the collaboration, Bey wrote, “Thank you @olivier_rousteing and @balmain for bringing RENAISSANCE to life in couture. Designing alongside you was freeing—thank you for allowing me to celebrate the human form, to take artistic risks, to push boundaries and to freely express myself. To the @voguefrance team, thank you for trusting in our vision and sharing it with the world.”

Click here to see the looks and descriptions and check out the cover images in Beyoncé’s Instagram post below.