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This year’s Met Gala was a very different experience for Lorde than the last time she attended the event in 2021.
In a vulnerable voice note sent to fans Tuesday night (May 6), the pop star opened up about having overcome her issues with body image in the four years since she last walked the Metropolitan Museum of Art red carpet, revealing that last time she was there, she’d unhealthily restricted her eating for weeks in preparation.
“I was so hungry,” she recalled of the 2021 gala, the theme of which was “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” “I didn’t eat properly for weeks thinking about my little tummy on that carpet.”
This year, Lorde attended once again, sporting a chic slate Thom Browne look that matched the 2025 theme of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.” Returning to the Met four years later, the singer said it was “moving” to be back in the same place with an entirely new mindset regarding her body.
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“I was there last night fully in myself, and I didn’t have to not eat, I didn’t have to go to the gym a million times,” she told her fans. “I was just fully in myself. Quite beautiful.”
Lorde has slowly been sharing more and more about her struggles with eating and body image in the lead-up to her new album Virgin, which arrives June 27. On lead single “What Was That,” released in April, she sings, “I wear smoke like a wedding veil/ Make a meal I won’t eat.”
In a recent interview with Document Journal, the New Zealand native elaborated on the lyric: “I had made my body very small, because I thought that that was what you did as a woman and a woman on display … I thought, ‘I’m small. This will communicate to people that I’m taking my position seriously.’”
Now, Lorde says she feels fully “embodied,” meaning this year’s Met — which took place one day prior to her voice note — was a much better experience. “It was definitely my favorite Met,” she said in her message before remarking, “It’s really a reality check of where you’re at in relation to, you know, your own public image and how you feel in your body, how you feel among your peers and how you feel in culture and all that sort of stuff.”
One moment from Monday night (May 5) that did make her “so cringed out” at herself, though, was when she commented that her dress was an “Easter egg” in an interview with Vogue correspondent Emma Chamberlain, leading fans to believe the singer was teasing something musical through her attire. “More will be revealed,” she’d added during the red-carpet chat. “To me it really represents where I’m at gender-wise. I feel like a man and a woman, kind of vibe.”
But in her voice note, Lorde clarified, “Just as it was leaving my mouth, I was like, ‘What are you talking about? No, it’s not [an Easter egg]. The language of Easter eggs, I love it as a concept … [but] for what I was referring to, it was not my vibe,” she said. “Please accept me feeling like a loser, I’m sure you don’t care at all.”
Moby is currently matching donations to Los Angeles NPR affiliate KCRW, up to $10,000. The donation match began Tuesday (May 6) and extends through midnight on Wednesday.
“As we all know, public radio is in grave danger right now,” the electronic artist says in an ad currently airing on the station about this donation match. “If you care about KCRW; if you care about public radio and about free access to music and information, this is a very important moment to act.”
This special effort happens amid KCRW’s annual spring pledge drive, which this year has been titled “Mission Critical” due to an executive order signed last week by President Trump that directed the board of directors at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to “cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,” the nation’s primary public broadcasters. The order was made on the claim of ideological bias by NPR and PBS.
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As reported by Billboard last week, this move follows a pattern of Trump leveraging executive powers to defund or dismantle institutions he deems oppositional, including cultural and educational organizations like the Kennedy Center and National Endowment for the Humanities. The legality of Trump’s order is in question, however, as CPB is a private nonprofit entity and not a federal agency.
In any case, KCRW’s chief development officer Jill Smayo tells Billboard that “the funding for public media, both NPR and PBS, is in flux right now… We’re not exactly sure what’s going to happen at this point. It’s evolving. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is investigating more what this truly means and what will come of this, but what is at stake for KCRW specifically is $1.3 million dollars annually that we receive from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.”
Such “challenge grants” like Moby’s current $10,00 offer are a common element of KCRW pledge drives, with various public figures, often musicians, actors and other artists, making the offer in order to incentivize donations. As part of Moby’s offer, one person who donates will win tickets to performances he’s doing as part of the Cercle Odyssey tour in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, May 9. The musician also relaunched his MobyGratis sound library, which offers creators high-quality, royalty free music to use in projects.
“We’re very grateful for his belief that KCRW is a treasure for the curious and the artistic and worthy of supporting,” says Smayo. The Mission Critical spring pledge drive extends through May.
The first time Reba McEntire heard “Trailblazer,” she cried. So did Lainey Wilson and Miranda Lambert as they wrote it.
The star trio are debuting the emotional, mid-tempo ballad about thanking those who came before them — and lifting up those who come after — at the ACM Awards tomorrow (May 8). The song will be available on all streaming services at 8 p.m. E.T. Thursday.
Wilson and Lambert wrote the song with Brandy Clark on Lambert’s back porch, specifically as a song that the pair and McEntire could sing together.
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“We were like, ‘OK, we’re going to do a song with Reba — what kind of song do we write?” recalls Lambert on Wednesday after rehearsals at The Star in Frisco, Texas, in the only interview the three artists are doing together. “We were calling her on the set [of sitcom Happy’s Place] and trying to figure out, ‘What’s the right message for this trio? What do we really want to say in three minutes?’”
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They decided they wanted a country song that talked about influences —the song namechecks “Dolly and Loretta, Patsy and Tammy, too”— and how to pass it down. “We were just having a conversation about how both [Lambert and McEntire] have influenced me and [about] passing the torch and blazing trails for each other,” says Wilson, who came up with the title. “Generation after generation, it’s going to continue, but we got to keep blazing those trails for the next one.”
It was also important to drop some Easter eggs into the song that tied back to each artist. For example, the lyrics include “Kerosene,” the title of one of Lambert’s biggest hits, and also talk about being from Louisiana, Wilson’s home state, and Oklahoma, where McEntire grew up.
“We wanted to lean in pretty hard to paying tribute to each person,” Lambert says. “We had to do it strategically though, because we didn’t want it to be so blatant — but more like a secret thing that you would have to listen to it twice.”
But they still needed to keep the song’s appeal universal and beyond music. “I remember thinking that this could be a song that a grandmother and a daughter and a grandchild could listen to,” Wilson says. “And not just about the history of country music… If we’re not thinking about the people that we’re singing to then they’re not going to be able to relate.”
The song came together quickly and felt, Wilson says, divinely inspired. “When you’re writing a song and you get that like feeling, it’s like the Holy Spirit feeling. And you just feel it all over your body. Definitely had that.”
Wilson, Lambert and Clark had butterflies when they sent it to McEntire, but they needn’t have worried. “I remember listening to it in the dressing room. I couldn’t find a flaw in it, not a word,” McEntire says. “It was that great. I was very emotional when I heard it.” The three recorded it together in Nashville with McEntire and her longtime producer Tony Brown co-producing.
Another overarching theme in the song is friendship and the three have clearly cultivated close ties. They giggle conspiratorially when they talk about their group text. “We can’t tell you what’s in it,” Lambert says. “It’s off-color.”
Their relationship exists in a way that McEntire says couldn’t have when she was coming up, in part because of technology.
“There’s something different totally in these generations than the earlier generations, mainly because of the social aspect,” McEntire says. “We’ve got texting, we’ve got emails, communication at our fingertips, and we didn’t have that starting out. And I like it that things are more approachable. When I was getting started, I wouldn’t have even thought about talking to Dolly when she walked by me in 1977. I was brand new. She was a huge, mega, beautiful star. And I don’t know if it’s confidence that’s totally different, but I had [my musical heroes] all up on this pedestal where you can’t touch, you can’t talk. Now, we’re more friends and it’s a family. It’s totally different, and I like it this way.”
The three stress their friendship and McEntire says that is another big takeaway from “Trailblazer.” “We’ve got that camaraderie; we’ve got that helpful nature. If somebody needs something, the others come in to help. That’s very important. A lot of people think it’s backstabbing and so competitive. There’s enough room in this business — and all businesses — for everybody to be successful. We’ve just got to help each other and share what we’ve gone through and say what didn’t work. ‘Now here’s what did work. Maybe it will work for you.’”
There’s a line in the song about paying tribute to those who “gave me a seat at the table.” “One of the very first people to give me a seat at the table was that one right over there,” Wilson says, looking at Lambert. “She made me feel like I was welcome, and like she was my cheerleader. I think a lot of times people like to pit women against each other, and I think we’re just proving otherwise.”
That group text isn’t all about jokes: It provides a tremendous support system. “Sometimes you need someone to talk to when you’re so exhausted,” Wilson says, looking at McEntire. “I know I texted you one timem and you told me, ‘Sometimes I have to get up [on stage] and sing for a different reason. Sing for my sister. Sing for whomever it is.’ I remember those things when I’m on stage and feel like I can’t do it anymore.”
“I remember at the end of one of my long Vegas runs, I texted you,” Lambert says also looking at McEntire. “I was like, ‘I’m crying getting ready. Just wanted to let you know. It’s one of those tiring days.’ And I feel like I’m not alone in that, because they’ve been there.”
When they sing “Trailblazer” tomorrow on the ACM Awards, they will be singing it for more than themselves. “It’s not about us,” Lambert says. “It’s about what the song means to little girls out there watching, or anyone out there watching that really has a dream or needs to be surrounded by people they love, and needs a little nudge to know they’re not alone.”
And there will hopefully be more coming. When asked if “Trailblazer” is their last collaboration, McEntire says “No, ma’am” before the question is even finished. “I love singing with these gals. They’re a lot of fun. They’re great singers. Our harmonies blend so well. So why not?”
The ACM Awards stream live on Amazon Prime Video May 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET.
Rubi Rose says women should be weary of BBL’s and instead advocated for them to hit the gym. On Tuesday (May 6), Rubi Rose pleaded with fans on X to stop getting butt implants after she had shared a video of her twerking in a car. “Please stop getting a— shots,” she wrote. Rose then […]
Mexican band Los Alegres del Barranco has been charged by the Fiscalía del Estado de Jalisco (Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office) for allegedly advocating crime. Authorities in the Mexican state are investigating the band after projecting images of a criminal leader while performing the song “El del Palenque” during a concert on 29 March at an auditorium of the University of Guadalajara.
Now, a judge will determine whether or not to initiate legal proceedings against the members of the group, their legal representative and the promoter of their concerts in a hearing scheduled for Monday (May 12), which would mark a precedent in regional Mexican music.
“The members of a musical group that showed images referencing a figure from organized crime during a concert in Zapopan have been formally charged in a criminal court today for allegedly promoting criminal activity,” read a statement from the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday (May 6) shared with Billboard Español. “Similarly, charges were also brought against the group’s manager and the promoter of their concerts.
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According to the statement, the judge imposed precautionary measures on the four members of the band, their manager and the promoter, meaning they are not allowed to leave Jalisco. Additionally, they will have to pay a bond of 1.8 million pesos (about $92,000), which amounts to 300,000 pesos per person.
Article 142 of the Jalisco Penal Code states that publicly inciting the commission of a crime or glorifying it — or any vice — can be punishable by up to six months in prison. Experts consulted by Billboard Español note that since this type of penalty is less than four years, it can potentially be served outside of prison if the judge allows it.
The group and their representatives chose not to make any statements during a hearing on Tuesday, according to the statement. Billboard Español has reached out to the band’s representatives for comment but has not received a response at time of publication.
The Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to Billboard Español that three open investigations into Los Alegres del Barranco for allegedly advocating crime. The first one corresponds to the investigation against them for projecting images of the leader of the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” during their concert on March 29. This fact even caused the United States to revoke the work and tourist visas of its members, as announced on April 1 by the U.S. Undersecretary of State, Christopher Landau, in a post on X.
The second investigation was opened after, on May 3, the group allegedly projected on screens during their show the lyrics of the controversial corrido “El del Palenque,” which alludes to the aforementioned drug lord. The third folder corresponds to another presentation, on May 4, in which the group allegedly incurred in similar acts, in the municipality of Tequila, according to a press release from the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office on May 5.
The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, said on Wednesday (May 7) that “it was the decision” of the Jalisco State Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute the members of Los Alegres del Barranco for allegedly advocating crime, and reiterated that her government is not in favor of banning the narcocorrido genre.
“My position is that it should not be banned, but that other music should be promoted. Rather than prohibiting, it is more important to educate, guide and encourage people and young people to stop listening to that music,” said the Mexican president during her morning press conference.
The controversy over Los Alegres del Barranco’s alleged homage to the drug trafficker comes in the wake of the debate over how the cartel founded in Jalisco uses clandestine ranches to recruit people to the criminal group through deceitful job offers, as reported by federal authorities and the media. This follows the discovery of the Izaguirre Ranch in the municipality of Teuchitlán, where acts of torture and murder were allegedly committed, as denounced by the Guerreros Buscadores collective in early March.
Ten (out of 32) states in Mexico have implemented several new bans against narcocorridos or any expression that advocates crime, without it being a federal law.
Welcome to Billboard Pro’s Trending Up newsletter, where we take a closer look at the songs, artists, curiosities and trends that have caught the music industry’s attention. Some have come out of nowhere, others have taken months to catch on, and all of them could become ubiquitous in the blink of a TikTok clip.
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This week: The Bey Hive buzzes over the Cowboy Carter Tour, Mariah the Scientist eyes a proper breakout hit and Katy Perry sees a less-remembered older hit gain newfound interest.
Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Streams Giddy Up 116% Following Tour Launch
If not for the launch of Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s long-awaited co-headlining Grand National Tour last month, the most-anticipated live kickoff of the month would’ve almost certainly been Beyoncé‘s latest stadium trek, the Cowboy Carter Tour. Taking Bey around some of the biggest venues in the U.S. — and a couple in Europe as well — the Cowboy Carter Tour opened to rave reviews at Inglewood, Calif.’s SoFi Stadium last Monday (April 28), with fans around the globe gobbling up any live clips available and prepping their own costumes for when the Queen’s rodeo comes to town.
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And those same fans — whether inspired by the clips that have circulated, or merely attempting to bone up on its deeper cuts before future live dates — are of course also streaming the album in droves. From last Friday to Sunday (Apr. 25-27), the three days before the tour’s launch, Cowboy Carter generated 4.7 million total official U.S. on-demand streams across its tracks, according to Luminate. For the three days after the launch (Apr. 29-May 1), that number was up to over 10.2 million — a gain of 116%. Some of the songs from the album receiving the biggest bumps over that period include “Ya Ya” (up 147% to 544,000), “Protector” (up 207% to 438,000) and of course Bey’s reinvention of Dolly Parton’s classic “Jolene” (up 118% to 405,000).
The streaming bump can also be seen in the chart performance of Cowboy Carter — which had slipped to No. 193 on the Billboard 200, at risk of falling off altogether, before rebounding all the way to No. 63 on this week’s chart (dated May 10). Will this be a one-week bump for Bey’s latest, or will it extend throughout the tour, Eras-style? That will certainly be one of the many things we continue to monitor about the Cowboy Carter Tour is it gallops around the country from here.
Mariah the Scientist’s New Song ‘Burning’ Up the Streaming Charts
R&B singer-songwriter Mariah the Scientist has developed a strong fanbase and critical reputation over the course of her three studio albums and a variety of one-off singles and feature appearances — including on Billboard Hot 100 hits by 21 Savage (“Dark Days”) and Tee Grizzley (“IDGAF”). But to this point, despite her burgeoning profile — with an added boost in exposure from her romantic relationship with hip-hop icon Young Thug — she’s still yet to notch a true breakout hit of her own as a lead artist.
Well, not until this week, anyway, following the Friday (May 2) release of Mariah’s new love ballad “Burning Blue” — which many have understandably taken to be about her storied beau, who was recently released from prison after submitting a a non-negotiated guilty plea in his RICO trial that resulted in his being sentenced to 15 years probation but no jail time. “Burning” had been teased extensively by Mariah pre-release, and upon dropping, quickly set fire to the Apple Music real-time chart, rising all the way to the top of the listing. In total, the song has racked up over 7.3 million on-demand U.S. audio streams in its first four days of release (May 2-5), according to early estimates from Luminate — an eye-popping number for a brand-new song by an artist with little chart crossover history.
Now, with the loved-up ballad spreading its way through the internet, the song sets its sights on a Hot 100 debut next week — with a good chance of even entering in the chart’s top half — as Mariah the Scientist takes the first big step on what could be a major 2025 level-up for her.
Fans Still “Thinking” About Overlooked Katy Perry Hit
While the headlines haven’t always been the kindest to Katy Perry the past month, she is off on her Lifetimes Tour, and apparently getting fans wistful about some of older hits. One that’s taken off in the past couple weeks is one that didn’t make the tour setlist: lovelorn ballad “Thinking of You,” the lone hit among breakout set One of the Boys‘ first four hits that didn’t make the top 10, peaking at No. 29 in February 2009.
The song has started to spread on TikTok — with some fans comedically taking on her vocal affectations on the track, and others simply pining for Perry at her most Alanis Morissette, a singer-songwriter mode that Perry rarely returned to on her singles after going pop supernova with 2010’s Teenage Dream blockbuster. Whatever the inspiration, the song’s virality has resulted in it nearly doubling in weekly official on-demand U.S. streams, from 279,000 for the tracking week ending April 24 to 539,000 the week of May 1, according to Luminate.
If it’s too late for Perry to work it into her Lifetimes set, maybe opener Rebecca Black could take it on instead? She has previously shown an affinity for covering less-remembered early Katy Perry singles…
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Rapper The Game is facing the loss of his Calabasas home following a court order to sell the property to help pay off a $7.1 million legal judgment.
The decision comes as part of a long-running legal battle with Priscilla Rainey, who was awarded the multi-million-dollar sum in 2018 after accusing the rapper of sexual misconduct during the taping of the reality series “She Got Game”. Legal documents reveal that a judge recently approved the sale of The Game’s mansion, stating that the home’s value could potentially cover protected homeowner exemptions and existing liens while still generating funds toward the judgment owed to Rainey.
In such situations, courts are required to authorize the sale if it means the creditor could receive even a partial payment. Rainey originally filed her lawsuit in 2015, claiming The Game assaulted her while filming the show. The rapper’s failure to consistently appear in court led to a default ruling in Rainey’s favor. Over the years, efforts to collect the judgment have intensified.
In mid-2023, a judge issued a writ of execution after alleging The Game had transferred ownership of the property to his manager, Wack 100, in an attempt to avoid payment. The rapper was summoned in October to argue why the house shouldn’t be sold, but the court moved forward regardless. The situation underscores the serious financial and legal consequences of ignoring court orders and attempting to shield assets from judgment enforcement.
It’s a question that’s long been asked by Smilers around the world: Which Miley Cyrus album is the gayest? According to the singer, there is an official answer. During Spotify’s An Evening With Miley Cyrus event in New York City on Tuesday (May 6), the “End of the World” singer posed herself a rhetorical question […]
Riding the momentum of their viral single “Gnarly,” KATSEYE has announced its second EP, BEAUTIFUL CHAOS, slated for release on June 27 via HYBE x Geffen Records. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news The announcement was made on the group’s official social media platforms, where fans were […]
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Even with the Met Gala 2025 happening on a rainy night Monday (May 5), the beauty looks absolutely brought it and proved that they can bring the heat no matter the weather.
While it’s always a star-studded event, this year’s theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” inspired celebrities and their teams to break out their absolute best. There were countless looks to choose from, but we were especially interested in how the beauty teams prepped the makeup and hair looks to last through the long evening.
Below, we break down the beauty and hair looks for Lauryn Hill, André 3000, Sabrina Carpenter, Zendaya, Charli xcx and Ciara. All of these artists’ looks were stunning, and they showcase the huge range of looks that always make the Met Gala so uniquely special. We’ve also gathered all of the products and exact shades used by the artists so that you can try the looks at home.
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Lauryn Hill
For the star’s glam, makeup artist Alana Palau used MAC Cosmetics to create a stunning look. Palau describes Hill as the creative director of the appearance and said that she wanted to create a look that was an “homage to diasporic indigenous women.” To make that happen, Palau prepped the skin with Hyper Real™ Serumizer and the Hyper Real™ SkinCanvas Balm before moving in with the Studio Fix Every-Wear All-Over Face Pen in the shades NC45 and NC50. For concealer, Hill was rocking the iconic MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NW50, as well as the Studio Fix 24HR Smooth Wear Concealer in shades NC45 and NC50. For blush, Palau used Powder Blush in the shades Raizin and Burnt Pepper, on top of the Strobe Beam Liquid Blush in Good Vibes.
To create the glowy eye look, Palau used the Connect In Colour Eye Shadow Palette and focused on the shades Future Flame, Unfiltered Nudes and Hi-Fi Colour. On top of those she used Dazzleshadow in the shade I Like 2 Watch for an added dash of glam. Finally, she topped it off with the long lasting M·A·CStack Waterproof Mascara. Hill’s bold lip color was a result of Palau mixing two Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolour shades, including Rekindled and Make Love To The Camera. She then added Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Caviar.
M.A.C. Powder Kiss Liquid Lipcolor Longwear Lipstick
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M.A.C. Strobe Beam Liquid Blush
M.A.C. Connect In Colour Eyeshadow Palette Future Flame
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Zendaya
Zendaya at The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York, New York.
Michael Buckner
Makeup artist Ernesto Casillas created this look for Zendaya, which focused on a ’90s-style lip. To create the look, Casillas prepped the skin with Tilbury’s Crystal Elixir and Magic Cream before applying the Flawless Filter highlighter in shade 3 all over the face. He then used the Airbrush Flawless Foundation in the shade 6W and applied the Contour Wand in the shade medium for bronzer. To add a muted flush to the cheeks, he applied the Matte Beauty Blush Wand in the shade Pillow Talk and highlighted with the Beauty Light Wand in the shade Spotlight.
To create the perfect smoky eye look, Casillas used the new Rock ‘N’ Kohl eyeliner in the shade smokey bronze. This new line of eyeliners, as well as its corresponding lip liners, includes two colors in one pencil. To add some glitter and shine, he used the sensual sunset hue from the Beautifying Eye Trends palette. Finally, for the lip that set the mood for the entire look, Casillo used the Lip Cheat Contour Duo in the shade tan, and went over the liner with the Big Lip Plumpgasm gloss in the shade Diamonds. Finally, he set it all with the Airbrush Waterproof setting spray to make sure the look lasted throughout the night.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter
Charlotte Tilubury Hollywood Contour Wand
Charlotte Tilbury Rock ‘N’ Kohl Long-Lasting Eyeliner Pencil
Charlotte Tilbury Super Nudes Lip Cheat Contour Duo Lip Liner
Charlotte Tilbury Big Lip Plumpgasm Plumping Lip Gloss
Ciara
Ciara at The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York, New York.
Michael Buckner/Penske Media
Ciara’s hair made this beauty look the winner that it was, and it was created by stylist Cesar Deleon Ramirez. “The vision was ultra-glossy, fluid and color-rich hair that photographs like glass under the lights,” he explained.
He started by washing and conditioning the hair with the Kerastase Gloss Absolu Bain Hydra-Glaze Shampoo and Gloss Absolu Insta-Glaze Anti-Frizz Conditioner. He explained that the conditioner is ideal for wigs and extensions as it adds such a boost of shine. According to Ramirez, the Chroma Absolu Soin Acide Chroma Gloss Hair Gloss is the hero of the look for its ability to transform texture. He applied it after the conditioner and then rinsed it out thoroughly.
For styling, he applied the Kerastase Mousse Bouffante Hair Mousse on the roots and up to the mid-length while the hair was still damp. This gave the look structure and helped it hold its shape throughout the evening. He used Kérastase Discipline Kératine Thermique as a heat protectant and then the Kerastase Genesis Homme Cire d’Épaisseur Texturisante Wax Pomade to tame any flyaways. For the final touch of shine, he added a couple drops of the Kerastase Elixir Ultime and sprayed it all with the Kerastase Laque Couture Hairspray.
Kérastase Chroma Absolu High Shine Gloss Treatment for Color-Treated Hair
Kérastase Mousse Bouffante Volumizing Hair Mousse
Kérastase Elixir Ultime Refillable Hydrating Hair Oil
André 3000
André 3000 attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York City.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
André 3000 made a statement with his outfit, and makeup artist Alexa Hernandez helped complement the bold outfit with a fresh makeup look. She prepped the skin with M.A.C Fix Plus Matte and M.A.C HyperReal Skin Canvas Balm Moisturizing Cream, which she said “allows the product to be absorbed deeply leaving minimal product on the surface and sets the tone to the makeup ritual.” To make sure the under-eye area was fully de-puffed, she used the M.A.C Fast Response Eye Cream.
From there, she used M.A.C Studio Radiance 24hr Luminous Lift Concealer in shades NW 55 and NC63 to cover up any imperfections and to add brightness. To make sure the look remained oil-free, Hernandez used the M.A.C Studio Fix Foundation Powder Foundation in shade NW50. She topped it all off by adding moisture to the lips with the M.A.C Lip Conditioner, and she set the eyebrows in place with the M.A.C Pro Locked Brow Gel.
M.A.C. New Studio Fix Powder Plus
M.A.C. Fast Response Eye Cream
M.A.C. Lip Conditioner
Charli XCX
Charli XCX at The 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York, New York.
Michael Buckner/Penske Media
Charli is known for her long locks that somehow always look slightly wet and voluminous. To create these curls, stylist Matt Benns used two different hair tools from Wavytalk. He started by running a curling cream through damp hair, and then using the diffuser attachment on the Trublow hair dryer. He then used the two smaller sized barrels on the Curlmaker Pro curling iron to make sure the look wasn’t too uniform.
He explains that he pulled two pieces around to frame the face and twisted half of her hair into a messy bun. “It should feel romantic and a little punky twist,” he said. “It needs to feel really random, not symmetrical.” To top it all off, he added feather ear cuffs and actually glued some feathers onto the skin. He finished the entire look off with a texturizing and shine spray.
Wavytalk Turblow Pro Fast Drying Blow Dryer
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Sabrina Carpenter
Sabrina Carpenter attends the 2025 Met Gala Celebrating “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 05, 2025 in New York City.
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Sabrina’s hair was in its signature voluminous waves and featured coloring Laurie Heaps and Styling by Evanie Frausto. Heaps explains that she took slightly larger sections than normal and left more of her natural color out. To give it volume, Heaps used Redken Flash Lift with Bonder Inside and then used the Redken’s new Shades EQ Skylight Blonde in 8NV to gloss her roots.
For the style, Frausto started with Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo and Conditioner, and then applied the Acidic Bonding Concentrate Leave-In Treatment at the end of the wash. As he was blowdrying the hair, Frausto applied the Redken Volume Maximizer throughout the hair and the Redken Thermal Spray to protect her locks. He used the L’Oréal Professionnel AirLight Pro hair dryer, and pulled up the roots with a large round brush. Then he let the curls sit in large velcro curlers so that they were fully set. After removing the curlers, he went in with a curling iron using a 1 and 1/4-inch barrel and misted the Redken Dry Texture Spray from the mid-length to the ends. Everything was fully set with the Redken Max Hold Spray to keep her hair looking great all night.
Redken Flash Lift Bonder Inside Lightener Powder
Redken Volume Maximizer Thickening Spray
Redken Dry Texture Finishing Spray
