Usher weighs in on ‘nervous’ Jay-Z defending Beyonce at the Grammys

SiriusXM’s “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend.” “I talk a little too loud. I don’t act as cool as I can.”“I can see that,” O’Brien responded, noting how famous Swift has become. “I mean, she’s this whole other level now.”Sandler compared Swift to The Beatles, specifically how people knew all of their songs.“People talk about The Beatles of it all and her.

Thania Garcia Just one week after Beyoncé became the first Black woman to lead Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with her twangy “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the single now reigns over the publication’s all-genre-inclusive Hot 100 songs list. “Texas Hold ‘Em,” along with the single “16 Carriages,” was released during the Super Bowl and later debuted on the Hot 100 at No. 2.

Dolly Parton, 78, wrote on Instagram last week. “So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single.

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Beyoncé is part of a great tradition of artists from the pop, R&B and rock worlds stepping into the realm of country music, whether it’s for one record or, in occasional instances, a whole career shift. Of course, none of her predecessors made immediate international headlines by releasing a country single, the way Bey did with “Texas Hold ‘Em” (and its companion song, “16 Carriages”).

the first black woman to go No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs with her bluessgrassy bop “Texas Hold ’Em.”But, in the last week of Black History Month, we gotta give props to another African-American diva who broke down genre barriers on the country charts long before Bey made her two-step statement.That would be Donna Summer, who, when she was the Queen of Disco, made her own history as the first African-American woman to co-write a No.

Manchester United are reportedly in a battle with Tottenham for Bayer Leverkusen defender Odilon Kossounou.

“Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” earlier this month and announcing an entire upcoming country album to be released in March. The “Daddy Lessons” singer — who just became the first Black woman artist with a number one song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart — has been leaning into the western aesthetic, sporting diamond-encrusted bolo ties and cowboy hats, inspiring her Beyhive to follow suit.Isha Nicole, the creative director and senior vice president of marketing for the western wear company, Boot Barn, told Women’s Wear Daily that Queen Bey will “catapult Western influence into the limelight” by “inviting the masses to participate in the romanticism of the American spirit.”“With this, we’ll see a spike in traditional felt cowboy hats in colors such as stark white or red, donned recently by the queen herself,” she said.

Beyoncé has become the first Black woman to reach Number One on the US country chart with her new single ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’.The singer released the song earlier this month when announcing her eighth studio album ‘Renaissance Act II’, which is due to arrive on March 29. She also shared the track ’16 Carriages’ from the upcoming record.Now, ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ has topped Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart – making Bey the first Black female artist to achieve this feat.She is also the second solo female act – with no accompanying featured artists – to debut at Number One, with Taylor Swift achieving this in 2021 with her re-recorded versions of ‘Love Story’ and ‘All Too Well’.Additionally, Beyoncé is the first woman to top both the Hot Country Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hip Songs charts since these run-downs began in 1958.

Beyoncé continues to break barriers.

Thania Garcia Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Vultures” is the No. 1 album in the United States this week despite the 16-song set getting major pushback from streaming platforms for West’s antisemitic behavior. The album was temporarily removed from streaming services just a few days after its release on Feb.

Mubi has snapped up rights across multiple territories on Made In England: The Films Of Powell And Pressburger, the Martin Scorsese-narrated doc set to debut this week at the Berlin Film Festival. 

Alex Ritman ‘Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger,’ the documentary produced and narrated by Matin Scorsese, has been acquired by Mubi ahead of the film’s world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. The arthouse streamer, distributor and production company has bought all rights for Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Latin America, Turkey and India.

Usher is weighing in on old comparisons between himself and Justin Timberlake.

Emily Longeretta On the heels of a charismatic Super Bowl halftime performance, Usher is now bringing his music to the small screen. The eight-time Grammy winner has partnered with UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, to develop a drama series. Executive producers are Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, Katie Zucker (Mad Massive Entertainment) and Kenny Meiselas (KMei Productions).

Beyoncé is entering her Cowgirl Era.If you thought that Bey was just randomly rocking cowboy hats all of a sudden — from the promo pics for her “Renaissance” album and tour to merch and her Grammys look just over a week ago — then you don’t know Bey.And like the marketing queen that she is, she used the biggest audience possible — in a Super Bowl 2024 commercial for Verizon that ended with Beyoncé saying “Drop the new music” — to tease the arrival of two new surprise country singles: “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages.”On a night that was supposed to belong to another pop superstar — Super Bowl LVIII halftime show headliner Usher — once again B was causing all the conversation.(We’re sure that Usher was all good with it — after his epic extravaganza at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, he reportedly went ahead and got married to his longtime girlfriend, Jennifer Goicoechea.)But here we are beginning what is “Act II” of the “Renaissance” rollout, which began with “Act I” — a house-music manifesto led by her No. 1 hit “Break My Soul” — in 2022.But judging by “Texas Hold ’Em” and “16 Carriages,” Beyoncé is now taking us from the clubs to the country on “Act II,” which, thankfully — no surprises here — we know is due March 29.Welcome to the Rodeo-sance.It shouldn’t be a complete shock that the all-time Grammy winner can actually do country music.

Billie Eilish has shared what she discussed with Miley Cyrus backstage at last weekend’s Grammy Awards.Speaking to Entertainment Tonight at the 66th Grammy ceremony last Sunday (February 4) Eilish opened up about what she’d been caught talking to the ‘Wrecking Ball’ star about.“Not to blow up her spot, but she was asking me if I also feel that – when I get up on stage – I say the dumbest shit I could possibly say?,” Eilish began. “Absolutely, 100 per cent.

Travis Kelce really knows how to make a girl feel special!

Tracy Chapman and Luke Combs’ surprise performance of “Fast Car” at the 66th Grammy Awards.The idea to have the duo sing Chapman’s 1988 hit was first floated in May 2023 by Grammys executive producers Raj Kapoor and Patrick Mention, Kapoor told Rolling Stone.To reach Chapman, who keeps a below-the-radar public profile, Kapoor and Menton went through Combs’ publicist, Carla Sacks, to get in touch with the senior vice president at Nonesuch Records, Matthew Rankin, who is a friend of Chapman’s, according to the Rolling Stone article.Sacks said it was “pure magic” that she knew how to reach Chapman, 59, who lives in San Francisco, according to People.“I knew the doorbell to ring,” she said. “And quite frankly, I think that made it very helpful to not be reaching out as a stranger and to be able to open the line of communication.”Kapoor and Menton didn’t want an immediate answer from Chapman but wanted to “let her think about this creatively and what it could be,” and told her, through Sacks, to return when and if she was ready.Finally, eight months later, in January, Chapman approved the performance with Combs at the 66th Grammys, which unfolded Feb.

GRAMMYS may have broken some traffic laws on Sunday to get Mariah Carey to the awards. With Los Angeles getting record-breaking rain, traffic was a disaster, and the songstress was stuck on the freeway in an SUV ahead of the show.Carey made it in time to present the award of Best Pop Solo Performance to Miley Cyrus, but if it wasn’t for a golf cart and some bravery, she might not have made it. Executive producer Ben Winston explained on the Feb.

her revealing custom metal Maison Margiela look, which appeared to be made entirely from gold safety pins, to performing her Grammy-winning hit “Flowers” and dancing around in full rockstar mode, Cyrus proudly put her body on display — and got people wondering about her fitness regimen.While the singer crushes an intense workout routine in her “Flowers” music video — rumored to be copied from her ex-husband, Liam Hemsworth, 34 — her everyday approach seems to be more manageable.Cyrus has been a longtime fan of Pilates, since at least 2013, even adding a studio in her house. Since its creation a century ago — by physical trainer Joseph Pilates, hence the name — Pilates has become a widely popular full-body exercise method, particularly among women who prefer low-impact workouts that focus on improving strength and flexibility, while also soothing mental stress.In March 2020, during the earliest COVID-19 lockdowns, Cyrus livestreamed a quick Pilates workout with her trainer, Saul Choza.He guided Cyrus and her fans through a series of five exercises aimed at strengthening the core and stretching the legs.