WANTED: Kate Middleton, The Princess of Wales, presumed kidnapped by King Charles and the Royal Family unless returned to our TV screens immediately.
I'm not one to follow the
Royal Family -- all I know is that Queen Elizabeth may be reincarnated into Trisha Paytas' baby, Malibu Barbie, and they presumably disappeared Princess Di. And while my phone didn't scream with a missing persons report, my Twitter (X?) timeline is all ablaze with conspiracies about what happened to Kate.
Amidst confirmation that King Charles III is battling cancer, followers of the Royals have noticed a peculiar missing piece at certain public events: Prince William's wife, Kate. While William made a last-minute appearance at Greece's King Constantine II's funeral, Kate was noticeably absent. According to
Vanity Fair,
Middleton, 42, has been recovering from her procedure at Adelaide Cottage, the couple’s residence at the royal family’s Windsor Castle estate, since she was discharged from a London hospital after a week-plus inpatient stay following the surgery.
And while we hope the Princess of Wales is in good health, the people of the internet have been making their own assumptions about what happened to Kate Middleton. Since we can't help but speculate, social media users have tossed about ideas like she's waiting out a bad haircut, she's gotten plastic surgery, she's run away to live in America, the list goes on...
Across the pond at Buckingham Palace, sources claim it was planned abdominal surgery (and we hope she's safe and healthy)...but if we chose to believe everything the Royals said, we wouldn't have
The Crown.
I’ll admit it here: I didn’t read Dune. But I’ll also swear on my life that I’ve had Frank Herbert’s massive odyssey of a novel on my TBR long before the new adaptation, Dune: Part One(let alone Dune: Part Two), was set in motion by Denis Villeneuve. I'm not new to this, but I'm also not true to this.
It’s my father’s favorite book, so I grew up half-grateful, half-scornful he didn’t name me Chani. Now that Zendaya is playing that role, I’m still ambivalent about the choice.
Which is to say, all these long years, I still haven’t even turned to the first page. Therefore, I don’t know how it ends — specifically if Prince Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) gets the girl in the end. I guess I’ll find out on March 1st, Dune: Part Two’s long-awaited release date (shoutout to the SAG strike). But until then, I have even hotter Dune tea to contemplate: Did Timothee dump Kylie Jenner?
Where have these two been? No Kylie and Timothee Paparazzi Pictures, No Nothing.
For a couple comprised of two of the hottest celebrities alive, their relationship has been so amorphous in the public eye. They haven’t been taking over tabloids with not-so-candid appearances. In fact, all the Kylie and Timothee pictures have been rare and somewhat tame. Yet, they also haven’t been completely hush-hush. This middle ground is somewhat unsatisfying. After Kylie and Timothee pictures broke the internet at Beyonce'sRenaissance tour and then again at the US Open, 2023's odd couple have been fairly quiet. This year, they only came up for air to smooch on camera at the Golden Globes. Now, with radio silence persisting ad Timothee in his flop era, some wonder if this unlikely pair has run its course. I mean, even the famously private Tom Holland and Zendaya are more conspicuous than these two.
Are Kylie and Timothee actually dating?
I will say, I’m a hater. I never loved this pairing. Not because I have some parasocial claim on our generation’s Leonardo DiCaprio. Nor because I have some purist notion that he is somehow “too good” for Kylie Jenner just because his name is a little French. And, unlike my darling Aaron Taylor Johnson, the Kylie Jenner/Timothee Chalamet age difference is perfectly acceptable — only two years, even though she sometimes looks like his mom (sorry, Miss Girl!).
When it comes to celebs, I think they all deserve each other. But since it’s become so ubiquitous that Kris Jenner orchestrates her daughters’ lives with the dexterity and precision of a chess grandmaster, nothing the KarJenner clan does surprises me. The most gossip these two ever gave was Selena Gomez Gate.
Even if I believe it’s a real relationship — I mean, c’mon, who could resist either of them — there’s absolutely nothing charming about the fact that it probably had to be Kris-approved to come into the world and will have to be Kris-approved to come out of it.
If the rumors are true: I might get my wish after all. Reports (re: Deuxmoi and Reddit) say that Timothee was acting very single on a night out after the Dune: Part Two premiere in New York City. While his committed costars Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Zendaya slept, Timmy was allegedly out partying in SoHo like a singleton. Oh, to be young and hot in New York.
Where was Kylie? Putting Stormi to bed, one can assume. But was she waiting for a call from her man? Or is that not her man anymore? If not, her recent paparazzi pics in her Khy bodycon dress might have to be reclassified as a revenge dress. We'll have to wait and see if more Kylie and Timothee paparazzi pictures surface. Though Kris Jenner, I implore you: if there are more Kylie and Timothee pictures, please keep them to yourself.
Take this all with a grain of salt, of course.
I may not know much about Dune, but one thing I know for certain is who pulls the strings in this town. When Kris Jenner deems the timing right, and only then, will the news break (and the Kylie and Timothee pictures cease for good)— not with a bang, I fear, but a whimper. I can only hope Dune: PartTwo goes out with a grander finale than this controversial, but ultimately uninteresting. coupling.
If you are tired of scrolling through Instagram story after Instagram story of happy couples and pictures of candlelit dinners and roses...same. Valentine's Day, the day celebrating couples and relationships, can just feel like another reason to rub it in your face that you're single. And while you may be hate-scrolling through socials today, I beg you to log out of Instagram and into Spotify.
My favorite breakup playlists are ones you can cry and scream to, but you leave feeling better after the songs are done. That's why I've curated a complete playlist filled with songs that I tirelessly listen to (even when I'm not feeling heartbroken). Breakup anthems can be therapeutic confidence boosters, great to uplift you at any moment.
So, if you don't have date plans tonight or just want to hear some great breakup bangers...let's get listening!
"You're So Vain" - Carly Simon
Carly Simon was the blueprint for Taylor Swift in terms of writing insanely witty breakup songs. Hailed as one of the most iconic songs for singles of all time, you've heard Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey duet this in How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. It's a song about many men in Simon's life who have hurt her, but she taunts them with "you're so vain, you probably think this song is about you,"
So turn the volume up and scream along with Carly about the narcissists in your life. It's a timeless classic to start the best breakup playlist of all time.
"Karma" - Mod Sun
"I hope you choke on every lie you said to me/ I hope you move out of this city suddenly," starts Mod Sun's iconic breakup anthem. Written about none other than influencer Tana Mongeau, this upbeat, angry rock song summarizes that anger you feel towards an ex who did you dirty.
Unfortunately, I've spent too many hours screaming this song at the top of my lungs in my car. It'll get you up and moving, and I guarantee it's a future staple on your playlist.
"Happier Than Ever" - Billie Eilish
Can't have a breakup playlist with Billie's ultimate breakup song. Billie and her brother Finneas are masters at creating and producing music (from their own homes), going even so far to have Billie screaming as the background vocals of the song. With lyrics like "I don't talk shit about you on the internet" and "You ruined everything good/ Always said you were misunderstood", you can't deny it's the perfect song to let your emotions out.
Almost two songs at once, "Happier Than Ever" starts slow and vintage. Billie's voice flirts softly around the story of her breakup before delving into sheer anger. It's perfect every time.
"Be Careful" - Cardi B
Despite her rocky relationship with Offset (I think they're together right now, but who knows?), Cardi B actually makes a scathing rap dissing him after he cheated. It's just burn after burn, bar after bar. So, if you want to hear Cardi really go off, listen to "Be Careful."
"FU (feat. French Montana)" - Miley Cyrus
There are few artists who were as honest in their delivery and songwriting as Miley Cyrus during her Bangerz era. Which brings me to the next song on this playlist, "FU." Yes, Miley Cyrus is angry, she's actually fuming, basically telling everyone to F off.
If you want to just be mad at your ex, and don't want to think about love or Valentine's Day in any capacity- here's your song. It's a therapeutic scream session you didn't know you needed.
"Josslyn" - Olivia O'Brien
A song about being completely finished with a person you were dating because they've betrayed you, "Josslyn" has been one of my favorites forever. It's brutally honest, it's about none other than Logan Paul, and it's repeat-worthy.
Olivia O'Brien is one of the most relatable songwriters, and her hit song "Josslyn" is a certified breakup banger. Detailing a situationship where the other person sleeps with another girl, O'Brien goes off. It's the perfect song to dance to with your friends during Galentine's.
"Hurts Like Hell (feat. Offset)" - Madison Beer
An unlikely collaboration in Madison Beer and Offset actually works really well. "Hurts Like Hell" is my favorite song to play when getting ready for a night out. It's punchy, with Madison taking us through a breakup where she wishes nothing but the worst for them.
A good song to feel empowered by being single, Madison Beer wants you to think of her and it hurt like hell. It's a song laying out what you'd say to your ex if you had the chance...one that makes you realize all your self worth and that, maybe, it is their loss.
"Norman f****** Rockwell" - Lana Del Rey
Few songs can evoke such melancholy sorrow and emotion like this one. Lana Del Rey knows how to capture an emotion with her music, which is why "NFR" is such a masterpiece. One of the best breakup songs because it encapsulates her sadness and contempt with lyrics like "why wait for the best when I could have you?"
Recently viral on TikTok before UMG took their artist's music down, "Norman f****** Rockwell" is one of Lana Del Rey's best. Lamenting how all men do is let her down, Lana croons about a "god damn man child" and how, at the end of the day, this behavior is just how men are. I listen to this song once a day for clear skin.
After Universal Music Group, the largest record label in the industry, took all their artists' music off TikTok after failure to reach an agreement on AI usage of their artists and safety...people are now more than ever looking into how artists are treated on platforms where their music is the main focus. For TikTok, it's detrimental- they tried to punish UMG, and now they're paying the price.
At the 2024 Grammy Awards this Sunday, there were tons of controversial moments: should Taylor have brought Lana Del Rey onstage, should this person have won, what was that person wearing? But one of the more subtle digs was taken by host Trevor Noah, who commented on the UMG-TikTok battle by including another well-known streaming platform,
"Shame on you, TikTok, for ripping off artists. How dare you do that? That’s Spotify’s job!”
Without artists and their music, there would be no streaming platform to be had...and Spotify knows that, which is why they've been tracking their royalty payments to the music industry though their Loud & Clear report. The Loud & Clear report comes out every March and shows exactly how Spotify pays it back. According to their site,
"Nearly 70% of that revenue is paid back as royalties to rights holders, who then pay the artists and songwriters, based on the agreed terms."
This means that whatever Spotify is making from these artists and labels, and their music, they're making sure it gets back to them. It should be a mutually beneficial experience: one where both the artist and their representation trust that their work will be valued and protected (and thus, properly compensated), and where the platform also gains traffic from an artist's fans.
Today, Spotify announced that they've paid labels over $9 billion to give us a glimpse of their Loud & Clear report. In an exclusive statement to Popdust, a Spotify spokesperson states,
"Spotify paid record labels and publishers – which represent artists and songwriters – more money than ever in 2023: $9B+. That figure has nearly tripled over the past six years, and represents a big part of the $48B+ Spotify has paid since its founding."
The 66th annual Grammy Awards were last night at the Crypto.com Arena in the not-so-sunny Los Angeles, California. As storms raged outside the arena, I tuned in for close to five hours of red carpet coverage and the sparkling ceremony to watch music's biggest night and make my own judgments.
At some points agonizing, the Grammys truly take their time. Packing performance after performance, people going well over their speech time, and leaving the main awards for the very end can feel never-ending. However, this year's Grammy Awards had everything: Taylor Swift announcing a brand new album, Tortured Poet's Department, Miley Cyrus getting her first two Grammy's and delivering iconic speeches and performances, nods to Barbie, a visit from Celine Dion and a few controversial decisions.
I mean, even Jay-Z took a shot at the Recording Academy for not giving Beyonce any Album of the Year awards despite having the most nominations. Taylor Swift brought Lana Del Rey on stage while accepting Album of the Year for Midnights to recognize how many artists' sounds Del Rey's influenced despite never having won a nomination. The Academy gets it wrong, and often.
Who Won At The 2024 Grammys?
Here are some winners from a few of the main categories, including the top four awards...And may I add that some of my predictions were spot on?
Record of the Year: "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus
Album of the Year: Midnights by Taylor Swift
Song of the Year: "What Was I Made For" by Billie Eilish and FINNEAS
Best New Artist: Victoria Monet
Producer of the Year: Jack Antonoff
Best Pop Solo Performance: "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus
Best Pop Duo Performance: "Ghost in the Machine" by SZA and Phoebe Bridgers
Best Pop Vocal Album: Midnights by Taylor Swift
Best Pop Dance Recording: "Padam Padam" by Kylie Minogue
Best Rock Performance: "Not Strong Enough" by boygenius
Best Country Album: Bell Bottom Country by Lainey Wilson
Best R&B Song: "Snooze" by SZA
Who Should've Won At The 2024 Grammys?
The Grammy Awards are decided by the Academy- a group of voters within the music industry who I sometimes think forget to listen to the music of the nominees. It's why Jay-Z spoke up while receiving the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award, it is quite shocking that Beyonce has never won Album of the Year.
While everyone at the Grammy's deserves their awards, multiple artists got onstage to say this is not what they make music for. Artists like Miley Cyrus said she felt this happy yesterday because she's doing it for herself. Taylor Swift thanks her fans, and says she's happiest when making songs and doing what she loves...but sometimes, the awards gods are fickle.
Olivia Rodrigo's "Vampire" went home empty-handed, which was another surprise. While GUTS may not be my favorite work of Rodrigo's, "Vampire" was a chart-topping, viral song that I truly thought would win something. SZA's SOS album was on top of the Billboard Hot 100 every week but failed to receive a mention in the top categories like Album of the Year.
Lana Del Rey, who's been nominated upwards of 10 times and wrote one of the best albums in the culmination of her already iconic discography with Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard? Received zero awards throughout the night. In a controversial move, Taylor Swift brought her up on stage so the world can recognize all Lana's done.
In the Best New Artist category, Ice Spice and Noah Kahan were betting favorites to win...but ultimately, it went to Victoria Monét.
It's been years since Cyrus has graced any sort of stage, and she didn't disappoint. Every bit as honest, exciting, and a true rockstar as she's ever been, Miley Cyrus is one-of-a-kind. From chiding the audience for not singing along to celebrating her first Grammy win during her performance of "Flowers", you could tell that Miley just wanted to have fun.
She even shared she was doing this performance so she could watch clips of it later...and also admitted to foregoing underwear. It was fun, carefree, and exactly how these award shows should be.
Joni Mitchell
You may wonder how someone with as illustrious a career as Joni Mitchell has never performed at the Grammy's. Singing a song she wrote at 21 years old, over half a century later, "Both Sides Now" was both moving and refreshing. She's won nine Grammy's herself, nominated 18 times, and has inspired the sounds of our favorite artists.
She took folk music and made it her own, and after having to re-learn how to talk (and sing) from a brain aneurysm, no one is more well-respected in the industry than Mitchell.
Luke Combs + Tracy Chapman
Luke Combs' cover of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" dominated the charts this year. One of the most highly covered songs in the world, and Luke Combs put his country spin on it to create a beautiful, acoustic version. It feels almost entirely his own, but his performance with OG Tracy Chapman shows that music is, indeed, art.
The song itself is a timeless classic, with Luke Combs being one of the most talented country vocalists in the game right now and Tracy Chapman reminding us the deep roots of the song.
Other Notable Grammy Moments
It was a crazy night, in all honesty...with too many moments to mention, but there are a few major points to be made:
Killer Mike won three Grammy awards including Best Rap Album, but was immediately arrested at the ceremony
Upon announcing The Tortured Poet's Department, Swifties quickly uncovered a report that ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn, Paul Mescal, and Andrew Scott's group chat was once called "Tortured Men's Club" - so count your days, Alwyn.
"Water" singer Tyla won the first-ever Award for African Music Performance
Part of the music industry in today's world involves promoting via social media - especially on platforms with mega-influence like TikTok. Artists will tease songs, new artists will be discovered on the platform, and if a sound goes viral tracks can resurge and soar into popularity. You saw it with songs like "Kill Bill" by SZA and "Flowers" by Miley Cyrus.
Well, bad news. As of February 1, Universal Music Group (UMG) has taken their artists' music off TikTok after accusing the social media platform of offering unfair reimbursement to artists and allowing AI to generate recordings using an artist's voice. In an open letter on its website, UMG states,
"TikTok’s tactics are obvious: use its platform power to hurt vulnerable artists and try to intimidate us into conceding to a bad deal that undervalues music and shortchanges artists and songwriters as well as their fans,"
And the drama doesn't stop there. In a brief response, TikTok snaps back with,
"TikTok has been able to reach 'artist-first' agreements with every other label and publisher. Clearly, Universal's self-serving actions are not in the best interests of artists, songwriters, and fans."
Who Does UMG Represent?
Screenshot from TikTok Jai Phillips
Among UMG's lengthy list of artists are: Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Harry Styles, Blackpink, The 1975, Beyonce, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey, and Lewis Capaldi. In the heated letter released by the music label, they mention how TikTok began to take the music down of their smaller artists, but kept their bigger names that generate revenue for the app in an effort to control them. As UMG's response, they took every single artist away.
That means videos using popular songs like Harry Styles' "As It Was" or Lana Del Rey's "Say Yes To Heaven" are now met with "This Sound Is Not Available." The only sounds under names like Olivia Rodrigo and Noah Kahan are fan-made edits and manipulations of songs.
This means both TikTok and the music industry will change a bit. A lot of artists will have less of an interest in building platforms on TikTok, because it's not like they can play their music there. TikTok itself will have to focus on edits behind a lot of their "Get Ready With Me" videos and "Target Haul" clips.
It's a standoff between the largest record label in music industry history and the biggest social media platform in the world.
Actually, Spotify Does Pay Their Artists
After Universal Music Group, the largest record label in the industry, took all their artists' music off TikTok after failure to reach an agreement on AI usage of their artists and safety...people are now more than ever looking into how artists are treated on platforms where their music is the main focus. For TikTok, it's detrimental- they tried to punish UMG, and now they're paying the price.
At the 2024 Grammy Awards this Sunday, there were tons of controversial moments: should Taylor have brought Lana Del Rey onstage, should this person have won, what was that person wearing? But one of the more subtle digs was taken by host Trevor Noah, who commented on the UMG-TikTok battle by including another well-known streaming platform,
"Shame on you, TikTok, for ripping off artists. How dare you do that? That’s Spotify’s job!”
Without artists and their music, there would be no streaming platform to be had...and Spotify knows that, which is why they've been tracking their royalty payments to the music industry though their Loud & Clear report. The Loud & Clear report comes out every March and shows exactly how Spotify pays it back. According to their site,
"Nearly 70% of that revenue is paid back as royalties to rights holders, who then pay the artists and songwriters, based on the agreed terms."
This means that whatever Spotify is making from these artists and labels, and their music, they're making sure it gets back to them. It should be a mutually beneficial experience: one where both the artist and their representation trust that their work will be valued and protected (and thus, properly compensated), and where the platform also gains traffic from an artist's fans.
Today, Spotify announced that they've paid labels over $9 billion to give us a glimpse of their Loud & Clear report. In an exclusive statement to Popdust, a Spotify spokesperson states,
"Spotify paid record labels and publishers – which represent artists and songwriters – more money than ever in 2023: $9B+. That figure has nearly tripled over the past six years, and represents a big part of the $48B+ Spotify has paid since its founding."