Ariana Grande dominates charts plus more pop culture news
In the headlines
In this week’s pop culture catch-up, find out everything you need to know about Jennifer Lopez’s upcoming musical film, Ariana Grande’s possible number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with Yes, and, plus Coachella 2024’s full lineup.
Ariana Grande’s Yes, and? is poised to be her sixth No. 1 hit
While Ariana Grande’s long-awaited return to music did come with her fair share of controversy, her house-dance number has been dominating music charts since its release on 12 January. With her unapologetic lyrics and smooth synth beats interpolated from Madonna’s Vogue, the single enjoyed 11.2 million streams on Spotify—her biggest debut on the listening platform yet. It also currently occupies the Top 5 spots on the iTunes charts. Bolstering her move up the charts are her whopping 14 different versions of the song—there is a sped-up, slowed-down, extended and acapella version amongst others. As the Billboard Hot 100 is announced on Monday, many are anticipating that Grande will receive her sixth number one hit. On 17 January, she also confirmed that her upcoming album is titled Eternal Sunshine and is slated for release on 8 March 2024.
Jennifer Lopez stars in her own epic biopic
Singer. Performer. Actress. Producer. Romantic. Jennifer Lopez proves why she’s all all-round superstar in the first look trailer of her upcoming musical film, This is Me…Now: A Love Story. Serving as an accompaniment to her long-awaited album, This Is Me…Now (a sequel 20 years in the making from her career-defining 2002 album, This is Me…Then), the genre-bending film is a cinematic and musical odyssey that showcases the pop star’s journey to love. The Amazon original will release on the same date as her album on 17 February 2024. Check out the full trailer above!
Coachella 2024’s official lineup revealed
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Regarded as one of the biggest music festivals in the world, tens of thousands of people around the world look forward to Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. On 16 January, the official lineup was unveiled for Coachella 2024: Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat and Tyler, the Creator will headline at the Empire Polo Club in California. The reunited No Doubt, Ice Spice, Peso Pluma, Blur, J Balvin and more are also billed to heat up the stage.
Notably, K-pop acts continue to be a part of the music festival’s roster as Ateez, Le Sserafim and The Rose are set to grace the stage over the two weekends. Coachella 2024 will take place on 12 to 14 April and 19 to 21 April 2024. Presale began on 19 January and are available here.
Prince Mateen is married!
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It’s the biggest royal wedding in Asia of the decade and for good reason. All eyes are on Prince Mateen of Brunei’s wedding extravaganza that will last 10 days. The celebrations kickstarted on 7 January and were accompanied by lavish banquets and the soundtracks of royal court musicians. The heartthrob prince, highly regarded as Asia’s most eligible bachelor, officially exchanged wedding vows with his girlfriend Anisha Rosnah Isa-Kalebiand on 11 January at the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.
World leaders such as Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Indonesian President Joko Widodo as well as blue bloods from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and more were among the reported 5,000 guests present. After the ceremony, Prince Mateen, 32, and Yang Mulia Anisha Rosnah, 29, appeared as a married couple in a procession through the capital city as thousands of on-lookers arrived to greet the pair. The prince’s father is the world’s longest-reigning monarch and one of the richest people in the world.
The Last of Us reveals new cast additions for season two
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After capturing the attention of millions upon its premiere on 15 January 2023, fans of The Last of Us have some exciting news about the highly anticipated second season of the series as HBO and developer Naughty Dog reveal major cast additions. Abby Anderson, a key character who will play the antagonist for the season, will be played by Kaitlyn Dever. The actress is a Golden Globe and Emmy nominee and is best known for her roles in Dopesick and Booksmart.
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Another new face fans can expect to see is Young Mazino, who will star as Jesse in season two. The character is said to be “a pillar of his community who puts everyone else’s needs before his own, sometimes at terrible cost”, as seen on Deadline. The Emmy-nominated actor rose to fame from his breakout role in Netflix’s Beef.
Halle Bailey is a mum!
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The Little Mermaid actress has a little one of her own now! On 7 January, Halle Bailey revealed the exciting news by capturing the adorable hand of her son, Halo, on social media. “The greatest thing that 2023 could have done for me, was bring me my son,” the star shared. She welcomes her son alongside her boyfriend, YouTuber and rapper, DDG. Congratulations to the couple!
Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous list revealed
In 2019, news headlines were dominated by the arrest of entrepreneur Jeffrey Epstein as his sexual allegations against minors were revealed to the world. After being convicted for his crimes in his decade-long sexual abuse scheme, Epstein did not live out his 20-year sentence after hanging himself in his cell later that year.
On 3 January, a judge ruled that a new set of filings from the deceased sex offender would be unsealed, publicising about 950 pages of court documents and with it, a list of approximately 150 names of Epstein’s associates. Much focus was placed on the flight logs to Epstein’s infamous island, which involved the sexual trafficking of minors.
While many on social media were quick to jump to the conclusion that the names mentioned in the infamous list were Epstein’s co-conspirators, the documents do not state as such and individuals mentioned may or may not have sexual allegations against them. Some of the most notable names revealed in these documents include former US President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Stephen Hawking, Prince Andrew, Donald Trump, Leonardo DiCaprio and Naomi Campbell.
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