A dangerous Saturday into Saturday night is set to unfold across the Deep South and into parts of the Southeast as a prolific tornado outbreak hits at least half a dozen states.

Threat level: The NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued a rare "high risk" outlook indicating forecasters' confidence in numerous, powerful tornadoes, particularly in parts of Mississippi and Alabama.

• The severe weather is forecast to get underway by late morning in Louisiana and Mississippi, with storms racing northeast with time.
• A mix of abundant wind shear, atmospheric instability and unusually strong upper level winds will drive this tornado outbreak, forecasters warned.
• The NWS forecast office in Birmingham released a statement on X Friday noting the rare combination of ingredients that could make this event so significant, summarizing it as: "This will be a very scary situation for many."

High risk region focuses on Mississippi and Alabama

The high risk zone (Level 5 out of 5 alert level) encompasses more than 3 million people on Saturday including the cities of Birmingham, Jackson, Miss., Tuscaloosa, Ala. and Hattiesburg, Miss.

• About 11 million people are located in the moderate risk zone (Level 4 out of 5 level) Saturday into Saturday night, including New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La., along with Montgomery and Mobile, Alabama and Columbus, Ga.
• Alabama Governor Kay Ivey (R) issued a state of emergency for the entire state on Friday.
• "The state of Alabama is at risk for potentially dangerous, severe weather throughout this weekend, so it is critical that everyone stays very aware of their local forecasts," Ivey said.

Zoom in: The SPC is using strong language to describe the tornado threat in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama in particular on Saturday.

• "A tornado outbreak is expected across the central Gulf Coast States and Deep South into the Tennessee Valley," SPC forecasters wrote in an online discussion Saturday morning.
• "Numerous significant tornadoes, some of which should be long-track and potentially violent, are expected this afternoon and evening."
• The reference to "violent" tornadoes refers to twisters of EF-3 intensity or greater, and forecasters are also warning that some tornadoes may remain on the ground for many miles.

The tornado threat will continue into the overnight hours on Saturday into early Sunday, particularly in Georgia, parts of Tennessee and the Florida Panhandle.

• Overnight tornadoes are particularly deadly because people have a harder time receiving warnings and getting to shelter, particularly in states with high proportions of mobile homes.

NWS urges preparation for tornado outbreak

Zoom out: The storms on Saturday come after severe weather swept across the Mid-South and Midwest on Friday night, killing two in Missouri as about two dozen tornadoes were reported across multiple states.

Context: Climate change is altering the environment in which severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form.

• Studies show that while some ingredients, such as humidity and atmospheric instability, are likely to increase with a warming climate, others may do the opposite.
• Climate change is anticipated to decrease the amount of wind shear available to severe thunderstorms, which could deprive them of a key ingredient for tornado formation.

Yes, but: When the right mix of ingredients are present, as they are on Saturday, climate change may lead to larger severe weather outbreaks.

The big picture: The NWS is urging people to prepare for the tornado outbreak, with some private sector forecasters instructing residents to be near tornado shelters by midday Saturday.

• Gather important documents, charge your devices, and do not hesitate to act when prompted," the NWS forecast office in Birmingham stated in a forecast discussion.
• "These storms could be moving 50+ MPH when a warning is issued, and time will be of the essence."

The intrigue: The Southeast has been particularly hard-hit by tornado outbreaks in recent years beginning during March.

Between the lines: This severe weather outbreak will test NOAA's ability to handle a large-scale, potentially deadly weather event in the wake of laying off about 800 meteorologists and other staff in late February.

• These layoffs reduced staffing at some local weather forecast offices to threadbare levels, causing some to reduce their services.
• Some meteorologists are also having to put in more frequent overtime shifts.

The bottom line: This severe weather outbreak is likely to be a high-end, potentially historic event, resulting in multiple powerful, long-lasting tornadoes.

Go deeper:

What we know about how climate change affects tornado outbreaks

NOAA cuts could ground some Hurricane Hunter flights

2nd judge orders agencies to reinstate thousands of fired federal workers

• Ultra-processed foods are often marketed with misleading claims to seem healthier, a researcher says.
• Labels like 'low fat' and 'low calorie' can be a red flag that foods are full of additives.
• Being skeptical of health claims can help you get the most of out grocery shopping for a nutritious diet.

Grocery shopping can be a minefield of faux health foods that are biting into your budget and damaging your long-term health.

That's why, when Dr. Tim Spector is walking down the food aisle, he keeps his eyes peeled for red flags — things that sound healthy, but are quite the opposite.

Spector, a medical doctor and professor of epidemiology at King's College London, co-founded the science and nutrition company ZOE, which gives members nutrition advice, among other features.

He took a particular interest in nutrition research after he had a mini-stroke in 2011. He was just 53, and felt pretty healthy, but he began to take a closer look at his eating habits.

"I said, 'I need to change what I'm doing and do massive research to work out what I should be eating, what I should be doing, health-wise to keep me living longer,'" Spector, co-founder of the science and nutrition company ZOE, told Business Insider.

Now, he has made it his mission to help consumers spot "health halos" — misleading advertising on ultra-processed foods making them seem nutritious when they can be detrimental to your health.

Here are four red flags he looks for that can help you spot dubious claims at the grocery store, and how to stock your kitchen with healthier options instead.

1. 'Low-fat' foods have extra additives

Spector said he steers clear of anything labeled "low-fat," which includes margarine and butter substitutes, yogurts, and other dairy.

Low-fat products have a long history in the fad diet industry. The craze really took off in the 1980s because of concerns that saturated fat could worsen heart health and cholesterol levels. Companies selling low-fat substitutes for popular foods also cashed in on the myth that eating more dietary fat causes you to gain more body fat.

The problem is, trimming the fat from a food has a major catch. Since fat brings flavor and texture to food, swapping it out means adding sugars, starches, and binding agent so the final product is still appetizing.

That's good news for manufacturers, who saved money by using lower-cost additives, but bad news for consumers, who are now missing out on some heart-healthy fats that naturally occur in foods, and eating more preservatives instead.

The extra refined carbohydrates that are added in place of fats can wreck havoc on our health, raising the risk of heart disease and messing with metabolic health.

"Big food loved it because it was cheaper to have these sort of fat replacements than actually paying for the natural fat got in our diets," Spector said.

If you're trying to watch your cholesterol levels, Spector said skip the low-fat products. Instead, he avoids cooking oils and spreads, and uses extra virgin olive oil, which offers a dose of beneficial fatty acids and polyphenols.

He also buys full-fat butter, since emerging research suggests that the fat in dairy products can have a protective effect, potentially reducing risk of illness and promoting healthy aging.

2. 'Low-calorie' can be misleading

Labeling products as low in calories is a marketing ploy which often signals a food is ultra-processed and loaded with additives, Spector said.

"It means they've tampered with it. They have probably taken out some sugar and added artificial sweeteners to disguise how much sugar is in there," Spector said.

Many low- or no-calorie artificial sweeteners are no better for your health than sugar, according to a 2022 study.

For example, consuming aspartame, the no-calorie sweetener used in many diet sodas, carries some of the same health risks as excess sugar, like higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It may also cause you to eat more as the sweet taste prompts your body to expect a boost of energy that never arrives.

Spector has another gripe with the low-calorie label: calories alone aren't a good indication of whether a food is nutritious, he said. It's more important to focus on the nutrients in your food than one siloed metric. Plus, research suggests calorie labels can be off by as much as 20%.

"Calories are completely the wrong way to summarize a food. They're not accurate. They're not useful, as most people cannot follow a calorie-restricted diet or calorie count reliably," Spector said.

3. 'Added vitamins' tend to be low-quality nutrition

It's pretty common for food packages to declare "added vitamins" or "added minerals" — from cereals to juice to milk.

However, while getting an extra boost of vitamins and minerals in your food may seem like a bonus, it's another sneaky way to disguise processing, Spector said.

Ultra-processed foods are designed to have a long shelf life, with a hyper-palatable flavor and texture, tempting you to keep eating. That manufacturing process strips out naturally-occurring nutrients like vitamins and minerals. By law, manufacturers have to add them back in, Spector explained.

That's why Spector is not so impressed by foods advertised as "fortified" with vitamins and minerals.

Vitamins and minerals are most effective in the form of whole foods, since they're in larger quantities and in higher-quality form, easier for the body to absorb and use than the manufactured, isolated version.

4. Be wary of claims like 'immune-boosting' or 'gut healthy'

Food manufacturers will often hype up the appeal of their products by adding very small amounts of ingredients with promising nutritional benefits, even if the doses aren't large enough to do much good. In the supplement world, this is called "fairy dusting."

"You can claim immune health by adding a microscopic amount of zinc into it; gut health with a bit of manganese… all sorts of nonsense," Spector said

Misleading health claims also includes labels that advertise added fiber, since you may not be getting an effective dose.

"Big food doesn't make money out of fiber. There's no big fiber lobby. It's just quiet cheap, and it's healthy. And of course, it fills you up. So you eat less of it," Spector said.

The easiest way to navigate food labels is to check the actual quantities of ingredients and serving sizes, to make sure you're getting what you want, Spector said. Not all processed foods are created equal, since certain types of processing can retain the nutrients you want.

Spector's approach to getting enough nutrients is to aim to eat 30 different plants per week, including things like nuts, seeds, spices, coffee, and even high-quality chocolate.

U.S. forces with help from Iraqi intelligence and security killed the No. 2 global ISIS leader, "one of the most important" of the entire organization, per U.S. Central Command.

The big picture: Abdallah Makki Muslih al-Rifai, also known as Abu Khadijah, oversaw global operations and logistics for the extremist group and directed "a significant portion" of its global financing, Central Command said Friday in an X post.

Zoom in: Khadijah was killed in a precision airstrike in Al Anbar Province, Iraq on Thursday along with another ISIS operative.

• "After the strike, CENTCOM and Iraqi forces moved to the strike site and found both dead ISIS terrorists," Central Command said.
• "Both terrorists were wearing unexploded 'suicide vests' and had multiple weapons."
• Khadijah was identified through DNA obtained when he "narrowly escaped" an earlier raid, per CENTCOM.

What they're saying: "Abu Khadijah was one of the most important ISIS members in the entire global ISIS organization," Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander, said.

• "We will continue to kill terrorists and dismantle their organizations that threaten our homeland and U.S., allied and partner personnel in the region and beyond," Kurilla added.
• President Trump declared for "PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH" on Truth Social Friday, praising U.S. forces as "intrepid warfighters."

More from Axios:

• U.S. conducts strikes against ISIS operatives in Somalia
• ISIS, refugees, populism: How Syria changed everything

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is stirring speculation that he's floating a potential bid to be the 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, after bowing out of local races this week.

The big picture: Democrats eyeing runs for the White House in 2028 have largely remained coy about their intentions, though their actions indicate they're preparing for primaries.

• Potential top 2028 contenders include Buttigieg, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.
• Here's a closer look:

Pete Buttigieg

Buttigieg made his national ambitions clear when he launched an ultimately unsuccessful presidential run in 2020 while mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

• He served in the Biden cabinet as transportation secretary, where he was forced to contend with a pile-on of crises.
• Buttigieg was considered a strong contender in Michigan's gubernatorial or Senate elections next year, but he ruled himself out of both races on Thursday.

Gavin Newsom

Newsom has long been considered a likely Democratic presidential candidate, and has been building a nationwide network of supporters and donors in recent years while garnering more national attention.

• After President Trump won the 2024 election, Newsom called for a special legislative session in California to raise money to prepare to challenge the Republican leader in the courts.
• He has pitched himself as a moderate in recent months and sought to broaden his appeal.
• In a recent conversation with right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk on the governor's new podcast, Newsom broke with many Democrats when he said transgender athletes competing in girls' and women's sports was "deeply unfair."

Rahm Emanuel

Emanuel, who served as the ambassador to Japan under former President Biden, has fueled speculation of a bid for president.

• The former Obama White House chief of staff has been making several public appearances sounding the alarm that Democrats must recalibrate their political strategies before the 2026 midterms.
• Emanuel joined CNN as a commentator last month and obtained a Washington Post column.

Tim Walz

Walz announced last month he will not run for Minnesota's newly open U.S. Senate seat in 2026, potentially leaving room for a presidential run.

• The two-term governor and 2024 vice presidential candidate launched a national tour of town halls in Republican House districts, traveling the country.

JB Pritzker

Pritzker, a billionaire businessman, has been claiming the Democratic resistance lane in Illinois.

• He's been boosting his national profile in recent years and has been on unofficial shortlists — including as a potential emergency replacement for then-President Biden after the disastrous first presidential debate last year.

Gretchen Whitmer

The Michigan governor has been a rising star in the Democratic Party and has positioned herself as a pragmatic, center-left leader since Trump's win. She said she met with him this week to discuss jobs, tariffs and defense investments.

• In recent weeks, Whitmer has touted that she sent National Guard troops to the border to combat illegal immigration and said she's open to some new tariffs to protect industry. She declined to join a multi-state federal lawsuit challenging Trump's push to ban birthright citizenship.
• As governor, Whitmer has championed gun safety measures, abortion access and civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ residents. She launched a national political group in 2023 to boost her public profile.

Jared Polis

The popular two-term Colorado governor was among a handful of top Democrats under consideration as a possible replacement for Biden on the 2024 ticket.

• Polis, like Whitmer, has taken a centrist approach since Trump's inauguration.
• He said in his State of the State address that he hopes Trump and Congress can work together "to secure the border, stop human trafficking and stop the illegal flow of guns and drugs ... We welcome more federal help to detain and deport dangerous criminals."
• The governor backed Trump's controversial nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary.

Zoom out: Other potential contenders include Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy.

Between the lines: Top Democrats are divided on how to confront Trump, as the party faces an identity crisis following the 204 election.

• This time, there's no consensus on strategy — and prominent Democrats are already taking different paths, Axios' Alex Thompson reports.

Go deeper: Democrats eyeing 2028 split on how to tackle Trump

First, the good news: There is no solid evidence right now that the economy is in recession, or even particularly close to it.

• The bad news is that warning bells of what is to come are ringing every which way.

The big picture: The cautions about the outlook keep piling on top of each other, including from surveys of consumers and businesses, corporate earnings, and financial markets.

• It all suggests that the economic ground may — emphasis on may — be shifting beneath our feet.
• But the evidence so far is all in the realm of anecdotes, or "soft data," not the kind of definitive, "hard data" evidence of a downturn that would make economists believe a recession is commencing.

Zoom out: A confluence of forces emanating from Washington is driving the vibe shift.

• The threat of new tariffs far larger than those enacted in the previous Trump term is part of it, as is the erratic, on-again/off-again pattern through which they are being implemented.
• Cuts to the federal workforce and government contracting may be leading some wary consumers to slow their spending (as is already evident in credit card data for the Washington, D.C. area).
• It all adds a layer of uncertainty for companies trying to decide whether to engage in new capital spending or hiring.

Zoom in: On Friday, the University of Michigan's preliminary survey of consumer sentiment for March plunged for the third straight month, showing sharply lower expectations for the future among Democrats and Republicans alike.

• Thursday, the S&P 500 fell into official correction territory — a 10% drop from its peak. (It rebounded sharply on Friday, however).
• Leaders of businesses large and small are showing less confidence in the outlook, per surveys.
• Warnings have percolated from airlines and retailers, including Dollar General and Walmart, about underwhelming consumer demand.
• Announced layoffs reached their highest levels since the summer of 2020, when the pandemic was in full force — and highest for the month of February since 2009, per outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas.

Between the lines: Any one of these developments can, and generally should, be chalked up to the ebb and flow of data.

• The Michigan survey sample size is small. The stock market has been frothy lately, and routinely experiences corrections that don't predict recession. Any given company or industry can have a rough quarter.
• What is striking is how pervasive these warning signs have been lately, and how they all seem to point the same direction.
• The good news lately — on solid Q4 GDP growth, for example — has come from data sources that are backward-looking.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration's talk, suggesting that a period of economic weakness could be necessary (or even desirable) to remake the economy, adds to the sense that hard days are ahead.

• Elevated inflation could keep the Federal Reserve from cutting rates as much as it normally would during a downturn.

Reality check: None of this means that a recession is underway, or inevitable. The U.S. economy is like a tanker ship that normally moves forward, and it takes a lot to stop that progress.

The bottom line: Shifts underway in Washington may be enough to at least slow the ship, if not stop it — even if the evidence so far isn't definitive.

• Benny Blanco and Selena Gomez are releasing a joint album, "I Said I Love You First," this month.
• Blanco has produced and written songs for major artists like Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, and Katy Perry.
• He has earned 11 Grammy nominations.

If Chappell Roan is your favorite artist's favorite artist, Benny Blanco is their favorite producer.

Take it from Grammy-nominated artist Halsey, who told iHeart Radio in 2017, "He's incredible. He's a genius and he's responsible for a lot of everyone's favorite pop songs whether they know it or not."

Blanco, whose real name is Benjamin Levin, has been a force in the music industry for nearly two decades as a producer, songwriter, and artist in his own right, creating songs for stars like Rihanna, Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry, and even his fiancée, Selena Gomez.

Throughout his career, Blanco has earned 11 Grammy nominations for categories like album of the year, song of the year, and producer of the year, non-classical. He's also won five BMI Songwriter of the Year awards, was iHeart Radio's producer of the year in 2017, and earned the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.

"My job is to be a therapist, that's my job more than even a musician," Blanco told Daniel Wall's "Behind The Wall" podcast in 2024, adding that "being a producer sometimes is like being a spotter at the gym."

Ahead of the release of his latest project, a joint album with Gomez called "I Said I Love You First," on March 21, here's a look back at some of the most iconic songs in his discography.

"Circus" — Britney Spears (2008)

Early in Blanco's career, he was mentored by producer Dr. Luke (full name Lukasz Gottwald) who signed him to his production company, Kasz Money Productions.

In a July 2018 episode of "The Zach Sang Show," Blanco said he learned how to produce pop music from producers like Gottwald and Max Martin.

"From those guys, I learned so much about how to write songs and how to craft the perfect pop hook," he said.

One of Blanco's early projects with Dr. Luke was Britney Spears' 2008 hit "Circus," which they wrote with fellow producer and songwriter Claude Kelly. Blanco was only 20 years old at the time of its release.

"Circus" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

"Tik Tok" — Kesha (2009)

Also in 2008, Blanco and Dr. Luke worked together to write and record Kesha's "Tik Tok."

Kesha told Vulture in 2024 that she was encouraged to make the lyrics of the song "dumber."

"After I wrote them, I was like, 'This is too dumb, right? It doesn't make sense to brush your teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniel's.' But I remember Benny Blanco was like, 'No, it's sick. Just don't overthink it.' That's what we ended up with," she said.

The song was certified 12x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and has more than one billion streams on Spotify.

In 2014, Kesha sued Dr. Luke, alleging he had drugged and raped her, and psychologically abused her during their working relationship. They settled the suit, and his subsequent countersuit for defamation, in 2023. Gottwald denied the accusations and was never charged with a crime.

"Teenage Dream" — Katy Perry (2010)

Blanco told the "Behind the Wall" podcast that it took eight days to write the lyrics to "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry.

"There's a version that says like, 'Before you know it, you're just a mom in a minivan' and it was all about like coming of age," he said, adding, "We just changed it like a million times."

Perry, Blanco, Bonnie McKee, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin were all songwriters on the project, while Blanco, Dr. Luke, and Martin produced it.

The rewrites paid off, as "Teenage Dream" was certified Diamond by the RIAA and was Perry's second-consecutive No. 1 single after "California Gurls," which Blanco also helped produce.

"Diamonds" — Rihanna (2012)

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Rihanna singing "Diamonds," but that's exactly what Blanco, Sia, and Stargate (a Norwegian songwriting and production duo) had in mind when they wrote and produced their demo in the early 2010s.

Blanco told "The Howard Stern Show" in 2024 that they originally wanted to give the song to Kanye West or Eminem. "But then, once Rihanna sang it, I was like 'Oh my God, this is something,'" he said.

But getting the song finished came down to a mad rush; Blanco told The Source in October 2012, "We had one day to finish it. We didn't even have her vocals yet. We had to finish all the music around it without even having her vocals, and I was like 'There's no way this is happening.' Then, we get the song the next day, we had to mix the song the same day and master it and then it was out like a few days later."

"Diamonds" was released in September 2012 as the lead single on Rihanna's seventh studio album, "Unapologetic," and went on to become her 12th No. 1 single — tying Madonna and the Supremes — and was certified Diamond by the RIAA.

"Payphone" — Maroon 5 feat. Wiz Khalifa (2012)

After achieving massive mainstream success with "Moves Like Jagger," Blanco teamed up with Maroon 5 again in 2012 for the song "Payphone," featuring Wiz Khalifa.

In 2012, Blanco told Rolling Stone, "I love when things don't make sense," adding, "I like when bands dip into a whole different genre."

In 2013, Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine told The New York Times, "It's almost as if [Blanco] has the Midas touch in putting the right people together at the right time to create a musical moment. He's about the collaboration. And he's so good at nailing down who does everything best."

"Payphone" was a commercial success and was nominated for the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance in 2013, but ultimately lost to Gotye and Kimbra for "Somebody That I Used to Know."

"Happier" — Ed Sheeran (2017)

Blanco was a key collaborator on Sheeran's third studio album, "Divide" (2017), which included hits like "Shape of You," "Castle on the Hill," and "Happier."

After starting the song with Ryan Tedder, Blanco and Sheeran continued to write and produce "Happier" on a cruise ship — Blanco has a fear of flying — from New York to London.

Filmmaker Murray Cummings documented the process in the 2018 documentary "Songwriter," capturing Sheeran and Blanco recording vocals and brainstorming lyrics in a studio on the ship.

"Love Yourself" — Justin Bieber (2015)

Speaking of Ed Sheeran, he and Blanco also wrote "Love Yourself" while working on "Divide."

Blanco told "The Howard Stern Show" they wrote the song on a tour bus from Canada to the US, and that it was inspired by Sheeran's lack of wanting to discuss his personal life in a song.

However, Blanco famously changed the original lyrics of the song from "F— Yourself" to "Love Yourself."

"I don't like to curse unless it's really important to curse in the song," he said, adding, "I wanna leave a little bit up to the audience, 'cause you know you're saying go f— yourself, you don't have to say it."

Ultimately, the pair gave the song to Justin Bieber, who was finishing his album "Purpose."

"Same Old Love" — Selena Gomez (2015)

Long before Gomez and Blanco started dating, the pair worked together on the 2015 hit "Same Old Love."

The song was largely written by fellow pop star Charli XCX and Ross Golan, though producers Blanco and Stargate contributed to the lyrics, too.

Charli XCX told Grazia in 2016 that she actually wished she'd kept the song for herself, "But then, I kind of realised it was actually the perfect home for that song because coming from [Gomez], it meant kind of a lot more than coming from me."

"Now or Never" — Halsey (2017)

In 2017, Halsey spoke with iHeart Radio about creating "Now or Never," the lead single from her album, "Hopeless Fountain Kingdom."

"Benny Blanco and I did 'Now or Never' together and he is one of my favorite people in the whole world," she said, adding, "When he and I were working together, he had a lot of faith in me and he knew that he could pull a really really incredible song out of me, and he was so respectful of me."

The song went on to be certified 2x Platinum by the RIAA and Halsey was included in Blanco's debut single, "Eastside," with Khalid in 2018.

"Issues" — Julia Michaels (2017)

In 2017, Julia Michaels told Billboard's "How It Went Down" series that she wrote "Issues" with Justin Tranter, Blanco, and Stargate in about an hour after getting into a fight with her boyfriend.

"I just thought, well I've got issues and he's got 'em, too, and it's really crazy that nobody's written a song like this because everybody goes through something like this," she said, adding, "Once we figured out that that was the concept, words just kind of flew out of me 'cause I was so in it."

"It was the first time in my life that I kept a song for myself," Michaels added.

Similar to Blanco, Michaels has had a prolific career as a songwriter in addition to her work as a solo artist; some of her writing credits include Justin Bieber's "Sorry," Hailee Steinfeld's "Love Myself," and Fifth Harmony's "Miss Movin' On." More recently, she contributed to songs on Sabrina Carpenter's album, "Short n' Sweet."

Blanco and Stargate produced the song, which was nominated for song of the year at the Grammys in 2018.

• The 2000s saw the release of lots of iconic romantic comedies.
• Fan favorites like "A Cinderella Story" and "She's The Man" didn't receive high praise from critics.
• However, most critics enjoyed films like "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and "Knocked Up."

Nothing screams the 2000s quite like a romantic comedy. The decade boasted a huge lineup of this genre of films, some of which were received better than others.

Although critics did not enjoy all of them equally, many have proved to be fun time capsules of the decade.

Here are 18 rom-coms to watch if you're feeling nostalgic for the early aughts, ranked from worst to best.

Critics didn't love "A Cinderella Story" (2004) as much as audiences did.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 11%

Summary: While working at her stepmother's (Jennifer Coolidge) diner, shy Sam (Hilary Duff) forms an anonymous online relationship with the popular boy Austin (Chad Michael Murray) — and hopes to impress him at the school dance.

The divide between the audience and critic scores couldn't have been clearer for "A Cinderella Story" — sitting at 53% and 11%, respectively.

Although many critics called the film formulaic, they did acknowledge it was a good choice for younger audiences.

"'A Cinderella Story' doesn't break any new ground, but it's a well-acted little breeze of a film — perfect if you're a 12-year-old girl," Richard Roeper wrote in a review for Ebert & Roeper.

Despite being a critical misfire, "Failure To Launch" (2006) has prevailed as a date-night movie staple.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

Summary: Paula (Sarah Jessica Parker) makes a living dating men in arrested development, helping them to move on with their lives. However, she meets her toughest case yet when Tripp's (Matthew McConaughey) parents challenge her to get their son out of the house.

When "Failure to Launch" first hit theaters, critics largely found it more "quirky" than charming — but its legacy as a decent date-night movie has prevailed.

"Once in a while, it's just nice to have romance and comedy come together in a pleasant surprise," Jeanne Kaplan wrote in a review for Kaplan vs. Kaplan.

Some critics felt "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" (2004) lacked the original film's coming-of-age charm.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

Summary: While still adjusting to life as princess of Genovia, Mia (Anne Hathaway) learns that she must marry within 30 days to become queen, leading to complications with one of her top suitors: Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine).

At the end of the day, the sequel didn't score as well with critics as the original. However, viewers seemed satisfied with this addition to the "Princess Diaries" universe.

"Fans of the first 'Princess Diaries' will find enough laughs and diamonds in the rough to sustain them," Winda Benedetti wrote for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

Although the film didn't earn rave reviews, critics adored Reese Witherspoon's performance in "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 38%

Summary: New York fashion designer Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) must confront her past when she returns to Alabama to finalize her divorce from high school sweetheart Jake (Josh Lucas) — before marrying her fiancé (Patrick Dempsey).

For a fun date-night movie, "Sweet Home Alabama" was a catch. In the eyes of critics, however, the plot seemed to run a bit thin.

"With Witherspoon's charisma and the infectious efforts of a supporting cast, it's hard not to like this trifling little stroll down memory lane — but not impossible," Jonathan R. Perry wrote in a review for the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

Despite calling the film formulaic, critics liked Katherine Heigl's performance in "27 Dresses" (2008).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 40%

Summary: Jane (Katherine Heigl) is always a bridesmaid, never a bride. But when her sister Tess (Malin Akerman) steals the man she secretly loves, she begins to question her identity as a bridesmaid. All the while, a reporter (James Marsden) tries to convince her that there's more to life than playing a supporting role for others.

Funny, flirty, and inoffensive, critics predicted "27 Dresses" would have a long shelf life as a familiar favorite.

"Predictable but utterly engaging, '27 Dresses' will likely be remembered as the film that made Katherine Heigl an A-list star," Chris Kaltenbach wrote for the Baltimore Sun.

Even if the story felt a bit predictable, critics couldn't help but fall for the stars of "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

Summary: Advice columnist Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) takes on a new piece about how to get a man to leave you in 10 days. Meanwhile, Ben Berry (McConaughey) gets pulled into a bet that he can make any woman fall in love with him in the same span of time.

Despite some familiar footing in the plotline, critics said that "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" prevailed in the chemistry of its leads.

In a review for Premiere Magazine, Kelly Borgeson wrote that the film "pokes fun at relationship stereotypes in a way that, while not exactly clever, is pretty amusing — due in large part to the talented leads."

Critics were underwhelmed by "She's The Man" (2006), but thought Amanda Bynes still stole the show.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 44%

Summary: Viola (Amanda Bynes) is obsessed with soccer, but no one will take her seriously. Seizing a chance to prove others wrong, she disguises herself to steal a slot at her twin brother's boarding school, only to fall for the handsome Duke (Channing Tatum).

"She's The Man" was another romantic comedy with a wide disparity between critics and fans, earning an audience score of 79%. However, critics still gave Bynes props for her comedic acting performance.

"'She's The Man' is foremost an excellent showcase for Bynes," Jeffrey Westhoff wrote for the Northwest Herald.

Despite a mixed reception, "50 First Dates" (2004) stole the hearts of many critics.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 45%

Summary: After a traumatic accident, Lucy's (Drew Barrymore) short-term memory resets every day. But that doesn't stop Henry (Adam Sandler) from trying to woo her time and time again.

"50 First Dates" yielded mixed reviews from critics — with some distracted by the "gross-out humor" — but overall, it was one of the more sincere rom-com entries of the 2000s.

"The spark between the stars and a surprisingly thoughtful screenplay ensures that, despite the odd gross-out misstep, this is a sweet, warm, and funny romantic comedy," Nev Pierce wrote for BBC.com.

The storyline may have been a bit over-the-top, but Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock had great chemistry in "The Proposal" (2009).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 45%

Summary: While facing deportation, Canadian book editor Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) forces her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) into an engagement of convenience — but then finds she might be falling in love with him.

The over-the-top premise may have been hard for some critics to swallow, but many were pleasantly surprised by the hidden sweetness at the heart of the film.

In a review for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Mack Bates called the film "surprisingly charming and smartly executed."

"Last Holiday" (2006) earned praise for Queen Latifah's central performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 56%

Summary: Shy saleswoman Georgia (Queen Latifah) is thrown for a loop when she's diagnosed with a terminal illness. As she jets around Europe to cross off items on her bucket list, Georgia finds herself pining for her crush, Sean (LL Cool J).

Like many rom-coms of the 2000s, "Last Holiday" succeeded not by the high craft of its storytelling, but by the likability of its stars.

"It's the perfect feel-good story blessed by the comedic timing of Queen Latifah and the adorable face of LL Cool J," Ella Riley-Adams wrote in a 2019 review for Vogue.

"Music and Lyrics" (2007) was a quirky, likable rom-com.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 63%

Summary: 80's pop has-been Alex Fletcher (Hugh Grant) scores a chance at a career comeback when superstar Cora Corman (Haley Bennett) asks him to write a song for her. However, Fletcher has writer's block until he finds unexpected inspiration in his "plant lady," Sophie (Barrymore).

Praised for being a feel-good romantic comedy, "Music and Lyrics" was probably never going to win an Academy Award — but it did win over the hearts of many critics.

"Good-natured, melodic, and sweet as can be, 'Music and Lyrics' is like listening to your favorite '80s compilation: It just plain makes you feel good," Linda Cook wrote for the Quad City Times.

Critics loved Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo in "13 Going on 30" (2004).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 65%

Summary: After wishing she was "thirty, flirty, and thriving" on a teary-eyed 13th birthday, Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) wakes up to find herself magically transformed into a 30-year-old woman. However, she finds life won't be the same until she can reconnect with her childhood friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo).

Despite plot contrivances, "13 Going on 30" proved so touching that even critics admitted to warming to the sweet premise.

In a review for the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Mark Collette wrote that the film is "sickeningly cute, surprisingly energetic, and alarmingly clever."

Will Smith found success in his first rom-com, "Hitch" (2005).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

Summary: Dating coach Alex "Hitch" Hitchens (Will Smith) seems to have romance down to a tee until tabloid reporter Sara Melas (Eva Mendes) makes him rethink his entire approach to dating.

Smith's first-ever rom-com proved to be a success, with critics largely finding the film witty and endearing.

"It is smarter than your average rom-com and boasts some genuine pathos towards the end," Lisa Rose wrote in a review for the Newark Star-Ledger.

"Definitely, Maybe" (2008) broke the rom-com formula in a creative way.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Summary: New Yorker Will Hayes (Reynolds) is in the throes of divorce when his daughter (Abigail Breslin) asks him what his life was like before marriage. The story rewinds to recount the three great loves of his life.

With a clever premise and enchanting leads, critics were largely surprised by the refreshing concept of "Definitely, Maybe."

"'Definitely, Maybe' has the 'meet cute,' but it also has all the things that can come after — the awkward moments, the scary possibility of hope, the comforts of sadness, the tough talks, the ugly partings, the hard-won reconciliations," James Rocchi wrote in a review for Cinematical.

"My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002) was sweet and relatable.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 76%

Summary: Toula's (Nia Vardalos) constantly growing family is overjoyed when she finally gets engaged to Ian (John Corbett), even though he's not Greek.

Critics knew instantly that "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" would become a rom-com classic.

"It is a romantic comedy in the best classic Hollywood style, albeit one with some sharp writing and genuinely human as well as funny moments," Andrea Chase wrote for Killer Movie Reviews.

Critics praised Renée Zellweger's performance in "Bridget Jones's Diary" (2001).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 79%

Summary: 32-year-old Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) sets several New Year's resolutions in her diary and slowly realizes that love can unravel even the best-laid plans.

Critics said Zellweger's central performance grounded the film, making it even more likable than they could have predicted.

In a review for CNN.com, Paul Clinton wrote, "Renée Zellweger is dazzling as the irrepressible star of 'Bridget Jones's Diary.'"

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008) was called wildly funny and unexpectedly sweet.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Summary: After music composer Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) is dumped by his famous girlfriend Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), he flies to Hawaii to get over her — only to find her vacationing there with her new boyfriend (Russell Brand).

Between the reliability of the dialogue and the chemistry of the lead cast, many critics enjoyed "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

"Like 'Knocked Up' and 'Superbad' before it, 'Forgetting Sarah Marshall' is a return to the rarest of adult comedies, one with a heart," Michael A. Smith wrote in a review for Nolan's Pop Culture.

Critics couldn't get enough of the sharp humor in "Knocked Up" (2007).

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Summary: After a one-night stand with slacker Ben Stone (Seth Rogen), hardworking journalist Alison Scott (Heigl) faces an unexpected pregnancy and decides to let him prove he's capable of fatherhood.

Hailed as hilarious, clever, and surprisingly sincere, "Knocked Up" proved to be one of the most critically acclaimed romantic comedies of the 2000s.

"Ultimately, it's a refreshing, amusing, and surprisingly touching comedy," Francesca Rudkin wrote for the New Zealand Herald.