• I compared three premade espresso martinis to determine which was the best.
• I thought the On the Rocks espresso-martini cocktail was bitter and had an odd aftertaste.
• The Ketel One espresso martini was the winner because of its smooth, sweet flavor.

Espresso martinis have been around for decades, but today, they seem more popular than ever.

I recently saw a few bottled and canned versions of the alcoholic drink — usually made with vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso, and simple syrup — at my local liquor store.

Eager to see which was best, I decided to try three brands of premade espresso martinis. To level the playing field, I made sure to prepare each drink the same way — pouring the liquid into a shaker with ice and straining the drink into a martini glass. 

Here's how each espresso martini stacked up.

The On the Rocks espresso-martini cocktail was my least-favorite beverage

A sales associate at the liquor store told me the On the Rocks espresso martini, which has 20% alcohol by volume, was a popular drink.

According to its label, this "rich and dark espresso martini" was made with Effen vodka and espresso-coffee liqueur.

In the glass, the deep-caramel-colored liquid resembled scotch. It smelled neutral, but it had an overpowering flavor when it hit my lips. It started out bold and bitter, then left an odd, lingering, acidic aftertaste well after I finished my sip. 

Overall, I wouldn't purchase this beverage again. 

The Cutwater espresso martini had a tasty, coffee-forward flavor

The Cutwater espresso martini came in a pack of four cans. According to the label on the box, each can contained at least two shots of "real spirits" and 13% alcohol by volume.

When I poured the drink into a glass, the aroma was exactly what I expected: coffee-forward with vodka overtones.

Made with coffee-cream liqueur, it had a nice cold-brew flavor and a light mouthfeel. Because the drink went down easy, the alcohol could definitely sneak up on you.

I think the Cutwater cocktail would be perfect for events like tailgates or fireside sipping.

The Ketel One espresso martini was my favorite of the bunch

The Ketel One espresso martini blended the brand's vodka with coffee liqueur. Though potent at 20.1% alcohol by volume, the Ketel One espresso martini was pretty smooth.

Its subtle chocolaty aroma and strong flavor were a nice surprise. The martini's dark-amber hue gave way to a velvety smooth, sweet drink with slight hints of a flavor that reminded me of hazelnut — mimicking exactly what one expects from a traditional espresso martini.

Overall, the Ketel One espresso martini's coffee-forward flavor dominated the competition, making it my winner.

• Brandon Medford started a luxury automotive brokerage firm in 2017.
• Since then, he's built a multimillion-dollar net worth through different businesses.
• He enjoys treating his kids to things like courtside tickets but says underneath he's still frugal.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Brandon Medford, CEO of Brandon Medford Enterprises. It has been edited for length and clarity.

When I was 22, I was working as the finance director for an automotive dealership. I was bringing home more money in a month than my parents made in a year. My annual income was about $500,000, and I had virtually no expenses because I was still living at home.

And yet, I still ended up broke. I was spending money on partying, travel, and $1,000 dinners. Most of my friends were making $50,000 a year, so I paid for everything when we went out. I wanted to take care of my people.

After three years of that, I had no money in the bank. I realized I needed to change my mindset about money. At the time, I was devastated, but looking back, I learned an important lesson: you should always budget and live below your means.

As my wealth grew, I looked for more frugal role models

I left that job in 2017 to found an automotive brokerage company. It took off quickly, and I started selling luxury vehicles. What set me apart was how I delivered cars. I would deliver cars anywhere, with a big bow and confetti. People wanted to celebrate the milestone of getting their new car, and I made that possible.

The business continued to flourish, especially after 2021, when I founded a loan program that specifically helped entrepreneurs purchase luxury cars. Suddenly I was selling Astin Martins, Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and other luxury cars like they were Hondas.

As I built my wealth, I realized I needed to emulate people who reinvested their money. I know someone who sold a business for $80 million and reinvested $70 million. You'd never know he had $80 million in liquid assets because he lived off the $10 million. I wanted to be like that, not like the fast-spending guy I was in my early 20s.

I want my kids to enjoy the fruits of my labor

I reinvested money in real estate, business investment, and other enterprises. Today, I'm a multimillionaire. I'm also a dad to three kids, ages 7, 5, and 4.

I still consider myself a very frugal person, but I'm not afraid to indulge in what my wealth can offer me. I want my family to enjoy the fruits of my labor. I helped connect my 5-year-old daughter with a modeling gig at New York Fashion Week, and now she goes to birthday parties with Dream Kardashian.

My 7-year-old son and I go to Knicks games and sit courtside, meeting the players. When I was growing up, my dad took me to one Knicks game every year, and we sat way up high. I used to point to the courtside seats and say, "One day, I'm going to sit down there." To be able to do that now with my dad and son is very meaningful.

At the same time, I take the kids to the modest homes of my family members in Queens. They know that not everyone is wealthy because they see it in their own family.

I sometimes revisit the Wendy's I used to work at

When you see someone driving a luxury car, you can react one of two ways. You can say, "Wow, he's flashy." Or, you can say, "I wonder what he's done to be able to afford that." I've always been curious — asking questions like that — and it's helped me build wealth.

Today, I sometimes drive my Ferrari to the Wendy's in Brooklyn where I worked when I was 16-19. I'll go through the drive-thru and tell the person at the window, "This is just the beginning." I want them to know I was where they were 13 years ago. With discipline, they could do the same thing I've done.

• Grady Stickney gained over 600,000 TikTok followers in four months.
• Stickney, a college student, told BI he's overwhelmed that his success came as a TikTok ban looms.
• President Donald Trump gave TikTok a 75-day extension to find a buyer or face a US ban.

The TikTok ban has left creators facing uncertainty over the past year. One of TikTok's fastest-growing creators says the pressure has been overwhelming.

The law that could ban TikTok went into effect in the United States on January 19 after the Supreme Court upheld it. The law requires TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest from the app.

While President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 20 granting a 75-day extension for TikTok to find a buyer, the social media app's future in the United States remains in limbo.

Creators can often build large followings on TikTok faster than other social media platforms. One TikToker previously told BI that he gained over 3 million followers by making four to five 10-second videos a day.

So the possibility of a TikTok ban came as harsh news to Grady Stickney, who has gained over 600,000 followers and 155 million views on his account since November.

"One of the things that affects me the most is the fact that it happened so fast," Stickney said through tears in a TikTok video on January 18, a day before the app briefly shut down to US users.

Stickney told BI that his success on TikTok has been overwhelming.

In just four months, outside of the thousands of new followers and millions of views, he also said he got an offer to audition for a feature film. He said he struggles with the idea that "this could all be gone tomorrow," but is comforted that his videos have resonated with so many people.

"It's a little voice in the back of my head now that says, 'even if I don't get to keep the constant interaction with these people, people love the fact that I'm myself,'" Stickney told BI.

Stickney is a senior education major at a small Christian college in Indiana. He said the confidence gained from social media will help his teaching career.

"Now that this has all happened, it's more about the fact that I can go on after social media is over and know that I affected that many people in a positive way," Stickney said.

He said the support he has received on TikTok in recent months has been surreal. He receives compliments on his personality, his music taste, and his "willingness to be myself in front of this many people."

"It's just so validating," he said.

Stickney said his personality doesn't always mesh well with others because of his "raw" nature, but TikTok became a home for him to find a community that appreciates his sense of humor.

"It's all support, and so it's just so overwhelming to see this many people be this strongly affected," Stickney said.

It's a common misconception that — through ads and brand deals — a large social media following always comes with a large check. While some creators do rely on income from social media content, a survey from Influencer Marketing Hub showed that more than 48% of creators make less than $15,000 a year.

Stickney said he makes about "enough to pay for dinner."

Stickney's account mostly consists of videos of him dancing and making facial expressions inside a Spongebob-themed bathroom. Stickney told BI that he didn't expect to find success when he started posting regularly in November, but he decided to keep making posts after seeing how much attention they were getting.

"I posted one dancing video in my bathroom to a SpongeBob song, exactly how I do now, and threw up the rock finger gesture where, like the pinky and the pointer finger, and people loved it," Stickney said.

When asked if he is a SpongeBob fan, Stickney said, "No, that's the best part."

Stickney said his father — a community artist — painted the bathroom for him and his sister when they were kids and "apparently had an obsession with Spongebob."

"I love the show, but I'm not, like, this fanatic about SpongeBob that everybody assumes I am with this bathroom," Stickney said.

• I quit my job as a pilot to homeschool my kids, two things I never thought I'd do.
• The monotony of being a stay-at-home mom bored me to tears. So, we started taking educational trips.
• Now, I teach my kids by taking them on adventures with hands-on experiences. We're all happier.

I never planned to quit my job as an airline pilot or homeschool our kids.

I learned to fly at the age of 17, and spent countless hours in small planes getting more experience. By the time I was 43, I was flying for an airline, and my seniority afforded me the perks of a great schedule and salary.

I averaged eight work days a month and took full advantage of my travel benefits. Most of my airline friends thought I had the perfect job.

At the height of my career, an unexpected surprise derailed my future as a pilot: I was pregnant with twins.

It would've been difficult for my husband to work and watch the twins and our older son while I traveled, so I reluctantly quit my job to become a stay-at-home mom.

Being a stay-at-home parent bored me, especially once I started homeschooling my kids

As a pilot, I'd wake up in New York City and go to bed in Los Angeles. I'd look back on my day with accomplishment and pride.

As a stay-at-home mom, every day felt as monotonous as the last — and the only thing I explored was the never-ending mountain of dishes in the sink.

Bored to tears and homesick for travel, I counted the days until the twins started school so I could pursue my own dreams again

However, their kindergarten start date was a few short months away when the world came to a screeching halt amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

I didn't want the twins' first experience of school to include masks and social distancing, so I gave up my own plans and became a reluctant homeschool mom.

As the pandemic stretched into a second year, I continued to struggle at home, and I yearned to explore the world again. In a lightbulb moment, I realized I could combine my love of adventure and still teach my kids.

Now, I try to teach my kids through travel to encourage a lifelong love of learning

My main goal as a homeschooling mom is to encourage a lifelong love of learning — and why couldn't that be done through travel? I started to plan trips for us with educational moments and hands-on activities in mind.

Our first destination was Chincoteague Island in Virginia. We walked the beach and learned about tides. We gathered shells and horseshoe crabs and researched the history of both.

Then, we explored the NASA visitors center at the nearby Wallops Island and watched a shuttle launch to the International Space Station.

Once I realized how easy it was to educate through travel, we expanded our reach to explore other locations.

We learned about the three branches of government while we stood in front of the White House and visited Mount Vernon after we researched George Washington. We studied stalactites and stalagmites from a boat in a cave, then had our kayak propelled by a playful manatee while we learned about his habitat.

These were some of our more exotic trips, but we also travel locally.

We spend time in the nearby woods exploring fungi and waterfalls, head to science centers in surrounding towns, and visit local places of historical interest.

Teaching through travel entertains all of us, and I no longer feel like my days are meaningless and never-ending. The best part is that my kids and I are curiously exploring and learning about the world — together.

• Taylor Swift has set and broken numerous records throughout her career.
• She was once the youngest artist ever to receive the album of the year Grammy.
• Swift made history at the 2024 Grammys with her fourth album of the year win.

Taylor Swift made history at the 2024 Grammy Awards when she took home album of the year for the fourth time.

However, that's not the first time Swift has broken records … or smashed her own, for that matter. 

In 2010, Swift became the youngest artist ever to receive the album of the year award with "Fearless." She's since surpassed the likes of Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, and Paul Simon, to become the most-awarded album of the year winner in history.

Following the success of her record-breaking Eras Tour, which grossed a whopping $2 billion, Forbes put Swift's estimated net worth at $1.6 billion.

Here's every time Taylor Swift has broken records throughout her career.

After Swift released her single "Our Song" in 2006, she became the youngest artist in history to have written and performed a No. 1 song on the Hot Country Songs chart.

Swift was just 17 years old when the song charted, making her the youngest artist in history to achieve the top spot on the country charts.

"Our Song" peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, becoming the third consecutive Hot 100 top-40 single from Swift's debut album, "Taylor Swift." 

In 2009, Swift became the youngest person to ever win entertainer of the year at the Country Music Association Awards.

"I will never forget this moment because in this moment everything I have ever wanted has just happened to me," she said as she accepted the award, E! News reported.

She was 19 at the time.

At the 2010 Grammy Awards, Swift became the youngest artist ever to receive the album of the year award with "Fearless."

"Country music is my home," 20-year-old Swift later told reporters in the Grammys press room, Billboard reported. "Country music is my love. But to have it organically crossover this year? It's just been fantastic. I think the healthiest thing you can do when making music is [to] remove stereotypes from it."

Billie Eilish later beat Swift's record as the youngest recipient of the album of the year award. Eilish was 18 when she won the award in 2020.

When Taylor Swift won the Grammy for album of the year for "1989" in 2016, she became the first woman to win the coveted award twice.

Swift also won the award for best music video for "Bad Blood" and best pop vocal album for "1989."

At the 2021 Grammy Awards, Swift became the first woman to win album of the year three times.

At the 2021 Grammy Awards, Swift won album of the year for "Folklore," her ninth studio album, which she wrote and produced entirely during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The album is regarded as one of Swift's best works and became the best-selling album of 2020, Rolling Stone reported.

The only other artists who have won album of the year three times are Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, and Paul Simon.

Taylor Swift made history at the 2024 Grammy Awards as the first artist to win album of the year four times.

At the 2024 Grammy Awards, Swift made history when she took home the top award for her 10th studio album, "Midnights," becoming the first and only person to have won the award four times. 

In her acceptance speech, Swift thanked Jack Antonoff, her longtime collaborator and "Midnights" producer, and praised her fellow nominee Lana Del Rey.

"I would love to tell you that this is the best moment of my life, but I feel this happy when I finish a song or when I crack the code to a bridge that I love or when I'm shotlisting a music video or when I'm rehearsing with my dancers or my band or getting ready to go to Tokyo to play a show," Swift told the crowd.

Swift has won the most American Music Awards in history. She holds a whopping 40 awards.

Swift surpassed Michael Jackson, who holds 26 awards, and Whitney Houston, who holds 22.

Swift was also recognized with the "Artist of the Decade" award at the 2019 AMAs and performed a medley of some of her most popular songs.

Taylor Swift holds the record for most No. 1 hits on Billboard's US Digital Song Sales chart.

Swift broke the record, per Guinness World Records, with 29 hits, including recent releases like "Fortnight," featuring Post Malone, and classics like "Mine" and "Bad Blood."

Swift has been nominated for song of the year more times than any other artist in Grammy history.

She was nominated for six awards at the 2024 Grammys, including for song of the year for "Anti-Hero." This marked Swift's seventh nomination for song of the year, the most of any artist.

She broke the record again this year after she received a nomination for "Fortnight."

She has never won the award, but was previously nominated for "You Belong With Me," "Shake It Off," "Blank Space," "Lover," "Cardigan," and "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)."

Before 2024, she shared the record with Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie, who have six nominations in the category.

Following the release of "Red (Taylor's Version)," Swift broke Shania Twain's record for the most weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart.

Shania Twain previously held the record, spending 97 weeks at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart. However, Swift broke the record in 2022, spending 99 weeks at the top of the country charts.

Taylor Swift's "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" is the longest song in history to reach No. 1.

The song, which is just over 10 minutes long, beat out longtime record holder Don McLean, whose eight-minute track "American Pie" held the top position for four weeks in 1972.

Swift's "All Too Well (10 Minute Version)" is an extended version of her original song, which was released on "Red" in 2012.

Swift broke her own record for most video of the year wins at the 2024 VMAs.

She broke her own record after her "Fortnight" music video, which she also directed, won the top prize. In her acceptance speech, Swift talked about the energy on set while she was making the video and publicly acknowledged Chiefs player Travis Kelce as her boyfriend.

"Something that I'll always remember is that when, when I would finish a take, and I'd and I'd say cut, and we'd be done with that take, I would always just hear someone cheering from across the studio where we were shooting it, and that one person was my boyfriend, Travis," she said in the speech.

Swift is the only artist in history to claim all top 10 entries on the Billboard Hot 100 in a single week.

All 10 entries were from Swift's latest album "Midnights."

At the top of the list the week that Swift broke the record was "Anti-Hero," the album's lead single.

Swift broke her own record for the most-streamed album in a single day in Spotify history with the release of "The Tortured Poets Department."

Swift previously broke the record for the most-streamed album in a single day in Spotify history upon the release of "Midnights" and "1989 (Taylor's Version)."

"Red (Taylor's Version)" also previously broke Spotify's record for the most-streamed album in a day by a female artist on the day it was released, as Business Insider reported, with 122.9 million streams.

Swift also broke a Spotify record as the most-streamed artist in a single day on the platform.

"On April 19th, 2024, THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT became Spotify's most-streamed album in a single day, and Taylor Swift became the most-streamed artist in a single day in Spotify history," a post from Spotify on X wrote.

Swift had previously set this record with the release of "1989 (Taylor's Version)" and "Red (Taylor's Version)." Streams of Swift's catalog totaled over 122.9 million on the day "Red (Taylor's Version)" was released in 2021, about three-quarters of which came from the new album. 

Swift had also previously set the record for most streams in a single day by a female artist.

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is the highest-grossing music tour ever.

In December 2024, The New York Times reported that Swift's groundbreaking Eras Tour earned a record $2 billion, making it the highest-earning tour of all time for any music artist.

She is also the highest-earning female musician in the world with a net worth of over $1 billion.

Forbes reported in October 2024 that Swift was worth $1.6 billion, making her the world's richest female musician.

The outlet reported that she became a billionaire in October 2023, in part due to The Eras Tour.

• Steve Martin has five Grammys for comedy and bluegrass music.
• Former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have won Grammys for their audiobooks.
• Martin Luther King Jr. and Carrie Fisher were awarded posthumous spoken-word Grammys.

When you think of music's biggest night, you probably picture artists like Beyoncé and Paul McCartney, two of the top Grammy winners of all time.

But it's not just singers and musicians who are honored by the Recording Academy. Comedians, politicians, and activists have also taken home Grammy awards.

Here are 17 people you might be surprised to learn have won big at the Grammys.

Lily Tomlin won a Grammy for best comedy recording.

Actor and former stand-up comic Lily Tomlin took home a Grammy for best comedy recording in 1972 for her album "This Is A Recording." The album features her performance as telephone operator Ernestine, one of the most iconic characters she created.

Tomlin has been nominated a total of five times.

Steve Martin has five Grammys across multiple categories.

Since 1978, actor and comedian Steve Martin has won a total of five Grammys. In addition to two awards for best comedy album, Martin, who is also a bluegrass musician, has garnered a handful of music awards for his country and roots tunes.

Most recently, Martin's track "Love Has Come For You" won a Grammy for best American roots song at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014. He was also nominated in 2015 and 2017.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson has a spoken-word Grammy for his work in HIV/AIDS prevention advocacy.

Johnson won a spoken-word Grammy at the 35th Annual Awards for "What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS." The basketball legend, who announced in 1991 that he had been diagnosed with HIV, has been a vocal advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and education.

Zach Braff won a Grammy for the "Garden State" soundtrack.

"Garden State," Zach Braff's 2004 directorial debut, attracted a cult following. Part of the film's appeal is its indie-driven soundtrack, which earned Braff, who starred in the movie with Natalie Portman, a Grammy at the 47th award show.

Bill Clinton has won two Grammy awards.

Clinton won his first Grammy in 2004 in the category of best spoken-word album for children for his narration of "Peter and the Wolf: Wolf Tracks." He won another Grammy for the audiobook narration of his memoir, "My Life," in 2005.

He was nominated twice more for narrating his subsequent books, "Giving: How Each Of Us Can Change The World" and "Back To Work: Why We Need Smart Government For A Strong Economy."

Hillary Rodham Clinton has also won a spoken-word Grammy.

Hillary Rodham Clinton won a spoken-word Grammy in 1997 for "It Takes a Village," her non-fiction book about the future of children in America.

She was nominated again in the same category in 2004 for her White House memoir, "Living History."

"Weird Al" Yankovic's comedic songs have won him multiple Grammys.

For someone whose musical career is predicated on parody, "Weird Al" has made it big. In fact, the singer, who is known for hits like "Eat It" and "eBay," has five Grammys and 17 nominations to his name.

Stephen Colbert has two Grammys.

Late-night host Stephen Colbert has won two Grammys out of his three nominations.

At the 52nd Grammy Awards in 2010, Colbert won best comedy album for "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!" Then, at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards in 2014, the recording of his book "America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't" won a spoken-word award.

Martin Luther King Jr. was posthumously awarded a spoken-word Grammy.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s speeches made American history, but you might not know that the minister and activist was posthumously awarded a Grammy. In 1971, King was honored with a spoken word award for his anti-war speech "Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam."

Two of his more famous addresses, "I Have a Dream" and "We Shall Overcome," were also nominated for Grammys.

Barack Obama has won two spoken-word Grammys for his memoirs.

Former President Barack Obama won spoken-word Grammys for narrating the recordings of his books "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream." He was nominated again in 2022 for narrating the audiobook of his presidential memoir, "A Promised Land."

Michelle Obama has also won two spoken-word Grammys for her memoirs.

The former first lady's audiobook for her memoir "Becoming" won a spoken-word Grammy award in 2020. She won again in 2024 for "The Light We Carry."

Orson Welles won three spoken-word Grammys.

Filmmaker Orson Welles won three spoken-word Grammys. The first was for "Great American Documents," for which he read the Declaration of Independence. He also won the award for his masterpiece "Citizen Kane" and for the sci-fi radio play "Donovan's Brain."

Maya Angelou has three spoken-word Grammys.

In 1994, American poet Maya Angelou won her first spoken-word Grammy award for "On the Pulse of Morning," which she wrote for Bill Clinton's inauguration. She also won the award for her poetry collection "Phenomenal Woman" and for the autobiography "A Song Flung Up to Heaven."

Betty White also won a spoken-word Grammy.

Betty White won a Grammy at the 54th Annual Awards in 2012. The "Golden Girls" actor received a spoken-word award for her autobiography, "If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)."

Carrie Fisher won a posthumous spoken-word Grammy.

At the 60th Annual Awards in 2018, Carrie Fisher was posthumously awarded a spoken-word Grammy for her memoir, "The Princess Diarist."

Joaquin Phoenix's performance as Johnny Cash in "Walk the Line" earned him a Grammy.

Joaquin Phoenix starred in the 2005 musical biopic "Walk the Line" as Johnny Cash. Phoenix's portrayal of the country singer earned him a Grammy for best compilation soundtrack for visual media.

Jimmy Carter has won three Grammys and could posthumously win a fourth this year.

The former president has won Grammys for best spoken-word album for three of his books: "Faith — A Journey For All," "A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety" and "Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis."

Carter, who died at the age of 100 in December, is nominated again at the 2025 Grammys for the audiobook "Last Sundays in Plains: A Centennial Celebration."

• Georgie Noble is a 51-year-old from Porepunkah, Australia.
• Her granddaughter was born when she was just 41, and she loves that she's a young grandmother.
• She has a lot of energy to keep up and feels being young helps her relate better.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Georgie Noble, a 51-year-old grandma from Porepunkah, Australia. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I had my daughter Alisha when I was 16 years old. I actually didn't find out I was pregnant until I was four months along.

There's no doubt that becoming a mother at such a young age was challenging, but Alisha was a pretty easy kid, so I was so lucky in that regard. When Alisha turned 16, and I was 32, I had my second child, Tai.

One of the perks of being a young mom meant that when my daughter had a child of her own, I was also a young grandma. I'll never forget when Alisha broke the news to me that she was pregnant. I was 41 at the time.

Alisha has always referred to my mom as "GB," which stands for "Granny Bett." Mom became a grandma at 46 and never wanted to be called "Nana," so we came up with the nickname for her. One day, Alisha called me out of the blue and said, "Mom, guess what? You're going to be a GG — Granny Georgie."

I was so excited. Being a grandparent is wonderful because you get to enjoy another little one, but you can also hand them back at the end of the day.

I spent time with my daughter after she gave birth

As Alisha's due date approached in December of 2014, I flew from my home in Porepunkah, Australia, to Brisbane, where Alisha lives, so that I could be there for the birth. When she went into labor, I was with her at the start supporting her through the contractions.

It's difficult to watch your daughter in labor because you remember what it was like yourself. You also know which stages of labor they're at, and when they're not even close to the final stage, and they're in pain, it can be hard to watch. I didn't want to give her false hope.

Alisha ended up having a C-section due to complications. My beautiful granddaughter was born at 12.22 a.m. on December 12. She certainly liked the number '12'.

The first time I saw her, I was overwhelmed with love. She was such a sweet little baby. Alisha called her Lacey, and though it took a while for the name to catch on, I soon realized that it suited her to a tee.

I stayed with Alisha and her partner for about six weeks, cooking and caring for the baby. After the C-section, Alisha couldn't drive, and she really needed my support. She also felt lightheaded in the bathroom one day, and I was glad I was there with her.

I bonded with my granddaughter immediately

It was a lovely bonding time with my granddaughter. That newborn phase is so special, when they're all new and smell gorgeous. It felt different from when I had my own children — I didn't have the pain to deal with, for starters. When the time came for me to fly back home, I was sad to say goodbye.

As Lacey grew, she and I became very close. She was so much fun. As a grandma, I wanted to enjoy her; to eat her up and do as much as I could with her.

When she'd come down to visit me, we'd make playdough and do crafts together. We'd FaceTime on the phone and play games together on Snapchat. Being a younger grandma meant that I was reasonably tech-savvy, so I could communicate with Lacey in ways that she understood and enjoyed.

You can relate to your grandkids a bit more when you're a younger grandparent. You're closer in age to that generation, which means you're a bit more aware of what's going on in their world.

You also have a lot more energy to keep up with your grandkids. Now that Lacey is 10 and I'm 51, I can happily swim in the pool with her for hours, pick blackberries together, then take the dog for a walk, and still have energy to spare at the end of the day.

Nowadays, Lacey's more of a mommy's girl. She and Alisha are super close. She'll still have a chat with me on the phone, but then she's off. I don't get to see her that often because we live in different states, but when I do see her, I love our time together. She's the light of my life.

• Beyoncé has confirmed the "Cowboy Carter" tour is happening.
• The singer is going on the road in 2025, but has yet to share dates or when tickets will go on sale.
• Her last tour, the Renaissance World Tour, wrapped in late 2023.

The wait is over, Beyhive — Beyoncé has finally confirmed the "Cowboy Carter" tour is set to go ahead.

The star made the announcement in a pair of social media posts early Sunday morning, nearly a year after the country-inspired record was released.

The first post featured a video of a light-up sign flashing the words: "COWBOY CARTER TOUR."

The second showed an image of Beyoncé alongside a caption that said the tour would take place in 2025.

The tour announcement was preceded by several hints that Beyoncé was gearing up to make a major announcement.

The singer performed songs from "Cowboy Carter" for the first time at the Christmas Day NFL game Halftime show, which was streamed live on Netflix under the title "Beyoncé Bowl."

Following the performance, the singer dropped a now-deleted video that teased an announcement on the date "1.14.25" with the caption, "Look at that horse," referring to the lyric in her song "Sweet Honey Buckiin'."

Fans quickly began to speculate that either a tour announcement or a new album was on its way. But Beyoncé chose to postpone the announcement due to the wildfires that were devastating the Los Angeles area at the time.

Then, on Sunday, Netflix shared a post directing viewers to revisit the "Beyoncé Bowl." An audio-less clip from the performance was captioned: "Tonight seems like the perfect night to rewatch Beyoncé Bowl on Netflix."

Beyoncé's own announcement followed. It's unclear when the singer will release more details regarding the tour, such as dates, locations, and when tickets will go on sale.

The announcement came as the music industry gears up for the Grammy Awards, where Beyoncé is nominated for 11 awards — the most nominations of any artist this year. Among the awards she is in the running for is album of the year, an award the 43-year-old artist has yet to take home.

Fans have speculated online that Beyoncé may share further details about the tour during or after the awards ceremony, depending on how the night goes.

Alternatively, the Super Bowl could offer her another chance to make an announcement. She first teased "Cowboy Carter" in a Verizon commercial during last year's game.

Many believed that Beyoncé was going to announce the "Cowboy Carter" tour in 2024.

However, as fans will know from the documentary concert film "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," which chronicled the creative process behind bringing her 2023 world tour to life, a Beyoncé tour is not something that happens overnight.

As the singer revealed in the documentary, the tour was the culmination of four years of planning and dedication.

The "Renaissance" world tour saw Beyoncé perform 56 shows across Europe and North America.

• The US has a patchwork of state laws with which autonomous vehicle companies must comply.
• The Trump administration has signaled interest in developing a federal framework for AVs.
• Former DOT inspector general Eric Soskin told BI there are a few ideas the government could explore.

As US companies continue their full-speed race to deploy fully autonomous vehicles, the federal government appears to be trailing behind in regulation.

Companies like Waymo, Tesla, and others heavily invested in robotaxis must navigate a patchwork of state laws, each with its own rules regarding self-driving cars.

For example, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in Colorado doesn't require AVs to have liability insurance. In California, it does.

AV companies argue that these inconsistent rules present a hurdle to the mass adoption of self-driving cars in the US.

It's why autonomous vehicles are one area where companies turn to the federal government for guidance, Eric Soskin, a former inspector general for the Department of Transportation, told Business Insider.

"Manufacturers in most industries, especially innovators, often say, 'Hey, I don't like regulation very much. I want my space to be minimally regulated.'" Soskin said. "But in the autonomous vehicle space, now we're seeing manufacturers saying, 'You know what? It would be great if the federal government would take on a bigger role here in the United States.'"

Soskin was the DOT's inspector general for four years after he was nominated by President Donald Trump in 2020. He was among 18 IGs who were fired in January as the second Trump administration underwent rapid cuts in federal spending under the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency.

Soskin declined to comment on his termination.

The Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association — a consortium of companies exploring AVs, including Alphabet's Waymo and Volkswagen — recently released a proposal for a federal policy framework in an effort to "accelerate the deployment and commercialization of autonomous vehicle technology."

The framework provides recommendations for safety, transparency, accountability, and leadership advancement, the group said.

The Trump administration also has been said to be looking into easing rules around autonomous vehicles, including reporting requirements by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Bloomberg reported.

In establishing federal rules on self-driving cars, Soskin notes that the DOT could enact some actions while others may require the hand of Congress or the President.

Setting aside those limits, Soskin provided a few approaches and areas the government could address when enacting a federal framework.

Performance-based standards

Soskin said regulating autonomous vehicle companies by setting "performance-based standards" that they reach for rather than implementing specific rules that manufacturers must follow can be a balanced way to encourage innovation while safely rolling out the technology.

Those standards can touch upon issues states and consumers are concerned about, such as how well vehicles can detect other objects in their environment and, generally, how well AVs know what's happening on the road.

An example is how car companies can choose to submit their vehicles to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration to get official safety ratings. Those ratings are then used to advertise to consumers the safety of the vehicles.

"Performance-based standards, or hitting some mark, is going to be a lot more effective in encouraging different routes to getting a solution," he said.

Cybersecurity and privacy

Autonomous vehicle companies often tout how self-driving cars are safer than cars driven by humans. But for the government to understand the extent to which that is true, companies will need to share a lot of data, Soskin said — and so far, manufacturers and drivers are reluctant to do so.

This is where a set of cybersecurity and privacy standards will be important to assure consumers of the safe handling of their data. The former inspector general said the government could then establish a requirement or incentives for manufacturers to share ride data and crash data.

System redundancies

The government may also want to set a standard for failure modes or system redundancies — in other words, safety features that will kick in if the autonomous driver fails. For example, Volvo says its self-driving trucks have two brake systems so that a secondary brake can stop the truck if the primary system fails.

"What's supposed to happen when something goes wrong?" he said. "Or when something does go wrong, how do we ensure something else takes over?"

Insurance

Another area that will need to be addressed is liability and insurance.

"The adoption of autonomous vehicles, I think, is going to require that those involved are not held liable in ways that are disproportional to human-operated vehicles," Soskin said.

In a liability trial, juries may have to determine a compensatory amount when a human is at fault in a collision.

"If X is that number for human-caused liability and a hundred X is that number for autonomous vehicle liability, that would be a huge disincentive to autonomy," Soskin said. "So thinking about how we set a liability system that permits autonomy to move forward is important and potentially important at the federal level."

• Jonathan Soto-Nieves left Puerto Rico in his 20s to join the Marine Corps.
• After leaving active duty, Soto-Nieves began a tech career in the defense industry.
• Last year, he moved back to Puerto Rico to start his new defense systems company.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jonathan Soto-Nieves, the 40-year-old founder and CEO of iTerra Solutions, a Puerto Rican-based company focusing on cybersecurity and the defense industry. Soto-Nieves moved from Virginia back to his home country of Puerto Rico last year to launch the startup.

The following has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

I was born and raised in the outskirts of San Juan, Puerto Rico. I'm from a town called Hatillo, which is in the countryside and very rural.

I always say that being Puerto Rican is the best thing that ever happened to me. The country is very family-oriented and culturally vibrant. Plus the beaches and mountains make Puerto Rico very idyllic.

Growing up, I never really saw myself leaving Puerto Rico, but my brother joined the Marine Corps and I had always been intrigued by the military.

I decided to join the Marines in 2010 and moved to the mainland when I was 24. I was active duty for almost 10 years. I did six deployments. I was in Afghanistan, I've been in Africa, South America, and Europe.

Being a Marine shaped me into who I am. I developed an interest in operations and learned leadership skills. It helped me start to shape my professional life and opened a lot of doors. I'm still in the reserves.

I really liked all the different places I lived during that time. I was stationed in San Diego at one point, as well as North Carolina, and Germany.

Puerto Rico was always on my mind.

I thought maybe one day I'd get to retire here.

After leaving active duty in 2019, I transitioned into the corporate world. I worked at a few companies before moving to Virginia to work for Microsoft. I spent three years there and I learned a lot about technology and cyber security.

The idea for iTerra Solutions first came about when I was working in Virginia. I had made a group of friends and colleagues who all worked at different companies in the defense industry. A lot of them were former Marines, too.

We provide cyber security help and data analytics across several defense-related sectors.

We were originally planning to open and operate iTerra Solutions in the US. We even registered the company in Virginia in May 2023.

But Puerto Rico was calling me home

I was doing some research in 2024 when I stumbled on Invest Puerto Rico, a nonprofit that works to promote Puerto Rico as a competitive business locale by helping new businesses get established on the island.

I filled out a form explaining the idea behind iTerra Solutions and someone from Invest Puerto Rico reached out immediately.

I went to my wife, who was pregnant with our son Sebastian at the time, and told her we were going to be able to move back home. We started the moving process at the end of 2024 and officially moved from Virginia to Puerto Rico in January 2025.

Invest Puerto Rico helped us so much in getting started because I didn't know a lot of people in Puerto Rico anymore since I'd been gone from the country for 20 years. I didn't know the ecosystem and they helped me with networking and transitioning.

Invest Puerto Rico works in collaboration with other companies and accelerators. For example, iTerra Solutions is in a program right now which is part of the Puerto Rico Scientific Trust, which is an accelerator that helps startups like us.

I call it an ecosystem because the whole community is working in conjunction with one another. It's amazing.

I am just so stoked to be a part of this amazing movement happening in Puerto Rico right now. It really is the place to be. There are so many interesting companies on the rise in aerospace engineering, biopharma, and other future-oriented sectors.

Moving back to Puerto Rico was a big transition

My son was born last year in the US, but I always wanted him to have the life I had growing up in Puerto Rico and I'm so happy to be able to give him that.

Now, in 2025, I'm ready to hit the ground running as both a first-time father and a startup founder.

We are up and operating in Puerto Rico. iTerra Solutions is already part of this amazing ecosystem, supporting customers in the healthcare industry who are modernizing their computer data systems.

It feels so good to be back. I missed the culture here so much, and it's so wonderful to see all the collaboration in the business sector, as well as my family. My son has two grandmothers here to love him.

The country feels different from when I grew up here. Puerto Rico is becoming a real powerhouse and I think that's only going to continue to grow.

And from a personal standpoint, you just can't beat living here. I work from the beach with my computer regularly in 80-degree weather.

I smell the salt from the ocean each morning. I love to go running along the beach and feel the breeze.

You never know what life is going to throw at you, but our plan is to stay here in Puerto Rico forever. This is Plan A and we don't have a B or C.

• I've stayed at every Disney hotel in the United States, and there are five I especially love.
• I love Animal Kingdom Lodge at Disney World for its theme and rooms with views of African wildlife.
• Disney's Vero Beach Resort is a fun hotel right on the Atlantic Ocean.

I've been going to Disney parks around the world for about 30 years.

As part of my travels, I love trying out new Disney hotels, which often have incredible themes and high-end amenities.

There are more than 25 Disney hotels in the United States alone, and the company has plans to open more throughout the next few years.

After staying at every Disney hotel in the US, these are my five favorites.

I like the beautiful rooms and amenities at the Villas at Disneyland Hotel.

I love the Villas at Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California. These Disney Vacation Club rooms can be booked by timeshare owners using points or other guests with cash.

I've stayed in the deluxe studios, which can be themed to Disney animated classics "Sleeping Beauty" or "The Princess and the Frog."

My favorite part of the hotel is the rooms, which have special design details nodding to the movie that inspired them. The deluxe studios have ample storage space, a pull-down Murphy bed, and a large bathroom.

Even better, both Disneyland theme parks nearby are just a 10-minute walk from the tower.

Disney's Vero Beach Resort is a perfect seaside getaway just a few hours south of Disney World.

Disney's Vero Beach Resort is a cute retreat on the Atlantic Ocean about two hours from Disney World. The hotel is known for its beach access, ocean views, and sea-turtle nesting grounds.

On a recent visit to the resort, I was lucky to be walking on the beach at night when a nest of sea turtles began hatching. I watched in awe as they popped out of the sand and made their way to the ocean.

During sea-turtle-nesting season, guests can head to the beach to watch the Disney Conservation team protecting new nests and counting eggs.

Coronado Springs Resort is my favorite more budget-friendly hotel.

If I'm looking for a budget-friendly stay at Disney World, I book a room at Coronado Springs Resort. Although prices vary by time of year and availability, I've seen rooms go for about $200 or less.

The Southwest-themed hotel has multiple smaller buildings filled with rooms, plus the 545-room Gran Destino Tower. Each style of room I've had has been spacious and comfortable for me and my travel companions.

I love that Coronado Springs Resort feels like a quiet retreat. It's slightly isolated since it's not directly connected to any of the parks.

I also love the rooftop bar at Gran Destino Tower, Dahlia Lounge, which has great views of Hollywood Studios in the evening and good drinks.

Aulani has my favorite theming of any Disney hotel I've stayed at.

I recently stayed at Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa, on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, for the first time, and I already can't wait to return.

The island resort was filled with incredible amenities like a lazy river, an adults-only restaurant, an on-site luau, and photo opportunities with special characters.

Above all, I love the stunning resort's theming and artwork inspired by Hawaiian heritage and culture, including the lobby's massive mural depicting local history.

During my stay, I also enjoyed going on one of the resort's complimentary art and culture tours where I learned about how Disney Imagineers showcased the traditions of Hawaii on the property.

I love that I can see wildlife from my hotel room at Animal Kingdom Lodge.

One of my favorite places for a staycation is Animal Kingdom Lodge at Disney World. I love that I can watch African wildlife like zebras, giraffes, and gazelles from most of the rooms here.

The resort also has a sprawling pool and incredible dining options. When I stay here, I try to make reservations at the lodge's restaurant, Jiko, which has an impressive collection of South African wine.

My favorite time to stay at the hotel is around the holidays, when a towering Christmas tree takes over the center of the lobby.

• I took a much-needed vacation to Toronto and fell in love with the city.
• I love that older people are settling down there and that everyone is eager to help my career.
• I'm just waiting for my residency to come through, and I'll leave New York City for Canada.

Tony Bennett might have left his heart in San Francisco, but Toronto took mine as soon as I stepped off the plane.

I've traveled worldwide since I was 18, and my passport is packed with stamps from gorgeous metropolitan hubs.

I've eaten amazing dim sum in Hong Kong and been transported to heaven after seeing the beauty of Italy.

At the end of last year, I traveled to Toronto, intending to take a much-needed vacation. While I had once dreamed of living in Canada, it felt like an unrealistic fantasy. What I didn't anticipate was how deeply I would fall in love with the city — so much so that the thought of returning to the US left me in tears.

This Canadian city is beautiful, but it's not New York City — like where I live now. There are no vast halls of Rembrandt or delicious pizza intoxicating your senses. Toronto is plain. And I think that's what made this city stand out for me.

For the first time in my life, I was greeted with authentic kindness, and I didn't feel like a stranger for long. I knew this city needed to be my new home.

In Canada, I feel like I'm part of the cultural mosaic

Being in Toronto for over two months definitely gave me time to immerse myself in the culture. And let me tell you, America is nothing like Canada.

We might speak the same language, but after that, there's a huge chasm of values, perceptions, and ideas surrounding every social and political issue.

One of the biggest differences is how many viewed the influx of expats living in Toronto.

Growing up in the US, I had always heard of immigration in terms of assimilation and becoming a part of the melting pot. However, Canadians didn't see diversity in this light.

Many that I spoke with talked about Canada as a cultural mosaic — a place where all could find a home and not lose their identity in the process. I saw this lived out everywhere.

Toronto truly was a cultural mosaic. It was filled with every language, nationality, and religion, yet somehow, it managed not only to work but thrive.

For example, I attended an aqua fit class with women who were Muslim, Hindu, Christian, and Atheist, and we all found community among one another. There was no "other" or outsider.

Everyone was welcomed with a sense of belonging without strings attached — a feeling I had never experienced in America.

Older people are settling down in Toronto, not fleeing the city like New Yorkers

The idea of settling down in the city is an obscure concept for many Americans.

After all, the majority of our concrete hubs are bustling with 20-somethings and young adults right out of college. But you don't find many over 40 or 50 still-haling cabs in midtown.

I loved Manhattan, but after years of seeing friends pack up and leave for the suburbs, the bright city lights felt like the most isolating island around. Everyone I knew was leaving the city, getting married, and abandoning their condos for white picket fences.

I didn't want that for myself. I hate the suburbs, but I had no idea where I could find a place filled with people who had settled in high-rises.

Toronto offered me this option.

I found tons of incredible people from all walks of life thriving downtown. In fact, my yoga group was mostly made up of men and women in their 60s and 70s. These titans of industry and innovation loved living in the city. They had friends, amenities, and social lives — and none of them were packing up their bags to live on the outskirts anytime soon.

The American dream might include two kids, a dog, and a house on a cul-de-sac. But, in Toronto, it seems you have the freedom to dream differently and find fellow dreamers who think outside the box.

Toronto has been great for my career growth

Toronto is also the best place I've found for career growth.

I can't tell you how many people reached out to me during my time in this city. I would talk to one person on a Monday, and they would connect me with three of their closest colleagues the next day.

I didn't pitch myself, give an elevator speech, or share a business card. I simply got to know people over a cup of coffee, and they did everything they could to offer support. Mere strangers became some of my loudest cheerleaders because they valued collaboration and truly went out of their way to show consideration.

No place is perfect, but finding a place that feels like home is like finding your soulmate. Toronto is mine.

I fell in love with this city and can't wait to gain my permanent residency and make it my home. I've already begun the process, and I'm putting my dream into motion.

In the meantime, I'll have to just keep dreaming of Balzac's delicious Canadian Maple Lattes and the incredible Le Beau croissants.

• The Grammy Awards are designed to honor the best and brightest artists in the music industry.
• The most coveted award is album of the year, which many legends throughout history haven't won.
• The list includes Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Madonna, Prince, David Bowie, Marvin Gaye, and more.

Plenty of superstars have won big at the Grammy Awards since the show was launched in 1959 — from Stevie Wonder, the first Black artist to win album of the year in 1974, to Taylor Swift, who recently became the first artist to prevail four times in the prestigious category.

However, some of the most-awarded people in Grammy history have failed to win the top prize, even after one or more bids. In fact, many landmark albums were never nominated in the first place.

We compiled an (incomplete) list of iconic artists who are missing an album of the year Grammy on their trophy shelves (in no particular order).

Beyoncé recently lost album of the year for the fourth time.

Despite being one of this century's most creative, consistent, and culturally significant album artists, Queen Bey has never won the top prize at the Grammys.

She was nominated in 2010 for "I Am... Sasha Fierce," 2015 for "Beyoncé," 2017 for "Lemonade," and 2023 for "Renaissance," but lost to Taylor Swift, Beck, Adele, and Harry Styles, respectively.

In fact, out of Beyoncé's record-breaking 32 wins, only one has been in a general-field category: song of the year for "Single Ladies" in 2010.

Kendrick Lamar also lost his fourth bid for the top prize in 2023.

Save for his debut, all of Kendrick Lamar's studio albums have been contenders for the biggest Grammy Award: "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," "To Pimp a Butterfly," "Damn," and most recently, "Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers."

He has won best rap album three times — not to mention a Pulitzer Prize — but never album of the year. 

Mariah Carey has been nominated three times.

Mariah Carey has been named Billboard's top-selling female artist of all time. As of writing, she boasts 19 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 — just one shy of the all-time record set by The Beatles — and is the only artist to top the chart in four separate decades.

Yet Carey has lost all three of her bids for album of the year. She received her first nomination in 1991 for her self-titled LP but lost to Quincy Jones.

She was later nominated for "Daydream" in 1996 and "The Emancipation of Mimi" in 2006, but lost to Alanis Morissette and U2, respectively.

Drake is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, but he has yet to win album of the year.

Just two albums in Drake's record-breaking catalog have been up for album of the year: "Views" in 2017 and "Scorpion" in 2019. They lost to "25" by Adele and "Golden Hour" by Kacey Musgraves, respectively.

Although Drake has criticized the ceremony's relevance — both onstage and on social media — he resumed submitting his music for consideration with the 2022 album "Her Loss," which received four nods, but only in rap categories.

Jay-Z has been nominated for album of the year only once. He lost to Bruno Mars.

"4:44" is the only album in Jay-Z's legendary oeuvre that has been up for album of the year.

Jay-Z has been nominated five other times as a contributor or producer on other people's albums ("Tha Carter III," "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City," "Beyoncé," "Donda," and "Renaissance"), but he didn't win any of those, either.

In 2024, Jay-Z openly criticized the Recording Academy's history of snubs during his acceptance speech for the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.

Rihanna's "Loud" lost to Adele's "21."

Rihanna has largely pivoted to business ventures in recent years, but for several years, she was a hit-making machine.

During Rihanna's reign over the charts, only "Loud" was nominated for album of the year.

Her eighth and most acclaimed album to date, "Anti," somehow wasn't up for the award, despite racking up six other nominations in 2017, including best urban contemporary album.

Eminem has lost album of the year three times.

Eminem received his first nod for album of the year in 2001 for "The Marshall Mathers LP," but lost to "Two Against Nature" by Steely Dan." 

He has been nominated two more times, in 2003 for "The Eminem Show" and in 2011 for "Recovery," but lost to Norah Jones and Arcade Fire, respectively.

Björk has never won a single Grammy.

Björk has only received nods in genre-specific categories — most recently best alternative music album for "Fossora" in 2023 — but has lost all 16 of her nominations.

Bruce Springsteen has lost album of the year twice.

Bruce Springsteen is one of the biggest winners in Grammy history with 20 awards, but he has still never won album of the year. 

The Boss has been nominated just twice: in 1985 for "Born in the U.S.A." and in 2003 for "Rising." (Shockingly, he got no love for "Nebraska.")

Madonna's "Ray of Light" lost her sole bid in 1999.

Lauryn Hill took home the biggest Grammy Award in 1999 for "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill," becoming the first hip-hop artist to do so.

Many of Madonna's groundbreaking albums, including "Like a Prayer," "Erotica," and "Confessions on a Dance Floor," never received a nod for album of the year — or, for that matter, a nod in any of the high-profile general-field categories.

Nirvana was never nominated for album of the year.

Nirvana received just five Grammy nominations during Kurt Cobain's lifetime, and none were in the "Big Four" categories.

The groundbreaking band won just one award: best alternative music performance for "MTV Unplugged in New York," bestowed nearly one year after Cobain's death.

Prince's historic albums "Purple Rain" and "Sign o' the Times" both failed to win album of the year.

Incredibly, Prince lost both of his bids for album of the year. "Purple Rain" was bested by Lionel Richie's "Can't Slow Down" in 1985, while "Sign o' the Times" lost to U2's "The Joshua Tree" in 1988.

David Bowie was nominated for album of the year just once.

David Bowie's "Let's Dance" lost to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in 1984.

Many of Bowie's most inventive and beloved albums, including "Hunky Dory," "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars," and "Station to Station," didn't get any Grammy nominations at all.

Marvin Gaye was never nominated for album of the year.

Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" has been hailed as the best album of all time, but it didn't get a chance to compete for album of the year.

Gaye only won two Grammys in his lifetime — best R&B vocal performance and best R&B instrumental performance for "Sexual Healing" in 1983 — but was never nominated in a major category. He was posthumously given the Recording Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.

Pink Floyd's "The Wall" lost album of the year to Christopher Cross.

It's hard to believe that Pink Floyd's seminal concept record lost to Christopher Cross, who swept the "Big Four" categories in 1981 with his self-titled album.

Cross became the only artist in Grammys history to win all four general-field awards on the same night and remained the only artist to do so for nearly four decades until Billie Eilish joined the ranks in 2020. He never won another.

Meanwhile, Pink Floyd never received another nomination for album of the year. The band only took home one award for best rock instrumental performance.

The Rolling Stones lost their sole nomination to the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack.

Only one album by the best-selling British band has ever been up for album of the year: "Some Girls" in 1979. It was their first-ever Grammy nomination, and they have yet to compete for the top prize again.

In fact, The Rolling Stones have only won three Grammys to date, and none in a major category.

Elton John has lost album of the year three times.

Elton John received his first nod for album of the year in 1971 for his self-titled LP, but lost to Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water."

He has been nominated two more times, for "Caribou" in 1975 and "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" in 1976, but lost to Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon, respectively. 

Aretha Franklin was never nominated for album of the year.

Before her death in 2018, Aretha Franklin, the renowned "Queen of Soul," won 18 Grammys out of 44 nominations.

Franklin was also honored with the Recording Academy's Grammy Legend Award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the MusiCares Person of the Year award in 1991, 1994, and 2008, respectively. Five of her songs, including her beloved cover of Otis Redding's "Respect," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Despite these accolades, Franklin never received a nomination in a general-field category like album, record, or song of the year. She received just two nominations for best R&B album for "A Rose Is Still A Rose" and "So Damn Happy," but lost both.

• I love planning trips and am an independent traveler who looked down on group tours.
• My perspective of group tours changed when I took one with my kids to Morocco.
• I quickly booked another group tour to India.

I've always been an independent traveler. I've traveled to five continents and over 90 countries, planning nearly every aspect of each trip on my own. For years, I was happy with having complete control over my trips and the flexibility to make changes on the fly.

Group tours never interested me much. I thought they were for people who found planning overwhelming and didn't want to do the research to make sure they created a trip that aligned with their interests.

Then, I accidentally found myself on a group tour, and my perspective changed.

I was an accidental participant in a group tour

In the winter of 2024, I had planned a bucket list trip to Egypt and Jordan for my family. I had booked a tailor-made trip with Intrepid Travel that I had to cancel suddenly when war broke out in the region. Suddenly, I was faced with seeing my long-awaited trip disappear. To ensure we had somewhere to go over the holidays, I switched gears and applied my payment to a family group tour of Morocco.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I wasn't used to ceding complete control over my trip to someone else, and I was alson't sure how my kids and I would tolerate spending more than a week with total strangers.

I was pleasantly surprised

After spending three fantastic days in Marrakesh alone, my kids and I hopped on a train to Casablanca to start our group tour. I was immediately relieved to find several kids around my kids' ages.

A couple of days in, I was hooked. I was astonished that this trip, which included an incredible night of glamping in the Saraha and hiking the Torda Gorge, took almost no effort on my part and came with built-in friends.

I enjoyed having other adults to talk to, something I often miss when traveling alone with my kids. It was also a nice change of pace for my kids to have someone else to play with, especially when they started getting on each other's nerves.

The trip changed my perspective on group travel

Not everything was perfect. Some of the hotels were farther out than I would have chosen, but they were all clean and safe. We just drove by a few places I would like to have stopped. Once or twice, I got stuck waiting for others to shop when I would have rather been exploring.

However, with a very busy schedule that sometimes makes planning trips difficult, I thought these trade-offs were worth it. After my first group trip, I also learned some lessons I could use to make future group trips better.

I booked another group trip for the following year

I quickly booked another group trip for the following year. This time, I booked a trip to India, a country I had always wanted to visit but found intimidating. I thought this was the perfect choice for my family's next group tour. After exploring Morocco with a local guide, I felt confident I could tackle India with the same kind of support and guidance.

I looked at several options but decided to book with Intrepid Travel again. I liked that their specialized family tours ensured that I would travel only with other families, so I didn't need to worry about my kids bothering other guests. The family tour to India I selected also included family-friendly activities like a Bollywood dance class and a traditional block-printing class in Jaipur that aren't included on typical tours geared toward adults. The family tour included more downtime than typical tours and no late-night activities.

My second group tour experience was even better

After taking one group tour, I knew how to improve my second experience.

Although one of my favorite things about group tours is not having to do all the planning, the second time around, I did a little more research about where we were going and deviated from the group a couple of times. One detour I took to India's famous Rat Temple was a highlight. This sacred temple is filled with thousands of well-cared-for rats believed to be reincarnations of people and gods, was a fascinating look into Hindu culture and the deep reverence many Indians have for all living creatures.

Another time, some other adults and I explored a small town alone. I was warmly invited into a Hindu ceremony in progress and quickly adorned with a bindi, a red dot between my eyes meant to open my third eye and help me see beyond the physical world. This was only possible because early on, the parents on the trip had decided to trade off watching each other's kids. I also researched restaurants I wanted to try and made suggestions when it made sense.

I had another great experience, and I'm already planning my next group tour.

• My family finally decided to renovate our home after 35 years, and it cost us $36,000.
• Our smart oven has changed our lives, and the updated windows make our house look much newer.
• The couch is one of my favorite upgrades, but the most dramatic change was the kitchen cabinets.

My parents and I finally broke down and decided to renovate the 40-year-old home that we've owned and lived in for 35 years.

I always thought that significant home renovations meant new flooring and building a room over the garage, but I quickly realized that even simply upgrading appliances can go a long way.

After $36,000 worth of updates, here are the seven changes that made the most dramatic difference.

There wasn't anything special about our old dishwasher.

Our old dishwasher leaked and was loud. In recent years, it also hadn't been cleaning dishes properly, meaning we were doing a lot of handwashing.

We'd had it for about 15 years, and early in the renovation process, we realized we were in desperate need of a new one.

We upgraded to JennAir's Rise model. It cleans the dishes beautifully with its multiple spray arms but is unbelievably quiet.

The dishwasher offers three racks with adjustable components making cleaning dishes after big gatherings much more convenient. Plus, the twist-out filter makes it easy to remove food particles, preventing it from becoming stinky.

The coolest feature is that the dishwasher tells us how much time is left and when it's finished by projecting a light onto the floor. It also subtly pops open when it's finished.

The windows were a bit of an eyesore.

The windows had been in this house since it was built, so it was time for new ones.

I never even realized how much of a difference windows can make in a house's appearance until we replaced all of ours.

We can see clearly now with our new ones.

We hired a company called Window World to come out for the installation, and it was so neat to watch the process.

The team of six efficiently staged the layout of the windows, tore out and replaced any rotted wood, measured and bent the metal for the new windows, hung the metal, caulked the trim, and meticulously installed everything.

The sizes and shapes of the windows didn't change drastically, but the difference in clarity felt stark. We live on a lake and it's so nice to be able to clearly see the beautiful view.

Our fridge was just plain old, and our new one is such a vibe.

Our old refrigerator was an eyesore in the kitchen, mostly because it was really showing signs of wear and tear.

Plus, it was getting to the point where it wasn't even staying very cold.

We upgraded to Samsung's Bespoke French-door refrigerator with a beverage center and built-in water pitcher.

It's so pretty that I actually can't stop staring at it.

We went with the white finish to help brighten up our kitchen, but it also has changeable door panels in case we ever wanted a different look.

One of its unique features is that it can sync to our phones, allowing us to regulate its temperature and know if the door has been left open.

Our old couches weren't doing much for us.

Our pair of matching living-room couches were small, and I thought the upholstery was ugly.

We'd had them for 27 years, and I rarely ever sat on them.

We went with a dramatically different style for the living room.

We upgraded to Cozey's Ciello XL seven-seater sectional in sunset beige, which completely transformed the space.

It was shipped in individual boxes and was easy to put together. I like that it's fully modular, plus the pillow and seat cushion covers are washable (aka very pet-friendly).

The couch has been the most-used item in the house since the renovation.

The color is clean and brightens up the room. It's also much larger than our old one, providing ample seating for company.

Best of all, it's incredibly comfortable and cozy. I honestly sleep on it more than I sleep in my bed at this point.

Our new high-tech oven is such a treat.

We'd had a JennAir oven for about 20 years.

Even though we loved it, we wanted something with a few more bells and whistles.

We wanted to stick with the brand we knew and loved, so we upgraded to JennAir's Rise double-wall oven. For someone who doesn't know how to bake or cook, it's been life-changing.

The touchscreen culinary center has built-in recipes with pictures that make it easy to cook and bake anything when I have no idea what I'm doing. I can even select the type of pan I'm using, and the oven will automatically adjust the setting.

To be honest, it's the smartest thing in the house.

The best part is that I can start the oven from afar and then fully control and monitor it wherever I am via the JennAir app.

The kitchen cabinets were a little drab.

We knew our kitchen needed the most renovation out of every room in the house.

Our outdated red-oak cabinets were 40 years old, and we never liked that they didn't reach all the way to the ceiling.

Our new cabinetry gave our space a facelift.

My mom has always wanted a white kitchen, so she took it upon herself to make it happen.

She deglossed the old cabinets to take off all the old varnish. Then, she sanded them down and prepped them for two coats of white paint.

She even built smaller cabinets to stack on the old ones to make the kitchen look taller. My mom then ordered small cabinet doors with cutouts from Fast Cabinets and filled them with frosted glass.

After months of work, new brushed-nickel hardware and hidden lighting were the finishing touches.

I'm actually excited to use our cooktop.

After living with a cooktop that only had two working burners for years, we were plenty fed up.

We caved and chose KitchenAid's electric downdraft cooktop.

There are two small burners and two larger burners, but the larger ones also have settings to heat smaller pots.

My favorite feature is the melt setting. Its sole purpose is to melt things like chocolate or butter without scorching it.

Plus, the downdraft fan with three speeds quickly sucks out any smoke produced while we cook.

• My boyfriend and I recently decided to adopt a cat.
• We have been discussing our future recently and were excited to share more responsibility.
• Taking care of our cat together feels like it's helping us prepare in case we decide to have kids.

My boyfriend and I adopted a cat to help us understand what it might feel like to take on more responsibility and mentally prepare for possibly having kids. So far, we've been doing a great job keeping plants in the apartment alive and cat-sitting for a few people in our neighborhood.

We talked casually about bringing a cat into our lives permanently, but we hadn't gone to any shelters or even thought about what type of cat we wanted. Then, one day, I spotted a post in a local Facebook group from a man looking to rehome his 4-year-old black cat and willing to give the new owner everything they would need: his litter box, food, bowl, and carrier. It just felt right, and within minutes, my boyfriend and I decided this was the cat we wanted to take home.

When we adopted Marty, we knew we were taking on more responsibility

We researched the validity of the post through back-and-forth messaging, some social media research, and even a phone call with the man. He sent through vet records and everything looked right to us. We then confirmed that we had the space and resources to take on this cat, we picked him up and brought him to his forever home.

We were nervous at first; we didn't know what he would be like or if he would even like us. We were also unsure how we would split responsibility. But regardless of all these things, suddenly, a black cat we named Marty was in our home and wanted to be fed, played with, and looked after.

Adopting our cat was a great test of how we would handle a larger responsibility, like having kids, but on a smaller scale. Who would get up at 5:30 in the morning when he's hungry? Who cleans the litter box? Who will schedule all the vet appointments? It's been a balancing act, a test, and a significant period of enlightenment on how great of a partner my boyfriend is.

Taking care of Marty is a two-person job, and I'm glad to be with someone who truly feels like a partner in every aspect of care and responsibility. We divide up responsibility when it comes to who feeds him in the morning and at night, which happened naturally as we took in everything that needed to get done.

Usually, whoever leaves to go into the office for work first will feed him in the morning, and whoever works from home will feed him in the afternoon. We take turns washing his dishes and water bowl; we both play with him and scoop his litter box. When we go on vacation, we coordinate with our sitter and ensure he's being looked after.

With a cat in our lives, more planning needs to happen than before. Everything requires more coordination, looking at schedules, and ensuring we don't leave Marty alone for too long. We must work around his feeding schedules and disrupted sleep, as he sometimes wakes us up at 4 a.m. to ask for food.

We're looking at it like a test run for having kids

Having a cat has taken our relationship to the next level, adding more responsibility and, naturally, more communication around what needs to be done to ensure he's taken care of. Of course, something that helps distract from the responsibility is how cute and playful Marty is and how much fun he is to have around the apartment.

I know owning a cat is not the same thing as having kids. Cats are primarily self-sufficient; you can leave them alone for hours without worrying too much about what trouble they might get up to. While this is true, they also require more planning and thought that didn't exist previously in our lives.

My boyfriend and I are both 28 and have discussed the possibility of having kids, what that might look like for our lives, and our future plans. While we aren't in any rush, we're thinking we'll be ready in the next six years. As we gain experience caring for our cat, I feel good about the division of responsibilities we would have if we had kids, and what that might look like for us. In the meantime, we enjoy caring for our cat and spending every day with him.

• This post originally appeared in the BI Today newsletter.
• You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here.

Welcome back to our Sunday edition, where we round up some of our top stories and take you inside our newsroom. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said the first thing he'd do as a student today is "learn AI" and how to interact with the various tools. The next 10 years, he said, will be about the application of AI as much as the core development of it.

On the agenda today:

• Federal employees react to Trump's payout offers.
• Hedge funds are pushing legal and ethical limits to verify traders' past performances.
• Eggs got expensive and are likely staying that way. Here's why.
• Older Americans who retired with more than $1 million share their advice and regrets.

But first: A big week for Big Tech.

If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. Download Business Insider's app here.

Inside tech

Our name is Business Insider for a reason.

We aim to bring you inside what's going on at the world's most influential companies.

This past week, our reporters hustled to get you scoops on Meta, Amazon, Microsoft, and Dell.

And we've extended our focus to the federal government, the nation's biggest employer, which is not a company but is increasingly being operated like one.

Even if you don't work in these places, the insights our exclusives offer are relevant to almost anyone in the workplace.

BI reporters Jyoti Mann and Hugh Langley brought readers details from Mark Zuckerberg's all-hands, where he talked about the importance of "AI agents" to the future of work. The Meta CEO predicted this would be the year an intelligent and personalized digital assistant would help 1 billion users. "I think whoever gets there first is going to have a long-term, durable advantage towards building one of the most important products in history."

Our ace Amazon reporter Eugene Kim unearthed more about the company's efforts to become leaner, including one set of guidelines that advised managers to have at least eight direct reports, up from six.

Meanwhile, Ashley Stewart scooped more details about Microsoft's performance-based job cuts, and Polly Thompson and Jyoti were first out with Dell's return-to-work plans — five days a week if you live near a Dell office.

From AI and ROI to RTO and DEI, workplaces are changing rapidly. Helping you navigate it all is a key goal for us at Business Insider. As always, please let me know how you think we are doing at [email protected].

Blindsided by payouts

Outrage. Despair. Confusion.

In interviews with BI, federal workers described feeling a flood of emotions about the Trump administration's widespread payout offers.

Some are defiant — "I have no intention of quitting" — while at least one worker is considering moving to the private sector. Many also had questions about whether the administration will stick to its commitment of steady pay and benefits through September for those who accept the offer.

Should they stay, or should they go?

Also read:

• The Trump administration says 'lower productivity' federal workers will be better off in the private sector

Hedge fund hiring's catch-22

For hedge funds, hiring a bad PM can come with sky-high costs. Knowing that plenty of PMs exaggerate their exploits for a chance at a multimillion dollar job move, some funds ramp up their vetting process by asking candidates for evidence of past performance.

The problem? Evidence is often sensitive information that's difficult to access legally. That leaves funds in murky legal and ethical territory as they look to suss out bad potential hires without breaking confidentiality agreements and alienating top candidates.

P&L: Profits and liars.

Also read:

• Private-credit salaries: See what 16 nonbank lenders, from Blackstone to Apollo, are paying at all levels

Eggs may be expensive forever

If there's one grocery item that epitomizes consumers' frustration with high prices nowadays, it's eggs. They're a staple in the kitchen and a healthy protein source that won't break the bank — that is, until recently.

The cost of a dozen grade-A large eggs hit $4.15 in December, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, up from $2.51 a year ago. Factors like the fight against bird flu, increased demand, and the push toward cage-free eggs, are some reasons egg prices are spiking. And it's not clear when it will come back down.

It's not looking good.

The millionaire boomer next door

They might not have a flashy car or a big house, but plenty of older Americans are sitting pretty in retirement. BI spoke to four boomers with over $1 million in assets about how they built such a healthy nest egg.

The retirees spoke about their savings journey, the mistakes they made along the way, and how they're spending their money now.

The undercover millionaires.

This week's quote:

"Our whole air traffic control system has been blinking red, screaming at us that we've got it overloaded."

— Brian Alexander, a military helicopter pilot and a partner at the aviation accident law firm Kreindler & Kreindler, following the deadly American Airlines crash.

More of this week's top reads:

• The final minutes of American Airlines flight 5342.
• I asked DeepSeek and ChatGPT for financial advice on investing and retirement. Here's how the two rival chatbots stack up.
• Hollywood's new formula: Fewer TV shows.
• New York City is still the center of the hedge fund universe. Here are the numbers.
• Bosses are done caring how you feel.
• Like any millennial, Yahoo wants to be seen as cool again.
• Hollywood wants its next 'Beast Games'.
• They spoke out against their employer. Then they were hit with trade secrets suits.
• The rise of 'friendship apps.'
• What every homeowner should learn from the LA wildfires.
• Inside the bitter feud roiling the doomsday bunker business.
• Churned customers, incriminating texts, and a CEO's involvement: The latest claims from Yipit in its legal fight with rival M Science.'

• Crypto cops: The 8 agencies policing the wild west of digital currency in the Trump era.

  ---

  The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Grace Lett, editor, in Chicago. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

• I tried a viral plane pillow with a Velcro eye mask that straps to your airplane seat.
• The product had its pros. It was compact, had a dual function, and was easy to set up.
• However, the product put too much pressure on my forehead and face, so I won't pack it again.

My hunt for the best neck pillow continues.

On my last long-haul flight, I packed an inflatable pillow I'd seen all over TikTok. I had my complaints: While I did get some sleep, the pillow was far too bulky for small economy seats.

I wanted a smaller option for my next trip, so I purchased the $21 Sarisun travel pillow, yet another TikTok-viral product. It attaches to your seat and holds your head back with a Velcro eye mask.

After trying the travel pillow on a 10-hour flight from Denver to Munich, I likely won't pack it in my carry-on again.

I boarded the 10-hour flight in hopes of deep sleep

Reading the product's description online, I learned that while it's technically not a pillow, the goal is to help you sleep. The eye mask prevents your head from bobbing as you fall asleep upright and helps avoid neck discomfort.

After settling into my economy Lufthansa seat, I unrolled the product, which came in two pieces. The first was a pad with two straps that wrap around the headrest of an airplane seat. The second was an eye mask with Velcro patches at each end.

The straps are adjustable, so it seemed like it would fit most planes — as long as your seat has a bendable headrest. If there's no headrest, like some seats on airlines like Frontier, then you're out of luck.

Thankfully, my Lufthansa seat had the correct headrest, and I easily looped the pad around the top of the seat and secured it tight. Then, I placed the eye mask around my face and fastened the ends to the other piece.

I questioned if the Velcro would be strong enough to hold the weight of my head, but that wasn't an issue. After I was all set up, I closed my eyes and attempted to sleep — emphasis on attempted.

The eye mask blocked out the light from surrounding plane screens, which I loved. Plus, the size could adjust enough to let me wear over-the-ear headphones or my AirPods. Without music, I found that the pillow buffered nearby plane noises.

The downside was that when I leaned my head forward, I felt pressure along the edges of the mask. This dull pressure was fine for about an hour, but after that, it became increasingly uncomfortable.

After trying to use the pillow for a couple of hours, I ripped it off, balled up my jacket, leaned against the plane wall, and attempted to get some actual sleep.

I had a love-hate relationship with the plane pillow

The pillow had its pros. It was compact, and I liked that I could leave it attached to my seat even when I wasn't sleeping. It worked as an eye mask and pillow, creating one less thing to pack in my carry-on.

Still, even with its pros, I'm not sure I'd use the product again.

The pressure from the eye mask was too much for me, and it only allowed one sleeping position. As someone who tosses and turns, attempts to curl up in balls on plane seats, and constantly searches for comfortable positions, I didn't love the fixed position this product kept me in.

However, plenty of people disagree. Across reviews on Amazon, travelers said that if you're a plane sleeper who predominantly sits up straight and struggles with head bobbing throughout a flight, this pillow could be a game changer.

"Best airplane sleep product yet!" one person wrote.

"The mask was cool and comfortable, and I cannot believe I got a solid 4-5 hours of sleep in economy," another person added.

That wasn't the case for me, which means I'll be looking for better neck pillows for future long-haul economy flights.

• The richest Gen Zers are confident about being able to build up wealth.
• When it comes to flexing, young people are splashing on vacations and vintage luxury goods.
• At home, a well-stocked pantry is a top priority as they're hosting more supper clubs.

Gen Z may be "Generation Stay at Home," but some of them are rich — and more confident than other generations in their ability to build up wealth.

And, like generations before them, those who can afford it are doing luxury in their own way.

While their millennial elders are obsessed with kitting out laundry rooms, spoiling pets, and getting Botox, affluent Gen Zers are inclined to spend money on luxury brands and experiences that align with their values.

Here are six ways they're flexing their spending power.

Rich Gen Zers are booking lavish trips to flaunt on social media.

Gen Zers are either dictating their wealthy parents' travel itineraries or splurging on lavish trips for themselves.

Those who are still traveling with mom and dad are calling the shots on vacation, suggesting activities and destinations based on what's trending on social media.

Julia Carter, the founder of the luxury travel agency Craft Travel, previously told BI that Gen Zers care the most about accommodation.

"You can go to London or Paris," Carter said, "But unless you get these money shots, as they say, how do you show that you really did it in style? The hotel is the proof."

Gen Zers also have a penchant for luxury all-inclusive trips, BI previously reported.

"With social media being so big and being an integral part of their lives, many people are motivated by sharing highly curated content and ultra-luxury resorts," said Malley Goodwin, a luxury travel advisor at Embark Beyond.

They're splashing on brands and experiences that align with their values.

Rich Gen Zers are less inclined to be materialistic with their spending.

When it comes to travel, a press representative of Black Tomato, a UK-founded luxury tour operator offering curated private trips to places such as Mustique and Seychelles, said the company is finding that younger clients want "authentic, hands-on travel experiences" focusing on "sustainability, wellness, and cultural immersion."

Gen Z's value-led spending trend is picking up globally and across other spending categories, such as retail. In China, home to a large population of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, younger generations are eschewing flashy logo-heavy brands to splurge on items and experiences representing their values for bettering the environment and themselves.

Jien Goh, a trend forecaster at WGSN, previously told BI: "At the heart of this trend lies a desire for mindful, slower-paced living and a newly emerging mindset that sees wellness and longevity as the ultimate marker of luxury."

When they buy luxury clothes and accessories, they're often opting for secondhand.

Gen Z prefers the flashiest items in their wardrobe to be pre-loved.

Claudia D'Arpizio, senior partner and global head of Fashion and Luxury at Bain, told BI that, instead of purchasing designer goods new, most Gen Zers are sourcing them secondhand via resale platforms like The Real Real.

Their sustainable values are likely part of the equation. However, D'Arpizio said these platforms are a hit with Gen Zers because they're using them to buy vintage finds and sell them to generate extra cash.

"There is an element of gamification and entertainment that is also interesting for this generation," she said.

At home, Zoomers are prioritizing the pantry.

American Gen Zers are outpacing previous generations when it comes to home ownership, per a 2023 Redfin study that found 30% of 25-year-olds owned their home in 2022, compared to 28% of millennials and 27% of Gen X at that age.

At home, the pantry and what it's stocked with have become markers of social status. A McKinsey survey published in December found that groceries, tied with beauty and personal care, are one of the top three categories Gen Z consumers plan to treat themselves to, behind restaurants and apparel.

Gen Zers are stocking up on expensive snacks, beverages, and condiments, and some are flaunting their pricey grocery store hauls from hot spots like Erewhon, a celebrity favorite in Los Angeles, on social media.

It comes as Elizabeth Tan, a senior culture strategist for WGSN Insight, said food and dining have become a way for younger consumers to express "their values and cultural identity."

Smelling good is a marker of status.

A spritz of the right perfume has become a tell-tale sign of wealth and status among Gen Z.

While the luxury goods industry has suffered this past year, particularly from dwindling demand in China, Bain's D'Arpizio said fragrance was one of the few resilient categories.

Fragrances weathered the luxury downturn partly because the category is popular with younger generations, who have continued indulging themselves in smaller, more affordable luxuries while holding back on bigger purchases like handbags or coats.

Perfumes and colognes have also evolved into a medium for Gen Z to carve out their personal brand, as BI previously reported.

The generation is using certain fragrances to identify themselves with popular aesthetics. For example, Upton Clark reports that a Gen Zer hoping to exude a "Clean Girl" vibe might opt for Maison Margiela's Replica Bubble Bath, while one aspiring to give off an air of "Quiet Luxury" might don Maison Francis Kurkdjian's Baccarat Rouge 540.

They're splurging on skincare and treatments to stay young.

The oldest Gen Zers aren't yet 30. While that might be relatively young, they're just as concerned (if not more so) about aging.

In an article on the rise of "Collagen banking," a noninvasive skincare treatment that seeks to boost collagen production, Vogue Business reported that market research firm Circana found 70% of Gen Zers use antiaging serums daily.

As BI previously reported, Gen Z's skincare obsession might be linked to how they are the first generation to grow up with a wide array of social-media platforms and filters, fueling the rise of "prejuvenation" — a trend of mixing skincare with cosmetic treatments to stave off the effects of aging.

The younger generations' desire to maintain their youthful appearances is also changing the cosmetics industry, as Circana reports half of US consumers now look for makeup products that double as skincare, aligning with the attitude of over 60% of Gen Z and millennials.

• The biggest hedge funds are battling it out to attract and retain top talent and outperform peers.
• Business Insider has talked to elite hedge funds to get a peek into their recruiting processes.
• From internships to high-paying tech jobs, here's what we know about their hiring practices.

The war for hedge fund talent cuts across all levels and positions, with firms like Citadel, Point72, and Millennium constantly competing to gain an edge in a cutthroat industry.

These behemoth funds are now putting serious time and resources into recruiting for internship and training programs to create a steady employee pipeline. Steve Cohen's Point72 and Ken Griffin's Citadel recently opened applications for their 2026 summer internships to undergrad students.

Eye-popping pay, challenging work environments, and the promise of working with some of the best investors in the industry can make them an attractive employment option.

Internships at quant fund D.E. Shaw, for example, can pay up to $22,000. Salaries for entry-level analysts and software engineers are often in the six-figure range. Portfolio managers with winning strategies can take home millions.

Business Insider has talked to some of the biggest hedge-fund managers about how they attract talent, as well as their advice to prospective hires.

Here's everything we know about getting a job at a large hedge fund.

Internships

Years ago, the opaque and secretive world of hedge funds might not have been an obvious career choice for most college graduates. However, these investing behemoths are now investing in getting young, diverse wunderkinder, especially mathletes, familiar with their brands as soon as high school.

Internships are another talent pipeline for some of the biggest multi-strategy hedge funds, which employ armies of traders and engineers. Programs can be uber-competitive and harder to get into than many top Ivy League schools.

Citadel's summer internship program, for example, has become increasingly competitive. Last year, the hedge fund accepted around 300 interns to spend 11 weeks at Griffin's hedge fund or his market maker, working with stock-pickers, quants, engineers, and more. The firm told BI that there were more than 85,000 applicants for the programs, with an acceptance rate of roughly 0.5%.

• Here's how to land a spot at Citadel's summer internship
• Citadel's associate program is a separate internship that puts rising college seniors on track to land a full-time investing role at the $66 billion fund.
• Ken Griffin's advice to interns: Hustle during your 20s and be aggressive when asking for a promotion

We also spoke to Point72 and D.E. Shaw about what they looked for in interns and how to stand out for a potential job offer down the line.

• Here's what it takes to stand out as an intern at Steve Cohen's Point72 and land a job offer
• A D.E. Shaw internship could land a dream gig at the secretive hedge fund. Here's what it takes.

Analyst and investment training programs

In the past, hedge funds acquired investment talent from investment banks. Increasingly, however, the industry's top players are recruiting college students through intensive training programs that can lead to jobs straight out of college.

Creating a pipeline of portfolio managers has been an increasingly popular strategy for hedge funds locked in an increasingly expensive battle for top talent.

• How to get accepted into Point72's ultra-elite analyst training program, whose acceptance rate is less than 1%
• Inside Point72's PM incubator LaunchPoint, where Steve Cohen is known to grill up-and-comers who think they're ready for the big time
• Inside Balyasny's Anthem training program, where aspiring portfolio managers are handed hundreds of millions of dollars to prove they can cut it
• Behind the training programs at Balyasny, which is looking to get ahead in the war for investment talent

Tech jobs and training programs

Hedge funds have long been competing with the finance industry and top tech companies for top technologists. Engineers and algorithm developers are key to helping researchers, data scientists, and traders develop cutting-edge investment strategies and platforms. Quant shop D.E. Shaw also has a unique approach to finding talent.

• Inside Citadel's exclusive engineering program that's helped the hedge fund snap up talent from Google and Goldman Sachs
• Here's how to get a tech job at Millennium, from the programming language to know to the interview questions to prep for
• Millennium is on the hunt for engineers in Miami. A top tech exec for the $58 billion hedge fund details the firm's new training program.
• Inside Man Group's popular training program for non-tech employees that teaches them skills to automate tasks and reduce errors in their work

Other resources and advice

Here's a look at how some firms find and vet new employees, what skills and qualities they're looking for …

• Why quant giant D.E. Shaw seeks out academics, doctors, and veterans to work at the hedge fund
• Citadel portfolio manager explains how he rose in the ranks of the hedge fund and what he looks for in a new hire
• Inside the 5-hour psychological interview that can make or break your career at Citadel, Blackstone, and other finance titans

• Inside the spycraft hedge funds use to vet multimillion-dollar traders, which is edging into murky legal territory

  ... and a rundown of some of the gatekeepers to know:

• The rise of the hedge-fund talent whisperers
• The talent brokers of quant trading: The headhunters at the forefront of Wall Street's systematic-trading and data-science hiring frenzy
• Try our searchable database of more than 350 Wall Street headhunters to find your dream job in private equity, investment banking, or hedge funds