Alexandra Kay has seen a lot in her decade-plus in the music industry, but nothing has compared to the scene backstage at a Jelly Roll concert.

“Within a matter of minutes, I was passing Morgan Wallen, Snoop Dogg, Kelsea Ballerini, Ernest — was that the night [Jon] Bon Jovi was there?” Kay, 33, exclusively told Us Weekly. “Everybody was there!”

Kay opened for Jelly Roll, 40, on his Beautifully Broken Tour last year and had a blast, but this year she’s the headliner, having kicked off her Cupid’s a Cowgirl Tour on Sunday, February 23.

“There was a part of me that had been at it for so long that I didn’t know that I’d ever get to put on a show like this,” she told Us of the new tour, which winds down in St. Louis in June. “So I am so grateful and I cannot wait for everybody to see it. We’re gonna be playing four new songs from the record.”

The tour is named after her newest single, “Cupid’s a Cowgirl,” which dropped Friday, February 21. Kay said the song came out of a writing session where she was thinking about how to make something more “fun and happy” than her last album, which was largely about her divorce. (She split from her ex-husband in 2022.)

“I was in a really happy place and still am,” she recalled. “I think that was my first time going in and feeling confident that I wanna move forward and I wanna put All I’ve Ever Known, my divorce record, behind me. Everybody kind of comes in with the same kind of concepts for you when you release a divorce record. … And it was my first time kind of being like, ‘You know, I really wanna move away from that.’”

She succeeded, because “Cupid’s a Cowgirl” is a raucous take on the single life that begins with the lines, “She’s got a pistol in her pocket / Outlaw in her blood / Peekin’ out from that Stetson / Yeah, she’s lookin’ for a stud.”

“We were jumping on couches, screaming, having fun,” Kay told Us of writing the track. “I think we disturbed every other [session] happening in [the studio] that day, and I’m totally fine with that.”

“Cupid’s a Cowgirl” is out now. Before hitting the road on her Cupid’s a Cowgirl Tour, Kay shared more behind-the-scenes secrets of life on the road:

Jelly Roll Looks Back on His Most Memorable Moments With Exclusive Photos

Pre-Show Ritual

I have a nebulizer, so I’m always warming up my vocal cords. I drink, like, 10 bottles of water before I perform, so I have to get those in throughout the day. I just warm up. I usually go live [on social media] while I’m doing my makeup so I can talk to everybody and tell ’em about where we’re going next. And usually people in the crowd that are waiting for me to come out are like, “When are you coming out?”

Other than that I have more of a post-show ritual, I think, which is just eat. I wait till I get off stage and then I stuff my face. I would say pre-show, I’m having a protein drink. And then post-show, I’m usually eating chicken wings. I know that sounds crazy, but every time that they’re like, “What do you want for after-show food?” I’m like, “Just find a place that’s got chicken wings.” And that’s usually what I’m eating.

Ideal Afterparty

My ideal afterparty is to take a shower immediately after the show, get into my bunk, open my book on my Kindle, maybe crochet a little bit, rewatch all of my [Instagram] Stories from the show and then get some sleep. That’s my ideal night. Especially when I was on tour with Jelly Roll, I didn’t have many of those because they have real afterparties constantly — a lot, a lot of fun. But I’m like a grandma at heart.

Country Singer Lauren Alaina Tells Us Her Dressing Room Must-Haves

Her Craziest Tour Experience

Probably being backstage when I opened up for Jelly at Bridgestone Arena [in Nashville], because within a matter of minutes I was passing Morgan Wallen, Snoop Dogg, Kelsea Ballerini, Ernest — was that the night [Jon] Bon Jovi was there? I’m not kidding, Bert Kreischer, every comedian you could ever think of, Jeffree Star, everybody was there. And it was just like, “This is the craziest experience to have all of these people in one place.” But that’s just Jelly. Everybody loves him, you know? So you never know who you’re gonna run into.

How She Calms Her Nerves

I pray — every single time. It does not matter if it is three people or if it is an arena. I get nervous every single time, but I like that. I think that means I still care and I still love this so much and want it to be great for the fans that are out there. When you stop getting nervous, it’s a little bit of a sign that you’re kind of getting numb to it. And I’m far from that, so I’m still happy about those nerves.

Lucky Charm

I usually have a cross somewhere on me. And if not, I have one tattooed on my wrist, so God is always with me everywhere. I also play with my boyfriend [Rocko Beall]. He’s my [musical director] and my guitar player. So I guess I could say I have my lucky charm on stage with me every night.

Mickey Guyton's Pre-Show Ritual Involves a Prayer and a Shot of Tequila

Favorite Song to Perform Live

“Everleave,” which is strange to say, because it is my most emotional song and everybody gets really emotional in the crowd. But there is just something that happens when I play that song. There’s a universal healing that happens in the room, and you can hear a pin drop every single time. It heals me a little bit more every time. I’m in a much better place than I was when I went through my divorce, but singing it, I have a different respect for it. I’m not hurting myself when I sing it anymore, but I’m tapping back into those emotions and that place in order to try to make people that are currently going through it understand that I went through it too and I made it out on the other side.

Most Embarrassing Moment

I had an embarrassing moment on [the Jelly Roll tour] in which he last-minute asked me to sing a song, and I went up there and botched it because I came in at the wrong part. Jelly’s favorite thing is to keep you on your toes. Last minute, he’ll come in and be like, “Hey, AK, we’re not gonna do ‘Friends in Low Places’ tonight. You’re gonna do this one. OK, we’ll see you in 30.” I’m like, “Yeah, OK, never sang that in my life.” So, that was a little embarrassing. That one’s on the internet somewhere if somebody wants to find it!

Most Cherished Souvenir

I always get a magnet from everywhere we go, especially when we were on our European tour last year. And now, Rocko and I … we’ll sneak away and do something, just the two of us, and our newest thing is seeing Broadway shows or Off-Broadway shows ’cause we’re both theater nerds. We love it, so we try to see a show everywhere we go. And so not only now do I have my collection of magnets from Germany and Holland and everywhere we played, I also have a collection of magnets from all the shows we’ve seen when we’re on tour. So I’m gonna need to get a bigger fridge!

Nikki Glaser is one of the biggest Taylor Swift fans in Hollywood, but she doesn’t plan on saying “hi” to her hero if they see each other at an event.

Glaser, 40, recently saw Swift, 35, at the 2025 Grammys on February 2, but she didn’t even think about greeting the pop star.

“Everyone wants a piece. I will never be the one to be like, ‘Excuse me,’ ever,” the comedian explained on the Monday, February 24, episode of Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast. “It’s almost rude what I do when I’m in the same room as Taylor Swift, because I won’t even look her way. It will take [her tapping me on the shoulder].”

Glaser said that her friends have encouraged her to speak to Swift, but she has no interest in connecting that way.

Nikki Glaser Spent Nearly $100K on Taylor Swift 'Eras Tour' Tickets

“There’s no way that she’s dying for that on a night like this where everyone’s doing it,” she said. “And of course she would be so nice. I know exactly how it would go down. But I don’t wanna take someone’s energy away [when] I require their energy to be put into making great music. I don’t want her to make a less great song because she had to be like, ‘Nice to meet you,’ and like, hold me as I’m crying.”

Glaser has been very vocal about her Swift fandom, revealing last year that she spent nearly $100,000 to see The Eras Tour a total of 22 times.

“I want to be clear that we’re including travel expenses, hotels, and me also flying and putting up everyone that I would invite to go with me, plus tickets, plus merch,” she explained in a December 2024 interview with People, noting it was “all well worth it” and she “would’ve paid even more.”

Nikki Glaser’s Biggest Swiftie Moments: 'Eras Tour' Concerts, More

The Golden Globes host added that she justified her spending based on the fact that she doesn’t have kids — something she said wasn’t the “easiest decision” to make.

“There was a part of me that was like, ‘I would like kids,’ but it just doesn’t fit in my life. And so, in order for me to make myself feel better about the decision, I did look up how much it cost to raise a kid,” she explained. “And so, once I saw that number, I thought, ‘It’s no problem for me to spend this on Taylor Swift.’ People spend that much on their kids playing hockey for five years, so it’s OK.”

She added, “No one ever shames anyone for having kids and says, ‘Oh, what a waste of money. Oh, you’re flaunting your wealth.’ But for some reason, when I go to 22 Taylor Swift shows, it’s like, ‘You’re so privileged. How dare you spend that money.’”

'Huge Swiftie' Nikki Glaser Saw 5 'Eras Tour' Shows in 10 Days

During the podcast on Monday, Glaser reiterated one of the reasons why she loves and respects Swift so much: her work ethic.

“Taylor had something to prove. Even showing up on the scene coming out as a country artist and then making it into pop music,” the stand-up said. “She definitely is inspired by people doubting her. … The difference between great and good is just hard work.”

Jane Fonda comes from a family of actors, but she quickly made a name for herself and became an icon in her own right.

Born in 1937 to Frances Ford Seymour and movie legend Henry Fonda, Jane became interested in acting as a teen after starring alongside her dad in a charity performance in Nebraska. After dropping out of Vassar College, she moved to Paris to study art, then returned to the U.S. and began studying acting in earnest with method pioneer Lee Strasberg.

Jane made her film debut in 1960’s Tall Story and earned her first Oscar nomination in 1970 for her work in They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? before winning two years later for her turn as call girl Bree Daniels in Klute.

After vocally opposing the Vietnam War, she traveled to Hanoi in 1972 to witness the damage herself. During her visit, she was photographed sitting on top of an anti-aircraft gun, leading to speculation that she condoned Vietnamese soldiers shooting down American planes. Critics, meanwhile, began calling her “Hanoi Jane.” The Emmy winner later said she would “regret” the picture until her “dying day,” but she has remained a vocal antiwar activist, speaking out against the Iraq War in 2005.

In her later years, Jane became known for her activism as much as her screen work. The Tony Award nominee moved to Washington, D.C. in 2019 so she could more easily stage protests about the climate crisis in front of the U.S. Capitol. She was arrested multiple times, with one image of her raising her hands in triumph while sticking her tongue out going viral.

Keep scrolling for a look back at Jane’s life in pictures:

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Ashley Tisdale saw the meme comparing her High School Musical character to Taylor Swift — and she stands by the analogy.

“She’s an icon,” Tisdale, 39, exclusively told Us Weekly of Swift, 35, while promoting her partnership with Willow. “I mean, both are icons.”

Tisdale played overachiever Sharpay Evans in all three High School Musical films as well as the spinoff Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure. During the Super Bowl earlier this month, an image of Swift standing up in her suite and looking disappointed went viral, with some fans comparing it to the moment in the first HSM movie when Sharpay sings, “This is not what I want. This is not what I planned.” (Swift was at the big game to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, whose Kansas City Chiefs lost 40-22.)

After the meme went viral, Tisdale reposted via her Instagram Story with the caption, “Icons being icons.”

While she appreciates the comparison to Swift, Tisdale is also happy that Sharpay has remained such a cultural touchstone after all these years.

“It’s pretty incredible to play a character where … people are still seeing images of people now in the present day and thinking of her,” she told Us. “It’s not Gabrielle they’re posting, it’s not Troy — it’s Sharpay. She’s an icon. It’s unreal. It’s so amazing.”

While Tisdale has great memories of being a Disney star, she’s less enthusiastic about the prospect of her own kids following in her footsteps. The actress shares daughters Jupiter, 3, and Emerson, 5 months, with husband Christopher French.

Ashley Tisdale on Why Her Daughter Thought Costar Zac Efron Was Her Dad

“I personally wouldn’t have them go into the business,” she told Us. “Obviously, when they’re older and if they want to decide to do something, for sure, I would support them. But I come from a different place where I’ve been in the business since I was 3 and [have] been working since I was 3. For me, the most important thing for my kids is for them to have a real childhood. … Working [as a kid], it’s not an easy thing to do. The biggest thing is for them to just have a normal life, and if they wanna do it when they’re older and can handle that, then I would support them.”

Tisdale has been nesting with French, 43, since welcoming Emerson last September. The Carol’s Second Act alum said she had a “better experience” postpartum than she did the first time around, thanks in part to the way Willow’s wearable breast pumps eased the breast-feeding journey.

“I had such a hard time with Jupiter and breast-feeding,” Tisdale told Us. “But the second time with Emerson, she latched right away, and I’ve really been able to have that experience, which I’m really grateful for. It’s one of those things where I love having a second child, because my first experience was [when] I had postpartum depression and I went through a lot.”

Ashley Tisdale and Christopher French’s Relationship Timeline

While Tisdale is happy she’s having an easier time breast-feeding Emerson, she soon realized that the process was going to take up a lot of her time — which is where Willow has been a lifesaver.

“To be able to have the breast-feeding journey with Emerson was really exciting — and then came work, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God, how am I supposed to do this?’” she recalled. “When you’re breast-feeding a newborn, you feel very much like you’re just in the rocking chair the entire time. Willow really gave me that optimism to be like, ‘Oh, I can leave and I don’t have to be here at all times, every hour, and I can have a life again, and I can do these things.’ And now I have this support system and it’s been really great.”

With reporting by Amanda Williams

Yellowstone cocreator Taylor Sheridan is committed to the cowboy lifestyle, and his latest venture is perfect for late nights in the bunkhouse.

Sheridan, 54, and his Four Sixes Ranch recently collaborated with spirits company Sazerac to create the first spirits to carry the ranch’s name: Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka. (Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed the vodka making a cameo in episode 10 of Yellowstone’s fifth season.)

The whiskey is billed as having tasting notes of caramel, oak, vanilla and fruit with “a hint of toasted marshmallow,” while the vodka is distilled seven times. Sheridan, who also created the Yellowstone prequel series 1883 and 1923, hand-selected the spirits himself to represent the “artistry that is essential to a life lived [on] horseback.”

In the latest edition of We Tried It, Us Weekly Deputy Editor Sarah Hearon and Music Editor Eliza Thompson taste-tested both Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka to see whether they would hold up to ranch life — or at least a 1923 marathon before season 2 returns.

Sarah and Eliza both agreed that the vodka lives up to the brand slogan of “ranch-tested, cowboy-approved,” with a clear finish that would mix well in a martini.

The whiskey, however, is the true star of the line. “This is for right after you finish some roping and barrel racing,” Sarah said. “Really smooth.”

A Guide to 'Yellowstone' and Its Many Spinoffs

While it’s not technically a bourbon, it does have some sweetness in the finish. “It almost tastes a little bit like an Irish whiskey — but not so harsh,” Eliza noted.

As for who in the Yellowstone universe is drinking Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka, Sarah and Eliza had some theories. Beth Dutton would likely be willing to replace her traditional Tito’s order with Four Sixes, while her husband, Rip Wheeler, would stick to whiskey. And Jimmy, who actually works at the Four Sixes? He’d say he was shooting whiskey, but his fellow ranch hands know he’s a vodka cran girl through and through.

Four Sixes Whiskey and Four Sixes Vodka is currently available at retailers in Texas, Oklahoma and Nevada. The spirits will be released nationwide later this year.

Season 2 of 1923 premieres on Paramount+ Sunday, February 23.

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Jessica Simpson is finally making her return to the world of music with her first new single in nearly 15 years.

The singer, 44, dropped “Use My Heart Against Me” on Friday, February 21, after weeks of teasing new music via social media.

“Music makes you un-become to become, and through this process my soul has been pulled to the very place it belongs,” Simpson wrote via Instagram alongside the single’s cover art. “To the girl I was, I love you. To the woman I am, I am proud of you. To the woman I am becoming, I am excited for you….lets do this…it’s GO TIME.”

Cowritten with Natalie Hemby of The Highwomen, Ashley Ray and Joe Ginsberg, “Use My Heart Against Me” has a more bluesy feel than any of Simpson’s past music. The lyrics, meanwhile, have a country flavor with lines like, “Double down like I’m a whiskey / Drink me in until you’re tipsy.”

Jessica Simpson Says Ex Eric Johnson Supported Her Making New Music

Simpson also announced a two-part EP titled Nashville Canyon. The first part will drop Friday, March 21, while the second part will arrive in early summer.

“I’ve lived through the hardest parts of life, and music is what has brought me back,” she said in a press release. “Nashville Canyon is for anyone who’s ever been told who they are or how they should live their life. It’s about finding your true voice and the courage to be exactly who you are. … This music is mine to share, and it’s not just about me — it’s about everyone who’s ever felt lost or overlooked. I want to remind them that they’re not alone.”

Earlier this year, Simpson announced that she and her husband, Eric Johnson, had called it quits after 10 years of marriage. “Eric and I have been living separately navigating a painful situation in our marriage,” she told Us Weekly in a statement on January 13. “Our children come first, and we are focusing on what is best for them. We are grateful for all of the love and support that has been coming our way, and appreciate privacy right now as we work through this as a family.”

Jessica Simpson Reveals Where She Stands With Ex Eric Johnson After Split

The estranged couple, who tied the knot in 2014, share three kids: daughters Maxwell, 12, and Birdie, 5, and son Ace, 11.

After becoming a mom, Simpson took a step back from the music industry and focused on her fashion line and her family. Her last album, Happy Christmas, arrived in 2010. In 2021, she released a cover of “Particles” by Nothing But Thieves, but her last original single was 2010’s “My Only Wish” from Happy Christmas.

In an interview published earlier this week, Simpson said Johnson, 45, supported her return to music.

“It is a gift,” she told The Cut in conversation with her sister, Ashlee Simpson, on Thursday, February 20. “Eric supported that gift. My kids supported that gift.”

This post contains spoilers for The Masked Singer season 13, episode 2.

The Masked Singer’s Fuzzy Peas, now revealed as Oscar De La Hoya, pulled off a rare feat — stumping all four of the show’s panelists.

Ahead of his unmasking on the Wednesday, February 19, episode of the Fox competition series, De La Hoya, 52, didn’t come to the minds of Jenny McCarthy, Rita Ora, Ken Jeong or Robin Thicke. Instead, the group guessed a variety of other celebrities, including Antonio Banderas and John Leguizamo.

“When they were throwing out these names, I was like, ‘OK, wait, are they getting close? Are they getting warmer or colder?’” De La Hoya exclusively recalled to Us Weekly. “When they said Antonio Banderas, I was like, ‘Oh, wait a second.’ … I believe they mentioned the Oscars or something. It’s like, ‘Hello, I’m right here! Just guess Oscar!’”

There was a big hint in Fuzzy Peas’ first clue package that the judges didn’t seem to pick up on, which noted he’s “known for [his] hits, some of them Grammy-nominated.” The “hits” in question are on one level a reference to his storied boxing career, but De La Hoya also earned a Grammy nod in 2001 for his one and only album.

“Music is in my blood,” he told Us. “My mother was a professional singer. So when they asked me, of course I was like, ‘Yes, please sign me up. This is gonna be a lot of fun.’”

'The Masked Singer' Winners Through the Years: Where Are They Now?

De La Hoya previously appeared on The Masked Dancer in 2021, finishing in fourth place. After his reveal, he says The Masked Singer was harder, even though he came in with some singing experience.

“With dancing, you can have a choreographer and they can teach you a few moves, and you can get by, right? But with singing, it’s your voice,” he explained. “You’re pitching your voice and you can practice, but I wasn’t born to sing. I was born to fight. So I was more nervous doing The Masked Singer because it was out of my element.”

Despite those initial nerves, he felt right at home once he got on stage, in part because the experience reminded him of the way he approached boxing matches earlier in his career.

'The Masked Singer' Shares 1st Look at Season 13 Contestants

“It’s funny because when I’m in the locker room, getting ready to step out into the ring in front of 20,000 people, you’re prepared,” he told Us. “Once the first bell rings, it’s like, no pressure. You’re focused. So when I was backstage putting on my Fuzzy Peas, you’re nervous, you’re petrified. But once you’re on stage, it’s like, ‘OK, boom, lights on. Let’s go. Let’s perform.’ And that’s what made it fun. You’re nervous, but once that switch goes off you’re just having a blast.”

While De La Hoya doesn’t think he’ll be releasing another album anytime soon, he may put his Fuzzy Peas chops to work at the local karaoke bar.

“I’ll go in front of anybody, I don’t care. Let’s go,” he said, noting that his go-to song is the first one performed on the show, “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens. “Boxing literally kind of prepared me for the stage of The Masked Singer in a way, because when I went out there behind the mask, I felt I was in my element.”

The Masked Singer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

The Masked Singer’s lucky season 13 kicked off with a bang last week and a major reveal, but there are still plenty of clues to come — and Us Weekly has another sneak peek at a few of them.

Ahead of the Wednesday, February 19, episode, Us caught Group A contestant Fuzzy Peas hamming it up in Hollywood outside a couple of locations that could be big hints about the identity of this swashbuckling legume.

In these exclusive snaps, Fuzzy Peas was spotted near Los Angeles boxing studio Madcity Boxing, which left Us wondering if he has a past in the ring. Longtime Masked Singer fans, however, know that it could be a red herring — especially because the gym happens to sit next to Musichead Gallery. Could that name be a reference to a real-life career as a singer?

Inquiring sleuths will have to keep watching to uncover the truth, but for now, keep scrolling for more clues about Fuzzy Peas:

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Cassie’s family is about to get a little bigger.

The singer, 38, announced on Wednesday, February 19, that she is expecting her third baby with her husband, Alex Fine. She confirmed the news via Instagram with a photo carousel that showed her posing with Fine, 31, and their two daughters.

“ #3,” Cassie, whose full name is Casandra Ventura, captioned the post.

Fine also reposted the same snaps via his own account with the message, “Best gift I could ask for.”

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A post shared by Casandra Fine (@cassie)

Cassie and Fine, who tied the knot in 2021, became parents in 2019 with the arrival of daughter Frankie, now 5. Their second daughter, Sunny, now 3, was born in 2021.

Last year, Cassie gushed over Fine’s parenting skills in a Father’s Day post that included a video of him pushing their girls in a double stroller with their dog. “There is just no one like you,” she wrote via Instagram in June 2024. “I love you @alexfine44 Happy Father’s Day!!”

Cassie and Husband Alex Fine's Relationship Timeline

Cassie’s latest pregnancy announcement post was soon full of congratulatory messages from her followers. “This literally gave me chills,” wrote one fan. “I have never been happier for someone I have never personally met. Congrats to you guys! May you continue to receive all the happiness your heart and soul not only desires, but all that you deserve!”

Another Instagram user added,” Living the life you deserve, congrats on your growing family! We adore you Cassie and we admire your strength. Blessings.”

Before marrying Fine, Cassie dated Sean “Diddy” Combs off and on from 2007 to 2018. In November 2023, she filed a lawsuit against her ex, now 55, accusing him of abuse and rape throughout their relationship. The suit was settled one day later, but multiple alleged victims have since spoken out against Diddy. He has denied all the allegations.

In May 2024, CNN released a video of hotel security camera footage from 2016 that showed Diddy striking Cassie and knocking her to the ground before kicking her and dragging her down the hallway. Diddy subsequently apologized for his “inexcusable behavior” in a social media video, saying, “It’s difficult to reflect on the darkest times in your life, sometimes you gotta do that. I was f—ed up. I mean, I hit rock bottom but I make no excuses.”

Singer Cassie Through the Years: From 'Me & U' to Motherhood

Days later, Cassie thanked fans for their support in a statement shared via Instagram, writing, “The outpouring of love has created a place for my younger self to settle and feel safe now, but this is only the beginning. Domestic Violence is THE issue. It broke me down to someone I never thought I would become. With a lot of hard work, I am better today, but I will always be recovering from my past.”

She added, “Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to take this matter seriously. My only ask is that EVERYONE open your heart to believing victims the first time. It takes a lot of heart to tell the truth out of a situation that you were powerless in.”

Diddy is currently in jail awaiting trial following his September 2024 arrest on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has denied all the allegations against him and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.

Backstreet Boys to family men! Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, AJ McLean and Kevin Richardson have all become dads since they became boy band stars — and they love to share updates their little ones.

Littrell was the first member of the band to become a father, welcoming son Baylee with wife Leighanne Littrell in November 2002. Baylee has since become a singer himself, performing on Broadway and releasing an album called 770 Country in 2019.

“I’m just elated. I’m so proud of him,” Brian told HollywoodLife in June 2021 of his son’s musical talents. “He’s super inspiring to watch as he writes and he does music and performs and all of that stuff. He’s a great guitar player. He can play his little butt off. It’s great to watch.”

Baylee, for his part, said that watching his dad on tour partly inspired his own career in music. When he was a toddler, Baylee joined BSB on the road for their Never Gone tour, which ran from 2005 to 2006. “I can’t tell you how monumental it’s been to grow up and see my dad’s work, and not many people get to experience that,” he said in the same interview. “So, to see it and try and attempt it myself, it’s kind of mind-blowing, honestly.”

Littrell’s cousin Richardson was the next Boy to become a dad with the arrival of son Mason in July 2007. The Kentucky native had left the group one year earlier, so when he rejoined the band permanently in 2012, Mason was shocked to find out what his dad did for a living.

“He didn’t know his father was famous,” Littrell joked during an August 2013 interview with Larry King.

Richardson noted that having kids made it harder to go on tour for months at a time, but said that fatherhood has also helped inspire him to give music his all. “It motivates you to work harder,” he told the late CNN host. “You wanna provide for your family, you wanna set a good example.”

In June 2022, the band surprised fans when they brought most of their brood on stage for a performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. The kids joined their dads for a rendition of “No Place” from their 2019 album DNA. “It’s about family,” Richardson told the crowd of the song. “These are our babies. Everybody in here, we all grew up together. Y’all have families, we have families. Thank you all for being a part of the Backstreet family going on 29 years, almost 30 years.”

AJ McLean and his wife, Rochelle, share two daughters, Elliott, born in 2012, and Lyric, born in 2017. In March 2023, Us Weekly confirmed that AJ and Rochelle were calling it quits after 11 years of marriage to work on themselves. They noted in their joint statement that they hoped the split was temporary.

Keep scrolling for a guide to all of the Backstreet Boys’ kids.

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Steve Schirripa is best known for starring in gritty crime dramas, but every once in a while he likes to relax the same way Us does: with a Hallmark movie.

The Blue Bloods alum, 67, is excited to make his Hallmark Channel debut in Sisterhood, Inc., which debuts Saturday, February 22.

“I never did a Hallmark movie,” Schirripa exclusively told Us Weekly while discussing his partnership with Freshpet. “It was, believe it or not, a bucket list thing. How many guys could go from The Sopranos to Hallmark? But I made the jump and I was very happy and I had a wonderful time.”

The actor, who played Detective Anthony Abetemarco on Blue Bloods and Bobby Baccala on The Sopranos, said that the family-friendly vibe of Hallmark was a nice change of pace after years of working on heavier projects.

Relive the ‘Blue Bloods’ Cast’s Sweetest Moment On and Off Camera

“I really had a good time, I hope to do more,” he explained. “It was very nice, no arguing, no killing, no nothing. Even on Blue Bloods, which I loved, I must have killed four or five people. I killed more people as a cop than I did as a mobster.”

Schirripa went on to note that he’s “watched my share” of Hallmark movies. “It’s just a nice vibe,” he added. “Sometimes you’re not in a great mood, you don’t want to watch anything heavy. If I want to watch bad stuff, I put the news on. Sometimes you just want to watch something nice.”

Fans of Schirripa know that he’s a softie at heart despite his TV mobster past, frequently posing on social media with his dachshund, Willie (who also has his own Instagram account).

‘The Sopranos’ Cast: Where Are They Now?

“We make people happy, and that’s what I like,” he told Us. “He makes me happy. He’s like our son. We have two grown daughters that are out of the house. Our kids think we’re nuts. I say, ‘Willie’s your brother. Be nice.’”

Schirripa’s partnership with Freshpet came about after the actor had already been feeding Willie the natural dog food for two years. When the brand approached him about starring in a commercial, he didn’t hesitate to say yes — but Willie’s fans were quick to notice that the dachshund doesn’t appear in the ad.

“Willie was on set and he gave his approval. We had professional dogs,” Schirripa explained. “He chose to sit this one out. But he did make his TV debut on Blue Bloods. He was in an episode of Blue Bloods this past season, the last season, so that was good. … He left [the ad] to the big boys, you know what I mean?”

The ad also offered some novelty for Schirripa, who got to play the mob boss for once rather than the loyal capo.

“My character on The Sopranos was this soft guy, sensitive guy, and here I was a tough guy,” he told Us. “And it’s funny, but I got a text from David Chase, the creator of The Sopranos, who said, ‘I didn’t know you could play a tough guy,’ which was really a compliment.”

Schirripa and Willie’s next collaboration will come in May when they team up to host Sopranos Night with Minor League Baseball’s Somerset Patriots — 1,000 lucky guests will receive a Schirripa bobblehead that also features Willie.

As Schirripa correctly put it: “That’s a collector’s item!”

Sisterhood, Inc. premieres on Hallmark Channel Saturday, February 22, at 8 p.m. ET.

© Us Weekly

Exes Emma Roberts and Garrett Hedlund kept a relatively low profile while they were dating, especially after the arrival of their son, Rhodes.

The couple were first linked in March 2019, nearly one year before Us Weekly confirmed that they were expecting their first baby. Rhodes was born in December 2020.

“It’s not something you’ll always feel like you’re getting right, but you will get better every day,” Roberts told Violet Grey in March 2021 about motherhood. “When in doubt, just love your child and yourself.”

The twosome, who split in January 2022, had designated Hedlund’s Country Strong costar Tim McGraw as Rhodes’ godfather.

“He’s somebody that I admire and respect, not only as an amazing father and an amazing husband [but as an] amazing musician and amazing actor,” Hedlund said during a Kelly Clarkson Show appearance in February 2021. “I’ve known him for a long time.”

Keep scrolling to see Roberts and Hedlund’s sweetest family moments:

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© Courtesy of Emma Roberts/Instagram

© Courtesy Emma Roberts/Instagram

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© Courtesy Garrett Hedlund/Instagram

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Sabrina Carpenter teamed up with Dolly Parton for a country-tinged take on “Please Please Please” — complete with a new music video that seemingly references Carpenter’s ex Barry Keoghan.

Carpenter, 25, enlisted Parton, 79, for the duet, released on Friday, February 14, a.k.a. Valentine’s Day, as part of the Short n’ Sweet deluxe edition. The new video seems to be a direct sequel to last year’s original, which famously starred Keoghan, 32, as Carpenter’s love interest. (The duo were dating in real life at the time but split in December 2024 after nearly one year together.)

In the new clip, Parton and Carpenter are out for a drive in a pickup truck, but it soon becomes clear that this isn’t your average jaunt — they’ve got a big bag of cash in the back and a shovel. When they hear a police siren somewhere behind them, they start to get nervous, but the cruiser passes without incident.

At the end of the video, viewers learn why they were so nervous: they’ve also got a body back there, and he’s wearing the same outfit that Keoghan was in the original “Please Please Please” visual. His head is covered by a burlap sack, muffling his cries, and while he’s got enough energy left to kick his chained-up feet, that shovel hints he may not be long for the aboveground world.

The first “Please Please Please” video ended with Carpenter tying up Keoghan, whose character failed to live up to her pleas in the lyrics: “I heard that you’re an actor, so act like a stand-up guy / Whatever devil’s inside you, don’t let him out tonight.”

 

Carpenter hasn’t publicly addressed her split from Keoghan, but she’s been very vocal about her collaboration with Parton.

“Dolly and me singing in a pickup truck!!!!!! I am so honored to have one of my biggest idols on a song that means so much to me,” the newly minted Grammy winner wrote via Instagram on Friday. “Love you forever @dollyparton.”

Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter’s Relationship Timeline

In a behind-the-scenes video Parton shared via Instagram, the two singers shared a hug and marveled at their similarly petite heights. “Turns out, two things can be short and sweet ,” Parton quipped in the caption.

The country legend also joked that she’d have to make “Please Please Please” a little bit more PG-13 for her audience. (In the final version of the duet, the line “Don’t embarrass me, motherf—er” becomes “Don’t embarrass me like the others.”)

“You and your dirty words,” Parton teased Carpenter. “I can’t say those words!”

Short n’ Sweet (Deluxe) is out now.

Who is that? That’s always the big question on The Masked Singer, but Us Weekly has an exclusive sneak peek of three season 13 costumes — and a few early clues.

Ahead of the Wednesday, February 12, premiere, Us caught new contestants Bat, Yorkie and Honey Pot gallivanting around Los Angeles. Fans will have to wait and see who’s under the masks, but there are some big hints in these snaps.

In one image, Bat and Yorkie duke it out in the alley behind SUR, a landmark-worthy location that Vanderpump Rules fans know as well as their own homes. Could one of these mystery masks be someone like former SURver Katie Maloney, or perhaps Lisa Vanderpump herself?

Then there’s Honey Pot, who was snapped hanging out at the legendary comedy club Laugh Factory. Could this be an iconic comedian like Eddie Murphy, who performed there in the early days of his career?

Answers will be revealed in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, keep scrolling for more clues about Bat, Yorkie and Honey Pot:

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The final book in Brynne Weaver’s mega popular Ruinous Love trilogy is out now, but the author hasn’t ruled out the possibility of revisiting the world of the Kane brothers in the future.

“I never say no to anything,” Weaver exclusively told Us Weekly ahead of the Tuesday, February 11, release of Scythe & Sparrow. “In some cases I think their stories are wrapped up, but in others I could see a spinoff novella or something like that. I definitely left the door open to exploring that in the future.”

Scythe & Sparrow wraps up the dark romance trilogy that began with 2023’s Butcher & Blackbird and last year’s Leather & Lark. The novel’s main characters, Fionn Kane and Rose Evans, made cameo appearances in the first two books, but Scythe & Sparrow finally reveals how they met — and gives readers a deeper understanding of what helped mold the Kane brothers.

Like the first two Ruinous Love books, Scythe & Sparrow features plenty of murder, but the difference here is that Rose is not exactly a criminal mastermind on par with her counterparts Sloane and Lark.

“I felt like when I was writing the first book that she was a little bit chaotic, and I thought it would be a fun, different kind of take on this serial killer theme that I was doing if she just wasn’t very good at it,” Weaver told Us of Rose. “She really tries hard, she puts her whole self into it. It just doesn’t always pan out the way that she hoped.” 

Fionn, meanwhile, isn’t quite as hypermasculine as his siblings, Rowan and Lachlan — he works out a lot, but he’s also part of a crocheting club.

“With his two older brothers, they’ve played a significant role in really getting him to have this sort of perfect life,” Weaver explained. “He’s tried really hard to exceed expectations. He’s also brokenhearted, so he’s run away to Nebraska. He’s kind of been hiding a little bit. So I wanted to give him the chance to really come out of his shell, and Rose was the perfect opportunity to have that happen for him.”

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While Rose and Fionn aren’t quite as adept at hiding the (not metaphorical) bodies as other Ruinous Love characters, they’re not lacking in the chemistry department — and the book boasts plenty of those steamy scenes that Weaver’s fans have come to expect. Some authors find it difficult to choreograph those moments on the page or plot out elaborate fights, but Weaver’s biggest challenges lie elsewhere.

“Those are always my two favorite things to write,” the author said of scenes involving sex or violence. “Sometimes it’s more of the interconnection between those scenes where you’re exploring the more heavy emotional topics, and I want to get those right. So, it takes a lot more thinking time to process those chapters, but the murder scenes and the spicy scenes are, like, no problem.”

As fans finally get their hands on Scythe & Sparrow, Weaver is looking forward to the next chapter in her writing career — she’s already handed in the manuscript for the first book in a new series and is currently hard at work on the second. She can’t share any further details, but hinted that eagle-eyed Scythe & Sparrow readers might find a clue about what’s next.

These Celebs Love 'A Court of Thorns and Roses': Famous 'ACOTAR' Fans

“I can’t really give too much away, but there is maybe a little bit of a window into what might be coming at the end of this book,” she teased. “So it is another dark rom-com series but also a bit more thriller-y.”

She’s also participating in the development of Butcher & Blackbird for the big screen. No casting announcements have been made, but Weaver is feeling good about where things are going.

“Sometimes you’re having these conversations with producers or in this case the director as well and thinking like, ‘Oh, I’m talking to this director’ — that’s a little bit wild to get your head around at first,” she told Us. “It’s rolling along pretty quickly. We have a screenwriter now and she’s already been working on the script. We’ve got a few people in play, not actors yet, but a few other key people who are starting to get involved now, and I’ve been really brought into all the steps of the process which has been wonderful. I really want to see where they take it and how they interpret it, but I’m getting to have my say as well, so for me it’s a perfect balance.”

'One Day' and More TV Shows Based on Popular Books

She also has a couple ideas about who could play Rowan and Sloane.

“I have a few that I could see doing it,” she said. “I think Nicholas Hoult could potentially play a really good Rowan, but I think it’s very much dependent on the chemistry between the leads. I love Amber Midthunder, who was in Prey, which is another favorite movie. I thought she was fantastic, but I really think it comes down to that chemistry aspect. So, I guess we’ll see when we get there.”

Scythe & Sparrow is out now.

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Armie Hammer denied being a cannibal on a new podcast, but he admitted to participating in a hunting ritual that involved taking a bite out of an animal’s heart.

Speaking on the Tuesday, February 11, episode of “The Louis Theroux Podcast,” Hammer, 38, responded to rumors that he’d once cut the heart out of an animal and eaten it while it was “still warm.” The actor said he did take a bite but denied having eaten the whole thing.

“You take a bite out of the heart, and you’ve got all your buddies around you, they’re goading you on,” Hammer said. “It’s sort of like an almost overly charged male rite of passage when you go hunting for your first time. Everyone that I know who went hunting for their first time had to do something similar.”

He went on to note that taking the bite was “not for the purpose of any cannibalism or any sexual gratification.”

Armie Hammer Says He Wanted to 'Get Caught' Amid Cannibalism Allegations

In the same interview, Hammer responded as host Louis Theroux asked him directly, “Are you a cannibal?”

Hammer replied, “You know what you have to do to actually be a cannibal? You have to actually eat human flesh. So, no.”

The Call Me by Your Name actor’s Hollywood career effectively ended in 2021 after he was accused of rape by an ex. At the time, various unverified direct messages detailing vivid sexual fantasies — including cannibalism — were attributed to him. He vehemently denied the rape allegations and said his sexual encounters were consensual. A Los Angeles police department investigation into the claims was closed in May 2023, and the actor was not charged.

Speaking to Theroux, Hammer claimed that nothing he ever did was against the law, even if some of his actions made people uncomfortable.

“I left a lot of people in that wake very angry at me for my behavior. … A—— behavior. There’s no way around that,” he said. “Does it make me a d—? Absolutely. Like, I have no problem admitting that. I was a d—. That’s not illegal.”

Last month, Hammer spoke about his fall from grace on the “Your Mom’s House” podcast and pointed to the coronavirus pandemic as one reason his scandal got so much attention.

Armie Hammer Is Trying to 'Redeem Himself' With New Podcast Venture

“COVID was going on, people were locked in their apartment, people were miserable,” he said. “There was all this s— going on. The world seemed like it was falling apart. And people were deeply unhappy with their own lives. And then this salacious story comes around where this actor wants to murder and eat people, and all of a sudden everyone’s like, ‘Oh, this is so much more fun to focus on than the fact I can’t leave my living room.’ Everyone was like, ‘Let’s dogpile on this story.’”

In the same interview, Hammer claimed he was having trouble managing his squeaky clean Hollywood image. When the allegations broke, he was married to Elizabeth Chambers, with whom he shares daughter Harper, 10, and son Ford, 8.

“I think somewhere deep down, subconsciously, I wanted to get caught. I so did not relate to the image of me that was out there in the public. Like, ‘Look at them, they’re like the Ralph Lauren family. They’ve got the perfect life, and the perfect house, and the perfect kids,’” Hammer explained. “I was like, ‘I feel like a f—ing alien.’ I was ‘liking’ rope bondage pictures on my Twitter. It was like I was dog-whistling to it, if you will, and wanting to get caught. People would be like, ‘I don’t think he knows his Twitter likes are public.’ I saw that and I was like, ‘I know.’”

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

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Kendrick Lamar brought his now Grammy-winning trolling of Drake to the biggest stage imaginable at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

After months of speculation about his setlist, Lamar, 37, included “Not Like Us” in his performance, meaning that more than 73,000 fans got to scream along as he rapped, “And it’s probably A minor.”

Lamar teased a snippet of the song early in the show, jokingly asking whether he should perform “their favorite song.” After the track’s intro began, however, he pivoted to a different song, leaving viewers to wonder whether “Not Like Us” had been omitted from the setlist. (Prior to the halftime show, rumors circulated that Lamar wouldn’t be allowed to perform the song.)

Later in the set, however, Lamar delivered, launching into “Not Like Us” as Serena Williams danced on stage. While he didn’t say the word “pedophile” in the famous line, “Certified lover boy, certified pedophile,” he did include, “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor.”

Kendrick Brings Out Drake’s Rumored Ex Serena Williams During Halftime Show

Lamar’s set also featured tracks from his latest album, GNX, including “Squabble Up” and “Luther.” SZA joined him for the latter song as well as “All the Stars” from the Black Panther soundtrack.

Since Lamar was announced as the halftime show performer in September 2024, fans have wondered whether he would include “Not Like Us” in his set. Released in May of last year, the song is full of blistering digs at Drake, 38. The two rappers have traded barbs off and on for more than a decade, but their feud hit a fever pitch last spring when they exchanged a series of diss tracks.

While both musicians released several songs about the other, many observers declared Lamar as the winner of the feud, given both the lyrical content and popularity of “Not Like Us.” The No. 1 hit memorably accused Drake of pedophilia in lines like “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young” and “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor.”

Drake denied the pedophilia accusations in “The Heart Part 6,” but the track did little to stop the virality of “Not Like Us,” which has soundtracked everything from sporting events to the Democratic National Convention.

A Complete Guide to All the Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake Diss Tracks

After Lamar was announced as the halftime show headliner, reports circulated that Drake had sent his rival a cease-and-desist to stop him from performing “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl, but a rep for the Canadian-born artist later denied it. “The rumors are completely false,” a rep for Drake told Us Weekly in October 2024.

One month later, Drake filed a legal complaint alleging that Lamar’s record label, Universal Music Group (which is also his own record label), conspired with Spotify to artificially inflate the popularity of “Not Like Us.” UMG vehemently denied the allegations, as did Spotify.

Drake later withdrew the complaint but filed a federal lawsuit against UMG in January, accusing the label of defamation and harassment, claiming that the company “chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists.”

UMG again denied his allegations, telling Us in a statement: “Not only are these claims untrue, but the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist — let alone Drake — is illogical. We have invested massively in his music and our employees around the world have worked tirelessly for many years to help him achieve historic commercial and personal financial success. Throughout his career, Drake has intentionally and successfully used UMG to distribute his music and poetry to engage in conventionally outrageous back-and-forth ‘rap battles’ to express his feelings about other artists. He now seeks to weaponize the legal process to silence an artist’s creative expression and to seek damages from UMG for distributing that artist’s music.”

Drake's Dad Reacts to Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Winning Big at Grammys

The statement continued: “We have not and do not engage in defamation — against any individual. At the same time, we will vigorously defend this litigation to protect our people and our reputation, as well as any artist who might directly or indirectly become a frivolous litigation target for having done nothing more than write a song.”

Earlier this month at the Grammys, “Not Like Us” swept all five categories in which it was nominated: Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song and Best Music Video.

SZA may not be involved in the beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, but she does have a history with her friend’s rival.

The “Kill Bill” singer, 35, is set to take the stage with Lamar, 37, at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show on Sunday, February 9, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. While the pair have collaborated numerous times throughout their career, most recently on Lamar’s 2024 album, GNX, SZA has also worked with Drake, 38 — and briefly dated him.

Lamar, meanwhile, has a long history with Drake that stretches back to 2013. While the pair have traded lyrical jabs for years, their rivalry became global news in 2024 when they exchanged a series of vicious diss tracks. The battle culminated with the release of Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” in which the Pulitzer Prize winner accused Drake of pedophilia. (Drake denied the allegations in his song “The Heart Part 6.”)

Keep scrolling for a breakdown of SZA and Drake’s history:

A Complete Timeline of Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s Feud

‘Mr. Right Now’

In 2020, Drake revealed in the song “Mr. Right Now” that he and SZA had briefly dated a decade prior. “Yeah, said she wanna f— to some SZA, wait / ‘Cause I used to date SZA back in ’08,” he rapped.

SZA then confirmed via Twitter (now X) that she dated Drake but claimed he got the timeline wrong.

SZA Reflects on 'Childish' Fling With Drake: 'It Wasn't Hot and Heavy'

“So It was actually 2009 lol … in this case a year of poetic rap license mattered lol,” she wrote. “I think he jus innocently rhymed 08 w wait. Anybody who really knows me and was around during this time can confirm … it’s all love all peace.”

In another tweet, she added, “I just didn’t want anybody thinking anything underage or creepy was happening. Completely innocent. Lifetimes ago.”

Still ‘Cool’

During an interview with Audacy, SZA said that Drake gave her a heads-up before the release of “Mr. Right Now.”

“We’re cool, we’ve always been cool. It’s never been weird. It’s never come completely out of the blue,” she said in December 2022. “Anytime he’s ever mentioned me, it’s always been positive. He’s never said anything negative about me. I’m grateful for that and I think highly of him, and I think it’s really weird that as all these years went past, I am an artist now and I wasn’t then and he’s King Drake.”

She also compared the rapper to an iconic Mean Girls character, saying, “I feel like Drake has a Regina George quality to him where it’s just kind of like, ‘Have you or anyone you know been personally victimized?’ He’s like a cool kid, you know. When you’re the popular kid in school, it’s entertaining. It’s entertaining, but you sometimes are taking losses in the midst of that entertainment. The honesty, I respect that. But I definitely laughed real hard … I cackled.”

Drake Gets 'Slimy' With Ex SZA on New Song

‘Slime You Out’

More than a decade after their fling, SZA and Drake collaborated for the first time on the track “Slime You Out” from his album For All the Dogs. Drake introduced SZA on the song with the lines, “And my slime right here, she got some bars for y’all n—-s / So I’ma fall back and let SZA talk her s— for a minute.”

A ‘Childish’ Romance

SZA opened up about her relationship with Drake in an interview with Rolling Stone and admitted it was never serious. “We were really young,” she said in October 2023. “It wasn’t hot and heavy or anything. It was like youth vibes. It was so childish.”

Sharon Van Etten is an old hand in the recording studio, but for her latest album, she tried an entirely different approach: jamming.

The idea came to Van Etten, 43, while she and her band were rehearsing for their first tour after the coronavirus pandemic. “By the time we worked through all the songs, I just felt a little tired of myself and I knew that I needed a break from hearing myself,” she exclusively told Us Weekly. “And so I asked the band if we could take a break, and then when we reconvened, could we just jam? And everyone laughed at me ’cause I hate that word and I don’t even like saying it even in this context, but I’ve never really done that. And I felt like we were developing such a sound that I wanted to explore it without having all these predetermined songs to it.”

Two of the songs that came out of that jam — “Southern Life (What It Must Be Like)” and “I Can’t Imagine (Why You Feel This Way)” — ended up on Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory, which dropped Friday, February 7. The album is technically Van Etten’s seventh, but it’s the first where she’s been credited alongside her band.

“I was very inspired by that [jam session] and I knew that was gonna be the next step for me creatively and personally,” she explained. “Just to learn how to let go of my process and trust the band and incorporate them and show them a bit more love.”

In the studio, that meant that Van Etten “wasn’t playing as much” as she would have been if she’d been writing alone.

“I was guiding, and we were guiding each other,” she recalled. “As I would hear a line that someone was working on, I would say, ‘OK, this is the thing.’ I would point to that and communicate that this is the center of the song right now. … It was more like the sonic trust fall of letting go and letting other people help you.”

How Yola Centered Herself on New ‘My Way’ EP: ‘I Am the Main Character’

Fans have already gotten to experience the fruits of that collaborative process themselves, as Van Etten has been introducing The Attachment Theory via her newsletter. In turn, the band members — Jorge Balbi, Devra Hoff and Teeny Lieberson — have been sharing playlists of songs that inspired the record. Last month, for example, Lieberson shared a “mixtape” of songs that she described as a “safe haven.” (Her picks included tracks by ESG, Haruomi Hosono, Doechii, Cocteau Twins and more.)

Van Etten cited The Cure as one of the biggest influences for the album, as she and the band happened to see them perform in L.A. while they were still writing songs.

“I feel like we all have this general anxiety right now and this angst,” she said. “And I love everything I’ve made in the past. I’m proud of most of it. I know I’m a little late in life to have a band, but I’m so ready. And I’m very inspired by the styles and the sounds that we’re making together. It’s a collective sound that inspired me just by leaning into each other’s zones sonically and overall feeling very angsty.”

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The Cure was just one of many U.K. artists that became a touchstone for the album, which was recorded at The Church Studios in London. The studio was formerly owned by Eurythmics member Dave Stewart, and it’s where he and Annie Lennox recorded their 1983 album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).

“In general, the palette was Joy Division, The Cure, Siouxsie [Sioux], PJ [Harvey], Portishead,” Van Etten told Us. “I’m sure not a lot that would surprise people, but there’s some Nine Inch Nails in there, so not all U.K. — also some ’90s influences. Like, ‘Live Forever’ is very Nine Inch Nails to me, but mixed with a bit of Neu! That’s just very generally.”

“Live Forever” is one of Van Etten’s favorite songs on the album, though she’s quick to note “they’re all like my children and I love them differently.” That track, however, sticks out because of how much fun she has singing it.

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“As a singer, the arc of the song and the complexity of where it ends up, it’s the most exciting to me,” she explained. “I know it’s not the most immediate, but it’s very satisfying to hear everybody playing where all the little parts and changes come in, and I feel like I give nods to my influences without ripping them too heartily. It’s really fun to perform when I can nail it. That’ll be a really difficult one [to play] live. But I’m up for the challenge.”

Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is out now. The band’s North American tour kicks off April 24 in Atlanta. Tickets are available here.

Kanye West’s wife, Bianca Censori, made a splash at the 2025 Grammys with her uber-naked dress — but she’s not in any legal hot water over her risqué fashion choice.

TMZ reported on Monday, February 3, that Censori, 30, won’t face any legal consequences for her look because no one at the event raised any issue with it. The Los Angeles Police Department told the outlet that no one at the Sunday, February 2, awards show contacted authorities with complaints, so because it’s a private event, they have no reason to step in.

Censori, who walked the red carpet with West, 47, arrived in an ankle-length fur coat but soon removed it to reveal a completely sheer mesh minidress that left nothing to the imagination. Rumors then circulated that the couple were asked to leave the event, but an insider told Us Weekly that wasn’t the case.

They departed “on their own accord” after posing for photos, the source said on Sunday, adding, “They just got in their car and left.”

BTS of Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s 2025 Grammys Red Carpet Moment

West was nominated for Best Rap Song at Sunday’s ceremony for his song “Carnival” with Ty Dolla $ign, but they lost to Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us.”

The rapper and Censori went public with their romance in January 2023 following West’s split from ex-wife Kim Kardashian. West and Kardashian, 44, share four kids: daughters North, 11, and Chicago, 7, and son Saint, 9, and Psalm, 5.

After West and Censori’s viral appearance at the Grammys, an insider exclusively told Us that the duo always planned to cause a sensation.

Bianca Censori Wears 2nd Naked Outfit, Kisses Kanye West at Grammys Party

“It’s all Kanye, there’s no outside influence. [And] Bianca likes the attention,” the source explained. “Good or bad, they love it. They love the buzz.”

According to the insider, West “designed” the moment and was the brains behind the “concept” of the outfit.

“He is a master of publicity stunts. He knows how to stay in the game,” the source added, noting that West “knows what to do” when it comes to his vision. “He’s a master. He directs the ship and makes sure everyone knows that.”

Kanye West and Wife Bianca Left Grammys on Their Own After Wild Entrance

Censori’s outfits have consistently raised eyebrows since she began dating West, who is often the mastermind behind her looks.

“It’s an element of control for Kanye,” a second insider exclusively told Us in spring 2024, noting that West has been pouring more energy into dressing Censori since he was dropped from his major fashion partnerships in 2022 because of his antisemitic comments.

“Kanye’s very frustrated he can’t get his artwork out there, so [Bianca] is his runway and stage,” the second source added. “He’s trying to create a power couple image.”