Music

Niecy Nash and Jessica Betts are making history as the first same-sex couple to grace the cover of Essence magazine. 

Nash, 52, and Betts, 39, who wed in 2020, appear on the March/April cover of magazine topless as they lovingly gaze at each others’ faces. Now, the two are opening up about the historic cover and the powerful message behind it. 

“What I am hoping happens with our cover is that it will normalize people just loving who they love and not having to explain it or defend it but just do it,” Nash told Entertainment Tonight on Thursday.

Betts shared the same sentiment, adding, “Spreading love and supporting each other, you know, it’s a beautiful thing to be able to support each other…so I think this message is very clear that we should love and support each other regardless of our race, gender, or sexualities.”

In the cover story, Nash says of her wife, “The least of my attraction is gender…What I was and am still attracted to is Jessica’s soul. She was the most beautiful soul I had ever met in my life. Now that I’ve experienced it, I can’t imagine going through life without it.”

The March/April 2022 “Black Women in Hollywood” issue of Essence hits newsstands March 1.

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John Mayer has tested positive for COVID-19, again, making it the second time this year. 

The musician announced his positive status in an Instagram post on Thursday night, writing, “Whelp. More members of the band tested positive for Covid today, and I was one of them.”

“This means we have to reschedule the next four shows,” the “Gravity” singer continued. “I’m so sorry to make you change your plans. This is a bummer for everyone in the band and crew, to say nothing of the question hanging over everyone’s head – mine included – as to how I tested positive on PCR twice in two months. (The first was extremely mild, but this one’s got the better of me.)”

“We’ll give you everything we’ve got at these upcoming shows, just as soon as we rest up and regroup. With love and appreciation… me,” he concluded. 

Alongside the caption, Mayer shared a poster of the new rescheduled concert dates revealing that his February 25 show in Pittsburgh was moved to May 5, his March 1 show at Belmont Park in New York has been rescheduled for May 7, and his two Boston shows are set for May 9 and 10. 

The announcement comes just days after Mayer’s drummer, Steve Ferrone, tested positive for COVID-19, prompting a change-up to his Monday night Madison Square Garden performance, or as he put it “a very special presentation.”

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The 20th — yes, the 20th — season of American Idol premieres Sunday night on ABC.  While other singing competitions have come and gone since Idol premiered in 2002, judge Lionel Richie says there’s one thing that continues to makes it the gold standard.

“Don’t get me wrong…there’s talent on other shows, but I’m talking about talent that goes on to have careers,” he says. “That’s serious. And so what I love about this is, very clearly, we are looking for the stars of tomorrow, and that’s what American Idol delivers. Twenty years later, we’re still doing it.”

Lionel, who describes himself as the “wise old bird” of the judging panel, says there’s one thing that he and fellow judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan look for in contestants above all else.

“You have to get our attention…the first time you open your mouth,” he explains. “Is that voice of yours identifiable? Because that’s how it works when you listen to music.” He adds, “Instant identity is everything.”

Katy Perry, meanwhile, tells ABC News that this season the contestants are “really going for it,” adding that the talent “just continues to get more legit.”  She notes, “I think [it’s because] every season people are tuning in, especially singer-songwriters and real artists…and they’re seeing other real artists…trying out.”

Katy adds, “People are having success, they’re changing their lives…they’re getting awards nominations — [Season 16 runner-up] Gabby Barrett, she’s massive now. So it feels good that there’s still stars coming out [of the show].”

And host Ryan Seacrest, who’s been there for all 20 years, tells ABC Audio, “I think this franchise has another two decades ahead of it…it’s still a wonderful premise…so I’m excited that we’re still going strong.”

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Whether you’re interested in great country music or great food, there’s plenty to love about Trisha Yearwood. The country hitmaker and Grand Ole Opry member is also the host of her own Food Network cooking show, Trisha’s Southern Kitchen.

Off the road, Trisha loves to cook simple, one-dish meals for herself and her country superstar husband, Garth Brooks. According to the Food Network’s website, one of her favorite weeknight meals is risotto.

Trisha’s even got a recipe for mushroom, asparagus and pea risotto, so fans can eat just like the country power couple.

When Garth’s in charge, however, their meals trend towards casserole form. “Anything that’s a one and done kind of thing, because he likes to eat the whole meal in a pan,” Trisha told Mashed recently, saying that broccoli, chicken, cheese and rice casserole is often on the menu.

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The new season of American Idol kicks off this month, complete with a whole new batch of talented stars in the making.

But what does it take to make it to the final rounds of the competition? Judge Luke Bryan says it’s all about keeping the audience on their toes.

“To make it all the way to the finals in American Idol is to constantly keep an ace up your sleeve,” the country superstar explains. “Constantly keep growing and surprising us and constantly being true to yourself — but surprising the viewers at home.”

This season of the show marks American Idol’s 20th anniversary, which means that the competition is fiercer than ever. This time around, Luke and his fellow judges kick things off by awarding the most talented contestants with a platinum ticket that allows them to sit out the next round of performances and go straight to Hollywood Week. But those platinum ticket holders will be held to an even higher standard: They’ll have to quickly adapt and evolve, delivering a blockbuster performance each time they step on stage.

“Keep everybody guessing, keep everybody on their toes,” Luke advises. “Once we think we got you figured out, then show us that we don’t have you figured out.”

Season 20 of American Idol premieres Sunday, February 27 on ABC.

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In a career filled with best-selling albums, worldwide tours and jam sessions with nearly every legendary rock star on the planet, Dave Grohl may have found his most unexpected project yet with Studio 666.

The new horror-comedy film stars Grohl and the rest of the Foo Fighters as fictionalized versions of themselves, who enter a creepy mansion to record their next album. Things soon turn from spooky to downright evil when Grohl is possessed by demonic forces and begins killing the other band members.

In between the R-rated flick’s blood, gore and entrails, one might find a metaphor for the way a song might “possess” someone as they write it, though Grohl doesn’t think it’s exactly the same thing.

“Well, it’s a little different, because in the film I’m inspired by Satan,” Grohl tells ABC Audio. “That’s not my typical motivation when I’m writing a Foo Fighters song. ‘Times Like These’ is not about the Devil.”

“Making this movie, we know what it’s like to make an album,” he adds. “We just had to learn what it’s like to make an album possessed by the Devil.”

Even putting Satan aside, making Studio 666 brought its fair share of surprises to Grohl and company.

“I thought the hardest part was sitting around waiting,” Grohl says, channeling his one-time band mate, Tom Petty.

“Remember the room that we would sit around and wait in?” laughs guitarist Chris Shiflett. “We did it so f***ing low-budget. Like, there was two folding chairs and, like, a dirty old couch or something in this room, and we would just be huddled in there for, like, 12 hours a day.”

Studio 666 is in theaters today.

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2021 was the year of Megan Thee Stallion as she won numerous honors, including being named one of Glamour‘s Women of the Year. Now, the 27-year-old rapper is looking to go beyond music, with a Netflix production deal, and making her film debut in the movie musical F****** Identical Twins.

“I definitely want to be an actress, but I also really want to be a director. I love movies and I’m definitely a film buff,” the “Hot Girl Summer” star tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I like to create. Not only do I like to write music, I like to write stories. I definitely want to see these stories come to life.”

F****** Identical Twins, as described by THR, “follows two business adversaries who realize they’re identical twin brothers and decide to switch places in order to reunite their divorced parents and become a family again.”

On social media, Megan shared a screenshot of the exciting news of her film debut, and wrote, “HOTTIES THIS IS OUR FIRST MOVIEEEE/ MUSICAL! WITH SOME MOVIE LEGENDS.”

The Houston MC continued, “I’m so excited i feel so blessed i feel anxious lol i feel a bunch of s***…I really have been quietly putting in this work and i just cant wait for the hotties to see everything.”

Meanwhile, as Megan plans her first project for Netflix, she tells THR that her favorite TV series is Euphoria.

“They got me wanting to cry, wanting to scream and everybody is giving the best performances right now,” Megan says. “I know these are characters and the show is not real, but they got me yelling at the TV like, ‘Girl, get it together! What are you doing?!'”

Regarding Euphoria‘s star, her friend Zendaya, Megan says, “She’s the best actress, and perfectly cast.”

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Katy Perry’s only been part of American Idol history its past few seasons, but as the 20th — yes, 20th — season of the show premieres Sunday night on ABC, the judge is still proud of what the show has accomplished, and continues to accomplish so many years into its run.

“People are having success, they’re changing their lives or changing their family’s lives. They’re getting awards, nominations,…Gabby Barrett, she’s massive now,” Katy tells ABC News of the season 16 runner-up.

“So, it feels good that there’s still stars coming out [of the show] and we’ve been doing that for 20 years,” Katy  adds. “I’ve only been doing it for five, but hey!”

Fellow judge Lionel Richie agrees. “Don’t get me wrong, you know, there’s talent on other shows, but I’m talking about talent that goes on to have careers,” he says, adding, “That’s what American Idol delivers. 20 years later, we’re still doing it.”

This season, Katy says the contestants are “really going for it,” noting that the talent “just continues to get more legit.”

“I think [it’s] because every season people are tuning in, especially singer-songwriters and real artists and…they’re seeing other real artists…trying out,” she explains.

Ryan Seacrest, who’s hosted the show for all 20 years, agrees.  “I think this franchise has another two decades ahead of it…It’s just a wonderful premise,” he declares.

“You look at undiscovered talent going to work every single day around the country,” he adds. “And all they need is one moment, one shot, one door to open and they could be the next Gabby Barrett or Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood. So I’m excited that we’re still going strong.” 

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