Taylor Swift is seen leaving ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ on December 10, 2025 in New York City. (Raymond Hall/GC Images)
Mariah Carey wasn’t the only pop star to pop up at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony: Taylor Swift also appeared, in a video message.
Taylor, wearing a sweatshirt from Polo Ralph Lauren’s official Team USA collection, addressed all the athletes competing in the Games. “I just wanted to say thank you,” she said. “Getting to learn your stories and see everything that you’ve sacrificed and all your determination and hard work and passion and everything that’s gotten you to this point where you’re so excellent at something, it’s just really inspiring.”
She added, “I am very grateful for everything you’ve done to get to this point in your life and grateful that you’ve brought us all along with you on this journey so we get to watch you do this. I just hope that you a wonderful Olympic Games.”
She ended by saying, “Wishing you all the best of luck and a safe journey, and I hope this is an experience that you will cherish for the rest of your life. Bye!”
The Olympic commentators noted that Taylor had played at Milan’s San Spiro Stadium, where the opening ceremony was taking place, twice in 2024 as part of the Eras Tour. They also plugged her new video for “Opalite.”
Myles Smith and Niall Horan have released their duet “Drive Safe,” which the two artists co-wrote. The song is about being able to manage obstacles in life with help from the people around you. “Collaborations only really matter to me when they come from something real, and working with Niall genuinely did,” Myles said.
Ahead of his national anthem performance at the Super Bowl, Charlie Puth has released another song from his upcoming album, Whatever’s Clever! “Cry” features saxophone playing by Kenny G. Charlie says, “‘Cry’ is about allowing yourself to feel things fully … a reminder that expressing emotion is not weakness — it’s human, and sometimes it’s exactly what helps you grow.”
ZAYN has dropped “Die For Me,” the first single from his upcoming solo album, KONNAKOL. The song comes with an official video, which features ZAYN singing about being betrayed while braving lightning strikes, wind, rain and fire.
Tired of hearing EJAE sing “Golden”? She’s got a fresh track for you. The lead voice of HUNTR/X has dropped a mid-tempo song about heartbreak called “Time After Time.” She says the song’s melody was “stuck in my head for years, just like the person I wrote it about.”
Joji, who scored a hit in 2022 with “Glimpse of Us,” is back with his third album, Piss In the Wind, and a new single, “Hotel California.” He’ll also drop the video for one of the songs on the album, “Last of a Dying Breed,” on Monday.
Charlieonnafriday, who had a hit in 2023 with “Enough,” returns with a new song called “Never Do,” which samples T-Pain‘s 2005 classic “I’m Sprung.” “‘Never Do’ is about being really into someone and how that kind of feeling starts to change your life, your habits, and the way you act,” he says.
You can check out newcomer Carter Faith‘s cover of Addison Rae‘s “Fame Is a Gun” now.
The new album from 49 Winchester, Change of Plans, is set to arrive May 15, featuring “Pardon Me,” which is out now.
“Get to Drinkin’,” the new track from newcomer Zach John King, is out now, ahead of his high-profile 2026 dates with Morgan Wallen, Luke Bryan, Riley Green and others.
Lil Jon performs onstage during the 2025 Tacos and Tequila Festival at Sam Houston Race Park on April 12, 2025, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)
Police have found a body they believe may be Lil Jon‘s son, Nathan “DJ Young Slade” Smith.
The Milton Police Department said in a statement Friday that the body was found Friday morning by divers with the Cherokee County Fire Department in a pond near Smith’s home in Milton, Georgia.
Authorities said Smith was last seen Tuesday around 6 a.m. ET after leaving his house on foot without a phone. They said at the time he “may be disoriented and in need of assistance.”
Officials are awaiting confirmation from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office. The case remains an open and active investigation, and additional information will be released only after the cause and manner of death are determined and all leads have been reviewed, they said in the statement.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the Smith family during this difficult time,” the Police Department said in the statement. “The department respectfully asks the community and members of the media to honor the family’s request for privacy as they grieve and navigate this tragedy.”
Lil Jon also released a statement expressing heartbreak over the loss of his son.
“I’m extremely heartbroken for the tragic loss of our son, Nathan Smith,” he wrote. “His mother [Nicole Smith] and I are devastated.”
“Nathan was the kindest human being you would ever meet. He was immensely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warmhearted – he loved his family and the friends in his life to the fullest,” Jon continued, noting he was “a music producer, an artist and engineer, and graduate of NYU.”
“We loved Nathan with all of our hearts and are incredibly proud of him,” he added. “He was loved and appreciated, and in our last times together we’re comforted in knowing that we expressed that very sentiment to him.”
Jon also thanked those who prayed and assisted in the search, including law enforcement and emergency personnel.
Ella Mai has released her new album, Do You Still Love Me?Executive produced by Mustard, the project features 14 tracks, including previously released singles “100,” “Little Things” and “Tell Her.” Do You Still Love Me? is on streaming platforms. Fans can also purchase physical CD and vinyl editions on Ella Mai’s official webstore.
RZA reunites with Juice Crew on Bobby Digital Presents: The Juice Crew. He curated and produced the album, which “re-imagines the Juice Crew sound through RZA’s cinematic lens, blending his signature production with the crew’s storytelling mastery,” according to a press release. It’s now available on DSPs.
LeCrae is out with Reconstruction: Second Story, an album that is “deeply personal” to him. “It reflects the last five years of inner-work wrestling, and rebuilding my faith on a strong foundation,” he wrote of the album on Instagram. “I’ve always tried to be honest about the journey, not because I have it all figured out, but because I know many of us are walking similar roads.”
Bryan Adams speaks at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, November, 2025 (Disney/Frank Micelotta)
Bryan Adams has been stripping down his songs for fans.
The “Run To You” rocker recently launched a new acoustic series on YouTube, treating fans to performances featuring just him and his guitar. The latest release is a performance of the song “Hey Baby,” from his most recent album, Roll With the Punches.
Adams launched the Acoustic Fridays series on Jan. 30, kicking things off with a stripped-down version of another Roll With the Punches track “Love is Stronger Than Hate.” All performances were filmed at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, Canada.
Released in August 2025, Roll With the Punches was Adams’ 16th studio album and his first album since 2022’s So Happy It Hurts.
Adams is currently on tour, playing Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday. He also has dates booked in Singapore, Egypt, Puerto Rico, Mexico and more. A complete list of dates can be found at BryanAdams.com.
New Kids On The Block perform prior to the New York Giants taking on the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on January 27, 1991 (Gin Ellis/Getty Images)
When Bad Bunny takes the stage at the Super Bowl on Sunday, he’ll be the first solo artist to headline a mostly Spanish-language halftime show. He previously appeared as a guest when Shakira and Jennifer Lopez co-headlined the show in 2020.
Considering he’s one of the world’s biggest stars, it’s probably not a surprise that the Grammy album of the year winner was chosen to headline one of the world’s biggest stages. But the concept of current big-name pop, rock or country stars performing at halftime only dates back to 1991, when New Kids on the Block headlined. Before that, halftime entertainment typically consisted of marching bands, legacy performers such as Chubby Checker or G-rated vocal troupes like Up with People.
What seemingly solidified the halftime show as a showcase for superstars was Michael Jackson‘s 1993 performance, featuring a huge inflatable globe and a choir of over 3,000 local children. After ratings increased between halves during the game, stars and spectacles were the rule going forward.
The halftime show has been plagued by controversy in recent years, starting with 2004’s infamous “Nipplegate” incident with Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson. That led the NFL to hire “safer” classic rock artists such as Bruce Springsteen as halftime performers. Pop stars returned in 2011 with the Black Eyed Peas‘ performance.
Controversies persist, though. During Madonna‘s 2012 performance, one of her guests, rapper M.I.A., flipped off the crowd. In 2016, Beyoncé was criticized for having backup dancers dressed in outfits reminiscent of the Black Panther political party. And in 2019, many fans felt that Maroon 5, Big Boi and Travis Scott should have declined to perform due to the NFL’s alleged treatment of Colin Kaepernick.
Bad Bunny’s announcement as the headliner also drew much backlash. As a result, a separate performance, billed as The All-American Halftime Show, has been counterprogrammed for Sunday on Turning Point USA’s YouTube channel.
Here’s a look back at who’s done the halftime show since 1991: 1991 — New Kids on the Block 1992 — Gloria Estefan 1993 — Michael Jackson, performing with 3,500 children 1994 — Country stars Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna Judd and Naomi Judd 1995 — Patti LaBelle, Miami Sound Machine and Tony Bennett 1996 — Diana Ross 1997 — ZZ Top, James Brown, the Blues Brothers featuring Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman and James Belushi 1998 — Boyz II Men, Smokey Robinson, Martha Reeves, The Temptations, Queen Latifah 1999 — Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 2000 — Phil Collins, Christina Aguilera, Enrique Iglesias, Toni Braxton 2001 — Aerosmith, *NSYNC, Britney Spears, Nelly, Mary J. Blige 2002 — U2 2003 — Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting 2004 — Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Kid Rock, P. Diddy 2005 — Paul McCartney 2006 — The Rolling Stones 2007 — Prince 2008 — Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 2009 — Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band 2010 — The Who 2011 — Black Eyed Peas 2012 — Madonna 2013 — Beyoncé (and Destiny’s Child, briefly) 2014 — Bruno Mars feat. Red Hot Chili Peppers 2015 — Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott 2016 — Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars 2017 — Lady Gaga 2018 — Justin Timberlake 2019 — Maroon 5, Travis Scott, Big Boi 2020 — Jennifer Lopez and Shakira 2021 — The Weeknd 2022 — Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige and Snoop Dogg with 50 Cent and Anderson .Paak 2023 — Rihanna 2024 — Usher 2025 — Kendrick Lamar 2026 — Bad Bunny
Mariah Carey performs during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium on Feb. 6, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Mariah Carey gave una performance fantastico during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy on Friday.
Wearing a sparkly white and silver dress and matching floor-length feather boa, Mariah stood onstage in the middle of San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, and sang the beloved Italian song “Volare.” The song, recorded by Domenico Modugno, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958.
It marked the first time she’s sung in Italian, which is likely why she appeared to be focusing on a teleprompter.
At the end of that track, she broke into one of her patented “whistle tones,” before segueing into her song “Nothing Is Impossible” from her 2025 album, Here For It All.
The Winter Olympic Games will stream on NBC and Peacock.
Sir Elton John departs the Royal Courts of Justice on March 27, 2023 in London, England after attending a hearing in a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the ‘Daily Mail.’ (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Elton John testified via video in a U.K. court on Friday about a British newspaper’s “abhorrent” “invasion” of his and his family’s privacy.
Elton and his husband, David Furnish, are among several notable people, including Prince Harry and Elizabeth Hurley, who are suing The Daily Mail for writing articles about them based on “unlawful information gathering.” The newspaper’s publisher has denied any wrongdoing.
Specifically, Elton and David have identified 10 articles written about them between 2000 and 2015 that feature information they claim was obtained by tapping their phones, hiring private investigators and illegally obtaining medical records.
Elton wrote in his witness statement, “From a personal level, I have found The Mail’s deliberate invasion into my medical health and medical details surrounding the birth of our son Zachary abhorrent and outside even the most basic standards of human decency.”
Elton went on to write, “David and I have now seen documents proving that The Mail were digging into me during times when I was in hospital and because I was in hospital. We have also seen documents proving their intense digging into and around the birth of our first son Zachary.”
“We do not believe there could be any legitimate ways that they discovered details about our egg donor, embryos and questions of paternity. Those were among the most confidential matters in our lives at the time,” he added in the statement.
Elton wrote, “It has been truly sickening for David and me to see the disclosure in our case, with Zachary as a target when he was just born, with David and me as targets, with me as a target when I was sick and unwell.”
According to the U.K. paper The Independent, the trial is due to conclude in March.
Prince Andrew, Duke of York attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, April 20, 2025, in Windsor, England. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — While the latest release of Epstein files has touched off another round of controversy in the U.S., it has ignited a veritable firestorm in Europe, where the new tranche of emails, text messages, videos on photographs released by the Department of Justice has painted a far more comprehensive picture of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s relationship with members of the global elite.
And while a mention in the files does not immediately imply wrongdoing, last week’s data dump has led to a chorus of high-profile figures explaining, and in many cases apologizing for, their connection to Epstein. Reputations have been tarnished, in some cases irrevocably.
These latest files show the range and depth of Epstein’s extraordinary reach into the upper echelons of society. Among the new names from the European elite are Norway’s crown princess and the Slovak national security adviser.
For now, the repercussions are being felt the most acutely in the U.K., where a prince of the realm has lost his title and his home, a senior member of the governing Labour party has lost his position in the House of Lords, a police investigation has been launched into misconduct in public office, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer — whose name has not appeared in the released files — is now fighting for his political survival.
The recently published files have laid bare the extent of Epstein’s contact with the former Prince Andrew and former British Ambassador Peter Mandelson — touching off a crisis at both the heart of the government and the monarchy.
“The scandal seems to matter more here, with graver consequences, because it strikes at the monarchy, the British establishment and the political elite. It’s not just about the behavior of one disgraced man,” Robert Jobson, royal author and ABC royal contributor told ABC News.
There are difficult questions for the monarchy to face, Jobson said, “If senior royal family members and courtiers knew about Epstein’s activities and did nothing” and if they “chose to protect the monarchy at the expense of vulnerable young women.”
“If they did not know, then the institution they oversee is not merely flawed but dangerously incompetent. Neither explanation is excusable,” Jobson said.
Buckingham Palace’s most recent statement on the matter, which came on Oct. 25, announced the stripping of Andrew’s titles and said, “Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.”
In rare public hecklings, both the king and queen have been asked whether they will help with the Epstein investigation. Neither responded. It is extremely unusual for them to be approached in this way, and royals very rarely respond to such questions.
The only senior royal to address these latest revelations has been Prince Edward, who responded to a reporter’s question by emphasizing his support for the victims, saying, “I think it’s all really important always to remember the victims and who are the victims in all this? A lot of victims in this.”
“The central issue in the Epstein scandal has never been Andrew alone,” Jobson said. “It is the question the Palace has spent more than a decade avoiding: What did the late queen and King Charles know? And when did they know it?”
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, was stripped of all his titles last October after some of his email exchanges with Epstein were leaked to the press. He vacated his home at Royal Lodge on Monday, and will now live on the King’s privately owned Sandringham Estate.
The scandal, which has hounded the royal family for decades, erupted after one of Epstein’s victims, Virginia Giuffre, accused Mountbatten-Windsor of sexual assault. In 2022, Mountbatten-Windsor, who has always denied any wrongdoing, settled a civil suit with Giuffre.
“The Queen personally funded Andrew’s legal defense. She later allowed him to walk beside her at the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service in 2022, a move widely interpreted as an attempt at rehabilitation. It has now backfired, blown up in the King’s face,” Jobson told ABC News.
Mountbatten-Windsor, then Prince Andrew, told the BBC’s Emily Maitlis that he cut off all contact with Epstein in 2010, shortly after Epstein completed his sentence for solicitation of a minor in Florida — but last week the Department of Justice released emails between the two dating from 2011 and correspondence between his team and Epstein as recently as 2017.
“The press is piling on me in the states.. nothing to do. just want to make sure you’re ok,” Epstein wrote to Andrew on Feb 28, 2011.
“I’m just as concerned for you! Don’t worry about me!” Andrew replied to Epstein. “It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it!…keep in close touch and we’ll play some more soon!!!!”
In another exchange, Epstein sent Mountbatten-Windsor a message encouraging him to have dinner with a friend, about whom he said, “She 26, russian, clevere [sic] beautiful, trustworthy.”
Mountbatten-Windsor replied he would be “delighted.”
Last week, following the emails’ release, a second woman came forward to accuse Epstein of trafficking her to have sex with Mountbatten-Windsor, according to the BBC. Her lawyer, Brad Edwards told the BBC, “We’re talking about at least one woman who was sent by Jeffrey Epstein over to Prince Andrew. And she even had, after a night with Prince Andrew, a tour of Buckingham Palace.”
Thames Valley Police released a statement saying, “We are aware of reports about a woman said to have been taken to an address in Windsor in 2010 for sexual purposes. We are assessing the information in line with our established procedures.”
Buckingham Palace has not commented on any of the latest revelations, telling ABC News that they no longer represent Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
The former prince has yet to publicly comment on these latest documents.
“The scandal is not defined only by what Prince Andrew may have done,” Jobson said. “It is defined by what the institution chose to conceal. And that question has still not been answered.”
Peter Mandelson
While the monarchy has been trying to contain the damage, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been fending off criticism for his appointment of Lord Peter Mandelson as the British ambassador to the U.S. in 2024.
“I regret appointing him. If I knew then what I know now, he would never been anywhere near government,” Starmer told the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness” by the British press, Mandelson has long been a controversial figure and many questioned Starmer’s choice of ambassador at the time — but the prime minister maintains he did not know “the depth and the darkness” of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein.
He apologized twice on Thursday for his misjudgment, telling reporters, “The victims of Epstein have lived with trauma that most of us can barely comprehend, and they’ve had to relive it again and again.”
“They have seen accountability delayed and too often denied,” Starmer said. “To them, I want to say this: I am sorry. Sorry for what was done to you. Sorry that so many people with power failed you. Sorry for having believed Mandelson’s lies and appointed him.”
The prime minister told the press that Mandelson had downplayed his friendship with Epstein, saying, “He portrayed Epstein as someone he barely knew, and when that became clear, and it was not true, I sacked him. Such deceit is incompatible with public service.”
Mandelson was removed from his post as British ambassador last September, following the release by the U.S. House Oversight Committee of Epstein’s so-called “Birthday Book,” in which Mandelson referred to Epstein as his “best pal”.
The emails released last Friday show that Epstein and the former ambassador and government minister communicated for years, including after Epstein had pleaded guilty to sex crimes in Florida in 2008. The exchanges between the pair have led police to launch an investigation into potential misconduct in office.
On May 9, 2010, while Epstein was still on probation in Florida, he emailed Mandelson to say that “sources tell” him about an imminent 500 billion euro bailout. A person whose identity is redacted replied that the bailout will “be announced tonight.” The person says later that they are “just leaving No10”, presumably referring to the prime minister’s residence at Number 10 Downing Street.
The European Union announced a 500 billion Euro fund to stabilize the Euro that day.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Monday that it had “received a number of reports into alleged misconduct in public office including a referral from the UK Government” and that “the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former Government Minister, for misconduct in public office offences.”
The statement does not mention the Mandelson, 72, by name.
On Friday the Metropolitan Police announced they were searching two properties in connection with the investigation.
Bank statements also appeared in the recently released documents which appear to show Epstein transferred as much as $75,000 to Mandelson between 2003 and 2004.
Mandelson submitted his resignation to the Labour Party on Monday, writing in his resignation letter, “I have been further linked this weekend to the understandable furore surrounding Jeffrey Epstein and I feel regretful and sorry about this.”
The Speaker for the House of Lords in Parliament also announced that Mandelson had submitted his resignation from the chamber.
“Britain has dethroned a prince, forced Mandelson to resign, & lost confidence in Starmer because @RepThomasMassie & I forced the release of the Epstein files,” U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna posted on X Friday. “What is America doing to hold the Epstein class accountable?”
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