Carrie Underwood is 39 and feeling fine. The singer celebrated her birthday on Thursday surrounded by her family, husband Mike Fisher and sons Jacob and Isaiah.
For Mike, it wasn’t too hard to top his birthday present to his wife from last year: He flexed his dad humor for her 38th birthday, giving her a t-shirt that read “I Don’t Need Google, My Husband Knows Everything.”
Unsurprisingly, Carrie hasn’t been spotted on any red carpets wearing the shirt, but she did pose for a birthday photo in it, smiling for the camera.
Mike did a little better for Carrie’s 29th birthday back in 2012, when he threw her an ‘80s-themed party to celebrate her birth year: 1983. But when she turned 30, Carrie decided against moving into a new decade: Instead, she joked to CMT, it was “the first anniversary of her 29th birthday.”
Of course, there were some parts of her birthday that she didn’t mind hanging onto. “I’ll still, like, blow out candles and stuff, because I want my wish, but it’s not a birthday,” Carrie added.
By that logic, it’s a pretty safe bet that Carrie is enjoying a birthday cake this year. Over the course of her recent birthdays, she seems to have warmed up to the idea of being in her 30s. All bets are off for next year, though, when the country star will turn the big 4-0.
Yungblud‘s “Funeral” is looking to be pretty metal.
Earlier this week, the U.K. rocker announced he’d be releasing a new song called “The Funeral” this Friday, March 11. Now, in an Instagram post, Yungblud is teasing the track’s video, which will apparently feature the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne.
The post includes a clip of Yungblud palling around with Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne during the video shoot. In the caption, Yungblud writes, “Bringin some mates to my funeral,” while tagging Ozzy and Sharon, as well as their daughter, Kelly Osbourne.
“The Funeral” follows Yungblud’s 2021 single “Fleabag,” which currently sits in the top 10 on Billboard‘s Alternative Airplay chart. Yungblud’s most recent album is his 2020 sophomore effort, Weird!
Johnny Nunez/2021 BET Hip Hop Awards/Getty Images for BET
NOTE LANGUAGE) In honor of the upcoming South by Southwest (SXSW) film festival on March 17, Billboard featured Atlanta duo Young Thug and Gunna on the cover of its March 12 issue.
The rap duo is set to perform at the entertainment festival and after recently collaborating on one of the hottest hip-hop anthems of today, “Pushin P,” the upcoming performance seems to fall right in line with the crazy success the two have had.
Since meeting in 2015, the dynamic duo has been almost inseparable. Young Thug says it was the fact that Gunna wasn’t really star-struck upon meeting him, that made him sign the College Park rapper to his Young Stoner Life label.
“He was quiet, cool, a chill n**** that wasn’t trying to do too much. Just chilling back and relaxing. That’s how we really got super close, though: It just took nights in the studio…” Thug said.
Elsewhere in the interview, the rappers conversed with Billboard about fatherhood, fashion, Atlanta hip-hop culture, the “Pushin P” movement and more.
“We were ‘Pushin P’ before the song got made. Atlanta was already ‘Pushin P’ before the song came out,” Gunna said.
The cultural phrase can be interpreted as a lifestyle, as Gunna previously told Vibe: “It’s like anything you’re doing that’s positive or just player…or just anything you can just think of that’s cool.”
While both Gunna and Young Thug are currently at the top of the music game, Young Thug hints he may already be thinking of retirement. “I got kids that gonna need more attention from me in 10 years,” the father of six said.
“I don’t want him to stop no time soon,” Gunna emphasized.
Lady Gaga and her Born This Way Foundation have launched a new resource for young people on their mental health journey.
Gaga and Born This Way have teamed up with Canadian charity Jack.org to offer the Be There Certificate, a free online mental health course for youth and youth advocates. The course is designed to teach people how to recognize when someone might be struggling and learn ways to be a support.
In a video message announcing the course on social media, Gaga laid out the “five golden rules of how to safely be there for someone.”
“Number one: Say what you see. Number two: Show you care. Number three: Hear them out. Number four: Know your role. Number five: Connect to help, kindly and safely,” Gaga says.
HARDY accepted his Songwriter of the Year trophy at the ACM Awards on Monday night, and he made sure to thank all the artists who’ve helped him get to where he is today: Dierks Bentley, Morgan Wallen and Thomas Rhett, to name a few.
“There have been so many,” HARDY emphasized. But the very first people to take a chance on him were Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley, as country duo Florida Georgia Line.
“I was nobody then, I truly was. I had nothing going on,” he remembers. “I was writing songs, but they were the ones who were like, ‘You’re doing something cool.’”
But it was another sentiment HARDY had to share about FGL that made press do a double take backstage at the ACMs: “It started with FGL. RIP,” he said.
Sure, the superstar duo announced recently that they’re taking a break, but “RIP”? They haven’t shared anything that final about their status as a group with the public. Of course, it’s possible HARDY could have just been making an offhand comment about their break — but it could also be the case that he knows something we don’t about FGL’s plans, or lack thereof, for an eventual return.
After all, as HARDY says, he and the guys from FGL are close. He’s written many songs for them and is a guest vocalist on “Y’all Boys,” off their 2019 Can’t Say I Ain’t Country album.
Whatever might be in the future for FGL, it seems likely that HARDY’s star will continue to rise. Not only is he an increasingly hot artist himself, he’s also continued to write for other country stars’ projects, and has become so in-demand that it feels “surreal,” he says.
HARDY released his full-length debut, A Rock, in September 2020.
The story of a legal battle that John Lennon fought with a notorious mob-connected music mogul during the 1970s is the subject of a new book that will be published on May 1.
Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story was written by Jay Bergen, a lawyer who represented the former Beatles star in a lawsuit against Roulette Records owner Morris Levy, who’d released an unauthorized album of bootleg recordings from the sessions for John’s 1975 covers project Rock ‘n’ Roll.
While Lennon was still working on Rock ‘n’ Roll, Levy released a collection of raw versions of the tracks under the title Roots. In response, Capitol Records quickly released Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Levy responded by suing John for breach of contract, claiming that Lennon had verbally promised to promote Roots on TV. John then countersued Morris.
The book features Bergen’s recollections of his experience representing Lennon in the lawsuits, as well as John’s own words taken from the trial transcripts of his testimony. Lennon’s testimony included details about his recording process, and the making of the Rock ‘n’ Roll album; and explanations of why he decided to record an album of vintage rock tunes, and why he felt the release of Roots could damage his musical legacy.
The book features a foreword penned by famed rock photographer Bob Gruen, who snapped some of the most iconic images of Lennon during his years living in New York City.
Gruen writes in his intro, “Lennon, the Mobster & the Lawyer: The Untold Story reveals the John Lennon I knew as he describes his artistic process and shows his keen sense of humor. Jay tells many stories of his interactions with John and what he was like as a person.”
If you think you know the Tiger King story, think again! The new Peacock series, Joe vs. Carole, aims to give you a broader understanding of the feud between Joe “Exotic” Schreibvogel and Carole Baskin.
John Cameron Mitchell plays the exotic animal aficionado, and he tells ABC Audio people are going to see something they didn’t expect.
“You’re going to see real people dealing with real situations. Bizarre ones. But you might find yourself able to identify and say, ‘wow, that could have been me,'” he explains.
Adds Mitchell, “You got to see these as real, well-rounded people who are survivors, who are admirable in one way because they’ve created their own world, but…really horrible…because the paranoia and the hostility doesn’t stop on both sides.”
“They both could have stopped that war,” he continues. “And it kind of destroyed them both.”
The 58-year-old actor reveals he wasn’t exactly a fan of the original Netflix series because it felt like watching “freaks on the side of the road.”
“[It] felt like Real Housewives, and I don’t like those shows because I want to care for somebody,” he says.
And if you’re wondering how they get those tigers to act in the show, well, they didn’t — and they’re not tigers. Mitchell says they used Great Danes as stand-ins for the wild cats and the rest was done with CGI, adding the dogs were cooperative — most of the time.
“They’re very docile. Didn’t always follow instructions. But one, when I’m doing my gubernatorial election speech, every take came right up where it was supposed to, so I could pet it,” he shares.
(WASHINGTON) — The House on Wednesday approved measures to ban Russian energy products, provide billions in assistance to Ukraine and fund the government through the fall — but only after Democratic infighting forced party leaders to remove more than $15 billion in COVID aid from the package.
With the federal government set to run out of funding as soon as Friday, the $1.5 trillion package will avert a shutdown through September, while also adding billions in humanitarian and military aid to Ukraine after Russia’s invasion. The House also passed a four-day stopgap measure to give the Senate time to approve the larger package.
The bill, which includes $13.6 billion in humanitarian and defense aid to Ukraine, received bipartisan support and passed 361-69. The House approved the non-defense portion of the package 260-171, with one member voting present. Later, the House approved a proposal to ban Russian oil and energy imports in a 414-17 vote.
The new aid to Ukraine, billions more than initially requested by the Biden administration, is evenly split between humanitarian and military aid, includes millions to help feed and resettle displaced Ukrainians and nearly $2 billion in potential economic relief for Ukraine and neighboring countries.
Of the $6.5 billion in emergency defense assistance, the package directs $3.5 billion to help arm Ukrainians and allied forces in the region with U.S. military stocks, and another $3 billion to support the deployment of additional U.S. troops and materials to Europe.
In a setback for the Biden administration’s COVID strategy, House Democrats were forced to scrap $15 billion in COVID-19 funding for therapeutics and research in the spending package after an internal revolt from members who objected to repurposing unspent relief Congress had previously approved for states to use at their discretion.
Pelosi, who called the removal of COVID-19 funds “heartbreaking,” told reporters the change was necessary in order for the package to clear the Senate, where a 50-50 split forces Democrats to rely on the votes of at least 10 Republicans.
“We’re in a legislative process. We have a deadline. We’re keeping government open,” she said. “We had a lively negotiation.”
“Some of the members are disappointed,” Pelosi continued. “‘I didn’t get what I wanted in the bill’ — you’re telling Noah about the flood.”
Pelosi, however, said the House would take up a standalone COVID funding bill Wednesday with a plan for the bill to be debated and voted on next week.
Separately, the chamber also approved a measure to ban the import of Russian oil and energy products one day after President Joe Biden signed an executive order to the same effect.
The bill would also direct the administration to consider taking steps to suspend Russia from the World Trade Organization and expand on language in the Magnitsky Act — a sanctions law approved by Congress in 2012 — to allow the Biden administration to impose additional sanctions on Russian officials and individuals linked to the war in Ukraine.
Democratic leaders made changes to that legislation — initially crafted with Republicans in both chambers — after the White House raised concerns that it would make it harder for Biden to ease sanctions on Russia if the Kremlin deescalated in Ukraine.
Another provision to suspend trade relations with Russia and Belarus was adjusted at the White House’s request, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., told reporters Wednesday.
“It was taken out because the president rightfully wants to talk to our allies about that action, which I think was appropriate,” he said.
Democrats were expected to pass the measures earlier than expected Wednesday night, allowing them to salvage their caucus retreat in Philadelphia that was initially slated to begin Wednesday afternoon.
Biden will address the caucus in Philadelphia on Friday.
(NEW YORK) — Russian forces are continuing their attempted push through Ukraine from multiple directions, while Ukrainians, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are putting up “stiff resistance,” according to U.S. officials.
The attack began Feb. 24, when Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation.”
Russian forces moving from neighboring Belarus toward Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, don’t appear to have advanced closer to the city since coming within about 20 miles, although smaller advanced groups have been fighting gun battles with Ukrainian forces inside the capital since at least Friday.
Russia has been met by sanctions from the United States, Canada and countries throughout Europe, targeting the Russian economy as well as Putin himself.
Here’s how the news is developing. All times Eastern:
Mar 10, 5:49 am
At least four killed by airstrikes in Kharkiv overnight, authorities say
Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, was hit with several powerful airstrikes overnight that killed at least four people, local authorities said Thursday.
Russian bombardment have destroyed 280 civilian buildings in Kharkiv, including schools and kindergartens, since Russia began invading Ukraine on Feb. 24, according to the regional interior ministry department in Kharkiv.
Kharkiv has come under heavy attacks as Russian forces try to seize the city.
Mar 10, 4:56 am
Russia says operation to ‘liberate’ Mariupol ongoing
The Russian military alleged Thursday that its forces have managed to capture more of the outer neighborhoods of Mariupol, in southeastern Ukraine, saying the operation to “liberate” the strategic port city is ongoing.
The claim came a day after a Russian airstrike destroyed a children’s hospital and maternity ward in Mariupol, where heavy fighting has been taking place in recent days.
Local authorities in the besieged city have accused Russian forces of waging a “medieval siege” against them.
Mar 10, 4:14 am
Foreign ministers from Russia and Ukraine meet in Turkey
The top diplomats from Russia and Ukraine are meeting now in Antalya, Turkey.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba arrived in the southern Turkish resort on Thursday morning ahead of the meeting — the highest level talks between their two countries since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
Both officials first met separately with their Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, upon arrival. Cavusoglu is expected to attend their talks.
Lavrov and Kuleba are expected to talk for about 90 minutes. They will hold separate press conferences afterwards.
(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Boston 115, Charlotte 101
Chicago 114, Detroit 108
Phoenix 111, Miami 90
Milwaukee 124, Atlanta 115
Minnesota 132, Oklahoma City 102
Orlando 108, New Orleans 102
Houston 139, LA Lakers 130 (OT)
Toronto 119, San Antonio 104
New York 107, Dallas 77
Utah 123, Portland 85
Denver 106, Sacramento 100
LA Clippers 115, Washington 109
NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE
Edmonton 4 Washington 3 (OT)
Vancouver 5, Montreal 3
