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2 Suspects Arrested in Connection to Murder of ‘SNL’ Writer’s Sister

2026-10-31T04:13:22.912-07:00

Two people have been arrested in connection to the murder of Christina Downer, the sister of Saturday Night Live writer Jimmy Fowlie.

The Los Angeles Police Department’s Robbery-Homicide Division announced the arrest of Delorean Bijon Brandon and Kaylee Nicole Markowski via a media release on Friday, October 30.

“On December 18, 2025, Christina Downer was reported missing after her ex-husband requested a welfare check when he had not heard from her for an extended period of time. Downer’s boyfriend, Delorean Brandon, claimed that she had moved out several months earlier, leaving behind all her belongings, including her vehicle and dog,” the LAPD said.

The statement further read, “Robbery-Homicide Division detectives assumed the investigation after Downer’s cellphone was discovered washed ashore on Santa Monica Beach. Through various investigative techniques, detectives identified Delorean Brandon and Kaylee Markowski as the individuals responsible for Downer’s murder, the disposal of her body, and the concealment of their involvement.”

‘SNL’ Writer Jimmy Fowlie Says Missing Sister 'Is No Longer Alive'

Brandon and Markowski were each charged with murder and remanded on $2 million bail. The LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division will present the case to the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office for filing consideration. The investigation is still ongoing.

Legal representation information for the two suspects was not immediately available.

Christina Downer and Jimmy Fowlie Courtesy of Jimmy Fowlie/Instagram

The LAPD announcement comes six months after Fowlie shared a sad update on his sister’s disappearance.

“The LAPD has informed our family that Christina is no longer alive, and the case has officially transitioned from a missing person to a homicide investigation,” Fowlie wrote via Instagram on April 29. “Our prayers for her to be found safely have transformed into prayers for the truth to be revealed and for those responsible to be held accountable.”

'SNL' Writer Jimmy Fowlie's Sister Christina's Disappearance: Everything to Know

In December 2025, Fowlie first asked for the public’s help in locating his missing sister.

“My sister has been missing and we are worried that she isn’t safe,” he wrote via Instagram at the time. “Her married name is Downer but she may go by Christina Fowlie. Please share this so that if anyone has seen her, they can give any information to the police.”

Fowlie listed a phone number to contact police and a case number before confirming his sister was last seen in Los Angeles.

“We have reason to believe that in the weeks before she went missing, her phone and social media were compromised. The individual(s) in possession of her phone used it to hide the fact she was gone, to ask for money and to create a false narrative that she was going ‘off the grid,’” Fowlie wrote. “I am sharing this because I believe that whoever is responsible is hoping to erase her in every way possible. I want to amplify her story in the only way I know how. And to express that she was a beautiful person who matters in this world, especially to me.”

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Greta Thunberg, Paloma Faith and Nemahsis join Macklemore at London ‘Free Palestine’ tour finale

2026-10-31T03:16:32.871-07:00

Macklemore was joined by Greta Thunberg, Paloma Faith and Nemahsis as his sold-out ‘Free Palestine Tour’ concluded in London last night (October 30).

READ MORE: Nemahsis: “I always had to stand up for myself. It’s all I’ve ever known”

The concert at OVO Arena Wembley was the final date of the rapper’s three-show European benefit tour, which was organised after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US ‘Loop Tour’ for making pro-Palestinian statements on stage.

Around 10,000 people attended the London show, which featured performances from several artists alongside speeches from activists and campaigners, with proceeds going to 12 organisations supporting Palestinians.

Thunberg opened the evening with a speech in which she praised the resilience of people in Gaza and urged attendees to continue campaigning beyond the concert.

She said that Palestinians had continued to celebrate their culture and support one another despite the devastation of the war, arguing that fundraising and solidarity also needed to be accompanied by political change.

Macklemore & Friends 『Free Palestine Tour』のロンドンのオープニングはGreta Thunberg。 pic.twitter.com/zdiIPWxT9X

— 前崎りつき (@ritsukimaesaki) October 30, 2026

Climate activist Greta Thunberg took to the stage at Wembley Arena to deliver a powerful message of solidarity with Gaza. pic.twitter.com/vP7ieKSQFf

— PALESTINE ONLINE (@OnlinePalEng) October 31, 2026

The Swedish activist warned that the “occupation will not end by philanthropy and slogans”, encouraging the audience to maintain their commitment to Palestinians after leaving the venue.

Thunberg had previously criticised Ed Sheeran’s response to Macklemore’s removal from his tour, accusing the singer of lacking the courage to stand up to pressure from concert promoters and venue owners.

Among the evening’s other performers was Palestinian-Canadian singer Nemahsis, who spoke about her experience of being dropped by her record label in 2023 after publicly expressing support for Palestine.

“My existence is the strongest form of resistance,” she told the Wembley crowd.

Macklemore & Friends 『Free Palestine Tour』at london pic.twitter.com/sAfOODDZaf

— 前崎りつき (@ritsukimaesaki) October 31, 2026

The singer, whose real name is Nemah Hasan, previously spoke to NME for The Cover about the difficulties she had faced in the music industry and her determination to continue speaking out.

Faith also performed at the concert, addressing the audience about the concerns she had felt over publicly supporting the Palestinian cause.

The singer, who said she was seven months postpartum, reflected on her responsibility as a mother and argued that the safety of children in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen and Congo was just as important as that of her own family.

Other speakers included Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos, who recalled experiencing the Nazi occupation of Budapest as a child, and Antoine Raffoul, who was displaced from Palestine during the Nakba in 1948.

Arab Barghouthi, the son of imprisoned Palestinian political figure Marwan Barghouti, also addressed the audience, speaking about his father’s imprisonment and the importance of maintaining hope.

Macklemore & Friends 『Free Palestine Tour』のロンドンではたくさんゲストが登場。
中でも、Paloma FaithはMacklemoreを"私のヒーロー"と言うほど。彼女も変わらないスタンスでこのツアーに出てきた。 pic.twitter.com/KfR4mweC8V

— 前崎りつき (@ritsukimaesaki) October 31, 2026

Macklemore & Friends 『Free Palestine Tour』
子供達の歌も素晴らしかった。音楽でこうした動きをしているからこそ、音楽で繋がっているみたいで。 pic.twitter.com/Ufy5w75yoz

— 前崎りつき (@ritsukimaesaki) October 30, 2026

Macklemore subsequently took to the stage for a headline set featuring songs including ‘Thrift Shop’, ‘Same Love’, ‘These Days’, ‘Glorious’ and ‘Can’t Hold Us’, alongside his pro-Palestine protest track ‘Hind’s Hall’.

He also referred to an unsuccessful attempt by 50 members of the House of Lords to prevent him from entering the UK.

The peers had urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to block his visit over concerns about the Palestinian Youth Movement, one of the organisations benefiting from the tour. The group has denied allegations that it celebrates terrorism or has links to terrorist organisations.

Reflecting on his decision to speak publicly about Gaza, Macklemore told the crowd that he had reached a point where remaining silent had become more uncomfortable than speaking out.

He insisted: “I don’t believe that saying something is courageous. I believe that saying something is human.”

Macklemore on point tonight at his concert for Palestine at Wembley Arena.

"I don't believe that saying something is brave.
I don't believe that saying something is courageous.
I believe that saying something is HUMAN.
And those children in Gaza, are OUR children!"

pic.twitter.com/9OvxRRrKF8

— Ihtesham Malik Afzal (@Ihtesham_Afzal) October 31, 2026

The London concert followed the opening night in Dublin on Monday (October 26), where Macklemore was joined by Hozier, Kneecap, Beoga and more.

The tour then visited Paris on Thursday (October 29), with Aurora, Pomme and Portugal. The Man among those performing.

Following his removal from Sheeran’s tour, Macklemore pledged his entire $1million earnings to six organisations supporting Palestinians.

All proceeds from the three ‘Free Palestine’ benefit shows will also support organisations including Medical Aid for Palestinians, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Gaza Soup Kitchen, HEAL Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace and UNRWA USA.

The post Greta Thunberg, Paloma Faith and Nemahsis join Macklemore at London ‘Free Palestine’ tour finale appeared first on NME.

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DWTS' Britt Stewart Addresses Rumors She's Quitting After Early Eliminations

2026-10-30T21:13:28.080-07:00

Dancing With the Stars pro Britt Stewart is setting the record straight on viral discourse about her future in the ballroom.

“The first thing I thought about when I saw that [report] was when I was approached by a little Black girl at Dancing With the Stars. She came up to me and said, ‘You are amazing, good job,’ and I said, ‘Thank you so much,’” Stewart, 37, told Cosmopolitan in an interview published Friday, October 30, referring to The Sun recently claiming that she was thinking about leaving the show after her back-to-back early eliminations. “I gave her a high-five, but her mom then followed and said, ‘Every time my daughter saw you go on the floor, she just, like, gasped. You being in the ballroom means so much for us and for my little girl.’”

Stewart, the first and only Black female DWTS pro, initially joined as a member of the troupe in 2016. She was elevated to a pro in 2020, though her partnerships have often left the competition well before the semifinals. For season 35, which is currently airing, Stewart was most recently paired with Taylor Hanson, but they were voted off in the third week on Yacht Rock Night.

Viewers then began to wonder whether Stewart would leave the show after what a pattern of early eliminations.

Britt Stewart's 'DWTS' History Through the Years: Revisiting Celeb Partners

“When I see something like that [discourse], I just think, you know, that girl would be so disappointed in me if I don’t accomplish what I want to accomplish,” she told Cosmo. “I know I haven’t accomplished all that I could.”

Stewart has formed special bonds with most of her celebrity partners through the years — she married Coda actor Daniel Durant in August 2025 after they competed together on season 31 — but fans have still called for her to be given a “ringer” with previous dance experience to help clinch a spot in the finale.

“It’s so interesting, because I don’t think that there is a ‘ringer’ anymore,” she posited. “I think sometimes you have someone who comes on the show that you think is going to be absolutely incredible, and they just don’t connect with our audience, or vice versa.”

DWTS' Britt Stewart Thinks She Was Paired With Taylor Hanson 'For a Reason'

She continued, “What I do know is that for me, as a pro, I love to have someone who wants to be there and who can go deep, because the more that I can connect with someone, the better I am at storytelling.”

All in all, Stewart wants to create a special journey for her partner.

“Taylor works so hard. His work ethic is not like anything I’ve seen before,” she acknowledged of the Hanson singer. “He really dives into whatever project he’s working on, and so he did that with Dancing With the Stars. I felt like right when we got eliminated is when he was starting to allow himself to enjoy it. I just wish that the audience would have been able to see him really relax into the process a little bit more because I truly believe it would have been a beautiful journey for him.”

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

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DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba and Val Chmerkovskiy Hold Each Other After Drama

2026-10-28T05:13:29.124-07:00

It appears that Dancing With the Stars judge Carrie Ann Inaba is ready to forgive and forget the drama involving pro dancer Val Chmerkovskiy.

In a tender behind-the-scenes moment filmed during Tuesday, October 27’s Horror Movie Night, Inaba, 58, was seen holding the shoulders of Chmerkovskiy, 40, as he held two hands around her waist. Shared across Instagram following the show’s airing, the video footage also captured the pair softly speaking and nodding to one another before they went in for a hug.

The moment came amid Chmerkovskiy’s return to the reality TV dancing competition following a one-week suspension for posting controversial social media comments directed at Inaba. (Chmerkovskiy had referenced Will Smith’s notorious 2022 Oscars slap while defending his wife, Jenna Johnson, after she received ballroom criticism from Inaba.)

According to a report by People on Tuesday night, Inaba acknowledged that their moment was attracting attention, turning to the crowd to say, “So everyone’s staring. We are coworkers and we are completely cordial. We are good, OK?”

DWTS' Carrie Ann Inaba Breaks Silence After Val Chmerkovskiy Controversy

The outlet also revealed that Chmerkovskiy was glad to have shared the moment with Inaba. “It felt cathartic relief, you know?” he said during an interview conducted after the pair’s reunion. “I think it was just really important for me to make sure that she feels safe and knows that, firsthand from me, I want nothing but love for her.”

He continued, “I want nothing but joy for her and as much as the world might say otherwise, I want her to know how I feel, not how others want me to feel, but how I genuinely feel. I will have nothing but love for Carrie Ann. I have nothing but respect for what she has to say.”

Carrie Ann Inaba Chris Delmas / AFP via Getty Images

Inaba had this week taken to Instagram to let everyone know that she had also cleared the air with Johnson, 32, after tensions arose on October 13’s Super Bowl Night when Inaba called out an illegal lift in Johnson’s samba with partner Harry Shum Jr.

“I have not spoken about what happened because of professional courtesy for those who are still competing, and we actually have standards and practices that keep us separated. But I think a part of this ‘headline’ has missed a few important parts of what happened,” Inaba wrote in the comments section of an Instagram post that featured photos from season 35’s Dedication Night. “I think it’s important for everyone to know that Jenna and I hugged it out after the Super Bowl show. Jenna was an absolute professional about it, and two women worked through the moment.”

Val Chmerkovskiy Ian Maule/Getty Images

Despite the drama seemingly closed for good, Tuesday’s Horror Movie Night provided plenty to entertain DWTS fans. A shock double elimination saw Tyler Cameron and Sharna Burgess, as well as Jackson Olson and Emma Slater bid farewell to the ballroom.

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Check out Chvrches’ tender single ‘Overthinker’

2026-10-28T04:16:18.307-07:00

Chvrches have dropped the intricate new single ‘Overthinker’, and played it live for the first time at an intimate Glasgow gig, where they were joined by Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil. Check it out below.

READ MORE: How trauma and friendship launched new Chvrches project The Leaving: “This was always supposed to happen”

The new single is the latest to be dropped from the group’s first album in nearly six years, ‘All The King’s Men’. Set to arrive on January 22, it will mark the the fifth album from Chvrches and their first since ‘Screen Violence’ dropped in 2021. Visit here to pre-order.

Around the time of the album announcement, the trio of Lauren Mayberry, Iain Cook and Martin Doherty dropped the single ‘Roses’, and now they have shared the second single from the upcoming album: ‘Overthinker’.

Throughout the song, the band take a much more inward-looking approach than in ‘Roses’, and shift from themes of societal pressures to navigating complicated family dynamics.

“Should I lie to you?/ Keep my thoughts from you?”, Mayberry sings, describing a relationship where the person you’re with is both “your shelter and your storm”.

“You ask after my friends, if I’m getting thinner/ Not sure how you raised such a chronic overthinker.”

The song arrives after Chvrches played a special intimate charity show at Assumption Studios in Glasgow last night (October 27). That space is a converted church where the album was recorded, and saw them play to just 100 fans.

Phones were not allowed for the gig, but the setlist from the night has appeared online. Throughout the 14-song set, Chvrches played eight new songs from the upcoming album for the first time, and also brought out Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro as a surprise guest.

New songs given their live debut included ‘Roses’ and ‘Overthinker’, as well as currently unreleased songs titled ‘Heaven/Hell’, ‘Three Out of Five’, ‘Friend of a Friend’, ‘Comedown Tomorrow’, and ‘Evil’. Simon Neil joined them for two more currently unreleased tracks, ‘Jamie’s Prayer’ and ‘Faith In Flying’, as well as for a rendition of Biffy Clyro’s ‘Machines’.

One more intimate gig is taking place in London tomorrow (October 29), although details remain tightly under wraps.

View this post on Instagram

As for ‘All The King’s Men’, the album was written over multiple intense three-week stints in Glasgow, where they embraced experimentation and explored the culture and history of Britain and Scotland.

The album will also feature the song ‘Conman’, which the synth-pop stars debuted during their set at Robert Smith’s Teenage Cancer Trust’s Royal Albert Hall gig series earlier this year.

Back in the summer, Chvrches hinted at a new album on the way, and Doherty and Scott later told NME that fans could expect it to be “the most fearless record” they have ever made.

Since their last album dropped, Mayberry released her debut solo LP ‘Vicious Creatures’ in December 2024. As for Doherty and Cook, the former joined forces with Chvrches drummer Jonny Scott to launch the rave-indebted project The Leaving earlier this year, while the latter teamed up with Scott Paterson formerly of Sons & Daughters in 2022 to launch the project Protection.

To accompany the announcement of the new album, the band have confirmed a full tour across the UK, Ireland and North America. Dates kick off in Philadelphia in February, and include stops in Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and more over the following month. The tour then heads across the pond in April and May, and includes a headline show at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on May 6. Visit here for tickets and here for a list of upcoming shows.

The post Check out Chvrches’ tender single ‘Overthinker’ appeared first on NME.

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Miranda Lambert Makes Rare Comments About Blake Shelton Divorce

2026-10-28T04:13:10.061-07:00

More than a decade after her divorce from Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert has opened up about their relationship breakdown.

“I got divorced and that sucks for anyone, especially in the public eye, especially on tour, especially in the middle of a very public career, two of us, you know what I mean? It just was a really not fun time,” Lambert, 42, said on the Tuesday, October 27, episode of Ross Golan’s “And the Writer Is…” podcast.

Lambert continued, “I, in the meantime, had moved back to Nashville full-time, and so I dove headfirst into songwriting.” (The country music star had lived with Shelton, 50, in Oklahoma, until their split was announced in 2015.)

Adding that she used her “misery” to create her sixth studio album, The Weight of These Wings, Lambert detailed what happened next. “When I moved back [to Nashville] in 2015, I gathered up all of my friends and relationships from, you know, all of the previous years and just used it, used the misery,” she said.

Miranda Lambert and Brendan McLoughlin's Sweetest Quotes About Each Other

“I used the staying out too late at honky-tonks. I used what I was living and my friends went on that journey with me, friends being songwriters, and I think I wrote 75 songs in, like, a year. I mean, in, like, the first four months I moved back.”

Lambert and Shelton dated for 10 years and were married for four years after tying the knot in Texas in 2011. A source told Us exclusively at the time that there were “no hard feelings” and the pair simply wanted to “move on as friends, and they are doing just that.”

In the years that followed, Shelton went on to marry fellow musician Gwen Stefani in 2021. For Lambert’s part, she announced in February 2019 that she had secretly married former New York City Police Department officer Brendan McLoughlin one month prior after the duo began dating three weeks before that.

Miranda Lambert Shares Shirtless Pic of Husband Brendan for Anniversary

Earlier this year, Lambert and McLoughlin stepped out together for a special night out at the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, where Lambert won two awards and performed her track, “Crisco.”

At one stage, McLoughlin was seen leaping to his feet and clapping for his lady when Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” which Lambert co-wrote and produced, won Single of the Year.

Lambert said during a 2024 interview with Us that the couple’s dynamic helps her conquer challenges. “He calls me out, and I love that. I need that,” she told Us at the time. “I don’t think it’s healthy that people, especially artists or celebrities, surround themself with yes people. If you surround yourself with a group of people who are honest with you, you’ll go a lot farther, and it’s a lot healthier in the long run.”

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Jessa Duggar Announces She Is Pregnant, Expecting 7th Child With Ben Seewald

2026-10-28T03:13:11.112-07:00

19 Kids and Counting alum Jessa Duggar has announced that she is expanding her brood.

“We have six kids and we’re actually expecting again. Six weeks pregnant with number 7,” Jessa, 33, said in a Tuesday, October 27, teaser for the following day’s “Unplanned Podcast” episode.

The reality TV star appeared on the podcast with her husband, Ben Seewald, as co-host Matt Howard asked the couple, “Does anybody know this?” and his co-host and wife, Abby Howard, remarked in shock, “Stop.”

Us has reached out to Jessa for comment.

Jessa Duggar and Husband Ben Seewald's Relationship Timeline

Jessa and Seewald, 31, who got married in 2014 when they were respectively 21 and 19, are already parents to sons Spurgeon, 10, Henry, 9, George, 2, and Eddie, 1, as well as daughters Ivy, 7, and Fern, 5.

Eddie was welcomed into the world in August last year following a seven-and-a-half-hour labor. His safe arrival was shared via a series of YouTube videos posted at the time that included Jessa’s parents, Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar, meeting their new grandchild for the first time.

In the podcast episode’s teaser, Seewald was asked whether he had been intimidated by conservative Christian Jim Bob, 61, as he courted one of his nine daughters. “I mean a little bit, but also, if he doesn’t like me then I’m still single,” Seewald recalled of his feelings at the time before Matt, 28, joked that there were “multiple other daughters” for him to chase.

The joke drew laughter from everybody in the room.

Jessa Duggar and Husband Ben Seewald's Family Album

19 Kids and Counting aired on TLC from 2008 to 2015, and followed the devout Independent Fundamentalist Baptist (IFB) family as Jim Bob and Michelle’s young children grew into teenagers and adulthood. While Jim Bob and Michelle, 60, remain tied to the religious congregation, many of their children’s families, including Jessa and Seewald’s, have shifted into more relaxed practices.

As for recreating a clan of 19 children of her own, Jessa said in a May 2025 social media clip that she wasn’t planning on bringing that many children into the world. “I’m not going to have 19 kids, but honestly, my mom is my hero. I love her, I adore her [and] she is my role model in so many ways,” Jessa said at the time.

“Her patience, her love, her gentleness [and] her kind speech. She is the golden example of a mother, in my opinion. So, when people say, ‘Do you want to be like your mother?’ I’m like, ‘Yes, please, Lord, help me.’”

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Glasgvegas return with the anthemic ‘Degüello’ and tell us about first album in six years, ‘Airy Fairy’

2026-10-27T04:16:26.959-07:00

Glasvegas have returned with their first new music in six years, sharing the anthemic ‘Degüello’ from their “wiser” fifth album ‘Airy Fairy’. Check out all the details below along with our exclusive interview with frontman James Allan.

Arriving on Friday April 2 before the Scottish indie veterans kick off an 11-date UK and Ireland tour, the “wiser” ‘Airy Fairy’ was written as a reaction to the frustrations experienced making 2021 predecessor ‘Godspeed‘. Capturing that sense of urgency is the epic launch single ‘Degüello’ (Spanish for ‘cutthroat’) – bittersweet in a classic Glasvegas spirit.

“I first heard the word on an old film on TV, but I was using it more like a blanket expression for things that aren’t so good in my personality: my bad temper, a bad mood,” Allan told NME. “But the song is my elaborate plan of being something better. I’m setting off on a quest of trying to be a colourful rainbow…”

He continued: “It’s a funny one, because this album seems to have everyone split on what their favourite songs are. Not only within the band, but also with our families, the record label and those who’ve heard the album. And several songs were floated as the first single, which I think is a good sign.

“I think Rab [Allan, guitar] suggested ‘Degüello’ and he is the one we follow with decisions like this. He often chooses the live setlist. He fancies himself as a man who knows how to please an audience.”

Asked what the song tells us about the rest of the record, Allen shared: “I’m pretty terrible when it comes to explaining where the lyrics and melodies come from. They seem to just find their way to me, and it was the same with this album. I think these songs were meant to be in this moment, on this album, and my duty is to weave them together and deliver them to the world, hoping that they connect to someone, somewhere.

“I’d like our music to mean something to those who listen to it, and if even one person hears one song on this album and connects to it, then it is all worth it.”

Check out the rest of our interview with Allan below, where the frontman also told us about finding happiness, what “airy fairy” means to him, the band’s legacy, and the current state of indie.

NME: Hi James. How’s life these days? Where are the songs coming from?

James Allan: “Hiya, life is really good. I’m living in Glasgow with my family and working on a lot of music. Feeling very lucky.

“I think the songs come from the queue of thoughts that I carry around in my every day. It might not be the thing I’ve been thinking about the most but a thought that doesn’t stray too far. Then they seem to find their way into a song. A lot of times, someone might say something or I’ll see an image or hear a word that sounds sugary. I’d like to think these songs are just meant to be.”

You’ve spoken of the frustrations of making last album ‘Godspeed’. How did they manifest and how did they inform your spirit and approach heading into this record?

“There are some things I learned on the last record that I’m not ‘naturally blessed’ at and others I just didn’t really enjoy. More so on the engineering side of things. I type with one finger and forget if, when, or where cables ever got plugged in. So, we had a bit of help on this record. And I feel like we’ve made an effort of coming together, to really enjoy making this album together as a band.”

Glasvegas’ James Allan in 2015 CREDIT: Ross Gilmore/Redferns

This album really flows with the core DNA of Glasvegas. How would you describe what that is?

“I think it’s our personality and style. You know the movie Forrest Gump? That line: ‘I couldn’t tell where heaven stopped and the Earth began’ – as long as it sounds like that then we are happy.”

You’ve said you’re reclaiming the term ‘Airy Fairy’. What led you to that?

“Ha! I don’t know about reclaiming but I guess it was something I thought growing up was a bad thing, but as I get older I by no means see it as perfect thing but see it as a ‘me thing’ and there are good things in that. I’ve got school reports where they always called me a ‘dreamer’ and I would struggle to listen to the teachers. That kept with me throughout the years, not being able to focus when I played professional football or being easily distracted when I was supposed to do things. I’m still late a lot and my kitchen is currently half-painted in cobalt blue, but if it wasn’t for the way I am, I wouldn’t be me, and I like being me.”

It’s going to look really fun on a tour t-shirt.

“Yes!”

What would you say is the lyrical thread and character to this record?

“I think it’s just the way I see myself and the world through my eyes. A lot of it is taken from my identity over the past few years, the things I’ve seen, heard and experienced. Who I am and who I have been and who I want to be. In some ways, the red thread I’ve weaved through this record represents everything from my childhood, my life now and the hopes for my future.”

Returning to Glasgow Academy is going to be special. What does that venue mean to you and what do you have planned for that show and this tour to make it stand out?

“Everyone knows about how special Glasgow is to play. And the audiences. I want this tour and this show to be theatre. I can’t wait to play these new songs live.”

There aren’t a lot of bands from when you first emerged still going so strong. What’s your secret?

“When we started playing music, I wasn’t a singer or whatever. We were just friends and family. I think everything has been built on that. I’m lucky enough to be working with my best friends and family. I think it also helps that everyone has accepted that I’m a bit airy fairy and they just roll with it.”

The era in which you guys emerged has been retroactively labeled as ‘indie sleaze’. What do you make of that and how do you feel about how that time is being remembered?

“I’ve always thought of us as an island inside a country of other bands. I really don’t mean that in an arrogant or superior way, we just know what we are and are cool with that.”

A lot of new guitar bands are now using those times as source material. Do you hear your own influence in new generations of artists? What do you make of the scene right now?

“I’m honoured every time a younger band comes up and tells us that our music has influenced them in any way, it’s really special to have our music connect in that way, and if it inspires them to pick up a pen, a guitar, a paintbrush or anything, that’s cool. I’ve been to see a lot of young bands and artists in the past few years, like Cherry, untitled and A.S. Fanning, and I’m not at all worried about the next generations of musicians, they’re sounding brilliant.

“But I do feel that the music scene in general needs to take better care of its people. Musicians need to have places to play, especially working class kids, they need to be paid fairly at gigs. There should be more money put into artists and musicians, because it’s such an important part of all of our lives, now more than ever. And coming from Glasgow, which has always had a crazy music scene and incredible festivals, it’s a special world to be a part of.”

How do you feel about Glasvegas’ legacy and how do you want to be remembered?

“I’ve got Glasvegas to thank for a lot in my life. I’ve been working with my best friends all these years. We’ve been to the Amazon jungle, beach houses in LA and tiny backstage rooms where the toilets don’t flush. I’ve gotten to take my family around the world. I got to see my mum up on strangers’ shoulders at festivals abroad. I’ve met so many friends over the years, including my wife who I first met at a Swedish festival. If we are remembered beyond that, I’d feel lucky.”

Glasvegas announce new album ‘Airy Fairy’. Credit: Press

Glasvegas release ‘Airy Fairy’ Friday April 2 via Modern Sky UK.

1. ‘Degüello’
2. ‘Airy Fairy’
3. ‘Holiday & Travel Brochure’
4. ‘My Hate Part’
5. ‘Virtually Real’
6. ‘TOOBIN’
7. ‘Null’
8. ‘Even Your Darkness Has A Light Of Its Own’
9. ‘Lost In L.A.’
10.Geographic’

The band will also be heading out on tour in 2027. Full dates are below, with tickets on sale from 10am on Friday October 30 and available here.

MAY
Saturday 1 – Glasgow, O2 Academy
Friday 7 – Newcastle, Digital
Saturday 8– Manchester, Club Academy
Sunday 9 – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Wednesday 12 – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms
Thursday 13 – Bristol, Thekla
Friday 14 – London, The Dome

SEPTEMBER
Thursday 9 – Belfast, Limelight 2
Friday 10– Dublin, Whelan’s
Saturday 11 – Cork, Cyprus Avenue
Sunday 12 – Limerick, Dolan’s Warehouse

The post Glasgvegas return with the anthemic ‘Degüello’ and tell us about first album in six years, ‘Airy Fairy’ appeared first on NME.

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Amy Duggar Details Recent Run-In With Cousin Jana Duggar: 'Nothing to Say'

2026-10-27T03:13:10.987-07:00

Amy Duggar is opening up about an unexpected run-in with her cousin Jana Duggar after years of publicly criticizing their family.

“I saw Jana just the other day, and I didn’t know it was her,” Amy, 40, told host Carrie Berk on the “Fire Chats: The Mindfire Pod” podcast on Monday, October 26.

Amy has cut ties with her Uncle Jim Bob Duggar, Aunt Michelle Duggar and their 19 children due to their association with the controversial Institute in Basic Life Principles religious organization, as well as the family’s legal woes.

During her podcast appearance, Amy revealed that she and Jana, 36, had very little to say to one another when they recently came face-to-face in a store.

Amy Duggar Briefly Saw 'Angry' Anna Duggar After 'Shiny Happy People' Drama

“[Jana’s] son [Archie] was rocking in a chair, and she had her back to me. I said, ‘Oh my gosh, what a sweet little boy.’ She turned around, and it was Jana, at this store,” Amy recalled. “I hadn’t seen Jana in more than 10 years. I was like, ‘Uh, Jana,’ and she was like, ‘Hello.’ I said, ‘Hi,’ and we just walked off. We didn’t say anything to each other.”

She went on, “We have nothing to say, and it’s really sad to say that. But family can be chosen. I don’t know if you can tell, Carrie, but I’ve got a smile on my face the size of Texas right now because I don’t have to live like that. … I even told her, ‘I hope you’re doing well,’ and she said, ‘Thanks.’ I just kept on walking.”

Berk, 23, asked Amy what she would have really wanted to say to her cousin at that moment if she wasn’t “being nice.”

“I would have probably said, ‘I haven’t seen you in a really long time, and I really hope you stand up for what is right. It’s not too late. I hope you get a backbone,'” she declared.

Amy has been particularly outspoken about cousin Josh, 38, being convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material in 2021.

Josh is serving a 12-year prison sentence at FCI Elkton in Ohio but has maintained his innocence and has filed multiple appeals. (He is currently scheduled to leave prison in February 2033, though the date has previously been pushed back.)

Amy reacted incredulously to Josh’s continued appeals during her latest podcast appearance, suggesting he should “give it a rest already.”

“Here’s what I think: Narcissistic people don’t like to be wrong. They don’t like someone questioning their character and making them look like they’re this horrible person, and they don’t think they are,” she told Berk. “This is all what narcissistic people do. This is textbook, exactly the way a narcissist handles the situation.”

Everything Amy Duggar's New Book Reveals About 'Beloved' Cousin Josh

Amy previously weighed in on her cousin Joseph Duggar and his wife Kendra Duggar‘s legal trouble as well. The couple were charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree and four counts of false imprisonment in the second degree following a safety inspection at their home in March. (Joseph, 31, and Kendra, 28, signed a plea deal in August that could see the charges dropped if they maintain good behavior and commit no other criminal offenses for one year. They will also be required to pay a fine totaling $1,850.)

Joseph faces separate charges of lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older after he allegedly touched a 9-year-old girl inappropriately on a Panama City, Florida, vacation with her family in 2020. Joseph pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial before being released on a $600,000 bond in March.

Amy claimed in July that she’d spoken with Joseph’s alleged victim in a phone call where she tried to “give her hope.”

“I said, ‘This doesn’t have to destroy you. It really truly doesn’t,'” she shared on the “Sarah Fraser Show” podcast. “I just tried to offer her encouragement. I told her that if she ever just needed a safe place to talk, that I’m here.”

The Duggar family has not responded to Amy’s various public comments.

If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. 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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Jack Antonoff Says Ed Sheeran Should've 'Cancelled F***ing Tour' Amid Drama

2026-10-27T03:13:10.177-07:00

Jack Antonoff is sounding off on Ed Sheeran‘s handling of the controversy over Macklemore being kicked off his Loop Tour as an opening act for expressing support for Palestinians.

“[Ed] missed a massive, beautiful opportunity there: just cancel the whole f***ing tour, then play for free outside each venue, raise a bunch of money, rather than let a f***ing billionaire tell you what to do,” Antonoff, 42, suggested in a Guardian profile published on Sunday, October 25. “The reason it’s not an anomaly or niche issue is because we all live in a world where billionaires are constantly telling us what to do. So stand the f*** up!”

In September, Macklemore, 43, was controversially removed as a support act from Sheeran’s Loop Tour for shouting “Free Palestine” and playing his protest song “Hind’s Hall” during two shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Sheeran, 35, alleged that his tour partners made the decision to drop Macklemore after receiving pressure from Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft and others ahead of scheduled shows at major venues. (Sheeran’s two Gillette Stadium shows were ultimately cancelled due to weather concerns.)

Macklemore’s fellow Loop Tour support acts Finneas O’Connell, Aaron Rowe and Lukas Graham all pulled out of the shows, as did Sheeran’s backing band Beoga. Sheeran ultimately resumed his tour with a brand new backing band on September 19 in Philadelphia, where he also addressed the controversy in person for the first time.

Ed Sheeran Speaks Out After Macklemore Is Dropped From His Tour

“I’m used to my music being criticized, and I’m always happy to take that because I’m lucky. A lot of you like my stuff, and to be honest, I’m surprised,” he told fans. “I’m not surprised that I’ve even done it. You know, it’s normal. This week, the criticism was about something much more important, and I’ve had to take [it in] and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I’m so so sorry.”

The “Shape of You” singer said that he was carrying on with the Loop Tour so as not to “disappoint fans.”

“This has put me in the middle of an important, passionate argument about freedom of speech on the most complex issue on the planet,” Sheeran said of the Israel-Palestine conflict. “[My music] has always been a safe space for everyone. That matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am. That is why I’m here tonight — on my own — continuing my own tour.”

Macklemore has since embarked on a Free Palestine Tour, explaining, “There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now.”

Zach Bryan Wears ‘Free Palestine’ Shirt On Stage After Macklemore Controversy

“It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” he added. “People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”

Antonoff — who, like Sheeran, is a close friend and collaborator of Taylor Swift — has frequently voiced his support for the Palestinian cause as a Jewish artist during Bleachers’ tours over the past few years.

Speaking to The Guardian, Antonoff insisted that his support for Palestine is not simply a moral or social choice; it also sends a message to record companies and promoters about censorship.

“[I’ve] felt way more emboldened to say it now, because it’s not in any way a strange, uncomfortable or controversial thing to say, it’s a deeply human thing to say,” he said. “If you think it is [controversial] you’re lost in some other sauce that is so crazy. They’re going to let some f**ing promoter tell me what I can say? Don’t book me. I’ll play for free outside.”

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Kristen Bell's Retro Striped Polo Is the Cool-Girl Sweater Trend of Fall 2026

2026-10-27T03:13:09.349-07:00

There’s a new cool-girl sweater trend taking over fall fashion, and Kristen Bell is already ahead of the curve. The actress is making a strong case for swapping basic knits for retro striped polos, which bring a playful, preppy twist to everyday outfits. Fortunately, we found a budget-friendly way to recreate her look without spending hundreds.

Bell was spotted in SoHo wearing Guest in Residence’s $445 Grizzly polo sweater, featuring bold blue, red, white and brown stripes. She paired the colorful knit with ultra-wide-leg dark-wash jeans, a burgundy Chanel bag, a red hat and black lace-up shoes, giving the nostalgic style a modern spin. Since Bell’s exact pick is well out of our budget, we found a similar version on Amazon for a fraction of the price.

See it!

Get the Tankaneo Striped Polo Knit Sweater for $45 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

The Tankaneo Striped Polo Knit Sweater delivers the same sporty, vintage-inspired aesthetic as Bell’s designer version, making it an easy addition to your fall wardrobe. Between the bold stripes and relaxed fit, it’s the kind of piece that makes a simple jeans-and-sweater outfit feel like an intentional fashion statement.

Even Jennifer Lawrence Relies on This Viral Amazon Tumbler

Designed with a classic lapel collar, buttoned V-neckline and dropped shoulders, the sweater strikes a balance between preppy and laid-back. It comes in a similar red, white and blue colorway, but it also comes in pink, green and yellow striped options if you prefer something different. Sizes range from S to XXL, and the brand recommends sizing up if you prefer an oversized silhouette.

The sweater is winning over Amazon shoppers for more than just its retro appearance. One reviewer described the knit as “soft and comfortable,” adding that it has “a nice weight to it” and “feels well made.” Another customer loved the “cute retro look” as an alternative “from a basic sweater,” noting that it “pairs easily with jeans.”

For an easy off-duty outfit, take a cue from Bell and wear the striped knit with roomy denim and your favorite sneakers. You can also give it a more elevated feel with tailored trousers, loafers and a structured handbag. Either way, this nostalgic sweater brings a fresh dose of personality to fall dressing without the $445 investment.

See it!

Get the Tankaneo Striped Polo Knit Sweater for $45 at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more from Tankaneo here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

UsNow Fall Sale Alert: These chic fashion finds are up to 60% off – plus free shipping

Welcome to fall with our biggest sale of the season. Our favorite dresses, tops, handbags, and shoes are all on sale + free shipping. Inventory is limited so hurry before they’re gone.

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Amal Clooney Has Used This 'Facelift in a Jar' Cream for Years (On Sale!)

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Jenna Dewan Welcomes Back ‘DWTS’ Partner Val Chmerkovskiy After Suspension

2026-10-26T04:13:13.567-07:00

Jenna Dewan has marked the return of her pro Dancing With the Stars partner Val Chmerkovskiy following his one-week suspension.

“Hi everybody, here we are. We are here for “Halloween Horror Movie Night,” we are doing an Argentine tango to the song “Uninvited,” it’s inspired by the movie 28 Weeks Later,” she said in a Sunday, October 25, Instagram Story clip beside a smiling Chmerkovskiy, 40, that was originally posted via the show’s official Instagram account.

As Dewan, 45, held her camera and spoke to the lens, Chmerkovskiy flashed two peace signs and gazed into the lens himself with two hands placed upon his hips. He then began wiping his forehead and nose with his hands, which led to him jumping in at the end of this video with, “Why am I so oily?”

The comment made the actress laugh with her partner before the video then cut out.

'DWTS' Barely Addresses Val Chmerkovskiy Controversy Amid Suspension

Chmerkovskiy’s return to the reality TV dancing competition comes after he copped a one-week ban on the back of making controversial now-deleted social media comment directed at judge Carrie Ann Inaba that were intended to defend a DWTS dance performance by his wife and fellow pro dancer, Jenna Johnson. (The comment referenced Will Smith’s notorious 2022 Oscars slap in a threatening manner.)

Chmerkovskiy was benched during Tuesday, October 20’s episode, with eliminated season 35 pro dancer Alan Bersten stepping in for him during “Dedication Night.” (Bersten, 32, and his celebrity partner, Giada De Laurentiis, were booted from this season in week 2.)

Just hours prior to Dewan’s recording, the official Dancing With the Stars Instagram account confirmed Chmerkovskiy’s return with a photo of him and Dewan promoting their upcoming routine. “The apocalypse is here 🧟‍♂️ Jenna and Val are prepping an Argentine Tango inspired by 28 Days Later for #HorrorMovieNight,” the post was captioned.

Jenna Dewan Reflects on Adapting to New 'DWTS' Partner After Val Drama

The confirmation drew support from fans who looked forward to the duo’s ballroom reunion. “Y’all can hate all y’all want but Val and Jenna doing an Argentine tango is gonna be so good,” wrote one fan, while another wrote, “So happy Val is back ❤️❤️.”

For Dewan’s part, she clicked “like” on the confirmation post, and also shared the post via her own Instagram grid.

For Val’s part, the pro has mostly kept quiet despite past pros and fans debating whether Bersten was the right temporary choice to partner with Dewan. He did, however, issue an apology for making the original comments as his words began to attract criticism from fans.

DWTS’ Alan Is ‘Honored’ to Dance With Jenna Dewan After Val Suspension

“I want to apologize from the bottom of my heart for my recent post,” Chmerkovskiy wrote via his Instagram Stories on October 15. “I have reached out to Carrie Ann to apologize directly and personally and I also want to apologize publicly as I understand my words affect so many outside our internal DWTS family. I should never have made the reference that I did and I deeply regret it. I recognize that I am in a fortunate position to have a platform and to be a role model to some, and I need to treat that with more care by actively pausing to think before I post to ensure what I am sharing aligns with who I am, and who I want to be for you all.”

Two days later, BBC Studios announced their decision to suspend Chmerkovskiy for one week.

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Uche Yara shares her ‘Bodyscanner pre-show picks’ in exclusive playlist to accompany The Cover

2026-10-26T03:16:34.843-07:00

NME’s latest star of The Cover, Uche Yara, has created an exclusive playlist to accompany the story’s launch – check it out below.

READ MORE: Uche Yara’s body music is defiantly human: “I have no choice but to wear my heart on my sleeve”

The Austria-born, Berlin-based artist is on this week’s (October 26) edition of The Cover, a manifestation of NME’s commitment to supporting emerging talent across the globe on a weekly basis. Every week, a rising artist will feature on The Cover – you can read Uche Yara’s profile here, written by David Renshaw and featuring photography by Tom J. Johnson.

The musician has curated a playlist featuring songs to listen to before her ‘Bodyscanner’ gigs, including tracks from Princess Nokia, Little Simz, Leikeli47, Doechii, Alewya, and more. Listen to the full playlist on Spotify below and on Apple Music.

In The Cover, Uche Yara discusses her “intuitive” approach to making music and having her creativity encouraged as a child. “I was so lucky to be led by teachers that pushed this inner child in me,” she says, crediting those same teachers for instilling rigour and an avant-garde fearlessness in her. “These are the people that laid the soil where everything is growing right now.”

Elsewhere, she shares insight into her debut album ‘Bodyscanner’, which arrived in September and engages with subjects such as the climate crisis and historical injustice head-on. “Our globe is burning – it is horrific,” she says. “I was feeling it in my body and wanted to capture it in the lyrics.”

Read Uche Yara’s full Cover story here and find out who else has been on The Cover here.

Every year, NME produces 50 Cover stories, showcasing the future of music via in-depth profiles and exclusive photoshoots. Check out our coffee table book NME The Cover 2024-2025, which features the likes of Kneecap, Lola Young, Amaarae, LE SSERAFIM, Oklou and many more.

The post Uche Yara shares her ‘Bodyscanner pre-show picks’ in exclusive playlist to accompany The Cover appeared first on NME.

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Phoebe Bridgers announced to headline All Points East 2027

2026-10-26T03:16:34.095-07:00

Phoebe Bridgers has been announced as the first headliner for London’s All Points East 2027. Check out the line-up so far and ticket details below.

READ MORE: Phoebe Bridgers – ‘Lost Weekend’ review: indie’s poet laureate returns with a staggering, strange and stirring opus

As part of a global summer victory for her acclaimed 2026 album ‘Lost Weekend‘, Bridgers will be topping the bill at Victoria Park on the Friday of the Bank Holiday weekend, headlining on 27 August.

After teasing the news with billboards across London last week, she’s now been confirmed to perform with a stacked and curated all-female support card of Caroline Polachek, Kelsey Lu, Danielle Ponder and Jasmine.4.t so far, with many more on the full line-up to be announced.

Tickets will be available via an All Points East pre-sale from Wednesday October 28 at 10am before going on general sale from 10am on Thursday October 29. Visit here for tickets and more information.

The line-up for Phoebe Bridgers headlining London’s All Points East 2027. Credit: Press

The news comes with Bridgers less than a month away of returning to the UK and Europe for an arena tour, supported by former Black Country, New Road frontman Isaac Wood. Visit here for remaining tickets and information.

As part of the ‘Lost Tour’ run with “no phones” or filming allowed, she’ll also perform her three rescheduled intimate album launch shows in Bristol, Brighton and Kingston, which were cancelled in August due to the Boygenius star’s hospitalisation from appendicitus.

The upcoming arena run also sees Bridgers partner with PLUS1 so that €1/£1 from every ticket sold on the European tour leg goes to local organisations working to support those impacted by sexual assault and violence.

In a five-star review of Bridgers’ latest album, NME concluded that “‘Lost Weekend’ is the opposite of emotional evasion: more a reckoning with herself and the romantic and familial love and loss that have shaped her story and storytelling. It’s a feat that could only be achieved by a songwriter and musician self-assured in their penmanship and musicality, someone who may have started the journey of writing her third album feeling lost, but by the end wasn’t unmoored at all.”

Bridgers also makes her big screen acting debut in Primetime alongside Robert Pattinson, which hits cinemas on Friday October 30.

This summer saw All Points East headlined by double-headers Jorja Smith and Tems, Lorde playing “the best line-up she’s ever been part of“, Deftones’ biggest show of their career, a two-night curated residency from Tyler, The Creator and a closing show from Twenty One Pilots. The rest of the All Points East 2027 headliners are expected to be announced in the coming weeks and months.

The post Phoebe Bridgers announced to headline All Points East 2027 appeared first on NME.

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Donald Trump Slams 'Complete and Total Loser' Bill Maher In 1,323-Word Post

2026-10-26T03:13:13.149-07:00

Political commentator Bill Maher was criticized at length by President Donald Trump in a 1,323-word social media post.

“Let’s talk about this complete and total loser, Bill Maher. He’s got a low rated show on equally low rated HBO, which was once, long ago, a network of quality and excitement — but that’s all gone. It’s not “HOT” anymore!” the president, 80, began in a Sunday, October 25, Truth Social post.

Us has reached out to representatives for Maher for comment.

The public takedown was sparked by former press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s Friday, October 23, appearance on HBO’s Real Time With Bill Maher, during which she discussed her former boss’ leadership style as well as her professional relationship with him while she served at the White House. (Leavitt, 29, held the role from January 2025 to August 2026, stepping down to spend increased time with her young family.)

President Donald Trump Suggests It's 'Illegal' for Seth Meyers to Mock Him

“Karoline Leavitt was great on the show, but she started with a biased, dumb sleazebag, asking questions,” argued the president. “She defended me, and herself, so well, but couldn’t be comfortable going against lie after lie.”

The president’s post claimed that Maher, 70, has used “fake polls” to illustrate alleged unfavorable ratings amid lying “about everything,” including content featured on Real Time With Bill Maher. “I believe he lied to me when I asked him, with all the applause and laughter he gets after almost everything he says [on the show], about things that aren’t funny or even any good, what laughter machine does he use?” the president wrote. “People can’t think he’s funny.”

The post then provided alleged details into two White House dinners between Maher and the president that Maher and his team had apparently repeatedly requested. The first of which left a lasting impression on the president. “I wanted to tell Bill that he’s a major pothead. He’s got to stop, it’s very bad for his health. He looked like hell this time,” he wrote before claiming that “Bill was drunk and had alcohol in his hand as he walked through the White House,” as Stephen A. Smith and Kid Rock joined the pair for a meal.

Donald Trump Attacks Jimmy Kimmel Again While Hosting Kennedy Center Honors

The president went on to allege that Maher’s episode with Leavitt was filled with “so many other falsehoods Bill spewed,” before adding that he would not be fact checking him because “he isn’t worth it.”

The post continued, “Bill: Don’t call anymore. It’s useless … you’re a hopeless guy, who is just trying to cater to your small group of “fans.” You’re also a coward who is afraid to tell the truth about how well our country is running because of your few “fans” and how badly the “Dumocrats” have done, almost destroying the U.S. If I hadn’t won the election, it would be dead.”

It then concluded, “Also, turn your laugh machine off, it’s a joke when they laugh uncontrollably even when you say nothing funny, and I’m going to have the republicans not cover you anymore because they try to talk about you as a guy who is transformative. You’re not transformative, you’re a loser! I never watched your show much, but I will never watch it again … thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

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Pulp on their full circle moment with the Mercury Prize and Brian Eno nearly throwing their prize money away

2026-10-25T08:16:35.045-07:00

Pulp have spoken to NME about the full circle moment of celebrating War Child at the Mercury Prize, and recalled how Brian Eno nearly threw their prize money away when they won back in 1996.

READ MORE: James Ford talks us through the huge new War Child ‘Help(2)’ album – track-by-track

The indie veterans were in attendance at the ceremony in Newcastle on Thursday (October 22) to perform their track ‘Begging For Change’ to represent the shortlisted charity album ‘Help(2)‘ in aid of War Child. The compilation LP was a follow-up to and was inspired by the landmark 1995 ‘Help’ record. The original and legendary Brian Eno-led compilation featured the likes of Oasis, Blur, Radiohead, Orbital, Portishead, Massive Attack, Suede, Sinéad O’Connor, and Manic Street Preachers.

The acclaimed 2026 follow-up was led by contributions from Arctic Monkeys, Fontaines D.C., Wet Leg, Young Fathers, English Teacher, Damon Albarn, Geese frontman Cameron Winter, Olivia Rodrigo and many more.

While their comeback album ‘More‘ was nominated for last year’s prize, Pulp’s last Mercury win was in 1996 for their iconic ‘Different Class’, beating ‘Help’ but with the band still giving the £25,000 prize money to the cause.

Check out our full but brief and vibey interview with the band below, where they look back on ’96, working on ‘Help(2)’, Jarvis Cocker’s life as a paperboy, and what makes a truly great album.

NME: Hello Pulp. You last won the Mercury Prize back in 1996. What are your memories of that night?

Jarvis Cocker: “Terrible, I have no memories at all. I was pissed out my…”

Nick Banks: “Very little memory, although there is footage of me spraying champagne over everyone.”

Cocker: “Stereotypical drummer behaviour, Nick.”

Banks: “Absolutely, it’s part of the manual. If you win something and you’ve got champagne…”

Candida Doyle: “I remember we decided to give the cheque to the first War Child LP. I had the cheque in an envelope with the award, and I gave it to Brian Eno. He just took it and thought he was just getting the award. I spoke to him later and he said, ‘I nearly threw that envelope away’. He didn’t realise I’d given him £25,000. That was the first time I spoke to Brian Eno, which was very exciting.”

Cocker: “You’ve been on the phone to him every week ever since.”

Doyle: “I found out his dad was a postman. I do remember that very well.”

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It must be a nice full circle moment to be back here on behalf of War Child again?

Cocker: “Yeah, it is and I like circles. It feels good. We’re representing that album. There are 20 other people on it, and it’s a good album. It’s an honour to be asked to do that.”

What are your memories of the first ‘Help’ album from 1995 and the impact that had?

Cocker: “We were probably slightly jealous that we didn’t get asked to be on it. The first one was at Abbey Road and they did it all in one day. Paul McCartney was involved, I remember that.”

READ MORE: Jarvis Cocker tells us about Pulp’s new film and future: “It was like a new beginning”

How was it being among this new cast of characters for ‘Help 2’? What was the magic like in the room?

Doyle: “Can I just say it’s nice to be interviewed by the NME, because we all grew up reading it. It was a very important newspaper when we were young. It’s nice to do an interview with the NME.”

Cocker: “My paper round, one of the few jobs I’ve had in my life, was an afternoon one delivering The Sheffield Star…”

Banks: “I can’t imagine you doing an early morning one!”

Cocker: “Exactly. The first money I got from it, I didn’t know what to spend it on, so I bought the NME. I never looked back.”

arvis Cocker of Pulp performs at the 2026 Mercury Prize. (Photo by JMEnternational/Getty Images)

We’re here today to celebrate the art of the album. What do you think makes a great album?

Doyle: “Great songs.”

Banks: “Well, it’s difficult when it’s a compilation album. Obviously you’re going to get lots of different genres, different ideas coming together. James Ford [producer] has managed to get the best out of the artists on the ‘Help’ album and has made it a really interesting piece of work.”

Cocker: “Which isn’t an easy thing to do. Albums, I think they’re coming back. Vinyl sales are up, CDs are kind of scheduled to disappear, and no one buys an album digitally. I always thought that a vinyl album was where records worked best. You’ve got a side that’s only 20 minutes long, you can listen to it, go and make a cup of tea or whatever, and it’s a good thing. Albums are coming back, that’s what I’m saying. They’re back!”

The Mercury Prize 2026 was won by Raye with ‘This Music May Contain Hope‘, beating off competition from other shortlisted records by the likes of Paul McCartney, JADE, Nia Archives, Dave, Suede, Florence + The Machine, Olivia Dean, Knats, RAYE, Dove Ellis, and Kojey Radical.

Speaking to NME earlier this summer about what’s next for Pulp after finally releasing their first album in 24 years, Cocker said: “I mean, I think there is a future. The thing is, I don’t like to make pronouncements on the future because the whole thing about the future is you just don’t know what’s going to happen. We did the album ‘More’, and making it was quite a pleasant experience; playing it has been good, so that’s an inspiration, but obviously it came after a 24 year gap.

“We just can’t do that anymore because I’ll be dead in 24 years. What will probably happen is that everybody is going to have a bit of a rest. Maybe I’ll ring people up towards the end of the year and say, ‘Shall we have a practice or something?’ We’ll just see what will happen. I like to think of Pulp as an organic thing. Sometimes it bears fruit and sometimes it doesn’t, but I feel fairly confident that we will manage to do something else, but I don’t know when.”

Pulp’s new Garth Jennings-directed live film What Do You Do For An Encore? is out now on MUBI.

The post Pulp on their full circle moment with the Mercury Prize and Brian Eno nearly throwing their prize money away appeared first on NME.

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Elvis Presley rightsholders sue AI company Anthropic over alleged copyright infringement of 274 songs

2026-10-25T06:16:24.858-07:00

The owners of Elvis Presley‘s music have launched legal action against AI company Anthropic, accusing it of using 274 of his songs to train its models without permission.

READ MORE: ‘EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert’ review: a sensational but superficial love letter to the King

The lawsuit was filed on Friday (October 23) by a subsidiary of Authentic Brands Group, the company that controls much of Presley’s intellectual property, including his name, image and likeness rights, alongside other companies holding rights to his music.

As reported by Billboard, the plaintiffs allege that Anthropic, the company behind the AI chatbot Claude, infringed the copyrights of 274 songs associated with Presley, including some of his best-known hits, such as ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love’, ‘All Shook Up’, ‘Don’t Be Cruel’, ‘A Little Less Conversation’, ‘Return To Sender’ and ‘(You’re The) Devil In Disguise’.

The lawsuit claims that Anthropic used copyrighted compositions and lyrics to train its AI models without obtaining permission or paying the relevant rights holders, and that the technology is capable of generating unauthorised versions of existing songs.

Anthropic has not publicly responded to the lawsuit, but has previously maintained that training AI models on copyrighted material can be protected under US fair use law.

Richard Busch, lead attorney for the plaintiffs, has said: “The Elvis Plaintiffs bring this action to enforce these exclusive rights against the defendant that has built its entire business model based on copyright infringement at a scale never seen before.”

The legal action also alleges that Claude has continued reproducing copyrighted material despite Anthropic introducing safeguards intended to prevent the chatbot from generating existing song lyrics.

According to the filing, when Claude was asked to recreate songs “for a modern audience”, it produced material that closely resembled the originals.

The plaintiffs are seeking statutory damages of up to $150,000 (£112,000) for each of the 274 songs, amounting to approximately $41.1million (£31million).

Busch previously represented Marvin Gaye‘s estate in its landmark copyright lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams over their 2013 hit ‘Blurred Lines’. That case ultimately resulted in a ruling that the song had infringed Gaye’s 1977 track ‘Got To Give It Up’.

In October 2023, Universal Music Publishing Group, Concord Music Group and ABKCO sued Anthropic, alleging that Claude had reproduced copyrighted lyrics without authorisation. The publishers cited examples involving songs by Katy Perry, Gloria Gaynor and The Rolling Stones.

Meanwhile, Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell also filed a lawsuit against Anthropic in August, accusing the company of using copyrighted lyrics and sheet music from artists including The Beatles, Taylor Swift and Michael Jackson to train Claude.

Elsewhere, in September, Jason Isbell and several other musicians launched legal action against AI music generator Suno, alleging that it enabled users to imitate their identities and musical styles without consent.

In the UK, the music industry has also continued calling for greater protections around AI and copyright, with artists including Paul McCartney, Elton John and Dua Lipa campaigning for stronger safeguards against the unauthorised use of their work.

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Watch Ali G mock Noel Gallagher’s Oasis comeback and try to kick him out of cinema

2026-10-25T04:16:44.735-07:00

Noel Gallagher has been mocked by Ali G in a new video, with Sacha Baron Cohen‘s character taking aim at the Oasis reunion in front of a cinema audience.

READ MORE: Oasis live in Cardiff: a supersonic reunion for a new generation

The video was shared on social media yesterday (October 24) to promote Cohen’s new film Ali G: Who Iz I?, which arrived in cinemas a day earlier.

In the clip, Ali G enters a packed cinema screening and singles out Gallagher, pretending not to recognise him.

He suggests that the musician looks like “one of them Oasis twins”, before making him stand up in front of the audience.

“It’s Nigel Gallagher, innit?” he says, going on to describe him as a “50-year-old white man trying to make a comeback after 20 years, so sad”.

Elsewhere in the clip, Ali G offers to sell selfies, ganja and “a handjob from me Julie” to members of the cinema audience, while the Instagram post was accompanied by the caption: “not even Nole Gallagher could get a seat to see me movie”.

Watch the exchange below:

View this post on Instagram

The meeting comes more than a decade after Gallagher made a joke about Cohen’s character while discussing why he sent his children to private school.

“My kids go to private school because I don’t want them coming home talking like Ali G,” he said in 2015.

The new film marks Cohen’s return to the character, who first appeared on Channel 4’s The 11 O’Clock Show in 1998 before becoming the star of Da Ali G Show and the 2002 comedy Ali G Indahouse.

Ali G: Who Iz I? follows the aspiring Staines-based rapper as he discovers that his longtime girlfriend Julie is pregnant, prompting him to travel to America in an attempt to reclaim his former fame.

Cohen has faced criticism for reviving the character, with some campaigners arguing that Ali G perpetuates racial stereotypes.

Earlier this week, the comedian defended the decision to bring him back, writing: “The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him.”

Gallagher, meanwhile, also appeared on the final series of Chicken Shop Date this week, joining Amelia Dimoldenberg to discuss the Oasis reunion, working with his brother Liam and the band’s future.

Asked how long someone should wait before reviving something that had previously ended, he replied “16 years”, referencing the gap between Oasis’ split in 2009 and their reunion last year.

The epic Oasis comeback has also been documented in Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger, which arrived in cinemas last month and is now available to stream on Disney+.

In a four-and-a-half-star review, NME described the documentary as “masterfully done, with moments of irreverence and intense passion burning throughout”.

Oasis are now preparing to return to the road for their sold-out ‘Live ’27’ tour, featuring 42 dates across the UK, Europe and North America, including 11 nights at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium and six at Knebworth.

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My Chemical Romance face legal action from Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders over Hollywood Bowl costumes

2026-10-25T03:16:36.758-07:00

My Chemical Romance are facing legal action from the company behind the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders after featuring dancers in lookalike uniforms during their recent Hollywood Bowl shows.

READ MORE: My Chemical Romance – ‘The Black Parade’ review

The band made headlines earlier this week when they brought out dancers dressed as the famous cheerleading squad during the opening night of their five-show residency at the Los Angeles venue on Wednesday (October 21).

The performers appeared during ‘Teenagers’, before becoming involved in a staged gunfight with soldiers during ‘Disenchanted’, wielding prop rifles and appearing to be shot before crawling offstage.

Now, Pro Silver Star Ltd., which owns the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders (DCC) brand, has filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the band, seeking to prevent them from continuing to use the costumes.

The legal action was filed in Dallas County, Texas on Friday (October 23), with the company arguing that the distinctive uniforms are protected and that their appearance in the violent sequence could damage the cheerleading squad’s reputation.

My Chemical Romance performing "Teenagers" tonight in LA, featuring their cheerleader dancers. #MCRLA2 pic.twitter.com/vLDYocU6sf

— MCR Updates (@gwayupdates) October 24, 2026

According to court documents obtained by TheWrap, Pro Silver Star claimed that “audience members and online commentators understandably believed that the performers were the real Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders”, with the confusion spreading across social media.

The company also alleged that it had contacted My Chemical Romance and asked them to stop using the uniforms, but that the band had refused.

It said their continued use threatened “ongoing and irreparable harm to the reputation and goodwill Silver Star has cultivated in the DCC brand”.

“Silver Star does not ask Defendants to change their setlist, narrative, politics, choreography, or even their decision to put gun-toting performers on stage. Silver Star asks only that those performers not wear the DCC Uniform while doing it.

As well as requesting an injunction, Pro Silver Star is seeking unspecified monetary damages.

Despite the legal action, fan-filmed footage from the band’s second Hollywood Bowl show on Friday (October 23) appeared to show the performers returning in the same cheerleading outfits.

View this post on Instagram

The band’s Hollywood Bowl residency marks the culmination of their ‘Long Live The Black Parade’ anniversary tour, which has seen them perform their landmark 2006 album ‘The Black Parade’ in full.

They are the first band to play five consecutive nights at the Hollywood Bowl, with the final two performances scheduled for October 30 and 31.

The group have also released an expanded 20th anniversary edition of ‘The Black Parade’, featuring six bonus tracks, including previously unreleased live recordings from a 2007 show in Hoboken, New Jersey.

In its original 9/10 review, NME praised the record as an ambitious reinvention of the band’s sound, writing that it was set to make them “the biggest band on the planet”.

Elsewhere, frontman Gerard Way recently hinted that the band were hoping to make another studio album.

“We’ve kind of really always wanted to make another record, so we hope that life allows us to do that,” he told fans at their San Antonio show last month.

“You guys deserve another record. I don’t know when it’ll be. But it’ll be awesome.”

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Macklemore calls for “free Palestine” and condemns ICE at first show since Ed Sheeran saga

2026-10-24T04:16:47.895-07:00

Macklemore called for a “free Palestine” and condemned ICE during his first show since being kicked off Ed Sheeran‘s tour last month. Watch the footage below.

The rapper played a 17-song set at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado on Thursday night (October 22), per Setlist.FM. It came after he was removed from Sheeran’s North American ‘Loop’ shows for expressing his pro-Palestine stance on stage.

READ MORE: Ed Sheeran – ‘Play’ review: a hasty retreat to the genre-spanning of old

At one point in this week’s gig, Macklemore delivered a passionate speech in which he doubled down on his views while speaking out against other tragedies and injustices around the globe.

“Being a human being in this moment is not complicated,” he began. “It is not political. It is human to have a heart, to watch others suffering and to say, ‘Not anymore!’ So I say, free Palestine. I say, free Palestine!”

The artist continued: “I say, free Sudan. I say, free Congo, Lebanon, to Haiti, to all the people that are affected by ICE in America, who are afraid to leave their houses.”

After receiving rapturous applause and cheers from the audience, Macklemore concluded: “The message will always be love.”

View this post on Instagram

After the controversy stemming from Sheeran’s tour, Macklemore announced a brief ‘Free Palestine Tour’ across the UK and Europe. The benefit shows have since sold out, with the rapper saying he’d been “blown away” by the response.

“We put these shows together fast and in community, believing that musicians can stand in solidarity with Palestine, use the stage to raise funds and show what collective action can look like,” he wrote. “When those in power try to silence our calls for liberation, art will always be a form of resistance.”

The saga began when Macklemore made an impassioned speech while opening for Sheeran at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last month.

He called for “all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality” and told people in Gaza and the West Bank that “we have not forgotten about them”. He declared “free Palestine” and performed his 2024 protest track ‘Hind’s Hall’ alongside footage from Gaza.

Following criticism from the likes of Pink and the Israeli-American Council, Macklemore defended his remarks, saying that “wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial”.

Ed Sheeran. CREDIT: Press

Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft objected to Macklemore performing at Sheeran’s later scheduled shows at the venue.

The rapper subsequently confirmed that he had been removed from the rest of the trek, claiming Sheeran had told him that Kraft and other stadium owners had objected to his presence on the line-up. The decision triggered further upheaval, with all of Sheeran’s remaining support acts and his backing band withdrawing in solidarity with Macklemore.

Macklemore then pledged his entire $1million earnings from Sheeran’s tour to six organisations supporting Palestinians, telling Kraft: “Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting.” Kraft himself confirmed a $2million contribution to humanitarian aid in the region.

When Sheeran eventually returned to the stage, he apologised for “mistakes” in his handling of the situation, and revealed that the fallout had left him questioning whether he wanted “to be an artist at all”. The scandal took an unexpected turn when Sheeran’s scheduled gigs at the Gillette Stadium were cancelled after all – thanks to “severe weather warnings” in the area.

View this post on Instagram

The controversy has continued to draw responses from across the music world. During a recent interview with NME, Tom Morello praised Macklemore for refusing to retreat from his stance, arguing that “courage is contagious”. Meanwhile, Lorde took aim at Kraft by wearing a “Free Palestine” jacket, with CMAT also sharing her “hot take” on the topic.

Sheeran has faced backlash from SNL UK, too, with guest host Amelia Dimoldenberg branding him a “red-headed puppet”. Other criticism came from the likes of Charlotte Church, Greta Thunberg and Billy Bragg. Elsewhere, Bob Geldof defended the star, but said he “really admire[d] Macklemore” and those who had walked away from the tour.

Sheeran’s former opener Aaron Rowe said the anger over the situation should instead be aimed at “the likes of Robert Kraft”. More recently, Metallica’s James Hetfield seemingly made a subtle dig at Macklemore by criticising “some other entertainers” who use their time on stage “to influence you with their bullshit”.

Earlier this month, Sheeran announced a new set of support acts for his current ‘Loop’ tour, which continues in Arlington, Texas, tonight (Saturday October 24).

The post Macklemore calls for “free Palestine” and condemns ICE at first show since Ed Sheeran saga appeared first on NME.

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Jon Gosselin's Ex Colleen Conrad Reacts to Collin's Memoir Tribute

2026-10-24T04:13:23.631-07:00

Jon Gosselin’s ex Colleen Conrad is paying tribute to her ex’s son Collin Gosselin.

Conrad, who dated Jon from 2014 to 2021 following Jon’s split from Collin’s mom, Kate Gosselin, shared a touching Instagram post on Friday, October 23.

For the post, Conrad shared a series of images of herself and Collin over the years and reacted to the release of his memoir, In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood.

“When you came into my life, you had already been through more than any child should ever have to experience,” Conrad wrote. “I didn’t know what the years ahead would bring, but I knew I loved you and wanted you to feel safe, loved, and supported.”

Collin Gosselin Appears to Shade Mom Kate in Mother's Day Post

Conrad continued to gush over Collin in the lengthy caption as shared that he played just as important of a role in her life as she did in his.

“Watching you grow into the man you are today has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” Conrad continued. “Listening to your book was incredibly emotional. It brought back beautiful memories, but also painful ones. I was going through breast cancer, the end of my relationship with your dad, and so many changes in my own life.”

She added, “Through it all, there was a teenage boy who needed me. And what you may never fully realize is how much I needed you, too. We helped each other through some incredibly difficult times.”

View this post on Instagram

Conrad noted she felt incredibly emotional when reading Collin’s tribute to her in the memoir. She went on to emphasize the love she will always have for Collin and vowed to always be there for him no matter what.

“As proud as I am of your book, I’m even prouder of the man you’ve become. No matter how old you get or where life takes you, I will always be your mom,” she wrote. “I will always love you and cheer you on. Congratulations, Collin. You deserve all the happiness and success life has to offer. Love you always. ❤️.”

Collin Gosselin Leaves Mom Kate Out of Graduation Tribute, Thanks Dad Jon

In his book, Collin details growing up with his seven siblings — twins Mady and Cara, now 26, and fellow sextuplets Joel, Aeden, Hannah, Alexis and Leah, now 22 — and the abuse he allegedly endured from his mother, Kate. (Kate has long denied any allegations of abuse, neglect or wrongdoing.)

Taking to the comments section of Conrad’s Instagram post, Collin responded to her heartfelt words.

“I love you ❤️ I loved that you say you needed me too. It just shows how meant to be everything was. If I could’ve gone through all the hard things again I’d gladly do it, because it led me to you,” he wrote. “You’re kind, loving, funny and you love in a way that a real mother should. I’ll forever be grateful to have you in my life. Thank you for listening, showing up, and never giving up on that young, broken, hurting little boy who didn’t believe in himself. Sometimes all we need is to know our mom believes in us and it gives us enough faith in ourselves ❤️❤️.”

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Slayyyter cancels UK and European tour dates due to illness

2026-10-24T03:16:08.038-07:00

Slayyyter has cancelled the remaining dates of her 2026 UK and European tour due to illness.

The US pop artist has been out on the road in Europe this month in support of her third studio album, ‘Wor$t Girl In America’, which was released in March.

READ MORE: Slayyyter live at Reading 2026: pop’s star du jour blasts off

Following recent gigs in Paris, Amsterdam and Cologne, she took to Instagram Stories yesterday (Friday October 23) to notify fans that the rest of the tour had been axed.

“Hey guys. I am heartbroken to share after multiple doctor visits I have laryngitis and vocal cord tears and have been ordered to go on medication and full vocal rest for at least two weeks,” Slayyyter wrote.

“Because of this, I am forced to cancel the remaining UK/EU dates to avoid permanent damage to my voice. Full refunds will be available at point of sale.”

Slayyyter has cancelled the remainder of her UK/EU shows due to laryngitis and vocal cord tears. pic.twitter.com/7s4O9D5jxs

— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 23, 2026

The singer-songwriter went on to confirm that she and her team were currently looking at rescheduling the impacted dates for next year, adding: “I hope to have news to share very soon to make it up to you.”

She continued: “I know how much time and effort is spent to come out to a show. Some of you have travelled, some of you have made costumes, and I am completely devastated to not be able to give you the shows you were planning for.

“We are working hard to figure out a time to return so I can deliver an even bigger and better show for you all. I hope you know I will make this up to you. Lots of love to you all. Thank you for making this tour so special.”

Slayyyter live at Reading 2026. Credit: Andy Ford for NME

Slayyyter had been scheduled to play in Berlin, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow next week, before heading to London for a show at London’s Roundhouse on November 5.

The support act for the tour, French artist Kalika, took to X/Twitter to tell fans she had been left stranded in Europe.

She wrote (translated from French): “Obviously Slayyyter’s health comes first and I wish her a quick recovery. But here we are abroad, our gear is stuck in the tour bus, we don’t even know how to get it back or how we’re going to get home. My heart is in pieces.”

The singer said she had found out that the performances had been cancelled from Slayyyter’s Instagram Story. “I’m in tears, completely devastated,” she added. “I don’t think you can imagine what this tour meant to me. It was probably the biggest opportunity of my career.”

slayyyter's opening act finding out about the cancellation through her story + now she's stranded in europe without any of her stuff btw, this is insane like @ColumbiaRecords what is wrong with you, who tf manages this tour pic.twitter.com/m65wuFf2MF

— MⱯRGⱯUX (@LUCIDNIGHTM4RE) October 23, 2026

Slayyyter recently released the single ‘I Think He’s Got A Girl’ from her upcoming fourth album ‘Wor$t Man In America’, out on December 4. The LP’s predecessor earned a four-star review from NME, and was subsequently named one of our best records of 2026 so far.

“Chasing the highs of her Tumblr-addled youth, Slayyyter finds her sound in a new strain of brash, sleazy pop, [which] finds salvation in the underbelly of American cinema,” the review read.

NME caught Slayyyter on the main stage at Reading Festival this summer, and gave the performance a glowing four-and-a-half-star review. The slot was hailed as one of “the most magical moments” from Reading & Leeds 2026, too.

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Ariana Madix’s Los Angeles Home Is Burglarized, Jewelry Stolen: Report

2026-10-24T03:13:31.892-07:00

Ariana Madix’s Los Angeles-area home has reportedly been burglarized, with her jewelry among the items stolen.

The Los Angeles Police Department told Page Six that the Vanderpump Rules alum’s home was broken into on October 17 and officers responded to a call several days later.

According to TMZ, which was the first to report the news, officers discovered Madix’s back door had been shattered, which appeared to be the entry point for the thieves.

It is unclear whether Madix, 41, was home at the time or what the total value of the missing items is estimated to be. No official suspect has yet been released.

Ariana Madix and Tom Sandoval Sell Home 3 Years After Their Messy Split 

Us has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department and Madix’s rep for comment.

Madix bought a $1.6 million home in 2024 after splitting from her former Vanderpump Rules costar, Tom Sandoval, following his high-profile cheating scandal.

The former couple offloaded the Los Angeles home they once shared in May this year.

Us confirmed on May 8, that the duo quietly sold the home that they bought together in 2019, with the new owners reportedly paying $3.1 million for the property

Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

The pair, who called it quits in March 2023 after Sandoval, 43, was busted having an affair with their then-costar Rachel “Raquel” Leviss, bought the house in 2019 for $2 million.

Following their split after nine years together, Madix and Sandoval faced dramas over the home.

In the aftermath of the cheating scandal, Sandoval spoke about continuing to live in the 5-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom property during an appearance on the “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast in April 2023.

Ariana Madix Is 'Relieved' to Have 'Freedom' Back After Purchasing New Home

“I don’t have a lot of friends I can stay with right now. … I kind of run the house,” he said. “I handle the gardening [and] the housekeeping. My assistant comes and cleans and stocks everything. I basically run everything in the house.”

Sandoval shared on the podcast that he and Madix used a mediator to communicate at the tim

“[Ariana’s] in the house. This is a big house. We have a go-between. We text when we’re coming and going,” he continued. “The house is not listed yet, no. [Ariana’s] really busy right now, she’s obviously blowing up. I’m really happy to see that. I’ve been busy as well trying to get things together.”

In January, Us confirmed that Madix and Sandoval settled the legal battle over the sale of their shared home. The former couple reached an agreement on January 13, when the Love Island USA host filed a notice of settlement of the entire case in Los Angeles Superior Court. According to the filing, the dismissal of the case is “conditional” and would require “the satisfactory completion of specified terms” within 30 days of the date of the settlement.”

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‘Halloweentown 5' Is in the Works at Disney 28 Years After the Original

2026-10-23T04:13:22.729-07:00

Halloweentown’s fifth instalment is in early development at Disney — 28 years after the original film debuted.

According to multiple outlets on Thursday, October 22, a new instalment of the franchise is being worked on and will air on Disney Channel and stream on Disney+ if it is greenlit.

While no plot or cast details have been publicly released, the new incarnation comes 20 years after the last sequel, Return to Halloweentown, was released in 2006.

Kimberly J. Brown, who starred in the first three Halloweentown movies as Marnie Piper, previously told Us that she would love to return to the franchise.

Kimberly J. Brown Is ‘Totally Down’ to do Another ‘Halloweentown’ Movie

“I’m totally down for anything. The fans certainly ask me every day for another one,” Brown, 41, told Us in September 2024. “The cast is totally all down and it’s up to Disney at this point.”

Brown played Marnie Piper, a teen who discovers her family is a powerful group of witches who hail from the spooky town. The Disney Channel Original Movie franchise, which premiered in 1998, also featured Judith Hoag, Joey Zimmerman, Emily Roeske and the late Debbie Reynolds. (Reynolds died in December 2016 shortly after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher.)

The actress suggested some ideas about how they could move the story forward and shared what she thought her character had been up to in the past two decades.

Witches! Halloweentown’s Kimberly J. Brown, Daniel Kountz Coming to 90s Con

“I think Marnie could be running for mayor or be mayor of Halloweentown,” she said. “Like, she was always so progressive in her ideas for Halloween time and everything. I think she would be in some kind of position like that, you know, trying to still bring about new ideas and things like that.”

Phillip van Dyke, who played goblin Luke in the first two movies, also expressed interest in coming back when asked about whether he’d be on board for a reboot by E! News in November 2020.

Lacey Chabert Teams Up With Halloweentown's Kimberley J. Brown for Hallmark

“You know what, I think I could be talked into it,” he told the outlet at the time. “If the rest of the cast came back and wanted to do that, I would be up for it. I’ll actually go on record and say I would.”

Halloweentown was a massive success for Disney when it was first released and the franchise has remained relevant in today’s pop culture zeitgeist as it’s become a must-watch film during spooky season.

“When we filmed the first Halloweentown, we only thought we were doing one movie. And the fans and everybody have loved and embraced it so much over the years that we got to do more movies,” Brown told Us in 2024. “And we are just so honored we were here all these years later that people who still come up to me, literally everybody on the street. And that the movies become a part of their Halloween traditions and everything.”

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Billy Corgan defends his friendship with Marilyn Manson: “I personally didn’t feel that he was guilty”

2026-10-23T03:16:37.529-07:00

Billy Corgan has defended his friendship with Marilyn Manson and said that he “personally didn’t feel that he was guilty” of sexual and domestic abuse.

READ MORE: Billy Corgan on his new podcast ‘The Magnificent Others’: “I’d like to celebrate people in the culture who are misunderstood”

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman has been friends with the shock rocker for decades now, and hit the road with him back in 2015 for the co-headlining ‘End Times Tour’.

Manson spoke about how Corgan gifted him his very first guitar and tried to teach him how to play. He also opened up about having the same musical influences as Corgan and shared how they both love cats in a 2015 interview with Loudwire. They did have a falling out after Corgan penned Manson a letter to warn him about the impact of dating Rose McGowan, but buried the hatchet in 2014 when Manson joined Smashing Pumpkins on stage in London.

More recently, Corgan joined a number of famous faces in attending Manson’s 56th birthday party last year, being spotted alongside James Iha, Falling in Reverse‘s Ronnie Radke and Motley Crüe guitarist John 5.

Now, following numerous allegations of sexual and domestic abuse that have been made against Manson, real name Brian Warner – all of which he has denied – Corgan has defended their friendship and shared his thoughts on the accusations.

“I think that ultimately, as a Christian person… you have to stand by your friends,” he shared on The New York Times podcast Popcast. “But that doesn’t mean you don’t have an opinion, and that doesn’t mean you’re not critical.”

“In his case – and I’m not here to adjudicate it – the DA looked at the case for five years. In some cases, I knew personal things behind the scenes that are not in the public sphere,” he added. “I personally didn’t feel that he was guilty of the things he was being charged with, and ultimately, the fact that the DA didn’t pursue it.”

He continued: “But, I wasn’t there. I can’t be there for everything. But it’s one of those things where I don’t want the world to tell me who my friends are and who I should associate with. That’s politically, socially, and in Brian’s case, we have a relationship that goes back close to 30 years.”

Corgan went on to share how he knew Manson’s parents, and Manson’s wife has a twin sister who is married to Smashing Pumpkins’ guitarist James Iha, so he is “basically a part of our family”.

Rounding off, Corgan shared: “I think anybody in that situation struggles with the seriousness of the accusations, but again, I also knew the inside baseball of the case. I knew certain people who are involved, and so you make those evaluations.

“At the end of the day, I feel I made the right determination, but [also] when people would ask me privately, ‘Well, what happens if…’, I’d say, ‘If he’s guilty, or anybody in that situation is guilty, they should go to jail.’”

Warner’s former partner Evan Rachel Wood publicly named him as her alleged abuser in 2021, accusing him of grooming, manipulation and abuse during their relationship. Warner denied her allegations and those made by other women, describing them as “horrible distortions of reality”.

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Wood later detailed her allegations in the 2022 documentary Phoenix Rising. Warner sued Wood and artist Illma Gore for defamation and other claims, but dropped the lawsuit in November 2024 and agreed to pay Wood nearly $327,000 (£244,000) in legal fees.

In January 2025, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office confirmed that Warner would not face criminal charges following a four-year investigation into allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence. This was because the allegations of domestic violence fell outside the statute of limitations, and prosecutors could not “prove charges of sexual assault beyond a reasonable doubt”.

That being said, a separate civil case brought by Warner’s former assistant Ashley Walters was revived in January this year under a new California law. Walters first filed the lawsuit in 2021, alleging sexual assault, sexual battery, sexual harassment and other abuse during the period in which she worked for Warner in 2010 and 2011. The case had most recently been dismissed in December 2025 because of the statute of limitations, but California’s Assembly Bill 250 extended the window and allowed for it to be revived. Warner has denied Walters’ allegations, as he has the other allegations made against him.

Game Of Thrones actor Esmé Bianco previously brought a separate lawsuit alleging sexual assault, physical abuse and human trafficking. Warner denied those allegations, and the pair reached an out-of-court settlement in 2023.

Slipknot have recently received some backlash from fans for enlisting Manson as a support act for their newly announced 2027 ‘(sic)est Stadium Tour’.

For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.

The post Billy Corgan defends his friendship with Marilyn Manson: “I personally didn’t feel that he was guilty” appeared first on NME.

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