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Beyoncé is Billboard's greatest pop star of the 21st century. Mom Tina isn't surprised

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Beyoncé is Billboard's greatest pop star of the 21st century. Mom Tina isn't surprised

The end of the 21st century is still decades away, but Billboard has already declared its greatest pop star: Beyoncé.

The music magazine on Tuesday revealed that the “Crazy in Love” and “Formation” diva had secured the top spot among 25 generational pop talents, including Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Drake and Lady Gaga. Billboard’s editorial staff selected Queen Bey for her “full 25 years of influence, evolution and impact,” the outlet announced.

“She’s been Beyoncé for 25 years now, and as she continues to challenge herself (and by extension, the rest of the pop world) to find new and different ways to be define [sic] greatness,” wrote Billboard deputy editor Andrew Unterberger, “it doesn’t seem like she’s going to stop being Beyoncé anytime soon.”

As part of its Beyoncé celebration, Billboard published an essay that chronicled the “Single Ladies” singer’s career from her Destiny’s Child days in the late 1990s to her most recent album, “Cowboy Carter.” The career retrospective praised the Houston native’s consistency, her ubiquity across music and other facets of pop culture — including film and fashion — and her “commitment to innovation.”

While the music outlet dedicated thousands of words to Beyoncé’s life and career, the singer’s mom, Tina Knowles, offered a handful in response to her daughter’s latest honor.

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“That’s nice. That’s very nice,” Knowles told TMZ during a brief exchange Tuesday evening on the Sunset Strip.

When the reporter asked whether her family gets “used to those titles” and accolades, Knowles simply responded, “Yeah.”

The “16 Carriages” and “Texas Hold ’Em” singer has not yet publicly addressed her latest honor.

Knowles, Destiny’s Child’s former costume designer and mother to “Cranes in the Sky” artist Solange, isn’t shy about celebrating her superstar kin. On her Instagram, Knowles hypes her daughters’ magazine covers, album sales and even their nonmusic ventures, such as Beyoncé’s Cécred haircare line and her SirDavis whiskey brand.

On Tuesday, Knowles also touted Beyoncé’s upcoming NFL halftime show. The Grammy winner’s performance will stream Christmas Day on Netflix when the Houston Texans host the Baltimore Ravens at NRG Stadium. Knowles told TMZ that “excellence” is what viewers can expect from the holiday gig.

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Taylor Swift, who soon will wrap her blockbuster Eras tour after nearly two years, secured the No. 2 spot on Billboard’s list. The historic Grammy winner (she is the only artist to win album of the year four times) “is the most famous woman in the world,” according to Billboard. However, the well-meaning praise inadvertently sparked a twofold backlash last week when her ranking was announced. Before Beyoncé landed the top spot, some of Swift’s legion of fans, known as Swifties, called out Billboard about her second-place ranking and made the case for the “Lavender Haze” singer to be No. 1.

“I like Beyoncé but she’s nowhere near Taylor’s level when it comes to impact and numbers,” a fan tweeted last week. Another Swift devotee on X (formerly Twitter) also cited the “Love Story” pop star’s “commercial success” and “record-breaking sales” as reasons for her to claim the top spot.

Adding salt to the wound, Billboard included a controversial snippet of Kanye West’s “Famous” music video in its montage meant to celebrate Swift. The Billboard clip reportedly featured the music video’s infamous wax figure modeled after a naked Swift, prompting Billboard to issue an apology for including the clip “that falsely depicted her.”

“We have removed the clip from our video and sincerely regret the harm we caused with this error,” the outlet tweeted.

In Tuesday’s Beyoncé reveal, Billboard acknowledged Swift’s accomplishments, lauding her as the “lone artist who really challenged Beyoncé for the top spot” and celebrating her dominance in album sales, streaming and touring. However, she “simply hasn’t been around for long enough to be able to match the expansiveness of [Beyoncé’s] quarter-century of dominance,” the magazine said.

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Still, Swift found success with Spotify, which announced Wednesday that the “Shake It Off” diva was its most-streamed artist of the year. Swift also earned the title last year.

“In her Global Top Artist era,” Spotify tweeted Wednesday. “Congratulations Taylor Swift on the over 26+ billion streams in 2024.”

Joining Swift as the audio platform’s top 10 global artists are fellow Billboard 21st century greatest pop star honorees Drake, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny and Kanye West.

“You guys are unbelievable. What an amazing thing to find out going into our last weekend of eras shows,” Swift wrote to fans Wednesday in an Instagram story. “THANK YOU!”

For Beyoncé and Swift, their respective Billboard and Spotify wins can be a boon as they prepare for the 2025 Grammy Awards. In November, Beyoncé earned 11 nominations, the most of the latest crop of Grammy hopefuls. Top nominees also include Charli XCX, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan and Swift.

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Who will win the top Grammy prizes? It’s best to stick around, ‘round, ‘round for when the ceremony is broadcast on CBS and streams live from Los Angeles’ Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 2

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Movie Reviews

Marielle Heller’s ‘NIGHTBITCH’ (2024) – Movie Review – PopHorror

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Marielle Heller’s ‘NIGHTBITCH’ (2024) – Movie Review – PopHorror

There are movies that can exceed expectations and then there are movies that don’t do anything other than exist and fulfill a slot in theaters and a resume-builder for some actors. Nightbitch is the latter of the two options.

The story centers around a middle-aged mother named…..Mother. That’s her name in the movie because apparently, that’s her entire identity in the realm of the story and her life revolves around being a stay-at-home mother with responsibilities towards her child and also dealing with a workaholic husband, who she deems as another child to have to take care of.

Meanwhile, she notices a large number of cysts growing all over her body as she develops more hair and animalistic tendencies to the point where she has turned into an actual dog, along with some of her other mom friends.

Let me start off by saying that this film feels like an overlong trailer for the film that is to come and seems largely unnecessary other than to give a hip hip hooray for the single mothers that feel overworked by their children and underappreciated by their spouses. 

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The whole tone of the film seems bizarre and is too raunchy for kids but also too demented and weird for adults to digest. It’s almost as if the filmmakers decided to combine the series Desperate Housewives and Teen Wolf to create some amalgamation of a hybrid film that looked more like a Superbowl Ad.

The sad part is that the only thing that was worth getting giddy about and putting a smile on your face was the little two-year-old boy doing whatever it was on screen, which was certainly cute.

This movie tried hard but it made no sense and it really was just a pastime for moms to line up and watch Amy Adams sympathize with their plight on screen. 

 

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Mariah Carey debunks Spotify video after AI theory: Just 'bad lighting and a red lip'

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Mariah Carey debunks Spotify video after AI theory: Just 'bad lighting and a red lip'

Mariah Carey using artificial intelligence to address her most devoted Spotify fans? The pop diva says that’s just simply fantasy.

The “All I Want for Christmas Is You” and “Fantasy” hit maker on Thursday debunked the speculation surrounding her fan message, which made the internet rounds amid Spotify’s annual Wrapped campaign earlier this week. In brief videos shared via Spotify, Carey and other artists including Kali Uchis and Taylor Swift thanked their top fans on the streaming platform for their support.

In Carey’s fan message, which some users reposted to X (formerly Twitter), the singer tells her fan base — a.k.a. lambs — “your support throughout the years is the greatest gift I can ask for.” In the video, Carey sits still on a dimly lighted set in front of Christmas trees and wearing her signature Santa Claus-inspired dress. The video quickly sparked AI speculation on social media.

“THIS HAS TO BE AI,” one user tweeted on Wednesday. While other fans echoed suspicions of AI use and joked about the singer’s stiff demeanor (“blink twice if ur ok,” a user wrote), others seemingly took a closer look at the pop star’s face — particularly her eyes. One user on Thursday wrote that the singer was “definitely reading off a teleprompter” in her video.

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The Grammy winner finally took matters into her own hands Thursday evening and revealed the culprits behind her bizarre video. “Bad lighting and a red lip have you all thinking this is AI??” Carey tweeted.

“There’s a reason I’m not a fan of either of those things,” she said before touting the next stop on her annual Christmas tour.

The self-appointed Queen of Christmas, who stopped by the Hollywood Bowl in November, celebrates the 30th anniversary of her album “Merry Christmas” this year. The LP included her infectious holiday hit “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” which has consistently climbed the charts since 2019.

In October, Carey told Times critic Mikael Wood that “it’s happened so many times that I’m thrilled.”

“And should it happen again, I would be even more thrilled,” she added.

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Though Carey might be most known for her Christmas classic, she encouraged her top Spotify fans — suspicious of AI use or not — to keep an eye out this week for more.

“I can’t wait to share new music with you soon,” she said.

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Movie Reviews

Jigra Movie Review

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Jigra Movie Review

Alia Bhatt takes center stage in Jigra, a high-stakes action thriller directed by Vasan Bala and produced by Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta under a whopping ₹90 crore budget. Released in theaters on October 11, Jigra is now streaming on Netflix. With a plot rooted in intense emotions and action, the film explores the unwavering bond between siblings against the backdrop of crime and justice.

Plot Summary
The story revolves around Satyabhama (Alia Bhatt) and her younger brother Ankur (Vedang Raina), who lose their parents at a young age. Growing up under the care of distant relatives, Satyabhama becomes both a guardian and protector for Ankur, always prioritizing his well-being and future.

Ankur travels to Hanshadhao Island for business with their distant cousin Kabir. However, a crime involving drugs, committed by Kabir, lands Ankur in jail. Betrayed by relatives, Ankur faces a death sentence, leaving Satyabhama devastated. Determined to save her brother, she embarks on a journey to Hanshadhao.

Despite meeting several authorities, Satyabhama learns that while the execution date can be postponed, overturning the death sentence is nearly impossible. She then forms alliances with Shekhar Bhatia, a former gangster, and Muthu, an ex-police officer. Together, they devise a risky plan to break Ankur and two other prisoners, Tony (Shekhar’s son) and Chandan (wrongfully imprisoned by Muthu), out of jail. The film unravels whether Satyabhama and her team can successfully execute their daring escape plan.

Analysis
Co-written by Devashish and Vasan Bala, Jigra is a gripping narrative of sibling love wrapped in a powerful action thriller. The first half focuses on Satyabhama’s legal efforts to free her brother, while the second half delves into high-octane action sequences as she takes matters into her own hands. The emotional depth of Satyabhama’s character, as the sole protector of her brother, is convincingly portrayed.

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The movie avoids unnecessary diversions, diving straight into the main plot. The prison scenes, though intense, are engaging and well-crafted. Alia Bhatt’s portrayal of a devoted sister is compelling, breaking away from usual romantic roles and proving her mettle in action-packed sequences.

Performances
This is Alia Bhatt’s film through and through. Her seamless transition between emotional vulnerability and fierce determination leaves a lasting impression. Supporting actors, including Vedang Raina (Ankur), Manoj Pahwa (Shekhar Bhatia) and Rahul Ravindran (Muthu) deliver commendable performances that add depth to the story.

Technical Aspects
The production design is top-notch, with naturalistic sets that immerse the audience in the gritty world of the film. Swapnil’s cinematography captures the tension and urgency of the prison and chase scenes brilliantly. The background score by Anshuth Thakkar elevates the film’s intensity, keeping viewers on edge throughout.

Verdict
Jigra is an emotional and action-packed journey that showcases the lengths a sister will go to save her brother. Alia Bhatt’s performance, combined with Vasan Bala’s direction and a gripping narrative, makes Jigra a must-watch for fans of the action-thriller genre. The film proves once again that Alia Bhatt can carry an intense and demanding role with finesse.

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