JD Vance can’t resist a good love story. Despite his and Taylor Swift‘s political differences, the vice president offered words of congratulations after finding out about her recent engagement to Travis Kelce.

While speaking to USA Today at the White House on Wednesday (Aug. 27), Vance expressed that he’s rooting for the happy couple, who announced their plans to get married the day prior. “I’m a romantic when I see two people who are in love getting married,” he began.

“I just wish ’em the best, and I congratulate ’em,” Vance continued. “I hope they have a very long and healthy and happy life together.”

That said, the former senator also remarked that he thinks “by and large, people want politicians to focus on politics, and they want celebrities to focus on whatever it is that made them famous, whether it’s singing or dancing or acting.”

Ironically, Donald Trump has focused his energies on pop cultural figures such as Swift — people whom Vance probably wouldn’t consider to have a place in politics — countless times throughout his two presidential terms. Taking a particular interest in the Eras Tour headliner over the past year, he’s done everything from mock Swift for getting booed at the 2025 Super Bowl to declaring on Truth Social, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT,” although he did also share words of congratulations after hearing about her engagement to the Kansas City Chiefs tight end.

“Well, I wish them a lot of luck,” the twice-impeached POTUS said during a cabinet meeting on the day of Swift and Kelce’s announcement. “I think he’s a great player, I think he’s a great guy, and she’s a terrific person, so I wish them a lot of luck.”

The leader of the free world and his second in command are far from the only people who have chimed in on the famous couple’s engagement. After the pair shared photos of Kelce’s romantic rose-garden proposal and Swift’s enormous diamond engagement ring, they were met with an overwhelmingly positive response from friends and fans — and even some critics, Megyn Kelly included — online.

“I am not a Taylor Swift fan for many reasons, but I respect the empire she has built,” the Megyn Kelly Show host wrote on her website following the news. “With Taylor Swift being an American billionaire who is not even 40, I think it is great that she finally found love. I really do. I am rooting for them. I don’t think it is a coincidence that the person she ultimately decided to settle down with is a real man, is a football player, is a tough guy who doesn’t really take a lot of s–t from people.”

Actor and comedian Orlando Jones is launching GangStirRock, a new record label in partnership with KMG Distribution. The deal, negotiated by KMG’s head of distribution Ross Robley and Buchwald’s Scott Kaufman, includes project management, sync licensing and DSP promotions, allowing Jones to sign and develop artists directly. Known for roles in American Gods, Abbott Elementary and a particularly memorable scene in Office Space, Jones brings decades of creative success — from helping to launch the FX Network to winning an Emmy for VR work. His career spans cult films, political dramas and writing for shows like MADtv and Martin. GangStirRock reflects his mission to empower artists.  “Wash gently your borrowed opinions. Avoid the cycle of spin. Warm irony suggested. This ain’t hip hop. This ain’t rock and roll. This is GangStirRock — all rebels welcome,” said Jones.

Universal Music India (UMI) entered a strategic partnership with Maddock Films and its new music label, Mad For Mussic, led by Dinesh Vijan. This collab positions UMI as the global partner for Maddock’s future film soundtracks and music ventures, expanding UMI’s footprint in India’s dominant film music market. UMI, which has a long-standing legacy in Hindi film music through soundtracks like Sholay and Devdas, is re-entering the film music space through this partnership. Execs from both companies praised the alliance, with UMG’s Adam Granite calling it a “crucial step forward for our India business,” adding that “Dinesh Vijan is not just a Hindi film industry veteran, he is a first-class story-teller with an unparalleled ear for music.” Vijay, the founder of Maddock Films, said that given music is “one of the central pillars” of his films, “UMG is a perfect partner for our ambitions, as we step into the next growth phase of Maddock, developing some of the most sought after movie franchises and creating new genres.”

Mom+Pop Music, the indie founded by Michael Goldstone, announced a global partnership with Virgin Music Group. Co-owned by Goldstone and Thaddeus Rudd, Mom+Pop tries to raise its artists to have creative control and stability in development. M+P’s roster features established acts like MGMT, Caamp and Magdalena Bay, alongside emerging artists such as Tiny Habits and Galdive, while also nurturing Grammy-nominated talents like Flume and Courtney Barnett and achieving major streaming milestones. Virgin co-CEOs Nat Pastor and JT Myers praised Mom+Pop’s leadership as having “built one of the most respected and successful independent labels in the world.” In 2025, Goldstone and Rudd launched PIPES Music, a creative agency supporting digital strategy. Mom+Pop operates from New York, LA and Nashville.

YouTube and Bandsintown partnered to integrate concert listings into YouTube and YouTube Music, allowing users to discover live events directly on artist channels, videos and Shorts. Artists using Bandsintown for Artists will see their tour dates automatically displayed on YouTube, boosting visibility and — fingers crossed — ticket sales. The pact also introduces concert notifications and expands Bandsintown’s global reach, reinforcing its role as a leading live music data provider with over 2.3 million annual events.

Beatoven.ai unveiled Maestro, a fully licensed generative AI music model built in collaboration with rights holders and powered by Musical AI’s attribution and revenue-sharing platform. Data partners include Rightsify, Soundtrack Loops and Symphonic Music, among others. Maestro said it wants to help users generate instrumental tracks — with sound effects and vocals coming soon — while ensuring fair compensation for creators. The model supports fine-tuning for new genres and styles and offers tools for catalog owners to analyze and surface music metadata. 

SongTools paired with LabelWorx to fully integrate its marketing tools into the distribution platform for independent electronic and dance music labels. This integration gives LabelWorx users seamless access to SongTools’ features — playlist outreach, smart links, ad deployment and performance analytics — directly within their workflow. Designed to level the playing field for independent artists, SongTools removes technical and financial barriers to professional marketing. “This integration with SongTools gives our users direct access to powerful, time-saving promotional tools right where they work, said LabelWorx vp of artist, content and labels Dominic Kerley. “It’s a win for artists, a win for labels, and a major step forward in streamlining the release process.”

Tips Music Ltd acquired Studio Radha‘s 4,000-song catalog, expanding into Gujarat’s cultural heritage and boosting its regional music portfolio. The collection, featuring devotional and folk genres, will stream globally under the Tips Music banner. Known for iconic Bollywood and regional hits, Tips Music now holds over 34,000 songs and continues working with top Indian artists.

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While tons of celebrities and influencers have entered the makeup space over the past few years, when Lady Gaga announced the creation of her brand, Haus Labs, it was one that actually made sense.

While the brand launched in 2019, Mother Monster has a reputation for serving looks, whether in her live performances, on tour or in her iconic music videos. She’s always taken risks with makeup, and proven that her looks can hold up through her intense choreography, and even rain and weather during live performances (and obviously the “Rain on Me” video with Ariana Grande).

Sarah Tanno is Gaga’s personal makeup artist and the artistic director for Haus Labs. Tanno has been a makeup artist for decades, and having her as the artistic director for the brand makes sense not only because of her background, but because of her breadth of knowledge in creating different types of looks for performers and events.

Haus Labs is definitely a reflection of years of experience in the beauty world, and the products really hold up and speak for themselves. All of the products are infused with skincare, including plant squalane, which may help hold moisture in the skin. Even the bronzer has fermented arnica, which may help reduce inflammation and redness.

We’ve rounded up all of the best beauty products from the brand that you really shouldn’t miss out on.

This is a new product for Haus Labs and one we’ve been dying to talk about. While the brand has bronzers to bring warmth to the face, it has no contour products that would allow makeup enthusiasts the ability to build out shapes and shadows on their faces. Enter the Precision Sculpt Shaping Balm Contour Stick. Retailing for $30, this product is a cream formula that comes in nine total shades for all skin tones. The finish is matte and features a medium but buildable coverage, the perfect amount of pigment for a contour product. The stick glides on and blends away effortlessly, defining the hollows of the face for a sculpted look. The formula is also long-lasting, settling in for up to 12 hours of wear.

Glossy lips with a hydrating, non-sticky feel? Sign us up. This PhD Hybrid Lip Glaze Plumping Gloss retails for $26 and comes in about six shades, although our favorite is Persimmon. This gloss is said to be a four-in-one formula that combines a lip oil, gloss, balm and plumper. The vegan formula is tinted and leaves the lips looking ultra glossy and plump without a burning sensation often associated with plumping products. The color payoff is medium to light but very buildable, so don’t expect a punch of pigment upon your first swipe. To use, we’d recommend partnering this product with a lip liner, namely the Haus Labs Le Monster Lip Crayon Vegan Lipstick and Lip Liner.

Haus Labs has a whole host of stick products that make makeup application a breeze. Their Bio-Radiant Glassy Balm Highlighter Stick for $30 is no exception. The cream highlighter comes in six shades, including gilded and pink hues. The highlighter is exceedingly unique because of its hydrating formula. The hydrating factor comes into play thanks to hyaluronic acid, an ingredient that naturally provides moisture and elasticity to the skin. The balmy formula glides onto the skin, offering a natural and healthy-looking sheen. To use, we’d reccomend applying to the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, brow bone and temple. These are spots on the face where the light naturally hits.

This is one of the first Haus Labs products that I tried — and it made me pay attention to the brand. It feels really nice on the lips, and that’s due to ingredients such as prickly pear oil and vegan collagen. It’s available in eight different colors and looks great on its own for a flush of color, or over lipstick for added shine. The gloss currently retails for $26.

Fermented arnica is clinically tested to be non-comedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores or irritate skin that’s sensitive or prone to breakouts. It is available in 51 shades, which includes six shade families that break down into warm, cool and neutral categories. The coverage is described as medium-buildable, which means that it can range from sweat and humidity-proof and long wear. 

Much like the foundation, this concealer is available in 31 shades that are broken into four color categories: rosy, golden, peach and neutral. It is designed to provide coverage and de-puffing, which the brand says will happen more and more as you wear, with two weeks being the sweet spot. Regardless, it pairs super well with the foundation and it works to cover up blemishes and texture as well.

This is one of those rare lip shades that manages to create a matte look that isn’t cakey or too drying. That’s partially because it’s packed with mango seed oil that may help nourish the lips in addition to adding color. The Rose Matte hue is a personal favorite, and it’s so easy to apply thanks to the pointed crayon-style tip that allows for both precision and coverage. 

It’s rare to see a highlighter in a pink shade, as usually they feature golden or silver hues that are designed solely to draw the light to the top of the cheek and brow bones. And while those colors are also available in this product, colorways such as the Rose Quartz manage to infuse a stunning rosy color into a highlighter that isn’t overwhelming. In addition to being used as a highlighter, this product would serve as a great setting option for liquid blush. 

This product is where I see Lady Gaga’s love of bold really come into play. It can be used anywhere on the face, but the photos suggest that it’s been largely used as an eyeliner that’s transfer- and waterproof. It comes in six shades and two finishes — matte and shimmery.

Setting powders are the only way to keep your concealer from running down your face, and to keep your eyeliner from transferring to your under eye. This one also blurs, which is especially amazing for the under-eye area, as it may help reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and darkness. It contains the brand’s fermented arnica, which is intended to reduce the signs of redness, as well as plant squalane, which holds in moisture.

Glassy, dewy looks have been trending for a while now, and that’s largely due to the fact that it makes everyone’s skin appear healthier and more moisturized. This blush balm stick does a great job of staying in place while adding a tad of shine and a punch of color.

This buildable blush comes in powder form. However, it somehow maintains an almost gel-like consistency. This makes it perfect for the cheeks, but Gaga’s makeup artist has also shared that she loves to use it on the lips. The finish is velvety, which further complements its usage in different areas.

Few stars have captivated the music world over the past 12 months like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar — and both have tapped Compton-bred choreographer Charm La’Donna to help bring their culture-shifting songs to life.

A protégée of famed choreographer Fatima Robinson, the 37-year-old started as a backup dancer for Madonna’s Confessions Tour in 2006 while in her senior year at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. She has since worked (and won MTV Video Music Awards) with Rosalía and Dua Lipa, but this year she’s experiencing a first: At the Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, she’ll compete against herself in outstanding choreography for variety or reality programming with Beyoncé Bowl and Lamar’s Super Bowl LIX halftime show.

One week prior (Sept. 7), she’ll aim for her third best choreography Moonperson with Lamar’s “Not Like Us” at the VMAs. She says with a laugh about doubling up on Emmy nominations, “I had my teary-eyed moment, and then I noticed [and said], ‘Oh, my God. Not me going against myself!’ “

“Not Like Us” Music Video

As a victory lap in his beef with Drake, Lamar dropped the triumphant, Dave Free-helmed music video for “Not Like Us,” featuring crip walking and clowning. “It’s an honor to create with [dancer] Tommy the Clown because it’s homegrown,” La’Donna says. “L.A. makes up so many of the nuances of who I am and my art.” La’Donna was “listening as a fan like everybody else” when she got the “surreal” call to choreograph the video, extending her history with Lamar, which includes a stint as his sole female dancer on his 2017 DAMN. tour. “I feel the music and get inspired by the dancers in the room,” she says. “Being myself and allowing my moves to come out organically is my storytelling.”

Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show

For the first halftime show headlined by a solo rapper, La’Donna used her previous Super Bowl experience (she choreographed The Weeknd’s 2021 performance) and held freestyle-dominant auditions that examined “ability, potential and camaraderie.” Lamar’s cinematic show, which featured SZA and Samuel L. Jackson, used his career-spanning setlist and dance formations to offer a critique of America, relying on nuance over spectacle. From his flare jeans to his cheeky smile, there were many viral moments — few as replicated as Lamar’s jig down the gridiron to “Not Like Us.” To translate that energy to 133.5 million viewers (according to the NFL), La’Donna choreographed for the cameras, too: “I paid extra care and attention to where [they] were and what each one was doing.”

Beyoncé Bowl

Beyoncé saved her first Cowboy Carter-era performance for Netflix’s Christmas Day NFL halftime show in Houston. For the occasion, she rallied special guests (including Shaboozey and Post Malone, as well as her daughter Blue Ivy) and tapped hundreds of dancers, instrumentalists, cheerleaders and rodeo cultural figures. To help the performance flow seamlessly, Queen Bey looked to an all-star team of choreographers comprised of La’Donna, Tyrik Patterson, Christopher Grant and Parris Goebel. “When dealing with thousands of people and props, I remove the pressure of any expectations outside of doing my best and being my best self in that space,” La’Donna says, stressing the show’s ambitious scale.

This story appears in the Aug. 30, 2025, issue of Billboard.