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Selena Gomez and her sister Gracie were among the thousands of Swifties in attendance at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday night (April 1). The two were spotted in the crowd for Swift’s second night at the venue on the Eras Tour, dressed to support Gomez’s longtime friend.
Gomez channeled Folklore with her hair pulled back and a white, flowing dress with cardigan, while her sister wore a purple gown reminiscent of Swift’s Speak Now era.
Fans at the concert captured Gomez having the time of her life singing and dancing along to Lover standout “Cruel Summer,” which Swift debuted live on this tour.
Swift’s Eras Tour has a three-night run at AT&T Stadium this weekend. On night one, she swapped in three new songs in her set list: “The 1,” “Sad Beautiful Tragic” and “Ours.” Read Billboard‘s full review of the March 31 concert here.
Get a glimpse at Selena and Gracie’s Swift-inspired outfits in the clips shared by concertgoers below, and check out a full list of celebs who’ve stopped by the Eras Tour so far.
A federal judge on Friday (March 31) temporarily blocked Tennessee’s first-in-the-nation law placing strict limits on drag shows just hours before it was set to go into effect, siding with a group that filed a lawsuit claiming the statute violates the First Amendment.
The decision comes after Memphis-based Friends of George’s, an LGBTQ+ theater company, filed the federal lawsuit Monday against Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy and the state.
U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker issued the temporary injunction after hearing arguments on both sides Thursday.
Parker wrote that the state has failed to make a compelling argument as to why Tennessee needed the new law, adding that the court also agrees the statute is likely vague and overly broad.
The word “drag” doesn’t appear in the new law, which instead changed the definition of adult cabaret in Tennessee to mean “adult-oriented performances that are harmful to minors.” Furthermore, “male or female impersonators” are now classified as a form of adult cabaret, akin to strippers and topless, go-go and exotic dancers.
The law banned adult cabaret performances from public property or anywhere minors might be present. Performers who break the law risk being charged with a misdemeanor or a felony for a repeat offense.
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“The law prohibits a drag performer wearing a crop top and mini skirt from dancing where minors might see it, but does not prohibit a Tennessee Titans cheerleader wearing an identical outfit from performing the exact same dance in front of children,” the initial complaint contends.
Parker also listed concerns aligning with the group’s argument that the law was overly broad, questioning the location specifications of a cabaret entertainment venue that might be viewed by a minor.
“Does a citizen’s private residence count? How about a camping ground at a national park?” Parker wrote. “Ultimately, the Statute’s broad language clashes with the First Amendment’s tight constraints.”
The complaint also details the efforts last year to block a drag show at a park in Jackson, west of Nashville, as part of a Pride festival. A legal complaint spearheaded by Republican state Rep. Chris Todd and Republican state Sen. Ed Jackson sought to prevent the show, forcing organizers to reach a settlement to hold the event indoors with an age restriction.
“After abusing the state courts to violate the First Amendment rights of Jackson Pride, Rep. Todd ‘was asked to come up with legislation that would make this much more clear’ — that drag performances in front of children are a violation of Tennessee law,” the complaint argues.
Parker referenced Todd’s actions in his Friday decision, saying the state attorney general’s office failed to give a clear answer on the purpose of the new law given Tennessee’s current obscenity laws.
During Thursday’s hearing, Mulroy told the judge that he didn’t object to a temporary restraining order.
“There has been much concern and confusion about the law from the community,” Mulroy said in a statement to The Associated Press. “This will allow the court to clarify the scope, application, and constitutionality of the statute. It’s important to understand the scope of this law so that it doesn’t have a harmful effect on constitutionally protected expression.”
A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Friday.
The Tennessee drag law marks the second major proposal targeting LGBTQ+ people passed by state lawmakers this year. Republican Gov. Bill Lee signed into law GOP-backed legislation banning most gender-affirming care.
Lee has faced criticism for approving the anti-drag show law, particularly since a photo surfaced of him as a high school senior dressed in women’s clothing in 1977.
Lee called comparing the two issues “ridiculous.” When asked for specific examples of inappropriate drag shows taking place in front of children, Lee did not cite any, but said he was concerned about protecting children.
Rihanna posted a new video of her 10-month-old baby adorably keeping the star from getting her workout in.
The singer, who’s pregnant with her second child with A$AP Rocky, shared the personal video with fans on her social media accounts on Saturday (April 1).
“Look who don’t want mommy to workout,” the singer captioned the cute clip, in which she’s busy cuddling her son — even though she looks ready to exercise in her black Savage X Fenty sports bra.
Rihanna welcomed her first child in May 2022 and announced her second pregnancy by debuting her bump at her Super Bowl halftime show performance in February.
In March, she showed off her growing belly at the 2023 Academy Awards, where she performed best original song nominee “Lift Me Up” from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Watch Rihanna’s latest video below.
Maude Apatow’s nerves on stage at the off-Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors resulted in a visit to the hospital.
The actress, who’s starring as Audrey opposite Tony winner Matt Doyle’s Seymour in the theatrical production at New York City’s Westside Theatre through April 30, says she suffered a concussion in the middle of a recent performance.
“I’m always really kind of in a panic the entire time, and I was running offstage, and I guess my eyes were kind of adjusting to the light, and I just ran full speed into the wall,” Apatow, who said she’s always had stage fright, explained during an appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers on Friday (March 31).
“I got a concussion,” she said, but finished the show anyway. “It was insane. I don’t know what I was doing.”
Apatow added that the injury made her an extra emotional Audrey: “I swear I was just like almost crying the rest of the show … I was like, ‘OK, but get through it, get through it, get through it!’ And then yeah, after the show, I think the adrenaline wore off, and I was like, ‘I need to go to the hospital.’”
“But I’m all good now,” Apatow said. She told Meyers that playing Audrey is “extra special” because Little Shop was one of the first musicals she saw as a child.
Watch the interview below.
It took about one minute for R&B singer-songwriter Victoria Monét to sell out her first-ever headlining concert. In 2016, she served as one of the opening acts for tours by Fifth Harmony and Ariana Grande — the latter of whom she has written a number of hits for, including Billboard Hot 100 No. 1s “Thank U, Next” and “7 Rings” — and performed her first solo festival gig at Day N Vegas just two years ago. But for about one hour at Los Angeles’ El Rey Theatre on Friday night (March 31) , Monét took her “motherf—in’ moment” and never let go.
From the “Moment” the curtains pulled back on the 33-year-old performer, who appeared in a shimmering bronze and green bikini and mesh pants, she instantly blew her fans away. Monét’s windswept, wavy blond hair framed the face of a tried-and-true performer who was somehow just getting her start. The singer’s monumental show kicked off Spotify’s “R&B First Nights” campaign, which aims to amplify the genre’s rising stars by supporting their first live show across select U.S. markets. The campaign, which is financially backed by Spotify’s Creator Equity Fund, will also support U.K. R&B trio FLO‘s Atlanta show next month as part of their first North American tour. Funny enough, when Billboard asked FLO in a recent interview who they were dying to collaborate with, the girl group named Monét.
And it comes as no surprise, considering Monét bodies being a triple threat. She continuously accentuated her assets during her “Ass Like That” performance, singing about her personal fitness journey and a guy who’s absolutely enamored by her results. The subject matter hits close to home, as her partner and the father of her 2-year-old daughter Hazel, John Gaines, is a personal trainer, who fans were introduced to in the whimsical, breath-taking “Moment” music video from early 2020. Both proudly watched Monét in awe among the evening’s star-studded audience, which included Lauren Jauregui, Ambré, Muni Long, Joyce Wrice, Kelela, Ty Dolla $ign, Ravyn Lenae and more.
She not only earned respect from her industry peers and family, but also her fans, who got audibly excited at the sight of her viral dance routine to Trillville featuring Cutty Cartel’s 2004 hit “Some Cut.” The famed squeaky bed frame sounds provided a seamless transition into her 2020 Jaguar cut “Dive,” but Monét wanted to slow things down even more for “Touch Me.”
Scattering spotlights showered the now-perched singer, who basked in it — a rather rare moment for someone who has spent years behind a pen, tucked away in a studio and nowhere near a stage that would give her her own shine apart from any superstar she’s ever worked with in her storied career.
Monét made sure the crowd never forgot who she is, seducing one of her female backup dancers to flaunt her bisexual identity during “F.—” as glowing pink lights filled the 771-capacity venue with lust. She treated her day one fans with touches of nostalgia, playing songs off her 2018 albums, Life After Love, Pt. 1 and Pt. 2. And for one very special fan named Aubrey, Monét brought her up on stage to personally thank her for supporting her all of these years and gifted her a signed vinyl. She later brought up her longtime photographer Alfredo Flores to capture the moment, with the entire audience unpromptedly throwing up a peace sign for the camera, potentially in reference to her upcoming Jaguar II era.
“Take your phones out and light this bi— up, cause you can’t smoke in here!” Monét yelled before diving into her latest, Lucky Daye-assisted single “Smoke.” Once it cleared, she payed homage to her first Jaguar project by giving the audience a truly groovy “Experience” with technicolor lighting that mimicked a disco ball in efforts to transport them straight to the ’70s. But she (literally) snapped everyone back into reality with the same celestial keys that played at the start of the show, but this time, for “Jaguar.” If another Austin Powers movie were to be made today, Monét made her case for why she would be his foxy sidekick (the way Beyoncé once played) with her razor sharp, yet incredibly fluid movements and overall awe-inspiring, superstar presence.
Triumphant trumpets blared for her grand finale and later replayed once Monét returned to the stage, with an adorably stunned baby Hazel in her arms, to bask in this moment just once more. “I just wanted to say thank you to my team. Thank you guys all for coming. This is a team effort. I have the name Victoria Monét, but that name is plural. It’s my team that got me here,” she said above bouts of roaring applause, with her team standing all around her, including her manager Rachelle Jean-Louis and producer D’Mile. “And thank you Spotify for believing in me to have this moment and to kick off your ‘[R&B] First Nights.’
“I wanted to make this night extra special for you guys, too. I know you guys have been waiting for Jaguar II for a really long time,” she teased. “And because you guys sold this show out in one minute, I just wanted to give you a little sneak peek.” While taking a hefty sip from a Veuve Clicquot champagne bottle (if you know, you know), Monét played a snippet of a new slinky, hip-hop-leaning track that featured her signature funky trumpets signaling her victory lap.
Victoria Monét’s El Rey setlist:
“Moment”
“Big Boss (Interlude)”
“Ass Like That”
“Dive”
“Touch Me”
“F.U.C.K.”
“We Might Even Be Falling in Love (Interlude)”
“Do You Like It”
“New Love”
“Freak”
“Monopoly”
“Smoke”
“Coastin’”
“Experience”
“Jaguar”
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