With Ariana Grande‘s Petal launching at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, the singer is taking a moment to share her appreciation to fans who helped make the LP her seventh chart topper.

Grande shared the news of her latest release’s triumphant debut on Sunday (Aug. 9) via an Instagram Story, where she reposted Billboard‘s headline about the set hitting No. 1.

“thank you from the bottom of my heart,” she wrote, adding a heart emoji to show love for her fans.

On Saturday, Grande posted a series of photos and short video clips documenting the making of the album on her Instagram grid. “petal forever,” she captioned the behind-the-scenes look.

The star wrapped the North American leg of her Eternal Sunshine Tour Friday night in Chicago. She next heads to London for the final performances on this tour, with 10 concerts at the 02 Arena spanning Aug. 15 to Sept. 1, before taking a breather from the public.

“i love you … i cannot believe that this concludes the north american leg of the eternal sunshine tour,” Grande wrote in a post this weekend marking the occasion. “i am overwhelmed with love and the deepest gratitude. thank you endlessly for the most special, beautiful, joyful and deeply fulfilling few months … i will cherish every moment of this time with you all & these memories forever. thank you, chicago … london, i cannot wait to see you soon. i love you all more than ever.”

Post-show, her brother Frankie also published a heartfelt message honoring his sister’s work — plus a video of himself and mom enjoying the concert at Chicago’s United Center — on his Instagram account.

“Family forever. I will have your back until the end of time. I am so proud of you and so happy for you. Last night was a beautiful celebration of your artistry and the magnificent eternal sunshine family you have built and created. It was a magical night. You are magical. You are my everything and I am so so happy I was there to see you shine on this tour one last time,” he said.

Once the Eternal Sunshine Tour concludes, Grande plans to take “a step back from visibility,” according to a statement from her rep shared with People last weekend. “She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances.” The break — which happens to come amid heightened public scrutiny about the singer’s physical appearance and weight, but was a decision that was “quietly made a long time ago” and not “reactive,” Grande says — includes bowing out of her previously announced starring role in an upcoming revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park With George, which was expected to open next summer in London.

The internet apparently doubted the real “U-S-H-E-R R-A-Y-M-O-N-D” was in the house this weekend at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, where the singer was on the bill for two nights with Chris Brown on their co-headlining Raymond & Brown Tour Aug. 7-8.

A rumor that Usher was replaced by a clone for his performance in East Ruthorford, N.J., Friday night was rampant enough to elicit a response from Usher himself (or was it?).

Several crying-laughing emojis were involved when Usher seemingly hit the comments section of footage from his own concert this weekend to address the conspiracy theory, which was being talked about on videos with hundreds of thousands of views across social media platforms.

“Ya’ll are funny…clone? They can’t clone this??” he wrote in one comment, saved and shared on @therandbtour on Instagram, a Raymond & Brown Tour update account that keeps fans in the know about what’s happening at each date on tour.

Another comment shows Usher quipping, “How ya’ll come up with this? AI ain’t that advanced.”

Meanwhile, folks on TikTok and X were side-eyeing clips from the show. “I’m confused. I see Usher but then I don’t,” one person remarked of the performer’s moves on a popular TikTok post, while others found themselves caught up with zooming in on cell phone video to track tattoo placement, or speculating that his cheekbones didn’t look like Usher’s. Others found it suspicious that the talent didn’t remove his sunglasses. Someone joked that it wasn’t Usher, it was “Unsure.”

Something just must’ve been in the air on Friday, which saw a delayed start due to thunderstorms but proceeded to deliver “a seamless performance,” Billboard‘s Carl Lamarre said in his factual recap of top moments from the show. “The three-hour bonanza was littered with dance numbers, acrobatic moves, special guests ranging from Lil Baby to 50 Cent and, of course, picture-perfect moments of Brown and Usher crossing paths onstage to deliver their classic collaborations.”

There’s a new addition to the Mattel family: the Whitney Houston Barbie Signature Doll.

The doll was unveiled Saturday evening (Aug. 8) at the fifth annual Legacy of Love Gala, presented by The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation and Primary Wave Music. The gala’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” theme was a nod to Houston’s 1987 global pop smash “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” whose music video inspired the look of the latest member of Mattel’s Barbie Signature Series.

Pat Houston, president of the foundation and executor of The Estate of Whitney E. Houston, co-hosted the gala (also celebrating Whitney Houston’s 63rd birthday on Aug. 9) with Kevin Frazier of Entertainment Tonight. In her remarks to the gala attendees at The Whitley Hotel in Atlanta, Houston said, “This evening, we celebrate more than the release of a doll; we celebrate the enduring legacy of an icon. The new Whitney Houston Barbie honors a woman whose voice, grace, beauty and spirit inspired generations around the world. May this doll remind every child and every collector that dreams have no limits, excellence leaves a lasting imprint and true greatness never goes out of style. Thank you, Mattel, for making one of Whitney’s dreams come true.”

VP and head of Barbie, Mattel Nathan Baynard commented, “Whitney Houston’s music has been the soundtrack to countless moments for fans around the world. Barbie is proud to honor her extraordinary legacy with the latest addition to the Barbie Signature Series. Created in close collaboration with Pat Houston, this doll celebrates her unmistakable style, joy and spirit. We hope it gives fans a meaningful way to celebrate the artist whose voice and influence continue to resonate around the world.”

The Legacy of Love Gala opened with a tribute to music industry legend and Houston mentor Clive Davis. He served as honorary chair of The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation for the last four years and was named to do so again this year before his passing in June. In addition to a special video honoring Davis, singer-songwriter-pianist Gordon Chambers performed “Greatest Love of All.”

“Clive Davis a man whose presence in my life and the life of Whitney Houston was profound,” noted Houston. “The world knows Clive as a visionary, a brilliant music principal and a man whose ear for greatness changed the course of music history. I knew him as someone even greater — a loyal friend, a steady hand and man who never wavered in his belief in the people he loved. Words cannot fully express the loss I felt and have experienced with his passing. I will always remember him as one of the greatest architects of music and a man of heart, integrity and enduring love.”

Houston’s longtime collaborator (“Exhale [Shoop Shoop],” “I’m Your Baby Tonight”) and friend Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds was the gala’s headline performer. In addition to performing several of his classic hits, Edmonds brought out surprise special guest Chanté Moore. The pair sang “Why Does It Hurt So Bad,” the Babyface-produced song from 1995’s Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album. Houston’s brother Gary Houston also teamed with singer Jada Nikole to perform a reimagined version of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).”

As the latest music artist featured in the Barbie Signature Series, Houston joins a circle of prior honorees that includes Miley Cyrus, Aaliyah, Stevie Nicks, Gloria Estefan, Tina Turner, Diana Ross and Elton John. The Barbie Dream Gap Project will also donate to the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation, which provides educational opportunities, grants and scholarships for young people. The Whitney Houston Barbie Signature Doll is available now in Target stores and online at Amazon, Walmart, Target and Mattel Creations for an SRP of $60. 

Also available now at Target is the Tiny Vinyl release of Houston’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” backed with “So Emotional.” Earlier this year, Houston and her legacy were saluted by The Recording Academy’s presentation of its Special Merit Lifetime Achievement Award. And on Aug. 11 (10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET), Julien’s Auctions — in partnership with The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation — will host a benefit sale of more than 50 unique items from Houston’s personal collection.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

Beats has long been a leader in the audio game, with their wireless headphones and earbuds consistently topping bestsellers lists and worn by some of the biggest celebrities and musicians in the industry.

But Beats products used to cost a pretty penny, running you into the hundreds of dollars for a brand new pair of buds. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case, as the latest Amazon deal discounts the popular Beats Solo Buds down to an all-new low price of just $69.

These earbuds used to be over $100 and were re-priced at $79.99 at the beginning of the year. Now you can an additional $10 off, making it the cheapest price we’re seeing for a pair of brand new Beats.

BEST DEAL ONLINE

Beats Solo Buds Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds

$69.95 $79.99 13% off

Buy Now On Amazon

Amazon says more than 2,000 shoppers have picked up these Beats earbuds in the last month alone. What’s more: the same earbuds deal sold out at Walmart, so Amazon is the best place to score the discounted price.

---

The Beats Solo Buds are wireless earbuds that boast the brand’s premium audio quality with big range, clarity and crispness. Music is loud and punchy and you can further customize your settings with the Beats App. These earbuds work with both Apple and Android devices.

Battery life is super strong, with up to 18 hours with the included charging case. In a rush? A quick five-minute charge gets you up to one hour of playtime. The case itself is the smallest charging case Beats has ever made, and slides easily into your pockets or bag.

The earbuds fit comfortably in your ears and this deal includes four different eartip sizes so you can find the best fit. We love how lightweight they feel and they’ve been great for workouts and runs too. Beats says its specially-designed “laser-cut vents” help to “improve audio performance while relieving pressure for added comfort.”

Everything pairs easily over Bluetooth, with fewer drop outs, whether you’re listening to a playlist or taking a call.

Regularly $79.99, get the Beats Studio Buds Wireless Earbuds on sale for just $69 on Amazon. This deal is moving fast, so we recommend adding to cart before the sale ends or quantities run out. Choose from four colors on sale. See full details here.

From must-have electronics to dorm room deals, you can shop more Back to School savings on Amazon.com.

Madonna is remembering William Orbit following his death.

On Saturday (Aug. 8), the Queen of Pop took to social media to remember her Ray of Light producer following his death at age 69.

“I had an epiphany when I met you and started working with you,” Madonna wrote on Instagram. “I realized that music did not have to fit into categories or genres. So we created our own.”

The superstar singer’s post included a clip of her acceptance speech at the 1999 Grammy Awards, where Orbit stood by her side as they accepted the award for best pop vocal album. Ray of Light peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200.

She continued, “You pressed a magic button inside of me and I fell into a galaxy of unrealized dreams. Your music gave me a magic carpet to fly on and I visited many places. Sad and Joyful.”

Orbit died at his home on July 23, but his death was announced Friday (Aug. 7). A cause of death was not given.

The producer first remixed Madonna songs including “Justify My Love” and “Erotica” before the pair collaborated on her 1998 album, Ray of Light. His signature sound, incorporating elements of techno, trip-hop and downtempo, can be heard throughout the album.

“I sang in ways I’d never sung before,” Madonna wrote in her tribute. “I used words without caring if they made sense or not. In many ways you were my Ray of Light — as was my daughter Lola who was born around this time.”

She added, “I was starting a new chapter, I was choosing another road to walk down — and you were right by my side with your crooked teeth and your genius, way of hearing music. The studio was often church like and I would sit in silence, waiting for your ideas to explode out of your keyboard or your guitar and then I would run with them…”

The pair frequently worked together over the following decade, with Orbit receiving production credits on “Beautiful Stranger,” “American Pie” and songs on Madonna’s 2000 album Music and 2012’s MDNA.

“I miss those days. Only you could inspire me to write a song like Drowned World or Swim. You were so otherworldly. So singular,” Madonna wrote. “The years passed and I moved on to make music with other people, but I have never forgotten you or the magical time we spent together. Goodbye Billy Bubbles. I was so lucky to have known you and fallen down the rabbit hole with you.”

See Madonna’s full tribute to Orbit on Instagram below.