From walking Cornelia street to walking through a Taylor Swift-inspired corn maze, Swifties now have another destination to make a sacred pilgrimage following the pop star’s engagement to Travis Kelce.

Related

Johnson Farms in Kansas City recently unveiled a massive new corn maze on its property celebrating Swift and the tight end’s big news. The nine-acre exhibit features the couple’s silhouettes and the shapes of wedding rings etched into the cornfield via tractor, as well as the phrase, “Kansas City is enchanted.”

Now open to the public to explore, the Tayvis-themed corn maze was a no-brainer addition to the farm’s fall festivities for 2025, according to manager Jim Johnson. “It’s a great, great story and a great thing that’s playing out right in front of us,” he told local NBC affiliate KHSB 41 of Swift and Kelce’s engagement. “It’s kind of like, why wouldn’t you want to do that?”

“We’re really thankful for all that they’ve brought to Kansas City,” he added. “It’s been a lot of positive energy to the area and we’re just really grateful to be a part of that.”

The outlet also reports that the maze was created by Rob Stouffer of Precision Mazes, who said it took him nine hours to complete. “When [the engagement] came across on ESPN on my phone, I just sent a text to [Johnson Farms] that said ‘I have an idea,’” Stouffer said.

“We’re telling stories out here and this is a fun one to tell,” he continued. “There’s a lot of tragedy, a lot of sadness in our broken world. This is not one of those examples. This is an opportunity to celebrate the marriage of a couple.”

A new corn maze celebrating the love story of Chiefs tight Travis Kelce and pop superstar Taylor Swift has been carved by Precision Mazes into a 9-acre cornfield at Johnson Farms Plants and Pumpkins in Belton, Missouri on September 12, 2025.

A new corn maze celebrating the love story of Chiefs tight Travis Kelce and pop superstar Taylor Swift has been carved by Precision Mazes into a 9-acre cornfield at Johnson Farms Plants and Pumpkins in Belton, Missouri on September 12, 2025.

Kansas City Star/Getty Images

The sweet tribute comes just a few weeks after the 14-time Grammy winner and three-time Super Bowl champion announced their plans to tie the knot in an adorable Instagram post. Sharing photos of Kelce down on one knee and Swift wearing a massive diamond ring on her left hand, the pair wrote, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.”

The news came after about two years of dating, throughout which Swift has attended numerous Kansas City Chiefs games to cheer on the offensive player. The team’s latest matchup took place Sunday night (Sept. 14) at Arrowhead Stadium, where the singer was present, but kept her attendance more low-key.

And while Johnson Farms’ tribute may have been the corniest — literally — it was just one of countless demonstrations of congratulations Swift and Kelce have received in light of their big announcement. Everyone from Selena Gomez to Sabrina Carpenter and President Donald Trump sent well wishes after the couple’s reveal, while fans everywhere flooded the internet with excited posts in the weeks that followed.

See a video of Johnson Farms’ new Swift-Kelce installation below:


Billboard VIP Pass

Ever dreamed about Christina Aguilera announcing that you had a potential new hookup? Well, thanks to her new collaboration with LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr, that dream is now a reality.

Related

Grindr revealed in an announcement on Monday (Sept. 15) that Aguilera would be joining the app as its new “wingwoman,” and using her voice as a notification for fans. Swapping out the brand’s iconic “bloop” sound effect that lets users know they have a new match, the app will now play the first few seconds of the singer’s No. 1 hit song “Come on Over Baby (All I Want Is You),” letting users know that someone wants them to, well, come on over.

The new partnership comes just ahead of Aguilera’s upcoming headline set at Portola Music Festival, where she’s set to take to the stage on Saturday (Sept. 20). Aguilera will be joined at the festival by fellow headliners LCD Soundsystem, The Prodigy, Dom Dolla, Mau P, Arca and more.

“Portola, Grindr and me? That’s a threesome I can get behind,” Aguilera said of the new collaboration in a statement. “When that ‘Come On Over’ sound hits at the festival, or wherever you’re celebrating, I hope things get spicy!”

In a new video posted to celebrate the collaboration, Aguilera prepares for her Portola performance, while a number of assistants flit around her, confirming timelines for the show. When she starts hearing her own voice singing “come on over,” she gets flustered. “Guys, what the f–k is that?” she asks as each of her assistants responds to the Xtina-themed DMs they got on the app, leaving the dressing room with haste.

For much of her career, Aguilera has been heralded as an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, with many crediting her song “Beautiful” as a queer anthem. In a letter posted by Billboard in 2017, the pop superstar thanked her queer fans for their long-lasting support, and how that has impacted her own outlook on her career. “Please know that to me you all represent the daily driving voice that tells me to keep going, to triumph against all odds and to celebrate being unique,” she wrote at the time. “Because being unique doesn’t make us different from anyone else — it just makes us more special.”

Watch the announcement for Aguilera’s new Grindr collab below:


Billboard VIP Pass

Lil Nas X has entered an inpatient treatment program after being arrested and hit with felony charges for allegedly attacking police officers and resisting arrest while wandering naked in Los Angeles.

Lawyers for Lil Nas (Montero Hill) appeared in Los Angeles court on Monday (Sept. 15), but the 26-year-old musician was notably absent. Judge Shellie Samuels stated that Lil Nas is “in treatment” outside of California.

Related

“We’re not going to get specific about where he is,” said the judge. “It’s private, nobody needs to know where he is, but he is in treatment.”

Judge Samuels left Lil Nas’ bail at $75,000 and modified the conditions of his release so he can remain out of state. The rapper’s next court date is set for Nov. 18.

After the hearing, defense attorney Drew Findling spoke to press outside the courthouse and said they do not yet know when Lil Nas will be released from treatment. Findling did not specify the nature of his treatment program

“We’re doing what is best for Montero from a personal standpoint, and a professional standpoint, but most importantly for his well-being,” said Findling. “He is surrounded by an amazing family, an amazing team of people that care about him and love him, and we’re just addressing those issues. It’s really as simple as that. He’s had a great life, he’ll continue to have a great life. This is a bump that he’s gonna get over.”

Lil Nas was arrested in the early hours of Aug. 21 in Los Angeles’ Studio City neighborhood. The rapper was captured on video wandering the streets wearing only underwear and cowboy boots, and he allegedly charged at police officers who were attempting to take him into custody.

Related

After a brief hospitalization, Lil Nas was booked in jail. He spent the weekend in custody before being charged with three felony counts of battery with injury to a police officer and a fourth felony count of resisting arrest.

Lil Nas pled not guilty to the charges and was granted bail on Aug. 25. He posted on Instagram the next day, saying the encounter was “f—king terrifying” but assuring fans, “Your girl is gonna be all right.”

The rapper had engaged in some other unusual behavior in the days leading up to the naked walk through Los Angeles, including changing his name on Instagram to “Queen Madeline” and posting content of himself in various costumes.

Lil Nas’ father told news outlets that his son was experiencing mental instability during the incident. Police officers initially hospitalized the rapper for a possible drug overdose, but his attorneys have since stated that they do not yet know whether drugs were involved.

Maurene Comey, the lead federal prosecutor at Sean “Diddy” Combs sex-trafficking trial, is suing the Trump administration over her “unlawful and unconstitutional” firing in July.

Comey, the daughter of former FBI director James B. Comey, says she was terminated shortly after the Diddy verdict as political payback because her a father is one of President Donald Trump’s most famous foes.

“The politically motivated termination of Ms. Comey … upends bedrock principles of our democracy and justice system,” her lawyers write. “Assistant United States Attorneys like Ms. Comey must do their jobs without fearing or favoring any political party or perspective.”

Related

Comey, who worked at the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2015, rose to prominence as one of the lead prosecutors in the sex trafficking case against Ghislaine Maxwell, a top accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, eventually securing a guilty verdict and a 20-year prison sentence.

In December, she joined the team preparing to go to trial against Combs, who faced charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and prostitution over allegations that he “abused, threatened and coerced women” into partaking in drug-fueled sex parties.

At Diddy’s blockbuster trial in May, Comey often took center stage as the lead prosecutor on the case, questioning witnesses during the two-month courtroom showdown. But the results in that case were more mixed: Jurors largely acquitted Combs, convicting him only on lesser prostitution charges. He’ll face sentencing in October on those counts.

Weeks after the Diddy verdict dropped, Comey was terminated by the Department of Justice without explanation. In a leaked memo, she said she had been fired without cause and urged her former colleagues to show “righteous indignation at abuses of power.”

“If a career prosecutor can be fired without reason, fear may seep into the decisions of those who remain. Do not let that happen,” she wrote at the time, according to the Associated Press. “Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought.”

Related

In her lawsuit on Monday, Comey made those vague allegations more explicit: That she had been fired illegally because of her father, who drew Trump’s ire during his first administration and has become a persistent critic since Trump fired him in 2017.

“Ms. Comey’s termination was designed to retaliate against her based on her familial relation as the daughter of James B. Comey, or because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs, or both,” she says. “No other plausible explanation exists for her termination—and certainly none was provided.”

Comey says she “consistently received ‘Outstanding’ reviews and glowing feedback from her superiors.” She also says the move cannot be over her handling of the high-profile Epstein and Combs cases – since she was the only prosecutor fired from those teams.

Instead, her lawyers say she was fired for politics. They cited social media statements from conservative activist Laura Loomer, including one after news broke of Comey’s firing: “This comes 2 months after my pressure campaign on Pam Blondi [sic] to fire Comey’s daughter and Comey’s son in law from the DOJ,” Loomer wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The lawsuit sheds more light on the exact lead-up to Comey’s termination, including that she was fired via email at 4:57 p.m. on July 16 – a move that left her supervisors “visibly shocked and upset by the news.” When she immediately met with Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, she says he offered little additional explanation.

“Ms. Comey asked the basis for the termination,” her lawyers write. “U.S. Attorney Clayton responded, in sum and substance: ‘All I can say is it came from Washington. I can’t tell you anything else’.”

In technical terms, the lawsuit accuses the government of violating Comey’s constitutional rights to free speech and due process, of breaching the constitutional separation of powers, and of violating civil service protections for federal employees.

Spokespersons for both the Justice Department and Clayton did not immediately return requests for comment.

This week, Jake Owen returns with a tender love song, while Luke Bryan offers a heartfelt tribute to late country singer-songwriter Dan Seals. INK and Karley Scott Collins gear up for debut projects by previewing them with new music, while The Foreign Landers also offer up a soothing new song.

Check out all of these and more in Billboard‘s roundup of some of the best country, bluegrass and/or Americana songs of the week below.

Jake Owen, “Long Time Lovin’ You”

Jake Owen returns with an acoustic-driven, harmonica-laced track about enduring love in a world filled with short-lived circumstances. “Everything in this life’s temporary/ There ain’t nothing ours to lose,” he vulnerably muses on this Kendell Marvel and Will Jones-written song. To be included on Owen’s November album Dreams to Dream, co-produced by Shooter Jennings, this song showcases Owen’s warm, burnished vocal at its best.

Luke Bryan with Dan Seals, “Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold)”

Luke Bryan pays homage to the late singer-songwriter Dan Seals by joining their two voices on a recording of Seals’s 1986 hit. The new collaboration, produced by Seals’s producer Kyle Lehning, honors Seals’s music 16 years after his passing in 2009. Both Seals and Bryan share warm, conversational singing styles that revere the craft of songwriting, and this collaboration serves as a potent recognition of Seals’ enduring impact on country music. The collaboration is part of an upcoming project of duets from Seals and Bryan.

INK, “Sweet Tea”

Having worked on albums including Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album and Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, including the massive hit “Luther,” artist-writer INK melds swells of hip-hop, rock and country, with lyrics centered on family, on the new song “Sweet Tea.” Heart-deep honesty is a hallmark of this new track, which doesn’t shy away from recounting childhood memories drawn from how INK’s family pulled together in times of sadness, tragedy and financial constraints. Throughout the track, INK’s vocal is bold and assured, marking INK as a formidable talent with a unique vision for her genre-blending sound.

“Sweet Tea” is included on INK’s upcoming EP Big Buskin‘, out Oct. 3.

Karley Scott Collins, “Denim”

As Karley Scott Collins prepares to release her debut album Flight Risk on Sept. 26, Collins releases this smokey, moody, rock-woven track. Here, she’s stinging with regret over a relationship that proved toxic. “Wish I’d never tried you on like denim,” he sings. Collins’ husky, assured voice is commanding and unique within the country music landscape. On the upcoming album, she’s also devoted herself to not only contributing as a writer on every song, but co-producing the project and even playing several instruments, including banjo, bass and violin. Taken together, Collins is quickly cementing herself as an artist-writer with a signature sound, and a standout among country music’s new crop of artists.

The Foreign Landers, “Smell the Rose”

This duo’s David Benedict (mandolin) and Tabitha Agnew Benedict (banjo) offer up a tender reminder to soak in the fleeting moments of simple goodness as they come. Tabitha’s honeyed vocals (along with harmonies from the song’s co-writer Danielle Yother) are surrounded by swaths of fiddle, mandolin and acoustic guitar. Together, they make for a serene balm of respite during turbulent times.

Bad Bunny‘s No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency isn’t wrapping up just yet. The Puerto Rican superstar announced on Monday (Sept. 15) a surprise show that is set to livestream on Amazon Music.

Amazon Music’s “multilayered” collaboration with Bad Bunny “will showcase Puerto Rico on a global stage while delivering lasting community impact,” according to a press release. Bad Bunny will extend his No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí residency — which kicked off July 11 — with No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí: Una Más (I Don’t Want to Leave Here: One More), a special performance at José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum of Puerto Rico on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The show will be broadcast worldwide via livestream beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET on the Amazon Music app, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch (@AmazonMusic) and available to all Amazon customers on Prime Video.

Related

The final performance will observe the eighth anniversary of Hurricane Maria, and will launch a multiyear initiative between Bad Bunny and Amazon Music that spans education, disaster relief and cultural empowerment. The partnership, according to the press release, will implement programs that uplift Puerto Rico’s economy and create meaningful change across the island.

“Benito embodies the spirit of Puerto Rico, and together we’re creating a celebration that transforms his passion for the island into real impact for its people,” Rocío Guerrero, director of music, Latin-Iberia, Amazon Music, said in a statement. “By combining music, Amazon technologies, commerce and community programs at scale, we’re engaging global audiences to this historic moment while strengthening Puerto Rican communities. We are incredibly proud of this multiyear collaboration, which turns the power of music into meaningful and lasting progress for the island.”

“Puerto Rico is our home, and everything we do is shaped by the island and its people,” added Noah Assad, CEO, RIMAS Entertainment. “This collaboration is about more than music; it’s about honoring our culture and making sure the world not only sees Puerto Rico but also supports and invests in it. Together with Amazon, we’re creating something that will last long after the show ends.”

Registration for the Sept. 20 show is now open to residents with a valid Puerto Rico phone number at nomequieroirdeaqui.com. Fans who receive a code can access pre-sale starting Wednesday, Sept. 17, at 10 a.m. local time.

Bad Bunny’s historic 30-day No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí residency saw an influx of more 250,000 visitors during the run, positioning the island as an entertainment destination while benefiting the local economy and uplifting small businesses. Some of his guests throughout the residency included Belinda, Residente, Feid, Rauw Alejandro and Ozuna.

Selena Gomez seemed like she had a blast at Sunday night’s (Sept. 14) 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. After walking the red carpet in an elegant floor-length red Louis Vuitton halter gown with a long train alongside tuxedo-wearing fiancé Benny Blanco, Gomez took her seat next to Only Murders in the Building co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short to celebrate the Hulu series that came in with seven nominations.

Related

Not to worry, even though the show came away empty-handed, Gomez had a blast, as evidenced by an Instagram post on Monday morning (Sept. 15) in which Gomez wrote she was, “grateful for all these people forever and always. Came home to a surprise my baby put together.”

Following an initial slide of her and Blanco smiling at each other on the carpet, she posted a shot of the surprise Blanco set up for her at her house afterwards: a forest of candles in glass vases arrayed around her swimming pool and pool deck. Standing with her arms held out to the side and peering back at the camera with a satisfied smile, Gomez looked enchanted by Blanco’s latest romantic gesture.

Benny took the gratitude in style, writing in the comments, “i win an award every night (you).”

The picture roll also featured pics from the afterparty, where Gomez hung with Only Murders co-star Richard Kind and some crew members from the show, as well as a few moodily lit candids. Gomez also posed with co-star Martin from their seats at the Peacock Theater, added a video of Blanco’s candlelit surprise, a shot of her hugging Cate Blanchett from behind and a final snap of her, Martin and third show lead Martin Short in their seats at the awards. Her Instagram Story recycled some of the same snaps, plus a shot of her feet on the end of a chaise lounge as she enjoyed the candle surprise.

Blanco and Gomez revealed their engagement in December, though the couple have not yet announced their wedding date.


Billboard VIP Pass

He’s worked in radio, written stories for a broadcasting trade magazine and conducted data analysis for the U.S. Air Force and the National Security Agency (NSA).

His life experience to date has prepared Russ Penuell to become Billboard’s country, Christian and gospel charts and data analyst on Sept. 16, replacing senior chart manager Jim Asker, who concluded 10 years of full-time work in the role in August.

“I don’t know that there’s been anything else that I’ve done that seems so fitting,” Penuell says. “It just kind of all came together.”

Related

A native of Logansport, La., Penuell’s grandfather published a chain of newspapers in the state, and young Russ emulated his elder by hawking fact sheets and short stories at the side of the road much as other kids would sell lemonade. By his teens, Penuell was obsessed with another form of media, listening regularly to weekend countdown shows and taking them an extra step.

“I had a notepad and wrote down the songs, trying to predict where they would land on the countdown, not knowing what was going on behind it,” he recalls. “I was always fascinated with that.”

As a teen, Penuell badgered a local radio station for a job until management finally let him haul trash, and it grew into on-air work. When he landed a gig at KXKS Shreveport, La., the cluster included Country Radio Hall of Fame member Frank Page, whose 58-year tenure at KWKH included introducing Elvis Presley when The King debuted on the historic Louisiana Hayride in 1954. Penuell learned from Page’s work habits and stories on a weekend gospel show, developing a passion in the process for multiple formats of Christian music.

Subscribe to Billboard Country Update, the industry’s must-have source for news, charts, analysis and features. Sign up for free delivery every week.

He moved on to jobs with WCKT Fort Myers, Fla.; WFUS Tampa, Fla.; KPLX Dallas-Fort Worth; and WSM-FM Nashville, where he served as PD. That led to a five-year stint as radio editor for trade publication Country Aircheck and subsequent work with CMT.

Penuell transitioned into public service from there, becoming an intelligence analyst with the U.S. Air Force and the NSA. It was, perhaps, an unusual career move, but it heightened his fascination with data.

“They put you through intense training in pattern recognition, trying to be objective and thinking outside of the box,” Penuell recalls. “If it taught me anything, it’s the importance of trying to look at a data set from all angles. Very often, it was stuff that you just didn’t even think was related, and then you start putting the puzzle pieces together and you realize you found important information through a more holistic approach.”

Related

His extensive background will benefit Penuell — and Billboard — as he takes on the new position.

“We’re excited to welcome Russ to the Billboard family,” says Billboard executive vp of charts and data partnerships Silvio Pietroluongo. “His wide range of experiences with country and religious music genres, along with his data analytics skills, will bring a unique perspective to the role. Russ is only the fourth person to hold this position in the past 35 years, following Lynn Shults, Wade Jessen and Jim Asker, and I’m certain he’ll prove to be a worthy successor to that legendary trio.”

Asker, who will teach college courses after leaving Billboard, will continue with the company on a part-time basis to assist in the transition.


Billboard VIP Pass

Justin Bieber’s “Daisies” re-enters the top 10 of the Hot 100 while “Love Me Not” and “Tears” fall a couple spots, and Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” climbs into the top three, but will she be able to take No. 1 from HUNTR/X?

Tetris Kelly: This is the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for the week dated Sept. 20. “Daisies” is back in the top 10. “Love Me Not” slips to No. 9. HUNTR/X don’t miss, they’re up to eight. Tate and Morgan are locked at No. 7. Sabrina’s “Tears” falls to No. 6. Saja Boys “Soda Pop” rises to No. 5, as does their “Your Idol” to four. Sabrina Carpenter’s “Manchild” climbs to three. “Ordinary” is still at No. 2, and nabbing a fifth week at No. 1 is “Golden” from KPop Demon Hunters.

If you want more Billboard, make sure you hit the subscribe button and ring the bell to be notified on all our latest videos.

Demi Lovato is jumping into the deep end of her new music era with the announcement of a new album arriving this fall.

Related

The singer-songwriter revealed on Monday (Sept. 15) that their ninth studio LP, It’s Not That Deep, will drop on Oct. 24, sharing the project’s cover and a few remarks on Instagram. “this music is a reflection of where i am now,” Lovato wrote triumphantly. “so proud of all the work I’ve done, and now, it’s time to celebrate and have some fun!!!”

On the front of It’s Not That Deep — which Lovato wrote is the “cover art of my dreams” in her post — the vocalist stands nude, covered by a pink dress still on its hanger as more than a dozen people go about their business in a confusing scene that unfolds around the star. A pair of men play chess, one little boy runs with a soccer ball in his arms, and one woman places a pair of headphones over a man’s ears.

“we created the most beautifully chaotic scene surrounding me, and you know i had to lock the f–k in,” Lovato wrote of the artwork. “and thank you to my lovatics — i love you and i’ll never let you go.”

It’s Not That Deep will mark the Camp Rock alum’s first proper album since 2022’s Holy Fvck, which reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200. While that LP was distinctly rock-inspired, Lovato is reportedly pivoting back to dance-pop on their latest album, as evidenced by lead single “Fast” and follow-up track “Here All Night.”

The project will also mark Lovato’s first album since marrying husband Jordan “Jutes” Lutes, with whom she collaborated on tracks on Holy Fvck. The two musicians tied the knot this past May.

See Lovato’s announcement below.


Billboard VIP Pass