Ariana's Brunette Comeback, Billie Eilish's Donation, NewJeans' Appeal

Ariana Grande Signals 'New Era' with Return to Signature Brunette Hair

Ariana Grande is shedding her signature platinum blonde look, signaling the start of a new chapter. The 32-year-old Wicked actress revealed her transformation on Instagram, sharing a mirror selfie with her nearly 400 million followers that showed off her return to a rich, glossy brunette hue. The change comes roughly three years after she first adopted the blonde color for her role as Glinda in the film adaptation.

Grande captioned the photo with a subtle nod to her cinematic role: "it’s good to see me, isn’t it? 🫧" The mirror selfie featured her new brown locks styled in loose curls with a classic side part. Her hairstylist, Francesco De Chiara, reposted the image, enthusiastically declaring the change on his Instagram Stories. A fan-made "before-and-after" graphic, also shared by the stylist, echoed the excitement, proclaiming: "From this to this... a new era has begun."

Billie Eilish Donates $11.5 Million and Challenges Global Billionaires

During the Wall Street Journal Magazine Innovator Awards in New York City, where she was honored for her philanthropic work, 23-year-old singer Billie Eilish announced she has donated $11.5 million to global charities. The funds, sourced from proceeds from her Hit Me Hard and Soft world tour, will support international causes, including climate action and food equity, two areas she champions through her climate platform, Overheated. Eilish stated her motivation was to set an example, noting, "I feel incredibly lucky to do what I love, but it makes no sense to hoard billions while so many people can't afford to live."

Eilish used her acceptance speech as a moment to directly challenge the world’s wealthiest individuals, urging them to share their fortunes. Her most viral remark, which drew applause and massive social media attention, was a succinct call to action: "If you're a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? No hate, but yeah, give your money away, shorties." Fans widely praised the Grammy-winning artist for using her platform to forcefully address global wealth inequality, positioning herself as a leader among socially conscious entertainers.

ICYMI:

• Lily Allen has announced her first tour in 7 years in support of her new album, West End Girl. The shows, which will take place in the UK, will see the album played in full across select theatres.

• A new trailer for the final season of ‘Stranger Things’ has been released.

Hybe Gains $644 Million, But NewJeans Will Appeal Contract Ruling

South Korea's largest K-pop agency, Hybe, saw its market capitalization surge by approximately $644 million on Thursday following a crucial court ruling. The decision affirmed the validity of the exclusive contract between the massively popular girl group NewJeans and Hybe’s subsidiary label, ADOR, securing the group until 2029. This ruling is the latest development in a complex, yearlong legal conflict that initially began with Hybe accusing former ADOR CEO Min Hee-jin of an independence plot.

However, the legal turmoil is far from over. Despite the court's confirmation of the contract, reports indicate that the trust relationships between the artists and the management are severely fractured. Consequently, NewJeans' legal team has swiftly announced plans to appeal the ruling. This decision ensures that the high-stakes battle over the future of the globally successful group will continue.

POP FACT: On this day in 2015, One Direction played the final show of their world tour in Sheffield, United Kingdom. The band insisted they were “not splitting up” and "they wanted to “explore solo projects.”

Luigi Mangione’s Taylor Swift and Charli XCX Playlist

Luigi Mangione, who gained a cult following after his arrest last December for the alleged murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has revealed details of his life while awaiting charges in the Metropolitan Detention Center. In a leaked letter reflecting on his 27th birthday, Mangione wrote that he had downloaded Charli XCX and Taylor Swift's music onto his prison tablet to see "what all the hype was about," after "phony" lists of his favorite music circulated online. However, his brief foray into pop was cut short when a fellow inmate, "King," "scolded" him and replaced his entire playlist, compelling Mangione to now listen exclusively to Lil Durk.

ICYMI:

• Ariana Grande has surprise-released the ‘Positions’ VEVO performances on streaming services in celebration of the album’s fifth anniversary.

• Five new suspects have been arrested in the Louvre jewelry theft; the jewels remain missing.

• An animated ‘Hello Kitty’ movie is officially in the works with a release date of July 2028.

• Nintendo have announced a free update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, set for January 15th, despite telling players that their 2.0 update was the game’s last.

• For the first time in 35 years, there are no rap songs in the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100; the last time this occurred was in 1990.

Best New Track: “Buckle” by Florence + The Machine

The coven stirs.

Florence + The Machine released their new album today. The title Everybody Scream came from a playlist Welch once found called “Songs to Scream Along To.”

“I was like, what does that even mean?” she says. “Do you just put it on and scream alone in your house, into the floor?” Well yes, sometimes.

Here, on this record, Welch confronts womanhood, love, aging, and death. It’s the kind of album you could play while stirring soup or doing laundry and still feel like you’re casting tiny spells.

The National’s Aaron Dessner (who’s worked with Taylor Swift before) collaborated on this project. You feel it strongest on “Old Religion.”

There’s a real mystical streak in the songwriting here, and honestly, we love it. “Creature from the deep / Do I haunt you in your sleep? My tentacles so tender / As I caress your cheek,” she sings on “Kraken.”

But “Buckle” gets our vote. There’s something in its openness and honesty which makes it stand out.

“A crowd of thousands came to see me / And you couldn’t reply for three days,” she sings.

Well, if that isn’t a charm of its own, we don’t know what is.

—Dawson Therre

— Katie Macbeth

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