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Pop Base recap: This Week in Pop Culture

![]() | Welcome to Pop Base!As your best source for all things pop culture, check out our curated newsletters to stay up-to-date on your favorite celebs, entertainment news, award show coverage, chart updates, and much more. |

Jennifer Lawrence expecting second child

Image: Getty Images
The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence and husband Cooke Maroney are expecting their second child. The official announcement was made on Vogue’s Instagram: “Congratulations are in order for Jennifer Lawrence! The Oscar-winning actor will be welcoming her second child with art gallerist husband Cooke Maroney, a representative has confirmed to Vogue.”
In 2022, the couple embarked on their journey into parenthood with the arrival of their first son, Cy Twombly. In an interview with Vogue that same year, Lawrence gushed about how excited she was about motherhood.
Zayn pushes back tour in light of Liam Payne’s passing

Image: Getty Images
Following the passing of Liam Payne, former One Direction member Zayn Malik held off the US leg of his Stairway to the Sky tour.
“Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I've made the decision to postpone the US leg of the STAIRWAY TO THE SKY Tour,” Zayn shared in an X post. He then assured fans that the tour would resume in January, and their tickets would remain valid. “I'll post [the dates] as soon as it's all set in the next few days,” he said. “Love you all, and thank you for your understanding,” the singer added.
— Beatriz Joyce
Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour becomes highest-grossing for an artist born this century

Image: Christopher Polk
Olivia Rodrigo's 'GUTS World Tour' concluded its 2024 run this week, capping off a year of electrifying performances around the globe. The tour, which kicked off in February, featured 101 shows across various continents, with the final shows taking place in Singapore, the Philippines, and Australia. Joining Rodrigo on stage this year were The Breeders, Chappell Roan, PinkPantheress, Remi Wolf, and Benee.
Billboard reported that the total gross of the GUTS World Tour was $186 million, making it the highest-grossing for an artist born this century. Additionally, her co-manager told the publication that demand for the tour was so big, they could’ve done stadiums everywhere instead of arenas: “There was so much demand that Live Nation said to us that arenas felt like an underplay — we probably could have done stadiums everywhere.”
Netflix is set to become the home of the ‘GUTS World Tour’ movie on October 29th.
SZA interviews Kendrick Lamar for Harper’s Bazaar

Image: Quentin De Briey / Harper’s Bazaar
Kendrick Lamar and SZA delve into their creative processes and personal lives in a revealing interview for Harper's Bazaar's 'The Voices' Issue. Accompanied by a stunning photoshoot by Quentin De Briey, Lamar discusses his upcoming Super Bowl performance and his evolving perspective on masculinity and femininity.
In a candid conversation with SZA, Lamar reflects on how he has embraced his feminine side to become a more effective communicator. He shares that by breaking down the walls of traditional masculinity, he has been able to connect with a wider audience and express himself more fully through his music.
Kendrick Lamar then discusses the significance of his hit song 'Not Like Us,' which spent two weeks at the top of Billboard's Hot 100 and holds the record for the longest-running Number One song on the Hot Rap Songs chart. Lamar explains that the song embodies the values and character of the man he represents: a moral, principled individual who is not afraid to confront his mistakes and express his emotions honestly.
Sabrina Carpenter, Charli xcx and Chappell Roan to headline Primavera Sound 2025

Image: Primavera Sound
Primavera Sound has announced its highly anticipated 2025 lineup, featuring headlining sets from Charli XCX, Sabrina Carpenter, and Chappell Roan. The festival will return to Barcelona's Parc Del Fòrum from June 5th to 7th, also showcasing performances by LCD Soundsystem, FKA Twigs, Fontaines DC, Clairo, Haim, and Turnstile.
Joining the impressive roster are TV On The Radio, Wet Leg, Beach House, Waxahatchee, Beabadoobee, Caribou, Anohni, Denzel Curry, Chat Pile, Parcels, and many more. Additionally, the lineup includes sets from The Dare, Floating Points, Stereolab, Yaosobi, Spiritualized, Hinds, Glass Beams, Kim Deal, and MJ Lenderman.

Image: Primavera Sound
A presale for tickets will begin on October 28th at 11 AM CET, with the general sale following on October 29th at the same time. Three-day passes are priced at $286 and can be purchased on the festival's official website.
Fans launch “Liam’s Law” petition for artist mental health

Image: Joel C Ryan / AP
Following the tragic death of One Direction member Liam Payne (31) in Argentina, fans have started a Change.org petition urging U.K. lawmakers to enact legislation protecting artists' mental health in the demanding entertainment industry.
Reports indicate Payne had multiple drugs in his system at the time of the fall. His sudden passing has sparked a global outpouring of grief and a call for change.
The petition, titled "Liam's Law," proposes new legislation that would mandate:
Access to mental health professionals: Artists would have guaranteed access to therapists or counsellors.
Regular mental health checks: Regular assessments would help identify and address potential issues.
Adequate rest periods: The petition calls for reasonable breaks to prevent burnout.
The campaign draws inspiration from Payne's own words. In a prior podcast appearance, he spoke about the lack of support and guidance offered to young artists in the industry.
Beyoncé launches new fragrance

Image: Julian Dakdouk
Beyoncé has expanded her beauty empire with the launch of her latest fragrance, Ce Lumière. The fragrance, described as a captivating blend of floral and woody notes, is said to evoke a sense of confidence and radiance. With a sleek and minimalist bottle design, "Ce Lumière" is set to be a luxurious addition to Beyoncé's fragrance collection. Fans can expect the new scent to hit shelves soon.
The fragrance is exclusive to BEYONCE.COM and is only available in the US and Canada, despite being crafted in France.
CÉ LUMIÈRE Fragrance Notes are as follows:
TOP: MADAGASCAR BLACK PEPPER, ITALIAN MANDARIN EO
HEART: JASMINE SAMBAC ABSOLUTE, RHUBARB
BASE: INDONESIAN PATCHOULI, SKIN MUSK
— Katie MacBeth
Lady Gaga returns with Disease

Lady Gaga is officially back. The singer gave fans the first taste of LG7 on Friday with pop banger Disease. The electro-pop track is set to serve as the lead single to Gaga’s highly-anticipated seventh studio album, coming February 2025. The single comes following the smash hit Bruno Mars collaboration Die With A Smile, her Harley Quinn role in Joker 2 and a concept album that accompanied the character, Harlequin.
Gaga previously confirmed a music video for Disease was on the way with a teaser posted to social media where she’s seen running away from a car. While fans have gotten a glimpse at some of the visuals through promotional images, Gaga is yet to announce when the video will be out.
DISEASE 10.25 LadyGaga.lnk.to/Disease
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga)
4:31 PM • Oct 22, 2024

Best New Track: Does a story die with its narrator? Halsey’s new album The Great Impersonator is here, and it’s wonderfully, confidently vulnerable. We’re dealing with love, glory, and the beautiful inheritance of mortality. On the very first track “Only Living Girl in LA” Halsey sings, “I wonder if I ever left behind my body / Do you think they’d laugh at how I die?” The singer noted this song was inspired by the great Marilyn Monroe — on Instagram calling her “the most impersonated woman in history.”
Halsey isn’t really impersonating anyone here, though — well, not anyone but herself. But maybe that’s the whole point of it all. At its very heavy heart, this record explores stardom and the many consequences of public scrutiny. “You dangle me high over the drain and tell me I’m lucky you don’t drop me there,” she sings on “Life of the Spider” which is a devastating song, and perhaps the most devastating by the singer yet. On the closing song, which goes by the album name, Halsey expands on this subject matter. “Does a story die with its narrator?” she asks, later singing, “Hope they spell my name right in the paper.” Halsey’s message here is plain as ever. Fame is only one big masquerade.
The record is also home to our favorite track of the week, “Panic Attack.” The singer declared the song’s chief inspiration being Stevie Nicks, and that’s absolutely discernible right from the song’s beginning. We could live forever in this dreamy seventies soundscape.
— Dawson Therre
Subscribe to the newsletter to discover new releases through Pop Base weekly and to find out what songs we declare the best of the week.
In other news…
Sana and Nayeon of TWICE went viral for sharing an accidental kiss in a fanmeeting celebrating their 9th anniversary, HOME 9ROUND.
Spider-Man 4 has been given an official release date: July 26, 2024.
NCT Dream has introduced their upcoming album, DREAMSCAPE, set to be released on November 11th.
Mike Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, his partner Matthew Smith, and the couple’s alleged ‘middle man’ have been arrested in Florida on sex trafficking charges. They are accused of allegedly sexually assaulting young male models and promising them a career in return.
Billboard has named Justin Bieber the 8th greatest pop-star of the 21st century.
TWICE has revealed the title and release date of their highly-anticipated comeback, Strategy. It will be available on all streaming sites on December 6.
Harvey Weinstein has been diagnosed with bone marrow cancer.
Ariana Grande has responded to Elvira’s claim that Ariana refused to take a photo with her after bringing guests backstage to her show: ‘i’m so disheartened to see this. I actually don’t even remember getting the chance to meet you because i had an anxiety attack and to my memory, left before the rest of my family’.
Tom Holland has been cast in Christopher Nolan’s next feature film.
Lizzo endorsed Kamala Harris at a political rally in Detroit. In her speech, the singer declared, “If you ask me if America is ready for its first woman president, I only [got] one thing to say: it’s About Damn Time!”
Billboard has named Kanye West the 7th greatest pop-star of the 21st century.
Charli xcx and Troye Sivan’s ‘SWEAT’ Tour has officially come to an end following 22 shows across North America and Canada.
Rosé has become the first K-Pop artist in history to reach #1 on the Global Apple Music Daily chart.
England and Wales are set to ban disposable vapes in a bid to cut back on ‘throwaway culture’ - retailers have until June 1st, 2025, to sell all stock.
HYBE reportedly emitted approximately 1,397 tons of plastic in 2023 with 89% being used to produce albums for artists. The company reportedly underpaid plastic waste disposal fees due to their sales being incorrectly entered as 2.1 billion won instead of 2.1 trillion one.
Elizabeth Francis, the oldest living person in the United States, has died at the age of 115.
The mother of a 14-year-old boy has filed a lawsuit against Character AI, claiming that her son took his own life after becoming emotionally attached to a Daenerys Targaryen chatbot.