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Oscar, BRIT & iHeartRadio Nominees, Plus SZA joins Kendrick’s Halftime Show

Oscar, BRIT & iHeartRadio Nominees, Plus SZA joins Kendrick’s Halftime Show

Bruno Mars teams up with Sexyy Red for new single, Charli xcx to star in A24 Film, and more.

Pop Base
January 24, 2025

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Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen Top 2025 iHeartRadio Awards Nominations, Gaga and Carey Honored with Special Awards

Image: Christopher Polk / Penske Media / Ashok Kumar / Getty Images

Taylor Swift and Morgan Wallen are neck and neck at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards, each boasting 10 nominations. Close behind are Kendrick Lamar, Post Malone, and Sabrina Carpenter, all vying for recognition with nine nods apiece.

This year's "Artist of the Year" category is a star-studded affair, featuring Swift, Wallen, Lamar, Malone, and Carpenter alongside Billie Eilish, Doja Cat, Jelly Roll, SZA, and Teddy Swims.

Lady Gaga will be honored with the 2025 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, recognizing her profound impact on both music and global culture throughout her career. Joining her in the spotlight, Mariah Carey will receive the prestigious 2025 iHeartRadio Icon Award.

Furthermore, Taylor Swift's record-breaking Eras Tour will be officially declared the "Tour of the Century,” a bold proclamation that honors the tour’s 149 shows on 5 continents - the tour quickly became the highest grossing tour of all time, and the first to earn over $1 and $2 billion in revenue.

The 12th annual iHeartRadio Music Awards will take place on March 17th and will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. This esteemed event celebrates the most-played artists and songs on iHeartRadio stations and the iHeartRadio app throughout 2024, while also offering a glimpse into the exciting musical landscape of 2025.

Charli xcx Leads BRITS Nominees

Image: Getty

Charli XCX leads the 2025 BRIT Awards with five nominations, including Artist of the Year, Mastercard Album of the Year, and Song of the Year with Mastercard.

Dua Lipa, a seven-time BRIT winner, follows with four nominations, including Artist of the Year and Pop Act.

The Last Dinner Party and Ezra Collective, both nominated for Mastercard Album of the Year, also receive four nominations each.

The BRIT Awards ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 1st at The O2 Arena, London, hosted by Jack Whitehall and broadcast on ITV1 and ITVX. Fans can vote for the winners of select awards via WhatsApp from January 31st to February 14th.

Emilia Perez Breaks Records With 13 Oscar Nominees

Image: Netflix

Emilia Perez leads the Oscars with a record-breaking 13 nominations, including Best Picture. This Spanish-language musical tells the story of a Mexican cartel boss' journey of gender affirmation.

Starring Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez, and history-making actress Karla Sofia Gascon (the first openly transgender woman nominated for an acting Oscar), Emilia Perez is poised to make a significant impact at this year's Academy Awards.

The Brutalist and the highly anticipated musical Wicked each garner 10 nominations, while the suspenseful Conclave and the critically acclaimed Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown receive eight, all vying for the coveted Best Picture award.

Joining the contenders are Anora, Dune: Part Two, I'm Still Here, Nickel Boys, and The Substance, rounding out the diverse field of Best Picture nominees. The Substance marks a milestone for horror movies, becoming the seventh film from the genre to receive a Best Picture nomination.

In the highly competitive Best Actress category, Karla Sofia Gascon faces stiff competition from the acclaimed Cynthia Erivo in Wicked, the breakout star Mikey Madison in Anora, and the esteemed veterans Demi Moore in The Substance and Fernanda Torres in I'm Still Here.

New Music Friday

EUSEXUA. When time gets lost in time. Kissing someone all night, roughly well into morning — before you even realize it’s morning. “Pure clarity,” FKA Twigs called it.

On her third full-length record yet, Twigs creates the most electric night spot. One fiercely determined to prove itself more than just straightforward club-music. We might as well declare it our favorite release this week already. The songs are upbeat and fraught with gorgeous melody — the best of them belonging to “Striptease” and “Wanderlust.” Though, “Room of Fools” seems to bring the album to its complete 360-degree focus. “We make something together,” she sings. “We’re open wounds / Just bleeding out the pressure / And it feels nice.”

Sexy Red and Bruno Mars got together for “Fat, Juicy & Wet” which is a really interesting pairing, and a seeming attempt to create a second “WAP.” Just look to the lyrics and you’ll see what we mean. Lady Gaga and ROSÉ feature in the song’s video.

“Sports Car” by Tate McRae is good. The chorus takes a unique approach vocally, which actually makes for a pretty compelling song altogether. It feels similar to Addison Rae’s “Diet Pepsi.”

Alessia Cara released “Slow Motion” from her upcoming album Love & Hyperbole. The song has a very distinct effect, though maybe this is just a placebo thing, but it seems as though the chorus does in-fact go slow motion. It’s pretty cool.

—Dawson Therre

ICYMI:

— Katie Macbeth

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