x (aka Multiply) was a huge moment for Ed Sheeran, as the album (his second) included the single “Thinking Out Loud,” which became Sheeran’s biggest hit in the US at that point in his young career. Well, the album is ten years old now and Sheeran is ready to celebrate.
Sharing the news on Instagram today (May 1), Sheeran explained:
“10th anniversary of Multiply this year, which feels wild but also a lot has happened in that 10 years. This album was made from 2011 – 2014, and spanned my whole personal life through that time, which was a mad time. Going from playing pubs and clubs to selling arenas in those years, falling in and out of love, travelling all round the world, working with some of the best producers in the world, it was a real rollercoaster, and it’s been amazing to revisit all the memories. Can’t wait to experience the multiply show with you, and remember some amazing moments over this summer together.”
He then noted that an anniversary concert will hit New York’s Barcleys Center on May 22. Tickets are set to go on sale on May 6, and a sign-up link can be found on Sheeran’s website. There’s also an anniversary edition of the album coming out on vinyl, and more information on that can be fuond here. It’s available to pre-order now ahead of its June 21 release.
Check out Sheeran’s posts about it below.
Mark your calendars
Ed’s celebrating 10 years of Multiply at the @barclayscenter NYC on 22nd May. Sign up for fan on-sale by 2nd May at 11:59pm ET. Tickets on sale 6th May 10am ET. Album & merch available now to pre-order – out 21st June!
Toddlers are built differently. Something about when they take those first trepidatious steps tells them that they no longer need things essential to human life. It also gives them a supersonic ego boost of invincibility, which is a concerning combination given the size of their heads in comparison to their little bodies and not-so-agile reflexes.
One dad has successfully convinced parents on the internet that toddlers must all listen to this completely made up podcast. Tyler Champagne has brought “Toddler Motivational Podcast” to life with one of his recent Instagram posts. In the video, Champagne, dad of a 2-year-old son and newborn daughter, imagines what it would sound like if his toddler had a motivational podcast.
The dad of two is sitting behind a podcast microphone speaking in a hushed voice that’s oddly motivational. Maybe don’t play the video while your littles are in the room—no need to give them any ideas.
“I don’t sleep at night. Sleep is for elderly people, like my parents in their 30s. When I’m sleeping, I’m not causing chaos, right? When I’m awake, I can continuously cause chaos throughout the day. Concentric circumference. Wanna know what I had for breakfast today? I licked one grape. That’s all I need. I don’t eat food. Food is a waste of time. When I’m chewing, when I’m swallowing, not causing chaos, okay?” Champagne says while motivational music plays in the background.
This is probably one of the most accurate portrayals of how it feels having a toddler in the home and parents couldn’t agree more.
“My toddler is getting rowdy listening to this speech,” one person raises a fist.
“How do we all have the same kids,” someone cries.
“My toddler watch[ed] this and screamed ‘that’s right’,” another says.
“Don’t y’all know. 90% of their hydration happens in the bathtub,” a commenter reveals.
Well, it may be a weird coincidence that every parent has the same kid. But it also seems totally plausible that once parents are asleep, some sort of motivational podcast like this comes through their baby monitor. Watch the video below, just make sure your toddler is out of earshot.
I’ve long been of the belief that every movie should be under 90 minutes or over three hours. Give me The Nightmare Before Christmas (76 minutes) or Seven Samurai (207 minutes), but nothing in between.
A recent poll of 2,000 Americans found that the “ideal” movie runtime is 92 minutes, according to Talker Research. That makes sense. If I was asked to pick between two movies but was only told the runtimes, not the titles, I would almost always choose the shorter film. I’ve got things to do (mindlessly scroll through Twitter). But worryingly, only 15 percent of those polled “want to sit through a movie that’s two hours or longer,” while the number drops to two percent if the film is over two and a half hours. Meanwhile, people sit through an entire season of a streaming series in a day without complaint.
Recent research by What to Watch suggests that the average running time of the most commercially successful films is increasing, with an average of 141 minutes in 2022 compared with 110 minutes in 1981. A number of reasons have been advanced, from streaming platforms’ ability to ignore the rigidity of cinema screening schedules, to the desire to showcase expensive visual effects and action sequences that have proliferated over the last decade.
The funny thing is, three of the four highest-grossing movies of all-time are over three hours: Avengers: Endgame, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Titanic (it would be four out of four if box office king Avatar was 18 minutes longer).
So, what’s the actual “ideal” runtime for a movie? If it’s good, as long as it needs to be.
Fans are in for a double dose of Dua Lipa this weekend. In celebration of dropping her third studio album, Radical Optimism, Lipa will host Saturday Night Live this Saturday, and serve as the episode’s musical guest.
Anticipation for Lipa’s appearance on the show is high. And ahead of the episode, SNL has shared a special teaser.
In the clip, Lipa is seen getting a feel for the stage ahead of her double duty performance. SNL cast member Chloe Fineman walks in, asking to show her a new impression.
Fineman proceeds to sing Lipa’s hit song, “Levitating,” but mangles some of the lyrics.
“If you want to run away with me, we can play hide and seek, first count to five,” Fineman sings.
Lipa is amused, albeit confused as to who Fineman is supposed to be. Fineman explains she’s impersonating her. However, Lipa tells her the lyrics and dancing are a bit off.
Lipa then trains Fineman on how to channel her properly. She puts a red wig on Fineman, and afterwards, her penchant for the lyrics and dancing improves — somewhat.
“If you want to come with me, I know a pizzeria, yeah, I can give you a slice,” sings Fineman.
Feeling confident in Fineman’s abilities, Lipa leaves her to handle the musical performances for her.
“Close enough, you’re gonna nail it, kid,” says Lipa.
You can see the teaser above.
Saturday Night Live airs Saturday at 11:30 p.m. EST on NBC. Episodes are also available to stream on Peacock.
Radical Optimism is out 5/3 via Warner. Find more information here.
Of all the characteristics of Hovvdy’s music, warmth is the one that comes through the most: the warmth of close-knit companionship, the warmth of family, the warmth of familiar comforts. “Will I always love you? Yeah, I’ll fall forever,” goes the chorus of “Forever,” one of the singles that led up to the release of their self-titled double album, a crowning achievement in an already excellent discography. That sentiment of enduring love courses throughout its 19 tracks and 53 minutes; the songs are so breezy and relaxed that you won’t even notice that nearly an hour has passed by as the final moments of closing track “A Little” fade out into a blissful quiet.
The Texas-bred duo of Charlie Martin and Will Taylor haven’t reinvented themselves for Hovvdy, and they didn’t need to. Their fifth album buttresses and refines their tried-and-true blend of alt-country and off-kilter bedroom pop on songs like “Meant,” “Every Exchange,” and “Bad News,” each tune wrapping itself around you like a heartfelt embrace. It’s a fully realized statement of everything that Hovvdy is, as Martin’s and Taylor’s twangy, earnest vocals intertwine throughout the record and carry each other to its end.
Following the record’s release this Friday, Hovvdy sat down with Uproxx to talk about sushi, Florida Georgia Line, and being prolific in our latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Honest, intentional, hopeful, open-hearted. -WT
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
Kinda bleak to think about being “remembered” when hopefully we’ll still be alive, maybe still rockin’ lol. But my goal has always been to be one of those prolific, hard-working rock bands (i.e. Wilco, Yo La Tengo, etc.), putting out great records spanning decades. -CM
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
Our inspirations change and evolve over time. It’s always inspiring to watch musicians that build an entire world around their artistry that requires you to step in and be all-consumed. I believe Mk.gee has done a great job accomplishing that on his most recent album. -WT
Where did you eat the best meal of your life and what was it?
I think my favorite restaurant in the world might be Noshi Sushi in LA. -CM
Tell us about the best concert you’ve ever attended.
I recently saw Tyler Hubbard from Florida Georgia Line open for Keith Urban with my mom and sister. Everyone lost it when he played “Cruise”. -WT
What song never fails to make you emotional?
“Blindsided.” And off the new record, “Song For Pete.” -CM
What’s the last thing you Googled?
Timberwolves coach injury update -WT
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
We try to forget those places. I’ll say back in the day, there were a number of dingy basement floors that smelled like a litter box. I don’t miss that. -CM
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform and what’s the city you hope to perform in for the first time?
Seattle is always very enjoyable. It seems we always land there in the summer when the sun shines. I would love to go to New Zealand. -WT
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Doesn’t matter if you’re not Townes Van Zandt; you can still write songs. -CM
What’s one of your hidden talents?
Dancing like no one is watching. -WT
What are your thoughts about AI and the future of music?
I’m hopeful we can use AI to expand our creativity and improve the functionality of our lives. Regarding music and art, I’m concerned it will be challenging to maintain legal order regarding deepfakes, fraudulent likeness, or copyright infringement. -WT
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location it would be held.
I’d have to think long and hard about this haha so I’ll just go with the homies: Teethe, Dijon, Video Age, Alex G, Bendrix Littleton, Sarlo DJ set. -CM
Who’s your favorite person to follow on social media?
@Eggs.tyrone, @mdwbasketball -WT
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I love a book called The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. I have a piece of the artwork from the book on my arm. Gibran did the art himself. That book taught me a lot. -CM
What is your pre-show ritual?
Long walk, FaceTime, existential dread, beer, vocal warm-up, daps and hugs. -WT
You have a month off and the resources to take a dream vacation. Where are you going and who is coming with you?
I want to go somewhere with my family that’s naturally beautiful, culturally engaging, and somewhat walkable. Nice weather and outdoor activities. Exciting local cuisine. My 4-year-old has to be able to keep up. Suggestions? -WT
What is your biggest fear?
Sometimes it’s death but sometimes it’s not. Fire is very scary. -CM
Hovvdy is out now via Arts & Crafts. Find more information here.
Grandparents are often stereotyped as doting and eager to be a big part of their grandchildren’s lives. In movies and TV, we often see parents of child-free women begging them to have kids so they can be grandparents.
However, that’s not always the case. Many grandparents are unable to help raise their grandkids because of their location or health. There are also far too many who aren’t that eager to do the work.
For many parents, the presence of grandparents who actively participate in raising their kids can be a game-changer. The support they provide, whether it’s watching the kids on a Friday night or picking them up from school, can significantly ease the juggling act of modern parenting.
Kelsey, a popular TikTok and Instagram mother of two, recently celebrated the joy of having “voluntarily involved” grandparents, calling them the biggest “parenting flex.” Of course, the subtext of the post is that, unfortunately, many grandparents are uninvolved with their grandchildren’s lives and their families could use their help.
“Without question, the biggest parenting flex isn’t the mom car, not how much you make a year. It’s not how well-behaved your kids are,” Kelsey starts her video. “Biggest flex is having involved grandparents. Voluntarily involved. Holy f***, having that midday struggle with my children and then getting that text from grandma: ‘Hey, can I pick so and so up for a sleepover tonight?’ Ha ha ha, funny, you should say that! Her bag has been packed. Never unpacked it. She’s ready.”
She noted that “voluntarily involved” grandparents aren’t just doing the bare minimum. They’re stepping up and taking charge of their role in the family.
“Ones that you can text like, ‘Hey, can you fly up this weekend? We need your help.’ ‘Sure, no problem!’ I don’t know what kind of reaction that was. But it came within the depths. Nothing beats it. Nothing beats a grandparent that wants to do more than required to get that yearly Facebook Happy Birthday Grandma post,” Kelsey continued.
Unfortunately, many moms and dads don’t have parents they can rely on to help them raise their kids and it’s a big loss. “A lot of the times, people don’t have help, and I am sorry,” Kelsey said. That f****** blows. We know it’s their loss. We know. Who doesn’t want to be involved with their grandchildren?”
Many commenters shared why raising kids without grandparents is so hard.
“I recently read a quote that said ‘uninvolved grandparents never intended to be parents themselves’ everything made sense,” Isabel Cardenas wrote. “You definitely got that right. That is the biggest flex of all time. There’s not enough money in the world that would take the jealousy I have for people who receive that type of love freely,” Katy Alltop added.
Kelsey shared her thoughts on why some grandparents aren’t voluntarily involved with their grandkids.
“I think a lot of times grandparents have the point of view like ‘I did my time, I raised my children, now it’s my time to do whatever I want.’ They don’t want to be tied down with babysitting and other commitments,” she told Upworthy. “Which I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing! They deserve a fun retirement. I would never want to force a grandparent (or anyone really) to be a part of my children’s lives. But it is so nice to see so many grandparents who go out of their way to foster relationships with their grandkids and who want to spend quality time with them (not just to give mom and dad a break).”
When two barbers noticed a young girl racing by their window and into oncoming traffic, they only had seconds to act. And thankfully, they did without hesitation.
Osvaldo Lugo recently posted a harrowing surveillance video to the Instagram account of his Connecticut-based business, the Look Sharp Barbershop, which shows himself and an employee, Rafael Santana, racing out to scoop up a young girl mere seconds away from bolting into oncoming traffic.
Lugo tells ABC7 that he simply went into “dad mode” the minute he spotted the girl in the shop window, who had escaped her mother at a nearby bus stop. Thank goodness he did, and that he and Santana were able to help the girl reunite with her mom, who seemed “confused and shocked but grateful,” per Today.com.
Even knowing this story has a happy ending, viewers found the footage terrifying, and commended the barbers on their bravery and fast action.
“I can’t believe how long I was holding my breath while watching, even knowing that you both were to save her before she ran into the traffic,” one person wrote.
Another added, “Omg this gave me chills! Thank God you guys saw her & most importantly went into action.”
The East Hartford Police Department also praised Santana and Lugo in a Facebook post, which read:
“Heroic Barbers to the Rescue! Today, we want to give a massive shoutout to the quick-thinking and brave duo, Osvaldo Lugo and Rafael Santana of LookSharp Barbershop.Their swift action saved a little toddler who had escaped from his mother and started moving towards traffic on Main Street. Thanks to them, a potential tragedy was averted, and a family remains whole. We’re incredibly grateful for these everyday heroes among us!”
As for Luca and Santana, their actions aren’t considered anything out of the ordinary. As Santana shared with TODAY.com, “We did this out of love and we’d do it a million times again. We protect and serve our community at all costs.”
It’s never a bad time to share stories like these. But right now, they seem more important than ever.
By now many people heard of positive affirmations and how well they can work for building self-esteem or confidence. They’re generally short, positive phrases that relate to whatever the person my be struggling with. People say positive affirmations in the bathroom mirror, on their commute to work or while waiting to pick kids up from school.
The phrases vary from person to person, but the sentiment is always the same, building the person up. Jen Butler, the woman behind the Instagram page, jenbutlersays, put a new spin on positive affirmations that others may want to try. Butler explains in her video that she decided to do an experiment by speaking to herself in the mirror like she speaks to her dog.
The results were surprising to the comedian. Of course there were feelings of ridiculousness, but Butler noticed she actually started to feel better. Initially the experiment was supposed to last 30 days, but with the results being so positive, she says she may keep it up.
“I did not do anything or talk to anyone between when I opened my eyeballs and shimmied my little tush on into the bathroom and stared in the mirror. And then was like, ‘You’re a little baby angel. It’s the babiest little angel,’ and something about having that aggressive, intense, ridiculous love first thing in the morning just absolutely terrified any sort of insecurities into fight, flight or freeze, and then they just shut down,” Butler explains.
People often talk to their pets in an especially happy, over-the-top tone, giving them praise for simply existing, but humans aren’t usually that kind to themselves. Based on the comments, the comedian may have just unlocked a new way to do positive self-talk.
“Absolutely LOVE this! On my very first day, using the very words I use on my furry baby, I said ‘I love you so much, you bring joy to the world by simply existing and you teach us so much on a daily basis. Thank-you for being part of our family and loving us so much,’ I had no idea how much I needed to hear that,” one person writes.
“This is so good because I realized that I say to my dog every day ‘you are handsome, and smart, and successful, and I am so proud of you’ but I don’t even say that to myself,” someone says.
“I’m starting tomorrow talking to myself like I talk to my cat. So tomorrow I full expect to have an incredible day like the squishiest mamasita Bonita conchita burrito Dorito should,” another shares.
“Why does the thought of doing this for myself absolutely terrify me and bring me to tears,” a commenter asks.
So, if you’ve ever needed motivation to start doing your daily affirmations, just go ahead, stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself what a good human you are. You have the fluffiest best tush there ever was.
Contestants on “Britain’s Got Talent” (as well as “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent”) have long feared Simon Cowell’s judgment, so imagine auditioning with a song choice that automatically brings out his sour side.
That’s what contestant Sydnie Christmas did when she chose to sing “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie,” which is Simon Cowell’s least favorite song. But much to everyone’s surprise, she totally blew him away with her beautiful soulful rendition, causing him to change his tune.
Before performing, Christmas bounded onto the stage with her genuine smile and spunky energy, which endeared her to the judges and audience immediately. She even cracked a joke about her middle name being “Mary” (Sydnie Mary Christmas would be quite the name choice) and got everyone laughing with her.
However, when she announced she’d be singing “Tomorrow,” Cowell winced and the other judges groaned.
“That is Simon’s worst song,” warned judge Amanda Holden.
But when Christmas, who works as a receptionist at a gym, began to sing, it soon became clear that this wasn’t an ordinary rendition of the musical classic. Soulful, heartfelt, sad but hopeful, she built the song up bit by bit, bringing the audience along with her on an emotional ride.
Watch:
Not only did she get the coveted Golden Buzzer, but she also managed to get Simon Cowell to say he now loves the song he said he’d hated just minutes before. Viewers loved it, too.
“That was the first time I could take this song serious. Before today I hated it, too,” wrote one person.
“When they say you have to make the song your own, she did just that. I have never heard a better version,” wrote another.
“Absolutely beautiful; love how the word “tomorrow” always sounded unique EVERY TIME! Listened over and over…” added another.
“I’ve heard that song a million times and she REALLY got the poignancy of it,” shared another. “It is a sad song, but a song of hope, and it is hard to walk that line and she KILLED IT. It’s not just about her voice, it is how she sold that song.”
She even pulled in people from various walks of life, moving them with her performance:
“I’m a 60 year old highway worker. Just got off work and my wife sent this to me. What I’m trying to figure out is who’s been cutting onions in my vehicle? Seriously, teared me up. This took me COMPLETELY off guard and I am so delighted to have experienced this diamond!”
“41 year old hip hop head here and never did I think I would be touched like this. The sound of suffering with a glimmer of hope in the sound. Who is cutting onions at this time.”
“I’m a 60 year old builder sitting in my van having lunch. I just watched this. The guys in the next van are taking the P coz I’m crying my eyes out! Brilliant!”
As someone named Annie, I’ve had “Tomorrow” sung to me countless times over the years, so I shared Simon Cowell’s initial grimace upon hearing what she was going to sing. But I too was moved by Christmas’s performance and gained a whole new appreciation for the song after her gorgeous rendition. Not an easy feat. What a delightful surprise for us all.
It’s 2024, so a movie starring Anne Hathaway based on a Harry Styles-inspired fan fiction shouldn’t really surprise anyone, but it is a little jarring seeing The Princess of Genovia being treated like a normal person.
The Idea Of You follows a hip single mom Solène (Hathaway) who takes her daughter to Coachella, only to become entangled in a romantic excursion with 24-year-old Hayes, the leader of the fictional boy band August Moon. The movie is based on the bestselling book of the same name, though some minor details have been changed, like the ages of the leads.
While the age gap discourse surely has been breached, Hathaway says the film explores the idea beyond their age. “It’s kind of fun to be in a film where we talk about it, where we don’t dance around it, but we actually embrace her point of view on it,” Hathaway told TODAY, adding, “For Solène, her point of view is, you know, she became a mom really young and she really wanted to have a career and so she doesn’t totally identify with her age.”
The movie also stars Nicholas Galitzine as Hayes, Ella Rubin and Reid Scott. After premiering at SXSW this past spring, The Idea Of You is set to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime on Thursday, May 2nd. Check out the trailer below:
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