On Instagram, in response to the song enjoying another week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Mars wrote, “THANK YOU ALL! I’m headed to the studio right now to make a strip club anthem so I can celebrate and properly act up this weekend. Someone please help me get in touch with Sexyy Red!!”
It soon became clear, though, that he was probably already in touch with Sexyy: The next day, he shared a photo of himself and Sexyy, set to a snippet of a new song. “Found Her,” Mars wrote.
Some have reported that the song is set to arrive tomorrow (January 24) and that it’s called “Fat, Juicy, & Wet,” although neither artist has directly confirmed either of those two points. The title makes sense, though, given that Sexyy shared Mars’ post on her Instagram Story and added the hashtag #FJW. “Fat, Juicy, & Wet” also seems like an appropriate title for the “strip club anthem” that Mars envisioned.
Mars, meanwhile, has the 2025 Grammys to look forward to, as “Die For A Smile” is nominated for Song Of The Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
Congratulations to all the nominees at the 2025 Oscars. Now, let’s talk about who got snubbed. It’s a crime that Denis Villeneuve wasn’t nominated for Best Director for Dune and Dune: Part Two, and The Substance star Margaret Qualley was left out of Best Supporting Actress for some inexplicable reason? But arguably the biggest snub was Challengers for Best Original Score.
“Challengers had two elements that were very powerful in terms of sound,” director Luca Guadagnino told Variety about his sexy tennis drama. “One was the erotic crunchy pulse of tennis. The racket swinging, the ball hitting, bones crushing. And on the other hand, the pulse and energy of the score.”
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross brought the energy for the techno-driven score, and then some, so no one can make sense of why they weren’t nominated.
“challengers original score snub cancel the oscars,” one person on X wrote. Another added, “No CHALLENGERS in original score… I feared days like this would come.” Simply put: “No CHALLENGERS for original score, for shame.”
Challengers Not Getting Nominated For Best Original Score: Reactions
In recent years, Best Original Song has gone to big pop and rock acts like Lady Gaga (“Shallow” from A Star Is Born), Elton John (“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” from Rocketman), and Billie Eilish, twice (“No Time To Die” from No Time To Die and “What Was I Made For?” from Barbie). Will that trend continue at the 2025 Oscars? The nominees for the 97th Academy Awards were revealed this morning, including Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
Best Original Song has two songs from Emilia Pérez, a track from the Elton John documentary Elton John: Never Too Late, and songs from The Six Triple Eight and Sing Sing.
As for Best Original Score, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ techno-driven score for Challengers was unfortunately snubbed, but the Oscars did nominate Daniel Blumberg’s masterful work for The Brutalist (read our interview), as well as John Powell & Stephen Schwartz for Wicked, among others.
Check out the complete Best Original Song and Best Original Score nominations below.
Best Original Song
“El Mal” from Emilia Pérez
“Never Too Late” from Elton John: Never Too Late
“Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez
“The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight
“Like A Bird” from Sing Sing
Best Original Score
The Brutalist — Daniel Blumberg Emilia Pérez — Clément Ducol Conclave — Volker Bertelmann Wicked — John Powell & Stephen Schwartz The Wild Robot — Kris Bowers
To find the full list of 2025 Oscar nominees, click here.
The ongoing Los Angeles wildfires continue to rage, but the show must go on. In this case, that show happens to be the 97th annual Academy Awards, which will take place on Sunday, March 2 and will be hosted by Conan O’Brien. And if this ceremony is like the Globes, there will be a distinct lack of chaos unless Vin Diesel and The Rock smack each other with their eyes again.
This year’s crop of nominees will surely draw strong representation from The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, Wicked, Conclave, A Complete Unknown, and Anora. Also, do not count out Sebastian Stan after his Globe win and twin nods (for The Apprentice and A Different Man) there. Dude has been swerving outside the Marvel box for over a decade, and it might be his time. Additionally, the awards telecast will bypass Best Original Song performances this year, but there’s no word on whether that will affect the customary 3+ hour runtime. We’ll find out the answer to that question when we find out.
Here are your 2025 Oscar nominations:
Best Picture Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Dune: Part Two
Emilia Pérez
I’m Still Here
Nickel Boys
The Substance
Wicked
Best Director Anora
The Brutalist
A Complete Unknown
Emilia Perez
The Substance
Best Actor
Adrien Brody, The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown
Colman Domingo, Sing Sing
Ray Fiennes, Conclave
Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice
Best Actress
Cynthia Erivo, Wicked
Karla Sofia Gascon, Emilia Pérez
Mikey Madison, Anora
Demi Moore, The Substance
Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here
Best Supporting Actor
Yura Borisov, Anora
Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain
Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown
Guy Pearce, The Brutalist
Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice
Best Supporting Actress
Monica Barbaro, A Complete Unknown
Ariana Grande, Wicked
Felicity Jones, The Brutalist
Isabella Rossellini, Conclave
Zoe Saldana, Emilia Pérez
Best Costume Design A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Gladiator II
Nosferatu
Wicked
Best Makeup and Hairstyling A Different Man
Emilia Pérez
Nosferatu
The Substance
Wicked
Best Animated Short Film Beautiful Men
In the Shadow of the Cypress
Magic Candies
Wander to Wonder
Yuck!
Best Live-Action Short Film A Lien
Anuja
I’m Not a Robot
The Last Ranger
The Man Who Would Not Remain Silent
Best Adapted Screenplay A Complete Unknown
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Nickel Boys
Sing Sing
Best Original Screenplay Anora
The Brutalist
A Real Pain
September 5
The Substance
Best Original Song
“El Mal,” Emilia Pérez
“The Journey,” The Six Triple Eight
“Like A Bird,” Sing Sing
“Mi Camino,” Emilia Pérez
“Never Too Late,” Elton John Never Too Late
Best Original Score The Brutalist
Conclave
Emilia Pérez
Wicked
The Wild Robot
Saturday Night Live is going big in celebration of its 50th anniversary, and part of that effort was announced last month, when it was revealed Questlove and Oz Rodriguez co-directed a new documentary, Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years Of SNL Music. For the making of the film, Questlove went ahead and just watched all 900-plus episodes of the show since its debut in 1975.
He talked about it with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show yesterday (January 22), explaining:
Lorne [Michaels] put this in my lap, maybe April of 2021, like, a year before the Oscars. So, pretty much, I had about two-and-a-half years to watch all 900-plus episodes of SNL. Initially, in the beginning, I think I was just going to compile maybe the 50 best performances on the show, but around ’87, I realized there were way more iconic comedic moments musically on the show, like surpassing just the legendary performances.
He went on to explain with a few Fallon examples, saying, “Like, even for you, I would say your top three are all music-related. First, you know, the Mick Jagger bit. And then cowbell, of course. And then I would even say with Debbie Downer, like, the trombone. That is music. But music plays a major part on that show. And most of the iconic sketches that people remember, be it King Tut or, you know, anything Eddie Murphy’s done, the Lonely Island stuff: it’s all music-related.
The Los Angeles Lakers have had a strange season. While the team is currently 23-18 and hold the final automatic playoff spot in the Western Conference, they also have the 12th-best point differential in the West, and are one extended absence from LeBron James or Anthony Davis away from finding themselves in some serious trouble — entering Wednesday’s slate of games, they were only 2.5 games up on the 11-seed, which would put them out of the postseason altogether.
All of this is to say that the Lakers are by no means a sure thing to compete for a title in their current position, something that JJ Redick and James admitted to varying extents last week. And apparently, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, it’s gotten to the point that James and Redick are trying to throw their weight around and convince the team to get aggressive on the trade market.
But with the Feb. 6 trade deadline a little more than two weeks away, league sources told ESPN that James and Davis are growing concerned about the Lakers’ ability to make significant roster upgrades with their two tradeable first-rounders. James, a four-time champion, and Davis, a one-time champ, have expressed that they want the franchise to make moves to contend for a championship, with the co-stars believing the Lakers are potentially a piece or two away, sources said.
L.A. did already dip into the trade market, as the team acquired Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets back in December in an effort to add some shooting and defense around those two. It’s unclear which players on their roster would be the most appealing to opposing teams in trades, but as Charania noted, the Lakers do have a few future first-round picks that they can send out to try and make a deal happen.
Butler returned to action last week and played three games of mostly uninspired, but not disastrous basketball as Miami went 1-2 over that stretch. That seemed to signal that the star and the Heat had reached a detente with a few weeks left until the trade deadline, with Butler playing and the Heat doing what they can to find him a trade — with the logistics of moving Butler, especially to his preferred destination in Phoenix, extremely difficult. That lasted all of four days before word broke on Tuesday that Butler had “tripled down” on his trade request, with Shams Charania reporting the Heat were suspending him again for two more games on Wednesday for missing the team’s flight to Milwaukee.
According to Charania, Butler planned on flying separately to meet the team in Milwaukee, but is now expected to be told to stay home from their two-game road trip. After this quick road trip, the Heat are back home and have five more games on the schedule before the trade deadline hopefully brings a merciful end to this saga for all parties, not the least of which being fans who are tired of all of it.
The Boys is currently filming its fifth season with Hughie holding a decent chance of helping to take out Homelander when all is said and done. Jack Quaid has high hopes for a brighter ending than Hughie has suffered through, especially recently, and he’d really like to avoid showing his butt (“It’s not a great one, you know what I mean”) again, but the good news is that Quaid made back-to-back movies on hiatus, and both projects will land this year.
Surely, he’s managed to keep his butt covered as preferred in these other projects, right? We shall see.
First, Companion will arrive with Sophie Thatcher as a killer sex-robot (watch out, Jack), and secondly, he will be able to portray a Supe-like character who doesn’t have to “get there” by mainlining Compound V. Let’s dig into what to expect from an outlandish-looking film from Paramount Pictures.
Plot
Paramount Pictures
Novocaine is an action-comedy about Quaid’s Nate, who possesses the rare (but very real) ability to never feel pain due to a genetic disorder, CIPA (congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis). This is, of course, not generally ideal for humans to avoid dangerous, life threatening conditions. In this heightened-reality story, however, Nate falls in love with a woman who is taken hostage, and his ability turns into a superpower of sorts to rescue her. As the movie’s trailer reveals nearly lighting himself on fire to pick up scalding hot pans to burn bad guys in the face. Or he’s crunching glass into his hands to make some seriously extreme brass knuckles. You get the picture, and as with The Boys, this movie is not for the faint of heart.
Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (who made Significant Other and Villains together) and written by Lars Jacobson (Day of the Dead: Bloodline), Novocaine looks like the perfect counterpoint to Hughie in The Boys, and Quaid told Hollywood Reporter that this movie was “very fun to make, but incredibly physically challenging for me.” He then explained why people will be surprised to watch him in this role, as he was surprised to portray it: “I think I’m kind of an unlikely person to be an action hero… I don’t think anyone expects me to be kicking ass and I kick ass in a very specific way in that movie.”
Quaid also went into detail about the real-life plight of CIPA sufferers:
“Basically, your nervous system doesn’t allow you to feel pain and it is not a great thing. You think it might be amazing, but a lot of people with this condition don’t make it past 25. They have to blend all their meals and drink it through a straw because they could bite their tongue off and not realize it. So it is a little scary. But it’s about a character who is kind of sheltered and is kind of living in a bubble for his own safety at the beginning, using that to help protect someone he loves. And to be in action scenes where I don’t feel pain and trying not to wince is a very interesting thing because naturally you would react to getting hit a million times and I just don’t in this movie.”
On the flip side, Quaid didn’t mention that any scenes required baring his tush. Good for him.
Cast
Quaid is accompanied by Amber Midthunder as well as Ray Nicholson, Betty Gabriel, Jacob Batalon, Matt Walsh, Lou Beatty Jr., Conrad Kemp, and Van Hengst.
Release Date
Novocaine arrives in theaters on March 14.
Trailer
If you’ve got a sensitive stomach, steer clear of this one. Otherwise, enjoy 🙂
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
Beyoncé postponed her heavily anticipated announcement in respect to the devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires and The Weeknd did the same with his Rose Bowl concert while also delayed his Hurry Up Tomorrow album. Elsewhere, SZA got into it with fans over her heavily delayed Lana album updates and had a sweet moment with Drew Barrymore.
Here are some new releases from the past week that you’ll enjoy:
Nao — “Happy People”
Nao enters 2025 in good spirits thanks to her new uplifting single “Happy People.” The warm single is the fourth record from her upcoming album Jupiter, out on February 21. “’Happy People’ is about finding peace, joy and purpose in meaningful connections with those who truly care,” she says about the song. “It celebrates the strength of relationships and friendships.”
THEY. — “Choosin”
With just a few weeks until their fourth album Love.Jones arrives, R&B duo THEY. returns with “Choosin.” The third single from the upcoming project describes an unfulfilling romance with a woman who stands beside them not for love, but to indulge in the perks of their fame.
Reuben Aziz — How Did We End Up Here? (Deluxe)
Rising London singer Reuben Aziz extends his How Did We End Up Here? project with four new songs thanks to a deluxe edition. The 21-year-old’s new project shines thanks to “Stick Around,” a record co-signed by Stormzy that puts Aziz’s falsetto vocals on display. “Always Come Back” is a raw confessional record backed by a rattling bass while “More” completes a full-circle moment for Aziz.
TheHonestGuy & Phabo — “Jai’s Song (Falling) [Pt. 2]”
After releasing the original song back in 2024, Toronto singer TheHonestGuy recruits Phabo for a remix of “Jai’s Song (Falling).” The silky-smooth single was a highlight on TheHonestGuy’s Velvet Soul EP, and now the record gets a boost thanks to some west coast flavor from Phabo.
4Fargo & Eric Bellinger — “Your Love Is Gold”
Coming off a strong 2024 that was highlighted by the release of his Express&B project, Georgia singer 4Fargo is getting right to business in 2025. He kicks off the year beside Eric Bellinger for their new single “Your Love is Gold.” It’s a sweet and sultry record aimed at praising their significant other’s best qualities.
TAVE & Kenyon Dixon — “Laid Back/Old Skool Chevy”
A pair of Grammy nominees join forces for their new single “Laid Back/Old Skool Chevy.” London singer TAVE and Los Angeles singer Kenyon Dixon work some magic on their 90s R&B and neo-soul-inspired single as they invite a special someone in their lives to join them on an easygoing cruise in an old-school Chevy.
Charlie Bereal — “Hope”
Death Row Records signee Charlie Bereal is just a week away from releasing his debut album Walk With The Father, and ahead of its arrival, the Cali native drops “Hope.” The track was originally intended to be a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the late activist’s birthday, but the recent California wildfires has brought new meaning to the song for Bereal. “Being a Pasadena/Altadena Native and watching my family church’s, homes, and businesses burn has been completely devastating for me and our community,” he said in a press release. “But one thing I know is that my city is strong, and we’re finding hope.”
E-Los — “Scarlett’s Poetry” Feat. Elhae
With his Casanova EP on the way, Boston native E-Los connects with Elhae for his new single, “Scarlett’s Poetry.” Speaking about the single in a press release, E-Los said, “‘Scarlett’s Poetry’ is about me owning my mistakes; facing how I let us down. Not proud of it, but it’s my truth. Still holdin’ onto hope, but I won’t ask her to wait.”
Isaiah Stone — “Get Down”
Atlanta singer Isaiah Stone is rocking out on his new single “Get Down.” The fiery record supplies a piercing electric guitar to emphasis the tension between ambition and temptation. “I chose this song because it reflects my journey, the drive to create something timeless while balancing the other parts of life,” Stone said about the song. “There is an urgency to transcend, but also a reminder to stretch out and have a little fun along the way.”
Shygirl saw success with her 2024 EP Club Shy, and now she’s running it back: She announced Club Shy Room 2 last month, and today she links up with PinkPantheress and Isabella Lovestory on “True Religion.” Shygirl and PinkPantheress previously teamed up with Mura Masa and Lil Uzi Vert on “Bbycakes” in 2022.
Additionally, Shygirl shared the Club Shy Room 2 tracklist today ahead of its February 28 release. Aside from the artists on “True Religion,” Club Shy Room 2 also features contributions from Saweetie, Jorja Smith, SadBoi, Bambii, and Yseult. The project was also co-produced with Mura Masa and Oscar Scheller, along with guest appearances from Nick León and Blue May. A press release explains of the project, “Room 2 isn’t just the second room of the club — it’s a vast, immersive virtual space where the club has found a global home, always online and everywhere.”
Check out “True Religion” above and find the Club Shy Room 2 cover art and tracklist below.
Club Shy Room 2 is out 2/28 via Because Music. Find more information here.
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