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Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine war is going so terribly that even North Korea dropped him like a scalding hot potato regarding their previous offer for some (non-military) manpower. The Russian president is apparently very sensitive about reports that he’s been hiding in a bunker, and he’s so seldom seen that Ukranian President Zelensky wondered aloud if Putin was actually dead with the Kremlin doing the green screen thing. Putin then had to offer proof of life (while wearing lifts to look more macho), and all of that hasn’t helped matters. Also in the mix: his longtime rumored girlfriend, decorated Olympic gymnast Alina Kabayeva, has now broken her silence on the war.

Granted, yes, Putin is married, and he’s been married to Lyudmila Aleksandrovna Ocheretnaya since 1983, but as you can see in the above photo (from 2001), he actually cracked a rare smile when presenting flowers to Alina. Her rhythmic gymnastic routines were awe-inspiring, but Alina no longer lives in Russia, although she’s reportedly been Putin’s girlfriend for at least a decade. They also allegedly share at least three children, with whom she now apparently lives in Switzerland. To add more support to all of those reports, consider that the U.S. sanctioned Alina last fall. Well, she’s stayed fairly quiet since the start of the war, but via Newsweek, she’s now urging Russian State media to support Putin’s warmongering:

“Our people need this success because information work today in the conditions in which we live and fight for our country is like a weapon of war,” Kabaeva told attendees, according to a translation in a video circulating online. “It is as important as the Kalashnikov assault rifle. And war correspondents know this. Let’s work.”

Anton Gerashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian minister of internal affairs, was among those posting the video on Twitter. He referred to her as “Putin’s alleged lover.”

As Newsweek points out, Alina made these remarks at an event held by the National Media Group, for which she serves as the board of directors chair. You can watch the clip (posted by Anton Gerashchenko on Twitter) below, and it seems as though Alina is supporting Putin all the way. For the record, she’s 39 years old, whereas Putin is 69. He’s got some Leo DiCaprio in him, alright.

(Via Newsweek)

Music’s biggest night, the 2023 Grammys, took place over the weekend. We laughed. Some of us might have cried. We watched our faves get awards, as well as some major snubs… However, with the sights now set on the future, any of the artists on this week’s pop roundup could very well be in the running for next year’s nominations.

Check out Uproxx’s roundup of this week’s Best New Pop music below.

Raye — “Oscar Winning Tears”

After Raye’s debut album was held back by her record label for seven years, she made the bold decision to go independent — and it has paid off immensely. Building on the popularity of the viral hit “Escapism,” her new record, My 21st Century Blues, opens with an introduction that leads into “Oscar Winning Tears.” When the song starts, Raye breaks the third wall by narrating to the crowd about what’s to come. What follows is a dramatic ballad that is one of the best representations of her lyrical and vocal range.

PinkPantheress, Ice Spice — “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2”

As PinkPantheress and Ice Spice are two of the most popular current stars on social media, their collab for the remix, “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2,” truly feels like fate. It was bound to happen at some time, bridging Twitter and TikTok, as fans have dubbed it “this generation’s Telephone,” referencing the groundbreaking Beyoncé and Lady Gaga union. And hey, who doesn’t love just being around your best friend and dissing fake men?

Karol G — “X Si Volvemos”

Karol G’s new song, “X Si Volvemos,” is a fiery collaboration with Romeo Santos, as the two sing about being toxic exes that can’t help but return to each other. It’s also going to be included on her eventual new album, Mañana Será Bonito, which she has teased will be coming “soon.”

Anne-Marie — “Sad B*tch”

“This ain’t another sad girl anthem,” Anne-Marie greets listeners on her new song. Despite the title, this is a party anthem for the bad b*tches, as she points out that being anything other than that is “so last year.” If 2023 is for going out with your friends and giving table-dancing-energy, we’re here for it.

Lizzy McAlpine — “Hold On”

Lizzy McAlpine’s “Hold On” is the calming-but-somber new title theme song for Apple TV+’s Dear Edward. After dropping her acclaimed 2022 album, Five Seconds Flat, McAlpine is set to head out on tour starting in April — giving fans a possible opportunity to hear this recent release.

Maluma – “La Fórmula”

Another collab on this week’s list, Maluma and Marc Anthony — two of Latin music’s biggest stars — try to find the remedy to forgetting a past love on “La Fórmula.” Although the instrumental starts out somewhat slow, once the beat kicks in, it doubles by giving a sense of optimism to the song.

Faye Fantarrow – “Awol”

Faye Fantarrow’s “Awol” is a brilliant, creative blend of folk and blues, as she plays a peaceful acoustic guitar on the track.

“Life very rarely goes to plan, but the plan was always to write, sing and perform and I’ve been lucky to be able to do that,” she shared. “‘AWOL’ is the title track from my forthcoming EP, which I am so proud of and the fantastic opportunity I was given to work and record with Dave Stewart will be forever special to me.”

Annie DiRusso – “Emerson”

“Being home turns me back into who I was- a past self,” Annie DiRusso said of “Emerson,” her emotional dive into struggling with regressing and getting older. “The lines can get so blurred between the person you’ve become, the person you used to be, and the person you want to be. The thread that ties them all together is that you can only ever be exactly who you are. This realization can be so limiting while also so liberating.”

Shania Twain – “Got It Good”

If there’s one thing Shania Twain knows, it’s how to drop some fun music. “Got It Good” is featured on her new album and leans more into a euphoric, electronic dance production style, showcasing that her range extends beyond just country.

Caroline Polachek – “Blood And Butter”

Caroline Polachek‘s second solo album under her real name, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You, drops later this month. She’s prefaced the release with a handful of singles that pull from a range of sonic inspiration, from flamenco to electronic. Her latest teaser, “Blood And Butter,” features some very fun bagpipes that are worth checking out — giving the song its own unique identity on the album.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Grammy-nominated rapper Lil Baby may not be the most vocal on social media, but that hasn’t stopped him from having quite an active social life. Whether he’s rubbing shoulders with television and movie stars on the set of Saturday Night Live or blowing nearly $600k gambling with fellow musician Drake, the “Forever” rapper seems like the life of the party. Baby’s friend, NBA basketball player James Harden, is another high-profile figure with an alluring cloud of mystique surrounding him.

While out celebrating his performance at this year’s Grammy Awards with friends at Nightingale in West Hollywood, TMZ caught up with the musician to ask him about his famous friendship with Harden. When asked about how the pair became so close, the answer had nothing to do with their love of sports or music.

The Atlanta native replied, “He’s a sniper. I’m a sniper.” That may sound as if it is related to their professional endeavors, but in fact, it is a metaphor for their love of the ladies. Lil Baby and Harden have been linked to several women in the industry and have bounded over that shared interest.

When they aren’t chasing the ladies, the pair are often spotted out at major events. The latest is the NFL Conference Championship matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadephia Eagles.

For as long as Eminem has been a fixture of the rap landscape, so has his daughter Hailie. The Detroit rapper would regularly mention his daughter in his songs; his viral beef with Machine Gun Kelly in 2017 was largely the result of flirtatious remarks MGK had made about Hailie a few years prior.

She’s taken the fame in stride, launching her Just a Little Shady podcast in July of 2022 to talk about her experiences growing up around the music industry and talking about her upbringing — which Eminem went to great lengths to ensure was as normal as possible, despite his high-profile job.

But it might surprise some rap fans who feel they’ve gotten to know Miss Mathers through her dad’s music that “daddy’s little girl” is a grown-ass woman now. In fact, over the weekend, she got engaged to her longtime boyfriend Evan McClintock, posting photos of his proposal to her Instagram on Monday.

Hailie is the second of Eminem’s daughters to get engaged; in 2021, Hailie’s adopted sister Alaina Scott also posted her longtime boyfriend’s proposal. Alaina was one of the first people in the comments of Hailie’s post to congratulate her, writing, “couldn’t be happier for the two of you. can’t wait to do this chapter of life with you guys.”

Eminem, who is notoriously bad at social media, probably just congratulated her in real life.

Britney Spears posted a new video to Instagram where she gives a modern rendition of “Oops I Did It Again” for her fans and followers. While you can’t exactly see her in the video, as it’s pointed at what appears to be the ceiling in her house, she does kick up her vocals in this short clip.

“Have you guys heard !!! I’m a star now mamma !!! LOL just kidding !!! Most of this sounds pretty flat … but I liked DOING IT AGAIN !!! Wait OOPS !!! That was so lame I know !!! All good in the neighborhood … as most smartasses say !!! You gotta be kidding me !!! NOPE !!! I’m not !!! Oh kiss my f*cking ass !!! AND stay classy beautiful people,” Spears captioned the post.

At intervals in the video, it also is clear that it’s been filmed at different times and edited together, with Spears possibly wanting to make her vocal take as seamless as possible. After posting, she also followed it up with some selfies of herself in bed that were taken during her time in London.

Last year, Spears made her return to singing with a collab between her and Elton John titled “Hold Me Closer,” which was a partial remix of his hit, “Tiny Dancer.” It seems there might be more from her in the future too.

“Hearing Britney sing in her real voice on her own terms makes me so happy y’all,” a fan wrote on Twitter, since the pop star turned her Instagram comments off.

Check out Britney Spears singing “Oops I Did It Again” above. Below, find some more fan reactions.

Sunday was a matchup between Music’s Biggest Night and HBO’s biggest show. Both performed well: the Grammys brought in 12.4 million total viewers, the largest audience for the ceremony since 2020, while episode four of The Last of Us was seen by 7.5 million viewers, up 17 percent from the 6.4 million that tuned in for episode three.

It’s the third week in a row with rising night-of ratings: from 4.7 million for the series premiere to 5.7 million (episode two) to 6.4 million (episode three) to 7.5 million (episode four). The numbers are even higher than they appear; The Last of Us (which will premiere on Friday this week to avoid the Super Bowl) is averaging more than 20 million viewers when you factor in those who streamed it the week after it aired.

Additionally of note is that The Last of Us is on more rapidly inclining trajectory than House of the Dragon, which is HBO’s most recent comparable series in terms of viewership. Though “House of the Dragon” premiered with almost 10 million viewers and “The Last of Us” has yet to reach that point, it’s notable that the cable viewership of “House of the Dragon” dropped significantly by its third episode before steadying out for the rest of its run.

House of the Dragon had a higher high, but The Last of Us is gaining viewers whereas the Game of Thrones prequel slipped from week to week. Just wait until late March when Succession trounces both with Seinfeld finale-level numbers (I hope).

(Via Variety)

Gorillaz are now just over a couple weeks away from the release of Cracker Island, their latest album. Aside from the titular island, though, the virtual band has found a virtual home: on Snapchat.

Recently, the group debuted a new “Virtual Try On” lens. It’s available in the Snapchat app now, and to use it, just prop your phone up, step back until your body is in view of your device’s front-facing camera, and using AR technology, you’ll be able to virtually try on some Cracker Island merch, all while listening to the Thundercat-featuring album title track.

Meanwhile, the band is set to premiere a video for the recent single “Silent Running” tomorrow (February 8) at noon ET. In a recent statement, Damon Album described the song as “that sort of mesmerizing dreamlike state you get in when you’re just following some train of thought.” Gorillaz cartoon singer 2D added, “Sometimes I get well lost and end up in the wrong place but then it turns out that’s where I was meant to be going anyway.”

Cracker Island is out 2/24 via Warner Records. Pre-order it here. Get the AR Snapchat Try On Lens here.

Gorillaz is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Despite seeming to soften her allegation that Tim Allen flashed her on the set of Home Improvement, Pamela Anderson has doubled down on the accusation by addressing Allen’s subsequent denial. While continuing to promote her new memoir and documentary, the model/actress said that the Home Improvement star had no choice but to say the whole thing never happened thanks to the #MeToo movement.

“He has to deny it because look at the times we’re in,” Anderson reportedly told ET Canada via Page Six. “If he said, ‘Oh yeah, I did that…’ he’d be — a lot of these stories are just the tip of the iceberg.”

Anderson’s recent comments are an interesting development as this story has taken a few turns. The allegations were first spotted in her memoir by Variety who reported on them back in January:

“On the first day of filming, I walked out of my dressing room, and Tim was in the hallway in his robe. He opened his robe and flashed me quickly — completely naked underneath. He said it was only fair, because he had seen me naked. Now we’re even. I laughed uncomfortably,” according to an excerpt in “Love, Pamela,” which Variety has obtained ahead of the book’s Jan. 31 release.

Allen immediately denied the allegation and said in a statement, “No, it never happened. I would never do such a thing.” In a later interview with Variety, Anderson seemingly softened the situation. “Tim is a comedian, it’s his job to cross the line. I’m sure he had no bad intentions,” she wrote in a text. “Times have changed, though. I doubt anyone would try that post #MeToo. It’s a new world.”

Allen would later deny the allegations again in a comment to the Daily Mail and he wasn’t shy about invoking both ABC and Disney . “She was a great co-worker, I’ll tell you that,” Allen said. “She’s a fun girl. Everybody loved her, but everybody at ABC is a little disappointed in her memory, put it that way. All of us at Disney [and] ABC, really.”

That brings us to Anderson’s latest interview, and clearly, she’s sticking to her story.

(Via Page Six)

Lil Uzi Vert’s new, Jersey club-inspired single “Just Wanna Rock” is taking over the streets. Its popularity has grown so much in such a short time, though, that it’s begun receiving comparisons to another Philadelphia-bred rapper’s classic anthem.

DJ Drama, the Generation Now label head responsible for bringing Uzi’s unique style to the world, told TMZ that “Just Wanna Rock” was the new official rap anthem of Philly, replacing Meek Mill‘s “Dreams And Nightmares Intro,” after Uzi walked out the Eagles ahead of their NFC Championship win over the San Francisco 49ers.

However, Uzi seems not to agree. Uzi addressed Drama’s comments at the Grammys, telling Revolt TV (via The Shade Room), “That song been around for a very long time, and that song is still hitting exactly the same way. I’m just gonna have to see, you know, in a couple of years or a decade or whatever.”

Uzi did have praise for the elder rapper though, saying, “That’s one of my big homies. I just feed off the energy that he gives, to be able to even produce or put out that type of music… He would hope that for me too. Not yet though — it’s too early to tell.”

Meek himself — who got a similar co-sign from the Eagles for their Super Bowl championship in 2018 with “Dreams And Nightmares” — tweeted what appeared to be a response shortly after Drama’s original comments. “Intro been lighting the world for 10 years!” he wrote. “Like shaking rooms for years!”

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Last week, an interview clip in which Matty Healy of The 1975 implores Noel and Liam Gallagher to reunite Oasis went viral. “Stop marding!” he exclaims, invoking English slang for “complaining” that Americans might recognize from an Arctic Monkeys deep cut. “Grow up! Headline Glastonbury!” Even those of us who have occasionally found Healy to be a bit much could not deny the undeniable truth of his conclusion: Anyone who attends a solo show by either Gallagher brother in 2023 would rather be at an Oasis gig.

If Healy’s words occurred in a vacuum, they might not register as anything more than a funny soundbite. But in the past month, there have been signs that the seemingly insurmountable divide between Noel and Liam might be narrowing. Indeed, it’s possible that in the not-so-distant future the “marding,” so to speak, might cease so that the rocking (Britpopping?) can resume.

The British press, unsurprisingly, has already been close-reading tweets and interviews from the brothers for any signs of hope. Over the weekend, for instance, Liam tweeted about a successful hip operation — the man is 50 years old, after all — and offhandedly remarked to one of his followers that the “comeback is real,” a phrase that appeared instantly in numerous headlines in a manner that, for now, seems misleading.

Over here on the other side of the Atlantic, I am conducting my own investigation. I admit that I am biased — at the beginning of the year, I predicted that Oasis would get back together and announce a tour in 2023. At the time, this was a Hail Mary based on wishful thinking: Their classic debut album Definitely Maybe turns 30 next year, and surely there is a pile of reunion money the size of the Burj Khalifa just waiting for them to hoover up like the white lines that fueled the making of Be Here Now.

One other thing: From the beginning, Noel has been the most adamant about not working with his brother. He was the one who ended the band in the first place back in 2009 after an argument in Paris in which Liam allegedly threw a plum at Noel’s head. (I probably didn’t need to mention the part about the plum — it just makes me laugh any time I think about it.)

But Noel’s reasoning against getting the band back together (which in the best-case scenario will also include guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs, because when you have a guy named Bonehead in your band you must invite him back) has grown strained. In October, he said that Oasis is as popular now as they were when they were an active band, which in his mind means there’s “no point” in reuniting. I think I understand what he means — in terms of streaming numbers Oasis never really went away — but the logic is flawed. Their enduring popularity makes a reunion more relevant, not less. At some point that window will close. Now is not that time.

This is not to say that there aren’t good arguments to be had over whether an Oasis reunion should happen. But let’s put them on hold for a minute. First, let’s wildly speculate on the reasons the comeback could happen.

1. Noel is getting divorced

At the risk of sounding crass — the marriage busted up after 12 years, our thoughts are with him at this emotionally difficult time — I must point out that this development suggests that Noel will need a fresh infusion of cash very soon. And touring arenas and stadiums with his musical ex obviously represents a more economically advantageous situation than playing clubs and theaters with his solo band, the High Flying Birds. Noel will likely be reminded of this once again when his latest High Flying Birds album, Council Skies, comes out in June.

There’s also the matter of Noel’s ex supposedly not being a fan of Oasis’ music, as Liam claimed in 2020. Is this true? I have no idea! Marrying the man who wrote music you hate seems bizarre to me. But we are talking about the Gallaghers here, so the threshold for nonsense is much higher than normal.

If I can make a more sentimental case: In the wake of a divorce, there is an opportunity to reflect on other relationships in your life that might be broken or dysfunctional. And after that period of introspection, there can be grace and forgiveness and reconciliation. Put another way: Why not throw a plum at his head and call it even?

2. Noel literally said “never say never” regarding an Oasis reunion last month

News of Noel’s divorce was reported on January 16. The very next day, Noel went on BBC Manchester and said “you should never say never” regarding Oasis getting back together. While he indicated that “it would have to take an extraordinary set of circumstances” for it to happen, he also added, “That’s not to say that those circumstances would never come about.”

Excuse me, Noel, but you have said “never” regarding a reunion for more than a decade. Now you are essentially negotiating terms for your involvement in a public forum. This is a huge turn of events! Might as well start drawing up potential set lists. May I request that you play “Acquiesce” first? It’s a great song, and the double meaning regarding the thematic significance of the tour is clear.

3. Noel allegedly phoned Liam and was “begging for forgiveness”

Even a person like myself who has gone mad with confirmation bias for an Oasis reunion can’t take this Liam tweet about Noel wanting to meet up at face value. But let’s pretend for a moment that it’s not just trolling: Liam tweeted this the very next day after that BBC interview. Now, I’m guessing Liam saw that interview and thought it would be funny to paint a scenario in which his brother calls him with the proverbial hat in hand. Because Liam has been the one before now who has openly pined for an Oasis reunion, and now he finally has a measure of power in their dynamic.

I prefer to believe that Noel and Liam really did sneak off to a pub and shared pints while hashing out their differences. “Sorry about the plum, mate.” “Fookin’ ‘ell, ’bout time you said that.” If these guys could just get drunk together, they might realize that all they have to do is take separate private jets to every show and stand on opposite ends of enormous stadium-rock stages for six months in order to make a cool $100 million each.

Also, guys, if you did get drunk together, any chance you recorded it for “Wibbling Rivalry” Part II?

4. Their mum Peggy just turned 80

Am I stretching here? Or is this secretly the most important factor of all? The beloved matriarch of the Gallagher household, who raised her brood after the boys’ father abandoned the family, celebrated her birthday on January 30. Reportedly, it is her wish for Noel and Liam to patch up their differences. According to the British tabloid The Mirror, a “source” claims that “in recent years there has been distance within the family, especially with Liam and Noel at war. Peggy has told Liam to mend the rift and she is hoping there will be genuine reconciliation.”

That’s right — I’m quoting English scandal rags now. That’s how far I’ve been pushed. Sooner or later, I’ll have to turn in my badge and gun. But until then: You don’t care about money? You can’t tolerate your brother? What about your elderly mother? You can’t disappoint your elderly mother, Noel and Liam! Just pick up a guitar and a tambourine and play “Slide Away” already!

To review: Noel likely will need money. Noel is publicly negotiating his terms. Noel maybe (?) already reached out to Liam. And their 80-year-old mother wants them to reconcile. All of these things suggest a reunion could take place. But should it?

Oasis is a notoriously inconsistent live act. Tickets for a reunion tour will be obscenely expensive. The shows will take place in cavernous spaces that will render the songs as muddy as an Owen Morris production. They might let us down. It could be a train wreck. And that would suck.

Should an Oasis reunion happen? Absolutely.