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☆ A complete timeline of Karlie Kloss and Taylor Swift's friendship
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Claudia Willen | Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +40 min

Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss became inseparable after meeting at the 2013 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. AdvertisementThe friendship of Taylor Swift and Karlie Kloss dates back to 2013, when the musician and the supermodel met backstage at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. AdvertisementApril 2014: Kloss and Swift are spotted together in New York CityTaylor Swift and Karlie Kloss often spent time together in New York City. November 23, 2014: Swift brings Kloss as her date to the American Music AwardsTaylor Swift and Karlie Kloss at the 2014 AMAs. July 11, 2015: Kloss appears at another of Swift's concerts in New JerseyTaylor Swift's friends went to her concert in New Jersey.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Karlie Kloss, Kloss, —, Swift, didn't, Katy Perry, Scooter Braun, Karlie, Michael Kovac, Jamie McCarthy, Milk, Christina Tosi, Randy Brooke, we're BFFs, I'd, Raymond Hall, Kate Bosworth, Harry Josh, Charles James, Oscar de la, They're, Alo Ceballos, She's, Rolling, James Devaney, Ben Stiller, Quinlin, SoHo Taylor Swift, Jeff Kravitz, Dick Clark, Antonio de Moraes Barros Filho, WireImage Kloss, Lily Aldrige, Martha Hunt, taylor, it's, Taylor, Matty Healy, Marie Claire, Beyonce, Jay, Justin Timberlake, Sam Smith, Michael, r was, els, rais, hou, "I, ove, stor, ste, "(M, bro, K, Ma y, orr, "B, Perry, tim e, oe Jonas, maki, J ohn Shea, dow, deo, cele, Jo, hatta, lia, nce, e, hough, lor h, 2016:, Joh, Delilah, L orde, Conn, Loo, ned the photo,, y, as well, loss and Swift, Augu, rld, kee, mus, raun, cate, rau, hite, theo, abou, ody, ted in a, ike H, Derek Bl Organizations: Big, Service, Vogue, Twitter, Hollywood Life, Big Sur, daisies, Surrey, Costume, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Getty, Swift, Apple, New York Knicks, Garden, Chicago Bulls, Madison, American, New York City's, Yahoo, New, YouTube, the de, acc, Adv, ober, Wil, unc, ift, who's known Locations: Big Sur, Swift's New York, New York City, Big, Instagram, New York, Manhattan, brunching, SoHo, Madison, SoHo Taylor, June., ber

☆ I had a 'power lunch' at Cecconi's, where Hollywood diners frequently forget their Gucci bags and iPads. Here's what it was like.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Anneta Konstantinides | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

I recently dined at Cecconi's, considered to be an iconic "power lunch" spot in Los Angeles. The hostess told me people often forget their Gucci bags and iPads at the restaurant. AdvertisementWe now live in a hybrid world, but the "power lunch" is due for a comeback. A classic Italian restaurant off West Hollywood's famous Melrose Avenue, Cecconi's frequently appears on lists for the "top power lunch spots" and has been known to attract everyone from Beyoncé to Prince Harry. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: —, Cecconi's, Beyoncé, Prince Harry Organizations: Service, Melrose, Business Locations: Cecconi's, Los Angeles, Italian

☆ US concert spending: Americans will continue to spend big on live shows in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-20 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It was remarkable, given that inflation was elevated and interest rates were at their highest in two decades. “With the job market and economy holding strong, consumers could continue spending on these tours – and there’s certainly still demand,” Liz Anderson, a content strategist at jobs site Appcast, said in a statement to CNN. Beyoncé released “Cowboy Carter” on March 29, her eighth studio album featuring 27 tracks rooted in country music. Swift released her eleventh studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” Friday, and it soared past Beyoncé’s streaming record in just a few hours, becoming Spotify’s most streamed album in a single day of 2024. Swift’s latest set of music was released a “double album,” consisting of 15 extra tracks.

Persons: Washington CNN — Taylor Swift, Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Bad, there’s, Liz Anderson, ”, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, —, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay, Carter ”, hasn’t, Pawan Joshi, “ We’re, ’, Jeanelle Johnson Organizations: Washington CNN, Coachella Valley Music and Arts, Billboard, Federal, CNN, Poets Department, International Monetary Fund, PricewaterhouseCoopers Locations: Coachella, States

☆ Led by stars like Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark, women keep breaking boundaries (and records) in entertainment
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The highest-grossing film in recent memory is Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” And the most-watched basketball star is Caitlin Clark. Beyoncé’s first country album, “Cowboy Carter,” topped Billboard’s charts with nearly half a million copies sold in its debut week. Meanwhile, Swift is set to release her highly anticipated album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on Friday. The impact of a once-in-a-generation star like Swift will surely inspire interest in other female-led performers, spawning even greater appetite and opportunities. Compare that to the NBA’s top pick Victor Wembanyama, who signed a $55 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs.

Persons: New York CNN —, Taylor Swift, Greta Gerwig’s “ Barbie, Caitlin Clark, Swift, Beyoncé’s, Cowboy Carter, ”, Tom Poleman, CNN’s Alli Rosenbloom, ” “ It’s, ” Poleman, Clark, Barbie ”, Gerwig, didn’t, Victor Wembanyama, “, Hoda Kotb, Caitlin Organizations: New York CNN, Poets Department, Clark’s Hawkeyes, South Carolina Gamecocks, NBA, WNBA, Street Journal, NCAA, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Warner Bros . Pictures, CNN, Indiana Fever, San Antonio Spurs Locations: New York, America

☆ Taylor Swift's new album rollout strategy shows she's too big to fail
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Taylor Swift's new album "The Tortured Poets Department" will arrive on Friday, April 19. The quiet rollout strategy says a lot about Swift's stature in the pop-music landscape. Die-hard fans say it's a masterpiece, destined to win Swift her fifth Grammy Award for album of the year. The aforementioned fans who insist "Poets" will dominate charts and break records have no idea what the album sounds like. The particulars of each rollout strategy are rendered irrelevant, dwarfed by the all-consuming enormity of her own personal news cycle.

Persons: Taylor, —, Taylor Swift, Swift, — Maja, Carole King, Fleetwood Mac, Swiftmania, wouldn't Swift, Swifties, Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter Organizations: Department, Service, Spotify Locations: Chicago, Los Angeles, Texas

☆ Why Taylor Swift's new album will be a hit — no matter what it sounds like
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Taylor Swift's new album "The Tortured Poets Department" will arrive on Friday, April 19. AdvertisementIf you spend enough time in Taylor Swift-devoted territories of social media, as I have, you'll find posts that proclaim "The Tortured Poets Department" is her best album yet. Die-hard fans say it's a masterpiece, destined to win Swift her fifth Grammy Award for album of the year. But the fact that no fan has heard even one second of "Poets" — the album isn't out until Friday — seems to be a moot point. The aforementioned fans who insist "Poets" will dominate charts and break records have no idea what the album sounds like.

☆ Taylor Swift and Beyoncé Avoided a Collision on the Charts. (Again.)
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Craig Marks | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In February, Taylor Swift took the stage at the Grammy Awards to accept the prize for best pop vocal album. 1, don’t release it on April 19. A week later, following a teaser during a Super Bowl commercial, Beyoncé also dropped news of a new album: “Cowboy Carter” would arrive earlier than “Poets,” with breathing room, on March 29. Another pop powerhouse in the Grammy audience made her own announcement in early April: Billie Eilish will unveil her forthcoming third album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” a month after Swift’s release, on May 17. Beyoncé and Swift, the 21st century’s pre-eminent pop stars, have often been cast as competitors if not rivals, a story line partly rooted in misogyny and amplified by dueling fan armies filled with stans, or superfans.

Persons: Taylor Swift, ”, Beyoncé, Carter ”, Billie Eilish, Swift Organizations: Recording Academy, Poets Department

☆ Courtney Love says Taylor Swift is 'not important' and 'not interesting as an artist'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Courtney Love said Taylor Swift is "not important" in a new interview with The Standard. "She's probably the Madonna of now, but she's not interesting as an artist," Love said. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementTaylor Swift's legion of fans includes rockstars like Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, and Dolly Parton — but certainly not Courtney Love. She might be a safe space for girls, and she's probably the Madonna of now, but she's not interesting as an artist," she said.

Persons: Courtney Love, Taylor Swift, She's, Love, Lana Del Rey, —, Taylor, Stevie Nicks, Paul McCartney, Dolly Parton, she's Organizations: Service

☆ Courtney Love thinks Taylor Swift is ‘not important’ and has some thoughts about Beyoncé, Lana Del Rey and Madonna, too
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Courtney Love has a new radio show about women in music, but she is not much of a fan of several of the biggest female artists of our time. But some contemporary artists, including Taylor Swift, are not to Love’s liking. “Taylor is not important,” Love said of Swift. “She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist.”Love used to be an admirer of Lana Del Rey’s music but that changed. “I haven’t liked Lana since she covered a John Denver song, and I think she should really take seven years off.” Love said.

Persons: CNN — Courtney Love, “ Courtney Love’s, Patti Smith, Nina Simone, PJ Harvey, Debbie Harry, Julie London, Joni Mitchell, Taylor Swift, “ Taylor, ” Love, Swift, she’s, ”, Lana Del Rey’s, Lana, John Denver, “, Madonna, ‘, Susan, ’ Organizations: CNN, BBC Radio, Spotify Locations: London, New York

☆ Beyoncé is sending Levi’s and Western boot sales soaring
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

All of which has apparently sent fans flocking to Levi’s for denim jeans, denim jackets and Western clothing since the album was released on March 29. Levi’s has made its own moves to capitalize on Beyoncé namechecking the brand and the extra attention it’s receiving. Angus Mordant/Bloomberg/Getty Images“Act II: Cowboy Carter” has also led to a rise in Western boot sales. Sales spiked another 45% the following week when “Texas Hold ‘Em” reached the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, Circana said. Beyoncé has also lifted Western boot sales at Calares, a women’s shoe and accessories chain, said Dana Telsey, a retail analyst at Telsey Advisory Group.

Persons: Bey, Cowboy Carter, Post Malone, Levi’s, ”, Michelle Gass, Beyoncé, Angus Mordant, Cowboy Carter ”, Circana, Taylor Swift, Beth Goldstein, Dana Telsey, Etsy, Th, CNN’s Lisa France Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bloomberg, Getty, Circana, Telsey Advisory, Billboard, Deutsche Bank Locations: New York, Pass_by, Instagram, Stockholm

☆ Sabrina Carpenter may have dropped this year's summer bop with 'Espresso.' Here's how valuable a summer hit can be.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Katie Balevic | Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sabrina Carpenter just dropped "Espresso," which is already topping the charts. With her new song "Espresso," the pop star may have just dropped this year's summertime hit. Cyrus' 2023 single "Flowers" breathed new life into her career after a rocky public personaMiley Cyrus performs at the 2024 Grammys. Like Carpenter, Cyrus was a Disney child star who amassed international fame with "Hannah Montana." So with "Espresso," Carpenter has a chance to catapult herself onto the big stage and secure her place as a bonafide star.

Persons: Sabrina Carpenter, —, Taylor, Barry Keoghan, She's, Carpenter, Theo Wargo, Sabrina Carpenter's, Morgan Wallen's, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Miley Cyrus, SZA, Cyrus, Amy Sussman, cushioned Cyrus, Forbes, Vijat, Hannah Montana, Pharrell Williams, Cowboy Carter, Armando L, Sanchez, Bill, Timothy Norris, J, Cole, Nicki Minaj Organizations: Service, Coachella, Spotify's, Spotify, Apple, NBC, Getty, Chicago Tribune, Tribune, Billboard, iHeart Locations: Disney

☆ Taylor Swift abandoned UMG's fight, making the record label's argument against TikTok look weaker: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Swift recently brought her music back to the platform after UMG pulled it in January due to an ongoing fight between the music publisher UMG and TikTok. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Swift was initially on board with UMG's move. "Universal can't claim they're winning a fight Taylor doesn't want a part of," Bill Werde, the director of Syracuse University's music business program, told the Journal. UMG, TikTok, and a representative for Swift didn't respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: —, Taylor, Universal Music Group's, Swift, UMG, TikTok, Drake, Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé, UMG's, Swift's, they're, Taylor doesn't, Bill Werde Organizations: Service, Universal Music, Wall Street Journal, Business, Wall Street, Poet's Department, Syracuse, Business Insider

☆ Beyoncé bounce: Western boot sales jump more than 20% week over week since 'Cowboy Carter' launch
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Beyonce leaves the Luar fashion show at 154 Scott in Brooklyn during New York Fashion Week on February 13, 2024 in New York City. The country fashion staple's sales surged more than 20% in the week after the music superstar released her "Cowboy Carter" album, according to consumer behavior firm Circana. "Cowboy Carter," which came out late last month, marked the "Halo" singer's foray into the country genre. Louis Vuitton unveiled an American Western line during Paris Fashion Week earlier this year, featuring models in everything from cowboy hats to bolo ties. Beyoncé's chart-topping album can provide a same-store sales boost and help lasso in women shoppers at Boot Barn , said Williams analyst Sam Poser.

Persons: Beyonce, Carter, Cowboy Carter, Circana, Louis Vuitton, Taylor Swift's, Williams, Sam Poser Organizations: Scott, New York, Paris Locations: Brooklyn, New, New York City, Beyoncé, American, California

StubHub is eyeing a summer initial public offering, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC. The online ticketing service is aiming for a valuation of at least $16.5 billion, which is what it was valued at in late 2021 during its latest round of private funding. If StubHub does enter the public market, it will trade alongside competitors Vivid Seats and Live Nation . Vivid Seats has a market cap of $1.2 billion and Live Nation is valued at just under $24 billion, according to FactSet. StubHub, JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs all declined to comment about potential timing for an IPO.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, StubHub, Eric Baker, SeatGeek, Taylor Organizations: CNBC, JPMorgan, eBay, Vivid

☆ Opinion: Beyoncé is the start of a Black country groundswell
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Opinion Alice Randall | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Her book “My Black Country: A Journey Through ” Country Music’s Past, Present and Future,” was published this month. I hear Black moonshiners and Black cowboys, Black nature lovers and Black ghosts, Black angels, Black freedom fighters, gunslingers and Black shotgun riders. It could start a groundswell of long overdue recognition of the overlooked Black country legends and hope for the Black country stars of the future. But for Black performers in particular, it offers a seat, at long last, at a gathering of the country music family. As I write in “My Black Country,” “I have imagined Black country and country to be born as an art form, as an aesthetic, in the year 1624 near Jamestown, Virginia.

Persons: Alice Randall, who’s, ”, I’ve, Alice Randall Keren Trevino, Matraca Berg, Beyoncé’s, Carter, she’s, White, “, Jolene, Cowboy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, Sen, Ted Kennedy, Roy Acuff, DeFord Bailey, Ole Opry’s, jumpstart Acuff’s, Anna Gordy, Berry Gordy, Marvin Gaye, Anna, Anna Gordy —, Detroit, Carter ”, Linda Martell, Rumi Carter, Jay Z, Blue Ivy, Sir, Rumi, Mike Blake, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter ”, ” Beyoncé, William Tucker, Stoney Edwards Organizations: CNN, Country Music Association, DAR, Blacks, Motown Records, Anna Records, Grand Ole Opry, Reuters, America, Eagle Locations: Nashville, Washington , DC, George H.W ., Detroit, Los Angeles, Black, European, Jamestown , Virginia, America, It’s

☆ Brittney Spencer is telling her own story and collecting cosigns from her heroes — including Beyoncé
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewWhen Brittney Spencer woke up on Monday morning, she had no idea she would hit a major career milestone. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. "That wasn't even on my radar," she told Business Insider of her top-40 debut, adding with a laugh, "My life has been very random." AdvertisementAlthough "My Stupid Life" contains the most explicitly personal lyricism of her career, Spencer has a knack for speaking her own dreams into existence — if not always intentionally. (Morris sang backup on Spencer's album highlight "Night In," while McEntire took Spencer on tour in 2022.)

Persons: —, Brittney Spencer, Parker McCollum, Spencer's, Beyoncé, Spencer, Carter, Tiera Kennedy, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell, they've, I'm, Queen Bey, Maren, Whitney, Maren Morris, Reba McEntire, Morris, McEntire, Queen Latifah, John Shearer, I've, She's, she'll, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Cowboy Carter Organizations: Service, CMT, Business, Twitter, Stagecoach, Outlaw Locations: Nashville, Instagram

☆ Beyoncé makes history with ‘Cowboy Carter’ hitting No. 1
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Beyoncé may have proclaimed that her latest project “ain’t a country album,” but someone forgot to tell the charts that. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart with her “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” according to Billboard. The accomplishment comes at a time where there has been debate over the fact that Beyoncé herself is not a country music artist. If the argument is made that Bey lacks the country music pedigree, how about two of the genre’s biggest stars? lang have also found acceptance in the country music space.

Persons: CNN —, Cowboy Carter, ”, Beyoncé, Bey, Mathew Knowles, Tina Knowles, Keith Urban, Shania Twain Getty, That’s, Shania Twain, Twain, Carter, “, Queen Bey Organizations: CNN, Billboard, Country Music Association, Urban Locations: Texas, Houston , Texas, American, Alabama, Mama , Louisiana, Gadsden , Alabama, Galveston , Texas, Louisiana, Australia, Canada

☆ Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Opens at No. 1 With the Year’s Biggest Sales
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Ben Sisario | More About Ben Sisario | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Beyoncé’s genre-bending “Cowboy Carter” has become her eighth No. 1 album, opening with the biggest sales of any release so far this year. “Cowboy Carter,” billed as “Act II” of a trilogy that began with Beyoncé’s dance-oriented album “Renaissance” almost two years ago, had been expected by fans, and the music industry at large, as primarily a country project. “Cowboy Carter” arrives with the equivalent of 407,000 sales in the United States, and in addition to topping the all-genre Billboard 200 chart it is also No. Of its composite total sales figure, “Cowboy Carter” sold 168,000 copies as a complete album, including 62,000 on vinyl versions sold through Beyoncé’s website.

Persons: Carter ”, “ Cowboy Carter, ”, Dolly Parton’s, Jolene, Nancy Sinatra, Chuck Berry, Cowboy Carter ” Organizations: Metro Boomin Locations: United States

☆ Thanks to Caitlin Clark, women’s basketball is now prime time viewing
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Two years ago, I could never have predicted the hype which surrounds tonight’s NCAA women’s basketball Final Four. Women’s college basketball is not just on the map for casual fans, it’s a star on the map – thanks at least, in large part, to Iowa star Caitlin Clark. Women’s college basketball is beating America’s pastime. More people have been searching women’s college basketball than for US President Joe Biden. Check the prices for the men’s and women’s college basketball Final Four.

Persons: didn’t, Muffet McGraw, it’s, Caitlin Clark, Let’s, Angel Reese’s, Clark, Reese, Andy Lyons, Dee Vanderhoef, Rebecca Gratz, Joe Biden Organizations: CNN, NCAA, Angel Reese’s LSU, ESPN, Iowa, LSU, Stanley, ABC, Iowa Hawkeyes, Holy Cross Crusaders, UConn, USC, Google Locations: Iowa

☆ Will Beyoncé announce the Cowboy Carter' tour? Fans think she may be hitting the road again soon.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Renaissance World Tour wrapped last October in Kansas City. So it would stand to reason — financially and thematically — that Beyoncé would plan another tour leg for "Cowboy Carter." He celebrated the release of "Cowboy Carter" on X, writing, "This tour bout to B' Incredible!" pic.twitter.com/KNHQOuqFI9 — COWBOY CARTER TOUR (@CowboyCarterWT) March 31, 2024However, the six-month turnaround since Beyoncé's last concert does cast suspicion on these theories. Thanks to "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," we know the Renaissance World Tour took four years to ideate and execute.

Persons: Beyoncé, Carter, —, Cowboy Carter, Tina Knowles, Lawson, Instagram, Knowles, KNHQOuqFI9, CARTER, she's, Gtg7f2jvSG — Antoinette “, ” Childs, @Beyonce, …, GPhRrW1GiF — Nicolas Organizations: Service, Texas Locations: Kansas City, @TheFancyFriend

☆ Beyoncé’s ‘Cowboy Carter’ Asks, and Answers, a Crucial Question in Her Latest Album - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Tressie Mcmillan Cottom | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Beyoncé released a genre-bending country album, “Cowboy Carter,” last week. In outlaw country tradition, “Cowboy Carter” settles scores with haters and with history. It was for the white Southern voters Nixon needed to win over amid massive resistance to Black enfranchisement. Embracing country music is a loyalty test for conservative politicians and right-wing pundits whose career ambitions align with white identity politics. Beyoncé singing country music in this political climate was always going to cause a stir.

Persons: Beyoncé, Cowboy Carter, ”, Cowboy Carter ”, —, Richard Nixon, Nixon Organizations: Southern, Today’s Republican Party Locations: growled, Nashville, Texas

☆ Tiera Kennedy isn't allowed to reveal when Beyoncé recruited her for 'Cowboy Carter'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Tiera Kennedy is featured on Beyoncé's new album "Cowboy Carter." "I've always dreamed of collaborating with her, but never knew if that would actually happen because it's Beyoncé," Kennedy, 26, said during a follow-up call this week. AdvertisementHere's what Kennedy can say: She didn't know her contributions to "Blackbiird" and "Tyrant" had made the cut until the tracklist was unveiled online. Asked if coordinating four busy schedules posed any big challenges, Kennedy said simply: "When Beyoncé calls, you show up." At the time, Kennedy didn't know Cam had worked on the song, but now she sees it as the "cherry on top."

Persons: Tiera Kennedy, Carter, Beyoncé, Kennedy, what's, —, didn't, I've, it's, hadn't, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Paul McCartney, they've, Camaron Ochs, Cam, Taylor Swift's, Paul McCartney's Organizations: Service, Beatles, Big Locations: Beyoncé

☆ Opinion: The problem with Beyoncé’s ‘Jolene’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Opinion Holly Thomas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It’s hardly my place to conclude how much of Beyoncé’s riff on “Jolene” is autobiographical, but I think we can safely assume she wants us to guess. That approach applies perfectly to country music (though she insists “Cowboy Carter” is “a ‘Beyoncé’ album,” not a country album). In “Daughter,” the track that follows “Jolene” on “Cowboy Carter,” Beyoncé continues on the theme of adultery. Whether or not Beyoncé’s “Jolene” has anything to do with her real life — or anyone’s — I think it’s a mistake to see it as a departure from Parton’s version. For someone cycling through the stages of post-cheating grief, Beyoncé’s “Jolene” reads like the “anger” prequel to Dolly’s “bargaining” “Jolene.” As listeners, the point isn’t to imitate either of them, or to know the roots of every phrase.

Persons: Holly Thomas, Katie Couric, CNN —, Holly Thomas Holly Thomas, Beyoncé’s, Dolly Parton’s, Jolene, ”, Cowboy Carter, Jolene — she’s, Parton, “, Beyoncé, don’t, ” Beyoncé, Azealia Banks, Jay, I’m, Tina, Jolene ”, Cowboy Carter ”, Dolly, Becky, Z, She’s, Becky ”, coos Organizations: Katie Couric Media, CNN Locations: London, Houston, Louisiana

☆ Paul McCartney says Beyonce’s ‘Blackbird’ cover ‘reinforces’ civil rights message behind it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

“Anything my song and Beyoncé’s fabulous version can do to ease racial tension would be a great thing and makes me very proud,” he added. The powerful meaning behind the original song adds to the emotional depth of Beyoncé’s 2024 cover, which is amplified by the voices of four up-and-coming Black female country artists featured on the track: Tiera Kennedy, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer and Reyna Roberts. McCartney in his post on Thursday wrote that he spoke to Beyoncé on FaceTime and she thanked him for writing “Blackbird” and for letting her cover it. “I told her the pleasure was all mine,” he wrote. “I thought she had done a killer version of the song.”

Persons: CNN — Paul McCartney, Cowboy Carter, ”, McCartney, ” McCartney, Tiera Kennedy, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, “ Organizations: CNN, Little Locations: United States, Arkansas

☆ Nearly half of Levi's sales are happening online and in its shops, a shift as department stores fade
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Excluding one-time costs related to Levi's restructuring, the company reported earnings per share of 26 cents, ahead of Wall Street's estimates. The sales slump was primarily attributed to a shift in Levi's wholesale orders, which boosted profits by about $100 million in the year-ago period. For the last couple of years, Levi's has been moving away from wholesalers and doing more of its sales through its own stores and website. If Macy's store closures or other challenges to department stores affects Levi's business, she expects direct-to-consumer sales will offset those losses. During the quarter, sales of items like denim skirts, dresses and tops were up 19% in Levi's direct-to-consumer channel, said Gass.

Persons: Levi Strauss, Levi's, Macy's, Levi's —, Michelle Gass, Gass, Harmit Singh, Beyoncé, Carter, Post Malone Organizations: Levi's, LSEG, Arkhouse Management, CNBC Locations: U.S, Europe

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