Global Pulse

分类： entertainment

  • Bad Bunny will perform ‘great’ half-time show, says NFL boss

    Bad Bunny will perform ‘great’ half-time show, says NFL boss

    In a landmark moment for Latin music, global superstar Bad Bunny is preparing to headline the Super Bowl 60 halftime show this weekend in Santa Clara, California. The Puerto Rican artist will become the first solo male Latin performer and the first artist to deliver the entire performance in Spanish, marking a significant cultural milestone for the event historically dominated by English-language acts.

    The announcement comes fresh off the artist’s historic Grammy Awards victory on Sunday, where he became the first Latin artist ever to win Album of the Year. His Grammy appearance was notably political, featuring himself and numerous fellow artists speaking out against former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.

    NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the selection at a Monday press conference, acknowledging both Bad Bunny’s artistic merit and his understanding of the platform’s significance. “Bad Bunny is one of the greatest artists in the world and that’s one of the reasons we chose him,” Goodell stated, “but the other reason is he understood the platform he was on. This platform is used to unite people and to be able to bring people together with their creativity, with their talent.”

    The decision has proven divisive among segments of the American public, partly due to the artist’s vocal political stance. Bad Bunny recently avoided including U.S. dates on his world tour due to concerns about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducting raids at his concerts. At the Grammys, he explicitly advocated for immigrant rights with the phrase “ICE out.”

    When questioned about potential ICE operations during Super Bowl weekend, Commissioner Goodell emphasized security preparations: “Security’s obviously one of the things we focus on the most. It’s a tier-one level event. That involves unique assets at a federal level, state level and local level all working together. I see no change in that with the preparations for the Super Bowl.”

    The event is expected to draw over 120 million viewers in the United States alone, providing an unprecedented global stage for both Latin music and the artist’s message. Bad Bunny, who has been Spotify’s most streamed artist globally in four of the past six years, represents the continuing evolution of the Super Bowl halftime show as both entertainment spectacle and cultural platform.

  • Lewis Hamilton and Kim Kardashian spark dating rumours with secret UK getaway

    Lewis Hamilton and Kim Kardashian spark dating rumours with secret UK getaway

    Speculation mounts over a potential romantic connection between Formula 1 icon Lewis Hamilton and reality television mogul Kim Kardashian following their discreet joint retreat at a luxury English estate. The Sun reports the high-profile pair shared an intimate weekend at Oxfordshire’s exclusive Estelle Manor, where accommodations command over £1,000 per night.

    The 41-year-old Ferrari driver allegedly arrived via helicopter from London while the 45-year-old SKIMS founder traveled from Los Angeles aboard her £100 million private jet, accompanied by substantial security and luggage. Insider sources indicate the couple received privileged access to the property’s spa facilities, indulged in couples’ massages, and maintained complete privacy during dining experiences away from fellow guests.

    Despite their longstanding acquaintance through Kardashian’s former husband Kanye West, the two celebrities have never previously been romantically associated. Their deliberate avoidance of social media documentation throughout the weekend has further intensified curiosity about the nature of their relationship. The carefully orchestrated secrecy surrounding their movements, combined with the extravagant transportation arrangements, suggests a concerted effort to maintain privacy amid growing public interest.

  • Grammy Awards: 5 times stars made powerful political statements on stage

    Grammy Awards: 5 times stars made powerful political statements on stage

    The 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony evolved into a potent platform for political activism as numerous recording artists leveraged their acceptance speeches and red carpet appearances to protest stringent U.S. immigration policies. The event witnessed coordinated demonstrations against recent aggressive enforcement actions by immigration authorities, transforming music’s premier celebration into a forum for social commentary.

    Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny established the evening’s defiant tone with a direct “ICE out” declaration during his award acceptance, referencing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. This sentiment resonated throughout the night as Billie Eilish, Olivia Dean, Gloria Estefan, Kehlani, and Shaboozey delivered emotionally charged remarks celebrating immigrant contributions while condemning policies they characterized as inhumane.

    Visual symbolism complemented verbal protests, with numerous artists sporting distinctive “ICE OUT” pins on the red carpet and during performances. Several speakers drew upon deeply personal narratives connected to their families’ immigrant heritage, lending authentic emotional weight to their political statements. The production occasionally encountered technical difficulties as broadcasters attempted to censor particularly confrontational remarks, resulting in several bleeped-out moments during prime-time segments.

    This year’s politically charged atmosphere continues a established tradition of Grammy artists addressing contentious social issues from the awards podium. Historical precedents include past demonstrations supporting racial justice, gender equality, and LGBTQ+ rights, establishing the Grammys as one of entertainment’s most consistently activist award ceremonies.

  • Bryan Adams is coming to Abu Dhabi

    Bryan Adams is coming to Abu Dhabi

    Abu Dhabi prepares to welcome rock music icon Bryan Adams for a highly anticipated performance at the Saadiyat Nights concert series on February 15. The Canadian singer-songwriter’s appearance coincides with the anniversary of his groundbreaking 1980 debut album that launched his extraordinary career spanning over four decades.

    Adams’ musical journey represents one of rock’s most enduring success stories, having sold an estimated 75-100 million records worldwide. His performance will feature timeless hits that have become cultural touchstones, including “Summer of ’69,” “Have You Really Loved a Woman,” and the iconic power ballad “Everything I Do, I Do It For You” that continues to resonate with audiences across generations.

    The upcoming concert marks another chapter in Adams’ ongoing relationship with the UAE. Beyond his musical achievements, the artist has previously showcased his photographic talents in Dubai, where he exhibited portraits of global figures including the Dalai Lama, Queen Elizabeth II, and fashion icons Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.

    Reflecting on the power of music during his previous UAE visit, Adams told local media: “Music is a very powerful medium—it transports us to different places, soothes our soul, inspires us to dance and reflect. A world without music would be a profoundly lonely place.”

    Adams joins an impressive roster of international performers in the Saadiyat Nights series, following appearances by music heavyweights including Mariah Carey (February 7), John Mayer, and Ricky Martin, cementing Abu Dhabi’s growing reputation as a premier destination for world-class entertainment.

  • Yuyuan Lantern Festival puts Shanghai in festival mood

    Yuyuan Lantern Festival puts Shanghai in festival mood

    Shanghai’s iconic Yuyuan Lantern Festival has launched an expansive celebration that transcends its traditional boundaries, illuminating the city with a spectacular display of cultural fusion. For the first time in its celebrated history, the festival has extended beyond the confines of Yuyuan Garden Malls to encompass multiple prominent locations including the Bund Finance Center, Gucheng Park, Middle Fangbang Road, and Fuyou Road.

    The festival, which commenced on February 1st and will continue through March 3rd, represents a remarkable blend of traditional Chinese culture and contemporary pop aesthetics. At the Bund Finance Center, visitors experience a groundbreaking collaboration with Pop Mart, China’s leading pop culture enterprise. The installation features the toymaker’s immensely popular intellectual properties transformed into dazzling lantern displays that create an immersive Chinese New Year atmosphere.

    This strategic expansion creates a cultural dialogue between different areas of Shanghai. While Yuyuan Garden maintains its focus on traditional folk culture representations through lantern art, the newly incorporated venues showcase more modern and trend-forward installations. The Bund Finance Center specifically offers a unique experience where ancient lantern craft meets contemporary pop culture, attracting both traditional festival enthusiasts and younger demographics.

    The extended festival footprint allows visitors to embark on a cultural journey through Shanghai’s diverse districts, each offering distinct interpretations of lantern artistry. This innovation in festival programming demonstrates how traditional celebrations can evolve while maintaining cultural authenticity, effectively bridging generational gaps through creative collaborations with popular brands like Pop Mart.

  • Fela Kuti’s Grammy lifetime achievement award is a major win for African music

    Fela Kuti’s Grammy lifetime achievement award is a major win for African music

    LAGOS, Nigeria — In a historic recognition of African musical excellence, the late Nigerian icon Fela Kuti has been posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Recording Academy during the Grammys Special Merit Awards ceremony. This landmark achievement marks the first time an African artist has received this prestigious honor, placing Kuti alongside music legends Chaka Khan, Cher, Carlos Santana, and Whitney Houston in this year’s recognition cohort.

    The award celebrates Kuti’s extraordinary contributions to global music and his role as the foundational inspiration behind one of Africa’s most influential contemporary genres. Nigerian music authorities have welcomed this acknowledgment as a testament to his enduring cultural impact that continues to resonate more than five decades after his initial rise to prominence.

    Born in colonial Nigeria in 1938, the saxophonist known mononymously as Fela developed a distinctive sonic architecture that fused high-energy horn sections, jazz improvisation, and funk rhythms with traditional Yoruba musical patterns. His career, spanning from the late 1950s through the 1990s, created what would become known as Afrobeat—distinct from the contemporary Afrobeats genre—establishing a musical legacy that transcended national boundaries.

    Beyond his musical innovations, Kuti emerged as a formidable political activist who consistently challenged Nigeria’s military regimes and Western imperialism. His lyrical content frequently targeted government corruption, neocolonial structures, and cultural hegemony, making him a recurring target of state persecution. His 1977 composition ‘Colonial Mentality’ critiqued internalized racism, while 1989’s ‘Beasts of No Nation’ offered scathing commentary on global governance institutions.

    Kuti’s activism came at significant personal cost. He endured multiple imprisonments, including a 20-month detention ordered by then-junta leader Muhammadu Buhari in 1984. In a particularly brutal 1977 incident, nearly one thousand soldiers raided his Lagos compound—the self-declared Kalakuta Republic—burning it to the ground and fatally injuring his mother, prominent activist Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti.

    Despite the inherent tension between Kuti’s anti-establishment ethos and institutional recognition, Nigerian music professionals view the Grammy acknowledgment as transformative for African music. His legacy continues through contemporary artists like Burna Boy and Wizkid, who frequently incorporate his influence, while global superstars including Beyoncé, Nas, and J.Cole have sampled his work in their productions.

    The recognition coincides with growing Academy attention to African music, exemplified by the introduction of the Best African Music Performance category in 2024. Since 2020, artists including Burna Boy, Tems, and South Africa’s Tyla have achieved Grammy success, signaling increased global engagement with Africa’s diverse musical landscape.

  • Trump threatens Grammy host Trevor Noah with legal action over Epstein comment

    Trump threatens Grammy host Trevor Noah with legal action over Epstein comment

    Former President Donald Trump has initiated legal threats against Trevor Noah following the comedian’s controversial remarks during the 68th Grammy Awards ceremony. The South African host, who announced this would be his final year emceeing the event, made pointed comments linking Trump to Jeffrey Epstein’s private island during his closing monologue.

    Noah’s commentary emerged while congratulating Billie Eilish for winning Song of the Year. ‘That’s a Grammy every artist wants—almost as much as Trump wants Greenland,’ Noah quipped, referencing Trump’s previously stated territorial ambitions. The comedian then added, ‘Which makes sense because, since Epstein’s gone, he needs a new island to hang out with Bill Clinton.’

    Trump responded vehemently through his Truth Social platform, first dismissing the Grammy Awards as ‘the WORST and virtually unwatchable’ before directly addressing Noah’s comments. ‘I have never been to Epstein Island, nor anywhere close, and until tonight’s false and defamatory statement, have never been accused of being there,’ Trump asserted. The former president subsequently labeled Noah a ‘total loser’ and demanded he ‘get his facts straight.’

    The escalating conflict reached its peak when Trump declared, ‘I’ll be sending my lawyers to sue this poor, pathetic, talentless, dope of an M.C. Get ready Noah, I’m going to have some fun with you!’ This marks another chapter in Trump’s complex relationship with the Epstein narrative, having previously moved in similar social circles with the convicted sex offender in Florida and New York.

    The controversy emerges against the backdrop of recent document releases concerning Epstein, which mentioned numerous high-profile figures including Trump, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, and Prince Andrew. Trump has spent months attempting to prevent the disclosure of extensive documentation related to the financier, offering varying explanations for his eventual dissociation from Epstein.

  • Grammys 2026: Dalai Lama grateful at winning honour for audiobook narration

    Grammys 2026: Dalai Lama grateful at winning honour for audiobook narration

    In an unprecedented cultural milestone, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has become a Grammy Award recipient for his narration work on the audiobook ‘Meditation: Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama.’ The 90-year-old spiritual leader expressed profound gratitude upon receiving the prestigious music industry honor during Monday’s ceremony in Los Angeles.

    The distinguished Tibetan Buddhist figure, residing in exile in India since 1959, acknowledged the recognition through social media with characteristic humility. ‘I receive this distinction with gratitude and humility,’ stated the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. ‘I perceive this not as a personal achievement but as an acknowledgment of our shared universal responsibility toward peace and compassion.’

    The winning production features collaborative contributions from renowned artists including Rufus Wainwright, who accepted the physical award on the Dalai Lama’s behalf, and Maggie Rogers. The project represents an unusual convergence of spiritual wisdom and artistic expression that resonated with Recording Academy voters.

    Despite his advanced age, the Dalai Lama remains actively engaged in global advocacy work, emphasizing themes of environmental care, human interconnectedness, and compassionate governance. His distinctive appearance—maroon monastic robes, simple sandals, and distinctive eyewear—has made him one of the world’s most recognizable spiritual figures.

    The award arrives amid ongoing geopolitical tensions regarding Tibetan autonomy. China’s Communist government, which labels the Dalai Lama a separatist, has previously asserted authority over approving any future reincarnation claims. The spiritual leader maintains that his India-based office retains sole authority regarding succession matters.

  • ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ trailer: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt are back in a showdown

    ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ trailer: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt are back in a showdown

    Two decades after revolutionizing fashion cinema, the iconic trio of Miranda Priestly’s world is poised for a dramatic return. 20th Century Studios has unveiled the inaugural trailer for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2,’ confirming the highly anticipated reunion of Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Emily Blunt in a sequel scheduled for theatrical debut on May 1, 2026.

    The narrative thrusts Streep’s formidable Miranda Priestly into the turbulent waters of modern media, where the venerable Runway magazine editor confronts the precipitous decline of print journalism. This installment captures Priestly at her most vulnerable yet determined, battling to preserve both relevance and financial solvency within an industry undergoing radical digital transformation.

    Adding compelling tension to the storyline, Emily Blunt reemerges as Emily Charlton—formerly Priestly’s assistant, now transformed into a powerful executive at a luxury conglomerate. Anne Hathaway simultaneously reprises her career-defining role as Andrea Sachs, though her current professional standing remains strategically shrouded in mystery, preserving narrative intrigue.

    The creative architecture remains firmly rooted in the original’s success, with director David Frankel and screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna reuniting alongside producer Wendy Finerman. The ensemble expands significantly with both returning favorites and prestigious newcomers, including Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh, and musical icon Lady Gaga in unspecified roles.

    This sequel builds upon extraordinary foundations: the 2006 original achieved monumental success with $326 million in global box office revenue while establishing itself as an enduring cultural benchmark. The forthcoming chapter promises to explore evolving power dynamics, generational shifts in the fashion industry, and the complex relationships that made the initial film resonate across audiences worldwide.

  • Melania film beats box office predictions despite criticisms

    Melania film beats box office predictions despite criticisms

    A new documentary focusing on former First Lady Melania Trump has dramatically exceeded industry projections by generating over $7 million during its inaugural weekend in U.S. theaters. Titled ‘Melania: 20 Days to History,’ the film offers an intimate portrayal of her experiences in the weeks preceding her husband’s presidential inauguration in January 2025.

    Amazon MGM Studios acquired the global distribution rights for a record-breaking $40 million, supplemented by an additional $35 million allocated for promotional campaigns. This investment positions the project as the most costly documentary ever produced. Despite initial forecasts estimating a $5 million opening, the film’s performance stunned industry analysts and marked the most successful non-fiction debut in the past ten years.

    Directed by Brett Ratner—whose return to filmmaking follows previous allegations of sexual misconduct, which he has denied—the documentary has also drawn attention due to recent photographs circulating of Ratner with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Ratner’s representatives have not provided comments regarding these images.

    Audience demographics indicate particularly strong reception among older white women in politically conservative regions such as Texas and Florida. The film has earned an ‘A’ grade from CinemaScore based on viewer surveys and holds a 99% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, critical reception stands in stark contrast, with many professional reviewers dismissing the project as overtly staged propaganda. Some critics have described it as a ‘shameless infomercial’ and an ‘obsequious portrait’ of the Trump administration.

    Industry observers have questioned Amazon’s substantial financial commitment, suggesting potential political motivations behind the deal. Amazon has consistently denied these claims, stating that the acquisition was driven solely by anticipated customer interest. The agreement also includes rights to a subsequent docu-series centered on Melania Trump, which Amazon expects to perform well across its streaming platform in the coming months.