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Pop Base recap: This week in Pop Culture

October 11, 2024

Welcome to Pop Base! As your best source for all things pop culture, check out our curated newsletters to stay up-to-date on your favorite celebs, entertainment news, award show coverage, chart updates, and much more. 

Olivia Rodrigo performs her biggest concert to date in the Philippines with 55,000 people

Image source: Miles Leavitt

Filipino-American Olivia Rodrigo dazzled the crowd in the Philippine Arena on Saturday, October 5, during her first-ever concert in her homeland, the Philippines, as part of her GUTS World Tour. It marked her biggest concert to date with 55,000 attendees and all net proceeds donated to a charity through her Fund 4 Good initiative. In an Instagram post, Olivia revealed that her charity of choice for the Manila show is Jhpiego, a non-profit organization that advocates for women’s reproductive health and rights.

Diddy’s trial set for May 2025

Image source: Paras Griffin / Getty Images

Following dozens of allegations and an ongoing sex trafficking investigation, a trial date has finally been set for Diddy — May 5, 2025. The rapper is expected to remain imprisoned until then unless his latest appeal for bail is granted, which seems unlikely considering the first two have already been denied.

In other Diddy news, Tupac Shakur’s family has hired New York-based attorney Alex Spiro to uncover a possible connection between Sean “Diddy” Combs and the rapper’s untimely death. While Diddy has long denied the rumors of his involvement in Tupac’s death, the numerous recent allegations have clearly sparked doubt.

Andrew Garfield says he and Florence Pugh didn’t hear ‘cut’ while filming intimate scene

Image source: We Live In Time / StudioCanal

In an interview with 92nd Street Y, Andrew Garfield recalled an awkward moment he shared with co-star Florence Pugh while filming a “very intimate, passionate sex scene” for their upcoming movie We Live In Time. He recounted how they both failed to hear the director yell “cut”: “I feel like we were both kind of telepathically saying to each other, ‘this definitely feels like a longer take.’” 

He added an additional detail about the awkward encounter — saying that the cameraman ended up going to a corner and facing the wall, waiting for them to stop.

— Beatriz Joyce

MTV EMAs nominations

Taylor Swift has again dominated the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) nominations, earning seven nods for the second consecutive year. The superstar, whose latest album The Tortured Poets Department was released earlier this year, is up for awards including Best Video, Best Artist, Best US Act and Best Collaboration.

In the Best Song category, Chappell Roan's Good Luck, Babe!, Sabrina Carpenter's Espresso, Billie Eilish's Birds Of A Feather, and Beyoncé's Texas Hold 'Em are vying for the top prize. Among the 19 artists hoping to win their first-ever EMA are Disclosure and Fred Again in the Best Electronic category, Irish post-punk band Fontaines DC in Best Alternative, and indie outfit The Last Dinner Party in Best New Act.

Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Raye, and Sabrina Carpenter are competing for Best Artist, while Central Cee, Charli XCX, Chase & Status, Dua Lipa, Hozier, and Raye are nominated for Best UK and Ireland Act. This year, Manchester will host the EMAs for the first time, celebrating music and artists worldwide.

Billie Eilish covers Vogue

Image source: Vogue / Mikael Jansson

Billie Eilish, the enigmatic pop star, returns to the cover of Vogue for the second time in its November issue — with a stunning photoshoot by Mikael Jansson and an insightful interview by Alessandra Codinha which delves deep into Eilish's life and career, exploring everything from politics to personal relationships.

Eilish expresses her support for Kamala Harris in the presidential election, calling it "the most important election of our time." She acknowledges the challenges of individual impact, but emphasizes the collective power of individuals and her commitment to using her platform for positive influence. Addressing her fans directly, Eilish poses the question, "Do you like freedom?" before expressing her desire for a female president and the safety and security that would come with it for women in her country.

In the interview, Eilish also expresses a desire for privacy regarding her personal life, stating, "I wish no one knew anything about my sexuality or anything about my dating life." She emphasizes her preference for keeping these aspects of her life private and has decided to no longer discuss her romantic relationships publicly. Reflecting on her relationship with social media, Eilish reveals that she has taken a step back, opting to remove social media apps from her phone and replacing them with games.

Taylor Swift donates $5 million to hurricane relief

Image: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images

Taylor Swift has generously donated $5 million to community relief efforts in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Feeding America, a leading domestic hunger relief organization, took to social media to express their gratitude for Swift's substantial contribution. In a statement from CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, the organization praised the singer's generosity and highlighted her donation's impact on affected communities. "This generous gift will be instrumental in helping people rebuild their lives and recover from the devastation caused by these hurricanes," Babineaux-Fontenot stated. "The funds will provide essential resources such as food, clean water, and supplies to those in need."

Feeding America emphasized the importance of collective action in times of crisis and urged others to follow Swift's lead. "Together, we can make a significant difference in supporting families as they face the challenges ahead," the organization said.

Agatha All Along finally confirms MCU theory

Image: Chuck Zlotnick / Marvel

The highly anticipated Marvel series, Agatha All Along, delivered a groundbreaking moment in its fifth episode that sent shockwaves through the MCU fandom. The episode confirmed a long-held theory among fans: Joe Locke's character, initially known simply as "Teen," is indeed Wiccan, the young superhero and son of Scarlet Witch. Wiccan, also known as Billy Kaplan or Billy Maximoff, is a beloved character in Marvel Comics who has been a significant figure in the LGBTQ+ community. The revelation in Agatha All Along marked a significant milestone for representation in the MCU.

Speculation about Locke's character had been rampant since the series premiered. While some fans believed he was playing Wiccan, others theorized that he might be Nicholas Scratch, the son of Agatha Harkness. The episode's climactic scene finally put these rumors to rest. As Teen confronts Agatha Harkness, he reveals his true identity by using Nicholas Scratch's name to get her attention. When Agatha mocks him, Teen unleashes his powers, sending her and her allies tumbling into a mud trap. In a stunning twist, the camera pulls back to reveal Teen wearing a crown, a symbol of his connection to the Scarlet Witch. The episode then concludes with a fitting musical cue: Billie Eilish's You Should See Me in a Crown.

— Katie MacBeth

Tyla releases the deluxe edition to her self-titled debut album

Image source: Brent McKeever

TYLA finally expanded her self-titled debut album with the deluxe edition, containing three new tracks. The new offerings Shake Ah, Push 2 Start and Back to You add to the momentum of the record that began with the global Grammy-winning hit Water. The release comes ahead of her headlining shows in her home country of South Africa this December. In honor of the deluxe album’s release, branded as TYLA+, a massive tiger was spotted traveling through New York City on Thursday, prior to the album’s release.

JENNIE officially returns with Mantra

Jennie has officially returned with new solo music. Mantra, her first solo comeback in 6 years, is also her first official release under her own newly-launched record label Odd Atelier. The release was helmed by various teasers in the weeks leading up to the track, with Jennie calling on all the “pretty girls” and then joining X (formerly Twitter) with her own account. She is set to debut Mantra with its first televised performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! this upcoming Tuesday, October 15th.

Best New Track: On Friday, Charli xcx finally released her long-awaited Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat including collaborations with artists like Ariana Grande, Troye Sivan, Billie Eilish, Lorde, The 1975, Caroline Polachek, Bon Iver and more. All of these artists on one record is certainly unusual — but Charli makes it work. Each track features a new artist and takes on a totally newfangled convention. While Charli has plainly distinguished the album “still brat,” it feels rather more as though a response to the original record, and Charli acknowledging all that came with its release. “First off, you’re bound to the album / Then you’re locked into the promo,” she sings on “I think about it all the time” which now features Bon Iver. We couldn’t have ever imagined Bon Iver on a Charli xcx record, but we’re especially thankful they got together for this. The song somehow feels authentic to both artists’ creative gifts, so we’re naming that our Best New Track of the week. — Dawson Therre

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