‘Lotus' by Little Simz Review: The Beat of Betrayal
London rapper Simbiatu Ajikawo, who has released albums as Little Simz since 2015, is an important player in her city's fertile hip-hop and R&B scene. In her home country, the 31-year-old can fill an arena, but, like many of her peers, she's more of a cult figure in the U.S. While she's critically respected and admired by American artists—Kendrick Lamar has praised her work, and Lauryn Hill, one of her musical heroes, took her on tour—she's hasn't quite reached the mainstream. Some of that has to do with cultural barriers and lost-in-translation references. And some has to do with her more grown-up style.
Across five full-length albums, including 2021's 'Sometimes I Might Be Introvert,' which won the Mercury Prize for album of the year, she has generally favored what one might call a 'classic' aesthetic, with recognizable instruments playing funk and R&B riffs in the tradition of hip-hop artists who emerged in the late 1980s and early '90s. (This stands in contrast to much of the most popular youth-oriented rap of today, in both the U.S. and U.K., which tends toward electronic textures.)
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Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Closed Out Their Venice Wedding with a Pajama-Themed Party — and Their Celeb Guests Went All Out
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez closed out their Venice wedding with a pajama-themed party with their guests on Saturday, June 28 The couple tied the knot in a ceremony on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore on Friday, June 27 They celebrated their nuptials with around 200 guests, including numerous celebritiesAfter tying the knot in a black-tie wedding in Venice, Italy, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez celebrated with a pajama party — and some of their guests really leaned into the theme. On Saturday, June 28, numerous stars were photographed making their way via water taxi to the post-wedding bash. While some opted for formal attire, others embraced the dress code and sported stylish PJ sets, dressing gowns, robes and the like. Usher made a statement in a blue tuxedo look with a twist. Instead of a traditional jacket, he wore a long robe with white piping details. Leonardo DiCaprio wore a burgundy pajama set, topped with a black jacket, and Brian Grazer walked on the wild side in an animal-print set. Bill Gates put a designer spin on the theme in Prada pajamas, while Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King both opted for glamorous looks. The former talk show host wore a shimmery bronze ensemble featuring feather-trimmed cuffs, while the CBS News journalist rocked a tank dress topped with a colorful patterned robe. Kim Kardashian, meanwhile, went for a more sultry take on the theme, stepping out in a revealing corseted look with sheer stockings and garters. Lauren revealed the fun detail about the pajama party to Vogue, telling the magazine she planned to wear an Atelier Versace strapless georgette dress detailed with crystal mesh embroidery, along with a matching dressing gown, for the occasion. As for the newlyweds' guests, they were gifted the perfect footwear for the pajama party. The men received Vibi Venezia blue velvet Venetian slippers, and the women were given plush, black open-toe slippers from Amazon, according to Vogue. 'So you have a little of both!' Lauren — who, shortly after the ceremony, changed her name on her Instagram bio to Lauren Sánchez Bezos — told the outlet. For the main event on Friday, June 27, Lauren walked down the aisle — escorted by her two sons, Nikko, 24, and Evan, 19 — in a custom-designed Dolce & Gabbana dress, featuring a high-necked, mermaid-style silhouette and hand-appliquéd Italian lace. The bride told Vogue that she wanted her wedding look to be a striking departure from her typical red carpet ensembles. Lauren said she drew inspiration from the high-necked wedding dress Sophia Loren wore to marry Cary Grant in the 1958 movie Houseboat. 'It went from 'I want a simple, sexy modern dress' to 'I want something that evokes a moment,' and where I am right now. I am a different person than I was five years ago,' she told the outlet. She noted that it would be the first formal dress she's worn that's so covered up across the chest. 'It is a departure from what people expect, from what I expect — but it's very much me," she explained. Shortly after the nuptials took place, Lauren shared the first photo of the wedding on Instagram: a shot of herself and Jeff beaming in a garden setting with their guests surrounding them. She captioned the post, "06/27/2025 ♥️," officially confirming her marriage. Jeff and Lauren celebrated their wedding with about 200 people, 70 of whom were family members, including a number of celebrities. The star-studded guest list included Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Tom Brady, Ivanka Trump, Tommy Hilfiger, Queen Rania of Jordan and Brooks Nader. A source told PEOPLE that the wedding ceremony commenced with a performance of 'Can't Help Falling in Love' by Elvis Presley, sung by Matteo Bocelli. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The wedding festivities kicked off on Thursday, June 27, with a welcome party, held in a closed cloister adjacent to the Madonna dell'Orto church. A source told PEOPLE that the couple and their guests dined on pizza cooked onsite by a famous Neapolitan chef, followed by pastries and lemon cakes for dessert. Ahead of saying "I do" to Jeff, Lauren told Vogue that she was looking forward to making it official with the Amazon founder. "I'm happy that I'm getting married and I get to spend my life with my best friend, someone who sees me, someone who adores me, someone who I adore. I am the luckiest woman on the planet," she said. Read the original article on People
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Colour and ease lift Paris Men's Fashion Week
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Sam Fender's London Stadium Show Launches U.K.'s Summer of Music: 5 Best Moments
The U.K.'s summer of live music kicked off in earnest this week with a number of huge tour debuts throughout major cities, particularly in London. Over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Thursday (June 5), Beyoncé brought her Cowboy Carter tour to these shores for the first time, and a day later, Robbie Williams was just a stone's throw away at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. The festival circuit also got off to a powerful start with Massive Attack in Victoria Park's LIDO, and Charli XCX set to grace the same venue next weekend. More from Billboard Finneas Says He Was Tear-Gassed During ICE Protest in L.A. Kevin Parker Previews New Tame Impala Music During Barcelona DJ Set BRIT Awards 2026 to Be Held Outside London for First Time No gig was bigger than Sam Fender's record-setting show at the London Stadium on Friday (June 6) night with a whopping 82,500 tickets sold for his largest-ever show (1,000 more than The Weeknd at the venue in 2023). The event arrived during a banner year for the North Shields-born rocker. His third album, People Watching, is the best-selling British album of 2025 so far, and the fastest-selling LP by a British solo act since Harry Styles in 2022. Over the course of the summer, he'll play more huge shows in his hometown Newcastle, and headline outdoor shows in Manchester and across Europe. Packed to the brim with fans of all ages (but a large contingent wearing the homestrip of his beloved Newcastle United Football Club), it was a moment to celebrate just how far he'd come since his 2017 arrival, a hard-won British success story when they feel worryingly scant. These are the best moments from Fender's headline show at London Stadium. Fender was undeterred by what people want him to play, staying true to the songs he feels the set deserves. To drop in two lesser-known B-sides — 'Howdon Aldi Death Queue' and 'Tyrants' — from his second and third albums, respectively, is hubristic but justified. The former was a wry look at the daftness of COVID-era Britain, while the latter 'should have been on' People Watching he told the crowd, a reminder of the stark quality of that record that this could be left off, or a cheeky warning to label execs that he knows best. When Fender last toured the U.K. in December 2024, he gave fans the first taste of People Watching months ahead of release. Six months later, he's still rolling out tracks from the LP and switching up the setlist with 'Rein Me In' earning a live debut in the biggest of settings. Even better, the performance of this song was elevated by rising British star Olivia Dean who played on the bill earlier in the day. Her rich vocals sidled up to Fender's, creating a sumptuous moment in an otherwise rowdy show. Rock anthems in the 21st century have been hard to come by, but 2021's 'Seventeen Going Under' is a rare exception and has embedded itself into British culture. The song reflects on Fender's upbringing in a macho environment, but also trying to support his mother as she suffered at the cruel hands of the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) who withheld vital benefits. It's pure Springsteen, but also a story distinctly his own. People Watching ends with Fender's most tender song, 'Remember My Name,' a homage to his late grandparents and the simplicity of their love and life together. The track features a brass band from the North East, a nod to the city's mining community, and during its tour debut The Easington Colliery Brass Band joined Fender on stage for a gorgeous moment of understated grandeur and tradition. There was nary a dry eye in the house. Before playing his final track 'Hypersonic Missiles,' which references the 'kids in Gaza' being 'bombed,' Fender spoke directly to the crowd, saying, 'It breaks my heart that it's more relevant now than it was then,' when he released the song in 2019. He called for a 'free Palestine' and called for a stop to the 'ethnic genocide,' encouraging fans to donate to and engage with the work of Doctors Without Borders who will join him throughout his summer tour. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
