Carrie, Chris and Keith steal the show at the Country Music Awards
- Chris Stapleton was the big winner but Carrie Underwood and her unborn baby stole the limelight at the Country Music Association (CMA) awards on Wednesday.
A heavily pregnant Underwood, one of country music’s biggest celebrities, chose the live televised show in Nashville to reveal for the first time that the second child she is expecting is a boy.
Underwood, who co-hosted the show with singer Brad Paisley, won female vocalist of the year for the fifth time and brought the house down with an emotional performance of her single about bringing people together, “Love Wins.”
“Thank you God. I have been blessed with so much in my life,” Underwood said.
Stapleton won three awards - male vocalist of the year, single and song of the year for “Broken Halos.”
But in a surprise result, he lost the night’s biggest prize - entertainer of the year - to Keith Urban, the former “American Idol” judge and husband of actress Nicole Kidman.
“I am shocked beyond shocked,” a tearful Urban said. “I feel very grateful that I get to do what I do. God bless country music.”
Garth Brooks opened the show with a minute of silence for the 12 people shot dead last week at a
- U.S. singer Beyoncé has bought the Ivy Park fitness clothing brand launched two years ago with British retail tycoon Philip Green, who has faced allegations of sexual harassment.
“After discussions of almost a year, (Beyoncé’s) Parkwood has acquired 100 percent of the Ivy Park brand,” Ivy Park said in a statement.
It said Green’s Topshop and Arcadia businesses will fulfill existing orders to Ivy Park. No financial details were disclosed.
Ivy Park sells items such as hoodies and leggings, part of a trend toward so called athleisure. Beyonce, who is married to rapper Jay-Z, has a sixyear-old daughter called Blue Ivy.
Green’s representative referred to the Ivy Park statement, without further comment. A representative of Beyoncé could not be reached for additional comment.
The deal was first reported in the Financial Times.
Green, one of Britain’s best known businessmen, was named in parliament last month as having taken legal action to prevent publication of allegations of sexual harassment and racial abuse of staff.
In a statement last month Green denied having broken the law and said his businesses fully investigated employee grievances. bar in Southern California that was popular for country line dancing. The gunman, a former U.S. Marine, died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot.
“Tonight, let’s celebrate their lives,” Brooks said. “Let the music unite us with love in their enduring memory.”
On a male-dominated night, Kacey Musgraves, 30, won her first big CMA prize, taking home album of the year for “Golden Hour.” No women were among the five nominees this year for entertainer of the year.
“2018 has been a huge year for men in country music,” quipped Paisley as he opened the three-hour show with Underwood. “Finally!” Underwood retorted. The oldest and youngest stars were among the mosttalked about performers.
Veteran bluegrass musician Ricky Skaggs, 64, got an extended showcase, playing with Paisley and Urban, while Brooks, a country staple for 30 years, debuted an acoustic ballad, “Stronger Than Me,” dedicated to his wife, Trisha Yearwood.
On the younger end, Kelsea Ballerini, 25, performed her defiant dance-pop ode to female empowerment, “Miss Me More.”
Other winners on Wednesday included Old Dominion, Brothers Osborne, Thomas Rhett, and best new artist Luke Combs.
(Reuters) - British grime star Stormzy has been confirmed as the first headline act at Glastonbury next year, organizers have said, as the green-field music festival returns from a year off.
Held annually on a dairy farm in Somerset, southwest England, Glastonbury took a so-called fallow year in 2018 to give the land and local residents a break. It will take place from June 26-30, with a host of big names expected to take to the stage, entertaining thousands of revelers.
In a post on the festival website on Thursday, organizers said Stormzy, who has performed twice at Glastonbury, would return to the stage, this time as a headline act.
“He’s one of the most exciting British artists to come along in years and after seeing him play here in 2017 we knew next time he had to come back and headline the Pyramid,” festival co-organizer Emily Eavis said.
Organizers said they announced the performer by putting up posters in Oxfam charity shops in Glastonbury as well as in the south London area of Streatham, near to where the awardwinning MC grew up.