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The path to musical success in 2025 looks nothing like the well-worn routes of decades past. Gone are the days when signing with a major label meant everything — now, artists craft their own destinies through an ever-expanding maze of possibilities.

Last weekend’s Lollapalooza offered a fascinating snapshot of this new reality. The festival’s 20th anniversary as Chicago’s premier music destination brought together an eclectic mix of artists who’ve found success in wildly different ways. From TikTok sensations to grassroots independents, the lineup reflected music’s increasingly diverse landscape.

The weekend’s celebrations took on an unexpectedly poignant tone with news of Terry Reid’s passing at 75. Known as “Superlungs,” Reid’s career stands as a testament to choosing one’s own path — even when that means turning down Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. “I contributed half the band — that’s enough on my part,” he’d quipped last year, referencing his role in recommending Robert Plant and John Bonham to Jimmy Page. Sometimes saying no to stardom creates its own kind of legacy.

The festival grounds buzzed with stories of modern success. Take Tanner Adell — she’s crafted a thriving independent career through savvy brand partnerships, including a clever collaboration with Crown Royal. “Being on stage is the reason that I am here,” she shared between sets, her words carrying the weight of someone who’s found their own way forward.

Sunday night’s closing performances painted a vivid picture of music’s evolving landscape. Sabrina Carpenter commanded the main stage with the confidence of someone who’s graduated from 300-person venues to festival headliner status. Meanwhile, Earth, Wind & Fire proved that some legends never fade, and Dutch DJ Martin Garrix demonstrated electronic music’s boundless reach — even as he prepared to jet off to Utah for his next show. (The relentless touring schedule of 2025 would make even the most energetic performer’s head spin.)

Yet not every success story needs a massive audience. Former Boston guitarist David Victor has discovered a different kind of musical fulfillment through his nonprofit, Harmony and Healing. Trading stadium anthems for intimate performances at veterans’ facilities and children’s hospitals, Victor’s found that sometimes the smallest audiences create the biggest impact. “It’s like the sense of smell,” he mused. “You smell something, and it awakens you.”

The festival itself seems to understand this broader definition of success. Local youth performers from The Happiness Club shared stages with international superstars, creating an unexpected but perfect harmony. “We create songs about social issues that they go through — mostly positive stuff,” explained Artistic Director Tanji Harper, her words underlining music’s power beyond streaming numbers and ticket sales.

Perhaps nobody embodied this new era better than K-pop adjacent group Katseye, whose north main stage performance became one of the weekend’s talking points. “We have always tried to have a touch in our music that can resonate with any age group, all different cultures and people from around the world,” noted member Lara. Her bandmate Manon added something that could’ve been the weekend’s unofficial motto: “We just want to inspire — especially young girls out there — to chase their dreams.”

The message seems clear: in 2025’s musical landscape, success comes in countless forms. Whether it’s Carpenter’s pop stardom, Garrix’s global EDM empire, or Victor’s healing mission — there’s no wrong way to make it anymore. The only non-negotiable? Staying true to your artistic vision, wherever it leads.

Remember when movie comedies actually played in theaters? Those days feel increasingly distant as streaming platforms continue gobbling up mid-budget films like they’re going out of style. Amazon Prime’s latest acquisition, “The Pickup,” landed this week with minimal fanfare but maximum star power — pairing comedy legend Eddie Murphy with SNL’s problem child Pete Davidson in what turns out to be a surprisingly entertaining generation-gap heist flick.

The premise? Dead simple. Two armored truck drivers (Murphy and Davidson) cross paths with a crafty thief (Keke Palmer) during what should’ve been a routine shift. Chaos ensues. It’s the kind of setup that would’ve packed multiplexes back in Murphy’s ’80s glory days, when movies like “48 Hours” and “Beverly Hills Cop” ruled the box office. Now it’s sandwiched between true crime documentaries and reality dating shows in Prime’s endless content scroll.

But here’s the thing — it works. Really works.

The film’s greatest strength lies in its understanding of its stars’ evolving personas. Murphy, now comfortably inhabiting the “voice of reason” role he’d have scoffed at 30 years ago, seems to relish playing the straight man to Davidson’s chaos agent. There’s something fascinating about watching Murphy essentially step into the Nick Nolte role, especially given his history of playing the wild card.

Davidson, fresh off his controversial departure from “SNL” and that weird Taco Bell campaign, brings his trademark nervous energy to the proceedings. His chemistry with Murphy crackles during their exchanges about generational workplace dynamics — particularly one pointed scene where Davidson’s character needles Murphy about “pivoting” careers late in life. (In 2025’s gig economy landscape, who isn’t pivoting?)

Keke Palmer rounds out the central trio with her characteristic enthusiasm, though she occasionally feels underutilized. Still, watching her hold her own against Murphy’s legendary timing proves she’s more than earned her spot among comedy’s current A-list. Her recent Emmy win for “Password” wasn’t a fluke, folks.

Director Tim Story (yeah, the “Barbershop” guy) keeps things moving at a clip that mostly papers over the script’s occasional credibility stretches. The action sequences won’t make Michael Bay nervous, but they’re competently staged and — mercifully — you can actually tell what’s happening in them. Remember when that was a given?

Look, “The Pickup” isn’t reinventing the wheel. It probably wouldn’t have set the box office on fire even in a pre-pandemic world. But in today’s fractured entertainment landscape, where theatrical releases are reserved for superhero spectacles and whatever Christopher Nolan’s cooking up, maybe that’s okay.

Sometimes you just want to watch talented people bounce off each other for 94 minutes while stuff explodes in the background. On that front, “The Pickup” delivers. It’s the kind of Friday night watch that pairs perfectly with takeout and low expectations — and occasionally exceeds them.

Besides, where else are you going to see Eddie Murphy teach Pete Davidson how to properly execute a three-point turn while debating the merits of TikTok? That’s worth the price of a Prime subscription right there.

Just when reality TV seemed to have exhausted every conceivable format, the BBC’s Destination X comes along to prove there’s still room for genuine innovation — and unplanned nudity, apparently.

The show’s premise sounds deceptively simple: contestants travel Europe in a blacked-out coach, trying to figure out where they are. Add Rob Brydon’s trademark dry wit and a £100,000 prize, and you’ve got something that shouldn’t work nearly as well as it does. Yet here we are, watching what might be 2025’s most addictive new format.

Wednesday’s episode delivered what’s surely destined to become reality TV gold — an impromptu encounter with a group of rather enthusiastic German naturists. The moment, which unfolded as the coach crossed a Munich bridge, sparked exactly the kind of social media frenzy producers dream about. “Dying at the naked people just casually waving #DestinationX,” wrote one viewer, while another suggested — rather sensibly — that perhaps this was the perfect moment to reinstate those blacked-out windows.

But hold on — there’s something more intriguing brewing beneath the surface (clothes-related pun absolutely intended). Sharp-eyed viewers have spotted what looks suspiciously like eliminated contestants Claire, Ashvin, and Chloe-Anne lurking in the background during a Mulhouse challenge. Anyone who watched last season’s The Traitors will recognize this playbook — and honestly, who wouldn’t want to see that kind of twist again?

Speaking of contestants worth watching, Nick Butter isn’t your average reality show participant. The man’s run a marathon in every country in the world (yes, really) and holds 11 world records. His connection to Helen Skelton adds an interesting wrinkle to the proceedings, though the show seems oddly reluctant to make much of it.

The challenges keep ramping up in the most delightfully sadistic ways. Take that second episode stunt — dangling contestants from gondolas 2,000 meters up. One viewer’s capslock-heavy tweet summed it up perfectly: “This is INSANE he’s hanging 2,000ft above air like it’s nothing.” Though honestly, after the naturist encounter, maybe heights aren’t the scariest thing these contestants have faced.

From Paris to the Matterhorn, the show’s managed to turn what could’ve been a glorified geography quiz into something genuinely compelling. It’s the kind of format that makes you wonder how it hadn’t been done before — until you realize just how many moving parts must be involved in keeping contestants genuinely clueless about their location while still creating engaging television.

Rob Brydon deserves special mention here. His hosting style — equal parts quiz master and slightly exasperated tour guide — provides exactly the right tone for a show that could easily have veered into either too serious or too silly territory. He’s particularly brilliant when things go sideways, as they inevitably do when you’re trying to orchestrate complex challenges across multiple European locations.

As we head deeper into the series, Destination X is proving to be that rarest of things in modern television: genuinely unpredictable. Whether that’s by design or happy accident hardly matters anymore — it’s just plain good TV. And in an era where most reality shows feel as carefully choreographed as a West End musical, that’s something worth celebrating.

Just maybe keep your clothes on while you do.

Television’s landscape is getting deliciously complicated this spring, with two heavyweight franchises muscling their way onto our screens — each bringing enough star power to light up Sunset Boulevard during a blackout.

Let’s dish about Prime Video’s latest gambit first. “The Boys” universe (already dripping with more dark humor than a Tarantino marathon) is taking us back to the fabulous fifties with “Vought Rising.” Think Mad Men meets superheroes, but with considerably more blood splatter and moral ambiguity.

The casting department deserves a round of applause — or perhaps a stiff drink. Jensen Ackles and Aya Cash are returning to their cape-wearing ways, this time pulling double duty as producers. Their previous turns as Soldier Boy and Stormfront left such delightfully nasty marks on the franchise that bringing them back feels like a no-brainer. Though honestly, darling, watching Cash work her magic again might require keeping the lights on.

Speaking of fresh meat — sorry, talent — the newcomers are an absolutely fascinating bunch. Ricky Staffieri (who’s been cooking up drama on “The Bear”) leads a quartet of promising additions including Brian J. Smith (remember his heartbreaking work in “Sense8”?), Jorden Myrie (currently making waves in “Bridgerton”), and the devastatingly watchable Nicolò Pasetti. Their roles remain more closely guarded than a celebrity’s real age at a Hollywood party.

Eric Kripke and Paul Grellong are calling this one “a twisted murder mystery about the origins of Vought in the 1950s.” Well, considering how they’ve handled things so far, expect less Agatha Christie and more American Horror Story meets Madison Avenue.

Meanwhile, over in Montana (or whatever gorgeous Canadian location is standing in for it these days), CBS is betting the ranch on “Y: Marshals” — proving the “Yellowstone” universe has more spin-offs than a politician has excuses. Luke Grimes is trading his cowboy hat for a badge, with Kayce Dutton going full U.S. Marshal. Because apparently, family drama just isn’t quite spicy enough without adding federal law enforcement to the mix.

The series just roped in Logan Marshall-Green (fresh from turning heads in “And Just Like That…”) as Pete Calvin, some mysterious figure from Kayce’s military past. Marshall-Green’s got that particular brand of rugged intensity that makes network executives weak in the knees — and viewers reach for their remote controls.

Both shows represent television’s current obsession with franchise expansion, though they’re handling it with more grace than most. “Vought Rising” promises to dig into America’s complicated relationship with its masked defenders, while “Y: Marshals” seems determined to prove there’s more to Montana than family feuds and fantastic scenery.

With streaming numbers tighter than a designer dress at the Oscars these days, both series will need to deliver something special to stand out in 2025’s crowded landscape. But darling, with talent lineups this impressive, they’re certainly dressed for success.

Hollywood’s endless love affair with franchise expansion continues to dazzle and perplex as two entertainment titans reveal their latest power plays for 2025. And darlings, the chess pieces they’re moving are nothing short of spectacular.

In a delicious bit of industry musical chairs, Marshall-Green is trading Manhattan’s designer boutiques for Montana’s dusty trails. Fresh from turning heads in And Just Like That…, he’s saddling up for CBS’s latest gambit – Y: Marshals, a Yellowstone spinoff that’s got everyone talking. The premise? He’s playing Pete Calvin, a former military buddy of Luke Grimes’ Kayce Dutton, bringing a dash of Navy SEAL swagger to those sweeping ranch lands.

CBS executives must be positively giddy. Their official description reads like catnip for modern Western enthusiasts – something about combining cowboy skills with military precision to deliver justice across Big Sky Country. (Really, who could resist?) It’s the network’s first venture into Taylor Sheridan’s sprawling Montana universe, joining an already impressive lineup that includes Dutton Ranch, The Madison, 6666, and 1944.

Meanwhile, over in a parallel universe draped in emerald and sparkles, Universal Pictures is orchestrating what might be 2025’s most anticipated theatrical event. Wicked: For Good isn’t just a sequel – it’s the culmination of a journey that began with its predecessor’s staggering $750 million worldwide haul.

Jon M. Chu has reassembled his dream team, and what a team it is. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande return as our complicated heroines, their dynamic eerily reflecting countless Hollywood relationships – one skulking through shadows while the other bathes in spotlight’s warm embrace.

The supporting cast? Simply divine. Jeff Goldblum bringing that unmistakable charm to The Wizard (because who else could?), Michelle Yeoh commanding every frame as Madame Morrible, and Jonathan Bailey’s Prince Fiyero caught in the middle of it all. It’s the kind of ensemble that makes award season voters break out in cold sweats months before nominations.

After the first installment’s impressive 10 Academy Award® nominations – not to mention those wins for Costume and Production Design – expectations are soaring higher than Elphaba on her trusty broomstick. Based on early whispers from the set, the creative team isn’t just meeting those expectations – they’re defying them. (See what we did there?)

The film promises to tackle weighty themes of friendship and redemption, all wrapped in a package of show-stopping numbers and effects that would make even the most jaded critic’s heart skip a beat. As the official synopsis teases – with perhaps a touch too much earnestness – our witchy heroines must “truly see each other” to change themselves and Oz “for good.”

Both projects represent Hollywood’s current obsession with expanding beloved properties while (supposedly) maintaining their essence. Whether audiences will embrace these new chapters remains to be seen, but one thing’s certain – from Montana’s rugged peaks to Oz’s glittering spires, 2025’s entertainment landscape promises to be anything but boring.

Lady Gaga’s artistic evolution continues to dazzle the music industry, with her latest triumph securing a staggering 12 MTV Video Music Award nominations for 2025. The achievement marks an extraordinary milestone — she’s now the only artist to dominate the nomination list three separate times throughout the show’s four-decade run.

“Mayhem,” Gaga’s genre-bending latest album, hasn’t just captured attention; it’s sparked a cultural moment. The record’s nominations span nearly every major category, from Video of the Year to Artist of the Year, adding to her already impressive collection of 18 moonmen trophies. Not bad for the artist who once shocked audiences by wearing that infamous meat dress, right?

The competition’s fierce this year, though. Bruno Mars trails close behind with 11 nods, while Kendrick Lamar’s thought-provoking visual masterpieces earned him 10 nominations. Perhaps most exciting is the emergence of fresh faces — ROSÉ and Sabrina Carpenter have each snagged eight nominations, proving that pop music’s next generation isn’t just knocking at the door; they’re breaking it down.

Set for September 7 at New York’s UBS Arena, this year’s ceremony is breaking new ground. CBS joins forces with MTV for the first-ever network simulcast, while Paramount+ brings the spectacle to screens worldwide. In these streaming-dominated times, it’s a smart play that acknowledges how we consume entertainment has shifted dramatically since the VMAs first aired back in ’84.

The Artist of the Year category reads like a dream lineup of contemporary music royalty. Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd — each bringing their unique artistic vision to the table. The subplot between Beyoncé and Taylor Swift adds extra spice; both superstars are gunning to extend their record-breaking VMA winning streaks.

In a nod to music’s expanding horizons, the VMAs have introduced Best Country and Best Pop Artist categories. The show maintains its commitment to gender-neutral recognition across all 19 categories — something that seemed revolutionary just a few years ago but now feels wonderfully normal.

Fan participation remains crucial to the VMAs’ DNA. Through vote.mtv.com until September 5, music lovers can support their favorites. There’s even a daily “Power Hour” — sponsored by BACARDÍ Rum — offering double voting power between 1-2 PM ET from August 7 through September 4. Watch those fan armies mobilize!

Last year’s ceremony generated 66 million social interactions — a number that seems destined to fall given this year’s lineup. As music continues its rapid evolution (remember when we thought TikTok was just a fad?), the 2025 VMAs stand ready to celebrate both tradition and transformation. And with Lady Gaga leading the charge, expect nothing less than spectacular.

Talk about an unlikely duo shaking up children’s entertainment. In what might be 2025’s most intriguing musical pairing, Talking Heads legend David Byrne and Paramore’s powerhouse Hayley Williams have joined forces for Netflix’s adaptation of “The Twits” — and the results are delightfully weird in all the right ways.

The animated feature, landing on screens October 17, transforms Roald Dahl’s wickedly fun tale into something entirely fresh. Byrne’s creative fingerprints are all over this one, with three original songs that capture the story’s twisted charm. But it’s the collaboration between Byrne and Williams on the end credits song “Open the Door” that really catches the ear — adding an unexpectedly touching note to all that gleeful nastiness.

“Kids (and adults) love that they can vicariously imagine their own worst impulses played out, harmlessly, in a punky fun story,” Byrne notes, clearly getting a kick out of the material’s darker edges. And who better to bring those edges to life than this particular creative team?

The cast reads like someone’s dream lineup for an animated feature. Never Have I Ever breakout Maitreyi Ramakrishnan takes on Beesha, while Ryan Lopez brings Bubsy to life. Then there’s Johnny Vegas and Margo Martindale absolutely diving into the delicious awfulness of Mr. and Mrs. Twit. Oh, and casual reminder that both Emilia Clarke and Natalie Portman signed on as the Muggle-Wumps — because apparently this project wasn’t star-studded enough already.

Behind the camera (well, technically the rendering software), Phil Johnston — the mind behind “Ralph Breaks the Internet” and “Zootopia” — has expanded the Twits’ world in the most perfectly grotesque way possible. Their new venture? A theme park called Twitlandia, described as “the most disgusting, dangerous, and idiotic amusement park in the world.” Somehow, that feels exactly right for these characters.

For Williams, this project hits close to home. “Being a part of this movie is like one pinch-me moment after another,” she shares, revealing her childhood connection to Dahl’s work. “The Twits was my favorite growing up — there’s something about those twisted characters that just pulls you in.”

The Byrne-Williams collaboration emerged naturally from the story’s themes of community and chosen family. Their end credits song, “Open the Door,” takes inspiration from Ramakrishnan’s character Beesha, who stands as everything the Twits aren’t: kind, empathetic, and probably someone who occasionally washes their face.

Johnston still seems a bit starstruck about the whole thing. “I still can’t quite believe that I spent the last few years collaborating with David Byrne,” he admits, adding with a laugh that it’s been “incredibly fun and surprisingly easy, probably because I’ve been stealing from him for so long.”

With animation handled by Jellyfish Pictures (you know their work from “The Boss Baby” and “The Bad Guys”), and additional voice talent including Nicole Byer, Jason Mantzoukas, and Alan Tudyk, this adaptation feels poised to introduce Dahl’s beloved troublemakers to a whole new generation. The story’s already proven its staying power, with translations in 41 languages and 16 million copies sold worldwide.

Come October, we’ll see just how this peculiar mix of talent transforms one of Dahl’s most delightfully nasty tales. Something says this won’t be your typical family animation — and thank goodness for that.

Just when you thought social media couldn’t get any more absurd, 2024 delivers yet another cautionary tale of internet fame gone wrong. This time, it’s the “Nicki Minaj Stiletto Challenge” that’s sending people to the emergency room — because apparently, balancing precariously in killer heels wasn’t dangerous enough without adding kitchen counters to the mix.

Russian influencer Mariana Barutkina learned this lesson the hard way. The 32-year-old content creator’s attempt at TikTok glory resulted in a fractured spine after she decided to channel her inner Minaj atop a makeshift tower of household items. Picture this: a kitchen counter, an upturned pot, and — wait for it — a can of baby formula. What could possibly go wrong?

Everything, as it turns out.

The resulting crash landed Barutkina in the hospital with what doctors dubbed a “Th9 compression bending uncomplicated fracture of the body.” That’s medical speak for “maybe don’t stack random objects while wearing stilettos.” But here’s where things get truly bizarre: rather than serving as a deterrent, Barutkina’s mishap actually amplified her online presence. Nothing says “viral sensation” quite like a hospital selfie with a spine brace, right?

The challenge itself stems from Minaj’s “High School” music video — though somewhere between inspiration and execution, participants seem to have forgotten that the original pose was performed on solid ground. Now, social media feeds are flooded with increasingly precarious attempts, featuring everything from Nespresso machines to precariously balanced furniture. Even celebrities like Shawn Johnson and Ciara have jumped on the bandwagon, though mercifully with more stable setups.

“Because of one video, which was unsuccessfully filmed, I woke up a popular person,” Barutkina mused from her hospital bed, somehow finding the silver lining in her medical misfortune. She even took time to assure worried followers about her child’s welfare, noting that “he has two nannies and while I was filming one of them was with him” — because nothing says responsible parenting quite like risking paralysis for likes while the help watches the kids.

The whole debacle speaks volumes about our current cultural moment. We’re living in an era where the line between fame and infamy has become so blurred that a failed stunt can launch a career just as effectively as a successful one. It’s like Andy Warhol’s “15 minutes of fame” prediction met Black Mirror, and they had a baby named TikTok.

This isn’t the first time social media challenges have sent people to the ER — remember the Tide Pod fiasco? Or the “skull breaker” challenge that had school nurses everywhere updating their résumés? Yet somehow, each new dangerous trend manages to find its audience of willing participants, all chasing that elusive viral moment.

Perhaps the most telling aspect of this whole saga isn’t the injury itself, but Barutkina’s response to it. Between the laughing emojis and philosophical musings about karma, there’s a distinctly modern understanding that any attention — even the “I broke my spine trying to be famous” variety — is good attention in the social media age.

As we barrel toward 2025, one can’t help but wonder what the next viral challenge will bring. Until then, maybe keep the stilettos on solid ground and the baby formula in the bottle where it belongs. Just a thought.

Talk about zigging while others zag. In an entertainment landscape where streaming giants seem locked in an endless cycle of price hikes, Roku just dropped a curveball that’s got everyone talking — and not necessarily in the way they’d hoped.

The streaming giant’s latest venture, dubbed “Howdy,” comes with a price tag that feels almost like a typo: $2.99 monthly. Yeah, you read that right. Less than what most folks shell out for their morning coffee. But here’s the kicker — while the service is turning heads, it’s also sending Roku’s stock on an unexpected downward spiral.

Anthony Wood, Roku’s founder and CEO, isn’t trying to paint this as the next Netflix killer. Instead, he’s pitching Howdy as your streaming side piece — a refreshingly honest take in an industry that typically deals in grandiose promises. “It’s designed to complement, not compete with, premium services,” Wood explains, and honestly? That might be the smartest play we’ve seen in streaming since Netflix decided binge-watching should be a thing.

The timing couldn’t be more interesting. Roku’s been crushing it lately — their Q2 earnings report showed a profit of 7 cents per share on $1.11 billion in sales, making analysts who predicted a 15-cent loss look a bit silly. Yet despite these impressive numbers, the market’s initial reaction to Howdy has been… well, less than howdy. The stock dropped more than 2% to 83.84 in midday trading.

But let’s talk content. Through partnerships with heavy hitters like Lionsgate, Warner Bros. Discovery, and FilmRise, plus some Roku Originals thrown in for good measure, Howdy’s serving up thousands of titles. We’re looking at crowd-pleasers like “Mad Max: Fury Road” alongside classics like “Kids in the Hall” — not too shabby for three bucks a month.

The whole thing feels particularly savvy when you consider the current state of streaming. As we head into 2025, with inflation still nibbling at everyone’s wallet and the average household juggling what — four, five streaming subscriptions? — Roku might’ve just identified the sweet spot that nobody else was looking for.

Their recent roll-out of features like the AI-powered “Surf Mode” (think TikTok meets traditional TV) shows they’re not just sitting pretty as America’s most popular streaming OS. With over 90 million homes reached, they’re clearly doing something right.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of all this is how it might reshape the streaming landscape. While the big players continue their content arms race, throwing billions at new shows and movies, Roku’s taking a different path. It’s almost like they’re suggesting that maybe — just maybe — we don’t need another bloated streaming service promising everything under the sun.

In an era of subscription fatigue and wallet-watching, sometimes less really is more. Especially when it costs less than that fancy latte you’re probably sipping right now.

Talk about a week where stars align — both figuratively and financially. Hollywood’s glitterati are buzzing over the freshly-minted 2025 VMA nominations, while lottery dreamers eye a Mega Millions jackpot that would make even A-listers’ jaws drop.

Lady Gaga — proving yet again why she’s earned that “Mother Monster” moniker — is leading the pack with her visual masterpiece “Mayhem.” The album’s been living up to its name since its surprise New Year’s drop, and that Bruno Mars collab “Die With a Smile” might just be the duo’s ticket to VMA history. (Remember their 2024 Grammy performance? Pure electricity.)

Speaking of lightning strikes, someone’s about to have their life flipped upside down with Tuesday’s $150 million Mega Millions drawing. Sure, that cash option of $67.9 million might not buy you Gaga’s Malibu compound, but it’s nothing to sneeze at — especially considering those 1-in-292 million odds are actually better than scoring a record deal these days.

Bruno Mars isn’t just riding shotgun on Gaga’s nominations, darling. His double nod for “Die With a Smile” and that earworm collaboration “APT.” with Rosé shows exactly why he’s been crowned this decade’s king of versatility. The way “APT.” has dominated every rooftop party from Miami to Manhattan this summer? Pure chart magic.

The VMAs have always been pop culture’s wildest night out — think Madonna’s wedding dress moment meets Kanye’s mic-grab infamy — and this year’s ceremony at New York’s UBS Arena promises to deliver more water-cooler moments than we can count. Mark those calendars for September 7th, unless you’re busy checking your lottery numbers through Jackpocket (though let’s be real, you can probably manage both).

Here’s the delicious irony: while VMA nominees spent years perfecting their craft, some lucky lottery winner’s going to wake up richer than half of them combined. Four massive Mega Millions winners have already joined the millionaires’ club this year — proof that sometimes Lady Luck plays favorites just like those VMA voters.

Whether you’re betting on artistic recognition or pure mathematical chance, both pursuits share that intoxicating whiff of possibility. After all, in a world where a meat dress can become a fashion statement and a convenience store ticket can turn you into a multimillionaire, anything feels possible.

Just don’t expect either path to be easy, sweetie. But then again, nothing worth dreaming about ever is.