Beyoncé has finally secured the coveted Album of the Year award at the 67th Grammy Awards, correcting what many saw as a long-standing injustice. The singer was honored for Cowboy Carter, her groundbreaking album that explores the Black roots of country music.

Having been passed over for the Grammys’ top prize four times before, Beyoncé’s moment of triumph was met with a standing ovation. She embraced her daughter Blue Ivy and husband Jay-Z before taking the stage in a gold paisley dress.

“I just feel very full and very honored,” she said. “It’s been many, many years.”

She dedicated the win to Linda Martell, a trailblazing Black country artist and the first Black woman to perform solo at the Grand Ole Opry. Martell’s influence is deeply woven into Cowboy Carter, with her voice appearing throughout the album.

Beyoncé’s victory comes 25 years after her first Grammy nomination with Destiny’s Child. Despite becoming the most-awarded artist in Grammys history—with a record 35 wins—she had never won Album of the Year until now.

The Texas-born artist’s genre shift proved historic. Cowboy Carter, the second in a trilogy exploring America’s musical heritage, has been praised for reshaping the narrative around country and Americana.

Beyoncé also becomes the first Black woman to win Album of the Year since Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1999, marking a milestone moment in Grammy history.

Emily in Paris star Lily Collins and her husband, Charlie McDowell, have joyfully welcomed their first child, a daughter named Tove Jane McDowell. The couple shared the news in a heartfelt Instagram post, expressing their deep gratitude to their surrogate and everyone who supported them on their journey to parenthood.

Collins, 35, posted a touching photo of her newborn sleeping beside a blanket embroidered with her name. In the caption, the actress and her film director husband wrote:
“Welcome to the centre of our world, Tove Jane McDowell. Words will never express our endless gratitude for our incredible surrogate and everyone who helped us along the way.”

The couple closed their message with a sweet note: “We love you to the moon and back again.

The announcement follows another sentimental post from Collins, who had just shared a birthday tribute to her father, musician Phil Collins. Posting childhood photos of the two together, she reflected on their bond, saying she was grateful for his support and love over the years.

Born in Guildford, UK, and raised in Los Angeles, Collins has been acting since childhood. She skyrocketed to international fame in 2020 with her role in Netflix’s romantic comedy Emily in Paris, which follows an American marketing executive adjusting to life in France.

The show, recently renewed for a fifth season, has yet to confirm its next filming location. Meanwhile, Collins has also expanded her career to the West End, making her stage debut in Barcelona, a romantic thriller alongside Álvaro Morte from Money Heist.

The high-profile trial of rapper A$AP Rocky, born Rakim Mayers, commenced in Los Angeles on Friday. The artist faces two felony assault charges stemming from a 2021 shooting incident near a Hollywood hotel. If convicted, he could face up to 24 years in prison.

The incident, which occurred on November 6, 2021, involves Terell Ephron, a fellow artist, childhood friend, and former member of the A$AP Mob hip-hop collective. Prosecutors allege that a heated argument between the two escalated, with Mayers pulling out a firearm in a threatening manner before firing twice in Ephron’s direction. Ephron sustained minor injuries, claiming bullets grazed his knuckles, leading him to seek medical treatment after returning to New York.

Mayers, however, has pleaded not guilty, maintaining that the weapon involved was a “prop gun” incapable of firing live ammunition. His defense team has questioned the validity of the evidence and the delay in Ephron’s reporting of the incident.

A jury comprising seven women and five men was selected earlier this week. The trial is expected to last approximately three weeks, during which both sides will present evidence and testimonies to support their claims.

Mayers’ attorneys have raised concerns about the investigation, arguing that Ephron waited two days to report the incident and returned to the scene himself to gather shell casings, which he later presented to the police. Authorities reportedly found no shell casings or the alleged firearm at the scene during their initial investigation.

Additionally, the defense has cast doubt on the nature of Ephron’s injury, suggesting it could have been caused by a punch rather than gunfire.

This trial comes at a pivotal time for the Grammy-nominated rapper and fashion mogul, who has two children with global superstar Rihanna. In May, he is set to co-chair the 2025 Met Gala alongside Anna Wintour, Pharrell Williams, LeBron James, and Lewis Hamilton. He is also scheduled to appear in Spike Lee’s upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest with Denzel Washington.

Mayers previously faced legal trouble in 2019, receiving a two-year suspended sentence for his involvement in a street brawl in Stockholm.

As opening statements begin, the trial marks a significant moment in A$AP Rocky’s career and personal life. His attorney, Joe Tacopina, emphasized the need to resolve the case swiftly. “It’s been something that’s been hanging over Rocky’s head, and Rihanna’s and their family’s heads, for a while. We’re ready to get this behind him,” Tacopina said.