Celebrity Scoop – 07/23/2018

TAYLOR SWIFT CELEBRATES SELENA GOMEZ’S BIRTHDAY WITHOUT HER – (07/23/2018)

Taylor Swift is thousands of miles away from her BFF, Selena Gomez, but didn’t stop her from celebrating the former Disney star’s birthday.

Swift took to her Instagram Story on Sunday to prove she’s ready to “Gomez or Go Home” when it comes to celebrating Gomez’s 26th birthday. Taylor shared a pic of a personalized cake she made for Gomez, featuring various shades of pink frosting. Yellow sprinkles covered the cake, which had a white heart reading “26” in the center. “Gomez or Go Home” was written around the cake’s edges.

“Will I let distance stop me from celebrating my best friend’s bday?” Swift wrote alongside the photo, before referencing the lyrics to Gomez’s hit, “Hands To Myself.” “I MEAN I COULD BUT WHY WOULD I WANT 2.”

Meanwhile, Swift continued her Reputation tour with another concert at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday, after playing the arena on Friday and Saturday night. Gomez – who was recently spotted on set of her new zombie movie, tentatively titled Killed in the Head, in upstate New York – appears to be in California, as America’s Got Talent Season 11 winner Grace VanderWaal shared pics from a low-key birthday celebration on Instagram.

Taylor was full of puns after Saturday night’s concert, where she performed during a rainstorm. Her setlist included surprises like “Fearless” and “Clean,” both songs with lyrics about rain.

“FULL RAIN SHOW,” she alerted her Instagram followers. “Last night we all danced together for 2 hours in the pouring rain – who knows what the Jersey skies will bring us tonight but we’re *ready for it*.”

ARIANA GRANDE REVEALS 15-SONG ‘SWEETENER’ TRACKLIST – (07/23/2018)

Ariana Grande has revealed the Sweetener track list on the album’s own Instagram page. The 15-song list begins with “Raindrops” and concludes with a track called “Get Well Soon,” which Ariana has said was written about her anxiety following the Manchester bombing.

The list also confirms the existence of a track called “Pete,” a tribute to Ariana’s fiancé Pete Davidson. She once again defended the song after facing criticism on Instagram. “He’s my fiancé. This is my album,” she commented. “I’m an honest and emotional artist and human being and if my openness in my work isn’t for you, that’s OK; I won’t be offended. Still wishing y’all all the love in the world.”

Sweetener comes out August 17th.

KELLY CLARKSON DEFENDS RED WINE AFTER MAREN MORRIS DECLARES IT ‘GROSS’ – (07/23/2018)

Kelly Clarkson loves her wine, and she will defend it until the end.

After country singer Maren Morris declared red wine as “gross” to her followers on Friday, The Voice coach, 36, quickly offered to introduce her to some excellent reds.

“Guys, I hate to tell you this, but red wine is gross. #UnrefinedPalate,” tweeted Morris, 28. Kelly responded: “#Blasphemy…..I mean, maybe you haven’t had the right glass of Pinot Noir is all I’m saying. This calls for a winery tour! Seriously, we have to fix this. #CodeRedWine”

Earlier this year, Clarkson – who’s mom to River Rose, 4, Remington, 2, and husband Brandon Blackstock’s older children from a previous marriage, Seth and Savannah – revealed that the secret to raising four kids is some liquid courage.

“They are challenging,” she said about her big family. “Wine is necessary. They’re great though. Out of the mouths of babes. They say stuff where you’re like ‘Damn.’ They call you out. They teach me.” She then joked “Wine is necessary.”

CAMILA CABELLO RELEASES NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN DANCE BREAK FROM ‘HAVANA’ VIDEO – (07/23/2018)

Camila Cabello takes the lead in a newly-released dance outtake from her “Havana” music video. The 21-year-old singer released the secret footage on social media Saturday, captioning the clip, “This is an unedited never before seen one take of the dance break we did for the Havana video!!! I almost didn’t wanna post it because I wasn’t trained as a professional dancer and I only see what I could’ve done better when I look at videos of myself, I started dancing really a few years ago and until then I always said in interviews that I had two left feet.”

Although Camila confesses dancing hasn’t always been her strong suit, she said that practicing the expressive art form has since given her a renewed of confidence.

“Since I started dancing it’s made a huge difference in my confidence and how I express myself and it makes me feel like I could kill a man with my heels on,” Cabello continued, adding she was inspired to post the exclusive clip in honor of the visual earning a Video of the Year and Best Choreography nomination at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards.

Cabello received five nominations in total, in addition to those aforementioned include Artist of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Video for “Havana” as well.

The 2018 VMAs will commence on August 20th at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

BRUNO MARS AND ED SHEERAN AMONG BILLBOARD’S TOP 50 MONEY MAKERS OF 2017: Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran were among the artists who raked in the dough last year, according to Billboard’s newly released list of the Top 50 Money Makers of 2017. The two made the top five on the list, which ranks the earnings of music acts based on their U.S. concert grosses and royalties generated from domestic sales, streaming and publishing. Bruno comes in at No. 4 with $40.7 million and Ed ranks at No. 5 with $31.3 million. Both did not even make the tally last year. Other artists on the list include Lady Gaga at No. 6, The Weeknd at No. 12 and John Mayer at No. 25. Celine Dion, Elton John, Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift also made the top 50. The No. 1 spot goes to U2, followed by Garth Brooks and Metallica rounding out the top three.

JENNIFER HUDSON, TAYLOR SWIFT JOIN ‘CATS’ MOVIE ADAPTATION: Jennifer Hudson and Taylor Swift have joined Working Title’s movie adaptation of Cats. Deadline confirmed the 36-year-old singer and actress and 28-year-old pop star will star in the big-screen version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical. The Late Late Show host James Corden and Lord of the Rings star Ian McKellen have also signed on to the project. Additional casting is in the works. Hudson will play Grizabella, the “Glamour Cat” who performs the well-known song “Memory.” Details have yet to emerge about Swift, Corden and McKellen’s roles. Cats is based on the T.S. Eliot book Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. The West End musical starring Elaine Paige as Grizabella debuted in 1981, while the Broadway version with Betty Buckley opened the next year.