The Weeknd Joins Rihanna, Post Malone with 7+ Diamond Certified Singles
The Weeknd has made music history as the first Canadian artist to earn seven diamond certified singles after the RIAA recently certified “Save Your Tears” and “Die For You.” The four-time Grammy winner joins Post Malone (9) and Rihanna (7) as the only artists to achieve seven or more diamond tracks, which denotes an artist having sold at least 10 million equivalent units. The Weeknd also recently saw his collab with Madonna and Playboi Carti, “Popular,” reach platinum (at least 1 million units in the US) status.
Kelce Brothers, Taylor Rooks, Carmelo Anthony & More Show Out at Cannes Lions
Some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment trekked to the south of France for the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The week was filled with panels and networking events centered on a range of topics including business, marketing, and mental health. The event spanned multiple “Beaches,” which were hosted by the likes of the Wall Street Journal, Axios and Deep Blue Entertainment, and Stagwell. This year’s programming featured appearances included Boardroom’s own Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman, Carmelo Anthony, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, and Joe Burrow. The Kelce Brothers also recorded an episode of their acclaimed New Heights podcast at Sport Beach by Stagwell. Taylor Rooks and Joy Taylor rounded out the programming, hosting The Afties to honor the outsized role of sports and entertainment across the week’s programming.
Jennifer Lawrence Assumes Double Duty as Producer and Star of New Project with A24 & Apple
Jennifer Lawrence is set to channel her obsession with Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise in her newest project for A24 and Apple. Though details are still emerging on the upcoming film, Lawrence will take the lead role in The Wives, which will spotlight a murder mystery in the vein of the high-drama reality show. The project drew intense competition, according to Deadline, and will be co-produced by Lawrence’s production partner Justine Ciarrocchi, Jeremy O. Harris, and Josh Godfrey.
Shohei Ohtani Steps into New Balance Signature Cleat
New Balance confirmed Friday that Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is getting a signature collection with the sportswear company, which includes a signature cleat, the Ohtani 1. The line drops July 15 and includes apparel to wear on the field and stylish options to sport off-field. The Ohtani 1 arrives in two colorways — white with gold and black with gold — and will be available in both metal cleat and turf styles.
Nike & Hyperice Introduce New Recovery Tech with Boots, Vest
Nike and Hyperice have teamed up to create the Nike x Hyperice boots and vest, wearable technology designed to help athletes perform at their most elite across training and competition. The boot is a mobile high-top sneaker that features on-demand heat and dynamic air compression massage for athletes’ feet and ankles, while the HyperLayer vest uses thermoelectric coolers that result in instant heating and cooling without the need for ice or liquid.
LA28 Reveals SoFi Stadium, Intuit Dome & More as Olympic Host Venues
We’re just over four years to the date from Los Angeles hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics, but on Friday, LA28 upped the excitement by revealing the venues picked to host some of the biggest events. Gymnastics will be held at Crypto.com Arena, swimming at SoFi Stadium, basketball at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome, and track & field athletics and para-athletics in the Coliseum. In a surprise move, the softball and canoe slalom events will take place more than 1,000 miles away in Oklahoma City due to a lack of suitable venues in Southern California.
Sphere Las Vegas Unveils New Audio & Stream Endeavor
To commemorate the one-year anniversary of the first illumination of the Sphere‘s exterior, Sphere Entertainment Co. shared news that’ll connect the popular arena to the public even further. By launching “XO Audio” and “XO Stream,” interested parties will be able to access brand-new content and audio experiences that will be synced to the Exosphere in Sin City. Both will be made available 24/7 on the Sphere‘s website when the program begins with the Sphere Fourth of July Celebration.