The singer, 45, took on the influencer, 35, in a co-main MMA fight at internet personality Adin Ross’ UFC Apex event in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 23.

At around the 2:50 mark in the second round, the pair exchanged a few missed punches while smiling at each other. As they danced around the ring, they seemed to talk to each other and make light of the fight. As the seconds ticked down, Ray J had Supa Hot Fire up on the ropes before the YouTuber landed with a single punch to the rapper’s face near the 2:35 mark, disorienting Ray J to the point that he fell into the ropes before hitting the canvas.

The referee quickly intervened and called the match, marking a KO loss for Ray J, real name William Ray Norwood Jr.

Ray J’s Ups and Downs Through the Years: Arrests, Music, Sex Tapes and More

An arguably even more fiery exchange occurred after the match, when Ray J — the brother of Brandy Norwood who famously dated Kim Kardashian — seemingly suggested that the celebrity fight was somehow rigged.

“Like a motherf***er bro. Damn bro. Like that?” Ray J told Supa Hot Fire after the fight. “For real … that’s janky as f***.”
“Say what you gotta say man,” the post-fight in-ring interviewer told Ray J.

“I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to get nobody in trouble, but damn … we took an L tonight,” Ray J responded.

“We didn’t take s***, your ass was over here … you want me to show you what you did?” the interviewer said before walking to the area where Ray J fell. “Where was ya’ll at? … he took one punch.”

Ray J then walked away from the interviewer, which seemed to bother the in-ring commentator even more.

“Ray J, this is professional man. You can’t just do what the f***… you can talk backstage,” he told the rapper while speaking into the microphone. “I ain’t even gonna interview ya’ll.”

As Ray J returned to the interviewer, the microphone picked up the rapper talking to the YouTuber, saying, “You know how much money we lost?”

“We didn’t think you was gonna win — so how ya’ll lost money? That’s a good method … if I got my ass knocked out. Look at that … you got one of those cartoon lumps,” the interviewer interjected, commenting on the welt forming on Ray J’s forehead as a result of the influencer’s punch and his knockout loss.

Ray J Hospitalized With Severe Pneumonia, Heart Pain in Las Vegas: Report

Ray J has been the center of controversy for some time, especially as of late when the rapper claimed he didn’t have long to live due to unspecified health issues.

“2027 is definitely a wrap for me,” he claimed in a video shared via social media on January 27. “That’s what they say.”

The singer added at the time, “I shouldn’t have went this hard, bro. My baby mama gonna be straight, my kids gonna be straight. If they wanna spend all the money, they can spend it. I did my part here. And damn, when it’s all done, burn me, don’t bury me.”

One month prior, Ray J was arrested for allegedly threatening his estranged wife, Princess Love. At the time, TMZ reported that the rapper said he had “the worst Thanksgiving in the f***ing world” before he appeared to pull a gun on Princess Love during a livestream video.

“Not really sure how to start this cause does anything even need to be said? But I guess I’ll just dive right in,” Fleur wrote via Instagram on Saturday, May 23. “The past few months have been a very disorientating and hurtful time to navigate. For both of us. But I will always want to love, protect and support Caleb. I have cared more about his well being over the years than anything else in the world.”

She continued, “To see the confusion and pain he went through and the highs and lows and wanting to help but not knowing how. You never want anything more for your person than for them to just be ok. You also ask yourself constantly if you’re a bad person for wondering wtf this means for your world & the anger you also feel. I am the only person that is having to deal with the duality of this situation. To support him whilst losing everything has been incredibly hard to figure out. You can love and support your person through the hardest time in their life, whilst also be completely demolished & lose yourself at the same time.”

On Saturday, Caleb — who has been the lead singer of the alternative metalcore band since 2012 after leaving the crabcore band Attack Attack! — came out as gay on Saturday after fans speculated about his sexuality online.

Kandy Muse and Chad Michaels Detail the Importance of Pride in 2024

“There has been a lot of speculation surrounding my personal life as of late and I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further. I am a proudly gay man,” he wrote via Instagram. “This is something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now. It’s been difficult to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.”

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The singer added, “When it comes to my art/Beartsooth, I have always strived to chase who I am in the deepest part of my soul from album to album. As you could gather if you’ve followed the band at all in the earlier years, there are 4 very self deprecating albums about exploring my religious upbringing, depression, self hatred, and hopelessness. I am grateful for all these albums, yet feel embarrassed at times that I wouldn’t allow myself to really dig up the roots for so long.”

The post was the first from Caleb after he deleted his Instagram account in March following the release of the band’s new single “Free” from their upcoming album Pure Ecstasy. Along with the single, the singer debuted a new look that prompted Atilla frontman Chris Fronzak to make a homophobic remark. (Fronzak later apologized.)

In her public statement following her husband’s announcement, Fleur touched on the 14 years of marriage she shared with the singer while urging fans to continue to support her husband. Her remarks were also accompanied by a video of the pair dancing in a living room in front of a television.

JoJo Siwa’s Most Honest Quotes About Her Sexuality and Coming Out Journey

“Our nearly 14yrs of marriage was wonderful and full of so much fun, adventure & love. Nobody will know anything about our marriage like we do. And no one can ever truly know what depths of love exist between two people unless they are those people,” she continued. “I already miss it & my husband more than anything. Our story was a good one. And now it’s done.”

She added, “I hope anyone in the world going through this finds hope & courage & I hope the fans can continue to support Caleb. For now I’m going to keep focusing on what I can control & continue living my life trying to achieve what I want to achieve. And if I keep saying hi to as many dogs as possible along the way, then I’m sure things will slowly get better, day by day, piece by small piece, bird by bird.”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus went public with her breast cancer diagnosis in September 2017 via Instagram. Nearly one year later, she had successfully beaten the illness and returned to work on Veep.

“It sounds kind of corny, but there’s something about after you’ve walked through something like this, which is such a crisis, to be able to help someone who’s then going through,” she told Good Morning America in 2019. “It really is something that I’m happy to do.”

Cynthia Nixon underwent her own breast cancer battle after being diagnosed in 2006. Two years later, revealed that she was cancer-free.

“The only thing to really be afraid of is if you don’t go get your mammograms, because there’s some part of you that doesn’t want to know, and that’s the thing that’s going to trip you up,” she said on Nightline in 2008. “That’s the thing that could have a really bad endgame.”

Scroll down to learn about other famous breast cancer survivors:

“We had it, pure magic  / Remembering what it was like / Time passes so fast that / I couldn’t tell you goodbye,” Horan, 32, opened the track, which he released on Friday, May 22.

In the chorus, Horan sang, “Feels like letting go of / Things we’re not supposed to / One breath and it’s over  / The end of an era.”

The lyrics to the second verse read: “Twisted and terrified / How things change overnight / Footsteps we can’t rewind.”

Horan announced on Tuesday, May 19, that “End of an Era” would be the third single from his upcoming album, Dinner Party.

“Julian Bunetta, John Ryan and I started the original version of this song years and years ago,” Horan wrote via Instagram, referring to his songwriting team. “We rewrote it about four times without ever feeling it was quite right. As we were working on this album, we revisited it.”

He continued, “Some songs take a minute to get to what you’re actually trying to say. This one was one of those. I hope it means as much to you as it does to me.”

Inside Liam Payne’s Friendship With One Direction Bandmate Niall Horan

Horan’s next album, Dinner Party, will be released on June 5.

“I felt [‘End of an Era’] needed its own space before the album comes out in a few weeks,” he added. “So, here you go.”

“End of an Era” was completed in the months after Horan found out that Payne died in October 2024 after suffering a fatal fall in Argentina. He was 31.

“[We] had this idea for a song that was, like, leaving your past behind but with nostalgia while being excited for the future and not overthinking either,” Horan explained on a Tuesday, May 19, episode of the “And the Writer Is” podcast. “The more we spoke about it and the more we kept getting it wrong, Julian actually said it. He was like, ‘This song is about Liam. We just don’t know it yet.’”

Liam Payne Attended Niall Horan’s Concert 2 Weeks Before Death

Horan “subconsciously” realized that Bunetta, who had written many of 1D’s biggest hits, was right and they rearranged the track.

“This song was written in five minutes,” the Irish singer said. “Now the song is a completely different thing, and it’s a song of loss and fear of loss and the end of an era. It’s sad [and] one verse is sad, and one verse is nostalgic. They’re two of the feelings I have when I think of Liam is sadness that he’s not with us anymore, but also looking back at … the good times of growing up together.”

Horan, who further gushed that he has fond memories of his time in the beloved boy band, also plans to tour his Dinner Party record in Payne’s honor.

“Obviously, it’s shocking, tough … [that] someone you know so well and that is only a couple of weeks older than you is just, like, no longer with us,” he said. “[It’s] just a surreal thing to even think about, but it fires me up because I know that Liam loved being on stage and stuff like that. That would make me excited to get on tour and do it for the fans because I know that he loved it as much as I did.”

Dinner Party will be available Friday, June 5, ahead of Horan’s Dinner Party Live On Tour from 2026 to 2027.

The league announced on Tuesday, May 19, that Super Bowl 64, set for 2030, will be held in Nashville’s new Nissan Stadium, which is scheduled for completion in February 2027.

Swift, 36, is a Pennsylvania native, but her career got started in Nashville as a teenager and aspiring country music singer. In a town dubbed “Music City,” which champions its myriad of artists that have come through over the years, it only makes sense that fans would guess that Swift’s long-awaited Super Bowl debut could come at the soon-to-open Nissan Stadium.

While there is no direct evidence that Swift will perform on American sports’ biggest stage in 2030 — or any time before that — the idea seems to suit her particularly well as someone who constantly gives nods to her loved ones and favorite things through easter eggs in her songs, interviews and social media posts.

Taylor Swift Mimes Throwing Football During Concert at Super Bowl Venue

“The idea of the global superstar returning to the city where her career began for one of the biggest entertainment spectacles on Earth feels almost too perfect,” The Tennessean’s Bryan West wrote on Tuesday.

Swift has addressed possibly headlining the Super Bowl halftime show in the past, including last October when she had to shut down rumors that she turned down the gig for February 2026’s Super Bowl LX.

“Here’s the thing. Jay-Z has always been very good to me. Our teams are really close,” she explained in an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. (Jay-Z’s Roc Nation produces the halftime show.)

She continued, “They sometimes will call and say, ‘How does she feel about [mumbles]?’ And that’s not, like, an official offer or a conference room conversation. Our teams are really close. ‘How does she feel about it in general?’ And we’re always able to tell him the truth, which is that I am in love with a guy who does that sport on that actual field.”

Chargers QB Justin Herbert Reveals Pick for Super Bowl Halftime Show

Swift also joked that it didn’t make as much sense to perform at halftime while her fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, is still active.

“Can you imagine if, like, he’s out there every single week putting his life on the line doing this very dangerous, very high-pressure, high-intensity sport and I’m like, ‘I wonder what my choreo should be,’” she joked“‘I think we should do two verses of ‘Shake It Off’ into ‘Blank Space’ into ‘Cruel Summer.’”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has also weighed in on the possibility, calling Swift “a special, special talent.”

Why Patrick Mahomes Says Taylor Swift Performing at Super Bowl Is ‘Hard’

“Obviously she would be welcome at any time” Goodell, 67, said during a September 2025 appearance on Today.

“I can’t tell you anything about that,” he said, when asked if the league was planning something with her. “It’s a maybe.”

When asked about potential halftime show performers on Tuesday, Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp CEO Deana Ivey said she “might get in trouble if I start naming people.”

“We are a city full of entertainers in all kinds of music,” Ivey added. “Not just country music, even though that’s what we’re known for. So I would hope to have a good, diverse lineup for the halftime show. And all Nashville locals.”

During a now-viral scene from the first season, which premiered earlier this month, Hannah (Ella Bright) and Garrett (Belmont Cameli) are enjoying their first few weeks as an official couple. What follows is a montage of the fictional couple having sex multiple times — with G-Flip‘s “Bed on Fire” in the background.

“Thank you OFF CAMPUS 🥹 so many new people discovering my music from this show,” the musician, 32, wrote via TikTok after their song found renewed success on social media. “I love writing/playing/producing it’s all I want to do in my life!”

Reality TV fans, however, know G-Flip not just for their music but because of their marriage to Chrishell Stause.

Chrishell Stause and G Flip’s Relationship Timeline

Selling Sunset, which debuted in 2019, follows employees at high-end Los Angeles real estate brokerage the Oppenheim Group. The Netflix series boasts expensive homes, but it is the drama between the cast that keeps viewers coming back for more.

Stause, 44, was a main cast member since the show premiered before announcing her exit in late 2025. Over the years, Stause has been able to highlight her love story with G-Flip after they started dating in 2022.

The pair were together for more than a year before announcing their surprise nuptials in May 2023 and they have since renewed their vows. Stause and G-Flip have continued to support each other whether that is on their journey to have a baby or in their professional careers.

“She hears everything first, of course,” G-Flip told Us Weekly in July 2025 while discussing their upcoming third studio-length album. “She’ll be like, ‘That one’s good. You need to finish that one, or please can that one go on the album?’ She really fights for songs sometimes.”

'Selling Sunset' Cast's Dating Histories: Who the Netflix Stars Are Dating

G-Flip continued: “There is one on the album that she really likes. She said to me, ‘How much can I buy it [for]? I can release it myself,’” G-Flip teased. “She really went hard on it. She’s so sweet and so supportive and loves music, and her dad was a drummer … and she loves live shows. It’s sweet.”

After dropping their most recent single, G-Flip recalled Stause’s initial reaction.

“I would hear her like, ‘Woo’ [and] her cheers. She was watching the little screen we had, so she was there, and she was so cute,” they told Us. “She bought everyone food and drinks, and [she] bought tequila and chicken and chips. She was so great, and her support is always so lovely. She’s such an angel of a human being.”

Off Campus is currently streaming on Prime Video and Selling Sunset is available on Netflix.

The legendary singer (born Cherilyn Sarkisian) is more than six decades into her mega-successful career, which has spanned the worlds of music, TV, film and fashion. She is just a Tony Award away from becoming an EGOT winner, with an Emmy, a Grammy and an Oscar already under her belt.

Cher rose to stardom in 1965 as half of the duo Sonny & Cher with Sonny Bono, her future husband and Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour costar. Together, they recorded hit singles including “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On.” The couple welcomed a child named Chaz Bono in 1969, the same year they divorced. Sonny died at the age of 62 in a tragic skiing accident in January 1998. Cher later welcomed her second son, Elijah Blue Allman, in 1976 with then-husband Gregg Allman, from whom she ultimately split in 1979.

Though Cher made some solo material in the ‘60s, she did not find worldwide success on her own until the 1971 release of her album Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves. By the mid-‘70s, her discography boasted hits such as “Half-Breed” and “Dark Lady.” The following decade, she embraced more of a rock vibe in her music with songs including “I Found Someone” and “If I Could Turn Back Time.” Her success in the industry continued through the ‘90s, ‘00s and 2010s, thanks to “Believe,” “Strong Enough” and “Woman’s World.”

As an actress, Cher garnered critical acclaim for her roles in Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985) and Moonstruck (1987), the latter of which landed her a best actress Oscar. More recently, she starred alongside Christina Aguilera in Burlesque (2010) and had a cameo in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018).

“I’m shocked, but she’s really good. The other day, we were hamming it up so badly, so old, like vaudevillian,” Aguilera gushed to Entertainment Tonight in 2010 of her legendary costar. “She was keeping up! She was hot. Her game is good!”

Cher’s personal life has also made headlines throughout her years in the spotlight. After her well-known romances with Sonny and Gregg, she found love again in 2022 with Alexander “AE” Edwards. Despite their 40-year age gap, the Grammy winner frequently defends their connection.

“Cher knows full well that there’s a lot of skepticism about this romance, but she couldn’t care less,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly. “She’s reveling in the attention and saying that she and AE have something very special going on that’s made her feel more alive and sexier than ever.”

Scroll down to see photos of the global icon through the years:

Outside the famed arena, though, a storm was already brewing. As Tidal simultaneously live-streamed the video, the world tuned in to a shockingly voyeuristic scene depicting lifelike naked wax sculptures of West and 11 other celebrities and public figures sleeping in bed. Donald Trump and Bill Cosby were among those featured, but all eyes were on West, who lay in the center, and the two people on either side of him: Kardashian and his longtime nemesis Taylor Swift.

Special effects artist Michael Dinetz, who worked on the sculptures, thought Caitlyn Jenner would spark the biggest reaction, given that the Olympian (and West’s in-law) had come out as transgender the year before. “She was really controversial at the time, so the fact that she was on the build list was the most talked about,” Dinetz exclusively recalls to Us. However, the internet zeroed in on Swift. “I don’t think anybody in the effects world really gave a s*** about Taylor,” Dinetz bluntly admits. “Most of the people working on it never even knew that a feud happened.”

The blowback was, uh, swift. “Famous” got more “dislikes” than “likes” on YouTube, and one of Swift’s closest friends, Lena Dunham, described the video as “disturbing.” The song, which West debuted at a Madison Square Garden listening party in New York City that February, had already generated plenty of controversy. Swift’s rep issued a statement saying that the pop superstar had privately “cautioned” the rapper against releasing a track with “misogynistic” lyrics like “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous.” West claimed to have received Swift’s blessing, but she insisted he never gave her a heads-up about the “bitch” line.

Kanye West and Taylor Swift’s Tumultuous History: A Timeline

The back-and-forth came to a head on July 14 when Kardashian took to Snapchat to post clips of a phone call between West and Swift. The “Shake It Off” singer was heard telling the Yeezy founder that the “sex” lyric could be seen as a “compliment,” though, as she had previously pointed out, he never mentioned the word “bitch.” As Kardashian tweeted snake emojis, and the hashtag #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty trended, Swift posted an instantly iconic statement that read in part: “I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative, one that I have never asked to be a part of, since 2009.”

West and Swift’s feud began when he stormed the stage during her acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards to declare that Beyoncé should have won Best Female Video instead. Eventually, the pair managed to put their differences aside, and Swift even presented West with the Video Vanguard Award at the 2015 VMAs. But the “Famous” debacle ultimately marked a breaking point for the “Bad Blood” singer.

These days, Swift has no communication with West or Kardashian, who divorced in 2022. “Kim and Taylor don’t have a relationship,” a source tells Us. “They have both moved on. It’s not this active, lingering drama anymore, but they’re not in touch or anything like that. If they saw each other in passing, they would be cordial.” (Us has reached out to reps for Swift and Kardashian for comment.)

Still, the damage persists. Swift — whose struggle to regain her footing inspired her 2017 album, Reputation — called West’s “Famous” video “revenge porn” in 2019 and described the public fallout as a “career death” in 2023. “I moved to a foreign country. I didn’t leave a rental house for a year. I was afraid to get on phone calls. I pushed away most people in my life because I didn’t trust anyone anymore,” she told Time.

Every Time Taylor Swift and Kanye West Referenced Each Other in Their Music

However, in 2020, Swift was vindicated when her full 25-minute call with West leaked online, supporting her side of the story that he had never informed her of his plans to call her a “bitch” in his song. In fact, she even stated at one point, “I’m glad it’s not mean. … I thought it was going to be like, ‘That stupid, dumb bitch.’ But it’s not.” Kardashian responded to the leak in a series of tweets at the time, doubling down on her defense of West and criticism of Swift rather than apologizing. “This will be the last time I speak on this because honestly, nobody cares,” the Kardashians star declared.

Despite the uproar, Dinetz remains proud of the work he created for West. “It’s a music video for what would be considered, in terms of status, a high-ranking artist,” the makeup and effects artist reasons. “It would be no different than when I worked on a Marvel movie. On a résumé, it’s great.”

Kardashian, meanwhile, has largely moved on from the controversy. “Kim really hasn’t given much thought or energy to this situation in years because so much has happened in her life since then,” the source tells Us, adding that while the Skims cofounder “doesn’t necessarily regret inserting herself,” she does look back with 20/20 hindsight. “Jumping in just made it turn into something much bigger. At the time, she really felt like she was sticking up for her husband and their family, but it spiraled way more than she expected.” (In August 2016, Kardashian faced renewed backlash when she visited an art exhibition displaying West’s “Famous” wax figures and even snapped a photo of Swift’s sculpture, which she later posted on Instagram and has since deleted.)

If the same thing happened today, the source says Kardashian would handle it differently: “Kim has grown a lot since then, and it’s not in her nature to be so reactionary anymore. Back then, her instinct was to jump in and say something, but now she’s a lot more careful about what she gives energy to. She’s learned no one really wins in a public feud like that. It just keeps going and going, and everyone gets dragged.”

During the 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, May 17, Alaina, 31, chose to bring attention to Mental Health Awareness Month before inviting Dan + Shay to the stage.

“Sometimes, lifting lives can mean saving lives. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and an important time to say if you are secretly suffering, you are not alone,” Alaina shared with the audience inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. “Like too many of you out there, I know what it’s like to lose someone who struggled with their mental health, so to anybody out there tonight suffering, please know there is always someone to listen and someone to help. Just please, please reach out.”

Alaina couldn’t hide her emotions as tears began streaming down her face.

ACM Awards 2026 Red Carpet: Stars Saddle Up for a Stylish Night Out

After telling herself, “Oh, man, OK, I’m doing a great job,” she took a deep breath and began sharing why Dan + Shay’s new song “Say So” is so meaningful.

“Two friends of mine, Dan + Shay, whose powerful new song ‘Say So’ was inspired by a heartbreaking loss in our country music family,” she said.  “When I first heard it, [I knew] this song is going to save lives.”

According to Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney, their song was inspired by their close friend and mentor, Ben Vaughn, who died by suicide in January 2025 at the age of 49.

“If your light burns out and you’re in the dark / If you can’t pick up the pieces / If the world you trusted falls apart / If your heart’s run out of reasons / I’ll be there every time you call,” the duo sings in the song’s chorus. “Pick you up every time you fall / If you’rе going through hell, you’re not alone / If you need somеbody, say so.”

The performance was part of ACM Lifting Lives, which Alaina described as the philanthropy partner of the Academy of Country Music.

Ella Langley Tearfully Thanks Music’s ‘Encouraging’ Women at 2026 ACMs

“It’s dedicated to improving lives through the power of music,” she said.

Alaina has been open about her own mental health struggles. The former American Idol contestant said she experienced depression at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. She later documented her experience on her album Sitting Pretty on Top of the World.

The 2026 ACM Awards are streaming on Prime Video.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

After being named the Female Artist of the Year on Sunday, May 17, Langley, 27, became visibly emotional when thanking her fellow nominees.

“I’m trying to say something, but I can’t,” she said. “Thank you. To the women in this category, to the women in this life, this is a weird thing to do. Today I was having a strange day. I don’t know what it is about awards, but I have strange days in the mornings here.”

Fortunately, it was her fellow nominees who lifted her up and reminded her she is more than enough.

ACM Awards 2026 Red Carpet: Stars Saddle Up for a Stylish Night Out

“I walked right into Lainey [Wilson’s] room, and I just got emotional, and she hugged me, wrapped me up and started praying for me, and then all of a sudden, here comes Miranda Lambert in her little pink hat,” Langley shared. “And I would not be standing up here without just the encouragement of so many women. Kelsea [Ballerini], thank you so much for loving me.”

Megan Moroney was also nominated in the category but was not in attendance, as she served as her best friend’s maid of honor.

During her emotional speech, Langley also made it a priority to thank her family for their support throughout her music career.

“Thank you to my parents for believing in me and my family for showing up and being weird as always, so it keeps me humble,” she said. “Thank you, Jesus, for letting me do this for a whip. Thank you to the ACMs.”

During the star-studded awards show, which was hosted by Shania Twain and held inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Langley also picked up awards for Song of the Year, Artist-Songwriter of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Event of the Year, making her the winningest artist of the night.

“Thank you to the women,” she proclaimed on Sunday night. “I would not be standing up here without that. So, thank you.”

Cody Johnson Wins ACM Entertainer of the Year: 'All I've Ever Wanted to Do'

Langley is hard at work traveling the country as part of The Dandelion Tour. From now until August 15, the “You Look Like You Love Me” singer will perform her biggest hits for fans, including her award-winning single “Choosin’ Texas.”

“You know we had to take this record on the road… So excited to announce The Dandelion Tour!” she wrote via Instagram on February 2 when first announcing the tour. “Also, bringing some of my favorite people along, you won’t wanna miss this 🌼.”

The 2026 ACM Awards are streaming Prime Video.

Cody Johnson ultimately took home the top prize, which he dedicated to his “buddy” and fellow nominee Luke Combs during the Sunday, May 17, ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“When I was a little kid, I remember my mom walked in my room, and I had little microphone, and it was duct-taped to the side of my bunk bed, and I had a guitar with no strings on it, and I was singing, ‘Girl, while you’re walking out / Please walk out real slow / ‘Cause I’m learning as you go.’ It’s a Rick Trevino song,” Johnson, 38, said during his acceptance speech. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was be in front of a crowd and entertain.”

He continued, “They say that music is the sound of emotion, and I get to use my platform to not only promote positivity in this country and all over the world, [but] I get to use it to make you feel emotions that I feel. … It’s the greatest drug that has ever been introduced on planet Earth.”

ACM Awards 2026 Red Carpet: Stars Saddle Up for a Stylish Night Out

Combs, 36, Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney and Morgan Wallen rounded out the list of nominees in the Entertainer of the Year category.

Of the contenders, Moroney, 28, led with nine total nominations this year, including Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year for “Am I Okay?,” Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “6 Months Later,” Music Event of the Year for “You Had to Be There” with Kenny Chesney and Artist-Songwriter of the Year.

Wilson, 33, followed closely behind with seven nods for Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “Somewhere Over Laredo” and Music Event of the Year for “Trailblazer” with Reba McEntire and Miranda Lambert.

Stapleton, 48, trailed with six nominations for Male Artist of the Year as well as Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “A Song to Sing” with Lambert, 42.

For his part, Johnson earned four nods for Male Artist of the Year, which he also won, as well as Single of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “The Fall.”

Combs and Wallen, 33, received three nominations each. Both were recognized in the Artist-Songwriter of the Year category. Combs was also up for Male Artist of the Year, while Wallen’s I’m the Problem vied for Album of the Year.

Presenters Revealed for 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards: What to Know

Jelly Roll, 41, garnered two total nods, as his and Shaboozey’s song, “Amen,” competed for Music Event of the Year.

Prior to Sunday’s ceremony, Wilson was the two-time reigning Entertainer of the Year after earning the accolade in 2024 and 2025. Stapleton was the only other nominee with a past win in the category in 2023.

During her 2025 acceptance speech, Wilson confessed, “I’m sure everybody deals with a little bit of imposter syndrome, but I won’t lie to you — I have a little bit.”

Despite her doubts at times, the songstress noted, “I dreamed about entertaining. I love making people feel things. I love making people laugh and smile and cry. I’m sorry, I like to make you cry. … Country music has given me more than I deserve.”

Over the years, Stapleton has been nominated for Entertainer of the Year eight times, followed by Combs with seven nods and Wallen with four. Wilson, Johnson and Jelly Roll have each been up for the award three times, while Moroney landed her first-ever nomination in the category this year.

“I’m so honored to be nominated tonight at @ACMAwards & I’m rooting on all my friends from afar!” Moroney, 28, wrote via her Instagram Story on Sunday, May 17. “I’m out of the country this week on MOH [maid of honor] duty to get my bestie married @Inatalieking.”

Instead of showcasing a designer gown perfect for a red carpet, the country singer posed in a comfy two-piece loungewear set as she prepared to get Natalie King — the subject of her 2021 song “Wonder” — married.

“I love you guys & can’t wait to see y’all in Columbus!” she said when referring to her sold-out tour date on May 29. “Counting down the days.”

ACM Awards 2026 Red Carpet: Stars Saddle Up for a Stylish Night Out

During the 2026 ACM Awards later on Sunday, host Shania Twain acknowledged that Moroney was not present inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas for the star-studded event.

At the same time, Twain, 60, was thrilled to welcome the “Tennessee Orange” singer to the show virtually with a pretaped message.

“Country music has the power to bring people together, to help people improve and heal lives, so it’s only right that ACM Lifting Lives supports great causes like St. Jude Children’s Hospital,” Twain shared. “Megan Maroney, one of country music’s newest superstars, couldn’t be here tonight but for a really beautiful reason. She’s busy being the bridesmaid of honor at her best friend’s wedding. However, Megan still sent us this very special message on this very important cause.”

Soon after, Moroney appeared wearing a St. Jude Music Gives T-shirt and asked fans and viewers alike to show support.

“I wish I could be there tonight,” she said before praising St. Jude Children’s Hospital staff members for providing “life-changing and life-saving work.”

“Let’s all band together to help St. Jude beat childhood cancer,” she said while showcasing her T-shirt, available online. “Please get yours and twin with me.”

During Sunday’s awards show, Moroney led the pack of nominees with nine nods, including Entertainer of the Year and Female Artist of the Year.

ACM Awards 2026 Nominees and Winners: See the Complete List

She will continue celebrating her success on The Cloud 9 Tour, which kicks off May 29.

“Rehearsals are complete✅,” she wrote via Instagram on May 12. “17 days until opening night! which means u have 17 days to learn a new song! swipe for a surprise ;).”

The 2026 ACM Awards are streaming Prime Video.

While the couple did not walk the red carpet ahead of the Sunday, May 17, ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, they were seen looking loved-up at the same table as breakout star Ella Langley during the Prime Video broadcast.

McLoughlin, 34, leapt to his feet and began clapping when Langley’s hit song “Choosin’ Texas,” which Lambert, 43, cowrote and produced, received the award for Single of the Year. The couple also posed for photos with fellow nominee Lainey Wilson and her new husband, Devlin “Duck” Hodges, inside the arena.

Lambert received eight ACM Awards nominations this year, including Female Artist of the Year, Song of the Year, Music Event of the Year and Visual Media of the Year for “A Song to Sing” with Chris Stapleton and Music Event of the Year for “Trailblazer” with Reba McEntire and Lainey Wilson. Lambert also performed her new single, “Crisco,” in an all-denim outfit with a white cowboy hat during the show.

ACM Awards 2026 Red Carpet: Stars Saddle Up for a Stylish Night Out

Lambert and McLoughlin have kept a relatively low profile since tying the knot in January 2019. In her September 2024 Us Weekly cover story, she offered rare insight into the pair’s relationship away from the prying eyes of the public.

“I guess the thing I’ve learned the most is just that communication is everything,” she told Us at the time. “Love doesn’t always cut it. You’ve got to talk about s***. And you have to compromise sometimes and be willing to listen to each other when you have something important to say. Love is hard some days, but the reward is so worth it.”

Lambert also credited McLoughlin with challenging her in positive ways.

“He calls me out, and I love that. I need that,” she explained of her husband. “I don’t think it’s healthy that people, especially artists or celebrities, surround themself with yes people. If you surround yourself with a group of people who are honest with you, you’ll go a lot farther, and it’s a lot healthier in the long run.”

As for how the duo spend their downtime, Lambert insisted they’re just like any other couple.

“We’re pretty chill,” she noted. “When we’re off work, I’m in my patio hang vibe. We’ll make drinks and listen to music. Sometimes we’ll have the best parties just by ourselves. He loves what he calls ‘happy hour music’ — Matchbox Twenty and Goo Goo Dolls. So we have different tastes, but we’ll sit there for hours and listen. Sometimes I say to him, ‘We kind of live on a date,’ which is pretty awesome.”

Then five years into her marriage to McLoughlin, Lambert looked back on their whirlwind romance.

“I kind of went for it; no risk, no reward,” she told Us of marrying McLoughlin after three months together. “I just felt like the worst that could happen, I’ve lived through. If it ends, it ends.”

She continued, “If you don’t put your heart out there, are you ever going to get the big love that everybody wants, that all the songs are about, that all the movies are about? I’m guarded in a lot of ways, but when it comes to my heart, I’m like, what do you really have to lose? Pain is pain, but it passes.”

The pair tied the knot in October 2007, four years after meeting as songwriters in Nashville. While celebrating their 14th anniversary in October 2021, Morgane noted how much her life had changed since Chris became part of it.

“I don’t remember much about life before you. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for hearing me. Thank you for teaching me. Thank you for respecting me,” she gushed via Instagram alongside a romantic black-and-white photo. “Thank you for giving me everything I cherish in this life. I love you more than I’ll ever be able to put into words, but I’ll spend the rest of my time here on earth trying.”

The couple, who share five children, make the perfect parenting and musical team.

“My wife has great taste in everything but men,” Chris joked during a 2015 interview with The Washington Post. “The vast majority of the songs on my debut album, Traveller, came from lists she made.”

Keep scrolling for a look back at the country stars’ relationship:

Rhett and Akins started dating in 2011 after reconnecting at a party for her sister. They were engaged within six months and married the following October.

After honeymooning in Hawaii, Rhett and Akins tried to start a family. However, the pair struggled to conceive, so they began looking into other ways to have children. Akins visited Uganda in 2016 and quickly developed a bond with a baby girl named Willa Gray, whom they later adopted.

Rhett and Akins have since welcomed daughters Ada James, Lennon Love and Lillie Carolina in August 2017, February 2020 and November 2021, respectively. The couple announced in February 2026 that they welcomed baby boy Brave Elijah.

Scroll down to see a timeline of Rhett and Akins’ relationship:

The singer, 60, helmed the 61st ACM Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17.

“Thank you Las Vegas. Thank you Lainey [Wilson] and congratulations on your wedding last Sunday. Like Lainey, I cannot sit still either because I tell you I am so full of energy and excitement that I am hosing the concert of the year for the first time ever.”

She added, “Tonight the ACM awards are choosing Vegas, and I sure do love this town and nothing makes me happier than being with these amazing stars sitting right here in the front.”

Shania Twain Reveals Why ACM Awards Will Be ‘Very Glamorous’ When She Hosts

Twain then paid homage to a slew of country music greats, including women who hosted the annual event before her: Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire.

Twain made her ACM Awards hosting debut this year, taking over the role from McEntire.

“I’m thrilled to be hosting the 61st ACM Awards in Las Vegas, a place that feels like home,” Twain said in an April press release. “It’s such an honor to be part of this incredible night celebrating country music’s biggest stars, especially with so many talented women leading nominations this year. I can’t wait to welcome all of the fans and artists out for this unforgettable night.”

ACM CEO Damon Whiteside added at the time, “We are honored to welcome global music superstar Shania Twain as our host this year. We couldn’t imagine a more perfect icon to follow our previous iconic hosts Dolly, Garth [Brooks] and Reba, blending one of the most important nights in country music with the excitement of Las Vegas. Shania has an impressive history on the ACM Awards stage including her win of the coveted ACM Entertainer of the Year trophy and receiving the ACM Poet’s Award honoring her prolific songwriting career.”

Throughout her career, Twain has won five ACM Awards and received 14 nominations. Her past accolades include Top New Female Vocalist and Album of the Year for The Woman in Me in 1996, the Double Diamond Award for The Woman in Me and Come on Over in 1999, Entertainer of the Year in 2000 and the Poet’s Award in 2022.

Days before her ACMs hosting gig, Twain opened up about what she was looking forward to at the awards show.

Presenters Revealed for 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards: What to Know

“It’s a chance for me to just get back with everybody,” she told Billboard in an interview published on Tuesday, May 12. “It’s one of the rare moments when I get the chance to see everybody and catch up with a lot of the newer artists. A lot of them I have not met yet, and I’m excited to just be among the whole experience of the ACMs.”

After hosting the People’s Choice Country Awards in 2024, Twain brought her previous experience to her ACM Awards role.

“I like to put my own personality into things because I’m a terrible reader. If I rely entirely on the teleprompter, I’m definitely going to stumble and get lost,” she explained. “I just really like having fun and going with the flow, getting into the excitement that I’ll be sharing with the artists who are performing and up for awards.”

Twain also revealed how McEntire, 71 — who has hosted the ACM Awards 18 times over the years — inspired her approach to overseeing the ceremony.

“When it comes to Reba, she’s flawless,” she said. “I’m definitely more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of person, very spontaneous, which makes it a different style and character to hosting something. But Reba is everything. She’s funny, she’s a great actress, which makes her really good at getting the flow of speaking and cadence. She’s just a pro.”

The singer, 60, was the host of the Sunday, May 17, awards show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This year marked Twain’s first time overseeing the ceremony.

“I’m thrilled to be hosting the 61st ACM Awards in Las Vegas, a place that feels like home,” she said in an April press release. “It’s such an honor to be part of this incredible night celebrating country music’s biggest stars, especially with so many talented women leading nominations this year. I can’t wait to welcome all of the fans and artists out for this unforgettable night.”

As Twain noted, Megan Moroney led the pack of nominees with nine nods, followed by Miranda Lambert with eight and Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson with seven each.

Presenters Revealed for 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards: What to Know

In addition to handing out awards, the Prime Video broadcast featured performances by Lambert, 42, Langley, 27, Wilson, 33, Blake Shelton, Kacey Musgraves, Kane Brown, Lee Ann Womack, Riley Green, Thomas Rhett and more top country artists.

Scroll down for the complete list of 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards nominees — and look for the bold names to see who won each category:

Entertainer of the Year
Luke Combs
Cody Johnson
Megan Moroney
Jelly Roll
Chris Stapleton
Morgan Wallen
Lainey Wilson

Female Artist of the Year
Kelsea Ballerini
Miranda Lambert
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Lainey Wilson

Male Artist of the Year
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Cody Johnson
Chris Stapleton
Zach Top

Group of the Year
49 Winchester
Flatland Cavalry
Old Dominion
Rascal Flatts
The Red Clay Strays

Duo of the Year
Brooks & Dunn
Brothers Osborne
Dan + Shay
Muscadine Bloodline
Thelma & James

New Female Artist of the Year
Avery Anna
Mackenzie Carpenter
Dasha
Caroline Jones
Emily Ann Roberts

New Male Artist of the Year
Gavin Adcock
Vincent Mason
Shaboozey
Hudson Westbrook
Tucker Wetmore

Album of the Year
Ain’t in It for My Health, Zach Top
Cherry Valley, Carter Faith
Don’t Mind If I Do (Deluxe), Riley Green
I’m the Problem, Morgan Wallen
Parker McCollum, Parker McCollum

Song of the Year
“A Song to Sing,” Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton
“Am I Okay?,” Megan Moroney
“Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley
“I Never Lie,” Zach Top
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson

Single of the Year
“6 Months Later,” Megan Moroney
“Choosin’ Texas,” Ella Langley
“I Never Lie,” Zach Top
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson
“The Fall,” Cody Johnson

Music Event of the Year
“A Song to Sing,” Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton
“Amen,” Shaboozey and Jelly Roll
“Don’t Mind If I Do,” Riley Green feat. Ella Langley
“Trailblazer,” Reba McEntire, Miranda Lambert and Lainey Wilson
“You Had to Be There,” Megan Moroney and Kenny Chesney

Visual Media of the Year
“6 Months Later,” Megan Moroney
“A Song to Sing,” Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton
“Cuckoo,” Stephen Wilson Jr.
“Somewhere Over Laredo,” Lainey Wilson
“The Fall,” Cody Johnson

Artist-Songwriter of the Year
Luke Combs
Riley Green
Ella Langley
Megan Moroney
Morgan Wallen

Songwriter of the Year
Jessie Jo Dillon
Ashley Gorley
Charlie Handsome
Chase McGill
Blake Pendergrass

Thomas Rhett and his wife, Lauren Akins, were among the many A-list duos who got cozy on the red carpet ahead of the Sunday, May 17, ceremony at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, making a rare red carpet outing after welcoming their fifth baby at the start of the year.

Shania Twain is lined up to host the 61st ACM Awards for the very first time, streaming live on Prime Video at 8 p.m. ET. The evening will feature performances by Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley, Lainey Wilson, Blake Shelton, Kacey Musgraves, Riley Green, Thomas Rhett and more.

Megan Moroney is the most-nominated artist of the night, with nine total nods. Lambert, 42, trails behind her with eight nominations, while Langley, 27, and Wilson, 33, each have seven. This is the second year in a row that women have secured the most nominations.

Scroll through the photos below to see which country music couples attended the 2026 ACM Awards:

While attending the 2026 ACM Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 17, Ballerini, 32, showed up solo after a few public reunions with ex Chase Stokes.

The country music superstar wowed fashion lovers with her ethereal Roberto Cavalli dress, which included a short train. She completed her look with curly locks and hair pins that matched the design of her dress. As for glam, makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan used Rodan + Fields skincare to get Ballerini red carpet ready.

It’s about to be a special night for Ballerini, who is once again nominated for Female Artist of the Year alongside Ella Langley, Megan Maroney, Lainey Wilson and Miranda Lambert.

ACM Awards 2026 Red Carpet: Stars Saddle Up for a Stylish Night Out

While some fans remain focused on her music and career, others can’t help but also be curious about Ballerini’s dating life.

Days before the ACM Awards, DeuxMoi spotted Ballerini taking a stroll with Stokes, 33, in New York City. In April, the pair were also seen spending time together in the Big Apple.

Despite the hangouts, a source exclusively shared with Us Weekly that the duo are not back together.

“There’s always a feeling of unfinished business with them, and both feel it’s hard to fully close the door on the relationship,” one source explained to Us. “Chase was visiting NYC for separate commitments and asked her to meet up. They knew there was a chance they’d be seen, but are OK with it since they are on good terms now.”

Ballerini and Stokes first sparked romance rumors in January 2023 when the Outer Banks actor posted a photo cozying up to the country singer.

Since then, the couple have been in an on-again, off-again romance. (Us broke the news in February that they had split for at least the third time.)

Relationships aside, Ballerini appears to be working on being her best self as she calls New York City her new home.

Most Anticipated Tours of 2026: Ariana Grande, Lily Allen, Cardi B and More

“I’m loving this chapter of life just because I really feel like I’m being really intentional about connecting to myself,” she said on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle in April. “Also, being off the road right now. This is my first time not touring in a while and being somewhere new and making new friends. I just haven’t had the time to invest in myself like that for a while.”

While Ballerini’s summer schedule may be a bit more open than usual, she’s still finding ways to connect with her fans.

She will perform at the Barefoot Country Music Festival in New Jersey this June before ending the month as the headliner for the 2026 DICK’S Open concert at En-Joie Golf Course in New York on Friday, June 26.

“Well, I can check this bucket list [item] now because hosting the ACMs is a very, very big deal for me,” Twain, 60, tells Us Weekly and other McClatchy Media outlets ahead of the Sunday, May 17, show at the MGM Grand Garden arena in Las Vegas.

“And yeah, it just makes one feel quite accomplished as far as other bucket list things — boy, yeah, just spend more time with my horses,” Twain adds. “That’s what I really, really need to do. More time with horses. Bucket list thing right on the beach… The hosting gig is my favorite line right now.”

Sunday’s 61st annual awards show is sure to feature a slew of surprising upsets and historic moments, especially since women lay claim to the evening’s most nominations for the second year in a row.

Shania Twain Is a Denim Queen on People’s Choice Country Awards Red Carpet

Twain, not to be outdone, is hosting the ACMs for the first time this year, taking over for fellow music legend Reba McEntire.

“I am representing our genre,” Twain told USA Today of her role for the evening, which also marks the 30th anniversary of the singer’s first ACM wins in 1996. “I am there to represent the talent, to make them feel comfortable. So I think I’m just going to have a really fun time.”

Twain tells Us and other McClatchy Media outlets that when it comes to herself and her fellow country music stars, no matter the accolades or the bright lights of an awards show they’re “all gigging as entertainers.”

“This is the biggest gig of my life,” Twain says of the award show and her role as the evening’s host. “You can expect a lot of excitement, glamor. We’re going to be very glamorous here in Las Vegas. You can expect that this is the ACMs Vegas style. There’s going to be a lot of beauty because there’s more women on the nominees list this year.”

She adds, “So that always brings up the fashion a little higher sometimes, I think. So you can see a lot of really fabulous, high fashion.”

Twain’s hosting duties come in the wake of what she had previously told Us was her era of “mental liberation” following decades of hard work, profound loss and body image issues.

Shania Twain Is Still the One at Her ‘Come on Over’ Las Vegas Residency

“I was always like, ‘I need to be myself.’ If anything, I was in a rush to get more and more authentic,” Twain exclusively told Us for her March 2025 cover story. “Any artist’s greatest power is originality. I was insecure about lots of things, but I had conviction. I could see what was really good. I could see it in others and in myself. I had a lot of clarity with that.”

She continued of the pressure to be perfect when performing live, “I want to be excellent at what I do, but you cannot be perfect live. No one can because it is a living, breathing thing. I had to let go of [that]. I realized that everybody’s there for the live performance. They know they’re not listening to the record. They’re not there for me to show them how perfect I am.”

The 2026 Academy of Country Music Awards will air live from Las Vegas’ MGM Grand on Sunday, May 17, and will concurrently stream on Prime Video beginning at 8 p.m. ET. The show will also be streamed via Amazon Music’s Twitch channel and independent app.