Hey friends. 👋

The World Cup has a way of making the world feel both massive and weirdly small at the same time. And this year, it feels bigger than ever. The storylines, the national pride, the dramatic slow-motion reactions, the rivalries but also the camaraderie. All of it.

But what I keep coming back to is how much bigger it feels than soccer. A European fan is going viral for experiencing the U.S. for the first time with the wonder of someone discovering a new planet, turning everyday American things into internet gold. Meanwhile in Mexico City, Mexican and Korean fans have been singing, dancing, and celebrating together like long-lost cousins at the world’s loudest family reunion.

For a few weeks, everyone gets to be deeply proud of where they’re from while still finding strangers to cheer with. It’s crazy, wholesome, and beautiful. Also with artists from all over the world performing, every match starts to feel like part soccer, part concert, part cultural exchange, and honestly, I’m learning the chants like they’re a setlist.

Taylor Swift made songwriter history as the youngest woman ever inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, because apparently “beloved catalog” was not enough for one week. Then a reported nine-hour visit to Electric Lady Studios sent TS13 speculation into full corkboard-and-red-string mode—no official announcement yet, but Swifties are fully back on detective duty.

Olivia Rodrigo kept her new era moving fast with the release of you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love and a ballerina-filled “Stupid Song” video. The album also reportedly set Spotify’s 2026 single-day record for a female artist, and she capped the week by popping up at No Doubt’s final Sphere show to hug Gwen Stefani—album rollout, but make it ska-pop pilgrimage.

Ariana Grande launched the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation, a new charitable initiative aimed at funding smaller organizations supporting vulnerable communities. The foundation is organized across four funds focused on protection, mental health, visibility, and emergency support, which gives her current era a little extra purpose beyond the high notes.

P!nk is reportedly in the final stages of her 10th studio album, her first full-length project since 2023’s Trustfall. Details are still under wraps, but the chatter points to a carefully staged return—and with P!nk, “carefully staged” usually still leaves room for flying over everyone’s heads.

Ed Sheeran hinted onstage that he may step away from music for a while after his current LOOP Tour run to focus on family. He framed it as “doing the dad thing,” which is very Ed: stadium-scale career news delivered with the emotional volume of a pub chat.

Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter turned the club into a pop monarchy in the new “Bring Your Love” video, complete with a surprise appearance from Julia Garner. The clip doubles as another tease for Madonna’s upcoming Confessions II, and yes, the dance floor appears to be accepting applications again.

North West performed her first solo music festival set at Lyrical Lemonade’s Summer Smash in Illinois, with Kim Kardashian and Ye both posting support. She performed “TALKING,” had custom backstage passes, and generally made middle school look a lot more high-production than most of us remember.

Shakira helped kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City with Burna Boy on “Dai Dai,” while the tournament’s music rollout kept leaning gloriously global. Meanwhile, BTS fans are already flexing in performer-hype polls ahead of the group’s World Cup final halftime show with Madonna and Shakira, because ARMY does not believe in casual voting.

Michael, the Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson, has reportedly become the highest-grossing music biopic in history. With $911.9 million worldwide, it has now passed Bohemian Rhapsody, proving that the music-biopic box office still has moonwalk-level stamina.

The week’s heavier music update came from Brazil, where authorities were investigating a helicopter crash that killed six people and said Oliver Tree was listed on a passenger manifest, though AP noted officials had not yet confirmed his body at publication. RIP to a musical talent.Recent Tour Announcements

Seattle Soccer Celebration BargeThis is not your average sports bar watch party. For starters, it is not on land.

This summer, fans can watch FIFA World Cup 2026 matches from an actual barge on Elliott Bay, complete with a massive LED screen, skyline views, concessions, exhibits, and a mini soccer pitch in the middle of it all. Because apparently watching soccer on land was too predictable.

The whole setup is part watch party and part waterfront hang. You can show up early, kick a ball around, grab something to eat, wander through exhibits about Seattle’s World Cup history, and then watch the match with the Olympic Mountains in the background like the city is trying to win Best Supporting Landscape.

Honestly, if you’re going to watch the world’s biggest soccer tournament, doing it on a floating barge feels like the correct amount of dramatic. Somewhere, a normal sports bar just got jealous.

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That’s it for this week.So, which World Cup team are you cheering for this year?Jess ✨