Back in January 2020, when Drake tied the Glee cast’s record for notching the most Billboard Hot 100 entries ever, he posted a selfie video in which he says directly to camera: “One more to go. Gleeful!”
Now, with Wednesday’s (Oct. 21) news of a Glee reboot coming to Disney+ and Hulu, one Gleek is ready for the New Directions to reclaim their record.
Related
The day the reboot news was announced, Glee star Kevin McHale — who played Artie Abrams on the show — took to X and quote-tweeted a Genius post from that fateful day in January 2020 that announced “drake has officially passed the cast of ‘glee’ and now has the most billboard hot 100 hits of all time.”
His simple response? “Challenge accepted.”
The top responses harkened back to the heyday of both Twitter and Glee itself, with Tyler Oakley chiming in: “this being how i found out.” Meanwhile, Mike O’Malley — who played Kurt Hummel’s dad Burt on the original Fox series — asked, “Can I finally sing something now?!!!” Another commenter asked, “how long have you had this draft saved my god.”
Another quote-tweet marveled: “the concept of the glee cast re-assembling like the avengers just to dethrone drake.”
Of course, the Glee cast is going to have their work cut out for them, given more than a decade has transpired since the original series went off the air in 2015 and a lot more contenders have emerged in the years after. Since tying the Glee record of 207 Hot 100 entries in 2020, Drake now stands at a whopping 407. Not only that, but two other artists stand between the Glee cast and Drake: Taylor Swift with 281 and Future with 246.
Out of those 207 Hot 100 entries, the Glee cast scored three top 10 hits during the series’ original 2009-2015 run: “Don’t Stop Believin’” in 2009 (No. 4 peak), “Loser Like Me” in 2011 (No. 6 peak), and “Teenage Dream” in 2010 (No. 8 peak).
The reboot news arrived first thing Wednesday, with the message “Currently gleeking out!” splashed across social media.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Country music’s biggest names are coming together for one unforgettable night celebrating the life and legacy of Dolly Parton.
CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton airs tonight, Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+. The two-hour special brings together Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson, Kelsea Ballerini and more to honor the country legend, who died Aug. 25 at age 80.
Broadcast live from Belmont University’s Fisher Center for the Performing Arts in Nashville, the tribute will feature musical performances, archival footage and personal stories spanning Parton’s six-decade career. And with more than a dozen artists taking the stage, fans can expect plenty of familiar songs and a few surprises along the way.
Don’t have cable? No problem. Here’s everything you need to know about watching the Dolly Parton tribute special live online, including how to stream it for free.
At a Glance: How to Watch the Dolly Parton Tribute Special Online
How to Watch the Dolly Parton Tribute Special Online for Free
The Dolly Parton tribute airs live on ABC and Disney+ tonight, but you don’t need a traditional cable subscription to tune in. Live TV streaming services like DirecTV and Fubo carry ABC in eligible markets and offer free trials for new subscribers.
If you already have Disney+, you can watch the celebration as it airs. Otherwise, here’s a breakdown of the streaming services offering access to tonight’s special.
DirecTV is one of our top picks for watching the Dolly Parton tribute live without cable. The service offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers, with ABC included in eligible packages. Its MyNews plan starts at $39.99 per month for the first two months, making it another option for those looking to keep watching after the special.
UNLIMITED DVR
Fubo
Fubo is an affordable option offering a five-day free trial for new users who sign up.
Fubo also offers a five-day free trial, giving new subscribers access to ABC and other live channels in participating markets. Plans currently start at $63.99 for the first month, increasing to $88.99 per month afterward.
Sling TV is another option for catching the tribute live, though ABC availability depends on your location. Sling Blue starts at $45.99 per month, while the combined Sling Orange + Blue package starts at $60.99 per month. Unlike DirecTV and Fubo, Sling doesn’t currently offer a free trial. All plans also include free cloud DVR storage and access to more than 600 additional free channels.
Already have Hulu + Live TV? You can tune in to the tribute live on ABC. New subscribers can currently get their first month for $49.99, half off the regular $99.99 monthly price.
If you don’t mind waiting until Thursday, Oct. 22, the special will also be available on demand through Hulu and Disney+. Standard Hulu subscriptions start at $12.49 per month, making it a more affordable option for those who don’t need to watch live.
Who Is Performing at the Dolly Parton Tribute Special?
It wouldn’t be a Dolly Parton celebration without an impressive lineup of country music royalty. Reba McEntire, Carrie Underwood, Lainey Wilson and Kelsea Ballerini are among the stars honoring the singer, alongside Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker, Ella Langley, Ashley McBryde, Little Big Town, Lady A, Vince Gill and Zac Brown.
The celebration also goes beyond country music, with appearances from Kristen Bell, Kristin Chenoweth and bluegrass musicians Béla Fleck, Molly Tuttle and Sierra Hull. Amy Grant and Kimberly Williams-Paisley will make special appearances, with additional surprise tributes expected throughout the evening.
The night will also celebrate Parton’s generosity offstage. The CMA and Belmont University will donate a portion of the event’s proceeds to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the nonprofit she founded in 1995 that provides free books to children around the world.
CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton airs tonight, Oct. 21, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+.
Sacha Baron Cohen can go to the deepest well of characters, both comedic and dramatic. Think Ali G, Borat, Brüno, and… cellist.
On Tuesday night (Oct. 20), the British funnyman showed us another side, as he slipped into Beck’s strings ensemble for a performance on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
For a change, Cohen didn’t play for laughs. Or play anyone, for that matter. The Dictator actor flexed his musician muscles for a surprise back seat spot on the cello, supporting Beck on “In the Night.”
“In the Night” appears on Beck’s Ride Lonesome, a sweeping and delicate album that captures the sonic textures of his 2015 Grammy Award-winning album of the Year Morning Phase and its spiritual companion, Sea Change from 2002.
Ride Lonesome (via Capitol Records) dropped last month and is Beck’s first collection of all-new material since 2019’s Hyperspace. Watch his late night performance below, with a little help from Sasha Baron Cohen.
Earlier, Beck and Cohen sat for separate chats with Fallon. Beck spoke with the host on the inspiration behind his latest LP, the “austere” design of his tour in support of it, and recounted how Luke Wilson’s Hansel character in Zoolander was (maybe) based on him.
Beck confirmed that he was asked to be in Zoolander, but he “stupidly said no.” Instead, the producers got David Bowie.
Reflecting on Ride Lonesome, Beck reckons: “It’s a moody kinda stuff. It’s the mood of like when you’re in your house, it’s almost dark but you haven’t turned the lights on. It’s kinda like blue hour.”
Cohen, meanwhile, sat with Fallon for some insights into his mockumentary Ali G: Who Iz I?, for which he revives his breakthrough character Ali G. Cohen makes his feature directorial debut in Who Iz I?, which Amazon MGM Studios releases this Friday (Oct. 23) in cinemas for just one week, ahead of its streaming rollout on Prime Video.
A new Sasha Baron Cohen film is never without controversy. Who Iz I?, however, has been slammed by some activists as a racism hiding in plain sight. Cohen has responded with a cover essay for Time magazine, in which he writes, “The fact that Ali G is outdated and problematic is the very reason I resurrected him.” The world Ali G has “returned to is, in many ways, worse than the one he left 20 years ago. All the prejudices my characters are designed to expose haven’t just lingered—they’ve metastasized. They’re fueled by the greatest propaganda machine in history—social media—and now by its monstrous child, AI.”
Watch Fallon’s interviews below.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Stanley Kubrick is considered the greatest filmmaker of all time. Not because of his very impressive body of work and attention to detail, but also how he moved the art form forward with his use of music to enhance a scene and story — especially in 2001: A Space Odyssey. And now the Criterion Collection just released a huge box set with all of his films.
On sale for up to 50% off its list price, The Complete Kubrick is the newest addition to the ever-growing Criterion Collection of film titles. You can get just about all of Stanley Kubrick’s movies, such as Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and others, restored in 4K Ultra HD picture quality in one massive box set.
In fact, the box set is so big that it includes 30 Blu-ray discs that come with all of the director’s films and full of bonus features covering the filmmaker’s nearly 50-year career.
CRITERION COLLECTION
‘The Complete Kubrick’
in 4K
30-disc Blu-ray set
And speaking of bonus features, the box set has loads of them, including new audio commentaries, restored behind-the-scenes documentaries, archival interviews, short films and amateur films, rare photos and artwork, essays, and other featurettes.
And since this Criterion Collection title is from Barnes & Noble, you can get your order shipped to you for free, if your cart is over $60, or if you’re a member of the retailer’s membership program, $39.99 per year (about $3.33 per month). Premium membership gets you a wide range of benefits, such as free shipping on all orders, early access to special editions and events, an additional 10% off at checkout and more. You can even get a free tote bag (a $24.99 value) with membership.
Meanwhile, if you live near a B&N location, you can order online and opt to pick up your goods in store for free. Learn more about B&N membership and rewards here.
With prices starting at $299.97 (was $599.95), The Complete Kubrick is available across retailers, like B&N, Criterion.com and Amazon. Check out the box set’s trailer below.
Here’s a list of the feature films included in the box set.
- Fear and Desire (1952)
- Killer’s Kiss (1955)
- The Killing (1956)
- Paths of Glory (1957)
- Spartacus (1960)
- Lolita (1962)
- Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
- 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
- A Clockwork Orange (1971)
- Barry Lyndon (1975)
- The Shining (1980)
- Full Metal Jacket (1987)
- Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Kim Petras is speaking up after noticing the recent negativity aimed at Hunter Schafer.
In a Monday (Oct. 19) post shortly after it was revealed in the Euphoria star’s Elle cover story that she’d recently gotten gender-affirming bottom surgery, Petras wrote on X that she’d seen “some really weird a– sh– on here about beautiful Hunter [Schafer] talking about getting vaginoplasty.”
Related
“Just wanna say it’s so brave of her to speak on this and it’s exposing so many of the gross ways in which trans women get fetishized,” the German pop star, who is a trans woman, continued. “The idea of someone aligning their body with how they feel on the inside and people saying YOU ARE WORTH LESS TO US NOW is what I wrote a song called brutalist about …”
“Brutalist” appears on Petras’ most recent album, Detour, which dropped in May. “My dad’s an architect, he used to show me it/ When he would drive me to the psychiatry/ Again and again, didn’t come back a man,” she sings on the track.
The post comes on. the heels of the Cuckoo actress telling Elle that she’d undergone the procedure in December, which she called “amazing.”
“I love it so much,” Schafer shared. “For a long time I’ve embraced the gender-expansive part of myself, and I really wanted to try to make that previous body work, because I thought there was something really cool and bada– about it.”
Ultimately, the Hollywood star — who identified as trans long before she shot to fame in 2019 playing Jules in Euphoria, acting opposite Zendaya — decided that vaginoplasty was the best option for her. When she was a teenager, Schafer joined as a plaintiff in the ACLU’s lawsuit against North Carolina’s anti-trans “bathroom bill.”
Similarly, Petras spent her teenage years advocating for trans rights, garnering national attention in her home country. She’s also said that she faced prejudice for seeking bottom surgery as well.
“I have people saying I ruined my body and I ruined my life,” Petras — who in 2023 made history as the first openly transgender artist to win a Grammy — told Fader earlier this year. “It saved my life and then there’s people who are like, ‘This saved your life, but you ruined everything.’”
Though it’s become a hot-button issue clouded by misinformation in recent years, studies show that bottom surgery is an effective way of relieving gender dysphoria and the mental health struggles that oftentimes accompany gender dysphoria. “People who regret gender-affirming medical treatment decisions are rare and most often report the reason for their regret being lack of support from those around them,” Dr. Joshua D. Safer, MD, executive director of the Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, told Billboard in 2022.
“Genital reconstruction surgery is typically reserved for adults,” he also said at the time, dispelling some of the misconceptions around the procedures. “Prior to any gender-affirming medical or surgical intervention, all minors must have an intake with a knowledgeable mental health provider internal to our system. Once deemed ready for a medical/surgical intervention, the processes we have for adults are then brought into play.”
See Petras’ post below.
Harry Styles’ Madison Square Garden residency is getting the documentary treatment.
The 32-year-old pop star has tapped filmmaker John Wilson to chronicle his 30-night run at the iconic New York City venue, which began Aug. 26 and wraps Oct. 31.
Related
Wilson, best known for his HBO docuseries How To With John Wilson and documentary The History of Concrete, has been spotted following Styles with a camera in recent days, fueling speculation about the project.
The documentary was first reported by Variety on Saturday (Oct. 17), and Billboard has since confirmed the news.
The film will blend live performances with a glimpse into Styles’ world, alongside authentic stories from those involved in the tour — from the singer and his fans to the many people working behind the scenes, according to Variety.
The documentary is being produced by Universal Pictures Content Group, Peanut World Pictures and Styles. A potential theatrical release is reportedly in the works.
Styles is currently performing in support of his fourth studio album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally., which debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard 200 and the Official U.K. Albums Chart. The set’s lead single, “Aperture,” also topped the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.
After stops in Amsterdam, London, São Paulo, Mexico City, Melbourne and Sydney, Styles is approaching the end of his 30-night MSG residency, with more Together, Together tour dates scheduled through August 2027.
The tour’s 25-date extension next year launches in Phoenix on April 2, with subsequent stops in Dallas, Los Angeles, Toronto, Atlanta and Chicago. The European leg begins in Berlin on July 2 and includes dates in Paris, Madrid, Rome and Dublin before concluding with the final of three shows at London’s Wembley Stadium on Aug. 28.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
After nearly 20 years of game play, the NFL returns to London for the 2026-27 season. The league has been growing American Football around the world with regular season games played in international cities, such as Rio, Mexico City, Melbourne, Berlin, Dublin and others.
For the week six matchup, two AFC teams with the Texans and Jaguars play against each other for domination on the field. Meanwhile, there might be one or two celebrity sightings during the game too.
How to Watch NFL London Game 2026 Live Online, at a Glance:
- Date: Oct. 18
- Matchup: Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
- Network: NFL Network
- Online Streaming: DirecTV, Sling TV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, ESPN Unlimited
When Does the NFL London Game 2026 Start?
The NFL London Game happens on Sunday (Oct. 18) with a matchup featuring the Houston Texans (1-4) taking on the Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) at Wembley Stadium in London, England, with a start time of 9:30 a.m. ET/6:30 a.m. PT.
What TV Network Features the NFL London Game 2026?
The Texans-Jaguars game broadcasts on NFL Network, while the NFL game is available to livestream on ESPN Unlimited.
Which Celebrities Are Making Appearances During the NFL London Game 2026?
NFL games are known for celebrity sightings, so it’s likely there may be a number of famous actors, actresses and recording artists in attendance. Artists have been known to appear at games in the past, include English NFL fans, Idris Elba, Kit Harington, Prince William and others.
In addition, R&B singer and former-contestant on The Voice Jordyn Simone performs “The Star-Spangled Banner,” while English pop star Mimi Webb performs “God Save the King,” ahead of kickoff.
Where to Watch the NFL London Game 2026 Live Online for Free
For cord-cutters, there are a few ways to watch the NFL London Game, if you don’t have cable, especially if you want to watch for free. DirecTV has a five-day free trial, while other streaming services, such as Fubo and Hulu + Live TV, also offer free trials, so you can watch Texans vs. Jaguars for free.
A subscription to DirecTV gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, including NFL Network, at $59.99 for the first month of service ($89.99 per month afterward). The service even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free, if you sign up now. It comes with access to ESPN Unlimited too for even more ESPN networks.
Sling TV offers the Blue plan, which comes with NFL Network. With more than 40 channels, the streaming plan goes for $54.99 per month. All plans come with a free cloud DVR and an extra 600 or so free channels too. Please note: Pricing and channel availability vary from market-to-market.
UNLIMITED DVR
FuboTV
Fubo is an affordable option offering a five-day free trial for new users who sign up.
Fubo starts at $63.99 for the first month ($88.99 per month afterward) with more than 230 channels, including local and cable networks, like NFL Network, that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers. And with a five-day free trial, you can watch for free, if you act fast and sign up now.
For the NFL London Game: Texans vs. Jaguars, the broadcast network NFL Network is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV. Prices for the cable alternative is on sale for $49.99 for the first month ($89.99 per month afterward) for more than 100 live channels, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited at no additional cost. Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one package.
ESPN Unlimited is the official streaming platform for NFL Network. A subscription includes instant access for $31.99 per month. However, you can save almost 17% off by purchasing an annual subscription for $319.99 per year. It features every ESPN network, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACC Network Extra — all in one streaming service. It even comes with CW Sports for more livestream games.
In addition to live sports, ESPN Unlimited has original programming to stream on demand. Although the service doesn’t offer a free trial, you can still watch ESPN Unlimited with a clever workaround to watch online for free. Learn more about how to get a free trial to access ESPN Unlimited here.
On Sunday (Oct. 18), the NFL London Game 2026: Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars broadcasts on NFL Network. One of the best ways to watch the game live is with DirecTV.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
Bring your KPop Demon Hunters fandom to your fingertips with HUNTR/X-inspired nails that make a statement. Ohora’s collection features gel press-ons, magnetic nail care polishes that create velvet or “cat-eye” effects and special sets for fans who want multiple designs in one purchase. Nail options include Midnight Hunter, Aurora Halo, Golden Veil, Crystal Aura and Silk Dancheong, with finishes ranging from pastel marble to natural glow and designs featuring the fictional group’s emblem.
As of this writing, Ohora is running its 2026 Halloween sale, with sets discounted by up to 30%. Fans can shop within their budget by choosing one press-on set or nail polish, pairing products in duos or trios or purchasing the full collection. Whether you want everyday KPop Demon Hunters nail art or a finishing touch for your Halloween costume inspired by the Oscar-winning movie, there are several options to match your look.
GEL PRESS-ONS
Midnight Hunter Gel Press-On Nails
Halloween Sale
Midnight Hunter is one of five gel press-on designs in the collection, alongside Aurora Halo, Golden Veil, Crystal Aura and Silk Dancheong.
To apply, trim your nails, clean each nail with a prep pad to remove oil and moisture, then test the press-on sizes against your nail beds. Apply a thin layer of primer and let it dry before attaching each nail. For removal, apply Ohora’s Green Tea 3-in-1 Nail Remover, then gently lift the press-ons with a cuticle pusher or orange wood stick.
FULL SET
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Full Set
Halloween Sale
The full set includes all five gel press-on designs, three magnetic nail care polishes and a magnetic stick.
Priced at $142.99 during the 2026 Halloween sale, the full set offers a way to purchase the collection together rather than buying each item separately. Ohora press-ons can last around 10–14 days, depending on application and wear, so customers are getting at least 10 weeks of nail art in this set. The included magnetic stick works with the magnetic polishes to create dimensional “cat-eye” lines or a soft velvet-like finish.
NAIL POLISH
Rumi Magnetic Purple Nail Care Polish
Halloween Sale
The Rumi Magnetic Purple Nail Care Polish is one of three character-inspired shades, alongside Mira Magnetic Pink and Zoey Magnetic Green.
The polishes can be worn on their own for a chrome finish or paired with the included magnetic stick to create a “cat-eye” or a velvet effect. One detail to note: despite its name, Zoey Magnetic Green is a metallic nude shade with a slight green shine, rather than a true green. Fans can buy the polishes individually or the full set, which includes all three polishes along with all five gel press-ons.
MAGNET
Two-Way Magnetic Stick
Halloween Sale
The magnetic stick shapes the metallic particles in Ohora’s magnetic polishes to create either a defined “cat-eye” stripe or a softer, all-over velvet sheen.
To create the look, apply the polish and work on one nail at a time while the final coat is still wet. Hold the magnet about 2–3 mm above the nail without touching the polish, keeping it steady for 30–60 seconds to develop the pattern. Follow the polish’s specific curing instructions if using a gel formula.
All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
If you’re thinking about joining Starz, a free trial is the best way to test out a streaming platform to see if it’s a good fit. However, Starz no longer offers a free trial directly, but we found a clever workaround to watch for free.
You can get Starz for free, as a channel add-on via Prime Video. The streamer is offering a seven-day free trial, if you add Starz to your Amazon account. It’s the best way to watch for free online right now.
Afterward, Starz, which gives you access to tons of TV shows and movies, goes for $11.99 per month (or $69.99 per year). After the free trial ends, your plan will automatically renew at the regular rate, but you can cancel anytime.
If you’re not a member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial to take advantage of all that Amazon Prime has to offer, including access to Prime Video, Prime Gaming and Amazon Photos; fast free shipping in less than two days with Prime Delivery; in-store discounts at Whole Foods Market and access to exclusive shopping savings during Black Friday in November, as well as other perks. Learn more about Amazon Prime and its benefits here.
With a seven-day free trial, Starz is offered as an add-on with Philo. After the free trial is finished, Starz on Philo goes for $11.99 per month (on top of Philo Essential’s $25 per month).
Philo comes with more than 70 cable networks, such as AMC, A&E, Animal Planet, BBC America, BET, Cartoon Network, CMT, Comedy Central, Discovery Channel, EarthX, Food Network, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, History Channel, Investigation Discovery, IFC, Lifetime, Logo, MTV, MotorTrends, Nickelodeon, OWN, Paramount Network, Pop TV, Revolt, Smithsonian Channel, Sundance TV, TLC, UPtv, VH1, Vice and many others. Learn more about Philo here.
Additionally, if you sign up directly, the streaming service offers a six-month plan for $45.99, which breaks down to about $7.67 per month. Meanwhile, you can sign up with Starz for just $4.99 per month for the first three months of service. You can also go annually for $30 for the first year, which is about $2.50 per month. However, there’s no free trial available with these pricing options from Starz.
Starz is the home to hit originals, like Outlander, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, BMF (Black Mafia Family), Party Down, P-Valley, Sweetpea, The Serpent Queen, S.W.A.T. Exiles, Spartacus, Power, Power Book II: Ghost, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, Power Book IV: Force and others, as well as hot music programming, such as Nas: Time Is Illmatic, Down in the Valley, Whitney Houston in Focus, The BMF Documentary: Blowing Money Fast and more.
The streaming service has a large number of movies too, including Michael (2026), The Furious, Shelter, In the Grey, Oscar Shaw and others.
You can watch documentary TV shows on Starz, including Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham, Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, Confronting a Serial Killer and Fat Joe Talks, as well as an extensive library of cult classics, such as Black Sails, The White Queen and The White Princess, Magic City, Ash vs. Evil Dead and others.
When Chari and Marcus Ladden Jr. decided to contest NBC’s The Voice, they sure did come to the right place.
Chari, a surgical technologist by day, bagged a perfect four-chair turn in the Blind Auditions with a performance of Oleta Adams “Get Here.” The 31-year-old Atlanta singer went on to join Queen Latifah’s team.
Ladden turned up the feels for his audition, hitting Julie London’s “Cry Me a River,” and earning himself turns from Queen and Kelly Clarkson. The 19-year-old hopeful is also from Atlanta, he attended the same school as Chari, and went with Team Queen. Both are impressive talents, too.
With the Battle Round underway, Chari and Ladden went head-to-head with Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald’s “On My Own,” a Billboard Hot 100 leader in 1986.
Progress in the competition awaits the winner, exit for the loser. If that wasn’t enough pressure, LaBelle herself was on board as the Battle Advisor to Latifah.
Chari and Marcus went at it with style and class. “Well, that was ‘On My Own’ but y’all sound pretty good together,” quipped Riley Green. It was a joke there for the taking, and the country artist and judge got in first. “I loved every second of that. Y’alls vocals are unreal. That was an awesome performance.” Queen, he said as he looked at her, “good luck. I don’t know how you’re going to do it.”
Kelly Clarkson remarked that Marcus’ tone was “gorgeous” and “fills the room,” with runs that were “crazy beautiful.” Chari, well, Clarkson has been in love with her vocals since the Blinds. “It seems effortless from you.” Both are “gifted vocalists,” she enthused. They crushed the song.
Like all his rival coaches, Adam Levine turned for Chari. “In a way, it’s no surprise,” he said of her elite effort in this knockout phase. Marcus, however, showed a lot of grit and guts for a lad who was not expected to triumph. He stepped up to the challenge and “did an amazing job,” the Maroon 5 frontman noted.
Latifah had a difficult decision to make. “I thought it was incredible. I’m so proud of both of you,” she explained. “You have done a phenomenal job.” The teen reminded Queen of Jeffrey Osborne, Latifah added, while Chari did “an extraordinary job” of making the song her own.
Ultimately, Latifah went with Chari. But that wasn’t the end of the line for Ladden, who earned a lifeline when Clarkson used her steal. Everyone wins.
The Voice is currently celebrating its 30th season, with episodes airing Mondays and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, streaming next day on Peacock.
Watch Chari and Marcus’ Battle below.