It turns out KikiBarth isn’t the only Real Housewives of Miami cast member who blocked Guerdy Abraira on Instagram. Marysol Patton just admitted that she blocked her, too. According to her, Guerdy earned a block from at least four cast members, and it all happened before they ever sat down for the Season 7 reunion.
Marysol Patton blocked Guerdy Abraira “a few days before” the RHOM reunion
Marysol recently sat down on Two Ts in A Pod with Tamra Judge and Teddi Mellencamp, and she dished on all of the drama of RHOM Season 7. From her bestie Alexia Nepola’s questionable breakup to the private plane debacle, Marysol dove into all of the mess.
At one point, the Two Ts asked Marsyol about her fractured friendship with Adriana de Moura. Marysol made it clear that they still weren’t on good terms, and she has her blocked on Instagram. Then, she admitted that she actually blocked two cast members, with the other being Guerdy.
“I did it a few days before the reunion,” Marysol confessed.
“I think it’s not that it gets worse on the show, I think just the problem is she takes things that have been resolved from months ago, and then when the show airs and she sees the reaction from the audience, then she’ll jump on it and then put something on her Instagram and start dragging you,” she continued.
Marysol’s reasoning for blocking Guerdy sounds almost exactly the same as what Kiki shared in an interview a few weeks ago, and apparently, at least two other cast members also blocked Guerdy for similar reasons. Marysol teased that a fifth person might be blocking her, too.
“There’s actually four cast members that have her blocked,” Marysol continued. “And somebody today told me, ‘I don’t want to see those posts anymore, should I block her?’”
Marysol didn’t drop any names about who all blocked Guerdy, but it doesn’t take too much guessing to figure it out. Clearly, Marysol and her pals don’t want Guerdy on the show, or in their lives.
The Real Housewives of Miami airs on Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo. Stream it the next day on Peacock or Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
TELL US – ARE YOU SURPRISED THAT MOST OF THE CAST BLOCKED GUERDY ON INSTAGRAM? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON MARYSOL’S REASON FOR BLOCKING HER?
“It’s worth remembering that both Safe Harbour and Privacy Shield fell under legal challenge on similar grounds, and campaigners have already signaled that further appeals are likely. That means the framework may not be the last word in EU-US data transfers,” he said.
Does an agreement with the US make that much difference?
Without this agreement, EU companies would have to draft complex contracts with US suppliers imposing restrictions on data processing and handling. Requiring agreements for each transfer, this would be expensive and time consuming, assuming it even met watertight legal standards under real-world conditions.
Companies would love to move on from this confusing situation, yet it might still be too soon to celebrate the ruling. Max Schrems, the lawyer who lodged the initial complaint, still campaigns on the issue through an NGO he founded, None of Your Business (NOYB). He believed the Court’s ruling was still open to appeal.
We’re getting closer. The Apple iPhone 17 event is on Tuesday, September 9, which is less than a week away. (Here’s how you can watch the iPhone 17 launch on YouTube.) We’ll finally get to see the new iPhone 17 lineup, and — assuming Apple sticks to tradition — we should be able to install iOS 26 around a week or so after the event. (Apple is also expected to release iOS 18.7 at the same time, per MacRumors, to address security issues.) But you don’t have to wait to test out the new features because you can download and install the newly released public beta 6 (or iOS 26 developer beta 9 for developers). You can see a more complete view of the new features in our preview of the iOS 26 public beta release, which shows off the fresh home and lock screen redesign. Called Liquid Glass, the translucent look will extend across all of Apple’s upcoming operating systems. The overhaul is one of several big changes coming to iOS, macOS, iPadOS and the rest of Apple’s software suite, all of which were showcased during the company’s WWDC keynote on June 9.
After overpromising on AI plans last year, Apple kept its iOS roadmap focused more on basic quality of life improvements this year. There are multiple useful additions coming to the Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone, for instance: Apple execs outlined the ability to weed out spam texts or other unknown senders and an option to hold your spot on a phone call when you’ve been waiting for a representative to pick up. Plus, a treasured feature that we took for granted is coming back (hint: it’s in the Photos app).
With each beta, it seems like additional new improvements are popping up, like this new AirPods gesture we’re all curious about, and a new bouncy animation on the passcode screen and in the Control Center. Some of those changes have already migrated into the separate public beta (see below). Most newer iPhone models are eligible to download iOS 26 (both the betas and final version). Want to see the full list of new features coming this fall? Read on.
What is iOS 26?
The current iPhone operating system is iOS 18, and Apple is still actively updating it — version 18.6.1 was released to restore Apple Watch blood oxygen monitoring functionality for certain users in the US. More recently, Apple released 18.6.2 to address a vulnerability related to image processing. Apple has officially stopped signing iOS 18.6, MacRumors reports, which means it can no longer be installed on your iPhone due to a “server-side software verification check.” That’s pretty normal when newer versions are available to download.
But don’t expect to see iOS 19 soon — or ever. Instead, Apple is skipping the numbering ahead to iOS 26 next month. The company has decided to line up its iOS version numbers with a year-based system, similar to car model years. So while iOS and its sibling operating systems will be released in late 2025, they’re all designated “26” to reflect the year ahead.
It’s official, we’re moving to iOS 26. (Apple)
What is Liquid Glass design?
Let’s be honest. Out of everything announced at WWDC this year, the new Liquid Glass design was the star of the show. The iPhone’s home and lock screens have looked pretty much the same year after year — the last exciting thing (in my opinion) was the option to add your own aesthetic to your home screen by customizing your apps and widgets. So seeing the home and lock screens’ new facelift is refreshing.
So what exactly is Liquid Glass? Apple calls it a “new translucent material” since, well, the apps and widgets are clear. However, the screen can still adapt to dark and light modes, depending on surroundings. You’ll also notice buttons with a new floating design in several apps, like Phone and Maps. They’re designed to be less distracting than the current buttons, but are still easy to see. While the design overhaul has proven to be controversial since its announcement, some — including Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar — like the new direction, even if it’s somewhat reminiscent of Microsoft’s translucent Windows Vista Aero designs from nearly twenty years ago.
That said, as of the release of the iOS 26 beta 2, Apple has already incorporated some user feedback into the design, dialing back the transparency in at least some places. And while it will continue to evolve, Apple users won’t be able to escape it: Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple’s OSes more cohesive. Here’s a look at how the translucent aesthetic will look with the new macOS Tahoe 26 on your desktop.
What are the new and notable features of iOS 26?
iOS 26 has a laundry list of new features. Among the most worthwhile:
Phone app redesign: You’ll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that’ll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music and continue on with other tasks.
Live Translation in Phone, FaceTime and Messages: iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translation will translate your conversation in real time, which results in some stop-and-go interactions in the examples Apple shared during its presentation.
Polls in group chats: Tired of sorting through what seems like hundreds of messages in your group chat? You and your friends will soon be able to create polls in group messages for deciding things like which brunch spot you’re eating at or whose car you’re taking on a road trip.
Filtering unknown senders in Messages: If you haven’t received spam texts about unpaid tolls or other citations, you’re lucky. For those of us who have, those annoying messages will soon be filtered away in a separate folder.
Visual Intelligence: Similar to a reverse Google image search, this new feature will allow you to search for anything that’s on your iPhone screen. For instance, if you spot a pair of shoes someone is wearing in an Instagram photo, you can screenshot it and use Visual Intelligence to find those shoes (or similar ones) online.
Photos tabs are back: For anyone who’s still frustrated with the Photos changes made last year, you’ll be happy to know that your tabs are coming back. Library and Collections will have their own separate spaces so you don’t have to scroll to infinity to find what you’re looking for.
Camera app updates: Navigating the Camera app is simpler in iOS 26, as all the buttons and menus are in convenient spots — less swiping, more photo taking. Plus, there’s a new feature that tells you if your lens needs to be cleaned.
FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature: A newer addition to iOS 26 appears to be the FaceTime “Communication Safety” feature that pauses communications if and when nudity is detected. The feature appears to be a child safety feature that uses on-device detection, thus obviating any cloud-based privacy issues.
New lock screen options: The iPhone lock screen gets more customizable in iOS 26, with a cooler clock, 3D wallpaper effects, more widgets and better focus mode options.
New alarm setting: You’ll no longer be stuck with the 9-minute snooze setting in your alarms. Instead, you’ll have the option to change your snooze time from one to 15 minutes.
Apple’s Hold Assist will be nifty for those pesky services that put you on hold for 10 or more minutes. (Apple)
New changes coming to iPadOS 26
Your iPad isn’t getting left behind when it comes to big updates. Here’s what’s coming this fall.
Multitasking and real windowing: When you download the newest update, you’ll be able to have multiple apps running on your screen at the same time. Once you open an app, it’ll appear on your screen as normal but you’ll be able to resize and move it across your screen to make room for other apps. This feature is optional so you can turn it off if you don’t like it.
Visual update: Along with the other new OSes, iPadOS 26 is coming with the Liquid Glass aesthetic. This new look will appear on the lock and home screens, as well as the drop-down menus.
New menu bar: When you swipe down on your screen, the new menu bar will appear with options like File, Edit, Windows and more. There’s also a search option if you’re looking for something specific.
Enhanced audio recording: Apple calls this “studio-quality” audio recording, and with it, you’ll notice more clarity while in noisy environments.
Camera remote control: Using this, you can take a photo or start and stop video recording with just one press on your AirPods. When taking photos, you’ll get a three-second countdown before your iPhone or iPad snaps the picture.
Live translation feature: While not officially announced or confirmed, it appears that the long-rumored live translation for AirPods could be coming with iOS 26. The evidence comes from a system asset spotted in the in iOS 26 beta showing a gesture that’s triggered by pressing both earbud stems at the same time. The photo also shows words in several different languages.
Heart rate monitoring (rumored for now):Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman believes Apple will introduce new AirPods Pro earbuds this year, which could have heart rate monitoring. It would work with Apple’s Health app and other fitness apps that track heart rates.
Will Siri get an update?
Siri is in a holding pattern. Apple has previously specified that its smarter voice assistant — first promised at WWDC 2024 — is delayed until some point “in the coming year,” so you shouldn’t expect any major changes in the current betas. But there are reports that Apple is aiming to give Siri a bigger brain transplant by basing it on third-party artificial intelligence models like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude, which could make 2026 a pivotal year. The company is also reportedly working on a “stripped-down” AI chatbot to rival ChatGPT.
Which iPhones will be able to upgrade to iOS 26?
A few iPhone models that run the current version of iOS — iPhone XR, XS and XS Max — won’t be compatible with the latest upgrade. But any iPhones released in 2019 or later will be eligible for the iOS 26 update.
iPhone SE (second generation or later)
Not listed here are the presumed new iPhone 17 models (or maybe iPhone 26?) that are all but certain to be announced and released in September.
How to install iOS 26 beta
The iOS 26 public beta is now available to download via the Apple Beta Software Program. If you’re not already a member, you’ll need to sign up to try out all the latest features. Just visit beta.apple.com and sign up with your phone number or email address. It’s free.
Once you’re in, you can install it by going to Settings > General > Software Update and selecting iOS 26 public beta.
A word of caution: Don’t sign up with your main iPhone unless you’re OK with any risks that occur with using an OS that isn’t finalized.
When will the final version of iOS 26 be released?
iOS 26 will be released to the public this fall. It usually comes in September, within a week of the Apple iPhone event. Last year, it rolled out to iPhone users on September 16 — exactly one week after the iPhone 16 lineup was announced. Since the iPhone 17 event falls on September 9 this year, it’s possible the downloads will hit our phones on September 16.
MTV hyped her return on Instagram, writing, “There will be magic in the air at the 2025 #VMAs because @LADYGAGA IS PERFORMING! 🪄”
If you’re planning to tune in, here’s everything you need to know about what channel the VMAs are on this year and how you can stream the show live below.
VMAs 2025 Date: When Is the Show?
The 2025 MTV Video Music Awards will air live on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT. The ceremony will be held at the UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
Before the main show begins, the red carpet action kicks off with a star-studded pre-show at 7 p.m. ET. Hosted by Nessa and Kevan Kenney, the pre-show will feature a live performance from musical duo KATSEYE, who are set to perform “Gnarly” and “Gabriela” from their Beautiful Chaos EP.
What Channel Are the 2025 VMAs On?
This year, the VMAs will be broadcast on CBS for the first time ever, in addition to a simulcast on MTV.
Can You Live Stream the 2025 VMAs?
You can stream the VMAs live on Paramount+, and many streaming services that offer MTV also include the live show—like Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, DIRECTV STREAM, and Philo.
2025 VMAs Nominees
Video of the Year
Ariana Grande – “brighter days ahead” – Republic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Kendrick Lamar – “Not Like Us” – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Sabrina Carpenter – “Manchild” – Island
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
Artist of the Year
Bad Bunny – Rimas Entertainment
Beyoncé – Parkwood Entertainment/Columbia Records
Kendrick Lamar – pgLang/Interscope Records
Lady Gaga – Interscope Records
Morgan Wallen – Big Loud Records/Mercury Records
Taylor Swift – Republic Records
The Weeknd – XO/Republic Records
Song of the Year
Alex Warren – “Ordinary” – Atlantic Records
Billie Eilish – “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Darkroom/Interscope Records
Doechii – “Anxiety” – Top Dawg Entertainment/Capitol Records
Ed Sheeran – “Sapphire” – Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records
Gracie Abrams – “I Love You, I’m Sorry” – Interscope Records
Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – “Die With A Smile” – Interscope Records
Lorde – “What Was That” – Republic Records
ROSÉ & Bruno Mars – “APT.” – Atlantic Records
Tate McRae – “Sports Car” – RCA Records
The Weeknd, Playboi Carti – “Timeless” – XO/Republic Records
Best New Artist
Alex Warren – Atlantic Records
Ella Langley – SAWGOD/Columbia Records
Gigi Perez – Island
Lola Young – Island
sombr – SMB Music/Warner Records
The Marías – Nice Life/Atlantic Records
Best Pop Artist
Ariana Grande – Republic Records
Charli xcx – Atlantic Records
Justin Bieber – Def Jam Recordings
Lorde – Republic Records
Miley Cyrus – Columbia Records
Sabrina Carpenter – Island
Tate McRae – RCA Records
MTV Push Performance of the Year
Aug 2024 – Shaboozey – “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – American Dogwood/EMPIRE
Martin Lewis’s Money Saving Expert has explained how Brits can secure compensation up to £520 per person for flight delays. If your flight is cancelled by an airline, you are likely entitled to a refund or replacement flight as well as a payout.
MSE says compensation for a cancelled flight depends on timing and how soon or late the replacement flight was. The experts caution that you are only due compensation if the cancellation was the airline’s fault. They also warn you never to pay to make a claim.
The rules apply to any UK or EU “regulated” flight in the last six years, or five in Scotland. If your flight was delayed, then it has to have arrived more than three hours later than scheduled.
If your flight is axed within 14 days before you are due to fly, it is the airline’s responsibility to get you on another flight to your destination. Or you can accept a refund instead.
Compensation depends on the timing of your replacement flight. According to experts from MSE and solicitors Bott&Co, you are covered if you flew from the UK or EU or flew into the UK or EU with a UK or EU airline.
You can claim for crew shortages or technical faults but not bad weather or air traffic strikes.
Your replacement flight must also have taken off earlier and/or land later than your original flight.
MSE says: “Even if you don’t get the replacement flight, you may still be owed. The amount of time early or late the replacement flight takes off compared with your original flight determines the amount you’ll get.”
You are entitled to a specific amount of compensation depending on the distance of your flight and the length of the delay.
According to Citizens Advice, if your flight is delayed long enough, your airline has to provide you with food and drink, access to phone calls and emails and accommodation if you’re delayed overnight.
The airline should also provide you with journeys between the airport and the hotel.
The fourth film in the mainline franchise, Last Rites sees Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the Warrens in what is being billed as the final entry in theConjuringUniverse, which also includes spinoffs such as the Nun and Annabelle films. The Conjuring movies have been a consistently profitable franchise for New Line Cinema and Warner Bros., to put it mildly; like a lot of horror movies, they don’t require a significant budget to produce, but tend to open big. According to projections, The Conjuring: Last Rites could be in line for the biggest opening in the franchise’s history.
Variety reports that The Conjuring: Last Rites is looking at a $50 million opening weekend. Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema are being more cautious, projecting $35 million, while independent tracking numbers are predicting it could get as high as $55 million. The movie is also expected to have an international opening of $50 million, which would add up to a worldwide gross in the neighborhood of $100 million.
‘The Conjuring’ Universe Box Office Track Record
Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring: Last RitesWarner Bros.
If The Conjuring: Last Rites opens to $50 million, that would make it the second biggest opening weekend in theConjuring Universe, behind only The Nun, which opened to $53 million in 2018. Of course, this means that if Last Rites reaches $55 million, it’ll notch the biggest opening weekend in the franchise’s history. It’s certainly an increase from the previous twoConjuring Universe entries, The Conjuring: The Devil Made MeDo It and The Nun II, which opened to $24 million and $32 million, respectively. (It’s worth noting that The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It was released in 2021 as a day and date release with theaters and HBO Max.)
The Conjuring: Last Rites‘ opening weekend would give Warner Bros. its seventh consecutive number one movie at the box office to open with over $40 million. After a rocky start to the year with titles like Companion, Mickey 17, and The Alto Knights, Warners has bounced back big with A Minecraft Movie, Sinners, Final Destination: Bloodlines, F1, Superman, and Weapons. This certainly puts even more pressure on Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another to continue the hot streak, but also takes pressure off — even if that film underperforms, these other box office hits can carry the financial burden for the studio.
Marketing The Conjuring: Last Rites as the final film in the horror franchise certainly plays a factor in the audience’s general interest. The franchise has been a near-constant fixture at the movies since the first movie opened in the summer of 2013. Like Avengers: Endgame, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker before it, the alleged end of a franchise is more likely to draw audiences than a regular entry. Opening the first weekend of September, which many consider the start of spooky season, certainly plays to the movie’s advantage.
DC has turned a new leaf, set to start a fresh era for the studio by making history with two movies. When James Gunn assumed the role of DC Studios’ co-CEO, tasked with the creative part of upcoming DC releases, he confirmed that not all projects would be reserved for the franchise’s new shared universe, the DCU.
While the DCU’s Chapter One and beyond are important, Elseworlds projects will keep fans of all corners of DC entertained. The Elseworlds label means a movie or show exists outside the DCU canon, such as director Matt Reeves’ The Batman franchise or the animated Teen Titans Go! series. Now, a major announcement confirms both will combine to mark a first for DC.
James Gunn’s Superman Sequel Announcement Means 2027 Will Mark A First For DC
David Corenswet’s Superman with flames around himWarner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection
Superman has proven itself a solid hit for DC, set to make a profit in the millions for the studio, and surging in domestic box office charts. After the movie’s successful run in theaters, which continues, and its early VOD arrival, James Gunn announced a Superman movie sequel.The film is titled Man of Tomorrow, set to release on July 9, 2027.
Gunn has previously made it clear that DC Studios’ plan is for two live-action movies to be released per year. Man of Tomorrow joins another DC movie that had already been set for a 2027 release, Robert Pattinson’s return as Bruce Wayne, The Batman 2. The movie arrives in theaters on October 1, 2027, after multiple delays.
This confirms that DC will finally have a live-action Batman and Superman movie being released in the same year since the heroes’ first film serials. Initially, both Superman and The Batman 2 were set to accomplish that this year. However, The Batman sequel was delayed from 2025 to 2026 and then to its current 2027 release date. It’s a new DC era.
How 2027 Could Be An Even Bigger Year For DC Movies With One Twist
Robert Pattinson as Batman looking intensely at something in The Batman
Besides the fact that DC makes history by releasing live-action movies for its two biggest characters in the same year, finally, 2027 could also be an even bigger year for the studio and James Gunn’s DCU if one rumor pans out. While Gunn and Matt Reeves have said that Pattinson will not be the DCU Batman, the rumors persist.
Gunn has also shared comments that make it seem like the move would not be entirely impossible. If Pattinson’s Batman appears in the Superman movie sequel or the Man of Tomorrow shows up in a surprise cameo in The Batman 2, DC would ensure that its two projects are linked in a way that would break the internet.
David Corenswet’s Superman and Robert Pattinson’s Batman are both early in their superhero careers. While Pattinson is seven years older than Corenswet, the actors look the same age. With no casting or story updates on the DCU’s The Brave and the Bold Batman movie, the rumors about The Batman franchise merging with the DCU should at least remain until 2027.
Cardi B will only address pregnancy rumors on her own time. She made that abundantly clear with a pen and scathing words — both directed to one brash and curious man.
The Grammy-winning rapper was seen on camera hurling a pen at the man in the press pool as she left an Alhambra courthouse during the lunch break of her civil assault trial. According to footage shared by ABC7 and TMZ, the man speaks up from the press pool asking Cardi B about her relationships with ex-husband Offset and boyfriend Stefon Diggs.
“Insiders are claiming that Offset is publicly bragging about getting you pregnant for the fourth time,” he says. “Do you foresee any paternity issues with Stefon Diggs?”
As he poses the question, Cardi walks over to another individual holding a pen and waiting for her autograph. She takes the pen from his hand and throws it in the direction of the inquirer. “Stop disrespecting me,” she fires back, before her team surrounds her.
“Don’t disrespect me,” she adds.
Cardi B shares three young children with Offset. They married in 2017 and went their separate ways in 2024. They were previously headed for divorce in 2020, but seemingly made amends. She went official with NFL star Diggs earlier this year. It’s unclear how exactly the pregnancy rumors began.
After the heated exchange on Tuesday, the man tells Cardi B, “I still love you even though you just threw some stuff at me.”
She did not share the same feelings.
“I don’t care. You’re disrespectful, don’t do that. Do you see women asking those types of questions to me?” Cardi B said as she walked to her SUV. “Why do you feel, as a man, you get to ask me those types of questions? Act like you have some manners. And your mama taught you, respect women.”
She imparted a final message to the press from the vehicle: “You’re not going to see me out today, and you can thank him. I’m not playing around. I was very nice. I was very kind.”
The 32-year-old “Bodak Yellow” and “WAP” hip-hop star prevailed Tuesday in a civil lawsuit brought against her by a Beverly Hills security guard after two days of testimony. Emani Ellis sued Cardi B for $24 million, accusing her of assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress in the aftermath of a confrontation in a hallway outside of an obstetrician’s office. Ellis claimed that the rapper scratched her with a long nail extension, leaving a facial scar.
Cardi B was found not liable on all counts by jurors after less than an hour of deliberations.
“I swear to God, I will say it on my deathbed, I did not touch that woman,” Cardi B said outside the courthouse following the conclusion of the trial. She added that she had missed her kids’ first day of school because of the civil trial.
“I want to thank my lawyers,” she said. “I want to thank the jurors, I want to thank the judge, and I want to thank the respectful press.”
Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report.
About 18 months ago, a pair of entrepreneurs, operating under the banner Fractal Asset Partners, approached financial firms experienced in buying and selling music assets to help them find potential partners and raise funding to buy The Weeknd’s master recording and publishing assets, sources say.
Related
While sources initially described the two entrepreneurs as either affiliated with The Weeknd’s camp or friends of The Weeknd’s management company, Billboard has learned the two potential deal makers are Lindsay Unwin and Emma Toshack. Unwin is known as a longtime employee of SALXCO, the management company of Wassim “Sal” Slaiby, who is the superstar artist’s manager. At the time the duo initiated their funding effort, Unwin was chief operating officer of SALXCO; and, in December 2024, was promoted to CEO.
Toshack, meanwhile, is identified on her Linkedin profile as partner and managing director of Fractal Asset Partners, while her Facebook page also identifies her as a co-founder of Nomadica, the canned wine purveyor, and a Forbes story on that company refers to her as a former “Snapchat bigwig.” Besides Fractal, the LinkedIn profile currently lists Toshack as holding the position of “strategy & special projects” for SALXCO since January 2025.
The assignment to find partners and funding for Fractal was eventually taken on by PJT Partners, whose website says it has been involved in mergers and acquisitions worth more than $1 trillion and that its shareholder advisory clients have a combined aggregate market capitalization of more than $22 trillion.
While talks with most potential investors didn’t come to fruition, at one point, sources said Pophouse showed interest in The Weeknd deal, even meeting with the artist, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye. Pophouse ultimately backed away from the deal, sources say — the company declined to comment — and with that the Fractal/PJT Partners funding exercise appears to have ended.
Now, The Weeknd’s team may be seeking an alternative source of funding by raising capital collateralized by his catalog with the aid of Lyric Capital Partners, according to a story first reported by Bloomberg. Sources confirmed to Billboard that some kind of a financing effort that includes Lyric Capital is ongoing, but it’s unclear what the ingredients of the deal will ultimately become because — as one source puts it — “the cake is still being baked.” In any event, if any deal comes to fruition, sources say The Weeknd absolutely “will not be giving up control” of his music assets, which suggests that the assets could be used to raise debt, as in an asset-backed securitization; or the artist would at most sell a minority stake in the assets and retain majority ownership and control of his music rights. A combination of both selling a stake and raising debt could also be possible.
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Asset-backed securitizations (ABS) have become a popular financing vehicle in the music industry over the past 18 months, but most ABS deals have been done against a company’s music assets, like those done by HarbourView Equity Partners in June and Recognition Music Group in July — and not backed by a single artist’s assets. But it’s not like that hasn’t been done in the music industry before — think back to the 1990s and Bowie bonds.
While The Weeknd has been signed to the Universal Music Group’s Republic Records since 2012, the artist and his manager Slaiby, CEO of XO, own his master recording catalog. As for publishing, The Weeknd signed a co-publishing deal with SONGS over a decade ago and those rights have been subsequently sold to Kobalt, and then to Chord Music Partners. That publishing agreement, which includes all of his music up to the Dawn FM album, likely gives The Weeknd a 75% interest in his song rights (50% for the writer’s share and 25% of publishing), while industry players suggest he owns the publishing for the music on his latest album Hurry Up Tomorrow. In 2022, Tesfaye reached an agreement with UMPG allowing it to administer his back catalog and future works when his contract with Kobalt ended, making UMPG The Weekend’s current song catalog administrator.
As part of that agreement, his relationship with the Universal Music Group expanded, and The Weeknd and XO Records extended agreements with UMG’s in-house brand management and merchandise company Bravado for releases like Tesfaye’s successful 2016 “Starboy” merch collection and extended a label deal with Republic for an undisclosed amount of time, adding that it would include audiovisual projects.
Potential suitors said they passed on the earlier deal because they considered the target valuation too frothy. According to informed sources, that earlier proposed deal was aiming to sell The Weeknd’s assets for at least $1 billion based on about $55 million in net label and net publisher share, which implies an 18.2 times multiple.
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While other superstar catalogs — like the deals Sony did for the Michael Jacksonpublishing and recorded masters assets and the one it did for Queen’s recorded music catalog — are said to have traded at more than a 20 times multiple, both those catalogs’ earnings fully matured long ago. Meanwhile, The Weeknd’s catalog has many songs that still enjoy hit status, meaning his songs’ earnings haven’t fully decayed to the level where a catalog’s annual income becomes more predictable.
Decay is a key component in valuing catalog — suitors try to figure out what level of activity, and thus revenue, a catalog will throw off when the music matures and is no longer a current hit. But The Weeknd’s catalog is far from that threshold; 25 of his songs each generated over 400,000 song equivalents in 2024, and six of them were over 1 million units, according to Billboard’s count based on Luminate data. Sources suggest that since The Weeknd’s catalog still has so many songs near gold-level status (500,000 song equivalents), it’s hard to ascertain how decay will impact The Weeknd’s music as it evolves to catalog status. That’s one of the reasons why some investors say they were wary of the earlier deal that was shopped by PJT Partners.
Another concern, according to some music asset buyers who were approached by PJT, was uncertainty around whether Fractal was raising funds on behalf of The Weeknd, or trying to buy the assets for themselves and any partners they could bring aboard. Nevertheless, it was assumed that The Weeknd and his management team were aware of Fractal and PJT’s effort because of Unwin’s presence and because Fractal had detailed financials for the artist’s recorded music and publishing assets, sources say.
Despite the hesitancy by some suitors to pursue that earlier deal, The Weeknd’s artistic accomplishments are impressive. Luminate data shows that over the course of his career, The Weeknd has generated a whopping 36.2 million album consumption units in the U.S. alone through Aug. 21, 2025. That includes 9.4 million consumption units for Beauty Behind the Madness; 8.3 million album consumption units for Starboy; and 6.22 million for After Hours. Meanwhile, more recent albums like Hurry Up Tomorrow, released earlier this year, so far has accumulated 1.53 million on its way to a probable 2-million-unit-year, while Dawn FM sits at nearly 2.4 million units, according to Luminate.
The Weeknd’s 2019 single “Blinding Lights” was ranked No. 1 on Billboard‘s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs in November 2021 after it logged a record-shattering run on the weekly Hot 100. As the performing artist for the 2021 Super Bowl halftime show, he performed his blockbuster hits including “The Hills,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” “I Feel It Coming,” “Save Your Tears.”
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The Weeknd has also become known for his work on the creative and audiovisual side of his music, having put in $7 million of his own money for his Super Bowl Halftime Show and his work as co-creator and star in the HBO drama series The Idol in 2023 alongside Lily-Rose Depp. Though Idol was cancelled after its first season following a barrage of controversy, the show featured cameos and music from the likes Troye Sivan, Madonna, Jennie of BLACKPINK and Playboi Carti, and its soundtrack included three Billboard Hot 100 top 10s.
Considering all of these activities, The Weeknd is positioned to secure financing not only against his music publishing and recorded masters but possibly also assets such as merch; touring; name, image and likeness rights; and his other artistic endeavors, if he so chooses, music asset buyers say. Allowing investors to participate in returns tied to these additional assets could sweeten any deal around the music catalogs. Moreover, some financial sources speculate the funding could be used to create additional commercial endeavors that could also deliver further investment returns to participants in the deal. But how potential investors respond to the offer all depends on what financial parameters are offered as part of the deal, according to the financial sources.
Billboard reached out separately to SALXCO, PJT Partners, and Lyric Capital Partners but representatives for those companies either declined to speak to Billboard or didn’t respond to requests for comment.
“Pov: i actually have a shot this year 🤧,” Sosa wrote over a TikTok video of himself lifting and twirling Jordan Chiles following the Season 34 cast announcement on Wednesday, September 3. In the post’s caption, he wrote, “War is over 😫😤,” matching the lyrics of John Lennon‘s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” which played over the clip.
While fans celebrated Sosa and Chiles’ DWTS pairing in the post’s comments, they also pointed out that the post was a nod to Sosa competing with Delvey during his first season as a pro last year. After only two performances together, Sosa and Delvey’s DWTS journey came to an end in a double elimination with Tori Spelling and Pasha Pashkov.
“Messy Ezra… how we’ve missed you,” one fan commented, while another added, “Waiting for Anna’s comment😂.” Someone else wrote, “We’re all only here for Ezra’s ACTUAL debut.”
Several users referred to one of Delvey’s infamous DWTS moments, as she told cohost Julianne Hough after her elimination that she would take “nothing” away from the experience.
“I have a feeling this will be an ‘everything’ season and not a ‘nothing’ season,” one TikTok user joked, while another posted, “The great thing about Jordan is… she won’t say she learned ✨nothing✨ from her time with you lol.”
Sosa’s post was likely all in good fun, as he and Delvey have seemingly remained friends since their short-lived time on DWTS. “Nothing,” Sosa captioned a June Instagram video of himself and Delvey hanging out at an arcade together.
Delvey’s DWTS Season 33 casting was surrounded in controversy, as she was previously found guilty of first-degree attempted grand larceny, theft of services, and larceny in the second-degree in 2019. Her story of posing as a German heiress and scamming wealthy socialites was later dramatized in the 2022 Netflix miniseries Inventing Anna.
Back in September 2024, Delvey told TV Insider that she was “not really” worried about her casting backlash. Sosa, for his part, added, “She’s got nothing to hide, girl.”
Disney/Eric McCandlessDELVEY
While Sosa and Delvey appear to be on good terms, Sosa expressed his desire to have a more skilled partner on DWTS 34 during a July episode of the Chicks in the Office podcast.
“Dancing with Anna brought out a different side of me, and I think even just being her partner, I’m like, ‘Okay. This is gonna be s**ts and gigs,’ like, ‘We’re in this for the gag of it all,’” Sosa stated. “But I’m really hoping next season, I have a partner that can really just show my ability. People are on TikTok, like, ‘I forget he can dance.’ I’m like, ‘Yo, bro, that’s how I got the gig. That’s how I’m in the room.’”
Dancing With the Stars, Season 34 Premiere, Tuesday, September 16, 8/7c, ABC
