Nothing lasts forever — even Kelsea Balleriniand Chase Stokes. Once a fan-favorite couple, whose red carpet moments were a highlight for the public, the country music singer and the Outer Banks star apparently broke up once and for all by the end of 2025, just weeks after they sparked reconciliation rumors. So, what happened between Chase and Kelsea, and why did they break up?
In November 2025, Chase seemingly addressed his and Kelsea’s split via two Instagram Stories posts. Without naming his former girlfriend, the actor wrote, “Don’t believe the media. I did nothing wrong. Sorry. I tried.” He followed up in a separate Story by writing, “I’m sorry for those who believed in us. It is what it is. Onwards and upwards.”
Below, Hollywood Life has compiled all the details we know so far about Kelsea and Chase’s breakup.
Courtesy of Chase Stokes/Instagram
How Long Were Kelsea Ballerini & Chase Stokes Together?
Chase and Kelsea went public with their relationship in early 2023. They split sometime in mid-2025, according to multiple outlets. However, they were spotted spending time together shortly thereafter.
Nevertheless, Chase seemingly confirmed that he and Kelsea had split in November 2025 by sharing cryptic Instagram Stories messages about being “blocked” by someone. So, Chase and Kelsea were together for three years.
Courtesy of Chase Stokes/Instagram
When Did Chase Stokes & Kelsea Ballerini Break Up?
Chase and Kelsea broke up by the end of 2025. They had sparked split speculation that fall, and a rep for the pair confirmed the news. However, the country music singer and the actor were seen at a restaurant in Croatia in early November.
Weeks later, Chase seemingly broke his silence on the matter when he wrote on his Instagram Stories, “I’m sorry for those who believed in us. It is what it is. Onwards and upwards.” He did not mention Kelsea by name, though, in his post.
Why Did Kelsea Ballerini & Chase Stokes Break Up?
Neither Chase nor Kelsea revealed the reason behind their apparent breakup. However, a source previously told People that, as “two adults who gave it their all,” the exes “tried to do everything they could to make it work,” but that didn’t pan out.
When Chase seemingly addressed his and Kelsea’s split in November via his Instagram Stories, he claimed that he was “blocked” by someone and that he “tried” and “did nothing wrong.”
Are Chase Stokes & Kelsea Ballerini Back Together?
No, Chase and Kelsea appear to have broken up for good. They sparked reconciliation rumors, though, in the fall of 2025 when they were seen at a restaurant together in Croatia. Weeks later, Chase defended Kelsea against social media trolls when she shared a TikTok video promoting one of her songs. The actor seemingly addressed several negative commenters, who compared the “Penthouse” artist and his ex-girlfriend and Outer Banks co-star Madelyn Cline.
“These comments are f**king weird. Grow up,” Chase commented.
If you’re seeking a truly special day out this village ticks all the boxes.
The jewel in Corbridge, in Northumberland’s crown is undoubtedly its Roman Town, one of the country’s most significant archaeological sites and the northernmost town of the Roman Empire.
Located just a mile outside the village, it’s a captivating snapshot of history, with original Roman streets you can walk on and a museum showcasing discoveries from the renowned Corbridge Hoard, a trove of 2nd Century armour, tools and personal items found in the area.
A stone’s throw away lies Hadrian’s Wall, a testament to Corbridge’s central role in Roman Britain. But Corbridge isn’t trapped in the past.
Its marketplace and surrounding streets are brimming with independent businesses, many nestled within old stone buildings and hidden courtyards, reports Chronicle Live.
You can meander between artisan bakeries, a traditional grocer, florists, fashion boutiques, jewellers and beautifully curated homeware shops, all within a few hundred metres.
Forum Books, housed in a stunningly converted Methodist Chapel complete with preserved pulpit, is worth the journey alone.
If you’re peckish, Corbridge boasts a plethora of dining options. From cosy cafés for leisurely lunches to a deli, wine bar, superb gastropubs, and a variety of Italian, Indian and English restaurants, it’s easy to extend a day trip into an evening out.
Nestled by the magnificent St Andrew’s Church is The Pele Tower (no connection to the Brazilian footballer), which has been transformed into a splendid pub.
St Andrew’s itself is one of Britain’s oldest churches, with Saxon roots tracing back to the 7th century. The bridge over the Tyne, the river’s oldest, provides opportunities for scenic riverside strolls.
For those wishing to explore further, Aydon Castle is just a stone’s throw away, while the surrounding moorlands and countryside make Corbridge an ideal starting point for cycling and hiking.
Despite its tranquil and rural feel, Corbridge is surprisingly well-connected. The railway station lies on the Tyne Valley Line between Newcastle, Hexham and Carlisle, and the A69 and A68 intersect nearby.
‘Tis the season for nostalgia, and what better place to start than with the ’90s? The 1990s were a magical time for Holiday Films, one that brought moviegoers beloved Christmas classics from Home Alone and The Santa Clause. The decade saw cinema’s most popular stars trying their hand at the wholesome holiday genre, including big names like Michael Caine, Joe Pesci, Michael Keaton, and Tim Burton. This was when the world was first introduced to the devious antics of Macaulay Culkin’s unruly Kevin McCallister, Tim Allen’s transformation into the big man himself, and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s battle with Sinbad over a highly coveted action figure. There is so much to choose from, all of it golden, festive, and timeless.
With the holiday season right around the corner, let’s take a look at some Christmas movies the 1990s had to offer, ranking up to the best of the era. Will it be Kevin McCallister, Jack Skellington, or Santa himself? Regardless, each of these 9 entries stands as one of the best holiday films not just of the ’90s but of all time.
9
‘Jingle All the Way’ (1996)
20th Century Fox
In the 1996 action comedy Jingle All The Way, action legend Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man on a mission — a toy mission. The cinema superstar appeared as a workaholic sales representative who goes head-to-head with a fellow postal father (played by Sinbad) in a quest to purchase a highly coveted action figure on Christmas Eve.
Poking fun at the over-commercialization of the jolly holiday, this relatable blockbuster hit was inspired by real-life toy manias. In the days before online shopping, sell-out toys like Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Furbys, Tamagotchis, and Cabbage Patch Kids would incite near riots as consumers clamored over each other for the perfect gift. It’s important to note that this film perfectly depicts the often aggressive nature of holiday shoppers while still managing moments of comedic lightness and general frivolity. Though the holiday picture failed to resonate with critics, moviegoers thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas comedy.
8
‘Jack Frost’ (1998)
Warner Bros.
Actor extraordinaire Michael Keaton led the 1998 fantasy film Jack Frost. In it, the seasoned star portrays a neglectful but kind-hearted father and rock band musician who is tragically killed in a car accident during a snowstorm, leaving his devastated wife and young son to pick up the pieces. Their world is turned upside down when he seemingly returns as, what else, but a snowman? Keaton’s eponymous character is given a second chance with the help of a magical harmonica and sets out to make things right with his beloved son.
Not to be confused with the similarly titled horror classic, this film flew under the radar for years before becoming a truly heartfelt cult classic. While it was notorious for its questionable snowman design, kind of uncanny valley by today’s standards, that many find more creepy than cheerful, its message of spending time with family while you can make it a heartfelt 90s flick. At the same time, the movie stands as a testament to the medium’s ability to navigate difficult themes some children face, such as loss of family around the holidays.
7
‘Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas’ (1999)
ABC Family
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas features three very different festive tales featuring cherished characters like Donald Duck, Goofy, Scrooge McDuck, and Mickey himself. Kelsey Grammer narrates the charming Christmas film, with each segment taking inspiration from short stories like “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry and William Dean Howells’ “Christmas Every Day.” Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor are famously known for voicing the iconic power couple of Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The voice performers became well-known for having been married during much of their tenures as the iconic Disney characters (much to the delight of audiences everywhere).
Disney’s 1999 anthology fantasy Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas is an underrated holiday gem. The 1990s and 2000s were an era marked by the widespread distribution of new and classic Disney shorts on VHS and DVDs alike. No longer limited to playing in theaters before an upcoming film, this allowed the company to distribute its shorts to a whole new audience, one who could watch them over and over again. Pairing this with stories that mimicked yearly traditions was the next logical step, one that complemented these originals. Disney continues this trend, offering new seasonal shorts every year on streaming, but Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas will always hold a special place in the memories of Mickey Mouse fans.
6
‘The Santa Clause’ (1994)
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Tim Allen is a reluctant Saint Nick in the 1994 Christmas comedy The Santa Clause. The story follows grumpy toy sales representative Scott Calvin after he accidentally causes the real Santa to fall off his roof. Scott and his son Charlie manage to complete the monumental task of delivering the rest of Kris Kringle’s toys before sunrise, only to realize that they should’ve read the fine print. Now, the man formerly known as Scott Calvin is obligated to become Santa Claus on a more permanent basis.
This fun and festive picture was a critical and commercial hit, launching a popular and lucrative Santa Clause franchise that Christmas lovers revisit year after year. A well-received limited series titled The Santa Clauses was released on Disney+ in November 2022. This heartfelt original, however, is the one that started it all, and so it is definitely worth a watch. Here, seeing Tim Allen’s Santa transform from a cold corporate shill to a generous and jolly St. Nick, is an uplifting story that perfectly encapsulates the happiness and charity that many feel during the holidays.
5
‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’ (1992)
20th Century Fox
The delightfully devious Kevin McCallister was back at it again in the 1992 comedy Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. The now 10-year-old has, once again, been separated from his family during the holidays. Stuck smack in the middle of the Big Apple, he decides to treat himself to the best Manhattan has to offer. Unfortunately, the Wet Bandits are also out and about in New York City, and they’re just as eager for revenge.
Macaulay Culkin shines in all his mischievous glory as the perpetually left behind Kevin, once again using his creative mind to concoct inventions that protect him from the dishonorable thieves Harry and Marv (played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern). His antics while staying in a luxurious Plaza Hotel suite are the stuff of childhood dreams. Chock-full of cameos (including the now-infamous one with Trump), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York earned mixed reviews from critics and immense love from moviegoers. Now, 30 years later, the sequel has become a cherished Christmas staple, just like its predecessor.
4
‘Miracle on 34th Street’ (1994)
20th Century Fox
Sensational ’90s child actress Mara Wilson (Matilda) stars in Miracle on 34th Street as six-year-old Christmas skeptic Susan Walker, who begins to question whether old Saint Nick may actually be real after meeting a mall Santa who claims to be Kris Kringle himself. On her mission to prove that the man is, in fact, Santa Claus, Susan teams up with her mother’s lawyer boyfriend to silence any naysayers once and for all.
The stirring flick may not entirely live up to the legacy of the 1947 picture, but it remains an endearing reimagining of the timeless tale. Modernized for the day, it featured several popular actors of the time, including Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, and Dylan McDermott, and still holds a special place in the hearts of audiences everywhere. Notably, the film captures a nostalgia of Christmas’s past to utter perfection, from the department store pageantry to the festive decorations strung throughout an idyllic New York.
3
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ (1993)
Buena Vista Pictures
From the genius mind of director Henry Selick (with a story by Tim Burton) comes the critically acclaimed 1993 stop-motion musical fantasy The Nightmare Before Christmas. The Disney classic tells the thrilling tale of Halloween Town King Jack Skellington as he attempts to shake up his community’s monotonous spooky rituals by taking on a brand-new holiday — Christmas. Will the residents of Halloween Town successfully conquer the Christmas season without ruining it for everyone else in the process?
The ’90s juggernaut was lauded by both critics and audiences, with Burton earning widespread praise. This Oscar-nominated cult classic is a go-to for fans of both Christmas and Halloween, often sparking an ongoing debate about which holiday it more rightfully belongs to. Either way, this film is just perfect for the transition into the more wintry months. The songs, in particular, will have audiences singing along and getting into the holiday spirit, whether it be Halloween or Christmas. The visuals have also become iconic, with Jack Skellington and Sally forever immortalized in pop culture.
2
‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ (1992)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
The great Michael Caine is superb as the grumpy, cold-hearted miser in the 1992 musical dramedy The Muppet Christmas Carol. The Charles Dickens reboot centers on the selfish Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by the spirits of Christmas past, present, and future. The quirky and charming Muppets help tell the celebrated holiday story, with the characters taking on iconic roles, from Kermit the Frog as Scrooge’s loyal employee Bob Cratchit, to the cantankerous duo Statler of Waldorf as Jacob and Robert Marley.
The Muppet Christmas Carol has gone on to become a beloved fan-favorite Christmas movie that includes toe-tapping musical numbers such as “Scrooge,” “Good King Wenceslas,” and “Thankful Heart.” The farce is surprisingly faithful to the original, which is no mean feat when casting puppets in the titular roles.
Caine’s singing is downright delightful, but his acting chops are on full display as well. Caine insisted on it and was granted permission to treat the role as by the book as possible, imagining his puppet cohorts as simply fellow actors, stating, “I’m going to play this movie like I’m working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role.” Not only does this work perfectly for the crotchety Scrooge, but it also allows the antics of The Muppets to shine as true holiday celebrants.
1
‘Home Alone’ (1990)
20th Century Fox
Undeniably, the most enduring and cherished ’90s Christmas classic is Chris Columbus’ 1990 holiday spectacularHome Alone. The film features the exceptional Macaulay Culkin as rambunctious misfit Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who is mistakenly left behind by his large extended family for the holidays. After enjoying some well-deserved peace and quiet, his solitude is broken by a pair of wily burglars known only to themselves as the Wet Bandits. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern are absolutely hilarious as bumbling thieves Harry and Marv, who target the homes of people on holiday vacations. The criminals bite off more than they can chew, however, when they decide to hit the McCallister house. They’re put through the wringer, falling victim to Kevin’s increasingly harmful inventions.
Not Just One of the Best Christmas Movies of the ’90s but the Best of All Time
Home Alone made Culkin a bona fide child superstar and went on to become the highest-grossing live-action comedy for over two decades, earning $476.7 million worldwide. Touted as one of the best Christmas films of all time, its touching and hilarious descriptions of imperfect families make this a beloved flick for multiple generations. While it did spawn a series of sequels, this film is without a doubt the best of them and one which many have included as a must-watch in their annual rotation.
The power system of Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto world is a fascinating, if odd one, especially regarding its mysterious genetic gifts, known as Kekkei Genkai. While many are undeniably world-shaping canonical abilities like the Sharingan, Rinnegan, or Byakugan Eye, others have emerged due to anime episodes hastily introducing them. One classic example is Boruto Uzumaki’s Jougan Eye.
While this eye is popularly recognized as Boruto’s dōjutsu, namely, ocular jutsu bestowed by a Kekkei Genkai originally labeled by animator Chengxi Huang as the Jougan (written as Jōgan) or “Pure Eye”, its canon status is a bit more complicated. Regardless, the Jougan eye raises important questions for the Boruto fandom, not showing any signs of going away.
Is Boruto’s Jougan Eye Canon?
Boruto Uzumaki Jougan Eye
Easily the biggest burning question about Boruto’s Kekkei Genkai, predominantly in the Western fan base, is whether Masashi Kishimoto or Mikio Ikemoto have confirmed the Jougan as canon in the manga. With people observing the events of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations episodes #15 and #125, they were eager to close the case, but there’s no explicit confirmation yet.
Fans whipped up a frenzy about Kishimoto allegedly confirming the Jougan, citing vague interviews out of France, with them pointing to KONOHA EXPERIENCE in Paris in August 2024. At the event, there’s a full 17-minute video of the pair completing real-time illustrations of Naruto and Boruto while fielding questions. The Jougan doesn’t come up in the transcript.
While there are frequent paraphrased claims of a special eye alluded to by Kishimoto, even then, there doesn’t appear to be a discernible source backing this statement regarding the manga. Even then, however, with Urashiki Ōtsutsuki directly acknowledging it in a non-filler episode of the Boruto anime, it’s anime-canon, which is still a big deal.
Masashi Kishimoto confirmed in a 2014 appearance marking the release of The Last: Naruto the Movie, that he had intended to give each of Naruto and Hinata’s children Byakugan, responding, “I was thinking about doing it, but I forgot (laughs). Once I have three children… But then things would get complicated…” as reported by CinemaCafe.
Instances like Boruto: Naruto Next Generations chapter #44 and #57 show direct mentions of his power, after activating his Kāma, as a Byakugan. While this makes sense given his Hyuga heritage from Hinata, when in use, Boruto’s special eye doesn’t feature the characteristic engorged veins on either side, yet retains the white sclera, unlike the anime. It’s undeniably an inconsistency.
But yet, the latest installment, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex chapter #28, shows Boruto finally resigning himself to Momoshiki’s control. While his injured eye is obscured, as fans know from both episode #1 of the anime and chapter #1 of the manga, it’s noticeably still present. Chapter #29 will perhaps be the first proper glimpse of Boruto’s special eye in years.
What Are the Jougan Eye’s Powers?
Boruto wielding Sasuke’s sword in the anime
The Jougan is not yet fully explained, especially since it is never explicitly mentioned in the manga. However, it shares common elements with the Byakugan, namely, the ability to see chakra pathways, but to the point of being able to identify individual chakra signatures. It can even see between dimensions and may even have Time-Space jutsu capabilities.
The Jougan is identified by a noticeably black sclera in Boruto’s eye upon activation, alongside his iris and pupil turning especially bright shades of blue. Given it’s identified by name by an Ōtsutsuki (in the anime, for now) and is seen by Jougan as a “troublesome eye” given its ability to predict his movement, it’s an enormous sensory asset.
While this is handy in the anime, the main instances where a comparable eye appears in the manga are when Boruto’s Kāma activates. In chapter #9 of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, Boruto’s Kāma resonates with Kawaki’s due to being in close proximity as they briefly clash, prompting Boruto to flee. This could be due to the eye’s ties to Momoshiki.
Everything We Know So Far About Boruto’s Special Eye
Boruto Uzumaki with special eye in Karma mode
While there’s no explicit mention of the Jougan in Boruto: Two Blue Vortex or the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga, there’s also not enough convincing evidence debunking it appearing later. The eye’s abilities could be hand-waved as Byakugan but don’t bear the usual characteristics, and it being impervious to harm is another confounding element.
The eye surfaced at different times for the anime versus the manga, however. The anime showed a first non-flashforward instance in episode #15 well before the Momoshiki fight in episode #65, while the manga has shown him using it in select instances after Momoshiki inhabited his body. In Momoshiki’s view, Boruto has “strongly inherited the power of the Ōtsutsuki”.
“Beware. Those blue eyes shall eventually take everything from you.”
-Momoshiki Ōtsutsuki, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations chapter #10
In cases like Boruto: Naruto Next Generations chapter #43, however, these rare appearances of the eye are clearly the result of Momoshiki attempting to take over his body as Boruto’s Kāma activates. The villainous entity taunts Boruto, and the series frequently notes how his eyes are “bluer” than even his father’s.
This lack of clarity allows more enticing theories to take hold among the fandom. One even suggests alternate translations suggesting an exorcism technique for the Jougan eye, which would make a convincing case for a Kekkei Genkai-obsessed character like Orochimaru to return. But standing out from the Byakugan, Tenseigan, and Senrigan, the Jougan remains Boruto’s most mysterious eye.
But with Boruto: Two Blue Vortex’s release of chapter #29, there could be a new chance to explore Boruto’s special eye, and whether Ikemoto and Kishimoto expand on it. After all, Boruto is showing more proficiency with his Kāma’s chakra absorption; surely he’ll have a better understanding of his eye, Jougan or otherwise, with this devilish new Momoshiki deal.
“I’m an old guy, right? I’m not old, but I’m old,” Robert Plant offers up, recollecting a charmed musical life that began in 1960s England in his early teens. “I remember the excitement that came off the radio waves when you knew that somebody was coming to town who you didn’t know much about. Maybe Creem magazine didn’t like you yet or whatever. The ‘unknown’ was coming. So you could create your own imagination of how it was gonna pan out.”
With the Saving Grace tour lineup and album of the same name (the LP credited to “Robert Plant with [singer] Suzi Dian”), Plant’s players are a relatively unknown crew of talent and depth. By dint of pandemic pauses and far-flung locales around the U.K.’s Cotswolds and on the Welsh Borders, the lineup managed to quietly ferment and realize some of that long-ago unknown magical mystery.
In a dozen songs on “Saving Grace,” ranging from “Gospel Plough” (a reworking of the traditional tune recorded by Bob Dylan as “Gospel Plow”) to “I Never Will Marry” (popularized by everyone from the Carter Family to Linda Ronstadt) to album opener “Chevrolet” — a version of Donovan’s “Hey Gyp (Dig the Slowness),” itself based on a song by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy — songs are lovingly researched, reimagined and dis- and re-assembled.
“I really like just the opportunity to make a difference for myself,” Plant says about the breadth of his creative endeavors. “I mean, it’s a pretty abstract thing. I used to put records out in the ‘80s on Atlantic and was really good friends with Ahmet Ertegun over the years. His prowess and his reputation were magnificent — a magnificent guy — just part of the warp and weft of all good music that came through there. I put out these particularly obscure-ish records,” the singer remembers, a smile in his voice. “I put one out called ‘Shaken and Stirred.’ Probably almost the end of my career. Everybody fled from me, going, ‘Why?!’
“I went up to his office to have a coffee, and Ahmet said, ‘Hey, hey, man, this record. There are no guitar solos,’” Plant recalls.
“I said, ‘well, the guitarist is playing exactly the same notes as Richie Hayward, the drummer. He’s just following the drum rhythm in the fiddle in between verses.’
“He said, ‘This is really fine, man. But why don’t you put the band back together?’
“I said ‘Ahmet, you know, don’t you? You know. You know.’ It was very all those days of, ‘oh my God, look at his hair. He’s got a mullet.’ All that stuff.”
Quietly, Plant says, “See, the thing is, I wasn’t too old at the end. You know, when John [Bonham] passed away, yeah, I wasn’t too old to, you know, to go the wrong way. I was still young enough to keep moving.
“And somehow, in a way, in the memory of he and I, when we were young, before and during Zeppelin, we were what we call in England, ‘Chancers.’ [opportunists]. So I thought, yeah, I’m carrying on. I’m going now. And I take a bit of him with me most places, really.
Plant with his band Saving Grace.
(Todd Oldham)
“Because, you know, the stack heels are long gone. So what was it going to do? I was going to just do what the hell I wanted to do,” Plant says. “And these people came along with me, and that’s what we’ve got. But you know [with ‘Saving Grace’] we’ve stepped over the margin. Now I’ve carried the bride across the threshold.”
Much of the album’s emotional tone is poignant, which makes the collection feel a part of an unending cycle of connection. Timeless but timely, pure and apt for this fraught and divisive time in history.
“Within us all, as this little group of people who come out from an unexpected corner, especially this time in my being … That feeling that you get, not when you look to the West,” Plant says, with a slight chuckle at his own lyrical reference, “but this one; we’ve found this thing together, and we go, ‘wow, this is great.’ So there’s a joy in the melancholia. Basically, it’s just choice of notation, the hanging on notes, which comes across much better when we play live.”
It’s supper time where Plant is phoning from his hotel room, and after a dinner down the road, he’s planning to attend a “general knowledge quiz.” He’s local and low key by design. In conversation the singer is thoughtful, humble and, to use his own lyrics, now he’s reached that age and stage where he “tried to do all those things the best I can.”
He found that residing in Austin, Texas, “I just felt a little bit too much on display. You can’t moan about success, because I don’t think many musicians could claim that they don’t like the fact that people like what they do,” Plant says. “I mean, it’s a conundrum, but it’s very nice.”
The return to his homeland was inspirational, especially the natural world. “I felt the hills and the mountains and the rivers sort of welcomed me back, and it was great. I wrote a song on the last album with the Sensational Space Shifters with the guys in the band. It’s called ‘Embrace Another Fall,’ and it probably really sums up my emotional baby cake. I’m still thrilled. I mean, the fall is upon us right now here, and it’s raining outside. It’s wonderful, damp, dreary, and the pubs are open.”
And the singer’s drink of choice at his local?
“Everything, always,” he quips.
As a child, Plant recalls trundling in his family’s car through interesting, evocative landscapes and, “Misty Mountains that actually were misty mountains,” he says, making another of his not-infrequent Zeppelin asides. “They were [misty] yesterday morning when I woke up on the Welsh coast in a little hotel, and there was a mist over the water, and about 2,000 Canadian Geese landed. That filled me with lyric.
“So when I came back [to the U.K.] and as chance would have it, teamed up with these guys slowly, the bells and the lights started flashing, and I thought, ‘This is too good now to share. This is mine, and this is ours, and let’s just keep it really tiny.’”
Banjo and string player Matt Worley was “Saving Grace’s” musical instigator, approaching Plant at a pub. He brought Dian in as a singer; she recruited husband Oli Jefferson on drums, with guitarist Tony Kelsey and cellist Barney Morse-Brown rounding out the lineup. Worley, despite his relative youth, proved an ideal collaborator for the 77-year-old singer.
The English folk scene grabbed hold of Worley at a young age, and when he approached the Zeppelin legend, he didn’t fanboy. “He was very conversant with the Incredible String Band, with Bert Jansch, with Sandy Denny. So I met somebody in the middle of all this who didn’t need to play in a pub band, playing songs by from the ‘70s or the ‘80s or the ‘90s,” says Plant. “Matt could do that, but he had this other deal. I was impressed because his enthusiasm was really good.”
Plus, Plant adds slyly, “he was mature and comical and had a great capacity for knowledge and alcohol.”
Plant with singer Suzi Dian.
(Todd Oldham)
In “Saving Grace,” Plant is still learning the band’s unspoken musical language. “Even now, I’m kind of in the dark when Matt and Suzi look at each other and their index finger goes up or down, as if to say, ‘you take that part. You go over there with that vocal part there.’ I go, Wow.’”
Fortunately, Plant comes with tutoring from his partner on two albums, bluegrass-country singer/fiddler Alison Krauss. “Alison said to me, ‘Well, I really like the time we have, but do you think we should sing the same song together?’
“I said, ’What are you referring to?’”
“She said, ‘Well, how can we harmonize if you keep changing the melody?’
“I said, ‘Ah, that’s the thing about harmony singing, you lock in!’ And she looked at me, raised her eyebrows, and went, ‘yeah.’ So that was funny.”
Harmonizing for Plant, is “one of the most nerve-racking and evidentially vulnerable parts of anything that I’ve ever done,” he admits. “To take off into a project, not knowing, really, how clean the soul is of the person that you’re with. How you have to have flexibility and wait and be patient. For us with Suzi, I mean, she was a music teacher. She’s locked in stylistically, she can call on any interval in harmony, but for the way that we work at this, she just drops into it in perfectly the right place.” That’s clear on the band’s rendition of the “As I Roved Out,” a traditional folk song with dozens of disparate versions by the likes of the Clancy Brothers, Planxty and Fairport Convention, as well as the 1969 Moby Grape song “It’s a Beautiful Day Today,” Plant’s pure, gently powerful vocals working with Dian’s to create a lovely, gentle ray of positivity.
As for the throughline in songs born from different decades, genders, races and countries, Plant feels that everything lives alongside one another. “We’re all on board the same ship and because of Suzi’s voice, the texture, is beautiful. It’s a good complement and a good juxtaposition. That’s a great thing about these songs,” he says. “They rumble through time. We’re just putting a little bit of paint on some here and there, and maybe a little bit of echo and little bit of that sort of trippy stuff.” A relatively intimate theater tour of 25-plus dates in the U.S. and England suits Saving Grace perfectly, Plant seeing the lineup as having their “own little keys to the kingdom. We have a good time and no great ambition to go anywhere but this,” he says.
The singer returns to the matrimonial analogies to describe the myriad musicality and collabs of his storied solo career. “I think I’ve been on a very long honeymoon, really, since about 1999. I’ve been in great musical company, from Ali Farka Touré in the desert north of Timbuktu to having silly conversations with Buddy Guy at his club, going over here, doing that. And now I have this sort of pass,” he says. “It’s like a kind of global entry, but with a different possibility, considering that a lot of the time I’m not exactly bluffing it, but I’m trying my best to make this work.’”
“Saving Grace” works, and it’s been Plant’s own saving grace, as he notes, “I haven’t written anything original since I wrote one thing with T Bone [Burnett] on the [2021’s] “Raise the Roof.” Really, I think, the vastness of today and what we are looking at as far as the future for all of us is just so twisted in turmoil. I don’t think I have anywhere that I can actually land in song. I know what I write down. But what I write down doesn’t belong in a soundscape.”
Yet bringing his “Saving Grace” songs to life in a new light has been a boon in an era when the world citizen believes that once we “get through this thing, we have to sing on the other side of it. If that’s going to be at all possible.” Despite his obvious care, enthusiasm and potent, eloquent singing, Plant is aware of “the inevitability of my time coming round the corner,” but says, “I just like to think that I can keep rearranging songs and bringing them forward and having the joy of recording them.”
5 Seconds of Summer enjoys the hottest possible start on the ARIA Albums Chart as Everyone’s A Star! (Universal) debuts at No. 1 — and gifts the pop-rock band a chart record.
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With their latest chart crown, confirmed last Friday, Nov. 21, the Sydney four-piece becomes the first act in the history of the ARIA Charts to hit No. 1 with their first six studio albums.
That record dates back to 5 Seconds of Summer (in 2014), and includes Sounds Good Feels Good (2015), Youngblood (2018), Calm (2020) and 5SOS5 (2022). For the record, 5SOS’s live album, LiveSOS, cracked the top 10, peaking at No. 7 in 2014.
It’s the sixth homegrown title to lead the chart in 2025, including 5OS’s Calum Hood, whose solo effort Order Chaos Order led for one cycle in June.
5SOS returned to Australia last month for a brief promo trip, including a fan-led press conference in Melbourne and their induction to the Australian Walk of Fame in Sydney.
It’s an all-Australian 1-2 on the albums survey, as the 40th anniversary edition of Jimmy Barnes’ For The Working Class Man (Mushroom Music) digs in at No. 2. The Scotland-born Australian rock legend boasts more No. 1 albums in Australia than any other artist. A two-time ARIA Hall of Fame inductee, Barnes has 16 chart leaders as a solo act, and another six with Cold Chisel.
Thanks to 5SOS and Barnesy, as he’s affectionately known in these parts, Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl (Republic/Universal) is finally bumped from the throne, down 1-3, ending six consecutive weeks at the top.
Soulful Sydney newcomer Don West opens his account at No. 25 with his debut album Give Me All Your Love, while Byron Bay punk rock quartet Mini Skirt starts at No. 36 with their sophomore effort, All That We Know (Orchard). It’s their first appearance on the chart.
The 2025 ARIA Awards were presented on Wednesday night in Sydney, but the impact is still being felt on the national charts.
Following her performance of “Man I Need” (Universal), rising English singer Olivia Dean scores her first No. 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart, as the song lifts 2-1. Dean followed up her ARIAs performance with an outdoor set at Fleet Steps, and she’ll be back next year for a tour proper.
After winning two ARIAs, Kevin Parker’s Tame Impala bites into the ARIA top 30 with “Dracula” (Columbia/Sony). It’s up 34-28, a new peak position, and is the only homegrown cut in the top 50.
You Am I was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, and had the final word on the evening with a two-song performance of “Heavy Heart” and “Berlin Chair,” both of which appear on The Dollop & The Wallop: The Best Of (Sony). The career retrospective is new at No. 15 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
Finally, RÜFÜS DU SOL collected four nominations at the ARIAs and are currently on the road, in support of their fifth studio album, Inhale/Exhale (Rose Avenue Records/Warner). The tour is breathing new life into the album, lifting 47-39.
The fall finale of Law & Order: SVU Season 27 sees Captain Olivia Benson and Chief Tynan butting heads over a high-profile kidnapping case.
Tensions escalate between Benson and Tynan over handling of the case and squad supervision.
The chief’s job offer in 1PP comes up again.
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Law & Order: SVU Season 27 Episode 8 “Showdown.”]
Since the beginning of Law & Order: SVU Season 27, Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) has been dealing with Chief Kathryn Tynan (Noma Dumezweni), first wanting her to take on a position at 1PP overseeing special victims across the boroughs, then putting Detective Jake Griffin (Corey Cott) on the squad and orchestrating Sergeant Amanda Rollins’ (Kelli Giddish) return. So, where does the fall finale leave them?
The two women are at a police conference in Albany when the call about the case — a missing woman, Nikki, and her boyfriend Greg’s story is very suspicious — comes in. They’ve barely checked in, but Tynan has shared about her time as partners with Griffin’s dad. “You know how it is, when it just clicks,” she says. “I do,” Benson says, obviously referring to Stabler. Tynan shares that Griffin’s dad dreamed of him becoming a cop, so she appreciates Benson taking him under her wing, even though she didn’t have a choice. Benson acknowledges that she was hesitant but says that Griffin has potential.
It’s right after Benson returns to the city that Greg’s girlfriend shows up at the precinct … and it’s not Nikki. He keeps insisting that Nikki was taken, his other girlfriend had no idea about her, and an architect Greg briefly hired then fired says that Nikki told him about a stalker. Once they realize Nikki has a smart ring, they track it to Coney Island, then a report comes in of a sighting. Benson is the one to approach Nikki in a deli, and Nikki seems dazed, then collapses in Benson’s arms, visibly distraught.
Benson then gets on Tynan’s bad side when she refuses to leave Nikki in the hospital and let one of her detectives do the initial interview to be by her side for a press conference about the case. And then Benson’s not happy when she sees Tynan’s press conference, during which she repeats it’s an ongoing investigation and adds that they’re investigating all possibilities, including a “Gone Girl” scenario.
The squad’s investigation turns to the stalker Nikki had mentioned, Quentin, whom she’d been on one date with after meeting on an app and who had started to blow up her phone recently; she also thought she saw him outside Greg’s. Detective Terry Bruno (Kevin Kane) begins blaming himself for focusing on Greg, but Benson assures him she’s done the same thing. They do bring in Quentin, and the evidence (and lack of an alibi) seems to point in his direction. But then he claims that Nikki orchestrated her fake-kidnapping, even pointing to what Tynan said in the press conference. It gets worse when ADA Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) gets in Griffin’s face for writing that Greg was their prime suspect in his report — Quentin’s lawyer will be all over that during cross when he’s on the stand.
And Carisi’s right. Dan Olin (Glenn Fleshler) first points out Nikki can’t ID her attacker, then the error rate of a partial print match, and pretty much tears Griffin apart when he’s testifying, specifically bringing up what Tynan said during the conference in response to the “Gone Girl” question. Benson insists that Carisi put her on the stand, that she can handle Olin, to defend her squad, and she does push back every time he tries to get the upper hand. But it’s not enough; the jury comes back deadlocked and the judge declares a mistrial. Carisi makes it clear he’s going to retry the case, and Quentin is remanded.
Back at the precinct, Griffin tries to hand in his transfer papers, but Benson refuses to accept them. “We all did our jobs. Obviously, this is not the outcome we wanted, but it’s not over, not by a long shot. Now, these cases are tough, but we will not stop until Nikki gets justice. Obviously, you’re disappointed, so am I, but I am proud of you,” she tells her squad. As she’s sending them home, however, Tynan walks in, to talk to her alone.
Tynan tells the captain that she held the conference because the police commissioner wanted her to conduct it and she understands chain of command, which Benson doesn’t. As Tynan sees it, Benson doesn’t understand what her job actually is. “My job is to help victims, end of story,” Benson argues. But according to Tynan, it’s to teach and oversee the detectives, so she doesn’t have to defend their shortcomings like she did on the stand. “My team is the best in the department,” Benson says. Tynan doesn’t seem so sure. In fact, “I’m starting to question your supervision.”
The chief once again brings up her offer to come to 1PP. “So you can keep an eye on me?” Benson asks. “So this unit can be led by a captain who understands how to supervise,” Tynan counters. (Ouch!) Benson once again stresses that she’s not interested, but Tynan says it’s not her decision to make. Still, Benson’s not going anywhere without a fight. “Chief, I’ve been here a very long time, and I’ve seen administrators like you come and go. I know how to do my job, and I would like very much for us to work together and do something good for this city, but you don’t need to tell me how to do my job. What you need to do is stay out of my way,” Benson warns. But Tynan gets the last word before she leaves: “That is not how this works.” Uh-oh.
What did you think of the fall finale and that Benson-Tynan confrontation? Let us know in the comments section below.
Now, there’s a new twist. Microsoft’s been hinting at it for a while, but on Nov. 10, Pavan Davuluri, Microsoft’s president of Windows, tweeted: “Windows is evolving into an agentic OS, connecting devices, cloud, and AI to unlock intelligent productivity and secure work anywhere.”
What does that even mean?
It means — as near as I can decipher — that with Microsoft’s Agent Workspace and Copilot Actions notes in this latest and greatest version of Windows 11 (OK, that may be an oxymoron, but bear with me), you’ll run AI agents in isolated, secure workspaces. These agents will have their own user accounts, Agent ID, which are separate from the primary user (you). Mind you, to work, these agents must have access to your account’s permissions via the Windows On-Device Registry (ODR) to manage your files, automate routine tasks, adjust settings, and work with your system tools.
Black Friday is a great time to take a look at what subscriptions you may be able to save on. From video streaming services to budgeting apps, many services will have some Black Friday promotion you may be able to take advantage of. One of the best we’re tracking is for Audible. You can sign up and get your first three months for just $3 in total, plus get a $20 Audible credit on top of that.
This breaks down to $1 per month for the first three months, which is a boon for audiobook fans. Just make sure to cancel before the 90 days are up, as the subscription will auto-renew at $15 per month. That’s not the worst deal in the world, given the vast number of titles available on the platform, but still.
Audible has a diverse catalog that goes beyond audiobooks. It also hosts podcasts and Audible Originals. Subscribers get to choose one audiobook each month to keep in their collection for free, including best-sellers or new releases. Users also get unlimited access to the Plus Catalog, which houses thousands of audiobooks. Finally, active members get discounts on many audiobooks when looking to purchase.
Winter is coming and this is a good way to make sure you have plenty to listen to throughout the next three months. This deal does have a time limit. It expires on December 16.
The language that Donald Trump used to describe six Democratic members of Congress as seditionists because they urged members of the military and the intelligence community to put the Constitution first and not obey illegal orders should never be normalized or accepted.
Speaker Mike Johnson initially said, “For a senator like Mark Kelly or any member of the House or Senate to behave in that kind of talk is to me so just beyond the pale.”
As the backlash got worse throughout the day, Johnson said Trump’s words were not the ones that he would use and suggested that Trump likes to use heated rhetoric.
None of what Johnson said condemned Trump.
Republicans have been trying to suggest that the comments of the six Democrats were somehow inflammatory because the Democrats had the nerve to remind members of the military that they work for the American people, not Donald Trump.
Mike Johnson self-identifies as a Christian, so it was telling that when Hakeem Jeffries spoke to reporters on Thursday, he brought one trait that most Christians are taught to embody.
Jeffries said to reporters:
It is extraordinary to me. We had patriotic members of the House and the Senate have their lives threatened by Donald Trump in the most unhinged, unacceptable, unconscionable, and un-American way, disgusting and dangerous what Donald Trump has said in accusing patriotic members of Congress and the Senate who served this country well of treason and suggesting they should be killed.
