Kylie is Back in the USA, A Fever for Noah Wyle, & Gogging for Walton Goggins.
The pop stars are thriving, the internet’s feral, and so am I.
Rebranding the Idea of a Pop Star
I danced my life away last night to Kylie Minogue, the Australian queen of nu-disco. As a celebration of her career from the 1980s to the present, her Tension Tour would be her first return to Chicago since 2009. It made me realize that women in pop are redefining the industry—there's no need to quit music or switch genres as you get older to conform to what society expects of women as they get older.
Alongside legends like Cher and Madonna, Kylie is part of a rare group of women who didn't fade when they aged—they evolved. They challenged the idea that pop stardom is only for the young, that success has an expiration date, or that reinvention stops after 30.
Cher gave us "Believe" at 52 and changed the sound of pop forever. Auto-tune was now ingrained in pop music.
Madonna made Confessions on a Dance Floor at 47 and redefined dance music's emotional depth. The album is now the disco reference whenever a pop star enters her dance era.
Kylie dropped Padam Padam at 55, and suddenly she's all over TikTok, introducing her to a new audience and finally making her a star again stateside.
Tina Turner came back swinging with Private Dancer at 44, becoming a rock icon after she'd already cemented herself in rock history.
Janet Jackson sold out arenas with her Together Again Tour at 56, and her 2001 single "Someone to Call My Lover" is going viral on TikTok, proving her legacy is not nostalgia—it's still unfolding.
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It was incredible to witness a pop star in her 50s being rediscovered and rightfully celebrated for her longevity in the music industry. Like many in the U.S., I first discovered her when “Can’t Get You Out of My Head” dominated the airwaves, and I’ve been dancing along to her hits ever since. In 2023, she struck gold again with a new hit that paved the way for a successful Las Vegas residency—and now, she’s touring across America. Honestly, that’s something I never imagined I’d see in my lifetime.
As I watch Kylie and Janet being rediscovered this far into their career, they continue to evolve as artists. In glitter. In reinvention. In full, technicolor truth. And maybe that’s the most exciting part: pop doesn’t belong to one era. Neither do we.
I’ve been chasing my own second (err maybe third) act. It’s not too late to try again, or to bet on myself again, that if you keep creating, eventually it will strike gold—just know: the pop stars are doing it.
Hot Takes:
Going Wyl(d)e for Noah Wyle
Are you in The Pitt? I'm Pitt-pilled to the point where I'm having severe withdrawal, waiting for Thursday to arrive for the newest episode, and I have resorted to re-watching ER to fill that void.
The internet is currently clocked into their shift at The Pitt and in love with Noah Wyle. While I was watching ER, I was surprised that I had spent my teen years lusting after George Clooney, aka Dr. Doug Ross, when I could have been crushing Dr. John Carter.
But to be honest, well-aged, Dr. Robby is exactly my type. A man who clearly needs a woman to save him from his severe PTSD from enduring the COVID era as a first responder and the death of his mentor. That could be me.
The Pitt’s premise is straightforward and classic — think E.R. meets 24. The show’s structure highlights the intense pressure medical workers face during a single shift. What I love most about it is how it showcases the important roles of other professionals in the ER, such as social workers and ward clerks. It’s well written, acted, and directed—truly riveting television.
I have a new appreciation for the medical workers of all levels. It got me banging pots and pans out of my window like it’s 2020.
If you haven't watched The Pitt, I highly recommend it!
The White Lotus Season Finale Is On Sunday
I made an allegiance to myself that after the first season of The White Lotus, I am committed to watching every season, even if I hate every episode. And I hate to say it, but I absolutely loathe this season. To everyone saying it's a slow burn, we have 8 episodes of the season with new characters, how much burning must I endure to be entertained?
But I will be seated on Sunday to see how it will all unfold, and maybe to my surprise, I will finally be entertained! Am I the only one who feels this way about Season 3?
James Marsden & J.Lo?
Deuxmoi posted on Sunday that James Marsden and Jennifer Lopez were spotted having dinner at SVB in Manhattan. Everyone who has followed this newsletter knows how I feel about J.Lo, but when I think she deserves a little praise, I will give it to her. And this is one of those rare moments.
Though I’m not certain they’re dating (James still likes models who are close to his son's age, and J.Lo is probably still hung up on Ben), I would actually be here for this relationship. However, if this was strictly business, for the love of god, J.Lo get this man in a romcom. As a society, we want James in another romcom (and potentially where he also has to sing a song), and he'd be the perfect love interest for you.
Until then, I'll keep my eyes peeled.
ICYMI: Unhinged Edition
Barack was in DC, but not with Michelle. Are the rumors indeed true that they are separated? Does she even talk about her relationship with Barack on her podcast (someone let me know, because I'm not listening to it)? Remember, I wrote about the rumors about Barack having an affair with Jennifer Aniston back in August. Sometimes I be knowing without even realizing it.
Earlier this week, it was alleged that the new IT girl, Walton Goggins, and his co-star in The White Lotus, Aimee Lou Wood, might have had an affair. The chronically online people discovered that the two were no longer following each other on Instagram, which made me scratch my head.
When the promo started for this season, Goggins considered Aimee “the person who mattered the most” to him while filming in Thailand. And he was so supportive of her on Instagram last summer. I don’t want to believe it! Not my Goggins!
RIP to Forever Batman, Val Kilmer! You deserved more than one Batman movie.
If Janet and Kylie can dominate TikTok at 55, then baby, there’s hope for all of us still chasing our glittery dreams.
Catch you on the dance floor—or at least in my DMs talking about The Pitt.
xo,
britt
Yesss the streets been waiting on this one ❤️🔥