Music

It turns out Ariana Grande's message to her viral look-alike is legit ... TMZ has confirmed its authenticity.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the message is real ... meaning Ari DID reach out to Paige Niemann, the girl who's made a name for herself by making herself up to look like the pop star.

As we previously reported, Paige shared the DM she got from AG in her new "Turning The Paige" docuseries.

Bonnie Tyler -- the legendary Welsh singer and 3-time Grammy nominee -- has died ... according to her manager.

Bonnie's manager, Matt Davis, tells TMZ her family and team "are heartbroken to announce that Bonnie unexpectedly passed away" Wednesday night in a hospital in Portugal "as a result of the illness that she was being treated for."

Tyler's death comes after she needed emergency surgery and was hospitalized in Portugal. Doctors put her into a medically induced coma to help with her recovery.

Lauren Bennett most likely died by suicide, or at least that's how police are viewing her death ... TMZ has learned.

Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... authorities investigating the singer's May 29 death in the United Kingdom are treating the case as a suspected suicide.

As TMZ previously reported, the investigation remains ongoing and could take until October before it's formally concluded.

Shakira, Shakira ... you gotta give us a little warning before you go turning the heat up this high!

We're reading the signs of her body, alright ... since the sexy singer was seen sporting a red-hot set in Miami over the holiday weekend.

Shakira hosed off in the Florida heat and ditched her skirt to put her perfect peach on display and let the flirty fringe flow.

Lauren Bennett's sudden death is under investigation in England ... and while the coroner is involved, it could take months before we have any answers.

UK authorities tell TMZ ... the Kent and Medway Coroner Service is leading the death investigation, which will proceed until October 30.

We're told Lauren died May 29 in Meopham, and the death investigation was opened on June 12.

A private memorial service in London was held in the musician's honor about a week and a half ago, with Lauren's family and closest friends gathering to celebrate her life ... including her former bandmates from G.R.L. and Paradiso Girls.

July 8, 2 PM PT -- Sony Music tells TMZ ... "This matter concerns a royalty accounting dispute the parties were actively engaged in attempting to resolve. We are disappointed that So-So Def elected to pursue litigation rather than continue that dialogue."

Jermaine Dupri wants Sony to face the music ... filing a multimillion-dollar lawsuit over royalties he says never made it into his record label's pockets.

According to a newly filed lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Jermaine and his record label So So Def Recordings claim Sony underpaid and withheld royalties tied to a long list of hit albums -- including projects involving Mariah Carey, Usher, Kris Kross, Jagged Edge, Bow Wow, and more.

Jermaine claims the issues didn't come to light until 2023 ... when he says Sony began issuing new and amended royalty statements. The suit says a 2025 audit uncovered years of alleged accounting errors, missing royalties, and previously unreported earnings ... prompting So So Def to demand roughly $18 million.

Lauren Bennett -- a singer best known for her feature on the hit LMFAO song "Party Rock Anthem" -- has died.

Her former band GRL, released a statement Monday saying ... "It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved Lauren."

They go on to say their "hearts are broken, and we cannot begin to express how much she meant to us. We will forever cherish the love, laughter, and countless memories she gave us. Her beautiful spirit touched so many lives, and she will be deeply missed and forever loved."

Bennett kicked off her professional music career when she was just 18 years old ... forming the Paradiso Girls along with several other ladies in 2007. They dropped their debut single "Patron Tequila" in 2009.

Watching Tamar Braxton and Kandi Burruss try to play nice during a photo op may be one of the funniest things you see all day.

They were lined up on stage alongside greats like Brandy, Monica, and Missy Elliott -- who was awarded the Essence Icon Award -- for Essence Fest's Black Women in Music ceremony on Sunday ... and had an awkward little moment before cameras started flashing.

You can see in the clip, Tamar reaches across Monica to grab Kandi's hand to say hi ... but Kandi clearly wasn't here for it.

Fireworks lit up the night sky next to Taylor Swift's Rhode Island home on Independence Day ... and it appears someone was there to see them!

Check it out -- TMZ obtained video taken on the Fourth of July that shows the sky blooming with colorful fireworks over the posh seaside town of Watch Hill ... and, most of the lights are on in Tay's house!

An eyewitness tells us there was certainly movement at the stunning estate ... but it's unclear who it could have been.

Lil Wayne pissed off another contingent of his loyal fans after bailing on a show earlier this week ... because he apparently showed up in New Hampshire Friday -- but it took him 'A Milli' years to get there.

Here's the deal ... Lil Wayne was scheduled to play a show at the BankNH Pavilion in Gilford, NH last night which fans say was supposed to begin at around 9 PM ET.

Well, Lil Wayne wasn't there at 9 ... or even 10 PM. According to angry Weezy fans, the rapper didn't show up until 11 PM, played just 1 hour and then bailed.

Break a leg, Freedom 250 performers ... but keep an eye on the sky, too -- because it seems the stage is already coming apart.

Video is now circulating online that shows a dance troupe spinning around the stage while singers belt out a jazzy tune from back in the day ... and then a piece of the stage comes crashing down from above.

The falling panel nearly lands on top of a couple of dancers, who only barely move out of the way in the nick time.

Chris Brown was leaving very little to the imagination during his live show in Minneapolis ... he called a girl on stage and started simulating very steamy sex with her ... and it's all on video.

CB was thrusting, humping and grinding on the fan while she was on all fours on a mattress on stage, for an arousing rousing rendition of "Take You Down."

She seemed to be enjoying herself, because she was backing it up and twerking on him ... and Chris couldn't help but cop a feel.

Justin Bieber may be headed to one of the biggest stages in sports ... 'cause TMZ has learned he's in talks to perform at halftime of the FIFA World Cup final.

FIFA World Cup sources tell TMZ ... FIFA officials are discussing bringing Justin aboard an already stacked lineup featuring Madonna, Shakira and BTS for the July 19 spectacle at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Bringing the Biebs into the fold would make sense for FIFA.

Justin and Hailey Bieber were front and center at the FIFA World Cup opening ceremony in Inglewood, CA just a few weeks ago ... and Justin even surprised VIP guests with an intimate backstage performance of "Yukon."

Lil Wayne went MIA for his concert in Maine, and now we may know why ... he decided he wanted to party instead of perform.

The rapper was seen present at Michael Rubin's annual Fourth of July White Party in the Hamptons Wednesday night ... alongside other A-listers like DJ Khaled, Alicia Keys, Jake Paul, Kevin Durant and many, many more.

It looks like Weezy didn't flake on Michael's party ... but, clearly, that wasn't the case the night before when he dipped out of his own concert in Maine without even touching the stage.

Madonna laid it all out in her new album "Confessions II" ... and it sounds like she's taking savage, surprising shots at her ex-husband Sean Penn.

In the song "Bizarre," the pop icon sounds like she's throwing several jabs at Sean -- they were married for 3 years in the '80s -- seemingly saying the Oscar-winner was "threatened by her" level of fame and that he couldn't handle sharing the spotlight with with her ... among other insults about resentment.

To be clear ... Madonna doesn't use Sean's name ... but the lyrics "movie star, deep blue eyes," along with other obvious hints, sure make it sounds like she is singing about Spicoli.

Sorry, not sorry ... but today's just packed with celebrity birthdays and we can't help ourselves ... so flashing you Tate McRae's sexiest shots to honor her 23rd birthday is the least we can do.

It's always golden hour when Tate's on the screen, and if you've seen this girl in action, you know she's quite the dancing queen!