9-time Grammy nominee Natalie Grant to sing national anthem at Indianapolis 500
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Natalie Grant, a nine-time Grammy nominee and five-time GMA Dove Awards Female Vocalist of the Year, will perform the national anthem Sunday before the Indianapolis 500.
'Natalie's emotional and stirring rendition of the national anthem in front of the grandstand sellout crowd will be an unforgettable moment during pre-race ceremonies for the Indy 500,' IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles said Wednesday. 'The national anthem pays honor to the country we love and gets us one step closer to the final, dramatic and electric moments leading up to the start of the Indianapolis 500.'
Grant's most recent project 'Seasons' debuted at #1 on the Christian Billboard charts and featured cross-genre collaborations that included Mary Mary, CeCe Winans, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Jonathan McReynolds and others. Her single 'Step By Step' — a Whitney Houston cover featuring Dolly Parton — went Top 10 at Mainstream AC Radio.
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San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
LA sports celebrities anticipate World Cup's arrival, hope political climate has cooled by then
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the 2026 World Cup begins across North America one year from this week, sports figures from across Los Angeles are hoping the global soccer community will find the U.S. both inspiring and welcoming. The Fox network marked the one-year milestone Wednesday night with a big party at its studio lot in Century City. Attendees included everyone from 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudeikis to luminaries from every corner of the sports world in the nation's second-largest metropolitan area, including Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. 'I remember when the World Cup was here in the '90s, and then obviously what our American women's team did to win the World Cup (in 1999),' Harbaugh said. 'So yeah, I love sports, I love competition, and I think it's going to be incredible for our state, our city, our country. The vibe is going to be incredible to just have everybody here. I'm looking for another explosion of soccer — football — in America.' The attendees all expressed excitement about the return of the world's premier soccer tournament to the U.S. while acknowledging the uncertainty of whether the nation's fraught political climate could present significant challenges to the teams, the World Cup organizers and even the network that will broadcast the tournament domestically. 'I'm hoping this game can bring people together,' said former LA Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup veteran and the U.S. men's career leader in appearances. 'That's what we really want. We're talking about the travel bans and all that, I'm hoping that FIFA can work together with our government to find a way that everyone can be here, everyone can enjoy this sport, because it's a cultural event that's happening here in a year. I expect everyone from around the world to be able to come here and enjoy it.' Los Angeles is in the midst of several days of protests against intensified immigration raids across the nation that could cause international fans to wonder whether they can travel to the tournament safely. President Donald Trump's latest expansive travel ban has raised questions about whether some soccer fans will be able to visit at all. 'I think it will get figured out,' Harbaugh said. 'To quote the late, great Tom Petty, most things I worry about don't end up happening anyway.' Jones also preached caution for U.S. fans already fretting about the dismal state of their national team. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad is on its first four-game losing streak since 2007 after getting thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland on Tuesday in its final tune-up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 'We don't panic right now,' Jones said. 'Talk to me when we're a month out. I've seen from experience that with a year out from the World Cup, the team is going to completely change (in the interim). So for me, it's all about a general sense of whether they can come together as a team, because it's not about the individuals. We've seen it so many times.' ___


Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
LA sports celebrities anticipate World Cup's arrival, hope political climate has cooled by then
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When the 2026 World Cup begins across North America one year from this week, sports figures from across Los Angeles are hoping the global soccer community will find the U.S. both inspiring and welcoming. The Fox network marked the one-year milestone Wednesday night with a big party at its studio lot in Century City. Attendees included everyone from 'Ted Lasso' star Jason Sudeikis to luminaries from every corner of the sports world in the nation's second-largest metropolitan area, including Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. 'I remember when the World Cup was here in the '90s, and then obviously what our American women's team did to win the World Cup (in 1999),' Harbaugh said. 'So yeah, I love sports, I love competition, and I think it's going to be incredible for our state, our city, our country. The vibe is going to be incredible to just have everybody here. I'm looking for another explosion of soccer — football — in America.' The attendees all expressed excitement about the return of the world's premier soccer tournament to the U.S. while acknowledging the uncertainty of whether the nation's fraught political climate could present significant challenges to the teams, the World Cup organizers and even the network that will broadcast the tournament domestically. 'I'm hoping this game can bring people together,' said former LA Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup veteran and the U.S. men's career leader in appearances. 'That's what we really want. We're talking about the travel bans and all that, I'm hoping that FIFA can work together with our government to find a way that everyone can be here, everyone can enjoy this sport, because it's a cultural event that's happening here in a year. I expect everyone from around the world to be able to come here and enjoy it.' Los Angeles is in the midst of several days of protests against intensified immigration raids across the nation that could cause international fans to wonder whether they can travel to the tournament safely. President Donald Trump's latest expansive travel ban has raised questions about whether some soccer fans will be able to visit at all. 'I think it will get figured out,' Harbaugh said. 'To quote the late, great Tom Petty, most things I worry about don't end up happening anyway.' Jones also preached caution for U.S. fans already fretting about the dismal state of their national team. Coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad is on its first four-game losing streak since 2007 after getting thrashed 4-0 by Switzerland on Tuesday in its final tune-up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. 'We don't panic right now,' Jones said. 'Talk to me when we're a month out. I've seen from experience that with a year out from the World Cup, the team is going to completely change (in the interim). So for me, it's all about a general sense of whether they can come together as a team, because it's not about the individuals. We've seen it so many times.' ___ AP soccer:


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Sabrina Carpenter sparks controversy with provocative 'Man's Best Friend' album cover
Sabrina Carpenter sparks controversy with provocative 'Man's Best Friend' album cover Show Caption Hide Caption Met Gala: Sabrina Carpenter wears bodysuit Sabrina Carpenter is giving "espresso" as she wears a stunning pinstripe bodysuit to the Met Gala red carpet. Sabrina Carpenter's next musical era doesn't have everyone wagging their tail. Following the release of her latest single "Manchild," the Grammy-winning pop princess revealed the title and release date for her new album, "Man's Best Friend," on her social media pages June 11. "My new album, 'Man's Best Friend' 🐾 is out on August 29, 2025," Carpenter, 26, wrote. "I can't wait for it to be yours x" The post also included an image of what appears to be the album's cover. The photo shows Carpenter, dressed in a black dress and high heels, kneeling on the ground in a dog-like pose while an unidentified individual stands off to the side and pulls her by the hair. "Man's Best Friend," Carpenter's seventh studio effort, follows the release of her breakthrough 2024 album "Short n' Sweet." The album, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, spawned the hit singles "Espresso," "Please Please Please," "Taste" and "Bed Chem," as well as solidified the singer's playful pin-up girl image. Carpenter first teased "Man's Best Friend" with the release of "Manchild" on June 5. The music video for the synth-pop track drew buzz on social media for Carpenter's bold look, which consisted of a white button-up, baby blue heels and denim "micro" shorts. Sabrina Carpenter divides fans with 'Man's Best Friend' cover Carpenter's album cover for "Man's Best Friend" set the comments section ablaze, with fans online chiming in with their hot takes on the provocative image. "Love (you) Sabrina but in this political climate with Trump as president and women's control over their bodies being taken away in the US… this is kind (of) insensitive," Instagram user @taylorrram wrote. "This just set us back about 5 decades," @uhhhlexa_ wrote, while user @mgracegunderson weighed in, "Excited for new music but this cover is a big no from me, dawg. In this political climate?? Girls, get up!" However, other fans welcomed Carpenter's daring imagery along with the announcement of new music. "SUMMER OF SABRINA FOR A SECOND YEAR IN A ROW," Instagram user @aislinndalston exclaimed. Sabrina Carpenter teases 'Manchild' in 'micro' shorts, fans are in awe "Sabrina is coming for album of the year, artist of the year, pop vocal album, all of it and I'm here for it 😍," @erik_osterberg wrote. Responding to some of the criticism aimed at Carpenter, X user @wickednewshub offered a more analytical view of the album artwork. "For those of you who may lack critical thinking skills, the cover is clearly satirical with a deeper meaning, portraying how the public views her, believing she is just for the male gaze," the user wrote. What Sabrina Carpenter backlash says about changing views on sex Carpenter channels sexual desire unapologetically in nearly every song from her most recent album "Short n' Sweet." On "Juno," a cheeky track about wanting to become pregnant because of how much she adores her partner, she croons: "Wanna try out some freaky positions?" The singer's tour performance of "Juno," in which she flaunted a sequined mini skirt and pantomimed a sex position while singing the line "Have you ever tried this one?," sparked fierce debate among fans, with some defending Carpenter's saucy performance style and others criticizing it as "male-focused." This debate actually focuses on a "false dichotomy," Leora Tanenbaum, author of "Sexy Selfie Nation: Standing Up For Yourself in Today's Toxic, Sexist Culture," previously told USA TODAY. "(People) ask if she's trying to appeal to the 'male gaze' — appearing hot to cater to hetero men's sexual desires — or to the 'female gaze' — looking sexy on her own terms to make a point about women's confidence and sex-positivity." Sabrina Carpenter, hookup culture and why the way we talk about sex is changing In a changing cultural landscape, in which views on female sexual agency are being reevaluated, women like Carpenter are often scrutinized for their overt sexuality. "Carpenter's lyrics are sexually explicit and may not be appropriate for the Disney audience of children she used to cater to, but her sexual frankness is shocking in this day and age only if you believe that women who are open about sexuality are sluts," Tanenbaum said. Contributing: Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY