Latest news with #Abernathy
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
His Song ‘Married in a Year' Is a Runaway Meme. He's Just Stoked People Are Singing Along
In today's fast-paced digital world, posting a video of yourself is tantamount to signing an ironclad agreement that whatever happens next is far, far out of your control. And even if he didn't know it at the time, Brendan Abernathy quickly learned that lesson last week when his mom sent him a cryptic text message: 'I'm so glad you're with friends right now.' 'I was like, 'what?' Abernathy tells Rolling Stone over zoom, hands stretched out above his blond hair. 'So I open social media and I start scrolling. And I [get] a sinking feeling.' More from Rolling Stone Mom Influencer Emilie Kiser Sues to Keep Her 3-Year-Old Son's Death Records Private Why Are Health Influencers Drinking Raw Milk and Honey Shots at the White House? How Kip Williams Remade 'Dorian Gray' for the TikTok Generation On May 19, Abernathy, 28, posted a clip of himself performing his then-unreleased song, 'Married in a Year,' in the middle of a crowd at Los Angeles' Moroccan Lounge. 'You'll be married in a year in the suburbs/with a kid on the way in three/convincing yourself you're living the American dream,' Abernathy sings to his rapt audience in the video, with cell phone flashlights illuminating his impassioned guitar strumming, vibrato vocals, and feet balancing on his tiptoes in time with the music. Abernathy has been working as a singer-songwriter for over six years, releasing two country-twinged, indie folk pop albums, Single and in Love and Long Way Home, in 2022 and 2023. He posted the video to his TikTok as part of his regular music promotion. When it reached 50,000 views, he was thrilled beyond his wildest dreams. But the more it got, the more he realized people weren't watching because they loved it. They were making fun of him . In the twelve days since Abernathy first posted the video, it's gotten over 20 million views, which doesn't even begin to account for how that one line of lyrics has become a viral earworm on the app. His song has been parodied by comedy heavy hitters on the app like Mitsy, critiqued by Anthony Fantano, think-pieced by commentator Widlin Pierrevil, and recreated by countless TikTokers in videos that range anywhere from delightfully creative to downright cruel. But what surprised even the most caustic of commenters was when, instead of hiding from the attention, Abernathy began posting right along with them, explaining lyrics, playing the recorded version, even picking out his favorite jokes in the comments. 'I definitely had a sinking feeling, but I also felt very validated,' Abernathy says. 'Having really never had anyone hate my art, it was weird. But also good art is gonna be divisive. This means I'm making art that is going to connect with the right people.' Rolling Stone caught up with Abernathy to talk about the lead up to his viral moment, his decision to go along with the joke, and his honest hopes about his music finding the right audience. It's been a hell of a week for you, hasn't it? It's been a whirlwind, obviously. Seven days ago, no one knew who I was. I've had a really small, passionate fan base for six years that I've just driven around and built it up. I mean, I played for two people in a yogurt shop a year ago in February. So the opportunity to reach more people is so exciting. And at the same time, when you've been that unknown, notoriety is crazy. It's so jarring. It's just not natural to be seen by that many people How are you processing? And where are you calling from? I'm calling from Georgia, which is where I'm from. I'm volunteering at a summer camp right now. I'm the camp musician. I've done it for three or four summers and it's the best thing ever. You lead pop songs, like Shawn Mendes, Taylor Swift — my favorite artist — just really hard and fast, and kids are just going like crazy. But they don't have their phones. So none of the high schoolers know that this is the biggest thing on the internet right now. They have no clue. Talk me through the event that produced this video. Was it a house party, a show, what's going on there? The event has so much drama. The conspiracy theories about it are so funny to me. I'm an adult. I have to pay rent as a full time artist, selling sweatshirts and playing 200 capacity rooms, where sometimes nine people show up and sometimes they sell out, you know? So I have to tour a lot. It was a concert at the Moroccan Lounge where 200 people bought tickets and had the time of their life. What was up with the circle? Why were people filming you in silence? I care about connecting with people more than anything. I'm sharing songs that are very vulnerable and very central to my life and my insecurities. So I want the room to feel fully united, fully present in the moment. The circle is the last moment of the concert. So it's out of context, because there's an hour and 20 minutes leading up to it of high energy. And then at the end, I say, 'Hey, I'd love to come out in the middle and play you the next song I'm releasing.' I've done that circle, like 100 times at 100 different shows and every time I play an unreleased song, or a song that just came out. So people are, like, listening. They don't know the words. And the socks?Yes, let us be clear, I have socks on. The dogs are not out. The socks are on. Well, people seem to really be focusing on the way you're standing on your toes in the video. Is there a reason you do that while performing? I guess passion? Love? I use a loop pedal, and I'm not ashamed of the fact that I don't wear shoes on stage because I have horrible coordination. Awful. I have to hit the pedals correctly or it sounds horrible, so I just wear socks so I can feel them. The funny thing is that as I usually put my shoes on to go in the middle of the circle. This time, I stepped over them, and I was like, 'Whatever.' I vividly remember thinking, 'I should put my shoes on. Enh, it doesn't matter.' After you realized people were making fun of you online, what made you decide to double down on posting?I think the main thing that was jarring was the notoriety overnight, not the less positive comments. When you've been making the same type of music for six years, when you've been performing it the same way, when you've seen it connect with people, nothing on a screen is going to deter me or convince me that it doesn't work. And part of the thing that I do to connect with people is I'm a little awkward and I make fun of myself. So the fact that other people are making fun of me is great. People parodying my songs, to me, is a huge compliment that the song is catchy enough and good enough that they want to recreate it. The lyrics have been up for a ton of debate since you posted. Can you walk me through the story behind the song? I have no game. At the time of writing the song, I had taken seven girls on dates, who the very next person they went out with, they married. When you're trying to fall in love and then it doesn't work out, it can be easy to tell yourself that it's because the other person wasn't ready for it. But in my case, the person clearly was ready for it and so the problem has to be me. And that's a devastating reality. The song is me grappling through my insecurity and comparing myself to other people in the lives they're living. The tag that's gone viral was the very first lyric I wrote for the whole album. I wrote it in February of 2023 and then wrote the album for a year and recorded it for six months — because I had to make enough money to record the album through touring and selling sweatshirts. We're constantly comparing ourselves to other people and to the standard our culture gives us, which is a fake standard, and that's the point of the song. That's the point of the whole album. Which is why I think it's so sick that this is the part that blew up, because the whole album is exploring how, no matter what we do, we feel like something's off. Who would you say some of your biggest musical influences are? Of course, Taylor Swift. I grew up listening to Jim Croce, James Taylor. Jimmy Buffett was my first two concerts. HAIM. More recently, Holly Humberstone, Griff. British women really run my life. Speaking of conspiracy theories — did you know some people online think you're faking your love of Swift so her fans will come to your aid? Are you serious? You're joking. I am not joking. The Swifties can be very powerful alliesI will somehow figure out how to charge my old Xenon freaking slide phone that has a video of me at the Fearless Tour with Keith Urban. I have a Taylor Swift Diet Coke can [that] one of my friends got me at the 1989 tour because I couldn't go because I was on a retreat. My old password was… I believe you, I believe you. What has it been like to have their support? I'm hoping they keep coming because I am, genuinely, so one of them. I mean, I cover 'Getaway Car' every single show. Going viral is one thing, but it doesn't guarantee this moment will have longevity. What's the ideal goal you want to come out of this? How are you feeling? I've worked for a moment like this for a long time. I've played over 600 shows. I've slept on over 1,000 couches. I've driven 200,000 miles alone in my car. I really dedicated myself to connecting with people, and so I'm really grateful that I'm getting to connect with more people through the internet. I am definitely scared, or fearful. There's just so much unknown that comes with it and that unknown is scary. But really bluntly, I'm also very optimistic and hopeful. I believe in 'Married in a Year' and I believe in the album that's coming out after it. And I am confident anyone that listens to it will at least have an opinion. Best of Rolling Stone Every Super Bowl Halftime Show, Ranked From Worst to Best The United States of Weed Gaming Levels Up
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Newlyweds receive Amazon gift cards before groom's deployment, company says they won't honor them
A member of the U.S. Navy and his newlywed tried to use Amazon gift cards they were given as wedding gifts, but received an email saying the company wouldn't honor the cards. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Melanie Abernathy told Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke at our sister station WSOC-TV in Charlotte that her son got married and was then deployed as a member of the U.S. Navy. He and his wife asked their wedding guests for gift cards so they could buy what they needed when they settled down. 'They were very blessed with their … with what they received," Abernathy said. However, when the couple went to Amazon to use the cards, they were denied. TRENDING STORIES: Can you help? Police searching for 2 baby chick theft suspects Deputies searching for missing 15-year-old Greene County girl; can you help? Popeyes manager shot in drive-thru over burnt biscuits They received an email from Amazon saying the company wouldn't honor the cards and that the couple had violated the company's terms and conditions. The email didn't give any details as to how the couple violated any rules. Abernathy said that an Amazon representative explained by phone that the retailer thought the cards were stolen. 'They said she stole them. So, the whole thing, it was just very upsetting. Very upsetting for our little military couple. He's on one side of the world. She's just trying to get their house set up,' Abernathy said. So, Stoongenke emailed Amazon back. The company wouldn't discuss the case for privacy reasons, saying it can only share its findings directly with the customer: '[D]ue to customer privacy considerations, we can only share our findings directly with the customer, though you're welcome to reach out to them for any details they'd like to share with you. We appreciate your understanding and commitment to consumer advocacy.' Stoogenke followed up with Abernathy and she told him Amazon never did get back in touch. Stoogenke said he and Abernathy stood their ground throughout this Amazon debacle, just like an anchor. Abernathy wears an anchor necklace as a tribute to her son in the Navy. One of the wedding guests who gave the couple a gift card consulted the company's live chat feature. It worked. The couple could now use the gift cards. 'I'm happy about that, but what if the next person doesn't have a mother-in-law that says 'No, this isn't going to happen?'' Abernathy said. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
One of Nashville's ‘Most Wanted' fugitives arrested in Brentwood by U.S. Marshals
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A man featured for months on the Metro Nashville Police Department's list of 'Most Wanted' fugitives has been arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service, officials with the U.S. Department of Justice have announced. According to the USMS, the Fugitive Task Force arrested 31-year-old Adrian Abernathy in Brentwood. Abernathy was wanted for multiple felonies, including vehicular homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, motor vehicle theft, firearm theft, reckless endangerment, false report and federal supervised release violation. OCTOBER 2022 | Driver killed after striking semi at 100+ mph on I-65 in North Nashville The USMS said Abernathy had warrants dating back to November 2022, when he was discovered to be the driver of a stolen Lincoln Navigator SUV that crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer on Rosa L. Parks Boulevard, killing his passenger, Todd Bryant of Antioch. At the time of the accident, USMS said Abernathy claimed he was in the rear seat of the SUV and Bryant was driving. Further investigation showed Abernathy to be the true driver of the SUV, and police believe the vehicle was traveling more than 100 mph just before the crash. For this incident, Abernathy spent several months on the 'Most Wanted' list, including a five-month stint starting in the summer of 2024 and a later reappearance that December. The task force reportedly located Abernathy at an Autumn Oaks Drive residence in Brentwood. With assistance from the Rutherford County drone unit, Abernathy was arrested without incident. He was transported to the Davidson County Detention Center and booked on the outstanding charges. He remains jailed, according to jail records at time of publication. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Axios
07-05-2025
- Health
- Axios
Maymont's tiny black bear turns 20
Maymont's Little Bear celebrated his 20th birthday over the weekend with some apples and honey. Why it matters: Due to his chronic conditions, he likely wouldn't be alive today if he was left in the wild. Catch up quick: The American black bear has been with Maymont since May 2006, after the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources rescued him from a highway near Roanoke. Little Bear is smaller than average due to his dwarfism and symptoms that mimic Addison's disease, Maymont spokesperson Melissa Abernathy tells us. Those symptoms can include chronic fatigue and joint pain, which Abernathy says Maymont helps manage with medication. That also means that his companion Big Bear, who is about his same age, is almost 100 pounds heavier than him (476 pounds vs. 384). Fun fact: Abernathy tells Axios that Little Bear and Big Bear have a "big bro/little bro" relationship and that Little Bear's favorite napping spot is on the cliff.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lubbock-area school district, teacher receive H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards
H-E-B has announced the statewide winners for the 2025 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards - including a teacher and school district from the Lubbock area - during a ceremony Sunday night in downtown Austin with hundreds of educators and community leaders. Lubbock-Cooper ISD was honored as a top school district while Abernathy teacher Aaron Peralez received a rising star award during the ceremony. Admiral William H. McRaven, a retired four-star admiral and former Chancellor of the University of the Texas System, gave the keynote address and helped distribute awards to the 68 outstanding finalists. During the ceremony, $480,000 in cash and grants were awarded to six teachers, two counselors, two principals, one early childhood facility, one public school board and two school districts. Since 2002, the H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards program has awarded more than $14 million in funding to educators who go the extra mile to serve their students and their communities. 'At a time when public school educators face many challenges, it's critically important that we honor the extraordinary individuals who are inspiring the next generation of Texans. Their work not only changes lives—it defines the future of our state,' said Winell Herron, H-E-B Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Diversity and Environmental Affairs. 'We heard remarkable stories of dedication, resilience and impact during the awards selection process. While it's difficult to pick one winner in each category, all our finalists represent the very best of what it means to be an educator in Texas.' Six winning teachers, including one elementary and one secondary teacher, were selected in each of the following three categories: The Rising Star Award honors exceptionally promising teachers with less than 10 years of experience. These winners received a $5,000 check for themselves and a $5,000 grant for their schools. Cindy Gonzalez, J.P. LeNoir Elementary School, Donna ISD, Elementary Rising Star Aaron Peralez, Abernathy High School, Abernathy ISD, Secondary Rising Star The Leadership Award honors teachers with 10 to 20 years in the classroom. These winners received a $10,000 check for themselves and a $10,000 grant for their schools. Matthew Trevino, Roan Forest Elementary School, North East ISD, Elementary Leadership Dr. Alicia Adkins, I.H. Kempner High School, Fort Bend ISD, Secondary Leadership The Lifetime Achievement Award salutes teachers with more than 20 years of experience. These teachers received $25,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools. Abigail Eliezer, Klentzman Intermediate School, Alief ISD, Elementary Lifetime Achievement Vicki Rowe, Taylor High School, Taylor ISD, Secondary Lifetime Achievement COUNSELORS Two counselors—one elementary and one secondary—received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $15,000 grant for their school. Verlene Wallace, Hunt School, Hunt ISD, Elementary School Counselor Rubina Sanchez, Byron P. Steele II High School, Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD Secondary School Counselor PRINCIPALS Two principals—one elementary and one secondary—received $10,000 in cash for themselves and a $25,000 grant for their schools. Dr. Anabel Ruiz, Carolyn G. Bukhair Elementary School, Richardson ISD, Elementary School Principal Sheree Bogany, A.C. Jones High School, Beeville ISD, Secondary School Principal EARLY CHILDHOOD FACILITY One winning early childhood facility received $25,000. Dr. Sarah K. Jandrucko Academy for Early Learners (Mansfield ISD, Arlington) SCHOOL BOARD One winning school board received $25,000. Lamar Consolidated Independent School District SCHOOL DISTRICTS Two school districts–one small and one large–received awards. The winning small school district received $50,000, and the winning large school district received $100,000. Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District, Small School District Prosper Independent School District, Large School District Judging Process Each year, H-E-B announces a statewide call for nominations and applications to recognize outstanding educators in Texas. Educators can be nominated for an award by community members throughout the state, or they can apply directly. Nominees are sent invitations to complete an online application. For the 2025 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards, students in the Department of Education from Texas State University and Trinity University reviewed all applications and narrowed them down to semi-finalists. Five regional judging panels including school administrators, community leaders and former winners selected 50 teacher, principal and counselor finalists. These individuals received the news they were finalists from H-E-B representatives during surprise visits to their schools earlier this year. A statewide panel of judges interviewed these finalists on May 3 to determine winners. Three separate judging panels selected five early childhood facilities, five school boards, and eight school district finalists. Site visits were conducted to determine the winners in these categories. Nominations for the 2026 H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards are now open to all state-certified public school professionals currently working in Texas. Teachers, counselors, principals, early childhood centers, school boards and districts can win cash prizes for their outstanding work. Nominations will close on September 30, 2025. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Lubbock-Cooper ISD, area teacher H-E-B Excellence in Education Awards
