Latest news with #LaurenAlaina
India Today
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Country star Lauren Alaina gives birth to baby girl Beni Doll Arnold
Country music singer Lauren Alaina, 30, and her husband Cam Arnold have welcomed their first child — a baby girl named Beni Doll Arnold — into their couple's daughter was born on Wednesday, June 11, at 8:44 a.m., weighing 7 lbs., 13 oz. and measuring 19 inches an emotional Instagram post, Alaina shared a photo of the new family of three at the hospital and reflected on the moment she first saw her daughter:advertisement "Parts of my heart that I didn't even know existed were unlocked," she wrote. "You, to your dad and me, are absolute perfection." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lauren Alaina (@laurenalaina)As reported by People, Alaina also revealed she is releasing a special song titled "Heaven Sent", written in honor of her daughter. She said the song was inspired by the emotional journey of discovering she was pregnant shortly after the loss of her father."She arrived just before Father's Day—my first one without my father," Alaina explained. "Beni is a gift from God that my old man up there in Heaven sent."Alaina and Arnold were married in February 2024. The couple had initially planned to try for a child later in the year, but were blessed with an earlier surprise. Alaina had previously said that the pregnancy brought them even closer than marriage excited to see my husband be a dad," she shared. "He's such a natural caregiver. I knew raising kids with him would be one of the highlights of being his wife."Though the experience wasn't part of their immediate plans, Alaina has embraced motherhood with gratitude. She admitted to relying on her mom and close friends for support and advice during the journey. The pregnancy, she said, has also changed her relationship with her own body."My body appreciation has totally shifted," Alaina explained. "It's amazing what the female body can do."
Chicago Tribune
03-03-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
NASCAR announces smaller concert lineup, lower ticket prices and downsized buildout for Chicago Street Race on July Fourth weekend
NASCAR is gearing up for its third Chicago Street Race this summer with a smaller concert lineup, downsized hospitality buildout, reduced ticket prices and an accelerated setup/breakdown schedule. The Cup Series race is also moving from broadcast to cable TV. Southern rockers the Zac Brown Band will perform following the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, June 5, NASCAR announced Monday. Unlike the first two years in which a full weekend of scheduled concerts were disrupted by rain, the headliners are the only musical act on the bill for year three. In addition, NASCAR is also planning to start the Cup Series run through Grant Park earlier on Sunday in the hopes of finally getting the full race, which has been shortened by rain and darkness during the first two years, to the finish line. The Chicago Street Race on July Fourth weekend will once again feature a 12-turn, 2.2-mile pop-up course through Grant Park, down DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue, which are closed off and lined with temporary fences, grandstands and hospitality suites. One major change in the streetscape, however, will be a concert stage where the Skyline, a mammoth temporary structure along Columbus Drive which last year housed the most expensive suites overlooking the start/finish line at Buckingham Fountain, rose last year. The concert stage is being relocated from Hutchinson Field on the southern end of the race grounds. The move is aimed to shorten the buildout and minimize disruption, a NASCAR spokesperson said. In 2023, the inaugural Fourth of July weekend event navigated record rainfall that curtailed races, canceled concerts and left fans soaked. Last year, while sunny skies prevailed for the Xfinity Series race on Saturday, the Cup Series race was once again shortened when rain delays forced officials to call the race after 58 laps as darkness fell on the unlit street course. Despte the rain, NASCAR was able to pull off a full slate of concerts throughout the weekend last year, including shows by Keith Urban, The Black Keys, Lauren Alaina and The Chainsmokers. This year, the Grant Park 165 main event on Sunday is scheduled to start at 1 p.m., which is 2 1/2 hours earlier than last year. The nationally televised broadcast is moving from NBC to cable channel TNT. Tickets, which went on sale in January, are also less expensive this year. Single-day general admission passes start at $99 – a third less than last year – while premium grandstand reserved seats are priced at a nearly 50% reduction. The most expensive premium individual seats are at the Fountain Club near Buckingham Fountain, which have been reduced slightly to $1,300 for the weekend. Last year, the most expensive seats sold for $3,000 in the now defunct Skyline structure. Under the terms of a three-year deal struck during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration, NASCAR agreed to pay the Chicago Park District a $500,000 permit fee in 2023, $550,000 in 2024 and $605,000 this year, with an option to renew for two years. In addition, NASCAR will pay the Park District a $2 fee per admission ticket, and an escalating commission for food, beverage and merchandise sold at the event. Last year, the race generated $128 million in total economic impact and drew 53,036 unique visitors, according to a study commissioned by Choose Chicago, the city's tourism arm. The nationally televised Cup Series race also generated $43.6 million in media value for Chicago, according to a companion report. The extended broadcast of the Grant Park 165, broken up by nearly two hours of programming filler as the street course shut down during a steady summer rain, averaged 3.87 million viewers last year on NBC, according to Nielsen data.
The Independent
03-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
From foodies to Swifties: America's music city is the perfect holiday break
Stepping into the Grand Ole Opry – a must-visit on any country music fan's bucket list – the atmosphere is electric. The venue, where a live radio show is broadcast every week, is one of the top performance destinations in Nashville – if not the world. Watching a show was one of my main motivations for planning a trip to this legendary city in Tennessee. Ahead of the performance, I settle into the Circle Room as part of a VIP experience limited to just 100 guests per night. I then watch Bill Anderson and American Idol star Lauren Alaina set the crowd alight, with audience members holding each other as they dance in the aisles. For decades, Nashville has been the pulsing heart of America's live music scene and some of the greatest in the business have made their name here. With more than 30 free-entry bars playing live music, Lower Broadway is the centre of the city's nightlife. Revellers in cowboy hats run from bar to bar singing along to Dolly Parton and drinking a beer called Pabst Blue Ribbon, with many artists happy to accept drinks in lieu of cash tips. While there are several stand-out bars – including Tootsie's and The Stage – the best, hands down, is Robert's. Serving the 'recession special' – a fried bologna sandwich, crisps, and a can of beer – for just $6/£5, it's the perfect place to end the night. Nashville has been home to some of America's most recognisable stars, many of whom feature in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The expansive venue is packed with country music memorabilia, including guitars, stage outfits and gold albums. I also take a tour of the Historic RCA Studio B, the recording studio that was once home to Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, and the Everly Brothers. Our enthusiastic tour guide points to the spot where Elvis stood when he recorded scores of his most famous songs, including Heartbreak Hotel. I top the morning off with a trip to the National Museum of African American Music, where interactive exhibits run through the history of black music in the US, and there's an opportunity to record your own remix in a mini studio booth. Contemporary A-listers like Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift, and Jack White from the White Stripes have also left their own mark on the city. Swift wrote some of her early hits while sitting on a bench at Centennial Park, now a popular hang-out for her fans. White, meanwhile, has set up a recording studio, Third Man Records, as well as the Blue Room – one of the hottest new music venues in town. The singer's nephew, Ben Blackwell, gives me a tour of the studio, including the famous 1947 Voice-o-Graph recording booth used by the likes of Neil Young. The booth, which resembles an old phone box, records up to two minutes of audio before dispensing a one-of-a-kind six-inch phonograph. The only thing in Nashville as good as the music is the food. Hattie B's Hot Chicken joint would give the best south London chicken shops a run for their money, while Biscuit Love serves southern-style biscuits (a cross between a nsausage roll and a scone) doused in gravy. However, the finest food, in my opinion, is served at Bad Idea, a Laotian inspired restaurant on the hip side of town in East Nashville. Featuring dishes such as truffled potato dumpling and New Zealand rack of lamb, and with a wine list bursting at the seams, it's the ideal spot to settle in for the evening. Prices range from between £12 to £20 for small plates and £35 to £75 for mains. With so much dining and drinking to juggle, I stay at the W Hotel, perfectly placed in the centre of Nashville and within stumbling-home distance of Broadway's bars. Rooms are sleek and spacious, with stunning views of the bright city lights. It also features the city's largest hotel pool area, running along the outside of the hotel – ideal for a hangover-curing swim each morning. The Ryman Auditorium – the former home of the Grand Ole Opry – feels like a fitting final stop on my trip. Founded as the site of a revivalist church, over the years it slowly morphed into a world-famous music venue, hosting performances from Hank Williams, Elvis, and Johnny Cash. As I discover during my brief visit, in Nashville every activity has its own soundtrack. From day to night, tunes blast from bars, cafes and on street corners – literally pure music to my ears. How to plan your trip
South China Morning Post
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Meet Lauren Alaina's ‘normal' husband, Cam Arnold – who works in insurance
Country music star Lauren Alaina is expecting. The American Idol alum, 30, teased the news at the end of her 'Those Kind of Women' music video, which premiered on January 22. She then confirmed the pregnancy in an interview with People magazine. '[I didn't know] I can love something that I haven't even really held yet. I feel the baby inside me, and it's kicking me and doing all of the things. It's like I was the Grinch or something, and my heart grew,' she told the publication. She also opened up about how her pregnancy 'bonded' her and her husband, Cam Arnold. 'My love for him grew that day of getting married, and then finding out we were having a baby together. Walking through this experience with him has been unbelievable,' she said. Cam Arnold is expecting his first baby with wife Lauren Alaina. Photo: @ 'I'm looking forward to watching my husband be a dad. He is so obsessed with our animals; he's a big nurturer in general. In fact, when I was getting ready to marry him, that was something that I knew would be one of the best things about being his wife, was being able to parent with him,' she added. Cam Arnold will make a great dad, according to Lauren Alaina. Photo: @ Here's everything we know about the 'Georgia Peaches' singer's husband and baby-daddy-to-be, Cam Arnold. What does Cam Arnold do for a living? Cam Arnold works for an insurance agency. Photo: @ While his wife is a beloved musician, Cam Arnold works in a completely different industry. He is currently the vice-president of sales at SouthPoint Risk, an independent insurance agency. He studied finance at Auburn University from 2008 to 2010 and went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in business administration from Middle Georgia State University.
