Latest news with #Nicki
The Star
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Can you do the Nicki Minaj TikTok challenge?
(From left) Singer Ciara, professional circus artist Brianna Kalisch and TikToker Francesca Pagan doing the Nicki Minaj challenge. Photos: Ciara/Instagram, Brianna Kalisch/Instagram, Francesca Pagan/Instagram If you have a few seconds, social media has a new exercise for you to try. First, do a single-legged squat and cross the other leg over. Then try that in the highest pair of heels you can find. Once you have that figured out, do the same pose, in those heels, on top of two cooking pots stacked on the kitchen counter – or on top of the monkey bars at a playground jungle gym or on top of a single soda can. The pretzel-like pose is called the Nicki Minaj because – in what feels like ancient history by social media standards – the Trinidadian rapper and singer did it beside a swimming pool in the music video for her 2013 track High School . A clip from that video has resurfaced on TikTok in the past week, seemingly at random, and has taken on a life of its own as users have tried to recreate the pose in increasingly precarious locations, while challenging one another to come up with more difficult versions. The hashtag #nickiminajchallenge has been viewed more than 1.3 billion times. And the challenge has drawn celebrity participants, such as American comedienne Christina Kirkman (balancing on a cooking pot and a can of soup) and American singer Ciara (balancing on a stack of dumbbells). The pretzel-like pose is called the Nicki Minaj because the rapper did it for her 2013 music video 'High School'. Photo: YouTube screengrab 'The idea is, how could we make this tougher? How could we make this more tricky?' said Francesca Pagan, 27, who posted a video of herself doing the Nicki on top of three books, one cooking pot and an aluminium can while balancing a book on her head. 'The riskier it is, the more amazed people are.' It is also essential to look calm and collected while doing the pose. Having done gymnastics and cheerleading as a kid certainly helped, Pagan added. 'I'm not going to say I recommend everyone do it because that's just in bad faith,' she said. 'I think you have to have a certain level of confidence in your ability to balance.' Some commenters questioned whether her version of the pose was real, Pagan said, because of its difficulty. So, she posted bloopers showing her losing her balance and the book falling off her head. She then posted a second video of the Nicki, in which she posed on top of even more stacked pots. For some, the challenge has become a way to showcase their businesses or passions. A video posted on Fenty Beauty's account, for example, features a woman doing the Nicki on top of a stack of the cosmetic brand's products in a Sephora store. Mothers shown perched atop a stack of toys, surrounded by their tumbling children, seem to project uncanny calmness amid the chaos of parenting. Professional circus artist Brianna Kalisch received a message from her friend a few days ago. 'He was like, 'You should do this,'' she said. Until participating in the challenge, TikTok videos of her bottle walking and balancing feats, which had once been flagged as 'dangerous activities', had not gained much traction on the platform, Kalisch said. But she thought she would give the Nicki a shot anyway. She created a pyramid of 12 champagne bottles, climbed on top, and then assumed the pose. Her sister handed her another bottle that she placed on her head. In two days, the video received more than two million views. 'I actually tried juggling,' Kalisch said, 'but my knees were in the way. It didn't work.' – ©2025 The New York Times Company
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
‘The riskier it is, the more amazed people are': Can you do the Nicki Minaj TikTok challenge?
NEW YORK – If you have a few seconds, social media has a new exercise for you to try. First, do a single-legged squat and cross the other leg over. Then try that in the highest pair of heels you can find. Once you have that figured out, do the same pose, in those heels, on top of two cooking pots stacked on the kitchen counter – or on top of the monkey bars at a playground jungle gym or on top of a single soda can. The pretzel-like pose is called the Nicki Minaj because – in what feels like ancient history by social media standards – the Trinidadian rapper and singer did it beside a swimming pool in the music video for her 2013 track High School. A clip from that video has resurfaced on TikTok in the past week, seemingly at random, and has taken on a life of its own as users have tried to recreate the pose in increasingly precarious locations, while challenging one another to come up with more difficult versions. The hashtag #nickiminajchallenge has been viewed more than 1.3 billion times. Rapper Nicki Minaj at the 2025 Met Gala, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, on May 5. PHOTO: AFP And the challenge has drawn celebrity participants, such as American comedian Christina Kirkman (balancing on a cooking pot and a can of soup) and American singer Ciara (balancing on a stack of dumbbells). Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole backfilled; road to be repaved after LTA tests Singapore MRT platform screen doors at 15 underground stations to undergo renewal Singapore 'Medium risk' of severe haze as higher agricultural prices drive deforestation: S'pore researchers Singapore Jail for former pre-school teacher who tripped toddler repeatedly, causing child to bleed from nose Singapore Police statements by doctor in fake vaccine case involving Iris Koh allowed in court: Judge Singapore Authorities say access to Changi intertidal areas unaffected by reclamation, in response to petition Singapore No change to SIA flights between S'pore and Cambodia, S'pore and Thailand, amid border dispute Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng 'The idea is, how could we make this tougher? How could we make this more tricky?' said Ms Francesca Pagan, 27, who posted a video of herself doing the Nicki on top of three books, one cooking pot and an aluminium can while balancing a book on her head. 'The riskier it is, the more amazed people are.' It is also essential to look calm and collected while doing the pose. Having done gymnastics and cheerleading as a kid certainly helped, Ms Pagan added. 'I'm not going to say I recommend everyone do it because that's just in bad faith,' she said. 'I think you have to have a certain level of confidence in your ability to balance.' Some commenters questioned whether her version of the pose was real, Ms Pagan said, because of its difficulty. So, she posted bloopers showing her losing her balance and the book falling off her head. She then posted a second video of the Nicki, in which she posed on top of even more stacked pots. For some, the challenge has become a way to showcase their businesses or passions. A video posted on Fenty Beauty's account, for example, features a woman doing the Nicki on top of a stack of the cosmetic brand's products in a Sephora store. Mothers shown perched atop a stack of toys, surrounded by their tumbling children, seem to project uncanny calmness amid the chaos of parenting. Professional circus artist Brianna Kalisch received a message from her friend a few days ago. 'He was like, 'You should do this,'' she said. Until participating in the challenge, TikTok videos of her bottle walking and balancing feats, which had once been flagged as 'dangerous activities', had not gained much traction on the platform, Ms Kalisch said. But she thought she would give the Nicki a shot anyway. She created a pyramid of 12 champagne bottles, climbed on top, and then assumed the pose. Her sister handed her another bottle that she placed on her head. In two days, the video received more than two million views. 'I actually tried juggling,' Ms Kalisch said, 'but my knees were in the way. It didn't work.' NYTIMES
Edinburgh Reporter
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Reporter
A new chapter at Badger & Co – where literary charm meets culinary innovation
Edinburgh's Badger & Co has opened an exciting new dining chapter at its beloved Castle Street location, and what a page-turner it was. Nestled in the New Town where cobblestones echo with centuries of stories and Edinburgh Castle stands sentinel, this reimagined menu weaves together Scotland's finest produce with literary whimsy that would make Kenneth Grahame himself proud. The restaurant's connection to The Wind in the Willows runs deeper than mere theme – Grahame was born at this very address, 32 Castle Street, in 1859. It's a delightful piece of Edinburgh literary history that new head chef Scott Campbell has embraced with creativity. Campbell, supported by his talented team of eight, has crafted a playful, seasonal menu that ventures boldly beyond the 'Wild Wood' of traditional Scottish fare, celebrating local and foraged ingredients with contemporary flair that feels both innovative and authentically Scottish. This is exactly the kind of culinary ingenuity that will captivate both discerning locals and the international visitors flocking to our city for Festival season. D75 The menu structure is thoughtfully designed – small plates for sharing (my usual bugbear, but they work beautifully as starters here), followed by 'the main voyage' cleverly divided into Field, Shore, and Glen options, plus generous sharing sides that elevate the entire experience. The heritage tomatoes with whipped feta, burnt onion emulsion, and black olive crumb was nothing short of a revelation – simplicity executed with such precision that every bite celebrated the tomato's natural magnificence. My dining companion Nicki's Scotsman scallops with haggis, pickled neeps, roast potato aioli, and samphire (which I'll take her enthusiastic word for, being seafood-allergic myself) hit every mark with its inspired fusion of coastal and highland flavours. On our waiter Angus's excellent recommendation, we indulged in Badger's homemade bread with Edinburgh butter and Blackthorn sea salt – the perfect light, doughy accompaniment that showcased the kitchen team's attention to even the smallest details. For mains, I couldn't resist the pork tomahawk from the Field section, glazed with n'duja and red pepper, accompanied by potato gratin, salsa verde, and cavolo nero. But the real star was the side of spring cabbage – forget every terrible school dinner memory you might harbour. This beautiful, sweet spring cabbage with peas, more of that glorious whipped feta, crispy cavolo nero, and a satisfying crunch of pecan was nothing short of a revelation. I am already planning to recreate it at home. Nicki opted for the Cauliflower Steak from the Glen selection, served with butter bean purée, cauliflower couscous, cauliflower leaves, and walnut dukkah. While she was perfectly content with her choice, as a committed carnivore, I'm convinced I chose the winner. Desserts continued Campbell's theme of familiar comfort reimagined. Nicki's Sticky Toffee Tea Party arrived as a perfect mini-loaf made with Earl Grey-soaked puréed dates, drowning in Blackthorn caramel sauce with a generous dollop of clotted cream. My Cranachan Teacake was pure theatre – and here's a tip – definitely ask for both fork and spoon to anchor this beauty, or risk a Julia Roberts Pretty Woman moment when cracking the dark chocolate shell! Once breached, the dreamy interior is revealed – layers of raspberry and whisky jam, marshmallow, fresh raspberries, and rose honey that paired magnificently with a dram of Dalwhinnie, its light, floral notes cutting through the dessert's rich complexity. With Festival season approaching and Badger & Co's prime location near key Fringe venues – Assembly Rooms on George Street, Braw Venues at Grand Lodge, and Greenside at George Street – Campbell has created something perfectly timed for both our cultural calendar and culinary landscape. This is destination dining that will delight international Festival-goers while giving locals a compelling new reason to explore their own city's evolving food scene. Badger & Co represents the best of contemporary Scottish hospitality – rooted in place and story, but bold enough to surprise and delight. It's exactly the kind of innovative thinking our dining scene needs, and I suspect Mr. Badger himself would thoroughly approve. Badger & Co 32 Castle Street, Edinburgh, EH2 3HT Like this: Like Related
New York Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Can You Do the Nicki Minaj?
If you have a few seconds, social media has a new exercise for you to try. First, do a single-legged squat and cross the other leg over. Then try that in the highest pair of heels you can find. Once you have that figured out, do the same pose, in those heels, on top of two cooking pots stacked on the kitchen counter, or on top of the monkey bars at a playground jungle gym, or on top of a single soda can. The pretzel-like pose is called the Nicki Minaj because — in what feels like ancient history by social media standards — the rapper and singer did it beside a swimming pool in the music video for her 2013 track, 'High School.' A clip from that video has resurfaced on TikTok in the last week, seemingly at random, and has taken on a life of its own as users have tried to recreate the pose in increasingly precarious locations, while challenging each other to come up with more difficult versions. The hashtag #nickiminajchallenge has been viewed more than 1.3 billion times. And the challenge has drawn in celebrity participants, such as the comedian Christina Kirkman (balancing on a cooking pot and a can of soup) and the singer Ciara (balancing on a stack of dumbbells). 'The idea is how could we make this tougher? How could we make this more tricky?' said Francesca Pagan, 27, who posted a video of herself doing the Nicki on top of three books, one cooking pot and an aluminum can while balancing a book on her head. 'The riskier it is, the more amazed people are.' It is also essential to look calm and collected while doing the pose. Having done gymnastics and cheerleading as a kid certainly helped, Ms. Pagan added. 'I'm not going to say I recommend everyone do it, because that's just in bad faith,' she said. 'I think you have to have a certain level of confidence in your ability to balance.' Some commenters questioned whether her version of the pose was real, Ms. Pagan said, because of its difficulty. So she posted bloopers showing her losing her balance and the book falling off her head. She then posted a second video of the Nicki, in which she posed on top of even more stacked pots. For some, the challenge has become a way to showcase their businesses or passions. A video posted on Fenty Beauty's account, for example, features a woman doing the Nicki on top of a stack of the brand's products in a Sephora store. Mothers shown perched on atop a stack of toys, surrounded by their tumbling children, seem to project uncanny calmness amid the chaos of parenting. Brianna Kalisch, a professional circus artist, received a message from her friend a few days ago. 'He was like, 'you should do this,'' she said. Until participating in the challenge, TikTok videos of her bottle walking and balancing feats, which had once been flagged as 'dangerous activities,' hadn't gained much traction on the platform, Ms. Kalisch said. But she thought she'd give the Nicki a shot anyway. She created a pyramid of 12 champagne bottles, climbed on top, and then assumed the pose. Her sister handed her another bottle that she placed on her head. In two days, the video received more than two million views. 'I actually tried juggling,' Ms. Kalisch said, 'but my knees were in the way. It didn't work.'
Sky News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Mother reveals how she created fake Snapchat account to help catch paedophile who targeted daughter
A mother has revealed how she created a fake Snapchat account to help put a paedophile behind bars after he started messaging her daughter. Sarah's eight-year-old daughter Nicki was playing the online game MovieStarPlanet when she began receiving messages from someone claiming to be a 17-year-old boy. Speaking to Sky News presenter Sarah-Jane Mee on The UK Tonight, Nicki said: "It was just someone starting off a normal conversation saying 'hi, how are you?'. And then it just started getting weirder... he was saying that I looked really sexy sometimes. And as I was an eight-year-old, I didn't really recognise that word... so then I went straight to my mum because it didn't look normal to me." The person messaging her, who it later turned out was a man in his 30s, had also repeatedly asked Nicky to speak to him on the social media app Snapchat - despite the fact her profile on MovieStarPlanet clearly said she was eight. Remembering the moment her daughter showed her the messages, Nicki's mother Sarah said: "I won't lie, initially I genuinely did think it was just a 17-year-old boy, you know, just sort of pushing his luck, if you will. "We deleted the account [on the game]. We made her a brand new account... and then 12 hours later, ping! He found her again." Sarah then decided to create a Snapchat account in her daughter's name before adding the person who had approached her on the game. She decided not to include any photos of her daughter on the account. However, Sarah continued: "He understood who it was straight away and the conversation continued... s o then, if you will, I became Nicki for about five days." Sarah says a "major red flag" occurred when the person started sending videos and pictures. "I was well aware that that was no 16 to 17-year-old boy. This was prior to us seeing a full facial image. Luckily enough, he sent that as well, which made it a lot easier to identify this as a fully-grown man." Sarah continued: "Knowing what he wanted from her, what he wanted to do to her. He was very explicit in telling me what he wanted her to do... it encouraged me to continue knowing that I can't let him do this to her or any other child, that I have to ensure that I stop him." The paedophile, who Sky News has chosen not to name, ended up serving eight months in prison after he was convicted in August 2023 - three years after he sent the messages. Nicki said she started crying when she was told the predator had been jailed. She added: "It was kind of relief and obviously joy... it was just amazing." Nicki said she often overhears pupils at her school talking about how they are chatting to people online who they don't really know. She said: "You just kind of think, well, is that not a bit of a stupid idea? Because obviously you've never met him... If a friend came up to me, then I'd actually have the conversation with them. You know, [tell them] that could be someone completely different to who they say they are." What have Snapchat and MovieStarPlanet said? A spokesperson for Snapchat said: "Any sexual exploitation of young people is abhorrent and illegal. We designed Snapchat with extra protections for teens - including private friend lists, pop-up warnings if they start to chat with someone we think they don't know and easy reporting tools so teens can get help quickly. "You must be at least 13 to use Snapchat and we also have Family Centre for parents, which allows them to see who their teen is talking with and when they last chatted." A spokesperson for MovieStarPlanet said: "First, and foremost, our thoughts go out to the family involved in these incidents and we wish them well in their recovery process. "As a registered social worker, professionally working to safeguard children, my main focus is to make sure there are comprehensive safeguarding systems in place to protect children and adolescents who engage with the online games that we produce. "This is also the main focus of everyone at MovieStarPlanet where we work with a safety by design philosophy when creating and producing our online games. MovieStarPlanet is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable online experience for everyone that engages with the online games that we produce. "We have implemented a comprehensive set of child safeguarding measures designed to protect our users from potential risks and promote civility through positive interactions. We continually assess and upgrade these systems when it is deemed necessary."
