Latest news with #Smurf
Perth Now
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
French town breaks world record with gathering of over 3,000 Smurfs
A small French town has broken the world record for the largest gathering of people dressed up as Smurfs. Landerneau, a town in Western France with a population of 16,000, has succeeded at the third try in its attempt to take the unique record from Lauchringen in Germany - which had brought together 2,762 Smurfs in 2019. The French town set a new benchmark last weekend as 3,076 people assembled clad in blue outfits topped with white hats and the singing of "smurfy songs". Landerneau's mayor Patrick Leclerc dressed up in Smurf attire and claimed that the event "brings people together and gives them something else to think about than the times we're living in". Pascal Soun, the head of the association behind the gathering, said that it "allows people to have fun and enter an imaginary world for a few hours". The Smurfs were grateful to have good weather this time around after last year's record attempt was scuppered by heavy rain that put many off attending.
Black America Web
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Black America Web
Rihanna (Kind Of) Returns To Music With New ‘Smurfs' Song
Source: Taylor Hill / Getty Rihanna fans, rejoice! The wait for new music is finally over (kind of). The music icon and Fenty mogul is lending her voice and vocals to the upcoming Smurfs animated film, and with it comes a brand-new track. Read more and catch the latest trailer inside. As revealed in the newly released trailer, Rihanna stars as Smurfette in the upcoming Smurfs movie, leading an all-star cast that includes John Goodman, James Corden, Sandra Oh, Nick Offerman, and more. The film follows the Smurf Village gang as they travel to the human world to rescue Papa Smurf from the clutches of the villainous Gargamel, voiced by J.P. Karliak. In a delightfully meta teaser, Rihanna is seen donning a blue jacket and blue beads as she records Smurfette's dialogue. She effortlessly blends into the Smurf universe while giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at her dual role as both voice actor and executive producer. Her new song titled 'Friend of Mine' featured in the trailer, is a dreamy, Afrobeats-inspired dance anthem that includes the infectious hook, 'You're looking like a friend of mine.' 'Friend of Mine' is Rihanna's first official release since her 2022 Oscar-nominated ballad 'Lift Me Up' from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Though it's not a full album or even her original song, the track gives fans a little something to hold them over. She hasn't released music since her LP, Anti, dropped nearly a decade ago in 2016. The Smurfs soundtrack promises even more musical firepower. In addition to Rihanna, South African breakout star Tyla and a collaborative track called 'Higher Love' by DJ Khaled, Cardi B, and DESI TRILL was released earlier this year and are part of the album. Rihanna first announced her involvement in the project at the 2023 CinemaCon, joking about recording in her third trimester. Now pregnant with her third child, she recently confirmed on the Met Gala red carpet that her pregnancy won't stop her from creating music, or perhaps, even shooting music videos. With The Smurfs set to hit theaters July 18, fans can expect a colorful adventure and a much-needed dose of Rihanna's magic, blue-hued and all. The track 'Friend of Mine' drops Friday, May 16. Be sure to pre-save the song with the link here. SEE ALSO Rihanna (Kind Of) Returns To Music With New 'Smurfs' Song was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
Buzz Feed
18-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Buzz Feed
26 Useful Products That You'll Be Tempted To Gatekeep
A storage pillow so you can open it up and be like BAM — more pillows! This lets you make the most use of your small space by hiding blankets, clothes, bedding, towels, stuffed animals, and other soft clutter. It's perfect for spaces like RVs, dorms, tiny homes, boats, and more! A pack of pee pads that'll truly make you a next-level responsible dog parent. Since we have yet to be able to verbally communicate with our pups, these absorbent pads have a color-changing layer that can alert you to potential issues, like a UTI or dehydration. A doorbell cover, aka the adult version of the "keep out" sign you used to put on your bedroom door as a kid. This is perfect for keeping a delivery person from ringing when you've JUST put your little one down for a nap, or if you've got a dog who goes berserk when the doorbell rings (and it's usually while you're in a meeting, of course 🫠). A silicone ring protector that'll allow you to wear your precious hand jewelry during your sweat sesh so you can skip out on sticking it in an unsupervised gym locker. And bonus: It also protects your band from scratches! Laneige's Neo Blurring Powder to smoothen that skin, blur those pores, and give the big ol' middle finger to the shininess that comes with having oily skin. This semi-matte powder absorbs the shine but leaves your subtle ~glow~ untouched. Reviewers mention that it looks great without looking overly powdery and makes their skin feel suuuper soft. A nourishing Brazilian 2-in-1 conditioning treatment by Skala that you'll *especially* love if you've got some curly tresses you'd like to define. This miraculous tub of cream has castor oil and shea butter that'll help combat hair breakage and reinforce brightness and hydration. A set of collagen-infused forehead patches that this reviewer deems "a game-changer in skincare." These magical lil' patches deeply hydrate your skin and improve its elasticity to minimize fine lines, making you look and feel ~refreshed~. A smudge-correcting clear nail polish for every time you *thought* that mani you worked so hard on was fully dry, but that newly crinkled spot says otherwise. No big deal — this fixes it in a snap! A weekly keyboard planner that'll delight all of the visual peeps out there. This helps you organize your tasks and see the layout of your work week. Plus! It's undated, so you can feel free to use it only when you actually need it instead of splurging on a whole dated planner only to fill up half of it. An expanding shower liner for anyone whose shower feels like it was designed for a Smurf instead of an actual human. This liner curves away from your body so you're not constantly pushing away a shower curtain that blows toward you and limits your space. Amazing, now you have more room for your sold-out shower concert. A pack of carborundum sponges that do their job so well, they'll basically be telling your other dish-cleaning supplies to step aside when it comes to tackling stubborn stains and gunk. These sponges are sprinkled with nano-particles that do all the heavy scrubbing for you. With these, it took this reviewer three minutes to dissolve rust stains that they had been struggling with for *months* (!!!). A Pikk-it tool — sorry to say this, but your vacuum isn't working to its full capacity, and it's probably because of all the tangled hair/fur stuck in its roller brush. This is designed to remove alllll that gunk out of there, and it can even be used to spruce up your hairbrushes! And may I just say, way to go for being such a next-level adult that you're cleaning your cleaning appliances. You're a trailblazer, truly. A set of espresso martini instant cocktail tea bags if your bank account is sick of you ordering those $18 espresso martinis. These let you kick back and enjoy your fave drink at home for wayyy cheaper. And all while staying in your beloved old college sweats. That's what I call victory. A hair identifier spray because it sucks when you finish up your monthly dermaplaning session only to later was more?!?! With this, you can be sure that you're shaving alllll the peach fuzz. Plus, reviewers say the spray helps the razor glide more smoothly (which can make it less painful!). Nyx's Pore Filler Targeted Stick — no, trust me, this one WORKS. This sensitive skin-friendly, holy grail option has a "blurring" effect to reduce the appearance of pores and smooth your skin without causing any extra shine you have to blot out. A space-saving ceramic folding griddle that you'll wonder how you ever lived without (especially if you live in an apartment that could double as a show box). There's a built-in drip tray for grease and two temperature zones, meaning you can cook at different temperatures! Eggs on one side, bacon on the other. Meat on one side, veggies on the other. Multi-tasking at its finest, baby. A Grim Steeper silicone tea infuser because it'll steep your morning tea to perfection and (ironically) bring you back to life. An airtight Deli ProKeeper with a grooved bottom designed to extend the life of your deli meats and cheeses, because the thought alone of having your turkey sit in its juices in a damp deli meat package is *gag* bone-chilling. A vacuum LED light that'll show you just how "clean" your floors are. 😬 Those pet hairs, spilled kibble, human crumbs, kitty litter crystals, and dust bunnies beg to differ... A screen-cleaning brush so you can look out your window and, you know, actually be able to see outside without all the grime on your mesh screen blocking your view (and that one dead bug that's been there since WW2). A no-tools-required dual-showerhead because those partner showers should be ~romantic~, which is a little hard to do when someone is toasty warm under the showerhead, and the other person is shivering in the back of the tub, giving them the death stare. Also! Parents love this thing for getting kids in and out of the shower without fights over the water. A portable cocktail maker tool that'll make you everyone's favorite girls' night host. Use the corresponding app to list the ingredients you have, pick your cocktail (or mocktail), select the number of servings, and then follow the app instructions, which will tell you exactly how much liquid to pour. No more measuring cups! A pack of ceiling fan carbon filters because they're unnoticeable when you stick them to your fan blades, but create a *very* noticeable difference in the air! They banish dust, pollen, smoke, dander, and other allergens as the fan spins (which will be quite often as the hotter weather approaches us). A spinning water bottle organizer if your collection of Stanley's, Starbucks tumblers, and more a problem, perhaps? This lazy Susan-style water bottle holder can accommodate up to six 40-ounce bottles so they stop spilling off the shelf in your kitchen cabinet. A Maybelline volumizing brow mousse that reviewers have claimed is superior to the Anastasia *and* Benefit brow products. This lets you effortlessly fill in sparse brows, fluff up thin ones, and tame curly ones for natural-looking, full brows that belong on the cover of Vogue. The LoudCup — a very, very, very loud cup that'll let you prove your "#1 fan" status and have everyone asking where you got it from. It'll quickly become a must-have for all the big sporting events you attend, even if it's just your kid's high school soccer team. It's also double-wall insulated, so it keeps your drink nice and cold, *and* keeps you from screaming yourself hoarse.
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Melania Trump (the statue) vanishes in Slovenia hometown
A bronze replica depicting US First Lady Melania Trump is seen after its unveiling in a field near US First Lady's hometown Sevnica, on Sept 15, 2020. PHOTO: AFP US First Lady Melania Trump's statue in Sevnica, Slovenia, was chopped off at the feet and stolen. PHOTO: MATEJ LESKOVSEK/NYTIMES SEVNICA, Slovenia – Where is Melania Trump? No, not the rarely seen US First Lady, but the statue made in her likeness that watched over her nearby hometown, Sevnica, Slovenia. The life-size bronze statue, 15 minutes outside Sevnica, disappeared from its perch this week. The theft was reported on May 13, police said. But it is not clear when, exactly, it was taken, Ms Alenka Drenik, a spokeswoman for the police, said by phone on May 16. 'Police are still assessing the theft, and an investigation is still ongoing,' Ms Drenik added. Residents of Sevnica have their suspicions. Some in the town of about 5,000 people in eastern Slovenia say it could have been an act of vandalism. Others say it was probably melted down for cash. None of the people interviewed thought, however, that the statue's disappearance had been in any way political. 'Melania is rarely seen in the spotlight or anywhere else, and even when she does do something, it's so bizarre, so I don't even want to think about her that much,' said Mr Igor Pavkovic, who has lived in Sevnica all his life and recalled laughing when he first saw the statue. The expressionless sculpture, its arm raised in a tight wave, never quite captured the heart of Sevnica's residents. Originally made of wood, it was hacked from a linden tree and unveiled in 2019 by an artist who used a chainsaw to create a very, very rough likeness of the First Lady. Painted powder blue to reflect the cashmere dress and gloves that she wore to her husband's first inauguration, in 2017, the wood statue stood 2.7m tall. But it was derided as resembling a scarecrow or a Smurf. Anonymous arsonists set the statue on fire on July 4, 2020. A bronze replacement was erected later that year. Now, only the statue's heavy cubist feet, hacked off at the ankles, remain on the tree trunk that had served as the statue's plinth. It had stood in a lonely field, far away from the municipal apartment block where Ms Trump grew up and the school she attended. The privately owned field overlooks the Sava River and a verdant valley, but only runners and cyclists would have regularly crossed paths with the statue. People gather around a statue of First Lady Melania Trump that had been derided as resembling a scarecrow. PHOTO: AFP Both the wood and metal iterations were commissioned by an American artist, Mr Brad Downey, who worked with local artisans to create the sculptures. Mr Downey said at the time that he saw it as an interrogation of President Donald Trump's harsh stance on immigration. 'The idea to commission the first monument to Melania has some cheekiness to it, but I wanted to do a serious investigation there,' Mr Downey said. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the statue's disappearance, it vanished at a time when public dissatisfaction with Donald Trump's second-term policies have been expressed globally through vandalism of vehicles made by Tesla, an electric car company owned by Elon Musk, Trump's adviser. Satirical advertisements mocking both men have also popped up around London in recent weeks. Few in Sevnica said they would miss the statue. 'I only saw it in pictures, and I thought it was very unesthetic,' said Ms Nena Bedek, an art teacher who said she went to school with Ms Trump. 'I had the feeling someone was making fun.' 'We were all ashamed of the statue when it was first unveiled, especially Melania and the Knavs family,' said Mr Bruno Vidmar, a hotelier whose business has thrived off the factory town's tenuous claim to the White House. Ms Trump's businessman father, Mr Victor Knavs, has been known to stop by Mr Vidmar's hotel for dinner when he is in town. Ms Trump was born in Novo Mesto, and her family later moved to Sevnica. She left in 1985 and has not been seen there since. That has not stopped the town from capitalising on its most famous ambassador. She has inspired coffee, chocolate and comfy slippers, all cleverly branded to avoid copyright claims. In a gift shop hangs an amateur painting that merges the facade of the White House with Sevnica's other famous attraction: a 12th century castle. A patisserie in Mr Vidmar's hotel serves a slice of Melania: a white chocolate, cream and mascarpone sponge cake, drizzled with walnuts, pistachios and sesame seeds. Mr Vidmar's wife came up with the recipe during Mr Donald Trump's first term, the hotelier said. A Melania cake: a white chocolate, cream and mascarpone sponge cake, drizzled with walnuts, pistachios and sesame seeds. PHOTO: MATEJ LESKOVSEK/NY TIMES Locals say it is fresh and elegant, like the First Lady. 'We can be proud of her that she is the First Lady now for the second time,' said Ms Meri Kelemina, who lives in a village near where the statue once stood. She added that the statue and its location did little for the town and did not flatter Sevnica's most famous former resident. 'I think she deserves a nice landmark,' she said. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Friday Music Guide: New Music From Rihanna, Morgan Wallen, Jin & More
Billboard's Friday Music Guide serves as a handy guide to this Friday's most essential releases — the key music that everyone will be talking about today, and that will be dominating playlists this weekend and beyond. This week, Rihanna unveils a summer Smurf jam, Morgan Wallen pulls back the curtain and Jin continues his solo momentum. Check out all of this week's picks below: More from Billboard The Weeknd Says Tom Cruise 'Lip Sync Battle' Helped Him Score First Hot 100 No. 1 in 'Tonight Show' Preview Bad Bunny Reveals His Big Summer Plans in 'SNL' Promos: 'Doing Awesome Stuff' Nick Jonas Thinks His Broadway Role Could Be Helping the Knicks' NBA Playoff Run: 'Coincidence? I Think Not' Rihanna, 'Friend of Mine' While Rihanna is no stranger to the soundtrack single, 'Friend of Mine,' from the upcoming Smurfs film, does not function like a shiny product for kid's movie — instead, the song thumps and shimmers with club-ready propulsion, as Rihanna lets the percussion take center stage and serves up what sounds like a long-lost, long-awaited summer jam. Morgan Wallen, At 37 songs and nearly two hours, I'm the Problem pushes Morgan Wallen's mega-sprawling approach to full-length projects to a new limit — but if it ain't broke, then the decade-defining, stadium-commanding country superstar has no reason to fix it, as his latest marks another rustic, self-examining storytelling extravaganza brimming with multi-song runs to be appreciated by different types of listeners. Jin, Six months after making his solo bow with Happy, Jin has quickly returned with Echo — but instead of feeling like a continuation of that debut project, the BTS member has already moved on to vibrant new sounds and ideas, ranging from the stately romance of opener 'Don't Say You Love Me' to the punk-inflected YENA collaboration 'Loser,' the latter making good use of the cowbell. Lola Young, 'One Thing' 'Everbody wants to know ya / But me? I only want one thing,' Lola Young declares on new single 'One Thing,' a slinky sex jam that showcases Young's ability to oscillate between commanding and yearning; following the smash confessional 'Messy,' the ascendant pop star wields this follow-up with hedonistic glee, as if she's ratcheting down the stakes to have some hard-earned fun. Avicii, Avicii's 2018 passing still feels crushing all these years later, yet his musical legacy has remained towering in his absence; Avicii Forever — a new compilation featuring the producer's biggest hits, essential tracks and one unreleased single, 'Let's Ride Away' featuring Elle King — underlines his sonic impact and acts as a handy first step for casual fans looking to dive deeper. Sebastian Yatra, The title of Sebastian Yatra's new album, Milagro, refers to a miracle that can occur thanks to a slight change in perspective; the idea defines the follow-up to 2022's Dharma +, as the singer-songwriter tweaks his lyrical approach to dig deeper into ideas of faith, emotional availability and communication across generations, while still providing plenty of melodic heft. Laufey, 'Tough Luck' 'I wanted to reveal an angrier side of myself — a side that this unfortunate relationship brought out in me,' Laufey says of her new single, 'Tough Luck,' in a press release. To preview upcoming album A Matter of Time, the rising singer-composer lets her frustration simmer above sighing harmonies and ornate string arrangements, producing a beautifully mad opening shot. Editor's Pick: Rico Nasty, After spending the majority of her career exploring the ways in which rock music can inform her hip-hop, Rico Nasty pushes toward full-throated pop-rock at times on Lethal, displaying her voice with a newfound vulnerability and expanding her aesthetic in impressive ways; considering that several songs on the new album don't reach the two-minute mark, Lethal zips by with verve and energy, and sets up an exciting future for Rico. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
