Latest news with #St.John'sUniversity
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chartbreaker: Mariah the Scientist on Her Biggest Hit's ‘Casual' Start & Using Her Platform to ‘Help People Feel Included'
True to her name, Mariah the Scientist's songs are often the result of several months, and sometimes years, spent combining different elements of choruses and verses until finding the right mixture. But when it came time for the 27-year-old to unveil her latest single, the sultry 'Burning Blue,' the R&B singer-songwriter was at a crossroads. So, she experimented with her promotional strategy, too — and achieved the desired momentum. 'Mariah felt she was in a space between treating [music] like a hobby and this being her career,' recalls Morgan Buckles, the artist's sister and manager. And so, they crafted a curated, monthlong rollout — filled with snippets, TikTok posts encouraging fan interaction and various live performances — that helped the song go viral even before its early May arrival. Upon its release, Mariah the Scientist scored her first solo Billboard Hot 100 entry and breakthrough hit. More from Billboard Young Thug Recalls Getting 'Stood Up' By Mariah The Scientist on Their First Date Chappell Roan Did the Viral 'Apple' Dance During Charli xcx's Primavera Sound Set: 'Love You B-ch!' 50 Years Ago, Elton John Became First Artist to Enter Billboard 200 at No. 1 - Just How 'Fantastic' Was the Feat? Mariah Amani Buckles grew up in Atlanta, singing from an early age. She attended St. John's University in New York and studied biology, but ultimately dropped out to pursue music. Her self-released debut EP, To Die For, arrived in 2018, after which she signed to RCA Records and Tory Lanez's One Umbrella label. She stayed in those deals until 2022 — releasing albums Master and Ry Ry World in 2019 and 2021, respectively — before leaving to continue as an independent artist. 'Over time, you start realizing [people] want you to change things,' Mariah says of her start in the industry. 'Everybody wants to control your art. I don't want to argue with you about what I want, because if we don't want the same things, I'll just go find somebody who does.' In 2023, after six months as an independent artist, Mariah signed a joint venture deal with Epic Records and released her third album, To Be Eaten Alive, which became her first to reach the Billboard 200. She then made two Hot 100 appearances as a featured artist in early 2024, on 'IDGAF' with Tee Grizzley and Chris Brown and 'Dark Days' with 21 Savage. 'Burning Blue' marks Mariah's first release of 2025 — and first new music since boyfriend Young Thug's release from jail following his bombshell YSL RICO trial. The song takes inspiration from Purple Rain-era Prince balladry with booming drums and warbling bass — and Mariah admits that the Jetski Purp-produced beat on YouTube (originally titled 'Blue Flame') likely influenced some lyrics, too. She initially recorded part of the track over an unofficial MP3 rip, but after Purp caught wind of it and learned his girlfriend was a fan, he gave Mariah the beat. Mariah then looped in Nineteen85 (Drake, Nicki Minaj, Khalid) to flesh out the production. 'I [recorded the first part of 'Burning Blue'] in the first room I recorded in when I first started making music in Atlanta,' Mariah says. 'I don't want to say it was a throwaway, but it was casual. I wrote some of it, and then I put it to the side.' Once Epic A&R executive Jennifer Raymond heard the in-progress track, she insisted on its completion enough that Mariah and her collaborators convened in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, in February to finish the song. By that point, they sensed something special. Mariah shared a low-quality snippet on Instagram, but Morgan — who joined as a tour manager in 2022 — knew a more polished presentation was needed to reach its full potential. Morgan eyed Billboard's Women in Music event in late March as the launchpad for the 'Burning Blue' campaign. Though Mariah wasn't performing or presenting at the event, Morgan wanted to take advantage of her already being in glam to shoot a flashier teaser than Mariah's initial IG story, which didn't even show her face. The two decided on a behind-the-scenes, pre-red carpet clip soundtracked by a studio-quality snippet of 'Burning Blue.' Posted on April 1, that clip showcased its downtempo chorus and Mariah's silky vocal and has since amassed more than two million views, with designer Jean Paul Gaultier's official TikTok account sharing the video to its feed. Ten days later, Morgan advised Mariah to share another TikTok, this time with an explicit call to action encouraging fans to use the song in their own posts and teasing that she 'might have a surprise' for fans with enough interaction. Mariah then debuted the song live on April 19 during a set at Howard University — a smart exclusive for her core audience — as anticipation for the song continued to build. Two weeks later, 'Burning Blue' hit digital service providers on May 2, further fueled by a Claire Bishara-helmed video on May 8 that has over 7 million YouTube views. 'We're at the point where opportunity meets preparation,' Morgan reflects of the concerted but not overbearing promotional approach. '[To Be Eaten Alive] happened so fast, I didn't even know what 'working' a project meant. This time, I studied other artists' rollouts to figure out how to make this campaign personal to her.' 'Burning Blue' debuted at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 dated May 17, marking Mariah's first time in the top 40. Following its TikTok-fueled debut, the song has shown legs at radio too, entering Rhythmic Airplay, R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay and Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay — to which Morgan credits Epic's radio team, spearheaded by Traci Adams and Dontay Thompson. '[The song] ended up going to radio a week earlier [than scheduled] because Dontay was like, 'If y'all like this song so much, then play it!,' and they did,' Morgan jokes. With 'Burning Blue' proving to be a robust start to an exciting new chapter, Mariah has a bona fide hit to start the summer as she prepares to unleash her new project, due before the fall. She recently performed the track on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and will have the opportunity to fan the song's flames in front of festival audiences including Governors Ball in June and Lollapalooza in August. But as her following continues to heat up, Mariah's mindset is as cool as ever. 'I'll take what I can get,' Mariah says. 'As long as I can use my platform to help people feel included or understood, I'm good.' A version of this story appears in the June 7, 2025, issue of Billboard. 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
New York Post
09-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
St. John's standout golfer poised to take shot at pro career
He's got the drive for success. Peicheng Chen first visited Long Island from his home in Beijing as a tween who spoke no English and knew little about America. His father, an incredibly successful skydiver on China's national team, brought Chen over to fulfill his high aspirations of turning his boy into a golfing elite. 'My dad wanted me to play an Olympic sport,' Chen, now a 22-year-old senior standout golfer for St. John's University who shot a record 62 on Bethpage Yellow, told The Post. 11 St. John's golfer Peicheng Chen practices at Rock Hill Golf and Country Club in Manorville, N.Y. on May 7, 2025. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 'We tried tennis when I was 6, but the ball knocked the racket out of my hand, and he said, 'OK, we move on,' and took me to a driving range.' After a fallout with Chen's former golf instructor, a family friend referred them to Michael Jacobs, a golf pro consistently ranked as one of the top 100 nationwide. At age 12, Chen went to Jacobs' Rock Hill Golf Club in Manorville, where his mom had to explain the situation using limited English. Jacobs was happy to help — only Chen didn't exactly look like a future star golfer. 11 Peicheng Chen recently finished third in the Big East Tournament after winning it last year. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 'All of a sudden, this little, skinny, Urkel-looking kid with glasses came in the door,' the golf pro said, adding that Chen was known to wear vibrant red clothes with the word 'China' all over them at first. He found the cultural differences tastefully amusing and quickly recognized the important things: Chen had the heart and the ambition to get better every day — despite the difficult language barrier. 11 Michael Jacobs, left, fist bumps St. John's golfer Peicheng Chen at Rock Hill Golf and Country Club in Manorville, N.Y. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post 'Back then, he would give me very simple words to demonstrate the motion I needed to do or use body language,' said Chen, who won the Big East individual title last year. 'He would even open up Google Translate to find a word that he wanted to say. … He's been taking care of me since I was 12.' 11 Michael Jacobs (right) helps St. John's golfer Peicheng Chen with his form in front of a golf simulator. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post That first summer turned into a decade of blossoming friendship between the two, as Chen loved returning to LI from China during the warm weather months each year until fully attending St. John's at age 18. 'A lot of times when kids come with their parents, they want instant gratification,' Jacobs said. 'They have to understand that golf is an evolving journey. Chen understood that right away.' 11 Peicheng Chen on his childhood visits to Long Island. Courtesy of Mike Jacobs Chipping away As Chen's golf skills patiently emerged by his 20s — he won last year's Doc Gimmler tournament by shooting a 5-under 206 over 54 holes at Bethpage Black — Jacobs knew his bet for pro potential was spot on. The rising star was also privy to expertise passed along by some of Jacobs' clientele, including Hall of Famer Padraig Harrington and major winners Jason Dufner and Steve Elkington. 11 Peicheng Chen on his childhood visits to Long Island. Courtesy of Mike Jacobs Jacobs influenced Chen to attend St. John's to be close to the club as well. 'Long Island, Rock Hill, is my second family out here. They taught me everything I needed to know about the United States,' said Chen, who pointed out that China has only 400 golf courses nationwide compared to the nearly 100 he gets to play and learn from on LI. 11 Peicheng Chen learns from Michael Jacobs during his visits on Long Island. 11 St. John's golfer Peicheng Chen practices at Rock Hill Golf and Country Club in Manorville, N.Y. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Those lessons also included American sarcasm and humor — Chen excels at both — while being treated as a 'celebrity' by club members, staff and even landscapers who still smile when he visits from Queens. 'They really do take care of me,' said Chen, who will start as an assistant pro at Rock Hill after graduating in two weeks. 'Michael Jacobs is basically my big brother. We have a tremendous, unbelievable friendship together.' 11 A sign from St. John's golfer Peicheng Chen's New York State Open win at the Bethpage State Park Black Course hangs up at the Rock Hill Golf and Country Club in Manorville, N.Y. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Moving fore-ward While Chen looks forward to having a job to pay the bills, Jacobs, with whom he has a brotherly, golf-ball-busting rapport, has the position designed for a higher purpose. 'Everything is geared towards getting him ready to be a professional player,' Jacobs said. 'I never got married, I never had kids, or a little brother, so I feel like I've finally been able to pass on my golf knowledge to Chen.' 11 St. John's golfer Peicheng Chen holds the New York State Open trophy that he won at Rock Hill Golf and Country Club in Manorville, N.Y. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post Nevertheless, there is still more to be done with the Johnnies before the next proverbial hole of his life. Following a mighty comeback on the third day of the Big East Tournament this year, Chen's third-place performance was enough for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament at Poplar Grove Golf Club in Amherst, Va., starting Monday. He got the news on the 10th tee box at Noyack Country Club during a U.S. Open qualifier in Sag Harbor. 11 Peicheng Chen on his childhood visits to Long Island. 'I saw my name and started jumping up and down,' Chen said. 'This year I want to go out, play my own game, have fun, and just try and make St. John's and Long Island proud.'
CBS News
23-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Pope Francis celebrated with Mass and art at St. John's University in Queens
As people around the world gather to honor Pope Francis, St. John's University in Queens is bringing its community together in both traditional and unique ways. There was moment of prayer and reflection for the the school community on Wednesday with a Mass at St. Thomas More Church in remembrance of the pope, who died on Monday at the age of 88. "He walked humbly and lovingly" In delivering his message, Rev. Brian Shanley, the school's president, spoke on the pontiff's ability to walk alongside people, just like Jesus did with his disciples. "Rather than being a pope way up here, he was a pope that would be right with you in your struggles with your faith and in the church's struggles. He walked humbly and lovingly and that's what I loved about him," Shanley said. Shanley said the pope had a gift for reaching out to young people, which was evident to students like Aidan Heffernan, who's an altar server. "I think it's a great opportunity for young people to get involved. There's still a lot of pain and suffering around the world and my religion helps me focus on the good," Heffernan said. St. John's students express grief through art Ahead of the Mass, students gathered outside the church to express their grief through art, each painting a tile to create a mosaic of the pontiff that offers a different way to reflect. "We're providing space where people can be quiet or they can be engaged; they can have conversations, but it's a healing experience," said Dan Napolitano, director of student services at St. John's Tobin College of Business. "He had such an impact on the Catholic Church, community and the world as a whole," graduate student Julianna Biondi said of Pope Francis. Those sentiments were echoed by Bishop Joseph Espaillat of the Bronx. "It has been a mix of emotions for me. I was named by Pope Francis to be an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York. Very sobering, very real. It was a privilege moment," Espaillat told CBS News New York from Rome, where he was able to pay his respects to Pope Francis at Casa Santa Marta. "To me, personally, [his death] was almost losing a father figure. [He was] a really humble man who loved the Lord and has now gone back home to him."
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Boho chic! Indie sleaze! Coachella looks show the aughts are back in style.
We're four months into 2025, but as far as Coachella is concerned, it may as well be 2005 all over again. Festivalgoers descended on the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif., for three-day Weekend 1 dressed in clothing that wouldn't have been out of place 20 years ago. Sheer, ruffled tops, chunky belts and cowboy boots are a few of the aughts fashion staples that have emerged as favorites among attendees. With Weekend 2 of Coachella kicking off Friday, expect more of the same. 'We've seen a kind of continuous interest in Y2K fashion, particularly from Gen Z and younger demographics,' Emma McClendon, an assistant professor of fashion studies at St. John's University, told Yahoo Entertainment. What constitutes a 'festival-appropriate' outfit is often subjective. Inspiration can be drawn from various people and places — whether it's following in the sartorial footsteps of 'it' girls from past festivals or sourcing pieces specific to a certain time period. For some festivalgoers, curating outfits for Coachella can be as important as choosing which artists you plan to see perform. Leading up to Weekend 1, which took place April 11-13, Google Trends cited the 'butterfly top' as the No. 1 searched item in relation to 'Coachella outfits' for the past month. Worn by celebrities like Mariah Carey and Salma Hayek in the 2000s, the Emanuel Ungaro-designed garment was characterized by its colorful crystal embellishments and butterfly-shaped silhouette. The butterfly, as a wider motif in fashion, was also a Y2K staple — beloved by stars like Christina Aguilera and Paris Hilton. In the case of Coachella 2025, the aughts are the style blueprint. That goes for performers as well. South African R&B singer Tyla wore vintage Dolce & Gabbana pieces sourced from the designer's spring 2000 runway collection for her April 11 set. The 'Water' singer wore a white cropped T-shirt over a gold crystal mesh bra, which she paired with a fringed, brocade micro-mini skirt. Charli XCX also drew inspiration from the aughts when curating her Coachella looks. The 'Club Classics' singer hit the stage in a Tom Ford-era Saint Laurent blouse from the fall-winter 2002 collection, along with a Dolce & Gabbana belt from spring-summer 2003. She was also spotted wearing a lace camisole and ruched, low-slung maxi skirt at a festival event. Singer-songwriter Clairo leaned into the 2000s-era trend of wearing sheer, lace fabrics when she stepped out in a layered patchwork dress for her April 12 performance. Coachella, per McClendon, is a 'microcosm' that helps us better understand what fashion people are interested in when it comes to materials, colors and silhouettes. While it's important to note that outfits worn at Coachella aren't 'what people are wearing to the office or to school,' she says, there's a larger revival of fashion from the aughts that's returning to the mainstream. 'There's a very clear period right around 2000, both the late '90s and the first years of the 2000s, that feels very distinct from, let's say, post-2005,' she said. 'Post-2005, as we start to get toward [the] 2010s, we start to see skinny jeans and a skinnier silhouette in general, like skinny scarves and also cowboy boots, and certain elements that we're starting to see bubble into the consciousness right now — in terms of what's both on the runways with the return of Chloé's boho and also the return of what now is termed 'indie sleaze' elements.' Cowboy boots, which ranked No. 5 on Google Trends' top items of apparel searched with 'Coachella outfits,' are also 'very much in the ether right now,' said McClendon, and are a staple among festival attendees. She also predicts that horizontal headbands are primed to make a comeback too, as that 'kind of festival dressing, party-girl style of the 2000s' returns. The skull-printed silk chiffon scarf by Alexander McQueen, which debuted during the designer's spring-summer 2003 collection, chunky belts and skinny jeans are other examples of aughts staples that McClendon believes are well on their way, if not already, back in style. These returning trends had their last heyday from 2005 to 2009, McClendon said. 'Sienna Miller, Mary-Kate Olsen, Alexa Chung [and] Kate Moss [are some] of these style icons that really epitomized that moment,' McClendon said. 'I think that's really where we're going to see that interest.' More than being tied to nostalgia, Evan Collins, an architectural designer and founder of the Consumer Aesthetics Research Institute, an online database that catalogs design aesthetics from the late midcentury, suggests that the return to aughts fashion is another signal of the return to maximalism. 'It just sort of intersects with that 20- or 25-year cycle of the early 2000s, which was one of the most maximalist periods ever,' he said. A shift back toward maximalism, Collins said, can sometimes be seen as a sort of collective mourning and a way for people to cope with economic stress or political uncertainty. While this is 'generally what leads to time periods where you get this very ornate like maximalist kind of showy fashion,' he doesn't believe that's the case here. Odds are, these trends are back for a simpler reason: People just like it. 'I don't know if we can put that much [weight into it],' Collins said. '[Sometimes it can just be] a really cool-looking piece of clothing that people haven't seen for like 20 years.'
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hometown Hero – Anthony Burt, West Warwick
WEST WARWICK, RI (WPRI) — This week's Cardi's Furniture & Mattresses Hometown Sports Hero is Anthony Burt. As a Sophomore, Burt pitched West Warwick to a Winner take All Final in Division-III Championship Series, going 4-0 on the year with a 0.26 ERA. This year, Burt is off to a 2-0 start with 15 Strikeouts in 9.1 scoreless innings. 'We're very fortunate,' said Wizard Head Coach Richard Grenier. 'I've been around here for 35 years and quite honestly, we've had a lot of great players come and go, but we've never had a kid like Anthony who will throw between 91-92 MPH. He's got a great slider, a great curve and he's getting better and better every time he steps on the mound.' Baseball was his first sport, and after a little break, it became his passion. 'I started when I was four playing Tee Ball and then I played up until I was six,' Burt said. 'I took a little break and then I decided to go ask my Dad to play catch when I was about 8 or 9 and then I started to fall in love with it.' Anthony's success already settling his future. He's verbally committed to pitch at St. John's University, where he will become the first Wizard to go straight to a D-I program since Jason Rajotte in 1988. And success in the Big East could lead to a call one day from a team in the Major League Draft. 'Yeah, it definitely took a big weight off of my shoulders, because the process was really stressful, taking all the phone calls,' Burt said. 'It's exciting. Definitely the dream, get there and do my job and whatever they ask of me.' 'You know what, knowing him, his success could be limitless,' said Wizards Coach Matthew Grenier. 'St. John's University could be a steppingstone. That's a huge motivator and he could be a kid in the next 3-4 years you see him getting drafted and playing some high level ball.' If you have a Hometown Sports Hero you'd like to nominate, email sports@ Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
