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Julia Fox Dishes On Drake Romance Rumors, Kim & Kanye Divorce

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Source: OK!

Feb. 5 2022, Published 4:18 p.m. ET

Setting the record straight.

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Julia Fox has spoken out about the rumors that she once had a red hot romance with boyfriend Kanye West's frenemy Drake.

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The Uncut Gems actress, 32, spilled the deets on Friday's installment of her Forbidden Fruits podcast, but she still didn't exactly deny hooking up with the "Hotline Bling" rapper.

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"He's a great guy and a gentleman... and that was it," she explained. "Nothing really happened, we were just, like, friends hanging out ... I wouldn't say that we were dating."

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"I feel like they've squashed their issues," Fox said during the podcast. "Obviously, when I first started speaking to Ye, I told him immediately I think on the first day, before it went any further because I'm just an honest person."

Although Fox and West still appear to be going strong despite the rumors of her past love affairs, the same cannot be said for the billionaire rapper and his soon-to-be ex-wife.

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As OK! previously reported, the high profile exes who share North, 8, Saint, 6, Chicago, 4, and Psalm, 2 went back and forth in several biting social media posts aimed at each other on Friday, February 4.

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Now, a source has spilled that while Fox "understands" the problems between Kim Kardashian and the "Flashing Lights" rapper, she hopes they can amicably sort out their issues with each other sooner rather than later.

Julias been in the same predicament, so she understands that divorces are messy and when kids are involved it makes it almost impossible, a source close to the fashion model dished to Page Six. She just wants them to resolve their issues.

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The source also noted that it seemed "a little strange and coincidental that after any big outing they have in the press, something like this happens."

"Theres been more instances of subtle retaliation and gaslighting," the source said, before accusing the Keeping Up with the Kardashians alum of doing things "to purposely trigger him [West] because she knows hell take the bait."

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Julia Fox Sets The Record Straight On Past Drake Romance Rumors As Sources Spill 'Uncut Gems' Star Wants Kim Kardashian & Kanye West To 'Resolve...

Daryl Hall is in a better place this winter, hanging out in the Bahamas. But it's a working vacation, as Hall digs deep into writing with producer and friend Dave Stewart.

He has a long history with the co-founding member of Eurythmics, who is well known as a producer with Tom Petty, Mick Jagger, Bob Dylan and others. They first collaborated professionally on Hall's second solo album, 1986's Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, but their friendship goes further back.

More than an albums worth of songs are currently taking shape, Hall said during a Zoom conversation with UCR from Stewart's house. It was clear that they're thoroughly enjoying having the chance to explore new creative avenues.

Meanwhile, the April 1 release of his BeforeAfter retrospective will give fans a chance to catch up with the solo side of the Hall and Oates frontman's career. He'll hit the road that same day with colleague and friendTodd Rundgrenfor a touring run that promises shared moments on stage, in addition to their own sets.

Youre working on new solo music with Dave Stewart. How did that start up?Ive known Dave since the 80s. He and I made that album, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, back in 1986. Weve been friends ever since. I mean, weve done a lot together. Hes taken pictures of me and weve written songs together and done things on various albums. I mean, its a long relationship. I used to have a house here on Harbor Island, where I am. Dave came down here because of me and then I sold the house. [Laughs.] Daves here and I dont have a house here now!

So Ive been staying in his guesthouse and weve just been hanging out. You know, were writing songs and he has a recording studio that he built down here. Its going great. Its really just the two of us making music with an engineer who is sort of a multi-instrumentalist engineer from Nashville, who came down [to work with us]. Its really homemade good stuff.

How would you describe the music?Boy, in its own way, its sort of like the Three Hearts stuff I did with Dave. We have a certain writing style that we do. Its sort of in that direction.

How did you two cross paths initially?I cant remember, if you want the truth. Over the years, Ive lived in London and spent a lot of time there. Somehow, somebody said we should get together. I cant remember who or why. Maybe he knows. I cant remember. [Laughs.] But I just wound up going to his house. The first time I actually physically met him, we started writing songs immediately. We just sat down and started like we had known each other forever.

You've previously mentioned that Robert Fripp is going to be involved in some fashion with this project. So you two have stayed in touch over the years since working together on the Sacred Songs album?Yeah! And again, thats a situation where Robert and I were friends before we collaborated together, way back in the 70s. Weve kept in touch over the years. Recently, I emailed him, it was as simple as that. He was really happy to hear from me and said Lets do something together. I was supposed to go to England and the pandemic kind of screwed that up. But Im going to go over in a few weeks and see Robert, and lets see what comes out of that. You know, there will be some kind of music.

It seems like you thrive on the collaborative side of what you do and like a lot of collaborations, what comes out is something you might not have done if left to your own devices.Yeah, I love collaboration; I love interaction. Its more than the sum of its parts. I thrive on it and it stimulates me. Thats why I do it that way so much. Im not that one-man-band kind of thing, where I sit in the studio and play all of the parts myself and dont talk to anybody. [Laughs.] I need interaction.

When we spoke 2020, you were working on songs for a proposed Hall and Oates album with Jett Rebel. It seems like those songs went on the shelf. What's the latest?Its funny, Ive just been in email contact with Jett over the past few days. Were going to resume some things and revisit them. Well revisit some of the songs and continue them. I have a great relationship with him and I feel the same way as I did when I talked to you the last time. Hes a really talented and gifted musician. He will somehow fit into whatever this [project] is that Im creating here. Im not sure how yet, but hell be around.

UCR takes a chronological look at the 100 best rock albums of the '80s.

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Daryl Hall Is Recording New Solo Music with Dave Stewart - Ultimate Classic Rock

Reggae singer Guidance has released a new single, Shamballa Rock featuring BoysieRoses, Energy Di Dancer and Real Flava. A video for the song was released on January 27th on the Kerron Records label.

The response has been great so far to the Shamballa Rock, the streets are working with it, the song plays every night at all the dances in the Corporate Area, ah the hottest ting right now. and now that the video is released, this movement has gone international now, I see Shamballa Rock going far, Guidance said.

Shambhala or Shamballa is a mythical Buddhist kingdom where all of the citizens have achieved enlightenment, so it is the embodiment of Tibetan Buddhist perfection. However, the dance is inspired by a music insider called Shamballa who

The idea for the dance comes from Shamballa from Roses who is known for his signature move, the rock. The song came about when we wanted to pay tribute to him cause you know we always rocking. So we all go in a voice the riddim, Energy come, Boyzie forward, Real Flava likewise and a history create. A lot of skankers start out and reach different so ah just Shambala Rockis a simple rock, All Father Pow ah dance. It ah get feedback from all over the world, Europe, Africa, everywhere, Guidance said.

Boyzie Roses and Energy are popular dancers in the street while Real Flava is a dancehall artist. Shambala for whom the dance is named, is a long-time member of the Roses Crew which was led by the late dancer Bogle.

Guidance is known for the hit song, Love What You Got, but lately, he has been doing more dancehall-themed songs with a dance twist like the popular Logo Boss was officially released on Kerrons Records in February 2020.

Guidance is looking forward to shows in Europe this summer.

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Guidance Teams Up with Energy, Boysie Roses And Real Flava For Shamballa Rock - DancehallMag

So many artists, so little time. Each weekwe review a handful of new albums(of all genres), round up even more new musicthat we'd call "indie,"and talk aboutwhat metal is coming out. We postmusic news, track premieres, and more all day. We update aplaylist weeklyof some of our current favorite tracks. Here's a daily roundup with a bunch of interesting, newly released songs in one place.

THE RANGE - "BICAMERAL"

Vermont electronic musician The Range (aka James Hinton) has followed 2016's great Potential with his first new single in six years, "Bicameral," via Domino Records. It's a skittering, upbeat, and very catchy song that has us looking forward to whatever else he's got up his sleeve this year.

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AESOP ROCK - THE RECYCLING BIN (BLOCKHEAD REMIXES)

After reuniting with Aesop Rock last year for the great collaborative album Garbology, Blockhead has remixed three Aesop tracks that he didn't produce, giving them the Blockhead twist. They're drastically different versions, and very cool in their own right.

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EST GEE - "WHO HOTTER THAN GEE"

Louisville rapper EST Gee follows his great Bigger Than Life or Death with a new single, and it's a tough-as-nails new song that proves Gee is just getting better and better.

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SICAYDA - "K-Y-G"

Toronto's Sicayda have put out a new single, "K-Y-G" (aka "Kill Your God"), a companion to their recent single "K-Y-E" (aka "Kill Your Ego"), and it's a very appealing fusion of heavy shoegaze and hooky post-hardcore.

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LA SEN - "HYASYNTH"

London-based singer, songwriter and producer La Sen has released her debut single for Partisan Records, "Hyasynth," which she says "is about my journey from my home in Cergy in the outskirts of Paris to London. I had to accept all the past mistakes Ive made back home that I couldnt go back to. I had to accept and move on. In a way, I ran away from certain things. In another way I also made the first step into growing into the person I really wanted to be. Sometimes I feel like my past mistakes haunt me, thats what I felt making this song. Its about wanting to grow and handle life with more wisdom."

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ALL THEM WITCHES - "BLACKSNAKE BLUES"

Stoner rockers All Them Witches have launched a new project, Baker's Dozen, with one song each month in 2022 plus an extra track. The first is "Blacksnake Blues," a jammy, 11-minute song that'll take you right back to the original blues rock era.

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LOVE BURNS - "IN A LONG TIME"

"The Triffids song 'Do You Want Me Near You,' from In the Pines was a big influence on 'In a Long Time,' along with Petula Clark's 'Downtown,' says Phil Sutton (Comet Gain, Pale Lights) of the new single from his upcoming album as Love Burns. "The former has a fantastically melodic bass line, and then a great metallic, reverb-y guitar solo that makes me think of wide open spaces in (the) Australia (of my imagination). The lyrics capture loneliness and isolation very well, which is what I tried to do with my song. Where it differs, I think is that Ive tried to make 'In a Long Time' a New York City song, rather than a relationship song; it's a sort of upside down, melancholic version of "Downtown," where someone new to the city is on the subway, looking at twinkling lights, and all the Saturday night people, but is quite alone.

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MADI DIAZ - "RESENTMENT" FT. WAXAHATCHEE

Madi Diaz is releasing a companion EP to her excellent 2021 album History of a Feeling, and the first single is a gorgeous rendition of "Resentment" featuring gorgeous harmonies with her soon-to-be tourmate Waxahatchee.

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CASSANDRA JENKINS - "IT'S YOU" (ANIMAL COLLECTIVE & VASHTI BUNYAN COVER)

Cassandra Jenkins' cover of Animal Collective& Vashti Bunyan's "It's You" --their collaborative 2005 EP, Prospect Hummer -- is from Under the Radar's upcoming Covers of Covers comp. Cassandra does a gorgeous version, with her voice sounding marvelous against swirling harp.

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PETER BJORN AND JOHN - "SONGS OF LOVE" (DIVINE COMEDY COVER)

Also from Covers of Covers, Peter Bjorn and John take on The Divine Comedy's 1996 track "Songs of Love" which was also the theme song to British sitcom Father Ted.

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Looking for even more new songs? Browse theNew Songs archive.

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New Songs: The Range, EST Gee, Aesop Rock, All Them Witches, more - Brooklyn Vegan

If ever proof is needed that music is the universal language, you need to look no further than how this weekends Rock the Universe music festival pulled people together during these extraordinarily difficult times, uniting them spiritually and musically, leading many to raise their hands in the air and shed tears of joy in celebration. Thousands of families along with countless youth groups from across the nation gathered at what has now become an annual go-to destination for the largest Christian music festival in Florida. For more than 34 years, Disney held a similar event at the Magic Kingdom but a few years ago decided to pull the plug on the event, making Rock the Universe at Universal Orlando Resort the only Florida event of its kind. Those who had tickets to the after-hours event that took place from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. got to experience an all-night music and thrill-ride experience at the annual two-day event at Universal Music Plaza Stage, featuring some of the biggest names in Christian music, including for KING & COUNTRY, Casting Crowns, Crowder, Matthew West, Rhett Walker, Jordan Feliz, Riley Clemmons, Zach Williams, Big Daddy Weave, We the Kingdom, Cory Asbury of Bethel Music, and other bands that performed on three separate stages scattered across the theme park grounds for two nights of unforgettable performances.

While the name of the festival is Rock the Universe, the festivals music lineup was comprised of a diverse set of genres that included everything from pop and country to folk, hip hop, and rock, all sharing a common Christian message that filled those who attended with hope, faith, and fun. On opening night on Friday, temperatures dipped into the low 50s, quite unusual for Orlando and Florida in general, but a jam-packed crowd of more than 8,000 relentless music lovers endured the coldest temps of the year while waiting patiently for the opening night headliner.

Southern/country rocker Rhett Walker made a reappearance at Rock the Universe. This highly talented singer/songwriter didnt disappoint and has what it takes to play country, Southern rock, or whatever genre he wants. A highly underrated artist who needs to be kept on your radar, Walker performed a memorable show, and one of the highlights of his performance was singing a duet with his 17-year-old daughter.

Rock the Universe favorite folk rocker Crowder returned to Orlando for his second time, his first during pre-pandemic 2019. The Waco-based Crowder got the audience moving and waving their hands in the air while performing crowd pleasers Run Devil Run and I Know a Ghost among others while priming the crowd for headliners for KING & COUNTRY.

After incredible performances by Walker and Crowder, the stage lights dipped at exactly 11 p.m., setting the stage for Rock the Universe veteran headliners to rock the freezing fans. Australian-born pop duo for KING & COUNTRY quickly warmed up the crowd by delivering a high-energy performance that kept fans of the Christian alternative rockers dancing and singing along to every word of their nearly two-hour set.

The now Nashville-based four-time Grammy Award winning brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone known as for KING & COUNTRY are widely recognized for their magnificent stage productions that include outstanding set design, heavy drums, and a terrific light show. They opened the night by appearing on stage in separate elevators as the duo slowly descended as they got into their first tune. The duo continued with a non-stop run of their very best songs including Relate and For God is with Us, two recently released singles that are quickly climbing the charts and both from their soon-to-be-released fifth studio album What are We Waiting For? They continued through fan-favorites God Only Knows, Joy, and Burn The Ships among the many tunes they performed along with the other six band members of for KING & COUNTRY.

On night two, Saturday was by far the coldest night of the event that had festival-goers bundled up with scarves and gloves in thirty-two degree weather. Undeterred, the cold weather wouldnt dampen the spirits of those who came for a second night of rides that included Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, Transformers 4D: The Ride, Race through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon, Fast and the Furious Ride, Woody Woodpecker Nuthouse Coaster, E.T. Adventure, The Simpsons Ride, Kang & Kudos Twirl n Hurl, Men In Black Alien Attack and Hogwarts Express. If the rides alone didnt keep you entertained, the music sure did. Whether you wanted a more intimate experience with your favorite bands who performed on the smaller stages or the huge concert experience taking place at Universal Music Plaza Stage, there was a buzz in the air as kids from nearly every corner of America gathered with friends or perhaps made some new ones, these new friends and memories will remain long after the road trip back home and return to normal life. For the final night of Rock the Universe there was plenty of good music to be enjoyed despite the freezing temperatures. Perhaps the biggest decision to be made was whether to ride the rides or catch a set of music; clearly, the music was the choice of many, and there were overlaps with three stages working.

On the Universal Music Plaza Stage, Florida-born Christian rocker Zach Williams performed several of his most recognized chart-topping hits, including Rescue Story and Less Like Me, both from his second studio album Rescue Story released in 2019. The stage setup featured church-type stained glass windows that served as a backdrop to the bands incredibly melodic sound that kept fans on their feet and moving hands in the air from side to side during the 75-minute set.

With fans crowding and packing tightly into every inch of the concert grounds at the plaza stage, a buzz filled the chilled air as fans welcomed back one of the regular performers at Rock the Universe, Casting Crowns, led by Mark Hall, who is a pastor when not performing and used to attend RTU with his youth group before making a name for himself in the music world. Casting Crowns now travels the world performing to sold out shows regularly. The band is comprised of part family, part youth group and together they create the bands hard-hitting tunes that have won several awards, including both Grammy and Dove awards. Serving as the headlining band on the final night of Rock the Universe, they immediately engaged the crowd with an inspired message of hope that its never too late for greatness before getting into the bands very best tunes that included Nobody, Only Jesus, One Step Away, and Scars in Heaven among other notable songs. Casting Crowns doesnt rely on special lighting or stage props; what they deliver is music that comes from the heart; it is pure emotion and music that you would most likely sing along to in church on Sunday morning.

It was no surprise that when you get two extraordinary talents like for KING & COUNTY and Casting Crowns along with a dozen other talented performers on one incredible weekend that the atmosphere was going to be something truly special. What can we expect for next year? Perhaps better weather, but one thing is for sure, many are already making plans for next years Rock the Universe 2023.

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Rock The Universe Delivers A Spirited Weekend Experience MUSICFESTNEWS - Music Fest News

After making long-long duos, finally, the second new season for the Sex/Life series is said to arrive soon on Netflix screens. But, before talking about the second new season, lets start with an introduction to the series for all the ones living under a rock all these days.

The sex/Life franchise has been standing as one of the biggest Netflix blockbusters for 2021. Well, it doesnt need any complex math to find the logic behind its success.

The American romantic franchise, which is mainly based on sensual pieces of stuff, makes its primary focus on the suburban mother of two who had taken a fantasy-charged trip all the way memory lane, and the trip becomes a new reason to bring a conflict in her married Life and with her wild past.

The sex/Life whole franchise has got its adaptation from BB Eastons novel 44 Chapters About 4 Men, which makes the series include elements from 50 Shades of Grey and evens 365 Days appear harmless in contrast. So, now you might have got a better picture of the Sex/Life is all about. Lets directly jump in and exchange more updates for the second new season for the Sex/Life franchise.

As good news, yes, immediately, Netflix gave a new renewal for thesecond new season for Sex/Life back in August 2021itself. But, this stands out as a no surprise to all of us looking at the sudden renewal! All thanks to all the fans who showed so much excitement for new episodes and supported the whole franchise all through its airing.

As per Netflixs track on hourly watch time data, the Sex/Life franchise enumerates 282,100,000 million hours and made Sex/Life take the position for being in the top ten for the list of global Netflix list.

Sex/Life stands in the third position for being the most-watched Netflix Original series for 2021. The series also got its higher position for being the most-watched English Original series for the year. The record has been taken since enumerating from its first season release on 24th June last year.

As of now, we can assure you that Netflix has added Sex/Life Season 2 to its production chart and for its release. But, talking about the 2022 release. We have many reports claiming that the production is still yet to start, which gives us a big question mark about the 2022 release for Sex/Life Season 2.

But, as a relief, the starting date for the production has been confirmed by Netflix, which is slated to be from 7th February, and many rumours claim that the product will be brought under-wrapped by the end of April this year.

However, the official release date is yet to be confirmed by Netflix. Maybe, as the production begins, we will get to see Netflix coming up for a release date and trailer as well. So, lets just be holding back and show patience.

Lets go with it again! Alongside the release, even the appearing casting members for season 2 hold back as a mystery to us. But, lets overthink, but we do expect that the casting would remain the same from the first previous season, as they all have to support the plotline further from where the plot left off from the first season.

Considering this, we will see Billie, our main heroine, divided and left in confusion between two men playing a crucial role in her Life here, one man is from her past, and another man is from the present.

Brad, the man from her past and her former husbands character role, has been taken by Adam Demos, Cooper, who appears as her current spouse, and Mike Vogel has taken up this characters role.

Margaret Odette will be casting as Billies best friend, named Sasha. Sasha is another essential character for the series as she is Billies best friend and supports Billie as a conduit to help her express her mixed thoughts about her marriage.

Sasha has been staying single and is living a sort of Life alongside Billies desires. She has been spending most of her time in the series, somehow persuading Billie to quit jeopardizing her marriage and to come out of her past.

Hey hey! Lets not forget Cooper, who has been taking all of his wifes misgivings; Cooper found himself confronting himself to leave his marriage when his boss, Francesca, whose role was taken up by Li Jun Li, discloses her emotions and feelings she has for him. This gave us a good hint about them getting together in the future in the first season. So, maybe we can expect Francesca to play an essential role in Coopers Life.

Lets connect the dots from season 1. In the first season, we got to see Billie, who seems to have taken her final decision about whether she wants to give herself another chance to make her marriage thing work.

But, with more episodes coming, we even saw Brad, who had gained a feeling for her, and in no time, he even revealed his love and feelings for her and his desire to marry Billie. But Billie declined Brads proposal straight up as she didnt want to lose her family, which she had formed.

Although slowly even Billie finds only her family life isnt enough for her Life, she also gains desires for the adventurous sex life with Brad. So, by leaving her childrens performance, Billie approaches Brad and reveals to him that she still doesnt want to leave her husband, but the twist comes when she reveals her sexual attraction towards Brad and her desire to have sexual relations with him.

With a total of eight episodes being aired showing Billie, who is agonizing over her decision, it does bring a lot of confusion and twists about whom she will be choosing among these two men in her Life. As we mentioned above, we will also get to see Coopers life changed with the second season as his boss, Francesca, reveals her feelings for him.

With no production being started yet! The trailer for Sex/Life Season 2 is still a thing to wait for. So, we will have to wait a little longer to see the trailer coming to the screens. We will get updates as the trailer gets official.

The first season for the series came up with eight episodes. So, we will probably get to see more than eight episodes being added for the second season. Maybe, the number of episodes can be increased, but it wont be decreased.

Until now, Netflix has given its renewal for the second season only. So, maybe after the aring for the second season, we will see the renewal happening for the third season, but yes, as the series is so popular on Netflix, the chances for the season is high.

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Sex/Life Season 2: Will Netflix Release It In 2022 Or Not? - Gizmo Story

A nine-year-old Vicky Persinger, far right, tells the members of the 2002 Alaska junior men's curling team (from left, Leo Johnson, Colin Hufman, Martin Sather, Chris Benshoof and Steven Birklid) how they've inspired her during an event at the Fairbanks Curling Club in March 2002. (Persinger family photo)

The speakers in the minivan bumped Ludacris Back seat, windows up as Colin Hufman reached to turn it up further. In the drivers seat, our long-suffering coach Bill Gryder navigated toward the Rochester Curling Club. Colin had a habit of spiking the volume during the raunchiest verses of the Dirty South rap we listened to on the way to and from our hotel, and Bill had long ago resigned himself to just letting it happen. It was early 2001, and the Alaska junior mens curling team was on its way to the semifinals at the national championships.

I was the teams alternate, the same spot on the team that Colin has this year on the U.S. Olympic squad as it seeks to defend its 2018 gold medal. What being the alternate meant for me, for practical purposes, was that I sat at the end of the ice sheet with a laptop, running the statistics software that tracked my teammates performance. If I played a game to spell someone who needed a break for a physical or mental reset, the decline in our overall skill was noticeable, even if I wasnt the one tracking it with CurlStat. This is not the case with Colin, who is just as capable as the other four members of our Olympic team, and who has a knack for providing a spark when his team needs one a fact Im sure contributed to his selection for the Olympics.

I started curling in seventh grade, at the urging of my English teacher. I felt like I had nothing to lose, having proven mediocre-to-poor at baseball, basketball, soccer and wrestling. Also, my mother and her family are Canadians, and I wasnt cut out for hockey, so I figured it was the only way to honor their legacy on the ice. I was decent, but nowhere near as good as Colin or the other kids who had been curling since they were able to walk.

A young Vicky Persinger gives a Fairbanks Curling Club stone a shove circa 1997. (Persinger family photo)

Getting started right around when I did, though so small she couldnt yet throw a rock all the way down the 150-foot sheet, was Vicky Persinger, the scion of Fairbanks most prominent curling family. The Persingers are numerous, and nearly all of them are excellent curlers; friends have half-joked that the Fairbanks Curling Club should host a Persinger Spiel a tournament where each team that registers needs to include at least one Persinger. This would also solve an issue that often presents itself in Fairbanks curling spiels: If a teams members are all Persingers, theyre the odds-on favorites to blow everyone else off the ice.

[With world-class skill and hometown pride, a Fairbanks curler slides toward Beijing]

Our junior mens team took third place at nationals in 2001, though USA Curling somehow mailed me a runner-up medal a few months later (if anyone from USA Curling reads this, no, I will not send it back). The next year, I was in college out of state, but the rest of the team stayed together and won the junior national championship. In a testament to how small the curling world is, the team they beat in the championship match was helmed by John Shuster who is now the skip of our Olympic team.

It was the first, and so far only, time that Alaska had won a junior national championship. At the curling club reception after they returned, a 9-year-old Vicky Persinger told Colin and his teammates what their win meant to her how a kid from Fairbanks could grow up and win a national championship, maybe even win the Olympics. There was a spark lit in Vicky that day, and shes nurtured it ever since.

So how do you go from the Fairbanks Curling Club to the Beijing Olympics? The short answer: 20-plus years of hard, unrelenting work. Curling is a sport where just about anyone can be competitive, but its strategy can take decades to master and its heartbreaks are enough to drive all but the most resilient off the ice. Colin moved to the Lower 48 to be closer to his team members and competition at its highest level, which is concentrated in the upper Midwest for U.S. players. Vicky is the rarest of Alaskan Olympians, alongside folks like Lydia Jacoby those who compete at their sports highest level while still living in-state.

For more than a decade, Vicky has flown Outside for competitions and training with her team, working at a real estate title agency whose manager is also a curler and knows how much travel it takes to keep Olympic dreams alive. When her family could, they would go to bonspiels to cheer Vicky on, sometimes leaving me in charge of their chocolate lab Cocoa.

Vicky came tantalizingly close to making the Olympics once before in 2017, when her team made the final at the U.S. trials, only to lose on the final shot. It was a devastating loss, shes said since, but one that was liberating in its own way: Once youve been that close and lost, you feel like youve taken the worst the sport can throw at you, and youre less inclined to go on tilt when things start falling apart. She kept that lesson with her at the qualifying tournament for the Olympics, where in the final game she rebounded from a couple of bad misses to close out the win that sent her and teammate Chris Plys to Beijing.

Despite their massive growth as curlers, both Vicky and Colin are very much the same people they were when we played together as kids. Colin is a goofy, earnest class clown with a shocking amount of directness and emotional intelligence. Vicky is an intensely focused, gracious teammate and competitor whos so considerate she didnt even celebrate on the ice after winning the final game of the qualifying tournament and finally realizing her dream of going to the Olympics she remembered all too well what it felt like to be in the losing teams shoes. The emotional weight of the game only became apparent when she ducked behind the scoreboard, where the cameras couldnt see her, and let loose a ragged, relieved sob.

Vicky Persinger opens mixed doubles curling play at the Olympics Wednesday with matches against Australia at 3 a.m. and Italy at 4 p.m. Alaska time. Colin Hufman and the U.S. mens curling team begin round-robin play Feb. 9 against Russia.

Tom Hewitt is the ADNs opinion editor and a halfway (but only halfway) decent curler.

The views expressed here are the writers and are not necessarily endorsed by the Anchorage Daily News, which welcomes a broad range of viewpoints. To submit a piece for consideration, email commentary(at)adn.com. Send submissions shorter than 200 words to letters@adn.com or click here to submit via any web browser. Read our full guidelines for letters and commentaries here.

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I used to curl with Alaska's Olympians. Here's what I'll be thinking about as I watch them compete in Beijing. - Anchorage Daily News

Future Stars continues to cast a well-deserved spotlight on talented young Northwest suburban solo artists and bands. The upcoming performance - the third Future Stars event since it was established in the fall of 2021 - will take place on Durty Nellie's main stage Sunday, Feb. 20 from 4-7 p.m. Tickets are limited, and on sale now at http://www.FutureStars.Live.

Singer Sara Bella will kick off the event, followed by a performance from Jagger, also a solo artist/singer - with the band David's House rounding out the event as the headliner. Jagger is a newcomer to the Future Stars family, while Sara Bella provided an impressive and beautiful 'sneak peek' performance at the November Future Stars event that immediately engaged the audience. David's House, a band with eight talented members, opened at the November event and was invited back to be the headliner due to their high-energy, crowd-pleasing performance! (Please see performer bios below).

Over the last few months, Jason Stallard, Future Stars' co-founder and co-emcee has noted the maturity of the young performers, which have included the bands Voodoo Dolls, Kung Fu Sleepover, Collision and David's House, along with solo artist, Sara Bella.

"They've really impressed us all with how they carry themselves, and with the intensity in which they focus on growing and improving their talents while on stage," he said. Stallard is also the founder of Love Local Off 53, a community-building brand that highlights Northwest suburban businesses/organizations through videos and podcasts.

Future Stars co-founder and co-emcee Melanie Santostefano is excited for the future of Future Stars.

"Jason and I see this as an amazing start where we can grow this event and allow it to evolve as we continually meet new young entertainers. We, along with our audiences, have been wowed by the talent these young people bring to the stage," she said. "We believe they can absolutely go places with their music if they choose to, and we are there to help highlight them and their talents."

SUBMIT YOUR DEMO: Future Stars is seeking demo submissions for the March 27 event; the deadline is Feb. 15. Singers or bands (up to age 18/senior in high school) are invited to apply, and all potential acts go through a vetting process in order to be invited to perform at Future Stars. Entertainers can be invited back to subsequent events based on overall performance and crowd response. The goal of Future Stars is to provide professional promotion, marketing and public relations, along with a stage and enthusiastic audience, to help these entertainers grow musically and gain experience through live performances. Learn more, check out a gallery of images from previous events, and view video about the evolution of Future Stars at http://www.FutureStars.Live.

BIOS FOR SOLO ARTISTS AND THE BAND

Sara Bella is a multi-talented singer/songwriter and musician. At the age of 5, she began playing piano and singing, and has trained in styles ranging from musical theatre to opera and rock; her dynamic range of 4 octaves impressed all who see her perform. At the age of 14, she was chosen to be on The Voice Kids in her home country of Albania and advanced far into the competition, singing for 150,000 people on national TV. She has trained with various award-winning performers and has performed in a range of musicals and singing showcases, winning multiple awards. Sara Bella is also a self-taught guitar, and ukulele player, and writes/produces her own music. Her goals are to touch and impact people through music. Find her on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

Jagger is a velvety singer with deep roots with a style reminiscent of 1970s, with a tone and approach uniquely her own. Accolades include being a three-time School of Rock All-Star, and a Rock On Palatine Singing Contest and Arlington's Got Talent winner. Jagger has written a series of songs with Grammy nominated songwriters and turned them into what are described as magical productions. Her approach brings a soft, calming nature with nuances that lift the listener's ear to another realm. Being lost in the music is easy to do when listening to her recently release song, "I Go Crazy" which evokes ethereal feelings, and provides soft, yet expressive vocals with lyrics that are hard to forget. Find her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.

David's House is made up of eight young stars in the making who've played at several popular, local music venues including Hideaway Brew Garden, Penny Road Pub, Durty Nellies and Madcats! All band members bring a contagious energy to their music and are seasoned performers with several years of on-stage experience at School of Rock. Band members range in age from 15-18 and include: Andrew (keyboards), Caden (percussion), Christian (guitar), Jaime (vocals), Lauren (vocals), Nina (bass) and Sammy (guitar). Get ready to enjoy this infectious, high-energy rock/funk bank as they cover favorites from Led Zeppelin, Steely Dan, Heart, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles and more. Find the band Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon music and other streaming platforms. Visit davidshousetheband.com/ to learn more.

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Future Stars is back Feb. 20th with new talent and crowd favorites! - Chicago Daily Herald

I am an avowed supporter of Valentines Day not because I have a particularly rosy-eyed view of love and friendships, although I am also pro those things. It is 95 percent because of the candy, specifically chocolate.

I enjoy eating chocolate all year round, but on Valentines Day, it deservedly takes pride of place, conversation hearts and flower arrangements notwithstanding. And Valentines Day, unlike the other festive occasions where chocolate is a mere background player, is the time to request and give really fancy chocolate, the kind of chocolate that immediately telegraphs luxury and decadence. Theres nothing that fits that bill quite like bonbons.

Traditionally, bonbons are made with molds and contain a wide variety of fillings, from fruits and nuts to caramel and marzipans (unlike truffles, which generally contain ganache). They are a canvas for a chocolatiers creativity both on the inside and on the chocolate shelled exteriors, which are often painted to resemble glistening gemstones. While any box of chocolates can make for a fine romantic gesture or clichd apology, bonbons are always a celebration. Here, a list of confectioners from across the country to prove my point (they all ship nationwide).

This is the place that convinced me theres absolutely nothing wrong with sitting around and eating bonbons all day. In fact, its a delightful thing to do. At the New York City shop, Susanna Yoon manages to pack all the flavors of other elaborate desserts like calamansi meringue pie or black forest cake into a beautiful package. You cant select individual flavors when you order to ship online, but trust, they wont disappoint.

New Jersey-based Vesta Chocolate is a bean-to-bonbon chocolate factory, meaning chocolatiers Roger Rodriguez and Julia Choi Rodriguez start the chocolate-making process with whole cacao beans which they then process to form the basis of confections ranging from hot chocolate to bars to bonbons. Those bonbons are available to ship in boxes of six or 12 surprise flavors, but all of them are gluten- and nut-free.

In Miami, bean-to-bonbon Exquisito Chocolates prides itself on ethical sourcing. You can see exactly how chocolate maker Carolina Quijano turns cacao into chocolate on this episode of Eaters Handmade. And for Valentines Day, you can pre-order boxes of three or 32 bonbons in classic heart-shaped boxes.

Eater SF called Topotgato San Franciscos most audacious online chocolate shop. The hand-painted confections from pastry chef Simon Brown and designer Beau Monroe contain flavor combinations like pistachio marzipan with hibiscus jelly and pear jam with chamomile tea and a white wine ganache. Topogato also sells artwork by Monroe; this rosebud print would make a sweet addition to a Valentines Day gift of chocolates.

Elle Lei makes bonbons in small batches out of Chicago; they sell out fast. Sugoi partnered with fellow Chicago small business Aya Pastry on festive Halloween bonbons and is doing the same for Valentines Day. That collaboration is available for local pickup and delivery, but stay tuned for more options available directly from Sugoi, and in the meantime, peruse the usual offerings in flavors like beer pretzel, Chicago corn, and cotton candy pop rock, all decorated with bright pops of color.

Houston-based Cacao and Cardamom recognizes the jewel-like appeal of the bonbon, which here come in a variety of shapes, packaged in gold-lined boxes. As the shops name implies, spices take a starring role in chocolatier Annie Rupanis flavors: theres strawberry szechuan peppercorn, garam masala pistachio, five spice praline, and cardamom rose, just to name a few.

The Valentines Day offerings at Dallas-based chocolatier Kate Weiser combine my desire for quality, fancy chocolate with the gaudy Valentines Day imagery I unironically love. Just look at those pink hearts!

In Tucson, Monsoon Chocolate puts together boxes of bonbons that showcase a variety of aesthetic styles with flavors that reflect the southwestern setting, such as chiltepn pepper, prickly pear caramel, and Sonoran sea salt dark chocolate. Like Exquisito Chocolate and Vesta Chocolate, Monsoon is a bean-to-bar operation.

Atlanta-based Jard Chocolates is particularly well suited to the fruit lover. For Valentines Day, pastry chef Jocelyn Gragg is putting together a four-piece set of bonbons; flavors include liquid cherry cordial, pia colada, passionfruit and vanilla marshmallow, and a heart-shaped blood orange caramel.

At And Sons in Los Angeles, second-generation chocolate makers carry on the family tradition with elegant bonbons and other chocolate confections. If youre looking to give chocolate hearts for Valentines Day, look no further. In fact, And Sons makes a giant heart-shaped bonbon (giant, at three inches) filled with cinnamon hazelnut gianduja, salted vanilla caramel, and hazelnut praline, along with smaller heart-shaped bonbons.

Bon Bon Bons bonbons might not have the typical domed shape, but the flavors take full advantage of the anything-goes spirit of the bonbon. The Detroit shops Valentines Day collection is especially, um, spirited, including flavors with names like cherry pop (candied Luxardo cherry confiture, toasted poppy seed ganache, and dried Michigan cherries), family jewels (banana ganache, hazelnut praline ganache, hazelnut croquant, and pearl sugar), and S&M (strawberry and mascarpone). And while the Valentines Day pre-orders are sold out, mystery boxes-o-bons are available and likely just as fun.

Shopping intel and product picks for food lovers

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The Best Valentine's Day Gift Is A Box of Bonbons - Eater

Experts at a business forecast event in Rogers on Friday gave their thoughts and predictions on the state of the world, nation and Arkansas economies nearly two years into the coronavirus pandemic.

Amid inflation concerns and the omicron variant surge, economists remain cautiously optimistic about the road to recovery.

Juhi Dhawan, the senior managing director for Wellington Management, said she believes the current wave of the virus will peak in the coming months, and places like Europe and Asia will begin to recover as lockdowns ease and activity returns to normal.

"The world will become less divergent in 2022," she said. Vaccinations are the best tool to overcome the virus and the good news is that people are becoming more receptive to them, she said.

The University of Arkansas Business Forecast Luncheon, hosted by the Center for Business and Economic Research in Fayetteville, was held at the Rogers Convention Center. Attendees were required to wear masks.

Other factors affecting the global economy include less accommodating banks and fiscal policy as the Federal Reserve signals interest-rate increases in March, the evolution to more digital supply chains and the transition to renewable energies amid climate change. Meanwhile, the prices of everyday household items continue to rise.

[CORONAVIRUS: Click here for our complete coverage arkansasonline.com/coronavirus]

According to the personal consumption expenditures price index, the U.S. last recorded inflation levels this high in the early 1980s.

David Altig, executive vice president and director of research at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, said about 70% of the items in the consumer market basket have increased more than 3% so far. Almost half of those items increased more than 5%, he said.

The Fed has said an acceptable target rate of inflation averages 2% over time. Between 2012 and 2020 when the pandemic hit, inflation was soft, begging the question: "Are we just making up for lost ground?" Altig said. "The answer is yeah, kind of."

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell on Wednesday predicted a strong labor market with low unemployment and increased wages.

Altig elaborated on Powell's comments, clarifying that the labor markets are improved but no broad sector has recovered from the pandemic. He said the jobs are there but they cannot be filled as workers retire or search for jobs that reduce the risk of contracting the virus. Many foreign workers that the country relied on went home during the pandemic and single mothers with young children left their jobs to take care of their children.

"Is this going to turn around soon?," Altig said. "It may change as covid conditions develop for the better."

A good sign for Arkansas is that a number of jobs lost because of the pandemic are coming back.

Nonfarm employment increased by 27,000 jobs last year, said Mervin Jebaraj, director of the Center for business and Economic Research in Fayetteville. However, the state lost some 38,000 jobs over the course of the past two years, resulting in a net decline of 11,000 jobs.

Of the jobs added last year, Jebaraj said most were in the professional business services, leisure and hospitality and manufacturing sectors, among others. A decline in jobs were seen in the construction and government sectors, in large part attributed to staff reductions at public schools.

According to state data, Fort Smith, Hot Springs, Jonesboro and Little Rock all recorded job gains over the last year, but net declines since 2020. Of the metropolitan areas in the state, Northwest Arkansas had the only increase in jobs since the pandemic.

Looking ahead, Jebaraj said he believes the coronavirus won't be completely gone this year. Small and large businesses alike will continue to be affected by the virus, he said.

The state's employment population ratio declined about 1.5% from 2020 to 2021. This happened for a number of reasons, Jebaraj said, including increased retirement rates, single mothers quitting their jobs and people getting sick or taking care of people who are sick. Workers are also leaving jobs at smaller businesses for higher paying jobs at larger companies or to start their own companies. He said the number of business applications has surged in the past year.

Overall, Jebaraj had a pretty positive outlook on the economy of Arkansas.

"Hopefully there isn't another variant or surge, and if there is, hold on to those masks," he said.

The event, which draws more than 1,000 people each year, was sponsored and made possible in part by Walmart and Sam's Club, Greenwood Gearhart financial advisers and RMP law firm, Cox Communications, Regions Bank and other business partners.

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Experts express views on recovery - Arkansas Online