Hello from a very warm Sydney, where moviegoers have been hoping to bump into Jonathan Bailey. Earlier this week, the British actor (and People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive) surprised fans at two separate screenings of Wicked: For Good.

Bailey caught his sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces off guard when he dropped into a session at Hoyts Broadway. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to watch it with you,” Bailey told the full theatre, who I’m sure responded with: “Ok JB, twist my arm.”

And happy AusMusic T-Shirt Day! I’m rocking my Gang of Youths merch, TDA journo Emily Donohoe opted for an old-school classic with her Midnight Oil tee, while our copyeditor Lucy Tassell has The Preatures on her shirt (and Ninajirachi in her headphones).

“I’m almost embarrassed to say I wrote it. When people ask what I do, I’m just like, ‘I’m a writer. Please don’t ask me what I wrote.’”
Author Colleen Hoover, reflecting on the controversy surrounding the film adaptation of her book It Ends With Us, in an interview with Elle.

$US226 million
How much Wicked: For Good collected at box offices around the world in its opening weekend ($AU350 million). It’s a new global opening record for a Broadway musical adaptation.

Sabrina Carpenter arrested Miss Piggy at the final show of her Short n’ Sweet tour in LA. Miss Piggy (who was joined by fellow Muppet/security detail Bobo the Bear) told Carpenter she was “loving” the concert but did “have a few notes” for the singer. During the tour, Carpenter marked each performance of her song Juno by arresting someone in the crowd “for being too hot.” The tradition became known for its viral celebrity cameos, with other big-name arrests including Gigi Hadid, Anne Hathaway, Salma Hayek, Marcello Hernandez, and SZA.

Robert Irwin has been crowned champion of Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) U.S. season 34.

The 21-year-old Australian conservationist takes home the iconic Mirrorball Trophy exactly a decade after his sister Bindi’s victory on the same show.

Robert and his dance partner Witney Carson triumphed in Tuesday night’s finale (local time) after an intense 11-week competition.

Robert fought through a rib injury during the final week of DWTS, but that didn’t stop him from earning a near-perfect combined score at the finale.

Robert and Witney notched up 89 points out of a possible 90 across three demanding performances, including an emotional freestyle routine dedicated to Steve Irwin, Robert’s late father.

The DWTS winner is determined by the judges’ score and an audience vote. This year’s finale drew a record-breaking 72 million votes, more than double the previous record.

It was enough to secure Robert’s title, despite runner-up social media influencer and podcaster Alix Earle beating his judges’ score by one point.

The show revealed it was the closest margin in the show's 20-year history.

Robert and his sister now make history as the first brother-sister duo to win the competition, after Bindi’s victory in 2015.

In a post to Instagram, Robert thanked his family, who “moved all the way out from Australia” to the U.S. for three months, “to be there for me every step of the way.”

He called Bindi his inspiration. “I have you to thank for setting me on the course to take this remarkable journey.”

Every week on DWTS, Robert said he “represented my home at Australia Zoo, our charity - Wildlife Warriors, and a legacy that is so important to me.”

“I lift this mirrorball trophy with a sense of gratitude that my message and everything I stand for was recognised in that ballroom. The lessons I learned and friendships that I have formed will be part of me forever.”

Aussie artists dominated the 2025 ARIA Awards, showing just how strong the local music scene is right now.

Thelma Plum and BOY SODA both took home major awards, with Thelma winning Best Pop Release for I’m Sorry, Now Say It Back and BOY SODA earning Best Soul/R&B Release for Lil’ Obsession. Both wins reflect two genres - pop and R&B - that have been gaining serious Aussie momentum this year.

And the performances? They didn’t miss! Thelma’s Nobody’s Baby stood out, BOY SODA and PANIA’s medley highlighted the rise of Soul/R&B, and Kita Alexander brought energy with her ARIA-nominated single Press Pause.

For anyone following Australian music, the ARIAs gave a clear snapshot of who’s shaping the next wave — and these artists are right at the centre.

American musician and actor Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) has revealed he had a stroke last year.

The 42-year-old opened up about his recent health issues on stage at a festival in LA over the weekend. 

Glover told the audience, “ I had a really bad pain in my head” during a headline show in Louisiana last year.

“ I went to the hospital and the doctor was like, ‘you had a stroke,’” he said. 

Glover also revealed that he had to undergo multiple surgeries to fix “a hole in [his] heart.”

Here’s what you need to know.

Childish Gambino is the award-winning musical persona of U.S. rapper, actor, writer, producer, and director Donald Glover.

The multihyphenate star first rose to prominence writing for the TV sitcom 30 Rock and starring in Community, before gaining critical acclaim for his music as Childish Gambino. 

In 2018, his hit single This Is America became a cultural phenomenon, known for its politically charged message and groundbreaking video. The song won multiple Grammys, including Record of the Year.

He is also the man behind one of this reporter’s favourite albums of all time, Because the Internet, which was released in 2013. (Pause your reading and go check it out IMMEDIATELY if you don’t know what I’m talking about).

Outside of music, Glover also created and starred in the award-winning series Atlanta, solidifying his reputation as one of the most versatile creatives of his generation.

In 2024, Glover set out on 'The New World Tour' in support of his albums Atavista and Bando Stone & the New World. At the time, he told fans it would be his final tour as Childish Gambino, with plans to retire the pseudonym.

The tour ended abruptly after 18 shows.

In a post to X late last year, Glover wrote: “After my show in New Orleans, I went to the hospital in Houston… it became clear I would not perform that night, and after more tests, I could not perform the rest of the US tour in the time asked. As of now, I have surgery scheduled and need time out to heal.”

Glover did not disclose any further details at the time, but told his fans to “hold onto” their tickets, with a goal to reschedule the postponed shows.

Ultimately, the rapper cancelled the remaining dates planned across North America, Europe and Australia.

Over the weekend, Glover headlined Camp Flog Gnaw, an annual festival put together by rapper Tyler, the Creator.

While on stage in LA, the 42-year-old told the crowd he “couldn’t see really well” during his 2024 show in New Orleans. He said he continued to perform, but later found out he had suffered a stroke.

He also revealed doctors “found a hole in my heart… so I had this surgery, and then I had to have another surgery”.

The rapper expressed his remorse over having to cancel his tour dates, but thanked his fans for their loyalty and support.

“You got one life, guys, and I gotta be honest, the life I've lived with you has been such a blessing,” he said.

Reporting by Elliot Lawry.

The TDA team is bringing you some homegrown recommendations this week, in celebration of Ausmusic month!

TDA’s resident music expert Emily is listening to new releases from Matt Corby, Rum Jungle, Courtney Barnett and Velvet Trip, with a special shout-out to all-female rockers Dizzy Days. “Their song It's Me It's Not You has less than 2,000 Spotify streams, so you can let your hair down and impress your friends with a super underground song from some soon-to-be superstars,” Em said.

Head of Partnerships Tom has been getting into HighSchool, who just released their debut album. “Their 2021 single New York, Paris and London grabbed me because it felt like a blend of many of the bands I like, it's a bit Strokes meets The Cure… a really interesting sound.”

And Sports Journalist George is listening to Payphone Man by The Slingers. “I saw The Slingers live earlier this year and they have been in my daily rotation ever since. They released this song last month, and it reaffirms my love for homegrown music.”